Chandler Shamrock Magazine 2019

MESSAGE from the HEAD OF SCHOOL

F

ollowing the completion of Chandler’s self-study in December 2018 and the report of the visiting committee this April, in July the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) gave Chandler a seven-year term of accreditation, the maximum term awarded by the associations.

The following commendations were included in the final report: • Chandler’s educational program, with its focus on both academics and character, is mission guided, challenging, and implemented by adults who clearly care about the academic progress and well-being of students.

• Chandler supports the professional growth and development of faculty through a well-articulated evaluation process and by funding a variety of professional development opportunities for teachers and administrators.

• Chandler’s Learning Resource Team works closely together, and with Division Directors, to provide academic support and resources to faculty and students across the school.

• Current families and alumni report high levels of satisfaction with the educational program and with students’ preparation for their various high schools.

• The alumni program is robust and creates connections and relationships that cross several age groups and sustains loyalty to Chandler School.

The visiting committee’s final report endorsed the major recommendations that we made to ourselves in the self-study. The major recommendations will help focus the work of Chandler faculty and administrators for the foreseeable future: • Create and implement processes and structures for curriculum mapping, review, and improvement to optimize student learning goals and experiences, with curriculum mapping fully underway by the mid-cycle progress report in 2022.

• Develop a plan for understanding and addressing student wellness and social emotional learning to ensure that students experience a balance between academic excellence and well-being.

• Create and implement a comprehensive plan for understanding and advancing diversity, equity and inclusion that is rooted in best practices and includes all constituents.

• Broaden the ways in which the school collects and analyzes data, ascertains its meaning, and uses it to inform and guide institutional change initiatives.

With grateful appreciation to everyone who participated in the self-study process and with special thanks to Lower School Assistant Lynne Westphal for compiling and editing the final product, Chandler faculty, staff and adminstrators begin the 2019-20 school year with the re-accreditation process behind us and a road map for the future before us.

Most sincerely,

John Finch Head of School

CHANDLER

PUSD Par t ners hips

SHAMROCK MAGAZINE 2019 is published for parents, alumni, past parents and friends of Chandler School.

WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! Share your alumni news and thoughts on school communications. alumni@chandlerschool.org communications@chandlerschool.org FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA!

For 30 years, Chandler has participated in the Partnership for Success! program, bringing students from Pasadena Unified School District into independent schools for a fully-funded, enriching summer school that spans grades 5-12.

Now, Chandler is forging academic-year partnerships with PUSD schools so Chandler students can benefit from learning alongside PUSD students. Last year, seventh-graders volunteered at Cleveland School, while second-graders explored bugs, birds and plants at Arlington Garden (another Chandler partner) with their peers from Cleveland.

THE MISSION OF CHANDLER SCHOOL

is to provide each student with the highest quality and most academically challenging education in a nurturing, balanced and diverse environment. We strive to have our students gain a love of learning, a means of thinking independently and an ability to work collaboratively. A Chandler education seeks to develop good character, self‑reliance and a commitment to community in students as a foundation for academic and personal success.

THE GOALS OF CHANDLER SCHOOL are

to uphold the Chandler tradition of academic excellence and intellectual discipline in a program that develops the mind, body and spirit;

content s C H A N D L E R T O D AY

ALUMNI NE WS

Chandler Highlights

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Why We Make

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Q&A with Stephanie Ho

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Winner’s Circle

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Graduation & Promotion

10

Distinguished Alumnus

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Off to College: Class of 2015

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Alumni Visiting Day

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Class Notes & Profiles

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Deborah Nesbit Award

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Alumni Reunion

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Endowment 101

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New Innovation Building

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to promote respect, trustworthiness, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship, which are the core values of our school community; to foster an educational environment that values and communicates respect for racial, religious, cultural and economic differences; to serve the greater community, in recognition that as much is given to us, much is expected from us.

1005 Armada Drive, Pasadena, CA 91103 www.chandlerschool.org Chandler School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin or sexual orientation.

# CH A ND L ER # H IG H LIG H T S

Katie Villanueva sprouts a sense of wonder in kindergarteners as she leads hands-on garden exploration. Students learn to maintain the garden and appreciate plant life cycles. Favorite projects include growing and measuring pumpkins, observing and drawing the California poppy, and growing carrots, lettuce, radishes, kale, sugar snap peas and nasturtiums for healthy snacking.

Chess uses both sides of the brain, building students’ memory, spatial skills, creativity and problem solving. Plus, chess is fun!

With nearly 100 students in six different levels, Chandler’s Afterschool K-5 chess program is the biggest specialty class we offer. Students begin to play competitive games immediately, and participate in several local tournaments each year.

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Chandler launched a new student-exchange program with a sister school in Costa Rica, IPICIM. Over spring break, nine Chandler students visited Costa Rica with Señoras Vasquez and Genzon. They attended IPICIM, and enjoyed cultural landmarks, beaches, and delicious food. In May, students from IPICIM visited Chandler for classes, friendship, and a memorable soccer game. The cultural exchange marks a capstone in Chandler’s rigorous Spanish program. Most of all, students loved meeting teenagers from another country!

# CH A ND L ER # H IG H LIG H T S

To bring classroom learning to life, sixth-grade social studies teacher Andy Hulm (aka King Andrew) hosts Medieval Day with jousting, music of the Middle Ages, medieval illuminations, amusements of the medieval nobility and a royal banquet. The day concludes at the Royal Court (library) with the Royal History Jeopardy Final.

CELEBRATING RETIREMENTS

In May, Chandler celebrated the retirements of two teachers, Will Salmon and Terry Orth. Will dedicated 27 years to teaching music at Chandler, inspiring students with creativity and passion for musical expression. Terry guided her students through the joys of second grade for 17 years as a caring and dedicated teacher.

Their students, parents, former students and colleagues showered them with well wishes as they start new chapters of life.

The third-grade bike rodeo at the Rose Bowl is a P.E. tradition. This year, participants raised $1,300 for the One Bicycle Foundation, founded by Chandler alumni Sebouh ’10 and Shawnt ’12 Bazikian. The donation provides bikes to help students in Africa get to school safely.

Teacher Carla Fernandez said, “Our students saw they could make a difference, and they went for it.” Students accepted certificates for their efforts from a field deputy of LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s office.

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WHY WE MAKE Maker education promotes hands-on, collaborative work, where Chandler students can create. Our school is in a privileged position to be able to nurture students’ interests and foster creativity while they’re young.

Director of Lower School Emily Brown states how project-based learning and design thinking sets up younger children for future achievement. “When they start making in Kindergarten, it’s usually coordinating smaller projects with books they are reading. Last year, they made a trellis for beanstalks while reading Jack and the Beanstalk,” she said. “By the time they are in middle school, the kids will learn to take calculated risks and become courageous.”

The learning process of building, designing, and tinkering allows for unsuccessful attempts encouraging resilience and grit. And while failing may seem counterintuitive, problem-solving allows for deeper learning, leading to the eventual success of a project.

“It takes learning to the next level. Maker education always starts with a question, not readily found on Google,” says Director of Middle School Jill Bergeron. She explains how Maker education promotes critical thinking, more productive learning and even character. “The process of iteration is critical for student learning and success.”

Our work and our mission are to provide space for students to think independently, work together, discover, experiment and explore. And we are especially grateful for the approval of the Innovation Building – a new multi-purpose academic building on our campus. This new building will become an extension of each classroom and will enhance the experience of Chandler students for generations to come.

Read more about the Innovation Building on page 45.

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Six Questions with Stephanie Ho Q HAVE YOU ALWAYS LOVED SCIENCE?

Q HOW HAS YOUR TEACHING STYLE EVOLVED?

Not at all. When I was a child, I was under the impression that science was “super hard and boooorrring!” My first science teacher was hands-on and I hated it at first – getting dirty, thinking about answers that weren’t written down. I was reluctant and painfully shy, but my teacher took time to work with me. That made picking through owl barf OK.

Starting out, I was advised that I had to set rules, be the boss, and take control. I quickly learned that this wasn’t my style! The other day a student told me he appreciated that I’m a real person in the classroom because I’m not afraid to tell the kids, “I really need some coffee right now!” I need to be real with kids if I expect them to be real with me. How else will I know how they learn best?

Q YOU RECENTLY BECAME A CERTIFIED

I’m constantly reminded of the importance of connection: taking time to get to know my students, and letting them get to know me. It’s an honor to be able to incorporate science learning into this “learning how to be people” thing as well.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EDUCATOR. COULD YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THAT?

The process takes three months and it’s incredible. I learned about the program when Chandler sent me to the National Science Teachers Association conference. I worked online with like-minded passionate teachers from all over the world who want their kids to learn through experiences.

A huge takeaway is that I try every day to be the teacher I needed when I was a child. And I can make mistakes, and try again the next day. Every change I make is an intentional one.

It reinvigorated my fifth-grade STEAM curriculum, because I realized my students had learned to consider all the requirements of sustained life: energy transfer, adaptations, natural selection, ecosystems, habitats, living and non-living entities. They were ready to design their own space colonies! The students loved when I brought in Raymond Jimenez ’05 and his wife Jomya Lei, two incredibly talented space engineers, who walked them through real issues of space research and travel.

Q WHAT ARE STUDENTS’ FAVORITE “MESSY” SCIENCE PROJECTS?

Anything to do with repurposing materials, gardening, growing is always really fun for me... but I have to say that making ice cream with first grade to study phases of matter is one of my favorite messy projects. It’s so much work and energy! And it is so rewarding for everyone involved.

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Q WHAT DO YOU MOST HOPE TO IMPART TO CHANDLER STUDENTS?

I hope my students walk across the field to middle school knowing that success isn’t about perfection – it’s about making mistakes, learning, and sharing those lessons with others. It’s a life-long practice and we do it best when we tap our kindness and empathy – two of the biggest superpowers kids have.

Q IF YOU COULDN’T BE A SCIENCE TEACHER, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING?

I’d be a competitive ramen eater or a science-themed photographer/artist/baker. Just like in science – the possibilities are endless!

The Chandler School CFA jockeyed its fundraising gala to a runaway victory on Saturday, May 4. The bash drew hundreds of guests who arrived in their festive Derby best. Parents, trustees, faculty, friends and alumni of the school set a winning pace in live and silent auctions, while enjoying fine dining and live entertainment. The elegant Langham Hotel once again offered the ideal venue for this bi-annual school extravaganza. The gala is Chandler Family Associates’ biggest fundraiser of the year, with all proceeds supporting Chandler’s school programs. Thus, the night’s biggest winners were the children!

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Awards Presented

TO MEMBERS OF THE CLASS OF 2019 Arthur L. P. Brown Award for Scholastic Progress Nicolas William Vallejo

Vernon L. Hill Citizenship Award Gregory Kocharian Kensuke Shimojo

Robert T. McInerny Award for Excellence in School Service Alexander Forman Honorable Mention Elizabeth Lann Hong & Emma Louise Newhall

Fine Arts (Performing) Award

Elizabeth Lann Hong Honorable Mention - Nyla Corine Cross

Fine Arts (Visual) Award

Noah Mikael Sheikh Honorable Mention - Amanda Carolina Rojo

Clyde E. MacQuoid Award for Best Girl Athlete Sunday Lilly Labrucherie

William Wilson Award for Best Boy Athlete Nicholas Silva

Jefferson C. Stephens Scholarship Award

Meena Annika Durairaj Honorable Mention - Samara May Jeanne Mellis

Catherine S. Chandler Award for Best All-Around Girl Sunday Lilly Labrucherie Honorable Mention - Emma Louise Newhall

Thomas A. Chandler Award for Best All-Around Boy Alexander Forman

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CHANDLER’S GRADUATES HEAD TO TOP SECONDARY SCHOOLS! Flintridge Preparatory School Harvard-Westlake School La Cañada High School La Salle College Preparatory Loyola High School Maranatha High School Mayfield Senior School Polytechnic School San Marino High School Sequoyah High School St. Francis High School The Episcopal School of Los Angeles The Webb Schools Westridge School

Almost Alumni The Class of 2019 enjoyed several Almost Alumni events, hosted by Chandler’s Alumni Council, to celebrate the milestone moments leading up to Commencement.

The Class of 2022 celebrated the end of lower school with a special ceremony among their teachers and families. Each student spoke about a favorite memory and shared their gratitude.

2019 C H A N D L E R S C H O O L D I S T I N G U I S H E D A LU M N I AWA R D W I N N E R

Dr. Edward Merchant ’63 POLYTECHNIC SCHOOL JOHN MUIR HIGH SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

Stories “ and dreams

determine our futures…

”

says Ted Merchant, this year’s Distinguished Alumni Award winner. Ted is a pioneer in the new field of residential care for adults with special needs. It’s a passion that blossomed out of his awareness of the lack of integrated, residential services for adults who have autism or other developmental differences.

“I know it’s possible to create communities of care and support for this population.

They deserve to live their fullest and most independent lives, with respect and dignity,” Ted explains.

Ted followed his heart into this ground-breaking field after a fulfilling career in obstetrics and gynecology in Pasadena, and a clinical professorship at the University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine.

“Our first residential care project is in Poway, near San Diego. We got a tax credit allocation from California worth $19 million. Now we’re going all-out on design, real estate contracts, business plans, financial projections, and partnership agreements. It’s a huge undertaking!”

The work is complex and innovative, with all the intricacies you’d imagine of a public-private partnership that is financed by the government and available to the public. Ted is motivated by the promise of proving what can be done, and more practically, by the opportunity to create integrated housing and services for 53 adult tenants who will reside in the housing complex.

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“The learning curve has just been fantastic,” Ted enthuses.

“I spent 40 years being a physician, but that’s a solo business. This requires putting a team together, working across government, companies and across institutions.

Understanding finance, legalities, and especially having empathy for the needs of each of our partners.”

Ted’s memories of Chandler School have a special place in his heart. “Tom Chandler was an icon in my life, because he truly cared about me. He demonstrated concern through concrete action. He brought me into his office to help me sort out my thoughts. He sat on the bench with us during football games, and we felt like he really cared about us.”

And because there’s no proven blueprint for this undertaking, Ted embraces the risk involved. “We can’t be afraid of failure. We learn far more from failures than successes. You have to have a lot of balls up in the air in a project of this magnitude and complexity. Failures are a normal part of the process.”

Ted chuckles when asked about winning Chandler’s Distinguished Alumni Award. “You do wonder sometimes if you’re making a difference as you go along doing all this work, and it’s nice to realize in receiving this award that, at least from someone’s perspective, you’ve made an impact.”

“This has been absolutely fascinating,” Ted says. “Being able to keep growing, and also to give – we’re not going to take it with us!”

“What do you want your

story to be? What are your dreams? There is no doubt.

Each of you can go beyond the moon!”

2020 C H A N D L E R S C H O O L

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD The Chandler School Distinguished Alumni Award is given annually to a Chandler alumnus or alumna in recognition of outstanding achievement and unselfish dedication to his/her community. Those who are honored with this award have, through their life and work, embodied Chandler’s mission and Six Pillars of Character: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship.

The Chandler School Alumni Council invites nominations for this award. If you know of a Chandler alumnus or alumna whose life or work you would like to see honored with this award, please consider the following criteria: • Significant accomplishment in a career or field of interest; • Excellence in service to the community or to society in general;

The deadline for nominations is DECEMBER 1, 2019. Nominations will be considered confidentially by the Chandler School Alumni Council, and the award will be presented at Commencement in June.

Please contact Director of Alumni Relations and Major Gifts Jennifer Sells Johnson ’94 with nominations or questions at alumni@ chandlerschool.org or (626) 795-9314 ext. 111.

• Volunteer service which has inspired others; • Embodiment of Chandler’s Six Pillars of Character.

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Chandler welcomed alumni and parents from the Class of 2015 to campus for a festive Cinco de Mayo-themed reunion before they start college in the fall.

TARA ADARKAR '15

MADELEINE PEARCE '15

JACK STELLWAGEN '15

Polytechnic | Wake Forest University

Westridge | Boston University

Polytechnic | Carnegie Mellon

“I’m debating between pre-med and majoring in economics with minors in math and history,” says Tara.

“Chandler prepared me well for high school. I knew how to balance my academic, athletic, and social obligations because of time management skills I learned at Chandler.”

“At Poly, I was part of the varsity tennis and softball teams, the Conservative Club, and the Key Club. I also initiated an independent study about concussions and their impact on mental health. I received a lot of awards for tennis: First Team All League (2017), Doubles MVP (2017), CIF Individuals (2017), First Team All League (2016), Doubles MVP (2015), First Team All-League (2015), CIF Individuals (2015).”

“I really appreciate the teachers I had at Chandler. All my teachers supported and guided me to become who I am today,” says Tara.

“I’d remind Chandler students to have fun and try different hobbies because you never know what you’ll be interested in. Also, Chandler is an amazing place, don’t forget to cherish it!”

“I will be in the communications department at Boston University,” says Madeleine.

“Chandler helped me enter high school with a significantly more advanced writing ability than many of my peers, and prepared me for the advanced math class offered to freshman.”

“In high school, I was on the equestrian team, JV basketball team, and JV lacrosse team. I was a member of Liberty in North Korea, Amnesty International, and the head of a forensic science and criminology club. In addition, I volunteered with the LA Department of Parks and Recreation and the Altadena Mountain Rescue Team. I was a member of the National Spanish Honors Society and part of the National Hispanic Recognition Program.”

“At Chandler, I most appreciated the tightknit community and willingness of teachers to help students. I would advise Chandler students to work hard and try different activities in high school. Find something you enjoy and stay committed to it.”

“I’ll be studying computer science at Carnegie Mellon,” says Jack.

“Chandler prepared me really well for high school. I felt almost ahead of my classmates in my freshman year, since I already knew the best way to study based on how I learn.”

“At Poly, I was on the football team every year, and I was on the track team for a season.”

“Looking back, I appreciate the strong friendships I made at Chandler, which have lasted all through high school, despite the fact that we all attend different schools,” says Jack.

“I’d encourage Chandler students not to stress about the transition to high school since Chandler gives you all the tools you need for a smooth transition.”

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The Class of 2015 has enrolled in these colleges and more KYLE LEE '15

CAITLIN FONG '15

La Cañada High School | Harvard University

Flintridge Preparatory School | New York Univ.

“I plan to major in social studies, a combination of government, economics, and political science,” says Kyle.

“Chandler prepared me very well for high school by teaching me to use technology to take organized notes. Also, learning Spanish at Chandler opened so many doors for me in high school, from connecting with communities to traveling to Spain with my Spanish teacher.”

“In high school, I was involved in Youth and Government, a model legislature and court program run by the YMCA. I served as president of the Crescenta-Canada YMCA delegation. I also ran the Good Neighbors club at LCHS, collaborating with the Good Neighbors nonprofit in Guatemala to promote economic self-sufficiency for families in Zacapa.

As president of the Spanish Club, I organized activities to celebrate Hispanic culture.”

“I was awarded the Hugh O’Brien Youth (HOBY) Leadership scholarship, and my high school’s American Legion California Boys State representative,” Kyle says.

“I’d tell current Chandler students to enjoy themselves - to pursue what they truly love doing and figure out an interest in a certain field of study.”

“At NYU, I will attend the Stern School of Business where I plan to major in business with a concentration in finance, and hopefully double major in psychology. I will also be a member of the women’s soccer team,” says Caitlin.

“Chandler prepared me very well in all aspects.

From the ability to try out a variety of sports in middle school, use technology in the classroom setting, and participate in Student Council, I gained invaluable experiences that led to my success.”

“I was a captain and 4-year starter on the varsity soccer team which won a CIF championship my junior year. I also participated in the Nicaragua Exchange Program. As a captain on the Athletic Council on Leadership, I organized Special Olympics and served as the race director of the 2nd and 3rd annual La Mascota 5k, raising over $30,000 for families of cancer patients in Nicaragua. I received the Cancer Federation Scholarship Award at graduation.”

“I really appreciated the Chandler community.

All of the teachers and staff pour their heart and soul into Chandler to provide each student with the best possible experience. I will forever appreciate everyone’s dedication to make me the best all-around person I could be.”

“I encourage every student to take advantage of all the opportunities Chandler gives you and give it your all. Also, speak up and share your opinions, but always be ready to listen to other people. It will make you a better leader and easier teammate to work with.”

Babson College Boston College Boston University Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Carnegie Mellon University Claremont McKenna College Dartmouth College Drexel University Emerson College Grinnell College Harvard University Johns Hopkins University New York University Northeastern University Pasadena City College Pitzer College Purdue University San Diego State University Skidmore College Smith College Southern Methodist University St. John’s University Syracuse University Tufts University Tulane University University of British Columbia University of California Los Angeles University of California San Diego University of California Santa Barbara University of California Santa Cruz University of Colorado Boulder University of Connecticut University of Notre Dame University of Oklahoma University of Oregon University of Pennsylvania University of Portland University of Puget Sound University of Rochester University of Southern California University of St. Andrews Wake Forest University Washington University in St. Louis Summer 2019 17

Alumni Visiting Day Alumni Visiting Day offered a chance for alumni to share their wisdom and careers with current students.

In Middle School workshops themed “Legacy of Service”, alumni Sebouh Bazikian ’10, Founder of One Bicycle Foundation, Olivia Gaines ’09, Advocate for King’s Ransom Foundation, and Farrell Heydorff ’96, Technical Sergeant of the U.S. Air Force, talked about leading a life of service.

New this year was the African American Read-In for kindergarten, first and second grade. Founded in 1990 by the Black Caucus of the National Council of Teachers of English, The African American Read-In is a nationwide event that celebrates diversity in literature and promotes positive representations of African Americans and their experiences. At Chandler, African American alumni read aloud books written by African American authors and featuring African American characters.

Across campus, our alumni engaged with students on a wide range of topics relevant both to their classwork and their lives:

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This year’s keynote speaker was Jim Demetriades ’77. Jim’s investment firm, Kairos Ventures, seeks to bring the world’s revolu‑ tionary scientific and technological discoveries to market. He urged Middle School students to embrace the importance of imagina‑ tion and dreaming big. He shared his vision that we can solve the world’s massive problems – food production, pollution, healthcare, disaster relief – through innovation.

“The overriding vision for my businesses is, will it help humanity? If you focus on money, you’re following the wrong objective,” Jim explains. “Focus on making your business different, and on a positive impact. Setting an example of honor, integrity, and moral courage is a powerful act.”

KINDERGARTEN: Olivia Gaines ’09 and Earl Barr ’72 CHS ’76, Insurance Broker, participated in the African American Read-In. FIRST: Khalilah El-Amin ’91, Director of Human Resources & Administration at Rockley Photonics, participated in the African American Read-In, and Dr. Sunjay Lad ’95, Dentist and Owner of Lad Family Dentistry, taught about good dental health.

SECOND: Blakley Coe Graham ’93, Assistant Principal of Paul Revere Charter Middle School, and Matt Lawler ’95, Director of Digital Media and Global Partnerships at AEG, participated in the African American Read-In. THIRD: Sebouh Bazikian ’10 talked with third-graders about the exciting way he combined his love of cycling with a nonprofit that provides bikes to orphans worldwide.

FOURTH: Kelsey Peterson-More Szamet ’96, Partner at Kingsley & Kingsley, taught students about persuasive argument writing.

As a lawyer, she easily convinced them of the usefulness of this skill in real life.

FIFTH: Allison Hegan Kleine ’01, Author of No More Endlings, talked about her book on endangered animals, and provided advice to students who are currently writing about endangered animals in class.

SIXTH: Chloe Daniel ’15, a member of the U.S. National Team, taught fencing to students in grades four, five and six.

She had lots of expertise to share and also brought two of her coaches.

SEVENTH AND EIGHTH: Chris Waldheim ’81, CEO of J’s Maintenance and J’s Maids, spoke with students about leadership and the power of gratitude; Erika Person Werner ’88 taught a music elective class and shared lessons learned from her career as an opera singer; Aimee Bahng Boyer ’89, Author of Migrant Futures, discussed fiction-writing, diversity of characters and identity with students; and Allison McGuire ’01, Founder & CEO of Walc and Monaghan McGuire, explained that with an entrepreneurial mindset, students can reinvent their careers many times over.

EIGHTH: Chris Lee ’92, Investment Analyst at Capital Group, helped students understand the power of compound interest and sound financial decisions, as they worked on their personal financial profiles in math class.

SAVE THE DATE

Alumni Visiting Day FEBRUARY 5, 2020

class notes

at Matt Wright’s Altadena home for dinner, drinks and conversation that lasted into the wee hours. “It was great to see everyone, and be reminded that Chandler bonds are lasting, particularly when you’ve diagrammed sentences together,” says Matt.

DOUG GREGG JR. ’62 serves as the Alumni Council President of The Webb Schools. “It is an honor as Thomas A. Chandler ’30 was also a Webb alumnus,” says Doug.

PAULA MCCULLOUGH BOWN ’79 is still in St. George, Utah. Two of their children, Sarah and Liz, are married and living up north, and two more, Peter and Caroline, are students at BYU. Their fifth, Grace, is on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints in Canada and their sixth, Martha, is a junior in high school.

“My husband, Jim and I, are pictured here with our two grandchildren, Claire and William. Life is good,” says Paula.

class notes

LINDY HARDMAN ’69 and his wife, Susan, have moved out of Pasadena and back to Hamilton, Montana. “We are both working remotely, and the stress level has lowered significantly. If anyone finds their way to the Bitterroot Valley, be sure to look us up,” says Lindy.

DEBBIE DANNER ’74 is having a great time training teachers from all over the country in the Master of Arts in Teaching program at the University of Southern California.

KATIE HORTON SAFFORD ’74 CHS ’78 has taught for LAUSD for 30+ years. She and her husband, Jim, travel for Irish dance competitions for their teenage daughter Caroline. “We all have a lot of fun with it,” says Katie.

MATT WRIGHT ’74 CHS ’78 Class of ’74 Flash Mob Reunion! Well, not much of a mob, but a great mini-reunion put together in a flash. Lew McLin ’74 CHS ’78, currently residing in coastal France with his wife Maryse and son Martin, came to Pasadena on family business. Calls were made and the available locals, which included Laura Brown ’74, Lisa Curry Austin ’74 CHS ’78, Brent Tufeld ’74 and Bruce Caulk ’74 CHS ’78, got together

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ANNA PEHOUSHEK ’80 continues to live in Old Towne Orange. This is her 19th year working at the City of Orange, where she serves as the City’s Assistant Community Development Director. Her work has been recognized by the American Planning Association, the California Preservation Foundation, and Docomomo International for historic preservation, land use planning, and stewardship of the Old Towne Orange Historic District. “Orange has been a great community to call home for a Pasadena transplant like me. My experience at Chandler’s Alumni Visiting Day motivated me to develop a city planning based youth outreach program with the Youth Centers for Orange. My colleagues and I had great fun talking to kids about the community and understanding what makes a city a great place to live. On other fronts, my son is in 8th grade and we are making plans for high school. He is involved in soccer, Boy Scouts, and music which all keep our family very busy. His music school has played the Orange County Fair, the Orange International Street Fair, our local National Night Out event, and more. Over the past year we have enjoyed spending time with our nieces and nephews in the east, and short trips closer to home after a bigger year of travel last year to Mexico and the Czech Republic to see family and friends,” says Anna.

BOB BURROWS ’81 is Vice President,

JAMES PEHOUSHEK ’79 is a dermatologist in the Phoenix area. He and his wife, Theresa, are now empty nesters as their son is now in law school at the University of Texas, Austin.

SAM FARMER ’80 , winner of California Sportswriter of the Year, covers the NFL for the Los Angeles Times.

Investor Relations, at Emergent BioSolutions, Inc. in Maryland.

He has a son, Buddy, who is a rising junior at Reed College and a daughter, Abby, who is heading to Dartmouth College in the fall.

HEATHER BOHR UNTERSEHER ’81 stays connected to fellow Chandler classmates Bob Burrows ’81, Mark Hitchcock ’81, Chris Moffat ’81, Elena Saris ’81 and Chris Winckler ’81, of which three out of five celebrated milestones with high school graduates this year. Heather’s son, Grantland, graduated from Sequoyah

High School and will attend the University of Puget Sound in the fall. Her daughter, Genevieve, attends Westridge, Class of 2023, and son Ian attends Poly, Class of 2021.

JASON LEUNG ’94 lives in Arlington, VA and works in Washington, DC at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

As a Branch Chief for the Broker-Dealer Program, Jason is responsible for risk management oversight of U.S. brokerdealers. During his spare time, Jason enjoys running, golf, practicing his Mandarin, and catching up with old friends from Chandler. He was thrilled to reconnect with a few Chandler friends this past April at their 20-year reunion.

FRANK LUH ’94 leads a non-profit cancer research foundation in Southern California.

His lab focuses on drug discovery, biomarker development, and precision medicine. When he is not in the lab, he enjoys running ultra marathons, traveling abroad, and spending time with family.

CHRIS MANG ’94 , wife Van, and daughter Callista, age two, welcomed baby girl Penelope into their family on January 23. Chris has recently moved back to Arcadia to raise his family. He works in the Enterprise Financial Services department at Warner Bros.

NOEL D’ANGELO ’89 continues to enjoy life in Thousand Oaks, where he’s lived since 2004. He currently teaches several levels of college chemistry at Moorpark College, California Lutheran University,

CLAIRE PASTRE MARCO ’94 lives in Pasadena with her husband, Darren, and 3 children, George, 7, Millo, 5 and Edie, 2.

She is Senior Merchant at BASE4 Ventures, a consumer goods company. Last spring, Claire finished her year-long tenure as President of Circle of Friends, a fundraising group for Kidspace Children’s Museum.

Claire had a great time catching up with old friends and showing her daughters the Chandler campus at the Alumni Reunion last April.

SUNJAY LAD ’95 and his wife Bhavini welcomed their son, Bodhi, into the world in April. Their daughters, Sasha and Aurora, are thrilled to have a little baby brother. Sunjay owns a dental practice in Temple City and has enjoyed returning to Chandler the last several years to talk to the first-graders about the importance of brushing and flossing to get rid of ‘sugar bugs.’

KEVIN MANG ’96 and his wife, Cheryl, welcomed their second daughter earlier this year. Baby Zoey and her older sister Scarlett do a great job keeping their parents on their toes. When Kevin isn’t in dad-mode (he makes excellent animal sounds and is an expert bedtime story teller), he’s the Director of Sales Strategy and Customer Marketing at Ferrera Candy Company.

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CHRIS WALDHEIM ’81 , CFO for J’s Maintenance Service, Inc., recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of their family business with his father Ed, wife Lena, sons Ryan ’16, and Chase (Chandler seventh-grader), employees, family, and friends. Chris is a former Chandler Trustee who will continue his service as President of Chandler’s Alumni Council & Association.

“As President, I look forward to growing our Council membership, building on the great Alumni and Almost Alumni programming, and creating new ways for alumni to connect both on and off campus.

I really appreciate the chance to serve with this dedicated group of women and men,” says Chris.

and Cal State Channel Islands. “Needless to say, these teaching requirements keep me busy! The transition from my Amgen career to a career in academia was challenging at times. However, it has been fulfilling in ways research never was. In particular, it has been very gratifying in helping students not only understand chemistry, but in preparing them for successful careers after college,” says Noel.

ALUMNI PROFILE

The Durairaj Family The Durairaj clan describes Chandler as a safe, caring place where, for nearly 40 years, at least one Durairaj child has been enrolled – six in all. In that time, the family has been a pillar of support to the school, playing roles in Chandler’s growth and community vitality.

When Raj and Jana sent their children Alex ’82 and Senthil ’92 to Chandler many decades ago, they believed that its challenging K-8 education was the key to developing young minds.

“We felt Chandler was unlike anywhere else, and would be where our children would grow,” explains Jana.

Now, having seen their children and grandchildren graduate from Chandler and become adults of integrity and positive impact on society, they know they made the right choice.

“One of my biggest accomplishments has been to have my family educated by Chandler,” Raj says. That’s high praise coming from an esteemed cardiologist with numerous career achievements.

Among the many positive influences at Chandler, the Durairaj family universally praises the heads of school. “Mr. Stephens had a profound impact on my life,” says Alex, also an accomplished cardiologist. “He taught me how to be a good person when no one was watching.”

“And Mr. Finch knew everyone’s name. He shook our hands at the Armada gate and taught us to speak to adults with maturity,” remembers Ravi ’13, Alex’s son.

Chandler’s faculty did more than teach the Durairaj kids; they inspired them in academics and extracurricular activities like debate, outdoor education, and sports.

The family agrees Chandler developed in them a lifelong curiosity, confidence, and passion for excellence.

Meena ’19 echoes the same sentiment, “Mr. Calderon gave me a love of science by making his classes so fun. He gave us real responsibilities with group projects.”

Sister Uma ’15, agrees. “Chandler had a great one-to-one laptop program, and a balance of support and challenge that gave me the independence and confidence to be one of few girls in USC’s computer science program.”

Beyond Chandler’s stellar academics, the Durairaj family shares an appreciation for the values Chandler develops in students.

“I never worried about our kids’ peer goup,” Kay, Alex’s wife, explains. “They all were taught the same excellent values and character. They were always looking out for each other.”

Alex agrees, “It wasn’t just enough to be smart – you had to use that for good. Chandler cares what you do with your intelligence. I learned that just one person can have a profound impact on people, and that guides how I care for my patients to this day.”

Kami ’13, now at Georgetown, points out that the shared Chandler values lead to lifelong friendships. “You’re always part of the Chandler community – you want to see Chandler people do their best, and you want to do your best for them.”

Senthil ’92, who now runs the family’s medical practice, sums it up best: “Chandler is a place you look back on with tons of great memories. You naturally want to give that experience to your own children.”

Alex is CEO of Foothill Cardiology and runs the cardiac cath lab services at Huntington Hospital.

Kay is a facial plastic surgeon with a skincare line, iTunes podcast and social media following of 190,000 @beautybydrkay.

Senthil is a Wharton graduate and CEO of Serra Community Medical Clinic, a multi specialty group in the valley.

Ravi and Kami are juniors at Georgetown with Ravi interested in law, mock trial and real estate. Kami is pursuing public policy and art history.

Uma enters USC in one of the top five programs in computer science this fall.

Meena was Chandler’s valedictorian and is excited to enter Flintridge Prep.

She writes a food blog @ MeenaEats.

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Alex remembers, “Mr. Catrell saw that I wanted to explore computers and he gave me the nudge that I needed. And Mr. Korn made learning math fun – it never felt like hard work.”

BIG IMPACT

ESZTER LENGYEL NEUMAN ’96 and Ariel Neuman welcomed daughter Maya Klari on April 8. Maya joins big brothers, Zev, 5, and Louis, 2. In 2018 after more than a decade in law practice, Eszter founded SteinScope, a healthcare regulatory compliance consulting firm. Ariel is a partner at Bird Marella where he represents clients in high-profile civil cases and criminal investigations.

ALUMNI 2000 A group of friends from the Class of 2000 recently gathered in downtown LA to reminisce about days spent in kelly green. They had so much fun that they will be doing it again soon, so they encourage other classmates in the area to reach out! The more the merrier.

STEPHANIE COBB MASEK ’00 moved back to Pasadena in 2016 from Washington, DC and opened a speech therapy practice in San Marino. She loves seeing the Chandler uniforms walk into her office! “It’s a blast from the past,” says Stephanie.

DEVON DICKERSON MIDLAND ’00 lives with her husband Christian in Santa Monica and works at an interior design firm in Santa Monica. She enjoys running around with her toddler daughter, Reece.

ERICA SINNOTT MOYER ’00 works in the tech industry after earning a BA from USC and an MBA from UCLA. She lives in Santa Monica with her husband and enjoys travel and yoga in her free time.

class notes

KASSANDRA SIDEROPOULOS ENGELHARD ’00 moved back to Pasadena

ERICA YEN ’97 welcomed the birth of son, Miles Parker Le, in May. Sister Zoey, 3 years old, wavers between excitement and disbelief at having to share her parents’ and grandparents’ attention.

SAMANTHA ’96 AND THOMAS WEIGANDT ’99 relocated to Charlotte,

NC in March. “Though we miss Pasadena, it is incredibly lovely here, and we are very happy in the South. In a way, it kind of reminds us of Pasadena. It’s very green and the people are so friendly,” says Samantha.

Thomas is a partner at a boutique investment bank called Battalion Crest. In May, Samantha and Thomas enjoyed a trip of a lifetime to Thailand.

two years ago with her husband and enjoys a career in commercial real estate in the greater Los Angeles area and Orange County. She earned her BA at USC and continued her studies at UCLA, and does her best to find time to travel and hike.

KATIE KELLEY FREDERICK ’00 moved 215 miles north to the central coast of California. “Paso Robles is our new home where we live on 7 acres full of wild turkeys, deer, gophers, frogs, field mice, and 2 toddlers. Our goal is to expand Simmering Sugar toffee into a bakery, so be on the lookout in 2020,” says Katie!

REGAN BALL HOGLE ’00 lives in Redlands with her husband Shawn and their two dogs, Lucy and Murphy. She works at the University of Redlands as a Senior Associate Director in the Office of Admissions.

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CASEY ZUBER SOLOMON ’00 works as an attorney at Capital Group. She lives in Pasadena with her husband Dan and enjoys cheering on the Dodgers and perfecting her pickleball game in her spare time. She is thrilled to be serving as the Vice President of the Alumni Council and Association for the next two years, and wants to encourage classmates and friends from her era who haven’t been back to campus lately to check out an alumni event or two this year!

ALLISON HEGAN KLEINE ’01, and her husband, Alastair, recently welcomed their first child, Benjamin Oliver Hegan, who was born on October 2, 2018. Allison is just loving life as a new mom and can’t wait to explore the Washington trails this summer with Benjamin in tow.

ALLISON MCGUIRE ’01 recently launched her presentation framework and method, coaching executives, entrepreneurs, and leaders on how to use acting skills to tell stories that drive impact.

Allison’s other company Walc unveiled its new tech in partnership with Bose’s Frames – sunglasses with speakers – at SXSW. Walc powers walking navigation for Bose Frame wearers, empowering them to explore on foot heads up and hands free. Most recently, Allison relocated to LA after years of living on the East Coast and abroad. She’s happy to be home and close to her Chandler roots.

ANNIKA STUTIN ’01 is a California

HAYLEY BOWYER ’07 lives in Seattle, WA with her boyfriend, Stephen and their dog, Ginger. Currently, she works as a Marketing Specialist at an SEO Software company called Moz and is loving the Pacific Northwest. She’s looking forward to plenty of sun, hikes, and days on the lake this summer.

SAMUEL ZANETTA ’08 graduated from Whittier College with degrees in Anthropology and Film. He is a set Production Assistant at HBO for the Emmy Award-Winning show Veep.

MICHAEL ANASTASIA ’09 is beginning his second year working at Art Machine in Hollywood on the accounts team. He is counting down the days until the Alabama Crimson Tide take the football field again this fall, Roll Tide!

JESSICA AUSTIN ’06 graduated from the Rio Hondo Police Academy on July 25 and will join the Pasadena Police Department.

SARAH ANDERSON ’09 is a Ph.D. candidate in biomedical engineering at the University of Minnesota, and her brother James ’12 is a senior at George Washington University.

SEBOUH BAZIKIAN ’10 graduated from UCLA last year and is currently taking a gap year as he applies for medical schools.

His nonprofit, the One Bicycle Foundation, continues to connect impoverished students worldwide to school through the power of bicycles. In addition, he works as a 911 EMT covering the city of Compton.

In December, Chandler celebrated Christine Glista’s retirement after 17 years of devoted service to our community.

A few of her many well-wishes:

“Congratulations, Ms. Glista!

Thank you so much for your many years of cheerful, dedicated service! You made a difference every day with your smile and happy heart! We love you and wish you a blessed retirement!”

- Susan, Richard, William ’12 and Camille-Marie Pai ’18

“Christine, your kindness, patience, knowledge and positive good humor were such important gifts to all of us who worked around you.”

- Steve Morrison

“Thank you for all the bandaids, smiles and ‘get well soons’. Enjoy retirement!

You deserve it.” :) - Arianne Rising ’19

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Clear Credentialed teacher and has taught elementary school for nine years. In May of 2018 she and her husband of four years, Matthew, welcomed a baby girl named Norah. She and her family recently bought their first home and live in Sierra Madre.

GEORGE HAKIMEH ’05 married Laura Paige on August 4, 2018. George and Laura currently live in Boston and celebrated a downtown wedding at the Bostonian Hotel overlooking Faneuil Hall. Chandler alumni in attendance included Billy Hawkins ’05, Laura Driscoll ’05, and Justin Magsarili ’05.

Jeff Warren ’90 ST. FRANCIS HIGH SCHOOL COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEW COMPANY. I just recently started a company called Neato Pictures with a few dear friends. We’re a small film and television production company based in Denver. My role is to edit film and condense it down to the perfect message.

class notes

IT SOUNDS LIKE A FUN JOB! It’s satisfying to create content that makes our clients look great. We’re about to start a project for Lutheran Hospice.

Another client is NatGeoWild – we edited one episode for a reality series about the Columbus Zoo in Ohio.

AND, YOU’VE WON EMMY AWARDS FOR YOUR WORK ON FOOD NETWORK’S GIADA AT HOME. The Emmys are an honor because so many editors are so deserving. It’s a matter of being on the right show at the right time with the right team. I’ve had the honor of working on Giada’s shows for the past 10 years.

WHAT MINDSET DOES A GOOD FILM EDITOR NEED? Storytelling is paramount for success in television. You need an arc of drama, and then you’re using the right music, building in pauses, choosing the right sound bites. I try to build up the drama like putting together a puzzle. Of course, you also need to love computers because all the editing is digital.

HOW DOES CHANDLER INFLUENCE WHO YOU ARE TODAY? Chandler really indoctrinated a spirit of perfectionism into us – attention to detail. And, I learned organizational structure in middle school which has been helpful my whole life. When I have 48 terabytes of video footage, I need an organization system so I can find a tiny clip again quickly.

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YOU SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED A 13-MONTH RV TRIP WITH YOUR FAMILY. PLEASE EXPLAIN. My wife and I took our two daughters on an RV trip to visit all 50 states. I edited many videos about our adventures on the road. It was wonderful, chaotic. It was life amplified. The RV broke down everywhere we went. For a solid year after our trip, we’d see RVs and feel sick to our stomachs.

BUT IT WAS WORTH IT, RIGHT? It was fantastic. As a family, we were always together. When you’re dependent on each other for everything it builds a bond that’s incredible. The people we met, the stories we share now… it was such a blessing.

WHAT LIFE ADVICE WOULD YOU PASS ON TO CHANDLER STUDENTS? The biggest advice I’d share is to be thankful. Gratitude in my prayer life is the thing that builds me up more than anything else. If you can be thankful - even for the bad things - if you can have gratitude, it carries you through most anything.

If you’d like to contact Jeff with any questions, feel free to email anytime: Jeff@NeatoPictures.com

ALUMNI PROFILE

ALUMNI PROFILE

ELITE FENCER

Chloe Daniel ’15

It wasn’t love at first sight when Chloe Daniel first tried fencing.

Fencing was simply better than ballet, which she “absolutely hated.”

Let’s just say the sport has grown on her. She’s travelled the world representing the United States in elite fencing tournaments and will fence as a recruited athlete for the University of Pennsylvania in the fall.

Fencing requires both extreme dexterity and sustained mental problem solving. “What I most enjoy is the fast action when you make a touch,” Chloe says. “And, winning a bout or a tournament is always nice.”

Chloe made the U.S. national team in 2017, and took third-place at the world cup in Austria during her sophomore year. In Costa Rica, at a satellite world cup tournament, she finished second. “I was competing against Olympians and college fencers – basically the world’s best,” Chloe says.

Chloe, who attended Westridge for high school, tells younger students, “If you find something you love, give it your all because you never know where it could take you.”

At Penn, Chloe will study health and society and hopes to pursue a career in public health. Her other goal? “To win an NCAA championship at least once in my career.”

DUNCAN SPARKS ’11 recently completed his 4th year of architecture studies at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He will be working as an intern this summer for the Gensler architecture firm in Oakland, California.

and Bocconi (3rd year). He will graduate with 3 degrees from all 3 universities.

EMILY STOKER ’11 graduated Summa

Cum Laude with a BA in Chemistry from San Diego State University. She will continue her education at Sacramento State to obtain her teaching credential and Masters in education. “I would love to teach high school chemistry in the future,” says Emily. In July, Emily married Eli Mead who is also attending Sacramento State for his doctorate in Physical Therapy.

HUNTER HARPER ’12 is a senior at USC in the Music Industry program. “Since my time here, I have started my own record label, No End Entertainment, and have been producing music for many artists including myself,” says Hunter.

MICHAEL ROBERTSON ’12 is a summer intern at Creative Artists Agency (CAA) in Marina del Rey/Century City, specializing in brand consulting. He is in his 4th year at USC World Bachelor in Business, finishing this fall at Bocconi University, Milan, Italy. Michael enjoyed playing hockey at USC, but hung up his skates to attend Hong Kong University of Science & Technology (2nd year)

KIM AUSTIN ’13 is a junior at Howard University in Washington D.C. majoring in political science and double minoring in Spanish and economics. Her career interests include public and foreign policy with hopes to tackle domestic and international social injustices. Kim volunteered on a spring break service trip in New Orleans with an initiative to address the school to prison pipeline pattern there. She spent her spring ’19 semester studying race, ethnicity, and identity in Cali, Colombia from Indigenous and Afro-Colombian perspectives and then spent a month in Oaxaca, Mexico practicing Spanish and conducting independent research on

JILLIAN BRADY ’13 is studying computer science at Georgetown University with minors in business and government. This past year she tutored English at a middle school in DC and served as Event Chair of her sorority. She is home for the summer, interning at Western Asset Management on the Marketing Team, and will be studying abroad in Copenhagen this fall. “Delivering a piece of the Commencement address in June to our buddies brought my Chandler experience full circle, and was a unique opportunity to reflect on my time at Chandler and beyond,” says Jillian.

KAMI DURAIRAJ ’13 is a junior at Georgetown University double majoring in government and art history. Kami serves as a university tour guide as a member of the Blue & Gray Tour Guide Society. She is a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, the Deputy Director of Social Media for TEDx Georgetown, and a Rag & Bone Campus Ambassador. “It was such a unique opportunity to be able to revisit and reflect on my time at Chandler through the eyes of our buddies. Chandler is such a special place to me because of the great relationships I’ve formed with teachers and students, so it was great to be able to contribute to the Chandler community by imparting some high school advice to our buddies,” says Kami.

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SHAWNT BAZIKIAN ’12 is currently studying at the University of Michigan.

He is spending the summer as an intern for Intrepid Investment Bank and is involved with the One Bicycle Foundation.

BRIAN TSAI ’12 will be attending his 4th year at USC as a Cognitive Science major.

Over the summer, he worked at Summer@ Chandler and enjoyed working with the kids.

Indigenous and Afro-Mexican social and political issues. Kim plans to continue traveling the world and attend graduate school upon completion of her B.A.

Matt Lawler ’95 POLYTECHNIC SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

YOU WORK AT THE INTERSECTION OF LIVE ENTERTAINMENT EVENTS AND DIGITAL MEDIA, WHICH SOUNDS LIKE AN EXCITING PLACE TO BE. It is! AEG is the largest live-events company in the world and the largest owner of sports teams and event facilities.

We own the Staples Center, TMobile Arena, and the LA Galaxy just to name a few. I manage AEG’s partnerships with brands that market to customers through our digital network. Luckily, I also love sports and music!

class notes

WHAT’S THE KEY TO DIGITAL PARTNERSHIPS? Relationships. I work with people in Europe, New York, Vegas, London, and if I build positive relationships, then ultimately I’m able to do my best job. It’s exciting to work with the biggest brands – Netflix, Facebook, Nike, Coca Cola, Google.

WHAT CHALLENGES DO YOU FACE? The size of the company – 28,000 employees on 5 continents – means I don’t know everyone. It can be easy to lose focus. I have objectives written on my board to focus me on doing the things that add value to my group.

WHAT’S AHEAD? I’m bullish on augmented reality. I’ve been working with a creative studio to explore wayfinding. It can be hard to figure out where to go on these massive show grounds. We created an augmented-reality wayfinding app for Coachella that shows you the nearest concession stand, or which artist is on stage 500 feet to your left.

HOW DID CHANDLER SHAPE YOU AS A PERSON? I attribute all of my foundation to Chandler. I’m super grateful. The work ethic that I have was first cultivated

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at Chandler. I tutored my seventh-grade classmates to get them up to speed on math. That helped me understand what it means to be a teacher, and that helps me today as a manager, a parent and a spouse.

WHAT ARE YOUR OTHER PASSIONS? Education’s a big one – my wife and I give to all the schools we attended. I’m big on teaching financial literacy and also The Consortium, which encourages diversity talent in business schools because there aren’t enough people of color in management. Liberty Hill and Good City are two local organizations I believe in, that are taking care of the people of Los Angeles.

WHAT WOULD YOU TELL CHANDLER STUDENTS? Work hard but also enjoy it. I had a balanced outlook on life.

Try new things, and that includes meeting new people. The thing I love about Chandler is it’s not elitist. It’s difficult to access because it’s small, but I always felt included and supported. I’m forever appreciative of that.

YOU PARTICIPATED IN OUR FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN READ IN. HOW WAS IT? That was invaluable for me! To be able to say, “I remember when I was here.”

It’s so important to have that representation of under-represented groups, so the kids who identify as under-represented can see their future selves in the people who are reading to them.

ALUMNI PROFILE

ALUMNI PROFILE

Mana Nakagawa ’99 POLYTECHNIC SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA STANFORD UNIVERSITY

YOU HAVE A UNIQUE JOB AT FACEBOOK. TELL US WHAT YOU DO. Let me start with what’s actually not unique about my job at Facebook: all of us share a mission, which is to build community and bring the world closer together through the Facebook platform.

I’m really proud that we all do this together. Where I play a unique role is that I serve as the Strategy and Operations Lead for the Global Diversity & Inclusion Team. Our team focuses on both helping to build the Facebook products and policies that drive our mission, and in building a diverse and inclusive workforce that can build these Facebook products and systems.

Toward the end of my PhD program, my dad asked me, “Where do you think your training can be most valuable? Who needs it the most?” To be honest I was happy to go anywhere that would take me! I was grateful for the opportunity to try out the tech industry where I felt my work had real potential of reaching the entire world.

HAVE YOU ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN EQUITY AND INCLUSION? Yes! As a kindergartener at Chandler, I was just starting to learn English, and remember catching onto the phrase, “that’s not fair!”

The phrase was always used so negatively, and I really wanted to be friends with everyone, so became kind of obsessed with everything needing to be fair. At snack time, I remember wanting to make sure that everyone got the same amount of Goldfish crackers and cranberry juice.

On an equally real note, I’ve always had questions about why boys and girls get treated differently. I still get to ask that today, and we’re far from solutions to these big and institutionalized issues.

It’s a huge responsibility to do it as right as we can, given our power, and to be humble in knowing that we can’t do it alone.

DOES YOUR CHANDLER EXPERIENCE REVEAL ITSELF IN YOUR LIFE TODAY? Well, I can name every Chandler teacher I had from K-8. I truly loved every single teacher. P.E. was my favorite, so Mr. Anderson and Mr. Korn were big figures in my life. Then again, I wouldn’t know French without Miss Rahme, or English without Miss Payne - the list of influencers is endless!

Chandler taught me that hard work pays off, and taught me resilience when I got a C in third grade. I realized it wasn’t a punishment, but feedback that I could do much better. Since then, I’ve always pushed myself to do “better than before.”

I’ll never forget how I didn’t speak English very well when I first started Kindergarten, but that the Chandler community embraced and raised me as an equal. Also, my mom didn’t speak English either, and she was also deeply welcomed into the Chandler community – for example volunteering at Hot Lunches and chaperoning field trips. I don’t think we would have had that welcome anywhere else. My best friends from kindergarten are still my best friends today. As I get older, I am reminded more and more how special that is. The school gave me and my family the most accepting and inclusive environment, which are now foundational values in my life.

HOW HAVE I CHANGED SINCE MY CHANDLER DAYS? Truthfully, not much at my core. I still love lunch truck Fridays, being surrounded by really smart and generous people, and asking questions about what’s fair. If anything, my gratitude and awe for incredible, devoted teachers has grown with every year of education – and I stayed in school for a lot of years!

THOUGHTS FOR CHANDLER STUDENTS? Follow your passion and you will never work a day in your life.

WHAT’S BEST ABOUT YOUR JOB? At Facebook, we are all about making impact. What I love is that we each have our own interests, passions, and strengths and where those intersect, you have endless energy to give and make a difference.

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YOU WERE ON AN ACADEMIC PATH, AND YOUR DAD ENCOURAGED YOU TO “FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU’RE NEEDED MOST.” Yes, I was in a PhD program, studying how different behaviors, systems, and policies help advance gender equity inside organizations. I had researched social and gender inequity all through college and on a Fulbright Fellowship in Japan. I was committed to becoming a professor all through graduate school. Then I joined Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In research team, working on translating the issues of her book for global audiences with localized data and cultural nuances. It was eye-opening to see how one book turned into a movement that could influence billions of people around the world.

I also love the number of people that we can reach in our work – billions each day. That scale is unparalleled and almost unimaginable. I was at the UN for a few years and have deep respect for inter-governmental organizations, but from what I’ve experienced, the pace at which tech companies can reach people is completely different.

AMELIA ANDREWS ’14 completed her freshman year at UCLA where she is a pre-med student majoring in molecular, cellular and developmental biology. Amelia was inducted into the Alpha Lambda Delta and Phi Eta Sigma Honor Societies, and she worked in the Care Extenders Program at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in the Emergency Department, Telemetry Unit and the Transplant ICU. This summer, Amelia was accepted to the Cedars Sinai Pre-Med Shadowing program in Pediatric Surgery & Urology.

JASON ROBERTSON ’13 was drafted 39th overall at the 2017 NHL Draft and was subsequently signed by the Dallas Stars. At the end of the 2018-19 hockey season in the Ontario Hockey League (Canada), he was the highest point scorer in the entire Canadian Hockey League and received the Eddie Powers Trophy. Jason was named on the OHL First Team All-Star. He hopes to play this coming season for the Dallas Stars.

DYLAN CHOI ’14 continues his pre-med journey at UCSB, while taking frequent trips outside to visit the beach which is only a few steps away. He made the Dean’s list every quarter and rushed a fraternity in the spring. This summer, he interned at a wealth management company, delving into finance for high net worth clients.

CONRAD JENSEN ’14 reports, “Vanderbilt is awesome! First semester I settled into college, helped some friends at a nearby college make a feature length horror film, and earned my way on to the award-winning Vanderbilt Aerospace Design Laboratory by creating their team website (vadl.org). In my free time I rock climbed at the rec center, rode the waves with the sailing team, and inspired children at outreach events through the Aerospace Design Lab. The next semester, I declared my Mechanical Engineering and Math double major with a minor in Computer Science. After the end of school, I spent a month in New Zealand studying glaciers, volcanoes, and earthquakes, and now I am literally over the moon after my first week at an internship with Momentus Space in San Jose, a well-funded start up providing an orbital tug service to satellites for a bargain.

My time at Crestview and Chandler prepared me well for all the roads I am on.

“Thank you for all your love and support!” says Conrad.

class notes

SOHNI KAUR ’13 graduated from HarvardWestlake in 2017 and is currently majoring in psychology and media studies with a film/video concentration at Scripps College in Claremont, CA. “It was wonderful to come back to Chandler and see our buddies graduate; I remember my own graduation like it was yesterday and I can’t believe how quickly time has passed. I can only imagine the wonderful things our buddies will do as they continue to grow through high school and beyond and I hope they look back on their years at Chandler with the same fondness that I do,” says Sohni.

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SARAH JOHNSON ’14 is in her second year at USC. She is studying psychology with a double-minor in marketing and consumer behavior. This past year, she enjoyed being part of the Asian Pacific American Student Assembly which is under USC’s undergraduate student government. Sarah also joined Intervarsity Trojan Christian Fellowship and the Nikkei Student Union (Japanese club). She made the club basketball team at USC and

ALUMNI PROFILE

MUSIC ENTREPRENEUR

Dexter Renick ’15 Dexter Renick turned a music passion into a DJ business while in high school. His company, DJ Dexter & MC Cole Entertainment, works school dances and private parties like seasoned pros. “The most important thing I’ve learned is how to communicate,” Dexter says. “People appreciate our professionalism and that we follow up before events.”

Dexter not only DJs, but also produced a rap album as a senior project at Polytechnic School. “I’ve always been interested in creating rap beats. I produced beats and my friends rapped on them. We got studio time and spent seven hours recording. I mix-mastered all the tracks myself.”

Dexter may be busy - he also played volleyball at Poly - but he finds it manageable. “Chandler taught me to be a good student, how to use my time,” Dexter says.

He will study computer science and business at Northeastern University in the fall. “I’ll bring my keyboard with me, so I can keep making music in college,” Dexter says. “But my DJ equipment, that’s just too big.” A big future awaits this multi-talented music entrepreneur.

they qualified and placed at the National Tournament in Kansas. “I loved living on campus, exploring LA, and making new friends! Next year, I am excited to join USC’s executive board for the American Marketing Association, be a leader in my Christian fellowship group, and continue playing club basketball,” says Sarah.

class notes

PRESTON HO ’15 recently graduated from Flintridge Preparatory School as an Honor Roll student and enjoyed being on the soccer and golf team for four years. He will attend Northeastern University and concentrate his studies in entrepreneurship in D’Amore-McKim School of Business.

In the fall, he is excited to study in London and then resume in Boston during spring.

“Enjoying my summer with friends and family and looking forward to my next milestone in life,” says Preston.

SHAYA NAIMI ’15 graduated from Polytechnic School. Over the summer, she worked as a counselor at Camp Ramah, a Jewish Summer Camp in Ojai, and she’s having a blast. Shaya looks forward to attending UCLA in the fall with Chandler classmate Vash Chaluvadi ’15.

PAUL CLAIR PATTERSON ’15 graduated from St. Francis High School. He will attend Grinnell College this year. Paul is interested in studying history and economics. He hopes to spend time studying abroad and participating in internships.

BRIANNE ROBERTSON ’15 finished her studies at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) and is pursuing her acting career. She is training and competing to join the professional Brazilian jiu-jitsu circuit this coming spring. Bri aims to become one of the few female black belts under the age of 23.

EMMA CADENA ’16 is a senior at Mayfield Senior. Over the summer, she is working at Summer@Chandler with K-2nd graders.

She has also been training for her fourth year to be on Mayfield’s varsity cross country team, which will be trying once again to make it to the CIF State meet.

She is also part of Mayfield’s instrumental ensemble and co-head of the Ukuladles Club. Aloha!

ELLA DESHOTEL ’16 is a senior at Mayfield Senior School where she is a member of Dance Conservatory and active in the Performing Arts Program.

CARSON YU ’15 graduated from Poly and will be attending Johns Hopkins University in the fall. He will pursue his interest in the bio/medical field and hopes to play more tennis, after playing four years of varsity tennis at Poly. Also, during his senior year Carson volunteered for a medical mission trip to Cambodia. This summer he interned at Idealab in Pasadena and he traveled with friends to Japan and South Korea.

NICHOLAS ROBERTSON ’16 was Toronto Maple Leafs first pick at the 2019 NHL Draft in Vancouver this June. Voted as the best stickhandler in the Ontario Hockey League (Canada) last season, he will return to his junior professional team, Peterborough Petes, near Toronto, for the upcoming season this September.

HARRISAN SMYSER ’16 is a senior at Mayfield Senior. She is the editor in chief of the yearbook and on the soccer and swim teams. She volunteers weekly at Huntington Hospital and has loved coming back to Chandler to work at Summer at Chandler over the past few years!

LANCE TAM ’16 is a senior at La Salle. He is doing well and loves it!

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Shamrock Magazine

SAVE THE DATES! LEON KUO ’17 is at Flintridge Prep, where he won the Amherst Book Prize, awarded to the sophomore who best demonstrates genuine intellectual curiosity and a passion for learning. Leon also represented Prep at The Archer School’s “Literature And” conference and spoke at the Buckley School earlier this year on the topic of multicultural identity.

between the people here. Knowing that being introduced to a new community may be challenging, I wanted to share my experience with the new sixth and seventh graders and make sure they feel comfortable when starting the new school year. After graduating from here, I have been enjoying my first year of high school at Harvard-Westlake, which Chandler prepared me well for. Outside of school, I have continued with my extracurricular activities, such as dancing and drawing,” says Cherry.

College Connection Care Package Stuffing Party

(for parents of alumni in boarding school, college, graduate school or the military)

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2019

Alumni and Past Parent Reception (for alumni and parents of alumni)

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2019

Alumni Visiting Day

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020

Young Alumni Reunion & Big Service Day (for alumni in high school)

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2020

Alumni Reunion & Family BBQ

(for alumni and parents of alumni)

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020

community in sixth grade, and the Bridge Program allowed for an easy transition. It was only the beginning to the remarkable three years of education, friendship, and strengthening of the bond

IN MEMORY OF

Joyce Greif 1940 – 2019

NYLA CROSS ’19 is a Freshman at Poly

where she looks forward to continuing to pursue her passion for performing arts, writing, and being a student leader.

Class of 2016 Off to College Reunion (for alumni and parents of alumni)

FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020

Chandler Family Fair

SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2020

Joyce served Chandler for thirty-one years as the school’s first Director of Development. She dedicated her professional life to Chandler, and she helped to define our mission and purpose. The plaque next to the Joyce Greif Fountain in Rothenberg Courtyard expresses Chandler’s grateful recognition for her.

Summer 2019 37

class notes

CHERRY LI ’18 “I joined the Chandler

2019 ALUMNI LEGACY FAMILIES G E N E R AT I O N S

O F

T R A D I T I O N

This year, five alumni families shared the special joy of seeing their own child graduate from Chandler School.

class notes

class notes

THE VALLEJO FAMILY

THE BERGER FAMILY THE RISING FAMILY

THE DURAIRAJ FAMILY THE THOMAS FAMILY

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Shamrock Magazine

Deborah Nesbit Award

Deborah Nesbit Award Recipients

FOR OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEERISM

Shelley Allen 2003 Leslie Comras Aiken 2004 Stephanie Magsarili 2005 Elise Chow 2006 Barbara Goto 2007 Kelly Rouse 2008 Karen Deacy-Russell 2009 Kate Jacobs 2010 Lucia Logan 2011 Marianne Wright 2012 Maggie Chang 2013 Amanda McCarthy 2014 Marion Fong 2015 Yuen Fang 2016 Daisy Rivas 2016 Jennifer Walston Johnson 2017 Candy Renick 2018 Jeehyun Lee 2019

The Debbie Nesbit Volunteer Excellence Award is given annually to an out-going eighth grade Chandler parent who over the years has demonstrated a true volunteer commitment; a person who gives selflessly of themselves to benefit the Chandler community.

The award was established to honor Debbie Nesbit for her countless hours of volunteer work during her time at Chandler. She was an active member of CFA and gave generously of her time, talent and enthusiasm. Congratulations to the 2019 recipient of this award: Jeehyun Lee.

PLEASE JOIN US FOR CHANDLER SCHOOL’S

OPEN HOUSE LOWER SCHOOL (K-5) & MIDDLE SCHOOL (6-8) 1005 Armada Drive, Pasadena, CA 91103

19

SAT OCT

9-11:30 AM

w w w.c handlersc hool.org

“As for how I’ve changed since Chandler, well there are obvious things, like being 30 years older and all the rest. More than that, though, my appreciation for how my Chandler education contributed to where I am today has grown exponentially. I had some great teachers at Chandler. Nearly all have retired, and a few, sadly, have left us (like my 5th-grade teacher Mrs. Anderson and of course, Mr. Korn). As a middle schooler, I had only a vague notion of how much hard work and dedication it took all of my teachers to provide me the education I received there. I now understand that much more clearly and, as a result, appreciate it so much more.”

- NOEL D’ANGELO ’89

“I guess I wear a lot less Kelly green!

And I actually enjoy going to the Rose Bowl to run a mile!”

- CLAIRE PASTRE MARCO ’94

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Shamrock Magazine

“Since our Chandler days, I am just as curious as ever about everything in life, less likely to commit spellinggrammatical errors, and more appreciative of differences in ideas, expertise and background.”

- FRANK LUH ’94

“I write in all capital letters like Mr. Morrison used to do.”

- JASON LEUNG ’94

“Still have no idea how to ride a unicycle but for sure know how to organize a binder!”

- MICHAEL ANASTASIA ’09

Summer 2019 41

Thanks to Chandler’s generous alumni, the Catherine M. Rose Scholarship Fund has been endowed, ensuring that Cathy’s legacy will continue for generations to come.

Catherine

M . Rose

SCHOLARSHIP FUND

“Cathy Rose has been a tremendous influence on my life, first as a teacher and later in my life as a mentor and a friend.”

- LAURA BROWN ’74

“Thank you to Cathy Rose for creating such a high standard for our English curriculum. It was not only a high standard she presented, but she made learning enjoyable. She deserves the highest honors.”

- CATHERINE S. CHANDLER, CO-FOUNDER AND WHITNEY CHANDLER ’66

“My sister and I chose to donate to the Cathy Rose Scholarship fund as she was the teacher that made a difference for us.”

- KATIE HORTON SAFFORD ’74 CHS ’78

“Cathy was a transformative figure in our lives – passionate, inspiring, heart-connected.

Her tutelage planted in me a deep furrow of love for literature.”

- SAYRE MACNEIL ’68

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Shamrock Magazine

“Cathy endowed me with a gift of observation and expression, an ability to “fly.” It’s only natural that I return to help give wings to this incredible legacy Cathy has chosen for future Chandler alums.”

- KATE MCINERNY ’67

“I’ve made my living as a writer for thirty-five years, and Cathy Rose set the table for my professional success.

Helping to facilitate her scholarship was an honor, and a small down payment on the thanks I owe her.”

- MATT WRIGHT ’74 CHS ’78

“I am, in goodly measure, the educator, scholar, and person I am today because of my good fortune of having Ms. Rose as my English teacher in seventh and eighth grade at Chandler.”

- DEBBIE DANNER ’74

“One thing that stands out amongst all the adventures at Chandler is the love that Cathy has for her students. Her dedication, her love of learning, and her care in making sure that you had an interest in learning were exceptional. I’ve done a lot of interesting things and I’d like to think that I wouldn’t have done any of them without her.”

- JIM DEMETRIADES ’77

Summer 2019 43

ENDOWMENT 101

Chandler’s endowment is the permanent financial capital of the school. The endowment ensures Chandler’s strong future by building fiscal capacity for the long term. Donor support to the endowment helps smooth the impact of short-term operating fluctuations, and grows the principal invested, making more considerable investment returns possible.

Chandler’s endowment funds three pillars that are foundational to our legacy of excellence - academic programs, faculty enrichment and financial aid for deserving students.

Many families make endowment gifts to ensure ongoing support for the school. With an endowment gift, they can create a permanent funding vehicle that honors their family name and values at Chandler.

To learn more about how your endowment gift can become a legacy for years to come, please contact Joan Bravo, Director of Advancement, at jbravo@chandlerschool.org or (626) 795-9314.

so grateful to Chandler, the school where “it allI amstarted for me. My wife and I established the Andrews Family Foundation Scholarship Endowment in memory of Thomas A. Chandler, who changed the course of my life by providing me a scholarship to attend Chandler in 1953. I wanted to continue this great man’s mission and I am grateful to be able to provide this gift to another deserving child.

- Harry Andrews ’56

”

new

INNOVATION BUILDING

In order to provide a great learning environment for students to work collaboratively, discover, experiment and explore we are creating a bold and exciting new space for hands-on teaching and learning such as STEAM, maker and robotics.

The Board of Trustees received approval from the City of Pasadena to begin construction in November 2019 of the new Innovation Building. The state-of-the-art, three-story building will include:

A lower-level performing arts studio;

A ground-level flexible lab for STEAM, maker, robotics, engineering, design thinking and project-based learning for all students;

A second-level multi-purpose academic classroom for all students for projects, group work, student presentations and guest speakers.

Construction is set to be completed by December 2020 and the building will be ready for occupancy at the start of the second semester in January 2021. We will keep the community updated on the progress.

Summer 2019 45

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

PASADENA, CA PERMIT NO. 324

1005 Armada Drive Pasadena, CA 91103 www.chandlerschool.org Address Service Requested

CHANDLER GOLF CLASSIC MO ND AY

OC T

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