Alumni Feature: A Family Practice

CLASS OF 2021

Helen Jentoft-Herr William Kelly Helen Khuri Kyra Layman Jonah LeCompte Sujin Lee Rebecca Meroney Nathaniel Miller Ronan O’Donnell Owen O’Rourke Dorcas Ogba Julia Parachini Sigita Puskorius Jacob Rosinplotz Abby Ross Ravi Sadasiv Megan Schmuecker Harper Schwartz Lauren Simpkins Noé Sitbon-Taylor Natalie Thorpe Dylan Valet Runhui Wang Reece Watson April-Imani Watts Nathan Weisbrod Kodie Wilkins Anatiyah WorthyStewart

On Math (excerpt) by Jeremy Green ‘21

delivered at the Academic Awards assembly in May 2021

I’ve been at Burke since 6th grade. That’s seven years of math classes. Despite the high quality mathematical education I’ve received, I think I lost count somewhere around 8th grade of the number of times I got a little too enthusiastic in a math classroom.

Sometimes that meant shouting out an answer before people had finished the problem. It could’ve been asking ridiculous, ultra-specific questions that threatened to derail the entire lesson. Or gasping out loud when I realized where the teacher was going with a point and how cool it would be when they got there. When I made a crazy mathematical intuitive leap, get ready, because you were going to hear about it right away. It was extra fun when I couldn’t even put into words what I think I figured out. And when I was as ultraconfident as I was ultra-wrong.

All of these antics, though, stemmed from the same reason. Let me break it down mathematically. Take the fact that I love nothing more than learning new and interesting things. Add that to the fact that in math, learning something new and interesting is extra rewarding. There is nothing more satisfying than the moment where you go from being baffled by something to understanding it. As you stare at these letters, numbers, graphs and symbols, something just clicks; it starts to make sense, and then you realize how perfectly everything fits together. Because, of course it does. It’s math, which humans basically invented to help describe the world around us-so it has to make sense.

[...] Math is a cumulative discipline, so I will surely have to recall many things I learned in Burke math classes as I move forward in life. When I do, I’ll remember those over-excited moments (and probably cringe). But more generally, I’ll look back fondly on a wonderful seven years learning from the wonderful people of the Burke Math Department. delivered at Graduation in June 2021

[...] Society tells you that you have to become “bite sized” in order to become controllable and likeable by others. There are a lot of different, outside voices that try to tell you who you need to be and what you need to achieve, to be successful in life. And you need to understand that it’s all a lie, because no one truly knows who you are, but yourself. [...]

I came into high school thinking that I would be the best student out there, and that I would be singing with my peers like in High School Musical – which did not come true might I add, and I hope you all realize that I’m not talking about the “best student” part. But at the end of it all, none of my expectations truly mattered, because I found more than I would have ever would’ve imagined. I found a family.

This includes my teachers that taught me many things in class, that I have sadly all forgotten since summer started – but most importantly tools to use for when I’m off to college; Damian, who has always made time to chat during lunch; the most unique classmates that make everyday a surprise; a great group of friends that have become my sisters; and finally, finding happiness within the person that I am becoming – or at least starting to become, since my journey is far from over. And I could start going into a spiel about how I’ve grown and my hardships, but this isn’t an essay for the Common App (aren’t we all glad that’s over?). So I’ll leave the class of 2021, or shall I say my family, with this:

As we come to this final chapter, remember to take chances and make the most of being young and weird, because the right people and lessons will come to you at the right time. And because why wear grey like everyone else when you can wear neon green?

MOVING UP

The 8th grade’s ceremonial progression into the High School stood out this spring: theirs was the first fully in-person event in the theater since the 2019-20 musical. Each student could invite two in-person guests, with dozens more attending via a livestream to celebrate the 33 members of the Class of 2025.

Student Emcees Miriam K. G. ‘25 and Tommy K. ‘25

Speakers & Performers David G. ‘25, Emily R. ‘25, Jaya T. ‘25, Michael S. ‘25, Sophia H. ‘25

Remarks Susan Hearn, Head of Middle School Damian Jones, Head of School

summer at burke summer at burke summer at burke summer at burke

JUNE 21-AUGUST 26 | REGISTRATION OPENS JAN 7

burkeschool.org/summer

Assistant Director of Development, Special Events

CLASS OF 2020 GATHERING

On July 20, the Class of 2020 was welcomed to campus for a long awaited in-person celebration and reunion with one another, as well as faculty and staff. So much time had passed since the Class of 2020 had visited campus, yet once we were all together, it felt like just yesterday. After such a difficult and tumultuous year (and a half) on so many fronts – and after the 2019-20 school year ended without the closure we so greatly desired – it was so joyful to be together once again! For those of you who were unable to join us, you were certainly missed.

ALUMNI WEEKEND

On October 15th and 16th, we gathered for a long-awaited, in-person alumni weekend with reunion celebrations for classes ending in 1 & 6 as well as 0 & 5. Friday evening brought a virtual happy hour with alumni and friends from around the country, and we honored the recent retirements of Nigel Hinshelwood and Lucy Kernan-Schloss. on Saturday morning, alumni had an opportunity to tour campus-including a glimpse at the construction project in Mooskin-Roth Hall. Later that evening, we came together on campus for a special program and reception celebrating the life and legacy of Monica Miracky, followed by the Reunion Reception. Oliver Friendly ‘99 and Eat & Smile Catering served up delicious food and drink. We can’t wait to welcome alumni back to campus again soon! Jordan Cardone ‘77 is living in Maine, where she has spent 12 years with the Brunswick Area Teen Center, running a free after-school and summer program for kids in 6-12th grades and providing meals, support, and a safe environment for youth. She reports, “four grown children have taught me a lot about the teenage years – both the good and the extremely challenging parts! All are doing great now as am I.”

In July 2020, Jeffrey Price ‘85 launched Word Collections, which works for comedians and spoken word performers to license and collect royalties from digital and radio broadcast, interactive audio streams, streaming video on social media platforms, and more. A year earlier, he testified to the Canadian House of Commons’ Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology in view of its forthcoming study of the Statutory Review of the Copyright Act.

Jessica Osborn ‘90 recently returned to the DC area, after many years in South Florida, and is working as a consultant to several states’ human services programs, primarily Medicaid. Daughter Marley is a junior in college, and Jessica is enjoying meaningful work, kayaking, hanging with friends, looking for love in all the wrong places, traveling (pre-pandemic), and random merriment.

Our thanks and appreciation to Samuel Felder ‘93, who recently retired from the United States Air Force Reserve after 20 years of service.

Julie Bindeman Belgard ‘96 received the Karl Heiser Award for legislative advocacy in Psychology, conferred by Division 31 of the American Psychological Association. Julia also was nominated to serve on the Executive Committee for the Mental Health Professional Group of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

Reporter Amber Gerard ‘97 recently joined the NBC Harrisburg (PA) Bureau.

In May, Ashley Donovan ‘02 completed training to become a Firefighter II in Montgomery County. A volunteer EMT for Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad since 2015, Ashley looks forward to training to ride the heavy rescue truck. In July, she was named Director of Strategy Development for the American Chemical Society, following six years in ACS’ Education Division.

Melissa Irvin ‘04 and Laura Sahm ‘03 welcomed daughter Maisey Anne into the world on August 4, 2021. They could not be more excited to have a future Bengal in the making!

Ben Leubsdorf ‘04 contributed to the Class of 2004’s recent baby boom when he and his wife Katie welcomed a son, Abe, who joined big sister Esther in July 2021. After 13 years as a preschool teacher in the DC area, Julia Hart ‘04 opened her own small, home-based school in Bethesda, MD. The Yellow House School is a play-based, early childhood center for ages 2-5 and serves children both with and without disabilities.

Nadia Eldeib ‘09 recently moved to Del Mar, California and left Lyft’s Transit, Bikes & Scooters team to join one of the first cohorts of Founder Fellows at South Park Commons. Nadia writes, “I’m currently exploring new problem spaces and ideas around empowering SMB owners and reducing sadness, loneliness, and isolation and increasing delight and joy in people’s lives through technology.”

Congratulations are due to Dana Brozost-Kelleher ’12, reporter with the Invisible Institute and member of the team that earned the 2021 Pulitzer Prize in National Reporting for the series “Mauled: When Police Dogs Are Weapons.” “Mauled” was a collaboration among AL.com, IndyStar, Marshall Project, and the Invisible Institute. Thanks to proud classmates Ellie Rob ‘12, Savannah Windham ‘12, Alexa Ritter ‘12, Mathilde Arandia ‘12, JoAnna Hickmott ‘12, and Kate Jentoft-Herr ‘12 for sharing this news.

Lily Sleichter ‘13 has moved to Idaho, works in the mental health field, and will be getting married on October 1, 2022. When asked what else we should know, Lily replied, “Just miss Burke!”

Alexandra Jones ‘14 co-founded a nonprofit, Aliquippa Green Inc., dedicated to educating and empowering citizens of Aliquippa, PA, a former steel town northwest of Pittsburgh.

Maggie Eckerson ‘14 completed 1,700 hours of service as an AmeriCorps Corps Member, assisting the Federal Agency of Emergency Management (FEMA) with COVID vaccinations across the country and fighting wildfires in California. She was a recipient of the Presidential Volunteer Service Award and AmeriCorps Health Coordinator of the Year in May 2021.