Mes Amis - Winter 2019

SPRING 2018

THE MAGAZINE FOR THE FOREST RIDGE COMMUNITY

Building community through inclusivity, kindness and love.

Winter 2019

Sacred Heart Goals Intellectual Values

ACTIVE FAITH

Service to Others

BUILDING COMMUNITY

Wise Freedom

Letter from Acting Head of School: Julie Thenell Grasseschi Dear Forest Ridge Community, I am pleased to introduce this issue of Mes Amis which focuses on the foundation of all Sacred Heart schools: Community. As we know, Goal IV of Sacred Heart Education Schools of the Sacred Heart Commit Themselves to Educate to the Building of Community as a Christian Value. The spirit of a Sacred Heart education has always been about community building and relationships.

refugees, and affordable housing advocates all presented us with their powerful life stories – they demonstrated the self-knowledge we ask our girls to seek.

The practice of community is particularly poignant this year as we celebrate the 200th anniversary of St. Philippine Duchesne. In this issue, our own Sister Marcia O’Dea reminds us that open minds and hearts began in the Sacred Heart community with prime examples from St. Philippine and her ability to be inclusive, open in communication and observant of others’ needs and gifts.

At Forest Ridge we believe that education expands beyond our student classrooms. This was evident in both the Speaker Series and Parent Education Seminars. The article about Julie Metzger, RN, MN, author and co-founder of the company Great Conversations, highlights how conversations are the building blocks within a family to share ideas, build trust and problem-solve.

The deep roots and broad reach of the Sacred Heart foundation is represented visually on our cover this issue. The seeds we are planting at Forest Ridge encourage each student to blossom and go forth into the world. These individual roots are stronger when girls are given the confidence they need to challenge themselves – like climbing mountains, jumping off cliffs and being honest with each other.

Conversations that build community happen at Forest Ridge every day. The power and energy of the Sacred Heart community is alive and well and I know it will continue to grow as our students, faculty and staff continue to lead, just like St. Philippine herself, with inclusivity, kindness and love.

One of the many ways we are strengthening our community is addressing moral and social behavior. In this issue, Courtney Caldwell, Director of Teaching and Learning for Grades 5-12, shares how our behavior can impact our own biases and addresses the importance of advocacy to positively impact others on a large scale.

Messages of advocacy were spoken by many on the campus this fall as Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan ’76, Washington State Lieutenant Governor Cyrus Habib, and a passionate panel of immigrants,

Gratefully,

Julie Thenell Grasseschi Acting Head of School

“Strengthen in us, O God, the work You have begun in us.”

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~ St Rose Philippine Duchesne

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Inside This Issue

THE MAGAZINE FOR THE FOREST RIDGE COMMUNITY

Director of Institutional Advancement Casey Hall O’Rourke ’90 Editors: Julie Lundgren, Honorary Alumna Kent Lundgren Nancy Standifer, Communications Manager Alumnae Relations Director Julie Lundgren, Honorary Alumna

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Contributors Amiira Barton ’24 Laurie Benton ’83 Stacy Caiarelli Brown Courtney Caldwell Nikki Danos Shawna Gamache ’97 Marianni Groves Kathy Shoemaker Jinguji ’70 Julie Lundgren Molly McConkey Tina Sarin Anne Romano Sarewitz ’71 Nancy Standifer Elaine Wu ’24

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St. Rose Philippine Bicentennial 200 Years Since She Arrived in New Orleans

By Marcia O’Dea, rscj

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Outward Focused

By Courtney Caldwell, Director of Teaching and Learning 5-12

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Outdoor Education - Student Spotlight Higher Learning

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Politics on The Ridge Anything is Possible Welcome Home Jenny Durkan

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Parent Spotlights Community at Forest Ridge by Tina Sarin Why I Volunteer by Molly McConkey

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Faculty and Staff Spotlights Drama – Marianni Graves College Counseling – Nikki Danos

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Alumnae Features Worth the Leap by Laurie Benton ’83 Not the Life I Expected by Shawna Gamache ’97

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Center for Girls Speaker Series Great Conversations with Julie Metzger, RN, MN

Design Brin Hamilton Photography Steven Brashear Nancy Standifer Printing Litho Craft, Inc. Board of Trustees Campbell Mathewson, Chair Julie Thenell Grasseschi, Acting Head of School Amy Anderson Javier de Lucas Megan Gaudette Fairchild ’97 Mary Frances Feider

Marie-Louise “Bunny” Flick, RSCJ Marina Hernandez, RSCJ Tom Lee Arul Menezes Darci Moreau, Parent Association Representative Paula Toner, RSCJ Samantha Totton ’09, Alumnae Representative Mary Magnano Smith ’61 Bill Uyeda Susan Long Walsh Michelle Whitten If you wish to send a letter to the editor, update your information, or contribute a written piece for consideration, please contact Nancy Standifer at nstandifer@forestridge.org

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Welcoming Mary Rose Guerin to the Forest Ridge Community

By Anne Romano Sarewitz ’71 Last year I was approached by a member of the Board of Trustees, Amy Anderson, to join the Head of School Search Committee as Forest Ridge embarked on hiring a new Head of School. It was my honor to represent alumnae for the alma mater I know and love.

introducing her to the Forest Ridge Alumnae network. There will be hosted opportunities for alumnae and members of the Forest Ridge community and I urge you to make time to welcome Mary Rose and her family to the Seattle area. I am confident you will find Mary Rose to be as engaging, forward thinking and highly capable as the Head of School Search Committee did.

The Committee is excited to welcome Mary Rose Guerin as our new Head of School to the Forest Ridge family. We are dedicated to ensuring her seamless transition to our community. Mary Rose is moving with her husband and two children from Chicago where she built her education career at our sister school, the Josephinum Academy.

Between now and her official start date of July 1, 2019, Mary Rose will visit the school regularly to gain a greater understanding of Forest Ridge, including meetings with the Board of Trustees, faculty and staff, students and as many alumnae as possible. Mary Rose is eager to embrace the alumnae community, understanding that they are the history of our school and are the keepers of the rich Sacred Heart traditions that we hold dear.

I look forward to Mary Rose becoming part of this welcoming and supportive community and encourage you to join me in

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St. Rose Philippine Duchesne – 200 Years Since She Arrived in New Orleans

By Marcia O’Dea, rscj An amazing and lovely portrayal of St. Philippine Duchesne is in the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles, California.

With 135 other saints and twelve untitled figures who represent the many anonymous holy people in our midst, Philippine appears in a fresco-like tapestry woven from digital imaging in Belgium.

She and the other figures direct the viewer’s eyes to the light of the Great Cross in the front Altar of the Cathedral. When one looks at her, one sees what the artist, John Nava, hoped one would realize: “a saint can look like me.”

And, yes, she would like to be considered just like any other person.

Just as she never liked being a “superior” in the Order and said, “How I long to be of inferior status” so she would not like to be acclaimed as extraordinary (Letters 27). But I believe Philippine can tell us ways to educate ourselves to a stronger sense of community – to that Communion which those individuals in the tapestries have. Her message about building community would be simple and down-to-earth. Philippine would show us how to be inclusive, direct in communication, and observant of others’ needs and gifts.

Inclusivity and equality issues bothered her; while she sometimes wished to cling to the social hierarchy she had known in Europe, she saw that in America class distinctions would not be feasible; furthermore, the issue of the equality of enslaved persons and Native Americans with the white populations weighed heavily upon her. In America Philippine believed in educating all ethnic and national groups, even if a state’s laws

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New Bicentennial Statue of Mater in St. Louis, Missouri.

limited how she could do this. At one point she asked Madeleine Sophie Barat, then her superior in France, if she could establish a “third order” of external sisters open to black women; however, her idea could not be accepted at that time (Saint 27). In 1825 before she went to the Indian nation, she opened a small school for native American girls at Florissant, but this school lasted only seven years because the students found it difficult to travel a long distance to the school site. Also, Philippine brought many orphans into the schools she established in St. Louis, Florissant and St. Michael’s.

Philippine would show us how to be inclusive, direct in communication, and observant of others’ needs and gifts.

Despite many social and cultural barriers, Philippine did all she could to accept each person she met as a companion on her journey.

Another way Philippine was that ordinary saint depicted in the Los Angeles Cathedral

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was in her directness and openness in speaking and writing.

Philippine was a devoted friend to those she loved, and she always kept in touch with Madeleine Sophie through lengthy letters; the beautiful bond between these sisters showed their mutual respect and openness. For instance, Philippine, concluding a letter to Sophie, said: “I have a pressing engagement, little time, and several letters to write. I leave you, sure of your understanding and friendship. All yours in Corde Jesu”(Letters 255). Philippine appreciated another sister who came to America with her, Mother Eugenie, and she realized this Mother put up with much in milking the cows “in mud, snow and ice, often soaked with rain.”

Philippine remarked “She becomes so cold that she cannot move.

One day we had to cut the milk with a knife and hammer, as if it were sugar” (Letters 278). Her straightforwardness became humorous often; once she spoke of 5 or 6 of youngest students who, upon seeing the novices take their vows, wrote to their parents to ask permission to receive the habit. “We stopped these letters,” Philippine said, “but they were comical to read, especially of one who exhorted her father to enter the Society of Jesus” (Letters 284). Philippine’s candor helped her companions to savor the little ironies of daily life.

Although we often sanctify her mainly for her perseverance in prayer, Philippine worked daily for twenty-four years with others whose needs and gifts she noticed. Observing the qualities of her sisters, Philippine said of Octavia, “She is the phoenix of the group; it is she of whom people speak, it is she whom they want, it is she who pleases everyone and whom it would be good to have as a leader, if her great goodness did not make it almost impossible for her to be firm” (Letters 276). Also, in St. Louis in 1834 when Philippine heard that many moaned that the mother in charge of the students’ laundry room, the vestry, “did it very badly,” Philippine said: “To the complainers, I say, ‘Then take charge of it yourself ’” (Letters, 642). Later, as she arrived in the nation and village of the Potawatomi - the peoples she had always wanted to serve in that Communion of Saints - Philippine noted that “While we were waiting [for our new house to be built], the Indians rented for us a poorly finished house of an Indian, who put himself and his family under a tent… I will tell you that this little nation . . . has welcomed us well” (Letters 839).

So, we see in Philippine that an inclusivity, openness in communication, and power of observation sparked her Love.

In the Los Angeles tapestry, she looks thankful, so self-effacing and given to that little field she was blessed to cultivate in her life. I believe Philippine does not ask for the extraordinary from

Tapestry hanging in Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles.

us; she does not bid us board a Rebecca to confront “a sea, nearly black in the storm” (Saint 18). She asks us for a giving spirit, for a love such as the Honorable Mayor Durkan, in her address to the entire Forest Ridge Community, meant when she said, “Lead with Love.” Philippine’s strength was in her Love; her love of the Sacred Heart showed itself towards others as an inclusive, agile, direct and attentive force - and, while she can see we often love, she may be inviting us to exert that force even more creatively.

Saint refers to: Carolyn Osiek rscj, Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne: A Heart on Fire across Frontiers. Society of the Sacred Heart 2017.

Letters refers to: Private Interim Abridged English Edition of Philippine Duchesne, RSCJ, Frontier Pioneer: Complete Writings. 2018 in private circulation.

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Father Ohno–A Member of Our Community

By Marcia O’Dea, rscj We are fortunate that Father Ignatius (Natch) Ohno, S.J., has brought his sense of ministry and understanding of the Sacred Heart mission to his chaplaincy at Forest Ridge School of the Sacred Heart. Since his mother attended the Sacred Heart International School in Tokyo, Japan, Father Natch has a personal insight into the Sacred Heart Goals and the significance of a Sacred Heart education. For our liturgies each month, be it a Mass for Mater Admirabilis, for Christmas or for St. Madeleine Sophie, Father Natch calls us to contemplate the mystery of and the meaning of the Mass Prayers; his respect for each person and all faiths lead him to draw each one into the blessing which is this, our time together.

This silent prayer for reconciliation among all peoples opens her heart, she says, to the wider community for which she hopes to be a channel of peace. Another student commented on how she appreciates the stories Father tells in relation to the Scripture readings at Mass; she says they are anecdotes to which she can easily relate in her everyday life. Another student appreciates that Father has become himself a member of our community; she can remember him from her eighth-grade year now that she is in high school.

“to see and love all those You have given [us] to sustain and charm us in [our] lives.”

Students have voiced their appreciation for the Masses on campus.

One student said she loves hearing Father ask us, at the time of the giving of Peace and before we offer a gesture of peace to each other, to remember silently in our hearts the issues in our war-torn world.

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Each of us, students and faculty alike, may take from a liturgy a different spark of Light. Although Father has a full-time responsibility with the Jesuit Community of his Province, he generously comes to the Eastside and it has made such a difference for us!

Through our liturgical prayer we come, as Teilhard de Chardin S. J. has said, “to see and love all those You have given [us] to sustain and charm us in [our] lives.”

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A Reflection on Mater

By Kathy Shoemaker Jinguji ’70 Kathy wrote the homily for Mater’s Feast Liturgy on September 22, 2018. Here are excerpts: “As I reflected on the story of Mater I landed on what I will coin the “Four P’s” … Persistence, Preparation, Patience, and Perspective.

I believe that the young French postulant, Pauline Perdrau, was divinely led to exemplify these qualities through her depiction of Mater. Pauline’s work of art did not come easily. Instead, the burning desire to express her love of Mater grew from a small ember to a spiritual blaze that could not be contained.

As we celebrate Mater Admirabilis, it is important to look back at the genesis. Pauline’s persistence cannot be underestimated; had she not respectfully, but relentlessly, implored her Superior at the convent to paint the fresco of our Blessed Mother, generations of Sacred Heart students would have missed out on the profound lessons to be drawn from Mater.

Persistence alone though will not get you to your end goal; without preparation, persistence will simply have you futilely spinning your wheels. Pauline Perdrau persisted, praying to Mary for strength.

She prevailed, and for months devoted several hours a day to first preparing the surface of the wall before painting her image of Mary.

The story of Mater Admirabilis teaches us that many of the most beautiful gifts can be better appreciated after the passage of time.

That is where patience comes in. When the painting was complete, the colors were thought to be too vivid. The fresco was covered with a protective cloth to give the paint time to dry. When the cloth was removed, the colors had softened to the shades of pink and blue and ivory that are so well known to visitors to Mater’s shrine today.

So many good and beautiful things require our patience, and like beautiful art, they are well worth the wait.

Over time, we learn that things will unfold as they are meant to be. Think about your current areas of impatience; remind yourself that time unveiled a work in progress which ultimately became the painting of Mater Admiralibis – translated – Mother Most Admirable.

Upon completion, Pauline’s painting was covered with a cloth; essentially hiding an inspirational work of beauty. That brings us to perspective. Imagine how our perspectives have changed through the passage of time. Things that once mattered so much, matter less, and the little things matter even more...whether time with family, a walk in the woods, or the solitude found lost in a good book.

So, with the four P’s as a backdrop, persistence, preparation, patience and perspective, consider our Sacred Heart educational goals, guided

by Mater's spark of divine spirit.”

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Meet

Courtney Caldwell

First Row: Sally Sue Rogers Coleman ’42, Mary McKay Vial ’70, Jane Richards Arnold ’54; Second Row: Patty David Oscar ’57, Jeanne Marie Lee, Honorary, Marcia O’Dea, rscj, Dorothy Schlinger, Kathy Shoemaker Jinguji ’70, Angela Wright, Lucille Elbert and Clair Rogers Jenkins ’46.

The Children of Mary Sodality–Join Us! Kathy Shoemaker Jinguji ’70 and Mary McKay Vial ’70 took over the leadership of the Children of Mary Sodality this year.

The Sodality, founded in the 1830s by St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, offers alumnae and friends of the Sacred Heart time for religious fellowship and reflection. Monthly meetings include attending Feast Days at Forest Ridge, speakers on current issues and an annual retreat that take place alternately at Forest Ridge and at member’s homes in Seattle and in Bellevue.

The meetings always include time to catch up with friends and thought-provoking conversations. New members are welcome. If you are interested in joining, please contact Kathy at kswanmaker@yahoo.com or Mary at marymvial@gmail.com for details.

Children of Mary Meeting Dates February 12 at 10:30 a.m. at the Mirabella in Seattle.

March 12 at 10:30 a.m. at Forest Ridge.

April 9 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Bridget’s Church in Seattle.

This is the annual retreat.

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Courtney Caldwell says that her position as Director of Teaching and Learning for Grades 5-12 is her dream job. Prior to coming to Forest Ridge, Courtney spent 15 years teaching, developing immersion trips and advising numerous clubs. Courtney believes that Forest Ridge has a clear understanding of its mission, and that the faculty and staff are guided by it every day. She noticed right away that the Sacred Heart Goals are woven into everything – classes, clubs and sports – which she finds is a big part of empowering the young women here.

Courtney brings with her a global perspective. She has traveled and taught around the world. Some of her favorite locations include Tibet, Jerusalem, Myanmar, South Africa and Austria.

With 79 countries under her belt, she finds the Pacific Northwest to be one of the most beautiful places on earth.

Though an administrator, Courtney also has the opportunity to teach social justice, ethics and morality. “I see more poise and understanding in the students here than other schools,” stressed Courtney. “We are nurturing big thinkers and I’m very excited to be a part of that.”

Courtney believes that the school is responding to today’s world and preparing students to not only live in it but thrive.

“The teachers and students are at the top of their game here,” said Courtney. “I find this an inspiring place to be with a lot of positive energy.”

Courtney Caldwell, Director of Teaching and Learning, 5-12.

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Outward Focused Courtney discusses topical issues with her social justice students.

By Courtney Caldwell Director of Teaching and Learning, Grades 5-12 During the first week of school this fall, I asked my 11th grade social justice students to evaluate the etymology of “moral” and “justice” and “social.” When one group presented to the rest of the class that in the 15th century “moral” was really about etiquette, a person’s “proper” behavior in society, and her tidy appearance, it made the whole class take pause. We all realized how often we equate polite behavior and cleanliness with being a good person. Therefore, those who are poor or don’t conform in the “proper” way of doing things are considered immoral or amoral. It was a powerful moment for all of us and we used this experience to examine our own biases, our blind spots and the injustice we can inadvertently support when we’re not aware of our own prejudgments.

each student to take her self-exploration an important step further to “How do I use all I know about myself to advocate for others?”

This was my first real interaction with our students and at the end of this multi-day activity, it was clear to me that these young women understand their role as advocates in the world. They seek to understand people, injustice, their own power, the root of issues of discrimination and past historical hurts and then, they seek ways to address all these ills. This community’s goal of inspiring our students to become advocates for others was a major motivator in my excitement to join this community. I believe passionately in the mission of this school and the schools of the Sacred Heart. I have visited quite a few communities in my life, living in a community during my study abroad year in Salzburg, Austria; my first years of teaching in rural Alabama through Notre Dame’s ACE program; living in a community complex with my fellow expat teachers in Seoul, Korea. What I know about the best communities is that they are focused on a common purpose – working for the common good, and they are always outward focused. This is Forest Ridge.

“How do I use all I know about myself to advocate for others?”

We ask our girls daily – directly and indirectly through the academic, social, and community work we do here – to answer the ongoing question of “Who am I?” And this is what adolescence is about – discovering the vast answers to that question, trying new experiences, pushing boundaries, and never really being comfortable with any of the answers provided by others. What sets the questioning at Forest Ridge apart, however, is that it then asks

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Higher Learning 7th Grade at NatureBridge “...we are capable of more than we thought – feeling proud of what we achieved together!”

By Amiira Barton and Elaine Wu, 7th Grade Our 7th grade class jumped into the school year with an adventure to NatureBridge outdoor experiential camp on beautiful Lake Crescent in the Olympic National Park. Although the camp was focused on science, we learned the most about ourselves and our connections to each other as a community. All the normal ways we spend our time at school, such as being on laptops and sitting with the same people in class, were turned inside out. Instead, we sat on logs in the middle of a rainforest getting to know our classmates.

When you spend 24 hours eating, hiking, and sleeping in a cabin together you really get to know one another.

7th Grade girls enjoy Lake Crescent together.

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One of our biggest challenges was an all-day hike up Mt. Storm King. We pushed ourselves physically to climb a mountain and some of us faced our fear of heights.

We opened ourselves up emotionally and physically and learned that we are capable of more than we thought – feeling proud of what we achieved together!

We do a lot of building community at school, but individual Christian values can sometimes be less clear. On this trip we learned that exhibiting good values are about treating each other the way we want to be treated – which we needed to do to get up that mountain. It’s about being more like a family. It’s also about having fun together, so we played games, sang silly songs, told scary stories in the dark and laughed a lot – even in the rain.

On the last night of the trip we had a campfire that ended with a “Cedar Ceremony” tradition. We each stepped up to the fire, shared our thoughts, and tossed a bough into the flames to be carried up in smoke and out into the world. Many of us spoke about stronger connections made during the trip.

Our 7th grade class carried home newfound confidence about facing hard situations and a gratefulness for being part of a community. We are using our NatureBridge experiences to support each other – all year long.

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8th grade girls bond during an experiential leadership trip.

8th Grade Outward Bound Experience Hiking, climbing and repelling in the great Northwest – what could be better for 8th grade girls? Grade level experiential leadership trips provide students the opportunity to reach beyond their comfort zone and gain new perspectives. They discover skills they didn’t know they had, friendships strengthen and appreciation deepens of the great outdoors. Here are some testimonials:

What do you want to remember the next time you are outside of your comfort zone?

“The next time I'm out of my comfort zone, I'm going to remember that I was able to repel off a cliff - I can totally do this.”

What would you tell a friend about this trip?

“I will remember that I've done some really scary and cool things, and that I was able to overcome them. I can apparently overcome a lot of things.”

“This trip made me closer to my friends. I liked it because we didn’t have our phones and I got to bond with my classmates a lot more.”

What did you learn about your classmates?

“This was a unique trip where I experienced things that I’ve never thought about trying. It challenged me and I learned so many new things.”

Students challenging themselves during Outward Bound retreat.

“I learned about their different sides and more about who they are as people and not just as students/classmates.”

Repelling down the mountain.

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Anything is Possible

A visit from Cyrus Habib, Washington’s Lieutenant Governor Every year the Middle School students at Forest Ridge participate in Global Days. Through hands-on activities, guest speakers, teamwork challenges and interactive workshops, students explore a global issue and build community with each other.

“These experiences taught me about the importance of inclusion and the importance of interdependence.”

Cyrus Habib, Washington Lieutenant Governor at the Lee Theatre.

these hurdles to eventually make a career of helping others, saying “These experiences taught me about the importance of inclusion and the importance of interdependence.”

Habib was born in Baltimore, Maryland, then moved to Washington State at the age of eight, the year he became blind.

He grew up in King County and graduated from the Bellevue International School before attending Columbia University, Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar and Yale Law School. His strong sense of self and motivation to achieve beyond the odds also led him to become a black belt in karate, a jazz pianist and an attorney at a prestigious law firm.

“Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something,” Habib told the girls. “Anything is possible!”

This year’s theme of homelessness, advocacy and immigration stimulated great conversations and real-life experiences such as building shelters with cardboard boxes and tarps and experiencing life in a Syrian refugee camp through virtual reality. A highlight of these two days was guest speaker, Cyrus Habib, Washington State Lieutenant Governor. In his role, Habib presides over the State Senate, serves as acting-Governor when the Governor is out of the state, and maintains a portfolio of issues including Economic Development, Trade, and Higher Education.

Habib is a three-time cancer-surviving, fully blind, IranianAmerican from a mixed-religion immigrant family. He eloquently shared with the Middle School students about how he overcame

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Forest Ridge students, aged 18, voted for the first time.

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Welcome Home Mayor Durkan

I know sitting right now in this gym is a young girl who is going to do amazing things. And it’s probably you. That means every one of you.

You have the ability to shape your world. Believe in yourselves. You all have a super power. Make a difference today.

Big dreams come in every shape and size. Show up every day and make a difference in little ways and big ways. What you do changes the world around you. And I will suggest to you, in part of the FR Sacred Heart spirit, always try to lead with love, lead with love and lead with kindness and you will make your own life better and you will improve the world around you.”

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, class of 1976, returned to Forest Ridge on November 14 to speak to students and community of parents, faculty and staff. Jenny spoke passionately about the importance of women leaders and implored the students to act with kindness and love. Mayor Durkan inspired us with these words: “Ripples of hope. Each of you can create ripples of hope by your actions today, tomorrow and into the future. And together those ripples of hope can sweep down the walls of injustice and oppression. You are the ripples of hope.

How you act, how you inspire, who you are — you are amazing — don’t let anyone tell you anything differently. Go be that hope. We need that hope today in our city, in our state, in our country, in our world.

Karen Swanson Dugan ’76, lifelong friend of Jenny’s, remarked: “It was heartwarming to see and be reminded that who Jenny has become is predominately because of the education, friendships, experiences, and love she received at Forest Ridge for so many years.

“Big dreams come in every shape and size. Show up every day and make a difference in little ways and big ways.”

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Her talk to the students wasn’t really a speech, but rather an inspirational “call to action” for all of us to be true to ourselves, seize opportunities, become a leader by lifting others up and to remain committed to a lifelong discovery of our gifts.

Having known Jenny since the age of eight, I know she humbly feels that way. And isn’t that what FR sisterhood is all about?!”

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Parent Perspective: Tina Sarin

Community at Forest Ridge – an International Family

By Tina Sarin I was ready to join the Forest Ridge community when our daughter, Audrey, started in the 5th grade. I signed up to be a parent representative with the Parent Association, connecting with three equally eager parents. We met in mid-August, bringing our girls to the meeting so they could meet each other before classes started. Eight years later, these young girls have formed more than a friendship – it’s a sisterhood unlike anything I could have imagined.

I recall that 5th grade’s Parent Night was packed with students and their parents wandering around and introducing themselves. The year flew by in a flurry of events. Over time I got to know more parents and faculty. Each person was welcoming, caring and engaged. Our family has developed deep connections with staff, faculty, students, and families on campus, in parent teacher conferences and at super fun social events.

My daughter’s path to building her community grew with the clubs, Global Days and service of Middle School. Drama tech crew, sports, and other activities served

world. Her community is diverse, adventurous, deeply connected and united.

When people ask what I like most about Forest Ridge, I immediately respond “the community.” It starts with the faculty and staff that know every girl, her highs and lows. They give willingly of their hearts. It continues with students and parents who volunteer their time and effort. It includes the Exchange families that share their culture with us even if for just a few short weeks. And it includes the residential families that entrust this community with their girls as they come to live in Bellevue.

Forest Ridge has such an incredible diversity to its background, and yet we’re united in our future.

“When people ask what I like most about Forest Ridge, I immediately respond ‘the community’.”

as building blocks to bring the girls closer to one another and to all the members of Forest Ridge.

Our shared identity as a family of the Sacred Heart Network expanded further still when Audrey got to High School and participated in the Sacred Heart Exchange program. We hosted girls from France, New Zealand and Washington D.C. In turn, Audrey lived with a family in New Zealand. Her Forest Ridge friends hosted girls from Spain, Mexico, Taiwan, France and Australia. All the girls got to know each other and in no time, Audrey acquired a social media presence connecting Sacred Heart sisters from around the

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Tina pictured with her daughter, Audrey ’19 and husband, Raman.

When people ask Audrey what she has enjoyed most about Forest Ridge, she says community as well. Her best friends are at school. Her trusted teachers and advisors are here too. She is proud of the academically rigorous nature of Forest Ridge and realizes that she cannot work as hard as she does without the support of people who care about her.

Audrey is a Goal IV Ambassador, a student leader that focuses on the building of community as a Christian value, and it is the Sacred Heart Goal our family identifies with most. She describes Goal IV as her anchor, as the moment she looks around and sees people who support her smiling back. She sees it as bringing together and celebrating our diverse identities within our shared identity in the Sacred Heart Community. As she looks forward to college, Audrey is incredibly grateful for the strong foundation Forest Ridge has given her.

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Parent Profile: Molly McConkey

Why I Volunteer

By Molly McConkey These last 13 years have flown by. That’s how many years my daughter has been in school, beginning at age five with Kindergarten in 2005. I could liken these last 13 years to a marathon. Every semester has been a mile. We are in mile 25 and 26, the home stretch.

Ellie is a senior who began her journey at Forest Ridge in 5th grade. It has been as much of a journey for me as it has been for her. Like Ellie, I have met great friends and had fun along the way.

Much of that is due to my involvement as a parent volunteer. I have been involved in different capacities with the Parent Association, Evening of Celebration (Auction), Forest Ridge Fund, faculty and staff appreciation luncheons, field trips and class parent representation. So why do I volunteer?

“Volunteering sets an example of servant leadership for my daughter.”

Volunteering allows me to forge strong relationships with parents and teachers. It has been a great way to get to know the faculty and staff at Forest Ridge as well as the fabulous parent community.

Molly McConkey, Parent Volunteer, with daughter Ellie McConkey ’19.

Gospel Mission and Congregations for Homeless, and given time to Bellevue LifeSpring in various capacities. I am proud of the person she has become, putting others before herself. I like to think that I have been a good example for her.

Volunteering provides me with a sense of purpose and creativity.

I am so proud of the creative events we have planned over the years. I understand not everyone has a lot of time to volunteer, but everyone can do a little. Everyone has something to share.

Volunteering demonstrates to my parent peers that together we can create a better Forest Ridge community. It is so gratifying to be part of a successful event. The Forest Ridge Evening of Celebration is a great example. I have been involved with the auction at Forest Ridge for several years and each year we work at making it better, engaging more parents and creating a fabulous evening for our community.

Volunteering sets an example of servant leadership for my daughter.

Over the years I have watched Ellie learn to value volunteerism on a personal level. She has been a middle school youth group leader at our church, volunteered with the homeless through Union

BUT, here is the most important thing. There will come a time when we won’t be parent volunteers. This short window in time eventually comes to an end. Our girls will graduate and move on.

So why do I volunteer? I don’t want to miss any of this.

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Screen Time vs.

People Time

By Marianni Groves Theater Manager and High School Drama Director Today’s young adults are challenged to define real relationships. Their phone and computer screens become the lens through which they view the world. By contrast, theater and the community it creates emphasize human interaction.

One of the most unique and ageless elements of theater is group collaboration. Forest Ridge drama students challenge themselves to show up to rehearsals with not just the script memorized but with a solid understanding and compassion for the characters. Inherently, this preparation encourages them to extend the same mindset to the other actors and crew, creating an environment of trust. It is this community experience that takes the girls from one of isolation to a strong sense of belonging. As they walk beside each other, their community shapes and grows into individuals who care about one another.

There are many ways the theater community molds students. In the Fall of 2017, the drama program produced Quilters, a play about pioneering women on the prairie. Based on the struggles, joys, and loves of women blazing their way through unexplored territory, its subject matter asked the students to investigate personal feelings by bravely taking on the persona of their character. Strength, humility, and support for each other were regularly on display.

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Serious subject matter is not the only element that binds a theater group. Joyful topics can open the heart and make us more vulnerable. This vulnerability, along with the concept of family, flourished during the 2018 fall drama production of Peter Pan. “Second to the right, and straight ‘till morning!” – with these words Peter took flight with a robust friendly spirit that made each rehearsal a delightful reality break. The actors and crew learned how to show up mentally, physically and emotionally and developed an appreciation for one another.

A production can be stressful at times; however, the girls created a group dynamic of trust during rehearsals of Peter Pan. They were patient, consistent and kind while learning to rely on the skills they possessed to achieve their goals. Some days the creative process manifested itself in bursts of giggles. Other days the play was an emotional release complete with drops of sweat.

On stage there are no phone or computer screens, just the simplicity of each girl showing up as they listen, share, and enjoy an adventure. One-by-one they enter, contribute, and leave isolation at the theater door.

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A Spotlight on College Counseling

By Nikki Danos, Director of College Counseling We know that applying to college produces enormous anxiety among high school seniors. Media headlines focus on extremes like “Student Admitted to 120 Colleges” or “Student Applied to and Turned Down by 50 Colleges.” Forest Ridge takes this process seriously, but with guidance and reassurance from the College Counseling Office, students can avoid much of the stress found in other schools.

To begin, the College Counseling Office dedicates two counselors who leave no stone unturned during the search and discovery phase of the process. They listen to what the student is looking for in a college and help crystallize her goals. The College Counseling Office also engages the parents. Both students and their parents complete a detailed questionnaire in preparation for one-on-one meetings with their college counselor. Counselors meet individually with students an average of six times from winter of junior year through fall of senior year, plus group college counseling meetings.

Every fall, Forest Ridge High School students have access to a sixweek, themed college session every Tuesday. This allows freshman and sophomores to gain important information before the process starts in earnest junior year. Topics such as “Liberal Arts vs.

Research University: Which One is Right for Me?” or “What is a Gap Year, and Should I Consider Taking One?” are presented by outside college admissions counselors.

During junior year, students work on building a balanced college list, ensuring they apply to a variety of schools – some that are a reach, some that are possible and some that are likely colleges – with the focus on good academic and social fit.

To tame and ease the anxiety of senior year, all seniors participate in the College Application & Wellness Workshop, where they complete the Common Application, at least one draft of their

personal statement, and supplemental questions and practice interviews. Throughout the fall, students develop strong personal statements and the English teachers host drop-in workshops for essay review. Additionally, the College Counseling Office offers weekend workshops for seniors to complete applications with a college counselor on hand to answer questions.

One hundred percent of our girls are accepted to multiple four-year colleges. They have choices about where to enroll and have learned more about themselves in the process. Forest Ridge prepares its students to be successful no matter where their next four years take them.

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Alumnae Perspective: Laurie Benton ’83

Worth the Leap

By Laurie Benton ’83

Changing schools is never easy. There are so many unknowns. You may love your school’s curriculum, teachers, and environment, but there are other important factors to consider, like the student and her relationships with other classmates. At any school, each class is different, and what suits one child does not necessarily work for another. Sometimes, what worked last year may not be working this year. Leaving a small school, where students have been together for a long time, may be especially difficult for the student’s wellbeing even if it’s the right thing to do for other reasons.

“I trusted Forest Ridge’s commitment to not only academics, but to also reinforcing the socialization skills that can atrophy in students coming from schools where classmates have been together since pre-school.”

Conventional wisdom suggests that the best time to change schools is at the end of elementary or middle school. Our child however, jumped into Forest Ridge at the beginning of 8th grade when existing friend groups tend to be solid and less welcoming to outsiders. But as a mother and an alumna, I trusted Forest Ridge’s commitment to not only academics, but to also reinforcing the socialization skills that can atrophy in students coming from schools where classmates have been together since pre-school.

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Laurie Benton (pictured far right) with her daughter, Kate Mitcheltree ’22 and son, Jack Mitcheltree.

The move to Forest Ridge in the 8th grade had elements of the unknown and the familiar. For me, it was that same drive up the hill from when I was there in the 1980s. For our daughter, it was more uncertain. From the first class picnic arranged by the parents, she found the students welcoming. As the year progressed, we noticed that even though she still never wanted to go to school (i.e., would prefer to be home in pajamas watching Netflix with the cat), she was happy.

The transition from 8th grade to high school was extremely smooth. Our daughter knew the system (OneNote, the uniform, the culture). The harder part, ironically, was saying goodbye to new friends who were off to other high schools. One of the enlightened steps she took was to play a fall sport, not for the competition but for the chance to meet more girls. This simple step was brilliant.

The team was incredibly welcoming and made the freshman-senior traditions even more special.

When we decided it was time for a school change, it was hard, but Tara Waller and the admission staff were reassuring. Knowing it was the right move took time. In retrospect, I know that entering Forest Ridge in 8th grade was worth the leap.

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Alumnae Profile: Shawna Gamache ’97

Not the Life I Expected

By Shawna Gamache ’97 I thought I knew what my life would look like. It would be rich in adventure and centered on a challenging career.

Everything went according to plan for the first dozen years after I graduated from Forest Ridge. I rode around Cyprus in a Vespa interviewing people on both sides of the yellow line for my undergraduate thesis. After college I spent a year in Russia working on press freedom and penning my first bylined copy. I got my Master’s degree in Journalism and interned in Washington, D.C. before covering the Idaho Statehouse and then Seattle city politics and growth. Along the way, I picked up an easygoing husband who happily tagged along wherever my work took me.

I assumed motherhood would be similar, tucking in alongside my professional aspirations. Not in the first few months of course — that would have been unrealistic! — but overall I would continue on the same path, with my career as my anchor.

Instead, my work curved to fit around raising my kids.

Motherhood hit me so much harder than I expected. I was sleep-walking through my time at work and with my daughter and I wasn’t enjoying either. I gave my notice just two months after returning from maternity leave. I was happy to have more time with my baby, but I mourned my professional life.

Shawna on a fellowship in Saint Petersburg, Russia in 2002.

I wish I could go back nine years and tell that young mom that I wasn’t giving up my career — it was shifting.

I never stopped writing. In that first year at home, I spent my daughter’s naps creating a blog that ended up winning a Parent Map award. I’ve kept a foot in the door writing articles and blog posts and editing newsletters and marketing materials for local organizations; freelance work that ebbs and flows along with my workload at home.

As I type this, my three daughters are drawing in the kitchen. I’ll write an article this week while my youngest is at preschool. I’ll carve out time between pick-ups and drop-offs and laundry loads and sibling squabbles to work on my novel, a story I dreamed up rocking my third baby to sleep.

When she turned two, I started writing it down, words spilling out of me in a torrent.

In the evenings, I empty out my pockets and find cracker crumbs, tiny clay figurines, pinecones and crayons. In the middle of the night, I wake and scrawl ideas in the dark.

It seemed almost impossible in the beginning; scrounging tiny chunks of time when I could. But the early survival years have given way to a more reliable schedule with some dedicated time for work. The balance will shift a little more every year as my children walk their slow progression away from me.

This is not the life I expected. Sometimes it’s hard to make time for the work I want to do alongside the needs of my three daughters. But this life is full

Shawna and her daughters Ruby, Nora and Quinn.

— of adventure and challenges — and it feels just right to me.

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SUPPORT THE FOREST RIDGE FUND TODAY!

BY MAKING A GIFT TO THE FOREST RIDGE FUND, YOU: • • • • •

Invest in students through financial aid support Advance academic excellence Enhance arts, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship Enrich campus renewal and preservation Support vibrant student life and faith development

Donate online at www.forestridge.org or call 425-201-2410

2017-2018 ANNUAL REPORT – THANK YOU FOR GIVING We are pleased to share the Forest Ridge School 2017-2018 Annual Report with you, available online at www.forestridge.org.

Printed copies are available upon request through the Office of Institutional Advancement.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

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Center for Girls Speaker Series: Julie Metzger

Great Conversations with Julie Metzger Conversations between parents and adolescent daughters about puberty and sexuality don’t always go well. Or they just don’t happen. Enter Julie Metzger, RN, MN. Many in the Puget Sound region are familiar with Julie. She is wellknown for her honest, straightforward, and humorous lectures about puberty and sexuality. For the past three decades, Julie has taught classes in Washington, Oregon and California to turn sensitive topics into Great Conversations–her eponymous company. In addition, she has authored several books, written for The New York Times, spoken on NPR, and appeared on the Today Show.

“Girls in particular need support and encouragement to live fully -- to feel good about themselves,” said Julie. “Exploring these growth topics together helps demystify puberty, sex and reproduction while developing informed decision makers.”

of consistent exploration from the staff to enhance the learning experience.” Julie is the first to admit that much of what she addresses isn’t new but hearing it from a different voice other than the teacher gives the student, and the teacher, a fresh perspective.

Growing up is serious business but Julie works hard to tackle big topics with humor and grace. She appreciates that Forest Ridge prioritizes wellness education for girls.

Julie is the author of two books, Will Puberty Last My Whole Life? and This is Me – A Journal for Girls. She is co-founder of the 25 year-old company, Great Conversations. Julie’s company offers classes and presentations on subjects dealing with puberty, sexuality, parenting and other topics surrounding adolescents to families, teens (boys and girls) and professionals. The culmination of this work, plus the years she spent raising three children, give her a broad perspective that helps engage audiences in meaningful conversations.

Julie has also been a speaker and mainstay of the Parent Education Series at Forest Ridge for the last ten years. Her recent talks at school this fall, One more thing…Changing Up Conversations to Stay Connected and Just for Dads, explored how conversations are the building blocks within a family to share ideas, build trust, and problem-solve. Julie shared strategies to strengthen communication by drawing upon her experience that comes from working with tens of thousands of teenagers and their parents.

Connecting with Forest Ridge students has been particularly rewarding for Julie. She notes, “It’s clear that a lot of caring and thoughtful consideration for the needs of the students is a priority for the staff at Forest Ridge. My work aligns well with the high level

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Ten After Ten

Ten years after graduation, a look at ten members of the Class of 2009

Laura Grace Beckerman Ready to search for life beyond Earth, Laura Grace created an ad hoc major

Amber was in Vienna, she lived within walking distance of our Sacred Heart Sister School, lived in an alumna’s extra apartment, and ran into Sister O’Dea and Mr. Fenoli. Amber moved back to

in astrobiology at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. Her undergraduate research at Northwestern University and NASA

the Seattle area in the fall of 2012.

Goddard Space Flight Center focused on isotope geochemistry.

her wedding for June 2019, spending quality time with her parents and is working on her third career change. Bring it on, 10-year

Following graduation, Laura Grace moved to Boulder to pursue a graduate degree in geology from University of Colorado Boulder.

While studying minerals on Mars, Laura Grace volunteered at a local natural history museum. She discovered that she enjoys

Today Amber is the Co-Chair of a Young Professionals Board for Imagine Housing, an active FR Alumnae board member, planning

reunion!

Sheila Houlahan Her love for performing has continued since

sharing science even more than she enjoys doing science, so after

graduating from Forest Ridge in

earning her Master's degree, she switched paths to become a full time science educator. Laura Grace now works at Pacific Science Center in Seattle, where she performs live science shows on the

2009. She received her Bachelor’s of Music in Operatic Performance from the Manhattan School of

stage and in the planetarium. While at work, she creates explosions and shares her passion for Mars, and outside of work she loves climbing, hiking, reading, baking with her roommate and playing

Music in 2014 and went on to sing at venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Seattle Symphony and The

board games with her family. Come see one of her shows!

Amber Gmerek After graduating

Venetian MainStage in Las Vegas. She recently was featured on the soundtrack for the new Cirque du Soleil show VOLTA and the hit video game Destiny 2. Sheila has had the pleasure of collaborating

from Forest Ridge, Amber packed two suitcases and flew to Bremen,

with world renowned artists such as A. R. Rahman, Junior Reid and Swizz Beatz on new music. Sheila also works as a TV/Film

Germany where she attended Jacobs University – a small, private, English-speaking international

actor and is currently gearing up for a national theatrical release in 2019 of Lionsgate’s new film Beloved Beast, in which she plays the leading role of Nina.

school. With over 110 nationalities on campus, Amber was educated

When she isn’t performing, Sheila is a passionate advocate for

both from inside and outside the classroom (next time you see her ask about the Bulgarian Easter tradition). Before graduating in 2012 with a B.A. in Intercultural

eating disorder awareness and mental health de-stigmatization.

She shares her story on platforms such as Worth Living Magazine, NAMI and The New York Times. Sheila currently resides in Los

Relations and Behavior, she completed an unpaid internship in Vienna, Austria with WAVE Network where she worked on a project for the UNFPA on how to educate Health Care Professionals in Kyrgyzstan about Gender Based Violence. While

Angeles and is represented by BMG & Associates, Cabrera Talent Company, and Shifrin Management. You can follow her journey on Instagram at @sheilahoulahan and on IMDb.

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Carinne Jaeger After leaving Forest Ridge, Carinne Jaeger went east to Ithaca College, but later transferred back home to Washington State University, where she graduated in 2013 with a B.A. in Pre-Law Philosophy. She went on to earn her law degree from the Seattle University School of Law, alongside fellow Forest Ridge alumna, Michelle Larson '09. While at Seattle U, she served as President of the Women's Law Caucus and an editor of the Seattle University Law Review, which published her article on frozen embryo litigation. Carinne graduated in May 2017, passed the Washington State Bar Exam and currently practices real property and landlord-tenant litigation at Loeffler Law Group in Seattle.

While at WSU, Carinne met her husband, Sean Bannan. They married on July 18, 2018, in Skien, Norway. Carrying on a tradition held three generations strong, they were married in the same small church, built in 1153, as her mother and grandmother. The couple currently live in Mountlake Terrace with their German Shepherd, Raina.

Neha Jejurikar After graduating from Georgetown’s undergraduate school and the School of Medicine as a double Hoya, Neha has moved to New York City to work as an orthopedic surgery resident at NYU’s Hospital for Joint Disease.

She has presented her orthopedics research work at the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons for the last two years. Outside of school, Neha spent time dancing and working with Campus Ministry at Georgetown. Throughout college, Neha competed on an Indian dance team and shared her passion for dance by teaching others as well. Through Campus Ministry, she organized retreats for undergraduate and medical students to provide avenues for reflection and mindfulness. Neha is very grateful for the foundation Forest Ridge provided for both her professional and personal life.

At her wedding last year, her junior from Ring Ceremony and a Sacred Heart sister from Japan were two of her bridesmaids. Neha wants to thank all her teachers at Forest Ridge for cultivating a fearless conviction to pursue her dreams so she would never shy away from a career in a male-dominated field.

Kelsey Monson After leaving “The Ridge,” Kelsey moved to New York to study science, theater, and music at Sarah Lawrence College. Upon graduating in 2013, she joined the Early Drug Development clinic at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) Cancer Center, coordinating firstin-human trials of new oncology drugs. This past June she celebrated her five-year anniversary at MSK where, in addition to managing research staff, she has coauthored several scientific papers and spearheaded a successful drug-approval inspection by the FDA. Inspired by Goals II and III, she received a Master of Science in Epidemiology from Columbia University in May of 2018 and is currently pursuing a PhD in Cancer Epidemiology at New York University. When she’s not working or studying, she can be found acting and playing violin; she has been a member of the Columbia Bach Society chamber orchestra since 2015 and her most recent theater credit was as Rachel Maddow in a glam-rock musical adaptation of Aristophanes’ Knights, which was featured in The New Yorker. She lives in Manhattan with her polydactyl cat, Hector.

Emily Pollock After Forest Ridge, Emily attended Stanford University where she studied evolutionary anthropology and as an upperclassman, directed the Stanford Concert Network. She used this role not only to bring great music and events to campus, but also to empower her female peers to learn technical skills and become officers in a previously maledominated club. After graduation she a spent a few years in San Francisco working in the music industry, but ultimately decided that she wasn’t quite done with school. Emily moved back to Seattle to start her PhD at the University of Washington in the fall of 2015.

She studies biological anthropology and uses network modeling to understand how variation in human behavior affects the spread of disease in different populations. Last summer she married fellow anthropologist Elen Feuerriegel in her parents’ backyard. In their spare time, they love to hike and play with their long-haired dachshund puppy, Teddy.

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Tacie Anne Reger graduated from University of Pennsylvania in May 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, dividing her time between schoolwork and dancing with several groups on campus. Following graduation, Tacie moved to Washington, D.C. to begin her career as a registered nurse in the Level IV Neonatal ICU at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.

While working at Georgetown, Tacie joined the Neonatal Transport Team, providing ground and flight transport for critically ill and/or premature babies. She also served as nursing preceptor and charge nurse, achieved her nursing certification in Neonatal Intensive Care, and led nursing efforts to raise money for the March of Dimes foundation. With a desire to further her knowledge in neonatology, Tacie completed her Master of Science in Nursing at Penn while continuing to work full-time at Georgetown. In October 2017 she moved home to Seattle after accepting a position as a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner with Seattle Children’s Hospital. Between saving babies and spending time with her family, including five nieces and nephews, Tacie has enjoyed exploring the hiking trails in the PNW, traveling, and returning to her first passion, tap dancing!

Samantha Totton Samantha graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Oregon in 2013.

After graduation, she returned to the Seattle area, began her career in the tech industry and joined the Forest Ridge Alumnae Board. In 2017, she traveled with her fellow alums to San Francisco for the National AASH Conference where she met other Sacred Heart alumni from around the world. Samantha is currently the president of the FR Alumnae Board and sits on the Board of Trustees. She also works full-time as a Digital Product Manager at TCS World Travel in downtown Seattle. Her team is working to optimize internal processes for the Private Jet and Luxury Custom Travel teams. This year, Samantha is looking forward to her favorite Forest Ridge events: Spring Luncheon, the #WeAreFR social media campaign, and of course, Reunion!

Xanda Schofield After graduating from Forest Ridge, Xanda went on to get her B.S. in Computer Science and Mathematics from Harvey Mudd College in 2013. She spent a year working as a software engineer in search at Yelp in San Francisco before starting her Ph.D. in Computer Science at Cornell University with the goal to become a college professor. Her work focuses on text mining for large unlabeled text collections, which blends her passion for math, computers, literature, and social science. She is currently in the last year of her PhD, and is also ecstatic to be working part-time as a lecturer at Cornell. In her spare time, she likes hiking around Ithaca, baking cookies and practicing martial arts.

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March 26-28, 2019 Join us for the third year of our #WeAreForest Ridge social media campaign! Look for retro posts and videos on the Alum of Forest Ridge School Facebook page in late March. Create your own post or video and share what Forest Ridge means to you.

We want to engage the amazing Forest Ridge alumnae community and contribute to the future generations of alumnae who are currently being educated in the Sacred Heart tradition.

Help us reach our $10,000 match generously made by the Tom and Agnes Lee family and their daughter Sydney Lee ’15.

Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler‌ Let The Good Times Roll - Mardi Gras Style!

Evening of Celebration

Save the Date!

Saturday, March 2, 2019 W Bellevue Hotel

Registration information available at forestridge.maestroweb.com

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2018

Alumnae Reunion Last June alumnae came back to campus to celebrate their milestone reunions. The weekend started off with a tour of the old school in Seattle. Alumnae enjoyed the opportunity to explore the stately building from the basement to the very top where the nuns lived. Memories surfaced as they reflected back to a much different time.

Media Lab, the Center for Girls and the Residential Hall. Alums made keychains using the laser cutter in the school’s maker space, The Shop. The evening culminated in a laughter-filled dinner as alums of all ages reconnected with each other and their alma mater.

For classes ending in “9” and “4,” mark your calendars for the 2019 Reunion Weekend on May 31- June 1. We can’t wait to see you!

The following day, the Alumnae Reunion continued on the Bellevue campus with Master Classes and tours which included the Digital

Top Left: Members from the Class of 1958: Colleen Carey Sayler, Barbara Rahn Frayn, Janet Kelly Shaw, Carol Frisbie Randolph, Kitty Morrow Meredith, Marie Manchester Reno, Kas Fitzmaurice Stroh, Jeanette Renner Hemmen and Judith Schoenecker.

Top Right: Courtney Davis Voorhees ’83, Karen Anderson MacMillan ’83 and Lea Kuenster Monson ’83.

Bottom Left: Kylie Aberle ’13, Kelly Brennan ’13 and Dana Castarella ’13.

Bottom Right: Members from the Class of 1968: Cheryl Barnhart Goetz, Susan Forbes-Luxton, Carol Bangasser Zarek, Denise Santi Swimme and Linda Phillips Larsen.

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Top Left Image: Marcy Tufarolo ’73 and her letterman sweater.

Top Center Image: Lauren Cruickshank ’07, Sonya Quitslund ’53, Heather Coles ’99 and Amber Gmerek ’09.

Top Right Image: Sisters, Suzanna Rusbuldt Bryans ’76 and Gigi Rusbuldt Perez ‘78.

Middle Center Image: Sisters Regina Quiban ’14 and RJ Quiban ’20.

Middle Right Image: Members from the Class of 1998: Melissa Garcia Santero, Nicole McDermet, Tiffany Carey, Victoria Burkheimer and Natalie Buccola Keilholz.

Bottom Left Image: Bernadette Mendoza Hanay ’83, Karen Anderson MacMillan ’83, Fanny Anderson ’13, Luisa Nava Orejana ’83, Vanesa Orejana ’14, Natalie Scarella ’03 and Mathilda Scarella.

Bottom Right Image: Members of the Class of 2013: Stephanie Nicholson, Fanny Anderson, Anna Zimmerman, Aeva Wilkes and Michelle Krivanek.

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Class Notes Colleen Carey Sayler ’58 and her classmates gathered to celebrate their 60th Reunion.

Front Row: Gloria Farleigh Boner, Judith Schoenecker, Jeanette Renner Hemmen, Suzanne Warrack Zech, Carol Frisbie Randolph and Margaret Bangasser Delaney.

Second Row: Janet Kelly Shaw, Kitty Morrow Fitzgerald, Kas Fitzmaurice Stroh, Colleen Carey Sayler and Marie Manchester Reno.

Susan Lees McKay ’61, Sandy Rosellini Ochoa ’61, Karen Howick Masterjohn ’61, Sharon Sylvester Smith ’61 and Lucy Martin Lynch ’61.

Sharon Sylvester Smith ’61 hosted a gathering in October in honor of Sandy Ochoa Rosellini’s visit from Mexico City. Classmates Susan Lees McKay, Karen Howick Masterjohn, Lucy Martin Lynch and Valerie Volta Webster all enjoyed their time together catching up and sharing stories of their years at Forest Ridge.

Mary Miller Pyle ’59 and Sheila Donohoe Hill ’59.

Sheila Donohoe Hill ’59 writes, “along with our husbands, Mary Miller Pyle ’59 and I had a fascinating adventure traveling on a working freighter through the Society, Tuamoto, and Marquessa Islands. It was an amazing cultural experience! Our friendship, of course, began at Forest Ridge over 60 years ago!”

Kristin White ’59 and her Bulgarian husband of 22 years, spend their time between San Diego and Bulgaria. Kristin has retired after an active career life. She has taught at public schools in Seattle, volunteered for the Peace Corp in Niger, West Africa, practiced law in California and was an Administrative Law Judge for the State of California.

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Class of 1968 celebrates their 50th reunion.

Liliana Rico de Escobedo, Mary Miller Pyle, Dede Fiorino Ruff, Joanne David Shanahan, Nina Rivera De Erana, Carolann Judge and Sheila Donohoe Hill.

Julie Gamwell ’68 shares that her class celebrated their 50th reunion last June. “Our reunion began at the ‘old school’ on Capital Hill in Seattle, touring the previous Forest Ridge Convent site which still holds many special memories. We continued the celebrations at my home with a potluck feast that included Dick’s cheeseburgers and a special reunion cake. Some of us flew or drove great distances to attend the reunion; Denise and Susie from California and Linda from Florida. Memories flowed, friendships were rekindled, and classmates were full of smiles. Photographs and other memorabilia helped us recall the traditions, dances,

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dates, classes, teachers and the Religious who had such an impact on our lives. Sixteen classmates came, a pretty awesome number considering that there were only 40 young ladies 50 years ago. It was a wonderful evening to remember. On Saturday, some of us attended the tour and dinner at the Somerset school campus. It was a very impressive site and we are proud graduates. It’s worth noting that Denise and Cherie led the singing of “Forest Ridge you’re but a member…”

Marcy Tufarolo ’73 writes about her 45th Class Reunion.

“Mindy Knowles Hinkle ’73 hosted the party at her beautiful home in Seattle. Classmates gathered for an evening of reminiscing, story-telling and catching up on the years gone by. The reunion included a delicious dinner of salads (of course!) followed by decadent desserts. Mindy, Joanne McKay Fleming ’73 and I had many ‘planning’ meetings, each of which were lots of fun, filled with laughs and actually got the party planned. See everyone at the big 50!”

Mary Jenneskens ’76, Lou Sullivan Sportelli ’76, Maura Glynn-Thami ’76 and Maureen Conger Carlson ’76 hiking in England.

Members of the Class of 1973.

Kelly Lenihan ’75 has been busy this year. She is thrilled to debut her brand new picture book, Comfy, Cozy: A Bedtime Story. As well, her other two children’s picture books The Skipping Stone and Goober and Muffin were recently translated into Spanish, German and French. They are also available as coloring books. All of Kelly's books are available on Amazon Latest book by Kelly Lenihan ’75. or by request from your favorite library or bookstore. Search Kelly Lenihan at www.amazon.com.

Lou Sullivan Sportelli ’76 writes, “Mary Jenneskens, Maura Glynn-Thami, Maureen Conger Carlson and I spent four days hiking the Cornish Coast and four days hiking in the Cotswolds.

We had pretty weather and despite some knee issues and blisters we walked about 100 miles over the course of our trip. We loved telling people we were high school friends celebrating our 60th birthdays.

We emulated the Forest Ridge motto; Women who Can! We set a goal, made a plan, carried it through, and had a great time in the process.”

Karen Fitch Ballard ’78, a Commercial Attaché with the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service, lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina with her husband Brian Ballard. Her assignment is for four years and she welcomes anyone interested in exporting U.S. goods or services (anywhere in the world, not just Argentina) to reach out to her at karen.ballard@trade.gov.

FOREST R I D G E . O R G

Karen Fitch Ballard ’78 and her husband.

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Emily Castle Bemis ’03 shares that life with her newborn Lucy is wonderful beyond compare. Emily continues teaching 5th grade at The Bear Creek School in Redmond.

Emily Abrash ’04 writes, “My boyfriend of almost six years, Cuauhtémoc García García, and I were married at my parents' home on July 7 of this year. I'm currently working as a software engineer at Blue Origin, a rocket company focused on human spaceflight, after working in biology research and education for almost a decade. My husband is a biophysicist and works at a biotech startup.”

Caption: Joanne Poggetti ’69 and Katie Geraghty ’80.

Katie Geraghty ’80 loves the current Forest Ridge motto - "Women who Can," particularly in the context of daring, failure and perseverance. Katie lived that motto when this past September, she and Joanne Poggetti ’69 took a 13-foot Boston Whaler dinghy down the Snake and Columbia Rivers from Lewiston to Astoria following the Lewis & Clark Water Trail – 469 miles. They were written up in the Daily Astorian and were invited to share their experience with the Northwest Women in Boating group. They will speak again at the Seattle Boat Show on Woman's Day, January 29, 2019, and women will be admitted that day for free.

Brooke Bussone ’06, Gena Brigham ’06, Alexis Farris ’06 and Nicole Mahoney ’06.

Brooke Bussone ’06, Gena Brigham '06, Alexis Farris '06, and Nicole Mahoney ’06 went on a summer girl's trip to Lake Tahoe, CA to celebrate 15 years of friendship!

Jocie Slepyan ’98, Corina Jung Rahmig ’98, Nicole McDermet ’98, Alexia Vernon ’98 and Deanna Lynch Finch ’98.

Alexia Vernon ’98 came to Forest Ridge to give a workshop to students and alumnae, and classmates on how to Amplify Your Voice, Visibility and Influence in the World. Classmates Jocie Slepyan, Corina Jung Rahmig, Nicole McDermet and Deanna Lynch Finch enjoyed being back together on The Ridge.

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Lizzy McElroy ’18 shares that after leaving Forest Ridge in eighth grade, she moved to Scotland for high school where she attended George Heriots’ School.

Lizzie enjoyed being captain of its first eleven girl soccer team, chaired her senior school pupil Lizzie McElroy ’18 at school in Scotland. council and became a prefect like in Harry Potter. Lizzy currently lives in a flat in Dublin, is signed up for debating, the musical Rent and girls soccer along with studying business, economics and politics with the hope of going to law school in the United States one day.

FOR E STRIDGE .O RG

&

Brides Babies

1 1

2

2

3

3 1) Odessa Mullins ’01 married Mikel Anderson on June 23, 2018.

2) Emily Abrash married Cuauhtémoc García García on July 7, 2018.

4

3) Susannah Howard ’07 married Evan Sax on August 25, 2018.

1) Kristen Orlowski Christensen ’03 and her husband welcomed Didrik James Christensen on June 6, 2018.

4) Lauren Cruickshank ’07 married Christopher Lang on August 10, 2018.

2) Danielle Hastings Loesch ’03 and her husband welcomed Julia Elizabeth on July 4, 2018.

4

3) Erika Reinitz White ’04 and her husband, Joe, welcomed Cooper James White on October 18, 2018.

FOREST R I D G E . O R G

5 4) Emily Castle Bemis ’02 and her husband, Dustin, welcomed daughter, Lucille Jean Bemis on July 7, 2018.

5) Sheena Reed ’04 and her husband, Mike, welcomed Ellis Hayden Reed-Hill on March 31, 2018.

MES A MIS W INTE R 2019 | 31

In Memoriam Requiescant in Pace

John Bradley, husband of Fran Abrams Bradley ’56 and father of Anne Bradley Hecht ’79, Barbara Bradley DiJulio ’82, and Kathleen Bradley Berman '83 on December 1, 2018.

Mary Anne Callaghan Buerge, former faculty member, on October 8, 2018.

Anita Burke Creveling ’50 on July 29, 2018.

John Robert O’Neil, Sr., father of Julie O’Neil ’82 and father-in-law of Janet Jenkins O’Neil ’76, on June 11, 2018.

Michael Alexander Patterson, father of Karen Patterson ’93, K. Jamie Patterson ’94 and Kathleen Patterson ’99, on September 25, 2018.

Celeste Johanna Rose ’53, mother of Celeste Rose Grannum ’87 on October 26, 2018.

Lara Ursin Cummings ’89 on August 2018.

Marilou Miller Rye ’47 on November 23, 2018.

Suzanne Donovan Coston Goldsmith, mother of Joanne Goldsmith Hennessey ’79 and Jane Goldsmith Mooney ’77, on June 24, 2018.

Governor John D. Spellman and Lois M. Spellman, parents of Margo Spellman ’73, on January 16 and January 25, 2018 respectively.

Ralph Green, husband of Ann Bechtol Green ’66, on July 13, 2018.

Richard Kennedy, husband of June Rogers Kennedy ’54 and father of Cara Kennedy ’83, on November 26, 2018.

Gene Lynn, father of Traci Lynn Kennedy ’78 and Jody Lynn Moss ’80 on August 23, 2018.

Flossy June Taylor, grandmother of Vicki Taylor Napoleone ’75, on October 4, 2018.

Carol Virginia Helmholtz Weber, mother of Christine Weber Davis ’68, on May 27, 2018.

Sheila Doreen McKiernan, mother of Wendy McKiernan ’73, on September 14, 2018.

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FOR E STRIDGE .O RG

Upcoming Alumnae Events We would love to see you at one of our upcoming events. Look for more information in the mail, email or on our school website at www.forestridge.org. Or contact Julie Lundgren, Alumnae Relations Director, at 425-201-2414 or jlundgren@forestridge.org.

SUMMER

EXPERIENCE AT FOREST RIDGE

Children of Mary Meetings February 12 at 10:30 a.m. at the Mirabella in Seattle.

March 12 at 10:30 a.m. at Forest Ridge.

April 9 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Bridget’s Church in Seattle.

This is the annual retreat.

Forest Ridge Evening of Celebration – Mardi Gras Style Saturday, March 2 at the W Bellevue Hotel.

Center for Girls Speaker Series: Rachel Simmons Author and Girls’ Leadership Co-Founder

4:00 p.m. Tour of the Old School Saturday, June 1 at Forest Ridge School 4:00 p.m. Master Classes and Campus Tours 5:00–6:30 p.m. Wine & Cheese Reception 6:30–8:00 p.m. Buffet Dinner and Recognition Program

for older students entering grades 7-12 Session 1 July 8-12 Session 2 July 15-19

ge

CE

Friday, May 31

Intensives

EN

All Alumnae Reunion

for girls and boys entering grades 2-8

R EXPERI

est Rid

r

Thursday, May 9 at the Newcastle Golf Club in Somerset 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.

ME

Fo

FRAA Induction Ceremony and Spring Luncheon, Honoring 2019 Distinguished Alumna, Amy Stone ’84

Classes

SUM

Tuesday, April 30, 7:00–8:00 p.m.

Session 3 July 22-26 Session 4 July 29-August 2

Robotics, jewelry making, rocket science, theater, coding, website design, digital storytelling, clay and printmaking and more!

Register Today!

www.forestridge.org/summerexp

CREATE l COLLABORATE l EXPLORE FOREST R I D G E . O R G

MES A MIS W INTE R 2019 | 33

FOREST RIDGE WOMEN WHO CAN

T H E

S A C R SCHOOL E D H E OF A RTHE T SSACRED C H O OHEART L O F

S E AT T L E

4800 139TH AVENUE SE, BELLEVUE, WA 98006-3015 WWW.FORESTRIDGE.ORG

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