The Scoop Winter Edition by hamlinrobinsonschool

Scoop Hamlin Robinson School

IN THIS ISSUE:

I Am An American

WINTER 2022 A publication for families and friends of Hamlin Robinson School

Alumni Scoop: Celia Herrera ’96

Engaging with HRS Grads

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IN THIS ISSUE 03

I Am An American

A Grand Event

Sparking Creativity

Engaging with HRS Grads

MISSION To ignite the academic and creative potential of students with dyslexia and other languagebased learning differences. VISION The world class educational program at HRS is a catalyst for students to discover the joy of learning within a rich, comprehensive school experience. CORE VALUES Respect, Responsibility, Purpose, Perseverance The Scoop is a publication of the HRS Advancement Office and is mailed quarterly.

I am lucky to have a bird’s-eye view of the middle school construction site across the street and right outside my office window. What is so unique about watching the building go up, is the remarkable amount of change occurring on a daily basis. I can literally watch tangible and quantifiable progress every single day. When I compare this to my work as Head of School, change often occurs at a more gradual pace or may not be as noticeable in a physical sense. That doesn’t mean we are not making progress, it just means growth is often measured internally. Academic success is pretty amorphous in nature. For each and every student, and for the teachers working with them, success can be measured in lots of different ways. Sometimes, something very simple counts as progress and when compared to other achievements, has just as much weight toward overall improvement. So when I look out my window each day, it reminds me that some changes are obvious, and some are incremental. Preparing to move into our new space requires a step-by-step approach. Our team is meeting every other week to discuss and formalize all aspects of the move; from operations to furnishings, to communications to curriculum. There are lots of layers and moving

parts – and it’s slow but steady work. Furnishing an entire building takes careful planning while also managing the logistics in an environment with supply chain pressure. The good news, we are enthusiastic and determined. In mid-January, we hosted our HRS Middle School preview event to showcase the program for current Level 5 families. These students will be the first to have the opportunity to spend all three years in the new space and take advantage of the expanded program. As we continue to envision the future, it’s impossible not to feel a huge sense of pride in our growth and how this new space will impact the community. Finally, we hope you can join us for our 2022 gala auction, Sow & Grow! The Hamlin Robinson School auction will be an in-person event on Saturday, March 19 at 6pm at the Seattle Design Center. More details about how to purchase tickets or support the auction are included in this newsletter. With our expectations in focus and much to do, 2022 is sure to be filled with lots of firsts, some more visible than others but all of them equally noteworthy. I look forward to the year ahead.

Stacy Turner Head of School

On Tuesday, December 14, 2021, we were thrilled to welcome author Martha Brockenbrough, HRS parent of alum, and illustrator Julia Kuo to campus to share their talents and to talk about their new book, I Am an American: The Wong Kim Ark Story, with HRS students of all levels. I Am an American follows the life of Wong Kim Ark, who was born in the United Stated to Chinese immigrants. At the time, birthright citizenship was not guaranteed, and he fought to be recognized as an American. He took his fight all the way to the Supreme Court, where he won. It’s a book about inclusivity, respect, and believing in yourself.

I Am An American

n 2018, the Joan Beauregard Endowment for Discovery and Enrichment was established with proceeds from the auction Fund-A-Need and other generous donations made in honor of our former Head of School upon her retirement. The endowment exists to create experiences, for HRS students and our community, to broaden and deepen their understanding of our world through a variety of activities and resources.

The goal is to expand cultural, historic, civic, artistic and scientific thinking. At the time the endowment was established, Joan provided this quote as her motivation: “The greatest wealth a man may acquire is the wisdom he gains from living. And sometimes, out of the small beginnings, come the forces that share a whole life.” -John Tucker Battle This is because Joan believed in the importance of offering student learning experiences above and beyond the classroom. She wanted to extend learning opportunities, widen conversations, and spark passions. The goal: opening the door to the future.

The process to create a new book can be long and complex, with years of research, and sketches that start as rough ideas before transforming into complementary artwork. But when the words and imagery are combined, they transport the reader into another world, making the reader feel empathy and compassion for the characters. This is the shared vision of both Martha and Julia - providing readers content that elicits emotion. We are grateful to the Joan Beauregard Endowment for sponsoring this fantastic activity and providing the rich rewards new perspectives can bring! •

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A Grand Event

n Grands Day, we pause to show appreciation for the wisdom and joy we receive from grandparents and grand friends. It’s a day for celebrating the connections between generations. It’s also a day for building and nurturing relationships. Grandparents are full of family stories, knowledge, wisdom, and best of all, they are fun to be with. This year, for the safety of everyone, we were unable to host an in-person gathering, but with all the energy we would put into a live event, we found another way to celebrate all that is GRAND. We gathered together through Facebook live. Our music teachers, Owen Fox and Barbara Close, presented beautiful performances capturing

the singing and instrumental talents of students at every grade level. Although we weren’t sure what to expect, we were thrilled to have guests join us from all over the U.S. and beyond including: Tryon, North Carolina New Jersey Huntsville, Alabama Modesto, California Palm Desert, California Madison, Georgia Edisto Island, South Carolina Hawaii Ireland Paraguay Germany Many thanks to everyone who joined us for this extra special and grand event!

Eat, Drink and Be Rosemary! Join us at the HRS 2022 Auction Gala on Saturday, March 19 at the Seattle Design Center. Visit our website to RSVP by March 6. LIVE AUCTION GALA

$150 /person

DOORS OPEN

6:00pm

www.hamlinrobinson.org/auction 4 | The HRS Scoop

Raffle ticket order forms are now available! Visit the auction website to learn more about our 50/50 Split and Golden Ticket raffles.

A writer, performer, singer, and creator, Celia Herrera, 1996 HRS alumna, remembers Hamlin Robinson School as an essential piece of her early learning, setting the foundation for her future successes. Whether it was the feeling of triumph from performing, the accomplishment of seeing her art displayed, or the recognition of her academic abilities and growth, Celia’s creativity and spirit guided her, leading her to a multi-faceted career and a life filled with adventure. Early in her time at HRS, the originality of her class assignments kept Celia engaged and focused. Her teachers and parents were a constant source of support. Mrs. Clark, a former HRS art teacher, was a wonderful influence on Celia, sparking her creativity and helping her explore her interests. Of all the assignments, one of the largest scale projects is still hanging in the halls of HRS today: the hand mural. Celia’s parents, Carlos and Pepi, were instrumental in coming up with the project idea, supporting the artwork, seeing it through from beginning to end, while serving as powerful

advocates for Celia. Her parents and members of their local company, Herrera Environmental Consultants, even came to help with the installation. Along with her passion for visual art, Celia was also drawn to music, and she fondly remembers her first solo performance - a piece from Puff the Magic Dragon. Singing on stage was an incredible experience, and while it was her first public performance, it was certainly not her last. Celia’s talents and pursuits revolve around creativity and people. Her music, styled as American folk and soul,

offered a unique career journey and provided one of her biggest personal accomplishments – releasing her first album in 2020. From writing the music, to singing and playing guitar, to crafting clothing and accessories for her album artwork, each piece was lovingly chosen and arranged by her. It’s not just her music serving as motivation to continue exploring her art. She is also the lead server at Jazz Alley and is surrounded by talented performing musicians as she works. Her inspiration comes from a variety of sources: music, nature, fashion, »

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» cooking, and food. It also comes from the

process of creativity itself. When starting a new project, the possibilities are endless, and even an original vision can be altered, resulting in something unique and different.

Being a very social person, living through a pandemic has certainly had its challenges. There were disruptions to the service industry, periods of isolation, and general interference in routine. However, it did provide time for Celia to evaluate her life, her career, and position herself for future opportunities. Her time working as a server is teaching her about working with people. It inspired her to expand her resume and begin working as a real estate agent, utilizing her people skills and outgoing personality to help prospective homeowners. Eventually, Celia looks forward to returning to a time when she can explore not just her local surroundings, but the world. Having visited Paris, Italy, Australia, New Caledonia, and Mexico, she’s been all over the globe, but Spain, Morocco, and Portugal remain on her travel bucket list. If she has her way, they will be checked off that list sooner rather than later. •

HRS COMMUNITY GATHERING

GARDEN Are you an HRS alum looking for a project, a reason to spend more time outside, or some volunteer hours? We have just the thing! Join the HRS community Gathering Garden and grow your talents! Right now, the garden could use a little time and attention to reach its full potential, much like our students. The garden is a blank slate just waiting to be transformed!

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As a community garden space, it’s up to the volunteers to help plants flourish. Your imagination is your guide. We’ll provide tools, plants, and garden space. Garden days are available through the spring and summer, with events for planting, upkeep, and harvesting. General maintenance will be completed by the HRS team.

Engaging with HRS Grads Hamlin Robinson School is committed to providing resources for students long after they leave our campus. Together with the HRS Learning Center, the HRS alumni office strives to create opportunities for alumni to connect, grow together, and advance their individual goals. Coming up next month, the Learning Center is hosting a webinar for all high school age alumni to assist with the college search process. For younger alumni, HRS has been experimenting with a mentorship pilot program.

Mentorship Pilot Program With the objective of helping students achieve academic and social integration through improved self-esteem while building self-advocacy skills, Hamlin Robinson School is testing a pilot, one-to-one mentorship program for a small group of HRS alumni. The program is a partnership with Jake Sussman, CEO and Program Director for Superpower Consulting. Jake, based in New York, was able to visit HRS this fall to see the school in action and experience downtown Seattle for the first time. In the pilot, recent graduates of HRS are paired with a mentor who also struggles with dyslexia. The mentors provide support in areas of communication, time management, responsibility, and confidence as these students make the transition to high school. Through this program, we are able to develop and nurture our alumni community. With the first year well underway, feedback on the pilot program has been very promising. One parent shared this about the experience, “My daughter is thriving with the support of her mentor. This program is invaluable and we are so grateful to be part of it.” We are excited to explore the continuation of this program for next year. If you would like to learn more, reach out to Rebecca Nuffer, Alumni and Outreach Manager: RNuffer@hamlinrobinson.org

College Search Tips

for Students with Language-Based Learning Differences March 26, 2022 at 10am PST For many HRS alumni, the future includes college. But how does the college search process differ for students with dyslexia or another languagebased learning difference? A collection of curated resources including books, websites, parent tips and scholarships has been posted to the HRS Learning Center webpage, under the Students and Families tab. To address specific questions, HRS also hosts webinars tailored to the needs of students and alumni. This spring, join us for our 2nd Annual College Search webinar on March 26, with Hallie Ciarlone, the Director of College Counseling from Delaware Valley Friends School. The webinar will provide a platform to discuss organization tips, support services to consider and how to access them at college, as well as additional time for Q&A. Registration is required but open to all – join in and bring your friends!

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NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID SEATTLE, WA PERMIT #573

1701 20th Avenue S. Seattle, WA 98144 206.763.1167 www.hamlinrobinson.org

UPCOMING EVENTS: March 12, 2022 HRS Speaker Series March 19, 2022 HRS Auction March 26, 2022 College Search Seminar April 21, 2022 HRS Speaker Series

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