Connections Stories of extraordinary lives from Kentucky Country Day School
The World’s Her Stage
Emily Albrink ’00 at the start of a promising career
Spring 2008
Connections
Features
Spring 2008
changing lives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
The work of Dr. Susan Sherman ’85 combines science and social justice.
connections is a magazine for and about
alumni of Kentucky Country Day School, Louisville Country Day School, The Kentucky Home School for Girls, The Kentucky Military Institute, and Aquinas Preparatory. Connections is published twice each year by the Communications Office of Kentucky Country Day School. Free subscriptions are available to all alumni, parents of students, and other friends of KCD.
the world’s her stage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Soprano Emily Albrink ’00 is at the start of a promising career.
head of school
Bradley E. Lyman editor
Jeff Topham jeff.topham@kcd.org director of alumni relations
Mollie Mulloy ’01 alumni@kcd.org alumni board
Jana Clanton Dowds ’80 President Susan Dabney Lavin ’80 Vice President Darran Winslow ’92 Secretary
departments From the Alumni Association President .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 From the Head of School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Morning Announcements .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Alumni Updates .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Alumni Events .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Upcoming Events .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Robertson Society Newsletter .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Omar Amin ’98 Gary Bockhorst ’87 Pai Charasika ’94 John Davis ’87 Tommy Gift ’97 Ted Mitzlaff ’86 Stu Pollard ’85 Steven R. Ragan ’80 Frances Moore Scholtz ’77 Gail Burke Tway ’86
Kentucky Country Day School 4100 Springdale Road Louisville, KY 40241 www.kcd.org phone: (502) 423-0440 fax: (502) 423-0445 alumni@kcd.org
on the cover: E mily Albrink ’00. Photos on front cover and pages 26–27 courtesy of Arielle
Doneson.
Connections is a publication of the Kentucky Country Day School Communications Office. KCD firmly supports the principle that the admission of students, the employment of staff, the operations of the program, and the governance of the school be open to all who are qualified, regardless of race, gender, creed, color, or national origin.
From the Alumni Association President Dear Alumni, Parents, and Friends of KCD, With spring finally here and the end of the 2007–08 school year quickly approaching, the KCD Alumni Board has been busier than ever. Please take the time to go through this issue of Connections and read about the many events, projects, and accomplishments of our Alumni Association and KCD community. I also want to offer a special welcome to our newest board member, Tommy Gift ’97. This February, the Alumni Association hosted a cocktail party to celebrate the thirty-fifth anniversary of the consolidation of the schools that created Kentucky Country Day. Over 140 alumni from Kentucky Home School, the Kentucky Military Institute, and Louisville Country Day School were guests at this event, which was hosted by Elizabeth and Ted Mitzlaff ’86. Many thanks to Elizabeth and Ted for opening their lovely home to so many alumni. This was a wonderful evening! I know everyone enjoyed catching up with old friends, and I want to thank all the alumni whose attendance made this such a special and fun evening. Continuing our thirty-fifth anniversary celebration, the Alumni Association will host a June 6 golf outing followed by a BBQ dinner that evening at KCD. I hope that you will join us for golf and/or the BBQ dinner afterward. Last year, we hosted the event next to the KCD playground and featured live music by the band This, That and the Other, which includes our talented alumni board member John Davis ’87. You won’t want to miss this informal, family-friendly event, so please save the date. You can make your reservation by contacting Mollie Mulloy, the director of alumni relations. The Alumni Board has also been very busy launching a new initiative called KCD Reconnect, which is an internship and job program for KCD graduates. As part of this effort to help connect our recent graduates with job opportunities, the Alumni Board has created the Reconnect Web page, which you’ll find in the alumni section of www.kcd.org. I have been busy contacting alumni of LCD and KCD as well as the KCD parent community, KCD Board, and Alumni Board to find sponsors willing to offer summer internships to our well-educated graduates. The response from employers has been wonderful and has even expanded to include permanent positions and graduate level opportunities. Special thanks go to the alumni and parents who contributed to making this possible: Tony Weber ’77, Frank Hower ’73, Pai Charasika ’94, Gary Bockhorst ’87, Stu Pollard ’85, Ted Mitzlaff ’86, Walter Blocker ’86, Barry Barlow ’73, Jeff Gill, Anne Byerlein-Hollan, Thomas Hirsch, and Jeff Roberts. If you are interested in participating, please contact Mollie Mulloy at mollie.mulloy@kcd.org. Finally, I hope you will consider making a gift to the Annual Enrichment Fund. The fund this year will go towards improving campus security, infrastructure for wireless networks, and resurfaced gym floors and athletic surfaces. Please make a gift (it’s easy to do online) and help KCD to continue to provide the kind of quality education and enriching experience that we have all enjoyed. Sincerely, Jana Clanton Dowds ’80 Alumni Association President
From the Head of School Dear Alumni, Parents, and Friends of KCD, This year, we celebrate the thirty-fifth anniversary of Kentucky Country Day School. The school we know today was formed in 1972 by the combination of four unique institutions—Kentucky Military Institute, Kentucky Home School, Louisville Country Day School, and Aquinas Preparatory School— each with its own distinctive history and traditions. Throughout their diverse histories, each of these schools shared a common commitment: to provide young people with an educational experience that would inspire them to achieve excellence and grow into men and women of integrity and honor. That mission is the common thread that weaves its way through Country Day’s past and into the present. Today, KCD sets the standard for college preparatory education in the Louisville region and beyond. KCD is blessed with a curriculum, campus, and facilities that are second to none thanks to to the vision and foresight of our founders and leadership and the support of our parents and alumni. Our programs continue to be recognized for their excellence and innovation. Classrooms and laboratories are equipped with technological resources our predecessors would have hardly thought possible. The primary reason for KCD’s success, however, is one that would be instantly familiar to any of our predecessors: the presence of devoted, dynamic teachers who are passionate about sharing their knowledge with students. Over the years, it has been my privilege to meet many of the alumni of KCD and of our predecessor schools, most recently at a reception on February 8 honoring the alumni of KMI, KHS, LCD, and APS. As conversations turn toward school days now gone by, I find that our alumni’s most vivid memories don’t involve facilities or technology. Almost without exception, the stories our alumni share with me involve the teachers who inspired them—teachers who communicated the excitement and joy of learning to their students. I have to smile when I hear our alumni tell me how their love of Russian literature began in Charlie Fothergill’s English class or how a lifelong love of nature began during a walk down Joe Sorrell’s nature trail. KCD is blessed to have a truly outstanding and committed faculty who are able to spark their students’ interest and imagination. Without great teaching, the Country Day experience would not be possible. Period. As Head of School, it’s my job to make sure that KCD is recruiting and retaining the best teachers from across the country. I also ensure that those teachers have the best tools and training possible so that they can inspire yet another generation of graduates. As you think back to the special teachers who inspired you during your time at KCD, KMI, KHS, LCD, or APS, I hope that you’ll join me in honoring that teacher by making a gift to the Annual Enrichment Fund. The AEF supports excellence at KCD by supporting great teaching, whether by investing in new technology for the classroom or funding professional development opportunities for our teachers. Finally, I would like to extend my thanks to the alumni, parents, and friends of KCD who have supported the school this year by giving of their time, talent, and treasure. Your generosity toward this outstanding school is deeply appreciated. I continue to look toward the future with the expectation of even greater things to come for our vibrant learning community. Sincerely yours,
Bradley E. Lyman Head of School
Morning Announcements Donations preserve legacy of Andrew Ward ‘96
Thanks to the generosity of the friends and family of Andrew Ward ’96, KCD has established the Andrew B. Ward Athletic and Scholarship Fund, which will provide support for KCD programs and students in a field that was very important to Andrew. The fund presently has a balance of over $50,000 and will continue to grow over time through additional donations and sound investments. Income from this fund will support the needs of KCD’s athletic training program and provide financial aid to qualified students for expenses related to participation in athletics. For example, the fund might help students cover expenses for a team trip or personal equipment not provided by the school. In addition, the varsity football defensive player of the year award has been
renamed the Andrew B. Ward Defensive Player of the Year Award. Thomas Cleary ’08 received the award this past season. In support of their friend and former classmate Elizabeth Ward, the class of 2009 has contributed $2000 in memorial gifts, which will be used to support the KCD campus beautification fund. At the Wards’ request, these funds will be used to landscape the school’s flagpole area, making the location a fitting tribute to Andrew’s achievement as an Eagle Scout. On March 21, the Ward family was joined by the class of 2009 to dedicate one of the red maples in the KCD quad in memory of Andrew and in honor of the class’ friend Elizabeth and her parents, John Ward LCD ’64 and Phyllis Blythin Ward KHS ’66 (below).
Alumni Association launches internship program
The KCD Alumni Association is proud to announce a new alumni internship program called KCD Reconnect. According to Alumni Board President Jana Clanton Dowds ’80, who led the development of the program, the goal of KCD Reconnect is to foster relationships between KCD alumni
and the Louisville business community. KCD Reconnect was established to assist KCD alumni in two primary areas: helping college students find summer internships and helping college graduates find permanent job opportunities in Louisville. Cont’d on page 4 From L–R: Eizabeth Ward, Grace Ward, Kathryn Marcum Ward ’94, Pete Ward ’94, Head of School Brad Lyman, Phyllis Blythin Ward KHS ’66, Louis Ward, John Ward LCD ’64, junior class officer Lincoln Giesel ’09.
Morning Announcements Cont’d from page 3 One of the great resources KCD offers our alumni is our varied and successful parent and alumni community. Most of these internship opportunities are with companies owned by KCD parents or in which a parent has significant involvement. The internship and job opportunities that are available to KCD graduates are now posted on the KCD Reconnect Web page (located in the Alumni section of the KCD Web site at www.kcd.org.) As new positions become available, they will be posted to this Web page. Members of the KCD community who are interested in publicizing an internship or employment opportunity via the KCD Reconnect program are invited to contact Jana Dowds at jdowds@insightbb.com.
According to Mr. Mahaffey, response to the conference has been tremendous. “We’re very happy that we succeeded in drawing schools from across the region—our attendance was more or less equally divided among Kentucky, Ohio, and Tennessee schools. But the most important question for us is what the actual student experience was like. From what we’ve heard so far, the student community is raving about their time with us, from the presentations to the entertainment to the chance to encounter new perspectives and in so doing, change their own.”
Alumni legacies honored at Junior Ring Ceremony
Juniors were presented with their class rings during a special ceremony attended by students and their families on March 3. This year’s speaker was alumna Lally Lehmann ’00 (right), who spoke about the impact that her KCD teachers and experi-
ence had on her educational and professional life. The Junior Ring Ceremony also provides an opportunity to recognize KCD legacies—students with one or more parents who attended or graduated from KCD or one of its predecessor schools. These legacies are recognized in the picture below.
KCD Students of Color Conference makes history
This January, KCD made history by hosting the region’s first conference for independent middle school students of color. According to Diversity Coordinator Dexter Mahaffey, over one hundred students attended the daylong conference on January 26, with a number of groups traveling from Ohio and Tennessee. In addition to keynote speakers and a wide variety of breakout sessions, the conference also provided students with lunch and entertainment.
Above, L–R: Lincoln Giesel ‘09, Wilson Ewen ‘09, Courtney Giesel ‘75, Lisa Brendel Ewen ‘82, Robert Cregor ‘73, Shelby Cregor ‘09, Fred Davis LCD ‘70, Will Davis ‘09, Howie Vogt ‘09, Susan Smith Vogt ‘80, Bill Beam Jr. ‘76, Kelly Beam ‘09, Margaret Johnson Dry ‘83, Hayden Dry ‘09, Molly Dobbins ‘09, Jenny Sachs Dobbins ‘77, Lisa Sullivan Zaring ‘79, Patrick Likins ‘09, Frances Moore Scholtz ‘77, Charles Scholtz ’09, (not pictured: Charlie Scholtz ‘78), Austin Brownlow ‘09, Jack Heyburn (not pictured: LCD attendee John Heyburn), and Lydia Plamp Brownlow ‘82.
Morning Announcements Mr. Lyman selected to head Cum Laude Society
At the recent Cum Laude board meeting, KCD Head of school Brad Lyman was selected to become the ninth Registrar General of the Society. Mr. Lyman will begin his service officially in November of 2008. The Cum Laude Society honors scholastic achievement at secondary institutions in the same way that the Phi Beta Kappa Society honors achievement at the collegiate level. Participating schools may nominate up to 20 percent of their graduating class for induction into the society. KCD’s Cum Laude charter was the first granted in Kentucky and is one of only three in the state. Above, L–R: Anna Balbach ’18, Kathryn Balbach, Nancy Hatcher, Colleen Sparks, and Michelle Paschal.
Tree decorations spark fond memories of Señora
Sarah Burger ’04 to coach varsity volleyball
Alumna Sarah Burger (above) will return to KCD next fall as head coach of the Bearcat volleyball team. Sarah graduated in 2004 and is currently completing a degree in liberal arts at Centre College. While at KCD, Sarah led the team to a district championship and was twice named team MVP. At Centre, she currently holds the record for career kills and was named captain of the team in 2007. Welcome back, Sarah!
Outside Señora Roelofsen’s former classroom in the Frazier Upper School, students and teachers pass by a small tree decorated with a toreador’s cap, a Spanish fan, and other items that reflect Señora’s love for the language and culture of Spain. The tree was created by former and current KCD teachers Alyce Pollitt, Nancy Hatcher, Michelle Paschal, Colleen Sparks, and Kathryn Balbach, who decorated it with items that represent Señora’s spirit. The group donated the tree to Kosair Children’s Hospital’s Festival of Trees and Lights, which is a fund-raiser for the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit. Thanks to a generous friend of KCD, the tree was purchased and now resides outside Señora’s former classroom.
Eight named to Athletic Hall of Fame
On Friday, February 22, a group of eight KCD alumni athletes and former coaches were inducted into the Athletic
Hall of Fame before a capacity crowd in the Gardner Gymnasium. The induction ceremony took place during halftime of the boys’ varsity basketball game vs. Collegiate. This year’s inductees included golfer Louise “Weezie” Crawford Kramer ’73, field hockey player Margaret Cregor Bell ’76, former boys’ soccer coach Doug Delafield, former field hockey coach Barbara Tway (Beam) Gibson, tennis player Harvey Johnston LCD ’65, football players Doug Kannapell APS ’61 and Bob Ray KMI ’48, and track and field athlete Andrea Walker ’80. More details about individual honorees can be found on pages 6–7. KCD Athletic Hall of Fame inductees are recognized for bringing honor and distinction to their particular sport and to the athletic program at KCD. The athlete or coach must have brought measurable success to a particular sport, including outstanding recognition from conference, local, regional, or state level competition. Cont’d on page 8
MorningAssociation Alumni Announcements Athletic Hall of Fame Louise “Weezie” Crawford Kramer ’73 is remembered as the most consistent member of four great KCD and Kentucky Home School girls’ golf teams. She played three seasons for Kentucky Home School (1970–1972), finishing her high school career with a senior season at Kentucky Country Day (1973). During that time, Ms. Kramer led her team to four straight regional championships and finished as the individual regional champion three times. As a freshman, she placed sixth in the state and led KHS to a 1970 state championship. During the next three years, all three teams finished as state runners-up. During that same period, Ms. Kramer individually finished in the state’s top six, finishing as high as third place in the state championship in her 1973 senior season. At the age of 51, she qualified for and finished in the top forty in the National Women Senior Amateur Golf Championship.
Margaret Cregor Bell ’76 was the first highly prolific scorer in Kentucky Country Day’s rich field hockey history. Despite playing a schedule of fourteen or fewer games a year, she was able to collect thirty career goals. She led the Bearcat in goals for the 1974 undefeated state champion team (14 wins, 0 losses) and was captain of the 1975 state runner-up squad, where she scored a school record fifteen goals. Her individual high of five game goals continues to be a Country Day school record. Ms. Cregor received the 1975 Tway Award and the 1976 Beam Senior Athlete of the Year Award. She was one of the first Bearcat alumni to play college field hockey, competing for Hollins College.
Doug Delafield stormed into the Kentucky high school soccer world by immediately transforming KCD’s losing boys’ soccer program into a statewide soccer power in the 1970s. Dr. Delafield served as KCD’s head boys’ soccer coach from 1973–1983. During that time, the Bearcat soccer program won two state soccer titles (1975 and 1977) and finished as state runners-up in 1974, 1978, and 1980. He coached over two dozen all-state players and an All-American. During his ten-season head coaching career at KCD, Dr. Delafield won 98 games against 63 losses.
Barbara Tway (Beam) Gibson served as the first Kentucky Country Day field hockey head coach, a position she held from 1972–1978. Her coaching style immediately transformed the field hockey team into a consistently winning program. Ms. Gibson’s Bearcat squad shocked the Louisville field hockey community by winning the first three Apple Tournament championships. In 1974, teamed with new defensive coach Ms. Jean Bade, her squad went undefeated to take the state field hockey season title, scoring sixty-six goals while allowing just two opponent goals. Ms. Gibson also coached three state runner-up squads in 1975, 1976, and 1977. As the KCD head coach, she won seventyeight percent of her games, collecting seventy Bearcat victories against twelve losses and eight ties. Ms. Gibson’s maiden name, Tway, serves as the namesake for the Tway Trophy, which is the highest individual honor for a KCD field hockey player.
Alumni Association Morning Athletic Announcements Hall of Fame Harvey Johnston LCD ’65 is regarded as the most accomplished tennis player in the history of Louisville Country Day. He was the 1964 Jefferson County Regional singles champion and competed in the quarterfinals of the state tennis tournament. Mr. Johnston returned for his senior season to team with John Davis to win both the regional and state doubles championship. His championship with John Davis was the first state tennis title in the history of Louisville Country Day. Mr. Johnston also lettered for four years playing basketball as All-District and in football at LCD. He continued playing tennis in college at the University of the South (Sewanee).
Doug Kannapell APS ’61 was a prolific scorer in the football days of the former Aquinas Preparatory School and its former incarnation, Catholic Country Day. Doug was noted for his hard-running style and ability to get in the end zone. He was able to score thirteen touchdowns his senior season for the Hawks, allowing him to be the highest scorer with independent schools in the county and providing Aquinas with several wins. Doug was named to the Courier-Journal All-County team for his senior season. Mr. Kannapell continued his football career by lettering at Washington and Lee University.
Bob Ray KMI ’48 was captain of the most famous football team in Kentucky Military Institute history: the undefeated 1947 squad, which concluded its season with a “Shrine Bowl” win over St. Xavier before 8,000 spectators. Mr. Ray was the leading scorer on the Kaydet football team as a tailback (scoring fourteen career touchdowns), but also served as the team’s kicker and punter. The 1947 team won ten straight games without a loss. Mr. Ray was also the starting catcher for the baseball team and the leading scorer on the track team. He was a member of the 4 x 100-yard relay team that set a Kentucky state record. Mr. Ray was awarded a scholarship to play football at the University of Kentucky. He played his freshman year before being drafted into the armed services.
Andrea Walker ’80 was the first KCD girls’ track and field athlete to compete and qualify successfully for the state girls’ track and field championships. As a sophomore, Andrea qualified for the 100-yard and 220-yard dash. During her junior and senior season, she placed third and fourth respectively in the 400-meter dash. Her 400-meter dash time of 1:00.50 in 1980 is the oldest standing record in Bearcat girls’ track and field history. She also earned the KCD girls’ track and field award in 1979 and 1980. She was a member of the first KCD girls’ cross country team, a starting forward for the girls’ basketball team, and received the 1980 Beam Senior Athlete of the Year Award. Ms. Walker had a successful college athletic career at Miami of Ohio, where she set a school record in the 800-meter dash. With the generous support of her family, the Monaco-Walker Track is appropriately named after her family.
Morning Announcements Cont’d from page 5
Three generations of Bearcats
Top: Former KCD head field hockey coach Barbara Tway Partlow, Kelly Beam ’09, and Bill Beam Jr. ’76. Above: Susannah Cregor ’12, Shelby Cregor ’09, Margaret Cregor Bell ’76, Margaret Spears Cregor KHS ’51, and Robert Cregor ’73.
Author Dan Kindlon signed copies of his books following his presentation at KCD. The event was free and open to the public.
The Alumni Association Athletic Hall of Fame induction on February 22 brought together Bearcats of past and present to celebrate KCD’s rich athletic legacy. We would like to recognize two of the families that gathered that evening, which included members representing three generations of Bearcat history. The top picture at left is of 2008 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee Barbara Tway Partlow, who served as KCD head field hockey coach from 1972–78, Kelly Beam ’09, and Bill Beam Jr. ’76. The second picture is of Susannah Cregor ’12, Shelby Cregor ’09, 2008 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee Margaret Cregor Bell ’76, Margaret Spears Cregor KHS ’51, and Robert Cregor ’73. There has never been a better time for alumni legacies at KCD. We are very pleased to report that during the 2007–2008 school year, the number of alumni parents with children enrolled at KCD reached an all-time high of 72. This represents a nearly forty percent increase since 2003–2004—
an increase well above the overall 24 percent increase in enrollment during that time.
Bestselling author speaks at KCD
This January, KCD hosted a standingroom-only appearance by Harvard child psychologist and New York Times best-selling author Dan Kindlon. Dr. Kindlon’s talk suggested that society’s focus on achievement and success has replaced the emphasis on developing children’s inner moral compass. Dr. Kindlon is a nationally known speaker as well as a clinical and research psychologist specializing in behavioral problems of children and adolescents. In over twenty years of clinical practice, Dr. Kindlon has focused on the diagnosis and treatment of emotional problems, learning disabilities, and attention deficit disorders. He is the author of four books, including the 1999 best-seller Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys (co-authored with Michael Thompson). Following his remarks, Dr. Kindlon spent about a hour signing books and talking with parents.
Morning Announcements The event was made possible by several sponsors, including the KCD Parent Association, Carmichael’s Bookstore, and The Summit. A special thanks goes to KCD parent Karen Blue, who played a huge role in organizing and promoting this event.
Lee Meriwether dedicates chemistry room to his former students
This fall, former KCD chemistry teacher Lee Meriwether joined a group of current and former KCD faculty, students, and alumni for the dedication of the chemistry lab in the Frazier Upper School. Mr. Meriwether, who retired in 2003, began teaching chemistry at KCD in 1992. The chemistry lab in the Frazier Upper School was designed in large part based on Mr. Meriwether’s recommendations. According to Mr. Meriwether’s wishes, the plaque above the chemistry lab dedicates the room to his former students. The wording on the plaque reads, “This chemistry lab is dedicated by Lee Meriwether to the students he loved and the subject he enjoyed teaching.” Mr Meriwether was joined by colleagues and former students at a reception following the dedication.
Fort Campbell clothing drive greeted with overwhelming response
This January, students on the Fort Campbell Committee held a clothing drive to support the efforts of the 1st Battalion in Iraq. The drive was the latest initiative in a yearlong service learning project undertaken by the school to support 1st Battalion members and their families. Thanks to the overwhelming support of the KCD community, the committee sorted and packed over eighty boxes of men’s and women’s clothing. According to the battalion commander, the clothes are being distributed to Iraqi men, women, and children as part of the battalion’s community relations program.
Above: Lee Meriwether and Head of School Brad Lyman prepare to unveil the plaque placed above the chemistry lab in the Frazier Upper School. Left: Alumni, students, and faculty joined Mr. Meriwether for a reception following the dedication.
A large quantity of additional clothing was donated to local charities. A special thanks goes to Jackie and Greg Taylor, whose UPS Stores donated all of the boxes used to transport the clothing to Fort Campbell.
Left: Jake Austin ’13 and Zac Etoch ’14.
Ch
hanging Lives The work of Dr. Susan Sherman ’85 combines science and social justice
S
usan Sherman ’85 has come a long way since her days at
KCD. After earning degrees in art history and literature from the University of Michigan, Susan seemed headed into a career in law. “I’ve always been politically interested,” she states, “so I thought I would do law. My dad’s been an attorney for fifty-five years in Louisville, and I always thought I would be a lawyer.” All that changed, however, when Susan moved to San Francisco in the early 1990s. “It was the height of the AIDS epidemic,” she recalls, “and San Francisco was the center of this activism movement that combined the personal and the political. I was also becoming interested in issues of women and HIV, which at that time was largely about drug use.” These interests led Susan to pursue a master’s degree in public health from UNC Chapel Hill and a Ph.D. in social and behavioral sciences from Johns Hopkins University. Today, she works as an associate professor in the epidemiology department at Johns Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health. “I never thought I’d go on to get my Ph.D.,” she reveals, “but I realized that I like research and I like scientific thinking. It’s amazing that you can think of questions and then design a study to answer those questions.” Susan’s research is focused on the social and economic factors that relate to public health issues such as infectious disease—HIV in particular—and drug use. It’s an approach that requires researchers to study these complex problems from a variety of perspectives,. “My Ph.D. was in social and behavioral sciences, which is very interdisciplinary. It’s kind of a cross between sociology and psychology and is a common department in public health schools. I’ve always been interested in more than one view of the world, so the interdisciplinary approach was good for me.” Currently, most of Susan’s research involves developing HIV prevention programs among drug users in Thailand, although she’s also involved with local research that includes a new needle exchange program for women and city-wide overdose prevention. Cont’d on page 12
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Changing Lives Cont’d from page 11 “What my work is looking at,” she continues, “are the underlying factors that contribute to [risky] behavior. There are lots of factors that contribute to that: what’s going on inside a person, what’s going on in their environment, what’s going on with their financial situation. I’m really interested in the broader contextual factors that put people at risk.” What keeps Susan excited about her work is the opportunity it gives her to combine her love of science with a concern for public policy. “Public health for me is an amazing way to be engaged in social justice,” she explains. “Public policy is very important to me. I think of myself as a link between the research world and the policy world. I have personal connections with people who work doing advocacy and lobbying. I happen to be a researcher, but there are things that I can do to help other people out. I’ve given testimony as an expert in front of state health commissions and assemblies, and I worked extremely closely with the health department in designing and evaluating their overdose prevention program and other projects. “It’s really easy to do research and keep chasing the grant dollars without really caring about effecting change in the world. I feel that I have an obligation to the community in which I live.” Several years ago, that commitment to her community led Susan to combine her love of jewelry making with an innovative study that used the making and selling of jewelry as a way to help women move away from their involvement in prostitution. For Susan, the study continued her interest in working with populations living in the margins of mainstream American culture. “There’s a certain group of people that just kind of gets thrown away,” she reflects. “That’s where women in this study of ours came from. They’ve been thrown away by their male clients, by their partners. They’ve been treated like that for a long time, which is why some of them are there. Some people do make bad choices, but sometimes people are just born into terrible circumstances.” The study was named JEWEL—Jewelry Education for Women Empowering their Lives—and fifty-four women went
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through the pilot project. The program combined classes in HIV risk education with sessions in which the women made and marketed their own jewelry. Initially sold in the Outpatient Center of Johns Hopkins Hospital, the program eventually expanded to include a nonprofit jewelry business called Gems of Hope. Susan acknowledges that no program can provide a panacea for the problems of drug addiction and prostitution, but she also notes that some of the women in the pilot project seized on the jewelry business as a means of transforming their lives. “I saw this unbelievable creativity that comes from somewhere deep inside,” she recalls. “It certainly hadn’t been nurtured in any of these women. That was an amazing thing to be in the presence of, and something you rarely get to see. Here was a bunch of women who were doing God knows what in the morning before they got there. But once they were there, it was just a room full of women appreciating being with other women. I’ve been involved in a lot of interventions, but this was the most special one to me. “People are people—that’s the main thing I got out of it. It’s really important to work with people as individuals. It’s especially important when you do quantitative work, where you’re talking in these big statements with lots of big numbers. It helps to have a face to connect to that.” The JEWEL study provided the impetus for another of Susan’s current projects. “We started a sewing collective in southern India,” she explains, “where sex workers are making reusable shopping bags for the U.S. market. We’re in the process of designing a really stylish bag that will eventually be distributed in the U.S. The goal is that these women can live on what they make by selling these bags.” For Susan, the success of these programs reveals that even the most at-risk populations are willing to work to change their lives. “If you give people an opportunity,” she states, “they can make good choices. People can continue to do stupid things, but a lot of my work’s about creating opportunities. You give them tools for health—to do something positive for themselves—and they do it.”
Alumni Updates About the class chair program
Class chairs play an integral part in the life of alumni and development affairs at KCD. They represent a connection between KCD and each graduating class, and their single most important mission is to maintain close, personal ties among classmates. Although KCD will help with reunion plans, each class chair serves as the lead organizers for class reunions. The current class chairs are listed below for each class; those interested in serving should contact Mollie Mulloy ’01 at alumni@kcd.org. There can be more than one class chair per class.
1949
1972
Carolyn Kennedy is a retired food writer. She lives in Boston and Vermont with her husband, architect Herbert Eisenberg.
Brad Hume LCD ’70 and Glen Chowning Hume KHS ’72: “Our daughter Sara (27) was married to Clay Gahan on June 16, 2007. Sara is a teacher at a girls’ preparatory school in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Our younger daughter Brittany (24) lives in New York City and works for McKinsey and Co. business consultants.”
1961 Electra Linda Long hopes to hear more from classmates and school friends! Her Web site is www.electralong.com. Gray Henry is publishing books and giving lectures on world spirituality. She produces related events with the Dalai Lama, among others.
1968 Cynthia Smith: “I am still teaching studio art (painting, drawing, etc.) at the Community College of Rhode Island. It is my thirty-third year! I’m single and have no children. I have traveled often and lived abroad. I have fun memories of KHS and would love to hear from my classmates. Let’s have a fortieth in 2008!”
1969 Class chair: Jane Thompson Birckhead
1970 Brad Hume LCD ’70 and Glen Chowning Hume KHS ’72: “Our daughter Sara (27) was married to Clay Gahan on June 16, 2007. Sara is a teacher at Girls’ Preparatory School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Our younger daughter Brittany (24) lives in New York City and works for McKinsey and Co. business consultants.”
1973 Class chair: Barry Barlow bobarlow@yahoo.com Marion Massa: “I moved to mid-coast Maine in February of 2005 and took a position as Director of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay. Any KHS or KCD alums traveling to the north woods should look me up!”
1974 Class chair: Patty West pdwest1@bellsouth.net
1975 Class chair: TBD
1976 Class chair: Dan Huneke dancor2000@aol.com
1977 Class chair: Tony Weber baweber@veredus.com Cont’d on page 14
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Alumni Updates Cont’d from page 13
1978 Class Chair: TBD
1979 Class chair: Sarah Wilder Brice sarah.brice@insightbb.com Rhonda Foreman: “I just celebrated my twenty-fourth year of living in New York City. I became a real estate agent three years ago after twenty-one years in the Entertainment Industry. My husband and I live in Manhattan with our two cats and play golf as often as possible. We were in Louisville last summer attending the wedding celebration of Lisa Sullivan and Guthrie Zaring.”
1981 Class chair: Mary Scott Herrington msherrington@insightbb.com
1982 Class chair: Mary Williams Nuss mary.nuss@apple.ge.com Members of the class of 1982 met up during a KCD swim team banquet recently as all of their children swim on the team together! Pictured from left to right below are: Laura Maguire Hoke ’82, Ailsa Hoke, Sam Crockett, John Crockett ’82, coach Debbie (Howell) Klotz, Henry Crockett, Lydia Plamp Brownlow ’82, and Luke Brownlow.
Squadron, which flies the MQ-1 Predator in both Afghanistan and Iraq.”
1985 Class chair: Rebecca Matheny mrelish@insightbb.com Class Chair: O’Bryan Broecker Worley obryan@obryan.com Stephen Hyers has taken a position as an adjunct instructor at Greensboro College teaching stage combat in the theatre department. He recently served as stunt coordinator on the feature film Bone Creek.
1980 Class chair: Jana Clanton Dowds jdowds@insightbb.com David Swearingen and his wife Lisa are now the proud parents of two boys, Will (five months) and Reed (two years). The Swearingens have recently moved from Capitol Hill to the Washington, D.C., suburb of Bethesda, Maryland. David is a technology consultant with a small firm, and Lisa is a business strategy consultant with Booz Allen Hamilton.
Todd Hood completed expeditions to Costa Rica, Denmark, and Thailand for cultural enrichment work during 2007.
Laura Porter Blackburn: “My nine-monthold Mattia was born last April, and I also have a three-year-old, Maya. My husband Gionatan Surrenti and I live in Italy.”
1983 Class chair: Wendy Burke Brown wendy.brown@appl.ge.com
1984 Class chair: Tom Beck tmbeck@jonesday.com Class chair: Angie Rogers Nuttall adr72@aol.com
CharlesBlocker joinedInVisionHospitality Co., Ltd., as Chief Development Officer on January 1, 2008. He also serves as Chief Investment Officer for InVision Capital. Based in Bangkok, InVision is an investment, strategy, and management company for the hospitality industry with a regional focus in Southeast Asia.
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Susan Burton is living in Louisville with her husband Greg and sons Jay (8), Matthew (5), Rider (4), and Parker (2). Christopher Plamp: “I am currently serving as a Lt. Col. in the Air Force at Creech Air Force Base, near Las Vegas, where I live with my wife Jennifer and daughters Kelley (7) and Lydia (4). I am the commander of the 15 Reconnaissance
Michael Switow: “On a trip through Louisville last spring, I visited Ms. Shoulta’s fifth grade class to talk about Africa and the movement to Make Poverty History. I shared some photos and stories from my Peace Corps days and also talked about living in Asia. In the first photo, my niece Katie is introducing me to her class. The second photo is of Eric Jones, his wife Galya, and me. They were passing
Alumni Updates through Singapore, a city I’ve called home since 2000.”
He married his wife Lisa in 2002. Their first son, Christopher Maxwell Michael, was born in 2004, and Alexander Solomon Marcus was born on Thanksgiving Day 2007. Gary Bockhorst: “My wife Nikki and I live in Louisville and have two sons. Grant Forster Trabue Bockhorst was born November 27, 2001, and is enrolled in kindergarten at KCD. Clay Fitz-James Bockhorst was born May 24, 2004.”
1988 Class chair: Carter Payne cbp1@aol.com Lisa Hagan is the head coach of the volleyball program at Georgetown University in the Big East Conference. She and her husband, Dr. Simon Williams, welcomed a baby boy, Alexander Nicholas Williams, on March 9, 2007.
1986 Class chair: Ted Mitzlaff tmitzlaff@aol.com tmitzlaff@jmlaboratories.com Allison Whelchel: “I was married on October 13, 2007, to David D. DiBlasi. The wedding was at sunset atop Beech Mountain, at Eagles Nest in Banner Elk, North Carolina. KCD attendees included Lindsay West Robertson ’86 and Tracy Liebert Cutting ’88. We were delighted to have our friends there and to have Weasie Gaines Russ ’89 photograph the wedding. Dave and I continue to surf, live, and love our life in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, where we live with our dog Stan!”
1989 Class chair: Charlie Brohm chaz29@aol.com Elizabeth Johnson Touma: “I currently live in Nashville with my husband and three kids, Maddie (7), Mason (5), and Parker (4). We love it here!” Carter Wood Sartor and her husband Patrick Sartor welcomed a new baby boy this past holiday! Roberts Alexander Jacques Sartor arrived on December 20, 2007, at 5 lbs., 13 oz. and 19 inches.
1987 Class chair: John Davis jdavis@hogandev.com Class chair: Gary Bockhorst gbockhorst@hillard.com Christopher Bowen has been in New York since 1998 and received his M.B.A. in 2001.
Cont’d on page 16
KMI alumnus honored at National Philanthropy Day
If you look up the word “philanthropist” in the dictionary, the entry is somewhat vague: one who practices philanthropy. In order to make that vague definition more concrete, the Bluegrass chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals joined with a group of local nonprofits to recognize outstanding individuals whose lives illuminate the meaning of philanthropy. At the twenty-first annual celebration of National Philanthropy Day on November 15, Dan Stewart Jr. KMI ’47 was honored by Midway College for nearly thirty years of service on the Board of Trustees. According to Midway College president William Drake, Mr. Stewart has been a leadership donor every year during this time and has taken considerable time to introduce new leaders to the college’s work. During Mr. Stewart’s tenure, Midway College transitioned from a junior college to a four-year institution and also quadrupled its enrollment. Mr. Stewart currently serves as vice chair of the Development Committee Lexington mayor Jim Newbury opened the program by recognizing the significant contributions of the honorees in attendance. Approximately five hundred guests were on hand to applaud those being recognized.
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Alumni Updates Cont’d from page 15 Michele Thomas: “I currently live outside Bozeman, Montana, with my husband Chip, daughter Carter (6), and son Bailey (3).”
1990 Class chair: Brian Heil brianfheil@hotmail.com Matt Black and his wife Renee are expecting a new sibling to join their children Reagan, Paige, and Christian. The new baby is due to arrive on Mother’s Day 2008. Mark Coletti and Erin Ellingsworth were married on August 11, 2007, in Gearhart, Oregon. Following a honeymoon to Bandon Dunes Golf Resort and a weeklong trip along the eastern coast of Italy, they returned home to northern Italy, where Mark works for automotive designer Pininfarina. Aaron Jenkins recently completed his master’s degrees in agricultural and applied economics and in conservation biology and sustainable development at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Aaron is now enjoying the outdoors in Durham, North Carolina, where he works for the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions. Carrie McDowell Norris and her husband Todd welcomed their third child, Samuel, into the world on March 1, 2007. Samuel joins his older brother Caleb (6) and sister Hannah (4) as well as their very tolerant orange tabby cat, Henry.
1991 Class chair: Jordan Karp jdkarp@aol.com
1992 Class chair: Darran Winslow dwinslow@lcgandm.com Sarah Black Andrews: “Skylar Rainey Andrews was born on February 2, 2007. She was born twenty-eight days premature and is doing great now!”
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Mary Nancy Hubbard: “I am a realtor in Nashville, Tennessee. I am engaged to Tommy Chatel and will be moving back to Kentucky in December of 2007. I will remain in Louisville following my wedding in May. I will be working for Kentucky Select Realty.” Risha Kumar: “I just moved back to Louisville in late July of 2007 after fifteen years of being between Washington, D.C., New York City, and most recently Salt Lake City. I have joined my father’s ophthalmology practice as a cataract and glaucoma specialist.” Darran Winslow is living in Louisville and continues to practice law. He recently helped found a business called Reputation Defender (reputationdefender.com.)
1993 Class chair: Emmett Ogden emmettogden@hotmail.com Ryan Epstein: My wife Stacy and I have moved to Charlotte, North Carolina. Catherine Perkins married Lorenzo Caccialanza in an outdoor Quaker ceremony at her sister’s house in New York’s North Country in September. A second celebration in Milan will follow in December. The couple lives in Los Angeles. Rebecca Starks married Andy Solomon under the redwoods at the Hoyt Arboretum in Portland, Oregon. Country Day alumni there to celebrate with them included Rebecca’s siblings, Susannah (’91), Sarah (’97), and Will (’00), as well as Catherine Perkins ’ 93 (now Caccialanza). Rebecca and Andy took their honeymoon around Mt. Rainier and stayed in a fifty-foot-high tree house. They live in Portland, where they happily welcomed 6 lbs., 6 oz., baby boy Winslow on Thanksgiving Day. Jennifer Ison Cooke: “I live in Columbia, South Carolina, with my husband Matt and our two-year-old daughter Claire. I
am an attorney at Nelson, Mullins, Riley, and Scarborough, LLC.”
1994 Class chair: Pete Ward pward@veredus.com Angie Nagaraj Bender: “I am enjoying living in Cleveland with my husband Brian and our two children Tyler and Addie.” Laura Taylor Webb: “My husband Aaron and I welcomed our first child Mary ‘Ella’ Webb in April. Both of us currently work at Brown-Forman Corporation in Louisville. We recently visited and had a great time seeing Angie Bender and her family in Cleveland, Ohio.” Kathryn Marcum Webb: “Pete and I welcomed our second child, Grace Walker, in June of 2007. Louis, who is two, is excited to be a big brother.” Ginger O’Brien and Scot Dawson were married this summer in Georgetown, Exuma. Classmates Angie Nagaraj Bender and her husband Brian, Pai and Amy Charasika, and Alix Crutcher Flick and her husband Ian were in attendance. Ginger and Scot have moved back to Louisville and are renovating a house in Old Louisville. David Watson and his wife Courtney welcomed Andrew Rockwell Watson into the world on January 8, 2007. The family is doing great. In June, David graduated with his M.B.A. from the Robert H. Smith School in Maryland. He has taken a new job in private equity as director of portfolio accounting with MCG Capital. The family still resides in Arlington, Virginia. Gibbs Rounsavall: “Actors Theatre invited me to show my work during the Humana Festival in March. The show will have some of the work from the NuLu show as well as a couple of new pieces. If you happen to be in the neighborhood, the show will be in
Alumni Updates the Victor Jory Theatre on the third floor. Please visit www.gibbsrounsavall.com.”
1995 Class chair: Tom Pilon thomasapilon@yahoo.com Laura Krausen: “I am currently teaching sixth and seventh grade students with disabilities, in Louisville, Kentucky. We have one child who is almost two years old and another one on the way in May of 2008!
1996 Class chair: Erica Johnson Strauss eejohnson30@hotmail.com Class chair: Allison Erk Edwards allisonerk@hotmail.com
Washington, and ran away to join the circus. Well, not exactly. I joined the government relations department of Feld Entertainment, the parent company for Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus and Disney on Ice. As manager of government affairs, I am responsible for lobbying all fifty states and federal legislation. In my down time, I get to hang out with clowns, acrobats, and of course elephants! It is a bit of a change from rubbing elbows with ministers and royalty, but I must say it is a big kid’s dream! It’s not every day you get to hang from an elephant’s mouth.”
Justin Martin works in quality control for Sublime Industries in L.A. He enjoys the work! Brea Mason Sanchez: I have been living in Louisville since graduation and I have two beautiful kids, Abriana Danielle (7) and Aiden Christopher, who was born May 2, 2007. I am going to Indiana University Southeast for nursing and I am doing well.”
1998 Class chair: Elizabeth Barnett elizabethabarnett@hotmail.com Class chair: Pat Mulloy patrick.mulloy@kcd.org
1997 Class chair: Sarah Long Lashford sarahm_long@yahoo.com Sarah Starks: “I’m living in Santa Monica, California, and getting my Ph.D. in health services at the UCLA School of Public Health. I just finished all my coursework and exams, so I’m working on my dissertation in addition to working half-time on a research project. Robert Cadena and I recently eloped after almost ten years together and are expecting our first child in June 2008!”
completion of my dissertation at University of Alberta. Visit me online at http://www. mae.carleton.ca/maehtmls/johnson.html.”
Brenna Trimbur married Bruce Kleinsteuber on May 29, 2007, in Louisville, Kentucky.
Bobby Vice and Helen Killarney ’00 were married last fall in Louisville. Chris Vice ’06, Patrick Mulloy ’98, Keith Douglas ’98, Omar Amin ’98, and Emily Albrink ’00 were a part of the wedding, and many other KCD alumni attended. Bobby and Helen live in the Highlands in Louisville, where Helen works at Humana Inc. as a learning consultant and Bobby is an attorney in the Real Estate and Banking Group at Stites & Harbison.
Sreedevi Gondi finished her residency in internal medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston in 2007. Sarah Long Lashford: “I recently left Her Majesty’s Government, where I was a trade policy advisor for the British Embassy in
Matthew Johnson: “I am pursuing my education but acting as assistant professor until
Cont’d on page 18
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Alumni Updates Cont’d from page 17 Adam Arrington started in the M.B.A. program at Loyola University Graduate School of Business this past fall.
Purvi Amin is living in Louisville, where she is a critical care/ICU nurse at Jewish Hospital and is applying to anesthesia school this year.
April Land Dunham: “I married my college sweetheart from Denison University on June 15, 2002. Our first son, Chase Dunham, was born on September 7, 2007. I work as a director of healthcare recruiting in Louisville.”
2000
Amanda Pollitt: “I’m still in Florida. After graduating from Eckerd, I worked a series of jobs. About two years ago, I started as a sales rep for Red Bull Energy Drink, and by the third month I was the top salesperson for the territory. Within the year, I was promoted to on-premise manager, in charge of ten sales reps. At the time, I was the youngest OPM and the only female in the southeastern territory! I love my job and my house in Tampa with my dog and my cat. My mother says I have been on a ten-year Spring Break, and my life is so much fun, that’s about true!”
1999 Class chair: Emmy Hubbard Baker emmy.baker@gmail.com Emmy Hubbard Baker: “I am living in Nashville and finishing up my last year in the master’s nursing program at Vanderbilt. I will graduate in December with a dual degree as a women’s health nurse practitioner and adult nurse practitioner. I was married in August in Louisville. My husband, Billy, is an accountant for Deloitte & Touche and is from Nashville.”
Class chair: Helen Killarney hkillarney@hotmail.com Bobby Vice and Helen Killarney ’00 were married last fall in Louisville. Chris Vice ’06, Patrick Mulloy ’98, Keith Douglas ’98, Omar Amin ’98, and Emily Albrink ’00 were a part of the wedding, and many other KCD alumni attended. Bobby and Helen live in the Highlands in Louisville, where Helen works at Humana Inc. as a learning consultant and Bobby is an attorney in the Real Estate and Banking Group at Stites & Harbison.
2001 Class chair: Mollie Mulloy mollie.mulloy@gmail.com Class chair: Lee Heffner lee.heffner@gmail.com Nicole Touma is enjoying life in Chicago, where she is working in advertising at the Game Show Network. Alice Zoller is teaching seventh grade special education at Meyer’s Middle School in Louisville. She is also attending Bellarmine University, where she is working toward her master’s degree in teaching.
2002 Class chair: Vishal Amin vishalramin@gmail.com
2003 Class chair: Sophia Fischer Phischer22@aoc.com Cooper Benson is in medical school at LSU in New Orleans. Sophia Fischer graduated from the Naval Academy in May of 2007. She is now the
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officer in charge of Tomahawk missiles on the destroyer Roosevelt. Thomas Stover graduated in December from Georgia State University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
2004 Class chair: Andrew Howerton aph_2004@hotmail.com aphowert@indiana.edu Class chair: Mollie Ronald molron528@aol.com mollie.ronald@centre.edu This December, Alex Sweet was ranked #1 in D3 NCAA swimming in the 50 freestyle after having set a pool record at the Kenyon Nike Invitational. He also set a new Washington & Lee school record. He broke his own school record in the 100 free as well and is ranked #3 in the U.S. in that event. Last season, Alex was a fourtime First Team All American, was sixth in NCAA in the 100 free, and was part of three school record-setting relay teams.
2005 Class chair: Kate Dobbins KatharineDobbins_2009@DePauw.edu Class chair: Kavir Patel c09kavir.patel@usafa.edu Suzanne Lenz has roles in two upcoming plays at Davidson College. She will appear in the role of Edna in Waiting for Lefty and as Beth in Little Women. Suzanne just returned home from a semester in London, where she studied at the British American Drama Academy. She is now is back at Davidson for the rest of her junior year. She continues to sing with Davidson’s a capella group, the Delilahs, and takes voice lessons. Kate Dobbins is a Media Fellow at DePauw University and is doing a fourteenweek media internship in Washington, D.C., where she is working for Indiana Congressman Brad Ellsworth. She answers phones from constituents, writes press releases, and gives tours of the Capitol! She
Alumni Updates Got news for Connections? Post your update online in the alumni section of www.kcd.org or send it to us at alumni@kcd.org. You can also mail your update to KCD Alumni Office 4100 Springdale Road Louisville, KY 40241
is living in a town house with seven other interns from across the country and walks to work at the Cannon Building near the Capitol. Kate also plays for the DePauw University field hockey team, which won the SCAC Tournament this fall. Kate was named to the All SCAC Team.
2006
Booker was a native of Louisville and attended Kentucky Military Institute.
Class chair: TBD
2007 Class chair: Sarah Kleban sarah.kleban@gmail.com Class chair: Madeline Gmelin cowgal210@aol.com Class chair: Brad Zoppoth bzoppoth07@insightbb.com Class chair: Chandler Jobson chanopi@hotmail.com
Robert Clark, the husband of Lindsay O’Brien Clark 1975, passed away in October 2006.
In Memoriam Retired Army Brigade General Bodley Booker Jr. passed away on Sunday, December 2, 2007 at the age of 89. General
KCD Vineyard Vines neck ties and bow ties for sale! The color is a beautiful royal blue and features the school’s crest. $65 for the neck tie and $45 for the bow tie. All proceeds go to the KCD Alumni Association. Please order through Mollie Mulloy (alumni@kcd.org). 19
Alumni Events Thirty-Fifth Anniversary Party Alumni of KCD and its predeces-
Above: Gary Bockhorst ’87, Nikki Bockhorst, Laura Davis, and John Davis ’87. Right: Marguerite Hume KHS ’39 and Nancy Smith Dysart KHS ’41. Below: Weasa Gaines, Wick Gaines ’57, Holman Wilson LCD ’60, Ann Pedigo Martin KHS ’60, and Grier Martin.
sor schools gathered at the home of Ted Mitzlaff ’86 and Elizabeth Miles Mitzlaff on February 8 to celebrate the thirtyfifth anniversary of Kentucky Country Day. Alumni from Kentucky Home School, Louisville Country Day, Aquinas Preparatory School, and Kentucky Military Institute were all invited to this lovely cocktail party reception. We were thrilled to have over 140 alumni in attendance! There were alumni that traveled from all over the state of Kentucky to make it to the anticipated event, and even one KHS alumna who traveled all the way from Virginia: Ms. Bonnie Greer Johnson, who traveled from Roanoke, Virginia, to reunite with former Kentucky Home classmates and friends! Many thanks to our hardworking reunion party planning committee, which included Barry Barlow ’73, Jana Clanton Dowds ’80, Frank Hower ’73, Glen Chowning Hume KHS ’72, Beth Monohan KHS ’59, John Moore LCD ’68, Stuart Crawford Robinson ’76, Peter Ronald LCD ’70, and Patty Dabney West ’74. The Mitzlaff family was more than gracious to open their lovely home for the reunion celebration. Thanks to all those who attended and made this event a memorable one in the history of Kentucky Country Day.
Above: KCD Board Chair Jeff Gill, Tricia Gill, Head of School Brad Lyman, and Jane Lyman.
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Alumni Events Left: KCD connections are strong in this group of KHS alumnae. From L–R: Ruth Southwick Sams KHS ’53, Mary Moss Scholtz ’47, and Patsy McCoy Baker KHS ’52. Ms. Sam’s mother was a KHS alumna, and her nephew John is a KCD graduate. Ms. Scholtz has five children who are KCD graduates and four grandchildren who are current students. Ms. Baker has three daughters who are KCD alumnae.
Above: Scott Creason, Omar Amin ’98, Stephanie Harkess Robertson ’95, Mandy Mulloy, Tracy Amin, and Ted Mitzlaff ’86.
Above top: These Kentucky Home School alumnae enjoyed the party. Above center: Barry Barlow ’73 and Pat Mulloy ’98. Left: Ted Mitzlaff ’86, Cindy Crockett, and Tom Crockett ’84.
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Alumni Events Class of 1987 20-Year Reunion The class of 1987 celebrated its 20-year
reunion over Thanksgiving weekend 2007. Class members met at KCD on Friday evening for a tour of campus. Even though it was dark, class members got a sense of the major changes and upgrades to the campus since their graduation. They also got a kick out of seeing all the names listed on the plaques displayed throughout the gym hallways.
Right: Gary Bockhorst, John Franco, and Susan Maines. Far right: John Davis, John Wahl, and Audrey Marshall Owens. Below: Members of the class of 1987 at Churchill Downs.
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Later that night, class members joined the “unofficial” all school reunion at Flannagan’s on Baxter Avenue in the Highlands. On Saturday, class members headed to the sixth floor Millionaires’ Row at Churchill Downs to enjoy food and drinks while watching the races. Thanks to all those that attended!
Alumni Events Class of 1997 10-Year Reunion The class of 1997 also held their 10-year
reunion over Thanksgiving weekend. Class members started by meeting at KCD for a tour, then headed off campus to enjoy dinner and an evening of catching up.
Pierce Louis, Justin Martin, Brea Mason Sanchez, Barnett Edelen, and Sarah Long Lashford.
New York City Alumni Reunion On February 28, Harvey and Lorie
Brice hosted a cocktail reception at their Manhattan apartment for KCD alumni living in New York. Mr. and Mrs. Brice are the parents of KCD’s Assistant Head of School Chris Brice and the grandparents of KCD students Wilder and Lilly. The party offered alumni and their spouses a chance to reconnect with old classmates as well as meet KCD administrators. Thank you to the Brices for hosting such a lovely event! Top left: KCD admissions director Jeff Holbrook and Scott Frigon ’87. Top right: Christi Scofield and Ted Scofield ’87. Right: Mollie Mulloy ’01 and Dana Vetter ’00. Far right: Assistant Head of School Chris Brice and Head of School Brad Lyman.
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Alumni Events Class of 1984 23-Year Reunion The class of 1984 celebrated their 20-
Above: Laura Baker Lawless and Angie Rogers Nuttall. Above right: Nick Melhuish and George Wedemeyer.
Above: Courtnay Putney Greenberg and Phil Parrish.
year reunion . . . three years later! Although they were a bit late, the class of 1984 still pulled off a great reunion. The class enjoyed a day playing the ponies from Millionaires Row at Churchill Downs. Many of the attendees continued on for drinks at the Brown Hotel, and some had dinner at Caviar. This class had not had a reunion since their tenth, and all who attended commented on how much fun it was to see one another again and how easily old friendships were rekindled. Those in attendance from the class of 1984 included Angie Rogers Nuttall, Thomas Beck, Stewart Lussky, Susan Metcalfe Burton, Charlie Dahlem, Jim Dahlem, Bryan Arnett, Courtnay Putney Greenberg, David Seay, Doug Franck, Anne Wagner Hinkebein, Keith Lankford, Jody Hart, Phil Parish, Wendy Schmid, Laura Baker Lawless, Leslie Hatcher Millar, Matt Schwartz, Aimee Guthrie Kemper, Emily Watson Ragan, Wendy Rice Cramer, Nick Melhuish, and George Wedemeyer.
Above: Jim Dahlem, Courtnay Putney Greenberg, Leslie Hatcher Millar, Anne Wagner Hinkebein, and Wendy Rice Cramer.
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Alumni Events Alumni Tailgate Many alumni and their families
braved the rain and cold on Friday, October 26, for our All Alumni Tailgate. Under the big white tent (with prime football game viewing!), alumni enjoyed great barbeque provided by KCD’s own Ted Mitzlaff ’86. Ted is quite the barbeque extraordinaire—he smoked all of the meat himself! As alumni caught up with old classmates and friends, the children played Corn Hole behind the tent and adults listened to a great mix of music provided by Patrick Mulloy ’98. It was a great night enjoyed by all— especially the Bearcat fans that were able to watch KCD beat Caverna!
Above left: Jana Clanton Dowds ’80 and Susan Dabney Lavin ’80. Above: Steve Ragan ’80, Omar Amin ’98, Jana Clanton Dowds ’80, and Laura Maguire Hoke ’82. Left: The kids enjoyed playing Corn Hole.
reunion weekend
Upcoming Events KCD’s Thirty-Fifth Anniversary Celebration continues! Reunion Weekend
Registration is required for Reunion Weekend events. Visit the alumni section of www.kcd.org for additional information.
June 6–7, 2008 Friday, June 6
Annual Golf Outing at Nevel Meade Golf Course 12:30 p.m. check-in 1:00 p.m. shotgun start Shuttle service available from KCD to Nevel Meade
NEW!
Shuttle ser vic from KCD! e
BBQ Celebration at KCD 6:00 p.m.
Kentucky Home School Luncheon Kentucky Country Day School Tuesday, May 20, 2008 Invitations to follow
Graduation St. Matthews Baptist Church Thursday, May 29, 2008
ring your family and join us for BBQ and beer at the B KCD Bearcat Backyard playground.
Saturday, June 7 Individual class reunions Invitations to follow
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The World’s Her Stage I
t’s been a whirlwind year for Emily Albrink ’00. At twenty-five, Emily is earning recognition as a talented young soprano at the start of a promising career. Over the last year, she’s performed with the Indianapolis Opera, the Opera Boston, and the Phoenix Symphony. She’s also sung with the Meridian Singers, the Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra, the New Jersey Youth Orchestra, and Stanford Lively Arts.
“Things have been happening really fast for me this year,” she reflects. “My first major role in an opera was just over a year ago, and things have really snowballed since then. I’m very fortunate to have had wonderful opportunities to do all kinds of different things, but it’s also led to a crazy kind of life that involves lots of running around. Sometimes I’ll wake up and it will take me a minute to remember what city I’m in.” This busy season was capped this March by Emily’s professional recital debut at the Kentucky Center’s Bomhard Theater, where she performed as part of the Gheens Great Expectations Series. “It was so wonderful to be back and to perform in my hometown,” she recalls. “There’s nothing like it. Everyone was so supportive. You look out and see so many familiar faces: friends and family and people that have supported you. It was such a great experience.” In his review of the recital, Courier-Journal music critic Andrew Adler called Emily a “superb singing actor [who] sang with tremendous affection and interpretive focus . . . Coupled with spot-on intonation and a fundamental confidence in her ability to inhabit a momentary character, she knew how to deliver the musical goods.” Reviews like this are one of the reasons that Emily’s had the opportunity to work with some of the most important figures in the worlds of opera and classical music. “This year I got to do a workshop at Carnegie Hall with Dawn Upshaw, who’s one of the most famous living American sopranos in the world,” Emily explains. “She’s been an idol of mine forever. “I also worked with the composer Osvaldo Golijov, who’s written a lot of music for Dawn. I got to premiere a piece in the small hall at Carnegie Hall, which was amazing. I’m also Cont’d on page 28
Bearcat Pride Cont’d from page 26 doing an opera with Osvaldo, called Ainadamar, which he wrote for Dawn. It’s being picked up a lot, which means that Dawn can’t do every performance. She’s just too busy. Whenever she can’t do it, I step into her role and do it. I’m actually going to be able to do it with her at the big hall at Carnegie in December, which will be an incredible experience.” Emily has also worked with James Levine, who is the music director for the Metropolitan Opera as well as one of the most famous opera directors in the world. “This year, I went back to the Tanglewood music festival,” Emily recalls, “where I got to work with James Levine on Mozart’s Cosi fan Tutte. It was my first Mozart opera, and to be able to work that with him was just an amazing experience.” Despite her success in playing classic opera roles, Emily’s true passion is for contemporary music. “I really enjoy working with contemporary composers,” she states, “and I’ve had great opportunities to work with a number of them in New York. It’s really opened a lot of doors for me.” “What I’m trying to get people to realize,” she explains, “is that opera isn’t just the stereotype of boring fat people singing in a foreign language. There’s a lot of great stuff being written right now that’s extremely accessible. It’s in English, and the music is just beautiful. “The version of Cosi fan Tutte that I did this summer was a version that was set in South Beach, Miami, and I played Charo. I had these huge heels on and this red hair. It was really fun. That’s the kind of thing I love to do: making opera more accessible for people.” Her background in musical theater (she holds a B.F.A. from the University of Michigan) is another thing that distinguishes Emily from many of her contemporaries. “I come at this from an acting point of view,” she says, “and the acting comes very naturally to me. A lot of my opera friends ask me if I regret studying theater in college, and my answer is ‘absolutely not.’ I love words. I love poetry and stories. All good singers will look at a song as a monologue—will break it up and make choices about interpreting it, but that process is very organic and spontaneous for me.” Although she’s a natural at interpretation, Emily admits that she’s put a lot of hard work into training her voice. “I’ve had to work hard at the voice part of it,” she says. “I’ve always had an instrument, but I’ve had to really work at my technique. I wasn’t born with this huge voice that just blows you away. You might be born with a beautiful instrument, but you have to build it into something that can carry in a thousand-seat theater. Another thing that makes it difficult is that it’s not like piano or other instruments where you can look down and see what you’re doing. You can only feel it. You can’t listen to yourself either—you just have to pay attention to how it feels.” One of the things that surprises Emily is how much her background in languages and literature have benefitted her in her career. “I never thought that English, French, and history would be as im-
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portant in my life as they’ve been. In order to really understand a song, you not only have to understand the language, but also the time and culture that it comes from. I use my history, my languages, and the interpretive skills I learned in English every day.” In fact, Emily remembers her French and English classes at KCD as the ones that made the deepest impression on her. “Ms. Amick and Ms. Glosky were my two favorite teachers at KCD,” Emily recalls. “I loved their AP English and French classes. I didn’t feel like they were up there talking down to us. It felt more like a conversation, like the teachers and students were all participating together in this process of learning.” Learning to sing in languages she doesn’t speak has been another challenge that Emily has learned to overcome. “I studied French in high school, so I can sing in French. I college, I started getting interested in German. Schubert, for example, has written over six hundred songs—all of them in German. It’s amazing literature. They’re using Goethe poems—all this amazing poetry and literature. I got kind of obsessed with these songs, so I started studying German at the University of Michigan. I also studied German one summer at Middlebury College and spent six weeks singing in German. “I’ve also sung in Russian. I can’t read Cyrillic, but you use the international phonetic alphabet. I also worked with a language coach to get my pronunciation right.” Emily’s facility with languages is another factor that contributes to her versatility as a performer. Writing in the Courier-Journal, Andrew Adler concluded that “Russian is not an easy language to make sense of as a non-native speaker, but Albrink—channeling a delightfully quirky inner child—sounded like the Belle of St. Petersburg.” Emily is also looking forward to further opportunities to expand her language study. “Next season,” she says, “I’m going to be in the young artist program at the Washington National Opera with Plácido Domingo. I’ll have small roles in their operas, but there will also be Italian classes every day.” No matter what language she’s using, what Emily loves most about performing is communicating with an audience. “It’s such a unique and rare experience to have a connection with an audience that’s right there in that moment and can never happen again. That’s what’s so great about live music. “I don’t care how great your voice is if you don’t have something to say or a point of view. What I’m after is that connection with the audience—to make them think a different way or comfort them or make them laugh.” Although Emily knows that her schedule’s not likely to slow down any time in the future, she’s full of excitement for what’s to come. She’s also grateful for the opportunities she’s enjoying. “I love the people that I meet,” she enthuses. “I get to travel and visit so many great places. I’ve had so many fantastic experiences with the people that I’ve met so far—wonderful, creative people who are really trying to say something important with what they do. I’m really, really fortunate.”
The Benjamin G. Robertson Sr. Society
Spring 2008
A Better Way to Give CD parent Scott Ferguson believes that
K the best asset to use for charitable giving is appreciated securities that qualify for longterm capital gains treatment. “Writing checks and using a credit card don’t provide the benefits of giving stock,” says Scott. “By giving stock, you receive the maximum tax deduction based on the stock’s value, and you avoid all capital gains tax. That leaves you with more money to donate, rather than selling the stock, paying taxes, and then making gifts.” Scott also believes the easiest way to give stock to KCD, or multiple charities, is by using a Depository fund in The Community Foundation of Louisville. He explains, “You simply transfer shares to your fund, and the sale proceeds can be given – at a future date – to any charities you choose. It saves you from
Benjamin G. Robertson Sr.
writing individual checks since the Foundation does it all for you.” Scott adds, “There’s no fee to open a fund or to have checks mailed to charities, Scott Ferguson and there’s no minimum balance requirement. The Depository allows you to make the best tax-planning decisions each year, and it gives you tremendous flexibility in funding future and multi-year gifts. It’s been an effective tool in planning for and meeting our family’s charitable goals.” To learn more, contact The Community Foundation of Louisville at (502) 585-4649 or info@cflouisville.org.
Benjamin G. Robertson Sr., one of the founders of Louisville Country Day, devoted his time, talent and treasure to LCD for 21 years, and even had the foresight to contribute to the advancement of the school after his death. In his will, Mr. Robertson decreed that our school be the ultimate beneficiary of a charitable remainder trust. This trust, established in 1969, has already distributed over
$1 million to KCD’s permanent endowment, and we expect to receive millions more in the years to come. In recognition of his generous and innovative gift, KCD has established the Benjamin G. Robertson Sr. Society: The Planned Giving Program for KCD. It is our hope that we will augment Mr. Robertson’s legacy by creating a robust planned giving society named in his memory.
Don’t Get Stuck with the Gift Tax states up to $2 million are sheltered in 2008 by the estate tax credit, which is scheduled to increase to $3.5 million in 2009. While the estate tax credit has been slowly climbing, the gift tax credit is stuck at $345,800, sheltering taxable transfers up to $1 million. Even in 2010, when the estate tax is scheduled to be eliminated completely for one year, the gift tax will live on, although at a slightly lower rate (top rate of 35%, compared to the current maximum of 45%). Here are some strategies for minimizing gift taxes:
You can continue using the assets during your lifetime.
E
� Take advantage of the
$12,000 annual gift tax exclusion ($24,000 for married couples) by making gifts to family members. If you give assets that are likely to appreciate, you’ll remove the gift value plus all future growth from your gross estate. � If you’ve already given
up to the $12,000 limit to children or grandchildren, consider paying their school
� Make interest-free
tuition or medical expenses. For example, a grandparent can pay college tuition for a grandchild and owe no gift tax, in addition to making a gift of $12,000. Payments must be made directly to the school or health care provider. This is an excellent way to reduce your gross estate while providing help to your ultimate beneficiaries. � Consider transferring assets
to younger family members at reduced gift tax costs through a qualified personal residence trust (QPRT), family limited partnership (FLP) or grantor retained annuity trust (GRAT).
demand loans to family members. Although the loan amounts remain in your gross estate, the income earned on the funds while the loans are outstanding will be removed and shifted to lower-tax bracket family members. Be careful of the “kiddie tax,” however. � Accelerate bequests to
family members by combining them with future gifts to Kentucky Country Day School. For example, you can create a trust now that pays income for life to a family member and then passes the assets to us. You’ll receive an income tax charitable deduction, the assets will be removed from your gross estate and any gift taxes will be minimized by a gift tax charitable deduction. We’d be happy to talk to you and your advisers about the many options for combining taxsmart gifts to KCD with benefits for family members.
The Good and Bad Tax News for 2008 hanks to inflation adjustments and scheduled tax-law phase-ins, there are new numbers – some good, some not so good – to consider in your 2008 planning.
T
Good � Income tax brackets have been
adjusted for inflation, allowing you to earn more before you move into a higher bracket. � Cutbacks in itemized deductions and
personal exemptions that affect high-income taxpayers will be less severe. For 2008 and 2009, certain itemized deductions are reduced by only 1% of the amount by which adjusted gross income exceeds $159,950. Personal exemptions are also subject to a lesser reduction. Cutbacks occur when income tops $239,950 for married couples or $159,950 for single taxpayers. � Social Security recipients who haven’t
reached full retirement age (65 years and ten months for those born in 1942) can earn more before benefits are cut. The limit for earned income is increased to $13,560, after which benefits are cut by $1 for each $2 in additional income. All Social Security recipients will be receiving a 2.3% increase. � Personal exemptions ($3,500) and standard deductions have both increased. � The capital
gains tax rate
drops from 5% to zero for taxpayers in the 10% and 15% tax brackets. � The IRA deduction limit increases to $5,000 in 2008, with an additional $1,000 catch-up contribution available for those age 50 or older.
Not So Good � Although the “kiddie tax” threshold
has increased to $1,800 for 2008, the bad news is that it will affect more children. The unearned income (interest, capital gains and dividends) of most full-time students under age 24 and all children under age 19 will be taxed at their parents’ top tax rate, rather than the lower rate that the child might pay on earned income. � Wage earners will be subject to Social
Security taxes until income reaches $102,000, compared to $97,500 in 2007. � The annual exclusion – the amount
that can be given to any number of recipients free of gift tax – is stuck at $12,000. � The contribution limit for 401(k) plans remains at $15,500, with an extra $5,000 catch-up contribution for those age 50 and older.
Because taxes are always subject to change, it’s a good idea to meet with your advisers regularly to review how to make the most of the opportunities, while avoiding any pitfalls during the year.
Are You in This Group? What’s Your Excuse? ccording to a recent
A AARP survey, 41% of
Americans age 45 and older don’t have a will. Actually, everyone has a will: one they execute themselves with the assistance of an attorney, or the estate plan the state applies to those who don’t have their own wills. If you’re among the 41% with no will, what’s your excuse? “I don’t know an attorney.” – Ask friends or relatives for a reference, or consult the local bar association. “My spouse and I own everything jointly.” – It’s true that jointly owned assets immediately pass to the surviving owner, and if the owners are married, the value is covered by the unlimited marital deduction. But what if both spouses die in an accident? “I don’t need a will because I don’t own enough to worry about.” – Anyone with a home, retirement savings, modest investments and life insurance needs a will. Even if the estate is sheltered from
estate taxes (up to $2 million in 2008), a will allows you, not the state, to direct how assets will be distributed. It also allows you to make a bequest to KCD – something not available with the “state’s will.” “Having a will drafted is too expensive.” – Although consulting a lawyer does involve some expense, fees are quite reasonable when compared with the cost and confusion of dying without a will. “I don’t care who gets my property after my death.” – Most people are interested in seeing that their spouses are comfortable and secure, that children and grandchildren are remembered and that the
organizations and causes they supported during their lifetimes continue to receive needed assistance. We would be happy to meet with you to explore how a bequest could provide you with the greatest satisfaction and, if your estate will be subject to tax, important estate tax savings. We can even show you how your bequest can benefit both KCD and family members. We can also provide the exact language your attorney will need if you choose to include a bequest to Kentucky Country Day School. As a minimum, you might consider a bequest that will continue your annual gifts, as shown in the chart below.
Your Bequest Can Memorialize Your Annual Contributions* If Your Annual Gifts Total:
$ 100 $ 200 $ 300 $ 500 $ 1,000 $ 2,000 $ 5,000
You Can Perpetuate Them with a Bequest of at Least:
$ 2,000 $ 4,000 $ 6,000 $ 10,000 $ 20,000 $ 40,000 $ 100,000
* A 5% annual return on your bequest, as represented in these tables, would ensure that you can always continue your thoughtful annual contributions.
Chris Brice Assistant Head of School for Development 4100 Springdale Road • Louisville, KY 40241 Phone: (502) 423-0440 • Fax: (502) 423-0445 E-mail: chris.brice@kcd.org This publication is prepared exclusively for the information of our alumni and friends. Its purpose is to point out current developments that may be helpful in your tax and financial planning. The items contained herein are based on recent court decisions and rulings and on federal tax laws and regulations now in effect. You should consult your own attorney as to the applicability of any item to your own situation.
You’ve
Evolved,
You’ve Evolved, Now Get Involved
So Have We
If you’re like most KCD graduates, when you reflect upon your time at KCD it’s about the overall experience—the teachers, the campus activities, and the lifelong relationships that were formed as a result of these opportunities. As KCD alumni, we have a responsibility to ensure that our tradition of excellence continues. The Annual Enrichment Fund enables KCD to deliver an exceptional experience for all our students.
Dick Aylor
An active alumni community lies behind every successful school. With your help, KCD students will experience the types of opportunities that have set our school apart as the premier private school in the region. As you reflect about your time at KCD, remember that the opportunities you experienced were made possible through those who had evolved and supported the Annual Enrichment Fund.
Charlie Fothergill
The Gift of Excellence Your Annual Enrichment Fund contributions provide the margin of excellence at KCD. Tuition dollars allow KCD to provide an outstanding academic environment with many extracurricular opportunities. Annual Enrichment Fund gifts enable us to expand advanced technology in the classroom, enrich the arts, and offer competitive salaries and professional development opportunities to our outstanding faculty.
Pam Hall
You benefitted from the support of alumni when you were at KCD—now it’s your turn. If history is any indication, chances are you will be helping your future children and grandchildren.
How do I Give? It’s easy to give to KCD’s Annual Enrichment Fund. 1) When you receive your AEF brochure, return the enclosed donor envelope. 2) Give online by visiting the giving section of our Web site at www.kcd.org.
Bobbie Thomason & Diane Brey
3) Stock/asset transfer (please contact Mandy Mulloy at 502.814.4332 for transfer information)
Kentucky Country Day School 4100 Springdale Road Louisville, KY 40241
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