TASIS ENGLAND ALUMNI E-NEWS
WINTER 2014 VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1
Dear Alumni... Greetings from the beautiful Thorpe campus! We have enjoyed reconnecting with you at our recent events. We would like to thank Vishal Patel ‘01 for his dedicated service as Class Agent for the Class of 2001. We are looking for alumni from the classes of 1977, 1983, 1993, 1994, and 2001 to volunteer for this important role. Ideally, we would like to have a team of two alumni for each class to work together. If you are interested or would like more details, please contact our office. Have you participated in our online survey about reunions, events, and alumni programming? Help us determine where and when alumni events will take place. This short survey will be available until the end of February. Click here to let us know what you think. We have been blessed by having a number of alumni and their families come to visit campus in the last few months. See our ‘Recent Visitors to Campus’. If you are planning a trip to England, we would be thrilled to see you in Thorpe! With advance notice, we will set up classroom visits and lunch with your TASIS England favorites. If you are not London-bound this year, stay connected via the alumni pages on our website. Our online alumni community is one more way to keep in touch with your classmates and the School. It is also the perfect place to update any changes in your contact details. Warmest wishes, Ruth Anne Snelson Advancement Associate for Alumni Relations alumni@tasisengland.org
EDITOR Ruth Anne Snelson PHOTOGRAPHY Hanna Hardesty Austin Kimberly ‘13 Angélique Knafo ‘85 Rachel Lambert ‘13 Maude Manzi ‘14 Ruth Anne Snelson Kristen (Jackson) Seymour ‘82 GRAPHIC DESIGN Ruth Anne Snelson SPECIAL THANKS TO Niki Burns Hanna Hardesty Frances Lovett Virginia Majewski Mary Mitchell Ainslie Phillips Maura Power Arthur Schott-Lopes ‘15 COMMENTS? CONTACT Ruth Anne Snelson alumni@tasisengland.org +44 (0)1932 565 252 CLASS NOTES & ADDRESS CHANGES alumni@tasisengland.org TASIS England Alumni Relations Office Coldharbour Lane Thorpe, Surrey TW20 8TE
WINTER 2014 1
Summer Programs Who is Your Class Agent?
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Faculty Focus: Erica (DeVoir) Moore Jennifer (Roesler) Portchmouth
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Alumni Profile: Austin Kimberly ‘13
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Recent Visitors to Campus
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Donor Profile: Kristen (Jackson) Seymour ‘82
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Math Journal: Alumni Involvement Fleming Garden
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Letter from the Headmaster My Journey to Going Greek by Rachel Lambert ‘13
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Senior Spotlight: Maude Manzi ‘14
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Legacy Gala & Reverse Lottery
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Fresh News from Campus
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Alumni Meet and Greets
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TASIS England Classifieds
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Reunion Information Class Competition: Legacy Pavers
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Angélique de Paris ‘85
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Mission Statement
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TASIS Schools
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Lost Alumni: We Need Your Help TASIS England Reads!
28 June - 9 August 2014 • 6-week & 3-week courses • Ages 10 - 18
ASK ABOUT THE ALUMNI DISCOUNT! Enrichment
Creative Drawing and 3-D Design Fashion and Textile Design International Business London Through a Lens ShakespeareXperience Television Production Writing & Speaking Enhancement Advanced Mathematics Algebra Review Middle School Skills SAT Review & College Admissions
Language
English Language: Six Levels IELTS Preparation TOEFL Review
Electives
Digital Music Digital Photography Introduction to Robotics Modern Dance Movie Making Studio Art The Magical World of Harry Potter Theatre Skills
To learn more about the alumni discount, contact: uksummer@tasisengland.org or +44 1932 582 346 www.summer.tasis.com
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Who is your
CLASS AGENT? The Alumni Team is fortunate to work with a dedicated team of alumni who serve both their class and the School by keeping classmates connected, planning reunions, and helping collect Class Notes for the annual TASIS England Today magazine. Want to get in touch with your Class Agent? Find their details below. CLASS OF 1977 Class Agent Needed - Contact the Alumni Relations Team if interested CLASS OF 1978 Michele Key mke@southbank.org CLASS OF 1979 Brian Dalgetty dalgetty@us.ibm.com Suzanne Zebedee suzzeb@yahoo.com CLASS OF 1980 Carol (Zebedee) Kriesmer Carol@TheKriesmers.com CLASS OF 1981 Lilian Eilers lilian.eilers@theblueoceancompany.com CLASS OF 1982 Dan DeJoy ddejoy@rochester.rr.com Kristen (Jackson) Seymour kris7105@gmail.com CLASS OF 1983 Class Agent Needed - Contact the Alumni Relations Team if interested CLASS OF 1984 Harold McLeod III harold.mcleod@gmail.com CLASS OF 1985 Tope (Adeosun) Shonekan topeshonekan@gmail.com CLASS OF 1986 Eden Diver eden.diver@thedivers.net CLASS OF 1987 Jeff Klaus jeffklaus0630@yahoo.com Kristin (Casner) Wilson kristin.wilson@comcast.net CLASS OF 1988 Dave Decker ddecker92@yahoo.com Mike Partridge mikepartridge@verizon.net Tina (Garbiso) Ring tina@rynosoft.com CLASS OF 1989 Mary Ann Merikoski-Cashman mamerikoski@hotmail.com
CLASS OF 1990 Adria (Kelly) Pistell adria.pistell@gmail.com CLASS OF 1991 Janelle (Kottke) Chandek tchandek@msn.com CLASS OF 1992 Balaji Ramachandra balaji.ramachandra@gmail.com CLASS OF 1993 Class Agent Needed - Contact the Alumni Relations Team if interested CLASS OF 1994 Class Agent Needed - Contact the Alumni Relations Team if interested CLASS OF 1995 Kathryn (Tucker) Rutkowski tucker.kathryn@gmail.com CLASS OF 1996 Ashley (McKinney) Taylor ashley.mcktaylor@btinternet.com Nick Wormley nicholas.wormley@quinnipiac.edu CLASS OF 1997 Tracy (van den Heuvel) Laskos TVLittleT@aol.com CLASS OF 1998 Lara Mansour mansourlara@yahoo.com Anna Toonk annatoonk@gmail.com CLASS OF 1999 Carolyn Stack carolyn.stack@gmail.com Kaitlin (Keon) Taylor taylor.kaitlin@gmail.com CLASS OF 2000 Colin Nederkoorn colin@nederkoorn.co.uk CLASS OF 2001 Class Agent Needed - Contact the Alumni Relations Team if interested CLASS OF 2002 Jill Harte jillharte@yahoo.co.uk CLASS OF 2003 Catherine (McQuown) Eby catherine.eby@gmail.com Chawki Karam clkaram@gmx.com
CLASS OF 2004 Tenley (Wood) Huste mrstenleyhuste@yahoo.com Lauren Nieuwland nieuwland.lauren@gmail.com Naim Takla nftakla@googlemail.com CLASS OF 2005 Caroline Troein caroline.troein@gmail.com CLASS OF 2006 Kenryo Mizutani kenryo.mizutani@gmail.com Chelsea Vincent cevincen@gmail.com CLASS OF 2007 Caitlin Cross caitlincross03@hotmail.com Alex Lowe lowe.alex@hotmail.co.uk Josh Shin rinshin@gmail.com Brian Smith smudge368@gmail.com CLASS OF 2008 Haley Ham haleyham214@gmail.com Phillip Lomax plomax89@gmail.com Rebecca McGoldrick rebecca-mcgoldrick@hotmail.com CLASS OF 2009 Zach Isler zachisler@hotmail.com Sydney Manning snoellem@hotmail.com Alex Schmitt alexandracschmitt@gmail.com Anna Troein anna.troein@gmail.com CLASS OF 2010 Catherine Davison citcatdavison@yahoo.com Amro Elahwal elahwalamro@hotmail.com Gus Manzi gus.manzi@yahoo.com Joyce Tsao joycetsao_2002@hotmail.com
CLASS OF 2011 Eduardo Fasano fasanouk@btinternet.com Youn Kyung Lee younlee93@hotmail.com Vivi Kan kvi012022@gmail.com Julia Phelps sumatrahorse@aol.com CLASS OF 2012 Rohit Bhatnagar rohitbhatnagar94@gmail.com Ellen Jarman elliej3@hotmail.com CLASS OF 2013 Sanjana Jethvani sanjana.jethvani@gmail.com Seann Stubbs Seann.Stubbs@gmail.com Vince Vangaever vincevangaever@gmail.com Hannah Veitkus hmveitkus@gmail.com
Did you receive your copy of the 2013 issue of the TASIS England Today magazine? If not, send an email with your current postal address to alumni@ tasisengland.org. We will send you a copy today.
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ALUMNI PROFILE Austin Kimberly, Class of 2013 Meet Austin Kimberly, the reigning British Racing & Sports Car Club (BRSCC) National FF1600 champion. He began racing go-karts at the age of nine with the San Diego Karting Association. He now races Formula Ford 1600, and his ultimate goal is to race in the 24-hour Le Mans. With hard work, determination, along with the help from friends and family, he is sure to accomplish this and much more. In 2012 , Austin joined the likes of Ayrton Senna, Michael Shumacher, and Jensen Button who have all cut their teeth on what is now known as the the best open wheel racing in the world today, UK Formula Ford. As the first step to the path towards Formula 1, Formula Ford utilizes a four-cylinder engine making some 110-horsepower and routinely finds itself traveling faster than 130 MPH down famed straights of tracks including Silverstone, Brands Hatch, and Donnington Park. Austin joined Cliff Dempsey racing for the 2012-13 season. This team is known to have the best cars and support throughout the UK. Austin entered in the BRSCC series this past year where he competed in 14 races over the course of eight months. The series routinely attracts over 20 cars each weekend with a qualifying session and two races completed over the course of one or two days. A big fan of Jenson Button, Allan McNish, and Oliver Gavin, Austin follows their careers with much admiration. He had the priviledge of meeting Hurley Haywood, Brian Redman, and Derek Bell, and Austin strives to emulate these seasoned champions. “The first car race I attended was the Monterey Historics where I spent time with Derek Daly, Brian Redman, and Hurley Haywood, which really fuelled the fire to want to be a driver, especially when I saw Derek Daly coming out of the corkscrew at full song in a Gulf painted Porsche 917.That, along with the indescribable feeling of standing behind some 20 Can-Am cars on the grid at idle — what kid wouldn’t want to be a driver?!” The most influencial person in his racing career is his dad, Keith. His support pushes Austin to be all that he can be and to take advantage of every opportunity. As a former fighter pilot, his dad understands what it takes to win under the most demanding circumstances. The best car Austin feels he has ever driven is the Cliff Dempsey Racing which was prepped by Ray GRS08. The car is always clean, fast, and most importantly reliable. Austin describes it as a pleasure to
drive. Another favorite car his grandfather’s 1930 Chevrolet Beach Racer. As the car corners it makes him feel like a catamaran sailor and gives him a different perspective on driving. Thoughts of winning the 24-hour Le Mans fuels his dream. He pictures himself behind the wheel of a Corvette heading down the Mulsanne straight as the sun rises in the morning after 14 hours of sheer terror. Endurance racing is his long-term goal. For the short-term, his goal is to win the Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone because, as he describes it, “it is a fun track, a fun car, and with 125 of the best Formula Ford drivers in the world competing at it, winning would check the box on my Formula Ford resume.” In November, Austin flew in from America where he is attending university to compete in the triple header finale on the spectacular sweeping 1.55 mile Coastal Circuit in Anglesey. Not only did he celebrate his 19th birthday, but he walked away with the title, the first American to do so. He was described as showing a impressive display of high speed driving. When speaking about the closing stages of the final round he said, “They were some of the toughest last laps of this season. My nearest competitor really challenged me to be the best driver I could be!” You can follow Austin on Facebook at AK47 Racing. Austin is sponsored by Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance and the Institute for Health Care Advancement. Those who would like to help Austin make it to the top of the racing ladder through sponsorship along with gaining brand recognition can contact him at gt40x4@hotmail.com.
DONOR PROFILE
Kristen (Jackson) Seymour Class of 1982
Kristen lives with her two sons, Jackson and Sam, in Southport, Connecticut. She continues her work with special needs preschoolers and spends much of her time in the pool as an aquatic specialist creating another generation of water safe children. She continues her long-term passions of skiing, sailing, and parenting her two boys.
When is the last time you reached down inside yourself and asked the tough questions: “When was the pivotal fork in the road which led me to the spot I stand in now?”
The magic combination of Christopher Marlowe, Pax House, friends Fiona and Andrea, Max Page, and Tennyson helped me to become a life-long student who tries “to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield”. At TASIS, the world was my classroom and forever more will be…
“What or who helped make me into who I am today?” These are only a few of the reasons I give to TASIS England every year, no matter how big or small the contribution. I My answers consistently return me to one time and simply can’t put a price on the essence of the person I’ve place: TASIS. Everything before was different, everything become. afterward changed. We all experience the transition from childhood into adulthood, from dependence to independence, from being told what to do into deciding what to do for ourselves. This is an essential component of the human condition. TASIS represents that crucible of my development. I think most boarding school students develop life-long, tight relationships which mirror a family missing from their daily lives. There is no doubt that TASIS was the starting place for my formative relationships. TASIS Paris Class Trip, 1981
To learn more about giving to TASIS England or to make a donation, go to www.tasisgifts.org. 7
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Dear TASIS England Alumni, As members of our vibrant alumni community, please demonstrate your commitment to fostering a culture of learning, where students are inspired to be and to do their best. Join those who have already stepped forward to make a gift to the Annual Fund—including Board members, current and past parents, alumni, faculty, and staff. Your gift will help the School: • • • • •
Purchase technology and equipment to enhance classroom instruction Provide professional development opportunities for teachers Host visiting authors, artists, and speakers Launch new educational initiatives Fund campus improvements
With your support, I hope to celebrate a record increase in participation in the Annual Fund and add your name to the School’s 2013–2014 roll of donors. Every gift, regardless of the amount, brings us closer to this goal. With thanks, Michael McBrien Headmaster Ways to give: Online – You may use either a US or UK credit card. In both cases, your gift amount will appear in US dollars, but your British account will be charged in sterling. Go to www.tasisgifts.org to make your donation today. By GBP Check – Submit your check, made payable to TASIS England, along with a completed giving form to the Advancement Office. By USD Check – Submit your check, made payable to The TASIS Foundation, Inc., along with a completed giving form to the Advancement Office. You may also choose to support the School and become a lasting part of our campus by joining the Legacy Paver Program which benefits the Annual Fund. Each paver that you order will be engraved with the name of your choice and set around campus to honor and recognize students, alumni, classmates, families, faculty, and staff. To make a gift or for more information, go to www.tasisgifts.org or contact giving@tasisengland.org.
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
Maude Manzi, Class of 2014 Maude has attended TASIS England since the fourth grade. As a varsity athlete in soccer and softball, she also plays on a British club football team. She is a leader in the International Club and the Hope and Homes for Children Club. Apart from her clubs, she is also the Head Day Prefect. While in the 6th grade she won the Excellence in English Award, and at 8th grade graduation she was awarded the Excellence in American History Award. Last May, Maude was awareded with The Diana Award for volunteering. Teachers describe her as “diligent and determined”; “a student with an abundance of enthusiasm and a bright, cheerful attitude”; and “engaged and involved”. Recently, the Alumni Relations Team took some time to sit down with our extraordinary senior to learn more about her experiences in helping others. Maude has received the letter of appointment from the United States Naval Academy for next year. She is the younger sister of Emma Manzi ‘08 and Gus Manzi ‘10. Who in your life do you admire most for their service to others? Uta Reinikainen. She has dedicated a majority of her time to helping students serve. Through this she not only helps the charity but also helps the students achieve their maximum potential. What was your first volunteering experience? My first major volunteering experience was travelling to Rwanda with Hope and Homes for Children. There, in rural areas, we worked with children in institutions and painted community centers. What are your thoughts about the culture of service here at TASIS? The culture of service here is huge and continuing to grow. More and more students are getting involved in community service projects. I personally think that students are becoming more aware of the pressing issues around the world and in our own community.
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A special message from Maude, “For the past four years I have been involved in a school group that supports the charity Hope and Homes for Children (HHC). In February, our group will be traveling to Romania to help out in foster homes and do our part to aid the children in Romania. We will be painting and fixing up small family homes as well as community centers. These projects require a lot of materials. I am hoping that you will help us make this year better for the children we work with. By clicking on the link below, you will have access to look at our group and donate to our cause through PayPal. Any donation is helpful but the bigger, the better. Thank you so much for reading this and, hopefully, donating to this worthy cause.“ Find us at http://hhc-tasis.webs.com/
The Fundraising Event of the Year
2014 is a Legacy Gala Year at TASIS England! This year’s event is a Black and White Ball which will take place on Saturday, March 15, 2014 in Old Windsor, not far from the TASIS England campus. It will be one fabulous evening of dinner, dancing, a reverse lottery and auctions, all to benefit our children and continue this legacy that is TASIS England.
JOIN US WITH YOUR SUPPORT Get involved with our fundraising efforts by purchasing a reverse lottery ticket for £100 at www.tasisengland.org/reverselotterytickets. It’s a fun and easy way to support TASIS England, and your particiaption counts! Lottery tickets will be drawn during the Gala event, but winners need not be present to win. The final three tickets drawn will be prize winners:
£5000 - First prize (last ticket drawn) £2000 - Second prize (second to last ticket drawn) £1000 - Third prize (third to last ticket drawn)
Don’t wait! All monies raised from the reverse lottery ticket sales will directly benefit TASIS England. And, your generosity will be personally recognized as a monetary contribution for the TASIS England Annual Fund. This year, we are raising funds to support our school in its efforts to promote INNOVATION. With your generosity, TASIS England can ensure the installation of a state-of-the-art Lower School Science Centre, bringing innovative teaching tools into our classrooms, support instructional and professional development opportunities, as well as upgrade our athletic and multi-purpose playing fields. Please get in touch with the 2014 Legacy Gala committee at legacygala@tasisengland.org if you have any questions or wish to make another contribution to the Legacy Gala. THANK YOU for your support.
Perfect Harmony
IN HARMONY WITH OUR PAST
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IN TUNE WITH TOMORROW
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ALUMNI MEET AND GREETS
Have you met up with any of your fellow TASIS England alumni? If so, send us a photo and a short note about who, what, and where to include in our next alumni e-news.
Alumni Parents Mary Olsen, Elizabeth Weiss, Mary Robinson, and Judi Cundiff met up in Marblehead, Massachusetts in August 2013.
Lorelei (Moon) Calvert ‘79 and Dee (Brady) Steele-Bodger ‘79 enjoying cocktails at the Savoy in November 2013.
Classmates of 2010 gathered together in London in the autumn of 2013.
The Class of 1988 gathered in Miami, Florida to celebrate their 25th high school reunion.
Ladies of the Class of 1988 reminisce with photos from their days at TASIS England.
Siblings Annick ‘88 and Thierry Beckers ‘88 celebrate with good friends.
REUNION INFORMATION
Is it a reunion year for you? Check out the information below to see what your class has planned. Class of 1984 Class of 1995 The 30-year reunion for the Class of 1984 is taking place in Denver, Colorado over the weekend of July 11-13, 2014. For more details, please get in touch with Class Agent, Harold McLeod III at harold.mcleod@hotmail.com.
2015 is quickly approaching, so it’s time to start thinking about the Class of 1995’s 20th reunion! If any alumni are interested in helping to plan this event (date and location still to be determined), please contact Kat (Tucker) Rutkowski at tucker.kathryn@gmail.com to join the planning committee.
HAVE YOU TAKEN OUR SURVEY?
Help us determine where and when alumni events will take place. This short survey will run until the end of February. Follow this link to let us know what you think: Reunion and Alumni Programming Survey
IT IS CLASS COMPETITION TIME!
Have you ordered your Alumni Legacy Paver? Join your class and become a permanent part of Mrs. Fleming’s vision. Beginning this month and running until November 2014, classes are competing for the highest percentage of participation. Bricks for each class will be grouped together. Engraved brick Legacy Pavers are set around campus to honor and recognized you, our alumni. We invite you to purchase a Legacy Paver, a symbol of your experience at TASIS England, a milestone in your life. To order your brick, please click here. If you would like to serve as your class representative and help your class to win this competition, please contact the Alumni Relations Office.
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LOST ALUMNI Uh-oh...
We seem to have lost touch with the following members of our alumni community. Do you have contact with any of these alumni? If so, please ask them to contact the Alumni Team at alumni@tasisengland.org. Class of 1979
Andrew Bartels Wernher Deem Scott Jenner Florence-Ann (Vera) McVay Amy (Moll) Ordulu Melina Root Byron Starcher Eric Wright
Class of 1984
Amir Aalam Hisham Allagany Gregory Atwater Diane (Dantes) Brazier Jeffrey Emmick Rita (Binky) Ilgen Carl Kennedy Eric Mader Gerri Pearson Suzanne Price Karim Sabbagh Pat Verville Danielle (Gingerich) White Gail Wylie
Class of 1989 Adeeb Abu Faraj Luis Bared Sofia Bhattacharya Chantal Bolduc Chris Condit Liann Curry Jennifer Dickinson
Alessandra Drioli Sonja Garware Shaleen (Cassily) Goto Farhana Hossain Michael Irwin Ali Khan Gregoire Le Faou Nina Marais John McMorris Jeff O’Hana Harm Overgoor Jeff Schafer Andrew Shirk Jason Stafford Hussam Tannous Mark Toennes Andrew Wharton Christopher Wilder Jennifer Zaidi
Class of 1994
Mari Akita Khalid Anwar Melanie Aston Eric Boon Christopher Carter Christopher Dickinson Lisa Franninge Olga Giro Rasul Hajikhani Jason Howard Kara Kottke Christopher Leon Rodrigo Marques John Mattson
Devin Merrill Erin Mullaney Jae-Keun Oh Dylan Pollock Kristin (Stelzner) Richard Talal Takla Gilbert Wavamunno Tatiano Zurek
Class of 1999
Angela Angelo William Assink Daniel Barrows Laura Berkheimer Bruce Brittain Karolyn Cates Matthew Davidson Jesse DeMund Molly Drexler Melissa Elbirt Noah Fischer Rafael Freitas Rachel Hitchcock Elizabeth Johnson Joseph Khattab Ji-Man Kim Matthew Leisy Eric Mantas Melissa Mattson Suzanne McEachern Tiana Mirchandani Alice Piazzola Timothy Quek Antonia Salles Fontes Amanda Shailer
Gregory Smith Adam Straney Elizabeth Thompson John van Brederode Sophie Webb Kumiko Yamaguchi
Class of 2004
Sami Al-Kashgari Catherine Barson Matt Bilberry Leslie Bowman Megan Carsternbrock Clara Ciminelli Jennifer Crowell Jacob DeMund Alexandra Domecq Paul Edwards Meghan Estochen Matthew Ferreira Parker Frederik Emily Geise Henri Gresset Laura Heigold Lauren Hollister Shuhei Imai Innis Jenkins Amelie Kankiwala Michael Kessling Jae-Hyun Kwon Sarah Lawhon Eugenia Lee Hunter Long Rachel Lummus Walker McCullough
Sean Meany Claudia Metello Tristan Musgrave Alex Newman-Wise Michelle Olivier Arinze Ozobia Travis Proctor Ross Ratajczak Pepe Riva Alexander Rood Zachary Shankman Mary Simonds Thomas Spain Amelia Steudle Andrew Swanson Gustav Torstensson William Vietti Tommy Walker Mark Weber Melissa West Jonathan Wills Frederico Zito
Class of 2009 Nasreen Adams Aaron Angert Patrick Baudhuin Jeremie Bedard Whitney Botterweck Robert Broman Andres Campo Meghan Cole Robbie Conrad Will Cundiff Spencer Dellis
William Drevno Samuel Estochen Erica Frontz Nickolay Gorbunov Peter Hajas Abby Heintzelman Emily Ingebretson Kristopher Keiser TJ Kohlman Tom Langerhans Duncan Leiggi Adam Long Matthew Maloney Duncan McDougall Matthew Murphy Austin Nicholas Amanda Norelli Christopher Otterstetter Samvel Petrosyan Reece Porter Monica Prieto Laura Ques Corro Matthew Reynolds Erin Rowan Zakary Schneider Miguel Sibayan Carter Staub Meghan Strand Michael Sullivan Hunter Thompson Michael Walker Nicholas Weiss Michael Wood Matthew Wunder
Have you changed your email address lately? Made a move to a new city?
If so, let us know so we can send you reunion alerts, alumni news, and updates from Thorpe. Contact the Alumni Relations Team to update your details at alumni@tasisengland.org.
TASIS ENGLAND READS! We asked a few people around campus to tell us what they are currently reading.
What are you reading? Let us know and it could be included in our next e-news. Jimi Seller
Middle and Upper School Music
Tune In - The Beatles by Mark Lewisohn
Ann Jameson
Lower School Music
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle Jordan Kominsky
Lower School Librarian
Spy School by Stuart Gibbs
Uta Reinikainen
CAS and Student Activities Director
Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer Shawn Staley
Middle School History
The Plantagenets by Dan Jones
Eva Snyders
Assistant Academic Dean, Spanish
Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson
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FACULTY FOCUS: Kindergarten Teachers Erica (DeVoir) Moore Jennifer (Roesler) Portchmouth In the autumn of 2005, the Lower School was blessed with the arrival of two talented master teachers. Over the years they have taught a variety of grade levels, and this year they have teamed up to teach Kindergarten. The Alumni Relations Team had an opportunity to catch up with these two inspirational faculty members. They are described by Head of Lower School, Tracy Murch, as ”dedicated educators who provide creative, authentic, engaging, meaningful lessons”. She added, “Students are engaged and challenged while thriving in a culture where they feel safe and accepted.”
Erica (DeVoir) Moore
Describe TASIS England in one word...Community Of the many highlights of your career at TASIS England, which stands out to you? Traveling to Romania with the Upper School service trip two years in a row would be at the top. I was so proud of our students on the trips. I was moved by their maturity, their desire to do good and help others, their courage when working in uncomfortable circumstances, and their big hearts. For me personally, the trips were eye-opening and inspiring.
What do you value most in your TASIS England students past and present? I value their individuality. No two students I have taught are alike. They all have had their own special ways of thinking, cute little quirks, unique perspectives on the world, interests, passions, and personalities. When I think about past students, I remember the sense of who the child was as a person. It’s the same with my kindergarteners now. They are only five or six, but they are all so different and need such different things from me, and also offer such different things back to me. It keeps me on my toes, but it is part of what makes my job so fulfilling and fun! What do you wish people knew about TASIS England? People deeply care. If you take the time to talk to people who have been here for a while, you will get a sense of the passion and loyalty people feel for this place and for the people in it. Mrs. Fleming cared a lot about people--students, teachers, support staff--and I think that this trait of hers is still very much alive in the school. People stay at TASIS England because of their students and because of their relationships with other members of the community. We help to take care of each other, and teachers here will bend over backwards to meet the needs of their students.
Top five reasons you love teaching... 1. making a difference 2. ‘light bulb’ moments 3. helping children to contribute positively to society 4. new challenges 5. young children’s curiosity and natural desire to learn
Jennifer (Roesler) Portchmouth
How did you discover your passion for teaching? I knew I wanted to be a teacher from a young age. I was the kid who gave her teddy bears spelling tests on the emotional journey. It was the laughter we shared when looking for her car at Terminal 3 that still makes us bedroom floor. They all got 100%! laugh even nine years later. Who are your favorite authors? My favorite children’s author is Mo Willems. His stories What do you wish you were better at? I wish I were better at swimming. I am still the one are filled with humor from Elephant and Piggy to the who has to hold her nose to go underwater. Oh, and famous pigeon books. I love how he incorporates real whistling. My kiddos think it’s funny that I cannot do photos with the cartoon, as In Knuffle Bunny. For a either. But I think it is good for them to know that we grown up author, I always go for Sophia Kinsella. Her stories are light and humorous and just take you away. all have to keep trying to get better at something. What is your first memory of TASIS England? My first memory is Ruth Anne picking me up from the airport. Her bright smile welcomed me after a long and
Five reasons you love TASIS England... 1. My friends and colleagues are always there when needed. 2. My students bring me joy everyday. 3. I love the quirkiness of the Lower School building and location. 4. I am always being pushed to try something new and to be the best I can be. 5. My students’ parents are always so grateful and make me feel truly appreciated.
Have you enjoyed reading this article? Which faculty member would you like the Alumni Relations Team to interview next? Email us and let us know! alumni@tasisengland.org 16
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RECENT VISITORS TO CAMPUS
Laura Holsten ‘94 returned to campus with her family
Omair Abbasi ‘95 and Marcel de Lannoy
Carol (Zebedee) Kriesmer ‘80 brought her children to visit campus.
Seann Stubbs ‘13, Peter MacKay ‘13, and Brian Hanley ‘13
Bagley Family: Don, Trey ‘12, Kate ‘15, Ruth ‘13, Betsy, Anna ‘18 and faculty member Wendy Gediman
Wendy (Sands) Potloff ‘88 and her guest photographed with Karl Christiansen
The Alumni Relations Team also enjoyed visits with Vicky Lin ‘04, Monica Espinosa ‘13, Aristotle Tsiopoulos ‘13, Michael Daly ‘13, Sanjana Jethvani ‘13, Ege Erdogan ‘07, and alumni parent Frances Steinaway. If you are planning a trip to England, please stop by and see us! We would love to show you the exciting and new things taking place on campus, as well as reconnect you with your favorite TASIS England staff, faculty, and administrators.
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MATH JOURNAL: Alumni Involvement Get published! Editor Robert Kennedy invites you to show TASIS England students where your education has taken you. Submit an article relating to mathematics for the upcoming issue. All alumni who make a submission will receive a copy of the 2013/14 Math Journal and a t-shirt. Deadline for submissions is April 4, 2014. Document format can be Word, .pdf, or LaTeX. Send submissions to alumni@tasisengland.org. *A special thank you goes to Arthur Schott-Lopes ‘15 for his math journal logo design.
THE FLEMING GARDEN For the February issue of the Fleming Garden Quarterly news, click here.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M
My Journey to Going Greek by Rachel Lambert ‘13
Rachel (on the left) and sorority sister on Bid Day.
From Saudi Arabia to Houston, Texas to London, England and, most recently, to Alabama, it has been quite the journey. When senior year of high school rolled around, reality set in and the time-demanding application process for university began. A year later, after all of the stress about where to go is over, I am starting my second semester at The University of Alabama. Located in Tuscaloosa, the UofA is has a successful SEC football team, one of the largest Greek communities in the nation, and many southern traditions. When I chose to attend UofA, I also decided that I wanted to add to my university experience by participating in the Greek System. This meant that I needed to secure recommendations for all 16 houses, which seemed like a lot! While the recommendations were not mandatory, I knew that many sororities rely on them. When I began the process, I didn’t know where to begin, so I went to see Ms. Snelson in the Alumni Relations Office hoping she could connect me with other TASIS England alumni who might be able to help me. She helped me by putting me in touch with several TASIS England alumnae who educated me on the process. Through emails, Skype sessions, and phone calls, I learned about the steps that I would soon go through in the autumn rush at UofA. Going Greek has enriched my college experience. I now have a home away from home, a great group of friends, and endless philanthropy and social events available to me. Greek life has also helped me with my academics because I am always busy going to meetings and events, and completing my study hours to ensure high grades. It was so helpful to me to have mentors as I went through this process. I couldn’t have done it without the help of my fellow TASIS England alumnae, Ms. Snelson, and the girls in my sorority.
If you would like to share your sorority/fraternity experience and answer questions for a current student, please contact the Alumni Relations Team at alumni@tasisengland.org to be added to our list of contacts.
N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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If you only see the TASIS England Today magazine in print, you may not know... about our Middle School student representing Great Britain in tennis
why our Middle and Upper School students are learning Taiko
what happened when our first graders participated in a science lesson in the Upper School
or about the community reading project in the Middle School
We update our website regularly, giving you fresh news and features. Go to www.tasisengland.org to see our most recent news.
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TASIS England Classifieds ALUMNI IN BUSINESS
PHOTOGRAPHY
The Blue Ocean Company
Aylin Reckermann Photography
Performance and Organisational Effectiveness Specialty Brussels, Belgium/International www.theblueoceancompany.com Email: lilian.eilers@theblueoceancompany.com +32 476 552 108 Ask for Lilian Eilers ‘81
Koln, Germany
ANM CPA Services - Accounting Firm Elmont, New York www.anmcpa.com Email: info@anmcpa.com Phone: +1 (516) 213 5202 Ask for Adaeze Onwugbenu ‘00
BEAUTY SERVICES Shellac Manicures/Pedicures and Spray Tanning Virginia Water
www.aylin-reckermann.com Email: mail@aylin-reckermann.com +49 172 175 4038 Ask for Aylin Reckermann ‘07
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE CORE Real Estate - Luxury Email: alex-church@hotmail.co.uk +44 (0)7929 240 487 Ask for Alexandra Church, Current Faculty/Staff
New York City Email: tsargent@corenyc.com +1 (212) 500 2105 Ask for Tony Sargent ‘82
ENTERTAINMENT International Comedians
www.internationalcomedians.com Email: info@internationalcomedians.com Ask for Joe Eagan ‘94
Stew Nelson Show
Musician Austin, Texas facebook.com/stewnelsonshow Ask for Stew Nelson ‘95
Solstice International Realty
Malibu • Santa Monica • Westlake, California www.solsticeir.com Email: donna@solsticeir.com +1 (310) 801 0265 Ask for Donna Bohana ‘87
22 VACATION RENTALS, INTERNATIONAL Aruba Deluxe Apartments
Poas Volcano Lodge
www.arubadeluxeapartments.com Email: lilian.eilers@theblueoceancompany.com +32 476 552 108 Ask for Lilian Eilers ‘81
www.poasvolcanolodge.com/tasis Email: mark@yarnhams.com Ask for Mark Lindblom ‘89
Aruba
Passepartout Homes
London, International www.passepartout-homes.com +44 (0) 207 513 2876 Ask for Paola Fiocchi Van Den Brande
Costa Rica
WEDDING & EVENT PLANNING Cherry Blossom Events Washington, D.C./Alexandria, Virginia www.cherryblossomwe.com +1 (513) 546 9073 Ask for Kaitlin Przezdziecki ‘06
To place a classified ad, please email the Alumni Relations Team at alumni@tasisengland.org. The deadline for the 2104 Spring Alumni E-Newsletter is March 22. Advertise to 11,000+ fellow alumni, alumni families, alumni faculty, alumni staff, current faculty, staff, and families.
AngĂŠlique de Paris Frost yourself with the most captivating and beautifying jewels available Our very own AngĂŠlique Knafo, Class of 1985, has created a dynamic and stunning line of jewelry.
Discover her collection at www.angeliquedeparis.com. Order before 14 February 2014 and enjoy a special discount for our TASIS England community. Coupon Code: LOVE20
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TASISMissionStatement TASIS is a family of international schools that welcomes young people from all nationalities to an educational community which fosters a passion for excellence along with mutual respect and understanding. Consistent with the vision of its founder, M. Crist Fleming, TASIS is committed to transmitting the heritage of Western civilization and world cultures: the creations, achievements, traditions, and ideals from the past that offer purpose in the present and hope for the future. Seeking to balance the pursuit of knowledge with the love of wisdom, and promoting the skills of lifelong learning, an appreciation for beauty, and the development of character, each school combines a challenging academic program with opportunities for artistic endeavor, physical activity, and service to others. Believing in the worth of each individual and the importance of enduring relationships, TASIS seeks to embody and instill the values of personal responsibility, civility, compassion, justice, and truth.
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TASIS SCHOOLS TASIS THE AMERICAN SCHOOL IN ENGLAND offers an American college-preparatory curriculum to day students (Pre-K-13) and boarding students (grades 9-13). Located 18 miles southwest of London on a beautiful 46-acre estate of Georgian mansions and 17th-century cottages, TASIS England combines an excellent academic program with art, drama, music, computers, and sports. TASIS England also offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma, a full ESL course of study, and Advanced Placement courses in all disciplines. The School makes full use of its proximity to London, the cultural capital of the English-speaking world. TASIS THE AMERICAN SCHOOL IN SWITZERLAND offers a college-preparatory academic year program on its Lugano campus to day students (Pre-K-13) and boarding students (grades 7-13). TASIS takes advantage of its location in the heart of Europe to provide an educational program with an international dimension. In addition to a strong American college-preparatory program, the School offers the International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement, and ESL courses, along with many travel opportunities. A winter highlight is the annual January Ski Week, when students and teachers relocate for skiing, snowboarding, and ice-skating to Crans-Montana, Switzerland.
TASIS DORADO is a coeducational day school with English as its language of instruction from pre-kindergarten through high school. Located in Puerto Rico, it offers a top-quality academic program within the most modern physical facilities and attractive natural surroundings. The School will continue to add a new grade each year until reaching twelfth grade.
APPLICATIONS
To receive a catalog with application materials or for more information, please contact: TASIS The American School in England, Coldharbour Lane, Thorpe, Surrey TW20 8TE, England Tel: +44 1932 582316 • Fax: +44 1932 564644 Email: ukadmissions@tasisengland.org for academic year applicants or uksummer@tasisengland.org for summer programs
IN THE U.S. CONTACT:
TASIS Schools and Programs, 112 South Royal Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA Tel: +1 (703) 299 8150 • Fax: +1 (703) 299 8157 • Email: usadmissions@tasis.com
TASIS The American School in England Coldharbour Lane, Thorpe, Surrey TW20 8TE, England Tel: +44 (0) 1932 565 252 Fax: +44 (0) 1932 564 644 Email: alumni@tasisengland.org www.tasisengland.org/alumni