Seattle Academy 2023 SAAS In Focus Magazine Vol. 3

SAAS SNAPSHOT: Financial Literacy

11th Graders Anica Carpenter and Hudson Hilen in Jonathan Corcoran’s Finacial Literacy Class acting as financial advisors for a fictional client and helping them to balance their credit card statements.

CREDITS

Editor

Maggie Leuzzi ’08

Gena Wynkoop

Additional Editing

Todd Rotkis

Design & Photography

Todd Rotkis

Contributing Writers

Giselle Furlonge

Maggie Leuzzi ’08

Rob Phillips

Mariah Smith-Gentry ’09

Gena Wynkoop

Marketing & Communications Team

Darby Frey

Maggie Leuzzi ’08

Madeline Pennington

Todd Rotkis

Andrew Spitzer

Gena Wynkoop

FRONT COVER:

Students

BACK COVER:

SAAS SNAPSHOT: Performing Arts

Mike Cimino’s

Stage Combat class closed out Spring Curtain Call with an epic food-themed battle royale.

on the Senior Yukon Trip dog-sledding across Lake Laberge, Yukon Territory in April 2023.

10th Graders Julia Heyworth (left) and Rich Halili (right) tilling and flattening soil to build a gravel driveway with Youth Rebuild New Orleans on the SAAS New Orleans Service Learning Trip.

9. Contribute Boldly Introducing SAAS Summit: Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Written by: Rob Phillips,

Head of School

Giselle Furlonge, Associate Head of School

16. Robotics, Biology & 3-D Printing

Featuring: Della Smith ’23

Written By: Maggie Leuzzi ’08

22.

New Adventures Await Middle Schoolers

Written By: Maggie Leuzzi ’08

34. Next Level Athletes

Written by: Gena Wynkoop

40. Striking a Chord of Gratitude

Featuring: Advanced Music Production

Written by: Gena Wynkoop

SAAS SNAPSHOT: Outdoor & Trips

Middle

Schoolers aboard the Schooner Adventuress watching as a minke whale swims past the ship.

57. Middle School Creates New Senate Committee

Written By: Maggie Leuzzi ’08

61. Return to the Yukon

Written

by:

Rob Phillips, Head of School

72. The Elevator: Ready to Launch

Written By: Mariah

Innovations

Faculty

78. A Life of Dance

Featuring: Anita Kuroiwa-Schiff, Dance Faculty

Written

By:

Maggie Leuzzi ’08

87. 8th Grade Symposium

Written by: Gena Wynkoop

Smith-Gentry ’09,

CONTRIBUTE BOLDLY

Introducing SAAS Summit: Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Rob Phillips, Head of School Giselle Furlonge, Associate Head of School

The great names of the Impressionist school of painters include Cézanne, Monet and Degas.

Chances are that you’re familiar with, or at least have heard of those artists. That list is incomplete without the inclusion of an American artist and inventor named John Rand.

The impulse of the Impressionists and of other influential artistic movements of the 19th century was to draw inspiration from nature. Ideally, artists could paint in the natural settings from which they were drawing inspiration, rather than from memory and in a studio, separated from their pastoral environments.

But the problem was that paints in that era weren’t portable.

Enter John Rand, who had at his doorstep in the mid-1800s the varied settings of the American landscape. His solution to the “how do I paint what I see, while I see it” problem was as ingenious as it was influential: he invented, improved and patented metallic paint tubes that allowed oil paints to travel with the artist to natural settings, and to be used and reused without drying out.

Jean Renoir, the son of renowned impressionist Jean-Auguste Renoir, stated: “Without paints in tubes, there would have been no Cézanne, no Monet, no Pissaro or Renoir.”

John Rand’s entrepreneurial attributes, what former Seattle Academy Head of School Joe Puggelli often referred to as “innovative habits of mind and of action,” is a consistent and foundational characteristic of SAAS students, past and present.

John Rand was living out the SAAS ethos; the instinct to innovate infused with resourcefulness and skill, long before there was a SAAS. Rand’s engineering was audacious and his approach eminently practical. His determination and ingenuity offered a creative solution to a complex problem.

The spirit of John Rand was also present in SAAS’ decision to become one of the very first schools in the nation to

make Entrepreneurship and Design, Financial Literacy and Computational Thinking core classes in the Middle School curriculum and also a multicourse graduation requirement in the Upper School.

What does that enterprising spirit and mindset look like at SAAS?

Every day, in each class, project, presentation and conversation, our students and teachers join forces to transform potential into reality. At SAAS, we recognize that equipping students to become purposeful and compassionate thinkers, citizens and doers in the world takes intention, and it takes heart.

That spirit animates our Middle and Upper School students

in our Entrepreneurship and Design, Computational Thinking and Financial Literacy classes as much as it does in the writing of academic research papers and during Socratic Seminar discussions. That spirit is as vibrant on day one in 6th grade Environmental Science as it is in 12th grade Honors Physics. It’s present, too, at our performing ensembles and End-of-Tri traditions, and from the 8th grade Seattle Challenge experience all the way to the adventure that is the Senior Yukon Trip.

SAAS is a community at full stretch, where we listen and learn in equal measure, and where academic and community excellence thrives in an ecosystem of informed action.

Adam Schoenfeld ’01

Kathy Lee ’06

Cody Finke ’08

Mariah Smith-Gentry ’09

That spirit and mindset are also visible in the SAAS parent community, where it looks like entrepreneurial leadership in a variety of fields including venture capital, biotechnology, telehealth and mental health startups, consumer products, pet insurance, generative AI, film, food and sports. SAAS parent and alumni communities are providing leadership in a remarkable array of nonprofits and social service institutions in the local, national and international spheres.

Our graduates manifest the SAAS spirit and mindset as shapers and innovators of their industries. To name a few we see:

Adam Schoenfeld ’01, a selfdescribed serial entrepreneur who founded multiple business-to-business marketing companies, among them Simply Measured, Siftrock, PeerSignal and Keyplay;

Kathy Lee ’06, who began her career path focused on engineering and bio-medicine, moved into the tech sector, and then decided to take on (successfully!) the challenge of opening Fossil and Stone, an art gallery on the corner of 2nd and Pine in downtown Seattle, in the most discouraging days of the pandemic;

Cody Finke ’08, founder and CEO of Brimstone Energy, has developed a carbon-free cement product that has the potential to be a game-changer for the climate impacts of construction, and for which he’s received over $50 million in venture capital support;

and Mariah Smith-Gentry ’09, founder of numerous ventures ranging from exercise clothing for women to website development and wedding photography, and who has taught Entrepreneurship at SAAS and is now an Affiliate Professor of Entrepreneurship at the UW’s Foster School of Business.

Above: John Goffe Rand’s drawings for his collapsible metal tube for paint. United States Patent Number 2,252. Published by the United States Patent Office. (Image from Smithsonian Institute, www.si.edu).

Next page: SAAS Upper and Middle School students engaged in innovations and design thinking classes.

Those examples, and countless others, speak volumes about the dynamic community that is SAAS. For the last 40 years, we’ve built a school culture and scholastic and extracurricular programs that explicitly and thoroughly embrace innovation and nurture entrepreneurial leadership. We’re also a community that, just like John Rand, is keen and motivated to contribute to the world around us.

We’re proud of the uniqueness of the work we do inside and outside of our classrooms every day. While our programs give us an opportunity to share our culture with the wider school and business communities, it’s our school’s mission to “contribute boldly to a changing world” that compels us to be a catalyst for change.

That’s why we’re thrilled to launch SAAS Summit: Entrepreneurship and Innovation, a community event that SAAS is hosting on October 22nd and 23rd.

We’ll bring together entrepreneurs and innovators from all facets of the SAAS community, the Seattle community, and from around the country, including the alumni and parents described above to engage in hands-on workshops and panel discussions. The October SAAS Summit is a multimodal experience - part forum, think tank, laboratory and

networking experience all in one setting.

SAAS Summits are part of our ongoing commitment to convene communities in ways that are at once aspirational, pragmatic and meaningful. We’re bringing to the forefront those topics at the core of today’s biggest challenges.

It’s with those same goals in mind that in May 2024, we’ll host SAAS Summit: Civic Engagement, an event that will feature community leaders from non-profits, politics, coalitions and governmental agencies from around the country. Our community values meaningful dialogue and informed action, an ability to recognize and value diverse perspectives and a shared urgency to rebuild the bonds of connection and community in an increasingly polarized national climate.

Together, through sustained dialogue and relentless effort, we can equip future generations of leaders with agility, awareness and resolve to navigate a rapidly changing world. We can nurture in them and in each other what Joe Puggelli so aptly described as “innovative habits of mind and of action.”

problems, to build connections where there has been isolation, and to translate early failure into eventual success. We know that the next generation will need to design new models and build evolving systems to meet today’s challenges. They could change how we use, view, access and distribute natural resources. These young people may discover new technologies, or formulate new uses for old technologies.

And who knows – a SAAS kid might well come up with a groundbreaking technical solution to an artistic problem –like how to take oil paints from the studio to the countryside - and in so doing become the engine for a monumental social and artistic movement.

We’re betting the next iteration of John Rand is a SAAS kid, and right now they’re writing code in one hand and tinkering with a wrench in the other.

■

At each SAAS Summit, we intentionally invite multigenerational collaboration and problem-solving to tackle ineffective systems and sticky

SAAS SNAPSHOT: Alumni Daniel Goldstein Class of 2011

SAAS Highlight

One of my favorite memories from my time at SAAS was going on the Alaska trip. I remember a moment where I was on a fishing boat with a few of my best friends and teachers catching rockfish at sunset and a pod of whales surfaced just a few feet away. There have been few moments in life that I remember that vividly.

Since leaving SAAS

I started my journey as a singer heading to music school, became interested in entrepreneurship, and ten years later, I’ve ended up in Southern California where I started my own business selling rare tropical plants and related services.

Experiences at SAAS that prepared me for life

I was involved in an absolutely ridiculous number of musical tours and performances, theatrical productions, sports and other extracurricular activities. The ability to try anything you want at SAAS and the culture of inclusivity has continued to resonate with me and I find myself applying it often in my personal and professional life. It helped expand my mind beyond the idea of pursuing a conventional career because I had found so many things I loved to do.

Still, SAAS

It has been an honor and a privilege to be able to come back and sing with the Cardinal Choir over the past couple years. It had been years since I had gotten to sing on a stage and reuniting with Marcus Petit and the Onions has been absolutely incredible.

SAAS SNAPSHOT: Alumni Tara Moss Class of 1999

SAAS Highlight

I ran track every single year that I went to Seattle Academy. While winning the state championship in the 4x400 relay was a definitive part of my SAAS experience, it wouldn’t have happened without the other important experiences that SAAS provided me as a student. When this relay is mentioned I am quick to tell people that in my first year of running, I was not physically fit enough to run the warm up lap.

Since leaving SAAS

Earned a Bachelors Degree in Psychology from Smith College, a certificate in non-profit management from the University of Washington, and served as the Director at Real Change. Currently I am Co-Executive Director of Programs, Public Defender Association.

Experiences at SAAS that prepared me for life

The relay experience is just one of many examples of similar experiences I had at SAAS whether it was in calculus class, hiking in Alaska or singing (terribly) in Vocal Ensemble. The lessons I learned at SAAS have lasted a lifetime. On paper, I have been underqualified for every professional position I’ve started in. But I know how to work hard, find community, mentorship, not be afraid of failure and how to figure out what is needed to be successful. As a result, I have been promoted to a Director or Executive Director position in every place I’ve been employed.

Still, SAAS

Starting in the fall of 2023, I will be back at SAAS as the parent of a 6th grader – Go class of 2030!

ROBOTICS, BIOLOGY & 3-D PRINTING:

SENIOR DELLA SMITH’S CUTTING-EDGE INDEPENDENT STUDY

Senior Della Smith combined biology, robotics and 3D printing in an independent study unlike any other. Using a cross-section between science and robotics, Della designed a device to test variances in water quality across Lake Washington. Her goal is to explain through data science why beach closures vary across short distances.

Della’s project first began with the goal of doing something with water. “Over the summer of 2022, I saw the King County temporary closure notices about Madison Park Beach and Matthews Park Beach, but that neighboring Magnuson Beach remained open. This is where my interest spiked,” says Della. “I knew that bacteria levels didn’t spread incredibly fast, so variances must relate to the movement of water current.”

“I was really trying to answer: ‘How does water change across distances? How do I test these small changes in the water? I was essentially challenging what King County said,” Della confides.

Starting in September 2022, Della had the support of Science Department Chair and Teacher Peter Clark and Robotics Director Gerald Elliott to design a comprehensive study diving into this curiosity.

“I knew I needed something to test at different depths,” Della

says as she begins to explain the course of her study. “I was doing research on how to capture water and came across a design inspired by a horizontal springloaded PVC mechanism. I saw that PhD students were using similar mechanisms.”

Using her knowledge of Solidworks, an online CAD software, she created a 3D rendering of the design. After the rendering was complete, the components of the piece were fabricated using the machining tools at Seattle Academy’s Robotics Lab.

The device, a PVC tube lying horizontally with spring-loaded flaps on either end, is controlled by a weighted pull resting on top. The device can be lowered by rope and the flaps released to capture water samples at varying distances and depths.

In December, Della went to 14 docks in total around the perimeter of Lake Washington to capture water samples at zero, 50 and 100 feet from beach shore; and additionally at an 8-foot depth.

“I was coming in with the knowledge that bacteria levels can change quickly and within short distances but what I really wanted to learn more about was how these changes occurred and if they were uniform across the lake,” Della says. “My main question was how water samples vary from location to location. I was also testing temperature and pH to cross-examine how different factors can influence test results. I found it interesting how certain things can stay consistent while other

This diagram illustrates the depths and distances from the shoreline where Della collected water samples at each of her beach sampling locations.

Della holding the watersampling device and pointing at the plate that holds the two end caps open.

Above right: Two examples of Colony Forming Unit (CFU) samples from Mt. Baker. These specific samples were from locations A and D and show the difference in CFUs at each distance from the shoreline.

things, like bacteria, can vary.”

While testing water quality at various locations, Della utilized a Colony Forming Unit (CFU) test to measure the total amount of bacteria present. This test includes the measurement of many types of bacteria including two types of algae-adjacent compounds: Microcystins (or cyanoginosins), a class of toxins produced by certain freshwater cyanobacteria; as well as Anatoxins, a bicyclic amine alkaloid and cynatoxin with acute neurotoxicity found in the green parts of freshwater lakes. By focusing on the CFU test, Della was able to gather important data on bacterial levels in the water, which can have significant implications for human and environmental health.

Della’s study of bacterial load in Lake Washington yielded significant findings. The data showed that bacterial loads across the lake were highly variable, despite consistent temperature and pH levels. Her findings suggest that monitoring bacterial communities in Lake Washington is critical to understanding the patterns and potential impacts on the ecosystem. In particular, her research sheds light on the differences in bacterial growth across beaches, which could explain why certain areas of the lake are more susceptible to contamination and environmental harm. Overall, her work underscores the need

Della at Magnuson Park collecting samples with Peter Clark and Gerald Elliott. Underwater video shows the measuring device with open ends (middle right) and with the weight dropped to close the ends and trap the water sample (below).

for continued research and monitoring of bacterial levels in Lake Washington and other bodies of water.

True to SAAS’ Culture of Performance, Della extended her independent study to continue the work by presenting her findings. Della is compiling her data into visual components of graphs and charts, as well as a video documenting her process.

Della joined the robotics program in the sixth grade and has been a member throughout her Middle and Upper School career. Della requested to join the Upper School underwater robotics team as an 8th

grader, making this her fifth year of pursuing underwater engineering. Della was the leader of the CAD team last year and is one of two engineering manager student leaders this year. She manages 45 students alongside fellow senior Jenna Li. The interdisciplinary study of art and science was initially what drew her to apply to SAAS. “A lot of schools have a 3D printer in their basement,” Della says, “but SAAS was the only school that had an established middle school robotics program. That was one of the main factors in choosing this school. And art; and the ability to pursue both.”

Della will attend the University of Southern California for industrial

and systems engineering next fall. She draws parallels between USC and SAAS. “I like the combination of science and arts. USC also facilitates interdisciplinary study, and encourages majoring and minoring in totally different topics. Systems and processes — this is what I like about my project. It is right in line.”

“I think it is interesting that I got this experience before college,” says Della. “I am so thankful my SAAS teachers were able to facilitate this process. They were in support of whatever idea I had; they really let me drive the independent study.”

Della Smith ’23 (middle) with Faculty Advisors Peter Clark (left) and Gerald Elliott (right).

NEW ADVENTURES MIDDLE

SCHOOLERS!

NEW ADVENTURES MIDDLE

SCHOOLERS!

ADVENTURES AWAIT SCHOOLERS! ADVENTURES AWAIT SCHOOLERS!

Seattle Academy Middle School developed a new Adventure Club that launched last fall, aimed for students wanting to explore their own backyard. Hiking, kayaking, bouldering, paddleboarding, and flyfishing — these are the new after-school activities available to SAAS Middle Schoolers at no cost to families. The club provides opportunities for kids who want an active, team-oriented outdoor experience, without the commitment to a SAAS athletic team or sport.

“Participants will be exposed to a range of outdoor activities, developing skills and competencies in core areas that will empower them to further explore the outdoors and become more familiar with our local surroundings,” says Freddy Carley, Director of Outdoor Trips & Travel. “Most importantly, we will properly train students in safety and technique before each activity,” Freddy adds, emphasizing that no prior experience is needed to join the club.

“Most students are comfortable in the outdoors but that varies by student and activity,” says Lucy Miller, Co-Leader of Adventure Club and Study Skills Teacher. “When students are less comfortable with a certain activity, we see them challenging themselves to progress.” This challenge, and element of risktaking and performance, is precisely what SAAS is known for.

Outdoor trips and travel, both national and international, have long been a structural component of the SAAS education. Adventure is actually written into the curriculum and tied to our guiding principles of Culture of Performance and Know the Kid. Freddy, who is both an alumnus and now director of the outdoor program, knows this all too well.

“Adventure Club is exposing kids to skills and activities that many have not even tried before. Participants are being pushed outside their comfort zone to try something challenging and new. This carefully planned sense of uncomfortable challenge is where we see real growth and confidence building on our extended wilderness trips. We are now able to offer a version of this experience at a more accessible and less intense level with Adventure Club,” he said.

Co-Leader Lucy Miller agrees and adds to the element of risk-taking involved in outdoor adventure: “One of the main skills I think kids are getting from this club is a feeling of confidence; in themselves and in trying new things. This is something students can take with them anywhere.”

This year, students traveled to various parks, beaches and recreational areas including Alki, the Arboretum, West Duwamish Greenbelt Trails and Seward, Frink, and Magnuson Parks. Thanks to partnerships with Alki Kayak Tours, Sail Sand Point, Mountaineers and Emerald Water Anglers (a SAAS-family business!) — students had opportunities to adventure on land, water and rock. Outdoor safety skills, along with tree and plant identification, are incorporated into the hikes and park visits.

Lucy and Freddy didn’t do it alone. SAAS faculty chaperones Harvey Hinman, Hannah LeBlanc, Kate Kerr and Alexander Castanes helped lead the way.

“We have such positive and supportive supervisors that students feel safe to get out of their comfort zone,” explains Lucy. “It’s been really neat to see the students bond as a group and be able to support each other through challenges because of this companionship.”

“We provide students the safe ‘challenge by choice’ opportunities to push themselves, but it is really on them to take the step outside of what they thought they could do,” Freddy says. “This is the moment you can see real change in kids: when they achieve something they initially thought was not possible.”

Middle School Adventure Club meets three days a week from 3:15 - 5:30 PM.

“Adventure Club is an amazing club where you can get to know people from different grades,” said Natalia Simmonds (Grade 8). “I learned a lot of new things and I would recommend this to all of the sixth, seventh and eighth graders.”

“We hope that as the program grows and students return, we will have more 7th and 8th graders step up into leadership roles, and help more with planning and supporting younger students on activities,” Lucy adds. And who knows what next year’s adventures will be, but Lucy emphasizes “the goal remains the same: to get kids outside and exploring.”

■

SAAS SNAPSHOT: Psychology

12th Grader Bea Wurfel giving a presentation for Sarah Smith’s Advanced Psychology class.

SAAS SNAPSHOT: Science

11th Graders Hersch Powers, Sydney Watson and Ginger Cameron counting wild Yellow Paintbrush during their trip to the Glacial Heritage Preserve with their biology class.

Next Level Athletes

Level Athletes

Alexa, play “All I Do is Win”

by DJ Khaled.

The athletic department had a lot of firsts over the 2022-2023 school year with smashed records in several different sports to history-making state championship wins—here’s looking at you #GLax! Not to mention, Seattle Academy had a record number of seniors sign to sports teams at a collegiate level!

From soccer to water polo, from Occidental to Bates, this year’s Next-Level Athletes ceremony featured 11 senior athletes.

At our signing day event, friends, parents, teachers, and coaches gathered in the Upper School Gym to watch as our Cardinal athletes signed SAAS’ very own letter of intent–an intent to keep in touch, share accomplishments with the athletic department, the school, and of course pledge: Once a Cardinal, always a Cardinal. ■

Lily Bishop

Lacrosse, Claremont McKenna College

Lucy Bishop

Lacrosse, Middlebury College

Savy Cockrill

Swimming, Colby College

Carson DeBruhl

Basketball, Grinnell College

Shelter Gimbel-Sherr

Rowing, Bates College

Eric Grossman-Glover

Soccer, Claremont Mudd Scripps

Ramzi Megalli

Water Polo, Brown University

Shay Meseck-Schick

Track & Field, Duke University

Kenzo Schiffer

Soccer, Colorado College

Rachel Suh Soccer, Bates College

Delphine Way

Track & Field, Occidental College

State Champs! CONGRATULATIONS Spring ATHLETIC

& Individual State Champs

Boys Tennis Singles:

Nabih Farhat

Boys Track & Field 100M & 200M: Reggie Witherspoon III

Boys Track & Field 4x100M: Reggie Witherspoon III, Reylen Witherspoon, Teka Smith-Bates, Ellis Beasley

Boys Track & Field Pole Vault: Shay Meseck-Schick

Varsity Girls Lacrosse

Varsity Boys Tennis

Upper School Boys Track & Field Varsity Boys Soccer

The ask was simple: would your class be willing and able to perform at SAAS in the City?

The answer? Yes.

Yet what unfolded next was not quite as simple. In fact, what began as just an opportunity to perform transformed into an extraordinary, full-fledged creative endeavor that resulted in a musical masterpiece crafted and envisioned by the Advanced Music Production class.

Amos Miller and Paris Randall, the teachers and masterminds behind the Music Production program were stoked to learn their Advanced Music Production class was slated on the roster at SAAS in the City, Seattle Academy’s largest financial aid fundraiser event.

Amos and Paris began envisioning what it would look like for a class of students, with multiple musical interests and talents, to come together and collaborate on one epic, culminating performance.

“Amos wanted the class to move into more of a performance-based class and getting students on stage,” said senior Niva Price and Advanced Music Production student. “From there, it was up to us, the class, what we wanted to do.”

Whether the students were instrumentalists, vocalists or engineers the first step was to write a BANGER!

“We started with the intention of having something to showcase at SAAS in the City. We knew it was a fundraiser for the financial aid program here at SAAS so we decided to build on top of that,” said senior Matteo PoydrasAngeles, another Advanced Music Production student.

“That night, I made the beat at home, wrote my verse and then took it to Music Production on two hours of sleep,” said Matteo.

“I was talking to Matteo about the song and he said, ‘I can see a bunch of people on this’,” added Niva.

“Then I played the song for Amos,” continued Matteo. “He liked it, so we all went into the main room, everybody plugged in their instruments and we tried to replicate the sample. From there, it made history,” he smiled.

The beat was made from a sample of “I Say A Little Prayer,” written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David for Dionne Warwick. Matteo used the Aretha Franklin version from 1968.

In their practices, the students started talking, singing and writing and were trying to be intentional about the messaging, the venue and even how the song title “I Say A Little Prayer” played into the lyrics and story of the song they were creating.

For Matteo, it was all about

expressing his gratitude for the financial aid program at Seattle Academy.

“For my verse, I wanted to talk about being a part of the financial aid program. I’m not from around here, I live down south and [mostly went] to school down there. Coming to SAAS was a culture shock,” he said. “That being said, I’m grateful for the opportunities, the education and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Basically, the premise of my verse is that I am grateful to be here. I am grateful for the help that I’ve gotten from my family, friends and teachers.”

Matteo huddled with fellow senior Diana Maciel, who has been involved in Music Production classes for several years at SAAS and who writes and produces beats outside of school as well. She had been working on a separate song and had a rap written but felt the two weren’t gelling.

“Matteo [said he had] a similar rap about being grateful [while mine was about] dreaming big. We thought it formed a really great message for SAAS in the City which has provided an opportunity for a lot of students,” said Diana.

“The original rap was basically a reflection of how I got here, how I came to be at SAAS and how it’s been a rocky path. In my verse, I was talking about how I

was really proud of where I am now in my senior year,” she said. “It’s about how when we are little, we think that the world is really simple. For me, it wasn’t. There were a lot of sleepless nights and a lot of homework but it all paid off in the end.”

Storytelling with meaning is a theme that both Amos and Paris have tried to encourage the entire 2022-2023 school year. Both instructors noticed that at the start of the year, there was room for improvement in creating a space where the students felt they could tell their own individual stories.

“It was a real struggle to have kids back in the classroom after COVID,” said Amos. “It was imperative to create some kind of community that believed in this vision of performing original music in front of hundreds of people. It was a challenge to figure out how to engage them and figure out how to come from their heart instead of recreating what they are seeing on their screens.”

“Part of it is messaging,” said Paris. “We had a lot of discussions with the class about messaging and how important the content is. In music and other media, there is content across platforms that are normalized. They may be fun to watch sometimes, but I don’t think it necessarily helps folks improve their lives.”

Through workshops with guest speakers like Roberto Ascalon, a spoken word artist, Paris and Amos watched as the students felt more comfortable using their artistic abilities in alignment with their own individual stories.

“It’s important and more impactful to look inwards as artists and have our truths be on display whatever that truth may be,” said Paris.

“That’s why it’s such a struggle,” agreed Amos. “It was so challenging in this post-COVID world, this new world, to create a safe, inclusive community space where people can tell their truth because our truths have been intense. Maybe you had a great pandemic but maybe the person next to you didn’t. Being able to share that in a real space, in real-time, has been beautiful to watch.”

Once that level of vulnerability was achieved, the instructors began to see a shift in how the students related to one another.

“It was beautiful to see the students start to feel safe with each other. Like, ‘oh, I can just speak my truth, whatever it is,” said Amos.

Once Diana and Matteo locked in their versus, Teka Smith-Bates (Grade 11) had something to say.

“Amos asked me to start with writing poems and he asked me to write about where I come from, like ‘what is my life story?’ It started off as just a poem and then I tried it over ‘Say A Little Prayer’ and they matched,” said Teka.

“My verse starts off with talking about [being born in Ethiopia]. I say, ‘I was born from the motherland’ and then I talked about my parents and how they were not really present during the beginning.”

I was born from the Motherland

Mother left the earth before she held my hand

Dad was gone, out of service out of town

“Then I go further into how I was adopted, my new family, the start of my new life and how it’s difficult when I’m younger but it gets better,” shared Teka.

The lyrics between the songwriters all share a common thread: the story of where they come from as individuals and what it’s like to experience being at an institution like SAAS. After having those foundational stories in the song, it was time to add the essential

instrumentation, melodic vocals and all the bells and whistles, no pun intended.

For Niva’s vocal addition, it was really showcasing the soulful range that she built over the years of Music Production and also being a part of the Jazz Choir. Originally on track to become an Onion, Niva pivoted and found that she had more interest in the song-making elements.

“Music Production is a lot more diverse in terms of people’s skill sets and I think that speaks to how the class is in general,” said Niva. “It’s more collaborative. There are writers, producers, beat makers, engineers, singers and other vocalists and instrumentalists.”

Woven within the rap verses, Niva riffed to Aretha’s “I Say A Little Prayer For You” hook and created her own rendition which was a welcome addition for

Once the story was solidified, the jams began and the band was ready to rock. Sydney Watson and Tessa Hendry dropped in with the bass and guitar, respectively. The girls work together extensively outside of their class on a myriad of musical projects. Forrest Campbell shreds a guitar solo during the song, Tate Carr and Nate Counts brought their engineering skills to produce, Jackson David ripped on the drums, Cayden Brewer was also playing guitar and assistant teacher Andreas Buneci-Trujillo, slapped away on the keys.

With all students involved and all voices heard, the song, now titled, “Say A Little Prayer” went from sample to loop to becoming an awesome fullfledged masterpiece.

“Compromise is a really valuable skill,” said Niva. “You have to

Matteo, Diana and Teka.

advocate for what your strengths are. [As a listener], I can hear everyone’s different voices and their parts and their [individual strengths] in that song.”

“Like Forrest and his guitar solo,” she added. “He came up with that idea and brought it to class and everyone loved it. It’s not something we would normally see him do in class, he’s a big personality, but it’s not something I’d see him push to the front.”

The collaborative nature of the project brought Matteo a lot of joy.

“That moment of seeing the beat that I made at home come into creation with all these people that I know, with all these instruments was a very special moment. It was one of those feelings that made me feel like I could do music as a career,” said Matteo.

After countless hours of practice and lots and lots of hard work, it was lights, camera, sights set on SAAS in the City.

Over 550 parents, friends and SAAS community members were there to enjoy an evening of student performances from all grade levels. All in all, it was a very successful night, raising over $1M in donations for the SAAS Financial Aid Department.

For the songwriters who have directly benefited from financial aid, it was a full-circle moment.

Matteo’s lyrics and performance were to say thank you to the SAAS community, the folks in the audience, sitting right in front of him.

“‘I’m grateful,’ is what I’m saying in those lyrics. I’m grateful for [everything that has happened for me] so I say a prayer for the audience because I understand and am appreciative of all that’s been done for me,” said Matteo.

“It’s my way of saying that I’m conscious. I have music and that’s the one thing I can confidently say that I have. I can use that [art] to get across the message that I feel I need to get across, and that message is gratitude,” he added.

“The SAAS in the City performance ended up being really good because everyone had something to do with it,” added Niva. “I feel like we put

together something that was really, really good and it included everyone in the class which was a big goal of Amos’. There’s just so much talent in that class.”

It was better than good. The show was a massive hit not only among the students, faculty, staff and SAAS community members who watched at both End-Of-Tri and SAAS in the City, but also for Amos and Paris, whose goal of having a fully collaborative, live music experience was achieved.

For the students, the experience of developing a project from beginning to end and performing on such a stage was priceless.

“I’ve gained a lot more confidence because of Music Production. I’m more confident in the things I do. I have a lot of things to say and there’s like, so many things I want to try in

the future,” said Diana. “It’s just about putting my feelings on paper and then in music.”

Diana, like Matteo, experienced the benefit of being given a financial opportunity.

“I worked so hard through The Rainier Scholars program and I took advantage of all the opportunities they gave me,” said Diana. “I became a leader for an affinity group. I became more confident in who I am. Through music, I can express myself and tell my story.”

As the days followed from SAAS in the City and dwindled down to summer break, the performers had a lot to reflect on over the rest of the school year.

“My favorite memory from this year was probably performing,” said Teka. Teka has been involved in Music Production for

a few years but this was his first time performing an original rap.

“I told myself that I could do it, I thought I could,” Teka says about trying to rap. “But then being able to see myself actually do it is something different and has given me more confidence in my skills.”

For Matteo, “It was a very special thing for me as someone who wants to pursue music to see something that I put together transform into a physical performance rather than digital,”

he said. “You can listen to it through the headphones all you want, but when you see all the instruments come together to create your piece, there’s nothing like it. And for that, I am grateful.”

It was a lot of work, but it was done with style. The goal now is to keep going and to keep growing.

“It’s not just singing and making a beat,” Amos said about the class. “We might need art design, we might need business management. We might need somebody to take the reins and do some of these other roles. Maybe organize an event or a performance opportunity.”

“I would love for Music Production in the next few years to have the opportunity to continue to perform and promote their message. We want to spread positivity and inclusivity,” he added.

Promoting their message might look like social media or building a marketing campaign for a song release on Spotify or Bandcamp; then giving earnings to raise money for financial aid or other youth music programs around the city.

For Amos, Paris and all involved in the Music Production program downstairs in the Vanderbilt Building—it’s all about giving back and recognizing where they are at right now; just like Matteo and Diana and Teka write in the verses of the song.

The Advanced Music Production class performs at the 2023 SAAS in the City Financial Aid Fundraiser. From left to right: Sydney, Diana, Tessa, Niva, Matteo, Andreas.

SAAS SNAPSHOT: History

Seattle Academy alum and faculty member Alisha Agard ’11 introduced a new history elective in the 2022-23 school year called “Journey of the Diaspora: Black History in the U.S. and Abroad.” The course aims to change the timeline in which most high school classes begin Black history, usually starting with enslavement. Black history starts well before, and Alisha wants to highlight that history while telling the stories of Black excellence and struggle.

SAAS SNAPSHOT: Outdoor & Trips

Up, up and away! SAAS Upper School students ascending a pitch during the summer Smith Rock Climbing trip in Oregon.

SAAS SNAPSHOT: Speech & Debate

Junior Carmen Spoonmore had an incredible run at the state championship for Speech and Debate during the 2022-2023 school year. She had multiple 1st-place finishes, won 2nd in Original Oratory and 3rd in Informative Speaking. She also finished top 20 in the nation at the National Individual Events Tournament of Champions and represented SAAS at three national tournaments including the National Speech and Debate Association tournament in Phoenix, Arizona.

Middle School Creates New Senate Committee

(Left to right): 8th graders Miles Lipson, Maggie Seibert and Harlem Yarbrough

Middle School Seattle Academy Leadership Team (SALT), a student-led leadership team, added a new Senate committee this year. The committee is composed of three 8th grade volunteer students — Harlem Yarbrough, Miles Lipson, and Maggie Seibert — who planned and led bimonthly Senate meetings with representatives from each Middle School advisory (grades 6, 7, and 8). These student leaders made a yearlong commitment to serve in the important role of liaison and direct line of communication between leadership and the students themselves.

“We want to make sure 6th and 7th graders know they have

a voice, as well,” says Achijah Berry, Middle School Dean of Student Life, who plays an active role in the committee alongside Senate faculty advisors Marie So and Lauren Johansen. Until now, SALT has been an 8thgrade leadership group charged to support the Middle School. “The Senate is a new design to include the 6th and 7th graders in a formal way.”

The committee is a cumulation of the past couple years, and iterations, of SALT’s efforts to best represent Middle Schoolers. Each year, SALT students are charged with creating and enacting their own initiatives. For some years, this has looked like adding feminine

products to all of the bathrooms. In other years, it has taken the form of a physical feedback box. SALT, like leaders across all platforms, sought that direct tie to grade-level input.

“These initiatives are SALT’s way to leave a mark and make a change, based on what they see as necessary,” Lauren says. “But historically they have come directly from SALT students and haven’t necessarily solicited feedback outside of SALT.”

With a little spark from the Dean of 6th Grade Julie Holstad bringing the idea — the Senate was born. Now, twice a month, advisory representatives from all three grades in the Middle

School attend the Senate meetings. The Senate serves as a formal structure to empower students to build and engage in the school community they want and need.

“The Senate provides a space for Middle School members to share their voices on issues in the community,” Senate leader Miles Lipson (Grade 8) says.

“The Senate is a means to teach middle schoolers how to leverage their voice,” says Lauren, “and how to create productive ways to be heard.”

“This is a space where students learn to advocate for themselves,” says Marie, “It is an avenue for the 6th and 7th graders to speak up for what they want.”

SALT is modeled off the Upper School Associated Student Body (ASB), but structured differently. It is composed of several committees, including the Senate. It yields large participation each year due to its open enrollment and no-cut policy, whereas ASB uses an election process. SALT and Senate leaders must apply, obtain a faculty recommendation, and interview for the role.

be done to make it work more effectively. If we make some changes to what we are doing, it will be an inviting and important space — and part of the Middle School experience for future years.”

Leaders also learn practical skills that transfer to life in the Upper School. “All three leaders said they were looking for an opportunity to practice public speaking skills,” says Lauren. Also, the art of running a meeting. “What does it look like to share the mic, and who is talking more than others? Are they talking over each other? How do you run a small group discussion and take notes at the same time?”

“It is good to get the kids used to always having a way to express their concerns – and they don’t have to wait until they get to high school,” says Marie. “It is good to get used to having this expression as a normal part of their life.”

help of their grade levels, can accomplish large-scale changes the students deem necessary. As leaders, we have the power to organize those ideas and make changes to systems within the Middle School to foster a stronger sense of community.”

“You don’t have to wait until 8th grade to have a voice,” says Achijah, “you now have a Senate.” ■

“The Senate has a lot of potential since it is new,” Senate leader Miles Lipson (Grade 8) says, “but things still need to

Senate leader Maggie Seibert (Grade 8) sums it up well, saying: “The Senate gives students a chance to share their voices and represent the student body’s perspectives, which is important to the kids, to feel like they can speak up about something that concerns them at SAAS. The Senate can imagine solutions to perceived flaws in complex ideas and processes, and these representatives, with the

RETURN TO THE YUKON

The excitement in the air was palpable.

The Seattle Academy seniors grabbed their bags and headed out on the big spring wilderness trip that they’d been anticipating all year.

That was the scene this past March. 135 seniors and 28 faculty and staff boarded the Alaska ferry, traveling from Bellingham to Skagway, where they’d be picked up by buses and driven over White Pass into the Yukon Territory.

That same scene played out in similar ways in the spring of 1992, when the first version of what is now known as the Senior Yukon Trip headed out –but in 1992, a group of 20 total students and faculty boarded two SAAS vans in front of the Temple Building, bound for the Canyonlands of Utah. That scene occurred again that same summer when the first group of 13 Upper School students boarded the ferry for Alaska.

I had the great fortune to be a leader on the 1992 Canyonlands and Alaska trips, as well as the 2023 Yukon Trip. As the group made their way this spring from Bellingham to the Yukon, I marveled at how, despite differences in how many of us there

were, it felt so much the same, in all of the best ways.

That first trip was special because it was the first, and the 2023 Yukon Trip was special because it was the first senior trip back north since the spring of 2019.

The 1992 Canyonlands group included juniors and seniors, which was possible given that the graduating class of ‘92 consisted of 11 seniors. The groups traveled to the Southwest until 2005 when Alaska and the Yukon became the destination. The trip has a long legacy as a final chance for individual reflection before graduation and concentrated

time for seniors to connect with classmates and teachers.

The tradition of a Senior Wilderness Trip continued, despite the changes in destination, through the spring of 2019.

But in the spring of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the opportunity for group travel. In the spring of 2021, SAAS was able to pull together a senior camping trip in the Cascades, which was valuable for the students who attended but wasn’t a true substitute for the Senior Yukon experience.

As for the class of 2022, the Yukon was still closed to

group travel, so the SAAS team got creative and returned once again to the Southwest and Canyonlands for a senior spring camping and river rafting trip.

The 2023 SAAS seniors were hopeful for a return to the Yukon. They were ready and willing to reestablish the Senior Yukon tradition.

They had heard the stories, and seen the pictures of dogsledding, hockey, snowball fights and all-night campfires under the stars.

From the spectacular scenery on the ferry to the hike across a frozen lake, the challenges of staying warm in tents on sub-zero nights to the thrill of

dogsledding across the expanse of ice and snow, to cooking and dishes in the snow, to late nights watching the northern lights streak and shimmer across the northern sky. It was an adventure, and a great time spent together for the class of 2023.

The 2023 senior class stays warm around a fire.

To the class of 2023: Thank you for restoring a great SAAS tradition, and for letting me tag along. It’s no exaggeration to say it’s at the top of the list of my favorite SAAS experiences to be a part of as Head of School. The 2023 trip was every bit the shared adventure and meaningful sendoff as the 1992 expedition to the Canyonlands.

To the graduates from the classes of 2020, 2021 and 2022: We’re still working on how to have a Yukon trip for you as well, and for alumni from previous years who are hoping to return again.

To the class of 2024: Can’t wait!

The Elevator: Seattle Academy’s Inaugural Inter-School Business Competition Lifts off!

By: Mariah Smith-Gentry

The 1st-place team invented a lawn care service that helped elderly people attend to their yards. The team was comprised of students from Annie Wright, O’Dea and SAAS.

Saturday, May 23rd, 2023 marked a moment in history.

The Elevator: Ready to Launch, hosted by Seattle Academy, started the tradition of a high school-level Business Plan Competition in the Puget Sound area.

Starting a high school-level competition was always the goal when the Innovations Department realized that there was a gap in the market. If students wanted to participate in a business competition, the only options were to either travel across the country or join DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America). It was an opportunity to create something focused on creativity, design thinking, and working with ambiguity. We wanted to encourage students with a variety of backgrounds and perspectives to identify an issue that they see in the world and solve it with a product or service designed by the team.

The first Business Plan Competition was last year and began in a single classroom of only Seattle Academy students. The SAAS students had a blast participating – and it was such a success, they asked if it was possible to invite students from other schools. By opening the competition to students from other schools, it would create an innovative competition where students have to solve realworld problems. Additionally, it

pushed them to step out of their comfort zones and collaborate with people they may have not previously been acquainted with.

Thus, The Elevator: Ready to Launch was born, and 34 students attended from five schools including Seattle Academy, Annie Wright, Bishop Blanchet, O’Dea, and Overlake.

Unlike typical business competitions, the teams were

made up of students from different schools. They were randomly assigned, and each team had only three hours to design, research, and craft a slide deck for their team’s business idea. We wanted students to take on a challenge while learning to work with new people with unique perspectives.

The day kicked off with a keynote presentation

by Brennen Smith, VP of

Technology at Ookla. He highlighted the importance of creating a pitch presentation that builds trust and features compelling storytelling. To assist with the process, mentors from each school and industry professionals volunteered their time to help answer questions and provide guiding feedback.

After the work time, students pitched to a set of first-round

judges. These individuals provided scores and feedback to teams. The top three teams with the highest overall scores advanced to the final round. The final round of judges included seven local entrepreneurs and industry professionals.

During the final round of judging, first and second place were awarded to:

1st: RAAS | An automatic lawn mowing robot designed for senior citizens who struggle with keeping their yards maintained. The students involved were: Audrey Draper of Seattle Academy, Eva Jin of Annie Wright School, Grant Williams of O’Dea High School and Harrison Finestone of O’Dea High School.

2nd: Blade Buddy | A robotic lawnmower with an innovative app that strives to reduce injuries caused by lawnmowers. The students involved were: Jacob Newman of O’Dea High School, Jordan Ross of Seattle Academy and Mallory Brainerd of Annie Wright School.

The winning team will be engraved on the trophy that will begin the legacy for years to come! All students had a great time problem-solving and working together. Considering how successful this inaugural year was, it’s safe to assume the years to come will be just that much better!

Owen Gladwish A LIFE of DANCE

The Story of Anita Kuroiwa-Schiff and History of SAAS’ Dance Program

Photography courtesy of Anita Kuroiwa-Schiff and SAAS Archives.

The history of Seattle Academy’s Dance Program and Anita Kuriowa-Schiff’s teaching career are strongly intertwined. While dance has been a feature of SAAS’ graduation requirements since the school’s founding in 1983, Anita’s arrival in 1994 ushered in a new vision for the dance program that was rooted in the school’s commitment to both participation and excellence and infused with SAAS’ signature entrepreneurial spirit.

When Seattle Academy’s founding Head of School, Jean Orvis, approached Anita about teaching at SAAS, the two saw an opportunity to do something that would have a great impact on the academic and artistic program of the school. Reflecting on her 29 years as a faculty member, Anita recalls what motivated her early on in her time at SAAS, “So, I made a pitch to start a dance company. I always wanted to start a children’s dance company because there wasn’t something like that for me when I was a child.” A few weeks after that initial conversation with Jean Orvis, SAAS was on its way to its first after-school dance company, and the school’s performing arts landscape was forever changed. Prior to

Anita’s arrival, SAAS students benefited from the teaching of dance teachers Reggie Bardach and Vera Schimmelbush. While students had danced at previous End-of-Tri performances, it was

Anita’s skillful choreography, professionalism, and her relentless commitment to artistic quality that began to set the dance program apart.

What You Can Do With One Year

In 1994, SAAS classrooms were still housed entirely in the Temple de Hirsch Sinai, and enrollment totalled 175 students. In her first year, as she balanced working at SAAS with other artistic commitments, Anita took her commitment to teaching one class of seventh graders seriously. “When I got here,” Anita said, “someone showed me a boombox and the Jaffe Room. I carried a case of cassettes with me each day. I had to have two: one for rehearsal and an additional copy for the show, because cassettes warp and break.”

During the 1995-1996 school year, the SAAS dance company called “Dansation,” made their debut. The hallway outside of

the Jaffe Room served as the home for Anita’s choreography and the dancers would frequently rehearse in the hallways of the Temple building. At the end of the year, Dansation, a group of about 12 students in grades 6 through 12, performed in front of the whole school community during End-of-Tri, and they also had a full-length concert. “The parents were amazed,” recalls Anita. “They didn’t think that students could do things like that. And once they saw their children dancing like that, I had an easier time growing the dance options at SAAS.” As Jean Orvis recalls, “The artistic quality and professionalism of that first dance concert actually made me tear up! It made us change our view about ourselves.”

In the following years, Anita taught an increasingly diverse range of dance classes at SAAS in addition to founding our afterschool dance company. The program grew so quickly that soon SAAS had to hire another dance teacher, Kim Root and began renting studio space at various locations on Capitol Hill, including space at the Seattle Contemporary Ballet and, in true Capitol Hill style, a studio above “The Bad Juju Lounge,” to accommodate the classes and after-school rehearsals.

Anita’s facilitation of partnerships with local organizations opened further doors for our students, increasing the opportunities for performance and competition. Dansation

SAAS Dansation student auditions in the Temple de Hirsch Sinai.

was invited to participate in a Seattle Contemporary Ballet performance of “Alice in Wonderland,” not to mention its presence at annual dance competitions where dancers from diverse nationalities came together to represent their communities. Dansation also successfully competed in the Northwest region dance competition from Washington,

Oregon, Idaho and Alaska. “Every year they walked away with something,” says Anita, “and it was always silver or gold; never bronze.”

In 2001, SAAS engaged in a major building project that yielded its first gym and the Arts Center and Anita’s contributions were integral to the process of designing the dance studio.

She offered her perspective on how to optimize space for students, the particulars of light, materials and the height of the ballet barre, partnering with the architects to prioritize an optimal learning environment for SAAS dancers. “In many ways,” Anita says, slyly adding the exception of soundproofing, “I designed my perfect studio. And I did it for the generations of SAAS students to come.”

Taking Risks

For Anita, the same educational philosophy supported by the school’s guiding principles lived in the daily stretches, leaps and jumps students did each day in the dance program. At every rehearsal and with every class meeting, Anita challenged students to discover something new about themselves through the freedom and discipline of choreographed movement.

Anita teaching in a studio above “The Bad Juju Lounge” in 1990’s.

2003 Seattle Academy Gold Winning Dansation Group at the International Dance Challenge.

Oftentimes, physical movement can feel intimidating or out of reach for a student, and fear of failure can hold them back from reaching an unknown potential. “In dance, you can always expect to do things wrong before you do them right,” Anita always told students. “You can expect that.” Anita’s belief in the promise of every dancer and the confidence that a student can gain by getting a movement wrong before they get it right is embedded in our dance program to this day.

Under Anita’s foundational leadership and the direction of current dance teachers Alicia Mullikin, Amy Lambert, and Albee Abigania, SAAS continues to offer a robust range of dance classes including ballet, hip-hop, jazz, and modern dance. Early on in the program, Anita knew the value of exposing students to dancers and choreographers outside of their immediate

learning environment. Anita frequently welcomed guest dancers from around the city, the country, and even from around the world, a tradition that continues today in dance classes. Guests have included the world-renowned Bolshoi Ballet from Russia, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Bill Evans Dance Company and Koresh Dance Company. Recent guest artists have taught Bollywood, West African, Latin Hustle, and Afro House dance styles to eager SAAS

students. Students continue to stretch themselves in the dance classroom by learning new techniques and experiencing new cultures through the lens of dance.

The Legacy of a Teacher

Now as we celebrate SAAS’ 40th year and Anita’s retirement at the close of 29 years, we reflect

on the growth of the dance program from its inception and the central role it has played in the school. Whether through her teaching of prospective students on their 6th grade visit day or the instruction she has given during one of her many classes or after-school activities, Anita has been an instrumental part of SAAS’ growth. Nikolai Lesnikov ‘99 recalls, “Anita’s jazz class during sophomore year was my first experience with formal dance training, and her subsequent support and encouragement enabled me to lay a solid foundation for becoming a life-long student of movement practices. I would not be the dedicated dancer I am today were it not for her recognizing my potential at the time.”

As Jean Orvis puts it, “Anita was such an important part of putting the school on the map.” Movement by movement, sashay by sashay, and with each carefully designed choreography and live performance, Anita has indelibly shaped SAAS outside of the dance studio.

Today, our current dance teachers lead a total of 12 Middle School and 12 Upper School single-tri classes per year; 11 trimesters of Intermediate, Intermediate/Advanced, and Advanced Dance classes; plus after-school classes for the Middle School Dance Project and the Upper School program. Almost 30 Middle and 70 Upper

School students are involved in the classes that will perform in the Spring Concert. Our students have held their concerts in our own Orvis Theater, at the Erickson Theater, Broadway Performance Hall, the Cornish Playhouse Theater, and McCaw Hall. That’s a long way from Anita’s first single class of 7th graders in 1994!

Beyond SAAS, Anita has also participated in and received notable recognition from the larger Seattle dance community. She taught dance at Seattle Central Community College for 25 years — the only accredited dance class in the whole Seattle college district of North, South, and Central District — and she choreographed and directed numerous shows at Seattle Children’s Theater. Anita received the “Service to Education” award from the Seattle college district in 2007. And for the totality of her work, in 2020 Anita received a special award for “Foundational Contributions to Dance Education

in Seattle” from the local organization SeattleDances.

Anita retired this spring leaving a rich and vibrant legacy. She has helped to build a program defined by the very professionalism, quality, and accessibility that she first dreamed about. Anita has also imbued in the program a sense of artistic evolution and, as the dance program continues to grow, future generations of SAAS students will benefit from Anita’s dedication and vision. “This program is what I envisioned decades ago,” says Anita. “We were determined to see the program grow, and nothing has stopped that growth. When students discover that movement is one way they can express themselves, they are hooked. It feels wonderful to give students this gift of communication — and I know our current dance teachers will only continue to pass this on.”

Above: Students gathering together before the All-Grades Spring Dance Concert at the

Below: Students performing a dance to close the All-Grades Spring Dance Concert and give a special performance to honor and thank Anita for her time with SAAS.

NOD Theater in May, 2023.

Right: The 2023 Seattle Academy Dance Teachers (Left to Right) Alicia Mullikin, Anita Kuroiwa-Schiff, Albee, Abigania, Amy Lambert.

SAAS SNAPSHOT: Performing Arts

Members of Mark Taylor’s 6th Grade Band performing “Sway” during Spring Curtain Call in 2023.

SYMPOSIUM: 8th Graders Shine While Presenting Their Science Capstone Project

On May 19th, 2023, the Middle School classrooms were filled with enthusiastic 8th graders who, after months of diligent preparation, delivered their presentations for the 8th Grade Symposium, a long-standing Seattle Academy science tradition. After months of gathering data whether by surveys sent out to the SAAS community or by conducting scientific experiments, the brave and budding scientists got up in front of peers, teachers, friends, and family members and presented their projects that were designed around the theme, “A More Inclusive Future.”

With the theme of “A More Inclusive Future” in mind, Miles and Thomas were inspired to study the world of artificial intelligence and language deprivation in deaf children. Thomas built an AI model that reads facial and ASL hand gestures to recognize and retrieve words. While Thomas was tasked with building the code, Miles was studying the social impact; how will these kinds of technologies benefit both parents of deaf children and the deaf children themselves? Thomas submitted his work to an AI competition through Google and placed 74th out of roughly 1,000 projects. This summer, Thomas will continue to work on the model and plans to submit the project to another competition. Stay tuned for updates!

Miles Lipson and Thomas Gust

Both Zella and Olivia dance with ballet companies outside of SAAS and wanted to study how young dancers’ body image and self-esteem are impacted by the words their instructors or peers use when describing the expectations of dancers’ bodies. They found that comments about students’ shapes, sizes, and expectations around these things can really affect mental health and body image.

Zella Rae Anderson and Olivia Bachleda

Evie, Simone and Amelia set out to discover how the Middle School students feel about diversity, equity and inclusion within Seattle Academy. They sent out a survey to the students and they highlighted three teachers from each grade which the student body nominated as going above and beyond in making everyone feel included and spoke on their character.

Does being multilingual benefit memory and cognitive abilities? Jack and Dylan tested bilingual, multilingual and monolingual students on their memory recall and other brain functions. They found in some categories, being multilingual improved memory or word recall but also found that it didn’t necessarily improve speech or word pronunciation.

Evie Greig, Amelia Haley, Simone Williams

Jack Schlenker and Dylan Mirsky

Wilder Hilen, Eli Silk, Tanner Davidson

The boys wanted to see ways that SAAS can improve around single-use plastics. They conducted a survey in which they asked the community how can the school make sustainable changes and how as individuals, can they make sustainable changes too.

The students conducted a survey on the state’s current gun laws and how knowledgeable the students feel about them. They also explored how those laws affect the student’s ability to feel safe at school or in public places.

Tenzin Larkin Eliot Cordingly and Calvin Brost

Tenzin, Eliot and Calvin were focused on water filtration! They created a filter from soil and rocks and predicted that this filter would help get rid of larger dirt particles, oil and acidity.

Gabi Ima, Natalie Simmonds, Sydney Butman and Annalise Krabak

Middle Schoolers doing a Superhero pose during community time between classes.

SAAS SNAPSHOT: Community

SAAS SNAPSHOT: Athletics

(Left to right) 10th Graders Amirah Giundi, Tsion Holman and Jaeda Norwood during Spring Athletics Media Day.

SAAS SNAPSHOT: Service

8th graders working to paint tiny homes at the Hope Factory in SODO during the annual Seattle Challenge.

SAAS SNAPSHOT: Outdoor & Trips

6th Grade boys on the Middle School Sailing trip during the summer of 2023 aboard the Schooner Adventuress. Students on the trip learned about all aspects of sailing and maintaing a schooner during their five-day trip from navigation (pictured here) to standing night watch and

swabbing the deck.

SAAS SNAPSHOT: Graduation

The graduating Class of 2023 tossing their caps at the end of SAAS’ triumphant return to McCaw Hall for Commencement. The last time the graduating seniors walked across the McCaw Hall stage was back in 2019, before the pandemic forced SAAS to take the graduation ceremony online, followed by two years at T-Mobile Park for an open-air venue. The return celebrates a longstanding tradition of SAAS graduation at McCaw Hall. Although we have had to adapt the approach over the years, the main objective remains unchanged: to honor the senior class, embrace the culture of performance, and provide a venue that truly captures the grandeur of the evening.

SAAS IN FOCUS | SUMMER 2023

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