SUMMER 2023
Graduation
Faculty Profiles
Alumni Updates
Alum of the Year
Notes from the Head of School
On Friday, May 26, Francis Parker faculty, staff, students, families, and friends gathered in the Auditorium inside Spalding University’s Columbia Gym Building to celebrate Graduation for the Class of 2023 – the 45th graduating class of the School, and the first class to graduate under the new Francis Parker School of Louisville name. Each year, as I welcome the graduates to the stage, I am struck by how quickly these adolescents have transformed into self-assured young adults who are eager to embark on the next phase of their next journey. Over these past four years, they have become filmmakers and artists; thespians and musical theater mavens; multi-instrument musicians, supremely talented guitarists, bassists, and singers; dodgeball club members; athletes; skateboard enthusiasts; aspiring chefs and bakers; glass bottle collectors; equestrians; EP and TV pilot creators; gender scholars; state track meet competitors; budding psychologists, environmentalists, ornithologists, mathematicians, and engineers; Japanese
By Alexandra S. Thurstone G’80, ’84
music and K-pop aficionados; Asian language scholars; coders; admirers of “The Greatest”; political junkies; quick recallers; Planned Parenthood peer educators; activists and anti-racists; refugees and immigrants; contrarians; Student Court chief justices; lifelong, loyal, and fierce friends; and 33 totally unique individuals. Unlike many schools, where the valedictorian or a class elected peer speaks at Graduation, at Francis Parker, any student who feels inspired to speak is encouraged to do so, uncensored and unedited. This year, seven students gave speeches about their time at Francis Parker. They spoke about personal growth and their journeys to self discovery, their gratitude for the love and care of their teachers, friendships forged, memories made, life lessons learned, and the wisdom they have gained through their experiences both in and outside the classroom. Here are few of the highlights from each of their addresses: Nolan Brown ’23: “I think I am ready to leave…I finally have the faith in myself that I’ve lacked for so long, and I genuinely think that I am a more empathetic, optimistic, and compassionate person because of it. Francis Parker ignited a fire inside of me that I never knew I had. My goal is to never let it be extinguished by anyone or anything.” Ja'Karri Clay ’23: “We all have our ups and downs, but when things look rough in this community, we never fail to show that we care, and that’s why I’m proud to say that I’ve been a part of this community, and I had the privilege of being a Wyvern.” Amelia Gorman G’19, ’23: “As I move on from my days as a Wyvern, in my heart and mind, I will remember best some of the things least touched upon or talked about … like seemingly insignificant moments in classes, at rehearsals, or during practices or games. I am grateful that I have spent 14 years at a school where the everyday can be remarkable.”
Graduation Awards The Phi Beta Kappa Award Xavier Shelley The Head of School Award Amelia Gorman, Jackson Sleadd The Thomas H. Pike Award Willow Brown, Amillia Samuels The Class of ’93 Esprit de Corps Award Lane Coughlin Rotary Club Unsung Hero Award Amillia Samuels Jane McLeroy G’19, ’23: “I genuinely believe that every
Honors Graduates
teacher and mentor I've had here has cared deeply about me
Ja’Karri Clay, Amelia Gorman, Ella Johnson, Fairleigh Jones,
and my personal growth. Outside of the traditional curriculum,
Hayden Jones, Ava Kurtz, Jane McLeroy, West Middendorf,
my teachers have taught me so much about myself, the world
Alex Miguel, Ikhlas Sharif-Mohammed, Xavier Shelley,
around me, and how I want to move forward into it.”
Jackson Sleadd
West Middendorf G’19, ’23: “What I am most thankful for is
Francis Parker AP Scholars
that I have teachers that will be honest with me. To all the
Amelia Gorman, Alex Miguel, Xavier Shelley, Jackson Sleadd
incredibly talented and probably overqualified people who work at Francis Parker, thank you for supporting, reprimanding,
Senior Project Honors
praising, criticizing, and, above all, teaching me these past
Amelia Gorman
four years.”
“Gender, Race, and Representation in Contemporary Narrative Television”
Amillia Samuels ’23: “Over the years, I’ve gotten to know a lot of adults in the building and I can say that is one of my
Ella Johnson
“Cowabunga! Queering The
favorite things about coming to this school – the new huge
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in
support team that stood behind me. During my first and
a Contemporary Reimagining”
second years in high school, I realized how much advocacy would transform my life as an artist and community leader.” Jackson Sleadd G’19, ’23: “What a journey it has been. I could never have predicted that I would make so many friends [and] learn so much. Being a high school graduate is great, but we still have so much to learn and so much to teach others. Thank you, Francis Parker, for giving me the rare gift of discovering who I am as a lifelong learner.” Saying goodbye to our graduates is never easy, but we feel confident that these Wyverns are ready to fly. We can’t wait to see what they do next. Please join us in celebrating the Class of 2023!
Amillia Samuels
“Amillia’s Musical Endeavors: Crafting a Concept Album”
Jackson Sleadd
“Dirt Road Democrats to Rural Republicans: Kentucky's 40-Year Political Transformation”
Francis Parker School of Louisville Lifers Attended Francis Parker School of Louisville continuously from Preschool, Junior Kindergarten, or Kindergarten through 12th grade: Hayden Jones (PS), Amelia Gorman (JK), Fairleigh Jones (K), Jane McLeroy (K), West Middendorf (K), Jackson Sleadd (K) Graduating Children of Alumni Willow Brown, Miles Gabriele-Burke, Emma Todd
High School Awards Day Ceremony Junior Book Awards Smith College (Excellence in English) Mireia Cecil
Senior Departmental Awards English (Cia White Prize) Xavier Shelley
Yale University (Excellence in World Language) Ben Manno
History Jackson Sleadd
Harvard University (Excellence in Math) Mar Stevenson
Math Ja'Karri Clay
Princeton University (Excellence in Science) Gavin Smith
Science Hayden Jones
University of Virginia (Excellence in History) Jack Christensen
World Language Alex Miguel
Bryn Mawr College (Purposeful Person) Mae Wilson
Senior National Society of Arts and Letters Awards Excellence in Music Enzo Martins
University of Kentucky (Purposeful Person) Jack Scantland University of Louisville (Community Service) Caroline McKiernan Athletic Awards Senior Scholar-Athlete Awards Amelia Gorman, Hayden Jones Athletes of the Year Awards Lane Coughlin, Louan Seveno
Excellence in Art Ella Johnson Excellence in Drama Jane McLeroy Excellence in Creative Writing Lane Coughlin Outstanding Senior in Creative Arts Amelia Gorman
Athletic Director’s Award (3 sports for all 4 years of High School) Luke Johnson
High School 2nd Semester Honor Roll Students who earned all As and Bs 12th Grade
10th Grade
Nolan Brown, Willow Brown, Nat Campbell, Ja'Karri Clay,
Amy Ashby Roma, Estella Autry, Vitor Azevedo, Kawin Bista,
Lilly Cornell, Lane Coughlin, Amelia Gorman, Ku Htoo,
Thomas Borges, Sloane Coughlin, Luca Dries, Sarah Ernst,
Ella Johnson, Fairleigh Jones, Hayden Jones, Ava Kurtz,
Jayden Frazier, Abby Hairgrove, Lillie Hale, Brinn Ishmael,
Jane McLeroy, West Middendorf, Alex Miguel, Amillia Samuels,
Henry Johnson, Nola Melhuish, Sophie Ovechkin,
Ikhlas Sharif-Mohammed, Xavier Shelley, Jackson Sleadd,
Maxim Peniaz, Zoë Petiprin, Wyatt Reynolds, Emori Rosenbaum,
Emma Todd
Abdi Sharif-Mohammed, Jude Sleadd, Ishai Wall, Zelda Wheeler
11th Grade Ibraheem Abugabal, Lachlan Apple, Nora Bendl, Nate Brantley,
9th Grade
Mireia Cecil, Jack Christensen, Alex Frazier, Ella Gordon,
Aisha Abdulbaqi, Alek Beach, Leda Beale, Keaton Brill,
Kaya Grass, Izzy Iweimrin, Noah Kern, Elliott Loewy, Ben Manno,
Evie Faber, Molly Hales, Elliot Hall, Rowan King, Finn Kitson,
Caroline McKiernan, Mimi Mutchnick, Sophie Naiser,
Dax McCoy, Cyra Neimat, Della Peron, Ari Rabin, Lia Rincon,
Edward Ruzicka, Jack Scantland, Gavin Smith, Mar Stevenson,
Lilly Rounsavall, Sydney Shoemaker, Emir Tucakovic,
Ahna Watt, El Willey, Mae Wilson, Lili Zamanian
Lila Watts, Emilee White, Bren Willis
Class of 2023 Enrollments and Acceptances Sharifa Abukar - University of Louisville; Bellarmine University
Fairleigh Jones - Temple University, Japan Campus; Temple University; Earlham College
Nolan Brown - Bellarmine University; Western Kentucky University
Hayden Jones - University of Kentucky; University of Glasgow; University of Wisconsin; Indiana University;
Willow Brown - Sarah Lawrence College; Lewis & Clark
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
College; Savannah College of Art and Design; University of Louisville; University of Kentucky
Aidan Keegan - University of Kentucky; Manhattan College; Miami University (Oxford); University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire;
Nat Campbell - University of North Carolina at Asheville;
Pace University; Saint Louis University; University of Louisville;
Eckerd College; Colorado Mountain College
College of Mount Saint Vincent; University of Cincinnati; SUNY at Purchase College; University of Pittsburgh
Ja'Karri Clay - University of Tennessee; University of Alabama; University of Arizona; Rochester Institute of Technology
Ava Kurtz - Bellarmine University
Kenna Cornell - Maryville University; University of Louisville
Aryana Luckett-Orr - University of Kentucky; Alabama A&M University; Clark Atlanta University; Jackson State University;
Lilly Cornell - Maryville University; Virginia Tech; University
Southern University and A&M College; University of Louisville
of Louisville Enzo Martins - University of Florida; Virginia Tech; The Ohio Lane Coughlin - Flagler College; DePaul University; University
State University; Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology;
of Hawaii at Manoa; University of Kentucky; Temple University
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Michigan Technological University; University of South Florida
Alex Faber - Sullivan University Jane McLeroy - Centre College; Earlham College; Furman Miles Gabriele-Burke - University of New England;
University; Butler University; College of Wooster; Murray State
Willamette University; Roger Williams University;
University; Bellarmine University; DePauw University
New College of Florida West Middendorf - Tulane University; Fordham University; Amelia Gorman - Saint Louis University; American University;
Santa Clara University
George Washington University; Loyola University Chicago; University of Alabama; University of South Carolina
Alex Miguel - Pomona College; Tufts University, Swarthmore College; Vassar College; Occidental College; Loyola University
Isaac Hillis - Gap Year in India
Chicago; University of California, San Diego; University of California, Santa Cruz; University of San Francisco; University
Alex Horner - University of Louisville
of Louisville; Indiana University
Ku Htoo - Berea College; Bellarmine University; Centre College;
Mohamed Muse - University of Louisville; Bellarmine University
Hanover College; University of Louisville Sharōn Ohayon - Israeli Military; University of Massachusetts Ella Johnson - Columbus College of Art and Design;
Boston
Hanover College; Maryville University; Spalding University; Thomas More University; University of Louisville
Sheridan Oller - Centre College; Dickinson College; Hanover College; Saint Mary’s College; Western Kentucky University;
Luke Johnson - DePaul University; Colorado State University
University of Kentucky; Hobart and William Smith Colleges; Transylvania University; Bellarmine University; American University
8th Grade Retrospective and End-of-Year Awards The Goshen Campus Head of School Award Max Wright The Spirit of Francis Parker School Award Zara Farber, Annieya Winburn-Wickliffe The Eagle Award Ruby Pirog The Frank Q. Cayce Scholarship Award Connor Lin The Edward Y. Mason, Jr. Athletics Award John Henry Brown, Mollie Johnson The Ed Gupton Memorial Drama Award Zara Farber, Justus Murphy, Max Wright Goshen Campus Francis Parker School of Louisville Lifers Amillia Samuels - University of South Florida; Florida Memorial University; Eckerd College; University of Tampa; Jacksonville University Ikhlas Sharif-Mohammed - Bellarmine University; Hanover College; University of Kentucky, University of Louisville Xavier Shelley - University of Groningen, Netherlands; University of Washington; University of Oregon; University of Georgia; University of Connecticut; University of Florida Jackson Sleadd - University of Virginia; Cornell University; Middlebury College; Wake Forest University; Centre College; University of Vermont Emma Todd - Saint Louis University; Elon University; Fordham University; Miami University (Oxford); University of Cincinnati; University of Connecticut; University of Kentucky; Indiana University
(Bold text denotes enrollment)
Attended Francis Parker School of Louisville continuously from Preschool, Junior Kindergarten, or Kindergarten through 8th grade: William Boardman (PS), Eva Conway (PS), Emily Dewberry (PS), Annieya Winburn-Wickliffe (PS), Zara Farber (JK), Booker Rawlins (JK), Gio Azevedo (K), Justus Murphy (K) 8th Grade Children of Alumni John Henry Brown, Oliver Chaffin, Beckett Flynn, Leyem Green, Adam Harshaw, Annieya Winburn-Wickliffe The Cassie Stevens Memorial Award (5th grader) Cora Morgan
Building the Athletic and Wellness Center is the final essential Architect rendering by Luckett & Farley
project laid out in the 2012 Master Plan. This new space will transform our students' experience, enable our athletic programs to reach new heights, and inspire more school spirit
Building the Athletic and Wellness Center at the High School
and Wyvern pride than ever before.
By Bethany Heckel, Director of Advancement
partner(s) for the 1.3 acre project site located between 2nd
With the new Francis Parker School of Louisville name and brand, we have confidently clarified our identity as the only Preschool - 12th grade Progressive school in the area. Our next step in advancing the School is the construction of an Athletic and Wellness Center at the High School on the current adjacent parking lot.
The cost of the project is an estimated $10 million, and to date we have raised over $1.5 million. Roughly $8 million is needed in order to begin construction. To move the project forward, in addition to pursuing lead and major philanthropic gift support, the School is seeking a potential development and 3rd Streets, just north of Broadway – the former Gray’s Bookstore property, which we now also own. The partnership opportunities we are exploring include any combination of a parking garage, retail store frontage, commercial office space, hotel, and/or additional residential housing, as well as a healthcare partner, such as a hospital, orthopedist, physical therapy office, psychologist’s office, and/or sports training program to fill out the “wellness” portion of the project. Through ongoing efforts to make connections and forge relationships with community and civic leaders, the School is actively working to demonstrate its commitment to Downtown Louisville and illuminate the impact this project will have on the future vitality of the Downtown community, particularly the critical Broadway corridor.
As a reminder, since 2012, the Creating an Abundant Future Campaign has raised over $22 million to complete multiple capital projects on both campuses, as well as build the School’s endowment. This was only possible through the generosity of our Wyvern community, and we need your continued support and involvement to realize our vision for this final major project in this campaign: the Athletic and Wellness Center. If you are interested in learning more about how to get involved with this final phase of the Campaign, please contact Bethany Heckel, Director of Advancement, at 502-795-3890 or bheckel@francisparkerlouisville.org.
Thank You to Our Parent Association Through grants from the Parent Association totaling over $10,000, Francis Parker was able to purchase a wireless Bluetooth speaker and microphone for use at school events, particularly events and programs held outdoors. 2022-23 PA grants are also helping to cover a portion of the cost to develop a long-range Master Tree Plan on the Goshen Campus. This plan will guide the care and future planting of trees across all 64 acres of the campus while helping us maximize the outdoor curriculum and learning spaces. Questions about how to support the Parent Association or to volunteer? Get in touch with our PA Chairs! Michelle Browning Coughlin, High School PA Chair downtownpa@francisparkerlouisville.org Bridget Morgan, Goshen Campus PA Chair
Student Profile: Jackson Sleadd G’19, ’23 A “Lifer,” Jackson Sleadd started Kindergarten at Francis Parker in 2010 and became an alum this year. With thanks to his family for choosing the School and for all their support, he
goshenpa@francisparkerlouisville.org
notes “I am a huge fan of Francis Parker. I have had more
Robert Butler, Preschool PA Co-Chair
other school.” He has embraced these opportunities and
Katie Nichols, Preschool PA Co-Chair
crafted his high school experience just as he wanted – and
preschoolpa@francisparkerlouisville.org
the rewards have been plentiful. Jackson will head to the
opportunities at this school than my friends have had at any
University of Virginia this fall as a recipient of the Jefferson Scholarship, a highly competitive financial award intended to cover a four-year academic education, plus all expenses such
Our Good Earth Save the date! On Saturday, October 7, 2023, we will host the Our Good Earth farm-to-table fundraising gala in the fields of the Goshen Campus. Every dollar raised from Our Good Earth goes to directly support the scholarship fund of Francis Parker School of Louisville. We hope to see you there!
as room and board, fees, books, supplies, personal expenses, and more. Jefferson Scholarships are awarded to approximately 30 students from a pool of about 2,100 students worldwide. Jackson is the second student in Francis Parker history to receive this prestigious award. During his high school years, Jackson has thrown himself completely into everything he does. From playing soccer and
Faculty Profiles: Juan Ramirez and Carissa Turpin Learn. Do. Teach. Oftentimes, the best teachers are those who learn and practice their craft alongside their students. For faculty members Juan Ramirez and Carissa Turpin, who both recently published their own debut novels, this is certainly true! High School English and creative writing teacher Juan Ramirez published The Man with Wolves for Hands in 2022 after six years of crafting the words, an art form that Juan considers similar to sculpting a statue. “The book began as stories, which grew into vignettes, which grew into a novel. I am hyperfocused on sentence structure and the sonics of the letters and words, and heavily use figurative language,” Juan shares. “I read constantly and write for two hours every morning before teaching.”
Student Profile, Continued
Juan grew up primarily in Puerto Rico and Florida, and was
Quick Recall and ultimately serving as captain for both, to
ballet studio that I remember so vividly, like a dream — the prop
being a four-year elected class representative on the Student Council to participating in KYA and KUNA, to suggesting a revision of and drafting the new charter for student involvement in the discipline system (now known as Student Court), he has certainly left his mark on Francis Parker. For his leadership, involvement, and contributions to school life, Jackson was presented with the Head of School Award at Graduation. He also excels in the classroom, graduating with the designations of AP Scholar and Honors Graduate; earning Honors on his Senior Project, entitled “Rural Republicans to Dirt Road Democrats: Kentucky’s 40-Year Political Transformation”; and
influenced by art from a young age. “My grandparents owned room, all of it. At home, with five siblings, I was surrounded by books and my parents read to me constantly, mostly fairy tales and myths,” Juan recalls. “I began to play the trumpet in 6th grade and I currently play guitar.” In college, Juan majored in music education at Florida State University and then migrated to English and attended Sarah Lawrence College to earn an MFA in creative writing. After landing at Francis Parker School of Louisville in 2014, now-retired Master English teacher Cia White became Juan’s de facto editor. She read, commented, and assisted with edits. Ready for publication, Juan began sending manuscripts to presses offering debut book awards. The Man
receiving the History Department award.
with Wolves for Hands was selected for the 2020 Nilsen Literary
Beyond the walls of Francis Parker, Jackson was a 2022
Missouri State University Press.
Governor’s Scholar, referees YMCA youth sports, and works at Le Relais as an assistant server. He volunteered for Morgan McGarvey’s successful campaign for Congress last year and has been a Kentucky State Senate page. He makes time to hang out in Louisville’s abundant park system, loves video
Prize for a First Novel and published in 2022 by Southeast
In the classroom at 233 West Broadway, Juan teaches his students the fundamentals of grammar. “The more you know, the more you can experiment. I teach at the granular level — denotation, connotation, and helping my students craft sentences
games, and happily attended five school proms this past spring.
that are pleasing to the ear,” Juan notes. Students receive
Jackson expressed gratitude for the teachers he has had at
his publisher. And Juan teaches the craft to his teenage students
Francis Parker: “Personal connection with the teachers is unparalleled and indispensable. It has been truly awesome to have that kind of support.” Thank you, Jackson, for all your contributions to Francis Parker over the past 13 years. Go Wyverns and Go Hoos!
feedback from Juan on their writing just like he does from Cia or just as he knows it himself — as a professional. In addition to several poetry manuscripts, Juan is currently working on a second novel, Marmalade, Florida, a fictitious town,
situation in general, reminded her of the Y2K idea she had jotted down. These two scenarios were eerily similar. To comfort herself and her students she started writing. Carissa placed Dani into scenarios of conspiracy theories about Y2K and showed the readers her disappointment when the clock switched to midnight and not much happened. Three months later, the novel was in rough draft form. Carissa notes, “Doomsday Dani is the longest piece I’ve written — and the quickest. I attribute that to the fact that I was forced to stay home. My writing now gets distracted by actually living life.” Carissa shared her novel with a writing group, editors, and mentors. Ready to submit for publication, Carissa prioritized women-owned publishing houses, and ultimately Doomsday Dani was put on track for a March 2023 release date by Orange Blossom Publishing. Carissa has started working on her second middle-grade novel, inspired by quarantining in the pandemic. This July, she has plans
Scan the QR code to learn more about Juan’s book.
to be the artist-in-residence at A.I.R. Studio Paducah. Focused on her middle school niche, Carissa notes, “I read what they read. I am motivated as a teacher to find stories by modern authors and storylines like The Hunger Games.” From growing up in Appalachia, Carissa has a deep history of storytelling in her blood: “Experiences would always turn into tall tales in my family.
but not without personal connection. With a smile on his face, he says, “I’m a big fan of orange marmalade and peanut butter
I am fascinated by stories — especially dystopian stories — and this has led me to be a writer.”
sandwiches on plain white bread. I have one every single evening with a glass of milk.”
Marriages/Engagements
Meanwhile on the Goshen Campus, Middle School Language Arts Department Chair Carissa Turpin is setting the bar high for her students as well. In 2023, Carissa published her first middle-grade novel, Doomsday Dani, with a woman-owned, independent publisher. The seed for Doomsday Dani was planted while Carissa was living in Arizona in December 2019. Her 7th grade students were discussing the fact that when they returned to school in January, it would be a new year with new numbers to write as the date. This brought to mind the Y2K phenomenon, which Carissa then described to them, as they had not yet been born, sharing “I remember when all four digits changed!” Not thinking too much about it at the time, she did record the idea in her teacher planner. Three months later, the COVID-19 pandemic began. Schools closed and everyone was forced to stay home and reimagine how to continue day-to-day life. Students were scared, confused, and lonely. To cope, many of her students reached out to Carissa to seek reassurance and comfort that they would be okay. At the time, Carissa was living alone, far away from her family and roots in Eastern Kentucky. The emails she was receiving, and the
Scan the QR code to learn more about Carissa’s book.
Elizabeth in her junior year
Interested in joining the Alumni Committee? The goal of the Committee is to support the School’s efforts to foster strong relationships between the School and its community of alumni. If you have interest in joining our virtual committee meetings, contact us at alumni@francisparkerlouisville.org. Elizabeth and her three Wyvern children
Alum of the Year: Elizabeth Zimmerman ’96 Every year, we have the pleasure of honoring one of our Francis Parker graduates at Graduation. We are fortunate to have such an amazing pool of Wyverns to choose from who continually support the School and our Mission, while also demonstrating the qualities of a Francis Parker graduate years after they leave our halls. This year, we honor Elizabeth Zimmerman from the Class of 1996 as the 2023 Alum of the Year. Below is the speech that Hannah Pate Harris, Alumni Relations Coordinator, delivered to honor Elizabeth at Graduation. At the end of the 2021-22 school year, as we embarked on changing the School’s name, we realized this would be a particular challenge for our alumni. As such, we began to focus on our Alumni Committee and alumni relations initiatives and determined that they needed to be reimagined and reinvigorated. It quickly became clear that, in order to be successful, strong
volunteer leadership from the alumni community was necessary. Understanding the impact alumni can have on the School community, Elizabeth stepped up and volunteered to lead our efforts to revamp and revitalize the Alumni Committee. On top of being a mom to three Wyverns and managing a full-time job, she dedicated countless hours to the committee and the School. She was instrumental in re-organizing the committee, setting its purpose, and giving it shape. Once the committee was up and running, she set about partnering with me to create a thorough alumni engagement survey to significantly enhance the information we have about our alums and determine new ways to engage them. In addition, she was a volunteer speaker to welcome this senior class to the Alumni Association in April. Plus, she is a huge advocate for the School in our community, and she is the reason several new students are enrolling in the School next year. Finally, Elizabeth has consistently and generously contributed to the School’s Annual Fund in order to help provide our current students with the same experiences and memories that she had during her time here. Her passion and commitment to Francis Parker is evident in the time and energy she has dedicated to keep the Mission of the School alive with our former graduates, and encourage them to maintain their commitment to and support of the School. We cannot thank her enough for the impact she has already made, and will continue to make, on our School community. Congratulations, Elizabeth!
Alumni Profile: Cat Runner ’16 Brownie Southworth ’17 and Jillian
Morrison ’17 began dating during their
Francis Parkerjunior alum Runner ’16couple year Cat at Francis Parker. The got engaged in September and are looking recently won the HBO Max rock climbing forward to their May 2023 wedding! series, The Climb . Hosted by Jason Brandon Dowlat ’09 this and hisseries wife Momoa and Chris Sharma, Jada said "I Do" during a beachside featured climbers from across 15, the globe ceremony on September 2022. competing for a cash prize and a PrAnasponsored climbing career. In April, Cat returned to the Downtown Campus to Teddy Finkelstein G’09, ’13 and Sarah Murray tied the knot in Canton, talk with the High School student body Massachusetts. Wyverns in attendance included Matthew Linkous ’13 and Anna and the Middle School QSA. Finkelstein G’11, ’15.
Cat says, “I was a natural climber as a kid” and cites his five-foot Lyla ’11 Outside and Caroline stature as partly why. In anWasz-Piper interview with Online, he Ferguson were married Chicago, … I’m noted, “I grew up climbing trees and climbing in everything Illinois on September 10, 2022. very good at mantles because that’s the only way to get to the top of things in the kitchen.” A mantle, in climbing, refers to what you’d do to hoist yourself up out of a pool: reaching up,
Cat transferred to Francis Parker for his junior and senior years
pressing your palms flat, and levering your body upwards. Cat
after coming out as a transgender man. When asked why he
explains that this is how he regularly reaches pancake mix or
chose Francis Parker, he cited the “safe environment” for his
soup high in the pantry.
transition. Cat credits Francis Parker as a place where he
learned how to embrace and stand up for who he is. In joining The Climb, Cat hoped to represent trans individuals in the climbing community. He certainly did so with a flourish, as after traveling to Spain and beating 10 other contestants in a variety of rock climbing challenges, including bouldering, sport climbing, deep water solo, and trad, he emerged as the victor. Today, Cat is a full-time commercial filmmaker and photographer. He is also the founder of Queer Climbers’ Network, a group “focused on connecting queer climbers and building a more-inclusive climbing community.” You can see his creative work and support his advocacy by following him on Instagram at both @catlikeacat and @queerclimbersnetwork.
Scan the QR code to connect
with fellow alums on Facebook!
Save the Date: Alumni Reunion & Homecoming Weekend Save the date for our Alumni Reunion & Homecoming Weekend on September 22-23, 2023. We welcome all of our alums, near and far, back to the School for a fun-filled weekend! RSVP at francisparkerlouisville.org/alumni. Friday, September 22 is the Fall Sports Picnic & Homecoming on the fields of our Goshen Campus. There will be Middle and High School field hockey and soccer games, food trucks, kids activities, and more! We encourage alums of all ages to join us to cheer on the Wyverns and be recognized at halftime during one of the games. This is a family-friendly event, and alums will have a
Farewell, Mr. Mikulak With heavy hearts, the Wyvern community bids farewell to the legendary and beloved Ron Mikulak, who passed away in
designated tent to gather and eat as well.
January 2023. Ron was a founding faculty member at the High
Saturday, September 23 is the reunion dinner on the
faculty emeritus status upon his retirement in 2003. He was also
Downtown Campus for the classes of 1983, 1993, 2003, and 2013. Join us for an evening of catching-up with old friends, reminiscing about “the good ole days”, and making new connections with fellow alumni. There will be special faculty guests in attendance, too! We encourage members of these classes to get involved with planning. If you are interested in joining the reunion planning committee, please contact Alumni Relations Coordinator Hannah Pate Harris at hharris@francisparkerlouisville.org.
School, where he taught English for 25 years and was awarded an accomplished journalist and chef. As a voracious learner himself, Ron taught with passion and gusto. With his sharp wit and a flair for the dramatic, he was able to bring the great literary works to life for his students in ways that were engaging and intriguing, leaving them wanting to learn more. A devoted teacher, Ron saw the potential in every student and held each of them to the highest standards in order to unlock their greatest potential. Every student privileged enough to have been in his classroom was profoundly impacted by the experience. After his teaching career, Ron maintained strong connections with the School, attending our alumni events and visiting regularly to check up on us. While his passing leaves an unfillable void, he will forever
Have a Future Wyvern at Home? Our admissions team would love to host you and your future Wyvern for a personal campus tour. Come visit and share your memories and experiences with your family. Schedule a tour today and/or join us for our Open Houses on Sunday, November 5 (High School) and Sunday, November 12 (Preschool - 8th grade). Trisha Amirault, Director of Enrollment 502-736-1009 or tamirault@francisparkerlouisville.org Maggie Blakeslee, Director of Admissions - High School 502-736-1007 or mblakeslee@francisparkerlouisville.org
be a cherished part of our School history. Upon his passing, Ron made a sizable gift to the School from his estate to establish two endowment funds: one, a professional development fund so that he could help current and future faculty members continue learning and growing at Francis Parker; and the other, a scholarship in his beloved wife Ann Stewart Anderson’s (also a founding High School faculty member) name. For those who wish to honor Ron’s legacy and his service to our School, a gift to either of these funds would be a meaningful way to remember him. For more information, please contact Director of Advancement Bethany Heckel at 502-795-3890 or bheckel@francisparkerlouisville.org. Ron will always be remembered at Francis Parker, and we are so grateful for his many contributions to the School, as a founding teacher in our English department and now in perpetuity through his generous gift.
Alumni Updates
Engagements
Deborah Cohen ’86 has been awarded
Alyssa Kaplan ’15 became engaged to
the Goldsmith Book Prize from Harvard
Juston Schmidtke in the fall of 2022.
University and the prestigious Lynton History Prize from Columbia University for her book Last Call at the Hotel Imperial: The Reporters Who Took on a World War.
Aliya March ’16 graduated from Harvard University in May with a Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) in Industrial Organizational Psychology and is working towards her career goal of being a DEI consultant.
Wyvern Babies Dylan Holland ’06 and his wife Meghan welcomed Ruby on February 9, 2023.
Lily Gilbert G’18, ’22 was nominated for the Josh Goldfaden Award, an English/ expository writing award given out by the College of Arts and Sciences at NYU. Lily is currently a Music Theory and Composition major at NYU.
Miriam Roff Palicz ’09 and her husband Mike welcomed Heidi on May 25, 2023.
In Memoriam Patricia “Dean” Robertson, former High School faculty member, passed away in January 2023. Dean served on the Francis Parker High School faculty teaching English for over 10 years, during which time she made a significant impact on the lives of many students. Through Dean’s passion, dedication, and remarkable teaching skills, students were able to develop their own love of language and writing. She also developed exciting electives while at Francis Parker, including those that explored the Bible as literature, which would form the foundation for her later career and personal pursuits. Dean loved life, new experiences, and new friendships. We extend our deepest condolences to her dear friends and loved ones and offer our sincerest gratitude for her contributions and many years of service to the Wyvern community.
Edward “Ted” Ambrose Ford ’84 passed away at home on January 1, 2022 at age 55 of frontotemporal dementia. After attending Francis Parker for High School, Ted graduated from NYU. He lived 26 years in New York City before returning to Louisville. While living in New York, he was a freelance graphic designer and was employed at several art galleries, an antique and art publication, and The Museum of Modern Art. Ted was a kind, thoughtful, and generous man with a wonderful sense of humor and an infectious laugh. He had an inquisitive mind and was an avid reader. Ted had a courageous attitude toward his illness and fought hard to survive throughout the many years he was ill. The Wyvern community extends its deepest condolences to the family and dear friends of Ted Ford for their loss.
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