Our time to make an impact on the world is... right now.
By equally engaging the heart and the mind, we inspire and empower our students to change the world with purpose and understanding. Our students are inquirers. By asking “what” and “why,” they begin to understand their role in the “how.”
OUR MISSION
“World-Sized Hearts. World-Class Minds.”
OUR VISION
Preparing and inspiring children of today to become courageous, caring, global citizens and enlightened leaders of tomorrow.
OUR VALUES
• Wonder, inquiry, and discovery
• Diverse ways of thinking and understanding
• Compassionate actions
• Responsibility for one’s self and others
• Sharing our gifts with the world
St. Mary’s School’s fiscal year runs from July 1 through June 30.
This Report on Philanthropy provides a summary of the year’s fundraising efforts and recognizes gifts received during the 2024–2025 fiscal year.
Every effort has been made to acknowledge contributions accurately and in accordance with donor wishes. Should you notice an error, please accept our sincere apologies and notify the Development Team at development@smaa.org so that we may ensure the accuracy of our records.
St. Mary’s School
7 Pursuit, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656 www.smaa.org
The 2024-2025 St. Mary’s School Report on Philanthropy is a production of the St. Mary’s School Advancement Team.
DEAR St. Mary’s Community
This year marks a defining moment in the life of our school. With the opening of The Sillers Center, the Thompson Family Early Education Center, the Liu Family Playground, Floriani Family Park, and the Welcome Café, our campus has been transformed into a place that reflects the heart and vision of St. Mary’s. These new spaces are already alive with student energy, faculty innovation, and family connection, and we are filled with gratitude for everyone who made this possible.
The 2024–2025 Report on Philanthropy celebrates what we have accomplished together during the public phase of the Design The Future campaign. The story told here is one of remarkable generosity, service, and belief in what St. Mary’s can become. More than a building, this effort represents an investment in the promise of every child who will walk our halls, play on our playgrounds, and dream in our learning spaces.
In the year ahead, we look forward to welcoming you to campus often—whether at a community gathering, a signature event, or a visit to see firsthand how our students and faculty are bringing these new environments to life. Reuniting as one community on a completed campus is a gift, and it is one we do not take for granted.
We also extend deep gratitude for the leadership of our Board of Trustees, our Parent Teacher Fellowship Board, and our fundraising committees—including the Campaign Committee, Development Committee, and St. Mary’s Fund Committee—as well as the many volunteers whose wisdom, time, and enthusiasm have guided this journey. Their efforts, together with the generosity of hundreds of families, ensure that St. Mary’s continues to fulfill its mission of forming world-sized hearts and world-class minds.
This Report on Philanthropy also carries a special meaning: it comes at a moment of transition in leadership. After more than 30 years of service to St. Mary’s—including her tenure as Head of School and most recently Chief Advancement Officer—Sharon Taylor now steps into the role of retirement as Head of School Emeritus. It is a joy for all of us to share this letter together, as we celebrate both the culmination of the Design The Future campaign and the enduring leadership that has brought us to this place in our history.
Thank you for believing in this community, this mission, and the future of St. Mary’s School.
With gratitude, Doug
Patterson
Sharon Taylor Kevin DeAllen Head of School Head of School Emeritus Chair, Board of Trustees
$2,435,500
$758,000
2024-2025
As
$371,000 EVENTS
$497,500 RESTRICTED GIVING $210,000 OTHER GIVING
2025–2026 Board of Trustees
2025–2026 PTF Board
Kevin
2024–2025 Board of Trustees
2025–2026 Board of Trustees
2024-2025 Development Committee
Jeff
2024-2025 PTF Board
2025–2026 Development Committee
St. Mary’s Leadership
With
2025–2026 PTF Board
Message From The Campaign Committee
Dear St. Mary’s Community,
This year, our hearts are full as we celebrate nearing the completion of the Design The Future campaign and the opening of the Sillers Center, Floriani Family Park, and the Thompson Family Early Education Center. What began as a vision years ago has now become a reality, made possible through the generosity, commitment, and belief of this community.
In August, we gathered with donors and friends for a Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony that marked more than the unveiling of new buildings. It marked the start of a new chapter in St. Mary’s history. Together, we opened spaces created to inspire creativity, collaboration, and innovation, giving our students the tools and environment to thrive for years to come.
More than 350 families, grandparents, parents of alumni, alumni, and friends contributed nearly $12 million to bring this dream to life. Each gift, large or small, was an investment in the future of our students and a testament to the strength of our community. You did more than provide walls and classrooms. You created a lasting legacy of learning and innovation.
In the pages that follow, you will see stories and celebrations of the donors who made this campaign possible. This achievement belongs to all of you, and we are deeply grateful.
With gratitude,
The Design the Future Campaign Committee
Doug Patterson Head of School
Virtue Byrd Director of Capital Campaign & Alumni Relations
Design The Future Campaign Committee Administrative Leadership Campaign Committee
Kevin DeAllen
Kim DeAllen
Shawn Baldwin
Keri Baldwin
Dan Floriani
Jordan Floriani
Sharon Taylor Chief Advancement Officer
Jen Staudenbaur Executive Director of Advancement
Gordon McNeill
Anne Marie McNeill
Pokey Thompson
Lou Vandermolen
Sally Vandermolen
PROGRAMMING & CONCEPTUAL PLANNING
Evaluated Project Options To Complete Campus Facilities Plan
In-Depth Design Thinking Curriculum Research
Created A Case For Support For The Campaign And Held Community Briefings
Capital Campaign Launched
Determined Project Cost Of $23M
A gift of play, discovery, and friendship
For Jenny and Steve Liu, St. Mary’s mission “World-Sized Hearts. World-Class Minds.” was the inspiration behind their gift to create the Liu Family Playground and outdoor spaces.
“From the very first introduction by friends and neighbors, to visiting the website, touring campus, and meeting with the school leadership team, St. Mary’s met all of our expectations for our children’s education,” they shared. “It felt meant to be.”
The Liu Family Playground is now physically centered at the heart of our Early Education program. With a colorful play structure, bike track, mud kitchen, and imaginative play zones, every element is designed to support the whole child’s development.
A particularly meaningful feature for the Liu Family is the wooden bridge, engraved in honor of their two sons, Andy (Grade 1) and William (Early Kindergarten). The bridge includes a beloved family saying:
Donor Spotlight
“Books open your mind, travel opens your eyes”
Their gift reflects a vision for the future of St. Mary’s as well as for their own children. “We hope children learn to make friends, grow their curiosity, and discover how to collaborate as a team. We wish for all Falcons to develop in a community that is culturally diverse, open, inclusive, and balanced—where they can become kind, brave, generous, and compassionate.” These incredible new spaces would not be possible without the generosity of families coming together to give back. Jenny and Steve jumped right in to help the school where they could, and today, hundreds of children and families are able to enjoy and benefit from their generosity. We are deeply grateful for their example and for the joy their gift brings to our school each day.
The Liu Family Playground
FUNDRAISING DESIGN CONSTRUCTION
Partnered With RGA Office Of Architectural Design And Landstudio 360
$8 Million Raised In Silent Phase
Public Phase Of Capital Campaign Launched
Community Demo & Donuts Event
Groundbreaking Celebration
Community Beam Signing
Alumni Tour Construction At Holiday Event
Campus Completion
Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting For Donors
Community Open House
From Dream To Design: Our Future Unveiled
On September 5, our community celebrated the Grand Opening of The Sillers Center and Floriani Family Park—a milestone in our Design The Future vision.
This new 28,000-square-foot, two-story facility inspires learning, creativity, and connection. At its center is the innovative Design Center, serving all grades. Our youngest Falcons now learn in the Thompson Family Early Education Center, while families are greeted by a welcoming café and lightfilled lobby.
Outside, 40,000 square feet of outdoor spaces— including the Floriani Family Park and Liu Playground —invite learning, gathering, and play. These extraordinary new facilities reflect the generosity of our community and ensure St. Mary’s students will thrive for generations to come.
You Can Still Make an Impact
Don’t miss your chance to be part of it. The Design The Future Donor Wall, which will be proudly displayed in our new lobby, honors the generous supporters who are helping bring these bold new learning spaces to life. There’s still time to add your name! Gifts of all sizes are welcome and appreciated, and we’ll continue accepting contributions through the end of the campaign in December. Your support helps shape the future for our students—and ensures that our learning environment reflects the innovation, creativity, and community spirit that defines St. Mary’s.
“The best ideas start as conversations.”
—Jony Ive, Former Chief Design Officer at Apple
Spotlight: Building The Foundation For Design Thinking At St. Mary’s
When the doors to the new Sillers Center opened, one of the most exciting spaces to come to life was the Design Center. Under the leadership of Trent Jones, Director of the Design Center, St. Mary’s has entered a new chapter of hands-on, inquiry-driven learning.
Year 0: Laying the Groundwork in 2024-2025
Even before the Design Center was fully constructed, Mr. Jones began the important work of continuing to shape a culture of design thinking across campus. He further educated our faculty and students on a five-step framework—empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test—that encourages problem-solving, collaboration, and creativity. Teachers experimented with short design challenges in their classrooms, students began to practice the vocabulary of innovation, and the community was introduced to a mindset that connects curiosity to real-world applications. These first steps ensured that, by the time the Design Center opened, St. Mary’s students were already prepared to take advantage of its possibilities.
Looking Ahead: Year 1 and Beyond
With the Design Center now fully open, Mr. Jones and his team are already expanding these efforts. The Design Center’s flexible labs, studios, and collaboration zones will support projects across all grade levels—from imaginative storytelling and prototyping in Kindergarten to complex design challenges in Middle School that integrate science, math and the arts. Whether it’s building empathy through community-focused projects, fostering resilience through trial and error, or encouraging students to bring their boldest ideas to life, the Design Center provides the space and structure to make it happen.
A Community Investment in the Future
The Design Center represents the belief that innovation is essential to learning. Donor support of the Design The Future campaign has made it possible to launch this program from a strong foundation. Thanks to this investment, our students are developing the skills, mindsets, and confidence to thrive in a world that demands creativity, collaboration, and courage.
Leadership Society ($500,000+)
Argyros Family Foundation
Lisa Argyros
The Floriani Family (BOT, PAL)
Bianca Jin and Kuan Zhang
The Liu Family
Vinny and Victoria Smith
The Tang Family
The Thompson Family (PAL)
Visionary Circle ($200,000-$499,999)
The Abghari Family
The Abrahams Family
The Arman Family (PAL)
Shawn and Keri Baldwin Family (BOT, PAL)
Sean and Casey Brown
The Jahangiri Family
The Keif Family (BOT)
Kelly and Duane Roberts (GP)
The Tavakoli Kadar Family (BOT)
The Vlok Family (BOT, PAL)
The Vandermolen Family
The Warner Family (PAL)
Blake Zhang and Kai Zheng
Design Partners ($100,00 - $199,999)
Morgan and Erika Brown (PAL)
Michael and Amber Chang
Polina Chebotareva-Mudrick and Tim Mudrick
Gordon and Anne Marie McNeill (BOT, PAL)
The Monis Family Foundation
The Taylor Family (BOT, PAL)
The Tobiason Family (BOT)
The Xu Family
Builders Of Tomorrow ($25,000-$99,999)
The Abraham Family (BOT, PAL)
Serena, Matthew and Hayden Benson (BOT, PAL)
The Carlton Family (PAL)
Sophia Farsai Family (PAL)
Julian Farzaneh and Family
The Fis(c)her Family (PAL)
Christopher and Gianni Frisco
The Furst Family
The Ghailian Family (PAL)
David Ghannadi and Sarah Jebreil-Ghannadi
The Gitlin and Westling Families
The Guerdat Family (BOT, PAL)
The Harmon Family (BOT)
Michele and Brian Hull Family (PAL)
The Hussain Family
The Kite Family (BOT, PAL)
The Kraninger Family (BOT, PAL)
The Laquin Family
The Marsh Family (BOT, PAL)
Simone Gerges
Greg and Athena Merage
Steve and Mariko Nordhoff
Premier Roofing & Building Co. Inc.
The Price Family
The Qian Family (GP)
The Santore Family (BOT)
The Spanos Family
The Steinhafel Family
Jacob Stewart ‘16
Kennedy Stewart ‘19
Fernando and Cheryl Wang
The Zeigler Family (BOT)
Supporters Of Innovation ($10,000-$24,999)
The Beadel Family (BOT, PAL)
Chris and Priscilla Colwell
The Erb Family
Jeff and Heather Haworth (PAL)
Barry and Tressie Lieberman
Di Liu and Cici Yu
Doug and Courtney Patterson
The Pedigo Family (BOT, PAL)
Yan Sun and Yulun Jiang
Jeffrey and Paulina Thomas
Michael and Eugenie Tian
Adam and Deborah Vali
WM Keck Foundation
Wenbo Zhang and Betty Zhou
Edward Zhou and Amanda Wang (PAL)
Community Circle ($1,000-$9,999)
Cara and Eric Acker
The Adderton Family (PAL)
Ammar and Duha Al-Ali (PAL)
Anonymous
The Awadalla Family (PAL)
The Bergold Family
Mahdis, Amir and Ayla Bormand
Dennis and Choo Choo Boyer (BOT, GP)
Paras and Kam Bozorgi
Terry Burke
Shawn and Kelly Cao (PAL)
Capital Group Companies
Lindsay and Ben Carmona
Kristen and Tom Chadwell (BOT, PAL)
Chuangwen Chen and Queenie Zhao
The Dahbour Family
Kim and Seth Davenport
The DeAllen Family (BOT, PAL)
Mary Beth Dougherty, Ed.D (BOT)
Anchor Edwards & Family
The Fang Family
Jennifer Farr (BOT, PAL)
Al and Danette Fenstermacher (GP)
The Gao Family
Goldman Sachs
The Gray Family Foundation (PAL)
Shuisheng Hong and Daisy Zhu
Trent and Jennifer Junkin
The Kral Family (PAL)
The LeTien Family (PAL)
Raymond Liang and Lynda Chen
The Linovitz Family
Maggie Liu and Robert Sui
The Ludutsky Family (GP)
The Mazer Family (PAL)
John and Paige McCord (PAL)
Carlo and Ines Micali
Jeff and Maggie Minhas (BOT, PAL)
Sophia Moran ‘23
Sydney Moran ‘22
Jagmeet and Jyoti Mundi
Ryan and Leslie Murphy (PAL)
The Nabavi Family
Michael and Jesse Page
Sean and Lena Patrick
William and Mary Phillips (BOT, PAL)
PIMCO
The Simonoff Family
Rosie Song
Skip and Dawn Steele
Zoey Su and Yuchao Wang
The Webb Family
The Wilkins Family (PAL)
Corbett Williams and Karen Cheng
Kingston Williams
The Xiang Family
The Zhang Family
Cynthia Zhang and Ian Wang
Vicki Zhang and Hao Zhuang
Yaru Zhao and Zongyan Li (PAL)
Sushu Zhou and Feng Zhou (PAL)
The Zia Family
Friends Of The Future ($999 & below)
Sarah Abuel-Saud
Charlotte, Elizabeth, and Vivian Acker
Cayden and Acacia Adkison
Darsh and Rani Aggarwal (GP)
Michelle Amaral
Anonymous (6)
The Arruda Family (PAL)
ASML
Jillian Auckland
Aviation Capital Group
Maureen Baca (PAL)
Derek and Abeni Bias
The Boerlin Family (PAL)
Jenna Boerlin ‘13
Vida Bonakdar
Amalia and James Boyd
Madlen Brauner
Brian Byrd ‘16
David and Virtue Byrd (PAL)
Marco Camargo and Carmen Anderson (PAL)
Marianne Cameron (GP)
Mary Carmona (GP)
Caitlin Carpenter ’02
Kim and Tom Carpenter (GP, PAL)
The C’deBaca Family
Kevin Chan and Crystal Huynh
Feihua Chen and Ying Lu
Matt and Laura Clifford (BOT)
The Cox Family (PAL)
Steve and Nikki Cox
Scott Darney
Patrick and Keri Del Conte (PAL)
Don and Alona Del Rio
Timothy and Lisa Dennis
Kailee Desmond ‘24
Cliff and Christine Downie (PAL)
Desiree Downie ‘25
Lilah Downie
Kerstin Dracolakis
David and Kathy Dumain (PAL)
Jessica Dunlap
The Dzwonkowski Family (PAL)
Alicia Eldridge
Jessica Elizalde-Rendon ‘16
Sophia Elizalde-Rendon ‘20
Nancy Erb and John Savarese (GP)
Massy Fazaeli (GP)
Catherine Fleming
Rose Flores
The Flynn Family
The Forman Family
Jim and Mary Forney (GP)
Jennifer Frederick
The Friedl Family (PAL)
The Galindo Family
Lisa Garceau
The Gath Family
Mary Garnier
Alexander Ghailian ‘24
Julian Ghailian ‘24
Antonella O. and Paul Gleason
Adam and Ashlee Goehle
Jonathan Gomez Rivera
Christe Greco
Martin and Gena Guisar
Kassi Haley
Brooke and Charles Harmon ‘08
Shelly Harmon (GP, PAL)
Brandi Hartigan
Jeremy Haworth ‘23
Julian Haworth ‘21
Kim and Ben Helm
Justin and Anne Hepworth
Calvin Howard ‘20
Brian and Min Hwang
Hyon and Myong Hwang (GP)
Christina Jansto (GP)
Kamaljeet Jessel
Karen Johnson (PAL)
Trent Jones
Roxanne Kane
Isabella Kechejian ’15
Julien Kechejian ’19
Matthew Kechejian ’19
Samuel and Claudia Kechejian (PAL)
Dick and Kathy Keller (GP)
Erin Kelley
Kristie, Jeff, and Ava Kender
Jon Knutson
Emily and Josh Ko
Kimberly Komrosky (PAL)
The Konetzke Family (PAL)
The Kucich Family
Robert and Priya Goel La Londe
Esther and Chris Lee
Patrick and Cara Leroy
Henry Lew ’18
Jesse Lew ’21
Susan and Canyon Lew (PAL)
Cathy Lundberg
The Ma Family
The MacEachern Family
Taylor Maes
Kim Mansfield
Jake Martin ’16
Bella Martinez ‘13
David and Kristine Martinez (PAL)
Max Martinez ‘14
Minka Martinez ‘19
Greg and Kathryn Mayes (PAL)
Alisha and William McCullough
The McDaniel Family (PAL)
Gavin McNeill ‘22
The Melvin Torres Family
Stewart and Robin Mims (PAL)
Ceci Mirzai
2021-2025
Design The Future Campaign Donors
Kathryn Smith (GP)
Tessa Smith
The Smushkovich Family
Tom Spence
The Staudenbaur Family
Rachel Steinbach
Michael and Lauren Sterner (PAL)
Jude Sylvester
Tracey and Dustin Mittelsteadt (PAL)
Natalie and Anthony Morris
Neelam Mowlavi ‘25
Zubin and Layla Mowlavi
Mazda North America Operations
Sarita Murillo and Christopher Schamschula
The Murphy Family
Nima Nami and Nahan Erfan
Dianne Newberry (GP)
Catherine Nguyen
Charlotte Ontiveros ‘24
Henry Ontiveros ’22
The Pan Family
Mike and Julie Patterson
Nikki Pearson and Ryan Fink
John and Rosie Pla (PAL)
Danell and David Puetz
Michael and Katie Red
Rob and Krisha Risley
The Robertson Family
Hollie Robins
The Rodriguez Family
Frederik and Megan Roshan
Kim and Caner Sahin
Basem and Maryann Samuel
Cynthia Sanchez
Michelle Penick Schwager
The Sharifi Boys (PAL)
Michael and Patricia Siegman (PAL)
The Sipelis Family
Zach and Tamara Sippl (PAL)
Clark and Cathy Smith (PAL)
Kaia Sylvester
Zoey Sylvester
Christina Texel
The Thavirat Family (PAL)
The T’Kindt Family
The Tran Family (PAL)
Allen Tsai and Patty Lin
Arturo and Kristin Valdez (PAL)
Anne Marie Valum (PAL)
Julie Van Eizenga and Chi Kuang Hwang
Eric Vargas
Tony and Lori Vasquez (PAL)
Marcus Vlok ‘20
Leila Volkmann (PAL)
Leslie Wallace
Rob Warren
David and Maria Wayland
Marshall and Rita Wayland (GP)
Sofia Weed ‘24
Thaddeus and Jocelyn Williams (PAL)
Danielle and Justin Williamson
Workday
Nathan and Anne Yeargin
Angie Yogaratnam ‘16
Navin Yogaratnam ‘19
Nimi and Mimi Yogaratnam (PAL)
James and Jennifer Zembrzuski
Jerry Zhou ‘25 and Anny Zhou
EVERY GIFT MAKES AN IMPACT
BECAUSE OF YOU...
$754,585 RAISED A remarkable show of generosity and belief in our mission.
2024-25
726 STUDENTS BENEFITED Every child. Every day.
354 DONORS GAVE Parents, grandparents, alumni, faculty & friends.
86 LEADERSHIP DONORS Gifts of $5,000+ driving transformational impact.
70 FIRST-TIME DONORS A growing community of support.
64 DONORS INCREASED THEIR GIFTS Choosing to make an even greater difference.
$2,690 AVERAGE PARENT GIFT A powerful expression of commitment & generosity.
With heartfelt gratitude, we thank every donor who supported this year’s St. Mary’s Fund.
Together, we raised an incredible $754,585, directly fueling the people, programs, and experiences that make St. Mary’s a school like no other.
This year, we asked our community to show up in many ways—and you did. Your decision to invest in the St. Mary’s Fund speaks volumes about your commitment to our mission, our students, and our future.
More than just a fundraising effort, the St. Mary’s Fund empowers us to say YES to bold ideas, exceptional faculty, and the opportunities that bring our strategic plan to life. Your generosity makes this possible.
We are especially grateful to our parents, grandparents, alumni families, faculty, and friends for their extraordinary support. Because of you, our students experience:
• Transformative learning opportunities
• Dedicated faculty and staff that are provided exceptional professional development
• Extraordinary programs in the arts, athletics, STEM, and design thinking • Inspiring moments through field trips, guest speakers, and more
Thank you for helping us bring our mission to life—and for believing in what makes St. Mary’s truly exceptional.
Thank
VISIONARIES CIRCLE
Ravi and Jasmine Ghataode
The Warner Family
MILLENNIUM CIRCLE
Anonymous
Cyrus and Missy Arman
John and Sonya Bauer
Sean and Casey Brown
Peter and Kate Carlton
The Keif Family
Mark and Stephanie Laquin
The Liu Family
Di Liu and Cici YU
The Simonoff Family
Yan Sun and Yulun Jiang
The Vlok Family
Yulong Beibei Wang Family
Karen Cheng and Corbett Williams
Blake Zhang and Kai Zheng
Edward Zhou and Amanda Wang
HEAD OF SCHOOL CIRCLE
Anonymous (3)
The Abraham Family
Craig and Cara Abrahams
Sanjay and Anita Ayer
Deepak Bansal and Shelly Jain
The Beadel Family
Paras and Kam Bozorgi
Morgan and Erika Brown
Michael and Amber Chang
Polina Chebotareva-Mudrick and Tim Mudrick
Susan Choe and Tom Tobiason
Shain and Xiomi Cuber
Kim and Seth Davenport
Craig and Lindsay Dickhout
Joel and Reanna Edwards
The Fis(c)her Family
The Furst Family
David Ghannadi and Sarah Jebreil-Ghannadi
Goldman Sachs
The Hachey Family
The Hansen Family
The Helms Foundation –
Stephen and Charlotte Bell –
Paul and Denise Helms
The Jen Family
The Kite Family
The Koury Family
The Kraninger Family
Kugelman Family Foundation
Braeden Lichti and Trisha Toftdahl
The Linovitz Family
Maggie Liu and Robert Sui
John and Paige McCord
Gordon and Anne Marie McNeill
Steve and Mariko Nordhoff
Sean and Lena Patrick
Nikki Pearson and Ryan Fink
Robert and Ellie Price
Atisa Setak and Brian Abghari
A.G. and Kamri Spanos
Brandon and Amy Staley
Zoey Su and Yuchao Wang
Michael and Eugenie Tian
Wendy and Felix Tseng
Adam and Deborah Vali
The Vandermolen Family
Eileen and Steven Wang
The Wittkop Family
Gene Wu and Donna Bautista
Winnie Wu and Ryan Wang’s Family
The Xu Family
Faysal Yafi and Natalie Roberts Yafi
Aaron and Kelly Zeigler
James and Jennifer Zembrzuski
Jack Zhai and Quinne Liu
Sushu Zhou and Feng Zhou
Weigang Zhou and Feini Chen
Vicki Zhang and Hao Zhuang
Wenbo Zhang and Betty Zhou
SUSTAINERS CIRCLE
Shawn and Kelly Cao
Cici Chen and Jerry Song
William and Donya Dobkin
Chris and Christina Harmon
The Heyduk Family
The Hong Family
Manna Kadar and Sohrab Tavakoli
The Letien Family
Peng Li and Jing Shen
Louise Ludutsky
Chris and Rebecca Maloof
Alyssa and Stephen Monroe
Cosimo Palumbo and Anna Lubrano
Liu Peng and Yanbin Lu
Alex Qi and Rickie Liu
The Qian Family
Jeremy and Maggie Stamelman
Deepak Subramanian and Avantika Ajit
Fernando and Cheryl Wang
Qiyang Wang and Fengyuan Jia
Mimi Zhang and Ming Gu
The Zhang Family
BENEFACTORS
Raj and Renuka Agrawal
Bryan and Lexie Allen
Anonymous
Aviation Capital Group
Jeffrey Bassett and Trisha Prudencio
The Gath Family
Capital Group
Lindsay and Ben Carmona
David Chan and Stephanie Kim
Chuangwen Chen and Queenie Zhao
Essie Chen and Chaoyi Jin
Feihua Chen and Ying Lu
Lynda Chen and Raymond Liang
Rui Chen & Coco Gu
Chris and Priscilla Colwell
Xiaojie Feng and Yuan Chai
Alan and Kimberly Fenstermacher
Christopher and Gianni Frisco
Angelo and Lori Ghailian
Carma and Amr Hamdan
Jeff and Heather Haworth
Justin and Anne Hepworth
Jun Won Jung and Suhyun Park
The Khaleghi Family
The Kral Family
Christy and Olivier Laganiere
Haibo Li and Ying Wang
The Ma Family
The MacEachern Family
Zubin and Layla Mowlavi
Gina Olsen
Michael and Jesse Page
The Pedigo Family
Ruixue Qi and Shen Li
The Qian Family
Tao Qiu and Wenjie Xia
Inhee and Arthur Ruderman
Alison and Mike Santore
Aaron Schmidt and Sandra Sanguinetti
State Farm
Skip and Dawn Steele
Allen Tsai and Patty Lin
David and Maria Wayland
The Wilkins Family
Ricky Yang and Sara Huang
Lillian Yin
Yang Zheng and Viet Do
PATRONS
Cara and Eric Acker
Anonymous (4)
Angels Creation
Reproductive Center
Angshu Bhattacharyya and Preeti Prasher
Blackbaud
Asia and Terrance Brooks
Terry Burke
The Chen Family
Roger and Karen Dennis
Shuisheng Hong and Jingjing Zhu
The Huang Family
The Illumina Foundation
Jaewon Kahng
Margaux Kugelman
Cate and Jeff Lee
Charlotte Luo and Andy Zhang
Mama Bijoux
Bruno Mancinelli
Kasia Mays
William and Alice Medina
Microsoft
Mohyee Mikhemar and Yasmine Elsamadony
The Nabavi Family
Doug and Courtney Patterson
Basem and MaryAnn Samuel
Lauren and Vitas Sipelis
Paddy Sun and Ariel Gong
The Thavirat Family
Jeffrey and Paulina Thomas
The Tran Family
Peiyi Wang and Yan Jiang
Yida Wang and Cen Li
Derren Woods and Chen Liang
Michael Ye and Becky Wu
Nianchu Yu and Rui Peng
The Zhang Family
Kan Zhang and Mingying Gu
Xiaohui Zheng and Fuyuan Zhuang
XuFeng Zhu and Yuechan Hong
SUPPORTERS
Anonymous (5)
Sam and Jessica Abraham
Darsh and Rani Aggarwal
The Alaidroos Family
Alty International
ASML
Amir and Mahdis Bormand
Tim and Tabatha Bui
Jeff Chen and Lucci Liu
Cincolink Inc.
Matt and Laura Clifford
The DeAllen Family
The Delle Donne Family
Delta Air Lines
Cliff and Christine Downie
The Forman Family
Bo Gao and Yue Guo
Google
Edgars and Dace Gulbis
Amir and Maite Heydarkhan
The Hua Family
The Hussain Family
Kathy and Dick Keller
Ritesh Keswani and Sonia Gurnani
Michael Konetzke and Joanna Gonzalez-Konetzke
Scott and Jen Kramer
Alisha and William McCullough
Weiming Mo and Jun Zhao
The Omrani Family
Nicole Lou and Tianbin Peng
The T’Kindt Family
Leslie Wallace
Gang Wang and Yang Cao
Aaron and Brock Weaver
Workday
Lawrence and Lynda Zadra
Lindy Zhou and Yachuan Pu
FRIENDS
FUND MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE
Anonymous (15)
Andrea Acevedo and Luis Galindo
Cayden Adkison
The Arruda Family
Maureen Baca
Jeff and Patricia Barron
Derek and Abeni Bias
The Bjerke Family
Jenna Boerlin ‘13
Vida Bonakdar
Christina Bowman
Amalia & James Boyd
Madlen Hulme
David and Virtue Byrd
Marco Camargo and Carmen Anderson
Patrick and Parvaneh Carter
Kevin Chan and Crystal Huynh
Mark and Anne Chapman
Ryan Chen and Angeline Dai
Harry and Kathleen Chenoweth
Henry and Jaime Chou
Steve and Nikki Cox
Scott Darney
Don and Alona Del Rio
Timothy and Lisa Dennis
Kendall Dowd
Kerstin Dracolakis
The Dzwonkowski Family
The Edwards Family
Alicia Eldridge
John and Diane Fisher
Catherine Fleming
Rose Flores
John and Sara Frasco
The Friedl Family
Antonella O. and Paul Gleason
Adam Goehle
Christe Greco
John and Jean Gregory
Martin and Gena Guisar
Shelly Harmon
Brandi Hartigan
Beomki Hong and Youngwon Park
Keith and Rita Hulley
Hyon and Myong Hwang
Nicole Jackson-Smith
The Jelic Family
Kamaljeet Jessel
JLK Rosenberger, LLP
Keith and Barbara Johannes
Karen Johnson
Trent Jones
Roxanne Kane
Samuel and Claudia Kechejian
Kristie and Jeff Kender
Myoung-Hwa Kim and Chanwon Choi
Jon Knutson
Emily and Joshua Ko
Kimberly Komrosky
Kroger
The Kucich Family
Robert and Priya Goel La Londe
Gerald and Caren Labovitch
Tim Lau and Quynh Vu
Esther Lee
Patrick and Cara Leroy
Carol and Ken Levin
Kellie Long
Jeffrey and Lauren Lowell
Ali and Shiva Manoucheri
David and Kristine Martinez
Greg and Kathryn Mayes
Mazda North America
Operations
Melissa McCabe
The McDaniel Family
Ann Meehan
Jeff and Maggie Minhas
Ceci Mirzai
Tracey and Dustin Mittelsteadt
Natalie and Anthony Morris
Nahan Erfan and Nima Nami
Catherine Nguyen
Gwendolyn Osborne-Smith
The Pan Family
William and Mary Phillips
Michelle “Penick” Schwager
Julie Ahner and Ed Prado
Michael and Katie Red
Hollie Robins
Kim and Caner Sahin
Tammy Salam
Sarita Murillo and Christopher Schamschula
Chase and Jill Scolnick
Kristin and Matt Scord
Steve Sharifi and Mahsa Rohani
Michael and Patricia Siegman
Clark and Cathy Smith
Mark and Sandra Smith
Tom Spence
Asha and Brendan Springstubb
Karl and Yvonne Standish
The Staudenbaur Family
Rachel Steinbach
Christina Texel
Arturo and Kristin Valdez
Anne Marie Valum
Juli Van Eizenga and Chi Kuang Hwang
Eric Vargas
Jose Pablo Vernava and Vanessa Barrantes
Kurt Vile and Carey Tushin
Leila Volkmann
Bing Wang and Haiyu Sang
Rob Warren
Thaddeus and Jocelyn Williams
Nathan and Anne Yeargin
Angie Yogaratnam ‘16
Navin Yogaratnam ‘19
Nimi and Mimi Yogaratnam
ST. MARY’S FUND ST. MARY’S
We are grateful for the following donors who have made a gift to the 2024-2025 St. Mary’s Fund between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025.
NEW FAMILY CIRCLE
ST. MARY’S
FUND
MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE
A special thank you to the following donors 2024-2025 new families who have joined our St. Mary’s community of supporters with a donation to the St. Mary’s Fund:
Andrea Acevedo and Luis Galindo
The Alaidroos Family
Anonymous (3)
Deepak Bansal and Shelly Jain
The Gath Family
Paras and Kam Bozorgi
Madlen Hulme
Tim and Tabatha Bui
Cici Chen and Jerry Song
Essie Chen and Chaoyi Jin
Jeff Chen and Lucci Liu
Ryan Chen and Angeline Dai
Rui Chen & Coco Gu
The Huang Family
Shain and Xiomi Cuber
William and Donya Dobkin
Joel and Reanna Edwards
Alan Fenstermacher and Kimberly Bender
John and Sara Frasco
The Furst Family
Bo Gao and Yue Guo
Amir and Maite Heydarkhan
The Hussain Family
The Jen Family
Jaewon Kahng
Mark and Stephanie Laquin
Cate and Jeff Lee
Peng Li and Jing Shen
Braeden Lichti and Trisha Toftdahl
Allen Tsai and Patty Lin
The Linovitz Family
Di Liu and Cici YU
Liu Family
Ryan and Leslie MacEachern
Weiming Mo and Jun Zhao
Zubin and Layla Mowlavi
Polina Chebotareva-Mudrick and Tim Mudrick
Sarita Murillo and Christopher Schamschula
Nicole Lou and Tianbin Peng
PAY IT FORWARD CIRCLE
Alex Qi and Rickie Liu
Kim and Caner Sahin
The Xu Family
Paddy Sun and Ariel Gong
Jeffrey and Paulina Thomas
Wendy and Felix Tseng
Adam and Deborah Vali
Bing Wang and Haiyu Sang
Eileen and Steven Wang
Yida Wang and Cen Li
The Wittkop Family
Derren Woods and Chen Liang
The Zhang Family
Faysal Yafi and Natalie Roberts Yafi
Lillian Yin
Mimi Zhang and Ming Gu
Lindy Zhou and Yachuan Pu
Weigang Zhou and Feini Chen
Thank you to the following Grade 8 families for demonstrating their support for the school with a donation to the 2024-2025 St. Mary’s Fund:
Raj and Renuka Agrawal - Krish Agrawal ‘25
Bryan and Lexie Allen - Brenner Allen ‘25
Anonymous
Cyrus and Missy Arman - Lucas Arman ‘25
The Arruda Family - Ben Arruda ‘25
The Beadel Family - Aidan Beadel ‘25
Angshu Bhattacharyya and Preeti Prasher - Jivan Bhattacharyya ‘25
Shawn and Kelly Cao - Claire Cao ‘25
The Carlton Family - Olivia Carlton ‘25
The Chen Family - Annabelle Chen ‘25
The DeAllen Family - Knox DeAllen ‘25
Craig and Lindsay Dickhout - Stella Dickhout ‘25
Cliff and Christine Downie - Desiree Downie ‘25
The Edwards Family - Stoney Edwards ‘25
Amir and Maite Heydarkhan - Maia Heydarkhan ‘25
Myoung-Hwa Kim and Chanwon Choi - Yunah Choi ‘25
The Kral Family - Skylar Kral ‘25
The Letien Family - Nathan LeTien ‘25
Haibo Li and Ying Wang - Angela Li ‘25
Jeffrey and Lauren Lowell - Logan Lowell ‘25
Kasia Mays - Wilson Mays ‘25
Chase and Jill Scolnick - Kaya Scolnick ‘25
Michael and Lauren Sterner - Mark Sterner ‘25
The Vlok Family - Alexander Vlok ‘25
The Warner Family - William Warner ‘25
Thaddeus and Jocelyn Williams - Holland Williams ‘25
Gene Wu and Donna Bautista - Lucca Wu ‘25
The Zhang Family - Andy Zhang ‘25
Edward Zhou and Amanda Wang - Annie Zhou ‘25
Lindy Zhou and Yachuan Pu - Vivian Pu ‘25
Sushu Zhou and Feng Zhou - Jerry Zhou ‘25
XuFeng Zhu and Yuechan Hong - Cyril Zhu ‘25
Please email any corrections to Sarah.Abuel-Saud@smaa.org.
Thank you alumni and alumni families for supporting the 2023-2024 St. Mary’s Fund. Your contribution benefits all the incredible programs your student enjoyed at St. Mary’s:
The Abraham Family - Sofia Abraham ‘22
Bryan and Lexie Allen - Brenner Allen ‘25, Layla Allen ‘22
Anonymous (2)
Maureen Baca - Brennan Falcy ‘10, Elena Falcy ‘07
John and Sonya Bauer - Leila Bauer ‘18, Leith Bauer ‘20
The Beadel Family - Aidan Beadel ‘25, Caleb Beadel ‘22
Jenna Boerlin ‘13
Morgan and Erika Brown - Audrey Lehmann ‘21
David and Virtue Byrd - Brian Byrd ‘16
Marco Camargo and Carmen AndersonNadia Camargo ‘23
Mark and Anne Chapman - Grace Chapman ‘19, Maddie Jo Chapman ‘22, Natalie Chapman ‘20
The DeAllen Family - Knox DeAllen ‘25, Margaux DeAllen ‘23
The Dzwonkowski Family - Nota Dzwonkowski ‘24
The Fis(c)her Family - Rocket Fischer ‘23
The Friedl Family - Claire Friedl ‘24, Grace Friedl ‘19, Luke Friedl ‘22
Ghailian Family - Alexander Ghailian ‘24, Julian Ghailian ‘24
Michael Konetzke and Joanna Gonzalez-KonetzkeMaiya Konetzke ‘22
The Hansen Family - Gianna Hansen ‘23
Shelly Harmon - Chaz Harmon ‘08
Jeff and Heather Haworth - Jeremy Haworth ‘23, Julian Haworth ‘21
Beomki Hong and Youngwon Park - Liam Hong ‘24
Karen Johnson - Marc Fay ‘11, Trevor Fay ‘09
Samuel and Claudia Kechejian - Isabella Kechejian ‘15, Julien Kechejian ‘19, Matthew Kechejian ‘19
The Kite Family - Logan Kite ‘24
Kimberly Komrosky - Chloe Komrosky ‘15
The Kral Family - Kayden Kral ‘23, Skylar Kral ‘25
The Kraninger Family - Chris Kraninger ‘24, Ella Kraninger ‘22
The Letien Family - Kaitlyn LeTien ‘22, Nathan LeTien ‘25
David and Kristine Martinez - Bella Martinez ‘13, Max Martinez ‘14, Minka Martinez ‘19
Greg and Kathryn Mayes - Ashley Mayes ‘24
John and Paige McCord - Sloane McCord ‘24
OTHER GIFTS
Cara and Craig Abrahams
Aliso Coffee & Donut
Dairy Queen
Janice Davis
Matt and Liz Kraninger
Marque Medical
Masimo Foundation
Nelly Maximous and Simone Gerges
The Mudrick Family
Bob Olson
RDO Development
Dennis Shaffer
David and Stephanie Steinhafel
Louis and Sally Vandermolen
Wiens Cellars
The McDaniel Family - Jack McDaniel ‘22
Gordon and Anne Marie McNeill - Gabriel McNeill ‘18, Gavin McNeill ‘22, Gordon McNeill ‘16, Grace McNeill ‘18
Jeff and Maggie Minhas - Logan Minhas ‘22
Tracey and Dustin Mittelsteadt - Myles Mittelsteadt ‘22
Ryan and Leslie Murphy - Reese Murphy ‘23
William and Mary Phillips - Cammi Phillips ‘15, Drew Phillips ‘07
The Pedigo Family - Kayla Pedigo ‘23
Nianchu Yu and Rui Peng - Mia Huang ‘20
Steve Sharifi and Mahsa Rohani - Davin Sharifi ‘23
Clark and Cathy Smith - Ryan Smith ‘01, Scott Smith ‘98
Gina Olsen - Tyler Olsen ‘21
Jeremy and Maggie Stamelman - Sophie Stamelman ‘24
Sharon and Mel Taylor - Alexia Taylor ‘17, Amanda Taylor ‘18, Lauren Darmanin ‘02, Matthew Gray ‘04
The Thavirat Family - Harry Thavirat ‘24
The Tran Family - Courtney Tran ‘24
Arturo and Kristin Valdez - Daniela Valdez ‘17, Nicolas Valdez ‘12
Anne Marie Valum - Blake Valum ‘14, Sabrina Valum ‘18
The Vlok Family - Alexander Vlok ‘25, Christopher Vlok ‘18, Marcus Vlok ‘20
Leila Volkmann - Ryan Harding ‘15
Tim Lau and Quynh Vu - Noah Lau ‘23, Olivia Lau ‘18, Owen Lau ‘20
Peiyi Wang and Yan Jiang - Aaron Wang ‘24
Aaron and Brock Weaver - Kyle Weaver ‘24
The Wilkins Family - Finn Wilkins ‘24
Angie Yogaratnam ‘16
Nimi and Mimi Yogaratnam - Angie Yogaratnam ‘16, Navin Yogaratnam ‘19
Navin Yogaratnam ‘19
Lawrence and Lynda Zadra - Christopher Zadra ‘08, Heather Zadra ‘07
Kan Zhang and Mingying Gu - Ethan Zhang ‘24
Edward Zhou and Amanda Wang - Annie Zhou ‘25, Steven Zhou ‘17
PARKING SPACE FUNDRAISER
The Abghari Family
The Abraham Family
The Argyros-Massa Family
The Arman Family
The Baldwin Family
The Bauer Family
The Bhathal Family
The Brown Family
The Brown Family
The Chang Family
The Davenport Family
The Dickhout Family
The Fis(c)her Family
The Ghataode Family
The Hachey Family
The Hansen Family
The Liu Family
The Merage Family
The Mudrick Family
The Simonoff Family
The Spanos Family
The Tang Family
The Vlok Family
The Warner Family
The Xiang Family
EVERY GIFT MAKES AN IMPACT FUND
A Transformative Learning Experience
SMF
2024-2025 Impact Report
At St. Mary’s School, we are committed to being a school like no other —where students are inspired and prepared to make a meaningful impact on the world. The St. Mary’s Fund fuels this mission. More than a fundraising effort, it is a call to action for families, faculty, alumni, and friends to invest in what makes our school exceptional. Your support allows us to say YES—to new programs, top-tier faculty, and the opportunities that bring our strategic plan to life.
Thanks to the generosity of those who give to the St. Mary’s Fund, we are delivering on our promise to create a transformative learning experience through a truly student-centered, inquiry-driven academic program. At St. Mary’s, the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme and Design Thinking are not parallel tracks—they are deeply connected, working seamlessly together to empower students to ask bold questions, generate creative solutions, and engage meaningfully with the world around them.
We strategically hired Trent Jones as Director of the Design Center, laying the groundwork for our new innovation spaces before the doors even open. With his leadership in Year Zero, our faculty has already begun integrating design thinking into IB Units of Inquiry across grade levels—bringing real-world relevance and tangible, hands-on application to every classroom.
In Grade 1 students explored the concept of structures, engineering everything from bridges to shelters while applying principles of strength, balance, and design through collaborative prototyping. Grade 2’s Simple Machines unit came to life as students designed playful and functional devices, using levers, pulleys, and wheels to solve everyday problems. In Grade 3, students examined water systems through the lens of conservation and access—designing simple filtration models and raising awareness of global water equity. Grade 4’s entrepreneur unit was elevated by guiding students through the entire design cycle as they launched their own product ideas—conducting user interviews, building prototypes, and pitching their concepts to an authentic audience. And in Grade 5, the Robotics unit challenged students to code and build robots that addressed real community needs, integrating STEM skills with empathy and innovation.
In Grade 6 students explored the vast field of space technology and its potential applications here on Earth. Their challenge was to design a product based on a real-world space innovation to solve a specific problem for a chosen user. Students brainstormed, prototyped, tested, and refined their ideas—showcasing a powerful blend of creativity and critical thinking. Projects included designs like a portable CT Scanner, inspired by NASA’s technology used to detect structural defects inside
rockets, aimed at bringing medical imaging to remote or underserved areas. Another team created BOB, a solar-powered remote healthcare assistant designed to accompany doctors working in isolated locations without reliable infrastructure. A third project, the BEE, adapted NASA’s CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) camera technology to develop a lightweight, flyable drone intended to locate and assist in the rescue of prisoners in humanitarian crises. Thanks to St. Mary’s Fund donors, students had access to the materials, tools, and mentorship they needed to bring these ambitious ideas to life—thinking far beyond the classroom and innovating for real-world impact.
These rich, interdisciplinary projects are made possible because of donors who believe in our vision. Their gifts support the training, staffing, and materials needed to bring these experiences to life—and will continue to shape a program where students don’t just learn about the world, they design for it.
Exceptional Professional Development for Faculty & Staff
The St. Mary’s Fund also supports our amazing faculty and staff. Over 35 of our colleagues have engaged in exceptional professional development this academic year—deepening their expertise and strengthening our programs across all divisions. From on-site training in Making the PYP Happen for 15 Lower School teachers, to specialized MYP workshops for Middle School science and humanities teachers in Vancouver, our educators are gaining powerful tools to enrich student learning. Our IB Coordinators traveled to Arlington, VA and will head to Keystone, CO to enhance our Programme Evaluation efforts. Faculty explored inquiry-based learning with Trevor MacKenzie in Atlanta, and participated in the Creating Cultures of Thinking Summit in Del Mar. Teachers focused on social-emotional learning in Los Angeles, and in May, our entire Middle School Language Acquisition team will attend workshops in St. Pete Beach, FL. In July, professional learning continues in Austin, TX and culminates at the 2025 IB Global Conference in New Orleans, where two of our own—Lauren Sterner and Jillian Auckland —will present to an international audience of IB educators. This remarkable year of growth and recognition is made possible by those who give to the St. Mary’s Fund—thank you for championing excellence in teaching.
2024-2025
OUR GRATITUDE
We are deeply grateful to our St. Mary’s families for their extraordinary generosity and unwavering support of the St. Mary’s Fund. Your gifts fuel transformative learning experiences for our students and invest in our faculty’s growth and excellence—thank you for helping us bring our mission to life.
St. Mary’s Fund Committee
John and Paige McCord, Chairs
Lindsay Carmona
Margaux Kugelman
Leslie MacEachern
Alyssa Monroe
Asia Roberts Brooks
Rebecca Wong
Cynthia Zhang
Vicki Zhang
St. Mary’s School SCHOLAR PROGRAM 2025 UPDATE
We express our deepest gratitude for your invaluable contribution to the St. Mary’s Scholar Program. Your support has had a profound impact, and we are delighted to provide you with an update on the program’s achievements and milestones. By investing in the Scholar Program, you have transformed the lives of these students and their families and positively influenced the entire St. Mary’s community. The Scholar Program, a key tenant of our Strategic Plan, provides ongoing scholarships to Middle School students
each year. We are thrilled to announce that, thanks to your generous support, we added two scholars for the 20242025 school year, for a total of six scholars. In June of 2024, our second scholar student graduated from St. Mary’s.
Our mission is to create a lasting impact on the lives of deserving students by offering transformative educational experiences within the St. Mary’s community. We are happy to share some key highlights and achievements demonstrating our remarkable progress, thanks to your generosity.
THANK YOU SCHOLAR PROGRAM DONORS
Raj and Renuka Agrawal
Shawn and Kelly Cao
Catherine Green and Ron Levy
Brian and Michele Hull Family
The Kral Family
Jack and Shanaz Langson
David Mays
Jeff and Maggie Minhas
The Moran Family
Sarita Murillo and Christopher Schamschula
The Ontiveros Family
To all who contributed to the Scholar Program this year: thank you.
Your generosity fuels more than scholarships—it nurtures dreams, fosters leadership, and inspires the next generation to aim higher.
Gifts made between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025.
Greg and Stefani Pateryn
Eric and Stephanie Santos
Michael and Patricia Siegman
Gene Wu and Donna Bautista
Strengthening Our Community Partnerships
The St. Mary’s Scholar Program was established in partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of Capistrano Valley and with the generous support of our school community. Together, we welcomed our first scholars in 2019-2020, laying the foundation for a program that continues to grow.
Beyond scholarships, St. Mary’s has expanded its collaboration with the Boys & Girls Club to support more children in our community. Over the past three years, St. Mary’s has provided school materials, art supplies, games and sporting equipment, averaging $600 annually in donations. Students from the club have been invited to our campus for our Spring Musical, art and PE classes, outdoor activities, and sports camps—creating meaningful opportunities for connection and learning.
We are excited to deepen these partnerships and inspire even more students in the years to come.
Looking Ahead
As we prepare for the future, we are committed to enhancing programming and strengthening partnerships with local community organizations to identify and engage more missionfit families who would benefit from this life-changing opportunity.
To ensure the Scholar Program remains sustainable for generations to come, we are also working toward building a fully endowed fund that will provide permanent support for these scholarships.
Together, we can create a lasting legacy of access, equity, and educational excellence.
This year, our Scholar Program students embraced every opportunity to grow and contribute to our campus community. They demonstrated determination in building their academic skills, excelled in athletics, and developed leadership qualities that will carry them forward.
Our scholars arrived ready to take on new academic challenges and, with support from dedicated teachers and enrichment opportunities, have blossomed into confident, capable learners. Others stepped into leadership roles, serving as Student Ambassadors and representing the school with pride. Across campus, our scholars are active in sports participating in cross country, basketball, volleyball, soccer, and track. All are engaging fully in Field Studies and Intersession trips.
Each student’s journey is unique, but they all share a deep sense of gratitude for the opportunity to be part of this community and are thriving in ways that extend far beyond the classroom.
We are proud to now have five St. Mary’s scholars attending local high schools and are happy to hear about their successes. We continue to stay in touch with them and support their high school journey.
2024-2025 Scholar Students
Thriving
$1,000,000+
Raised Since 2019 Inception through the generosity of our community from past Galas, donations from Grade 8 families, alumni families, and current families.
$37,200
Raised In 2024-2025
includes giving from the Class of 2025 families.
Since its founding in 2019, the Scholar Program has become a cornerstone of St. Mary’s mission to make an exceptional education accessible. This year, we are proud to share key updates made possible by your support.
2
New Scholars joined us in 2024-2025, bringing our total to six students thriving in Grades 6 through 8.
5 Alumni are continuing their success in high school: three freshmen, one sophomore, and one junior.
3 Scholar Students Graduated in June 2025, joining a growing group of alumni now excelling in local high schools.
4 Scholars enrolled for 2025-2026 including one new student entering Grade 6.
8 Students Received Scholarships valued at $105,000 each, covering tuition & essential extras like transportation, books, athletics, & international Field Studies.
THANK YOU CLASS OF 2025
At St. Mary’s School, the tradition of the graduating class contributing a collective gift to the Scholar Program is a powerful way for families to leave a lasting legacy and set an inspiring example for future classes. Each year, families are invited to give a gift tied to their graduating year—in this case, $2,025—to support this meaningful tradition. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the families who participated, helping to ensure that the Scholar Program continues to thrive.
Promise For A Brighter Future
2024
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2024
ALISO VIEJO COUNTRY CLUB
26th Annual St. Mary’s Golf Classic:
Sponsorship Opportunities & Registration
Available At: www.smaa.org/golf
A Day to Remember!
Together, we raised $49,300 in support of St. Mary’s students and programs at the 26th Annual Golf Classic on November 4 at Aliso Viejo Country Club! This vital support directly enhances the educational experiences, opportunities, and resources available to every student at St. Mary’s. With perfect weather, 100+ golfers, and the generosity of our sponsors, committee, and volunteers, the day was filled with impressive drives, laughter on the greens, and a true sense of community spirit. Special thanks to our Golf Chair, Kathryn Mayes, for her outstanding leadership and to our dedicated committee and volunteers for making this tradition possible.
THANK YOU TO OUR GOLF EVENT SPONSORS AND UNDERWRITERS
PRESENTING SPONSOR
PIN FLAG SPONSOR
Santa Margarita
Catholic High School
EVENT SPONSORS
The Hachey Family
PUTTING CONTEST SPONSOR
Baldwin & Sons
BAG DROP SPONSOR
The Lan Zhou Family
COOLER SPONSOR
The Ghailian Family
HOLE SPONSORS
Marque Urgent Care
Pana Orthodontics
IN-KIND SPONSORS
Mendocino Farms
OC Local Taproom
Titos
Webb’s
Highlights included standout shots and fun recognitions: congratulations to our best-dressed foursome—Sean Brown, Bob Koury, Ryan Gill, and Andy Bohu; our putting contest champion—Henry Lee; and our winning teams:
• Men’s Group: Chris Harmon, John Massa, Alex Cotraviwat, and Eugene Suh
• Mixed Group: William & Alisha McCullough, Sean Ganey, and JP Ackerman
We are deeply grateful for the time, energy, and generosity each person contributed to this beloved tradition. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of our students. We look forward to welcoming you back for another round of fun, friendship, and impact!
Newport Beach Dermatology & Plastic Surgery
COFFEE STATION SPONSOR
The Hansen Family
TEE SIGN SPONSORS
Chris Harmon Law
Premier Roofing & Building Co., Inc.
The Spanos Family
JOIN US FOR OUR 2025 GOLF CLASSIC MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10
ALISO VIEJO COUNTRY CLUB
TICKETS AND SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE AT WWW.SMAA.ORG/GOLF
PREMIER SPONSORS
Cambridge Companies & The Mudrick Family
Flik Independent School Dining
JSerra Catholic High School
UNDERWRITING & IN-KIND SPONSORS
CommerceWest Bank
David Mays
Kasia Mays
Newport Beach Dermatology & Plastic Surgery Center
Santa Margarita Catholic High School
The Simonoff Family
True Care, Cosmetic Surgery & Med Spa
PREFERRED SPONSORS
JB3D
The Theisen Family
A Glamorous Night in
Old Hollywood
Oltmans Construction Company
The Razavi Family
The Stevens Family
Uprite Construction Company
Weins Cellars & The Steinhafel Family
PARTNER SPONSOR
Sage Hill School
FUND-A-NEED RAISED $121K LIVE & SILENT AUCTION RAISED: $159K
On March 8, 275 members of our St. Mary’s family gathered at the VEA Hotel in Newport Beach for A Glamorous Night in Old Hollywood. From the moment guests stepped onto the Walk of Fame, the evening sparkled with lively entertainment, a spirited auction, and heartfelt generosity. Together, our community raised an incredible $402,200 to support our students and programs— including our Sustainability in Action Fund-a-Need. This remarkable achievement was only possible because of the vision and generosity of our sponsors, families, and friends.
We extend our deepest gratitude to our fabulous Gala Committee, who worked tirelessly to bring this night to life: Gala Co-Chairs Lindsay Dickhout and Casey Brown, and committee members Parvaneh Carter, Polina Chebotareva-Mudrick, Sara Frasco, Jennifer Furst, Sara Harty, Maite Heydarkhan, Sarah Jebreil-Ghannadi, Jennifer Kite, Stephanie Steinhafel, and Rebecca Wong. Their creativity, dedication, and passion made this evening truly unforgettable. SAVE THE DATE 2026 SATURDAY, MARCH 28
SPONSORSHIPS & TICKETS RAISED $114,500 ST. MARY’S Benefit Dinner + Gala
WALDORF ASTORIA MONARCH BEACH
Sustainability in Action: Your Fund-a-Need Impact
Because of your generosity at the 2025 Gala, Sustainability in Action
NATURAL POD FURNITURE:
Walk into any Early Education Program classroom and you are surrounded by beautiful, eco-friendly furniture from Natural Pod, a women-led company creating safe and sustainable learning environments.
REUSABLE BACKDROPS: Our 5th-grade Exhibition project now uses custom reusable black backdrops, keeping waste out of landfills while giving students a creative canvas for their sustainability work.
SOLAR PANELS:
Installed across our campus, reducing our footprint and generating long-term cost savings that benefit every student.
Your support is shaping how our students learn, play, and innovate with stewardship in mind. A special thanks to the generous donors who came together that night to contribute more than $121,000 toward this initiative. Thank you for making an incredible impact.
