Dr. Patrice (Callery) McCarter (att.), and her two siblings – William R. Callery III (att.) and Kimberly (Callery) Shumate ‘85, the first female African American valedictorian at The Summit – all attended The Summit. So, when it came time for Patrice, a licensed mental health professional, and her husband William to look at schools for their own two children, she says, “to me there were no other options. From the time I was pregnant with my first child, thinking about her educational pursuits, I knew she would attend The Summit.”
Feeling “recognized and important as an individual” are two favorite takeaways of Dr. Grace (Baluyot) Kerr ’82 from her time as a Summit student. “I look back and think how significant that was as an adolescent to feel that sense of self-worth,” says Grace, a practicing orthodontist. She and husband Tim have already graduated one child – Nina ’12 – from The Summit, and have a son, Robert, in eighth grade.
“The Catholic background, small classroom and grade sizes, demanding yet approachable teachers, wide selection of high school classes available, and the ability to participate in any and all sports have made it a good fit for our family.”
Patrice was eager to give Jasmine, age 5, and Aliviah, age 4, the same “exceptional quality of education and cultural exposure experiences” that she had experienced at The Summit herself. She knew that there was nowhere else Jasmine and Aliviah could get “social development, spiritual development, cultural development and the best education the city of Cincinnati has to offer.” Now that both girls are enrolled in the Montessori Program, “I stay involved and connected with The Summit and my children’s education by volunteering at the Spirit Shop (last year) and (this year) as a Parent Ambassador,” says Patrice. “I also try to attend every field trip and performance my girls are involved in.”
As much as Grace has enjoyed watching her kids travel the familiar halls of Summit, she also fondly recalls many of her own favorite memories there, including white uniforms on distribution days and the senior lounge (complete with a furry mustard-colored-couch obtained from Goodwill for just $25). Grace says: “Summit is a cherished and important part of me. It has instilled in me a love of Christ, my family, long friendships and deep roots. If it did that for me, how could I have ever chosen to send my children anywhere else?”
– Jill (Verdin) Crew, ’85
26 Spring 2013-14
Grace applauds the school for teaching strong study and time-management habits, which have served Nina well at Wake Forest University. Most importantly, though, “Summit has the capability to serve well different personalities of students,” says Grace, as she notes the success of both her daughter and son, who have very different personalities.