To spark in students of diverse backgrounds and talents a passion for learning, accomplishment, and contribution to their communities
EDITOR
Sharon Hurt
Assistant Head of School for Advancement
SENIOR EDITOR
Mary Albl
Director of Communications
DESIGN
Char Davidson
Small and Mighty Creative
COVER ARTIST
Amy Turner Senftleben
CONTRIBUTORS
Percy L. Abram, Ph.D. Head of School
Alexa Adams
Director of Programs, Methow Campus and Semester School
Sarah Cohen
Middle School English Teacher
Leslie David ’85
Executive Assistant to the Head of School
Sharon Hurt
Assistant Head of School for Advancement
Tiffany Kirk
Associate Director of Alumni Relations
Meaghan Leferink
Associate Director of Development
Karim Lessard ’89 Board of Trustees President
Mylea Mann
Communications Manager
Laurel Messenger Annual Giving Manager
Garrett Raff Event and Volunteer Manager
Donés Williams Communications Associate
PHOTOGRAPHY
Sheila Addleman
Julian Alexander
Wayne Buck
Jeff Halstead
Chona Kasinger
Libby Lewis
Cyrus McCrimmon
Stephen Mitchell
COPY
EDITOR
Kimberly Banti
THE BUSH SCHOOL
3400 East Harrison Street Seattle, Washington 98112 (206) 322-7978
alumni@bush.edu communications@bush.edu
EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATIONS
Critical, independent, and creative thinking
Ethical judgment and action
Intercultural fluency
Local and global citizenship
VALUES
Invite Perspectives
Blaze Trails
Nurture an Open Mind
Cultivate Community
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
Inspire Learners
Elevate Experiential Education
Build and Nurture Community
Create Dynamic Learning Environments
Cultivate and Steward Resources
ON THE COVER
The magazine’s cover is designed by Amy Turner Senftleben, a native of the greater Seattle-Tacoma area. The cover is a nod to Head of School Percy L. Abram’s academic leadership and his love of literature, which he infused into his work throughout his eleven years at Bush. The design brings in elements of Dr. Abram’s school office and lends itself to the next “chapter” of Bush with incoming Head of School Sarah Smith.
Please contact communications@bush.edu with any corrections, errors, or updates. Corrections will appear in the next issue.
Since his first year in 2014, Head of School Percy L. Abram has made it a tradition to take a “class photo” with students representing grades Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade, which has become a visual display of a connected campus and community. This is Dr. Abram’s final photo of his tenure as Head of School with students spanning the Class of 2037 through the Class of 2025.
HEAD OF SCHOOL
Dear Bush community,
To know someone in all of their intricacies, aspirations, contradictions, and complexities is to experience connection. If we are lucky, we will find true connection with an individual—or even an institution—a handful of times in our lifetime. We highlighted this unique phenomenon throughout the year with our school-wide theme, connection.
We focused on how we wanted to show up for and be with one another in community, and we asked students to pay attention to personal connections that form in the hallways, in classrooms, on the stage, and in the Commons. Along with people, we noticed the connection to the lush landscape that surrounds us and the beautiful, dynamic learning environments on campus.
Centering connection means focusing on shared goals, the common good, and our collective successes. This has been one of my aims as well, as I conclude my time in a community that I care about so deeply and that has given my family and me so much. My connection to the school was built one conversation at a time. It is what I will miss most about The Bush School: the way the people care for and support one another. In an Open Mic performance this spring, I was struck less by the talent of our students (and there was plenty on display), than by the thunderous applause that rang out at the end of each performance, filling the auditorium and our hearts with joy.
Over the years, I’ve witnessed students cheering on friends from the sidelines or the stands, STEM and Writing Center tutors staying through and beyond their lunches to ensure that a classmate understands a concept, an Upper School student patiently helping out a Third Grade student who is on their fifth attempt at winning a prize at Fall Festival, two Fifth Grade students sharing the qualities they admired about a peer at a Moving-Up
Warmly,
Ceremony, and tears turn into smiles as a Twelfth Grade student’s disappointment at not being admitted to her first-choice school is replaced by excitement for a friend who did. These memories are indelible.
I will look back appreciatively on the defining moments that drew me to this school, like coming together after a loss and crying on the shoulder of a fellow teacher and then returning the gesture weeks later; faculty reshaping and recasting how they kept students engaged during COVID; teachers going to the book reading of a colleague and listening attentively to every word; forming bonds while gazing at the stars during an overnight E-week; revealing yourself through honesty, vulnerability, and Kant; and laughing together in the fitness center, unafraid of who might hear because it’s so early that no one else is on campus.
Connections are strengthened by conversations about a favorite sports team, a De La Soul concert, the poetry of Mary Oliver, or royal music played by a student-facultyparent band in front of 300 people. They are built through silliness, love, heartbreak, and recovery.
The beauty of a connection is that once established, it endures. Relationships change over time, but the people you meet remain with you forever. The students, faculty, staff, Trustees, and families within a school come and go. This is inevitable and how they and the institution grow. What remains are the bonds formed, the learnings gained, and the ways our outlook shifts to bring new worlds into focus. I’ve experienced all of this at The Bush School.
To the wonderful people who enriched my life over the past eleven years, thank you. I will take pieces of each of you with me. It brings me comfort that I will never not know you.
PERCY L. ABRAM, PH.D. HEAD OF SCHOOL
BOARD PRESIDENT
Dear Bush community,
“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” — Coretta Scott King
As I near the end of my first year as President of the Board of Trustees, I’m filled with gratitude for the people and purpose that make The Bush School such a vibrant place. This community—rooted in relationships, inspired by mission, and guided by thoughtful leadership—continues to grow in meaningful ways.
This is a pivotal moment. After eleven years of visionary leadership, Dr. Percy Abram is stepping down as Head of School. Percy L. Abram leaves behind a powerful legacy of courage, equity, and student-centered progress. On behalf of the Board, I offer our deepest thanks. As we welcome Sarah Smith as our next Head of School, we look forward to a new chapter led with wisdom, warmth, and vision.
At our spring Board retreat, we dove into the early work of our new strategic plan. That time together reminded me just how enduring and relevant our mission is: to spark in students of diverse backgrounds and talents a passion for learning, accomplishment, and contribution to their communities. Our mission is at the core of preparing students who can not only navigate the future, but also shape it. In a world that is constantly shifting technologically, politically, socially, and economically, this mission is more than relevant— it’s essential.
We are not just strategic planning; we are strategic building. Thanks to the generosity of our
community, we’ve raised over $12 million toward our Center Campus Project—more than 50% of our goal and ahead of schedule. It’s powerful support for such a foundational project—the new heart of The Bush School. A space designed to reflect how students learn best: collaboratively, creatively, and with joy.
We also have a bold vision for our Methow Campus, which is quickly becoming a national model for place-based and environmental learning. The Board is fully committed to helping it grow as a cornerstone of our program and a transformative space for students.
As a Bush parent, I’m heartened by the ways the school will be different for my daughter, Lucy ’28, than it was for my son, Jack ’22—and equally by the ways it will remain the same. I’m confident that, like many alumni before him, Jack will express mock outrage that future students will benefit from a better campus than he did. That’s how it should be. Schools evolve when each generation leaves it stronger for the next.
The Centennial reminded us of the strength of our foundation. Now, we move forward—cleareyed, community-driven, and ready to shape what comes next. As I reflect on this first year, I’ve been struck not only by what students gain from the Bush experience, but by the opportunity I’ve had to help shape it. I don’t say that as a Trustee, but as a parent and an alumnus who cares deeply about this institution and its future. I’m honored to serve at this moment—and proud to be part of what we’re building together.
KARIM LESSARD ’89 PRESIDENT, BOARD OF TRUSTEES
THE BUSH SCHOOL SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM
2024-2025
Percy L. Abram, Ph.D. Head of School
Rob Blackwell Middle School Director
Adam Choice Director of Enrollment Management
Leslie David ’85 Executive Assistant to the Head of School
Ethan Delavan Director of Technology, Systems, and Extended Day
Sharon Hurt Assistant Head of School for Advancement
Jo Ito
Athletic Director
Matt Lai
Upper School Director
Sarah Smith Assistant Head of School for Academics
Rather Stanton Chief Finance and Operations Officer
Aliya Virani Lower School Director
THE
BUSH SCHOOL BOARD OF TRUSTEES
2024-2025
Karim Lessard ’89 President
Quentin Streets Vice President
Amy Fernandes Treasurer
Geoff Harris
Secretary
Emily Alhadeff ’94
Loren Alhadeff ’97
Atul Bali
Steve Banks ’94
Maneesh Batra ’90
Craige Blackmore
Wesley Burns
Ann Felton
Irene Fisher
Salone Habibuddin
Julie Okerstrom
Jessica Rosen
Nyasia S. Sarfo
Jennifer Schorsch
Omar Shahine
Judi Yates
Ex-Officio
Percy L. Abram, Ph.D. Head of School
Heather O’Malley Families Association President
As we turn the pages of this issue, we find ourselves at a moment of reflection and forward momentum. This season at The Bush School is one of meaningful transition, bold vision, and deep appreciation—for the past, the present, and what lies ahead.
The 2024–2025 academic year’s theme, connections, created meaningful opportunities for us all to consider the ways we build relationships with each other, the community, and the school. All the stories you will experience in this issue speak to the importance and value of connection. Through connections we create myriad possibilities.
The end of this school year marks a significant leadership transition with heartfelt gratitude to Head of School Percy L. Abram, whose thoughtful stewardship of and commitment to progressive education, elevation of dynamic learning spaces, and instillation of an environment of belonging have shaped our community in lasting ways. We warmly welcome Sarah Smith, whose vision, energy, and dedication to Bush’s core values promise a bright future for the school under her leadership.
The coming year also brings exciting changes to our physical campus. Construction will soon begin on Center Campus and the Middle School, a space designed to reflect the values of collaboration, sustainability, belonging, and innovation that are central to a Bush education. This new chapter in our campus evolution honors our history while creating dynamic spaces for future generations of learners to connect and grow.
We also take a moment to celebrate and honor several long-serving faculty and staff members who are retiring this year. Their dedication, wisdom, and spirit have shaped countless student experiences and helped define the character of The Bush School in Seattle and the Methow Campus. Their presence will be deeply missed, and their legacies will live
on in the lives they have touched and connections they have made.
Throughout this issue, you’ll also find the remarkable stories of Bush alumni who continue to lead lives of purpose, creativity, and curiosity. From lifelong learners to trail blazers to community connectors, their paths reflect the impact of a Bush education and the power of staying true to one’s values and passions.
Thank you for staying connected with The Bush School. Whether you are near or far, we hope these pages bring you a sense of pride, nostalgia, and excitement for what’s to come.
Enjoy reading!
SHARON HURT ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL FOR ADVANCEMENT
Class Art sold at Celebrate Bush: Party at Paisley Park. Each year at Celebrate Bush, Class Art is a special highlight of the event. Each piece is a collaboration by students and developed and led by parent volunteers in the Lower School and faculty in the Middle and Upper Schools. It is a true celebration of creativity and community.
The Class Art sold in support of financial aid at Celebrate Bush: Party at Paisley Park
HEAD OF SCHOOL PERCY L. ABRAM
by Mary Albl, Director of Communications
At the start of every academic year, each Twelfth Grade student at The Bush School is invited to participate in a Senior Exit Interview with Head of School Percy L. Abram. All seniors are invited to meet with Dr. Abram during their lunch, and he asks them a series of questions about their experience at Bush. Dr. Abram explained the number of students who participate has varied each year, but consistently there’s been a genuine tone of gratitude for Bush. Dr. Abram said both of his children, Carlos ’24 and Claudia ’21, did interviews with him.
“I asked [Carlos] at the end of his interview, ‘Is there anything else you want me to know about Bush?’ He was very kind in assessment: ‘You did a great job,’” Dr. Abram recalled.
In closing out his “senior year,” we thought it was only fitting to turn the tables and ask Dr. Abram the same questions he’s used over the years with over 500 Twelfth Grade students.
How long have you been at Bush? Do you have siblings? And what do you like to do when you’re not at Bush?
I’ve been at Bush for eleven years. I have two siblings, neither of whom went to the school. When I’m not at Bush I like to run, cook, read, and listen to music—and I am an avid sports fan.
Why did you choose Bush?
I chose Bush because it was a school where the students were as eager, inquisitive, thoughtful, and kind when they graduated as when they first entered school, and that’s rare. I have encountered deeply invested and caring faculty that were creative and toggled between taking the best of Bush and improving upon it and recognizing and honoring its rich history.
What were your general impressions of the school before you came here?
The kids were kind and polite, eager to invest in their experience here at school. From the beginning of my tenure I did not sense that the end game was college—but that the end game was being the best version of yourself you could be.
How has your academic experience been? I would say overall, incredible.
I hope that it is the same for incoming Head of School Sarah Smith and that the community has an opportunity to celebrate her and her leadership. Transitions and change can be hard. This is a really difficult job. We are grateful to have her in that role and to know that she selected this Head of School role at Bush as much as they selected her. She could have infinite options, and I hope people realize this.
“I believe the school’s best days are ahead of it, and I can’t wait to see the next generation of The Bush School.”
Top left: Middle School students interact with Head of School Percy L. Abram during morning advisory.
Top right: Lower School students present Head of School Percy L. Abram with flowers during the spring of 2023.
Bottom: Members of the Bush Board of Trustees gather in the Mazama for a Board retreat in the fall of 2019.
What are your plans next year?
I’m going to be the Head of School at Sonoma Academy in Santa Rosa, California—a Ninth through Twelfth Grade school of about 330 kids. There are so many aspects of life at Sonoma Academy that remind me of Bush. The kids are incredible; there’s a deep commitment to sustainability and the environment and an appetite for more meaningful community engagement work.
What are three common characteristics of a Bush community member?
Curious, engaged, and always wanting the best for The Bush School.
What have you valued most in your time here?
The relationships. From sitting in a room in 2018 with [Upper School counselor] John Ganz and hearing him talk through how we’re going to deal with Toby [Faber]’s death to being able to walk into [the classrooms] and be amazed by the incredible Lower School faculty we have. To see the same zeal and energy from Middle School English teacher Laurie Mathews as she plans for her last E-week as she did for the first E-week when I was here, to Cecile Meister’s dissections, and Gardiner [Vinnedge]’s ability to weave stories and history together. I will miss that. I will miss the spirit of adventure and that anything is possible. And that even at 101 years old, the school can continue to grow and improve.
Is there anything that the school has not provided?
It has fulfilled and exceeded every expectation I had when I arrived in 2014. My transition had some bumpy parts, and there was some concern that I was trying to fundamentally change who Bush was. I wish I would have been afforded a little bit more grace when I was coming in.
If you could change one thing about the school, what would it be?
That the Middle School and Center Campus building was already built.
What are one or two things that the school must preserve?
Authentic learning experiences: Upper School Cascades, E-week, prioritizing learning outside of the classroom, including place-based learning (such as at the Methow Campus). The willingness of faculty to go above and beyond and meet students where they are—academically, socially, and emotionally.
What do you want your legacy to be?
So, the way I ask that question is, let’s say you come back here in five years, and you saw one of your teachers and your teacher said, “There’s X. I remember him; he was so (blank).” How would you like to be remembered? That forms a legacy, it’s how you showed up at school.
I want to be remembered as someone who gave every ounce of his being to understanding the community, to nurturing its potential, to helping it become the fullest and best expression of itself. And that I was able to bring others along with me.
What advice would you give someone new to the school?
I would tell Sarah to take some time to get to know the school as the Head of School. Spend as much time in classrooms listening as you can. Make sure you prioritize emergencies over urgencies, and let people see your full self.
Do you have any regrets?
I have lots of regrets; that’s how I process. I regret not being as communicative all the time. I regret spending as much time as I did in my office. I regret going on only one senior retreat. Lastly, I regret that I don’t have more time at Bush. It has provided so many meaningful experiences, connected me with such smart and interesting people, laughter, and allowed me to grow and learn in a peerless educational environment. If only I could have been a Lifer.
Any other comments?
I believe the school’s best days are ahead of it, and I can’t wait to see the next generation of The Bush School.
“Connection, I believe, is a wholly human enterprise that can bring us together to focus on shared goals, common good, and our collective success...”
A
FINAL YEAR: HONORING HEAD OF SCHOOL PERCY L. ABRAM
2024–2025
CONVOCATION
Wednesday, August 28, 2024
Students, families, and alumni gathered in the heart of the Middle School Courtyard, for Convocation, a joyous tradition at The Bush School that commemorated the start of the 2024–2025 academic year. Smiles were not in short supply on this day, as faculty and staff welcomed new and returning students with open arms. The fifty-first Convocation featured student speakers from each division who shared hopes, personal experiences, and advice on building connections with their fellow classmates. New Bush students and families also learned the values of The Bush School, what they mean, and how they impact the learning experience.
Head of School Percy L. Abram, in his final Convocation, shared his views on the importance of human connectedness, sharing how it can help cultivate and uplift a community.
“Connection, I believe, is a wholly human enterprise that can bring us together to focus on shared goals, common good, and our collective success,” Dr. Abram said. “Instead of a device that brings us together, it’s actually the beating heart, the touch of another person’s skin in moments of comfort or despair that offer true connections.”
Dr. Abram gave hopeful closing remarks and manifested a great year with the students through expressive cheers.
A LEGACY OF GRATITUDE
Wednesday, November 13, 2024
Current and former members of the Board of Trustees gathered in the Community Room for a dinner celebrating eleven years of leadership with Head of School Percy L. Abram. Guests shared warm memories and gratitude for the impact Dr. Abram has made during his eleven years at Bush while photos of building openings, Board meetings, Convocations, commencements, and campus events spanning a decade scrolled in the background.
Top left: Head of School Percy L. Abram smiles listening to former Bush Board of Trustee members speak about their memories working alongside Percy.
Bottom left: Guests applaud during a moment of honoring Head of School Percy L. Abram.
Bottom right: Former Board Presidents from left: Jerry Parrish 2012-2014, John Holt 2010-2012, Chris Jones 2014-2016, Head of School Percy L. Abram, Steve Rosen ’84 2021-2022, Lisa Carroll 2022-2024, Karen Solimano 2019-2021, and Tracy Stanton 2016-2018.
CELEBRATE BUSH
Saturday, March 8
This year’s Celebrate Bush — The Bush School’s annual Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade community celebration and fundraiser for financial aid — was extra special as it honored the remarkable contributions of Head of School Percy L. Abram, in his final year at Bush. The theme, Party at Paisley Park, celebrated the boldness and individuality of Prince, an artist whose spirit and music Dr. Abram deeply admires. Head over to page 74 to read more about Celebrate Bush: Party at Paisley Park.
“Celebrate Bush: Party at Paisley Park brought us together for an evening filled with inspiration, connection, and celebration in support of financial aid. As the Head of School these last eleven years, I have been honored to be part of a community that embraces this value with such generosity.”
THE HOMESTRETCH 5K
Sunday, June 1
Members of the Bush community tightened their laces and hit the pavement in celebration of Percy Abram’s eleven years as Head of School at Bush. The event—inspired by his passion for running— featured a 5K, a kids’ 400-meter dash, and a post-race picnic that was attended by more than 200 individuals.
Top left: From left to right: Lower School P.E. Teacher Tami Hutchison, Middle School English Faculty Laurie Mathews pose post-race with friends of The Bush School Andrea Bowers and Stephenie Reimers Shambaugh.
Top right: Head of School Percy L. Abram leads a pack of runners at the start of the 5K Homestretch race on Sunday, June 1.
Bottom left: Bush parent Emma Wong, right, and Ellie Wong, run with Blaze toward the finish line.
Bottom right: Georgie Mathews carries son Ethan to the finish of the race.
A PROPONENT FOR EDUCATIONAL EQUITY AND EXCELLENCE
NEW HEAD OF SCHOOL SARAH SMITH
by Mary Albl, Director of Communications
Sarah Smith still recalls the day that changed her life. It was in the fall of 1987, and Sarah, a scholarship boarding school student at Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire, was taking an ethics and justice class taught by a twenty-four-year-old rookie teacher named Julie Duff. They were reading the work of Jonathan Kozol, an author who spent decades chronicling the deep disparities in educational opportunities available to children in the United States.
“(Kozol) was basically challenging the reader,” Sarah said. “In our society, we say education is the great equalizer, the opportunity for social mobility through which anyone can get anywhere. But if offered such vastly different educational options and opportunities based on zip codes or birthrights, how does that work out? And what can we do to ensure that education can be that gamechanger for everyone?”
Sarah, just seventeen years old at the time, looked out the class window, viewing the ivy-coated brick walls of Exeter and pondered the profound and challenging words of Kozol—and the idea that education could be a powerful lever for change and a meaningful professional choice.
“I looked out on campus, and thought, ‘This is one of the most elite high schools in America,’” Sarah said. “Countless resources are being invested in me and my classmates here, and that is not the case for students in other communities. At that moment, I began to envision a career that was rooted in creating greater access to high-caliber, high-quality educational opportunities like this one.”
Flash forward to 2025, and Sarah is entering a significant new chapter in her educational journey as the tenth Head of School at The Bush School. Echoing the aspirations she held years ago at Exeter, she remains steadfast in her vision: to expand access to transformative educational experiences and to lead with a deep commitment to academic excellence and equity.
“I love the work we’ve done to be a more racially and ethnically diverse community, and I want to see us do even more work to merge that with socioeconomic diversity,” she said, highlighting efforts during her tenure as Bush’s Assistant Head of School for Academics. “I have a very clear goal of wanting to increase the percentage of students on financial aid and having Bush be a place where any qualified kid who wants to come learn here, grow here, and commit to the values of our community—that finances would not be a barrier to that.”
Born and raised in Virginia, Sarah, the youngest of three, grew up in a very service-oriented family. Her dad was an Episcopal clergyman, and both of her parents were deeply involved in the civil rights movement. From a young age, the ideals were instilled in her to be of service in the world, to care and be kind, to work hard for what you want, and to have a sense of community and responsibility to others.
“My parents were real role models for me around how important it was to constantly be working for a more just, compassionate and equal society,” she said.
Spending her childhood years in Leesburg, Virginia, academics and athletics became two of Sarah’s mainstays. Her earliest memories were chasing her sister and brother in the field by their home and honing the game of soccer at four-and-a-half years old. In the classroom, history became her favorite subject. She recalls the public schools of Loudoun County providing her with lessons on how to think as opposed to what to think.
“(Between) discussions in the classroom and at the dinner table at home, I really learned the ability to listen deeply, consider all perspectives, think about the ‘middle ground’, and the importance of knowing your own core beliefs and core values,” Sarah said.
“Having kids fundamentally changed how I approached working with parents of students, because I understood in a much deeper and different way what was happening to their heart...”
From left: Sarah Smith, Lucy S. ’27, Katie Hester, and Benjamin Hester ’25.
At age sixteen, Sarah earned a full scholarship to Exeter, where she spent her last two years of high school. Exeter was where her professional educational dream took flight.
“It was there it finally dawned on me how impactful teachers were in this world,” Sarah said. “Almost every adult I was working with there, I really learned from. They also appeared to love what they were doing, and held a sense of purpose in their work. To play that kind of role in the lives of young people through education became an aspiration of mine from that time forward.”
Sarah attended the University of Virginia, where she studied American history and was on the crew team. In 1992 she headed out west with a friend and never looked back. Seattle is also where she met her partner, Katie Hester. They’ve been married for twenty-five years and have two children together: Benjamin Hester ’25, and Lucy S., a rising sophomore at Garfield High School.
“Our first date was a coffee-tea conversation at Pike Place Market over the holidays. We’ve got a nice balance,” Sarah said of her relationship with Katie. “She’s the cook; I’m the dishwasher. She’s the math and science tutor in the house; I’m the humanities tutor. She’s a little more introverted but very present and connected to people, and she definitely keeps me and our entire family grounded.”
Sarah explained that becoming a parent with Katie has expanded her world in a multitude of ways and allowed her a wider lens into the important partnerships with parents in her professional life.
“Having kids fundamentally changed how I approached working with parents of students, because I understood in a much deeper and different way what was happening to their heart,” Sarah said. “It developed in me a profound empathy for how scary it can be when our kids are struggling, for how concerned you become if something troubling is happening to your child. Whenever I’m in a tough situation navigating kids and families, I try to put myself in those parents’ shoes.”
Following a few years in nonprofit youth work, Sarah earned a masters in education from Stanford University in 1996 and spent a number of years in Seattle Public Schools teaching history, English, and coaching soccer before she had a unique opportunity to get in on the ground floor of the founding team of a startup educational endeavor called Rainier Scholars, an organization with a mission to cultivate the academic and leadership potential of underrepresented Students of Color. Serving in many roles there over two decades, her time as the executive director of Rainier Scholars especially harnessed Sarah’s leadership skills.
Sarah explained that after twenty years at Rainier Scholars, her first role at Bush as Assistant Head of School for Academics was another serendipitous moment. As a longtime partner with Bush through Rainier Scholars and also a parent of Bush students, she believed deeply in Bush’s mission, hands-on academic approach, and commitment to being a different kind of independent school.
“I came to Bush for three reasons: really respecting the academic excellence as well as the work and vision in the previous decade of diversifying the student body and becoming who Bush is today; the Methow Campus and the tremendous opportunity to develop a unique program there; and third, the opportunity to work alongside Percy.”
Self-described as intense but also someone who relaxes and can “chill with the best of them”, Sarah loves a good chocolate chip cookie, watching her kids compete on the track and the soccer field, pouring through a good book or podcast, waking up to a sunrise on a mountaintop pass and surfing the highs and lows that life brings.
“I love to laugh,” she said. “What you see is what you get; there’s not a lot of pretense. I’m authentically interested in the experience and perspective of others. And I believe that we need to support one another in order to thrive.”
A lifelong learner, Sarah’s love for the school and curiosity about what could still be possible at Bush drew her into the Head of School role, envisioning how she could become part of the growth of Bush in the next one hundred years and instilling her passion for education into others.
“I am excited to lead us into this next century with an emphasis on bolstering our science, math, and technology offerings while maintaining a deep commitment to the experiential-based excellence in programming we have been known for in the humanities,” Sarah said. “The role of artificial intelligence (AI) in education is crucial for us to address in our next strategic plan, as is a vision for how we can best commit to being a force for good in our larger community while inspiring a commitment to service in our students. At the heart of it all, I am excited about the opportunity to steward The Bush School as we continue to evolve and grow into the finest version of ourselves, which is what we want for every student, family, faculty and staff member who enters our doors.”
“She’s just a beautiful educator,” Dr. Abram said. “I know when people see her in the full version of her leadership, they are going to fall in love with her the way she’s fallen in love with The Bush School.”
Lower School students Leo A. ’36 and Vivian A. ’36 enjoy the comfort of a beanbag, while Gus R. ’36 engages with the hand rings in the Lower School Reset Room.
How The Bush School Applies Strategies Outlined in Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation to its Curriculum
by Donés Williams, Communications Associate
Jonathan Haidt’s book, The Anxious Generation informs parents, guardians, and teachers about the rapid decline of teen mental health due to the explosion of smartphones, increased social media use, and overprotective parenting tactics. At the beginning of the 2024–2025 academic year, faculty at The Bush School were asked to read Haidt’s book and discuss the important messages outlined.
Haidt’s extensive research is grounded heavily in the impact of social media on youth mental health, arguing that it may contribute to increased anxiety and depression. Today, about seven in ten Americans support school cellphone bans in class, and another third favors a ban for the entire school day. But instead of simply ripping away devices from kids’ hands, Bush faculty wanted to encourage more play and engagement through sports, clubs, and other experiential learning activities.
“Heading into the school year, we asked all faculty to read this book and consider the implications for our work here at Bush,” said Assistant Head of School for Academics Sarah Smith. “During our opening meetings, we held robust conversations about how we might take the learnings from Haidt’s research and develop programming that reduces the reliance on screens and increases the opportunity for human connection across our campus. We also wanted to create classroom spaces in which technology distractions were minimized, and both students and faculty could be more present to the shared learning experience.”
This academic year, each division of The Bush School began implementing several of the fundamentals outlined in Haidt’s book in classrooms, including phone-free schools, playful schools, and better recess and playgrounds.
The Bush Upper School became a cellphone-free campus at the start of the 2024–2025 academic year to combat teen dependency on cellphone use. The Middle and Lower Schools had already implemented a no cellphone-use policy during the academic day. Since then, there has been highly positive feedback from Upper School students and teachers about boosts in student productivity, mental health, and a deeper sense of belonging. Before the policy, Upper School students spent their lunch periods buried in the screens of their phones. They are now more compelled to connect with their classmates through engaging conversations or outdoor competitive games like spike ball, ping-pong, and football.
“I was excited about the new policy when it was announced, and it’s been great so far,” said Cam Glaser ’25. “My screen time has decreased to two hours a day, and I feel more present in my classes.”
Interactive activities have been placed around campus to inspire more socialization and playtime. For example, the Bush counseling offices now display more board games and cards, such as Bananagrams, Rummykub, and Name That Tune. The Bush Middle and Lower Schools also integrated more group conversations during class to inform them about safely handling technology.
“Although technology is a powerful tool to amplify teaching and learning, we know the most important ingredient for student growth is great teachers that bring curriculum to life through in-person, interactive experiences...”
“I’m glad to say that our Lower School program intentionally incorporates many aspects of the ‘PDF’ (playtime, downtime, family time) concept,” said Lower School Technology faculty Jeffrey Adjei. “On a smaller scale, I actively aim to support the playtime and downtime of our students by engaging with them during recess supervision and fostering classroom discussions about the responsible use of electronic resources.”
At the beginning of his lessons, Jeffrey holds circle time with his students and asks them a check-in question, to which they all share a response. The prompts range from, “Share one of your favorite sunny-day snacks,” to “How do you balance on-screen and off-screen time at home?” Jeffrey often uses these moments to discuss digital citizenship topics and touch on the concerns raised in The Anxious Generation.
This year, Lower School Learning Specialist Shannon Salverda collaborated with Dr. Abram, Lower School Director Aliya Virani, Sarah, and the facilities team to integrate a new Reset Room in the Lower School. The space was once a tech closet but has been transformed into an occupational therapy space for active young students to use between classes.
“Kids need more opportunities to move,” said Shannon on the Lower School’s podcast, “The Big Joe.” “Instead of having kids do jumping jacks in the hallways, we wanted them to have a space to reset their bodies and brains, get their wiggles out, and then return to class, hopefully a little more prepared for learning.” While some Lower School students
use the room to calm down, talk through issues, or breathe, others may use the room to amp themselves up, jump on the trampoline, or participate in other active play.
“Although technology is a powerful tool to amplify teaching and learning, we know the most important ingredient for student growth is great teachers that bring curriculum to life through in-person, interactive experiences,” said Lower School Academic Dean Julie Barber. “It’s irreplaceable. Haidt’s book illustrates the importance of the human connection that we see come to life every day in our classrooms.”
Bush continues to address the need for more play and social interaction at all divisional levels, and faculty and staff are doing their part to weave Haidt’s advice for what schools can do now to combat the disconnect and mental decline of children and teens.
“With community leadership from Lower School parents and guardians who are organizing a ‘Wait Until Eighth’ group focused on encouraging interested families to unite together in delaying the introduction of cell phones until eighth grade and creative, innovative faculty who have redesigned classroom experiences to take full advantage of greater human connection, discourse, and dialogue, the vision for the future at Bush is bright, and our community connectedness is flourishing,” Sarah said. “The health and well-being of our students is a high priority for us, and we truly believe that this year, our new policies have enhanced and strengthened them.”
Attending the semester school at High Mountain Institute changed my life. High school is a very confusing time, but by being in this small community, I fostered tons of confidence in myself, my leadership skills, and my independence.
Sabine Blumenthal ’19
BUILDING COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS THROUGH SEMESTER SCHOOL
by Donés Williams, Communications Associate
Sabine Blumenthal ’19 first experienced the warmth of the Methow Valley as a student at The Bush School during a cross country ski competition against Liberty Bell High School students in Winthrop, Washington. Her team curated unforgettable connections with local students, who hosted and treated them to dinner, hospitality, and adventure.
“It was a really special experience,” Sabine said. “It showed me what being part of a larger community meant, and I was excited to see how The Bush School would continue to foster this relationship.”
As an Eleventh Grade student, Sabine attended a semester school at High Mountain
Institute in Leadville, Colorado. While there, she became involved in trail work with the Colorado Trail Foundation (CTF), which drove her to conduct community trail work at Mount Mazama in Oregon. This memorable experience showed her just how powerful it can be to build an intentional community.
Similar to a study-abroad experience, a semester school consists of core academic classes, experiential education, and a way for students everywhere to bring different perspectives, learn, and live together in a place-based, experiential program.
Bush is targeting a Fall 2028 school year launch for its own semester program. Its goal is to bring students from Bush,
the Methow Valley, and the greater Pacific Northwest to the Methow Valley for one semester of immersive study.
“Place-based learning has always been an integral part of the student experience at Bush. From trips to places like Utah, the Antarctic, New Orleans, France, Spain, Vietnam, Morocco, and India, Bush students learned independence, responsibility, and how diverse and interconnected our world is,” Head of School Percy L. Abram said. “We knew when we acquired the Methow Campus property that the Bush semester school would provide an opportunity for Blazers to live among students from around the country, stretching their levels of comfort, studying climate
ALUMNI PROFILE
change and its various impacts, and engaging in meaningful learning experiences in a residential environment. This feels like a natural extension to the place-based learning that has taken place at Bush across generations.”
When Sabine heard the Bush campus was going in a similar direction, she couldn’t express her enthusiasm enough.
“Attending the semester school at High Mountain Institute changed my life,” she raved. “High school is a very confusing time, but by being in this small community, I fostered tons of confidence in myself, my leadership skills, and my independence.”
Sabine revisited the Methow Campus in the fall for her Twelfth Grade retreat and fell in love with the beauty of the North Cascades and its supportive community members. Years after graduating, she returned as a college sophomore and decided to make the Methow Valley her home away from home.
“My college friends and I got jobs at a trail crew in Winthrop and found someone that wanted people to live in and take care of the house for her while she was away for the summer,” Sabine shared. “That’s when I conducted more relationship-building in the Methow Valley.”
While she was in the Methow Valley, a think tank was hosted to envision what the campus would look like if it were turned into a semester school. Hillary Kaltenbach, the former Methow Campus program manager, helped orchestrate the event and invited Sabine to share her unique perspective. She toured various affordable housing complexes built around the campus and learned about the community restoration efforts to rehabilitate the nearby forests devastated by wildfires.
“I also had the opportunity to chat with locals from the community who supported the idea of a semester school,” she said. “They provided helpful insight into factors we should consider when integrating the campus
into the Methow Valley community.”
Sabine emphasized the importance of utilizing placebased education modules for fostering community building, personal growth, and many other skills essential for students during their high school years. She encouraged students to take advantage of semester school and apply their unique perspectives and specialties to make a positive change in the community.
“What really excites me about a Bush semester school is the potential exchange between Bush and local schools in the Methow Valley and building more connections between the Methow Valley and Seattle,” Sabine said. “I’m sure that students from Methow Valley would be eager to come and be a student at Bush for a semester, and I think that would be a compelling way to build connections.”
My life mission is to have a positive impact. That’s what keeps me going, and I think that passion comes from my family upbringing.
Aaron Mitchell ’22
BLAZING TRAILS FOR BLACK EXCELLENCE
by Donés Williams, Communications Associate
Since graduating as The Bush School’s first Black male student who attended from Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade, Aaron Mitchell Jr. ’22 has moved to Georgia and wears multiple hats in the Atlanta community. He’s in his third year at the nation’s only historically Black college for men, Morehouse College, and serves as secretary of the school’s Entrepreneurship Club, budget manager for its First Generation-Forward Initiative, and is a member of the Morehouse Business Association. He’s absorbing everything he can about entrepreneurship and innovation to provide the best support for youth in the area.
“I’ve recently been inducted into the Morehouse chapter of Collegiate 100, a student-based organization focusing on youth empowerment,” Aaron shared.
“I try to be a positive role model for kids who may not have one in the communities that they live in.”
Each role he manages centers on uplifting primarily African American youth socially, emotionally, and educationally. This beneficial program aims to develop quality community leaders, encourage Black excellence, and help firstgeneration college students blaze new trails in their families.
An active philanthropist, Aaron is heavily involved in community service and has lent a hand to Atlanta Community Food Bank and Leading Youth Through Empowerment, a social group focused on mentorship and camaraderie.
“My life mission is to have a positive impact,” he said. “That’s what keeps me going, and I think that passion comes from my family upbringing. I was reminded to care for others and bring people up with me. Especially in our community, people might make it for themselves and not reach a hand back to help the next person out, which doesn’t breed any progress.”
Aaron credits Bush with inspiring him during his early days as a student and providing incredible experiences and projects that sparked his innate curiosity for business and entrepreneurship.
“Bush was a great school,” Aaron shared. “You get to experience so much that people don’t get to in their entire lives. I think back to Fourth Grade— we had a Market Day where we created our own business and sold different stuff. Our Eighth Grade project led me to start my first business, Royalty Association, so everything came full circle.”
Aaron admired Bush’s community aspect and inclusive curriculum, which is designed to foster connections through organic interactions in family and affinity groups and circle conversations.
“I’d say the impact is felt more when you can interact with people who can identify with you; having that space is rare. It was a positive aspect, but I think there should be more of that, not only for Black students but for students across different identities. That’s how you build the next generation of great leaders.”
Now a mentor for youth in his community, Aaron recalls his mentors from Bush, who led by example and helped provide a place of belonging for him.
“Having leaders like Head of School Percy L. Abram and Ray Wilson (former Upper School Director) there during my time at Bush was essential for the school,” Aaron said. “Percy served as a role model; there were times when I was able to speak with him about various subjects. He was able to showcase his sense of care not only to me but to others as well. His leadership is marked by kindness, empathy, and a willingness to do what it takes to make a community better.”
Bush is a very competitive and challenging school, but Ava was prepared for everything at college.
Top: Ava and Peter Golde capture a happy selfie from atop the North Cascades National Park in Washington.
Left: Ava and Peter Golde enjoy the sun under the Catedral de Sevilla in Seville, Spain.
Above: Ava and Peter Golde take in the breathtaking views after hiking at Glacier National Park in Montana.
Peter Golde ’86 and Ava Golde ’22
INVITING FAMILIAL PERSPECTIVES
by Donés Williams, Communications Associate
Ava ’22 and Peter Golde ’86 share more than a last name. They also share a deep love of learning, which was nurtured at The Bush School. While the father-daughter duo attended during different eras, they were both Lifers—they spent all thirteen years (Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade) at Bush and can both attest to Bush’s strong community, outstanding faculty, and unparalleled experiential education.
“What I remember about Bush was its ability to customize education,” Peter shared. “Since I was a young kid, I have always loved science and math. In Middle School, I had the opportunity to take Upper School math courses, so I was in Seventh Grade, taking geometry with Ninth and Tenth Graders. The experiential education is the highlight of this institution.”
Peter’s passion for math and science led to a career in computer programming, and his pursuit of subject-matter expertise inspired Ava to lean into her fondness for history. Ava, now in her third year at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, is confident that her devotion to learning was a trait she inherited from her father.
“My dad is probably one of the smartest people I know,” Ava said. “He is someone who is always reading and listening to podcasts. That is something really beautiful that we share—the ability to connect with whatever new fascinating topic he has found or an article I’ve read that I’ve sent him. I think he understands this love of learning like no one else.”
Since graduating in 1986 under the guidance of the fifth Head of School, Les Larson, Peter has visited Bush many times and was surprised at the physical changes around campus that have taken form, including the refreshed Lower School, Upper School, and Gracemont Alumni Hall buildings. However, the expansive curriculum and college preparatory support offered at Bush were exactly as he remembered.
“The education that Ava received at Bush was just amazing,” Peter said. “I loved hearing about high school, the kind of classes she got to take, and the discussions she had with her teachers. Bush is a very competitive and challenging school, but Ava was prepared for everything at college.”
As a student, Ava developed her Spanish-speaking skills with the help of Upper School faculty Marilina Kim and Meritxell Deegan. The Spanish department eventually chose her to assist her peers in developing their Spanishspeaking and grammar skills.
After graduating from Bush, Ava was granted a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity through Swarthmore College to study for six months in Seville, Spain, through an enriching program called the Consortium for Advanced Studies Abroad (CASA). She’s lived in Spain since January and remained with her homestay family into June.
“I am so lucky to be here, and I’m having the best time,” she said. “Living in a new country where you don’t know where anything is or
anyone else has been challenging in a really good way. It’s forced me to make friends and try new things.”
Ava is no stranger to overcoming obstacles or cultivating new connections, as she did when she attended Bush, where she thrived under the leadership of Head of School Frank Magusin and outgoing Head of School Percy L. Abram.
“Percy was someone who always projected a calmness and a levelheaded approach to everything,” Ava said. “When I was in Upper School, the pandemic happened, so we were online for a year and a half. But I remember when Percy sent all-school emails or hosted assemblies; he was always very compassionate and tried to understand everyone’s perspective.”
Although Ava and Peter have graduated and blazed their trails in different areas, they share forever ties to the Bush community. They are grateful to those who have welcomed them with open arms for two generations.
“It’s a cheesy thing to say, but I remember showing up at school and being so excited to be there,” Ava said. “Graduating Bush was a hard loss; I miss it a lot. I remember walking through the hallways and saying ‘hi’ to everyone, sitting with friends in the Commons, and being greeted by my teachers.”
Cultivating Connections through the Community Engagement Center
by Donés Williams, Communications Associate
The Bush School Community Engagement Center is dedicated to empowering students to become active, compassionate, and immersive members of their communities. The program strives to promote a leadership, community service, and initiative culture that fosters personal growth, social responsibility, and positive change. Twentytwo students at Bush have participated in several student-generated community outreach projects, lending a helping hand to about sixteen different partner organizations in the community through the Community Engagement Center.
“The Community Engagement Center is a program that was hatched by a group of teachers on the DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) committee last year,” said Susanne Eckert, Upper School history faculty. “We pitched the idea to the senior leadership team, who gave the green light to it.
I then worked with Eva F. ’26, Reya G. ’26, and Anusha Sharma ’25, already working in student-led service-related clubs, to envision how the school could help them get more institutional support behind their community-service initiatives.”
In November 2024 Upper School students volunteered at World Relief, a humanitarian organization that aids refugee families in need. This project was arranged by Upper School student Kiran B. ’26 and alum Ben Pryde ’12, who oversees a nonprofit organization that provides temporary housing for recently arrived refugee families. This
dynamic group spent the day raking leaves around the housing areas, ensuring the newly settled families felt welcome and supported. Students had the opportunity to meet and connect with one of the families, who shared hot tea as a token of their appreciation.
Bush Upper School students are also making a massive difference at other schools in the community. Every Tuesday from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., students meet at Lowell Elementary School for “Power Hour,” a tutoring program that has provided extra reading and math assistance to Kindergarten through Fifth Grade students for the last two years.
“We send about ten students weekly,” said Anusha. “They engage with the younger students, and we do math and reading together. We’ve also started to spend our free time together. Some of the guys on the basketball team bring a few of the kids outside and teach them how to play basketball, and the chess players teach them to play chess.”
The experience has been impactful for both the Bush Upper School students and the Lowell Elementary students, who have built strong connections with one another through the program.
“There’s been such great relationships formed,” Anusha said, also explaining that the Bush students rotate weekly according to their schedules to
Page 38: Isabelle O. ’27 left, and Jera S. ’27 part of the Community Engagement Center, help prepare lunch on Friday, May 16 at the All Pilgrims Church Community Lunch.
“I
hope that their work will slowly build a stronger culture of stewardship and responsibility to something bigger than ourselves and our immediate needs—and joy in discovering purpose and passion that comes from being useful to others.”
Top right: Middle School History Teacher Mike Jackson, left, and Upper School student Samuel C. ’27 converse about their Family Groups K-12 project on Friday, April 4. The group spent the morning doing stewardship work with Seattle Green Partnership —a collaborative initiative to restore and enhance Seattle’s forested parklands.
Above: Upper School History Teacher Suzanne Eckert, center, works with K-12 students on Friday, April 4, as they prepare cards for Lake City Partners. The mission of the day was to cultivate community with our Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade students.
Top left: Students in Upper School Dean of Students Sara Fischer’s Family Group work together on mulching of the redwood trees on the Bush campus.
Top middle: From left to right: Jera S. ’27, Emily F. ’27, Kate O. ’27, Avery M.-L. ’27, Kiran B. ’26, Tessa D. ’26, Eva F. ’26, Reya G. ’26, all Upper School students involved in the Community Engagement Center, helped prepare food on Friday, May 16 at the All Pilgrims Church Community Lunch.
allow flexibility. “A couple of the regular Bush volunteers couldn’t make it (one week), and all the little kids wondered where they were and why they didn’t come that week. It means more to the little kids for us to show up than we realized.”
Anusha attested to seeing a tremendous improvement in the Lowell students’ grades, reading capabilities, and confidence. Because of its positive impact on the students, tutors, and faculty at Lowell Elementary, she hopes the program continues long after she graduates.
Several other student-led groups thriving around Bush are making a difference in their communities through philanthropy, trust, and mutual support. Another Bush Upper School student group led by Samuel C. ’27, Kate O. ’27, and Avery M. ’27 is working on an urban forestry project with Green Seattle Partnership. Tessa D. ’26 has collaborated with the Lower School Service Club and community organization Ridwell on a recycling project for Halloween candy wrappers.
Also in November 2024, Cam Glaser ’25 and Phanuel Wodaje ’25 organized a service project for the boys’ basketball team at All Pilgrims Church in Capitol Hill to prepare and serve lunch to unhoused teens. Cam and Phanuel arranged for the boys’ basketball team to engage in a service project to integrate service into existing structures.
“These projects are not easy to develop,” Susanne said. “Students have had to build relationships with partner organizations, coordinate times, educate our community about the project, and recruit peers to participate. I am really proud of the work of the Community Engagement Center leaders, and I hope that their work will slowly build a stronger culture of stewardship and responsibility to something bigger than ourselves and our immediate needs—and joy in discovering purpose and passion that comes from being useful to others.”
Above: Upper School students, Paul Hutchison ’25, left, and Xander K.-P. ’27, right carry boxes during Family Group community projects on Friday, April 4.
Top right: Upper School Performing Arts cast members Gabriel B. ’26, Linus D. ’27, Jack S. ’27, Samuel C. ’27, Lola Z. ’26, Charlie M. ’26, Measles V. ’26, Anya S. ’28, Gabe L.’28, Nate Day Hase ’25, Kai-Biko E. ’27, and Henry Kinney ’25 bow after the fall performance of “Love and Information.”
Top left: Kieran T. ’30 and Ryan C. ’30 paint sections of the Middle School Class Art collaborative project for Celebrate Bush.
Center: Upper School Student Ian A. ’26 singing during Venue.
Above: The cast of “A Day on Mount Olympus” the spring Middle School production celebrate around Matias C. ’31 during a scene.
THE BUSH SCHOOL ARTS IN FULL SWING
by Donés Williams, Communications Associate
Creative, expressive, and free-thinking, The Bush School’s performing arts department was in full swing this year, hosting live drama performances, choir concerts, art displays, and music showcases. Each production has been a massive success for arts faculty and students, who worked diligently to ensure the Bush community was entertained and inspired at each event.
During the fall semester, Middle and Upper School musicians learned the importance of building connections while prepping for the music showcases and Venue, an all-comers musical performance show. Middle School showcase bands performed live for friends and family in January.
“My goal was to culminate a musical performance as a motivator for students,” shared Matt Swanson,
Middle School music faculty and performing arts department chair.
Musical connections also formed in the Upper School during Venue and the music showcase this past winter and spring. The Upper School music showcase hosted a rock and jazz band, which practiced several songs every Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning for several months until showtime. With each performance, they gained more confidence onstage and strengthened their harmonious bonds.
“The music showcase had a great turnout,” said Upper School Music Faculty Landon Ashby. “Many of the ensemble and jazz bands had the opportunity to perform twice, so if something didn’t work as
Page 45: From left: Maddie Schofield ’25, Rustine R. ’28, and Sonya M. ’28 perform during Upper School Venue.
Top left: Nicolette M. ’32, Ruhi M. ’32, Dara T. ’32, Melina M. ’32, and Caroline H. ’32 smile together in the art gallery during Lower School Fine Arts Evening.
Top right: Rayyan F. ’31 and Matias C. ’31 perform in an Open Mic during Middle School Town Hall.
Above: From left: Poppy B. ’35 and Rabiya A. ’35 perform at Lower School Fine Arts Evening.
well Tuesday night at the showcase, they could try something different at ‘Venue’ on Thursday night.”
In mid-December the music and performing arts departments collaborated for Bush’s second Lower and Middle School choir concert. Inspired by the song a “Crowded Table” by The Highwomen, the concert theme mirrored Bush’s annual theme of “connections.”
“We wanted to highlight the importance of community by bringing students of different grade levels together,” said Lower School music faculty Juliana Cantarelli Vita. “Lower School students got to vote on songs that best fit the theme, which was fun and interesting.”
Students chose songs from around the world, danced, and even sang in other languages. Performing the collection of songs from diverse global cultures brought students from all backgrounds together and highlighted Bush’s unparalleled diversity and sense of community.
“A highlight was seeing how invested and excited the kids were when practicing,” Juliana said. “Different songs had different ethos and feelings, and they
did a great job conveying those feelings in their performance. The students were part of the process, thus part of what was shown to parents onstage.”
The Lower School’s dramatic spring performance, a live-action rendition of the beloved children’s story The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza, premiered in mid-March. A student-led orchestra played music in each scene to bring every story to life.
Middle School performing arts students also performed their musical spring production, “A Day on Mount Olympus,” in early May in Benaroya Theater. The spring production brought Greek mythology to life with a comedic twist and featured Broadway-style show tunes woven throughout.
“Putting on a successful play is all about the ensemble working together,” said Joanne Keegan Middle School drama faculty. “The students take charge behind the scenes, from set transitions to quick costume changes. Through the elective play process, they gain hands-on experience in backstage production, developing essential theater skills that bring the show to life. It’s magical to see it all come together on opening night.”
HALL OF FAME ATHLETICS
AWARD
by Tiffany Kirk, Associate Director of Alumni Relations
On Friday, January 10, alums of The Bush School filled the stands during a Bush Varsity Boys Basketball game against Eastside Prep to honor former Bush Boys Basketball Coach Will Bascus. Coach Bascus is the 2024–2025 posthumous recipient of the Bush Athletics Hall of Fame Award.
The alums, whose graduating classes spanned the early eighties to late nineties, came together thanks to the thoughtful planning and outreach of Steve Rosen ’84 and Paul Uhlir ’87.
“Coach Willie Bascus was a godsend for me. He taught me how to work hard, to believe in myself, and how to win. I feel so blessed to have been coached and mentored and loved by him,” Paul shared.
Left: The 1986 Boys Varsity Basketball Team in front of Gracemont Alumni Hall. Back row from left: Assistant Coach Jim Franklin, Richard Albrecht, Christian Larsen, Jon Burke, Chip McCollum, David Strunk, Derel Finch, Robert Boulware, Bob Agee, Jeff Coleman, Coach Willie Bascus. Front row, from left: Ken Herndon, Phillip Weatherhill, Cole Peterson, Michael Lawson, Paul Uhlir, Jonathan Rosario.
In preparation, Steve collected videos from alums and created a short film as a tribute to Coach Bascus that was played during the event.
“One of the things that became obvious while putting the video together is that it could just as easily have been a full-length feature,” Steve said. “I can’t tell you how many people came to me later with more stories and anecdotes that capture the influence he had on us.”
Also in attendance were Coach Bascus’s two sons, Mike and Bill; his wife, Isobel; and beloved former Bush P.E. teacher Theo Coxe, who nominated Willie for the award.
“I joined the P.E. department in 1983 as a Middle School teacher, varsity volleyball coach, and Middle School boys basketball coach,” Theo wrote. “Being a basketball junkie, I found a kindred spirit in Will. Though he left Bush, his legacy endured, as Blazer teams were regular state qualifiers through much of the 1990s and into the early 2000’s. His enthusiasm for basketball, the program, the school, and the players infected the whole school. Faculty and students traveled to Coupeville and other venues for district games and showed up en masse for the state games in Spokane. The boost to the school’s visibility and spirit, though incalculable, were most evident. I am fortunate to have been able to call Will a friend. He was an excellent colleague in the P.E. department, a coach who taught me a lot about coaching and basketball, and, more, someone with whom I could hang with and talk. As he would say, ‘The job of the point guard is to make everyone around him better.’ (In today’s world, he would have added ‘or her.’) This, Will Bascus did.”
Coach Bascus was recognized again during the Upper School Athletic Awards Banquet on Friday, June 6. His family was in attendance once more, sharing warm memories of Will and his time at Bush.
Top left: A newspaper article shows the 19861987 Boys Varsity Basketball team celebrating their Tri-District win in Coupeville, WA.
Top right: The family of Coach Willie Bascus poses with Athletics Director Jo Ito and a plaque honoring Willie as the 2024-2025 Bush Athletic Hall of Fame awardee. From left: Bill Bascus, Jo Ito, Isobel Bascus, Mike Bascus.
Above: Back row, from left: Isobel Bascus, Bill Bascus, Mike Bascus, David Strunk ’88, Larry Killeen ’85, Rod Diefendorf ’89, Michael de Groot ’84, John Norton ’83, Rondale West ’83, Bryan Cohen ’88, Rob Agee ’88, Molly Hasson ’87. Front row, from left: Jay Franklin ’90, Pete Flynn ’90, Paul Uhlir ’87, Steve Rosen ’84, Cole Peterson ’87, Frank Leonetti ’85.
BLAZER ATHLETICS
by Mary Albl, Director of Communications
It was a year of blazing new trails and continuing to raise the standard higher for The Bush School Athletic Department. Below are some of the highlights from the year.
“The fall season started off with great athlete turnout and gave us a great indicator of an exciting year ahead for Blazer athletics,” said Associate Athletic Director Mel Harrow. We are grateful to the athletes, coaches, and athletic staff team for all the work they pour into creating an uplifting environment for our student-athletes to thrive.”
In the fall, the girls and boys cross-country teams made huge strides— collectively and individually. Both teams captured runner-up honors at the Emerald Sound Conference (ESC) championships and qualified for the 1A Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) state championships— only the third time this feat has been accomplished in school history. The Bush boys team took second place with sixty-two points. The team was led by Duncan Frisbie-Smith ’25, who will run at Brown University in college, whose thirdplace finish clocking in at 15:51 was almost a minute faster than a year ago.
Left: Kara Ma ’25 dribbles the ball up the court. Kara earned Emerald Sound Conference First-Team (Coho Division) honors.
Middle: Members of the Girls Varsity Soccer team celebrate a goal during the WIAA 1A Soccer Tournament.
On the pitch, the Girls Soccer team made an inspiring run in the postseason advancing to the 1A State Tournament Quarterfinals.
Also in the fall, second-year Bush Upper School Ultimate Frisbee Head Coach Max Bommarito (who is also an assistant in the Lower School) was named ESC Coach of the Year after guiding the boys team to an impressive 5-7 record after going winless a year ago.
On the court, the girls basketball team had a historic season as the veteran group advanced to the 1A WIAA state tournament for the first time since 2006. The Blazers compiled a 13-1 regular season record and were the Coho League champions. Kate Hutchinson ’25 was named the All-Conference Most Valuable Player, while the Blazer Coaching Staff of Sara Fischer, Bea Chang, and Sekou Rolland earned Coach of the Year Honors.
The spring was full of amazing achievements as the athletic teams finished the year on a high note! Bush’s Makenna K. ’27 finished runner-up in WIAA 1A State Girls Tennis Championship Singles this spring. Makenna, who earned All-Conference, helped propel the Blazers to the team’s first League and District title since 2007. Head Coach Cara Holloway earned Conference Coach of the Year.
On the golf course, the boys team won the Emerald Sound Conference title, And both the boys and the girls team successfully sent athletes to the State Championship tournament. Meredith C. ’26 took home the highest honors, placing 20th overall at the 1A WIAA State Tournament.
Top right: The Girls Varsity Tennis team, pictured during media day, won the first League and District title this season.
Bottom: Members of the Bush Varsity Golf team pose with the Emerald Sound Conference trophy.
Teammate Xander T. ’26 also had a record state meet winning two state individual titles. The standout junior won the 110 hurdles in a time of 14.65 and added a victory in the 400 dash, clocking 49.70.
On the pitch, the Bush Boys Soccer team put together a magical postseason run — winning four straight games as the #15 seed to advance to the WIAA 1A Boys State Soccer Championship game against #1 University Prep. The Blazers battled hard but ultimately fell 2-1 to finish the 2025 season as the runner-up. The team finished with a 15-6 record.
Already in the record books as one of the best distance runners in program history, Duncan added to his legacy at the WIAA 1A State Track and Field Championships as he completed the rare and impressive distance sweep, winning the 800, 1,600, and 3,200 meter titles. Duncan claimed the 1,600 title in a time of 4:15.58, won the 800 in a 1A state meet and school record time of 1:50.50. He capped off his final state meet by winning the 3,200 in 9:16.52. He became the first Blazer to win three state titles in one meet.
the WIAA 1A State Track and Field Championships. Duncan captured the 800, 1,600, and 3,200-meter titles.
Middle: Xander T. ’26 clears a hurdle during a track meet. Xander won the 1A state 110 hurdles title.
Bottom left: Members of the Girls Varsity Volleyball celebrate a point during a game.
Top left: Duncan Frisbie-Smith ’25 stands atop the podium at
Top: The Bush Boys Soccer team poses together at the end of the 1A State Championship game.
Middle: The Boys Cross Country team holds up the 2024 WIAA 1A Runner-Up trophy.
Bottom: Kiran B. ‘26 gets ready to make a throw during a Boys Ultimate game this spring.
Assistant Head of School for Advancement Sharon Hurt hosts families on a Walk and Talk tour of the Upper School campus and Middle School. The tour highlighted the benefits of updated learning environments as seen in the Upper School South building, and talked about the future improvements that the new Center Campus/Middle School will offer.
EXCITING CHANGES COMING TO CAMPUS
THE BUSH CENTER CAMPUS AND MIDDLE SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT
by Meaghan Leferink, Associate Director of Development
The 2025–2026 school year will mark the beginning of an exciting transformation at The Bush School, as construction kicks off on the new Center Campus and Middle School. This milestone has been years in the making, with dedicated efforts from the Board of Trustees, the campus design and development team, the capital task force, and many others, in partnership with Mithun Architects. This project is designed to be a truly transformative space for learning and connection.
Construction is set to begin in the first quarter of 2026, spanning approximately eighteen months. The new building is expected to open for the start of the 2027–2028 school year, ushering in a new era of innovation and collaboration at Bush. While there will be some noise and access disruptions, as there are with all construction projects, all students will remain on campus throughout the process, and it is a priority to keep the daily life of the school running smoothly throughout.
“Throughout the planning and design process for the Center Campus and Middle School, we have been reminded how impactful intentionally designed spaces can be on the student and teacher experience,” said Assistant Head of School for Advancement Sharon Hurt. “This past spring, we gave Upper School campus tours to families to help them gain a better understanding of the new project. When in Upper School South or Gracemont, one can’t help but be inspired in these elevated spaces. Soon, every student in every grade will experience the kind of physical environment that matches the quality of our program.”
The new building—measuring 26,000 square feet, larger than the most recent new building at Bush, Upper School South is a transformative opportunity for our community that will be thoughtfully designed to enhance learning, creativity, and connection. The new Center Campus will redefine communal spaces with a Commons twice the size of the current one, a new kitchen, a student art gallery, and additional offices, including a conference room and dedicated space for the Head of School and school administration.
The Middle School floor of the new building will introduce six new classrooms, two flexible collaboration hubs, two immersive science labs, and dedicated spaces for faculty and administration, ensuring students and teachers have the resources they need to thrive.
Beyond the new building, existing spaces will see thoughtful renovations. The Harrison Wing of the Middle School will be transformed into a dedicated Kindergarten through Twelve student learning support center; a new center for community, equity, and inclusion; a Middle School tech makerspace; a prayer room; and a wellness center. These enhancements will create an inspiring and inclusive environment that supports the wellbeing of every student.
This next chapter in Bush’s history is about more than new facilities; it’s about strengthening our commitment to a learning environment where students feel inspired, supported, and ready to explore their full potential. We invite you to stay engaged and follow along as we bring this vision to life.
Top: Rendering of the new Center Campus/Middle School building from Harrison Street. The new building will be 26,000 square feet, and feature new administrative offices, six new classrooms, two new science labs, and a Commons with twice the capacity of the current space.
Bottom: Rendering of the new Center Campus/Middle School building from Republican St.
Top: The new Middle School building will feature spaces called “collaboration hubs” which will be flexible spaces for collaboration, social time, or independent study.
Bottom: The new Center Campus/Middle School will have a more expansive and welcoming main office area, complete with student art gallery.
Top: The Class of 2025 pose in front of Gracemont Alumni Hall.
Bottom Left: Ellody and Tya Gillespie ’25 smile together in cap and gown.
Bottom Middle: Rowan Mai-Loi ’25 proudly holds up his diploma.
Bottom Right: Top Row: Graduates Nicholas Hufnagel ’25, Noah Leibovitz ’25, O’Brien Driscoll ’25, Gareth Widlansky ’25 Front Row: Boyan Holt ’25 and Edwin Duong ’25.
CLASS OF 2025
by Donés Williams, Communications Associate
On Sunday, June 8, friends, family, and supportive community members gathered at the Seattle Convention Center Summit to applaud seventy-eight members of The Bush School’s Class of 2025 on their newly blazed trails. This joyous and heartfelt occasion marked their transition from students to graduates and the final tenure of Head of School Dr. Percy L. Abram.
“As you move into these next four years and whatever lies ahead,” said Dylan Kelly ’25 in her opening remarks to her fellow classmates, “don’t just exist. Your best moments will happen in between all the things you’ve planned for yourself. Bush has given us all so many things to be grateful for and learn from. You could say, we experienced education.”
The Class of 2025 will be remembered by their mentors, leaders, and community as a spirited, opinionated, self-aware, collaborative, hard-working, and motivated group of students. “One of the things I love about this group,” Upper School Director Matt Lai shared, “...is that you have a unique voice, and you know how to use it.”
Percy also shared how, over the years, the faculty have always instilled in seniors that the future holds unlimited possibilities and that their Bush education has prepared them to for it.
“You are now on the precipice of graduation, soon to earn the title of Bush alumni,” said Percy. “You may wonder if the world still holds the same sense of possibility that it did for students who graduated in the 1980s and 1990s. Of course, it does, and your teachers have the same faith in you to build a perfect future.”
The powerful and lasting influence of Bush teachers was a recurring theme throughout the ceremony, culminating in the heartfelt closing remarks from student speaker Teoman Champagne ’25. Reflecting on the years of learning and growth at Bush, Teoman honored the faculty for shaping not just students’ academic journeys, but their character and worldview.
“Time and time again, these teachers have reminded us to consider multiple perspectives—especially those shrouded from mainstream view,” said Teoman. “They have taught us to ceaselessly interrogate our preconceived notions about the world. Those lessons have been the basis of our intellectual humility.”
The Class of 2025, which included eighteen “Lifers”—students who attended all thirteen years at Bush —commemorated their transition to the next phase of their lives at various colleges and universities worldwide.
together in the spring to celebrate a moment of their next steps; whether that be college, a gap year or undecided.
on Sunday, June 8.
Top: The Class of 2025 poses
Bottom left: Head of School Percy L. Abram speaks to the Class of 2025 during the Commencement Ceremony
Top middle: Ruby Richards ’25 giver her message to the Class of 2025.
Bottom middle: Assistant Head of School for Academics Sarah Smith, Benjamin Hester ’25, Lucy S. ’27, and Katie Hester pose during the Commencement reception.
Middle right: Graduates Mayu Randall ’25, Dylan Kelly ’25, and Noa Sharon ’25 smile and pose together after the commencement ceremony.
Bottom right: The Class of 2025 celebrates officially graduating The Bush School with the traditional throwing of the caps.
CLASS OF 2025 MATRICULATION LIST
Bates College
Berklee College of Music
Boston College
Brown University
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Colorado College
Columbia University
Cornell University (2)
Dartmouth College
Emory University (2)
Georgetown University (2)
Harvard University
Haverford College
Lehigh University
Marquette University
Middlebury College (2)
Oregon State University
Pitzer College
Pomona College (2)
Reed College
Rice University (2)
San Diego State University
Santa Clara University (3)
Scripps College
Skidmore College
Stanford University (2)
Tufts University (3)
Tulane University (2)
University of British Columbia
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Davis
University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Santa Barbara (3)
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
University of Maryland
University of Michigan
University of Rochester
University of Southern California (3)
University of Utah
University of Vermont
University of Washington (9)
University of Wisconsin (3)
Vassar College
Villanova University
Wake Forest University (3)
Washington University, St. Louis (2)
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Yale University (2)
MOVING-UP
HONORING MILESTONES AND EMBRACING NEW BEGINNINGS
by Mary Albl, Director of Communications
At the close of the school year, the Classes of 2032 and 2029 gathered with families, faculty and staff to mark meaningful milestones on their Bush journeys—celebrating the completion of Lower and Middle School and looking ahead to new chapters filled with growth, connection, and discovery.
On Tuesday, June 10, the Class of 2032 was recognized during the Fifth Grade Moving Up Ceremony. The afternoon was filled with pride and joy. Thoughtful reflections were offered by Head of School Percy L. Abram, Lower School Director Aliya Virani, and Fifth Grade Teachers Neil Davis and Randi Gordner. The ceremony celebrated not just academic growth, but the compassion, creativity, and friendships that define the Lower School experience.
The next day, Wednesday, June 11, the Class of 2029 took center stage at the Eighth Grade Moving Up Ceremony. With remarkable performances and heartfelt words, students shared their voices and stories—embodying open-mindedness and courage. Student speakers Sullivan N. ’29, Cole S. ’29, Henry M. ’29, Bahja H. ’29, Joseph L. ’29, and Audrey T. ’29 offered inspiring reflections on their Middle School journeys. Remarks from Head of School Percy L. Abram, Middle School Director Rob Blackwell, and Dean of Students Jessica Osorio reminded all in attendance of the strength of community and the promise of what lies ahead in Upper School.
Top left: From left: Cole S. ’29 and Joseph L. ’29 speak at the Eighth Grade Moving Up Ceremony.
Bottom left: Middle School Dean of Students Jessica Osorio smiles alongside Eighth Grade Graduate Zuzu I. ’29.
Middle: Fifth Grade Teachers Neil Davis and Randi Gordner are all smiles during their speech to the Class of 2032.
Top right: Nicolette M. ’32 runs through a tunnel formed by Bush faculty to celebrate the Fifth Grade students graduating.
Bottom right: Raymond B. ’29 shakes the hand of Middle School Director and his dad, Rob Blackwell.
ALUMNI EVENTS
2024–2025
by Tiffany Kirk, Associate Director of Alumni Relations
Reinvigorated by the past year’s Centennial celebrations, alums came together in large numbers this year—all across the country.
FALL FESTIVAL LUNCHEON FOR BUSH ALUM PARENTS
Friday, September 27, 2024
Left: Assistant Head of School for Advancement Sharon Hurt and Head of School Percy L. Abram listen in as alumni who have students currently enrolled at Bush share stories and weigh-in on alumni engagement.
Above: From left: Lisa Black ’84, Kate Bayley ’96, Jodie Clarke ’95, Jonathan Neff ’92, Aima Molinari, Joaquin Randall ’97, Paul Kasin ’97, Erica Eyring ’94, Emily Alhadeff ’94
BUSH ALUM FALL PARTY
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
BUSH YOUNG ALUM WINTER PARTY
Thursday, December 19, 2024
Top right: Class of 2018 alums: Ike Everard, Sam Ephron, Grace Farwell, Noah Medina, Chase Habu-Chinn, Matthew Fishbein, Malcolm McIntyre, Wayan Christoffersen, Harrison Lurie
Left: John Neff ’92, Loren Alhadeff ’97, Adam Sedgley ’97, Paul Kasin ’97, Chris Laine ’98
Top: Colin Jackson ’22, Taylor Yi ’22, Ajani Quibuyen ’22, Quinn Chow ’22, Sam Carr ’22
Bottom left: Elie Kopstein ’22, Elle Jones ’22, Addie Zamudio ’22, Upper School Counselor Maria Mathiesen
Top right: Former Middle School Director Jay Franklin ’90, Paul Uhlir ’87, Former P.E. Teacher Theo Coxe
Left middle: Jodie Clarke ’95 and Burke Stansbury
Right middle: Kelly Killeen Forebaugh ’88, and former Middle School Director Jay Franklin ’90.
Bottom left: Frank Leonetti and Bryan Cohen ’88
’84 snap a quick photo before heading to the post-award happy hour.
ALUM HAPPY HOUR IN PHILADELPHIA
Wednesday, January 29, 2025
From front left to back: Dacy Knight ’07, Head of School Percy L. Abram, Director of College Counseling and Student Success Melissa Lanctot, Aiden Chang-Lee ’20, Izzy Russak ’19. From front right to back: Donnie Kneisel, Daniel Baylson ’92, Caitlin Adkins ’01, Maia Glass-Quicksall ’20, Sophie Redila ’18
ALUM HAPPY HOUR IN NEW YORK CITY
Thursday, January 30, 2025
Top: Bush alums during the Bush Alum Happy Hour in NYC on Thursday, January 30
Bottom left: Former Assistant Head of School for Community Engagement Polly Fredlund, Sigrid Fredlund ’23, Ben Ryan ’97
Bottom right: Elise Antsey ’20, Director of College Counseling and Student Success Melissa Lanctot, Mariah Martin ’23, Julia Johannesdottir ’23
BUSH ALUM IMPROV COMEDY SHOW!
Friday, June 13, 2025
Alums of The Bush School kicked off the annual Alumni Day all-classes reunion with a night of hijinks and hilarity courtesy of the second-ever The Bush Alum Comedy Improv Show. Alums Camilla Franklin ’13 (co-creator and artistic director of Lollygag Improvised Music Festival), Ben Johns ’91 (improv actor, L.A. and Seattle), Scott Palmason ’00 (The Tonight Show, Scrubs), and Ben Weber ’90 (Sex & The City, Twister), and keyboardist Alex Engleberg joined forces to bring the audience a show that can only be described as laugh-til-you-cry, side-splitting funny.
Keep your eyes peeled for next year’s date–this show’s a keeper.
Middle: The full cast of The Bush Alum Improv Comedy Show, including keyboardist Alex Engelberg, pose with guest star and Bush icon, the Headless Blazer
Top right: Ben Johns ’91 pulls Ben Weber ’90 toward a treacherous Blizzard machine during Friday the 13th inspired skit.
Bottom right: Attendees—including Ann Palmason, former Lower School music teacher and parent of alums Scott Palmason ’00 and Jennifer (Palmason) Kaiton ’97— are all smiles after a night of pure hilarity.
Top left: From left: Nicole Blom Heath ’75, Assistant Head of School for Academics Sarah Smith, and Catherine Treadgold ’76.
Top middle: Coby Hirsh ’20 and Claire Fitzgerald ’17.
Top right: From left: Jodie Clarke ’95, Mitch Alhadeff ’01, and Upper School Art teacher Bill Baber.
Middle: Jerry Sanford ’75, Nicole Blom Heath ’75, Katy Bush Killory ’75, Helene Heglund ’75, Michelle Purnell-Hepburn ’75, Catherine Treadgold ’76, Tory (Clark) Horsman ’76, and Eric Longdon ’76.
Bottom left: Kiron Sukesan ’10 and Upper School Counselor John Ganz.
Bottom right: Graduates of the Class of 2000 celebrating their twenty-fifth reunion during Bush Alumni Day. From left: Ellis Hawes, Susie Fagerholm, Lauren Moore, Will Baber, Scott Palmason, Ben Ahroni, Kuntheavy Nhek, Zach Self, Jason Brotman, and Atuanya Priester.
ALUMNI DAY 2025
by Tiffany Kirk, Associate Director of Alumni Relations
On Saturday, June 14, Alumni Day brought alums spanning nearly five decades back to campus for a fun-filled day of reconnecting with former classmates, friends, and faculty and revisiting spaces that hold fond memories. Alums—including Class of 2000 grads celebrating their twentyfifth reunion—enjoyed music and margaritas in the Urban Courtyard, toured the campus, flipped through yearbooks, explored the Archive, and learned about plans for the Middle School and Center Campus project.
A Combined Reunion for Graduates of the Classes of 1975 and 1976
Just before Alumni Day kicked off in the Urban Courtyard, alumni of the Classes of 1975 and 1976 came together at Gracemont Alumni Hall for a combined class reunion brunch. Attendees came from as far away as Connecticut to reunite with old friends, classmates, and teachers. While celebrating their fiftieth and forty-ninth class reunions (respectively) alums enjoyed a tour of the Gracemont building they so fondly remembered, as well as buildings new to them. Afterward, they joined the Alumni Day celebration in the Urban Courtyard.
Fifty-Year Reunion: The Class of 1975
Deborah (LaZerte) Alan, Gursel (Savan) Baran, Robin Black, Mark Boyar, Catherine (Youell) Crooks, Jean Falls, Heidi Fray, Nicole Blom Heath, Helen (Anderson) Heubener, Deborah Hofer, Katherine “Katy” (Bush) Killory, Larry Knopp, Marie Kurose, Abby (Yin) Li, Stacy “Rondi” Meister, Nancy Morrow, Janna (Fickenwirth) Nichols, Abigail “Abbie” Ormsby, Lynn (Christensen) Pattison, Emily Pease, Mardine “Michelle” Purnell-Hepburn, Patricia “Trish” Edmond Quinn, Helene (Heglund) Reed, Matthew Rice, Jerome “Jerry” Sanford, Jane Sarason*, Pasha Scott, Cindy (Berg) Shrieve, Kim (Wehle) Slinger, Caroline Smith, Cheyenne Smith-Peterson, Leah Heilpern Snider, Sheri Stephens, and Margaret (Schuchart) Wright.
*deceased
Top left: Janell Turner and Wes Burns discuss the reasons for and importance of social impact investing.
Top right: Investment Club students Kai A. ’26 and Sai S. ’26 welcome attendees and introduce Head of School Percy L. Abram.
Middle: From left: Janell Turner, Wes Burns, and Alison Behnke.
Bottom: Head of School Percy L. Abram listens thoughtfully as Bush parent Zane Behnke ’00 shares about his family’s experiences with investing for social impact.
Page 69: From left: Janell Turner, Wes Burns, Alison Behnke, Zane Behnke ’00, and Head of School Percy L. Abram.
by Sharon Hurt, Assistant Head of School for Advancement, and Tiffany Kirk, Associate Director of Alumni Relations
On Tuesday, February 4, members of The Bush School community gathered in the MultiPurpose Room of Upper School South for BushTalks: Social Impact Investing. The eighth in the BushTalks series, this year’s panelists shared personal and professional insights about the practice of using private funds to create positive societal change. Panelists included Bush parents Zane ’00 and Allison Behnke and Wes Burns, plus guest panelist Janell Turner, Phila Engaged Giving Advising Managing Director.
“Socially responsible investing is the umbrella term,” explained Turner. “Within that, there are two key buckets. One is impact investing, which is what we’re talking about, and the other is ESG: environmental, social, and governance.” Turner went on to explain that social impact investing involves providing funding to people and community organizations affecting community change, versus investing in large non-profit organizations with caveats about their ability to illustrate impact.
“As we realized we wanted to give more money, we thought, ‘Okay, we want to give to nonprofits, but we also want to invest in community organizations, and we want to invest in people’,” shared Alison. When asked how they measure impact, Alison suggested that moving money out of their personal accounts and into the community was their primary measure of success.
The panelists also discussed generational wealth, the systemic strongholds that benefit some and disadvantage others, and family values.
Panelist Wes Burns, of Transformational Advisory Group, shared that his approach to wealth management is closely aligned with social impact investing. The principles and purpose of his financial firm’s work focus on serving communities, empowering others to do good, and lifting up women and minorities. They do this by not only how they serve people and organizations as clients, but also as part of their investment offerings.
BushTalks panelists spoke from a variety of perspectives on values-based investing and philanthropy and how to consider financial planning and philanthropy as a way to make a difference in their communities and beyond. The audience walked away with specific tools for assessing options and measuring impact.
The BushTalks series was established in 2016 to bring community leaders from diverse fields to campus. Speakers share what trends they are watching, what skills are most useful to success in their field, and how they build a culture of learning, growth, and innovation. The series has included topics such as climate action, sports, food, music, race and belonging, impact, film, entrepreneurship, and more.
Page
Top: Parents and guardians engage in breakout group discussions during one of the Parent University sessions.
Bottom left: Parent University speaker, and current Bush parent, Dr. Meredith Broderick, presents to parents and guardians on her session topic, “Becoming A Great Sleeper.”
Bottom right: Bush Head of School Percy L. Abram addresses the Parent University attendees during the opening morning session.
71: Parents and guardians raise their hands during the opening session from Keynote Speaker Dan Lerner, who spoke on, “Using Positive Psychology for Excellence and Success During Unprecedented Times.”
PARENT UNIVERSITY
2024
by Garrett Raff, Event and Volunteer Manager
The Bush School’s Parent University was started by Head of School Percy L. Abram in 2016 with the idea to provide access to educational tools and resources not only for Bush parents and guardians, but also for caregivers in the greater Seattle area, while building a strong, nurturing, and resilient community.
Through these efforts, virtual seminars featuring nationally recognized leaders in academia and parent education, as well as in-person conferences, have been mainstays of Parent University throughout Dr. Abram’s tenure.
“Parent University provides parents and guardians a forum for discussion and shared learning about the most pressing issues facing them today,” Dr. Abram said.
This past fall’s conference was held in early October and was chaired by Morva McDonald, vice president of leadership and governance at the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). The event brought together parents and guardians to explore key topics in raising children today. Headlined by keynote speaker and psychologist Dan Lerner, the event focused on using positive psychology to foster excellence and success in challenging times. Attendees had the opportunity to hear from expert speakers on adolescent mental health, sleep, resilience, digital safety, suicide prevention, and supporting transgender children in schools, among other critical topics.
Moving into the 2025–2026 academic year, Parent University is focused on more Kindergarten though Twelfth Grade topics readily available and accessible throughout the year for all parents and guardians, and shifting from one main event to an expansion of events—four virtual meetings and two on-campus seminars.
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1. Visiting adult guests wave to greet their students in the Mag Gym.
2. Thea Q. ’35 enjoys blowing bubbles during recess with guest Kha Ha.
3. Second Grade students perform during Grandparents and Special Friends Day.
Steve Broderick hangs onto the playground monkey bars behind Sammie S. ’37.
Andrew W. ’37 and guest Roy Dickinson read a book together in the Kindergarten classroom.
6. Maureen Bekemeyer laughs with Lower School students Liam B. ’36 and Ashima H. ’36 during classroom time
Gabriel R.-F. ’35 hugs his guest Margot Reyhner.
Kevin Burns and Jordan B. ’37 read together in the Kindergarten classroom.
Diana Davis and Coco H. ’36 share a moment of connection during classroom time.
Alicia L.-A. ’35 waves to the crowd of grandparents and special friends in the Mag Gym.
GRANDPARENTS AND SPECIAL FRIENDS DAY
by Garrett Raff, Event and Volunteer Manager
On Friday, May 9, more than 300 guests joined The Bush School for a joyful morning in the Lower School for Grandparents and Special Friends Day. The half-day program was filled with connection, curiosity, and community. From a vibrant student-led program guided by music teacher Juliana Cantarelli Vita to classroom visits and nostalgic recess fun, our guests experienced the heart of Kindergarten through Fifth Grade life at Bush.
“Grandparents and Special Friends Day is a celebration of the love, wisdom, and support that grandparents and special friends bring into our students’ lives,” Assistant Head of School for Advancement Sharon Hurt said. “Their presence meant so much to the children—and to all of us.”
CELEBRATE BUSH
PARTY AT PAISLEY PARK
by Garrett Raff, Event and Volunteer Manager
On Saturday, March 8, Celebrate Bush: Party at Paisley Park brought our community together for an unforgettable evening filled with inspiration, laughter, music, and celebration! The night was dedicated to supporting financial aid and honoring Percy L. Abram for his eleven years as Head of School at The Bush School.
Under the leadership of Celebrate Bush Chair Joey Burgess and Procurement Chair Joanna Smith, and with the help of twenty-two dedicated volunteers, this year’s event was a spectacular success. Thanks to the generosity of our community, we raised $705,596.34.
The event’s theme was a nod to celebrating the boldness and individuality of Prince, an artist whose spirit and music Dr. Abram deeply admires. Much like Prince, Dr. Abram has blazed his own trail at Bush—acquiring the Methow Campus; opening transformative new buildings; and fostering a culture of innovation, openness, and big ideas that will inspire future generations.
Since 1980, Bush parents and guardians, faculty, staff, alumni, and students have collaborated on an annual auction to support the school, originally called the Bush Auction. The tradition of an annual fundraiser began in the early 1960s with the Bush Basket rummage sale organized by the Mother’s Club.
Today, Celebrate Bush remains a collaborative effort within our community, all working together to provide vital support for financial aid at The Bush School.
$705,596.34 gross total, including: $351,495.00 through Raise the Paddle 128 families supporting Raise the Paddle A generous $30,000 match from the Alvord family was met 346 total registrants $41,500 in sponsorships from nineteen generous partners 22 volunteers who brought this event to life
1. Head of School Percy L. Abram reflects on his eleven years at Bush during Celebrate Bush: Party at Paisley Park. 2. Bush families, faculty, staff, and supporters raise their bid cards high in support of financial aid at The Bush School.
3. Procurement Chair Joanna Smith and Celebrate Bush Chair Joey Burgess share a moment together at Celebrate Bush.
4. Head of School Percy L. Abram stops for family photo during the “Let’s Celebrate!” after party. From left: Claudia Abram ’21, Carlos Abram ’24, Sandra Abram, Percy Abram, Nina Maisterra.
5. Bush band Butterscotch Clouds performs during Celebrate Bush: Party at Paisley Park. From left: Bush parent Mike McCready, Edson V.-S. ’26, Charlotte Park ’25, Kaia McCready ’25, Benjamin Hester ’25. Back row on drums: Bush parent Paul Uhlir ’87.
6. Head of School Percy L. Abram rocks out to “The Butterscotch Clouds” – a Bush band featuring Bush dad/founding member and lead guitarist for Pearl Jam Mike McCready.
7. Liz Albl (left) and Bush Director of Communications Mary Albl are all smiles during cocktail hour.
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THANK YOU!
Event Chair
Joey Burgess
Procurement Lead
Joanna Smith
Decor Lead
Rachel Colombo
Decor Coordinator
Christie Park
Volunteer Lead
Aparna Bhaduri
Procurement Team
Gretchen Boehm
Joey Burgess
Rachel Colombo
Ann Felton
Ashley O’Connor McCready
Ann Marie Schreiber
Deanna Stanley
Deedee Straight
Suzanna Westhagen
Judi Yates
A special thank you to the Celebrate Bush: Party at Paisley Park volunteers
Class Art Leads
Kulsoom Burney
Judi Yates
Class Art Coordinators
Kindergarten
Justin Hunt-lead
Yulin Chen
Esha Parmar
Judi Yates
Filo Conseco
First Grade
Ben Haggerty-lead
Cirihn Rogers Malpocher
Laura Ward
Karen Cho
Quyen Fahey
Justin Gordon
Jen Floyd
Guneet Rekhi
Sloane Haggerty
Brandon Davis
Tricia Davis
Judi Yates
Second Grade
Mamie Marcuss-lead
Saadia Genc
Riley Madore
Third Grade
Judi Yates-lead
Kaylen Flugel
Nicole Lacasse
Fourth Grade
Tricia Davis-lead
Ben Haggerty
Judi Yates
Fifth Grade
Forest Dickey-lead
Courtney McKlveen
Judi Yates
Middle School
Rebecca Pleasure-lead
Judi Yates
Judi Yates 8
Suzanna Westhagen
Catherine Eaton Skinner
Kulsoom Burney
Upper School
Marilyn Smith-lead
CELEBRATE BUSH SPONSOR HIGHLIGHT
A COMMUNITY UNITED FOR FINANCIAL AID
by Laurel Messenger, Annual Giving Manager
This year’s Celebrate Bush: Party at Paisley Park event brought together nineteen generous sponsors in support of financial aid at The Bush School, helping to ensure that a Bush education remains accessible to all. Leading the way was United Airlines, our top-tier Diamonds & Pearls sponsor.
United believes in being an active member of the communities it serves. United Airlines is known for its philanthropic support in a number of fields, one of which is education. It focuses on inspiring Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade students to explore careers in aviation and supporting science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning programs.
Many of our sponsors have direct connections with the Bush community. Among them are Barney Harford and Beth Birnbaum, parents at Bush since 2017. Barney has been a member of the United Airlines board of directors since 2016, giving him the opportunity to direct this sponsorship.
“We’re delighted to be able to support Bush’s goal of making a Bush education accessible to students of all backgrounds, regardless of financial circumstances,” Barney said.
The impact of sponsorships like these is profound. The Bush School extends heartfelt thanks to all of the community members who came together to support the event and students. If you are interested in being our next top-tier sponsor, or sponsoring at another level, contact the Annual Giving Manager Laurel Messenger at laurel.messenger@bush.edu or at (206) 838-8821.
by Laurel Messenger, Annual Giving Manager
The Annual Fund is a fundraising campaign supporting all aspects of The Bush School. It is an opportunity for every member of our community to support teaching and learning happening right now, and all year round, granting Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade students access to opportunities to expand their world and mind.
This year, our community generously contributed to the school’s ability to support Bush’s belief in experiential education, value teachers, and respond to new and evolving needs.
Every gift to the Annual Fund makes a difference. The collective support of parents and guardians, faculty and staff, Trustees, alumni, parents of alumni, grandparents, and friends creates an impact that shapes and strengthens the school.
A special thank you to this year’s Annual Fund campaign co-chairs, Mamie Marcuss and Scot Partlow, for their work bringing the community together and inspiring giving from 78% of parents and guardians at Bush.
The Annual Fund is a collective effort of the entire community and helps shape an outstanding Bush education while building community. We are grateful to every donor and volunteer who supports this initiative and makes a difference in the lives of every student, every year.
RETIREMENTS
JOHN HARTER
METHOW FACILITIES MANAGER
by Alexa Adams, Director of Programs, Methow Campus & Semester School
After thirty-five years working in facilities, John Harter is retiring. When The Bush School purchased the Methow Campus in 2016, the school searched for a facilities manager who would care for the newly acquired facility, foster an environment for learning and personal growth, support the school in building strong community relationships, and welcome the Bush students, faculty and staff, and friends who make the trip over the Cascade Mountains. Over the course of the past eight years, John has gone above and beyond in every single one of these categories. John has not only maintained a beautiful campus environment, but has also volunteered innumerable hours in the local community and been a most gracious host to countless groups who use the Methow Campus as their classroom, office, grounding place, and home away from home.
John is a true jack-of-all-trades and has utilized his vast skill set to ensure that the Methow Campus is a safe and welcoming environment to all who set foot on campus. On any given day, John might put on the hat of electrician, plumber, landscaper, or conservationist. He models a deep appreciation for the land that the Methow Campus sits on and helps to instill a sense of responsibility and stewardship within every student who visits. In addition to maintaining a top-notch facility for Bush students, faculty, and staff, John’s passion for experiential education really comes through in the details. He is always quick to jump in to support student programming, whether it is joining students on a bike ride, teaching students to bake bread in the kitchen of the lodge, or showing students footage from the trail cameras and identifying the vast array of wildlife that call this area home. John has turned the Methow Campus into a hub of place-based, experiential, and outdoor education.
While John is a big believer in “Leave No Trace” principles, he has undoubtedly left his mark on this place in the best of ways. Whether it is a small message on the whiteboard welcoming a student group to campus or the gorgeously crafted back porch that serves as a gathering place for so many community members, the Methow Campus is a pure reflection of John’s care, passion, and skills.
John’s day-to-day presence will be missed, but we can’t wait to welcome him back for a visit and be the ones to host him for a change.
Congratulations on a tremendous career, and happy retirement, John!
LAURIE MATHEWS
MIDDLE SCHOOL FACULTY
by Leslie David, Executive Assistant to the Head of School
After twenty-nine years of dedicated service to The Bush School, Laurie Mathews retired in June 2025, leaving behind a legacy of passion, creativity, and adventure.
Since beginning her journey at Bush in 1996, Laurie has shaped the lives of countless students through her unwavering commitment to education and her deep love of language.
Laurie started as a team teacher in Fourth and Fifth Grades before transitioning to the Middle School in 2002, where she found her home teaching Sixth Grade English. In addition to teaching, she has worn many hats over the years: assistant Middle School director, grade level coordinator, OmbudsTeam member, admissions committee member, cross-country coach, Middle School play co-director, and leader of unforgettable snowshoeing and hiking wilderness trips, among others. Her legendary haunted houses and Halloween costumes brought laughter and delight to all.
In the classroom, Laurie has inspired her students to find joy in language. Whether dissecting etymology, perfecting their writing, or crafting name posters to foster belonging, she has created an environment where every student feels seen and valued. The famous Troll Trials are just one example of her fondness for interdisciplinary learning, and her ability to help students discover books they truly love has sparked lifelong readers.
Laurie’s adventurous spirit has taken her students beyond the classroom, leading experiential trips to places as diverse as Costa Rica, Ladakh (India), Japan, the Southwest, urban forests, and Oxbow Farms. True to form, she led the first Middle School trip to the Louisiana bayou, ensuring her legacy of adventure continues.
More than anything, Laurie believes that true learning happens through connection. Her warmth, creativity, and kindness have made an indelible impact on The Bush School community. While we will deeply miss her, we know her next chapter will be filled with exciting new journeys. We wish her all the best in the adventures ahead!
TOM WISE
MIDDLE SCHOOL FACULTY
by Sarah Cohen, Middle School English Teacher
Anyone who knows Tom Wise knows to expect the unexpected. However, that is only part of why he is such a beloved teacher, advisor, trip leader, and colleague. Tom, who has worked at The Bush School’s Middle School since 2002 as a science teacher, brings energy, creativity, and lived experience to his teaching and work with students. He understands students on a deep level and knows how to unlock curiosity and effort.
I recall a Middle School outdoor trip a few years back that I co-lead with him. We had just finished a long day exploring lava tubes near Mount St. Helens, and we were settling in at camp. Tom had been preparing the students all trip for the idea that we were deep in Sasquatch country. As the dinner dishes were being done, students looked up to find a lumbering, full-fur Sasquatch headed their way. Startled sounds quickly gave way to delight. They knew it could be none other than Tom in his full Sasquatch suit, joining them, playing with them, and preparing to tell stories about the legends in the area.
When I think of Tom, I also think back to my daughter Izzie’s ’26 own experience in Tom’s Sixth Grade science class. His teaching opened up a world, or rather a universe, for her, as the lessons brought outer space and the physics that governs it within her reach. Tom saw her passion and curiosity and fed it. I remember how he, as her advisor and teacher, described her as a young scientist, astrophysicist, and philosopher. He treated her as such daily in his class. And, in this way, he also expected the unexpected. Never before her class with Tom did Izzie see herself as a powerful, capable scientist. With Tom, she did. So I want to extend my appreciation to him as a teacher, a colleague, and a friend.
Class Notes
by Tiffany Kirk, Associate Director of Alumni Relations
Where has life taken you since graduating from The Bush School? Learn what your former classmates have been up to below, and submit your own updates to alumni@bush.edu.
1970s
Heath ’75 and her husband
Nicole Blom Heath ’75 wrote, “My husband, Larry, and I have solved the empty-nest gap by continuing to host a wonderful young squash player from Cartagena, Colombia, during his breaks from Taft, the Connecticut boarding school where he’s finishing up his sophomore year. Santi has been an important part of our family for four years now. His drive, squash ability, and academic success are going to take him to an excellent U.S. college, and it’s fun to be along for the ride.
Our daughter, Sydney, will soon be in the job market when she finishes her MSW at Columbia this May. Our son, Charles, has a semester left at CU Boulder while simultaneously studying for the LSAT.
Larry and I continue to live a month or so in the Netherlands—and contemplate spending as much time there as we can over the next four years.”
1980s
competition at South by Southwest. Assembly, a project Johnny has been working on for the past seven years, follows artist Rashaad Newsome as he transforms a former military facility into a space for Black queer creativity, healing, and activism.
Jane (Aron) Szabo ’84’s solo art exhibit, called “Somewhere Else,” opened at the Forsberg Gallery at Lower Columbia College and was on view from February 18 through March 13.
Meeghan Holaway ’84 starred in multiple theater productions in 2024–2025, including “Spy for Spy” and “Here Comes the Night,” the latter of which won the award for Excellence in Writing at the 2024 SheLA Arts Summer Theatre Festival.
Maya Lis Tussing ’87 is partner and cofounder at Fairlight Advisors, a company that helps nonprofits and social impact
organizations fulfill their missions through holistic financial consulting. In 2023 she was named one of the Silicon Valley Podcast’s “Top 25 Women of Influence.” Maya returned to Washington from the Bay Area in 2023.
Paul Uhlir ’87 served on the Board of Trustees Development Committee at The Bush School during the 2024–2025 academic year alongside fellow alum Loren Alhadeff ’97. Paul also rocked the drums on stage during the annual Bush fundraiser Celebrate Bush: Party at Paisley Park alongside current students Benjamin Hester ’25, Kaia McCready ’25, Charlotte Park ’25, Edson V.-S. ’26, Upper School music teacher Landon Ashby, and other Bush parents and staff.
Francesca (Tussing) Penchant ’88
Francesca (Tussing) Penchant ’88 published a translation of an 1893 book titled The Animal by French author Rachilde. She shared that, “Bush’s Upper School English teachers Emily Warn, Harry Fink, and Fred Goode strengthened my love of books. I have fond memories of studying with them.”
Nicole Blom
Larry with Santiago, a Taft School student from Colombia who they host during breaks from school.
Johnny Symons ’83 Photo: Luz Gallardo
Johnny Symons ’83 premiered his film, Assembly, in the feature documentary
Meeghan Holaway ’84 during a performance of Here Comes the Night. Photo: Mae Koo Photography.
Maya Lis Tussing ’87
Paul Uhlir ’87 on the drums, with Bush students (left to right) Edson V.-S. ’26, Charlotte Park ’25, Kaia McCready ’25, and Benjamin Hester ’25.
Matthew Carr ’88 joined the faculty at the University of Washington Bothell’s School of Business as a part-time lecturer this January. In February he led a discussion on Section 230 and shared about his own career journey to students at the University of Arizona’s College of Information Science.
Bryan Cohen ’88 (second from left) with his band The Jaws of Brooklyn. The Jaws of Brooklyn Album Cover.
Bryan Cohen ’88 and his band, the Jaws of Brooklyn, performed at SXSW in March and then released an album called Crush On You on April 18, the celebration of which included a show at Baba Yaga in Pioneer Square. Bryan shared, “The band’s sound is inspired by ’60s garage rock, girl group harmonies, and retro soul. You can catch us this summer at festivals across the PNW. In August we hit the road for a short California tour and then return home for shows to close out the year.” Bryan recalled that he got his start playing guitar “not super well” in Bush’s jazz band and in rock bands with fellow alums Matt Carr ’88, Kristofer Carlson ’88, Charlie Heffelfinger ’88, Mike Clark ’88, Ryan Poll ’88, Jeff Reitan ’88, and Tom Swafford ’91. “Playing in the Jaws of Brooklyn is really fun. We are a sevenpiece band with lots of energy, retro vibes, and even some choreography. It’s awesome to see the audience dancing and digging what we do. Come out and see us if you get a chance!”
Amy Safford ’88 and her book Unnatural History, 7th Edition.
Amy Stafford ’88 published the seventh edition of her Unnatural History collection of grayscale coloring books for adults.
Karim Lessard ’84 joined The Bush School Board of Trustees in 2021. He was 2024–2025 president of the Board of Trustees and served on the Governance and Executive committees as well as on the Capital Task Force. Karim was co-chair for the Head of School Search Committee in 2024 alongside Bush parent Julie Okerstrom and served as the Board secretary during the 2023–2024 academic year. Karim spoke during the Celebrate Bush: Party at Paisley Park fundraiser in support of financial aid and to thank outgoing Head of School Percy L. Abram for the impact he made during his eleven-year tenure at Bush.
1990s
Maneesh Batra ’90 is a member of The Bush School Board of Trustees, having joined the Board and the Community, Equity, and Inclusion Committee in 2021.
John Murray ’90 moderated a conversation with author Brody Mullins about his book The Wolves of K Street in February. John is CEO at Monument Advocacy.
Elizabeth Hackett ’92 wrote two films that launched in February 2025: La Dolce Villa premiered on Netflix on Thursday, February 13, while Sisterhood Inc. premiered on the Hallmark Channel on Saturday, February 22.
Emily Alhadeff ’94 joined The Bush School Board of Trustees in 2018. Since then, she has chaired the Development Committee from 2019–2021, was co-chair of the Centennial Task Force, served on the Branding Committee and the Campaign Leadership Committee for the Upper School South building, and was a 2024–2025 Trustee, serving on both the Governance and Finance committees.
Steve Banks ’94 joined The Bush School Board of Trustees in 2018. He has served on the Centennial Task Force, the Tuition and Financial Aid Task Force, the Building Community and Engagement Committee, the Leadership Committee, and currently serves on the Governance Committee.
Jessica Barker ’99 wrote, “In August 2024 I found a job that I love as a clubhouse generalist at Bridgeways Clubhouse in Marysville, Washington. Clubhouse is a psychosocial rehabilitation model for people with mental illness that focuses on a work-ordered day as a clubhouse member. In my near-eighteen-year career in the behavioral health field, I have never seen people find such meaning and make such significant progress as I have with clubhouse members, and I have never been so fulfilled by my work.”
Jennie Pasquarella ’96 joined the Seattle Clemency Project as legal director in February 2024. Previously, Jennie was the director of immigrants’ rights and a senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Southern California, where she worked for nearly sixteen years. Jennie and her family left Los Angeles and relocated to Seattle in 2021.
Movie cover for La Dolce Villa, written by Elizabeth Hackett ’92.
Jessica Barker ’99 holds a testimonial about her role at Bridgeways Clubhouse.
Loren Alhadeff ’97 joined The Bush School Board of Trustees in 2023. He has served on the Development Committee since 2023 and also serves on the Capital Task Force and the Strategic Planning Task Force while co-chairing the Development Committee with fellow alum Paul Uhlir ’87.
2000s
Alums Chris Chickadel ’93, Jane Rutstein Shay ’00, Mandela Gardner ’04, Hilary Moore ’10, Tallis Moore ’10, and Max Melendez ’16 each mentored and hosted Eleventh Grade Bush students as interns during the ten-day Cascade Program last January.
Alison Behnke and Zane Behnke ’00.
Zane Behnke ’00 was a panelist for BushTalks: Social Impact Investing on Tuesday, February 4. Zane’s co-panelists included his spouse, Alison Behnke, and Wes Burns—both Bush parents—as well as Janell Turner, Phila Engaged Giving’s managing director.
was published by Alice James Books and is available in both print and digital formats.
Jesse Uman ’02 was elected Board Chair of the Seattle Sports Commission Foundation for a two-year term, through 2025 and 2026. As the charitable affiliate of the Seattle Sports Commission, the SSC Foundation empowers play by supporting and building capacity in programs dedicated to equitable access to youth sports in Washington State. Jesse also serves on the Board of the Sports Commission which recruits and facilitates premier sporting events to Seattle including the MLB All-Star Game, NHL Winter Classic, NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments, and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Jesse Proudman ’03 is co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Venice.ai, a company “on a mission to make AI more accessible, more powerful, and completely private.”
gathered last January for their “twentyand-a-half-year reunion.”
Samuel Adatto ’05 began a new role as family office controller at Whitten Properties LLC last February.
Dacy Knight ’07 is founder of nobuko, a multidisciplinary creative agency that specializes in brand storytelling. She has written for Clique, InStyle, Byrdie, Sunday Edit, and Bustle, among others. Dacy is engaged to Don Kneisel.
Kayla (Eland) Dawson ’08 completed her tenth year coaching at Bush last fall, serving as the varsity cross-country co-head coach.
Isaac Blankensmith ’09 is co-founder and head of design at Early Works, which launched an app called Berry Fertility this past February.
2010s
Matt Nienow ’01 has received high praise for his newly published book, If Nothing. The book—a collection of poetry that grapples with addiction, grief, depression, shame, parenthood, and relationships—
Eric Serrano ’11 and Vanessa Wong ’11 married last March in Oahu, Hawaii. They met as students at Bush.
Cover of the book If Nothing, written by Matthew Nienow ’01.
From left: Jesse Uman ’02, his father Howard Uman, and former Sonic Gary Payton.
Grads from the class of 2004 during their 20.5 year reunion. From left: Max Press, Christine Hawkins, Mandela Gardner, Phil Babcock, Jay Wyatt, Greg Duncan.
Phil Babcock, Greg Duncan, Mandela Gardner, Christine Hawkins, Jay Wyatt and other members of the Class of 2004
Dacy Knight ’07
Vanessa Wong ’11 and Eric Serrano ’11 at their wedding in Oahu, HI.
Maeve and Liam voted “Most Likely to Get Married” in their Senior Tykoe yearbook.
Maeve O’Leary Sloan ’12 and Liam Tevlin ’12 at their wedding in September.
Maeve O’Leary Sloan ’12 and Liam Tevlin ’12 are married. Maeve’s mother, Mary O’Leary, shared that “Maeve and Liam Tevlin met on the first day of school at Bush in August/September 2008—and got married sixteen years later on September 21, 2024!”
Ryan Davis ’13 joined the Blazers coaching staff as a Middle School boys basketball coach last winter and took on the role of boys junior varsity soccer assistant coach in the spring.
Olivia Rhodes ’14 is a teaching fellow for an undergraduate course about carbon containment at the Yale School of the Environment. Olivia earned her master’s of environmental management, specializing in climate change science and solutions at Yale in May.
Amelia Wells ’14 finished her sixth year as The Bush School’s girls varsity soccer assistant coach this November. In her role, she coached the team to the Elite Eight at the highly competitive 1A soccer level.
Erik Philipson ’16 began medical school at WSU’s Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine in fall 2024.
Graham Davidson ’17 is now program coordinator at the Trust for Public Land.
Poster for the “Shaping the Future Through Youth Participation” panel
Charlotte Gong ’19 participated on a panel called “Shaping the Future Through Youth Participation,” hosted by the Association Migration Solidarité et Échanges pour le Développement in Strasbourg, France. Charlotte shared about her experiences related to human rights advocacy, youth participation in democratic life, and socioprofessional inclusion.
Flora Medina ’19 interviewed the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA)’s International Designer of the Year Award winner Daniel Roseberry for SCAD Manor, the Savannah College of Art and Design’s student-run online fashion publication. Flora is editor-in-chief at SCAD Manor.
2020s
Griffin Campion ’20 is a program assistant intern at the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation.
Carlos Abram ’24 and Claudia Abram ’21 emcee The Bush School’s annual fundraiser Celebrate Bush: Party at Paisley Park.
Claudia Abram ’21 and Carlos Abram ’24 emceed the Celebrate Bush: Party in
Paisley Park fundraiser gala on Saturday, March 8.
Isabelle Ferguson ’21 is now a student intern in the U.S. Department of State. Isabelle was previously a legislative intern to Congressman Adam Smith.
Nikolas Ioannou ’21 and his business partner launched Hypercard in 2021. They were named to the Forbes “30 Under 30 in Finance” list in 2023.
Riley Nyhan ’21 reached the SCIAC men’s soccer semifinals with his team at Occidental College, where he was also selected to the academic all-district men’s soccer team.
Pablo Zilly ’21 joined the Blazer coaching staff as boys junior varsity soccer head coach this past spring.
Sosna Biniam ’22 accepted a position as a summer analyst at JP Morgan Chase & Co. in the asset management products program in New York City.
Abbie Goodfried ’22 made the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) cross-country all regional team at Colorado College, which finished sixth at the NCAAs.
Gwyneth Hunter ’23 was accepted to the 2024 INNOVATE Cyber Challenge at Commonwealth Cyber Initiative, where she worked with a team to identify cybersecurity-related issues and develop creative solutions.
Carlos Abram ’24 reached the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) men’s soccer semifinals with his team at Occidental College last fall.
Tess Halpern ’24 is features editor at The Williams Record, the independent student newspaper at Williams College.
featuring Charlotte Gong ’19.
In Memoriam
by Tiffany Kirk, Associate Director of Alumni Relations
We honor and celebrate the lives of The Bush School community members whom we have lost this year. Please accept our sincerest apologies if someone is inadvertently missing from this list. Contact alumni@bush.edu if you would like to share a memory or a treasured story of your friend, classmate, teacher, or colleague.
LES LARSEN
Headmaster, The Bush School, 1972 - 1987
Leslie (Les) Larsen, Headmaster at The Bush School from 1972–1987, passed on Wednesday, May 30, 2025. Les is credited with ushering the school through a period of change that established and affirmed many of the hallmarks of the Bush educational experience as we now know it.
Les began his first year—just two years after the school became fully co-ed—with the establishment of Convocation. A formal welcome to all students and an embracing of the possibilities that lie ahead for each of them. In retrospect, the ceremony also marked the beginning of immense and rapid change for the school. Under Les’s leadership, the school shed many of its more conservative ideals around student conduct and welcomed new cohorts of faculty who brought with them modern ideals. Les was often been praised for creating an atmosphere that was supportive of faculty innovation, as was evidenced by the creation of the Wilderness Programs and the infamous “around the world” bicycle and Sea-Cliste trips. During his tenure, students and faculty enjoyed growth in support and resources for the arts, as he created faculty positions at all levels of the theater program and opened the Benaroya Performing Arts and Teaching Center. The Action Module Program (AMP), now called Cascades and E-week, was also established during his time. Much of this expansion was made possible by Les’s commitment to and talent for fundraising.
Les was a good friend to many of the faculty and administrators at Bush, including former Head of School Elsa “Midge” Bowman ’51, who, in support of the school’s Centennial year celebrations and storytelling efforts, captured his personal reflections in an interview now available in the Bush online Archive (https://archives.bush.edu).
The Bush community was fortunate to reconnect with him during the school’s Centennial year in November 2024. Alumni, families, and faculty feel immense gratitude for the opportunities and innovation made possible by his steady and committed leadership.
A note from Nancy Larsen, Les’s wife:
“When given the opportunity to reflect on the essence and legacy of Les Larsen, my beloved husband of sixtyone years, I am filled with gratitude. Since The Bush School was the first school he led as Headmaster, it held a very special place in his heart and in mine. Indeed, the fallow ground of this school further inspired in him the creativity and vision that became a lifelong mission of leading others in the field of education—not to mention the dining venues he served with consummate skill as chef, par excellence! Our seventeen years here created a kind of Camelot, that pinnacle of dedicated energy, passion, and high academic standards that were Les’s guiding star.
Les Larsen approached people, programs, and policies with positive words and loving actions. He rarely became disillusioned or showed frustration. He generally saw problems as challenges or opportunities.
This healthy attitude permeated his personal and professional life.
Some notable highlights from his life start with Les being born on September 22, 1937, to parents who were totally deaf. His first language was signing. A special teacher in Grayslake, Illinois, Cornelia Roberts, nurtured his love for symphony, opera, musical theater, and drama. He also had an affinity for science, and his intellectual curiosity led him early to ask the big religious and social questions. In the early days of the Civil Rights Movement, before Les entered the academic world, he and two seminary friends created and served as ministers in the West Oakland Christian Parish (an inner-city ministry in Oakland, California). That, too, was a formative, and transforming time.
From Millikin University in Illinois, he went to the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California, and from there to Raleigh, N.C., to fulfill a Danforth Internship at North Carolina State University. There he met his soon-to-be wife, Nancy Allen, a Southern woman who won his heart and cherished her role as his teammate and best friend for the rest of his life.
Their two children, Bush graduates Christian Allen Larsen ’87 and Ingrid Larsen Robinson ’89, occasionally shared their home and parents with other students whom Les and I took in for short or long periods of time.
Among Les Larsen’s signature achievements were fully transitioning the school from a female to co-ed institution and keeping The Bush School in the city. He loved seeing students involved in outdoor activities as well as in traditional sports. He started the Wilderness Program, which Headmasters and faculty since his tenure have refined and enhanced. He deeply valued building and providing support for a racially and ethnically integrated student body and faculty.
The Larsens treasure a vault of letters from their Bush friends and hope that Les’s gentle manner will keep special memories alive, such as the ‘animal stories’ of the opening Convocations, the ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ bicycle trip around the world, and the ‘annual fundraising auctions.’
The Larsen family hopes that Les’s ventures and passions will continue to motivate people to reach for the stars.”
Top: From Left: Former Bush Heads of School Fred Dust (1987-1996) and Les Larsen (1972-1987), pose in the living room of Gracemont Alumni Hall with Head of School Percy L. Abram during the 100 Years of Leadership Dinner on Thursday, November 16, 2023.
Middle left: From left: Nancy Larsen, Les Larsen, and others during a celebration of the Larsens before their departure from The Bush School, in spring 1987.
Middle right: Les and Nancy Larsen.
Bottom left: From left: Mina Brechemin Person ’64, Bush grandparents Jack and Becky Benaroya, Les Larsen, and students gather during the February 1986 dedication of the Benaroya Performing Arts and Teaching Center.
1950s
Sahli (Merrill) Mrvos ’51 passed at the age of ninety-one on Sunday, December 1, 2024. She grew up with her brother on a hops ranch in Washington and loved horses and taught herself to ride at a young age. To stave off boredom, she would sometimes race freight trains bareback, much to the dismay of her nursemaid, who was unable to keep up by bicycle.
Sahli graduated from the Helen Bush School in 1951 and later attended Pomona College in Claremont, California, for two years. She graduated from the University of Washington in Seattle with a B.A. in English literature in 1955. She later returned to California and worked in the trust department of Security First National Bank in La Jolla. In 1957 she met the love of her life and future husband, Don Mrvos.
Warm and welcoming, Sahli was a devoted wife and mother and a friend to many. She was known for her quick wit, generosity, and fun-loving nature. She was also strong and unwavering in her principles. Her life’s work revolved around ensuring the health and happiness of her family above all else. She created many treasured family traditions and wonderful memories. Sahli leaves a huge void and will be greatly missed by her family, especially her daughters, who will always cherish her classic style; irreverent sense of humor; and blunt, straight-talking nature.
– Adapted from Legacy.com
Salli (Jensen) Rogers ’55 passed on Tuesday, January 14, 2025. She grew up in the Madrona neighborhood of Seattle with her older sister, Mari, and her younger sister, Heidi. She attended Madrona Elementary and the Helen Bush School, where she graduated in 1955. She went on to the University of Washington to study nursing and pledged the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority.
In her junior year, she met Dr. Vincent Codiga. They later married and had three daughters, Marianne, Susan, and Alison. When Salli was twenty-six, she was sadly widowed. In 1965 Salli met and married Reid Rogers, who adopted Salli’s daughters as his own. They had two more children, John and Kathryn. Salli and Reid enjoyed traveling the world through YPO and entertaining guests.
Salli was a lifelong learner, volunteer, and advocate. She began as a candy striper at Seattle Children’s Hospital at age twelve and volunteered in her community through various organizations. Salli proudly taught at Lakeside Middle School as a reading tutor and life skills teacher for twenty-six years. During that time, she began practicing meditation, became a long-distance runner, earned her scuba-diving certification and black belt in aikido, studied poetry and Spanish, kayaked around Vancouver Island, and became a master women’s rower on Martha’s Moms crew team in Seattle for ten years. She was a loyal friend to many and never forgot a loved one’s birthday.
Salli’s greatest accomplishment was being “Amah” to her nine adoring grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. In 2005 she retired to Gig Harbor and became an active volunteer there. She volunteered at GH MultiCare as a greeter and oncology unit support person and at elementary and middle schools as a reading tutor in her daughter Kathryn’s classrooms. She became an active Labrador retriever rescuer and proudly rescued four dogs—Jensie, Lolly, Stella, and Oliver—and befriended every neighborhood dog in Arletta and Fox Island, where she lived until 2020. She was a steadfast Democrat and human rights activist and enjoyed advocating for others. She was proud to meet Gloria Steinem in the 1970s.
– Adapted from The Seattle Times
1990s
Brandon Gillespie ’93 passed away on Friday, September 20, 2024, following a long illness. He graduated from The Bush School in 1993. He worked on Wall Street from 1997–2002 and earned a dual degree in finance and marketing from New York University’s Stern School of Business in 2002. After attending culinary schools in New York City and Italy, Brandon opened his restaurant, Beato, in West Seattle in 2006. In 2008 he became a food and beverage consultant and was accepted to the Leadership Tomorrow Program, which was a source of great pride for him.
He married his high school sweetheart, Bush alum Ashley Stansbury ’93, in July 2001. They celebrated the birth of their first daughter, Madden ’23, in 2004, and welcomed twin daughters, Ellody ’25 and Tya ’25, in 2006.
Brandon believed his greatest achievements of all to be his three daughters. He coached them in soccer, taught them to ski, took long walks with them, and shared his love for food and cooking with all three. He was proud beyond words and always commented on what amazing women they had become. Brandon served on The Bush School Board of Trustees for a number of years while his daughters were students at Bush.
Brandon had a fun-loving, adventurous spirit; loved the outdoors and skiing; and spent much of his time mountain biking and playing soccer, as they were his favorite sports. He had a strong work ethic and always put in 100% of his effort. Most of all, he was a loving, affectionate, thoughtful, and kind-hearted person who will be missed by all.
– Adapted from The Seattle Times
As you leave The Bush School, know that you did not leave without being remembered. The relationships that you have made with your peers and “students” have made us the people/school that we are. Your influence on children will not be forgotten at this school.
- Martin E. ’31
My one piece of advice to Percy is enjoy whatever is next in your adventure, don’t hold back and have fun.
- Anisa V. ’31
Don’t let a single moment ruin your entire day.
- Bilal J. ’29
Try not to say no, you never know what opportunities can fall into your lap.
- Indira N. ’29
He’s the best president in the school and I hope he has a good journey.
- Tamra T. ’37
Come back for graduation!!!
- Hannah B. ’31
Go on trips to places so that you can see the world, and maybe have a pet accompany you
- Paul R. ’34
What I want to say to Percy is have a good future.
- Xavi H. ’37
I hope he has a really good time and it’s ok to feel nervous sometimes.
- Eliza B. ’37
Keep being yourself, and be aware of the people around you and be safe
- Etta F. ’34
Get a puppy.
- Sadie H. ’29
Continue giving awesome advice and being an outstanding leader to the students of our generation. It was always eye-opening hearing you speak. Listening to the stories you would tell, inspiring all of us to build connections and find joy in every day.
- Parker S. ’28
We asked students to share a piece of advice to Head of School Percy L. Abram as he leaves Bush after eleven years. Here’s what they had to say as he departs on a new chapter in California.
One piece of advice that I have for Percy is to continue to try to connect with people. I think that he is really good at connecting, and made me feel as though I really knew him.
- Helena P. ’29
Remember the memories you made, not mistakes or regrets.
- Etta G. ’31
It’s okay to be nervous sometimes and if you’re nervous you could just take a breath and then you’ll feel ready.
- Wilson P. ’37
Life is tough, so are you.
- Ella M. ’29
Enjoy yourself. It doesn’t matter how, where or why, just do it.
- Barack Abdallah ’25
Not everyone can cook, but the people who can, can be anyone.
- Mitchell K. ’29
Don’t be afraid to try something new. Be a risk taker and never think you can’t do this. Because you can do anything if you put your mind to it.
- Ina R. ’31
Continue to be amazing!
- Kieran C. ’27
Remember to always have joy, be connected, and keep being the great person you are.
- Brooke W. ’31
One piece of evidence that I have for Mr. Percy Abram is to enjoy the little things in life and appreciate family.
- Abby C. ’28
Be really nice to your new school and treat them respectfully like you do here and definitely we’re gonna miss you.
