Laurelhurst
SEPTEMBER 2020
& Windermere
A Social Magazine for The Residents of Laurelhurst & Windermere
BACK TO SCHOOL IN 2020
Thankful For Our Community Educators!
Cover photo by Nancy Dunbar Photography
YO UR STOR I E S. YO U R P H OTO S . YO U R CO M M U N I T Y.
I M P O RTA N T
CITY CONTACTS
911 Emergency 206.625.5011 Police Non-Emergency 206.461.3222 24hr Crisis Line 206.517.2350 Poison Control 206.386.7387 Animal Control 206.684.7529 Laurelhurst Community Center 206.684.4075 Parks Department 206.684.2489 City Customer Service Bureau 206.386.4636 Seattle Public Library 206.684.3000 Seattle Public Utilities 206.684.7400 Seattle City Light 800.934.6489 Xfinity 800.475.7526 Century Link
SCHOOLS
206.252.5400 206.252.4640 206.252.5010 206.252.4640 206.252.4810 206-524-8885 206.524.7452 206.527.7731 206.577.2105 206.368.3600 206.622.6596 206.323.4272 206.525.2714
HOSPITALS
206.987.2000 Children’s Hospital 206.598.3300 UW Medical Center 206.320.2000 Swedish Medical Center 206.223.6600 Virginia Mason 206.364.0500 Northwest Hospital 206.744.3000 Harborview
USEFUL LINKS
PH O NE NU M BE R S
www.laurelhurstbc.com www.windermereneighbors.org www.wsdot.com www.wsdot.wa.gov/goodtogo www.laurelhurstcc.com
Laurelhurst Elementary School Sandpoint Elementary School Eckstein Middle School Hamilton International Middle School Roosevelt High School Villa Academy Assumption-St. Bridget School Bishop Blanchet High School Seattle Prep High School Lakeside School O’Dea High School Holy Names Academy University Prep
www.n2pub.com © 2020 Neighborhood Networks Publishing, Inc.
OWNER & NEW AD SALES: Michelle Cahill 206-617-1785 michelle.cahill@n2pub.com PUBLISHING ASSISTANT: Carl Roe lhw_ads@n2pub.com RESIDENT CONTENT MANAGER: Sara Wietholter lwl_content@n2pub.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Josephine Baird, Contributing Writer Shaun Myrik, Resident Writer Kirstin Anderson, Resident Writer Isabelle Massoudi, Junior Writer Carter Ellis, Junior Writer Gabby Shapiro, Junior Writer Collins Meldahl, Junior Writer COVER PHOTO Nancy Dunbar, Nancy Dunbar Photography CREATIVE TEAM: N2 Publishing Design Team
DISCLAIMER: Any articles included in this publication and/or opinions expressed therein do not necessarily reflect the views of N2 Publishing but remain solely those of the author(s). The paid advertisements contained within the Laurelhurst & Windermere Living magazine are not endorsed or recommended by N2 Publishing or the publisher. Therefore, neither N2 Publishing nor the publisher may be held liable or responsible for business practices of these companies. NOTE: When community events take place, photographers may be present to take photos for that event and they may be used in this publication.
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September 2020 • Laurelhurst & Windermere Living
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Sponsor I N D E X Neighborhood
This section has been created to give you easier access when searching for a trusted neighborhood vendor to use. Take a minute to familiarize yourself with the businesses sponsoring the publication. These local businesses are proud to partner with you and make this magazine possible. Please support these businesses and thank them for supporting the publication! AESTHETICS / BOTOX / FILLERS Boxbar Vascular 3216 NE 45th place, Suite 207 Seattle, WA 98105 (206) 596-3976 www.boxbarvascular.com BEDDING AND LUXURY LINENS Bedrooms and More 300 NE 45th St. Seattle, WA 98105 (206) 633-4505 BUSINESS/PERSONAL/ CAREER COACHING Plum Coaching & Consulting Lora Poepping (206) 331-5916 www.plumseattle.com CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL Seattle Children’s Hospital (206) 987-5214 www.seattlechildrens.org CROSSFIT CrossFit Deliverance 4535 Union Bay Place NE Seattle, WA 98105 (253) 686-4898 www.crossfitdeliverance.com DENTIST - PEDIATRIC Greenlake Kids Dentistry 6900 E. Green Lake Way N, #H Seattle, WA 98115 (206) 387-4131 www.greenlakekidsdentistry.com
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DENTISTRY - COSMETIC, FAMILY & GENERAL Lyons Creek Dental Care 19500 Ballinger Way NE, Unit 11 Shoreline, WA 98155 (206) 362-5400 www.lyonscreekdentalcare.com new32 Aesthetic and Family Dentistry 4915 25th Ave NE Suite 107 Seattle, WA 98105 (206) 381-0732 www.new32dental.com Springbrook Dental 4540 Sand Point Way N.E. Suite 160 Seattle, WA 98105 (206) 526-1665 springbrookdental.com FINANCIAL CONSULTING The 601 Group--Morgan Stanley (206) 628-4855 https://advisor.morgansta nley.com/the-601-group FLOORING Flooring America 3605 Northeast 45th St. Seattle, WA 98105 (206) 306-0200 www.flooringamericaseattle.com HOME BUILDER/REMODELER Elysium Construction 2900 NE Blakeley St., Ste. 213 Seattle, WA 98105 (206) 403-1457 www.elysiumnw.com
JEWELER Alvin Goldfarb Jewelers (425) 454-9393 agjeweler.com LANDSCAPE, DESIGN, & MAINTENANCE Kaleidoscope Inc. 16037 Aurora Ave. N. Shoreline, WA 98133 (206) 533-1122 www.kaleidoscopeinc.net
PHOTOGRAPHY Nancy Dunbar Photography Nancy Dunbar (206) 406-4066 www.nancydunbarphotography.com
University Prep 8000 25th Avenue NE Seattle, WA 98115 (206) 832-1128 www.universityprep.org
PLANTS & NURSERY SUPPLIES Wells Medina Nursery (425) 454-1853 wellsmedinanursery.com
Villa Academy 5001 NE 50th St. Seattle, WA 98105 (206) 729-0219 x289 www.thevilla.org
PLUMBER Fischer Plumbing (206) 510-3833 www.fischerheating.com PRIVATE SCHOOLS Assumption-St. Bridget School 6220 32nd Ave. NE Seattle, WA 98115 (206) 524-7452 www.asbschool.org The Dartmoor School Kim Estes (425) 885-6296 dartmoorschool.org
REAL ESTATE DKM Group at Compass David Marks (206) 550-3283 www.dkmrealestate.com Jeri Smith - Windermere (206) 524-1100 www.jerismithrealestate.com Maider & Knowles Real Estate (206) 226-2535 www.maiderknowles.com Sue Rockwell - Windermere (206) 683-0303 www.suerockwell.com
Tracy Erickson - Compass (206) 251-6351 tracy.erickson@compass.com RETIREMENT COMMUNITY Merrill Gardens (425) 882-3400 merrillgardens.com ROOFING & ROOF REPAIR Guardian Roofing & Pest Control (253) 926-9966 www.guardianhome.com VEIN & VASCULAR CENTER Boxbar Vascular 3216 NE 45th place, Suite 207 Seattle, WA 98105 (206) 596-3976 www.boxbarvascular.com VETERINARY CARE Ravenna Animal Hospital 4541 Union Bay Place NE Seattle, WA 98105 (206) 524-6540 https://www.seattlevetassoc.com
MORTAGE BANKER Cornerstone Home Lending, Inc. Stacia Weishaar (206) 849-0357 delightfulrefuge.com ORTHODONTIST Lovrovich Orthodontics 4540 Sand Point Way NE Seattle, WA 98105 (206) 525-7000 www.loveortho.com/ Northcut Orthondontics 4915 25th Ave NE Suite 203 Seattle, WA 98105 (206) 525-1999 www.northcutorthodontics.com PAINTER Fernando’s Quality Painting, LLC (206) 697-1599 www.fernandosqualitypainting.com PEST CONTROL Guardian Roofing & Pest Control (253) 926-9966 www.guardianhome.com
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dear
Neighb rs, publisher’s note
month. Now more than ever, let’s support these local businesses that have supported this special publication over the years. Give them a chance to earn your business. Like so many of us these days, they are working hard to serve their customers.
Now more than ever, I hope you’ll notice the local businesses that participate as sponsors to make this publication possible every
michelle.cahill@n2pub.com
PAGE
CONTRIBUTORS’
2020 has been a long year already and we are only just beginning the fall. It feels like every day we are faced with new challenges, realities, perspectives, and choices. While it can feel overwhelming at times, my hope is that this publication allows you an opportunity to sit back, relax, and feel a tiny bit of normalcy during a very unique and ambiguous time. Laurelhurst & Windermere Living is for and about the people that live in our amazing community. As you turn the pages, I hope you will enjoy seeing faces you know, as well as meeting new neighbors and hearing their unique stories. Social distancing doesn’t have to mean disconnected. Please reach out to us if you’d like to share your stories, too. We are listening. We are learning. We value all input and perspective.
As a neighborhood magazine, we strive to create community and camaraderie – and we want to do that now more than ever. Sending my very best to you! Kind Regards,
Michelle Cahill
Would you like to share stories, photos, or experiences with your neighbors? Please email us at lwl_ content@n2pub.com for more information.
Michelle Cahill, Owner and Advertising
Carl Roe, Virtual Publishing Assistant
PHOTOGRAPHERS
WRITERS
Nancy Dunbar, Photographer
Collins Meldahl, Junior Writer
Gabby Shapiro, Junior Writer
Carter Ellis, Junior Writer
Isabelle Massoudi, Junior Writer
Kirstin Anderson, Resident Recipe Contributor
Josephine Baird, Contributing Writer
Shaun Myrick, Resident Wine Review Writer
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Sara Wietholter, Content Manager
Proudly keeping kid's smiles healthy since 2010. Thank you Laurelhurst and Windermere! Always accepting new patients.
www.greenlakekidsdentistry.com 6900 E. Green Lake Way N. #H, Seattle, WA 98115 | (206) 387-4131
September 2020 • Laurelhurst & Windermere Living
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We are among several Laurelhurst Elementary students ages 5 and up that have taken up a fun and unusual hobby – unicycling! Now, maybe you think unicycling is only a circus act, but it’s not. It is so fun and is completely worth learning. There are regular unicycles, 6 feet tall unicycles, unicycles without seats (extra challenge), and even mini unicycles with wheels half the size of our heads. U N I C Y C L I N G AT L A U R E L H U R S T E L E M E N TA R Y
We all learned how to unicycle at Laurelhurst Elementary. The school has a PE course where students learn to unicycle. Also, sometimes students are allowed to head to the gym to unicycle for 20 minutes during recess. Nikko Allen, currently a sophomore in Roosevelt High School, joined the then-named Laurelhurst unicycling club when she was in 2nd grade. The club was a fun and creative space for all students that were interested in unicycling. The kids that were involved in the club were passionate and always there to help someone learn a new trick or teach someone how to go on a unicycle twice their size. Performing at the UW basketball game halftime was something that was talked about throughout the school, and we felt proud to be able to be a part of something so special. It was so much fun to practice and prepare for such a special performance with kids that were cooperative and kind. Reflecting on the performance, Nikko remembers “I remember looking around to all of the club members and seeing smiles everywhere. The crowd was ecstatic. There were college students coming up to us afterward to tell us how amazing we were. It was a remarkable experience and I am very grateful that I was able to be a part of it.” H O W T O G E T S TA R T E D
First step is to get a unicycle. You can borrow an old one from a friend or an older sibling. Also, Laurelhurst Elementary has a big rack of them for PE class. It may seem a bit frightening to let go of the wall at first. But you really just have to push off of the wall and keep your balance. You will fall a lot at first (we all do) and that could be discouraging, but don’t give up! It’s also not just one steady motion. It helps to see someone else unicycle and watch
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kids 2 kids Written by Nikko Allen, Sailor Allen, and Perrie Ausk
how they do it. Remember to keep pedaling and try not to let the wheel get ahead of your body or behind. If you practice for 15 minutes every day for 2 weeks, you will see a big improvement. The biggest obstacle is yourself. Think encouraging thoughts and keep negative ones out of your head. W HY L E A R N TO U N I C YC L E ?
If you’re ever bored, unicycling is a fun way to pass the time. Also, it is a great exercise and really helps with your balance. It is a unique hobby, and it feels really good when you get going.
Scan this code to view your new smile in seconds.
Lovrovich Orthodontics www.loveortho.com 4540 Sand Point Way NE, Ste. 140 Seattle, WA 98105-3941
(206) 525-7000 September 2020 • Laurelhurst & Windermere Living
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those like us who got lucky on the coin flip. Every dollar counts. In fact, because they have such a hard time finding enough money for all of the research they want to do, pediatric oncologists from many hospitals work together to find better cures, which is something not done in adult cancer research. Katie and her friends have raised $4,200 at their lemonade stand. Including matches from family and friends, they have funded $8,500 of scientific research taking place at Seattle Children’s Hospital Research Institute, the 5th largest pediatric research center in the U.S. One of Seattle Children’s top research goals is finding more effective treatments for childhood cancer that are safer for kids’ growing bodies. We offer a moment of thanks every day to Seattle Children’s for working hard to save our daughter’s life.
COOKIES FOR CANCER! R a i s i n g Awa r e n e ss To S u p p o r t Pe d i a t r i c Ca n c e r R e s e a r c h
Written by Jen Belle
Every September, four young school friends hold a lemonade stand near the UW Center for Urban Horticulture in Laurelhurst. For three hours on the afternoon of the first home Husky football game, the girls holler “Cookies for Cancer!” and tempt fans on their way to the stadium with Rice Krispy treats, chocolate chip cookies, and lemonade. They have held this event for seven years running, ever since they were adorable first graders who could not even make change. One among them is a cancer survivor – my daughter, Katie, now 14. While these girls could undoubtedly find ways to spend their haul on cute earrings, they donate every dollar to fund pediatric cancer research at Seattle Children’s. And it might surprise you to know how much those dollars really count.
hard on her little body. She lost all her hair, threw up incessantly, and felt weak and tired most days. Katie had more than one life-threatening bloodstream infection. She couldn’t go to school or spend time with friends, as preschool kids are undoubtedly little germ carriers. When Katie got a cold, her body didn’t have what it needed to fight the infection, so the colds often turned into pneumonia. She spent about 200 nights at Seattle Children’s, including 10 days in the ICU. Six months after finishing treatment, Katie’s scans showed no evidence of disease, and she has been incredibly fortunate to remain cancer-free for nine years.
amazingly effective, raising the survival rate for kids with her diagnosis to about fifty percent. Still, there is a long way to go for the kids who have come after her, and there is a lot of research yet to be done before neuroblastoma is considered an easily cured disease. The treatment Katie received has caused numerous lifelong health complications, including permanent hearing loss, a damaged thyroid gland, and a broken pituitary gland. Katie is not alone – over two-thirds of childhood cancer survivors experience serious or life-threatening side effects from their treatment. Researchers are not satisfied with survival rates, nor the side effects of today’s treatments for their patients, so they continue searching for a better path.
At the age of 3 ½, Katie was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer that occurs only in children. Stage four high-risk neuroblastoma is exceedingly difficult to treat. At the time of her diagnosis, Katie’s doctors estimated that she had a 1 in 3 chance of surviving to celebrate her 8th birthday. Our family was devastated. Her doctors were hopeful that the experimental treatments being tested in two clinical trials would give kids like Katie a better chance. We enrolled her in both trials and crossed our fingers.
Where does Seattle Children’s get the money to fund pediatric cancer research? Not until my own daughter was diagnosed with cancer did I understand how inadequate funding sources are. Doctors can’t just deploy the drugs used to treat adult cancers because kids don’t get the same types, and their bodies respond differently to treatments. There are hundreds of types of pediatric cancer that each need to be researched, and thousands of potential treatments to explore. Across all types, about 15,000 kids are diagnosed with cancer in the U.S. each year and about 3,000 kids with the most common type (acute lymphocytic leukemia) and fewer than 10 with the rarest cancers. The small patient population size has huge implications. Pharmaceutical companies cannot justify researching pediatric cancers because there are not enough patients to turn a profit. Children’s hospitals and the universities they are affiliated with do the vast majority of the research. Their primary funding source is the U.S. government. Yet the National Cancer Institute allocates a mere 4% of its total cancer research funding to pediatric cancer, which amounts to a tiny fraction of what is needed to study each disease.
Katie’s treatment took about a year and a half. She had six rounds of chemotherapy, two rounds of high-dose chemotherapy followed by stem-cell transplants, 14 doses of radiation, and 5 months of antibody therapy. All of these treatments were very
Doctors like Katie’s rely on donations from the family and friends of patients to help cover research costs. Annually, hundreds of millions of dollars are raised for research by private foundations, many of which were started by the parents of children who have died, and
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Katie survived her cancer, and as it turned out, the combination of the two clinical trials in which she participated proved to be
Katie and her friends are raising money to help find better cures for neuroblastoma. They want to save the lives of more kids while helping doctors find treatments that are less severe on young bodies. Their goal is to help all kids grow up with normal, healthy bodies and live to be little old ladies and little old men. Would you like to join them? https://giveto.seattlechildrens.org/KatieBelleFund
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meet your neighbors
BACK TO SCHOOL IN 2020
A Q&A With Educators From Our Community Schools SAND POINT ELEMENTARY – TEACHER, ZOE MANZO Background on teaching:
I teach a combined 4th-and-5th-grade class. I have been a teacher at Sand Point since it’s reopening in 2010. After finishing my undergrad degree in speech therapy, I got my first job as a special education assistant in a developmental preschool. After 5 years, I decided to pursue my master’s and teaching certification. It was the best decision of my life!
families, especially now, with so many unknowns as we navigate the pandemic. As a mom to a rising 1st grader and 6th grader, I always try to stay attuned to their social and emotional experiences as a new school year begins. I also try to form partnerships with my own kid’s teachers and school staff because it truly does take a village. Tell us any interesting facts you want to share about your school.
Sand Point is a hidden gem of a school! We are a close-knit community with about 200 students. We find strength in our cultural, racial, and economic diversity and intentionally look to learn from each other’s perspectives and experiences.
What is the best part of teaching?
Those “ah-ha” moments when students really connect to something they learn. It’s also the hugs, the laughter, and sometimes the tears. It’s the end of the year when you see the 5th graders off to middle school and hope that they come back to visit. It’s hearing someone shout, “Ms. Manzo!” in the grocery store and seeing a hint of a 10-year-old kid inside an 18-year-old body. Witnessing the passage of time in the developmental trajectory of a person’s life is a really rewarding part of being a teacher. What are some great memories you’ve had while at your school?
When I first came to Sand Point in 2010 to help reopen the building, I was essentially a one-room schoolhouse teacher with a class of 14 students in grades 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th. By the end of the year, that class grew to 35 students across that same grade band. It was an impossible situation, but with a stellar staff and dedicated families, we somehow made it work. How did your job change during spring digital learning?
Overnight, everything changed about my job. It was an extremely humbling experience. I never knew Zoom existed, but it quickly became an everyday part of my life. I loved wearing comfy pants, but it was a real struggle trying to balance my teaching responsibilities while also trying to be a mom and teach my own kids at home. One fun thing we tried to do was to keep our 4th- and 5th-grade community connected, so we made and delivered over 60 care packages to our students in May. We also did a virtual camp and talent show for our 5th graders because they missed this rite of passage due. What is your advice to parents and students as they prep for school?
Breathe! Starting a new school year can be stressful on kids and
LAURELHURST ELEMENTARY – 3RD-GRADE TEACHER, MEREDITH SULLIVAN Background on teaching
As a younger person, all the jobs that I loved were ones that involved working with kids. I was a mother’s helper, babysitter, coach, and nanny … why not take it to the next level? Teaching seems to run in my family. My mom, aunt, grandma, and my stepmom were all teachers. Fun fact: my mom taught third grade at Sand Point Elementary. Do you have a mentor in education and why?
I have been fortunate to work with a lot of amazing humans. When I first started teaching in Bellevue, Marilyn Love taught next door to me. I was staying late every night, unable to recognize how to feel finished with the day, and prepared for the next day. She told me to go home, that there was no “finishing it” each day and the work would always be there, waiting for me the next day. She taught me that balancing work with life makes you better at both. At Laurelhurst, Josh Benson, my teaching partner, and Peter Klein, our computer teacher, are the gurus of calm, which was especially handy when we all had to stay at home and learn how to teach remotely. Jen Anderson can always make me smile. She wins the positive attitude award every time, and she’s hilarious! How did your job change during spring digital learning?
Everything changed! My job had an identity crisis. I learned a new style of teaching; suddenly I was a web developer, a You-
Tuber, and running my own home school! I felt grateful that my students and I had already developed a strong rapport so that we could trust one another as we headed into the unknown. If I messed up (and I did, a lot) my students trusted me to figure it out. I felt incredibly grateful for the support I received from my classroom families.
How did your job change during spring digital learning? What are you looking forward to most about school starting again in the fall and why?
My hope is that we will be back in the classroom. I know it will look different. We will learn from the experts, practice social distancing, wear masks, and wash hands. We will teach things the kids missed last year. We will fill in the academic gaps and meet this societal trauma with social and emotional support for our students. I’m looking forward to growing awesome kids and feeling like we are, once again, supporting families and our community because that’s what we do. ECKSTEIN MIDDLE SCHOOL – 8TH-GRADE AND LEADERSHIP TEACHER, JOIA POORT Background on teaching
I had a really unique elementary educational experience in Anchorage, Alaska, where my Montessori-based public school was very open, project-based, and family participation heavy. Almost all of my childhood friends from Chugach Elementary School are educators or married to educators now. It was a very special place that really fostered a joy of learning and being with kids. My undergraduate degree is in Speech Communication from UW and I went into the education track. I realized I wanted to spend my days in classes with kids. In your opinion, what’s the best part of teaching?
The best part of teaching is being with the kids. They crack me up daily. They ask hard questions. They help each other out. They sometimes have bad days and the empathy and compassion their peers show them is really a model for how “the real world” should work. They learn how to work hard and improve. I really love getting students prepared for high school. They always come back to tell me how well prepared they were for high school! In leadership, I love allowing students to take the lead and make the school fun!
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Almost every aspect of my job changed! I sent more weekly emails home to keep parents in the loop. I had to learn how to use Zoom, Teams, and really beef up my Schoology pages. I went to local parks and student homes to help distribute packets and books to all my students. I missed the daily face-to-face interactions, class discussions, and I know many families struggled with motivation (my own included). And, as a parent to a rising 7thand 9th-grader, I had to balance my job with also teaching my own kids. I can empathize with how hard this was! My Leadership classes normally orchestrate assemblies, spirit week, dances, and a talent show. Despite the disappointment of everything being canceled, they channeled it into a news program that we broadcast weekly on YouTube. We were able to deliver a variety of content on all sorts of topics, including cooking, fitness, and paper airplanes to name a few. They also worked on daily character dares, which included picking up parks, safely helping neighbors, and writing kind notes to their siblings. The students reflected that this was incredibly hard work, but really important.
– Netflix, Invisalign® – Digital Impressions – Zoom! Whitening® – WDS PPO Providers
What are some great memories you’ve had while at your school?
One of my greatest memories at Eckstein was when I became the student government advisor and a special education teacher came to me and said one of her student’s life’s goal was to become a professional mascot. I went to work pulling together a costume that would be presented to the student at an assembly. We ended up getting the Mariner Moose to present it and KOMO news even reported on the story, which I still can’t watch without tearing up. Google “A Mascot for Maxford” if you want to feel really good for a few minutes! Do you have a mentor in education and why?
LEFT: Zoe Manzo, Teacher at Sand Point Elementary • MIDDLE: Meredith Sullivan, Teacher at Laurelhurst Elementary • RIGHT: Joia Poort, Teacher at Eckstein Middle School
English colleagues, my former colleague who teaches high school IB English in Issaquah, my first teaching partner from the Lake Washington school district, and Erin Bailey at Roosevelt. She and I spent hours this spring trying to learn Microsoft Teams really quickly!
I have several people I lean on including my team of 8th-grade
DR. MEGAN ERKE | DR. TRENA CARPENTER DR. DORIE WHITE
Your Neighborhood Family Dentists 4540 Sand Point Way NE, Suite 160, Seattle, WA 98105 Phone: (206) 526-1665 Fax: (206) 529-1494 Ample free parking September 2020 • Laurelhurst & Windermere Living
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What is your advice to parents and students as they prep for school?
I always encourage kids to advocate for themselves, which can be scary but is a lifelong skill. Develop a relationship with your teachers, tell them your interests, ask for help when needed, and clarify questions you have. That’s our job and we know how hard it is! I’m so proud of my students when they come to ask for help or want to re-do a paper to truly master the skill. That shows impressive perseverance. It is so much better when the kid is advocating for themselves in the middle school years. And no respectable English teacher would leave this out: they should be reading every day this summer! A variety of genres and writers is always great, but mostly, just being exposed to reading and literature will improve both reading and writing. It’s shown that reading literature improves empathy in children as it helps them see things from different perspectives.
all young people tend to say), I couldn’t deny that I felt a strong calling to this profession. In your opinion, what’s the best part of teaching?
The unexpected moments you have each day with the kids you teach. Children are curious, hilarious, and joyful. They can catch you off guard with their insightfulness, find humor in any situation, and remind you to wonder, listen, and learn. Honestly, the best part is what you learn from them as they learn about themselves. What are some great memories you’ve had while at your school?
Handing my son his 8th-grade diploma as his mom and his principal was definitely a highlight. Who is your mentor in education and why?
Tell us any interesting facts you want to share about your school.
We have several staff members who attended Eckstein, including the principal! We have several famous people who attended, including Barack Obama’s mother, Duff McKagan (Laurelhurst resident and Guns ‘N Roses bassist), Mike McCready from Pearl Jam, and many other musicians, athletes, artists, and politicians! We also have a lot of students who are second- or third-generation students at Eckstein! ASSUMPTION ST. BRIDGET (ASB) – PRINCIPAL KATHLEEN CONKLIN Background on teaching
I am an alum, ASB Class of 1995. I taught first grade here for 8 years, worked with our middle school support program, and am now principal and 8th-grade English-Language Arts teacher. Being the principal, my role is to model the mission and philosophy of our school daily. Being able to teach at the same time keeps me grounded in why I am here: the students. Teaching also keeps me centered on what I am asking of teachers and what they need to create an environment that develops the faith, academic excellence, and social-emotional wellness of all students. I also have the privilege of being a parent at ASB. My daughter will be starting her 8th-grade year and my son is a graduate in the class of 2018. What inspired you to start a career in education?
My parents were both educators. I grew up watching their commitment to being excellent educators and their unwavering belief in the power of education. They embodied education as a vocation, as a calling to make the world a better place through each generation of children that they encountered. Being a part of school communities was an integral part of my childhood and as much as I always said I would never be like my parents (as
My first mentors were my parents. When I was a new teacher, I called them pretty much every day for advice and guidance. Both have such strong legacies with their schools and the communities with whom they’ve worked, that it’s impossible not to continually look to their examples as exemplary educators. In particular, Jeanette Hurley, who was my 1st-grade teaching partner for many years, will always stand out as a true mentor and an educator who never forgot to keep children at the center of all we do. She taught for over thirty years and always stood out as someone who was willing to learn new things, push herself through new challenges, adapt to the changing needs of students and families, and bring a true love of reading to all she taught. She was really the first pioneer for meeting the needs of diverse learners at ASB, something which we’ve expanded and committed to year over year. Jeanette also led me to The Slingerland Institute and adopting the Slingerland Approach to Language Arts, which we use in grades K-4. Through Slingerland, I found another amazing mentor, Bev Wolf. Bev is one of the finest teachers I’ve known and her commitment to the success of all children has impacted the lives of hundreds of students and teachers. How did your job change during spring digital learning?
The job changed in so many ways in terms of figuring out how to connect with staff, students, and families in meaningful ways and providing quality education while being fully online. What I found most interesting, but not surprising, was the resiliency of our students. While it wasn’t ideal, they did such an amazing job moving to online platforms, completing their work, and staying positive. For me, I think the responsibility that became most amplified during digital learning was my responsibility in supporting the morale and mental health of students, staff, and families. We all really had to work together to stay positive and focused through a uniquely stressful situation.
ABOVE: Kathleen Conklin, Principal at Assumption St. Bridget School
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What is your advice to parents and students as they prep for school?
Flexibility, patience, and understanding must be a part of your daily practice. As we all know, the virus situation is dynamic and there will be last-minute changes, frustrations, or setbacks. As we learned in the spring, we must adapt, grow, and learn. And self-care is critical! Students are out of shape school-wise and it’s going to take some time to get back into the routine. Finding ways to take breaks, exercise, and do what you enjoy will help balance any stressors. Finally, practicing gratitude each day is a must. No matter what, we need to be grateful for our blessings in the midst of all that is happening. Give us a brief history of your school or interesting facts.
An interesting piece of ASB’s history is that I am not the first in my family to be principal here. My dad was the principal for 19 years, including the time that my siblings and I attended school here. He also taught 8th grade in the same room that I am currently teaching 8th grade. I always joke that as much as my teenage self said I would not follow in my parents’ footsteps, it’s pretty ironic that I am here, teaching and principal where my dad was, with my children attending the school I attended. But the truth is, ASB is a place that just stays with you. We currently have close to 10 alumni teaching at ASB and several alumni who now have children at ASB. As our community continues to grow, it’s amazing to be a part of the continued commitment to education that started with the Dominican Sisters who founded the school in 1947. Seventy-three years later, we are still going strong thanks to the commitment of our families, neighbors, parishes, alumni families, and supporters. VILLA ACADEMY – HEAD OF SCHOOL JOHN MILROY Background in education
I actually didn’t start out in education. After college, I attended law school and later worked for a commodities trading firm at the Chicago Board of Trade. However, in the mid-’80s, a college near me was undergoing some transition and an opportunity arose for me to join their admissions and marketing team. I’ve always loved the academic environment, so I joined the university. I’ve been working in schools for 35 years, at every level and in about every capacity. I started as a college administrator in 1985 and later served as both a high school teacher and high school principal. I joined the Villa community in 2011 as Head of School. In your opinion, what’s the best part of teaching?
I think, like most teachers, the best part of teaching is watching a child or young person grow in their academic interests, knowledge, and intellectual curiosity. The “aha” moments when a child “gets” a difficult issue or problem are very special and rewarding. What are some great memories you’ve had while at your school?
What always strikes or impresses me as an educator is the way
children and young adults develop and grow. At Villa, for example, I’ve often witnessed 8th-grade students stand-up in front of their peers and a roomful of adults and confidently deliver their own speech or reflection while mindful that those same young people just a few years before were painfully shy and reticent to call any attention to themselves. The growth in students’ intellectual acuity and confidence is always impressive.
NA NCY DU N BA R PHOTOGRAPHY
Who is your mentor in education and why?
There’s not just one person who stands out for me but rather a group. I attended an all-boys Catholic preparatory school and later became the Headmaster of that school, which was run by an order of Benedictine monks. Their dedication to their students and commitment to the mission of their school always impressed me. Their special vocation set an example for me that I’ve always tried to emulate. How did your job change during spring digital learning?
The particular characteristic of the past several months is the unusual level of uncertainty. As the Head of School, I regularly deal with some uncertainty on any number of issues, but this past spring was unprecedented. Villa Academy, like all schools, had to “pivot” very quickly to remote instruction and had to develop its programs at the same time that the program was being delivered. The way my colleagues handled the transition was truly remarkable. Villa’s leadership team, and our teachers particularly, rose to the occasion and developed quickly a robust and effective remote learning environment and experience. What are you looking forward to most about school starting again in the fall and why?
Like most, I’m really looking forward to seeing my colleagues and all of our children! “Zoom” meetings and classes work, but it’s not the same as seeing everyone face-to-face. Even if the face will be partially covered by a mask!
Sue & Mallory Rockwell
What is your advice to parents and students as they prep for school?
One big reason that Villa is and has been so effective as a community is due to the spirit of partnership that we enjoy between home and school. The faculty and parents of our students want what’s best for the kids, and we’re able to work together for the common good. The year ahead will be challenging and certainly unlike anything we’ve experienced prior. But, with a spirit of partnership, collaboration, and an emphasis on the common good, we’ll make the academic year successful!
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ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL – ACADEMIC INTERVENTION SPECIALIST, ERIN BAILEY Describe your role at your school?
My role is supporting students with academics and personal, social, and career aspirations. I primarily work with 10th-grade students but collaborate with other support staff
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LEFT: John Milroy, Head of School at Villa Academy • RIGHT: Erin Bailey, Academic Intervention Specialist at Roosevelt High School
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for our other grades. This will be my 11th year teaching two study skills classes that focus on executive functioning and social-emotional learning. I am also part of the Building Leadership Team, Student Intervention Team, and Link Crew at our school. My goal each day I go to work is to motivate students to be their best. It is vital students understand their strengths and build on their areas of weakness. Education is all about learning to navigate a system so they can get the most out of this wonderful opportunity and it is my goal to help them reach their fullest potential. In your opinion, what’s the best part of teaching and counseling?
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The best part of teaching and counseling students is watching student growth. I am amazed at the development that happens from the beginning of the school year to the end. Students continue prospering as independent, inquisitive learners, enhance their desire to help others, and start thinking about their futures.  What are some great memories you’ve had while at your school?
I always love the students versus staff basketball game. I love playing with my co-workers or officiating the games. My favorite memory was when I was officiating a tied game with 5 seconds left on the clock, the teachers were down by 2, and Max Rose (our Physics, Astronomy, and golf coach) got fouled on a 3-point shot. I made the call. Mr. Rose went to the line to hit 3 freethrows to win it! I love the excitement this game brings the kids and love it when the teachers win!Â
go over how to organize schoolwork and to talk about skills to deal with so much change. Â What is your advice to parents and students as they prep for school?
As children get older, we, as parents and guardians may pull away from helping students manage their work. My advice is to be involved in your child’s schoolwork, help them organize materials and come up with a daily and weekly list of tasks. Additionally, this is a wonderful time to teach your children to be advocates for their education. Practice and encourage them to ask questions of their teachers and to reach out when things get tough to the support systems at our school and in our community. Children are resilient and we will all make it through this together!   Finally, this is a pivotal time in our country, and families need to be talking to our children about how our systems create injustice for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). For white families, teaching kids to listen without judgment to the experiences of students of color is critical in becoming an ally. As a collective community, we need to have conversations about inequalities, and to have skills to interrupt racism and hate and to become agents of change in our world.  Tell us any interesting facts you want to share about your school.
Our 2019 girls Ultimate Frisbee team won the state and national championship!
Do you have a mentor in education and why?
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My role as an Academic Intervention Specialist allows me to constantly research why students struggle in school and come up with prevention and intervention strategies to support students. Ms. Kristina Rodgers, RHS Principal, has been my mentor and collaborator in building school-wide systems that support our students. There are many things I have learned from her, but I am constantly in awe of her ability to juggle the responsibilities she has as a principal. Her ability to listen to students with an empathetic ear while being solution-focused has been a great example and inspires me to be a better educator. Additionally, we both work on the Building Leadership Team (BLT). One of the charges of the BLT is in transforming our school culture at Roosevelt. Our team has already been working vigorously this summer in examining systems in our school that uphold institutionalized racism with a focus on creating an educational community and culture that supports the learning and growth of ALL students. Â Â
AT HOME
FITNESS DESIGNED FO R YOU
How did your job change during spring digital learning?
My number one goal was to help students gain equal access to their education during quarantine, including helping students get computers, hot spots, and any other materials needed to start engaging in online school. I also called on our Roosevelt Foundation and our Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) to help provide meals, gift cards, and supplies to our students in need. Social-emotional learning moved to the front of my work with students. I met with my classes and many individual students to
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park A LOT). My favorite movie is SpongeBob Out of Water. I have realized that I like being home more. Instead of spending all day away in school or camp, I am home and am getting to spend more time with my family. However, I miss all my friends and extended family members and that live too far away to travel by car to visit in person. Braden: I like playing basketball, throwing the football, and playing with my friends at the Laurelhurst Beach Club. My proudest achievement is making the Seattle Select BB team every year that I have tried out. One fun thing that I enjoy doing with my family is going out to eat and watching movies together. My favorite restaurants are El Camino, Eureka, and Jak’s. Another thing I enjoy is my family’s yearly trip to Georgia for the 4th of July (except we didn’t get to do that this year because of COVID-19).
MEET
BRADEN & MAKAYLA
Kreshock
Also, because of COVID, I miss being able to see all my friends, celebrating birthdays, and playing sports. But one thing I have enjoyed this year is having school at home! We’ve been doing lots of reading and walking the dog. Instead of going to Georgia in July, we drove to California to visit my grandma, which we had never done before. It was a long 16 hours – I can’t wait to fly again!
young achievers
We have lived in Laurelhurst for 6 years and we both attend Villa Academy. Braden is a rising 5th grader and Makayla is a rising 3rd grader. We both started at Villa in the P3 (preschool) program. We have a 5-year-old Yellow Lab named Lucky who we both love so much! We actually live in 2 houses. We split time between Laurelhurst and Sandpoint, where our dad lives. We think it’s fun that we have friends from school in both neighborhoods.
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Makayla: I like doing various yarn arts, playing soccer, biking, and playing with my dog Lucky. I think she is the funniest dog I have ever met. I also like doing science projects and swimming for fun. I enjoy trying new things like cooking, gardening, and even Brussel sprouts, which turns out I really like! Some fun things that I enjoy doing with my family are taking Lucky to the park, visiting extended family, listening to music, and playing games. Uno is my favorite! My favorite type of music is Country.
Dr. Chris Rafoth, DDS Laurelhurst resident
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During the COVID lockdown, I tried lots of new foods, watched a lot of movies, and got in a lot of exercise (we took Lucky to the
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Villa’s hands-on learning environment also applies across the rest of its challenging curriculum. Students engage in deep inquiry across STEM-based projects, examine global problems, excel in written and verbal communications, and work to develop leadership skills. After the normal school day, enrichment opportunities abound, with over 30 activities such as advanced robotics, theater, chess, competitive sports, and nine music performance groups.
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VILLA ACADEMY TAKING HANDS-ON LEARNING TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL
Villa also offers the smallest class sizes among neighborhood schools, which enable teachers to truly know students as individuals. Joan says, “Our students are wrapped in a culture of support — we meet kids where they are and challenge them to be their best.” Ninety percent of Villa graduates go on to attend Seattle independent or Catholic high schools with 10% choosing public school. Post high school, Villa alumni attend universities including Georgetown, Harvard, UCLA, Princeton, MIT, and, of course — the University of Washington. There are wonderful teachers everywhere, but Joan believes that there are a few aspects that make Villa faculty special. Joan said,
“They are committed to life-long learning. Nearly 70% of our teachers hold advanced degrees, and continue their education through 800 hours of professional development a year.” She adds that the faculty is highly collaborative and truly function as a team, whether discussing how to support a student, considering new teaching methods, or planning curriculum. The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted life for students, parents, and schools alike — including Villa. But despite the difficulties, Villa was preparing for remote learning even before the official closure. Joan said, “It has been a process, but under the leadership of our Head of School, John Milroy, we quickly found our stride, offering our complete curriculum online.” Due to its extensive grounds and facilities that allow for both the space and the flexibility in providing safety and social distancing for all, Villa expects to be open for in-person classes at every grade level in the fall. Should health guidelines change they remain fully prepared to continue remote instruction. Visit https://www.thevillaacademy.org/remote-learning. html to learn more about how Villa Academy can meet the needs of your child during these uncertain times.
The idea of hands-on learning is appealing to students, parents, and teachers alike. But not many schools bring that concept to life more than Villa Academy, a pre-K through eighth-grade independent school located in the heart of the Laurelhurst community. One of the biggest contributors to Villa’s unique learning environment is its 31-acre campus. Far from experiencing the “nature deficit disorder” affecting so many children today, Villa students are blessed with an outdoor environment that allows teachers to bring learning to life, whether it is examining the ecosystem of the campus forest, releasing salmon fry at their Lake Washington waterfront, or studying campus birdlife and animal habitat. As part of its investment in outdoor learning, Villa recently completed a 1,500 square-foot treehouse that arches over a wooded slope and is the first permitted structure of its kind in Seattle. It supports Villa’s goal to offer a variety of outdoor lessons and projects no matter the weather and can accommodate two classes of 15 at a time. Villa’s hands-on learning isn’t just about the outdoors but also applies across subject areas and even in the school’s commitment to social justice. Joan Hudson, Villa’s Director of Marketing and Communications said, “Our students don’t just volunteer at a food bank, important as that is, they learn about the issues surrounding hunger and examine the roots of food injustice.” One such example of this is when fourth-graders go shopping at Metropolitan Market with only a food-stamp budget, often resulting in an eye-opening experience for the students. & Windermere Living • September 2020 22 Laurelhurst
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A focus on social justice is, in fact, part of the school’s legacy. Its roots go back to 1903 when Villa was founded by St. Francis Cabrini, the first American citizen to be canonized as a saint. Along with her Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart, “Sacred Heart Villa” served as an orphanage and school for the Italian immigrant population. From the 1950s onward, orphanage operations gradually ceased and the Sisters operated Villa solely as a school until 1977 when they departed Seattle. It was a group of determined Laurelhurst parents that saved Villa from closure, commencing the next phase of its life as Villa Academy — the independent school we know today. The school has always sought to provide access to any family seeking a Villa education and has historically awarded more than $1,000,000 in yearly financial aid.
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Written by Josephine Baird
ABILITY disability
PUTTING THE
IN
M EET NEIGHB OR LEE HULTS When you meet Lee Hults, you get the impression that she is a well-educated, vibrant, and confident woman. And all of that is true. But what you don’t know, until digging further, is that receiving educational equality has been a lifelong struggle for Lee. A struggle that she, with support from her family, has ultimately overcome. Lee Hults It didn’t take long for Lee’s parents and teachers to notice that she was different than many of her classmates. Lee’s mother, Dr. Sue Bailey, said, “I knew that my child was bright, alert, and intelligent but for some reason, she was not learning to read well.” They were not surprised when, at school, Lee would be classified as a slow learner and placed in the “minnow” reading group, instead of the “sharks.” While her mother was not surprised at this classification, she knew that the self-esteem impact of such moves could have lifelong implications for her otherwise bright and capable daughter. When Lee was 9, her mother decided to receive medical help — Lee was diagnosed with dyslexia. At the time, dyslexia was not well known and following a superficial coverage of the condition on the television show 60 Minutes, it represented somewhat of a catch-all term for miscellaneous learning styles. After years of receiving help from all sorts of reading specialists until she was in 7th grade, Lee’s mother thought it was time to start thinking and planning for her daughter’s educational journey. Lee’s mother knew Lee’s reading ability was about as good as it would get. But she knew there had to be a better way, and if there wasn’t then they would work to find or create one. So Lee’s family buckled down and started brainstorming different long term solutions. They discovered Recording for the Blind (now called Reading for the Blind and Dyslexic) and Lee began to utilize their materials, such as books on tape. Later, as an adult, she became a Board Member with their National Chapter. During grade school, Lee was pulled from many different classes, even schools — 12 of them to be exact. Her parents refused to
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accept the idea that their bright child would not be given the pubic education she deserved, something they had invested in as taxpayers. In 1975, Lee’s family took part in a class-action lawsuit that led to legislation, called Public Law 94-142, also referred to as the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975. The new law guaranteed a free and appropriate public education to anyone from age 3 to 21. The law impacted millions of children with disabilities in each state and local communities. In 1990 the law was revised and renamed the “Individuals with Disabilities Education Act” (IDEA) and has continued to positively impact millions of children and now 504 accommodations arise from the same Public Law. Lee’s parents were her biggest advocates, whether they were up until midnight reading her textbooks aloud to her, pushing her local school to work with Lee’s dyslexia, teaching her how to advocate for herself when it came to teachers or school administrators or joining the class action lawsuit. Lee said, “Without my parents believing in me and not allowing me to believe it when the system would tell me that I’m not smart, I would not be who I am today.” And who Lee is, is pretty remarkable. After graduating from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School in Maryland and taking the SAT that her high school counselor proctored to her with accommodations in place, Lee applied to five colleges. She was accepted to all five but chose UCLA, where she helped to shape a program for dyslexic students. After graduating from UCLA with a B plus average, she began applying to law schools. This was quite an accomplishment as the LSAT board refused to make accommodations for her to take their exam thereby prohibiting her from being accepted as an applicant by many of the law schools that she applied to. Of the six law schools that she applied to, four refused to accept her application and told her that without an LSAT score she could not apply and thereby returned her application and check. Fortunately, two schools did accept her application and she was admitted to both to Catholic University Law school and Georgetown Law school.
After attending and graduating from Georgetown Law, she went on to become an assistant district attorney in Philadelphia and then also in Washington, D.C., where she advocated for victims’ rights, protecting their right to due process, and providing a chance to be heard. Lee said, “The career path I chose was litigation because, after years of advocating for myself, I wanted to do it for others in need.” Lee was a Guardian Ad Litem in D.C. and volunteered with the CASA Court Appointed Special Advocacy program here in Seattle helping children who find themselves in the neglect system. Lee met her husband, John, while they were working in Washington D.C. He worked at The Pentagon with the Navy, while she was a prosecutor with the D.C. Corporation Counsel. They have lived in Laurelhurst since 1993 with their three daughters. Their oldest daughter, Bailey, is a graduate from Seattle Pacific University and currently works with kids with autism and Asperger’s Syndrome and is working towards her masters in education. Hannah Sue, their middle child, is a University of Washington Honors graduate with a BA in public health and is currently applying to physician assistant schools. And Libby, their youngest, is a rower at Washington State University in their honors program and studying strategic communications. Two of her daughters have also received accommodations during their schooling, granted to them under PL 94-142 and the IDEA Act, the very laws that she and her family were instrumental in developing over 30 years ago. With the combined efforts of Lee’s advocating skills, familiarity with the law, background on the subject and the support from individuals in the community, such as Sheila Bazzi and Deborah Halperin from Laurelhurst Elementary School and Ron Stewart from Roosevelt High School, they have found ways to nurture their different learning styles. What Lee has enjoyed most about this community is how close it is. Whether it is shouting “hello” to each neighbor as they walk by, bumping into community members at the Laurelhurst Beach Club, or supporting the educational needs of their children, Laurelhurst has been a great place for the Hults family. Lee believes that one of the biggest priorities in education should be continued building, nurturing, and sustaining self-esteem in students both at home and in school. Lee said, “If the system is telling you that you are not smart, it sure can ruin your whole trajectory for success and desire to learn.” Lee is currently working in the field of education and has been for seven years now, most recently locally at The Evergreen School and St. Catherine’s where she prioritizes building kids up, making learning fun and
focusing on the individual child’s strengths while focusing on their social and emotional well-being. When asked what advice she might have for students like her, she said, “Believe in yourself, do your best, and if you get knocked down, get up and prove them wrong. Education is a hard field to navigate, but it is so worth it.” And Lee’s story is just one great example of how education is always worth the fight.
The Hults Family
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the movement for healthy relationships through a multitude of avenues. During this time of physical distancing, healthy relationships and community are more important than ever — that’s why we want to recruit brand ambassadors, educators, event coordinators, donors, and more to join Team One Love. With the help of dedicated community members, we believe we’ll see the day when healthy relationships become the norm.
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Now settled into our virtual programming and no longer bound by the constraints of travel to be at institutions in-person, our education can reach further.
non-profit news
Written by Sheridan Riolo and Michèle Heffron
the one love foundation educating young people about healthy and unhealthy relationships
The One Love Foundation is a national leader in relationship health education, founded in 2010 when Yeardley Love — then a senior at the University of Virginia — was tragically murdered by her ex-boyfriend. Once a scholarship foundation for female athletes, One Love found its footing as an educational organization in the wake of Yeardley’s murder trial, when it became clear to her loved ones that her death had been preventable. From then on, One Love’s mission was clear — lower the staggering statistics around relationship abuse by educating and activating people in their local communities. When One Love’s CEO, Katie Hood, spoke at the NFL Owner’s Conference in Florida, she caught the attention of Traci Schneider, President of the Seahawks Women’s Association. After Katie’s presentation, Traci tracked her down to find out how she could bring One Love’s work to the Seattle area. With Traci and the Seahawks Women’s Association championing our work and making the necessary arrangements, One Love sent a team out to Seattle to pitch the idea of regional engagement to a group of assembled stakeholders.
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With buy-in from these stakeholders and an ever-growing national momentum, One Love staff began visiting the Seattle area to network with potential schools, organizations, and donors, laying a solid foundation for a regional office. As luck would have it, One Love’s work in the area was recognized by leadership at Pivotal Ventures, whose financial backing allowed for the establishment of an office in the “Seattle Region.” Executive Director, Michèle Heffron, proudly opened the office in December 2018. Since then, the initial concept of a Seattle office has evolved into what we now call our Pacific Northwest Region — encompassing Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska. What began as engagements with a handful of King County schools has bloomed into 75-plus partnerships with middle and high schools, colleges and universities, and corporate and community-based organizations. In the past year alone, the Pacific Northwest Region has seen numbers of educated students grow to 10,000 in Washington and 21,000 across all five of our priority states. Locally, we work with several public and private schools; most notable is our work with the Lake Washington School District, where we educated 1,800-plus students in November 2019. It is our goal that someday ALL students will have access to this vital education. In the coming year, we hope to continue our steady march toward that goal, expanding well past 21,000. When shelter-in-place orders went into effect in early March, One Love had to rethink our educational strategy — pivoting from in-person workshops to virtual engagement in the span of two weeks.
We don’t plan on reaching our numbers alone. One Love is invested in our train-the-trainer model, putting our user-friendly curriculum in the hands of teachers, professors, health educators, parents, students, and other community members with a vested interest in teaching healthy relationships. One Love provides free, downloadable discussion guides through our website, and One Love staff are available to train aspiring facilitators as well as support them in making our content and curriculum relevant to the communities they serve. But how does it work? One Love accomplishes our educational goals through engaging film- and discussion-based lessons — or “workshops.” By watching relatable characters and stories onscreen, young people are guided to identify healthy and unhealthy relationship behaviors. In order to establish a common language and productive discussion around these behaviors, our workshops hinge on One Love’s 10 Signs of a Healthy and Unhealthy Relationship (see images). Students are taught to spot what is unhealthy (i.e. manipulation, belittling, volatility) and encouraged to move toward healthy (i.e. equality, respect, and comfortable pace) in their relationships — with friends, family members, romantic partners, teammates, classmates, and the list goes on. Students who have experienced a One Love workshop walk away not only with knowledge of the 10 Signs, but tools to help a friend, an overview of safety planning, and both local and national relationship abuse resources for themselves and others. Those interested in learning or doing more to promote healthy relationships in their schools and surrounding communities are invited to join our Teen and Campus Ambassador programs. Our Ambassador programs connect young people within their region and nationally, allowing them to engage with One Love staff and other ambassadors to develop the skills and strategy necessary to educate and activate others in their communities. While our Ambassador programs comprise a large part of our volunteer base, it is not only students we invite to volunteer. The Pacific Northwest Region is seeking volunteers of all ages to join
To keep the barriers to accessing our educational materials low, all One Love content, curriculum, and training are offered free of cost. We are a philanthropically funded organization that has reached 1.1 million students because of the generosity of our donors. If you are interested in learning more about One Love, our programs, or how you can get involved, please visit joinonelove.org or contact Michèle Heffron at michele.heffron@ joinonelove.org
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Satsuma Uniform Partners with Refugee Artisan Initiative
|
Ask most fashion pros and you’ll encounter severe warnings about the success of mixing plaids in one ensemble. Thankfully, Satsuma Designs founder and Laurelhurst resident, Jennifer Porter is a sartorial risk-taker when it comes to combining a full suite of plaids in her new school uniform collection.
hone their skills for advancement within the organization and to secure and serve their own manufacturing clients as well. An apprenticeship model of skills-based workforce development is significant to RAI and Satsuma Uniform’s mission. Creating living wage jobs while elevating the sewn trades serves a sustainable local manufacturing economy. One in which we can make the goods we need. Families love the model, too. “I’m very excited about having a local uniform resource that also supports the community through Refugee Artisan Initiative. My girls can’t wait to get new skirts from this wonderful organization!” shares Kate Allen, a Laurelhurst resident.
Porter has launched Satsuma Uniform in partnership with the non-profit Refugee Artisan Initiative (RAI), founded by Laurelhurst resident Ming-Ming Tung-Edelman. RAI’s mission is to provide sustainable work in sewing and handcrafting goods to Seattle area refugees and immigrants. Satsuma Uniform answers that call by having RAI artisans make highquality uniforms.
Satsuma Uniform is a place for creativity and fun, too. The company offers STEAM workshops where kids can design, prototype, and make sewn goods, including pencil pouches, hair accessories, their own face masks, or whatever they dream to design.
When Porter realized that a regional school uniform supplier had moved production overseas, she saw an opportunity to create a vibrant partnership between RAI, where she serves on its Board of Directors, and local schools with uniform policies in place.
Visit SatsumaUniform.com for more information about how the company can serve your school community.
One of these schools is Villa Academy where Porter’s children attend middle school. The company approached Villa administration and was overwhelmed by the support including an offer to set up shop. “I feel like I’m back at school and I am! I love working in the former Convent on the Villa campus with such a wonderful legacy. Mother Cabrini is the patron saint of immigrants and I really believe that her spirit infuses our work,” says Porter. The site in Laurelhurst also serves as an apprenticeship location for industrial sewing machine certifications. RAI team members participate in modules of various sewing techniques to Satsuma Uniform founder, Jennifer Porter, knows that our kids deserve the safest and most healthy future
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we can give them. To her, that means ensuring Satsuma Uniform garments never end up in a landfill. Here are a few initiatives to support this vision.
• • • •
Complimentary Mending Service Garment Buy-Back Program Size Adjustable Designs STEAM Student Workshop to Show Kids How and Where Their Clothes are Made September 2020 • Laurelhurst & Windermere Living
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