VOL. 3 NO. 1
UPrep WINTER 2019
MAGAZINE
Transforming Our Campus
PG. 4
WELCOME TO OUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS PG. 10
TWO LONGTIME TEACHERS TAKE THEIR LEAVE PG. 16
CULTURE NIGHT PG. 24
IN THIS ISSUE 3
Message from Matt Levinson and Cheryl Scott
18 - 21
News Bites
22 - 29
UPrep Happenings
30 - 31
Athletic News
32 - 33
Alumni News
34 - 36
WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU: Alums, please share your updates with us via email: classnotes@universityprep.org
Class Notes
37
In Memoriam
COVER PHOTO: Mithun rendering of the Commons transformation
OUR MISSION
University Prep is committed to developing each student’s potential to become an intellectually courageous, socially responsible citizen of the world.
FEATURES 4
Transforming Our Campus to Support Next Generation Learning By David Beitel, Mark Britton, and Yazmin Mehdi
6
The Top Five Benefits of Our Campus Transformation
12
15
Student Support on a Growth Path
The Mission Brings Jessica Hanson Back!
By Lisa Kennedy
By Lisa Kennedy
14
16
A Day in the Life of the Counselors
Two Longtime Teachers Take Their Leave
By Andrea Moore
By Lisa Kennedy
By David Beitel, Mark Britton, and Yazmin Mehdi UPREP MAGAZINE
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BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Matt Levinson HEAD OF SCHOOL
Ken Jaffe, ASST. HEAD OF SCHOOL AND DIRECTOR OF UPPER SCHOOL
Richard Kassissieh, ASST. HEAD OF SCHOOL FOR ACADEMICS AND STRATEGIC INITIATIVES
Susan Lansverk, ASST. HEAD OF SCHOOL
Alma Andrade Andrea Barry-Smith David Beitel Adrian Biesecker Mark Britton, TREASURER Geoff Buscher Devindra Chainani Charisse Cowan-Pitre, SECRETARY
Helen Day Laura Domoto, VICE PRESIDENT
Rita Egrari Jason Froggatt Terry Froggatt Michelle Goldberg Mark Horn Jeanette James Van Katzman Patricia Landy Kate Marks Suzanne McGill Yazmin Mehdi
Tori Ragen Timothy Richey Cheryl Scott, PRESIDENT Abhi Sheth Paula Simon Barbara Sniezek, PARENT COUNCIL PRESIDENT
Mandira Virmani Kobi Yamada Matt Levinson, HEAD OF SCHOOL ex officio
FOR FINANCE AND OPERATIONS
Susie Wu DIRECTOR OF MIDDLE SCHOOL
PARENT COUNCIL
Catherine Blundell
President – Barbara Sniezek
DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT
Upper School Vice President – Cheryl Hoffman Herzog
Mary Beth Lambert
Middle School Vice President – Tracy Pozil
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS
Treasurer – Jennifer Zell
E-chieh Lin
Secretary – Joanna Beitel
DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY AND DIRECTOR OF HIRING
Past Executive – Laura Domoto
Shavette McGhee
Diversity and Community – Katie Rossbach, Yaneth Vrentas
DIRECTOR OF ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT
UPrep
M AGAZINE
EDITOR Lisa Kennedy
CONTRIBUTORS David Beitel, Dana Bettinger, Mark Britton, Toby Cattolico, Katharine Durkee, Brian Gonzales, Leah Griffin, Kelly Herrington, Lisa Kennedy, Mary Beth Lambert, Kyle Lawhead, Matt Levinson, E-chieh Lin, Yazmin Mehdi, Rebecca Moe, Andrea Moore, Kathryn Robinson, Cheryl Scott
Advancement Liaison – Lisa Bontje Global Programs Liaison – Anju Rao, Brigid Britton Governance – Dave Higley Parent Education – Liz Huehnergarth, Kendall Burwell, Scottie Nash Parents for the Arts – Jenna Sylvester, Jim Xiao, Krysia Johnson Parent Ambassadors Liaison – Stephanie Standifer, Shelly Sage Sports Boosters – Middle School: Sheila Raff; Upper School: Julie Zirkle, Kathi McHugh 12th Grade Reps – Elizabeth Anderson, Ann Eickerman, Rebecca Butler 11th Grade Reps – Jessica Fosse, Robert Hardwick, Katherine Burke 10th Grade Reps – Shannon Loftis, Leigh Toner, Heather Smith 9th Grade Reps – Ursula Phelan, Aija Christopher, Kim Eisman 8th Grade Reps – Amy Colando, Marina Veen, Liffy Franklin 7th Grade Reps – Michele Myoshi, Missy Stern, Liat Uziyel-Bollag 6th Grade Reps – Michelle Conrad, Katrina Strand, Anna Leslie
PHOTOGRAPHERS Lisa Bontje, Scott Collins, Paul Dudley, Lisa Kennedy, Don Mason, Mithun, Kedzie Moe, Brandon Patoc, Kristen Shriver, UPrep Student Publications DESIGNER Anne Bryant Creative © 2019 University Prep 8000 25th Avenue NE | Seattle, WA 98115 206.525.2714 www.universityprep.org UPrep Magazine is published twice yearly by the Communications Office at University Prep. Comments may be sent to the address above, or emailed to: editor@universityprep.org 2 UPREP MAGAZINE
Jason Parker conducting Jazz II during Fall Music Day
“During this time of transformation and transition, we appreciate your support of UPrep.”
Dear UPrep Families, 2019 will be a time of transformation AND transition for our community. This spring, we will launch the transformation of UPrep’s campus when we begin our much anticipated two-phase construction project, designed to connect our rich history to our Next Generation Learning (NGL) initiative. NGL is an educational focus that puts the student (rather than the teacher) at the academic center to explore, pursue and deepen their learning, questions, passions, and interests. This type of learning requires a more flexible, open, and modular physical environment that allows for exploration rooted in real world settings.
This type of learning requires a more flexible, open, and modular physical environment that allows for exploration rooted in real world settings.
This year our community will also experience a leadership transition. As many of you already know, at the end of June 2019, Matt will leave UPrep to become the Head of School at Pingry School in New Jersey. To support this transition, the UPrep Board of Trustees established a Head Search Committee, co-chaired by board members and parents, Tori Ragen and Laura Domoto. They are joined by trustees Charisse Cowan-Pitre, Kobi Yamada, and Tim Richey, as well as Middle School math teacher Meg Shortell and Director of College Counseling and Student Services Kelly Herrington; Cheryl is an ex officio member. The committee is engaged in a thoughtful and focused search process that will allow us to identify an extraordinary pool of candidates with the goal of naming a new head by May 2019. More information about the head search can be found on the UPrep website at www.universityprep.org/who-we-are/headsearch. During this time of transformation and transition, we appreciate your support of UPrep. We have important work ahead of us and we look forward to our ongoing partnership with you. With gratitude and appreciation,
In this issue of UPrep Magazine, University Prep Trustees David Beitel, Mark Britton, and Yazmin Mehdi describe how our campus transformation will further enhance and bring to life Next Generation Learning. Phase 1 of our campus transformation will begin in April and includes a renewal of the Commons, the heart of our school, as well as the enhancement of two classrooms.
Matt Levinson
Cheryl Scott
HEAD OF SCHOOL
PRESIDENT, BOARD OF TRUSTEES
This phase will be completed in time for the beginning of school this fall. Phase II, construction of the ULab, a 39,000-square-foot contemporary structure, will follow and extend our current campus. The ULab will help our students succeed beyond UPrep by facilitating learning across disciplines and through experience. Our students will have the space to learn from each other and learn from the outside world.
UPREP MAGAZINE
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Transforming Our Campus to Support Next Generation Learning BY DAVID BEITEL, MARK BRITTON, AND YAZMIN MEHDI, UNIVERSITY PREP TRUSTEES
T
his spring we launch an exciting two-phase transformation of UPrep’s campus, designed to connect our rich history to Next Generation Learning. In 1976, seven public school teachers launched UPrep
out of borrowed rooms in Temple Beth Am, with one of their mothers volunteering to answer phones. “When people called she would answer, ‘Hello, University Preparatory Academy,’ sitting there in this empty room!” laughs co-founder and former Head of School Roger Bass. “We’d show families around the empty rooms, and in the one with the box of books we’d say, ‘Here’s our library!’ From the start, we had to paint a vision for people of what we
experts a vision began to emerge, centered on five themes:
knew this school would become.”
New Models of Time, Social Emotional Learning, Social Justice
UPrep was begun by visionaries. For 43 years we have been realizing their dreams—and boldly envisioning new ones. In January
and Educational Equity, Interdisciplinary Learning, and ULab: student-directed learning connected to community.
2016 came our most groundbreaking vision yet, in the form of
Since adopting the strategic plan, we’ve launched multiple initiatives
Strategic Plan 2020. The culmination of over a year of work by
based on these themes. Our successful schedule change in 2017,
UPrep trustees, faculty, administration, staff, and parents, the
which provides longer blocks of time and allows deeper academic
strategic plan called for an ambitious new goal: to transform the
dives, flowed out of our work on new models of time. It also
learning experience at UPrep.
included daily community time as we began to understand how
The plan had three pillars: promoting teacher excellence in support of students, optimizing place and space to enhance learning and
critical it is to social emotional learning. This year’s introduction of Intensives brings more opportunities for interdisciplinary learning.
community, and evolving next generation learning opportunities to
We have, however, hit a wall—literally. UPrep’s physical spaces
prepare students for a changing world. Next Generation Learning
cannot optimally accommodate our evolution to Next Generation
emphasizes innovative learning models, student-driven inquiry,
Learning. The constraints are clear: uniform-sized classrooms,
and personalized pathways. Bringing more of our teaching and
inflexible seating arrangements, and few spaces for large
learning in line with these methods would transform the learning
gatherings. As UPrep has attracted more students, we have
experience—and transform the school—to build our students’
realized the importance of expanding our campus to strengthen
academic agility and resourcefulness.
the student learning experience. But now we also need to catch
What would Next Generation Learning look like at UPrep? Through research, community surveys, and consultations with national 4 UPREP MAGAZINE
up our physical space with the transformative academic programs we already have under way.
As we began to look at our needs—with the goal of keeping
Our current Commons is the result of UPrep’s first Capital Campaign
our Middle and Upper Schools together—a prudent and
in 1989 when the community invested in the future our students
streamlined two-phase renewal plan began to take shape. Phase
now inhabit. Today’s Commons and Classroom Building projects
I, transformation of the Commons and enhancement of the
allow us to pay it forward for the good of coming generations,
classrooms, begins in April and will conclude in time for fall 2019.
even as they fulfill our immediate need for more space.
Phase I will bring immediate tangible benefits to our students in
In a wider context, what we’re creating will help redefine education
the spaces they use most (see p.6).
Today’s Commons and Classroom Building projects allow us to pay it forward for the good of coming generations, even as they fulfill our immediate need for more space.
in Seattle and beyond. Because of our Next Generation Learning innovations, UPrep is poised at the forefront of a paradigm shift in education. “We are recognized nationally in areas like innovative teaching methods and continuing education for teachers, and we’re helping to lead the national conversation on Next Generation education,” says Head of School Matt Levinson. In raising our campus up to the level of our programs, we’re carrying the vision of our Founders into the future.
Phase II will follow, with construction of the ULab across the street from the campus, on the corner of 24th Ave NE and NE 90th Street. Our boldest vision yet for Next Generation Learning, this center
That’s a legacy we’re proud of. And it’s a legacy that you, a member of UPrep’s community, are part of.
will extend our current campus, with spaces more flexible, uniting, transparent, inclusive, and inventive then any we have offered so far.
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The Top Five Benefits of Our Campus Transformation BY DAVID BEITEL, MARK BRITTON, YAZMIN MEHDI, UNIVERSITY PREP TRUSTEES
This spring, we’ll transform two of UPrep’s most important spaces, the Commons and two of our classrooms, bringing a rich array of tangible benefits to our students. 1. Space to Move, Space to Gather The most visible benefit of the new Commons? Space. Picture the Commons bottleneck at lunchtime: kids pouring onto and off the staircase, in and out of the main hall, balancing trays of food, along with teachers exiting the faculty lounge—frequently holding coffee. Into this perfect storm all it takes is one quick pivot of one student wearing a backpack and…you get the picture. UPrep is stretched to its limits. You see it during passing periods when students are packed tightly in the hall. Or, at lunchtime, when Middle School students seek free space in the library, while Upper School classes take place. Teachers must manage students’ progress through lunch lines to make sure everyone is served—and still students don’t always have time to finish eating.
“In the past, schools were primarily
Teachers and staff have been leveraging space as imaginatively as possible, creating a pop-up ceramics studio in the stagecraft
repositories of knowledge,” reflects
room, for instance. Ask Kelly Herrington, Director of College
Associate Director of Upper School
closet in his office, where he’ll often stand during meetings with
Sarah Peterson. “Today, information
our overcrowding has not compromised our commitment to
can be accessed at home. So what
But does it hinder what we can provide our students?
does school offer that the Internet
“Our campus comfortably holds 580 students—as long as they’re
doesn’t have? Community.”
Head of School for Academics and Strategic Initiatives. “But the
Counseling and Student Services, about the sprinkler control valve college representatives. Thanks to this kind of resourcefulness, academic excellence. Without question. all seated at their desks,” explains Richard Kassissieh, Assistant minute we put them into motion to have a grade level project, or a mock congress, or to have an exhibition, it’s packed. We need a space to hold kids who are intellectually and physically in motion.” The transformed Commons will double the seating area of our Lower Commons. At lunchtime, the larger space will effectively create more time for students to enjoy and finish lunch. Its larger footprint will widen the Commons bottleneck and allow food stations and tables to be more
6 UPREP MAGAZINE
spread out, so students have more open space to move freely. Food
2. More Light, Fresh Aesthetics
will be served directly from the kitchen, streamlining the process.
Today’s Commons is dim, blocked from natural light by a row of
Beyond lunch, our transformed Commons will provide space to gather—an indispensable gain for a school whose identity is built on inclusion. Finding ways to come together is so important to us, we built into our new schedule an hour of daily community
offices along its north wall. Our transformation will relocate those offices, opening the Commons all the way to the windows. We’ll enjoy a renewed connection to the beautiful Picardo P-Patch and a Commons washed in daylight.
time. But if we want to hold a class meeting with 85 students
In the middle of winter, natural light is a mood booster. A growing
and 10 teachers, or a large club meeting—gatherings that foster
body of data affirms its value in other areas, including improved
collaboration, unity, and the accountability that comes from seeing
focus, energy, wellness, creativity, productivity, and academic
your whole cohort together—our space constraints hold us back.
achievement. Just as the corporate world has taken this data seriously—moving away from workspaces with window offices in
Finding ways to come together is so important to us, we built into our new schedule an hour of daily community time. Students need to learn how to collaborate with one another— and we are committed to teaching it, both inside and outside the classroom. “In the past, schools were primarily repositories of
favor of open floorplans with window access for all—so are we. Where our current setup of uniform-sized tables and chairs was needed to maximize seating capacity, the transformed Commons will feature a combination of soft furniture, small and larger tables, higher café tables with stools for perching, and a long farm table by the windows. With a college campus feel, our Commons will echo the multi-functionality of our library.
knowledge,” reflects Sarah Peterson, math teacher and Associate
Best of all, students will more easily be able to find space for their
Director of Upper School. “Today, information can be accessed at
chosen activity, whether that be a breakout meeting on a couch,
home. So what does school offer that the Internet doesn’t have?
a private collaboration by a pillar, solo work on a cushy chair, or
Community.”
a lunch meeting around the communal table. This kind of variety UPREP MAGAZINE
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T R A N S F O R M AT I O N
is inherently inclusive, by supporting student agency and student
nurture passion, engagement, and teamwork. A 2015 study in the
choice—a foundation of Next Generation Learning.
UK found that flexible spaces also boost academic achievement.
3. Flexible Learning Spaces Four years ago, we revised UPrep’s strategic plan “to transform the learning experience for students.” Since then we’ve introduced Global Online Academy in 2015, the schedule change in 2017, and this year’s adoption of Intensives—game-changers which have opened the world to our students, promoted deeper academic dives, and heightened student agency. We call this Next Generation Learning, which requires next generation learning spaces. Through our upcoming transformation, the Commons and classrooms will both become more flexible as learning spaces. Out of our foundational commitment to inspire students, UPrep teachers increasingly organize learning in many formats, mixing groups in different ways and with a variety of learning activities to
8 UPREP MAGAZINE
In response, we resolved to create learning spaces that flex in size, purpose, and seating configuration. To do this in our classroom building, we will connect two pairs of classrooms in an economical way and pilot the use of double classrooms. Why will it help? Now, when math teachers want to teach sixth and seventh grade students together in Middle School math—our groundbreaking program that lays the foundation for algebra and beyond—the two teachers must lead the classes in rooms across the hall from one another, diluting the benefits of two teachers. After the classroom connection, the two classes will enjoy the option to gather in one large group or break into smaller groups. The teachers will be able to move in and out of group and individualized instruction where necessary, modeling the collaboration they want to teach.
department head. “But if I want to collaborate with Sarah on a statistics and art class, we’re going to need room for more students. Interdisciplinary education requires bigger rooms!” Why is interdisciplinary education so important? Because real-world issues don’t come confined to one discipline. At UPrep we invent— and we lose inventive opportunities where we’re learning math and humanities and art and technology in silos. Research shows that forging unique syntheses of different subjects enhances critical thinking, understanding, and cognitive ability. Our new spaces will enable those syntheses.
At UPrep we invent—and we lose inventive opportunities where we’re learning math and humanities and art and technology in silos. Research shows that forging unique syntheses of different subjects enhances critical thinking, understanding, and cognitive ability. 5. Renewal of the Heart of the School If studying and working happen all over the school, living is what happens in the Commons. It’s the literal and figurative crossroads of our community, the center of our shared life together—where students invite one another to Prom, where clubs are born and gather, where Pride Week is celebrated, where jazz lunches and community service day sewing projects all unfold. The Commons is the family room of UPrep. As such, the Commons is the space in the school that most represents our value of inclusion. Enlarged and improved, the Commons will include more powerfully than it can now, with more varied seating so students can more easily find their place, and centrally located gender-neutral restrooms. The Commons will also offer more flexible spaces. In addition to its easily shiftable seating arrangements, the Commons will feature a room at its east end which we’re calling the Flex Room. Enclosable by glass doors, this room will accommodate lunchtime overflow, study groups, or larger meetings. 4. Room for Interdisciplinary Learning The most exciting academic prospect of our campus revival is its
“Something really cool happened when the library was renovated,” recalls Moses Rifkin, science teacher and department head. “It became a community space rather than a purely academic space. Like, ‘I learn here, I hang with friends here.’ The more we have spaces where lots of different students feel like it’s their space, the more our school becomes the amazing, inclusive place we want it to be.”
potential for interdisciplinary education—a pillar of Next Generation Learning. With Intensives we’ve begun to offer more of these— Environmental Ethics and Advocacy, Humanities, Deep Space Six—but our program has raced ahead of our learning spaces, with teachers attempting to deliver interdisciplinary education in spite of our physical environment rather than in harmony with it. “In the current configuration, all our classrooms are designed for 16 students and a teacher,” says Ty Talbot, fine arts teacher and
UPREP MAGAZINE
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BOARD NEWS At the July meeting of the Board of Trustees,
Suzanne (Soozi) McGill is Co-Founder and
Cheryl Scott was voted in as the 2018-2019
President of Rwanda Girls Initiative, an advisor to the Sinegal Family Foundation, and a member
President. In addition, the board welcomed the
of the College Board of Advisors at Georgetown
following nine new members. Welcome to all!
University. At UPrep, Soozi serves on the Next Generation Learning Committee. She and her
Alma Andrade is the new faculty member
husband T.J. are parents of two graduates, Cooper ’15 and Chloe
representative. She has worked at University
‘17, and Quinn ’22.
Prep for 18 years. She has taught in the Middle and Upper School and been a Middle School
Tim Richey is a designer and project architect
team leader for 6 years. Alma made curriculum
at SRG Partnership with a focus on 21st century
development presentations at the 2017 WAFTLT
learning environments. He is currently the
and the 2018 ACTFL conferences. She serves on UPrep’s Human
co-chair of the American Institute of Architects
Resources Committee. Alma and her husband, David, are parents
Honor Awards program and serves on the
of two young children, Julia and Mateo.
UPrep Building Committee. Tim and his wife Charlotte are parents of Jacob ’17 and Aida ’24.
Andrea Barry-Smith is currently a social worker at Seattle Children’s Hospital, where
Barbara Sniezek, who has worked in public
her roles include supporting both patients and
relations and marketing, is president of the
families, as well as pediatricians-in-training.
UPrep Parent Council for the 2018-2019 school
At UPrep, she serves as a parent ambassador,
year. At UPrep, she has been an Annual Fund
and is also a member of the SEL Advisory
agent, parent ambassador, and Parent Council
Committee. Andrea and her husband, John Smith, are parents of Alex ’19 and Wilson ’21.
class agent. She and her husband Joe are parents of Joey ’20 and Allie ’22.
Laura Domoto, founder of Domoto Company,
Mandira Virmani is currently managing
spent her career in commercial construction
partner at CVG Partners, where she drives
project management until leaving in 2006
business development and manages consulting
to focus more on family and fun. Laura has
projects. She serves on the board of the Seattle
volunteered in numerous roles on Parent Council,
Art Museum, and is on the Development
including the past two years as president, and is
Committee for Sunaayy, a school for children of
currently serving on the Parent Council Executive Committee as past
the slums in Delhi, India. At UPrep, she has served on Parent Council
exec. She serves on the Building, Finance, and Executive Committees
and on the #WeAreUPrep Committee. She currently serves on the
and is vice president of the board. She and her husband, Don
Advancement, Building, and Next Generation Learning Committees
Mason, have two daughters, Cameron ’18 and Quinn ’21.
as well as on the Technology Advisory Board. Mandira and her husband Ajay are parents of Malvika ’19 and Siona ’22.
Van Katzman is the co-founder of Ascent Law Partners, LLP and Ascent Investments,
Kobi Yamada is the President/CEO of
LLC, advising technology start-ups and other
Compendium and a multiple New York Times
businesses. He currently serves on the Next
Bestselling Author. He is currently on UPrep’s
Generation Learning leadership team at UPrep.
Finance and Storytelling Committees. Kobi and
Van is also a member of the Board of Trustees of
his wife Heidi are parents of daughter Shale ’23
UCDS and serves as chair of the Audit Committee. He and his wife
and son Ever ’25.
Wendy have a son, Jack, who graduated from UPrep in 2017 and a daughter, Carly, who is a UPrep 6th grader.
The Board of Trustees would like to thank the following members of the board, who left at the end of last year, for their service to University Prep: Chris Bown, Margie Duckstad, Carl Faucher, Shahina Piyarali, Patricia Washington, and Susie Wu.
10 UPREP MAGAZINE
Puma Fund a Great Success!
T
hank you to our entire UPrep community who came
their support and be counted. Their commitment to UPrep helped
together for a record-breaking Puma Fund campaign!
us achieve these remarkable results.
To date, we have surpassed our parent participation
We are so grateful to all of our donors. Support from our entire
goal of 85% by reaching 89% and raised $771,601 in total. This is the highest percent participation our parent
community has ever achieved!
community makes it possible for UPrep to provide amazing experiences for all students, regardless of economic background. If you are planning to join us, but haven’t had a chance, there’s still
Gifts of all sizes are essential to the success of the campaign and
time! You may donate online at www.supportuprep.org.
every gift makes it possible for a diverse population of students to enjoy field trips, no-cut sports teams, music competitions, clubs, and much more.
Total Community Giving to Date $20,000 - $29,999
Innovators Circle
4 Families
$10,000 - $19,999
Founders Circle
9 Families
$5,000 - $9,999
Ambassadors Circle
25 Families
$2,500 - $4,999
Leadership Circle
55 Families
$1,250 - $2,499
Supporters Circle
104 Families
Up to $1,249
Friends Circle
420 Families
This incredible effort would not have been possible without the tireless work of our 21 Puma Fund class agents, led by our co-chairs Andrea Thoreson, Valerie Voss, and John Houlihan. Together, they educated our parent community about the importance of the Puma Fund and invited families to pledge
PUMA FUND FAST FACTS: Raised to date: $771,601 Parent participation: 89% # of households who have contributed: 666 # of gifts of $1,250 or above to meet the match: 181 # of households who increased their gift: 227
UPREP MAGAZINE
11
“Instead of jumping to conclusions, I use my problem-solving skills. I know how to take steps and stay calm. I tell myself, I got this!” -ELLA HUEHNERGARTH, 8TH GRADE
Stephanie Dobler and Ella Huehnergarth problem solving in Learning Pathways
Student Support on a Growth Path
U
Prep works on multiple fronts to continually enhance
Integrated Learning: The new department has grown in size
and upgrade the student experience. This year, several
with the addition of a Learning Specialist, Rachael Lydeard, and a
new staff members along with some programmatic
Learning and Testing Specialist, Julie Smith. The services offered
changes are directly and indirectly making a difference
to support our students have expanded along with the staff of
in student lives.
five. The department members work closely with students, their
Social Emotional Learning: Emily Schorr Lesnick, the new Social Emotional Learning Coordinator, is working to document, develop, and streamline social emotional programming at UPrep with the goals of infusing SEL in all facets of school life. SEL is the process through which students develop skills to regulate, react to, and process their emotions; navigate relationships in a healthy way; and develop self-awareness. The practice of SEL encompasses strategies to support students as they build resiliency, manage
teachers, and families to personalize access to learning supports on campus, build self-advocacy and executive skills, and manage testing and instructional accommodations. The goal is to integrate innovative practices fueled by the latest research and thus fulfill our commitment to each unique student on our campus. New classes on executive skills management are now offered in both the Middle and Upper School, and our new Classroom Partners program is designed to support teachers by looking at classroom practices with
stress, develop empathy, clarify their personal values, and make
an eye toward greater inclusion of diverse student learning profiles.
responsible decisions. Two new Student Advisory Boards have been
Counseling Changes: Last year, almost 30% of our students
created, one in each division, to provide students with voice and
received individual counseling and many more students were
ownership relating to their social and emotional needs. The skill
supported indirectly through our counselors’ work with advisors,
building takes place both in the curriculum as well as in community
teachers, deans, and families. To further enhance the support
time, advisory, open session, grade level meetings, and clubs.
system offered to students, the following changes have been
Instructional Coaching: Veronica McGowan, UPrep’s new
implemented this year:
Instructional Coach, is working with faculty to support our
•
In response to student and parent feedback, our counselors have
nationally recognized Individualized Teacher Improvement Plan.
been moved from their highly visible location in a central hallway
She is visiting classes and offering faculty feedback to enhance
into more private offices upstairs. The goal was to reduce
effective teaching. She also helped to support the launching of
perceived barriers to accessing counseling support, and the results
our innovative Intensives program.
are in: the counselors have definitely seen an uptick in students coming to them.
12 UPREP MAGAZINE
•
Our counselors are now assigned to specific graduating classes
and will follow them through graduation. This change is designed to forge stronger connections with the daily student life of each class, give the counselors a deeper knowledge of individual students, and allow them to intervene sooner if warranted. Student support is a top priority, and is closely aligned with the school’s goal of preparing students for a changing world.
Learning Pathways Makes the Difference BY LISA KENNEDY
The revamped Learning Pathways program has been working to broaden the services and support it lends to students. And UPrep’s three LP teachers, Stephanie Dobler, Theresa Burton, and Julie Smith,
Theresa Burton and Trixie Miller doing reading annotations
are making a strong impact on their students’ success in school.
Seventh grader Trixie Miller may not have quite as long a
While they focus on language-based learning styles, they also strive
perspective on her progress, but she too is very positive about the
to give students tools that they can use in all of their subjects.
support she has received in her LP class. In the first semester of sixth
“Our students are really creative and often very rapid processors,”
grade, she set herself a reading goal in terms of how many words a
says Dobler, “but sometimes their mechanics aren’t as fast, so they
minute she wanted to be able to read, and she exceeded her goal
need support in bridging the gap in the output. On the intake
before the end of the term. “The best day,” says Burton, “was when
side, they might be missing some context. We help them make
she finished her reading assignment and asked whether we could
connections.” The teachers impart a skill set that they modify
do another one.” Progress is accelerating, says her teacher, and
to fit each student’s particular needs, including approaches and
“her analytical thinking is coming faster and faster.” Sophia Hume,
organizational strategies.
another 7th grader, says, “Going step by step in English in sixth
Eighth grader Ella Huehnergarth feels that she learned a lot in sixth
grade really helped. It has also really helped with math.”
grade, when she started out in Learning Pathways, and that her confidence levels shot up as she progressed through the program. “I struggled with math in sixth grade,” she says, “but in seventh grade I saw a huge improvement because of LP and Ms. Dobler!” Ella says that she has seen progress even in the subjects that are her strong suit. “Instead of jumping to conclusions, I use my problem-solving skills. I know how to take steps and stay calm. I tell myself, I got this!” She has learned to organize better, to take notes every day about things she wants to remember, and to ask her teachers a lot of questions. The new schedule has also helped, with fewer periods to keep track of every day, and with the community time that gives her the opportunity to double check her homework or meet with teachers.
Theresa Burton and Danny Naness working on sentence diagramming
Danny Naness, an eighth grader, feels that he has come a long way since sixth grade. “I’ve been building a baseline system that works for everything—writing and also solving an equation, for example. It fits everything.” As Theresa Burton says, “The process and procedures for language and math are similar. We show students how they are interrelated and carry over from one subject to the next.” “I didn’t really understand math as well before,” says Danny. “Now I can take in more info and feel a lot more confident. My reading fluency is much better and I’m also more organized and my focus has improved.” All in all, as Stephanie Dobler says, the program works to discover who students are as learners, where they would benefit from support, and how they can use their innate talents to shine as students. And that is indeed what they do.
Sophia Hume practicing Greek and Latin roots with sign language
UPREP MAGAZINE
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A Day in the Life of the Counselors BY ANDREA MOORE, SCHOOL COUNSELOR
A
question that we are often asked is, “What is a typical day in the life of a school counselor at University Prep?” The truth is that every day looks different. One of the things that we like about being a school counselor is that there is never a
“typical day” in the sense that there is such a wide variety of tasks inherent in what we do. We start the day with a plan that includes a schedule of appointments with students and meetings throughout the day. Sometimes the plan does not last very long. The schedule is often abandoned as issues arise—such as a phone call from a distressed parent, a student who is in tears, or a safety concern—requiring our immediate and full attention. The support needs of the student body dictate the tasks of the day, and each day, they are different.
UPrep counselors Lindsay Metcalfe and Andrea Moore
“Our goal when working with students is to minimize obstacles and maximize growth. We do this by collaborating with our students to increase their skills in a variety of areas.”
Much of the time students spend in the Counseling Office is centered around things that are complicating their school experience. These complications could have to do with academics, friend dynamics, mental health concerns, or family stressors. Adolescence is a busy time in terms of social stress and finding your place, where you fit, who you want to be, and who you don’t want to be. For many students, navigating social scenarios at this age can be challenging. Providing guidance at this critical point in their development is a major focus of our work. Our goal when working with students is to minimize obstacles and maximize growth. We do this by collaborating with our students to increase skills in a variety of areas: coping strategies, advocacy, conflict resolution, stress reduction, communication, time management, etc. We can also help connect the student with other adults on campus or in the community who can assist them in reaching their goals. We are able to position ourselves as connectors and advocates for students and their families. Although adolescence is a time of great personal, academic, and social change, sometimes students feel stuck in patterns that aren’t serving them well. When they feel like something isn’t working, visiting with a counselor can sometimes be a first step toward making a positive change. We believe that counseling can make a difference in student lives and futures. With a commitment to the process of change, we hope to effectively serve as a catalyst in students’ lives and a significant change agent in the school community.
14 UPREP MAGAZINE
“It’s okay to not get the correct answer right away. Learning from being wrong has to continue to be accepted.” -JESSICA HANSON
The Mission Brings Jessica Hanson Back! BY LISA KENNEDY
J
essica Hanson rejoined the faculty of UPrep this year after
now reframe science teaching in the context of other disciplines.”
an interval that included serving as instructional coach at
Hanson feels that the biggest change since she began teaching has
Overlake for the past four years. She previously worked at
been the shift toward application rather than recall. Her goal for her
UPrep in various capacities, including as academic dean,
students is for them to be able to formulate and defend a scientific
interim Middle School director, and science department
argument using data and logic.
head for nine years. Eager to return to teaching science, she is now on the forefront of a curriculum change this year, teaching five sections of the new 9th grade Biology course. This required course, along with a spring Biology intensive, replaces 9th grade Conceptual Physics. The semester class conveys the foundational concepts and skills of biology, while the intensive allows for deeper investigation of specialized fields within the discipline, both inside and out of the classroom. An excellent and caring teacher as well as a progressive educator, Hanson believes strongly in making the learning experience relevant to student lives. Her innovative teaching practices include grounding what kids are doing in problem solving—in applying knowledge rather than in demonstrating knowledge. Hanson’s labs are based on scenarios, with students using science “to figure out something.” This fall, one lab was a macro murder mystery, involving pizza, chicken wings, and pasta (food likely on most students’ list of favorite foods), while another asked them to identify
Hanson draws kids in right away with the assertion that biology is everything—after all, without biology, there is nothing. “A lot of the beginning bio is at the micro level, so you need to find ways to make the invisible more compelling to kids,” offers Hanson. She says that she hasn’t encountered many reluctant bio students, with the Middle School doing an excellent job of getting students fired up about science. As far as her return to University Prep is concerned, Hanson says that one big reason was her belief in the core values of the institution. “The Mission, Vision and Values are still here, and they are a compelling reason to come to work.” The idea of intellectual courage is fundamental. “It’s okay to not get the correct answer right away. Learning from being wrong has to continue to be accepted,” says Hanson. Her favorite moments in teaching? Those lightbulb moments, when students figure out answers to problems and it suddenly all makes sense.
various types of milk from bottles whose labels went missing. How did Hanson’s years as an instructional coach helping faculty improve their teaching transform her own teaching? “Being a coach for teachers gave me an entrée into classrooms with lots of different teachers, so I’ve seen many models of teaching and learning. I can
UPREP MAGAZINE
15
“In class he always met us with a smile and cared about his lessons. He also pushed us to our full potential and supported us.” -HALEY HOFFMAN, 8TH GRADE
Two Longtime Teachers Take Their Leave BY LISA KENNEDY
H
istory teacher Mark Cullen, the doyen of the faculty,
efforts, every boy and girl in Washington State now has equal
having served a grand total of 41 years at University
access to state tournaments regardless of their school’s size.
Prep, retired from teaching at the end of the 2017-
The changes he engendered in the Washington Interscholastic
2018 academic year. He taught Middle and Upper
Activities Association resulted in the creation of the 1A Soccer
School history and geography for 36 years, served
Tournament, which UPrep has won six times. In his capacity as
as director of athletics for 21 years, and coached for 39! His
director of athletics, Cullen started UPrep’s no-cut program,
accomplishments in all of those areas are many, and he has received
which remains a signature characteristic of UPrep sports. Cullen
numerous awards. But his students’ words are perhaps the most
also launched UPrep’s personal advisory program in the second year
meaningful for our community.
of the school, and was an early supporter of the original Language
Eighth grader Haley Hoffman expressed the sentiments of so
Training program (now Learning Pathways) as a member of the
many of Cullen’s students over the years: “He is definitely one of my favorite teachers and has a strong devotion to inspiring kids. His legacy will live on through the students he has supported,
board’s Education Committee. He has also been instrumental in overhauling the 6th grade geography curriculum, diversifying the countries studied, and better aligning it with the mission of
encouraged, and inspired. In class he always met us with a smile
the school.
and cared about his lessons. He also pushed us to our full potential
Last year, Cullen went to a part-time schedule, which not only
and supported us. My favorite memory in class was when he
showed him that there is value in having a little time off, but
was teaching a lesson, he subtly mentioned cross country and
also inspired him to dedicate himself more fully to his passion for
immediately walked over to me and gave me a fist bump. He
writing. As many know, the long-time track afficionado has had his
worked to relate his lessons to our lives and he always promoted
own blog, Trackerati.com, for the last five years and travels around
cross country. He is always kind and has definitely impacted
the world covering international track competitions. He also writes
UPrep and his students for the better.” Haley’s classmate Zander
for Track and Field News and the IAAF website. Last summer,
Rasmussen says that Cullen’s coaching will stay with him: “When
he covered the U.S. National Championship in Iowa at the end of
I met Mr. Cullen I knew I was going to have a good time being on
June and the European Championships in Berlin in August.
his team. He always provided good exercises for us to do and drew upon his seemingly limitless knowledge of running to coach you in the best way possible.” Cullen, ever modest, is most proud of having worked on state legislation to address issues of access and equity. Thanks to his
16 UPREP MAGAZINE
“I miss the active engagement with 6th graders and seeing my colleagues every day,” says Cullen—who may well grace our halls to sub occasionally after an initial year-long “blackout” period to help him adjust to his new life. We look forward to seeing him again soon.
“The biggest change in my time here,” says Gallaher, “has been the growth in the buildings and in the student population.”
M
ath teacher Jerry Gallaher hung up his hat
absolutely true. He has such a love of art and music, which is great
after 29 years at UPrep—and seeing both of
to see, especially coming from a math teacher!” Ursula Sargent
his children graduate from the school after
echoes these sentiments: “I am so glad I got to have Mr. Gallaher
teaching them Pre-Calculus in their junior year.
as my teacher. He was always very passionate about what he was
Ian graduated in 2001 and is now a radiation
teaching, which helped me stay engaged and have fun in class.
oncologist living in Butte, Montana. Amelia graduated in 2006
I also really enjoyed playing music with Mr. Gallaher. He is very
and is doing her residency after graduating from the University
talented at all the instruments he plays and really has a unique,
of Washington School of Medicine.
deep appreciation for music.”
Gallaher first set foot at UPrep as a professional musician, playing
In Gallaher’s humble estimation, his most significant
at a beginning of the year camp retreat. His instruments to this
accomplishments involve helping change the way teachers do
day include the banjo, the fiddle, and the guitar. Once armed with
comments, as well as updating the dress code so that teachers
a teaching certificate, he began substituting at UPrep, eventually
don’t have to wear sports coats and ties! “The biggest change in
landing a job teaching Middle School math. After three years, he
my time here,” says Gallaher, “has been the growth in the buildings
started teaching Upper School math and became department head,
and in the student population.” Plans for the future? “I want to get
also serving as faculty representative on the Board of Trustees. Over
rid of all the junk in my house, do a lot of kayaking and gardening,
the years, he was a regular at Music Days and Coffee Houses, and
perhaps buy a camper van, go on walking trips in Scotland and Ireland with my wife Cynthia, and spend a lot of time playing and
I am so glad I got to have Mr. Gallaher as my teacher. He was always very passionate about what he was teaching, which helped me stay engaged and have fun in class.
teaching music.” Oh, and a few more things—he might even start quilting. He has already been back to sub at UPrep. “I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to work with really wonderful students and great colleagues,” he says, “and hope to continue doing it without all of the other responsibilities!”
played and sang in several musicals. He also advised the Creative Arts Society and Amnesty International. Helen Buscher, who graduated last June after having enjoyed working with Gallaher both in the classroom and on the stage, says: “Mr. Gallaher is described by my brother Henry as a renaissance man, and that is
UPREP MAGAZINE
17
News Bites
Director of Athletics Rebecca Moe and Associate Director of Upper
Movers and Shakers
This two-year program is cohort-based and is designed to develop
UPrep faculty and staff continually seek new opportunities for growth, and are also generous in sharing their knowledge with colleagues in multiple settings. While the demands of creating 40 intensives this fall made significant claims on faculty and staff time, a number still managed to make presentations at conferences and write articles. Here are a few stand-outs: •
At the annual NWAIS Educators Conference at the Overlake School, biology teacher Jessica Hanson spoke about “Building a
•
to top leadership positions.
Kudos to… The University Prep seniors who were recognized by the National Merit Corporation: •
Semifinalists (top 1% of test takers in WA based on the PSAT):
Michael Lu, Thomas Nielsen, and Jacob Zikan. Commended Scholars (top 5% of test takers in WA based on
•
Richard Kassissieh, Assistant Head of School for Academics and
the PSAT): Anna Brandt, Eunsoo Hyun, James McCormick,
Strategic Initiatives, spoke on “Intentional Innovation: The Process
and Emily Pan.
and the Product” with colleagues from Open Window School,
Eunsoo Hyun ’19, who received the Future Leader’s Award from
Oregon Episcopal School, the Evergreen School, and University
the Korean American Coalition-WA, which was awarded at their
Child Development School.
November gala.
Physics teacher Moses Rifkin co-ran a workshop titled
Michaela Klesse, a seventh grader who plays both the piano and
“A Curriculum to Promote Equity and Inclusivity” at the
the violin, who was selected for Jr. All-State Orchestra for violin.
Physics Teachers; co-presented at the Northwest Teaching for Social Justice Conference on “STEM Educating for Social Justice: Exploring Racism and Sexism in Science Classes”; wrote and published an article for Rethinking Schools (“Did Any of You Just Search for Physicist?”); and co-created a resource for STEM teachers (http://underrep.com). At the American Council for Teachers of Foreign Languages Annual Conference in New Orleans, Spanish teacher Ciara McGrath spoke on how to “Engage Your Students at a Higher Level: Literature in Action.” • Director
of Diversity and Community E-chieh Lin made a
Bea Cappio ’20 and Anna Inghram ’20, who earned the highest possible ratings in the Journalism Education Association’s write-off competitions at the National High School Journalism Convention in Chicago this fall. Bea competed in the feature writing category. Of 135 entrants, she was one of only three to receive a “superior” rating. Inghram competed in the newswriting category. Of 123 entrants, 18 students received superior ratings. Anna is the 20182019 copy editor of The Puma Press, and Bea is its co-editor-in-chief. Ziah Daily ’20, who was selected for a photography curatorship at the Northwest African American Museum, and has several of her photographs currently on exhibit there. One of her photos was shown last fall at the Museum of History and Industry; her art
presentation with colleagues from Lakeside and Overlake on “Real
work has also been on view at Coyote Central, where she takes art
Talk Done Right: Engaging Our School Communities in Difficult
classes, and at the Columbia City Gallery.
Conversations” at the annual NAIS People of Color Conference in Nashville, TN. •
female-identified school leaders who are interested in progressing
Culture of Coaching” with colleagues from the Overlake School.
Washington branch meeting of the American Association of
•
School Sarah Peterson are in the Pathways to Leadership program.
Mimi Zekaryas ’20, who applied and was selected for a six-week journalism workshop via KUOW’s RadioActive Youth Media. She
History teacher Pat Grant had his article on “The Small Islands
wrote and produced a podcast about her inspirational aunt who
Debate: Exploring Critical Controversies in Maritime Asia” published
joined the Eritrean Liberation Front; it was featured on KUOW in
in the Winter 2018 issue of Education About Asia magazine.
November.
Faculty Pursue Leadership Opportunities Five UPrep faculty members applied and were accepted to NWAIS leadership programs this year!
Avalon Hester ’19, who was featured in Seattle Magazine’s annual review of the arts wearing the dress she created using the portraits of seven pioneer women she painted. Her work is currently on view in the 2019 20 Under 20 Exhibition at the Bellevue Art Museum and
Science teacher Quynh Tu, English teacher Carrie Niebanck,
will be shown in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards exhibit at
and Director of Learning Design and Technology Jeff Tillinghast
Cornish College of the Arts this March.
are part of the Emerging Leaders Institute. This two-year, cohortbased program supports teachers and staff who are seeking new leadership opportunities. Participants meet monthly via video conference, engage in retreats, and attend a number of NWAIS programs. 18 UPREP MAGAZINE
Katherine Kang, an eighth grader, who has been appointed by the Mayor and City Council to the Seattle Youth Commission as part of a group of 15 Seattle teens from all over the city. The commission connects with local officials and discusses issues and policies concerning youth in Seattle.
Spotlight on Andrew Bell Andrew, a ninth grader, approached Assistant Head of Middle School Kyle Lawhead in the fall of 2017 when he was in 8th grade to ask if he could help out at assembly. Interested in tech since he got an iPad in 6th grade, Andrew says, “I thought it would be cool to be in the booth. At the end of 7th grade, I asked my dean if I could work there. I tried it out a few times that spring, and have been doing it ever since.” “Andrew went way beyond the call of duty, showing initiative, taking on responsibility and demonstrating leadership,” says Lawhead. Why? Because he wanted the assembly to be good. “I view it as helping out,” says Andrew with his characteristic modesty. Now that he is in Upper School, Andrew has continued working in the booth during assemblies, and has recruited a classmate, Harry Jackson, to help him. He looks forward to taking Stagecraft, which will afford him the opportunity to acquire more advanced lighting and sound skills. Andrew always shows wonderful Puma spirit and even wore the very warm Puma suit during our Open Houses this year!
Seniors Invent Their Own Course Taking initiative with their education, three seniors who are advanced Spanish language speakers and art lovers decided to design their own independent study combining Art and Spanish. Eunsoo Hyun, Patience Probst, and McKenna Ragen found a faculty advisor, Elena Tello, and designed their own class cutting across the two disciplines. Their process consisted of settling on projects together, researching artists, making presentations in Spanish to their advisor, and then creating art works, which they worked on in Ty Talbot’s Visual Art II class. In the statement that accompanied their work exhibited at the Fall Visual Arts Showcase, the three students wrote: “We wanted to spend our senior year exploring our personal interests through a Spanish lens, and our Independent Study is focused on researching art history from various Spanish-speaking countries. We then take inspiration from the artists we study to create our own art, but with a twist: we showcase social issues that we are personally passionate about, from environmentalism to colorism to misogyny in the workplace.” Eunsoo Hyun, rather than portraying a rich art patron as was common during the Renaissance, chose to paint Han Hyun Min, Eunsoo Hyun’s painting depicting Korean-Nigerian model Han Hyun Min in the style of Spanish Renaissance painters
a Korean-Nigerian model, who is a passionate advocate for inclusivity in the Korean fashion industry. The trio’s second big project was a collaborative mural that they worked on after studying the role of murals in the Mexican Revolution.
SPRING ARTS CALENDAR March 28
Spring Concert, Founders Hall
April 25-27
Upper School Play
May 2
Middle School Musical
May 4
Spring Visual Arts Showcase (location TBD)
May 5
Spring into Jazz at Tula’s
May 30 -June 1 Student Produced Works Performances UPREP MAGAZINE
19
NEWS BITES
Making Caring Common Initiative
UPrep Adds Equity Coordinator
Last spring, University Prep was the only
Next Generation Learning Committee recommended that UPrep
school in Washington state selected
add an equity curriculum coordinator to its staff. Middle School
to join in the Making Caring Common
science teacher Tom Strouse took on the quarter time job this fall.
(MCC) Initiative, which has a total of
Since then, he has been cataloguing all that University Prep does to
Last year, the Diversity and Educational Equity Committee of the
214 schools participating around the globe. A project of the Harvard
address equity in its course work across the board. Strouse has been
Graduate School of Education, it “helps educators, parents, and
interviewing each teacher to find out what and how they teach
communities raise children who are caring, responsible to their
equity in their classes. “The two pillars of equity are content and
communities, and committed to justice.” The goals are to:
practice,” says Strouse. “I’m putting together an overall picture of
•
Build a caring, inclusive community via data.
•
Implement an evidence-based social and emotional
learning or character education program.
what’s happening in the school.” The next step is helping teachers access high quality equity resources.
Greater Student Input in Academic Council
•
Support high-quality, sustained community service.
This year, student representation on the Academic Council has
•
Regularly assess school culture and pace of life by reviewing
tripled, and in a first for University Prep, now includes Middle
student survey data in an ongoing effort to create a schedule and culture that is balanced, and promotes adequate sleep, pursuit of interests outside of school, and overall student well-being. •
Discourage students from enrolling in a large number
of extracurricular activities and or setting guidelines. •
Reduce the influence of commercial college rankings,
School students. The goal? Allowing decisions to be made in a more inclusive way. The council now includes the eight officers from the Middle School and Upper School Associated Student Bodies. In addition to considering curriculum proposals, Academic Council members participate in schoolwide proposals and initiatives, and create standing committees.
Diversity and Community Update
which have little to do with a college’s real value.
This year, the Diversity and Community Office has been busy
UPrep addresses the goals of MCC in the following ways:
implementing the new Diversity Strategic Plan. Here are some
•
We administer the Independent School Health Check and
the High School Survey for Student Engagement to obtain data on school climate and mental health issues, and inform our programming. This fall, our students also participated in a survey about how they experience the school community. •
We have a five-year Social Emotional Learning plan and have
hired a full time SEL coordinator to help implement it. •
We changed our schedule to add more community time
and a later start time, thereby improving student wellness. •
Our community service requirement and service days foster
our students’ commitment to the larger social good. •
The addition of grade level deans has resulted in more
thoughtful academic and extracurricular advising, and our daily advisory check-ins in the Upper School have added more touchpoints between students and advisors. •
Our college counseling program is focused on the
developmental arcs of our students’ lives and subscribes to the adage that college is a “match to be made not a prize to be won.”
20 UPREP MAGAZINE
highlights from the different focus areas: •
We held our first ever People of Color and LGBTQIA+
Retreat in October. The goals were to help build community in affinity space and in allyship. •
We are continuing to standardize our hiring process.
•
In Middle School, the MAP Growth testing was started
with the goal of better preparing our students for the standardized testing they need for college admission. •
Our Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity (SEED)
program is running smoothly, and faculty are required to select an Inclusive Pedagogical Practice from our Characteristics of Good Teaching for their Individual Teaching Improvement Plan (ITIP) every other ITIP cycle. •
We are continuing to develop connections with area
high schools. •
A total of 16 adults and 6 students attended the People
of Color Conference and Student Diversity Leadership Conference in Nashville, TN in November 2018. Students who attended are “bringing it back” during Social Justice Day on March 12, 2019.
A Conversation with Middle School Student Government Leaders BY KYLE LAWHEAD, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF MIDDLE SCHOOL
T
he Middle School ASB executives for 2018-2019 care deeply about being advocates for the student body. The members each bring a unique skill set to the group, but are all dedicated to working as a team. They are highly organized and already have some notable
accomplishments under their belt, including running the weekly
MS ASB executives Sayre Burwell, Kyan Rosenthal, Sophie Ziedalski, and Sydney Goitia
assemblies, and planning and executing a busy field day as well as a whole spirit week! The executives are now also a part of Academic Council (see p.20), and their voice will play a role in the decision-making about important school-related issues.
How would you describe your leadership style? Kyan: My style would be connecting with people and conveying their views in decision making. I like to include people, send emails,
I sat down recently with this great group and asked them why
and stay organized. I was a representative last year and I got some
they chose to get involved and what they hope to achieve this year.
training at the MS Student Diversity Leadership retreat this year.
It has been fun and inspiring to watch this group grow and help lead the Middle School division!
Sophie: I like to ask for other people’s input. It’s good to reach out because it’s not about you, but about other people’s opinions. It’s
Why did you want to serve as a MS executive for
important to get feedback. I have experience as a 6th and 7th grade
the 2018-2019 school year?
representative and I’ve grown a lot since I started Middle School!
Executive Sophie Ziedalski: I like to be able to reach out to the
Sayre: It’s important to listen to people, then form a plan and
students and talk to them, and help make their UPrep experience
execute it. I’ve gone to Washington, D.C. with Bully Busters and
more enjoyable.
presented to politicians, so I know that you need to have an
President Sayre Burwell: I wanted a voice in the student
on-point, quality plan of action if you want to get support.
environment. People want change, so I wanted to use my voice
Sydney: I have a subtle style of listening. I was on Student Council
to help other people’s opinions be heard.
in 5th and 6th grade and I have also learned a lot about leadership
Executive Kyan Rosenthal: There are a lot of opinions in MS, and I want to connect with students and bring their voices to bigger conversations. Executive Sydney Goitia: This was my first year at UPrep so I wanted to just learn about everything; in my second year, I want to be a more active member of the community.
skills as a Rainier Scholar. What do you see as potential challenges in this role? Sophie: My concern is that students don’t realize that we can’t change everything. Sayre: The disconnect between what we can get done and school rules and timing—how much can we change in a school year.
What do you hope to accomplish in this role?
And how to make everyone happy.
Sayre: I want to be able to look back and know that I made the
Sydney: Achieving balance between different opinions, and not
school better for current students and students to come.
leaving some people underrepresented.
Kyan: Making sure those not on student government are being
Kyan: I’m a little nervous about disappointing people. There are
heard. Working on having the adults and the students work more
times when we need to go with what’s best for the situation or
closely together on issues. Personally being able to meet a wider
the majority opinion. We want everyone to work together, but we
range of people. Hone in on my leadership skills.
can’t please everyone.
Sophie: I want to walk away from UPrep knowing that I have
Sayre: It’s all a big puzzle!
done something to impact the community. Sydney: Risk taking and stepping outside of my comfort zone. Collaborating with different people. UPREP MAGAZINE
21
Happenings “This is a great forum for talking through moral issues and to practice civil dialogue.” -DAVID PEABODY, ETHICS BOWL CLUB ADVISOR
Clubbing at UPrep BY LISA KENNEDY
E
very year, UPrep students create, sign up for, and attend
develop ethical thinking and encourage collaboration. Participants
an amazing constellation of clubs, which are now all the
study ten cases at length in preparation for ethically debating
richer as a result of the daily hour of community time.
them at the Washington State Ethics Bowl held at the University
The total of clubs this year stands at about 22 in the
of Washington Law School in early February. “This is a good forum
Middle School and 54 in the Upper School! New ones in
for talking through moral issues and to practice civil dialogue,”
the Middle School include the Costume Club, the Shop Club, Disney
says club advisor David Peabody. “It is a great cornerstone for
Club, Girls Who Code, and Futsal Club. In the Upper School, Drums
an ethical life.” Lillian finds that its appeal lies in the fact that it is
and Dances focusing on music from West Africa is the only newbie.
not supercompetitive, doesn’t require a huge time commitment
Others have had a steady membership for years, while some that
(as does Mock Trial), and “brings together a group of students who
formed last year, including a few of the ones featured below, have
are eager to engage deeply with great intellectual questions.”
grown popular in a short time. Many focus on learning to solve problems, inventing, and inclusion. Costume Club: This club has drawn a robust attendance of mostly girls from across the Middle School grades. Activities tend to be pretty free form. Often, club advisor Elizabeth Schiffler puts out a bin of fabric and a sewing machine. She discusses construction methods on any given project, and then kids set to work making it. “We talk about identities and how we present ourselves,” says Schiffler, and there is a mannequin that can be experimented with. Once a few more skills have been acquired, plans for the spring include making costumes for a dance show. The Ethics Bowl Club: Junior Lillian Ellis initiated the formation of the club when she was a sophomore, because, despite being
The Centrist and Conservative Politics Club: This club was
a dedicated member of Mock Trial, she was on the lookout for
founded last year by David Abramowitz to meet a perceived
something that “was more like a conversation,” she says. Now
need. “The club really creates an atmosphere where centrists and
in its second year, with ten participants—two teams of five, the
conservatives feel welcome to share their views and be heard,”
maximum number a participating school can have—the bowl is
says David, who is now a senior. Participation in the club has
thriving. Hosted by the Philosophy Department at UW, with both
grown quite a bit since last year, and meetings regularly bring
public and independent school participants, the bowl is designed to
in between 15 and 20 students. Total membership stands at 45
22 UPREP MAGAZINE
students. While it started as a place to talk about opinions held by a minority of UPrep students, the club has in fact drawn a wide diversity of voices, says senior Ailey Birkeland, who finds it “most interesting that people arrive at opinions from radically different routes.” Advised by teachers Gus Feliu, Nate Whitney, and Damin Bauer, the club usually discusses a polarizing topic, be it politically topical or ideological. “It stays really friendly,” says 10th grader Latham Britton, a regular attendee. “We have had some productive conversations and positive debates,” concludes David, “and we have achieved what we were intending.” The Middle and Upper School Robotics Clubs: Both clubs are now in their second year, having exceeded expectations during their first year. The Upper School team placed in the middle of
cutter, created sewn circuit electric bookmarks, programmed
the pack at the Vex Robotics Competition in Vancouver, WA, last
robots, and created electrical circuits. The Makerspace tools are
spring, ending their year with grand plans and enthusiasm for the
always available for students with previous experience, but most
2019 tournament. The Middle School team participated in the
of the club’s activities are meant to introduce students to design,
Seattle Regional Tournament in Shoreline, taking their experience
making, and the tools available to them. “It’s been great to see so
and modifications from the first tournament into a smooth and
many students come through to complete a project or two and
consistent performance, ending in 5th place. Club advisor Jeff
learn some new skills,” said club advisor Jeff Tillinghast.
Tillinghast says, “Last year was a great opportunity to get our
Rubik’s Cube Club: In its second year, this club has expanded
feet wet and try a structured robotics challenge for the first time.
to Middle School, and plans to send two teams to the 2019 State
This year, we’ve been able to use that experience to really think
Competition in May. Last year, the team, advised by David Peabody,
about design, experimenting more, and plugging into the global
won the State Championship, solving 25 Rubik’s cubes in 3 minutes
community of VEX teams.”
and 26 seconds! “What made this effort special was that the team
High Altitude Ballooning Club: In its second year, about a
was from both divisions,” said Peabody. “It was a really great
dozen students participate in the High Altitude Ballooning Club,
experience,” said 8th grader Chris Pohlmann. “I’d played around
whose goals are to research, design, and launch a weather
with the Rubik’s Cube for a long time. It’s a lot of fun to get on a
balloon, including an electronic sensor package. Last year, students
team, practice, and compete against other teams.”
collaborated with other schools who had launched weather balloons
Shop Club: It’s year one for this Middle School club that has proved
in the past on design ideas, and researched weather patterns in
popular with girls. Advised by Elizabeth Schiffler, the club started
Washington State to predict flight patterns. They also worked with
because students who had enjoyed Stagecraft class wished to
local FAA offices to learn about restrictions and airspace. The balloon
continue building things. Participants have learned the basic skills
is now nearing a “launch ready” state, and might well have flown
of construction and are interested in practical things that they can
across Washington by the time you read this! Senior Cynthia Xiao
use in their lives. After learning to saw and use the drill, the club
joined the club because she thought it sounded like a pretty unusual
members attacked their first big project of the year—step stools,
opportunity. She soon discovered that launching a weather balloon
which they made and then painted. Each one was different, and
legally is a lot more complicated than she expected. “Although
planned for different uses and spaces, with the special touch of
we’ve struggled to stay on schedule,” she says, “I especially enjoy
each participant’s creative mind.
being able to work hands on and figuring out the logistics.” The Latinx Club: This two-year old club for student members of the Latinx community, led by Eunices Avila ‘19 and Julian Madrid ‘20, draws about a dozen students whenever it meets. The affinity group gives the Latinx students at UPrep a place to come together as a culture and also to plan events open to the community. This fall, the club focus was UPrep’s biannual Culture Night, where it put on a performance of five dances common in Latinx countries. The Makerspace Club: This club gives students the opportunity to design projects using a wide range of technologies. This year, activities have been ramped up and club members created Virtual Reality art, designed projects utilizing the 3D printer and laser UPREP MAGAZINE
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HAPPENINGS
Culture Night Culture Night, one of UPrep’s signature celebrations, took place on November 2. The biennial event at UPrep brings together all of the cultures in our community for a big celebration of customs and, of course, food! There were performances and activities for the whole family. This year, the theme was “Sweets from Around the World.”
24 UPREP MAGAZINE
“I love seeing our students and their families, as well as the faculty and staff, showcase the many cultures we have at UPrep. Founders Hall was just packed for the performances—the energy was really high and everyone was feeling it!” -CHRISTINA TAYLOR, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL PROGRAMS
UPREP MAGAZINE
25
HAPPENINGS
“Debate teaches students to honestly consider all sides of an argument as they develop critical thinking, public speaking, and leadership skills.” -LEAH GRIFFIN, CLUB ADVISOR
The Middle School debate team
Pumas in the City and Beyond! The Middle School Debate Club Teaches Mission-Critical Skills
intellectually courageous, socially responsible citizens of the world.
BY LEAH GRIFFIN, LIBRARIAN AND DEBATE CLUB ADVISOR
been the enthusiasm of students who continue to contribute to
In the fall of 2012, Soundview School brought six students to
the program throughout their high school years. This year, Adeeb
UPrep to debate the merits of school uniforms in an after school
Chowdhury and Sloane Goldberg have attended every practice to
scrimmage. The event originated from a spring meeting where
mentor Middle School students, teach them argumentation, and
teachers from five independent schools proposed to share their
provide valuable speaking critiques. Beatrice Cappio, Lillian Ellis,
passion for debate with middle school students. We partnered with
Nikki Falicov, Daran Anand, Aaron Igra, Rohan Raman, and Ciaran
Claremont McKenna College to develop argumentation curriculum,
Healey also regularly attend tournaments to act as judges. Their
scheduled scrimmages with nearby schools, and founded the Pacific
feedback is thorough, thoughtful, and fair.
Northwest Middle School Debate League. By the autumn of 2018,
Also notable is how these same students have transferred their
the league competed on the Seattle University campus with 14 schools and nearly 200 debaters in attendance.
An unforeseen outcome of the Middle School debate program has
debate skills to positions of real influence in and out of school. Beatrice is the co-editor-in-chief of The Puma Press, worked as
The league uses a three-person parliamentary style of debate.
an intern organizing canvassing for the Clinton campaign, and
Students must write arguments that have an assertion, reason,
serves as a field coordinator for a political action committee,
evidence, significance, and impact. Then they work together to
Common Purpose. Adeeb is the president of Youth Internationalist
uphold their argument and rebut their opponents’. During the
Association, a Southeast Asian youth political activism organization.
debate, students may ask points of information, and heckle their
Daran represents his grade on Student Council, and Lillian and
opponents to point out a faulty source, a false assertion, or a logical
Aaron lead the Upper School Mock Trial team. Lillian also leads the
fallacy. Debates are high energy, and well informed. Over the years,
Ethics Bowl and serves as the President of the Washington High
students have debated topics as heady as “There should be single-
School Democrats, a statewide civic organization.
payer healthcare” and “The electoral college does more good than
Upper School students often comment on how debate prepared
harm,” to topics as theoretical as “Werewolves are more qualified to teach than vampires.” Students “flow” the debate on specialized sheets. They “roadmap” their speeches to let the judge know which arguments they will be elocuting first. They write captivating hooks. They research using databases, government data, and reputable news sources. They compile the evidence for both sides of the debate, and do not know until 30 minutes prior which side they will represent. Debate teaches students to honestly consider all sides of an argument as they develop critical thinking, public speaking, and leadership skills—all fundamental to our students becoming 26 UPREP MAGAZINE
them for complex analysis and leadership at UPrep and beyond. “Debate teaches you how to use your voice in a way that classes don’t,” explains Beatrice. “Learning how to articulate an argument and stand up for myself during the club in middle school has greatly prepared me for high school and for other opportunities I have pursued.” Just ask Ema Bargeron ‘18, former middle school debater and high school judge, who now studies public policy at Georgetown after an internship with U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal.
LaunchPad Update This year’s LaunchPad program—a fundamental piece of UPrep’s Next Generation Learning initiative—is building on the successes and lessons learned during the first two years of the program. LaunchPad now offers two tracks, Experiences and Productions. To prepare the students for their projects, new ULab Program Coordinator Dana Bettinger has been: Focusing on giving students extensive choice in designing their projects; •
Teaching the skills necessary to find, connect with, and develop a work plan with a community mentor; •
Offering workshops on cold calling, giving an “elevator pitch,” and designing a project proposal; •
Hosting networking sessions for seniors to meet with community members with personal and professional connections across many areas of interest (for May LaunchPad students);
Budding Entrepreneurs
Showcasing the variety of opportunities and experiences available in the learning laboratory that is Seattle; and
to take full advantage of the rich resources offered by the city
Providing students with the opportunity to build deep relationships with their mentors and host organizations.
LaunchPads. In the summer after junior year, Malvika contacted
•
•
•
Seniors Malvika Madhawan and McKenna Ragen were inspired of Seattle even before they began to plan for their senior year a professor at Seattle University and helped her with a research paper on climate change and economic equality that will soon be published. “I’m interested in economics,” says Malvika, “and looking at it through the lens of green aid was really cool.” McKenna did a paid internship at Gemio, a company that makes LED light-up bands that connect users through social media.
I took a Global Online Academy class on it and created a company that helps mitigate climate change. She got broad exposure to the company, doing marketing, Theo Mahlum with his mentor, Gabe Kaemingk, an advisor and project manager at the Washington Department of Natural Resources, during his January LaunchPad
In year three, as our network of community contacts continues to grow, our seniors have jumped in with enthusiasm to design their own experiences. They now enjoy: Greater flexibility in the timing of LaunchPad, electing either the January or May Intensive. •
•
The addition of several LaunchPad-eligible intensives as another new path for students who want to pursue independent projects that are explicitly connected to curriculum. Thirty-one students completed their LaunchPad during the January Intensive, and project partners included Seattle Children’s Hospital, the City of Seattle, Eileen Fisher Renew, and Rent Mason Bees.
customer service, and production work. “I’ve always been interested in entrepreneurship,” says McKenna. ”I took a Global Online Academy class on it and created a company that helps mitigate climate change. I used it for my college essay and I hope to bring it to life someday.” Both students took their interest to the next level by getting involved at the Seattle Startup Week this fall, creating three events on the youth track that included opportunities to hear from and talk to founders of Bean Box, a coffee subscription service, and speakers from Computing Kids, an educational/social good start-up. For her LaunchPad project, McKenna is considering working for Gemio, while Malvika was continuing to ponder her options when this magazine went to print.
Our long-running Student-Produced Works seminar as a LaunchPad support structure for some seniors who are opting for May productions. •
In addition, a small pilot group of eleventh-grade students have been given the opportunity to complete their LaunchPad through their intensive. Expect continued enhancements to this exciting program as we evaluate year three and plan for year four! UPREP MAGAZINE
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HAPPENINGS
“We ask them to embrace the unknown, to swim in ambiguity, and to experience the lives of others.” -BRIAN GONZALES, DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL PROGRAMS
Global Programs: Oh, The Places We Will Go BY BRIAN GONZALES, DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL PROGRAMS
T
o lean into something new and uncertain and to
Global programs at UPrep challenge students to bring their whole
be prepared for whatever may come is one form of
selves into their experience, no matter where they are in the
intellectual courage in this complex and ever-changing
process of becoming their whole self. We ask them to embrace
world. That is why we send over 40 students to travel
the unknown, to swim in ambiguity, and to experience the lives of
the better part of 75,000 miles on Global Link. That is
others. For some, it’s about getting on a plane or leaving the United
why we support Upper School students spending a semester away
States for the first time. For some, it’s about plunging themselves
in Colorado, California, New York, Washington, D.C., and South
in a part of the world that looks, feels, smells, and tastes unlike
America. That is why we welcome our friends from Lithuania, India,
anything they’ve ever known. For all of them, it’s about stepping
New Mexico, Japan, and Botswana into our community with open
beyond their comfort zones and leaning into an experience where
arms. That is why we are so delighted to host exchange students
they don’t know everything before stepping outside the walls of
from Bangladesh, Tunisia, Lebanon, and Colombia. And that is why
University Prep.
for the first time in over a decade, we have launched new global programs at University Prep. With the arrival of the Intensives, we knew that our students were ready for something new and innovative. We knew going in that Global Link can play a transformational role in a student’s understanding of themselves, of others, and the broader global community. But how could we leverage the Global Link experience to make the absolute most of what the Intensives provide? That was an unknown, but we were excited to give it a try. How about the first cross-divisional Global Link program at UPrep? How about one that takes 8th and 9th graders, connects their hometown to places like Atlanta, GA, and Montgomery, AL, and explores the historical and contemporary realities of systemic racism and the American struggle against hate? Hello, Global Link American South. How about the first Global Link languageimmersion program? How about one that challenges students to master their new language and do so while examining social justice in their host community? Hello, Global Link Colombia. How about an English intensive designed to give students a chance to immerse themselves in the world of creative writing? How about one that then challenges them to take their craft and embrace the love of storytelling in Polynesian culture? Hello, Global Link Samoa. 28 UPREP MAGAZINE
UPrep students visiting the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama, during the new Global Link American South Intensive
That spirit and intellectual courage pushed us to embrace the Intensives and launch our three new Global Link programs. And this is just year one! Between our new Parent Council network—the Friends of Global Programs—and our new Global Link offerings, we are full of ideas and enthusiasm. The teachers are collaborating and creating remarkable educational experiences. The community is mobilized. And the students are ready. Oh, the places we will go!
Fall Arts The Upper School musical, Assassins, and the Middle School play, Black Twilight, grappled with many serious issues while also entertaining their audiences. Both featured large casts, fantastic acting, and visually compelling and student-built scenery.
UPREP MAGAZINE
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Athletic News The Fall Sports Review
Boys Tennis
BY REBECCA MOE, DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS
The Varsity Boys Tennis team finished second in league play this
The fall sports campaign began on a Monday afternoon during
season. At the League Tournament in October, doubles team
the August season of smog and smoke. The unhealthy air quality
Nicholas Arron and Michael Yang finished 2nd in doubles while
altered our practices planning and the launch of Middle School
singles players Tyler Wurzer finished 2nd and Jackson Wurzer 3rd.
sports, and made for a week in which our coaches and athletes
State-qualifying information will be available in mid-March and then
used their skills of problem solving and flexibility in real time. Once
on to the State Tournament in Yakima on May 24-25.
the smoke cleared, a banner season for the Pumas began. The fall came to a close with 325 athletes, 22 teams, and 27 coaches having
Boys Ultimate
represented the Pumas in the Cross Town Middle School League,
The Varsity Boys Ultimate team ended the regular season in second
Emerald City League, District 2, and throughout Washington State.
place with an 8-2 league record. This year the league implemented
The Pumas traveled regionally to Yakima, South Whidbey, Vashon,
a tournament for seeding to State! The Pumas defeated Eastside
and Burlington, and locally to Marymoor, Starfire, and West Seattle.
Prep in the first round winning 11-8. The team played tournament
Our varsity programs are successful due to our robust Middle School and sub-varsity teams. I would encourage you to follow our Instagram or twitter @UPrep_athletics to see the day-to-day and season-to-season perspective of all our teams, coaches, and alumni who are competing in college. It is an insider Puma view that gives a visual representation of the athletics program.
Cross Country The boys ranked in the top 10 all season in the coaches’ poll. At the Emerald City League Championships in October, their race was super competitive. Arie Smidt finished 1st with the time of 16:17.60 and was crowned league champion. Max Lagunoff finished 4th, Nick McHugh 5th, Erick Pablo 12th, and Remy Talbot 15th—all five to lead the Pumas in score to win the Team League Championship, the first for Boys Cross Country since 1983! The girls race was competitive and Olivia Poolos was the highest finisher for the Pumas in 12th place, with the team finishing in 6th place. At the District Meet at South Whidbey High School, the girls ran first. Juniors Olivia Poolos (25th) and Layli Egrari (33rd) qualified for State as individuals and the Pumas as a team finished 11th. The boys team finished in 2nd place, only 5 points behind Meridian High School. Top 20 finishers included Nick McHugh (8th), Arie Smidt (13th), Max Lagunoff (15th), and Ailey Birkeland (17th) — with Erick Pablo, Remy Talbot and Henry Buscher rounding out the varsity seven. The last time the boys qualified as a team was 2007. The season ended for the Pumas in early November at State in Pasco. Layli and Olivia kicked off race day with competitive races in the girls’ field –for both it was their first time at State. The boys battled out the course and ended up with a 6th place team finish, the best State finish in the team’s history. Congratulations to Arie Smidt, Erik Pablo, Ailey Birkeland, Max Lagunoff, Nick McHugh, Remy Talbot, Henry Buscher, and alternates Nick Rosenthal and Owen Howland! We are proud of you! 30 UPREP MAGAZINE
finals at Bobby Morris vs. Northwest! The Pumas dominated from start to finish, winning 13-6, and earned the #1 seed, qualifying for the State Tournament. UPrep hosted Ingraham and fought a tough game until the end, losing 8-13.
Volleyball The Pumas, who finished 4th in league, earned the right to host the first round of the League Tournament in October. The opponent was Forest Ridge, which had defeated the Pumas twice this season, but our team rallied to win 3-1 and secured their first playoff victory in over 10 years! The Pumas then fell to Overlake in the semi finals and to Northwest in the consolation finals, earning the #4 seed to the District Tournament. They capped off their busy playoff-filled week by traveling to Meridian High School in Bellingham where they faced Nooksack Valley. While they finished the season with a loss, the journey was valuable as the Pumas will return all their players next year with an eye toward advancing further into Districts and possibly State!
Soccer The Pumas finished the league season in third place and then proceeded to win three “loser out” games to earn their berth. The Pumas defeated Bush in the Emerald City League Soccer playoffs 2-1 on one of the rainiest evenings of the fall. The Pumas then played Cedar Park in the first round of the District Tournament and won 3-0. Next up, they defeated the higher ranked Lynden Christian team at Starfire in a winner to State game! The Pumas trailed early but were able to come back, and won on a golden goal with minutes left in the second overtime. UPrep was back in the State Tournament after a two-year absence and traveled to Yakima to play LaSalle, ending their season with a 1-4 loss.
INDIVIDUAL AND TEAM NOTABLES TENNIS
SOCCER
Michael Yang
McKenna Ragen – 1st Team
Nicholas Arron
Lillian Bown – 1st Team
Tyler Wurzer
Ashley Shackelton – 2nd Team
Jackson Wurzer
Team – 3rd place regular season; State qualifier
Team – 2nd place regular season
VOLLEYBALL
CROSS COUNTRY
Ava Anderson – 2nd Team
Arie Smidt
Jane Morgan – 2nd Team
Nick McHugh
Team – 4th place regular season; District qualifier
Max Lagunoff
ULTIMATE
Erik Pablo Olivia Poolos Boys Team – League Champions; 6th place State finish Girls Team – 6th place Coach of the Year, Boys – Kayla Robertson
Will Turner – 1st Team Zack Harvey – 1st Team James Garvey – 2nd Team Will Turner – League MVP Team – 2nd place regular season; State qualifier UPREP MAGAZINE
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Alumni News
in Operation Iraqi Freedom and was a combat advisor to the Afghan
Alumni Board News
After the assembly, Tony spoke more in depth to a history class
This past summer, the Alumni Board welcomed a new member, Alise Lied ’12, and bid goodbye to two members who stepped down to be with their growing families. Thank you to Rachel (Goodman) Moore ’05 and Mary (Rowe) Tappert ’03 for all you have done and continue to do for the Alumni Association! Last spring, the board hosted a new event, a tour of the Seattle
National Army. about his military experience. Later in the day, he caught up with fellow alum and classmate Alec Duxbury ’86 and some of his former teachers, including Pat Grant and Paul Fleming. While eating lunch in the Commons, Tony was even able to say hello to one of his fellow alum’s children, who is now in the 9th grade! Thank you for continuing to be a part of the UPrep Community, Tony!
Art Museum’s exhibit Figuring History, and many new and familiar alumni were in attendance. We look forward to hosting this event again, so please keep an eye out for an invitation! Our Annual Alumni Mariners game welcomed over 60 alumni and our Summer Party on Campus and class reunions had over 75 attendees. Teachers and alumni reconnected and reminisced over food provided by Skillet Food Truck. Director of College Counseling Kelly Herrington led a tour of the school for 35 alumni, many of whom had not seen the Fine Arts Building, Classroom Building, or Pumadome renovations. For the first time ever, we will have five class reunions this coming summer for the Classes of 1979, 1989, 1999, 2009, and 2014. We are looking for reunion chairs and will be in contact with you soon!
Whitman Alumni
Thank you to our Alumni Board: Blake Titcomb ’09 (President),
UPrep’s Director of Advancement Catherine Blundell visited her
Alise Lied ’12 (Vice President), Joe Irwin ’04, Brandon Kanemori ’00,
alma mater, Whitman College, in the fall. She had the opportunity
John Nelson ’97, and Russell Normann ’86.
to catch up over coffee with Kaeley Pilichowski ’15, Lily Parker ’15,
Alumni Events
Soo ’14, Linnea Soo ’14, and Blythe Eickerman ’17 all went to the
Puma Leadership Conference This past June, alumni David Angiulo ’03 and Al Merati ’82 returned to UPrep to speak to students about leadership. David led a session
and Brahm Coler ’15. In other UPrep alumni Whitman news, Alissa D1 Ultimate Championships in May 2018.
Alumni Spotlights
called “Leadership from Within” about how leadership continues
Jeff Zbikowski ’05
to play an important role even if you work independently. Al
State soccer champ, math nerd, visual artist,
led a session called “Is This About Me or You?” He addressed
business owner…These are just a few
how personal commitment is required to succeed when you are
descriptors that apply to alum Jeff Zbikowski,
following a leader or are leading others.
who graduated from UPrep the first year that
The Puma Leadership Conference occurs just after school is released
the Boys Varsity Soccer team won State. Jeff
for the summer and allows our 10th, 11th, and recently graduated 12th graders to explore the many facets of leadership. If you would
credits coach, alum and parent of an alum Alec Duxbury’s strong leadership for his positive athletics experience. To
like to be involved, please reach out at alumni@universityprep.org.
this day, Jeff still plays soccer nearly every Tuesday! According to
Anthony Lonsdale, Veterans Day Speaker
career path when he took the Architecture and Design class taught
In his first return visit to UPrep since graduating, Tony Lonsdale ’86 participated in our Upper School Veterans Day Assembly last
Jeff, UPrep influenced him in many ways, even setting him on his by former faculty member Klara Weiss. Jeff liked it so much that he actually took it twice, once in 11th grade and once in 12th grade. While reflecting on UPrep attributes, Jeff said that the ability to
November. Sharing the stage with another
choose electives was very near the top for him.
veteran, he responded to some formal
Today, as an architect and founder and owner of his own business
interview questions about his service and then
in Southern California, Jeff embodies the spirit of innovation that
took questions from the audience. During the
characterizes his old school. After working for a Santa Monica
24 years he served in the army, Tony conducted security operations 32 UPREP MAGAZINE
architecture firm specializing in market rate and affordable housing,
he founded Jeff Zbikowski Architecture (www.jzarch.la) in 2017.
Kelabe Tewolde ’13
His mission is to “push the boundaries of architecture, design,
Newly graduated from Colgate University last spring, Kelabe
and urbanism by providing positive impacts at varying scales to
Tewolde was immediately selected to fill a position at Rainier
better serve our clients and community.” While he has worked
Scholars as an academic counselor in the high school support phase.
on both single and multifamily housing, he is currently focusing
Once a Rainier Scholar himself, Kelabe has come full circle. His goal
on a major development project north of Los Angeles called 24
is one that represents what University Prep sets out to inspire every
Campus. The goal is transforming an old LA Times printing facility
student to do—make an impact.
into 660 apartments in four buildings that will also house the MGA
“At UPrep, we were always pushed to give back,” says Kelabe,
Entertainment creative office. The complex will be a campus in every sense of the word, with a theater, pool, and retail center— all designed with sustainability and community in mind. Jeff, who recently married, visited with fellow UPrep alumni Grant
“and to try things outside of our comfort zone, like spend a semester at the School for Ethics and Global Leadership (SEGL) in Washington, D.C., or apply to schools on the east coast that I might have thought out of reach financially.”
Larson and Daniel Kroese from the Class of 2006. His message to
As a junior, Kelabe spent a
current UPrep students is to “keep an open mind, don’t be pressured
semester at SEGL, where he
into things, follow your passion, and always try new things.”
met a teacher who started
Olivia Shangrow ’09
the Mamelodi Initiative in the
Some UPrep alums have
South African township that
pretty distinctive occupations,
is part of the city of Tshwane
and Olivia Shangrow is
near Pretoria. He worked
certainly one of them. Her
there for two summers
unusual career actually began
while in college, partnering
to take root during her time
with South African college
at UPrep, where she first
students, teaching math in the morning and workshops in the
developed a strong interest
afternoon to township kids. It was this experience that reinforced
in bees and other insects. In
his commitment to working in education with kids.
fact, Olivia attributes where she is today—the Biologist and Operations Specialist for the Rent Mason Bees company based in Bothell—in large part to Ty Talbot’s science class, which he taught before becoming an art teacher. Talbot, she says, ended up being her “nature mentor” throughout both Middle and Upper School.
Both Rainier Scholars and University Prep really led me to find my passions. While Kelabe majored in political science, worked in Senator Patty Murray’s local and Washington, D.C. offices, and eventually wants to continue working in the policy field, he says that “now is really my opportunity to have an impact on individual kids.” Today, Kelabe
Olivia recently filled us in on her work and her co-workers, the
has his own caseload of 45 students, and as luck would have it,
solitary and non-aggressive Mason bees. Rent Mason Bees is a
35 of those students attend UPrep. So he is here regularly, meeting
rental program for backyard gardeners that also helps supply bees
with his charges and helping them rise up to the challenges they
to local farms. A growing business, it currently serves approximately
face as they progress through high school.
1,500 people in the Seattle area. As a customer, you place your
As a former Rainier Scholar, and as one who worked part-time at
order, pick up the bees, and receive a nesting block and a bee house to hang in your backyard. The bees hatch in the spring and pollinate berry bushes, flowering shrubs, fruit trees, and more. Two of the many benefits that customers receive from renting Mason bees is increased bee population in their own yard and increased pollination. Mason bees, we learned, are 100 times more efficient when pollinating than honeybees. Tracing her original interest in bees back to UPrep, Olivia said that the school is a wonderful and supportive place for students to explore their passions. Her message to current UPrep students? “Take a chance and go for it! See where it takes you!” You just never know— it might be somewhere where your co-workers are mostly bees.
RS in high school as an advisor to the youngest scholars, Kelabe brings tremendous assets to the task. “I’m in a unique position since I’ve been in my students’ shoes,” he says. “Being able to relate to them that way is a huge tool for me. I can help them get the extra support they might need academically, navigate being a student of color, and deal with any issues at home so that they can reach their full potential.” “Both Rainier Scholars and University Prep really led me to find my passions,” says Kelabe. “I always wanted to make an impact.” At the young age of 22, he has already done so much, but it’s clear that he is just getting started.
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Class Notes Rachel Pesando ’96 wrote: I am thrilled to become an alumni parent! My daughter Hannah started 6th grade at UPrep this fall, and my husband Mike and I are looking forward to getting more involved in the University Prep community. Three kids keep me busy as a stay-at-home mom—our son Matthew entered kindergarten in September and daughter Abby is in 4th grade—and I have recently found some time to resume learning cello after nearly 25 years off. In many ways I am feeling like life has come full circle! Jen Gilbert ’97 fell in love with the Eastlake neighborhood during a middle school field trip to study the physics of the University Bridge. She bought a place in the neighborhood late last summer and enjoys evening walks over to the park under the bridge that started it all. Marin (Landis) Bogert ’98 and her husband Nick welcomed their son on August 5. Marin has been working at Amazon for four years. She received the Project Management Professional credential when she passed the exam last June. Marin and Nick live in the Ballard neighborhood and look forward to this next chapter of their lives together.
Brahm Coler ’15 is following the pre-med path at Whitman College, and plans to become a physician. This past summer, he conducted HIV vaccine research at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. At Whitman, he is co-president of the feminist club alongside another UPrep alum, Lily Parker, and also works with the administration and students to develop programs and resources to combat sexual assault on campus. He feels that UPrep prepared him well for the many years of schooling that lie ahead. Lily Parker ’15 is studying history, and is very involved with her sorority at Whitman College. She was recently elected student body president, and Brahm Coler is her roommate! Kaeley Pilichowski ’15 is also a student at Whitman College, majoring in Environmental Sociology, and recently spent time in Turks and Caicos studying the effects of garbage on marine animals. Jacob Greene ’16 led a summer UPrep Ultimate team for the second time. Pictured left to right: Jacob Greene ’16, Elijah Berger ‘17, Blythe Eickerman ’17, Joanna Greenberg ‘18, Cameron Swope ‘18, Stella Biehl ‘18, Jon Ramsay ‘17, and Jesse Zaslove ’18.
Emily Irwin ’99 wrote: “I recently started my own business and am working as a mental health counselor in private practice in the Ballard neighborhood. My business is called Marga Road (www. margaroad.com) and I work with kids, teens, and adults individually and in small groups. I also teach mindfulness and help support folks in developing personal mindfulness practices. If you are interested in bringing mindfulness to your family, school or community, I’d love to hear from you!” Ben Phillips ’06 rode his bike this summer on the very difficult RAMROD: Ride Around Mount Rainier in One Day. Going up Cayuse Pass he teamed up with Dylan Cline ’12. While chatting, they connected the dots and realized they both attended UPrep! At the top of Cayuse Pass, they flashed the Puma claw! Sam Cho ’08 returned to Seattle to work in state and local politics and public policy after serving in the Obama Administration. In July, Governor Jay Inslee appointed Sam to serve on the Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs, making him the youngest of the 12 commissioners. Dustin Chernick ’08 wrote: “I successfully earned my PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Minnesota in August 2018. Much of what I did was based on my research on Alzheimer’s disease treatments. I have now started a job at Adamas Pharmaceutical in San Francisco, where I manage publications and medical communications.” Marisa Fang ’09 wrote: “I just wrapped up an amazing two years completing my MBA at Emory University. Next step: working with EY in Chicago!” Lana Dziekonski ’14, who plays the viola, and Ellie Yamanaka ’15, who plays the harp, performed last spring for Ellie’s Junior Recital at the University of Texas at Austin. Lana graduated with academic honors in Music Performance and started law school this fall. 34 UPREP MAGAZINE
Charlie Cobb ’17 wrote: “It’s been a crazy year here in the Upper Valley of New Hampshire! Dartmouth has been quite the adjustment, but whenever I see Nick, Erica, Juliana, or Samisha I’m reminded of my UPrep roots. I’m sitting behind my desk at Dartmouth’s tech office writing this message while the names of my bosses John, Amy, and Caleb have been replaced by Zack, Jane, and Dave.” Charlie was back in Seattle this past summer interning at CenturyLink, rotating through their sales, engineering, field ops, and network planning teams. Nikhil Deo ’17 wrote: “I had some incredible experience during my first year at Georgia Tech in Atlanta. It was fun, challenging, exhausting, and rewarding all at the same time, and I learned a lot.” He spent last summer at home in Redmond interning at Microsoft and was excited to get to spend time with all his UPrep friends. He met up with classmates Isaac Selby and Jon Ramsay in Atlanta. Isaac attends Emory University and Jon came down from Boston to visit. Vivian Voth ’17 headed back to Iceland this past summer to backpack through the central highlands on the Laugavegur trail. She also backpacked through the beautiful North Cascades, learning new mountaineering techniques.
TOP: Ben Phillips ‘06 and Dylan Cline ‘12 Mariners Game: Chris Margard ’10, Malcom Jollie ’10, Jack Kelly ’12, Kristen Ellingboe 1998 Reunion: Amir Khorram, Alex Mandel, Katherine Khorram (Quigley), Katie Wenger, Leslie Rosen, Gabe Impert, Greg Impert (Not pictured: Emily Weber, Chris Bettin) MIDDLE: Marisa Fang ‘09 at Emory University Marin (Landis) ‘98 and Nick Bogert Vivian Voth ‘17 hiking in the North Cascades Nikhil Deo ‘17 with classmates Isaac Selby ‘17 and Jon Ramsay ‘17 in Atlanta BOTTOM: Alumni party on campus: Beatrix Evans ’13, Matt Mayberg ’13, Bo Adekoya ’13, Hyunchang Kwak ’13
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CLASS NOTES
Alumni Winter Party At the very end of November, the Alumni Board hosted our annual all-ages Alumni Winter Party. This year’s event was at the new Flatstick Pub in South Lake Union. In addition to our alumni, recently retired math teacher Jerry Gallaher and founder Roger Bass were also in attendance. Alumni represented classes from 1983 to 2014. With lots of food, mini golf, and Duffleboard, this was a wonderful way to kick off the holiday season. Be sure your contact information is current (bit.ly/cntctupdate) to receive the alumni quarterly e-newsletter and invitations to events like this! If you would like to learn more about opportunities
TOP: All attendees
to be involved with UPrep, please email
MIDDLE: Nancy Lau ‘84, Roger Bass, Cathy Faulkner ‘84
alumni@universityprep.org.
Marisa Turaids, Madeline (Dow) Pennington ’01, Josh Lackey, Adam Glant ’01, Kai Wilhelm ’03, Todd Rotkis ’03 BOTTOM: Emily Sylvester ’09, Blake Titcomb ’09 (Alumni Board President), Brendan Reed ’09, India Matheson, Brittany Duarte
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IN MEMORIAM
Raija Sanford ’07 The UPrep community suffered a great loss in September with the unexpected death of Raija Sanford, as a result of a cardiac event. Raija brought joy to everyone with her smiles and enthusiasm, and was a beloved member of the University Prep community. Post-graduation, Raija continued to stay involved and was a familiar face around campus, coaching basketball and serving as a substitute teacher. The Sanfords have been a quintessential UPrep family for decades and have contributed so much time, effort, and goodwill to the school, for which we are very grateful. Raija leaves behind her parents, Pat Sanford and Kristi Nilson, as well as her siblings, Kristian ’06 and Hanna ’12.
“A solid intellect,
Raija will be remembered fondly as a kind and gentle person, always smiling and happy to help in any way. She was also a wonderful leader, serving as ASB President and inspiring her teammates
an effective leader,
in her various UPrep sports. One of her teachers, Abigail Hundley, shared a remembrance from a
and a genuinely
became clear in her comments and writings in our classes. Therefore, it was not surprising to see her
good person, Raija has made all the difference
recommendation letter she wrote for Raija: “Raija’s passion for social justice and positive change emerge as an invaluable student leader. This year as president, Raija has raised the bar for student involvement and student conduct. She is playing a key role in the upcoming student assembly on the crisis in Darfur. A solid intellect, an effective leader, and a genuinely good person, Raija has made all the difference in our classes and in the school. Any community is fortunate to count Raija a member.” If you would like to make a donation to honor Raija, the family asks that you consider supporting one
in our classes and
of the organizations where Raija either volunteered or that she supported: Austen Everett Foundation,
in the school.”
for May 4, 2019 in Seattle.
Big Brothers / Big Sisters, Casa Latina, Humane Society, or Treehouse. A celebration of life is planned
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Nonproft ORG US POSTAGE PAID SEATTLE, WA PERMIT NO. 1268
8000 25th Ave NE | Seattle, WA 98115
UPrep Together Please join us for our spring celebration, benefiting UPrep’s Endowed Financial Aid Fund. Friday, March 8, 2019 Block 41 7:00 p.m.
For reservations and information: universityprep.org/celebration2019 events@universityprep.org 206.832.1107