VOL. 4 NO. 1
UPrep WINTER 2020
MAGAZINE
Exploring Global Citizenship LEARNING ABOUT TRADE AND EMPATHY ON A GLOBAL SCALE PG. 4 – 6
STUDENTS ACT WITH CURIOSITY AND CONVICTION
ALUMS LIVE THE UPREP MISSION
PG. 8 – 9
PG. 12 – 17
In this issue: 3
Message from Lila Lohr
4-6
Learning about Trade and Empathy on a Global Scale By Mary Beth Lambert
7
Seven Years of Exploring the World through Hosting International Students By Nancy Schatz Alton
8 -9
Students Act with Curiosity and Conviction By Nancy Schatz Alton
10
Building Connections through Reading By Nancy Schatz Alton
11
On the Bookshelf By Anne Bingham and Leah Griffin
12 - 17
Global Citizens: Alums Live the UPrep Mission By Nancy Schatz Alton
18 - 19
The Fall Musical by the Numbers
20
Winter Concert and Visual Arts Showcase Highlights
OUR MISSION University Prep is committed to developing each student’s potential to become an intellectually courageous, socially responsible citizen of the world.
21
Puma Fund Succeeds through Community Effort By Catherine Blundell
22 - 23
Fall Sports Review 2019 By Rebecca Moe
24
Varsity Girls Volleyball Team’s Stellar Success By Nancy Schatz Alton
25
30 - 31
Pumas Playing On Photo Gallery Opens
Alumni News
26 - 27
32 - 33
Faculty & Staff News
28
By Toby Cattolico
Upcoming Events
Class Notes
COVER PHOTO: Seniors Daran Anand and Sara Colando
29
Above photo: Students learn hip hop moves during their Middle School Dance class.
Live Like Raija Basketball Tournament
UPREP MAGAZINE
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BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Lila Lohr, INTERIM HEAD OF SCHOOL Ken Jaffe, ASST. HEAD OF SCHOOL AND DIRECTOR OF UPPER SCHOOL
Cheryl Scott, PRESIDENT
Andrea Barry-Smith
Van Katzman
Laura Domoto, VICE PRESIDENT
Adrian Biesecker ‘95
Patricia Landy
Mark Britton, TREASURER
Helen Bowen Blair
Suzanne McGill
Charisse Cowan-Pitre,
Geoff Buscher
Yazmin Mehdi
SECRETARY
Devindra Chainani
Tori Ragen
Barbara Sniezek, PARENT
Rita Egrari
Timothy Richey
Jason Froggatt ’87
Andrea Thoreson
Terry Froggatt
Mandira Virmani Kobi Yamada Lila Lohr, INTERIM HEAD OF SCHOOL, ex officio
COUNCIL CO-PRESIDENT
Jen Zell, PARENT COUNCIL
Richard Kassissieh, ASST. HEAD OF SCHOOL
CO-PRESIDENT
FOR ACADEMICS AND STRATEGIC INITIATIVES
Ric Anderson
Michelle Goldberg
Alma Andrade
Jeanette James
Susan Lansverk, ASST. HEAD OF SCHOOL FOR FINANCE AND OPERATIONS
Susie Wu, DIRECTOR OF MIDDLE SCHOOL
PARENT COUNCIL
Catherine Blundell, DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT
Co-Presidents – Barbara Sniezek and Jen Zell
Mary Beth Lambert, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING
Middle School Vice President – Michele Conrad
AND COMMUNICATIONS
Upper School Vice President – Cheryl Hoffman Herzog Treasurer – Ursula Phelan
E-chieh Lin, DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY AND
Secretary – Liffy Franklin
COMMUNITY AND DIRECTOR OF HIRING
Past Executive – Tracy Pozil
Shavette McGhee, DIRECTOR OF
Advancement Liaison – Lisa Bontje
ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT
Diversity & Community – Yaneth Vrentas, Hamsa Abdulle Global Programs Liaisons – Brigid Britton, Jane Griffin
UPrep
M AGAZINE
Governance – Dave Higley Parent Ambassador Liaisons – Shelly Sage, Stephanie Standifer Parent Education – Kendall Burwell, Scottie Nash, Julie Kang Parents for the Arts – Greta Dutton, Nina Stuyt, Laura McCarty
EDITOR Nancy Schatz Alton
Sports Boosters – Jenny Freshwater, Patti Sindelar, Alexa Crawford, Lauren Woodman, Juliet Pruzan, Linda Zuckerman
CONTRIBUTORS Nancy Schatz Alton, Anne Bingham, Catherine Blundell, Toby Cattolico, Leah Griffin, Abby Formella, Mary Beth Lambert, Lila Lohr, Rebecca Moe
12th Grade Reps – Kelly Arron, Marc Colando, Sheryl Hudson
PHOTOGRAPHERS Catherine Blundell, Lisa Bontje, Paul Dudley, Abby Formella, Dylan Hart, Fendi Japan, Yuen Lui, Kedzi Moe, Rebecca Moe, Brandon Patoc, Portland Athletics and K. Reynolds, Pratt Athletics, Raul Baron Photography, Kristian Sanford, Kristen Schriver, Andrew Storey, University of Michigan Athletics Photography, Wellesley Athletics, Hayley Young
7th Grade Reps – Anna Leslie, Kathy Park, Myndee Ronning
11th Grade Reps – Matt Frank, Anju Rao, Heather Smith 10th Grade Reps – Aija Christopher ’85, Kim Eisman, Susan Ferguson 9th Grade Reps – Quyen Hamilton, Teresa Predmore, Jennifer Sill, Kathryn Wickham 8th Grade Reps – Paige Hansen-Shankar, Michele Miyoshi, Katrina Strand 6th Grade Reps – Krysia Johnson, Hillary McLaughlin, Jenna Sylvester
DESIGNER Anne Bryant Creative © 2020 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
Members of the Middle School Robotics Team test their design on the practice field.
“This issue of the UPrep Magazine bears witness to our school’s understanding that educating global citizens requires a multifaceted approach.” -LILA LOHR Dear UPrep Families and Alumni,
G
iven the world we anticipate our students inheriting, including a host of careers that don’t even exist now, educators all over the country understand the benefits—even the imperative—of graduating “global citizens.” UPrep’s mission statement underscores our
commitment “to develop each student’s potential to become an intellectually courageous, socially responsible citizen of the world.” This issue of the UPrep Magazine bears witness to our school’s understanding that educating global citizens requires a multifaceted approach. Initially approaching this challenge with fairly traditional independent school strategies, including creating a more diverse community, offering a choice of languages, allowing a handful of students to spend a semester away from school, and limited annual student and teacher exchanges with one or two schools, UPrep has moved boldly to build on those initiatives in meaningful ways. As you read about Pat Grant’s Macroeconomics class and hear how our 8th grade students explore the world through literature, you’ll start to see how we’ve woven the concepts of
UPrep’s mission statement underscores our commitment “to develop each student’s potential to become an intellectually courageous, socially responsible citizen of the world.”
global competency and social responsibility into the fabric of our academic program. Believing in the power of being exposed to different people, ideas, experiences, and backgrounds, UPrep has worked hard to host a steady stream of students and teachers from other schools. You’ll read about one family’s wonderful experience hosting guests from around the world. With the introduction of intensives last year, we’ve been able to significantly expand the reach of our Global Link program, offering different three-week academic courses including Storytelling in India, Culture and Identity in Colombia, and Jazz, Race, and American History in New Orleans. Remembering that “the proof is in the pudding,” I was interested to read the interviews with a few of our many alums who have chosen to be global citizens and how their UPrep experiences helped to inform those choices. As we continue to fine tune and evaluate our approaches, it will be fascinating to follow our current students as they move on to embrace a very different world. Warmly,
Lila Lohr INTERIM HEAD OF SCHOOL
UPREP MAGAZINE
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Learning about
Trade & Empathy on a Global Scale
BY MARY BETH LAMBERT, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS
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H
istory Teacher Pat Grant believes that when students understand global issues, they are better able to understand themselves. It is this belief that spurred Pat to create his Upper School Macroeconomics class nine years ago. “We learn about ourselves much more clearly when we learn about others,” says Pat. “The greatest insights we will ever gain are when we travel to another place.
I’m hoping that my Macroeconomics class helps students travel through their learning.” Macroeconomics also helps students understand the economies of nations, as well as the role of international trade. “In the class, we look at issues that can have a global impact and how countries must make decisions about unemployment, inflation, and economic stability,” says Pat. “We also look at international trade: how does each country fit into the global big picture and how does trade influence the decisions that a country makes?” Students learn how countries trade and specialize according to their comparative advantage. If a country is skilled at developing a product, like cars, they will likely export cars to a country that is skilled at developing a product they need, like boats. “Students come away from the course with a greater sense of the world and curiosity about what is happening in it,” says Pat. To help students better understand these interconnected concepts, Pat runs an international trade summit, similar to a Model UN for trade issues, during his class. Each student becomes a trade representative for a country of their choice and is required to develop a strategic plan on how they will improve their country’s standard of living through trade or long-term development projects. (Interesting side note: in Pat’s class, the standard of living is defined beyond GDP—gross domestic
“We learn about ourselves much more clearly when we learn about others,” says Pat Grant. “The greatest insights we will ever gain are when we travel to another place. I’m hoping that my Macroeconomics class helps students travel through their learning.”
product—to include happiness.) Each trade representative also researches and presents an issue of significance to their country, such as climate change or economic equity, that they believe must be addressed in order to enhance the standard of living in their country.
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“A global citizen strives to understand and learn about more than just their own community; there is a curiosity about all of the communities that encompass our world.” -SARA COLANDO, SENIOR
Senior Sara Colando chose to represent Nigeria during the summit
Daran was also surprised when the representatives from Pakistan
because it has the biggest economy in Africa. “My main goal for
and Indonesia joined forces with him at the end of the summit
the summit was to diversify Nigeria’s economy. The country is
to make a speech to the other country representatives on the
very dependent on oil. When oil prices drop, Nigeria goes into
importance of educational improvements in order to improve
a recession, which causes an inflation of food products, which
each country’s standard of living.
results in food shortages,” says Sara.
For Sara, her biggest takeaway was understanding the
“Students come away from the course with a greater sense of the world and curiosity about what is happening in it,” says Pat Grant. Senior Daran Anand represented China. Going into the summit, Daran knew that improving China’s air quality and education
interconnectedness of issues that can influence a country’s economic health. “I think a lot of times people see economic problems as solely a problem with money,” says Sara. “By studying Nigeria, I learned the importance of taking a more holistic view. There are a number of related issues that influence a country’s economy, including government corruption, terrorism, education, and access to health care.”
system would improve its standard of living. He focused on trading
Through the summit, students learn about a country and develop
with countries like Germany and South Korea that could offer him
a sense of empathy about issues that the country is facing and
transportation and energy services, as well as raw materials and
how they are contending with them. “Empathy is essential for
education services. But Egypt and Australia were also interested
understanding anyone outside of yourself,” says Pat. “When we
in a trading relationship, which was a surprise.
understand other people, we are more likely to see them as allies.
“Trading can be a way to solve global issues. It’s not just a means to get money or raise a country’s GDP,” says Daran. Adds Pat, “When countries are involved in trade with each other, they have a relationship and are talking. Countries that trade with each other are less likely to go to war. Trade is a means to enhance peace.”
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I’m hoping that as my students better understand people around the world, they are also able to better understand their neighbor down the street.”
Seven Years of Exploring the World through Hosting International Students BY NANCY SCHATZ ALTON, WRITER /EDITOR
S
enior Julian Madrid and his mom Marleen Arenivar have been
Marleen: I really enjoyed the connections that we’ve made and
hosting international students since Julian’s sixth grade year.
I love staying in touch with many of them. I like imagining the
They’re grateful that this experience has connected them to
students 20 years from now remembering us as a small part of their
people from six different countries: Japan, Lithuania, Colombia,
good experiences during their time in Seattle. When you’re missing
Pakistan, Botswana, and India. “Being a global citizen means
your family, it’s nice to have a safe space, a comfortable atmosphere,
experiencing a little of someone’s life, and understanding that
and a close knit family to take care of you. It’s easy to give back by
part of their life. Hosting students from other countries makes
being kind, by sharing a game or a meal. I wanted Julian to learn it
that possible,” says Marleen. Here’s a look at their experience
doesn’t take wealth to welcome someone into your home.
of opening their home to 12 international students. Why did you decide to host students while they visited UPrep and Seattle?
What is your best memory from hosting students? Julian: I’m really close with Juan Pablo from Colombia, who we hosted during six months of my freshman year. He’s like a brother
Marleen: I love to have people over to our house; I love the noise.
to me; I just saw him in Miami. When Juan lived with us, I loved
I also wanted Julian to be exposed to people from around the world.
doing my favorite activities with him. When we were coming up on
Since Julian doesn’t have siblings, I wanted him to experience having
soccer season, we’d play soccer at the park after dinner until the
to share and consider another person’s needs, while giving him the
lights shut off. Juan wanted to be pilot, so we took him to fly with
opportunity to bond with the students.
an instructor and he got to land the plane. Seeing him so happy
What do you love about hosting students? Julian: I like visualizing their homes and their world. I want to travel to the places our host students are from, and I’ll try to put two and two together. While hosting, you learn a small portion of that person’s world—one piece of a puzzle. I’m big on hearing about people’s experiences, really diving deep into conversations. I remember when Yuki, our student from Japan, showed us pictures. You get a different feeling of excitement and adrenaline inside
both before and afterwards is one of my favorite memories. Marleen: For me, there’s not one moment. I just love making connections with people. They might speak a different language and eat different foods or behave and dress differently, but we are always able to connect and live together. The students leave us with some knowledge of their lives and their countries, and hopefully they leave with knowledge of what it’s like to be a teenager in the United States.
of you when you see pictures as a person tells you their stories rather than just seeing a story in the news. UPREP MAGAZINE
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Clockwise from top left: Parisa Harvey; Mimi Zekaryas, second from right; Owen Dombrowski; Quinn Mason.
Students Act with Curiosity and Conviction BY NANCY SCHATZ ALTON, WRITER /EDITOR
A
t UPrep, students are asked to think about their role in community, from inside our walls to the world at large. “Teaching global citizenship opens a student’s
view to ideas and concepts that help them find their purpose and be aware of what it means to be a citizen of the world,” says Middle School Director Susie Wu. We asked four students to share with us what they are learning— both inside and outside of UPrep—about what it means to be a global steward.
Senior Mimi Zekaryas is part of UPrep’s Facilitators Club, organizing conversations on social issues. As an advanced producer with KUOW’s Radioactive program, she works on podcasts about issues including colorism and implicit bias. Mimi is also part of the Youth Advisory Board of a tutoring and writing non-profit called BFI, where she’s helping create a book collection by diverse authors for younger students. Last summer, Mimi participated in the ACLU’s Summer Institute in Washington D.C., an international social justice writing conference in Puerto Rico, and the Seattle University Summer Business Institute. 8 UPREP MAGAZINE
How has participating in the above activities expanded your world view? I’ve learned a lot about the world, which has helped me better understand the root of specific social issues and how they are being addressed within communities. Meeting youth from around the country and the world has taught me the importance of different types of people with varying amounts of privilege working together. What UPrep classes have shaped your ideas about your role in the global community? In my Africa Since 1945 class, I learned about the Axum Empire and Eritrea, where my family is from. I did a research project on Eritrean politics today, which inspired me to keep researching issues happening in my home country. I also really appreciated my Duwamish River through Art and Science intensive. I learned a lot through great conversations with my classmates and tribal members, and I produced a podcast on the Duwamish tribe’s current legal battle for federal recognition.
What can people do daily to affect positive change? It’s important for people to do the best they can to be knowledgeable about what’s happening around the world. Once people are aware and willing to discuss issues, positive change can be made. Sophomore Parisa Harvey helps facilitate UPrep’s Community Conversations, serves on the Community Ethics and Culture Council, and leads the Middle Eastern Student Affinity (MESA) group. She’s also a member of the Sierra Cub and co-founded the Period Club, which helps end period poverty and stigma through service, advocacy, and education. Parisa helped organize the student-led Global Climate Strike that happened in Seattle on September 13, 2019. How have your UPrep classes helped you find your role in the global community? UPrep has really helped me gain a global perspective and understand how topics and issues we learn about in class are playing out on a local, national, and international stage. The social justice aspects of our classes and the critical thinking we do really pushes me and I’ve become passionate about what we are learning. Last semester, I completed an independent study course on modern Middle Eastern politics and history. My passion for the topic meant I took my learning to a deeper level by sharing what I’ve learned with MESA. What is your definition of global citizenship? It means understanding the importance of cultural awareness and diversity, acknowledging how interconnected our world is, and taking action to achieve unity, inclusion, and empathy. What can people do on a daily basis to affect positive change? The biggest way people can make change on a daily basis is by being an ally. Being a good listener, using empathy and privilege, while also knowing when to stand behind, with, and up for your peers and other communities. Taking the step from being a bystander to being an ally can be really hard. Allyship is a verb that requires action: listen, stay informed, and advocate. Owen Dombrowski, an 8th grade student, participates in Debate Club, co-founded the History Club, and presents This Day in History, short weekly talks at Middle School assemblies. He also plays basketball, runs track, and is a student representative for ASB. Why did you start History Club and This Day in History? Debate Club taught me it’s important to understand topics from many points of view. In History Club, we talk about the different sides of historical events and the diverse cast of characters behind them. I like that not everyone agrees during our discussions because we get a chance to appreciate differing opinions. I started This Day in History because it’s interesting to look at events and how they have contributed to the modern world. Recently, I talked about the Sikh uprising in India, and I included how this affects our world today.
How have your UPrep experiences helped you begin to find your place in the world? In Puma Development [Middle School social emotional learning curriculum], we openly discuss things we don’t usually talk about in school, like gender expectations and how they have shaped our society. The discussions teach us about ourselves, and we can talk with other students in a deeper way because a teacher isn’t grading us. It’s helped me to understand the world and become a better person within it. It feels like a fundamental part of our education because it leads us to be not just educated people, but good people. What is your personal definition of global citizenship? Global citizenship is recognizing that we are all part of a community and that we all have a responsibility to accept and understand other people’s cultures and to let them be who they are. We have a right to practice our own traditions, too. Junior Quinn Mason is a competitive rock climber. She’s a five-time national team member and the 2019 overall national champion for her age group. After competing in the European Youth Championships in Arco, Italy, her world ranking is 15 in the female youth lead climb category. She practices her sport two to four hours a day and also coaches, which means she’s rearranged her schedule to focus on school and climbing. How has competing internationally expanded your world view? Climbing is competitive, but everyone you meet is also a friend. You beat someone and then they beat you, but we’re always friends who are pushing the boundaries of the sport forward together. It’s interesting to see the different cultures. People come up and talk to you even if you don’t share a common language. What has attending UPrep while climbing taught you about global citizenship? Climbing and my UPrep education have taught me that being a global citizen is about being open to other ideas and viewpoints. At UPrep, we learn about different perspectives, like the various sides of war. In the climbing world, no matter where you are from, you’re immediately accepted into the community, and that’s ingrained into young climbers without them even realizing it. How have UPrep classes helped you discover your role in the global community? In my Environmental Ethics and Advocacy class, we are looking at how the environment is going to end up bringing us together. Climate change is uniting people: we’re all part of the same earth and we all have a responsibility to take care of it. What can people do on a daily basis to affect positive change? Be open to learning from people with different perspectives. It’s not just about academic knowledge, but knowledge of people and their experiences. Listening to others can make a big difference. More student profiles centered on global citizenship can be found online at www.universityprep.org/blog/preptalk.
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Building Connections through Reading In 8th grade English, students explore the individual as a global citizen through literature. Teachers Mark Smith and Carrie Niebanck tell us this class helps students create critical consciousness: as they learn about the many ways humans are connected, they begin to think about how to take action to make their world a better place. How does reading literature help students become
Why is empathy more important than sympathy?
global citizens?
Mark: With sympathy, I feel badly for somebody and it ends
Mark: Reading connects us to the universality all humans share,
there. With empathy, I’m motivated to create change because
linking us to people regardless of race, gender, socio-economic
I feel connected to that person. That’s much more powerful.
status, class, etc. In class, we read stories written by people whose
Carrie: In the book The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind [by William
voices are not typically heard. Then our students are connected to them, which is an important step in the process of becoming global citizens.
Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer], the narrator experiences horrific circumstances. Instead of saying, “Woe is me,” he’s like, I can’t go to school, but I can go to the library and pilfer supplies from
Carrie: A story can shine a reflection on ourselves like a mirror
the trash to build a windmill. [The windmill provides electricity,
and act as a window we look through. This window helps students
delivering water during the drought.] The kids relate to that
see how our community compares to other communities and the
excitement and it’s a powerful empathy builder and creativity
role of an individual in other parts of the world.
motivator. I Am Malala [by Malala Yousafzai with Christina Lamb]
Talk us through a story that exemplifies this world-view expansion process. Carrie: In the book Outcasts United [by Warren St. John], teenagers who plays on a soccer team for refugees outside of Atlanta come
resonates because it’s told through a kid’s powerful voice. After Malala gets shot, her voice still comes out. This book helps students realize they have a voice that they can use for good. So 8th graders read about kids changing their world as
to the U.S. under various conditions, with family members and
they ponder how they affect their own community?
without. Our students see how the teenagers’ challenges impact
Carrie: That’s the trajectory we’re aiming for: finding out who
their interactions, and realize the conflicts happening on the team
I am and what it means to be human, then thinking about how
occur because of what led them to immigrate.
I can uplift others. We see 8th grade as a jumping off point:
Mark: Connecting to others through reading helps create
how are you upholding others in your community, including the
empathy in kids versus sympathy. Instead of feeling sorry for
Seattle community and the wider world?
someone, they get inside their reality.
Mark: We want our students to know we are interconnected— what we do has broad implications. We want to take action for good because we’re responsible for each other.
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ON THE BOOKSHELF
BY ANNE BINGHAM AND LEAH GRIFFIN, UPREP LIBRARIANS
Being a global citizen means reading about our interconnectedness. This curated bookshelf includes a look at the global impact of climate change on the worldwide salmon population; the importance of counting all people when planning systems; one girl’s search for identity influenced by two cultures; and the stories of refugees from around the world in the midst of global migration. Stronghold: One Man’s Quest to Save the World’s Wild Salmon By: Tucker Malarkey Our extended UPrep community is part of the larger Salish Sea habitat. In Stronghold, Tucker Malarkey explores salmon as a keystone species, looking at how their habitat and behavior signifies their importance in the food chain and indicates the health of the surrounding environment. Salmon play a significant role in our region’s history, art, culture and identity, and as a food source. Readers learn how science, politics, philanthropy, corruption, allies, wealth, and fly fishing can have a global impact on climate and the environment, and how the Puget Sound ecosystem connects to the greater Pacific Rim.
Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men By: Caroline Criado Perez As educators, we think a lot about design. We know that there is no ‘average’ student, and teachers at UPrep work hard to teach each unique pupil. The rest of the world, though, designs products, healthcare, and policies around the average man, with surprising consequences. In Invisible Women, Caroline Criado Perez unpacks the the lack of sex desegregated data used to design everything from cars, to city snow plow routes, to treatments for uterine cancer. It’s a thoughtful discussion about how gender impacts our experience of the world.
Pashmina By: Nidhi Chanani UPrep has so many connections to India. We have many families who travel back and forth to this country. We have a connection with Hyderabad through our Global Link program. Pashmina, written and illustrated by Nidhi Chanani, is a vibrant graphic novel that is great for readers of all ages. Main character Priyanka wonders about her unknown father and about India, where her mother was born. She is unable to get answers until she discovers a magical pashmina shawl that transports her to India. Priyanka learns about herself, her family, and her cultures.
We are Displaced: My Journey and Stories from Refugee Girls Around the World By: Malala Yousafzai Since it arrived on our shelves, I Am Malala has been continually checked out at UPrep. When We are Displaced was released, we knew it would be well received in our collection. Malala Yousafzai curates the stories and tells more of her own stories. This book is full of narratives of young women and girls from around the world in search of safety and home. As students in our history classes thoughtfully discuss the immigration crisis taking place at our own border and around the world, this book provides first-hand accounts of some of those 68.5 million displaced people. UPREP MAGAZINE
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Global Citizens: Alums Live the UPrep Mission BY NANCY SCHATZ ALTON, WRITER /EDITOR
We reached out to UPrep alumni to hear how our mission of being intellectually courageous, socially responsible citizens of the world is playing out in their lives. Each of the five alumni talked with us about how attending UPrep helped form their identity, along with their thoughts on how we can all affect change in spheres both close by and far away. Danait Yemane ’13 is a Project Coordinator at African
with passionate teachers and peers in a very privileged space in
Services Committee, a nonprofit that provides health, social,
comparison to that of my underserved, diverse community in
and legal services to immigrants, refugees, political asylum
South Seattle, and I realized I can live in both worlds. My study
seekers, and undocumented persons living in New York City.
abroad trip to Colombia my senior year was life-changing. I made
She’s currently working on a research study concerning
the conscious effort to travel in college through study abroad
Hepatitis B. In this role, she provides health education and
programs, fellowships, internships, teaching positions, and research
recruits participants to enroll in the research study by
with professors. I studied and worked in eight countries during
getting them tested and connected to the right treatment
college and continued to travel in grad school, too. I realized my
if they are found positive.
experience is unique and it’s my obligation to engage and give
Why are you passionate about working in public health?
back to those around the world who do not have the privilege
I am passionate about this work because it’s directly related to my
and luxuries that we do here.
background. My parents are refugees from Eritrea who left while
What is your personal definition of global citizenship?
the country was at war. I saw how much health was neglected in
I think the first step to becoming a global citizen is being
our household, from both a mental and physical perspective, as a
interested in issues that may not impact you every day. A global
result of my parents’ traumatic experiences assimilating to their
citizen reads, watches, or listens to mediums that teach them
new lives here. In college, I wanted to study something that could
about what is happening in places they have never visited, and
teach me the skills I needed to help them, so I chose to major in
they empathize with the experience of others. Then they find
public health and French, and earned my master’s in health policy
ways to be supportive allies.
and human rights. My current role feels like a good fit because
What can people do daily to affect positive change
I am directly serving communities with the support I wish my parents had when they first arrived in the U.S.
in the world? People can affect positive change by practicing empathy. Everyone
How did UPrep help you form your identity?
wants to be genuinely seen and heard. With distractions like the
As an East African woman from a refugee household, I often
constant noise of our phones, devoting time to listening and
felt I was navigating between two different worlds that existed
helping our families, friends, and communities can go a long way.
in the same city. UPrep afforded me an incredible education 12 UPREP MAGAZINE
A recent graduate from George Washington University,
I wrestle with being a white woman from the United States
Olivia Dominguez ’14 is a Peace Corps volunteer in
doing development work in a country that has been subjected
Tanzania, working in health promotion and development
to colonialism and imperialism. I am not here to save anyone.
with a focus on maternal and child health. She will pursue
I am no better than anyone I work alongside. Often times their
a career in physical therapy upon her return from service.
knowledge exceeds mine. I find solace in the fact that I have
What led you to the Peace Corps? Growing up in a multicultural family, I was fortunate to learn the importance of exposing oneself to different environments and perspectives. I knew I wanted time between undergraduate and graduate school, and I sought out experiences in other countries.
done more listening than speaking and in the tremendous amount of work I do to develop personal connections.
UPrep fostered my ability to think critically while learning about world history and my place in it.
I strive to push myself out of my comfort zone, so I jumped at the chance to be in the Peace Corps. Tell us about the work you are doing in Tanzania. I spend day after day exploring my 3,000 person village, trying to understand its needs. I am here to listen more, speak less, and to support the development of creative approaches to health challenges in the community. So far, the bulk of my work has consisted of working with people living with HIV/AIDS. My counterpart, Yoel, is a man who was born in this community, and he is a farmer, community health worker, family violence counselor, and father. Together we have established a bi-monthly seminar and brought in
How did UPrep help form your identity? UPrep fostered my ability to think critically while learning about world history and my place in it. Through arts and language classes, I learned about different cultures and community expression. Teachers incorporated elements of social justice and equity into the curriculum. No single experience helped me become aware of my role, but I experienced seven years of subtle and grand moments that stitched together my educational and personal foundation. I learned we are part of a larger community, and it is my responsibility to support and lift those around me.
a doctor to lead education sessions. Our future plans include applying
What can people do daily to affect positive change?
for a grant to begin an income-generating dairy goat project, which
It truly starts with awareness and compassion. I think we are too
will provide milk and allow members to sell offspring. I also spend
comfortable in our neighborhood, city, state, country boundaries.
significant time working with the primary school health-club teacher
It is easy to see things as other people’s problems, but it takes a
to brainstorm new ways to deliver important health and life skills
compassionate person to understand how the struggles of others
resources and information to the children in the community.
are not theirs alone and how our actions affect the lives of people we will never meet. UPREP MAGAZINE
13
Raul Baron Photography
A recent graduate of Macalester College, Andy Pham ’15 is
collaboration—without knowing your neighbors and what their
a Youth Engagement Coordinator at Seattle’s Neighborhood
fears, needs, and wants are, this work can’t be done.
House. He works with 30 to 35 students each week, designing curriculum while tutoring and building relationships with them. While pondering whether to pursue a masters in social work or teaching, Andy is glad to be working at an organization that partners with diverse individuals and families to build community and achieve their goals for health, education, and self-sufficiency.
What UPrep experiences helped form your identity? Being part of the ultimate frisbee team made me a more confident person. Coach Moses Rifkin’s leadership inspired me. He expected so much out of us—he pushed us, pushed us, pushed us, while helping shape us by recognizing our talents and weaknesses. He didn’t have a partial lens: he treated everyone the same and he loved everyone. My advisor Karen Natorp Anderson was always
Why are you passionate about working in
checking in on me and was so supportive; she made me feel like
community engagement?
a good human every day.
A college study abroad program in Thailand was a pivotal time for me. The work we did there was a collaborative grassroots approach that had us living with people in various villages to learn about their needs. It changed the way I think about global politics, and I expanded my field of study upon my return. My first job at Neighborhood House was as a family center engagement specialist working with the Vietnamese community. After that program ran out of funding, I began working at a tutoring center with
I love working with these kids, not to save them but to help offer them the best academic life possible, and they’re why I fight against the larger forces of poverty and racial injustice.
children who have experienced trauma. I love working with these
What is your personal definition for global citizenship?
kids, not to save them but to help offer them the best academic
A person who has awareness of how everything is woven
life possible, and they’re why I fight against the larger forces of
together—how everything is never separate or completely different.
poverty and racial injustice.
They see into that web and act based on that awareness.
Why do you think building community is an integral
What can people do daily to affect positive change?
part of your work?
We can watch out for each other and open up our hearts
With the rise of technology and our fast-paced economy, we
and minds to each other by removing ourselves a bit from our
are losing the art of knowing and trusting one another. I think
self-centered nature. I also think self-care is really important.
community is a place where we can come face to face with each
We all need to slow down if we want to be able to accomplish
other, to be raw and real, to tell stories, and to be a network of
the work we want to do in the world.
support for each other. Social justice work requires radical 14 UPREP MAGAZINE
“I definitely enjoyed Music Day as a way to develop my identity as a musician in front of many people! There were so many different genres performed, from rock to tap dance to classical, and it was moving to see a supportive student audience for all the performers!” -EMI MEYER ’05
Fendi Japan
UPREP MAGAZINE
15
Emi Meyer ’05, a jazz pianist and singer-songwriter,
How did UPrep help you form your identity?
works and lives in Tokyo, Japan, and Seattle. Her 2009 debut
I definitely enjoyed Music Day as a way to develop my identity as
album “Curious Creature” reached number one on Japan’s
a musician in front of many people! There were so many different
iTunes Jazz Charts. Her 2019 album “Wings” was recorded
genres performed, from rock to tap dance to classical, and it was
in Nashville’s Blackbird studio, and her songs have been
moving to see a supportive student audience for all the performers!
featured in commercials for Dannon, Seiko, and Morgan
The day after the performance, teachers and students I wouldn’t
Stanley and in TV shows, including MTV’s Awkward and
talk to normally would start a conversation about my piano playing,
TV Land’s Younger. She lives with her husband and two-year-
and I remember thinking how music can shrink the distance
old daughter, and is expecting her second child in March.
between strangers. The Bite of University Prep was always a
What is it like working in two different cultures?
fun way to see other cultures too, learning to cook a new dish
Artistically speaking, different things resonate to different cultures. From one album, for example, some songs are more popular than others depending on the country. I’ve even had labels release albums under different titles, based on which song they are pushing.
It is also rewarding to show up in a city you’ve never been to and have people sing along to a song you wrote—it instantly gives you a deeper connection to the place!
for the evening and seeing my friends bring traditional foods they eat at home. I also vividly remember my trip to Mexico with my Spanish class. It’s very eye opening to travel abroad as a middle schooler without your parents and experience new sights and tastes on your own. How would you define global citizenship? For me, it means you are able to be independently-minded, but also empathetic to other people’s perspectives. Then you can travel through different cultures with respect and open-mindedness while also sharing your own identity. What can people do daily to affect positive change?
I love the perspective that working in two cultures gives you—
I do believe in small things making a bigger change. If you can
it’s a great reminder that something successful in one place doesn’t
treat each person you meet with kindness and respect that will
necessarily translate to another place, and therefore protect your
butterfly into more people treating others kindly. The more people
integrity and believe in what you create no matter what other
I meet who I admire—such as legendary film composers or Grammy
people’s opinions are. There is an audience for it somewhere!
winning musicians or heads of companies—I recognize this basic
It is also rewarding to show up in a city you’ve never been to and
skill of being kind to others. It has given my career longevity and
have people sing along to a song you wrote—it instantly gives
you cannot underplay its value.
you a deeper connection to the place!
16 UPREP MAGAZINE
Hayley Young
Dr. Sarah E. Myhre ’00 is a climate scientist, science
liberal arts foundation was really important for my sense of self and
communicator, and public advocate. She’s well-known for
my humanity as a young person. At a deep level, global citizenship
her role as a feminist advocate for representative leadership,
is about what it means to be human—it’s about what it means to
human rights, and climate solutions. She’s currently the
recognize and uphold the humanity of other people. UPrep was a
executive director at Rowan Institute, a think tank and
really wonderful place where I learned how to do that.
non-profit for leadership in a rapidly warming planet. In this role, she trains students, scientists, and STEM practitioners in climate leadership and public scholarship. Dr. Myhre is also a mom to a six-year-old son, and lives
What is your personal definition of global citizenship? It’s about recognizing how interconnected we all are, which makes me think of the quote by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Global citizenship is about
with her son and partner on Capitol Hill in Seattle.
standing in solidarity with the needs of other people and their
Why are you passionate about being a feminist
humanity, from human rights, reproductive rights, and labor rights
advocate for representative leadership, human rights,
to reconfiguring how power works in the world.
and climate solutions? I have a Ph.D. in earth and ocean systems from University of California, Davis. This launched me into a place where I was communicating about climate change in the public sphere where the stakes where quite high. I realized there was a vacuum of feminist leadership in climate activism spaces. Feminism is not solely based around the equality of women. This wave of feminism is really about looking at comprehensive systems of harm that are facilitating and responsible for climate degradation. As a researcher who is passionate about educating the general public about climate change, I quickly realized it was important to have an intersectional approach to climate solutions leadership, and that the existing norms of leadership are wholly insufficient to meet the scale and nature of the challenge in front of us.
What can people do on a daily basis to affect positive change in the world? Working on climate solutions involves changing who we are as people and what our culture is doing [to the planet]. If we recognize the difficulty of this moment and hold compassionate space for ourselves and others, we can feel safe enough to do the hard, brave work of direct action. I think being emotionally intelligent about how we are taking information in through social media is vital. The anxiety I feel is real, and it’s not helped by the constant hemorrhaging of bad news online. We need to find and be on communication platforms that work for us. You can be in community in ways that don’t degrade your sense of safety and your internal state around anxiety. If we’re not okay, then we’re not really meeting our goals [in the world]. This has been a real
How did UPrep help you form your identity?
lesson for me: I can’t erode myself. To do this work in public,
My education as a global citizen came from art, history, religion,
I have to be whole.
and literature classes at UPrep. Those classes were really lovingly crafted, and it’s where I was exposed to the ideas and languages and art and belief systems of people across the world. That strong
More alumni profiles centered on global citizenship can be found online at www.universityprep.org/blog/preptalk. UPREP MAGAZINE
17
The Fall Musical by the Numbers
Drama and stagecraft students presented a musical version of The Tempest in Founders Hall this December. While this play celebrates the magic that surrounds our daily lives, hours of work (and play) brought this vivid production to life on stage. From the meticulously crafted costumes and sets to the voices of the actors and the musical notes performed from the pit, these statistics tell another side of this Shakespearean drama.
27
MIDDLE AND UPPER SCHOOL DR AMA STUDENTS PARTICIPATED 18 UPREP MAGAZINE
APPROXIMATELY
447
HOURS OF REHEARSAL TIME
MORE THAN
25
YARDS OF FABRIC USED FOR COSTUMES
812
TICKETS RESERVED FOR THREE LIVE PERFORMANCES
13
STAGECR AF T STUDENTS BUILT SETS FOR
90
HOURS
UPREP MAGAZINE
19
Winter Concert and Visual Arts Showcase Highlights This November, the Winter Concert was a festive presentation of our students’ developing skills on their instruments. Highlights included a spirited performance of Hey, Ho, Nobody’s Home by beginning 6th grade instrumentalists; Orchestra and Band 2 performing a combined wind/strings performance of RimskyKorsakov’s Capriccio Espagnol; and the Upper School Chamber Orchestra performing Trepak from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite. On December 13, the Winter Visual Arts Showcase highlighted work produced by students enrolled in visual arts courses. Students from beginning Upper School courses displayed their forays into drawing and painting. Many of our photography classes approached portraiture as a way of exploring personal narrative. Students in the integrated Mixed Media class contemplated big questions like “What does money mean to you?” Middle School students displayed murals and process-based projects. Graphic Design students showcased creations inspired by film and music.
20 UPREP MAGAZINE
PUMA FUND VOLUNTEERS: Valerie Voss & John Houlihan CO-CHAIRS
Ursula Phelan & Fergal Burke CO-CHAIRS
Denise Angelone, Lissa Armato, David Beitel, Gloria Bensussen, Helen Bowen Blair, Lisa Bontje, Julie Braun, Mark Britton, Kendall Burwell, Linda Chou, Cathy Faulkner, Jessica Fosse, Meredith Han, Nanette Hayre, Jill Leahy, Deborah Levy, Johnny Limantzakis, Gunilla Luthra, Kara Mattaini, Sara Miller, Mette Naness, Kathy Nielsen, Rachel Pesando, Carrie Rosenthal, Jenna Sylvester, Andrea Thoreson, Mandira Virmani, Betsy Webb, Jen Zell, Linda Zuckerman
Puma Fund Succeeds through Community Effort BY CATHERINE BLUNDELL, DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT
T
hank you to the more than 677 families who have come
to join them in giving. We are also thankful to the 14 families
together in support of our annual Puma Fund! To date,
who created a challenge match pool of more than $200,000.
we’ve achieved 87% current parent participation and raised
Their financial leadership and early support inspired 120 families
$880,704! These funds have already begun to enrich the lives of
to join us at the Leadership Circle with a gift of $2,500 or more.
UPrep students. The Puma Fund has sent cross-country runners to
It is only through the support of our parents, alumni, alumni
the State Championship, doubled the number of robotics teams, added an additional Middle School soccer team, and a third Upper School volleyball team.
parents, grandparents, and friends that UPrep is able to provide amazing educational experiences for all students. Gifts of all sizes are essential to the success of the campaign. Haven’t made your gift yet? There’s still time! Donate online today at supportuprep.org.
Total Community Giving to Date $20,000 - $29,999
Innovators Circle
6 Families
$10,000 - $19,999
Founders Circle
9 Families
$5,000 - $9,999
Ambassadors Circle
39 Families
$2,500 - $4,999
Leadership Circle
80 Families
$1,250 - $2,499
Supporters Circle
77 Families
Up to $1,249
Friends Circle
466 Families
This campaign is a community-wide effort. Puma Fund Parent Co-chairs Valerie Voss and John Houlihan and Ursula Phelan and Fergal Burke work in partnership with 21 Class Agents and UPrep’s
PUMA FUND FAST FACTS: Raised to date: $880,704 Parent participation: 87% # of households who increased their gift: 178
Advancement Committee to make the Puma Fund a success. This volunteer team, with the support of our Advancement Committee, educates our community about the Puma Fund and inspires parents UPREP MAGAZINE
21
Fall Sports Review 2019 BY REBECCA MOE, DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS
During the fall 2019 season, more than 339 athletes, 22 teams,
winner-to-State Emerald City League playoff game, with the Pumas
and 30 coaches represented the Pumas in the Cross Town Middle
losing this game to end their season. The future looks bright for this
School League, Emerald City League, District 2, and throughout the
team next fall.
state of Washington. The Pumas traveled regionally to Pasco, South Whidbey, Vashon, and Cle Elem, and locally to Marymoor, Starfire, and West Seattle. Our varsity programs are successful due to our robust Middle School and sub-varsity teams.
Girls Volleyball By finishing 4th in the Emerald City League, the Pumas earned the right to host the first round of the league tournament on October 29. The opponent was Forest Ridge, who the Pumas lost to twice this season. The team rallied to win 3-1 and secured their first playoff victory in more than 10 years! The Pumas then fell to
Cross Country
Overlake in the semi-finals and Northwest in the consolation finals.
On Friday, October 25, our teams competed in the Emerald City
As a result, they earned the #4 seed to the District tournament.
League Championships. The boys’ race was super competitive.
On Saturday, November 3, the Pumas capped off their busy playoff
Junior Max Lagunoff finished 1st with the time of 16:24.90 and was
filled week by traveling to Meridian High School in Bellingham
crowned League Champion. Remy Talbot finished 5th, David Baylor
where they faced Nooksack Valley. They finished their season with
finished 11th, and Nick Rosenthal finished 14th to lead the Pumas to
a loss to Nooksack, but the journey was valuable as the Pumas
a 2nd place team finish. The girls’ race was competitive, too. Haley
will return their entire starting rotation next year with eyes
Hoffman and Olivia Poolos were the highest finishers for the Pumas,
toward advancing further into Districts and possibly State!
finishing 12th and 15th place, respectively, while the girls team
Boys Tennis This fall, the Varsity Boys Tennis Team finished as League Co-Champions and as District Champions. At the League/District Tournament in October, singles player Tyler Wurzer finished 1st and was crowned League Singles Champion; Jackson Wurzer finished in 3rd place. Doubles team Nicholas Arron and Mattias Keaunui finished 3rd in their category. The Pumas will be sending a strong squad to Yakima and look to improve on their 2019 3rd place team
placed 5th overall. Next up, the Cross Country Team headed over to South Whidbey High School for the District Meet on November 2. Freshman Haley Hoffman qualified for State as an individual by finishing in 23rd place. The boys team finished in 4th place, meaning a return to State again as a team! Top 25 finishers included Max Lagunoff (2nd), Remy Talbot (17th) and David Baylor (24th), with Nick Rosenthal, Owen Howland, Andrew Ye, and Henry Buscher
finish in May at the State Championship. Congratulations to all
running to round out the varsity seven.
varsity team members and coaches on their League Championship!
The season ended for the Pumas on Saturday, November 9. Haley
Girls Soccer Varsity Girls Soccer had an up and down season on the pitch, but their win/loss record does not reflect their positive play and team development. They played one of the strongest schedules in 1A— with seven of their games coming against State-qualified opponents. During the season, the Pumas won a game against the eventual
kicked off race day with a competitive race in girls’ field, competing for her first time in Pasco. The boys teams battled out the course and ended up with a 10th place team finish. Congrats to team members Max Lagunoff, Remy Talbot, David Baylor, Nick Rosenthal, Andrew Ye, and Henry Buscher, and to alternates Sidney LeVine and Julian Renschler. We are proud of you!
State champs! The Pumas look to return several starters, rebound, and aim for the playoffs in the fall of 2020.
GET THE LATEST SPORTS NEWS
Boys Ultimate
Follow uprep_athletics on Instagram or @UPrep_Athletics
The boys ultimate teams once again had record turnout for the fall
on Twitter to see the day-to-day and season-to-season
season. On most games days, JV had enough players to field two
Puma perspective, including our UPrep teams, coaches,
teams. The varsity team finished 4th in league play and then won
and college alumni athletes. Both give an insider’s view
the Emerald City Wildcard game versus Eastside Prep to keep their
of the athletics program.
season alive in late October. The Pumas then played SAAS for a 22 UPREP MAGAZINE
ALL LEAGUE
GIRLS SOCCER
The following Pumas were named/earned Emerald City All League Recognition this fall.
Lillian Bown – 1st Team (and named Max’s Preps player of the week Sept 6)
BOYS TENNIS
Eleanor Grace Probst – 2nd Team
Mattias Keaunui
Team – 4th place regular season
Nicholas Arron Tyler Wurzer Jackson Wurzer CROSS COUNTRY Max Lagunoff Remy Talbot David Baylor Nick Rosenthal Haley Hoffman Olivia Poolos Boys Team – Sportsmanship Award; 2nd place finish
Ashlyn Kilbourne – 2nd Team
VOLLEYBALL Ava Anderson – 1st Team Jane Morgan – 1st Team Team – 3rd place regular season; district qualifier BOYS ULTIMATE Will Turner – 1st Team Liam Reese – 2nd Team Will Turner – League Co-MVP Co-Coaches of the Year – Moses Rifkin and Emily Zukowski Team – 4th place
Girls Team – 5th place UPREP MAGAZINE
23
“They enhance each other’s strengths. They all have different skills that make them excel and are like multiple puzzle pieces that fit together.” -COACH AMY MATSEN
Supportive Team Atmosphere Guides Varsity Girls Volleyball Team’s Stellar Season BY NANCY SCHATZ ALTON, WRITER /EDITOR
F
or the second year in a row, the Varsity Girls Volleyball
so much because we have a range of players, with at least one
Team qualified for and played in the District Tournament.
person from each grade, some new volleyball players, and some
This noteworthy accomplishment and season speaks to the
who have been playing for years. I love how before every game we
learning that takes place within UPrep’s co-curricular activities.
would all hype each other up and listen to really good warm-up
When Coach Amy Matsen began working with the team three
music,” says Ava.
years ago, she says the players set a goal to make the playoffs.
The community atmosphere at the games also added to this
“A highlight for me has been watching them grow as a team and
season’s journey. Ava says her favorite moment during the season
accomplish the goals they’ve set for themselves. Now, their norm
involved fan participation. “When we were playing Bear Creek,
is playoffs and making it to State is their new goal,” says Amy,
our fans played rock-paper-scissors against the other teams’ fans
who believes the team’s bond from playing together for years
and won! We also ended up beating Bear Creek, which advanced
helps them work together on the court. “They enhance each
our seating in our league,” says Amy.
other’s strengths. They all have different skills that make them
The players are looking forward to next season as they aim to
excel and are like multiple puzzle pieces that fit together.”
advance further in the playoffs. Amy says she was honored to be a
Coach Jill Leahy seconds this idea, saying each player stepped
part of this team comprised of dedicated female student athletes.
up at different moments and they pushed each other to
“This is the best group of humans that I have ever coached. They
continue to build skills.
are kind, respectful, hardworking, hilarious, academically strong,
Player Ava Anderson, junior, notes that the supportive team
and overall amazing girls” says Amy.
atmosphere helped the team play well together. “I love this team 24 UPREP MAGAZINE
Top from left to right: Jackson Ragen ‘17; Jessica Washington ‘18 Katherine Reynolds ‘06. Below: Idalia Kaplan ‘16
Pumas Playing On Photo Gallery Opens Knowing that a picture is worth a thousand words, we’re excited to announce Pumas Playing On, a photo gallery celebration of alumni Puma athletes. All the photographs of Puma athletes are displayed along the stairwell and upper level of the Pumadome. The next time you are on campus, we invite you to check out the gallery!
BASEBALL
SWIMMING
Thaddaeus Gregory ‘11, Carleton College
Melissa Funes ’18, University of Denver
Thomas Butler ‘16, Occidental College BASKETBALL Idalia Kaplan ’16, Pratt Institute – Brooklyn
This project is ongoing: we will continue to add and/or rotate photos as we are able to secure more and the project will evolve over time. There is a sign listing all alumni Puma athletes who have played at the college level permanently mounted at the beginning of the gallery.
TENNIS Jack Katzman ’17, Claremont-McKenna College TRACK & FIELD
CROSS COUNTRY
Isabel Duxbury ’17, Willamette University
Audrey Western ’14, Washington University/
Damon Hardwick ’17, Colorado College
St. Louis
ULTIMATE
SOCCER
Erica Ng ’15, Dartmouth College
Katie Schoene ’03, Portland State
Caleb Sherman ’18, Whitman College
Katherine Reynolds ’06, Santa Clara University and Portland Thorns Tolossa Hassan ’14, Allegheny College
VOLLEYBALL Jessica Washington ’18, Wellesley College
India Jencks ’15, Gonzaga University Isabel Duxbury ’17, Willamette University Jackson Ragen ’17, University of Michigan Ellie Marks ’18, New York University Emily Weintraub ’18, Boston College UPREP MAGAZINE
25
The local planning committee for the 2019 National Association of Independent Schools People of Color Conference. E-chieh Lin, director of diversity and community and hiring at UPrep, was one of three local co-chairs for the conference.
Faculty & Staff News Anne Bingham, Library Director, is finishing up her term as
Britten Nelson, Associate Director of College Counseling, started
chair of the statewide Washington Library Trainers section of
her term as the Treasurer on the Executive Board of the Pacific
the Washington Library Association.
Northwest Association for College Admissions Counseling.
Catherine Blundell, Director of Advancement, and Mary Beth
Alexis Ortega, Associate Director of Admission and Financial
Lambert, Director of Marketing and Communications, and
Aid, joined the Steering Committee for Puget Sound Independent
their corresponding teams were awarded the CASE (Council
Schools, our regional admission governing body, after having served
for Advancement and Support of Education) Silver Award for
on the Events Committee for many years. She’s the first Associate
“Include, Invent, Inspire: Annual Report to Our Community
Director to be invited to this group!
2017-18” in the 2020 Best of CASE VIII competition.
Jason Parker, Instrumental Music Teacher, was selected to be on
Kelly Herrington, Director of College Counseling and Student
the faculty of the 1st Snohomish High School Jazz Improvisation
Services, is finishing up his three year term on the College Board
Workshop on Monday, November 18. He was the trumpet instructor,
Counseling and Admissions Assembly, in addition to sitting on
alongside other Seattle jazz luminaries such as pianist Bill Anschell,
advisory boards at Bryn Mawr College and Lehigh University.
saxophonists Brent Jensen and Sidney Hauser, and bassist
Emily Schorr Lesnick, Social Emotional Learning Coordinator,
Chuck Deardorf.
and Jill Leahy, Associate Director of Diversity and Community,
Moses Rifkin, Science Teacher and Department Head, presented
co-presented at the NWAIS (Northwest Association of Independent
at the regional National Science Teachers Conference. Moses and
Schools) Annual Conference in October. Emily also co-wrote an
Emily Zukowski, Varsity Boys Ultimate coaches, were named
article with Jamila Humphrie of the Bush School for a recent issue
Emerald City League Co-Coaches of the Year.
of ArtsPraxis Magazine, a peer-reviewed journal.
Tracey Sconyers, Computer Science Teacher, was elected
Lila Lohr, Interim Head, will speak on a panel at the 2020
as Vice-President of the Puget Sound Computer Science
Centennial Celebration Conference of The Heads Network in
Teachers Association.
Jacksonville, Florida, in late February.
Karen Sherwood, History Teacher, and David Peabody,
Rebecca Moe, Director of Athletics, was named Athletic Director
Math Teacher, just successfully renewed their certification with
of the Year for the Emerald City League. At the 50th National
the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
Athletic Directors Conference held in Maryland, Rebecca was on the Blue Ribbon AD Panel to discuss how to prioritize and find balance in the job. She was joined by four other athletic directors. Their conversation will be shared in the Interscholastic Athletic Administration Magazine later this year. 26 UPREP MAGAZINE
In Memory of Jake Jacobs Jake Jacobs, a longtime UPrep
UPrep Helps Plan and Host First Young Men’s Conference
employee from 1994 to 2016,
The first Puget Sound-area independent schools’ Young Men’s
passed away in November.
Conference took place at UPrep in November. Students who
Jake’s title for the majority of his
identify as male in grades 9-12 from University Prep, Charles Wright,
UPrep tenure was Director of
Eastside Prep, Lakeside, and Overlake came together for a day of
Facilities, but that title doesn’t
discussion and reflection on gender identity, masculinity, and
do justice to all he contributed
the impact they want to have as men. Spanish Teacher Jacob
to the school. On January 11,
Taylor-Mosquera, English Teacher Sean Patella-Buckley, Assistant
2013, our gymnasium floor
Director of Middle School Kyle Lawhead, Mathematics Teacher
was named Jake Jacobs Court
Amado Toribio, Science Teacher Brent Slattengren, Science
to honor his dedication to
Teacher and Equity Curriculum Coordinator Tom Strouse,
our community. Jake was an instrumental fixture in the school’s
Mathematics Teacher and Department Head David Peabody,
day-to-day life, and, in particular, the athletic program. Countless
and Science Teacher and Department Head Moses Rifkin
tennis players have played on the courts he cleaned on match days;
helped plan and organize this event, with support from
softball and baseball players experienced top notch field conditions
UPrep Staff E-chieh Lin, Emily Schorr Lesnick, and Jill Leahy.
in spite of rainy springs; he filled sand in long jump pits for track students and teams, visiting teams, the neighborhood community,
Faculty and Staff Attend 32nd Annual People of Color Conference
and for many others, including the Oregon Rowing group on
More than 35 UPrep faculty and staff attended the 2019 National
overnights, and Mary’s Place residents who were given access
Association of Independent Schools’ (NAIS) annual People of Color
to our laundry and shower facilities.
Conference (PoCC), which was held in Seattle in early December.
teams; and he made the Pumadome a welcoming place for our
They joined more than 7,000 educators and students at the 32nd
A Fond Farewell
annual PoCC and the 26th annual Student Diversity Leadership It is with excitement for her
Conference, which included sessions with keynotes, dozens of
(and sadness for us) that we
practitioner-led workshops, extensive affinity group work, and
announce Linda Smith retired
dialogue sessions.
from UPrep on February 19. Linda has been in the UPrep Main Office for 19 years and is very excited to explore the next chapter of her life—particularly getting to spend more time with her children and grandchildren. We have all benefited from her capable hands running the Main Office for these many years. She will be greatly missed.
“As our community’s understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion is continually evolving work, this conference is a place where participants learn from their peers about initiatives that may work in their own communities,” says E-chieh Lin, one of three local co-chairs for the conference and director of diversity and community and hiring at UPrep. Director of Enrollment Management Shavette McGee and Science Teacher Jessica Hanson served on PoCC’s local planning committee. Three UPrep faculty members presented at PoCC: Social and Emotional Learning Coordinator Emily Schorr Lesnick, Science Teacher Alyssa Reyes, and Science Teacher Moses Rifkin. UPREP MAGAZINE
27
Class Notes
Teresa K. Miller ’00 traveled to Seoul to visit friends and central
Kristen Bell ’85 writes: Thirty-five years after helping put together
the pleasure of hosting her former UPrep English teacher and
UPrep’s first girls’ varsity soccer team, I traded my cleats for a pickleball paddle. Pickleball was just a weird game we used to play in the courtyards at Temple Beth Am. It has finally made its way to Ojai, CA, where I live (and play) with my husband, Alan, and our dog, Luna. Amy Colfelt ’87 moved to Hong Kong with her family to continue her work as a school counselor at Hong Kong
Vietnam to trek through the world’s largest cave in 2019. She had mentor-turned-friend Stephen Thomas for dinner when he visited the States. She also published blogs on the Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides website as well as essays in Entropy, Queen Mob’s Teahouse, and Berfrois. A collaboration with musician Gregory Giles on horror-film depictions of climate change appeared in the anthology Berfrois: The Book, which was blurbed by environmental activist Lucy Lawless, aka Xena: Warrior Princess.
Academy following nine years at Seattle Country Day School. Amy’s husband, Todd, teaches third grade and her two children are in 8th and 10th grade. Working in a small school with a close knit community, Amy is reminded of her time at UPrep. She is grateful for the learning and guidance that her teachers provided and the lifelong friendships that were formed in the classroom and on the pickleball court. As an educator and a mom, she is hoping to provide a similar opportunity for her own children. Maya (Malysiak) Noren ’91 writes: I opened a custom glutenfree baking company earlier this spring—butter + sugar (www. buttersugar.net). Inspired to learn to bake AND to learn to bake gluten-free by my son’s celiac diagnosis nine years ago, I’ve finally taken my love of all things sweet to market. I currently deliver my baked goods to more than 10 coffeeshops in Fairfield County, CT, and enjoy baking custom cakes for my family and friends. Plans for the future include packaging and selling to gourmet groceries, and maybe, maybe, someday a retail shop. Wish I could ship to Seattle! Austen (Johnson) Carr ’99 lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband and two daughters, Lucy (7) and Selah (5). She teaches ESL to refugee women in nearby Clarkston—the most diverse square mile in America. If you’re ever stranded in the ATL airport, get in touch!
Eric Laakmann ’08 writes: Kia ora from New Zealand! For the last two years, I’ve been sailing around the Pacific on my 55 ft. catamaran Zephyr after leaving my job managing Apple Watch engineering. First up, I sailed to Alaska to go get myself into some trouble with ice and bears; mission accomplished! During the winter, I sailed down
(www.andrewjarvispoet.com)
to Mexico, where I spent most
has been writing relentlessly
of my time in the famous Sea
since graduating. His last three
of Cortez and Banderas Bay.
poetry titles, “The Strait,”
Last summer, I rustled together
“Landslide,” and “Blood
a crew of six intrepid adventurers, including Johnny Valencia ’08,
Moon,” have earned a total of
to sail across the Pacific via French Polynesia and Tonga. Now I’m
12 literary honors. He recently
in New Zealand, soaking up the friendly culture and giving Zephyr
received silver medals in poetry
some much needed TLC after having sailed her more than 20k miles
from the Nautilus Book Awards
since 2015. Check out the voyage on Instagram: voyageofthezephyr.
publisher’s awards. Andrew earned his M.A. in Writing from Johns Hopkins University and encourages everyone to pursue advanced degrees to fulfill lifelong dreams. He recently purchased a solarpowered home in Orlando, Florida, and spends his free time
28 UPREP MAGAZINE
Port of Seattle in January 2020.
Andrew Jarvis ’00
and the Colorado and Florida
reading and writing in the sun.
Sam Cho ’08 was sworn into office as Commissioner at the
Grace Recka ’16 will be graduating with a business degree from the University of San Diego in May 2020. Her San Diego-based company BootyCamp USA focuses on personal training and group fitness classes. While finishing her degree, she is also working for Rebecca Alexander, an author and motivational speaker.
Photos, clockwise from top left: The game in action; Andrew Garrison ’12, Taylor Carbary; Kristian Sanford ’06, Jasper Tollefson ‘06; Parker Sanford, Hanna Sanford ‘12, Pat Sanford (father), Jasper Tollefson ‘06, Kenneth Boatright, Richard Sanford, April Sanford-Bayer, Kristian Sanford ‘06, Kristi Nilson (mother), and Bonnie Kissler.
Live Like Raija Basketball Tournament In November, the Live Like Raija Foundation (Kristian Sanford ‘06, Hanna Sanford ‘12) hosted the Live Like Raija 3x3 Basketball Tournament in honor of Raija Sanford ’07. More than 60 people participated in the tournament across 12 teams, including one team of current students! Many alumni and faculty returned to campus to participate, too. Be sure to look for news of next year’s tournament!
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Alumni News
Alumni Board News BY TOBY CATTOLICO ‘04, ALUMNI AND ADVANCEMENT ASSOCIATE
This past summer, the Alumni Board hosted the annual Alumni
The Alumni Board has been busy strategizing several ways to
Mariners Game with the M’s getting an amazing win in the bottom
further alumni engagement. The first major step was welcoming
of the 9th inning! The evening concluded with a fantastic fireworks
five new members to the board: Al Merati ’82, Sarah Salemy ’94,
show celebrating newly inducted Hall of Famer Edgar Martinez.
Rachel Pesando ’96, Madeline Dow ’01, and Daniel Muzi ’08.
The following afternoon, the board welcomed almost 100 people
We also bid farewell to Alise Lied ’12 who greatly served the board
to campus for the annual Alumni Party. This marked the first time
during the past two years. Thank you, Alise! This year, the board
UPrep celebrated a 40-year class reunion! At this event, we hosted
was excited to launch an e-newsletter for alumni, which provides
a hard hat tour of the Commons during mid-transformation.
updates on what is happening at UPrep and in the Alumni
Alumni present spanned the school’s history, with alumni from
Community. Update your email address at http://bit.ly/updateuprep!
the first graduating class of 1979 to many of our most recent young alumni. Legacy families were also represented, with children who represent the Class of 2025! Most recently, the Alumni Board hosted the annual Winter Party at Flatstick Pub in South Lake Union in November. Faculty member Alec Duxbury ’86 and former faculty member Alan Hargus were in attendance. Legacy families were once again represented by members of the classes of ’95 and ’96. Thank you to all of our alumni attendees. We hope to see many more of you at future events! 30 UPREP MAGAZINE
BE A REUNION CHAIR! Calling members of Classes 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2015! Interested in being involved for your class reunion? Let us know at alumni@universityprep.org. We’d love to hear from you! Alums, please share your updates with us: classnotes@universityprep.org.
SUPPORT UPREP THROUGH THE PUMA FUND Each year we look to our alumni community to support the annual Puma Fund. Please consider making a gift in honor of a faculty member or classmate! Donate at www.supportuprep.org.
Facing page, clockwise from top left: Rachel Pesando ’96, Hannah (daughter), Michael Popchuk (husband); Max Brandenburg ’15, Koppi Kolyvek ‘15, Jacob Iglitzin ’15, Brahm Coler ‘15; Back Row: Horatio Xiao ’17, Kris Zhao ‘17, Alan Hargus, Ana Bogdanovich ’17, Cali Ashmun ’15, Trevor Vassallo ’12, Prashant Naidu ’12. Front Row: Lindsay Wilson ’15, Alex Wilfong ‘17; Caracol Haley ’15, Lana Dziekonski ’14, Jake Woodward ‘14. This page, clockwise from top: Guests at the Annual Winter Party; Abhi ’96 and Elisha Sheth with children Sahir and Samar; Mike King ’87, Kyle Sims ’88, Jim Hirshfield ’88, Alan Hargus; Merica Moseley ’01, Alec Duxbury ’86, Jackson Sage ‘14; Hannah Reynolds ’15, Rebecca Hasle ’15, Lindsay Wilson ’15, Fran Heston ’15, Wynnie Newton ’15, Cali Ashmun ‘15.
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Upcoming Events
Grandparents and Grandfriends Day Friday, April 17, UPrep Guests enjoy a breakfast buffet, learn about UPrep from student and faculty
Please note that dates may change; check event details at www.universityprep.org/calendar.
speakers, and participate in classroom activities with students.
UPrep Together Friday, March 6, 6 p.m., Block 41 in Belltown Raise the paddle in support of UPrep’s Endowed Financial Aid Fund at our annual community-wide celebration.
Social Justice Day Thursday, March 26, UPrep Cinnamon Spear, Northern Cheyenne woman, writer, and filmmaker, will be the keynote speaker at this 8th annual event. Organized in conference style, this day is filled with notable speakers, workshops, affinity groups, and discussions on a vast range of social justice issues.
Upper School Play Wednesday, April 22, 4 p.m., Founders Hall Thursday, April 23, 7:30 p.m., Founders Hall Friday, April 24, 7:30 p.m., Founders Hall See the Upper School play that is performed by students in Play Production class and includes sets designed and built by students in Stagecraft class.
Middle School Conferences Wednesday, April 1, UPrep Parents attend student-led conferences to gain insight into the school day and see work done in class.
Upper School Service Day
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Senior Sports Days
Wednesday, April 1, around Seattle
Senior Day Baseball: April 28
Students volunteer for
Senior Day Boys Soccer: May 5
organizations around Seattle,
Senior Day Girls Ultimate: May 7
helping with everything
Senior Day Track & Field: May 15
from cleaning parks and
Toward the end of the regular season, each Senior Day honors
fixing bikes to organizing
and recognizes our senior athletes for their commitment and
clothing donations.
participation to their team and athletic program.
Senior Days Girls Tennis: May 4
8th Grade Showcase and Graduation Thursday, June 11, 6:30 p.m., Pumadome At the culminating event for the 8th grade Capstone intensive, students share their research and design work on products that benefit local non-profits. A graduation ceremony follows the
Spring Visual Arts Showcase
showcase. Congratulations
Thursday, May 7, 5 p.m., Commons
to all of our Pumas and
Celebrate the creative expressions of Middle and Upper School
welcome to Upper School!
students during this showcase of work produced by students enrolled in visual arts courses.
Commencement Sunday, June 14, 6 p.m., McCaw Hall A ceremony to celebrate the class of 2020 before they embark
Global Link Bring-it-Back Thursday, May 7, 5 p.m., Commons
on the next stage of their journeys. Congratulations Pumas: you are now UPrep Alums!
Hear from students who participated in domestic and international travel during the 2019-20 academic year.
Alumni Weekend Friday, July 24, 7:10 p.m., T-Mobile Park Saturday, July 25, 6 p.m., UPrep Join us for a weekend of alumni fun: a Mariners game on Friday, followed by Saturday’s Alumni Party at 6 p.m. and Alumni Class Reunions for class members from 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2015 at 8 p.m.
Middle School Play Thursday, May 7, 11:30 a.m. & 7:30 p.m., Founders Hall See the spring play performed and produced by 7th and 8th grade Stagecraft and Play Production students.
OUR MISSION University Prep is committed to developing each student’s potential to become an intellectually courageous, socially responsible citizen of the world. UPREP MAGAZINE
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UPrep Together Friday, March 6
Please join us for our annual community-wide celebration, benefiting UPrep’s Endowed Financial Aid Fund. Friday, March 6, 2020 Block 41, 6:00 p.m. For reservations and information:
UPrep Together A Community Celebration to Benefit our Financial Aid Endowment
www.universityprep.org/celebration2020 events@universityprep.org 206.832.1107