UPrep Magazine - Winter 2022

VOL. 6 NO. 1

UPrep WINTER 2022

MAGAZINE

(Re)Connect:

Strengthening Community

Introducing UPrep’s New LEAD Program

In this issue: 3

12

5

14

Message from Ronnie Codrington-Cazeau What It Means to Reconnect with Our Community

6

Introducing Strategic Plan 2021: A Bold Vision for the Future

8

The ULab: Transforming Our Campus for the Future

New Program Fosters Upper School Community

16

Belonging Matters: Five Community Members Share Their Learning

Middle School Club Program Connects Students to Each Other

21

15

Show Your Work: Talking Tours in Spanish Class

New Members Reinforce Community Values

On the Bookshelf

22 24

Show Your Work: Students Learn Collaboration Skills

OUR MISSION University Prep is committed to developing each student’s potential to become an intellectually courageous, socially responsible citizen of the world.

26

Community Driven: Alumni Who Cultivate Relationships

30

In the Arts

34

Puma Athletics Return

38

39

Alumni News

40

Faculty and Staff News

42

Class Notes

45

Upcoming Events

Above: The Upper School Play Production and Stagecraft classes presented The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee in November.

Front cover: Max Rubenstein, 11th grade; Hermona Hadush, 12th grade; Julia Cappio, 11th grade; and Parisa Harvey, 12th grade, are designing and leading a new Upper School program called LEAD; read about LEAD on page 12.

Puma Fund: A Record-Breaking Success

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Ronnie Codrington-Cazeau, HEAD OF SCHOOL Richard Kassissieh, ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL FOR ACADEMICS AND STRATEGIC INITIATIVES

Susan Lansverk, ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL FOR FINANCE AND OPERATIONS

Jennifer Zell, PRESIDENT

Geoff Buscher

Sujal Patel

Van Katzman, VICE PRESIDENT

Juli Cook

Tori Ragen

Mark Britton, TREASURER

Elizabeth (Liffy) Franklin

Timothy Richey

Charisse Cowan-Pitre,

Jason Froggatt ’87

Cheryl Scott

SECRETARY

Terry Froggatt

Andrew Selby

Lisa Bontje, PARENT GUARDIAN

Michelle Goldberg

Andrea Thoreson

Patricia Landy

Mandira Virmani

Ninevah Lowery

Ronnie CodringtonCazeau, EX OFFICIO

ASSOCIATION CO-PRESIDENT

Tracy Pozil, PARENT GUARDIAN ASSOCIATION CO-PRESIDENT

Ric Anderson

Scotland Nash

Joel Sohn, DIRECTOR OF UPPER SCHOOL Susie Wu, DIRECTOR OF MIDDLE SCHOOL

PARENT GUARDIAN ASSOCIATION

Catherine Blundell, DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT

Co-Presidents: Lisa Bontje, Tracy Pozil

Kelly Herrington, DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE

Upper School Vice President: Jennifer Sill

COUNSELING AND STUDENT SERVICES

Middle School Vice President: Michele Miyoshi

Mary Beth Lambert, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING

Treasurer: Alexa Crawford

AND COMMUNICATIONS

Secretary: Jenna Sylvester

E-chieh Lin, DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY AND

Past Executive: Ursula Phelan

COMMUNITY AND DIRECTOR OF HIRING

Shavette McGhee, DIRECTOR OF ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT

UPrep

M AGAZINE

Governance Committee: Myndee Ronning Advancement Liaison: Kendall Burwell Admissions Liaison: Quyen Hamilton Community Service Liaisons: Mary Balmaceda, Nicole Mirchandani Diversity and Community: Jeff Birdsall, Julie Kang Global Programs Liaisons: Shawn Lipton, Tracy Zheng Parent Education: Brigid Britton, Mary Fitzgerald, Dana Northcott

EDITOR Nancy Schatz Alton

Parents for the Arts: Dean Carter, Kate Kerschbaum

CONTRIBUTORS Nancy Schatz Alton, Anne Bingham, Catherine Blundell, Ronnie Codrington-Cazeau, Claire Fallat, Leah Griffin, Richard Kassissieh, Van Katzman, Mary Beth Lambert, Rebecca Moe, Joel Sohn, Susie Wu

12th Grade Reps: Heather Davis, Julie Zirkle

PHOTOGRAPHERS Mary Balmaceda, Eliza Barton, Catherine Blundell, Lucas Davies, Claire Fallat, Abby Formella, Griffin Guthrie, Hermona Hadush, Talia LeVine, Libby Lewis, Catherine McNutt, Kedzie Moe, Rebecca Moe, Dylan Phillips, Hannah Popchuk, Charlotte Pozil, Grace Silverman, Andrew Storey, Samantha Torres

Sports Boosters: Aija Christopher, Karen Faulkner, Kati Pagulayan, Gail Ticeson 11th Grade Reps: Andrea Basinski, Ivy Chen, Jean-Francois Luu 10th Grade Reps: Kimberly Briar, Ninevah Lowery, Robynn Takamiya 9th Grade Reps: Jodi Arnold, Julia Guthrie, Nina Stuyt, Dani Ruthfield 8th Grade Reps: Denise Angelone, Sarah Gray, Aki Tameling 7th Grade Reps: Melissa Donsbach, Paige Hansen-Shankar, Andrea Mari-Crawford 6th Grade Reps: Caitlin Angeloff, Becky Aronchick, Tember Fasulo

COPY EDITOR Miriam Bulmer DESIGNER Anne Bryant Creative © 2022 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.

Instrumental Music Teacher Thane Lewis leads the Chamber Orchestra students.

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Dear UPrep Families and Alumni, I am pleased to introduce our winter

well and are lucky to be able to provide testing for our students,

UPrep Magazine. This fall, we were

faculty, and staff on-site. We have taken our positive cases in stride

delighted to be all together on campus

and worked to mitigate the spread of the virus on our campus.

after a year filled with uncertainty and isolation. When I welcomed our students,

“At UPrep, we have returned to feeling the

faculty, staff, and parents back to

joy that comes from gathering in person.

school, I spoke about the importance of community. I noted that socialization

Our Pumadome has come alive with the

is something we learn by doing and many

sounds of fans cheering on their teams.”

of us have not been social beings in a long time. Finally, I reminded us all that “alone we can do so little;

Just before going to press, we learned of the death of one of our

together we can do so much.” These words, taken from writings

beloved Founders, Christine (Chris) McGarry. Whenever I had the

by Helen Keller, emphasize why we need each other to accomplish

opportunity to chat with Chris, I was always impressed by her

great things.

passion for teaching and for bringing out the best in young people.

At UPrep, we have returned to feeling the joy that comes from gathering in person. Our Pumadome has come alive with the sounds of fans cheering on their teams. Standing in these crowds, I re-embraced the energy caused by a volleyball being smacked across the net or a basketball being dribbled and then swooshing through the basket.

Founders Hall once again contains the sounds of singers, actors, and musical instruments. While watching the live musical performance of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, I found myself tapping my toes in time with the musical numbers and laughing at the comedic dialogue along with the other audience members.

Students call out to each other and hail teachers, and we find ourselves tripping over backpacks left lying in the hallway, just like we used to a year and a half ago. Classrooms are filled with engaged learners. Service projects are piled on the tables in the Commons.

The Library has once again become a learning and social hub.

And I feel compelled to take one more cookie as I smell the freshly baked treats while walking through the Commons at lunchtime.

She loved her profession and worked hard to populate UPrep with passionate teachers who cared about education as much as she did. I will never forget the questions she asked me when it was announced that I would become the next head of school.

She wanted to know why I went into and why I stayed in education.

She wanted to make sure that I really cared about our students.

UPrep is so grateful to our Founders, who had a vision and started the school we all know and love today. We will celebrate the life and legacy of Chris McGarry at a school event later this year.

For now, I simply say thank you, Chris.

I am very excited to give you a glimpse into the future of UPrep in this edition of the magazine. Our new Strategic Plan 2021: A Bold Vision for the Future is revealed in this publication. You can also read the update on our new building, the ULab, scheduled to open in the fall of 2023. Together, these two initiatives will guide us into a very bright future, where we will prepare our students for careers that do not yet exist as they learn how to take risks and be resilient in an unpredictable, ever-evolving world. Please enjoy!

Yes, we still wear masks and try to keep our social distance, students still eat outside, vaccinations are mandated for school attendance (with religious and medical exemptions allowed), and, although visitors are allowed on campus, there are fewer visitors than there used to be. Yet we are together on campus, happy to be united as learners, teachers, and doers.

Ronnie Codrington-Cazeau HEAD OF SCHOOL

This year has also had its challenges. In late November, our campus discovered it was not immune to the power of COVID-19 with the emergence of the highly contagious Omicron variant. We pivoted

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What It Means to Reconnect with Our Community

BY SUSIE WU, MIDDLE SCHOOL DIRECTOR

W

hat a difference it has been to resume our school year in person!

At this time last year, University Prep, like all other schools, was grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic and dire social issues. Many of us were grieving for lost friends and loved ones, uncertain of our future and anxious about our finances and disrupted

plans. We missed our in-person community and grasped for the opportunities to take a walk together or play in our athletic pods.

Now that we have had school in person for half of the school year, many of us have enjoyed resuming a sort of normalcy. Our return has also made me realize that the UPrep community is far more than a collection of people in one location. What makes our community vibrant and special is that we engage in the act of weaving together the fabric of our community every day. It’s the act of celebrating and struggling together that makes our community what it is.

I love that what defines our community starts with the simple act of saying good morning to each other.

Each day, I see students being greeted with a boisterous hello or a quiet wave by more than one person

“What makes our community vibrant and special is that we engage in the act of weaving together the fabric of our community every day. It’s the act of celebrating and struggling together that makes our community what it is.”

as they walk through the door. To be known and seen by classmates and adults, especially at the start of a school day, is a heartening statement of who we are as a school.

Then there are the acts of seeking out each other for a purpose. Walking through the hallways and the Commons, I often see teachers reaching out to students with the intent to connect and support.

Sometimes it’s to prevent a student from falling behind in class, but frequently a teacher notices a student who is suffering in silence or needs to talk. What strikes me is the variety of ways that these touchpoints convey a message to the student of “You matter. I see you. How can I help?”

I also believe our struggles define who we are as a community, perhaps even more than our celebrations.

Celebrations are straightforward and bring joy, whether on stage, in the Pumadome, or in classrooms.

But our struggles—how we define what are issues in our community and how we choose to resolve them—demand from us an affirmation of our values and actions. When we lean into our struggles, we strengthen our community. Here are a few questions that we, as adults and students in the school, ask each other: •

Are we inclusive if we casually joke about other people’s sexual orientation or race?

•

Do we have a culture of kindness if we overlook hurtful actions and words between students?

•

Do we have a learning community that can challenge and support students with all learning differences?

Bringing these questions to our community and making the space to discuss them together, we give weight to our values. And, most importantly, we constantly work toward the vision that UPrep truly belongs to all of us.

I am delighted to introduce this issue of the UPrep Magazine and the theme (Re)Connect: Strengthening Community, where you will find articles showcasing a few of the ways that UPrep is building community during the 2021–2022 school year. In articles about the Upper School student-led LEAD program and the Middle School Club program, students share how they are learning to foster connections and develop relationships. Four alumni share how they have created community beyond UPrep. Upper School Director Joel Sohn offers his perspective on what it means to be new to a community. Finally, in a photo essay, five community members share what they have learned about belonging.

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Introducing Strategic Plan 2021: A Bold Vision for the Future

BY RONNIE CODRINGTON-CAZEAU, HEAD OF SCHOOL, RICHARD KASSISSIEH, ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL FOR ACADEMICS AND STRATEGIC INITIATIVES, AND VAN KATZMAN, UPREP TRUSTEE

University Prep is a complex place. Smart, passionate people who are working within a diverse community have many different ideas for how to best guide the school forward. Who are we?

What makes us unique? What are our strengths, and which ones should we further amplify?

Where do we most need to improve? Strategic planning provides the opportunity to think critically about the school and make deliberate choices about our future. Only then may we devote our precious resources to ultimately reach these goals.

Good strategic planning requires four things: leadership, perspective, input, and choices. During the 2020–2021 academic year, we formed a small steering committee for the strategic plan that underscored the partnership between UPrep’s Board of Trustees and the school’s senior leadership. Van Katzman and Jeanette James represented the Board, while Ronnie Codrington-Cazeau and Richard Kassissieh represented senior leadership. After considering seven strong proposals from external consultants, we hired Greenwich Leadership Partners (GLP) for their experience and critical perspective. GLP designed a community survey, which asked families, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and Trustees to evaluate the success of our mission, vision, values, and programs. GLP’s final 300-page report, as well as subsequent staff, leadership, and Board discussions, clarified the most important issues to address in the plan.

The UPrep Strategic Plan 2021 is a living document, intended to be reviewed and refreshed annually to meet the evolving needs of the school. At its core are five guideposts, which serve as principles for future decision-making and help establish the foundation of UPrep’s identity and the implementation of its mission, vision, and values: 6

UPREP MAGAZINE

Belonging: We will cultivate a culture of belonging as an

The final and most important step in strategic planning is its

essential condition for healthy learning and development.

implementation. The first stage was the vote to approve the plan

This means deepening our commitment to diversity, equity, and

by the UPrep Board of Trustees. The Board voted to approve the

inclusion while fostering a range of perspectives and opinions to

plan during their September retreat and then handed it over to

avoid groupthink. It also includes transparency in communications

the head of school and her Senior Leadership Team to turn this

with employees, students, and families to build trust. In addition,

visionary plan into a path of action. To implement this plan,

we will support the social and emotional development of our

we must ask ourselves the following questions:

students, so they graduate from UPrep with the skills and cultural competency needed to navigate their futures.

Who are we and who do we want to be in the Seattle educational marketplace? How can we use the history of

Innovation: We will boldly innovate new academic and

this exceptional school to design the UPrep of the future?

co-curricular programs and practices to create transformative

How will we continue to build on the excellent teaching

experiences, now and into the future. We want innovation to be central to the mindset and DNA of UPrep, whether it’s novel approaches to curriculum (e.g., intensives), leveraging technology to enhance the learning experience, or developing educational opportunities that transcend the walls of UPrep. Our goal is to foster critical thinking, agency, leadership, and other skills with real-world applications. The coming ULab and school expansion presents an extraordinary blank-canvas opportunity, and we aim

and creative curriculum we are already known for? How can we continue to recruit the best and the brightest teachers to not only teach but also mentor our students?

How can we continue to use the world around us to be innovative and prepare our students for a future with jobs that do not yet exist? How can we grow our students’ resilience and their confidence for taking risks?

to strengthen UPrep’s Athletic, Fine Arts, and Club programs in

And finally, how can we continue to be a school where

tandem with this growth.

everyone feels like they belong? How can we continue

Excellence: We will strengthen and evaluate curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment, so that students consistently realize our commitment to educational excellence. This excellence is at

to have challenging dialogues, where we listen to each other’s differing opinions and leave the table respecting each other?

the heart of everything we strive for at UPrep. All new changes to

We have reached a thrilling crossroads in our school’s history and,

the academic program will be viewed through this lens, and we

with guidance from our new strategic plan, can shape and move

will create more opportunities for students to build real-world

our learning community in any direction we choose. We will con-

skills and take curricular risks.

tinue to update you as Strategic Plan 2021: A Bold Vision for the

Talent: We will strategically develop talent to support strong

Future—our map into uncharted territory—moves forward. ■

leadership, excellence in teaching, and organizational capacity.

Our teachers and staff represent one of UPrep’s greatest assets, and we will invest in their continued success, create new opportunities for them to realize their potential, and enhance their ability to collaborate with one another and with our students.

Identity: We will be intentional about who we are, to further elevate UPrep in the Seattle educational market. UPrep generates outstanding graduates who are well rounded and well prepared not only for college but for the ever-changing world in which we live.

U PREP’S NEW VISION The Strategic Planning Steering Committee created a new, forward-thinking vision for the school as part of Strategic Plan 2021. This vision will guide us into our future: University Prep will be the school that redefines educational excellence, in a community where all learners develop the skills, knowledge, and character to thrive in any context.

We will tell our story with purpose and clarity, aligned around the guideposts of Strategic Plan 2021.

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The ULab:

Transforming Our Campus for the Future

BY CATHERINE BLUNDELL, DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT

After years of planning, UPrep’s next chapter is on the horizon: we will begin construction on our new ULab building in just a few short weeks.

Situated across the street from our campus, the ULab will provide new opportunities for students, faculty, and staff. This is a moment that will define UPrep for the next generation and beyond!

Site Work Begins in March Next month, our construction company, Skanska, will install fences to encircle the ULab site in preparation for demolition and construction.

This ensures the safety of our students, adults, and surrounding neighbors during the entirety of the 16-month-long building process.

Our students, faculty, and staff will start to see changes across the street right away. For those who’d like to follow along online, we will post all the latest project and campaign updates on the ULab page of our website, universityprep.org.

We are grateful for our Board of Trustees, Building Committee, and our Assistant Head of School for Finance and Operations, Susan Lansverk, who have worked tirelessly over the past six years to make this vision a reality. Their foresight and commitment to the project every step of the way, coupled with the financial support of our generous donors, will transform the future of University Prep.

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UPREP MAGAZINE

“I am excited to introduce more students, in addition to the Robotics Club, to the larger ULab Makerspace and to see the creativity and innovation that happens there.”

–LOLA ANAND, 10TH GRADE, UPPER SCHOOL ROBOTICS CLUB LEADER

Imagine the possibilities with 39,000 square feet of space:

Expanding Enrollment Completion of the ULab project will allow us to grow our Upper

•

10 new classrooms

School enrollment from 340 to 450 students—a 30 percent

•

Wellness space for PE classes, athletic practices, and dance and yoga classes

increase. This growth will provide our students with a larger social

•

A state-of-the-art 1,123-square-foot Makerspace

for expanded course offerings, clubs, and athletics. We will also

•

Expanded offices for College Counseling, Global and Outdoor Education, and Launchpad, our signature senior project

•

A rooftop deck for outdoor learning and student gathering

•

A large gathering space for community building and collaboration

cohort, diverse perspectives in the classroom, and opportunities increase each Middle School class to up to 96 students per class.

We look forward to inviting more students to join the UPrep community in the fall of 2023!

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David Beitel’s Leadership Leaves a Legacy

Y

ou may know David Beitel as the chief technology officer of Zillow, but he has also worn many hats during his time at UPrep. He and his wife, Joanna, are parents of two UPrep alums, Zack ’17 and Julia ’20. While their children were students, both parents served on numerous committees, volunteered for events, and cheered on the Pumas from the bleachers. As a former Board Chair (serving from 2016–2019), David was integral in the early stages of conceptualizing and planning for the ULab. Even though both children have graduated, David’s commitment to the school has continued and deepened.

He has served as Co-Chair of our ULab Capital Campaign since 2018 and has dedicated countless hours to this effort. In December 2021, David stepped away from his official role and passed the torch to his Co-Chair, Mark Britton, and the committee. We will miss his leadership and want to celebrate all that David has done for the school during his nearly 13 years of service to UPrep. We caught up with David recently to ask his thoughts about the campaign.

What inspired you to lead a campaign for the ULab— an effort from which your children will not directly benefit?

Joanna and I believe in giving legacy gifts to the causes we care deeply about, and UPrep has been one of our top philanthropic priorities for many years. We understand that many UPrep families had given generously in the past so that our children could benefit.

Now it is our turn to pay it forward for future Puma families.

We are excited about how the ULab will support the growth of the school, expand programs, and, most importantly, enhance the student experience.

What has it been like to co-lead a campaign that will transform the future of the school?

The campaign has been exciting because we are truly building the next chapter of UPrep’s future with generous community support.

Many early donors have made significant stretch gifts and, in that sense, it’s been very gratifying and humbling. Being part of the process for UPrep families to learn about the project and become more deeply invested in the school’s future is a great source of pride. I believe passionately in the project and the campaign, so it was easy for me to jump in and help in any way I could to ensure the ULab’s success.

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What has inspired donors to give to the campaign?

Families continue to share their gratitude for UPrep’s leadership, starting with our Head of School Ronnie. Having been through some turbulent times, families feel confident in Ronnie’s vision, appreciate the work of the Trustees, and know the school is in good hands. They can’t say enough about how incredible our faculty and staff are and how hard everyone has worked to keep students learning and growing, despite many unforeseen challenges over the past two years. Families want to see UPrep have the resources it needs to continue to develop students into intellectually curious, socially responsible citizens of the world. Families will also see the benefit to the student experience that will result from growth in the Upper School, including enhanced, project-based, interdisciplinary classes.

What are you looking forward to most when the ULab opens?

The ULab will provide for much-needed growth as UPrep continues to lead the Seattle independent school marketplace. By adding 110 more students in the Upper School, we will provide many more options for classes, clubs, and additional sports, which will attract new families. The building’s open concept and flexible spaces will house our most external-facing programs and classes. It will also help us to further differentiate our Upper School from our Middle School, which will please students and parents alike.

Any final thoughts for our community as you hand the reins to Mark Britton?

Mark and I have a great friendship and I will continue to stay in touch even though I am no longer officially a Co-Chair of the ULab Campaign Committee.

Mark, Ronnie, the Board, and the ULab Campaign Committee have a road map for success, and it will be thrilling to watch the progress as we break ground this spring and strive to close out the final $10 million of the campaign.

I encourage the UPrep community to dig deep to help make this dream a reality!

In appreciation, we are pleased to announce that a space in the ULab will be named in honor of the Beitel family.

UL AB C AM PAIGN COMMIT TEE Mark Britton, CHA I R Catherine Blundell Lisa Bontje Tiffany Carey Ronnie Codrington-Cazeau Andy Cook Mary Beth Lambert Susan Lansverk Dani Ruthfield Andrea Thoreson Jennifer Zell

ULab Campaign Making Strong Progress The ULab is the largest building project undertaken by the school since construction of the Commons Building in 1990. Funding this project gives our parents, grandparents, alumni, and friends the chance to support the completion of our campus master plan and to invest in our students, who, strengthened by their UPrep education, will transform the future. The ULab Capital Campaign gives our donors the opportunity to come together as a community to ensure that the next generations of Pumas thrive.

With a total goal of $25 million, this campaign presents the largest fundraising effort in the school’s history. A project of this magnitude will ultimately need the investment of every member of our community to be successful. Thanks to the early support of our Trustees and 59 additional major-gift-level donors, we have raised $15.2 million to date!

It Will Take a Village Over the next year and a half, we will ask every member of our Puma community to consider joining us with a contribution to the campaign, but it will take us some time to meet with everyone.

The ULab Campaign Committee will continue their conversations with families through the spring and summer. Once we’ve reached the appropriate stage in our fundraising, we’ll invite all UPrep families to participate during the community phase of the campaign.

If you feel ready to make a pledge now, please contact Catherine Blundell in the Advancement Office. ■

Susan Lansverk, David Beitel, Ronnie Codrington-Cazeau, Mark Britton, and Catherine Blundell on the future site of the ULab.

GROUNDBREAKING C EREMONY Stay tuned for more details about our exciting ULab groundbreaking on March 4. It will be a moment in UPrep’s history to be celebrated and recorded for posterity.

Although in-person attendance will be limited, there will be an opportunity for all to watch the ceremony online.

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“These conversations give students the opportunity to reflect on their identities, the experiences they have had, and how those experiences affect the perspectives they have on issues.”

—HERMONA HADUSH, 12TH GRADE

Left to right: Parisa Harvey, Julia Cappio, English Teacher Angie Yuan, Max Rubenstein, and Hermona Hadush.

New Program Fosters Upper School Community

BY MARY BETH LAMBERT, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

T

his fall, a new Upper School program called LEAD (Listen, Engage, Acknowledge, and Discuss) was launched. Designed to replace Community Conversations, which was co-led with adults, LEAD is entirely student-run by peer facilitators. It takes place once a month during advisory when students gather in assigned grade-level groups for facilitated conversations.

UPrep Magazine sat down with Julia Cappio, 11th grade; Hermona Hadush, 12th grade; Parisa Harvey, 12th grade; and Max Rubenstein, 11th grade, the four students who are designing and leading LEAD. We learned more about their goals

and how they hope it will foster community at UPrep. This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

What are your goals for the LEAD program this year?

Max: One of our biggest goals was to have a bit more coherence to the program throughout the year than we felt like we had with Community Conversations. This year, each conversation is going to have a focus on a different aspect of a person’s identity with thematic topics. It’s an opportunity for students to hear ideas about real-world issues from their peers outside of a classroom setting.

Julia: A lot of our students are very aware of what’s happening around the world. I think UPrep does a good job of encouraging people to care about issues. However, I don’t think that UPrep typically gives students an opportunity to constructively talk about those issues.

LEAD is an opportunity for students to have hard conversations in a monitored and constructive setting.

Parisa: I think we often fall into an echo chamber, bouncing the same ideas around and not exploring nuances. We hope that LEAD will create a space where people who have different opinions can feel included in the conversation.

Max: Our goal is to open up the doors a little bit in the time that we’re given and introduce these topics and get people thinking.

If people leave with more questions than answers, that’s totally OK. We want people to wonder about issues that are prevalent in the world that they haven’t really thought about before.

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How do you create a safe and supportive space for this type of conversation?

Julia: There are two things that each group does at the beginning of every conversation: we have space for a land acknowledgement and space to set or review principles and intentions.

Hermona: I have learned that to be a leader, you need to be passionate, be a good listener, and be caring.

Max: I have learned problem-solving and people skills. Within our team, we don’t always agree on everything. Something I’ve been working on is when someone has an idea that’s conflicting with

Parisa: We assume that everyone has good intentions for what

mine, I shut my mouth and try to listen and understand the other

they’re trying to say, but not everyone has the right words to

person.

articulate how they’re feeling. [Reviewing principles and setting intentions] makes it possible to call each other into the conversation.

Principles that we hope groups will have are respect and speaking from the “I” point of view. Honoring confidentiality is also essential.

Parisa: As a student journalist, I love talking to people, asking them questions, and hearing their opinions. I learned I was looking to create spaces where people could be comfortable with being uncomfortable. ■

Hermona: It is important to have an open mind. Not everyone is going to have the same perspective or opinion on an issue.

These conversations give students the opportunity to reflect on their identities, the experiences they have had, and how those experiences affect the perspectives they have on issues.

Max: It really ties into the “socially responsible” piece of the school’s mission. I think what’s cool about our school that I don’t see in a lot of other places is that we have programs like LEAD and SEL (Social Emotional Learning) where we are talking about the bigger picture and our social-emotional health. And I think that’s what makes UPrep a great community: we’re not just focused on the educational aspects and sports; we’re also focused on the human aspect.

Please tell our readers about the two LEAD conversations that have taken place so far.

Hermona: The first conversation was focused on leadership.

We think there is a great misconception about what a leader is,

HELPING OUR STUDENTS LEAD

what they look like, and how they should act. We wanted to show

Upper School English Teacher Angie Yuan serves as the adult

people that leaders can be anybody in the room—including them!

advisor for LEAD. She joined UPrep a year ago from the University

We watched a Drew Dudley TED Talk about leadership (“Everyday

School of Milwaukee when her family moved to Seattle. “I was

Leadership: The Lollipop Moment”) and then discussed it in our

seeking a school that looked at education through the lens of

groups. The second conversation was about the term “political

social justice, and a place where students think about who they

correctness” and how it can impact our voices. Students were asked

are in relation to what they are learning, and UPrep fits those

to think about contexts in which they felt empowered to use their

criteria,” she said.

voices, and contexts and situations where they did not, and why.

Julia: Something that the first conversation lacked was different

Angie meets weekly with the four student leaders to plan topics for the conversations, brainstorm discussion questions for the

perspectives because the TED Talk was just one person. With the

peer facilitators, and discuss the feedback and observations

second conversation, we were able to use The Seattle Times video

following each monthly conversation. “LEAD is an opportunity

series “Under Our Skin” that included a variety of people who

for students to be able to talk about something that matters to

had different views about political correctness. I thought that

them without it being graded and evaluated and to speak

was valuable because people were able to draw from a diverse

authentically,” she said. “I think more and more in our lives,

range of opinions.

we don’t have opportunities to do that with each other.”

What have you learned about yourself through participating in LEAD?

all Upper School faculty about the discussion “in the hopes that

Julia: Something that I’ve learned about myself is how collaborative

there may be opportunities to cross-pollinate conversations that

leadership is. When I was little, I thought that I could be the leader

happen in LEAD with activities or discussions going on in their

of a room all alone. I’ve learned that everyone’s opinion is just as

own classes.”

Following each monthly conversation, Angie sends an email to

important as my opinion.

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Photos above, left to right: Building siege weapon models in Ancient and Historical Weapons Club; Dance Club; Addie Streat co-leads Ancient and Historical Weapons Club.

Middle School Club Program Connects Students to Each Other

BY NANCY SCHATZ ALTON, WRITER /EDITOR

M

ore than 20 Middle School clubs meet every week.

Most club meetings include presentations and discussions of three

There are several standing clubs that convene under

weapons. “What I really love about weapons is the ingenuity and

the guidance of a faculty member, such as Debate Club.

the creativity behind them,” said Addie. “It’s sort of like examining

Other clubs are created through student interest. Students come up

a great piece of literature; if it’s an absurd failure, you learn about

with an idea for a club, arrange for an adult advisor, and promote

what went wrong.”

their club during weekly student announcements. Through the

Jin said that co-running the club has helped develop and test his

lens of three student-created clubs, here’s how clubs build community and grow student leadership skills.

leadership abilities, along with teaching him how to productively plan engaging content and an appropriate schedule for each meet-

Kickball Club, run by 6th grade students Zinedine Smith and Logan

ing. Addie said she is learning how to manage time effectively and

Smith, builds our community by letting all grade levels participate

how she can help club members engage and have fun. In the name

in a game where everyone is supportive of each other, said club

of fun, the club enjoyed making Popsicle stick renditions of siege

advisor and Assistant Athletic Director Jonathan Kim. “I see first-

weapons in late November.

hand how Kickball Club builds leadership skills,” he said. “They delegate directions to club members, and even 8th graders take notice and listen to our leaders.”

They said it’s liberating to have a chance to take control through leading a club.

As a co-leader, Logan notices how his actions affect others. “If you yell, people get kind of angry, but if you are nice, they are more

Dance Club, led by Lucinda Roraback, 7th grade, helps students

likely to listen and have fun,” he said.

build confidence, explore creative artistry, and collaborate with

Co-leader Zinedine relishes getting to decide what to do, although leadership is not always easy. “It’s like Whac-A-Mole: you sort out one problem and another one comes up,” he said. Both Logan and Zinedine like getting to know new people through playing kickball.

Ancient and Historical Weapons Club, run by 8th grade students Jin Hyun and Addie Streat, has about 25 student attendees per meeting, said club advisor and History Teacher Gus Feliu. “We encourage club members to develop presentations to share with the whole club, and I think that’s a great opportunity to develop leadership skills,” he said. “I’m looking forward to hearing from more students and watching them come into their own as presenters and discussion leaders.”

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peers, said advisor and Fine Arts and PE Teacher Jess Klein.

“The community and confidence students create and feel while dancing transfers into other areas of their lives,” Jess said.

During meetings, students stretch, warm up, and practice dance technique while learning choreography in diverse styles. After a cooldown, Lucinda leads a guided meditation. They said it’s liberating to have a chance to take control through leading a club. “As a student, you spend all day doing what other people want you to do. There is nothing more freeing to me than to guide a meditation or help pick out the music for club with Ms. Klein,” they said. “Our days and lives are very hectic, and having a space that nourishes us while we are having fun is amazing.” ■

New Members Reinforce Community Values

BY JOEL SOHN, DIRECTOR OF UPPER SCHOOL

It’s not easy being new. As a kid in a military family, I was frequently the new kid in a neighborhood or school and on a team. No matter how many times I was new, it didn’t feel like it got any easier. I might have felt like I could better predict what challenges lay ahead, but the truth was that being new meant starting relationships all over again.

Relationships are the one thing

in Transforming Pandemic Education.” Another group wrote,

that is necessary for any com-

“Resilient Educators Add Breath of Fresh Air.” One that stuck out

munity to thrive, and those

to me said, “Community, Connection, Collaboration.” In each

relationships need to be based

of those headlines, I read a desire to feel supported by peers and

on a shared sense of mutual

key leaders, trusted by colleagues to teach the students well,

responsibility. This concept,

and a need to make a meaningful impact on our community.

mutual responsibility, suggests that we must admit we need one another, which, in turn, suggests vulnerability. Maybe that’s when strong communities arise—when we admit that something missing from the

“Maybe that’s when strong communities arise—when we admit that something missing from the individual can only be found in others.”

individual can only be found in others.

I imagine those feelings are not unique to only the new members

When I arrived at UPrep, I said that change is inevitable, but

of our school but reside in all of us. Perhaps that is why we con-

it was how we changed together that would be testament to the

tinually build communities and seek out others. So, as the year

strength of this community. When we join together and share a

continues, I have challenged the UPrep faculty and staff to find

vision of what we can be—a community of integrity and respect

connections with as many new individuals as possible. We can

and responsibility—then we become resilient no matter what

do this through inviting people to join in conversations we are

happens and no matter who else joins our community. Newness

already having and by saying yes to someone who asks, “Do you

doesn’t mean those values go away or are mutable, rather that we

have a second?” I think genuine connection is the only antidote

find new members to reinforce and recommit all of us to those

to what ails a seemingly fragmented and fractious society. It’s the

values each year.

centerpiece of the table at which we all sit. ■

When new faculty, staff, or students join us, I ask myself, “What is it that this person is bringing to UPrep and what will make them have a sense of belonging?” How can we co-create and let new people take joint ownership of this community?

I think this happens when each of us recognizes that we’re united by shared values.

I think about the educators we’ve welcomed to UPrep this year and wonder what it is like for each of them to come together in support of one another, to create trust where none existed, and to offer opportunities to forge a sense of belonging for themselves and our students. During the new faculty/staff orientation, they gathered in small groups to vision-board what a future headline about their cohort would say. One read, “Cohort 46 Leads the Way WINTER 2022

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Belonging Matters: Five Community Members Share Their Learning

BY NANCY SCHATZ ALTON, WRITER /EDITOR

Spending time physically apart due to the global pandemic highlighted how much place-based community matters to each of us. We missed the cacophony created by students rushing to the Commons for lunch or cheering for each other in the Pumadome, and the chance encounters in the hallways that allow us to catch our lives up with each other.

This fall, we were jubilant and sometimes slightly awkward as we came together to continue to strengthen our UPrep community. On these pages, two teachers, two students, and a staff member share their thoughts on building community during the 2021–2022 school year.

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Paul Fleming

Fine Arts Teacher & Th

eatre Manager

TIERREZ U G S E D R LOU eacher School Math T Middle & Upper

“The essential ingredient for a community is trust. In theatre classes, trust is essential so students will feel free to make mistakes and express themselves in unconventional ways. Many Americans tend to mask their emotions. In a theatre class, I encourage students to take risks. Therefore, acting exercises I implement in class include relaxation warm-ups, concentration games, guided imagery, and trust exercises. I always assure my students that I wouldn’t ask them to do anything I wouldn’t do or haven’t done in my theatre training. The other key to creating a caring community is emotional, verbal, and physical support. We can give that support to each other by being unafraid to approach each other, to be open, and to sit by others in need and offer support through listening. When I teach acting, I am teaching students to listen, because true listening creates honest reactions in rehearsal and in performance. My foundational truth in acting is that actors don’t act, they react. I believe that to listen and honestly respond to one another relates to every element of our lives.”

“Community all comes back to having a sense of belonging.

I keep flashing back to when I first took a tour of the school before I applied for the job. I felt that sense of belonging as I walked through the doors. Whenever I teach, I always try to create that sense of community. I do a lot of verbal check-ins with Middle School students. I call it the two-word mash-up, like give me your favorite drink and the last music you listened to that really moved you. Or I do emoji check-ins: pick an emoji and tell me why you chose it. I’m interested in what they have to say and how they are feeling. In Upper School classes, I do paper check-ins by putting a question inside a box on quizzes or tests. I like to poll my students on popular culture: is Billie Eilish still relevant? Learning their lingo helps build community.”

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KATRINA M ENSHUTK INA SENIOR, VA RSITY VOLLEYBA

“Transparency and having everyone be on the same page are key ingredients to building community. Before we play every game, each player says their goal for the game, and we cheer on everyone after they say their goal. After the game, we huddle up and everyone says something positive about everyone else. Even if we lost, some people still had the best game they’ve ever played. It feels good to have everyone notice that success. It also builds support and safety; even if you didn’t play well, other people played well and being proud of each other is important. I can really tell other students care and are willing to support each other, especially this year. I often do my best work when I’m surrounded by other people—when my teammates and fans and my coaches cheer me on—it’s a really warm feeling that I won’t forget.”

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LL PLAYER

g patricky Prkogin M ram anager

Diversity & Comm

unit

“The layout of our Diversity and Community Office feels intentional: the first thing you see is space for students to meet, which lends itself to people wanting to communicate.

It feels like you are coming into someone’s living room on campus. It’s a place where you can just be you and be present; you can do homework and chat or, on a Friday afternoon, turn the TV on and hang out. It’s been incredible to see how just offering physical space creates community and how students have been able to find and create relationships just by being in proximity with each other. Even the name— Diversity and Community—is about the intentionality of pairing those two pieces together. Every element of our office is about building community and preparing our community to change and to grow. Our community is not as diverse as it could be. We are always working to build cultural competency, so we can be more welcoming and open and hold space for the folks that are in our community now and for the ones who are not yet in our community.”

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“I think jazz is the best class for me. It’s where I can express more of my feelings. It’s much easier to translate my feelings into music than into words. I love playing drums and being the person who keeps everyone in check and in line—with music instead of words. I really enjoy Mr. Parker’s company and being taught by him. He’s a comfortable person to be around, and he says we can ask him anything one-on-one, and sometimes I take him up on that. To create community, I think you need safe people in your community to put you up and not put you down.” ■

tr avis tice son 8th grade, Drum mer in Jazz Band

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“To create community, I think you need safe people in your community to put you up and not put you down.”

ON THE BOOKSHELF

BY ANNE BINGHAM AND LEAH GRIFFIN, UPREP LIBRARIANS

Students are back in the library! Some students are now spending their time in the library sitting across from each other over a chessboard.

Other students gather around to discuss game strategy or as moral support for a player. A community has built up around a tactile game of strategy from the 15th century! Our featured books center on building communities through shared interests.

All In: An Autobiography

By Billie Jean King This book looks at building communities through inclusion. In her newly published autobiography, Billie Jean King recounts the exclusion she experienced as a tennis player who fought to include women in sports. At UPrep today, 53 percent of our student athletes identify as female. This was unthinkable when Billie Jean began playing. Through her contributions to Title IX—a federal civil rights law passed in 1972 that prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or education program that receives federal money—Billie Jean paved the way for these young athletes. Today, Puma female athletes excel in sports, receive athletic scholarships, and inspire our community.

King’s book is an emotional and powerful account of a life that made that possible.

Please Don’t Sit on My Bed in Your Outside Clothes: Essays

By Phoebe Robinson This book asks the question, how much space do you take up? Phoebe Robinson has been all over television and podcasts as a humorist and cultural commentator. Her most recent collection of essays is a hilarious and poignant look at pop culture, opportunities for women, and performative allyship. She delves into the power of community in social justice movements, and the space White people take up in those movements. Older Pumas and adults will laugh and learn.

Down from the Mountain: The Life and Death of a Grizzly Bear

By Bryce Andrews This book examines being in community with nature. UPrep alumni Bryce Andrews ’01 is a cattle rancher in Montana. He wrote the beautiful and heartbreaking story of Millie, a grizzly bear whose habitat has been slowly winnowed away by human encroachment. Bryce describes a stunning landscape where the human tendency is to dominate nature rather than be in community with it.

Readers will enjoy what Outside magazine calls an “ode to wildness and wilderness.”

The School for Good and Evil Series

By Soman Chainani This title shows how differences make a community stronger. The School for Good and Evil series, soon to be a Netflix series, is the most popular set of books on campus. Students are finding common ground with Sophie and Agatha, two protagonists who maintain a strong friendship while being absolute opposites. They work together to defeat an unknown force and use their opposite skill sets to support each other. Middle School students will be drawn in by this fast-paced series as they learn that community benefits from members’ differences. ■

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SHOW YOUR WORK

Talking Tours in Spanish Class

BY NANCY SCHATZ ALTON, WRITER /EDITOR

The Class: Spanish B for 7th Grade Students The Middle School Spanish curriculum is designed for students to explore the language in a three-year sequence. Students learn basic to intermediate conversational skills, fundamental grammar, and vocabulary, and undertake level-appropriate reading and writing activities while making natural comparisons to their own language and culture. Students practice memorization techniques, recognition of cognates, and pattern identification. Supplemental materials introduce students to how the language varies in different parts of the world, as well as among native speakers in the United States. Students learn songs and poems, write and perform short skits, play games, cook traditional dishes, complete a variety of cultural and linguistic projects, and celebrate holidays and customs of the Hispanic world. (Description is from course syllabus.)

The Task: Talking Tours to Learn Conversational Spanish In Spanish B for 7th grade students, Spanish Teacher Jacob Taylor-Mosquera says one of his goals is for students to feel confident about having conversations all in Spanish with each other by the December holiday break. During Talking Tours, which happen once or twice a week, the students make basic conversation in the present tense, speaking all Spanish outside of class in the Lower Commons or outside if the weather is nice. The students each have a “convo helper,” a sheet of paper with phrases and words to help them make conversation. If an adult speaks to them, they need to speak to the adult in Spanish, too. Jacob rotates the groups of two or three students every seven or eight minutes.

The Outcomes According to Jacob, Talking Tours are the tangible results from classroom community-building efforts.

“My kids won’t feel comfortable speaking exclusively in Spanish if they haven’t built some rapport with their classmates. This is why I don’t invite them on Talking Tours within the first month of school,” he said. In preparation, students build up their vocabulary and understanding of the grammatical concepts.

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GET TO KNOW TEACHER JACOB TAYLOR-MOSQUERA Spanish Teacher Jacob Taylor-Mosquera studied international relations and Spanish, then public policy in Latin America. He got a taste of teaching while in the Peace Corps. Upon his return in 2011, he taught Spanish for two years at the Annie Wright Schools before he began teaching at UPrep. “Teaching Spanish is a way for me to have a daily connection to my biological family and culture in Colombia.

I’ve worked hard to reclaim the language and I love finding ways to get my students excited about it,” said Jacob, who has a BA from Pacific Lutheran University, an MA from Universiteit Leiden in the Netherlands, and a graduate certificate in public administration from Seattle University. Jacob was appointed to the King County Immigrant and Refugee Commission in 2021, and the Spanish version of his memoir, I Met Myself in October, is being published this year.

“The essential ingredient for building community is trust. We spend

practicing verbs and vocab that has interactive team or individual

a lot of time getting to know each other at the beginning of the

games], and I think that helps prepare us for the Talking Tours,”

year. There are lots of games and icebreakers to make sure they feel

he said. “Most of our class is comfortable speaking in the Talking

comfortable speaking to each other in English first. Ideally, they’ll

Tours because we know we don’t have to be perfect; it’s about

feel less intimidated to do so in Spanish eventually,” said Jacob.

the efforts we make. No one minds switching partners because

He believes it’s important to build community in any class. “I see

everyone is kind and trusts the teacher to put us in groups that

the classroom as a smaller version of our larger school community.

we work well in.”

Students need to feel welcome and supported, and they also need

Still, Zoe noted that the Talking Tours were extremely difficult for

to feel OK with making mistakes in Spanish. I want them to feel

her at first. “But, as we continue, I find myself feeling more confi-

comfortable around each other and me before they are asked to

dent speaking in the language,” she said. “The tours also provide

go on the Talking Tours,” said Jacob.

a fun and different way for me to connect with my peers while learning more about Spanish. I’ve learned what celebrities my peers

“I see the classroom as a smaller version of our larger school community. Students need to feel welcome and supported, and they also need to feel OK with making mistakes in Spanish.”

–Spanish Teacher Jacob Taylor-Mosquera

would invite to a fancy dinner and why they think learning about Spanish is important. We’ve talked about our families and friends, and hobbies we enjoy. Talking Tours have created a unique community in my class.”

Jacob’s intended outcome is for his students to truly understand that Spanish should not just stay in Spanish class. “They should become more accustomed to speaking it with their friends at lunch,

Student Zoe Mirchandani said Profe Jacob, as the students call

in the hallways, in other classes, at the dinner table with siblings

him, creates a very cheerful and accepting classroom environment.

who also take it, etc. It has to become immediately and sustainably

“He provides a structure to the class but also lets us take time to

relevant for them. If the opposite is true, then I’m not doing my

socialize, which helps make Spanish very enjoyable,” she said.

job,” he said.

“In 6th grade and this year, we had many opportunities to talk in Spanish with each other. By the time our first tour came up, I felt confident enough to be able to have a genuine conversation with my peers.”

Jacob tells his students people learn a language to speak it out in the world. “It makes so much sense, especially if we are serious about living our mission of being intellectually courageous and socially responsible citizens who are thinking about the world

Student Dev Parikh thinks Profe Jacob builds community in the

beyond Seattle. Language has to, and gets to, be part of living

classroom through being an energetic teacher who makes everyone

this mission,” he said. ■

feel at ease. “In our class, we do a lot of Quizlets [a website for

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SHOW YOUR WORK

Students Learn Collaboration Skills

BY NANCY SCHATZ ALTON, WRITER /EDITOR

The Class: Geometry A: Foundations of Plane Geometry for 9th and 10th Grade Students Students use an inferential approach to problem-solving to build a foundation in geometry. Through investigations of parallel lines, triangles, quadrilaterals, and circles, students make conjectures about the nature of these shapes and search out evidence to support their ideas. Students use both physical representations of diagrams and dynamic geometric software to explore the relationships present in geometric figures. (Description is from course syllabus.)

The Task: Collaborate with Classmates to Learn Geometry Math Teacher Kira Rivera says geometry is built for collaboration and exploration. Geometry A is not a traditional lecture-based course; it’s a self-paced course designed to include both two-person and smallgroup collaboration. Before Kira teaches the material from each unit, students explore it on their own and in small groups. First, students do an exploration to discover the patterns they will use to solve problems for that unit. Then, Kira teaches the unit in the traditional front-of-the-classroom lecture style.

During the next class period, they practice the material covered in the previous class to solidify the learning.

They use a non-graded online practice tool in a program called IXL that helps gauge their level of understanding. “As soon as a student gets a mastery score of 80 percent, I pair them with a student who is struggling to comprehend the material. Then the two students work together on IXL,” said Kira.

Next, she places the students in small groups, and they work together on the online curriculum program for the unit.

The Outcomes During the exploration part of each unit, student Josie Barnes, 9th grade, interprets and figures out the material on her own and with her classmates. “I think [this exploration] helps me when Ms. Rivera explains the unit in depth later,” she said.

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UPREP MAGAZINE

Student Bethania Bahru, 9th grade, believes this self and group exploration is a good introduction to the topic. “It’s more challenging. When Ms. Rivera explains the topic and then you get to do the unit work, I calm down as I begin to better understand the material,” said Bethania. “Ms. Rivera prepares us because we work through the easier units first, so when we get to the harder work, it is easier to explore on our own and in groups.”

When a student teaches their learning to another student, they are further developing their skills. “Some studies show that one of the best ways to learn something is to actually teach it,” said Kira.

“For the student who hasn’t started to master the skill, they learn more as I teach the unit and as they practice through homework and further group collaboration in class, and eventually they get to mastery of a new skill.”

Kira tells her students that she believes collaboration is one of the best ways to learn, and that it’s also a necessary skill to work together in teams—even if you would prefer to work alone. “I tell them there is no place in their future where you will not work with other people. Even if you are a self-made person, you need to rely on someone else for something,” she said.

When she studied psychology as an undergraduate, Kira learned that relationships change your brain the most. “Our students need to practice collaboration; it’s good for them. Collaboration is one of the layers of good learning. If this space feels safe for my students—not just between the two of us, teacher and student, but between and among peers—then this will be a good learning environment,” she said. “As a teacher, it’s my job to fix the chemistry of a group when it’s off. I also learn a lot more about how my students are learning when they are working in pairs or groups than when I am lecturing and they are quiet.”

Bethania said that when she works alone, she might be able to do the work, but she misses out on learning different types of knowledge. “Another student might have a different approach or process

GET TO KNOW TEACHER KIRA RIVERA

that will help me understand the unit more,” she said. “We can

Teacher Kira Rivera majored in psychology because she wanted to

both bring our strengths to each other so we can help each other.”

This fall, Bethania and Josie worked on their first convincing argument (CA) together. A CA is a type of Upper School math assessment unique to UPrep. This is a way for students to demonstrate what they know by showing the math and explaining their work in words.

Josie noted that creating a CA involves teaching the process of

help people process their emotions and overcome their fears. She decided to put her passion for helping people into practice in the classroom. “Teaching math has become one of my greatest passions.

I love helping people see themselves grow and learn that they can accomplish hard things. As a math instructor, I get to make the material palatable for the students, and in the process the students get to see themselves accomplish something they’ve never done before. Learning math requires students to understand that there

doing the computational work. “When Ms. Rivera grades our

is much to know, and lots of room to grow, both intellectually and

convincing arguments, she’s using our process to check our work,

conceptually,” said Kira, who has a BA from Barnard College and

and, in a way, we are teaching her,” she said.

earned her teacher’s certification through a program called Teaching

This way of learning through exploration and collaboration is also

Excellence in Houston. In high school, Kira loved musical theatre.

setting up the students for future learning, in Upper School and

During her senior year, she performed as Marcy Park in The 25th

beyond. “It’s preparing us for the units and years to come,” said

Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and she was thrilled to see

Josie. “In Middle School, teachers are showing and telling us what

many of her students performing in the same play in November.

to do. In Upper School, the teachers are helping us be more independent in our learning.” ■ WINTER 2022

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Community Driven:

Left to right: Prashant; Phoenix Lim-Bassallo and Prashant lead students in a UPrep dance class in fall 2021.

Alumni Who Cultivate Relationships

BY NANCY SCHATZ ALTON, WRITER /EDITOR

During this time of coming back together, we spoke with UPrep alumni who help build and sustain communities. Each of the following alumni shared details about their passion and skills for bringing people together, along with how UPrep prepared them for their life journeys.

Prashant Naidu ’12 left the tech field almost two years ago to pursue a career in the arts. He’s an artist and music producer who creates sound-healing blends and dance music. He also teaches UPrep students how to use digital audio workstations to compose, record, and mix music during the Dragonfly Studio Music Production Club on Wednesday afternoons. When he was a student at UPrep, Prashant co-founded the 206 Revolution Dance Club, with Phoenix Lim-Bassallo ’12 and Trevor Vassallo ’12; a version of the club still exists today.

behind the scenes. I think a lot of my instinct for that comes from

Why did you decide to pursue a career in the arts?

the second Step Up movie. We got a super-intense standing ovation

I’ve been producing music since late high school. My friend Tony

with everyone screaming. That was the start of my addiction to

Walls ’11 was messing around with some production tools in a

performance arts. I love the energy exchange with the audience,

practice room; he had me improvise on some electronic instruments

that social dopamine.

to add to his song. I was really fascinated by the process, so I began to learn the tools for myself. I’ve been a close observer of the electronic music industry from an early age and I had the financial comfort of my software development background, so it didn’t feel super scary to jump into the field. With my artistic brand, I aim to bring mindfulness and dance music cultures together sonically.

being an entertainer/performance artist and being able to feel the audience so directly. I am also applying to graduate school so I can get my license to be a mental health counselor. I imagine my career combining music, software, and mental health counseling.

What’s your favorite UPrep memory?

It’s when Phoenix and I did our first duo dance performance on Music Day in 8th or 9th grade. Phoenix was a much more expressive and confident performer and really brought this side out of me as well. We work well together: she inspires the artistry and I’m good at figuring out the smaller nuanced details. We performed four or five pieces from different choreographers, with the last one from

How did UPrep prepare you for your career and life journey?

It was a very safe and supportive place, with many resources available to students. UPrep offers you a big palette with all the paint brushes you need to discover who you are. Our grade generally had a lot of creative and artistic people, which helped me discover my own sense of play and creativity. I was inspired by the bright light

Please explain your mission statement, which really focuses

energy of [Dance and PE Teacher] Jess Klein; she ushered me into

on community building.

performance arts. I loved talking philosophy with Dr. Narasimhan;

My personal mission is to spread happiness, connect with people,

I can’t even remember specifically what we’d talk about, but those

and create spaces for people to connect. While working in the tech

conversations felt emotionally and intellectually engaging and infor-

industry, I realized that I derived more happiness from forming

mative. I feel like UPrep’s community-oriented emphasis went well

connections with clients rather than solving a larger-scale problem

beyond how well prepared we were academically for college.

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UPREP MAGAZINE

Left to right: Linnea playing at the National Championships; Linnea (on the right) and her twin sister, Alissa, celebrate winning the National Championships.

Linnea Soo ’14 plays on the Seattle-area Ultimate Frisbee team, BFG, that won the National Championships (mixed division) last fall in San Diego. She started playing this sport as a first-year in high school. Last spring, she coached the UPrep Varsity Girls Ultimate team. Linnea lives in Seattle with her twin sister, Alissa Soo ’14, and Alissa’s partner and their dog, Annie. She is a program manager at Success Cohorts, an organization dedicated to supporting first-generation college graduates, working parents, and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) in their careers and lives.

and every game has a spirit score that evaluates how we interact with one another. It’s also a sport that considers the full person.

In my community, important topics are not siloed from the game, but integral to how we play the game. My team has been on a long journey that has included having open and honest conversations

Why are you passionate about playing Ultimate?

about race, gender, and identity to ensure everyone feels welcome

I can’t help but smile to think about my experiences of being

and can truly feel like they belong on our team.

coached by [Physics Teacher] Moses Rifkin. The team was a

How has the pandemic changed your outlook on community?

welcoming and safe place for me to try something new; I’d never played before and I ended up playing for all four years. Playing at UPrep opened doors for me to coach youth teams, make lifelong friends, and eventually try out for national teams. Moses did an amazing job of providing a space that celebrated the athlete and full person. He pushed us to be better players while also supporting us when we were dealing with challenges.

“Playing at UPrep opened doors for me to coach youth teams, make lifelong friends, and eventually try out for national teams.”

I learned that community is not a stagnant thing, but an action— you must proactively work to maintain and build community. I also think you need to build structures that make communities safe spaces for everyone, especially marginalized people. Community is really its strongest when we identify some common goals, whether they be to create a safe space where people can be vulnerable, or career development, or winning a national championship.

How do you think UPrep prepared you for your career and life journey?

I was a quiet, shy child and my parents were excited for me to attend UPrep because it was a small, supportive school. I learned how to ask for help, which is often hard for people in marginalized

What have you learned about community through

communities, and that really has helped in college and my career.

playing Ultimate?

I also learned how to convey my thoughts on paper and how to

Ultimate has this unique element called “spirit of the game.”

speak up about my passions. I became more comfortable with

Partially, it’s about the fact that the players self-officiate the games,

myself and my skills while at UPrep.

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“The small class sizes and the relationships that teachers built with each student— that was hugely impactful for me.

Those relationships built my confidence during those crucial teenage years.”

Hattie at the costume shop at Seattle Rep.

Hattie Claire Andres ’09 is the manager of artistic programming at Seattle Rep, a nationally recognized nonprofit theatre. In her role, she helps identify artists and programming for the season, and is heavily involved in the creative producing work of putting a show onstage. Additionally, Hattie is a freelance director, working frequently at the 5th Avenue Theatre, among others. She lives in Seattle with her partner, actor and filmmaker Drew Highlands.

Why are you passionate about working in theatre?

I have always been passionate about bringing people together.

I think the theatre is a beautiful place to do that, whether that’s in the collaborative process in the rehearsal room or when we bring the audience together during a live performance. I also love telling stories. Theatre is a multiform medium where we get to use written text, oral traditions, music, movement, dance, and visual arts to amplify important stories.

“I always had an intuition for leadership and community building, and I was encouraged to lean into these strengths at school. During my senior year, I led student government, and that was absolutely the highlight of my years at UPrep.”

How do you build community through theatre?

Seattle Rep’s vision is theatre at the heart of public life, and our Public Works (PW) program is at the center of that vision.

I am grateful that this program, which holds weekly classes for participants in social service programs around King County, continued online during the pandemic. Once a year, we invite everyone who has participated in this program to audition and 28

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be part of a large stage production at Seattle Rep. During the pandemic, we were able to keep the PW community connected and growing by producing a virtual musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night that I directed in December 2020, as well as a full feature film of The Winter’s Tale that we just screened and streamed to thousands of audience members in December 2021.

What do you think it takes to build a safe and supportive community?

One of our theatre practices is creating community agreements where every person in the room voices what they need to feel safe and supported. This acknowledges that people are going to have different needs and there is not one person who decides what those needs are. This practice also provides a framework within which conflict resolution can happen respectfully and authentically when community agreements aren’t upheld.

What did you learn at UPrep about creating community?

I always had an intuition for leadership and community building, and I was encouraged to lean into these strengths at school. During my senior year, I led student government, and that was absolutely the highlight of my years at UPrep. Our team, with the support of faculty and staff, was committed to inspiring students to celebrate our school. Students realized they were in control of our school culture and that shift was thrilling.

How did UPrep prepare you for your career?

The small class sizes and the relationships that teachers built with each student—that was hugely impactful for me. Those relationships built my confidence during those crucial teenage years. The adults talked to us like we were human beings, not somebody younger with something to learn. That really prepared me to go into a field where right off the bat I was working with people of all different ages. I was a 25-year-old director who was expected to lead people much older than me. To be in equal relationships with adults at UPrep really set me up to build professional relationships, regardless of my own age.

“We can’t lose sight of the fact that our work is as instructional leaders, but we can’t get there if we don’t also take care of the social-emotional needs of our kids and staff.”

Jon at one of his site visits for Seattle Public Schools.

Jon Halfaker ’82 was one of the founding students who attended UPrep when it opened in 1976. He has been an educator since 1994, serving the students and families of Seattle Public Schools in various roles, including as a history teacher, soccer coach, and principal of Washington Middle School. Jon is currently serving in his ninth year as a Director of Schools P–12/ Secondary. In this role, he supports and evaluates principals’ instructional leadership in order to increase student achievement and racial equity and eliminate opportunity gaps. His family continues to call Seattle home, with pets and adult children keeping their lives busy.

Why are you passionate about working in education?

I decided to become a teacher after talking with [former]UPrep teacher Mark Cullen. Two years later, I began teaching history at Washington Middle School. What I like about doing the work I

we build the ability to connect with each other, and do that in a meaningful way? I’ve been proud of our middle and high schools because they have created built-in times where those connections can happen with adult advisors and mentors.

What are your favorite memories as a founding student at UPrep?

My favorite memory was our senior year prank. We completely switched Sue Patella and Mark Cullen’s classrooms in the middle of the night, including lifting the lockers that were in those rooms and putting them down in the other room. The not-so-fun part was getting a stern talking to and then having to move everything back into the original classrooms.

“There was a high level of academic expectation, but it was also about who you are and who you’re developing into, and friendships and relationships.”

do now is still being able to be in the schools. I am in middle and high schools, on average, three days a week, and I spend time in

How did UPrep prepare you for your career and life journey?

classrooms with the teachers and the principals. This reconnects

The school song was written when I was there, and one of the lines

me to what I really enjoy doing—creating a supportive and fun

still informs me as an educator today. It said, “Academic excellence

learning community. That’s why I keep doing the work: I know

is not your sole demand—friendship, effort, honesty, they all go

we can make positive changes at the classroom level.

hand in hand.” There was a high level of academic expectation, but

How is the pandemic affecting the work you do?

The pandemic continues to shape our students and school communities. We’re seeing students who have lost the ability to connect with each other and solve problems in positive, collaborative ways.

At the same time, our teachers and support staff are working massively hard while also having to balance their own pandemic home lives. We can’t lose sight of the fact that our work is as instructional leaders, but we can’t get there if we don’t also take

it was also about who you are and who you’re developing into, and friendships and relationships. Founder John Makinen was a strong role model for me. He instilled in me a really strong sense of who I am, and he pushed me academically. We would literally race into his classroom to put the problems on the board that he had assigned to us the night before and show how we solved them. My approach to being an educator comes down to it’s not just about academic excellence; it’s also about relationships, effort, and honesty. ■

care of the social-emotional needs of our kids and staff. How do

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In the Arts

Upper School Students Perform The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Under the guidance of Director Paul Fleming, the Upper School Play Production and Stagecraft classes presented The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee on November 18, 19, and 20. Performed by a cast of 10 highly talented singers, dancers, and actors, the well-conceived script and score incorporate elements of improvisation that the performers played with great skill. All scenic elements were designed and executed by the creative Stagecraft class students, who also ran crew for the production.

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Middle School Students Stage The Uninvited In December, the Middle School Theatre program returned to the Founders Hall stage with The Uninvited, dramatized by Tim Kelly.

Pam and Roddy Fitzgerald buy Cliff End, an old house with a commanding view of the Irish Sea that comes with two ghosts.

Pam and Roddy, their friends Wendy and Max, and a young woman named Stella Meredith confront mysterious music, haunting scents, a weeping woman, icy cold, and a menacing presence as they unravel the mystery of The Uninvited. The impressive set, created by the Stagecraft class (with some terrific assistance from the Upper School Stagecraft crew), included a beautiful sitting room, banging doors, ghostly music, and a tinkling music box.

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Upper School Winter Concert and Visual Arts Showcase On December 10, students from Visual Art I, Mixed Media,

Seattle Symphony Principal Violist Susan Gulkis Assadi joined the

Sculpture, and Photography shared work from a wide variety of

students in rehearsal and played an essential role in coaching the

projects and artistic media that they had created during the fall

group to its highest potential. The Intermediate Jazz Ensemble has

semester. The art show was the first in-person visual arts event since

been hard at work learning many different jazz styles. They played

2019, with more than 60 students displaying their favorite pieces.

the hard-bop classic “Moanin’” from Art Blakey, Miles Davis’s modal

The Chamber Orchestra performed the Winter Concert, which

masterpiece “So What,” Herbie Hancock’s funky bluesy “Cantaloupe

was also livestreamed, in Founders Hall. Four pieces were featured

Island,” and “Blues in the Closet” by Oscar Pettiford. The Varsity

on the program: “Trepak” from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite;

Jazz Ensemble played songs spanning the history of jazz, including

“Sarabande” from Grieg’s Holberg Suite; Patapan/Sing We Now,

the new standard that is Roy Hargrove’s “Strasbourg St. Denis,”

with guest harpist Sonya Carter, arranged by Dr. Lisa Michele Lewis;

Duke Ellington’s 1930 classic “Mood Indigo,” and 2003’s rocking

and Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 with soloists Elinor Assadi

“Brooklyn” by the Youngblood Brass Band. Everyone in the band is

(10th grade), violin; Tuesday Sohn (11th grade) and Jennifer Bou

an improvisor, and all got a chance to shine during the performance.

(10th grade), flutes; and Dr. Lisa Michele Lewis, harpsichord.

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Middle School Visual Arts Showcase and Winter Concert Seventh and 8th grade artists diligently dissected the elements of art during the fall semester.

In Art Foundations, they analyzed and exercised the visual components of art and dove deeply into its history and contemporary context. For the Visual Arts Showcase on December 13, the artists picked artworks from their portfolio that exhibit some of their most refined and exemplary creations.

Our Middle School Instrumental Music program presented its Winter Concert in Founders Hall; the event was also livestreamed. Orchestra and Band I strings performed familiar traditional tunes and holiday pieces in a highly disciplined display, followed by the winds and brass playing selections by Mozart and Bach. Orchestra and Band II (OBII) presented three divisions. The brass and wind portion featured “Hooked on a Feeling” and “Raiders March,” while the strings and rhythm segment included “Rock On” by Soon Hee Newbold and an improvisation on a traditional Ghanaian tune, “Obwisana.”

The third division of OBII featured the traditional jazz combo in “Doxy” by Sonny Rollins, a traditional New Orleans piece made famous by Louis Armstrong and Cab Calloway called “St. James Infirmary,” and “Cold Duck Time” by Eddie Harris. The Middle School Orchestra completed the evening with performances of “Hornpipe” from Water Music by Handel, an arrangement of Patapan/Sing We Now

by Dr. Lisa Michele Lewis, Vivaldi’s Concerto for Two Cellos in D minor, and “Trepak” from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite.

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Puma Athletics Return

BY REBECCA MOE, DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS

W

ith the return of our Middle School Puma athletes

In the Upper School, our traditional fall sports returned to their

and our fans, University Prep athletics resumed its full

regular place on our school calendar. Practices began on August

programming this fall. We fielded 11 Middle School

3, and 140 Pumas joined one of our 11 teams, including Boys and

teams, with a combined 189 students on our Soccer, Volleyball,

Girls Cross Country, Girls Volleyball, Girls Soccer, Boys Tennis, and

and Cross Country teams. The fundamental goal for Middle School

Boys Ultimate. We also welcomed back spectators to many of our

athletics was a focus on what it means to be a Puma on the field

home and away games. Puma pride is in full swing, and we have a

and the court. Through their sports, students learned lessons of

new student fan group called The Puma Pack! Homecoming games,

teamwork, communication, accountability, sportsmanship, and

senior celebrations, and the conference playoffs created spaces to

Puma pride. Final game day results varied with wins, losses, and ties,

celebrate our students, teams, and successes.

but engaging in athletic endeavors provided the much-needed

After playing a competitive conference schedule, all teams entered

extension of our classroom experience. Students took risks, found success, failed forward, and showed up the next day to be surrounded by teammates and coaches.

the playoffs in our two-year-old new conference. All our varsity teams advanced in their playoff structure. Congratulations to all our students and coaches for their hard work, support, dedication,

The Middle School Boys Basketball season has provided another

and commitment.

educational-based athletic opportunity during the first half of

Finally, Upper School basketball is back! The Pumas tipped off

winter. This season, flexibility is the theme. We have one gym and four Middle School boys teams and five Upper School boys and girls teams. We have been creative and nimble with our scheduling of practices and games. Our Middle School girls began playing after our return from winter break.

the week of November 29. This winter, we had five Upper School teams: two girls teams and three boys teams. The teams and coaches played a regular season of both non-league and conference games, culminating with a senior night celebration in early February.

GET THE LATEST SPORTS NEWS Follow uprep_athletics on Instagram or @UPrep_Athletics on Twitter to see the day-to-day Puma perspective, with coverage of our UPrep teams, coaches, and alumni athletes who play in college. Both feeds give an insider’s view of our program.

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FALL SPORTS NOTABLES BOYS AND GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY Cross Country All Conference: Haley Hoffman State Meet Qualifier: Harry Jackson GIRLS VOLLEYBALL Honorable Mention All Conference: Katrina Menshutkina, Carly Ragen Team Sportsmanship Award: Varsity Volleyball GIRLS SOCCER Second Team All Conference: Abby Headstrom Honorable Mention All Conference: Jane Scroggs BOYS ULTIMATE Second Team All Conference: Nathan Crawford WINTER 2022

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•

•

Harry

•

Cade

Owen

Theo

•

Ethan

•

Nathan

•

Sean

•

Dekker

•

Emerson

ONCE A PUMA, ALWAYS A PUMA

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UPREP MAGAZINE

•

Nick

•

Asher

•

Andrew

•

Parisa

•

Katherine

•

Katrina

•

Tessa

•

Carly

•

•

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Harry

Dane

• Rowan • Mattias •

Congratulations, Seniors!

Jack

Thank you to our senior class members

•

who were recognized for their commitment and leadership in their respective sports!

Abby

Remember: once a Puma, always a Puma!

BOYS ULTIMATE Theo Barton, Ethan Bensussen, Nathan Crawford,

•

Sean Fried, Dekker Moe, Emerson Weiss

Jane

BOYS AND GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY Cade Evered, Owen Howland, Harry Jackson, Nick Rosenthal, Asher Todd-Taraday, Andrew Ye GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

•

Parisa Harvey, Katherine March, Katrina Menshutkina, Tessa Peterson, Carly Ragen

Katherine

BOYS TENNIS Dane Bandow, Harry Bloom, Rowan Faulkner, Mattias Keaunui, Jack Nielsen SOCCER Abby Headstrom, Jane Scroggs, Katherine Van

PUMA FUND VOLUNTEERS: CO-CHAIRS Denise and David Angelone Nicole and Rishi Mirchandani CLASS AGENTS Lissa Armato Mary Balmaceda Andrea Basinski

Puma Fund: A Record-Breaking Success!

BY CATHERINE BLUNDELL, DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT

W

e’re so excited to report that for the first time in UPrep’s history, our generous donors have supported the Puma Fund in excess of $1 million dollars. Thank you to the 682 families who prioritized the education of all our students by donating to the Puma Fund. During

our seven-week parent and guardian campaign, we raised an extraordinary $1,183,109 and achieved 86 percent family participation. So far this year, we have experienced the return of our robust athletics program, live stage performances, and student-run clubs, all thanks to the Puma Fund.

Gloria Bensussen

We are grateful to have benefited from the

Margaret Bolger

strong leadership of our Puma Fund Co-Chairs

Linda Chou

Denise and David Angelone and Nicole and

Lara Constable

Rishi Mirchandani. Together, they led a group

Cathy Faulkner

of 21 Puma Fund Class Agent volunteers

Jeni Huh

throughout the campaign. These dedicated

Krysia Johnson

volunteers reached out to inspire giving

Kara Mattaini Sara Miller Kathy Nielsen Rachel Pesando Kate Riley

TOTAL COMMUNITY GIVING TO DATE $30,000 +

Visionary Circle

3 Families

$20,000–$29,999

Innovators Circle

2 Families

$10,000–$19,999

Founders Circle

16 Families

$5,000–$9,999

Ambassadors Circle

57 Families

among their peers. Additional thanks go to

$2,500–$4,999

Leadership Circle

93 Families

the 14 families who provided a generous

$1,250–$2,499

Supporters Circle

88 Families

match pool of $240,000 as an incentive to

Up to $1,249

Friends Circle

donors. Their early commitment to the Puma

TOTAL # OF GIVING FAMILIES

423 Families

682 FAMILIES

Carrie Rosenthal

Fund motivated 101 families to participate

Allison Schuchart

with a gift of $3,500 or more.

Amy Smith

Financial support from parents, alumni, alumni parents, grandparents, and friends makes amazing

Jenna Sylvester

educational experiences possible for all UPrep students and underscores our community’s deep spirit

Robin Waterman Betsy Webb

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of philanthropy. Gifts at every level are essential to the success of the campaign. Haven’t made your gift yet? There’s still time! Donate online today at supportuprep.org. ■

Alumni News

Above: Participants at the virtual Paint and Sip event.

Below: Madeline (Dow) Pennington ’01 is pictured here with her children, aka future Pumas.

BY CLAIRE FALLAT, ADVANCEMENT ENGAGEMENT AND ALUMNI MANAGER

Alumni Gatherings This past summer, we hosted the Alumni Summer Party on UPrep’s campus, welcoming about 50 guests for our first in-person alumni event since 2019! The party was a great opportunity to reconnect with each other, strike a pose in our photo booth, and take tours of our recently remodeled Commons. Additionally, this party was the first opportunity for our Head of School Ronnie CodringtonCazeau to meet our alumni. Attendees’ graduation years spanned our earliest graduating class of 1979 to members of the class of 2019. We look forward to welcoming more alumni back to campus this summer!

In November, we were thrilled to welcome parents from the class of 2021 to campus to create care packages to send to our most recent graduates. Each member of the class of 2021 received UPrep swag, a Theo Chocolate bar, a handwritten note from a parent volunteer,

On Saturday, December 18, members of our alumni community reunited with beloved UPrep coaches, teachers, and counselors to kick off their winter break with a brisk morning run/walk around Green Lake. Thank you to everyone who bundled up and joined us for a couple of laps around the lake!

and a Kudoboard filled with well wishes from UPrep teachers.

Reunion Update

Winter Parties

Due to the ever-changing nature of the pandemic, we have decided

In early December, alumni gathered virtually for a Paint and Sip event, our reimagined Alumni Winter Party. Guests joined the event from different countries, coasts, and time zones, including Seattle, Australia, and New York City. The event was hosted by our very own Fine Arts Teacher Ty Talbot, who guided our guests through the creation of two festive watercolor holiday cards. Alumni Board President Blake Titcomb ’09 shared a cocktail demonstration with Greg Bonney of TOMO restaurant in White Center. Many of Ty’s first students at UPrep from the class of 2009 attended and

to postpone all reunion celebrations until this summer, when we will be able to gather as a group outdoors and on campus. With this in mind, we are seeking reunion chairs for the classes of 1981, 1982, 1991, 1992, 2001, 2002, 2011, 2012, 2016, and 2017 to help plan the Class Reunions. If you’re interested in getting involved, please contact us at alumni@universityprep.org.

HEY, ALUMS: Have you considered volunteering as a guest speaker or as a Launchpad mentor, or

impressed us all with their artistic talent! We look forward to

assisting as a coach or joining the Alumni Board?

hosting more events like this in person soon.

If so, please contact us at alumni@universityprep.org.

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Faculty and Staff News Anne Bingham, Librarian, served on the Professional Development Committee for the Washington State Library Association, working on scholarship applications for graduate students.

Patrick King, Diversity and Community Program Manager, and Emily Schorr Lesnick, Director of Social Emotional Learning, co-presented on their work with the 6th grade around incorporating Charlene Carruthers’s five-questions framework into service learning to educators around the country through PSPP (Partnership of Schools for Public Purpose). The PSPP board president said, “It was

Shannon Salverda (center in light blue shirt) with the Leadership and Design Fellowship cohort.

so exciting to learn about the breadth of work taking place at UPrep

Farewell

and I am thrilled about the cross-section of educators who were

We bid a fond farewell to the following members of the faculty

able to come together to hear from you.”

and staff who are moving on to new adventures. We thank you

Mary Beth Lambert, Director of Marketing and Communications, presented on a social media panel at the annual Index Marketing and Communications Conference in early February in Salt Lake City.

E-chieh Lin, Director of Diversity and Community and Director of Hiring, and her family welcomed Eisa Leora Greenlin on November 10, 2021.

for being part of our community and wish you the best: Thanh Beedle, Bethany Byrd-Hill, Virginia Engel, Chunman Gissing, Cas Fricke, Karen Sherwood, Sil Sohn, and Jeff Tillinghast.

In Memory of Andy Freeman Andy Freeman, a former UPrep Computer Science Teacher, passed away in September. Andy was super funny, smart, and talented.

He was also an ardent activist for

Jason Parker, Instrumental Music Teacher and Fine Arts Depart-

workers’ rights. Andy and his wife,

ment Head, will be featured in a new local film. The plot revolves

Jane Cutter, ran a website called

around a music student, and the Jason Parker Quartet was hired

The Liberation News.

to play the house band at a jam session. Filming at Jazz Alley took place at the end of November. The film, called F#, will have a 2022

Welcome, Letisia!

theatrical release.

Please join us in welcoming Letisia Chavez to our Main Office. She and her family

Sean Patella-Buckley, English Teacher, had his illustrations included

have just moved here from Medford,

in the acclaimed Warlock Holmes series, a speculative five-book

Oregon. She most recently was an

fiction series written by local author G.S. Denning.

administrative assistant to staff who evaluate medically disabled children.

Elena Tello Portoles, Spanish Teacher, was voted onto the Dogs for Better Lives’ Young Professionals Board, Pacific Northwest Chapter, in September 2021.

Shannon Salverda, Director of Integrated Learning, attended the fall convening in Denver for her Leadership and Design Fellowship year. Her cohort includes 19 leader educators from all over the U.S., including the Virgin Islands. Each educator identified a leadership project for the year. Shannon is targeting applying antiracist and Universal Design Learning principles to de-silo student support.

Here are a few fun facts about Letisia: Why do you like working in education?

I like helping kids and working around kids—seeing them grow and seeing the decisions they make.

How do you spend your free time?

I like going on hikes and I love the ocean. I also like shopping with my two teenage daughters.

What do you like about raising teens?

I love seeing how they are coming into their own and making decisions about what they are going to do with their life. It was so interesting to see that one of my daughters loves restoring Porsches; she had a yearlong job helping a family friend with this work.

What are your favorite sports teams?

I always have loved the Los Angeles Chargers. At the college level, I root for the Oregon Ducks. I also love the Boston Celtics.

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E-chieh Lin Receives Outstanding Educator Award Each year, newly admitted University of Chicago students have the opportunity to reflect on their time in school and nominate an educator who played a significant role in their education, made a positive impact in their lives, and whose influence has brought them to where they are today. Nicolas Lee ’21 nominated UPrep Director of Diversity and Community E-chieh Lin. Nicolas wrote, “E-chieh works very hard to ensure that all students feel safe and included in our community.

She plans Social Justice Day, organizes service, works with affinity groups, and much more. She has connected with many of the students on a deeper level, teaching them how to be leaders and advocates in their community. Whenever I have a problem or need help with something, E-chieh is always there to help listen and give advice. She has inspired many in my community to become confident in themselves and to use their voice to make a difference.” The University of Chicago deeply appreciates the lively minds who thirst for knowledge that these outstanding educators have nurtured and inspired, leaving an impression that will be carried over a lifetime.

leadership and belonging. We are committed to equitable access to educational resources, leadership development, and active participation in all organization events.

At the National Athletic Director Conference in December, the committee was finally able to meet in person. The committee also hosted an NIAAA Diversity Fellowship event with keynote speaker China Jude, the Denver Broncos’ vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion. During the last general session of the conference, the NIAAA Board voted to move the committee from ad hoc to a standing board committee. “This was both professionally and personally very rewarding at this point in my career as an athletic director,” said Rebecca. “While there is much work that needs to be done, I am excited to serve and lead on this committee and with the NIAAA to make this a profession where all feel like they belong.”

Faculty and Staff Attend 2021 People of Color Conference Eighteen UPrep faculty and staff members attended the 34th annual National Association of Independent Schools’ (NAIS) People of Color Conference (PoCC); it was held virtually November 29 to December 4. “Through workshops, institutes, keynotes, wellness activities, and other programming, the conference equips and fortifies educators of color with knowledge, skills, practices, and mindsets to lead in

Rebecca Moe Plays Pivotal Role on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee

their chosen disciplines and roles,” wrote Caroline G. Blackwell,

In the summer of 2020, Athletic

with others around the U.S. who are also Korean American and

Director Rebecca Moe was called

first-generation. It was special to hear both good and bad stories

on to be the vice chair of the

that I can relate to from other people who look like me,” said

National Interscholastic Athletic

Jonathan. He is looking forward to next year’s conference, where

Administrators Association

he hopes to meet people in person and build a bigger community

NAIS vice president for equity and justice.

Assistant Athletic Director Jonathan Kim attended PoCC for the first time. “The most meaningful part was meeting and connecting

(NIAAA) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Ad Hoc Committee. In this

of first-generation Asian Americans working in the independent

role, she works with 15 athletic directors from Connecticut, New

school field.

York, Virginia, Alabama, Florida, Wisconsin, Illinois, Oklahoma, Arizona, Minnesota, California, Oregon, and Hawaii. During the

Physical Education Teacher Xuan Vu also attended PoCC for the first

2020–2021 school year, this committee, which meets monthly,

time. “Something that was meaningful for me was being able to

worked on access and equity issues for underrepresented athletic

connect and learn from so many other people who are passionate

directors, while also providing a space and sounding board on

about education. They offered so many insights on their experiences

COVID-19 issues, fans, sportsmanship, and many other challenges.

and shared their challenges and successes, as well as an immense

In September 2020, the committee approved their purpose, and

number of resources,” said Xuan.

has been working since then to put this purpose in motion:

She appreciated the strong emphasis this year on diversity and

The purpose of the NIAAA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

social justice. “This highlighted so many perspectives and resources

Ad Hoc Committee is to provide support, resources, and a

on how to bring this to the forefront of our work,” said Xuan.

pathway to develop and grow underrepresented athletic/activity

“This conference is both inspiring and validating. I look forward

administrators within the NIAAA. We are committed to

to this conference next year to continue to learn and be among

intentional acts toward recruiting, fostering, retaining, and

passionate educators of color.”

celebrating diversity within the organization by recognizing underrepresented individuals and providing opportunities for

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Class Notes Stephen Engle ’84 and Janet Paskin ‘94

Stephen Engle ’84

Shane Strauss ‘97

Victoria Genise Arthur ’02

Stephen Engle ’84

my active-duty military service. I spent the past year and a half flying

It was great meeting Janet Paskin ’94 at a Bloomberg staff party

and instructing on RQ-4 Global Hawks at Beale Air Force Base,

one night amid the high-rises in Hong Kong. It was a classic case

California. I recently took a three-year tour of duty for the California

of “Oh, I’m from Seattle, too. Small world. What school did you

Air National Guard, working on manpower and operational planning

go to?” “University Prep? Me too! Even smaller world!” I’ve now

for domestic operations (wildfires, COVID-19 response, food bank

been with Bloomberg Television 18-plus years, based in Hong Kong

support, and supply chain issues). It is very satisfying to see military

and Beijing over that time span. I’m the chief North Asia TV

personnel and processes being used to make life better for people

correspondent covering the business, finance, and politics of China,

in California.

Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. Interesting times indeed! There’s no question that University Prep seeded me with

Victoria Genise Arthur ’02

the curiosity and wanderlust needed for this job.

While working at architecture firms in Seattle and Bellevue, I wrote and illustrated a quirky book about a pet goldfish, entitled Punter

Janet Paskin ’94 I moved to Hong Kong with my partner, Jen, and our three kids

Facts (www.punterfacts.com).

(Saul, age 10, and Dahlia and Eliza, age 6) at the end of 2019. It

Anna (Levin) Schneider ’05

was almost 18 months before my employer, Bloomberg News, had

I am still living in Seattle. I recently opened a yoga studio with my

a proper office party. That’s where I learned that Stephen Engle ’84

husband. It’s called Take Care (www.takecare.yoga) and it’s located

and I both went to UPrep—what a small world. You can read my

in the Old Spaghetti Factory building in Belltown. It has been such

work at www.bloomberg.com/authors/ARDJF04Xu0l/janet-paskin.

a joy to start a business in the city where I grew up, in a building I have always known and loved that is now a city landmark. Seattle

Shane Strauss ’97

has changed so much over the years, but the folks that own small

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting upheaval in

businesses still have just as much heart (if not more) now as they

the airline industry (not to mention my wife carrying and delivering

did before. I am thankful to be here and would love to welcome all

our third child in the midst of the pandemic), I decided to take an

Pumas to come through and say hello. Y’all are always welcome.

extended military leave of absence from United Airlines to finish up

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Sophie Asher ’06 Stephen Goldberg ’07

Anna (Levin) Schneider ’05

Mara (Skalenakis) Eng ’06

Lauren (Olsen) Smilde ’08

Sophie Asher ’06

be considering going in this direction. Just reach out! Sending this

After eight years in New Mexico, my partner, Jon, and I moved

as a thank-you to all the wonderful teachers who invested in me

back to the Seattle area in November 2020. While in New Mexico,

and brought me to where I am today. I am so grateful for my high

I attended the University of New Mexico School of Law, where I

school education and experiences.

focused on Indian law, and then I practiced as a public defender and later in children’s law for the state of New Mexico and several

Stephen Goldberg ’07

Tribes. However, I missed my family and the ocean during the hot

I finally finished school forever (probably)! I graduated in May 2021

desert days, and I am happy to be back in the Northwest. Since

from the University of Michigan Medical School with my MD and

moving home, I have gotten to spend time with those I love and

started my residency in anesthesia at UC Irvine in July. I’m grateful

whom I missed so much while away. I now work for a national law

for all the support from family and friends along the way!

firm and assist Indian Tribes across the country in court and economic development. I hope everyone in the UPrep community has a wonderful year filled with light, warmth, and love.

Mara (Skalenakis) Eng ’06

Lauren (Olsen) Smilde ’08 After earning a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree from the UW in 2019 (with fellow UPrep alumnae Bekah Strong ’01 and Lauren Rotkis ’06—small world!), I started working as a

Hi, UPrep community! After graduating college and spending a few

palliative care nurse practitioner at Valley Medical Center in Renton.

years working in the physical therapy industry, I moved to Walla

Prior to and throughout the pandemic, my team had the privilege

Walla, Washington, to start my private personal training business.

of walking alongside patients with serious illness, with the goal of

Along the way, I met my husband of two years and I celebrated my

promoting quality of life, alleviating symptoms, and planning for the

seventh full year in business in August of 2021. I run a successful

future. While it has been an incredible honor to support hospital-

studio as a strength and conditioning coach and corrective exercise

ized patients and their families these past few years, I transitioned

specialist, with a focus on rehabilitation, chronic pain, and sports

to EvergreenHealth Hospice Care in December, where I help care

performance enhancement. I have spent my free time working to

for people at home in their final weeks and months of life. In other

mentor individuals looking to expand into the physical therapy,

news, my husband, Ed, and I recently celebrated our fourth wedding

exercise, and general sport science industry. I would love to help

anniversary and are incredibly privileged to be settling into our first

and offer to mentor anyone from the UPrep community who may

house in Edmonds.

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43

Blake Titcomb ’09

Wilson Smith ’21

Karsyn Wallace ’18

Denzel Belin ’11

Blake Titcomb ’09

Wilson Smith ’21

My wonderful wife, Brittany, and I got married on Camano Island

So far during my gap year, I’ve been to a lot of new places and met

on August 14! We had a small ceremony with a few close friends

a lot of cool people. I went to Central America for 70 days this fall,

and family. I can’t wait to take Brittany to more alumni events in

exploring Belize, Costa Rica, and Panama with a group of other stu-

the future!

dents like me and two awesome instructors. Some of the activities

Denzel Belin ’11

we did included learning how to scuba dive (saw a hammerhead shark!), surfing, and working on a farm in the mountains. We also

I am the artistic director of Threshold Theater, an emerging theater

released hundreds of baby sea turtles into the ocean! I feel very

company in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with a mission to produce

lucky that I was able to do this amazing trip, and I look forward to

fresh LGBTQ works (www.thresholdtheatermpls.com). Recently,

exploring more of the world.

I have also been involved in shows with the Twin Cities Horror Festival and HUGE Theater.

Karsyn Wallace ’18 I have recently released the novel The Loves of Our Lives with the publisher New Degree Press. This is my first published book, and it is available to purchase on Amazon at amzn.to/3m0VkL4.

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KEEP IN TOUCH WITH UPREP! Have you moved, started a new job, gone back to school, or experienced other exciting life changes in recent months? We’d love to hear what’s new in your world and share your updates with the UPrep community. Send your news and photos to us at alumni@universityprep.org.

Upcoming Events Please note that dates may change; check the Family Portal for updates.

8th Grade Celebration Thursday, June 9 We look forward to celebrating our 8th grade students as they complete their Middle School years! Our 8th Grade Dean Christina Zembruski, the 8th grade advisors, Middle School Director Susie Wu, and Assistant Director of Middle School Tim Blok will host this end-of-year event on the UPrep campus.

Congratulations and welcome to high school!

UPrep Together Friday, April 1 Join us for our annual community celebration and fundraiser in support of our Endowed Financial Aid Fund. You won’t want to miss this festive event! Save the date and stay tuned for more UPrep Together details.

Social Justice Day Tuesday, April 5 Organized in conference style, this annual event is filled with notable speakers, workshops, affinity groups, and discussions on a vast range of social justice issues.

Commencement Monday, June 13 We look forward to the 44th commencement exercises for the class of 2022 at McCaw Hall. With remarks by student leaders, 12th Grade Dean Ciara McGrath, Head of School Ronnie

Spring Intensives

Codrington-Cazeau, and Director of Upper School Joel Sohn,

May 24 – June 10

we hope you will join us in celebrating our seniors before they

Students take one class full-

embark on the next stage of their journeys. Congratulations,

time during this three-week

Pumas: you are now UPrep alums!

term, earning the same credits as a one-semester class. Intensives promote student-led learning, collaboration, off-campus learning opportunities, and

OUR MISSION University Prep is committed to developing each student’s potential to become an intellectually courageous, socially responsible citizen of the world.

community engagement.

WINTER 2022

45

NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID SEATTLE, WA PERMIT NO. 1268

8000 25th Ave NE | Seattle, WA 98115

CELEBRATE OUR COMMUNITY AND SUPPORT ENDOWED FINANCIAL AID AT UPREP TOGETHER! Please join us for our annual UPrep Together event on Friday, April 1! We look forward to celebrating the Puma Pride we all share and learning more about how the Endowed Financial Aid Fund benefits our entire UPrep community.

Be on the lookout for more information and where to register soon!

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