Connection is published by the Office of Advancement.
On The Cover Front: Staring at the Sun has never been so much fun! As the entire campus poured outside to catch a glimpse of the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, current 2nd grader, Caroline Hawley, makes use of her special eclipse-viewing glasses to take part in this rare cosmic anomaly.
Back: We Spartans are eternally grateful for everyone in our amazing community.
Contributing Writers Amber Celestin, Raffaele Fazio, Phoebe Hart ‘95, David LeVan, Katie Leiding ‘04, Kevin Mykel, Steve Naumann, Charlie Ramseyer, Kathy Rukes ‘99, Lalo Walsh, Nathan Washer
Contributing Photographers Amy Cunningham, Monique Gaines, Steve Naumann, John Pair ‘92, Charlie Ramseyer, Kathy Rukes ‘99
Editorial Staff Phoebe Hart ‘95 / Alumni & Community Relations Coordinator, Katie Leiding ‘04 / Director of Development, Steve Naumann / Director of Marketing & Communications, Bethany Phelps / Advancement Services Coordinator, Charlie Ramseyer / Communications Coordinator, Jen Remsberg / Development Coordinator, Kathy Rukes ‘99 / Director of Enrollment Management, Sara Souraty / Admissions & Community Engagement Coordinator, Lalo Walsh / Director of Leadership Giving
Mission Statement Wichita Collegiate School exists to inspire all students to be the best versions of themselves through a transformative education grounded in academic excellence within our inclusive community.
Vision Statement Wichita Collegiate School empowers all students to lead lives of impact by partnering with our students, faculty, families, and community.
Dear Collegiate Community,
Your involvement is essential in building a vibrant school community.
Welcome to our Impact Report for the 2023-24 academic year.
We hope this letter finds you excited about the upcoming school year and eager to explore this report detailing both our school’s and students’ amazing accomplishments over the past 12 months. As Head of School and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, we extend a warm and heartfelt greeting to each of you as we mark the completion of our historic 60th-anniversary celebration of Wichita Collegiate School and embark on an exciting new academic year.
Since its establishment six decades ago, Collegiate has been a shining beacon of educational excellence and community spirit. This year, we will continue our efforts to ensure that each child in our care works towards mastering the skills required to be creative thinkers, learners who persevere, and students who live ethically and communicate effectively. In the following pages, you will see the myriad ways our students had the opportunity to exhibit these skills and essential Spartan characteristics.
Everyone who supports Wichita Collegiate is an important member of our community. We believe that when parents, guardians, teachers, and staff work together, we create an enriching and nurturing environment for our children to grow and thrive.
Throughout this past year, our community collaborated on and gathered at many events and activities that highlight the essence of our school. These occasions reinforced what it meant to be a Spartan, promoted a sense of fellowship, and illuminated a shared vision of our future. We encourage you to actively participate in our school’s events next year, as your involvement is essential in building a vibrant school community.
All who contributed to our school are recognized within this Impact Report, and we both give our sincerest thanks to every one of you for your vital support to WCS. Thank you for being an indispensable contributor to Wichita Collegiate’s history and its bright future. We are excited to share this Impact Report with you and wish you all a successful and fantastic start to the new school year!
Gratefully,
Nathan Washer Head of School
Raffaele Fazio Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Dana Hensley
We are thrilled to have Dana Hensley returning to campus after having served on our Board in the early 2000s. In addition to having served as WCS Head of Upper School for 7 years, Dana is the coauthor of the nationally known high school debate textbook Mastering Competitive Debate and was the founding coach of the debate programs at both Independent and Collegiate.
Dana graduated from the University of Kansas with a BS and MA from the School of Education. After a stint in New York City, where she worked as a Recruitment Director for a Wall Street Law Firm (Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft), she returned to Wichita, where she has been a dedicated community advocate and volunteer, serving on the founding Boards of Discovery Place Preschool, Cities in Schools (now Pando Initiative), and the Wichita Cancer Foundation. Other board experience includes the Junior League of Wichita (Past President), the CASA Board, the Arts Partners Board, the Hall Center for Humanities at KU Advisory Board, and Phillips Fundamental Learning Center, where she co-chaired their recent capital campaign. Most recently, in 2023-24, she chaired PFLC’s Public Policy Committee which worked with the State Legislature to officially recognize dyslexia as a learning disability in Kansas. She currently is a trustee for KU’s Endowment, serving on the Executive Committee.
In addition to being an alumna of Leadership Wichita and Leadership Kansas, she has been inducted into the Kansas Speech and Communication Association Hall of Fame. She received the Outstanding Volunteer award at the Association of Fundraising Professionals in 2021.
Dana is married to Bill Hensley and has two children, Jessica (WCS class of 1998) and Chad (WCS class of 2004). Jessica is a family practice attorney, and Chad is a litigation attorney. Both reside in the Wichita area.
Rob Stewart
Throughout his life, Rob Stewart has had to be flexible and adapt, as demonstrated by the ranges of roles he has held to the different countries and states he and his family have called home. His professional experience spans the agricultural value chain – from partnering with farmers to working with retail stores.
He currently serves on the leadership team of Cargill’s North America Protein business as President of Strategy & Growth Ventures, where he develops strategy, executes mergers & acquisitions, makes investments in startups, and forms strategic partnerships that are shaping the future of agriculture. Rob graduated from Fort Knox High School, and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture and a Master of Science degree in agricultural education, both from the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment. Rob also earned his Master of Business Administration from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.
Rob’s first job out of college was as a high school agriculture science teacher, which was seminal to his long standing interest in ensuring teacher and student success. He is currently serving on both nonprofit and for-profit boards including the National FFA Board (member of the Executive Committee), MANRRS Board (Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences), and several boards of Cargill portfolio companies. Rob previously was on the board for the Kansas African American Museum (TKAAM) and the Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters program, where he is actively serving as a ‘Big Brother’. He is a lifelong member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Rob and his family – wife Hallie, rising 8th grader Braylon, and rising 7th grader Cameron – moved to Wichita six years ago from Minnesota and are proud to be part of the Wichita Collegiate community. Born abroad in Germany but rooted in Mississippi, Rob was raised in a military family, has lived around the world, and considers Kentucky and Minnesota home.
Kevin Nichols
Kevin provided invaluable service to our board for 9 years beginning his tenure in 2015. In that time Kevin served on our Finance & Facilities Committee and the recently formed Investment Committee. Kevin’s expertise in all things financial has been a tremendous asset to our school. We thank Kevin for all his service and support of Collegiate.
Kate Taylor
Also retiring from the Board after 3 years of service is Kate Taylor. A grandmother of a current student, Kate came back to the board in 2021 after previously serving in the years 1999-2008. Kate provided our Advancement & Development Committee with invaluable advice and experience and we thank Kate for all her support for Collegiate over the years.
YEAR in REVIEW
YEAR IN REVIEW
1 Lower school students show Spartan Spirit while dancing at their weekly assembly. 2 Vocal Director, Matt Webber, leads the entire school in singing Dear Collegiate at the Opening Assembly held in the James Ockerman Amphitheater. 3 The first day of the school year is always a celebration, especially when you get to ride your bike through a tunnel of cheers and high-fives. 4 Upper school students participate in a service project that has them packing thousands of meals for the hungry. 5 We honor the newest class of Circle of Gold inductees with a special assembly and flowers in August. 6 The lower school music room is home to cheerful harmonies and adorable hand-holding circles.
1 During Homecoming festivities, incorrectly answered trivia questions earn these seniors a face full of pie. 2 To celebrate the release of the wildly anticipated album 1989 (Taylor’s Version), the middle school is transformed into an immersive haven for all things Taylor Swift. 3 First-grade teacher, Kelsey Fulghum, is nominated by her students’ families to receive the KAKE News Golden Apple Award for teachers making a positive difference in their schools. 4 Homecoming weekend offers the opportunity to celebrate both our inaugural class of the Fine Arts Hall of Fame as well as our latest inductees into the Athletics Hall of Fame, both of which include legendary and talented Spartans. 5 The annual vocal bonanza that is Broadway in Blue Jeans finds new ways to excite the audience every year. 6 Our 2nd grade science class helps keep the lower school garden flourishing.
WICHITA COLLEGIATE
1 The Black Box Theater is infested with pirates during the 7th & 8th grade fall production of the hilarious Jolly Roger and the Pirate Queen. 2 Although a relatively new event for our school, our Veteran’s Day assembly has become beloved by our whole school community. 3 Instrumental Music Director, Sam Hake, introduces the bands to the packed house at the Thanksgiving Concert. 4 Something always seems to be on fire in Scott Hawley’s science room and these 8th graders couldn’t be happier about it. 5 Middle school students give back to the community through a shoe drive for those in need. 6 Middle school’s annual “Stuff the Bus” gift donation initiative is another huge success.
1 The upper school boys really wow the crowd with their moves during the winter pep assembly. 2 The middle school celebrates a snowy day at school with snowman-building contests for house points. 3 Churning butter by hand becomes a staple of the Kansas Day celebrations. 4 To get in the holiday spirit, lower school students join together for some serious caroling and sing-alongs. 5 A panel of students from the class of 2024 helps kick off Junior Journey for the class of 2025, giving advice and explaining the early stages of the college search and application process. 6 David LeVan and Rolesta Forrest get into the holiday spirit during the annual showcase of “ugly” holiday sweaters.
WICHITA COLLEGIATE
1 Former faculty join us on campus for a wonderful morning of coffee, conversation, and reuniting. 2 As everyone gears up for another Chiefs’ Super Bowl appearance, the lower school STEM classes take the opportunity to show off their stadium designs to Head of School, Nathan Washer. 3 Continuing with the year’s theme of underwater musicals, the 7th and 8th grade production of The SpongeBob Musical is a tremendous hit. 4 A panel of recent WCS graduates returns to campus every January to share lessons learned and advice on transitioning from high school to college. 5 To celebrate Mitch Fiegel’s 600th career win, former basketball players, managers, and fans come out in droves to show support for their beloved coach. 6 Competition and camaraderie are rampant during the middle school “Battle of the Books.”
1 You might be hard-pressed to find someone who enjoys performing and leading students more than Assistant Band Director, Derrick Hibler, seen here conducting during the 5th and 6th grade concert. 2 Survey data suggests that public speaking is the number one fear among Americans. Well, not here! Our students get opportunities to hone their presentation skills from an early age, whether it be in front of their class or the entire lower school. 3 First graders in Madeline Witherspoon’s Spanish class enjoy an activity in the quad that involves smashing colorful cascarones (eggs). 4 “Romping” is definitely a key part of this year’s early childhood “Read and Romp” celebrations. 5 This year’s 3rd grade Living Wax Museum includes a concert of the most eclectic combination of historic figures. 6 Even our biggest middle schoolers aren’t too old to climb the famed WCS playground’s Eiffel Tower.
1 Children’s book author, Tammi Sauer, shares her personal story as well as some of her published works with our students during Young Author’s Day. 2 Featuring songs co-written by early childhood music teacher, Steve Elmore, and the students themselves, this year’s kindergarten program Behind the Nursery Rhyme is a hit. 3 During their culminating press conference, the 5th grade Mission to Space astronauts, engineers, and public relations officers present their discoveries and experiences planning and executing their mission. 4 After receiving the “Green School of the Year” award last year, we are now recognized as a “Green School of Excellence.” 5 During the 2024 total solar eclipse, Collegiate students and faculty can be seen all across campus taking in this wonder. 6 The 5th and 6th grade play Charlotte’s Web has everyone feeling “Humbled.”
1 Seniors celebrate the end of their high school careers by diving down a giant sudsy slip-n-slide in front of the Upper School. 2 The 2nd Grade Antique Road Show features this “antique” touch-tone phone. 3 The 5th grade Freedom Trail project is an interactive way for students to demonstrate what they’ve learned in American history. 4 By partnering with NUMANA and The Outreach Program, our students prepare 22,464 meals for those in need. 5 A party in the quad seems like a great way to celebrate the last day of school. 6 Signing each other’s yearbooks is a great way to enjoy the beautiful May weather in the Bunny Hill Quad.
WICHITA COLLEGIATE SCHOOL CONNECTION
HIGH HONOR ROLL
GRADE 12
Elijah Allen
Mona Bagai
Yazan Bakdash
Avery Elofsson
Isabella Flores
Sky Fujinuma
Isabella Galichia
Mason Hart
Rahul Madhavan
Aden Meyers
Mason (Paul) Mines IV
Wambui Ngunjiri
Thomas Olson
Ayaan Parikh
Robert Rasberry III
Tyler Rice
Erin Rolfe
Phoebe Ross
Conner Schupbach
James Shackelford
Darcel Thompson
Chloe Turpin
Karley Turrietta Forsyth
Kalie Villagomez
Iya Wakil
Haley Walston
Derek Yang
Avi Yendru
GRADE 11
Macy Beran
Aacia Burnette
Sihyeon Byon
Aubrey Collignon
Laney Conrad
Shouvik Dev
Tatum Downing
Diana Eldika
Santiago Felice
Jack Grace
Omar Hamada
Jalil Hemphill
Julia Herrman
Sabrina Hunt
Arman Issa
Ryan Khalife
Jiwoo Lee
Harry Ling
Devin Longsworth
Julia Longsworth
William Meyer
Danniella Ngunjiri
Andrew Porter
Tristan Sprole
Hannah Ternes
Liliana Varchavtchik
GRADE 10
Heer Barot
Carter Chance
Lukas Cremin
Lara Franco de Carvalho
Reghan Eck
Shelbie Emerson
Jennah Fayziev
Lucy Gehrer
Charles Gentile
Cora Hill
Ellie Howell
Shaad Issa
Carlyle Johnson
Madeline Kavalauskas
Acacia Knight
Caroline Kuglich
Jaden Lichty
Ethan MacKenzie
Claire Marquardt
Brian Mattar
Ezra Meyers
Sara Mines
Anne Marie Olson
Kai Pearson
Joshua Pfeiffer
Charlotte Pigg
Hayan Raffi
Clare Schupbach
Sadhakshi Sivaraman
Cal Solomon
Ajitesh Srivastava
Rachael Tee
Madeline Ternes
Peter Todorov
Khloie Villagomez
Cooper Winters
GRADE 9
Langston Ahmad
Campbell Arneson
Charles Basinger
Alegra Fazio
Ethan Gould
Shivani Hebsur
Ellie Kater
Scarlet Lacey
Joshua Lee
Charlie Ling
Avik Maharaj
Jack McNary
Graham Miller
Clara Monahan
Reide Rasberry
Jackson Rukes
Karim Sandid
Sophia Santo
Benjamin Shackelford
Aman Sharma
Grace Teal
Max Timsah
Nathaniel Toon
Luiz Varchavtchik
James Weimar
GRADE 8
Evelyn Aberle
Ethan Acree
Rima Ajwad
Tanya Ali
Remy Blanchaert III
Olivier Chocron
Mia Felice
Isabella Fernandez
Arwin Hill
Jude Issa
Amir Khicha
Alisa Lin
Jayden Mai
Michelle Mangan
Natalie Nichols
James Nolan
Elizabeth Olson
Kingston Romero
Kelsey Rooney
Nicole Rooney
Maya Sabouni
Jacobi Salyers
Annie Sharp
Blakeslee Sprole
Zaid Tabbal
Lucy Voloch
Julia Walenta
GRADE 7
Ahmad Abu-Awwad
Brooks Bastian
Ava Blue
Jonathan Chehab
Caden Corrigan
Jane Docking
True Frederick
Hudson Hoover
Deema Issa
Julianna Johnson
Lanie Kater
Mason King
Allyson Kotkin
Eden Lacey
Collyns Livermore
Colin Malla
Keira Marquardt
Ava Monahan
Yasmina Mortada
Natalia Nabbout
Dex Naumann
Emery Payne
Owen Payne
Watson Payne
Natalia Saad
Albert Saliba
Giana Shuart
Brylee Smock
Braylon Stewart
Stella Stone
Whitney Teal
Emma Ternes
Katelyn Thompson
Katarina Valdivia
Ameer Wakil
Maddox Wares
Lockard Webb
GRADE 6
Lucas Alvaez
Saville Amirani
Genevieve Bartel
Theodore Baughman
Blaze Beran
Reed Blanchaert
Clemence Bradu
Fisher Brane
Madeline Cade
Caden Cleveland
Hudson Drumright
Housten Esterline
Juliet Farha
Rory Farha
Jude Joudi
Vivian Knowles
Annabelle Lee
Anaya Maharaj
Theodore Moeller
Charles Myers
Saleem Nabbout
Nicholas Phillips
Wesley Rohr
Nora Shuart
Cameron Stewart
Ria Tripathi
Victoria Younger
GRADE 5
Salma Alsaleem
Jasmine Atkinson
Grace Bergquist
Anniston Bhargava
Matthew Chehab
Scarlett Coffey
Lila Dakhil
Samuel Devlin
Aya Eldika
Evelyn Elkouri
Isabel Elliott
Lily Estephan
Bailey Hall
Jenson Hawley
Harrison Hill
Nadine Issa
Ava Johnson
Marco Laham
Joanna Messamore
Henry Michaelis
Stella Moeller
Naya Mortada
Red Redford
Sophia Ritchie
Rami Sabouni
Ava Scheve
Ava Schmidtberger
Yara Shahouri
Hendrick Smock
Emerson Sprole
Ava Steckley
Jack Streich
Yusuke Takahashi
Viaan Talreja
Leon Tarbell
Zane Thompson
Kenzie Villagomez
Dagny Winters
GRADE 12
Nicolas Adams
Asa Ahmad
Omar Al-Tabbal
Jack Babb
Anabelle Babst
Madeline Carpenter
Samuel Cline
Sara Jane Crosby
Addison Goree
Gracie Gwyn
Kaitlin Henry
Price Johnson
Samuel Pfeiffer
Lucas Ranney-Brown
Sia Sharma
Keisuke Takahashi
Abigail Walston
Natalie Walters
Brett Wetta
Alex Wunderlich
Christina Zakharia
GRADE 11
Isabella Alvaez
Cooper Arneson
Drake Beran
Cooper Brown
Cameron Cadena
David Chege
Chloe Dart
Carter Drumright
Nicholas Enegren
Clare Finan
Jaeden Flores
James Haan
Elizabeth Henshall
Dahlia Issa
Katriel Kadiri
Ingrid Lampton
Tristan Leddy
Chae Moon Lee
Nathan Lynch
Cooper Miller
Ishani Nagabhushan
Langley Overman
Lana Sandid
Ellen Schulte
Harrison Simon
Camden St.Germain
Will Strecker
Natalie Villars
Zachary Voloch
Ward Weimar
Nicolas Zayat
GRADE 10
Ali Al-Sukin
Delilah Banuelos
Amare Batiste
Parker Bennett
Avery Compton
Cameron Estes
Allison Haan
Julian Johnson
Emma McDonald
Brooke McKown
Jaden Parker
Alex Richardson
Devin Ritchie
Samuel Taylor
Elizabeth Timsah
Isaac Vanderburg
Savannah Vess
Natalie Walenta
Corban Wiley
Max Williams
Grier Wiltse
GRADE 9
Laith Al-Sukin
Rahstin Amirani
Mason Bond
Jena Campbell
Logan Clay
Maddox Drumright
Lunden Esterline
Elliott Hay
Landon Langston
Kalyn Lichty
Evan Lynch
Carson Malaise
Timothy Ritchie
Zaryn Thompson
Gavin Tuhro
Dalton Turpin
Carolina Villars
GRADE
Zayden Allen
8
Vivienne Bartel
Sophia Bennani
Carolyn Cole
Blake Dudley
G Farha
Olivia Gehrer
Paige Hart
Michael Nabbout
Courtney Olson
Torsten Overman
Evelyn Ritchie
Raelyn Ryun
Hope Shepherd
Sophia Timme
Finley Viljanmaa
Grace Voloch
Omnia Wakil
Max Walters
Lilian Webber
GRADE
7
James Blackman
Blaine Cole
Sophia Cremin
Jace Dalke
Bronxley Esterline
Robert Hoover
Sawyer Konen
Margaret Michaelis
Camden Pearson
Vivian Pigg
Samuel Richardson
Cooper Sayahnejad
Jonah Widener
HONOR ROLL
GRADE
6
Thomas Alderson
Emery Bond
Caroline Brane
Taylor Chandler
Marshall Cooke
Genevieve Darrah
Adeline Hill
Rowen Howell
Maverick Rolfe
Ethan Rukes
Maris Schwab
Shodashi Sivaraman
Cash Strain
Adeline Viner
Tayten Wenman
GRADE
5
Zoey Alter
Warren Brady
Mackenzie Coe
Eden Dudley
Mateo Felice
Beau Flurry
Henry Gaddis
Noah Hake
Helen Hawley
William Hood
Liam Kucharski
Lauren Lewis
Alexander Mangan
Grace McFarlane
Leanna Nabbout
Raya Nabbout
Jake Ndungu
Milania Nguyen
Amir Patel
Priya Phillips
Tyler Ragan
Divette Rosas
Nicolas Valdivia
Brenlee Vincent
Joanise Vincent
Carrick Walker
Ledger Wiltse
CELEBRATION OF LEARNING
2023-24 ACADEMIC DISTINCTION
HEAD OF SCHOOL AWARD
Lucy Voloch and Kingston Romero
HEAD OF SCHOOL AWARDS are presented to the 8th grade boy and girl who best exemplify the overall objectives of Collegiate Middle School. These students participate in many areas of student life such as academics, fine arts, and athletics with a sense of joy and commitment.
SHAFER DART MEMORIAL AWARD
Jacobi Salyers
SHAFER DART MEMORIAL AWARD is given in memory of Shafer Dart to an 8th grader who exemplifies Shafer’s qualities and outgoing, gregarious spirit.
ALICE VIRGINIA KNORR SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
Julia Walenta
ALICE VIRGINIA KNORR SCHOLARSHIP AWARD is given in memory of Alice to an 8th grader who represents a balance between academics, family, and social life. She should be someone who is warm, thoughtful, and considerate to her classmates.
HEAD OF SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP CUP
Class of 2031 (5th grade) - 92.8%
HEAD OF SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP CUP is presented to the class with the highest grade average.
SPELLING BEE AWARD
Vivi Bartel
STUDENTS WITH AVERAGE GPA 96%+
5TH GRADE Salma Alsaleem, Grace Bergquist, Scarlett Coffey, Aya Eldika, Bailey Hall, Jenson Hawley, Harrison Hill, Nadine Issa, Joanna Messamore, Henry Michaelis, Naya Mortada, Rami Sabouni, Ava Scheve, Ava Schmidtberger, Emerson Sprole, Jack Streich, Yusuke Takahashi, Kenzie Villagomez
SCHOLAR’S BOWL PROBA TE DIGNUM @ WICHITA COLLEGIATE
1/16/24
-This fierce tournament puts each team into a best-ofthree game set with superior teams. While it is held at WCS, the Head Judges were retired coaches from AHS (Mike Boger), ACHS (Brent Ruggles), and Wichita East (Hall-of-Fame Coach: Dave Shelly). The 2024 field included Andover Central, Bishop Carroll, Independent, Newton, Wichita Collegiate, and Wichita East.
-Spartans earned a tournament-best record of 12-3 to take home 1st Place.
*Collectively, the team correctly interrupted 47 questions on 54 attempts. Lead scorers were Ethan MacKenzie [SO], Hannah Ternes [JR], and Conner Schupbach [SR].
[Competing Players: Conner Schupbach, Paul Mines, Rahul Madhavan, Hannah Ternes, Ethan MacKenzie, Shouvik Dev, Cooper Winters]
BLUE JAY INVITATIONAL @ GOESSEL1/20/24
-Collegiate defeated Bishop Carroll, Newton, and Wichita East in bracket play.
-Spartans went 9-0 to finish 1st overall.
-Ethan MacKenzie led all scorers with 410 points; he scored 220 of his points on successful interruptions.
-This final event of the regular season determined both JV and Varsity Champions for our league.
-Varsity went 10-0 to earn first place. JV also went undefeated against the JV teams.
*This is the 11th consecutive year that WCS has come home with the League Championship--go Spartans!
[Competing Varsity Players: Paul Mines, Darcel Thompson, Rahul Madhavan, Hayan Raffi, Shouvik Dev, Cooper Winters, ]
[Competing JV Players: Isabella Alvaez, Lizzy Timsah, Caroline Kuglich, Carter Chance, Ajitesh Srivastava, Charlie Gentile]
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Collegiate went on to win its final five matches by an average of 83 points to take the title. The STATE CHAMPIONSHIP team was made up of seniors Conner Schupbach, Paul Mines and Rahul Madhavan, juniors Hannah Ternes and Shouvik Dev, and sophomore Ethan MacKenzie
UPPER SCHOOL DEBATE
2 SPEAKER TOURNAMENTFor the first time in school history, and the first time statewide since 2003, the teams of Ayaan Parikh and Will Meyer, Sam Ngunjiri and Cassilda Njeri, Andrew Porter and Sam Brittain, and Ingrid Lampton and Elizabeth Timsah, all WON their quarterfinal rounds. At the conclusion of quarterfinals, our 4 teams in the 2-Speaker tournament were named Co-Champions!! Their impressive performance results in these 8 incredible students sharing in the state title.
4 SPEAKER TOURNAMENT
4-Speaker team of Charlie Gentile, Hayan Raffi, Colton Jenkins, Cooper Miller and alternate Max Timsah competed in the 4-Speaker tournament, compiling an 8-6 record and battling a tough field to come out in 3rd place at the end of the weekend.
DECA
STATE COMPETITION
INDIVIDUAL ROLE PLAY EVENTS
Cooper Miller – 1st place Principles of Finance
Ayaan Parikh – 1st place Personal Finance Literacy
Sadhakshi Sivaraman – 2nd place Principles of Business Management
Ajitesh Srivastava – 10th place Entrepreneurship
Elizabeth Timsah – 3rd place Personal Finance Literacy
Iya Wakil – 8th place Marketing Communications
WRITTEN COMPETITIVE EVENTS
Ayaan Parikh – 3rd place Start Up Business Plan
Ajitesh Srivastava – 5th place Independent Business Plan
Cooper Miller and Elizabeth Timsah – 3rd place International Business Plan
Isaac Vanderburg 10, Honorable Mention, Photography
Iya Wakil 12, Honorable Mention, Mixed Media
Derek Yang 12, Honorable Mention Photography
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Rima Ajwad 8, Honorable Mention, Portfolio
Amir Kicha 8, Honorable Mention, Mixed Media
Michelle Mangan 8, Gold Key, Mixed Media
Corryn McDermott 7, Silver Key, Painting
Raelyn Ryun 8, Gold Key, Mixed Media
Albert Saliba 7, Silver Key, Mixed Media
Annie Sharp 8, 2 Honorable Mentions. Mixed Media
Adain Smith 8, Gold Key, Painting
Brylee Smock 7, Honorable Mention, Painting
Maddox Wares 7, Honorable Mention, Painting
NATIONAL MYTHOLOGY EXAM (MIDDLE SCHOOL)
GOLD MEDAL WINNERS (PERFECT SCORE)
5th grade:
Henry Michaelis
Emerson Sprole
Aya Eldika
Nadine Issa
Ava Schmitberger
Isabel Elliott
Rami Sabouni
GOLD MEDAL WINNERS
5th grade:
Scarlett Coffey
Ava Scheve
Salma Alsaleem
Dagny Winters
Gracie McFarlane
Naya Mortada
Zoey Alter
William Hood
Sam Devlin
Ledger Wiltse
Hendrick Smock
Tyler Ragan
Priya Phillips
Grace Berquist
Zane Thompson
Nico Valdivia
6th grade:
Nora Shuart
SILVER MEDAL WINNERS
5th grade:
Jake Ndungu
Bailey Hall
Noah Hake
Ava Steckley
Henry Gaddis
Crue Brady
Yusuke Takahashi
Jack Streich
Carrick Walker
Jasmine Atkinson
Matthew Chehab
Jenson Hawley
Yara Shahouri
Ava Johnson
Harrison Hill
Lily Estephan
Amir Patel
Joanna Messamore
Liam Kucharski
6th grade:
Annabelle Lee
RIBBONS
5th grade:
Mateo Felice
Stella Moeller
Viaan Talreja
Sophie Ritchie
CUM LAUDE CERTIFICATE
5th grade:
Kenzie Villagomez
LC Tarbell
Beau Flurry
Leanna Nabbout
Joanise Vincent
Red Redford
Lila Dakhil
Helen Hawley
Thomas O’Sullivan
Divette Rosas
Fitz Skiliris
Lauren Lewis
Anniston Barghava
Brenlee Vincent
Milly Nguyen
6th grade:
Adeleine Viner
Gigi Bartel
7th Grade:
Keira Marquardt
8th grade:
Lucy Voloch
LATIN EXAM
Congratulations to the following students on their National Latin Exam accolades.
GOLD SUMMA CUM LAUDE
Ethan Acree
Elizabeth Olson
SILVER MAXIMA CUM LAUDE
Lucy Voloch
Annie Sharp
MAGNA CUM LAUDE
James Nolan
Jude Issa
Rima Ajwad
Evelyn Aberle
CUM LAUDE
Amir Khicha
Remy Blanchaert
Maya Sabouni
HONORS + CHAMPIONSHIPS
CROSS COUNTRY
Boys Team - 2nd at League, 3rd in Regionals, 11th in State
Girls Team - 2nd in League, 4th in Regionals
Alegra Fazio - AVCTL IV All-League, All-Region
Ellie Howell - AVCTL IV All-League
Dahlia Issa - AVCTL IV All-League, All-Region
Max Timsah - AVCTL IV All-League
Will Meyer - 4th Place State, League Champion, Regional Champion, 1st Team All-Metro, AVCTL IV All-League, All-State Team
Mason Hart - AVCTL IV All-League
Price Johnson - AVCTL IV All-League
FOOTBALL
Asa Ahmad - 1st Team AVCTL IV All League Linebacker, Wichita Eagle All-State Honorable Mention Linebacker, KSHSAA Covered Class All-State Honorable Mention Linebacker
Cooper Brown - 1st Team AVCTL IV All League
Defensive Line, Wichita Eagle All-State 3A Team Honorable Mention Defensive Line, KSHSAA Covered Class All-State Honorable Mention Defensive Line, Sports in Kansas All-State Honorable Mention Defensive Line, Sports in Kansas Non-Senior Top 100 Football players, All Metro 3rd Team Defensive Line
Jacob Chappell - 1st Team AVCTL IV All League Linebacker, Wichita Eagle All-State 1st Team Linebacker, KSHSAA Covered Class All-State 1st Team Linebacker, Sports in Kansas All-State Honorable Mention Linebacker, Sports in Kansas Senior Top 100 Football players, All Metro 2nd Team Linebacker
Hudson Ferralez - 1st Team AVCTL IV All League Quarterback, Vype All-State Wichita Area, Kansas Football Coaches Association Class 3A All-State Team, Wichita Eagle All-State 1st Team Quarterback, KSHSAA Covered Class All-State Honorable Mention Quarterback, Sports in Kansas All-State 1st Team Quarterback, Sports in Kansas Senior Top 100 Football players, All Metro 2nd Team Quarterback
Givi Gibson - Honorable Mention AVCTL IV All League Offensive Lineman
Sebastian Hines-Turner - Honorable Mention AVCTL IV All League Wide Receiver and Defensive Back, Sports in Kansas Non-Senior Top 100 Football players
Julian Johnson - 1st Team AVCTL IV All League Running back, Wichita Eagle All-State 3A Team Honorable Mention Running back, KSHSAA Covered Class All-State Honorable Mention Running back, Sports in Kansas All-State Honorable Mention Running back, Sports in Kansas Non-Senior Top 100 Football players, All Metro 3rd Team Running back
Jaden Parker - Sports in Kansas Non-Senior All-State Football Team Honorable Mention Running Back/
Linebacker
Lucas Ranney-Brown - 1st Team AVCTL IV All League Offensive Lineman, Wichita Eagle All-State Honorable Mention Offensive Line, KSHSAA Covered Class All-State Honorable Mention Offensive Line, Sports in Kansas All-State Honorable Mention Offensive Lineman, Sports in Kansas Senior Top 100 Football players Honorable Mention Offensive Lineman, All Metro 2nd Team Quarterback
Harrison Simon - 1st Team AVCTL IV All League Defensive Back, 2nd Team AVCTL IV All League Punter, Honorable Mention AVCTL IV All League Running Back, Wichita Eagle All-State 3A Team Honorable Mention Defensive Back, KSHSAA Covered Class All-State Honorable Mention Defensive Back, Sports in Kansas All-State Honorable Mention Defensive Back, Sports in Kansas Non-Senior Top 100 Football players, James Shackelford - 1st Team AVCTL IV All League
Wide Receiver and Defensive Back, Kansas Football Coaches Association Class 3A All-State Team
Wide Receiver, Wichita Eagle All-State Honorable Mention Wide Receiver, KSHSAA Covered Class AllState Honorable Mention Wide Receiver, Sports in Kansas All-State Honorable Mention Wide Receiver, Sports in Kansas Senior Top 100 Football players, All Metro 2nd Team Wide Receiver
Tristan Sprole- 1st Team AVCTL IV All League Offensive Lineman and Defensive End, Vype All-State Wichita Area Defensive End, Wichita Eagle All-State 1st Team Offensive Line, KSHSAA Covered Class AllState 1st Team Offensive Lineman, Sports in Kansas All-State 1st Team Defensive End, Sports in Kansas Non-Senior Top 100 Football players 1st Team Defensive Line, All Metro 2nd Team Offensive Line
Ward Weimer- Honorable Mention AVCTL IV All League Kicker
Brett Wetta - 2nd Team AVCTL IV All League Wide Receiver and Defensive Back, Vype All-State Wichita Area Defensive Back, Kansas Football Coaches Association Class 3A All-State Team
Defensive Back, Wichita Eagle All-State Honorable Mention Defensive Back, KSHSAA Covered Class All-State Honorable Mention Defensive Back, Sports in Kansas All-State Honorable Mention Defensive Back, Sports in Kansas Senior Top 100 Football players
GOLF (GIRLS)
Margaret Ulrich - 321A STATE CHAMPION, 1st Team
All-Metro 1st Team 321A State Golf
TENNIS (GIRLS)
TEAM STATE CHAMPIONS
Lara de Carvalho - 3A Singles STATE CHAMPION, 1st Team All Metro Singles
Laney Conrad - 3A (Repeat) Doubles STATE CHAMPION, 1st Team All Metro Doubles
Julia Herrman - 3A (Repeat) Doubles STATE CHAMPION,
1st Team All Metro Doubles
Amelia Blackman - 5th Place State Singles, 3rd Team All Metro Singles
Tatum Downing - 7th Place State Doubles, 3rd Team All Metro Doubles
Langley Overman - 7th Place State Doubles, 3rd Team All Metro Doubles
Entire Team - All Metro
Coach Simon Norman - First Team All Metro
VOLLEYBALL
Carlyle Johnson - 1st Team AVCTL IV All-League, 3rd Team All Metro
Avery Elofsson- 1st Team AVCTL IV All-League
Addison Goree - 2nd Team AVCTL IV All-League
Kalie Villagomez - 2nd Team AVCTL IV All-League
BASKETBALL (BOYS)
Asa Ahmad - AVCTL IV Honorable Mention All-League, Honorable Mention 3A All-State
A.J. Batiste - AVCTL IV 2nd Team All-League, Honorable Mention 3A All-State
Carter Drumright - AVCTL IV Honorable Mention All-League
Sebastion Hines-Turner - AVCTL IV 1st Team All-League, 2nd Team 3A All-State, All Metro 2nd Team
James Shackelford - AVCTL IV 1st Team All-League, AVCTL IV Defensive Player of the Year, Honorable Mention 3A All-State
Mitch Fiegel - AVCTL IV League Coach of the Year
BASKETBALL (GIRLS)
Julia Herrman - 1st Team AVCTL All-League
Tatum Downing - Honorable Mention AVCTL IV AllLeague
BOWLING
Boys Team - 2nd Place at Regionals, State Qualifiers Girls Team -
Caroline Kuglich - 10th place at State Tournament
Mona Bagai - 15th Place at State Tournament
SWIMMING (BOYS)
5-1A Team State Runners Up
1st Place - 200 Medley Relay (Karim Sandid, Nathan Lynch, Derek Yang, and Paul Mines) STATE CHAMPION
2nd Place - 200 Yard Free Relay (Luke Cremin, Paul Mines, Harry Ling, and Derek Yang)
5th Place - 400 Yard Free Relay (Luke Cremin, Harry Ling, Nathan Lynch, and Karim Sandid)
Derek Yang - Athlete of the Meet, 5-1A State Meet, 50 Yard Free STATE CHAMPION, 100 Yard Butterfly STATE CHAMPION, 1st Team All-State
Nathan Lynch - 100 Yard Breaststroke STATE CHAMPION, 4th Place 200 Yard IM, 1st Team
All-State
Harry Ling - 4th Place 500 Yard Freestyle, 5th Place
200 Yard Freestyle, 2nd Team All-State
Paul Mines - 6th Place 200 Yard Freestyle, 8th Place 100 Yard Freestyle, 2nd Team All-State
Luke Cremin - 5th Place 500 Yard Freestyle, 7th Place 100 Yard Butterfly, 2nd Team All-State
Karim Sandid - 8th Place 500 Yard Freestyle, 8th Place 100 Yard Breaststroke
Coach Kamren Hall was awarded Coach of the Year at the state meet
BASEBALL
Mason Bond - 1st Team All- League 2nd Base
Jace Campbell - AVCTL IV MVP, 1st Team All-League 3rd Base, 1st Team All-League Pitcher, 3A AllState Honorable Mention Pitcher
Carter Drumright - 2nd Team All-League Shortstop, 3A All-State Honorable Mention Middle Infield
James Shackleford - 2nd Place 100m, 2nd Place 200m, 2nd Team All Metro
Logan Clay - 3rd Place Discus Throw
Timmy Ritchie - 4th Place 100 m, 2nd Place 400m, 2nd Team All Metro
Julian Johnson - 8th Place Long Jump
AJ Batiste - 6th Place 200m, 3rd Team All Metro
Will Meyer - 13th Place 800m, 10th Place 3200m, 3rd Team All Metro
Hudson Ferralez - 12th Place Javelin Throw
Brett Wetta - 5th Place 110m Hurdles, 3rd Team All Metro
AJ Batiste, James Shackleford, Timmy Ritchie, Peyden Chronister - STATE CHAMPIONS 4x100m, State Record Time of 42.36, 1st Team All Metro
Students from the Class of 2023 will be attending 33 SCHOOLS in 17 STATES, and WASHINGTON D.C.
MILLION IN SCHOLARSHIPS
CLASS 2024 of
UNIVERSITY OF AUSTIN • University of California Irvine • University of California Los Angeles
Arkansas
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO
University of California Santa Barbara • University of Central Arkansas • University of Central Florida • UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA University of Colorado Boulder • University of Denver • UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA • University of Georgia
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign • UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS • UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN • University of Minnesota Twin Cities University of Mississippi • University of Missouri Kansas City • THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL
THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA • University of Oregon • UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA • University of Saint Mary • University of San Diego
University of South Florida • University Of Southern California • THE UNIVERSITY OF TULSA • The University of Virginia
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON • Washburn University • Washington University in St. Louis • Webster University • WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY
[ schools attending are displayed in BOLD ]
+Nicolas Alford Adams
+Asa Solomon Ahmad
+Omar Al-Tabbal
MAGNA CUM LAUDE
**Elijah Michael Allen
MAGNA CUM LAUDE
Hayden Pierce Anderson
Jack Robert Babb
+Anabelle Charlotte Babst
CUM LAUDE
Monica Bagai
SUMMA CUM LAUDE
+Yazan Bakdash
SUMMA CUM LAUDE
Jace E. Campbell
Madeline Alexandra Reeve
Carpenter
Jacob Allen Chappell
Peyden Jacob Chronister
+Samuel Tayten Cline
CUM LAUDE
+Sara Jane Crosby
CUM LAUDE
+Avery Dawn Elofsson
SUMMA CUM LAUDE
Hudson Jack Pena Ferralez
Adelaide Brynn Fitzwater
Isabella Elaina Flores
CUM LAUDE
+Karley Rebekah Forsyth
SUMMA CUM LAUDE
**Sky Ryo Fujinuma
SUMMA CUM LAUDE
Isabella Anna Galichia
CUM LAUDE
Joel Givi Gibson
Gabriel Raposo Gorcos
CUM LAUDE
Addison Gray Goree
Gracie Anne Gwyn
CUM LAUDE
*Mason Stokley Hart
SUMMA CUM LAUDE
**Kaitlin Constantina Henry
+Price Jack Johnson
MAGNA CUM LAUDE
Amelia Lyn Reusser King
*+Rahul Madhavan
SUMMA CUM LAUDE
Liana Mary Maksoud
CUM LAUDE
Aden Shai Meyers
CUM LAUDE
*Mason Vernell Mines
SUMMA CUM LAUDE
Maya Marie Nabbout
**+Wambui Ngunjiri
SUMMA CUM LAUDE
+Thomas Luke Olson
MAGNA CUM LAUDE
*+Ayaan Parikh
SUMMA CUM LAUDE
Yun Park
Samuel Elliott Pfeiffer
Lucas Alain Ranney-Brown
CUM LAUDE
+Robert Edwin Rasberry III
MAGNA CUM LAUDE
+Tyler Joshua Rice
SUMMA CUM LAUDE
+Erin Sanaa Rolfe
SUMMA CUM LAUDE
+Phoebe James Ross
SUMMA CUM LAUDE
+Conner Evan Schupbach
SUMMA CUM LAUDE
**+James Duncan Shackelford
SUMMA CUM LAUDE
Sia Ninad Sharma
MAGNA CUM LAUDE
Keisuke Takahashi
*+Darcel Olivia Thompson
SUMMA CUM LAUDE
+Chloe Ann Turpin
CUM LAUDE
Ragen Kathleen Turpin
+Kalie Elle Villagomez
MAGNA CUM LAUDE
+Iya Noor Wakil
SUMMA CUM LAUDE
+Abigail Jane Walston
+Haley Joann Walston
MAGNA CUM LAUDE
Natalie Marie Walters
MAGNA CUM LAUDE
+Brett James Wetta
CUM LAUDE
Alex William Wunderlich
CUM LAUDE
+Derek Bryan Yang
MAGNA CUM LAUDE
**+Avi Yendru
SUMMA CUM LAUDE
Christina Helena Zakharia
CUM LAUDE
At the conclusion of the year, the following faculty and staff were recognized for their contributions to our school.
Jenifer Pence, Implementation of New and Enforcement of Old Systems to Elevate the Culture of Upper School
Jen Ragan, Revamping of the Math Curriculum
Shawna Horsch, Whitney Stevens ‘08, RAMP Credit Card System
Shanna Ahmad, Jennifer Hearne, Heidi Holton ‘11, Amanda London, Mental Health Panel
Jenn Arneson, Physical and Vaccination Clinic on Campus
Phoebe Hart ‘95, Katie Leiding ‘04, Reengagement of Alumni
Kathy Rukes ‘99, Viewbook
We wish the following faculty and staff all the best in retirement and thank them for their years of dedication and service to Wichita Collegiate School!
Sara Souraty ADMISSIONS & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR
Melissa Spitzig KINDERGARTEN TEACHER
Samantha Taylor 3RD GRADE TEACHER
Brandon Whipple US SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER
Bailey Wiebe 4TH GRADE TEACHER
Yangchen Zawadsky EC TEACHING ASSISTANT
FINDING THE COMMON THREAD: AN INTRODUCTION TO THROUGHLINES
When I was eight years old, my grandmother taught me to crochet, and through this hobby, I’ve experienced the entire spectrum of the learning process. Clumsy at first but steadily gaining in skill, I dedicated countless hours to practicing and mastering the basics. As my abilities developed, I pushed myself to learn new stitches and attempt increasingly difficult patterns. I’ve taken on projects that were at times more than I thought I could handle, pushed through frustration, celebrated success, and continued to grow. Ultimately, I have found it fulfilling to start with a simple material, spend hours lost in the flow of the task, and end up with something beautiful and useful to show for my work.
These same elements of my evolution as a crocheter surface for me when I think of the concept of throughlines: here at Wichita Collegiate, we want to dedicate our time, energy, and passion to creating a transformative educational experience that is both beautiful and useful for our students. We want to provide opportunities that are filled with joy and challenge. We want students to experience and celebrate success while also embracing and pushing through struggle. We want every community member to strive to constantly evolve as a learner and as a human being. Beyond the projects they do, the books they read, the accolades they earn, and the cherished memories they make, we want our students to become fully realized individuals, contributing members of their communities, and the absolute best versions of themselves.
Educational throughlines are the foundational fibers tying together every learning experience we design for our students. These threads are incorporated across grade levels and subject areas so that each individual class or lesson becomes part of a more cohesive whole, like separate squares coming together to form a complete blanket. When the faculty began the task of identifying throughlines nearly three years ago, we centered our initial conversation around the book Creative Schools, where Sir. Ken Robinson shares his belief that “the aims of education are to enable students to understand the world around them and the talents within them so that they can become fulfilled individuals and active, compassionate citizens.” We reflected on a Wichita Collegiate School education, highlighting the skills, traits, and experiences that we felt were key to helping our students deeply understand and fully explore themselves and the world. Through ongoing conversations and work together and in small groups, we have refined our collective thoughts into four throughlines that we believe are the key threads unifying this beautiful tapestry we’re weaving together for our students.
By Amber Celestin
Thinking critically is an increasingly vital skill in a world where we are inundated with more information than ever before. We believe we should all be curious, open-minded learners who constantly examine and re-examine ideas in the pursuit of a better understanding of ourselves, each other, and the world.
To care about our community and each other, we must live ethically and with an awareness of the impact each individual can have in the world around them. We want to show up for one another as compassionate, collaborative community members.
Most things worth doing are difficult, and we grow the most when we persevere honorably through challenges. We chose the word “honorably” for perseverance because we wanted there to be a commitment to acting in the right way. We believe there is honor in carrying on when things are tough and in not looking for an easy way out or a means of shirking the challenge, but instead finding ways to learn and grow from every experience. We believe our school thrives when everyone embraces productive struggle, navigating whatever life throws at us with grit, integrity, and open hearts and minds.
Communicating Effectively has always been a hallmark of a Collegiate education. We want to develop our individual voices and the skills to confidently make those voices heard in meaningful ways while also building our active listening skills so we can learn from the voices of others. We will continue to provide opportunities to model and engage in civil discourse and the sharing of ideas and perspectives.
Next year, we’ll carry on with the work of highlighting our throughlines by intentionally intertwining them into all aspects of school life: we’ll display them in every classroom, infuse them into conversations with students, and develop written overviews of how each throughline comes to life in every division. And just as each new crochet stitch I learn opens up new possibilities in the kinds of projects I can tackle next, it is our hope that an intentional focus on these cross-curricular and cross-divisional throughlines will do the same for our students, helping them develop richer, more wellrounded perspectives and skill sets to prepare them for whatever challenges they want to take on next. I’m so excited to watch these threads strengthen around us every day, from Great Beginnings to senior year, as we continue weaving them into the fabric of our school and community, helping kids explore who they are and who they can become.
THROUGHLINES THROUGHLINES
Critically
• Cultivate curiosity for the sake of personal growth and problem solving.
• Examine and reevaluate ideas to improve understanding of yourself, others, and the world.
Students are intrinsically motivated thinkers with a drive to constantly learn and improve their understanding of others and the world.
LIVE Ethically
• Show compassion, empathy, and respect for others.
• Collaborate and contribute as a good citizen and community member.
Students listen to and learn from those around them and contribute to their communities in positive and impactful ways.
PERSEVERE Honorably
• Embrace productive struggle as an opportunity for growth.
• Approach challenges with discipline and resilience.
Students view struggle as an opportunity to grow and embrace the challenges that are presented to them.
COMMUNICATE Effectively THINK
• Communicate clearly, carefully, and with confidence.
• Listen actively; seek to understand multiple perspectives and engage in discourse with civility.
Students engage in internal thought/reflection, conversations with others, civil discourse, and active listening to develop their individual voice and understand the voices of others.
CULTIVATING CRITICAL THINKING:
HOW THE ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS PAVED THE WAY FOR STUDENTS TO CREATE THEIR DREAM SCHOOL
AN INTERVIEW WITH JENA SIMMS, LOWER SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHER, AND KAYLA BALES, LOWER SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY TEACHER
By Kathy Rukes
Lincoln logs scattered across one table. Building blocks, popsicle sticks, and toothpicks on another. Benches papered by sheets of blueprints drawn out in crayon and markers, each marked with ideas and comments. LEGOs in varying states of build on another table. And throughout the room, seven- and eight-year-olds huddled together excitedly discussing their ideas.
During this past winter on any given Friday, a visit to the Cleveland Family Makerspace would have resulted in witnessing the above scene: animated 1st and 2nd graders teaming up to dream up their ideal school. Led by science teacher Jena Simms and technology teacher Kayla Bales, students were shepherded through the engineering design process as they were tasked with answering the following question: If they could design and build their dream school, what would it look like? In a recent interview, these master educators to reflect back on that project and share a bit more about the process, outcomes, and experience of their Dream School Project.
Please describe the Dream School project 1st and 2nd Grade students completed this past semester.
Beginning with a blueprint-style map of campus, students were able to grasp the space and resources available for the project. Facilitated discussions on what spaces were needed versus what additions were wanted led to dynamic brainstorming sessions. Students were then given the time and space to debate their proposals. Ideas included the addition of a sports complex, enhancement of our parking lots, and even building a separate Lower School enhancement building. One of the initial ideas was to build a road around the campus, eliminating all interior roads. They carefully considered walkways connecting buildings. Improving playgrounds was a top priority; students wanted more nature, shade coverings, and areas for kickball, soccer, and football.
With the vision of the school coming into focus, students were then divided into groups, tasked with designing specific spaces across campus: one group designed the road system, another focused on the playgrounds, and another on the enhancement building – each student contributing individually to the overall design, driven by their specific interests. Utilizing Seesaw, students tracked progress, reviewed designs from previous class periods, and found inspiration from other students’ ideas. The project culminated in each class proudly displaying a LEGO model of their design, complete with clear signage promoting each aspect of their very own Dream School.
In what ways did this project encourage the development of the Golden C’s: critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration, character, and curiosity?
’99
By engaging in discussions to identify the school's needs and envision improvements, students exercised critical thinking skills, analyzing the feasibility and impact of their ideas. Dividing tasks, such as designing the road system, playgrounds, and enhancement buildings, required them to address specific challenges like traffic flow and playground safety, fostering collaborative problem-solving abilities. Examining the current layout and imagining a better version prompted students to reconsider how their environment could be more functional and enjoyable, promoting a mindset of continuous improvement.
Applying the Engineering Design Process helped students approach problems methodically, encouraging iterative thinking as they tested and refined their ideas. Working in groups and sharing their designs with other classes enhanced their appreciation for different perspectives and solutions, improving their communication and collaboration skills. Designing a dream school allowed students to use their creativity to envision innovative solutions, pushing them to think beyond conventional boundaries. Considering who would use the playground and how to ensure safety and enjoyment for all fostered empathy and a user-centered approach to design. Overall, the project provided a comprehensive platform for students to develop essential skills and a deeper understanding of how thoughtful design can positively impact their community.
Additionally, exploring different solutions and seeing the diverse designs created by their peers further fueled their curiosity,
encouraging them to ask more questions and delve deeper into the subject matter. As students walked around the school, they became more aware of their surroundings. We overheard them discussing how certain elements could be improved, such as moving a sidewalk or changing the shape of a building. This newfound awareness demonstrated their ability to critically evaluate their environment and think about practical changes that could enhance their school experience. Overall, the project fostered a dynamic learning environment where curiosity and a desire for knowledge thrived, while also encouraging students to observe and rethink their everyday surroundings.
As an educator, what were you hoping students would gain from this experience? Any surprises along the way?
As an educator, we hoped students would gain a deeper understanding of collaboration, communication, and creative problem-solving from this experience. We aimed for them to see the practical applications of the Engineering Design Process and to develop a sense of ownership and pride in their work. By engaging in this project, we wanted students to enhance their critical thinking skills, learn to work effectively in teams, and appreciate the importance of considering different perspectives. Additionally, we hoped they would become more observant and mindful about their environment, understanding how thoughtful design can improve their daily lives.
We noted several surprises along the way – most notably the students' enthusiasm and engagement. One day, we heard a student say, "I like your design, but what do you think about adding a backdoor?" This comment reflected the civil discourse language we had taught them, and it was encouraging to hear them using it positively. It showed that they were not only applying their problemsolving skills but also communicating respectfully and constructively. The students frequently discussed and debated their ideas, demonstrating an impressive level of maturity and critical thinking. Their ability to integrate feedback and work collaboratively exceeded expectations, proving that they had truly internalized the skills and concepts we aimed to teach through this project. And who knows? Perhaps one day we will see their ideas and designs reflected on our very own campus.
REVAS BUSINESS SIMULATION: FAIL. LEARN. PERSEVERE
By David LeVan, Mitchem Chair of Entrepreneurship
TRIAL AND ERROR – AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, FAILURE – CAN BE THE BEST TEACHER. LEARNING AND ADAPTATION LEAD TO SUCCESS.
The REVAS business simulation is an online simulation where students, working in teams of three or four, create and grow small businesses in one specific industry, in our case, the hospitality industry. During each round of the simulation, the travel agencies make business decisions ranging from employee hiring and compensation to the agency’s product offerings and pricing strategy. The game then simulates consumer behavior and provides monthly financial results, which the teams then use to adjust their business strategies to compete against each other and improve their financial success.
In the REVAS simulation and in the real world, teams make mistakes and learn from them. Business strategies emerge and change. It is these adjustments after each REVAS round where student learning really happens.
For the students in the entrepreneurship unit of Principles of Economics, the results of the first round of selling in the REVAS business simulation were humbling. Nearly half the businesses lost money.
For some of the travel agencies, the loss was small, less than $1,000 on revenue of $100,000. One agency, overly optimistic about the market demand, offered too many travel packages and had to absorb the return cost of the canceled plane fares, hotel rooms, and preordered meals. A second business team, fearful of those return costs, offered too few travel packages, which left it unable to cover all of its operating expenses.
For other agencies, the loss was more profound. One team lost over $5,000. Driven by the desire to be the low cost leader, it sold one of its packages with a profit margin under 4%, making just $73 on a $1,900 holiday package. Another agency lost over $11,000 on $77,000 in lost sales by misordering every resource for each travel package it sold. It finished the round with no sales at all.
But many of these losses should be expected. What is the best pricing strategy for a business? How close will the market demand
meet a business’s demand projections? What is the ideal production level and selling price to maximize profit? How will competitors impact your sales? How will marketing impact consumer demand? The REVAS business simulation introduces students to the reality that there are numerous and ever-changing answers to these questions.
The agency with the 4% profit margin in the first round of selling began the simulation with a focus on being the lost cost leader but took a significant initial loss with that initial strategy. The team adjusted its strategy during the simulation by focusing on lower production levels, higher quality product offerings, and a prestige pricing strategy with profit margins over 35%. In her reflection on the simulation, one member of this agency described this adaptability from her team, “What I have learned over the time of this simulation is that there is a lot of planning and constantly changing ideas in a business. What I discovered through this experience was to be comfortable with change and not afraid to adapt. This is necessary because the plan that is first made may not ultimately be the right plan…our changes benefited us for the better and taught me to never be set on the first version of anything you create. There is always room for improvement.” Her team, which began the simulation with the largest loss in her class, finished with the class’s highest net income.
Unfortunately, not all the agencies experienced success, even by the end of the simulation. The agency with the initial ordering errors and the $11,000 loss after the first round of selling had a couple of strong middle rounds and began to make profit; however, communication errors within the team in the final round caused another significant misorder which led to no sales of domestic travel packages with a total lost sale value of nearly $400,000. This team’s total net income was less than a third of its competitors. But even this repeated failure allowed an opportunity to learn. This team struggled with effective teamwork and communication throughout the simulation. Reflecting on the struggle working with others, one member wrote, “I often neglected my team members’ ideas in favor of my own, creating a disconnect between me and the rest of the group, slowing our progress and inhibiting our team from functioning efficiently.” This team member, and hopefully all the
members of his agency, learned a valuable lesson in working with others.
The REVAS business simulation provides Collegiate students a realistic understanding of the challenges of starting and growing their own businesses. They experience success and failure each round, and through careful analysis, they learn from their mistakes. They adapt and learn.
The REVAS business simulation provides Collegiate students a realistic understanding of the challenges of starting and growing their own businesses.
- David LeVan
As one student explained, “Any business model to survive must have as its key element a characteristic of adapting to the ever-present challenges of a changing market.” Growth mindset drives learning
The REVAS business simulation is funded by the Tom Davis Legacy Endowment
LIVING ETHICALLY: A CASE STUDY FOR COMMUNITY IMPACT
JOYANN BRAKE, DIRECTOR OF THE INSTITUTE FOR COMMUNITY IMPACT, SAT DOWN WITH MEGHAN SMITH TO DISCUSS THE GENESIS OF WHAT HAS BECOME A BENCHMARK PROGRAM FOR OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL.
No one will challenge that Wichita Collegiate School is renowned for our college prep program and competitive prowess on and off the playing field - we are the #1 private K-12 school in Kansas for a reason. But as our world gets smaller and evermore connected, questions What happens after graduation? How will our students be prepared for the world beyond the classroom?
What skills could they develop now that will help them be better global citizens? — have arisen.
The sixth-grade team, led by Meghan Smith, wanted to find a way for their students to gain perspective on the community level, but with global implications.
Joyann Brake: Would you start by telling us about the Community Impact theme in sixth grade, why you chose it, and how it came to be?
Meghan Smith: Our sixth-grade community impact theme is refugees and immigrants. It really came about in a beautiful, organic way when you [Joyann] asked how we can make our students’ service projects more real to our kids. Our students were already doing projects to raise money to donate, but we wanted our students to fully appreciate the global perspectives that are right in our backyard.
In regards to the refugees themselves, we look at their stories and how they impact our world even closer, specifically, our home here in Wichita. These stories of immigrants are not just out in the world - they're here at Collegiate. As I learned that nearly a third of the kids in sixth grade are children from immigrant families or they are immigrants themselves, I started to realize there were opportunities here beyond merely discussing topics in class. In Global Studies class, we discuss culture, traditions, and current events, and I began to realize that I had a wealth of these resources in the students sitting in my room.
Global Gatherings is what started first. I had parents come in and share their stories of living in another country, their traditions, and their customs - the story of their journey of leaving their country and coming to the United States. The perspective they brought to our students on things like not having a 24-hour grocery store and the immediacy and beauty of the opportunities that the United States offers - I think many of our students take these things for granted if
they’ve never lived anywhere else. As Global Gatherings grew, we would have parents come in several times throughout the year, and eventually, a larger group would spend the whole day with us.
That’s when our sixth-grade team started looking at this as something bigger - something we could make even bigger.
That’s when our community impact initiative began.
JB: This initiative has become so interwoven throughout the 6th grade curriculum. How did you get everyone on board?
MS: Everyone was so excited about the idea of expanding our students’ perspectives on refugees and immigrants that everyone really jumped right in. Joe Gehrer started reading stories of immigrant students in his literature class and then took them over to the Innovation Lab to create what would typically be found in a refugee camp. Suzanne Schwartz started looking at the data and statistics of refugee asylum seekers and the different categories of immigration and then turned her classroom into a store where the students could shop for much-needed items to donate to our local refugee community. Ashley Bowers jumped in and started finding these two-person poems and a way for kids to creatively write about the emotional side of being a refugee. Brian Finan brought things into the science realm by
experimenting with the kinds of cooking fuel and energy sources that could be used in refugee camps. In Earth Science, he started thinking about the reasons that people could have to go to a refugee camp or seek asylum. He and his students looked into natural disasters and how a community can be wiped out by a volcano, earthquake, or tsunami.
JB: As you’ve looked for ways to grow this initiative each year, how did you come to be involved with the International Rescue Committee (IRC)?
MS: For our very first Community Impact Day, we just decided to reach out to the IRC. I think there are only a few locations in the United States, Wichita seemed like an odd part of the country for this, but it turns out this is big place for refugees to be relocated. So we asked, “How can we help?” and they said, “Well, our refugees need clothing and basic household items. If you guys could provide that, that would be great.” For a while now, we had been doing root beer float sales as our fundraiser for giving back to the community, so it seemed natural that we put that money towards buying these specific things that the IRC had asked for. Each year, we continue to work with the IRC. We continue to shop for them. It just became a really impactful day for the kids to actually know what they were doing was for people in our community.
JB: Speaking of community, could you please share how you have expanded this initiative to include field trips to immigrantowned businesses?
MS: As we continued to learn about the immigrant community here in Wichita, we realized that we wanted to actually get out into it. We decided to visit some restaurants that were started by immigrants, refugees, or first-generation Americans. We took the students to Saigon Restaurant, where the owner talked to them about how starting this restaurant was his American dream. Not only did this give us a chance to get kids outside of their comfort zone and have food from different cultures, but they also were able to hear stories of these people coming over to the United States and starting a whole new life and seeing it as this great opportunity.
JB: This year you partnered with Minneha Elementary School. How did that come to be and how does it relate to the work you were already doing?
MS: We had a really wonderful opportunity that our vocal music teacher, Matt Webber, shared with us. His wife, Kimberly, works at Minneha Elementary School and told us about their “Newcomers Class.” We learned that when refugee students come into Wichita, they are placed in USD 259 schools across the city. For us to find out that Minneha, just 100 yards away, has a class of refugee students was amazing. I reached out to Kimberly, and she got me in touch with Jamie, the teacher for the newcomers class. She was thrilled to be able to have a group of students that wanted to care for her kids, talk with them, and provide necessities for them. We told her that in the past we've gone shopping for donations but wanted to know what else we could do. She said, that if we actually had our kids come bring these gifts themselves and let them spend time together, that would be so meaningful. I get goosebumps and a little emotional even talking about it now. It was a really amazing day for our kids, and I think just seeing the joy on everyone’s faces was the most incredible thing. Our students weren’t sure what to expect, so we talked to them before we went about just being themselves. The students at Minneha just wanted to play. They wanted to play just like any other kids. So that's what we did. We brought popsicles and played on the playground. We learned that many of these kids didn’t know what popsicles were, and so Jamie had to explain what we were bringing. To watch these kids eat popsicles was another eye-opening experience for our kids - to realize the things we can take for granted in the United States. At the end of the visit when we got on the bus and were saying goodbye to the kids, they were all waving and shouting. When we got off the bus back at Collegiate, one student in particular was crying, and we asked, “Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?” No, she was that touched by the day and actually getting to meet the kids.
So it's really evolved from our sixth-grade team over the last five, six years into this beautiful project. I'm hoping that it continues to grow and we can continue to do it all throughout the year. It's not just a week of community impact for us. It is what drives the whole year. In each class, everyone steps up to take a part of the theme to teach and to focus on.
COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY
By Katie Leiding ’04 & Kevin Mykel
THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF WCS, ONE OF THE DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF A COLLEGIATE GRADUATE IS THE ABILITY TO CLEARLY AND EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE, BOTH VERBALLY AND IN WRITING. THE LIBERAL ARTS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM OF OUR SCHOOL IS DESIGNED
TO BUILD THESE SKILLS INCREMENTALLY AND PROGRESSIVELY IN EVERY CLASSROOM. EXAMPLES OF THIS COMMUNICATION PROGRAM ARE MANY AND VARIED.
The culminating example of this program is the Good Life Paper, which has long been a point of pride for our graduates. If you aren’t familiar with the Good Life Paper, it is the capstone project of our Collegiate experience and a large part of the Senior Humanities grade. The students spend the year in a multi-discipline examination of the nature of a “Good Life.” They finish the course by writing an extended (20+ pages) introspective paper, expressing their beliefs on this most human topic. The writing of the paper is followed by a session with a panel of well-respected faculty to discuss and defend their positions.
KNOWING THAT THEY CAN TAKE ON A PHDSTYLE DISSERTATION AND DEFEND THEIR POSITIONS SENDS THEM INTO THE WORLD WITH CONFIDENCE THAT THEY CAN COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY. EVERY COLLEGIATE GRADUATE SINCE 1994 HAS ACCOMPLISHED THIS FEAT.
To take on something this significant requires years of building effective communication skills. Starting in preschool, our teachers lay the foundation, and as our students grow, our teachers layer in increasingly sophisticated skills. These are intentional, diligently laid-out plans that prepare our students to communicate effectively throughout their lives.
Our Early Childhood classrooms are filled with opportunities for children to lay the groundwork of these skills. One of the most visible is Show and Share, in which Preschool through Kindergarten students present an item to their classmates. They develop strong oral language skills, and their peers learn to listen and ask great follow-up questions. As they progress through EC, students transition from simple statements such as, “I have a blue truck, too!” to asking more complex questions such as, “Where did you get your blue truck?”
In Pre-K, high-level vocabulary is taught, and students are encouraged to be more precise with their language. Our young
pupils are given numerous opportunities to develop these skills throughout the year, culminating in the Culture-Gram Project. This project tasks each child to create a poster that shares family photos and memories. Students are also invited to bring food special to their family to share with their classmates. The culmination of this project involves the four- and five-year old students presenting their work. Parents who attend their child’s Culture-Gram presentation over the years have been consistently amazed at the ability of these young students to discuss the family’s unique culture with confidence and insight.
This Culture-Gram Project was developed at Collegiate after Mrs. Abdul and Mrs. Gallagher were able to attend a professional development opportunity in February of 2019, thanks to the generosity of our donors. They attended the Early Childhood STEM Conference at Caltech, and came home with many significant takeaways, including our now beloved Culture-Gram Project.
“At this developmental stage, it’s natural for children to be a little ego-centric. They are beginning to understand how to take the
We felt the Culture-Grams would be a great project to work toward in terms of public speaking, but that it also would help the children celebrate their unique family cultures.
- Maisy
Abdul
perspective of others. This is a really special way for them to learn what is different about other families and what is similar.”
The teachers encourage each child to explore what is special about
their own family, from what meals they love to share together, to what holiday traditions they have. “What we’ve found is that even two families who are from the same place have different traditions, so it opens their eyes to what is unique about their family,” Mrs. Abdul says.
The students are so proud to share what makes their family special with their classmates, and they are all fascinated by the similarities and differences among their peers.
In the United States, public speaking is often ranked as the population’s number one fear. We applaud our little students who, year after year, excitedly count down the days until it’s their turn to stand up and present their Culture-Grams.
One child remarked on the last day of school this year,
“You know, Mom, I was really shy at the beginning of Pre-K. Now I’m not nervous to speak in front of my friends at all!”
The Culture-Gram Project is one step on the path to the Good Life for our students and has been a wonderful addition to our curriculum. It is also a great demonstration of how professional development opportunities provided to our teachers yield results for our students. When our teachers are able to learn, grow, and innovate, so too can our young Spartans. And so this early step is one our entire community, in essence, makes together as each small student stands up, tells their story and begins to consider their very own version of the “Good Life.”
GELLOC I ATEPAR E NTASSO C NOITAI YEAR REVIEW
in
COMMUNITY BUILDING
• Spartan Socials
• Spartan Night
• Sparty Zone at Home Varsity Football Games
• Kindergarten & Lower School Field Day T-shirts
• Middle School House T-shirts
• Upper School Finals Survival Snacks
LOWER SCHOOL FIELD DAY
MIDDLE SCHOOL HOUSE COMPETITION
• Concessions Allotments for Teams and Clubs
TEACHER APPRECIATION
• Teacher Birthdays
• Annual Spring Teacher & Staff Luncheon
• Teacher Grants
• Favorite Things List
• Teacher Appreciation Events Throughout the Year (stocking the lounges, coffee truck on campus)
TEACHER APPRECIATION
CPA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Allyson Teal, Kara Scott, Cara Payne, Becky McPherson, Gaylene Alderson, Ilex Gelpi, Alexis Kater, Jenna Marceau
CPA PROVIDES ALL OF THIS THROUGH THEIR FUNDRAISERS:
• Shirt Shack
• Activity Passes
• Concessions
• Senior Activity Book Ads
• School Supplies
2023-2024 OFFICERS
Ilex Gelpi
President
Gaylene Alderson Vice President
• Thanksgiving Program Reserved Seating
• Poinsettia Sales/Holiday Market
• Valentine’s Day Surprise
• Garden Market
• Give Back Programs (Box Top & Dillons)
THROUGH THEIR VARIOUS FUNDRAISING EFFORTS, THE CPA HAS CONTRIBUTED
$119,000
Jenna Marceau
Treasurer
Alexis Kater ’01
Secretary
Amanda Devlin
Past President
Directors at Large: Allyson Teal, US
Cara Payne, MS
Becky McPherson, LS
Kara Scott, EC
Phoebe Hart ’95 Staff Liaison
2024-2025 OFFICERS
Gaylene Alderson
President
Carla Bingenheimer
Vice President
Jenna Marceau
Treasurer
Alexis Kater ’01
Secretary Ilex Gelpi
Past President
Directors at Large: Allyson Teal, US
Cara Payne, MS
Ashley Caro, LS
Erica Ammar, EC
Sara Souraty Staff Liaison
GIFTS THAT KEEP ON GIVING
By Lalo Walsh
Our annual fundraising efforts, beginning the summer ahead of each school year and closing as the school year ends, are the lifeblood of our Fund for Collegiate. Year after year, the Fund for Collegiate supports both visible, critical enhancements and behind-the-scenes initiatives and investments that keep WCS a world-class institution.
TEACHER WISH LISTS
Every spring, our Development Office works with our Administration and the Board Members on our Advancement & Development Committee to set our fundraising goals for the upcoming year. We fundraise to cover the necessities and aspirations of the following school year. These goals must take into consideration our fundraising history, our anticipated needs looking as far ahead as one to two years (and beyond), and the fact that a number of our expenditures will inevitably be unforeseen. It is these unanticipated or deferred maintenance expenses that we now save for and include in our annual fundraising goal; we call this new allocation within our Fund for Collegiate our “Rainy Day Fund.”
Here are just a few examples of how the Fund for Collegiate supported our students, employees, and campus in the 2023-24 school year:
CAMPUS SECURITY
Every year, we receive numerous funding requests from teachers and coaches looking to purchase new programming and/or supplies and equipment in order to enhance our students' learning and classroom experiences.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Our teachers and coaches aim to operate at the highest caliber in their field in order to best serve our students. Their continued education through either coursework or professional conferences allows them to elevate the education offered on our campus. Twenty faculty members were able to attend professional development conferences this past year thanks to your support through our Fund for Collegiate.
Student, Faculty, and Staff safety is of the utmost importance to us, and the ongoing work of enhancing our campus security continues to be prioritized. This past year numerous updates and upgrades made to our campus security were afforded by donations to our Fund for Collegiate, including the acquisition and implementation of our new Visit U campus visitor management system and installation of NightLocks.
CLASS RETREATS & ACTIVITIES
In recent years, the Fund for Collegiate has provided around $60,000 a year towards Senior Class Retreats & Activities such as Road Rally, Prom, After Prom, Senior Weekend, and the Senior Banquet.
COLLEGIATE’S TWO BIGGEST FUNDRAISING EVENTS OF THE 2023-24 SCHOOL YEAR IN SUPPORT OF OUR FUND FOR COLLEGIATE WERE OUR DAY GIVING IN THE FALL AND OUR SPARTAN BASH IN THE SPRING.
The WCS Day of Giving is the official kick-off to our annual fundraising effort, which raises money every year towards our Fund for Collegiate, benefitting our students, teachers, and school. Our 2023 Day of Giving took place on October 12 and was a campus-wide celebration raising $402,711.
509 OVERALL NUMBER OF DONORS PARTICIPATING
76 NUMBER OF ALUMNI DONORS
100% OF FACULTY & STAFF GAVE TO THE FUND FOR COLLEGIATE
39% CURRENT PARENT DONORS
Our Rainy Day Fund will need $6.3 million allocated to it over the next 5 years in order for WCS to cover anticipated deferred maintenance and campus needs.
Help us Buy the Bus! We need a bus better aligned with the caliber of our school and students, providing them greater reliability and comfort in their transportation to sporting events, field trips, and off-campus extracurricular activities.
Mechanical equipment upgrades are needed across campus including upgrades to our fire control panels.
Both the Lair and Upper School kitchens need equipment upgrades.
Classroom & Division upgrades are needed across the campus requiring new furniture and flexible learning spaces.
We hope you join in on our next Day of Giving!
PLEDGE OR DONATE TODAY TOWARDS OUR DAY OF GIVING > FUTURE NEEDS
Bright, Bold &
GENEROUS
THIS YEAR’S BRIGHT & BOLD SPARTAN BASH TOOK PLACE ON APRIL 20, 2024 AT MURFIN STABLES AND CELEBRATED ALL THAT COLLEGIATE IS TODAY WHILE RAISING FUNDS FOR ALL WE HOPE IT CAN BE TOMORROW! IT TRULY WAS A PARTY WITH A PURPOSE, AS PROCEEDS OF THE BASH GO EXCLUSIVELY TOWARDS UNRESTRICTED FUNDING CRITICAL TO OUR OPERATING BUDGET.
“We feel incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have co-chaired the 2024 Spartan Bash. Reflecting on our experience, we can't help but be filled with pride and positivity. Our deep love for our school and community compelled us to take on this role knowing that by chairing the Spartan Bash, we were not only fundraising, but also fostering a sense of unity within our community.
“Our experience was nothing short of exceptional; anchored by the first-class group of volunteers, donors, and sponsors who made the night a resounding success. We got to witness the smiles on the faces of staff, teachers, and parents alike. The energy that filled the air that night reinforced our belief in the power of coming together for a common cause.
“Lastly, the opportunity to work with close friends and make new ones made the job a true joy. We are grateful for the opportunity, and are hopeful for the lasting impact it will have on our school and community!”
– Erin & Clark Moeller and Sarah & Shane Phillips 2024 Spartan Bash Co-Chairs
BASH GROSS PROCEEDS $ 635,575
Scan to view the 2024 Bash Hype video
presenting sponsor
CAMPUS UPGRADES
MADE POSSIBLE BY YOUR DONATIONS
UPPER SCHOOL GIRLS BATHROOM
A few years ago, our main Upper School boys bathroom had a leak which led to a renovation covered by our insurance company. Kathie Dakhil, grandmother to 14 current Spartans, turned 70 this year, and her birthday wish was to give our girls a new bathroom! The family came together to make this happen, and we are thrilled that our girls will enjoy a new bathroom in the fall, as will all our guests who come to our Upper School for events. The family also gave a gift to upgrade the boys bathroom flooring so that it matches what we put in the girls bathroom. We are so grateful to Kathie and Shaker Dakhil, Deanna ’96 and Tyler Ternes, Charese and Chris Dakhil ’98, Laura ’00 and Bradley Monahan, and Kristen and Dan Dakhil ’02 for this wonderful gift! Sherri Newlin, WCS Pre-K teacher, hand painted a special quote on the wall as a finishing touch.
ANATOMAGE
Collegiate became the first school in Kansas to receive the Anatomage Table with both the science lessons and the anatomy and physiology lessons. This incredible piece of technology was made possible thanks to a significant donation from an anonymous donor. This seven-foot table features 3D anatomy visualization, virtual dissection, and science lessons that takes complex science concepts and turns them into virtual experiments. This is often used in medical schools due to its innovative approach to anatomy and dissections, and our students have loved the hands-on approach to learning.
• Renovation and furnishing of our new Reading Specialist Room
• New Cheer floor mats
• Science materials for EC
• New classroom furniture in LS, MS, and US, where needed
• Funding towards Fine Arts instruction in the US
• US Volleyball bags and nets
• US Basketball practice jerseys and travel suits
• New 41” track hurdles
• Digital Piano repairs for Mr. Elmore in EC
• MS Wellness Wednesday funding
• Books for Mrs. Ralston’s 6th grade Literature Class
• Funding support towards US football expenses
• Funding support towards new campus security cameras
• Educational games for LS
• Fresh paint in the US and MS hallways
• and MANY MORE!
BLUE & GOLD DONOR CELEBRATION
We were thrilled to host our donors at the Blue & Gold Donor level for a special cocktail party on the Chester’s Patio on May 14.
Donors at our Blue & Gold level made an annual contribution of $2,500 or more to support the philanthropic needs of our school.
SAVE THE DATE
2025 BLUE & GOLD DONOR CELEBRATION SATURDAY, MAY 3, 2025
INVESTS IN COLLEGIATE MITCHEM FAMILY
By Katie Leiding ’04
How can we help?
That’s the question Hunter and Mallory Mitchem brought to Nathan Washer, Head of School, and Katie Leiding ‘04, Director of Development, last fall. Their girls, Everleigh, 4th grader, and Blakely, PreKindergartener, thrive at Collegiate, and the Mitchems feel a deep appreciation to our teachers for the nurturing environment they create. They wanted to do their part to support our teachers and the Collegiate community as a whole.
When the Mitchems learned that we’d love to offer our students more course choices, particularly in the Upper School, they were all in and have committed to providing seed funding to expand our entrepreneurship offerings. This will include updates to our technology and innovation tools campus-wide and the salary of a Mitchem Chair of Entrepreneurship.
The Mitchems have a passion for entrepreneurship and exploring how it can be harnessed to solve society’s problems. They ask, “What if all our students knew how to channel their gifts and skills to change the world through an entrepreneurial mindset?”
David LeVan, current Upper School economics teacher, has been named our Mitchem Chair of Entrepreneurship. He will oversee enhanced connections with local businesses and industries, real world experiences, and an education model designed to unlock our students’ creativity and imaginations.
This fall, our middle school and upper school students will have more choices within the economics, entrepreneurship, and leadership realm.
In the Upper School, Principles of Economics will now be a fall semester class for freshmen, with both freshmen and sophomores taking it in the 2024-2025 school year as we transition it to a freshmen year offering. Spring offerings include Introduction to Entrepreneurship, a course designed to introduce students to
an entrepreneurial mindset. Taking this course sequence earlier will provide a foundation for students to choose additional entrepreneurship offerings throughout their Upper School years.
In the 2025-2026 school year, we will hire an additional economics teacher to expand the department and the courses we can offer.
NEW COURSE OFFERINGS FOR OUR UPPER SCHOOL STUDENTS IN 2024-2025: INTRODUCTION TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP PERSONAL FINANCE APPLIED LEADERSHIP AP MICROECONOMICS
NEW COURSE OFFERINGS FOR OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS IN 2024-2025: ENTREPRENEURSHIP & PRODUCT DESIGN
This gift is a pilot in our hopes to fund additional programming and faculty positions, allowing our students to have more choices without increasing tuition.
Entrepreneurship has been woven successfully into many liberal arts programs, because both have a focus on problem solving and thinking creatively.
As Hunter says, “Entrepreneurship can encompass so many things, and we wanted to invest in this initiative to promote innovation and help provoke and put focus around the mindset and power that entrepreneurs bring to our world. It’s about pushing our limits, creating new markets, solving problems, enhancing technologies - all things that make our economies expand. We are excited to partner with phenomenal faculty like David LeVan to spread the Spartan impact, and we hope this brings energy around new ideas that fit within the strategic goals at WCS.”
HUNTER, MALLORY, EVERLEIGH, & BLAKELY MITCHEM
Hunter and Mallory Mitchem are local entrepreneurs. Their newest venture is focused on wellness with SweatHouz, a cold plunge and infrared sauna studio, opening in Wichita, Kansas City, and Chicago.
Nathan Washer believes this gift will help our students reach their potential, saying, “Our vision demands that we empower our students to lead lives of impact. The opportunity to equip them with the entrepreneurial skills necessary to improve our communities is one that we are all excited about. A gift like this from Hunter and Mallory Mitchem will help our students learn how to solve problems in the world that they will enjoy. There is nothing our kids can’t do without the right investment from us.”
“This gift is one of the largest gifts to Collegiate in a decade. I was so moved by the Mitchem’s clarity regarding the value of our faculty,” says Katie Leiding. “They don’t take our teachers for granted, and the fact that they want to help expand our faculty is really special. I can’t imagine a better return on investment than that!”
NEW INNOVATIVE TOOLS THROUGHOUT CAMPUS FUNDED BY THIS GIFT:
MAKERBOT SKETCH LARGE 3D PRINTER, for The Cleveland Family Makerspace in Lower School ULTIMATE S7 PRO WITH ADVANCED MATERIALS AND UPGRADED LASER TO INCLUDE CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS, for the Lammers Innovation Lab in Middle School
BAILEIGH PRECISION LATHE PL-1640 AND PROFESSIONAL LARGE FORMAT SIGN & VINYL PRINTER & CUTTER, for the Alumni Association iLab in Upper School
FACILITY UPDATES FUNDED BY THIS GIFT:
The hope is that this initiative creates and spurs more thought around different areas that could also use investment at Collegiate.
- Hunter Mitchem
Hunter agrees, saying, “Giving to Collegiate has an endless return on investment.”
Mallory adds, “There’s no better investment that you can make than investing in children. As parents, we all want our kids to have more opportunities than we had. We believe this is one way we can do that. We are excited to partner with the amazing faculty and do our part to support these students’ dreams.”
Many of our Leadership Academy speakers present to the students in the TIMOTHY O’SHAUGHNESSY COMMONS, and this summer it received elevated technology that will enhance the speaker experience tremendously. We’ll have high-end video conference capabilities, interactive TV panels, and enhanced A/V.
The ENTREPRENEURSHIP CLASSROOM is being set up with these same high-end video conferencing capabilities so entrepreneurs around the world can conference into our classes. The classroom will be set up in collaborative pods to foster the type of work the students will be doing and the furniture and design choices were made with that in mind.
We can’t wait to see the potential that will be unlocked in our students due to this incredible gift. THANK YOU, HUNTER AND MALLORY MITCHEM!
To learn how you can get involved in this program, or how you can support additional goals that enhance the Collegiate experience, please reach out to Katie Leiding at kleiding@wcsks.com.
ENDOWMENTS
SECURING OUR FUTURE
Our endowment is a collection of investment accounts for Collegiate set up by generous donors that make an impact for both current and future students. The principal of the donation remains and grows over time. Funds are managed independently by investment professionals and our Board of Trustees sets an annual spending rate that ensures we see long-term benefits.
ENDOWMENT CATEGORIES
GENERAL OPERATIONS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
A singular account that provides a stable stream of operational support to keep Collegiate thriving in perpetuity.
INDEXED TUITION SPECIALIZED
Unlocking the Collegiate promise to qualified students, regardless of their financial situation.
Ensuring our faculty and staff have continuing education opportunities to learn the latest and greatest educational methods to share with our students.
Providing funding for specific departments, programs, buildings, or awards that are dear to the donor’s heart and aligned with Collegiate’s long-term vision.
Could I create my own endowment?
Yes! Many donors who want to make a gift in the six or seven figures have chosen to create an endowment. The Development Department and Board of Trustees are happy to have these discussions with our donors who dream of making a long-term impact at Wichita Collegiate School.
Can I give to an existing endowment?
Yes! Many of our donors choose to make a gift to support one of our existing endowments. Most commonly they choose to donate to either the General Operations Endowment or the WCS Alumni Endowment Fund.
WCS FUND: General operating support (Board designated) $4,475,369
INDEXED TUITION ENDOWMENTS:
$5,459,341
Endowment funds like these help fill in the difference between the amount our indexed tuition families pay and our tuition rate. Donors who invest in these funds ensure the school stays financially whole from a tuition perspective.
WCS ALUMNI ENDOWMENT FUND
Still actively fundraise for this through the WCS Golf Classic
ADAM & ELLEN BEREN ENDOWMENT FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
MALONE SCHOLARSHIP FUND
BUNNY HILL 50TH ANNIVERSARY ENDOWMENT FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
DAVE & KATHY ROBERTSON ENDOWMENT FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
TOM BOETTGER MEMORIAL FUND
JACK C. CHESKY LEADERSHIP AWARD FUND
SHAFER DART SCHOLARSHIP FUND AND MEMORIAL AWARD
ALICE VIRGINIA KNORR MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND
FORREST C. LATTNER SCHOLARSHIP FUND
MARY KOCH ENDOWMENT
KOCH INDUSTRIES ENDOWMENT
RALPH C. “BILL” ROUNDS MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: $1,424,860
BUNNY HILL 50TH ANNIVERSARY ENDOWMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
RON MANN ENDOWMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
SPECIAL PURPOSE: $2,606,329
R. DOUGLAS BRIDGES & HELEN FAY BRIDGES ENDOWMENT FOR SPECIAL NEEDS
Supports learning differences in the middle school and upper school
CHRIS DRAZEK MEMORIAL ENDOWMENT
Supports the WCS band program and recognizes a senior for their contributions to the band program
THE SHOAF FAMILY MEMORIAL FUND
Supports extracurricular activities, and recognizes a senior annually at Upper School Honors Day
FAY FAMILY FOUNDATION FUND
Supports the French program and and recognizes top French students annually
LANGREHR ENDOWMENT
Supports softball field
JENNY PAULSEEN ENDOWMENT
Supports Early Childhood Library
AARON MELHORN ENDOWMENT
Supports special projects or indexed tuition
SHOAF BUILDING FUND
Supports maintenance of the Martha Shoaf Lower School
BUNNY HILL 50TH ANNIVERSARY SUSTAINABILITY ENDOWMENT
Contributes to the sustainability of WCS
BUNNY HILL 50TH ANNIVERSARY TECHNOLOGY ENDOWMENT
Helps maintain infrastructure for technology needs
STADIUM ENDOWMENT FUND
Supports maintenance of the stadium complex and field upkeep
TOM DAVIS LEGACY ENDOWMENT
Underwrites activities related to business, freedom, and personal character/ethics
MATTAR FAMILY ENDOWMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
JUDY BROSHEARS CLARK LOWER SCHOOL FACULTY ENDOWMENT
NICK MADISON MEMORIAL FUND
TAYLOR FAMILY FACULTY DEVELOPMENT FUND/TAYLOR PRIZE FOR FACULTY DEVELOPMENT
EDWARD E. FORD FOUNDATION ENDOWMENT
WCS MALONE ENDOWMENT RECEIVES ADDITIONAL $500,000 GIFT
By Katie Leiding ’04
In 1997, The Malone Family Foundation was founded with the goal of improving access to quality education for highly capable students who lack the financial resources to best develop their talents.
Dr. John C. Malone had been a recipient of a similar scholarship and dreamed of opening the door for other highly qualified students nationwide. The Foundation set a goal of selecting the top independent schools in the nation to each receive a $2,000,000 endowment to defray tuition and fees for gifted and talented students.
In 2008, Wichita Collegiate School was proud to be chosen as the sole Malone School for the state of Kansas, following a rigorous selection process that examined academic caliber; the quality of their staff; excellent accommodations for gifted and talented students; strong AP and enrichment programs; attention to the individual student’s needs, interests and talents; financial strength and stability; a commitment to financial aid; and an economically, culturally, ethnically, and socially diverse population.
To date, 21 students have attended Collegiate due to the Malone Family Foundation’s generosity. This highly selective scholarship for students in grades 7-12 provides 100 percent demonstrated need to cover the cost of attendance, as well as additional funds for the college search
process, the lunch program, and many school sponsored trips, to ensure each of the Malone Scholars has the full Collegiate experience.
Our
school has benefitted not just from this incredible donation, but also from the network of the 50 selected Malone Schools. The Foundation has set up a community of mutual support, encouragement, and learning among the Malone Schools, and our administrators have regular meetings with the other Malone Schools to learn the best ideas happening across the nation.
While the Malone Foundation has selected their final schools and is beginning to sunset their operations, to showcase their continued desire to impact students, the Malone Family Foundation gifted each of their selected schools an additional $500,000 in June of 2023 to further fund our endowments. We were thrilled to receive this additional gift to help us offer the Collegiate experience to more bright future Spartans.
Collegiate is proud to be a steward of Dr. John C. Malone’s vision. We are grateful for this gift to bring more bright young minds to Collegiate and are thrilled that this impact will continue in perpetuity. Wichita Collegiate School will be looking to identify two new Malone Scholars for the 25-26 school year. Should you know a prospective student who would benefit from this opportunity, please have them contact Director of Enrollment Management, Kathy Rukes at krukes@wcsks.com.
We were able to catch up with a few graduated Malone Scholars recently. We appreciate their reflections as they look back on their time at Collegiate.
Looking back, what was your favorite experience at Collegiate?
I think my day-to-day routine best represents my WCS experience! I would go to morning tutorials, attend classes, occasionally host a club meeting after school, go to tennis practice, and then attend musical/play rehearsals in the evening. I didn’t have to pick and choose what activities to participate in. Collegiate made it so I could do it all while thriving academically. My days were busy, but I enjoyed every minute of it and developed a work ethic I use every day. My favorite experience was attending the ISAS arts festival in Oklahoma City my senior year! We performed songs from our fall musical, choral pieces, solos, and monologues. We met students from other schools showcasing their art. The bus ride made for lots of fun memories. It was the perfect ending to my high school performing career!
- Sabrina Wilson, WCS Class of 2022, University of Kansas Class of 2026
Could you share a story that might encapsulate or represent your time at Collegiate?
I vividly remember being an 8th grader leaving all of my friends in my hometown of Mulvane for a school I knew little about and worrying about making new friends. I quickly realized Collegiate is such a welcoming community and integrated me without a hitch. I developed a community that I truly felt a part of and supported me in countless ways. Fast forward to my senior year, I was so upset that I did not receive a scholarship to SMU and getting rejected from UCLA, two schools that I really wanted to go to. I remember being visibly upset during weights, and Coach Black saying to me, ‘It is their loss.’ The next morning I was sitting in the lunchroom and opened an email from Berkeley saying that I received an offer of admission. The Collegiate support staff rivals none and helped make me the person I am today.
- Trey Charbonneau, WCS Class of 2019, UC Berkeley Class of 2023
Who made the biggest impact in shaping your experience at Collegiate?
It’s difficult to choose just one person. As an athlete, Coach Black was more than my football coach; he was a teacher and mentor to me for four years. Mr. Ruhter’s passion for the classes he instructed was inspiring. His lessons taught me how to visualize math, and as a result, played a major role in helping determine my path in college. I respected Dr. Misak’s ability to break things down bit by bit, which allowed me to learn quickly, while Mrs. Gruetter showed me what a grind math could be. She taught me that you’re not good at math once you understand it, but rather you’re good at math once it becomes second nature. Ms. London made me a better writer by teaching me to pay attention to the details and dig deeper, skills I have applied in all aspects of my life. And from my initial campus tour of WCS my 8th grade year to announcing games with him through CSPN my senior year, Mr. Ashbrook was always a great mentor!
- Carson Phelps, WCS Class of 2023, MIT Class of 2027
WCS ALUMNI ENDOWMENT FUND 30 YEARS
In 1994, the Alumni Board wanted to give Collegiate a special gift, worthy of 30 years of educating children.
They decided to create the WCS Alumni Endowment Fund. This fund grows year by year, and a percentage of the earnings are invested in qualified students who bring a desire to learn and a willingness to work hard, through our indexed tuition program.
Ensuring qualified students can attend Collegiate, regardless of their finances, has been an important part of Collegiate’s identity throughout our 60 years. By creating an endowment with this focus, they ensured this core value could carry on in perpetuity. They believed these students completed our community in a way that reflects not just our mission, but also represents our vibrant city and added to the overall student experience, preparing all our students for college and life.
Only four employees at Collegiate ever know who the beneficiaries of indexed tuition are, and we take our students’ privacy and dignity very seriously. However, there have been students over the years who feel comfortable sharing how they benefited from this support, including Askia Ahmad, class of 1996. His openness actually helped inspire the Alumni Board to create this incredible legacy for our school!
Joe Rothwell ‘70 was the Alumni Board President at the time of its creation. He recalls being personally inspired by Askia from the moment he stepped foot on campus. “Askia was instantly a Spartan, and we could all see the impact he was having on our community,” Joe says. “He fit so perfectly, and yet, he was a trailblazer in a lot of ways, too.
We felt like there was no greater gift the Alumni Board could give to Collegiate than to ensure more kids like Askia Ahmad could become Spartans.
- Joe Rothwell ’70
By Katie Leiding ’04
Many alumni have directed their giving over the last 30 years to this endowment, seeking to pay it forward to the next generation. Our alumni point out that these donations are both for the students who receive indexed tuition AND to enhance the student experience for the entire Collegiate community. Time and time again, we hear from alumni that their experience was enhanced by having friends with different socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.
Chase Koch, class of 1996, is one of our alumni who credits these friendships with helping him become a better leader and person. He was in Askia Ahmad’s class and shared, “When Askia came to Collegiate, I was blown away by his work ethic and focus. He really valued the exposure to those who were business-minded at Collegiate, and he was here to put himself on a new path. The first business I ever started was actually with Askia. He worked at The Radio Shop and taught me how to wire up car stereos and build custom boomboxes. We started doing this for our classmates - it was a great little business!”
Chase continues, “Since childhood, the value Askia has added to my life has been significant, both personally and professionally. I am truly grateful to the leadership at Collegiate for ensuring that kids like Askia can attend Collegiate. He benefitted, sure, but we all benefited much more.”
When we asked Askia why he’s comfortable sharing that he received financial assistance, he says, “Well, I wasn’t always, but as I’ve realized the net Collegiate tuition I had to pay was a significant portion of my family’s household income, I feel nothing but pride. We worked hard as a family for this opportunity, and I knew at the time how lucky I was to be here. I loved sports, but I was willing to sacrifice playing basketball to spend more hours working to help pay my tuition. I knew my time in the classroom with this caliber of teachers was worth that sacrifice, even though I would have loved to continue playing. I knew what I was learning from my classmates and this community as a whole was worth every sacrifice.”
Askia has given back to Collegiate tenfold, and is the parent of two Spartans, Asa, who just graduated, and Langston, rising sophomore. Askia’s wife is one of our beloved employees, Shanna Ahmad, who
CHARLES KOCH, CHASE KOCH ‘96 AND ASKIA AHMAD ‘96
makes a huge difference in our students’ lives as the Upper School Counselor. Prior to Shanna’s employment at Collegiate, Askia was the Alumni Board President, and later a Trustee.
The Alumni Board has hosted the WCS Golf Classic for 25 years, with proceeds benefiting The WCS Alumni Endowment Fund. Many alumni have also made restricted gifts directly to this endowment over the years, and its total value is now over $1.3 million.
Askia is a common fixture at the WCS Golf Classic, sharing, “I try to never miss it. I may never know the students who are impacted by the fundraising done that day, but I know they are worth it, and our whole community is better because they are here. I have witnessed this on both sides, both as a student on indexed tuition, and as a parent whose kids’ friends are on indexed tuition. My sons have had a better childhood because of the great kids this program has brought to our school.”
If you are passionate about supporting this core Collegiate value, join us on September 27 at the 25th Annual WCS Golf Classic.
TUITION
Indexed Tuition is flexible tuition pricing based on a family’s specific financial situation. Collegiate follows a confidential process utilizing the Clarity Application to determine a family’s tuition level based on the information that families share in the application, which includes assets, income, expenses, and debts as documented by tax filings and W2 forms. Families applying for Indexed Tuition are required to complete this review each school year.
1963 SOCIETY
WCS PLANNED GIVING
By Lalo Walsh
Joe Rothwell ’70 looks surprised at the question. “What made us want to include Collegiate in our will? Well. . .it just never dawned on us not to.” To talk to Joe and his wife Devon Rothwell ’71 is to get real insight on what makes a Collegiate education so special. Devon taught math at WCS for 23 years, their children attended, and Joe served on the Alumni Board that established our WCS Alumni Endowment Fund.
This family has had a long standing love and appreciation for our school and its value. “Collegiate is a community asset,” Joe goes on to say, at which point Devon’s face lights up as she recounts the story of a past student whose life was transformed by her time at WCS, her attendance enabled through funding by the Alumni Endowment. It’s clear that both Joe and Devon regard Collegiate as being a unique and worthy component of our Wichita community–one which they intend to support in every way possible.
The Planned Giving that the Rothwells have arranged is through Collegiate’s 1963 Society, a program which includes options for bequests, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, memorials, and charitable lead trusts as options for giving with substantial tax benefits for donors and their heirs. By choosing to include Collegiate in their will, the Rothwells plan to build upon the Alumni Endowment legacy they helped found. Devon and Joe are humble when they speak of their generous lifetime investment in WCS, which leads one to be all the more touched and inspired by the foundation they have laid; their gifts past, present, and future; and the vision they have for our school’s tomorrow.
To learn more about the 1963 Society and Collegiate’s Planned Giving Program, please contact Katie Leiding at kleiding@wcsks.com or Lalo Walsh at lwalsh@wcsks.com.
ASKIA ‘96 AND SHANNA AHMAD AND CHASE KOCH ‘96
HONOR ROLL GIVING of
Thank you to the following donors who gave so generously to Wichita Collegiate School last fiscal year. All restricted and unrestricted gifts received between June 1, 2023, and May 31, 2024, are reflected in the proceeding Honor Roll of Giving.
Dreamers
$100,000+
Dreamers are donors who made gifts of at least $100,000 to Wichita Collegiate School during the fiscal year ending May 31, 2024.
Malone Family Foundation Collegiate Parent Association Debra and David ’75 Humphreys Doug Smock
Torchbearers
$50,000+
Kathie and Shaker Dakhil Anonymous
Visionaries
American Collegiate Society for Adapted Athletics
Steve and Naomi Anderson Family
Amy and Christopher Clevenger ’93
Presidents
$25,000+
Torchbearers are donors who made gifts of at least $50,000 to Wichita Collegiate School during the fiscal year ending May 31, 2024.
Visionaries are donors who made gifts of at least $25,000 to Wichita Collegiate School during the fiscal year ending May 31, 2024.
The Marty and Jenae Cornejo Family:
Jess ’05, Clint ’08 and Bryce ’10*
Meredith ’98 and Michael DiPasquale ’98
$12,500+
Amanda and Tim Devlin, Henry ’33 and Sam Devlin ’31
Mimi and Richard DeVore
Elizabeth R. Koch Foundation ’94
Yeni and Paul Enegren
Shannon and James Herrman
J.P. Weigand & Sons Inc.
Stacia and Michael McKnight
Helen and Russ Meyer
The Francisco Family*
Julie and Thomas Gentile
Traci and Hamilton Hill ’94*
Jocelyne and George Laham
The Rothwell Family
Sara and Tony Streich
Presidents are donors who made gifts of at least $12,500 to Wichita Collegiate School during the fiscal year ending May 31, 2024.
Alyssa Moeller
Oral & Maxillofacial Associates, LLC /
Drs. Blanchaert, Cole, Harris, Lichty
Jordan Phillips
Aeramy ’93 and Tyler Porter
Brynn and Tim Richardson
Jessica and Chris Tarbell
Kate and Dan Taylor
Julie and Kevin Turpin
Proba te Dignum $7,500+
Proba te Dignum are donors who made gifts between $7,500 and $12,499 to Wichita Collegiate School during the fiscal year ending May 31, 2024.
Terra Alonzi
Anonymous
Angela and Todd Fox
Allison and Christopher Halphen
Danielle and Harrison Hill ’97*
Corey and Jeff Johnson
Alexis ’01 and Marcus Kater ’01
Chandra and Brandon Knowles
Rita and Bassam Mattar
Kelsey and Kevin Nichols
Leonidas $5,000+
Anonymous
Christine and Steven Bacci
Terri Cusick-Wetta and Jim Wetta
Kristen and Dan Dakhil ’02
Charese and Chris Dakhil ’98
Mica and Justin Elkouri ’01
Ilex and Michael Gelpi
Morgan ’96 and Logan Overman ’96
Lindsay and Bob Rasberry ’94
Sharol and Bob Rasberry
Colby Sandlian
Chandre Sarkar-Singhal and Nikhyl Singhal ’90*
Deanna ’96 and Tyler Ternes
Lisa and Zachary Thompson
Leonidas are donors who made gifts between $5,000 and $7,499 to Wichita Collegiate School during the fiscal year ending May 31, 2024.
Goode Pool and Spa / Cassie and Joe Goode
Karen and Ken Heidebrecht
Dana and Bill Hensley
Morgan ’09 and Andrew Hourani ’09
Jamie and Joe Konen
Lana Hattar and Fadi Joudi
Blue & Gold $2,500+
Ashley and Tim Alexander ’99
Sofi and Matt Alexander ’97
Amelia Sumerell Real Estate /
Amelia and Marty Schlatter
Erica and Chad Ammar
Kelli and Steven Anderson
Jennifer and Matthew Arneson
Kim and Paul Attwater III ’79
Kelsey and Brandon Baker
Jamie and Remy Blanchaert
Lillian and Randy Blue
Molly and Nate Birkhofer
Aly and Alex Bollinger
Terri and Duane Bond
Melissa and Brian Carduff ’94
The Carnahan Group
Marjorie Subero-Diaz and Jose Cepeda-Brito
Commerce Bank
Commercial Lawn Management of Wichita / Shannon and James Herrman
Ellen and Justin Cooke
Laura ’88 and Trey Cusick ’89
Farha Roofing
Jennifer and Eric Fayziev
Karla and Raffaele Fazio
Fee Insurance Group
Keli and Bob Gambrill III ’79
Katie ’04 and Tony Leiding
Erin and Jon Lewis
Mass Interact
Patricia and Pasquale Mele
Kathy and Mark Melhorn
Shannon and Mike Miller
Laura ’00 and Bradley Monahan
Santucci Orthodontics
Krista and Cory Shackelford
Melanie ‘95 and Garrett Simon ’95
Victoria and Mike Triplett ’92
Lalo and Jeff Walsh
Jessica and Youssef Yammine
Blue & Gold are donors who made gifts between $2,500 and $4,999 to Wichita Collegiate School during the fiscal year ending May 31, 2024.
Brigitte and Alif Hourani
Patricia and Basil Hourani
ICT Therapyworks, LLC / Rachel and Guy Pearson
The Knapp Fund / Jared K. Sprole
Jimmy Johns #932
Sara and Taylor Lewis
Beth and Jonas Lichty
Melissa ’00 and Paul Mangan
Sarah and Thomas McFarlane
Midwest Billboards
Joanna Haddad and Ronnie Moussa
Nelly and Nassim Nabbout
Courtney and Benjamin Hawley ’04
Abby and Christian Hourani ’02
Sheryl and Andrew Nolan
Meredith and Adam Olson
Lindsay and Brandon Paulseen ’96
Sarah and Shane Phillips
Charlie and Rob Ramseyer ’02
Reece Nichols Real Estate
Niki Smock
Stephanie and Harvey Sorensen
Emie and Jay Stehley
Morley and Cameron Stalnaker
Whitney ’08 and Mike Stevens ’96
US Engineering
Juli and Bill Voloch
Walser Auto Campus
Mary and Nathan Washer
Wichita Vision Institute, P.A. / Dr. Reena Patel
Spartan Leaders
Rozan Abu Yosef and Raid AbuAwwad
Kim ’88 and Keith Adams
Rosa Lee and Mike Argotsinger
Gaylene and Joel Alderson
Casey ’05 and Jason Allen
Amy and Rob Babst / Metal Finishing Company
Sola Salon / Niki Caro-Bakri ’08 and Austin Bakri ’08
The Popcorner / Kirsten and Kyle Bender
Miriah and Zachary Blue
Robin and Jed Bond ’96
Jennifer and Ruse Brown ’03
Brooke and David Carpenter CARSTAR
Tiffany and Jerry Cattell
Elizabeth Chandler-Vos
Christyn and Tim Chappell
Caitlin and Doug Coe ’04
Ariadna Cordero
Brittany and Phillip Cox
Kendra and Jon Cremin
$1,000+
Raquel Mendonca and Max de Carvalho
Myra and Tom Devlin
Spartan Leaders are donors who made gifts between $1,000 and $2,499 to Wichita Collegiate School during the fiscal year ending May 31, 2024.
Erica Blackman Docking and Brian Docking ’97
Rachel and Jason Douglass
Maury Edwards
Rob Egan ’13
Suzan Tahir and Ali Elkharbotly
Debbi and David Elkouri
Maya and Fadi Estephan
Maurice ’97 and Dru Evans
Katherine and Gregory Gherardini
Molly and Roarke Gordon
Graf Electric, Inc.
Thomas Greaves ’07
Kim and Brandon Haag
Maricar and Chris Harris
Phoebe ’95 and Davin Hart ’94
Hatchett Devlin Automotive Group
Emily and Justin Healy ’06
Christina Nicholas-Hentzen and Andrew Hentzen
Home Health & Hospice of Kansas
Jill and Jeffrey Howard
Spartan Spirit up to $999
3Pointe Restaurant Group - Slims
Wichita, LLC
Maisy and Sonny Abdul
Brandi and Matthew Agnew
Umber Khan and Ali Ahmad
Sawsan Amireh and Moe AlHalawani
Sherri and Keith Alter
Laine and Adam Alter ’02
Yari Espino and Jose Alvaez
Andrea and Eddie Amaro
HOTWORX / Crystal Wiley
Interim Health Care of Wichita, Inc.
INTRUST Bank
Brooke and Andrew Jensen
Kelly and Matthew Keeler
Katrina and Sanjay Khicha ’91
Jillian and Andrew King
Kim and C.J. Lett
LS Industries
Minni and Navin Maharaj
Michele and Wade Marquardt
Yoly Arends and Gonzalo Mendoza
Dee and Mike Michaelis
Midwest Kia
Erin and Clark Moeller
Robin and Harry Morris
Nathalie Bakhache and Philippe Nabbout
Alexandria and Daniel NewmanMariotti
Sara and Aaron Nilhas
Gita ’86 and Steve Noble
Paulseen Financial Group
Cara and Eric Payne
Alexis ’01 and Cooper Phillips ’04
Kelly and AJ Pickering
Shari Male Powers ’85 and Todd Powers
Lindsey and Robert Ralston
Maggie and Christopher Reetz
Felicia and John Rolfe
Barbara and David Rolph
Catherine and Michael Rooney
Ashley Caro ’03 and Derek Rose
Salas Janitorial Service
Susie and Frank Santo
Nataliya Biskup and Adam Schmidtberger
Molly and John ’80 Shawver
Christina Hourani Shuart ’99 and Blake Shuart
Jennifer Skliris
Hallie and Robert Stewart
Donna and Kelly Stucky
Susan and Dan Taylor, Jr.
Desi and Ross Viner
Kristen and Robert Wares
Wichita Surgical Specialists, P.A.
Winona Van Norman
Marie Arana and Jonathan Yardley
Spartan Spirit are donors who made gifts between $1 and $999 to Wichita Collegiate School during the fiscal year ending May 31, 2024.
Jen ’89 and Jay Amato
Anna and Lueke Anderson
Carl Anderson ’83
Andover State Bank
Rae Ann and Lou Angelo
Anonymous (32 donors)
Pam and Clark Armor
Elaine and Chris Ashbrook
Mallory Padilla and Akeam Ashford
Tyla and Kyle Ast
Xuanna and Chadd Atkinson
Monica and Dustin Baalmann
Quincy Bachrodt ’20
Rita and Wayne Bagby
Daniel Baker
Jack Bales, Jr.
Kayla and Casey Bales
Brittany and Jonathan Batzlaff
Victoria Bay
BE Aesthetics
Charline and Jim Beebe
Donna Bell
George Benson
Beran Concrete
Polly ’77 and Walter Berry ’76
Denae and Duane Beville
Carla and Jacob Bingenheimer
Michelle and Troy Black
Botanica, Inc.
Ashley and Andrew Bowers
Lucy and Kirk Bowers
JoyAnn and Daniel Brake
HONOR ROLL GIVING of
Spartan Spirit up to $999
Perry Malzahn ’07 and Jason Brammer
Raegan and Matt Brane
Leslie ’83 and George Brett
Bunny and Bob Broeckelman
Kelly and Benjamin Brophy
Stephanie ’97 and Nick Brown ’96
Jessica and Dylan Buettgenbach
Sherry and Gary Buettgenbach
Elizabeth and Joshua Buffolino
Cathy Skaer and John C. Bullinger
Jennifer Burgoyne
Ryan Carbrey ’05
Martha Carey ’76
Sally and Matt Cavanaugh
Amber and Brad Celestin
Margaret Chang ’02
Cathy and Eric Chesky ’76
Melodie Christian
Andrea and Travis Churchill
Tiffany and Brett Cleveland
Carrie Jablonski ’94 and Dr. Doug Cleveland
Abigail Clingan
CM3
Carrie ’93 and Josh Cohen ’91
Gina-Ann and Coley Cole
J. C. Combs
Kristin and Matthew Conrad
Kathryn Cooper
Patricia D. Cooper
Debi and Brian Corrigan
Courtney Patton Interiors
Sara Koch Crawford ’80 and Jim Crawford
Janice Crowley
Todd Crum ’80
Angel Culver
Amy and Brian Cunningham
Salem Cusick
Krystle and Justin Dalke
Joy Darrah
Debi and Tom Davis
Jan and Rich Davis
Mark Davis
Jane ’85 and Rich DeGiacomo
Ridgley Denning ’71
Spartan Spirit are donors who made gifts between $1 and $999 to Wichita Collegiate School during the fiscal year ending May 31, 2024.
Monique and Justin Gaines
Ashton and Trent Garman
Jane and James Garvey ’67
Rebecca and Joe Gehrer ’02
Jeannie and Mike Gehrer
Thomas Gentile, Jr.
Barbara Ann ’02 and Drew DeSousa
Carmen and Bart Dick
Sylvia Orozco-Do and Pat D. Do
Brenda Stafford and Douglas Cline
Jamie Kennedy Drendel and Dick Drendel
Cameron Michaud-Drumright ’96 and Greg Drumright
Shannon Dudley
Adam Dudley
Jessica and Daniel Durbin
Rebecca ’70 and Philip Elder
Ronnie Elkouri, Jr. ’08
Samantha and Andrew Elliott
Jessica Emrick-Davies
Christine Estivo ’11
Danielle Estivo ’11
AnaBelle and Adam Exline
Diana and A.J. Farha
Genevieve and Chris Farha
Junilda and Jim Farner
Elizabeth Farr
Alegra Fazio ’27
Doyle Finan
Laura and Troy Fischer
Silvana Fiszel
Shannon ’99 and Joe Flack
Mac Foley
Matthew Forrest ’19
Rolesta Forrest
Sharon Fox
Mindy and Regis Fox ’04
Karen Pickens and Allen Frederick
Kelsey and Ryan Fulghum
Susan and Brian Gaddis
George Lay Signs Inc.
Danielle ’09 and Matt Gerstner
Sumita Ghosh
Mzia and Robert Gibson
Anisha Patel and Shameer Gill
Kelly and Grant Glasgow
Stacy and Josh Gould
Nicholas Grabon ’22
Katherine Grace ’23
Natalie Schwarz Grevelink ’93
Claire and Jordan Groskurth
Amanda and Erik Grover
Sarah and Kevin Gruetter
Katie ’07 and Spencer Gunzelman
Beth and Sam Hake
Jackie and Brandon Hall
Janet and Steve Hamous
Ada Yang and Seong Han
Kara and Nick Hanna
Renee and Robert Hanson
Mason Hart ’24
Janel Harting
Marc Havener ’92
Sally and Dave Hawley
Meagan Hawley ’99
Karen and Scott Hawley
Jennifer and Chris Hearne
Lisa and John Henshall
Alexa and Matt Hewitt
Ayerianne and Derrick Hibler
Bunny Hill
Hinkle Law Firm LLC
Ashley and Levi Hobart
Ronda Hoover
Hoover Field
Danielle and Darrick Hoover
Shawna and Kevin Horsch
Niall Horton
Jad Hourani ’17
Mark Hourani ’21
Roman Hourani ’25
Anne Housholder ’98
Diana and Crosby Hudson
Grace and Danny Humsi
Hutton & Hutton Law Firm
Deedee James
Kris and Brian Johnson
Cindy and Jeffery Johnson
Kansas Wesleyan University
Jennifer and Torian Keen
Bekah ’20 and Ryan Kerr
Key Construction, Inc.
Leen Awad and Khalid Barakat
Erin and Jeffrey Kice
Katrin and Sebastian Klages
Kaylea Knappenberger ’14
Darlene and Ric Knorr
Richelle Knotts
Koch Siedhoff Hand & Dunn, LLP
Cory Koch
Nancy and Jay Koch ’76
Amanda Konecny
Leslie ’85 and Jay Kornsgold
Missy and Daniel Kotkin
Tracy and Bill Kuglich
Rita and Kirk Kuykendall
Mary Laham
Jillian and Kevin Lamm
Tina Lask
Leah and David Lawrence
Martha and Tim Leaf
Kenzie and Christopher Lebeda
Tanya and John Leddy
Winnie Yu and Ricky Lee
Spartan Spirit up to $999
Joseph Lemon
Jenny and Andrew Lester
Tiffany and Casey Lippoldt
Tammy Lloyd
Shakira Logwood ’20
Amanda London
Ashley and Kenneth Louie
Valencia Lucero
Kathryn Luenella
Mika and Rick Lyons
Elizabeth and Steve MacKenzie
Lynn Nguyen and Johnny Mai
Devin and Charles Malaise
Josh Mallard ’21
Jamil Malone ’04
Matt Maloney ’94
Tara and Scott Manspeaker
Jenna and Daniel Marceau
Maria Kaponi and Bassem Matta
Connie and Kurt McAfee
Bethany and Jon McConnell
Anne and Mike McCoy
Hang and Michael McDaniel
Emily and Jerry McDonald
Carly and Branden McLaughlin
Heidi and John McNary
McPherson College
Rebecca and Jeff McPherson
Aaron Meadows
Alison Meeth
Katie and Will Messamore ’02
Shannon Michaud
Mid-America Orthopedics
Janae and Jamie Miller
Stephanie and Heath Misak
Katie and Jeremy Mitchell-Koch
Katie and Luke Monro
Holly ’05 and Phil Montgomery
Joni and Brock Monty
Carolyn Moore
Joan Siefkes Moore ’84
Brecken and Gavin Morel
Spartan Spirit are donors who made gifts between $1 and $999 to Wichita Collegiate School during the fiscal year ending May 31, 2024.
Abby Boyd Morris ’14 and Hunter
Morris ’12
Kay and John Morse
Christine and Joash Mudalige
Kari Dodson and Santiago Munoz
Janet and David Murfin
Sarah and David Myers
Chelsea and Khol Nanney
Theresa and Stephen Naumann
Emma and Anthony Ndungu
Holly Neal
Ellie Newlin ’12
Sherri and Tod Newlin
Linda ’86 and Jon Newman
Melissa and Lam Nguyen
Linda N. Nguyen
Diana Le and Ma Nguyen
Alberta and Bernie Nichols
Lindsey and Austin Noble
Suze Anne and John Norton
Jennifer and Erik Obermueller
Susan and James Ockerman
Tim O’Malley
Hannah Osland ’16
Kelly and T.R. Overman ’93
Melissa Quintero and Joe Owston
P.E.O. Chapter EI
Martine Padilla
Christine and John Pair ’92
Courtney and Robert Patton
Christy and Vince Paul
Rachel Payne
Jenifer Pence
Jane and Vince Perla
Briana ’01 and Austin Peterson ’01
Jackie Peterson
Bethany Phelps
Carson Phelps ’23
Eddi Porter
Jamie and Rob Powers II
Jill Poynter
Jill ’93 and Barry Preston
Lauren Messamore ’08 and Benjamin Prewitt
Eman Qaki ’20
Jennifer and Bradford Ragan
Ann and Rob Ramseyer
Glynda and Bob Reames
Jacqueline Redford
Laura and Mike Reed
Whitney and Clint Reitz
Jen Remsberg
Phoebe and Tom Richardson
Aaliyah Gomillion and Luke Riches
Frances Rico
Joley and Shawn Riley
Nathan Riley
Lee and Ed Ritchie
Mary Ann and Joey Ritchie ’04
Carolyn and Patrick Ritchie ’02
Ryan Roberson
Tiffany and Scott Rohr
Becky Rolph ’94
Alejandra Pizarro-Rommann and Trent Rommann
Katie and Scott Rosell ’05
Alexander Rosell ’07
Patty and Jeff Roskam
Jamee and Michael Ross
Thomas Roulston
Victoria Ruffin
Byron Ruhter
Kathy ’99 and Brad Rukes
Arlene and Kermit Rust
Ana and Matt Ryan
Sage Dining Services, Inc.
Samar Kazan and Wissam Saliba
Vanessa and William Salyers
Heidi and Alex Sappok ’00
Sapporo Japanese Sushi Restaurant
LLC / Ai ming Li and Fan Lin
Jennifer and Kelley Sayahnejad
SC Medical / Jennifer and Spencer
Christian ’05
Kendall and Chip Schellhorn
Makenna Scheve ’27
Sam Schlatter ’20
Gary Schmitt
Hayley ’12 and Patrick Schwindaman
Kara and Brandon Scott
Anessia and Joe Scott
Tara and Joseph Scribbins
Amar Shah ’02
Ghenwa and Shadi Shahouri
Shefali and Nick Sharma
Teresa and Keith Sharp
April ’05 and John Shellhouse
Laura Wingate-Shinkle and Zac
Shinkle
Forrest Short ’13
Stacia Robinson-Shrestha and Supreme Shrestha
Colette Shuart ’33
Elaine Simmons
Deion Simms ’18
Jena and Derrick Simms
Tom Smith
Meghan and Jim Smith
Ashley and Matt Smith
Danielle and Andrew Smith
Lindsey and Grant Smith
Alba and Mike Smith ’84
Tiffany Steckley
Susie Steed
Saul Steffen
Debbie Willsie and Dude Stewart
Nicole Perry and Andrew Stifler
Barbara K. Stokley
HONOR ROLL GIVING of
Spartan Spirit up to $999
Jessica Stone
Scott Stone ’86
Christina and Ryan Strassburg
Jamie Stratton
Whitney Stratton
Karen and Kevin Strecker
Debbie and Craig Streich
Kan Tang and Xiao-Ming Sun
Georgia Sutton
Shannon ’79 and Phil Taggart
Diala and Goerge Tannoury
Raymond M. Taylor ’11
Lynnsey and William Theademan
Lucy Thomas
Spartan Spirit are donors who made gifts between $1 and $999 to Wichita Collegiate School during the fiscal year ending May 31, 2024.
Rae Thompson
Kendall and John Thurlow ’04
Jeanne Tiller
Mouna and Ned Todorov
Ann Tran
Amy and Bobby Treanor
Courtney and Charles Twietmeyer
Jennifer and Robert Vanderburg
Clare Vanderpool ’83
Heather and Luiz Varchavtchik
Erica and Hanale Vincent
Jennifer and Jim Vincent
Matthew Vos
Mimi and Tony Wakim
Jill and Joel Walker
Sarah and Andy Walston
Jemmima Wanjau
Nick Ward
Mitch Watson
Tricia and Jay Weimar
Jill and Josh Weir
Michelle Welch
Drew Westfahl
Gaby and Sean White
Barbara and Steve White
Thomas White
Kristin and Brian White
Stacey White
Wichita Vision Institute, P.A.
Ashley and Sean Wiltse
Sara and Van Winter ’05
Ashley and Benjamin Winters
Kathy and David Winters
Madeline Witherspoon
Brooke Withrow ’14
Rosemarie Wood
Kathy and Jim Woodsmall
Rozan Abu Yosef
Galina and London Younger
Sara Zafar ’01
GIFTS KIND in
3Pointe Restaurant Group - Slims
Wichita, LLC
Action Tents & Party Rental
Shanna and Askia Ahmad ’96
Amy Sprole
Andover Family Dentistry
Apex Outdoors
Pam and Clark Armor
Ascension Via Christi Clinic
Auburn Wine & Spirits
Kate Pepper and Charles Baughman
The Belmont
Amy and Brock Beran
Aly and Alex Bollinger
Botanica Inc
Il Primo Espresso Caffè
Meg and Jim Carte
Sally and Matt Cavanaugh
Amber and Brad Celestin
Cathy and Eric Chesky ’76
Chester’s Chophouse
Caitlin and Doug Coe ’04
Collegiate Parent Association
Nicole and Brian Collignon
Kristin and Matthew Conrad
Kendra and Jon Cremin
Angel Culver
Amy and Brian Cunningham
Kathie and Shaker Dakhil
Charese and Chris Dakhil ’98
Deka Lash
Aleksandra and Jocelyn Devilliers
Carmen and Bart Dick
Dillehay Orthodontics
Doug Smock
Douglass Investment Group
Dress Gallery
Nicole and Allan Dunne ’91
East Wichita Dentist
Mica and Justin Elkouri ’01
Cathy and Steve Elmore
Yeni and Paul Enegren
Evie and Alec
Farha Roofing
Mallory ’01 and W.G. Farha
Karla and Raffaele Fazio
Four Sixes Ranch
Angela and Todd Fox
Mindy and Regis Fox ’04
Jody Galichia
Rebecca and Joe Gehrer ’02
Jeannie and Mike Gehrer
Julie and Thomas Gentile
Katie ’07 and Spencer Gunzelman
Allison and Christopher Halphen
Maricar and Chris Harris
Sally and Dave Hawley
Danielle and Darrick Hoover HOTWORX
Patricia and Basil Hourani
Courtney ’96 and Lung Huang
ICT Eye, LLC
Innovative Vein
Izzy’s Soiree
Jacob Liquor Exchange, LLC
Jamie Stratton
Jessica Emrick-Davies
Randy Cooper Fine Jewelry
Jimmy Johns #932
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Corey and Jeff Johnson
Lana Hattar and Fadi Joudi
Chandra and Brandon Knowles
Rita and Kirk Kuykendall
Jocelyne and George Laham
Jenny and Andrew Lester
Sara and Taylor Lewis
Tiffany and Casey Lippoldt
LodgeWorks, L.P.
Love of Character
Lyndon’s
Minni and Navin Maharaj
Melissa ’00 and Paul Mangan
Mark Arts
The following donors gave a gift to Wichita Collegiate School during the fiscal year ending May 31, 2024, but did not wish to be listed by giving category.
Shanna and Askia Ahmad ’96
Meg and Jim Carte
Barb and Peter DeVries
Brooke ’92 and Brian Finan
Kristin and Patrick Freed
Terre Graham
Jodie and Dylan Heath
Ashleigh and Sean Hennessy
Heidi Holton ’11
Bailey Horsch ’17
Virginia Kehoe
Cindy and Ron Koepsel
Sasha and Mike Kuchinski
Amanda and Jason Leger
Karen and David LeVan
Sarah Tjaden and Nolan McDonald
Debbie and Bill Messamore
Mallory and Hunter Mitchem
Tammy and Kevin Mykel
Becky O’Hearn
Grace and Eric Phillips
Lori and Jerry Primm
Shelby and Jason Ramsey
Renee and Merle Shofner
Megan St. Clair
Mamba and Doug Tibbals
Kimberly and Jorge Trinchet
Louise and David Trombold ’71
Kimberly and Matt Webber
Danielle and Hans Widener
Masumeh Zarei
Mary Washer Designs
Massage Envy
Rita and Bassam Mattar
Stacia and Michael McKnight
Meddy’s
Shannon and Mike Miller
Stephanie and Heath Misak
Erin and Clark Moeller
Judy and Ted Moeller
Janet and David Murfin
Tammy and Kevin Mykel
Theresa and Stephen Naumann
Sherri and Tod Newlin
Kelsey and Kevin Nichols
Sheryl and Andrew Nolan
Gretchen Klug-Oborny and Gary Oborny
Olive Tree
Meredith and Adam Olson
Omnicut Motivational Fitness
Priscilla and Gerry O’Shaughnessy
Morgan ’96 and Logan Overman ’96
Alexandra and Hap Palmer
Cara and Eric Payne
Alexis ’01 and Cooper Phillips ’04
Sarah and Shane Phillips
Kelly and AJ Pickering
Pink Saloon
The Popcorner
Shari Male Powers ’85 and Todd
Powers
Pure Barre
Jennifer and Bradford Ragan
Charlie and Rob Ramseyer ’02
Rana Razek
Sharol and Bob Rasberry
Winnie Yu and Ricky Lee
Carolyn and Patrick Ritchie ’02
Rob Egan ’13
Felicia and John Rolfe
Alejandra Pizarro-Rommann and Trent Rommann
Joanna Haddad and Ronnie Moussa
Catherine and Michael Rooney
Kathy ’99 and Brad Rukes
Russ Redford
Ryder Walsh ’22
Nataliya Biskup and Adam Schmidtberger
Ghenwa and Shadi Shahouri
Shelter Salon
Renee and Merle Shofner
Christina Hourani Shuart ’99 and Blake Shuart
Sign Gypsies
Todd Slawson ’79
Specs Optical, LLC
SPLURGE! Magazine
Karen and Kevin Strecker
Sara and Anthony Streich
Susie Steed
Nicki and Richard Swan
Charlo and Joseph Talbot
Tanganyika Wildlife Park
Jessica and Chris Tarbell
Kate and Dan Taylor
Deanna ’96 and Tyler Ternes
Ulrich Art Museum
US Engineering
Juli and Bill Voloch
VORNADO
Annie and Pat Walsh ’00
Lalo and Jeff Walsh
Barbara and Steve White
Gaby and Sean White
Danielle and Hans Widener
Yaya’s of Wichita
Younger Energy Company
MATCHING GIFT COMPANIES
We appreciate our donors who utilize their employers’ matching gift programs to benefit our school. If your company offers this, please consider naming Wichita Collegiate School as a recipient.
Bank of America Matching Gifts - Brandon Haag
Morgan Stanley Wealth Management - Rob Ralston
State Farm Companies Foundation - Angela Fox
Textron - Keith Sharp & Gonzalo Mendoza
UBS Matching Gift Program - Kevin Nichols
2023 / 2024
ALUMNI BOARD
PRESIDENT
Regis Fox ’04
PAST PRESIDENT
Mallory Farha ’01
BOARD MEMBERS
Casey (Baker) Allen ’05
Niki Caro-Bakri ’08
Dan Dakhil ’02
Heidi Holton ’11
Amy Johnson ’07
Bekah (Harris) Kerr ’20
Kaylea Knappenberger ’14
Matt Maloney ’94
Abby (Boyd) Morris ’14
Mariah Moxley ’10
Alexis (Christian) Phillips ’01
Haley (Cusick) Schwindaman ’12
Van Winter ’05
OUT-OF-STATE MEMBER
Amar Shah ’02
FACULTY REPRESENTATIVE
Amy Cunningham
ALUMNI RELATIONS
COORDINATOR
Phoebe (Stokley) Hart ’95
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
Katie (Hill) Leiding ’04
HONORARY MEMBERS
Randy Love ’67
Randy Storms ’74
ALUMNI BOARD HIGHLIGHTS
WCS GOLF CLASSIC was held Sept. 29 at Crestview Country Club. The net of $21,000 was donated to the Alumni Endowment Fund. This golf tournament has become a tradition for many Spartan grads, current parents, and other community members. It provides important support to the WCS Alumni Endowment Fund.
CLASS REUNIONS AT HOMECOMING Many alumni reconnected at Homecoming in late September. They enjoyed a BBQ tailgate, a winning football game, and finished the night with a social at YaYa’s Euro Bistro. Reunion classes hosted private dinners on Saturday night.
DAY OF GIVING Spartan Alumni showed their support of our beloved Alma Mater on WCS’s annual D.O.G. in October.
ALUMNI PANEL Twelve recent grads came back to campus to meet with an audience of parents, speak to the US students in grade level groups, answer questions, and give advice.
MENTOR DAY PROGRAM Alumni Board members poured their time and energy into pairing the senior class up with mentors for this meaningful event in February. Several Alumni Board members served as mentors, and many other board members helped secure amazing mentors for the senior class so they could have the best experience possible.
CLASS OF 2023 CARE PACKAGES In the spring, the Alumni Board mailed a little treat to the newest members of the WCS Alumni Association along with a note from a former teacher to brighten their day.
SENIOR SEND OFF The Alumni Board hosted a breakfast for the senior class prior to the all school pep rally where senior class members announced their college decisions and were cheered on by the entire campus.
RANDY STORMS ALUMNI SERVICE AWARD This year’s Alumni Board President, Regis Fox ’04, presented this honor to a deserving recipient, Mallory Farha ’01.
ALUMNI GIVING Regis Fox ’04 also presented a check to Head of School Nathan Washer at graduation which represented every dollar donated by alumni throughout the 23-24 school year from a variety of fundraising efforts (including the WCS Golf Classic, the Day of Giving, US gym renovations in honor of Coach Mitch Fiegel, and the Spartan Bash). The total given to WCS by 152 alumni was $447,788!
Joyita Dev ’23, Allie Kavalauskas ’22, CJ Meyer ’23, and Sai Satvik Kolla ’23 were 4 of the 12 alumni who gave their time on a January morning to share some wisdom with our Upper School students during the Alumni Panel.
Director of Development, Katie Hill Leiding ’04, accepts Alumni Board Member Dan Dakhil ’02’s gift on the Day of Giving.
Alumni Board member and Associate at Hutton & Hutton Law Firm, Kaylea Knappenberger ’14, served as a mentor to senior Sia Sharma.
RANDY STORM ALUMNI SERVICE AWARD
Mallory was a “lifer” and attended Collegiate from Kindergarten until graduation. In addition to being a great Spartan tennis player, she was known for being a kind and friendly face in the halls. Mallory attended Michigan State University and graduated with a degree in mass media interpersonal communications. Mallory is an esthetician and owns her own business, Farha Aesthetics.
Mallory is also a current Collegiate parent to two Spartans. She and her husband, WG Farha, are the proud parents of rising freshman, G, and rising 7th grader, Juliet. Her favorite pastimes are playing pickleball and tennis and watching her kids play sports.
By Phoebe Hart ’95
Mallory is extremely active and involved in the WCS Alumni community. She has served on the Alumni Board for 15 years, even serving alongside Randy Storms ’74 in her early years, the cherished alumnus for whom this award is now named. Mallory served as the Alumni Board President for two years and has taken the leadership role of chairing the Mentor Day committee for countless years. Her connections in the Wichita community make her an asset to the Alumni Board and this senior class, as she has helped make many connections and has also helped secure amazing mentor speakers for our Mentor Day program. She always has great ideas and knows when fellow Collegiate grads are doing something interesting.
In addition to her tremendous help with our Mentor Day program, Mallory has also helped with other important Collegiate events including the WCS Golf Classic golf tournament which raises funds for tuition assistance and the WCS Alumni Endowment Fund. She has been instrumental in the success of the Spartan Bash, serving on the committee all four years, and Chairing the Silent Auction in 2023.
In addition to her volunteer work at Collegiate, Mallory is involved with Saint Jude’s Children’s Hospital and the Phillips Fundamental Learning Center.
Mallory Farha is someone who others find very approachable and easy to talk to. She is always ready to greet fellow Collegiate alumni, parents, and students with a warm smile. When asked to help out in any way, Mallory’s response is yes. Mallory is a great example of what service looks like. Thank you, Mallory, for your incredible service to Wichita Collegiate School!
Mallory Jones Farha ’01
2023 WCS Golf Classic: Alumni Board President, Regis Fox ’04 with this year’s winning team: Clarke Carnahan ’03, Packy Ritchie ’02, Logan Overman ’96, and Spenser Christian ’05
WCS Alumni visit with Nicole ’13 and Natalie Farha ’11 after their message to the US students
MENTOR DAY
JAMES CHUNG ’84
One of Wichita Collegiate School’s signature traditions is our annual Mentor Day Program. For 30 years, Collegiate seniors have been paired with a professional in their area of interest. After hearing from a distinguished alumni speaker, the students and their mentors spend a day or more together.
The Alumni Board is thrilled to host this event and spends many hours matching seniors with mentors who would be a good fit both professionally and personally. Students, mentors, board members, and staff leave this special morning feeling inspired and hopeful.
This year, we welcomed James Chung ’84 back to campus to deliver the keynote speech at the Mentor Breakfast. James is the founder of Reach Advisors and the co-founder of StratoDem Analytics. He traveled from Boston, MA to share his remarks with our seniors and mentors. Bunny Hill introduced James Chung and shared her memories of the young student she met when he arrived at Collegiate his junior year. She said, “It was easy to see promise in his bright aura…As I watched James in action, I knew I was seeing something very special.”
Mr. Chung’s talk highlighted four lessons learned from one of his business ventures: 1) many future jobs will be automated and may not exist in the future–winners are preparing for that now; 2) academic and industry conferences can be significant accelerants; 3) don’t underestimate the value of learning to scan the landscape of relevant academic papers; and, 4) engagement with mentors can be a major accelerant in your career.
Mr. Chung acknowledged that WCS students put in a great deal of effort to achieve their goals. He noted not all college students have had a similar experience, and WCS kids are coming into college ahead of many of their peers. “You are the beneficiaries of a phenomenal
Look for a mentor who repeatedly sends the ladder back down.
By Phoebe Hart ’95
education at WCS. Make sure to send the ladder back down in the future so that others can experience that environment, too. Bring others along.“
Be the person leading through the change vs. the person change happens to.
The following day, we welcomed two other alumni to campus, Nicole ’13 and Natalie ’11 Farha to speak to the entire Upper School student body. Nicole and Natalie shared their journeys after they left Collegiate’s halls. Both are physicians who have trained at the Cleveland Clinic. Natalie and Nicole shared many lessons they both learned while at WCS and beyond including: no one will know you like your WCS community, mentorship is the key to success, focus on something that you can take with you (such as a talent, a skill, or a hobby), you don’t have to agree with someone to be friends, and hard work is important but so is wellness.
We are so grateful to and proud of these three distinguished alumni who gave back to their alma mater and connected with our upper school students and seniors. They have certainly proved themselves worthy.
SCAN TO VIEW A CLIP OF JAMES CHUNG’S INTERVIEW SHOT AND PRODUCED BY SENIOR WAMBUI NGUNJIRI AND HER MENTOR: FILMMAKER MARC HAVENER ‘92.
LAURA MONAHAN ’00 AND AYAAN PARIKH
LOGAN OVERMAN ’96 AND JACE CAMPBELL
GEORGE LAHAM, MASON HART, HUNTER MITCHEM, AND DAVID LEVAN
NGUNJIRI AND MARC HAVENER ’96
AND
ASA AHMAD SPENT THE DAY WITH DR. ROB RAMSEYER ’02 AT FRIENDS UNIVERSITY
TIEN HUYNH, ROBBY RASBERRY, ASKIA AHMAD ’96, AND HUDSON FERRALEZ
TURPIN HAD AN EXCITING DAY WITH DR. HOLLY MONTGOMERY ’05 AND EVEN GOT TO WITNESS A DELIVERY!
WAMBUI
BUNNY HILL
JORDAN HULL ’14
CHLOE
DRS. NATALIE ’11 AND NICOLE ’13 FARHA
MENTORS & SENIORS
Chris Hagan, Owner
Architectural Engineer, Hagan Construction
STUDENT: NICK ADAMS
Dr. Rob Ramseyer ’02, Vice President of Athletics and Strategic Expansion, Friends University
STUDENT: ASA AHMAD
Tony Streich, Managing DirectorBusiness Development, Koch Equity Group
STUDENT: OMAR AL-TABBAL
Dr. Heath Misak, Technical Fellow/Advance Product Development, Spirit Aerosystems, Inc.
STUDENT: ELIJAH ALLEN
Shane Phillips, Real Estate Broker, Reece Nichols South Central Kansas
STUDENT: HAYDEN ANDERSON
Markus Phox ’13, Associate Wealth Advisor, 6 Meridian
STUDENT: JACK BABB
Jeff Cody, Interior Designer, Ferguson Phillips
STUDENT: ANABELLE BABST
Aswini Kona Ravi, Senior Research Engineer Advanced Virtual Engineering and Testing Labs, NIAR
STUDENT: MONA BAGAI
Dr. Bassem Nabbout, Pediatric Neurologist, Ascension Via Christi STUDENT: YAZAN BAKDASH
Logan W. Overman ’96, Deputy General Counsel, Commercial Koch Industries
Dr. Caleb Wolters, Physical Therapist, Hinge Health
STUDENT: BRETT WETTA
Kasey Throgmorton, Manager of Regional Operations, Living Exhibits, Inc.
STUDENT: ALEX WUNDERLICH
Rebecca Martin, Retired
Supervisory Senior Resident Agent/ Federal Law Enforcement
Marielle Schultz ’94, National Program Manager, Homeland Security Investigations
STUDENT: DEREK YANG
Dr. Michael P. Varenhorst, Vitreo-Retinal Specialist, Vitreo-Retinal Consultants
STUDENT: AVI YENDRU
Dan Dakhil ’02, Managing Director Private Banking, CrossFirst Bank
STUDENT: CHRISTINA ZAKHARIA
SENIOR SENDOFF
Senior Sendoff is such an amazing highlight of the year. Our seniors are sent off in style by the entire school who shows up to voraciously cheer on the soon-to-be graduates.
COACH MIKE GEHRER CONGRATULATIONS
We are proud to share that our retired coach, Mike Gehrer, was inducted into the Kansas Association of Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in January 2024, becoming one of only 18 coaches in the state to receive this honor. This prestigious honor celebrated his 16 years of coaching baseball, including more than 200 wins, 8 Final Four appearances, and 6 state championships.
Collegiate was thrilled to also recognize Coach Gehrer this spring, retiring his #27 jersey in honor of his incredible impact in baseball and beyond at WCS. Coach Gehrer created our baseball program in 1992, and over his distinguished career he created a culture of teamwork, respect, and resilience. He inspired countless athletes, teaching them not just how to win on the field, but how to approach life with integrity and determination.
UPPER SCHOOL GYM RENOVATED IN HONOR OF COACH MITCH FIEGEL’S 600TH CAREER WIN
On February 9th, more than 60 former boys basketball players joined Coach Mitch Fiegel on the court to celebrate his 600th career win. Coach Mike Gehrer took the microphone and surprised Fiegel with the announcement that a few of his former players and their families had privately donated funds to renovate the Upper School Gym, and officially name the court the Mitch Fiegel Court
These alumni were motivated to ensure Coach Fiegel was celebrated for what he’s done in their lives and to give current Spartans a gym that fills them with pride. Hamilton Hill ’94 gave a lead gift to the project. He shared, “Coach made a huge positive difference in my life. Thirty years after my last time playing for him, I still think about the lessons he taught us day after day.”
One of the greatest blessings of my life, and of so many others’ lives, was getting to play for Coach Fiegel.
- Hamilton Hill ‘94
Coach Fiegel took the microphone to thank everyone for their support, and shared that he has been inspired by the teachers at Collegiate for the last 35 years. His dream was to create a boys basketball program that matched the level of excellence he witnessed in every classroom on our campus.
Many of our other WCS legendary coaches were part of this special evening, with Coach Dave Hawley saying, “More than any other adult male in their lives, Coach Fiegel taught my boys great lessons of life, even when they didn’t necessarily want to learn them.”
Coach Kevin Reed agrees, and shared, “Our son, Kendall, learned valuable life skills as a member of Coach Fiegel’s team. There is no question that Coach had a powerful positive impact on Kendall’s development as a person. Julie and I value that well above the athletic success he was fortunate to experience.”
Coach Mike Gehrer helped lead the fundraising efforts, saying, “I came to WCS during Coach Fiegel’s second year and was immediately captivated by his passion and commitment to making our boys basketball program a winning program. It was not only about winning, but also about raising young men to be responsible to Family, TEAM and Community.”
We are excited to continue this legacy this fall with our refreshed gym. We hope you’ll
NOTES
Raymond Podrebarac ’76
Raymond took an early retirement after an injury at work. He is pictured here with his goat, Belle.
Marc Havener ’92
Marc recently produced KU Endowment's latest video, helping launch their $2.5 billion capital campaign, titled "Ever Onward." The commercial earned six Kansas City ADDY (Advertising) Awards. Marc is the owner of Resonate Pictures, a boutique production company dedicated to helping businesses craft messages that resonate with their audiences.
Samara
Taher ’95
Samara Taher MD, FAAFP, a family physician in Chicago, Illinois, has achieved the Degree of Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), the national medical association representing nearly 127,600 family physicians, residents and medical students. The degree was conferred on more than 250 family physicians during a convocation on Saturday, October 28th, in conjunction with the AAFP's annual meeting in Chicago, IL.
Laura (Patterson) Kilian ’96
Laura Patterson married Marshall Kilian on August 11, 2023 in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. They reside in Texas. Laura was thrilled to share this special day with several childhood friends from Collegiate, including bridesmaids Deanna Dakhil Ternes ’96, Morgan Wilson Overman ’96, Elizabeth Knorr Counts ’96, as well as having her brother, Ryan Patterson ’92, walk her down the aisle.
Morgan (Wilson) Overman ’96
Morgan was recently elected the President of the Wichita Country Club Board. She is the first female president in the club’s 125 year history.
Lacy (Coleman) ’95 and Ryan Francisco ’96, Tracy (Gardner) ’00 and Anthony Francisco ’00, Melanie (Zepick) ’00 and Tory Demarce
The new Larcher’s opened this spring in Happiness Plaza, next to The Belmont. It offers all day breakfast, lunch and dinner with a coffee shop and full service bar. It also has grab-and-go items in their local specialty market and offers catering.
This is an homage to the original Larcher’s, which was a grocery store and staple for more than 60 years in Wichita. It was started by the greatgrandfather of Lacy Francisco ‘95 and Kelly Novascone ‘97.
Mallory Farha ’01
Mallory opened her own business called Farha Aesthetics in Wichita, KS.
Chad
Hensley ’04
Chad has moved back to Wichita with his wife Karina and 15 month old son, Adam. Chad was an attorney in New York and is now working at Martin Pringle.
Rachel (Rice) Bennetch ’05
Rachel will be playing the role of Mary Poppins at Casa Manana in Fort Worth, TX!
Holly (Messamore) Montgomery ’05
Holly is celebrating her 5th year as an obstetrician at Associates in Women's Health in Wichita. She has three children who all attend WCS - Michael in grade 4, Aaron in grade 2, and Maddie in Preschool.
Amy Johnson ’07
Amy was recognized as a 40 Under 40 Recipient in 2024. Amy is a Community Affairs Manager at Koch Industries.
Logan Moore ’09
Logan married Cheyenne on April 20, 2024. Cheyenne is from Louisiana, but the couple met while he was doing residency in Florida. They currently live in Dallas while Cheyenne is finishing her fellowship in Pediatric ENT, but plan to move back to Jacksonville, Florida, where much of their family now lives. Logan plans to continue working as a PICU nurse while Cheyenne becomes an attending doctor at Nemours Children’s Health. They are so excited for the future!
Elyse (Bigler) Jablonksi and Blake Jablonski ’10
On May 13, Elyse and Blake opened the first and only rhythmic cycling studio in Wichita, We Ride, at 2300 N Greenwich Rd #400 (Next to Meddys). After Covid, the Jablonski's decided they were ready to bring something different to Wichita. Elyse had been working as a PA but decided to change gears. They wanted to bring the experience of rhythmic cycling to Wichita as a different way to spread health, fun and community. Elyse and Blake are so excited to bring this concept to the Wichita area and cannot wait to give back to a community who gave so much to them.
Hayley Schwindaman ’12
Hayley will be moving to the Lower School to teach 1st grade in the fall, and her husband Patrick is still working with Fidelity. Millie (3) will be starting her second year of school in All Day Preschool at WCS. We welcomed Violet to our family in November of 2023 and cannot believe she is already 7 months old!
Sophie Beren ’13
Sophie married Dr. Eli Cehelyk on May 26, 2024, in Philadelphia, PA, the city where they met and fell in love while attending The University of Pennsylvania. They are now moving to North Carolina where Eli will begin his ophthalmology residency at Duke. You can see more from the wedding on Sophie's Instagram @sophieberen.
Jack Stewart ’13
Sarah and Jack welcomed little Sophia Marie in September of 2023! She brings so much joy to them and all those around her. They are beyond grateful for the gift that she is!
Caroline (Crosby) Sledge ’15
In April of 2023, Caroline married Camp Sledge. They moved to Covington, Louisiana where Caroline began practicing as a physician assistant in the emergency department
Caroline Engle ’16
Caroline was recently promoted to Senior Associate at leading New York government strategy and lobbying firm CMW Strategies with a specialty in tech start-ups, transportation advocacy, trade associations, and non-profit campaigns.
Katie Wetta ’16
Katie got engaged to Clifton Molak. Their wedding will be in May of 2025. Katie works in software development, and Cliff is a fellow in Interventional Radiology at Tampa General Hospital. They are looking forward to moving back to Wichita next year!
Maddie (Reed) Schuchardt ’19
Maddie is currently living in Dallas, TX and is in her second year of pursuing her Doctorate of Occupational Therapy at Texas Woman’s University. Maddie married Carter Schuchardt on May 19, 2024 who she met during her senior year at Baylor University. They will be in Dallas until December of this year, and then they will pack up and move to Northwest Arkansas where Carter will begin working at Walmart’s Headquarters in an accounting finance development program!
Addison Squires ’19
Addison is finishing up her first year of optometry school at the University of Houston College of Optometry.
Bekah (Harris) Kerr ’20
Bekah got married to Ryan Kerr (from Wichita Trinity, works for Reece Nichols) on February 3, 2024! Bekah works for Young Life.
Victoria Lyczak ’20
Victoria will be pursuing a PhD in Management at the University of Notre Dame.
Aidan Walsh ’20
Aidan graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Princeton University's School of Engineering. Having completed four years as part of the university's ROTC program, upon graduating, Aidan was commissioned as a 2nd Lt in the US Marine Corps where he hopes to serve as a Cyberwarfare Officer.
Brooks White ’20
Brooks White got engaged to Allison Morton in Turks & Caicos in November of 2023. They will get married on November 23, 2024. Brooks works for ONEOK and Allison is a kindergarten teacher in the Jenks School District. They both live in Tulsa.
If you are a Collegiate alum or have news of one, please share with us for future Connection editions. All news can be emailed to phoebehart@wcsks.com. High quality/resolution photos are appreciated for printing purposes. Don’t forget to follow and engage with us online.
Maddy Mairs ’21
Maddy has been selected as the Wing Commander for her Air Force ROTC program at Kansas State University for the Fall semester of 2024. The Wing Commander is the cadet in charge, responsible for overseeing the well-being and operations of the entire detachment. She will serve as a role model for over 60 cadets, represent the entire detachment and uphold its standards while ensuring smooth execution of training, events, and day-to-day activities within the wing. Maddy received command of the wing at her Pass in Review ceremony and was promoted to the rank of Cadet Colonel and will wear this rank until she commissions into the United States Air Force as a 2nd Lieutenant.
Brett Black ’23
Brett was named Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) Freshmen Baseball Player of the year. As the league's top freshman, Black was stellar on the mound for the Falcons, ranking third in the KCAC with a 2.79 ERA along with 58 strikeouts and a 1.19 WHIP to also receive third-team AllKCAC honors. @wichitacollegiatealumni
Save Date the the
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2024
CRESTVIEW COUNTRY CLUB 1000 North 127th Street East, Wichita, KS
Save Date HOMECOMING
OCTOBER 4-5, 2024
wcsks.com
ONCE A SPARTAN, ALWAYS A SPARTAN ONCE A SPARTAN, ALWAYS A SPARTAN
Join us on campus for these Homecoming events and more!
Friday, October 4, 2024
• 5:00 PM - Alumni Family BBQ in the Lair Family Center
Connect with alumni and faculty before the game.
• 6:45 PM - National Anthem
Join the Madrigals at Jamie B. Coulter Stadium.
• 7:00 PM - Homecoming Football Game
Cheer on the Spartan football team at Shawver Field.
• 9:00 PM - Spartan Social
Join fellow alumni and Collegiate community members at Chester's Chophouse Patio.
Saturday, October 5, 2024
• 9:00 AM - Bunny Hill’s Lit Club
• 10:00 AM - Tennis with Coach Dave Hawley
• 9-11:00 AM - Open Play on the EC Playground
• 11:00 AM - Campus Tours
• 1:00 PM - Pick-up Basketball with Coach Fiegel
• Class Reunions - coordinated by class representatives. Reunion years are: 1969, 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014, 2019
* Contact Phoebe Hart at phoebehart@wcsks.com if you would like to plan your reunion.
