WCS Connection - Fall 2016

Page 1

featuring

HOMECOMING // PEARL HARBOR COMMEMORATION


TABLE OF

CONTENTS 21

ALOHA

BAND TRAVELS TO PEARL HARBOR

From the Headmaster.................................... 3 Upper School I-Lab Opening.......................4 Semester in Review......................................... 6 From the Board................................................11 Academic Honors...........................................16

23

SPARTY

THE NEW WCS SPARTAN MASCOT

34

THREE GENERATION COLLEGIATE FAMILY

75th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor.............21 Beyond the Classroom.................................22 Leaving a Legacy.......................................... 30 Professional Development Updates........32 A Large Family with Very Strong Ties...... 34 From the Alumni Board...............................36 Alumni Spotlight............................................38 Class Notes........................................................41 Giving Catalog................................................ 45

THANK YOU!

To our contributing writers, fellow faculty and staff, and the entire Collegiate community for submitting articles and pictures and making this magazine possible. Enjoy!

EDITORIAL STAFF Katie Hatfield Gunzelman '07 // Assistant Director of Development & Communication Joan Siefkes Moore '84 // Director of Advancement Lisa Schooler // Director of Alumni Relations and Digital Media Susan Klingenberg // Advancement Administrative Assistant & Database Manager Susie Steed // Director of Admission Graphic Design // Kylie Rott Photography // Amy Cox, Amy Cunningham, John Pair and many more!


FROM THE HEADMASTER

“We are all different, with different perspectives, but we exist for one purpose and that is to teach and train children to grow up to be people of character and purpose.” By Tom Davis // Headmaster

When I think about the meaning of that word, I think of words like closeness, togetherness, relationships, respect, support, tolerance, bonding, love. That is what it means to be a family. Close families share a common affiliation. Although families may be composed of often very different members with very different talents and outlooks and passions, they are bound together to each other by their familial relationship. Family members can be different in age and size and gender, but they are one in the family sense. Families can span generations with children and parents and grandparents and great grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. They can span time zones and great distances of geography, but they are still family. They carry on time-treasured traditions and they share in the excitement of new experiences. They share cherished memories and create new ones together. They are understanding of each other’s shortfalls and forgiving of each other’s mistakes. They celebrate with each other in times of joy and they comfort each other in times of sorrow. Families are all different with different life perspectives but they are of one heart. In short, families care for and about each other. We have a family on our Collegiate campus. We call it the Collegiate family. To us, it is more than a cliché or a trite moniker. We truly are a family, just like a biological family. We share the common affiliation of being part of Wichita Collegiate School, whether we are students, parents, faculty, staff or just friends. We are all different, with different perspectives, but we exist for one purpose and that is to teach and train children to grow up to be people of character and purpose. We have been doing this for over 50 years as we span the generations of time, with third generation students gracing our halls. With open arms, we welcome new families to our Collegiate family every year and, although we sometimes say farewell to members of our family as they graduate or move away, they are never really far from our hearts and thoughts. We share in each other’s joys and sorrows. As family members, we support each other. Faculty and parents support the students. Faculty support the parents’ efforts at and from home. Parents support the teachers. And we all celebrate the incredible achievements of our students as they learn and grow.

We are family. We are the Collegiate family. 3


If At First You Don’t Succeed, Now You Know

YOU’RE LEARNING By Chris Ashbrook // Head of Upper School Thanks to the generosity of the Wichita Collegiate Alumni Association and many others, the Upper School has been teaching exciting new classes out of a remarkable innovation space located in the east basement. The space gives our students access to amazing machines, computers, and tools that can help them develop, prototype, improve, and ultimately complete their very own creations. While the finished products are functional and impressive looking, it is the process of coming up with an idea, trying to make it work, failing, trying again, and continuing to try until successful that we are most excited about. The Innovation Lab has provided an ideal atmosphere for students to work with their hands, putting their knowledge into practice or honing skills that they rarely utilize in more academic areas. Learning from our mistakes is a powerful tool when gaining knowledge, but as students strive for academic success, mistakes are often considered a sign of weakness and certainly don’t boost GPAs. Having a space where classes can allow for and even encourage mistakes, and then learning from them, is a great benefit to our students. As colleges and employers continue to lament that critical thinking, teamwork, and problem solving are skills in short supply, the Innovation Lab provides the perfect environment to put these skills into practical applications and practice. Much of the first semester in the Innovation Lab has been spent getting to know the powerful equipment and what it can do to help the students in their creative endeavors. As much as everyone who uses the lab wants to start by building the supreme of whatever they are trying to create, students are first learning how the tools work and

mastering the basics before tapping into their full capabilities. So far we have seen students create signs made of wood and metal that decorate the lab, useful tools and gadgets that make the lab more functional, and small pieces of machinery for robots and household appliances. In a more recent assignment, students have been asked to find a way to improve some aspect of the school. While some are working on more sturdy and aesthetically pleasing coat racks, others are developing a device that will help teachers manage the plethora of cords emanating from their desks, and two groups are redesigning a piece of equipment for the Early Childhood Outdoor Classroom. Next year the Upper School is hoping to offer an academic class based on the fundamentals of engineering. The Innovation Lab provides us with the perfect venue to make this class a reality. The space is currently housing the following classes: CATIA, Computer Programming, AP Computer Programming, AP Physics: Mechanics, AP Physics: Electricity & Magnetism, Sculpture, and Robotics/ Innovation Lab. Nearly half of our student body gets to experience the Innovation Lab through these classes, and many others have utilized the room for Robotics. As we move forward, we hope that more students will be able to access the Innovation Lab and demonstrate their creative thinking, visual spatial reasoning, and kinesthetic strengths. If you haven’t seen the WCS Alumni Association Upper School Innovation Lab, we would like to invite you to stop by and see it. We are very pleased with this incredible space and what it has meant to our students. Thanks to everyone who helped make it possible!

Opposite page, left to right: Brigitte Hourani; Giana Shuart; Mark ‘21, Basil, Roman ‘25 and Patricia Hourani; and Jan Siefkes attend the opening of the U.S. I-Lab; Tom Davis, Christina Hourani Shuart ‘99 and Morgan Wilson Overman ‘96 introduce a crowd to the I-Lab; Ben Hatfield ‘10, Paul Brunson ‘71, John Bullinger and David Trombold ‘71 enjoy the I-Lab. 4


THANK YOU TO THE WCS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION!

They pledged $170,000 to the Upper School Innovation Lab to be fulfilled over three years, and they fulfilled it in JUST ONE YEAR!

PAID IN FULL!

For more alumni news, turn to page 36! 5


SEMESTER IN REVIEW

AUGUST

Not even August heat and humidity could keep the Wichita Collegiate Spartans from a fresh start in the 2016-17 school year! Everyone was excited to return to campus and welcome new families at the Annual Back-to-School Ice Cream Social. Parent organizations and other school groups came out to share their niche on campus with others and “The Blue Crew” and Student Council members served up yummy ice cream to families. The Senior-Freshman Girls Breakfast was another fun tradition surely not missed this year. To better welcome freshman girls to high school, each is paired with a senior girl and all eat breakfast together at a senior girl’s home before the first day of classes. Thanks to Stephanie and Christina Walker ’17 for hosting! On the second day of classes, the entire campus got together for the first All-School Assembly of the year. It was held outdoors in the James Ockerman Amphitheatre and each class was specially welcomed by a WCS senior before everyone sang Dear Collegiate together. Spartan Night capped off our first week of the 2016-17 school year with a preview of fall athletic teams, and all in attendance enjoyed dinner and a football scrimmage on a beautiful night!

POPSICLES ON THE

PLAYGROUND

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SEPTEMBER “VICTORY” for the Spartan Football Team’s first home game of the season on Friday, September 2, and our Junior Spartan Dancers were thrilled to show off their moves in front of an excited crowd. A week later, 6th graders would travel to Camp Wood in Elmdale, Kansas, as part of their study of the book Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. Early Childhood students enjoyed “Dad’s Day” on September 16, and dads got a break from work to play! The following week, 1st graders welcomed their parents to campus for lunch on the Bunny Hill Quad. Later in September, the 8th graders visited El Dorado for the Grizzly Adventures Ropes Course to build unity within the class and challenge personal boundaries and limits. Boy and Girl Choirs, Dynamics, Madrigals and Collegiate’s new women’s showchoir, Bella Voce, debuted songs from Hairspray, Footloose, and Chicago in this year’s Broadway in Blue Jeans show on September 26. Collegiate wrapped up September with Homecoming on September 30 and festivities did not disappoint! The weather was perfect for the Annual All-School Picnic and picnic buddies enjoyed hayrack rides, face painting, cake walks, and more. Kursten Regehr and Cooper Root were crowned Homecoming Queen and King, and the crowd took in halftime performances from the Dance Team and Marching Band, which put together a special “Pirates of the Caribbean” show along with the Drama Department. Spartans clenched a victory against Wellington and current and alumni families alike cheered for the Collegiate family!

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SEMESTER IN REVIEW October ushered in more fun trips for Middle Schoolers and brought grandparents to campus for most of the school. Fifth graders had fun traveling to Oklahoma to visit the Tulsa Aquarium and the Oklahoma Science Museum. Seventh graders visited Abilene, Kansas, to experience the life and legacy of 34th President Dwight D. Eisenhower and later took a trip to the Bartlett Arboretum, too. Lower, Middle and Upper School students welcomed their grandparents to campus for Grandparent Day on October 21! Students showed off their work

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in and out of the classroom and grandparents enjoyed a sneak peek into the lives of their youngest family members. Students celebrated Halloween on campus on October 28 with the Enchanted Library and the Mother Goose Parade. Early Childhood and Lower School students walked the “forest” of the Enchanted Library to meet Sleeping Beauty, Humpty Dumpty, Little Red Riding Hood and Little Miss Muffett, among other nursery rhyme characters, and got to dress up for the Mother Goose Parade and show off their fun costumes.

OCTOBER


NOVEMBER With November came cooler weather and a time for reflecting on what has been, looking forward to adventures ahead, and giving thanks for it all! On November 7, Pre-K classes held a ‘50s Sock Hop to celebrate the 50th day of school! On November 8, while of-age voters participated in the 2016 Presidential Election, our WCS 2nd graders held a democratic election of their own. They learned the election process along with 1st graders, who were our designated voters, requiring identification to vote and then offering an “I Voted” sticker to those who completed ballots. Fourth graders proudly presented their “Windows and Mirrors” Heritage Projects on November 17, the result of research and study of their own family heritage – “A window into my past… a reflection of my future!” Later that same week, Early Childhood students welcomed their grandparents to campus for a celebration and, of course, the “Turkey Tango!” Lower, Middle and Upper School band and vocal students gathered the next week with friends and family for the Annual Thanksgiving Concert in the Upper School Gym. All in attendance sang “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” to wrap up the concert and kick off what was sure to be a wonderful holiday weekend! After Thanksgiving, our Spartan basketball teams enjoyed match-ups with alumni to work off all that turkey. The Lady Spartans lost a close contest to a talented group of alumnae while the Boys’ Basketball Team hit a “buzzer beater” to win by 1 over the alumni. Win or lose, fun was had by all!

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SEMESTER IN REVIEW DECEMBER

The final month of the semester was abuzz with activity and sounds of the season! Schoolwide, students found ways to give back to their communities and to those less fortunate. Early Childhood students helped with Collegiate’s Our Daily Bread Food Pantry canned food drive; 4th grade Student Council members presented gifts from Lower School families to the Salvation Army as part of the Angel Tree Project; 5th graders delivered presents to Carpenter Place; and 6th graders packed thousands of meals for Numana, an international organization providing meals to those in need around the world. High Schoolers took donations for their Angel Tree Project then delivered uplifting candy-gram messages to classmates. While the Upper School Band traveled to Honolulu, Hawaii, to perform in the 75th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor Commemoration Ceremonies (read more about their travels on page 21), Lower Schoolers sang Christmas carols around campus and Middle and Upper School students gifted their friends and family with beautiful music at the Holiday and Candlelight Concerts. Faculty and staff celebrated the season with one another, too, over brunch with families and even Santa Claus!

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FROM THE BOARD

RETIREES

The Board of Trustees would like to recognize four Trustees who retired at the end of the 2015-2016 school year. Rob Babst retired after nine years of dedicated service. During Rob’s time on the Board, he chaired the Finance and Facilities Committee, served on Executive Committee for five years, and served various terms as Vice Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary of the Board. Rob brought a wealth of business and financial knowledge to the Board and spent countless hours advising both the Board and Administration. We will miss his wise input and tireless commitment, but will look forward to his continued participation as a Collegiate parent to daughters Celia ‘18, Phoebe ‘21, and Anabelle ‘24. Ed Dunn retired after nine years of outstanding service to Collegiate. Parent of WCS alumnae Kristen ‘09 and Keli ‘13, Ed was a constant face around Collegiate, serving even after his youngest daughter graduated. Ed served on the Finance and Facilities Committee for nine years and chaired the Committee for five years, also serving as Treasurer during that time. As a practicing Certified Public Accountant, Ed worked with the WCS Business Office to improve accounting processes, resulting in clean audits and strong internal controls. The Board will miss Ed’s sage advice and reassuring presence.

After nine years of Board service, Joan Farha also retired. Joan served on the Trusteeship Committee for nine years as well as on the Academic and Student Affairs Committee for three years. Joan was the resident expert on the WCS Bylaws and parliamentary procedure, and was always willing to take on extra assignments to help the Board. Each of Joan’s three daughters, Anna ‘11, Grace ‘12, and Lily, attended Collegiate. Joan followed in the footsteps of her late father, Dr. George Farha, who served on the Board of Trustees from 2001 to 2007. Joan had a particular interest in Learning Differences and was a catalyst for Collegiate’s commitment to all students’ learning, regardless of learning style. Mark Holden retired after five years of loyal service to the Board of Trustees. Father to alumni Molly ’10, Clay ’12, Kate ’14, and Michael ’16, Mark provided valuable input as a long-time parent. Mark’s experience as a practicing attorney and Koch Industries executive proved valuable as the Board sought his input and counsel on numerous financial and legal matters. Mark served on the Finance and Facilities Committee for five years.

Thank you Rob, Ed, Joan, and Mark for the gift of your time, talent, and treasure over the past nine years!

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WHAT

COLLEGIAT MEAN T

“Ohana means family. Family means nobody Langston Ahmad // 2nd Grade For me, I think Collegiate really is good. It’s been my family for three years and I love it. I got pushed harder and that’s what I like – to push harder and get smarter.

Kennedy Drake // 9th Grade I have been going to Collegiate since I was two years old. I have been a part of the Collegiate family almost as long as I have been a part of my own family! Good families provide each other with support and Collegiate has certainly supported me throughout the years. Good families provide a safe and comfortable environment and I feel at home when I walk through the doors. There is a comfort and familiarity with attending a school for so many years. I am happy to be a part of the Wichita Collegiate family!

Gehad Qaki // 10th Grade There’s a lot that makes the Collegiate family special. First off – how tight-knit everyone is. Everyone is always there for each other. With it being a smaller school, you develop more personal relationships with everyone. There aren’t differences between seniors, juniors, sophomores and freshmen like at other schools. Here, you feel like everyone, regardless of age, is here for the same goal – to learn, get work done and create a brighter future for themselves… to be a better version of themselves when they leave here every day. Those are the biggest things I think students get from being part of the Collegiate family! 12

Katherine Grace // 6th Grade The Collegiate family means a lot to me. Collegiate is a small school, and that means we are very connected. We all know each other and treat each other like a big family. It means a lot to me to know that everyone around me cares about me including my teachers, coaches, and friends.


DOES

ATE OHANA O YOU?

gets left behind or forgotten.” - Lilo and Stitch Sam Agustin // 7th Grade We all are able to fall back on each other and look to each other for support.

Brett Black // 6th Grade The Collegiate family, it’s a different connection than you see at other schools. It’s a special connection where you know more than just your own grade. Makes me feel good to have that.

Avery Compton // 3rd Grade I really like Collegiate. It feels like a family that’s not at home. It feels good to come to school with all my friends.

Tiffany Ruan // 11th Grade The Collegiate family is very unique and very surreal. Our school is so small, it’s easy for everyone to connect together. Here at Collegiate, it’s easier to be closer to teachers and students and even parents of students. It’s all interconnected. That benefits us in so many ways! It helps me to be more confident in who I am and have confidence in the things I do. I can be more bold and out there without having to worry about other people’s opinions.

Clara Monahan // 2nd Grade

I have a lot of friends here and it gives me a good education. I get to read and do a lot of stuff I like. I really like all the teachers here, too.

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OHANA By JoyAnn Brake // Middle School Enhancement Teacher The best families inspire each other to do good, to look outside themselves and benefit those around them. The Collegiate family does this all the time— when students and families reach out to those who are hurting, when parents make an extra effort to be inclusive of all children, or when different grade levels plan projects that benefit charitable causes. Collegiate’s Middle School wanted to partner with parents to instill the characteristics of selflessness, service, and a commitment to community in our students, and the best way to build this into a young person is through the examples of parents. The second best way is to help them experience the joy and satisfaction of volunteering! For these reasons, Collegiate Middle School adopted a new initiative of requiring all Middle School students to volunteer five hours per school year. Students can choose to do individual projects or a group activity. An individual project might be shoveling snow for an elderly neighbor, babysitting for free, caring for a pet, or visiting a nursing home. We also plan group activities that students can join - for example, we volunteered this semester at Special Olympics Bowling, Botanica Illuminations, the ALS Walk, Buddy Walk, and regularly hosted Young Athletes at WCS—a friendship group for special needs youth and parents. We have had an amazingly supportive response from parents, teachers, and students! Our Middle

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Schoolers have volunteered all over Wichita and found creative ways to do good for others. They’ve helped neighbors, the Alzheimer’s Association, the Kansas Humane Society, The Lord’s Diner, their churches and places of worship, libraries – and the list goes on! We hope these experiences lead students to continue to look for opportunities to make a difference. One of the most gratifying things for me to watch is the mentorship of our WCS Upper Schoolers to our WCS Middle Schoolers. At events like Special Olympics and the ALS Walk or Buddy Walk, our divisions come together to support a good cause. Middle Schoolers get to see the sincerity, enthusiasm and respect that our Upper Schoolers show towards those in the community. Then, they follow their example! The impact of this example is greater than a lesson taught in the classroom. I am so thankful to Pro-Humanitate and our Upper Schoolers who choose to serve the community and interact with our Middle Schoolers. These younger students will follow in their footsteps someday! Our Collegiate family can anticipate, with joy, a future where our students are the ones making their community and world a better place. We should continue to inspire one another to do good works. With the example of parents and grandparents, teachers, older students and each other, I believe our Middle Schoolers are well on their way!


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MIDDLE SCHOOL

16

HIGH HONOR ROLL

5TH GRADE

6TH GRADE

7TH GRADE

8TH GRADE

Bella Ayesh

Vivian Baughman

Samuel Agustin

Sabaa Ahmed

Anabelle Babst

Tatum Bhargava

Madeleine Albert

Ayah Al-Tabbal

Monica Bagai

Brett Black

Cameron Brown

Phoebe Babst

Avery Elofsson

Maren Butcher

Eleni Chapas

Aidan Bhargava

Karley Forsyth

Maya Chon

Lily Conrad

Julius Bolden

Isabella Galichia

Dakota Dart

Charlie Dunne

George Bunting

Mason Hart

Joyita Dev

Mark Feng

Sarah Chocron

Price Johnson

Grace Dickserson

Denicia Finney

Gwynee Cunningham

Liana Maksoud

Nasseem Eldika

Marion Gibson

John DeVore

Paul Mines

Conner Gagnon

Ella Graham

Omar Farhoud

Robby Rasberry

Katherine Grace

Emma Halas

Tara Glass

Tyler Rice

Grace Heinrichs

Malak Hamada

Leah Issa

Phoebe Ross

Alex Horner

Daniel Hechenberger

Kenzie Jones

James Shackelford

Conner Jones

Andrew Highbarger

Celine Khalife

Sia Sharma

Abbie Kirmser

Andrew Leiker

Maddy Mairs

Kalie Villagomez

Shelby Lair

Sharon Mabasa

Caitlin Mattar

Evan Yang

Tyler MacKenzie

Emily Mallard

Sydney Miller

Christina Zakharia

Hayden Malaise

Ella Maybee

Iain Moufarrij

Saad Malik

Anthony Nabbout

Noah Moufarrij

Bianka Malinovic

Charlie Nolan

Sonya Murphy

Emma Mantovani

Hannah Powell

An Nguyen

Cj Meyer

Avery Spade

Alex Owens

Kinsey Nichols

Aiden Sprole

Ethan Pham

Lex Oswald

Daly Steinhauser

Harun Raffi

Maya Rai

Maya Torres

Grant Ramsey

Adam Sandid

Faizal Valiandi

Isabel Schmaltz

Paige Steinhauser

Brandon Voloch

CJ Stancin

Michaela Strecker

Allison Tee

Dahlia Todorov

Lauren Walters

Jay Yoon

Christian Williams

Brandon Zhang

Jackson Wunderlich


HONOR ROLL

MIDDLE SCHOOL

5TH GRADE

6TH GRADE

7TH GRADE

8TH GRADE

Peter Agustin

Johnny Abromeit

Muhamad Barakeh

Kanoa Ashley

Asa Ahmad

Gerald Albert

Cohen Bayless

Sophia Brake

Jace Campbell

Ramey Anderson

Mekhi Beaubrun

Ainsley Butcher

Maddie Carpenter

Jonathan Babb

Drew Charbonneau

Jacob Chugg

Peyden Chronister

David Bledsoe

Gradey Dick

Blake Danitschek

Sara Jane Crosby

Jude Cunningham

Jack Duarte

Addison Dart

Adelaide Fitzwater

Darcy Dunne

Joseph Gadalla

Alexa Do

Givi Gibson

Timmy Emerson

Tyler Gwyn

Charlie Goree

Addison Goree

Phillip Enegren

Christopher Henry

Skylar Haag

Gracie Gwyn

Xavier Finney

Maddie Kemnitz

Paige Henry

Kaitlin Henry

Harrison Mairs

Andrew Lammers

Mark Hourani

Michael Kates

Brandon McKown

Katrina Leddy

Eley Johnson

Sophia Majors

John Naftzger

Grace Lee

Josh Mallard

Aden Meyers

Anjali Nagabhushan

Breckon Meares

Ally May

Maya Nabbout

Brody Neish

Emily Meister

Lindsay Miller

Thomas Olson

Maddon Nguyen

Katie Melton

Lindsey Post

Cambell Palmer

Kit Oborny

Marisol Munoz-Morales

Jad Shaheen

Conner Schupbach

TW Owens

Ivy Newman

Luke Swan

Sophia Silence

Macy Shepherd

Allison Prater

Connor Sweetman

Brad Trimmell

Trudy Smith

George Schulte

Emma Truxal

Iya Wakil

McKenzie Varenhorst

Zoe Smith

Reagan Varenhorst

Lucy Walling

Jordan Webber

Ana Subtirelu

Nate Voegeli

Abby Walston

Colton Wells

Spencer Sullivan

Ben Voloch

Haley Walston

Elliot Thomas

Sophie Yoakum

Natalie Walters

Ashtun Villagomez

Brett Wetta

Ryder Walsh

Peyton White

Phelps Weimar

Alex Wunderlich

Josh Wilhelm

Derek Yang

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UPPER SCHOOL

HIGH HONOR ROLL

9TH GRADE

10TH GRADE

11TH GRADE

12TH GRADE

Natalie Behzadpour

Sterling Anderson

Maeve Ashbrook

Tyler Anderson

Ben Brake

Ashley Bajaj

Celia Babst

Matthew Bajaj

Isabella Do

Emma Busby

Jack Bendell

Loren Baskin Almazan

Kennedy Drake

Carson Butcher

Esther Beren

Alex Bayless

Caroline Duarte

Trey Charbonneau

Angus Black

Sutton Carder

Ryan Edwards

Lauren Conrad

Kat Bunting

Conner Caughlin

Jack Fox

Zoe Corrigan

Anna Caughlin

Taylor Cusick-Wetta

Eli Graham

Julia Cox

Lakelin Conrad

Adam Davies

Sydney Gwyn

Rose Cunningham

Riley Dick

Nick DuBois

Bekah Harris

Josh Fernandes

Ender Graham

Kevin Edwards

Justin Highbarger

Hannah Geoffroy

Addison Harris

John Egan

Lucy Krumsick

Emily Hua

Grant Henry

Easton Ewy

Victoria Lyczak

Mackenzie Kemnitz

Arjun Kapur

Mac Foley

Sana Mahomed

Sydney Lair

Ji Hye Kim

Austin Gartner

Saif Malik

Amanda Mudra

Joey Le

Conner Gartner

Austin Miller

Sydney O’Donnell

Chris Lu

Jana Heady

Jack Miller

David Pfeiffer

Ahmed Mahomed

Lauren Johnson

Ian Moore

Gehad Qaki

Emma Parkhurst

Savannah Kotkin

Lolly Newman

Conor Reid-Tedesco

Myles Parkhurst

Ellen Mines

Andy Park

Addison Squires

Jack Ranallo

Gracie Moore

Josiah Pfeiffer

Danni Varenhorst

Shishir Reddy

Connor Oehmke

Alex Qian

Abigail Wagle

Louis Yu

Anthony Oyama

Hannah Rai

Addison Willett

Matt Regehr

Grace Ranallo

Cooper Root

Max Salemi

Riley Sanders

Andrea Subtirelu

Ben Saph

Nate Trout

Elizabeth Schlatter

Aidan Walsh

Colton Sorlie

Mallory Wells

Mitch Squires

Alexa White

Cody St. Germain Harris Sun Paris Vincze Charlie Xu Rainer Yuan Rebecca Zeng

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HONOR ROLL

UPPER SCHOOL

9TH GRADE

10TH GRADE

11TH GRADE

12TH GRADE

Connor Allen

Jarrett Baker

Ramsey Alagha

Keandre Ashley

Max Anderson

Nicole Bledsoe

Paymon Behzadpour

Kenny Bradburn

Julia Ashbrook

Lauren Caughlin

A’Niah Bell

Elijah Bradley

Jordan Bayles

Lexi Coleman

Kennedy Brandenburg

Zoe Carageannis

Alejandrina Esquivel

Sarah Chugg

Niko Chapas

Nate Egan Eric Haberman

Mia Estivo

Joseph Kelly

Paige Ewy

Sallie Lair

JeAnna Gregg

Melissa Mellion

Backer Hamada

Shelby Melton

Jerry He

Jon O’Hearn

Eunsung Kim

Eman Qaki

Elizabeth Meister

Sam Schlatter

Max Coleman Grant Deiter Will DeVore Gabby Dobbs Colin Egan Natalie Freed Clare Heathman

Jane Chen Greer Cody Sam Estivo Jake Flamini Hunter Glass Bailey Horsch

Zane Issa

Jad Hourani

Nick Murati

Nate Kelley

Savannah Keezer

Liberty Sementelli

Christina Naftzger

Laura Kingrey

Kirby Krumsick

Kathryn Sharp

Dominic Pavetto

Paige Lamkins

Peter Larsen

Carter Smith

Londyn Phu

Will Lammers

Emily Mudra

Haylee Thomas

Zach Reddy

Charles Lee

John Powell

Luke Wagle

Maddie Reed

Jason Liu

Greeshma Reddy

Carson Smith

Cody McNerney

Kursten Regehr

Caleb St. Germain

Christian Nassif

Riley Sherwood

Nichole Stevens

Olivia Neidigh-Lloyd

Teo Soler

Brooks White

Elissa Zakharia

Caydie Nesmith Panny Pan Sydni Phu Ian Reddy Grace Rodriguez

Tessa Sutherland Brooke Tyler Christina Walker Jules White

Tiffany Ruan Austin Schwartz Brenden Schwartz Ji Na Song Justin Tan Lauren Truxal Irene We Sabrina White Victor Williams-Arana Adam Winter 19


ACADEMIC

HONORS

MALONE SCHOLARS We are so proud of our 201617 Malone Scholars! These seven Spartans are of outstanding character with records of academic excellence and demonstrated commitment to involvement in our community. Among our amazing Malone Scholars are five athletes (with two All-League Team members in their respective sports), a Kansas Honor Scholar, three Madrigals or Encore singers, a debater, a Drumline performer, a Geography Bee winner, Pro-Humanitate volunteers, a MathCounts “mathlete,” and a writer for the school newspaper. We are so proud of what these students have already accomplished and look forward to their continued success at WCS and beyond! WCS accepts applications from prospective students for the Malone Scholars Program each year. Want to learn more? Visit www.wcsks.com/Malone-Scholars.

Last spring, Hasan Raffi ‘16 (pictured here with Math Dept. Chair Jenny Chrisler) earned the WCS Math & Science Award.

From left to right: Allison Tee ’21, Trey Charbonneau ’19, Ashtun Villagomez ’22, Elijah Bradley ’17, Victor Williams-Arana ’18, Paige Lamkins ’18, Riley Sanders ’17 (not pictured: Emma Busby ’19)

Back row: Commended students

Nicholas Budzyn, Conner Caughlin, Matthew Bajaj, Niko Chapas, Adam Davies, Jana Heady, Lauren Johnson, and Connor Oehmke Front row: Semifinalist students

Ellen Mine,s Kevin Edwards, and Mitch Squires 20


THE 75TH COMMEMORATION OF

PEARL HARBOR By Paige Lamkins // 11th Grade

December 7, 2016, marked 75 years since the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Wichita Collegiate Upper School Band had the opportunity to travel there as a group, and take part in the commemoration ceremonies that were held to honor those who protected our country. When the band students arrived in Honolulu, they were greeted with traditional floral leis, and felt true Hawaiian “Aloha” as they settled into their hotel, where many other schools were staying as well. The band learned much about the historic Hawaiian capital of Honolulu through guided city tours, and even learned to hula at a traditional Hawaiian luau! On one night of their stay, the band took part in a scavenger hunt throughout Waikiki beach, competing against students from other schools. They wore grass skirts, ate Spam, and performed with street performers as they explored the beautiful Hawaiian beachside! They were even able to stay on top of school work throughout the week with “Collegiate Connection Times.” When they weren’t studying, many students went swimming, surfing, shopping, and dining in the Waikiki beach area. The band also hiked the mile journey to the peak of Diamond Head, which includes 327 stairs and ends up 761 feet above sea level. The view from the peak of Diamond Head was spectacular, seeing the downtown Honolulu skyline and many beautiful miles of Hawaiian shoreline.

Aside from many of the fun and adventurous things that the band took part in, their performance at the 75th Anniversary Pearl Harbor Commemoration Ceremony was truly memorable. After rehearsing for many hours on a muggy morning with 1,500 other students from around the country, the band was ready to perform with the mass band and choir on December 7. As the sun rose on Pearl Harbor Day, all of the students gathered at the USS Missouri and played many of America’s most honorable songs. It was a privilege to perform under the conducting baton of Col. Arnald D. Gabriel. Some of the songs performed were composed just for this event, like “Fanfare for Pearl Harbor” by Robert W. Smith! The event was streamed live on the internet, and it was incredible to see Pearl Harbor survivors in attendance, paying tribute to their fallen comrades who gave their lives on that infamous date. Many of the Collegiate Band students had a chance to interact with the Pearl Survivors and were honored to meet them and thank them for their brave service. After this trip, many of the Upper School Band Students recall the trip as “one they’d never forget.” They were able to learn so much more about their nation’s history and how the attack at Pearl Harbor changed the face of the nation. And with these experiences, they were able to bring a piece of “Aloha” back home with them.

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BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

ATHLETICS

Football Upper School By Mike Gehrer // Coach The Spartan Football team completed the 2016 season with a record of 7 wins and 4 losses. This was, by far, the toughest schedule the Spartan Football program has played in school history. The Spartans won the District and Regional Championships but ended their season losing to Holcomb in a hard-fought battle for the Sectional Championship. We had 12 outstanding seniors leading the team this year. Evan Voegeli had a big year for the defensive line while Cooper Root led the team in tackles from his inside linebacker position. Jad Hourani led the team in receptions as Cody McNerney’s number one target. Cody established himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the state while accumulating 3,086 yards of total offense and accounting for 37 touchdowns. Cooper Root was voted to the All-Metro Team and many other Spartans received All-League and All-State Honors. The 2016 football team carried on the winning Spartan Tradition. Sophomore Bekah Harris established a school first by becoming the first female to score points in a varsity football game, kicking a 20-yard field goal in the Wellington varsity game. Once A Spartan, Always A Spartan!

Volleyball Upper School By Amanda Savage // Coach The Girls Volleyball Team had another winning season for the second year in a row of 19-16. The girls showed a lot of dedication and hard work by coming to practice every day and having strength and conditioning twice a week in the mornings. We finished 2nd at the Cheney Tournament with two girls making the All-Tournament Team. Lauren Johnson made 1st Team All-League, Natalie Freed made 2nd Team All-League, and Riley Sanders and Kirby

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Krumsick made Honorable Mention All-League. All around, a very good season for us! Thanks to everyone who came out to support the ladies.


Cheer Upper School By Ashley Hennessy // Coach What an exciting fall it was for the WCS Spirit Squad! Along with various skill advancements from the Upper School and Middle School Cheer programs, we also gained an irreplaceable new member… Sparty, the WCS Spartan Mascot! With a much anticipated arrival, Sparty officially joined the cheerleaders for summer camp in early June of 2016. He worked extremely hard over the summer to gain awesome new skills and create a number of entertaining performances for the school year. During summer camp, he earned many special awards, including: • Gatorade Award of Excellence • Spirit Stick Award (most spirited mascot) • Bid to National Mascot Championships • Mascot All-American Award With a very impressive start to the school year, the Spartan cheerleaders performed a routine followed by Sparty’s debut performance on Spartan Booster Night in August. Students, teachers, and parents seemed instantly taken by Sparty’s humor, charisma, and confidence! The cheerleaders, with Sparty by their side, showed us how to get the

crowd excited during our first few home football games. A few weeks later, we enjoyed Homecoming festivities with more Spirit Squad performances. The Hawaiian theme was definitely a hit! During the remainder of football season, the WCS Spirit Squad enjoyed cheering on the football team during games, engaging with the crowd, and having a fantastic time with students and parents behind the sidelines. Another way the cheerleaders loved engaging with others in the WCS community was in the Annual Junior Cheer Clinic. This was a neat opportunity for the Upper School and Middle School cheerleaders to join together, spread their school spirit, and teach younger students cheerleading skills. The weeklong experience ended with a fun performance during halftime of one of the home football games. Just as the Junior Cheer Clinic has become a treasured WCS tradition, we look forward to how our beloved Sparty will continue to build school spirit and new traditions for years to come!

Spartan Football

Tennis Upper School By Dave Hawley // Coach In the fall of 2016, the WCS Girls’ Tennis Team faced a monumental task. Fourteen seniors graduated off the previous team, including three girls who spent every day of their career in the top 8. Plus, the Spartan women faced a daunting schedule. Twenty-six girls greeted Coach Dave Hawley and his staff, and a season for the ages began to unfold. The Spartans were ranked number one in the state in 4A from day one, which Coach Hawley viewed as an homage to teams in the past. But as the year progressed, the girls “proved themselves worthy” in numerous ways: - every girl on the team medaled in at least one meet; - the Spartans won several significant tournaments during the season, including the Maize Invite, the Collegiate Invite, and the Goddard Invite, and won the AVCTL-3/4 JV League, AVCTL 3/4 Varsity League, Regionals, and finally, 4A State, which was held in Winfield. It was the 27th title in WCS Girls Tennis history, and the eighth straight for the Spartans! Leading the way for the Blue were singles players Sydney Lair and Lauren Conrad, who finished 2nd and 3rd at State. The doubles teams of Greer Cody/Hannah Geoffroy and Riley Ruffin/Sallie Lair finished 6th and 16th respectively. An amazing showing for our Spartan women!!!

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BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

Cross Country Upper School

ATHLETICS By Reece Landenberger // Coach

Championships are won and lost in the off-season. This has been the driving force behind much of the success that the cross country team has experienced. I could not be more proud of the consistency and discipline of the cross country team in training in- and out-of-season. They understand that, in order to be successful in cross country, there needs to be work put in during the off-season. Led by their captain Mac Foley this year, the team pursued excellence and discipline in every workout. The team put in a lot of hard work throughout the season and some even had to work through injuries. The post-season was great with Lakelin Conrad and Grant Henry placing 1st and 2nd at the AVCTL League Championship meet and

the team finishing in 3rd Place. We had a top-five team finish in the most competitive 4A Regional meet in the state and Lakelin Conrad not only won the Regional Championship race but broke the course record as well. Grant Henry quickly followed in a strong 5th Place finish, with the team finishing in 5th Place. The State Championship in Wamego, Kansas, was extremely competitive and both Lakelin and Grant remained determined and tenacious on the course. This led to Grant finishing in 15th Place and Lakelin winning the 4A State Championship race by 19 seconds. I could not be more proud of the team and the success they have had this season!

Cross Country Middle School By Michael Gurley // Coach The 2016 fall season for our Middle School cross country team was by all accounts a success. Each boy and girl who came out to participate worked hard and ran faster at the end of the year than at the beginning. But beyond the metrics of time and place is where true success is found – the immeasurable, often imperceptible litmus that proves more convincingly than any win or a PR ever could – that it was all worthwhile. This was my first season coaching a Middle School team, and it was as much a challenge and learning experience for me as it was for the first-time runners. We came together under the dictum that, first and foremost, running is fun, and we would be having fun in our pursuit of becoming better this season. Of course, there were plenty of difficulties—hot, humid, hard practices, bad races, missed practices, conflicting schedules – all the common fare for youth sports endeavors. But despite, or maybe even because of, these challenges, we managed to maintain a culture of high spirits and joyful exuberance throughout the season. This was a most impressive testament to the character and levity of these young girls and boys. More important to me than watching our young runners win races or run fast times was seeing them smile in agony at the end of races, knowing they ran hard; seeing them show up to practice despite being tired from a day of school and being willing, 24

if sometimes reluctantly, to do what needed to be done in order to get better; watching real friendships blossom between unlikely individuals who would likely never have interacted on such a level outside of cross country; seeing young student-athletes balance so many demanding activities, and achieve great things in all of them. These are the benchmarks by which I measure the success of our season and our team. This was, beyond a doubt, a successful season, for me, for the runners, and for Collegiate. I could not have hoped for better.


Dance Team Upper School By Amy Cunningham // Team Sponsor

Girls Golf Upper School By Shane Phillips // Coach

The 2016 Spartan Girls’ Golf season showed marked improvement this year with Junior Nicole Withrow leading the way in the AVCTL Division 3 and 4 and Regional tournaments. The AVCTL League proved to be significantly more competitive this year, making earning a spot to the State Tournament much more difficult. The Lady Spartans competed well at the qualifier with Juniors Grace Rodriguez, Irene We, Gabby Dobbs and Tiffany Ruan, who showed remarkable improvements, while newcomer sophomore Elizabeth Meister shot her best score of the season. Junior Nicole Withrow was the lone qualifier for 4A State Tournament at Hesston Golf Park. Battling fierce weather conditions, she fell short of her expectations, but the entire team plans to return for what looks to be the making of a great 2017 season.

Tennis Middle School By Dave Hawley // Coach

The 2016 Middle School Girls Tennis Team had a “season for the ages!!!!” Forty-four girls, Grades 6-8, played on the team and the results were amazing. Every single girl won at least one match on the season. All of them showed great practice resolve and the heart to get better. All of them were respectful to their coaches, their teammates, and their opponents. Probably the highlight of the season was the Collegiate Invitational, which featured six teams, including 6A powerhouse Topeka Washburn Rural. The Spartans entered two teams and our two teams finished first and second. In three of the four finals, it was WCS players facing each other. What an incredible day! We are blessed by great parent support and look forward to an amazing future!

Following an award-winning summer at camp, the WCS Dance Team completed football season by performing original routines at each home game. Each dance routine was choreographed and taught by members of the team during morning practices. This year, the later start of high school classes has been a terrific benefit for students as it allows us to start practice 35 minutes later in the morning and still allows time to attend morning tutorials. There is a big difference between 6:15 a.m. and 6:50 a.m.! On November 1, the WCS Dance Team attended the North High Showcase. They performed a dance choreographed by seniors Riley Sherwood, Taylor Cusick-Wetta, Carson Meares and Kursten Regher. The Showcase was attended by over 20 regional teams and it was the first time in many years that Collegiate attended. To kick off basketball season, the team worked with choreographer and National Dance Association Regional Director Amy Pollard. Ms. Pollard is an award-winning hip-hop choreographer, and we were able to procure her services with the proceeds from the “Little Spartan Dance Clinic” held back in September. Working with a professional was a wonderful opportunity for the team to learn more in a specific style of dance that is very physically demanding. The team performed Ms. Pollard’s routine, “Fight Night,” at a basketball pep rally and the first home game. The excitement of that pep rally was heightened by “Boyz Dance Team,” a friendly dance-off competition between the upperclassmen and underclassmen boys. This year, it was the freshman and sophomore boys who won in an unprecedented repeat victory, led to glory in a routine by Rose Cunningham, Christina Naftzger, Danni Varenhorst, Zoe Corrigan, Grace Ranallo and Victoria Lyzcak. Looking ahead to 2017, the team will create seven new routines to perform at home basketball games and will also perform at the ISAS Festival in the spring.

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BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

ATHLETICS

Football Middle School By Joel Walker // Coach

Patience turned into progress and progress turned into perfection – that was the story of the 2016 football season for the seventh and eighth grade teams. The “perfect family” took the field each week as Spartans and, for the first time in recent school history, both teams ended the season with winning records. In addition, neither team lost a game in October. The seventh grade team finished with a 4-3 record. They started the year with two big losses but the season turned with a close loss to league champion Andale. After the loss the seventh grade ran off four wins in a row, including three shut-outs, to finish with a winning record. Defense became the standard as the eighth grade dominated defensively throughout the year. They completed Collegiate’s best season in the Catholic League by winning a League Championship and posting a 5-1 record. Overall it was a great season for both teams and one that we can build on for years to come.

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Volleyball Middle School

By Kathy Rukes // Coach

The Middle School volleyball teams had a memorable season, with all three teams having outstanding showings in the post-season tournament. The 6th grade played only a few teams this season, but those teams represented some of the best volleyball players in the city. Despite the fierce competition, the 6th grade team ended the season with a 15-5 record and a second-place finish in their division. The future looks bright for this group of athletes. The 7th grade team had quite a few newcomers to the sport, but the team as a whole demonstrated one characteristic Saturday after Saturday: grit. With an overall 17-1 record, it might seem that this team had it easy this season, but that certainly wasn’t the case. Many of their matches were decided in three sets, and many of those sets were decided in extra points. Time after time, this team willed themselves over the finish line to a victory. That type of grit and perseverance will stick with them in seasons to come and beyond. Congratulations, girls, on an undefeated regular season and a first-place tournament finish! As perhaps the most improved of the three Middle School volleyball teams, the 8th grade team had an outstanding season. The time and dedication these athletes put in during the off-season absolutely paid off when our season started. Defeating an undefeated Magdalen team was a season highlight. That match demonstrated not only how much the team improved since last season, but also how far they will go in the future.


Girls on the Run Lower School By Sara Kirmser // Current Parent This past fall, Collegiate completed its second season of Girls on the Run. The team of 16 third, fourth, and fifth grade girls met twice a week for ten weeks. You may have seen us on the track or on the Bunny Hill Quad any given Tuesday or Thursday afternoon. The objective of the program is to build self-esteem and teach life skills through engaging lessons and fun movement activities. Some days we count our laps as part of a game, not even realizing the exercise we are getting. Every practice, we recognize and appreciate how we feel after working as a team, talk about life experiences and SWEAT! Girls today sort through countless messages about their worth, their image and their abilities. Sadly, research shows that girls’ self-esteem begins declining at a younger and younger age. Girls on the Run hopes to change that by empowering young girls to define and love themselves. Our goal is to help each girl understand and celebrate herself, value healthy relationships, and realize her power to impact the world… all while strengthening our bodies. Not only did we run a 5K (twice!), but we learned about being good friends and about moderation, confidence and community. This year, as a community project, the girls assembled arts and crafts packages for pediatric oncology patients. Patients received a package of art supplies and craft projects to help them pass the time and focus on something entertaining. Thank you so much to the WCS community for all of your support! The inspirational parent coaches were Erin Dart, Brynn Richardson and Corey Johnson. Lower School Music Teacher Loni Griffin and P.E. Teacher Ashleigh Hennessy coached for their second season. Teachers, parents, grandparents and friends came out with cowbells, music and signs to cheer on our practice 5K through Lakepoint in October. Thank you to the Ritchie family (Tammy,

Tom, D.J. and Brayden) and to Mrs. Newlin, Mrs. Hennessy and Mrs. Griffin for inspiring all of us by running 10 miles (from WCS to our starting line) on race day in our honor. It was a special moment that made us all so proud to be a part of this Collegiate community. We need coaches for our fall 2017 season! All it requires is one practice a week, a belief that girls can do anything, two good clapping hands and good arms for hugs at the finish line. You do not need to be a runner or have any kind of coordination or athletic ability at all to coach! We need you, moms and dads! Our girls need you. Let me know if you are interested! You can learn more about www.girlsontherunks.org!

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BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

FINE ARTS

Drama Department Upper & Middle School

The Drama Department started off the year with an amazing trip to the William Inge Center for their annual 24-Hour Plays High School event. We sent two writers: senior Gracie Moore and freshman Hannah Rai. Both young ladies started at 9:00 Friday evening and wrote through the night to create two completely new and original short plays; then Saturday morning at 8:00, while the writers went to bed, our actors and technicians joined four other schools to begin rehearsing these new plays. After working all day, these new plays were performed on the Inge Center stage. Our participating actors and technicians were senior Conner Caughlin, juniors Kat Bunting and Kennedy Brandenburg, sophomores Carter Smith, Belle Henshall, Megan Buchanan, and Hope Smith, and freshmen Justin Highbarger and Lolly Newman. The first play of the year was the Agatha Christie mystery The Mousetrap, put on by the Upper School students. Caught in a snow storm, a group of strangers is stranded in an English country boarding house with a murderer on the loose. With a classic Christie switch ending, this show kept the audience guessing as to who could be the villain. The set was designed and built by WCS alumnus Joe Asbridge ’13, and technically managed by Mark Scheltgen. In November, the 7th and 8th grade thespians put on The Prince and the Pauper, based on the book written by Mark Twain. "I remember reading The Prince and the Pauper in Mrs. Lynda Connell’s sixth grade classroom here at Collegiate, and wanted our students today to experience the story. The concept of walking in somebody else’s footsteps is what acting is all about, so this story of two boys from different backgrounds switching lives was a perfect choice,” Drama Teacher Emily Goodpasture said. With over 41 Middle School students involved, the cast was led by two newcomers to the WCS stage, 8th grade twins Iain and Noah Mouffarij, in the roles of Prince Edward and pauper Tom Canty. Finally, the semester ended on a funny note. Together the Upper School Drama Class and the Upper School Improv Club hosted an evening of improv in the Black Box. Emceed by seniors Gracie Moore and Conner Caughlin, US thespians showed off their improvisation skills by sharing various games and exercises based on suggestions from the audience. As something new this year, the drama students took on the challenge of performing a long-form improv called “The Harold.” Using one word from the audience, the performers gave monologues and developed several completely different scenes that eventually combined into one final skit.

Top: Kat Bunting and Gracie Moore entertain the crowd in The Mousetrap. Bottom: Daniel Hechenberger and Connor Sweetman toast in The Prince and the Pauper. 28


Dinner Theater Upper School The 2016 Collegiate Dinner Theater featured a cast of more than forty Upper School students bringing to life the magic of Disney’s Mary Poppins. This year’s show was filled with chimney sweeps, flying kites, and, of course, a spoon full of sugar.

The show was held in Galichia Auditorium over the final weekend of October. Capacity crowds clapped and danced along to familiar tunes such as “Let’s Go Fly a Kite,” “Step in Time” and “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.” Before each show, there was a dinner and auction. Proceeds went to sponsor the Class of 2020’s

annual activities (dances, trips, and school gifts).

Senior Savannah Kotkin led the cast as the magical nanny “Mary Poppins.” She was accompanied by fellow seniors Conner Caughlin (Bert) and Emily Mudra (Ms. Brill). Juniors Tiffany Ruan (Winifred) and Kennedy Brandenburg (Ms. Corry), along with sophomores Evan Schelton (George) and Zoe Corrigan (Jane), helped round out a dynamic cast of characters. 4th grader Will Meyer (Michael) played a particularly important role in the show. His comedic timing and powerful voice were major in making this show a success.

Months of hard work and dedication helped make the 2016 Collegiate Dinner Theater presentation of Disney’s Mary Poppins. a show to remember!

All-District Band & Choir Upper School Congratulations to (pictured from left) Alex Quian ’20, Amanda Mudra ’19, Emily Mudra ’17, Lauren Johnson ’17, Michael Feng ’19, Conner Caughlin ’17 and Julia Cox ’19 on their selection to the 1234A All-District Band. Congratulations, too, to Savannah Kotkin ’17 (not pictured), selected to the All-District Mixed Choir.

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LEAVING A LEGACY Remembering the impact made by Jean Oser as her retirement is celebrated “My history with Jean Oser began in the late sixties when we were both at Kansas State Teachers College, now Emporia State University. We were Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority sisters! (It took years for me to call her “Jean,” as everyone

in college knew her as “Alta!”) So when I came to Collegiate in 1975, it was wonderful to see a familiar face, my sorority sister, Jean Oser! Jean taught second grade in those early years. She was known as a teacher who carefully evaluated each student’s needs and then invested the extra time necessary to meet these needs. Daily after school, one would find Jean working with small groups of students during tutorials. So when she returned to Collegiate after receiving her reading certification, she became the perfect teacher to get the Alphabetic Phonics certification and become the Lower School Learning Lab teacher. While in the Learning Lab, Jean’s work with her students was praised by both teachers and parents. She became her students’ biggest advocate, working in tandem with their classroom teachers. We cannot underestimate the impact of her work with “her kids.” Collegiate owes a big THANK YOU to this MASTER TEACHER for her DEDICATION TO HER STUDENTS and our school.” // Suze Anne Norton, Former Head of Lower School “Mrs. Oser taught me cursive and how to spell hard words for me. Mrs. Oser also taught me how to read better than I had been doing. Mrs. Oser is so nice to me. She always compliments me and Haley. Mrs. Oser also taught me how to type faster, too.” // Abby Walston, 5th Grade “I remember being in Mrs. Oser’s second grade class back in 1993. She was the kind of teacher who was serious about her students learning. We had fun too but only after our work was done. When I started 2nd grade I was an active and very social kid. I guess I talked to my friends too much and I got in trouble for talking often, especially when I sat near Jacob Hedke. We loved to make Stacy Sutherland laugh. Mrs. Oser discovered

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8:20 to 8:55 More than just 35 minutes! By Chris Ashbrook Head of Upper School

that I would be quiet to listen to a story, and in that 2nd grade class I found my first love, stories. Her love of literature became my inspiration to learn to become a good reader. I remember many great things about Mrs. Oser, but what I appreciate most is how much she helped me in my life by opening my eyes to the world of the written word. Thank you Mrs. Oser for my lifelong passion for reading and for your incredible patience. ” // Jordan Glock, Former Student “Mrs. Oser helped me learn how to spell and read, and I was really sad when my mom told me she was retiring. She taught me to proof read and I still use it almost every day and it helps me do better on tests. PS. I proof read on this!”// Haley Walston, 5th Grade “The dedication Jean had for her students, both as a classroom instructor and as a tutor, was a testament to her long career in education. Jean Oser possessed a special talent that I felt was unique for teachers. I’ve never seen anyone who could assess a child’s abilities so quickly and be able to move them forward educationally. She seemed to know exactly where a child needed help and from that point, they began to progress. Her tireless efforts from earlymorning sessions to many late evenings gave her students the necessary aids and skills needed to be successful. There are so many students who have benefited from her faithful hours of preparation and lessons.” // Susan Pangrac, Former Faculty

Last spring, the Upper School decided that we would start their school day at 8:55 instead of 8:20. After considering the later start time for a couple of years and even trying out the delayed time frame for a few weeks during particularly busy and stressful times, the permanent start time of 8:55 became the norm at the beginning of the 2016 school year. The move has been overwhelmingly embraced by students, parents, and teachers and the benefits from starting at 8:55 have been more widespread than expected. The most positive impact of the 8:55 start has been the ability to have morning tutorials. These tutorials take place from 8:10 to 8:50. Like the afternoon tutorials, teachers are available for students to come in and ask questions. Having these tutorials before school gives the students a chance to ask questions after spending the night before working on their coursework. Students get their questions answered before the school day starts, allowing them to take on the new day’s academic challenges without lingering questions. The Upper School faculty unanimously agrees that the tutorials are well attended on a consistent basis. The number of students who take advantage of this tutorial time clearly indicates that this was a need that we were unable to meet previously. This additional support for our students proved its value when looking at first semester grades, where the number of students earning below a 70% was less than it had been in nine years. In addition to the added tutorial time, the 8:55 start has been a welcome relief to those students who, often times for school-related activities, find themselves unable to even start working on their homework until 10pm or later. Whether rehearsing for the musical until after 9pm or returning from a bowling match in Great Bend at 10pm, students have extra time to get the sleep they need. School activities don’t just keep our students up late, but get them out of bed early as well. The 8:55 start time has pushed back morning practices and rehearsals to a more manageable 7:30 or 7:45 versus 6:30 or 7:00. Thank goodness our swimmers are so tough – they still practice very early, but have pushed back their practice start time from 5:30 to 5:45am. We will continue to evaluate how the 8:55 start time works in the Upper School, but the feedback from students, parents, and teachers has been positive. We have seen academic improvement, and students are getting more rest and coming to school more engaged than before. That doesn’t mean our kids don’t get tired; the work they put into their studies and activities is immense and is to be respected. The change in start time has provided additional support and occasional rest that makes the students’ load more manageable and enjoyable, and that’s just good education!

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Executive Function Conference Over the last twenty years, neuroscientists have gained so much information to share about neuroscience in education and learning differences. Executive Function is a fairly new term used in education but it isn’t a new diagnosis. Due to advanced research with brain imaging, the struggles that students have with time management, remembering multi-step instructions, decision making, difficulty transitioning from one task to another, organization, and planning can now be pinpointed to the prefrontal cortex. These cognitive functions are used to cue, direct, coordinate, and integrate all the processes, skills, abilities, and knowledge bases used when reading, writing, or doing math. Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a conference in New York that was sponsored by Learning and the Brain. Dr. George McCloskey presented some of the most recent findings and strategies on how to help students who struggle with Executive Function. Dr. McCloskey referred to one’s Executive Function as the CEO of the brain or the conductor and section leaders of the mind’s orchestra. Some of the key points I took away from his presentation are: • careful observation of behavior is one of the best ways to assess Executive Function strengths and weaknesses; • students can be taught strategies by parents and teachers to strengthen the specified areas of weakness; • common strategies or devices to help students are checklists, planners, timers, calculators, making predictions, and having a student complete three questions/problems to then have a teacher check his or her work; and • teachers who explicitly teach students about their own Executive Function and strategies have the opportunity to make the most impact. Success is possible when parents, teachers, and students communicate together and are all on the same page in understanding learning differences. // Cassandra Timko

Pony Express Route The second grade teachers were awarded a grant from the Clark Foundation to travel the Pony Express Route in Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri.

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UPDATES

Leaving school on Friday, October 7, we traveled to Mitchell County, Kansas, visiting rural America before heading north to Fairbury, Nebraska, and The Rock Creek Station. Rock Creek Station not only is the home to the Pony Express but also the Oregon and California Trails. This state park has 1,600 feet of visible trail ruts and swales from the 24 years the wagons rolled along that prairie. Our journey continued to Hollenberg Station near Hanover, Kansas. This station also served for the Pony Express and Oregon Trails. Onward then to Marysville, Kansas, and Home Station #1 of the Pony Express - Marysville is the only original building still on the Pony Express built out of limestone. After a short night’s rest in Overland Park, Kansas, we continued our journey to St. Joseph, Missouri. There, on April 3, 1860, the Pony Express began the 1,996-mile journey from the Eastern Terminus to the Western Terminus in Sacramento, California. Letters were packed and locked in a Mochila, a leather pouch, and placed on horses to cover the Pony Express Route. On our way back to Wichita, we took a side trip to the Missouri River where Meriwether Lewis and William Clark traveled to map out the Louisiana Purchase. This 874-mile journey took us to three states and five Pony Express museums and allowed us to take 25 videos for use in the second grade classrooms as a Virtual Field Trip Scavenger Hunt. Thank you so much to the Clark Foundation for supporting our trip and allowing our students to see history come alive. // Shirley Meissner and Patti Yetter

Kodaly Training Last year, I was awarded a Ford Foundation Grant for specialized Early Childhood Music training. Last June, I received Level 1 Certification in the Kodaly Method. The method is based on the educational philosophies of composer Zoltan Kodaly and is designed to give a teacher the musical tools to aid students to sequentially improve their musicianship. The most important components of the approach are the development of each student’s voice and ear, two areas I felt I needed to improve in my classes. I have already incorporated most of the concepts I learned this summer and am already seeing good results. I very much appreciate the richer learning opportunities for me and the students provided by the grant. // Steve Elmore


A CALCULATED Jenny Chrisler // Math Department Chair Starting in the 2016-17 school year, the WCS Math Department updated the graphing calculators used in classes to the TI-Nspire CX CAS. The TI-Nspire CX CAS is a major upgrade from the TI-84 used previously. The “CAS” in TI-Nspire CX CAS stands for Computer Algebraic System; this device is so much more than just your average calculator. The screen is high resolution and has a user interface more similar to PCs than regular calculators. The TI-Nspire CX CAS is a powerful tool that enhances how our students learn mathematics and how our teachers teach mathematics. Within the math classrooms (starting in Algebra 1), teachers are utilizing the TI-Nspire Navigator system in conjunction with these new devices. The system allows teachers to connect a network of handheld calculators to a computer through an access point and wireless adapters that students attach to the tops of their calculators. Using this software, the teacher is able to send documents and activities to students’ handheld calculators. These documents and activities can be used as investigations and tools for students to discover mathematical concepts and delve deeper into those concepts. Teachers can download thousands of already created TI-Nspire activities online or create their own. The activities are all interactive, as students can manipulate graphs, data, and more to explore various concepts. There are many activities related to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and are great resources for teachers to help math come to life.

Students enjoy having such a powerful tool at their fingertips that lends itself to their inquisitive minds, as the activities encourage students to investigate and formulate their own conjectures.

In addition to sending documents through the Navigator software, teachers can also choose a student to be a live presenter. Anything the child selects or manipulates on the calculator can be seen by the entire class. Teachers are also able to see thumbnails of all of the students’ handheld screens to help with classroom management. Another useful feature of the Navigator system is the Quick Poll feature. The teacher creates a question and then sends it to each student’s TI-Nspire handheld. This question interrupts what the students are doing on the handheld calculator until they answer the question. As a class, the data and answers from the Quick Poll can be analyzed. This is a great way for teachers to quickly assess the class and helps to guide instruction. The math teachers in the Middle and Upper Schools love this technology and how it is enhancing mathematics classrooms. Students enjoy having such a powerful tool at their fingertips that lends itself to their inquisitive minds, as the activities encourage students to investigate and formulate their own conjectures. It’s a win-win for all, and we’re excited to see how this technology will continue to inspire WCS students in mathematics.

33


A LARGE FAMILY WITH

THE COLLEGIATE FAMILY TO A THREE By Katie Gunzelman

With Collegiate turning 54 this year, it’s not terribly surprising we’ve begun to see second- and even third-generation students gracing our halls. While Barbara Stokley didn’t attend Collegiate herself, she’s been a faculty member for nearly 28 years. Her two daughters, Brooke and Phoebe, attended Collegiate as Middle and Upper School students, and are now back on campus. Brooke teaches French in the Upper School, and both women are current parents to four Spartans (Clare and Liam Finan; Paige and Mason Hart). Brooke’s husband, Brian, is the 6th Grade Science Teacher. Phoebe’s husband, Davin, is a fellow alum. They are a family within the Collegiate family. I sat down with Barbara, Brooke and Phoebe (pictured together on the back cover) to talk about their history here, and learned that the phrase “the Collegiate family” is not “just a slick little slogan.” KG // First question for you, Barbara - what brought you to Collegiate in the first place? BS // What really brought me to Collegiate in the first place was Bunny Hill, whom I’ve known since childhood. When we moved here to Wichita, I subbed for Bunny some at Collegiate. The kids were great; it was a really nice experience. When Brooke was a freshman in high school, we decided she should try Collegiate… She seemed to really thrive here - this is where she wanted to be. At that point, I felt I had to get a job at Collegiate so we could afford to have both of the girls here. KG // Brooke and Phoebe - what do you think made Collegiate so special? BF // I just had never been in a place before where it was cool to be smart – I loved that; that everybody around me was really smart and that was just the norm for people and for classes to be challenging. And just the opportunity to do so many different things - I was not an athlete, but I loved being able to try track for a semester and being able to participate in some of the musicals. Things like that - opportunities Collegiate offers that I think are really unique. PH // I felt very welcomed right from the start – the sense of community. When I was younger, I remember at Hyde being very shy, never talking in class, not raising my hand a lot. Maybe that was just development, but I definitely felt that WCS was 34

a place where you feel like you can speak up and answer questions and it’s good to know the answers and to be smart and to do well in your classes. I did try all sorts of things – I played tennis, ran track, did cheerleading and dance and debate, and was in musicals. My class was very small and very close knit and some of my dearest friends are still friends from Collegiate. I don’t think I realized how unique that was until I went to college and so many friends there couldn’t believe that I was still in touch with my friends from childhood. A lot of people say, “I don’t want to remember Middle School and High School. Those were hard years and I’m not friends with anybody from that time.” But both Brooke and I are! Some of our closest friends are from here. KG // What was it like being here together then and how is that different than now? PH // [For 7th Grade English], it was hard to have my mom be my teacher, so that was tricky. [With Brooke], it was nice to be in high school together. Brooke was amazing – won lots of awards and was an amazing student. So in some ways, it was kind of hard to follow that. But that’s what’s great about Collegiate – everyone can have his or her own little niche. I always felt like I had all the same opportunities as anyone else. Being at Collegiate now, it’s a totally different experience. Honestly, for me, being a parent here and having them be teachers here… I feel really really proud of them. It’s a huge source of pride for me. You guys are these really impressive teachers. BS: Well it was great for me to be at the same place with my girls. Now, it’s even more fun. Brooke and I see each other every morning when we get a cup of coffee before we get into our days. And it’s just so much fun to see her as this wonderful teacher here. And Phoebe is so involved that, while I don’t see her much during the week, I see her on the Alumni Board and I know how involved her family is. And at ballgames… BF // And your grandchildren, too! BS // YES! – Grandparents Day and all of those things. BF // When Clare was about 3, I was talking and said something about how we lived in Wichita, and she said, “No mommy! We live in the town of Collegiate!” And she was very serious! Sometimes, that is really true for our family. I can remember introducing myself at a Middle School Parent Night – “my husband, Brian, is the science teacher and then my mother teaches in the high school. My sister and I both went here and our kids are here.” So,


H VERY STRONG TIES

E-GENERATION COLLEGIATE FAMILY yes, there are many intertwining connections. Like mom said, too, it is crazy – it’s such an interesting experience coming back as a teacher. Having someone like Dr. Nixon – whom I idolized – who’s now one of my colleagues, it makes me incredibly proud. I can’t believe that I’m a colleague of all these amazing teachers. KG // Was there ever a question about your kids growing up anywhere else? BF // In my case, Clare was born in Nashville. I was working at a school there so she was just a baby when we moved back. As soon as we got jobs at Collegiate, we always hoped that’s where she would be. She and Liam both came full-time in preschool. PH // Mason was a baby when we moved back here. We had lived in Chicago for a few years. So both my kids started when they were little. I didn’t look anywhere else. There was no doubt in my mind I wanted them here. Davin was a resident then and it was not easy for us to do. We did a lot of juggling to make it happen because it was so important to us. I can’t imagine sending them anywhere else in Wichita. BF // It’s so tied up in with who they are. I can’t imagine them anywhere else. KG // How do you feel your circumstance and relationships with each other enhance or detract from your view of the Collegiate family? BF // If anything, it truly is family in every sense of the word. Not just my colleagues, who are my family in a sense, but to be working alongside my mom and to have Phoebe be so involved and have her kids and my kids here. It truly is home. Clare wasn’t kidding. We do live in the town of Collegiate! Tom [Davis] talks about and Bunny [Hill] used to talk about “the Collegiate family” and it would sound like a nice little marketing line. But it’s not just a slick little slogan. It really is like a family. PH // I know that my kids’ family is here but also it really feels like their environment is a family. Their teachers – each year it seems like there are certain teachers that just really connect with your kids. It’s just amazing, and you think, “oh, there won’t be anyone else who will ever understand my kid like that again.” But then there is! Both of my kids have so many good peer relationships already at such a young age. Even the community feeling of Davin and I have knowing other families in our kids’ grades. The teachers, the kids, the other families, and family members are here – the whole thing. I can’t imagine finding that anywhere else.

Top: The Hart Family. Bottom: The Finan Family. BS // I certainly have witnessed and have been on the receiving end of how Collegiate can be such a supportive family. If there’s ever a hard time, you feel people really embracing you and supporting you in all kinds of ways. My colleagues feel like a family and with Brooke being one of them it intensifies that. One way it feels even more like a family, with the girls having their own children here, is that – in the past I’ve felt like, well it’s wonderful, it’s like a family, because you create these wonderful relationships with your students and those continue. But now I feel more of a connection as a High School teacher to the Lower School and then to the Middle School. For instance, Liam [Finan] is a good buddy of Torsten Overman. When I was teaching [his parents] Morgan and Logan in 7th and 8th Grade, I never would’ve thought I would end up seeing them as parents of one of my grandkids’ buddies. The family connections just become that much more complex and tightly woven. It’s quite a large family with very strong ties. 35


ALUMNI BOARD

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Morgan Wilson Overman ’96 It is with great pleasure that I serve as your Alumni Board President during this exciting time in Collegiate’s history. I want to thank the board members who donate countless hours of their time as we work together to honor the Collegiate legacy, and to those who have donated generous gifts of time or money. Wichita Collegiate School would not be the special place that it is without your help. The Alumni Board was hard at work this year identifying new projects that will benefit our school community and supplementing time-honored Alumni Board traditions that continue to be a success. Last year, the Alumni Board announced our $170,000 pledge to fund the WCS Alumni Association Upper School Innovation Lab. The Innovation Lab is incredible, and I urge each of you to ask Mr. B for a tour when you’re in town (make sure not to miss our custom Alumni Association name plate). With the awesome support of our alumni, we were able to fund our entire pledge and complete our donation ahead of schedule. What a tremendous success! The 2016 Annual WCS Golf Classic was held in August of 2016 at Crestview Country Club and continues to be a great fundraiser for the Alumni Board. Our goal each year is to raise awareness for the tournament and encourage participation by all members of the community. We hope to see many of you at the tournament in 2017. Homecoming Weekend saw many alumni and their families on campus for various reunions. The BBQ tent at the football game was full and I enjoyed

seeing all of my ’96 classmates who came back for our 20 year reunion. I encourage you to join the alumni for the homecoming game next year. Many teachers make appearances and it’s a great way to reconnect with our school. One of our Alumni Board traditions is the mailing of care packages to the newest WCS graduates who are off to college. We hear great feedback from these new alums as they enjoy a box of goodies (Ramen noodles, Slim Jims, Blow Pops, etc.) to get them through their first round of mid-term exams. The Alumni Board maintains a $1,000,000 Alumni Endowment for tuition assistance. With the Innovation Lab pledge fully funded, the next focus for the WCS Alumni Board will be the Middle School locker room renovation. I am here to tell you that they haven’t been updated since you were last in them... that goes for almost all of you! The locker rooms are past due for updates and it is time to make a difference on campus for current and future students. It has been a wonderful school year serving as your Board President. Thank you for the opportunity. As a WCS lifer and current parent, my ties to our school run deep and I am honored to help the school in a meaningful way. Please consider giving back to our great school as we pay it forward for generations to come.

STAY CONNECTED! FOR ALUMNI

Wichita Collegiate School @WCSKS @Wichita_Collegiate_School

36

Proba Te Dignum

Connect with Lisa Schooler and the Wichita Collegiate Alumni Group


2016/2017 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

KEEP IN TOUCH!

Morgan Wilson Overman ‘96......................................... President

​ CS Alumni Relations will be W compiling information for an electronic ​A​lumni ​Directory this spring and summer.

BOARD MEMBERS Phoebe Stokley Hart ‘95.................................... President-Elect Christina Hourani Shuart ‘99............Immediate Past President Casey Baker ‘05..................................................... Board Member Jeff Boone ‘94........................................................ Board Member Zach Cobble ‘08.................................................... Board Member Clint Cornejo ‘08................................................... Board Member JK Dillehay ‘02........................................................ Board Member Mallory Jones Farha ‘01....................................... Board Member Brooke Stokley Finan ‘92................................... Board Member Katie Hatfield Gunzelman ‘07............................. Board Member

​ lease update your information in ​one P of ​the following ways: 1. Online at http://www.wcsks.com/ Update-your-information​.​ 2. Mail the completed form to: Wichita Collegiate School 9115 E. 13th St., Wichita, KS 67206 Attn: Lisa Schooler​

Amy Johnson ‘07.................................................. Board Member

3. E​mail to lschooler@wcsks.com

Ashley Johnson ‘02.............................................. Board Member

4. Via Facebook Messenger to the WCS Alumni Facebook​page, ​ Proba Te Dignum

Jason Kice ‘96........................................................ Board Member Katie Hill Leiding ‘04............................................ Board Member Matt Maloney ‘94................................................... Board Member Peter Onderick ‘01................................................. Board Member

Name_____________________________________

Patrick Ritchie ‘02................................................. Board Member

Maiden Name______________________________

Becky Rolph ‘94..................................................... Board Member Alex Schooler ‘09.................................................. Board Member

Address___________________________________

Ryan Stuckey ‘96................................................... Board Member

_________________________________________

Deanna Dakhil Ternes ‘96................................... Board Member

Phone____________________________________

Amar Shah ‘02.................................................... Out of Town Rep

Email_____________________________________

Trey Anderson ‘05............................................. Out of Town Rep Blaine Schultz ‘89.............................................. Out of Town Rep

College___________________________________

Randy Love ‘67.....................................Honorary Board Member

Sorority/Fraternity__________________________

Randy Storms ‘74................................Honorary Board Member

Company__________________________________

Barbara Stokley........................................................... Faculty Rep

Class Notes________________________________

Sarah Jervis................................................... Former Faculty Rep Thomas W. Davis............................................................. Ex-Officio Lisa Schooler.................................................................... Ex-Officio

_________________________________________ _________________________________________

Joan Siefkes Moore ‘84................................................. Ex-Officio

PACKAGED WITH CARE

A favorite WCS Alumni Board tradition for the last 12 years has been sending care packages to the most recent graduating class with notes from beloved teachers and snacks to help boost brain power for studying. We wanted the Class of 2016 to know we were thinking of them and hope they are enjoying their first year of college!

Left: Zach Cobble ‘08 and Deanna Dakhil Ternes ‘96 lend a hand Right: Christina Hourani Shuart ‘99 and Barb Stokley help create care packages

37


ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

DEAN RITCHIE FAMILY By Devon Ritchie Rothwell // Class of 1971 The Dean Ritchie family has a rich history with Wichita Collegiate School. Our family was in the first group of families that started the school as “The Independent Day School” located near Coleman Middle School on 13th Street. My dad was on the first Board of Directors. My brother, Hale, started there when he was in 7th grade and the rest of my family joined “Wichita Collegiate” in its first year (’63) at its current location. That year, I was in 5th grade and my two brothers were in 7th and 9th. At that time, the school only went up to 9th grade and added a grade each year. Hale was in the first graduating class of thirteen students in 1967. I followed in the class of 1971 with twelve classmates. My brother, Jim, died in an accident during spring break of 1966. He and his friend were the first Collegiate students to lose their lives and it was quite devastating to the whole Collegiate community. My sister, Polly (’78), and brother, Ed, also attended WCS.

Since those early days, the school has changed and grown but somehow has kept that “family” feel that it always had. We have continued the Collegiate tradition in our family with Hale, Ed, and I all sending our kids through WCS. Hale even has six grandchildren there currently. There was a time in recent years that my son, Johnny, and I were both teaching math in the Middle School. I retired from teaching three years ago after teaching at WCS for twenty-three years. It is safe to say that the Spartans have been a huge part of my life. This school made me who I am today and I will always cherish the memories and the values it instilled in me since the age of ten. I met my husband, Joe (’70), at Collegiate, raised our children there and hopefully helped raise some of your children as well. Thank you, Collegiate, for helping to shape our family.

Left: Barbara and Dean Ritchie with their children Ed, Devon ‘71, Polly ‘78,Janet and Hale ‘67. Right: Dean and Barbara Ritchie. Below: Some of the Ritchie family’s third generation.

38


WICHITA COLLEGIATE

Golf Classic

Last August marked the 17th Annual Golf Classic, held for the first time on a Friday at Crestview Country Club on August 19. A great time was had by all, with over 80 golfers raising $17,000 for the WCS Alumni Association Upper School Innovation Lab.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS! PRIZE & GIFT SPONSORS Chester’s Chophouse and Wine Bar Flint Hills National Golf Course The Plaid Giraffe Panera Bread Jimmy John’s Wichita Vending Speakeasy Distribution Myron Nixon Crestview Country Club

HOLE SPONSORS All Metal Recycling Bank SNB Comfort Suites Airport Dillehay Orthodontics Murfin Drilling Company Inc. LK Architecture IMA

Paulseen Financial Group Hinkle Law Firm LLC Trusts and Estates Group Wilko Paint JS Ventures, Inc. dba Applebee's Intrust Bank OrangeTheory

Nichols Investment Group UBS Financial Services Martin Pringle Sherwood Construction ClearPath Hospice Premier Processing, LLC Metal Finishing Co Inc

TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE

Ryan Stuckey '96, Jason Kice '96, Adam Kennedy '00, Patrick Ritchie '02, Zach Cobble '08, Craig Howell '09, Ben Hatfield '10, JK Dillehay ‘02, Lisa Schooler

SAVE THE DATE! Next year’s Golf Classic will be on August 18 For questions and sponsorship opportunities, contact Lisa Schooler at lschooler@wcsks.com 39


SAVE THE DATE! HOMECOMING 2017

ATTENTION CLASSES OF: 1967, 1972, 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007, 2012 WCS Alumni Relations is excited to help you celebrate your class at Homecoming, October 13-14. Our office will reach out to your class soon to ask for assistance in coordinating. Be on the lookout and we look forward to seeing you in October!

2016 CLASS REUNION MEMORIES

Class of 1986

Class of 1996

Class of 2013 40

Class of 1976 On October 29, 2016, the WCS Class of ‘76 held its 40 year reunion at the newly renovated Wichita Country Club pool house. Attendees were Mark and Grace (Kruger) Adam, Tom and Merribeth Brooks, Eric Chesky, Bill Woolley, Jeff and Olivia Mills, Jay Koch, Rich Koch (former math teacher), Anne (Mohr) Corriston and Dr. Seth Schneider, Walter and Polly (Mann ‘77) Berry, Marty and Helen Shawver, Craig Slawson, Chris and Jan Johnson, Chuck and Suzy Trombold, Martha Carey, and Raul and Suzanne Brito, along with former English teacher John Brown for the first part of the festivities. Although there were a few folks that were unreachable or unable to attend, it was a pretty good turnout, given that there were only 22 in our graduating class. Some had attended our 30- and/ or 35-year reunions, but others had not been around for a while, so it was great to catch up with what has been going on in everyone’s lives, including jobs, retirement, kids, grandkids, parents, and of course, pets. Eric traveled the farthest to attend (St. Helena, California) and Polly and Walter ran away with the first place for number of grandchildren. It was fun to reminisce about old Collegiate stories with Rick Koch and John Brown, and reflect upon many other hilarious events that took place over 40 years ago, at a time when we were all barely older than the school itself, but yet somehow remain as fresh in our memories as if they had occurred yesterday. But the highlight of the evening may have been a game of “Class of ‘76 Trivial Pursuit,” hosted by Bill Woolley. That exercise really brought up some old memories, calling upon us to rack our collective brains in order to come up with answers to questions about our solipsistic activities and minutia of our teenage years. Lots of laughs! // Jeff Mills


CLASS NOTES Wilhelmina Jewell Sparks 1988 Wilhelmina Jewell Sparks is the Global Head of Innovation, Scouting and Inclusion for METRO AG. METRO AG is a German global diversified retail and wholesale/cash and carry group based in Düsseldorf. The company operates in 25 different countries. Jewell identifies innovative solutions to help with business processes and identifies ways to incorporate these solutions into the core business in order for the brand to remain competitive and enhance customer engagement. Jewell is also the creator and Program Director for an internal programme (Innovation Pioneers) which cultivates intrapreneurship by identifying innovative talent throughout the organization, and enables the creation of business prototypes and services within a five-month period that can then be integrated into other countries. Jewell is an active advisor/ mentor and the founder of various initiatives bringing together innovation + technology + community + founders + corporates (OTGC-On The Green Carpet, FashTech Germany, Wearable Tech Couture BiTHOUSE, Post Accelerator Network, IoT Lab, AgTech FoodTech Summit, FoodSmashin). She is also the founder of an expert group for the German Startup Association focused on Food and FoodTech. Jewell is on the advisory board for the Masters of Science in Entrepreneurship Program at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, and teaches various workshops on Corporate Innovation and Creating Demand throughout Germany and WHU in Dusseldorf. Jewell has been living in Germany since Fall of 2013, and currently resides in Berlin, Munich, and Dusseldorf, Germany. Jewell has been living in Germany since fall of 2013, and currently resides in Berlin, Munich, and Dusseldorf. Still single, looking for Mr. Right, but loving her global dating life and career. She hopes to inspire others and make a difference in the world.

Betsy Van Fleet Ackerman 1989 Betsy Ackerman and her family relocated to the North Fort Worth area in June of 2016, when she accepted a position as the controller for her company’s plant in Dallas. She has a long commute, which she may never get used to, after being spoiled by Wichita traffic! Rebecca Zepick White 1996 Rebecca White and husband Brian were inspired by the tiny house movement, and have moved to a small cabin on Fox Lake, about 40 minutes outside of Wichita. They moved from a 5000 square-foot home in East Wichita. They are settling in and are enjoying the beautiful Flint Hills everyday.

Anisha Raghavan 1997 Anisha Raghavan married her best friend and the love of her life, Hemanshu Bahl, on November 12, 2016, in Wichita at the Hyatt with several WCS alums attending. She met Hemanshu six years ago. They now live in Chicago, where she started a new job as Senior Director of Marketing for PepsiCo. Preethi Chaparala 1997 Preethi Chaparala went back to school for a degree in Funeral Services and is working as an undertaker in her hometown of Blackwell, Oklahoma. She is enjoying being closer to her family and living in the small town where she grew up.

Scott Hilton 1998 Scott Hilton was recently elected to serve in the Georgia House of Representatives. While not at the Capitol, Scott works for SunTrust Bank and enjoys living in Atlanta with his wife and three children.

Dawn Odenheimer Lindshield 2000 Dawn Lindshield and her husband Timothy welcomed their baby girl, Evelyn Jane Lindshield, on November 1st, 2016. She is perfect and they couldn’t be happier. Melissa Murfin Mangan 2000 Melissa Mangan rejoined Hinkle Law Firm in January 2017 after stepping away to start a family with husband Paul. They have 3 children: Michelle, Alexander and Micaela.

Continued on next page 41


CLASS NOTES

Nicola Caldecott Lodes 2000 Nicola Lodes and spouse Brian welcomed Ethan Thomas Lodes on June 22, 2016, in Omaha, Nebraska. He weighed 8 pounds 15 ounces. He is adored by big sister Leah (age 6) and big brother Alex (age 3), and mom and dad, too! They had a great holiday season because of the new family member.

Julia Rumisek Riola 2002 Julia Riola and her husband welcomed their first child, Madeline Louise Riola, on September 21, 2016. She weighed 8 pounds, 5 ounces, and was 20.5” long.

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Nick Troilo 2005 Nick Troilo and his wife Kelsi welcomed their first child on January 27, 2016. Jett James was 8 pounds, 2 ounces, and 20” long. Nick graduated from Creighton University School of Dentistry in May 2016 and has joined Rose Hill General & Cosmetic Dentistry in practicing with his father.

Frances Steiner 2005 Francis Steiner married Kieran Coe on July 30, 2016, in Crandon, Wisconsin. They honeymooned in South Africa, and reside now in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She is the Associate Director of Development for the Milwaukee Ballet and Kieran is an Associate with the Tax Group at Godfrey & Kahn S.C.

Kate Schaake Suhr 2005 Kate Suhr and husband Zach welcomed their son Cameron Suhr to the world on November 8, 2016. He is their first child and the first grandchild in the family. Ashley Bell Barnett 2006 Ashley Barnett has accepted the Marketing Programs and Promotions Coordinator position with the Oklahoma City Thunder Basketball team. She began in February 2017.

Lauren Shipley Hagerty 2007 Lauren Hagerty and husband Ryan were married March 2, 2013, and welcomed a set of twins, Addison and Ben, in December of 2013. Then in February of 2015, they welcomed another set of twins, Sean and Christopher. They are very busy people!


CLASS NOTES Austin & Niki Caro Bakri 2008 Niki ‘08 and Austin ‘08 Bakri moved back to Wichita from Los Angeles and bought a new home. They currently are still working with their five California and three Wichita Sola Salon locations. Austin is taking on additional roles with Caro Development, getting more into marketing and commercial real estate as well. Adam Grider 2009 Adam Grider started a new job on December 5, 2016, working with Conservation International as the Monitoring, Reporting, and Communications Manager for the World Bank’s Dedicated Grant Mechanism for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (www. dgmglobal.org). His main role is to coordinate data collection and analysis between 14 different countries and then produce reports for the World Bank on how the program is doing, plus facilitating knowledge sharing between those projects to help them support one another to more effectively achieve their goals.

Brendan Lowden 2011 Brendan Lowden has joined Northwestern Mutual--RPS Financial Group as a financial representative. He provides guidance and innovative solutions to help meet a client’s financial goals and objectives.

Joe Asbridge 2013 Joe Asbridge married Harley Hendricks on December 3, 2016. Joe is working for Exploration Place in Environmental Services. They are expecting their first child in August 2017.

Our sincerest condolences to the friends and family of WCS Alumnus Timothy O’Shaughnessy, Class of 2002

Danielle Schifferdecker Gerstner 2009 Danielle Schifferdecker married Matt Gerstner on September 24, 2016. They are living in Valley Center and she is teaching Biology at Halstead High School. They were married at Fulton Valley Farms in Towanda, Kansas. Morgan Lovett ‘09 was the maid of honor, Megan Tongue ‘09 and Rebecca Waisner Kinshella ‘09 were also in the wedding party.

Lindsay Funke 2013 Lindsay Funke married Austin Wakeman on January 14, 2017. Molly Haines ‘13 was one of the bridesmaids. Austin is from the Kansas City area and they met through the University of Missouri campus ministry, Cru. Lindsay graduated from UMiss with a Bachelors Degree in Families in Lifespan Development and a multicultural certificate. She is working part-time as a site facilitator at Adventure Club, a before- and after-school program for 21 elementary schools in the Columbia, Missouri, area. Photo credit: Hallie Sigwing Addison Root 2016 Addison Root transferred from the University of Memphis to Providence College in the fall of 2017. During her time at Collegiate, she was named to the All-Metro Volleyball Team, Second Team AllState junior year, and First Team All-State senior year. She also served as a representative from WCS for the Wendy’s High School Heisman Award.

SHARE YOUR NEWS!

Send your professional or personal updates to Susan Klingenberg at sklingenberg@wcsks.com.

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GLOSSARY OF GIVING Wichita Collegiate School utilizes fundraising to provide many of the unique “extras” that make our school special. The majority of tuition funds to directly to pay for salaries and benefits, instructional expenses, and facility maintenance. We then rely on the generosity of of our families to donate their time, talent, and treasure to help provide educational opportunities and extracurricular enhancements above and beyond the norm. WHAT

WHO

Collegiate Annual Fund Effort (CAFÉ)

• Pool of projects selected by the WCS Administrative Staff • Changes year to year • All-School Gala

WCS Alumni Association • Alumni Bricks • Alumni Endowment • Golf Tournament

WCS Advancement Staff with parent volunteer support

• Increased campus security • Campus beautification • School vehicles • Bunny Hill Endowment Fund

WCS Advancement Staff with alumni volunteer support

• Tuition assistance • Special projects like the WCS Upper School Alumni Association Innovation Lab

Collegiate Association of Parents (CAP) • Poinsettia Sale • Garden Market • Box Tops • Calendars

• Valentine's Surprise • Final Survival Packages • Dillons Card link donations

Collegiate Dinner Theater • Dinner and Dessert Auction

Parent volunteers

Friends of the Library • Book Fair • Young Author’s Day

Parents Supporting Science • Trash bag sales

• Current year’s freshman class’ Junior Prom class trip and other school activities

Student volunteers

• External community non-profit organizations

Parent volunteers

• Library books

Parent volunteers

• Science-oriented enhancements

Parent volunteers

• Band room sound system • New instruments • Performance risers • Computers, camcorders and software

Parent volunteers

• Sports team enhancements • Equipment and field upgrades • WCS Activity Bus • Trailer for band and football gear • Scoreboards

Patrons of the Arts

• Party with a Purpose • Thanksgiving Program reserved seating

• All-School Gala

Spartan Club

• Sporting event ticket sales • Concessions • Shirt Shack • Activities Program

Special Projects

• Middle School Entrepreneurship class • Jump Rope for Heart • Middle and Upper School student special requests • Parent or Administrative special requests

44

• Indoor/outdoor classroom equipment • Science equipment and supplies • Upgraded calculators • Classroom rocket kits

Parent volunteers with teacher support

Class Fundraisers • Chillers • Heifer Project • Poetic Justice

FUNDS GO TO PROJECTS LIKE

Various volunteers

• External community non-profit organizations • Tennis court renovation • Middle School Innovation Lab


COLLEGIATE

ANNUAL FUND EFFORT (CAFÉ)

Gift Catalog 2017

Wichita Collegiate School is a special place that offers not only a promise of academic excellence, a caring community, individualized college counseling, and support for learning differences, but also a demonstrated commitment to innovation and an openness to growth and change. With those characteristics come opportunities to provide above-and-beyond experiences and state-of-the-

art facilities for our students and community. In the followining pages, you’ll find opportunities of your own to contribute to projects our faculty, staff, and administration deem imperative to the continued success and evolution of our school. We hope you connect with one of these opportunities and, at the very least, continue to feel connected to the mission and vision of this special place!


COLLEGIATE

ANNUAL FUND EFFORT (CAFÉ) PROJECT:

Innovation Lab 30

$

25

$

QUANTITY NEEDED: 10

QUANTITY NEEDED: 10

Welding Masks

Safety Glasses

50

$

50

$

QUANTITY NEEDED: 10

QUANTITY NEEDED: 10

Earmuffs

Welding Gloves

"I think the Innovation Lab is an incredible place for us to exercise our immense creativity. In so many classes we're expected to do exactly what we're told and to solve problems a specific way, but in this class we are given the trust and freedom to solve problems and make our own designs come to life." – Ellen Mines ‘17


COLLEGIATE

ANNUAL FUND EFFORT (CAFÉ) PROJECT:

Innovation Lab 50

$

50

$

QUANTITY NEEDED: 10

QUANTITY NEEDED: 10

Welding Sleeves

Welding Apron

50

$

50

$

QUANTITY NEEDED: 10

QUANTITY NEEDED: 10

Welding Jacket

Welding Finishing Set

The Innovation Lab has given me the tools to create and build almost anything I can imagine. It is an incredible opportunity to be able to learn how to use this technology. I just finished a project I have been working on for the last month, and it was an amazing feeling to get to hold something that I had designed and produced myself.​"​- Jana Heady ‘17


COLLEGIATE

ANNUAL FUND EFFORT (CAFÉ) PROJECT:

Innovation Lab 500

$

QUANTITY NEEDED: 1

Pipe Bender

2,500

$

QUANTITY NEEDED: 1

XCarve CNC Router

3,000

$

QUANTITY NEEDED: 1

mUVe DLP Pro+


COLLEGIATE

ANNUAL FUND EFFORT (CAFÉ) PROJECT:

Innovation Lab 500

$

QUANTITY NEEDED: 5

Music Tech Equipment Upgrades

1,200

$

QUANTITY NEEDED: 4

Software: Adobe Creative Cloud

2,500

$

QUANTITY NEEDED: 8

Music Tech - iMacs "The I-Lab inspires hard work and has given me a lot of ideas about new things to try. It makes me think anything is possible and also that, here at Collegiate, we now have the tools to make anything happen." – Tyler Anderson ‘17


COLLEGIATE

ANNUAL FUND EFFORT (CAFÉ) PROJECT:

Facility Improvements 75

$

SUGGESTED GIFT

Gym Light Replacements

(North and South Middle School Gym)

“The Early Childhood, Lower School, Middle School students, and PE Teachers, are so blessed to have two full-size gymnasiums which give us ample space for any type of activities we could imagine! We appreciate the large, open activity spaces. Though the gyms have a number of sky lights, the additional electric lighting makes a distinct, continual buzzing sound. The humming is loud and makes it difficult for students and athletes to hear. “Additionally, we have many WCS and outside sports teams using the North and South Gyms for practices and games year round. That’s more than 1000 students and parents passing through these spaces during any given week! With so many people using our gymnasiums, we want to put our best foot forward with efficient practice and game environments. With new, more efficient lighting that emits less noise, our students and athletes will have a space more conducive to learning and competing. Although replacing the lights might not be as tangible as other renovations (ex: new furniture, etc.), I am certain it will be immensely beneficial to a large number of people!” – Ashleigh Hennessy, Lower School P.E. teacher


COLLEGIATE

ANNUAL FUND EFFORT (CAFÉ) PROJECT:

Facility Improvements 250

$

SUGGESTED GIFT

New Middle School Locker Room

"The Middle School locker rooms are in desperate need of updating. They should be a place that encourages and promotes Middle Schoolers to be active and to participate in sports. They should be renovated to look like they belong with the rest of our beautiful school." – Dr. Deanna Ternes ‘96 "I have been at WCS for 43 years and, with the exception of a few modifications here and there, we have had the same Middle School locker rooms the entire time. The accommodations are way too small for physical education classes, as well as home or visiting teams who use them for competitive sports. Storage of the students' personal belongings is often an issue, as the lockers are small and will not hold everything that they bring to the gym. In addition, both the flooring and lighting are greatly in need of replacement. These renovations set the tone for students and athletes to participate with a more positive attitude. Taking pride in one's school, including the gymnasium and locker rooms, is important for instilling a work ethic that promotes 100% effort on the part of students. I can just imagine how excited they would be to walk into an updated facility that gives them the feeling that we value their work and appreciate their effort. I'm thrilled for the possibility!" – Kathy Wagner, Early Childhood P.E. teacher "At Wichita Collegiate, we are so lucky to have two (Middle School) gyms for physical education and sports. With a locker room renovation, it will give our students, teams and visiting teams a quality space to prepare for class or competition." – Jim Wetta, Middle School P.E. teacher


COLLEGIATE

ANNUAL FUND EFFORT (CAFÉ) PROJECT:

Education Support 100

$

SUGGESTED GIFT

Bunny Hill Endowment

(Professional development, technology, tuition assistance, and future school needs)

50

$

SUGGESTED GIFT

Learning Differences Fund

“Learning lab is becoming a vital piece to the Collegiate community. Having a fund to help families place their child in learning lab to get an extra boost in their education could be the difference in that child staying at Collegiate.” – Shannon Flack ‘99


COLLEGIATE

ANNUAL FUND EFFORT (CAFÉ) PROJECT:

Campus Improvements 100

$

SUGGESTED GIFT

Security Upgrades

"As parents, there are many things we have to consider for our children. One thing parents should not have to worry about is the safety of their children at school. When we first sent our children to WCS, security measures were limited. This never even came into consideration; Collegiate has always felt like a safe, friendly home to us. But we take that feeling for granted. Just because it IS a safe environment doesn't mean that it couldn't be improved upon. The added security of keeping buildings locked during the school day has given me peace of mind that not just anyone can walk into school at any given time. If we are able to add night lighting to the Bunny Hill Quad and install electronic lockable gates at the entrances, our whole campus will become a lot safer in the evening hours. The new security updates mean a lot to my family because we want to do everything possible to ensure our children have a safe, healthy environment to grow and thrive in." – Parent Abby Bartel


COLLEGIATE

ANNUAL FUND EFFORT (CAFÉ) PROJECT:

Campus Improvements 25

$

SUGGESTED GIFT

Campus Beautification

250

$

SUGGESTED GIFT

Administration Office Renovations (Admissions, advancement and business offices)

“[This] renovation will go a long way in improving the impression we give to our families and visitors. Redesigning [these offices] will greatly improve the work space for employees and create a more professional-looking environment. It would definitely be a plus to have these areas remodeled to reflect the quality of the rest of our programs here at WCS and the professionalism of the folks who work in these offices.” – Susie Steed, Director of Admission


150 COLLEGIATE $

SUGGESTED GIFT

ANNUAL FUND EFFORT (CAFÉ) Early Childhood PROJECT:

Play Space Upgrades

More reason to give

space fosters “highly effective, nature-based outdoor learning” and “inspires hands-on activity, creativity, play and plenty of time exploring the natural world,” writes Heather Fox, Director of Communications and Outreach for the Nature Explore Program.

WCS’ Early Childhood Outdoor Playspace earned national recognition as a Certified Nature Explore Classroom by the Nature Explore Program, a collaboration between Dimensions Educational Research Foundation and the Arbor Day Foundation. Certification signifies that Collegiate’s play

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