WCS Connection - Fall 2019

featuring THE FUTURE OF WCS and LIVING THE GOOD LIFE

TABLE OF

CONTENTS 9

THE FUTURE OF WCS

WHAT IS A SPARTAN?

From the Head of School.............................. 3 Semester in Review.........................................4 The Future of WCS.......................................... 9 From the Board.............................................. 10 LS: Windows and Mirrors.............................13 Circle of Gold................................................... 14

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ADVANCED RESEARCH COURSES

US: Advanced Research Courses..............16 MS: Community Service...............................18 Honor Rolls...................................................... 20 Beyond the Classroom.................................22 EC: Our Use of Conscious Discipline......29 MS: International Dyslexia Conference...... 30

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

ELLIE & MAGGIE NEWLIN

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!

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US: Living the Good Life.............................32 From the Alumni Board...............................33 Alumni Spotlight........................................... 34 Golf Classic Recap.........................................36 Class Notes......................................................38

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 Kathy Rukes '99 // Admission Associate Graphic Design // Kylie Rott Photography // Tobie Andrews, Michael Bankston, Ashley Bowers, Lisa Schooler, and many more!

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

GREAT BEGINNINGS Dear Wichita Collegiate, We are pleased and excited to present this issue of the Connection magazine, which focuses on many of the wonderful things that happened within our community during the first half of this 2019-20 academic year.

For me personally, this first semester of my tenure as Head of School has passed by like one of those famous Kansas tornadoes. I have been intentional about getting to know the community through one-on-one meetings with every employee and board member, and through multiple meetings with parents and students. The warm and welcoming community that attracted my wife Mary and me to this community has been reinforced by all the positive support I have encountered through all of those conversations.

Something that has stood out as a theme throughout those conversations is the overwhelming feeling that we are one supportive and caring community that treats each other like a family. You will see, throughout the pages of this magazine, lots of stories and highlights of events that reflect that family feeling within our school.

I am very proud to lead this school, and honored and humbled every day to work with such a talented family of people.

In this issue, you will learn a bit about each of our divisions Conscious Discipline in the Early Childhood, "Windows & Mirrors" in the Lower School, community service in the Middle School, the Good Life Paper in the Upper School, and much more!

I am very proud to lead this school, and honored and humbled every day to work with such a talented family of people. Whether you are reading this Connection through the eyes of a student, parent, graduate, faculty member, grandparent, or friend, this is certainly a great time to be a Spartan. Here is to health and happiness in 2020.

NATHAN WASHER // HEAD OF SCHOOL

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SEMESTER IN REVIEW // AUGUST

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SEMESTER IN REVIEW // SEPTEMBER

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SEMESTER IN REVIEW // OCTOBER

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SEMESTER IN REVIEW // NOVEMBER

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SEMESTER IN REVIEW // DECEMBER

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THE future OF WCS

BY NATHAN WASHER // HEAD OF SCHOOL

One of the responsibilities I am most enthusiastic about in my role as Head of School is the opportunity to help shape and create the future vision of Wichita Collegiate School. The Board of Trustees placed this as a high priority for me when I arrived last summer. Through many hours of meetings and conversations with faculty, students, parents, and trustees, it has been wonderful to share ideas and thoughts on what that vision will be. When I think of the visioning process it always starts with these questions – what kind of graduates do we want to produce? What are the most important outcomes that define a Collegiate Spartan? What qualities do we want the Class of 2036 – our current Great Beginnings students – to have when they graduate?

The “old school” way of defining a graduate’s desired qualities often revolved around specific curricula or academic skills – so many semesters of a foreign language, years of progressively more challenging mathematics, a balance of arts and athletics. To some extent, this approach assumed a static and predictable occupational path. In this current age of rapid change, technological advancement, and increasing automation, the reality is that many of the occupations the Class of 2036 will be getting ready for do not even exist today!

So how do we create a vision for graduates to succeed in a world that is changing more rapidly than ever? There will always be a need for literate, technologically competent humans, but what other qualities will ensure that our graduates are not just prepared for college, but for the life they will face?

Collegiate needs not to focus just on academic challenges, but on how to develop lifelong learning in our students, who will be equipped to become the best versions of themselves no matter what the future holds.

I envision that Wichita Collegiate School will continue to be the educational leader in our community. I am committed to the success of each and every student in our care. From my vision of a Spartan (see sidebar) comes the foundation of what each teacher, in each division, in each building across campus will facilitate on a day-to-day basis. The strategies that will bring this vision to life include valuing our students, creating a culture that empowers success, and attracting and developing leaders who serve, all while delivering programs that matter.

I also envision that our school will continue its legacy of being a compassionate place that cares about the greater community at large. Service to our community will continue to be a priority for our student service opportunities.

One of my favorite Spartan qualities is openness to change.

Our school has undergone tremendous change over the past several months and will continue to evolve as I, along with all of the employees of the school, implement strategies to cement our legacy as Wichita’s educational leader. I am committed to our success and I am going to enjoy the journey with all of you. I have no doubt that to be a Spartan is to be unstoppable!

WHAT IS A SPARTAN? Every one of us is different and together we are unstoppable.

I am uniquely talented.

I am creative.

I am compassionate.

I am resilient.

I am constantly learning.

I am solving problems.

I care about my community.

We lean on and support each other.

We are open to change.

We are inclusive We explore new ideas.

We challenge each other to be better.

We are determined.

We experiment, fail, and try again.

We are committed to the success of ourselves and others.

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FROM THE BOARD Dear WCS Friends and Family, Collegiate has been a part of my life in one way or another since 1976. That was the year my mother became determined that my sister Kristen and I should have a better education than we were getting in public schools, and moved us to WCS. Over the past 44 years, I have been a Collegiate student, alumna, parent, and trustee.

I am now wrapping up my sixth and final year as Chair of the Board of Trustees. It has been an honor to witness Collegiate’s excellence from so many vantage points.

If the conversations at your house are like mine, you consider the value of your investment in Collegiate every time you complete re-enrollment forms or write a check. My husband and I discuss it every year, as I know my parents did in the 70s and 80s. Having children at Collegiate is a substantial commitment, of both money and time. As parents, we write large tuition checks, spend hours supporting our students in a myriad of activities, then donate financially for “free dress days,” the Collegiate Annual Fund Effort (CAFÉ), and class trips.

Almost daily, I get reinforcement that a Collegiate education is worth every penny. If I had one wish for you, it would be that you could witness Collegiate behind-the-scenes, as I have in my many roles, but particularly as Board Chair. I get to see the energy and excitement of our new Head of School, the way our division heads take pride in the accomplishments of their students and faculty, and how our administrative team and staff work tirelessly to support it all. I get to see the Collegiate education across all divisions. And I see that all the work done in Early Childhood, Lower School, and Middle School builds students who are prepared for success in the Upper School, in college, and in life.

Writing this in February, I can share I just experienced a day in the life of a WCS student firsthand as I spent eight hours at our annual “Trustee Day.” Once a year, our Board of Trustees tours the campus, popping in and out of classrooms to experience a little piece of what it means to be a Collegiate student. This was my tenth time to experience such a day, and I have come home every year believing a Collegiate education is a great privilege and advantage in the lives of our students. I could barely contain my excitement this year as I recounted the things I saw to my husband, who often only sees the late nights of homework and hears about when things go wrong for our daughter.

In the morning on “Trustee Day,” I “shadowed” a freshman Upper School student. I experienced the “late start,” which aligns with the circadian rhythms of teenagers, enabling them to enjoy much-needed morning sleep and start an hour later. My student hung out in the Commons before school started, studying for her geometry test later that day, as rested and relaxed as she could be on a test day. Many students took advantage of morning tutorials, an option that doesn’t even exist in most schools. Later in the day, I visited an Upper School Biology Research class with about ten seniors who described this class as the culmination of their high school experiences. One senior told me they all consider it a privilege to participate in the class, as most of them want to pursue medicine or another science in college. While I was there, they were excitedly finishing a project about the Coronavirus, preparing educational pamphlets to distribute to the student body.

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2019-2020

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Shari Male Powers ’85 Chair Sharol Rasberry Vice Chair Sheryl Nolan Treasurer Raffaele Fazio Secretary Suzie Ahlstrand Over lunch, we listened to a panel of young alumni give feedback on the education and experiences they received at WCS. Ron Elkouri ’08, Nicole Farha ’13, and Kaylea Knappenberger ’14 shared their thoughts and articulately answered our questions. When asked what they would want to share with current WCS students if they could, they answered that they wished all WCS students could appreciate what a privilege it is to attend Collegiate. They had assumed everyone went to college full of confidence and knowing how to write a 25-page paper, how to really study for tests, and how to expertly manage their own lives. They were surprised that most students don’t arrive at college with those skills. Our alumni didn’t fully appreciate the education or preparation for life they received until they were well into their college or postgraduate careers.

My daughter doesn’t appreciate the privilege of attending Collegiate yet, and I’m fairly certain I didn’t either when I was a student in the 80s. But I now appreciate how determined my mother was to give me the gift of a Collegiate education. I can rest easy knowing that someday, just like Ron, Nicole, and Kaylea, my daughter will know what a great gift and privilege her education was. Someday your children will know it, too.

Warm Wishes,

Shari Male Powers ’85 Board Chair

Raul Brito ’76 Kathie Dakhil Angela Fox Julie Gentile Basil Hourani Corey Johnson Mike Miller Caesar Naftzger Kevin Nichols Meredith Olson Christina Hourani Shuart ’99 Jared Sprole Bill Voloch

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BOARD MEMEBER HIGHLIGHT // BILL VOLOCH Meet Bill Voloch, a new Trustee for the 2019-20 school year, and his wife Juli!

The Volochs came to Collegiate in 2015. Now, nearly five years later, Bill is stepping into a leadership role in the community and enjoying learning more about what makes Collegiate so special.

How did you come to Collegiate originally and what has made you and your family stay?

Juli Voloch // We came to Wichita from Denver in 2013 for work and quickly identified that public schools were not challenging our kids and that there was not enough cultural diversity. When we moved closer to downtown, we had our boys shadow at Collegiate. They, like us, were very impressed at the overall kindness of and the passion that the students showed for the school. We have stayed because of the family environment, the amazing education, and the great relationships our five children have developed.

Bill Voloch // Each of our children has found different ways to excel at Collegiate because of the personal attention by the teachers and their dedication of ensuring the success of each child. All five kids are very different – even our twin girls are not at all alike.

The twins come home with different homework that challenges them differently. One of our sons, since getting into Learning Lab, has gone from struggling to blossoming. It is truly a tailored education.

How has serving on the Board this year opened your eyes to more of Collegiate’s operations?

BV // Being on the Board has identified for me the differences between Collegiate and the other private schools in the area. With a close friend on the Board and with my job now as CEO of Wesley, I was asked to consider coming onto the Board and I saw it as an opportunity to see where our check goes every year. I now understand better the operations and the cost it requires to provide a superior educational experience.

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I am learning every day, particularly through Nathan (Washer)’s eyes, about what we can do better. I don’t know what I don’t know, so listening to Nathan talk about what else is out there has been helpful.

The school could do a better job showing the value proposition to our parents, and marketing to and educating the community on our value. I think we are on our way there!

Why do you feel it’s important to philanthropically support WCS? JV // The tuition we pay only covers the operations of the school. We as a family understand that the extra funds we donate are used to help improve the environment and the extra programs that Collegiate offers as well as to supplement the teachers in the classroom.

BV // Once we understood that better, it became easier to philanthropically support Collegiate. We want the right environment for our children.

What gives you the most Spartan pride?

JV // Being a Spartan has shown us what it is like to be a part of an educational family, with school spirit and with traditions our children look forward to as they progress into each division. WCS has been a big part of our five children developing into wellrounded people who we believe will be successful because of the foundation Collegiate offers for their students, and that definitely gives us pride.

BV // I was not expecting to be drawn into the Collegiate community, but we’ve developed great friendships with other parents here. Collegiate also offers more extracurricular activities than I have ever seen and we’ve connected with the community through those avenues, too. Collegiate does a really good job of treating students and parents as customers rather than just students and parents.

We are very happy!

WINDOWS & MIRRORS LOWER SCHOOL

BY MAMBA TIBBALS, CASSANDRA TIMKO, AND PAM ARMOR // 4TH GRADE TEAM Wichita Collegiate School’s 4th Grade takes great pride in presenting all that is “Windows and Mirrors.” This in-depth family heritage project began ten years ago and has grown into a six-week research study.

The title stems from the premise that each child looks out the “windows” of time to his or her family’s country of origin, and then views a more fully realized “mirror” reflecting back.

Through “Windows and Mirrors,” students realize we are all immigrants who have a rich history of cultural influences.

Teaching children about their families’ heritage can open up a new world of cultures and traditions – not only their own, but others as well. Fourth graders, with sophisticated, inquisitive minds, are open to exploring their identities and can begin to comprehend how the past, present, and future are all connected. With these thoughts in mind, the project scope includes interviews, composition of family tributes, continent studies, and the gathering of stories, pictures, and family heirlooms loaded into priceless scrapbooks and vintage suitcases for display. Students

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write introspective essays to voice that the reflections they now view “in the mirror” are not just of themselves, but of all who have come before as well.

This year, as a special addition to “Windows and Mirrors,” we were able to attend a Naturalization Ceremony as a class here in Wichita. This served as a perfect tie to our project as students had listened to stories in class and had conversations with family members about their heritage and countries of origin. Students created a map in class that represented where one side of their family had come from, and some of our students had family members who had just become citizens in recent years.

We hoped that attending would make the topic of immigration “real,” as opposed to something we just read about and discussed. The students were amazed when they heard the names of countries candidates were immigrating from and were very eager to witness in real time what we had been talking about in class. During the ceremony, they were a captive audience and even joined in singing America the Beautiful. As a way

for us to show our support, the students colored American Flags at school that were handed to each candidate as they walked across the stage. Right after the ceremony, students were able to ask questions of a representative.

Their curiosity showed as many hands went up. “What does a Green Card look like?” “How much does it cost to become a citizen?” “Can immigrants go back to their old countries?” This all led to further discussion when we returned to school.

The goal of this project is for our students to gain knowledge and appreciation of and pride in family heritage, and the presentations of projects serve as validation that our goal is accomplished.

Children stand proudly in front of their scrapbooks, suitcases, and window frames holding meaningful artwork suspended from the ceiling in the culminating event each fall. Hundreds of guests view and listen to the children tell of their family pride.

Parents, grandparents, students, and community friends leave with an appreciation of how this valuable project impacts their families.

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CIRCLE OF Gold Wichita Collegiate School wishes to honor the inductees of the 2019 Circle of Gold!

The Circle of Gold endeavors to honor individuals who have been educational “architects” of Wichita Collegiate School.

Such individuals may have initiated a vision that helped define us, provided leadership and support that enabled our development, directed broad-based change, or ensured that students were the benefactors of the wisdom within our collective “four walls.”

An individual must no longer be associated with Wichita Collegiate School on a day-

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to-day basis in order to be considered for the honor of the Circle of Gold. Inductions began in 1998 and are made every five years to coincide with the school’s anniversary celebrations.

Many thanks to our 2019 honorees (from left): Bunny Hill, Rick Koch, Laura Madison ’83, Jenny Paulseen, Gale Farmer, Sarah Jervis, David Lawrence, Brigitte Hourani, Charlie Chandler, and Rae Thiel. You each left indelible marks on our school, and continue to influence us even now. We are so grateful to you!

Gale Farmer joined the WCS faculty in 1979 and taught Algebra I through advanced coursework.

Gale was the US Academic Dean and Math Department Chair, and was committed to academic excellence; he built up the department to include classes through Calculus BC, and MultiVariable Calculus and Differential Equations, both of which are beyond the AP level. Gale was also the inspiration behind the popular decade-long Interim in the Upper School. He and his wife, Louise, sent three children to Collegiate - Brian, Chris '92 and Kim Bahre '99. He retired from the faculty in 2014.

Rick Koch was on the WCS faculty from 1964 to 1975, and he and his wife, Barbara, sent all three of their children to Collegiate - Jay '76, Sara Jernigan '80, and Cory. Rick taught math in the Upper School and coached teams in football and swimming. His calculus class outlined the Spartan football field as it still stands today.

Sarah Jervis joined the faculty in 1987 and was the parent to two Spartans, John Ziegelmeyer III '98, and Anne Farrar '00. Madame taught the beautiful language of French and chaired the department for many years. She retired from teaching in 2009.

Laura Madison '83 was a Collegiate "lifer" who came back to her Alma Mater to work with learning different students and to establish the first learning lab from 2008 to 2014. Laura is the mother of Sage '13, Nick, and Dolly Farha. Laura and Sage hold the distinction of being the only motherdaughter duo to receive the Headmaster's Award their senior years.

Charlie Chandler and his wife, Marla, are parents to four Spartans - Chuck '00, Alex Coltrain ’04, Sam '07, and Elizabeth. They are now grandparents at WCS. Charlie served as a Trustee on the Board starting in 1998, and served as Chair of the Board for eight years until 2007.

Jenny Paulseen joined the Collegiate faculty in 1982 and retired in 2007. She is a current grandparent to Hadley, Tripp, and Brann, as well as mother to two alumni - Aeramy Porter '93 and Brandon Paulseen '96.

Jenny created the Early Childhood Library, and today it fittingly bears her name.

Brigitte Hourani, or Frau Hourani, taught at Collegiate starting in 1987. She taught German and French in the Lower School until she retired in 2010. She and husband Alif are parents of three Collegiate alumni – Christina Shuart ’99, Christian Hourani '02, and Andrew Hourani '09. They are also currently the proud grandparents of two Spartans.

Rae Thiel was a faculty member from 1979 to 2015 and taught for years with her husband, Russ. Rae was a member of the US Math Department and the Math Department Chair following Gale Farmer. She wrote and taught from her own Pre-Calculus text book, and served as the Faculty Sponsor for Freshman Dinner Theater, coordinated graduation for years, and kept statistics for countless Spartan teams. She and Russ have two Spartan graduates - sons Matt '92 and Kyle '95.

Dr. David Lawrence started teaching at Collegiate in 1971, and he and wife Alice sent two sons to WCS – Jim '82 and Jon '87. Dr. Lawrence was the Chair of the History and Christian Studies Departments until he moved and left Collegiate in 1986. He later went on to teach as a History Professor at Lipscomb University in Nashville. While at WCS, Dr. Lawrence gave many Upper School students their first introduction to traveling in Europe on his summer tours.

Bunny Hill joined the WCS faculty in 1972 as a 6th Grade Teacher and quickly moved "up the ranks" as an English teacher, becoming US Dean of Students, Head of Middle School, and Acting Headmaster, until she retired as the Assistant Headmaster in 2014. She authored the school's 50th Anniversary Book and was inducted into the Kansas Association of Independent and Religious Schools (KAIRS) Hall of Fame in 2005.

Bunny was named National Middle School Principal of the Year, and established Duke TIP and faculty development programs at WCS like SEED, First Days of School, and Teaching Collegiate Students with Learning Differences. Bunny is mom to three WCS alumni – Hamilton ’94, Harrison '97, and Katie Leiding '04 – and a WCS grandparent to Lincoln.

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WCS’ ADVANCED RESEARCH COURSES UPPER SCHOOL

A CONVERSATION WITH JOANNA KERBY AND MARICAR HARRIS How does Advanced Research build on previous coursework in biology or chemistry? How does it breakaway, too, from traditional coursework?

JK // Freshman Biology and AP Biology are broad courses, meant to help students survey the whole field of biology. Advanced Biology Research (ABR) directly builds on topics and vocabulary learned in those courses and applies them to the discipline of microbiology. Students apply what they’ve learned about cells, genetics, and human health to a group of organisms which are underrepresented in the lower level biology courses – bacteria.

Larger emphasis is placed on laboratory skills, technical reading of primary literature, as well as presentation and public speaking. Learning is largely project-based, with no worksheets, and there is an emphasis on skills and application. The course is student-centered, with many opportunities for students to pursue their specific interests. The curriculum is flexible - no two years’ activities are exactly the same because student interests vary.

MH // To participate in Advanced Chemistry Research (ACR), a student must have successfully completed both Chemistry 1 & AP Chemistry. ACR is a very independent, student-motivated/led class.

From reading scholarly journals and interpreting data to developing a way to obtain a sample to analyze, the topics covered in the first two years

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of chemistry are expected to be foundational knowledge. In ACR, we use what students know to approach a real life topic/question. It is unlike any other class in the chemistry series because of the open-endedness; there is no set curriculum although there is a culminating project at the end of the year as students present at the University of Kansas’ School of Medicine Research Forum. Students have the opportunity to choose a problem/question, brainstorm, research, propose an analysis scenario, and then simply do it. In previous years, there has been a lot of troubleshooting and “non-success” (I don’t like the word failure) - and this too has offered a learning opportunity. Unlike in other classes, in this one - you might try something and it might not work... so that means you have to try again!

What do you see students gain through your courses?

JK // Students gain widely applicable microbiological laboratory skills, such as bacterial culture methods, gram staining, oil immersion microscopy, and disc diffusion assays. They experience reading and presenting primary literature on topics such as the origins of life, pathogenicity, and antibiotic resistance.

They also gain comradeship with like-minded peers.

By this point in their academic careers, these students (mostly seniors) have taken several science courses together and are now pursuing similar colleges, degrees, and careers. The support and encouragement they offer one another is fantastic.

MH // Discipline, motivation, awareness, confidence! This is a class that brings together everything I have tried to teach in the lower two chemistry classes. Sure, they learn chemistry - but what I hope they find is more of a life experience that makes them better. They learn to read through scientific (technical) articles and decipher what’s being told. They learn to research a specific topic or idea, and their results are what fuel the next step of the process - so they are held accountable, which motivates and keeps them focused. They present their findings, practicing public speaking skills, presentation techniques, and thinking on their feet. The questions asked during these presentations are impromptu, not a list of predesigned questions, so students have to “know their stuff.” Also, students have exposure to instrumental chemistry, learning to use a gas chromatograph to analyze the samples collected.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Open your phone's Camera app and hover over the below QR codes to view additional videos and information about our Middle School Science classrooms!

What are some projects students have worked on/completed in your class?

JK // Last year (our first year), the class randomly sampled, cultured, and quantified bacteria from the school garden, statistically comparing different zones. A subgroup of students enrolled in AP Statistics performed the data analysis and presented the project for that class as well.

This year’s class wanted to work with kids, so they held an activity day for our kindergartners, with several stations set up to teach them about life and cells. They will perform their research in the spring.

MH // This year’s students are continuing the project from last year: investigating JUUL pod contents and the effects of JUULing on adolescents.

Other groups have studied omega-3 content in salmon and shrimp as well as the health benefits of having omega-3s in one’s diet.

WCS iLAB

How do you feel the Advanced Research options help students prepare for future coursework and expand their understanding of biology and chemistry?

JK // Taking an advanced course like ABR tells colleges that a student has a passion for that field and is willing to commit the time and effort to excel.

Having more than one course with the same teacher builds rapport, making for very personalized letters of recommendation laced with anecdotes. It also helps students gain an appreciation for research and the work required to advance science.

MH // Students in ACR have an opportunity that most other high school students do not have, unless they choose to attend a summer institute at a university. To have both a scientific reading component and a hands-on lab experience (with instrumentation), to present findings at an academic forum, and to develop independent research work skills, these are all ways that students have “tools in their toolbox” that many of their college counterparts will not yet have developed.

MEDICAL DETECTIVES

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MIDDLE SCHOOL

VALUES IN ACTION AND COMMUNITY SERVICE

BY JOYANN BRAKE // MIDDLE SCHOOL COMMUNITY SERVICE COORDINATOR

Collegiate Middle School partners with parents to instill great character in our students and to encourage a commitment to our community through volunteer efforts. We strive to create a culture of character at WCS and offer several enhancement classes, advising lessons, and community service options. One of the enhancement classes offered is Values in Action, which also is the heart of the volunteer efforts for Middle School.

Values in Action introduces students to needs in the community and helps students develop a plan to address those needs in pairing character development with community engagement. We connect with different agencies and non-profits in Wichita, resulting in field trips, donation drives, and service projects. We have partnered with nursing homes, homeless shelters, food pantries, The Lord’s Diner, refugee agencies, Wichita Family Crisis Center, Giving the Basics, Boys and Girls Club, City Hall, and more!

Each semester is a different experience in Values in Action. Students help shape the direction of the class through their own interests and concern for specific causes in the community. Often, our parents have connections to local charities and non-profits, which we are able to learn from and tour. For example, this past semester, students Skyped with a social entrepreneur in Africa who uses business as a means to improve the community around him. We also volunteered at Giving the Basics, took a tour of Humankind Ministries’ homeless shelter, researched the causes of homelessness, brought in a police officer from the Homeless Outreach Team, and set up the Operation Holiday donation drive. Students also completed a newsletter about Empathy to share what they learned and to encourage other students to grow in their understanding and application of Empathy. The newsletter included a “Humans of Collegiate” section, which highlighted different staff that students may not know.

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A previous semester included a City Hall project in which 8th graders visited with our City Councilman and learned about his role and what it takes to be a good leader, and then heard about issues Wichita is facing. Students researched one of those main problems Wichita faces, using data and market research to aid them. They came up with four main proposals the city could adopt, referencing what other major cities have done, and then presented their proposals to the City Councilman and County Commissioner.

"I hope that students learn that being a part of the community helps everyone, whether you know them or not.”

Through these projects and others like them, community service is celebrated in Collegiate’s Middle School! Students are required to complete at least five hours of community service per school year and can fulfill these hours through school-sponsored events or on their own. Last year, our 5th through 8th graders volunteered over 1,300 hours in Wichita!

Community service builds character as children look outside themselves and realize the needs of others. They gain perspective, humility, compassion, respect, and selflessness. They learn that they can do something to help solve problems! Students also empathize with the needs they see, and often come back to school with innovative ideas on what might improve the lives of those in need.

The impact of Values in Action and community service is best understood from the testimony of its former students.

One former student said, “I didn’t know what to expect when I first signed up as a 7th grader, but I really enjoyed the Special Olympics athletes and cheering them on. I still remember the ones I met that first year and look for them every year now when I go back to volunteer. This will be my sixth year in a row.” (By the way, WCS hosts Special Olympics Track and Field Regionals this spring.)

Current Values in Action student, 8th grader Evan Yang, had this to say about his experience: “Mrs. Brake’s service course, Values in Action, is a great base to learn about how to get involved in the community. She teaches you so much about what the community does and how we can help through volunteering.

After taking this course, I feel so much more connected and have a desire to go out and volunteer. I learned that what we do in the community has big impacts that we might not even see. Personally, I love our work with refugees and look forward to the Newcomer Field Days, where we invite refugee students to WCS for an afternoon of fun.

Volunteering is such an important component of a young person’s education for so many reasons. For one, it makes you feel so good inside and out. It teaches you that not all work you do will or should get you paid. Finally, it teaches you how to collaborate with others to get a common goal accomplished.

As other students take this course, I hope they learn to appreciate the hard work that people in the community do to help others. I also hope that students can learn to volunteer because they want to, not because they have to. Finally, I hope that students learn that being a part of the community helps everyone, whether you know them or not.”

It is so rewarding to see the passion grow in our students as they learn to care about the community in which we live! Some of our students discover for the first time that they are passionate about certain causes and want to make it one of their main goals to do all they can to help. Once students experience the truth that “it is more blessed to give than to receive,” it grows like a fire.

My hope is that students bring away from class the value and joy of serving others, and see it is an integral part of who they are.

As they touch humanity by carrying on the habit of volunteering and looking for ways to help, I expect our future and our world to be changed for the good by students from Wichita Collegiate School.

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MIDDLE SCHOOL 5TH GRADE

6TH GRADE

7TH GRADE

8TH GRADE

HIGH HONOR ROLL

HIGH HONOR ROLL

HIGH HONOR ROLL

HIGH HONOR ROLL

Campbell Arneson Charlie Basinger Mason Bond Maddox Drumright Lunden Esterline Alegra Fazio Eli Hay Eric Hechenberger Scarlet Lacey Landon Langston Joshua Lee Kalyn Lichty Carson Malaise Clara Monahan Reide Rasberry Jackson Rukes Sophia Santo Ben Shackelford Aman Sharma Lucy Shepherd Max Timsah LJ Varchavtchik --------

HONOR ROLL

Langston Ahmad Laith Al-Sukin Rahstin Amirani Jena Campbell Logan Clay Ethan Gould Chloe Haag Marcus Kates Lelo Koshak Jackson Lukic Seaver Lyddane Avik Maharaj Graham Miller Alex Paul Timmy Ritchie Karim Sandid Makenna Scheve Zaryn Thompson James Weimar

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HONOR ROLLS

Ali Al-Sukin Carter Chance Avery Compton Shelbie Emerson Jennah Fayziev Tomas Garcia Lucy Gehrer Charlie Gentile Shaad Issa Carlyle Johnson Julian Johnson Jaden Lichty Ethan MacKenzie Claire Marquardt Brian Mattar Sara Mines Lad Oborny Anne Marie Olson Jaden Parker Charlotte Pigg Trip Porter Hayan Raffi Alex Richardson Sadhakshi Sivaraman Maddie Ternes Elizabeth Timsah Peter Todorov Isaac Vanderburg Khloie Villagomez Natalie Walenta Grier Wiltse Cooper Winters Chloe Zhang

Macy Beran Aacia Burnette Aubrey Collignon Laney Conrad Chloe Dart Shouvik Dev Tatum Downing Carter Drumright Diana Eldika Clare Finan Jack Grace Omar Hamada Roman Hourani Sabrina Hunt Arman Issa Dahlia Issa Ryan Khalife Ingrid Lampton Nathan Lynch Will Meyer Cooper Miller Ishani Nagabhushan Aidan Nguyen Langley Overman Lana Sandid Ellie Schulte Kate Shepherd Tristan Sprole Will Strecker Hannah Ternes Anderson Tung Liliana Varchavtchik Ward Weimar

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HONOR ROLL

Milly Caro-Wadley Reghan Eck Acacia Knight Drake Manspeaker Ezra Meyers Devin Ritchie Ana Rogers Cooper Ryan Clare Schupbach Sam Taylor Jersey Tucker Natalie Webber Macy Weber Max Williams

HONOR ROLL

Cooper Arneson Anthony Barrera Drake Beran Cameron Cadena David Chege Peter Do Nicholas Enegren Cooper Garrison Jamie Haan Azalia Haeri Julia Herrman Colton Jenkins Floyd Jones Tristan Leddy Santiago Maldonado Cassilda Njeri Elise Powers Brayden Ritchie Camden St. Germain Margaret Ulrich Zach Voloch

Omar Al-Tabbal Yazan Bakdash Sara Jane Crosby Avery Elofsson Karley Forsyth Mason Hart Kaitlin Henry Price Johnson Paul Mines Thomas Olson Robby Rasberry Tyler Rice Erin Rolfe Phoebe Ross Conner Schupbach James Shackelford Sia Sharma Keisuke Takahashi Darcel Thompson Bao Tu Kalie Villagomez Iya Wakil Alex Wunderlich Evan Yang --------

HONOR ROLL

Anabelle Babst Monica Bagai Jace Campbell Maddie Carpenter Peyden Chronister Addison Goree Gracie Gwyn Michael Kates Liana Maksoud Aden Meyers Lucas Ranney-Brown Haley Walston Natalie Walters Brett Wetta Derek Yang Christina Zakharia

HONOR ROLLS

UPPER SCHOOL

9TH GRADE

10TH GRADE

11TH GRADE

12TH GRADE

HIGH HONOR ROLL

HIGH HONOR ROLL

HIGH HONOR ROLL

HIGH HONOR ROLL

Vivian Baughman Tatum Bhargava Maren Butcher Maya Chon Jude Cunningham Dakota Dart Olivia Davis Joyita Dev Grace Dickerson Nasseem Eldika Aden Fayziev Michael Goldberg Katherine Grace Yimei Lin Tyler MacKenzie Saad Malik Emma Mantovani Cj Meyer AJ Nagabhushan Kinsey Nichols Carson Phelps-Giese Chiara Ramdani Adam Sandid Brandon Zhang --------

HONOR ROLL

Brett Black Roman Chandler Pj Enegren Wesley Fair Brady Hunt Conner Jones Joey Kotkin Michael Lloyd Hayden Malaise Jaden Mitchell Kit Oborny Maya Rai Natalie Reece Trudy Smith Michaela Strecker

Sabrina Chappell Lily Conrad Charlie Dunne Mark Feng Joseph Gadalla Ella Graham Malak Hamada Daniel Hechenberger Christopher Henry Andrew Highbarger Allie Kavalauskas Brad Ma Sharon Mabasa Emily Mallard Marisol Munoz-Morales Anthony Nabbout Ivy Newman Charlie Nolan Hannah Powell Allie Prater Aiden Sprole Maya Torres Ryder Walsh Jayda Williams Sabrina Wilson --------

HONOR ROLL

Sam Agustin Madeleine Albert Haley Allen Zayd Bakdash Cameron Brown Eleni Chapas Drew Charbonneau Gradey Dick Marion Gibson Tyler Gwyn Annie Hua Byron Knight Grace Lee Jack Liu Breckon Meares Emily Meister Ashtun Villagomez Brandon Voloch

Sabaa Ahmed Ayah Al-Tabbal Phoebe Babst Sarah Chocron Gwynee Cunningham Addison Dart John DeVore Michael Fair Leah Issa Alex Jiang Eley Johnson Celine Khalife Stephanie Lee Caitlin Mattar Iain Moufarrij Noah Moufarrij Milo Nguyen Harun Raffi Isabel Schmaltz Luke Swan Connor Sweetman Allison Tee Ale Vedder Lauren Walters Jackson Wunderlich Johanna Yang --------

HONOR ROLL

Kanoa Ashley Aidan Bhargava George Bunting Jacob Chugg Blake Clay Alexandria Do Omar Farhoud Talia Flamini Clay Gagnon Tara Glass Charlie Goree Skylar Haag Paige Henry Mark Hourani Joonhak Kim Faith Kotkin Eric Lee Sydney Miller Sonya Murphy Aaliyah Muthoni An Nguyen Philip Pfeiffer Ethan Pham Lindsey Post Grant Ramsey Jad Shaheen Emma Truxal Reagan Varenhorst Ben Voloch Ashton Winter Sophie Yoakum Serena Zakharia

Max Anderson Julia Ashbrook Natalie Behzadpour Ben Brake Isabella Do Orozco Kennedy Drake Jack Fox Stephanie Gentile Eli Graham Sydney Gwyn Eric Haberman Bekah Harris Justin Highbarger Sallie Lair Ellie Luetters Victoria Lyczak Sana Mahomed Saif Malik Eve Moore Amith Panuganti Josiah Pfeiffer Alex Qian Hannah Rai Max Salemi Liberty Sementelli Vanessa Sickmon Nate Trout Aidan Walsh Mallory Wells Alexa White --------

HONOR ROLL

Shelby Chappell Caroline Duarte Ryan Edwards Nate Egan Austin Miller Jack Miller Lolly Newman Jon O'Hearn Andy Park Eman Qaki Collin Rabe Grace Ranallo Kathryn Sharp Haylee Thomas Colton Weaver Brooks White

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BEYOND THE CLASSROOM INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC Upper School BY TROY FISCHER // DIRECTOR The 2019-20 school year has been fantastic for students involved in Instrumental Music! The Marching Spartans started the year off performing their marching show to the music of Danny Elfman at home football games and wowed the crowd with their annual GLOWSHOW performance. They ended the season in competition at the Southern Plains Marching Festival, where they earned a Superior 1 Rating!

In October, five students earned recognition at the All-District level in Jazz!

• Eric Haberman, Senior -- Trumpet • Sarah Chocron, Junior -- Piano • Brandon Zhang, Freshman -Drumset • Andrew Highbarger, Sophomore -Guitar Alternate • Ryder Walsh, Sophomore -Drumset Alternate In November, the following students were recognized as All-District Musicans: • Hyemin Choe – 1st Chair Flute, AllDistrict 1234A Band • Ryder Walsh – 1st Chair Percussion, All-District 1234A Band • Faizal Valiandi – 1st Chair Euphonium, All-District 1234A Band • Joyita Dev – 1st Chair Bass Clarinet, All-District 1234A Band • Alex Qian – 2nd Chair Oboe, AllDistrict Orchestra • Mark Feng – 2nd Chair Flute, AllDistrict 1234A Band • Brandon Zhang – 2nd Chair Percussion, All-District 1234A Band • Aidan Walsh – 3rd Chair Euphonium, All-District 1234A Band • Andrew Highbarger – 8th Chair Percussion, All-District 1234A Band • Vanessa Sickmon – 8th Chair French Horn, All-District 1234A Band • Johanna Yang – 9th Chair Violin 2, All-District Orchestra • Allie Kavalauskas – 20th Chair Clarinet, All-District 1234A Band • Noah Moufarrij – Alternate Oboe, All-District 1234A Band 22

FINE ARTS

VOCAL MUSIC Upper School

BY MATT WEBBER // US VOCAL MUSIC DIRECTOR The Upper School Choirs performed “Highlights from Hamilton” for their Broadway in Bluejeans Concert on October 6. Later in the fall, the cast of Mamma Mia! took audiences on a trip to paradise for this year’s Dinner Theatre production.

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BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

FINE ARTS

VISUAL ARTS Upper School

BY MEGAN ST. CLAIR UPPER SCHOOL ART TEACHER

Upper School Art students enjoyed field trips to the Tallgrass Film Festival and to Maple Grove Cemetery for video and photography projects, and learned how to hand-beat mulberry bark plant fibers in Introduction to Papermaking.

DRAMA Middle School BY EMILY GOODPASTURE // MS/US DRAMA TEACHER Twenty-eight 7th and 8th grade students participated in the production of an original story, Tempting Fate: A Norse Adventure, written by Emily Goodpasture. All props were designed and created by the Theatre 7 classes.

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BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

ATHLETICS

CHEER Upper School BY ASHLEIGH HENNESSY // HEAD COACH The addition of the new break-through banner, provided by Spartan Club, was a huge spirit-building success!

US Cheer had a fantastic season creating exciting stunts and pyramids with the new & returning talent on our team.

“Spartan Fan of the Week” was implemented to increase and reward fan participation with the cheerleaders.

GIRLS' TENNIS Upper School

BY DAVE HAWLEY // HEAD COACH

The 2019 Girls’ Tennis Team put a cap on a decade of dominance for Spartan tennis – ten years, ten state titles!

Freshman Emma Mantovani won the 4A State Singles title, becoming our first frosh singles champion since 1996! Senior Sallie Lair and sophomore Lily Conrad were State Doubles runners-up, junior Sonya Murphy was third in State Singles, and senior Stephanie Gentile and junior Sophie Yoakum were third in State Doubles!

Forty-two girls played this year, all adding to our team's greatness!

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BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

ATHLETICS

FOOTBALL Upper School BY TROY BLACK // HEAD COACH The Upper School Football program: • Had 62 kids out - the most we have had in a long time • Won a playoff game, the first one since 2016, beating the #2-ranked team in Class 3A, Halstead, in the first round of the playoffs • Went 6-4 with a playoff victory for Varsity and 5-1 for Junior Varsity

DANCE TEAM Upper School

BY KATIE ANDERSON '08 // HEAD COACH This season, our Upper School Dance Team: • Had four Team Members go All-American at Dance Camp, with two members getting an official invite to the AllAmerican National Team; • Has pushed past comfort zones to expand their repertoire of tricks and features in dances; and • Is so close and creates no drama so we have more fun than anything else!

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FOOTBALL Middle School

VOLLEYBALL Upper School

Our combined team of 7th and 8th graders posted a 3-4 record led on offense by Asa Ahmad at quarterback and James Shackelford at running back. Linemen Jace Campbell and Cooper Arneson, linebackers Pete Agustin and Tristan Sprole, and cornerback Kalie Villagomez anchored the defense. The team played hard and never gave up throughout a tough rebuilding year. We are really looking forward to big things from next year’s teams!

• Took 2nd place at the Southeast Invite to start the season off strong • Surprised the other league teams and was victorious over many of the top teams • Saw Ale Vedder (1st team), Ashton Winter (2nd team), and Eley Johnson (2nd team) honored on All-League teams

BY JOEL WALKER // HEAD COACH

BY REGAN CARLSTROM // HEAD COACH

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BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

ATHLETICS VOLLEYBALL Middle School

BY KATHY RUKES '99 // HEAD COACH The Middle School volleyball teams played fearless volleyball, taking control of every game.

Though we lost a couple of games early in the season, the 8th grade team went on to win 10 straight matches, finishing as League Champs.

Despite a slow start to the season, the 7th grade team had everything click for them in their final tournament, finishing 4th out of 15 teams.

The 6th grade team committed to our system playing competitive volleyball by attacking every possession, setting themselves up for a great future in volleyball.

CHEER Middle School

BY ASHLEIGH HENNESSY // HEAD COACH This summer, MS Cheer Team attended overnight camp with the US Cheer Team in Warrensburg, MO. What an experience!

MS Cheer Team had a great time engaging the crowd during their multiple football games.

The group performed an impressive, advanced stunt routine at the talent show in October! Can’t wait to see what these athletes will accomplish in high school cheer!

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EARLY CHILDHOOD

OUR USE OF

CONSCIOUS DISCIPLINE

BY BECKY O'HEARN // HEAD OF EARLY CHILDHOOD

The Early Childhood division of Wichita Collegiate School enjoys helping children build foundational skills for life. It is often said that, “It takes a village to raise a child.” For over five decades, parents and teachers have worked together to create a healthy and safe environment for children to grow, creating “a village” for thousands of children. In the past six years, the Early Childhood has strengthened its community of parents and teachers with the principles of Conscious Discipline. Conscious Discipline provides a helpful framework for classroom management, social-emotional learning, and parent education, bringing support and continuity to our school.

With ongoing training and experience, our teachers and staff have become highly skilled in supporting each child’s emotional and social development through Conscious Discipline.

The family-like relationships formed between teachers and children become the foundation for cooperation and conflict resolution. Children learn to identify and express feelings and to regulate behavior based on care and concern for personal safety and the needs of others. For instance, children learn breathing techniques and positive self-talk to help them calm down when they are upset. Adults learn to support a child’s emotional needs before trying to address the child’s behavior. This focus on socialemotional intelligence has raised the standard for interactions within our school and each child has found connection and support in the process.

Our teachers especially appreciate Conscious Discipline’s excellent classroom management structures, which help them create predictable, calm classrooms for their young students. Through CD training, teachers were inspired to use the same language, behavior expectations, tools, and strategies from Kids Club to classrooms, enhancements, and

at lunch and recess. For example, each classroom has a written or pictorial daily schedule discussed at their morning meeting. Children find comfort when they know expectations ahead of time, before an event happens. We have known for a long time that children thrive on predictable routines, yet we did not fully realize the positive effect consistency from teacher to teacher and home to school would have on a child. It is remarkable how much more time is spent on positive interactions and learning experiences when the children know what is expected all day long. Another example is the language used in handling conflict. All teachers and staff use the same approach to correct a child’s choices throughout the day.

Here is a sample dialogue thread: “I see that you wanted to swing first so you grabbed it from your classmate. You didn’t know what else to do.

You may not take something away from a classmate. It is hurtful. When you want a turn on the swing, say, ‘May I have a turn after you.’” In this exchange, the teacher asks the child to practice saying “May I have a turn next?” This simple, consistent dialogue pattern allows the child to understand what type of behavior is expected and how to behave the next time.

In addition, parents have enjoyed learning the strategies of Conscious Discipline to help them at home. Each year, Jennifer Hearne, Beth Reeder, and I lead parent discussion groups and book studies using Dr. Becky Bailey’s Easy to Love, Difficult to Discipline parenting book. Through these support groups, parents have found other parents to share the trials and joys of parenting with, making childrearing less overwhelming. It takes a village, and we in the Early Childhood hope Conscious Discipline helps make our village more effective through healthier interactions between children, teachers, and parents.

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BETTER INSIGHT, BETTER EDUCATION STAFF ATTENDS THE INTERNATIONAL DYSLEXIA CONFERENCE

BY ASHLEY BOWERS // 6TH GRADE ENGLISH TEACHER

Twenty percent of American students are dyslexic, and one-third are reading below grade level.

Yet, there has been almost no change in reading instruction in five decades. Luckily, as the world’s awareness of dyslexia grows, so does the research.

In November, our 6th Grade Team traveled to Portland, OR, to attend the International Dyslexia Conference. While Collegiate has been arguably progressive in its implementation of learning lab tutors and accommodations, we felt there was still much to be learned on the topic of learning differences. At this conference, the best and brightest minds in neuroeducation presented their findings to a large group of educators, parents, and medical professionals. The insights we gained from these experts fell largely into two categories: better scientific understanding, which boosted our general knowledge and empathy, and best practices, which has improved our instruction in the classroom.

Many believe that dyslexia is simply the reversing of digits. It is not a visual processing disorder, however, it’s a neurological one: the brain’s ability to attach a sound to a phoneme is impaired.

Likewise, dysgraphia is not just messy handwriting, as commonly believed. Those with dysgraphia do not have access to the neurological function to plan and execute written language. They must access working memory to determine the necessary sounds and symbols (letters) and how they go together. It’s not that their brains don’t think as fast– it’s that the connection isn’t immediately there.

The good news is there are research-based strategies to help students with each of these learning differences. Across all disciplines, the goal of reading should be comprehension, not just fluency. Students should be able to remember what is read, then do something with that knowledge.

This focus on comprehension was at the core of 30

each of the strategies presented. While we did feel a certain amount of affirmation as to what we at Collegiate are already doing, we also discovered new strategies, big and small, to enhance our teaching.

In math, word problems can be extremely challenging for dyslexics. We learned that math teachers can use morphological families of words to build understanding of difficult math vocabulary.

For example, if one can tie words such as equal, equation, equivalent, and equa-angular together, it will help with understanding. Additionally, students must spend time visualizing what is happening in a word problem before they can begin to solve it. If students can take the numbers out and comprehend the story, it will be easier to solve.

Successful and enduring memorization of basic math facts was also heavily emphasized. We have begun implementing these changes in math and have already seen improvement.

In literature, we have begun using DIMS (Does It Make Sense?) exercises to force students to slow down and comprehend what they are reading. When reading difficult texts, the teacher’s first question should be, “What is happening?” This helps ensure that students are fully understanding and making sense of what they read. We also discovered a new app – Re-Wordify – which will aid in the reading of more difficult texts.

In science and social studies, we are going to continue to focus on comprehension while reading difficult texts, rather than the more traditional practice of hunting for specific answers. A good point was made at the conference that while handson experiments are very useful and fun for students at this age, adults don’t do science experiments.

We read articles and listen to podcasts. If we want students to be lifelong learners, we cannot overlook the fact that helping them make deep connections

UPDATES

In English, the need for writers to be able to selfregulate was emphasized, and we are focusing on teaching students strategies to revise their own work without always relying on an adult. Additionally, we learned the power of new speech-to-text apps that could revolutionize the way dyslexics approach the normally Herculean task of writing.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

to the language of difficult topics such as geography and science is just as important as the hands-on parts. The conference offered useful strategies for teachers in the physical and social sciences to use in their classrooms to make these texts more meaningful and easier to decode.

Joe Gehrer '02, Brian Finan, Ashley Bowers, Suzanne Schwarz, and Meghan Smith snap a picture together on their trip.

There was certainly a point on which all experts agreed: dyslexia needs to be identified early.

Schoolwide, we are working to implement a more consistent phonics-based reading and assessment program starting in Early Childhood and continuing through Lower School. Reading intervention as early as first grade will significantly help struggling readers for the rest of their lives.

Another major topic of consensus was that consistency among routines and programs is extremely useful to not only those with learning differences, but all students. For this reason, Collegiate is making the switch to Schoology, a program that will streamline classroom routines and expectations from 5th to 12th grade.

Here’s the bottom line: there is no reason that having one of these learning differences should “disable” a child. While it’s true that more grit and hard work is required to overcome a learning difference, there is every reason that driven, hardworking, learningdifferent students won’t merely get by at Collegiate, but excel. We have several severely dyslexic students right now who are experiencing amazing success, and it is our hope that, with continued education and empathy among staff and parents, this trend will continue.

NSTA // SCOTT HAWLEY, 8TH GRADE PHYSICAL SCIENCE Many of the great science

teaching techniques I have learned over the years have come from attending the National Science Teacher Association Conventions. Recently, professional development funds from the Nick Madison Memorial Endowment allowed me to go to the National Convention in Seattle. While there, I learned of exciting new STEM activities for building electric fan carts and catapults. The students are going to love these projects as they get the chance to learn by doing and creating, and the projects will dramatically improve my units on motion, projectiles and electricity. I also went to several sessions that gave me ideas for new in-class experiments and demonstrations related to the polar nature of water, and I learned of good resources that our school can use at no cost as I connected with other teachers and scientists. It was a great trip and I appreciated the opportunity!

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UPPER SCHOOL

Living a good life

KEVIN MYKEL // DEAN OF UPPER SCHOOL, HUMANITIES TEACHER For 25 years, seniors at Wichita Collegiate School have shared a significant culminating experience: the writing of the Good Life paper. More than just another paper, the Good Life project requires students to examine challenging ideas and consider new perspectives, and then meld these with their own experiences and beliefs to craft a personal statement on the nature of a good life.

The curriculum of the Senior Humanities Seminar course is designed both to widen student perspectives and to develop focus in student thinking and writing. The reading materials in the course are intended to provoke thought and to expose students to a range of philosophical concepts, relating to life in general and to the experiences and concerns of the seniors themselves.

From Plato’s “Analogy of the Cave” to Cicero’s emphasis on “wisdom, temperance, and justice,” students consider philosophical viewpoints that are both distinctly different and yet remarkably consistent.

The story of the Good Life paper begins with a happy accident during the 1993-94 school year. As a final writing assignment for second semester, seniors were assigned a major paper that would provide an opportunity to synthesize the main ideas from Humanities to address the concept of “living a good life.” Students were to compare and contrast the differing perspectives on a good life presented by the authors we studied in class. However, at the end of the assignment, we added a coda: we asked seniors to include a brief discussion of their conception of a good life.

The minimum length for this

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first Good Life assignment was fifteen pages, and we expected that most students would produce twelve to thirteen pages of “compare and contrast” and two or three pages of personal thoughts.

The actual result was surprising.

Most of the papers submitted exceeded twenty pages in length, with the personal section constituting over half of the text. Clearly, something in the assignment struck a chord with the seniors.

becomes a discussion, with both teachers and the student actively participating.

From the beginning, the resonance of the Good Life assignment has been obvious.

As they approach graduation, our seniors are ready to think deeply about the stages of their lives and about how their relationships and experiences have shaped their goals and values. Given the opportunity to articulate these thoughts, they have responded with

"As they approach graduation, our seniors are ready to think deeply about the stages of their lives and about how their relationships and experiences have shaped their goals and values."

Beginning with the next school year, the curriculum of the Humanities course began evolving, a process that has continued to the present. The goal of these changes was to increase the relevance of the course materials to the experience and concerns of our seniors. Some readings have been dropped from the curriculum. Others have been added. The curriculum has been shaped to focus, in as many ways as possible, on the question, “What does it mean to live a good life?”

The second major component of the Good Life project is the defense. Beginning immediately after spring break, each student meets with two or three faculty members for a fortyfive minute discussion of his or her paper. While the defense begins with questions from the faculty, the meeting typically

written work that is reflective, articulate, and personal. The defenses usually provoke some anticipatory nerves, but, once the questioning begins, the time flies, and many of our alumni have referenced the defense as one of their best preparations for college.

To date, over 1,650 Good Life papers have been written and defended, accounting for over 32,000 pages of text. The opportunity to be part of this grand project from its beginning has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my career at WCS. Every year, when the defenses are complete, I feel tremendous pride in the abilities of our students and deep appreciation for an educational community that supports projects like this which affirm the special nature of Wichita Collegiate School.

ALUMNI BOARD

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT // MATT MALONEY ’94

The school year is past its midway point and, as always, the Alumni Board has been hard at work.

The semester was full of activities and projects.

Things kicked off (or teed off, to be more accurate) with the 20th Annual WCS Golf Classic at Crestview Country Club on August 23. We had a record number of golfers this year, and the event continues to be one of the school’s most popular and profitable fundraisers.

In September, the Board held our annual retreat.

Special thanks to Dana Hensley for helping the Board focus our thoughts as we considered our mission statement and goals moving forward.

September also saw multiple class reunions. On the weekend of September 13-14, the Classes of 1994 and 2004 celebrated their 25th and 15th reunions, respectively. The weather was fantastic, and the alumni watched the Spartan football team pull away in the second half for a 34-14 win over Rose Hill. Two weeks later, the Class of 1999 celebrated their 20th reunion on homecoming weekend, and the Spartans rolled to a dominant win over Trinity Academy.

October brought the third annual Day of Giving, and this year’s event was our most successful yet with 462 donors contributing $223,668 and unlocking an extremely generous gift from David Humphreys ’75. On the same day, we held our second local alumni gathering at Wichita Country Club – we even managed to add three new Board members at this event! Later in the month, the Board continued its annual tradition of putting together care packages for members of our most recent graduating class.

This year, we met in the Teaching Kitchen in the Lower School, and Lisa Schooler and several alumni cooked a fantastic dinner. Yours truly stayed out of the way to ensure the food was edible.

In early December, we began the process of pairing seniors with professionals in their field of interest in preparation for the annual Mentor Program. In my years of service on the Alumni Board, the Mentor Program has been the program that stands out to me – it truly is one of the defining and unique characteristics of WCS. As always, many of our alumni will serve as mentors for this year’s event.

As a member of the Class of ’94, I was in touch with many classmates as part of our reunion weekend. It reminded me how fortunate I am to have attended Collegiate. The bonds I have with so many in the WCS family remain strong a quarter century after graduation. Our alumni play a critical role in the continued success of the school, and I encourage all alumni to help current and future students by donating your time and treasure. And to those who have already donated this school year, I thank you for your support of WCS!

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ALUMNI

SPOTLIGHT ELLIE & MAGGIE NEWLIN

Ellie and Maggie Newlin came to Wichita Collegiate School in 2001 as they entered 2nd Grade, and graduated in the Class of 2012. Both agree WCS gave them a foundation on which to pursue their passion: art!

We took an interest in art classes at WCS from the beginning, but really started to consider majoring in something art related after having Mr. B and Mrs. Morales as teachers. Mr. B and Mrs. Morales encouraged us to explore our creative sides more and continually improve our art and refine our skills. We were encouraged to make our artwork more personal and to put more of ourselves into each piece. They both gave us the confidence to pursue a career in design.

is the Marketing Design Director for the Greater Wichita YMCA. While Ellie and Maggie enjoy careers apart from one another, they still make time to be creative together through ME Design.

We started creating murals for accent walls in Nies model homes in 2016. Nies had an idea for a model home and asked us to bring it to life. We were nervous, but excited to take our artwork to a larger scale and we knew it would be fun to work together on a project. This is where our collaboration of murals began and where ME Designs originated. This working relationship led to several other murals in model homes, including the opportunity to donate our skills to the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway.

After completing a chalk mural for Nies Homes, we challenged ourselves to complete something bigger with a wider audience. We signed up for Chalk Talks at the Pop-Up Park on Douglas Avenue during the summer of 2017. We designed our version of the Wichita flag that called attention to all the great things Wichita has to offer, showcasing typography and floral elements. It was amazing to receive such a positive response from the Wichita community while we were working on the mural and after its completion. That very same design has a permanent home now near the corner of Douglas and Cleveland.

CL ASS OF 2012 The twins graduated from Friends University in the Class of 2016, both with a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design.

Throughout our college careers at Friends University, we were both fortunate enough to have on-campus internships that allowed us to kick-start our graphic design careers. Ellie designed materials for the Christian Spiritual Formation department. Maggie worked in the Marketing and Communications office, on both internal and external communication pieces.

The summer before our senior year, we received internships with local businesses. Ellie designed apparel graphics and Maggie worked as a creative intern for an advertising agency. We were fortunate enough to get full-time job offers upon graduation.

Ellie currently works as a Production Designer at Open Road Brands in Kansas City, and Maggie

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Avenue Art Days has become an annual fall event in which local artists to submit designs specific to enhancing areas within the Douglas Design District.

We’ve loved participating in Avenue Art Days the last three years because it is so widely supported by the community, and we have been overwhelmed by the support of our family and friends. Our 2018 mural can be found at Douglas and Poplar, while our 2019 mural can be found in Clifton Square at Douglas and Yale. Having grown up in ICT, we love to create unique collaborations that highlight the beauty of our hometown. Two of our murals that uniquely show our love for Wichita have found their way onto T-shirts that are sold locally.

We have loved building new relationships with local businesses and creating works of art unique to each of them. A handful of these opportunities have come to fruition because of our Collegiate connections.

One of our most recent pieces of art can be found at Homegrown in Bradley Fair, and last year we painted temporary, seasonal storefront windows for Beau Monde and ICT Eye. Having these connections because of Collegiate is really special and has helped us to build our own business. But more than anything, our teachers and coaches at Collegiate encouraged us to chase after our passions and ultimately led us into careers that we love.

2019/2020 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD MEMBERS Matt Maloney ’94.................................................. President

Rob Ramseyer ’02..................................... Board Member

Doug Coe ’04.............................................President Elect

Becky Rolph ’94........................................ Board Member

Katie Hill Leiding ’04......... Immediate Past President

Spenser Schooler ’13................................ Board Member

Trey Anderson ’05.................................... Board Member

Blaine Schultz ’89........... Out-of-Town Representative

Jeff Boone ’94............................................ Board Member

Amar Shah ’02................. Out-of-Town Representative

Hayley Cusick ’12....................................... Board Member

April Claassen Shellhouse ’05.............. Board Member

Mallory Jones Farha ’01.......................... Board Member

Randy Storms '67.................. Honorary Board Member

Brooke Stokley Finan ’92....................... Board Member

Deanna Dakhil Ternes ’96...................... Board Member

Regis Fox ’04.............................................. Board Member

Jeff Walenta ’98......................................... Board Member

Phoebe Stokley Hart ’95......................... Board Member

Nathan Washer......................................... Head of School

Amy Johnson ’07...................................... Board Member Adam Kennedy ’00.................................. Board Member

Lisa Schooler.............................Dir. of Alumni Relations & Digital Media

Randy Love ’67.......................................... Board Member

Joan Siefkes Moore ’84................Dir. of Advancement

Mariah Moxley ’10...................................... Board Member

Amy Cunningham.....................Faculty Representative

Maggie Newlin ’12...................................... Board Member

Sarah Jervis.................Former Faculty Representative

Morgan Wilson Overman ’96................ Board Member

Barbara Stokley.........Former Faculty Representative 35

SAVE THE DATE

WICHITA COLLEGIATE

Golf Classic FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 2020

For sponsorship information contact Lisa Schooler at lschooler@wcsks.com

LUNCH SPONSORS

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

HOLE-IN-ONE SPONSORS

$20,000 CASH FOR THE 20th ANNUAL WCS GOLF CLASSIC

DRINK CART SPONSORS

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HOLE SPONSORS Dillehay Orthodontics Murfin Drilling Company Inc. Paulseen Financial Group Hinkle Law Firm LLC Trusts and Estate Group Intrust Bank Premier Processing, LLC

HOLE SPONSORS Metal Finishing Co. Inc. Oral and Maxillofacial Associates, LLC Heiland Roofing Edison Operating Gallagher

GIFT/SILENT AUCTION SPONSORS

GIFT/SILENT AUCTION SPONSORS

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1970

1979

Michael Meacham and his wife, Vicky Tripony, relocated from Charleston to Bluffton/ Hilton Head, South Carolina, in contemplation of his impending retirement from the Medical University of North Carolina. They are looking forward to spending time near the beach and at their cabin in the mountains of North Carolina. He is also in the process of authoring the 7th edition of Health Policymaking in the United States for Health Administration Press. It will come out in the fall of 2020. He also coauthored Essentials of Healthcare Management, which came out last year, also Health Administration Press. While he will be leaving MUSC, he is not going to retire completely, as he expects to do some consulting for healthcare organizations and continue with another writing project or two.

Kristy Harter Cosden and her husband Darrell will be moving to the Fiji Islands, where he has secured a job teaching at the Pacific Theological College.

Come visit us, we have a place for you!

1976 / 1977

Walter '76 and Polly Mann Berry '77 have four children along with their spouses and 10 grandchildren. Walter runs Berry Companies and the couples' three sons are in the business with him.

Their daughter's husband owns his own woodworking business, designing and making custom furniture. Any spare time they have is usually with family, dear friends, and traveling occasionally.

They are thankful to the Lord!

In Memoriam Duane Petty, former faculty member

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1998

1980 Dr. Sara Koch Jernigan received her Ordained Minister Certificate on November 17, 2019.

1985 Liz Fowler has a new job. As of July 2019, she took on the role of EVP of Programs at the Commonwealth Fund, a foundation based in New York City. She's still living in DC but commuting to New York each week. If anyone is in DC over the weekend or NYC during the week and wants to get together, she would love to connect!

1997 Alexis Thompson Michael has gradually made the transition over the last five years from working in the hospitality industry to teaching about it. She began as an adjunct at Butler Community College, teaching hotel and culinary arts classes. She is now in her third full-time year as chair of the hospitality department at the college, alongside her husband John, chair of culinary arts.

Watching her students discover the industry and the community engagement opportunities make it truly rewarding work.

STAY CONNECTED! Wichita Collegiate School @WCSKS @Wichita_Collegiate_School

Oliver Bressani, Collegiate's own "Italian Stallion," became an American Citizen on January 10, 2020. The Kieffer family (Justin '99, Brandon '02, Barbara Kieffer and Joseph Kieffer) reunited with him in Las Vegas, Nevada, to witness the swearing in ceremony.

2000

Brett Gehrer and his wife Brittany welcomed their first child, Logan, on January 15, 2019. Baby #2 is due in July 2020!

CLASS NOTES 2001

2002

2003

Sara Zafar left her long-time position as an attorney at Kansas Legal Services in June to become the Title IX Coordinator at Wichita State University. She continues her primary work with survivors of domestic and sexual violence through this new role. In August, her husband Josh began working remotely for Ad Hoc, LLC, a Baltimore, Maryland based software and design company that works with government agencies.

Kai is in his freshman year, Natalie entered kindergarten, and Ivy is in preschool. All are doing well!

Dr. Will Messamore, wife Katie, and daughters Joanna (7) and Evelyn (5) have spent the last year in Kansas City as Will completes his fellowship in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine with KU Health Systems after graduating from residency in June 2019. This final year of training for Will has been exciting as he has been able to work with KU sports, the Chiefs and Royals, while improving his surgical skills.

The Messamores will return to Wichita in late July 2020 and the girls will continue with school at WCS this coming fall. Will is happy to announce he will be joining the Kansas Orthopaedic Center and looks forward to beginning his orthopaedic surgery and sports medicine practice in August 2020.

Sean Kennedy, his wife Abigail, and golden retriever Duke welcomed William Clark Kennedy on May 31, 2019, in Kansas City.

Clark weighed in at 7 pounds and 7 ounces and was 21 inches long.

Clark is also the grandchild of Jamie Kennedy, a former WCS teacher.

2002

Barbara Ann DeSousa and husband Drew welcomed their second child, Beckett Michael DeSousa, on January 29, 2020.

Big brother Brooks is very excited!

Jeff Sweeney married Brette Benedict in Peoria, Illinois on August 3, 2019. The couple now resides in Orland Park, Illinois. Jeff still works for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City and Brette is a professional ballet dancer for Ballet 5:8, a professional Christian ballet company.

Ruse Brown was named the Top Next Gen Wealth Advisor for the state of Kansas by Forbes Magazine.

SHARE YOUR NEWS!

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

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2003

2004

2009

Katie Hill Leiding has joined Amelia Sumerell as a licensed Realtor at Coldwell Banker Plaza Real Estate, helping buyers and sellers with their real estate needs.

2005

Megan Greaves Geherin, Patrick Geherin, and big sister Ella (11) welcomed Claire Violet Geherin on January 10, 2019. Claire is a happy girl with lots of personality.

They have had the most fun this past year as a family of four!

2004

Austin Moore was recognized in October 2019 as one of five attorneys nationally named among Law360's "Rising Stars" in the field of Cybersecurity and Privacy Law, which recognizes attorneys under the age of 40 whose legal accomplishments transcend their age. Austin was recognized for his work representing consumers in many of the nation's largest data breach class action lawsuits, including helping achieve final approval of the historic Equifax data breach settlement valued at over $1.5 billion stemming from the credit reporting agency's massive 2017 breach. In January 2020, Austin was named a partner at Kansas City-based law firm Stueve Siegel Hanson LLP. 40

Kate Schaake Suhr and her husband Zack welcomed Addison Lynn Suhr on March 11, 2019. She joins big brother Cameron at home and they are both doing great!

Andrew Hourani and Morgan Lovett, two Collegiate Lifers from the Class of 2009, married on October 19, 2019 at St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral in Wichita, Kansas. A reception followed at the Wichita Country Club. The couple honeymooned in Hawaii and resides in Chicago.

Andrew is the Founder/CEO of Groove Health, a healthcare technology company, and Morgan is an Associate at Heitman, a real estate investment company.

2007

2009

Brett Alexander recently married Tiffany Chevins at The Engineer's Club in Baltimore, Maryland. They met while he was living in Texas.

Tiffany and Brett recently bought a house together in historic Federal Hill, a neighborhood by the Inner Harbor of Baltimore.

J. Bailey Burcham is currently living in Los Angeles with his wife of five years, Rachel. Bailey is a working writer, director, actor, and producer and has been fortunate enough to work with some of the top talent in the nation. This past August, Bailey went to Kenya for a month with the Obama Foundation and directed a devised conceptualization of Hamlet in three different languages.

As a writer, last summer he won both 1st and 2nd prize in a major sketch-comedy competition with his two scripts, "Basil and Dick," and "Three Guys, One Groupon,"

CLASS NOTES both of which are being turned into full-length shows and produced by Sacred Fools Theater in Hollywood.

As of January 2019, Bailey has accepted a salaried position at Pasadena Playhouse as the Operations Manager and is continuing to pursue many other artistic endeavors.

2010

Clothier 2011, and many more, which was great considering none of them live in our area!

Miles is working at ARSONAL Design, an entertainment advertising agency in Los Angeles. Taylor is finishing up her final semester of dental school at USC and will be graduating in May. They look forward to what the future holds!

Korea, and are teaching English to elementary and middle school students. They are two of only three foreigners in their building.

They are getting better at speaking Korean and having a blast!

2014

2012

Emilee Greenleaf married Gene Ross on October 11, 2019 in Harrisonville, Missouri.

They reside in Kansas City and are expecting a son this summer.

2010 / 2011

Robert Schifferdecker graduated Washburn Law School May 2019, and passed the bar July 2019. He and his fiancé Ashley Garcia reside in Wichita.

Robert accepted a position at Lewis Brisbois in the Waterfront and Ashley is a Customer Service Representative at PetroChoice.

Robert and Ashley met at Baylor University, where both were members of the Baylor Riding Club. They are planning an October 10, 2020 wedding near Colorado Springs, Colorado.

2013

Ryan Emmitt and his wife Monica welcomed their baby girl on December 18, 2019. Indiana Mae Emmitt was born at 6:35 p.m., weighing in at 7 pounds, 10 ounces, and was 20.25 inches long. They couldn't be more excited to be parents and to finally have her here with them!

Ryan is currently working as a 5th grade math/science teacher at Santa Fe 5/6 Center in Newton, Kansas. During the fall, he assists his step-father, Troy Black, and his football team as their equipment manager. He is excited to be working with the athletes and to help keep their heads safe by making sure their helmets fit perfectly.

2018 Addison Harris is currently in the Gulf on a chemical tanker ship, going through the Panama Canal, with a destination in Korea.

This is all part of his winter work experience through college.

Miles Dunne 2010 and Taylor Phipps 2011 were married in August 2019. There were quite a few WCS people in attendance, including Bryce Cornejo 2010, Ty Fiegel 2010, Joseph 2007 and Alexa 2008 Houlik, Chase Atnip 2011, Kevin Richardson 2011, Regan Sherwood 2011, Kelsey

SHARE YOUR NEWS! Amani Braxton and Alex Waldeck have moved to Suwon, South

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

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CLASS REUNIONS

The Class of 2004 had a GREAT 15-year reunion weekend September 13-14! On Friday, they cheered for the Spartans in their first home football game of the season. On Saturday morning, they brought all their kids together for “Popsicles On The Playground” at the Early Childhood Playground. On Saturday night, they got together at the Mitchell’s breathtaking Four Mile Ranch for an evening of BBQ, beer, fishing, early 2000s music, and catching up with old friends and their spouses. They are already looking forward to doing it again in 2024!

CLASS OF 1989

The Class of 1989 had a small impromptu reunion this year. An old band got back together - The Manfred Jensens: Ranjit Arab, James Byrne, Chad Dyer, and Chris Kupersmith, with the addition of Lillith Rausa (now Cappelli) and Tres Smith. They came together as a new band – Birds & Snakes & Aeroplanes – and played in Wichita at Vorshay’s June 22. Another classmate, Allison Myers, came into town, as well as several other WCS alumni, to enjoy the debut. We had a great time! // Blaine Schultz ’89 CLASS OF 2004

The Class of 2009 loved getting to see the Spartans win their football game on Collegiate’s campus for Homecoming. The following evening, several members from the class enjoyed a casual evening of dinner and drinks at downtown Wichita’s River City Brewing Company. It was wonderful to catch up with classmates, some of whom had even traveled from out of state to attend the reunion. It was a great weekend for the Class of 2009!

The Class of 1999 descended upon Collegiate last September for Homecoming 2019 and, just like we thought 10 years earlier, we still looked exactly the same as in high school... We had a great turnout this year (almost half the class) and there were more spouses and children as we met under the alumni tent for burgers, hot dogs, and reminiscing. The Spartans ran up the score early on Trinity, allowing some of us to leave before the end of the game to socialize at Deano's. The following morning we received a fabulous tour of the school from our own former classmate, Kathy Rukes (Talbot)! We finished off a lovely weekend with a wonderful meal at Scotch & Sirloin and made promises to come to the next reunion. For those of you still reading about another class's reunion, it truly is a great experience and we highly recommend you attend your next one!

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STAY CONNECTED! Wichita Collegiate School @WCSKS @Wichita_Collegiate_School

FOR ALUMNI

CLASS OF 1999

Proba Te Dignum

Connect with Lisa Schooler and the Wichita Collegiate Alumni Group

RESERVE A PLACE IN COLLEGIATE’S

history

As a tribute to the alumni who have built Collegiate’s history and who are an important part of the school’s future, the Alumni Association is offering engraved bricks for purchase. Bricks may be purchased for students graduating THIS May or for those who have already graduated.

RESERVE A PLACE IN COLLEGIATE’S HISTORY BY PURCHASING ONE OR MORE BRICKS TODAY! Yes, I want to buy a brick! Please accept my order for____ engraved brick(s) at $75 each to be placed in the Alumni Courtyard. Enclosed is my check for $________.

Name______________________________________________________________ Year____________________________ Name______________________________________________________________ Year____________________________

Name_______________________________________________________________________________________________ Street Address_______________________________________________________________________________________ City, State, Zip_______________________________________________________________________________________ Telephone Number____________________________________________________________________________________

Return this form and your check to: Lisa Schooler Wichita Collegiate Alumni Association 9115 E. 13th Street N. Wichita, KS 67206 Any questions? Call Lisa Schooler at (316)771-2222 or email lschooler@wcsks.com.

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Spartans today...leaders tomorrow.