WCS Connection - Fall 2021

E n g a ge

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From the Head of School ENGAGING ENVIRONMENT: Where Innovation Thrives ENCOURAGING COMMUNITY: It Takes a Village Traditions: New & Old EMPOWERING OPPORTUNITIES: Learning from Our Community Spotlight on Alumni: Maggie Chang ’02

Editorial Staff

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Chris Ashbrook // Director of Advancement Kathy Rukes ’99 // Director of Enrollment Management Katie Gunzelman ’07 // Assistant Director of Development Bethany Phelps // Advancement Services Coordinator Lalo Walsh // Community Relations Coordinator Charlie Ramseyer // Communications Assistant Photography // Ashley Bowers, Amy Cunningham, John Pair, and many more!

On the Cover: On Thursday, September 2, 2021, the Collegiate community gathered to dedicate the new Leonidas Spartan statue to honor the memory of longtime Spartan supporter Patrick Hill.

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Unlocking the Extraordinary in Every Child Dear Collegiate Community,

I hope you enjoy our latest copy of the Connection magazine. The content that lies within these pages is a snapshot of the amazing things happening in our classrooms and hallways every school day.

As a school we are very fortunate to have the honor of unlocking the true potential of every child in our care. It is a special privilege to be able to pursue all avenues to reach and inspire each individual student.

For each of us, there is no greater reward than the knowledge that we have made a positive impact on students’ lives.

I have followed the work of the educational author Ken Robinson for a long time, and he states that the aims of education are “to enable students to understand the world around them and the talents within

them so that they can become fulfilled individuals and active, compassionate citizens.” These words of his resonate with me as I reflect upon what we aim to achieve here at Collegiate.

Our mission statement begins with the words, “We exist to inspire all students to be the best version of themselves.” It is so important to remind ourselves that every student is remarkable. At Collegiate, we encourage our students to invest in their individuality--to proudly pursue their unique talents, passions, and interests. The noble work of unlocking those unique talents is what drives us all to be the best we can be as educators. Whether in the classroom, on the stage, on the field, or on the court, providing opportunities for every student to unlock their extraordinary potential is our greatest mission and joy.

Each semester I have the privilege of shadowing students throughout the course of their day. These often are my favorite days, as I get a front row seat in seeing our teachers connect with our students. Whether sitting in a math class or science lab, I have witnessed how masterful

our teachers are at supporting our students as they develop, and at inspiring them to explore their interests and talents. A large part of that exploration involves experimenting, failing, and then trying again. At Collegiate we spend a considerable amount of time cultivating trust with individual students in order to foster their self-confidence.

The ultimate satisfaction for us as educators is in seeing the students we have impacted have the self-assurance and determination to perform well and achieve success. Together, we have the collective ability to empower students to unlock their extraordinary talents as we work to maintain a learning environment in which every child can bloom.

At Collegiate, we strive every day to be that school for each student in our care, and we are thankful that you all trust us to engage in this rewarding work.

Best Regards,

Nathan Washer Head of School

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ENGAGING ENVIRONMENT

Where Innovation Thrives

by Kathy Rukes ’99

Imagine a classroom in which students research relevant issues and collaborate together to find real-life solutions; a classroom in which hands-on experiences pave the pathway to future careers; and a classroom in which students develop the skills, knowledge, confidence, and motivation to thrive in the world ahead of them. At Wichita Collegiate Middle School, students don’t have to imagine it … they get to experience it everyday.

The Lammers Innovation Lab, often referred to simply as the iLab, provides a unique maker-space that is fully outfitted with state-of-theart technology -- from table saws and routers to a 3D printer and sound mixers -- providing students the tools to bring their solutions to life. The educator at the helm of our Middle School iLab is Mr. Joe Gehrer ’02. Teaching several classes in the space, including Vexlab, ScratchLab, WoodLab, and Tinkerlab, Mr. Gehrer seeks to provide students the opportunity to push outside their comfort zone and step into the mindset of critical thinkers, problem solvers, and innovators.

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HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES THAT BRING LEARNING TO LIFE

If you have spent time with a child that loves LEGO, you can probably appreciate the visible excitement you might see in a classroom full of twelve year-olds staring at a table of robotics parts. As you watch their eyes dart from gears to wheels, you can see their minds turning with the possibilities of what they may create. VexLab, a hands-on approach to the design process through robotics, provides students the opportunity to design and build robots with the end goal of playing a sport-like game.

As an introduction to engineering problem solving, students try various robot configurations and evaluate the limitations of their coding and building skills by assessing what worked well and what could be improved. In the end, they will have the chance to not only take ownership of the machine they create, but watch it come to life by applying the coding they learn in the process.

Scratching a similar creative itch within our young students, ScratchLab utilizes a visual programming language for students to code their own stories, animations, and games.

Students use hands-on programming skills to explore and discover

Sixth grader Lucy learns how to use a power tool in her WoodLab class. the world of computer science. “It’s fun looking at the different coding blocks and trying to problem solve what makes the most sense to use,” shared 7th grader Jackson Rukes when asked what he likes most about his class. He went on to say, “Plus, most of us will probably have a job in the future that uses a lot of technology. It’s great that we get to spend time coding now.”

Beyond introducing students to coding, Scratch programming can be used across all core subjects to

take an understanding of content to the next level. As the students dive deeper into the class, they will have the chance to incorporate core subject content to create review games for their peers. From their experience in the iLab, students learn to be creative, tackle difficult problems, collaborate with others, and even help their classmates be more successful in other classes.

PUSHING PAST THE WALLS OF THE CLASSROOM

Perhaps the most exciting opportunity that awaits students in the iLab is the chance to see their work applied and used in their world. Course projects require students to think critically about how they can improve their environment, and in doing so, show our students that they can positively impact their world through creativity, problem solving, and hard work.

There is hard work being done now, in fact, as students in Woodlab tackle their latest project. With the recent addition of a new Middle School commons area, the need for new tables and benches was made apparent. As students are introduced to different types of hand tools, small power tools, power machines, and the safety that goes along with them, they will have the chance to turn a simple piece of wood into something that they and their classmates will be able to enjoy and use for years. The indelible lessons that accompany completing a project requiring such creativity, planning, and diligence will last long after these students graduate from their WoodLab class.

As WoodLab students craft new tables and benches, TinkerLab students will design birdhouses for our Collegiate grounds. In TinkerLab, students learn how to use 3D modeling software to give shape to their ideas, and then build their models with clay, wood, and LEGO bricks. Students will even have the chance to watch their designs come to life by using perhaps one of the coolest pieces of tech in the iLab, the 3D printer.

Having researched area birds, students will create their own blueprints of what they think suitable habitats for birds frequenting our campus might look like. Those blueprints will then be brought to life by students in WoodLab. This collaborative project sets a long-term foundation for entering into the business of design and manufacturing, and in the shortterm, students have the chance to see the fruits of their labor in use on campus.

BUILDING LIFE SKILLS

Each course offered in the iLab is carefully designed to introduce new tools to students, a process

that builds their capabilities and confidence, thereby empowering them to improve their world. When asked what he hopes students gain from their experiences in the iLab, Mr. Gehrer said, “I want these students to have hands-on experience with tools and a chance to dive into computer science. My goal is to spark their interest enough so that they choose to continue taking courses in the Upper School iLab, and even perhaps enter into any of the various STEAM career opportunities these courses expose them to.”

Creating opportunities for Middle School students to gain relevant experience in solving real-life problems can be challenging. But spaces like the Lammers Innovation Lab under the direction of teachers like Mr. Gehrer do even more than that.

Classrooms such as these teach children to feel inspired by what they can accomplish. In being presented with excellent instruction and cutting edge equipment, students learn it is by bringing to the table their own dedication and imagination that innovation will follow.

Mr. Gehrer discusses the mechanics of a robot under construction with students in his VexLab class.

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ENCOURAGING COMMUNITY

It Takes a Village

by Katie Gunzelman ’07

“It takes a village to raise a child.”

When that saying first emerged, children and families quite literally lived in villages, with brothers and sisters, parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, or friends assisting in the daily care and maintenance of the youngest generation. Today, our villages look much different - we are more detached from our extended families, sometimes living hundreds or thousands of miles from our “clans.”

But even those of us who live down the street from relatives understand the bond created with the family or village you choose, whether that’s one of friends, a church congregation, neighbors, mentors, or teachers.

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More than 500 families are part of the extended WCS village, doing life together day in and day out. We celebrate with and console one another; build up and dust each other off; and treat all Spartans with respect and dignity regardless of age or size.

OUR SUPPORT TEAM

While some students matriculate through WCS with no interventions, others benefit greatly from additional support. This semester, about 15% of students in Early Childhood are engaged in speech-language and/or occupational therapies and enrichment courses at WCS. In the areas of speech and language, privately contracted speech language pathologists Dana Shanks and Lauren Davis Kirk ’09 work alongside families

to identify, evaluate, diagnose, and treat any of a full range of communication disorders. “Spoken language is the foundation for reading and writing development. Children with communication disorders often perform below same-aged peers, have difficulty understanding and/or expressing language, misunderstand social cues, demonstrate poor judgement, struggle with reading, and have difficulty taking tests,” Dana reports. Communication is one of life’s most important skills, so early intervention is imperative.

In addition to the services offered by Dana and Lauren, pre-kindergarten teacher and occupational therapist Kristin Freed offers The Write Stuff and Wee Write Enrichment Academy classes at WCS as well as privately

contracted occupational therapy services to WCS students. “I tend to have a very different perspective on everything a child does in the classroom. I analyze everything he or she is doing – or isn’t doing – and figure out ways to help them improve in every area,” Kristin says, particularly in the areas of fine motor skills, cognitive skills, social development, and self-care routines.

Serendipitously, teachers with Ananya’s daycare program suggested a hearing test. Anisha and Shameer quickly learned Ananya had no hearing in one ear and only 30% in the other. Two weeks later, an ENT surgically inserted ear tubes, and Ananya started speech therapy with Dana Shanks. Soon after, Ananya started in WCS’ Great Beginnings program.

While Anisha and Shameer were always interested in Collegiate, working with Dana and having the option to continue therapy on campus made Ananya’s transition seamless. Within her first year, she was forming sentences. Kristin Freed began assisting from an occupational therapy perspective. Then, in her second year at WCS, Ananya had Terre Graham as her classroom teacher, who has a background in THE VALUE OF EARLY speech-language pathology and INTERVENTION early childhood special education. As Anisha Patel and Shameer Gill are one she worked more and more with this such family, thankful for WCS’ partsupport team, “Ananya saw tremennership and how it has changed their dous growth,” Anisha says. child’s life. Around six months of age, “Speech therapy with Dana was Anisha’s and Shameer’s daughter life-changing. Occupational therapy Ananya was hitting her head against with Kristin has improved Ananya’s walls, usually when overwhelmed coordination. I feel Ananya’s progor frustrated. By 12 and 18 months, ress in preschool was largely beshe had missed speech milestones. cause of Terre’s support. The team Despite working with multiple made it happen. I don’t think this speech-language pathologists and could’ve been done single-handedly.” occupational therapists, an allergist, That team, our village, is what helps and a pediatrician, Ananya still only had command of fewer than 10 words set apart our Early Childhood program, and frankly our school, as as she neared the age of 3. “Honestwe support one another in raising ly, I felt like a failure,” Anisha says. the next generation. Our educators “I suspected something was wrong, and support staff do their jobs, and but professionals were telling me a do them well, all in service of their different story.” students. In addition, they recognize For Head of Early Childhood Becky O’Hearn, offering these interventions in house aligns perfectly with our greatest mission. “We believe childhood is sacred, that children are worthy of our attention, and that providing them with a supportive and nurturing childhood and educational environment is our greatest responsibility and treasure.”

that early childhood is a window of time when the brain is most receptive to language acquisition, memory development, and cognitive-process organization. If a child presents with an issue in receptive/expressive language, articulation, or social and cognitive communication or development, that window of time is negatively impacted. By offering a team approach under one roof, WCS can intervene earlier, and early intervention services can change a child’s developmental path and improve outcomes, not only for the child but for his or her family, and for success in school. What more could we ask for as partners in parenthood?

“You can’t put a value on these services being available on campus where therapists observe children and communicate with teachers with such frequency,” Shameer says. “There is no substitute for an early childhood education at WCS. You get here, and you know you’ve taken the right step.

Ananya’s teachers and therapists have provided services, yes, but have also helped shape a happy and content child. That is priceless!”

Dana Shanks works one-on-one with a student in the WCS SLP room.

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Traditions: New & Old

by Lalo Walsh

Our campus is a simple one. It always has been. Since 1963, its solid brick buildings hunkered down under the big blue Kansas sky, it has been a home to us. It was and is still a spartan construction -- understated and unimposing on the surface. Yet those of us who have walked its

halls know, like all things Spartan, it houses greatness within.

Perhaps our oldest tradition lies in this Spartan identity, in choosing to represent and be represented by the highly disciplined ancient Greek warriors revered for their bravery and stoicism. Our

school motto, “Proba Te Dignum-Prove Yourself Worthy”, has worked alongside our mascot, challenging us to fulfill our potential by recognizing and acting on every opportunity with which we are presented. As James Mahoney wrote in our very first Collegian yearbook, “Opportuni-

The senior captains head to midfield for the coin flip before the Homecoming game versus Hesston.

ty is the enduring foundation upon which Wichita Collegiate School is being built. The future development of the school is limited only by our ability to dream, plan, and achieve.” His words hold true for us today, as we maintain this tradition of how we see our school and ourselves; our Spartan nature compelling us to look beyond limitations to glimpse possibility.

The yearbook that Mr. Mahoney’s words appeared in was printed in 1965, the same year Collegiate enjoyed its first football season. It was played on a rough field, and every year since then, athletes of all kinds have toiled and triumphed on its surface. In 1982, the same year as our first Homecoming Court, lights were installed, and ever since, we have gathered under them to cheer our teams on. These days we have many current Spartan parents who watch their children roam the same stadium and grounds they did, the memories of playing with friends while watching the older athletes battle it out on the field shared by multiple generations.

Before Friday Night Lights and Homecoming Court, however, there came into being a Spartan thing known as Picnic Day. It is perhaps our most treasured Collegiate tradition. It is an event that allows our entire Preschool through grade 12 student body to gather in celebration, pairing “Little Buddies” with “Big Buddies” and establishing bonds across divisions that years, and even decades, later are cherished. Picnic Buddy Day is a festive day, yes, but perhaps more than any other tradition, it fuels what makes Collegiate and its students special. A successful Pic-

Look back at our yearbooks, and you will see, through the decades, our students’ faces pictured repeatedly for having participated in every nook and cranny of what Collegiate has had to offer. Why? How? Because it is our habit to lean in and support each other in our many dreams and aspirations.

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Big Buddy Hannah poses with Little Buddy Kennedy at this year’s picnic.

A Big Buddy enjoys lunch with his Little Buddy in the fall of 1986.

Our drumline half-time performance wouldn’t be complete without our football players hopping into line.

nic Day requires that Big Buddies be caring, gentle, patient, and fun-loving. In observing this, Little Buddies begin to envision themselves as growing up to be caring, gentle, patient, and fun-loving. It is an event that effortlessly sows the seeds of kindness and joy among our students.

But Collegiate traditions do not all revolve around fun and games.

Academic rigor has historically been part of our identity, and from our earliest days as an institution, WCS has celebrated achievement in the classroom with Honors Day. Our arts program, too, has always been a focus of the school, the music department being nurtured from a simple co-ed chorus in the 60s into the behemoth it is today, offering our students the chance to take part in multiple bands, orchestras, ensembles, and musicals across all our divisions.

Of course, one of our greatest school traditions is enabling our students to take advantage of the many opportunities our school offers across all disciplines and fields. Look back at our yearbooks, and you will see, through the decades, our students’ faces pictured repeatedly for having participated in every nook and cranny of what Collegiate has had to offer. Why? How? Because it is

our habit to lean in and support each other in our many dreams and aspirations. For every student who wants to play a sport and an instrument or participate in the musical while staying active in volunteer work, there are multiple staff members helping them learn how to juggle their ambitions.

Since Collegiate’s inception, our faculty have had a shared sense of mission in encouraging and accommodating our children’s broad range of interests and talents.

It takes a great deal of commitment and flexibility on the part of our teachers and coaches; it is a tradition born of the generous hearts and minds of our educators through the years.

And it is because our teachers care so much about WCS students that they work to nurture not only their intellect and talents but also their respect for the world around them and their self-awareness of how they fit into that world. In 1994, one of these great Collegiate educators, Kevin Mykel, devised the famed “Good Life” paper. Since that year, every WCS graduating senior has made it through the “Good Life” gauntlet, a semester’s worth of introspection and writing which culminates in defending a thesis on what constitutes a good life to a select group of faculty.

High School students perform in the annual Broadway in Bluejeans showcasing their on-stage talents.

This writing process is one of self-discovery and is part of our school’s tradition of preparing our children to graduate and move on to the next phase of their lives, confident in their understanding of what drives them, makes them happy, and gives them peace.

You see, bedrock to Collegiate is our appreciation of every in-

dependent individual for their unique potential, knowing that each person will go farther when their community stands with them. This September, a statue of a Spartan warrior was erected.

Leonidas stands, seemingly alone, atop a tumble of rocks. He is fearsome, strong, and ready for what comes next. Recently our football

team gathered for the first time at his feet before the Friday night game. One couldn’t help but feel it was the birth of a new tradition. It was Homecoming, and around our team, we assembled: students, parents, alumni, teachers, and coaches. Looking up at Leonidas, we all understood--he is not alone at all. Together, we are Spartans.

Together, we are Spartans.

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EMPOWERING OPPORTUNITIES

Learning from Our Community

by Chris Ashbrook

Collegiate prides itself on the opportunities it provides for its students.

Our greatest satisfaction, however, is seeing how those opportunities empower our students to see more, do more, learn more, and experience more than most. In short, these opportunities imbue our students with confidence and, as our mission statement confirms, help them to

Spirit Aerosystems’ President and CEO Tom Gentile shares his experience and wisdom with a captivated audience of students.

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“be the best versions of themselves.”

These opportunities range from participating in a myriad of athletic, artistic, and academic activities, to becoming comfortable speaking in front of varied audiences, attending tutorial time, traveling to fascinating places, strengthening work ethic and time management skills, and feeling supported by their teachers and counselors in all their endeavors.

Collegiate’s Leadership Academy, part of the WCS Institute for Community Impact, is a great example of empowerment for our students. The Leadership Academy provides our students the opportunity to engage with community leaders and industry executives across the Wichita area. Director of the Leadership Academy Joyann Brake beautifully sums up the purpose and potential of these opportunities: “We believe graduating Spartans should have an understanding of who they are, and how their service may transform our communities and our world. As we build students with an aim to lead and make a difference, we believe we are positively affecting the culture for now and in the future.” After bringing in over a dozen speakers to the school last year, the Leadership

Academy has expanded its program, offering different tracks in the nonprofit, civic, and business sectors with which students can engage, including “shadowship” partnerships in various fields for this year’s seniors.

Kicking off this year’s Leadership Academy speaker series was Spirit Aerosystems’ President and CEO Tom Gentile. Over forty WCS juniors and seniors were able to gain from Mr. Gentile’s wisdom as he spoke to them about his company, time management, the 737 Max, and COVID crisis management. As he shared his experiences, he touched on what he deemed key leadership traits as well as the importance of learning from failures and weaknesses. Those in attendance listened intently, asked intelligent questions, and appreciated that they had the opportunity to learn from the leader of Kansas’ largest employer.

In addition to this session, eight students in this year’s senior class will have the opportunity to work with mentors from Spirit in the areas of engineering, business, finance, entrepreneurship, and politics. These “shadowships” with their mentors will span the school year. In addition

WCS seniors meet with the mentors they were matched with through the Leadership Academy. to the mentoring provided by members of the Spirit community, seniors have been paired with attorneys, doctors, veterinarians, local business owners and entrepreneurs, journalists, City Council members, and environmentalists, while others are working with Big Brothers Big Sisters, Habitat for Humanity, ICT SOS, Music Theater of Wichita, and Wichita Family Crisis Center.

These partnerships provide students the opportunity to learn directly from community leaders, and in doing so, ignite our students’ passions to create meaningful change in Wichita and beyond.

These empowering opportunities wouldn’t be possible without the vision and hard work of Collegiate faculty members Georgia Ahern, Amy Cunningham, Rob Egan, David LeVan, Julianne London, Hans Widener, and Leadership

These partnerships provide students the opportunity to learn directly from community leaders, and in doing so, ignite our students’ passions to create meaningful change in Wichita and beyond.

Academy Director Joyann Brake.

Nor would these opportunities be empowering if they weren’t embraced by the students at Collegiate.

Over fifty students in the junior and senior classes are taking part in the academy, and there are plans to involve younger students as early as next year. It is admirable to see so many students taking advantage of this opportunity and carving out time in their busy schedules to make the most of what is being offered to them. The old adage, “You only get out what you put in,” continues to ring true, and the students at Collegiate continue to put in tremendous effort as they work to be the best versions of themselves.

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Maggie Chang ’02

by Charlie Ramseyer

Class of 2002 graduate Maggie Chang spent ten years teaching art classes and encouraging students to pursue their artistic dreams before she took the leap to pursue her own.

And leap she did! In 2016, Maggie left her full-time teaching position at LaGuardia Arts High School (the public school that inspired the film and TV show Fame) and moved across the country to pursue her childhood dream of writing and illustrating children’s books, an endeavor she had taught but until then, only ever fantasized about. Though this transition initially brought about its own set of doubts and fears, she received a great deal of encouragement from her Wichita Collegiate community.

LOOKING BACK TO MOVE FORWARD

Before her big move, she was able to come back and spend some time in Kansas. While here, she attended the memorial for longtime WCS teacher Bill Colbert. She said, “It takes a special community to be able to grieve together after being apart for many years and then to leave the day somehow feeling uplifted about life. Perhaps it was my encouraging conversation with Mr. B. Perhaps it was getting the opportunity to tell

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him that I became a high school art teacher and thank him. But I’m certain I was reminded of how my WCS teachers believed in me, and I know that day really did help me take those next big life steps.”

Time spent in Gary Buettgenbach’s class was something Maggie reflected on often during the interview.

While his room was her self-described “happy place,” when asked about how her time at WCS shaped her experiences since then, she said it truly came down to how her teachers believed in her. Maggie talked about how she grew up with a hardworking, single mom and her grandparents. When by the start of her sophomore year both grandparents passed away, it was her WCS teachers who helped give her the solid and consistent footing she needed to believe in herself.

“Whether I needed Mrs. Mykel to proofread my essay for correct grammar, or Mr. Farmer to break down

Maggie with her recently published book Geraldine Pu and Her Lunchbox, Too! differential equations for the umpteenth time, or Mr. B or Mrs. Crowley to stay late and lock up after finishing an art or research project--they were there for me.” She noted they were always willing to step outside of the 45 minutes of class and help with finishing an art project, research paper, or just talk about life’s questions, big and small.

Her next stop after WCS was the University of Pennsylvania, where she majored in Visual Studies. It was an interdisciplinary study of neuroscience, art history, and fine art, and allowed her to merge all of her interests in life and social sciences with art.

Becoming a published author and a mother in the same year was the realization of some of her biggest dreams, but Maggie doesn’t plan to stop there. If anything, her time at WCS taught her that she is capable of pursuing any and all dreams that she has.

After graduation, she spent a year doing national service through City Year AmeriCorps in New York City. The experience confirmed her passion for education, and she went on to Columbia University Teachers College for graduate school.

During her teaching career, she also co-founded two nonprofits. The first was the Orange Giraffe Project. It was created after the passing of her WCS classmate Glory Gensch, and for a decade, the organization worked with people living with cancer to design personalized jewelry--a safe and fun way to deal with complex physical changes while adorning the body, opening the heart, and celebrating the human spirit. Maggie’s second nonprofit, Rising Earth: Human Impact Education, is a collaborative effort that works with high school and college interns to address our planet’s most pressing issues. She works with a team of artists and writers to create graphic novels about real youth environmentalists and humanitarians. Maggie said, “This work really combines all my passions: working with young people, storytelling, art, science, activism, service, interdisciplinary learning, and intersectional issues.”

EMBRACING NEW OPPORTUNITIES

Shortly after moving to California, Maggie met her husband Alex. They were married in October of 2019, with her fellow ’02 classmate Amar Shah officiating the ceremony. On her 35th birthday, she saw her childhood dream realized when she landed a three-book deal with Simon and

Schuster, enabling her to begin work on an early reader graphic novel series featuring a Taiwanese American character. Her book, Geraldine Pu and Her Lunchbox, Too! debuted this past June and is the first of its kind in many ways. Maggie commented on how the response has been truly wonderful.

“It’s thrilling to hear how much people, especially kids, adore the book.

Parents and caregivers message me saying how the story has encouraged them to pack school lunches authentic to their culture. Educators are grateful to have it as a resource for teaching empathy. Asian American readers of all ages are feeling seen. And kids apparently are requesting the book at bedtime, night after night after night. As I learn to juggle the family-work balance, these messages keep me going!”

Despite the pandemic, big things kept happening in Maggie and Alex’s world. They bought a house just outside of Long Beach, California, got a puppy, and their baby girl was born in January of 2021. Maggie still serves as the art director for Rising Earth and is currently working on the next two books in her Geraldine Pu series. Becoming a published author and a mother in the same year was the realization of some of her biggest dreams, but Maggie doesn’t plan to stop there. If anything, her time at WCS taught her that she is capable of pursuing any and all dreams that she has. Maggie hopes that, as she grows Geraldine Pu’s character, she can encourage those same teachings to her readers.

Maggie and Alex with their daughter.

“The teachers at WCS really gave us a lot of autonomy. I mean, they let a bunch of 10th graders throw a carnival for the entire school! When I write my children’s books, it’s important to me that I depict my young characters as capable. Yes, perhaps they make mistakes, or things get messy—but they are capable of taking initiative and solving their own problems. I appreciate that the teachers at WCS treated us this way and hope to offer that to my readers.”

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