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IN THIS ISSUE: STORIES OF INSPIRATION, INNOVATION AND COLLABORATION
THEN & NOW
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Message from the Head of School
Miles Gulley ‘20 starred as
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The Love is Real!
Simba in the Westminster Fine
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What We Learned During Remote Teaching and Learning
King. More than 50 students from
Westminster Introduces the Emerald Scholars Program
three-night, sold-out event. Gulley is
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God’s Heart for Your Story The story of Tracey Lynn Russell ’86 and how God is using her to reach others
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The Nerd Herd Makes Reading Cool Again
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Lucid Drone Technologies Pivots to Help Businesses Get Back to Work Adrian Mayans ’15 Innovates to Provide Solutions
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Heetderks Inspires School Community to Support Front Line Workers
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Warrior First Responders
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Class of 2020: A Year to Remember!
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Alumni Roll Call and Memorials
EDITOR: Ana M. Poveda ‘87 EDITORIAL ASSISTANT: Patrick Wennin ‘12 COVER PHOTO: Read about the nearly 2,000 masks that were sewn by Westminster teachers, staff and families for first responders in our community on page 22. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION Scott Jones, Head of School David Medder, Associate Head of School Rob Lundgren ’76, Chief Financial/Operating Officer Caleb Lopez, Preschool/Elementary School Principal John Manoogian, Middle School Principal Alex Gonzalez, High School Principal WESTMINSTER BOARD OF TRUSTEES Dr. Philip Floyd, Chair; Dr. Alexander Trujillo, Vice Chair; Mr. Paul Quentel, Treasurer; Mrs. Sandy Carson, Secretary; Ms. Cece Boozer; Mr. Rick Cook; Mrs. Jennifer Coya; Mr. Derek Deville ’91; Mr. Rich Gaschott, Member Emeritus; Mr. Javier Gonzalez; and, Mrs. Luly Hilliard. Then & Now is published by the Communications and Marketing Office of Westminster Christian School, and is distributed to alumni, parents, students, and friends. We welcome your submissions and story ideas. Please send them to communications@wcsmiami.org. 2
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Arts Spring Production of The Lion across campus participated in this attending The New York University Tisch School of the Arts, one of the nation’s premiere and most selective performing, cinematic and media arts schools.
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Dear Westminster family:
W Scott Jones Head of School
e are more than halfway through 2020, and it has been a year like no other. Few of us paid much attention to the small news story on page eight of the newspaper on January 1 about a novel coronavirus in China as we celebrated the beginning of a new decade. We could not have imagined that within a few months, a pandemic would change everything. Our country and our world have been disrupted in unfathomable ways. Anxiety and uncertainty are high. Horrific events have unfolded in our country shedding light on racism and injustice. Our fellow citizens are hurting, and our nation is experiencing pain, confusion, and division. Though much of what we have experienced in 2020 thus far has been challenging, we seek to highlight some good news and a sense of optimism in this issue of Then & Now. In early March, I spoke to our high school students and announced that based on information we had from the Florida Department of Education at that moment, Florida was determined to be at low-risk by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and there were no plans for school cancellations. Within 24 hours, everything changed and we had to announce that we would temporarily suspend normal on-campus operations and shift to a temporary remote learning plan. Our community (faculty, staff, students, and parents) made this transition quickly and successfully. This magazine includes some highlights and snapshots from these remote learning experiences. And as we now know, our temporary campus closure lasted until the end of the school year. During these months of pandemic restrictions, we have heard stories of members of the Westminster community who have stepped up to meet needs. Be sure and read the cover story about Anne Heetderks and her mask-making team, and also take note of the highlights about several of our alumni who are first responders. Speaking of alumni, we look forward to continuing to tell stories of our alumni in every issue of Then & Now. Westminster alumni are doing incredible things around the world. This issue features stories about Tracey Gompf Russell ‘86 and Adrian Mayans ‘15. Of course, there are short notes about many other alumni in the Roll Call section. If you attended Westminster, please keep in touch and let us know what you are doing through Warrior Alumni Connect or by emailing us at alumni@wcsmiami.org. We continue to be committed to increasing the frequency of alumni gatherings and events, of course, pandemic permitting!
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Westminster seeks to pursue excellence through innovation, continuous improvement, and accountability. We value academic excellence and we are challenging students to reach higher through our new Emerald Scholars Program, which is highlighted in this issue. Our remote learning experience proved to be both a disruptor and a catalyst for innovation. We are laying the groundwork and leveraging technology for some new means of educational delivery that will provide for flexible approaches to learning, personalized learning for our current students, and new possibilities for prospective students outside of our area to access certain aspects of the Westminster educational experience. We look forward to continually improving as a school and using what we have learned institutionally to benefit our students intellectually, emotionally, socially, and spiritually. We are optimistic about the future. Demand and enrollment are stronger than ever in Westminster’s history. Our strategic plan contains an exciting road map as we seek to better achieve our mission. Yet in the midst of a bright future, our hearts are heavy and we are sensitive to the pain, suffering, and despair in our community and in our nation. As a leader in Christian education, we want to be a part of the solution to the problems in our society. Most specifically, we are committed to continuing our unwavering commitment to our stated mission of developing ambassadors for Christ who will be the salt and light to a world that needs the hope found only in Christ. Blessings,
Scott Jones Head of School
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The Love is Real!
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e love our school families and ending the school year without students on campus was hard! So we rallied the troops, and asked teachers and staff members to volunteer to deliver yard signs to school families to let them know just how much we loved and missed them. In one afternoon, about 75 volunteers spread across Miami-Dade County to deliver more than 800 signs. It was hard to know who was having more fun, the teachers making the deliveries or the students and their families receiving the signs! After receiving their sign a parent shared, “Yesterday I received a wonderful surprise that ďŹ lled my eyes with tears and once again reminded me of how blessed we are to be a part of WCS. Thank you to everyone who took the time to make us feel united and loved...one thing that remains the same is our love for WCS and all of you that make things happen.â€?
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What We Learned During Remote Teaching and Learning
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emote Teaching and Learning at Westminster was a new experience for everyone. When the pandemic required the campus to close in March, teachers had to quickly innovate lesson plans, students had to learn how to connect and engage via Microsoft Teams, and parents had to juggle the changing landscapes of their own lives, while taking a more active role in their child’s daily class schedule. There were highs and there were lows, but we came through it all with a new appreciation for one another and for what and who mattered most. We are grateful for God’s grace upon our community then and now. Teachers recently shared some of the best, hardest, and funniest memories from their time teaching during the pandemic. Take a moment to read them on the next page.
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BEST
HARDEST
• The mute button!
• Missing my work family.
• No commute. Not having to get up as early to face the traffic.
• Finding a quiet work space with everyone in my home also working from home.
• Seeing the children’s faces each day, ready to learn. Sometimes in pjs, sometimes in a blanket, but they were there! • Being able to teach in comfy clothes! • Teaching students in their homes really allowed me to connect even more with them. They would share their pets and favorite toys. I really got to know them even more than before. • Being pushed to find new, creative ways to keep students engaged and learning while at home. • I had a “math joke” of the day and daily “shout outs” of anything that the students accomplished that kept things a bit lighthearted and fun!!
• The anxiety of what can and will go wrong each day; Simple tasks can take much longer to do; not hugging the kids; missing our routine and the support of others at school. • Not being able to interact with our students the way we normally would, or teach in a classroom setting; Not being able to see them all made it a bit harder as well. • Technical difficulties, internet lagging, and glitches. • It felt like I was working all day and night! • Sitting, sitting, sitting! • Keeping the kids focused.
• They were genuinely excited to greet me each morning. • Seeing students trying so hard despite the circumstances and making connections with parents that I normally wouldn’t make in person.
• Not being able to do all the special projects we have towards the end of the year.
FUNNIEST • One day I taught my live class from my master bathroom because it was the only quiet place. • Seeing them when they think I can’t see them! • A middle school student created a rotating virtual backdrop for himself of a picture slideshow - all pictures of me and the principal. • Parents answering the questions I was asking my students from the other room. • Kids taking over our Teams call as a presenter before I realized I needed to change the settings. • When a student that didn’t want to finish his assignment said “I’m having computer problems. OK, Bye.” • Watching a girl put on lip gloss before class. She was getting “camera ready.” • Hearing a student asking his sister for an answer, not realizing he was not muted. • Watching a mom on camera actually help her child during a test. • Hearing my dog snore in every lesson video. (She became the class mascot though!)
One teacher also shared, “I am very proud of all of the WCS students and their commitment
to the school and teachers during this remote learning.” Another said, “Parents made teacher appreciation week amazing! I felt so appreciated and loved.” Another noted her silver lining as, “I became a lot more proficient on the computer in a very short amount of time!!” Finally, a teacher remarked how this year would be so unforgettable, “Despite all the hardships, this
will be a class that when someone says 2020 I will remember every face and every name!”
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To learn more about this program, visit the Emerald Scholars page, under Academics > High School > Signature Programs at rg. www.wcsmiami.org.
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The inaugural class of Emerald Scholars includes: Maia Alvarez ‘21, Ashley Arango ‘21, Isabella Artiles ‘22, Leila Barket ‘22, Carolina Borges ‘23, Thomas Brigham ‘22 (son of Tim Brigham ‘86), Ariel Brown-Ogha ‘23, Fernando Carneiro ‘23, Sebastian Cicconi ‘22, Sophia Cunningham ‘24, Madison Daire '22, Melanie Deville '22 (daughter of Derek ‘91 and Lesley Deville ‘91), Alessandra Diaz ‘24, Libby Dolan ‘21, (daughter of Dan Dolan ‘87), Kayla Dumas ‘21, Andrea Escobio ‘21, Daniel Fernandez ‘23, Mackenzie Floyd ‘24, Nicolette Foschini '24, Peter Frometa ‘22, Isabella Galbis ‘23, Annalise Garrido ‘23, Landon Glavach ‘21, Nicholas Godoy ‘22, Breno Goncalves '22, Megan Gutierrez ‘22, Andie Hernandez ‘23, Leila Hilliard '24, Amanda Jacomino ‘24, Austin Jones ‘22, Leo Leon ‘23,
Emerald Scholars Lead the Way
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he newly launched Emerald Scholars program at Westminster is comprised of some of the high school’s most driven and brightest students. Launched in 2020-21, the first class of scholars includes 55 students, from freshmen to seniors, who enroll in the school’s most ambitious courses and seek opportunities for enrichment through internships, independent research, service projects, and more. Students may apply to become an Emerald Scholar as early as the end of eighth grade, and must meet a series of stringent academic standards in addition to a written essay and a letter of recommendation to be considered for admission. “We were impressed with our first group of applicants to this challenging and rigorous program,” said Westminster High School Principal Alex Gonzalez. “The students selected have long been making their mark in their academic courses, and I’m pleased to be able to offer them this program to formalize their achievements and provide recognition for their arduous efforts.” To graduate as an Emerald Scholar, students take a minimum of 12 AP courses, complete the AP Capstone Program or PLTW Engineering Program, as well as meet GPA, and service project and internship requirements. Graduates of the program receive a distinctive seal on their diploma, and a medallion to be recognized at Commencement.
Manuela Londono ‘23, Connor Lopez ‘22, Dawson Medina ‘24, Anthony Mirabal '23, Diego Olivo '23, Anthony Pastrana ‘21, Natalia Pineda ‘23, Daniel Portuondo ‘21, Caleb Quentel ‘24, Adriana Romanelli ‘22, Florencia Romanelli ‘22, Gianna Romano ‘24, Angel Sajous ‘23, Teresa Somoza ‘21, George Sprinkle III ‘21 (son of George Sprinkle ‘88), Emily Sturge ‘21, Carina Swenson '22, Natalie Talarico ‘21, Aria Upton ‘21, Camila Valdes ‘23, Analuna Villalobos ‘23, Mia Wells ‘22, and Kevin Zhang ‘21.
The Emerald Scholars program underscores the goal of a Westminster education by preparing Christian leaders who are able to think critically, collaborate effectively, seek innovative solutions, and be examples of excellence in their communities. The Scholars were each surprised at home with a special delivery that included their letter of acceptance and a custom cookie gift box. "What a special way to inform the kids about the Emerald Scholar admittance," said Debbie Floyd, mother to Mackenzie '24. "Mackenzie is so excited! We are so thankful to be at WCS." WCS alumni parent Suzy Turner (@turnertastytreats) prepared the individualized cookie gift sets for the students. "Thank you Westminster for this amazing surprise in the mail today! What an awesome way to launch the new Emerald Scholars program while being quarantined!," added Claudia Pastrana, parent to Anthony '21, a Westminster Emerald Scholar. THEN & NOW
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God’s Heart for Your Story The story of Tracey Lynn Russell ’86 and how God is using her to reach others.
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“
s God in this story?” Tracey (Gompf) Russell ’86 wondered out loud as we began this interview.
“I was always happiest whenever I had the chance to use my voice,” said Russell. “I’m pretty sure my only detention was for talking too much in class!”
We were talking about the pandemic and how we often don’t understand until much later how God uses circumstances in our lives to ignite change in us and others.
After high school she attended FSU, and like many young people, struggled in her Christian walk and how to live her faith in this new college setting.
Russell couldn’t imagine when her parents enrolled her at Westminster in fifth grade that God was already preparing her to share her story. At that time, it would have been impossible for her to understand how her teachers, new friends, and environment could so profoundly shape her. For the first time, Russell had a teacher who was also a Christian and shared her faith with students. Even though she grew up in a Christian home, her teachers at the local public school did not talk about God the way her parents did at home. “I don’t think parents realize that being part of the Westminster family is a gift they give to their children that will last their entire lives,” said Russell. “The investment that teachers make in their students and the friendships that I still have today, so much of that started at Westminster.” God’s preparation of Tracey continued in high school as she joined choir and was drawn to vocal performance. She was also a cheerleader and involved with student government.
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After college, she knew that she couldn’t be “good” enough on her own, so she recommitted her life to Christ. After earning an undergraduate degree in communications, she pursued a master’s degree in occupational therapy with the goal of helping those in need. Her plan was finally coming together. She had graduated from college, had married the love of her life, and was following the Lord. What could possibly go wrong? How could this not be the plan God had for her? “As soon as we were married, my marriage began to fall apart. My husband really struggled. He was a nice guy from a Christian home, but he didn’t want to commit to being a Christian,” Russell recalls. “This was a tipping point in his life, and he didn’t want to do what it would take to save our marriage.” She fought for her marriage for a long time, even through the birth of their first son. However, she finally surrendered her husband and her failing marriage to God after reading “Love Must Be Tough” by James Dobson. Still in disbelief that her marriage was not in God’s plan, Russell and her husband divorced.
Tracey surrounded by her family (l to r) sons Trey (19), Holt (21), daughter Faith (13), husband Mark, and son Chase (24).
“It was by getting divorced that God exploded into our story. I saw God move my husband from death to life. After years of struggle and pain, He reconciled our marriage and changed our lives!” said Russell. “All I could think was that this is a story that has to be told.” After Russell shared her story for the first time in public, she was invited by Christian author LeAnn Weiss to attend a speaker and writer’s conference. Weiss encouraged her to share her story with others, but Russell was intimidated. She told herself that she wasn’t a writer. She was a therapist and didn’t feel called to a marriage ministry. Sometime later, she heard Lysa TerKeurst, a well-known Christian author, speaker and president of Proverbs 31 ministries, at a conference in her church.
them. She continued to write for them and share her story between raising her now four children, always thinking that when life slowed down she would go back to being a full-time therapist. “My calling grew in little parts and pieces,” Russell shared. “I became involved with raising money for an orphanage and I shared my story when and where I could. My pastor’s wife would ask me to fill in for her whenever she was asked to speak at an event, believing that my story was worthy of being shared.” Years passed and then just a few years ago, Russell and her family moved to California. By this time, three of her four children were nearly grown, with just one still in school. She was focused on her family, and the causes she believed in.
“She was funny and bringing the Word. I wanted to be able to share like that.”
“I was at a point in my life where I never expected God to use me, especially as a woman, I felt like that time had passed.”
TerKeurst invited Russell to attend a Proverbs 31 training for speakers and writers, which ultimately led to her being asked to write her first published piece for
New to California, Russell was invited to have coffee with the women’s ministry leader at her church. Unexpectedly at that meeting, she was invited to be on the
speaking and writing team for her church. She joined the team and agreed to write an Advent Bible study. Russell was then asked to teach and train a small group of women to share their stories. Little did she know that this was just the beginning of what God had been preparing her for all along. That following summer she traveled to Rwanda on a missions trip and visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre, a place of remembrance to honor its more than one million victims. As she entered the museum she saw a sign that read, “A message was spread among the people that compelled them to turn brother against brother, that turned an entire nation.” “As I read those words, God spoke to me. He was showing me the power of communication and how it is so important that every person realizes their influence,” Russell shared. “In parts of the world, hell is breaking loose because the wrong people got the microphone and shared a story of hatred.” God had her attention. She was all in and ready to do whatever God asked of her.
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That night she attended a business leadership event and was seated next to a man who shared his story with her. He mentioned James Dobson, and she told him how Dobson’s book had ministered to her as she was going through issues in her marriage. He was so moved by her story that he texted Dobson right on the spot. Her new friend handed her his phone and she texted Dobson telling him about the influence his book had had on her life. It was an amazing moment. Three days later, Dobson invited her to be a guest on his podcast. He wanted others to hear her story, too. “What did I get myself into?” was the first thing Russell recalled thinking. “I don’t have a major ministry. I don’t have a book. I’m just a woman at 50 years old who sold out to God, to share her story with the world. At that moment, I committed to doing whatever it takes.” Even though she felt ill equipped, she shared her story on Dobson’s podcast where more than five million listeners heard the story of how God saved her marriage. From that point, God has continued to open doors for that story to be heard. Russell now hosts a weekly podcast called “Heart of the Story” which she uses to minister to women and to empower women to become transformational leaders. She wrote a guide for women, “The Art of My Story: How to Create a Message to Remember” that led her to finally formalize her business. “I want to motivate other people to be all that God wants them to be,” said Russell. “I feel called to empower 100,000 women in the story of their lives – to go out and share that message. In some ways, I feel like I have always been in this ministry.” Russell sees herself as opening the door so that others are given the tools to share
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Barby Clinton Foulkrod ‘86 (far left) and Christi Wolaver Wade ‘85 (far right) have been friends with Tracey for more than 40 years! Barby was her first friend at Westminster and they were all cheerleaders together in high school. their story. Even during the pandemic, God has shown her new ways of doing just that. Through “Art of My Story Online,” she is now training hundreds of women to share the story that God is telling through their lives through online workshops and coaching. “I believe that there are a lot of untold stories that can activate the next generation to faith,” said Russell. “My story is not as important right now as what God is allowing me to learn from the people he is surrounding me with so that we can equip others to share.” From losing her marriage to God’s miraculous restoration, Russell believes that the many ups and downs in her life was God preparing her for this next chapter. She is saying yes to all of the opportunities that come her way – from
her podcast, Christian radio show appearances, addressing audiences at conferences, and more. She is also writing a book that will be released in the fall to help expand the reach of her marriage story. “I’m just one seed,” said Russell. “This is exponential. I feel called to activate and inspire people to tell the story of what God has done in their lives.” To learn more about Russell’s story, visit www.traceylynnrussell.com. You can also follow her @traceylynnrussell on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
The Nerd Herd Makes Reading Cool Again
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hat do you call a group of students who meet with their friends to excitedly discuss the latest book they just read? Well, the Nerd Herd, of course! This club of voracious readers is led by Manya Glavach, the “hubrarian” who presides over Westminster Elementary’s innovative “library,” the HUB. The HUB replaced the traditional library for elementary students when the new elementary campus building opened in 2013. Just like a library, the HUB provides over 10,000 print volumes, hundreds of audio
books, eBooks and DVDs, and Microsoft Surfaces and iPads for students and teachers. What makes the HUB even more unique is that it can be found in the center of each floor, surrounded by classrooms with sliding glass walls. This intentional design encourages collaboration among grade levels, teachers and students, and is a mark of excellence in learning. The Nerd Herd was a natural extension of Glavach’s desire to develop a love for books in young learners and to encourage reading among students. A voluntary book club for students from first to fifth grade, the Nerd Herd meets weekly (first and
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Manya is married to WCS alum Landy Glavach ’90. Even though his family moved away during his freshman year and he was not able to graduate with his class, he and Manya are thrilled that their two sons, Landon ’21 and Victor ’24, are able to attend Westminster.
Manny Gonzalez ’28 read “Bridge to Terabithia” by Katherine Paterson as part of the National Book Club for Kids.
“It was fun because she would help me a lot and we liked to ready funny books together and laugh,” said Emma Romaguera ’30 about her Reading Buddies mentor Katerina Berman ’26.
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second graders meet monthly) to discuss their selected book. The lunchtime gatherings help them connect with other like-minded students who share their interest in books, and to discover new genres that they may not have originally chosen. Students vote on the book choice for the month, read it on their own, and then come together over lunch as the Nerd Herd to discuss the completed book. They read about six to seven books per year, sometimes choosing a series or developing their choice based on what is being read in the classroom. More than 50 students are involved in the club at all grade levels. Even after Nerd Herd members move on to middle school, they stay involved by participating in Reading Buddies, a service project created to promote reading in
With some students learning on campus and some learning from a distance via Westminster Connect, the Nerd Herd meetings have transitioned to the school’s online platform, Microsoft Teams, to host their meetings and to discuss their books. Students and parents also stay connected via the club’s Instagram and Facebook pages, sharing content, suggesting new books to read and showcasing how much fun reading can be. Visit them at @wcs_nerd_herd. Like Glavach, other educators around the country were also considering how to continue to engage with their students and how to support them through the pandemic. Through her professional network, she found other like-minded teachers grappling with the same issue. Together, led by a professor from Hope College, they launched the National Online Book Club for Kids (@nationalbookclubforkids). “A former WCS teacher and parent Kris Gritter, also wife to former Westminster middle school history teacher Ryan Gritter, reached out to me about this opportunity,” said Glavach. “It has been amazing to work with a group of educators from around the country to come together around books.”
the elementary by developing mentor relationships. Students like Alexa Arner ’26 and Katerina Berman ’26 spend time after school to read with students who need support. “Reading Buddies is so much fun because it helps my reading buddy boost their confidence,” said Arner ’26. “I get to help someone realize how awesome they really are, and it is really rewarding to see their progress and growth through time.”
Students from fourth through sixth grade met on Zoom weekly to discuss a selected book, not only with each other, but also with the author. The up-close and personal interaction with a book’s author was especially enticing for students. “I like to listen to the authors tell stories about their lives. When we met Cece Bell, she showed us her phonic ear and that was neat,” Elisa La Rosa ’27 shared. “I like to find out what books other people are reading so I can read them too.”
The Club held its first meeting on April 2 with author Ruth Vander Zee answering questions about her latest book, “Next Year: Hope in the Dust.” Vander Zee is the mother of elementary art teacher Anne Heetderks and has visited Westminster on several occasions as a guest author. The club meetings last about an hour with the authors explaining details about their books and answering questions from students in a small group format. Since that first week, the book club has taken off like wildfire and now hundreds of students meet weekly to hear from authors and discuss books. Children’s authors such as Cece Bell and Alan Gratz as well as several Newbery authors Meg Medina and Katherine Paterson have all volunteered their time to share with the students. Westminster fourth grader Manny Gonzalez said it inspired him to read during this difficult time. “I like meeting the authors and seeing my friends and getting to discuss the books with others.” Even Mrs. Sherie Abbey, a first grade teacher at Westminster, volunteered her time in the National Book Club for Kids meetings to engage in meaningful conversations with WCS students and other students around the country. The Nerd Herd in person and online has been a powerful tool for students to catch the reading bug. The pandemic, through the innovation of the National Book Club for Kids, has provided another way for our students to experience new literature and to personally interact with authors. A facilitator with the National Book Club could not have said it better, “Our authors and their books are shining light into dark and broken places, and doors are being opened to meet and identify with remarkable people.” While teaching and learning online may not always be ideal, innovations like these can be absolutely fantastic for students and serve to underscore Westminster’s pursuit of excellence through innovation.
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Lucid Drone Technologies Pivots to Help Businesses Get Back to Work Mayans ’15 Innovates to Provide Solutions Mayans (r) with co-founders.
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drian Mayans ‘15 had been a baseball player for as long as he could remember. After winning a State Championship with Westminster’s 2015 Baseball team, he continued his athletic career at Davidson College, one of the country’s top liberal arts schools. A serious back injury during his freshman year, however, ended his college career almost before it began. After nearly three years of
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wrestling with rehab and recovery, a new door opened that unknowingly set his life on an unexpected path. “The timing was such that it felt like it was a message from God to start the next phase of my life,” said Mayans. Driving down the highway, Mayans and friends saw a window washer suspended high on a building when one of them said,
“That has got to be the worst job in the world.” They understood the danger faced by these workers and knew there had to be a better way. The friends began brainstorming and developed an idea with the goal of using drone technology to disrupt the window washing/building cleaning industry. Their idea turned window washers into operators on the ground who would use drones to wash facility exteriors. This idea was how Lucid Drone Technologies began.
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College juniors at the time, they pitched their idea to the Davidson Venture Fund, a competition open only to startups run by Davidson College students and alumni. As one of five finalists, they were paired with four mentors who were successful business owners from the Charlotte, NC area.
“We won the competition and received $25,000 which gave us the funding to purchase and begin working with a drone, provide cleaning services, and to help us learn and build the business. Three of our mentors are investors and still heavily involved in the business today.”
“By working with those mentors, we were able to turn our idea into a business,” said Mayans ’15, Lucid COO and co-founder.
Early in the development of their business, they realized that the industrial drones existing in the market were not reliable or
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sufficient. This was the catalyst for what Lucid does today – manufacture purpose-built drones that can meet the needs and demands of customers. They were able to do this by building and servicing their own drones in-house, while also keeping the hardware and software development internal. They lease these drones to third parties and train them to operate the drones, giving them a plug and play solution.
The summer after graduating from Davidson, Lucid was one of 200 businesses selected from 25,000 applicants and 1,000 finalists to participate in the summer 2019 batch of Y Combinator, one of the top startup accelerators in the world. The selection meant that they would receive an investment of $150,000 and live in Silicon Valley for three months while they worked intensively with the Y Combinator community to refine their pitch and get them in the best possible shape before seeking additional investors. “It was an amazing experience to continue to build the business and to be in the company of other businesses like AirBNB, Reddit and Dropbox that also went through Y Combinator in their early stages,” said Mayans. “Through the process we were able to raise a round of funding of a little more than $1 million which allowed us to return to Charlotte, open our office, make some hires and scale out the team, and prepare for an official launch in early 2020.” Then COVID-19 turned the world upside down. As young entrepreneurs, they quickly realized that they had to adapt to be able to survive. “Our business has always been about solving a problem,” said Mayans. “We saw a new problem that could also be solved using drone technology, and we were perfectly positioned to not only see the need, but to be able to provide a quality solution. So, we pivoted away from washing buildings and focused our efforts on sanitation applications. COVID-19 is the biggest problem the world is facing, and enhanced sanitation protocols are necessary.” They began looking at how large athletic stadiums were tackling the need for sanitation. To sanitize a 100,000-person stadium would take two workers outfitted with backpack sprayers multiple days to cover the entire stadium. That same two– man crew can now disinfect the entire stadium in just hours with Lucid’s solution. The efficiency of this new application, the
D1 Disinfecting Drone, was unbeatable. It’s not only efficient, but effective, as the D1 is equipped with electrostatic sprayers that positively charge each individual chemical particle to assure an even distribution across surfaces. Once Lucid pivoted from providing a solution for washing building exteriors to using drone technology in sanitation applications, the demand and interest grew exponentially. Lucid is currently focused on applying drone technology to make the sanitation of large spaces, such as athletic arenas, more efficient and cost-effective. In addition to a number of new clients, they recently leased their sanitation drone to Texas A&M to use in their facilities such as Kyle Field and Reed Arena. Lucid trained the university’s staff to operate the new technology. Lucid also recently began working with Westminster and is training the facilities staff on how to employ the D1 Disinfecting Drone on campus.
Mayans believes that drones are an underutilized technology that can revolutionize a variety of industries. “The general public is unaware of the many ways that drone technology can help. We started this business to help people, and that mission statement remains true as we aim to do our part to aid in the fight against this invisible enemy,” said Mayans. “The entire Lucid team is honored to be able to offer the D1 Disinfecting Drone - a purpose-built, end-to-end solution that allows nontechnical businesses and institutions to implement modern drone technology into their operations to enhance their disinfection protocols.” To learn more about Lucid Drone Technologies, visit www.luciddronetech. com. You can also follow @luciddronetech on Instagram or Facebook.
“The ability to use drone technology on campus to sanitize our gym, the SAC and other large capacity spaces is a game changer,” said Rob Lundgren ’76, Westminster’s Chief Financial Officer. “It allows us to free up staff to focus on cleaning and sanitizing other areas of the school that require a human touch.” Through drone technology, Lucid is making enhanced disinfection more feasible and affordable to businesses in need, allowing areas of the community to safely return to normal operations. Mayans credits his degree in Philosophy from Davidson with helping him excel in developing Lucid. “I love the way the study of philosophy makes you think, and how it trains you to look at a problem,” said Mayans. “Because there aren’t definitive answers, you’re essentially training your mind how to think deeply about open-ended problems. It is really applicable in so many areas, and certainly entrepreneurship.”
Best friends since fourth grade when they met in Mrs. Koger’s class, Mayans reached out to Julian Infante ’15 during the development of the business. Infante immediately wanted to get involved and helped grow the business as time allowed as he finished his collegiate baseball career at Vanderbilt University. Now, as a professional baseball player in the Miami Marlins organization, he continues to support the growth of the business.
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Heetderks Inspires School Community to Support Front Line Workers
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lementary School Art teacher Anne Heetderks is always on the go. She is a constant whirlwind of activity either in the classroom encouraging her students to be the best artists they can be or finding a new project to help others that most would be intimidated to tackle. So, it came as no surprise when in the midst of transitioning to teaching online in March (no easy task) Anne found a way to do both and provide desperately needed face coverings to health care workers. With fabric in hand, a design, and her personal sewing machine, Anne got to work. She sewed all hours of the day and night. Soon her husband, Doug Heetderks, Westminster’s WorldWonder teacher, and daughter Elise, a Westminster ‘19 alum and FSU sophomore, joined her by pleating the masks, adding elastic bands, and more. A small assembly line was born. As other employees and Westminster families heard about what she was doing, the assembly line grew, each taking a portion of the task. Anne not only sewed, she also researched, organized and inspired an army of volunteers. She broke down the task of producing a mask into six easy steps so that interested volunteers who did not know how to sew could also make a difference. She created video tutorials and shared them on her YouTube account to support volunteers and to provide a resource for others in the community interested in sewing masks.
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MASK RECIPIENTS
AMAZING VOLUNTEERS
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That was just the beginning. Doctors began dropping off fabric at Anne’s home so she could make them the masks they so desperately needed. As quickly as they dropped off the material, they would return to pick up the newly made masks. She also created new videos on YouTube to show others how to work with this new design and extend the reach of their mask making skills.
Heetderks’ youngest daughter Elise ’19 joined the assembly line to help her mom with this project. In God’s perfect timing, Anne had also just taught her elementary students basic sewing skills. Students had learned to thread a real needle and to perform simple tasks like sew a button. When the pandemic required the campus to close, she had sent them home with felt fabric and a sewing kit so they could practice. So as Anne tackled the task of sewing masks for healthcare workers, her students understood and were watching. They would join her on Microsoft Teams as she sewed and assembled, and began sewing their own creations eager to share this experience with their teacher. “Students loved learning how to sew!” said Anne. “To see how a skill could be instantly useful was so empowering to them, and they wanted to get involved.” Students as young as preschoolers served as volunteers, and in some cases entire families joined to support the cause. Some were busy at sewing machines while others served as couriers making contactless deliveries to the next person in the production line. Some volunteers even learned how to sew just to be able to lend a hand. They made both lined and unlined face coverings, allowing them to be used alone or as an additional cover over a medical grade mask. Doctors, nurses and other health care workers who are part of the
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Westminster community were the first recipients, and helped Anne and her team deliver the masks into the hands of those who needed them most. They ranged from private pediatrician offices and nursing homes to nurses and doctors who worked at local hospitals such as Baptist, Kendall Regional and Jackson Memorial. The team made and delivered more than 1,000 cotton masks. “This is an outstanding example of Westminster’s core values of excellence and innovation,” said Scott Jones, Westminster’s head of school. “It is also evidence of the great creativity and compassion of our teachers and families. We are grateful for Anne’s leadership in this effort and for the involvement of many of our team members.” While the cotton masks were hugely popular, some hospitals and medical professionals needed medical grade masks that were uniform and could be easily sanitized. From the Hew family at Westminster, Anne learned about masks designed by an anesthesiologist at the University of Florida that were made from medical fabric that is normally discarded after being used to wrap sanitized surgical instruments. By adopting this doctor’s patented design, Anne was able to cut and assemble 200 masks from just nine pieces of this medical fabric.
“Thanks to school families in the medical industry, the news spread,” said Anne. “We were able to work together to make another 1,200 masks for those who were in desperate need of PPE.” The community rallied around Anne to make this project possible. As the project and the network of volunteers grew, so did the need for financing the materials and supplies. While Anne had covered all costs to that point, a GoFundMe page was established by her daughter Annika, a Westminster ‘17 alum and FSU senior, to help offset the expenses and to provide for future funding. They raised approximately $3,500 and were able to purchase supplies and a second sewing machine to help boost their productivity. Months later, Anne is still producing masks for anyone who needs one. The effects of her selfless act has had ripple effects throughout the student community as well. Students have organized mask-making operations themselves and learned that they can make a difference. The interest in sewing in general has peaked and there is even discussion among students of starting a sewing club. “I am constantly in awe of the combination of gifts and talents that God gives each of us,” said Anne. “It was so cool to see how God was able to bring a beautiful mix of people together with just the right skills to make a real difference for others!” To view Anne’s video tutorials, please visit YouTube and search “Anne Heetderks.” Be sure to also check out her amazing student artwork and educational videos from her classroom.
MEDICAL MASKS
STUDENTS LEARN TO SEW
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WARRIOR FIRST RESPONDERS
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” I Peter 4:10
E
ach and every one of us has a story to tell from our experiences during the pandemic. We all played a part in this global phenomenom that changed our
daily lives in ways we could have never imagined. We are grateful to those in our community who stand at the forefront, serving our community. We are especially thankful to those in our Warrior family who share God’s love in their communities through their professions. Following are just a few of our alumni who represent the sacrifices and service of so many. We are grateful!
First Row (left to right): David Henghold ‘94, Firefighter for Pompano Beach Fire Department, Elizabeth Rose ‘00, Social Worker/RN, Baptist Hospital; Second Row (left to right): Austan Scherr ‘14, Firefighter/ Paramedic, Cody Jackson ‘08, Deputy, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office; Third Row (left to right): Susie Forbes ‘14, RN, Memorial Regional Hospital Adult Emergency Room, Jennifer Hwang, MD ‘99, Emergency Medicine Resident, Amy Bronson ‘88, RN, UC Health in Colorado, Cindy Daras Daniels ‘96, Medical Assistant, Coastal Carolina Healthcare.
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Nick Kuntz ‘11, Firefighter/Paramedic
Janelli Perez Roberts ‘12, NICU Nurse
Lindsey Gass ‘09, RN, Jackson Hospital
Hunter Scherr ‘16, Firefighter/EMT
Juan Carlos Ucros ‘05, BSN, RN, CCRN, Nurse Manager Ambulatory
Crystal Wiedenmann Newcomm ‘83, Labor and Delivery RN
Mikaela Rivera ‘16, RN, Baptist Hospital
Laura Kissel Wagner ‘93, Nurse Practitioner
Alex Hensley ‘15, RN, Mercy Hospital
Brooke Cabrera Rivera ‘99, RN, Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital
Cata Rodriguez Edwards ‘03, Regional President, ChenMed
Samantha Hernandez ‘09, RN at Baptist Hospital
Jessica Dietrich Warren ’07, RN, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital
Melissa DeJong ‘87, Coral Gables Police Department
Mary-Sue Beck ‘83, RN, Director of Nursing, Long-term care facility in the Panhandle
Beatriz Fernandez ‘16, Medical Assistant, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital
Tiffany Keller Lam ‘00, Physician Assistant, Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN
Christina Lozano Nijankin ‘87, Ultrasound, Mt. Sinai Hospital Miami Beach
Rebecca Byrne Malloy ‘82, Stem Cell Transplant Nurse Coordinator/University of Chicago Medical Center
Katie Moggio ‘11, RN at South Miami
Not Photographed: Dean Wellinghoff ‘85, FDLE Officer, Rachelle Lukes ‘93, Nurse Practitioner at a women’s prison in Ocala, FL, Robert Wright, Ph.D. ‘09, Drug/vaccine researcher for Johnson & Johnson, Stefano Leitner, MD ‘09, Amanda McGiboney ’12, RN.
Desiree Mayorga, MD ‘06 Resident Physician, Diagnostic Radiology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City
Kadejah Maple ‘11, US Navy Veteran and current EMT for Miami-Dade Ambulance Service
Westminster requested submissions for this article via email, our website and on social media. If you would like to stay better connected with Westminster, please follow Westminster Christian School on Facebook, and @wcsmiami on Instagram and Twitter. To sign up for emails, contact communications@wcsmiami.org.
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CLASS OF 2020
A YEAR TO REMEMBER! THE CLASS OF 2020 NEVER COULD HAVE IMAGINED THAT THEIR LAST YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL WOULD END THE WAY IT DID. THIS IS A LITTLE GLIMPSE INTO THEIR LIVES AT WESTMINSTER! “It’s been an incredible journey the last few years filled with laughter and sorrow, success and hardships, happiness and adversities. Yet somehow through it all, you have been resilient, caring, and supported one another. This special Class of 2020 has amazingly talented students in academics, athletics, and the arts. You have been relentless in pursuing your dreams and resilient in facing adversity. Most of all though, you have shown us how to love. The Class of 2020 symbolizes what a true Warrior from Westminster is all about.” – Westminster High School Principal Alex Gonzalez
The Class of 2020 celebrated their graduation under a beautiful South Florida summer sky at the Homestead-Miami Speedway on August 1. Families with their graduates celebrated this important milestone with victory laps around the stadium, and participated in a ceremony not seen before in Westminster’s history. Listen to the graduation speeches on the WCSMIAMI YouTube channel and view more photos from this event on28the WESTMINSTER school’s FlickrCHRISTIAN account. SCHOOL Links to all of our social media channels are on the footer of www.wcsmiami.org.
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The Class of 2020 celebrated the end of their academic year with a caravan through campus, stopping at stations to pick up gifts, mementos, and awards all while faculty and staff cheered and celebrated them along the way. While the pandemic disrupted some long-held traditions, it also helped the Westminster community ďŹ nd new, exciting ways to celebrate.
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CLASS OF 2020 COLLEGE ACCEPTANCE LIST
Silver Knight Nominees: Congratulations to the Silver Knight nominees for the Class of 2020. We are proud of you! Sophia Vilar (Daughter of Henry ’87 and Rossana Vilar ’89): Athletics, Daniel Gaviria: English, Zihan Zhao: Mathematics, Rebekah Raffalski: Music and Dance Hannah Feder: Science, Isabella Morales: Speech Edgar Belaval: World Languages
Caroline Boulris Valedictorian Attending University of Florida (Daughter of Amy Brigham Boulris ’81)
Ashley Rees Salutatorian Attending Duke University
American University
Cleveland Institute of Art
ESADE
John Cabot University
Appalachian State University
College of Charleston
Florida Atlantic University
Lehigh University
Arizona State University
College of the Holy Cross
Florida Gulf Coast University
Liberty University
Colorado University
Florida International University
Louisiana State University
Babson College
Columbia College Chicago
Florida Southern College
Loyola Marymount University
Barry University
Columbia University
Florida State University
Loyola University Chicago
Barton College
Concordia University
Fordham University
Loyola University Maryland
Baylor University
Dartmouth College
Franklin & Marshall College
Loyola University New Orleans
Drew University
Furman University
Lynn University
Duke University
Gardner-Webb University
Marist College
Auburn University
Belmont Abbey College Belmont University Bentley University
Eastern University
Boston College
Eckerd College
Boston Conservatory at Berklee
Elon University
Georgetown University Georgia Tech University
Maryland Institute College of Art
Grand Canyon University
Marymount Manhattan College
Guilford College
Marymount University
High Point University
Boston University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Carnegie Melon University
Emerson College
Indiana University
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences
Clemson University
Emory University
Jacksonville University
McGill University
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Miami-Dade College
Santa Fe College
The University of Tampa
University of Mississippi
Michigan State University
Savannah College of Art and Design
Thiel College
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Montana University Montreal College Mount Holyoke College New York University Newberry College Northeastern University Nova Southeastern University Pace University Palm Beach Atlantic University Pennsylvania State University Pepperdine University
Sewanee: The University of the South Southeastern University Southern Methodist University Spring Hill College St. Edward’s College St. John’s University St. Thomas University Stetson University Syracuse University
Purdue University
Tallahassee Community College
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Texas Christian University
Rochester Institute of Technology
Texas State University
Rollins College Rutgers University Saint Leo University Saint Michael’s College Samford University
The Catholic University of America The George Washington University The University of Alabama at Birmingham
Tulane University Universal Technical Institute University of Alabama University of Arizona University of California, Berkeley
University of North Florida University of Oregon University of Richmond University of South Florida University of Tennessee
University of California, Los Angeles
University of Vermont
University of California, Santa Barbara
University of West Florida
University of Virginia
University of Central Florida
Valparaiso University
University of Cincinnati
Vanderbilt University
University of Colorado Boulder
Villanova University
University of Dallas University of Delaware
Washington University in St. Louis
University of Florida
Webster University
University of Georgia
West Virginia University
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Wheaton College MA
Wake Forest University
Xavier University
University of Miami
LO S T TO O S O O N
WARRIORS
LUCAS ALVAREZ
PATRICK BATTLE
BRIANA VEGA
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ROLL CALL 1970s Cookie Meireles ‘75 recently caught up with Gio Volpe ‘14. She saw him perform in “Matilda” and “Groundhog Day” in South Florida productions.
Kathy Dixon Pappas ’76 and Mike Pappas ’76 welcome a new grandchild, Harrison Michael Vega.
1980s
Kelly Driver Koch ‘80 and Dave Koch ‘78 shared, “Dave and I attended the
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WCS proms together in ’77 and ’78. We were each other’s first “love.” Dave graduated in ’78 and went to Houghton College. I graduated from WCS in 1980 and went to Furman University. We lost touch with each other for 40 years. Dave was married to his wife, Cindy, for 28 years and she passed away in early 2017 from brain cancer. I was married to my husband, Trey, for 30 years and he passed away in 2015 from a lung disease. Dave and I reconnected through social media sharing our common grief as widows. The rest, you could say, is history! We feel so blessed to have found each other after such profound losses. We now live in Greenville, SC and we work together, enjoy golf and travel, and our families – most especially our grandchildren!” Dr. Dewitt “Jack” Maxwell ‘80 retired this year after 30+ years serving as an educator in universities and schools. During his career, he received a number of accolades including being named a distinguished alumnus by the University of Tennessee. He and his wife Robyn currently split their time between Memphis, TN and Perdido Key, FL. They have two children: Trevor and Jillian, who are both in college.
Sue Mazzola Dick ’81 was recently featured on the cover of the August/ September issue of the “Tallahassee Woman” magazine. She is the first female to serve as president and CEO of the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce, a role she as held since 1999. Michael Fay ‘82 was knighted into the Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem Knights of Malta. The Knights of
Malta are a prestigious humanitarian and business diplomacy organization that has existed for more than 900 years. This will allow him to serve in the future as a rotational diplomat to the United Nations. Penny Burroughs Robinson ‘83 shares, “Running is my thing now! Just completed my first 10K!!”
1990s In 2018, Elizabeth “Liz” Morton ‘90 and her family moved their home and business to Nashville, Tennessee. Liz and her husband own Neto Financial Group where Liz practices as a CPA and Arturo runs the investment advisory group. Together, they team up to drive their daughter Maya to her many extracurricular activities and occasionally get out to the performing arts center or enjoy one of the many top-notch food venues in Music City. During the summer, Liz and Arturo enjoy listening to Banjo music by the Barn with their new friends at Arrington Vineyards at least twice a month.
John Jones ‘91 is a wildlife educator and handler. He was featured on Animal Planet, Deco Drive and Rapola commercials. John is the proud father of two young daughters. John’s wildlife shows can be seen at Gator Park (SW 8th Street) in the Everglades on Wednesdays through Saturdays. Adam Kutner ‘93 is celebrating 20 years in the real estate business. I found my true love in Las Vegas (she is from Michigan) and we were married in June 2019.
Javi Miranda ‘96 and wife Kelley live in Riverview, FL and have three boys: Trey (15), Talan (11) and Ty (5). They have been married for 16 years. Javi has been coaching baseball at Hillsborough Community College in Tampa for five years. He was promoted this season to associate head coach/recruiting coordinator. Dacia Chaffin Wiegandt ‘97 an Karl Wiegandt ‘96 lead very busy lives. Karl is now the vice president of the family business, Strawberry Fields of Kendall and Burr’s Berry Farm, a third-generation farm which has been in business for 60 years. Dacia is a senior national sales director with Mary Kay, Inc. and a lifestyle blogger (@Dacialea). They have three children: Austin, 13, who is in 8th grade at WCS and plays baseball on the school and travel teams; Mason, 11, who is in 6th grade and also aspires to play baseball at Westminster; and, Addison, 9, who is in 4th grade and loves dancing, singing, and creating. She shares, “We cannot tell you what a dream it is to have our kids attend the same school that we did. Westminster Christian school has been a blessing to us. It is our second home from home.”
2000s
Tiffany Keller Lam ‘00 shared, “Everyday I give thanks to our Lord for His generous blessings. My husband and daughter fill my life with the utmost joy! In 2020, I
will complete my first participation as a provider in a clinical trial at Mayo Clinic! It is so rewarding to provide patient care as a physician assistant.”
Michael Green ‘01 and wife Simone welcomed the birth of their son Logan James Green on March 21, 2020. His proud grandparents are longtime Westminster employees Lyle and Ann Green. Ann has served in the Business Office for more than 30 years, and Lyle has served in a variety of capacities from teacher to currently as a counselor in the high school. Ryan Blaum ‘02 and wife Ashley announced the birth of their son Bodie on June 15, 2020 in Texas.
Lucette Talamas ‘05 shared, “I remember being one of six students in Dr. Martinez’s AP Chemistry class, not knowing at the time that the strong science foundation she would instill in me would be what helped me excel in my preparations to become a Registered Dietitian (RD). I remember the day Mrs. Dumas informed me about being accepted into a Hispanic High School Student Scholar’s program at the University of Florida. To this day, I am grateful for her guidance which is the reason I considered applying to UF and ultimately had an amazing college experience. In college, I fell in love with nutrition when I realized food is science. After graduating from the UF in 2009 with a degree in food science and human nutrition, I completed my dietetic internship at Florida Hospital Orlando, where I then worked as a clinical
dietitian for 2 years. Longing to be closer to my family, I returned to Miami in 2012 to work at Baptist Health South Florida as a wellness dietitian in the Community Health Department. Through this role, I provide group focused nutrition education classes throughout South Florida. I have also had opportunities to contribute nutrition advice through print and broadcast media, featured in South Florida PBS the Health Channel, Miami Herald, CBS Miami, Telemundo and Univision. In 2018, I was honored as Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year Award from the Florida Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. As of this year, I just completed my Master of Science in Nutrition and Wellness with an Entrepreneurship Certificate from Benedictine University online program. As I approach my 10th year of practice as a RD, I am grateful for all the people that have poured into me and opportunities that have provided a platform to communicate complex health concepts into practical nutrition advice that to help people prevent and manage chronic conditions. Looking back, I can see how God’s hand worked in my life through my experience at WCS which then prepared me for what was to come, especially academically and professionally.”
Rachel Pappas Vega ‘05 and Christian Vega ‘08 welcomed their first child. Harrison Michael Vega was born on April 16, 2020. Dr. Anne Langhorne Jeffrey ‘06, assistant professor of philosophy at Baylor University in Waco, TX, was recently interviewed on the university’s weekly
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podcast sharing her insight into building community and engaging with students remotely during COVID-19. She explained how she pivoted her Bioethics class to focus on real-world ethical questions related to resource allocation and more during the pandemic and how students can engage with classmates and topics from separate locations. Anne joined the faculty at Baylor in fall 2019. She earned a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Georgetown University, and then was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Notre Dame. She earned a B.A. in Philosophy from Baylor in 2010. Katie Medder Moon ‘07 and Tim Moon ‘07 have two children at Westminster: Summer ‘31 and Deegan ‘33. Katie works for Kiso Group, a swimming pool contracting company, where she is the lead residential estimator and project manager. She also manages the pool maintenance division. She has also been coaching volleyball for 12 years and is the director of the training program for Miami Elite. Tim is a real estate agent and team leader. He works with customers and his team members all over south Florida. Both are members of Hope Chapel where Katie is a worship leader and Tim is a keyboard player on the worship team. Monica Blanco-Taggart ‘08 and husband Eric had their first son, Bradley, on May 9, 2020
Taylor Chao Butler ‘09 and husband Saxon welcomed their son, Hudson Rhett Butler, on April 28, 2020. The family lives in Salt Lake City, UT.
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Ashley Chao Owens ‘09 and husband Josh celebrated the birth of son, Jordan Hunter, on June 7, 2020. The family lives in Birmingham, AL.
2010s Juan Brizuela ‘10 has been living in New York City for three years now working as a publicist in one of the city’s top PR firms. Nicky Jocelyn-Holt ‘10 married Nick Herrera on Satur day, March 7, 2020 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Miami Beach. Jacquelyn Rodriguez Davis ‘10 graduated in 2014 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration. She is a customer strategy consultant with Deloitte, in Washington, D.C. This past December, she married Jeffrey Davis from San Diego, CA. This joyful event took place at The Deering Estate and was attended by many WCS classmates including Michelle Hilson, her maid-of-honor and best friend since kindergarten. Sterling Pilsbury ‘11 married Valentina Izaguirre on the island of St. Barths on August 18, 2020.
Katie Diaz ’11 moved to Los Angeles after graduation to pursue a career in acting. She has appeared in several films, one of which aired on the Lifetime Channel in 2019, and another one being released later this year. She also supplements her acting work as a post-production coordinator for an Amazon documentary. Wilson Medder ‘11 is married to Shawnee and they have two children: Arrington, 7, and Izzy, 5. The family lives in Washington Courthouse, Ohio. He is the network administrator for the Cincinnati Bengals NFL football team. He had the honor to be side by side with the Head Coach, Zac Taylor during the 2020 Virtual NFL draft for the first pick. Wilson is also an elder and worship team member for Renew Church.
Janelli Perez Roberts ‘12 married her college sweetheart this past March. They met through his two college roommates at Florida Gulf Coast University, who had attended Westminster: Bijan Ghaemmaghami ’11 and Nicholas Mata ’11. Mr. Reed officiated the wedding and her best friend, Camila Aramburu ’12, was the maid of honor. Many WCS alumni were there to celebrate, as well as being in the wedding party and as ceremony speakers. “I wouldn’t have met the love of my life
without the friendships and connections I made at WCS. We plan on continuing to live in South Florida.” Janelli works as a nurse in a NICU and her husband is a research scientist at the University of Miami.
Stephanie Bloodworth ‘16 graduated from the Parsons School of Design with a BFA in Integrated Design in New York City.
Richard Diaz ‘12 graduated in May as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Florida. He will be starting his internship in Coral Springs Animal Hospital specializing in ophthalmology. Walker Blanco ‘13 started modeling with Wilhemina Miami and LA during his senior year at Westminster. In 2019, he began working with a private manager out of LA and now models on the runway and in print campaigns. He is signed with D’Management Group in Milan, Italy; Kult Models in Germany, London, and Sydney; Sight Management in Spain, and Ford in New York. His most recent project was with Armani. An avid free diver for many years, Walker also run Deep USA. The company was founded by Dimitris Kollias, whom Walker met in Greece and who taught him the proper techniques for free diving. Their friendship blossomed into a business partnership and Kollias asked Walker to introduce the products in the American market. Unfortunately, Kollias passed away and now Walker runs the company in the U.S., with the help of his sister,
Quinn Blanco ‘17, who is a senior studying public relations and marketing at the University of Miami. You can view Deep’s product line on www.deepusagear.com, and follow them on Instagram @deep_usa. When he isn’t modeling or working the business, Walker’s passion is raising endangered turtles, tortoises and iguanas for conservation purposes. Gio Volpe ‘14 is an actor in South Florida. He has recently been featured in “Matilda” and “Groundhog Day.” Daniel Dvorak ‘15 is living in Saint Paul, MN and working at 3M as a Project Engineer. Eli Medder ‘15 graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2019. He shared, “I’m the electrical officer on the USS Vella Gulf stationed out of Norfolk, VA. I’m in charge of the electricians onboard and together we maintain most of the electrical work throughout the ship. During my designated times I’m one of three officers that drives the ship and represent the Captain when he’s busy doing other things. My ship is a Guided Missile Cruiser with a crew of about 400 people, 30 of which are officers.”
Nicole Boulris ‘16 graduated in May from Belmont University with a BS in Creative Entertainment Industry Studies and a minor in music. Ilse Brenner ‘16 graduated from Boston College with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a minor in managing for social impact and the public good. She works for Oracle Corporation in Santa Monica, California.
Ashley Diaz ‘16 graduated in May from Emory University as a Woodruff Scholar. She earned a BA in chemistry, as well a double major BS degree in neuroscience and behavioral biology. She was accepted into more than eight medical schools, ultimately choosing the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine with
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a full tuition scholarship, over Harvard Medical School. She shared, “I thought it would be a tough decision... In the end, it was the easiest decision I ever made!” Katy Milian ‘16 graduated summa cum laude from Wake Forest University with a double major in psychology and theater, earning a bachelor of arts with honors. She was also inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest, most prestigious, academic honor society in the U.S. She is pursuing acting and playwriting professionally in Miami, and is also working in the Westminster Fine Arts Department. Eventually, she plans to return to grad school for a master degree in counseling. Dayma Pla ‘16 graduated from St. Thomas University with two bachelor degrees: English Literature and Criminal Justice.
Kevin Rodriguez ‘16 graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with Highest Distinction (summa cum laude) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He served as vice president of his senior class and earned the Undergraduate Business Award for Leadership and the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School Excellence in Consulting Award. He begins his full-time position as an associate with Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in December. Until then, he will continue to work part-time remotely as a STAR Ambassador for UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, and in June, he will be earning his Yoga Teacher Training Certification at Franklin St Yoga Center.
Miranda Torres ‘17 graduated from Florida State University with honors in May 2020, just three years after graduating from Westminster. She majored in Public Relations and is also currently pursuing a master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communications. On campus, she was actively involved in Dance Marathon, the largest student fundraising event benefiting Childrens Miracle Network, and was a regular contributor to hercampus.com online magazine. Victoria Winter ‘18 is a college sophomore in the ROTC majoring in Religious Studies. She is training with the Air Force and her goal is to commission in the Air Force as a Chaplain.
Have You Joined Warrior Alumni Connect?
Is Your Alumni Directory Listing Up-to-Date?
Warrior Alumni Connect (www.warrioralumniconnect. org) is an exclusive networking platform for alumni to connect with fellow alums, seek professional recommendations, search for a job, or seek applicants from highly qualified and reliable Westminster alumni.
Is your mail from Westminster still being sent to your parent’s address? Every Westminster alumni has a profile on the password-protected, online Alumni Directory. You have the ability to manage the information you share with us and others such as: address, phone number, email and more. Your contact information is used to send news about reunions, alumni gatherings in your area, updates on alumni, school information, and more.
You can sign up using your LinkedIn or Facebook account, or by signing up directly at www.warrioralumniconnect.org. With nearly 600 alumni already registered, what are you waiting for? Join today!
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Andre Wennin ‘16 graduated from Florida State University with a bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems. Andre
will be attending Florida State University to receive his MBA this fall. Sofia Wennin ‘16 graduated from Florida State University with a bachelor’s degree in International Affairs and will attend Florida State University to receive her master’s degree in Commuinications and Marketing.
WESTMINSTER CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Contact alumni@wcsmiami.org to request your login or to update your contact information.
(L to R): Joey Alamo ‘15 and guest, Jess Dietrich Warren ‘07, Tim Moon ‘07, Katie Moon ‘07, Patrick Wennin ’12, Sam Zakka ’16, Mr. Medder, Diana Puente Gutierrez ‘03, Lisa Colon Eustis ‘03, Coco Perez-Medrano ‘05, Tomorris Roberts ‘10, and Eduardo Solorzano ‘09.
Mingle with Medder
M
r. Medder hosted a group of alumni on campus just before the pandemic required the campus to close. Alumni gathered in the new WorldWonder Nature Center and visited the Elementary School campus, and the new performing arts center, The Lighthouse, while it was under construction.
MEMORIALS Jeffrey Munzell ‘71 of Bradenton, FL went home to his Lord and Savior on January 21, 2020. Jeff is survived by his wife of 27 years, Jane, three children, two granddaughters, a brother Adrian, and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents and a brother, Gregory. Dan Smading ‘74 of Sarasota, FL passed away on June 26, 2020. He is survived by his son, mother and sisters Connie Musselman ‘72, Karen Cannon and Kristi Devaney ‘78, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
David Barrentine ‘88 passed away on August 11, 2020. He is survived by his sons Justin and Brandon Barrentine. Laura Smith ‘10 passed away in April 2020.
THEN & NOW
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James Henderson ‘21 received an alley-oop from Frankie Idlett ‘21 as they led the Warriors to victory over the Columbus Explorers by a score of 80-75 on December 7, 2019.
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