Then & Now - Summer 2023

SUMMER 2023

IN THIS ISSUE: STORIES OF INSPIRATION, INNOVATION AND EXCELLENCE

4 Message from Head of School

6 Thank You for Your Service

8 Leaving a Lasting Legacy: Kari DeRuiter ’74 Retires

11 Juan Rondeau ’27 Competes at Scripps National Spelling Bee Three Years in a Row

12 With Help from Julia Brown ‘22, Westminster Students Take to the Sky

13 Empowering Learners: Preparing Our Students for Life Beyond the Classroom

14 Class of 2023: Accolades and More

16 Students Celebrate Easter Worship Week

18 Westminster Fine Arts Shines at Home and Afar

22 Rock-Paper-Scissors: An Enduring Tradition

24 Westminster Launches First Esports Team

26 Rekindling Connections: Homecoming and Alumni Weekend

28 Westminster Holds First Annual Westee Awards

30 From Player to Coach: Wennin ’12 Returns to Warrior Field

33 Roll Call and Reunions

43 Memorials

EDITOR: Ana M. Poveda ‘87, Director of Communications & Marketing

ASSISTANT EDITOR: Ismeraly Torres, Assistant Director of Communications

2022-23 WESTMINSTER BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Dr. Philip Floyd, Chair; Dr. Alexander Trujillo, Vice Chair;

Mr. Paul Quentel, Treasurer; Mrs. Sandy Carson, Secretary;

Mr. Rick Cook; Mrs. Jennifer Coya; Mr. Derek Deville ‘91; Mr. James Hannon; Mr. Jud Henry; Mr. Hamilton Jones ‘01 and Mr. Jay Parker.

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.

COVER PHOTO: Paper gliders made by high school students during Worship Week hang in front of a mural dedicated to Christopher Bobson ‘23. Photo credit: Ismeraly Torres

This brand-new elementary school playground equipment was made possible thanks to generous donations to the Warrior Fund and funds raised by elementary families through the Annual Boosterthon. Our students are grateful!

Scott Jones Head of School

Dear Westminster family, T

his was the first fully “normal” school year after several years of pandemic-related challenges. Though Westminster was the first school in South Florida to re-open after a forced closure and though we led the way among South Florida schools in terms of operating programs and activities on campus and in person, COVID was constantly at the forefront of our minds while we navigated its challenges. Getting beyond the pandemic has undoubtedly been a cause for celebration, but it is important to recognize that “normal” life is not without its own set of challenges. This has been a year in the life of Westminster in which there have been many successes and numerous reasons to celebrate, but we have also experienced loss. In the midst of it all, God is good, and He is sovereign.

As we turn the pages of this edition of Then & Now, we embark on a journey through this year, visiting highlights of events and stories of Westminster alumni, students, and staff. Within the confines of these covers, we highlight features that pay tribute to the remarkable individuals who have shaped the Westminster community and continue to shape its legacy:

• Leaving a Lasting Legacy: Kari DeRuiter ‘74 Retires. In this alumni feature, we delve into the inspiring story of Kari DeRuiter, which began when her family started the school. Kari is not only a graduate, but she has also spent her career serving Westminster as a teacher and coach.

• From Player to Coach: Patrick Wennin ‘12 Returns to Warrior Field. We shine a spotlight on the accomplishments of Patrick Wennin, an alumnus who has risen to new heights as our new head football coach. Patrick’s story highlights the incredible talent and dedication that Westminster nurtures.

• Rekindling Connections: Homecoming and Alumni Weekend. Relive the excitement and camaraderie of our most recent Homecoming Alumni Weekend. We also revisit the joyous reunions of our esteemed alumni from several classes in Roll Call. Through anecdotes, memories, and friendships, these reunions serve as a testament to the enduring sense of community that permeates Westminster.

Additionally, we highlight the remarkable achievements of individuals like Julia Brown ‘22 and Westminster middle schooler Juan Rondeau ‘27, a three-time Miami-Dade Spelling Bee Winner. We celebrate the new internship program, our thriving athletic department, the dazzling performances of our fine arts students, and the cherished traditions that unite us. We also pay homage to Chris Bobson ‘23, whose enduring impact on our current student body will forever be remembered. We extend our deepest gratitude to all the alumni, students, and staff who contributed to this remarkable edition. Your unwavering support, remarkable stories, and continued engagement serve as a testament to the strength of our community.

As I write this article, the school year is over, and we are in the initial weeks of summer. The campus is quieter than normal, but there is still much activity. In the span of a few hours,

We are blessed and grateful that YOU are a part of this incredible community.

I encounter several people who together paint a picture of our unique community. I see a fifth-grade girl who tells me that she is not too excited about summer vacation because she will miss the teachers and friends she loves so much in our elementary school. I stop and chat with a college student who is pressure washing for our maintenance team. He graduated from Westminster a few years ago and is happy to be giving part of his summer in service to the school he loves. I meet two couples that are here for a campus tour—one couple graduated from Westminster 15 years ago as “lifers” and they want to send their own children to Westminster in the next few years, and they brought friends along to also introduce them to our school. I return to my office and a couple from New York stops by. The gentleman taught at Westminster back in the 80s before going overseas as a missionary and had not been back on campus in decades. He was thrilled to see how the school has kept its focus on its mission for all these years. Then I run into a family that is moving to Miami from the west coast of Florida primarily to send their kids to Westminster. They had heard about the school, its reputation for excellence, and its powerful sense of community, and they felt like they had to move their family to Miami to be a part of the Westminster family.

This is our community. This is Westminster. We are blessed and grateful that YOU are a part of this incredible community.

Kind regards,

Scott Jones Head of School

Thank You for Your Service

These exemplary employees retired this school year. They were recognized for their dedication to the Westminster community at the Spring Association meeting in April and again at the end-of-year faculty and staff assembly. Westminster students and families were blessed by their service. We are grateful for them and pray for God’s richest blessings on them as they enjoy retirement!

“Those are wonderful people and gifted teachers. Congratulations to you all. Bless you!”

CLAUDIA SPRINGER, FORMER FACULTY AND ALUMNI PARENT

“So blessed to have learned from each of these incredible pictured teachers...”

RACHEL MCDANIELS ‘05

“SO grateful for all of you and all the things you taught me my whole life! Thank you and congratulations.”

“These teachers are amazing! I had the honor of working with each one of them during my first years of teaching…they encouraged and inspired me. Mostly, they were my friends and I’m so grateful. God bless you as you continue your kingdom work!”

SHANDA SPRICK

“Thank you for your service!!!

Ms. Levi-Nolander made a huge impact in the lives of my daughters. Thank you for everything.”

@EM_JKW

IVANNA LEITNER PEREZ ‘12

Kari DeRuiter All School 40 years

Susan Fawcett Preschool 22 years

Marcia Dieleman High School 28 years

Joe Dieleman High School 20 years

Joy Levi-Nolander Middle School 25 years

Here are just a few of the comments that were shared on Facebook and Instagram in response to the announcement of their retirement:

Kari DeRuiter ‘74: LEAVING A LASTING LEGACY

A

fter 40 years as a Westminster employee and 13 years as a student, Kari DeRuiter ‘74 has retired. Every year, amazing teachers with long legacies retire from Westminster, but Kari is different. She, and thousands of others, are the beneficiaries of the dream her grandfather had more than 60 years ago – to begin a Christian school where his grandchildren and the children of other Christian families could receive an excellent education.

Kari was enrolled in the first grade at Westminster when the school first opened its doors in 1961. She remained a student at the school until graduating in 1974.

She attended Calvin College in Michigan and graduated with a degree in K-12 education, knowing that she wanted to be a physical education teacher. She had always loved sports and had played volleyball, softball, and basketball at Westminster. During her senior year, Kari had been able to shadow the physical education teacher, also a Calvin graduate.

“She taught me to draw up lesson plans and allowed me to be her teacher’s aide in the elementary program. It was a great opportunity to learn about teaching physical education and confirmed my desire to become a teacher.”

After college, Kari taught middle school physical education in Michigan for four years until the warmer weather enticed her back home to Florida. She interviewed at a few schools, including Westminster, but was hesitant to return to the school her grandfather had founded and where her dad had served in leadership roles. She was in town for only three days and needed to have a job before she left. She prayed for the Lord’s guidance, and Westminster called and said they wanted to hire her.

Memories from a former student

Miss DeRuiter was my PE teacher in junior high, and in high school, I became her teacher’s assistant, where I helped with the junior high classes. What I remember most were the times when we would talk in her office. These conversations helped me realize that being an adult was not some strange unknown thing because she treated me with respect and made me feel important. I had so many great teachers during my 12 years at WCS and a few of them became friendships as an adult. Kari was one of them. I was so happy to see her again when my son started at Westminster. It reminded me that WCS will always feel like home, because of the people who make it feel like a family, people like Kari DeRuiter.

– Melissa DeJong ‘87

The DeRuiter family: Parents Jim and Ethel DeRuiter surrounded by their children (l to r): Mary, Jim, Kari, and Ruth.

Kari DeRuiter, front row in green dress, in second grade at Westminster.

“I had to put aside my pride. Even though my family was no longer involved with the operation of the school, I was concerned people would say that I got the job because of my grandfather or dad,” said Kari. “No one brought it up, but I was self-conscious about it.”

In 1982, Kari began to teach middle school and high school girls’ physical education at Westminster. She taught high school in the morning and middle school in the afternoon. After school, she coached in the girls’ athletic program. Over her 40 years at Westminster, she coached volleyball, softball, and track and field, and served as the women’s varsity basketball coach for 18 years. She even helped coordinate the tennis program.

As the years went by and the school began to celebrate milestone anniversaries, Kari was called upon to share about her family and the history of how the school began.

From student to employee

From player to coach: Kari turned her love of sports into a successful coaching career, including 18 years as the girls basketball coach.

Kari on graduation day

“As a student, I never felt any different than the other students. But as an employee, I came to recognize the tremendous opportunity the Lord had given me to share the story of Westminster.”

Kari was a first-hand witness to her grandfather rallying his friends and business partners to support Westminster with their time and resources. Her grandfather also shared his intention with other Christian men, including his son-inlaw and Kari’s father, Jim DeRuiter, who also believed in the dream.

Jim DeRuiter, who passed away in 2022 at the age of 90, had spent countless years on the Westminster Board and championed the need for an endowment at the school to help families who could not afford a private, Christian education for their children.

“My grandfather would pass the plate around the board meeting and say ‘you have to give more, we need more’ to make sure Westminster continued to grow. He would often pay teachers from his own pocket because it needed to be done.”

Kari is the oldest of the four children of Jim and Ethel DeRuiter. Her sister, Ruth, graduated from Westminster in ‘75, and twins Mary and Jim graduated in ‘78. She and her sisters were all educators, with

Mary being the only other grandchild to have also worked at Westminster.

“Mom was a teacher when she graduated from college, and even my grandfather was a teacher for a brief time before he became a businessman. A love for education and a desire to support Christian education, in particular, is part of my family’s DNA.”

The last few years of Kari’s career at Westminster were spent as a permanent full-time substitute. She had hoped most of her time would be spent in the middle and high school because that was most familiar to her, but as God would have it, she spent most of her first year subbing in the elementary school.

“My first week I had to sub for a first-grade teacher,” said Kari. “I said ‘Oh Lord, what have you’ve gotten me into’ but I miraculously survived. I was in awe of how the elementary teachers bring the Lord into their lessons, how they love those kids, and what they teach them – it was a real eye-opener for me.”

She was looking forward to continuing in this role when her dad’s health began to fail, and she knew it wouldn’t be much longer before he went home to be with the Lord. Kari is the main caregiver for her parents, and she prayed for weeks to know

if it was time for her to retire. She felt an incredible peace about the decision.

“I was very thankful that the school had given me the opportunity to be in the role of a permanent substitute. It made it so much easier to make a difficult decision knowing that I wasn’t a classroom teacher whose role would need to be immediately filled.”

God’s plan for Kari right now is to care for her mom. In the future, she would like to travel around the United States with her sister, Ruth, who shares her love for hiking and biking. Further down the road, she and her sister would like to split their time between the Colorado mountains and the West Coast of Florida.

“Only God knows what the future has in store,” said Kari.

She is grateful for what God has done at and through Westminster and is impressed with the vision of the school moving forward.

“The foundation of Westminster has not changed, and God has provided men and women to continue the work of creating ambassadors for Christ that my grandfather began,” said Kari. “For that I am very grateful.”

Early photo of the Westminster Board of Directors: In the back row is Kari’s grandfather, Jules Vroon, third from the left, and her father, Jim DeRuiter, is second from the right.

Juan Rondeau ‘27 Competes at Scripps National Spelling Bee for Three Consecutive Years

At 14 years old, Juan Rondeau ‘27 boasts three first-place trophies from the annual Miami Herald Spelling Bee. Juan secured the 2023 title and his third consecutive win after 14 grueling rounds. He spelled the word “ramage,” meaning the boughs or branches of a tree, successfully at this year’s competition held in Pembroke Pines, FL. A celebration subsequently ensued filled with streamers, photographers and yet another shiny, first-place trophy. He would soon be heading to the Scripps National Spelling Bee near Washington D.C. to represent Miami-Dade County and Westminster.

In 2021, Juan tied for 139th place at the national competition and in 2022 he tied for 49th place. This year, he made it to the semifinals and placed 22nd. Juan was also invited to speak at this year’s opening ceremonies, which aired live on ION. It was a memorable way to close out his Scripps run, as students age out after the eighth grade.

“I have enjoyed the challenge of competing and learning different words with origins from all over the world. I love learning foreign words and improving my ability to spell in English,” said Juan.

Born in Argentina, Juan and his family arrived to the United States when he was eight years old. In third grade, he began competing in spelling bees.

“He has loved competing in spelling bees and was always so excited and proud to

represent Miami-Dade and Westminster at the national competition,” said Carolina Rossi Viz, Juan’s mother.

When asked what he has been most thankful for during this journey, Juan replied, “The spelling bee is very challenging and requires a lot of studying as well. I would like to thank my parents for supporting me and helping me study.”

STUDENTS TAKE TO THE SKY WITH HELP FROM JULIA BROWN ‘22

It’s no secret that the country faces a shortage of pilots. Westminster is doing its part to spark the interest of young minds to pursue an education in STEM and a career in aviation.

Students from Westminster’s Engineering Program, the third-year aerospace engineering class, took a trip to the Homestead General Aviation Airport to fly in gliders. Before the field trip, they studied the physics and mechanics of flight and applied this knowledge to gliders.

Using Aery software, the students were also able to design, construct, and test a dynamically stable wooden glider. They investigated design parameters necessary for a successful flight and practiced adjusting variables such as fuselage length, wing location, nose mass, wing taper ratio, and vertical tail height.

At Miami Gliders, licensed pilot and Westminster alumna, Julia Brown ‘22, gave

an overview of the L-23 Super Blanik glider components and control surfaces. After strapping in safely, and being launched by a towplane, Brown flew each student one at a time in the two-seater aircraft. Students experienced coordinated turns, flyovers, and level flight at 2,000 feet in the air.

“It was a memorable experience. I enjoyed observing their reactions during the flight; it made me happy to see them happy,” added Brown.

Brown is a graduate of Westminster’s Engineering Program and a licensed pilot. She is currently a glider flight instructor and a tow pilot for Miami Gliders. Brown has over 1,300 hours of flying time, 285 of which are in gliders.

Back on the ground, students also viewed the inside of the towplane, a Piper Pawnee, flown by licensed pilot Johan Martinez. Students enjoyed connecting their study of flight navigation by seeing a real cockpit and GPS instrumentation.

EMPOWERING LEARNERS:

Preparing Our Students for Life Beyond the Classroom

Westminster is dedicated to preparing students for college and career by empowering them to seek experiences and connections that go beyond the classroom. During the Spring 2023 semester, juniors and seniors joined Westminster’s Marketing and Communications Office for a presentation on how to create a LinkedIn account.

The step-by-step tutorial demonstrated the basic ins and outs of the professional networking platform and how to make the most of a LinkedIn account. Students were empowered to begin networking at an early age and make meaningful connections with professionals in their field of interest.

Westminster is also partnering with local businesses and entrepreneurs to provide students with real-life learning experiences. Through a new internship program, students have an opportunity to enrich their curriculum.

of properties. This was an invaluable experience for me and I am very appreciative to Mr. Kern.”

Class salutatorian Camila Valdes ’23 shadowed Dr. Phillip Newcomm ‘78 and had this to say about her experience: “I enjoyed observing Dr. Newcomm with his patients. In addition to a thorough knowledge of human development, he allowed me to obtain a firsthand look into the importance of strong clinical skills in a specialty like pediatrics.”

Nathan Jones ‘23 also shadowed Paul Demkovich, CEO and CFO of AvAirPros, for first-hand experience on what it takes to run a business. These are only a few of the exceptional business leaders that have welcomed Westminster students.

INTERNSHIP PARTNERS FOR THE 2022-23 SCHOOL YEAR:

• AvAirPros

• Berkshire Hathaway EWM Realty

• Busch Gardens

• Cole, Scott & Kissane

• Dr. Lima Dermatology & Cosmetic Center

• Envirowaste

• Florida Occupational Healthcare Physical Therapy

• Havas Health & You

• Holland & Knight

• MRG Public Relations

• Paraiso Miami Beach

• Physicians to Children, Dr. Phillip Newcomm ’78

• Pinecrest Pediatric Group

• Simply Smiles Miami

• Thrivent

• University of Miami

• US Century Bank

• WildType

Interested in sharing your knowledge and expertise with the next generation?

Andie Hernandez ‘23 worked with Senior Vice President Drew Kern ‘90 at Berkshire Hathaway. She said “I attended open houses and closings. I also sat in on meetings to understand the exchange between a realtor and a customer, met with brokers, and reviewed the financing

“We are thankful to our partners for opening their doors and sharing their experiences with our students,” said Brenda Alba, director of internships and service projects. “We hope more professionals will join our commitment to empower learners and inspire lives.”

Scan the code to fill out the internship host application.

Scan the code to follow us on LinkedIn!

CLASS OF 2023

ACCOLADES AND MORE College acceptances for the class of 2023 include:

Babson College

Baylor University

Boston College

Boston University

Brown University

Carnegie Mellon University

Clemson University

Columbia University

Cornell University

Davidson College

Duke University

Emory University

Florida International University

Florida State University

Georgetown University

Georgia Institute of Technology

Indiana University Bloomington

Johns Hopkins University

New York University

Northeastern University

Northwestern University

Palm Beach Atlantic University

Pepperdine University

Savannah College of Art and Design

Southern Methodist University

Stanford University

Swarthmore College

Texas A&M University

Texas Christian University

The College of William and Mary

The Ohio State University

Tulane University of Louisiana

University of Florida

University of Miami

University of Michigan

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

University of Notre Dame

University of Pennsylvania

University of Southern California

University of Virginia

Vanderbilt University

Wake Forest University

Washington University in St. Louis

Washington and Lee University

West Point – USMA

Wheaton College - IL

1 SILVER KNIGHT

WINNER AND TWO HONORABLE MENTIONS

ANGEL SAJOUS Valedictorian Duke University

CAMILA VALDES Salutatorian Brown University

EMERALD SCHOLARS PROGRAM GRADUATES

Emerald Scholars represent some of the high school’s most driven and brightest students. These students seek academic enrichment by participating in Westminster’s most rigorous courses. 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, service project and internship requirements. Program graduates will be attending some of the nation’s top universities.

ARIANA ARTEAGA Honorable Mention Athletics

ISABEL IZQUIERDO Honorable Mention English and Literature

NATALIA PINEDA Winner Digital and Interactive Media

Daniella Alvarez Baylor University

Ariel Brown-Ogha Columbia University

Carolina Borges University of Pennsylvania

Fernanda Carneiro University of Florida

Lucas Diaz University of Florida

Isabella Galbis Stanford University

Daniel Fernandez Marietta College

Alexander Elejabarrieta Indiana University

Annalise Garrido Johns Hopkins University

Bridget Haller Bucknell University

Nathan Jones University of Central Florida

Andie Hernandez Wake Forest University

Matthew Handel West Point – USMA

Leo Leon Notre Dame

Manuela Londono University of Southern California

Brandon Micali University of Florida

Matthias Meyer University of Florida

Gabriella Martinez-Prado Florida State University

Anthony Mirabal Boston College

Diego Olivo University of Florida

Hannah Ramirez Arizona State University

Caleb Quentel University of Florida

Camila Valdes Brown University

Natalia Pineda Florida State University

Nicolas Torres de Navarra University of Michigan

Angel Sajous Duke University

Bridget Seagren Fashion Institute of Technology

Students Celebrate Easter Worship Week L

eading up to Easter, high school and middle school students reflected on Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection during Worship Week. Early in the morning and between classes, students were given the opportunity to join worship sessions, devotionals and prayer groups that focused on the events of Easter weekend.

John Bishop, Westminster’s director of spiritual formation, led the daily activities with the help of faculty and staff as well as the student chapel worship team. Students

also focused on serving others by packing meals for the needy in coordination with Caring for Miami.

As part of this special week’s activities, the high school also participated in a glider ceremony in memory of Christopher Bobson ‘23. Christopher, son of Rob and Cindy Bobson ’86 and brother to Katrina ’21, passed away in January in a tragic motorcycle accident on his way to school.

A Westminster student since third grade, he was known by all for his kind and gentle spirit, and his love for Jesus. He had recently fulfilled his dream of earning his pilot's license and being accepted to Embry-Riddle. Everyone was given the opportunity to hang a paper glider in front of a mural created by Westminster art students that depicts his plane ascending into the sky, as seen on the cover of this issue.

“For while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”

ROMANS 5:10

Westminster’s Fine Arts Shines at Home and Afar

Westminster’s Fine Arts department continues to impress with spectacular performances and visual art displays both on campus and afar.

Ahead of their trip to Hawaii, our band, choir and orchestra programs executed a beautiful concert titled, “Hawai’i Aloha.” In March, students and faculty flew to the islands and performed in several locations including Ala Moana and the Battleship Missouri Memorial. They were joined by Head of School Scott Jones, Austin Jones ’22, and Brian Buck ’97. (Top photo in right column.) Austin is currently studying at Hawaii Pacific University and is a member of the University’s choir program.

Earlier in the school year, students also participated in a magnificent concert titled “Friendship Lasts Forever” at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York. Along with the Plymouth High School Orchestra and Windiana Concert Band, students were also joined by alumni William Battle ‘22, Austin Jones ‘22, Sofia Bolivar ‘20, Christopher Lopetegui ‘21, Joseph Azel ‘21, Jonathan Gleason ‘21 and AJ Kern ‘21. (Third photo in right column.)

Back home, numerous shows wowed the community as students acted, danced and sang their hearts out with purpose and passion. The visual arts also hosted the annual Westminster Art Fair, with unique and award-winning paintings, sculptures and photographs from Westminster’s young artists.

Rock-Paper-Scissors: An Enduring Tradition

Every November for the past 17 years, high school students, faculty and staff have signed up for the rock-paper-scissors (RPS) competition. Their donation of $5 or more, a requirement of every participant to enter the competition, has helped feed families in need on Thanksgiving Day. It has also given them an opportunity to win the annual RPS competition and to be immortalized on the RPS Wall of Fame. The tradition was started by Joel Davis, the school’s high school math teacher and department chair.

“When I was in college at Taylor University, my dorm played a rockpaper-scissors tournament every year,” said Davis. “After teaching at Westminster for a few years, I thought we could try to replicate that here in the high school.”

At the start of the tournament, participants are randomly matched with opponents whom they have to locate and play a best-of-seven match of rock-paper-scissors. While it can be hectic to keep track of over 120 participants and countless matchups, Davis says it’s all part of the fun.

“I have learned to expect the chaos that comes with running the tournament. Parts of the competition bracket will advance faster than other parts. It usually takes two to three weeks to play the tournament. It often takes time for people to find their opponent,” he says.

When only two RPS participants remain, the championship match is held at the beginning of chapel in front of the entire

high school. This past November, Matt Dubocq, bible teacher, battled Seth Carlson, band director, for the title. After a 3-3 tie, Carlson surprised everyone with the win.

“It’s great to see the kids get excited. It is especially good if the match is close. It is bizarre, but participating in a close RPS match is quite nerve-racking. You get nervous. A silly activity can be taken quite seriously. It’s great to think we have a 17-year-old tradition,” added Davis who has himself participated in the competition every year since its start.

After winning the 17th annual RPS tournament, Carlson said he loved how the tradition brought everyone together.

“I loved getting to meet and compete against students that I do not have in my classes,” he added.

When asked about the secret to winning he said, “Always start with paper. Since the name of the game is rock-paper-scissors, most people start by throwing rock!”

To date, the RPS tournament has raised approximately $9,000 to support a joint project by Old Cutler Presbyterian Church and the Kiwanis Club to help feed families in need.

SETH CARLSON 2022

ALLISON WATKINS ‘07

JOSE DUASSO ‘09

GRANT BIEHLER ‘11

JOEL DAVIS

DANIEL SHAFER ‘11

LUIS MILLER ‘12

RPS WALL OF FAME

ALEXANDRA

COLE

ASHLEY

JOSEPH RICCIO ‘23

JARY REED

PATRICK WENNIN ‘12

JOSEPH RICCIO ’23

ANDRES CARDENAL ’25

SETH CARLSON 2022

Westminster Launches

First Esports Team

In 2021, Westminster formed its first ever competitive esports team, expanding the already robust list of sports offered by Westminster Athletics. The new program quickly garnered attention among the Warrior community after placing second in the State in Rocket League, a vehicular soccer video game, only a year after its launch. Omar Valerio, Westminster’s chief information and technology officer, serves as the team’s director and coach along with Spencer Swindoll.

Westminster’s first esports team heads to States. They finished their season as state runner-up.

“It’s been great seeing students learn, come out of their shell and have fun. Esports is a very inclusive program because it doesn’t require traditional athletic abilities and provides generally timid students the opportunity to be a part of a team,” said Valerio.

The world of esports consists of competitive, organized video gaming leagues that require extensive skills in teamwork and communication. It’s an industry that is continuously growing and is represented in all 50 states. Currently, over 100 universities and colleges have a varsity

esports program, which is governed by the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE). Westminster’s team is part of the PlayVS High School Esports League, a platform for amateur esports competitions.

“People may be surprised to know that esports is a great foundation for a wide range of careers such as analytics, programming and production. I’ve seen students gain many valuable skills while on the team and am excited to see what they accomplish after high school,” added Valerio.

At Westminster, a room in the MS/HS Media Center has been remodeled to fit the needs of the team. Team sponsors, Lenovo and Dade Technology Solutions, provided much of the equipment needed, including gaming desks and chairs.

“We are very grateful to our sponsor, the school and Westminster Athletics for the support they have demonstrated to this team. We believe this is an exceptional opportunity and resource for our students,” said Valerio.

HOME COMING

Fellow alumni and Warrior families gathered at the Homecoming football game to root for Westminster as they battled against Palmer Trinity on Saturday, October 15. The team was victorious with a 30-21 win. Jarvis Johnson ‘24 led the way with 100 all-purpose yards and a touchdown.

Before kickoff, the Advancement Office provided campus tours to alumni and celebrated with an all-alumni BBQ. Class reunions also took place that day for ‘71, ‘72, and ‘82. Additionally, alumni were invited to attend a special on-campus reception at the Nature Center the night before where they mingled with former classmates as well as faculty and staff.

WESTMINSTER HOLDS

FIRST ANNUAL WESTEE AWARDS

The Warriors celebrated some of the top varsity student athletes, coaches and sports moments from the 2022-23 season at the first annual Westee Awards on May 15 in the Lighthouse.

MATTHEW HANDEL ’23 Lacrosse

BROOKE REBHAN ’23 Softball

MIAMI HERALD SCHOLAR ATHLETES Westminster is the only school in the county to win both categories.

GIRLS’ MAJOR SPORTS PROGRAM OF THE YEAR

Third consecutive year and 7th time in school history

AARON HERNANDEZ ‘26 (A) Freshman of the Year

Baseball

ZOEY MATIAS ‘25 (B)

Underclassmen of the Year

Volleyball/Beach Volleyball

JULIE DOAN KURENUMA (C) Coach of the Year

Volleyball

SYLVIA HERNANDEZ GUSO ‘14 (D) Coach of the Year Beach Volleyball

RYAN PENTON ‘23 (E)

Male Athlete of the Year

Football and Lacrosse

Lehigh University Commit, Lacrosse

EMILY MATIAS ‘23 (F)

Female Athlete of the Year

Volleyball and Beach Volleyball

FIU Commit, Volleyball, Miami-Dade County Overall

Female Athlete of the Year Two Years in a Row

GABY ARROYO ‘23 (G)

Miami Dade County Girls’

Volleyball Player of the Year University of Dayton Commit

MATTHEW HANDEL ‘23 (H)

Miami Dade County Boys’ Lacrosse Player of the Year

EMILY ‘23 AND ZOEY ‘25 MATIAS (I)

Beach Volleyball Players of the Year for the second consecutive year

VOLLEYBALL (J)

Program of the Year Runner-Up at State Championship

I

I F B G E C

From Player to Coach: Wennin ’12 Returns to Warrior Field

Patrick Wennin ‘12 fell in love with the game of football on Warrior Field, and now at 29, is Westminster’s first alumni head coach to lead the program.

“It was my dream to coach at Westminster but I couldn’t see how it could happen,” said Wennin, “but God opened doors that I thought could not be opened.”

Patrick started playing football at Westminster in seventh grade, following in the footsteps of his cousins and older brother. His success as a running back landed him a spot on the football program at Maryville College in Tennessee. During his first season, he tore his ACL and found himself back in Miami to rehabilitate and

train. To stay close to the game, he began coaching at Westminster and coached for three years while finishing college.

After graduating, he began to work in marketing and social media. After a few years his career led him back to Westminster as a social media specialist. Once back on campus, his love for football and working with students was reignited.

“At Westminster, I was back around the game I love,” said Patrick. “I couldn’t stay away. This is when I started to dream about becoming a head football coach.”

WESTMINSTER CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

Wennin decided to step out in faith believing that God was preparing him for the role he was after.

“I sent 600 to 700 emails to coaches I knew and some I didn’t, looking for a coaching opportunity here in the States. To my surprise, Europe answered,” said Wennin.

The European League of Football (ELF) started in November 2020, and he was recruited to coach for the Barcelona Dragons as the offensive coordinator/running backs coach and special teams’ coordinator in their inaugural January 2021 season.

“Coaching in Europe is not what I had envisioned for myself, but I knew God had a plan and, at that time, it was where I was being called.”

By the 2022 season, Wennin had become the assistant head coach and was nominated by the ELF as assistant coach of the year. In Barcelona, he also had the opportunity

to coach under Andrew Weidinger, whom he credits for taking him to the next level as a coach.

“I like to say that I had a bachelor’s in football, and I earned my master’s in the game with him,” said Wennin. “Working with Andrew helped prepare me to become Westminster’s head coach.”

He says his coaching style is all about teaching and loving his players, more than traditional, hard-nosed football.

“My mom was a teacher, and I learned that every kid learns differently. It’s the same for sixth graders to 28-year-old men. Everyone learns differently so you have to coach differently. You cannot coach everyone the same way. It just won’t work,” said Wennin.

Wennin says he is building a program and creating a culture based on the pillars of faith, commitment, preparation and brotherhood. Followers of the team’s Instagram account (@wcsmiami_football) will see this

phrase throughout their posts: “Faith is our Foundation, Commitment is our Culture, Preparation is our Promise, Brotherhood is our Bond.” Wennin says he understands that it is easy to say, but much more difficult to put into practice.

“There is a lot on students’ plates. There is academics and the other sports they play besides football. Because we may not have large numbers, we have to be strong. That comes by working out – hard work and 6:30 a.m. workouts. Kids are starting to buy in. They can see their muscles grow and will really see it when we have success on the field.”

The team saw success in their spring game on May 19. They played Braddock High School, and Varsity won 16-0, and JV won 27-6. It was an exciting first step that will hopefully fuel the hard work that will come in the summer and beyond.

“I hope students will be proud of the work they are putting in as football players and

that the excitement will spread,” said Wennin. “We want middle school and elementary school students excited about coming to games. Some of my best memories are from watching my older brother play football.”

Wennin is also focused on building community. After being named head football coach for the Warriors, he organized a gathering for all football alumni with the goal of connecting alumni to program.

“We want alumni to come back to games, and we want to invite former players to practices,” said Wennin. “My goal is to create connections between our current and former players so that the Warrior Football network is strong and provides opportunities for our young men.”

He also further strengthened the connection to alumni by adding Tobias Moss ’15 to the coaching staff, who brings incredible talent and experience to the team.

As an alumnus, Wennin understands and appreciates the role athletics plays in the lives of young athletes and the value of the lessons learned in competition. This is especially true at Westminster where the mission is to create ambassadors for Christ.

“My goal is to create a culture where kids are happy and proud of being in the program,” said Wennin. “I want young boys to come in at 14 and leave as young Christian men. To me that is the ultimate success.”

**Homecoming 2023

Tobias Moss ‘15 Defensive Backs Coach

Coach Moss was a key component to multiple playoff runs and district championships. During his collegiate career, he played for powerhouse JUCO Iowa Western where he earned a scholarship to the University of South Alabama as a DB. He then spent his post-graduate year playing at Old Dominion University. Tobias also trains professional and collegiate athletes focusing on footwork, agility, and DB specific training.

ROLL CALL

1970

Charles Papy ‘70 shared “From 1970 to 2023 is a long time. God has blessed me beyond my dreams. Married, four children, eight grandchildren, health. Retired from practice of law after 44 years, director of City National Bank, and owner of several investments.”

Timothy Watson ‘71 shared, “Kathy and I celebrated our 44th anniversary this year. We moved from Miami in 2020 to be near our grandkids. Both our daughters, Courtney & Kayla, are WCS graduates also.”

Ileana Infante Lamberts ‘72 shared, “I just recently retired after spending 35 years working in Special Education for Grand Rapids Public Schools, then serving 11 years at Hope Network as the volunteer coordinator for young adults with challenges and disabilities. I have had the privilege to volunteer at a food pantry as a bilingual interpreter as well as volunteering for another non-profit designing floral arrangements. Some travels are on the horizon; when we celebrate 50 years of marriage in two years, Panamá and Costa Rica, is the plan. We enjoy spending time with grandkids as well as two great grandkids.”

Connie Smading Musselman ‘72 shared, “I am always grateful for Westminster and the foundation, friends, and faith that were instilled in me during my years there. I am the mother of four and grandmother of almost 14. I have been the children’s director in an Atlanta church for 22 years and have been able to daily live out my passion for children/the next generation. I doubt I would be here without the influence of Westminster.”

CLASS REUNION ‘71 & ’72

(L

John

Front Row (L to R): Dave Dangerfield ‘71, Tom Ostenson ‘71, Herbie Caines ‘72, and Tim Hasty ‘72. Back Row (L to R): Carl Ohltz ‘72, Kenny Brigham ‘72, Ed Smith ‘71, Scott Sivils ‘72, and John Adams ‘71.

Tim Hasty ‘72, Kenny Brigham ‘72, and Scott Sivils ‘72 at Shorty’s.

Bill Mathisen ‘72, Sally Bowker Frantz ‘72, Bruce Robinson ‘72, and Tim Hasty ‘72.

Sally Bowker Frantz ‘72, Pandora Pappas Scotto ‘72, Debbie Renick Sims ‘72, Pam Anderson Admire ‘72 and alumni parent Valerie Renick.

to R)

“Quincy” Adams ‘71, Dave Dangerfield ‘71, John Freer ‘71, Tom Ostenson ‘71, and “Big” Ed Smith ‘71.

CLASS REUNION ‘82

Class of 82 Celebrates Their 40-Year Reunion

Classmates gather to celebrate their 40th anniversary of their Westminster high school graduation. The weekend included attending the Homecoming football game and alumni luncheon, and events at old stomping grounds like Keg South and Coral Reef Yacht Club.

Back: Lew Fraser, Kara Ryskamp Porter, Greg DeLange, Vickie Medler Walther, Yamil Kuri, Derek Prickett, Scott Mohker, Jim Kern, Greg Newcomm, Penny Crompton Lyn, Buff Jones Bishop, John Bishop, Rick Parker, Jeff Taylor and Mike McDonald. Front: Mark Kenchel, Laura Von Bampus Ball, Laura Anders Kutryb, Bill Cook, Pam Sweezy Zomerfeld, Michele LaSalle Williams, Bob Harris, and Paul James.

Greg Newcomm, Bob Harris, Penny Crompton Lyn, Scott Mohker, Paul James, Bill Cook.

Crystal Wiedenmann Newcomb ‘83, Jeff and Sherry Taylor, and Jim Kern.

Michele LaSalle Williams, Penny Lyn Crompton, Laura Anders Kutryb, and Pam Sweezy Zomerfeld.

Mark and Rosemary Kenchel.

Bob Harris, Lew Fraser, and Bill Cook.

Russ Porter and Kara Ryskamp Porter, and Pam Sweezy Zomerfeld.

Michele LaSalle Williams, Penny Crompton Lyn, Adam Williams, and Bob Harris.

Greg DeLange, Vicki Medler Walther, Mike McDonald, Jeff Taylor and Greg Newcomm.

Paul James, Bill Cook, Penny Crompton Lyn, and Pam Sweezy Zomerfeld.

Crystal Wiedenmann Newcomb ‘83, Laura Anders Kutryb, Sherry Taylor and Pam Sweezy Zomerfeld.

Lester Patacsil ‘75 is working with Shriner’s Hospital for Children. He went on a recent trip to Israel with Ben Trawick, Jr. ‘75.

1976

Joy Parson Hansen ‘76 retired in June 2023.

1978

Andrew Berg ‘78 shared, “I just celebrated my 40th anniversary with my dear wife, Carol. We have four grown children and it blows my mind that they are all in their 30s. We have two grandchildren. I have been serving as a pastor in our church now for 11 years doing youth, leading a men’s group and older adults’ group. I am blessed with good friends and thankful for Westminster’s impact in my life!”

Lisa Fuge Cason ‘78 is retiring on June 1 from teaching grades K, 1, and 2 for 32 years.

Cheryl Stewart Cullom ‘78 shared, “My husband Ed and I have lived most of the year on our boat in the Exuma chain in the Bahamas. We look forward to going back next year!”

Janice Diemer Cok ‘78 shared, “God has been good. I’ve been married to my best friend for 40 years. We have 4 children, two married and two grandsons which we adore. We plan to take many trips in our new trailer and visit many national parks in our retirement.”

Andy Havener ‘78 is the director of safety, environment and DOT at Rush Enterprises, Inc. He has four wonderful sons. He and his wife went on their first date 47 years ago.

1979

Nick Stieglitz ‘79 is consulting and teaching economics and business/international trade law at Miami-Dade College.

1980

Jack Maxwell ‘80 retired in 2020 after 30 years as a teacher, professor, and school administrator. He now enjoys traveling more or less full time with family.

1981

Sally White Livingston ‘81 shared, “My second book was published on April 7, 2023, ‘Parent or Partner: A Practical Guide to Overcoming Overparenting in Favor of Vibrant Marriages and Healthy Kids.’” It has hit the #1 new release in two categories since the release. I also had the privilege of speaking to the Westminster Parent Partners meeting on April 14 in the Lighthouse.”

Eric Reinhold ‘83 says, “After 30 years as a wealth manager and certified financial planner, I moved my practice to Eversource Wealth Advisors, a Christian registered investment advisor and rebranded as Reinhold Financial (www. reinholdfinancial.com). My daughter has joined me as operations manager, and when my son finishes his military duty in two years, he plans to join us as well. It’s hard to believe I will be attending my 40th Reunion this year! Although having a child who just turned 30 and two grandchildren, does confirm this.”

1985

1987

Melissa de Jong ‘87, one of the most veteran Coral Gables police officers and one of the newest sworn in May 2023, Justin Brown ‘16

Mike Nimer ‘85 just took over as Senior Pastor at Northwest Chapel in Dublin, Ohio, outside of Columbus.

Cliff Martino ‘90 lives in Miami Lakes and has four children ages 23, 23, 22 and 4.

1991

Bill Hearne ‘91 graduated from Florida Institute of Technology in 1996 in Aviation Management. He was hired by Continental Express in 1997 and Continental Airlines in 2006. He is currently a Flight Instructor and Pilot for United Airlines (2010 merger with Continental Airlines), and resides in Colorado Springs with his wife Krystal and their two boys Liam and Evan.

1993

After graduation, Glenn P. Falk Jr., Esq. ‘93 attended the University of Miami, where he double majored in American History and Motion Picture Marketing, graduating in 1999. He then attended Stetson College

of Law, where he earned his Juris Doctor in 2003. In 2012, Glenn married Emily Falk (nee Bone), who was a Westminster Christian French/English Teacher from 2007 to 2016. He practiced law in Coral Gables until 2020, when he and Emily, along with their two beautiful daughters, Claire, 7, and Lucille, 4, moved to Bentonville, AR. Glenn presently works at the Walmart Home Office as a Senior Manager on the Health and Wellness team, while Emily is a French/ESOL teacher at a local high school.

1999

the boys to visit WCS. Robyn’s sons Teddy (11), Wade (15), and Nicholas (8) visited Westminster during the trip.

Marilyn Lindsley Cortes ‘01 shared, “We now live in Asheville, NC, but my children have the same art teacher, Christine Patete, that I had when I was in elementary school at WCS! It’s a small Westminster world. Last night our school celebrated fine arts night and the beautiful art that they create with one of my favorite past teachers.”

Yvette Rodriguez-Arce ‘99 is the director of nursing at UHealth Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. She earned the Transformational Nurse Leadership of the Year Award for UHealth.

2000

Sara Munilla Cabrera ‘00 shared, “married Dax Cabrera ‘98 and traveled around the world but are back in Miami with our oldest Joshua ‘34 in Westminster and our other son, Judah, who will hopefully start PK3 in 2024 as a Warrior. We are blessed!”

2001

Robyn Condon Huether ‘01 lives in Walla Walla, Washington with four kids, three boys, and one daughter. She is a stay-athome mom who helps run the local little league and is involved with Cub Scouts and school activities with the kids. She took a trip to Miami this past summer and brought

Derek Wallbank ‘01 earned an MBA from the University of Illinois. He graduated in December 2022 and was inducted into the Beta Gamma Sigma business honors society. Derek is a managing editor for breaking news at Bloomberg, based in Singapore, where he oversees market-moving news from a region that spans from India through Southeast Asia to Australia and New Zealand. He’s also a regular political analyst for Bloomberg Television.

2002

Three years ago, Rob Hickson ‘02 and his wife moved back to Miami after living in New York City for 11 years

It was there that they had their two beautiful daughters Lucille (8) and Felicity (4). Both girls were fierce NICU warriors and that experience inspired his wife, Andrea, to start a nonprofit organization called NICU Alumni. NICU Alumni support families as they navigate life after the NICU (Neonatal ICU).

Philip Hamann ‘93, his wife, Renata, and children Melanie and Patrik live in Naples, FL.

In 2015, Rob started a football coaching company, Huddle Up NYC, which is thankfully still thriving in NYC to this day. Now back in Miami, Rob is a physical education teacher for the elementary campus at True North Charter School as well as running their developmental flag football programs. Rob has also launched the Miami branch of his football company, Huddle Up Miami, which offers flag football after school groups, private lessons, camps, clinics and birthday parties. Rob and Andrea look forward to the next chapters God has for their family.

CLASS REUNION ‘02

The class of 2002 gathered at Moxy on South Beach to celebrate their 20-year reunion.

Daniel Vander Woude ‘02 and his wife had a baby boy, Elias, in February 2023. The family lives in Connecticut.

Back row: Charles Winters, Roberto Patiño, Rachel Birdsall Patiño, Heather Martin Thompson, Rebecca Storace, Jenny Hernandez, Jenna Haas Springer, Katie Kerestes De la Fe, Liz Durozel, Kristen Chamberlain Bishop, Jeff Jamison, Spencer Howell, Albert Li, Mike MacKendree. Front row: Allison Anree Esguerra Harrington, Lizzett Chiappy Diaz, Claudia Bojorquez, Greg Ewald, and Abdiel Donoso.

Erika Fernandez Reyes ‘03 shared, “This year I celebrate 17 years in the Florida Army National Guard’s 13th Army Band. I play the clarinet and saxophone and am a Platoon Sergeant, performing around the state and serving communities during hurricane relief missions.

(L to R) Spencer Howell, Greg Ewald, Mike MacKendree, Albert Li, Claudia Bojorquez, Jenny Hernandez, Allison Anree Esguerra Harrington, Rachel Birdsall Patiño, Lizzett Chiappy Diaz, and Rebecca Storace.

In my civilian life, I work as a software engineer. I got married in 2016 and welcomed twin boys in 2019. I hope to make it to our 20th reunion activities with our new baby boy, due in July. Looking forward to seeing everyone!”

2004

Chase Babcock ‘04 started a new role as head of operations for Rune Labs, a San Francisco-based neuroscience start-up supporting the development of disease modifying therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. Chase lives in San Jose, CA with his wife Erin, and two daughters, Penelope (4) and Eleanor (1).

Gabi Estevez Grogan ‘05 taught high school Spanish for seven years at Wesleyan School, a Christian school in Atlanta. She was introduced to her husband through a longtime student. “I’m now at home with my two kids and expecting baby #3.”

2006

Alexandra Triana Giavotella ‘06 has two children and a baby on the way. She is an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Her family lives in New Orleans, LA.

2008

Natalia Mas ‘04 shared, “My husband Samuel and I met at WCS in 2003. He played on the boys basketball team and I played on the girls. He moved halfway through the year but we started dating and kept in touch. I graduated in 2004. We were engaged in the Westminster gym in 2011 and married in 2012. We have two kids now, Sam and Stella, who are now students at WCS. Samuel Sr. Is a real estate broker for Lifestyle International Realty. I am a medical speech-language pathologist working with adults.”

2005

Christopher Cabrera ‘05 got engaged in September 2022 to Haley Kemp while in Spain. Wedding date is November 3, 2023.

Abby Thompson Boukogiannis ‘08 shared, “I never imagined after graduating that I would one day work at a school myself. Maybe it’s because my mom Jenn Thompson was a teacher and then administrator at WCS while I attended, but now I live in Brisbane, Australia and work as a school counsellor at Redeemer Lutheran College. I also never imagined I would be living in Australia with my family. I came for a gap year before starting my Master’s program and 10 years later still here. I married in 2014 to Alex and followed with two amazing boys Hayden (2017) and Luca (2019). God has been the author of a life I couldn’t have dreamed of. I look back so fondly at my time at WCS and would love to visit again one day and see how much it has changed.”

Evanna Casanova ‘08 is the owner of BAKEY KEY LIME PIES! Visit her shop at www. BAKEYSHOP.com. She also started a family. Her son Jay is one year old.

Chris Fundora ‘08 was named to InvestmentNews 40 Under 40. This program recognizes and celebrates up-and-comers in the financial advice industry. Honorees are judged on their accomplishments, contribution to the industry, leadership and promise.

Christopher Hyma ‘08 married Amy Hemgesberg on April 29, 2023 in New Smyrna Beach. The couple lives in Winter Park, FL.

2009

Tiffany de Leon ‘09 shared, “I earned my PhD in 2019 and am licensed in two states as a Marriage & Family Therapist. I am currently the Clinic Director & Assistant Professor at Pfeiffer University in Charlotte, NC as well as Assistant Professor at Northcentral University. My life partner, Nicholas, and I are set to be married in the beginning of 2024.

David Kaplan ‘09 and his wife Vanessa welcomed a little girl, Sloane Marie, to their family in March 2023. David, Vanessa, Harry (2) and Sloane live in Winter Park, Florida.

Hannah North ‘09 and husband Roddy welcomed Lily Grace on April 6, at 7 p.m. She joins big sister Rose who just completed kindergarten at Westminster, and big brother Luke, who completed PK3.

Audrey Ward Salas ‘09 owns “Everything is By Design Embroidery and Apparel,” an at-home embroidery shop in Homestead. You can find her on Instagram @everythingisbydesign88.

2010

Christina Cobo ‘10 shared, “I graduated FIU with a Biomedical Engineering degree in 2017 and since then I have been working with GE Healthcare where I went from an Apprentice to a Biomed to now a Field Engineer working on Computed Tomography (CT) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) systems. I also married my amazing partner this past autumn who I met during my time at FIU.”

2012

Jessica Forbes Kaprive ‘12 is in her third year of residency in dermatology. She and her husband live in Virginia.

2013

Katie Butler ’13 shared, “After moving to Atlanta to study Industrial Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, I have been in Atlanta ever since. After graduation, I have been working as a Strategy/Management Consultant. I will soon be heading to grad school, moving to Philadelphia, PA to attend the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

I’m excited to start on this new path for my MBA! If anyone is ever in the Philly area, come say hello!”

Walker Blanco ‘13 and his sister, Quinn Blanco ‘17, founded and run DEEP USA, an apparel/ spearfishing company out of Miami. You can follow them on Instagram @deep_usa and purchase gear at www. deepusagear.com.

Jos “Skip” de Kanter ‘13 shared, “I have been working permanently remote as a Security Analyst (Vendor Risk) for a Fortune 500 company for the last two years. Recently I have completed my United States Parachute Association B License (solo skydiving license) and have completed 104 jumps from various altitudes ranging from 4500 feet to 15,500 feet to-date on my record. I can jump anywhere in the world solo and its truly a surreal experience each time. I am continuing to bolster my cybersecurity career by learning Russian and Spanish (Spain and Latin America) along with working towards industry professional certificates. I’m so happy to be a WCS Alumni. I hope all the staff and wonderful teachers are doing well.”

purchased a house in Cutler Bay and are so happy to be in the Sunshine State.”

Santiago Vega-Ramos ‘13 has been working as a network insights analyst for Target since March 2022. In January 2023, he married Kathryn Diaz.

2014

Jackie Boulris ‘14 graduated from The George Washington University Physician Assistant Program in May 2023.

Lexie Diaz ‘14 and Nicolas Cortes ‘14 are engaged and getting married in November 2024.

Susie Forbes ‘14 graduated with a Doctorate of Nursing Practice as a Family Nurse Practitioner from Palm Beach Atlantic University.

CJ Heck ‘14 and his wife Hannah welcomed their first daughter on February 2, 2023. Rosemary Rae Heck is also the first granddaughter for Mr. Jeff Heck, who teaches in the middle school.

Fina Marzoa ‘13 decided to go back to school and get her Professional MBA at FIU.

Tina Armstrong Walker ‘13 shared, “I married my husband, Will Walker, in June 2021 and we’ve since relocated from Atlanta, Georgia, back to Miami! We’ve

Sylvia Hernandez Guso ‘14 married Jake Guso on December 22, 2022.

Gaby Meitin ‘14 and Matthew Sabates ‘14 got engaged on February 4, 2023.

2015

Gigi Figueroa ’15 graduated from dental school at Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry in 2023 and will be practicing as a full-time associate dentist outside of Cincinnati, OH.

Abigail Hernandez ‘15 shared, “Engaged, house, kids!”

THE HOPPE WILLIAMS INVITATIONAL TRACK MEET

2016

Steven del Amo ‘16 shared, “I’ve become a real estate agent specializing in South Miami. I’ve really fallen in love with the profession and a cool little update outside of work is that last year I took a month to travel throughout Europe and this year I’ll be going for 2 weeks.”

Anna Giacosa ‘16 works at Bank of America and is getting married in January 2024.

Benjamin Leon ‘16 has his own professional theater company, Loxen Productions, and is also a Broadway producer for a Tony nominated show Sweeny Todd.

The Hoppe Williams Invitational Track Meet was held on April 10 to honor two Westminster track and field legends, Vicky Hoppe ‘15 and George Williams ‘16, who left us too soon. The event took place on the Westminster track where both Vicky and George had spent so much time training and practicing the sport they loved. Their friends and families joined on this special occasion to remember these Warrior greats. The families were presented with framed track & field jerseys in honor of their children.

Alexandra Palacio ‘16 graduated with a Master’s in Occupational Therapy in December 2022. She married classmate John Raine ‘16 in February 2023. They had been dating since middle school at Westminster. They moved to Georgia in March where John plays for the Atlanta Falcons. She just accepted a job as a pediatric occupational therapist, and will begin in June! She shared, “ Excited to start our new journey in Georgia and see where the Lord continues to lead us!”

Kelly Rico ‘16 shared, “Since receiving my Master’s in Sport Administration from the University of Miami in 2021, I have been working at the Miami Marlins. I am on the Membership Experience team, so I oversee Marlins Members throughout the season with a focus on service and retention. A big part of this role is building and maintaining relationships with people, which is something I have enjoyed doing all my life. Service has also been a core value for me for as long as I can remember. Feel free to reach out for all things Marlins baseball!

Nicolle Saba ‘16 shared, “I am a mom! Also, had a billboard in Times Squares for a song I published.”

2017

Quinn Blanco ‘17 and Max Pinto ‘17 are engaged and getting married in Islamorada in December 2023.

Jacob Feder ‘17 shared, “Since graduating I have become a successful content creator with just under five million followers across YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, & TikTok with two million subscribers on YouTube alone sharing all my animal adventures. I also own and operate a five-acre wildlife conservation center in the Redlands where I take, house, and care for over 150 animals including monkeys, sloths, reptiles and big cats such jaguars and leopards.

Lauren Pedersen ‘17 graduated from FIU with a bachelor’s in art history in December 2022.

Ashley Castano ‘17 and Andrew Khiev welcomed their daughter Alana Angeline on March 18, 2023 in Irvine, CA.

Ian Poveda ‘17 lives in South Miami and works for Knowde, a tech start-up, as a senior analyst. He loves photography and enjoys pet sitting as a perk to his remote job.

Sophia Poveda ‘17 works for Accenture in Charlotte, NC and manages the firm’s local probono work for Furnish for Good, Out Teach, and Veteran’s Bridge Home. She’s on the leadership team for the college ministry at Life Church and partners with Athletes in Action at Queen’s College. She also regularly competes in beach volleyball tournaments and on a local basketball league.

Abigail Raffalski ‘17 shared, “I’m about to complete my second year as a Medical Assistant in an Ear, Nose and Throat practice in Tampa, FL. I am applying to Physician’s Assistant school currently and hope to begin that next phase of life in the Fall of 2024. In the meantime, I have made wonderful friends in Tampa. I attend and volunteer in childcare at a great church (Grace Family). I’m enjoying what the area offers (beach, Lightning hockey, and long waterside walks to name a few), and playing on an intramural soccer team weekly. I am looking forward to traveling with my parents and uncle to Israel

and Jordan this October, so that we may experience where Jesus lived and walked 2000 years ago.”

Sidney Kissane ‘18 recently graduated from her post baccalaureate studies at the Institute of Culinary Education with an externship at Eleven Madison Park, and is about to begin pursuing her Masters of Public Health at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.

Ahmed Velez ‘18 recently accepted the position of missions coordinator at Southeastern University, and he is set to finish his master’s in business administration with a focus on entrepreneurial leadership in April 2024.

Lanier Williams ‘18 has been promoted to the design services team at Hive Palm Beach, one year after graduating from FAU and receiving her interior design certificate from UM. She is living in West Palm Beach.

Erin Hall ‘19 graduated with a bachelor of arts in communication from the University of Alabama.

Elise Heetderks ‘19 graduated cum laude in business management from FSU.

Sara Fernandez ‘19 shared, “I am graduating from Massachusetts Institute of Technology on May 31 with a Bachelor of Materials Science & Engineering with minors in Chinese and Innovation & Entrepreneurship. For the upcoming academic year, I was selected as a Schwarzman Scholar and will pursue a Master’s in Global Affairs at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China beginning this fall.

Hailey Mira ‘19 graduated cum laude from FSU with a B.S. in Psychology with minors in Entrepreneurship and Hospitality.

Her goal is to pursue a career as a sports psychologist.

Kelsey Mira ‘19 graduated magna cum laude from FSU with a B.S. in BioChem and a B.S. in STEM Education. She is serving as a Naval Officer on the USS New York. After her service, she is considering pursuing a PhD in Chemistry or work in the chemistry field.

Nicholas Ordenes ‘19 is engaged.

Gabe Segura ‘19 just graduated from Purdue and will be starting work as a Flight Software Engineer for Lockheed Martin Space in Denver, CO.

Agustin Scopazzo ‘19 is currently graduating with a bachelor in business administration from IE University in Spain. He

plans to continue his studies and pursue a Master’s degree in Strategic Marketing at IE University.

2020

Alyssa Andreus ‘20 is finishing her third year of nursing school as a Baptist Health nurse scholar.

Victoria Eden ‘20 is majoring in psychology at FGCU and is a member of the University Choir. She and Rebekah

Raffalski ‘20 performed at FGCU’s Bower School of Music and the Arts 10th annual Joyful and Triumphant Concert with their former Westminster choir teachers, Jackie and Paul Whiting, in attendance. Vicky and Rebekah loved seeing the Whitings and putting a smile on their faces.

Isabella Fernandez ‘20 shared, “I graduated summa cum laude with a 4.0 from FSU a year early with a BS in Commercial Entrepreneurship and a Multicultural Marketing Communications Certification. I have earned a full tuition scholarship to attend Babson College where I will continue my studies for a MS in Entrepreneurial Leadership.

Rebekah Raffalski ‘20 shared, “I’ve just completed my junior year at FGCU majoring in Music Therapy. On April 1, I performed in my Junior Recital solo, a 30-minute, 10 song culmination of three years of classical voice training and nine years of WCS choir. A member of FGCU’s Chamber Choir, we traveled to Barcelona

and the south of France over our Spring Break this year. We sang in Spanish, French and Italian in four major cathedrals in that part of Europe, including in La Sagrada Familia Cathedral. I leave today for a six-week Music Therapy Study Aboard to Thailand, where our group of 13 will interact with several client populations. We will be traveling throughout the country on the long weekends, but we will be based in Bangkok. I am excited to experience the people, the culture and the MT work we’ve all been studying. My class work wraps up in December 2023 and thereafter I will begin a 6-month MT internship, which is undetermined at this time. I am hoping to find an internship outside of Florida, so that I can experience another part of the US and its people. My parents remain in Palmetto Bay for the time being, hence that’s where home is still.”

2021

Jordan Interian ‘21 shared, “Life has been great. I’m working on photography for animals and the snake scion are still living well and happy.”

2022

Austin Jones ‘22 shared, “I finished my first year of college as a marine biology major at Hawai’i Pacific University, where I am also a member of the symphony orchestra and two choirs. While on island I also worked as a crew member aboard a whale watch tour vessel and volunteered for Hawai’i Marine Animal Response, a wildlife conservation non-profit organization.”

Your Listing in the Alumni Directory

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MEMORIALS

Christopher Bobson ‘23 passed away on Tuesday morning, January 10, 2023, in a tragic motorcycle accident on his way to school. A Westminster student since third grade, Christopher was known by all for his kind and gentle spirit, and his love for Jesus. His closest friends also knew Chris as an adventurer who was eager to explore and learn. He had recently fulfilled his dream of earning his pilot’s license and being accepted to Embry-Riddle. He is survived by his parents Rob and Cindy Bobson ’86, and sister Katrina ’21.

William “Lonnie” Baker ‘76 passed away on Saturday, August 13, 2022 in Sanford, FL. Lonnie was a devoted, son, grandson, brother, father, uncle, great uncle and friend. He loved his football from Pop Warner at K-Land in Miami, to high school football at Westminster Christian. His greatest accomplishment was becoming a father in 1996 to Ryan Chase Baker.

George Williams ‘16 went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Wednesday, August 31, 2022 due to a tragic accident. A Warrior through and through, George is survived by his parents Todd ’79 and Amy Williams ’80, sister Lanier ’18, and uncle Lance Williams ’74.

Surrounded by love, Vicky Hoppe ‘15, passed away peacefully on August 4, 2022 after a courageous three-year battle with a rare and aggressive cancer. She is survived by her family, including Megan Hoppe ‘08, and so many who loved her.

Charles “Chuck” Messinger, Westminster’s longtime maintenance supervisor, passed away peacefully at his home on October 28, 2022. He was 90 years old. Chuck found a second home at Westminster during his 40-year tenure, and he made lasting friendships with fellow staff and students. He was proudly anointed “King Chuck” by the school as he gradually entered his retirement years.

Corey Hart ‘79 passed away on Saturday, August 27, 2022. Corey, 61, endured a hard fought 11-month battle with brain cancer and spent his last week surrounded by family and friends resting peacefully. Corey was a baseball pitcher and starting quarterback at Westminster, where he was very proud to have attended. He is survived by his wife Cheryl who he was married to for 24 years and three children Dawson, Lauren, and Hudson.

James “Jim” DeRuiter passed away peacefully on July 17, 2022 at the age of 90. He is survived by his wife, Ethel, and children Kari, Ruth, Mary and James. He alongside his fatherin-law, Jules Vroon, was instrumental in the foundation of Westminster Christian School and served on the school board and held leadership positions for a number of years.

Palmetto Bay, FL 33157

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

At this year’s Westee Awards it was revealed that Arnold Bomnin ‘23 served as the school’s first ever Westley the Warrior mascot. A special thank you to Arnold for the dedication, responsibility, and school spirit that he demonstrated, and for launching this new Westminster tradition.