The Petroglyph Magazine, Spring & Summer 2015

Petroglyph THE ALEXANDER DAWSON SCHOOL SPRING & SUMMER 2015

For more information, please visit www.AlexanderDawsonSchool.org, or call (702) 949-3600 2

THE PETROGLYPH IS EDITED AND DESIGNED BY MEGAN GRAY, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

4 | 6+1 TRAITS WRITING

Contents 16 | DAWSON’S CLASS OF 2015

Class picture and graduate quotes

Division Heads explain how Dawson supports good writing

6 | BREAKING GROUND An update on the Ruffin Organic Food & Learning Initiative

18 | WINNING GRADUATION SPEECH

Speech by Dawson eighth-grade student Lauren Wiles

20 | CLASS OF 2015 GRADUATE TRIBUTES

10 | DAWSON ALUM PROFILE 32 | WINNING GRADUATION SPEECH

Meet Stephanie Gorczyca, Class of 2008

Speech by Dawson eighth-grade student Tanner Rubeli

12 | 11TH ANNUAL REACH FOR THE STARS GALA 34 | AMAZING STUDENT PERFORMANCES

A fantastic evening at Marquee Nightclub to support the School

14 | NEW DIRECTOR OF DAWSON COLLEGE BOUND

Second semester performance pictures

Meet Chris Estrella, M.Ed.

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6+1

Traits Writing

By Dawson Division Heads

THE IMPORTANCE OF WRITING Fair or unfair‌we all make snap judgments based on someone’s writing. Our writing exposes the fabric of our inner thinking, perspective, and biases. Our writing provides a glimpse into how we perceive and interpret the world. Writing is both expressive and a means for communicating important knowledge. Writing is a tool for synthesizing, a way to build connections as we process new ideas and concepts. Students who learn the art of writing at a young age will have an advantage in the real world. They will understand how to express their thinking with conviction and clarity. The world will judge them as educated, compelling communicators.

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contributes to around 5-10% (Kumar, Arti; [2007] Personal, Academic and Career Development in Higher Education). In essence, writing benefits the retention of important information for practical application and standard assessments. Furthermore, the more one writes, the more information is retained. Writing, like reading, is a skill that requires meaningful practice in order to improve.

A commitment to increased and improved student writing at all grade levels has been a school-wide goal for Dawson this year. In the process of meeting this goal, common language (6+1 Traits Writing) was established and internationally-known consultants Fred Wolff and Debbie Rutherford were invited to Dawson to work directly with our teachers. To understand how to improve the teaching of writing, it is important to answer the question: Why is writing an essential life skill?

COMMUNICATION OF MESSAGE Have you ever wished you had taken a moment to write down and organize your reflections in order to make a point instead of giving a reactionary response to a friend or loved one? Writing is a process that allows learners to become critical thinkers and more effective communicators. Communicators are better able to define the purpose and audience through their writing.

Communicators can better identify the issue at hand and confront assumptions with thought and care. Through the process of writing, communicators do a better job of considering point of view and the consequences of the message. Young writers need to develop the basic skills of writing so that they communicate effectively.

CONSOLIDATION OF LEARNING Students consolidate their learning through their writing. Writing is a proven and effective way for students to process and deepen their understanding of concepts and knowledge. In fact, writing about your understanding helps up to 75% of your retention of vital information, while reading and sitting in lectures

TRANSFER OF SKILLS Students need to value the process of writing and the skills required to do so effectively. Independent of the career paths our students gravitate to in the future, they will be forced to engage in communicative work. Dawson students are entering a world where global knowledge and communication skills are

increasingly desirable. The way they are able to interact and exhibit their own understanding is vital to their immediate and foreseeable futures. Effective writing skills help stimulate confidence and assertive attributes that will empower our students long after their days here at Dawson.

COMMITMENT TO TASK Dawson actively works to help students view writing less as a task and more as a way to relay and receive messages. Many of us, when we were in school, viewed a writing assignment as a punishment. It often involved a five-paragraph essay composition with multiple revisions and hours of drafting to start, then subjective feedback from a writing teacher that equated to a rather unenjoyable game of “guess what I want you to say.” We had to consider who was giving the assignment and adjust our writing to match specific expectations of format, theme, style, and vocabulary use. Considering audience is an essential part of the writing process, but the assignments we were given rarely contained our voices or ideas. Good writing, in any subject area, requires an investment from the writer. And good writing instruction requires a common language and set of expectations that help reinforce consistent student improvement. This is where the 6+1 Traits come in.

WHAT ARE THE 6+1 TRAITS? To support students as they develop their skills as writers, we use the 6+1 Traits model for both feedback and evaluation.

Using this model, educators can take the qualities of any piece of writing and parse them into smaller units with the use of six rubrics (Ideas, Organization, Voice, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, and Mechanics + Presentation). Providing feedback on all six traits would be overwhelming for almost any student, so teachers often focus a particular writing exercise on one or two traits.

WHY USE A COMMON LANGUAGE? By using the 6+1 Traits throughout the school, students, parents

and teachers may speak the same language across Dawson. The particular qualities on rubrics change from year to year, but the traits remain the same. This way, a student’s experience of building his or her communication skills is continuous and efficient from year to year and class to class. Understanding the traits of good writing is critical as we support their development.

Although many might focus on important conventions like punctuation and spelling, providing effective support depends on making targeted observations and asking the right questions.

HOW DOES DAWSON SUPPORT GOOD WRITING? At Dawson, we support good writers by starting with our youngest learners and using a common language to seamlessly transition our students from one grade to another. We empower our students to see themselves as writers. We teach them that writing can be a powerful communication tool. Students are given feedback on a more frequent basis through conferencing that focuses on a critique and revise cycle. We value multiple drafts and celebrate the publishing processes. We are intentional with how we approach features of writing, using a systematic approach for how we introduce each writing trait. Kindergarten through eighth-grade students participate in multiple schoolwide writes throughout the school year to show exemplars and give grade-level specific feedback. This helps to provide models of what “good writers do.”

The key to continued writing success for our students is to increase their opportunities for authentic engagement in written communication both in school and at home. For current Dawson parents the “Parenting at Dawson” website found on the My Dawson resource boards provides grade-level specific writing exemplars, as well as ideas for how to support writing growth. The best tool for families who want to encourage writing development would be daily journaling using intrinsically motivating topics. The skills our students acquire during these foundational years will shape their future success as articulate communicators. 

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BREAKING

6

GROUND

The Ruffin Organic Food & Learning Initiative ARCHITECTURAL RENDERING OF THE INDOOR/OUTDOOR LEARNING SPACES AND STATE-OF-THEART BUILDING THAT ARE A PART OF DAWSON’S ORGANIC FOOD & LEARNING INITIATIVE 7

By Zakeisha Steele Jones

C

ollaboration is a key component to the Alexander Dawson experience, and the Ruffin Organic Food and Learning Initiative is no exception. This was never more evident than at the groundbreaking ceremony that took place in early June to celebrate the beginning of the construction phase of this project.

Partners included LGA, a local architecture firm, Martin-Harris Construction, Garden Farms, the Alexander Dawson Foundation and Parent Trustees, and faculty and staff, who came together to launch the construction of the new learning center that is at the heart of this project. Also in attendance were Phil and Oleksandra Ruffin, the project’s generous donors, whose passion for good nutrition and healthy living spearheaded this initiative.

as a “building in the gardens,” will begin this summer and will be located adjacent to the Dining Hall between Lower School and the Forman Music Building. Construction is planned to be completed in January 2016. The building serves as the center for learning, and the zones around it are designed for various teaching and planting purposes. A variety of planting beds and seating areas will be created to encourage “niches of learning” so that more than one learning experience can be facilitated simultaneously. The building will be oriented east-west with a large opening linking to a north and a south courtyard. The south courtyard is designed as an outdoor classroom with planters throughout and spaces that encourage reflection.

The Ruffin Organic Food and Learning Initiative is an innovative project where Dawson students will harvest their own fruits and vegetables in on-site gardens and orchards located throughout Dawson’s 33 acre campus. There will be indoor/outdoor learning spaces, as well as a state-of-the-art building that adheres to the most advanced measures of sustainability, as determined

by LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards and ultimately by the Living Building Challenge program sponsored by the International Living Future Institute.

Achieving LEED certification will promote environmental responsibility and have a positive and healthy impact on our community, while striving to meet the requirements of the Living Building Challenge will take our level of commitment to sustainability one step further.

Dawson students will monitor the new building as well as the learning gardens and plaza. They will collaborate with one another, other students in the community, and even students globally to learn about garden-based nutrition and to solve realworld problems through many project-based initiatives inspired by outdoor garden classrooms.

This project was inspired by Oleksandra Ruffin, a parent at the Dawson School. “Nothing is more important to our children’s health than good nutrition,” she said. “My husband and I are so happy to be able to provide this wonderful garden for children to experience. It will be a place of discovery for the children to play and learn about food and healthy living.”

Students will begin utilizing the facility during the second

Construction of this 2,000-square-foot learning facility, known

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semester of the 2015-2016 school year. 

Mr. and Mrs. Ruffin with the LGA team of architects and designers at the Organic Food & Learning Initiative groundbreaking ceremony

Eighth-grade students collaborate with the design team

The Ruffins review the architectural plans

Phil and Oleksandra Ruffin

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Dawson Alum Profile Class of 2008

Stephanie Gorczyca

By Shea Phillips

F

or Dawson alum Stephanie Gorczyca (’08), intimate class

Keilty was an amazing science teacher,” she remembered. “I

settings and close working relationships with teachers

really didn’t know about the world of physics; however, Mr.

are attributes she has valued throughout her academic career.

Keilty was instrumental in raising the questions about how our

From her early years at Dawson and throughout high school at

body works.”

The Meadows School, Gorczyca refers to specific teachers who helped guide her path.

“With her razor intellect and laser focus, I doubt there was a single syllable or factoid that escaped Stephanie’s attention in my

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When she was accepted into all four colleges she applied

time with her. It was a joy to challenge her daily and gratifying to

to, it was the small academic environment combined with a

see how she took every advantage of the opportunities Dawson

scholarship and sunny location that ultimately drew Gorczyca to

offered,” said Mr. Keilty. “I am delighted she continues to push

the University of San Diego (USD).

herself and am humbled that she remembers her time with me.”

At Dawson, her favorite subject was science. Now, as she takes her

Gorczyca initially chose biology as a college major with the

love for science to a new level by pursuing a degree in biophysics

guidance of her high school physics teacher, Mr. Santo Pietro.

with a minor in math and chemistry, Gorczyca credits her former

But after attending a physics club meeting at USD, she was

science teacher, Mr. Josh Keilty, for helping cultivate this passion.

hooked. “They were intrigued by the same kind of questions I

“While at Dawson, I knew that I loved science because Mr.

have about how things work in the universe. They also had liquid

nitrogen ice cream, which was a deal breaker.”

Gorczyca credits Dawson for laying the foundation for her academic successes by providing a comforting, yet challenging,

That’s when she switched to biophysics. “I talked to the USD

educational environment. “I truly felt that my teachers cared

biophysics adviser, Dr. Rae Anderson, about the major, and she

about me and the quality of my education,” she said. Gorczyca

encouraged me to start learning more about how and why our

is also thankful to have had great teachers who made an impact

body works the way it does,” she said.

in her life, like former Dawson English teacher and cross-country coach, Mr. Frank Browne, who encouraged her to read incredible

Gorczyca quickly got involved in the major and joined her

books and hone her writing skills.

adviser’s research lab in the summer of 2013. Her research project is to reveal the underlying molecular properties and

Academically, she felt well prepared for high school. “I have been

dynamics that drive DNA function and mobility in cell-like

very happy with my academic background, and I felt challenged

environments. She laughed and said, “I know it sounds very

and grew personally at both Dawson and the Meadows high

complicated, but it really is interesting.”

school. I knew what to expect and how to study, and I could see how this helped me

In 2014, Gorczyca was one of two USD

succeed beyond some of my classmates

students to receive the Beckman Scholars

that were not prepared for college,” she

Award, which funded her research for

said.

2014-2015. Throughout the past year, Gorczyca presented her initial research

Gorczyca also made a large effort to

at the American Physical Society’s

find a balance between her rigorous

March meeting and was published in the

academics and having a social life during

Biophysical Journal. Going forward, the

high school. She said it is a great lesson

scholarship will also help her determine

that she continues to use in college.

what kind of graduate program best suits her talents and interests.

“I work very hard doing physics research and studying,” she said.

“Sometimes

Gorczyca will graduate in May 2016

my social life suffers so I need to make

and plans to attend graduate school

time to hang out with my wonderful

and pursue her Ph.D. in physics with an emphasis in biophysics. Ultimately, she’d

friends and not go insane by working and Gorczyca presents her poster at a conference

studying so much.”

like to work in academia, conducting research and teaching.

For current and future Dawson graduates, Gorczyca acknowledges “I believe teaching is the most valuable job one can have

that understanding computer programming and technology at a

because passing on knowledge allows our society to advance,”

younger age will give them an upper hand in society.

she said. “Research is also important in helping society, and I have discovered my passion for it through my years of full-time

She adds, “I want Dawson’s graduates to know that you only

undergraduate research.”

get out as much as you put in. Therefore, if you want a great experience later in life, take a chance and get involved. Getting

In Spring 2015, she was one of two students from Nevada to

involved gives you the opportunities to make connections with

receive the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and was invited to join

others that may help you in the future. You never know who you

USD’s Phi Beta Kappa chapter, one of the most prestigious and

will meet in the future and how they will impact your life. Don’t

oldest honor societies that aims to induct the most outstanding

be afraid. Go for it!” 

students of arts and sciences at American colleges and universities.

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Reach for the Stars The Annual Gala to Benefit The Alexander Dawson School

T

his year’s “Reach for the Stars” Gala in February was

Dee Berkley

a tremendous success: the food, the drinks, the venue

Elizabeth Blau

(Marquee Nightclub), the auctioneer (Chet Buchanan), the photo

Fletcher Jones Automotive Group/The Jones Family

booth, the dancing, the great auction items...all added up to one

Fred & Meghan Mossler

AMAZING night in support of Dawson! More than $130,000

Gwynne Michele Photography

was raised during the evening, making it a very successful Gala

Howard Hughes Corp

event.

Hue Salon & Spa James & Heidi Gray

All of the Gala revenue goes directly to support the programs

Jayne Kelly

and services provided by the School. Thank you to everyone who

Jenna Morton

bought a ticket, donated an item or made a cash contribution,

Jodie Sacco

and bid on or won an auction item.

Kade Safadi Ken Rubeli

Extra special thanks to the Abin family for their generous

Kidville Tivoli Village

donation of the beautiful Marquee Nightclub venue. Thank you

Kim Katunis

to all of our generous event sponsors and donors:

Louis & Scarlet Abin Merle Norman Cosmetics/Nethercutt & Richards Family

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Aesthetic Solutions

Mike & Trina Wahle

Anne Mazzola & Russell Rosenblum

Farrow J. Smith

April Tonkin/YOUniquelyU

Opportunity Village

Art of Venice

Pelaez Family & Sobel Westex

Brad & Lauren Sugars

Perry Rogers

Brian & Cade Massie

Phillip & Oleksandra Ruffin

Bungalow Clothing

Red Rock Country Club

Caesars Entertainment

Rhondda Atlas

Camarota Family

Royal Wire Products, Inc./Peshina Family

Carli Snyder

Sean Christie

Charlie Silvestri

Sharon’s Cakery

Chris & Kim Blasi

SLS Hotels/Costas & Jana Charalambous

Cirque du Soleil

Springs Preserve

Colin Smeeton

Surgical Dermatology & Laser Center/Fife Family

Craig & Taylor Borsari

The Bacosa/Liu Family

Daniel W. Hamilton & Mary-Ann Winkelmes

The Ferrence Family

David Saxe Productions

The Goldie Family

The Lone Family, Lone Mortgage The Maclay Family The Robins Family The Schroeder Family The Spa at Lakes Dermatology The Spiegel Family V Theater Group Viva Blowout Wonderland Bakery Special thanks to photographer Michelle Kolchins (www. edgewoodrdphotography.com) for capturing all the fun, and to the hard-working and creative Gala Parent Steering Committee: Erin Bendavid, Jana Charalambous, Sandy Danz, Lisa Eyler, Heather Fife, Jayne Kelly, Crystal Lone, Kay Maddox, Anne Mazzola, Christi Richards, Ken Rubeli, Laila Spiegel and Carli Snyder.

Photo courtesy of Michelle Kolchins 13

DAWSON COLLEGE BOUND Meet Director Chris Estrella, M.Ed.

“While I love that DCB challenges students academically, I also want the goal to be that we ensure our kids have the skillset needed to get all the support and help they need to be truly successful.”

By Megan Gray

T

here is a new director in the Dawson community, but

in Title 1 schools in Los Angeles and Las Vegas as a corps

he is certainly not an unfamiliar face. This spring, the

member of the renowned Teach for America program.

Alexander Dawson Foundation Board of Trustees announced the selection of Mr. Chris Estrella, currently Dawson’s seventh-

“Working for Teach for America was eye opening, challenging,

grade science teacher and Middle School’s Dean of Students,

and sometimes disheartening, but ultimately it taught me

as the next director of its successful Dawson College Bound

something essential about education: though the problems with

summer intensive program (DCB).

our current education system are obvious, and success looks different depending on the school, all children have the will

Most who know Estrella are not surprised by his rapid ascent

and desire to learn. That realization – that no matter their

since he began teaching at Dawson over four years ago. He is

background, children want to succeed but sometimes need extra

charismatic, full of energy, and makes it a point to try to find the

support to get there – informed who I am as a teacher. I never

positive in any situation. His favorite mantra: Ignite the fire within.

give up on a student.”

Joshua Keilty, who served as Head of Middle School during

As a Las Vegas native and first-generation college graduate (he

Estrella’s tenure as Dean of Students, said, “Mr. Estrella’s joy

has a B.A. in chemistry from Lewis and Clark College and an

for learning and exuberance for everything we do at Dawson is

M.Ed. in science curriculum and instruction from the University

extraordinary. He is a model of just the kind of students we wish

of Nevada, Las Vegas), leading DCB is a natural fit for Estrella.

to create.”

He attended public schools in Las Vegas and experienced first hand the challenges some high-achieving students face when

Until Dawson, Estrella had spent most of his career as a teacher

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learning to navigate the public school system to get the support

Estrella with DCB graduates at UNLV’s Honors College

needed to stay on track for college.

heartbeat of the program, and we have lined up a lot of great experiences for our Bounders this summer.”

“I know what’s it like to be that kid in a large school who has to swim against the current, stay focused, and learn to ask for help.

Estrella was excited to note that this is the first year the program

When I was a student, I had to figure a lot of this out on my own

will have graduate participants – students who started DCB

– everything from which classes I should take to get into college,

in 2013 as sixth graders and will be high school freshmen this

how to apply to college, how to apply for financial aid…and all

fall. These graduate Bounders will have the opportunity to

of this happens in high school, so if you’re not prepared for it by

experience one of the newest elements of this year’s program: a

then, you might miss a great opportunity. While I love that DCB

taste of a true university experience. Estrella reached out to Dr.

challenges students academically, I also want the goal to be that

Chris Heavey, UNLV’s Assistant Vice Provost of Undergraduate

we ensure our kids have the skillset needed to get all the support

Education, and arranged for the graduate Bounders to stay in

and help they need to be truly successful.”

UNLV’s student dorms for three days. While they are there, Bounders will take six of seven STEAM (science, technology,

The DCB summer program, which is funded by the Alexander

engineering, art, mathematics) courses – environmental

Dawson Foundation, has been in existence for more than

engineering, library science, graphic design, robotics, drones,

seven years, but went through a major shift in 2012 under the

biomechanics, and anthropology courses – taught by UNLV

direction of Dr. Camille McCue, who turned the program’s

professors and graduate students, eat meals in the dining hall,

focus to support high-achieving Clark County middle school

take a campus tour, participate in evening activities, and close out

students who encounter barriers to educational resources and

their experience with a dinner hosted by UNLV.

opportunities that foster college readiness. The new program included high school mentors and was restructured to ensure

“It’s very exciting. The kids are going to get the experience of

DCB students (known as “Bounders”) were not without support

a lifetime, one that I hope will serve as a big motivator to keep

once the summer program was over; DCB now holds monthly

them striving and working toward the goal of attending college.”

academic classes and provides academic counseling and other educational services to Bounders throughout the school year.

More than anything, though, Estrella is looking forward to leading his first official DCB Summer Summit in July.

“Dr. McCue laid a solid foundation for this program, and I want to continue to build on that foundation, keeping in place many

“I can’t wait to get started. I love working with kids, but to be

of the essential elements but also adding new ones. But really,

able to impact students from the Clark Country School District

my first goal was to get to know the people behind the program

in this way, to pay forward all I learned from my own experience,

– DCB students and families and Board members. I rely heavily

is a blessing. To know that I am helping shape their future…it’s

on DCB’s Program Coordinator, Cathi Muckle. Cathi is the

a true honor.”  15

DAWSON CLASS OF

“First, I would like to thank all of the teachers who have cultivated the minds of all the students sitting behind me and taught us not only the skills we need to succeed in school, but also the tools we need to succeed outside of this campus. Without the group of teachers that we have now at Dawson and throughout the years I have been here, I would not be the young man I am today.

I can only hope that as I move on in my academic career, I will have teachers who can compare to the staff that we have here at Dawson.”

- Ethan Ben-Rey “This being the last page of the last chapter of my Dawson life, I would like to say, ‘thank you.’ Thank you to all my teachers who have nurtured me to who I am today. Thank you to all my peers that have been my great friends all the way to this point. I am sad to see you guys go, but I am also happy for all of you getting into the high schools of your dreams. This is a day that we all celebrate for all of our achievements and hard work.”

- Ian Walton 16

2015

“When I first came to this school, I was timid and had limited confidence. Through Dawson and the people I surround myself with, I have broken out of my shell. I have made the greatest friends and have had the greatest teachers. I personally think they deserve a raise just for having to deal with me. They have helped me grow, learn and prosper, and I am infinitely grateful.”

- Katherine Woloson “Dawson has allowed me to become the person that I am now.

The teachers here have pushed me harder than at any other school that I have attended. Winston Churchill once said, ‘Success is not final; failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.’ As I look back at my years at Dawson, I understand that this is true.”

- Kabir Grover “I have been to numerous schools over the years, but The Alexander Dawson School has been the best without a doubt.

Within the course of an amazing nine months that I’ve spent here,

BISHOP GORMAN HIGH SCHOOL I can confidently say that I’ve grown tremendously as a person and a student, both physically and mentally.

Each and every one of the splendid people I have met as a Dawson Bear has helped me break out of my shell and discover who I truly am.”

- Defne Egbo “At The Alexander Dawson School, I have learned something more important than how to solve the value of x in a standard algebraic equation. I have learned how to leave my mark and how to be myself, to not care what people think, and to do something that no one else has ever done. We are taught to express ourselves, and The Alexander Dawson School allows us to take the road less traveled by, each and every day.”

- Paris Cesena “I chose my unique path at Dawson. The path was gray and foggy at first, but soon it became clear and bright.

I often wonder how I came across my path in the first place, but I quickly recall that it was with the help of my teachers at Dawson. My teachers taught me how to be a critical thinker. They taught me that to persevere in life, you need to do something so rare and so peculiar that only few have done it before - think. In fourth grade, at another school, my teacher requested that I only ask five questions per day. It seemed as though I was getting on my teacher’s nerves for asking too many questions. However, when I came to Dawson, I was allowed to ask as many questions as possible.

My teachers allowed my mind to be challenged and to grow.”

- Natalie Mavroidis “To all my Dawson teachers, thank you for establishing an atmosphere that has nurtured my fondness for knowledge, as well as my growth as an individual. I now have the confidence to leave Dawson knowing that I am prepared for whatever challenges I may encounter.”

- Adam Esrig I believe that success is realizing that there are no free handouts, having the determination to work hard toward goals, and being able to accept failure and be self-critical in order to get better. In short, success is working hard. Dawson has taught me this.”

- Sam Kaplan

Julian Abrica Amir Afifi Myles Bendavid Joseph Bonanno Paris Cesena

Brett Ensign Kabir Grover Adrik Lazarou Natalie Mavroidis Kainoa Mossler

Niko Oseland Christian Stonestreet Luke Tobiasson Joshua Weidenfeld

CLARK COUNTY MAGNET SCHOOLS

Clark High School’s Academy of Mathematics, Science and Applied Technology and the Academy of Finance Aria Khiabani

Katie Wang

Las Vegas Academy of International Studies, Performing & Visual Arts Carson Browder Cella Cecchi

Finn Thomas Ian Walton

Northwest Career & Technical Academy Katherine Woloson

West Career & Technical Academy Conal Burge

Kyle Costantian

Adam Esrig

FAITH LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL Makenna Bear (Conservatory of Arts)

Alyana Detaille Carson Richards

THE MEADOWS SCHOOL Selin Aydin Mira Gollard

Dani Mason Tanner Rubeli

Kayla Salehian

BOARDING SCHOOLS

Autumn Coulthard, Shattucks-St. Mary’s School, MN Miranda Derossi, Phillips Exeter Academy, NH Defne Egbo, The Thacher School, CA Jolie Heerema, Annie Wright Schools, WA Samuel Kaplan, The Hotchkiss School, CT Ariana Trueba, Santa Catalina School, CA Alika Williams, The Thacher School, CA

CLARK COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS Seth Andress, Palo Verde High School Cameron Bayne, Centennial High School Cassie Paulk, Palo Verde High School Tyler Tyndall, Palo Verde High School Elaina Young, Centennial High School

UNDECIDED OR MOVING Ethan Ben-Rey Zen Charalambous

Hallie Gordon Holly Hoffbauer

Lauren Wiles 17

In Their Words

WINNING 2015 GRADUATION SPEECH

BY LAUREN WILES, ‘15

said, “teacher.” Honestly teachers are great, but I don’t know if I could handle kids like they do. Well, I don’t know if I could handle middle school kids like they do. Well, I don’t know if I could handle middle school boys like they do. To sum it up, for most of my life I’ve had no idea what I wanted to be when I grow up. But, now I think I have a fairly good idea.

I want to be kind.

When I first came to Dawson, I knew nobody. I had just moved across the country not even a year earlier. I was at my second school in Vegas, and it was the middle of the year. I was terrified.

During recess, I didn’t know where to go. Incredibly, multiple kids came up to me without even being forced to by a teacher.

They introduced themselves and asked me to play. Even though I was new, even though I was scared, and even though I was missing my two front teeth, I was welcomed with open arms. Just like the first graders I met, I want to be kind.

F

or most of my time at The Alexander Dawson School, I have been very consistent in the way I introduce myself. I have kept it short and sweet and simply said, “Hi, I’m Lauren, and I like pie.” But now, I have something to confess to you all.

All this time, I have kept a secret that almost rivals Clark Kent’s.

Before we part and move on with our lives, I need to get this off my chest. I really don’t like pie that much. I know, I know. I’m sorry I kept this from you all, but I just didn’t know how to say it before. I’m sorry.

When I first came to Dawson, if you were to have asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you, partly because I had no idea what I liked and was good at, and partly because I was a first grader. Well, mostly because I was a first grader. When I went into middle school, if you would have asked me what I wanted to be, I most likely would have

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I want to be compassionate.

When I was in fifth grade, Dawson hosted an event for St. Baldrick’s. Everyone was invited to shave their heads, cut their hair for Locks of Love, or donate money to St. Baldrick’s. It was an amazing event that really brought the entire school together.

The best part about this event in my opinion was the fact that it was right before we presented our fifth grade Shakespeare plays. So our presentation of Romeo and Juliet had a bald Romeo, in A Midsummer Night’s Dream there was a bald Bottom, but unfortunately Macbeth took place before the event so there were no bald murderers to be found. Teachers, faculty, and students were all involved in St. Baldrick’s, and even the headmaster, Mr. Imperi, shaved his head. The entire event was insane, and looking back on it, I still can’t believe how many people were willing to donate, whether it had been their hair, their money or

their patience to deal with an incredibly whiny fifth grade Lauren who just wanted to shave her head. Because of the people who participated in this event and donated so much, I want to be compassionate.

I want to be humorous.

There was never a day at Dawson that I didn’t laugh. From class inside jokes to simple phrasing mistakes by others, every day at Dawson has been filled with laughter and smiles. Some of my favorite memories that still make me laugh have to be when Kabir tried to tell us about a book in Mentored Projects, the amazing dictatorship created by Mr. Ellis and Ariana’s brilliant attempt to explain a rule to us in group dynamics. While these are some jokes that have stuck with me, there are thousands more that unfortunately faded away with each day. I want to thank everyone who has made me laugh over the years, and because of you, I want to be humorous.

I want to be kind, compassionate, humorous and so much more.

Most importantly though, I want to remember everything I have learned at Dawson. For example, don’t worry too much about your grades; they are incredibly important, but they do not define you as a person. Health and fitness really isn’t that bad; don’t fake

being sick to get out of it. Your teachers are your best friends; respect them and they will respect you. A squared plus B squared equals C squared. Remember to laugh and smile even at the smallest things. Don’t forget to thank your parents; they put you through school, fed you, clothed you and put up with you. Ball isn’t always life; Kobe only has a 37 percent shooting accuracy.

But the most important lesson I have learned at Dawson will always stick with me: treat everyone with respect and kindness.

In 20 years nobody is going to remember what you said or did; they’re only going to remember how you made them feel.

So in 20 years when you’re sitting with your family or running your own company or waving to your adoring fans, please take a moment and remember. Remember your time at Dawson.

Remember your friends and teachers. Remember this moment now, and remember how you feel. Remember to be kind and respectful to others. And most importantly remember to smile.

Think back to this day and how much you accomplished. Think back to your mother’s teary eyes; think back to your father’s proud grin: because after this moment is over, it will strictly be confined to the memory of all the people that experienced it.

Please don’t let your memory go to waste. 

Lauren (center) as Captain Jennings in a performance of Captain Bree and Her Lady Pirates

Lauren in Dawson’s Spring Choir Concert

Eighth-grade class trip to Washington, D.C.

The 2014-15 Cheer Team

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Ho’omaika’i ‘ana!

Aloha nui loa, Mom, Gma, Nainoa, & Ikaika

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In Their Words

WINNING 2015 GRADUATION SPEECH

BY TANNER RUBELI, ‘15

To our amazement, it actually worked. Our pathetic scheme of sneaking into the section of dirt at the side of the playground that connected to the wash, with leaves in front of our eyes to camouflage our misbehavior, really worked. We found ourselves standing in our own mini Narnia. Completely struck with an extraordinary amount of excitement and awe, we glanced up at a window of the apartment complex just over the wall, and to our curiously horrified eyes we saw... a ghost. Don’t laugh just yet; with the way the ghost blushed as he looked our way, we knew he was no friend of ours. We screamed, and fled. Naturally.

H

ey, does anyone else remember the rain wash in the ditch by the lower school playground? I do, and I hope some others do as well. As a child, I saw this place as a stunning fantasy land, just waiting for my friends and me to place our flag within the rocks and take the unconquered land for our own. The only problem? It was Forbidden. Forbidden. If anyone, and I mean anyone, was caught exploring in the forbidden land, their Friday pudding would be taken away for sure. Now that was enough to scare us away from this little land of the lost. However, my fellow classmates and I, the ones I stand before today, well, let’s just say we twisted the rules a bit.

My best friend and I were determined to discover what lay beyond the playground, yet unleashing your rebellious side is a bit of a challenge when you’re a nine year old in a guard-gated private school. But again, we were determined. After deviously hatching our plan in a little place under the playground, the adventure began.

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The next day it was once again ghost hunting time. Revisiting the wash and clutching our branch spears in defense, we saw no sign of the mysterious being, but we knew he was there. Startled by the bounce of a forgotten ball rolling down the hill, we screamed, and fled. Naturally. We returned to the base of our adventure, our wonderful grassland of adventure and fun, otherwise known as the field, and caught our breath.

What followed was a series of more ghost hunts and more rules broken in search of the Dawson ghost. But I won’t get into that; I don’t want my Friday pudding taken away. In the end, our imaginations drove us wild until the year could finish. Yet, even now and then I still go check for anything unusual, just to be safe.

Seeing a ghost was overwhelming, yet exhilarating, but I want to recognize someone in particular. I don’t know who they are, and they probably do not know I am speaking about them, and they will most likely never know. Looking back at it now, in the midst of my shenanigans, I should have realized a teacher might have seen through my powerless camouflage, yet I still conquered the land of the forgotten hula-hoops. No one stopped me. But why exactly didn’t that teacher stop me when noticing my unhelpful

disguise? I know why. Because that teacher, was, and is, a teacher like every other at Dawson. It is too often in life we are handed instruction manuals; it is too often our hands are held, and it is too often we are guided through the storm. We are Dawson kids, it is our nature to seek adventure. If that teacher had stopped me on my journey, I would have never known what lies in the rocks of the famous rain wash. I wouldn’t have seen the ghost. I wouldn’t have been spiraled into an adventure of imaginations running wild at their finest. And I wouldn’t be standing here today.

The fact is, I wasn’t stopped, because teachers at Dawson don’t teach adventures; they grant them. Teachers at Dawson are extraordinary. They don’t force textbook knowledge, but rather encourage analysis and discovery. Teachers at Dawson are the kinds who let us explore-- who let us discover, and imagine, and adventure. Whoever the character was who witnessed my giggling laughter as I tip-toed across the dirt, I thank you. You gave me an adventure I will never forget. Thanks to the teachers and all the exceptional minds who taught the bold and brave class of 2015 to grow up to become the courageous visionaries we are. Thank you to the teachers who believe in adventure.

Now there’s something special about the people I stand before today, and I’ve seen this characteristic in this class since the very

beginning. When there is a rain wash that has yet to be explored, we will stop at nothing to plant our flag. We are explorers; we are innovators; we are discoverers; we are scientists; we are creators; and we are visionaries. There is a world full of unknown places and opportunities out there, and as Dawson kids, we have the will to reach out and grab it. The world is an adventure with no destination, but we are on our way.

It is only now, sitting upon this stage, that we realize the true value of our experience. Whether one has been here one year, or ten, none of us will ever forget this place. I will never forget the orange stained walls. I will never forget the Dawson bear I’ve walked by my entire life. I will never forget the lessons I’ve learned, the friends I’ve made, and the moments I have shared with this class. My advice? Never take the road less traveled.

Invent, and explore your own.

Now, do I still believe in the ghost that haunts the lower-school wash? Yes, yes I do. I believe in the adventure I will never forget, and the one that has barely begun. Dare to create your adventure, Dawson graduates. Congratulations, Dawson class of 2015, and wherever your adventure takes you, I really hope there’s Friday pudding. 

Tanner (back row, far right) was a member of the National Junior Honor Society

Tanner and classmates take a Lincoln Memorial selfie

At the Crime Museum in D.C.

Participating in Language Arts class

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Lower School’s 3rd Grade Performs “U.S. Geography”

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Dawson Performances Early Childhood

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10845 W. Desert Inn Rd. Las Vegas, NV 89135

5th Grade Performs Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”

Katie Hamilton as a witch

Ethan Cohen and Nishelle Phansalker-Michalik as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth

Asher Clark as Banquo

Charlie Griffith as King Malcolm

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For more information, please visit www.AlexanderDawsonSchool.org, or call (702) 949-3600