CHANDLER SHA M ROCK 2017
A
Culture OF Caring
message from the head of school
O
ne of Chandler’s goals is to foster an educational environment that values and communicates respect for racial, cultural and religious differences.
As the world becomes more complex it becomes more vital than ever to widen our apertures and synthesize more perspectives. We need empathy across our deepest divides to create a culture of caring. Through study, travel, social experiences, collaborative projects and community service, Chandler students learn about their unique qualities and the obligations they have to others.
“Service and caring are traditions at Chandler.”
Service to others has been an important element of Chandler’s program since Tom and Katie Chandler founded the school in 1950. The Chandlers believed then, as we believe today, that students need to understand that much has been given to them and much is expected from them at school, at home and in the community. In this edition of the Shamrock, you will get a sense of the expanding scope of learning and caring through service that takes place at school thanks to the initiative of Chandler teachers and the support of Chandler parents. Service and caring are traditions at Chandler. Most sincerely,
John Finch Head of School
CARING
through cancer
CHANDLER Olivia Gaines ’09 never expected to get blood cancer at age 20. But, she says, “I learned when times are tough, the power of community outshines the fear of a tragedy. Everybody at Chandler extended so many hands asking what they could do.” Olivia won a $5,000 first-place award for penning "When Cancer Takes Center Stage" in a writing contest, where young cancer survivors share their wisdom and advice with newly diagnosed teens. She also wrote a letter to Chandler students, urging them to keep serving others. “You never know whose spirit needs a little you,” she writes. Read both of Olivia’s letters at www.chandlerschool.org/olivia.
SHAMROCK MAGAZINE is published for parents, alumni, past parents and friends of Chandler School. EDITOR
Jessie Brumfiel DESIGN
Jihyun Oh CONTRIBUTORS
Joan Bravo, John Finch, Jennifer Sells Johnson ’94, Maureen Short ’84 PHOTOGRAPHY
Jessie Brumfiel, Catherine Pearson ’09 PRINTING
Licher Printing & Mailing
W E ’ D L OV E T O H E A R F R O M YO U !
Share your alumni news and thoughts on school communications. alumni@chandlerschool.org communications@chandlerschool.org
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Chandler School & Chandler Alumni
THE MISSION OF CHANDLER SCHOOL is to provide each student with the highest quality and most academically challenging education in a nurturing, balanced and diverse environment. We strive to have our students gain a love of learning, a means of thinking independently and an ability to work collaboratively. A Chandler education seeks to develop good character, self-reliance and a commitment to community in students as a foundation for academic and personal success.
contents C H A N D L E R T O D AY
F E AT U R E S
ALUMNI NEWS
News Highlights Q&A with Samantha Knight A Culture of Caring Graduation Distinguished Alumnus: Nathaniel Ru ’99 Off to College: Class of 2013 Alumni Visiting Day Class Notes & Profiles In Memoriam Alumni News & Events The Power of Giving Golf Classic Paul Korn Legacy
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THE GOALS OF CHANDLER SCHOOL are to uphold the Chandler tradition of academic excellence and intellectual discipline in a program that develops the mind, body and spirit;
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to serve the greater community, in recognition that as much is given to us, much is expected from us.
to promote respect, trustworthiness, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship, which are the core values of our school community; to foster an educational environment that values and communicates respect for racial, religious, cultural and economic differences;
CHANDLER SCHOOL 1005 Armada Drive Pasadena, CA 91103 www.cha nd lers choo l. o rg Chandler School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin or sexual orientation.
GINGERBREAD MAN
M YSTERY
Sometimes life imitates literature. In December, kindergarteners baked gingerbread cookies and hovered as teachers pulled trays from the hot oven, but the gingerbread men had run away! Thus ensued a crosscampus hunt by bewildered students, who found the still-warm cookies hidden in Mr. Finch’s desk. All month, Jennifer Pappas and Kerrie Barbato read students fun versions of the classic The Gingerbread Man – The Gingerbread Pirates, The Ninjabread Man – to teach literary elements such as character, setting, problem and resolution. Students kept a gingerbread journal, and did offer Mr. Finch a cookie.
CURRENT EVENT
CAPSTONES a Chandler eighth graders led ng an prolific year in sports, winni titles in unprecedented eight league soccer A-level girls’ basketball, golf, etball, golf, and softball and boys’ bask ey step swimming and volleyball. Th ith proven up to high school athletics w competitive spirit!
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Street art can speak louder than words. Seventh grade students made bold visual statements as they investigated a global concern that affects their generation, such as self-driving cars, alternative energy, and the Syrian refugee crisis. “They learn to consider all sides of an issue, its causes and impacts on people. They research and analyze sources, build a website, write a scholarly essay and create street art,” explained Nathan Mook, their social studies teacher.
D Y N R A O L T S I A R O L AB Chandler fifth graders spent three days immersed in the ecosystems of Catalina Island. Students completed a ropes course, snorkeled, kayaked over kelp forests, hiked sagestudded trails to discover rocks, plants and animals,
and got dirty composting food waste. “There’s no better way to teach California’s coastal ecosystem than to get kids in the ocean with garibaldi darting by their masks,” enthuses Lower School science teacher Stephanie Ho.
Middle School students performed Disney’s Aladdin Jr., in the Ahmanson Foundation Performing Arts Center last fall. Nearly 100 students pitched in, with two complete casts and over 30 workers in tech crew and stage craft handling sound, lights, costumes, sets and props. Director Brandi Williams-Moore and Assistant Director Will Salmon led the ambitious show, and students’ creative efforts brought rousing standing ovations each night.
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SO L AR D ES IG N C HA LLE NG E Sixth grade students took on a STEAM project to build solar-powered cars that could climb a ramp, race for speed and maintain a straight course. By using science, technology, engineering, art and math skills – plus patience, diplomacy and humor – students are learning to tackle hard problems beyond the textbook. Grace Berger, Abby Head, Mikey Egan, and Elizabeth Hong share their team’s journey: H OW D ID D E S I G N T HIN K IN G H EL P YO U ?
D ID YO U R C A R S U R P R I S E YO U IN T H E F IN A L T E S T S ?
MIKEY We had to think about what tests our car needed to perform, and then try to design it to do all those things. It needed to go fast but still hold together, go up a hill, and also go in a straight line.
ELIZABETH Our gear ratio was 3, which means the wheel gear was three times bigger than the motor gear. That was supposed to give us more speed but less torque. Our teacher said our car might not get up the hill with that ratio, but it did! I think because our car was light, it went fast enough to get all the way up the hill.
D ID YO U R T E A M WO R K W EL L T O G E T H ER ? ABBY Well… we didn’t have a lot of disagreements, just one... ELIZABETH Mikey had an idea, and they didn’t want to do it. MIKEY I learned it’s important to have a group that listens to your ideas!
GRACE Our car was 90 grams. Most other cars were 110 or 100 grams.
IF YO U K EP T WO R K IN G O N YO U R C A R , W H AT I M P R OV E M EN T S WO U L D YO U M A K E ?
GRACE But our group never had a huge fight. We had lots of small fights about silly things like scissors, and whether to undo the hot glue.
ELIZABETH Since our car always went left, we tried to make small improvements to the axle to get the wheels to roll straight. If we had more time, we’d redo it and make the axle longer.
W H AT D ID YO U L E A R N F R OM T E S T IN G YO U R P R O T O T Y P E ?
GRACE We tried to adjust our axle, but then it fell completely off because it was too short.
ABBY Our car veered to the left, and we didn’t expect that to happen. So until we actually tested the car, we didn’t know for sure what it would do. MIKEY We never really figured out how to fix it. GRACE That car is still going left, to this day!
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MIKEY I think the weight of the motor on one side made it go left. A longer axle would be better, so we could make more adjustments with the wheels.
New York Times bestselling illustrator and author Nathan Hale wowed Chandler students during the popular Fall Book Fair. Sharing a brand new story in his graphic novel series on American history, Hale told an accurate and outrageously funny narrative of Lewis and Clark’s westward exploration with Sacajawea and other characters. Later, Hale taught a cartooning workshop to Middle School students and signed copies of books from his series Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales. Hale reminded students that incredible treasures await them in the nonfiction section of their school library.
Samantha joined Chandler School in 2016 as a fifth grade teacher.
Six Questions
WITH SAMANTHA KNIGHT
WHO IS ONE OF YOUR HEROES?
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES?
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE A TEACHING CAREER?
WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT OTHERS WOULD BE SURPRISED TO LEARN ABOUT YOU?
I have adored Lucille Ball (and her character Lucy Ricardo) since I was six years old. I grew up watching I Love Lucy and can practically recite each episode from memory. While some of the comedic material went over my head, from the first moment I saw the zany redhead I was obsessed. Her sense of humor, perseverance, facial expressions, sense of independence, and feisty attitude drew me in. She was a true pioneer in the entertainment industry and represents a strong, self-determined woman.
I knew from a very young age that I wanted to be a teacher. I came into kindergarten knowing how to read fairly fluently, so my teacher asked me to teach others. In elementary school, I saved up my allowance to buy an overhead projector so I could play school with my younger sister. I loved helping her with homework and teaching her strategies to study for tests. I consider myself a lifelong learner and wanted a career where I would always be learning and growing. I love that my students teach me something new every day.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY ABOUT WORKING AT CHANDLER SCHOOL?
The entire Chandler community has been so incredibly supportive. An enthusiasm and passion for education oozes from the campus. Everyone is willing to help. My students and co-workers challenge me to push myself and expand my horizons as an educator. I love that Chandler values character and educating the whole student. Chandler students are well-rounded, creative, driven, and love coming to school. This makes my job fun, unpredictable, exciting, and incredibly rewarding.
I love to sing, cook, read and travel! I actually started college as a music major, until I realized it was more of a hobby than a career path. I never enjoyed cooking until recently. I have several food allergies and find joy in creating new recipes and versions of foods that I typically can’t eat. My parents instilled my love of travel, cultures, foods and languages. They wanted to show us life outside our small town in Montana!
I am a black belt in Taekwondo. My whole family practiced martial arts growing up, and I was the youngest black belt in the state of Montana. My first decade of life was spent in the “dojang” training. My Taekwondo career ended when I was kicked in the head at the trials for the Junior Olympics. My jaw was injured enough to scare my parents out of letting me compete again.
WHAT WERE YOU LIKE AS A FIFTH GRADER?
I loved to read anything and everything. My mom struggled to get me to go to sleep at a decent hour because I was constantly devouring new books. I also loved to play outside. Being from Montana, I had endless possibilities in my backyard. Even in the winter, you would find me exploring outside until dusk. Fifth grade was also when I discovered my love of acting and singing. I am so thankful for my fifth grade teacher, as she really fostered my love for the arts.
Summer 2017
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A
Culture OF Caring “We live in a time of intolerance and as a response schools must work to instill empathy in the next generation,” says Chandler Head of School John Finch. All schools aim to build a vast array of skills, abilities and knowledge in their students. But perhaps now more than ever is a sense of gravity around the attitudes we are imparting to young minds – character attributes like compassion, selflessness, generosity and kindness. “We want Chandler students to learn that we are all connected,” offers third grade teacher Carla Fernández, who mentors the Clovers, a Lower School student service club. “Kids here are learning that they can make a difference and that everyone should give back to their community.”
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From its earliest days, Chandler School taught students to serve others. “Tom Chandler pounded new shingles on the school roof, and that taught us kids a lot about hard work and giving back to other people,” recalls Ted Merchant ‘63. “We can go even deeper to help students connect with people from all walks of life and parts of the world,” notes Finch. “We want Chandler graduates to see themselves as global citizens and community leaders.”
A
Katie Villanueva, Caroline Birnie and Terry Orth took Chandler second grad-ers to New Horizon School, just a few blocks away, to exchange garden art pieces. Students paired up for a scavenger hunt to discover the art features, plants and critters in the sprawling new peace garden, and planted seeds to take home.
Chandler families eat hundreds of tamales in December. That’s because Spanish teachers Ana Genzon and Katie Villanueva help K-5 students make traditional tamales by hand. The tamales are sold to Chandler families and all proceeds donated to the Estado 29 orphanage in Ensenada, México in order to provide essential supplies.
Girls on the Run, an Afterschool running club for girls in grades 3-5, lent a hand through Operation Gratitude. The girls took a break from running to make functional rope bracelets and cards of support for soldiers. “It was a fun way to make a difference and let soldiers know we care,” noted Alicia Ferri, their faculty mentor.
CultureOF Caring Fourth grade teachers Connie Mohandesi and Hannah Ross taught students about sight impairment over the entire year. “We read a book with a character who was sight impaired,” explains Mohandesi. “The students had lots of questions, so we invited a guest to talk with us about his life and how he works with his service dog.” Later, for their STEAM project, students designed toys for sight-impaired children. First they visited a class for sight-impaired students so they could ask questions. Equipped with new understanding, Chandler fourth graders then worked in teams to make real, playable toys. Finally, Chandler students returned to the class and everyone played together with the new games.
For over thirty years, in a tradition started by Paul Korn, Chandler Middle School students have taken gifts to neighborhood Head Start preschools and spent a day playing with toddlers there. That community tie now has grown into an elective class for Chandler students to visit Head Start preschools each week to play with their little buddies.
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OUR BIGGEST
Big S ervice Day Chandler’s community turned out in force for the biggest, most successful Big Service Day yet. Students, parents, little siblings barely tall enough to reach the work tables, faculty, staff and alumni all joyously pitched in to help at-risk youth and homeless families. Together, Chandler volunteers made more than 150 fresh lunches and cards of encouragement for homeless youth at My Friend’s Place, and donated a van full of magazines and art supplies. Chandler also provided Union Station nearly 200 hygiene kits and bags filled with Valentines and granola bars to give to homeless families.
Clovers, a service club, held a Big Service Day bake sale.
“This service project has opened my eyes to seeing that even a small act can make a big difference in someone’s life.” Helping Hands All Chandler eighth graders volunteered at a local nonprofit in the spring, returning several times and sharing their reflections at an end-of-year service fair. “My whole experience with community service was very enlightening,” said eighth grader Zach Bechthold, about his work at Shane’s Inspiration. “We learned so much about how to treat a person with disabilities. This service project has opened my eyes to seeing that even a small act can make a big difference in someone’s life,” commented Hailey Lam. “My service project helped me grow as a person. Overall it was a great experience,” said Logan Sobel. “I’m so happy I made a difference in kids’ lives,” concluded Malia Shively.
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Chandler partnered with seven community organizations for in-depth service learning: • • • • • • •
Shane’s Inspiration Mother’s Club Ronald McDonald House Union Station Head Start Friends in Deed Door of Hope
Caring, Challenging & Committed IN MY WORDS: Dan Rothenberg '96 My parents showed me the importance of giving back. For my dad, that was mostly through nonprofit boards. My mom spent a lot of her own time doing things for the Huntington and Pasadena Showcase House of Design. They weren’t shy about roping us into what they were doing. My mom made me dress up as Batman the year that Pasadena Showcase featured the original Batman house on San Rafael. Eight years ago, John Rouse and John Finch asked me to join Chandler’s Board of Trustees and serve as its Alumni Council Liaison. I told them they were crazy: I was young. I didn’t have any children. But I liked the idea of being part of Chandler again so long after graduating, and giving back, because I always credit Chandler with my foundation in learning and my success. It was satisfying to be part of the Middle School renovation. That project encompassed a lot of people and multiple generations of the Board. My goal from day one was to pay off the debt as quickly as possible so the school could return to being debt free and totally unencumbered. It felt good when we did that. John Finch made my time volunteering very easy in many ways, because of his strong leadership. I worked with so many great people from the administration and staff, past
parents and trustees to current parent volunteers. I’ll keep going in committee work, because I feel like we can continue to help Chandler in the future and stay involved.
“I always credit Chandler with my foundation in learning and my success. Chandler’s focus on providing the best K-8 education, and creating wellrounded citizens who care about their communities, really set this school apart. My alumni friends are all doing things in their communities beyond their careers. Everyone is involved. We chose Chandler for our daughter Morgan because I knew she would enjoy her time here, become a well-rounded citizen and end up at a high school that will be the right direction for her. You can trust Chandler’s entire K-8 experience.
HOW YOU CAN HELP CHANDLER VOLUNTEER: If you’re a current parent, email Chandler Family Associates to find the perfect volunteer task for you (cfa@chandlerschool.org). If you’re an alumni, parent of alumni, or friend of the school, consider sharing your career with students in our Expert Advice elective, participating in Alumni Visiting Day, helping young alumni with career connections, or volunteering with the Golf Classic. To get involved with Chandler, just email us (jjohnson@chandlerschool.org). DONATE: Help us sustain the Chandler tradition of K-8 educational excellence by making a gift to support our programs, faculty and financial aid. (www.chandlerschool.org/give) PARTICIPATE: Help Chandler provide food, toiletries, books, art supplies and more to families in need in our local community, by participating generously in our collection drives and Big Service Day.
K MAR
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CA R U O
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AR END
AY D E IC V R E S
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SATURDAY
Daniel Rothenberg ’96 is Managing Director of Investments at UBS Financial Services, Inc. He served on Chandler’s Board of Trustees from 2009 until 2017, during which time he acted as Alumni Council Liaison, South Campus Campaign Chair, and President of the Board.
S!
FEB. 10, 2018
CONGRATULATIONS
CLASS OF 2017!
On Wednesday, June 7, 2017, 69 students in Chandler’s class of 2017 received their diplomas in an elegant ceremony witnessed by family, friends and faculty. Speakers included: Annie Young ’06 (invocation); John Finch (welcome and adieu); Pasadena City Councilmember Tyron Hampton (words for the class of 2017); Daniel Rothenberg ’96 (remarks from the Board President); Joyce Mitamura ’80 (alumni remarks); Nathaniel Ru ’99 (distinguished alumni award); Leon Kuo (class valedictorian); Alexander Albrecht (presentation of class gift); Anneke Emerson (words for the class of 2017); and Gayle Cole (benediction). Chandler’s graduates head to top secondary schools, including Campbell Hall, Cate School, Fountain Valley, Flintridge Preparatory School, Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, Geffen Academy, Harvard-Westlake School, La Cañada High School, Loyola High School, Maranatha High School, Marlborough School, Marshall Fundamental, Marshall S.A.S., Mayfield Senior School, Polytechnic School, Salisbury School, Sequoyah School, St. Francis High School, The Webb Schools, and Westridge School. Congratulations to the class of 2017! 10
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Awards Presented TO MEMBERS OF THE CLASS OF 2017
ARTHUR L. P. BROWN AWARD FOR SCHOLASTIC PROGRESS Esme Chiara - Emerson Herrera
HONOR ABLE MENTION
VERNON L. HILL CITIZENSHIP AWARD
Olivia Bulow - Mohona Ganguly
HONOR ABLE MENTION
ROBERT T. MCINERNY AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN SCHOOL SERVICE Alexander Albrecht & Leon Kuo
FINE ARTS (PERFORMING & VISUAL) AWARDS Emily Sam & Anna Turysheva HONOR ABLE MENTION
Xian Wong-Guest & Courtney Gangi
CLYDE E. MACQUOID AWARD FOR BEST GIRL ATHLETE Emma Stellar - Arianna Stavropoulos
HONOR ABLE MENTION
WILLIAM WILSON AWARD FOR BEST BOY ATHLETE
Brandon Szeto & Dylan Tracy-Lindenbaum
JEFFERSON C. STEPHENS SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Leon Kuo - Audrey Ma
HONOR ABLE MENTION
CATHERINE S. CHANDLER AWARD FOR BEST ALL AROUND GIRL Courtney Gangi & Emma Stellar
THOMAS A. CHANDLER AWARD FOR BEST ALL AROUND BOY Gaurav Law
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Almost Alumni HIGHLIGHTS 2017
ALMOST ALUMNI BREAKFAST:
Chandler’s Alumni Council hosted breakfast for the Class of 2017 before students faced their final exams.
ALMOST ALUMNI 100 DAYS CELEBRATION: Alumni Council members served pizza and cupcakes to the class of 2017 to celebrate the milestone of 100 days until graduation.
TIME CAPSULE LAUNCH:
The Class of 2017 and their parents gathered in The Rothenberg Family Courtyard and Dickerson Point to autograph and fill a special time capsule trunk.
GRADUATION REHEARSAL SUNGLASSES: Alumni Relations Director Jennifer Sells Johnson ’94 handed out green sunglasses to the Class of 2017 following their graduation rehearsal.
THE CLASS REPRESENTATIVES OF 2017
Emma Stellar, Leon Kuo, Mohona Ganguly, Gaurav Law, Alyssa Christopoulos, Alexander Albrecht and Emily Sam
2017 CHANDLER SCHOOL
Distinguished Alumni AWARD WINNER
Nathaniel RU ’99 La Salle High School Georgetown University Co-Founder and Co-CEO of sweetgreen www.sweetgreen.com
Nathaniel Ru’s sweetgreen restaurant venture has grown from serendipitous freshman year friendships at Georgetown, where he met two fellow students who shared his passion for entrepreneurship and healthy food. “We asked: how do we make healthy eating more accessible?” recalls Ru. “We came up
“ Always leave people better than
you found them. Any meaningful relationship takes time, real work, and a willingness to give without the expectation of return.
”
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with a business plan and two months after graduating, we launched our first restaurant in a tiny space just off the Georgetown campus.” Now there are 65 sweetgreen restaurants nationwide. “We understand the importance of transparency in food, honest sourcing, quality products,” Ru notes. “Especially as we grow the key is simplicity: fresh ingredients, local menus, and an intimate experience that brings people together around food.” Even as he builds his business, Nathaniel gives back, launching a curriculum sweetgreen in schools - for elementary school children. Lessons teach healthy eating and culminate in a visit to a neighborhood sweetgreen restaurant.
“ Chandler felt
“We’ve reached over 3,000 kids, and we’re proud to be creating the next generation of healthy eaters,” Nathaniel reflects. “It’s meaningful for our employees to connect with the community.” Last year, sweetgreen opened a restaurant in Chicago and partnered with a local urban farm, Growing Power. “We met the owner and connected over the power of real food. We partnered with them to create the first-ever mobile farmer’s market,” Ru explains. “The city of Chicago gave us an old transit bus. We funded the design and retrofit, and gave it to Growing Power to deliver farmer’s market produce to the south
less like a school and more like a family, and that’s something I’ve taken with me.”
Ru describes himself as constantly eager to learn from others, and includes his former Chandler teachers among those who have shaped him.
“Most Creative People in Business,” Inc’s “30 Under 30”, Forbes’ “30 Under 30” and Food & Wine’s “40 Big Food Thinkers 40 and Under.” In 2016, sweetgreen was named one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Companies.”
“Chandler was really good to me. At Chandler I learned lessons that I still apply to all parts of my life. One of the biggest is the power of community. Chandler felt less like a school and more like a family, and that’s something I’ve taken with me.”
Winning awards still catches Ru off guard, however, and he professes surprise at winning Chandler’s distinguished alumni award. “I’m very honored to be part of the alumni community, and very grateful. The Chandler values are values I share.”
and west sides of Chicago.”
Others have recognized Ru for his business success. He was named to Fast Company’s
2018 CH ANDLER SCHOOL
Distinguished Alumni AWA R D
The Chandler School Distinguished Alumni Award is given annually to a Chandler alumnus or alumna in recognition of outstanding achievement and unselfish dedication to his/her community. Those who are honored with this award have, through their life and work, embodied Chandler’s mission and Six Pillars of Character: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship. The Chandler School Alumni Council invites nominations for this award. If you know of a Chandler alumnus or alumna whose life or work you would like to see honored with this award, please consider the following criteria: • Significant accomplishment in career or field of interest; • Excellence in service to the community or to society in general; • Volunteer service which has inspired others; • Embodiment of Chandler’s Six Pillars of Character.
The deadline for nominations is DECEMBER 1, 2017. Nominations will be considered confidentially by the Chandler School Alumni Council, and the award will be presented at Commencement in June. Please contact Director of Alumni Relations and Major Gifts Jennifer Sells Johnson ’94 with nominations or questions at alumni@chandlerschool.org or (626) 795-9314 ext. 111.
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f o
s s 3 a 1 l 0
C OFF2
TO
COLLEGE REUNION
Chandler welcomed more than 80 alumni and parents from the Class of 2013 to campus for a festive Cinco de Mayo-themed reunion before they start college in the fall.
The Class of 2013 has enrolled in these colleges and others Bard College
Scripps College
Berklee College of Music
Sonoma State University
Boston College
Southern Methodist University
Brown University
Stanford University
California Institute of Technology California Polytechnic State University Colorado State University
Syracuse University University of California, Berkeley University of California, Los Angeles
Cornell University
University of Chicago
Drew University
University of Michigan
Emory University
University of Oregon
Georgetown University
University of Pennsylvania
Howard University
University of Puget Sound
King’s College, London
University of Southern California
Lewis & Clark College Loyola Marymount University Massachusetts Institute of Technology Occidental College
University of Tennessee University of Wisconsin-Madison Wake Forest University
Purdue University
Washington University in St. Louis
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Wellesley College
San Diego State University San Francisco State University Santa Clara University
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Whitman College Yale University
NIKHIL ADARKAR '13
KALEY MITCHELL '13
ALEJANDRO SALINAS '13
Polytechnic School | Whitman College
Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy Lewis & Clark College
Loyola High School | Stanford University
“I think I might major in economics at Whitman,” says Nikhil. “I’m also interested in business.” “At Poly, my main activities were playing for the varsity tennis team, serving as President of the Conservative Club, and serving as a Student Ambassador.” Nikhil advises Chandler students, “Never doubt yourselves, it will all work itself out. Even though high school applications and college applications might seem scary, everyone ends up at a place that is right for them."
NICHOLAS SALINAS '13
“I’m leaning toward an economics or communications major,” says Kaley. “My freshmen year in high school I decided to play water polo, which was surprisingly one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I also helped create an ocean conservation and beach preservation club which introduced me to a lot of new people. Lastly, I remained a Girl Scout which was super fun because it kept me in contact with a lot of my Chandler friends.” Kaley reflects, “Chandler taught me perseverance. Chandler taught me to talk to my teachers and ask for their support when I needed it.” Kaley gives this advice to Chandler students, “Have fun!”
SOPHIA TERRILE '13
MAYA VASQUEZ '13
Loyola High School Massachusetts Institute of Technology “I plan to major in computer science and engineering,” says Nicholas as he prepares to head to MIT. “In high school, I was editor-in-chief of our national award-winning newspaper The Loyalist, President of the Association of Latin American Students, and a Student Leader for the Community Service Leadership Team. Chandler over-prepared me for high school. I placed into the highest levels of math and Spanish. Chandler gave me the confidence to take as many AP and honors courses as I could, and I graduated having taken 17 honors and AP courses. I graduated with Summa Cum Laude, ranking in the top 10% of my senior class, and I was awarded the Fritz B. Burns Outstanding Service Award.” Nicholas tells Chandler students, “Don’t be afraid to try something new because you never know what can happen out of a new activity or sport.”
“I plan to major in human biology or bioengineering and minor in either energy resource engineering, aeronautics and astronautics, or Chicano studies,” says Alejandro Salinas about his Stanford plans. “In high school, I was a captain of the crosscountry and track teams. In 2015, we won a CIF cross-country state title. As a junior and senior, I was a sports editor for our newspaper, The Loyalist. I led eight service trips to Tijuana, Mexico, and I was a Student Ambassador. I am a Summa Cum Laude student and member of the California Scholarship Federation, and I was recognized by the National Hispanic Recognition Program. I was one of three students from Loyola to receive the Christian Service Award from the LA Archdiocese. I am also an Eagle Scout.” Alejandro says, “Chandler taught me the importance of time management and prioritization. Because of Chandler, I had the confidence and preparation to challenge myself academically.” “My advice is to make the most of summers in high school.”
Polytechnic School King’s College, London Sophia plans to study international relations as she heads to London for college. Her high school experience at Poly included playing tennis and badminton, and serving in the Girls’ Service League. “Chandler gave me the organizational skills I needed for high school,” she notes. “At Chandler, I learned how to be a dedicated student.” Sophia tells Chandler students, “Explore as many different opportunities as possible. Take advantage of the varying programs that schools offer so you can meet new people and have unique experiences.”
Flintridge Preparatory School | Yale University “At Yale I hope to study something with film, English or history,” says Maya. “I enjoyed Film Club and writing for The Flintridge Press in high school. I also played first and third base on the varsity softball team for four years.” She notes that she is a member of the California Scholarship Federation and a National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholar. Maya felt well prepared as she entered Flintridge. “Everything I learned in high school grew off the core skills I learned at Chandler.” Maya tells Chandler students, “Don’t worry about what you’re going to do later in life. Take changes in stride and, overall, just do what you love.” Summer 2017 17
Alumni Visiting Day
Chandler alumni flocked to campus on February 8, as guest speakers in every K-5 classroom and Middle School elective course. An entertainment industry alumni panel gave students plenty of tips, and entrepreneur Allison McGuire ’01 debuted a brand-new mapping app at Chandler.
ALUMNI IN CLASSROOMS Jennifer Jackson Berger ’85 Maddy Berger ’16 Ann Fromholz ’82 Sarah Gilman ’10 Marina Glazman ’96 Taryn Kim ’16 Misha Klein ’86 Dr. Sunjay Lad ’95 Allison McGuire ’01 Joyce Mitamura ’80 Solunna Nwankwo ’16 Charles Redmond ’01 Hilary Tate ’96
Having previously created the #3 navigation app behind Google Maps and Waze, Allison McGuire ’01 brought her newest navigation app, Walc, to Chandler. She unveiled brand new mapping technology to Middle School students, who were the first in the world to try it out.
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ENTERTAINMENT PANEL ADVICE
Dylan DIEHL
Jon KONDRATH ’97
Christina NABER SNIDER ’97
WESTRIDGE SCHOOL Columbia University ACTRESS
FLINTRIDGE PREPARATORY SCHOOL USC OWNER/CEO OF REKON PRODUCTIONS, PRODUCER
POLY Pepperdine University CASTING DIRECTOR
Chandler is teaching you to embrace hard work, and that will help you in your future. Pursue what is meaningful to you. I appreciate that Chandler gave me a foundation of friends, values and habits that has carried into adult life.
Sarah GILMAN ’10 FLINTRIDGE PREPARATORY SCHOOL USC, School of Cinematic Arts ACTRESS
Follow your passion, and work towards that. Chandler is a great school when you look at its core education, and is even stronger when you look at all the extracurricular opportunities. Take advantage of your teachers’ knowledge and passion. Chandler instilled in me a desire to learn and sense of collaborating with others to succeed.
Kristina KONDRATH ’00
FLINTRIDGE PREPARATORY SCHOOL USC Be nice. You know that person that everyPRODUCER AND UNIT PRODUCTION MANAGER, one talks about? The one who sits alone REKON PRODUCTIONS at lunch. Go talk to them. Eat lunch with them. Just be nice. I’m thankful that ChanEnjoy your time at school and absorb dler pushed me academically and taught me the importance of time management. as much as you can. The people you encounter (both fellow students and faculty) shape your future in many ways, so don’t take it for granted. I’m thankful Misha KLEIN ’86 that Chandler gave me a great sense SOUTH PASADENA HIGH SCHOOL/L.A.COUNTY of family and community. Chandler HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS Sonoma State not only set me up educationally for University/San Francisco State University college, but the support system and FREELANCE ANIMATOR values impacted me personally.
Do work that you’re proud of. Learn everything you can. Pursue what makes you happy, not what makes other people happy. My years at Chandler taught me the value of hard work. Also, I met both my very best friend, as well as the man I would eventually marry, while we were students there.
Jason Z. WONG ’98 HARVARD-WESTLAKE USC Film School WRITER/DIRECTOR Love your mother. And read a lot. I’m still grateful to Chandler for some lifelong friends.
You are where you are supposed to be. Learn from today’s lessons. I’ll always appreciate that Chandler introduced me to my oldest and best friend, Dave Clifford '86.
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C L A S S N O T E S 2 017 EARL BARR ’72 CHS ’76 is a licensed producer at Allstate Insurance. He is bilingual in Spanish and grateful to Mr. Hill and Chandler for the Spanish foundation that he uses daily. He is still in touch with fellow Chandler alumni Chuck MacQuoid ’71 CHS ’76 and Bruce Caulk ’74 CHS ’78, and they enjoy getting together for sporting events. Earl shares this historical photo of some of the best athletes from Chandler. He has fond memories of his time at Chandler and wishes everyone well.
MONIE WHEATCROFT TENBROECK ’74
is enjoying living in Palo Alto and working for Informatica in marketing.
CHRIS SLOMAN ’77 is living just outside of Nashville, TN with his wife Cathy and two kids. His daughter Jillian is in her second year at NYU and son Raleigh is playing high school football. “I started kindergarten with Mrs. Jansen in 1968 and went all the way through ninth grade in 1977. Hello to all the teachers and students from that era!” BILL BURROWS JR. ’79 and his wife Susie celebrated the graduation of their oldest son, Jack, from SCAD this June. Jack will embark on his dream of designing video games as he starts working with MindShow in downtown Los Angeles this summer, developing virtual reality applications. Bill and Susie’s younger sons, twins Nicky and Joey, will be starting Maranatha High School as freshmen in the fall. Bill enjoys his work as Director of Development for the College of Pharmacy at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, and says he sees Lee Walmsley ’79 and Kelly Moffat ’79 from time to time. Bill also wants to give a shout-out “Hey!” to all his other classmates. JOYCE MITAMURA ’80 writes, “After nine wonderful years at Chandler, my daughter Yumi '16 is loving high school life! I can’t believe how fast the time is going. 20
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rience. He feels that the educational foundation Chandler helped create has really paid off in his high school studies. Both Ryan and Chase received their black belt ranking in Taekwondo.
She’ll be off to college in 3 years! We still come back regularly for alumni events, and still see our good Chandler friends often. Thank you Chandler for giving us such an amazing group of friends and for preparing Yumi so well for high school! In June, while our daughters, Yumi Balthazar ’16 and Nadina Wu ’14 have been doing a farmstay in Imari, Japan, where they have been making pickled plums and planting rice, all the while honing their language skills, past parent Gillian Wu and I have been touring Kyushu! First stop was Nagasaki, famous for being the first point where the Portugese and Dutch traded with Japan back in the 16th century. Then on to Miyazaki, with its palm trees and tropical climate and amazing Miyazaki A5 beef! Our next stops were Shiiba and Takachiho - tiny remote towns in the mountains of Kyushu, where we dined on wild boar and bamboo shoots, and saw the cave where the Japanese Sun Goddess is said to have hidden herself away thousands of years ago. It’s been an amazing trip, and we are already planning to come back again next year!”
ANNA PEHOUSHEK ’80 is enjoying life with her 10 year old son and husband. She is the Assistant Community Development Director for the City of Orange and has enjoyed travelling over the past year around the east coast and to Colorado. CHRIS WALDHEIM ’81, RYAN WALD HEIM ’16 AND CHASE WALDHEIM FU TURE ALUMNUS, ’21 are enjoying their
summer with some local adventures including rafting the Kern river. Ryan has completed his first year at Flintridge Prep and loves everything about the high school expe-
ANN FROMHOLZ ’82 practices employment law in Pasadena at the firm she founded in 2015. In June, Ann was elected a Fellow of the College of Labor & Employment Lawyers, which honors the leading lawyers nationwide in the field of labor and employment law. Ann also recently joined the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Counsel for Justice, which is the charitable arm of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. Ann’s daughter Alden ’24 is entering second grade at Chandler and loves school and her friends. DOMINIQUE LACERTE ’84 lives with her parents. She also has green hair. She sleeps with three dogs and three cats on the bed, and tries to squeeze in between them all. Three new chicks were just added to her chicken coop last week. Their names are Princess Layer, Don Julio, and Johnny Cash. Apparently all animals come in threes at her home. She’d love for anyone to visit, and is fully stocked and prepped for the zombie apocalypse. CLAYTON MORRISON ’84 is an Associate Professor on tenure track at the University of Arizona in the School of Information. LAUREN CRAIG ALBRECHT ’85, watched her son, Alexander ’17, a lifer, graduate as part of Chandler’s Class of 2017. She is proud of his accomplishments — he received the Robert T. McInerny Award for Excellence in School Service and an Academic Achievement award. Alexander will be attending Cate School in the fall. For the past three years,
DAVID BROWN ’84 Brown Estate David Brown ’84 is the wine grower for Brown Estate (www. brownestate.com), a St. Helena vineyard and estate winery, with a new tasting room in downtown Napa. For over twenty years, David has been a student of farming, vineyard management and the art of making wines from grapes grown on his family’s own land. Your parents wanted you to attend medical school on the east coast. They built a successful medical practice. My mom was the one who took the big risk with me. She empowered me to take a different path and not just do what everyone else was doing. So I owe a lot to her. My mom is someone I always rely on. I talk with her every day. Both my parents just turned 80. What was it about the wine industry that hooked you? I fell in love with living on the farm and working in the fields. I just found my calling and I didn’t realize it at the time but I was just so at home out in the country. I’ve always been a very inquisitive person. The wine industry is unique because people are so generous with information. I could ask questions and get really in depth answers from anyone. I’d met so many people who didn’t go to school to learn winemaking, they learned it hands-on. I realized I could do it, too. Does creating wines get easier with experience? Over the years, what kept me engaged was that with every vintage came unique challenges. My job as winemaker is to find the opportunities that are hidden within the challenges. Every vintage is unknown and the lessons you learn in one year in no way prepare you for what’s coming the next year. I like to think that I’m getting better at this, but at the same time I try to pretend that each vintage is my first.
One of my mentors used to tell me, “We’re not making Coca Cola. Every vintage is going to be different and you have to embrace that. There’s not a formula.” He also told me that when you’re farming, you have no control over most of the variables. So you focus on where you can have an impact on the finished product. What’s next for Brown Estate? We just took on this project of launching a satellite tasting room in downtown Napa. Our main tasting room is off the beaten path, nine miles up into the mountains in St. Helena. It’s difficult to get to. We opened the Napa tasting room in April to be more accessible. One of the bigger questions in a family business like this is what’s our succession plan? That’s something that we’re all starting to think about. Does your Chandler experience reveal itself in your life today? My Chandler experience was amazing. That was where I started to love school and I started to love learning. At Chandler I was introduced to the concept of citizenship, and that has stayed with me my entire life. The honor system was well understood and no one ever cheated. Those values have impacted my life and the way I treat people and interact with people. It’s at the core of who I am as a person for sure. I had so many nice classmates at Chandler, and would you believe it, Steve Rea ’84 and I both opened tasting rooms in Napa across the street from each other. Thoughts for Chandler students today? When you’re young, you have your whole life ahead of you. You have the ability to try something different, look for something that’s not just what everybody else is doing. You need to explore a little bit, give yourself a chance to figure out who you are and resist the pressure to fit a certain mold. That kind of happened for me by accident. I feel very lucky to have had the good fortune I’ve had in my life.
NOAH SUTCLIFFE ’95 EightyTwo Noah Sutcliffe always played Nintendo as a boy. Now he owns a classic arcade and bar located in the Arts District of downtown Los Angeles. Starting up EightyTwo (www. eightytwo.la) with his childhood buddy, Scott Davids, has proved to be the perfect creative venture for Noah – and a smash success, too. Noah made the leap into entrepreneurship from corporate law. “I helped people set up their businesses. It turned out to be great preparation to make Scott’s and my vision a reality,” he says. With a dozen classic video games in Scott’s personal collection, Noah and Scott dreamed about creating a destination where arcade lovers like themselves could enjoy retro
pinball and arcade machines. “We opened in March 2014. It’s cool to realize that we’ve created a place for people to go and have a nice time.” The startup experience also offered a welcome creative outlet for Noah to express himself, and to prove that he could quickly pay back his investors. “When you work with a great team, you can accomplish so much,” he says. Noah doesn’t have to look far to see Chandler influences in his life. “Chandler exposes you to a diversity of smart, open-minded, interesting people. At Chandler, I learned how to learn from people around me. Chandler sets you up for your approach to life, and sets a great example.”
Alexander was a big buddy to Michael Johnson ’23, who also attended the graduation ceremony with his mom, Jennifer Sells Johnson ’94. Meanwhile, Maggie Albrecht ’21, is excited to begin fifth grade at Chandler. Lauren would love to see any of her classmates back on campus.
DAVID CLIFFORD ’86 recently tran-
sitioned out of Stanford’s d.school to go full speed ahead on design school X (DSX) in Oakland. DSX received $215K seed funding (grant written by his amazing sister, Anne ’83), to launch as a public school aiming to tackle head-on the equity, innovation and opportunity gaps not just in Oakland, but internationally by working with schools in Bangalore, Dakar and Jerusalem, to name a few. David also had the pleasure of working with The National Equity Project to create a new approach to design called #liberatorydesign. Check it out!
DR. DANIEL KIRAGES ’86 graduated from USC with a doctoral degree in physical therapy (DPT) and is an Associate Professor at USC. KATIE MORRISON ’86 is teaching second grade in Sonoma Valley Unified School District. JOYCE WANG SAKONJU ’87 and her husband Jan just wrapped up another terrific year at Chandler! Their twins Christopher and Ashley are in the class of 2024 and will be starting second grade in the fall. “It’s been wonderful to experience Chandler as a parent and see all that Chandler puts into our kids. It’s such a dynamic and balanced school, even more so than when I was a student. My husband and I are so happy our children are building such a strong foundation in academics, art and sports,” says Joyce.
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C L A S S N O T E S 2 017 REED ANDERSON ’88 and his wife Amy and daughters are living in Bangkok, Thailand. He was recruited by Mackensie Consulting to set up streaming media for TRUE in Thailand, Myanmar and South China. JOHN BERGER ’88, a longtime veteran of Southern California commercial real estate, has joined the Pasadena office of Lee & Associates as a Founding Principal. ERIKA PERSON WERNER ’88 writes, “My husband and I recently relocated from NYC to Pasadena! I’m thrilled to be back working as a freelance singer, teaching private voice lessons at home, beginning piano lessons at Green Brooms Music Academy in South Pasadena, and getting my health coaching practice in full swing. Wishing all of my fellow Chandler grads well!” JESSICA TORNEK ’89 is taking a sabbati-
cal year with her family and living in Turin, Italy. Her kids are going to international school and learning Italian very quickly. Check out their blog at dolcevitafamily.com.
BLAKLEY COE ’93 married Justin Gra-
ham on Sunday, July 12, 2015. They were married at the Altadena Town and Country Club among families and friends. Blakley and Justin met while working in their careers in education in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
RICK THOMPSON ’94 reports, “Lyra Janet
Thompson, the first child of Rick Thompson and Khanhvy Phan, was born at Hoag hospital in Newport Beach on June 3, 2017. She was 19.5 inches, 7 lbs, 1 ounce. Rick, Khanhvy and Lyra have settled into their new house in the hills of Orange. Rick teaches calculus and statistics at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana. Khanhvy teaches seventh grade English at Harbor Day School in Newport Beach.”
SUSAN ANNE TUDDENHAM ’94 is an assistant professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine with two boys, 2 years 9 ½ months and 9 ½ months.
RAYMOND ATTIPA ’95 has been running Obsev Studios (formerly REV New Media) for the past 11 years. He creates video and editorial content for the millennial pop culture. You can check out the site at http://www.obsev.com and some of their popular channels on YouTube.
ELIZABETH COOK BEHLE ’97 won an Emmy with her news team in San Francisco.
BRIAN HUSKEY ’95 is the owner of Tack-
KEVIN KANEKO ’98 married Charlotte Alinea of Gothenburg, Sweden at The Langham Huntington in Pasadena on March 17, 2017. The wedding was officiated by Wade Olson, a former Chandler parent. Jarett Olson ’98 and Travis Young ’96 served as groomsmen and Erin Kaneko ’96 was matron of honor. Kevin and Charlotte honeymooned in Alaska and currently live in Waimanalo, Hawaii where they own a real estate company.
le Box in Newport Beach. This local grub shack offers quality, fresh seafood and is one of OC’s top restaurants to visit. Check it out tackleboxoc.com.
AMIT SURA ’96 is completing his first year
as fellowship director and third year as a pediatric radiologist in the department of radiology at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Amit continues to enjoy both medical education and his clinical responsibilities. His son Rayan just had his first birthday and is already starting to talk back to his parents at such a young age.
SAMANTHA WITTER WEIGANDT ’96 AND THOMAS WEIGANDT ’99 recent-
ly celebrated their five year wedding anniversary. Samantha works with her mother on their stationary line and Thomas recently joined as a partner at a boutique investment bank in Manhattan Beach. The couple currently reside in Brentwood, California.
TRAVIS YOUNG ’96 & ERIN KANEKO ’96
recently moved to Bellevue, WA with their sons, Tie (5) and Declan (3). Travis has returned to the online marketing industry and Erin continues to work in real estate investment.
LEXI TUDDENHAM ’97 is director of Sheep Mountain Alliance in Telluride, Colorado.
ALEX TIMIRAOS ’98 has worked in the UCLA athletics department since graduating from Boston College in May 2006. In his current role at UCLA, he serves as the primary communications contact for the men’s basketball team. TYLER STUTIN ’99 was attached to the U.S. Navy serving as a JAG criminal trial attorney at Pearl Harbor, HI. He was married in December to Ms. Erin Stapp of Phoenix, Arizona. ANDREA SWAIN ’99 reports, “I married
Brian Laks on February 18, 2017 in Cartagena, Colombia. In attendance were Greg Carr ’99, and Kate Silhan ’99 who was one of my bridesmaids, and of course my brother Alexander Swain ’09 who was one of our groomsmen! We are now living in San Marino.”
AVIS BOHLEN ’00 reports that after graduating from law school, she spent a year clerking for the U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit in Texas and two years in London with a New York-based law firm. She lives and practices law in New York City. Summer 2017 23
C L A S S N O T E S 2 017 LAURA REARDON ’00 attended Polytechnic School and later earned her BA in romance languages and literatures (with an emphasis in French, Italian, and Spanish and cum laude in her field) from Harvard University in 2008. After spending two years teaching English in Northern Italy, she returned to obtain her English single subject teaching credential and Master of Arts in Teaching from USC Rossier School of Education. She has been teaching sixth grade English at Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth for the past five years. She is now the English Language Arts Curriculum Coordinator for the Lower School. Laura married Kenneth W. Childs, II on April 8, 2017 in Healdsburg, CA. ALLISON HEGAN KLEINE ’01 moved to
the Pacific Northwest with her husband, Alastair, last year and has settled in beautiful Bellingham, WA, where she works raising money for the local Boys & Girls Clubs as the Individual & Foundation Giving Manager. Hiking and exploring with their new rescue dog, Montana, keeps her and Alastair busy. While no longer newly released, Allison’s book, No More Endlings: Saving Species One Story at a Time, is still available on Amazon, so get your copy today if you haven’t already done so--50% of royalties go to conservation. If any Chandler alumni plan on visiting Bellingham (it’s only 45 minutes south of Vancouver, BC), don’t be afraid to reach out to Allison directly via email: allisonhegan@gmail.com. She’d love to hear from you!
STEPHEN LINDGREN ’01 is Vice President
at Lincoln Property Company in Downtown Los Angeles.
CHARLES BOHLEN ’02 is the co-founder and director of operations for Metamason, a Los Angeles-based company that specializes in 3-D printing of masks to treat sleep apnea. 24
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ELLIE LEE ’02 runs a public art non-profit organization called Equitable Vitrines. Its mission is to display contemporary artworks in public spaces in Los Angeles County for the enrichment of audiences who do not normally visit museums and galleries. LIZ ORTIZ ’03 lives in New York City with her fiancé and Pasadena native, Paul Cabot. They are planning a Spring 2018 wedding in Pasadena. After working at Christie’s Auction House for six years, she recently began a job at the Whitney Museum of American Art in their Major Gifts Department. PETER BOHLEN ’04 is the personal assis-
tant to a producer and director for Showtime and worked on the third season of “The Affair” in 2016.
DENNY LOWE ’04 AND STEVIE STRING FELLOW ’04 completed five years of active
duty in the military (following four years at West Point) exiting their posts as U.S. Army Captains. Trading in their dog tags for laptops, they will pursue MBAs this fall at USC’s Marshall School of Business and UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, respectively. Pictured here in 2015 Stevie (left) and Denny (right) at Camp Buehring, Kuwait.
DAVID JACKSON ’08 is a securities pricing analyst at Invesco in Atlanta, GA. SAMANTHA JACOBS ’08 is teaching sixth
grade English at Ánimo Western, which is a charter school under Green Dot Public Schools. She recently completed her MA in English in Education at King’s College, London.
SIDNEY KARESH ’08 will be teaching English abroad on a Fulbright grant for the 2017-18 school year. In the meantime, she is finishing up a year of service with City Year San Jose. LUKE HATANAKA ’09 graduated from Gonzaga University with a degree in mechanical engineering. He was named Hogan Entrepreneurial Scholar, and minored in entrepreneurship. JAMIE KIM ’09 interned abroad during the fall semester in the Philippines, as part of her international health degree program for the Western Pacific Region World Health Organization in the Malaria, Vectorborne and other Parasitic Diseases unit. ARIELLE MURPHY ’09 graduated from USC in December, 2016 with a BA in art history. She was accepted to Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London’s MA program in art history for the fall.
NAOMI HATANAKA ’07 graduated from UC Berkeley with honors, and now is working at Deloitte as a strategic consultant in San Francisco. JOHN TUDDENHAM ’07 is a research assistant at the Tisch Multiple Sclerosis Center in New York. He will be entering the Columbia University MD/PhD program in the fall. DRISS GUESSOUS ’08 is a physics major at the Ohio State University and played as starting middle blocker on OSU’s Men’s Volleyball NCAA Division 1 Championship Team in May 2016.
COLLEEN O’GORMAN ’09 was a finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship and recognized by Princeton University as one of the country’s future leaders. CATHERINE PEARSON ’09 AND ANNIE YOUNG ’06 will be traveling to-
gether to Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and Ireland. Cat, the first grade teaching assistant, and Annie, the seventh grade math teacher, are inseparable on Chandler campus. They commonly can be found scavenging for snacks, laughing in the hallways, and enjoying the company of Chandler students.
KATHERINE RUSSELL ’09 graduated in May from Loyola University of Chicago with a degree in history and minor in fine arts. Katherine has settled in Chicago.
MARINA GLAZMAN ’96 Suite Shopping for Home Décor For Marina Glazman, having almost no time or budget is no reason not to have a beautiful home. In fact, her new business, Suitely (www.suitely.com), live as of October 2016, helps anyone simply and beautifully decorate their place in no time.
Beyond Chandler, Marina graduated high school at The Webb Schools. In college at UC San Diego, she majored in International Studies with a focus on Russian literature – a foundation she credits with building her critical thinking skills.
Like many entrepreneurs, Marina’s inspiration was born of personal need. Her efforts to turn her New York City studio into an urban sanctuary some years ago without breaking the bank or having the effort take over her life, brought on the realization that busy professionals need streamlined retail options in home décor.
Following college, Marina co-founded a marketing strategy consultancy, helping other companies grow. That experience compelled her to earn an MBA from The Wharton School, and then to dig deeper into business strategy through corporate and consulting work.
She knew plenty of other professionals could also use more curated but affordable decorating options. Putting her business background to work, Marina did the necessary market and technical research, and eventually Suitely was born as a retailer changing the way people shop for the home. Marina partially credits her inquisitive and confident spirit to her Chandler days, which she remembers as “the perfect storm of intellectual stimulation and social growth.” She attests that Chandler was “the most wholesome experience I’ve ever had.” In fact, she sees that grounding experience as foundational for future pursuits, having instilled in her a level of resolve and confidence in pursuing new challenges.
MAILE MURPHY ’10 is completing an undergraduate program at UC Berkeley in film studies. JONATHAN ROBERTS ’10 placed eighth in the Men’s 200m Freestyle (swimming) at the Olympic Trials. DUNCAN SPARKS ’11 completed his second year at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He is studying architecture.
Her empty New York apartment ultimately launched her on her current adventure with Suitely. “I want anyone to be able to decorate their home, painlessly, and with quality artisan pieces,” explains Marina. “Each item we offer is beautiful and affordable, and our fixed-price suite concept takes the confusion out of home décor. It really is simple, affordable and lovely.” Marina is pleased to offer anyone with Chandler ties a 20% discount at Suitely.com, good for gift cards or products. Just enter code “Shamrock20” at checkout. Be sure to sign up for the newsletter, too.
COLE DILLMAN ’12 completed his freshman year at TCU. He says he’s studying harder than he ever has since graduating from Chandler! RILEY RENICK ’12 graduated from Loyola High School in 2016 and is a sophomore at the University of Denver where he is majoring in political science (with a minor in Spanish – thank you Sra. Vasquez). He is a member of Sigma Chi, an avid skier and plays hockey with his fraternity’s intramural team.
SAMANTHA RIVAS ’12 completed her freshman year of college at the University of Portland. This summer Sam is shadowing a doctor at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and working as a counselor at Summer@Chandler.
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THE KOHORST FAMILY Bob Kohorst started Everest Properties, a real estate investment firm, so he could control his own schedule, which then revolved around sons, Kevin ’99 and Matt ’03. “As my own boss, I could set the priority to be there while the boys were in their important years,” Bob explains. “My wife, Shelley, and I always made the time to participate in our sons’ lives, maybe to an excess on occasion. Not only did I attend all of their sporting events in grade school and high school, I even watched most of their basketball, football and baseball practices in high school. There is no substitution for showing up.” From true mom-and-pop origins, with Shelley pitching in at the company wherever help was needed in the early days, Everest Properties has grown vigorously. Today, the company owns more than 5,500 apartment units and almost 1,000,000 square feet of selfstorage and retail properties throughout the United States and provides meaningful work for 250 employees. Despite the scale of the business, what hasn’t changed is Bob’s focus on what matters most to him and his family. “Profit is important in running a successful business, but it’s not always the driving factor. We run our organization so people can have interesting responsibilities and generate profits, while also having opportunities to spend time with their families, charities, and activities of importance to them outside of the work environment.” Today, sons, Kevin ’99 and Matt ’03, work at Everest Properties, though Bob required them to work elsewhere after
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college. “I wanted them to have other experiences, including at least one job promotion, before they worked for me,” Bob recalls. Kevin and Matt acknowledge that joining the family business has brought them closer together. “We spend more time together,” Matt notes. “It’s been a positive experience.” Kevin agrees. “We get to travel as a family more often, and do interesting things. Of course, we also get to learn from our father, and show him that we have embraced his values.” Bob appreciates the role Chandler School played in educating his sons during their foundational years. “Chandler did a very good job of educating our sons and helping them grow up to be responsible young men, and that’s what a school needs to do,” Bob says. Shelley adds, “Kevin and Matt are very different, and Chandler challenged
both of them. When it came to high school, they were very well prepared and the Chandler advantage came out.” One story in particular reflects Chandler’s dedication to each child’s success. “Initially, Kevin had separation anxiety when we dropped him off at school,” Shelley remembers. “So, his first grade teacher, Mr. McCarty, offered to come by our house every morning to ride bikes to school together. Kevin got over the anxiety of starting the school day and Mr. McCarty showed us how much the Chandler teachers care about their students.” Kevin and Matt, too, see lasting benefits from their Chandler days. “Chandler taught me not to be afraid to go try something new,” Kevin says. “My first job out of college was as a police officer with the LAPD. I learned a lot from the experience. If you want some excitement in life, think about walking
C L A S S N O T E S 2 017 THEO ’12 AND MAX ’15 ROSENFELD AND THEO JAFFREY ’14 reunited with Se-
ñora Vasquez in Cuzco, Peru last summer. Max Rosenfeld ’15 is participating in Flintridge Prep’s Spanish program in Nicaragua this summer.
JILLIAN BRADY ’13, TALIA DELL AN GELO ’13, KAMI DURAIRAJ ’13, KAY LEY KAWANA ’13, LILLY MAXFIELD ’13, KALEY MITCHELL ’13, JULIA OTTER ’13, AND OLIVIA VANDERGRIFF ’13 of Girl
through a dark building at night with a gun in your hand looking for a criminal. Throughout your academic and professional life, you will always learn something valuable when you challenge yourself.” Matt shares that sentiment. “What I enjoyed about Chandler was the opportunity to do different things and to challenge myself. I can remember acting in the plays, playing multiple sports, and discovering Substance X with Mr. Korn. My classmates and I worked hard in the classrooms but enjoyed a variety of activities, including playing football together every day at recess for nine years! The opportunity to embrace new, varied challenges helped me throughout the years.” “It’s a joy to see our boys become well-educated, responsible, caring, nice young men. It is even a special joy to see our two grandchildren start their life journeys,” Bob reflects. “Shelley and I continue to spend entirely too much time with our sons and their families, which started so many years ago at Chandler. But, can it really ever be too much? Maybe the most important thing we learned over the years is to participate with your kids, but also not to be too intense about school. Let your kids be kids and enjoy the journey together. It’s OK to have some fun!”
CIENNA BENN ’13 graduated from Maranatha High School and will attend Howard University in the fall. She says, “Chandler has been the best school experience I’ve had thus far, and I am so grateful for the relationships I’ve formed here.”
EMILY WRIGHT ’12 had a terrific year at the University of Redlands and is knee deep in theatre and loving it. She was Guildenstern in the University’s production of “Big Brother Hamlet” and reprised her role along with the 24 members of her troupe at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this past August. Emily is majoring in Theatre.
PARENTS OF THE CLASS OF 2012 reunited as their children left for their first year of college, last fall.
AREN BAGHDASARIAN ’13 graduat-
ed from Viewpoint School in June, and will attend Loyola Marymount University in the fall.
Scout Troop 4501 recently donated the remainder of their troop funds to Chandler School’s Thomas A. Chandler Scholarship Fund. After completing their final year as Girl Scouts, the troop members decided to give back to Chandler, the place where their scouting experience began. The troop formed during the 2006-2007 school year, with nearly 25 members in second grade. Over the years, troop members moved on, and new members joined, with membership remaining at eight throughout their high school years. Several members completed Girl Scout gold award projects, and with all troop members soon going off to college, they wanted to make a difference with their gift rather than simply spend the funds.
EVAN HANSEN ’13 graduated from La Salle High School. He will be attending Cornell University in the fall and was accepted to the department of engineering. He recently attained the rank of Eagle Scout from Troop 4. CHARLOTTE STRASBURG ’13 went to La Cañada High School and was the editor of the 2017 Omega Yearbook. She was also the President of the Be the Change Club, and the Secretary of the Girls Who Code Club. "I am attending Drew University and plan on majoring in international relations and minoring in French." JENNIFER UM ’13 is so grateful to have attended Chandler and will cherish all the memories she made. She will attend the University of Chicago in the fall. THELONIOUS CUNDIEFF ’14 says, “I am a junior at Polytechnic and play bass in the school jazz band, combo jazz band, as well as rock bands outside of school. I enjoy attending Poly.”
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C L A S S N O T E S 2 017 MARINA FRANCIS ’14 performed with Comedy Sportz in several “meets” this year for Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy. RILEY FREY ’14 performed the lead in “Anything Goes” at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy this past November. RONALD GARRETSON ’14 worked at Summer@Chandler in the summer of 2016 and loved the experience so much, he returned for another. ANNA GONG ’14 was chosen as concert-
master and soloist for the 2017 California Association of Independent School’s Honor Music Festival. She also organized a charity music club last year, Cadence for a Cause, which performs at homeless shelters. In her artistic endeavors, Anna won 4 Gold Keys, 10 Silver Keys and 4 Honorable Mentions at the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards for visual art.
CONRAD JENSEN ’14 says, “After graduating from Chandler, I now attend St. Francis High School and am doing well there. I currently have a job with TransAstra Corporation making them a new website. I am also getting a head start on my service hours by doing service over the summer at an organization called Piece by Piece which helps people on Skid Row develop skills in art, especially mosaics. Additionally, I am taking classes over the summer to complete my art credit and am looking forward to college. I have also received my Eagle Scout after completing my project at Chandler.
the top three cadet women fencers are selected on the basis of their national rankings. She was ranked third in Cadets at the end of the season. She placed eighth twice in Senior Women’s Div I and lost both times to two Olympians, Kat Holmes and Kelley Hurley. She won bronze medals twice in cadets (July Challenge 2016 and October 2016 North American Championship). She received a bronze medal at the Klagenfurt European Cadet World Cup in October, 2016 and placed seventh in cadets at the February, 2016 Junior Olympics. She will be a junior at Westridge in the fall. Here is a photo of Chloe as she is getting ready to fence in Plovidv, Bulgaria for the USA cadet women’s team.
MAX MULLIN ’15, GRACE HITCHCOCK ’16, SHAYA NAIMI ’15 AND SOLUNNA NWANKWO ’16 returned to speak with
Chandler’s debate team about the importance of each speaking role and to offer insights and advice on tournament preparation.
RIA LALWANI ’14 recently completed
her Girl Scout gold award - the Health and Happiness Project - at Chandler School where she taught classes on nutrition, health, and body image to young students and created video content to share her message with a broader audience. Ria has participated in Spanish Honors Society, Girl Up Club, Dance Team, and multiple theatre productions at Flintridge Prep and she is looking forward to senior year.
CHLOE DANIEL ’15 had a great year in fencing. She made the USA 2017 World Team for Cadet Women Epee and fenced in Plovdiv, Bulgaria for the USA. Only 28
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MADELEINE PEARCE ’15 writes, “I am enjoying my time at Westridge and will be starting my junior year this fall. I am working on my Girl Scout gold award and will continue on the Westridge equestrian team. I also recently completed a series of backpacking and hiking trips through the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, and Zion National Parks as well as the Pink Sand Dunes State Park.” KALEY PENICHETKHAW ’15 had a blast
this summer at Summer@Chandler. She enjoys running around with the kids and crossing paths with old teachers.
DEXTER RENICK ’15 will be a junior at Polytechnic School in the fall. As a sophomore, he played on the JV football and varsity volleyball teams. Dexter has begun to pursue his interest in music and enjoys DJ-ing in his free time for fun and at small events. CARSON YU ’15 will be a junior at Poly. He enjoys high school and is a member of the varsity tennis and fencing teams. He is also a member of the Student Ambassadors Program. Last summer, Carson reached the summit of Mount Whitney. He says Chandler prepared him well for high school. He looks forward to the next two years. PEARL HARRIS ’16 reports, “My ninth
grade year was very exciting. I participated in JV basketball and won the coaches award. In my free time I have been recording songs and taking advantage of the wonderful music opportunities around me. I am very excited to pursue my passions in the fall at Sequoyah High School. I will be starting 10th grade there and would like to thank Chandler for the numerous skills they taught me!”
GRACE HITCHCOCK ’16 completed her freshman year at Phillips Academy Andover in Massachusetts. She is enjoying boarding school life on the east coast and has taken up crew, along with varsity swimming. In addition to athletics, Grace started studying Russian as her language course after taking nine years of Spanish at Chandler. She loves every one of her classes, especially English and history - two discussion-based courses. As much as she misses Chandler and California, Grace is loving all the opportunities that Andover has to offer. JENNA KHACHATOURIAN ’16 reflects on her experiences at Chandler as unforgettable and amazing. She is now attending ninth grade at Mayfield Senior and is active with the Dance Conservatory and loving the art of dance. She is looking forward to more years of wonderful experiences to come.
TARYN KIM ’16 enjoyed her freshman year at Poly as a varsity golf player and a member of her school’s HSPDP Debate team. Although she has liked meeting new friends and pursuing her interests, she has missed Chandler and returned to mentor students on the Middle School debate team. WILLIAM LABRADOR ’16 is having fun at Loyola High School with classes and extracurriculars including cross country, Student Congress, track and service. VISHAL PRASHANT ’16, ANGELICA SIH ’16, YUMI BALTHAZAR ’16, SEAN LIU ’16, CRISTIAN PANG ’16, ANNA MARTINEZ YANG ’16, TARYN KIM ’16 AND MADDY BERGER ’16 returned to campus in the fall
to reconnect with classmates and teachers. They are enjoying high school!
ESME CHIARA ’17 was a counselor in training at the Summer@Chandler program. She is going to Mayfield Senior School in the fall and took an algebra class over the summer. SIMONE CUNDIEFF ’17 worked as a counselor in training at Chandler. She will be attending Poly and she’s practicing music and digital art. “Chandler was a favorite place for me, but I know I’ll see Chandler many times again.” MOHONA GANGULY ’17 says, “Being selected as a Class Representative for the Class of 2017 is a wonderful honor. I feel privileged to be able to serve my peers and my school by keeping everyone connected. Chandler has meant so much to me, and I hope to be able to preserve the connection between myself, my classmates, and the Chandler community by fulfilling my duties as a Class Representative. My summer plans included going on a trip to China, playing in a cello intensive camp, and volunteering at an educational program. Then, I’ll attend Harvard-Westlake.”
ANDREA SWAIN ’99 Blooms by Drea After eight years in the fashion industry, Andrea applied her creative skills towards a new business venture and launched blooms by drea, a boutique floral and event design and planning firm. Four years since its opening, her work has been featured in Oprah Magazine, Style Me Pretty and Best of Los Angeles Magazine. She has worked with top clients including Salvatore Ferragamo, Rag and Bone, Anthropology, Nars Cosmetics, The SESAC Latina Music Awards, Nash and Lee PR Shop and The Gagosian Gallery. She shared gems of wisdom with Chandler School: "My whole life I’ve been really creative and have always found different creative outlets to express myself. I remember always having fun accessorizing my Chandler uniform in different ways. The art and drama programs allowed me to explore my creative side, and the outstanding language program set me up to be able to use a different language while working with foreign companies. Chandler taught me to work hard, be a leader, and to challenge myself. Chandler sets you up to feel like life is a breeze after you leave, because in many ways Chandler prepares you for the real world. You learn that work ethic and energy to become a leader and try things on your own. My advice would be to never be afraid of trying new things, and know that what you learn from your biggest mistakes in life is very
valuable. Also, one must learn to be flexible. In the event design and planning industry you sometimes can’t control things and you have to make last minute changes. With an open mind, flexibility, and organization sometimes the best things come from those last minute changes. When starting a company, it is also important to be hands-on and willing to do every job that encompasses your business. It’s good to have that knowledge. As a creative, you may not think you need to use those math skills you learn in school, but in fact you do every single day! Even if you don’t continue doing the accounting, it’s good to know how the finances run. One of my favorite things about Chandler is the close community. I cherish my friendships that I formed there at such a young age. Staying in touch with the large peer network at Chandler is important. You never know what opportunities might arise from keeping in touch, and who will help your business along the way! I have personally enjoyed working with Chandler clients myself!" Summer 2017 29
C L A S S N O T E S 2 017 DIVYA KUMAR ’17 was a counselor in training at the Chandler summer camp and is headed to Mayfield Senior High School in the fall. Divya’s favorite memory from Chandler is Spirit Day which she always looked forward to and will now miss. LEON KUO ’17 writes, “As I looked back at the Chandler campus one last time as an eighth grader, I could not believe that I was saying goodbye. Chandler has provided us the tools to be successful and helped us forge connections with the best classmates, teachers, and faculty we could ask for. I am excited to help my class keep in touch as a Class Representative. Although we will be heading our separate ways, I look forward to all of the class reunions and events in the future. I am headed to Flintridge Prep with many of my classmates. I recently joined the cross country team at Prep and ran my first 5K on July 4. This summer, I practiced cross country, spent time with my family and friends, and traveled.” GAURAV LAW ’17 reports, "Over the summer so far, I went on a cruise to Ensenada, Mexico for 3 days and had a great time. We went sightseeing and there were
many fun activities on the cruise. Also, I took a five week Loyola Summer School camp where I did weightlifting and conditioning, summer reading, leadership, and an algebra 1 review class. I started to play football for the Loyola freshman football team and had some workouts with the Loyola basketball team. In the fall, I will be heading to Loyola High School in Los Angeles. Being a 2017 Class Representative is a lot of fun, and I look forward to planning a lot of events for my alumni class. I want to thank Chandler for the best years of my life. Thanks for all the memories and championships! Go Cubs!"
EMMA STELLAR ’17 was a counselor in training at Chandler over the summer and played softball, basketball and volleyball after work. She will be headed to Prep in the fall and will really miss her days at Chandler but promises to be back to visit.
MR. MORRISON PAST FACULTY is keeping active and swimming regularly at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center, where he crosses paths with former Chandler parent John Naber. He also sings in his church choir and in a smaller group called Pasadena Singers. He still loves to read and recently finished a reading mega-project - all of Shakespeare and on the cusp of (re)reading Don Quixote.
CAITY WACKERLY ’17 enjoyed summer as a counselor in training for Chandler’s summer program. She will attend Mayfield Senior School in the fall. Her favorite memory at Chandler was the seventh grade Boojum trip.
Chandler School & Beyond Young alumni returned to Chandler to speak with current parents about their preparation for high school. Speakers included eighth-grade students Simone Cundieff and Leon Kuo, and alumni Pearl Harris ’16 (Mayfield Senior), Cristian Pang ’16 (Harvard Westlake), Madeleine Pearce ’15 (Westridge), Conrad Jensen ’14 (St. Francis HS), and Dean Johnson ’13 (Polytechnic). The eighth graders had two messages for parents: the transition to Middle School is easy, and Middle School is fun! Both students said the work load increases incrementally, so they never felt overwhelmed. They loved Boojum trips, and enjoyed a relatively stress-free process of learning about high schools.
CHANDLER’S ALUMNI IN HIGH SCHOOL OFFERED THEIR PERSPECTIVE: On preparation for high school: Every alumni felt well-prepared to handle the pace, level of material, homework load and exam pressures of their school. They said they were grateful to Chandler for preparing them so well. Unanimously, they agreed that at Chandler they learned to manage their time by juggling a significant workload and extracurriculars. On picking a high school: Alumni encouraged students to be open-minded and allow for changes of heart. “Let the right high school find you,” urged Dean. Other advice included: don’t pick a high school without touring and seeing if you feel welcomed by students there; choose the school that fits you best, not the school your friends are looking at; and don’t be afraid to choose a religious high school even if you’re not of that faith. On the transition from Chandler to high school: Dean observed that he’s getting ready to transition to college and knows he’ll be successful because he already navigated the transition from Chandler to Polytechnic. Making new friends takes effort, other alumni said, but it’s nothing you can’t handle. Cristian enjoyed the experience of having 260 freshman classmates to meet at Harvard Westlake. Student athletes said involvement in club sports helped smooth their transition to high school sports.
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This year, six alumni families shared the special joy of seeing their own child graduate from Chandler School.
THE ALBRECHT FAMILY
THE CHRISTOPOULOS FAMILY
Many teachers made lasting impressions on me. Alexander found a mentor in Mr. Anderson who encouraged his pursuit of team managing and scorekeeping. Both of us nurtured our passions thanks to Chandler’s dedicated teachers.
Sharing my Chandler stories with my children has put a smile on my face and has undoubtedly enriched their experiences as well. Our collective memories now somehow overlap, without ever having used a time machine.
Lauren ’85 & Alexander ’17
Anthony ’85 & Alyssa ’17
THE GERST FAMILY
David ’86 & Daniel ’17
We love the feeling of belonging that comes with being in the Chandler family. It is deeply rewarding to be a part of a community that has so profoundly shaped each of us. We look forward to continuing our involvement in Chandler!
THE STELLAR FAMILY Karin ’85 & Emma ’17
THE LAM FAMILY
Hubert ’80 & Hailey ’17
We’ve had a wonderful experience at Chandler. It challenges and pushes the limits of your comfort zone - whether in the classroom, class trips or on the athletic field. Hailey has thrived in this environment.
THE STAVROPOULOS FAMILY Peter ’82 & Arianna ’17
In Memoriam Chandler School wishes to recognize and remember those alumni and family members who passed away this year. Our thoughts and prayers are with their loved ones.
I shared Chandler with my daughters: Sofia ’15 and Emma ’17. Chandler prepared us for success in high school and college. More importantly, Chandler taught us how to care about the community and to be a good person. Chandler has been vital to my daughters. I am grateful for the memories and friendships.
Anna Curtis ’10 Reverend Steven A. Kochones
(father of Steve Kochones ’80 and Diane Vidalakis ’85)
Patrick Lawrence ’81 Andrew Pickett
(father of Jewelyn ’13 and Drew ’16 Pickett)
Lawrence Read
(father of Whitney Warren ’82 and Robert Read ’84)
John Jefferson Reich ’81 Nancy Smiley
(mother of Raleigh Young '77 and Randy Renick '78, grandmother of Riley '12, Dexter '15 and eighth grader Lucie)
Alumni News Events Alumni and parents of alumni reconnected with friends and Chandler teachers in lively campus events, including Pizza on the Point, and the first-ever Alumni Family BBQ, with food, games for kids and an alumni and faculty softball game. The Alumni and Past Parent Reception featured
EXPERT ADVICE This year, alumni returned to speak with Middle School students in the Expert Advice elective about their life after Chandler and professional careers. This year’s line-up included: Dr. Amit Sura ’96, Fellowship Program Director and Assistant Professor in Diagnostic Radiology at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Steven Kochones ’80, Executive Producer and Director at Arclight Productions, Eric Ortiz ’88, Founder of Evrybit and Managing Editor at Truthdig, Matt Kohorst ’03, Senior Financial Analyst at Everest Properties and Ann Fromholz ’82, Attorney at Fromholz Firm. The elective is a wonderful way for alumni to inspire the next generation of Chandler alumni. 32
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beer tastings by brewer and Chandler parent Daniel Van Blerkom. Susann and Richard Mandeville ’89, owners of the hip North and West Hollywood gastro pub The Fat Dog, provided Irish fare for an appreciative crowd. Parents of alumni prepared care packages for College Connection, sending a USB drive,
Chandler logo items, fall treats and crafts made by Lower School students to alumni in boarding school, college and the military. In the spring, they sent delicious apple-pies-in-a-jar in honor of Chandler’s Pi Day. Through College Connection, Chandler extends its love to young alumni, wherever they are.
ALUMNI INTERNSHIP NETWORK Samantha Rivas ’12 was able to intern with a doctor this summer, thanks to an assist by Alumni Relations Director Jennifer Johnson ’94 and Dr. Amit Sura ’96. “They were beyond helpful in finding my internship and I’m grateful for Chandler’s network,” said Samantha.
U PCOM ING EV EN TS
College Connection Ca re Pa
ckage Stuffing Pa rty (for parents of alumni in boardin g school, college, graduate school or in the military) THURSDAY, OC TOBER 19, 6:30 P.M . Johnson Librar y and Me dia Center Alumni and Pa st Pa ren t Re
ception
(for alumni and parents of alumni) FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10 , 6:30 P.M . Rothenberg Family Court yard and Dickerson Poi
nt
Alumni Visiting Day
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUAR Y 7, 10 A.M . Johnson Court yard
Alumni Fa mily BBQ
SATURDAY, APRIL 28, TIME TBD, Rothenberg Court yard and Dickerson Point
Of f to College Reunion
for the Class of
2014 (for alumni and parents of alumni) FRIDAY, MAY 4, 4 P.M . Rothenberg Court yard and Dickerson Point
TO G E IN VOL T V ED PLE A SE CONTA CT
alumni @ c h an dl e rschoo
l.org
WELCOME NEW ALUMNI COUNCIL LEADERSHIP & MEMBERS
CH
AL AS
JOYCE WANG SAKONJU ’87
PRESIDENT “I hope that we continue to see more and more alumni and parents of alumni reconnect with our school’s community. Chandler is such a special place, where many of us clearly trace our beginnings to being a good student, learning time management and having regard for others. There are always exciting projects inside and outside of the classrooms. I encourage you to come back to visit your school anytime!”
ANDY DAVIS ’06
As an alumnus turned employee, it has been quite interesting to have past teachers become coworkers and new friends. There is so much activity behind the scenes that I have been glad to be a part of to learn and grow personally and professionally. Other than working at Chandler, I am in a continual pursuit of getting an animation career started with dreaming to one day work at Pixar. I also enjoy taking photographs and going out on weekends to enjoy a nice ride on either my skateboard or motorcycle. I enjoy being part of the Alumni Council and connecting with Chandler alumni.
ALUMNI COUNCIL MEMBERS 20162017
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DL
UM
SO
CI A
ER
N I T IO
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CHRIS WALDHEIM ’81
VICE PRESIDENT “I look forward to serving all alumni of Chandler School just as Chandler has served me.”
ANNIE YOUNG ’06
I am thrilled to return to Chandler as a faculty member. As a Chandler lifer, I feel like I’ve returned home. It’s such an honor to work alongside so many people that shaped me as a person and participate in so many traditions that I still cherish. I’m excited to be a part of the Alumni Council, as I hope to help others maintain a close relationship with Chandler. I am completing a Masters in Education with a concentration in STEAM Education at the University of San Diego. Outside of school, I enjoy traveling, cooking, and spending time with my dog, Kua.
Joyce Mitamura ’80, President Lauren Craig Albrecht ’85 Brecken Armstrong-Kelsey ’91 John Berger ’88 Andy Davis ’06 Marion Fong, Past Parent Liaison David Gerst ’86 Erin Kaneko ’96
The Alumni Council provides leadership and defines strategies and direction for the Chandler School Alumni Association (CSAA) through Chandler’s traditions, mission and goals. The members help plan social events for the CSAA, serve as resources
AN
CANDY RENICK is the wife of Randy Renick ’78 and joins the Council as parent of alumni Riley ’12, Dexter ’15 and Lucie ’18. “I have had the pleasure of being a member of the Chandler community for 15 years as a parent and volunteer and look forward to my involvement on Alumni Council. Our children have benefitted greatly from the amazing academic experience at Chandler. I’m glad to have the opportunity to give back to a community that has so warmly embraced the Renicks.”
Ashley Laird, Faculty Liaison Catherine Pearson ’09 Candy Renick, Past Parent Liaison Joyce Wang Sakonju ’87 Peter Stavropoulos ’82 Amit Sura ’96 Chris Waldheim ’81, Trustee Liaison Panney Wei ’88
for the school and its students and assist in fundraising efforts, especially in annual giving directed to financial aid for current students. It is the goal of the council to foster a strong and positive relationship between the CSAA and the Chandler community.
Annie Young ’06 Travis Young ’96, Casey Zuber ’00, Joan Bravo Director of Advancement Jennifer Sells Johnson ’94 Director of Alumni Relations & Major Gifts
If you are interested in becoming a council member, please contact Director of Alumni Relations and Major Gifts Jennifer Sells Johnson ’94 at alumni@chandlerschool.org
THE
POWER OF
Giving
My parents taught me a valuable life lesson early on: when you can give of your time, you should, and when you can give of your money, you should give both. They also instilled in me the importance of a strong academic foundation, however, having moved from Hungary to the United States only a decade prior, my parents found it challenging to pay the full tuition of a private education. Were it not for a generous financial aid award, I may never have been able to attend Chandler. I am forever grateful to my parents for asking for help, to Chandler for developing financial aid programs that funded the gift I received and to the numerous donors who graciously and continuously contribute to such scholastic funds. I fondly remember my years at Chandler and was involved in as many activities as I could – sports, yearbook, student government, community service and volunteer opportunities. My teachers were supportive and encouraged me and my classmates to consider the impact of our actions on the world at large. They taught us to think critically, appreciate our strengths and weaknesses and overall helped us to develop our character as individuals. At Chandler, I was challenged academically, encouraged to explore new activities and was given the freedom to envision a future with limitless possibilities.
forward the generosity I had received years earlier. I began making donations to Chandler and while some years saw smaller contributions than others, I recognized first hand that even a modest gift can be the catalyst to enable a student to attend Chandler. Today, my husband and I have made it a priority to instill the importance of giving - both in time and resources - in our children and show them by example how they can have an immensely positive and transformative impact on the lives of others, as well as within entire communities.
ESZTER LENGYEL NEUMAN ’96 Westridge School Brandeis University Indiana University School of Law
I give to Chandler because I know from my own experience that a Chandler education opens additional doors and gives students the ability to pursue amazing opportunities after graduation. More importantly, I know that Chandler students and graduates become part of an incredible community – one that is extremely worth cherishing and supporting.
Eventually, as I started my legal career, I realized the greater value in paying Summer 2017 35
Golf Classic 2016
Chandler School kicked off its annual golf tournament at the Annandale Golf Club in Pasadena. Through the generous support of sponsors, tee sponsors, donors, members of the Golf Committee and Chandler Family Associates, Chandler’s golf tournament was a success. All proceeds from the Chandler Golf Classic benefit the Thomas A. Chandler Scholarship Fund.
GOLF CLASSIC AWARDS
GOLF CLASSIC COMMITTEE John Berger ’88, Co-Chair Joe Mallinger, Co-Chair Sarah Myers, CFA Liaison Stephen Bennett Joan Bravo Anthony Cannizzo David Chao Nora Chiara Tony Christopoulos ’85 Wayne Forester Sandra Gonzalez
Alumni, families and friends enjoyed lunch, a challenging round of golf, and friendly competitions. In the evening, players and their spouses mingled over dinner, drinks and an awards ceremony led by golf committee co-chairs John Berger ’88 and Joe Mallinger.
CHAMPION Greg Williams, Karl Curran, Cary Kinkle, Barrett Damerel
Dwight Holcomb Jennifer Sells Johnson ’94 Shannon McGuire Joyce Mitamura ’80 Michael Ortiz ’92 Derek Pippert Michael Richards ’89 Dan Rothenberg ’96 Sean Stellar Chuck Tapert Clayton & Mihaela Varga Beth Walker
2ND WINNER Peter Perez, Jeff Sanday, Steve Mullin, Billy Okubo 3RD WINNER Sean Stellar, Craig Stewart, Chris Gonzalez, Jason Berns PUTTING CONTEST Barrett Damerel CLOSEST TO THE PIN Bob Bowne LONGEST DRIVE WOMEN Susie McKee LONGEST DRIVE MEN Bob Bowne STRAIGHTEST DRIVE Joe Mallinger 50/50 PAR 3 RAFFLE Diane Saunders ’59
SPONSORS
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ROBERT R. B ATTORNEY
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4421 WEST RIVERSIDE DRIVE, SUITE BURBANK, 200 CA 91505 T:(818) 846-0170 w bob@bow nelawyer.com
A BOUTIQU E TRUST AND SERVING YOUR ESTATES PRACTIC PLANNING E AND ADMINIS AD TRATION NEEDS
The Co Nick, Jenny nrad Family and Cooper ’25 Naveen Jeer eddi and Amy Hathaw ay, Class of ’88
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BIRDIE SPONSO
The Finch Family
MARCH AY SAN G ABRIE 19, 2 L COU NTRY 018 CLUB
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Jon & Wen de Lynette and Headley Step Heydorff hen Kaneko-You ng Th e Mueller Family Pe nn y, talina, Family Tirza and Ca Matt Smith
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DONORS
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PaulKorn Legacy Dedicated to Paul Korn
Sweetheart, Do not weep in my passing Lift up your glass and toast in my name For I live on in laughter. I am standing on the track beside you Coaching you as you race. I am here with my glasses perched on my face Teaching you about life. I am in the wind that blows in the Sierras, The river that rushes on the Colorado, I am swinging on the playground of Head Start And in the thrill of the bike-a-thon. I am in the smiles of the students. And in the foundation of this school. Sweetheart, Do not weep in my passing For I have not left your memory. -Ashley Laird-
For 38 years, Paul Korn touched generations of Chandler students and families. He was the longest-serving teacher in Chandler’s history. He shared a deep commitment to our school and leaves a legacy that will live on in the memories of all who were fortunate to call him their teacher, coach, colleague and friend. The Chandler community celebrated the life and work of Paul Korn in June with a memorial celebration at Chandler School. Chandler also established the Paul Korn Memorial Scholarship Fund to recognize Paul’s passion for the power of education. The Fund provides financial aid to deserving students who otherwise would not be able to access a Chandler education. If you wish to make a gift in honor of Paul Korn, please visit www.chandlerschool.org/give. Thank you to those who attended, contributed to the memory album for his family, or gave to the scholarship fund.
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WE MISS YOU! Get re-connected with Chandler School and discover the latest news, events, programs and special invitations that await you. Last year, Chandler hosted an alumni and past-parent reception, family BBQ, the Golf Classic, Alumni Visiting Day, Off-to-College Reunion, guest speakers in classrooms, and professional networking mixers for alumni and parents of alumni.
STAY CONNECTED TO CHANDLER
by sending your contact information to Jennifer Sells Johnson ’94 at jjohnson@chandlerschool.org.