EAGLE’SEYE THE CINCINNATI HILLS CHRISTIAN ACADEMY MAGAZINE
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from the HEAD OF SCHOOL Ushering in the new normal I hear it all the time…the “new normal.” A term that describes the way we acclimate to change or upheaval, the new normal is presenting itself in nearly every facet of life. With a rollercoaster economy, revolutions in the Middle East, globalization that has changed how we do business and social norms that ebb and flow with every passing day, everything seems to be in flux. But people have a remarkable way of adjusting to new routines, whether it’s a spouse’s job change, paying $4 for gas or welcoming an aging parent into the home. We need not fear change, but rather see it as an opportunity for growth. Change shakes us from frail dependencies that often lead to a false sense of security. Author John McWhorter put it this way: “Getting too attached to one moment in time is like getting too invested in the position of the goo in a lava lamp. You can be bitter watching it shift, or you can be absorbed by the beauty in the process.” CHCA has been through a great deal of change in the past few years and we now find ourselves in a great place: our enrollment has surged, our finances are stable and our staff is of the highest quality. We could easily rest in the comfort of these findings, but we feel it is time to once again trust God for a new normal. It’s time to look ahead and figure out what kind of school our students need us to be to best prepare them for the world they will face. To that end, the Board of Trustees has launched a new Strategic Planning Committee in order to discover what our school might do differently in the short- and long-term future. The entire Board and its committees will be involved in this effort over the next six months, and we are looking to God to show us what He most desires for CHCA as we move forward. It’s very likely that you’ll see some changes around here in the coming years. We’ll remain focused on what we already know we do well – educating students with excellence in a Christ-centered context. But there’s always room for improvement, and if we stop looking for things that make CHCA better, we’d be doing this school a disservice. The pages that follow feature some great examples of our students, faculty, staff and alumni doing amazing things and impacting their world with what CHCA has given them. Cincinnati Hills has been and will continue to be greatly blessed by God. Pray for us as we follow the Lord’s lead and His voice expressed through others as we seek CHCA’s new normal.
Randy Brunk CHCA Head of School
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EAGLE’SEYE Volume 13 EDITOR Liz Bronson Rosenau ’00
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FEATURES
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A close-knit group
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Faith among the flora and fauna
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Getting the extra edge
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Serve-a-thon 2011
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Winter Term: Snapshots from the road
ASSISTANT EDITOR
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Not goodbye, just farewell for now
Jane Haslem
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What we’ve learned
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CAMPUS HIGHLIGHTS
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ALUMNI NEWS
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There and back again: reconnecting with CHCA
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Mapping the paths of our alumni
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Alumni affecting their world
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Class notes
CONTRIBUTORS Kristen Stutz ‘99 Lance Webel Tracy Wolcott LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Judi Alvarado
Eagle’s Eye is published annually by Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy Please send address changes to rebecca.sequeira@chca-oh.org or call (513) 247-0900 Visit us on the web at www.chca-oh.org
ON THE COVERS: Julia Lipovsky, Christie Taylor and Mallory Massa enjoy the view of the Rift Valley in Kenya (front); kindergarteners experience the giant National Geographic map of Asia in the EBL gym.
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FEATURES
FEATURES
Close-knit New Group is
Ever tried to get elementary students to sit still after school? (Perhaps an image of herding feral cats comes to mind.) Walk into the EBL Elementary cafeteria after school some day and you might be stunned by what you see: several boys and girls ranging in age from five to ten, sitting peacefully together, knitting. Wait, knitting? “I would bring my yarn along with me some days when I substitute taught,” says Cheryl Goforth, a volunteer who leads the EBL Knitting Group. “Kids started asking questions, and before I knew it, we had started a club.” The initial group of five expanded to fifteen as the year progressed and word got out: knitting is fun. Beginners are welcome (as are those with more experience) and it doesn’t cost a thing to join. Kids make purses, scarves, iPod holders, wallets, hats, flowers, bracelets, Christmas ornaments and just about anything else that can be fashioned out of yarn. “It has been such a wonderful
Matt Alvarado with former middle school gym teacher Ed “Westie” Westerkamp
REMEMBER WHEN…
blessing for the children,” Cathy Andry, director of the EBL Eagles’ Landing after school program, remarks. “They’re laughing, excited, enthusiastic, building relationships, exhibiting confidence – it’s just awesome.”
“I like to show my parents what I make,” says Andrew Ghastine, a kindergartener. Fourth grader Katie Moseley is a more advanced knitter and enjoys helping others in the group. “My mom and I took a knitting class last summer and loved it,” she says. “Now I can make purses, scarves and jewelry. It’s so much more fun to make things yourself!”
As they become more comfortable with knitting, many pick up crocheting or needlepoint too. Maya Robinson, a fourth grader, joined the group at the beginning of the school year. “It’s easy and fun,” she says. “I would love to teach other people how to knit because I want to share it with others.” Lydia Parr, a second grader, seems to be hooked on the hobby. She puts it this way: “Guess how long I’m going to knit? Forever.”
(L-R) Abby Brown, Matt Alvarado, Mark Hansford and Christie Taylor take a walk down memory lane
Amy Mirlisena with EBL ES gym teacher Susan Zwarg
CHCA Alumni Relations hosted a reception this May that brought together Class of 2011 grads with their former elementary and middle school teachers. With cake and lots of yearbooks to pore over, it was a perfect time to reminisce before graduation.
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I got to know a couple of people I wouldn’t have spent time with at school and that really helped me connect with them. I learned that we are all equal under God, and that with faith in God, all good things come.”
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FEATURES
Faith and fellowship
AMIDST THE FLORA AND FAUNA Annual camp excursion brings sixth graders together for social and spiritual development It’s eagerly anticipated, never duplicated, causes kids to become elated, and highly rated: it’s Sixth Grade Camp, and any student who’s been can tell you – it’s a blast. With goals like building community and developing confidence, it’s a timely retreat for the “middle” of our middle schoolers. “We’ve found that sixth grade is a vital period of change and tremendous growth in most kids’ lives,” says Lance Webel, Director of Student Life at CHCA Middle School. “Transporting students away from their normal routines and environments to such a beautiful place helps them connect with each other, their teachers, parents and Savior in a unique and invaluable way. Also the curriculum we’ve developed that focuses on self-worth, valuing each other and eternal treasure really seems to hit the sweet spot.” Over a three-day span in late September at Pleasant Vineyard Ministries (northeast of Oxford), campers engage in Bible studies, hear from naturalists, worship in an outdoor chapel, make s’mores around a campfire and enjoy adventure activities like ziplining, creek foraging and rock climbing. (There’s even some language arts and science curriculum work thrown in, too.) Parent chaperone Matt Brennan and his daughter Madeline attended this fall’s camp. “It was a great experience for the students to be on their own, get out of their comfort zone and spend time with their classmates,” Matt says. “Seeing the students cheer each other on in team-building exercises, walking the creek together looking for salamanders or learning to canoe together – those were good experiences.” Madeline enjoyed it too: “I got to know a couple of people I wouldn’t have spent time with at school and that really helped me connect with them. I learned that we are all equal under God, and that with faith in God, all good things come.” Tom O’Brien, who attended with his son Alex, observed spiritual growth too. “The boys shared their heart for God, opened up and really shared their life experiences with each other,” he says. Alex remarked how easy it was to feel closer to God in the camp setting. “Being in nature is so amazing,” he says. “It just shows you how great God is to create everything. Especially when we saw the shooting star by the campfire!” After shepherding a cabin of boys through activities and seeing the support they showed for one another, Tom is a professed fan of Sixth Grade Camp. “You never know quite what you are going to experience when you chaperone a trip. I highly recommend that all parents volunteer on at least one overnight trip while their children attend CHCA, especially dads.”
Article images © 2010 Lance Webel
“Year after year, we clearly see the effects of Sixth Grade Camp on our students and school culture,” Webel says. “Connecting in such a meaningful way seems to help our students ‘hit their stride,’ and the trust and communication that it opens up with their teachers is absolutely vital during the rest of their year. We often hear years later about the effects that these three days have upon the lives and spiritual walks of our students. There’s really nothing greater than that in my humble opinion!”
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Class preps seniors with college-level research skills Antibiotic resistance. Creating a smaller, more affordable unit to bring clean water to underdeveloped countries. How indigenous tribes of Africa have used art to connect with mainstream culture. These may sound like issues covered in the latest Time magazine, but they’re actually the topics researched by Brian Bernet, Meredith Allgood and Duhann Jacobs this year in a class offered at Martha S. Lindner High School, Senior Research Seminar.
Math teacher Dr. Nancy Schaefer and social studies teacher Jody Petersen lead the class, but it’s up to the students to get the most out of it. “The format of the class is discussion-based and interactive, not just a series of lectures,” says Bernet. “We’re encouraged to be independent and ask questions.” “This course goes beyond writing a research paper, which asks you to study how others have studied something,” Dr. Schaefer says. “This class gets them to do original research – actually studying the thing themselves. We’re exposing them to qualitative and quantitative research, which is good for personal development and gives them an extra edge in college and beyond.” And those for whom the word “research” conjures images of gargantuan medical reference texts and petri dishes need not be afraid, Petersen explains. “It’s not just scientific research – we want kids who are into sociology, anthropology, psychology and other areas to learn how to investigate issues that matter to them.”
HOW IT WORKS In the fall, instructors Jody Petersen and Nancy Schaefer, Ph.D. choose a theme (this year’s was globalization). Students then are given the challenge to choose an aspect of the theme that is interesting to them and write a research proposal on that subject. Before they can write their proposals, they must do a literature review (read other studies done on their topic and understand how others have researched it) and identify the “next big question” looming in that area of interest. At the end of the first semester, the students present their research proposal to a panel of faculty, administrative staff and project mentors who are professionals in their field of study. The second semester revolves around executing their proposals through a specific project. Students are encouraged to connect with professionals doing work in their area of study and learn from them by being part of their ongoing research project. They get real, hands-on experience in the art of collecting and analyzing data, and some will even have a shot at being part of published work.
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Schaefer says the class also emphasizes servant leadership and maintaining a Christian perspective. “We try to get students to ask, how do you move your community forward, whether or not you’re the designated leader? What does that look like for a researcher? How are you being part of the restoration of God’s kingdom? Rather than just being a Christian who happens to be smart, we’re asking them to engage in their issues.” Throughout the year, speakers visited, students had independent study time, and the class took a number of field trips. MSL High School principal Dr. Dean Nicholas talked to the class about his Ph.D. research on ancient Near Eastern cultures; students visited researchers on their own time; a trip to Miami University yielded a discussion with five professors on how globalization is effecting social change in certain cultures and blurring political borders. “When they leave us, these seniors will have a greater knowledge of research,” Dr. Schaefer states. “They’ll walk into their college classrooms and lab environments with the kind of exposure to the process that will enable them to take advantage of opportunities from day one that their peers are simply not ready for.” “The vocabulary will be familiar, too,” Petersen adds. “College kids I’ve talked to realize that practicing research methods and learning the process in high school gives them the kind of leg up that allows them to be research assistants or lab assistants to their professors. With the kind of training and expertise this class gives them, they will be eligible for opportunities undergrads don’t usually have access to.” As Bernet, Allgood and Jacobs dove into their projects, they admit there were some bumps along the way. “The whole process of researching was new to me, and at first I wasn’t even sure where to start,” Allgood says. For Bernet, difficulties came when writing his proposal on human resistance to antibiotics. “The details, the vernacular, the methods – I was constantly looking things up in a medical dictionary,” he remembers. Jacobs’ problem? “Staying focused on one topic!” he exclaims. “The more you read, the more you want to investigate.” There were lots of “aha” moments, too. “Learning that you can lead from a community perspective, that leadership is not necessarily just one person acting, was a revelation for me,” Allgood explains. For Jacobs, it was the prospect of concentrating on an area of study for years at a time. “It was great to see people who have a passion for doing research engaged in what they love,” he says. “I was amazed that some people can research the same thing for years and years and stick with it.” Bernet’s big moment came when he finished the research proposal and presentation. “It was such a feeling of accomplishment – I was really proud.”
FEATURES
Next year will bring a new crop of seniors and by then Brian, Meredith and Duhann will be college freshmen. But the lessons gained in Senior Research Seminar will stay with them. “This is the perfect class to gain modern learning skills – cooperative methods and teams are important, and that’s not going away,” Petersen says. “Colleges and employers are looking for students who are independent self-starters as well as good teammates.”
FROM CONCEPT TO EXECUTION:
THE PROJECTS
Brian Bernet
1st semester research subject: antibiotic resistance
2nd semester project: B-Cell targeted desensitization strategy for performed anti-HLA antibodies in patients awaiting kidney transplant. Brian studied the effects of Velcade, a new anti-rejection drug, with CHCA parent and University Hospital Clinical Director of Organ Transplantation Dr. Rita Alloway. He learned about the special procedures researchers must follow when administering a study, watched a transplantation and visited with patients who had successful transplants thanks to the drug.
Meredith Allgood
1st semester research subject: social justice as it pertains to assimilation of Aborigines in Australian culture
2nd semester project: Effectiveness study of the Solomon Program. Staying in the vein of social justice, Meredith studied something a little closer to home: the Solomon Program at Northstar Vineyard Church, a 12-month program that seeks to help the poor gain job skills, financial responsibility and community support. Meredith’s goal was to decipher the effectiveness of the program by conducting interviews with participants and mentors, distributing questionnaires, and coding the responses.
Duhann Jacobs
1st semester research subject: desalinization units that can be implemented in places that lack clean water 2nd semester project: Thermal behavior of a small scale salt gradient solar pond. Since building an actual desalinization unit was going to require more resources than most high school seniors possess, Duhann switched his focus to building a solar pond. Solar ponds collect the sun’s energy and convert it to electricity, something greatly needed in parts of the world where energy is unavailable. With guidance from high school science teacher Kevin Savage and engineer/CHCA parent Jeff Painter, Duhann studied the system used to test solar ponds.
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Serve-a-thon 2011 Spreads Love
ACROSS THE CITY
Fundraiser blesses Cincinnati and CHCA
On April 1, over 1,400 students from preschool to twelfth grade joined faculty, staff and some parents for a day of service in greater Cincinnati. CHCA’s Serve-a-thon 2011 gave over 7,000 volunteer labor hours to more than 50 parks, schools, social service agencies, nursing homes and churches. At the end of the day, students, teachers and parents couldn’t help but smile at what had been accomplished and the feeling of helping someone else. “From packaging food for the world’s hungriest children, to raking the yards of elderly homeowners, to playing with children in an inner city day care, our students are challenged to give of themselves with time and energy,” says Karen Hordinski, MSL HS Outreach Director. “It is this personal engagement with the community that teaches our children firsthand about the needs of the world in our own backyard. Serve-a-thon also provides a platform for our students to have continued discussions, raising valuable questions and insights about following Christ and responding to needs in our world.” A fundraiser for the school’s operating budget, Serve-athon impacts CHCA too. “Rather than asking people to buy something or sponsor kids to walk around a track, this is a fundraiser with meaning,” says Julie Carnes, CHCA Volunteer Coordinator and director of Serve-athon 2011. “It even ties into our school motto of ‘Learn, Lead, and Serve.’ I can’t think of a better way to spend a day or raise money for Cincinnati Hills.” Serve-a-thon brought in over $123,000 for CHCA this year; funds go toward teacher salaries, classroom needs and tuition assistance.
Some of the jobs kids took on for Serve-a-thon 2011:
• Middle school students filled 27,000 plastic eggs with treats for the annual Montgomery Kiwanis Easter Egg Hunt • Fifth and eighth graders read with elderly residents at Chesterwood Village • Eleventh graders sorted food at the Freestore Foodbank
• Freshmen and first graders worked in tandem to pack 2,200 meals for Honduras at Kids Against Hunger in Milford • Seventh graders did spring cleanup at Krohn Conservatory and tutored English as a Second Language children at Hopewell Elementary • Twelfth graders repaired homes in Northside with Working in Neighborhoods
• Third and fourth graders washed cruisers for local police and fire departments
• The high school’s Cintered electric strings group played at the Lincoln Crawford nursing home in Walnut Hills while the Electric Jazz Orchestra performed at Nast Trinity Church in Over-the-Rhine • Preschoolers colored placemats for St. John’s Soup Kitchen
• Second graders made birthday bags for needy children in Monterrey, Mexico
• Eighth graders worked with mentally and physically challenged children at Stepping Stones Center in Terrace Park
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FEATURES
I learned that no matter how small I am, I can always help out.”
– 6th grader
I learned that one group of people can make a BIG difference.”
– 2nd grader
My students were absolutely amazing – even when they were tired and thirsty, they showed outstanding character. I am so proud of them.”
– Teacher
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I have come along for a few Serve-a-thons, and this was one of the best yet!”
– Parent chaperone
Can we do this more often?”
– 11th grader
David, an 11-month old child at the daycare where we were serving, had not smiled since suffering a collapsed lung. He had a smile on his face the entire day we were there!”
– 7th grader
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uide•engage•enjoy•travel•build•explore•eat•learn•serve
Winter Term
2011: Snapshots from the road
This year, Winter Term experiences took our high school students out of the classroom to places near (serving in local schools, interning with Cincinnati professionals and exploring Queen City culture), far (Nashville, New Orleans, New Mexico and Los Angeles) and really far (Kenya, Germany, Italy and Greece). Following are photos from three of the twenty-two experiences that took place this January.
K1
KENYA: An African Adventure K2
K3
K1: Julia Lipovsky, Christie Taylor and Mallory Massa sit on a bench overlooking the Rift Valley at the Rift Valley Academy, an international Christian school that hosted CHCA students for three days. K2: Ellie Coggins learns to make chapati (traditional bread influenced by East Indians under British colonialism) in a traditional Maasai community. K3: The group poses in front of Hell’s Gate National Park near Lake Naivasha.
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FEATURES
M2
Mediterranean Marvels M1
M2: Ann Marie Kadnar, Tara Hodge, Courtney Myers, Ellen Packer and Andy Lindenfeld in Meteora, Greece. Meteora is a collection of hundreds of rock towers and crags (some with monasteries atop them), the only geological formation of its kind in Europe.
M1: (L-R) Tyler Vonderhaar, Joe Terry, Brian Taylor, Nick Taylor and Tanner Kuremsky stop in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City before taking a tour of St. Peter’s Cathedral.
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NEW ORLEANS: Disaster Relief
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N1: Myles Jackson paints the house perched high atop a ladder. In addition to building the home, the group got to experience local culture, music and food with visits from guest speakers, a steamboat ride and a visit to New Orleans’ famous French Quarter. N2: Lauren Lawley, Molly Burdsall and Ye-Rim Kim install insulation under a house. CHCA partnered with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance to assist in the build.
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goodbye Not a
just a farewell for now
When someone works in a place for 18 years, they’re bound to leave a mark. As Armleder Principal Susan Miller leaves Cincinnati to lead another urban Christian school in Charleston, South Carolina, it’s clear her mark will remain at CHCA. Susan started at Edyth B. Lindner Elementary in its first year of operation teaching 3rd grade, later moved to the middle school to teach 5th and 6th grade and serve as librarian, and eventually took on a leadership role in bringing Armleder to life. When she was offered the position of principal at the Otto Armleder School, it was a natural transition – with a love for both Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy and a passion for the Armleder mission, she took the role without hesitation. Nearly a decade later, she leaves a legacy as a determined, caring educator. “Susan’s desire has always been to build a love of learning in students, whether designing experiences for third graders, providing opportunities for exploring great literature as a librarian or inspiring excellence in her teachers as a principal,” says Armleder technology teacher Barb Bodley. Jon Adams, a Class of 1995 grad and former Board of Trustees member, points to the eternal impact of Susan’s legacy. “Her passion for Jesus and for students will leave a lasting impact etched on the hearts of those she has served.” Susan says that CHCA has had a big impact on her as well. “I can still remember my initial interview and being so excited to be a part of a school that had such high academic standards in a Christ-centered environment,” Susan recalls. “I have had many opportunities to grow professionally here, and many of my dearest friends are people that I met at CHCA. It’s been a blessing to work alongside others who take their walk with the Lord seriously and strive to live out their faith each and every day. I’m so grateful for the varied and rich opportunities that I have had, and that I have been encouraged to seek new challenges.” It’s clear that Armleder, the place where she has spent the majority of her career, left the most significant mark. “Watching kids who love coming to school every day grow and develop academically, spiritually, emotionally and socially has been incredibly rewarding,” she says. “And working with the staff that God brought to Armleder inspires me. They carry out the vision and mission of CHCA every day, they care about each child individually, and they care deeply about one another. They embody the idea that what you do can be not just work, but a calling.” CHCA Head of School Randy Brunk will miss Susan’s twofold leadership ability as both an administrator and an advocate for CHCA’s downtown campus. “Susan gave legs and clarity to the Armleder mission and has trumpeted that and resourced it to the fullest,” he says. “She leaves Armleder in great shape. We will miss her deeply but are proud to pass her on to launch many more urban Christian schools in the Southeast.” 12
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As she prepares to lead the fledgling Meeting Street Academy in Charleston, Susan’s departure is bittersweet. “I’m sad to leave a community of family, friends and colleagues that have meant so much to me and have made me who I am today,” she says, promising to return to visit as often as possible. “I am excited about how the Lord will use my CHCA experiences to impact the lives of potentially thousands of kids in South Carolina. It’s a wonderful opportunity and a new adventure!”
A familiar face steps into the Principal’s office After Susan Miller announced her departure from Armleder, the search for an interim principal led to someone parents and teachers know well: Cammie Montgomery, Armleder’s 4th grade teacher for the last seven years. Prior to coming to CHCA, she served as Assistant Principal at Lincoln Heights Elementary school, taught at Kilgour Elementary and Mt. Washington Schools, and was founding head of East End Community Heritage School. “Overall, Cammie has served in nearly every capacity of school education and leadership,” Head of School Randy Brunk says. “She is loved and respected by staff, parents and students alike and comes to this position with a rich history of educational knowledge and practice over the last 23 years. We consider it a rare privilege to have someone of her experience and talent ready to step into Susan’s shoes as we search for her permanent replacement.” Montgomery earned her bachelor’s degree from Central State University in 1987 and her master’s degree in education from Xavier University in 2003. She received the Color of the City Award in Education for her work with East End Community Heritage School. Montgomery sees nothing but potential and can’t wait for the opportunity to serve all Armleder families. “I will truly miss the intimacy of working with one classroom family, but I’m looking forward to encouraging and inspiring Armleder students from preschool through eighth grade,” Montgomery says. “The Lord has placed me in this role for such a time as this, and this new season makes me feel an overwhelming desire to be a servant and a vessel. I pray that the Lord increases in me as I seek to do His will.” A search committee will be formed this fall to select Armleder’s next principal (Montgomery will be a candidate) with a final decision likely to come early in 2012.
need to get ready for the next one. Losing is not the end of the world.
FEATURES
Faugno: Making it to state four times was huge, and getting a scholarship to play tennis [for Northern Kentucky University] helped me realize – when I wasn’t sure if I would continue playing in college – that this is what I want to be doing. ON HARD LESSONS TO LEARN Baxter: You have to practice every day. Consistency is key. If you want to win, there’s no time off.
What We’ve Learned
ON THE TENNIS COURT Dominique Baxter ’12, has played doubles at state three times Holly Dahmus ’12, has played singles at state twice
Kassie Faugno ’11, has played doubles at state four times ON WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO PLAY IN THE STATE TOURNAMENT THE FIRST TIME Baxter: I was so nervous. I didn’t know what was happening and didn’t feel ready. The next year, I realized you have to prepare.
Dahmus: It’s probably the most nerve-wracking thing I’ve ever done! I’d never played with so many people watching. I don’t know if I was mentally prepared for it, but as the match went on I zoned out the crowd. Faugno: The first time, I didn’t realize what a big deal it was. I was partnered with a senior and just wanted to try my hardest.
ON WHAT GOES THROUGH YOUR MIND BEFORE THAT VERY FIRST SERVE Baxter: Focus… figure out your strategies… find their weaknesses.
Dahmus: Don’t double fault. When you make that first serve, you really feel ready for the rest of the game.
Dahmus: Learning not to doubt myself. It’s so easy to play the “what if” game – She’s better than me… I might lose… I’ve seen her play before… then you lose and doubt yourself even more. Instead, I stay positive from the start, try my hardest and remember to have fun. Faugno: Accepting that I’m not always going to have good days and I’m not always going to be on my game. Through tennis I’ve learned to deal with disappointment and move on after mistakes.
ON BALANCING SCHOOL WITH PLAYING A SPORT AT A HIGH LEVEL Baxter: There is sacrifice – you don’t get as much free time as you’d like. But taking it one step at a time helps.
Dahmus: It’s not easy, especially during junior year. But I choose what’s important – for me, that’s academics. I’m not going to be a professional tennis player, so I know school will take me farther. Faugno: I’ve learned to be good with time management. Make a schedule and prioritize.
THE COACH’S PERSPECTIVE Lynn Nabors-McNally, MSL HS girls’ and boys’ tennis coach since 1996 Going to state for the first time is a lot to handle. I tell my players to take a deep breath, look on your talents and let go. Nervousness is good – it means you care.
Faugno: Make your first serve! Really, you just have to be positive and not overthink it. If you get in your head, you’re going to fault and get into trouble.
Every time you step onto the court, it’s like a puzzle. Getting to the finish line is different every time. Every point and every game is unique. I think it’s one of the hardest games you can play.
ON ACCOMPLISHMENTS ON THE TENNIS COURT
Losing is not a bad thing – it teaches you your weaknesses. If you can take a loss and learn from it, it will help you deal not only with your next match, but with life’s adversities too.
Baxter: State tournament, this past fall, semifinal match. We were down against a really good team. Kassie and I got our heads together, encouraged each other, strategized, told each other we’re so close to the state finals, we need this match. We ended up winning. I’ll never forget that. Dahmus: Learning how to lose. I lost back-to-back matches at a tournament and realized that rather than crying over a loss, I
The biggest lesson I try to teach my players has nothing to do with tennis: God puts you in a place for a reason, and with His help, anything can happen. If I can help someone become a better person, that’s so much more important to me than becoming a great tennis player.
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New work of art... See page 18
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Learn, Lead and Serve Scholarship Winners Lindner Scholars
CAMPUS HIGHLIGHTS
Learn, Lead and Serve Scholarship Winners: Front row, L-R: CHCA HS Principal Dr. Dean Nicholas, Nathaniel Hipsley, Christian Miller, Alexandra Kuroff, Delaney Kirbabas. Second row, L-R: Braden Palmore, Lillyanna Faimon, Janae Trimble, David Humphrey, Moriah Coman. Back row, L-R: Tyler Swedes, Michael O’Brien, Will Ellis.
Lindner Scholars: (L-R) Ennis Tait, Savannah Mary, Drew Taylor, Moriah Coman, Raven Hines, Khalil Auguste, Jada Kiner, and Victor Green.
This January, twelve exceptional eighth graders learned they would be receiving awards in the fourth annual Learn, Lead and Serve Scholarship Competition. To be considered for the scholarships, students took the Freshman Entrance Exam in November or December; submitted resumes detailing achievements and service; and/or completed essays for scholarship consideration. All will be incoming freshmen for the 2011-12 school year.
Learn Scholarships went to Nathaniel Hipsley ($10,000), David Humphrey ($6,000), Tyler Swedes ($6,000), Michael O’Brien ($4,000), Anna Faimon ($4,000) and Braden Palmore ($4,000). Lead and Serve Scholarships went to Christian Miller ($10,000), Janáe Trimble ($6,000), Will Ellis ($6,000), Delaney Kirbabas ($4,000), Alexandra Kuroff ($4,000) and Moriah Coman ($4,000).
“These merit scholarships provide a way for us to recognize students in the class of 2015,” says Natalie Pfister, CHCA Director of Enrollment. “The Learn Scholarships are awarded to students who score highest on our Freshman Entrance Exam, while the Lead and Serve Scholarships recognize students whose essays and resume experiences demonstrate a commitment to leadership and service. We’re pleased to honor these exceptional students.”
LIGHTS
Also honored were Lindner Scholars Moriah Coman, Victor Green, Raven Hines, Jada Kiner, Savannah Mary, Ennis Tait and Drew Taylor. These Armleder 8th graders earned the opportunity to continue their CHCA educational experience through graduation. The Lindner Scholars Program is a $28 million scholarship fund created to support students in PK – 8th grade at the Armleder campus and to provide similar financial need scholarships each year for up to eight current and qualified Armleder 8th grade students who wish to attend CHCA’s Martha S. Lindner High School.
National Merit Recognition
Brett Shackson (who also just happens to have aced his ACTs with a 36 and earned a perfect 2400 on the SAT) learned in April that he is a 2011 National Merit Scholar. He receives a $2,500 scholarship and the prestige of being one of just 2,500 in the country to earn the title.
Scholarship winners are the National Merit Finalists judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies. Scholars were selected from a pool of 15,000 Finalists by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors. Brett will be attending Cornell University this fall, studying chemical engineering.
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TENNIS Kassie Faugno (Sr) Dominique Baxter (Jr) Holly Dahmus (Jr)
CHCA Athletes Who Went to State 2010-11
DIVING Danny Moorehead (Jr) Division II State Champ
SWIMMING Kendall Hart (Fr)
WRESTLING Zach Alvarado (Fr)
College-bound CHCA athletes
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EAGLE’SEYE
Nick Lawley will be playing football for Brown University in Providence, RI.
(seated L-R) Didi Charles will be playing football for Carthage College in Kenosha, WI while teammate Blake Avery will be playing football for Washington University in St. Louis, MO.
Kassie Faugno will be playing tennis for Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights, KY.
Jack McIver (center) will be playing soccer for Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, FL, while both Andrew Amend (left) and Jeremy Smith (right) will be playing soccer for Centre College in Danville, KY.
fine
CAMPUS HIGHLIGHTS
arts Award Recognition
Overture Awards. In February, freshmen Jackie Tso and Kevin Bao both took part in the 2011 Overture Awards Scholarship Competition, the region’s largest solo arts contest for students in grades 9-12. Kevin played Variations on a Theme by Paganini by Johannes Brahms; Jackie played Violin Concerto, Op. 14, “Allegro” by Samuel Barber. After giving excellent performances, Jackie walked away with the top prize in the instrumental music category and a $2,500 scholarship, while Kevin earned a $500 Finalist scholarship. Scholastic Art Awards. Several high school students received accolades for pieces sent to the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. Students who submit work to the Scholastic Awards competition receive opportunities for recognition, exhibition, publication and scholarships. Works designated as Gold Keys on the regional level are forwarded for national-level review where they can earn Silver Medals and Gold Medals; the Silver Key award is worthy of recognition on the regional level and Honorable Mention awards are given for work demonstrating artistic potential. CHCA’s honors included:
Da Sol Kim – Drawing Gold Key, Drawing Silver Key, Design Honorable Mention and Drawing Honorable Mention Sarah Cunningham – Painting Silver Key, Drawing Silver Key and a Drawing Honorable Mention Lauren Haslem – Photography Honorable Mention
Natalie LeCompte – Mixed Media Honorable Mention
Da Sol Kim’s Gold Key Award-winning drawing was selected as a Regional Gold Key winner while two photography entries were selected to be exhibited in the annual Summerfair Cincinnati Scholastics Entries Show. Victoria Lantz’s “Seed of Jealousy” and Lauren Haslem’s “Summer’s Fruit” will be judged for consideration of three scholarships being awarded by Summerfair Cincinnati. Pictured above are (L-R) Da Sol Kim, Lauren Haslem, Natalie LeCompte and MSL HS art teacher Tim Hilderbrand.
Cappies Honorees. Each year, the local chapter of the Cappies (an organization that recognizes the best in high school theater) honors top performances in musicals and plays. CHCA’s nominations for our production of Guys and Dolls included: Best Orchestra – WINNER (directed by Dan Grantham and Amanda Mangialardo) Featured Actress in a Musical: Kate Bohanan Male Dancer: Logan Lally Male Vocalist: Josh Thiel
Supporting Actor in a Musical: Ben Scott Lead Actress in a Musical: Maddie Drees Lead Actor in a Musical: Ben Stevens
Commendees (students who received recognition from Director Susan Jung for their overall impact on the theater program): Mariel Beausejour, Maggie Ledbetter, Amy Mirlisena and Josh Willmann Pictured above are Cappies nominees, commendees, and members of the Cappie-winning CHCA orchestra.
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The Cheeze-Its (L-R), a.k.a. Sarah Bruns, Rachel Haslem, Chet Larger, Foster Graf and Patrick Bruns.
Rachel, Foster, Patrick and Sarah celebrate their state victory. (L-R) Tim Hilderbrand, Chris Belair and Todd Bacon
NEW WORK OF ART
graces Christian Studies room When most students create artwork, they end up taking it with them when they go. But CHCA senior Chris Belair spent second semester on a special project that he’ll leave behind for the rest of us to enjoy: a stained glass window, now installed in Todd Bacon’s MSL HS classroom. Chris designed and created the window (which depicts the Greek letters alpha and omega on either side of a Celtic cross) during Tim Hilderbrand’s stained glass class, before school and in his free time. “This is outstanding work that will become a permanent piece of sacred art in our building,” Bacon, a Christian Studies and Ethics teacher, says. Chris demurs when praised for his work on the piece. “It’s an art form I can work with – I can design it in a computer, make the pieces, and everything fits together,” he says. “When everything fits together, that’s a good day.” 18
EAGLE’SEYE
DESTINATION IMAGINATION TEAM goes to Global Finals
The Cheeze-Its, CHCA’s Destination ImagiNation team (composed of fourth graders Patrick Bruns, Foster Graf and Chet Larger plus sixth graders Sarah Bruns and Rachel Haslem) took their problem solving savvy to the Global Finals this May after winning first place at the state tournament in April. Destination ImagiNation (or DI) is an international program that encourages creativity, teamwork and problem solving; students engage in DI as an after-school activity, learning how to work through challenges using things like structural design, improvisational acting and scientific exploration. Over a thousand teams from all over the world attended the Global Finals, a four-day event held at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. The Cheeze-Its also received the DaVinci Award for Outstanding Creativity at the state competition.
CAMPUS HIGHLIGHTS
Outstanding Outreach
MSL HS junior Meredith Stutz and senior Josh Willmann were honored this year for their commitment to service. Meredith received a 2011 YMCA Character Award for her work with Kids Character Camp. Co-founded by Meredith in 2008, the summer camp for kids in first through fifth grades teaches Biblical character traits through music, drama, games and art. Josh received the 2011 Student Public Service Award from the Greater Cincinnati Federal Executive Board for his Student Organized Service work with the English as a Second Language (ESL) after school program at Hopewell Elementary. Josh organized a fundraiser for transportation for the 45 children who attend the after school program each week.
M2SE City-Wide Competition Winners SCIENCE FAIR COMPETITION 4th-6th grades 1st place, Best of the Best: Adele Enns 2nd place: Kaitlynn Boone
Armleder students brought home plenty of ribbons and trophies at the M2SE (Minorities in Math, Science and Engineering) City-Wide Competition in May. The event, held at the University of Cincinnati, is the culmination of an entire year of academic bowls, science fairs and structure design competitions. Though M2SE supports all students of all cultural backgrounds, its mission statement is to significantly increase the number of students of color who are motivated, prepared for, and enter mathematics, science, engineering, and technology career fields.
7th-8th grades 1st place, Best of the Best: Moriah Coman 2nd place: Chance Pratt Honorable Mention: Aislinn Wilson TOOTHPICK BRIDGE DESIGN 1st place: Robert Floyd and Moriah Coman (whose bridge held over 2000 grams)
2nd place: Makayla Jones and Kennedi Toney 3rd place: Makava Franklin Most Creative Bridge: Yacine Gnom EGG DROP PACKAGE DESIGN 1st place: Drew Taylor 2nd place: Moriah Coman
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ALUMNI SECTION INTRO PAGE
Alumni Chapel... See page 36
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There and back again:
ALUMNI NEWS
RECONNECTING WITH CHCA
CHCA alumni are now involved in every facet of school life, serving as teachers, coaches, Board of Trustee members, Winter Term chaperones, theater production volunteers, financial contributors and in a myriad of other capacities.”
By Kristen Stutz ’99, Board of Trustees Alumni Subcommittee member After graduating from CHCA in the Class of 1999, I had an itch to venture outside the friendly confines of Cincinnati. I spread my wings over the next several years going to college in North Carolina, getting a job in Georgia, returning to school in Virginia and eventually coming back to Cincinnati to work for Procter and Gamble as an Assistant Brand Manager. Through my youngest sister Meredith (who will soon graduate with the Class of 2012), I have seen how CHCA has literally “grown up” while I was away. Her class is double the size of mine, numerous sports and enrichment opportunities have been added, the Armleder campus is flourishing and CHCA’s high school has been named one of the best in Cincinnati. Another change that I have enjoyed seeing: CHCA alumni are now involved in every facet of school life, serving as teachers, coaches, Board of Trustee members, Winter Term chaperones, theater production volunteers, financial contributors and in a myriad of other capacities. We have realized what a truly special place CHCA is and have responded by giving back our time, talent and resources. It’s a true testament to what a Cincinnati Hills education means to our graduates when they look for opportunities to pour back into their alma mater. When I heard I could invest in CHCA by joining the Board of Trustees’ Alumni Subcommittee, I jumped at the chance. I serve with Ryan Betscher ’00, Jennie (Dorl) Vose ’03 and Victor Byrum ’07. Together we look for ways to serve our alumni, plan events that help them reconnect with CHCA, and educate them on opportunities to give back to the school financially. Whatever your skills, talents or interests, there is still a place for you at Cincinnati Hills. Whether you can mentor seniors as they prepare for college, help out in an elementary classroom, coach a basketball team or make a contribution in honor of your favorite teacher, we welcome you. As a grad, you have been part of CHCA’s great past – now you can be a part of its bright future.
If you’d like to reconnect with CHCA, learn about volunteer opportunities, find out more about giving back or share your ideas, contact Tracy at Tracy.Wolcott@chca-oh.org or visit www.chca-oh.org/alumni.
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ALUMNI ACROSS THE COUNTRY (and around the world) Many of our alumni have flown the coop and settled in places outside of Cincinnati. Check out the map for a sampling of “alumni pockets” – cities where several grads now call home.
Don’t see yourself in your city? We tried to get as many up-to-date addresses on file as possible, but we may have missed you. E-mail us at alumni@chca-oh.org to make sure we have your correct contact info on file. MINNEAPOLIS Anna Lomauro Tamara (Mrusek) Fladung Keith Bergh Paul Whitney Paige Whitney
2006 1997 2005 1996 2001
DENVER Melissa (Kleine) Bingham Elizabeth Burdsall Marcus Heffner Mandy Holbrook Seth Marcus Jonathan Kloster Gretchen Spohn Sara Copelin
1999 2004 2005 1998 2005 1996 2004 2003
CHICAGO Neha Kantamneni Nicole Nelson Nick Furtwengler Brock Rumer Michelle (Toy) Warner Lindsey Michels Hannah (Peters) Siegfried Kristen (Hanto) Doyle Rachael (Herrmann) Martinez
2003 2003 2003 1995 1998 2001 1999 1998 2004
SEATTLE
CHICAGO, ctd. Sal Churi Kelly Kranak Emily Cool Greener Megan Goebel Audra Falk Lauren (Baker) Zuperku Adam Cool Ann (Bell) Rosen
2004 1997 2002 2003 2001 2000 2001 1997
LEXINGTON Kate Olson Jessica Karam Michael Forston Mark Colgan Karen Hewitt
2006 2004 2000 1996 2000
SEATTLE Linnea (Johnson) Bergstrom 1999 Cameron (Cooper) Psiaki 2002 Allison Van Sickle 2000
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SAN FRANCISCO Veronica (Franco) Morris Kevin Nead Jaclyn Neuenfeldt Lauren Kinstler Tyler Jepson Daniel Jepson Carl Cordova Dennis Steelman Philip Harvey
1998 2004 2005 2005 2008 2006 1995 1999 2003
LOS ANGELES Kristina (Kelpe) Sanchez Stephen Michael Justin Corwin Peter Szilagyi Kate Gaffney Jason Zimmermann
2000 2005 2000 2000 2000 2001
HONOLULU Rachel Rickards Tjoeng Meghan Moats
1997 1999
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M SAN FRANCISCO
DENVER
LOS ANGELES
HONOLULU
AND ELSEWHERE…
Ryan Kloster ’98 London, UK Valerie (Rickards) Boyd ’99 Aberdeen, Scotland Elizabeth Edelstein ‘00 Cork, Ireland Josh Goodwin ’09 & Katie (Ashbrook) Folkerth ’03 Geneva, Switzerland John Pate ‘05 Edinburgh, Scotland Katy (Dowd) Gonzalez ’03 & Hector Gonzalez ’06 Monterrey, Mexico Danielle Spear ’07 Otford, Australia
ALUMNI NEWS
Windy
City Visit
When we were in Chicago for a conference this January, members of the CHCA Advancement Office got together with some Class of 2003 grads for dinner at Volare. We had a great time hearing stories of careers, education and big city life. Thanks to Nick, Megan, Neha and Nicole for a fun evening!
- Tracy Wolcott, CHCA Alumni Relations
Megan Goebel, Nick Furtwengler, Neha Kantamneni and Nicole Nelson with CHCA Alumni Relations Coordinator Tracy Wolcott
NASHVILLE Ashley (Ohlmansiek) Werner Peter Melvin Kristina (Lippert) Burke Matthew Chapman Lindsay Chapman Victoria Bailey Matt Toy
2000 1997 2002 2006 2003 2001 1998
COLUMBUS Brendan Hall Christopher Koenig Valerie (Herrmann) Galbraith Caitlin (Sarver) Benedetti Lindsay Adam Benjamin Glass Rebecca (Pierce) Grady Justin Perucki
MINNEAPOLIS
2003 2000 2002 2005 2002 2005 1999 1999
BOSTON
CHICAGO COLUMBUS LEXINGTON
Getting together with other CHCA alumni? Send a photo to alumni@chca-oh.org and we might put you in our next publication.
NEW YORK
BOSTON Erin Snyder Kelly Mullen Melanie Kemerling Kristin Shoji Monica Shoji Allison Pekel Jason Taylor
NEW YORK CITY Janelle Kelpe Rebekah (Sjogren) Osypian Michael Isaacs Abbe Peters David Clabaugh
WASHINGTON, D.C.
RALEIGH
NASHVILLE ATLANTA RALEIGH Sarah (Price) Stokes Erin (Dowd) Fish Amanda (Cushman) Jackson Kaila (Harris) Heath
2001 2000 2002 2002
2001 2004 2003 2006 2007 2003 2006
WASHINGTON, D.C. Eric Heis Robin Beshear John Kail Tommy Andrews Mark Bass Ben Gann Kelley Gims John Ashbrook Nathaniel Sizemore
ATLANTA W. Robert Tyner Randol Davis Gregory Huston Kate (Hall) Martini Paul Booth Justin Jones
2001 1998 2002 2004 1996
1999 2004 2001 2005 1998 1995 2007 1999 2004
2002 2005 1999 1995 2000 2006
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Alumni AFFECTING THEIR WORLD Fun fact: Aubrey has been a track and field thrower (shot put, discus, weight and hammer) for the last ten years, and now she and Danny are assistant coaches for the throwers of the Washington University varsity track and field team. How CHCA had an impact on me: “CHCA provided me with a great base knowledge of truth. When I was completing my undergraduate degree in philosophy, I came up against a lot of ideas that were opposed to what the Bible states. Because CHCA taught me how to read the Bible and do exegetical studies, I could learn a lot from my classes and still hold firm to Biblical truths. Additionally, CHCA lit a fire in me for serving others. This passion has really crafted my career path, which allows me to view my career as a mission calling.”
Name: Aubrey Edwards-Luce Class: 2005
Where I live now: St. Louis, Missouri
What I’m doing: Recent graduate of the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis My life in a nutshell: “I have two part-time jobs – Intake Counselor at the St. Louis Crisis Nursery (which provides short-term emergency care for children at risk of abuse or neglect) and Research Assistant at the Brown Center for Violence and Injury Prevention (BCVIP). At the St. Louis Crisis Nursery, I answer crisis calls, help parents plan ways to keep their families safe, and help children feel safe while their parents work on resolving their crises. At the BCVIP, I am the Annual Report Coordinator, which means I help design, implement and manage a process that presents the BCVIP’s progress and community impact to the Center for Disease Control. I’m very excited to start law school in St. Louis next year – I plan to use my master’s degree in social work and law degrees to be an advocate for family violence victims in courts and eventually in the policy arena. This summer, my husband Danny (who is starting seminary next fall) and I will help new churchgoers battle through theological issues at our church’s weekly ‘Engage’ and ‘Foundations’ classes. No two days are ever alike for me, and I kind of like that.” 24
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I believe that we can all take responsibility to make a positive impact on those we encounter in our day and by being purposeful in this, we have the power to change our culture and leave a legacy much bigger than ourselves.” - Sara (Kiihnl) Wiggershaus
ALUMNI NEWS
Name: Tommy Andrews
Name: Kristina Johnson
Where I live now: Washington, D.C.
Where I live now: Los Angeles, California
Class: 2005
What I’m doing: Senior Staff Assistant, Speaker of the House John Boehner’s office My life in a nutshell: “As senior staff assistant, I spend my days overseeing a variety of operations in the Speaker’s office. I manage six staff assistants, supervise all correspondence (mail, e-mail and phone calls), assist our staff on policy, conduct research, help out with communications, plan special events and deal with House operation issues. In addition, I spend much of my time supporting other congressional offices with their questions and visiting with constituents. During the August recess, I plan to travel back home to Cincinnati to catch a few Reds games and enjoy some Cincinnati favorites: Montgomery Inn, Skyline chili and Graeter’s ice cream, of course.” Fun fact: Tommy has met heads of state (including those from China, Australia, Israel and Ireland), influential people (President Obama, Colin Powell, Hillary Clinton and Newt Gingrich) and has attended both of the last two State of the Union addresses. He also has access to the Speaker’s balcony, home of the best view of the National Mall. How CHCA had an impact on me: “My ten years at CHCA had a tremendous impact on me and has allowed me to be where I am today. There, I learned the things I need to succeed in life and received a strong foundation to build upon. Opportunities (like traveling to India for Winter Term) sculpted my view of the world and gave me a more knowledgeable perspective of life and humanity outside the United States. From my education, my walk with Christ and working in a team environment through athletics, CHCA gave me the tools I employ on a daily basis here in Washington.”
Class: 1998
What I’m doing: Actress
My life in a nutshell: “I spend most of my time shooting films and commercials, networking to break into new markets and land auditions, taking casting director workshops, performing in showcases to land new managers/agents and performing in readings of new scripts and pilots. “I just recently moved to Los Angeles from Chicago, where I had lived and built my acting career for eight years. Probably one of the craziest examples of my life as an actor would have to be the day I traveled home from Edinburgh, Scotland, where I performed in a play for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. During the seven hour flight back to Chicago, I attempted to get some rest while memorizing scenes from a script so that I could immediately grab a cab, go directly from the airport to the Goodman Theatre downtown, and do a last-minute audition for a show that would be running in Austin, Texas.” Fun fact: Last year Kristina was in four plays, three staged readings, three commercials and two films. One of the plays she acted in was “The Long Red Road” directed by Oscar-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman and starring Tom Hardy from the movie “Inception.” How CHCA had an impact on me: “I came to CHCA near the end of my sophomore year after moving around the country a good deal and going to a number of large public schools. I remember being immediately struck by the small classes and intense feeling of community at Cincinnati Hills. I am now much more able to identify that wherever I go, whether it’s finding a niche for myself in larger markets like Los Angeles and New York or assimilating into the theatre and film communities of Chicago. CHCA taught me the importance of community, and I find encouragement and inspiration in that.”
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Name: Sara (Kiihnl) Wiggershaus
Name: Zac Cucinotta
Where I live now: Troy, Ohio
Where I live now: Evanston, Illinois
Class: 1999
What I’m doing: Owner of Wiggy Dip Mobile Ice Cream Service; she and husband Adam have two daughters, Makaela (6) and Amelia (4) My life in a nutshell: “I always wanted to own my own business, but I never imagined I would own an ice cream business, especially one that’s mobile! But here we are exactly one year in business later and we are thrilled by the impact we are having in Cincinnati. Our primary focus is the corporate market, where companies purchase our ice cream services for their employees as a gesture of appreciation. “I have been blessed with the support of my parents, David and Brenda Kiihnl, who have partnered with us on this adventure. We work together in all aspects of the business from sales calls and inventory to scooping ice cream at events. Working side by side with my parents is a privilege and an experience I will always treasure.” Fun fact: Wiggy Dip isn’t your average ice cream truck: guests walk through the mobile ice cream parlor (checkerboard floors and all) and get hand-dipped ice cream in flavors like Blueberry Waffle Cone, Philadelphia Freedom Mint and Wedding Cake. How CHCA had an impact on me: “While at CHCA I discovered my passion for service through opportunities provided by Karen Hordinski. God has allowed my passion for service to touch the lives of those in the corporate world of Cincinnati who in this economy are working harder than ever for less money and recognition. My desire for Wiggy Dip is to intentionally ‘make the day’ of those we serve and lead a positive change in the corporate culture of Cincinnati, one scoop at a time. It’s amazing what ice cream and a smile can do for someone regardless of pay grade or title. I believe that we can all take responsibility to make a positive impact on those we encounter in our day and by being purposeful in this, we have the power to change our culture and leave a legacy much bigger than ourselves.” 26 20
EAGLE’SEYE
Class: 2008
What I’m doing: Third year student in the biomedical engineering program at Northwestern University My life in a nutshell: “As a junior, I can usually be found in classes like Chemical Sensors and Tissue Engineering. I also spend time repairing medical equipment for use in developing countries as a program director for Engineering World Health. Last summer I worked at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital developing an electronic audiological testing program.” Fun fact: Zac’s a big fan of racquetball and plays three days a week at the Northwestern Athletic Complex. How CHCA had an impact on me: “CHCA taught me to love learning and was great preparation for the rigorous engineering classes I now take.”
‘‘
From my education, my walk with Christ and working in a team environment through athletics, CHCA gave me the tools I employ on a daily basis...”
- Tommy Andrews
2011 Alumni Class Notes 1995
Leslie (Stevens) Woyat has been married for 11 years to Charles Woyat who works for the Department of Homeland Security. She is a stay-at-home mom and homeschools their two children, Edward (8) and Kaeleigh (6).
Liz (Bell) Young and husband Ryan just had their second baby, a son named Thomas Scott Young, this May. Thomas joins big brother Moses (2). Liz, a creative writer for Crossroads, recently made the “Top 25” list for Glimmer Train Magazine’s Short Story Award for New Writers.
1996
Karly (Kolb) Adams welcomed her husband, Sgt. Lee Adams home from his deployment to Iraq in June. “We are so thankful he made it home safely and are in continued prayer for the soldiers that are still away from family and friends. Our son Wylie just celebrated his third birthday. I am getting ready to take my New York state tests to get
ALUMNI NEWS
my five year certification in Special Education. I finally found a job at General Brown Junior/Senior High School and adore my students! We are looking forward to eventually moving back to the Cincinnati area when my husband gets out of the Army. I would love to come back to CHCA and teach one day!” Pictured, Wylie Adams.
Matthew Greis is married to Krista and has four children: Braden (7), Kiely Jane (6), Lilly Anne (2) and Jackson (1). He is currently working as the Systems Director of Engineering for St. Elizabeth Medical Center and lives in Union, KY.
Susan (Johnson) Pagliaro is staying home now after working as a video editor for nine years at Crossroads Church in Cincinnati. Pictured, her one year old, Jackson Joseph.
1998
Andrea (Brockman) Harrison was blessed with her first baby, a boy named Jude (pictured), on May 1, 2010. “I continue to work as a physical therapist, specializing in neurological rehab, and my husband’s acoustical engineering specialty brought us out to our home along the IowaIllinois border about three years ago.” Ryan Kloster and family moved from London to Singapore this March. “I remain with my previous fund as a macro strategist covering equities in Europe, Asia and Emerging Markets. Singapore offers the distinct advantage of easier access to my covered markets. Natasha and Dorothea
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(14 months) are settling in nicely in the equatorial heat, making new friends and exploring their new culture. We’re all enjoying the food!”
Anthony “Wisseh” Harris was married on July 3, 2010 to Yemi Adeyanju at Church of the Redeemer in Hyde Park. He is working as a Pharmaceutical Representative and pursuing an MBA at Xavier University.
2000 Veronica (Franco) Morris graduated in December of 2009 with a Ph. D. in Environmental Science, Policy and Management from the University of California at Berkeley. Since then she has been working as a Program Officer for the Psychiatric Service Dog Society (www.psychdog.org). “In the past year I’ve also completed training my second service dog, a standard poodle named Ollivander. He goes with me everywhere, and has saved my life on more than one occasion!” Rebekah (Sjogren) Osypian is the National Sales Director for SpaFinder.com, running their SpaRahRah! day deal program in New York City. She has been there for almost a year and loves it. Michelle (Toy) Warner recently celebrated her one year cancer-free milestone. She has enjoyed researching and writing about nutrition and her cancer journey on her blog, www.insightforgirls.com. When she’s not writing, she is helping lead the women’s ministry at her church, tutoring, and spending time with her husband.
1999
Valerie (Rickards) Boyd has been living in Aberdeen, Scotland with her husband and two daughters Sydney (3) and Serena (1) for the past six years. “I previously worked in the finance industry, but am now at home with my daughters and help out part-time with our church’s accounts. No plans to move back to America anytime soon, as we now have indefinite leave to remain in the UK, but we do look forward to visiting this summer.” 28
EAGLE’SEYE
Andrew and Nicolette (Beelen) Conn now have three children, Andrew (4), Isabella (3) and Jack (1). Life is busy: Andrew Jr. will be attending CHCA in the fall of 2011, Andrew Sr. is still busy working for Tri-Con, and last May the couple opened a Pilates studio in Montgomery, the Pilates Center of Cincinnati. Gretchen Cook has been teaching English in South Korea for the past year. “I work an hour outside of Seoul at a government-run organization called English Village, which provides English language learning experiences for students and adults all around the Gyeonggi Province. In my time in Korea, I have taught people of all ages and from varying backgrounds including Japanese elementary students and the equivalent of the Korean C.I.A. Here I serve as the elementary program coordinator, creating the curriculum for all of our programs. Living here has granted me the opportunity to travel throughout Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Malaysia and Cambodia. In July, I plan to return to the States to pursue a second master’s degree, this time in teaching, and hope to teach ESL in elementary schools.” Sayer Crompton was hired as the Director of Audio for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2002, and in 2003 was hired as a video editor by I&Eye Productions, where he edited several hundred local, national and international commercials. “I
graduated from Xavier University in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in communication arts/electronic media. In 2005, I had my daughter, Ceana, married my wife Meghan, and was hired by Xavier University as the show producer for Xavier men’s basketball (yes, that’s three jobs at the same time). In 2007, I left I&Eye to work for Kroger’s fledging internal video satellite broadcast department where I was hired as a Producer/Director and still am at to this day. In 2008 I resigned from Xavier men’s basketball because the time requirements of three jobs and a family were becoming impossible to manage. So today, my daughter (5) goes to school at Madeira Elementary and I work both for Kroger and the Bengals (a job I plan to keep for the rest of my life!) as well as the occasional consulting and freelance on the side.” Gina (Weiss) Cutshall is a licensed massage therapist and is currently attending UC for her veterinary technology degree. She married Ryan Cutshall in 2008 and is pregnant with their first child. “We are beginning to save with the hope that our child will be able to attend CHCA. I had such a wonderful experience in school and it is our dream for our child to have that same chance.” Elizabeth Edelstein moved to Boston to work in medical research at Harvard Medical School after graduating from the University of Maryland in 2004. After a few years, she then moved to Baltimore where she continued working in research while helping establish the Daniel L. Edelstein Memorial Fund and coordinating fundraising events. “When I realized research was not my calling, I moved across the Atlantic to begin medical school in Ireland. I am currently finishing up my fourth year here in Cork and continue to enjoy living abroad and traveling. Having fallen in love with Ireland and an Irish lad, I plan on staying for a couple of years of training to become qualified to practice in Europe before returning to the states to commence residency.” Travis Murray is proud to be a Spanish teacher at Mason High School. The rest of his time is devoted to coaching the Mason boys’ cross country and track athletes. Travis will also be finishing a master’s degree at the University of Salamanca in Spain this summer. Anthony “Tu” Price currently resides in Sunnyvale, CA (in the San Francisco Bay area) and serves as Vice Principal of Athletics and Facilities at a private Christian school of 900+ students called the King’s Academy. He and wife Julie have three children: Tre (4), Aaliyah (2) and baby Jaylin (8 months). “I’m completing the second year of my doctorate program to receive my Ph. D. in Educational
ALUMNI NEWS Administration and cannot wait to start my dissertation this December. The Lord is continually doing great things and teaching me how to be a better leader in my home. Thank you Jesus!” Liz (Bronson) Rosenau married Greg Rosenau on March 26 this year. Many Class of 2000 alumni were in attendance, including Ashley (Ohlmansiek) Werner who served as a bridesmaid. Greg works at Acosta Sales & Marketing in Sharonville, while Liz enjoys working at CHCA, doing communications and publications like the one you are reading right now. They live in a townhouse in Mariemont and are enjoying married life.
2001
Victoria Bailey earned a bachelor’s in fine arts from Milligan College in 2005, where she studied at an intense music business school called the Contemporary Music Center. “Several years out of college, I started pursuing a music career writing and performing across the Midwest. Last spring, I recorded a six-song EP titled ‘A Burning Lot,’ which released December 2010 (on iTunes!). Early this year, I moved to Nashville to pursue a career in songwriting and have been commissioned to write and compose music for an independent film company in LA. I’m also signed with modeling agencies in both Cincinnati and Nashville.”
Justin Beadle earned his master of architecture and master of construction management degrees from Washington University in St. Louis in December 2010. Soon after he asked Maggie Jakus to marry him and she gladly accepted.
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He is currently planning a wedding, doing research at the university, looking for a job and serving his church. Pictured, Justin and his fiancée, Maggie. Laura Bechtel graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in May of 2010 with her MS in Information Studies. Currently, she is working as the Technical Services Supervisor at the Butt-Holdsworth Memorial Library in Kerrville, TX. Tiffany Bowden is adjusting to her father’s recent transition. “I don’t say loss because I believe my father is still with me and I don’t say mourning because I am celebrating for him. I am also proud of his legacy. That being said it is still a very difficult adjustment for me not to be able to interact with him how I am used to. It has inspired me to continue to develop spiritually so that I may be able to experience his love. I am so glad that God’s got his faithful servant.” Jennifer (Lawless) Kaufman is working as an RN consultant with a former co-worker, helping create and open a daycare in Louisville for medically fragile children. This project has kept her busy for a little over a year, and should wrap up with the exciting opening of the center this fall. It allows her to work a few hours here and there while tending to her full-time position chasing after twin girls, Elise and Avery, who are almost three. Her husband, Kyle, finished his medical residency and took a primary care position in West Chester, so the biggest news is that they get to eat dinner together and have a whole lot more time as a family. Aaron Lambert graduated from the DAAP program at the University of Cincinnati in 2006. Since then he has worked on some films, including camera and lighting work for a film called Turn that premiered recently. Some of his other filming gigs include a “How to Play Hockey” DVD with the Miami Redhawks and a live show with Jack Hannah “where one of the cats almost ate me.” He works for a small film company called Plum Street Productions and is starting his own venture doing commissioned paintings and gallery work. Jackie (Dobbins) Mason and family moved to a new home in Morrow, and Jackie started a new job with AuPairCare as the Area Director for Cincinnati and Dayton. Sarah (Price) Stokes just had her second son on May 12 of this year. Brody Martin Stokes (pictured) joins his brother Beckett (21 months). 30
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2002 Brynn Cullen is finishing her first year at University of Connecticut School of Law and looks forward to spending her summer with a judge in Hartford as well as working with low-income families in the Tax Law Clinic. “I moved to Connecticut last year, having spent 3 years in San Francisco working for a nonprofit as a childcare subsidy case manager. I have two spoiled cats and a partner who is also at UConn Law, graduating this year.” Wes and Dorian (Dostal) Edmonson reside in Finneytown and are enjoying the challenges of renovating their first home together. Dorian is currently teaching preschool at CHCA’s Armleder campus and will move to teaching kindergarten next school year. Wes owns and operates 12Stone Restoration & Design, a small business specializing in custom woodworking and cabinetry. The couple is involved in a variety of serving roles at their church. In their free time they enjoy running, gardening and spending time with their family and friends. Phil and Liz (Cesler) Glotfelty are returning with their son Rudy to Cincinnati after many years in the south. Phil, an Apache pilot with the 1-151 ARB from South Carolina, is set to deploy to Iraq this year. Liz loves living in Mt. Adams and competing in local road races. She is excited to start law school in the fall. Rudy spends his days going to the zoo, dominating at sports, watching Toy Story and having fun with his grandparents, aunts and uncles. Erin Tate will marry Daniel Schmerr on August 7 this year in Orlando, FL. The wedding party will include fellow CHCA alumnae Liz (Cesler) Glotfelty ’02, Amanda Edwards ’02, Caitlin Bertsch ’02, Brynn Cullen ’02 and Lauren Edwards ’04.
2003 Kathryn (Polzin) Abels resides in Clayton, OH with her husband Ryan. The couple welcomed their new daughter,
Lorelai Rae Abels (pictured), born on November 4, 2010 and weighing 8 lbs 11 oz. Kathryn and Ryan feel unbelievably blessed to be her parents. Denis Beausejour recently moved from Miami, FL to Chicago, IL with FedEx Express to work in the Sales Department of the Latin America and Caribbean division. He’s learning Spanish and has started attending Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington. Nick Furtwengler graduated from Chicago-Kent College of Law this May. He takes the Illinois bar exam at the end of July and will begin his career in corporate tax consulting at Deloitte & Touche in Chicago. Nick has lived in Chicago for three years and loves the city. Several CHCA alumni have gotten together in Chicago and meet regularly. Megan (Dinkelacker) Hendy graduated from Miami University in 2007. She met her husband, Justin at Miami while working for the college’s Outdoor Pursuit Center. She worked for Teach for America in New Haven, CT, teaching fifth grade for three years. She has a 16-month old daughter named Adalie, and just finished her first year of teaching fourth grade at CHCA’s Edyth B. Lindner Elementary School. Pictured, Justin, Megan & Adalie. Patrice Amber James graduated from the Chase College of Law and accepted a position at the Bronx Defenders as a staff attorney. Neha Kantamneni moved to Chicago last August to work for PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) in Healthcare Consulting. “Aside from the weather, things are going well for me! I am really enjoying the opportunity to work with various hospitals and health insurance companies on issues relating to healthcare reform. I spent the first few months traveling to the east coast on a weekly basis for work. In recent months however, I have been able to work on local projects. This has provided me the opportunity to really explore the city! In regards to my personal life, I could not be happier. I recently was engaged to my boyfriend of one and a half years, Eashwar Chandrasekaran. We, along with our families, are excited about the coming year and planning for our wedding next May!”
ALUMNI NEWS
Sara (Copelin) Malone married a wonderful man, Taige on April 30 this year. Taige is from Alaska; the couple met working at the same hospital in Colorado (he is a paramedic and Sarah assists psychiatrists in an outpatient psychiatric office). They are currently settled in Denver, CO and hope to purchase their first home by the end of this year.
2004 John Barnhart graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a Master’s in Economics last December and is now a Ph.D. student in economics at the University of Kentucky. He received a Research Assistants’ Scholarship (which includes full tuition and a salary) and is completing his research under the guidance of two professors in the UK College of Agriculture. In February, John presented at a National Conference in Louisville and attended a one day seminar at the World Bank in Washington, D.C. Sal Churi graduated from the University of Chicago Law School this June. In the fall, he will begin work as a corporate lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.
Kevin Nead is currently finishing his second year of medical school at Stanford and beginning his rotations through various hospital clerkships. “This spring I was
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fortunate to be awarded a Gates-Cambridge scholarship, which will allow me to take a year off of medical school to complete a master’s of philosophy in epidemiology at the University of Cambridge in England. I spent this last Christmas backpacking the Torres del Paine route in Patagonia, Chile and have a weeklong backpacking trip in Yosemite planned for this summer.” Nathaniel Sizemore graduated from Vanderbilt University Law School this May. While at Vanderbilt, he served as an Associate Editor of the Vanderbilt Law Review and was a member of the Jessup International Law Moot Court team. Nathaniel accepted a job offer from the law firm of Watt, Tieder, Hoffar & Fitzgerald, LLP and will be working in their Washington, D.C. metro area office.
2005
Keith Bergh took a job with Target Corporation and moved up to Minneapolis, MN in January 2010 after graduating from Pepperdine University. “I work in apparel merchandising as a business analyst in fast fashion and designer collaborations, working closely with my buyer in the selection of product and how much to buy. Life outside of work is dedicated to traveling on weekends and racing – I recently ran the Boston Marathon for the third time, running for Pediatric Cancer Research and the Massachusetts General Hospital Team. Currently I’m getting ready for the Coeur d’Alene Ironman in June in hopes of qualifying for the Kona World Championships, along with a handful of other triathlon events.” Pictured, Keith cycling in the 70.3 Ironman in Benton Harbor, MI last year. Grant Cooper is currently working at Ohio Casualty Insurance in Cincinnati and lives in Norwood. He proposed to Megan Bustamante in February, who he met shortly after graduating from Miami University with a degree in finance. Megan went to high school in Milford, received her undergrad from the University of South Carolina and recently received her master’s degree from the University of Cincinnati. She is currently working at itelligence as an SAP Consultant. They will be getting married May of 2012. Whitney Dubbs was recently promoted as the Business Development & Client Relationship Administrator at HUMACare, Inc. “I was blessed with the opportunity to coach one of the 6th grade girls’ basketball teams at 32
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CHCA this year. This May I completed the Flying Pig half marathon and loved it!” Ben Funk is currently on active duty with the U.S. Marine Corps as a 2nd Lieutenant. He plans on returning to his full-time job as a firefighter with the city of Columbus, OH upon completion of his military service. Griffin Kelp currently teaches third and fifth grades in Austin ISD, and is starting a community music recording studio in an old RV (www.beatentrackstudios.com). John Pate is finishing up his second year of Ph.D. study at the University of Edinburgh’s School of Informatics, and has a couple of conference papers this summer. “The first paper compares how we talk to one-year olds with how we talk to other adults, and the second paper presents a computational model for how infants might use statistical and acoustic cues (such as word duration) to group words into syntactic phrases.” Lindsay Rudolph resides in Monroe, OH and is a Registered Nurse at Mercy Fairfield Hospital. Teddy Siegel began working for Congresswoman Jean Schmidt in her Cincinnati office this January and recently accepted a promotion to work in her Washington, D.C. office as her scheduler.
Alex Zekoff started working for Deloitte Consulting after graduating from Miami University in May 2009 with a finance degree. He currently works with Lockheed Martin Aeronautics helping design and implement their enterprise resource planning system. “In December I proposed to my fiancée, Jacquie Grody. Following the proposal we took an engagement trip to Europe and visited Amsterdam and London then rang in the New Year in Paris. With our date set for May of 2012, we are already making great progress with wedding planning. My future plans include applying to graduate school next fall in hopes of earning my MBA. Jacquie and I also plan to continue travelling and enjoying time together.”
2006 Carrie Campbell is finishing up her first year of the master’s program at McGill University studying viola performance. This summer she has been selected to attend the National Arts Centre Young Artists Program in Ottawa, Canada. Sara Durham graduated from the University of Kentucky in May of 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in arts administration. Prior to graduation she worked as the Artistic/Education Intern at the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra, helping to expand their educational programs and working one-on-one with guest artists. “Following my graduation from UK I worked as Assistant Volunteer Coordinator at the International Museum of the Horse at the Kentucky Horse Park. I had the great opportunity of working closely with the museum’s international exhibition, ‘A Gift from the Desert’ and became one of the exhibition’s leading docents. I spent the past 10 months working at Actors’ Theatre of Louisville as their Arts Administration/ Company Management Intern, where I have worked closely with their guest artists, designers, directors and playwrights. I also acted as the Assistant Company Manager during Actors’ Theatre’s 35th Annual Humana Festival of New American Plays.” This summer, Sara will be moving to New York to work with New York Stage and Film as their Assistant Company Manager. She says it has been an exciting journey and she looks forward to the next chapter of her life. Jenna Ghizas has had some crazy adventures since graduating from CHCA. “After graduating early from Lee University, the Lord opened a door for me to travel to Kenya for three months to do mission work with Adventures in Missions. While there He broke my heart for a group of refugees that have been displaced from their homes for three years. Thousands of these internally displaced people (IDP) live in tents made out of trash, have no clean water, have barely enough food to feed their family and most are unemployed. And the Lord spoke clearly to me and three of my other teammates that we needed to come back and DO SOMETHING, so
ALUMNI NEWS
that is exactly what we are doing! Six of us (we are called the Kenya Initiative) are planning to go back to Kenya this July for two years to implement a strategy to get these people up on their feet and self-sustaining. Our goal is to restore hope and empower change within them. If you would like to read more about us and our project please visit www. kenyainitiative.org. Please keep us in your prayers these next couple of years as the Lord does great and mighty things in this area of the world!”
Brian Painter is engaged to Christina Karam ’07. They will be married in spring 2012. Brian earned his master of economics degree at Miami University and had the privilege of graduating alongside his fiancée. Kalin Pearce graduated with a BBA in finance from the University of Cincinnati College of Business with a 3.7 GPA on June 11. “While in school, I participated in student leadership in the Finance Club, oversaw management of a $400,000 portfolio as Chief Investment Officer of the Johnson Investment Fund, and worked at Fidelity Investments for two and a half years as both a Retirements Representative and a Business Management Intern. This past year, I took a job with Wood Hudson Cancer Research Laboratory as a writing intern sponsored by Scripps Howard. I will be utilizing my cumulative skills in a marketing/ client relations/investment research capacity with Gries Financial. I own a condominium in Highland Heights, KY, which I purchased in 2009. I have been in a serious relationship since October 2009. In addition to starting my full-time career and pursuing the Chartered Financial Analyst designation, next year I plan to serve on the Ad2 (an organization for young marketing professionals) treasury committee. I have been very blessed and am very thankful for all of the opportunities that have been presented to me and truly believe CHCA played a large part in opening doors for me.” Pictured, Kalin with her dad Joe in front of his painting “Unity through Diversity.” Jason Taylor is currently living in Boston, MA. He works for GE Aviation as a Military Aircraft Engines Assembly Supervisor in charge of the assembly of the GE F414 Engine that equips all F-18 airplanes, including the famous Blue Angels. He will be moving to New York and subsequently New Jersey to continue in the Operations Development Program within GE Aviation.
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2007 Heidi Monroe completed her undergraduate degree in political science this May. She graduated Magna Cum Laude, was awarded the History and Political Science Department Award, was chosen to be a speaker at Lee University’s graduation ceremonies and was nominated for the F.J. Lee Award (the award for the most accomplished graduate at the university). “I may have graduated with a bachelor’s in political science but that’s not all – I’ll be walking away with my ‘MRS’ degree, too! On April 17th this year, Phil Lofton of Indianapolis asked me to marry him. We met three years ago at Lee and have been dating ever since.” Heidi plans to work for a year before beginning her master’s degree. Pictured, Heidi receiving the History and Political Science Department Award.
at Xavier, he worked in the school’s bursar’s office. He plans to continue his education at Xavier, pursuing an MBA this fall.
Adam Clark is going to be a senior at Xavier University next year. He is triple majoring in history, political science and the Philosophy, Politics, and the Public Honors Program, an interdisciplinary program that examines the theory and practice of democracy with a special emphasis on the public. “This summer I am studying the parallel evolution of the American and French states in Paris and then will go to Nassau, Bahamas for ten weeks to work for the State Department interning in the political and economic section of the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs. I plan to attend law school after I graduate.” Amelia Glenchur recently switched majors from social work to cross-cultural psychology and will be graduating in 2012 from Cedarville University. She went to Pemba, Mozambique last summer and plans to keep traveling in the near future.
Nicole Ruter graduated Summa Cum Laude from Lee University, with a major in middle grades education and a minor in religion. She was the recipient of the Early Childhood, Elementary and Special Education Department Award and the 2011 Dr. Jimmy W. Bilbo Excellence in Student Teaching Award. She plans to return to Cincinnati to teach and hopes to start graduate work within the next couple of years.
2008
Thomas Barnhart graduated Cum Laude from Xavier University with a bachelor of science in business administration and a major in finance this May. While 34
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Tyler Peters and Megan Villegas recently got engaged and plan to get married summer of 2012. Megan graduated dental hygiene school this spring with honors and received the Procter & Gamble Outstanding Community Service Award. She will begin her career as a hygienist this fall. Tyler has one year left at Miami University pursuing a degree in finance. He is currently participating in an internship with Procter & Gamble in San Francisco, CA.
ALUMNI NEWS In Memoriam Kelsey Shunk had the opportunity to do undergraduate independent research in the field of psychology as a junior, and presented her research to the Michigan Undergraduate Psychological Conference this past spring. “I studied a comparison of audio/visual modeling and audio alone modeling strategies on novice guitar students, and explained how YouTube (imitation learning) is an effective method of teaching students how to play the guitar at home.” Kelsey also traveled to Ireland last summer to work as a staff disciple for high school girls. “The Lord worked in astonishing ways – not only were the lives of the Irish kids blessed with the love of Christ, but the American high school students that traveled overseas with me grew in their faith as well! It was an incredible opportunity, and the Lord confirmed my desire to counsel high school girls as a career. “With an incredible summer experience came another exciting opportunity: to work for Royal Servants for another summer, this time in Nepal! For eight weeks I will be working as a senior staff member, where my role will be to oversee the college staff disciples and work more closely with the two adult staff leaders of our team. We will be serving in leper villages, orphanages, and Shanta’s sex slave trafficking ministry reaching out to rescued girls in need. I will assist in equipping American high school students to share the gospel in this predominantly Hindu and Buddhist country through service and performances in different villages and schools.”
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We are beginning to save with the hope that our child will be able to attend CHCA. I had such a wonderful experience in school and it is our dream for our child to have that same chance.” - Gina (Weiss) Cutshall, ’00
2009
Class of 2009 graduate Alex Bain passed away the evening of December 25, 2010. Katie Rutherford ’09 is one of the many people who called Alex friend and will miss him dearly. She submitted the following remembrance. Alex was hands-down the greatest man I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. He was one of my dearest friends and I never passed on an opportunity to accompany him on one of the wild adventures he was known for. Alex had wisdom beyond his years – he knew how to make people feel better and always knew the right thing to say or the place to take you to ease your mind. He was known all through our years at CHCA as funny, caring, willing to help a friend in need, someone you could talk to about anything. I love Alex with my whole heart and I miss him more every day. He was to me not only a best friend but a brother. He made me into a better person, showed me how to enjoy even the smallest things in life, and taught me to always hold those dear to you close because you never know when your last time together will be. My trips down to the ballpark this summer to see our Cincinnati Reds will not be the same without him. Rest in peace Alex – you will never be forgotten. - Katie Rutherford ’09
2010
Erin Lloyd is playing basketball at the Division III level for Wittenberg University and majoring in biology as a pre-med student. She will be playing in Europe this August in an Italian league.
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Alumni events Life is good for alumni at CHCA – in addition to the reunions, receptions, picnics and shows, we have lots of opportunities for our grads to serve, coach, lead and work at their alma mater. Want to get involved or learn more about upcoming events? Contact Alumni Relations Coordinator Tracy Wolcott at tracy.wolcott@chca-oh.org to find out more and update your contact information.
The Class of 2005’s five-year reunion last November
Alumni events 2011-12
Above: Jeff Agricola ‘08, Stephanie Jack ‘09, Jonathan Dantley ‘08, Morgan Grevey ‘09, Scott Kelley ‘09 and Lena Tome ‘09 were among the grads who returned to campus for Alumni Chapel this May Left: Ryan Betscher ’00 and daughter Penny enjoy the Homecoming picnic last fall
August 2011 September 10, 2011 October 6, 2011 October 7, 2011 January 2012 February 11, 2012 March 9 & 10, 2012 May 9, 2012
Alumni soccer game Class of 2001 ten year reunion at the American Sign Museum Athletic Hall of Excellence Banquet Homecoming picnic (5:00 p.m.) & football game (7:00 p.m.) Alumni Career Day Celebration auction and dinner at Great Wolf Lodge, Mason, OH “Godspell” alumni reception & musical Alumni chapel at MSL HS
PAX events
This year, CHCA’s Parent Alumni eXchange (PAX) held a number of events designed to bring alumni parents together for fellowship and fun, including care package assembly, a Christmas reception, dinner at Valley Vineyard and even a continuing education event with MSL HS art teacher Tim Hilderbrand. Join PAX this fall as we begin another year of learning, service, food and connecting. A calendar of upcoming events are below – be sure to send your most up-to-date contact information to Julie.Carnes@chca-oh.org so we can let you know about specific dates, times and locations.
Marie Nicholson, mom of CHCA grads Ted and Annie (both Class of 2007) practices stained glass making techniques at the February art education event
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September 2011 October 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011 January 2012 February 11, 2012 March 2012 April 2012
PAX events 2011-12
Kick-off luncheon Assembly of care packages for Class of 2011 freshmen Cooking class Gallery showing of CHCA AP Art student work Christmas reception for alumni moms Dinner at Valley Vineyard, Morrow, OH Celebration auction and dinner at Great Wolf Lodge, Mason, OH Continuing education class with CHCA fine arts faculty Parents of Class of 2012 dinner
Hands-and-Feet-on Learning This October, students at Edyth B. Lindner Elementary and the Armleder School got to step on the peak of Mt. Everest, dip a toe in Lake Victoria, and hopscotch across the islands of Indonesia, all without needing a passport. It was all thanks to National Geographic’s Giant Traveling Maps program, which brings interactive maps (measuring 26’ x 35’ and clocking in at a whopping 101 lbs.) to schools around the nation. The brightly colored vinyl surfaces illustrate oceans, seas, rivers, mountains, countries and capitals of Asia (displayed at EBL Elementary) and Africa (displayed at Armleder). Spread across gym floors, the maps served as giant game boards that introduced students to the diverse geography of these landmasses. During the maps’ one-week visit to CHCA, teachers, students and parents from Armleder traveled to experience Asia with their counterparts at EBL, and those from EBL traveled downtown to walk their way through Africa at Armleder.
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CINCINNATI HILLS CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
11525 Snider Road Cincinnati, Ohio 45249
If you receive duplicate copies of Eagle’s Eye for a son or daughter who has established a separate permanent address, please let us know by e-mailing rebecca.sequeira@chca-oh.org.
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Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy will unleash each student’s God-given gifts through Christ-centered academic excellence. We are devoted to developing the whole person, and instilling a lifelong passion for learning, leading and serving.