OCTOBE R 2 0 1 8
A Publication for Tiger Nation
the BEAT GOEs ON...
ON THE COVER | Members of the marching band celebrate their
IN THIS ISSUE
new uniforms including, from the left Vincent Minnillo - drum major;
FEATURES
DEPARTMENTS
4 | Ed Singer
15 | Donor Highlight: RoxArts in Tiger Nation
Former Heights drum majors from different generations connect to solve a medical mystery - and a thank you gift that made sure the band is outfitted from head to toe!
Grant Gober - trumpet; Satasha George - clarinet; Franco Cassuci trombone; Michael Moorer - mellophone; Katrina Palmer - clarinet; Shannon Kilbride - flute; Glennis Covault - drum major
16 | Events Round Up 18 | District News and Updates
6 | 2018 Hall of Fame The new inductees to the Hall of Fame include those who have achieved business success, academic accolades, dedicated medical service, and top athletic performance.
22 | Reunion Info 23 | Giving Back
10 | The Entrepreneurial Spirit
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Entrepreneurs succeed across the decades, then reach back to bring others up with them and inspire the next generation of business leaders.
12 | Seventeen Magazine Then & Now In 1975, a major photo spread in the national magazine for teenagers, Seventeen Magazine, introduced the seniors of Heights High and ‘what they think, wear, do, dream’.
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OCTOBER 2018 | VOLUME 3 | NUMBER 1
EDITORS Julianna Johnston Senturia ’87 Executive Director Heights Schools Foundation JJS@heightsschoolsfoundation.org Scott Wortman Supervisor of Communications CH-UH City School District S_Wortman@chuh.org
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Cathan Cavanaugh Krissy Dietrich Gallagher ’91 Vivian Gatta Joy Henderson Lisa Hunt ’88 Betsy Friedlander Stimpert ’90 DESIGN BY Drew Dallet, Boom Creative www.boom-creative.com
ALUMNI INQUIRY 216-397-3871 BOARD OF EDUCATION 216-371-7171
Read The Heights Magazine online at HeightsSchoolsFoundation.org. To comment or change an address, please email info@heightsschoolsfoundation.org or call 216-397-3871.
STAY CONNECTED HeightsSchoolsFoundation.org
The Heights Magazine is published two
CHUH.org
times a year and is a joint project of the
facebook.com/HeightsFoundation
Heights Schools Foundation (formerly
twitter.com/CHUHSchools
the CHHS Alumni Foundation) and the
youtube.com/CHUHSchools
CH-UH City School District.
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THE HEIGHTS SCHOOLS FOUNDATION FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION... It was 1975, and Cleveland Heights High represented the forefront of cosmopolitan, diverse schools that were thriving. The national publication for young people, Seventeen Magazine, came to campus with its chic makeovers and trendy fashion advice. Many students were chosen to model the latest fashions and represent quintessential high school life - athletics, music, academics and more. Fast forward to 2018. The similarities between the 1975 students and the 2018
Heights Schools Foundation Trustees PRESIDENT Dr. Susan D. Carver ’78 VICE PRESIDENT Steven Haynie ’91 TREASURER Meghan Zehnder McMahon ’90 SECRETARY Peter Shriver ’90 Rachael Collyer ’11 Dr. Talisa Dixon, Superintendent
students were surprising to current teens, but not to us. We see it all of the time. It is in the excitement the marching band generates at a game, just like it has year after year, decade after decade. It’s also found in long time teachers mentoring new ones. We see it in the Hall of Fame inductees from every generation, representing excellence over time. Hall of Fame honorees often tell stories of giving back, of reaching
Adam Fried ’87 Dan Heintz ’85 Timothy Jones ’92 Ed Long ’89
out and bringing up the next generation with them. This issue celebrates the ‘Heights Experience’ that has evolved and thrived.
Laura Schwartz Loebl ’87 Kimberly Moss ’85 Shanice Settle ’06 Margaret Rothschild Slesnick ’79
Things have changed over time, but it is easy to see how Heights grads are connected in many ways
Tiffany Somerville ’90 Mike Weissman ’52
over the decades!
ED SINGER CLASS of '4 8
Krissy Dietrich Gallagher ’91
Ed Singer
’48 ’63
Martin Samuels
n a marching band with well over one hundred students, there is only one drum major each year. Chosen by the band director with the input of their fellow students, the drum major has to not only be excellent at playing their instrument, but also demonstrate leadership skills and the ability to encourage and guide their peers. In other words, it’s a pretty big deal. On par with being named captain of the football team. And it was an even bigger deal when two former Heights High drum majors who served decades apart met recently at a hospital in Boston. Edwin Singer, Heights High class of 1948, developed a debilitating speech impediment late in life. He had visited countless doctors in Northeastern Ohio, but none was able to determine the source of his problem and none was able to help him solve it. In a series of remarkable coincidences, a friend of Mr. Singer’s daughter Diane, suggested that her father find a “genius doctor out there somewhere” who could help him. The woman called her cousin in New York, a doctor himself, and asked for a recommendation. Without missing a beat, he suggested Dr. Martin Samuels, the head of Neurology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Mr. Singer’s internist agreed and an appointment was made. This was, as Dr. Samuels described it, “a last resort kind of consult.” In an effort to connect with a new patient, Dr. Samuels asked his typical small talk first question: Where are you from? And when the answer was Cleveland Heights, an instant connection was made. And when they discovered that they had both played the clarinet in the high school marching band, that connection was strengthened. And when they discovered that out of all the countless students in the band over the years, they had both served as drum major during their senior years, one in the late 1940s and the other in the early 1960s, that bond was cemented. “It was, frankly, a little thrilling,” said Dr. Samuels. In an effort to better diagnose Mr. Singer’s speaking
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problem, Dr. Samuels used music, as the rhythm of singing is often easier for patients than speaking. And what better song to sing than the school alma mater, “Dear Ol’ Heights”? “We both got immense joy from singing that song,” said Dr. Samuels. “Because we both have such fond memories of Heights, it was a very nostalgic moment.” Mr. Singer agreed. He and his wife of 65 years have made a habit of providing financial gifts to the organizations and causes they care deeply about. The chance meeting with Dr. Samuels reminded Mr. Singer that he’d long intended to give to the marching band “that gave me so much pleasure.” Over the course of the 2017-18 academic year, the Singers made three significant donations to the Heights High Marching Band in the names of “two old Drum Majors, Edwin Singer, class of 1948, and Dr. Martin Samuels, class of 1963.” The band used the money to replace worn out uniforms and to purchase shorts and raincoats that can be worn in Cleveland’s wildly inconsistent fall weather. Heights High senior Emily Cassidy, who plays the cornet in the marching band and the French horn in the orchestra, said that marching in wool uniforms in the heat of August and September makes it “hard to keep going. When we found out that shorts were actually a possibility, we all thought that was amazing. Now we don’t have to worry about passing out!” Dr. Samuels was deeply honored by Mr. Singer’s generosity and both men were thrilled to be able to help the band and the school that played such a significant role in their lives. “What I remember most about my years at Heights was the superior education we all received,” said Dr. Samuels, crediting the diversity and the wonderful teachers. Across multiple states and over several decades, Dr. Martin Samuels and Mr. Edwin Singer have been bound by their shared experiences. They discovered, in yet another quirk of serendipity, that they had both been at the same wedding in Sandusky many years ago. Of course, they had no reason to know each other then, but Mr. Singer assures us, “If we had known that we were both drum majors of the famous Cleveland Heights Marching Band, we would have picked up our batons and twirled them and put on a show for the attendees of that wedding.” All in the name of dear ol’ Heights.
Band Members (L to R) Vincent Minnillo, Satasha George, Franco Cassuci, Katrina Palmer, Grant Gober, Shannon Kilbride, Michael Moorer, Glennis Covault
OCTOBER 2018
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HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2018
Cleveland Heights High School
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI HALL OF FAME The 2018 Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame set a new bar for the program, which is in its 38th year. What better way to honor the achievements of this amazing class of inductees than by celebrating in the newly renovated High School.
common thread shared by all was the impact that
The inductees spent the day with their student
the dessert reception and meet & greet was open
guides from the Imagemakers, visiting classrooms
to the public and held at alumni owned, The Wine
and meeting with students in small groups for
Spot, on Lee Road. Alumni and residents took the
discussions and Q&A. The Induction Ceremony,
opportunity to meet this distinguished group of
open to the public, was attended by over 500
individuals while relaxing with Heights-themed
students, staff and community members. The
cocktails, donated by FLOH Vodka and crafted by
speeches brought laughter and tears as the
Quintana’s Speakeasy guest bartender.
Heights Schools has had on their lives. The school cafeteria was transformed into a formal dining room where 250 guests gathered to celebrate this year’s class. Recognizing the importance of community involvement in education,
by Betsy Friedlander Stimpert ’90
GAIL ROSE KANE ’56 Teacher, Lawyer, Judge and life-long volunteer- Kane has argued before the Ohio Supreme Court and was appointed by Governor Voinovich to the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court. Kane continues her commitment to education and philanthropy as a supporter of the Cleveland Orchestra, the Cleveland Institute of Music, the Natural History Museum and the Council for Jewish Women. Kane was honored as the 2018 recipient of the Hilary Ancker Award for her humanitarian efforts.
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THE HEIGHTS MAGAZINE
TOVAH KLEIN ’82 Director of the internationally acclaimed Barnard College Center for Toddler Development and Associate Professor of Psychology, Klein has been dubbed the ‘Toddler Whisperer’ for her insight and accomplishments in the subject of early childhood development. Klein is a regular contributor in print media and on nationally syndicated television and an advocate for Public Schools.
CHRISTOPHER YOUNG ’90
TRACY W. SCHERMER ’67
CEO of McAfee and leading national expert in cyber safety and
An officer in Vietnam, a teacher, a Physician and Medical Director-
security, Young was appointed by President Obama to the
Schermer is a trailblazer in establishing Emergency Medical Services
National Security and Telecommunications Advisory Committee.
programming. As Director of the Health and Counseling Center at Kenyon
Young helped to establish the non-profit Cyber Threat Alliance.
College, Schermer is an award-winning advocate for those with physical
He has been recognized as one of the 100 most influential African
and mental disabilities.
Americans in corporate America and earlier in his career was recipient of the Black Engineer of the Year Award.
MILTON ‘CHIP’ MORRIS ’88 CEO and President of NeuSpera Medical, a company on the forefront of bioelectric medicine, Morris is the inventor of 30 patents in the area of implantable medical devices. A leader in his field, Morris is extending and improving the lives of patients around the world. In his community, Morris is an active volunteer and mentor for male youth. OCTOBER 2018
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HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2018
SEAN SULLIVAN ’88 Science and Engineering Specialist in the CH-UH School District, founder of Heights United Soccer Academy and Director of Coaching/Soccer Skills for Cleveland Heights Recreation League. Sullivan has been awarded as Person of the Year, Lake Erie League Coach of the Year (3 times), named CH-UH District Educator of the Year by the Ohio PTA and winner of the Ron Pinsenschaum Award,the highest honor for coaching in Ohio. Sullivan is the founder of ACES (Athletes Choosing Excellence in School), a volunteer tutoring program for athletes to mentor younger students. In 21 years as the soccer coach at the high school (14 as head coach), he led his team to 3 L.E.L. championships and 3 district finals.
JACQUES D. EVANS ’99 Founder and CEO of FLOH Spirits, LLC, Evans crafted his business and marketing skills through hands-on experience when he became a business owner upon graduating from Heights High. Through vision and dedication Evans’ brand, FLOH Vodka, has succeeded, receiving world-renowned recognition. Evans funds the Golden Opportunity Foundation, providing scholarships to youth entrepreneurs.
LORI HERMELIN BUSH ’74 Renowned for her pivotal role in making Rodan + Fields a household name and a billion dollar corporation, Bush has been recognized as one of the most influential women in direct selling. A champion in breaking through the gender gap in the field of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), Bush continues to be a role model through charitable work benefiting female entrepreneurs.
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THE HEIGHTS MAGAZINE
JASON DANIEL KELCE ’06 A Super Bowl LII Champion and All-Pro Center for the Philadelphia Eagles, Kelce was the first in Eagles history to start all 16 games of his rookie year. Kelce’s award-winning playing career is matched only by his philanthropic endeavors with youth organizations in Philadelphia and time spent with current Heights High students.
TRAVIS MICHAEL KELCE ’08 An All-Pro Tight End for the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, Kelce was recognized as Most Valuable Player of the NFL Pro Bowl in 2017. Before joining the Chiefs, Kelce won the 2012 College Football Performance Awards Tight End of the Year for his performance at the University of Cincinnati. Kelce founded the charitable organization 87 and Running to help underprivileged youth.
OCTOBER 2018
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the entrepreneurial
spirit Krissy Dietrich Gallagher ’91
Milton “Chip” Morris
Jacques Evans
Lori Hermelin Bush
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THE HEIGHTS MAGAZINE
F
“
ind people who see the magic inside you.” That’s Milton “Chip” Morris’ greatest advice for the next generation of business leaders. The 1988 graduate, who was inducted into the Cleveland Heights High School Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame in May, had those people supporting him, pushing him, cheering him on at every step of his education and career. And now he’s trying to be that person for someone else, whether his own four children or a young mentee. He shares that passion with his fellow inductees and fellow entrepreneurs Lori Hermelin Bush and Jacques Evans. Bush, class of 1974 and the former President and CEO of luxury skin care brand Rodan + Fields, has spent much of her career guiding young women toward the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. “I want to help women see how their unique strengths can benefit them in business and in direct sales,” an area in which she’s viewed as a national leader. She also focuses on the age-old question of how to achieve work-life balance. She advises “more of a mash-up than a balancing act. Find ways to enjoy your profession as part of your life and ways to mix your life into your profession.” 1999 graduate Jacques Evans, President and CEO of FLOH Spirits, is also trying to share all that he’s learned on his winding path to success. Following early business failures, Evans founded FLOH in 2014, which is now receiving national attention as “the caviar of vodka.” Evans recently established a $10,000 scholarship for Heights High students interested in starting their own business, instead of just working for someone else. “When I was at Heights, everything felt more prescribed: you finish school, go to college, get a job. There was one path.” Evans wants to show young people that there are many paths and many ways to harness their creativity and passion. He doesn’t
intend to just invest money in a business, he wants to help young people learn the ins and outs of how to start and operate one. “There are so many good ideas out there. But an idea is not a company.” All three honorees see their time at Heights High as crucial to their success in business and in life. “My parents intentionally moved us to University Heights for the schools,” says Bush. “Education was front and center in our world. And Heights High was my college-prep.” Milton “Chip” Morris, President and CEO of medical device company NeuSpera Medical, also credits his Cleveland Heights upbringing for preparing him to succeed, as a student, a Division I college athlete, an engineer and now a business owner. “Everybody talks about the diversity of the Heights, and I will echo that – it’s absolutely right. But perhaps most important is what comes from exposure to that diversity: an ability to be confident and comfortable talking to different people from dramatically different backgrounds, negotiating with them, earning their trust.” Throughout his academic and business career, Morris found that leaders appreciated his ability to not just do the solitary work of designing a technical product, but to do the very social work of talking about it, breaking it down in a way that people could understand and get excited about. “People with that attribute are always successful.” That ability to be flexible and to adapt to different situations is also part of what Evans gained from his years at Heights High. “The school’s diversity helped me develop a unique set of social skills so now I can get along with any one in any kind of environment.” From vodka to implantable medical devices to luxury skin care, the career paths of these Heights alumni are as varied as the products they represent. But they all have that little bit of magic inside them. And they’re all working to share it with the next generation.
OCTOBER 2018
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T
his past June, graduating senior Morgan Lewis wanted to celebrate the Class of 2018 in a special way.
When Lewis found an original copy of the 1975 Seventeen Magazine featuring Cleveland Heights High students, she knew she’d found her project! Thumbing through pages of articles, makeovers and photos, taken more than four decades prior, the similarities stood out. Lewis came to the conclusion that, “both of our classes wanted to be the best they could be and are reaching for the stars”. The idea to recreate the iconic 1975 cover with 2018 seniors was born. With the help of classmates and teachers the project came to fruition. What the images and stories portray, is that although the hairstyles, clothing and technology may change over time, the common thread we share as Heights High students is much greater. We have walked the same halls, we have shared hopes and dreams for a brighter future and we proudly tell anyone we meet, ‘We are Heights High Graduates!’ By Betsy Friedlander Stimpert ’90
“We all had our makeovers at the cosmetology school across the street from the high school. It was a very fun, rare thing that happened at our high school and I was lucky to be part of it. It’s a unique thing I can show my kids about my high school days.” ~ Alice Kim Leone ’75
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THE HEIGHTS MAGAZINE
“Heights back then was a great place to be! Only in retrospect do I realize what a gift it was to learn in a diverse student population with an AMAZING faculty. I am so lucky to have grown up in Cleveland Heights.” ~ Anne Stenzel Barbaro ’75
“I remember how much school pride there was to be chosen!! I can honestly say that I never dressed like that for school though!!! We were definitely the blue jean generation!” ~ Catherine Hess Annandono ’75
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“It was an exciting experience and my one and only gig as a model… What excited me even more later in my life was that the photographer was Patrick Demearchelier, one of the world’s most famous fashion photographers. He must have been in his 20’s and just starting his career. It inspired my career as a professional photographer watching a pro at work and seeing how fun it was.” ~ Steven Begleiter ’75, Heights Caldron Photographer
“One thing about the photo shoot was the change they made in my personal style and my outlook into my future. I really believe it helped shape me as a person. Heights back then was experimental in other teaching styles. I have never stopped learning.” ~ Valerie Comber Seminaro ’75
“Heights was a vibrant, diverse, creative campus… Now I look back on the experience and think we were on the right track as teenagers in those days, and I can only hope that the teenagers of today will be able to get us back on the right track soon.” ~ Karl Steinberg ’75, Class President
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Heights Schools Foundation is happy to announce a new fund, ‘RoxArts in Tiger Nation,’ supporting young students across the CHUH district at every elementary school. You may already know RoxArts from the organization’s impactful work, since 1982, promoting the Arts at Roxboro Elementary and also at both Roxboro and Monticello Middle Schools, funding many Artists-in-Residence programs, assemblies, field trips and projects involving the Arts.
A New Partnership
Supporting Arts Education in Every Elementary School The new fund, RoxArts in Tiger Nation: A Creative Arts and Sciences Fund, supports enrichment opportunities to introduce elementary age students in the CHUH school system, K-5th grade, to a variety of forms of creative expression. Recognizing the power of arts in education, together we seek to promote curriculum- integrated creative expression opportunities that have the power to build self-confidence, cultural and historical understanding, and improve cognition of core concepts. Supporting the unique culture of each school, projects may vary from school to school, and classroom to classroom. Projects that directly connect to identified curriculum themes, strands and topics are given highest priority. Jennifer Shriver Lang, class of ’85 and longtime leader with RoxArts said, “Partnering with the Heights Schools Foundation enabled RoxArts to make an impactful contribution to the arts enrichment of students in each of the CHUH elementary schools. We hope that others will join our organization in financially supporting artists and arts enrichment for all CHUH students.” Projects already funded include Lego Mindstorms kits and a coding game that programmed a robot to move along a pathway. Oxford Elementary teachers Sarah Adair and Jackie Connelly used their funding to add a studio art class to their visit to the Cleveland Museum of Art. The results of studying art in the gallery and then having a chance to create a piece of art speak for themselves – an imaginative demonstration of learning.
Ju li a n n a ive r L a ng , a r y P ie rc e r h S r e if n Je n Rosem S e n t u r ia, Jo h n s t o n
OCTOBER 2018
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EVENTS ROUND UP
THE 2018 ANNUAL COMMUNITY & ALUMNI Pancake Breakfast
The 2018 Annual Community & Alumni Pancake Breakfast returned to the newly renovated high school and set a new standard for years to come! With a multi-generational crowd of nearly 400 in attendance, this was the largest turnout in over a decade. Families and alumni toured the building, reminisced with community members and enjoyed a delicious all-you-can-eat breakfast featuring gluten-free options and a fresh fruit toppings bar. Funds raised through the pancake breakfast support the work of the Heights Schools Foundation to provide enrichment classroom grants to each school in the district. Photos courtesy of Betsy Friedlander Stimpert ’90
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THE HEIGHTS MAGAZINE
NEW AUDITORIUM MEMORIES CAMPAIGN
Entering the
from 1930 until 1958, teaching drama and English.
Cleveland Heights
In the summer of 1934, Dr. Evans directed her
High School
Heights High students and the Heights Civic Theater
Auditorium one cannot help but be overwhelmed by
in an outdoor performance of “A Midsummer Night’s
its majestic beauty. Built in 1926, it features the original
Dream” at the bottom of the sledding hill in what would
architectural detail reminiscent of a time long ago.
become known as Cain Park. Evans continued as the
Even more magnificent and impressive is the woman
theatrical director of Cain Park until the early 1950’s.
for whom the auditorium is named.
It has been 60 years since Evans taught at Heights
Dr. Dina Rees Evans, affectionately known as ‘Doc’
High, but for the alumni that still speak of her today,
believed that theater education could make dramatic
it seems like yesterday. “Dina Rees Evans was
transformations in students’ attitudes and social
tremendous, she sparkled!” “I was a refugee from
behaviors, and pave their way for success in all areas. In
Europe and did not speak English. Dr. Evans saved
1932 Dr. Evans’ theory was proved and she became the
my life with her theater program.” “She was the most
first in the United States to receive a PhD in dramatic
fantastic teacher I ever had. She made my time in high
arts for education. ‘Doc’ Evans remained at Heights
school perfect!”
SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR AISLE DEDICATION ARE AVAILABLE Please reach out to Heights Schools Foundation for more information at 216-397-3871
YES! I WOULD LIKE AN ENGRAVED DECORATIVE METAL PLATE Name _______________________________________
Class of ___________________________________________
Phone ______________________________________
Email ____________________________________________
Producer $1,000
Director $500
Patron $400
Artist $300
Understudy $300
Extras $250
PLEASE FILL IN DESIRED TEXT. SPACES AND PUNCTUATION ARE CONSIDERED CHARACTERS.
Mail your donation to: Heights Schools Foundation - 2155 Miramar Boulevard, University Heights, Ohio 44118 or make your donation online at: HeightsSchoolsFoundation.org OCTOBER 2018
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DISTRICT NEWS
BACK TO SCHOOL
NEW HEIGHTS HIGH LEADERSHIP The District Welcomes Byron Hopkins as Principal
Former Akron and Cleveland School District principal Byron Hopkins is the new Heights High School Principal, joining the school in August. Previously, he was the principal at Buchtel High School in Akron. “I grew up in Cleveland, I went to St. Joseph High School, and I married a Heights High alum,” said Mr. Hopkins. “I have always admired the Heights schools, and I am so happy to be part of this District.”
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THE HEIGHTS MAGAZINEE
His path to being an educator began when he was studying business administration at Thiel College in Pennsylvania. He was a member of the track team and president of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. One of the service projects that he organized had a lasting impact on him. “I wanted our Alpha chapter to do something important so we volunteered in an elementary school as classroom aides,” he said. “That is when I fell in love with education and the kids.” After completing his undergraduate business management degree at Thiel, he entered Kent State University and earned a master of arts in vocational education, currently known as Career and Technical Education or CTE. “The CTE programs are an important part of high school,” said Mr. Hopkins. “And Heights High has a strong program. The CTE courses are specific and challenging. They give our scholars more options for life after high school.” He wants all high school students to be prepared for one of four options after graduation: enter the workforce with a skill, attend a two-year community college or trade school, attend a four-year college or university, or enter the military. “Our job is to provide options for students and to make sure that they can pursue their first choice when they leave here,” he said. Before serving as the principal at Buchtel he was the principal at Kenmore High in Akron and East Tech Success Academy and John Marshall High School, both part of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Prior to becoming a principal, Hopkins was a business teacher in the South Euclid Lyndhurst School District. Pictured above (L-R): Heights High Principal Byron Hopkins with students Emmanuel Adeyemon, Ella Herr, Helen Barr, Jeff Johnson and William Harris, all freshmen.
DISTRICT NEWS
HALL OF FAMER SEAN SULLIVAN Shares Heartfelt Convocation Day Message
ELEMENTARY PRINCIPALS Welcome New Heights Tigers
Recent CHHS Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame inductee Sean Sullivan (’88) was the keynote speaker at this year’s CH-UH Staff Convocation Day. Sullivan has spent 40 years in the CH-UH School District, first as a student and now 25 years as an award-winning educator and former soccer coach. At last May’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Sullivan inspired the audience with his personal story of perseverance in overcoming a cancer diagnosis. “The doctor who diagnosed me when no one else could and saved my life was a Cleveland Heights High graduate,” said Sullivan. “Heights High students and alumni are actively changing the community, the state, the nation, and even the world. And we all share a common bond. We have all walked the halls of this amazing school, with this amazing staff and an amazing community.” Sullivan shared a similar message for his CH-UH colleagues, leaving many of them in tears, as the theme for this year’s Convocation Day was “A Healthy Tiger Nation”. To watch the video, visit YouTube.com/CHUHSchools.
Each of the seven elementary principals were out in their school’s neighborhoods in August going door-to-door to welcome new Kindergarten families. As part of this Kindergarten Community Walk, the principals gave each new family a yard sign that read “Home of a New Heights Tiger”.
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DISTRICT NEWS MIDDLE SCHOOL RENOVATIONS UNDERWAY
Students will Return to Monticello and Roxboro Buildings in August 2019 School may not be in session at the Monticello Middle and Roxboro Middle school sites this year, but that doesn’t mean the buildings are not buzzing with activity. Renovations are in full swing at each site as the District anticipates students returning to the schools for the start of the 2019-2020 school year. Since Turner Construction assumed control of the sites in March 2018, crews have been undergoing demolition and stripping down parts of the building to prepare for renovation work. The focus of the renovations is on improving the instructional space in each building. Once complete, all classrooms in Monticello and Roxboro will have new • • • •
heating and air conditioning • paint ceilings • lighting sound reinforcement systems • whiteboards interactive touch-screen display monitors
• flooring • fire alarms
New heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems will be installed throughout both buildings, including the auditoriums, along with new lighting. Administrative areas will receive facelifts with new carpet, paint and reception desks. The gymnasiums will be repainted, and lockers will be refurbished and painted.
Heights Middle School students, administrators, and CH-UH Board members marked the beginning of renovations to the Monticello and Roxboro middle schools buildings in March 2018. Pictured in the photos are students Isaac Godfrey, Cameron Goins, Jada Strother, Toni Trent, Jervon Cole, and Kenji Sakaie, Board Vice President Jodi Sourini, Superintendent Dr. Talisa Dixon, Monticello Principal Dr. Jeff Johnston, Roxboro Principal Patrick McNichols, Board member Beverly Wright, and Board member Malia Lewis.
At Monticello, the renovations include modifications to the rear main entry and the lower level locker rooms. A complete kitchen equipment renovation is being considered for Monticello due to the site being a food services hub for several District schools. At Roxboro, the renovations include improvements to the main entry and the installation of restrooms in the lower level. The Bond Accountability Commission (BAC) is overseeing the project in conjunction with District staff and the Board of Education. The BAC includes community members who have experience in the areas of finance, construction, engineering, architecture or project management. The BAC meets monthly to review the project and discuss impending decisions to be made. The group also regularly visits each site to get a first-hand look at the progress being made. Middle school students are in the second year of being combined into one “Heights Middle School” on the Wiley campus. The two schools remain separate for state reporting purposes, but they have a number of classes and activities together as one school.
The construction team discovered a skylight in the Roxboro cafeteria that had been shuttered during a previous renovation of the building.
The original Monticello cafeteria was partitioned into classrooms during a previous renovation. Those walls were demolished this summer, and new art and science classrooms will be constructed in the space.
The BAC inspects the current kitchen equipment at Monticello. The District is considering the installation of new equipment at Monticello, which serves as a food services hub for several of the District’s schools.
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DISTRICT NEWS HEIGHTS FAMILY ACADEMY
REACHING MUSICAL HEIGHTS
More than 100 parents and caregivers, plus CH-UH staff, community partners and students gathered at Heights High on Saturday, August 25 for the first-ever Heights Family Academy, a daylong learning and engagement opportunity for all District families designed to strengthen school-family partnerships. The event was a conference-style day centered around an opening keynote address, meals, and three 50-minute breakout sessions. The sessions included more than 30 choices, including a kindergarten readiness course, scholarship awareness seminar, bike safety training and restorative justice. Each session fell into at least one of six categories of learning: early childhood, empowerment & advocacy, health & wellness, learning at home, specialized populations, and transitions. Instructors included several close community partners but most were district educators. “One of the main objectives of our district’s five-year strategic plan is to foster staffparent relationships that support student learning. This event was a wonderful way to fulfill that promise to our families,” said Superintendent Dr. Talisa Dixon. Paul Gustafson, Math Specialist at Heights Middle School, taught two sessions at the HFA: “Help with Math Homework” and “Relax the Mind and Body with Tai Chi”. “Both seemed to go great! Plus, there were several positive things that happened as a result of the academy that I did not expect, especially the networking opportunities. I met fellow staff and community members to connect with on special projects in the future,” said Gustafson. Kimberly Brazwell, Columbus-based diversity practitioner and founder of consulting firm KiMISTRY, delivered the keynote address in the main auditorium. As she recalled her childhood adversities and traumas, Brazwell told the audience of families and educators that she ultimately succeeded in life only because there was always someone advocating for her - someone just like them. “This is why it’s huge that you’re in the room. You get to say that you were part of the inaugural group of [CH-UH] parents who are fighting for their babies … That’s a huge deal. A kid like me needed someone like you sitting in these chairs to fight for them,” Brazwell explained. Feedback from sessions was largely positive according to the post-event survey. “I really liked having a glimpse into the future of what my son might do as a career. I felt empowered at the chance to learn alongside my son,” remarked one parent, who participated in the family coding session led by Dr. Christy Bauer, CH-UH Technology Program Specialist. Between sessions, participants gathered information at the program and resource fair, at which Heights Schools Foundation and around 20 other school and community groups had a table. “My favorite part about today was hearing about all of the new connections made. Not only among the families and staff across the district but also connections to information, programs, and resources,” said Lisa Hunt, the district’s Family Engagement Specialist and the lead planner of the academy. “No matter how many kids you have, how old they are, or what school they go to, we are all here for the same reason, and we absolutely need to lean on each other while we’re on this journey.”
The power of high-quality music education provided by the Cleveland HeightsUniversity Heights City School District will be on display March 5, 2019, at Reaching Musical Heights, the fifth quadrennial concert of student musicians who perform at the art deco home of the Cleveland Orchestra, Severance Hall. Reaching Musical Heights is a community celebration of musical excellence and an inspirational evening produced by Reaching Heights, an independent non-profit citizen organization that supports excellence in our community’s public schools. High-quality music education requires intellectually-demanding, competitive, and creative work, intensive and consistent practice, and leadership and teamwork that result in exceptional performances. Just like the first event in 2003, each concert highlights more than 550 talented and hardworking student musicians, their music teachers, the Heights schools, and the strong partnership of the supportive community and the school district. Elementary singers from all seven schools lift their voices and move in unison to fun choreography. Instrumentalists and singers come together from both middle schools in an honors chorus and an honors orchestra to perform as they will when they get to high school. The Heights High vocalists and instrumental musicians perform challenging classic pieces and feature outstanding student soloists and conductors. The purpose of this unique event is to provide students with an unforgettable educational experience and to nurture a love of music in the next generation of arts patrons. This event also unites a diverse community and deepens its appreciation for the arts in public education. Beyond covering the Severance Hall expenses, funds raised through ticket sales and the pre-concert reception support the Patti-Jackson music lesson scholarships and the Reaching Heights Summer Music Camp. For more information, visit ReachingHeights.org. Tickets will be available for purchase in mid-January, 2019.
A Huge Success at this Inaugural Event
Set for March 5 at Severance Hall
OCTOBER 2018
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REUNION INFO CLASS OF 1968
SAVE THE DATE FOR TIGER GATHERINGS! Upcoming Reunion Information CLASS of 1959
CLASS of 1978
For more information
October 6, 2018 10:00am Tour of CHHS 6:30pm Dinner at Landerhaven
60TH REUNION July 19-20, 2019 Additional details to come Judith Aplis Email jcaplis1204@aol.com
CLASS of JUNE 1961
40TH REUNION October 5, 2018 6:30pm Boss Dog Brewery
October 7, 2018 11:30am Nighttown
75TH BIRTHDAY REUNION July 29, 2019 11:00am Potluck Picnic at Harper Ridge Metropark in Solon
For more information
For more information
40TH REUNION Additional details to come
Rita Abrams Email ritaabrams@gmail.com
Email heights1978@gmail.com
CLASS OF 1961 CLASS OF 2008
CLASS of 1979 For more information
CLASS of 1969
50TH REUNION Friday, July 19, 2019 StoneWater Golf Club, Highland Heights July 20, 2019 Dinner at Landerhaven School tour and hotel details to follow For more information
Sue Bruder Wold 216-338-8453 Email brixblox@aol.com Jim Samuels 216-780-8000 Email jim@guggenheiminc.com Web clevehts69.com
CLASS of 1970
50TH REUNION August, 2020 Additional details to come For more information
Enid Gurney Email enidgurney7@gmail.com
Email chhsreunion79@gmail.com Facebook CHHS
Reunion 79
CLASS of 1988
30TH REUNION October 12, 2018 5:00pm Homecoming Parade & Game 7:30pm Lee Road Pub Crawl October 13, 2018 10:00am High School Tours 11:30am Foundation Cookout 7:00pm Dinner and Dance at Cleveland Skating Club For more information Web heightshightigers1988.com
CLASS of 1989
30TH REUNION Additional details to come
CLASS OF 1998
For more information
Marcy Segal Email msmea89@yahoo.com
Planning a Reunion Event? Update us on the details for future publications and our website. Send a note to info@heightsschoolsfoundation.org.
If you are the contact for your graduating class or reunion committee, email info@heightsschoolsfoundation.org
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We often receive requests to reach out to other classes to THE HEIGHTS MAGAZINE
consider combining years for reunions.
GIVING BACK
Scholarships Support Outstanding Students of Each Graduating Class The Heights Schools Foundation accepts donations all year for the scholarships that are given each spring to graduating seniors. The past two years, HSF was able to provide $15,000 in awards each year to worthy, accomplished, college-bound graduating seniors. We congratulate the following scholarship award winners, each receiving a $1,000 award for their outstanding work at Heights High. We wish them the best of luck and thank all of our generous donors for making these scholarships possible.
Career Technical Education Scholarship
The Deb Delisle Scholarship
Jamya Terry
Ronell Flowers
James Cipolletti Future Educator Scholarship
Dr. Michael Arnold Glueck Memorial Scholarship
Jalen Starr
Hannah Gilson
The Heights High Legends Scholarship (Class of June, 1964)
Marian Katz Magid Memorial Scholarship for Creative Writing
Peyton Marshall
Kenya White
Bertram “Bart� and Iris Wolstein Entrepreneurial Scholarship Ryssa Allen
CHHS June Class of 1952 Dr. Sydney J. Goldstein Scholarship Sierra Schecter
Sophie Gilson Kaylee Kimbro Morgan Lewis
Jordan Major Mary Jane Reinhardt
The Geneva Family Memorial Scholarship Jalen Chesney
CHHS Class of 2018 Academic Scholar Emma Routh
PLEASE ACCEPT MY DONATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $ _____________________________________________
Name ____________________________________________________________________________ Class of _______________________________________ Address __________________________________________________________________________ Phone ________________________________________ City / State / Zip _________________________________________________________________ Email _________________________________________ Mail your donation to: Heights Schools Foundation - 2155 Miramar Boulevard, University Heights, Ohio 44118 or make your donation online at: HeightsSchoolsFoundation.org
Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Cleveland, OH Permit No. 4114
2155 Miramar Boulevard University Heights, Ohio 44118 HeightsSchoolsFoundation.org
GoldenTIGERS REUNION LUNCHEON
For all alumni who have celebrated their 50th reunion (Classes 1968 and prior)
NOVEMBER 10, 2018 Executive Caterers at Landerhaven Pre-registration required Call 216.320.2206 or email betsy@heightsschoolsfoundation.org
SAV E T H E D AT E 4-7-19