Laura Schwartz Loebl ’87 Executive Director laura@HeightsSchoolsFoundation.org
Cathan Cavanaugh
CH-UH Supervisor of Communications c_cavanaugh@chuh.org
Betsy Friedlander ’90
Marketing and Development Coordinator
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Krissy Dietrich Gallagher ’91
Nichole Wiggins-Caliph, M.A., CH-UH Communications Department
DESIGN BY Drew Dallet, Boom Creative www.boom-creative.com
ON THE COVER | Alumni from the class of 1974 came from far and wide to take part in their 50th reunion. The class photo was just one highlight from their incredible weekend!
Read The Heights Magazine online at HeightsSchoolsFoundation.org. To comment or change an address, please email info@HeightsSchoolsFoundation.org or call 216-397-3871.
2024-2025 Heights Schools Foundation Trustees
PRESIDENT
Dr. Susan D. Carver ’78
VICE PRESIDENT
Steven Haynie ’91
VICE PRESIDENT
Shanice Settle ’06
TREASURER
Meghan Zehnder McMahon ’90
SECRETARY
Peter Shriver ’90
TRUSTEES
Anna Brandt ’04
Rachael Collyer ’11
Dr. Carmen Daniel
Krissy Dietrich Gallagher ’91
Dan Heintz ’85
Timothy Jones ’92
Jeff Johnson ’91
Kathryn T. Joseph ’78
Hank Kornblut ’81
Dr. Matthew McPheeters ’07
Margaret Rothschild Slesnick ’79
Kelly Thomas ’83
Elizabeth Kirby, Superintendent
DEAR HEIGHTS ALUMNI COMMUNITY,
Over the years, we have heard them all. We are all of those names and more. We are tigers that are full of pride and united, creating our beloved Tiger Nation community. Thank you!
It has been incredible for me to witness the strength we have in our alumni community. I have been so fortunate to serve as the Heights Schools Foundation’s Executive Director for the last two years. I have witnessed a worldwide focus on the Heights and our schools because of two very notable alumni and their parents who pay homage to our alma mater weekly. I have seen alums band together to cheer on our athletic teams. I have been uplifted to the sounds of our Gospel Choir reaching its 50th anniversary year with a weekend bursting with inspirational voices. And, we have held many reunion weekends full of reminiscing, remembering and of course, lots of laughter. The Heights Schools Foundation has also grown, becoming the recipient of many substantial grants that are helping to transform our classrooms and provide necessary services for our students and staff, and their families.
We could not have made this impact without each of you and your support. Your donations to our annual giving campaign and our program specific funds make a significant impact. In May 2024, fifty members of the class of 2024 received more than $55,000 in scholarships. Students are using these funds to attend two and four year colleges and universities or to attend a technical school. HSF was also able to provide more than $10,000 to teachers and staff to provide additional classroom resources or for improvements in our buildings. In addition, grants donated by our alumni had a direct impact on the entire district. These grants include:
• A robust Mental Health Grant supporting additional services for students, staff and their families
• Funding to support the creation of the Heights Family Resource Center, providing basic needs for members of our community who are without or have an emergency need
• The creation of two new scholarship funds that will continue to grow enabling the HSF to continue to support our students as they graduate
I hope each of you reading The Heights magazine will continue to support the Heights Schools Foundation by participating in our Annual Fund Campaign. The funding you provide allows the HSF to support our teachers, staff and students throughout each academic year. Each gift shows that you believe in public education and are willing to put your beliefs into action.
In the pages that follow, you will see your dollars at work. I hope you will consider a donation to our annual fund. Please use the envelope provided in this magazine. All donations are so meaningful to our overall campaign and make a difference. If you have any questions or would like more information, please call me any time, 216-320-2203.
Thank you!
Laura Schwartz Loebl ’87 Executive Director
Designed by Franz C. Warner. Additions in 1925 and 1950. Still in use.
Key Moments in Our Building’s History
Designed by John H. Graham. Renovations were completed in 2019. Still in use.
by Krissy Dietrich Gallagher ’91
50 YEARS IN THE MAKING CLASS OF
You might think that when people attend their high school reunions, they’d be drawn to hang out with the classmates they were closest to during those few heady years. But for many of the several hundred members of the Class of 1974 who attended their 50th Reunion in September, the time was best spent making new connections, forging new friendships and reconnecting with those whose paths they haven’t crossed in decades.
Sheila Dorris described the weekend’s events as “extremely emotional” and said, “As at all [our past reunions], I met people I never even knew in high school.” Sharon Golden agreed, saying she enjoyed conversations with some classmates that were longer than they’d ever had when in high school.
For others, it was about catching up with their earliest classmates from kindergarten and first grade, the friends from “our way back past” as Cindy Fishman put it. She says she will cherish the updated photo she took with her old Coventry School classmates, who have renewed a commitment to stay in touch. And for others, it was about reaching out and letting someone know that a small, long-ago act of kindness had stayed with them all these years. That was the case for Maureen Silver, who used this opportunity to thank two separate people who had showed her kindness when she needed it most, once in junior high and once in high school. One responded that they weren’t even sure they were going to attend but her story made them glad they
had. “What both stories have in common,” Silver said, “is how what might seem like a simple gesture is something the other person needed. To lift them up. I would say that’s a hallmark of our class.”
The large planning committee, led by Brent Routman, Sally Hirsch Zaben and Rachel Likover (and which many classmates described as “phenomenal”), organized an entire weekend of meaningful events. It actually started two decades ago when Routman launched a website as an online opportunity to connect and share life updates while planning their 35th Reunion. That site, and their active Facebook page, allowed organizers to collect valuable information from their classmates to aid in the planning process.
a memorial tribute to their deceased classmates. Barry Seybert, now of Los Angeles, Budd Margolis, who resides in London, and Clevelander Warren Bendler spent months putting the memorial video together, which included about ten percent of their classmates, which Seybert said is typical of 50th reunions. The viewing was followed by an emotional tribute with flowers and art outside near the flagpole, which many classmates said brought them to tears.
A casual Friday night gathering, followed by many smaller impromptu gettogethers on Saturday as people explored their old haunts, enjoying milkshakes from Tommy’s and pastries from Davis Bakery, was topped off with a formal affair Saturday evening at the Marriott Cleveland-East. Both the Heights Schools Foundation and the staff at the Marriott said this was the largest high school reunion they’d ever hosted.
Saturday’s event included a slideshow of photos chronicling their school years interspersed with pictures from past reunions. Attendees wore press passlike name tags that also included their senior year picture, where they attended elementary and junior high school, current city of residence, spouse’s name, and number of children and grandchildren, making for easy conversation starters.
As fun as that evening was, almost all attendees agreed that Sunday morning’s events were the most moving and the most meaningful. A tour of the renovated high school conducted by the Foundation’s board and staff, included
The acknowledgment that as the years go by, the number of attendees will dwindle and the number of faces on the memorial video will grow has spurred conversation of hosting a 55th Reunion instead of waiting the typical ten years.
“The reality of losing more of us by the 60th makes us not want to wait until then,” said Dorris.
For many, the unique connections they formed during their three brief high school years (in that era, 9th graders were still in junior high) had a profound impact on the rest of their lives. “The three years at Heights High felt like they were a lifetime within itself,” said Seybert. And as Sam Magar said, “No one knows you better than your childhood friends!”
For Todd Sharp, the weekend reinforced his appreciation for his upbringing. In an often chaotic world, he said he feels a “yearning for normalcy, decency, and a kinder community. My youth in Cleveland Heights lives in my heart and memory as the ideal community. I have always carried a deep sense of gratitude to have grown up here.”
Y.O.U.’s impact in the Cleveland Heights / University Heights Communities
by Craig Dorn, ’81 - President and CEO, Youth Opportunities Unlimited
What Y.O.U. Does in CH-UH and Impact
Summer Jobs and Internships: Youth ages 14-19 earn money, learn job readiness and financial literacy skills, and gain realworld work experience. Summer jobs not only help youth think about careers, the Y.O.U. Summer Job Program was proven to positively impact school attendance and high school graduation rates while decreasing the likelihood of engaging in the justice system. All of these effects were deemed statistically significant in a study conducted by Case Western Reserve University.
Y.O.U. has served our communities for decades through our summer jobs and internship programs. Since 2022, we have doubled the number served in the summer jobs and internship program from 47 in 2022 to 93 in 2024.
We have had a great partnership with the Heights High Career Tech Consortium. This year we expanded this partnership to place youth in job placements that directly align with their specific career pathways of study, allowing them to gain clarity about their future, have hands-on work experience, and expand their professional networks.
In 2024, we entered into a new partnership with Heights High by introducing the Heights Career Exploration Opportunity. This started in the spring of 2024 as identified youth completed the Future Plans assessment, an expansive self-assessment that informs the youth about their career interests, abilities and personality traits. Using this data, Y.O.U. placed Heights youth in summer worksites that allowed them to explore their identified career sectors. Some of these Heights worksites were: CH-UH Board of Education, Heights Schools Foundation, CH-UH Admin Office, CH-UH Communications Office, Health Corps, Gear Up, City of Cleveland Heights Recreation Department, City of Cleveland Heights Maintenance Department, and City of Cleveland Heights Public Works. To complement their work
Y.O.U. is a nonprofit workforce development organization that serves teens and young adults ages 14-24 living in economically distressed areas of Northeast Ohio.
during the summer, each week these youth met with Y.O.U. training staff to continue to explore career opportunities and receive soft skills training.
Jobs for Ohio’s Graduates (JOG): An in-school, for-credit class focused on career development, employability and leadership skills, this program is specifically designed to help prepare students ages 15-19 to thrive both in school and in life by achieving post-secondary success. As part of our expanded services to Heights High, in 2024 we began providing our JOG model to 57 Juniors and Seniors. Studies have shown JOG youth graduate at a rate 10-16% higher than comparable cohorts and have higher postsecondary placement rates – average 85% engaged in training, college, workforce or military one year after HS graduation.
Planning & Career Exploration (PACE): Y.O.U. Instructor/ Advisors connect all 11th and 12th graders to career pathways through structured lessons and work-based learning opportunities. We work with ALL seniors to help plan their next steps after high school—from college and vocational training to direct entry into the workforce. In the 2024-25 school year we will serve up to 825 Heights High scholars!
The impact on the community goes beyond assisting the youth. Local businesses such as Pizza Hut on South Taylor and local non-profits like Dobama Theatre and Imani Temple Ministries employ hard-working Heights teenagers who help them deliver on their mission. Youth receive more connections and develop pride in their community!!
To learn more about how to get involved with Y.O.U., please reach out to Craig Dorn, ’81 at cdorn@youcle.org.
Our Mission is to help these young individuals pursue a meaningful path to economic self-sufficiency, which ultimately leads to a more educated, skilled and inclusive workforce for all.
Y.O.U. is dedicated to making the lives of Heights students better by expanding our proven and effective programs to the Cleveland Heights and University Heights Communities.
Needs of Today’s Students
Family & Community Partnerships - Essential Support for Student Success
by Lisa M. Hunt, ’88 - Family Engagement Specialist
As a proud Heights graduate and the Family Engagement Specialist for the district since 2017, it has been an honor to work each day at the intersection of school, family, and community partners. It is a privilege to serve our students by building stronger partnerships that ensure each child has the support they need to succeed — inside and outside the classroom. Over the last thirty years, the need for family and community engagement has continued to rise as an essential support for student success.
Removing Barriers to Learning
One of the primary goals of family and community engagement work is to strengthen the partnership between home and school and help identify and remove the barriers limiting a student’s educational experience. Right now, there are close to one hundred families in our district that are experiencing homelessness and close to two hundred students navigating school without a direct caregiver. This highlights the need for our district to provide intentional support to students who face challenges.
Students now face a myriad of obstacles that can affect their ability to focus on learning, from food insecurity to inadequate access to resources, academic support, and mental health services. Through evidence-based strategies, programs, and partnerships, we work to connect staff and families with the resources they need to help alleviate these pressures. The Heights Family Resource Center is one example of how the district aims to improve access to food, clothing, and basic needs while highlighting the district’s partners in wellness, healthcare, and workforce development. Connecting these essential supports and offering transformative workshops fosters a more stable community and better supports our students.
Building Capacity & Strengthening Partnerships
Our school district has long recognized that when families and caregivers are actively engaged in their children’s education, the entire community benefits. Unlike parent involvement of the past, family and community engagement is
deeper and more intentional about building strong, authentic relationships and expanding student support. It includes family workshops, cultural events, and open dialogue sessions where family and community partners feel comfortable sharing their ideas, questions, and concerns. It is also about developing collaborative communication, where every voice is heard, every parent is a partner and every student is seen and supported in the educational process.
Supporting Students and Families Holistically
Supporting students now goes beyond academics and is more holistic. Students should feel confident, motivated, and empowered to achieve their fullest potential. This means helping students’ social, emotional, and mental well-being, as well as their academic growth. By embracing evidence-based approaches—such as home visits, mentorship programs, twoway communication, intentional and explicit engagement, and an abundance of resources— the district is striving to provide holistic, two-generation support for families.
As an alum, former parent, and staff member, I am continually inspired by our district and the families, students, and community we serve. The work of family and community engagement in Cleveland Heights-University Heights City Schools is a commitment to empowering families, fostering community connections, and creating pathways for every student to succeed. Through these partnerships, we are building a stronger, more inclusive community, one where everyone has a role in shaping our students’ futures. We are always looking for new partners and opportunities for more alumni to connect. If you would like to donate items to the Heights Family Resource Center please visit our Amazon wishlist. If you would like to be acknowledged for your gift, please add your name and address to the gift message.
Purchase an item from our Amazon wishlist
Make a donation to the Heights Family Resource Center
MARCHING BAND CLUBS
The fall tradition of Homecoming has always been a cherished part of our history. From the homecoming court to the decorative parade, students have always found a way to show their Heights spirit.
One of the oldest sports at Heights High, our football team has always been a force to reckon with! Playing at the corner of Cedar and Lee Roads for nearly a decade, it’s ‘Friday Night Heights’ every fall.
FOOTBALL HOME COMING PROTESTS
The student body at Heights High is a powerful force when it comes to uniting and protesting against injustices, wars and human rights. In 1969 students protested for a moratorium to end the Vietnam War. In 2000, students marched against the atrocities of the KKK and racism. In 2018, in response to gun violence in the United States, a national school walk out was organized and led by students.
Instrumental Music Department - Jazz Night
Heights High’s jazz program has earned an outstanding reputation. The program has developed promising jazz musicians by performing in various jazz festivals and has won numerous outstanding soloist awards. Current student musicians carry on this tradition of excellence with their participation in the Heights High Jazz Ensemble during the school day, and for several, at a more student-led capacity afterschool by joining a Jazz Combo. The smaller ensemble allows the student musicians to develop their solo and improvisational skills and to be coached by a local professional. Participation in a combo also provides the musicians with opportunities to perform at District and community events. The repertoire that the Jazz Ensemble and Combos have developed over the course of the year is showcased at the annual “Jazz Night” that takes place in the spring.
CHHS ARTS PROGRAMS: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Vocal Music Department - Annual Musical and Barbershoppers
Musicals have long been produced by the Vocal Music Department. The switch from spring to fall was introduced in the fall of 2007 with a production of “Fiddler on the Roof” as a means to help pass a levy that would protect music and arts funding and programs in the District. Over the last 17 years, the fall musical has become a District-wide event with the inclusion of elementary and middle school singers. This includes a pit orchestra made of Instrumental Music Department members and community professionals. Hair and make-up for the performances are done by students from the Heights Career Tech Cosmetology program. This year’s musical was “Big Fish - School Edition”. Recent musicals include “The Addams Family” (2023), “Sister Act” (2022), ”Matilda” (2021), and “Damn Yankees” (2020).
What started in the 2007-2008 school year as an ensemble of 10 to 12 young men named Heights Barbershop has expanded to two ensembles; one male and one female. Currently, the Men’s Barbershop consists of 25 students and there are 30 members in the Women’s Barbershop. In addition to performing at their three concerts during the school year, the two ensembles regularly attend and compete at the Barbershop Harmony Society’s Midwinter Convention. This year, the competition will be held in January, in San Antonio, Texas.
AP Studio Art and Artist Showcase
In addition to receiving college credits, Heights High juniors and seniors who are highly motivated and interested in studying the visual arts will develop a portfolio of 20 to 24 works over the course of a single school year. The students are able to explore a personal, central interest as intensively as possible and utilize a variety of methods and materials in order to extend their repertoire of visual mediums. These portfolios are submitted to a variety of competitions such as the Scholastic Art Competition and Governor’s Youth Art Exhibition, where Heights student artists are regularly featured and awarded.
The highlight for the AP Studio Art students is the showcase that they hold right before graduation. Each senior and AP Studio Art student decorates a panel with the artwork that they have created over the course of the year for their peers and families to admire. Many of these panels remain on display the following year, inspiring their peers to hone their own artistic talents.
The performing and visual arts have always been part of the education of Heights High School’s students, to the point that all students are required to have at least one year worth of credits in the Fine Arts to graduate. Heights High students have the opportunity to discover and hone their artistic skills and talents through a variety of courses and extracurriculars. The Instrumental Music, Visual Arts, and Vocal Music Departments have maintained artistic excellence of their initial ensembles and courses, they have also introduced and expanded on the mediums for Heights High students to express themselves.
by Diana Drushel ’11
Drama Club - One-Act Festival
The Drama Club, under the direction of English teacher David Jurns, offers a unique opportunity to Heights High students who have a love of the theater and dramatic arts with its annual One-Act Festival. The stage of the Main Auditorium is converted into a black box theater where the audience can sit on stage and gain a closer look into the performance. The students direct and perform several short, one-act plays that highlight their talent, enthusiasm, and theatrical ability. January, 2025 marks the 13th year of Heights High’s One-Act Festival.
Metals and Jewelry
Introduced a little over ten years ago by Nancy RichDrehs, Instructor and Art Department Liaison, the Metals and Jewelry courses are a unique opportunity for the students to apply their artistic interests through a medium that is not typically available to high school students. Students explore the process of jewelry making through metalsmithing and a variety of materials such as paper, clay, glass, and metal. In the advanced courses students have the opportunity to learn about the Cloisonne enameling process, setting stones, photo etching, and forming metal.
swimming career that began in the pools of Cumberland, Heights High and the Lee Road YMCA recently landed 1991 grad Lydia Neilsen in the frigid waters of the San Francisco Bay. Neilsen, a Santa Cruz resident, completed a two-mile open water swim from Alcatraz Island to the St. Francis Yacht Club Beach in San Francisco.
The notoriously difficult swim, long thought humanly impossible due to the cool water temperature, was organized by Odyssey Open Water Swimming. Like many serious swimmers, Neilsen had long wanted to complete the challenge and began thinking about it in earnest when she turned 50.
by Krissy Dietrich Gallagher ’91
When she attempted to register and found herself on a waitlist, all she could think was, “That many people really want to do this?!” She got a spot in the August 10th swim, hoping the late summer date might mean the water would be the tiniest bit warmer.
A committed pool swimmer, Neilsen kept putting off open ocean practice, until she visited Mexico in July. “I figured this was a good way to get used to the psychological component of swimming in the dark, murky water, with who knows what’s down there,” she said of 30-degree warmer water south of the border.
When she returned to the Bay Area with just ten days before the big swim, she forced herself into the ocean every single day. A friend
taught her a breathing technique to calm her nervous system, which automatically responds to the extreme cold by simulating panic, and she was thrilled to find it worked.
The morning arrived and 36 swimmers were boated out to Alcatraz Island, where they launched in three waves, Neilsen in the fastest. Support staff was present on kayaks and stand-up paddleboards the entire time, and all swimmers had been given specific instructions about where to set their sights in the oftentimes disorienting and rough waters.
Once she found her rhythm, Neilsen said she was excited and swam fast, completing the two-mile journey in just 46 minutes. “It was all really inspiring,” she said, and she especially appreciated meeting the other swimmers who hailed from all over the country and hearing the stories of what brought them to this moment.
For Neilsen, it was swimming on every team she could while growing up in Cleveland Heights, carrying that passion to Carleton College, where she broke the NCAA Division 3 women’s record in the 100-yard breaststroke, and onward to California, where her love for the water has never waned.
She might appreciate slightly warmer water moving forward though … she did say she couldn’t move her fingers afterwards!
On Saturday, September 21, I saw a very familiar name appear on the Cleveland Heights High Graduates Facebook page announcing a good friend from long ago, Joshua Silver, had transitioned on September 5, 2024. A few days later, Joshua’s older brother Daniel posted that there would be a celebration of life and if anyone was interested to send him an email for the details.
by John Brentt ’81
I reached out to Daniel later that day expressing my condolences and shared how I knew Joshua and added that he and his brother Paul may have been at Heights during the same time as my older sisters. Daniel sent me the Celebration of Life details for Joshua, which would be held in Philadelphia where Joshua had relocated. He mentioned there would be a livestream and I put it in my calendar to attend.
On Sunday, October 27th, I was blessed to attend the Celebration of Life livestream of Joshua M. Silver, Cleveland Heights High Class of 1981. What a wonderful celebration it was, hosted by his older brothers Daniel and Paul.
The gathering was held in Philadelphia at the Strawberry Mansion, a historic landmark where Joshua had been a tour guide. Many of his friends, colleagues and family were in attendance. The remembrances, insights and stories were touching, funny and revealing, reminding us all just how much Joshua was loved, respected and valued both personally and professionally.
When Daniel announced Joshua’s transition last month, it took me a few days to gather my thoughts and memories as I last saw him in person in 1985 on Coventry Road. I shared with Daniel that Joshua and I were good friends going back to our days in 3rd grade at Coventry Elementary, but that we lost touch when I moved to another part of Cleveland Heights and moved to Boulevard Elementary. We reconnected later at Roxboro Jr. High and Heights High.
I was sitting in my office the Friday before Joshua’s
John Brentt Joshua Silver
Celebration of Life looking at my bookshelf and saw a book I read when I was 5 years old, prior to moving to Cleveland Heights, called Tim and Terry. It is the story about two elementary school children meeting and striking up a solid friendship without their cultural backgrounds ever being mentioned. I then recalled that Joshua was actually my first best friend upon moving to Cleveland Heights in the 2nd grade, where we were in the same classroom.
Like the book, Joshua and I became fast friends after realizing we had similar world views on what was fair and unfair at school. In addition to the time we spent together in class, we ended up spending time at each other’s homes as well as hanging out around the Coventry area and various after school activities. As I sat at my desk reminiscing, it dawned on me that just like the characters in the book, our cultural backgrounds never came up during our friendship.
We both acquired new groups of friends at Roxboro and Heights High, but we always had a mutual respect for each other and were happy to see each other in the hallways or the few classes we had together. After graduation, we lost touch upon my leaving for the military. The last time I saw Joshua happened to be on Coventry right before I relocated to Atlanta for college in the summer 1985. He still had his signature huge smile. We caught up with each other, wished each other well and moved on.
It was great listening to the stories of Joshua’s life and having the 39 year gap filled in on how he was doing and what he was doing since our last meeting in 1985. Joshua’s brother, Daniel, shared the livestream in the Cleveland Heights High Graduates Facebook page and I would recommend a watch even if you never met Joshua, as there is a unique Cleveland Heights vibe throughout. For me, it was awesome to hear that Joshua’s life was a life well lived.
2024 PARADE
There was nothing spooky about this Friday the 13th in September. In fact, the sun was shining and the temperature was soaring as over one thousand marchers took to the streets for the Cleveland Heights High School Homecoming Parade! The one mile route, beginning on Scarborough Road at Fairfax Elementary, traveled north on Lee Road before making a turn onto Washington Boulevard heading to the high school. The incredible task of closing off these busy streets on a Friday at rush hour, could only be accomplished by the tireless and dedicated members of the Cleveland Heights Police Department.
Sports teams of all ages, elementary schools, clubs and city officials, just to name a few, all joined in this fall tradition that members of the community look forward to each year. Heights alumni and residents gathered at The Wine Spot for the annual watch party as parade goers stopped in front of the patio to perform their acts. After passing the judges table outside of the high school parking lot, families and students attended the official tailgate party hosted by the Heights Athletic Boosters. The only thing that could’ve made this day better was a Tiger victory, and you guessed it, our varsity football team pulled it off! Under the lights at the corner of Cedar and Lee, in front of a packed stadium, our Tigers stomped out the competition, beating Brunswick 20-17!
DISTRICT NEWS
BOULEVARD ELEMENTARY
Boulevard’s Besties Beautiful Teacher’s Tale
Everyone who’s ever spent time in a school building knows that at their core, they are all about relationships, and every once in a rare while, that relationship may span an entire career. Which is just what has happened with Betsy Race and Julie Walker. What began as teacher and student would eventually become colleagues. Ms. Walker says her choice of career was all about the relationships she had being educated in Heights schools. As Ms. Race embraces the next phase of her life, she plans to travel the west coast with her sister and spend more time volunteering at the Food Bank. But her abiding friendship with Julie DeViney Walker – one they both described as “the longest relationship I’ve had in my life with anyone outside of my family” – will stand.
NOBEL ELEMENTARY
Noble Naturalists Clean Up Lake Erie
Fifth graders known as the Noble Naturalists spent an entire day removing 40 pounds of trash from Wendy’s Island! By removing the litter, the students created a healthier environment for wildlife and reduced potential pollution to the water that we drink every day.
The Noble Nauralists incorporated math, teamwork and rock climbing skills by tallying each piece of debris picked up from the beach and in the rocks, then put it into a long-term litter datasheet used by researchers and advocates around the Great Lakes to study and confront Great Lakes plastic pollution issues.
FAIRFAX ELEMENTARY
Fairfax Students Travel Our World Through Music
Fourth and fifth graders at Fairfax recently had the chance to travel around the world … not on an airplane, but through music. With a visit from Apollo’s Fire Baroque Orchestra, students were able to experience “Fiddle Fiesta! Music from Mediterranean Lands.”
They learned about the geography and cultures of Egypt, Greece, Italy and Spain, especially typical instruments and musical elements of those countries. Students studied maps of the area around the Mediterranean Sea and learned new vocabulary related to the music of the region. They then witnessed a highly energetic and interactive performance in their school gym, which featured exposure to some foreign languages and learning an ancient Italian dance called the Galliard.
OXFORD ELEMENTARY
Governor DeWine Visits Oxford Elementary
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and First Lady Fran DeWine visited Oxford Elementary School to meet students receiving new prescription eyeglasses through the work of Vision to Learn, a new CH-UH School District partner. In all, 91 students were found to need glasses - nearly a third of all Oxford students. “These students are seeing a whole new world than they were just a few moments ago, it’s truly a life-changing experience,” said Governor DeWine. Next year, the partnership with Vision to Learn will expand to all CH-UH schools to serve each student, grades Pre-K through 12. The services and glasses are provided at no cost to the District or students’ families, thanks to a generous grant that Vision to Learn received from the Ford Motor Fund.
ROXBORO ELEMENTARY Multicultural Dinner: An Evening of Culture, Heritage
Pride of culture and heritage was on full display at Roxboro Elementary’s Multicultural Dinner. Families hosted tables representing food and culture from all over the world, but that was not the only thing on display in the building that night. The event was scheduled in conjunction with the district’s Kindergarten Information Night. Prospective parents and their children had the chance to learn about the district and meet kindergarten teachers, while also enjoying the Multicultural Dinner, which Roxboro has been hosting for more than 20 years. A definite highlight of the event was Carlos Jones and the PLUS Band playing reggae music on the lunch room stage. The evening was coordinated by the PTA and its Diversity Committee. “It really showcases who we are and all we have to offer,” said Principal Shelly Pulling.
MONTICELLO MIDDLE SCHOOL
Monticello Middle School Receives Momentum Award
When Dr. Jeff Johnston, then-principal of Monticello Middle School, was asked how he accounts for his school winning a Momentum Award from the Ohio Department of Education, he did not hesitate: “The overwhelming reason is the hard work of our staff.” Momentum Awards are given to schools each year who improve by more than three points on the performance index from one year to the next, while also earning a value-added progress rating of at least four stars. “We try to balance rewarding good attendance with not punishing kids for factors that are beyond their control,” said Dr. Johnston, recognizing that middle school children’s attendance is often dependent on their parents. The staff of Monticello Middle School appreciates the statewide recognition that their efforts have received with this Momentum Award.
HEIGHTS HIGH
Junior Renovates Boulevard’s School Garden
When Heights High junior Berkeley Trammell isn’t attending school, practicing baseball or doing homework, he can be found renovating the school garden at Boulevard Elementary School as he seeks the rank of Eagle Scout from the Boy Scouts of America. He’s been working to clean up the overgrown garden, creating beds for every class and building benches so student groups can use the space as an outdoor classroom. The school plans to use the garden to teach students about where their food comes from and hopes to organize groups of parent and student volunteers to help maintain the space, especially over the summer. According to Boulevard 4th grade teacher Julie Walker, who volunteered on the garden clean-up, “We were thrilled to have Berkeley see a need in his community and step up to help. That’s what Tiger Nation is about.”
WHY GIVE?
by Laura Schwartz Loebl ’87
The Heights Schools Foundation (HSF) Annual Fund is integral to the success of each year for the Foundation. By supporting the Annual Fund, you help to keep our mission alive!
As you know, the public education system is facing many challenges and uncertainties. State and national budget cuts and learning gaps have affected the quality and equity of education for many students in our district.
We need your generous support! Your donation makes a significant impact in the lives of many students who need your help to succeed. Your donations will go to the top priorities that help kids thrive. Whether it is classroom grants to make teaching more effective and engaging, transportation and enrichment grants to increase equity and access to programs after school, or scholarships for graduating seniors – these donations are combined for greatest impact and to meet strategic needs of the District.
In addition to assisting current students, funds raised from the Annual Fund impact you, our alumni community. The HSF staff provides assistance for reunions, tours of the district including tours of Cleveland Heights High School, manages our Hall of Fame program as well as keeping our archives cataloged and secure.
No amount is too small or too large. We really mean it when we say that every dollar counts and every donation is appreciated!
Enclosed in this mailing is a return envelope or you can make a gift online at heightsschoolsfoundation.org. Please advise if your employer has a matching gift program. HSF also accepts donations through stock and donor advised funds. Contact the HSF at 216-320-2203 if you have any questions.
Here are some suggested levels of giving:
Tiger Nation $2,500 & above
Tigras $1,000
Black & Gold $500
Roar $250
Stripe $100
Paw $50
Cub $25
...to our incredible Heights alumni who work in the CH-UH City School District!
Our dedicated staff, who are also Heights graduates, know what it feels like to work where you love and love where you work! There is a special motivation that just doesn’t quit when the Tiger Pride runs that deep. ONCE A TIGER - ALWAYS A TIGER!
SAVE THE DATE - Saturday, June 20, 2026
Heights Schools Foundation will be hosting a 100th Anniversary Jubilee in celebration of Heights High’s 100th year on Cedar Road.
Events will be held throughout the year leading up to the event. We are looking for volunteers to help us:
Registration • Set-up • Tear Down • Marketing Fundraising • Database Management • Community Events
Scan the QR code and become a volunteer. To become a sponsor for the Jubilee, please contact Laura Schwartz Loebl at laura@heightsschoolsfoundation.org
Hire a Heights Youth Over the Summer Youth Opportunities Unlimited
Whether you own a small business, work at a mid-sized/large company – it is amazing how valuable it can be to add youth workers over the summer. They are resilient, creative and can contribute in many ways to your bottom line.
Youths typically work 20-30 hours per week. You can pay them directly or Y.O.U. can run payroll for you! If interested contact Jerry Armstrong at jarmstrong@youcle.org or call 216-644-0302.
S u p p o r t t h e n e x t g e n e r a t i o n o f
H E I G H T S
L A C R O S S E
O u r y o u t h p r o g r a m s o f f e r a
r a n g e o f o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r
y o u n g a t h l e t e s t o d e v e l o p t h e i r
s k i l l s a n d p a s s i o n f o r t h e g a m e .
