FA I S
Forest Restoration Project Pag e 4 - 5
Alumnae Translate Documents from WWII Crash Site Pag e 1 8
20 11 The Magazine of the French American International School
FA I S in this issue
FAIS Magazine is published annually for FAIS families, alumni and friends.
_______________________________________________ 1
From the Head of School
2-3
Highlights from 2010-11 School Year
4-5
Sharing the Planet—FAIS Forest Restoration
6-7
Scholastic Art Award Winners
7
Artist-in-Residence Program
7
Staff Transitions
8-10
2010-11 Annual Giving
11
FAIS Endowment
12
Parent Survey Results
12-13
2010-11 Events
14-19
Alumni Pages
20 20-21
FAIS Alumnae Translate Documents from WWII Crash Site - 18
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards - 6-7
Alumni Survey Snapshot Performing Arts at FAIS
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French Artist-in-Residence Inspires Students – 7
Contact the Development Department at 503/292-7776, x305 if you are interested in contributing ideas or underwriting future issues of FAIS Magazine. The French American International School cultivates intellect and character through rigorous multilingual academic programs in an environment that promotes appreciation of diverse cultures and experiences.
Head of School: Pam Dreisin address: 8500 NW Johnson Street, Portland, OR 97229 Telephone: 503/292-7776 | Fax: 503/292-7444 email: fais@faispdx.org | Website: www.faispdx.org editors: Penelope Babst & Patricia Blood __________________________________________________ Graphic design and creative services generously underwritten by C. Fredrickson Design | www.cfredricksondesign.com Cover design concepts generously underwritten by Muscle+Bone Design | www.musclebonedesign.com
FAIS is a WeatherBug® location. Check our current weather conditions at: www.weatherbug.com
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01
making the wld a be place Dear FAIS Family and Friends, Last spring, at the 8th grade graduation ceremony, an earnest young man spoke the following words while delivering his graduation speech: “The school has shaped who we are and laid the foundation for who we will become. The FAIS experience has also prepared us well for our post college lives. Even now we can imagine and look forward to one day being the world’s diplomats, politicians, businessmen, and maybe even leaders.”
“Our students emerge from FAIS as self-confident learners who understand the impact of global interactions and the changing world.”
This came at a time when a number of well known politicians, businessmen and leaders were making headlines that demonstrated everything from political misconduct and ethical breaches to some very public and embarrassing personal escapades. As I listened to the reflections of our graduates’ experiences at FAIS and contrasted their words with the current world headlines, our responsibility as parents and educators to develop responsible, moral world citizens seemed more relevant than ever. Our graduates are heading toward a future that demands ethical citizenship on many levels. World, regional, and local governments, businesses, and communities need citizens who are well prepared for the challenges of a rapidly changing world. These individuals need to be well grounded in the traditional academic disciplines and able to think, speak, and write critically. They should also demonstrate high ethical standards and be comfortable working collaboratively with people from different cultures. FAIS students are well on their way to developing these skills and achieving these goals. We recently checked in with our former students at all age levels to understand how well FAIS is preparing its students. On page 20 in this issue of FAIS magazine you will find a synopsis of what we discovered in our recent FAIS alumni survey. A few quotes from our alumni are worth sharing: “As a college grad majoring in international political economy, I want to say what a great job FAIS did in preparing me for the challenges of a rigorous college-prep high school and eventually University…my ability to speak three languages fluently has opened up numerous career options for me in today’s more global marketplace.” “I loved the language aspect of the school and the international experiences. I loved learning everything, but I also loved that I learned how to learn.” “To this day, I find the time I spent at FAIS incredibly helpful. The academic rigor and high standards left me feeling smart and confident about my mental abilities, which helped me take every challenge head on with a feeling of ‘if I work hard enough I can do it.” “FAIS left me much more prepared for high school than I had anticipated. I definitely learned how to lead a healthy, culturally diverse and open-minded lifestyle, and to interact positively with teachers and friends.” Our graduates told us they feel well prepared for what lies ahead and shared their thoughts on how FAIS can improve its program. Our students emerge from FAIS as self-confident learners who understand the impact of global interactions and the changing world. They are culturally competent, and have a deep commitment to understanding the world and making it a better place for all. I am proud to be a part of a community that strives to develop such good people and good citizens. Sincerely,
Pam Dreisin, Head of School
02
2010-2011 year in review
highlights om r schl l'académie des Sciences awards Teacher First Grade Teacher Catherine Cohen was awarded first place in the French national contest “Le Main à la Pâte,” which honors innovative teaching of science in primary schools. The contest recognizes the importance of an inquiry-based approach to learning when teaching science to young students. Catherine shares this award with a teacher in Chambéry, France. The two collaborated on a semester-long project in which they assigned their classes the task of determining the location of the other class, which could have been anywhere in the world. Catherine accepted her award from the French Minister of Education (shown here) at Paris’s Palais de l’Institut in February.
new Logo In January 2011, FAIS unveiled a new logo. The logo is one outcome of a rebranding project initiated last school year with the purpose of solidifying FAIS’ identity as a PS-8th grade international school, while clarifying the distinction between its lower and middle schools. The project is a direct result of objectives set forth in the 2009-2014 Strategic Plan.
Becoming an iB world School FAIS received authorization to teach the Middle Years Programme (MYP) of the International Baccalaureate in September 2010, and is currently in the candidate phase for the Primary Years Programme (PYP). FAIS is the only IB school in Portland also fully accredited by the Pacific Northwest Association of Independent Schools (PNAIS)
and
the
Northwest
Accreditation Commission.
Gilkey eagles are Division Champs The 2011 7th/8th grade boys’ basketball team made FAIS history by becoming the first Gilkey athletics team to win a division championship. The team, coached by Ron Thomas and FAIS alumnus Connor Reiten (shown above with Extracurricular Director Jonathan Mascaut), defeated Portland Jewish Academy 31-28 in the championship game.
03
record-Breaking Funds raised through run for the arts Students raised a record-breaking $19,000 through Run for the Arts in 2011, which will go towards funding arts events and performances in the 2011-12 school year. Special mention goes to the two students who scored the most points based on laps run, sponsors secured, and funds raised: Jameson DeNyse, 2nd grade in 201011 and Braam Beresford, 7th grade in 2010-11. Jameson raised over $1,400!
Student advances in Fencing Aryana Abtin, 6th grade, is currently a nationally-ranked fencer, an achievement that began with FAIS Summer Camp. Although only 11
Student named Oregon Geographic Bee Semifinalist by national Geographic Society
years old, she competes in both the Y12 and
David Manicke, 8th grade in 2010-11, competed in the 2011 Oregon
in Y12 Women’s Foil in the U.S.
Y14 age groups, and is currently ranked ninth
Geographic Bee following an invitation from the National Geographic
Her affinity for the sport began at the age of
Society. After winning at the school level, David received this invita-
five when she participated in a multisport
tion based on his scores on a qualifying test in which students with the
summer camp at FAIS. Fencing was one of the
top 100 scores in the state were selected.
sports featured, and Aryana immediately fell in love with it. She continued to participate in fencing camps at FAIS over the following two summers, and began taking lessons at the Northwest Fencing Center in Beaverton in the
Oregon State Poetry association awards Student
fall of 2007.
Luisa Valentini, 8th grade in 2010-11, received an honor-
Abram, Christophe Du Clos, and Sébastien dos
able mention award for her poem "Shadow" by the
Santos, who is currently the Head Epée coach
Oregon State Poetry Association in their annual student
for the U.S. Men's Olympic Team. She has been
contest this year. Luisa, a native German speaker, placed
very successful, and has traveled to tourna-
seventh out of 402 entries in her division. The judges were
ments all over the country. In the U.S. National
impressed by her depth of emotion and word choice.
Fencing Tournament held in Reno this past
Aryana is coached by fencing greats Simon
July, Aryana placed 13 out of 65 in Y10 Women's Foil, 31st out of 103 in Y12 Women's Foil and 35 out of 158 in Y14 Women's Foil. In her most recent local tournament, she won 1st place in the Y12 age group and 3rd place in the
Coins for Japan FAIS students raised a total of $826.28 for Mercy Corps through a coin drive that they organized to benefit survivors of Japan's recent natural disasters. The drive was initiated by Gilkey International Middle School Student Council. Fifth grade students collected more than half of the total amount raised!
Y14 age group. She is looking forward to competing in her first international competition next spring in Montreal, Canada. Aryana loves fencing because it is competitive and fun, but also because it gives her the opportunity to use her French language skills. All of her instructors are from France, and often give her fencing lessons in French. Currently, Aryana helps Christophe Du Clos teach the fencing PM Class on Fridays at FAIS.
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OrGaniSMS are COnneCTeD in naTUre | BY LAURENCE LE MERCIER |
S
haring the planet
This was the very ambitious central idea for our first graders’ PYP unit on “sharing the planet” for the year 2010-11. What was going to be a five- to seven-week inquiry into the world of organisms turned out to be an ongoing endeavor, an amazing transdisciplinary project that involved our school community and the community at large.
exploring wildwood and Our School’s Forest It began in September 2010, when 46 first graders explored the Wildwood Recreation Site at the foot of Mt. Hood with Dale Baer of Wolftree, a local nonprofit dedicated to guiding young people in outdoor scientific studies. They made observations, gathered information, and most of all came back with a better sense of respect for nature in their immediate environment. A month later they had another field day, this time in the FAIS Forest, where they spent an entire day gathering even more evidence of all the organisms present in nature.
Pollination and the Mason Bees Project In October 2010, Dale Baer returned to 1st grade classrooms to discuss the impact of human beings on nature. We embarked on a mason bee adventure, attempting to bring a positive impact on our immediate surroundings. Students were excited about cleaning mason bee cocoons to remove potential mites. They helped put the cocoons in boxes that would be kept in the School’s refrigerator until springtime. They did not quite yet understand how the bees were important to the pollination of flowers or how they would help make our school’s garden produce even more abundant crops, but they knew it was important to have more bees on campus.
Our PyP Unit in action In February 2011, we began to reflect and inquire about our central idea: Organisms are interconnected in nature. Students learned about good connections (symbiotic) between organisms and bad connections (parasitic). With their science teachers, they learned to observe evidence of human impact on nature, and they talked a lot about erosion. In the weeks that followed their exploration of the campus’s erosion spots, they became much more aware and respectful of the School’s grounds, thus demonstrating the PYP cycle of reflecting, choosing, and acting. Action is exactly what we expect from students at the end of any inquiry, and for this unit, we wanted to help them find ways to act. This is when the next chapter of this project came to life.
audubon Society Backyard Certification Program
TOP RigHT: FaiS alumnae Halle Williams and allison Cohen (’10) helped plant native species at a Forest Restoration Work Party last spring. aBOve: even our youngest students lend a helping hand.
The Audubon Society of Portland’s Backyard Habitat Certification Program provides assistance in restoring native wildlife habitats. Upon learning about this program, I immediately contacted them to see if they would certify the nine-acre forest that makes up the FAIS backyard. Ariana Scipioni and Robin Jensen answered the call and came to tour our property. This is when the small action project 1st grade teachers had envisioned snowballed into this huge but amazing action for our forest. Audubon would help us achieve our goal for a better forest, but the work at hand was going to require a lot more involvement than just the 1st graders, who soon learned that the blackberries they had been enjoying every September on campus were invasive to our forest, and so was the English ivy and the Geranium robertianum. Those were three of the invasive plants we had to remove. To make it more manageable, Audubon asked us to begin the work on a 20 x 50 square-foot area. First graders wrote a letter to the middle school students at Gilkey to ask for their support in measuring the area.
05
. . . the work at hand was going to require a lot more involvement than just the 1st graders, who soon learned that the blackberries they had been enjoying every September on campus were invasive to our forest...
Their answer was positive, and soon we had orange flags indicating where the work could begin. Now it was time to ask for help from others: 1st graders worked hard on posters and presentations and made their way to 2nd through 5th grade classrooms, inviting all students to come and help remove the invasive plants.
action and Community reaction: west Multnomah Soil & water Conservation District The 1st graders’ efforts paid off. Thirty adults and students worked for two hours to remove the invasive species on a Saturday in early April. After two hours of hard work, a huge pile of debris could attest to all that was accomplished; however, there was no doubt that there was much more work to be done. That is when middle school students, led by Beth Clifton, offered to give their community service hours to the project on a rainy April morning. They got a lot done despite the weather, and 1st graders even joined them for an hour. In the meantime, Adriana Scipioni from Audubon suggested that I contact Mary Logalbo from West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District (WMSWCD). Mary Logablo and Michele Delepine came to our campus and drafted a conservation plan for our forest. Mary suggested that we apply for a smaller grant for schools’ conservation efforts, which we did. I had hoped for mulch and maybe some tools, so when the proposal came it was an amazing surprise that Mary had included not only mulch but also 550 native plants and some hours of labor. This motivated the students for our second action day in the forest. They made and distributed flyers and also displayed a huge sign at drop-off and pick up asking people to come. Again, their efforts were successful. The next two workdays saw an increase in community-wide participation; volunteers planted 250 of the donated plants and removed a huge number of invasive species from the FAIS Forest. What about the 300 plants left? Mary Logalbo was the hero of the day again: she used the leftover money from the budget we were allotted to hire a nonprofit organization called Verde. In three hours they had cleared even more invasive plants and planted the remaining 300 plants.
and the Bees? We waited for warmer spring weather to release the bees, which seemed to take forever to come. When we thought it was time, we took the boxes out of the fridge and taped them to cedar boxes filled with hollow tubes. Then we waited. The next days we had freezing temperatures and we worried it had been too cold for the bees. Then one day, as we sat patiently under the boxes, the students were excited to see a bee enter one tube, then another one, and another. It had worked! We had bees. Thanks to the parents who brought flowers already in bloom, we also had food for them.
2012 WORk PaRTieS
March 3, 10 aM March 10, 2 PM March 17, 10 aM april 7, 2 PM
what is next? The day after school was out for summer, Sutton, a student in my class, came back to school because he had forgotten a jacket. However, instead of running back to the car with his jacket, he asked me for a bucket so that he could remove more Geranium robertianum in the forest. He came back beaming with a bucket full of them, and was proud to say that he got the ones that were blooming—he knew they were the most susceptible to reproduce and understood that our work did not end with the summer break. He got it. It’s a work in progress. This school year we hope to involve even more community members in this great endeavor. Five action days have already been completed this fall, including a Gilkey Community Service Day, and more are scheduled for the spring. I want to thank so many people for their help or involvement throughout this endeavor: my three first grade colleagues Erin, Nadia, and Catherine; Beth Clifton for her work with Gilkey students; Meri Kemp and Amy Colville for their support and work in the garden area; Victor Tumanoff for our new composting center; Mike Solly for allowing me to dump huge piles of debris on the grounds he maintains; and Jeff Poirier for looking into making a sign that will allow people to know what needs to be done in the yard and the forest. A thank you too to Ariana Scipioni and Robin Jensen, who were instrumental in getting the ball rolling, and the biggest thank you of all to Mary Logalbo—I am very grateful for the huge support WMSWCD gave us and I know that Mary worked a great number of hours to make things happen for us. I am thrilled to be working with all of you, and to continue our inquiry into organisms and their connections in nature with a new group of 1st graders this school year. It has been a great experience. The students are active inquirers and communicators; they share their knowledge with others and they repeatedly motivate an entire community to take action.
Laurence Le Mercier has brought her talents and enthusiasm to the FaiS community for more than 25 years, as a teacher, as Lower School Division Head, and most recently as a parent. Her efforts toward restoration of the FaiS Forest continue this school year, with four community-wide work parties already completed and a new group of first graders eager to put their ideas into action.
06
aBOUT OUr STUDenTS anD STaFF
art and Writing
Middle School Students receive Scholastic art awards
Last spring, five Gilkey students received prestigious Scholastic Art and Writing Awards in the categories of drawing, painting, and photography. At the regional level, three 8th graders received Honorable Mentions: Natalie Berger, for her pastel and pencil drawing “A Walk in the Park,” Arjun Mouli, for his photograph “Jump,” and Camille Bales, for her painting “Chickens.” Annalise Helm, also in 8th grade last school year, received a higher distinction her photograph “Blue Sky Eye,” which won a Silver Key. Thomas Pinkava, 7th grade in 2010-11, was awarded a Gold Key for his drawing “The Ackencrak.” This earned him a spot in the national contest, where he received a Gold Medal, the highest designation. As a 7th grader, Thomas was one of the youngest Gold Medal recipients. Only twelve students from Oregon won national Gold Medals, and Thomas was one of only two middle schoolers in the state whose work was selected. The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards are organized by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, a national nonprofit organization that identifies students with exceptional artistic and literary talent in grades seven through twelve. Works are reviewed by professionals in the visual and literary arts for originality, technical skill, and emergence of a personal vision or voice.
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Staff Transitions
CLOCkWiSe FROM LeFT: “The ackenkrak” by Thomas Pinkava, gold Medal; “Blue Sky eye” by annalise Helm, Silver key; “Jump” by arjun Mouli, Honorable Mention; “Chickens” by Camille Bales, Honorable Mention; “a Walk in the Park” by Natalie Berger, Honorable Mention.
Vincent Brès is the French American Lower School’s new division head, following Michel Deschodt, who is pursuing new adventures in France. Vincent previously served as Head of School at Ecole Française de Santa Cruz in Bolivia, where he recently received international recognition for his excellent work in developing an environmentally-focused middle school. Vincent holds a master’s degree, is certified as an elementary school director, and is also qualified to teach both Spanish and English as a second language. He is joined by his wife and two young children, one of whom is attending FAIS as a new kindergarten student this year. New additions to FAIS’ teaching staff include Florence Bezault, 2nd grade; Stéphanie Martin, 1st grade; Jennifer Reineck, 3rd grade; husband and wife pair Gilles Rolland and Anne Simon, 3rd and 4th grade; and Katia Lane, who teaches French and social studies at the Middle School. These new teachers fill vacancies left by some much-beloved members of the FAIS faculty. Monique Wilde has retired after 12 years of teaching French and social studies at the Middle School. Gilles and Nadia Faure, who also taught at the FAIS for 12 years, now work at a French immersion school in Boston. After three years in the U.S. and at the French American Lower School, newlywed Sébastien Durandeu moved to his wife’s residence of Lincoln City, Oregon. Also leaving FAIS at the end of the fall 2011 semester is longtime PM Class Teacher Barb Arzt, who taught dance classes to young children at FAIS for 25 years. FAIS wishes all of our departing staff New Lower School Division Head vincent members well in their future endeavors!
French artist-in-residence inspires Students Dominique Falda is a well-known French author and illustrator of children’s books, including the popular Zoé series. He first visited the FAIS campus in 2007 for a two-week period in which he led students on a creative project inspired by the forest. In spring 2011, Dominique joined the FAIS teaching staff as Artist-in-Residence and he continues this role throughout the 201112 school year. Dominique Falda works with Lower School classes primarily on projects that correspond with PYP (Primary Years Programme) units of inquiry, teaching students to use the creation of art as a means of exploration and discovery. For example, when kindergartners worked with the concept that “people have emotions they learn to express differently as they grow," Dominique helped the students to express their emotions through drawings. When working with 3rd and 4th grade classes as they studied the way civilizations evolve and communicate, he developed his own unit of inquiry, “Tools are an extension of the hand.” Using this idea, he asked, “What if we were prehistoric people and we wanted to express ourselves in an artistic way?” The students came up with different materials to use for pigments and tools. They made paint out of soil, clay, berries, leaves, and flowers found in the FAIS Forest. They made brushes out of grass, branches, moss, and similar materials. Learning that some ancient cultures used similar tools to communicate in lieu of a written language, students correlated this method of transmitting information with our modern writing system. French American Lower School students are fortunate to be part of a fun and interactive art program that also enhances their understanding of the other subjects. TOP: artist-in-Residence Dominique Falda BOTTOM: "Prehistoric" painting and brushes created by 3rd and 4th graders
Brès with his family
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2010-2011 annUaL GivinG
G
uided by the determined leadership and outreach of the FaiS Board of Trustees, Annual Fund Co-Chairs Bob warmkessel and Lea Trefsgar, and Annual Gala Co-Chairs Jenn Hrabal and Jenn Sanow, FAIS secured its fundraising goals for the 2010-2011 school year. The combined philanthropy of our families, friends, grandparents and corporate community members boosted the Annual Fund beyond its goal of $190,000, brought record number of attendees to the Annual Gala, and surpassed financial projections for the Special Appeal. In its thirty-third year, the school that was once known as the “Little School on the Hill” extends heartfelt gratitude to our generous community who continue to support the School, the teachers, and the exceptional opportunities provided in an FAIS education. ¡Gracias! Merci beaucoup! Danke schön! Xie xie! Thank you!
ccle plati ($2,000
Anonymous (2) Sarah Inskeep Ken Rhodes & Nancy Baker Alexander Nicoloff & Lesley Otto John & Laura Hunter Eric & Julie Leuvrey Tyler Silver & Joel Schudde Doug & Diane Haughton Ryan & Jennifer Huffstetler Mark & Roxanne Boschert Paul & Jean Rose John & Renée Orlando Howard & Amanda Byrd Marc Le Gras & Carmen Armenti David & Natalie Grunkemeier David & Jan Singer Ross Hagglund & Wendy Wilhelm Craig Eastman & Terri Gotcher Jonathan & Meri Kemp Jan & Kay Pinkava Jason & Laura Beane Harold Kim & Nancy Lin
and more)
Robert Warmkessel & Lea Trefsgar Jash Banik & Bibiche Geuskens Ashok Modha & Stephanie Fernandes Michael & Maryellen McCulloch Dayna Lyons Michael Becker & Susan Hay Scott & Carey Portzline Steve & Nancy Renwick David Cohen & Lee Anna Jones Trevor & Carolyn Edwards Chuck & Mary Kilo Pierre & Sarena Regazzoni Christine Hauptmann Arun Kuchela & Hanny Tan Timothy Liem & Sandra Antonovic James Armstrong & Susan Bates Philip & Tracey Hodgson Tom & Terri Danowski Joseph & Jill Meyer Bob & Pam Dreisin David & Elena O'Donnell
a 2nd grade student works on her poetry notebook. _____________________________________________________________________ We gratefully acknowledge all donors who contributed to the French American International School from July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011. Contributors whose gifts were received after June 30, 2011 will be acknowledged in next year's Annual Report. Every effort has been made to ensure that this report is accurate and complete. We apologize if we have omitted or misspelled your name. Please report any omissions and/or corrections to the Development Department at 503/292-7776 x330.
endowment Donors
_____________________________________________________________________ Sarah Inskeep Michael Becker & Susan Hay
annual Fund Donors
_____________________________________________________________________ Anonymous (7) Yianni Doulis & Jessica Helgerson Cleveland Abbe & Trish Brown Tom & Nancy Doulis Keyvan & Vicki Abtin Philippe & Anne Durand Boris Agapiev & Vasja Jordanova Carl & Kirby Dyess Roger & Barbara Alberty Craig Eastman & Terri Gotcher Manuel & Dana Amunategui Trevor & Carolyn Edwards Jay & Gail Andersen Mike Edwards & Maria Kozo James Armstrong & Susan Bates John & Gabrielle Esbeck Sandra Avery Andrew & Debbie Fahey Harold & Dorothy Baker Richard & Glenda Fendley Howard & Nancy Bales Tim & Nancy Findlay Jash Banik & Bibiche Geuskens Claudine Fisher Ron Barbosa & Susan Rowell Ed Frank & Eustacia Su Kerry & Mia Barnett Julie Frederick Pierre-Laurent Baudey Dan Friedman & Amy Duryea & Serena Zilliacus Zan & Lexi Galton Jason & Laura Beane David & Ursula Garcia Steven Bennett & Tamara Franks James & Lynda Gardner Mark & Karen Bernhard Richard & Juliana Gellman Selim & Sidal Bilgin Jean-François Genay John Bissonnette & Virginia Smith Dominique & Stephanie Geulin Robert Bonnah Lynn & Ron Gotcher Joachim & Katrin Book Scott Grady & Kursteen Price David & Anya Borst Will & Denise Grant Mark & Roxanne Boschert Frank & Teri Grimmer David Brown & Andrea Corradini David & Natalie Grunkemeier George Brown & Barbara Young John Gutbezahl & Lynn Gutbezahl Stuart Bruder & Laura Kraus-Bruder Ross Hagglund & Wendy Wilhelm Eric & Lisanne Butterfield Jeff Hansen & Joan Hartzell Howard & Amanda Byrd Chip & Molly Harris Joseph & Bonnie Castro Tom & Liz Hartge David & Theresa Cavano Doug & Diane Haughton Seth & Nicole Chamberlin Christine Hauptmann Elizabeth Chapin Tom & Bonnie Herman Tod & Heather Chapman Alex Herzberg & Jeanne-Marie Guise Lawrence Chu & Krystal Li Sébastien & Swati Hily Joseph Cihula & Annie Leong David & Carrie Hobson Scott Clendenning & Eun Jung Cha Philip & Tracey Hodgson Don Cohee Dennis Hollingshead & Joan Hutchinson David Cohen & Lee Anna Jones Dave & Jenn Hrabal Michael & Ayreann Colombo Scott & Kami Huck Brian & Amy Colville Ryan & Jennifer Huffstetler Erik & Maggie Conser John & Laura Hunter Erik Cota-Robles Jack Hwang & Susan Yeh Tom & Terri Danowski Thomas & Claudia Irrgang Guillaume de Bergh & Amy Silliman Robert Jacques & Laya Anoushiravani Jim Denman & Tamara Still Christopher & Aysegul Jezewski Gavin DeNyse Jonathan & Meri Kemp & Bernetta Avery-DeNyse, MD Souriya & Sophin Khamvongsa Kevin & Marie Devlin Luis Kida & Harumi Yabuta Prasad Divekar & Anjani Kulkarni Louis & Lurice Kilo
Arthur & Lori Prichard Stephan & Joni Prô Kevin Putnam & Delia Grenville Michael & Michelle Reed Pierre & Sarena Regazzoni Pat & Randi Reiten Steve & Nancy Renwick Pam Resnick Ken Rhodes & Nancy Baker Udo & Karen Rieder David Rix & Diane Peters Olivier & Laura Rochelois Craig Roethler & Heidi Harvey Dan Root & Julie Kim Will & Sherry Rosenfeld Sidney & Diane Rosenheim Nathan & Jenn Sanow Carlos & Julia Sathler Uday Savagaonkar & Dhanashri Kelkar Ted & Clarissa Schuh Charles & Becky Schulz Steve & Lisa Seung Tom & Megan Shipley Tyler Silver & Joel Schudde David & Jan Singer Dan & Mimi Skerritt Richard Sohn & Alexandra Lee Susan Sotka Matt & Laura St. John Mary Lou & Robert Stanley Diana Stepleton John & Karen Stewart Gil & Larissa Stoffels Gary Sultany & Pamela Geller Robert & Donna Swan Robby Swinnen & Danielle Galbraith Arnault Tanguy & Carole Le Pihive Bob & Keli Thompson Pierre & Gisela Tillier Fabian & Abby Tillier Victor & Evelyne Tumanoff Craig & Lisa Turner Roland Valentini Prashanth Vallabhanath & Evelyn Curioso Cristian & Marga Vallejos Rod & Ann Van Allen Johan van de Groenendaal & Lillian Sun Remco & Andrea Vloon Robert Warmkessel & Lea Trefsgar John Webb Todd Weber Dave & Kerri Westcott Amy Wharton & Melinda Moeur Tim & Danielle Wheeler Edward & Katrina Wheeler Jeff & Patty Whittington Charles & Tammy Wilhoite Geoff & Claudine Wilson Timothy & Alexandra Wolfe Scott & Martha Wright Mike & Barbara Wyman Satyen & Vijay Yadav J. Alan Yeakley & Patricia Parola Joshua & Laura Young David & Marie Young Peter & Tracie Zenti Maik Ziegler & Claudia Rademacher-Ziegler
TOP: Dissecting a chicken wing in 4th grade science; BOTTOM: Learning about the violin with FaiS alumna emma Simmons
Faculty & Staff Donors _______________________________ Anonymous Penelope Babst Michael Becker & Susan Hay Peter & Patricia Blood Craig & Emmanuelle Burk John Bravard & Virginie Calmé Angélique Cansse Dave & Beth Clifton Stéphane & Catherine Cohen Sebastian & Nathalie Debrun-Sittler Michel Deschodt Bob & Pam Dreisin Gary & Julie Duffield Sébastien and Julia Durandeu Rick & Robin Faltersack Gilles & Nadia Faure Larry & Maryvonne Ferar Brian & Kathy Fleener Sylvie Gbeteh Steven & Nathalie Gerts Keith & Cristiana Gilman Rick Kienle & Molly Hamill Stephan & Sylvie Jourdan Martin & Cynthia Kagan Louise Kausche Nadia Khazem Paul & Emily Kincaid Michael Oehl & Laurence Le Mercier Denise LeBlond Tom & Anne-Marie Luckett Guy Martelet
Minda McCandless Javid Mohtasham & Arezu Movahed David Olson & Francisca Wolters Enoch & Diana Platas Erin Sears Mylen & Roz Shenker Mary Sinmany Eric & Tammy Stotik Béatrice Szymkowiak & Nicole Taylor Bryan & Heidi Thistle Jim & Tien Whyte Monique Wilde Yibing Shu & Yanzhuo Zhou
Matching Gift Donors _______________________________ Davidson Companies Gap Foundation Global Giving (Nike) IBM Corporation Intel Foundation Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest Legacy Health System Merrill Lynch & Co Foundation Microsoft Matching Gifts Program Pacific Power Piper Jaffray Foundation Regence Employee Giving Campaign Synopsis Employee Philanthropic Programs Tektronix Foundation
谢谢 thank you merci danke gracias 谢谢您 thank
Chuck & Mary Kilo Harold Kim & Nancy Lin Shane & June Kim Stephen & Jennifer King Dan & Jenny Kingsbury John Kitzhaber John Knox & Suzanne Lassen Gerrit Koepping & Elisabeth Zeller Kambiz & Monique Komeyli Eric & Laurel Koppelman Zachariah Kramer & Julie Falk Arun Kuchela & Hanny Tan Ben Lackey & Sheryl Odems Sharon LaCroix Steven Larson & Nancy Wells Marc Le Gras & Carmen Armenti Wai Lee & Ann Nguyen Vo Jeff & Heidi Legge Chuck & Janice Legge Bryan & Paula Locker Stefan & Christiane Long Randy & Teri Lund Judy W. Lyons Dayna Lyons Mark & Kim Majors Jean-Claude & Sarah Marin Toby & Leah Martin Chris Martinez & Kevan Anderson Laura L. Matin Michael & Anne Mauro Brent & Maureen Mays Michael & Maryellen McCulloch Steve & Lisa McLain Patrick & Hayley Mecheski James & Dorothy Mellett Steve Mentzer & Cassandra Leach Joseph & Jill Meyer Peter Michaelson & Sidney Perry Brian Miller Suzanne Miller II Kelly Miller & Polly Bisquera Thomas Miller & Nichola Zaklan Ioan Mitrea Ashok Modha & Stephanie Fernandes Michael & Heather Moore Chandra & Indu Mouli Todd & Jessica Munn Jerry & Brenda Murphy Russell & Betsy Natter Edward & Rene Nelson Gilles Neuray & Hannah Jones Farr Nezhat John & Patti Ng Alexander Nicoloff & Lesley Otto David & Elena O'Donnell Tim O'Hearn John Ochwat & Carmen Kendall George & Elise Orban John & Renée Orlando Manuel & Christina Otero Jimmy & Margaret Overstreet Andrew & Jenny Paget Barry & Gina Parshall Brian & Lynne Pauleen Tanja Pejovic Matt & Lisa Phillips Jan & Kay Pinkava Brad & Sandy Popick Scott & Carey Portzline Nigel Powell & June Fernandez
10
Fundraising Other 2% 6%
2011 Special appeal: wiFi _______________________________ Ryan & Jennifer Huffstetler Doug & Diane Haughton Ken Rhodes & Nancy Baker Paul & Jean Rose Howard & Amanda Byrd John & Laura Hunter John & Renée Orlando Mark & Roxanne Boschert Jash Banik & Bibiche Geuskens Matt & Laura St. John Jay & Gail Andersen Terry Beard & Pascale Theurier David Cohen & Lee Anna Jones Bob & Pam Dreisin Geoff Gullo & Natacha Yonezuka-Gullo Philip & Tracey Hodgson Jonathan & Meri Kemp Shane & June Kim Timothy Liem & Sandra Antonovic Randy & Teri Lund Dayna Lyons Alisdair Maden & Heidi Lowell Kim & Susan Marcus Keyvan & Vicki Abtin David & Natalie Grunkemeier Sébastien & Swati Hily Harold Kim & Nancy Lin Marc Le Gras & Carmen Armenti Toby & Leah Martin Ashok Modha & Stephanie Fernandes Javid Mohtasham & Arezu Movahed Jan & Kay Pinkava Jill Whittaker Dan Friedman & Amy Duryea Dennis Hollingshead & Joan Hutchinson Jean-Claude & Sarah Marin Michael & Anne Mauro Michael & Maryellen McCulloch Alexander Nicoloff & Lesley Otto Pat & Randi Reiten Kevin & Melinda Sahli Bob & Keli Thompson Jeff & Patty Whittington Scott & Martha Wright Gerrit Koepping & Elisabeth Zeller Johan van de Groenendaal & Lillian Sun Matt & Lisa Phillips Dave & Beth Clifton Trevor & Carolyn Edwards Mike Edwards & Maria Kozo Paul & Bay Guastadisegni Darren & Michele Hamilton Corey Morris & David Rexford Scott & Carey Portzline David & Ursula Garcia Howard & Nancy Bales Ron Barbosa & Susan Rowell Kerry & Mia Barnett Nicolas & Constance Barthes Jason & Laura Beane Peter & Patricia Blood Rubin & Priti Chandran Jim Denman & Tamara Still Michel Deschodt Craig Eastman & Terri Gotcher Brian & Kathy Fleener James & Lynda Gardner Richard & Juliana Gellman Jeff Hansen & Joan Hartzell Dave & Jenn Hrabal David & Leslie Johnson Souriya & Sophin Khamvongsa
FaiS FinanCiaL Overview 2010-2011
O P e r aT i n G i n C O M e
2010-2011 annUaL GivinG
Stephen & Jennifer King Dan & Jenny Kingsbury Arun Kuchela & Hanny Tan Fred & Krista Labavitch Ben Lackey & Sheryl Odems Erin Leake & Ron Castner Wai Lee & Ann Nguyen Vo Jennifer Loehning Toby & Leah Martin Chris Martinez & Kevan Anderson John Mayer & Tiffany Souza Kelly Miller & Polly Bisquera Mehdi & Farah Mirtorabi Albert & Yvonne Myette Oliver & Natalia Poida Rupert & Paula Prince Dan Root & Julie Kim Colleen Sandieson Nathan & Jenn Sanow Dan & Mimi Skerritt Richard Sohn & Alexandra Lee Tammy & Eric Stotik Prashanth Vallabhanath & Evelyn Curioso Eric Warshaw & Stephen Knox Amy Wharton & Melinda Moeur Tim & Danielle Wheeler Edward & Katrina Wheeler Charles & Tammy Wilhoite Timothy & Alexandra Wolfe
Holiday Market Donors
Tuition and Fees 92%
O P e r aT i n G e X P e n S e S Debt Financial Service assistance 6% 2%
Compensation 77%
Non-Compensation 15%
OPeraTinG inCOMe
Tuition and Fees Fundraising Income Other Income Total Income
$ 6,920,904 $ 477,020 $ 152,187 $ 7,550,111
OPeraTinG eXPenSeS
Compensation Non-Compensation Expenses Student Financial Assistance Debt Service Total Expenses
_______________________________
SUMMary OF FUnDraiSinG anD GiFTS
Alliance Française Jennifer Butler-Brown Gerardo Calderón Barbara & Ron Cameron Savannah Corradini Laurent & Carolyn Delélée Sylvie E. Gbeteh Kori Giudici Len Golab Jastrid Gulbrandson Maureen Hotchkiss Sue Inahara Melinda Jacobson Anna Kilo Gabi Kirkemo Nancy Klos Lamb's at Stroheckers Laurence & Hélène Lawless Anna Liem Kate Liu Quimby Lombardozzi JoAnn Lupton Kristen Weber Irene Meredith Mireille Nett Jean-Claude & Maarja Paris Kelly Peterson Lauren Phillips Scott Pope & Seema Kathuria Peri Prestopino Amy Prince Genna Robertson-Hall Larry Shapiro Katherine Shea Geralyn Simpson Yvette Stoffels Rabun Thompson Jimmy Willis Pirrie Wright Martha Wullschlager
Annual Fund Campaign Annual Gala Other Fundraising Gala Special Appeal Total Fundraising Income
$ 5,230,861 $ 1,043,162 $ 197,249 $ 436,562 $ 6,907,834 $ $ $ $ $
199,550 185,223 26,747 65,500 477,020
$ $ $ $
82,309 8,464 51,280 142,053
FaiS enDOwMenT
FAIS General Fund JF Genay Financial Aid Fund Patricia C. Inskeep Library Fund Total Endowment Unaudited numbers
HOw we COMPare National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) 2010-2011 Statistics INDICATORS PROFILE ALL NAIS DAY SCHOOLS FAIS _______________________________________________________________ Average Enrollment 499 472 _______________________________________________________________ Percentage Students on Financial aid 21 15 _______________________________________________________________ Average Financial Aid Grant $10,054 $3,175 _______________________________________________________________ Average Tuition Grades 1 - 3 $16,925 $13,770 _______________________________________________________________ Average Tuition Grades 5 - 8 $18,739 $14,820 _______________________________________________________________ Average Endowment per Student $10,704 $298 _______________________________________________________________ Average Annual Giving per Student $1,115 $422 _______________________________________________________________ Percentage Parent Participation Annual Giving 67 64 _______________________________________________________________ Percentage Trustee Participation Annual Giving 100 94 _______________________________________________________________ Average Square Footage per Student 225 132 _______________________________________________________________ Total Expenses per Student $18,968 $13,186 _______________________________________________________________
What is an Endowment?
Protects against enrollment fluctuations
Decreases pressure to increase tuition
ike a mature shade tree, a healthy endowment is a permanent fund that provides many protections
Diversifies revenue portfolio
and benefits for a school’s financial stability and versatility.
Helps address current/future spending needs
Its direct and indirect benefits are long lasting and of great use for years to come. An endowment is comprised of many
Facilitates long-range planning
individual funds, some restricted for
Helps balance the budget
specific use, and others unrestricted, utilized in a manner the school chooses.
A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.
Funds long-term initiatives
— gReek PROveRB
FAIS General Fund Established in 1993 established at the request of FaiS parent Sid Rosenheim, and funded by 1993-1994 Board of Trustees, FaiS parents and friends in an effort to seed the school’s initial endowment efforts.
JF Genay Fund for Financial Aid Established 2009 established by the Board of Trustees in recognition of the eleven years Jean-François genay served our school as Headmaster, and to perpetuate his belief that an FaiS education should be made available to a broad spectrum of children.
Patricia C. Inskeep Library Fund Established 2009 established by Sarah inskeep to support the library program.
FAIS’ Endowment Fund is currently secured with three separate funds, but will grow to support many more, providing FAIS with an enduring source of financial security for many generations. Strengthen your legacy by making a gift to the FAIS Endowment. Contact Patricia Blood, Director of Development, tblood@faispdx.org.
■ Illustration: Tree of Life, c.1909 by Gustav Klimt
PARENTS
speak 59%
(207/350 FAIS families) responded to this year’s FaiS Biennial School effectiveness Survey.* Here’s what we learned:
91% of respondents were very satisfied with overall quality of education at FaiS
95% of respondents say the school meets or exceeds expectations
evenTS aT FaiS
La Fête du vin
Wine & Rhythm A lively crowd of over 200 guests enjoyed wines from A to Z, Adelsheim, Bergström, Cameron, Domaine Drouhin and Scott Paul at FAIS’ annual wine celebration, la Fête du Vin, co-chaired by Mary Sauvé and Megan Shipley. Current and former parents, former trustees, and friends of FAIS were treated to gourmet hors d’oeuvres provided by Enchanted Table Catering, Meriwether’s and ¡Oba! while listening to the rhythms of Portland’s own Toque Libre. Family wineries generously donated 30-50 percent of wine sales to support FAIS programs.
95% of them would recommend FaiS to a friend
Most important attributes include: Strong academic program High quality teachers who help students reach their potential Small class sizes Language offerings and learning in a 2nd language international mindedness
“Nine years –nine great teachers.” “A+ overall . . .” “. . . the level of commitment and educational enrichment available is amazing . . .“
*
Over the past 17 years, several FaiS parent volunteers including Betsy Natter, Diana Stepleton, and Sarah Marin have played an integral role in designing, programming, hosting, data processing and graphics of the FaiS Biennial Parent Survey. Our sincere appreciation to them and Zanthus Corporation for their dedication in helping FaiS research and receive organized feedback from our community!
Holiday Market The 2010 Holiday Market brought over 1,300 visitors to the FAIS campus to shop for crafts, gifts, jewelry, clothing, chocolates, gourmet foods, wines and more. Fifty-five vendors, as well as local and student entertainment kept the mood festive and energetic! Merci beaucoup to our Holiday Market Co-Chairs Mary Sauvé, Martha Wright, and Claudia Renz for their successful organization and promotion of this event!
23rd annual Gala
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Gala 2011 was a sold out soirée with 350 guests at Montgomery Park on April 2, 2011. Co-Chairs Jenn Hrabal and Jenn Sanow spearheaded this year’s event that raised approximately $175,000 to support the School’s annual operating budget and an additional $72,000 in the Special Appeal to bring wireless infrastructure and technologies to the campus.
2010-2011 volunteer Leaders Annual Fund
Bob Warmkessel & Lea Trefsgar Annual Fund Grandparents’ Campaign
Christy Newell Annual Gala
Jenn Hrabal & Jenn Sanow Board of Trustees
kevan anderson Ursula garcia Diane Haughton alex Herzberg Laura Hunter Jeff Legge Lena Lencek John Liu Dayna Lyons Renee Orlando ken Rhodes, Chair Diana Stepleton Tamara Still Donna Swan elisabeth Zeller
Thank you to our major sponsor of the 23rd Annual Gala
Class Baskets
Ursula garcia Class Projects
Carey Portzline Community Gardens
amy Colville Gala Special Appeal
Laura St. John
FAIS BO A R D
OF
T RU ST EES
Grandparents & Special Friends’ Day
Dayna Lyons Grounds Improvement
Jeff Poirier Holiday Market
Mary Sauvé La Fête du Vin
Mary Sauvé & Megan Shipley
Grandparents and Special Friends’ Day
Lost and Found
kerri Westcott New Family Mentoring
Priti Chandran & Jennifer Huffstetler Parent Liaison Committee
FAIS’ 13th Annual Grandparents and Special Friends’ Day welcomed 170 guests to campus for a special peek into the classroom. Event Chair and Trustee Dayna Lyons kicked off the morning with a warm welcome and introduced performances by the 3rd and 4th grade choir. After classroom visits, friends were treated to a lovely brunch of quiches and fresh fruit in the Administrative Building. Many thanks to St. Honoré and Enchanted Table Catering for their generous donations of quiches and chouquettes for this event.
Lisa Phillips Run for the Arts
June Fernandez & Joan Hartzell School Survey
Sarah Marin Scrip Program
Seth & Nicole Chamberlin Staff Appreciation Events
Christine Wen Wellness Committee
Meri kemp Yearbook
Nancy Renwick
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aLUMni UPDaTeS
ALUMNI
voices
FAIS alumni are remarkably accomplished – we’re adding a new piece to the FAIS Magazine, featuring profiles of our alumni in each issue. We hope you’ll live vicariously through their tales and experiences, and appreciate the abundant opportunities provided by an early FAIS education.
The interest in other cultures and becoming a “global citizen” fostered by FAIS led me to take a leap of faith...
Keaton Van Beveren Age: 23 | Attended FAIS: January 1990 - June 2002 High School: Jesuit High School College: University of Notre Dame College Major/Minor: Bachelor of art in english (currently pursuing a Master in education at Notre Dame) Current Occupation: High School French and english teacher Employer: Bishop Dunne High School (Dallas, TX) Did your FaiS education have an influence on your career choice? if so, how? Absolutely! Education has always been a priority in our house, starting with my parents’ choice to enroll us at the French American School. As a result I fell in love with school and learning, and have been working with kids ever since. I also stumbled into a French teaching position, which is fantastic! I’m so excited to open young minds to the whole big world that awaits those who seek it out! How did your FaiS education prepare you for higher education and beyond? FAIS certainly prepared me for higher education and beyond in many ways. First, my language abilities gave me a lot of confidence entering into a new high school; I felt as though I could handle myself in the academic world coming in with an advanced knowledge of French. This translated into a high school career in which I found the confidence to try my hand in advanced classes and to join several clubs and sports teams that helped me find my place in high school. In college, my experience with other cultures encouraged me to travel a bit, including a brief trip back to see my brother while he was studying at Sciences Po, and a five-month study abroad trip to Fremantle, Australia where I was able to do a great deal more travel and make some wonderful friends. Of course, I cannot fail to mention how much FAIS influenced my post-graduate decision to spend a year abroad working at Open Arms Home for Children in South Africa. The interest in
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I think that learning about foreign cultures sparked an interest in exploring what the world has to offer...
other cultures and becoming a “global citizen” fostered by FAIS led me to take a leap of faith and spend one of the greatest years of my life working with a great bunch of children – an experience that I will always cherish and never, ever forget! I hope to someday return to South Africa, but I also hope to work/study abroad with other service organizations in the future. are there skills you learned while at FaiS that you have applied to your career? I definitely use my French every single day as a French teacher, but I also think that my experience with so many talented teachers at the French American School has given me so many goals for my students this year. (I’ll let you know how it goes!) How many languages do you speak? I speak fluent French, took Spanish for four years (in middle school and one year of high school), and then took one year of beginning Italian in college. (I also attempted to learn Xhosa while in South Africa, but I’m afraid I wasn’t terribly successful excluding a few key phrases to use with the kids.) Please share any other information you would like. If you'd like to read more about my experience in South Africa, you can view my blog at www.kvbsmeanderingblogspot.com, or view the children's home page at: www.openarmshome.com.
Reed Van Beveren Age: 25 | Attended FAIS: January 1989 - June 2001 High School: Jesuit High School College: georgetown University College Major/Minor: Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service, international Political economy/international Development Current Occupation: Paralegal / international affairs Specialist Employer: Criminal Division, Department of Justice Did your FaiS education have an influence on your career choice? if so, how? Yes, I credit FAIS with developing in me a very strong interest in international affairs, foreign cultures and traveling to new places. After I left FAIS, I continued to pursue these interests through activities like Model UN, internships, and study abroad with the goal of integrating them into my career as much as possible. In my current job, I work exclusively on international criminal cases and have used both my French and Arabic language abilities. I frequently work with colleagues abroad and have even done a bit of international travel. How did your FaiS education prepare you for higher education and beyond? In college, my degree program was strongly geared towards an international approach. I was required to take a foreign lan-
guage and pass a proficiency test before graduating. Thanks to FAIS, I already had a strong language background and I passed the proficiency at the end of my first year. This freed up time to spend on other subjects including another language: Arabic. Later on, I was able to spend a semester at Sciences Po in Paris taking classes exclusively in French and interning at the U.S. Embassy. I left college with the feeling that undergraduate degrees in international relations or similar fields tend to be pretty general but I also felt that two of the truly marketable skills I had were language ability and experience abroad. Both of these helped me to secure my current position and have allowed me to work on special assignments within my office. I also think that language immersion at an early age set me up well to learn other languages and in a more general sense, to be an independent learner since I was on my own when it came to French homework. are there skills you learned while at FaiS that you have applied to your career? French language is the most obvious skill that I have applied to my career. Beyond that I think that learning about foreign cultures sparked an interest in exploring what the world has to offer. This has helped to seize upon some pretty unique opportunities to study abroad in both Egypt and Paris, travel extensively, interact with other cultures and make a very diverse group of friends, all of which have prepared me well for a career in international relations. How many languages do you speak? Two (English and French). I also have some additional language ability in Spanish (five years beginning at Gilkey), Arabic (three years in college), and Japanese (one year for fun in high school). what do you envision for your future? Next year I plan to attend grad school with the long term goal of working on international public policy issues in the public, private or non-profit sector. Currently my primary areas of interest are rule of law and international environmental policy. Please share any other information you would like. One of the most memorable experiences of FAIS was my 5th grade trip to France. My correspondent and I became very good friends over the course of the two weeks. I went back the next year to visit him and his family and then they came to Oregon the following year. We have stayed in touch ever since and have crossed paths in France and New York since then. That experience has stuck with me and has done a lot to put me at ease in international environments.
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aLUMni UPDaTeS
Stephanie wynne Seay (FaS ’96) graduated from Rhodes College in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in art with an emphasis in art history. She then moved to New York City, where she first worked in public relations for the fashion industry, and then as a graphic artist for Polo Ralph Lauren for two years. She recently graduated from the French Culinary Institute and was married to Michael Seay in June. Stephanie and Michael currently reside in New York City but are busy traveling this year, everywhere from Italy to Bora Bora to Tanzania. Bianca Bosker (’97) lives in New York City where she is the Senior Tech Editor for the Huffington Post. A Princeton University graduate, Bianca’s work has appeared in publications including the Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Far Eastern Economic Review, and the Oregonian. She is the co-author of a book on the cultural history of bowling entitled Bowled Over: A Roll Down Memory Lane and is currently at work on her second book, which examines China's growing number of themed housing developments that recreate Western landscapes. Katlyn Carter (FaS ‘97) is starting her first year as a doctoral student of history at Princeton University this fall. After studying history at the University of California, Berkeley as an undergraduate, she decided that she wanted to pursue the study of European history at the graduate level with the aim of teaching college students in the future. She is planning to focus her research on the Enlightenment and French Revolution, looking particularly at print culture and the relationship between political thought and the development of the periodical press. Her interest in French history can be traced right back to the classroom at the French American International School and, of course, without the language skills she learned there, she would certainly not be able to pursue this exciting career path! She is looking forward to spending a great deal of time in Paris over the next few years, and putting her language skills to good use sifting through the archives. Hannah Kullberg (’02) graduated in geography from Vassar College, receiving distinction for her thesis on urban agriculture. She is following her passion for sustainable food systems as production manager for “The Better Bean Company,” a Kullberg family business. Kirstin Soldevilla (’02) graduated with honors from Lake Oswego High School, where she not only was a varsity athlete on the school soccer team, but also won two consecutive State Championships on the LOHS girls lacrosse team. She recently obtained her undergraduate diploma from the University of Denver's School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management (HRTM) in the spring of 2010 with a business degree (BSBA), a major in HRTM, a minor in management, and cum laude honors. In the past year Kirstin worked hard to open a restaurant, before moving to Spain for four months to learn Spanish in the Basque country. She currently works as a operations and logistics assistant for an international spinal instrumentation company, although she hopes to relocate to Chicago in order to pursue an MBA in the near future. Lucas Threefoot (’02) was promoted to Soloist at Oregon Ballet Theater. Max wendel (’02) is a senior at Oregon State University, majoring in food science. emily ritchie (’03) graduated from Occidental College and has begun a year of service with FoodCorps, a new nonprofit organization whose mission is to “give all youth an enduring relationship with healthy food.” Emily, who serves in Tillamook, Oregon, was among a handful of FoodCorps members featured in a recent column in the New York Times, where she was quoted saying, “I am excited, pumped, thrilled, to begin my year as a FoodCorps member. I expect this year will be immensely difficult, but I hope to personally grow in multiple ways this year, learning about myself, about my community, about children and their eating habits, and learning about things I can’t even imagine. Here goes!” Katie rosenheim (’03) graduated from Regis University with a BA in French.
Sarah Smilkstein (’03) graduated from Scripps College in spring 2011 with degrees in international relations and French. While there, she received the Padelford French Award, the Politics and International Relations Senior Thesis Award, was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and graduated summa cum laude. She also is the recipient of a Davis Projects for Peace Prize, which secured funding for her current project: development of a community education center in Bamako, Mali. Follow Sarah’s progress on her blog: niamakoro-education.blogspot.com. Francisco Soldevilla (’03) attended Lake Oswego High School where he graduated near the top of his class in 2010. He was a letterman in soccer, lacrosse, and skiing. He spent the past year living in San Sebastián, located in the Basque country in northern Spain, learning and perfecting his Spanish. He is now enrolled in undergraduate classes at the University of Denver where he is pursuing a double major in international business and Spanish. Jesse inisan (’04) is a senior at the University of Oregon, where he is maintaining a 3.4+ GPA and pursuing a double major in international relations and French. valerie Frank (‘05) is in her junior year at Stanford, majoring in biomedical engineering. This semester she's abroad in Paris, practicing her French! Brooke Kullberg (’05) is studying philosophy with minors in Spanish and business at the University of Oregon. Brooke helps her family’s business, “The Better Bean Company,” by promoting fresh black and red beans at Eugene area grocery stores between studying. erich Merrill (’05) is in his junior year at Oregon State University, where he is pursing a dual degree in electrical engineering and computer science. Hayley rea (’05) is a junior at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA. She is majoring in French and anthropology. In 2010, Hayley studied French language and culture in Martinique for the January term. During the 2010-11 school year, she was the resident assistant on the French wing of the international dorm at PLU. Hayley is spending the fall 2011 semester at Université Paris Diderot. Julia ritchie (’05) is a chemistry major at Scripps College, studying at St. Anne's College in Oxford for her junior year abroad. adelyn “addie” vigran (’05) is currently a junior at Oregon State University. She was at OSU last year and spent her freshman year at University of California, Irvine. She is majoring in political science and women’s studies and minoring in French. She is a pre-law student and will be studying at the Sorbonne in Paris the first half of 2012. Joanna wendel (’05) studies at the University of Oregon, where she is a science writer for the university newspaper. She is the first student to receive a Michael E. DeBakey Journalism Award for outstanding science writing. Competing against career professionals, Joanna won in the small print market category with her story “Zebrafish Used to Find Cures for Human Diseases.” She was one of six winners, which included journalists from NBC News, Texas Public Radio, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and the Smithsonian. Kevin worme (’05) is a junior at Portland State University, where he transferred after a year at the University of Oregon. He is studying human physiology and is interested in a career in the medical profession. He participated in a health careers track at Beaverton High School during his junior and senior years. Constance Carpanèse (’06) is studying political science and communications at the Université de Montréal. She is also pursuing a strong interest in photography, having sold a photograph to Middle East Airlines’ Cedar Wings magazine, which featured it on their cover.
Gilkey Class of 2007 ALUMNUS/A
Beth Smilkstein (‘06) spent her summer as a research assistant at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Gothic, CO. She tapped and performed censuses on the burying beetle (Nicrophorus investigator) population in that area and then assisted Dr. Rosemary Smith from Idaho State University with her experiments on these beetles in the lab. Beth not only learned a lot about beetles through this experience, but also about the numerous other areas of study at RMBL, from wildflowers to marmots. Beth said of her experience, “The location was pretty hard to beat; we lived in renovated old miners' cabins in the Elk Mountains—no cell phone service, the most amazing wildflowers I've ever seen, and endless hiking opportunities on the weekend. Everyone I met there was intelligent, passionate, and quirky. I am not looking to go into ecology, but I was amazed and inspired by how much everyone working at the lab loved their jobs and their lives. From the suburbs of California it can be difficult to imagine that such jobs exist, and this inspires me to keep pursuing the things I love and value, be it beetles, Beatles, or William Blake.” erin Taylor (’06) is in her sophomore year at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA, where she is majoring in math and linguistics. James inisan (’07) began his freshman year at the University of Oregon this fall. After graduating from Lincoln High School in June, he spent his summer working at Ben and Jerry's in the Pearl, working out at the gym, and playing basketball every day. alex Merrill (’07) graduated from St. Mary's Academy in June, having earned first honors in each semester of her four years there. She is a National Merit Scholarship Finalist, and is attending Georgetown University this fall, majoring in French studies. annie Mulholland (’07) attended FAIS from preschool (1995) through grade 6. In the fall of 2005, Annie moved to Florida to train as a tennis player. She spent her late middle school and high school years attending school in Florida. During those years Annie traveled throughout Europe, North America, and South America playing the elite international tennis circuit. In the fall of 2011, Annie began her freshman year at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, where she competes as one of eight players on the highly-ranked NCAA Division I women’s tennis team. Annie intends to go to law school after college and would like to work in international business in Europe. alexander Tomlinson (’07) graduated from Sunset High School as salutatorian with an IB diploma. He is now attending Barrett Honors College in Arizona, majoring in biochemistry with a career in medicine in mind. Lucas Marin (’08) spent two weeks in August 2011 traveling in England and France with a friend. They stayed with family and in hostels, and traveled via trains, ferries, and buses while exploring London, the Sussex coast, Dieppe, Rouen, Chartres, and Paris. “Going to Europe with my friend was stupendous!” said Lucas, “I put to good use the French I learned thanks to FAIS, including a conversation with a beautiful Parisienne on the Eiffel Tower!” Lucas is a senior at Wilson High School, where he is an assistant layout editor for the yearbook, and varsity defenseman for the lacrosse team. He completed his fourth summer as a ZooTeen at the Oregon Zoo and works part-time as a party host and camp assistant at the Southwest Community Center. Blake vigran (’08) is currently a senior at Sunset High School. He is interested in studying business and has his sights set on likely attending University of Oregon. He loves to snow ski and play tennis, and also enjoys golfing. Max Meyer (’09) is currently a junior at Central Catholic, where he plays varsity tennis. Maggie weirich (’09) is pursuing classical ballet, having recently completed a five-week program at the San Francisco Ballet. alexandra Gritta (’10) is attending Lincoln High School as a full IB student and Stanford University High School at the same time. She won the National French Contest Le Grand Concours in 2011, placing 1st in Oregon and winning a bronze medal at the nationals in the highest proficiency level of competition Le Grand Concours offers. She now speaks French, Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, and Russian. Academically, she was ranked #1 out of 386 Lincoln freshman. What in the WORLD have you been up to? Let us know by email at alumni@faispdx.org, or by calling Cristiana gilman @ 503/292-7776, x330.
NEXT ADVENTURE ________________________________________________ Anguilla, Sophia St. Mary's ________________________________________________ Berger, Estelle USC ________________________________________________ Blankenship, Ben Regis University ________________________________________________ Brownlow, Xavier Portland Community College ________________________________________________ Campbell, Ashlynn Columbia Gorge CC Then to volunteer in Africa ________________________________________________ Christy, Claire University of Oregon ________________________________________________ Curtis, Skylar Fort Lewis College ________________________________________________ Dawley, Clara Boston College ________________________________________________ Dufossé, Marie University of Oregon ________________________________________________ Dunitz, Asher University of Western Ontario ________________________________________________ Geulin, Thomas University of Portland ________________________________________________ Ghomghaleh, Rojman University of Oregon ________________________________________________ Guinn, Garrett University of Oregon ________________________________________________ Holmes, Alexandra University of Washington ________________________________________________ Hummel, Rachel Kings College in London ________________________________________________ Huston, Zoe Colgate University ________________________________________________ Inisan, James-François University of Oregon ________________________________________________ Larison, Haley Oberlin ________________________________________________ Li, Geneva GAP - Santa Clara University ________________________________________________ Lim, Amanda NYU ________________________________________________ Lobbato, Emily Oregon State University ________________________________________________ Marquard, Margaret Unknown ________________________________________________ Matteri, Elizabeth Kenyon College ________________________________________________ Merrill, Alex Georgetown University ________________________________________________ Michaelson, Matthew Northeastern ________________________________________________ Miller, Braden Yale ________________________________________________ Murphy, Alexandra Gonzaga University ________________________________________________ Murphy, William Willamette University ________________________________________________ Popick, Maggie University of Colorado at Boulder ________________________________________________ Rabin, Julia Bates ________________________________________________ Renck, Alyssa Parsons School of Fashion ________________________________________________ Resnick, Cameron Temple University ________________________________________________ Rose, Nicole University of Oregon ________________________________________________ Sahli, Kayla Chapman University ________________________________________________ Schiller, Ken Carleton College ________________________________________________ Sivakumar, Rishabh repeated Freshman year in India will graduate next year ________________________________________________ Sola, Jasmine University of Wisconsin, Madison ________________________________________________ Staib, Matt University of Oregon ________________________________________________ Tomlinson, Alex Arizona State University Barrett Honors College ________________________________________________ Wells, Amanda CSU - Chico ________________________________________________ Whittaker, Maddy SOU ________________________________________________
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aLUMni UPDaTeS | BY MARIAH WEBER | CLASS OF 2009
FAIS Alumnae Translate Documents from WWII Crash Site Eight stones. Eight stones on a grave, eight stones for eight men. I set the final rocks, one on top of the other, in the center of all the others, for the two colonels in charge of the failed mission. Wiping the tears from my eyes, I stood back up and walked away from the simple grave, back down the road that would eventually lead me to the Arlington National Cemetery tour bus. At St. Mary’s Academy, it is not unusual for the already small AP French 5/6 class to have almost no one present after all the seniors have taken their final exams and left. This year, though, the three remaining girls happened to all be Gilkey, and before that French American Lower School, graduates— Avery Thompson and me, both of the Gilkey class of 2009, and Erin Murphy from the class of 2008. The project that had been presented to us to take up the last three weeks of school, plus the final exam: help our French teacher, Maron Faulkner, translate for a project she was working on for the wife of a St. Mary’s board member, Susan Harold. Though not overly enthusiastic at first, the information we were translating turned out to be more interesting than we originally thought. On November 1, 1946, an American B-17 plane carrying eight men on a mission of unknown intent crashed into the Alps near the French-Italian border. The plane was destroyed upon impact, killing everyone inside. Some of the remains, like those now at Arlington, were collected over the years, but much of the debris and some of the remains of the deceased crew members were not found until very recently, when a French and Italian team decided to set up a memorial to the fallen soldiers. Susan, for whom we were doing the translation project, is attempting to find family members of those who died in Europe and provide for them information about their lost loved ones. Because there were eight men on the crashed plane, there were plenty of family members to provide information to, but with a problem: all of the information from the French and the Italians was in French, and Susan needed someone to translate it for her. The three of us worked diligently for the next three weeks, translating the information relayed to us by the French and Italians into English so that Susan and the families could read it, and translating the profiles of those who died in the plane crash into French of so that the French and Italians could use it for their websites. Near the end of our project, we finally were able to meet Susan, who expressed her gratefulness and shared the stories of some of the families who had received information about their loved ones. It was thrilling, knowing that our skills in French had helped make these families happy, and also when we found out that the memorial to the soldiers had been erected in September, partly thanks to our help. But the real treasure for me in this experience in French translation was almost getting to know the soldiers themselves better. I felt like I had become closer to them and, when I decided to visit their grave at Arlington Cemetery on a trip to Washington, D.C. over the summer, I felt like I was standing over the remains of people who could now rest in peace, knowing that their families knew their story. When I left the tombstone, I felt like I was leaving the grave of a friend.
TOP: alumnae translators Mariah Weber (’09), avery Thompson (’09), and erin Murphy (’08) with their French teacher at St. Mary’s academy. BOTTOM: Mariah Weber, author of this article, visits the soldiers’ grave at arlington Cemetery.
It was thrilling, knowing that our skills in French had helped make these families happy...
Gilkey Class of 2011 In their own words:
Gilkey Grads Bid Adieu
HIGH SCHOOL PUBLIC/PRIVATE _______________________________________________________________________ Alonso, Luciana St. Mary's Academy Private _______________________________________________________________________
“It’s about being whoever you want to be and being afforded the support to achieve the goals we never imagined.” – Maddie
Bales, Camille Grant High School Public _______________________________________________________________________ Barbosa, Tyler Valley Catholic High School Private _______________________________________________________________________ Berger, Natalie Oregon Episcopal School Private _______________________________________________________________________
“I’d like to send out a special “Thank You” to all my teachers for their enormous help this year, to my parents for providing me with this opportunity, and to my peers for welcoming me to the school when I began Gilkey as an eighth grader.” – Nathan “Wherever we go, or whatever we do, we are certain that Gilkey has well prepared us for what is to come.” – austin “...these opportunities to learn languages will permit us to communicate with many others around the world. Also, with each language learned comes the desire to learn yet another.” – Justin
ALUMNUS/A
Budzinski, Savannah Sunset High School Public _______________________________________________________________________ Burgess, Anna Valley Catholic High School Private _______________________________________________________________________ Castro, Toni Lincoln High School Public _______________________________________________________________________ Denagnon, Guy-Hervé Sunset High School Public _______________________________________________________________________ Elabdeia, Nabeel Central Catholic High School Private _______________________________________________________________________ Fleener, Marilyn Wilson High School Public _______________________________________________________________________ Fosler-Jones, Lizzie Central Catholic High School Private _______________________________________________________________________ Goodman-Flood, Anahelena Cleveland High School Public _______________________________________________________________________ Hahn, Quentin Lincoln High School Public _______________________________________________________________________ Hauptmann, Anya Lincoln High School Public _______________________________________________________________________ Helm, Annalise St. Mary's Academy Private _______________________________________________________________________ Huck, Kylee Sunset High School Public _______________________________________________________________________ Joerke, Matthew German International Private High School of Silicon Valley _______________________________________________________________________ Junn, Christopher Catlin Gabel Private _______________________________________________________________________ Kirchholtes, Tim Lincoln High School Public _______________________________________________________________________ Knox, Adelaide Lincoln High School Public _______________________________________________________________________ Kuether, Annika Sunset High School Public _______________________________________________________________________ Lai, Chloe Lincoln High School Public _______________________________________________________________________ Leo, William Lincoln High School Public _______________________________________________________________________ Levine, Emily Lincoln High School Public _______________________________________________________________________ Majors, Morgan Jesuit High School Private _______________________________________________________________________ Manicke, David Jesuit High School Private _______________________________________________________________________ Marin, Jeremy Riverdale High School Public _______________________________________________________________________ Mays, Mimi Lincoln High School Public _______________________________________________________________________
“All of us here at Gilkey have undergone complete transformations. We have matured into caring, loving individuals with the potential to achieve anything we set our minds to. The bonds we share with our peers are unbreakable, and we aim to nurture them throughout our lives. The tools that Gilkey provided us are priceless; the strength to persevere regardless of what life throws at us, the ability to be thoughtful thinkers, and the joy of being able to appreciate and embrace different cultures.” – anonymous
all-alumni reunion More than 50 FAIS alumni gathered in the Rose Préau Commons on January 3 for the All-Alumni Reunion. The former students, from recent Gilkey graduates to college graduates, sipped on favorite coffee drinks, nibbled biscotti and chouquettes, and caught up with classmates and teachers. Congratulations to our raffle-winner Mandy, class of '10, who walked away with a new Flip™ video camera. Mark your calendar for this year’s all-alumni Reunion Coffeehouse Tuesday, January 3, 2012 at 3:30 PM in the Rose Préau Commons Coming Soon:
“21 and Over” alumni event July 2012 _____________________________
FaiS is on Facebook and Twitter:
faispdx
McTague, Kieran Lincoln High School Public _______________________________________________________________________ Meyer, Isabel Central Catholic High School Private _______________________________________________________________________ Michener, Nathanaël Collège du Christ-Roi Private _______________________________________________________________________ Miles, Laura Cleveland High School Public _______________________________________________________________________ Moss, Justin Tigard High School Public _______________________________________________________________________ Mouli, Arjun Jesuit High School Private _______________________________________________________________________ Natter, Alison Catlin Gabel Private _______________________________________________________________________ Ng, Coral St. Mary's Academy Private _______________________________________________________________________ Nicoloff, Madeleine Lincoln High School Public _______________________________________________________________________ Perednia, Teddy Jesuit High School Private _______________________________________________________________________ Phillips, Emilee Sunset High School Public _______________________________________________________________________ Poland, Austin Aloha High School Public _______________________________________________________________________ Popick, Teddy Central Catholic High School Private _______________________________________________________________________ Prihoda, Thomas Lincoln High School Public _______________________________________________________________________ Roberts, Harri Lincoln High School Public _______________________________________________________________________ Seemann, Paul Albertus-Magnus Private Gymnasium Ettlingen _______________________________________________________________________ Seung, David Lincoln High School Public _______________________________________________________________________ Starr, Brooke Jesuit High School Private _______________________________________________________________________ Swinnen-Galbraith, Nikita Sunset High School Public _______________________________________________________________________ Swinnen-Galbraith, Saskia Sunset High School Public _______________________________________________________________________ Thompson, Devon St. Mary's Academy Private _______________________________________________________________________ Thompson, Sydney St. Mary's Academy Private _______________________________________________________________________ Ucarkus, Kübra Sunset High School Public _______________________________________________________________________ Valentini, Luisa German European School Singapore Private _______________________________________________________________________ Wilson, Madeline Sunset High School Public _______________________________________________________________________
PerFOrMinG arTS aT FaiS
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h ot Survey Snaps Last spring, umni we asked 480 al . ght about FAIS what they thou 0 of them took Here’s what 11 us . . . the time to tell
“Being bilingual has opened some amazing doors in my life.” “i also loved that i learned how to learn.” “as a child, i think i would have said ‘recess,’ (was my favorite part of FaiS) looking back ...it was the people, and the sense of community.”
76%
FaiS Hosts international Choir Day Last March FAIS 3rd and 4th grades hosted a choir festival which was also attended by 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders from The International School and the German American School of Portland. The day was filled with activities for the students to get to know one another as well as several rehearsals before the 160-member joint choir performed in the afternoon. Songs were sung in English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, and Chinese to an audience of parents and students. Music Teacher David Olson said, "This event is typically held at the German American School and we were very excited to get a chance to play host for such a wonderful community-building music festival."
of surveyed alumni gave FaiS a gPa of 3.75 (or better)!
Highest rated
were the FaiS faculty, small class sizes, quality of academics and language immersion
86% of respondents maintain fluency in French
70%
Over of respondents currently speak two or more languages (other than english)
four
The top skills our alumni possess upon entering high school were the ability to communicate across cultures, work collaboratively, take on new challenges with confidence, and succeed academically
71% are planning on studying and/or travelling abroad
60%
More than of respondents continue to stay involved in community service after graduating from FaiS
Gilkey Talent Showcase Each year, Gilkey students have the opportunity to express their talents in an informal show for families and friends. Last spring’s talent showcase included comedic skits, a martial arts demonstration, dancing, singing, and a variety of musical performances. Student creativity shines in this much-anticipated event!
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Maternelle Show PS-K students delighted a full audience with their annual spectacle on June 16. Singing, dancing, comedy, percussion, and some intricate choreography were all part of the impressive repertoire.
Gilkey Musical: alice in wonderland FAIS students brought down the house time and again with several successful performances of Alice In Wonderland. The musical was a culmination of first semester’s IDD, Exploratory Musical Theater, complete with a robust cast of lower and middle school students, imaginative stagecraft, and excellent lighting effects. This was the first performance to utilize the new stage and lighting equipment purchased through funds raised through the annual Special Appeal, and provided new hands-on experiences in stage lighting and follow spot production. Thank you to everyone who played a supporting role in making the magic happen!
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The French american international School cultivates intellect and character through rigorous multilingual academic programs in an environment that promotes appreciation of diverse cultures and experiences.