JFK Times Fall 2008

Cover Story

STEVEN C. MARTÍNEZ ‘�� Feature Story

STRIKE UP THE JFK SYMPHONIC BAND! JOHN F. KENNEDY · THE AMERICAN SCHOOL OF QUERÉTARO

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Oh, Baby! one toddler, one photographer, and Mom’s

FALL 2008 VOL. 1 NO. 2

Mirtha Stappung M.ed., Ma General Director

Charles Weiss M.ed., Ma Assistant Superintendent

Denise Humphries Ma

happy feedback.

Pre-school Principal

Mark Dunn M.ed., Ma

Elementary School Principal

Letter froml the Genera Director

Tara Fitzgerald Cruz Ed. Admin., MS Middle School Principal

Adrian Leece Ma, BSc, FRMtS High School Principal

Prof. Arturo Bustamante

Athletic Department Director

C.p. Josefina Morgan M. Admon. y Finanzas Financial Director

ACADEMIC CORNER COLLEGE COUNSELING AT JFK

Ing. Julian Urquiza, President, Jeffrey Lewis M.i.m, Treasurer, Lic. Norma Rosado, Secretary, Ing. Carlos Perera, Lic. Roberto Loyola, M. Ad., Arq. Elmo Ceretti, Ing. Angel de Lope Friedeberg, Act. María del Mar Sánchez Rull, Arq. Rodolfo Vega Fricke Board of Directors

Editor in Chief, Chair of the Editorial Board

Sitting fee starting from $150* for weekday shoots with up to two people, and $300 for Saturday sessions. Per-person fees begin with groups of three. Our limited product line is focused on high-end print sales (starting at $45) and canvases (starting at $410 for a 16x20 print).

Magdalena Chapa, Sarah Devries, Dorothy Gerhart, Adrian Leece, Felicia Lyons, Karla Ríos, Charles Weiss Editorial Board

Héctor Muñoz Design

Victor Ortega, Karla Ríos Photography

Magdalena Chapa, Sarah Devries, Mónica Duarte, Graciela Fernández, Erika Lastra, Adrian Leece, Felicia Lyons, Karla Ríos, Mirtha Stappung, Mauricio Soto.

E K I R STP E UH D T AN B E UR AT FE ORY ST

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To see more work by Asbed Levi, send us a e-mail to: photo@sextosentido.com.mx

Lic. Mónica Duarte

Writers

*All prices are in US Dollars

Alumni Affairs

Lic. Mónica Duarte Lic. Ricardo Vázquez Advertising Sales

+52 442 213 7928 ID 72*14*24606 photo@sextosentido.com.mx

Lic. Karla Ríos (442) 218 00 75 ext. 1010 krios@jfk.edu.mx

REUNIONS & SNAPSHOTS

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36

ECOCLUB NEWS

Talk about School Uniforms

“Be your Do your bbest est”

Alumni Connecting with

COVE R STO RY

Stev Mar en C. Clas tínez s of ' AER 04 O S PA

CE E NGIN E

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Letter from the General Director We are excited about this second edition of the JFK Times! Many of our people have been involved as a team to come up with these interesting articles, the design and pictures for this issue. We thank the Editorial Committee and know that their efforts help to unite our community.

Our school is a very busy place with wonderful things happening in each section on a daily basis. I am sure that those who are alumni will recall many celebrations and special events from their time here.

This magazine is also building memories for the future for our current students.

We are very proud of our alumni. This edition features an alumni from the class of ’04 who is working through his studies with The National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA). His story

is an interesting one, as are the stories of all of our other alumni who are living in all parts of our small planet. Hopefully, you will find the JFK Times to be a good vehicle to “come back” to visit. We have a goal of contacting all of you to keep in touch and hopefully keep alive your memories and connections with the school.

Another exciting project that you will find of interest is our new alumni network. This site http://alumni.jfk.edu.mx is a special gathering place for you to reconnect with classmates and let everyone know of your whereabouts. Life becomes richer when we relive our memories of the good old days at JFK! Sincerely, Mirtha Stappung M.Ed., MA General Director

FROM THE EDITOR The JFK Times is published in two editions per year; once in the spring and once in the fall. We will be happy to mail a copy of the JFK Times to you if you will provide us with your address. You can also see a virtual copy of the JFK Times on the alumni site http://alumni.jfk.edu.mx.

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Thanks for your interest in our publication and we hope that you will enjoy it and that it sparks good memories for you of your time on campus. Do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours truly, Monica Duarte, Editor in Chief.

Academic Corner OUTSTANDING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS BY OUR FACULTY OR STUDENTS

College Counseling At JFK

By Erika Lastra

One of the most exciting (and on occasions terrifying) decisions a High School student has to make is what career they would like to pursue and where they would like to go to college or university. There are so many options! While it is true that some students know from a very young age that they want to be a doctor, a lawyer, an engineer, an artist or a politician… many are still trying to discover how they fit into this world and what role they would like to play. As a College Counselor I am here to help students in this self-discovery phase, guide them in finding the best college match, and hopefully get them on the right track to a successful and happy future.

Parent involvement in college related decisions is a key to success, and many times begins with conversations at the kitchen table.

Students look to their parents for guidance and reference. One of the best parts of being a College Counselor is having the privilege of taking part in some of those discussions with both parents and students. Parents should always be informed and should keep a watchful eye on their child’s progress in the college admission process.

At JFK we try to look for different ways of getting our students engaged and excited about choosing their career and university.

We are constantly looking for opportunities 3

examples of students from the class of ´08 who were awarded scholarships

that will encourage our students to explore college options by means of workshops, conferences, special programs, campus visits, College Fairs, etc.

Our College Fair is a wonderful venue for students and parents to learn about different colleges and universities and to learn about career options and scholarship opportunities. Not only do our students have the chance to talk face-to-face with many Admissions Officers but they also get to attend different workshops offered by the universities. Of course anyone can read a book on what colleges are looking for, what to do to increase their chances of getting accepted at certain schools, or how to look for scholarships. But imagine how fortunate our students are to be able to receive first-hand information about this from many of the very same people who are part of the Admissions Committees of these schools. This is an opportunity that students elsewhere seldom have.

This year we hosted over seventy Universities at our Ninth Annual College Fair. Top schools from Mexico and around the world partici4

I always send this message to students: “Success is in the planning. The future is yours to build. The opportunities are yours to take.”

pated. Mexican schools such as the Tec de Monterrey, ITAM, UDLA, Ibero and Anáhuac; American schools such as Michigan State University, University of San Diego, Embry Riddle University, Rice University, Wesleyan University and Pepperdine University; Canadian Schools such as the University of Alberta and the University of British Columbia; and European Universities such as the Ecole Hôtelière Lausanne and Le Roches attended.

While some of our students are still in the process of organizing and understanding all the information they received, others have started the admissions process at one or more of the schools they learned about at the Fair.

We have received many compliments from universities regarding how well prepared and focused our students are when they meet with them. They praise them for the depth of their questions and the exceptional manner in which they present themselves. Many have commented on how the JFK student profile is such a good match with what they are looking for and how very interested they are in recruiting

Of course, not all is about falling in love with a program or a college but also about finding a way to pay for it.

our students.

Of course, not all is about falling in love with a program or a college but also about finding a way to pay for it. College budget conversations are probably one of the most stressful discussions they will have as a family. Parents should have open and honest conversations with their children on how much money is available for college. With this information students will be able to plan for financial aid.

Judging from the past, it is safe to say that there is a decent chance that most of our students can get a scholarship. Last year, approximately one in every four JFK students of the Class of 2008 received financial aid of some sort from a university. A lump sum of over six million pesos was awarded in scholarships by both national and foreign universities. What they need to know about scholarships is that they are out there. But, students need to work very hard to qualify for one. In many cases the decisions students make as early as in ninth and tenth grade will have a direct impact on their eligibility.

Marissa Ojeda 100%

Tanya Rodríguez 100%

Querétaro Universidad Anáhuac

Querétaro Universidad Anáhuac

Switzerland Ecole Hoteliere Lausanne

Bachelors in Tourism Management

Bachelors in Tourism Management

Bachelors of Science in International Hospitality Management

Marisol Garibay 90%

Diego Hentschel 60%

Eli Arenas 40%

Querétaro ITESM Bachelors in Industrial Engineering

México, D.F. ITAM Bachelors in Business Engineering

Lourdes Zamanillo 40%

Gabriela Mesta

Santiago Molina

Canada University of Alberta

USA University of Chicago

Bachelors in International Business

Bachelors of Science in Molecular Biology

Monterrey ITESM Medicine

Merit Based Scholarship

Andrés Terrazas 100%

Monterrey Universidad de Monterrey (UDEM) Medicine

Merit Based Scholarship

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Building

Community THE JFK SPIRIT

Ecoclub News

By Graciela Fernández

The Ecoclub of the John F. Kennedy School consists of students from first grade to twelve grade. It is an enjoyable group with a common goal, to “Work together for our planet”.

Luza Arredondo is the Coordinator of the JFK Ecoclub. Recently she traveled to Guatemala for a conference. In an interview, we asked her about her trip.

As the person in charge of the coordination of the JFK Ecoclub, why did you travel to Guatemala?

I was invited by the International Committee to participate in the “Encuentro Regional de Facilitadores de la Región” which is a coalition from Mexico, Central American and the Caribbean. I was the representative for Mexico in this event.

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What countries were represented in this Conference and why did they come?

México, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panamá were represented. There were twenty-two representatives at the event.

The main objectives of this conference were to 1. Plan all 2009 activities for Ecoclubs in the countries that we represented.

2. To participate in Coordinators workshops.

3. To share the work being done by Ecoclub associated with the organization.

4. We also were able to work on a project to reforest part of “La Tigrilla”, a protected natural environment. We planted trees which provide food for the famous quetzal birds.

How did this trip contribute to the projects of the International Ecoclubs Organization and our school program?

This encounter was important because we were able to unify the actions to be taken to move forward with an ecological worldwide agenda.

A declaration was created, and signed by all the countries represented, in which we addressed outstanding issues and regional challenges. This declaration will form a part of one unified declaration from all regions including Europe, Africa and South America.

Participation enriched, in remarkable ways, the work of each country. Ideas and action plans were evaluated by the group in order to increase our chances for success in all of the work we do with our students.

What we did there will also contribute to our future projects within the school.

Have there been any other International meetings in which the JFK Ecoclub has recently participated?

Isabel Compañ a HS student and a distinguished member of our Ecoclub, attended the Water and Youth International Journeys Meeting in Zaragoza, Spain on July 16 – 19, 2008.

Isabel returned very motivated from this trip to start a Mexico’s Youth National Water Committee. We wish her luck in this endeavor.

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Our

Students THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY

What Do You Think About School Uniforms?

By Malena Chapa

our school like our uniform and style just as it is; while others have creative ideas for change.

Students from Pre-school through Middle School wear uniforms two to three days per week for athletic classes and assemblies. They also wear uniforms on all field trips. On other days they wear clothing of their own choosing.

We surveyed elementary students, both girls and boys, to get some idea of their thinking on this perennial topic. Students, in nearly equal percentages, like and find issues with uniforms.

Nearly half were very positive. “I like the uniform …it has my favorite colors. It’s modern, cool, and comfortable. It is fun to wear. It is creative and represents our school. It comes with both shorts and pants…it feels good!”

The others shared ideas for change. Some would like to wear their own cloths every day, or did not like the present colors.

Style and fit were also mentioned as issues. Some would like the uniform to include skirts for girls.

Creative ideas for new colors included; “black, or orange, red, or green…even silver or gold or pink…the shirt should be white or blue”. Some suggested change to a jacket that was…”softer…

Uniforms are widely used in schools in count- no zippers…different cotton…more creative designs, like Aberless countries as they provide a focus upon crombie or Nike…include Jaguars on the pants…large flags on equality, uniformity and school pride. Uniforms the back of the jacket”. reduce expenses, competition and pressure Students always have lively debate about uniform use. This to purchase extra clothing to follow the being said, don’t look for drastic change from our uniform latest style. traditions in the near future-nor a switch to pink! We are quite One thing common in all schools is a lively proud of the red, white and blue and will incorporate them into discussion about uniforms. Some students in future design changes.

By Malena Chapa

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JFK On The Move WHAT ARE WE UP TO?

A Healthier Life Style for All of Us

By Felisa Lyons

If you were to be on campus lately you would have noticed that there has been a lot of construction and change in the cafeteria area.

What you may not know is that it is all for the best! Recently, I interviewed Chef Alfredo Morales Alvarez who is responsible for part of this change. He informed us that his theme is: “Healthier and More Wholesome Nutrition”.

His menu does not include sodas and potatoes chips, but does include a few types of candies, at certain times, to satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth.

Chef Alfredo is a graduate of the “Escuela Mexicana de Turismo” and has been involved in the food industry for more than twenty years. He has worked in hotels, restaurants, special events and schools. “Children are great”, he says. "They know what they want and they understand the benefits of having nutritious meals offered in the cafeteria. Chef Alfredo and his eight member team, are becoming 10

The chef has also been thinking about families and others that gather together in the afternoon for a meal at school.

popular around the JFK Community!

The menu, which is served cafeteria style, includes chilaquiles, eggs, quesadillas, molletes, tortas, and a variety of fruits. Complete meals include a salad, soup, and a choice from many delicious main dishes.

Having lunch at school with your children and friends The chef has also been thinking about families and others that gather together in the afternoon for a meal at school. His menu now includes a complete formal meal that you can enjoy with your kids or other visitors after school.

Take away service In the near future, the cafeteria will also have take away in which dishes will be sold by weight.

Hurray for the change!!

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SPORTS PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR OUR MODELOF EDUCATION

Martial Arts Program

By Karla Ríos

Tae Kwon Do is a very firmly established discipline in our school with ten years of classes to prove it! The number of students enrolling grows by the year.

Students from three to sixteen years-old develop increased control of their mind and body, increased coordination and a greater physical conditioning from their Tae Kwon Do work. Discipline and respect form an important element of the classes.

Their teachers, Orlando Rodríguez, Agustín Palacios and Joel Rangel feel very proud of our students as they have achieved regional, State and International championship awards.

For example, during the recent International Championships, held in Dallas Texas, our students constantly placed within the top ten and in a recent International Championship tournament held in Queretaro they won a fourth place award.

This is a program that has great future possibilities in our school. We have no doubt that our students will continue to benefit from this program and gain continued honors for their efforts 12

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SPORTS

“Be Your Best Do Your Best”

The JFK Athletic Program is a very important element of our educational process. It contributes to the physical, social, emotional and academic well being of our students. It offers multiple opportunities to support character development, self control, teamwork and a healthy life-style.

We proudly share the achievements of our student-athletes from the last three school cycles of American Schools of Mexico (asomex) Tournaments.

2005-2006

SPORTS

2006-2007 SPORT

AGE GROUP

ACHIEVEMENT

Tennis & Golf

HS

2 Gold Medals & Sports Spirit Trophy

Track &Field

Boys & GirlsES, MS, HS

15 Gold - 9 Silver - 7 Bronze - 1 Honesty

Volleyball

Juvenile A Girls (MS)

2nd Place

Volleyball

Juvenile Girls (MS & HS)

3rd Place

Soccer

Juvenile C Minor Girls (HS)

1st Place

Soccer

Infantile Girls (ES)

1st Place

Soccer

Juvenile C Girls (HS)

2nd Place

Soccer

Juvenile C Minor Boys(HS)

2nd Place

Soccer

Juvenile C Boys (HS)

3rd Place

Soccer

Juvenile B Girls (MS & HS)

3rd Place

Soccer

Infantile Minor Boys (ES)

3rd Place

2007-2008 SPORT

AGE GROUP

ACHIEVEMENT

Soccer

Juvenile C Girls (HS)

1st Place & Sports Spirit Trophy

Soccer

Juvenile C Boys (HS)

2nd Place & Sports Spirit Trophy

Soccer

Juvenile B Girls (MS & HS)

3rd Place & Sports Spirit Trophy

Soccer

Juvenile C Minor Girls (HS)

3rd Place

SPORT

AGE GROUP

ACHIEVEMENT

Tennis

(MS & HS)

3 Gold Medals

Tenis & Golf

MS

1 Gold Medal & Sports Spirit Trophy

Golf

(MS & HS)

2 Gold Medals

Basketball

Juvenile B Girls (MS & HS)

Sports Spirit Trophy

Volleyball

Juvenile C Girls (HS)

1st Place

Volleyball

Juvenile A Girls (MS)

2nd Place

Volleyball

Infantile Girls (ES)

2nd Place & Sports Spirit Trophy

Volleyball

Juvenile B Girls (MS & HS)

3rd Place

Volleyball

Juvenile A Girls (MS)

2nd Place

Soccer

Juvenile C Girls (HS)

1st Place

Volleyball

Juvenile B Girls (MS & HS)

2nd Place

Soccer

Juvenile A Girls (MS)

2nd Place

Track & Field

Boys & Girls (ES, MS & HS)

31 Gold - 11 Silver - 21 Bronze

Soccer

Infantile Girls (ES)

3rd Place

Basketball

Juvenile B Boys (MS & HS)

Sports Spirit Trophy

Soccer

Juvenile B Girls (MS & HS)

3rd Place & Sports Spirit Trophy

Basketball

Juvenile C Boys (HS)

Sports Spirit Trophy

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K JF ur tor o ith rec w w nd Di e i erv Ba Int onic to n A ph So Sym uricio Ma

An Upbeat Interview Tell us about your musical background?

I came from Mexico City where I was, among other things, the French horn teacher at the National School of Music (unam), the Principal Horn with the Mexico National Symphony and for the last four years, one of the Directors of a Band program at a well-known private school in Mexico City. That gave me the experience and knowledge that I needed to begin a large project like this. I also teach in the U.S.A. during the summers at the Hartwick College Summer Music Festival, located in upstate New York. I have been doing that for the past ten years. The association with the Music Festival also has given me an insight as to how this kind of program is implemented in the United States.

What is a Symphonic Band?

A symphonic band (also called a wind band, concert band, or wind ensemble) is a performing group consisting of several members of the woodwind, brass and percussion instrument families. One can also include electric bass, electric guitar and keyboards as well.

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Who came up with the idea of having a Symphonic Band here at JFK? To have a high quality performing group has been a long time dream of our General Director, Mirtha Stappung. She has provided me with all

eB Th

What kind of music does the JFK Band play?

We are going to include original wind compositions in our repertoire, arranged classical items, light music, and popular tunes (such as Christmas Songs). We have already commissioned to have several arrangements made by some of the finest musicians in the State.

One arranger is Fausto Cerda, the Director of the Ixchel Ensemble. These arrangements are especially made for our group, given the very specific need of our students in terms of adapting the music to the level of the musicians in the group.

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Who are the members of this Band?

The JFK Band is a group of instrumental student musicians from grades five to twelve.

We have twenty - five members so far! Roughly ninety percent of them NEVER played an instrument before. Our first “rehearsal”, so to speak, took place on September 11 of this year.

We are planning to present a Christmas Concert as our first introduction to the community in the JFK Auditorium during the first part of December. This is quite an ambitious project, but a project that I am very enthusiastic about.

I am very happy with all of the charter members of the JFK Band. They are really nice people, good students, very talented as musicians and they have a clear understanding of what team spirit is. This will help them to move quickly to develop their talents.

Who else is part of this project?

First of all, I want to acknowledge all of the music teachers at JFK. They have been really supportive of this project and are doing a terrific job of teaching the students the foundations of music as an art. Mr. Weiss, our Assistant Superintendent is always there to lend a hand.

Almost all of the students that we auditioned for the group in the past four weeks are coming with an appreciation for music that has been developed by these teachers.

Related to the instrumental part of it, we are bringing some of the finest musicians in Queretaro to teach our Band members in small groups. All of these teachers are musicians from the Querétaro Philharmonic. We offer small group lessons on campus to the students once a week. An integral part of our philosophy is to offer them the tools to improve as a musician and as a symphonic band member.

We are also providing six scholarships to fine young musicians from Queretaro (ages 16-19) who are coming from public schools, so that they can benefit from the experience of playing in a large performing group like this. At the same time our students can benefit from playing next to more experienced musicians

ur e can give o ess. I hope w ill be a succ t the Band w I expect tha

The only difference between a symphonic band and an orchestra is that the band does not use stringed instruments such as the violin, cello, or other plucked or bowed instruments.

of the support needed in terms of infrastructure, specific needs for a large group, etc. She is really the master-mind behind all of this.

She thinks that instrumental music, along with the rest of the visual and performing arts are a fundamental element of a good academic program.

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Alumni CONNECTING WITH ALUMNI

Official Launch of the JFK Virtual Community A Shared Project for Alumni and the School We have had more than two thousand alumni who have attended the school and thirty-eight graduating classes. They are successful men and women living very diverse lives. Our alumni represent valuable human capital and are connected to all of our lives in some very important ways. We now have an official system of re-connecting with them and we encourage you to join the network. We have a lot to contribute, celebrate and to share…let’s do it!

The Project Begins!

After nearly a year of research, analysis, design and programming, our new JFK Alumni Web Site was ready for presentation. This site ensures security and privacy and yet is easy for our alumni to use. On September 20, 2008 a breakfast was held for a particular group of alumni who are now parents of current students. The purpose of the meeting was to launch our Virtual Community with this first 20

The sensation of immersion that the To access the JFK Virtual Community site proTo discover what this site has to offer you as an vides is an alumni, contact alumni@jfk.edu.mx to obtain innovation your username and password. Once you have what you need you can access the site and start that was using it at http://alumni.jfk.edu.mx exclusively designed The Virtual Community Dream for JFK. Begins to Take Shape pilot test group. We also have registered the entire class of ’09 who will begin to use the site upon graduation.

One of the main objectives guiding this project has been the desire to use the internet as a way of connecting alumni from all graduating classes with each other, as well as with the school. We hope to continue enriching the site by receiving feedback from our users.

Original Interface Design The interface is simple, graphically attractive, and just as easy to use for digital amateurs as

it is for cyberspace experts. Achieving this was not easy; 56 different alumni sites from all over the world,and of every possible style (from the most formal to the most casual) were analyzed.

SECURITY… No one can enter but authorized members.

FLEXIBILITY… Users decide upon what to share.

INNOVATION…Developed after a year of research and planning.

Immersion and Interactivity The sensation of immersion that the site provides is an innovation that was exclusively designed for JFK. From the first screen, the users can see themselves inside their graduating class and can identify their classmates; with just a click, they can see the network among all graduating classes and can look for old friends and classmates. The virtual experience is exactly for this purpose: to help reunite alumni.

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The Indicators Four Colors Identify The Status Of Each Alumni: Red – The information needs to be verified by the alumni Yellow – A third party has given information about an alumni Green – Information has been validated by the alumni Blue – The alumni has created a personal page Functions of the Site News, Search, and E-mail These three functions will allow us to be in contact with each other all year long, to access precise information from the E-mails school, and to reconnect with each other to share achievements Acting as our own webmaster, we monitor the and experiences…all in a secure environment. site to ensure maximum confidentiality and Official Class and Official News security. You can get in contact with registered “Class News” is a space designed for alumni to publish and users through our e-mail center. share their own news with others. In the area of “Official News” Questions? you will find news from the school.

There are three ways to receive guidance for Search the site. Access the “Help” or “FAQs” menus, Using the “Find” box can take you directly to the person you or contact the “JFK Alumni Office” if you are looking for if they are registered in the system. require further information.

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Alumni Feature CLASS OF 2004

Have you ever dreamed as a child of becoming a pilot or an astronaut?

I did.

An interview by our Editor in Chief

Steven C. Martínez aerospace engineer (SOON)

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I remember the day when my family was sitting in front of a black and white TV set watching the event of the year or, better to say, of the century… the arrival of men to the moon. Those images, and my adventurous spirit, made me think of someday becoming an astronaut. Although this did not happen, it still seems to me to be a fascinating profession.

When I heard that Steven C. Martínez ’04 was studying to receive his B.A. in Aerospace Engineering with an eye to becoming an astronaut, I did not hesitate to ask him for this interview.

Steven studied at JFK from Pre-School through High School and is now studying in the United States at Auburn University.

Why did you choose Auburn University and Aerospace Engineering for a major?

I’ve always been interested in airplanes and space. I’ve always loved flying and I felt that I wanted to be either a Pilot or an Engineer. The legendary astronauts have been either one or the other. Several known astronauts are graduates from Auburn University.

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...we used to have a subject called “talleres”. We had “Aeromodelismo”, where we built airplanes.

How do you think JFK helped you prepare and decide upon a career?

I remember when I was in Middle School that we used to have a subject called “talleres”.

We had one called “Aeromodelismo”, where we built airplanes. That was a lot of fun.

I also think that the way High School is organized is very good. It gives you an experience of how college life will be. Ever since I came to Auburn I have realized that working through projects is not so difficult and I think this is because at JFK we had to complete many projects per week.

There are fellow students here that, upon arrival, don’t know how to write and essay; at JFK you learn that from the very beginning In which special programs are you involved at Auburn University?

Currently I have been working with Auburn University’s Student Space Program which is funded by The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (nasa).

I serve as a Systems Engineer and part of my responsibilities in this program is to make sure that when we are building something that will be sent to the outer levels of the atmosphere (right at the edge of space), it’s built to specifications, built using “on time” scheduling and that all materials do not conflict with other liquids or other components.

Additionally to that, this semester I have been working with a person who is in charge of a structure that will be strapped to a science balloon from which we will be able to track 26

diverse information, photograph the curvature of the earth and analyze radiation and weather data. This project is possible through an additional connection of NASA with Auburn University.

I am working with the Reduced Gravity Program from the Johnson Space Center

is to remove these air bubbles from it; they have to grab the water and spin it by hand to get the air out of it.

We designed a system that could go on board the International Space Station or the Space Shuttle, even though it will soon be retired.

This system will now solve the problem as it frees the astronauts from the mundane task of having to remove air from water and therefore be able to concentrate on more important things.

We have tested this system aboard the nasa plane which replicates a zero gravity environment for short periods of time. This plane has been used to train all astronauts from the 1950’s until now.

What are your future plans?

I am planning on several things. Maybe I will work towards getting a Masters Degree involving some branch of Aero Space Engineering.

I have also been looking at a college that is Can you share some experiences with managed by the European Space Agency and the Reduce Gravity Program? offers two Masters Degree Programs related to I am working with the Reduced Gravity ProSpace Systems Engineering. gram from the Johnson Space Center which fo- Once I get out of school my goal will be to cuses upon all human activities in space. Last get involved with Spacecraft Science. I am not year I was the student in charge of the Reduced interested in the field of building a spacecraft, Gravity Team. airplane, or space shuttle; but much more in We looked at a problem that astronauts have what astronauts actually face and do in order with water in space. This problem is because to keep alive while in space. I am interested in water acts differently there than on Earth; these systems because they will be part of the it forms into a circular sphere and gets air fleet of NASA’s new spacecraft. These are vehibubbles in it. One of the astronauts’ problems cles that will take astronauts back to the moon.

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Class WHAT ARE WE DOING NOW?

Steve on a recent visit to the school

Steve and his JFK soccer team

A couple of days ago I attended a seminar where it was said that the newest estimate for us to have a human mission to Mars will be around the year 2040. So, hopefully I will be able to get a good job in this area for a few more years, and then apply for the Astronaut Training Program

I was one of those students that thought that the IB Program was too much hard work.

Any advice for future JFK graduates?

Yes. I was one of those students that thought that the IB Program was too much hard work.

Now I know it was worth the effort. I encourage JFK students to complete the entire program.

I also remember Professor Rogers’ words: “You might meet a lot of teachers out there in college that will tell you that you are wrong, but if you truly believe you are right, don’t back up from your ideas”.

College is about independence, it’s about self direction, and it’s about knowing what you want to do. You can learn about these concepts 28

Notes

starting from ninth grade at JFK. Another thing about NASA is that they don’t just grab people from anywhere to work with them. You have to be persistent and insist constantly to have a chance; you have to be a committed person. Most astronauts are not selected until they are thirty-eight or forty years old and they spend years trying to become astronauts.

You have to enjoy your work, do the best you can, be happy and persistent. These values are taught at JFK. In your opinion what makes JFK unique?

It is the exposure to an International Community and also, the way it prepares students to be responsible individuals. In my opinion JFK guides you year after year, so that once you graduate you pretty much know what you want to do.

With a Kennedy student you can discuss everything from history to politics to economics, and when you are in College, people are impressed about your background. I had an Ethics class at Auburn University and when the teacher asked how many of us had studied ethics before, I was the only one who raised my hand.

At JFK, they taught me how to work in a team, how to be a leader and how to handle projects to their completion. I remember teachers such as Roger Duran and Peter Kelly; they taught me to believe in myself and in my ideas.

Are you still in touch with friends from JFK? Whenever I go back to Querétaro I always try to contact people.

I keep in touch with my closer friends and with younger students from when I used to be a Tae Kwan Do teacher in the JFK after-school program.

I am glad to be part of the JFK Alumni Community. The virtual site is a great tool to get in touch with old classmates and with the school.

I keep in touch with my closer friends and with younger students from when I used to be a Tae Kwan Do teacher in the JFK after-school program.

Time Capsules Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose. May the dreams of your past be the reality of your future.

By Adrian Leece

Throughout history people have left buried treasure and hidden messages with the hope that some future generation will find them and gain something from the past.

This attractive idea led us to design special ‘time capsules’ for our own graduating students to fill on their last day of school.

The project was finished this summer and both the graduating classes of 2007 and 2008 have now filled their capsules. There were no instructions as to what was to be included, but each student was given waterproof bags to fill. Some included items such as favorite pens and notebooks. Most included photographs from their school days, and many have written letters to themselves with promises of what they will achieve in life, and how they will improve their own attitudes towards life. Some parents have also written to their children and these letters are also inside the capsules, and I am sure there is more than one declaration of love to boyfriends and girlfriends!

These capsules will be opened on the fifth anniversary of their graduation at a special ceremony to bring each class of friends back to the school once more.

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Welcome to our Alumni Virtual Community

Bernardo Lastra Fallas

96´

Jillian Stoltzfus Beck

96´

Jorge Vega Torres

96´

Miguel Alejandro Booth Parra

96´

Xavier Balestra Ordaz

96´

Mariloli González Reynoso

98´

http://alumni.jfk.edumx

Valeria Fagiolani de la Madrid

98´

The school has opened up a virtual community for all those who have attended or graduated from the school. Alumni simply find their class by graduation year and join the community! This site will be used for you to enter updates for the community.

Some future class notes will be shared later in this publication.

Blue Level

Alumni that have created their personal page.

Juan Manuel Fraga Sastrías

94´

Ricardo Vázquez Barrera

96´

Emmanuel Vázquez Barrera

97´

Ana Luisa Torres Visoso

98´

Michelle Ducloux de Landa

98´

Yellow Level

Indicates that a third party has given information about them.

Red Level

They have contacted us but their personal information needs to be completed.

Rosario Malagón de León

79´

Mónica Barrera Villagomez

80´

Marc Oliver Rau Hartmann

81´

Rocío Presa Ampudia

82´

Emilio Castelazo Dávalos

83´

José Eduardo Vega Borgio

83´

Rafael Landín Sánchez

83´

Horacio Temelo Ledesma

84´

Leticia Marroquín Gómez

82´

Juan Gabriel Ballesteros Martínez

84´

Luisa Lillian Mccullough Durán

93´

Jessica Suárez

87´

Anibal Alejandro Alcocer Ochoa

96´

Luis Alberto Vega Ricoy

87´

Berenice Rodríguez Aguayo

96´

Mariana Novoa Barrios

88´

Eduardo Jacobo Córdova Lucas

96´

Andrea Cristina Berrondo Díaz

93´

María Del Pilar González Fausto

96´

Alejandro Dávila Sainz

96´

Olga Burillo Almada

96´

Issa Plancarte Mujica

98´

Sandra Piña Cota

96´

Guillermo Astorga Peralta

02´

Ceyrine María Pellikaan Camon

98´

Viridiana Ilse Hernández Briseño

05´

Green Level

Alumni that have validated their personal information.

Jaime Antonio López Urquiaga

68´

Beatriz de la Cuadra Coulón

80´

María Elena Guerra Villagomez

80´

Beatriz Eugenia González Garciancira

85´

Ma. Teresa Chacon Herrera

85´

Gabriela Prigmore Farías

87´

Lucy Huber Herrera

87´

Gabriela Lecuna Maltes

92´

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31

REUNIONS & SNAPSHOTS ‘80

‘05 Reunion

The class of ’05, along with other graduates and friends met in July for a reunion with lots of support from some of the group!

‘96

Jose Ramón Vela Visits the school.

Berenice López Aguayo Visits the school.

‘05

‘96

‘80

‘87

‘07

Anel Bañols Francisco Carrera Nuria Dorantes Lucy Huber Laura Luque Miss Pat Mc Neil.

Art teacher Gabriela Prigmore ‘87 Gustavo Ruíz Marco Zamudio A school photo to share from class '87 Can you name the missing boy?

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Michelle Bowles & Alberto Padilla Visit the school.

‘98 ‘99 Grand Reunio

n!

The class of ’98 & ‘99 and their fa milies got together again fo r their 8th annual reunion.

What a grand tra dition!

‘07

‘98/'99

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‘82

‘82

‘82

Reunion

Celebrating 25 years after graduation from JFK

Mixed ALUMNI EVENT

Reunion

A reunion at the school with alumni that are former parents of JFK Students.

During the breakfast, Mr. Dobarganes was able to solve a puzzle for us. Until then we had not been able to identify the students in one particularly interesting photograph of the school. Mr. Dobarganes recognized his own image in the picture and was also able to identify several others of his former classmates who were founding students of JFK.

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35

ANUNCIO DEL IMPRESOR

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