Alumni
CONNECTIONS SPRING 2016
The School in Spring Awards! Art! Drama! Music! Prom! Celebrations! Some Things Never Change!
Rivermont Collegiate | 1821 Sunset Drive | Bettendorf, IA 52722 | T: (563) 359-1366 | F: (563) 359-7576
Wonderland Gala: A Wonderful Evening with Wonderful Dollars Saturday, 9 April, The School enjoyed a successful fundraiser— dinner, auction, and dance—at The Outing Club. Families, friends, and members from the greater community joined the fun and gave generously.
Niche Names Us #1! Niche, the largest website for researching K-12 schools, recognized The School as Iowa’s #1 private high school. Check out the website: k12.niche.com/rankings The School strives to ensure continued excellence. Quality costs. Earlier this spring in a telephone conversation, a 1950s alum remarked she was so glad we had reopened The School. A puzzle. “The School has never closed,” she was assured. “We celebrate 132 continuous years of quality education.” Ana Torstenson Kehoe, Class of 1965, recalls the spring of her junior year The School did almost close, but the generosity of numerous donors ensured the doors remained open. Over the years The School has faced and continues to face challenges. Quality costs. All private schools experience shortfalls financially and rely on gifts to bridge the gap between tuition revenues and actual operating costs. What is the value of the education The School offers? Priceless! Consider a gift to The School.
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Alumni Connections - Spring 2016
Left: Ayman El-Geneidy and Mai Shehata Right: Rajesh and Bindu Alla
Left: Kishore Pagadala and Bonnie Campbell Right: Shalar and Ed Knupp
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Academic Fair Tradition Thrives! Thursday, 25 February, another successful event celebrated The School’s students and their achievements. The last ten years, Kelly Reves Turner has mentored seventh graders and their living biography projects. “Year after year, the students impress me with their growth in thinking, researching, writing, and presenting skills.” In 1988, Kathleen Seusy initiated the Living Biography program with her seventh-grade literature class. When The School decided in 1990 to institute an Academic Fair as opposed to a Science Fair, seventh graders—Class of 1995!—undertook that program for their course of study and preparation. Today, Mrs. Seusy enjoys her volunteer work and her tennis—oh! and a brand new greatgrand-daughter.
The School’s Science Department announced the following awards accrued at the Iowa State Science Fair, Thursday-Friday, 31 March-1 April 2016: Manasa Pagadala • 2nd place—overall Microbiology • outstanding achievement for ability and creativity—In Vitro Biology • $2000 scholarship award as one of the 5 finalists by Iowa Biotechnology Association • plaque recognizing her 6 years dedication to scientific research Maram El-Geneidy • honorable mention—Medicine and Health Science Nikhil Wagher • honorable mention—Energy and Transportation
Kathleen with her new great-granddaughter
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Alumni Connections - Spring 2016
All four middle schoolers earned an award! Olivia Schroeder • The Huitt Farms Inc: Best Project—Biofuels Tristan Wakefield • honorable mention— Microbiology, Biomedical, and Health Science, 6th grade division Angela Jones • 2nd Place—Microbiology, Biomedical, and Health Science, 7th grade division • honorable mention—overall Microbiology, Biomedical, and Health Science Keval Wagher • 2nd Place—Astronomy, Earth, and Environmental Science, 6th grade division
Living Biographies 2016 7th Grade Class
Fall 1984-Spring 2013, Linda Hampton headed The School’s science department and mentored young scientists. Under her tutelage, students won ten trips to international science fairs.
Linda and her clan
Manasa Pagadala, also one of Mrs. Hampton’s former students, competed Wednesday-Saturday, 27-30 April in National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, Dayton, Ohio, winning 2nd place—Chemistry and an $8,000 scholarship to the university of her choice. Another important mentor to The School, students and faculty alike, was Suzanne Johnson. Everyone’s favorite fifth grade teacher. The ski trips. LS Head. After 40 years of service, she enjoys substitute teaching in several school systems. A most sought-after sub. Cooking and sewing—especially creating costumes and clothing for her grandchildren— occupy her free time. She and Curt just purchased vacation property in Wisconsin. Happy times!
Above: Sue and the gang Left; New Headmaster Max Roach, his wife Alethea and their four boys traveled from Salt Lake City, Utah to attend the Academic Fair.
Thank You The School gratefully acknowledges a gift from the Charlotte Capen Foster Endowment, part of the Community Foundation of the Great River Bend, and thanks Mrs. Foster. Her family has a long history with The School: her father and then her husband served as trustees; her daughter and grandchildren also are alums.
Above: Gay ‘71 Left: Elena ‘08 and Charlotte ‘45
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Gregory Cole Farley, Class of 1991 Greg flies all over the world. It’s his job. He is a pilot for John Deere. An avid photographer, he desires to document his travels and share his stories with his two daughters. “I want them to see what I have seen. The universe is a beautiful place!”
Asked his favorite places to travel, he lists: • Prague “Terrific city life!” • Alaska “Anywhere in Alaska is always beautiful.” • Moscow • Buenos Aires • Lima, Peru A place he does not enjoy? “Antarctica!” What is your story? Contact The School; e-mail Gwen Livingstone Pokora, pokora@rvmt.org
Top:Greg’s photo of The Orion Nebula “The universe is a beautiful place!” Left: Greg and the kids
Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards Saturday, 26 March, The Connie Belin and Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development at the University of Iowa honored Manasa Pagadala and Emilia Porubcin, juniors at The School. The Belin-Blank Center serves as the Iowa and Midwest Region-at-Large Affiliate for Scholastic Art & Writing
Awards, the nation’s longest-running, largest, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens.
five gold key works from across all categories and all grades as “Best of Show.”
Manasa Pagadala’s “In My Heart and in My Mind” and Emilia Porubcin’s “Seasons in Slovakia” both earned Gold Key recognition. Jurors also designated Emilia’s piece an American Voice selection, one of
Spring 1990, Scholastic recognized Noy Thrupkaew’s writing. Now an independent journalist, she has written for a wide variety of outlets including The Nation, National Geographic and The New York Times.
Emilia and Manasa
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Alumni Connections - Spring 2016
Noy
The Henry Clay Center for Statesmanship High School Student Congress Since 2002, Ed Knupp has mentored history students, fostering their interest in political and social issues. His latest? Andrew Laufenberg, one of 50 high school juniors selected nationwide to attend the all-expense paid program in Kentucky, SundaySaturday, 12-18 June. Andrew
will meet nationally recognized lawmakers, academics, journalists, and civic leaders and discuss the importance of compromise and constructive engagement and dialogue to resolve conflict and competing interests in a democracy. Ed and Andrew
Alumni Updates Nancy Alter Rudnick, Class of 1958, writes: “I graduated from college last May at age 74. I also was inducted into Phi Theta Kappa. It is never too late to accomplish what you want to. I keep in touch with some of my classmates, Maryann Zogg and Jean Anderson. I am involved in a lot of community activities including being a board member of Plus 60. We are an active senior group—very active!”
Tell The School. Easy on The School’s website: www.rivermontcollegiate.org
The School received the sad news of the following deaths:
Anniversary years include 2011, 2006, 2001, 1996, 1991,1986, 1981, 1976, 1971, 1966, 1961, 1956, 1951, 1946, 1941 . . .
• Louise Fisher Schoede, Class of 1957, 4 December 2014
Or… tell us in person! Come Back to The School in June. The School plans another inaugural event, Friday 3 June, hosting a reception after commencement for any and all returning alumni and former students. Always a Lion! Leigh Ann ‘89 rings the bell.
• Dorothy “D. A.” Mueller Horton, Class of 1945, 9 September 2015 • Marianne Staak Benson, Class of 1943, 7 October 2015 • Grace Kaufmann, Class of 1960, 14 November 2015 • Susan Schneckloth Whereat, Class of 1957, 31 January 2016 • Kim Kidwell Holz, Class of 1969, 11 March 2016 News to celebrate? Memories to share? Contact information to update?
The school restored the bell.
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Rivermont Collegiate 1821 Sunset Drive Bettendorf, IA 52722
www.RivermontCollegiate.org/Alumni
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