CLASS NOTES

Jolie Van Keuren ’14

Jolie started Gaynor in the fourth grade and was the first class to start in the Middle School when it opened in the South Building. She credits Gaynor with making an enormous impact on her life. After high school she was accepted to Ringling College of Art and Design's Computer Animation program. Upon realizing her interest in 2D animation and her desire to work for TV shows like “Family Guy” or “Rick and Morty,” she transferred into the Vancouver Film Schools’ animation program. Her final project is an animated film showing what it is like to have a learning difference like hers (dyslexia/ language-based learning difference) and will feature Gaynor.

Jacob Llaurador Brody ’04

Jacob’s time at Gaynor allowed him to process how he learns, and the encouragement he received helped him develop as a student and an artist. After attending Gaynor, he went on to graduate from Vassar College in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art, with a focus in Photography and Philosophy. Since graduation he has worked as a commercial photographer and fine art printer. This October, he released his second photo book, "HARD HAT." The book depicts how urban development has informed his creative practice. "HARD HAT," as well as prints of his work, are available to view at www.jlbrody.org.

Ryan Ehrlich ’15

Ryan is currently living in Washington, D.C., and is a sophomore at American University, where he is pursuing a double major in Secondary Education and History. During his limited free time, Ryan is very active in the D.C. political activism scene. One of the best gifts that Gaynor gave to Ryan is the ability to advocate for himself. This has allowed him to create close relationships with his professors, which will hopefully result in internships and jobs in the near future. Especially while taking classes online, Ryan points out that the ability to advocate for himself has made the process much less intimidating.

Leah Mark ’05

Leah has made headlines since graduating from Gaynor. She went to York Preparatory School, where she served as Yearbook Editor In Chief during her senior year. She studied broadcast journalism at Quinnipiac University and graduated cum laude with multiple honors. Leah could not have gotten through four intense years of college without the self-confidence she gained during her years at Gaynor. After graduating college, she moved to Washington, D.C., and worked as a production assistant for NBC 4 D.C. She then moved back to New York and worked as a producer for Mic.com, covering the 2016 election and Trump presidency. Leah currently works as a video producer for HuffPost, where she covers politics and breaking news. In March 2018, Leah married her husband Ryan at the Metropolitan Club.

Boman Modine '98

Boman loved his time at Gaynor. He shared that Gaynor was the first school that understood how to adapt to education with his learning differences and changed them from a perceived hindrance into something that he celebrates. Gaynor acclimated him to new learning styles that worked for him, and he became more confident learning in a group setting. It was because of Gaynor that Boman learned to read and then write, which remains his favorite educational experience of his life. Boman is currently a filmmaker living in California. Additionally, he and his wife Sara recently welcomed their first son, Avery. Boman looks forward to visiting Gaynor in the future when things are back to normal.

Tigist Smith ’15

Tigist started at Gaynor in the second grade and said she really enjoyed her experience at Gaynor. While at the school, she played every sport offered to her from volleyball to softball to basketball, just to name a few. Not only did Tigist find her love for sports at Gaynor, she also found that her amazing teachers gave her the tools she needed to succeed. Today, Tigist attends Mount Saint Vincent’s and is pursuing a degree in Business Administration with a minor in Sports Marketing. She’s also a member of the school’s basketball team. Tigist says that she still stays in touch with many of her Gaynor friends, and that some of the “best years of her life” were at Gaynor.