COMING HOME: ALUMNI SHARE STORIES AT SYCAMORE Four Sycamore School alumni from different parts of the country returned to their alma mater this year to share their life lessons and tips for success during a TED Talks-style symposium for parents and alumni. They shared their career journeys and talked of how Sycamore played a large part in their education and success. We talked to each of the grads before their presentations, gaining insight into their careers, goals, and the hard work it took to get where they are today. n
LAWYER KARIMI RETURNS TO SYCAMORE When Kevin Karimi (’99) returned to
spelling and vocabulary from this school have
Sycamore School last fall to be a part of the
been immensely important to me. You can’t
TalonTED Talks that featured four alumni of
go back and do that again. Things are given
Sycamore, he came armed with a presentation
to you, probably against your will, at a young
called “Conversations With My Middle
age that you’re thankful for later.”
School Self.” Karimi, who served as a Marion County Deputy Prosecutor before starting his
As a lawyer, Karimi is realistic about the
own law practice (Gemma and Karimi), was
pieces of his education that slipped into place.
the after-school activities because it was such
admittedly, a student who excelled in places
“Sycamore School pushed Spanish
a relaxed environment.” While the school day
in which he enjoyed the subject and could
to me and my older brother. It was part of the
gave Karimi his circle of friends, it was the late
struggle to find inspiration in the places that
curriculum from Mrs. Hollander and other
afternoon options after the classroom teaching
held less academic interest to him.
great teachers. I had no idea how important
was complete, that he relished. “The kids you’d
what we did here in Spanish class would be.
hang out with were ones you don’t usually
Oddly, it was some of the situations where
It was a foundational building block to my
hang out with during the day. There’s an
Kevin may have rebelled against the teaching
language skills. It’s so important today to know
immersion of different people that you get to
that had the most profound impact on his
Spanish, especially in my field.” Karimi ended
know,” he says. “Sycamore School is not a very
adult life. “Sycamore had a large focus on
up majoring in Spanish in college, and still
large school. There are 40 kids in each grade,
vocabulary, and it was so big when I was in
speaks fluently today, as does his older brother.
and you tend to stick to your friends. Everyone
middle school,” he says. “We had something
10
knows everyone, but you have four or five
called Word Within a Word, and just I
He says he also benefitted from the less
friends or maybe another little circle of friends.
hated it. It was the toughest, most strenuous
traditional academic opportunities that were
But when you go to after-school activities, you
pressure and stress inducing time in 7th and
available to him at Sycamore. “I loved the
meet new people and by the end everyone
8th grade.” The pain of the game came in
after-school activities - I really did,” he says.
knows everyone in a different way and for
the gain later. “The words that I learned in
“Drama Club was so important to me. I loved
different reasons. I enjoyed that a lot.” n
