KEEPING IN TOUCH, Senior Edition 2022 by The Roeper School

MAGAZINECOMMUNITYSCHOOLROEPERTHE IN KEEPING SENIORVOLUMEEDITION15:4 SUMMER 2022 TOUCH

1 FEATURES OPENING REMARKS 2 Karen Johnson, Upper School Director FOUNDERS’ FAMILY MESSAGE 4 Tom Roeper ’61*, Son of George & Annemarie Roeper SENIOR CLASS FAREWELL 8 Andrew & Christopher Mojares, Co-Presidents, Class of 2022 INTRODUCING OUR NEWEST ALUMNI 9 THE GRADUATES & THEIR PRESENTERS 10 SENIOR PROFILES 11 Katie Buchmann, Editor Andrew Mojares ’22, Christopher Mojares ’22, Julia Raphael ’23, Cameron Schemm ’21, Ava Thomas ’23, Copy Editors CLOSING REMARKS 27 Karen Johnson, Upper School Director SENIOR PROJECTS 28 COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES 29 PASSIONS & PURSUITS 30 AWARDS & HONORS 32 A WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST ALUMNI 33 Juliette Olejnik, Director of Alumni Relations & Annual Fund FACES IN THE CROWD 34 PARTING THOUGHTS 36 Denita Banks-Sims, Director of Development & Publications FRONT COVER Working Tabletop Fountain, Lauryn Thomas ’22 COMMENCEMENT CANDID & CEREMONY PHOTOS Mark Adrian Photograhy KITTABLE OF CONTENTS Christopher Federico Head of School christopher.federico@roeper.org Denita Banks-Sims Director of Development & Publications denita.banks-sims@roeper.org Keeping in Touch Editorial Committee Katie Buchmann Editor Bonnie Schemm Art Director Contributors Denita ChristopherAndrewPatriciaBanks-SimsBostwickKatieBuchmannKarenJohnsonMojares’22Mojares’22JulietteOlejnikJuliaRaphael’23TomRoeper’61*MarciaRuffCameronSchemm’21AvaThomas’23 THE ROEPER SCHOOL 41190 WoodwardMichiganBloomfieldAvenueHills48304 coeducationalThewww.roeper.org248/203.7300RoeperSchoolisanindependentdayschool for gifted and talented students preschool through grade 12 and an equal-opportunity institution EDUCATING AND INSPIRING GIFTED STUDENTS TO THINK AS INDIVIDUALS AND TO ENGAGE AS A COMMUNITY WITH COMPASSION FOR EACH OTHER AND THIS WORLD

KIT

It is a weird feeling to come across the documents almost 40 years after the fact Particularly the vocational testing — people change over the course of their lives In 9th grade, I thought I’d be going into medicine Archaeology was nowhere near my radar, and teaching was something I didn’t really imagine either, never mind being a high school principal — no one dreams about becoming a high school principal when they’re in high school, I’m pretty sure about that And as for the viola … well, music has never been a strength of mine, despite how much joy it brings me

• This is my 3rd grade report card from 1982 I was in Mrs Cowan’s class I was described as a good classroom citizen, and my strongest subject was art

Every picture I brought home, every skating ribbon or medal I won, every postcard from every place we ever visited To prove it, I brought some of those artifacts with me today, so you can see for yourself …

OPENING REMARKS Karen Johnson Upper School Director

• This is a 1987 original signed copy of my instrument rental agreement with the school district for my viola, in which I had to affirm that I would “constantly endeavor to improve my ability by studying diligently ” I’m not sure I held up my end of the agreement as much as I should have

These documents plus me plus the moment of looking at them decades beyond their creation has creation“The of an artifact is simply aperson,anmeetingtheofobject,aandmoment”

• Here are the results of my vocational testing in 9th grade to see what careers I was best suited for According to this, I should’ve gone into marketing Least compatible career? Manual work, which is a little ironic because I was an archaeologist, and all I did in the field was manual work

Good afternoon and welcome to Roeper’s Commencement Exercises for the Class of 2022!

I am both excited and relieved to finally be at this moment! Let’s hope that Mother Nature will continue to provide us with grace I am delighted to see everyone here at this beautiful venue to celebrate our graduates today I especially want to recognize our families here with us — thank you for sharing your kids with Roeper Today we will hear incredibly thoughtful speeches on behalf of the members of the graduating class that faithfully illustrate our commitment to our students and celebrate the strong and enduring relationships that come to be at our school This is my fourteenth Roeper Commencement, and it has never Beforedisappointedwelaunchinto the rest of the program, I have one task for everyone here to consider Many of you know that in my former career, just before coming to Roeper, I was an archaeologist I spent an inordinate amount of time — really, an inappropriate amount of time — waxing philosophical about objects and the meaning of artifacts Why do things matter to us? What compels us to hold onto objects for sentimental reasons, even if it’s not really valuable stuff? As an academic, it could be frowned upon to draw inspiration from popular television, but I recall watching the American science fiction show Warehouse 13 and discovering exactly that In this series, secret government agents aim to protect the public from objects enchanted by cultural and mythological personalities of the past — Lewis Carroll’s mirror, Alessandro Volta’s lab coat, the wings of Daedalus, Ivan Pavlov’s bell One of the characters responsible for overseeing the warehouse of these artifacts reveals in an episode that objects become enchanted everyday by ordinary people The character further adds that “the creation of an artifact is simply the meeting of an object, a person, and a moment ” Different people will have different experiences with artifacts, and this conceptual trifecta of object, person, and moment has stuck with me through the years I’ve been thinking a lot about artifacts again, as I’ve been going through lots of family documents and memorabilia recently I’ve come to realize that my mother kept everything from my childhood and my brother’s too Everything

brought a sense of wonder and a little confusion — were they really predictive of who I truly came to be? But then I realized that my encounter with these family mementos was just another phase of enchantment; originally, they were objects that were meaningful to my mother She held onto these items out of love and a bit of pride — her encounters, her moments, with these documents were a different kind of attachment from what I find myself experiencing today

— parents, grandparents, extended family, siblings, graduates, peers, faculty, coaches, mentors, alums, and friends — to think about which object will be tied to this moment, and this afternoon that captures the essence of this event Be intentional about recognizing that artifact today, hold onto it for as long as you can, pass it down to generations to come, for our descendants will have their own encounters and meaning-making with them someday An object, a person, a moment — what artifacts will be given life today? Without further ado, let’s continue with the program Listen for the notes that signal how meaningful a Roeper education truly is Tune into the leitmotifs that each of our students have taken on during their tenure at our school But most of all, settle in and enjoy the splendor of this Thankcelebrationyou!

This perspective helped emphasize for me how much parents invest in their kids and how much these sentimental objects signify milestones and highlights throughout their youth This got me thinking about how objects, people, and moments are entangled for this generation, especially since so much of the documentation of one’s childhood and youth is digital — very visual but without the effect of holding and feeling the object itself

What do people hold onto these days, what are those tangible things that get enchanted by our experiences with them? So as we head into our Commencement Exercises, I’d like everyone here

F What do people hold onto experiencesenchanteddays,thesewhatarethosetangiblethingsthatgetbyourwiththem?Anobject,aperson,amoment—whatartifactswillbegivenlifetoday?ListenforthenotesthatsignalhowmeaningfulaRoepereducationtrulyis

The concept of teachers and students as friends was important for all the Roeper/Bondy institutions I recall how my my father would say — in a quiet voice and strong German accent — to each incoming student: you will make many friends here, and I will be your friend And my great uncle Curt Bondy, who ran a prison for children on an island near Hamburg (he took me there once), said that he would tell each teen-ager who arrived: “You have done things that society cannot accept, but you are no different from any of us I could have committed the crime you committed; I could have done it too,” articulating a notion of human equality and individual uniqueness as the critical element in building a community, even a community of imprisoned adolescents And another story, with a principle behind it, that I have often told: My grandmother Gertrud Bondy instinctively honored individuality in 1946 when a 14-year-old, who had been in a Nazi concentration camp — stole into the kitchen of the Windsor Mountain School The cook was angry and said the kid was ungrateful My grandmother (knowing how people feared hunger in concentration camps) told the cook to give him a key so he could go in anytime — the only child who had a key (which the other students might envy but understood and accepted) It was a true recognition of individual uniqueness within a community My mother let an insecure four-year-old follow her around holding her dress for months (her dresses all got stretched because of it) — and the boy was still devoted to her when he graduated at 18

What do these stories tell us? A community can accept responsibility for individuality — even if every child cannot have every privilege I tell my university students that fairness does not mean identical treatment I say, “I will treat you each differently and will grade you differently “ What principle does this follow from? As some have said: education and evaluation are incompatible goals That means: the act of evaluation can undercut the real power and purpose of education, where each person learns and grows in a unique way Today I want to connect modern Cognitive Science to my grandfather’s vision, which I have recently discovered nicely articulated in a book about the Marienau School which my grandparents, Max and Gertrud Bondy, started and where my father George Roeper met their daughter Annemarie

AsBondyIhave said before, it has been my lifetime goal — still incomplete — to articulate the foundations of the Roeper/Bondy philosophy in modern Cognitive Science While free creativity is often acknowledged as critical to human endeavor, it has been only through linguistics — my field — that it has been given a solid mathematical basis It can be seen in a simple recursive formula: A Nounphrase contains a PrepositionalPhrase, and a PP contains a Nounphrase. This “recursive” operation — innate to all humans — delivers infinite creativity. The Nounphrase now can carry another Prepositional Phrase: The boy next to the girl next to the house next to the store next to the forest … on forever.

KIT FOUNDERS FAMILY MESSAGE

It is a great honor and pleasure to be back here as a member of the Roeper Family and the larger Roeper community As a boy, I lived and roamed the hills and had a room in the Hill House

It is the same analysis for sentences inside sentences which allow us to capture other minds in a single thought: A six-year-old said: “I know you think I think Easter is three days long, but it is only one day long ” The child has embedded three mindsets in a single sentence: think inside think inside know Because it comes from an innate mathematical formula, we can carry it out in milliseconds I believe very much that the sideforcompassionwithproblemsmoderncancommunitywithinindividualsviewworldthedealingisphilosophyBondyRoeper/thekeytowithmodern—aofhowatackleevery

It is uplifting to see so many young, beaming faces, eager to take on the world using your experience of ups and downs at The Roeper School to cope with those of the larger world I believe very much that the Roeper/Bondy philosophy is the key to dealing with the modern world — it is not just a humanistic way to cope sympathetically with sometimes troubled children, but a view of how individuals within a community can tackle modern problems with compassion for every side: for instance, for Ukrainians, and Russians, too

Tom Roeper ’61* Founders’ Eldest Child

By contrast, most of science is reductionist and denies free will — as academics will admit We explain ourselves to ourselves in myriad ways (environment, habit, genetics, society), but none acknowledge free will as an explicit component

I believe the Roeper School continues this quest admirably

One college graduate told me the main thing he learned in college was ”you are determined by your environment ” But the main thing he learned in college is really not true Environment has a role, but so do you Don’t let that view be your experience of social mothertoListenanthropology)sociolology,(psychology,scienceorinsteadwhatmysaid“You are earlydeterminedthatFreudiandepartsviewyouwhoresponsibleultimatelyforandwhatare”—awhichalsofromthedoctrineyouarebyexperience

“For responsibilitylife,meaningfulahemustseebeyond“I”todrawfromwithinhimselfaunityandtoacommunity,toitsvaluesandanobligationandservicetothewhole”

So as you go off to college, do not forget that the deepest, most important aspect of human nature and of you — free will — remains a scientific mystery and almost every field in the sciences (not the Humanities), including the premiere domain of physics as my physics friends tell me, fails to acknowledge the critical reality of free will to every day of your life Entailed in this perspective is the notion that — unlike Cartesian dualism — the mind and body are not really separate Your body captures ideas like when you blush if embarrassed I think that free will, the core feature of each individual, is what my grandparents sought to articulate, and which so inspired and empowered my father Let’s listen to my grandfather, Max Bondy’s words (freely translated) in 19283: Every young generation has its own destiny of necessary obligations to fulfill — they fulfill them with and without the aid of adults.... The problems of the youth in the 1910s is hardly understandable to those in the 1920s. I can only together with you perceive the inherent nature of the problems of 1925, a time of pathetic materialism, quite different from 1915 when the youth risked their lives for the fatherland. The youth have the strongest capacity to reject the comfort and convenience of bourgeois life — and now [we must think] how to fulfill the challenges of 1930? I can only grasp together with you your inner understanding as openminded youth. That is the primary reason why I am better able to live with young people, to create a new image of mankind and a better Afuture.young man today cannot understand the old demands. He must be free with his own autonomy and responsible for himself to fashion his life ... for a meaningful life he must see beyond “I” to draw from within himself a unity and responsibility to a community, to its values and an obligation and service to the whole. In a word “you must become who you are,” and move the “ideal world” into ideal actions ... and go against an intellectualized, life-denying, convention-bound civilization ... a vision of community must come through the heart. Such a vision with the impulse of love cannot be commanded, but we can practice the conditions that bring it about.

Handmaidenaway to creativity is another concept largely suppressed in the intellectual world: the role of Free Will1 Current work by two MIT neurologists2 have pointed out that they can explain every aspect of how you lift your hand or your finger — every electrical neurological connection in the body except one: the voluntary aspect — how you decide to lift your finger It must be within the same millisecond mechanical computational ability, but we cannot yet capture it

This is a model for the whole mind, including emotions — I’m mad that you’re mad that your sister is sad Every act, every moment involves precise instantaneous mental operations that are unique for each one of us When you glance around a room, your eyes compose an image in a unique way — with your personality and immediate context and situational goals being integrated Every sentence you say has a unique structure and meaning in context Every day you mean something no one has ever meant before How you walk has a unique organization — we recognize people in their stride from 100 feet

My favorite high school teacher at Putney School, a progressive school modeled in part on my grandparents’ school in Marienau — cautioned me not to accept Cartesian dualism, the division between mind and body

Professional societies have passed resolutions Some universities as well — but schools and their associations have not spoken forcefully and Weofficiallyletour

And again, we must not be too slow In 1934-35 Max and Gertrud and my father — my mother was just 16 — began, I believe, a progressive school response to fight the Nazis through a journal my father edited, linking five or six schools in Germany and Switzerland But the Nazis were infiltrating the Marienau School and others They were forced to escape before they could collectively resist

It is important to note that resistance did not always fail A small but outspoken group of parents of children with birth defects (no arm, or leg, or nose, blindess, etc ) demonstrated in front of government buildings and refused to let the Nazis kill their children Though few in number, the Nazis relented Wikipedia summarizes: “Hitler ordered that the systematic murder of the mentally ill and handicapped be brought to an end because of protests within Germany on August 18, 1941 ”

Now let me tell you the problem with this perspective on mind and action — contemplation can undermine action

He said thoughts and actions are and should be automatically linked — like a mother who screams when a child crosses a road in front of a car However, the inclination toward endless rumination makes too many of my university colleagues unable to act or too slow to act For instance, we have all been slow to resist the state legislatures’ passing laws that block Critical Race Theory and efforts to fight racism in public schools

style of contemplation impede action too easily and too often Should we ever tear down an apartment building (as we have done at UMass and Amherst) when we have refugees with nowhere to sleep? The leadership of youth is a good and natural starting point in enabling us to see and imagine what actions are necessary

The same applies to institutional actions As anarchists have pointed out: we must know how to fight obsolete institutions; for instance, the notion that geography should necessarily be the basis of democracy (e g , think: gerrymandering) How do we make sure contemplation does not impede action when needed? That is the question I would put to you all — and the graduating class — for us to grasp and solve I do not have the answer, but I believe it can and should emerge from the tradition of community-thinking found in the Roeper philosophy and this school

One principle is this: There is always a way to respond personally and institutionally to every problem in the world Right now I hope The Roeper School reaches out to Afghan women — forced to be covered — and brings some of them here My grandparents’ school in Germany, Marienau, which is still going strong, has just brought in a 13-year-old Ukrainian child Perhaps a Roeper family with the school could do the same here

And, in particular, the 400,000 Roma Ukrainians — present there for centuries — includes many seeking asylum I am working with one of the only Roma Professors in the world and could help establish contact between Roma and Roeper Istudentslookforward

— as my grandfather did — to the novel and innovative solutions that Roeper graduates will move from imagination to reality F There alwaysisa way to inproblemtoinstitutionallyandpersonallyrespondeverytheworld

We should learn from their experience about how to think deeply about problems, but not let them block action — to know when to act before it is too late Anyone concerned with the climate change will recognize a familiar challenge

BONUS: LABELS AND IDENTITY, Tom’s Founders’ Day Remarks

This day is devoted to respecting and extending the vision of the Founders I thought I might explore a concept dear to my mother and her sense of the individuality of each child and then extend it somewhat

3. Der heutige Mensch muss frei sein. Ein grosser Teil alter Bindungen ist für ihn bedeutungslos geworden, er kann mit ihnen nichts anfangen. Er will und muss lernen, in autonomer Weise vor eigener Verantwortung sein Leben zu gestalten. Der einzelne soll ganz das werden. was er seinen Anlagen nach werden muss und in möglichst vollkommener Weise aus sich herausholen, was die Natur in ihn hineingelegt hat. ... Die Jugend soll ihren eigenen Wert erkennen und zur Selbstdndigkeit gelangen. ... Aber diese Befreiung vom Zwang falscher Autoritäten genügt nicht, um die Ganzheit des Lebens zu gewinnen. ... Zu einem sinnvollen Leben gehort das Einfrlhlen in eine dem Ich r-ibergeordnete Einheit in sozialer und religioser Bezj.ehung, das Erlebnis des Wertes der Gemeinschaft, das Pflichtbewusstsein und der Dienst dem Ganzen gegenuber.

We inevitably identify people in terms of their characteristics: charming, beautiful, odd, dangerous These terms — in the world of institutions and bureaucracies — can turn into LABELS

There is a related term that pops up constantly: identity Who am I after all? And now it is common for people to “seek their identity,” discover their identity, search for it The term has an unusual history It was only around 1950 that the term was popularized by a Harvard sociologist, Eric Erikson (a friend of my great-uncle Curt Bondy), who was a Jewish refugee who changed his name from Hamburger — seeking to not have too narrow an identity He explored the fact that “identity” seemed to define voting groups — Polish, Southerners, Germans, Hispanics, etc — who seemed to often vote in blocks Then the notion expanded to become something each person needed to determine on a personal quest But do we? Must we make an alignment with some group I am an American, sort of, but also with European roots I am a professor and therefore an intellectual But I found myself strongly resisting when someone asked me to “admit that you are an intellectual ” I felt like saying, “I’m just a person ” And like not having a label, maybe we do not have to have a fixed identity So if you find yourself “searching for your identity” but cannot quite find it, don’t worry, maybe you can just be the you you decide to be I am pretty sure that is what my mother would say F 1 List, Christian, Why Free Will Is Real (2019) Harvard Press Cambridge, Massachusetts Roeper, Tom, The Prism of Grammar (2007) MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts

The school uses them too: gifted, autistic, twice exceptional, impulsive, neuro-diverse, talented, artistic, a leader — the list is growing forever And yet, every term fails to capture the true diversity of qualities inside each individual My mother always worried that labels tend to diminish people, even in their own eyes, and prevent the interaction of people of all sorts It is one reason the school sought to have more diverse ages together So we need to be careful not to use labels too much, or see each other or ourselves too narrowly

2 Emilio Bizzi & Robert Ajemian, A Hard Scientific Quest: Understanding Voluntary Movements (2015) The American Academy of Arts & Sciences

C: But actually, making it through to these last minutes would not have been possible without the amazing support, encouragement, and guidance of so many people we want to thank Thank you to our incredible teachers; thank you to all of the people who make up the Roeper staff; thank you to parents and family members and friends; and thank you to everyone who’s taken the time to celebrate here with us But truly, the people we want to say the biggest thank you to are the 37 amazing people sitting behind us

A: The experience of growing up with you has been one of the greatest gifts I could have possibly imagined The class trips, the carpools, the sitting on the couches in the Commons or walking to Dairy Mat instead of doing some much-needed homework … some of those moments may have seemed ordinary, but in a sense, that’s what made them so special And as these last few minutes continue to count down, I think it’s important to remember that even though we might not be physically together in the future, we will all still be growing up We will all have moments, minutes, if you will, of pure, unburdened joy But we will also inevitably have minutes of embarrassment, minutes of crisis, and minutes where we realize that we’ve messed up … big time

C: You should all be exceptionally proud of yourselves I’ve found myself constantly inspired by all of you From those of you leading clubs, those incredibly talented performers and creators, and those who have that ability to brighten up a room and bring joy to those around you, you’ve taught me who I want to become, and I don’t think I tell you that enough

A: The memories, moments, and minutes that we’ve shared together far extend beyond the physical limitations of our school’s walls, and as we spread to different parts of the country and world moving forward, there will always be these things that we share, these connections that we hold strong, and a network of support around us These may be our last minutes as seniors, but they aren’t our last minutes together

C: Hi, Everyone, I’m Christopher A: I’m Andrew C: And we have the honor of speaking before you today to celebrate the Class of 2022 C: So when we were asked if we wanted to give a speech today, we immediately and enthusiastically said yes, but of course that presented us with a problem: How could we possibly do our last 15 years justice in a three- to four-minute speech? A: And so we got to thinking, where do we even begin? And we thought of two words that I think resonate with us and many other classmates: Last Minute C: And while what might come to mind when you hear “last minute” may be the countless assignments, projects, papers, and 10-page lab reports that weren’t started until the day they were due, we’re talking about a different kind of last minute A: And that’s the fact that these, right now, are our LAST MINUTES together as seniors We’ve had a lot of “lasts” leading up to this — our last homecoming dance, last spirit week, last set of final exams, and now we’re gathered here together to celebrate these last minutes we have as high schoolers

C: And so, we want to remind you all — to cherish these last minutes, remember them, and do everything you possibly can to make these last minutes the ones that really last Thank you F These may be our togetherlastaren’tbutasminuteslastseniors,theyourminutes

SENIOR CLASS FAREWELL & Christopher Mojares Class of 2022 co-Presidents

C: And while I’m no more qualified to give advice about the future than anyone else here, seeing as we have all spent exactly zero minutes in the future, I want to remind you all that when you do find yourself in one of those minutes of discomfort, those oftentimes double as minutes of change We’ve grown up together, but we’ve also GROWN together, through those minutes of discomfort, and in a world as turbulent as the one we live in, I’m so incredibly proud that you all have demonstrated time and time again that you can and will make change

A: Whether that be internal changes within yourself, or speaking up on and transforming that discomfort into action, I can say with full certainty that this extraordinarily capable group of people I’m lucky to call my classmates will move on to change the world

KIT

Andrew

9 KITINTRODUCING OUR NEWEST ALUMNI 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 8 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 1 Nicholas Kay 2 Layla Humphreys 3 Katie Lane 4 Scarlett Shaya 5 Lili Kappa 6 Iffatshaima Hossain 7 Flawless Gregory 8 Alisa Harris 9 Karon Heath 10 Christopher Mojares 11 Ben Wedepohl 12 Keaton Hunt 13 Julia Schwanki 14 Helena Williams 15 Audrey DeGuia 16 Bella Vartanian 17 Rose Li 18 Kourtney Laury 19 Jonnie Dunne 20 Will Mattison 21 Andrew Novell 22 Alex Jiang 23 Tai Fowler 24 Devan Edwards 25 Andrew Mojares 26 Stanley Olson 27 Grace Simon 28 Adam Cornier-Bridgeforth 29 Ava Bagne 30 Matteo Papadopoulos 31 Lauryn Thomas 32 Zeke English 33 Bo Smith 34 William Bieneman 35 Jonathan Johnson 36 Ryan Niehsl 37 Chase Wade 38 Ethan White 39 Ian Brown The Class of 2022 32

10 KIT THE GRADUATES AND THEIR PRESENTERS The Class of 2022in graduation order graduate presenter ALEXANDER PEIAN JIANG karen johnson JULIA SIDNEY SCHWANKI sara mendez ADAM CORNIER-BRIDGEFORTH eric ambrose DEVAN WILLIAM EDWARDS kelly mcdowell ZEKE LEWIS ENGLISH max collins KOURTNEY LAURY susannah nichols ROSALYN LU LI matt vallus WILLIAM MICHAEL MATTISON kevin kildea GRACE SIMON kelly mcdowell CHASE WILSON WADE kelly mcdowell HELENA MARIA WILLIAMS kelly mcdowell JONATHAN BENNETT DUNNE . . . . . . . . . . . andrew blechman FLAWLESS ADAOBI GREGORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . jordan konior JONATHAN TERRELL JOHNSON cori hatcher LAURYN REBECCA THOMAS susannah nichols ALISA CHRISTINE HARRIS amy cova KARON CHERISE HEATH matt vallus IFFATSHAIMA JARIN HOSSAIN janet szeto LAYLA NICOLE HUMPHREYS denita banks-sims LILIIWAILEHUA LAUREAN KAPPA michal mcconville RYAN KENNETH NEIHSL alex pedica TAI FOWLER susannah nichols NICHOLAS IAN KAY kelly mcdowell KATHERINE ROSE LANE kelly mcdowell WILLIAM SULLIVAN BIENEMAN lily zhu ANDREW BRYCE NOVELL kevin kildea IAN SERGEI BROWN kelly mcdowell MATTEO STAVROS PAPADOPOULOS mike ruddy BENJAMIN ANDREW WEDEPOHL kevin kildea ETHAN DAVID WHITE andrew blechman ROGER BONHAM SMITH III natalie abbott KEATON JOSEPH HUNT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . dan jacobs AVA ROSE BAGNE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . scott vartanian AUDREY JUSTINE DeGUIA michal mcconville ANDREW WILLIAM-ACIERNO MOJARES susannah nichols CHRISTOPHER MICHAEL-ACIERNO MOJARES lily zhu STANLEY JOHN OLSON brian hewitt SCARLETT CAROLYN LOWE SHAYA andrea collins ISABELLE MARIE VARTANIAN susannah nichols Relationships are im portant at Roeper. Each senior chooses an adult member of the presentcommunityRoepertohimor her at isattendedthegraduatesstudentSchool.timestudent’sdeterminedGraduationtohonorItformercludewasearlycouldwhichgraduatingdesignatedsixasopersondauntinglarger,AsthatDirectorUpperhisgraduate,aboutspokeGeorgeHistorically,lyrecords,drawnpoignant,humorousSpeechescommencement.arefactual,andwithwordsfromstudentfriends,famiandstaffmembers.Roeperafewminuteseachanduponretirement,theSchoolassumedcommitment.theclassesgrewitbecameataskforonetoundertake,inthemid-’80sgroupoffiveorteacherswasbyeachclassfromtheseniorschoose.Inthe’90sthechoicewidenedtoinanycurrentorstaffmember.isconsideredantobeinvitedpresent.orderisbythelengthofatTheRoeperThenewesttoRoeperfirst;andstudentwhohasthelongestpresentedlast.

ADAM BRIDGEFORTHCORNIER-In his speech for Adam, Eric Ambrose stated, “Adam has a way of brightening up any room he walks into … Adam is someone you want to be around He exudes an aura of kindness and positivity that is infectious ” Chase Wade explained, “Anyone who has met Adam knows he has a certain air about him This could be summed up as confidence: in self, in views Adam was always keenly aware of his effect on others, so he projected good energy when he could and especially when others did not ” Chase also spoke about Homecoming their freshman year; when the dance floor was starting to dwindle, there was Adam “sucking in the atmosphere and boogying like there was not a care in the world ” Michal McConville stated, “He is one of the best people to be around,

JULIA SIDNEY SCHWANKI, child of Bill Schwanki and Marla Feldman of Royal Oak, attended Roeper for three years In her speech for Spring, Sara Mendez stated, “Spring Schwanki is Roeper’s very own neutron star, combining a diverse range of properties in a single, enigmatic being In addition to creating mind-blowing paintings, Spring also skillfully keeps balls from getting past the posts in her position as goalie on our soccer team Spring checks science textbooks out from our

sophisticatedphilosopher,ALEX:leader,intelligentJULIA“SPRING”:artistic,caring,dedicatedADAM:musician,positive,

11 KIT SENIOR PROFILES Katie Buchmann, KIT Editor Andrew Mojares ’22 Christopher Mojares ’22 Julia Raphael ’23 Ava Thomas ’23 Copy Editors

ALEXANDER JIANG, son of Huahui and Yan Jiang of Farmington Hills, attended Roeper for two years In her speech for him, Karen Johnson stated, “For the two years that I have known you, you have been a genuine philosopher At times you come across as a Stoic, contemplating the curiosities and complexities of life around you with a detached calm At other times you seem to be an Epicurean, finding happiness through joyful pursuits purely for their own sake Even if contradictory, you have found a way to engage with both philosophical traditions, which comes through among your accomplishments ” Karen continued, “I knew you possessed a rare ‘zoom vision’ quality: able to hone in on little details and get them in order, but also able to take the holistic approach and see the forest for the trees You are more of a philosopher than you realize ” Karen explained, “It is perhaps unsurprising given these illustrations that when I think of you, Alex, the first image that comes to mind is Rodin’s iconic sculpture, The Thinker — that man, perched as if surveying the world and engaged in profound reflection, could easily be a representation of you You are a young man whose depth of thought and expansive mind will solve important problems in our future — we need people who are the philosopher-engineers of this world ” Alex will be attending Wayne State University in the fall I’ll remember you.

library for pleasure reading and also almost made it as My Chemical Romance’s top listener on Spotify by listening to them almost exclusively for an entire year ” “Spring is one of the most truly caring and compassionate individuals I know,” friend Adam Cornier-Bridgeforth says “She cares about her friends deeply It’s a quality I will always feel grateful for being able to experience ” Friend and teammate Bella Vartanian agrees, stating, “I think people are often surprised when they actually get to know Spring because they’re one of the most kind-hearted and friendly people you’ll ever meet I always feel so much joy when I talk to them ” Spring will be attending Michigan State University in the fall I really enjoyed my time here at Roeper, and I will keep in touch with my friends still at Roeper, much love to all of you!

DEVAN EDWARDSWILLIAM , son of Franklin Edwards and Ann Williams of Royal Oak, attended Roeper for four years Kelly McDowell said in her speech for Devan, “I’ve taken to calling Devan my TA, a role which he has happily taken on and performed with incredible skill and ease A veteran of my classes, he has generously assisted students and even developed and delivered his own presentations on our favorite concepts ” Math teacher Hasan Humadi says: “Every morning, Devan enters my room with a smile on his face And when he says good morning, I feel a sense of peace enter my room Devan is smart in a quiet, confident way I believe in his capability I am so proud of Devan ” Librarian and teacher Cori Hatcher describes Devan this way: “Devan is a lifelong learner, who views education not as a series of hoops to jump through, but in terms of what he’s going to get out of it, what’s meaningful to him He’s just doing it for himself It’s who he is ” HIs father Frank describes their family closeness: “We share almost every dinner together, watch TV, go to concerts, stay up late talking about things big and small He has been everything you could ask for as a son He is respectful to everyone, loves his mother, and even tolerates his big brother He has never spoken back to us, raised his voice in anger, and calmly explains his side of a request, having already thought the situation through ” Devan will be attending Western Michigan University in the fall

12 no matter what your mood He will lift your mood when you’re down, and he will magnify joy when it’s around him Whoever crosses his path in life is tremendously lucky ” Eric continued, speaking to Adam’s musical talent, “I just can’t watch Adam play and not smile, partially because I don’t think Adam can play without smiling, and that kind of joy is contagious And anyone who was fortunate enough to see the presentation of his senior project knows his ability to channel raw passion and emotion into his music with a maturity and sophistication well beyond his years ” Adam will be attending Kalamazoo College in the fall

The people I’ve met at Roeper have transformed me into the person I am today. I’m lucky to have had the opportunity of attending for high school.

ZEKE ENGLISHLEWIS , son of Frank and Diane English, and Veronica Lewis, all of Hamtramck, attended Roeper for four years “Zeke’s about as affable and unpretentious as can be,” said Max Collins in his speech for Zeke “I first came to know Zeke as a sophomore in my Twentieth-Century World History class There he exuded confidence and competence … but he seemed essentially passive Later, however, in my Russian History class; Zeke evolved from an alert back-bencher into a top-notch class participant Similarly, in my Economics class, Zeke worked out an improved method for calculating elasticity values; and later queried me about additional material to read on his own Given Zeke’s zest for Economics at Roeper, it’s not surprising that he intends to study it at the University of Michigan Zeke likes the idea of hanging out his own shingle as a financial advisor Personally, I think he’d be terrific at this He’s got the academic ability to manage investments astutely, and also the affable temper and powers of clear communication to explain things to his clients and put them at ease In college, Zeke intends to pair his studies of economics and business with course work in music and membership as a violinist in the university orchestra Perhaps he’ll become the financial administrator of an orchestra, or maybe he’ll carve out a niche in the exciting and glamorous world of insurance as the underwriter of Stradivarius violins Only time will tell But for now, I give you your fellow classmate, in seconds to become your fellow Roeper alumnus, Zeke English Huzzah!” Zeke will be attending the University of Michigan in the fall

confidentunpretentious,affable,ZEKE:respectfulconfident,teacherly,DEVAN:

Thanks to everyone who made my time at Roeper amazing!

ROSALYN LU LI, daughter of Rong Lu and Feng Li of Troy and sister of Richard Li ‘20, attended Roeper for four years In his speech for her, Matt Vallus shared that “when Rose speaks up, other students listen intently, wondering what profound thought she will offer or what original take she will share If you ask Rose what motivates her to be so accomplished, she would simply say that learning difficult things is fun and enables her to be the best she can be ” He also emphasized “the immense impact she has on those around her with her ability to empower and motivate them ” Signe Smith recalled an experience she had as a new Model UN delegate where Rose made her feel very confident and was always extremely supportive and encouraging Dan Jacobs mentioned Rose’s senior project that “consolidated the most useful elements of years of debate camps and debate experience into a series of resources for students, coaches, and parents” and shares that Rose’s work will “provide the foundation we need to rebuild our debate team and leave a legacy for future debaters at our school ” He also pointed out that his “main concern with Rosalyn is, and has been from the first day of class, that the course does not have enough to offer her This has been the greatest challenge of working with Rosalyn between her years of debate camps and her lightning-quick brain, she has usually lapped me numerous times in terms of thinking through multiple perspectives ” Rose will be attending Columbia University in the fall

LAURYKOURTNEY Williamsofdaughter,Lesley and Kevin Laury of fourRoeperattendedDetroit,foryears In her speech for andloveKourtney’spointedNicholsSusannahKourtney,outforDJingsaidthat“Koko shows literal ambidexterity in her music, deftly using both hands to mix But more metaphorically, we see a breadth of skill in so much of what she takes on at Roeper Whether it’s earning a Regional medal in the 110m hurdles or presenting on racial health disparities to over a hundred area students on behalf of the Black Student Union, Kourtney never makes herself the star of the show but can hold her own in the spotlight ” Kourtney’s dad and mentor, Kevin Laury, shared that Kourtney “taught herself how to play the keyboard by ear She could hear a song and then play it back … She has been playing the trombone since elementary school when the instrument was larger than she was, but she was still able to excel and hold the first chair for two years straight ” Claire Martin, co-president of the Black Student Union with Kourtney, said that not only is she “very genuine and laid back,” but she also “continually pushes herself through difficult circumstances, to learn and grow from uncomfortable experiences ” Susannah Nichols continued in her speech, “Acknowledging and valuing the people in the room is one of Kourtney’s best traits,” and Lauryn Thomas said that “her level of awareness and care is a rarity ” Kourtney will be attending the University of Michigan I want to thank the students and teachers who I call friends and some I call family for making every day memorable.

KOURTNEY:inclusive,hard-working,leaderROSE:Impactful,leader,motivated

how things fit together is characteristic of how she sees the world Her view is always layered and profound ” Grace’s dad, Bernie, credits Grace with teaching him not to make assumptions about others, and her mom, Ann, says that Grace taught her to notice the “splendor of everyday moments ” Ann shared that an example of this was when Grace was around two years old, and milk was spilled at dinner “As I jumped up to soak it up with paper towels, Grace shrieked in alarm to stop me Her eyes were huge, and her face was enraptured by what she could so clearly see How the milk would separate itself into puddles How consistently the drops were falling to the floor …” As Kelly McDowell said, this shows how Grace sees the world Kelly continued, “My dear Grace, oh how I have become accustomed to your calming, gentle presence in my room And oh how I will miss you But I am excited for your journey and look so very forward to all of the little things you will notice along the way ” Grace will be taking a gap year Have a good summer.

Kevin also recalled a time where his friend, who is a math teacher at Seaholm High School, told him about a “middle school student who was extraordinary at math” and was “so impressed by this student’s skills and knowledge that he had to brag about him ” It wasn’t until years later, when Kevin was telling this same friend about a kid who “had this great analytical mind, was excited by math and loved Star Wars,” that he came to the realization that he and his friend had been talking about the same student: Will Mattison Will is also the captain of the robotics team, plays the trumpet, is involved in sports, and works with kids at summer camp Kevin shared that Will is “involved with so many things that we often joked about when he could just take a break and relax ” William will be attending Purdue University in the fall

The biggest thank you to the best community I could’ve asked for. I will always miss the kindness of Roeper. GRACE SIMON, daughter of Ann Connor and and Bernard Simon attended Roeper for four years In her speech for Grace, Kelly McDowell shared that Grace is “lovely and fills the space with beauty ” She also added that “Grace exudes grace In order to exude grace, one must be sensitive, aware of one’s surroundings, notice the little things that most people do not ” Susannah Nichols said that “an intense desire to discover

authenticconfident,accomplished,CHASE:consideratecareful,thoughtful,GRACEskilledknowledgeable,Analytical,WILL::

CHASE WILSON WADE, son of Gary and Kathy Wade of Hazel Park, attended Roeper for four years In her speech for Chase, Kelly McDowell said, “Chase, you may be young, but you’ve already accomplished far more than most And I’m not too proud to admit that I, while I am grateful to be your teacher, I sometimes wonder who’s getting the better end of the deal, because you have taught me so much … you are authentic: authentic student, authentic family member and friend, authentic artist, authentic human ” Hale Williams wrote, “Very candidly, I’m stunned to read the words ‘Chase has listed you as a most valued and trusted mentor’ because he is — to me — more put together, self-confident, and driven than I have ever been I cannot express in words how touching it is that

WILLIAM MATTISONMICHAEL , son of Kendra Heger of Birmingham and Andrew Mattison of Bingham Farms, attended Roeper for four years In the words of Kevin Kildea, “William is an amazing person I have not come across many individuals with such an ability to think critically He is persistent, does not get discouraged easily, and realizes that failure is just a path to understanding The great thing about William is that his enthusiasm for learning and ability to problem-solve will help him continue to grow, learn, and excel ”

BENNETTJONATHANDUNNE

, son of Kimberly and James Dunne of Northville, attended Roeper for five years Andrew Blechman said in his speech for Jonathan that “Jonnie is not at all introverted: he is quiet He speaks when he sees the need to And when he does, you can hear his brilliance ” Ethan White expands upon Jonathan’s brilliance, writing, “You can’t really fit Jonnie into a box, he has interests and skills all over the place He’s pretty down-to-earth, and he doesn’t get easily upset or angry about things; he doesn’t brag or put others down It’s because of his reaction to his own success, financially, academically, and otherwise that to me is a really good indication of his personality He has his own good values and ideas, and I know he’s going to go out into the world and make a positive impact, not because he wants to fulfill some sort of external motivation, but because that’s just the kind of person he is ” His kindness is also noticed by Kelly McDowell, who wrote, “Jonnie takes nothing for granted He is one of the hardest-working students I know He continually strives to improve himself And he does it all with an abiding humility and an easygoing friendliness ” Jonathan will be attending the University of Michigan in the fall Thank you for making my high school career great.

compassonate,HELENA:intuitive,gentleJONNIE:quiet,humble,down-to-earth

It’s a calm, comforting vibe that I think will serve him well ” Chase will be attending Pitzer College in the fall Farewell, Roeper community, there have been twists and turns along our path together but we have made it here nonetheless. I will truly miss the many detours taken in Kelly McDowell’s English class discussions. I’m sure every Senior will miss winning Spirit Week again, and again, and again. Most of all, I will miss the bonds I’ve made with my fellow Roeperians. The Roeper experience remains unique.

HELENA WILLIAMSMARIA , daughter of Maria and James Williams, attended Roeper for four years Kelly McDowell said in her speech for Helena: “All things for Helena, creative, scholarly, personal, social … seem to have a single origin: an abiding curiosity and a deep love of what she does ” Devan herlovebestwriting,expandsEdwardsuponthis,“Helena’squalityistheshehasinheartEverything she does is out of love: the friends she makes, the values she holds, her hobbies, her lifestyle choices … It’s all built on love for herself, for others, for the world Helena offers the world love, and I think more people than she might even realize are affected, changed by her Helena is my pride and joy, my hope for a better world She will make a difference anywhere she goes ” Abha Dearing adds, “Helena is compassion personified Her warmth and empathy for our world is apparent in the way she expresses her values as a vegan and guardian of the earth; in the way she becomes a vocal bridge, using her rich, strong alto voice as a conduit for all the voices around her; in the way that she articulates her beliefs about equity and justice in a passionate but gentle manner, allowing for different perspectives, but always knowing right from wrong She has left an imprint on my heart with her deep thinking and quiet strength, but also with her caring and intuitive support for others who cannot fend for themselves ” Helena will be attending Kalamazoo College in the fall

15 he would list me as someone to reach out to In a way, I think that’s a big part of his strength as a communicator and community leader, his interest/ attention/curiosity/thoughts make me feel eager to open up and share my own He has a magnetic personality without being raucous or ‘too much ’

focusedcommitted,meticulous,LAURYN:leaderinspirational,unassuming,JJ:energetichonest,open,FLAWLESS:

I’m glad I was able to push through, along with my other classmates, these hard but fun four years of high school. I’m hopeful for the future and wish everyone the best in their lives. Much Love — Flawless

In the speech written for Lauryn, Susannah Nichols says, “Lauryn’s leadership has emerged in many areas of the school, from athletics to issues of social justice and inclusion, and most folks find themselves taken aback when they realize she’s one of the youngest seniors on stage today How can she balance meticulousness and passion, poise and grand vision so well? How can she have risen to these heights in such a short time?” Her teachers and friends ask the same questions Kevin Kildea said, “I see Lauryn as a leader, as someone who is committed, focused, and leading by example ” Chase Wade writes, “Lauryn always sees issues with a clear eye, but she doesn’t just stop there Lauryn takes initiative, makes plans to move forward from issues while helping others … While it’s easy to let her responsible exterior fool you, she enjoys exploring and trying new things other people normally don’t

GREGORYADAOBIFLAWLESS, daughter of Nnenna Okey of attendedDetroit,Roeper for five years In the speech she wrote for Flawless, Jordan Konior said, “One thing that I will always appreciate about Gregory was her openness and honesty Some days she would come into the gym and let us know that she simply wasn’t in the mood for practice, whether it be verbally or with her body language But when it was gametime, there were no excuses, she was everyone’s favorite hype man, and I saw her as the heart of our team ” She continued, “Flawless is one of those kids that you love to coach She is often misunderstood, but she is very passionate about her craft She has a very big heart, and you can see it with how she plays and how she carries herself off the court On the court, she is wherever the ball is, sometimes by design, and sometimes by her own mind After games, she is front and center in the student section, cheering on her fellow classmates on the boys basketball team, giving them all the necessary energy to pull off the victory Off the court she is family- and friend-oriented and will give her last to make sure that others around her are good She has a unique sense of both humor and style and a smile that can brighten up any room ” Flawless will be attending Eastern Michigan University in the fall

JONATHAN TERRELL JOHNSON, son of Ayana Thomas of Detroit and Mervyn Johnson of Taylor, attended Roeper for six years In the speech she wrote for Jonathan, Cori Hatcher said, “On and off the court he is a student with utmost integrity and steadfast conviction, and he does it all without an ounce of pretense or conceit Every game that I was privileged to attend and watch Jonathan play, I was in awe of what he could accomplish on the court, but more than that, I was proud to know him off the court and for the ways he inspires our community ” Ryan Zinser remembers, “After every game, no matter how many friends surrounded him trying to talk with him and tell him what a great game he had, Jonathan always made a point to find his mom first and give her a hug ” Five years ago, Patrick Ratliff made an observation that still holds true today, “JJ isn’t going to work quietly in a cubicle one day He’s going to run a company that makes cubicles, or lead a think tank to design better cubicles, or travel the country giving speeches about the future of cubicles to sold-out auditoriums ” Cori continued, “Jonathan, don’t ever stop leading with your heart because I know that it will never steer you wrong ” Jonathan will be attending Morehouse College in the fall Thanks for the memories, Roeper, it’s been fun.

LAURYN THOMASREBECCA , daughter of Anthony Thomas of Southfield and Felicia Thomas of West Bloomfield, attended Roeper for six years

KARON CHERISE HEATH, daughter of Malika RamseyHeath and James Heath of Detroit and sister of James ‘21, attended Roeper for six years In his speech for Karon, Matt Vallus said, “Overall, one of Karon’s most admirable traits is her perseverance This is the bedrock, though, that has led to all other things, and I do not believe I have known a student who perseveres more In the future I see Karon instilling such perseverance in others by working to help those who are struggling, fighting for social issues she believes in, and speaking out against things that are unjust ” Susannah Nichols adds, “[Karon’s] sheer determination and work ethic, combined with [her] insight and passion [makes her] a true force to be reckoned with I know [Karon is] going to be a key voice in these conversations of equity, visibility, and justice long after [her time at Roeper] ends ” Matt continued, saying, “Friends and family would say if there was a person who cares most deeply about the well-being of others, Karon Heath would be it Karon is unwavering in her kindness and empathy She will always try to pick other people up, especially in a larger community ” Her brother, James Heath, is quick to agree, saying, “Karon advocates for herself and has become more independent than ever She has taught me how to treat others better, and I have learned a lot from her ” Karon will be taking a gap year next year Goodbye, Everyone.

17 even think about ” Karon Heath adds, “Lauryn has always stayed true to herself and she wants others to do so as well She is able to advise and encourage friends to do what they believe is right for themselves, without imposing her own beliefs ” Lauryn will be taking a gap year next year I’ve made some nice memories here and learned a lot. I don’t think there is a school more unique than this.

IFFATSHAIMA JARIN HOSSAIN, daughter of Mohammad Hossain and Fayzun Nahar of Troy, attended Roeper for six years In her speech for Iffatshaima, Janet Szeto said, “While her work is consistently refined and lovely, I want to stress that this is just one part of a much greater project when Shaima is making art That other part is following her interest to work through new processes and use her art for in-depth reflection Shaima’s mere presence, in many of her classes, causes genuine delight for friends and teachers alike; she is a young

ALISA independent,determined,thoughtful,brave,“LI”:resilientKARON:kind

ALISA HARRISCHRISTINE , child of Cynthia and Ed Harris of Pontiac and sibling of Adam ‘17 and Andrew ‘25, attended Roeper for six years In Amy Cova’s speech for Alisa, she said, “Li, your interest and curiosity pushed me to further my study of the Yamas and Niyamas, so that I could be worthy of your brilliant, humble musings It was in these authentic, vulnerable conversations that I discovered how brave, thoughtful, self-reflective and resilient Li is ” Others are quick to add, with Abha Dearing sharing that “Li’s singing shows the potential to be an instrument of peace and reconciliation Li is a bridge between people ” Kelly McDowell describes Li as a “force of nature gifted in so many ways, from a brilliant creative mind to their sharp and delightfully snarky wit [I picture Li as] a shooting star the combination of beauty and strength, an awe-inspiring image that causes us to stop and take notice ” Amy continued, “They say that children have a good sense of character, and my young Riley and Parker were drawn to your empathy, your ingenuity and your radiance on their very first acquaintance Without a doubt, your extraordinary spirit will continue to inspire as you embark on your new adventure ” Alisa will be taking a gap year next year to study art and work on their portfolio I wish you all a better future.

From“LilyMcConvilleforyearsRoeperHills,DunkinstepdaughterKappa,ofSeanofBeverlyattendedforsixInherspeechLily,Michalstated,isacreatormakingher

leaderpassionate,creative,LILY:tranquilself-assured,self-aware,LAYLA:positivesupportive,reflective,SHAIMA: old to embody this massive and charming dose of self-awareness and self-assurance ” Layla’s confidence and talent extend well into the classroom and beyond, as her teachers point out Michal McConville shares, “[Layla] has a tranquility about her that puts others at ease and sets the tone for her environment She values connections with her classmates and teachers alike She’s very empathetic and compassionate When someone close to her is suffering, she is a pillar of strength and unwavering support ” Michelle Stamler adds, “Layla’s academic performance is impressive and as her Homeroom Advisor, I have often basked in the reflected accolades of her academic achievements Layla is a divergent thinker and shows great aptitude — particularly in classes that demand a high level of critical thinking ” Layla will be attending Jackson State University in the fall Thank you for the life-long memories and bonds.

KAPPALAEUREANLILIIWAILEHUA

LAYLA NICOLE HUMPHREYS, daughter of Jackie and William Humphreys of Detroit, attended Roeper for six years In her speech for Layla, Denita Banks-Sims said, “Each spring, I casually glance through my window and scan the backyard for signs of the new season … on a rare occasion, the goldfinch emerges! Regal … effortlessly dazzling and imbued with a rare confidence Layla Nicole Humphreys made a similar impression when I met her for the first time as an incoming Roeper 7th grader I would soon come to know how it was possible for a 13-year-

own fashions to illustrating detailed journals to playing ukulele, Lily is always trying something new and finding ways to express herself ” Former biology teacher Laura Panek observed Lily’s talents at a very young age, saying, “Rarely do students approach me eager and excited to talk about algae and never when they are in 8th grade That kind of interest and curiosity is rare To stop and see the small things and wonder Lily is a scientist at heart ” Classmate Matteo Papadopoulos explains that Lily “takes advantage of every hour in a day, choosing deliberately what to invest her time in and always doing it with inspiring amounts of love and care ” As a mentor and mental health

18 woman that brightens up the room and radiates positivity ” Friends and teachers are quick to agree Christopher Mojares explains that Iffatshaima “thrives off of helping others feel supported and welcome” and that he witnesses such acts on “a daily basis ” Cori Hatcher adds, “[Shaima] has a very powerful and singular voice … and what she has to say, it is worth waiting for ” Andrew Mojares describes Iffatshaima as “that specific feeling of when it finally gets warm out, and you can feel the sun physically shine on your skin and warm you up That’s Shaima ” Janet agreed with this analogy, saying, “That relationship between Shaima and light seems exactly right Shaima, you are (and have been) a light in this place and have dazzled so many of us with your whole self as well as the artwork you have shared with us ” Iffatshaima will be attending Oakland University in the fall Thank you for giving me a community, a philosophy, and memories that will last a lifetime.

, daughter of Destiny Dorozan of Beverly Hills and Justin

19 advocate, Lily built the UMatter club with friend Hannah Wise Hannah says, “Whenever Lily saw a gap at Roeper, she worked to fix it She is always checking on others’ and Roeper’s wellbeing as a whole ” Michal continued in her speech, “Guided by her desire to create special, lasting memories and to continue longtime traditions of the school, Lily took on the enormous endeavor to run Spirit Week for two years in a row Lily has given us a physical representation of her undying commitment to and celebration of the community ” Lily will be attending the University of Michigan in the fall As I leave to find my own community, I’d like to thank the first one to welcome me with open arms.

NICHOLAS IAN KAY, son of Pamela Kay and Keith Kay of West andinHe’sandbothrare“NickherMcDowellsevenattendedBloomfield,RoeperforyearsKellywroteinspeechforhim,possessestheabilitytobewicked-smarttotallylaid-backcomfortablehisownskinjustveryeasy

Thank you, Roeper, for teaching me what it really means to be a compassionate community.

TAI FOWLER , son of Sean Fowler and Andree Bell of Redford Township, attended Roeper for seven years In her speech for Tai, Susannah Nichols wrote, “He’s the friend to sincerely greet you at the start of class or wave hello as you walk through the Commons He’s the person you know will race to help someone move a table, the classmate you never mind ending up in a group with, the facilitator you’re delighted to see running a discussion ” Bella Vartanian said of Tai, “Not only is he kind towards the people who approach him, but he approaches others We’ll often be walking in the hall and he’ll randomly start a conversation with a middle schooler I’ve never seen before, and he acts like they’re his best friend He’s always been this way ” Former Roeper teacher Aaron Robinson stated, “Tai has a brilliant mind that can find truth, arrive at conclusions, and bring forth new ideas in a way and magnitude he is not yet aware of ” Susannah continued that “he has been such a compelling role model for all of us, it seems, comes in large part from his willingness to listen, to observe, and finally speak ” Tai will be attending Pomona College in the fall

I appreciate all the time this community invested into me becoming a citizen of the world!

compassionateperformer,RYAN:creative,TAI:kind,brilliant,listenerNICK:meaningful,profound,honest

RYAN KENNETH NEIHSL, son of Ken and Mandy Neihsl of Oakland, Michigan, attended Roeper for six years Presenter Alex Pedica stated, “Ryan is an intelligent student, a thoughtful friend, a compassionate human, but mostly Ryan is a comedian, a performer ” Clyde Granzeier ’21 expressed that “Ryan tries to consider every perspective and thinks about it in a thoughtful way ” Ryan’s mother told Alex Pedica that “his kindergarten teacher once said it’s hard to get kids to think outside of the box, but after a year with Ryan she changed her tune ” Alex continued, “Ryan never even got close to the box ” Alex recalled Ryan’s performance in A Man of No Importance, “Over the course of the rehearsal process, Ryan proved he was better, much better than I expected And by the end of the show, he was even better than that He mastered his Irish dialect — along with 20 other dialects that had nothing to do with the show He raced to get off-book so he could focus on his character development And he found a way to bring humor to such a tragic tale … He reminds us all that it’s okay to laugh, even during the dark times This is the Roeper student we are sending out into the world ” Ryan will be attending Kalamazoo College in the fall Goodbye Roeper!

KATHERINE ROSE LANE, daughter of Barbara and Jon Lane of Bloomfield Hills, attended Roeper for seven years In the speech for her, Kelly McDowell wrote, “Of all of the amazing qualities possessed by Katie Lane, the first that comes to mind when I think of her is her contagious laugh There are many different kinds of laughs … but the best are those that come from our core, the unrestrained, uninhibited, glorious belly laughs This is the laughter I hear when I think of Katie ” French teacher Michal McConville said of Katie, “She has such a desire to learn and is a picture of optimism She sees the glass as completely full ” When asked what he learned from Katie, her father said, “I think what Katie has taught us is the value of staying positive and persevering when challenges come your way ” Kelly continued in her speech that Katie is “energetic, social, happy, and honest ” Librarian and teacher Cori Hatcher said, “Katie is refreshingly honest and seeks knowledge and understanding like no other student I have ever had She is the definition of a life-long learner, and I can’t wait to see what she will do in life ” Katie will be attending Hope College in the fall Thank you, Roeper faculty, students, and community, for helping me discover and mature into who I am by accepting and celebrating me for being me. I appreciate you all for helping me mature as an academic and as a person!

20 to talk to There are no airs about Nick He is absolutely who he is, and it’s so refreshing It’s also what gives him the ability to drop serious, profound, amazingly big and complex ideas in such an effortless, casual way ” Ben Wedepohl said of Nick, “Whether it be a serious discussion, where he can make strong, succinct points, or a circle of people he may not know, where he can make them all red with laughter … This is what I think will be his best skill wherever he goes … making connections ” Homeroom advisor and Latin teacher Natalie Abbott puts it this way: “Nick will be very much missed by his Latin classmates On days when he was absent, it just wasn’t as fun He has this way of making perfectly timed dry, witty comments He simply makes the room more enjoyable ” Kelly continued in her speech, “It is this wonderful combination of sharp skills, wit, and refreshing honesty that combine to make Nick Kay a force to be reckoned with and a force for good ” Nick will be attending Tulane University in the fall I am forever grateful for the Roeper community and the vast knowledge it has granted me.

supportiveintelligent,compassionate,WILLIAM:positivethoughtful,optimistic,KATIE:

WILLIAM SULLIVAN BIENEMAN, son of Ann and Charles Bieneman of West Bloomfield and brother of Phoenix Bieneman ‘17, has attended Roeper for eight years Lily Zhu shared that “William has a kind soul He has the empathy to see what someone might need, and quietly supports them This might be playing an active role in Math Clinic class, setting up events for Asian Culture Club, supporting the theatre backstage, supporting the George Floyd event, or streaming the graduation ceremony, keeping in touch with friends during remote learning time, the list can go on ” Natalie Abbott said that William has a “strong character with intelligence and compassion,” and that he is a “dear soul and one that fills me with hope for the future ” Lily pointed

communicative,ANDREW:friendly,analyticalIAN:passionate,skilled,open-minded

, son of David and Diana Brown of Bloomfield Hills, attended Roeper for 10 years In her speech for him, Kelly McDowell shared that Ian “unabashedly dives into the most complex of problems, which to him, seem more like codes to decipher, riddles to solve, puzzles to assemble and reassemble ” Patti Bostwick said that Ian is “a true scholar and intellect as well as a gentle soul and natural leader” and pointed out his sense of calm, open-mindedness, and flexibility When asked about Ian, Kevin Kildea shared that “In calculus class, Ian would ask a question, and before I even had a chance to answer, he would notice something, talk about it out loud, come up with a solution, and then make a connection to a previous topic After the whole process, he would say, ’That’s cool!’” Kelly continued in her speech to Ian, “I think the picture that clearly develops when we consider your experiences, passions, pursuits as well as the perspectives of those who know you best is one of a complex mind, a truly independent thinker, someone who is not afraid of contradictions or complications (just stink bugs) someone who can solve a wickedly complex math problem and then smile and say: “Cool!”

MATTEO STAVROS PAPADOPOULOS, son of Kari Papadopoulos of Birmingham and Vassili Papadopoulos of Oak Park and brother of Phaedon Papadopoulos ’26, attended Roeper for 11 years Mike Ruddy described Matteo as friendly, wise, thoughtful, and a world traveler,” and Michal McConville added that he is “curious, enthusiastic,

21 out how William “not only has a real passion for learning, but also for helping others,” and recalls a story from his mom who shared that “on the first day of third grade, his teacher looked at her new class and recognized that William was the young man who had held the door for her every morning of the previous year ” Lily also added that “as he said in a college application, William is not necessarily the person with a title, the president or a club leader; he is the one who is keeping things running in the background, and you can count on him ” William will be attending the University of Michigan in the fall Stay in school, don’t do drugs. Peace.

ANDREW BRYCE NOVELL, son of Jennifer Zughaib of Orchard Lake and Alex Novell of Commerce Township and brother of Reagan Novell ’26, attended Roeper for nine years In the words of Kevin Kildea, Andrew is “intelligent, friendly, and compassionate,” and has a “quiet intensity and desire to do well ” Susannah Nichols shared that Andrew’s “careful and detailed answers let me get to know you as a scholar and a person, and the high quality of your work is always evident ” Max Collins described Andrew as “consistently pleasant, confident, and communicative” and considers himself fortunate to have gotten the opportunity to teach him Kevin pointed out that Andrew “is a great mathematician and has an excellent analytical mind He has the ability to see connections between different topics His intelligence will serve him well in the future ” He also added that Andrew “always has things under control, and his demeaner has a very calming influence on a class I am so grateful that he was in my class the last two years ” Additionally, Kevin added that Andrew is not a big talker, but his voice is heard when he speaks, and that Andrew is “truly amazing and has a lot to offer ” Andrew will be attending Virginia Tech in the fall Thank you so much to all the Roeper community for an amazing nine years!

IAN BROWNSERGEI

The diversity of your skillset, the richness of your contradictions is what makes you who you are ” Ian will be attending Vanderbilt University in the fall Roeper, thank you for being a thoughtful and close community, and for providing an academic environment full of useful resources and encouraging role models. Roeper has guided me in becoming who I am today.

22 and makes everyone feel like they’re having fun, even when things are dull or ordinary ” Mike pointed out that “Matteo’s knowledge, analytical ability, persuasive speaking, and understanding of world affairs expanded when he participated as Roeper School’s sole freshman at the Lorenz Model UN in the Netherlands ” Matteo continued on with Model UN and won numerous awards including Best Delegate and Outstanding Delegate Sara Mendez, who worked with Matteo on his Senior Project of modernizing the Fighting Tuna costume, said that he “brought a lot of joy and passion to the project and did the Tuna proud ” Michal continued by saying that “when I hear people use the word ‘bright’ to describe intelligence, I really think of Matteo Obviously, he’s an academic But when he is learning or thinking or listening intently (which he often is), there is a light in his eyes, and you can see that he feels illuminated — connecting things together that he has picked up from various parts of his eclectic life ” Matteo will be attending Brown University in the fall A sincere thank you to Roeper for constantly feeding my hunger for intellectual liberation. I won’t miss suburbia, but I’ll miss some of you!

curiousleader,committed,ETHANwelcominghumored,good-caring,BENcuriousenthusiastic,wise,MATTEO:::

ETHAN DAVID WHITE, son of David and Sharon White and brother of Dana White ’25, attended Roeper for 12 years Linda Pence shared, “Curious, questioning, challenging and committing to doing his best and expecting as much from others, Ethan embraces all the challenges he takes on ” Ethan’s former scout master, Jeff Buikema, similarly shared that “I really appreciated that Ethan came to understand the importance of savoring the time he had in Scouts, and that he himself told me it was “the Journey as well as the Destination” that mattered This change of attitude, and understanding the true “why” of the

BENJAMIN ANDREW WEDEPOHL , son of Sarah Baltman Wedepohl ’88 and Andrew Wedepohl of Huntington Woods and brother of Hannah Wedepohl ’19, attended Roeper for 12 years Kevin Kildea described Ben as having an amazing outlook on life and said that “Ben just loves people This is who he is! He loves to talk and to listen and to help I realized this the first time that I met him ” He also shared stories he has heard about Ben staying up late and making bread because he wasn’t tired! Kevin said, “I am not sure what was stranger, having Ben make bread after midnight or having Zeke and Ian stay up to watch it ” His theory is that people love to be around Ben so much because he exudes joy which makes it comforting and fun to be around him Teachers have described Ben as “good-humored and calm and has such a welcoming presence, a dynamic young man who is well-liked and gets along with everyone,” and so much more The mission statement of the college that Ben will be attending this fall states the importance of a “commitment to treat each other and the environment with mutual respect, tolerance, and civility ” Kevin shared that “this describes the Ben Wedepohl that I know and admire He is a great person whom I will miss ” Ben will be attending Denison University in the fall Thanks for all the memories!

It has been a fun and long journey to where I am today, I am looking forward to seeing you all out in the world in the future.

23 program (and hopefully, life in general) is how he added more enjoyment in it, showed his burgeoning maturity, and developed as a leader ” In his speech for Ethan, Andrew Blechman said that Ethan “took the lead role in our homeroom during the new Head search, taking careful notes and then acting as our spokesperson when it came time to share our thoughts with the search committee He constantly checked to make sure he was accurately representing everyone, even those he did not personally agree with, but whose points were voted on as being relevant He made sure to defend these points just as strongly as those he came up with himself ” Ethan will be attending Michigan State University in the fall It’s been wild, it’s been wacky, but most of all, it’s been a real one. C.O. ‘22 might be going, but we’ll always go out in style.

KEATON JOSEPH HUNT, son of Alan and Angela Hunt of Bloomfield Hills, attended Roeper for 14 years In his speech for Keaton, Dan Jacobs said, “One consistent theme when you talk to Keaton Hunt is his love of video games This is not your boy-meets-video-games,run-of-the-mill boy-falls-in-love-withvideo-games, boy-mindlessly- plays-video-games kind of a situation Rather, Keaton has analyzed them, written formal papers on them, acquired a coveted Fortnite towel, and worked with Ethan White to design a course on the complexities of interweaving good gameplay with solid storytelling ” He continued, “There are many different types of video games, but for Keaton, the world is a sandbox game, where the player is free to explore and associate in ways that are open and limitless ” Dan went on to recount Keaton himself saying, “Being able to just go in and make the computer display anything you want — it was fascinating to me that you could do that Programming has such freedom to it ” Dan finished by saying, “I believe the words on the Hollow Knight webpage provide the ideal sendoff for you: ‘May you explore vast, interconnected worlds, extend your bizarre collection of friends, and continue to evolve with powerful new skills and abilities May you never be the pwned, always the pwnder GG, my friend GG ’” Keaton will be attending Kalamazoo College in the fall It’s absolutely insane to think about not returning to Roeper next Fall; it almost doesn’t feel real. A lot of us have been here since the very beginning — and we’re not stopping now. No matter how much you want to get rid of us, the Class of ’22 will always think of this community as home.

ROGER BONHAM SMITH III, son of Drew Smith of Metamora and Jennifer and Dean Macleod-Kulm of Bloomfield Hills, attended Roeper for 13 years In the speech she wrote for Roger, Natalie Abbot began, “Oh, Bo Chances are if you’ve ever had the good fortune to have encountered this human being, you’ve uttered this phrase a handful of times Not necessarily out of exasperation or anger, but because he’s said or done something you’ve never said or thought before ” Natalie continued, “I first met Bo when he was in 8th grade in my Latin I class He kept mostly to himself, but like the hum of a powerful electric current, I could tell there was a lot of mental activity going on ” She further explained, “It’s difficult to describe Bo because he is both quiet and robust He is a paradigm and an oxymoron A Robotics fiend yet a talented figure skater Both yin and yang ” Roger’s mother further explained this complexity, “Bo is like a finely cut diamond with many facets that shine [He] has many different and diverse interests and talents There isn’t one word that can be used to describe him — goofy, serious, artistic, loves tech, kind, gentle, dapper dan, pastafarian, slob The list goes on and on ” Roger will be attending Savannah College of Art and Design in the fall

many-facetedtalented,quiet,BO:KEATON:analytical,imaginative,creative

, son of Jon and Lori Mojares of Rochester and brother of Nicholas ‘19, Christopher ‘22, and Rebecca ’25, attended Roeper for 15 years In her speech for Andrew, Susannah Nichols said, “It’s Andrew’s style of inquiry that makes him a true scholar No matter the subject, Andrew has a Socratic eagerness to lay out what he knows, ask the hardest question possible about his argument, and then sit with whatever uncertainty that provokes ” She continued, explaining that,

MOJARESACIERNOWILLIAM-ANDREW

AUDREY JUSTINE DeGUIA , daughter of Christine and Amapuri DeGuia of Oakland and sister of Aloe ‘19, attended Roeper for 15 years In her speech for Audrey, Michal McConville said, “Picture a Scientist: Perhaps the image in your mind is a stale one Audrey DeGuia sought out to change that this year … she worked on educating our campus about women and people of color working in the sciences and encouraging young women to join STEM ” She went on: “Picture an academic Taking the most advanced sciences offered by the school and even double-booking classes in order to study everything that she knowledgearticulate,AVA:patientpositive,scholarly,ANDREW:lovingresilientjoyful,AUDREY:impressiveable,, finds compelling, Audrey has consistently had the most intense and rigorous schedule of any student I’ve ever known ” She added, “Picture a sister … Audrey is the glue that binds her family … [she] derives so much joy and pride from her role in the family ”

AVA ROSE BAGNE, child of Stephon and Kellie Bagne of West Bloomfield and sibling of ’24 Lucas and Sadie ’27, attended Roeper for 15 years Scott Vartanian began the speech he wrote for Ava with, “Ava Rose Bagne, brilliant writer, masterful strategist, fact collector, actress, stage manager, girl scout, baker, and more … Ava [makes] an impression on everyone who’s ever had a chance to work with her ” This includes Katy Vartanian, Scott’s wife and Ava’s Girl Scout leader, who explains, “I’ve learned not to question Ava when she corrects me; it’s not worth it; she’s always right ” Scott continued, “Ava devoured books at an impressive pace and still does so today But oh my, her writing I remember Dee and I looking at each other, thinking, how can this be a seven-year-old … her work is detailed, rich, and thorough in a way I could never manage to duplicate Now, getting her to read you some of that writing might not happen, at least not yet See, I am convinced that one day we will all be reading her work There is not an English or history teacher at the Upper School who won’t tell you about Ava’s incredible ability to articulate her thoughts on paper ” Ava will be attending Bennington College in the fall Farewell, young whippersnappers, I hope you can survive without my awesome presence. May your lives be filled with rutabagas, friendly crows, and mail. Stay away from spooky forests, peace out.

The many different suits Audrey wears are not only noticed by her teachers, but by her friends as well Andrew Mojares is quick to say, “[Audrey is] the strongest person I know, not just physically, but in the sense of resilience too Christopher Mojares adds, “Audrey is one of the most remarkable people I have ever known She is committed to building a network of people she so deeply and genuinely cares about ” Kourtney Laury agrees, saying, “She is a tenderhearted, loving, and energetic person She’s a great listener and always makes people feel welcome ” Audrey will be attending the University of Michigan in the fall I will always be thankful for this community and the people who helped me get to where I am today!

MOJARESMICHAEL-ACIERNOCHRISTOPHER

These past 15 years are ones that I’ll remember forever. While this is farewell, it isn’t a goodbye :)

“For all Andrew does well, the consensus among friends is that his humanity and love for others trumps any other accomplishment ” Shaima Hossain shares: “Andrew is able to be a positive force wherever he goes He always knows how to cheer people up and makes sure no one feels left out I have never seen Andrew ever lose his patience with anyone ” Audrey DeGuia agrees, sharing that Andrew’s best quality is “how much he sees the best in other people, and how willing he is to help anyone out at any time ” Susannah added, “Though he is sunny by nature, his attitude is not one of oblivious optimism but rather consciously working the problem Andrew is aware of how hard the world can be, but he also knows he can choose how he exists in it Andrew’s journey has not always been about finding new roads, but rather becoming more sure-footed and helping orient others to his given location ” Andrew will be attending the University of Michigan in the fall You have all made the last 15 years of my life both meaningful and memorable, and I can’t thank you enough for letting me grow up in such an amazing community.

not only for himself, but also for others He has been one of the driving forces to create a dynamic, energetic and supportive atmosphere wherever he goes ” His friends and family agree — Audrey DeGuia says, “He’s always a good person, it’s like part of his nature He’s extremely intelligent but also very humble, and he’s one of the funniest people I know ” His twin brother Andrew adds, “He is the most humble, considerate, thoughtful person I know and I think I ever will know … [he ensures that] every single person he interacts with feels valued, loved, appreciated, and pretty much every single positive adjective you can think of ” Christopher will be attending the University of Michigan in the fall

CHRISTOPHER:enthusiastic,considerate,humbleSTAN:resilient,diligent,tough

STANLEY JOHN OLSON, son of Christopher Olson of Bloomfield Hills and Jennifer Clarkson of Bloomfield Hills, attended Roeper for 15 years

, son of Jon and Lori Mojares of Rochester and brother of Nicholas ‘19, Andrew ‘22, and Rebecca ’25, attended Roeper for 15 years In her speech for Christopher, Lily Zhu said, “Christopher loves challenges … [at] the beginning of every difficult listening task in the Chinese workbook … you will hear that the speaker intentionally uses an intimidating voice to say ‘Challenge’ in Chinese … Christopher, a 6th grader at that time, was not scared at all … on the contrary, he has always been excited whenever he realizes that there is a ‘Challenge’ coming ” She added, “Christopher not only has always been a student with pure enthusiasm and passion for challenging learning — moreover, he has a magical skill to turn hard study into fun moments

Brian Hewitt said in his speech for Stanley, “One of Stan’s best attributes that I have been able to witness both as a teacher and coach, is his resiliency … Stan was never a student that moped over a low assessment score He used those scores as motivation and opportunities to grow before his next assessment ” Brian retells one of his memories with Stanley, “Stan taught me a lesson … and it was to never put a catcher near the fence on Adams Road because Stan made an errant throw that cleared the seven-foot fence and struck a moving car — which created a whole new problem for me I tell this story because, over the past six years Stan has worked diligently on his throwing, and I have seen his work pay off this

26 year, where he was our everyday first baseman and accumulated a 928 fielding percentage ” Brian continued, “Stan’s resiliency and toughness that he has developed over his years at Roeper … will serve him well as he moves onto his next walk of life ” Stanley will be attending Ball State University in the fall I have gone to Roeper my entire life. It is the only school I know and the only one I would ever pick if given the chance to go through school again.

fun-lovingfierce,whirlwind,BELLA:encouragingspirited,genuine,SCARLETT:

Thank you for 15 great years that I will always remember. SCARLETT CAROLYN LOWE SHAYA , daughter of Robert Shaya and Ashley Lowe of Bloomfield Hills and sister of Eli ‘19, attended Roeper for 15 years In her speech for Scarlett, Andrea Collins said, “Scarlett’s genuine spirit is probably her most amazing attribute in my opinion ” She continued, “Scarlett was front and center at every practice, arriving early, sometimes staying late, being a sponge, trying to absorb as much information as possible to become the best version of herself for the team ” Scarlett was injured in the middle of the season, and Andrea explained, “Though Scarlett could not play … her spirit never left Her leadership was constantly present at every practice, and game … as she was always giving advice and pointers to her teammates Having Scarlett next to me on the bench was just like having another assistant coach Hearing her on the sideline made me realize how much she has grown over these four years, not only as an athlete, but as a person During the months where she was out of competition, her spirit and grace were most infectious, especially amongst her younger teammates Often, we referred to Scarlett as the team mom … because Scarlett was always available to listen and, believe it or not, she always knew the right thing to say to encourage the ladies to give their best efforts ” Scarlett will be attending Michigan State University in the fall I’m so grateful to Roeper for what it has taught me through the years and the friendships it has given me.

ISABELLE VARTANIANMARIE , daughter of Katherine and Scott Vartanian of Oxford and sister of Oscar ’23, attended Roeper for 15 years In her speech for Isabelle, Susannah Nichols said, “In Stage I, a ‘bright, whirlwind of a girl,’ entered the Hill House This tiny powerhouse was full of ideas, loved being part of the community, and was eager to connect the dots between experiences ” She added, “Through the years, that core of Bella’s identity has remained the same: she is gregarious and also intensely curious; fun-loving but fierce in her commitment to what matters most to her ” Her friends, peers, and teachers are quick to agree Reem Abou-Samra points out that in her classes “Bella energetically questioned everything ” Michal McConville writes “Over the years, Bella tapped into her strength and determination — when the lessons became more complex, she worked harder ” Susannah continued, “As the architect of this year’s UMatter week, an initiative designed to promote awareness and fostering mental health, it was clear that Bella saw an intersection between strong mental health and the joy people can reap from being a part of a thriving community ” She finished, saying, “[Isabelle’s] vision of the world — true compassion, rollicking fun, and well-cared-for farm animals — might sound like the premise to next season’s blockbuster Hallmark movie, but it’s actually the world that Bella brings a little closer to realization with all that she does It’s a world I want to live in ” Isabelle will be attending Purdue University in the fall I want to thank all who I’ve interacted with over my years at Roeper, whether it had been a brief interaction or a decade-long friendship. You’ve all helped shape not only my education, but who I am as a person. I’m so thankful for the opportunity I had to be a part of this community.

Iaboutweeks,Duringtremendousyourexist—CommencementJunior/SeniorlogisticsoverseeingsinglewithoutexperiencesspeakersthanklikejoythatcompendiumamazingofexperiencestestifiestothevalueandofaRoepereducationI’dtoextendasuper-specialyoutoallofourseniortoday—thesecouldnotexistyouI’dalsoliketooutGloriaDespardfortheorganizationandforbothlastnight’sDinnerandtoday’sExercisestheseeventswouldnotinthesamewaywithoutattentiontodetailandskillThankyoutheselastfewdifficultI’vebeenthinkingalotthenotionofforgivenesscameacrossametaphor

Karen Johnson Upper School Director

27 KIT CLOSING REMARKS

In my own case, I did not realize that I have forgiven my dad for past wrongs until I saw him in a vulnerable state himself — only then was I able to notice that my feelings of anger had abated to the point where our relationship had overcome its pain and frustration I am reminded of a sentiment noted by Reverend Dr Martin Luther King Jr in his book, Strength to Love, in the third chapter titled, “Love in Action ” There he writes that “forgiveness is not an occasional act; it is a permanent attitude ”

I hold this idea close to me at times like this, and I am continually practicing that permanent attitude of being forgiving I imagine that most of you in the Class of 2022 were over and done with high school long before this actual moment I imagine you may carry some pain and frustration and anger around our continuing COVID years, recent turmoil, and even personal disappointments and setbacks But of all the things that weigh you down, leave a fragrance behind as you let them go — release into the ether a reminder for others that there is freedom to be found in forgiveness It is generally not my style to preach, but when I sat down to write these remarks, forgiveness was the theme that emerged Senior Class, I am truly amazed by your perseverance in times like these I am truly inspired by your commitment to keeping each other propped up I am truly comforted by how you have shown your love for Roeper

As you venture forth, I’ll leave you with a brief etymology, for at heart I am a word-nerd There is a reason we call today’s exercises Commencement and not Graduation Graduation marks the end of a journey, whereas commencement derives from the notion of something coming into being — not the initial seed, but rather the stage when something begins to take root It also means that it is not something you do by yourself, but rather with classmates, now as a community of alums Commencement means “to begin together ”

Hold onto your friendships and Roeper, endeavor to forgive those who have wronged, begin together to spread the humanistic values that will create a better world for all

To all the human beings who’ve joined us here on this day, please join me in my sincere congratulations to our newly minted graduates of The Roeper School — I present to you the Class of 2022! F

Hold onto forgiveandfriendshipsyourRoeper,endeavortothosewhohavewronged,begintogethertospreadthehumanisticvaluesthatwillcreateabetterworldforall

That was an

while thinking about the topic that comes from a lecture by Sir William Jones, who was a prominent scholar of ancient India in the late 18th century It reads: “… this beautiful Arya couplet, which was written at least three centuries before our era, and which pronounces the duty of a good man, even in the moment of his destruction, to consist not only of forgiving, but even a desire of benefitting his destroyer, as the sandal tree, in the instant of its overthrow, sheds perfume on the axe which fells it… ” This notion was later echoed in a quote often misattributed to Mark Twain: “Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it ” This metaphor is powerful and suggests the positive residue that forgiveness can leave in this world Forgiveness is to be distinguished from mercy Being merciful is a public act, and mercy is something that may be bestowed on the one who has done harm by someone who was not the target of that harm But forgiveness is private and need only be expressed internally to have efficacy It is a power uniquely given to the one who has been harmed Forgiveness also goes hand in hand with letting go of anger, but this is a process that cannot be sped up Working through anger takes time and is rarely attributable to a single moment or decision to forgive someone

William Bieneman Sullivan Media Company

Matteo Papadopoulos Uncovering and Modernizing The Fighting Tuna Bella Vartanian UMatter Club

Listed here are the Class of 2022 participants and the titles of their projects.

Audrey DeGuia Empowering Women in STEM: Exploring and Dismantling Gender Disparities in STEM Fields

The George A. Roeper Senior Projects are designed to allow students to follow their personal passions and extend their learning beyond the classroom. These projects represent skill sets that students have developed over time. The students have managed at least one semester of independent, self-directed learning. They have been supported by mentors within our walls as well as professionals in their respective areas of interest outside the Roeper Community. It would be easy to focus solely on the results these students have produced; however, the process they employed and relationships they developed are likely what will impact them most in the years to come.

SENIOR PROJECTS

William Mattison Lower School Robotics Club

Ian Brown Teaching Mathematics Intuitively Adam Cornier-Bridgeforth Creating a Full Musical Album

Ryan Neihsl The Athena Project

Ethan White Warcraft: Modern Tactics F

KIT

Chase Wade Hanging on High: A Collection by Chase Wade Ben Wedepohl Astrophotography: A Cosmic Reflection

Kourtney Laury The Black Influence Rosalyn Li Lincoln-Douglas Debate for Roeper

Andrew & Christopher Mojares Liver — Creating an Animated Short Film

Case Western Reserve University Central Michigan University Clafin ClarksonUniversityUniversity Columbia University Columbia University Sciences Po Denison University Depaul University

Howard University

Penn State University Pitzer

Savannah College of Art & Design

Rochester Institute of Technology Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Saginaw Valley State University

University of California-Berkeley

Patricia Bostwick Director of College Counseling Of the 39 members of the Class of 2022, 36

Fordham University

Albion College Auburn University Ball State University

Grand Valley State University Hampshire College Hampton University Hawaii Pacific University Hope College

Illinois Institute of Technology

Carnegie Mellon University

Bowling Green State University Brown University Butler University

PurduePurduePomonaCollegeCollegeUniversityUniversityEngineering

Jackson State University Kalamazoo College

St John’s College-Maryland

Louisiana State A&M University Loyola University-Chicago Loyola University-New Orleans Marquette University Miami University Michigan State University Michigan Technological University

Wayne State University Western Michigan University Winston-Salem State University

Morehouse College Morgan State University (The) New School

University of Michigan-Engineering University of UniversityUniversityUniversityMichigan-KinesiologyofMichigan-LSAofMichigan-LSAResidentialCollegeofMichigan-Music,Theatre&Dance

Georigia Institute of Technology

Bard College Barry University Bennington College

Tulane University University of Alabama University of Arizona

Indiana University

Eastern Michigan University Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

North Carolina A&T State University Oakland Community College University Ohio University Ohio Wesleyan University

Reed College

KITCOLLEGE ACCEPTANCES

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Xavier University Xavier University of Louisiana will

The Ohio State University Towson University

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

University of Michigan-Ross University of Michigan-Dearborn University of Michigan-Flint University of Montana (The) University of Oklahoma University of Pennsylvania University of Pittsburgh University of Rochester (The) University of Tennessee-Knoxville University of Vermont University of Washington Vanderbilt University Virginia Polytechnic & State University

go on to receivedMeritFinalists,willimmediately,collegeandthreestudentsparticipateinagapyear.TwostudentswereNationalMeritonewasaNationalMeritScholar,andtwostudentswereCommendedbytheNationalScholarshipProgram.ThreestudentsreceivedrecognitionintheCollegeBoardRecognitionProgram.OnestudentwasnominatedtobeaPresidentialScholar.Otherstudentsvaluablescholarshiprecognitionfromtheirchosenschools.Classmembersfrom2022wereadmittedtotheinstitutionslistedhereandenrolledinthecollegesanduniversitiesinBOLD.

Oakland

University of California-Santa Cruz University of UniversityUniversityColorado-BoulderofDaytonUniversityofIowaofKentucky

30 KIT PASSIONS & PURSUITS ASIANCLUBCULTURE Audrey ChristopherWilliamKatherineDeGuiaLaneRoseLiMattisonMojaresAndrewMojares BLACKUNIONSTUDENT Flawless Gregory Alisa Harris Karon Heath Layla JonathanHumphreysJohnsonKourtneyLauryLaurynThomasChaseWade BOOK CLUB Audrey ChristopherJonathanDeGuiaDunneShaimaHossainKatherineLaneMojaresAndrewMojaresEthanWhite CHESS CLUB Ian JonathanBrownDunneZekeEnglishRyanNeishlEthanWhite SERVICECOMMUNITYCLUB Lily Kappa Roeper students are not simply products of the curriculum; they are an integral part of the learning process and are encouraged to be fully engaged community participants by uncovering their passions in a myriad of venues. This important dimension allows students to experience the special rewards and self-awareness that come from exploration and mastering. Here is a snapshot of the Class of 2022 journey: DEBATE Rose Li FASHION Flawless Gregory FILM FESTIVAL William Bieneman Spring BenjaminChaseSchwankiWadeWedepohlHelenaWilliams FORENSICS Rose Li Ryan Neihsl FRENCH CLUB Shaima KatherineHossainLaneRoseLI FUN, FUN, FUN William Mattison GAY/STRAIGHTALLIANCE Alisa Harris MENTORINGGIRLS Flawless Gregory Alisa Harris INSTRUMENTALMUSIC Ava Bagne Willaim Bieneman Zeke MatteoChristopherWilliamKourtneyKatherineEnglishLaneLauryMattisonMojaresPapadopoulosEthanWhite MODEL UN Ian MatteoChristopherAudreyBrownDeGuiaDevanEdwardsLilyKappaKatherineLaneRoseLiMojaresAndrewMojaresPapadopoulosBenjaminWedepohl MUSIC CLUB Benjamin Wedepohl PERMACULTURECLUB Ryan Neishl PHYSICS CLUB Rose Li William ChristopherMattisonMojaresAndrewMojares QUIZ BOWL Matteo Papadopoulos ROBOTICS Audrey ChristopherWilliamKatherineDeGuiaLaneMattisonMojaresAndrewMojaresRogerSmithEthanWhite ROEPER TABLETOP Keaton Hunt RTC Ava Bagne William Bieneman Zeke English Ryan Neihsl MatteoBenjaminPapadopoulosWedepohlEthanWhite SIERRA CLUB Matteo Papadopoulos SPIRIT SQUAD Matteo Papadopoulos SPIRIT COMMITTEEWEEK Devan Edwards Tai Fowler Lily KourtneyKappaLaury

31 COMMITTEEADVISORYDIVERSITYSTUDENT Tai ShaimaKaronAlisaFowlerHarrisHeathHossainLilyKappaKatherineLaneKourtneylauryLaurynThomasChaseWade GOVERNMENTSTUDENT Audrey DeGuia Shaima Hossain Lily MatteoChristopherAndrewKappaMojaresMojaresPapadopoulosHelenaWilliams THE MUSE Ava Bagne Alisa Harris Shaima ChristopherKatherineHossainLaneRoseLiMojaresAndrewMojaresChaseWade TUNA TALK Ryan HelenaChaseNeishlWadeWilliams UMATTER Audrey DeGuia Tai MatteoLaylaKaronAlisaFowlerHarrisHeathHumphreysLilyKappaAndrewNovellPapadopoulosIsabelleVartanian VARSITYBASEBALLSPORTS Jonathan Dunne William Mattison Stan Olson BASKETBALL Tai LaylaFlawlessFowlerGregoryKaronHeathHumphreysJonathanJohnsonStanOlsonScarlettShayaLaurynThomas CROSS COUNTRY Jonathan Dunne MatteoBenjaminPapadopoulosWedepohl GOLF Ryan Neishl Ethan White SOCCER Tai IsabelleJonathanFowlerJohnsonNicholasKayKatherineLaneWilliamMattisonAndrewNovellSpringSchwankiVartanianEthanWhite TRACK Flawless MatteoKourtneyGregoryLauryPapadopoulosScarlettShayaBenjaminWedepohl VOLLEYBALL Devan LaylaFlawlessEdwardsGregoryAlisaHarrisHumphreysAndrewNovellScarlettShayaLaurynThomas VOCAL MUSIC MatteoHelenaPapadopoulosWilliams WRITERS CLUB Ryan Neishl YEARBOOK Ava Bagne Devan Edwards Alisa Harris Shaima Hossain Lily BenjaminKappaWedepohlHelenaWilliams DEMOCRATICYOUNGSOCIALISTS Matteo Papadopoulos F

In 1975, David Jaffe ’74 proposed the creation of a new award to recognize exceptional Upper School students George accepted the proposal, and each year since, the school has awarded individuals who, by virtue of their extraordinary sharing of time, effort and self, made outstanding contributions to the Upper School community Remarkable achievements alone do not qualify a student for the award Contributing to the community is most important Richard B Morris ’72 coined the term “Order of the Roeperian Empire” for the award, and designed the official crest Order of The Roeperian Empire

2022 Recipients LILIWAILEHUA KAPPA KOURTNEY LAURY ANDREW CHRISTOPHERMOJARESMOJARES

2022 Roeper Athletic Awards George A. Roeper Scholar-Athlete Athletes of the Year Sportsmanship Award Award Award TAI FOWLER JONNIE DUNNE JONATHAN JOHNSON LAYLA HUMPHREYS KATIE LANE SCARLETT SHAYA WILL MATTISON KIT AWARDS AND HONORS

32 The Order of RoeperianTheEmpire

The

The Order ofFightingTheTuna

YASIR YUHAS 31 th Knight of the

Each year the reigning Knight or Dame Commander of the Order of the Fighting Tuna appoints a successor from the Junior Class The Order of the Fighting Tuna was estab lished in 1985 to “protect the honor of the members of the community of the Roeper City and Country School ” Each year, the new member of the Order is knighted during a ceremony befitting the mock-seriousness of the occasion Fighting2022/23Tuna Order

The

33 Juliette DirectorOlejnikofAlumni Relations & Annual Fund

For those of you who were here in the Lower School, remember when the Upper Schoolers mentored you?

youmilestonescelebrateyouwithandyourbecauseare,andalwayswillbe,apartoftheRoeperfamily

As is tradition, the alumni office has included a small gift in the bags you are receiving today, a mug listing all of your classmates and a personalized laundry bag so no one takes your dirty laundry Believe me, weirder things happen in college dorm rooms!

Hello, Class of 2022! As the Alumni Director, I would like to be the first to officially welcome you into the Roeper alumni community! As you make this transition from Roeper students to alumni, you are joining nearly 2,500 alumni who have come before you and have thrived in their lives after Roeper

KIT

Our hope is that this school has prepared you for your journey not only as college students but also as human beings in every aspect of your lives Here at Roeper, you have been encouraged to voice your opinions, shape decisions that impact our community, treat each other with dignity and respect, and to lead your lives with purpose I hope that your experience at Roeper has provided you with the skills and confidence to help you fulfill your own personal destiny, whatever that may be

Even though it is now time for you to move on, please know that all of us want to keep in touch with you We invite you to come back and visit during school events and participate in alumni reunions and events too We want to keep in touch with you and celebrate your milestones because you are, and always will be, a part of the Roeper family And parents, that includes you, too You are all a part of this family, and I promise to do my best to serve as a bridge that keeps you connected to the school

A WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST ALUMNI

Your Upper School homeroom buddy is out there, and they probably just finished college not too long ago Maybe they can make a connection for you, lend a helping hand, offer advice, or just lend an ear My point is that Roeper people are everywhere, and they are eager to connect and serve as a resource for you

And don’t ever forget, you also have each other and the lifelong friendships you’ve made here

The completion of your Roeper journey is a big accomplishment, but graduation is not the end; It is only the beginning And I’m here to tell you you’re not alone You will always have an entire community here at Roeper behind you, as well as an entire community of Roeper alums who have come before you

On that note, once again, congratulations Class of 2022, and welcome to the Roeper alumni family! We want to keep in touch

34 KIT FACES IN THE CROWD

35 SUNDAY, JUNE 5, 2022 WILDWOOD AMPHITHEATER LAKE ORION

Denita Banks-Sims Director

of&DevelopmentPublications

From Ball State University to Morehouse College and from Columbia University to the “sister schools” in California, the graduates of the Class of 2022 are exploring a wide breadth of pursuits The evidence of their self-actualization was informed by the prescient familiarity of once-in-a-generation occurrence It’s as if they channeled this declaration from George Roeper in 1963: Maybe the most important thing we have to do with our children is to make them ready to adapt themselves to change It is heartening to know that they will also be “smart and kind” in the process!

KIT PARTING THOUGHTS

Please keep in touch Yours, The Class of

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The Class of 2022 are smart and kind, and by their remarkable example, we have been revitalized by their genuine and contagious embrace of our path back to normal Many of our favorite traditions and festivities were held in person in this academic year of 2021/22, and the energy has been palpable Concerts, plays, games, the Prom, George A Roeper Festival of Senior Projects, Founder’s Day and many more signature events returned to their previous splendor, and Junior/Senior Dinner and Commencement were a revelation!

In my response to the query about our students from a campus visitor, I found myself waxing on a bit about the Roeper philosophy, our mission, our notable history and commitment to humanism/social justice and more Patti simply said … ”They are smart and kind ”

“Smart and Kind …” That is how a colleague — recently appointed Interim Upper School Dean and College Counselor, Patti Bostwick — described the most foremost characteristics of a Roeper student

41190 WOODWARD AVENUE BLOOMFIELD HILLS • MI 48304-5020 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED SCHOOLROEPERTHE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U S POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO 16 BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI 48304 25TH ANNUAL THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2022 CHERRY CREEK GOLF CLUB SHELBY TOWNSHIP REGISTRATION 8:30AM • SHOTGUN START 10:00AM $150/GOLFER • $500/FOURSOME • $50/DINNER ONLY REGISTER AT QUESTIONS?BIT.LY/2022ROEPERGOLFOUTINGSCOTT.CARMONA@ROEPER.ORG Joinus!

KEEPING IN TOUCH, Senior Edition 2022

Articles inside

SENIOR CLASS FAREWELL Andrew & Christopher Mojares, Co-Presidents, Class of 2022

OPENING REMARKS

CLOSING REMARKS

A WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST ALUMNI

FOUNDERS’ FAMILY MESSAGE

PARTING THOUGHTS

COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES