Alumna
Head of School
A few weeks ago, we received a thoughtful email from an alum from the 1980s. She said, “The school was always focused on creating strong women by opening up numerous learning opportunities” and while she thought diversity was an issue at the time, she is ecstatic to see so much diversity as she “looks at the new faces of Westridge.” She concluded by saying that she has reconnected with Westridge peers and that what she has noticed is the strength and resilience of these women— which she attributes to the strengths of the school.
As I look through this edition of Surgere, the stories featured connect so profoundly to the words and sentiments of this alum—opening numerous learning opportunities, building strength and resilience in women, and the importance of diversity in all ways to our school mission of developing intellectually adventurous thinkers and courageous, compassionate leaders.
You will read about how our Upper School students in the Global Scholars program—through both “support and freedom” (as alum global scholar Sosi Day '21 notes)— explore an overarching essential question, of their own creation, through a global context. In addition, you will learn about Dr. Edye Udell’s remarkable teaching and her focus on making challenging concepts in advanced chemistry courses collaborative and fun for our students; this kind of teaching is especially vital in a girls’ school, as it builds strength and resilience in young women scientists. And finally, the article about our Honor Council highlights the importance of deep listening, learning and growing from mistakes, holding space for all ideas, and finding shared and collective understanding across differences.
The importance of deep listening and of being more curious than “already knowing” has been a major theme for us this year. Our faculty practiced our listening skills with the Stanley King Institute in August. And in October, our faculty/staff book club discussed Carol Gilligan’s newest book, “In a Human Voice,” and USC neuroscientist Mary Helen Immordino-Yang came to speak to our colleagues and parents about the central role of emotions in learning. Ultimately, all of this professional development is connected to teaching our students what it means to truly recognize and respect each other’s full humanity. It is hard to think of anything more crucial than this when it comes to the mission of developing courageous, compassionate leaders who will shape our future world.
Andrea Kassar Head of School
What’s in a Question
GLOBAL SCHOLARS PROGRAM ENTERS SEVENTH YEAR AT WESTRIDGE
A good question, as the authors of “The Art of Powerful Questions” wrote, can open the door to dialogue and discovery— and invite creativity and breakthrough thinking. Indeed, this is core to what students in the Westridge Global Scholars program have demonstrated over the last seven years!
Even asking these questions and learning this information is a first step in making change… I hope they will carry interest in these sorts of essential questions for the rest of their lives.
— Westridge Head of School Andrea Kassar
In Global Scholars, participating Upper School students work with a faculty advisor to devise their own transdisciplinary study of a modern day global issue. Topics are informed by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and are centered on a research question. Their projects culminate in a defense before the Global Scholars faculty committee, a showcase presentation, and an artifact such as a research paper or art installation.
"I think the program is really special because it allows you to take a risk and learn about something that isn't exactly aligned with a high school curriculum—it's a great freedom," said Sosi Day '21, one of the first Westridge students to receive a Global Scholars transcript distinction (awarded to those who complete the program). "It's important to be able to make clear decisions about what you want to learn about."
Scholars in previous years have tackled everything from “How do we approach language extinction and cultural survival? And what do we do when languages are systematically eradicated?” (using Modern Hebrew as a lens) and “How do educational disparities between rural and urban areas of China affect students of different backgrounds?” to “What does it mean to be indigenous Oaxacan in Mexico? And how does that translate to being in a large city like Los Angeles—is a new identity formed?”
Many of the Global Scholars’ research questions have no straightforward answer, prompting students instead to gain insights into their chosen issue through research, coursework, and volunteer experience in order to theorize potential solutions.
In the words of Head of School Andrea Kassar: These are real “agent of change” questions. “The global lens [with] which these questions are asked and framed goes right to the heart of our mission,” Kassar said. “Courageous and compassionate leaders can only truly be so when they open their frameworks and paradigms to global ones— understanding cultural and world context and not just one’s limited scope.”
One of the main motivations for starting the program (then called Global Initiative) in 2018 was to create an opportunity for students with strong interest in global citizenship to further their interests with appropriate coursework and experiential learning—perhaps foreshadowing the deep learning principles driving Westridge Advanced Courses.
Sosi, for example, explored how essential early education is for the development of children—researching how countries such as Chile, Sweden, and Singapore approached early education via policy making and implementation, and how the United States could incorporate such models.
Pictured above: Four of the 2023-2024 Global Scholars at the program's projects showcase!
She became interested in early childhood education through an ongoing service project with Pasadena preschool Families Forward, which prompted her to do research about early education. “There were a few times in my classes where I was able to turn assignments into projects about early education, but that wasn’t always the case,” said Sosi, whose dream was—and is—to be a preschool teacher. “So, when Global Initiative started, it seemed like a really good way for me to be able to explore this interest in a formal, but not a classroom, setting.”
“Even asking these questions and learning this information is a first step in making change as students think about these topics in a way that I hope they will not only pursue here,” said Kassar. “I hope they carry interest in these sorts of essential questions for the rest of their lives.”
W hat's Next?
In 2024, the Global Scholars program launched a speaker series and TEDTalk-esque spring showcase. In the future, Westridge Global Scholars Program Chair and Spanish Teacher Dr. Jessica Pérez del Toro hopes to add a workshop on global citizenship and issues to help build a common framework for future fellows!
CURRENT GLOBAL SCHOLARS PROJECT TOPICS:
FAITH C. ’25: How have recent wildfires in the Western United States negatively impacted the environment? How can our communities take action to prevent the negative effects of wildfires on the environment?
KANON AND MANON I. ’26: How does the creation, testing, and usage of nuclear weapons impact the world in political, societal, and environmental ways?
KEIRA K. ’26: What approaches have been taken to minimize the threats to journalists in Mexico? How have the approaches been effective and what are the shortcomings?
NINA K. ’26: What are the challenges women in South Asia face in accessing mental health support and how are they impacted by the healthcare system? How can South Asian governments address the gender disparity within mental healthcare through policy and local initiatives?
REBECCA L. ’27: What have been the challenges to accessing education for children in El Salvador? Is there more than the affordability?
LUCY M. ’25: What efforts are being made to increase the number of women pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)?
WILLOW N. ’25: What are the challenges to healthcare in Sudan, Nigeria, and Ethiopia—and how do those challenges directly impact citizens seeking medical treatment? Furthermore, how does healthcare in those nations contrast to healthcare in the United States?
BELLE Z. ’25: How was Armenian culture affected after the genocide and what steps can be taken to prevent cultural erasure?
SCAN HERE to read how Kanon and Manon, Nina, and Rebecca chose their research questions and their experience thus far in the program!
HISTORICAL Gallery Walk
Marie Tharp1, Mary Golda Ross2, Lee Tai-young3—these are just a few names of trailblazing women you likely have never heard of. At Westridge, 6th graders want to change that with the Historical Gallery Walk: Celebrating Women of Courage and Character.
This long-standing project, inspired by what many remember as the Wax Museum, saw a revival after the COVID-19 pandemic. It encourages students to celebrate women as they:
• research and write about a female historical figure,
• write a dramatic monologue imagining themselves as fictional characters in their assigned figure’s story, and
• craft a visual component and stand-up display for their exhibit.
Sixth Grade History Teacher Linda Peacore hopes the Historical Gallery Walk project expands students’ research skills but, more specifically, “builds their persistence in research… in hunting down information” when it is not so easily accessible. Beyond that, Peacore looks forward to seeing students’ excitement around history and how it can connect to them.
The annual and much-anticipated project invites students, if interested, to embrace their racial and
Marie Tharp was an American geologist and oceanographic cartographer who created the first map of the ocean floor
Mary Golda Ross was the first Native American female aerospace engineer • [3] Lee Tai-young was South Korea's first female lawyer
cultural identity to portray the stories of their chosen figure through the lens of a fictional character who would be alive in the same context. With guidance from Westridge Director of Equity Ian Tatum and Director of Theater Brandon Kruhm, students learn how to portray their historical figures in culturally appropriate ways. Last spring, then-sixth grader Anoush J. '30 (pictured right) portrayed a lab assistant helping physicist and chemist Marie Curie. For Anoush, the project “was both challenging and exhilarating,” as it played to her strengths in the performing arts, but also invited her to think of how “to accurately portray someone.”
The project concludes with an interactive exhibit in Hoffman Gym, where students embody their chosen characters and present their research to the community through impressive displays.
A Short History of Teacher
Linda Peacore
Peacore has deep ties—or some might say history!—at Westridge. She was an active member in the Westridge community for years as a parent to daughters Grace ’17 and Caroline ’20 and as Westridge Parent Association president from 2018-2019. After a career change and a lucky series of events, Peacore returned to Westridge in 2023 as the 6th grade history teacher. If she were to do the Historical Gallery Walk project, Linda would choose to portray former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright or Mary Gerber, a pioneering woman in sports journalism.
SOME REMARKABLE WOMEN PORTRAYED IN THE HISTORICAL GALLERY WALK PROJECT LAST YEAR INCLUDE:
Andrée Borrel
Marie Tharp
Anna May Wong
Alice Paul
Aung San Suu Kyi
Lise Meitner
Queen Seondeok
Nellie Bly
Shirin Ebadi
Hatshepsut
Hedy Lamarr
Mary Anning
Cleopatra VII
Virginia Woolf
Maria Tallchief
Helen Keller
Wu Zeitan
Julia Morgan
Marie Curie
Rita Moreno
Yu Gwan-sun
Wilma Rudolph
Christine de Pizan
Wang Zhenyi
Joan of Arc
Clara Lemlich
Queen Elizabeth I
Audrey Hepburn
Mary Golda Ross
Patsy Takemoto Mink
Queen Nzinga
Rachel Carson
Patricia Bath
Lee Tai-young
Madam CJ Walker
Bessie Coleman
Irena Sendler
Coco Chanel
Enheduanna
Rita Levi-Montalcini
Frances Marion
Tomoe Gozen
Mary Jackson
Alice Augusta Ball
Edith Clarke
Ada Lovelace
Dorothea Lange
Anne Sullivan
Isabella Goodwin
Gertrude Benham
Tu Youyou
Gwendolyn Brooks
Li Qingzhao
Zheng Shi
Ding Ling
Berthe Morisot
Dr. Melanie Arias
TAKES THE HELM OF WESTRIDGE UPPER SCHOOL
Dedicated. Analytical. Problem Solver.
These are just a few of the words the Westridge community has used to describe Dr. Melanie Arias, our new director of Upper School!
Arias brings with her a passion for learning and history as well as a deep regard for diversity and inclusion work and support for girls’ programs; she has 19 years of teaching and school leadership experience, most recently as the associate director of the Prep Division (grades 9-10) at the Windward School in West Los Angeles.
Even beyond Windward, Arias is no stranger to independent schools; she attended The Logan School for Creative Learning in Colorado where she learned at a young age that education should be about opening doors and unfurling space for kids’ curiosity. She earned a bachelor’s in history from Carleton College, followed soon after by a Ph.D. in U.S. history from UCLA and the rest is, well, history.
For Arias, coming to Westridge was a natural next step. From being surrounded by a family of women who engaged the world in ways beyond the norms of their eras to building programs to foster belonging and championing the local Angel City women’s soccer club, a flame built inside Arias centered around girls and women and community that—to Westridge’s fortune—brought her to Madeline Drive.
EDITOR’S NOTE:
This Q&A interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
This is your first time working at a girls' school. Tell me what it’s like so far!
It absolutely lives up to my imagination and expectation in terms of the authenticity of the girls and their spirit. There's something really special about the [grades] 4-12-ness of this space. There is a joy of childhood that is everywhere on campus—whether it's a couple of girls from the Lower School who started stopping by my office to share their enthusiasm for fidget toys or the mass excitement around the Greeks and Romans tradition. Also, in spaces like the library, seeing students collaborate and engage deeply with questions raised in classrooms even after class has ended, and the way that girlhood just fills the room, is delightful.
How does your love of and interest in history inform who you are as a person?
Being a historian has shaped me as a person; I know that change can happen and that the human agency required to make change matters. It isn't just fate, it isn't just destiny, it isn't just geological formations—those things, too, have an influence. But I think human agency is the determining factor, which means that if there are changes that you want to happen or changes that have happened that you want to preserve, you have to continue to apply your human agency to them or you will lose them. That’s something empowering to know: your actions do shape the world. And it's wonderful to be able to share that with students.
What does great learning look like?
For me, great learning comes down to an adage about being more curious than certain [and] supporting students in believing that the things that they want to know about the world matter. That’s supported by a lot of educational research … an understanding of how learning works in the brain relates to this idea of mattering and of meaning. It's very difficult to learn things and to remember things that don't matter or take on meaning for you.
The other part is that great learning is open-ended enough that—whatever the particulars, whatever the specifics of the content are—students walk away with an ability to call up those skills, apply that content, or infer further in a different context. Learning is not the endpoint; it's about what you take away and can apply beyond.
What is exciting to you about the state of education today?
One of the things that excites me right now is this externality that has come to our work with students in the form of artificial intelligence (AI). With my teacher hat on, I understand deeply the ways in which AI can feel invasive and undermining. But I feel it presents an
incredible opportunity to hold a mirror up to ourselves as educators and to return to that which feels most core to teaching and learning—because those are the things that we should hold onto and recenter our educational practice around. The ability to recognize truth in multiple perspectives held by historical figures—and growing our capacity for empathy in the process, for example, is one of those things which is unthreatened in the face of AI. When there are so many demands on our time in the world, especially as educators, that opportunity to think about what is core versus what we might be able to let go of doesn't come along often.
FAMILY Husband Fredy & daughter Noemi
FAVORITE SPORTS TEAM Angel City FC
GREEK OR ROMAN Go Romans!
BEST PIECE OF ADVICE
Metaphorically speaking, there are moments in our lives when something is on fire and that we have to—by whatever means—put out the fire. But most often, things are not on fire. And that means that we have the time to pause, to connect, to consider, and then to go forward as opposed to just feeling the necessity to react.
LAST BOOK YOU READ “Sistersong” by Lucy Holland
Pictured: Arias (right) and Head of School Andrea Kassar dressed as 'Surgere Supers' for the Lower School International Day of the Girl assembly in October! (Read more about the day on page 13.)
Empathy Forward: HONOR COUNCIL
AT WESTRIDGE
AT WESTRIDGE, THE STUDENT HONOR COUNCIL—NOW IN ITS THIRD YEAR— IS LAYERING ON PEER SUPPORT, EMPATHY, AND GRACE TO APPROACHING INFRACTIONS.
Mistakes happen. For a student, what can it look like to have peers their age help them process and move forward? At Westridge, this is where the Upper School Honor Council comes in.
Composed of 12 students from grades 10-12, Honor Council provides students a space to discuss instances of conduct that don’t uphold Westridge core values, the impact on themselves and potentially others, and ways to work on or improve upon the behavior. Members are not involved in disciplinary action, but instead help provide a space for the student to help repair any harm done. When established in 2022, the council and its faculty advisors thought deeply about what a peer-led academic integrity group should look like within the Westridge community. According to Upper School Dean of Student Support Bonnie Martinez, the answer was an opportunity for growth and learning rather than punitive outcomes.
This led to training under a restorative practices framework, which, at its core, is an attitude and philosophy based around building and strengthening relationships. According to the International Institute for Restorative Practices, a key piece of this practice is that human beings are happier, more cooperative and productive, and more likely to make positive changes to their behavior when those in positions of authority do things with them rather than to or for them
“We want our students to recognize that mistakes happen— ruptures are part of life,” said Westridge Director of Equity Ian Tatum, who helps train the students in restorative practices. “We owe students the space to learn how to handle mistakes and work toward getting it right.”
The council typically deals with infractions such as academic honesty and integrity or disrespect.
THE HONOR COUNCIL VALUES:
Trustworthiness and confidentiality
An interest in restorative repair
A commitment to strengthening the community and upholding our values
Respect for and demonstration of integrity
A consistent and equitable approach to infractions/ recommendations
"[Honor Council] is about community—it's a supportive space," said Emerson F. '26, in her second year on the council. "We come in with curiosity about our fellow students; we're not there to judge them. It's about asking questions and genuinely learning about their perspective ... we talk through how the choice was made, and how they can make better choices in the future and 're-enter' the community."
Congratulations CLASS OF 2024!
The 70 newest Westridge alumnae earned 453 acceptances to 153 colleges and universities. This fall, they attend 49 colleges and universities in 14 states, Canada, Ireland, and Scotland. The Class of 2024’s defining characteristic is power—in the words of Class Dean Dan Calmeyer, these nowalums are powerful in the way they take life head on and in the way they go after what they want.
Bard College Annandale-on-Hudson, NY
Boston University Boston, MA (4)
The University of British Columbia BC, Canada
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Pomona, CA
University of California
Berkeley Berkeley, CA (4)
Irvine Irvine, CA
Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA (2)
Merced Merced, CA
Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA
Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA
Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA (2)
Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH
Chapman University Orange, CA (2)
Claremont McKenna College Claremont, CA (2)
Connecticut College New London, CT
Cornell University Ithaca, NY (2)
Dickinson College Carlisle, PA
Drexel University Philadelphia, PA
Fordham University Bronx, NY
Harvey Mudd College Claremont, CA (2)
List College/Columbia University joint
degree program New York, NY
Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, CA (2)
Macalester College Saint Paul, MN (2)
University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI
New Jersey Insitute of Technology Newark, NJ
Northeastern University Boston, MA (2)
University of Oregon Eugene, OR
Pennsylvania State University University Park, PA
Pitzer College Claremont, CA
Rice University Houston, TX
Santa Clara University Santa Clara, CA
Scripps College Claremont, CA
Smith College Northampton, MA (2)
University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA (2)
Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX
University of St. Andrews St. Andrews, Scotland (2)
Stanford University Stanford, CA
State University of New York at Purchase College Purchase, NY
Syracuse University Syracuse, NY
University of Toronto Ontario, Canada
Trinity College Dublin College Green, Ireland
Trinity College Dublin/Columbia University international dual degree program College Green, Ireland & New York, NY
Tufts University Medford, MA (3)
Tulane University of Louisiana New Orleans, LA
Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY
Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis, MO
Wesleyan University Middletown, CT
University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI
Yale University New Haven, CT
Around
Congratulations to the Class of 2030 and 2028!
At the end of the 2023-2024 school year, Westridge celebrated the 6th and 8th grade recognition ceremonies in the Performing Arts Center. The ceremonies included remarks from Head of School Andrea Kassar, Director of Lower & Middle School Dr. Zanita Kelly, and class leadership including Lower School Student Activities & Leadership Council (SALC) President Amel C. ’30 and 8th Grade Class President Michelle X. ’28.
Greeks v. Romans: New Students Participate in Mythology-Themed Ceremony!
The mighty Greeks and Romans went headto-head in Hoffman Gym during the annual Greek and Roman Initiation in September! The ceremony, a beloved Westridge tradition, was led by Roman ASB Head Alice C. ’25 and Greek ASB Head Mirella C. ’25. This year’s theme went back to Greek and Roman mythology, with columns, ivy, and toga-dressed student leaders. New students, faculty, and staff then learned their Greek or Roman designation and were initiated by running under a decorated arch to music and the cheers of their new teammates.
Westridge Speech & Debate Wins National Team Award!
Westridge was one of just 30 schools (out of 1,370 from all 50 states and nine different countries) to receive the School of Honor in Speech award at the National Speech & Debate Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa, over the summer. This is the first nationals team award in Westridge history! Plus, a shout out to Sophie C. ’25 who placed fifth in the nation in expository speaking out of 442 entries—making her the third national finalist in the school’s history.
Class of 2030
Class of 2028
Westridge Seniors Named National Merit Semifinalists
Three cheers for seniors Sarah L. and Lillian L. who were named 2025 National Merit Scholarship semifinalists, which places them in the top 1% of U.S. high school seniors! The two scored among the top 16,000 high school students in the country out of an estimated 1.3 million students who took the PSAT/ NMSQT. The Westridge College Counseling team will support the two seniors as they continue the National Merit Scholarship application process this fall.
Bonding and Connection: Westridge in the Wild!
Westridge students in grades 6 through 9 went on overnight trips to kick off the school year in September! The 6th graders ventured to the San Bernardino Mountains with Pali Institute, where they took part in teambuilding exercises and activities such as a high ropes course and archery. The 7th graders had the special opportunity to see Westridge at night— participating in an overnight stay in Hoffman Gym with Director of Lower & Middle School Dr. Zanita Kelly—followed by a day trip including a ropes course, paintball games, and arts and crafts. The 8th graders took off to a retreat facility in Sierra Madre where they played games and activities fostering teamwork and prompting self-discovery. And finally, the freshmen headed to Big Bear for ziplining, rock climbing, archery, and bonding time to kick off their time in Upper School.
Tournament of Roses Crowns Lindsay C. '25 106th Rose Queen!
Congratulations to Lindsay C. '25 who was crowned the 106th Rose Queen by the Tournament of Roses organization in October! The Westridge senior received the honor out of hundreds of applicants from 49 Pasadena area schools, chosen based on academic achievement, community and school involvement, public speaking ability, and youth leadership. At Westridge, Lindsay is active in athletics on the track and field and cross country teams, co-leads the Food Chain LA and Green Guerrillas sustainability clubs, and co-heads our multicultural affinity group. As Rose Queen, Lindsay will represent Pasadena as an ambassador for the Tournament of Roses, participate in personal development programs and community outreach, receive a $7,500 scholarship, and ride on a float during the 136th annual Rose Parade on January 1!
Pictured: Westridge 8th graders on their fall retreat in Sierra Madre!
Photo credit: Tournament of Roses
The Demise of ‘Little Miss Perfect’: 7th Graders Pursue Resilience
Our 7th graders are on a mission to crush proclivities for perfectionism, learn that it’s OK to not always get things right, and build resilience. As part of a “Demise of Little Miss Perfect” campaign, Middle School English Teacher John Cross is working with students to internalize these concepts through regular projects and activities—including identifying signature strengths (e.g. sense of humor, loyalty to friends, etc.), savoring positive experiences, and reflecting on moments of awe—throughout the school year.
“We talk about how attending to our gratitude, recognizing moments of awe, savoring positive moments, knowing our own signature strengths… helps us grow our roots,” said Cross. “When the winds of adversity blow—and they will—we can remain standing … We may lose a few twigs and leaves to the wind, but we will not be toppled when we experience failure, disappointments, and setbacks.”
International Day of the Girl, Westridge Style!
It's fun to be at a girls' school, especially when it's International Day of the Girl! Students spent time brainstorming ways to create a better future for girls everywhere in alignment with this year’s theme set by the United Nations: "Girls' Vision for the Future." Upper and Middle School students took part in a lunchtime visioning activity, identifying women who inspire them (including moms, teachers, and each other) and what changes they want to make in the world (such as equal pay, no stereotypes, and more generosity). Lower Schoolers, by grade level, worked together to create ‘Surgere Supers’ superheroes, who espoused their visions of the future—including promoting access to nutritious food, more leadership roles, and less gender discrimination. These were translated into posters and superhero capes that teachers and administrators modeled down a makeshift runway!
Lower School Parents & Children Line-Dance the Night Away!
Westridge’s Lower School parents and students showed up and out to Westridge Hold’em, the country music themed Parent/Child Dance. They donned cowboy boots and ten-gallon hats for an evening of food, fun, line-dancing, and more!
Jennifer L. '25 Wins Prep League Individual Tennis Championship Award
A huge congratulations to Jennifer L. '25, who won the Prep League Individual Tennis Championship for the second consecutive year! Per Director of Athletics Melanie Horn, Jennifer is the first and only Tiger to win an individual Prep League Championship for tennis—as Horn noted: "and now she's done it twice!"
Flag Football Advances to First-Ever CIF Championships!
Talk about history in the making: The Westridge Flag Football team ended their season by advancing to the second round of the first-ever California Interscholastic Federation-Southern Section (CIF-SS) girls' flag football Division 5 playoffs! The team had an incredible season— well done, Tigers.
LatinExcellence Assembly: Upper School Students Hear From Guatemalan Producer-Writer Carolina Paiz
The Upper School Latine Affinity hosted its fourth annual LatinExcellence Assembly featuring special guest Carolina Paiz, a Guatemalan producer and writer (and Westridge parent!) in October. Paiz, who has worked for major TV networks and on Netflix's Orange is the New Black, spoke at length about her experience growing up in Guatemala, her love of stories translating to her chosen career, and navigating the film & television industry as a Latina, among other topics, in a Q&A led by affinity heads Kayla A. '25, Emmabella B. M. '25, and Sofia K. '25.
Upper School Discusses Election, Hears From Local Candidates
Ahead of Election Day, Westridge Upper School students had the opportunity to engage with and consider this important democratic process through two assemblies in October. First, they heard from local politicians Michelle del Rosario Martinez (a republican candidate running for CA State Assembly in District 41) and Pasadena City College Trustee Steve Gibson (president of the Democrats of Pasadena Foothills) at a special assembly hosted by the history department. During the forum, led by Miranda F. '25 and Fiona Z. '25, students had the opportunity to hear different points of view, ask questions, and learn about local/federal politics. Westridge Student Life later hosted an election-themed Town Meeting, which kicked off with a wonderful performance of the national anthem by members of Upper School orchestra. Then, Student Life asked Upper School to consider questions such as the following: social media's influence on how we think/learn about elections and candidates, and dealing with different political values and beliefs.
Student
Editor's note: Due to the timing of Surgere's production, a few pieces featured in this section were made in spring 2024.
grade
Diana L. '33
Yokai project! Students used a 3D scanner to create a model of their invented Yokai (Japanese mythological spirits), which they will further sculpt with clay and paint to bring them to life!
Hazelyn S. '31
Karalim C. '28
By Class of 2029's Sophie D., Gabriela M.-S., and Cate R.
Abigail Y. '27
Jenny L. '33
Lilah R. '25
Lexie L. '26
Cecilia J. '28
Touring Taipei
A poem by Carys H.
about a place that matters to her.
Rowdy city conversations complimented with salty street food creations. The sweet smell of soybean milk infused with a sewage odor from the motorcycles zooming around delivering delectable goods.
Up and down each row,
Pan fried pancakes sizzle with a glow.
Green onions tossed up quick, and stinky tofu’s on a stick.
Loud clatters of echoing pans with steaming pots that make you stand.
Greta B. '29
'29
Eliza K. '26
Ash G. '25
Kaitlyn W. '32
Carmen B. '31
By Class of 2031's Gabby O., Everly S., Maddie B., Laurel J., Maeve S., Sadie L., Ella R., Livia C., Lucy L. and Zetta G.
Song '24
Frances B. '27
Maya K. '29
Isabel H. '26
(See a behind the scenes look of the projection on the right!)
Sophie O. '26
Catherine P. '28
FACULTY PROFILE
Making Advanced Subjects Accessible (and Fun!)
WITH CHEMISTRY TEACHER DR. EDYE UDELL
Teaching science at a girls' school is very special.
Now in her 22nd year teaching chemistry at Westridge, Dr. Edye Udell remains one of the most enthusiastic teachers you will ever meet. Part of that stems from the joy she feels in inspiring young women in the sciences, but equal to that is helping students understand their personal capabilities of learning in deep and complex ways.
I wish my class were called 'Logical Thinking and Problem Solving Through the Eyes of a Chemist.'
Her passion for advancing women in the sciences started at MIT where women in her freshman class were frequently told by peers that they were only there because they were women. When she started her Ph.D. program at Caltech, Udell decided to get involved in then-nascent programs to support women in science and founded a campus Women in Science Engineering (WISE) program that paired graduate and undergraduate students.
“Teaching science at a girls’ school is very special,” said Udell. “In co-ed schools, girls are still in a significant minority in advanced STEM classes. Here [at Westridge], advanced courses with all girls can really give them the inner confidence and desire to succeed in STEM.”
Udell’s early adoption of flipped learning—in which students watch video lessons at home so that class time is used for collaborative learning and one-on-one support from Udell to solve problems related to the lesson—proved crucial in encouraging girls to take advanced courses.
“Honors and advanced chemistry classes are really hard, so I focus on hard being fun rather than too hard. My goal is to make it as easy as possible while not lowering the level of questions being posed,” said Udell. Flipped learning and the active learning it enables—where students learn through active problem solving and are supported in their individual styles of learning—add a dose of “fun hard” and reduce student frustration from struggling with concepts alone.
The data supports that this method has opened advanced courses to more students. Prior to flipped learning, at most 20% of students would take honors chemistry. This year, that number is at 60%.
“I wish my class were called ‘Logical Thinking and Problem Solving Through the Eyes of a Chemist’,” said Udell. “I teach them how to do logic and how to do really complex problem solving. They learn a heck of a lot of chemistry, but more importantly, they learn
GREEK OR ROMAN?
Greek
HIDDEN TALENTS
Figure skating & modern and jazz dance
FREE-TIME ACTIVITIES
Mahjong, whitewater rafting, & kayaking
ALUMNAE IN THE FAMILY
Greer '17 (also a teacher) & Sammy '18
how to do five-step logic problems. It’s something all students, whether they go further in the sciences or not, will use throughout their education and lives.”
Asked for any final thoughts, Udell said: “I love my job and my students. We get to help these young women discover who they want to become, and they are so full of energy and so thirsty to learn.”
New Look—and Words—for Westridge
If you have been to campus this fall or visited our website recently, you may have noticed things look a bit different. That’s because last year the school worked to refresh how we talk about ourselves. Everything from campus pole banners to our admission materials now lead with the core phrase: Where the First Draft of Extraordinary is Written. You can learn more about the thinking behind this new language in Head of School Andrea Kassar’s blog (www.westridge.org/blog) on the topic "School Should Be Messy."
IVY: The Official Westridge Tiger!
It’s hard to believe that there has never been an official Westridge tiger in the 111-year history of Westridge School! That ended this fall, with our new tiger mascot (right) designed by alum Song ’24. The community joined in on the fun with a naming contest. The nearly 250 name submissions were whittled down to five for student voting, and Ivy was born.
According to Song: “… a Tiger is fierce, ambitious, and determined, qualities that represent our student body. We aimed for a design composed of humility and power captured by the strong eye contact and contrasted by the flowing fur and heart-like stripes.”
New State Street Security Kiosk Installed
This summer, a new security kiosk was installed at the entrance of the school’s State Street parking lot. The new kiosk allows the campus security team to assist visitors earlier and provides a better visibility of the campus entrance and the parking lot. Special thanks to the Westridge Parent Association, which helped fund this campus security upgrade.
Here's an excerpt from Ms. Kassar's blog: “Childhood at Westridge should be a first draft. Temporally, it is step one of the rest of their lives as thinkers and creators and leaders. It isn’t about perfection, or end products, or risk-free-ness. It’s about mistake-making for growth, some real messiness, trying things and experimenting, formation and development, patience. Taking chances in a space and place of fertile ground for development."
Financial Literacy Expands in the Curriculum
In previous years, the crucial topic of financial literacy has been part of the Human Development (HD) program in Middle & Upper School—it is covered in the final months of senior year HD along with other skills important for independent living. This year, the topic has been introduced earlier and in more depth. The discussion now begins in the 4th grade with "Financial Mindset"—one of five pillars of the Lower School Council class—which includes age-appropriate lessons on topics including how money works and entrepreneurship. (For example, students learn that when they swipe their ID card in the cafeteria, their account is charged.) Then, in Middle School, all students take one quarter of financial literacy during their FLEX block. Topics include spending plans and budgeting, federal budget and taxes, interest and credit, risk and return, and investing. Guest speakers in the class have included Westridge Chief Finance and Operations Officer Linda Ross and Board Chair Valerie Lemmon ’92 (pictured above, seated), who is a financial advisor and investment analyst.
Fall 2024 /
New Trustee Emeritus
Former Board Chair Richard Fung, who served on the board for nine years including as chair during the COVID-19 pandemic and through the transition of head of school, has been named Trustee Emeritus. This designation honors his exemplary service while on the board and his continued support of Westridge. Congratulations and thank you, Richard!
Alumna Sian Leong Adams ’98 Named Director of Advancement
Sian returned to Westridge this fall to lead the school’s fundraising efforts. She brings more than 20 years of experience in fund development and nonprofit management, most recently serving as director of strategic initiatives at The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, where she conceptualized and led a $20 million capital campaign for the expansion of the Chinese Garden and managed a portfolio of more than 300 major gift prospects. She holds an M.A. in public administration from California State University, Northridge, and a B.A. in art history with a minor in East Asian studies from USC. Welcome back, Sian!
WESTRIDGE WELCOMES NEW TRUSTEES
Christine McCarthy
Twenty-year veteran of The Walt Disney Company, where she served as senior executive vice president and chief financial officer from 2015 to June 2023. Previous posts included EVP and CFO of Imperial Bancorp and EVP, Finance at First Interstate Bancorp. Currently serves on the boards of Procter & Gamble and Carnegie Institution for Science, among others, and previously served on the Westridge board from 2012-2021. B.A. in biology from Smith College and an M.B.A. in marketing and finance from UCLA. Mother of Kelsey Elizabeth Hamilton McCormick ’13.
Lea Yip Shen ’00
Community leader with deep experience in volunteer and fundraising leadership in the school arena including at Westridge and Chandler School, where she served in chair roles for gala committees and was a leader in the Center for Innovation Capital Campaign. Worked in public sector consulting with eCivis Euna Solutions where she designed emergency management plans with the Department of Homeland Security and county and city government entities around the U.S. and Hawaiian Islands. B.S. in economics from the Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania. Mother of Ella ’32.
Jessica Yang ’10
A CPA and attorney currently serving as real estate counsel at Public Storage. Previous posts include real estate associate with Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and assurance associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Longtime active member of the Westridge alumnae community, including as part of the Alumnae Board since 2023 with tenures as chair and DEIJ cochair. J.D. from University of Pennsylvania Law School and a B.S. in applied economics and management from Cornell. Sister to Angela Yang ’17.
Please join us in THANKING two Westridge trustees who retired from our Board in June— Sigrid Burton ’69 and Akila Gibbs.
WESTRIDGE PARENT ASSOCIATION
Tiger Club Boosters Uplifts Westridge Athletics
After an introduction last school year, this fall the Tiger Club Boosters are roaring to engage families in support of Westridge Athletics by fostering teamwork and some good ol’ Tiger pride. At the helm this year are co-chairs Angela Rashid (mom to Layla ’27 and Giselle ’25) and Vanessa Withers (mom to Abby ’27).
The group hopes to increase spirit and school pride through community building this school year. For their first big event of the year, the Boosters put on a “Westridge Wears Pink” event in October with the Athletics department for the Dig Pink volleyball and Pink Out flag football games. The event raised money to support funding for metastatic breast cancer research through the Side-Out Foundation. (Shout out to all who attended!)
“One of my goals for the Boosters is to help Westridge athletes feel seen and for their hard work and dedication to be recognized,” said Withers. While Withers didn’t play sports as a kid, she has seen the important role sport has played in Abby’s life and development, something that made her recognize how important athletics are not only for students, but also for parents and the school.
The group particularly encourages Lower and Middle School families, as well as families new to Westridge, to get involved. “I would start off by going to the games,” said Rashid, whose daughter Layla began sports at Westridge as a 6th grader with lacrosse workshops and now is a key player on the Upper School flag football and lacrosse teams while Giselle plays volleyball and basketball. “It’s a good opportunity to understand athletics (even if you don’t know the game rules!). Plus, watching sports with other people… there’s something special about the bonding that happens like we saw at ‘Westridge Wears Pink’ with all grade levels rallying around a good cause and the athletes.”
Interested in joining Tiger Club Boosters? It’s not too late! Email westridgetigerclub@gmail.com.
UPCOMING WPA MEETINGS
January 16
March 12
May 20*
*This meeting will also include a New Parent Welcome Reception
UPCOMING WPA-HOSTED EVENTS
February 1 Summer Opportunities Fair (10 am-3 pm)
April 26 WPA Night Market (5-8 pm)
Thank you to all who took part in for the first-ever WESTRIDGE PARENT ASSOCIATION (WPA) BOOK CLUB
The Club's inaugural book was “Lady Tan’s Circle of Women” by Lisa See.
Westridge Celebrates AT ANNUAL COMMUNITY PICNIC
To celebrate the start of the school year, hundreds from the Westridge community—including students, families, alumnae, and employees—gathered on campus for the Community Picnic in September. There were plenty of field games, activities, and food to go around. This year, attendees also participated in friendly pickleball matches hosted by the Tiger Club Boosters as well as the secondannual Chili Cook-Off and Great Westridge Bake-Off.
Thank you to all who attended, making it another spectacular picnic!
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1
This fair, one of the largest in the nation, features 75+ summer camps and programs (serving a wide range of interests including academic enrichment, sports, arts, music, theatre, travel, STEM, and more!), pre-college programs, and community service opportunities for kids ages 5 to 18.
Alumnae
BOARD
ALUMNAE BOARD
Nicole Rabaudi ’90, Chair
Elizabeth (Liz) Carlton ’03, Vice Chair
Kathryn Aposhian ’07
Taelor Bakewell ’11
Michelle Noble Barnett ’90
Madison (Maddie) Bender ’15
Zandie Brockett ’05
Maimouna Diarra ’15
Eliza (Ellie) Diop ’10
Caroline Sill King ’03
Ashwini Lakshmanan ’97
Nicole Lomas ’92
Olivia Moore ’01
Thembisa Mshaka ’88
Cassandra (Cassie) Nufable ’12
Elizabeth (Tizzie)
Oldknow-Huttinger ’68
Tanya Paz ’02
Alexandria (Alex) Perez ’19
Alekxa Rollins ’12
Jessica Yang ’10
Madison “Maddie”
Bender ’15
is an account manager at NBCUniversal—playing a key role in the company’s advertising sales since 2019. Most recently, she helped monetize and launch Peacock as a member of the streaming platform's inaugural sales team. Madison holds dual degrees in marketing and international relations from Tulane University. Her pastimes include spending time with family (shoutout to sisters Katie ’18 and Gracie ’20!) and indulging in Los Angeles’ culturally rich food scene.
Maimouna Diarra ’15
is a litigation associate at White & Case, LLP in Palo Alto, California, after graduating from UC Berkeley School of Law in 2023. For years, she married her passion for writing and international relations across her educational and professional career. Maimouna was a writing fellow at Pomona College, associate editor for the California Law Review, and won the Cordell Hull Prize in International Relations for her college thesis. Maimouna loves dancing, watching movies, and spending time outdoors.
Members of the Alumnae Board, pictured (from left): (top row) Tanya Paz ’02, Taelor Bakewell ’11, Maddie Bender ’15, Michelle Noble Barnett ’90, and Caroline Sill King ’03; (bottom row) Olivia Moore ’01, Jessica Yang ’10, Nicole Rabaudi ’90, and Alex Perez ’19
Nicole Lomas ’92
has spent 25 years working with nonprofit community mental health programs serving underresourced populations. She is the clinical director for intensive services at Pacific Clinics in South Los Angeles and the colead for the Pacific Clinics LA Region Race, Equity, and Justice (REJ) Action Group. Nicole stays connected to Westridge by hosting multiple Class of 1992 reunions, supporting fundraising efforts, and through supporting her daughters Izzie ’31 and Mila ’28.
Alexandria “Alex”
Perez ’19
is a bilingual 4th grade teacher at Camino Network Charter Academy through the Teach for America Corps program while balancing full-time coursework at Loyola Marymount University. She has served in leadership roles for social advocacy groups, been an active changemaker for multiple community programs, and founded Project Literacy to create library initiatives and literacy programs for Los Angeles elementary schools. In her spare time, Alex enjoys reading, cooking for friends, and playing soccer.
Elizabeth “Tizzie” OldknowHuttinger ’68
is known for her brilliant efforts to combat human schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease. She translated scientific research into a cure, creating an effective program to significantly reduce schistosomiasis in Senegal, West Africa. Her work was published in the Proceedings of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and highlighted in a documentary “Lifelines—River of Hope.” She also co-founded a nonprofit to support health and education in post-Soviet countries and led sustainable development efforts in Bosnia. Tizzie is Westridge's 2016 Mary Lowther Ranney Distinguished Alumna Award recipient, and hails from a family of Westridge alums.
We encourage you to join the following alumnae board committees: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Justice (DEIJ); Engagement; Philanthropy; and Young Alumnae Circle (YAC).
Alekxa Rollins ’12
has practiced real estate and property law since becoming an attorney in 2021. She earned her law degree from the UC Irvine School of Law. While there, she served as the director of communications & outreach for the Women’s Law Society and as the alumni communications coordinator for the studentparent group It Takes a Village. Alekxa also holds a bachelor’s in communication from USC and a master's in communication from Johns Hopkins University. She resides in Los Angeles with her husband and two sons.
For more information, contact alumnae@westridge.org or scan the QR code:
NEWS Alumnae
Lifetime of Learning: Virginia Hislop '36 Receives Her Stanford Master's Degree at Age 105
Earlier this year, Westridge alum Virginia "Ginger" Hislop '36 (our oldest, we believe!) walked across the stage at Stanford University to receive her master's degree in education—one put on hold since 1941 when she was 22 years old. Read more about her journey at www.westridge.org/hislop.
Looking back at her time in Pasadena, Hislop said her Westridge education meant a great deal to her. (In fact, it was her great aunt's friend—and the founder of Westridge!—Mary Ranney who admitted her mid-school year.) "I found Westridge challenging in some ways, and very accepting in others," she said. "I don't imagine that's changed much."
Lunch, Boba, & Banter: Alumnae Speak To Current Students
This school year kicked off a new series of lunchtime discussions featuring alumnae—Lunch, Boba, & Banter— where Upper School students have the opportunity to hear from alums of various careers and backgrounds. The series kicked off with Class of 2013's Celine Tien (CEO and founder of Flowly) and Sophie Wagener (an associate attorney) in October, followed by Heu'ionalani "Meph" Wyeth '65 and colleagues from NGO Pacific Traditions Society.
Mt. Wilson Excursion
Thank you to all who joined us for a special evening among the stars at the Mt. Wilson Observatory in August, hosted by the Carnegie Science Observatories. The tour, led by the Observatories Director (and Westridge Trustee!)
Dr. John Mulchaey, included a viewing of astronomer George Ellery Hale's original solar telescope and a historic 100-inch telescope—where astronomer Edwin Hubble first discovered galaxies outside the Milky Way.
The excursion was a fundraiser to benefit the Forever Fund Endowment, which is an alumnae initiative to raise endowment funds for financial aid to ensure that future generations have the means to attend Westridge. If you are interesting in learning more and donating, visit westridge.org/alumnae/forever-fund
Photo credit: Charles Russo/Stanford Graduate School of Education
Tiger Cub Club Hosts SAVE the DATES
College Conversations
Friday, January 10
Class of 2024
Tiger Spirit Game
Friday, January 10
Madeline Society Reception
Thursday, January 23
Summer Opportunities Fair
Saturday, February 1
Alumnae Weekend
Friday-Sunday, March 7-9
Tiger Cub Club Spring Playdate
Saturday, May 10
Virtual Affinity Gathering
Tuesday, May 27
Commencement
Friday, June 6
*For the most up-to-date information, please visit the calendar at www.westridge.org/alumnae
Attendees of the Alumnae Book Club in May 2024, joined by “The Doctors Blackwell” author Janice P. Nimura
NEWS Alumnae
Alum SoCal Gatherings
Earlier in the fall, our Santa Barbara (pictured right) and Orange County alums met up with Head of School Andrea Kassar and peers for wonderful afternoons of reconnection, bonding, and networking! Shout out to Darrell Banta '77, who hosted the Santa Barbara event.
Alumnae near and far, join us in person on Westridge campus or on Zoom for
JANUARY 15
Little Lord Fauntleroy by Frances Hodges Burnett
MARCH 19
Dear Life by Alice Munro
Readers Book Club
MAY 14
Book of Ages: The Life and Opinions of Jane Franklin by Jill Lepore
JULY 16
Shakespeare Was a Woman and Other Heresies: How Doubting the Bard Became the Biggest Taboo in Literature by Elizabeth Winkler
Meetings take place from 6-7:30 pm.
For more information, contact Barbara Davis Reynolds ’72 at bwdr@pacbell.net or the Westridge Alumnae Office at 626.799.1053, ext. 244, or alumnae@westridge.org.
Fall 2024 /
Alumnae
AROUND THE WORLD
Fall 2024 / 25 STUDENTS in the last 15 years have gone on to attend college outside of the United States, including Canada, China, the Czech Republic, England, France, Ireland, and Scotland.
Westridge seniors are headed to Chile, Guatemala, Japan, and Namibia for this year's Discovery Week trips! Learn more about the week at www.westridge.org/ beyond-westridge.
While thinking globally starts at Westridge—from the Global Scholars program (this issue’s cover story!) to scientific research with local universities and institutions to the community volunteering and annual Discovery Week trips— it doesn’t stop here. Our alumnae head to colleges and universities all over the country and beyond, opening their futures up to infinite possibilities. As seen on the map, our alums reside on five of the seven continents!
Pictured: A heat map of where Westridge alumnae reside all around the world!
WESTRIDGE ALUMNAE ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO JOIN US FOR
March 7-9, 2025
THERE WILL BE ON-CAMPUS EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND AND SPECIAL REUNION CELEBRATIONS FOR CLASSES ENDING IN 0 AND 5.
FRIDAY: Stop by to cheer on our Tiger athletes before attending class presentations and the popular “Twilight at Westridge” cocktail reception.
SATURDAY: Kicks off with coffee and treats and the affinity gathering followed by a Q&A session with the Mary Lowther Ranney and Young Alumna award recipients. The afternoon will culminate in a formal luncheon, where alumnae can celebrate, reconnect, and reminisce together.
P.S. Be sure to look out for a Westridge Alumnae email in December, where we will announce the 2025 Mary Lowther Ranney Distinguished Alumna and Distinguished Young Alumna award recipients!
If you can't make it to Alumnae Weekend, we encourage you to consider making a gift in honor of your class or to support the programs and traditions that shaped your Westridge experience. Your contribution helps ensure future students have access to the same opportunities that meant so much to you.
SUNDAY: The weekend will wrap with a new event—the Sunday Family Fun Day organized by the Tiger Cub Club.
For more information or if you are interested in reunion planning, email Director of Alumnae Engagement Fan Wang at fwang@westridge.org.
Scan the QR code or visit www.westridge.org/give to do so. Thank you!
ALUMNA PROFILE
Emily Chang '03
President, Apac Chemical
When Emily Tang (nee Chang) ’03 first started at Westridge, her scholastic interests quickly became clear. “From the beginning, I wanted to understand how things worked, and I was very drawn to science and math.” During her senior year, Emily took a Research in Science class that provided her with an internship at a lab at Caltech.
“That was a truly amazing and impactful experience,” Emily recalled. “I spent eight hours every week helping Ph.D. students studying the migration of neural crest cells and organ development. Being in that lab opened my eyes to how exciting and significant scientific research can be.”
Emily took that passion to the University of Pennsylvania, where she dual-majored in economics and math. After graduating, she worked for several years at Cathay Bank. After several years in banking, Emily’s father invited her to join Apac Chemical Corporation, a manufacturer and distributor of high-quality food additives and preservatives based on international standards, agricultural raw materials, and specialty chemicals that works with companies across six continents. Emily worked as the Apac general manager for six years, and in 2017 purchased the business from her father—keeping in line with its family and minority-owned roots. She has served as its president ever since.
Emily credits her time at Westridge for the many successes she’s had in life. “The school provided me with so many things that empowered me to flourish, both in my career as well as my personal life. I was a very shy and introverted
girl, but once I got to Westridge and was placed in small classes with only girls, I was able to find and develop my voice,” she said. “Westridge helped me develop my confidence and become a good communicator, and that foundation is what has made me such a successful leader. I also made some amazing friends who’ve remained constant presences in my life.”
As she’s advanced in her career, Emily has prioritized giving back to Westridge. “I’m very lucky to have had the education I received. By giving back, I hope I can make opportunities like that available to others.”
The school provided me with so many things that empowered me to flourish, both in my career as well as my personal life.
Emily has contributed to the Westridge Annual Fund as well as the Technology and Science Endowment, and she encourages her fellow alumnae to do the same. “I think there’s [still] a terrible misconception that women aren’t as good at STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects as men. I want to make sure girls are exposed to STEM subjects and have access to the best facilities and technologies. By supporting Westridge in this way, I hope more women feel encouraged to pursue their interests and overcome this outdated stereotype.”
JOIN EMILY AND FELLOW ALUMNAE IN SUPPORTING FUTURE GENERATIONS OF WESTRIDGE STUDENTS AT www.westridge.org/give
1959
Cynthia (Cindy) Nash Hummel (Billings, MT): “2024 has been a busy year with nice travels. I feel so fortunate that it is still possible for Dave and I to explore other parts of the world. In the past, we visited 183 out of 197 United Nations-member countries. Then COVID hit and we were all grounded. But this year, we made up for that. At Christmastime 2023, we joined a cruise going from Miami to the Caribbean— up the Amazon to Manaus, Brazil, and back. Dave and I celebrated our 60th wedding anniversary on this cruise. In March, we visited the Kona coast of Hawaii with our family where our older son, Eric, proposed to his future bride. In May, I flew to Japan where I met up with my Australian sister-in-law and we joined a two-week cruise
around Japan. The travel continued in July with a twoweek cruise from Reykjavik, Iceland, to London. One of the more interesting stops was in the Faroe Islands, halfway between Iceland and Scotland. At the end of August, I am preparing to head to Germany for a twoweek cruise on the Rhine with family followed by a twoweek visit to German friends. I look forward to connecting with fellow classmates through emails and phone calls. Stay tuned!” [Ed’s note: This note was submitted prior to August.] 01
1965
Heuionalani Wyeth (Anahola, HI): “Aloha fellow '65ers. Can you believe our 60th reunion is coming up? Where have all those years gone? Looking forward to
Notes
seeing those of you who make it to Pasadena in March for Alumnae Weekend.
The film that some of you saw at our unofficial 52nd get-together has become two, with a third in process. The first two parts have been circulating the film festival circuit for the past several years and have been well received—far surpassing our expectations. For anyone who wants to see them free online, check out www.vaka.org.”
2001
Jane McCarthy (Los Angeles, CA): “My sister Kate McAndrew, Westridge alumna from the class of ’05, and I have co-authored a book on how to build your brand as a female founder/ entrepreneur. Our book—“The Goddess Guide to Branding”— [came out] on October 22.
We imagine there are likely many women running their own companies or working in marketing who would find the book inspiring and useful.” 02
2008
Theresa Wong (Pasadena, CA): “Finally finished my medical training to become a primary care doctor with a specialty in geriatrics. After working for a few years in Seattle, I moved back home and opened my own direct primary care practice—W Geriatrics—in Pasadena. With a monthly membership, my patients get direct access to my phone and unlimited office visits. I also do house calls. I’m learning a lot during this new adventure and am thrilled to serve the community that raised me.”
2010
Jessica Yang ’10 (Arcadia, CA): “Kristin C. '25, Ashwini Lakshmanan '97 and her daughter Divya '33, and I went to the Los Angeles Arboretum in Arcadia, California, and had a wonderful time! Ashwini is excited to return to the Alumnae Board.”
2015
Maimouna Diarra (San Francisco, CA): “Since leaving Westridge, I’ve embraced the love of learning that was nurtured during my time there and channeled it into… more school! I graduated in 2019 from Pomona College, where I developed my interest in historic, political, and international relations research—particularly in regard to immigration and the connected histories of Africa, the Middle East, and India. I then went on to graduate from UC Berkeley School of Law in 2023, deepening my knowledge of human rights, global health, and international law. A consistent theme throughout my experiences—rooted in my Westridge education— is my unyielding thirst for knowledge. I’m excited to continue this journey as I begin my career as a young lawyer!”
2016
Miranda Diaz (Pasadena, CA): “I met Primavera Hernandez ’92 at the California Department of Public Health's Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health (MCAH) Action Meeting in Sacramento, California. Primavera and I
instantly connected over our experience at Westridge and our current work in public health. It brings me much joy to have met a Westridge alumna in the same career as myself and we look forward to staying in touch.” 03
2019
Alexandria Pérez (Los Angeles, CA) is a master’s student at Loyola Marymount University, studying transformative education. She will be concurrently working with Teach for America for the 2024-2026 academic year at Camino Nuevo Charter Academy as a 4th grade teacher. She has also been selected for the Institute for Common Power’s “Truth and Purpose Learning Experience for Educators.” Since October, she has been working on a unit of study focusing on the American Civil Rights Movement and traveled to Atlanta, with a cohort of 34 other educators from across the country.
2020
Amanda Tse (Los Angeles, CA) “[This year], I graduated summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA with a bachelor’s degree in pharmacology and drug development from USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences with departmental honors upon completion of my senior thesis, as well as a bachelor’s in health promotion and disease prevention from USC’s Keck School of Medicine with a minor in forensics and criminality. I also received Renaissance Scholar Distinction, which recognizes undergraduates who have excelled academically while pursuing at least two widely disparate fields of study.
I am ecstatic to be a double Trojan as I continue at USC Alfred E. Mann School as a Ph.D. student in pharmaceutical and transitional sciences this fall.”
2022
Sophie Cheung (New York City, NY) “I am happy to share that I have accepted a Global Investment Banking Summer Analyst offer at RBC Capital Markets in New York City—a position I earned through RBC's Women's Advisory Program, which aims to increase female representation on Wall Street. As president of Santa Clara University's Investment Fund, I am committed to promoting diversity in finance.
Funny coincidence: I met Alicia Zhang (pictured in the bottom photo above, on the left), older sister of Ashley Zhang ’24, in New York for the first time even though we are both from Pasadena.” 04
In
THE SCHOOL HAS LEARNED OF THE DEATHS OF THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY
JOAN SHERRY MILLER ’41
Westridge recently received word that Joan, 92, passed away on August 10, 2016. She was born on September 22, 1923, in Pasadena to Josephine Rust and Leroy Sherry. After graduating from Westridge, Joan enrolled in Pasadena City College where she received her associate’s degree. She later matriculated at Bennett Junior College in New York. In 1947, Joan married Richard Clarke Miller with whom she shared 65 years. Following their wedding, Joan and Richard moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico. In 1951, Joan completed her bachelor’s degree in English from UCLA. A year later, she and her husband returned to California, settling in the city of San Marino where they raised their four children. In 1991, the Millers moved into the dream home they built in Ventura, California. She and her family were members of the Los Angeles Yacht Club, taking numerous
trips along the coast of California and Mexico. She and her husband Richard spent their later years boating and traveling. Joan was preceded in death by her twin brother, James Sherry, and her husband. She is survived by her children Cass Adelsbach, Margaret Nardizzi, Caroline Lieber, and Richard C. Miller, Jr.; her grandchildren; and great-granddaughters.
JANE HOPPER WARE ’43
Westridge has learned that Jane died peacefully on January 27, 2018. Jane was born and raised in Pasadena and attended Polytechnic and Westridge schools. After Westridge, Jane attended Bennington College in Vermont, where she received her bachelor’s degrees in sculpture and psychology. She met her husband, Edward Winslow Ware Jr., on a family vacation and wed shortly
after, moving together to Richmond to take care of the family business at L.H. Jenkins Inc. Book Manufacturers. There in Richmond, Jane earned an additional degree in art education from Virginia Commonwealth University, which she used to establish the Richmond Artists Association, 1708 and Art Space galleries, as well as the Virginia Museum Council. Jane was a multimedium artist enthralled by silkscreen, sculpture, painting, printmaking, drawing, and photography. Her works were featured in major exhibits in Virginia, Washington, D.C., and New York. Jane was preceded in death by her parents, siblings (including sister Florence Hopper Boom ’45), and husband. She is survived by her three sons, seven grandchildren, and great-grandson.
THEODORA “TEDDY” LAIR HOPPER ’43
The school has received word that Teddy, 91, passed away on November 21, 2017. The daughter of Presbyterian missionaries, she was born in China and attended American missionary schools until returning to Pasadena at age 12. During her time at Westridge, Jane was editor-in-chief of the Inlook After graduating from Westridge, she received her bachelor’s from Occidental College. In 1948, Teddy married Robert Stellar, with whom she raised three sons in South Pasadena until his death in 1969. Teddy was an active member at All Saints Pasadena and many nonprofit organizations including United Way and the American Red Cross. In 1984, Teddy married her former Pasadena neighbor Wilbur Hopper and moved to Del Mar, California. In 2001, Teddy was named Woman of the Year by the now-shuttered North County Times. In
the last years of her life, Teddy lived happily at Mt. San Antonio Gardens in Claremont, California. Teddy is predeceased by her husband, Wilbur; and youngest son, David Stellar. Teddy is survived by John Stellar (Nancy); Stephen Stellar (Jane); daughter-in-law, Randi Stellar; and seven loving grandchildren.
ELEANOR JESSEN HIGSON ’45
Eleanor, 97, passed away in late May. She was born in Omaha, Nebraska, but later moved to Pasadena with her mother and brother during her teen years, attending Westridge— where she made lifelong friendships. During her time at Westridge, she was vice president of the student body. She then attended UC Berkeley and stayed in the Bay Area to work at UCSF Hospital for many years. Eleanor set out to travel the world with her husband Jack Higson after they married in 1953—eventually with their three children in tow. Eleanor was described as an energetic, dynamic presence who was always hospitable to family and friends. She was a devoted member of the Piedmont Garden Club and spent 25 years giving docent tours at the de Young and Legion of Honor museums. Eleanor is survived by her sons, John, Howard (Lynda), and Richard (Isabelle); her granddaughters; and many nieces and nephews.
ROBIN LYSLE KNIGHT SPEAR ’45
Robin, 96, passed away peacefully with her family at her side on July 9. Robin was adopted by Dudley and Marjorie Knight and spent her childhood split between her Pasadena home and a beach house in Montecito, California. She attended the Polytechnic School and later Westridge, where she was vice president of the senior class. After Westridge, Robin married Reginald Gordon Spear and moved to San Marino, California, where together they raised their son and daughter. Robin was an active member of multiple social clubs and the Pasadena community. She had a special interest and passion for politics and was an avid tennis fan. Robin was preceded in death by her husband and is survived by her son Gordon, daughter-in-law
Kim, daughter Robin Spear Gal ’72 and husband Yoav Gal, and her grandchildren. Her sister Lorinda Knight Johnson ’45 and cousin Heloise Bacon Power ’45 were also Westridge alumnae.
MARGARET “MARGY” ARMFIELD REYNOLDS ’54
Margaret, 88, passed away on February 14 after a courageous 27-year battle with Parkinson’s disease. Margy was a cherished daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Her sister Anne Armfield ’51 is also a Westridge alumnae.
JOAN HARADON ’56
Joan, known as Joanie during her time at Westridge, passed away on April 10 due to a brain tumor. She held the position of business manager of the Inlook and was well-known at Westridge for her brilliant and spontaneous remarks. She was an active member of Westridge’s Riding Club, and often spent her weekends horseback riding. She was preceded in death by her mother, Nancy Bayly Watts ’33, and is survived by her cousin Lorna MacKay Smith ’96.
MARY ANN PEATMAN CORETTE ’58
Mary Ann passed away on January 15, 2023, after a long illness. Born to Joseph and Martha Peatman, Mary Ann was raised in Pasadena. After Westridge, she attended the University of Colorado, Boulder, and later, UCLA. She then moved to San Francisco, where she met her late husband, John (Shaun) Corette. She had a long, successful career in real estate, first at Begg Real Estate, and later at Long and Foster, where she worked for decades. In 1970, Mary Ann and Shaun moved to the Washington area where she resided until 2018. She left a legacy of warm hospitality and was described as smart, generous, and fashionable. Moreover, she had natural athleticism—tennis was central to Mary Ann and Shaun’s lives. Mary Ann is survived by daughters Erin and Kim Corette; stepson Mike Tierney
(Andrea); their children Elyse Tierney (Emma) and Ian Tierney; brother Joe Peatman (Angela); and nieces and nephews.
ANN CALLAWAY ’59
Ann, 82, passed away on March 29 in Illinois. She was born on October 14, 1941, to Robert and Elizabeth Callaway. During her time at Westridge, she was editor of the Outlook and often wrote satirical articles for Spyglass. After Westridge, she attended Wellesley College. She then married and had four children. After a divorce, Ann became a social worker in the Chicago area, according to her friend Jan Trotter ’59. “[Ann] loved cats and enjoyed giving thoughtful, homemade stitchery,” said Jan. Ann is survived by her sons, Mark (Beth) Polelle, David, and Daniel, her grandchildren, and two greatgrandchildren. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Elizabeth Polelle.
JULIE VALENTINE HARN ’59
Julie, 83, passed away peacefully on April 10 following organ failure. During her time at Westridge, Julie was a skilled equestrian “frequently found at the Flintridge Riding Club assisting young riders or following the hounds at a good pace,” as noted in a yearbook. Julie was preceded in death by her sister Joan Valentine Alcorn ’62. Julie is survived by family members including her sister Michelle Valentine Scott ’57, aunt Elena Grant Cahir ’93, and cousin Maria Ophuls Grant ’62.
JOAN JARDINE SHELDON ’61
Joan passed away on July 21, 2023. After a year at Westridge, Joan moved to the East Coast where she lived all her life. She had a career of 26 years working for Hutchins Brothers Printers in Montville, Connecticut, running letterpress and making deliveries until 2016. She was an active volunteer and in her spare time enjoyed English country dancing, taking courses at Senior College, and being a ham radio operator. Her mother, Sophronia Shaw Travis ’29, was also a Westridge alum. Joan is survived by her two sons, Greg (Hessie) and Mark
(Deidre); two grandchildren; her brother, Douglas Jardine (Sandy); and her friend Bruce Hutchins.
FRANCES HAMBLIN COZZA ’62
Frances, 79, passed away peacefully on June 1. After graduating from Westridge in 1962, she studied at Wellesley College for two years and afterward attended Boston University where she graduated in 1967. Soon after, Frances earned her master’s in teaching English to speakers of other languages from Nazareth College in New York. In the early ’90s, Frances moved to Memphis where she taught English to many students. She is survived by her husbands Andy Bangs and Neil L. Brackley, and two sons.
WENDY BROWN MOLITOR ’75
Wendy, 65, of Grants Pass, Oregon, passed away on August 12, 2022. Wendy was born on March 19, 1957. Her husband, Arvid, who was her boyfriend during her time at Westridge, died shortly after Wendy's passing. Wendy’s sister, Carey Brown Lipscomb ’71, and niece, Deirdre Molitor ’09, are also Westridge alumnae.
ANN CRAMBLIT OLSON ’75
Ann, 66, passed away on November 1, 2023, after a brave fight with cancer. Ann was born and raised in Pasadena, attending Westridge and Polytechnic schools before moving north to attend Stanford University where she graduated with a degree in journalism. A few years later, Ann earned her master’s degree in broadcast communications from USC. She spent a few years working as a television reporter and newscaster in Casper, Wyoming, and Palm Springs, California. Soon after, she transitioned into a career in public relations, working for the 1984 Olympics (and carrying the Olympic Torch in the torch relay!). Ann returned home to settle in Altadena with her kids, working for decades as her class correspondent for Stanford Magazine. In her later years, Ann moved to Menlo Park, California. She traveled all over the world with friends and family, went on her annual Stanford girlfriend trips, and often stayed at the Cramblit family beach house. Ann is survived by her three children, Bill, Bradford, and Brooke; mother; and sister.
JANET WHITTLE ’75
Janet, 67, passed away on August 1, 2022. During her time at Westridge, Janet was involved in the American Field Service organization and competed on the soccer team. She is predeceased by her sister, Robin Whittle Stelten ’72. Her aunt Harriet Stearns Larkin ’39 and second sister Jennifer Whittle Shoemaker ’72 were also Westridge alumnae.
NOBUKO MICHAELA KIKEKAWA ’96
Nobuko, 45, passed away in July 2023 from complications of breast cancer. During her time at Westridge, Nobuko was part of the Art Club and Spyglass. Her life was celebrated in a memorial organized by her family, lifelong friend Azizi Williams ’96, and sister-in-law Farrah Karapetian ’96. She is survived by her husband, Eric Martine; son, Nobuki; mother and father; sister-in-law; and many relatives, nieces, and nephews.
FORMER FACULTY: SUSAN “SUE” SIDLE
Sue, 88, passed away on February 20. Sue was born in Haifa, Palestine, and immigrated with her family at a young age to Delaware. Sue attended Duke University for two years before getting married in 1965 to her husband, Carl, whom she met at a summer camp at the age of 15. After her husband’s college graduation, the Sidles moved to Southern California where they raised three children. Sue returned to college to earn her teaching degree; thereafter, working for Westridge as a Middle School English teacher in the 1970s. Sue was heavily involved in her community as part of the League of Women Voters and local city government. In 1979, Carl and Sue moved to Port Townsend, Washington. Sue is preceded in death by her husband and is survived by her three children and their spouses; two brothers; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
We want to honor you as a member of the Madeline Society!
The Madeline Society recognizes those who have provided for Westridge School by leaving a gift from their estate or through other deferred gifts.
If you have not already made arrangements to include Westridge School in your estate, consider speaking with your estate planning attorney to update your documents or to create your will.
Please notify us of your plans!
Please inform us of your intentions so we may thank and recognize your generosity and be sure your gift is used in the manner you intend.
Questions?
Please reach out to Fan Wang, director of alumnae engagement, at 626.799.1053, ext. 244, or fwang@westridge.org.
Pictured above: The Westridge Class of 1975 (celebrating its 50th reunion this year!) during its senior ditch day.