NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION GRANT Bringing Westridge AP Class Bio Research to Schools Across U.S. Page 6
Water Warriors VISIT THE WELLS IN AFRICA THEY HELPED BUILD Page 4
LOOK INSIDE School news, faculty profiles, alumnae news, and more
Summer 2018
12 CLASS OF 2018
Updates on our newest alumnae.
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AROUND CAMPUS
News and photos from Madeline Drive.
STUDENT WORK
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A sampling of art and writing from Westridge students.
FEATURED STORIES Classes and programs exemplifying Westridge leadership in girls’ education.
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Head’s Note
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ALUMNAE NEWS
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Reunion Weekend photos, events, campus visits, ALUMNAE NEWS and more. News and photos from alumnae.
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Surgere
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Featured Stories
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Class of 2018
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Around Campus
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Student Work
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Athletics Performing Arts School News
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Parent Association Updates
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Alumnae News
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Class Notes
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In Memoriam
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from the
HEAD OF SCHOOL The lead stories in this edition of Surgere take you from the familiar confines of the Hoffman Gymnasium, to high school science labs around the country, to the African continent. The individual stories provide a fascinating peek into life and learning at Westridge—project-based learning, original research, and service learning. But together, they paint a picture of what we strive to do each and every day —provide an engaging learning environment in which students learn about themselves, the world, and their connection to others. In the feature story on the 6th Grade Wax Museum, you will discover how our younger students use newer and more interactive technology each year to peer beyond campus to research and bring to life women who have left their mark on the world. You’ll also read about our Middle School Water Warriors and how they touch those around the globe, helping bring clean water systems to schools in seven countries. And, in a delightful full-circle of learning and personal development, you will discover how the founders of that group—then seniors at the cusp of independent
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living—traveled to Africa in March to learn more about water scarcity, the people facing this crisis, and the impact their efforts have made. Each of the programs, students, faculty, and alumnae we attempt to bring to life on these pages represents teaching that sparks excitement in learning, cultivates a sense of purpose, and provides the skills and values to embrace whatever lies ahead. We say “lives of impact begin at Westridge,” and we don’t mean that the girls wait until they graduate to make that impact—they work to enrich lives during their time on campus, developing their skills and passions while their horizons slowly expand. Wherever this edition of Surgere finds you, I hope that its stories, in fine Westridge tradition, inspire learning, curiosity, and community.
Elizabeth J. McGregor Head of School
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We say ‘lives of impact begin at Westridge,’ and we don’t mean that the girls wait until they graduate to make that impact—they work to enrich lives during their time on campus, developing their skills and passions while their horizons slowly expand.
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Siena
FOUNDING
Visit Clean Water Systems They Support in Kenya 04
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Ashley
Maya
hen recent graduates Maya Bluthenthal, Siena Giljum, and Ashley Wei formed the Water Warriors club in 7th grade they had no idea it would lead them to Africa. But that’s exactly what happened during Interim Week 2018, when they, along with eight other students and two faculty members, hopped on a 17-hour flight to Kenya to visit several of the schools that now have access to clean water thanks to the Westridge Water Warriors. After studying the global water crisis six years ago, Maya, Ashley, and Siena were inspired to form the club to help children in the developing world gain access to clean water. The club has grown far beyond its humble beginnings of a single bake sale—to date it has raised more than $70,000 to fund W.A.S.H. systems (water, sanitation, and hygiene) for schools in Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Uganda, South Sudan, Vietnam, and the Dominican Republic. The Interim
trip provided a rare opportunity for students in the club to experience the impact their efforts have made half-way across the world. “We saw children using the clean, potable water that took less than $10,000 to build and teachers expressing their most sincere gratitude for our work,” said Siena. “It really struck me how easy it is to create lasting change in someone’s life.” “It was amazing to see firsthand how one small water system can change so much for women and girls,” said Gigi Bizar, middle school teacher and faculty sponsor of the Water Warriors club. “Once you empower a girl to go to school, she can advance her whole community instead of spending six hours each day looking for dirty water to bring home.” Water Warriors is now firmly ensconced as one of the most popular Middle School clubs at Westridge with 30 members who work to raise funds through bi-yearly festivals and online donations. Quite a legacy for Maya, Siena, and Ashley. 05
Headed to Classrooms Across the U.S. Thanks to National Science Foundation Grant 06
Summer 2018 / estridge AP Biology students spent a year in class manipulating the evolution of yeast, a unique experiment conducted in partnership with the University of Washington (UW). Now their project is expanding to schools from coast to coast, thanks to grant funding from the National Science Foundation. In the experiment—designed by Upper School Science Teacher Ryan Skophammer, Ph.D. (aka “Skop”), and done in collaboration with Dr. Maitreya Dunham, associate professor of genome sciences at UW—students directed the evolution of baker’s/ brewer’s yeast by treating it with high doses of antifungal to create a strain of “super-yeast.”
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UW researchers collaborated with Westridge to identify the genetic changes in frozen samples Skophammer sent to Dr. Dunham’s Seattle laboratory. Students received the list of changes and hypothesized about which mutations they thought were contributing to antifungal resistance. According to Skophammer, ongoing, original research of this type is extremely rare for high school classes. “Dr. Dunham was excited to see high school students having this kind of laboratory experience, which she believes can inspire more young people to pursue careers in science,” said Skophammer. As such, the grant, written by UW researchers, includes funding to survey participating students on attitudes about science, careers in science, and interest in evolutionary biology. “I think this partnership [with the University of Washington] helps us realize that what we’re doing can be applied in the real world, that this is how real scientists work,” said Caroline R. ’19. Skophammer hopes the new grant funding will provide a similar “research lab” experience to high schoolers all over the U.S., with Westridge leading the way. This summer Skophammer and a group of his students visited UW to present their work to Dunham’s lab and help produce videos to teach other high school students techniques for conducting this research.
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6TH GRADE
Wax Museum: Beloved Tradition that Endures & Evolves
o one is exactly sure of the founding year of the 6thgrade Wax Museum—a capstone event in which 6th-grade students research women who have left their mark on the world, bringing them to life for the Westridge community through monologues delivered in character and period dress. A trip through the school archives puts it at more than 20 years and shows that over time the project has taken different shapes as the curriculum changed and teachers brought new ideas. It began under the tutelage of faculty member Ann Penn as the African American Women’s Wax Museum. At one point, it was tied to literature and culminated in a play. In recent years, its name was expanded to be World Women of Character & Courage Wax Museum, so that students look beyond western societies as they seek out women who have shaped the world. This spring for the first time students helped create a webpage archiving the museum (http://wwocc.weebly.com/, password: tigers), which includes interactive media pages using Thinglink technology for each woman in the museum. The pages’ interactive images provide additional background, videos biographies written by the students, a photo gallery, and other resources on the honored women. Students also expanded their research this year to include an organization doing work in the field of the woman they honored.
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“This project ties together so many of the skills the girls work on in the Lower School—research, analysis, writing, identifying their own passions,” said 6th Grade Humanities Teacher Christine Kiphart. “Expanding from (research into) a single woman to an organization working in the same arena provides a sense of legacy, and it lets the girls help raise awareness of a topic or issue they are interested in in hopes that the work continues.”
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Women portrayed in the 2018 Westridge Wax Museum: Susan B. Anthony Alice Ball Lucille Ball Clara Barton Patricia Bath Amy Beach Nellie Bly Beverly Bond Louise Bourgeois Anita Brenner Rachel Carson Elizabeth Catlett Julia Child Misty Copeland Marie Curie Mildred “Babe� Didrikson Marlene Dietrich Amelia Earhart Sylvia Earle Yu Gwansun Odette Hallowes Sansom Mae Jemison Qiu Jin
Joan of Arc Katherine Johnson Helen Keller Billie Jean King Yuri Kochiyama Hedy Lamarr Hyeonseo Lee Maya Lin Mary Lyon Rachel Maddow Lise Meitner Mother Teresa Florence Nightingale Michelle Obama Sally Ride J.K. Rowling Retta Scott Irena Sendler Kate Sheppard Guilhermina Suggia Maria Tallchief Valentina Tereshkova Nancy Wake Malala Yousafzai Tu Youyou
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RENOVATED
LIBRARY
It feels like there’s more space now and I like being able to move the furnitureThat and the boards to write on encourage group work. - Isabel A. ’20 10
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his past school year, the library interior was transformed into an up-to-date Learning Commons through the support of several generous donors. Studying is energized thanks to enhanced lighting and a bright color scheme, and collaboration is supported with soft, comfortable, and easily moved furniture, technology readymade for group work, and an outdoor seating area suited for louder discussions.
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At first all the color caught me off guard but now I like it better than before. It helps me focus and stay awake. - Hadley P. ’21
I work here a lot and really like it. It’s a lot more relaxing and comfortable and that makes us more productive. - Devon S. ’21
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CLASS OF 2018 From forming the Water Warriors club to bring clean water to children in Africa, to establishing ongoing Community Action Projects including science camps for underprivileged girls and providing civics and voter education to students, the Class of 2018 has already begun to make its mark on the world. This class will attend 54 different colleges across 21 different states, the District of Columbia, Canada, and France. 12
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45 28, 38
35
48 53
20, 24, 29, 32, 37, 43
9, 41, 47 12 11, 42, 46 8, 16
31
25 19
18,27, 36
52, 54
6, 22 33, 51
Toronto, ON
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34
17
10 12
4, 30, 49
14 15
1
26 44 40
50
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3 2
13 5 39
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France
1.
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY Washington, DC (2)
19. COLORADO COLLEGE Colorado Springs, CO
39. RICE UNIVERSITY Houston, TX
2.
THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF PARIS
20. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY New York, NY
40. UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND Richmond, VA
Paris, FRANCE
21. DUKE UNIVERSITY Durham, NC
41. SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY
3.
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA Tucson, AZ
22. EMERSON COLLEGE Boston, MA
4.
BARD COLLEGE Annandale-on-Hudson, NY
23. FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY Tallahassee, FL
5.
BAYLOR UNIVERSITY Waco, TX
24. FORDHAM UNIVERSITY Bronx, NY (3)
6.
BOSTON UNIVERSITY Boston, MA (2)
25. INDIANA UNIVERSITY AT BLOOMINGTON
7.
BROWN UNIVERSITY Providence, RI (3)
8.
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH
26. JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY Baltimore, MD
44. THE UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON Scranton, PA
Long Beach, CA
27. UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE La Verne, CA
45. SEATTLE UNIVERSITY Seattle, WA
28. LEWIS & CLARK COLLEGE Portland, OR
46. UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT: 9. BERKELEY Berkeley, CA (2) 10. DAVIS Davis, CA (2)
Bloomington, IN (3)
29. LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY, BROOKLYN Brooklyn, NY
San Francisco, CA 42. SANTA MONICA COLLEGE Santa Monica, CA 43. SARAH LAWRENCE COLLEGE Bronxville, NY
Los Angeles, CA (5) 47. STANFORD UNIVERSITY Stanford, CA (2)
11. LOS ANGELES Los Angeles, CA
30. MARIST COLLEGE Poughkeepsie, NY
48. UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO Toronto, ON
12. SANTA CRUZ Santa Cruz, CA
31. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Ann Arbor, MI (3)
49. VASSAR COLLEGE Poughkeepsie, NY
13. SAN DIEGO San Diego, CA
32. NEW YORK UNIVERSITY New York, NY (4)
50. WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN
14. CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY Pittsburgh, PA
33. NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY Boston, MA (4)
15. CENTRE COLLEGE Danville, KY
34. OHIO WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY Delaware, OH
51. WELLESLEY COLLEGE Wellesley, MA
16. CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY Orange, CA
35. OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY Corvallis, OR
52. WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY Middletown, CT
17. UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO Chicago, IL
36. PITZER COLLEGE Claremont, CA
53. WHITMAN COLLEGE Walla Walla, WA
18. CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
37. PRATT INSTITUTE Brooklyn, NY
54. YALE UNIVERSITY New Haven, CT
Claremont, CA (2)
ST. LOUIS St. Louis, MO
38. REED COLLEGE Portland, OR
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Westridge made me kinder, smarter, more confident, and who I am today. (I love) the teachers. I seriously have valued every single one so much. I love the encouragement the school gives you and the flexibility with leadership. A girl can be anything she wants at Westridge.
I absolutely love how (Westridge) empowered me to raise my voice. Westridge made me STRONG. - ELIZABETH FRIEDMAN
- PENELOPE BOONE
As I go to college I feel nervous but excited. I believe that Westridge has prepared me in the best way possible and I’m excited to see where the future takes me. - RACHEL CHO
(I love) the way that Westridge encourages their students to pursue the best version of themselves, instead of fitting in with a crowd. One way or another, Westridge helps students learn what they LOVE. As I go to college I feel ready for what the world has to throw at me, and excited to pursue my dreams! - BRY LEBERTHON
Some of us still have years more of learning ahead of us in pursuit of Ph.D.s and M.D.s and senate seats and leading roles on Broadway and if I’ve learned anything from my time at Westridge, it’s that my classmates will follow these paths and clear new ones with intelligence, clarity of vision, and moral conviction and in the process, bring meaning to their own lives and the lives of others. 14
- ELLA WOOD (from her Commencement valedictorian address)
Summer 2018 / Surgere
around 6th Grade Celebration The 48 members of the Class of 2024 chose to sing “Count on Me” as the culminating song for their promotion ceremony from the Lower School. Family, friends, and faculty filled the Performing Arts Center for the event on May 31.
Wielding Words Wisely at the 6th Annual Voices in Literature & Culture Conference 8th Grade Recognition At the annual 8th Grade Recognition ceremony on June 5, the class bid farewell to Middle School and claimed their place as Upper Schoolers!
What constitutes a weapon? How do we use words as weapons? And can we ever really predict the outcome of wielding their power? These, and many other questions, were wrestled with at the 6th Annual Voices in Literature and Culture Conference this spring. Twenty-eight Upper and Middle School students took part in five sessions, including “Words, Wars, and the Making of a Modern Weapon” and “Revolution and Regression: Language as Weapons for the Oppressed and their Oppressors.” Presentations included essays, musical performances, original short stories and poems, mixed media collages, and 3D art and designs created in the STEAMWork Design Studio. The conference, which took its theme from the interdisciplinary Perspectives in Literature class, opened with a keynote address from “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” Writer and Co-Executive Producer Audrey Wauchope.
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Westridge Debate Continues Growth, Winning Record Last school year, the debate team grew to more than 50 Middle and Upper School students, added a third coach, and competed in more than 20 tournaments all while battling sexism (in true Westridge fashion). Along the way, the team collected more than 100 awards, 11 students qualified for the State Tournament, seven went to nationals,
Westridge Students Join National School Walkouts In March, Westridge student leaders from the Middle and Upper Schools organized Westridge’s contribution to the National School Walkout. The walkout honored the victims of the Parkland, FL school shooting by calling for change that aims to end school shootings. During the event Upper School students read the names of the 17 students killed in Parkland and Isabelle A. ’20 read an original poem (see page 23). Some Middle School students called members of Congress, and Lower School students formed a circle on Ranney Court for a moment of silence. In April, Middle and Upper School students (and some grandparents who were on campus for Grandparents & Friends Day) again raised their voices for safety. Some students marched to Pasadena City Hall, while others remained on campus for an intergenerational discussion and activity for students and grandparents.
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and five qualified for the Tournament of Champions (considered the championships of the National Circuit). Westridge also hosted a tournament exclusively for women to create a sexism-free debate space—kudos to Rachel H. ’19 who developed and ran the event. Several participants from other schools reached out to Rachel after the tournament to share that they were planning to quit their maledominated debate teams only to be inspired to stay on the team by the experience.
STEAMWork Lab Inspires March Madness Table Tennis Tournament
A Cruise Through Cali on All-School Day A little rain didn’t stop students from having fun on All-School Day! Keeping with Westridge tradition, decoy themes of “Superheroes,” “Wild, Wild West,” and “Mindfulness” were announced before the real theme was revealed! The theme was “California Cruisin’” and campus was transformed into different California landmarks—from Legoland and Ghirardelli Square to Alcatraz (an escape room) and the Commons Beach. And yes, there was a mechanical bull in Braun, aka Fresno.
Only at Westridge would a March Madness Table Tennis Tournament grow out of the rocketry class experimenting in the STEAMWork lab! Paloma S. ’19 and a group of rocketry students who share a love of table tennis “printed” paddles with the STEAMWork Design Studio 3D printer, and interest in the game exploded. Twenty-two faculty members and 48 students participated in the first Westridge March Madness Table Tennis Tournament, an event students hope to make a campus tradition. Spectators were lively, even breaking into impromptu renditions of the national anthem and Surgere Tentamus. (FYI: faculty came out on top, thanks to IT Manager Stella Ho. There’s always next year, students!)
8th Grade Explores Scapegoating from Salem Witch Trials to Today For one evening this spring, the Mudd Building was transformed into a popup museum focused on the issue of scapegoating. Its exhibits, curated by the 8th grade class, showcased different periods of scapegoating, including the Salem witch trials, Japanese-American internment, McCarthyism, and post-9/11 America. The “museum” featured interactive performances, guided exhibit walk-throughs, and even musical numbers (students composed and recorded original songs for The Crucible: The Musical). The 8th graders created an immersive and informative evening of history for parents, students, and staff addressing two core themes: the relationship between the individual and society and how power is negotiated.
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8th-Grade Coders Tapped to Teach the Teachers at Conference for Tech Educators
5th Graders Show How They Think, Care, and Act The Think, Care, Act Fair was a pictureperfect example of how Westridge students are living lives of impact as early as the 5th grade! This event, which was designed to celebrate students’ compassionate participation in the world, gave 5th graders a forum to showcase their year-long “Think, Care, Act” service projects. Among the issues students chose to tackle were preventing loneliness among the elderly, helping endangered sea otters, spreading kindness, and helping the children of Yemen. At the beginning of the year, students brainstormed their strengths, thought about problems they wanted to help solve, and then used their strengths to take action in the community!
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Five 8th-grade students from the Coding and Game Design class headlined the Student Powered Showcase at the 2018 Computer Using Educators (CUE) Conference. Gabby A., Katelyn B., Riya D., Xochitl M., and Ella S. were one of only a dozen student teams selected to present their project, an interactive board game entitled “AGENCY: Play and Change the World!” “AGENCY” pairs a laptop with physical game boards and 3D-printed game pieces in a quest to raise awareness about one of two issues (depending on which board is in play): homelessness or deforestation. The boards are coded so that landing on
an interactive space triggers a pop-up mini-game, quiz, image, or fact about homelessness or deforestation on the laptop. Sign us up to play the next round! On a related note, five Middle School Coding & Game Design students were invited to attend UCLA’s Game Lab Summer Institute. “The UCLA program directors were so impressed by our girls’ work that they waived age and grade requirements and offered scholarships for the girls to attend the program this summer,” said Lower & Middle School Director Mary Tuck.
We’re Green (But Not With Envy) Green was more than the Westridge school color this year, it was a community mindset as students pushed for sustainable initiatives across campus. The AP Environmental Science (APES) class started the craze after collecting their personal trash for three weeks and creating an art installation with the accumulation to make the community more aware of the waste we all produce. Students hung signs around campus, the Green Guerrilla’s club held an assembly to educate and encourage the community to adopt sustainable practices, and Ms. Liao, Ms. Marcus, and Ms. St. John converted trash cans to recycling and compost bins to reduce overall campus waste.
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5th Grade Rocket Launch
Upper School Town Meeting Topics: From Weighty to Light Westridge Town Meetings are a time-honored tradition that gives Upper School students a safe, student-led forum to discuss topics of importance to them, and to have some fun. This year, students addressed: • The #MeToo campaign • The diversity of religion within the Westridge community • Gun violence • Love your mind • Love your body • Favorite conspiracy theories • Group nap (because even Upper Schoolers need dedicated nap-time once in a while!) • Being star struck—how we act with famous people, and • Westridge’s approach to the topic of mindfulness
The 5th grade had a blast (literally) launching bottle rockets on Frank Field at their annual rocket launch. Bottle rockets soared through the air to the cheers of spectators and students alike. But the journey they took to get there wasn’t all fun and games. The launch was the culmination of their studies throughout the entire fourth quarter. Before the girls could begin rocket design, they had to learn and test Newton’s laws of motion and principles such as thrust and drag and then apply those principles to their designs. Do you think you are smarter than these 5th graders?
Westridge’s First-Ever Four-Legged Alumna Last school year, our furry friend and guidedog-in-training, Cinta, became the first canine graduate of Westridge. Cinta was raised by senior Jessica Beskind as part of her Community Action Project and had become a part of the Westridge family, accompanying Jessica to all of her classes and activities. During a special graduation ceremony, Head of School Elizabeth J. McGregor presented Cinta with a diploma, shook her paw, and on behalf of the whole school wished her luck on her journey to becoming a full-fledged guide dog. Since graduation, Cinta has completed her formal training with Guide Dogs for the Blind and has been paired with her new handler. And Westridge opened its heart to Jessica’s new trainee, Frenchy. Congratulations, Cinta and Jessica!
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SABRINA LEON
Ed-Tech Leader Brings Spanish to Life for Students n her classroom, Lower School Spanish Teacher Sabrina Leon isn’t afraid to try new things, and as a member of Westridge’s Educational Technology team, she is part of an exciting initiative to inspire other teachers to integrate more digital tools into their curriculum. “One of the things that I love is when someone comes to me with an idea, saying, ’I want to do this,’ and I research and find the best tool for them to make their idea become reality,” Leon said. She believes that incorporating technology into classroom learning both increases engagement in the material and helps reach different kinds of learners.
What we have to do as educators is find the right digital tools and teach students how to use them,” Sabrina said. “After an introduction [to a new tool], students produce amazing work and so often will think of many other ways to use it. That’s incredibly exciting.
In her Spanish classroom, you can find Leon teaching the language using outside-the-box methods designed to push students out of their comfort zones—from improvisational skits in Spanish to virtual reality (VR) soccer games. Her philosophy during her 14 years at Westridge has always been to help students find an emotional connection to what they’re learning. “With VR, for example,” Leon explained, “I wanted them to go beyond memorizing Spanish vocabulary to actually having an experience in Spanish. The students might not remember how to say, ‘kick the soccer ball’ at first, but they’ll remember the experience of learning to play soccer with the Real Madrid players through VR—and reflecting on that moment might trigger more vocabulary. It’s multi-dimensional learning!” With that in mind, last year Leon and Lower School Art Teacher Val Trimarchi combined their 5th grade classes in a collaborative unit called “Art-añol.” Students created interdisciplinary art projects including Frida Kahlo inspired self-portraits and accompanying poems written and recorded in Spanish.
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STUDENT WORK
Audrey W. ’19
Cindy C. ’25
Lara S. ’18
NIGHT Liv B. ’21
Starlight Electric, Linear Snipping, Piercing, Annexing Nightmare, Omen, Fairy Dust, Vignette Blurring, Silhouetting, Falling Hazy, Infinite Moonlight
Elisa D. ’20
Isabel H. ’26
Hadley P. ’21
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Summer 2018 / Surgere Sara Lemus ’18
MONDAY MOURNING by Isabel A. ’20
We must not mistake the bullets for moonlight; we can’t always pretend that triggers are nightlights. They made us cry today. The tears fall from our eyes as they epitomize our fear while we rationalize, americanize, a tragedy as a political frontier Let me be clear. This is sheer hatred. Tears harden into a revolution as they reach our cheeks and have become a protest by the time they slip down our lips. I will not exhale until we start seeing this as priority mail. Tell your mother you love her, as the stars falling from the sky make the ones on our flag so much harder to come by.
Chloe O. ’26 Kat A.-A. ’19, Ellie W. ’18 (based on the work of Buckminster Fuller)
Kaitlin Z. ’19
Violet K. ’18
Annabelle R. ’24
Alexia (Lexie) L. ’26
Bayley D. ’21 Jadyn L. ’20
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Sherry F. ’21
Natalie C., Sophie P., Kaylan P. ’20 Cara W. ’21
MY DOORKNOB SMELLS LIKE PENNIES
Hannah L. ’19
by Annie G. ’22
The metal door howls open. Like the sound of a spoon scraping An empty mug. As I leave my house, I wave goodbye at my old door. Its old bent corners smile back I tie my hair behind my head The smell of pennies Still in my hand. As I depart into the world, I drift away like an escaping balloon.
Isabella D.-R. ’21
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But I know that when I come home My door will be waiting For my return And it will harbor me safe and sound. Like the feeling of warm tea rushing down my throat.
Eleanor Watson ’18
Emi M. ’24
Summer 2018 / Surgere Selections from “Where I’m From” poetry written by the Class of 2024 for their 6th Grade Recognition
Grace C. ’18
Lauren C. I’m from a faded blue house, a reflection of the sky, from two wisdom keepers, two faith givers and teachers, from seaweed soup before birthday cake, from the hurry of morning to the hustle of sleep.
Lusha G. I’m from lemon trees and backyard dirt, wet grass beneath my feet, from old mix tapes, roller skates, guitar strings and drumsticks, from shouts of liberty and tears of grief, prayers and recited poems.
Phoebe M.
Ginny C. ’26
I am from hot summer air, rolling hills of green and gray, from karma and “What goes around, comes around”, from stories of love and melancholy moments; they drew me into a whole different place.
Sabina P. I am from sticky lemonade summers and running from lions that only existed in our minds, from a place speckled with nooks, hidden away, shaded wet grass where fairies should live.
Tzedek S.-G. I’m from Shema Israel and oil lasting for eight days, from four aliot I can recite on my own, from eyeglasses and lox, chorizo con huevos, from menschen and nudniks, “Calmate!” and “Apurate!”
Audrey L. ’26
Monica L.-R. ’21
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: JOE
BUSCH
Ph.D. and a lot more pper School Math Teacher, Joe Busch, Ph.D., fell in love with math after picking up the book Gödel’s Proof, a book on Gödel’s Incompleteness Theorem, for some fun, personal reading while studying physics in college. “The theorem essentially says that there are true things in math that cannot be proven, and that opens up so many interesting questions like ’what is truth,’ and ’what is the nature of math,’ says Busch. He changed his major to math, receiving a BA and MS in the subject from Boston University and NYU, respectively. After a turn programming websites during the dotcom boom (he was employee 90-something at Monster.com), Busch wanted to go back to math. He studied at UCLA intending to be a college professor. However, after receiving three math
I want all girls leaving my class to know what options are out there for them using math...Girls don’t often learn that math is a component of other things that interest them - that it is more than just for pure math or science professions.
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degrees (MA, C.Phil, and Ph.D.) and teaching undergrads for four years there, he realized that rather than research, teaching was his true passion. This led him to independent schools—he taught at Archer School for Girls for five years before moving to Harvard-Westlake where he learned more about the differences between all-girls and co-ed environments. “The broad differences that you hear about are true, such as girls being more collaborative learners and boys being more competitive, boys dominating conversations, and the like,” said Busch. “But the differences are also subtler.” While Busch had a great experience at Harvard-Westlake, he missed teaching all girls, and thus joined Westridge in 2016.
Summer2017 2018 / / Surgere Surgere Summer
Fun Facts: In high school Joe was in a ska band, Spring Heeled Jack, which packed a local club with more people than Nirvana had the week before.
Joe is a TV & movie extra, a side-job he began because he is a Hollywood and film industry history buff and wanted to access studio lots and other otherwise off-limits film locations.
Busch in 1997 when he was a member of Rotary Payphone (shortly after he left Spring Heeled Jack)
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T-T-TIG! E-E-ERS! 2017-2018 was a great year to be a Tiger as Westridge athletics dominated the Prep League and set records! Volleyball and JV tennis played undefeated seasons in the Prep League, winning championships alongside the track & field 4x100 relay team. Westridge also had two Prep League MVP players this year: Caroline Collins ’18 for field events and Allison Martinez ’18 for volleyball. Senior Isabelle Peng broke Westridge lacrosse records with 139 career goals, and the JV tennis team kept its title as the only team in Prep League history to be undefeated for eight consecutive years!
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Volleyball
Softball
Varsity volleyball finished the year undefeated in Prep League competition and won its second consecutive Prep League Championship! The Tigers advanced to CIF-SS semi-finals and continued to CIF State Playoffs. Senior Allison Martinez was named Prep League MVP for the second time. Both Allison and Makana Meyer ’18 were named to the All CIF-SS Division III team.
Westridge softball defeated Pasadena High School 5-3 and upset #1 ranked Mayfield Senior School 8-6 this year. The Tigers were fierce behind the plate with Io Jette-Kouri ’18 (above) hitting .458. and Deijah B. ’19 at .406. The team’s sole pitcher Demi Oscar ’18 did an exceptional job leading the team.
Summer 2018 / Surgere Swimming & Diving Westridge swimming & diving was on fire this season! Amanda T. ’20 advanced to CIF-SS Division III prelims in both the 50 and 100 freestyles. Kimi A. ’19 placed 5th at Prep League Diving Finals and advanced to CIF-SS Diving Championships for the third consecutive year. Kimi placed 9th in Division III, improving from her 10th place finish in 2017 by a remarkable 72.7 points.
Tennis
Lacrosse
The JV tennis team continued to earn its tiger stripes racking up an eighth consecutive undefeated season in the Prep League. The Tigers are the only team in Prep League history to hold this prestigious record. The Middle School tennis team followed in JV’s footsteps with an undefeated season, winning the Middle School Independent League Championship for the second consecutive year.
Senior Isabelle Peng (above) set a Westridge record with 139 career goals! The lacrosse team won several notable games against St. Monica Academy in overtime 12-9 and against La Cañada 19-9. Special shout out (and a clap if you get the Coach Horn reference) to alumna Sharon Woo ’10, who was named the 2018 Lacrosse Co-Coach of the Year for the Pacific League.
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Westridge volleyball partnered with the Side-Out Foundation to host its first Dig Pink® game in October. The game against Flintridge Prep raised more than $1,000 for breast cancer awareness and research!
Track & Field With a small but mighty squad, the Tigers placed 3rd overall at the Prep League Finals. Caroline Collins ’18 (above) was the Prep League Champion in the long jump and was named the Prep League MVP for Field Events. The 4x100 relay team earned a Prep League Championship, running a fast 50.96. Congratulations to team members Summer G. ’19, Sophie M. ’19, Makala Thomas ’18 (left) and Isabelle Peng ’18. Eight athletes qualified for CIF-SS Prelims representing seven events. 30
Summer 2018 / Surgere
2017-2018
BY the NUMBERS Olympic Silver Medalist! (Lauren Gibbs ’02, Bobsled, Pyeonchang)
Prep League Championship Team (volleyball)
Scholar-Athletes The class of 2018 boasts seven graduates moving on to college athletics (that’s almost 19% of senior athletes and nearly 9% of the graduating class):
All-Prep League Performers
Individual Prep League Champions (track)
All-CIF First Team Members
• E ryn Boken – Scranton University, NCAA Division III, Volleyball • P enelope Boone (not pictured) – Whitman College, NCAA Division III, Lacrosse • A llison Martinez – California State University, Long Beach, NCAA Division I, Volleyball • M akana Meyer – University of California, Berkeley, NCAA Division I, Volleyball • I o Jette-Kouri – Carnegie Mellon, NCAA Division III, Softball
CIF State Appearance (volleyball)
Prep League MVP (volleyball)
• I sabelle Peng – Long Island University, Brooklyn, NCAA Division I, Lacrosse • M akala Thomas – Florida State University, NCAA Division I, Soccer
All-Prep League First-Team Selections
Pacific League First-Team Member (lacrosse) 31
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Summer 2018 / Surgere
Faculty Q& A:
BRANDON KRUHM,
Director of Theatre
Brandon Kruhm has more than a decade of experience in theatre education as a theatre camp director, teaching artist, and director. He joined Westridge in 2014 and assumed the role of director of theatre in 2017. At the end of his first year in this role, Kruhm sat down with us to share his thoughts and plans for the theatre department.
Why do you think theatre is important for students as part of a liberal arts curriculum? With the school-wide conversation around social and emotional learning, the study of theatre is very relevant because it is the study of humanity and human interaction. I like to say that theatre classes aren’t about learning how to act, they’re about learning how to interact. Theatre is also a space to develop soft skills like collaboration and critical thinking, in addition to leadership and communication skills. It’s a great place for students to express themselves and to generate art about what’s happening in their lives.
Your background in theatre education is significant, but Westridge is the first school where you have taught. What is different about teaching theatre within a traditional school program? The most exciting part of being in a school is that I’m able to get to know a student over several years so I can tailor their experience to support their growth as an artist and as a person over time. The more I work with our students, the more I’m convinced that I truly learn as much from them as they learn from me.
getting the curriculum going for new classes that meet graduation requirements and nurturing a program that puts the focus on students as artists rather than on productions.
Editor’s Note: While Westridge has offered costume and tech theatre elective courses in the Upper School for some time, all other Upper School theatre has been extracurricular for decades. Beginning this fall, students will be able to take acting classes to fulfill their arts graduation requirements. According to Kruhm, these classes will give teachers an opportunity to introduce students to a wider variety of theatrical material. “With a four-show production season we’re limited in terms of what kind of material we can introduce to the theatre community,” said Kruhm. “We want to expose students to diverse playwrights, styles, and historical periods, and now we’ll have the opportunity to do that.”
What are your goals for the theatre program going forward? Tell me about your first year as director of the theatre department. What did you change about the program and what did you learn from this new role? It’s been exciting, challenging, and scary, but all in a good way! A big initiative this year has been giving the students more agency over what they want their theatre program to be. They’re Westridge girls, so you don’t have to ask twice to find out what they want! The biggest change has been
My overarching goal is to let the students lead the way in creating the theatre program that they want to be a part of. I want to give them the opportunity to tell the stories they want to tell the world. In the theatre department, we’re always talking about how important storytelling is because that’s where the real value of theatre is. It’s important to tackle bigger questions and to make statements with the work you’re doing, and I want our students to have a venue to have their voices heard. 33
7th Grade Class Wrote A Musical! (with an important lesson) A retirement home in Bora Bora, a dead billionaire, a treasure hunt, and the Nifty Needles Knitting Club took center stage in the 7th-grade original musical The Old Oaks Life. The entire 7th grade participated in the creation and performance of this three-act work, in which opposing cliques at a retirement home come together to hunt for treasure, ultimately discovering over the course of the show that the treasure was each other all along. Throughout the performance, every student acted, sang, and played an instrument, showcasing each discipline they’ve studied over the school year.
Student-Run Production Expands Production Education As rare as the northern lights that served as the backdrop to spring’s Almost, Maine was the fact that this production was entirely student-run. Siena Giljum ’18, Amy S. ’19, and Sylvia Woolner ’18 each directed three of the nine vignettes that make up the show, while 40 other students stayed busy creating and running costumes, sets, lighting, makeup, and sound. Students have expressed the desire for more ownership over the theatre productions over the past few years, so Director of Theatre Brandon Kruhm opened up the first fully student-run production since 2011. “It was great. It created more room for student participation, and students were able to gain a deeper understanding of the production process by taking control of production decisions, directing actors, and running rehearsals and production meetings.”
New Conductor Passes the Baton to Students Students in the Westridge Orchestra program had some new experiences during the 2017-2018 school year, introduced by Orchestra Teacher Michael Powers who joined Westridge in 2017. “As a conductor, I want to connect students with music that uplifts and inspires them and captures their imagination,” said Powers. “My goal is to provide opportunities for the students to explore their own musicianship and leadership.” New during the year were a student conductor (Lydia P. ’19 conducted the Chamber Orchestra’s performance of music from “Pirates of the Caribbean” in the fall concert), and a joint Intermediate and Chamber Orchestra performances (the orchestras combined to perform the Finale from Beethoven’s 5th Symphony which resulted in more than 50 musicians playing together on stage!). Powers is also expanding opportunities for audience members and student solos. Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals at the Spring Concert featured Shirlynn C. ’21 on flute, Zellie O. ’19 on cello, Megan G. ’19 on double bass, and Melissa B. ’19 and Nicole L. ’21 on piano. The Spring Concert also featured an audience participation drum circle designed to explore how the Intermediate Orchestra learns to play difficult rhythms.
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Summer 2018 / Surgere
Westridge Hosts SCVA Choral Festival The Glee Club (pictured above) hosted choirs from six Los Angeles-area high schools for a choral festival this spring at Westridge. The event, sponsored by the Southern California Vocal Association, gave the choirs the opportunity to share their music, each performing three songs for their peers in the Fran Norris Scoble Performing Arts Center.
The spring dance concert “Momentum” featured more than 40 Upper School students who demonstrated both their dance and choreography skills! Eight dancers performed their own choreography to music that ranged from the slow and emotional “Hallelujah” to Imagine Dragon’s lively “Imagine.”
Lower School Concerts The Lower School choir performed in two concerts this year, showcasing fan-favorites like “A Canine Christmas Concert” at the Holiday Concert in December. The Spring Concert included “How Far I’ll Go” and the Disney Princess song medley from the 4th grade, while the 5th grade showcased American music, and the 6th graders performed music from around the world, especially Asia. The Spring Concert also featured performances by the 5th and 6th-grade string ensembles who dazzled the audience with their harmonious harmonics.
Save the Date
Westridge 2018-2019 Theatre Season
Once in a Lifetime • October 19-21 All in the Timing November 30-December 2 Urinetown: The Musical • March 8-10 The Green Bird • May 9-12
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2018-2019 Westridge Research Initiative (WRI) Fellows The Westridge Research Initiative (WRI) offers two faculty fellowships each year to enable teachers to engage in projects incorporating professional development and service to the school community.
WRI FELLOW
We’ll Miss You, Mrs. McCleese! Westridge says thank you to Judy McCleese for 20 years of impact. After 20 years at Westridge supporting girls’ growth and development, School Counselor and Director of Student Services Judy McCleese retired in June. McCleese devoted countless hours to mental health education and providing wellness support to students and faculty alike. She developed and led the Peer-toPeer program, an elective series that trains students to be peer helpers, peer educators, and conflict mediators. McCleese also founded initiatives for social and emotional learning on campus including “Love Your Mind” and “Love Your Body,” to raise awareness and start conversations about mental health and body image within the student community. Her work at Westridge has impacted countless lives – students, faculty, staff, and parents – and played a vital role in shaping a school-wide culture of compassion, empathy, and kindness. McCleese will continue to work at her private practice in Pasadena providing therapy to adolescent girls and young women. Please join us in thanking her for both her dedication to our community and incredible work over the past 20 years, and wishing her well in her next chapter! 36
Rob Greene, middle & upper school science teacher, will focus on expanding experiential outdoor education programming at Westridge. He plans to research and develop new opportunities to integrate outdoor education into Westridge’s curriculum and expand existing programs including the Olympic National Park backpacking Interim trip, the Outdoor Club, and the Field Studies in Geology course.
STEAMWORK FACULTY IN RESIDENCE Barbra Chabot, middle school science teacher, plans to explore new ways to integrate the tools available in the STEAMWork Design Studio into the Middle School science curriculum. Creative projects play a central role in the courses Chabot teaches, including the 7th Grade Life Science class and 7th-8th Grade STEAM Projects elective, and Chabot hopes to increase her knowledge of design tools—including modeling software and lasercutting technology—in order to empower her students and colleagues to do the same.
Summer 2018 / Surgere
Curriculum Updates: New Courses for 2018-2019 UPPER SCHOOL:
COMING SOON This fall, keep an eye out for a few exciting announcements: 1.
The Westridge Global Initiative
A new Upper School program providing interdisciplinary study of modern-day global issues through coursework, directed learning and experiential learning. 2. Launch of a formal speakers series for the entire community.
Acting I: an application of the dramatic arts through acting, directing, design, playwriting, and critique. Throughout the course students will explore the theatrical process, gaining the creative confidence necessary to independently devise, rehearse, and present works of theatre from diverse historical and cultural contexts. Environmental Engineering: this course will help students both understand the fundamental role of the environment in all aspects of human life and take steps toward creating a more sustainable future. Students will learn about methods of natural resource extraction and design eco-friendly systems for meeting human needs, exploring themes of personal responsibility, the environmental impact of human consumption, and building effective, sustainable solutions. Student Voices Elective: this course will expose students to topics in leadership, social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion. In addition to building students’ leadership skills, the course will provide an opportunity for students to conduct research and engage in intentional planning for school assembly programming, interactive activities, and discussions. Time-Based Art: an exploration of the role time plays in the artistic process, including an introduction to film and video, animation, sound, and performance art.
Thank you
to the more than 1,000 donors and volunteers who supported the 2017-2018 Annual Fund! Last year, among many other things, the Annual Fund allowed us to strengthen our classroom experience by investing in multi-user interactive white boards and adding a new robotics specialist to our faculty.
MIDDLE SCHOOL: The Middle School curriculum has been updated for 2018-2019 to provide focus on the development of core skills during students’ formative years. All middle schoolers are now required to take both Computer Science and Learning Strategies, courses which equip students with essential technical skills and tools for future academic success. Middle School Orchestra has also been modified to begin at 7th grade, training students of all ability levels in ensemble performance. Additionally, we have expanded elective offerings to include Rocketry.
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Westridge Welcomes New Trustees Please join us in welcoming our newest trustees, and in thanking Elizabeth Huntley Algermissen ’77, Mark Marinella, and Francis Park, who retired from our board this year.
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JUNE DIARRA
KENNETH FONG
SUZANNE ICAZA
Realtor at Cornerstone Real Estate Services, Inc. with nearly 20 years of experience. Studied Anthropology at California State University, Los Angeles. Former member of the Westridge Parent Association (WPA) Executive Board (2011-2012 and 2014-2017), including serving as WPA president for the 2016-2017 school year. Former co-chair of the Westridge Multicultural Parent Collaborative. Mother of Maimouna ’15 and Laurence ’17.
Senior deputy land use attorney with the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office with 30 years of experience spanning both public and private practice. J.D. from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles and B.S. from California State University, Los Angeles. Current member of the Westridge Master Planning Ad Hoc Committee and 710 Ad Hoc Committee. Former board member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and former board president at Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association. Father of Juliana ’22.
Psychotherapist in private practice in San Marino, CA, specializing in the treatment of anxiety, panic, depression, and trauma utilizing mindfulness. M.A. from Pacific Oaks College and B.A. from Brown University. Affiliated with the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists and the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation. Former Westridge Parent Association president. Mother of Dana Icaza Banta ’01 and Catherine Icaza Roheim ’04.
ELIZABETH RUSSELL ’69
EMILY KO WANG ’93
Healthcare executive with more than 35 years of leadership experience. Former CEO of SCAN Health Plan and current chief officer of payment transformation and network operations for agilon health. Former board member at UC Irvine School of Business, Satellite Health Plan, and Arizona Association of Health Plans. M.B.A. from University of Southern California and B.A. from Pitzer College.
Vice president of operations at Genervon Biopharmaceuticals, LLC and independent graphic design consultant who began her career in architecture. B.S. in Architecture from MIT. Class Representative for the Westridge Class of 1993, former Westridge Alumnae Board Chair (2016-2018), and Class of 2023 Grade Level Representative (20182019). Mother of Caroline ’23 and Juliette.
Summer 2018 / Surgere
CAMPAIGN FOR OUR SECOND CENTURY:
he Campaign for our Second Century, aimed at increasing our endowment, will soon come to a close. Growing our endowment is a strategic goal that strengthens our financial stability for years to come. Each generation of Westridge girls benefit from the generosity of donors who came before them and invested in Westridge to make the school the powerful educational community it is today. We invite current families and alumnae to “pay it forward” for future generations of young women to experience the power of Westridge.
Did you know…? • E ndowment revenue now generates more than $1 million a year for the Westridge School budget, helping us invest in faculty, campus enhancements, and student aid. • M any families are making gifts payable over 4-5 years. • G ifts of all sizes are appreciated. Those who pledge $100,000 or more receive recognition in the alumnae garden that will be built in the southeast corner of campus between historic Pitcairn House and Merwin House.
THERE IS STILL TIME to help wrap up the campaign in 2018. Your participation is key, regardless of amount. To join the effort, please contact Director of Advancement Diana Bernal O’Leary or: • Visit www.westridge.org/give select 2nd Century Endowment in the drop down menu for gift designation • K now that gifts of stock or contributions from donor advised funds are all welcome • Call us—we are here to help!
Contact Diana Bernal O’Leary doleary@westridge.org 626.799.1053 ext. 252
• F or those over 70 ½ years of age who have to take a required minimum distribution from their IRA—those distributions can be made to Westridge as a charitable tax-free gift.
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WESTRIDGE PARENT ASSOCIATION 2017-2018 Highlights
WESTRIDGE COMMUNITY PICNIC Sunday, September 16 3:30-5:30 p.m.
Thank you to Halle Yuhan for her dedication to the Westridge community as the 2017-2018 WPA president. We look forward to working with incoming president Linda Peacore as the WPA continues its work of building community and supporting the school.
WPA GENERAL MEETING Tuesday, September 25 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Summer Opportunities Fair (SOF) SOF is the largest fundraiser for the WPA and an important service for parents in the greater Los Angeles community. In 2018, more than 2,000 attendees enjoyed the beautiful sunny weather while perusing more than 100 summer camps and the event’s new College Summer Programs booth, sampling delicious food, engaging in games and activities, and purchasing items at our ever-popular bake sale.
Multicultural Parent Collaborative (MPC)
Dads’ Club stayed busy this year, volunteering with their daughters at The Women’s Room in Pasadena for a service day, organizing weekly pick-up basketball games and adding pick-up soccer games to the schedule, as well as grilling delicious BBQ for the “Dads’ Grill” at several Westridge events, including SOF.
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WPA GENERAL MEETING Tuesday, November 27 6:30-8:30 p.m. HOMECOMING Friday, January 11
SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES FAIR Saturday, February 2 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Dads’ Club
This year’s WPA speaker was Lisa Damour, author of Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions Into Adulthood. She led sessions for parents, faculty, and students, addressing ways of dealing with conflict, stress and wellness, and raising adolescent girls.
MPC POTLUCK DINNER Thursday, November 8 6:30-9:00 p.m.
WPA GENERAL MEETING Tuesday, January 22 6:30-8:30 p.m.
The MPC hosted a potluck for all parents featuring food and music from around the globe, a conversation on how our word choices affect cross-cultural communications with guest speaker Tatiana Basañez, Ph.D., of USC, Chinese language coffee gatherings, and the first-ever Westridge Night Market with a variety of food, handcrafted goods, cultural presentations, and a rousing game of cricket.
Guest Speaker Author and Psychologist Lisa Damour, Ph.D.
Mark Your Calendars
MPC POTLUCK DINNER Tuesday, February 19 6:30-9:00 p.m. WPA GENERAL MEETING Tuesday, March 12 6:30-8:30 p.m. MPC FAMILY EVENT Friday, April 5 5:30-8:30 p.m. WPA GENERAL MEETING & NEW PARENT WELCOME Tuesday, May 14 6:00-8:30 p.m.
Summer 2018 / Surgere Elisabeth Turner ’05, Claire Payton ’03
Akila Gibbs and Lauren Gibbs ‘02
Palmer Robinson ’68 and Karen Bennett ’68 toast their 50th reunion
March 9-10, 2018 everal hundred alumnae and guests returned to campus for Westridge’s annual Alumnae Weekend celebration, March 9-10. The class of 1968, celebrating its 50th reunion, kicked off festivities on Friday by gathering on Ranney Court for tea, cookies, and lively conversation with their 4th-grade pen pals from the Class of 2026 who were eager to meet our visiting alumnae. Afternoon activities were plentiful, with a campus tour, varsity lacrosse game, and choice of four faculty-led master class offerings, including Watercolor Art at the lily pond behind Ranney House, a Behind-the-Scenes Theatre Tour, The Cutting Edge STEAMWork Design Studio demo featuring the new laser cutter, and a Perspectives on Motherhood talk, examining the novella The Awakening.
Ann Sinclair Christensen ’68, straight from the airport, is greeted by pen pal Ginny C. ’26
Next, alumnae headed to a reception at Pitcairn House, where they were joined by Westridge Trustees, faculty, and staff for Greek- and Roman-themed food and beverages, and plenty of reminiscing.
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(cont.) aturday’s rain did not dampen enthusiasm for the morning speaker event featuring silver medal-winning Olympian Lauren Gibbs ’02 in Braun Auditorium. Lauren was introduced by her mother, Akila Gibbs, who gave a loving tribute that left many alumnae reaching for tissues. Lauren shared a candid, humorous, inspiring account of her unexpected journey to the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, then broke out her silver medal and posed for photos, accommodating a line of proud Westridge fans. A noontime luncheon followed in the Commons, where alumnae ranging from the Class of 1945 to 2008 were welcomed by Head of School Elizabeth J. McGregor. Attendees heard from student speakers Priya A. ’22, Juliana F. ’22, and Audrey L. ’21 who shared updates about Westridge’s thriving Speech & Debate program, followed by Senior Class President Jane Horner ’18, who touched upon her experience at Westridge. Hearty applause was given for Madeline Society members, milestone reunion classes, and for the esteemed Herrick Bowl and Owen Trophy recipients, Priscilla Dunn Flynn ’47, Gwen Garland Babcock ’53, and Cynthia Crawford Berne ’53, who tirelessly led their classes in fundraising. Julie Frantz from the Class of 1967 was presented with the 2018 Mary Lowther Ranney Distinguished Alumna Award in recognition of her trailblazing career as a public defender and advocate for the indigent, serving as the first woman president of the Oregon State Bar, and president of the National Association of Woman Judges, and for her lifelong philanthropic endeavors.
Class of 1948
Kay S. Swan, Connie Crawford, Janet Butler Franklin, Harriet Haake Plunkett, and Gloria Wyeth Neumeier
Class of 1953
Gwen Garland Babcock (front) with Valerie Thom Read, Holly Greef Robinson, Virginia Bigelow Burke, Lynne McKelvey, and Cynthia Crawford Berne
The luncheon concluded with a vocal performance from the Madrigals acapella group, led by Paul Stephenson, and all joining together to sing Surgere Tentamus. Throughout the weekend, alumnae had the opportunity to attend the Upper School spring musical production of The Wizard of Oz, and classes celebrating milestone reunions gathered Saturday evening for off-campus gatherings at local restaurants and private homes. Sunday marked the end of the reunion festivities, with Julia Long ’02, founder of Pasadena Walking Tours, sharing her vast knowledge of Old Pasadena during the Women Who Shaped Pasadena walking tour.
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Class of 1958
Susan Hoagland Fellows, Betchen Wayland Barber, Ina Begerow Dalsemer, Meg Jenson Scrofani, Lucy Larkin Stephenson, Betty Nathan Dietel, Bonnie O’Conor DeWitt, Starr Thomas Klube, Andree Whitney Tarby, Wendy Huntington, Carol Morris Fruit, Sally Mage Keller, Nancy Corlette Lloyd, and Margie Craig Cowden
Summer 2018 / Surgere
Class of 1963
Lynne Tsuboi Saito, Patricia Donoghue Evans, and Susan James
Class of 1969
Julie Cates (front, from left), Crocker Hollis, Kate Godfrey, Sigrid Burton, Jane Case Petering, Teri Wilde, Nan Elliot Hale, Mary Farris Anderson, and Carol Watson Kunert. Back: Elaine Evans Constantz, Head of School Elizabeth J. McGregor, and Valerie Marshall.
Class of 1968
Linda Kirtlan, Lisa Poole, Tizzie Oldknow Huttinger, Jan Wesley, Tania Tussler Owen, Laurie Frank, Becky Gazzaniga, Judy Manning Skinner, Kathy Horrall Danaher, Mary Fauvre Holmes, Carolyn Devol, Carla Tomaso, Debbie Pruitt, Karen Petersen Bennett, Palmer Robinson, Lyn Major Logan, Wendy Munger, Kathy Good Podley, Ann Sinclair Christensen, Laura Baskett Tilson, and Emily Burt. Not pictured: Anne Christian Strenk, Ginny Fischer, and Mary Stimson McNamara.
for Alumnae Weekend, March 8-9, 2019
Class of 1973
Rosemary Howley, Sarah Weller King, Sarah Wheeler Cobb, Nina Warner, and Cathleen Chandler-Eckhardt
Class of 1978
Jennifer Kelsey, Cynthia Jones Thatcher, Mary Wheatcroft TenBroeck, and Eve Rappoport 43
Class of 1983
Abby Dees, Beth Fishbein Hansen, Ann Morrison Wachter, Stephanie Sauter, Jossalyn Turner Emslie, and Erin Duff Crowley
Class of 1988
Amy Schulthies Smith Montoya, Dana Mackin Pilchik, Kate Robinson Perkins, and Maya Alvarez Galvan
Class of 1998
Quiana Duncan Adams, Margaret Dizerega, Danielle Fennoy, Purdy Tran-Bailer, Megan Maloof Murphy, and Katie Rosedale Enney
for all Westridge alumnae & with reunions for classes ending in “4” and “9”
March 8 & 9, 2019 FOR MORE INFORMATION, contact Lisa Vandergriff, Director of Alumnae Affairs at lvandergriff@westridge.org or call 626.799.1053, ext. 244.
Class of 1993
Patty Fernandez Groman (front, from left), Julie Chen Woo, Jennifer Cedar-Kraft, Rachel Palma Hom Back: Charice Yen Kobayashi, Emily Ko Wang, Miryn Alcantara Davidson, Charmaine Houseman Kemeny, Catherine Mitchell Wieman 44
Summer 2018 / Surgere Class of 1968 meets Class of 2026 Pen Pals
Book Panel Diane Allen Voorhees ’74 and Amy Voorhees ’12
Alumnae authors Jessica Morgan, Caroline Wallis, Leslie Parry, and Susan James
Sigrid Burton ’69 and Nancy Wallace Nelson ’67
Fall Play – Once in a Lifetime / Friday-Sunday, October 19-21 Annual Fund Phonathon / Wednesday, October 24
Westridge Alumnae Readers Join us in the Pitcairn House, Leslie Clarke Gray ’62 Alumnae Living Room for:
Yam Festival / Friday, November 16 YAC Holiday Brunch / Saturday, December 15
Lab Girl by Hope Jahren / September 5, 2018
Homecoming & College Conversations / Friday, January 11
Recipe for Love and Murder by Sally Andrew / November 13, 2018
Summer Opportunities Fair / Saturday, February 2
Krik? Krak! (short stories) by Edwidge Danticat / January 15, 2019
Alumnae Weekend / Friday-Saturday, March 8-9
The Color Purple by Alice Walker / March 20, 2019
+ reunion celebrations for classes ending in “4” and “9” Spring Musical – Urinetown: The Musical / Friday-Sunday, March 8-10 Annual Fund Spring Phonathon / Wednesday, March 20 College Connections Fair / Friday, May 17 Commencement / Friday, June 7
Backlash: War on Women by Susan Faludi / May 15, 2019 Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë and I am Heathcliff by Kate Mosse (stories inspired by Wuthering Heights) / July 16, 2019 RSVP to alumnae@westridge.org or 626.799.1053, ext. 244. Books are available at Vroman’s with a 20% Westridge Alumnae Reader discount.
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Gibson Banta, Maudie Banta Tanner, and Darrell Chulay Banta
Claire Miller ’09 speaks to juniors and seniors about her career
Paloma S. ’19 (front, from left), Ashley F. ’19, Kaley P. ’19, Samantha Chean-Udell ’18, Kelsey Burke ’18, and Hannah L. ’19. Back: Lydia P. ’19, Sara Lemus ’18, Ashley Wei ’18, Claire Miller ’09, Kara Burke ’18, Caroline Collins ’18, and Grace Collins ’18.
Alumnae Luncheon Speaker Shares Dream Job Claire Miller ’09 On January 30, Claire Miller ’09 returned to campus to talk about landing her dream job and current role as manager of fan development for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Claire was welcomed back via the annual Alumnae Luncheon Speaker Program, which allows Westridge juniors and seniors to learn about college and career paths during a casual, lunchtime talk where Q&A is always encouraged. “If you find out what interests you and identify your strengths, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to,” Claire told students. 46
Linda Tolbert and Head of School Elizabeth McGregor
Mary Fauvre Holmes ’68 and Becky Potter
Pasadena Museum of California Art Event Westridge alumnae, members of the Board of Trustees, and guests gathered May 3 at the Pasadena Museum of California Art (PMCA), where Susana Smith Bautista ’84 serves as executive director, for a reception to see The Feminine Sublime exhibition. Attendees enjoyed appetizers and beverages before visiting the gallery with artist and curator Constance Mallinson, who shared her in-depth knowledge of the artwork.
Summer 2018 / Surgere
1
3 4
5
2 Bay Area Alumnae Events Alumnae in the Bay Area were invited to attend events during the weekend of January 26-28, including Friday happy hour in the Peace Room of the Rambler Hotel, and Sunday at the Samovar Tea Lounge at Yerba Buena Gardens. Head of School Elizabeth J. McGregor and several members of the Westridge Board of Trustees also joined the gatherings. Thanks to Westridge alumna Sabrina Elfarra ’07, four lucky Berkeley students (the first several college-age alumnae to respond) were invited to visit Instagram and Facebook, where Sabrina works in Data Communications for Instagram. Quincy Foster ’17, Alexandra Langer ’17, Ariel Langer ’17, and Julia Otter ’17 were treated to a tour and lunch at the impressive Menlo Park headquarters.
1. J ulie Cates ’69, Sigrid Burton ’69, Alison Marshall ’76 2. Julia Otter ’17, Ariel Langer ’17, Sabrina Elfarra ’07, Alex Langer ’17, Quincy Foster ’17 3. S tephanie Thatcher ’13, Claire Davis ’13, Amanda Matthiessen ’13, Chyna Probert ’14 4. Sarah Roggero ’00, Ashlee Bailey-Powell Jackson ’01 5. Caroline Wallis ’11, Morgan Muir Callahan ’03, Laura Eng ’09
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Camille Lin ’18, Michelle Lee ’18, Kathryn Huang ’18, and Maddie Chiu ’18
Kathleen O’Reilly and Tiger Mascot Katie Bender ’18
Talia Dell Angelo ’17 and Maddie Emslie ’16
Olivia Silva ’17 and Simone Gottlieb ’17 Ellie Friedman ’18
Maya Bluthenthal ’18, Elizabeth J. McGregor, Charlotte Kwong ’16, Vivienne Li ’17, and Amari Gaiter ’17
College Connections Fair The third annual College Connections Alumnae Parade and College Showcase included 65 colleges and universities represented by 120 alumnae, seniors, and faculty/staff participants. Tiger Mascot Katie Bender ’18 led the Alumnae Parade, featuring beloved dining services staff member Maria Banuelos as this year’s Grand Marshal and Lynn O’Grady reprising her “pooper scooper” role following behind the Westridge Equestrian Team. Westridge Upper School families engaged in casual conversations with graduates and current students representing a great mix of colleges and universities with colorful table displays lining Madeline Court. Festivities included food, music, a scavenger hunt and raffle, and Westridgettes and orchestra performances. 48
Summer 2018 / Surgere
2nd Annual #LeanInTogether Networking Event As part of an ongoing initiative through LeanIn.org and the national #LeanInTogether campaign, our second annual networking event was held February 15 with more than 120 alumnae from Westridge School, The Archer School for Girls, Marlborough School, and Marymount High School in attendance. The event was held at the newly renovated Griffin Club in Los Angeles, where alumnae enjoyed food and beverages, while connecting with fellow women professionals from a variety of industries and various career stages.
Arielle Sharfstein ‘12, Hannah Erskine ‘12, Megan Ebner ‘12, Erin Wong 12, and Hana Jun ‘12
Interim College Tours “College Counseling is coming to town!” reads the subject line of emails to Westridge alumnae when conferences, counselor programs, and the annual Interim College Tour for juniors are in the works. During the 2017-2018 school year, the College Counseling team collectively traveled throughout California, Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Vermont. These trips help bolster relationships with college admissions teams and provide helpful insight into academic programs, student support services, and the intangible “vibe” no brochure could communicate. Possibly the most valuable aspect of these trips is to engage with our alumnae in person and hear about the successes and challenges they face after Westridge. These conversations allow the team to better understand how to support current students and build programs that ensure a successful transition to college and beyond. We are grateful to the alumnae who are so generous with their time when students visit their college campuses! (middle right) Lucy Grindon ’15, College Counselor Marcie Robinson, and Maddie Russell ’15 at Middlebury College. (bottom right) Director of College Counseling Lynn O’Grady with University of Chicago students (left to right) Stephanie Davis ’17, Juliet Lee ’15, Andrea Li ’15, Angela Fung ’16, and Emma Hovanec ’16.
College Care Package Mailing The February 9 College Care Package Mailing gave parents of alumnae in the classes of 2014-2017 a chance to catch up with each other while stuffing Valentine care packages filled with Westridge mini first aid kits, pop sockets, Valentine treats, tea, and a “keep calm and stay healthy” postcard message from Westridge Alumnae Affairs.
Laureen Chang, Lori Biard, Jossalyn Turner Emslie ’83, Elaine Pan, Ernesto Diaz, and (front, seated) Dianne Barone, and Jill Fung
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Nancy Pellissier Fine (Palm Desert, CA): “Still in Palm Desert and love it here. Also still very active in the Art Club - Art Class Show and our Desert Putters.”
Prudence Baldwin Kaye (Corvallis, OR) a retired RN, is a Roman, and gave to the annual fund this year in memory of her wonderful teachers, including Miss Ewing—English, Mr. Treat—History, Madam Haas— French, Mr. Bradley— Math, Miss Henderson—PE. “Great teachers all!” said Prudence. And Mr. Sata—groundskeeper, photographer, and friend.
Marilyn Keyes Roper (Houlton, ME): “In the small town I live in, 35 of us came out in support of the student-led ‘March for our Lives’ on 3-24-18. That’s a crowd in this neck of the woods!”
Zemula Pierce Fleming (Aliso Viejo, CA): “I now have the fun of being a great grandmother to five—three boys and two girls— one age 14, the others under two.”
1947 Susanne Coate Alden (Mountain Ranch, CA): “All is well!”
1948 Constance Crawford (Palo Alto, CA): “I look forward to our class celebration in 2018. How lucky we were to have the Westridge sendoff we did and how lucky for those of us still able now to celebrate our school and also our classmates who can no longer join us.”
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1951 Ann Davies Martin (San Marino, CA): “Tom and I are well and continue to live in our house in San Marino.” Frances Hereford Pfaff (Newport Beach, CA): “Strive to Thrive at 85! Strive to thrive (not just survive), I’ve been a widow for 5 1/2 years. Lost my wonderful husband, Dr. Dudley Pfaff, in Nov. 2012. For 3 1/2 years I’ve lived at Atria Newport Plaza, a comfortable Active Senior home. All seven children & step children (includes four Carpenter sons) live nearby in Orange County.”
1957 Margaret Dickson Gitelson (La Jolla, CA): “After ’retiring’ three times to different locales, Buzz and I think we’ve finally gotten it right. In June 2017, we moved from Palo Alto to White Sands La Jolla—a lovely retirement community on a white sandy beach. So we return to our roots in Southern California and are loving the warm, sunny days, and the rhythmic peace of the ocean. Hope we have classmates in San Diego county—I’ll try to find out. Here’s to good health and lots of love.” — Peg
1959 Ann Callaway (Gurnee, IL): “I finally decided to downsize and now have a ground floor condo (no stairs!) I have been reading some of the books I’ve bought
over the years and am enjoying the freedom of not having to choose between writing reports and immersing myself in a good book!” Barbara Holway Ilias (London, UK): “Looking forward to Reunion in 2019!” Carol Fisher Minelli (Longmont, CO) and her husband Mike went to a college alumni reunion at Colorado College and were delighted to see two other Westridge alumnae, Ina Begerow Dalsemer ’58 and Anne Hereford Rohrback-Walker ’57. The college group as astounded to see three alumnae from a private school in Pasadena reconnect in Colorado after many years. Carol and Mike still enjoy spending time with their three great grandsons.
1961 Susan Higginbotham Rehm (Oakland, CA): “I would like to invite my classmates to contribute to this class notes section. I don’t want to be the only one. Have fun on Alumnae Weekend.” — Sue
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1963 Leslie Wheeler (Cambridge, MA): “My big news is the publication of Rattlesnake Hill, a mystery/ suspense novel, set in the Berkshires where I’ve lived for many years, released February 2018. Also, this year two of my mystery short stories appeared in anthologies: Day of the Dark Stories of Eclipse and Noir at the Salad Bar, Culinary Tales with a Bite.”
1964 Ann Clary Judy (Solvang, CA): “Very happy in the Santa Ynez Valley with my son Carter and his family, and my daughter Meg Rydman ’92 and her family. Lots of time to be with my grandchildren—Madison (12), Samantha (9), Jack (9) and Everett (7) plus a few dogs, cats, chickens and horses.” Ann Callender Barker (London, UK): “Despite my many surgeries, I remain cheerful and mobile!” Carol Richards (Steamboat Springs, CO): “Retired but remaining in Colorado. Enjoying travel and visiting.”
Barbara Stout Arnold (Seal Beach, CA): “Enjoying our threeyear-old granddaughter and trips to Colorado to visit her and her family.” Robin Webb Bleeker (Seattle, WA) is healing from right knee surgery, and retired January 18 from Facility Management credit union.
1966 Virginia Good Falconer (Moraga, CA): “January 1, 2018 - Today I watched my sister, Kathy Good Podley ’68, riding with her family in the Valley Hunt Club Rose Parade carriage. Fun New Year event! I plan on returning to London in 2018 to see my daughter, Sarah, who lives there now. I also hope to visit my son, Charles, in Philadelphia where he will be working on his master’s in nursing in May. 2018 is off to a good start.” Virginia Hastings (Woonona, Australia): “I would like to say to classmates that I was sorry to miss the big reunion—maybe one day! I have just moved from a condo to a house after finding
strata life intolerable. After successful back surgery last year I’m able to be back in a garden of my own and loving it! I continue to enjoy my life here in ’Oz’ and invite everybody to come see the Great Barrier Reef before global warming bleaches it away!”
1967 Nancy Wallace Nelson (Mendocino, CA): “It was a great delight to attend Alumnae Weekend with Taffy (Taffia Kennedy) and Dith (Meredith Webster), and to be there at the luncheon to help honor “our” Julie (Julie Frantz), and to hear her excellent speech when she received the Ranney Award. Just as she was 50 years ago, Julie is competent, elegant and self-effacing. Her goal is always to do for others, and NOT want attention on herself. Dith and I were able to return to school on Monday afternoon to hear Julie’s speech to the student body. It was a beautiful moment when three joyful students rushed toward Julie at the end of her speech, and told her how
very inspiring her presentation had been. All three know they want to be lawyers, and one knows she wants to be a public defender. One of the girls is in an AP English class Julie had attended that morning, and Julie commented that she’d been impressed with the girl’s articulate comments. The student beamed with pride. Luckily, the school photographer was there to capture this interaction on film. Retired from teaching, with no grandchildren, and thus separated from youthful energy, I especially appreciated watching the exchange. As Lisa Vandergriff said, ’This is where inspiration for students starts, and we never know the extent of our influence.’ I do know, however, that Julie left the Westridge students with much good inspiration on Monday March 12th. Back in Mendocino, in my woods, I enjoy writing, reading, yoga, swimming, TaiJi, and walks with Shadow, my 113 pound GermanShepherd/St. Bernard mix, and Jung’s ’shadow’ personified: she is all the unconditional love and acceptance of which I’m incapable. Happily, last November, I returned to the stage at the local Mendocino Theatre Company with a great role as an Irish farm widow in John Patrick Shanley’s Outside Mullingar. I’m now auditioning for 2018 roles; and working with David Ford at the Marsh Berkeley to hone a solo-performance piece about my 28-year marriage with Floyd who died in July 2014. Lastly, I’m enjoying a whole new slant on life since my January 2018 cataract surgeries — both eyes, the surgeries two weeks apart. I continue to be amazed at how bright and gorgeous the world is, as I’d no idea how totally it had yellowed. If only there were such a simple surgical procedure for clearing the fog of increasing fascism here at home, and around the world. Maybe we all need to spread more ’Surgere Tentamus!’ Best to all, Nancy. Call me if you get to ’my’ beautiful Mendocino.
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I don’t have guest quarters any longer, but can treat you to walks in the woods and food by the ocean. (707) 937-4099.” (1, pg 51) Sophia K. ’19, Rachel H. ’19, Julie Frantz ’67, Salome A. ’19
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1968 Kathleen Horrall Danaher (Eugene, OR): “Looking forward to seeing everyone at the 50th!!”
1970 Brooke Larsen Garlock (Pasadena, CA) and Edward Garlock welcomed their first grandchild, Larsen Graeme Garlock, born 2-3-18 to Anna and Trevor Garlock; proud aunt is Evan Blaire Garlock ’09. (2, pg 51)
1971 Kitson Smith Fernandes (San Francisco, CA): “Newly retired from 40 years of teaching— loved every minute! Lots of traveling now. Very happy in San Francisco.”
1973 Lisa Fiedler Fryman (Lexington, KY): “Sorry I missed the reunion! Thanks to Nina Warner, we all were able to feel like we were there. Proud mother of Elizabeth (Harvard ’12, Harvard Kennedy School ’19), Annie (Stanford ’14) and Julia (University of Kentucky ’16). Proud grandmother of Isabelle Fryman Patton, born April 1, 2017 on her mother’s
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(Elizabeth) 27th birthday—no joke!”
1979 Meg Carmack Symes (Pasadena, CA) is the Executive Director of the Cancer Support Community in Pasadena. She has been married for 32 years, and has three fabulous adult kids that are thriving in New York, Santa Monica, and Pasadena.
1985 Hilary Whelan Reyl (New York, NY) returned to Pasadena in May for a reading and book signing at Vroman’s for her latest novel, Kids Like Us. She also visited campus with her sister Eleanor Whelan O’Neill ’87. (4)
1987 Darragh Jones Cheleden (Pasadena, CA): Dear Fellow Alumnae, Devon Jones ’94 (aunt) and Darragh Jones ’87 (mother) proudly celebrate Caitlyn Cheleden ’11 who graduated from University
of Virginia with a JD today (2018). We gather in this celebration and hope for her success in the future in areas of interest. Studying out of the state makes her stronger, more understanding of the needs of others. Surgere Tentamus is present in our Westridge history and lives through these family members. Try to do good in every pursuit. We wish all Tigers that your dreams and challenges are met with pride and competency, and with hope and the full strength of the alumnae before you. Dear Rising Seniors, relax. The right college will come to you!”
1996 Salima Darakjy (New York, NY): “I just returned from Nepal where I trekked to the South Base Camp of Mount Everest (17,598 feet) in aid of the Starlight Children’s Foundation. Thanks to the generous support of my amazing family and friends, including Roxanne Wu ’94, Crystal Wu Simpson, Jennifer Chang Matthews, and Lin Chin ’98, my challenge has raised nearly $10,000 for
Starlight UK, and the total keeps climbing. I plan to keep climbing [mountains], too.” (6)
2000
Betsy Roth Smith (South Pasadena, CA) and her husband Caleb welcomed their third child, Samuel Walter Smith, on February 28. Betsy continues to serve as the managing director of Pasadena-based theatre company Little Candle Productions in addition to homeschooling her three and five year-olds and doing an unimaginable amount of laundry. (7)
2003
Jessica Knauf (Denver, CO): “I was delighted to see the Westridge Water Warriors spent their Interim Week in Kenya, connecting with the communities they have helped first-hand. I have been an ardent supporter of The Samburu Project, which provides access to clean water in the Samburu region of Kenya, so I know the direct impact this has on girls’
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education. What a Westridgeworthy cause! Surgere!” (8)
2005
Pinky Lark Farnum (Los Angeles, CA) lives in L.A. with her husband, Mark, her date to both junior and senior prom at Westridge. She runs her own floral design company, Lark Farnum Design, creating floral arrangements for weddings and events in L.A. and beyond. She credits Westridge with giving her a foundation of self confidence, creativity, and kindness to propel her further in her career.
2008
Noura Elfarra (Santa Monica, CA): “We ’08-ers of the Bay Area had the most enjoyable dinner at Flores in the SF Marina, gabbing on until the restaurant asked us to leave so they could close for the night. Despite the passage of time, there was an immediate comfort upon meeting, borne of the years that we had spent together in the classroom, on
the stage, and on the athletic field. We reminisced over tiger memories and laughed nonstop.” (9) Bay Area ’08ers, clockwise from left to right: Theresa Wong, Bridget McDonald, Noura Elfarra, Alexandra Dworsky, Norah Sharon Cox-Peled, Katia Ratkovich, and Rikki Jeffries
2009
Lauren Yang (Pasadena, CA) received her MBA from UCLA last June, serving as the Class of 2017 Commencement speaker. She started working full-time at The Capital Group in August of 2017, in a Human Resources Rotation Program. Lauren recently returned to Westridge, along with Capital Group co-worker Jill Peterson Dennis ’94, to talk to the Class of 2018 about financial advice and pitfalls to avoid in college. (5) Katie Rothenberg Wei ’94, Jill Dennis ’94, Lauren Yang ’09 and Zanny Regas ’09
2011
Danielle Wolff-Ser (Phoenix, AZ): “I graduated from the Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law in May and am spending the summer studying for the Arizona Bar Exam, which I will sit for at the end of July. In August I am taking a ’post-Bar’ trip to Canada before I begin working with an employment and civil rights discrimination attorney in Phoenix.”
If you’re ever in Tokyo, please let me know and we can meet up!” (10)
Please send class notes and photos for the Winter Edition of Surgere by November 15 to alumnae@westridge.org.
2013
Kai Grayson (Tokyo, Japan): “I have been living in Japan for nine months now and absolutely love the challenges it brings. I study Japanese everyday by self-study and am able to practice with a few of the friends I made. I have now joined a band that will perform together for the first time in mid-June and am working hard as a model. I also teach kindergarten and private English lessons on top of working at a cafe. I’m super busy but I’m having a ton of fun.
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In MEMORIAM
THE SCHOOL HAS LEARNED OF THE DEATHS OF THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
Jane Hopkins Coad ’36
Sally Luce Holt ’43
Westridge recently learned of the death of Jane Hopkins Coad on August 6, 2009 in Vista, CA. She was 90 years old. After Westridge she attended Garland Junior College. She was predeceased by her husband and sister Lorraine Hopkins Huntington ’32.
Westridge has received word that Sally passed away – date not known. While at Westridge she served as senior class president and modeled for the Inlook Tea. Her sister, now deceased, was Caroline Luce Phillips ’46.
Louisa Nevins Miller ’44 Jane Campbell Wells ’42 Jane passed away March 27 in Beaverton, OR. She attended both Polytechnic Elementary and Westridge School. A tall, athletic girl, Jane competed on horseback, was a gymnast, played tennis and badminton, swam, sailed, roller skated, tap danced and stood on her head. While at Westridge she was head of riding and a member of the Athletic Association. After Westridge she went on to Stanford and graduated from USC with a B.A. in International Relations in 1948. The same year, she married her husband, John. Her children describe her as the quintessential homemaker – always home after school, always available to them. Jane is survived by her sister, Patricia Campbell Duckett ’47, her niece Cammy Duckett Staunton ’79, her brother, and four children Debbie, Patty, Maggie Wells Bentley ’76; eight grandchildren; and six great grandchildren. Jane served as a Westridge Class Representative.
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Louisa died May 26 at her home in Pasadena with her children around her. She was 92. Louisa was part of a large Pasadena family, many of whom attended Westridge. Her family lived on State Street adjacent to the campus. While at Westridge she was head of Greeks, head of Basketball, and sang in the Glee Club. She attended the UC Berkeley, majoring in journalism. In 1946 she married Robert Patchen Miller, Jr. and moved to Burnet, Texas, where Bob ran a family-owned mining company. During their years in Texas, they had six children. They returned to Pasadena in 1965. Louisa was a member of All Saints Church, the Diggers Garden Club, and the Pasadena Art Alliance. Her greatest loves were her family, her many friends, her little dog Esme, and her garden. She was a great gardener, loved music, was an ardent reader, and knew how to score a baseball game. She greeted everyone with a warm smile, was generous and open-hearted.
She is survived by her sisters Katharine Nevins Schwarzenbach ’39 and Dorothy McCay Scully ’54; her stepsister Priscilla Dunn Flynn ’47; her children Louisa, Helen, Robert, Richard, Joseph, and Katharine Bass Miller ’83; 11 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and nieces including Elizabeth Scully-Stafford ’78, Lydia Clark Seely ’79, Louisa McCook Townsend ’76. Louisa was predeceased by her sisters Ann Nevins Schneider ’41 and Sabra McCay Clark ’48. Her husband, Bob, who predeceased her, was a Westridge trustee from 1978-1990 and was named Trustee Emeritus in 1993.
Caroline (Betsy) Luce Phillips ’46 Betsy died February 13 at her daughter and son-in-law’s ranch in the Santa Inez Valley. She attended both Polytechnic and Westridge. When a student at Westridge, Betsy was associate editor of the Inlook, played on the varsity volleyball team and sang in the Glee Club. After graduating Westridge she went on to UC Berkeley and shortly thereafter married Ralph Phillips in 1948. They raised their four children in San Marino and Pasadena. She will be remembered as charismatic, fun-loving, fiercely loyal to family, and chic. She was an avid reader and always up for adventure, even pursuing her pilot’s license when in her late 60s. She spent the last 20 years of
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her life in the Santa Ynez Valley on her daughter and son-in-law’s ranch. She is survived by her children Ralph, Catherine, Brooke, and John; three grandchildren; and five great grandchildren. Her sister Sally Luce Holt ’43 predeceased her.
Anne Forve Neville ’47 Anne died after a short illness on January 16 at Huntington Memorial Hospital surrounded by people who loved her. She attended Mayfield Junior School and graduated from Westridge, maintaining lifelong friendships with her classmates from both schools. While at Westridge she served as head of flag raising. After attending Scripps College, she left for adventures at home and abroad including time in Wiesbaden, Germany and Paris, where she worked as a secretary for the U.S. military and mingled with artists and jazz musicians in her spare time. Returning home, Anne worked in San Francisco and for many years at the Los Angeles World Affairs Council. Anne and John Neville eloped in 1961. They were happily married until his death in 2001. Anne is survived by her two children, Sam and Kate, as well as her sister Helen Forve O’Leary ’45.
Virginia Digges Leipzig ’48 Virginia died July 5, 2008. She is survived by her three children Dal, Carol, and Mathew; one grandchild; and her sisters Sherrill Digges Heard ’45 and Elaine Lavagnino ’42.
and son with the family business. She is survived by son Keith.
Harriet Youngblood Heebink ’49 Harriet died October 12, 2009 at El Camino Hospital in Mountain View, CA after suffering a fall and stroke at 77 years of age. Following Westridge she attended the University of Idaho and taught elementary school in Portland, OR and Palo Alto. She met her future husband and fellow educator, David, at a party on the Stanford campus. They married in 1956. She retired from teaching to start a family in 1957. Besides raising three children she lent her efforts to community causes and enjoyed tennis, bridge, and church. She was predeceased by her husband in 1998 and settled into the pleasant confines of the Pilgrim Haven retirement home in Los Altos. She is survived by her children John, Jennifer, and Chris.
Sherry White Bullock ’51 Sherry died May 16 of leukemia at the age of 84. She was on hospice care at home in her final days and left peacefully in her sleep after a long, brave battle with cancer. After Westridge, Sherry attended Pasadena City College and graduated from Scripps College. She was preceded in death by her husband Dr. John R. “Jack” Bullock in 2006. Sherry assisted Jack in his Whittier family medical practice until his retirement in 1990. They moved to Huntington Beach in 1975. She was interred next to her husband at the Riverside National Cemetery after a celebration of life which included sharing margaritas and memories at the Huntington Harbour Yacht Club.
Lillian Rickenbaugh Lumpkin ’48 Westridge was recently notified by a classmate that Lillian died April 19, 2016. While at Westridge she was business manager of Inlook and a member of the Athletic Association. Lillian was widowed in recent years after having cared for her husband of 57 years when he lost his eyesight. She assisted her husband
Jean Hollister Marshall ’52 Jean died peacefully on June 2 at her home in Carson City, NV. Because Jean’s home was the Sierra Creek Ranch, Genoa, NV, she lived for two years with friends of her family in order to attend Westridge. Recognizing her talent and interest in art, she was
chosen as art editor of the Inlook her senior year. She was also a member of Mask and Brush on the production team. After Westridge, she attended Colorado College. She married her husband, John, in 1954. John’s job with International Harvester took them overseas to live in a number of foreign countries for 20 years. Jean was predeceased by her husband and is survived by her children, Randy and Maggie; three grandchildren; her brother and sister.
Diana Prince Spence ’54 Diana died April 23 at the age of 81 after developing pneumonia while recovering from surgery. She was a resident of Ashland, OR since 1993. She grew up in Southern California, graduated from Westridge, and briefly attended Pasadena City College before marrying Douglas Morcom Spence in 1956. She liked to say she was an unpaid clergy wife, since she had to help at her husband’s churches in Illinois and Pennsylvania. She was always active in her communities. She had a special fondness for Ashland, her chosen home of 25 years, where she enjoyed the beautiful ambiance of the hills and the community. Her husband, Douglas, died in 2010. They had been married 54 years at the time of his death. Diana is survived by her three children, John, Paul, and Anne; and three grandchildren; her sister Penny Prince Smith ’61 predeceased her.
Penny Prince Smith ’61 Penny’s Westridge class representative informed the school of Penny’s death on January 16, 2015 at the Central Washington Hospital in Wenatchee, WA. When at Westridge she was head of riding, a ping pong pro, a member of the Athletic Council, and played volleyball. She is described as having cheerful exuberance. Predeceased by her husband, Robert, she is survived by her children Christine, Stewart, and Bonnie; three brothers and three sisters; eight grandchildren; three great grandchildren. Her sister Diana Prince Spence ’54 recently passed away.
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Margaret Cheesewright Garner ’69 communications. She is survived by her Margaret passed away in 2017 of Parkinson’s Disease. After Westridge she attended Sweet Briar, the University of Hawaii, and the University of Washington. She had been living at an assisted living facility where she had designed a resident garden, was active in the Seattle Garden Club, and did watercolor painting. She is survived by her daughter, Whitney.
daughter Hayley.
Lisa Kursinski Savage ’81
Anna Wilson ’15
Westridge has learned of the death of Lisa Kursinski Savage who died February 24, 2013. She died at the age of 48 of a rare form of liver cancer. Her impact as a hunter-jumper trainer and competitor touched equestrians nationwide. Lisa, sister to Olympic rider Anne Kursinski ’76, learned every aspect of horsemanship from the ground up and continued as a working student in California and the East Coast. After Westridge she attended college at Westmoreland David Equestrian Institute in Leesburg, Virginia, completing the two-year program in one year.
Kimberly Kouri Fix ’83 Kimberly died January 2 at the age of 52 after a brave battle with breast cancer. The news of her passing was reported by a classmate. While a student at Westridge she was a Westridgette and co-editor of Inlook. Kimberly was a valued employee of Sanovas where she was director of marketing and
Following in the spirit of Anna’s classmates and the Class of 2018, who have dedicated their Senior Class gift to Westridge to Anna, the family has requested that donations be made in Anna’s memory to Westridge’s Lighting Her Path Fund, which supports financial aid. Contributions can be made online at www.westridge.org/annawilson or mailed to Westridge School, Attention: Anna Wilson Memorial, 324 Madeline Drive, Pasadena, CA 91105.
On March 28, Anna was tragically killed in a car crash at the age of 21. She was a student at UC San Diego and poised to graduate after just three years. On June 16, Anna was honored by the University with a posthumous Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Pharmacological Chemistry. Pursuing a deeprooted love for travel and volunteer work, she had planned to join the Peace Corps. Anna has been remembered by her Westridge classmates for her “funny, wacky, kind spirit.” A music lover, she played viola in the Upper School orchestra, was on the Westridge golf team, embraced Spanish language and culture, and participated in Hablantes Picantes and the Red Cross affinity groups. She is survived by her mother Laurie Mead, stepfather Jim, father Kevin Wilson, stepmother Kathy, five step-siblings and extended family.
Mary Lou Marshall – Former Faculty Mary Lou died at the age of 93. She was a Lower School history teacher at Westridge for 12 years beginning in the 60s. Her three daughters attended Westridge, Mary “Josie” Joseph Campbell ’70, Sara Campbell Lindgren ’69, and Susan Marshall Townsend ’64. Her daughter Sara said that her mother bought Miss Ranney’ desk when the Ranney House was torn down in the late ’50s. A few years ago, Mary Lou had it shipped back to Westridge where it resides in the Pitcairn House living room. Mary Lou left the Pasadena area in 1972.
Charlotte Wilcke – Former Faculty Charlotte died May 11 at the age of 94 in Pollock Pines, CA. She taught physical education at Westridge. Westridge learned of her death from Lea Lambert Walker-Clark ’72 who described her as “not only my high school PE coach but another mother.” Charlotte was predeceased by her husband Karl and daughter Gudrum Wilcke Margetti ’63.
Are you a member of Westridge Connect? Our networking platform, Westridge Connect, has seen significant growth since launching in the fall of 2016. Today, the site includes more than 1,000 members of the Westridge community that includes alumnae, Upper School students, parents, faculty, and staff.
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Alumnae make valuable connections via Westridge Connect for career advice and job leads, and parents are solid resources for jobs and mentoring opportunities. The network is also used to discover alumnae across the nation and overseas. Students may join during their junior and senior year, and while their profiles
remain hidden until they become alumnae, they utilize the site to reach out to alumnae when researching colleges, internships, or careers. Our college-age alumnae have been particularly helpful during college tours, and the process of connecting students and alumnae that used to take five steps now only takes one, thanks to Westridge Connect! The strength of Westridge Connect is in the scope of connections and outreach, and your participation allows for further growth. Visit https://westridgeconnect.peoplegrove.com to join today!
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A THOUGHTFULLY PLANNED LEGACY Rosemary Lonergan left a lasting legacy to benefit future Westridge students osemary Lonergan was a member of the history department faculty at Westridge for 30 years, from 1954 to 1985. As a teacher at Westridge, she observed first-hand the excellence of a Westridge education and the eagerness of Westridge students to learn. These experiences shaped the legacy she would eventually leave to the school. Rosemary died in March of 2018 and left Westridge a bequest in her will. Rosemary taught ancient, medieval, and modern European history as well as three courses she helped develop, Revolutions and Dictators, Third World Countries, and China and Japan. She was the embodiment of a life-long learner, combining her love of travel and history on three sabbaticals during her tenure at Westridge, participating in archeological digs in Cairo and studying in Greece, Rome, Japan, and China. Rosemary was a beloved member of the Westridge community and an engaged citizen of the world who contributed greatly to Westridge, its girls, and to the greater Pasadena community. She was a teacher who left her mark on the minds and hearts of her students. She changed the
lives of many students. Now her estate bequest will benefit the lives of future Westridge girls. Westridge is grateful for Rosemary’s foresight. We hope you will consider making your own lasting commitment to Westridge through a gift in your will.
If you would like to make a bequest of your own you can... LEAVE YOUR LEGACY IN 3 SIMPLE STEPS THROUGH A BEQUEST 1 Choose how you want to give. Determine whether you’d like to make a gift of a specific amount or if you’d like to leave a percentage of your estate. 2 Meet with your estate planning attorney. Whether you need to create a will or simply update an older document, you’ll want to seek professional assistance. 3 Notify us of your intention. Informing us of your gift allows us to thank you and ensure that your bequest will be fulfilled in the manner you intend. If you have any questions or wish to tell us about your gift, feel free to contact us. Rebecca Potter, Planned Giving Officer, 626.799.1053, ext. 261 or rpotter@westridge.org.
Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Pasadena, CA Permit No. 1986
324 Madeline Drive, Pasadena, CA 91105
Members of the class of 1967 at their commencement.