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Saint James School

a p u b l i c a t i o n fo r s t u d e n t s , a lu m n i a n d f r i e n d s

Career week works | the winners’ CirCle | sweet sounds of suCCess | news flash

2 0 1 0s u m m e r

Melba Richardson, Head of School

from[the Head of School]

Never has our future looked brighter! Fifty-five years ago Dr. G. Stanley Frazer made a bold move and began a new school at Saint James Methodist Church on Court Street. He could never have imagined what the school would be in 2010. As we celebrate our 55th anniversary this year, we once again prepare to turn our dreams into reality with an exceptional vision for our future.

The faculty and staff worked tirelessly this past year on our accreditation process. Notification has just arrived that once again, we were voted for continuous accreditation by SAIS-SACS. Receiving this great news now allows us to prepare a long-range plan based on our accreditation study. Members of our visitation team were extremely complimentary of our school and kept reminding us what a truly special learning environment we have. This process was the perfect timing to lead us into our 55th anniversary celebration and a long-range plan.

I hope you will drive through our campus to see our beautiful new banners. They tell a compelling story about STJ—reaching higher, celebrating talent, achieving goals, and looking forward. Our banners on the quad repeat the phrase that I have repeated each week in my Friday letters to our community—We are Saint James School!

As you read Columns, you will celebrate with us the many successes of our alums. These outstanding men and women continue to excel in college and in life and repeatedly give us feedback about their superlative preparation during their years at STJ. We anticipate an extremely talented faculty and staff for the 2010 school year. Never have our classrooms had so much innovation, technology, and superior teaching. Did you hear about our memorable Washington blizzard trip? There is no doubt it was the best trip ever. You will also read about three of our classrooms that were named for beloved faculty members. The Fred Draper History Lab, the Cliff Browning Senior English Classroom, and the Rena Russell Outdoor Science Lab were dedicated this year through the efforts of many STJ friends and families. How significant these dedications were to exemplify the excellence in teaching represented by these three individuals!

Academics remain the top priority at Saint James School. Among our tasks this year will be rewriting our entire curriculum to reflect the progress we have made, thoroughly studying the healthy child and how we can reflect that in our school setting, and proactively continuing to serve our families well in providing the best education in the state. Our long-range plan will surely have some exciting plans for our campus. We have a new spirit of enthusiasm for our sports programs and anticipate a banner year. Our arts programs continue to flourish with students receiving multiple arts scholarships in addition to their academic scholarships.

Students at Saint James are special. As we plan, we will continue to ask the most important question, “What is best for the child?” With that in mind, I am confident we will continue to serve the Montgomery community in an exemplary manner. Dr. Frazer could never have imagined the importance of this school in the Central Alabama area.

I encourage all of you to be a part of our 55th anniversary celebration this year. Drop by to see us, join us when we hold our special events, come out to watch a ballgame, attend a play, or just come on campus to walk around and enjoy the beauty of this school setting. We always love to see our family! Happy Birthday, Saint James School. Building on a great tradition, we enthusiastically anticipate our role for the future. We are Saint James School!

“Dr. Frazer could never have imagined the importance

of this school in the Central Alabama area.”

[the cover]

4 Around the Columns $4.6 Million in Scholarships!

Happy Birthday STJ

Connaisez-Vous les Eleves de Saint-James?

Hendrix Leads STJ Development

Browning Honored with Classroom Dedication

TIP Honors Top Scorers

Book Gift for Elementary Music

Student Courtroom Skills Showcased in Philadelphia

AL Chief Justice Rules in M.S. Mock Court Proceedings

STJ Has ONLY Certified Outdoor Classroom in Central AL!

Amelia Bedelia Comes to STJ!

The Wooden Horse Moves to Grade 5 Pod

New Lab Documents Past

17 Trojan Tally 1000 Career Points!

Card to Lead Trojans Basketball

All-State in Cross Country

Woodson is State Javelin Champion!

STJ Sport Shorts

19 Alumni Notes From the Alumni Director

Alumni News w/Alumni Spotlights

9 [News Flash] Landforms are Fascinating…Story at 10. Videotaping on-camera “news

reports” about geographic landforms puts STJ third graders at the peak of creative learning.

11 [The Winners’ Circle] STJ has a whole lot to brag about!

13 [Sweet Sounds of Success] The Marching Trojans blow their horns right into the national limelight.

14 [Neither Rain Nor Snow Nor Sleet] STJ eighth graders have the experience of a lifetime in Nation’s Capital.

15 [Career Week Works] Learning to showcase their best qualities during Career Week may be

one of the most valuable life lessons STJ students learn.

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1513

9 14

INserT

[Giving for Continued Excellence] 2009-10 Annual Report

On the cover: Friendships and their years at STJ will influence (l-r) Haley Brightwell and Maddox Trumbly forever. These two five-year-olds celebrated their K5 graduation to First Grade with a loving hug for one another. Photo by Alicia Brightwell

insideS u m m E R 2 0 1 0

Editor and Writer: Sandra Polizos

spolizos@stjweb.org

Columns is published yearly by Saint James School, 6010 Vaughn Road, Montgomery, AL 36116 and is distributed free to alumni, and to parents of students, as well as to other friends of the school. Address changes may be sent to the Public Relations Director, 6010 Vaughn Road, Montgomery, AL 36116 or to spolizos@stjweb.org.

Saint James admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and financial aid programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.

(l-r) Hannah Glenn, a 2009-10 junior, listens as the Class of 2010’s Josh Sigler sings a number during the Performing Arts Department’s annual Cabaret fundraiser. The theme for the show was Viva Las Vegas!

Ragan Ingram, Chair

Billy Livings, Vice Chair

Cynthia Bisbee

Taylor Blackwell

Sonny Brasfield

Ted Bridges

James Dickens

Helena Duncan

Monet Gaines

George Kent

Jamie Loeb

Gip Meadows

Michelle Parks

Beth Poe

Kelli Pohlman

Chuck Richardson

Burt Smithart

Frank Woodson

Fred Clark,

Immediate Past President

Saint James School

Saint James Board of Directors

Chapman Baker, son of Class of 2000 alum Rebecca Harwich Baker, is taking baby steps towards a bright and promising future. Photo provided by Rebecca Baker.

mission: Saint James is an independent, nonsectarian, college preparatory

school with a student body broadly representative of college-

bound students. We are committed to challenging and assisting

students in realizing their individual potential and preparing them

for lives of responsibility, service, and achievement.

B e s u r e t o v i s i t S T J ’ s g i f t s h o p

“ T h e W o o d e n H o r s e ”located in the Leu Elementary fifth grade pod.

Head of School

Melba Richardson

mrichardson@stjweb.org

Public Relations Director

Sandra Polizos

spolizos@stjweb.org

Alumni Relations Director

Gillette Slaton

gslaton@stjweb.org

Business Manager

Bill Furr

bfurr@stjweb.org

Admissions Director

Aimee Steineker

asteineker@stjweb.org

Development Director

Kim Hendrix

khendrix@stjweb.org

Saint James School

Sandra Polizos

David Robertson Jr.

Bob Corley

Joe Bailey

Photographers

C o l u m N s S u m m E R 2 0 1 0 4

[around the]

Members of the Saint James School

Class of 2010 were all smiles in early

May, when the school announced

that the graduating class received

$4.6 million in scholarships to

colleges and universities across

the nation. Competition for these

scholarships is always fierce, and

even more so in tough economic

times. Add to that the fact that the

senior class was smaller than most

— only 65 students — and the smiles

became ear-to-ear grins.

“To receive this amount of money for

our seniors this year is a testament

to their hard work through the

years,” said Head of School Melba

Richardson. “The hallmark of Saint

James School is pulling talent out of

students, whether in academics, the

arts, or athletics. We are extremely

proud of this scholarship money,

which truly is a return on the

investment our parents have made in

our school all these years.”

As school doors open to welcome the 2010-11 student body, celebration of STJ’s 55th year of operation is in full swing. What started as a kindergarten class of 20 preschoolers in 1955 has blossomed to a current

enrollment of 1000 students. Saint James School has developed far beyond its origins as a small school operating in the classrooms of a local church to become a leading, independent institution of K3-12 learning in Alabama’s capital city.

Banners along the driveways on campus, flags decorating the quad, and planned birthday events for students, the STJ family, and the community at large will help us celebrate this significant Saint James milestone and the valuable service STJ has provided students and the city of Montgomery for more than half a century.

and counting!STJ Class of 2010 receives

$4.6 million in col lege scholarships 55

connaissez-vous les eleves de saint-james?

The Eiffel Tower, Normandy and Versailles were just a few stops on the tour made by a 17-member group traveling to France from STJ in early June. Led by French teacher Mrs. Gene Henderson and Head of School Melba Richardson (along with her husband, Dr. Bill Richardson) the trip included students who had completed their ninth, tenth, or eleventh grade years in 2010, as well as faculty members and parents. In all six students, five parents, and six faculty members or spouses made the unforgettable trip.

“The thing I loved about this trip is that the students and adults were so receptive of everything we did and everywhere we went,” said Henderson. “They were appreciative of the moving history of the D-Day beaches and were really excited and thrilled by the cathedrals.”

The trip was part of a longer range plan of the Foreign Language Department to organize summer learning trips to areas that are central to the subjects they teach. Lazaro Saavedra is already making plans for a similar trip next year, to one of the numerous Spanish-speaking countries — although the destination has not yet been announced. For the following year, 2012, Latin teacher Libby Connor is planning a trip to Rome and southern Italy, with Pompeii as the central highlight of the trip.

High school students (l-r) Sarah Head, Taylor Phillips, Reed O’Mara, Dallas O’Mara, Allison Lewis, and Katie Vette visited numerous historical sites during their June STJ-sponsored trip to France. Here Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy towers behind them.

Happy BirtHday, Saint JameS ScHool!

Kim Hendrix, a former 20-year veteran anchor with WSFA-TV, assumed her new duties as the head of development activities at Saint James School on July 1.

“We are thrilled to have Kim Hendrix fill the role of Director of Development,” Head of School Melba Richardson said upon Hendrix’s appointment. “She is an active parent here at STJ and knows our school well. Kim has a strong reputation for professionalism, a wealth of experience, and she is well known by individuals throughout our city. Her values reflect those of our school and she will succinctly deliver our message to our own Saint James community, as well as to the Montgomery community as a whole.”

A native Texan with a journalism degree from the University of Texas, Hendrix performed in a variety of on-air positions at WSFA-TV, including reporter, producer, and anchor of the station’s 5:00 p.m. and evening news shows, as well as anchor of the station’s Alabama Live daytime series. For her 2003 series The Power of Faith Hendrix won the coveted Wilbur Award in a national competition recognizing outstanding work in secular media.

In addition to her impressive broadcast news credits, Hendrix is heavily involved

in community concerns. She hosted and coordinated the station’s broadcasts of fundraiser telethons for the Muscular Dystrophy Association and Children’s Hospital of Alabama.

Active in her church community, Hendrix also leads the Shine Your Light women’s ministry at Frazer United Methodist Church and serves on The Board of Ordained Ministry in the Alabama West Florida Conference.

Hendrix is married to Scott Skoneki and their daughter, Annie, is a fifth grader at Leu Elementary.

“Saint James School is a special place for me and my family,” Hendrix said. “I’ve known it as a parent and now I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to know it as a staff member as well. It’s exciting to represent Saint James, building relationships with parents, grandparents and other supporters who want to be a part of what I believe is the most impressive, caring and influential school in Central Alabama. I look forward to working with such a dynamic team!”

Hendrix replaced longtime Saint James employee Sheila Weil, who retired after 19 years of valuable service to the school.

hendrix leads stj development

browning honored by students, alumni, & parents

When STJ alums gather at reunions to talk about their high school memories, conversation always turns to the former students’ perceptions of most loved teachers as well as their hardest instructors. For the classes of 2000-2010, one name that always shows up on both lists is that of English instructor Dr. Cliff Browning. In only ten years Browning’s name became legend at the school for memorable class periods and challenging course work.

When Browning announced that 2010 would be his last year to teach at the school, it was no surprise that alumni and parents began raising money to name a classroom in his honor.

“While my own children were in elementary school I began to hear the Dr. Browning dreaded stories,” laughed former STJ Board chair Mary Bradley. “But then I would see that when alums returned to the campus during a graduation, the faculty member most all gravitated towards was Dr. ‘B.’”

A successful fundraising effort led to an April dedication of Browning’s classroom in the Humanities building – in his honor, and, at his request, in memory of his late parents.

“The greatest gratification was having my current and former students there,” Browning said. “Looking at them, I realized a strength, perhaps the major strength, of STJ is intellectual and personal diversity. I also realized that, looking at one particular student, the most gratifying experience a teacher can have is watching a mind open up and grow, to see the world other than through just ego.”

“Outstanding teachers have been the hallmark of Saint James School,” said Head of School Melba Richardson. “To have parents and alums take the initiative to dedicate a classroom to a teacher is a testament to the impact Dr. Browning has had on the lives of students, in preparing them for college and for life.”

Students, parents, and alumni contributed funds to dedicate longtime Senior English teacher Cliff Browning’s classroom in his honor. An afternoon reception followed the April dedication.

[around the]

Students in elementary music will have brand new books for the coming year, courtesy of Saint James benefactor Maggie Means, who donated $5000 to purchase the new music books for grades two, three and four.

On campus in the spring, Mrs. Means dropped by the music room to see the books, where elementary students Katie Cobb and Declan Fitzpatrick were already enjoying the new materials.

elementary music receives $5,000 book gift

Saint James School’s mock-trial team represented

the State of Alabama in national competition in

Philadelphia in May. Hosted by the Pennsylvania Bar

Association the mock trials were conducted in the

city’s Criminal Justice Center and City Hall

courtrooms. Approximately 750 students from 41

states, the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and

South Korea participated in the event, which

determines what state teams have the best

prosecutors and defense attorneys. The Saint

James team members worked with attorneys from

the Beasley Allen Law Firm and the Montgomery

District Attorney’s office to prepare for the event.

Pausing between court appearances in Philadelphia to take a quick picture with Head of School Melba Richardson, are (l-r) Anna Kate King, Kristen Vigilant, Wesley Smithart, Zach Grate, Susanne Norman, Kathryn Dismuke, Montgomery attorney Clay Barnett, Ashley Williamson, and Allison Argo. Team faculty coaches were Cindy Somerville and Kay McGaughey. For their strong performance at the event, the team was invited to participate in the Empire City Invitational in October in Brooklyn, NY.

Nine seventh graders received state recognition for their scores in the Duke Talent Identification Program (TIP), receiving at least a 21 on any subtest of the ACT or at least 510 on any subtest of the SAT. The students are Hannah Cape, Phillip Davis, Price Everett, Emma Frakes, Margaret Ann Kreher, Jack Loeb, Blake Sanders, Joe Taylor, and Mikal Webb.

TIP identifies gifted students and provides resources to nurture the development of these exceptionally bright youngsters. All Saint James seventh graders qualified to participate in the Duke TIP program.

Emma Frakes and Joe Taylor’s excellent scores qualified them for a three week study experience at Davidson College in North Carolina or Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, as part of the Duke program, while Hannah Cape, Phillip Davis, Price Everett, Margaret Ann Kreher, Justin Lee, Jack Loeb, and Blake Sanders were offered a three-week study opportunity at the University of Kansas or Appalachian State University.

tip honors top scorerssaint james school mock trial team represents alabama

C o l u m N s S u m m E R 2 0 1 0 6

Every year eighth graders in Venna Everrett’s Advanced History class look forward to learning U.S. history by re-enacting some of the nation’s most notorious trials. That anticipation was kicked up a notch this year when the students learned they were trying the cases of The United States vs. Ethel and Julius Rosenberg and The United States Court Martial of Lieutenant William Calley before Alabama’s current Supreme Court Chief Justice, Sue Bell Cobb.

“Justice Cobb acted as judge for the case and ran the trial just like a real case, allowing my students to not only delve into the history of famous historical trials, but also to learn about court procedures,” said Everrett. “Every student played a part, as prosecuting or defense attorneys, defendants, witnesses, or jury.”

Students are given background information on their particular case, but there is no

script, and students are required to develop their own opening and closing arguments, direct examinations and cross-examinations.

Everett says the mock trials provide an excellent opportunity to expose middle school students to deliberative proceedings used in high school programs such as Youth Judicial and Youth Legislature.

Saint James is the first and only school in Montgomery County certified as an official Alabama Outdoor Classroom School. During a time when schools are struggling to find new ways to raise students’ test scores, the outdoor classroom provides hands-on, outdoor learning opportunities for students to utilize multiple-disciplinary skills (including math, science, history, geography, and language arts) in a fun and exciting environment.

Dedicated in May, elementary parents organized a fundraiser to have the outdoor facility named The Rena Russell Outdoor Science Classroom, in honor of the elementary science teacher who spearheaded the effort to establish an outdoor learning lab at Saint James. Russell, a 19-year veteran of the school, retired from teaching at the end of the 2009-10 school year.

STJ’s site includes an aquatic studies area, a bog, a

butterfly garden, and an herb garden, along with plenty of room for students to explore and participate in environmental education games. The outdoor classroom facilities enrich all subject areas, including creative writing projects, journaling, and art projects, in addition to enhancing science-related and environmental studies. Fifth grade classes participate in the Junior Master Gardener Program, which teaches students to maintain the outdoor area while learning about gardening. The area is also used with Camp STJ each summer.

Funding and support for the outdoor classroom project is provided by the Saint James PTO, King’s Table Catering, Vought Water Gardens of Decatur, Alabama Wildlife Federation, Alabama Cooperative Extension System and Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources along with support of the students, faculty, staff, parents, grandparents, and friends of Saint James School.

2010-11 eighth grader Russ Daniel addresses a mock jury as Alabama’s Supreme Court Justice Sue Bell Cobb oversees trial proceedings.

Students try Mock Cases Before State’s Supreme Court Chief Justice

Proudly displaying STJ’s new Alabama Outdoor Classroom designation are (front, l-r) elementary principal Jim Terry, elementary science teacher Rena Russell, Head of School Melba Richardson, and Kim Nix (AL Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources); (back) Doyle Keasal (AL Cooperative Extension Service), Tim Gothard (AL Wildlife Federation), 2009-2010 Development Director Sheila Weil and Jimmy Smitherman (AL Wildlife Federation).

STJ is Area’s First Alabama Outdoor Classroom School

The Wooden Horse, STJ’s gift shop, returns to school this year – in new surroundings.

Still in Leu Elementary, the “Horse” will now be housed in the fifth grade pod.

The Wooden Horse sells a variety of items that may be purchased by the Saint James community, as well as the general public. Saint James parents Kelly Kean and Blake Clark voluntarily oversee operation of the shop, in addition to going to market, and further developing and organizing the store.

Open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. each weekday, the new location may be a special benefit to middle and high school students, who don’t have to walk as far to pick up a quick snack before athletic P.E., or an extra treat at lunch.

“The money earned goes directly back to Saint James,” said Kelly Kean. “The store has been very successful, and it’s a lot of fun.”

Head of School Melba Richardson says she always dreamed of a day when the school could have a history laboratory, where catalogued archives of current events and the school itself could be kept and protected for study in future years.

That day arrived last fall when Saint James dedicated its new Fred Draper History Lab. Named for the beloved history teacher who taught at the school for 19 years, Richardson said the lab began with a “Pennies for the Past” campaign in 1996 and was completed through the generosity of students and their families, alumni, faculty, friends of Saint James School, and the Draper family.

“Fred Draper is a walking encyclopedia of history,” said Richardson. “He is a master teacher… Our alumni remember him as someone who made history real for them, who opened their eyes to how exciting history can be.”

Larry McLemore, a member of the Class of 2000 who currently teaches history at STJ, offered a personal tribute to his former teacher.

“Mr. Draper’s depth of understanding and the passion he brought to the classroom, inspired me—as it has so many others—to study history,” McLemore said. “He ignited my intellectual world.”

The new history lab is located on the upper level of the school’s Means Media Center. In addition to tables and comfortable chairs, the lab also features lockable, built-in glass cases to store and display historical relics.

The upstairs lab already contains a number of donated items, including a collection of political campaign pins that date back to William McKinley’s bid for President, a valuable coin collection, a civil war canteen and bayonet, and an original poll tax receipt dated 1908. Collected Saint James memorabilia includes a clock that stopped at the moment a 1996 tornado, in the pre-dawn hours, destroyed several STJ elementary classrooms; a 1976 quilt made by the school’s then-fifth graders to commemorate the U.S. Bicentennial; and an embroidered velvet cape worn by all Homecoming Queens during Saint James’ early years.

“This is going to be a place where students can connect with their past,” said Draper.

Draper returns to STJ during the 2010-11 year, to teach four high school history classes, filling in for faculty member Larry McLemore who is completing coursework for his doctorate.

STJ History Lab Honors Former teacher

(l-r) Melba Richardson, Head of School, looks on while Fred Draper cuts the ribbon on STJ’s new History Lab. Mrs. Draper, who teaches in the middle school, stands ready to assist.

[around the]

Herman Parish, author of the Amelia Bedelia children’s book series since 1993, and STJ assistant elementary principal Clare Simon (dressed as the Bedelia character) entertained elementary students last fall. Parish shared his inspiration for a number of the more popular volumes in the well-known children’s book series.

Wooden Horse Returns in New Location

Here Comes Amelia Bedelia!

(l-r) Parents/volunteer coordinators Blake Clark and Kelly Kean are back for another successful year in the Wooden Horse, STJ’s own gift shop.

C o l u m N s S u m m E R 2 0 1 0 8

…Landforms are Fascinating…Story at 10.”

Learning about naturally occurring

landforms is standard third grade

curriculum fare. At Saint James,

that study took a new twist in 2009-

10, when teachers searched for a

more engaging way to engross their

students in the study of valleys,

mountains, plains, plateaus, lakes,

rivers, islands, peninsulas, and deserts.

Enter elementary computer teacher

Jason Bostic, who brainstormed with

teachers about new ways to make

learning about landforms a well-

rounded experience.

“news flash

lot of these kids are already immersed in technology with iPods and other gadgets,” Bostic says. “Think about YouTube. Some kids are already posting

there, even at the elementary age. I think the kids can handle a lot of things; it’s just about finding that happy medium between what they can handle and what’s too much.”

Working with third grade teachers Jessica Smith, Sue Stanley, Dianne Freeman, Becky Saunders, and art teacher Susan Terry, Bostic guided the children to research the project totally on the Internet, and to complete a unique commercial about the landforms where the children themselves were the stars. Combining art, the geography curriculum, and computer class, the teachers found a creative new way to introduce and teach landforms to their students.

First, the eight-year-olds learned about the landforms during their regular classroom study time. In art, they were instructed on how to draw their assigned landform features – focusing on perspective, colors, shading and outlining. Computer class combined all the elements, as the students learned to assemble their art and classroom work into a commercial by recording, integrating, writing, and editing their work.

“Before recording their commercial, each student would write out their scripts on small dry erase boards,” Bostic says. “While recording, I’d hold up the boards above the camcorder so each student could read their part aloud, standing in front of the green screen.”

During computer class Bostic helped the students edit their videos and insert their drawings of landforms as the background for their stand-ups, replacing the green screen.

“In the end, the students had an amazing product,” Bostic says with pride. “They were so excited when they watched the projects, commenting about how they looked on camera, and how differently they sounded. This is something that we’ve never done here in the elementary. I’m trying to bring in technology that kids are using today. These are real life skills, and the kids realize that we’re doing this for a purpose. When we did the animation we talked about movies like WALL-E and the careers people have made out of this kind of work. The kids get so excited. I’m going to love watching their talents grow and seeing where they’ll go from here.”

View STJ third grade students’ landform “commercials” online at wikispaces.com/jabostic.

a

C o l u m N s S u m m E R 2 0 1 0 1 0

A C A D E M I C S

2010 Senior Class Scholarship Total: $4.6 million (65 students)

NatioNal Merit ScholarShip prograM

- 1 National Merit Finalist

- 6 National Merit commended Students

ap ScholarS

- 5 ap Scholars with Distinction

- 6 ap Scholars with honors

- 10 ap Scholars

aDvaNceD placeMeNt

- in 2009-10, 33% of students in grades 10-12 took at least one ap exam

- in 2009, 82% of StJ students’ ap test scores were a 3, 4, or 5; 55% of their tests were scored a 4 or 5. (National average: 15.9% of students scored 3, 4, or 5; alabama average: 7.5% of students scored 3, 4, or 5.)

U.S. preSiDeNtial Scholar

- 1 National Semi-Finalist

alabaMa StatewiDe MatheMaticS coNteSt, DiStrict vi

- First place, advanced team

- Second place, algebra ii with trig team

- Second place, geometry team

- two individual First place winners, one Second place winner, and one third place winner

alabaMa regioNal ScieNce olyMpiaD

- team named third place overall winner

- two individual First place winners, six Second place winners

alabaMa State ScieNce olyMpiaD

- two individual Second place winners, four individual third place winners

- team placed sixth in overall State competition

DUke UNiverSity taleNt iDeNtiFicatioN prograM (tip)

- Nine students recognized at state ceremony

- Seven students invited to participate in academy for Summer Studies

- two students invited to participate in center for Summer Studies

roxie laNcaSter literary artS awarDS

- two First place awards, two Second place awards, one third place award

- Nine students, grades 9-12, selected as 2010 winners

NatioNal laNgUage artS olyMpiaD

- First place in State, Seventh grade

- First place in State, eighth grade

- third place in State, Sixth grade

NatioNal latiN exaM

- one Summa cum laude gold medalist

- three Maxima cum laude silver medalists

- Five Magna cum laude students

- Seven cum laude students

NatioNal FreNch exaM

- Certificat de Reussite, four students

2009-10 MoNtgoMery yoUth volUNteer oF the year

2009-10 yMca aliSa robertS big bUDDy oF the year awarD

2009-10 MoNtgoMery exchaNge clUb yoUth oF the year

AT H L E T I C S

56% of students in grades 7-12 participated on interscholastic teams during 2009-10

varSity athletic teaMS

- Football, State playoffs

- Softball Sub-state playoffs - area 4a champions

- volleyball, State tournament play

- girls basketball, State tournament play

- wrestling, State tournament play

- girls tennis team, State tournament play - area 4a sectionals champions (tenth straight year)

- boys tennis team, State tournament play - area 4a sectionals champions (second straight year)

- girls track, State Meet participants

- boys track, State Meet participants

- girls cross country, State Meet participants

- boys cross country, State Meet participants

iNDiviDUal State chaMpioNS

- girls track & Field - Javelin State champion - Javelin bronze Medal

- wrestling -State runner-up, 125 lbs. -State runner-up, 112 lbs. -two Fourth place State winners, 130 & 140 lbs.

- all State - one student, 4a all-State cross country

- all-american - three all-american cheerleaders

capital city coNFereNce chaMpioNS

- girls basketball

- boys golf

- boys track - First place, 4x100m

- girls track - First place, 4x100m

- all-Star teams - one volleyball player, ahSaa North-South team

the Winners’circleS T J H A S A L o T T o B r A g A B o u T !

V I S u A L A N D P E r F o r M I N g A r T S

100% of students in grades 9-12 participate in a visual or performing arts program during their high school career

V I S u A L A r T S

NatioNal ScholaStic art coMpetitioN

- one gold keys

- two Silver keys

alabaMa DiStrict ScholaStic art coMpetitioN

- 42 gold keys

- 32 Silver keys

- 20 honorable Mentions

ap college boarD iNterNatioNal art exhibitioN

one student exhibitor out of 30 international exhibitors, selected from 30,000 international portfolios

alabaMa State coUNcil oN the artS high School viSUal art achieveMeNt prograM, DiStrict ii

- two First place wins

- two Second place wins

alabaMa NatioNal Fair

- two First place wins, 10 additional wins

StatewiDe MiNi art workS coMpetitioN (graDeS k-12)

- StJ work judged best of category

- 16 winners: three First place; three Second place; two third place; and eight honorable Mentions

MoNtgoMery aDvertiSer DeSigN aN aD coNteSt

- grand prize winner

- First place, high School Division

MoNtgoMery MUSeUM oF FiNe artS citywiDe “Doot” coNteSt

- Saint James named top school winner

- StJ work judged best of Show

- 21 winners including four First place; four Second place; two third place, nine honorable Mentions

Draw MoNtgoMery high School art coMpetitioN 2010

- one First place winner

- one Second place winner

- one honorable Mention

P E r F o r M I N g A r T S

MarchiNg baND

- ranked #4 small band in the country, bands of america Grand Nationals (first ever semifinalist from the State of Alabama)

- Second place, bands of america atlanta Super regional

- Superior with Distinction, american bandmaster Music performance assessment

- Superior ratings, Daleville band Festival

- Superior ratings, heart of Dixie competition, First place, Division a, grand champion

- First place, hoover invitational band competition, Division a and aa, grand champion

baND, iNDiviDUalS

- alabama all-State band, 9 students selected

- alabama all-District band, 24 students selected

- alabama all-State Jazz band, pianist

- alabama Solo and ensemble Festival, 24 Superior ratings

- alabama State Solo and ensemble, 1 Superior rating

chorUS, iNDiviDUalS

- alabama all-State choir, 19 students selected

- alabama honor choir, 7 students selected

- all-State Show choir, 1 student selected

- alabama all-State, outstanding accompanist, District 6

D I g I T A L M E D I A

iNterNatioNal Society For techNology iN eDUcatioN

- Foley art, First place

coMpUter olyMpiaD

- First place, alice 3D animation

- third place, website Design

- third place, Math

F o r E N S I C S A N D Y o u T H g o V E r N M E N T

ForeNSicS teaM

State

- two State champions: original oratory, Novice congress

- runner-up State champion, Junior varsity lincoln Douglas

- third place, humorous interpretation

- Fourth place, poetry

- Fifth place, Duo interpretation, Novice congress

- Presiding officers in both varsity and novice Senate

- instructor named 2010 Debate coach of the year by the alabama Forensic educator’s association

NatioNal

- Three competitors qualified and participated in National Forensics Tournament

- National Forensics league leading chapter award

- First place, National public policy Forum, Deep South District

yoUth iN goverNMeNt

yoUth JUDicial

-Second place (plaintiff), junior/senior team

-third place, freshman/sophomore team

- Junior/senior team selected from among 66 alabama competitors to represent state at the National Mock trial competition

yoUth iN city

-two students served as city council members

yoUth legiSlatUre

-Student selected Most outstanding lobbyist

- Student selected for yMca National issues conference (only 20 of 350 are picked); two students chosen as alternates

- two students served as chief legislative pages

JoUrNaliSM

NewSpaper (“oDySSey”)

- First place, american Scholastic press association competition

yearbook (“iliaD”)

- Nationwide top 10% award, walsworth publishing company

C o l u m N s S u m m E R 2 0 1 0 1 2

hile most of their friends and fellow students were still asleep in their beds at 6:30 a.m. on their Veteran’s Day holiday, members of the Saint James Marching

Band rolled out of town, aboard two buses headed for the premiere marching band event in the nation – the Bands of America Grand National Championship competition in Indianapolis, Indiana. Competing against 90 bands from around the nation, the STJ band placed first in Single A competition in early preliminaries to earn a berth in the semifinals – one of only 34 bands to advance to this level – and the only band from Alabama to ever move on to this round. In the semifinal competition, the Marching Trojans placed fourth behind

Indiana’s Springs Valley High School, West Virginia’s Williamstown High School, and Kentucky’s Bourbon County High School — bands that were the reigning State Champions in each of their respective states and classifications.

“This national evaluation is important because it gives our students the chance to see where they perform based on a national standard,” Saint James Band Director, Susan Smith said. “Those evaluating the bands are at the highest national caliber and their feedback gave us valuable information to guide our program in the future.”

Saint James was one of 24 Single A bands competing over the three-day event for the national championship and recognition as one of the finest marching programs in America. The STJ band was one of only two Alabama bands accepted to play in the event.

Although they competed against high school bands, the Saint James band also includes many middle school students, to boost the band’s size. Despite their small numbers (57 musicians) and the inclusion of younger students, the 2009 Marching Trojans were regularly a competition standout, beating out the Single A competition at several regional and state band events. The STJ band placed second in the Bands of America

Regional Competition in Atlanta in October.

“Our hope was to be one of the four Single A bands to be selected for semifinals, despite the fact that the performance was our first in the

national arena,” Smith said. “Our true goal was to have a great performance and have a positive impact on those in the audience during preliminary competition. Obtaining a berth in the semifinals was really a dream come true.”

Accolades for the small STJ band kept coming throughout the 2009-10 school year. As school let out in May, Smith learned that the 2010 Alabama Bandmasters Assessment ranked the Saint James band as “Superior with Distinction” – an honor achieved by less than 45 high school and middle school bands in the entire state. In addition, STJ was the only private school to receive this ranking.

sweet sounds of successMarching trojans are #4 Single A Band in the Nation

Photos by Steve Griswold

w

Day 1, Abigail Greenberg: I woke up this morning excited and a bit scared.

The day was finally here! I could hardly wait to get to the school.

The parking lot was full of excitement. Even though it was

4:30 a.m. everyone was awake and ready to hit the road...

As we kept on driving we actually got to see some snow!

Day 2, Meagan Ashner: Abigail, Laura Catherine, Olivia,

and I woke up, looked out the window, and were totally surprised to

see more snow piled up…we got the word from Mrs. Pearson that our

visit with the Justice was canceled because of the snow. We were so

disappointed, but…we got to see economic experts in a live budget

committee hearing regarding the state of the economy. It

was really cool to see them live, instead of on TV…

Day 3, Abigail: The first thing I did when I woke up this

morning was to run and look out the window. I was

shocked but excited to see that everything was completely

white. We were now experiencing a real blizzard…I was chosen to be in

Mrs. Richardson’s group to build a snowman. We made it our Saint James

Trojan mascot! We had a great time building snowmen until our bodies

were numb…we are having a great time! Our teachers are going out of

their way to make sure of it!

Day 4, Meagan: We were so lucky to have the chance

to visit the Capitol today because it was closed

(because of the snow of course), but they opened it

especially for us…After we finished our tour, we went

into a room to have our own mock hearing…

Next, we got on the bus and headed to Mount

Vernon, George Washington’s home…The mansion

has a total of ten bedchambers for their guests, which is good, because

they had many guests in their house all the time…

Day 5, Meagan: Sadly, today was our last day of

activities. So we enjoyed every moment of it…Our

first venue was The Ford’s Theater…We walked

around the corner, and into the Presidential Box.

Immediately, you smell the stench of old carpet, and

the actual blood from President Lincoln’s wound…

Afterwards, we got on the buses, and went to the

Holocaust museum…I cried because I couldn’t believe that such horrible

things were done to the Jews, let alone, humans.

Abigail: I was so anxious to see the National Cathedral…We drove by and

I was amazed at how big it was — like a castle…so lucky to have a private

tour there…After the National Cathedral, our bus driver headed us over to the

Smithsonian Natural History Museum…this was what I

was most looking forward to on this whole trip.

Day 6, Meagan: We were sad to leave, but good

things still came out of this trip. We were all over

the media, because we were the crazy 8th grade

group that got snowed in at a hotel for a whole

day, but stayed to finish our trip. We were on

TV, national radio, and the newspaper! Wherever we went, it seemed,

somebody recognized us, and asked us how our trip was going…The

whole trip was a great opportunity to bond with people you might not

get to see much at school. We were snowed in for a whole day, but we

managed to have fun anyway! And when we weren’t snowed in, we got to

experience some of the most incredible places in our nation’s capital.

STJ 8th Graders Have Experience of a Lifetime in Nation’s Capital

if February’s “snow of the century” amazed Washington, D.C. residents, “delighted” is the best word to describe the reactions of the 100 StJ teenagers who braved blizzard conditions and three foot drifts of snow along with their teachers for the eighth-grade’s class trip to the nation’s capital.

“it was most definitely the most snow i’ve ever seen in my life,” beamed class member Elizabeth Stewart ippolito.

Highlights of the students’ trip included a tour of the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum, visits to Mt. Vernon, the National Cathedral, and the Holocaust Museum, a Senate hearing on the economy, a private meeting with Sen. Jeff Sessions, a meeting with the District of Columbia’s “shadow” senator, and a private tour of the Capitol.

Congressman Bobby Bright, whose children graduated from Saint James, arranged the private tour upon learning that the students would miss a Capitol visit due to the snow closure.

throughout their stay the group from Alabama attracted the attention of a variety of national and local newspapers, and television and radio stations.

“We were all over the media, because we were the crazy eighth grade group that got snowed in at a hotel for a whole day, but stayed to finish our trip,” eighth grader Meagan Ashner wrote about the trip. “i thought that was really cool.”

Ashner and classmate Abigail Greenberg wrote a daily blog for Montgomery NBC affiliate WSFA-tV. Excerpts from the girls’ blogs appear on these pages. to see all of Meagan and Abigail’s pictures and blog entries from the eighth grade trip, visit this online site: wsfatv.blogs.com/stj_students_in_wash_dc/2010/02/

Neither Rain Nor Snow Nor Sleet....

C o l u m N s S u m m E R 2 0 1 0 1 4

worksome young adults may graduate from college without ever spending a day in a professional work setting or experiencing an official

job interview. That isn’t the case for Saint James graduates, however, who’ll quickly tell you their first insight into the working world came in eighth grade, when they spent several days researching jobs, learning special tips to secure their “perfect” job, and shadowing Montgomery professionals in their workday environment.

“Career Week” provides Saint James students with five full days of activities

geared towards obtaining valuable life experience in securing a profession. The week-long career focus began as a “career-hour” more than two decades ago, and has evolved to the current multi-day approach, which gives students a leg up in the work-a-day world by helping them understand the job search process, and giving them an introduction to careers in several areas where they may have an interest. The students actually begin preparing for their eighth grade career adventure at the end of seventh grade, when they complete an online career assessment.

career week

s

“It’s an invaluable experience,” says middle school counselor Laura Spivey. “It gives students so much insight into work-related activities, like making business contacts, resume-writing, job applications, workplace protocol, proper business attire and appropriate manners and etiquette – both during a job interview and after they land that first big job.”

Students begin the week with Send Off Day, meeting together for breakfast before they begin a rotation of “mini sessions” focusing on writing business thank-you notes, professional ethics, mock job interviews, and dressing for success. The students also hear from older students who have experienced Career Week, to learn tips on how to gain most from the shadowing experience.

Following their send-off, the Saint James students hit the streets for a few days to shadow Montgomery professionals in a variety of different jobs and settings.

The STJ middle schoolers descend on the city, with each student shadowing five Montgomery professionals in their workplace environment. The students work alongside the professionals, getting a first-hand look at the skills needed for a variety of jobs. Each student also takes part in a mock job interview at the work site, intended to familiarize students with the process and provide insight for their own future job searches.

“We have had students who went up in an airplane with a freelance photographer, to get an aerial photograph,” says Martha Cavanaugh, who coordinates Career Week with Spivey. “We’ve also had several students who shadowed a Montgomery detective. Others followed local media personalities, Alabama Shakespeare Theater actors, the State Forensics Officer, designers, and even a gemologist. You name the job, and we’ve probably shadowed it.”

Cavanaugh says Saint James’ week-long focus on business skills is significant because the students will be better prepared to make decisions regarding their eventual careers.

“Numerous students have come back to tell us how much Career Week during middle school helped them,” says Spivey. “They’ve even said that the experience helped them with college applications, because they had already learned the importance of presenting themselves in a positive light, and following written directions on a printed form.”

“The general public is very responsive,” Spivey adds. “I think the professionals really enjoy the interaction with our students. They know how hard it was to find that first job. Many of them are truly happy to share some of the knowledge they’ve gained. They always tell me how they wish more schools provided students this valuable real world experience.”

C o l u m N s S u m m E R 2 0 1 0 1 6

Nigel Card, a winning 29-year veteran basketball coach of area college, high school, and junior high school programs, will lead the Saint James Trojans boys basketball program beginning with the 2010-11 season. Card came to STJ from Auburn Montgomery, where he spent 23 seasons as Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach.

“We are thrilled to welcome a coach of Nigel Card’s caliber and experience to lead our basketball program,” Saint James Athletic Director Jerry Browning said. “He has a tremendous reputation and tremendous respect from the community, both as a person and a coach.”

Card’s career began at Auburn High School, where he earned a college scholarship for his basketball skills as one of the team’s star players. In college, Card played one season for Southern Union Community College and three seasons for the AUM Senators, in which the team had a string of 20 consecutive wins in 1978-80. His coaching career began following his graduation from AUM in 1981, leading teams at Georgia Washington Junior High School, Greenville Junior High School, and Jeff Davis High School. In 1987, Card renewed his association with the AUM Senators, this time as assistant coach. That year the team, with a 32-3 record, played in the NAIA National Championships, losing an exciting game to Grand Canyon College only after overtime play.

Card’s reputation is well-known in the Montgomery community through his involvement in all areas of the AUM program as well as his summer sports camps.

“I’m excited about the opportunity to lead the Saint James basketball program,” the new Trojan coach says. “I look forward to working in such an excellent atmosphere. We’re going to build the reputation that Saint James basketball is Number One in this city.”

Hope Olszewski, Saint James Lady Trojans basketball captain, received her 1000 career point basketball from STJ coach Katie Barton (with Barton’s daughter Natalie) in December. Olszewski is the second leading scorer in Lady Trojan history.

Tallytrojan

1000Career Points

CARD TO LEAD TROJANS

BasketBall

Head Basketball Coach, Nigel Card faces reporters upon being named to the position. A 23-year veteran of the AUM basketball coaching staff Card says, “We’re going to build the reputation that Saint James basketball is Number One in this city.”

Lady Trojans’ team captain Hope Olszewski topped 1000 career points during the 2010 season, reaching that all-important plateau during the STJ game against crosstown rival, Trinity. The 6’1” forward and Class of 2010 senior finished her career at the school with 1,300 points and 969 rebounds.

Coach Katie Barton, who has spent nine years at the STJ girls basketball helm, said it is rare to have a player reach 1000 career points.

“Hope is only my fourth player to reach this threshold,” Barton said. “She joins Hillary Barnes, Elizabeth Richards, and Kelly Michelle Lewis. There are only seven players in the entire history of Saint James girls varsity basketball to score over 1000 career points. Hope is the second leading scorer in Lady Trojan history.”

“It was exciting to get the 1000 point ball,” said Olszewski. “I remember when Kelly Michelle Lewis got it when I was a freshman. Back then it never even occurred to me that I could ever get it.”

“Before the season started I knew how many points I needed, so I guess you can say it was a goal because it wasn’t out of reach,” Olszewski added.

Olszewski was the Most Valuable Player in the city’s Capital City Conference (CCC) tournament, leading her team with

11 points to take the CCC title. Barton, who

said Olszewski’s success results from her hard work, discipline, and dedication, also admits it will be hard to fill the graduating senior’s shoes in the upcoming season. Olszewski will play for Emory University, a Division III program, in the fall. She is the first STJ girl to move on to college play during Barton’s tenure at the school.

DUnCan BaCk-to-

BaCk all- state

IN CROSS COuNTRYTaylor Duncan received 4A All State Cross Country honors for the second straight year during the 2009 season.

The entire Lady Trojans team qualified for the state competition for the second consecutive year, by finishing third in the 4A sectionals. In addition to the Lady Trojans, Saint James was represented by freshmen boys team members Kyle Eller and Jesse Jones.

State play: StJ’s football, softball, volleyball, golf, boys and girls tennis, and girls basketball teams participated in post-season state level competition during 2009-2010. individual members of the boys and girls track, boys cross country, and wrestling teams also participated in state tournament play.

Golf: Frank McGough, a 2010 junior, qualified for the State Amateur Golf Tournament over the summer. His qualification means that, at 17, McGough is one of the 157 best golfers in Alabama, in all age groups. He is the youngest golfer to qualify for the tournament. The JV Golf Team was Montgomery’s Capital City Conference (CCC) champion, finishing the season at 15-1. Jakob Gilbreath was the CCC Champion for junior varsity. On the varsity side, Rob Chisenhall and Frank McGough made the CCC All-Conference Team.

Football: STJ’s CJ Duncan was invited to the Rivals.com Elite Quarterback Camp over the summer where he won top honors. The distinction is especially significant given that Duncan is only a sophomore competing against older high school athletes.

Volleyball: Tapped as a state volleyball All-Star, Morgan Lee played for the South team in the AHSAA North-South All Star game held in Huntsville in July. By virtue of the honor, Lee was one of the Top 12 Volleyball Juniors (2010) in the state.

tennis: For the tenth straight year, STJ’s girls tennis team advanced to the state tournament in the spring after back to back wins at every position in Sectionals. Likewise, the STJ’s boys tennis team won Sectionals (for the second straight year) and also advanced to the state tourney.

Wrestling: STJ’s team had two State Runners-up during state competition this year, with Matt Kwan in the 125 pound category and Stephan Kwan in the 112 pound category.

Baseball: Trojans John Slayton, Joe Goodson and Crawford Steinberg were selected to play in the Lions Club East West All-Star game held in May at Paterson Field.

Win Woodson, a 2010 seventh grader, won Alabama’s state championship title in javelin in early May, throwing a personal best of 110’6” at the State Track and Field Meet.

Woodson’s throw was almost three feet farther than her closest competitor. Hope Olszewski, a 2010 senior at the school, won a bronze medal, also in the javelin. Olszewski’s throw was 104’9”.

“Absolutely amazing!” Coach Tim Timmerman said of Woodson and Olszewski’s performances. “Neither of these girls had broken 100’ this year, and then both of them beat their personal record by over ten feet. What a way to end the season!”

Timmerman said he was very pleased with the entire team’s performance at the state event. Fifteen STJ athletes – the largest group in recent years – qualified to compete in the state event this year. In all, the school regularly fields a team of 19 high school and 12 middle school athletes, while competing against teams with over 100 team members.

“They’ll have three or four athletes in every event,” Timmerman said. “In comparison, our team is tiny. Even so, our kids always find a way to get it done. The Saint James girls team had the best finish of any Montgomery area team, finishing sixth overall at State.”

“Their ‘can-do’ attitude always amazes me,” Timmerman said.

WIN WOODSON IS STATE

javelin ChamPion

Saint James seventh grader Win Woodson preparing to throw the javelin at the State Track Meet in May. Not only did she throw her personal best, but she threw almost three feet farther than any of her fellow competitors, making her Alabama’s 2010 State Champion for javelin.

SportS ShortSSTJ

C o l u m N s S u m m E R 2 0 1 0 1 8

- Helping the Classes of 1980 and 2000 plan their reunions

- Planning and hosting a December lunch for the Classes of 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009

- Sponsoring an egg hunt for our local alums’ younger children

- Welcoming our newest alums — the Class of 2010 — at a picnic hosted by Melba Richardson, Head of School

- Hosting an alumni gathering at Kat-n-Harri’s, with over 90 enthusiastic attendees

Gillette Slaton, Alumni Director | gslaton@stjweb.org | 334-277-8033, ext. 115

Saint James Alumni Association has had a busy year! Some of the many activities included:

yourSTJ looks forward to welcoming all our alumni “home” on October 1 for Homecoming and the annual Alumni BBQ, so please mark your calendars. The Class of 1990 also celebrates their 20th reunion that weekend.

One of our goals is to generate more active participation and leadership from within the alumni group. We welcome your ideas and enthusiasm to make YOUR Saint James Alumni Association what YOU want it to be. Please contact me to volunteer. And please come back to visit your school anytime. Just give me a call. I’ll be glad to give you a tour and tell you about all the great new things going on at STJ.

1974Cindi Miller Cindi lives in Newberry, FL (it’s the greater Gainesville area) and telecommutes as a case manager for the Law Offices of Micki Beth Stiller in Montgomery. Cindi says she has “a pug and cavalier King Charles spaniel that keep me very busy. I’m also a photographer, and working on turning it into a part-time business.”

1975Alan Levy Alan lives in Asheville, NC where he is the owner/president of Gentlemen’s Gallery, Inc. Alan has owned

Gentlemen’s Gallery, Inc., an upscale men’s retail clothing store, since 1989. In 1997, he added fashion clothing for women. After three recessions, he says the store is still there! Alan is proud of the role he played in Asheville’s effort to revitalize the area’s downtown district: “Now the Charleston of the mountains, and a jewel in the crown, Asheville is one

of the top places to live in the United States!” Alan sends his best regards to all of his teachers and friends.

Stan May Stan lives in Oakland, CA, and was recently transferred/promoted within American Airlines to San Francisco International Airport. He was in Vegas prior to that and in Austin, TX before that. Stan says he is taking full advantage of all that northern California has to offer - and he’s taking even more advantage of those airline benefits, saying he travels quite often. (Last year Stan visited Argentina and Uraguay. The previous year he visited Denmark, the Baltics, and

Russia. Stan says that so far this year he’s been to the Grand Caymans and Jamaica and is planning a return trip to Italy.)

Madge (Johnson) Smith Madge is the administrative assistant at the Holy Nativity Episcopal Church in Panama City Beach, FL. Madge and husband David Smith have two children: their oldest, who will be a senior at UA in 2010-11, is studying Interior Design, while the youngest will be a sophomore at Southeastern University in Lakeland, FL, studying theology. Madge says, “David and I spent 20 years traveling the world in the Air Force before retiring in Panama City. I enjoy being near the Gulf and enjoying the sun.”

1978Dawn (Carpenter) Kottman Dawn and her husband Mark live in Fountain, MN where she is a receptionist and gift shop coordinator at Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center. Mark is the Director of Product Development for Valley Design. They have three sons, who are all either in college now, or are college graduates. She says it was fun to read about her classmates after all these years.

Class of...

alumniJohn Allan Stinebaugh Allan and Leigh Ann, his wife of 22 years, live in Prattville. They have two daughters, with the oldest attending UAB and the youngest attending Prattville High School. Allan is auditor-in-charge with Progressive Insurance, where he has worked for 23 years. He says that in his spare time he likes to play guitar, train his labs, hunt (anything), follow Alabama football, and catch up with old high school and college friends on Facebook.

Suellen (Lambert) Young Suellen is an attorney and photographer with her own photography business, Suellen Young

Photography. She and husband Lane live in Wetumpka and have two daughters, Brett and Abigail, who are both current students at Saint James.

1979Jennifer (Mills) Wisener Jennifer is the music librarian for the U.S. Marine Band in Washington, D.C. She is married to Aaron Wisener, a civilian physical security specialist with the U.S. Army.

1980Mark Collier Mark is the regional manager of Shaw Industries. He and wife Sherry live in Carmel, IN with their daughter who is a high school senior. They have been married for 23 years, and Mark has been employed with Shaw Industries for 20 years.

Anne (Hanby) Douglas Anne lives in Montgomery. Though she only attended STJ from 3rd - 9th grades, she says she still wants to keep up with STJ alumni. She is the mother of two children, Andrew (26) who is married and lives in Montgomery and Diana (18). Anne has been employed with Troy University for 20 years, where she currently serves as an Instructional Designer for eCampus. She is also a psychology instructor. She graduated from Auburn University with a

B.A. in Mass Communication, from Troy State University with an M.S. in Adult Education, and is completing an S. Ed. degree in Educational Administration, with an emphasis in psychology.

Courtenay (Hylton) Morrow Courtenay and her husband, Rob, celebrated their daughter Brooke Elizabeth’s first birthday in January 2010. Courtenay will graduate from medical school in May and start her Family Medicine residency at Franklin Square Hospital in Baltimore, MD in July 2010. Rob now works for Johns Hopkins and is in the U.S. Navy Reserves.

1981Vicki (Fryar) Hamilton Vicki is a full time administrative assistant with LTC Global Affinity Marketing — a long-term care affinity marketing company in Montgomery. She and husband Ed Hamilton, a Registry Review instructor with Kettering National Seminars, have been married 22+ years. Their daughter Kaylen graduated from STJ in May 2010.

Sonia Livingston Sonia is the Chief Operating Officer for Benchmark Technology Group, Inc. in Alpharetta, GA. She lives in Atlanta.

Col. Burke E. “Ed” Wilson Ed is the Commander, 45th Space Wing and Director Eastern Range, Patrick Air Force Base, FL, assuming that post in February. He is responsible for the processing and launching of U.S. government and commercial satellites

from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL, and is the final approval authority for all launches on the Eastern Range, a 15-million-square-mile area which supports an average of 20 launches per year aboard Delta and Atlas launch vehicles. He also manages wing launch and range infrastructure supporting the space shuttle and missile test missions.

1982Donald Mack Donald is a claims adjuster with Alfa Insurance in Montgomery.

1984Courtenay Miles Courtenay graduated cum laude from Tulane University in 1989, with a B.A. in Literature. She works in Los Angeles, as a 1st Assistant Director (AD) on feature films. Prior to her current status, Courtenay was a Key 2nd AD, and also worked as a stage manager in various forms of live production (theater, opera, film premieres, Olympics, corporate events, etc). Some of the films Courtenay has worked on include Mission Impossible, Almost Famous, Starsky & Hutch, Talladega Nights, Knocked Up, Step Brothers, The Proposal, The Hangover, Grown Ups, and Due Date (to be released).

1986Charles Sylvest Charles is the Minister of Education at First Baptist Church in Wetumpka. He is married to the former Laura Beth Ingram. They have two children, a boy and a girl.

1989John Fleming John is the Operations Officer for Combat Logistics Regiment 1 in the First Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton, CA, where he and wife Amanda moved during the summer of 2009 (from Virginia). They have two elementary-aged children, a boy and a girl. John says youth sports rule the Fleming schedule!

1990Mary-Lorraine (Ladner) Cox Mary-Lorraine graduated from George Mason University with a B.A. in psychology, and also received her Masters degree from George Mason, in School Psychology. She is a school psychologist and realtor in Summerville, SC, and husband Michael David Cox is a software engineer, working for Blackbaud in Charleston. Mary-Lorraine and Michael have two children, grades 3 and 6. She says, “The kids and I love skating and my husband likes riding a bicycle. We are enjoying the weather in South Carolina, but visit family in Montgomery at least once a year.”

Heather (Wood) Daffin Heather and husband Tyson live in Hayneville, AL. Heather is a Customer Service Representative with the Hayneville Telephone Company and Tyson is a Freight Broker with Executive Freight. They have two children.

C o l u m N s S u m m E R 2 0 1 0 2 0

1993Martha Ellen (Hill) Heuermann Martha and husband Jason live in Jacksonville Beach, FL where she is a financial analyst with Unitrin, the parent company of Kemper Insurance and Jason is a sales associate/agent with Coggin Honda/Keller Williams.

Michael Johnston Michael and wife April (Warner) live in Tallahassee, FL where he is an interactive marketing project manager for The Zimmerman Agency. April is a clinical pharmacist with Capital Health Plan.

1994Laura (Farris) Sample Laura is a third grade teacher in the Gwinnett County Public School System. She and husband Charles Bradford Sample live in Buford, GA, where he is a landscape contractor with Professional Touch Landscapes.

1995Wilson Barker Wilson graduated from UA in 1999 with a business degree (accounting). He works for BB&T Bank as an application analyst, and is busy helping to convert the former Colonial Bank systems into BB&T’s fold. Wilson also enjoys volunteering with the Junior Achievement Organization when he has the time and opportunity.

Jessica Moses Jessica is a veterinarian, living in Fayetteville, GA. She and husband Randal Ransom (who is also a vet) have two young children.

Hunter pappas Hunter and wife Tiffany live in Vestavia Hills, AL and have a daughter born in April 2008. Hunter is the Sales Manager for Benco Dental Laboratories in Birmingham and Tiffany is a teacher at Homewood High.

1996Lorie (Gibbons) Addison Lorie is the Children’s Director for Mulder United Methodist Church in Wetumpka, while husband Mike works for Russell Construction. Lorie and Mike have two children, Ansley and Alex.

1997Susan Fortson Susan works for Los Gatos Research in Mountain View, CA, a company making a variety of different greenhouse gas analyzers used all over the world. Susan verifies that every instrument that leaves the facility is working to a certain specification before it is shipped out for scientific use. Susan says the work has been an amazing learning experience. “I’m even about to get

involved in a third major research project that involves looking for life on Mars (on the microscopic level of course). I know nothing about that project yet, but it sounds really neat!” Previously Susan worked for Lawrence Livermore National Labs, as a biomedical scientist. There, Susan worked on a variety of different cancer research projects that won significant awards. The research to which she contributed has also been published in several prestigious scientific journals.

tina (tatum) Frey Tina graduated with a Masters in Healthcare Administration from the University of St. Francis in Joliet, IL. She says she is enjoying her role as Manager of Imaging at Jewish Hospital Medical Center Northeast in Louisville. Their son, Logan, will be two years old in October 2010.

Richard Meadows Richard lives in Birmingham and is an associate with Capital Strategies Group, Inc. He is engaged to be married to Lindsey Bond, an interior designer who owns her own company.

Courtney (Lane) Rottgering Courtney and husband Will Rottgering live on the family’s farm in Fitzpatrick, AL. Both work in Montgomery, where Will is an air program

manager with ITT Technologies for Maxwell AFB and Courtney works in the English and Philosophy Department at AUM. They celebrated their sixth anniversary in 2010. A dedicated equestrian, Courtney had a successful show season in Spring 2010 and has earned a spot in the American Eventing Championships in September

phillip trussell Phillip is an English teacher in the Elmore County Public School System. He and wife Misty Michelle (Searcy) live in Wetumpka.

1998

philip Cameron Philip graduated in ’03 from Huntingdon College with a Bachelor of Arts in Business. He is the Media Manager for his own business, Philip Cameron Ministries. Philip and wife Melissa have a baby girl.

Leslie (Gaston) Marcus Leslie and her husband Dr. David Marcus live in Atlanta. She and David were married in April 2009. Leslie works for a small graphic design firm.

StJ’s Class of 2000 gathered for their tenth high school reunion in late May. Class members and their families met at the StJ campus for a lunch and tour of current facilities and later gathered for an evening celebration to renew friendships and catch up on what’s transpired during the decade after their high school graduation.

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Laura (pappas) Hassell Laura and husband Lee Hassell were married in August 2007 and live in Montgomery. She is a design consultant for Crossville Tile Company. Laura and Lee have a baby boy, born in April 2009.

Matthew Williams Matthew and wife Maria live in Mather, CA.

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Kate Dowdle Katie attended the College of Charleston and studied for two semesters in Florence, Italy (where she fell in love with photography) before graduating from Auburn with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and a concentration in Painting. Afterwards she moved to New York, painting in her Brooklyn studio and photographing everything. “I lived on the Upper East Side and worked in PR, HR, fashion, restaurants, whatever I had to do to keep my studio. Eventually I started working as a photographer shooting family portraits as well as headshots for my friends who were actors and comedians.” Kate eventually returned to Montgomery where she is working as a photographer “to create fun and natural portraits that will make my clients laugh and cry. I want to capture the hilarious expressions and precious things that kids do all of the time but parents can never seem to catch on film. My portfolio and information are on KateDowdlePhotography.com, and of course you can find me on Facebook.”

2000Matt Cowart Matt went to the North Carolina School of the Arts for acting, but switched to directing in his junior year. Since 2004 he has been successfully directing theater in NYC. He’s worked off Broadway with shows such as “Salacious Uncle Baldrick” and “Prophecy of Isaiah” with good friend and co-director Isaac Klein. With director Lonny Price, Matt assistant directed the Broadway musical “110 in the Shade.” He also associate directed with Lonny Price on the New York Philharmonic production of “Camelot,” with Gabriel

Byrne and Christopher Lloyd. Recently Matt wrote and directed “Dream Machines” with Isaac Klein—a show that is now touring the southeast as the “Open Dream Ensemble.” He directed “Two Gents” at the North Carolina School for the Arts—marking the second time Matt was asked to come back as an alumnus to direct a show.

Adrienne Kimble Adrienne graduated from Auburn University in 2005 with a B.A. in Mass Communications and a minor in Political Science. After working on Lucy Baxley’s 2006 campaign for Governor, she was the Finance Assistant for the Alabama Democratic Party prior to moving to Washington, D.C. Currently Adrienne is working at the Washington Speakers Bureau, as an Event Coordinator. Says Adrienne, “I love it! I get to work with politicians, authors, and athletes, etc. I like it a lot better than politics.”

Jamie (Webb) Konger Jamie graduated from Tulane Law School in May 2007. Jamie married John Konger in December 2009. John is a lawyer with his own firm in Tuscaloosa. Jamie is a civil and criminal lawyer practicing with the Fisher Law Firm in Tuscaloosa.

Christy Meadows Christy lives in Birmingham, where she has lived since graduating from the University of Alabama’s Capstone School of Nursing. She is an RN in Labor and Delivery at UAB, in addition to being a surgical nurse.

ian turnipseed Dr. Ian Turnipseed is the new Forensics Coach at STJ, beginning in August 2010. Ian finished his doctorate in Mass Communication.

Art Walthall Art and wife Jennifer (Shifferd) were married in 2005 and live in Huntsville where he is a Systems Analyst/Programmer with QinetiQ North America, Systems Engineering Group. Jennifer is a Technical Writer/CMA with the same company. Art is a 2004 AU graduate, with a B.A. in Anthropology. He was among the delegates selected from a nationwide pool to represent the USA at the 2004 International Mission on Anthropology and Archaeology held in China. Art is a 2008 Summa Cum Laude graduate of UA Huntsville, where he received a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Management Information Systems.

Will McBryde Will is one of ten graduate/Ph.D. level students hired by Mississippi State University as a Fellow to help promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in high/middle schools in the Starkville-Columbus, MS area. Will is also participating in an international research project in Poland at Maria Curie-Sklodowska University in Lublin, Poland. “The research I am conducting here in Poland,” Will says, “will serve as a baseline

study to be compared and contrasted to research currently being done at MSU in regards to watersheds and the surrounding environments… Upon my return to the United States I will have loads of information to share in the classroom to excite students in America to study and pursue a career

in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Some highlights of my trip thus far: I have drank from springs the locals consider holy, swam (and will soon scuba dive) in lakes that are considered recreational/national parks, and visited rivers that have overtopped their levees, destroying entire towns and leaving thousands homeless. It has been quite an experience.”

Sallye (Jeffcoat) York In October 2007, Sallye gave a piano recital in Ligon Chapel at Huntingdon College. She is currently pursuing a doctorate of Musical Arts in piano performance at the University of Alabama while studying with Amanda Penick. Sallye has a Masters of Music from the University of Oklahoma in piano performance with an emphasis in piano pedagogy and a Bachelors of Music from Louisiana State University. She is married to Chris York. The Yorks live in Tuskegee.

2001Beth Briand Beth is a clinical pharmacist, working at Baptist Medical Center in

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Jacksonville, FL after receiving her Ph.D. from Samford’s McWhorter School of Pharmacy. In 2007, Beth finished her pharmacy practice residency in Savannah, GA. She is the Internal Medicine Preceptor for the Pharmacy Practice Residency Program at Baptist Medical Center, and she is the Preceptor for pharmacy students from South University, the University of Florida, and Palm Beach Atlantic University. Beth is also a guest lecturer in Pharmacology for Nova Southeastern University’s Physician Assistant Program in Jacksonville. She was recently published in the clinical pharmacy journal, Pharmacotherapy.

Caroline (Doggette) Bishop Caroline and husband Ron Bishop live in Summerdale. On December 17, 2009 they proudly welcomed the birth of their first child, Catherine “Kennedy” Bishop. She was born at 7:14 p.m., weighing 8lbs. 8oz.

Alison (Warren) Chernin Alison (married in July 2008) is employed by The O’Neal, an independent school in Southern Pines, NC. Alison and husband Saul relocated to the Pinehurst, NC area during the summer of ‘09.

Nigel Guntharp Nigel lives in Montgomery and is an investment advisor with his own firm, Guntharp Financial Services.

Anna Belle (Wilder) Norton Anna Belle lives in Birmingham with her husband, Stuart Norton, a middle school history teacher. She graduated from Cumberland School of Law in May 2009, took the Alabama Bar in July 2009, and started clerking for a federal judge in Montgomery. She has accepted a job beginning in Fall 2010 as associate attorney with Bradley, Arant, Boult, Cummings in Birmingham.

Sarah (McElvy) plummer Sarah lives in Nashville, TN.

Wes Stewart Wes was married in the summer of 2006. He and wife Kristi live in Prattville. Both engineers, Wes works with Industrial Electrical Services and Kristi is employed with Southern Company. Wes and Kristi welcomed a new baby boy in August ‘09.

2002Victor ingalls Victor graduated from Furman University in the spring of 2006. After deciding to enter the Catholic priesthood, Victor was sent by Archbishop Oscar Lipscomb, then the Archbishop of Mobile, to St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia, PA. Following two years there, Victor was invited to study theology at the North American College in Rome. Victor says he expects to finish his studies in Rome during the spring of 2012, at which time he will return to Alabama to be ordained a Catholic Priest for the Archdiocese of

Mobile. “As a result,” Victor says, “I will spend my life serving the people of Southern Alabama…I now feel very convinced of my call to be a Catholic Priest. It is a great privilege to live and study here in Rome. My classes are in Italian and I am joined by men and women from all over the world in class each day. I continue to be deeply grateful for my 11 years spent at Saint James. I still consider myself very much formed by the education, values, and relationships of the Saint James community.” (The picture was taken in Rome with John and Gini Majors, during their visit to Rome in 2009 for their daughter Abbie Lee’s [’99] wedding.)

2003Reese Dunn Reese graduated from AU, in Biomedical Science and is the owner of Hydro-Green Erosion Control, LLC in Auburn, AL.

Brandon Kloess Brandon, a pitcher for the Kannapolis, NC Intimidators, played in the South Atlantic’s All-Star Game on June 22 in Greenville, SC. At game time Kloess, who

played for the North Division team, had a 0.92 ERA, five saves, and 37 strikeouts in 29 1/3 innings. The 2010 season is his second minor league season.

Haley Lucido Haley graduated

from AU in 2007 with a degree in Business Administration and Marketing, and a minor in Political Science. After working for the AL Republican Party, Haley became the Development Director for Montgomery’s Habitat for Humanity. There, she is heavily involved with several organizations in the community including Capital City Young Republicans, Capital City Republican Women, Young Montgomerians’ Business Club, Emerge, Delta Gamma Alumnae Club, and the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce. When not staying busy with everything she’s

involved in, she enjoys spending time with her black Labrador Retriever named Eli.

Arielle Schlesinger Arielle lives in Macon, GA, where she is an interior designer with Dunwoody/Beeland Architects.

2004Brady (Holt) Harris Brady married Dusty Harris in a May 2010 wedding. They live in the Mobile area.

Forrest Hull Forrest is a sergeant in the U.S. Army. He and his wife, Krista, make their home in Fairbanks, AK.

Emily Meadows Emily has been doing cancer research at UAB for the last two years. Her work has focused on breast and bladder cancer. She will be attending Physician Assistant School at UAB, beginning in August 2010.

Shealy Simons Shealy is attending UAB, working on a double major in psychology/forensic psychology. Afterwards she hopes to attend graduate school. She lives in Hoover and is engaged to be married.

2005parrish Alleman Parrish graduated from the University of Alabama in May 2009 with a B.S. in Telecommunication and Film. She is now working as a reporter and producer at KRIS-TV Channel 6 News in Corpus Christi, TX.

Callie Corley After completing a year working for Impact Alabama in Birmingham, Callie joined the staff of U.S. Congressman Bobby Bright in August 2010. She is the Congressman’s Press Assistant and Field Representative for the district’s northern counties and will be working in Montgomery, Elmore and Autauga counties.

Brooke Franco Brooke graduated from Rollins College in Winter Park, FL in May 2009, with a major in Critical Media and Cultural Studies. She is now getting her Masters in Advertising at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX.

2006Andrew Harris Andrew graduated from the University of South Alabama in May 2010 and began a Ph.D. in Chemistry at Vanderbilt (no Masters Degree step in between), the same month.

Anne Llewellyn Anne will be attending the University of Virginia in the fall of 2010, entering their Ph.D. program in English. Anne says Dr. Browning’s class on British Literature gave her an excellent foundation for higher levels of study.

Class of...

Submit Class Note and Photos! Mail to: Alumni Director, Saint James School, 6010 Vaughn Road, Montgomery, Alabama 36116. FAX (do not fax photos, please) 334.277.2542. or visit our online address at www.stjweb.org/alumni_reg.asp to register and send information by email.

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When Birmingham-Southern College performed the musical “Hair” in the spring, anyone familiar with the StJ performing Arts Department saw a lot of familiar faces. the production included six talented StJ stage veterans. the actors (shown, l-r) are alums Meredith Dubberly ’09; Gannon Love ’07; Christina Johnson ’06; Brandon McCabe ’06; and Brian Haven ’09. (Allen Young ’09 was also in the cast, but he had already left the stage when the photos were taken.)

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Michael Mangus Michael graduated in May 2010 with a BSIS from Pittsburgh’s School of Information Science. He starts the combined M.A./Ph.D. program in Communication in the fall of 2010 at the University of California, Santa Barbara as a Regents Special Fellow. Michael says that if all goes according to plan he’ll “begin scrounging in the academic job market in 2015.”

Sean Zeeck Sean graduates in December 2010, with a mechanical engineering degree. He studied abroad, in Germany, during the summer of 2009, conducting automotive engineering research. Sean began a job search in April, at the same time as he was studying for his Fundamentals of Engineering Exam — to help move him forward in his goal of becoming a professional engineer.

2007Audrianna Archibald Audrianna is attending UAB.

Will Clein Will is attending Birmingham-Southern College.

paul Furlong Paul was stage manager for the University of South Alabama’s production of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” in April.

Frazier Hull Frazier is attending the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Molly Cowart An upcoming senior at Florida State University, Molly is studying to become

a broadcast meteorologist. In the fall, spring and summer of her freshman year, Molly studied abroad in Valencia, Spain with FSU. In the summer of ‘09, Molly interned in New York City with NBC New York’s Janice Huff as Huff’s weather intern at Rockefeller Center.

2008Emma Carpenter Emma, a rising junior attending Belmont University in Nashville, competed for and won the title of Miss Music City 2010. Emma’s talent was a vocal rendition of the song “Astonishing” and her platform

addressed chronic spine disorders in children and young adolescents. The Miss Music City pageant is a part of the Miss America program, providing scholarship opportunities for young women who want to compete in the Miss America Scholarship program. Emma advanced to the Miss Tennessee Scholarship Pageant in June, and performed during the pageant’s opening night.

Clark Hankins Clark was recently named to the Southern Conference (SOCON) Academic All Conference team. He compiled a 3.32 cumulative GPA during his first three semesters and started in more than two-thirds of the games for the College of Charleston’s Division 1 men’s soccer program. Clark became the starting goalkeeper for the Cougars half way through his freshman year, compiling a 7-6 won/lost record with

three shutouts. His team advanced to the conference finals. This past season as a sophomore, Clark went 10 and 5 with a 1.2 goals against average, four shutouts, and an all-tournament team selection during a mid-season tournament. Clark was also

named the College of Charleston Athlete of the Week after a 2-0 shutout of UNC Greensboro, followed by a nine-save effort in a 1-0 loss to a Wake Forest team that was ranked fourth in the nation.

Class of...

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Editor’s Note: Class notes are submitted by alumni and are not verified by the editor. While we welcome class news, Columns is not responsible for information contained in class notes.

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STJ faculty wins parents’ praises

May 17, 2010

Mrs. Richardson,

as we end this school year, barry and i feel strongly that we want to make you aware of our experience this year at Saint James. emily has had a great eleven years at Saint James (k4-9) and we have been pleased with her academic and personal accomplishments, but we were reminded this year as our youngest daughter graduates from kindergarten just why we work so hard to keep our kids at Saint James. it all began in kindergarten! as young parents, when emily was in the elementary, we took it for granted thinking that all schools were like this. after 10 years of experience and hearing from friends and family with children in other schools, we know that this staff is special.

Mary rodgers was at a preschool where we were very comfortable as her aunt was the director and she got a lot of attention. She could have stayed there for kindergarten, but after having gone through Saint James kindergarten with emily, we wanted Mary rodgers to have those same opportunities. once again, Mrs. Murphy rose to the occasion. From the moment we pull in carpool, greeted by smiling faces and positive comments, Mary Rodgers jumps out of the car and runs in, many times forgetting to tell us “goodbye.” it is evident that the elementary staff loves what they do and that they don’t get up and come to a “job” everyday. they have created an atmosphere where she feels comfortable, and loves to be. Sending our child to Mrs. Murphy has been like sending her to family. Mary rodgers knows that Mrs. Murphy loves her and that school is fun because Mrs. Murphy has made it fun. Mrs. Murphy makes her feel good about who she is and has given her confidence in what she can achieve. She has let her know that it is o.k. to make mistakes and to be accepting of others. She has learned teamwork and sharing.

I should also mention that Mary Rodgers has learned to read, write, add, and subtract, but academic excellence is easy to document and Barry and I feel that some of the most important lessons in life are not always “academic.” Mary rodgers has learned many life lessons from Mrs. Murphy, as did emily. both of our girls like school and love Saint James, and we truly believe that it is because of the experiences they had in the elementary. we are so thankful for Mrs. Murphy, Mrs. Shepherd, and all of the elementary staff. they have started both of our girls out on a wonderful path towards academic and personal excellence. after 11 years, emily still receives handwritten notes from Mrs. capilouto applauding her accomplishments. each note brings a smile to her face and tears to my eyes.

It is a wonderful feeling to see them being cared for and mentored when they are away from home. we will never be able to express to you and these teachers how they have affected our family. please relay to them how truly special they are, and how meaningful even the simplest things are!

Sincerely,

barry and Jeana prim

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