Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Alverno
March 2016
Content
I am always in awe when I meet alumnae, and I continue to be in awe of all the women who enter
through the Michillinda gates each year. This year at Alverno, we are sharing stories and I would like to
share how Alverno has impacted my story.
My story began in South Lake Tahoe, where I was born and raised, continued in the San Francisco Bay
Area when I became a Bronco at Santa Clara University and (after a brief break from teaching to
welcome my three amazing kids into the world) landed in Southern California where I worked with
students from schools all over the San Gabriel Valley. When I decided to leave parish work and return to
the classroom, it was only Alverno that tugged on my heart. I started teaching Theology at Alverno in
the fall of 2004, having applied because of an Alverno alumna whom I had met previously. In fact, I sent
my resume in without even having inquired if there was a job opening in Theology. All I knew at that
moment was that God was calling me in a new direction, and that my heart was drawn toward
Alverno. The Alverno women always stood out to me; they had a character and quality about them that
set them apart. They were funny, kind, compassionate, bold, unashamed, passionate and intelligent
women. Little did I know at that time that Alverno would become -- like to so many of YOU -- my home
away from home.
Alverno is my second home because of the girls who have graced its classrooms, both then and now. I
look forward to coming to campus every day and here are some of the reasons why:
"Alverno has given me the opportunity to surround myself with girls from all backgrounds and walks of
life. I've already formed such strong bonds with the girls in my class and these bonds have shown me an
amazing sense of sisterhood.” Abby Aguirre '19
"Alverno will always hold a special place in my heart. It’s where I learned to love to learn. Alverno helped
shape my future by leading me in the direction of my calling, which is to teach. Attending an all-girl
school developed me into the outspoken, confident woman I am today.” Waleuska Perez '08
"My years at Alverno encouraged me to be a confident individual, helping me step out of my comfort
zone to try new things such as sports, skits, pep rallies, and improv. Alverno has taught me kindness
even if it’s a simple smile down the hall, humor is a gift itself and should be shared with others, and lastly
never forget to be your true self." Taylor Valenzuela '14
"Before I attended Alverno I was afraid of speaking my mind. Alverno has taught me not only to say and
stand up for what I believe in, but how to do that while respecting the opinions of others. This skill has
allowed me to become more confident and see things from different points of view." Amanda Hill '19
There is currently an Instagram series called "Humans of Alverno" where current students and alumnae
share how Alverno has impacted their story. The series, created by Asia Leong '17 and Kimberly Ganivet
'16, was “created this with the hope that we could all gain more of an understanding of one another and
it could serve as a tool to help more girls share their stories." Alverno women, YOU are amazing. Much
love to you and thank you for making Alverno the incredible institution that it is today. YOU inspire me
and I am absolutely honored to serve at your Alma Mater.
Many Blessings,
Cam Werley-Gonzales
Asst. Head of School
Dear Alumnae,
The Summer Academic Conservatory for Middle School Girls at
Alverno High School provides girls with the opportunity to build healthy
friendships with other girls and academically prepare for high school!
Open to 6th-8th grade girls, the Conservatory follows Alverno’s mission of
empowering each young woman to be exactly the person she wants to be.
June 14, 2016-July 14, 2016 Full-Day Program: $1,500 $1,250 for Alumnae Half-Day Program: $1,000 $850 for Alumnae
· 200 NORTH MICHILLINDA AVENUE · SIERRA MADRE · (626) 355-3463 · WWW.ALVERNO-HS.ORG ·
Summer Conservatory for Middle School Girls
Page 5
“Great news! We are excited to offer you a spot in the Costa Rica Research & Education
Fellowship from April 16th-23rd, 2016. This 8-day intensive course will engage teachers in EPI’s
inquiry-based instructional methods through hands-on learning initiatives and field research.”
“This was the heading of the email I received late last year, notifying me that I had been
one of fifteen teachers across the United States who was offered a fellowship to one of my
favorite countries in the world, Costa Rica. Since 2009 I have been offering all Alverno students
and their parents an opportunity to travel with the science department to Costa Rica to study the
natural wonders that this country offers. The science department has offered this educational trip
to Costa Rica three times so far, with each trip highly attended by current Alverno students and
parents. Another trip is planned for the summer of 2017. Traveling the world (or even in your
own backyard) to explore scientific processes, as they occur naturally outside of the classroom, is
a very important part of any long term educational process.
This particular fellowship program that I have been chosen to participate in is based
primarily on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. For 8 days, along with 14 other teachers and
researchers, I will be housed on a Caribbean beach in a bungalow. From 1 am-5 am every
morning I will monitor a protected tropical beach; searching for nesting Leatherback sea turtles.
While walking on foot for about 5 miles and taking a nightly census of their current location,
specific to the stretch of beach. You can imagine my excitement, as I am sure there will be
nothing quite like seeing a gigantic leatherback sea turtle crawl out of a dark ocean to lay its
eggs.
Moreover, while on this trip I will be exploring various biological rainforest reserves to learn
about tropical forest ecology. This fantastic field experience also incorporates cultural exchange,
service learning, and urban sustainability which will inspire my own classroom instruction while
deepening my students understanding of the complexities of global environmental issues. While
I am very excited to have been chosen for this fellowship, I also fully appreciate all of the
abundance of support the Alverno science department continues to receive from Ms. Julia Fanara
our Head of School, Ms. Cam Gonzales the Assistant Head of School, and all faculty and staff
who continue to work tirelessly to contribute to Alverno’s phenomenal academic journey for all
of its students.”
- Suzy Ares ’93, Alverno High School Science Department Chair/Teacher
Page 6
Is Machu Picchu on Your Bucket List?
Alverno High School has put together our first ever trip abroad for alumnae and
past parents! This will be an amazing opportunity to embark on a fun, cultural
adventure and we are excited at the thought of sharing it with you. The best part?
You are free to take whomever you’d like as your travel partner!
Tour Fee: $3,099.00
Sign up by 3/28/2016 and use voucher code Alverno2017 at enrollment
to receive this discounted price!
This will be an opportunity of a lifetime to travel and see all that Peru has to offer.
Don’t miss it!
Join us on Wednesday, March 16th at 5:30
for an informational meeting
in Alverno High School’s Cafeteria.
Interested?
For more information and to sign up go to- www.Explorica.com/Campos-3605
or call the Customer Care Team at 1 (888) 310-7121
Click here for more information! FAQ Link
Page 7
Alverno Founders Circle
Page 9
Class of 2013 -
“ ” duties have arrived!
Mary’s Day
Mary’s Day
Email [email protected] to RSVP for
Senior Farewell and/or sign up to be a Mary’s Day Judge.
your
Page 10
Marissa Seanez ’13, Vanessa Seranno ’13, Mimi Capra ’11, Jasmine
Ross ’11, Lily Koch ’09, Melissa Campos ’08, Danielle Tan ’07, Sunny
Lui ’19, Chandnee Raina ’17, Rain Villanueva ’17, Abby Aguirre ’19,
Vale Siess ’17, Allison Joseph ’17, Allison Johnson ’17, Danielle
Ramirez ’16, Rita Kearns ’19, Amanda Hill ’19, Clara Avila ’16, Lilly
Pentecost ’19, Precious Perlas ’19, and Natalie Valencia ‘16
Julia Fanara-Head of School P’01, ‘03, ‘05 , Kiki Delgadillo’16,
Jessica Capra ’10, Susana Capra ’04, Maha Abdallah ’11, Fairuz
Abdallah ’05, Amy Delgado ‘04, Nikki Oberhammer ’18, Dina Der
Vartanian ’16, Larissa Hernandez ’17, Coach Ken Berry, Brianna
Gomez ’16, Briana Del Real ’08, Natasha Brown ’06, Mackenzie
Winslow ’12, Christina Diaz ’14, Nicolette Tuscany ’14, and Isabel
Diaz ‘16
Page 11
Show your spirit!
Next up… Alumnae
04.16.16
Page 12
Sara McCarthy ’05, Alex Fanara ’03, Valeria Zanelli ’02, Melissa Campos ’08, Madeleine Aguilar
’08, Stephanie Pickford ’07, Caroline McLoughlin ’09, Erika Mota-Capra ’07, Rachel Lauerman
’09, Jessie Mota ’10, Samantha Cabrera ’06, Connie Chhay ’08, Ashni De Alwis ’08, and Elizabeth
Neumeyer ‘13
Page 13
Let’s put our hands together for
our Alumnae Association
Representatives
Monica Taft ’88 – Board President
Bridget Marshall ’64
Diana Durr Phillippi ’78
Raina Martinez ’88
Andrea Bertollini ’91
Patty Park ’05
Sara McCarthy ‘05
Caroline McLoughlin ’09
Stephanie Pickford ‘07
Madeline Aguilar ‘08
Maryanne Householder ‘11
Victoria Pintado ‘14
Waleuska Perez ‘08
Page 14
Past “Alumna of the Year”…
“My children were 12, 6, and 4 when I was honored with the Alumna of the Year in 2005. So many things have happened since then. My husband, John, and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary this past December. Our son, Brendan, is now 23 years old and in an adult day program. He is a happy autistic man who brings joy to those around him. My daughter Ciara is now 17 years old and will be graduating from Alverno this June. She has flourished during her time at my alma mater. She is headed to Whittier College in the Fall. My youngest child, Áine Clare, died this past November at the age of 14 after living with intractable epilepsy her entire life. And live she did. The Alverno community has been a solid source of strength and love and commitment during my time as an alumna, as a parent, and for Ciara as a student these past four years. They rallied around us during my youngest daughter’s time in the hospital, then at home on hospice, and through the earning of her angel wings and beyond. I am so proud to be a part of the community. As I take this year to reconstruct myself, I look forward to seeing how I can continue to incorporate Alverno in my life’s journey. I keep up with fellow alums on Facebook and look forward to the 30th reunion this summer for the class of 1986!”
- Alexia Prokop Madigan ‘86 I received the Alumna of the Year award in 2000, it was really quite an honor. My dad had passed away the year before, I had sold my condo in Laguna Niguel and moved back home with my mom. I had a new job at JPL as the Employee Recreation Center Manager and Buyer. Just a couple of years later, though, I left JPL and went from Space to Health! I started working at City of Hope in Duarte, CA. in 2002 and have been here ever since. I have been on the medical side, the research side, and for the last 10 plus years in communications. I do tours and events. I love taking people out and telling them about City of Hope. I love learning from our researchers and our doctors about the research and clinical
trials we are doing here at City of Hope. And I love the education factor! City of Hope has its own university - you can get a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences here! We also have a high school and college summer school program for promising young scientists. Aside from that, I love to travel and take a cruise at least once a year - it's Hawaii and Vancouver, Canada this year. I also sit on the Board of Trustees at Alverno and am learning a lot with this new experience. I am not yet ready to retire but when I am I will find something else that I can be passionate about.
- Bridget Marshall ‘64
Page 16
Hunt
Among the many changes Alverno has seen this year is the creation of a brand new
Speech & Debate Team. This activity, which puts students in intellectual battles over high
moral, philosophical, social, and political concepts, has been a welcome addition to the campus.
So far, most of the tournaments the team has
prepared for have been small competitions
where they have faced students in their local
league from schools like Flintridge Sacred Heart
Academy, San Marino High School, and La
Cañada High School. However, over Presidents’
Day Weekend, three members of the team were
selected to travel to UC Berkeley to compete in
the nation’s largest Speech & Debate
tournament. Berkeley was an eye-opening
experience that illuminated what the
competition was like on the national level.
“Speech & Debate was, by far, the most valuable
part of my educational experience growing up,
and I am excited to see the team grow here at
Alverno,” said new head coach Tim McHugh.
Class of 2016!More than three quarters of the senior class participated in the Jaguars for Life Program,
giving their class the highest participation yet! Great job, ladies!
Our Alverno Alumnae thank you for kick-starting
your PHILANTHROPIC LIFESTYLE early!
and
Page 18
Alverno Alumnae
Upcoming Events
Credit Card: ____________________________________ Expiration: _____________ CVC: _______
Check #: __________________ Cash: _______________
**If name on credit card is different than that of the name desired to appear on brick,
please note here: ________________________________________ Page 20
Alverno
Alverno.
