101 N. Warson Road Saint Louis, MO 63124 Non-Profit Organization Address Service Requested United States Postage PAID Saint Louis, Missouri PERMIT NO. 230 THE MAGAZINE VOLUME 29 NO. 2 | SPRING 2019 THEN NOW PAGE 30 Around the World INTERNATIONAL TRADITIONS in One Afternoon Mary Institute celebrated the rich diversity of our world with a Lower School “United Nations” program during World War II, and the 2019 International Expo honored the traditions of 46 countries and regions. THE MICDS INTERNATIONAL EXPO CONTENTS ALUMNI ACCOLADES 14 Features: 14 Reimagining School in Nepal From an independent project senior year to starting a non-profit in Nepal, Janie Kaiser ’11 comes full circle. 04 05 42 Supporting the Needs of 14 Every Child A mission-driven framework encourages students to learn self-awareness, relation- 28 22 ship skills, responsible decision-making Congratulations! and more. Maya Howard ’15 For the second straight year, Maya Howard ’15 was named NCAC Player of the Year. She broke the all-time school scoring record and now has over 1,500 points for her career at DePauw. Her team won the NCAC In this issue: 06 conference championship and tournament. MISSION MATTERS Chrissy Taylor Broughton ’94 02 A Message from Lisa Lyle Chrissy Taylor Broughton ’94 was promoted to President of Enterprise 04 Headliners Holdings at the end of 2018. She will retain her role as Chief Operating 18 Academic Excellence 42 Officer with the promotion. 24 Faculty Excellence 28 Our Community 34 The Arts Becky Tsadik ’04 38 Vibrant Future We are very proud of Becky Tsadik ’04, who was awarded an opportunity to be part of the latest class of the Ethiopian Diaspora Fellows, a talented 48 #RamNation group of young professionals from the U.S. who are selected to spend up to six months in Ethiopia to intern at various organizations. CLASS NOTES 55 For the Record 70 Events 73 Alumni Accolades 07 ABOUT MICDS MAGAZINE MICDS Magazine has been in print since 1993. It is published three times per year. Unless otherwise noted, articles may be reprinted with credit to MICDS. EDITOR Amy M. Zlatic DESIGN Almanac HEAD OF SCHOOL Lisa L. Lyle DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Monica Shripka MULTIMEDIA SPECIALIST Glennon Williams CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Crystal D'Angelo OUR MISSION Lisa L. Lyle Wes Jenkins More than ever, our nation needs responsible CLASS NOTES COPY EDITORS Phoebe Scott Burke ’69 men and women who can meet the challenges Anne Stupp McAlpin ’64 of this world with confidence and embrace all its Libby Hall McDonnell ’58 Peggy Dubinsky Price ’65 people with compassion. The next generation Cliff Saxton ’64 must include those who think critically and ADDRESS CHANGE resolve to stand for what is good and right. Office of Alumni and Development MICDS, 101 N. Warson Rd. Our School cherishes academic rigor, encourages St. Louis, MO 63124 and praises meaningful individual achievement, CORRESPONDENCE and fosters virtue. Our independent education Office of Communications MICDS, 101 N. Warson Rd. prepares young people for higher learning St. Louis, MO 63124 and for lives of purpose and service. [email protected] OUR STRATEGIC PLAN PRIORITIES FOLLOW US! TRANSFORMATIVE STUDENT EXPERIENCE /MICDSSCHOOL MICDSSTL GREAT TEACHING AND LEARNING 2.0 @MICDS ENSURING A VIBRANT SCHOOL FUTURE @MICDS _ OFFICIAL MARY INSTITUTE & SAINT LOUIS COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL ALUMNI MICDS 1 A MESSAGE FROM LISA LYLE magazine.micds.org Dear MICDS Family, During my visit as a candidate 13 years ago, I met When I was invited to lead MICDS, I felt like I’d won members of the MICDS Class of 2007. At the the lottery. And I still do. Over the last 12 years, time, Tucker (our youngest child and a member it has been my honor and privilege to serve this of the Class of 2011) was in 8th grade. I remember fine School. How lucky I was to be here at a time wondering whether there was any way he would of great change: together, in partnership with become as confident, articulate and polite as the a spectacular administrative team and faculty, young men and women with whom I was meeting. donors and the board, we have built on the strong What I couldn’t yet know — and now recognize as foundation of our predecessor schools — Country a singular strength of the MICDS community — is Day School and Mary Institute — to ensure that that he would indeed take on the traits so valued our educational programs provide all of our in our community: he is curious, respectful and students with the essential knowledge and skills confident; he continues to engage in community — and habits of heart and mind — to thrive in the service; thanks to teachers like Lynn Mittler, world that awaits them. Susan Good, Gabe Ashman and Al Begrowicz, Tucker is both a solid writer and great at math; MICDS has transformed the educational offerings and he is bound to MICDS by both a strong web of and requirements for graduation. Today, our friendships and a powerful professional network. students may choose to graze broadly and graduate with broad foundational knowledge You might wonder why I have started this, my and skills, or they may choose to gorge more final letter to the community, with a paragraph deeply in areas of interest and passion. Their about Tucker. First and foremost, as a mother, classroom experiences are complemented I am deeply grateful to this community. I am so by a host of co-curricular experiences thankful for the amazing educators and coaches including many international study and travel who challenged and supported him, and I am opportunities, science competitions and bench grateful to the many donors who made possible research, service programs, plus sports and the learning and athletic spaces from which clubs galore. It is the teachers who make these he benefited. And as a professional educator, I experiences possible by dedicating the whole know that Tucker’s experience is typical of that of their professional lives to our students. It is of so many generations of students who have in this way they prepare our students to meet been lucky enough to experience the education the challenges of this world with confidence. offered by MICDS. Like so many others, he left MICDS with strong fundamental knowledge and During this same time, our campus has been skills that prepared him well for the academic transformed thanks to the very generous challenges of college. Equally important, he support of alumni, parents and friends of the had developed strong social skills, a strong School. McDonnell Hall and Brauer Hall offer sense of what is good and right and excellent unparalleled teaching and learning spaces for communication skills, all of which serve him today STEM education; Brauer Auditorium allows our in the workplace and beyond. community to come together both formally and informally in assembly and social commons. 2 SPRING 2019 magazine.micds.org We have long held that athletic venues represent ensure that each day every student interacts with an extension of our classrooms and now these others whose experiences and viewpoints are new facilities demonstrate that commitment different. The curriculum, too, provides important as well: the Steward Family Aquatic Center windows and mirrors into a range of experiences and William R. Orthwein Sr. Pool, Ron Holtman and perspectives. While not always easy, these Stadium, O’Hara Field and Holekamp Stadium. experiences provide essential preparation for the future: whether they remain in St. Louis or MICDS learning opportunities extend far beyond pursue jobs around the globe, we can be sure the physical campus or traditional academic day. that all students will need the skills and desire to Students can often be found out and about in the work effectively across cultural differences and to St. Louis area. Lower Schoolers may create the embrace all people with compassion. Ultimate Kids Tour of St. Louis and then take a field trip to realize their plans. Middle Schoolers As I leave in June to lead Zurich International may visit various faith communities to better School, I am so thankful for my time in this understand how their peers worship. Upper community and for sweet Ellie, a wonderful Schoolers may conduct field research for their reminder of our years here. My husband, David, History of St. Louis class, dig deeper at the Saint and I have loved our time here and are so grateful Louis Art Museum or work at a food pantry with for the many friendships that will carry us into their advisory. Students compete at the Robotics the future and connect us back to MICDS. And World Championship; travel to Costa Rica to we are excited about what lies ahead for us as we learn about place-based ecology; participate continue to explore the world together. in community service in a medical clinic in Peru and build houses with Habitat for Humanity in I have every confidence that Jay Rainey will serve Texas; and participate in homestays and school MICDS well and lead the School to new levels of exchanges in China, Argentina and France. In the excellence! We wish Jay and Ruth many years of summer, MICDS students who participate in the joy in Mr. Beasley’s house. highly competitive STARS program outnumber those from any other school in St. Louis. It is in Warmly, this way that they come to understand what it means to lead lives of purpose and service. As St. Louis has changed demographically, so has MICDS. Students come to us from all over the metro area, from as far to the east as Troy, Illinois, and as far to the west as Troy, Missouri. Lisa Lyle Over the past 12 years, MICDS has welcomed Head of School many international families.