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Changemakers: UCDS Alumni
March 2019
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Hello Fellow UCDS Alumni,
Welcome to the latest UCDS Alumni Newsletter! I hope in reading it, your mind is whisked back to this special place where our education took root. Years after moving on, I continue to value the many skills UCDS taught me, applying them regularly as I rise into leadership roles at my high school.
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I often find myself thinking “what would UCDS do?” UCDS will always ask “why” and you will find this mentality reflected in this issue of the newsletter. UCDS alumni continue to impress me with how they lead change and the passion they have for doing it. As I reflect on my time at UCDS (reflection, a thing we learn to love there), I think of fun times galore: Math Vitamins, Milk and Cookies, Valentine’s Day lunches & class meetings. In fact, I will forever be grateful for a skill I learned in class meetings -- persuasion! Whether the topic was deciding what class pet to get or how to allocate time in the comfy chair, I was learning to argue for my position and to win allies.
Recently, I joined the UCDS Alumni Board and in some ways, felt like a first grader all over again. I am one of the younger members and most of the others have more life and board experience than I do. I was nervous at first, but I needn’t have been. Fellow members immediately invited me into conversation and listened to what I had to say. As students, everyone’s ideas are equal at UCDS and that still is the case with the Alumni Board today.
Abby Sanderson, UCDS Class of 2013
Pictured above, third from left, with UCDS Alum friends Mei-ji Fong, Marla Mitchell, and Mackie Williams
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Alumni Changemakers: Leaders of Tomorrow
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Sabreen Tuku, Community Activist, UCDS Class of 2014
Sabreen Tuku recently joined in the Seattle Womxn's March with family and friends. She's been a part of the march for all three years, and says “I (attend) to represent women – Muslim, Ethiopian, black people — and they want to make a change," she said.
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Sabreen said the context for the march is always shifting. “Every year is different because every year something happens, either moving forward or backward, where you have more of a feeling like you need to do something.” Sabreen has been featured in local news stories several times over the last few years for her participation in community events!
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Rachel Leavitt-Baron,
Advisory Board Chair
Rachel led 17 Seattle Academy high school students on a trip to build houses and restore wetlands impacted by Hurricane Katrina devastation. Rachel says, "Giving back to communities in need continues to be a priority for me -- and I learned to love helping others during my time at UCDS!"
Rachel breaking up concrete in New Orleans (summer 2018).
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Nikolas Ioannou, Wastify App Creator, UCDS Class of 2014
Nikolas won the 2018 congressional App Challenge for WA-07. Don't know if something is recyclable? NIkolas's awesome App, Wastify, might clear things up for you! It's coming soon to your App store- stay tuned.
Learn more in the video below!
Nikolas, left, pictured in his UCDS Moving-on portrait from 2013-14
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UCDS Alumni, Nikolas Ioannou, shares more about his winning App, Wastify, that uses machine learning to automatically detect how you should dispose of your waste.
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In His Own Words
Dan Wilson, UCDS Class of 1999
UCDS is actually where I discovered my love of acting. I had terrible stage fright as a kid, and had no interest in performing anything for anybody, anywhere. But in 5th grade, we all had to be in the school play, so I was able to confront that fear in a supportive group setting. I was the mirror on the wall in a short Snow White play, and although I only had a few lines, my mom (who had been in the audience) pointed out that I was also mouthing everyone else’s words—I had memorized the whole play without trying. That’s when I first thought, “you know, this theatre thing is kind of fun!” The rest is history.
Below is a photo of me as Macbeth in Macbeth, with Vanessa Gamble as Lady M. Presented by the Shakespeare Center of LA, 2017. Although I do film work and modern plays as well, classics are my greatest passion.
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Nate Benjamin
Alumni Advisory Board Co-Chair, UCDS Class of 2000
Nate got engaged this past summer at Rosario Resort on Orcas Island. He will be marrying Kristen Cifelli, a nurse at Seattle Children’s Hospital, this May in Philadelphia. Stunning Engagement photo below!
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Julie Lutton (formerly Keller) UCDS Class of 1996
Julie and Matt Lutton were married in August in Port Gamble, Washington. Julie's brothers, and fellow UCDS alumni, Charlie Keller (Moving On '98) and Sam Keller (Moving On '01), officiated the ceremony!
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UCDS College for School Culture, Master of Education Program launching this fall!
Become a grad student at UCDS!
We are thrilled to announce that the UCDS College for School Culture, Master of Education program is accepting applications for August 2019 enrollment! We invite all of your questions and inquiries at csc@ucds.org. We also welcome you to share this news with friends and colleagues interested in deepening their practice and passion for teaching and learning!
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Grandparents & Special Friends Day
New for Alumni!
Interested in being a special friend to one of our current UCDS Students? We'd love to have you join us!
*Open to Alumni 16 years and up.*
Lunch and snacks provided!
Event Details:
Thursday, April 4th
8:45-12:00 @ UCDS
RSVP: Email gpsfday@ucds.org
8th Grade Reunion @ UCDS
Join us with your family and siblings for a fun dinner event at UCDS.
Wednesday, April 17th
6-7:30PM @ UCDS Interconnection
RSVP: Please email Tylero@ucds.org by April 10th.
*Mailed Invitation to Follow*
Alumni Board Meetings @ UCDS
Join us for one of our Alumni Advisory Board Meetings this Spring!
Email alumni@ucds.org for more information and dates!
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