atrium - Gulliver Schools

WINTER/SPRING ‘08-‘09 | A MAGAZINE FOR FRIENDS AND ALUMNI
the atrium
Head of School
John Krutulis
Sr. Director, Advancement
Ted Milford
Associate Director of Advancement
Meredith Ray Feder
Director of Communications
and Public Relations
Jennifer Vaida
Director of Alumni and Parent Relations
Linda Fitzgerald
Communications Specialist
Nathalie Santa Maria
Publications/Web Specialist
Adrian Santaella
Contributing Writers
Karina Duenas Aragon ‘85
Ashley Gillett
Kevin McCaffrey
Lisa-Marie Pierre
Nathalie Santa Maria
Cristina Suarez
Jennifer Vaida
Betty Zipse
Senior Management Team
Head of School
John Krutulis
Sr. Director, Provost
Gloria Bracciano
Sr. Director, Finance
Jose Fuente
Sr. Director, Controller
Ron Hurst
Sr. Director, Advancement
Ted Milford
Sr. Director, Risk Management and Operations
Otto Paier
Sr. Director, Facilities and Construction
Jaime Prosper
Sr. Director, Human Resources
James Santoro
Marian Krutulis - Director Emeritus
Board of Trustees
Jeffrey Bartel ‘84 - Chairman
Sarah Nesbitt Artecona ‘83
Barry S. Gould
Bill Kerdyk
Dr. Roy Nirschel
Emilio Nuñez ‘83
Abigail Watts-FitzGerald
Libby Witherspoon ‘87
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Advancement Briefs
A Message from the Head of School
News Around Campus
4, 6
5
8, 15, 22
Student Profiles - Christopher Ruben Ricardo, Stephanie Sommers
10
In Remembrance: Vivan Elliott; Faculty Profile - Adam Shachner ‘98
12
Silver Knights Candidates ‘08 - ‘09
14
contents
Administrative Profile - Dr. Peg Escovar
16
Gulliver ‘08-‘09 Honor Roll
18
For Our Military - A Tribute
20
Meet the Gulliver Schools Board of Trustees
26
the atrium is published by the Gulliver Schools Office
of Communications and Public Relations and is
distributed free of charge to all friends and alumni of
Gulliver Schools.
Alumni Profile - David Krochmal ‘90
28
Q & A with Eddie Stephens ‘89
30
Contributions of photographs and articles are
encouraged; however, items submitted will not
be returned.
A Message from Mrs. K
33
Alumni Perspective - Karina Duenas Aragon ‘85
34
Gulliver Schools is a private, not-for-profit,
501(c) (3) independent, coeducational, nonsectarian
day school.
55 Years of Excellence
36
Photo Gallery of 2008 Alumni Events
37
Upcoming Alumni Events
38
Alumni Roll Call
40
Alumni Spotlight - Andrew Trench ‘00
43
Our Golf Classic Sponsors:
GULLIVER SCHOOLS’ 7TH ANNUAL
GOLF CLASSIC WAS A
Hoinl-eOne
On a beautiful South Florida day at Deering Bay Yacht &
Country Club, Gulliver Schools hosted its 7th Annual Golf
Classic, which generated over $40,000 to benefit the school’s
athletic program. More than 100 golfers turned out to support
Gulliver, making the event a huge success.
On January 26, golfers enjoyed the opportunity to participate in prize-winning contests such as
Hole-in-One, Longest Drive, and Straightest Drive. The tournament was followed by a dinner
reception emceed by Jayro, the voice of the Miami Hurricanes, during which awards and prizes
were presented.
“The school was thrilled with this year’s results and is pleased that in these challenging economic
times, so many golfers made the commitment to play, helping raise funds to support Gulliver’s
talented body of student-athletes,” says Joanne Symes, assistant director of advancement and
alumni relations, who spearheaded the event.
On the heels of this year’s success, plans for the 2010 tournament are already underway. The
event will return to Deering Bay Yacht & Country Club on Monday, January 25, 2010, so mark
your calendars. To learn more, call the Advancement Office at 786.709.4082.
Many very special thanks to this year’s golf sponsors Fairholme, Mallah Furman, Bank of
America, and Outback Steakhouse, and to our loyal Corporate Partners.
Gulliver Corporate Partners:
A MESSAGE FROM THE Head
of School
W
elcome to the winter/spring ‘08-‘09 issue of our atrium magazine.
We are pleased that this edition highlights the exceptional
community service efforts of our school. Gulliver has a great tradition
of giving back to its community locally, nationally, and globally. From a very young age,
our students are taught the value of service and the pure joy that comes with helping
others. As they mature, our boys and girls are able to identify their individual strengths
and talents, which they then use to develop specific community projects to enhance the
daily lives of others. Our students also have excellent adult role models in the form of
parents and teachers who, as you will see in this issue, also make service a top priority.
Gulliver has a thriving community of parents who, through their efforts on the school’s
behalf, consistently demonstrate their commitment to the school’s mission and
philosophy. They truly believe that children deserve the best education they can possibly
receive, and they work tirelessly to ensure Gulliver maintains its position as one of the
premier educational institutions in Florida. I want to personally thank all of our parents
for their constant support and for trusting the school to identify and target key priorities.
In addition, I also would like to thank everyone who has contributed to our Annual Fund.
We set the ambitious goal of $300,000 for the 2008-2009 school year and have nearly
achieved that goal. I cannot tell you what it means to see our school “G” nearly filled to
the 300K mark! It means that our parents and friends understand the challenges we
face as a 501(c) (3) organization and that they are willing to make a selfless gift to
ensure we are provided all the resources necessary to create an optimum learning
environment for our students. Through our Annual Fund, the school seeks donations that are deemed repeatable
and replaceable on an annual basis, and all contributions to the Annual Fund cover expenses above and beyond
tuition. If you haven’t already done so, we encourage you to make a gift to the ‘08-‘09 Gulliver Schools Annual
Fund and help us meet and possibly exceed this year’s goal.
I’d like to close by thanking our students, teachers, parents, and alumni for their incredible community service
work. I hope you enjoy our “Giving Issue” of the atrium magazine and as always I appreciate your support of
Gulliver Schools!
John Krutulis, Head of School
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5
Advancement Briefs
A NEW ADDITION TO THE ADVANCEMENT TEAM
Gulliver Schools is pleased to welcome Meredith Feder, the new
associate director of advancement. Working collaboratively with Ted
Milford, the school’s senior director of advancement, Feder will assist
with all fundraising efforts and oversee the Annual Fund and alumni
relations.
Feder has a wealth of knowledge and experience in fundraising,
event planning, grant writing, and community relations. Prior to joining
the Gulliver family, she served as the senior development officer for the
Starlight Children’s Foundation’s Florida office. She holds a bachelor’s
degree from the University of West Florida and a master’s degree from
Florida State University.
Contact Information
Location: Gulliver Schools Advancement Office
Phone: 786.709.4076 (direct line)
Fax: 786.709.4460
E-mail: [email protected]
6
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Check out our Annual Fund progress! Many
fund is designed to solicit donations that are
thanks to those of you who have made a
deemed repeatable and replaceable on an
donation. If you would like to make a
annual basis.
contribution, you can use the giving envelope
provided in this magazine. If you have
additional questions about the Annual Fund,
please contact Meredith Feder, associate
director of advancement, at 786.709.4076,
For what will
unrestricted gift?
you
use
my
Your unrestricted gift to the Annual Fund
makes possible enhanced support for current
operations for the current year. It also will help
or via e-mail at [email protected]
cover the costs of the extra and unforeseen
expenses that occur each year.
ABOUT THE GULLIVER
SCHOOLS ANNUAL FUND
Can I dedicate my Annual Fund
gift to someone?
What is the Annual Fund and what
is it for?
Yes, you can give an annual fund gift in
honor of, or in memory of, someone special.
The Annual Fund is the foundation upon
which philanthropic support for Gulliver
Schools is built. Each year, the school seeks
Can I decide where the money I
donate is spent?
annual support to underwrite expenses in the
Yes, you may “restrict” the use of your
operating budget and to cover expenditures
contribution to a specific program or area. For
that go beyond the operating budget.
example, you may wish to “restrict” its use to
Voluntary support is now a fundamental
one of our performing arts programs, or to one
feature of Gulliver Schools (as it is with most
of the campus locations, or to the library. We
independent schools) since its reorganization
hope that you will consider an unrestricted gift,
as a not-for-profit 501(c) (3) corporation in
thereby allowing the school to use your
2000.
donation where it is most needed.
How much should I give?
Will my donation to the Annual
Fund have a positive, direct
impact this year?
do hope that you will give your level of support
Yes! All tax-deductible Annual Fund
serious consideration and that you will decide
donations made to the school will be used in
to invest significantly into the mission of
the fiscal year that they are received. All
Gulliver Schools.
fundraising accounts are zeroed out at the end
*Make sure to check out our Summer/Fall 2009 issue of the
atrium for highlights on Gulliver’s capital enhancements
to academic areas and facilities.
of each fiscal year. By definition, an annual
Only you can answer this question. We
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7
News Around CAMPUS
ENGINEERING STUDENTS EMBARK ON HAITIAN
WATER PURIFICATION PROJECT
A devastating 2008 hurricane season left Haiti with flash floods,
unclean water, and substantial damage throughout the island.
Gulliver’s engineering students, determined to help their neighbors,
embarked on a food and clothing drive to aid the Haitian community.
Ambitious as that undertaking was, it wasn’t enough for students who
wanted to go that extra mile.
One of Haiti’s recurring problems is its lack of potable water. It is
difficult to find fresh water, and most of the water available is ridden with potentially fatal contaminants such as Hepatitis A, Hepatitis E, typhoid fever,
leptospirosis, and bacterial and protozoal diarrhea. Existing filtration technology treats waterborne illnesses using reverse osmosis and ultraviolet (UV)
filtration. While both aforementioned methods are effective, UV filtration is less time consuming and can filter larger volumes of water. Engineering students
received a Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams grant to set up a large UV filtration system, including a storage tank where potable water can be accumulated for
Haitian communities. A large UV filtration system can clean up to 1,200 gallons of water in one hour.
The intended UV filtration system relies on a 15-watt ultraviolet light bulb that lasts between three and nine years depending on the size of the filtration
machine. Considering the energy requirements of the UV filtration system, the mechanism is powered by self-sustainable solar energy.
At the heart of every engineering project is its mission to use innovation “to improve the quality of life of individuals with disabilities.” With the support of
Gulliver’s friends, families, and the Lemelson-MIT grant, students hope to broaden their horizons and help those in need in developing nations. This project
allows students to learn firsthand the needs of the community, develop relationships with the individuals being assisted, and continue a self-sustainable
culture of invention.
CLASS OF 2009
COLLEGE
ENROLLMENTS
American University
Appalachian State University
Babson College
Barnard College
Boston College
Boston University
Brigham Young University
Brown University
Bucknell University
Carnegie Mellon University
Case Western Reserve University
Colgate University
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
DePaul University
Drew University
Emerson College
Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida International University
Florida State University
Fordham University
Franklin College of Switzerland
George Washington University
Georgetown University
Georgia Institute of Technology
Goucher College
Harvard University
Howard University
Indiana University
Iona College
Johns Hopkins University
Kenyon College
Lander University
Loyola Marymount University
Manhattanville College
Mercer University
Mount Holyoke College
New College of Florida
New York University
Northeastern University
Northwestern University
Oberlin College
Pennsylvania State University
Pomona College
Pratt Institute
PREP UNVEILS ITS PRE-PROFESSIONAL
BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES PROGRAM
Gulliver offers an array of courses in architectural drawing, preengineering, law and litigation, and, newly added to the list of preprofessional programs, biomedical sciences.
Biomedical sciences currently is available as
Principles of the
Biomedical Sciences
part of the high school curriculum and is
designed for students interested in science,
SECOND GRADERS HOLD ELECTION AFTER
POLITICS PRESENTATION BY CORAL GABLES
VICE MAYOR AND GULLIVER TRUSTEE
WILLIAM KERDYK, JR.
math, and human physiology. This program
offers an introduction to various medical fields
including nursing, internal medicine, and disease
Human Body Systems H
prevention.
November 4, 2008, was a historic day as America voted for its
44th president. While citizens cast their ballots at the polls nationwide,
Beginning with the “Principles of Biomedical
Gulliver Academy’s second grade students also held classroom
Sciences” and culminating with the “Science
elections. Students presented speeches for President, Vice-President,
Research” capstone course, the program
and Mayor positions on Monday, November 3, and the children cast
provides students a hands-on, real-world
their ballots in privacy booths on Election Day.
opportunity to deal
with
issues
and
problems within the
Medical Interventions H
Science Research H
Coral Gables Vice Mayor and Gulliver Trustee Mr. William H.
Kerdyk, Jr., was invited to speak to the second grade students about
medical sciences. The
the election process and politics. At the end of his presentation, Vice
program is taught in conjunction with the traditional curriculum and engages
Mayor Kerdyk conducted a swearing-in ceremony for the newly elected
students in challenging coursework dealing with understanding the human
second grade officials.
body, genetics, and disease prevention.
Presbyterian College
Purdue University
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Saint Leo University
Santa Fe Community College
Sarah Lawrence College
Smith College
Stanford University
Stetson University
Suffolk University
Syracuse University
Tallahassee Community College
Texas Christian University
Tulane University
The University of Arizona
University of California at Davis
University of Central Florida
University of Colorado at Boulder
University of Connecticut
University of Dallas
University of Florida
University of Maryland
University of Miami
University of Michigan
University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill
University of Notre Dame
University of Pennsylvania
University of Rochester
University of San Diego
University of Southern California
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and
State University
Wagner College
Washington University in St. Louis
Western Washington University
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9
About Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive systems of
about 30,000 children and adults in the United States (70,000 worldwide). A defective gene and its
protein product cause the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that:
• clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections; and
• obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping the body break down and
absorb food.
JEANS FOR A CAUSE
{Student Profiles}
Christopher Ruben Ricardo’s
In the 1950s, few children with CF lived to attend elementary school. Today, advances in research
and medical treatments have further enhanced and extended life for children and adults with CF.
Many people with the disease can now expect to live into their 30s, 40s, and beyond.
schedule is as busy as an adult executive’s.
Wednesday is baseball practice; Thursday is
basketball practice; Friday is flag football; chest
physiotherapy and a 3,000 calorie diet is a daily
occurence; and summer vacations are spent in
his hometown of New York. Add this to a full
schedule and you’ve got a very active agenda
for a young man just shy of eight years old.
Christopher was diagnosed with cystic
fibrosis a few weeks before his third birthday. The
his
inherited chronic disease causes a defective gene and
Academy Primary and Lower
its protein product to produce unusually thick, sticky
Schools help the foundation by
mucus that clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening
hosting two Jean Days each school
lung infections, obstructs the pancreas, and stops
year. On Jean Day, Mrs. Keating,
natural enzymes from helping the body break down and
Christopher’s former Kindergarten
absorb food. By the time Christopher was four, he was
teacher, collects $5 donations from
taking medications daily. Currently, he has a disciplined
students and faculty, who are then
grasp of his daily physical and drug therapies.
allowed to wear jeans on a
Christopher is responsible enough to take
cause,
designated
Gulliver
day.
are
The
medications himself. He understands these help his
collected
pancreas produce enzymes to break down food before
Christopher’s foundation.
Schools’
monies
donated
Symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis
People with CF may present with a variety of symptoms, including:
• very salty-tasting skin;
• persistent coughing, at times with phlegm;
• frequent lung infections;
• wheezing or shortness of breath;
• poor growth/weight gain in spite of a good appetite; and
• frequent greasy, bulky stools or difficulty in bowel movements.
Statistics
• About 1,000 new cases of CF are diagnosed each year.
• More than 70 percent of patients are diagnosed by age two.
• More than 40 percent of the CF patient population is age 18 or older.
• The predicted median age of survival for a person with CF is more than 37 years.
A Typical Day for Someone with CF
Because the severity of CF differs widely from person to person and CF lung infections flare up
from time to time, there may not be a “typical” day. However, each day most people with CF:
• take pancreatic enzyme supplement capsules with every meal and most snacks (even babies
who are breastfeeding may need to take enzymes);
• take multi-vitamins;
• do some form of airway clearance at least once and sometimes up to four or more times a
day; and
• take aerosolized medicines. These are liquid medications that are made into a mist or aerosol
and then inhaled through a nebulizer.
to
Christopher will
every meal and snack, and he can independently set-
“Christopher fits in beautifully with the student
lead his team, Team
up his physiotherapy using a mechanical “vest” that
body and doesn’t carry his CF like extra weight on his
Breath and Believe,
shakes the mucus loose to help clear his airways. All his
back. He is really bright and his family is so supportive.
at the 2009 Cystic
mom has to do is “press the ON button.”
They do everything they can to get the word out about
Fibrosis walk this
cystic fibrosis, giving Chris a sense of empowerment,”
May at Jungle Island.
says Mrs. Keating.
“Cystic Fibrosis is
“I really want people to know that therapy for cystic
fibrosis is important so I can breathe right and stay
This year, the Academy hosted its South Miami
what he has, not who
Shortly after Christopher’s diagnosis, the Ricardo
Campus and Lower School “Genes for Jean” Day on
he is,” says Mrs.
family started the Christopher Ricardo Cystic Fibrosis
January 23, 2009, and for the Primary School on
Ricardo.
Foundation in May 2005. Each year, the foundation
February 20, 2009.
healthy,” says Christopher.
Children have interests of all sorts, including
hosts a walk-a-thon to raise funds for CF awareness
Gulliver raised $4,067 through Jean Day. Last
sports, movies, Pokémon cards, and video games.
and research. In support of Christopher, his family, and
year, the school’s students, faculty, parents, and
Christopher is like any other seven-year-old who enjoys
teachers united to support Christopher by participating
these activities and more, but with one remarkable
in the annual cystic fibrosis walk.
addition – his focus on educating his peers about CF
10
and making a difference in the lives of others.
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families together
WRAPPING LOVE AROUND AUTISM
• Brings children and
• Develops a philanthropic
lifestyle
• Enriches our lives by
touching the lives of
others
• Strengthens communities
• Helps develop a sense of
responsibility and social
herself motivated, she decided to choose a philanthropic
Stephanie
Sommers
conscience
cause for which to make scarves. She wanted to select
indulges
in
interwoven yarn and threads. The stitches are pulled
through each other and active stitches are held on a
needle until another loop can be passed through them.
Soon enough, a scarf is complete, then another, and
another, and the Scarves of Love project emerges.
Knitting is an entertaining and calming hobby that
Stephanie practices with precise love and dedication.
After completing her first year at Gulliver,
the former fifth grader went over the
summer to visit her family and friends in
Argentina. Taking after her grandmother
and mother, both natural born knitters,
Stephanie took a specialized knitting
course, and thus began her scarf
expedition.
From a very young age, Stephanie’s
parents and grandparents instilled in her
the importance of giving to others less
fortunate. Her mother recalls embarking
on several spring cleanings with Stephanie, during which
time her daughter gladly donated relatively new clothing
that no longer fit her for another child to enjoy.
Following her vacation in Argentina, Stephanie
a cause in need of awareness and that affected children
her age. Stephanie chose autism.
Autism is a developmental disability that usually
appears before age three and is a result of a neurological
disorder in the brain. The disorder impairs one’s ability for
intuitive thought, as well as language and social
development. Autism affects one in 166 children in
America.
Stephanie realized that her peers with autism
experience the world differently than she does. Children
with autism have a harder time communicating and
clearly expressing themselves. Their behavior may seem
unusual to other children because they may engage in
repetitive movements and robotic speech patterns.
Stephanie’s goal was to effectively communicate with
children with autism through kindness.
“With each scarf I knit, I hope to educate and spread
awareness about autism,” says Stephanie.
Stephanie drafted her community service project
Scarves of Love to connect with issues that affect
individuals, families, and her community. In her proposal,
she illustrates several reasons why she believes it is
important for people to get involved:
• Reinforces values
In support of Stephanie’s work on behalf of autism,
the University of Illinois at Chicago invited her as an
award recipient for her generous contribution to the
families of Grupo SALTO.
"Grupo SALTO is delighted to honor Stephanie
Sommers for her significant contribution to children with
autism and their siblings. Stephanie knitted scarves for
children, which she generously donated to the group.
Grupo SALTO is a support group for Hispanic families
who have a child or children within the autism spectrum
disorder. Most families are low income and live in
Chicago and the surrounding areas. Winters in Chicago
are very cold so the scarves will be put to excellent use,"
says Elina Magnhi, Psy.D., Director of Clinical Services
at University of Illinois at Chicago’s Institute on Disability
and Human Development.
Stephanie received her award for Scarves of Love
on December 6, 2008, during the Annual Holiday Party
for the Department of Disability and Human
Development at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
During the reception, Stephanie gifted her 60 handmade scarves to 60 autistic children and told them,
“Here is a scarf I made with love, just for you.”
began knitting during most of her free time. To keep
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11
In Remembrance
VIVIAN
ELLIOTT
by Betty Zipse
Vivian
Elliott,
affectionately know by
many
as
“Vivette,”
was someone everyone
enjoyed being around.
She
was
friendly,
caring, kind, lady-like,
conscientious, dedicated,
and could at times be a
little mischievous. She
was Southern through
and through and truly enjoyed discussing some of her family’s recipes and
eating good `ole Southern food. She always enjoyed spending time with her
friends eating at the Captain’s Tavern and other favorite spots.
When Vivian attended her first Christmas party at Mrs. Krutulis’ home,
she had the misfortune of slipping and breaking her leg. What an entrance!
She began her career at Gulliver upstairs on the Academy Campus, which
was then the Business Office. She later moved to the Prep Bookstore and
also worked in the Activities and Athletics Offices. Vivian loved taking tickets
at the games and mingling with the students she adored. She loved Gulliver
and was a loyal and dedicated employee for 31 years.
Vivian passed away in October 2008. A brick
purchased by her friends will be placed at the
Prep Campus. It reads, “A Friend to All.”
Ways to
Give to your Community
Establish an internship program in
your company and help a young
entrepreneur expand his or
her horizons.
12
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Adam
dam Shachner’s
commuting lifestyle
changed when his
Ford Explorer finally
gave up on him in February
2008. Since the invincible end of
his SUV’s moot life, Schachner
has been commuting to and from
work on a bicycle. Traveling
around Miami’s congested
streets, he quickly realized how
aggressive South Florida drivers
are. Shachner has been hit three
times by drivers with complete
disregard for sharing the road
with bikers.
The tenth grade English
teacher considers himself an
environmental activist and saw
the end of his car’s life as an
opportunity to expand his
environmental views. Shachner
became involved with Emerge
Miami
(emergemiami.com),
which is devoted to building a
community network to facilitate
different causes. As a volunteer
coordinator, Shachner has been
A
an active member in organizing
Critical Mass, an international
event where bike riders come
together for a cruise every
month. Every second Saturday of
the month, bikers unite to
advocate bike safety, the benefits
of alternate transportation,
environmental awareness, and
physical fitness.
With the help of Mayor
Manny Diaz and the City of Miami
Bicycle Action Committee,
Shachner and other commuting
biking activists are working
collaboratively to make Miami a
bike-friendly city. The League of
American Bicyclists rates cities
yearly based on bike accident
statistics and bike safety. The
City of Miami’s goal is to be listed
as one of the best U.S. cities for
bicycling (Portland, Denver, and
Seattle currently top that list).
“Our ultimate goal is build a
solid
biking
community.
Involvement in Miami is
segmented, and we’re hoping to
find common ground through
different events and activities to
bring people together,” says
Shachner.
In November 2008, Emerge
Miami also started Bike Miami
Days, a street fair-like event
where a portion of downtown
Miami is closed to automobile
traffic,
bringing
together
thousands of people using
alternate transportation such as
bicycles, skateboards, roller
blades, etc. The event united
nearly 2,000 bicyclists on its first
attempt.
Every year, Shachner and
his biking enthusiast colleagues
assemble floats for the annual
King Mango Strut parade in Coral
Gables. Last year the group
made a float showcasing the
harms of industrial waste. This
year’s float will feature a boat,
illustrating the concerns of rising
sea levels.
“Being part of Emerge
Miami and advocating bicycle
safety is a dialogue in action. We
spread awareness in so many
ways, and our projects are in a
constant state of progression,” he
says.
Shachner, who graduated
from Gulliver Schools in 1998,
received a Bachelor’s in English
and Secondary Education from
the University of Miami. He
currently teaches American
Literature, Science Fiction, and
Graphic Novels at the Prep
Campus.
“I like teaching because I
keep learning. I get to revisit
things I enjoy reading with my
students, and the discourse of
the courses are ideally engaging,”
says Shachner.
Shachner, who stimulates
young minds to think outside of
the box, also aims to engage
drivers to be more mindful of
bicyclists throughout Miami.
mShachner
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13
2008-2009 SILVER
Name: Diane Horn
Category: Foreign Language
Community Service: Diane has worked with the
Jewish Federation, N-events, Friendship Circle, and
Hands On Miami, in addition to her dedication to the
Interact Club. Diane is fluent in English, Spanish,
and Portuguese. She can read and write in Hebrew
and currently is learning French.
ABOUT MIAMI HERALD’S
SILVER KNIGHT AWARDS
KNIGHT NOMINEES
Name: Matthew Keilson
Category: Art
Community Service: Matthew has worked on
projects such as the Homeless Movie Night, a
clothing drive for Jamaica, medicine drive for Haiti,
and the Susan G. Komen Walk for the Cure, and
serves as National Honor Society president. He has
taken art courses at Oxford University through the
academic study abroad program and has taken art
classes in Florence, Italy.
Name: Carolina Ragolta
Category: Vocational
Community Service: Carolina has been involved
as an altar server at Church of the Epiphany and
serves as a Twenty Little Working Girls board
member, Patriots Outreach board member, and
Junior Engineering Technical Society president.
She also participated in the National Engineering
Design Challenge.
Name: Juliana Sabo
Category: General Scholarship
Community Service: Juliana has been actively
involved in water polo and theatre. She has
dedicated time to Florida Coast Water Polo Club
Team, Youth Southeast Zone Water Polo Team,
Water Polo Junior Olympics, and the Water Polo
Training Trips in California and Hungary. Juliana
also has served as treasurer of Interact Club.
Name: Dara Silverman
Category: Drama
Community Service: Dara has been involved in
Twenty Little Working Girls, the Junior Opera Guild,
Best Buddies, and has served as chief justice of
GPAHC and co-president of the Drama Club. She
enjoys spending her afternoons working on and off
stage with her peers.
Name: Daniel Edward Smith
Category: Business
Community Service: Daniel has worked with
Sunny Shores Seas Camp as director of marketing
and community relations and has been involved in
their Falcon Bachelor Memorial Golf Tournament.
He also has maintained the garden entrance to
Lychee Grove Estates and serves as a member of
the National Honor Society, National English Honor
Society, GPAWS, and Baptist Buddies.
The Miami Herald Silver Knight Awards is one of the nation’s most highly regarded student awards programs. The
purpose of Silver Knight is to recognize outstanding students who have not only maintained good grades but who
also have unselfishly applied their special knowledge and talents to make significant contributions to their schools
and communities.
The program is open to high school seniors with a minimum 3.2 GPA (unweighted) in public, private, and parochial
schools in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties. Students may be nominated in one of 15 categories: Art, Athletics,
Business, Drama, English & Literature, Foreign Language, General Scholarship, Journalism, Mathematics, Music,
New Media, Science, Social Science, Speech, and Vocational-Technical. Each school may nominate one student per
category.
Nominees from all schools appear on a
designated day to be interviewed
by a panel of independent judges.
Each panel of judges selects one
Silver Knight and three Honorable
Mentions in each category. Names are
not revealed until the Silver Knight
Awards Ceremony on May 19, 2009.
14
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Ways to
Give to your Community
Exchange professional services
with local companies for the
better of both organizations.
winter/spring ‘08-‘09
In June 2008, Gulliver Schools honored several of its employees for their years
of service. The school is extremely proud of its engaged and dedicated faculty
and staff.
GULLIVER SCHOOLS
SERVICE AWARD RECIPIENTS
2007-2008 SCHOOL YEAR
ACADEMY CAMPUS
10 YEARS
5 YEARS
Maria Antorcha
Peggy Escovar
Yolanda Baquet
Zena Deleveaux
Blanca Gomez
Karen Graham-Sewing
Heather Keating
Cal Koch
Bett Loughlin
Wade Marshall
Beatrice Pedroso
Marion Simerly
James Townsley
Kim Armstrong
Patricia Wilkins
25 YEARS
Lee Taber
PREPARATORY CAMPUS
5 YEARS
Patrick Snay
David Lapham
Maria Molina
Silvia Muñoz
Garrick Robinson
Melissa Sullivan
10 YEARS
10 YEARS
Karen Fay
Anita Grimes
Gloria Rodriguez
15 YEARS
Denise Cooke
Michele Leonard
Ines Taylor
Roger Truesdell
Margaret Burns
20 YEARS
Maria Gonzalez
Susan Cooperman
REDUCE
REUSE
RECYCLE
Claude Charron
15 YEARS
Susie Gordils
Dean Morell
Jorge Rodriguez-Walling
Judd Shapiro
Steve Smith
Ruben Valencia
30 YEARS
John Krutulis
Eva Papazickos
35 YEARS
Diane Thompson
THE THREE R’S RENDEZVOUS AT SOUTH MIAMI
At the South Miami Campus (SMC), a cross-curricular integration of this year’s schoolwide
theme is well in affect. “Going Green” is encompassing values throughout all studies and
incorporating the protection of the environment in all educational lessons.
Students and faculty practice the three R’s - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - daily at SMC and have
taken on several nationwide initiatives. The TerraCyle cookie wrapper and drink pouch brigade
(www.terracycle.net) has been established to collect used cookie wrappers and empty drink
pouches from the lunch area. TerraCycle, an eco-friendly innovator, will upcycle the items into
unique accessories and other products. A penny will be donated to charity for every drink pouch,
and $.02 for every cookie wrapper.
The campus also is recycling bottle caps through Aveda to make new bottle caps and
containers. Unfortunately, small animals often mistake bottle caps for food, and the end-result is
fatal for the critter. South Miami has taken an oath to help Aveda save hundreds of baby seals,
penguins, and turtles by reducing the amount of bottle caps in our landfills, oceans, and rivers.
Earlier in the year, students were introduced to the earth’s needs and why it’s important to
practice the three R’s. In science, the boys and girls were encouraged to brainstorm solutions by
creating their very own landfill models and making predictions about what items will degrade
25 YEARS
Mary Brant
Peggy Frum
SOUTH MIAMI CAMPUS
naturally. They also made rain sticks to measure rain levels using recycled water bottles. In art,
5 YEARS
students reused items from the recycling bins to make abstract art pieces, and they used old
30 YEARS
Lissette Reina-Naranjo
Ralph Suarez
Georgia Thornton
magazines to set up horizon lines for their landscape pieces.
10 YEARS
and other recyclable items and place them in the appropriate recycling bins. Join SMC and Gulliver
Kathy Dunberg
Schools in protecting our environment. Lend a helping hand and practice the three R’s at home and
Dawn Cram
Al Wright
PINECREST MIDDLE CAMPUS
10 YEARS
Rich Ehinger
Every day students collect drink pouches, cookie wrappers, water bottles, paper, bottle caps,
throughout the community.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE
15 YEARS
PINECREST PREP CAMPUS
5 YEARS
Michelle Frye
Jose Fuente
Maria Jou
James Santoro
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winter/spring ‘08-‘09
15
Escovar
Peg
Giving, Personified
N
ervous Gulliver freshmen discover their strengths and
graduating seniors find their homes for the four years that
follow high school. Foster kids enroll in summer camp,
where they make lifelong friends. The concerns of at-risk
minors are expressed and justly served in court. An underprivileged family
enjoys a Sunday at the movie theatre. This may sound like wishful
thinking, but it is simply the result of one woman's passion to make a
difference, one child at a time.
Dr. Peg Escovar joined the Gulliver community 11 years ago as
Pinecrest Prep’s guidance counselor. Since then, she has been the go-to
person for students with questions and concerns, school-related and
beyond. She gives students the extra push they need by ensuring that
“they know they are cared for.” As a result, she watches them become
excited about learning. They also discover how to learn lessons from past
mistakes – both necessities before embarking on the next level of their
education and what some call the first step in adulthood: college. One of
Escovar’s “major charges” is to get students with the proper profiles to
become college candidates. She works to ensure that they are not only
eligible to get into schools, but also that they attend a college or university
appropriate for them. She explains that the competition for getting into
college is greater than ever.
“Getting students through the admissions process and into the
{Administrative Profile}
schools that they should be in is tough right now, and it has nothing to do
with our children and everything to do with how many kids are trying to get
into school,” Escovar says. “Our students could make it at almost any
school.”
Escovar has known
that she would work with
youth since she was just 13
years old, when she began
volunteer service on behalf
of the mentally challenged.
Her experience with these
children sparked her interest
in psychology and special
education, fields she has
come to know exceedingly well. Her education alone is
finds ways to make the campus better by “assessing
a testament to her expertise. She has a bachelor’s
the
degree in psychology, a master’s in special education,
objectives.” The central focus of the committee is the
and a doctorate in special education curriculum and
improvement of organizational, time-management,
research. Before joining Gulliver, Escovar traveled quite
and writing skills across all subject areas.
students
systematically
and
identifying
the career path, working in several settings that all had
“Leading the committee has given me a lot of
one common ground: youth. Since 1972, she has
opportunities to grow in the way I want to,” says
worked as a master teacher at Penn State University,
Escovar. “I have a lot of academic freedom.”
a school psychologist for the Panama Division of
Her commitment to positive development is
Defense, a teacher for Miami-Dade County Public
apparent at every level. Escovar also is involved with
Schools, a coordinator of psych services and transition
multiple volunteer projects outside of school,
psychology at Florida International University. She
also maintained her own private practice for 22
years, where she specialized in school-oriented
services.
“
Whatever good we give
out completes the circle
and comes back to us.
“
at a psychiatric hospital, and a professor of
“My forte is to work with individuals, not
program
of whom attended Gulliver. Like all families, they have
With her extensive background in youth education,
(www.guardianadlitem.org). As a Guardian, Escovar
experienced their share of obstacles. Escovar’s
her role at Pinecrest seems a perfect fit. According to
serves as the “child’s voice” in court proceedings. This
husband Luis suffered a stroke eight years ago that left
Escovar, every child can learn, grow, and get into
basically means that in court she makes sure that the
him deaf. Escovar’s positive attitude and nurturing
college. She says that the camaraderie at Pinecrest
child’s wants and needs are
understood, “a
personality visibly translates into her personal life as
“makes it a special place where you can see that kind
challenging but very rewarding” task. Escovar has been
she and her family move forward. Escovar says her
of evolution very quickly in children.” The progression
particularly moved by single fathers who are working to
husband, who was a clinical psychologist and college
seems to work both ways. Escovar says that through
get their children back and the household together.
professor for 26 years, is “great” and functional despite
groups,” says Escovar.
including
the
Guardian
Ad
Litem
his disability.
the students’ successes and her time at Pinecrest at
In addition, she is on The Foster Child Network
large, she has learned a great deal about guidance and
board, where she contributes to servicing the needs of
the college process. She describes Gulliver as the
approximately 70 foster homes in the Pinecrest and
“ideal place to work,” as she uses her skill sets daily on
Palmetto Bay neighborhoods. By catering to the
Her remarkable life story continues to evolve as
the job.
specific needs that the county does not, the program
Escovar’s generosity reaches myriad people in ways
“There is so much support at all different levels of
hosts fundraisers to ensure that foster kids enjoy
beyond our understanding. Aside from the direct
the school,” says Escovar. “Gulliver is the longest I’ve
simple pleasures such as summer camp and movie
effects on students, the community, and her family,
been in one place, and I love it here.”
nights with their families.
Escovar’s charity and kindness serves as a reminder of
In addition to her role as Pinecrest’s guidance
counselor, she heads Gulliver’s “Kids Helping Kids”
“Volunteer work is from the heart,” says Escovar.
“You get deeply involved in the children’s lives.”
volunteer program. With her help, the Gulliver students
When Escovar isn’t working with children, she
sent out “gobble-grams” and goodie baskets to the
enjoys aerobics, theatre, historic novels, the ocean,
needy this past Thanksgiving. Escovar also leads the
and, of course, spending time with her family. She and
Pinecrest Improvement Committee. The committee
her husband have raised three successful children, two
“My motto is not to make one tragedy five
tragedies,” says Escovar of her husband’s condition.
how far a little giving can go. Perhaps the best way to
describe Escovar’s values is with one of her favorite
sayings by Flora Edwards:
“Whatever good we give out completes the circle
and comes back to us.”
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winter/spring ‘08-‘09
17
Gulliver
Honor Roll 20
• Seventh Grader Kaylee Gripando attended Boston
Ballet School’s Summer Dance Program during the
summer of 2008. The Boston Ballet conducts a 29city national tour, and Kaylee was one of 160 girls
on tour.
Prep All-State Musicians
• Prep Senior Angela Korge received the Outstanding
Dance Award at the American Dance Alliance
Officer Camp. Dance Officers Angela and Lia
Damiani-Tinney were recognized for Best Overall in
Leadership at the camp.
• Alyssa Alvarez, Gabriela Benghait, Lena Garrett,
Monica Hurst, Chana Messinger, Carolina Regolta,
Juliana Sabo, and Andrew Tropin were selected as
2009 National Merit® Scholarship Program
Semifinalists.
HISA Club at Race for the Cure
NCTE winner Camila Kerwin
• Sofia Becerra, Spencer Dellis, Daniel Gonzalez,
Daniel Pellicer, Max Rauchman, and Sophia
Stylianos were selected as commended students in
the 2009 National Merit® Scholarship Program.
• Academy English Teacher Cherri Gram was chosen
as a Picturing America Award Recipient.
• Senior Camila Kerwin is the recipient of the 2008
National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)
Achievement Awards in Writing.
• Prep Engineering Students receive a grant from
Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams for the Haitian Water
Purification Project.
Primary School Community Service
Maria Alonso-Torras is winner of Essay Contest
• Freshman Duncan Smith was awarded a Silver Key
in New York City at the Scholastic Arts and Writing
Contest for his poems “Her Story,” “The Page,” and
“The Old Man’s Waterfall.”
• Prep students Marcel Angles, Trevor Bannard, and
Luis Urbina were accepted into the Florida All-State
High School Reading Chorus.
• HISA Club raised over $3,500 for the Susan G.
Coleman’s Race for the Cure in October 2008.
2009 National Merit Finalists
18
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winter/spring ‘08-‘09
• Eighth grader Maria Alonso-Torras won first place in
the Hispanic Heritage Month Cervantes Outstanding
Students Essay Contest hosted by Nova
Southeastern University and Fishler School of
Education. Maria was honored at a banquet in
October 2008.
• Seventh grader Olivia Fuller was cast as a Munchkin
in the Miami engagement of The Wizard of Oz at the
Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts.
• Robert Keating was chosen as this year’s Florida
Bandmasters Association Oliver Hobbs District 20
nominee. Keating has been part of Gulliver’s music
program for 20 years.
• The Spanish National Baseball/Softball Federation
has named Hector Torres as director of international
operations and special advisor.
• The Turnberry Bank Young Artists Series was
officially launched at the bank’s Pinecrest office on
Thursday, November 13th, 2008, featuring 14
student artists from Gulliver Prep.
• Prep musicians Marcel Angles, Dylan Arnold, Trevor
Bannard, Deanna Christoforou, Chris Gaskell, Ji Kim,
Matt Lumpkin, and Luis Urbina all earned Superior
ratings at districts and competed at the Florida AllState Musicians Festival in January 2009.
• Middle School musicians Dexter Callender, Adrienne
Cassel, and Daniela Rodriguez-Firmani represented
Gulliver at the annual Florida Music Education
Association’s All-State Ensembles in January 2009.
• Maria Alonso-Torras, Josh Barkow, Colin Bukowsky,
Dexter Callender, Matthew Cerda, Marcus Davide,
Nick Eber, Alex Herkert, and Michael Kelly were
chosen to be part of the Florida Bandmasters
Association District 20 Honor Band.
• Fourth grader Arielle Kossman was acknowledged
by the Children’s Bereavement Center for
supporting and volunteering in the Splitsville Lanes
event fundraiser.
• Primary School students held a band-aid collection
called “Sticking Together For Our Children” for the
Community Blood Centers of South Florida to
benefit pediatric oncology patients in October 2008.
• Primary School students collected books for
Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Pediatric Unit and
donated them for the holidays.
008-2009
• For their 2008 community service project,
students from the South Miami Campus
(SMC) donated socks, toothbrushes, baby
wipes, and other toiletry items to His
House Children’s Home for the holidays.
• Fourth grade students sold bromeliads
during the Holiday Marketplace and
donated the proceeds to Save the
Manatees.
• The Prep Dance Department has donated
the proceeds from its Journey of Joy
show to the Susan G. Komen foundation
and the Mark Czech Foundation.
• Gulliver holds two blood drives a year at
the Prep Campus, and in November 2008,
the school collected 45 pints of blood and
seven pints of platelets.
• The senior class hosted the Mr. GPS
Pageant in October 2008 and raised
$2,000. The proceeds were donated to
Friends of the Orphans and to The
American Red Cross.
• In December 2008, Baptist Buddies helped
with the Baptist Hospital Oncology
Christmas Party. They also helped with the
Tree Planting Ceremony in January 2009,
during which a tree is planted for every
child who died of cancer the previous
year.
• Each spring Gulliver participates in the
Diabetes Walk for the Cure and is the top
school in the natioin in raising funds for
juvenile diabetes. Last year, the school
raised $29,000!
• In ‘08-‘09 the Prep’s Support Our Troops
Club adopted a platoon consisting of 46
soldiers. Thanks to the support of the club
members, Gulliver has shipped 200 lbs of
goods to Iraq.
• The 2008 Raider Prep School Yearbook
earned a Bronze medal from CSPA
(Columbia Scholastic Press Association,
Columbia University, New York) in
September 2008.
• The Prep’s Teens Team Up Against Cancer
Club volunteered at the Wellness
Community Center on November 21, 2008,
for the center’s annual Thanksgiving
Luncheon. The students served food to the
patients and their families and enjoyed a
fun day at the Center.
• During Thanksgiving week 2008, the
Gulliver Raider Football Team worked with
the Miami Dolphins to help distribute
Thanksgiving Dinner turkeys in South
Florida.
• Freshman Christopher Chinea was chosen
to represent the USA on the 14U National
Baseball Team in an international baseball
tournament held in Guatemala in
December 2008.
• Senior Taylor Auerbauch created what
became a two-year project at a local
halfway house; the facility had an unused
room and he envisioned it a playroom
filled with books and toys for children
visiting their parents in the house. Now
that it’s done, the halfway house is a
warm, inviting place for families to
reconnect.
• The Gulliver MUN members organized and
hosted the 5th Gulliver Invitational Model
United Nations Conference at the
University of Miami, GIMUNC2008. Ten
private and public high schools from
Broward and Miami-Dade Counties
attended the two-day conference. The
total number of participants exceeded 230
people.
• Interact Club officers Diane Horn, Michelle
Sukert, Ilana Berman, Alex Rubin, Caroline
Jacobs, Juliana Sabo, and Shaan Patel
were presented the Community Service
award from the local chapter of the Rotary
Club for their service to the community.
The Interact Club at Gulliver has provided
assistance to multiple charities and
continues to build character and reach out
to the community by volunteering at
multiple soup kitchens during the year.
• Kids Helping Kids Club raised over $260
with the Thanksgiving Gobble Grams
candy packs. All proceeds benefited local
foster homes this holiday season.
• Open Ears, Open Arms Club collected over
$75 worth of “Box-Tops for Education”
coupons and donated the funds to Cutler
Ridge Elementary.
• Open Ears, Open Arms collected several
boxes of children’s gifts. These were
donated to the Bertha Abbess Children
Center at Miami Palmetto Elementary and
Miami Park Elementary to help with their
behavioral modification program.
• The Environmental Club members
participated in an all-day beach clean up
at Matheson Hammock Park on Saturday,
November 15, 2008.
• SMC second grader Lydia Rifkind won
second place in Crayola’s Annual
Children’s Art Exhibition. Lydia will receive
a $100 prize in addition to receiving a copy
of her artwork published in the
2008/2009 Crayola Art Exhibitions Book.
SMC also was awarded a copy of this
exhibition book.
• David Lawrence was inducted into the
Florida Football Coaches Hall of Fame in
December 2008. Lawrence also was
awarded a proclamation key to the city of
Coral Gables by Mayor Don Slesnick II and
the City Commissioner of Coral Gables.
• The Lower School started the annual Joga-thon in February 1998 to raise funds for
charity. The purpose of the Jog-a-thon
was to involve students in sharing ideas
that would make the school and its
community a better place. Lower School
encourages students to work together to
promote good citizenship and learn about
community service. During physical
education classes, all students in grades
one through four run around a marked 1/8
mile course. The children solicit pledges
from parents, family members, and
friends, and with the help and guidance of
their teachers, they decide what
organizations will be recipients of their
raised funds. Over the last eleven years,
the monies raised have benefited many
local and national organizations. The
students present the checks to the
organization at an assembly honoring their
hard work.
• The Gulliver Preparatory and Academy
Middle School dance teams competed in
the American Dance Alliance State
Competition on January 25, 2009, and the
dancers received special recognition for
their routines.
Kaylee dancing at the Boston Ballet
• Gulliver Prep Thespians competed during
the District Eight Individual Events
Thespian Festival for Miami-Dade County
on January 10, 2009, and received high
ratings for several categories. Two
students, Kristine Aguilera and Ilana
Berman, received Critic’s Choice Awards.
• The Academy Music Department is very
proud of these students, who represented
Gulliver in Tampa at the Florida All-State
Musicians Festival on January 8–10.
Daniela Rodriguez-Firmani participated in
the FVA All-State 7-8 Treble Chorus,
Dexter Callender participated in the FBA
7-8 Honor Band, and Adrienne Cassel
performed with the FOA 7-8 Honors
Orchestra.
Crayola Award Winner Lydia Rifkind
• Academy Spanish Teacher Marina Ortegon
became a U.S. Citizen on September 30,
2008.
• Prep Sophomore Lindsey Precht was the
grand prize winner for her community
service projects and was honored in
California during the Girls for a Change
Summit. Girls for a Change empowers
teen girls to create and lead social change.
• Prep Math Teacher Cecilia Kaplan
successfully renewed her certificate for
National Board Certification, the highest
credential in the teaching profession.
New U.S. Citizen Marina Ortegon
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winter/spring ‘08-‘09
19
Commander Doug Beaver
Jonathan Cardenas
Sergeant Victor Garrido, Jr.
United States Navy
FC2 SW (Fire Control-Second Class, Surface
Warfare), United States Navy
United States Marine Corps
Son-in-Law of Pat Martello, Academy Campus Lower School
Message from Pat: Thank you, Doug, for your
dedication and service to our great country. Most of
all, thank you for your love of life and family.
Nephew of Margarita Morrell, Prep Campus
Message from Margarita: We are very proud of all our
men and women in the military!
Cousin of Miriam Lopez, Executive Office
Message from Miriam: Thank you for your support.
Peter Michael Graham
Luis A. Mazo, Jr.
Sergeant Hernan Vasquez
Russian Linguist in the Air Force
United States Navy
United States Army
Brother of Karen Sewing, Academy Campus Lower School
Message from Karen: Peter, you are my hero. Your
selfless dedication to our country is acknowledged
and celebrated by all those who love you. I admire
your courage during these difficult times.
Nephew of Miriam Lopez, Executive Office
Message from Miriam: This one is for you.
Brother of Gaby Vasquez, Prep Campus
20
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winter/spring ‘08-‘09
Gulliver Schools salutes
its friends and family
currently serving in the
military and thanks ALL
members of our Armed
Forces for their selfless
dedication!
Matthew Skvarna
Mitzelle Skvarna
Senior Airman, United States Air Force
Petty Officer 3rd Class, United States Coast Guard
Brother-in-Law of Mitzie Perez, Academy Campus Lower School
Sister of Mitzie Perez, Academy Campus Lower School
Message from Mitzie: We love and cherish you for defending our freedom!
Sergeant Guillermo Villeda
Gulliver Middle School
students created
holiday cards to thank
soldiers overseas
United States Marines
Cousin of Gaby Vasquez, Prep Campus
Corporal Ernest Locklear
United States Marine Corps
Fiancée of Gaby Vasquez, Prep Campus
Message from Gaby: Thank you for keeping us safe!
We love you.
Sergeant Richard San Antonio
Recruiter, National Guard and Veteran
Son-in-Law of Marta Suarez, Executive Office
Message from Marta: Richard, thank you for
everything and keep up the good work.
God bless you. I love you.
Ways to
Give to your Community
Dedicate time to a local charity for
a cause you believe in.
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winter/spring ‘08-‘09
21
News Around CAMPUS
- Sports
RAIDERS MAKE IT TO STATES!
With tear-stained cheeks, the Raiders football team
stepped onto the field at the Citrus Bowl in midDecember 2008, prepared to battle for their first state
title since the late Sean Taylor led the team to its only
championship in team history in 2000. They had
overcome substantial emotional and physical obstacles
to reach this point.
At the beginning of the previous season, the
Raiders lost a teammate and friend when 15-year old
junior Ralei Sealey drowned while vacationing off the
Florida coast. Only a few months later, Sean Taylor was
tragically shot and killed in his Miami home. “We thought
about all that before the game and we cried before we
went out there,” says running back Darian Mallary. “But
I’m just proud because we never gave up.”
Injuries also threatened to derail the team’s
momentum. In the first game of the season, star safety
Frank Crawford, senior, tore his ACL, forcing him out for
the season, and fellow defensive back Artice Kellam,
senior, was frustrated by back spasms that forced him
out of the last three games of the season. Yet despite
these setbacks, the Raiders unquestionably earned their
spot in the state finals.
After beginning the season at 6-0, the Raiders were
upset in a 19-21 loss to Archbishop Carroll. “That game
was a turning point in our season,” says head coach Earl
Sims. “After that loss to Archbishop, we buckled down
and went back to the basics and focused on execution.”
It must have worked, as the Raiders won their next five
COMMITMENTS ROSTER
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interception returned 37 yards for a touchdown by Artice
Kellam revitalized the team’s spirit going into halftime. “I
felt like the interception would boost our confidence,”
Kellam says, “but we couldn’t capitalize.”
Although quarterback Strauss completed 17 of 30
passes for 169 yards, and Mallary rushed for 112, the
Raiders turned over the ball three times, yielding 401
yards of total offense, including 252 yards rushing, to
the Bulldogs. The Raiders rallied late in the third quarter
as Mallary ran for a 71-yard touchdown, followed by a
two-yard touchdown by Frank Telfort at the end of the
fourth, but Gulliver was unable to resist the Bulldog
offense, losing 49-20. The Raiders’ performance was
sufficient to make Strauss the second quarterback ever
in Miami-Dade to throw for over 3,000 yards with 3,113.
For Coach Sims, however, the team’s
accomplishments transcend the loss. “Going to the finals
is a reward for all of our hard work this season. Just to
be given the opportunity is special for the players and the
coaching staff,” says a heartfelt Sims. “The fact that
Gulliver is one of two teams to play in the final game of
the season is very special. I count it as a blessing.”
See some highlights of the game at
http://rivals.yahoo.com/video/highschool-football/fvgulliver-prep-vs-bolles-highlights-42665.
...
A number of exceptional Gulliver student-athletes will be continuing
their careers in college, and some of our best have voiced their
commitments:
22
games to end their season at 11-1.
After defeating North Broward Prep
40-35 in the regional semifinals, the
Raiders won a high-scoring grudge match against rival
Archbishop Carroll in the Regional Championship. Junior
quarterback Michael Strauss threw for 375 yards and
four touchdowns, 134 of those yards to senior Daniel
Rodriguez, only one of four receivers to total over 70
yards during the game. Senior Darian Mallary topped it
off with another 235 yards on the ground for a final
score of 47-30.
In the state semifinals, it was the Gulliver defense’s
turn to step up and shut down the Tampa Catholic
offense, one of the 2007 state finalists. Despite a slow
first half, in which both teams were held to minimum
yardage, the Raiders were able to secure a lead heading
into the third quarter. After a failed fake punt left the ball
on the Gulliver five-yard line, the Raiders defense rallied
to hold the Crusaders to two yards and forced a turnover.
On the following possession, Michael Strauss and the
Raiders drove 98 yards to take a 6-point lead and held
it, securing their spot in the Class 2A State Finals.
The Raiders would take on nine-time State
Champion Jacksonville Bolles in the title game, their
most challenging match-up of the season. “This was a
great season, but that’s a great team,” says Mallary. “I
don’t think we realized how good [Bolles] really was.”
The undefeated Bulldogs were able to score three
unanswered touchdowns in the first quarter, although an
winter/spring ‘08-‘09
Darian Mallary – Football – Florida International University
Artice Kellam – Football – University of Mississippi
Frank Crawford – Football – University of Mississippi
Gabe Estrada – Basketball – Merrimack College
Robert Murray – Lacrosse – St. Andrews Presbyterian College, N.C.
Katy Cutler – Water Polo – University of Michigan
Monica Chaviano – Water Polo – Sienna College
Alli McDowell – Water Polo – University of Maryland
Sam Amedia – Swimming and Baseball – United States Naval Academy
Stephen Perez – Baseball – University of Miami
Stephan Rodriguez – Baseball – University of Florida
Jessica Linero – Tennis – Boston University
Chris Jackman – Tennis – Northwestern University
Frank Telfort – Football – University of Southern California
Jaime Vega – Softball – Santa Fe Community College
Connor Vernon – Football – Duke University
Danny Rodriguez – Football – Northern Illinois University
Kristen Davis – Soccer – University of Evansville
COACH SCHUSTERMAN: COMMITTED TO
GULLIVER ATHLETICS
Gulliver Preparatory Athletic Director Mark
Schusterman was inducted into the Florida Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame
in January 2009. This award, the highest recognition to a coach in the state, is given
annually to select coaches with over 20 years of coaching in Florida high schools as a
head coach or athletic director.
Schusterman, who grew up in New Jersey, moved to South Florida in 1980,
beginning his career as an assistant basketball coach at Killian Senior High School and
La Salle High School. He later served as athletic director at Brandeis Academy before
joining the Gulliver family in 1986.
Schusterman immediately became an invaluable leader in the Athletics
Department, initially coaching cross country and football as an assistant, and serving as
head coach of basketball and softball. In 1997, Schusterman was designated the
athletic director at Gulliver Academy, where he continued to serve the Gulliver family
until he was offered the athletic directorship at the Prep in 2006.
During his time at Gulliver, Schusterman has won District titles in basketball in
1989, 90, and 91, and has a career softball coaching record of 352 wins and 97
losses, 14 district championships, and state titles in 1998 and 2001. He has earned a
plethora of coaching accolades, including the National Fast Pitch Coaches Association
Regional Coach of the Year in 1998, and was twice named the Florida Athletic
Coaches Association 3A Coach of the Year, in 2000 and 2001, in addition to being
Softball Coach of the Year for Florida in 2001. He also was named the Miami Herald
Coach of the Year for all female sports in Dade County in 2001. In May 2008,
Schusterman coached the South All-Stars, the only undefeated team in the 2008
Florida Athletic Coaches Association Softball All Star Classic.
We congratulate Coach Schusterman on a lifetime of achievement and sincerely
thank him for his selfless service to the Gulliver community.
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23
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The Girls Volleyball team worked hard this year, ending their season 9-15.
It’s a rebuilding year for a very young team, and good things are expected as the girls
gain experience and maturity next year.
The Girls Cross-Country team finished second in the district and
seventh in the region, and eighth grader Carrie Davis continued on to the state
competition, finishing seventh and earning a spot on the First Team All-Dade. Junior
Alexa Suarez received an Honorable Mention.
The Boys Cross-Country team finished fourth in the district and
seventh in the region, despite being a young team. Senior Andy Richter was the top
runner for the boys.
The Boys Golf team finished 12-4 this season, winning their fifth straight
district championship and finishing fourth in the region. The team is led by CoCaptains Matthew Robles and Chris Ingram, and is looking to retain its
competitiveness as the entire team returns next year.
The Boys Bowling team had a great year, placing second in the district
and reaching the fourth round of the state championship. The team is led by junior
Andrew Koff, who lost 2-1 in the championship match of the individual state
tournament. Andrew, who championed the tournament as a freshman, is looking to
come out on top next year.
The Girls Bowling team also placed second in the district and reached
states. Ana Koff, Andrew’s sophomore sister, championed the girls individual districts,
as her brother did the same for the boys.
Ways to
Give to your Commu
Get involved in your child’s school
Set an example and show them
you care about their education.
24
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2008-2009
Sports
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unity
l.
Gulliver Athletics Facilities Improvements
As part of a continuing effort to improve the resources available to all its
students, Gulliver Preparatory is undertaking a substantial upgrade to its
athletic facilities. Did you know over 50 percent of Gulliver students
participate in athletics?
A new $1.7 million dollar stadium, including a new turf field, bleachers,
and goalposts, has been completed to provide a better playing surface for
football, soccer, lacrosse, and softball, and to accommodate our growing
base of fans.
A $5 million aquatics center, including an Olympic-sized pool and locker
and shower facilities, will provide a long-needed home for swimming and
water polo teams, as well as expand opportunities for swimming instruction
and physical education. Construction is underway and the expected
completion date is prior to the end of 2009.
Thanks to a generous $270,000 donation from The Fairholme
Foundation, of which the trustees are parents of a Gulliver student, the Prep
Campus’ weight room was recently renovated. The enhancements include a
series of functional strength and conditioning equipment that benefit both
athletes and non-athletes. There is a combination of power racks and
platforms for sports-specific training and machine-based apparatuses for
general health. The installation of state-of-the-art video analysis devices
makes Gulliver’s facility one of the best in the state. In addition, The
Fairholme Foundation’s donation allows the school to work in partnership
with Jaguar PT (www.jaguarpt.com), a professional athletic training
company, to provide performance coaching and promote general fitness to
the entire Gulliver community.
*The Summer/Fall 2009 issue of the atrium will highlight enhancements to academic areas and facilities.
the atrium -
winter/spring ‘08-‘09
25
MEET THE Gulliver
Name: Jeff Bartel ‘84, President and Chairman
Occupation: Vice President, FPL
Professional Affiliations: Chairman of Leadership
Florida; on the boards of the Florida Chamber of
Commerce, the Adrienne Arsht Performing Arts Center
of Miami; on the board and executive committee of the
Beacon Council of Miami-Dade and the United Way of
Miami-Dade
Affiliation to Gulliver: Gulliver Alumnus (grades 112); proud parent to a junior kindergartener
Bartel’s experience as an attorney in private practice and
now as a corporate executive, coupled with a number of
leadership roles in various non-profit organizations in
Florida and South Florida, provides a wide perspective to
help steward the school’s governance, fiduciary issues,
policies, and strategic imperatives.
His love, gratitude, and immense respect for the
educational experience that Gulliver and the Krutulis family
provided to him as a student and as an alumnus, together
with a recognition of the vitally important role Gulliver plays
and has played in the lives of the thousands of students,
parents, faculty, and staff who have been a part of the
Gulliver Schools experience, make him proud to be a
member of the Gulliver Schools Board of Trustees.
Name: Abigail Watts-FitzGerald, Secretary
Occupation: Partner, Hunton & Williams, LLP, with a
subspecialization in non-profit law
Professional Affiliations: On the boards of Karen
Peterson and Dancers, Inc. (a non-profit corporation
that provides dance-related services to adults and
children with disabilities); past board member of the
Miami Ballet Company, the University of Miami Law
Alumni Association, and the Business Volunteers for
the Arts
Affiliation to Gulliver: Proud parent to three Gulliver
lifers (Caitlin ‘02, a graduate of Harvard, attends law
school at University of California at Hastings; Colin ‘08
is at Northwestern University; Devon ‘08 is at Oberlin
College); served as general counsel to Gulliver Schools
in the transition from a for-profit to a not-for-profit
organization in 1999-2000
Watts-Fitzgerald has been involved with Gulliver Schools in
some capacity for over 22 years. In addition to her
expertise in non-profit law, Watts-Fitzgerald’s history as a
Gulliver parent makes her an asset to the Gulliver Schools
Board of Trustees. Her relationship as general counsel,
parent, and board member, and her immense respect for
what Mrs. K has created and for what John Krutulis is
fostering as the new head of school makes her want to
dedicate her time and talent to Gulliver Schools.
Bartel and his wife Caterina welcomed their second child,
Matthew Anthony Bartel, on January 30, 2009. The couple
also has a daughter, Lauren, in junior kindergarten at the
Academy Campus. Bartel enjoys spending quality time with
his family and best friends (most of whom are fellow
Gulliver alumni), attending local sporting events (Miami
Dolphins and Miami Heat), and listening to and playing
music with his band.
26
the atrium -
Schools Board of Trustees
winter/spring ‘08-‘09
Name: Libby Witherspoon ‘87, Treasurer
Occupation: Senior Director Portfolio Manager, BNY
Mellon
Professional Affiliations: On the boards of CHARLEE
Homes for Children and Beaux Arts; member of the
American Red Cross Tiffany Circle Steering Committee
Affiliation to Gulliver Schools: Gulliver Alumna
Witherspoon says that her wonderful experiences while
attending Gulliver Schools and the education she received
commits her to her volunteer work as the Gulliver Schools
Board of Trustees Treasurer. She admires the tradition Mrs.
K established many years ago and wants to ensure that
current and future students are able to have meaningful and
enjoyable education experiences.
With a solid investment background, knowledge of the
history of the school, and non-profit experience,
Witherspoon is an ideal board member.
Married to her husband Gene for nearly 13 years,
Witherspoon enjoys traveling and spending time with family
and friends. The couple has a 2-year-old daughter, Julia.
Name: Barry Gould
Occupation: Certified Public Accountant, Partner,
Mallah Furman
Professional Affiliations: On the board of the
Samantha Foundation (also serves as treasurer); has
served on the boards of Bet Shira Congregation, the
Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce Pillar Board, and
the Greater Miami Jewish Federation – The Network
Board; member of the Mount Sainai Medical Center
Foundation’s Young Presidents Club
Affiliation to Gulliver: Friends who are Gulliver alumni
As a C.P.A., Gould provides the Gulliver Schools Board of
Trustees with valuable fiduciary support. In addition, his
volunteer work has given him keen insight into the
workings of non-profit institutions.
Gould is married to Jennifer and the couple has two
children, Allison (age 5) and Scott (age 2). A graduate of
The University of Florida Fisher School of Accounting, from
where he received a master’s in taxation, Gould enjoys
spending time with his family, traveling, and playing golf.
Name: William (Bill) Kerdyk, Jr.
Occupation: President and CEO, Kerdyk Real Estate;
Vice-Mayor for City of Coral Gables
Professional Affiliations: On the Board of Directors
for Big Brothers, Big Sisters and the Bach Society;
member of the Rotary Club of Coral Gables and the
Orange Bowl Committee; Graduate of Leadership Florida
and Leadership Miami; chairman of the Bank of Cral
Gables board
Affiliation to Gulliver: Attended Gulliver from seventh
through ninth grade
Kerdyk, a Coral Gables native and former Gulliver student, is
committed to community service. He says that knowing the
importance a school serves for the community and its
members inspires him to serve on the Gulliver Schools
Board of Trustees. His real estate expertise and financial
background are all advantages to the board.
A fierce supporter of the Gulliver Schools’ mission and
philosophy, Kerdyk says he believes that Gulliver offers not
only a tremendous academic environment for outstanding
students, but also a diversified curriculum and unique
specialty programs.
Kerdyk and his wife Lynn, a clinical psychologist, have three
children: Trae, Lindsay, and Leigh. He loves athletics and
works as an adjunct professor at the University of Miami.
Name: Emilio Nuñez ‘83
Occupation: Executive Director, International Medicine
Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of
Medicine
Professional Affiliations: Member of the Miami
Beach Health Foundation; past member of the Mercy
Hospital Foundation – Ambassadors of Mercy and the
Community Health Foundation
Affiliation to Gulliver: Gulliver Alumnus (grades
1-12)
Name: Dr. Roy J. Nirschel
Occupation: President, Roger Williams University
(RWU)
Professional Affiliations: Member of the New
England Council, the oldest business and industry
association in the country, and the U.S. Chamber of
Commerce National Foundation; chair of the
Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Endowment Trust
Affiliation to Gulliver: All three of his children
attended Gulliver
Name: Sarah Nesbitt Artecona ‘83
Occupation: Assistant Vice President for Business and
Finance, University of Miami
Professional Affiliations: Chair elect of the Coral
Gables Chamber of Commerce; on the board of the
United Way of Miami-Dade Women’s Leadership Group
and Goodwill Industries of South Florida; recently
appointed to the Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade
Affiliation to Gulliver: Gulliver Alumna; brother also
an alumnus
With nearly 20 years of professional experience in
healthcare administration and health systems, Nuñez
brings a strong background in strategic planning and
management, marketing, and business development to his
leadership role on the Gulliver Schools Board of Trustees.
Nirschel has served in higher education for the past 27
years. He brings the perspective of a lifelong educator to
the Gulliver Schools Board of Trustees.
Artecona’s experience in communications, marketing, and
strategic planning makes her an asset to the Gulliver
Schools Board of Trustees. As a Gulliver alumna and third
generation South Floridian, Artecona says she has watched
Gulliver and the Miami-Dade community grow up together,
and she is honored to be a part of the school’s ongoing
success. Artecona says she most appreciates the fact that
Gulliver trained her to have a concern for her community
and to give back to her hometown.
His professional work experience includes domestic and
international healthcare strategic planning and business
development, hospital administration, managed care, and
international Third Party Administrators.
Nuñez says he believes it is very important to give back
to one’s community, and particularly important to
enhance the quality of education. He says he is grateful
for the training and opportunities Gulliver provided him
and wants to continue to be a part of the school’s tradition
of excellence.
Nunez’s brothers, nephew, and niece also attended
Gulliver, as did several of his in-laws. He received his
bachelor’s in business administration from the University
of Miami and a master’s in business administration from
Nova Southeastern University.
Although he is far away geographically, Nirschel has served
as a board member since its inception. He remains
committed to Gulliver because of the quality education the
school provides and out of a sense of gratitude to Mrs.
Krutulis. Nirschel was pleased to welcome Gulliver
graduate Bradley Bermont to RWU this past fall.
Nirschel says his children learned to love learning at
Gulliver. His daughter Susie is now a sophomore at RWU;
his daughter Jane is attending graduate school at Loyola,
pursuing a master’s in social work; and his son Chris is a
development officer at RWU.
In the past several years, Nirschel has climbed Mt.
Kilimanjaro, trekked the Inca Trail, hiked in Patagonia, and
even had poetry published.
Ways to
Give to your Community
Last year, Artecona was inducted into the Iron Arrow Honor
Society, the highest honor attained at the University of
Miami. According to the Iron Arrow website, the award
“recognizes those individuals in the University of Miami
community who exemplify the five qualities of Iron Arrow:
Love of Alma Mater, Character, Leadership, Scholarship,
and Humility.” It is fairly unusual for non-alumni to receive
this recognition.
Artecona and her husband of 18 years, Mario, love the
excitement of Miami. She is a big Alabama football fan (c/o
‘87), and when they have free time, the couple enjoys
staying at their condo in Birmingham. She also loves to
exercise, visit her sorority sisters, and watch Netflix films.
Participate in a local walk-a-thon,
help raise funds, and spread
awareness for a cause of
importance to you.
the atrium -
winter/spring ‘08-‘09
27
{Alumni Profile}
David Krochmal ‘90
D
avid Krochmal was seven
mental health, obtaining a master’s in social work
years old when he lost hope.
from Barry University. As a licensed clinical social
Scuffing his cleats in the dirt,
worker, Krochmal continued to give back to the
Krochmal walked away from
Miami special needs community, serving various
the baseball diamond at Suniland Park and
roles including counselor at the Jewish
noticed a young quadriplegic man selling bottle
Community Center, clinical therapist at the
rockets. As he cried in the car on the way home,
Children’s Psychiatric Center, and clinical director
not understanding how he could have so much
at Creative Children Therapy.
while others had a much greater need and much
While working as the assistant director of
lesser means, his parents explained that the man
Frontier Travel Camp, a group for whom he led
didn’t want David’s pity; he just wanted to sell
four 42-day summer tours with fifty special needs
bottle rockets.
adults, traveling throughout North America,
Twenty-nine
“
“
I have the will to try to do as
much as I can while I’m here,
and I’m not going to leave
anything, or anyone, behind.
28
the atrium -
winter/spring ‘08-‘09
years
later,
Krochmal
Krochmal realized no similar program existed in
remembers that day as the moment he first knew
Miami. He wanted to focus on the practical, day-
that he wanted to spend his life helping people,
to-day life of people with special needs – kids
giving back to the community which gave him so
who rarely leave their house or parents who stay
much as a child. “I don’t believe in hope,” he
at home to care for their partner – and found his
explains. “Hope is for people who don’t have will.
niche. Krochmal started with only his Explorer
And I have the will to try to do as much as I can
truck, taking kids out to experience the wider
while I’m here. I’m not going to leave anything, or
community in which they live and helping them
anyone, behind.”
socialize and learn the life skills they would need
Whether as a volunteer for the Special
to become self-reliant. In 1998, Peer Link
Olympics during high school or as a teacher at a
Programs was incorporated and three years later
Special Ed center for children while completing an
became a Medicaid waiver services provider,
undergraduate degree in psychology at Ithaca
enabling Krochmal to obtain government funding
College, Krochmal has demonstrated a steadfast
to offer his programs free of charge to those in
commitment to the special needs community
need.
throughout his life. After teaching and working for
Peer Link Programs now offers a wide
a few years at the Georgia Mental Health Institute
variety of services such as the Community
and the Devereaux Center of Georgia, he
Integration Program, a unique approach to
returned to Miami to pursue higher education in
developmental
disabilities
rehabilitation
emphasizing self-management and self-advocacy,
to Krochmal, establishing a spirit of giving and
including money management, social development,
mutual support that extends to the present day.
and the skills needed to access the labor market or
“Right now I have friends from Gulliver helping us
pursue vocational interests. Krochmal also offers
with the new facilities. One installed impact shutters,
companion services to assist with everyday life tasks
another is blowing out the walls of the warehouse
such as meal preparation, shopping, and laundry, and
we’re moving into, all at cost. These friends and the
recreational tasks, including going to the beach, the
networks that were created at Gulliver have truly come
theater, the library, and even fishing. In situations in
full circle, each of us helping one another.”
which primary caregivers are unavailable, Peer Link
The most remarkable thing about Krochmal is that
provides respite care and supervision, and also offers
even as his business has grown over the past 10 years,
in-home support services for those who require
constructing new facilities, developing new programs,
24-hour assistance from a support worker.
and attracting new members, he has never lost sight of
What makes Peer Link so successful is
Krochmal’s practical, holistic approach to education.
“Many programs won’t take care of meals or bring
the little things that make such a big difference in the
generous donations
Krochmal’s spirit of generosity extends to
daily lives of the people he meets and with whom he
works. “Living is giving, and giving is living” is his
members on airboat rides. I guess we’re pretty unique
his employees as well. When one of his employees had
adage. “I have a wonderful life, I have 200 kids, and I
in that sense,” he says. “We try to introduce our
car trouble, he gave her a thousand dollars and helped
want to make other people’s lives wonderful.” For
members to all of the environmental, social, and
her choose a reliable car with an affordable monthly
Melissa, a woman living alone in an apartment near
cultural resources which abound in Miami. Not only are
payment. When another employee found himself in
Dadeland who now walks to Shorty’s for dinner once a
we developing skills, but we’re also building community
credit trouble, Krochmal consolidated his debt on a no-
week, or Eric, a young teen who now goes to the
awareness and encouraging each individual to fulfill his
interest card and helped keep him on track to become
movies with other kids his age, Krochmal’s gifts have
or her own unique potential.”
debt-free in a year.
been deeply meaningful, tangible, and lifelong.
In order to help achieve this vision for a
Having attended Gulliver Schools from the first
comprehensive education, Peer Link is opening new
through twelfth grade, Krochmal attributes his success
Services,
facilities near Tropical Park and building a full-day
to the supportive environment he experienced within its
www.peerlinkprograms.com.
program to teach daily living skills. The new center will
walls. “I couldn’t have been what I am without Gulliver,”
include a bedroom, laundry room, and full kitchen to
he notes. “I was a troublemaker, but they kept me in
facilitate learning all of the tasks required for
line. Mrs. Fitzgerald was like a second mother to me,
independent living in a realistic setting. All of this work
and Mrs. Krutulis was incredibly patient.” And it is the
is provided free of charge, funded through family
Gulliver community which has remained most important
For more information on Peer Link Support
visit
its
website
at
counseling services, state programs, grants, and
the atrium -
winter/spring ‘08-‘09
29
QA
&
with
Eddie
Stephens
‘89,
Marital and Family Law Attorney and Dedicated Volunteer
EDDIE STEPHENS, CLASS OF ‘89, IS A PRACTICING MARITAL AND FAMILY LAW ATTORNEY. HE HAS BEEN
HAPPILY MARRIED FOR 14 YEARS TO FELLOW GULLIVER ALUMNI IVONNE NORNIELLA ‘90 AND HAS TWO
SONS, CHRISTOPHER, NINE, AND MATTHEW, SIX. IN ADDITION TO HIS SUCCESSFUL LAW FIRM IN WEST
PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, STEPHENS DEVOTES MUCH OF HIS
FREE TIME TO PROVIDING SERVICE AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT
ONE OF MY FUNDAMENT
TO A NUMBER OF CHARITABLE CAUSES. ON A COLD MORNING,
BELIEFS IN LIFE IS THAT Y
HE DESCRIBES HIS EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND
HAVE TO GIVE BACK TO YO
EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF DOING “SOMETHING THAT
COMMUNITY.
MATTERS.”
“
“
You’ve been busy since leaving
Gulliver.
I have. After leaving high school, I went to college at the
University of Miami. While I was a student, I had the privilege
of joining the business fraternity Delta Sigma Pi. Delta
Sigma Pi allows members to set up and run their own
business. So, while other students were reading about
running businesses in textbooks, we actually had the
opportunity to put those skills to use. By the time we
graduated and found jobs, we already had practiced most
elements of running a business, from recruitment and
training to fundraising and community service.
30
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How was that experience beneficial
to you?
I think the experience was beneficial because I used to be a
shy kid, so being forced to take leadership roles actually
shaped and formed who I’ve become. It also gave me a
chance to serve my community while in college, which is
something I have kept up with.
How often are you directly involved with
the foundation?
Currently, I travel and speak to about four different groups of
students a year and I participate in various fundraising
events. At times, it’s almost like having another job. But it’s
been a lot of fun giving back to an organization that I
benefited from as a student.
Have you continued working with Delta
Sigma Pi?
I have stayed active with the organization and now serve as
the president and chair of their charitable arm known as the
Leadership Foundation. We raise money to provide
scholarships and educational programming to
business students striving for excellence.
Are you associated
with any other
organizations?
Sure! One of my fundamental
beliefs in life is that you have
to give back to your
community. I think it should
be a large aspect of what you
Ways to
Give to your Co
Send a care packag
American troop overs
thank them for defen
freedom and our c
sponsors a monthly activity that allows us to roll up our
sleeves and serve our community. Whether it is working in a
soup kitchen or hosting a party for mentally challenged
adults, Kiwanis takes steps to make our community a better
place.
You also are a part of your sons’ Cub
Scout troop, right?
I’m an attorney, so the first six years of my career were
dedicated to my profession, establishing my career and
"paying my dues." One of my children was born during that
period. After about a year, I realized that I wasn’t fully
participating in his life to the extent that I wanted.
And that’s when I made a huge career change. I went from
working for another firm, where I had a guaranteed paycheck
every week, to establishing my own firm. This gave me a lot
more flexibility to raise my family and has allowed me to do
things such as be the Cub Master of my sons’ Cub Scout
troop, which has been very rewarding. It’s allowed me to
participate in my children’s development, and I get to actively
reach out to a number of children and try to direct them
toward the appropriate path.
TAL
YOU
UR
One thing I had never done before was go camping. As a
result of three years with the troop, I guess I have become
an expert camper. Even though I have to wear a goofy
shirt, when my boys look up at me and smile because they
are proud, it makes me pretty happy.
do in life. If everybody had the opportunity to exercise that,
the world certainly would be a better place.
o
ommunity
ge to an
seas and
nding our
ountry.
I have selected a few organizations that I
support with my time and money. One is
Kiwanis, for which I served as president
for a few years and have held other
positions during my time with the club.
Kiwanis is a vehicle that allows members
to interact and do good on a very local level. For example, we
put on a haunted house for children and turned it into a
fundraiser for hurricane relief. We have applied for state
grants to install new technology in courtrooms to allow
children involved in legal proceedings to testify by video
conferencing instead of having to appear before the court.
We are constantly involved in helping children, especially
those who are underprivileged. Every month, Kiwanis
You recently won an award. Tell us
about this wonderful accomplishment.
I did, by an organization called Extending Hands Outreach
that recognizes community leaders who have gone above
and beyond their call of duty to the community. I was
honored with an award due to the fact that over the past few
years I have spent over 200 hours reading to underprivileged
youth in the public school system. Many of the children may
not have folks at home who spend that much time with them.
It has been an extremely rewarding experience for me, not
only to be able to do something good, but also to make me
appreciate all the things in my life and realize how lucky I am.
Even though I am an attorney, I make the time go visit these
kids every week during my work hours and it is a really
special time.
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31
What was your favorite experience
reading to the children?
I have many great memories, but the real benefit was that I
got to practice by reading to my own children. This gave me
the opportunity to spend some quality time my kids… and
they were a very tough audience.
Overall, I didn’t know what to expect and I was a little
nervous going into a new school. But when those children’s
eyes lit up and, after a few weeks, they actually were excited
to see me, it was pretty meaningful. I can see how
something that could be seen as a small gesture on my part
was so meaningful to a whole bunch of children.
32
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Have any of the children left their mark
on you?
Collectively, they have. If I can put a smile on their faces, at
least for a few minutes, then that’s doing something good.
What does all of your volunteering
experience mean to you?
When I was in eleventh grade, my mom passed away and it
was a very confusing time for me. In retrospect, I could see
my life going in many different directions. I would like to think
that my commitment to follow the Golden Rule, which is to
leave something in a better condition than how you found it,
has led me to be involved in my community and kept me on
the right path. Twenty years after high school, I’m glad I
stayed on that path.
What would you say to those who claim
they are too busy for community
service?
Well, it’s an easy excuse. I would say, “If you are dedicated
to the cause, then you can make the time.” I am a perfect
example. I am trying to balance a very busy litigation practice
and family life with making significant contributions of time to
very deserving groups of people.
Everybody can at least donate a pint of blood, and that
doesn’t even cost a dime. So, on whatever level people are
willing to engage in their communities, any step is a good
step. If you make that step in a grand gesture, you might
motivate those around you to take similar actions… and that
would have a great trickle-down effect in our society.
An Alumni
Message
from Mrs. K
Dear Alumni,
More than ever before, I have seen many of you stop by
the schools this year. It is always such a pleasure to have you
come back and tell us what you are doing and what new
family members have been added. We are having a
marvelous school year, and I hope that you and your family
are having a wonderful 2009 thus far. I also hope that many
more of you will take advantage of the upcoming alumni
activities and definitely keep in touch with us.
My best to you and yours always.
Marian Krutulis, Director Emeritus
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33
Alumni
Perspective
Karina Duenas Aragon ‘85
When I first got the call from Linda Fitzgerald,
my own humanity has indirectly led me to my
asking if I would be in this issue of the atrium, I believe
work with people suffering from issues of
my first reaction was more panic than anything else.
discrimination.
After all, most of us are not used to looking at
At present, my main focus is my position on
ourselves from the outside and describing our ideas
the Miami-Dade Equal Opportunity Board. We are
and activities, especially on paper. However, after the
a quasi-judicial entity that provides a free service
initial surprise of it all, I reminded myself that we all
to any member of the county who feels they may
enjoy reading about each other and what we have
have been discriminated against in public
been up to, and so it was then that I sat down and
transportation, public housing, employment, etc.
began trying to sort out the possible reasons behind
If we find in favor of the charging party, we can
what I find myself doing today.
award damages or even reinstate the person to
To begin with, in the 23 years that have passed all
their job. Some of us also volunteer by attending
too quickly since I graduated from Gulliver, I have
public forums, where we try to bring about more
worked, not worked, studied, almost moved to France,
awareness of today’s cultural diversity and,
sung with two jazz bands, gone on a blind date, married
therein, try to further combat discrimination. We
that date, had two delicious kids, traveled, and I don’t
invite speakers and encourage the public to ask
know what else. The constant in my life though,
questions or make comments. The most
besides my wonderful family, has always been the
enjoyable aspect of all this work is being able to
great education I received, and the desire to keep
see the people you are helping face-to-face, although
organization that will better educate the small business
learning and experiencing new things. I think it has
the cases and evidence are often disheartening,
community
been this bit of mental restlessness that eventually led
especially when you consider that we are in the 21st
discrimination. The E.E.O.C. director in Washington
me to a “career” as a volunteer, which I truly consider
century and some people still treat others as almost
put out an initiative last year entitled E-RACE
to be my guilty pleasure. I have always enjoyed
subhuman. Personally, I like how this type of work
(Eradicating Racism and Colorism in Employment), and
traveling to different places and meeting every different
challenges me to question where I stand and how I
we are trying to be the first municipality to put her big
kind of person imaginable, and I am sure that these
think, and forces me to grow. It is in this way that I feel
idea into local practice. We will spend this year working
experiences have all helped form my view of our
the process comes full circle, and it is why I believe
on the particulars so that we can go to Washington,
connectedness to each other and how we really are so
everyone involved benefits.
present the finished product to the E.E.O.C.’s director,
and
help
prevent
and vie for federal funding. She is aware
much more alike than we are different. I feel blessed to
In addition, and even more importantly, one of the
come from a family with so many varied cultural
other members of the E.O. Board decided to form an
of our proposal and has said that it
backgrounds and languages, because it makes it easy
ad-hoc committee to institute a local program that
sounds very promising. As you
for me to feel at home most anywhere, and I am sure
would test and train specifically for employment
can imagine, we are very
my insatiable interest in people and the development of
discrimination. I signed on and, along with a few other
excited at the prospect of
individuals, am working on starting NPO, a non-profit
possibly affecting many people’s
lives for the better.
34
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winter/spring ‘08-‘09
employment
Way
Give to your
Adopt a pet fro
shelter. Give
loving h
employee at work. One thing
to
take
away
from
volunteering is that no matter
how small an activity may
seem to us, if it helps or
influences just one person, it
is absolutely worth it. I
realize
that
I
have
become passionate about
volunteering and I can only
hope it will inspire my son
and daughter, which may
inspire
someone
else
someday, and so on, just like
I am constantly inspired by
the people around me who
do so much more than I
could ever do.
I also spend a few days a month at WLRN’s Radio
of us become more cynical than we would be
Reading Service, where we come in and read local
otherwise. Volunteering easily offsets this by taking us
newspapers for the visually impaired so they can be
out of ourselves and into someone else’s experiences.
kept abreast of what is going on in South Florida. They
I have often thought that in Miami we are blessed to be
order special radios, which are free of charge, and can
living in a larger city, where there are so many volunteer
hear the reader’s daily transmissions from their home
opportunities that reflect our interests. What is also so
or nursing facility.
encouraging is that every generation seems to get a bit
It seems the more I do, the more I find to do, and,
more involved, and at younger and younger ages, until
in turn, the more enjoyable the process continues to
eventually it will become such an integral part of
become. I am my son’s soccer team manager.
everyone’s lives that we won’t remember a time when
I sign up for lots of things at both my
we didn’t help others either locally or abroad. It is
children’s schools and everywhere I
powerful to see that so many schools, businesses, and
volunteer I meet interesting and
communities, not just our religious centers, have
likeminded people. I think that we
embraced the notion of community service as a noble
are so often besieged by negative
activity, whether it is visiting a nursing home, cleaning
news and personal stress that many
up a beach, reading to kids, or even mentoring a new
ys to
r Community
om your local
an animal a
home.
I would like to end by
taking this opportunity to wish everyone a year filled
with more joys than sorrows and more blessings than
challenges. I also want to take this opportunity to thank
a few of the people I never got around to thanking!
Thank you to Ms. Lipton and Mme. Softley for
expanding my horizons through the French language;
to all my English teachers, thanks for being pretty
tough; and thank you to Ms. Georgina Garcia,
humanities teacher, whom I always thought was an
inspirational teacher. And, thank you Gulliver. I truly
wish you continued and lasting success.
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35
Studen
t Coun
cil Off
icers
(1984)
Homecoming Game (1984)
55 Years of Excellence
How Much do You Remember?
Halloween Spirit (1988)
36
Homecoming Dance (1999)
Football Teams’ Rendition of A Chorus Line (1984)
Mrs. K and former Drama Teacher Joe Catalano (1994)
Senior IB Pinning Ceremony (2004)
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winter/spring ‘08-‘09
Class of ‘98
Class of ‘88
Class of ‘87
Mrs. Fitz and Ugo Nwadike ‘98
The Ricardo Nuñez ‘82 Family
Laura Keepax ‘85 and Emilio Nuñez ‘83
Laura Waldorf ‘87 and friends
Reconnecting at Ocean Reef
The Ted Fisher Family
Beach Olympics Tug-of-War Competition
The Beach Olympics Teams
Hugh Schmidt ‘87 and the Alumni Electric Slide
Mike Maguire ‘77, Ileana Garcia ‘80, and friend
The Kathy Balzola Eckstein ‘87 Family
Lonny Schnur ‘97 and son
Ben Minkus ‘02, Mike Portuondo ‘02, and
Mrs. Zipse
The “We’ve Still Got It” Soccer Team
John King and friend
Soccer Girls
Enjoying Shorty’s B-B-Q Lunch
Soccer Tournament
November 2008
Homecoming
October 2008
Ocean Reef Get-Away Weekend
August 2008
2008 Gulliver Alumni Events Gallery
Upcoming Alumni Events
Ocean Reef Get-Away Weekend
July 24-26, 2009
Our annual get-away at Ocean Reef will begin Friday evening, July 24, and
last until Sunday, July 26, 2009. Join us for the day or the entire weekend
and bring the family for lots of fun and games.
Meet old friends and make new ones. If you have attended in the past, you
know how much fun this weekend is, and if you haven’t joined us for our getaway weekend, ask someone who has.
Alumni Benefit
Any person who attended Gulliver Schools for a minimum of one year is
granted alumni status and is eligible to have the admission application fee of
$100 waived for his or her child. Upon the child’s acceptance and enrollment,
the $400 matriculation fee also will be waived. Please contact Linda
Fitzgerald, director of alumni and parent relations, for more information on this
benefit.
Ways to
Give to your Community
Donate old or unwanted items to a
local shelter. Your items can
become someone else’s treasure.
Check the alumni section of Gulliver’s website at
www.gulliverschools.org
for more information.
38
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39
Alumni Roll Call
1970s
Mrs. Lavigne Knieram Kirkpatrick ‘77
Lavigne was appointed to the Florida
Board of Nursing by Florida Governor
Charlie Crist in August 2007 and elected as
Collier County Republican State
Committee Woman in August 2008.
1980s
Mrs. Stacey Gaby Moleta ‘81
Stacey has two children, seven-year-old
Nicholas and four-year-old Ava. She works
for Love 94 FM.
Mrs. Sarah Nesbitt Artecona ‘83
Sarah serves as the chair-elect for the
Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce.
Ms. Eileen Damaso ‘83
Eileen is vice president of World Waste
Services, an environmentally conscious
company in Miami.
Mr. Gregg Parker ‘84
Gregg recently bought a summer camp in
Maine. He and his brother Mitch are the
owners and directors of Camp Waziyatah.
Mr. Marco Rojas ‘84
Marco and his wife celebrate the birth of
their second son, Santiago Ignacio, born
October 31, 2007.
Mrs. Karina Duenas-Aragon ‘85
Karina is second vice-chair for MiamiDade Equal Opportunity Board, which
40
the atrium -
hears discrimination cases. She was
selected as a finalist for the United Way’s
2008 Dorothy Shula Award for Outstanding
Volunteerism. Karina participates regularly
on WLRN’s Radio Reading Service and is
team manager for her son's competitive
soccer team.
Mr. Sherwin Mena ‘85
Sherwin was recently hired to market and
sell a 390-unit condo conversion in
Sunrise next to Sawgrass Mills Mall.
Mr. David Willner ‘86
David and wife Angela welcomed their
daughter Elli Ana Sophia Willner on April
20, 2008.
Ms. Alessandra Lopez Kiely ‘87
Alessandra’s company Petunia Petunia
turned four in April 2008. Her company
manufactures handmade products for
children and uses women’s co-ops and fair
trade organizations for manufacturing.
Mr. David Millheiser ‘87
David, Natalie, and Sofia celebrate the
birth of Alexander John, who was born on
April 23, 2008. David and his family live in
Palmetto Bay.
Mr. Anthony Mortimer ‘87
Anthony is home temporarily for his
father’s funeral and will return to Iraq in
September 2009. His wife is expecting
twins.
winter/spring ‘08-‘09
Ms. Crystal Blaylock Sanchez ‘87
Crystal’s oldest son Matthew, five years
old, was diagnosed with Type I diabetes
three years ago. Matthew has become a
spokesperson for Diabetes Research
Institute at the Miller School of Medicine.
For the past 20 years the family has held
fishing tournaments in Key West to benefit
mental health. In the last two years the
tournaments raised $220,200 for the
Diabetes Research Institute. Their efforts
were recently highlighted in an article in
the Miami Herald.
Dr. Victor Sasson ‘87
Victor celebrates the birth of his son
Gabriel Enrique. His new business venture
is a caffeine energy gum ve2gum.com.’
Mr. Jason Smith '87
Jason started a new real estate brokerage
with a team of five agents.
Mrs. Aura Kaplan Duque ‘88
Aura and her husband are the proud
parents of three boys: Daniel, age seven;
James, age five; and David, age four.
Ms. Lesley Smith Tzimenatos ‘89
Lesley is a teacher and lives in Fort Pierce
with her husband.
1990s
Mr. Carl Gentil ‘90
Mike is the director of pricing and
inventory management for Petroliance
LLC, one of the largest Exxon Mobil
distributors in the United States.
Mrs. Stacey Goodman Klaiman ‘90
Stacey has three amazing daughters, lives
in Florida, and has reconnected with many
friends from Gulliver through Facebook.
Mr. Joshua Scheiner ‘90
After 10 years with First Data, Josh formed
Wholesale Merchant Group and provides
payment processing services to businesses
across the U.S.
Mr. Marc Ross ‘91
Marc recently moved back to Miami.
Mrs. Karen Cram Hoar ‘92
Karen’s third child, Caden Michael Hoar,
was born April 2, 2008. She moved to
Carmel, New York, last year.
Ms. Elinette Ruiz '92
Elinette has joined the law firm of Tew
Cardenas LLP, in Miami.
Dr. Dania Melnick Alonso ‘94
Dania has two daughters, Sienna and
Kayla.
Ms. Christine Temling Kane ‘94
Christine has a two-and-a-half year old
daughter Ella and one-year-old son Jon
Liam.
Ms. Cheree Padilla ‘94
Cheree is currently doing a sports
medicine fellowship at the University of
Florida.
Mrs. Fernanda Pinzon ‘94
Fernanda left NYC and moved back to
Miami in March 2009 with her husband
(an architect) and two daughters Gabriela
(two-and-a-half years old) and Sara
(six months). Her online boutique
(NewBornMom) recently won the Best in
Brooklyn Award, was featured in Time Out
NY Kids magazine, and was a finalist in the
national contest in search of “America’s
Best Baby Boutique” sponsored by The
Cradle.com and Pregnancy magazine.
Dr. Benjamina Rowe Brown ‘95
Benjamina and her husband Trevor
welcomed their first daughter Jane Esta
Rowe on August 26, 2008. She joins their
two-and-a-half-year-old son Owen.
Mr. Erick Ciocca ‘95
Erick has a new son, born September 11,
2008.
Mrs. Karina Luty Dvoskin ‘95
Karina married on July 12, 2008.
Mr. Justin Firestone ‘95
Justin and his wife moved to Hong Kong in
January 2008 to launch Asia's first private
jet program.
Captain Gregg Safinski ‘97
Gregg was promoted to Captain in the
United States Marine Corps in June. He
returned from Iraq in May 2008.
Mr. Eric Dosal ‘96
Eric is the director of managed services
for Compuquip Technologies Inc. in Miami.
Ms. Estrella Sibila ‘97
Estrellita is an attorney with Weiss, Serota,
Helfman, Pastoriza, Cole and Boniske, PL
in Coral Gables. She is the first attorney in
Miami-Dade County and the third in the
state of Florida to earn the credential of
Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design Accredited Professional from the
United States Green Building Council.
Dr. Edidiong Ikpe Ekpo ‘96
Edidiong welcomed her first baby boy,
Nsidibe Ubany Ekpo, on November 17,
2008.
Ms. Brooke Grabow Frenz ‘96
Brooke married Adam Frenz on May 17,
2008. They are expecting their first child in
spring 2009.
Ms. Joanie Leibowitz ‘96
Joanie Leeds just released her third CD of
original tunes. This is her debut children's
album called “City Kid” available at
www.joanieleeds.com.
Ms. Monica Pardo Maduro ‘97
Monica and Jorge Maduro celebrated their
wedding on January 5, 2008.
Mr. Jeffrey Rakofsky ‘97
Jeff was selected to be the chief resident
of psychiatry at the Atlanta Veterans
Administration Hospital for the 2008-2009
academic year.
Mr. Daniel Barboni ‘98
Daniel is engaged to marry Claudia Ferre.
Ms. Andriana Cruz ‘98
Andriana purchased an apartment in the
upper West Side and has been promoted
to vice-president of customer relations for
a major account, Yahoo, Inc.
Ms. Samantha Tenzer Friedman ‘98
Samantha married on December 6, 2008.
Mr. Michael Kieffer ‘98
Michael is an Equity Trader in Miami.
Mr. Sebastian Grillon ‘99
Sebastian works for Southeast Property as
a real estate broker specializing in
commercial properties in Miami.
2000s
Mr. Henry Hane ‘00
Henry was hired to work at Michelle
Bernstein’s new restaurant, Sra. Martinez,
in the Design District.
Ms. Lara Paraskos ‘00
Lara graduated from UM Medical School in
May 2008.
Mr. Raul Placeres ‘00
Raul married in July at Siesta Key Beach,
FL. He signed an ABA basketball contract,
a semi-pro team.
Mr. Andrew Trench ‘00
Andrew helped raise money for the Broker
Boxing Charity Event by boxing and
winning his match. His new name is Fists
of Fury.
Ms. Elizabeth Villacian ‘00
Elizabeth has participated in four triathlons
in the past year and has joined a local
woman’s basketball league to keep active.
Mrs. Brina Armstrong-Padilla ‘01
Brina’s six-year-old son Javier is enjoying
his new baby brother, five-month-old
Jordan.
Mr. Erik Bondhus ‘01
Erik is currently assigned to Fort Lewis, a
permanent base in Seattle, WA.
Mr. Daniel Breitner ‘01
Daniel is graduating from Pratt Institute in
New York in May 2009 with a degree in
architecture.
Mr. Alex Messianu ‘01
Alex’s Mesimex Productions recently shot
its first short film, which premiered in Los
Angeles in November 2008.
Mr. Jordan Dresnick ‘02
Jordan is an attorney at the Miami office
for global law firm Holland & Knight. His
research was recently published by the
University of Virginia and he was elected
to the Order of the Coif.
Ms. Cristina Musibay ‘02
Cristina graduated from the University of
Miami in 2006 with a degree in psychology
and minor in elementary education. She
has become involved with St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital alongside
Magda Rodriguez and Jeb Bush Jr. They
founded Friends of St. Jude, which aims to
serve young professionals in the
community in the fight against childhood
cancer. Cristina also has started a new
venture developing dairy-free desserts.
After graduation, she joined her father’s
financial services firm and runs operations.
Ms. Alyssa Nolan ‘02
Alyssa graduated from Vanderbilt and will
pursue a career as a neonatal nurse
practitioner.
Ms. Lucia Soven ‘02
Lucia is engaged to be married.
Mrs. Brittany Krutulis Suarez ‘02
Toti and Brittany celebrate the birth of
their daughter Sadie, born March 4, 2008.
Ms. Caitlin Watts-Fitzgerald ‘02
Caitlin started Law School at UC Hastings.
Ms. Alexis Atkins ‘03
Alexis graduated from Bentley College in
May 2007 with a BS in management and
joined IBM in July 2007, working in the
sales division.
Mr. Douglas Koroglu ‘03
Douglas graduated from FAU in the
summer of 2007 with a major in political
science and a minor in history.
Mr. Carlos Musibay ‘03
Carlos graduated from Barry University in
May 2008 and joined his father’s financial
services firm as a salesman.
Ms. Andrea Vallenilla ‘03
Andrea is engaged to be married in
November 2009. She is going to Lima,
Peru, for a research project on influenza
with a Hopkins group.
Ms. Georgia Alvarez ‘04
Georgia is attending graduate school at
Georgetown University.
Continues on the next page
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41
Dear Alu
...continued
What a significant year
2008 was. It brought rewards,
opportunities, and the ever
Mr. Daniel Carvajal ‘04
Danny has been elected as student
government president at the University of
Miami.
Ms. Melissa Hamer ‘04
Melissa married George Lue ‘02 on
December 31, 2008.
Ms. Tess Hamilton ‘04
Tess is attending Yale Law School.
Ms. Katherine Klotz ‘04
Katherine is seeking a master’s in
international business at the University of
Florida. She attended Aston University in
Birmingham, England, in January 2009.
Ensign Robert Ramirez ‘04
Ensign graduated from the Naval Academy
in 2008 and is now stationed in San Diego,
CA.
Mr. Matt Sinnreich ‘04
Matt is a senior at UM and has started an
online business, TheLuxuryIndex.com
which received an honorable mention in
the
Rothchild
Entrepreneurship
Competition’s High Potential Venture
category.
Mr. Ricky Robinson ‘08
Ricky is a freshman at Penn State and a
member of the Division 1 Lacrosse team. .
Mr. Jake Byrne ‘05
Jake was a semifinalist for the Vincent
DePaul Draddy Award. He was one of 154
semifinalists from all U.S. divisions of
football players in colleges for the
Academic Heisman. Jake currently is a
senior football player at UM and is a longsnapper and signal caller.
Ms. Keshet Amedia ‘06
Keshet is currently living in Jerusalem,
Israel. What started out as extra credits
from NYU and a chance for a summer
international experience turned into a new
college experience. She went to Israel in
May to volunteer for the International
Christian Embassy and work in the media
department writing daily news to be
posted on the Internet (www.icej.org).
Keshet decided to stay and enroll at
Hebrew University.
Mr. Jonathan Spital ‘06
Jonathan is a junior in college. He has
been chosen to do an internship at the
office of the State Department in Madrid
this summer.
Ms. Jacqueline Halpern ‘07
Jackie made the dean’s list at Vanderbilt
University.
2004-2008. He qualified for pommel horse
and all-around finals at the Junior Olympic
Nationals from 2005-2007 and won
second place with a Florida State Team in
the Region VIII Championships in 20062008. He also won second place with a
13.4 on pommel horse and third in allaround with a 79.4 at the 2008 Florida
State Championships. He is now part of
Stanford University’s gymnastics team;
four new gymnasts will join the Cardinals
in their campaign for a national title.
Mr. Brandon Desowitz-Leibell ‘08
Brandon is researching eye fungus at Case
Medical School/Global Opthalmology. He
is majoring in global health and medical
anthropology.
present challenges.
Our distinguished alumni
celebrated
marriages, births, promotions,
recognitions, and many hours
of giving back to their various
communities. We are eager to celebrate your accomplishments and
provide support whenever necessary, so it is important that you
keep your connections to your alma mater current and strong.
Please send me an e-mail with pictures of you, the kids, and
the
entire
family
including
dog
and/or
cat
to
catch up. Please take a minute to return the “What’s Up?” cards
that you recently received or let me know if you did not receive one.
Mr. Zachary Marcille ‘08
Zack is the Virginia Tech Guitar Hero
champion and is ranked in the top 100
nationally on percussion for Rock Band.
What a pleasure it was to see all of the alumni who attended
our Homecoming 2008 celebration in October. Attendance at the
event was outstanding, with over 100 alumni signing in and enjoying
Ms. Jenny Posnak ‘08
Jenny recently performed on piano with
the Kenyon Jazz Ensemble in the College’s
Rossee Hall Auditorium. Music from a
variety of jazz styles, including swing,
bossa nova, bebop, hard bop, and funk
was featured.
the new Alumni Sky Box. They brought their families to enjoy the
game, the camaraderie, and the barbeque. It was obvious that
Gulliver pride and spirit lives on long after graduation. The annual
Thanksgiving Soccer Game proved that our alumni not only still love
soccer but also are in great shape to enjoy and play the game with
their former teammates. Thank you to all who attended and
Mr. Gabriel Alvarado ‘08
Gabriel trained at South Miami Gymnastics
Center from 2002-2007 then at Florida
Gymnastics Training Center. He was a
junior Olympic National Qualifier from
Mr. Jose Villamil ‘08
Jose is a brother of Sigma Phi Epsilon
Fraternity and a freshman at the
University of Florida.
supported these events.
Speaking of supporting Gulliver,
please consider a contribution to
Visit an elderly retirement
community or hospital. Read
someone a story and give them
an open heart.
the atrium -
the
[email protected], or call me at 786.709.4072 so we can
Ways to
Give to your Community
42
graduations,
winter/spring ‘08-‘09
our Annual Fund. If you have
set aside the Annual Fund
ALUMNI
SPOTLIGHT
Andrew Trench ‘00
umni and Friends,
packet mailed to you, please revisit it. Did you realize that you can
make a contribution to honor someone – perhaps your parents as
Years at Gulliver: Andrew is a Lifer! He attended Gulliver
a small way to thank them for the education they provided you or
Schools from senior kindergarten through grade twelve.
a teacher who touched your life in a meaningful and lasting way?
Gulliver Activities: This energetic basketball player
Your contribution can be small in dollar amount, but together we
juggled academics, sports, and found time to help with
can accomplish much.
Operation Smile.
Favorite Gulliver Class: Andrew liked working on
We are looking forward to our Ocean Reef Alumni Get-Away
RaiderVision and film with Mr. Ernsberger during Early Bird.
Weekend coming this summer in July. We will be celebrating the
Education: Andrew received his bachelor’s in communication from the University of Maryland.
reunions for the classes of 2004, 1999, 1994, 1989, and 1979,
Career: After graduation, Andrew moved to Washington D.C. and loved being surrounded by
and the 25th reunion for the class of 1984. Make sure to mark
professionals from all over the world. He worked with Tenacity Group, a full service real estate
your calendars and save the weekend of Friday, July 24 through
company, selling mortgages, and then worked with their title company. He currently works as a
Sunday, July 26. If you would like to help plan your reunion, I
commercial real estate sr. landlord group advisor for Holly Sime Realty in Coral Gables.
would love to have your input, so please contact me. Working on
the various reunion committees is not only helpful in assuring that
Interests: This world traveler enjoys exploring new places and meeting new people, “There’s something
to learn from everyone,” he says. Andrew’s favorite destinations are Israel and New Zealand.
your classmates enjoy attending their reunion but it’s lots of fun
Charitable Activities: Andrew helped set up a charity boxing tournament in Miami, similar to the Broker
too. For more information, go to the reunion website at
Boxing Federation in Chicago. He trained for four months and won his 185 pound weight class
www.gulliveralumniweekend.com.
match. The boxing bonanza took place on April 10, 2008, at Mansion Nightclub on South Beach
and attracted more than 1,700 spectators. Andrew and his colleagues raised over $250,000 and
My sincere thanks and best wishes to all of you for keeping
Gulliver in your hearts.
Fondly,
donated it to the Alonzo Mourning Charities, whose mission is to encourage the educational
development of our youth by creating programs and youth enrichment centers that promote positive
change in low socioeconomic communities.
Family: Alex Trench, brother, who graduated in 2003, and his parents Susan and David Trench, who are
both attorneys
Linda Fitzgerald
Role Model: Moving from Philadelphia to Miami knowing no one, and earning
her law degree in a predominately male field makes Andrew’s mom, Susan, his
role model. “My mom is 100 percent self made. She started her own practice
and 25 years later she is successful, so I try to model myself the same way she
did,” Andrew says.
Life Philosophy: Andrew believes that doing what you feel is right and working
hard is the best way to live. “Eventually, things always work out for the best, by
being honest and using your best judgment,” he says.
Favorite Gulliver Memory: Being part of the basketball team taught Andrew
a lot about camaraderie and teamwork. It taught him how to trust the people
with whom he works and interacts.
the atrium -
winter/spring ‘08-‘09
43
a selection of
student art
Natalia Sanchez (eighth grade)
Gulliver Schools
Office of Communications and Public Relations
1500 San Remo Avenue, Suite 420
Coral Gables, FL 33146
Recycleable
We are Green!
Joyce Chen (seventh grade)
Jasmine Johnson (eighth grade)
Non-Profit
Organization
US Postage
PAID
Miami, Fl
Permit No. 00667