For the week of June 13 - June 19, 2001

Community School graduation

23 students in Class of 2001

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You only graduate from high school once, and 23 Community School seniors had a beautiful, sun-splashed day for their moment of pomp and circumstance Sunday in Sun Valley.

Community School headmaster Dr. Jon Maksik, in his opening remarks, called graduation "an extraordinary and important passage," in the lives of students, one that represents a symbolic moment of their leave-taking from home.

Commencement speaker at the independent school’s 25th graduation ceremony was Dr. Marlene B. Samuels from Chicago, author of a book on institutional prestige and labor market attainment.

Addressing over 500 admiring parents, grandparents, faculty members and friends, Dr. Samuels said that in her view, success is really a self-perception. Personal commitment, character and level of preparedness all contribute to personal success, she said.

"Being prepared is what endures," she said.

Graduating seniors were Emily Blair Aanestad, Linda Helene Baumgardner, Michael Ward Bjerke, Claire Catherine Cetera, Benjamin Tyler Cortese, Graham William Donald, Emilie Deist duPont, Jason Charles Hanley, Victoria Lynn Hargrave and Norah Elizabeth Lock Keefer.

Also, Johanna Ruth Marvel, Alexander Halpin McCoy, Riley Kenton Nash, Griffin Tanner Post, Douglas William Potters, Robert Bruce Rutherford, Logan Clark Shepardson, Matthew Curtis Sherwood, Carson Dudley Sofro, Scott Nichols Stevens, Jessica Marie Wamsley, John Charles Welsh and Joel Aaron Weston.

One by one, they stepped to the podium and offered senior reflections. Then Dr. Maksik had his turn, offering his recollections of the Class of 2001.

Music was provided by The Community School Chamber Players including Linda Staum on flute, violinist Billie Brown, cellist Dick Brown, pianist Chip Mills and Connor Wade on violin.

 

Speeches, awards and more

Announcing they were going to be "brutally honest," Senior Speakers Graham Donald and Rob Rutherford gave brief, amusing profiles of each of their classmates.

Johanna Marvel and Michael Bjerke made the Yearbook Dedication to Pilar Lindahl, a graduate of the University of Madrid who is the World Languages Chair at the Sun Valley independent school.

As its senior gift, the Class of 2001 represented by Emilie duPont and John Welsh presented the "gift of hygiene," or several large water containers for use at school events and sporting activities.

Among awards presented was the 2001 Beaupre Achievement Award. The school's oldest honor goes to outstanding seniors who maintain high standards of scholarship, leadership, citizenship and athletic achievement.

This year's recipient was Graham Donald.

Past Beaupre honorees: 2000, Colleen Enright. 1999, Lindsey Monahan. 1998, Jessica Wasilewski. 1997, Martina Muehlegger. 1996, Patrick Casey. 1995, Ann Flanagan. 1994, Ben Brock. 1993, Darsh Amrit and Benji Hill. 1992, Matt Leidecker. 1991, Zachary Crist. 1990, Stephanie Fryberger and Erik Leidecker. 1989, Tria Katz and Michael Olander;

1988, Kristan Klingelhofer. 1987, Scott Albro. 1986, Harry Weekes. 1985, Ned Klingelhofer. 1984, Cordy Snyder. 1983, Bob Passaro. 1982, Whit Atkinson and Nicole LeFavour. 1981, Deeder Petersen. 1980, The Class of 1980. 1979, Darby Brown. 1978, Alexis Hamill. 1977, Stephen Rumpp.

Dr. Maksik announced graduating senior Graham Donald as the 2001 Headmaster's Award winner. It goes to the sophomore, junior or senior who made a significant difference in the life of the school.

Gayle Kerr presented the $1,200 Idaho Mountain Express Award, given annually since 1988, to Graham Donald.

This year's "Dollars for Scholars" $1,000 scholarship honorees at The Community School were Doug Potters (the Carrie Bashaw Hislaire Scholarship) and Johanna Marvel.

John Welsh received the Laura S. Flood Memorial Honorarium, which was announced by Richard Hislaire.

The 10th Tom Johnson Memorial Award for excellence in performing arts was given by Dr. Maksik to Johanna Marvel. Winner of the 11th Dixie Grabos Memorial Award was Graham Donald.

Recognition for senior project honors went to Emily Aanestad, Michael Bjerke, Graham Donald, Johanna Marvel, Doug Potters and Rob Rutherford.

Jason Hanley was the winner of the Klingelhofer Senior Speech award, voted by the faculty. Bill McDorman presented The Trophy Sagebrush Award for imagination to Rob Rutherford.

Honors distributed at Sunday's commencement and during the school's awards ceremony Friday included:

Selected as graduating winners of the Peggy and Sigi Engl Memorial Achievement Awards were Linda Baumgardner and Norah Keefer.

The Engl awards go to two students at each grade level who demonstrate the most significant improvement in performance through effort, determination and hard work.

Other recipients of the Engl prize during Friday's school awards assembly were:

Junior class, Gifford Wilcox and Madeleine Weisz. Sophomore class, Darrell deFabry and Kristin Hickey. Freshman class, Adrian Charbonnet and Laura Durkheimer.

Eighth grade, Jackie Goddard and Tesla Teitge. Seventh grade, Chandler Ellis and Scooter Sabel. Sixth grade, Christian Cairncross and Michael Matteson.

The Wellesley College Book Award went to Sarah Bahan. The Smith College Book Award was given to Brianna Rego.

Quinn Orb received the Williams College Book Award. Recipient of the Whitman College Book Award was Anika Van Eaton. Josh Kantor earned the Colby College Book Award.

Given for the 18th year, faculty scholarships were presented to Sara Berman and Lee Gurney. Michael Bjerke took home the Anne Reed Gallery Award.

Headmaster’s Scholarship recipients were Madeleine Weisz, Kira Tenney, Hannes Thum and Scarlet Caldwell. They are continuing scholarships through graduation.

Winners of the Middle School Community Award were Reed Boeger (eighth grade), Amanda Harris (seventh) and Krista Detwiler (sixth grade).

The Tom Bloomfield Memorial Scholarship went to Alissa Praggastis.

Kira Tenney earned the Greg Allison Memorial Scholarship. Recipient of the Karen Wright Cardozo Memorial Scholarship was Michael Matteson.

Community service awards were distributed to:

• Gold (50-plus hours): 
  Emily Aanestad, Annie Alcid, Casey Anderson, Sarah Bahan, Finn Brown, Isabell Cannell, Chris Cook, James Fairchild, Amanda Harris, Amy Jesinger, Joe Jesinger, Josh Kantor, Ben Luck, Johanna Marvel, Langely McNeal, Doug Potters, Drew Stoecklein, Jamie Terry, Hannes Thum and Madeleine Weisz.
  
  

• Silver (35-plus hours): 
  Sarah Alcid, Linda Baumgardner, Jon Goldberg, Morgan LaPeter, Alissa Praggastis, Josh Sonneland, Connor Wade, John Welsh, Elke Wiethorn and Britt Williams.
  
  

• Bronze (25-plus hours): 
  Joan Baumgardner, A.J. Beesley, Beth Bagley, Tracy Chubb, Cassidy Doucette, Lauren Drew, Bobby Flanigan, Wesley Flanigan, Luke Fostvedt, Alysse Gelet, Vicki Hargrave, Samantha Jones, Erin Magee and Katie Matteson.

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.