June 30 is It!

Alumni giving to St. Andrew's is a vitally important measure of the school's success, a tangible demonstration of support for the school and its mission.

Remember that making a gift to St. Andrew's marks your vote of confidence in the school and provides the best instruction, financial aid, and equipment to St. Andrew's future alumni. A special thank you to all who have contributed already.

* In 2006, 296 alumni contributed to St. Andrew's
* In 2007, 226 contributed
* In 2008, only 164 have contributed

To donate online, click here.

Erin Wright '96 Introduced as New Alumni President

Headmaster Robert Kosasky is pleased to announce that Erin Wright '96 has been appointed to be the next President of the St. Andrew's Alumni Association.  Erin takes over from Mark Baker '90, who served as leader for the past two years. 

Erin currently serves as Associate Director of Development for Washington International School in Washington, DC.  In addition to her duties as President, Erin will serve as an ex-officio member of St. Andrew's Board of Trustees.

Erin wants you to know the following about her new role and why she accepted it.

Last week, Bernie and Linda sat me down (over wine…they’re smart like that) and asked me to become your new Alumni President.  I said yes.  Then today Bernie asked me to write this article about why (demanding, huh?  it had nothing to do with the wine). 

I love the school that St. Andrew’s was when I was there.  I said yes because I love the school that it has now grown up to become. 

Middle and High school is an angst-filled time. It is awkward, exciting, confusing, and intensely fun all at once.  St. Andrew’s didn’t cure the teenage angst (thank God for that), but it did allow for ample opportunity to explore the adventure of what it means to be young and lucky.  To play soccer in the fall and lacrosse in the spring, to sing and act on a stage, to learn about Sikhs by visiting their temples, and understand the dynamics of the Latin American economy through primary sources.  St. Andrew’s allowed me to learn how to research by writing a paper on Bob Dylan and Rubin Carter, to spend afternoons climbing at Carter Baron to fulfill my sports requirement, and weekends serving meals at McKenna’s Wagon for community service.  It fostered in me a desire for learning through experience, and a commitment to serving others that has now become my life’s work.  St. Andrew’s also brought me a solid group of life long friends.  There is not a week that goes by that I don’t have dinner or drinks, talk on the phone, see a show, or play with the children of a friend from St. A’s.   When I talk to friends from college or colleagues at work, they’re amazed by this...more often than not, they don’t keep in touch with anyone from high school, except maybe that kid on Facebook in their 10th grade Chem class. 

St. Andrew’s must be doing something right if its students have such happy memories of such an awkward time.  I know the school has changed, and not just locations and upgraded facilities, but now has added primary school and a second campus to the mix.  It’s had a serious makeover.  And while there’s not asbestos growing in the science hall and lockers so big you could cut class by hiding in them, I believe the school has changed for the better.   Kind of like us…we’ve traded in the bootleg Phish tapes for mp3s and the lacrosse sticks for BlackBerry’s, but at the end of the day, we’re still very much the same. 

I said yes to representing you because our alma matter is doing some really cool things these days and I’d like to see more alumni getting involved; I said yes because, in many ways, I am an unlikely candidate; I said yes because I’m going to need your support.   Getting to know St. Andrew’s again after all these years has been an unexpected joy, and I encourage you to come back and see it.  Like many of my classmates, St. A’s is turning 30 this year so there couldn’t be a better time. 

And besides, accepting the job means I get to achieve the impossible…fulfill my senior prediction, "Suffering from separation anxiety, she returns to St. Andrew's as a teacher."

We're excited about Erin's leadership and hope you'll respond to her invitation to become more involved.

Carlos Ortiz Mena '85 Delivers Senior Banquet Address

St. Andrew's was thrilled to have Carlos Ortiz Mena '85 make the journey from Mexico City to speak at June's Senior Banquet.  He reflected on his years at St. Andrew's, saying, "Dr. Borg, our first Headmaster, inspired a special confidence in my parents.  Now, 23 years after my graduation, it is abundantly clear to me why St. Andrew's is no ordinary school.  What stands out most is the fact that St. Andrew's helps to nurture individuality, in tandem with fostering academic excellence."