Dear ACE X:
It’s been awhile...almost a year and a half…since we last gathered, so it’s time for an update:
I saw many ACE Xers while in South Bend this summer for Angela Lyzinki and Alex Clark’s wedding. Tony DeSapio (ACE 6), Thomas Bambrick, and Steve Holte were gracious hosts to me and Steve Kelleher (ACE 8). Shatomi Kerbawy was a groomsman and also in attendance were Katie Cawley, Seth Whetzel, and Dave Archibald. I also ran into Monica Stone and Chris Kowalski (newly engaged!) at the Backer (of course).
Also engaged is Kelly Novak! She is still teaching Dual Language Kindergarten north of Chicago. “I’m having a lot of fun teaching the little ones. We sing songs all day—in Spanish!” She and Jim Darkenwald are busy planning an August 2007 wedding!
Norma Nelson is also in Chicago after serving a third year at her ACE school in Dallas. She is living with fellow ACE Dallas member Bianca Bautista on the North side (go Cubs!) and interning at Lookingglass Theatre Company in the Education department coordinating theatre programming for kids, while also working part-time at Starbucks (where she drinks way more coffee than she should). “If you are teaching in Chicago and want any theatre programs in your school (we have in-school residencies, student matinees, and classes at our theatre) please feel free to contact me.”
Meg Watkins is in NJ teaching 1st grade Language Arts and Reading and having a great time! She misses everybody!
Allison Ricci, our class adventure-seeker, is currently working as an admission s counselor at Green Mountain College in Vermont. While that sounds pretty tame, she’s been up to a lot before that! “After the Steamboat, Colorado experience I tried my hand in outdoor education by completing a NOLS semester. I spent three months backpacking, rock climbing, kayaking, and sailing in Arizona and British Columbia. It was amazing!...In December I'll be moving on again, but where that might be, just wait and see!”
Another traveler, Dave Esch, taught at Vancouver International College in Guadalajara, Mexico for five months – “it was great.” After Mexico he moved to Chicago and is currently working full time as a high school guidance counselor at Leo High School and part time as a computer instructor for the Spanish Action Committe of Chicago. “I am enjoying working one on one with students and I don't miss lesson plans and grading.”
Catherine (Corke) Floyd rounds out our traveling group. She and her husband, Tony, are living in Norfolk, VA now after having lived a year in Charleston, SC. She is really enjoying her job teaching math at Peninsula Catholic High School!
Chuck Lamphier and Kate Linden are both Campus Ministers. Chuck is still at Saint Joseph Academy in Brownsville in his second year working as the Campus Minister. “It's been great spending time with the new Brownsville and Mission ACErs. I'm starting to look around at new options for next year.” Kate is back in the "Heartland of America", Omaha, NE at her alma mater, Duchesne Academy. “I wear two hats: Campus Minister and Theology teacher. One is green with pink polka dots, the other is yellow with blue stripes. Omaha was recently voted # 7 BEST city with great economic prosperity and best quality of life according to Money Magazine. I am happy the city is doing great, because my Catholic school teaching gig definitely isn't the organization bringing in all the dough to the Big "O". Needless to say, it's a hoot here.”
Also in Omaha is Kayli Hall, who I recently saw there while traveling for work! She is teaching at Millard North High School.
Shatomi “She Told Me She Was 18” Kerbawy is enjoying my first semester as a full-time grad student at the University of Alabama at Birmingham working towards a Masters of Public Health in epidemiology. He writes that he is “still struggling to stay awake during class. Best wishes for health and happiness to each of you.”
Dave Archibald is spending his second year teaching Theology at Marquette High School (his alma mater). He is also an assistant frosh football coach and the head frosh baseball coach, with hopes of climbing the coaching ladder. For fun he played two seasons as a receiver with the Racine Raiders, an amateur football team in the area- which I can say from experience was fun for the spectators, too! “I live in Wauwatosa, just west of Milwaukee, so if you are in the area give a shout out.”
Another ACEr working at her alma mater is Meredith Panzica, who is teaching at Gilmour Academy, a Holy Cross, K-12 school outside of Cleveland. She teaches Religion to grades 3 through 6. “I live downtown and although I miss Brownsville, it's great to be back home, close to my family.”
Andy Zengel has been teaching religion and history at St. Joseph School (K-8) in Knoxville for the past two years. “Caroline and I got married February 4th and we bought a little house in Knoxville. She's working at the local Children's Hospital as a nurse and we've been taking advantage of the Smokies for outdoor activities. We get to see the former ACE teachers living in Atlanta every once in awhile, especially Kristin Kramer (ACE 9) and Naitnaphit Limlamai. Hope everything is going well for you and thanks again.”
Speaking of Naitna, she is still teaching high school English at Milton High School in Alpharetta, Georgia. “Finally, I am lucky enough to teach Doc's ever-ubiqutous sophomores.” She has also taken on a new role as Milton seeks to make their 2100-student school a little more personal and classes more relevant. She is the head of our Social Science Academy, one of four academies dedicated to making school more rigorous and relevant. The Social Science Academy is focused on creating better citizens as students take interdisciplinary classes and engage themselves in the community around them. She writes that “Atlanta is really growing on me and I have enjoyed my time here thus far.”
Further from home, Luke Klopp is currently working in my second year as Notre Dame's campus minister for students studying in Europe, otherwise known as the "International Man of Ministry". He lives in Dublin and coordinates campus ministry programs for undergrads in European study abroad programs. He’s still keeping tabs on the Chicago Bears (7-1- as of the time I finished this update)!! “Hope to see some of you passing through Dublin in the near future!”
And closer to home…Laura Aull just completed her third degree at Notre Dame (read: a season with Weis as coach), then headed to the University of Michigan for a PhD in the dual program of English and Education. “My research has started with an interdisciplinary look at soc of edu, literacy and cultural studies and I am having a great experience. Please send along any relevant educational ideas and experiences.” She would also like to strongly note that: “I will always cheer for the Irish, no matter how long I am in Wolverine territory. Finally, it has been great to see some ACErs in the last year several times, including those who also can't get enough of the Bend and the frat house in Atlanta.”
And last, but not least, Josh Fulcher is “still big pimpin,” and Madeleine McKenna has nothing to report.
It’s been great catching up with all of you! If any of you are in the Boston/Providence area, give me a call!
Love,
Nellie