January 3, 2012

1) Rylin L. (Seminar class of 1996) is currently in graduate school in Portland, Oregon, studying physical therapy. Her brother, Jesse L. (Seminar class of 1991), teaches English at Franklin County High School.

2) Emily F. (Seminar class of 2003) graduated from Marlboro College this year with a B.A. in creative writing, children’s literature, and biology. She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she loves her job as a shift supervisor and legal assistant at a homeless shelter. She is thinking about the possibility of pursuing graduate education in mental health counseling or law, but plans to work for at least two years before deciding. Her sister, Beth F. (Seminar class of 2001), who holds a bachelor’s degree in screenwriting from North Carolina School of the Arts, is currently applying to schools in Austria to study German. She spent some time last year working at a hostel in Germany. Beth hopes to become a Spanish and German book translator.

December 6, 2011

1) Recently, The Roanoke Times featured an article on yet another CS alumnus. Alex B. (Seminar class of 2007) received attention for his passion for herpetology. Now a senior at Salem High School, he breeds and sells corn snakes and ball pythons and collects data on their natural habitat. Alex surveyed reptiles and amphibians in western Roanoke County’s Fort Louis Mountain and presented his findings in October in Raleigh at the North American Association for Environmental Education conference. He was the youngest presenter there. You can find the article on Alex at

http://www.roanoke.com/theedge/stories/wb/301459. While a student at CS, Alex won the grand prize in two national competitions sponsored by The Nature Conservancy and Random House Books and by The National Geographic Society.

2) Houston J. (Seminar class of 1996; CS Extended Studies Program 2000), who completed his Ph.D. in history at the University of Tennessee this past May, is currently teaching at Bridgewater College as a visiting assistant professor of history. His sister, Paige J., (Seminar class of 1999) is currently living in Pasadena, California.  For the past four years she has been the Curatorial Assistant at the Dinosaur Institute of the Los Angeles Museum of Natural History. After being intensely involved with the design, development, and opening (this past July) of the widely renowned new Dinosaur Hall at the museum, Paige decided to move on to new challenges. She has just started a new job in a support role with the JCAP (Joint Centre for Artificial Photosynthesis) program at Cal Tech in Pasadena. Even though she majored in philosophy at Occidental College, Paige credits her lifelong interest in science to her Community School roots.

3) Alex L. (Seminar class of 2001) is currently pursuing a master of arts in classics at Washington University in St. Louis. He was also accepted into the classics program at U.C. Santa Barbara. Alex remains torn between pursuing a Ph.D. in classics or a M.D. He graduated from Carlton College in 2009 with a major in classical languages and a concentration in chemistry.

4) Maggie H. (Seminar class of 2008), a first-year student at Burton Center for Performing Arts, was chosen recently to be the dance captain for their upcoming “Holidazzle” show. She also received first place in the Hidden Valley High School’s Shakespeare Competition sponsored by the English-Speaking Union of the United States. She will go to the district competition at Virginia Western Community College on December 10.  Maggie is a very busy young lady, including among her extracurricular activities: vice president of the HVHS Drama Club, secretary of the HVHS chapter of the International Thespian Society, Flag Corps member, Prevention Council leader, youth leader and organizer of the regional YADAPP (Youth Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Project), director of the HVHS competition play “Cagebirds,” and Professional Actors Studio member of the Kevin Jones Performing Arts Studio. She also dances for Linda Watkins’ School of Dance.

5) Sam S. (Seminar Class of 2011) was recently inducted into the Junior Honor Society at Salem High School where she is in pre-International Baccalaureate classes and is on the A/B Honor Roll. Her mother observed that the high school transition has been painless and that Sam was extremely well prepared academically.

November 1, 2011

Our community extends its sincere condolences to the family of Nicole S. I. (Seminar class of 2001) on her recent death. Nicole, who was 24 years old, attended Community School and Community High School. Those wishing to pay their respects can leave a message for her family and friends at http://www.oakeys.com/sitemaker/sites/Oakeys1/obit.cgi?user=501176Irwin# or attend the memorial service at Unity Church of the Roanoke Valley at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 12.

October 25, 2011

1) CS alumna Becca M., now Becca A., (Seminar class of 2002) was featured in a recent Associated Press article on young women changing the face of the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math). The article was picked up by The Roanoke Times and appeared on the front page of the October 24 edition. Becca, currently a second year doctoral student in chemistry at Yale University, started in the CS preschool program and continued all the way through, ending up as one of the first students at the new Community High School. Read the entire article at http://www.crescent-news.com/ap%20general%20news/2011/10/18/women-making-slow-sure-strides-in-science-math or check out a copy of The Roanoke Times edition. Becca’s older sister, Rachel M., also a CS alumna (Seminar class of 1997), earned an engineering degree from Virginia Tech.

2) Congratulations to Joseph H. (Seminar class of 2007) on recently being designated an AP Scholar with Distinction for having earned an average of 3.5 on five or more AP exams, including scores of 5 on his AP Biology and Calculus tests. Joseph graduated as valedictorian from Hidden Valley High School in June and is now a freshman pre-med student at Virginia Tech.

3) CS alumnus Peter T. (Seminar class of 2008) was featured on the front page of the  September 28 edition of The Fincastle Herald. Pete, now a senior at Lord Botetourt, has set a goal of running in the 2012 Paralympic Games in London next summer. A double amputee below the knee, Pete is currently ranked number 6 in the world in the International Paralympic Committee Rankings for the 400 meters. He was named a 2011 US Paralympics Track and Field High School All-American. When he was a CS student, Pete appeared before the Virginia Assembly speaking in support of legislation requiring insurers to cover prosthetic limbs. At the time, he was the youngest person ever to speak before the assembly.

May 31, 2011

1) Congratulations to Yasmine A. who is graduating from Community High School and will be attending the University of Virginia this fall to study English and theater. She was also accepted with scholarships to Goucher College and Guilford College, and waitlisted at the College of William and Mary, Bryn Mawr College, Kenyon College, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Yasmine attended Community School from kindergarten through middle school (Seminar class of 2007).

2) Congratulations to Bonnie W. who is graduating from Northside High School and will be attending Bryn Mawr College this fall to pursue a pre-med program. She was also accepted at the University of Virginia, Smyth College, the College of William and Mary, New York University, and Emory University. Bonnie attended Community School for middle school (Seminar class of 2007).

May 24, 2011

1) Congratulations to Sarah C. who recently graduated as co-valedictorian from Roanoke College. Sarah, who was earlier accepted to medical school at The University of Virginia, has elected to attend The University of Pittsburgh medical school this fall. Sarah is a 2007 graduate of Community High and attended Community School for five years in elementary and middle school.

2) Congratulations to Ruby B. (Seminar class of 2003) who recently graduated from Duke University. She will be attending The University of Wisconsin-Madison in the fall with a fellowship to study speech language pathology and plans to apply to enter their Ph.D. program the following year. Ruby is spending five weeks in Spain this summer to brush up on her Spanish. Her younger brother, William B., is a rising senior at the University of Alabama studying international relations/public policy and was on the Dean’s List this past semester. He is spending the summer in Greece studying philosophy. William attended CS for three years in elementary and middle school before the family moved to Atlanta.

3) Congratulations to Rain Y. (Seminar class of 2003) who was recently featured in The Free-Lance Star (May 1) for her work as a Spanish language interpreter with the Fredericksburg police department. Rain is a senior at The University of Mary Washington and spent two years studying in Madrid, Spain. She attended Community School from preschool through middle school and graduated from Community High in 2007.

February 1, 2011

Congratulations to Houston J. who just defended his dissertation and will be graduating from the University of Tennessee with a Ph.D. in history this spring. Houston attended CS for elementary and middle school (Seminar class of 1996) and designed his own high school curriculum through the CS Extended Studies Program, the precursor to Community High. He holds a B.A. in history, philosophy, and religion from Roanoke College.

January 11, 2011

1) Congratulations to Sarah C. on her recent acceptance to the University of Virginia Medical School. Sarah, who just turned 20, will graduate from Roanoke College in May. She was a CS student for five years in elementary and middle school, attended the Governor’s School for Math and Science, and graduated from Community High School in 2007.

2) Congratulations to Joseph H. who was just admitted “early decision” to the Biological Sciences department at Virginia Tech. Joseph, a senior at Hidden Valley High School, is an AP Scholar with Honor, received a 5 on his AP Biology Exam, and is a member of Beta Club (honor society) and Mu Alpha Theta (math honor society). He is also active in many extracurricular activities including Key Club; the HVHS marching band, jazz band, and wind ensemble; Appalachia Service Project; his church youth group; and Park Grove Retirement Community where he works part time. Joseph attended CS for elementary and middle school (Seminar class of 2007).

October 19, 2010

1) Congratulations to Maggie T. (Seminar class of 2006) who was recently named an AP Scholar with Distinction for scoring an average of 3.5 on five or more AP exams. Maggie is currently a freshman at the University of Virginia. She attended CS from kindergarten through middle school (Seminar class of 2006).

2) Congratulations to Aaron H. who graduated magna cum laude with a Juris Doctor from the University of Richmond this year. He recently joined Woods Rogers as an associate in their litigation department. Aaron attended CS for all of elementary school and part of middle school.

September 28 , 2010

Blue Ridge Business Journal featured CS alumnus Jonathan M. in the September 20 issue as a member of their “2010 20 Under 40” list. According to BRBJ, these young professionals are our region’s most promising and accomplished young business leaders. At age 26, Jonathan is the manager of 2nd Helpings Café, a division of the Roanoke Rescue Mission, the interim minister of music at a local church, and the former owner of McGraw Fine Art. This is not his first appearance in BRBJ; he was featured in 2006 for his work as a benefactor to local artist Eddie Maxwell. Jonathan attended CS for elementary and middle school (Seminar class of 1997). It’s worth noting that both Jonathan and Megan M., the CS alumna featured in the 2008 BRBJ list, are only in their mid twenties—much younger than almost every other emerging leader listed. You can read more about Jonathan and the “2010 20 Under 40” list at http://www.bizjournal.com/people/articles/wb/260632.

July 30, 2010

1)  Congratulations to Maggie T. who graduated from Roanoke Catholic and will be attending The University of Virginia this fall to study nursing. Maggie attended CS for 9 years (Seminar class of 2006).

2)  Kate T. is in graduate school at Columbia University and hopes to graduate next spring with a masters in bilingual speech pathology. She is completing a three-week internship in Cambodia this summer. Kate attended CS for 8 years (Seminar class of 2001).

3)  Anna T. spent her spring semester in Florence, Italy, and is completing an internship in the graphic art department of a small company in New York City this summer. She hopes to graduate from James Madison University next year with a degree in graphic arts. Anna attended CS for 9 years (Seminar class of 2003).

June 1, 2010

1)   Congratulations to the following members of the Seminar class of 2006:

• Carolyn M. who is graduating from CHS and will be attending Roanoke College on a full academic scholarship. Carolyn was also accepted at The University of Mary Washington, Cornell College, Goucher College, Centre College, Randolph College, Lynchburg College, Virginia Wesleyan College, and was waitlisted at Elon University.
• Becky A. who is graduating from CHS and will be attending Jefferson College of Health Sciences to study nursing.
• Alex E. who is graduating from Northside High School and will be attending George Mason University.
• Brittany S. who graduated from Belleville High School in 2009 and is currently a sophomore at Bowling Green State and is active in the ROTC program.
• Ruairi H. who is graduating from Notre Dame High School in Georgia and will be attending The University of Tennesee at Chattanooga to study sociology. Ruairi is an honorary member of the Seminar class of 2006, having moved to Georgia during her Seminar year.
• Congratulations to Casey G. who is graduating from Lord Botetourt High School and will be attending Bluefield College on a tennis scholarship. Casey attended CS through elementary school.

2)   Genevieve A. (Seminar class of 2005) has been chosen as one of ten students to participate in an Honors Academic Program in Prague, Czech Republic, in summer 2011. She will head to Prague after spending the 2010-2011 academic year in Madrid, Spain. Genevieve made the Dean’s List again this past semester at Suffolk University.

3)   Walter P. (Seminar class of 2009) received the Robeson County Public Schools’ Superintendent’s Award for Academic Excellence on May 21. He was the lead male in Studio One’s winter production of The Outsiders and also performed in the spring production of Little Shop of Horrors. He plans to continue working with Studio One this summer and to begin tutoring elementary students in Spanish. His current goals are to attend the North Carolina School of the Arts his senior year in high school, earn an undergraduate degree in dramatic arts, and then attend law school to pursue a career in international law.

May 25, 2010

1)  Congratulations to the following CS alumni and current CHS students on their success on the National Latin Exam: Latin III/IV Poetry – Lucas S. (Magna Cum Laude) and Yasmine A. (Cum Laude), Latin I – Alex P. (Maxima Cum Laude) and Logan K. (Cum Laude).

2)  An addition to the March 31 update on Becca M.: She has accepted the offer from Yale University for graduate school.

3)  Congratulations to the following members of the Seminar Class of 2006:

• Ciara P. who is graduating from Emma Willard in New York and will attend The University of Mary Washington in the fall.
• Sean R. who is graduating from CHS and was accepted at American University, The University of Mary Washington, Fordham University, and Concordia University in Montreal. He will be attending Fordham.
• Lucas S. who is graduating from CHS and has accepted an academic scholarship offer from Randolph College for the fall. He was also accepted at Hood College.
• Austin B. who is graduating from James River High School and will attend Randolph College this fall.
• A.J. E. who is graduating from CHS. A.J. will be attending Washington College this fall.

May 4, 2010

1)  Congratulations to Daniel C. who graduates from Radford University this weekend with a B.S. in geography and a concentration in environmental studies. Daniel earned GIS certification and currently works mapping wetlands for Conservation Management, a company housed at Virginia Tech. Daniel attended CS for eight years (Seminar class of 1999).

2)  Congratulations to Alex B. and Brian S. who were recently inducted into the National Honor Society at Salem High School (two of only twelve boys in the school to be selected). Alex has also been chosen to work with the Youth Conservation Corps this summer. He will be based at Claytor Lake State Park working on trail maintenance and outdoor chores and doing environmental education in the evenings and on weekends. Both Brian and Alex attended CS for nine years (Seminar Class of 2008).

April 13, 2010

Sarah S. graduated with a Master of Fine Arts from the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) last spring. She is currently teaching photography at Anne Arundel Community College in Maryland. Sarah attended Community School for middle school (Seminar class of 1998).

March 31, 2010

1)  Tony Z. will complete his degree this spring from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (School of Filmmaking). He is currently raising money to shoot a full-length feature film based on a screenplay he co-wrote with his father Tom Z. Tony has already secured some funding and won a prestigious grant from Panavision. He is a graduate of Community High School and attended Community School for 5 years (Seminar class of 2002).

2)  Becca M. will complete her undergraduate degree in physical chemistry at The College of William and Mary this spring and has been accepted into graduate programs at Cornell, Yale, Rice, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Becca attended Community School from preschool through middle school (Seminar class of 2002) and attended both Community High School and Lord Botetourt.

March 22, 2010

1)   Walter P. was one of seven freshmen recognized as Students of Excellence by the Public Schools of Robeson County and local chambers of commerce. Students were selected for their leadership, service, and academics. Walter currently attends Purnell Swett High School in North Carolina. He was a member of Community School’s Seminar class of 2009.

2)    Genevieve A. made the Dean’s List her first semester at Suffolk University’s Sawyer School of Business and entered her second semester of college as a sophomore due to the credits earned in dual-enrollment classes in high school. She plans to spend next year studying in Madrid and to apply for Suffolk’s joint undergraduate/MBA program in 2011. She is also participating in an alternate spring break this year, volunteering for Habitat in Colorado. Her mother, Maria, notes, “We owe so much of her success to the lessons she learned at Community School.” Genevieve was a member of the CS Seminar class of 2005.

November 3, 2009

From Ruby B.: I thought I'd let you know what my brother William and I are up to these days. I'm a junior at Duke now, majoring in linguistics, minoring in Arabic and getting a certificate in early childhood studies. I spent a part of my summer doing "Duke in Greece" and taking philosophy, and right now I'm doing two internships at two different schools and having fun playing with little kids. William (Buddy) just started his freshman year at the University of Alabama; he's on the pre-med route and thinking about majoring in Biology or Human Development. I randomly stumbled upon the website today, so I thought I'd send you an update. I miss you guys!! (Ruby attended CS for three years for middle school, Seminar Class of 2003, and William for three years in elementary and middle school before their family moved out of state.)

October 20,2009

1)      Laura S. graduated from University of Virginia in 2007 with high distinction in psychology. She then worked for two years at the University of Pennsylvania doing research on addiction treatment. This fall, she started a Ph.D. program in clinical psychology at Temple University in Philadelphia to study anxiety.

2)      Lucy S. graduated in May 2009 from Yale, where she played rugby and double majored in economics and East Asian studies. She studied Chinese for four years, including a summer spent on a fellowship at Harvard-Beijing Academy in Beijing. At Yale, she won the prize for the best senior paper in East Asian Studies. Over summers and during the school year, she worked in New Haven at Yale's Center for Environmental Law and Policy, analyzing China's progress on various environmental fronts. She just moved to Boston and is working in Cambridge for a consulting company that does research for the EPA.

3)      Nell S. is currently a junior at the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in economics and spending the fall semester in Cape Town, South Africa. She has also visited Swaziland and Mozambique. Last year, she spent the summer at a Penn language program in Buenos Aires.

[Laura attended CS for six years (Seminar class of 1998), Lucy for seven years, and Nell for five years before their family moved out of the Roanoke area. Their parents, Mariana and Alan, currently reside in Philadelphia.]

October 6, 2009

Congratulations to Jared S. who was recently chosen as Rookie of the Year (best new poet) at the 2009 National Poetry Slam competition in West Palm Beach. About 68 teams of 5 to 6 members each competed. Jared’s team, Urbana Slam, was from New York City. He will head to Berkeley, California, this week to perform in the Individual World Poetry Slam. Jared currently lives in New York City where he pursues his passion for performance poetry while trying to break into the theater/dance/performance world in sound support and sound design. He attended CS for 8 years (Seminar class of 2000). Hear a July 2009 podcast featuring Jared on Indiefeed Poetry at http://castroller.com/podcasts/IndiefeedPerformance/1153371.

June 2, 2009

1)     Genevieve A. is graduating from Cave Spring High School and will be attending Suffolk University in Boston this fall. She was awarded a Dean’s Merit Scholarship and was admitted into the Griffin Honor Society, the flagship honors and scholarship program at the Sawyer School of Management. Genevieve plans to study at Suffolk’s campus in Madrid, Spain, for one to two years and to major in international business. She attended CS for four years (Seminar class of 2005).

2)      Beth F. just completed a B.F.A. with a concentration in screenwriting from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. She plans to continue her education by studying to become a Spanish to English translator. Beth attended CS for nine years (Seminar class of 2001).

May 26, 2009

1)      An addition to the update on Rose H. from May 12: Rose will be attending Roanoke College on a choral scholarship this fall.

2)      Stephen R. is attending the Weill Medical College of Cornell University and working on a joint research project involving brain tumors in infants. He has co-authored published research from two previous projects. Stephen is considering specializing in pediatric neurology and neurosurgery. Stephen attended CS for eight years from preschool through middle school.

3)      Kate T. just graduated from The University of Virginia with a degree in Spanish. She will be attending graduate school at Columbia University this fall to study bi-lingual speech language pathology. Her goal is to be a speech therapist working with bi-lingual individuals. Last year Kate spent the summer studying in Spain. She attended CS for eight years in elementary and middle school (Seminar class of 2001).

4)      Hannah T. just graduated from Christopher Newport University with honors and a degree in psychology.  She will continue in a graduate program at Christopher Newport this fall to pursue a master’s degree in teaching. She plans to teach at the elementary level. Hannah attended CS for eight years in elementary and middle school (Seminar class of 2001).

5)      Zac T. will be attending Cornell College in Iowa this fall. He graduated from Community High in 2008, but deferred college for one year. He was also accepted at Clark University, Knox College, and Washington College. Zac attended CS for eleven years from preschool through middle school (Seminar class of 2000).

6)      Adam T. is living and working in Charleston, South Carolina, with another CS alumnus, Clark H. Adam graduated from Virginia Tech a couple years ago with a degree in hospitality management. He is currently considering graduate school options. Adam attended CS for eight years in elementary and middle school (Seminar class of 1998).

7)      Callie T. graduated from Vanderbilt University with a degree in cognitive studies and a minor in gender studies and English. This summer she will begin the M.F.A. program in children’s literature at Hollins University. Callie attended CS for six years in elementary and middle school.

8)      Levin T. is graduating from high school and will be attending the School of Visual Art in New York City this fall. He will be in the Visual and Critical Studies Program, which combines studio art (his area is photography) with history, philosophy, and theory. Levin attended CS for seven years from preschool to middle school.

May 19, 2009

1)      Kate B. is graduating from Cave Spring High School and will attend her first choice school, The College of Charleston, on an academic scholarship this fall. She plans to major in political science with a minor, or possibly a second major, in Spanish. Kate attended CS for four years in elementary and middle school.

2)      Alex L. is graduating from Carleton College where he majored in classical languages with a concentration in chemistry. After graduation in June, he is heading straight to Athens, Greece, to attend a summer program at the American School of Classical Studies, followed by a trip to Istanbul. This fall, he will be teaching at Community High and taking classes to finish his pre-med curriculum prior to applying to medical school. Last year, Alex spent a semester in a pre-med program in Copenhagen, Denmark, where he worked alongside Danish doctors. Alex attended CS for over nine years from preschool through middle school (Seminar Class of 2001).

3)      Molly R. is graduating from Cave Spring High School and will attend James Madison University, where she was accepted under the early admission program. She plans to major in math. (Thank you Linda R. for being her inspiration!) While attending Cave Spring, Molly was a member of the track team, Spanish National Honors Club, and the Beta Club. Molly attended CS for four years in middle school (Seminar class of 2005).

4)      Liz S. is graduating from Northside High School and will attend the University of South Carolina this fall. She plans to study fashion design. Liz attended CS for five years in elementary and middle school (Seminar class of 2005) and CHS for two years.

5)      Rain Y. has just returned from Madrid, Spain, where she completed a two-year program though the University of St. Louis. She will be attending the University of Mary Washington this fall to complete her degree in anthropology, with a minor in Spanish. Rain attended CS and CHS for over thirteen years, from preschool through high school (CHS class of 2007).

May 12, 2009

1)      Jeff A. is graduating from Lord Botetourt High School and will attend Longwood University this fall. He was accepted early decision into the Cornier Honors College at Longwood with a substantial tuition scholarship. He plans to double major in math and computer science, though he is also considering a major in physics with a pre-engineering focus. Jeff has attended the Governor’s School of Math and Science for the past three years. He attended CS for 6 years in elementary and middle school (Seminar class of 2005).

2)      Erin C. is graduating from Community High and will attend Goucher College next fall on a tuition exchange scholarship. She was also accepted at four other colleges and universities and was offered two additional tuition exchange scholarships. She has not chosen a major field of study yet, but is considering English, history, or international studies. Erin attended CS from kindergarten through middle school (Seminar class of 2005).

3)      Graham E. is graduating from Community High. He is deferring full-time college enrollment for the fall in order to pursue an internship in forestry while taking classes part time at local colleges through a CHS partnership. He plans to enroll in college full time in the spring to pursue a degree in forestry. Graham attended CS from kindergarten through middle school (Seminar class of 2005).

4)      Margeau G. is graduating from Community High and will attend Virginia Commonwealth University this fall. Margeau attended CS for her Seminar year (2005).

5)      Rose H. is graduating from Salem High and will attend Roanoke College next fall. She plans to major in political science, with a concentration in gender and women’s studies. Upon graduation this summer, she will spend a month traveling in Europe. Rose emails that “it is very hard to believe that it has been five years since I was last a student at Community School. I miss you all very much, and am so grateful for the educational and life experiences that I gained by attending your school.” Rose attended CS for 6 years in elementary and middle school.

6)      Hollyn K. is graduating from Community High and will attend Christopher Newport University this fall. She was also accepted at Dickinson College. Hollyn attended CS for 5 years in elementary and middle school (Seminar class of 2005).

March 24, 2009

Molly K. came by to visit last week. She is currently a preschool teacher at a private school in New York City. She graduated from NYU and is applying to graduate programs to pursue a master’s in special education. Molly’s brother Webb K. is an attorney at Woods, Rogers here in Roanoke. Her brother Grayson K. graduated from Wake Forest and is now pursuing a M.B.A. at Boston College. All three attended CS for elementary school in the 1980’s and 1990’s.

November 11, 2008

Congratulations to Max B. who received a full Military Scholarship to medical school and was commissioned into the Army in August as a 2nd Lieutenant. He is currently attending Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine where he maintains a 4.0 grade average. He attended CS for 8 years in elementary and middle school (Seminar class of 1999).

September 30, 2008

1)     Jason C. (CS Seminar Class of 1994 and Extended Studies student) came by to visit CS last year. After leaving CS, Jason got his private pilot’s license, a dream from the age of about 5 years old. He has worked for the Church of Scientology since leaving Roanoke, starting out in New York City and now in Los Angeles. He helps manage the Churches at the International level. He has been married for nine years.

2)      His brother Justin C. (CS Seminar Class of 1996) lives in Roanoke and is a manager at Circuit City.

3)      His other brother Nathan C., who attended CS for elementary and part of middle school, lives in Washington, D.C., and works at the National Arboretum. He attended Virginia Tech and graduated with a degree in landscaping.

September 23, 2008

CS alumna Meghan W. was featured in the August 25 issue of the Blue Ridge Business Journal as a member of their “2008 20 Under 40” list. According to the BRBJ, these young professionals are our future regional leaders, demonstrating both promise and early success. At age 24, Meghan’s impressive resume already includes a position as the Economic Development Director for the City of Waynesboro and numerous academic awards and honors while at the College of William and Mary, from which she graduated in 2004 at the age of 20. Meghan attended CS for all of her elementary and middle school years (Seminar Class of 1997) and for part of her high school years as an Extended Studies Student.

May 27, 2008

1)     Congratulations to Rose H. who was accepted in the Governor’s School for Performing Arts this summer. Rose is a rising senior at Salem High School. She attended C.S. for six years in elementary and middle school.

2)     Congratulations to the following members of the Seminar class of 2000 who recently graduated from college: Corrie W. (University of Virginia with honors and a double major in English and anthropology), Abby T. (University of Vermont – Burlington with a degree in theater), Jared S.(James Madison University).
 

Congratulations to Jon (Caleb) C. on his recent nomination to the U.S. Air Force Academy. Caleb, a senior at William Fleming High School, is in the International Baccalaureate program and the aviation program. He participated in the Air Force ROTC for three years and was selected as one of 500 out of 113,000 ROTC members to attend the Air Force Honors Camp in Albuquerque, New Mexico, during his sophomore year. The Roanoke Star Sentinel featured Caleb in their January 18 issue. Caleb attended Community School for 5 years (Seminar Class of 2004).
 

Congratulations to Daniel K. who recently received a Jefferson Award for Public Service from NBC-affiliated news station WAVY-TV 10 in Hampton. These awards are a national recognition system honoring community and public service “by ordinary people who do extraordinary things without expectation of recognition or reward.” Daniel, a senior at the College of William and Mary, has worked with Housing Partnerships, Inc.; Circle K International; the Service Leader Corps; Hurricane relief projects; and Habitat for Humanity. He attended C.S. from preschool through elementary school (1991-1997).

Robin D., currently a junior at Tufts University, is spending the 2007-2008 academic year studying at Oxford University. Last year, she interned at the Boston office of Congressman Ed Markey. Robin attended Community School for seven years in elementary and middle school (Seminar class of 2001). She was the Class of 2005 Salutatorian at North Cross School.
 

1)     Congratulations to Natalie C. who just graduated cum laude from Utah State University with a major in journalism and a minor in photography. According to her mother Teena, “This is remarkable because the reason she came to Community School is because she had a terrible writing block. While the public school answer was to have her dictate to her mother, Community School rid her of the writing block in a few months using quick writes. She now has an administrative position at a Girl Scout Camp in Park City, Utah. She will help teach photography, sailing, kayaking and ceramics. After the summer, she plans to work as a photographer in Salem for two or three months and then go on a mission for a year and a half for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints. She has also worked in a program for the past two years called Gear-Up, helping underprivileged middle school students to succeed.” Natalie attended CS for middle school (Seminar class of 1999).

2)     Congratulations to the following members of the Seminar Class of 2003 on their high school graduations and college acceptances:

-         Anna T. is graduating from Roanoke Catholic and will be attending James Madison University.

-         Fred P. is graduating from Community High School and will be attending Roanoke College.

-         Harrison S. is graduating from Community High School and will be attending the University of
     Oregon.

-         Glenn R.is graduating from Community High School and will be attending the University of Colorado
     at Boulder.

1)   Congratulations to the following two CS alumni and current CHS students for National Latin Awards won after taking the National Latin Exam: Rain Y., a Latin II student, earned a Cum Laude Certificate of Merit and Lucas S., a Latin I student, earned a Silver Medal Maxima Cum Laude.

2)     Congratulations to Mark F. on the completion of his Ph.D. in journalism and communications from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He is currently interviewing for university teaching positions. Mark attended CS for all of his elementary and middle school years (Seminar class of 1991).

1)     Brian W. stopped by to visit this week. He is now in his second year of law school at George Mason University. He completed his undergraduate work at Virginia Commonwealth University and spent the year before law school in Botswana, Africa, teaching AIDS prevention. Brian attended CS for nine years from elementary through middle school (Seminar class of 1994).
2)     Congratulations to Aaron H. on his graduation from Vanderbilt University. He will be attending law school next year. Aaron attended Community School for six years through elementary school.
 

Congratulations to Paige J. who is graduating from Occidental College this month. She will graduate with honors in philosophy and a minor in studio art. She has been volunteering at the Los Angeles Museum of Natural History and hopes to pursue a career in a natural history museum. Paige received a Presidential Scholarship to Occidental after graduating as valedictorian from North Cross. She attended Community School for all of elementary and middle school.
 

Congratulations to Ciara P. who recently received a merit scholarship to the prestigious Emma Willard School in New York. She is currently a freshman at Patrick Henry, but will be transferring to Emma Willard for the remainder of her high school education. Ciara attended Community School for all of her elementary and middle school years (Seminar class of 2006).
 

Congratulations to Max B. who was recently awarded the prestigious Fentel Scholarship at Roanoke College. Max, currently a rising senior at Roanoke College, plans to attend medical school. He attended CS from preschool through middle school (Seminar class of 1999).

Congratulations again to Ruby B., this time on her acceptance and substantial scholarship to her first choice school, Duke University. Ruby was in the CS Seminar class of 2003.
 

Congratulations to Ruby B, currently a student at Lakeside High School in Atlanta, on her recent acceptance to Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences and on her acceptance and scholarship to Hollins University. Ruby attended CS for middle school (Seminar class of 2003).

Congratulations to Rain Y. on her acceptance to St. Louis University – Madrid campus. Rain will have the option of completing her four-year undergraduate degree in Madrid, Spain, or spending two years in Madrid, then returning to the U.S. to complete her degree. Rain, currently a senior at Community High School, attended Community School from preschool through middle school and has participated in our Bolivian exchange program four times. She currently interns with our CS Spanish teacher Elena two days a week.

Congratulations to Sarah C. on her four-year, full scholarship to Roanoke College. Sarah, currently a senior at Community High School, plans to pursue a pre-med curriculum. She attended CS for five years in elementary and middle school, attended the Governor’s School for Math & Science for several years, then transferred back to Community High. Sarah just turned 16 last fall.

1)    Congratulations and good luck to Susanna T. who left this past weekend for a five-month Mandarin study program at the Language Institute of Beijing in China. She won a $5000 scholarship for foreign studies from the University of Mary Washington where she is currently a junior. Susanna also speaks Spanish, Italian and French. She attended CS for preschool through middle school (Seminar class of 2000).

2)     Congratulations to Katie F. for earning the honor roll at the Williston Northampton School where she is currently a junior. Katie attended CS for preschool through middle school (Seminar class of 2004).
 

CS alumnus Jonathan McGraw was featured in the December 18, 2006, issue of the Blue Ridge Business Journal for his work as a benefactor to local artist Eddie Maxwell. Jonathan, the twenty-three year old owner of McGraw Fine Art, “adopted” Eddie, an eighty-five year old retired Norfolk & Western employee who had fallen on hard times. Jonathan has made it his mission to help Eddie and to get him the artistic recognition that he deserves. To see Eddie’s work and to meet Jonathan, stop by the gallery on Franklin Road in downtown Roanoke. Jonathan attended Community School in elementary and middle school.

Congratulations to Brian C. who graduated from The Asheville School in June 2006, received numerous academic honors and scholarships, and is now a freshman at Denison University in Ohio. His younger brother Ben is a sophomore at Sewickley Academy (PA).

June 1, 2006

I came across your website today and thought I'd take the opportunity to update my information.
 
I am an alumni from Community School I attended there from 1977-1981.  I currently live in Cincinnati with my two cats and am a Student Services Associate at Hondros College.  If there happen to be any alumni that remember me, I would love to hear from them! 
 

Jennifer Moe
jmoe@hondros.edu

May, 2006

1)     Congratulations to Lucas T. who just graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Virginia with a double major in philosophy and political and social thought. His immediate plans include joining his father as a builder and developer. Lucas attended C.S. for 8 years for elementary and middle school.

2)     Congratulations to Susanna T. who won a $5000 scholarship for foreign studies from the University of Mary Washington. She will study Chinese this summer at UC-Berkley and will study at the Language Institute of Beijing beginning in February. Susanna also won a $300 prize for a paper she presented in Spanish in Puerto Rico this year. Susanna, who also speaks French and Italian, just completed her sophomore year at Mary Washington. She attended C.S. for 9 years for elementary and middle school.

3)     Congratulations to Mark F. who just completed his Ph.D. comps in journalism in Colorado. His sister Lecia F. is also in Colorado pursuing a second bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. Mark and Lecia both attended C.S. for 9 years for elementary and middle school.

4)     Congratulations to Anna Lee B. who will be attending the Savannah School of Art & Design in the fall. Anna Lee, who is graduating from Patrick Henry, attended C.S. for three years for middle school.

Congratulations to C.S. alumni Meghan and Corrie W. Corrie is in her second year at the University of Virginia where she is in the honors PSP fraternity. She was also just accepted into the small, selective Poetry Majors program. Meghan, at the age of 22, is the new Director of Economic Development for the City of Waynesboro. Meghan attended C.S. for 8 years from kindergarten through Seminar and for one year in the C.S. Extended Studies Program. Corrie attended C.S. for 8 years from kindergarten through Seminar. Below is a recent news article about Meghan.

Staunton News Leader   April 13, 2006

     Meghan W. is confident, well-spoken and Waynesboro's new director of economic development. She's also just 22 years old.

     "Age is just a number," City Manager Doug Walker said, borrowing a quote from Maryland's women's basketball coach Brenda Frese, who won a NCAA title last week with a determined group of underclassmen.

Walker's enthusiasm for Williamson was evident Wednesday afternoon as he rattled off a litany of her accomplishments — internship with the legislative director of the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, interim development officer for the Southwestern Second Harvest Food Bank, freelance journalist for the Blue Ridge Business Journal and her current position as a research assistant for the Urban Institute in Washington, D.C.

     "She's a top draft pick that's going to make an immediate impact on the team, " Walker said, using another sports analogy. "She has enormous talent."

     Mark Wagner, chairman of Waynesboro's Industrial Development Authority and part of a panel that interviewed Williamson, said, "We were all kind of wowed at that first interview." Wagner said Williamson will bring a new energy to the position. "We're excited about having her," he said.

     Williamson said her age is not an issue. "You're never too young to be a positive force in your community," she said.

     Williamson was 16 when she graduated from Lord Botetourt High School. She worked at the food bank for a year before enrolling at the College of William and Mary, skipping her freshman year thanks to college credits earned while still in high school. She graduated summa cum laude and was a highest honors graduate, earning a bachelor's degree in government and environmental science.

     Williamson beat out 16 other applicants for the economic development position, a job that entails wooing new industry and enticing commercial retailers with incentives.

     Williamson said she was struck by Waynesboro's sense of community, which she said is vital to achieving economic success. "That's something that builds on itself," she said. "We have a lot to offer."

     After spending close to two years performing state-level policy analysis for Medicaid, Williamson is eager to start forging business contacts and working alongside other city agencies.

1)     Congratulations to C.S. alumna Sarah S. who just graduated from St. Mary’s College and received the Outstanding Art Student in the College Award. Her immediate plans involve taking a year off, after which she is considering pursuing her MFA and a teaching career. Sarah attended C.S. for middle school for three years.

2)     Congratulations to C.S. alumni Genevieve A. and Molly R., both students at Cave Spring High School, for earning Freshman Honors (GPA’s over 3.4) this year. Genevieve is in the top 10% of their class. Both Molly and Genevieve attended C.S. for middle school for four years.

April, 2006

1) Becca M. will be attending the College of William and Mary on a full scholarship. She was recruited by Yale University, but turned them down. During high school she pursued a dual enrollment at CHS and Lord Botetourt, spending mornings at one school and afternoons at the other. You may have seen her featured in the Sports section of the Roanoke Times for her outstanding performances in basketball and track and field for the lady Cavaliers. Becca attended C.S. for ten years, from preschool through middle school.

 2) Tony Z. will be attending The North Carolina School of the Arts Filmmaking School, one of the top film schools in the country. The school is highly selective, accepting only 80 new students for fall 2006, 50% of them from North Carolina. Tony attended a summer program at the North Carolina School of the Arts and won an award for his film production. He attended C.S. for five years, from upper elementary through middle school, and attended CHS for all four years of high school. Tony is the second C.S. alumni in two years to earn acceptance at the North Carolina School of the Arts Filmmaking School.

3) Emily F. was accepted at the College of the Atlantic and Marlboro College, was awarded Presidential Scholarships at both institutions, but is still deciding which school to attend. Both are small, liberal arts schools that share many characteristics in educational philosophy with C.S. and CHS.  Marlboro College was ranked #2 in the nation by The Princeton Review for "Best Overall Academic Undergraduate Experience." Emily attended C.S. for nine years from elementary through middle school. She attended North Cross for 9^th grade, then transferred to CHS where she is graduating a year early.

 Seminar Class of 2001:

Beth F. - Valedictorian, North Cross. Recipient of the North Cross Spanish Award, Calculus Award, Art Award and Book Award. Attending her first choice school - The North Carolina School of the Arts Filmmaking School. This school is highly selective, accepting only 80 new students for fall 2006, 50% of whom are from North Carolina. Attended CS for nine years from kindergarten though middle school.

Robin D-T. - Salutatorian, North Cross. 1st in region and 3rd in state in Sons of American Revolution essay competition. Cum Laude Society. Sewanee Book Prize for Excellence in Writing. North Cross Merit Scholar. Yearbook editor. Attending Tufts University. Interested in political science and public policy. Attended CS early elementary through middle school.

Kate T. - #3 in the senior class at Roanoke Catholic. Female winner of the Wendy’s Heismann Award for the state of Virginia. Jefferson Scholar nominee from Roanoke Catholic. Five year Foreign Language Award and. B’nai B’rith Athletic and Achievement female nominee – Roanoke Catholic. Catholic Daughters of America Outstanding Scholar Athlete Award. Presidential Academic Excellence Award. Early acceptance to her first choice school – The University of Virginia. Attended CS for eight years from early elementary through middle school.

Alex L. - Recipient of the English Award at North Cross. Early acceptance to his first choice school – Carleton College (Minnesota). Plans a pre-med curriculum. Attended CS for 11 years from preschool through middle school.

Hannah T. - Graduated from Patrick Henry & the Center for the Humanities. Attending her first choice school – Christopher Newport University. Attended CS for eight years from preschool through middle school.

Marcus H- Graduated from William Fleming. Attending Virginia Western. Plans to transfer to Virginia Tech to study communications and/or architecture. Attended CS for seven years from kindergarten though middle school.

Students Who Attended CS for Elementary or Left Prior to Seminar:

Alan R. - Salutatorian, William Fleming & Governor’s School for Math & Science.  Attending Wesleyan, Amherst, Cornell or Columbia (still deciding). One of 3 recipients nationwide of a 4-year college scholarship from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. Interested in combining political science and neuroscience for a career in Biopolitical Science. Attended CS for six years from preschool through early middle school.

Lucy S. - Graduated from high school in Philadelphia. Early acceptance to Yale University. Attended CS for seven years from preschool through elementary school.

Callie T. - Graduated from a private school out of state. Attending Vanderbilt University. Attended CS for five years elementary through early middle school.

Kirstyn K. - Valedictorian, Patrick Henry, Center for the Humanities & Governor’s School for Math & Science. Early acceptance to Harvard University. Attended CS for elementary school.

Seth C. - Graduated from Patrick Henry. Attending Virginia Union University. Attended CS from preschool through elementary school.

Timothy P. - Valedictorian, Blacksburg High School. Attending Princeton University. Attended CS for elementary school.

Other Alumni Updates:

Stephen R -  Just completed his freshman year at Cornell as a pre-med student. He’s working this summer as an assistant on a bio-medical research project for which he was selected in a competitive process as the only undergraduate member of the research team. Attended CS for eight years.

Christopher R - A rising junior and currently ranked first in his class. He is pursuing a combined curriculum at Roanoke Valley Governor’s School and William Fleming’s IB program. Attended CS for six years from preschool through elementary.

Tony Z. & Emily F.- Rising seniors at Community High School. Tony and Emily, along with CHS student Connor Hogan, won top awards in the student category (Best Original Student Film) at the Blue Ridge Film Festival for their documentary “Cradle 2 Cradle.” Tony attended CS for 5 years from elementary through middle school. Emily attended CS for nine years from kindergarten through middle school.

Nicole I.- Completed high school through the on-line Clornara program based in Michigan. Started part-time at Virginia Western last fall and went full-time in December. Currently pursuing an Associate's degree and working part-time. Attended CS for six years from elementary through middle school.

March 22, 2005 - Congratulations to the following CS alumni on their recent college acceptances:

1)      Beth F. – early acceptance to the Savannah College of Art & Design. Beth attended CS for nine years from kindergarten through middle school. She is a senior at North Cross.

2)      Alex L. – early acceptance to Carleton College in Minnesota. Alex attended CS for eleven years from preschool through middle school. He is a senior at North Cross and hopes to pursue a pre-med curriculum.

3)      Kate T. – early acceptance to the University of Virginia and Jefferson Scholar nominee. Kate attended CS for eight years from elementary through middle school. She is a senior at Roanoke Catholic.

4)      Kirstyn K. – early acceptance to Harvard University. Kirstyn attended CS for four years during elementary school. She is a senior at the Patrick Henry Center for the Humanities and the Governor’s School for Math and Science.

Congratulations to CS alumna Kate T., recipient of one of two Wendy’s High School Heisman Awards for the state of Virginia. The award honors a male and a female high school senior who have excelled in academics, athletics, and community service. Four hundred students around the state were nominated for this award. Winners of the state awards continue on to regional and national competitions. Kate has also been accepted to the University of Virginia through the early acceptance program and has been nominated for their Jefferson Scholar program. Kate attended CS from 1993 – 2001. She is currently a senior at Roanoke Catholic. Her sister Anna is also a CS alumna and her other sister Maggie is currently in our middle school program.

June 22, 2004

Hi, this is Jeff Davis, currently in Danville, but moving June 29 to Syracuse, New York, to start graduate school in broadcast journalism at Syracuse University – the top school in the nation to study television journalism. Of course, I had to excel in my undergrad studies in order to get here and you can’t know how to do well unless you start out in an educational environment that fosters creativity, new learning methods and individual attention to students.

That’s what I got at Community School when I attended from 1986 to 1991. I’m convinced that if my parents could have done it all over again, they would have kept me and my sister at CS through high school.

I’ve spent the last 18 months working as a newspaper reporter for the Danville Register & Bee. I thought it would be a bland news market, but I’ve covered tornadoes, an earthquake, the state’s 2004 General Assembly budget stalemate, interviewed a death row inmate and followed his appeals process, environmental emergencies, countless days-long murder trials, Operation Iraqi Freedom, November 2003 and May 2004 elections, the Democratic primaries, a few investigative pieces and countless other news items.

In March I won two Virginia Press Association awards: one first place award for a series of news stories about convicted triple killer Percy Walton’s appeals process. The other was a third place award that I shared with several other reporters for news convergence – a cutting-edge method of delivery information that involves the simultaneous usage of print, television and Web outfits in the same market to deliver information in real time and to flesh that information out to the fullest degree.

Before starting at the R&B in December 2002, I graduated Magna cum laude from Radford University with a bachelor’s of science degree in English with a minor in media studies. I had two publishing internships, one with Leisure Publishing Co. in Roanoke and one with the News-Gazette in Lexington. I also was a prominent member of Whim Internet Magazine, one of the first Internet magazines in the nation and definitely one of the first college e-publications that are independent of their respective campus newspapers.

I’m looking forward to living in a more liberal – albeit colder – environment in Syracuse (181 inches of snow last year). My 12-month master’s of science program will culminate with a 6-week internship in Washington, D.C., filing national stories for network affiliates in different parts of the country.

My ultimate career goal is to be the guy you see when you turn on the television, sitting behind a desk with my co-anchor. I’ll be happy just as long as it isn’t Fox News or ABC, but if the job market gets super-bad, I may have to relinquish those prejudices.

When I’m not fulfilling my duties as a news junkie, you can find me reading Car & Driver, The Economist, Blues Revue, and any novel by Jonathan Franzen or Salman Rushdie. I dabble in Web design and have also developed a knack for cooking. I’m hoping to get back into mountain biking real soon as I’ll have access to the Adirondacks and I’m also waiting with baited breath for the new U2 album. Bono for President!

            The only current CS teacher I’m familiar with is Betsy, but I never had her. I did have Cherry for Art and Elena for Spanish. Spanish class in high school wasn’t the same without Mexican food. And I don’t think any other school in the world has “fruit break” (please tell me you still have fruit break). I also fondly remember being a Pebble in Jan’s class when I first started out, being a Savage in Cheryl’s class and finally being a Haida in Pat’s class.

            If anyone out there remembers me, don’t hesitate to drop me an e-mail at jldavi03@syr.edu.

Best wishes,
Jeff

Congratulations to:

Morgan H. who will graduate as the 2004 valedictorian at William Fleming High School. Morgan is completing the International Baccalaureate program at William Fleming and will attend Amherst College this fall. He attended CS from preschool through Seminar (1989 – 2000).

Daniel L. who at age 17 was the youngest student in George Mason University’s 2004 graduating class. Daniel attended CS middle school and Seminar from 1997 – 1999. Daniel skipped high school and attended Virginia Western before transferring to George Mason (GMU). He majored in economics with a minor in psychology and has applied to the doctorate economics program at GMU.

Meghan W. who graduated Summa Cum Laude and with Highest Honors from the College of William and Mary last month. Meghan majored in Government and Environmental Studies. She attended CS from kindergarten through Seminar (1990 – 1998) and for one year in the CS Extended Studies Program in 1999.

Corrie W. who will graduate from Lord Botetourt High School with a GPA above 4.0 thanks to the many classes she took at Hollins University over the last two years. She received the English Department Award at Lord Botetourt and is currently deciding between the College of William and Mary and George Mason University for fall enrollment. Corrie attended CS from kindergarten through Seminar (1992 – 2000).

Stephen R. who will graduate from William Fleming and the Roanoke Valley Governor’s School. Stephen will be attending Cornell University this fall. He attended CS from preschool through middle school (not Seminar) from 1991- 1999.

Katie H. will graduate from Glenvar High School and will attend Mary Baldwin College this fall to major in math and Spanish. Katie attended CS from preschool through elementary school (1990 – 1997).

1. Congratulations to CS alumna Abby T, who will be attending the University of Vermont - Burlington this fall. She was also offered scholarships to the University of Connecticut – Hartford and Appalachian State and was accepted at the University of Colorado – Boulder and the Performing Arts Program at VCU. Abby will graduate this year from Patrick Henry (Center for the Humanities). She attended CS for elementary and middle school from 1992 to 2000.
2. Congratulations to CS alumna Susanna T. who will be attending Mary Washington College this fall. She was also accepted into the Virginia Tech Honors Program. Susanna will be graduating from Lord Botetourt this year, though she actually completed her high school requirements as a junior last year. She speaks Spanish, Italian and French, took many of her high school credits at Hollins University and Roanoke College, and spent her senior year traveling and studying in India, Vera Cruz and Italy. Susanna attended CS from preschool through middle school (1991 – 2000).

Congratulations to C.S. alumni Daniel K. and Kate T. Daniel was elected by his peers to be president of the upper school at Roanoke Catholic this year, and Kate was elected president of the junior class. Daniel attended C.S. from 1991-1997; his brother Jacob is currently in the C.S. middle school. Kate attended C.S. from 1993-2001. Kate’s sister Maggie also attends the C.S. middle school; her sister Anna completed seminar last year.

Historical Note: Margaret Cohen Gordon completed two years of high school credit in one year to finish as Community School’s first high school graduate in June 1972. She went to Duke University to study nursing and earned a master’s from Columbia University. At last word, she was the Director of Neonatal Nursing at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She is also a published author.

Rhona L., mother of Zac  in the middle school, was one of Community School’s two high school graduates the following year in 1973. Rhona attended Antioch College and is currently an attorney here in the Roanoke Valley. Her two older children, Adam and Hannah, also went to Community School as did her husband, Gary T. We have unfortunately lost contact with the other 1973 graduate, Kate S.

When Community School opened in 1971, its classes went from preschool through high school. In the late 1970’s, the school phased out the middle school and high school classes to focus on the elementary program. The middle school program resumed in 1986. Community School offered an Extended Studies Program for high school students in the 1990’s, and Community High School opened last year.

Congratulations to C.S. alumna Meghan W., recipient of the Sharpe Fellowship at the College of William & Mary. Every other year one outstanding student at William & Mary receives this award. The fellowship covers all expenses for that student’s final two years at the college. Meghan, who also received a Monroe Scholarship and was salutatorian at Lord Botetourt in 2000, attended Community School from 1990-1998. She is completing a double major in government and environmental studies.

Congratulations to the C.S. Seminar class of 1999 as they move on to college, careers and beyond! For those of you who wonder where your old friends are headed, here is the information that we have received:

  Paige J. graduated as valedictorian of North Cross and received many school awards. She has accepted a $40,000 Trustees Scholarship to Occidental College (CA).

  Jake F. opted for a nontraditional high school program and completed most of his “high school” credits at VWCC. He is off to the University of Virginia as an Echols Scholar. He also received a music scholarship from the Roanoke Valley Music Teachers’ Association.

  Ben O. earned an International Baccalaureate Diploma from William Fleming and received an academic scholarship to Tulane University.

  Max B. has deferred his acceptance at Warren Wilson College (NC) for one year so that he can pursue cardiac tech certification to accompany his Wilderness EMT certification. Max created his own nontraditional high school program combining courses at VWCC with programs through the Northwest and Southwest Youth Corps and SOLO-Stonehenge Outdoor Learning Opportunities.

  Daniel C. is pursuing his commercial pilot’s license and flight instructor’s rating at Langley Air Force Base. He graduated from William Fleming and completed their aviation program.

  Natalie C. graduated from Salem High School with honors and accepted an art scholarship and an academic scholarship to Snow College (UT). Her art received a Special Recognition award at the 2003 Festival in the Park.

  Daniel L. also pursued a nontraditional high school program opting for courses at VWCC.  He earned his Associates degree at age 16 and is now a senior economics major at George Mason University. He is considering graduate programs in economics and/or law school.

  Kristin B. has completed the Clonlara Curriculum, a home schooling program out of Ann Arbor, Michigan. She plans to take classes at VWCC this fall while she decides on future college options.

May 27, 2003

Congratulations to C.S. alumnus Jake F. who will start at the University of Virginia in the fall as an Echols Scholar. Jake also recently won a scholarship from the Roanoke Valley Music Teachers’ Association to continue his private piano studies while at UVA. Jake attended the C.S. middle school and designed his own high school curriculum combining independent studies with C.S. teachers and Hollins professors and classes at Virginia Western Community College.

Congratulations to C.S. alumni Paige J. who has received a Trustee’s Scholarship (an academic merit award) to attend her first choice college – Occidental College in Los Angeles, CA. Paige, who attended C.S. for seven years, is a senior at North Cross. Congratulations also to her brother Houston who has been selected to attend the Virginia Program at Oxford University this summer. Houston, a rising senior at Roanoke College, is triple majoring in history, religion and philosophy. He attended Community School for eight years.

May 27, 2003

A second congratulations to C.S. alumna Paige J. who is the valedictorian of the 2003 graduating class at North Cross. She attended Community School for seven years. Way to go, Paige!

April 14, 2003

Dear Fellow Community School Alumni and Special Friends,

Almost five years ago, I walked onto the stage at Celebration Night to give a farewell speech, but I remember thinking then (as I do now) that I would never really leave Community School. In many ways, the school is not a place from which you can leave, but a philosophy that becomes a part of us as we move on to all our future endeavors. At its heart, Community School is a belief in the power of knowledge and creativity, a conviction that learning should be fun and education a lifelong process.

While we, as alumni, have been fortunate enough to carry this bit of Community School with us, the real school still sits in Roanoke, helping a new generation of children discover their own love of learning. Today, that school is asking us to help give back to these children a small token of what it once gave to us.

Community School recently bought the land it has rented for the past thirty years. A contract to construct a ten classroom building has been signed, and plans for a new community center are already finalized. Elena is continuing her Bolivian exchange program, and Cherry is looking forward to a new art room. These are exciting times for the school, but they are also times when it needs our support more than ever.

If you haven’t been back to visit Community School recently, I encourage you to do so. I would also ask that you consider making a financial contribution, of any amount that you feel comfortable giving. As Community School continues to seek grants and larger donations for its new initiatives, a strong showing of alumni support will be instrumental in this process. More important than the total amount the school receives is the number of alumni responding. So today, remember what Community School gave to you, and please, help give a little back.

Sincerely Yours,
Meghan W.

Meghan W. joined Community School after kindergarten and officially left eight years later in the spring of 1998 after a year in the Extended Studies Program. She continued to take classes at Hollins University and Community School throughout her high school years, but graduated from Lord Botetourt High School in 2000. Before going to college she took a year off to do trail work in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, spending three months in Bolivia through Community School’s exchange program. She has also worked for the Southwestern Virginia Food Bank and did environmental lobbying with U.S. Public Interest Research Group in Washington, D.C. She is currently a junior at the College of William and Mary and is a double major in Government and Environmental Science.

C.S. Alumnus Alan R. Receives National Recognition for Academic Achievements

Congratulations to C.S. alumnus Alan R. on being chosen one of 50 Young Scholars by the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. Alan, who is a freshman in the International Baccalaureate program at William Fleming High School, attended Community School from preschool through age 11. He was granted an early acceptance to the Governor’s School as a 7^th grader, scored over 700 on the math portion of the SAT at age 12, was selected to attend the Center for Talented Youth at Johns Hopkins University during the last 3 summers, has won city and regional science fairs, and plays seven musical instruments. His brothers, also C.S. alumni, have equally outstanding academic achievements. Stephen is a junior in the IB program, attends the Governor’s School, has participated in the Center for Talented Youth at Johns Hopkins, has won the science fair, is a violinist for the Roanoke Youth Symphony, and has been selected to attend the National Youth Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., this summer. Christopher is an eighth-grader at Ruffner Middle School, will attend the IB program and the Governor’s School next year, and has also participated in the Center for Talented Youth.

hello. my name is chris edwards and i went there for
about two or three years i think. let's see must have
been from about '85 to '88. currently i am unemployed
and just moved back to these parts and in fact drove
to the school today to jog my memory. before this i
was in milwaukee and iowa city. i've been to college
for sculture and drawing and have worked in a variety
jobs, including but not limited to: insulation
installer, forklift operator, restauraunt manager and
painter.

i remember i won some sort of contest and got to be
"director for a day" while i attented there. that was
pretty neato. also i remember spending alot of time
in the woods there. which i noticed seemed to be a bit
smaller than in my days. i remember dissecting rats,
and most people are amazed that i was doing this in
the 4th grade when i tell them. all kinds of memories.
most of them pretty good, haha. i cannot honestly
say that about many of the schools i attended since.

take care and keep me updated of any reunions, please.
cletusedwards@yahoo.com