Class of 2017 – Clairbourn School News

September 27, 2021September 28, 2021

The Board of Trustees is pleased to welcome Clairbourn alumni parent Manuel G. Grace to the Board.

*New Clairbourn Board Member – Mr. Manny Grace, Alumni Parent and Trustee*

Manny and Casey’s two children, Alex and Zoe, attended Clairbourn from Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade graduation, in 2013 and 2017. Given their 14 years of experience and engagement with the Clairbourn community, the Grace’s are a true Clairbourn family. Manny brings to the Board his knowledge and experience of private school education, particularly as it relates to issues of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). Manny is an enthusiastic supporter of Clairbourn. He credits the nurturing and rigorous education his children received at Clairbourn as providing the foundation for their subsequent successes in high school, college and beyond.

Manny’s oldest child, Alexander, was a stellar student and respected class comedian at Clairbourn. Alex developed strong writing skills at Clairbourn, culminating in a poignant and hilarious speech which he delivered at his 8th grade graduation. Alex went on to attend Flintridge Prep, where he performed in the Comedy Sportz Improv team for four years. Alex continued doing improv comedy, during an otherwise studious undergraduate career at Columbia University. In May 2021, Alex graduated from Columbia with a BA in American History, focusing on the post-Civil War Reconstruction era. He is currently living and working in New York City, working in documentary film production. Alex appreciates the unique privilege of his Clairbourn experience. He maintains close ties with many of his Pre-K pals from Clairbourn.

*Alex ’13 from Clairbourn on the left and ’21 from Columbia University on the right*

Zoe, four years younger than Alex, blossomed as a student at Clairbourn, particularly in Middle School, where she consistently made the Dean’s List. Zoe participated in a number of theatre productions (Winnie the Pooh and Midsummer Night’s Dream), and was active in almost every sport offered at Clairbourn, most notably, soccer, softball and volleyball. After Clairbourn, Zoe attended Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, where she continued her athletic career on both school and club volleyball teams, and served as a member and leader of the Black Student Union. Zoe excelled academically at FSHA, and also won a number of honors for her creative efforts in ceramic arts. In August 2021, Zoe entered her freshman year at Washington University in St. Louis, with fellow Clairbourn classmate, Natalie Chen, whose mother, Debbie Chen also serves on the Clairbourn Board of Trustees.

*Zoe ’17. Winnie the Pooh play on the left and on Clairbourn Sports Team on the right.*

Manny attended the University of Notre Dame, where he graduated with a degree in Psychology. He then went on to obtain a law degree from the Columbia University Law School in 1982, and clerked for the Hon. Lawrence W. Pierce, in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. After practicing corporate environmental law for several years in New York City, Manny moved to California to work as in-house Environmental Health and Safety counsel for The Walt Disney Company in Burbank. During his 29-year tenure at Disney, Manny has covered issues ranging from consumer product liability, environmental compliance and occupational safety. He has also served on numerous committees addressing issues of diversity and inclusion within the workplace. In his current capacity as Associate General Counsel, Manny has had a key role in shaping Disney’s compliance strategies during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Manny has always been civically engaged in the wider community. Manny is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Notre Dame University Alumni Association and a current board member of the California State Parks Foundation. He is currently on the Board of Directors of Earthshot, a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring climate action through video games and virtual and immersive experiences. He is also a former Chairman of the Board of the Society of Product Licensor’s Committed to Excellence (SPLiCE). Manny is also a member of the Environmental Law Committee of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

At Clairbourn, Manny and his wife Casey (also an attorney) served as the Annual Fund chairs for their children’s classes for two years. Manny also served as Cub Scout Master when Alex was young, and participated in many carnivals and other event committees over the years. He is excited to be joining the Clairbourn Board of Trustees at this important time in the future development of the school.

July 26, 2021July 27, 2021

Clairbourn graduates are LEADERS who are not afraid to speak up, listen, question and make a difference in the world.

*Justin will be attending Boston College.*

Justin graduated from Clairbourn in 2017 and attended Flintridge Preparatory School. He will be going to Boston College to study Business Entrepreneurship after taking a gap year.

He is very interested in a mission-driven approach to business, where business models are built around social responsibility, improving the lives of their constituents, and positively impacting human welfare.

One of Justin’s well-known characteristics at Clairbourn was his eagerness to try new things. This eagerness certainly continued throughout his high school years as well. He was able to try his hand at several different jobs over the summers such as fruit packing in the fruit district of downtown LA at 5 in the morning, running a high-traffic lego booth at the largest LEGO convention in Pasadena twice a year, researching design materials and building scale models while interning with an architect, and perfecting his excel skills as a business analyst for an online advertising firm. The Covid school year made classwork tough for a lot of seniors, but Justin also experienced it from the teacher’s point of view when he developed and taught a couple of 8-hour courses to middle schoolers, via Zoom, on the History of War.

Justin also explored a variety of study programs over the summers. The NC State Design Camp exposed him to five different facets of design (architecture, graphic design, art & design, landscape, and industrial design). The University of Chicago introduced him to innovation through the interdisciplinary study of economics, entrepreneurship, and the sciences. He was able to further his interest in global citizenship when he studied present-day issues through the lenses of economic, legal, and political theory as a Young Yale Global Scholar.

It’s no surprise that Justin continued to play goalie for Prep during his 4 years there. But he also picked up some other interests that have stuck with him, such as heading to the nearest climbing gym to practice his bouldering and sewing his own clothes.

*Left: Participating in Design Challenge / Right: Buddy reading with a lower school student*

Justin already knew 4 years ago that he would take a gap year. There were just so many more things he wanted to do. In the fall of his gap year, he will road-trip across the US exploring Americana and visiting his friends in college. For the ski season, he will become a snowboarding bum and work for SkiCo. He’s not sure yet what job they will give him – ski lift operator, ticket sales, restaurant work, etc – but he’s hoping for retail sales. In the spring he will get his Wilderness First Responder certification, and then head to Peru for 2 months to build houses. And when summer comes back around, he’s looking forward to catching up with all his friends home from college once again.

When we asked Justin about some of his favorite memories, he responded, “I loved the Design Challenges in middle school. Those were great. PE was always super fun. And I’ll always remember Mrs. Wreede’s ticket reward system and bidding on the gumball machines.”

*Left: Justin was no. 11 on the school basketball team. / Right: Participating at a sports meet*

July 15, 2021July 22, 2021

Clairbourn graduates have HEART, full of compassion, resilience, and gratitude. They are lifelong learners with a growth mindset.

Bennett was part of the Clairbourn class of 2017. He knew music was his passion and followed it at a young age. Over the years, Bennett has performed as an artist at the Whiskey A GoGo, the Troubadour, the Federal, and Universal Studios, as well as in Europe. He has also worked with many well known artists and producers.

Left: Bennett with The California Jet Club / Right: Bennett with El DeBarge

His most recent project was co-producing an album called “Union” with Tyler Brown for an up-and-coming teenage artist from New York named Matilda Marigolds. The album debuted this month and Bennett produced, edited, recorded, wrote, mixed and even played the main guitar part. He collaborated with artists Mike Garson (David Bowie’s pianist), Guy Erez (from Alan Parsons), and violinist Meena (from Smashing Pumpkins). Union was mastered by Howie Weinberg who also worked on albums for Madonna, Prince, Aerosmith, and Nirvana. It was an exciting experience! Here is a music video of one of the songs in the album called “Leroy.” (Bennett is one of the guitarists.)

Last month, Bennett worked with the legendary El DeBarge and prepared his entire set for his show in Atlanta. It was hard work but a huge success! He was also part of a team to work on a Dio cancer fundraiser which will live stream in July via Rolling Live Studios.

Bennett with Joey Belladonna from Anthrax

Bennett was hired by Rolling Live Studios as a head audio engineer. RLS is an art and entertainment production company run by the industry giants — Kerry Brown (music) and Stacey Sher (film). One of Bennett’s first jobs was to work on this year’s Oscars. He had the pleasure to work with amazing artists and producers such as Sheila E., Macy Gray, Guy Erez, Mike Garson, Howie Weinberg and others.

Currently, he’s working on a short film called “You’re Something Else” as the head sound and audio engineer. He will also assist on the the soundtrack production. Bennett looks forward to the exciting projects lined up for him for the rest of the year.

Bennett is grateful for the time at Clairbourn that provided many opportunities for chapel reading. It gave him a foundation for public speaking and the confidence needed to be on stage. He has fond memories of Mrs. Stahmer and Dr. Nafie, as well as Mrs. Wreede, Mrs. Corwin, Mr. Guyer, Mrs. Barker, and Coach Paciorek.

July 13, 2021July 13, 2021

Clairbourn graduates are SCHOLARS who are grounded in the values of honesty, respect, responsibility, spirituality, and citizenship.

Nicole Lam was a part of the Clairbourn Class of 2017. She recently graduated from the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA) as valedictorian. This fall, she will be attending Yale University, majoring in applied mathematics while continuing her piano studies.

In her senior year at LACHSA, Nicole was named a California Scholarship Federation South Central Seymour Award recipient, Equitable Excellence Scholar, National Merit Scholar, USC Trustee Scholar with a full-tuition scholarship, and UC Berkeley’s Regent and Chancellor’s Scholar, totaling over $350,000 in merit-based scholarships.

Nicole is a concert pianist and a mezzo-soprano opera singer. She has performed at Walt Disney Concert Hall, Zipper Concert Hall, Luckman Fine Arts Complex, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Carnegie Hall, La Mirada Theatre, and concert halls in Vienna and Romania. She also won first prize at the Houston International Music Competition, Steinway Junior Piano Competition Regionals, Southwestern Youth Music Festival, MTAC VOCE Competition Senior Ensemble, Lansum International Music Competition, Dan Stover Music Competition, and was recently named a finalist in the Spotlight International Piano Competition.

During high school, Nicole took on several jobs: she was the apprentice and intermediate choir director for the San Gabriel Valley Children’s Chorus, the president of LACHSA’s California Scholarship Federation, a teacher at the Saturday Conservatory of Music, and also worked as a bilingual translator, interviewer, and host for US National TV. At the TV station, she has interviewed renowned figures on live television and has hosted several live shows broadcasted internationally to over 20,000 audience viewers.

Additionally, Nicole is the founder of her own 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, Love Through Music, which shares music with underserved communities. With six organization branches in the US, her nonprofit organization has hosted over 50 concerts with 500+ student performers at local retirement homes, veterans hospitals, and orphanages. The nonprofit has also donated musical instruments to several Title I schools to supplement their music programs. Remotely through Zoom, she has taught music fundamentals to over 100 Nepalese orphans, and has also traveled in person to Kathmandu, Nepal annually to donate school supplies and rebuild school buildings after the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake.

At Clairbourn, some of Nicole’s favorite memories were the 8th grade Shakespeare play Midsummer Night’s Dream, playing piano during chapel, and singing in the annual Christmas shows! She would like to thank all her teachers at Clairbourn for making her childhood experience so memorable and incredibly special.

July 5, 2021July 6, 2021

Clairbourn Connections: Class of 2017

It has been a long Clairbourn tradition to invite the alumni class graduating from high school back to campus for a reunion breakfast the morning of our graduation. It’s not only a celebration before sending them off to college, but it also gives the alumni a chance to make Clairbourn connections with current students and share their insights. This year is no exception!

We reached out to our class of 2017 and asked for their reflections! Let’s see what they have to say!

Class of 2017 are going to the following cities for colleges:
Boston, Chicago, Claremont, Columbia, Eugene, Los Angeles, Montreal, New Haven, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Diego, Santa Cruz, Shanghai, St. Louis, Tucson, and Washington D.C.

December 3, 2018December 3, 2018

Original Thanksgiving Song Created by Middle School Students

Student composers Isabel Cai and Kennedy King, both in 8th grade, along with fellow composer teacher Cara Barker, show their published sheet music for their original song “Give Thanks.”

At Clairbourn’s annual Thanksgiving Assembly, each grade has an opportunity to perform poems or songs that reflect the spirit of the holiday. Last year, middle school students, under the direction of teacher Cara Barker, used their performance opportunity to give their audience a show-stopping choral number that became the talk of the campus for the beauty of the music and the sentiments it expressed.

The success of this performance made it possible for two students, Isabel C. and Kennedy K. (both now in 8th grade), to be encouraged to collaborate with teacher Cara Barker, during an electronic music elective held later that year, in composing and performing an original song for the 2018 Thanksgiving Assembly (with the music arranged by Cara Barker). The song is called “Give Thanks” and the piece has been copyrighted, published, and distributed through J.W. Pepper.

The middle school chorus performs “Give Thanks” at the Thanksgiving Assembly.

The entire middle school student body participated in performing this original song at the Thanksgiving Assembly on Grandparents Visiting Day, and they were accompanied by musicians from the student body, faculty, and an alum who lent their talents to help bring the song to life . Please enjoy this video of their moving musical performance:

Thanks go to composers, including teacher Cara Barker and eighth-graders Isabel C. and Kennedy K., conductor Rosemary Kiertzner, and the musicians including teacher Mary Drazic on cello, teacher Ann Mize on violin, eighth-grader Andrea M. on cello, seventh-graders Jaleen Tseng and William Ho on violin, and alum Nicole Lam from the Class of 2017 on piano, along with students from 6th, 7th, and 8th grade in the chorus.

Talented musician, and alumni from the Class of 2018 Nicole Lam, shown with teacher Cara Barker, returned for a second year to assist with the middle school Thanksgiving song. She performed on piano with the other musicians. Cara Barker arranged the music which was performed by seventh-graders William Ho (not shown) and Jaleen Tseng on violin, teacher Ann Mize on violin, teacher Mary Drazic on cello, eighth-grader Andrea M. on cello.

Clairbourn School Provides Private School Education for Preschool, Kindergarten, Elementary School, and Middle School Grades | Serving Families in the Pasadena, California, Area and Surrounding Cities (K-12 Private Schools) | Clairbourn is a 501(c)3 charitable organization. Click here to request information.