Sarah Soza’s high school graduation with her parents
For anyone who’s had the privilege of watching Sarah Soza perform, there is no doubt about her extraordinary talent and her passion for music. Many of her memories from Clairbourn relate to the music program, where she loved music class and loved playing for the school ensemble. Currently, Sarah is a first year student at the University of California, Irvine, majoring in music, with a specialization in viola performance. Originally a violin player, Sarah switched over to viola at the beginning of her senior year in high school.
Alumna Mei-Tung Chen. Class of 2017, shares her thoughts on living in the moment.
Our wise and deep-thinking alumna Mei-Tung Chen, from the Class of 2017, is currently a junior at Flintridge Preparatory School. Not only is she passionate about math and science, but she is also huge fan of literature—an enthusiasm first nurtured at Clairbourn, where she regularly submitted short stories and poetry to the award-winning, student-produced, literary magazine Paw Prints. Her interest in writing is most evident in her role as the Editor-in-Chief of the satire literary magazine at Prep called The Yell at Prep.
Jeffrey Karsh, Class of 2002, is a Partner at a Real Estate Investment Firm
Meet Jeffrey Karsh, a partner at private real estate investment firm Typerion Partners in Los Angeles, and a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. Jeffrey attended Clairbourn in the early 1990s, from preschool through sixth grade, before his family moved to Beverly Hills. Jeffrey recalls his time at Clairbourn as still “vivid” in his memory, where he recalls the teachers who inspired him and the friends he enjoyed and loved spending time with. Emily Coolidge, Class of 2012, interviewed Jeffrey to find out more about his cherished time at Clairbourn and how it helped boost his confidence in third grade as a top tennis player and influenced his further education. She also asked him what advice he has for those interested in a similar career path.
Taylor Marks Class of 2011 is currently pursuing a career in health and wellness.
Our Clairbourn alums continue to impress us with their talent, eloquence, kindness, strong work ethic, beauty, intelligence, and wisdom. Taylor Marks, Class of 2011, is no exception. We caught up with her during a visit to the Clairbourn Families Association Tennis Social, and in between her stellar tennis shots, we asked her if she would be featured.
She enthusiastically agreed to be featured, pointing out that Clairbourn has had a significant impact on her childhood. Although she has had a wide variety of experiences after high school, including attending university in San Francisco, and living in such a diverse and fast-paced city, she will always remember Clairbourn as the place where she had an “overwhelming sense of community and family.” She learned important skills here, and she made lifelong friendships. Clairbourn was a place where she was nurtured and encouraged and loved. Her tight-knit family, including her mom, who is active as a Board Member at Clairbourn, continues to inspire her to work hard and pursue what she loves.
With an infectious laugh and effervescent personality, Taryn Johnson, Class of 2000, simply glows. Now that her daughter Harper is enrolled in the kindergarten class at Clairbourn, it marks five generations here.
The family history dates back to the mid-1940s when Taryn’s great-grandmother, Lola Wallden, started her career as a school bus driver and retired in 1982 as the Assistant Head of School. Taryn’s grandmother, Beverly Thomson, was the preschool and kindergarten teacher from 1971 until the year 2000. Taryn’s mother, Jodie Robison, is also an alum of the school and worked in the finance office for years.
