Bishop Seabury Academy

Alumni Association President Amanda Look '05 Champions Seabury's Vision A manda Look '05 is a strong supporter of Bishop Seabury. It may be safe to say she is one of the school's biggest fans. And why wouldn't she be? Amanda has a glowing relationship with BSA filled will special memories of friends, educators, life lessons, and outstanding experiences that she won't soon forget. Amanda has a childhood friend to thank for her initial exposure to Seabury back in 1999. "The parents of my friend, Caroline, were considering sending her to Seabury, so I went with her on a half-day visit to the school to provide moral support. When my mom picked us up, she ended up meeting with the headmaster, Mr. Pueschel. After her tour, she went home and told my dad that I had to go to Seabury, citing the spirit of the school as her chief reason, though there were others. The fact that the teaching staff was allowed to discuss subjects that weren't in textbooks or weren't considered 'appropriate' for the classroom in most other schools. The fact that the school cared just as much about raising students with integrity as teaching them about mathematics or English literature. My mom knew right away what it took me a very short time to realize—Seabury was absolutely a one-of-a-kind place; a special place that I was extremely lucky to find and call home for the next six years." Those six years were some of the more formative in Amanda's life. Seabury played a large role in her becoming the person she is today. "I feel indebted to my former teachers—most of whom are still there—and to my classmates. Our teachers didn't work hard to fill our heads with knowledge, but rather they made a concerted effort to instill within each of us confidence, determination, and self-respect. They made me a better student, taught me how to be a leader, and made me a part of their family." After graduating in 2005, Amanda attended Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois. At the time, she wasn't sure what to expect and hoped that she had gained enough knowledge to prepare her for college as Knox's academics were extremely rigorous. Needless to say, Amanda was worried for nothing. "Let's just say that Knox was a breeze. Seabury prepared me extremely well for college because we worked hard. I learned really great time- management skills at Seabury, and had a strong foundation of language and writing skills by the time I graduated. The combination of those skills really helped me sail through Knox. I'm grateful to Seabury for preparing me so well." "Not only that—and I didn't realize how important it was at the time—Seabury required students to pick one after- school extracurricular activity, and had a rule about not cutting anyone from teams or theatrical productions. Seabury always put each student's experience above having the best team or performance. They have their priorities right. Seabury gave me room to be proud of who I was. That kind of confidence has absolutely played a role in mycareer success." Now living in Chicago and working with the Northwestern University Alumni Association as associate director of alumni professional development, Amanda understands now more than ever the importance of staying connected to your alma mater. She and fellow Seabury alumna, Rachel Wigen-Toccalino '05, have established an official Bishop Seabury Alumni Association. "I know firsthand as an alumni relations professional how important alumni are to a school's development, and at this point, it's most important that Seabury stays connected with our alumni of all classes and ages. With the Alumni Association, I hope to create opportunities for alumni to connect with current students and share the lessons we've learned since graduating, as well as keep alumni engaged with the school and bring back some who don't feel as engaged. Our goal is to have at least one event a year to bring the entire alumni population together, which has become our annual holiday tradition. It's always great to see former classmates and teachers at our holiday gathering. For those who haven't attended in the past, I really hope to see you there this year!" Amanda and her boyfriend, Michael, live in Chicago. They recently bought a condo and she is excited to get settled in and start decorating. As a Chicago resident, Amanda takes weekend brunching very seriously, "so that's a top priority." You can contact Amanda at alook09@gmail.com. 7 A rguably one of the strongest departments in Seabury's college preparatory program is the English department. The department is structured so that each grade studies different aspects of literature over the years, including a double session, Intro to Reading/Writing for 6th graders, Existential Questions for 7th, 8th, and 9th graders, and Genre and Literature Studies for 10th, 11th, and 12th graders. Five teachers hold the lead roles in this show: Krista Barbour, Cris Bryan, Vanessa Eicher, Michael Pulsinelli, and Matt Patterson. Each has a great passion for their teaching, always ensuring that every student has a wholesome and necessary learning experience, even if it does mean lots of reading. "My favorite things about teaching here include the small class sizes, which allow me to have easy one-on-one discussions with students," says 9th and 12th grade English teacher Michael Pulsinelli. "I also find Seabury students to be the most polite and hardworking that I've ever met, and the community here is great and unlike anything I've experienced before," he adds. "It's pretty swell. All the teachers are doing their job very well. I'm learning a lot, and that's all that matters," says 8th grader Alex Porter. "I think Seabury's English department is strong in every grade," says freshman Hilary Griggs. "The curriculum is strong, and it's helped me grow as a reader, writer, and especially as a student," she adds. Additionally, two English department electives include Creative Writing taught by Doug Weaver and Patterson, and Journalism taught by Pulsinelli. Department Spotlight: English By Sadra Gerami

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