Ballet Competition in Chicago
February of 2006

Hannah Stangebye, an eighth grade student, and TMA alumnus, Sophia Kapacinskas, participated in the prestigious Youth America Grand Prix Ballet Semi-Final Sectional Competition in Chicago. Her nine member ensemble from the Southhold Dance Theatre performed a contemporary ballet, entitled White Russian, and tied for first place, beating twenty-three other groups
for the top award for an ensemble ballet performance. They will travel to New York in April to participate in the Finals of the Youth American Grand Prix Ballet Competition.

(Hannah is in the back or third row, second from the right. Sophia is in the second row, second from the left.)



Alumni News: Adams Student Up for Heisman
Alumni Elizabeth Fleming's quote from The South Bend Tribune November 8, 2006:
"I have always been taught prioritization because I went to Montessori and so it was a very rigorous upbringing academically, which taught me how to prioritize and how to get things done in the time you are given and to do things to the best and to completion as well." Elizabeth Fleming, a Wendys Heisman honoree, is a Senior at Adams High School. The award honors top high school scholars/athletes/citizens, and Fleming ranks high in all three categories. A varsity basketball and volleyball player, she has already been awarded a scholarship in volleyball to Marshall University in West Virginia. She is one of 20 state finalists throughout the state (10 boys, 10 girls) who will be honored Sunday at a luncheon at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis followed by a pre-game award ceremony during the Indianapolis Colts vs. Buffalo Bills game at the RCA Dome.

Joseph O'Rourke from Adams High School is a finalist for the Indiana Science Talent Search contest. His paper told of his investigation of the effects of various factors, including carbon nanotube supported catalysts, on the performance of direct methanol fuel cell.



Jim Heide is the valedictorian of Niles High School. Jim has been named as a Commended Student in the 2007 National Merit Scholarship. Commended students place among the top five percent of more than 1.4 million students who entered the 2007 competition by taking the 2005 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. He attended the Berrien County Math and Science Center in Berrien Springs for four years with science classes including biotechnology, organic chemistry, and advanced placement psychology on the Internet.

Katherine Gombos Jankowski attended TMA from Kindergarten through eighth grade. She graduated from Penn High School with honors. She graduated from Purdue University in Computer Animation and Spatial Graphics. She has been with Bayer Corporation in the IT department for seven years. Katherine is a volunteer coach with the Adams High School soccer team. She recently sent a letter that stated, I would like to thank TMA staff because you all were a strong influence in molding me into who I am today.

Angie Cressy Deane is the Director of Development and Public relations at the Center for the Homeless. She graduated from Miami University in Oxford, OH and also attended Sorbonne in Paris, France. She double majored in Public Relations and French.

Lauren Cressy Dunbar is the Assistant Director of Development and Public Relations at the South Bend Center of the Homeless, with a focus in special events. Lauren graduated from the University of Dayton and majored in Public Relations.

John Firth is co-valedictorian of the 2006 class at Marian High School.

Alan Huang is the salutatorian at Saint Joseph's High School.

National Merit Finalists: John Firth, Rachel Hamburg and Alan Huang

Mock Trial Regional participants and award winners (out of 24 teams at state):
Saint Josephs: Zachary Stangebye, Alan Huang, Drew Olson, and Peter Gray
Marian: Meryl Makielski, John Firth, Katie Firth, and Molly Firth
Adams: Hanna Jensen - Best Attorney (only ten of these were given out of 120 students); and Claire Alviss team beat St. Josephs and took the state title. The team will be going to nationals as the Indiana representative.

Scholastic Art Awards: Meryl Makielski received a Gold Key Award for photography and will compete nationally in New York
Julie Kocsis received two Honorable mention awards for photography.

Alyson Liew Spilger qualified to go to regionals as a freshman diver from Adams.

Peter Gray and Zach Stangebye from Saint Josephs performed in Bells are Ringing at the Driscoll Auditorium at Holy Cross College.

Elizabeth Flemming (TMA 2003) and Hannah Jensen (TMA 2004), who attend John Adams High School, graduated from  Youth/Leadership on May 18, 2006. Youth/Leadership is a year long class sponsored by  the South Bend/Mishawaka Chamber of Commerce. High school students are selected for this class based on faculty recommendation, leadership qualities, and community involvement.

Claire Alvis, TMA 2003, was a member of the mock trial team from John Adams High School that placed tenth this year in the National Mock Trial Competition held in Oklahoma City. This is the second time her team has competed on the national level and finished in the top ten.

Daniel Loeser, TMA 2000, who attends the University of Chicago, was awarded a scholarship from Harvard University and Princeton University to study in a total immersion program in China this summer.

Congratulations to two of our alumni for their very successful college year: Daniel Rooney TMA 1998 (Valedictorian of Saint Josephs High School 2002) graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Williams College and Michael Hamburg, TMA 1998, graduated from Harvard.

Congratulations go out to the TMA Class of 2002 as they graduate from High School. It was an extremely bright, hard working, and very successful class both in the classroom and in extracurricular activities.

The graduates from Marian High School are Kyle Deane, John Firth, and Blair Fulnecky. Those who are graduating from St. Joseph High School are Brittany Dennis, Breana Fifer, Christine Flint, Racheal Hamburg, Alan Huang, Ilsa Jaksic, Julie Kocsis, Kristen McCampbell, Kelly Potts, and Jeffery Swanson. Courtney Helman will graduate from Penn High School. Anna Drendrell and Samantha Loeser will graduate from Trinity School.

Anna Drendall will attend the University of Notre Dame in the fall. She received a Rink Scholarship and an Alumni Scholarship from the University. She plans to study premed. She is a national Merit Finalist and a Blue Ribbon Scholar (South Bend tribune). She graduated cum laude from Trinity school, one of 7 students in a class of 31. This year she received Academic excellence awards from Trinity School in mathematics and in art.

Samanatha Loeser will attend the University of Southern Illinois. She received a Presidential scholarship which provides for full tuition, room and board for all four years. She plans to study biology and chemistry. She was nominated by Trinity Schools, Inc. to be a Blue Ribbon scholar, although the South bend Tribune did not choose her. She too graduated cum laude. She received academic excellence awards in mathematics, science, and drama.

There are two students who will graduate first in their high school class and two students who will graduate second in their class. There are seven students graduating with Highest Honors and one student with High Honors; there are two St. Joe Scholars (above a 4.0). In this group there are four National Merit Scholars and one Honorable Mention. There are three students who received the honor of Presidential Scholars at their various colleges. And one student attained a perfect score on his ACT. At the time of this printing not all of the High Schools had their awards ceremonies and those schools counselors have told us that there are more awards and honors coming for some of these students. The colleges and universities they will be attending are Ball State, Columbia College, Hope College, Indiana University, Notre Dame University, Purdue University, St. Mary's College, Washington University in Saint Louis, Southern Indiana University, Northern Illinois, Southern Illinois University and Stanford University.

We wish these graduates the best of luck as they continue their education. We are extremely proud of their dedication to their studies and their accomplishments!