The Bush School

from thehead of school

The year that Helen Taylor Bush was preparing her home to take in those six Kindergarten students, author and civil rights champion James Baldwin was born in Harlem, New York; Chamonix, France, hosted the very first Winter Olympics; and George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” was the year’s most popular song. Looking back 100 years, Mrs. Bush left a powerful, lasting legacy for hundreds of educators and thousands of students from modest beginnings with a few students huddled together in those first few days.
One will find Mrs. Bush’s imprint is everywhere at The Bush School. Her influence extends to Bush’s experiential programs, curricular offerings, and pedagogical practices as well as to how we greet one another, ask questions, participate in civic life, and contribute to our community. As a 100-year-old living organism, we learn from the stories and the people that connect us to the past, the environment that surrounds us, and through the roots that ground us firmly to this place.
Bush’s root systems are buried deep below the surface. They carry the decades of memories from historic events, people revered and unsung, stories to be celebrated, and others to be left untold. One day, 100 years from now, someone will tell the story of the students and educators that inhabited this version of The Bush School. They will recognize that we are in an interdependent cooperative relationship with one another, with this school, and with this city. 
I don’t know if Helen Bush envisioned that the school she built would be around and thriving today or if she imagined that we would remember her so lovingly. Each person receiving this magazine is part of that history and helped plant roots that will provide the nourishment for Bush to continue to grow and flourish into the future.
Thank you for taking the time to read this wonderful collection of memories, artifacts, and stories contained in this issue of Experience magazine. I hope that it fills you with the same sense of nostalgia, hope, and optimism for The Bush School as it does for me. We should feel honored to be a part of Mrs. Bush’s story.

Warm regards,

Percy L. Abram
Click below for ...
Letter from The Board of Trustees, Lisa Carroll
Editor's Note from Experience Editor, Sharon Hurt

Eras of Bush Introductions

Voicesof Bush

From the voice of ... Elsa “Midge” Bowman ’51

In 1945 my grandmother offered to send me to the Helen Bush School. I arrived at the front door in late August, a skinny little twelve-year-old with thick glasses and a love of reading. The wooden buildings looked a little like barracks (it had been Lakeside School initially) and there was a sign with the school’s name stuck rather haphazardly in the grass by the sidewalk.

From the voice of ... Virginia Wyman ’67

From 1955 to 1967, my years at The Helen Bush-Parkside School were magical and a stellar scholastic experience. My four siblings were ahead of me at school, so it felt like another version of home. Academics were prized and the priority of the curriculum; we were very lucky. I am still reading the classics today, to which Bush gave us a marvelous introduction.

From the voice of ... Sheri Stephens ’75

The Bush School experience between 1969 and 1975 was a shifting kaleidoscope of cultural, political, gender, and racial change. My own odyssey began with the fitting of a navy “Jackie Kennedy” skirt suit with a Peter Pan-collared blouse. Thankfully, there were no mandatory white gloves and pillbox hat! So many new rules, regulations, and behavior expectations to navigate: stand up for teachers and seniors, no trespassing in the senior hall or courtyard, and assigned lunchtime seating with long-suffering upper-class student monitors. Yet despite the sheltered hallways of our school, we still felt the impact of world events.

From the voice of ... Chris Bayley, Board President 1990–1994

It is an honor to reflect on the life and leadership of The Bush School during the two decades when I served on the Board of Trustees–four of which I served as President–and it really all boils down to how the school became an extension of our family life. My daughters Elizabeth ’92 (Kindergarten through Sixth Grade) and Kate ’96 (a lifer) attended Bush, and we lived and breathed the everyday experience of the community. This was a pivotal time when the school needed to “lean in” to its identity, core values, and strategic plan for the future.  

From the voice of ... Head of School Percy L. Abram

In 2014, as I transitioned from the beaches of Santa Cruz to the majesty of the Pacific Northwest and The Bush School, my sense of wonder and hopefulness was equaled only by an uneasiness about beginning life in a new school, a new state, among new colleagues, and in a community so grounded in tradition.

Celebrating Our Centennial

Throughout The Bush School’s Centennial year, the community gathered to remember and discover Bush history, celebrate the present, and look boldly to the future. Events such as Convocation, Fall Festival, Blazer Bash, Celebrate Bush, and Commencement are yearly Bush traditions, but they held special significance in the school’s 100th year. New progressive education events including the 100 Years of Leadership Dinner, Blazers of Color, Bush Day of Service, Centennial Seminar, and the Block Party were new initiatives that underscored the shared values of Bush through collaboration, curiosity, and our century-long commitment to “It has been my greatest joy to see alums, current students, and the whole Bush community reconnect with the school’s history through archive exhibits and events,” said Bush Archivist and Centennial Coordinator Cali Vance.

In total, more than ten Centennial events were celebrated on campus throughout the year. To read about all of the events that took place, click here. 

InMemoriam

We honor and celebrate the lives of The Bush School community members whom we have lost. Read about these beloved members and leave your own remembrances on the Bush Centennial webpage at bushcentennial.com. Please accept our deepest apologies if someone is inadvertently missing from this list, and contact alumni@bush.edu if you would like to share a memory or a treasured story of your friend or classmate.


ClassNotes

1950s

List of 2 items.

  • Anne (Quast) Sander ’54

    Anne (Quast) Sander ’54 is the recipient of this year’s Blazers Athletic Hall of Fame Award. She holds cherished memories of her time at The Bush School. Her golf journey began in childhood, but she reports that it was her transfer to The Bush School during her Eleventh Grade year and the support of  Bush Headmistress Marjorie Livengood that helped pave the way for an extraordinary golfing career. Sander, who was featured on the cover of the August 1959 issue of Sports Illustrated, enjoyed a remarkable forty-year amateur golfing career, including seven USGA championships – a feat surpassed only by Bobby Jones and Tiger Woods. Notably, her victory in the 1961 U.S. Women’s Amateur is tied for the largest winning margin ever recorded in a championship match, regardless of gender.

    “Mrs. Livengood would do anything she could for a student who also excelled in music, art or sports. In my case, she went to the board at Broadmoor Golf Club and obtained permission for me to practice there. Thus, I got to leave school on the bus with Frank, the driver, when he was taking home those from grades 1-6 (the coed part of the school). He would drop me off at Broadmoor and pick me up two hours or so later on his way back to school.” 

  • Elsa “Midge” Bowman ’51

    Elsa “Midge” Bowman ’51 conducted many interviews and wrote several resulting narrative pieces to support storytelling efforts throughout The Bush School’s Centennial year. In addition to being an alumna, Midge served as an interim Head of School, taught many years, sat on the Board of Trustees, and is the parent to Bush alums.

    • Anne (Quast) Sander ’54

1960s

List of 1 items.

  • Liz Blackford Lawrence ’64

    Liz Blackford Lawrence ’64 owns and operates Paldom Systems, a web design company, with her husband, Peter Lawrence. Liz and Peter have been married for 56 years.

1970s

List of 2 items.

  • Catherine Pease Barnhart ’71

    “My husband, Richard, and I have lived on San Juan Island for 22 years. We’re now both retired and settled into our quiet life, with intermittent visits from family and friends. I’ve enjoyed reconnecting with Bush by participating in planning for this year’s Centennial celebration.” – Catherine Pease Barnhart ’71

  • Class of 1974

    The Class of 1974 celebrated its fiftieth reunion this year. At the helm were alumnae Rebecca Rawson and Joelyn Bahten, planning festivities that occurred on The Bush School campus on Saturday, June 8.

    • Cam Martin

1980s

List of 6 items.

  • Brady Smith ’80

    For the past eighteen years, Brady Smith ’80 has led four different public high schools in New York City as principal (including serving as founding principal in partnership with Outward Bound of a new small school in the Bronx) and is excited to return to the Pacific Northwest. A native Seattleite, Brady earned his Master of  Arts in Teaching (MAT) at Lewis & Clark College and taught for seven years in Portland, Oregon, before heading east, where he earned his school leader certification at CUNY. He relocated to the family cabin on Lopez Island in August 2023 and is excited to use his skills and experience with budget management, strengthening school systems and structures, and inclusive leadership approaches to serve the community as the LISD superintendent.

  • Randy Bannecker ’82

    Randy Bannecker ’82 recently moderated a panel discussion at the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce’s Business Issues Forum focused on the Seattle comprehensive plan update. Randy is founding partner at Bannecker Public Affairs.

  • Edith Hoppin ’84 

    “So amazed to be celebrating the Bush Centennial in the same year as my fortieth anniversary of graduating from Bush! Where did the time go?! My husband, Ron, and I are enjoying life on the top of Capitol Hill in Seattle. I am focusing on my coaching biz (ediehoppin.com), singing with a church choir, and growing as many plants as possible in our cozy backyard. I am sad to miss the June celebration events. Photoshop me into a few pics, please! Grateful to Bush for all of the memories and friendships that are still going strong. Maybe a gathering of ’84 and surrounding years in August, Seattle friends? Happy anniversary, The Bush School! May you continue to help the next generations grow, play, learn, ask questions, develop deep friendships, and share their unique gifts in the world for another 100 years!” – Edith Hoppin ’84 

  • Cole Peterson ’87

    Cole Peterson ’87 and his team won a Seattle ADDY from the American Advertising Federation for their Subconscious Order web app. Cole is the director of creative technology for the global creative data group at VML.

  • Lara Swimmer ’87

    Lara Swimmer ’87 published a book titled Reading Room: New and Reimagined Libraries of the American West. Published by Artifice Press, the book documents a new generation of regional libraries that are redefining public space in the 21st century. Through text and photography, the book examines the place and function of libraries in cities and rural communities. It makes a case for the urgent need for these buildings, which serve as part of a vital community in the post-pandemic digital age.

  • Cameron Martin ’89

    Cameron Martin ’89 has accepted an endowed professorship at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

1990s

List of 6 items.

  • Ben Johns ’91

    Ben Johns ’91 published his book, Rogue for Peace. He was recently interviewed about his work on the thriller in an April 2024 Medium article by Francesca Penchant titled  “Write Your Memories With a Fictional Lens.”

  • Mario Jimerson ’92

    “I currently serve as a P.E. and wellness teacher in the Riverside School District located in Phoenix, Arizona. Over the last twenty-five years I have been a youth high school and college coach. I have mentored and sent many athletes on to college to play sports, and a few have gone on to the NFL; one became an Olympian.” – Mario Jimerson ’92

  • Ashley Stansbury ’93 and Paul Uhlir ’87

    Ashley Stansbury ’93 and Paul Uhlir ’87 are engaged to be married. They are parents to three children at Bush (Tya G. ’25, Ellody G. ’25, and Cophine U. ’25) and one alum (Madden G. ’23).

  • Eliza Flug ’95

    Eliza Flug ’95’s script for Year of the Fox became a film produced by Megan Griffiths and shown at the 2023 Seattle International Film Festival.

  • Julia Erickson ’97

    Since ending her time as principal dancer with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, Julia Erickson ’97 has taken on performing as a guest artist at Alonzo King LINES Ballet, is teaching at Point Park University, and remains involved in many other projects and performances.

  • Cooper Schwartz ’98

    Cooper Schwartz ’98 was moderator for the Affiliate Marketing Think Tank at LeadsCon 2024. Alongside industry trailblazers Jacqueline Anderson, Lauren Garner, and Patricia Marange, Cooper explored the latest trends and topics shaping the affiliate marketing landscape in 2024. Cooper is head of new business and growth at Money Group.

    • Paul Uhlir ’87 and Ashley Stansbury ’93

2000s

List of 8 items.

  • Scott Palmason ’00

    Scott Palmason ’00 is an accomplished actor and singer in Los Angeles. Scott recently lent his passions and talent for improv comedy to hosting The Bush Alum (One Night Only) Improv Comedy Show, a Centennial event headlined by himself and fellow alum Ben Weber ’90.

  • Zach Self ’00

    Zach Self ’00 is founder at Built by Self, a design and build firm. He also runs a not-for-profit organization called the Feels Foundation, which recently completed its third grantmaking round, funding seven emerging artists from around the PNW. The organization, the mission of which is to “cultivate and nurture community and the creative brilliance of Black and Brown artists,” also teaches arts education in seven after-school programs around central and south Seattle. He has a three-year-old son named Batiz, whom he calls “the best part of my day and life!” Zach is a member of the Bush Block Party and the Blazers of Color planning committees.

  • Chelsea Ryoko Wong ’01

    Chelsea Ryoko Wong ’01 continues her successful career as a painter in San Francisco. She is the first recipient of the Hamaguchi Emerging Artists Fellowship award at Kala (Berkeley, CA, 2010) and has recently completed murals for Asana (San Francisco, CA, 2021), La Cocina (San Francisco, CA, 2021) and the FB AIR Program (San Francisco, CA, 2019).

  • Sena Yang ’02

    “I am a fashion designer. I had two clothing lines, SENA NYC and Asteria Active, and landed three magazine covers with Katy Perry, Ellie Goulding, and Gina Rodriguez in addition to having a celebrity clientele. I currently work on custom and most recently worked on projects for Haim, Lizzo, and Jennifer Lopez. To view my work please visit senayang.com.” – Sena Yang ’02

  • Charles Amadon ’03

    Charles Amadon ’03 is senior vice president of business development and strategic partnerships at Flex.

  • Kim West ’04

    Kim West ’04 launched a new band called megacat. While touring, fellow Bush alum Dave Dederer ’82 joined, performing on guitar. 

  • Molly Fisher ’08

    Molly Fisher ’08 was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame (crew) at Cal-Poly Humboldt on October 27, 2023. In addition to her varsity 8 boat winning the NCAA Division II national championship in 2012 (see photo), Molly was designated as a First Team All-American Rower for two years during her time at Humboldt. She was also awarded National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) First Team All-American in 2012 for holding the school record squat and bench for her weight class (her record still stands).

  • Michele Liang ’08

    “As a real estate broker affiliated with Compass, I’ve had the honor of being recognized as one of the Five to Follow” by Seattle King County REALTORS, alongside receiving various prestigious accolades and media features. Beyond my professional achievements, my greatest source of pride stems from my role as a loving mother to my beautiful daughter, Remy, and the joy of sharing life with my supportive husband, Bryan, along with our adorable Amazon-influencer dog, Truffle.” – Michele Liang ’08

    • Zach Self ’00

    • Madeline Dalton ’16

2010s

List of 12 items.

  • Lauren Koby ’10

    Lauren Koby ’10 is a paralegal to a prominent criminal defense attorney in Livingston, Montana, practicing in state and federal courts, including the Montana Supreme Court and U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th and 10th circuits. 

  • Kelsey Scult ’10

    Kelsey Scult ’10 developed and hosted a workshop called “Beyond the Screen: Activating Your Film in Non-Traditional Film Spaces” at the 2023 NOVAC: New Orleans Conference. 

  • Jackie Swett ’10

    Jackie Swett ’10 graduated from the USC Gould School of Law in 2021. She is an associate attorney at Donaldson Callif Perez LLP, representing creators in the independent film industry and “helping artists tell their stories their way.” Recently Jackie has worked on Kokomo City, Couples Therapy, Ken Burns’s The U.S. and the Holocaust, and Love to Love You: Donna Summer.

  • Robert Lewis ’11

    Robert Lewis ’11 is a glass artist producing and selling work through galleries in Arizona.

  • Elise Wilcox ’11

    After graduating from Bush, Elise Wilcox ’11 continued her education at Yale, where she studied biomedical engineering and continued playing soccer. As Yale’s starting goalie during her senior year, she had the highest save percentage in D1 and was named part of Yale’s all-decade team. After leaving Yale, Elise went on to complete a Ph.D. from a joint MIT-Harvard program with a focus on medical engineering. She published two papers from her Ph.D. research in high-impact scientific journals and is now a postdoctoral fellow at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center.

  • Duyen Tat ’12

    Duyen Tat ’12 accepted a position as associate director, head of merchant management at Heyday, leading a team of merchant managers who focus on Amazon growth and operational excellence.

  • Haley Murray Robinson ’13

    “Hey there! After graduating from The Bush School (’13) and Mount Holyoke College (’17), I spent a year serving as an au pair and studying French in Strasbourg, France. From there, I found my way back to the West Coast, to the San Francisco Bay Area, where I’ve been living and working for the past five years. Though I currently live in San Francisco (with my partner of several years), I work in Napa for a boutique creative communications agency that specializes in wine and hospitality PR and marketing. Always happy to hear from other alums, so please don’t hesitate to reach out!”
    – Haley Murray Robinson ’13

  • Jackson Hirsch ’16

    Jackson Hirsch ’16 released two new songs, “Go” and “Best Intentions.”

  • Madeline Dalton ’16

    Madeline Dalton ’16 has been taking NYC by storm as a performer and a music arranger. She and her collaborator, Adam Dorfman, created “Swingin’ with Sara,” a jazz soireé of Sara Bareilles hits. Their retro arrangements of Sara’s work played for a sold-out crowd at the Green Room 42, a premier cabaret venue in Manhattan, and they will be performing again at Chelsea Table + Stage in NYC and the Rosen Performing Arts Center in Wayne, New Jersey, this summer. You can follow Madeline’s work on Instagram at @madeline_dalton_.

  • Eli Tan ’17

    “I’m an early career journalist that was recently selected for a fellowship at the New York Times. Previously, I was a reporter for the Washington Post. Last May, I graduated from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.” – Eli Tan ’17

  • Renea Harris-Peterson ’18

    Renea Harris-Peterson ’18 is the coordinator of college counseling and student success at The Bush School.

  • Rumi Robinson ’18

    Rumi Robinson ’18 was invited to attend the Netflix Geeked Week kickoff in Las Vegas and the TikTok creators Oscars party. Rumi continues to produce videos on multiple platforms, focusing on lifestyle, music, TV, and fashion content.

2020s

List of 4 items.

  • Elise Ansty ’20 

    “I am so happy to share my two magazine covers that I took for Fordham University’s MODE magazine last fall! There are many other talented photographers and writers featured in the magazine; please go check it out! I can’t wait to share with you the upcoming issue soon.” – Elise Ansty ’20 

  • Giovanni Rana ’22

    Giovanni Rana ’22, also known as Vani, is a platinum-selling and Billboard No. 1 music producer. He has worked with Lil Baby, Polo G, Lil Durk, NBA YoungBoy, Rod Wave, Hotboii, JayDaYoungan, Booka600, Rylo Rodriguez, OMB Peezy, and many others.

  • Lane Skotdal ’23

    Lane Skotdal ’23 is membership chair at YPO Next Generation (YNG) Dallas. Lane is a finance major with real estate specialization at SMU’s Cox School of Business.

  • Sophie Rotival ’21

    Sophie Rotival ’21 just completed her third season swimming with Swarthmore. She has qualified for nationals all three years, last year earning two All-American Second Team honors. The team just finished an historic season, and Sophie added three more All-American (two First Team) titles to her resume.

100 Years and BeyondClass of 2036

The Bush School’s future is built on the foundation of its progressive roots. Experiential learning, a commitment to financial aid, and the inclusion of diverse learning perspectives have remained a consistent part of Bush’s values. As the school looks towards the future and builds the leaders of tomorrow, these global perspectives will only become more important. In keeping with its history, Bush will continue to refine its practices and adapt to the changing times.
As we look forward, we can look to our founder, Helen Taylor Bush, who understood the importance of staying true to the mission of providing an experienced-based, “A school is an environment created and directed by teachers for the better growth and development of children,” Mrs. Bush said. “The teachers appreciate the rich contributions of the past, and the richer possibilities of the future; but the children live primarily in the present. Let us help them to live fully.
Experience the full 2024 edition of Experience by clicking here for more articles, photos and content.
Please contact communications@bush.edu with any corrections, errors or updates.
The Bush School
The Bush School is an independent, coeducational day school located in Seattle, WA enrolling 735 students in grades K–12. The mission of The Bush School is to spark in students of diverse backgrounds and talents a passion for learning, accomplishment, and contribution to their communities

3400 East Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98112 (206) 322-7978
The Bush School does not discriminate in matters of employment, recruitment, admissions, or administration of any of its programs on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability, gender, or sexual orientation. In addition, The Bush School does not discriminate in matters of employment on the basis of age or marital status
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