Listen to a moment with J.E. Rash, GYV’s founder

J.E. Rash has been inspiring people for over 40 years. He has devoted his life to helping others to change the their future and the future of the world. Here is a moment from one summer afternoon.

Alumni News: November 2008

Linda Sartor S’86:  Linda writes from Isfahan, a beautiful city in Iran.  She is impressed with the ancient sustainable technology she has seen there.

Dennis Paige S’85-’86:  Dennis has been awarded the 2008 Grassroots Conservation Leadership Award from the Audubon-Chicago Region and the Chicago Wilderness Habitat Project.   He describes himself as a naturalist, ecology minded storyteller, green thinking lecturer, natural landscaper and environmental journalist.  Dennis tries to live as he preaches, conserving energy by riding to and from work on a bicycle, composting regularly, and eating a mostly vegan diet at home. A dedicated advocate of wetlands, he has successfully campaigned to protect them from development. Over the past few years, he has designed and applied environmentally friendly natural landscaping to individual homeowners and a condominium association and received media attention in the Chicago Tribune for his unique conscientious approach. To learn more about Dennis’ project, visit: http://www.storytelling.org/Swiftdeer/

Darren Flugge S’90, ’92:  Darren writes from Australia to tell us that  his country has elected a relatively new government that is thankfully leading a little more to the left and is more  socially responsible.  It is spring in Australia but he has noticed that things are extremely dry since there has been no rain on the horizon. He is not working at the moment and is enjoying some time off.  Darren recently became an uncle.

Karlin Levine-Smith P’97-’00:  Karl writes to tell us that she will be leaving in February for a 2 1/2 year placement in Ecuador with the Peace Corps, and hopes to start building a career in international economic development work.   She also wanted to share that because of her experience at Legacy, she  started a Model UN at her  high school, which, 8 years later, is still a major club there.

Dale Gardner S’88:  Dale writes to tell us that he has left the University of Illinois and is  moving the NYC for a new job. 

Brad Washington S’99:  Brad has applied for a job at the College of St. Mary’s in Moraga, CA.  The position is as a tenured professor in the Liberal and Civice Studies Dept. 

Nabil Sargologo P’84-‘87:  Nabil “Billy” Sargologo became a father recently. His wife Veronica was in labor for 24 hours! They have a son, Tomas who weighed 7 pounds and 2 oz. 

Please send us your news!

Alumni Profiles: Vselvod “Seva” Sutyagin

Participant:  1996

Major/Field of Study:  MBA in Finance from Moscow Oil and Gas University

 Most interesting country visited:  France, but there are many countries in Europe that I love.

 Favorite GYV Memory:

It’s been 12 years since I left GYV and it’s hard to recall all the details clearly.  A lot of things were completely different for me, but I guess the unusual vegetarian food made the greatest impression. It took a couple of weeks to get used to it.  I can say many good words about the people I met who helped me to have a great time there and to eliminate strong stereotypes.

Biography:

I’m Russian, I grew up in Samara, now I live in Moscow and work for an oil company, Gazprom.  .   I’m currently the deputy head of the crude oil export department. I’m married and we have a daughter. I enjoy  sports, cars and travelling

Local Alumni to Graduate

ARA FRIEDMAN

GYV Staff/Participant during:  2002-2004

Education: Graduated from World Community Education Center in 2005.  Will graduate from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College/Randolph College in Lynchburg, Virginia in 2009.

 Major: Political science

 Favorite GYV Memory: It’s hard for me to pick a favorite memory as GYV was such an important and enriching experience in my life but I think the two memories that pop to mind both have to do with rain!  In 2003, on the last day at GYV, we had a big soccer game in the rain, which was so much FUN!  In 2004, I remember my cabin Salaam was cleaning up from lunch and it started pouring down rain.  Malaika Spencer and I ran all the way back to our cabin and got completely soaked!  Nothing like giving up to the feeling of getting soaked.  That was fun. 

 Most interesting country visited: Israel and Greece when I was 4.  Unfortunately haven’t traveled abroad since then.

Biography: I am currently participating in the Washington Semester Program at American University and I have an internship with Senator Jim Webb from Virginia and a French roommate.  I am enjoying this unique opportunity as my first time in a dorm, living in a big city, and first time having any interest in French, which I studied for many years!

Featured Alum: Ruben Davis

Ruben Davis

GYV Staff/Participant during: ’02-‘-03

Education: U.S. House of Representatives Page School ’05 George School, Newtown, PA ’06 Harvard University ’10

Major: East Asian Studies

Favorite GYV Memory: Going around the cabin on the first night and hearing where everyone was from, realizing what a unique and special place GYV is.

Most interesting country visited: I’m going to China (Beijing, Shanghai) in 2008! I’m sure that will be very interesting.

Biography: I grew up in Manhattan. During high school, I was interested in politics and international relations. GYV was wonderful for that. I got the wheels spinning in my head that led me to apply to the Page Program in Washington. I’m now studying East Asian studies at Harvard. I can’t say why, because up until last year I had never taken Chinese or studied much about Asia. I like the idea of learning about cultures and people that I know nothing about. Perhaps GYV instilled that in me, or if I had that before, but I know that my summers in Bedford were a formative and special time in my life.

GYV Makes Impression

HEYWOOD BIG DAY III a.k.a. ‘3rd’

GYV Participant during: 1998, 1999

Education: Guildford College, NC

Major: BS, Criminal Justice with concentration in Community Justice Studies

Favorite GYV Memory: It’s hard to pick just one memory, because every single moment that I spent there was memorable. The people, environment, activities, and everything in general was so great. But if I had to choose just one memory, I would probably have to choose the memory of the friends that I made there at GYV. To this day, I still keep in touch with a lot of my old friends from both GYV 98′ & 99′.

Biography:

I was born and raised on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana. I graduated from St. Labre Indian Boarding School in Ashland, Montana and went on to attend and graduate from Guilford College in North Carolina. GYV certainly made an impression on my life because I decided to pursue a degree in Criminal Justice. I also enjoy art. After college, I traveled to different art shows all over the US with my grandparents and won 1st place at the AICA Indian Art Show. The art piece that took first place was a pair of Traditional Crow Indian Dolls that I had made. The Secretary of Interior purchased the pieces and they are being displayed to this day.

After doing the art world aspect of my life, I started working as a Domestic Violence Responder for the Crow Tribe, under the Rural Domestic Violence & Child Victimization Program. While being a responder, I transferred into the position of Program Director of the Rural Domestic Violence & Child Victimization Program, The STOP Violence Against American Indian Women Discretionary Program, and the Arresting Policies Grant. This was a huge change from what I was normally used to, but I have been helping victims of domestic violence within my nation. One of the major programs in which I assisted in implementing was called “The HOPE Card Project,” which is also knows as “The Purple Feather Campaign.” The Hope Card Project is an attempt to couple law enforcement’s need for information during incidents involving violations of protection orders and the victim’s need for streamlined services during times of crisis. The project has been and continues to be reviewed by a variety of professionals directly involved in the prevention of domestic violence, as well as, a large number of victims. The Hope Card is an invaluable tool for law enforcement in the field and will simplify decision making in critical incidents of domestic violence. This project was established first upon the Crow Indian Reservation by the district attorney of Montana. With all the recent publicity we have received, we are starting to go nation wide with the project.

This summer, I plan to visit Ukraine and Russia for a month. I am looking forward to my trip.

Next Page »