Horace Mann - Summer 2016 - 58

Class Notes 2009 Merin Pasternak was married to Nicole Lustig Pasternak '08 on September 20, 2015. See Class Notes 2008. Charlotte Kiang was one of two Teachers in Space, Inc. (TIS) contest winners to participate in the organization's first human research flight activity since resuming operations in 2006. Teachers in Space, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit educational organization which stimulates student interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by providing their teachers with extraordinary space science experiences and industry connections. As a Spacesuit Test Team Essay Contest winner Charlotte joined Syracuse middle school teacher James Kuhl on a 24parabola microgravity flight, testing a commercial spacesuit made by Final Frontier Design (FFD). In her winning essay Charlotte wrote about how the final flight of space shuttle Atlantis "opened my eyes to the need for US flight capabilities to the International Space Station" leading her to research the US space program and pursue STEM studies in high school and beyond. "Whatever career path they choose," she writes, "students with a STEM education have the ability to impact our world with research, technology and practice that either stays on this Earth or leaves it." The flight took place on Oct. 15, 2015, and Kiang skyped with HM Lower Division students as she prepared for the flight. 58 Horace Mann Magazine Summer 2016 (http://www.horacemann.org/cf_news/view. cfm?newsid=864) Currently studying for a Masters in Engineering, Biological Engineering at Cornell University, Kiang hopes to go into space one day. In the meantime, this recognition enabled the alumna, who is a Space Generation Advisory Council Representative at the United Nations, to "experience zero g on a parabolic flight" used by astronauts for training before spaceflight. Jake Perlman, who performed in numerous plays at HM, went on to study musical theater and history at Northwestern University. He also underwent a physical transformation "losing 80 pounds and gaining a new perspective on life," as he writes on his health and fitness website "The Skinny Couch Potato" www.skinnycouchpotato.com. Still passionate about theater, film, TV and pop culture, he launched the website to help people with similar interests pursue these in a healthy way. Jake describes his site as "a health and fitness guide full of tips, tricks, and ideas for entertainment junkies (like me!)" such as how to "keep up with the Kardashians and keep away from the Krispy Kremes" or "knowing when to binge watch and when to stop binge eating, and have a healthy obsession with pop culture." 2010 Grace Merriman played the parts of Honey in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" and Squeaky Fromme in "Assassins" in Horace Mann School's HM Theatre Club (HMTC) Alumni Plays in June 2015 and 2016. Merriman studied Irish theatre and acting with The Lir Academy at Trinity College, in Dublin, and is now producing director at Equal Truth Productions (www.equaltruthproductions. com), a theater company she founded "on the belief that every human being has a unique truth of their own that is worth sharing, and that no one's truth has more value than anyone else's." The company's "primary goal" is to "create a space in which to foster the creative talent of people and groups whose stories are often overlooked." ETP's first production was Aristophanes' "Lysistrata" at the 13th Street Reperatory in December 2015. Nancy DaSilva writes: "I have completed the Venture for America fellowship and now work at a digital agency in Philadelphia called Bluecadet, building interactive touch screens and websites for museums." 2011 Save the Date, September 24, 2016, for HM Homecoming and the 5th Reunion of the Class of 2011. Brian Knott was a Stanford University NCAA Team Silver Medalist in gymnastics, and a finalist for the 2016 Nissen-Emery Award, the "Heisman Trophy" of college gymnastics. In 2015 he was National Champion and was named NCAA All-American on parallel bars (his third such award) and on pommel horse. Brian graduated from Stanford University in June 2015 with a Bachelors' degree in Electrical Engineering (EE) and finished his Masters' degree in EE in fall 2015. During his years at Stanford he competed on the gymnastics team, was NCAA second place finisher in 2015, and received The David M. and Marcus A. Krupp, MD Scholarship and The Joseph and Mary Vickers Scholarship. Voted team captain Brian continued to compete in 2016, his last year of NCAA eligibility. Stanford's 2015 Athletic Board honored Brian with its "Outstanding Male Junior Award" (shared), having "registered eight individual victories... tallied five of Stanford's top 10 scores on pommel horse, four top-10 scores on high bar, and three top-10 scores on parallel bars ... competed on pommel horse in all 11 meets and made 10 lineups in parallel bars and high bar ... was admitted to Stanford's wireless communications lab and was first author on a research paper published at the International Conference on Communications in London." This research may impact the next generation of cellular technology and mobile data transfer. In gymnastics, he was also named Capital One Academic All-District, MPSF All-Academic Team (third time), and All-America Scholar-Athlete first team in Men's Gymnastics. Brian's team members voted him "most innovative gymnast" four years http://www.horacemann.org/cf_news/view.cfm?newsid=864 http://www.horacemann.org/cf_news/view.cfm?newsid=864 http://www.skinnycouchpotato.com http://www.equaltruthproductions.com http://www.equaltruthproductions.com

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