The Alumni Newsletter for Shaker Heights High School | Visit us online
August 2017 
In This Issue
You're Invited: Homecoming 2017
Come Home to Shaker: Homecoming Weekend is September 22-24!

Plans are taking shape for this community-wide event! Come join us as we gather with friends, neighbors and alumni to celebrate 100 years of Shaker graduates. Get all the details and register online now. While most activities are free, we'd like to know you're coming so we can plan ahead.

Here are a few highlights to share with you:
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Friday Night Fun   

The celebration kicks off with live music by Drew Schultz ('06) and his band, The Broken Habits, Friday night at The Dealership, 3558 Lee Road. Read more about Drew. Admission is free; food, beer and wine are available for purchase. Register now to be entered for a raffle of Shaker swag and tickets to the Saturday football game! 
Saturday Pre-Game Festival on the Oval

Come one, come all to a family-friendly festival featuring rides on the Euclid Beach Rocket Car, inflatables, hot dogs on the grill and the East Coast Custard truck!  No admission fee; just bring cash for food and drinks. Alums can also take a school bus tour of new happenings around town---no field trip permission slip necessary, but the buddy system is encouraged.
The Big Game

Come cheer on the Raiders as they take on the Medina Bees. Kick-off is 1 pm. Former band members and Raiderettes are invited to join in the celebration, and special seating is available for all Shaker Alumni - so wear your Raider gear and bring your pom poms!
Sunday Brunch in the Garden

You're invited to a special brunch in the Audrey Stout Learning Garden in the Shaker Heights High School courtyard. (Remember that place?) Reservations are required by going online or by calling 216-295-4329; tickets $40. A portion of the proceeds benefit the Shaker Schools Foundation.  
It won't be a party without you! Be sure to stay up-to-date on all the latest developments  online and follow us on social media:
Please consider joining us as a sponsor for Homecoming Weekend!

Companies, individuals, groups, and families are invited to support this event through a sponsorship. Contact Holly Coughlin , Executive Director of the Shaker Schools Foundation at 216-295-4325 to learn more.
My Shaker: Ethan Holmes, SHHS '12
Hard Work and Big Dreams Pay Off Deliciously

As a youngster, Ethan Holmes watched his grandfather make applesauce and decided that would be his pursuit. For holiday gifts, he asked for apples and pears so he could practice perfecting the recipe. Today, Ethan is the CEO and Founder of Holmes Mouthwatering Applesauce--- available at Heinen's, Acme, Giant Eagle, Whole Foods, and many stores in Columbus, Hiram, and Chicago---and coming soon to select Ohio Target stores! And, he recently won an investment and new manufacturing facility in Slavic Village thanks to the Cleveland Foundation and COSE Council of Smaller Enterprises.

The Path to Entrepreneurship

From the age of 11, Ethan was always selling something in his neighborhood. His first foray into business, selling homemade chocolate bars in a self-designed wrapper, met with little success, but he was motivated to keep trying.

In ninth grade, Ethan's entrepreneurial instincts led him to create his applesauce label and slogan. It took him a year to develop the perfect recipe: great, sweet taste without added sugar.

At Hiram College, Ethan studied management and entrepreneurship. Money he earned working in the dining hall became the initial investment for the applesauce business he started in an on-campus kitchen. His inventory sold out immediately, and he tasted success! Ethan began entering business competitions, and eventually rented space at Culinary Launch & Kitchen, where he adjusted the recipe for larger-scale production.

Ethan shares this advice: "If you are thinking of starting a business, you must start where you are, use what you have, and do what you can. Most importantly, focus on not just making a profit, but on how you can change the situation of those in your community and world."

Like Father, Like Son
Bruce and Ethan Holmes

Ethan's father, Bruce Holmes, SHHS '66, is very proud of his son's focus and drive to become a successful business owner. But Bruce has his own Shaker story. In 1955, he moved with his family from Cleveland to the Ludlow area, where he started second grade as one of only four African American students.  

At Shaker Heights High School, he became captain of the cross country team, which qualified for states. Bruce remembers fondly his social studies teacher, Mrs. Swaja, in whose class he realized his love for studying society and culture. His cross country coach, Bob Rice, encouraged Bruce to continue his studies and helped him apply for and receive a college scholarship. Bruce was proud to be the first college graduate in his family.

Bruce has worked for more than forty years as a licensed therapist, currently at Ohio Mentor, which offers therapeutic foster care and mental health services for youth. He is a graduate of Central State University and received his social work training at Case Western Reserve University.

Clearly, the apple does not fall far from the tree: both Ethan and Bruce took advantage of the outstanding educational opportunities that were offered in the Shaker schools and applied that knowledge to achieve their personal goals.

My Shaker is all about you! 

Email or call the alumni office at 216-295-4877. We would love to hear your story.
Student Update: Summer Academy Giving Back - Paying Forward
Summer Academy is among the newer additions to the District's approaches to differentiated learning. And, it is the direct result of philanthropy by and from the members of the Class of 1950/January 1951. 

After their 60 th reunion, class representatives contacted the Shaker Schools Foundation to help them identify one or more projects that could ensure that all students take full advantage of a Shaker education. As a result of many meetings between administrators, class members, and the Foundation, the Summer Academy pilot program was launched. 

Created to assist 25 incoming ninth  graders in developing the scholastic skills and personal attitudes necessary for improved academic success, the six-week program began in June 2012 as a four-year project. In 2016, it was adopted by the school district and, based on feedback from the participating students and teachers, it is now a two-year program.  
            
Summer Academy incorporates academics, teambuilding, life skills, and fun. Students complete summer reading, hone math and science skills, meet various high school faculty and staff, participate in public service (such as volunteering at the Cleveland Food Bank), and visit colleges, including an overnight at Hiram College. Of the inaugural Summer Academy class, seven left the district, 16 graduated, and two took online classes towards their GEDs. Almost all of the participants showed higher levels of engagement and manifested fewer behavioral and attendance issues at the high school than at the middle school. 
            
The members of the Class of 1950/January 1951 raised more than $200,000 for Summer Academy and several smaller projects---and as of this writing, they have embraced another initiative that will help eliminate barriers to learning. These graduates possess a generosity of hearts, minds, and resources which provides a shining example of giving back to Shaker. We thank them sincerely for their legacy. 
The Foundation: Supporting the Schools and Students 
The Shaker Schools Foundation was created in 1981 to accept charitable donations from alumni, parents, residents, friends, and organizations. Our mission is enrichment of Shaker's students' educational experiences, and this takes many forms. We provide support for projects that complement academics and co-curricular activities, capital improvement projects, and opportunity assistance for disadvantaged students. Please consider following the lead of members of the Class of 1950/January 1951 and giving back! You can contact us at 216-295-4329 or visit us online. Thank you.
We are challenging 100 supporters of the Shaker Schools to donate at least $100 to the Shaker Schools Foundation in honor of the 100th anniversary of the first graduating class of Shaker. We hope you will take the challenge!

WHY?    To make a difference and to support our students.
HOW?   It's easy! Just follow these steps:

1. Make an online donation of $100
2. Print out the " Proud to Support the Shaker 100 Campaign" sign or make your own
3. Sport your favorite Shaker gear or red shirt and take a selfie while holding the sign
4. E-mail your photo and let us know if you are an alum
5. We will post and tag you on our Facebook pages for the  Shaker Schools Foundation and the          Alumni  page if appropriate
6. We will let you know when it is posted and we will ask you to share it
drewschultzSpotlight On ... Drew Schultz, The Rhythm of Shaker 
From a very early age, Drew enjoyed a childhood surrounded by a musical family who exposed him to the sounds of Motown, classic soul, funk and jazz. The friends he made in those early years became his friends for life. He fondly remembers first-grade teacher, Mrs. Joyce Pope, and second-grade teacher, Mrs. Darla Carlson. In the third grade he became interested in music after many years of watching his mother, Judge K.J. Montgomery, practice as lead singer with the No-Name Band in their home. Musical instruments filled the basement and he wanted to play the drums. However, his mom insisted that he start with piano lessons. At his fourth grade clap-out ceremony, he remembers singing the classic song, Lean on Me, revealing his growing interest in the sounds of Motown. When he joined the band program in fifth grade at Woodbury, he happily chose drums as his instrument.

At the High School, professional percussionist Bill Ranson was Drew's mentor and inspired him to work hard as a new musician, helping him become a well-rounded drummer and hand percussionist. Instead of watching TV or playing video games, Drew spent his time playing the drums or watching others play in order to improve his own skills. At Shaker, he participated in multiple wind ensembles, orchestras, jazz bands, choirs, musicals, percussion ensembles, and, of course, "The Pride of Shaker Heights," the SHHS marching band.

During his high school years, Drew was guided by two musicians who would help shape his career: original Earth Wind & Fire member Ralph Johnson, and Funk Brothers' drummer Uriel Jones, who played on countless hits by almost every artist on Motown Records in the '60s and '70s. They continue to inspire him today.

After graduating from Shaker, Drew attended NYU where his career took off. At the age of 19, he played his first show with the Four Tops on hand percussion. He served with the group for five years as archivist, hand percussionist, touring drummer, and even Musical Director/Conductor across many world tours. This led to performances with Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, The Miracles and others. Along with touring, Drew also teaches at the Detroit Institute of Music Education.

"You felt accepted no matter what the interest and comfortable to explore your thing." He encourages Shaker students to find their niche in school.  "Follow your interests. Try it. The options are endless and Shaker is the place that can serve as your testing ground to find out what you like to do," he says.  "Always be open to branching out and find people with different interests in order to learn from them."

We are proud to welcome home Drew Schultz and The Broken Habits to celebrate the kick-off of our Homecoming Weekend on Friday, September 22. The adult-only evening at The Dealership from 7-11 pm is free to attend, but we encourage online registration or call 216-295-4325. Food trucks and beer and wine will be available to purchase.
Upcoming Reunions and Events
Visit our  reunion page to learn more about upcoming reunions. Also, please be sure to  update your contact information so that we can keep you posted on each of our alumni events. 

Questions?  Email us.

Tickets on sale now for Say Goodnight Gracie
Join us at 7 p.m. on Friday, September 15 when Alan Safier (SHHS '67) becomes George Burns in  Say Goodnight Gracie, the Tony-nominated solo actor play by Rupert Holmes. This performance is open to the public and co-sponsored by the Shaker Heights High School Class of 1967 and the Shaker Schools Foundation. 

All proceeds benefit the Foundation's Legacy Fund, a permanent endowment that will provide long-term, substantial support to the Shaker Schools in the areas of academics, arts, athletics, and special initiatives. Premium tickets are $50 and include excellent seats and a reception with Alan; general admission tickets are $35.  

Purchase tickets online or contact the Foundation at 216-295-4329 for more information.
 
15600 Parkland Drive
Shaker Heights, OH 44120