What Our Alumni Have Been Up To ...
Community Threads
For her senior project at SAAS, Elena Zytnicki, Class of 2016, found inspiration in the artistic murals brightening up Seattle’s storefronts in the last few months of “Stay Home, Stay Healthy.” She and her business partner started the t-shirt business Community Threads with the goal of creating unique designs that would reflect the needs of the community and the impact of COVID-19. With the consent and encouragement of the artists, Elena and her partner use her photographs of the murals to produce the designs before printing each shirt by hand using a heat press in their basement studio. Community Threads is donating 100% of its sales to charities Mary’s Place and the Ballard Food Bank. They were featured recently in Seattle Refined and in a segment on King 5 News. Bravo, Elena!
Cultural Conversations
Anne-Claire Mousseau, Class of 2016, has spent her senior year interning in the Community Development department at the City of Bellevue. The focus of her work, a community group called Cultural Conversations, was moved online once “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” took effect. This interactive webpage offers community members a safe place to share stories and conversation during this challenging time. Wonderful work, Anne-Claire!
Cap & Mal’s Bakery
Capucine Anquetil, Class of 2017, started a small business that sells scrumptious baked goods from scratch and delivers them safely to customers. All the proceeds go to local nonprofit organizations. If you’re interested in purchasing some tasty treats, please contact Capucine through Instragram @capucinea2003 or by calling or texting (425) 326-0736. Offerings include chocolate cupcakes, lemon cupcakes, and lemon loaves. Miam!!
Seeking Virtual Volunteers This Summer
Summer Programs 2020 is going virtual! We are looking for volunteers to support Les Navigateurs camp for 1–8 graders in French. The program includes three interest tracks: Les Artistes (fine arts), Les Bibliophiles (reading, creative writing, drama), and Les Constructeurs (building, engineering). Volunteers will assist camp teachers with activities and check in individually with campers throughout the week. Camp runs June 29–July 17 (no camp July 3). To apply, please send an email to Summer@FASPS.org stating your interest, track, age preference, and availability. Merci!
Barack Obama’s 2020 Commencement Speech
We wanted to share this concise yet powerful speech delivered by former president Barack Obama to all of the graduating seniors in the Class of 2020. In his speech, which we hope everyone can enjoy regardless of political leanings, Obama offers three pieces of sage advice, all of which are good (see below), but his third piece of advice, “Build a Community,” is especially important, now more than ever. Staying connected to FASPS is one way to do this, along with joining our FASPS Alumni and Parents Group on LinkedIn. In times of difficulty and in times of ease, you can call on your FASPS community for support and opportunities you may not even have known were available to you.

Three quick pieces of advice:
  1. Don’t be afraid. We've been through tough times before, and we came out stronger.
  2. Do what you think is right, not necessarily what feels good.
  3. Build a community. No one does big things by themselves. Stand up for each other.
FASPS Business & Professional Directory
FASPS is compiling this directory of our community members (parents, trustees, employees, alumni parents and students, and all their spouses and partners) so that we can continue our focus on and commitment to community in these challenging times. If you would like to offer your services, please fill out and submit this form. Inclusion in the directory is 100% voluntary. In addition to business and professional listings, community members who have home businesses or who would like to have just their names included are welcome to participate. If you have any questions, please email Kyle at KyleL@FASPS.org. Thank you!
Cinco de Mayo PLUM Gathering
The Cinco de Mayo Zoom Happy Hour for Parents of Alumni (PLUMs), held the first week of May, was a great success! With over 26 participants including several staff, and guided by fabulous hosts Anne Morisseau and Laura Mousseau, the Zoom was a fun moment where old friends and new got to connect and hear about each other’s lives. Conversation topics ranged from parenting during quarantine to TV show recommendations and tips for staying physically active. Nearly two hours passed in easy chatter, and by the time participants finally adjourned for dinner — conceding that one can only be sustained by chips and guacamole for so long — everyone agreed that another such Zoom (and Happy Hour!) would be well welcomed.
English Conversation Pal Sought
Luca, a high school senior student in the Paris area, is looking for an English speaking student around his age for conversation to improve his speaking skills. He is willing to switch to French halfway through the meeting so French can be practiced / improved as well. It’s a win-win! If you are interested, please contact Andrea Mignea at andreamignea@hotmail.fr.
Zoom Gathering June 6
On Saturday, June 6, FASPS’s very first graduating class of grade 8 students, led by FASPS alumni Julia Mitchell, is hosting a Zoom get-together for the classes of 2011, 2012, and 2013. Julia is spearheading the outreach with more information about the event including the Zoom details. That said, FASPS may not have your contact information! If you don’t hear from Julia and you’re interested in attending, please let Debbie know at DebbieB@FASPS.org and she’ll be sure to put you in touch.
Distance Learning, Virtual Graduations,
Life in Confinement ... Oh My!
If you were set to graduate from high school, college, or university this spring, what kind of alternative graduation ceremony is your school planning? How do you feel about it? What does distance learning look like for you? We’d love to hear your stories and see pictures of what life looks like for you these days. It means a lot to us to stay connected with you, especially during this challenging time. Share your pictures and stories with LiaC@FASPS.org, and we will post them in our next newsletter (with your permission) or on social media. Merci !
Internships, Jobs, and More! Alumni Students: Connect With the FASPS Parent Professional Community on Linkedin
Connect with FASPS’s professional parent community by joining our “FASPS Alumni and Parents Group” on LinkedIn. Email KyleL@FASPS.org to be sent an invitation.