August 12, 2022
Dear Friends,
I hope you are beating the summer heat and doing some relaxing. It’s hard to believe that the new school year is just weeks away! We have some news to share with you and some upcoming events that we hope you’ll get on your calendars.
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Alumnus participating in Stroke Across America
We are very proud to support the efforts of Michael Obel-Omia, a 1984 graduate of The Albany Academy who is participating in Stroke Across America, pedaling his way across the country and spreading awareness of stroke and the physical and emotional recovery that follows. More than 80% of the way to the team’s goal on this 4,300-mile journey, the cyclists will make a stop in Albany and the Academies has partnered with Stroke Across America to host a gathering for him from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, August 19 at Fort Orange Brewing, 450 N Pearl St, in Albany. Michael, who suffered a stroke in 2016, will share his personal stroke story and discuss how he lives with aphasia and uses cycling to build back strength and movement in his body. He’ll also share how he employs poetry to regain communication. Michael is the published author of the book Finding My Words: Aphasia Poetry. We hope you can join us for what promises to be an inspiring evening. Please RSVP for the reception here.
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Interim Upper School Director Named
We are pleased to announce that Lauren Catlett P’30, ‘32, ’35, spouse of alumnus Jonathan Catlett ’97, has been appointed Interim Upper School Director for 2022-23. Lauren’s background has shaped her passion for leading school communities that prepare students for success with enriching, rigorous, and joyful experiences both in and out of the classroom. She previously served as a school principal at Troy Prep Middle School where she coached teachers and deans, oversaw the curriculum transition to Common Core learning standards, and supported the development of robust special education and intervention services for students. Lauren joined The Albany Academies in January 2022 as the AAG Dean and has also been an assistant coach for AAG track & field and an advisor for No Place for Hate. Lauren and Jonathan are the parents of three Lower School students.
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Chinese Community Center to Host Summer BBQ
As a sponsor of the local Chinese Community Center, the Academies invite you to join us for a fun summer event this Saturday, August 13 from noon to 3 p.m. at Elm Avenue Park, 261 Elm Ave. in Delmar. The center’s Summer BBQ is a large outdoor gathering featuring plenty of food – delicious Chinese dishes, hot dogs, barbequed chicken, and desserts – games, and prizes. The park also has complete recreational facilities, including swimming pools, tennis courts, baseball fields, football fields, children's playground facilities, fitness trails, and more.
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Legacy of Dreams Planned for September 23
Please make plans to attend our annual Legacy of Dreams event on Friday, September 23 at the Crowne Plaza Albany – The Desmond Hotel, 660 Albany-Shaker Road in Albany. This popular event raises funds to support our student-athletes and athletic programs and we hope you’ll join us. If you are a Hall of Fame inductee, please plan to attend to join in a special recognition of all our Hall of Famers! For more information or to register, please CLICK HERE.
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Celebrate Homecoming with Us
Although the recent heat wave makes it difficult to think of fall and football, we hope you’re planning to attend the Caird Classic football game, featuring tailgating and a special Homecoming halftime ceremony on Saturday, October 8. The fun begins at 1:30 p.m. and during halftime, a photo of all alumni and alumnae who are present will be taken on the field. Make plans now with friends so you don’t miss all the fun!
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Institutional Advancement Office Hosts Student Volunteers
The Institutional Advancement Office is grateful for the efforts of two rising juniors who are taking time out of their summer vacations to volunteer in our office where they have been working on a project for our athletics department. The students have been updating the AA and AAG athletics database so that teams’, coaches’, and athletes’ information will be accessible on a plasma screen in the Michael B. Picotte Field House. Thank you to these dedicated students for taking on this project!
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Jim Caird ’52 Memorial Service is now on YouTube
On Saturday, July 23 we held a memorial service to celebrate the life of beloved alumnus James Caird ’52 in the Caird Chapel. If you missed the in-person event and would like to watch the service, please contact me for the link.
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Visits from Alumnae and Alumni Are Always a Treat
I was so pleased to see Shirley French Stevens ’47 who made a visit to The Albany Academies on July 31 with her son, Jameson, two granddaughters, Lucy and Jennie, and her great-grandson. Their first stop was to see The Stevens Center, named in memory of Shirley’s father, Winthrop Parsons Stevens, AA Class of 1916, a parent, and trustee of both AA and AAG. What a thrill for Lucy and Jennie to see the space and a plaque dedicated to the incredible life of their great grandfather!
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It was wonderful to meet Alton Mendelson ’82 who stopped by earlier this month while in town visiting family in the Capital Region. Traveling in from Florida, Alton was thrilled to see the new spaces and renovated areas on campus as well as catch up on the latest news at the Academies. |
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Visual Arts Teacher Showcases Her Work
Annika Tucksmith, Upper School visual arts teacher at The Albany Academies, is currently showing her paintings as part of The Summer Show at the Carrie Haddad Gallery in Hudson, N.Y. The gallery says this about her work: “Annika Tucksmith’s figurative oil paintings embody a child’s perception of time and space when summer promises to last forever and the backyard is a wilderness ripe for discovery. Tucksmith paints with an ease and comfort that suggests an intimate familiarity with the experience of her subjects.” The exhibition runs through September at the gallery, which is located at 622 Warren St. in Hudson. Annika will also show her work at the Albany Center Gallery, 488 Broadway, from September 2 through September 30. That exhibit, -scapes, features the work of five regional artists, “work that reimagines or reinterprets our notions of the ‘landscape’ genre.” We are fortunate to have such a talented artist as part of our faculty!
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Leaving a Legacy Gift
You may be looking for a way to make a meaningful gift to help further the mission of The Albany Academies. A bequest is a gift made through your will or trust. It is one of the most popular and flexible ways that you can support The Albany Academies. To learn more about bequest gifts or if you have included The Albany Academies as part of your estate plans, please contact Silvia Edmonds, Director of Development
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Annual Fund update
Thank you for supporting the 2021-22 Annual Fund. Donations from our graduates made up 52% of the total gifts received last year. We are so grateful for each participant who joined in the 200+ year tradition of giving back to support our current students. We truly are Academies Strong! Our new donation platform has created more convenient opportunities to make your gift than ever before, including Apple Pay, Google Pay, Venmo, PayPal, bank transfers, and even Bitcoin! You can also easily search to see if your company has a matching gift program or set up an automatic monthly donation that spreads your gift over the course of the year. Please visit our Giving Page.
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Please be sure to visit the campus if you are in the Capital Region this summer. We’d love to show you all that’s going on here. |
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Ann Wendth
Chief Advancement Officer
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