Our alumni are forever a part of our community. In an effort to stay connected with our alumni community, we have created an Alumni Newsletter with updates and events geared toward our past students and their families.
Alumni Newsletter 2024-25 40th Anniversary Alumni Event Alumni Newsletter 2023-24 Alumni Newsletter 2022-23
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With a history dating back to 1984, our alumni community has grown … and grown up! Each year we feature our alumni as they graduate from high school and later as their career takes shape. Meet some of our recent alumni below!
2024 Graduating High School Seniors
These former students graduated from our Junior High in 2020 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are proud of our alumni and the grit and independence they are exhibiting through the choices they are making, their confidence in knowing who they are, and what inspires them to keep learning and growing.
Ella Kirkwood attends Williams College and as of now, she is planning on studying Environmental Studies. With this degree, she hopes to be an environmental consultant. Ella reflects that “The Children's House gave me the curiosity to love learning and pursue the things that interest me. The ability to discover my intellectual passions of my own accord has shaped me into a life-long learner and consistent immersion in the outdoors informed my love for the environment.”
Casey Klau, recipient of the 2024 Braiden Voss Memorial Scholarship, attends Michigan State University and is working toward a BFA in Apparel and Textile Design. She is enjoying college life, meeting new friends, and attending classes where she continues to learn more about her major. She is excited to see where this chosen path will lead her next. “My Children’s House experience taught me so many valuable lessons about community, responsibility, following your passions, and taking pride in your work. I’m so grateful for my time there and feel it has definitely helped shape who I am in so many positive ways!”
Matthew Magiera is currently enrolled in the aviation program at Northwestern Michigan College. He earned a private pilot certificate before graduating high school last year and is working on instrument rating with a commercial certificate. Matthew is on track to complete the aviation program within a year and will apply to become a full-time pilot. “The Children’s House, specifically the Junior High, helped prepare me for my future by exposing me to many different activities such as aviation during our many class trips. This helped foster my love of aviation and shaped me into the pilot I am today.”
Morgan Pauly is living in Detroit and attending college at Wayne State University. She’s majoring in psychology and minoring in philosophy with the hopes of continuing to earn a PhD. She’s contemplating whether to focus on cognitive or clinical psychology but regardless, she knows she wants to be in the field of psychology. She thought of a quote by Alexander Heijer to describe what it means to her to grow up at The Children’s House, "When a flower doesn't bloom you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower".
Daklen Schiller is working full-time for Team Bob’s as a Warehouse Receiving Associate, intending to gain more experience in plumbing and construction. He hopes to begin training through the Master Plumber Apprentice program to become a Journeyman or Master Plumber and a business owner. “The Children's House encouraged me to view problems in a positive light and challenges to be solved rather than feared. My schooling experiences have supported my collaborative approach to work. I am comfortable expressing my thoughts, helpful to others, and able to see things from a broad point of view.”
Violet Purcell is currently doing a postgraduate year in music composition at Interlochen Arts Academy with a focus on electronic and recorded music. She enjoys learning how to record different instruments and use a recording studio. After this gap year, Violet will be seeking a B.A. in Music Composition. “The Junior High program helped prepare me by giving me the independence to figure things out myself and giving me a ton of opportunities to go places and meet people that I never would have been able to at any other Junior High.”
Featured Alumni:
After growing up at The Children’s House, Elliott Petty graduated from Culver Academy in 2013 and earned a B.S. in Business Administration, Project Management, from Elon University in 2017. He currently works for a software company in Grand Rapids and focuses on technology for the banking and lending industry. Outside of work, he enjoys tackling a long list of home improvement projects and spending as much time as possible in Leland during the summer, rock hunting, and feeling connected to nature.
When asked about his time at The Children’s House, Elliott replied, “I think about Patty a lot. She was an incredible teacher.” Patty Anton was the first Upper Elementary Guide at The Children’s House, developing a foundation for Montessori elementary education through 6th grade. Reminiscing about his time in Upper El, the trips away from school like camping, kayaking, and visiting the State House in Lansing were the most memorable experiences. But it was the everyday unique experiences at school that, only now as an adult, he recognizes as extremely valuable. For example, Elliott remembers not being allowed to go into the woods at recess. The reason why has long escaped his memory, but what stuck with him was how Patty used that experience to teach him how to make a mature and diplomatic request. She showed him how to write and present a petition to the Head of School. “Now as an adult, I find myself thinking: What would Patty do in a situation like this?”
The older I get the more I appreciate having a lifelong love of learning. When I was a kid, I didn’t understand what that meant, but I definitely recognize now the effect on my character.” He acknowledges that the teachers did not teach him what to think but focused on critical thinking: how to learn, work, and complete research projects. It was all valuable in developing him into who he is and how he approaches his life and work today. Growing up with Montessori teachers guiding and modeling how to treat everyone with respect, to care about your neighbor, and the value of compassion shaped the way he thinks about the world today. “To me, lifelong learning means to be willing to learn something new, and this mindset has helped me develop along the career path I’m on today.”
“I’m glad those are the type of people that rubbed off on all of us.”
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Braiden Voss Memorial Scholarship For High School Seniors |
2023 Graduating High School Seniors
These former students graduated our Junior High in 2019. We are proud of our alumni and the independence they are exhibiting through the choices they are making, their confidence in knowing who they are, and what inspires them to keep learning and growing.
Ivery Libby is attending Warren Wilson College for Conservation Biology with a minor in Visual Arts. They are interested in environmental policy and hopes to work in an animal rescue or species conservation field, helping save critical and endangered species. “The Children's House made me realize how much I value hands-on and interest-based learning. When choosing a college, my main priority was that I would be able to work hands-on and in the outdoors to prepare myself for the conservation field I am pursuing.”
Josh Klug is playing collegiate baseball at the University of Louisville. Josh is working toward a Bachelor’s in Business Administration with a focus on entrepreneurship. He credits his time at The Children’s House with learning “people” skills. “We presented a lot in class and even at the Veteran’s Memorial Wall in Washington D.C. I took a public speaking class this summer at the U of L and was glad to have already had experience talking in front of people prior to that class.”
Mack Shane is currently a student at Michigan State University and plans to apply to the Broad College of Business at the beginning of his sophomore year. “The Children’s House prepared me for my future by instilling curiosity. Curiosity is such an important trait to have throughout life because I believe that in order to be successful in any aspect of life, you must be curious to find new opportunities.”
Mateo Thelen is living in Denmark and attending Roskilde University. Mateo is currently studying social sciences and international business. He plans to do entrepreneurial internships and eventually earn a Masters degree. “In Montessori, I was able to pursue my interests like political science and geography, which will help me in my future career in international business. Also, I’ve developed a strong independence and I love living overseas.”
Since graduating high school, Mia Smyka has completed 120 hours of coursework toward a Child Development Associate (CDA) certificate. She is currently working at Pathways Preschool as a resource teacher in addition to attending Northwestern Michigan College. In the future, she plans to earn a Bachelors in Early Childhood Education. “The Children’s House gave me the confidence to explore what the world has to offer without judgment or the fear of making mistakes.”
Miles Neidorfler is attending the University of The Arts as a film major and is currently pursuing a BFA with the hope of working in the industry as a Director of Photography and Steadicam operator. “The Children's House prepared me for my future by fostering my creative endeavors and allowing me to try new things.”
Sterling Wade, recipient of the 2023 Braiden Voss Memorial Scholarship, is studying criminal justice and psychology at Northern Michigan University. “The Children’s House has taught me how to be independent from just choosing what I want to do throughout my day to planning week-long trips. Without The Children's House, I would not have been as prepared for college as I am now.”
Featured Alumni:
Madison Duensing attended The Children's House from 1998 through 2006 and graduated from Michigan Technological University with a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering in December 2017. We recently heard she was doing innovative work and decided to reach out to share her story.
What do you currently do for work? I work as a Senior Medical Application Engineer for Stratasys. I get to work with Surgeons and Engineers within hospitals across the US to provide patient-specific solutions by utilizing 3D printing. Stratasys has five printing technologies and we can take DICOM images (these come from CT or MRI scans) from a patient and segment them into a 3D model. The model can then be printed and used for surgical preparation. We even have a technology that prints tissue-like and bone-like materials which allows the surgeons to physically practice the procedure beforehand on their patients' anatomy.
What are your favorite memories of being a student at The Children’s House? One of my favorite memories is when I got banned from using scotch tape because I over-used it and ironically, eventually worked at 3M for 4.5 years. It was meant to be, I guess. Another favorite memory I have is of my upper elementary teacher, Patty Anton. She was incredible in the way she understood each student and their learning styles. She once took us on a camping trip near Sleeping Bear Dunes and we had to do a walk on a trail by OURSELVES at night. At the time, this seemed so scary but she and my classmates were waiting at the end and I had conquered one of my worst fears, darkness. It seemed like every activity she provided was a lesson, this one being that: there will always be a light at the end of every dark tunnel.
How did our school prepare you for life? Honestly, I don't think I would have become an engineer if I didn't attend TCH. Being an engineer requires a lot of 3D visualization and hands-on work. You can't be afraid to pick up a wrench or get dirty as an engineer. The hands-on lessons are the most real-world experience a kid can have (up until an internship). The school fosters creativity and never puts a child in a "box," which I believe is essential for a child and their thought process. No student is the same and TCH does exactly what a kid needs to thrive at their current level of education and it also prepares them for the real world.
What is the best part of your work? The best part of my job is I get to work with the most cutting-edge technology and impact lives. I get to travel a lot and work with some of the most amazing minds in the world.
Do you have any words of wisdom for current students? Follow your heart, and passions, and never let anyone tell you otherwise. There will always be someone who will try to put you in a box but we all know, no individual is the same. You are good enough. You are smart enough. You are capable enough to do anything you want. Don't be afraid to be creative and break the status quo.
What does your life look like now outside of work? I live west of Minneapolis, MN near Lake Minnetonka. I have two dogs, Nala (pitbull) and Laddi (yellow lab). I play volleyball in the summertime and curl in the wintertime at the Saint Paul Curling Club. I love to run, bike, and go to CrossFit. I have a boyfriend of 2.5 years who is very supportive and truly a great partner. My parents and sister still live in Traverse City and I love to visit (mostly in the summertime, ha!).