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The Heuser Sisters
A Journey That Leads Back Home |
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Jenny '95, Beth '86 and Wendy '87 |
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For the Heuser family, their spiritual and educational path has always led them back to Eastside Catholic. Since 1982, a member of the Heuser family has always been a part of the Eastside Catholic community. As students, parents and teachers, the Heuser sisters (Beth, Wendy and Jenny) have contributed to the very things that make Eastside Catholic what it is: a faith community dedicated to academic excellence, relationships and servant leadership.
Beth (Heuser) O’Rourke graduated from Eastside Catholic in 1986. She returned to campus in 2001 and spent two years working in the Academic Resource Center. She currently works at EA2, a one-on-one private school with her brother, Rob ‘92. Beth’s daughter, Michaela, is a sophomore at Eastside Catholic and her son Zack, is a member of the Class of 2009. Matt O’Rourke, her husband, is in his fourteenth year at Eastside Catholic as a teacher in the Options Program, which supports a group of high school students with mild to moderate developmental disabilities.
Wendy (Heuser) Burnham received her degree from Eastside Catholic in 1987 and was the first alumni to teach at EC. She has been a part of the faculty since 1994 and started as an Options teacher before becoming the Director of the Academic Resources Center, whose mission is to help high functioning students with learning differences achieve academic success. In 2008, Wendy received the honor of having the Resource Center named after her (the Wendy Burnham Academic Resources Center) from an very appreciative Eastside Catholic family. Her daughters, Emma ‘14 and Alexis ‘15 are students at the new Eastside Catholic Middle School. Her son, Charlie, is a second grader at St. Anthony’s School in Renton and the family recently welcomed their newest addition on October 13, 2009, Lila Grace.
Jenny (Heuser) Wendorf, the youngest of the sisters, proudly represents the Class of 1995. She has spent the last 11 years teaching at Eastside Catholic, five years as an Options teacher and six years serving in Academic Resources. Her children include six-year-old Scarlett and two-year-old Lucy.
What inspires the Heuser trio about Eastside Catholic? The faculty are the heart and soul of the school and are truly committed to their students,” says Beth. Jenny is inspired by the strength of the Eastside Catholic community of faith. “God is the common thread in everything we do such as retreats and Liturgies and you can feel it,” shares Jenny.
When the sisters reflect upon why it was important that their children attend Eastside Catholic, they respond with passion. “We know that they are immersed in a culture of academic excellence balanced with a sense of community, friendship, and personal, spiritual and moral growth,” shares Beth and Wendy.
“Eastside Catholic changes lives,” says Jenny. “What you get at Eastside Catholic is the full, complete development of the person. It’s not any one thing – it’s the confidence you leave with, the open mindedness, the academic strength, and the lifelong values of faith and service.” Beth adds, “The new campus is amazing, but it’s the feeling of warmth from the community that really makes you appreciate that Eastside Catholic is truly a special place.”
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The Miller-Lemon Family
A Foundation That Would Shape a Future
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Lauren '06, Bob, Lynne and Julia '01 |
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When Bob Lemon and Lynne Miller’s daughters, Julia ‘01 and Lauren ‘06, were both middle school students attending Forest Ridge, the girls decided they wanted a different experience for their high school years. So, Bob and Lynne began to look at other schools to see what would offer the best opportunity for their daughters’ future.
Eastside Catholic School had all the qualities on their list: private, co-ed, small class size, strong Catholic values, deep sense of community, service-oriented, a commitment to academic excellence, and a good athletic program. Looking back now on the decision they made then, Bob and Lynne call the decision to enroll their daughters at Eastside Catholic, “one of the best they ever made.”
“Julia and Lauren are sisters, but they are unique individuals and Eastside Catholic was a perfect fit for both of them,” says Bob. “One of the great experiences they both shared during high school was being active in student leadership both at the ASB and class level. The skills they learned as leaders had a significant role in them becoming well-rounded individuals. Also, Eastside Catholic teachers make you work hard to be successful academically and this certainly served the girls’ well in their individual college experiences.”
Following graduation from EC, both girls attended the University of Notre Dame (ND). Julia, who graduated from ND in 2005, received degrees in Political Science and Public Policy. She is currently working at the Virginia Mason Foundation in Seattle and is pursuing graduate studies in the medical field. Lauren will graduate next year and is majoring in Information Technology Management.
“As a parent, you don’t truly appreciate the depths of your child’s high school experience until after they graduate. It is then that you witness the strong foundation EC provides in everything they do,” says Bob and Lynne. Both sisters were peer tutors in Eastside Catholic’s Option Program for developmentally delayed students. “This opportunity had a profound effect on my daughters and service continues to be a big part of their lives,” shares Bob.
In addition to his daughters’ involvement in Eastside Catholic, Bob has also played a significant role as a volunteer leader at Eastside Catholic for many years through his work on the Board of Trustees, the Finance Committee and the Permanence Committee. For the past six years he has been extensively involved in the planning, design, financing and construction of the new Sammamish campus. “When I retired from a thirty year business career in 2003, getting more involved at Eastside Catholic was on the short list of things I wanted to do,” says Bob. “I was always impressed by President Jim Kubacki’s leadership, vision and passion for the school. To be a part of the Permanence Committee and help play a role in managing a very large, complex project has been very rewarding.”
When asked what inspires him about Eastside Catholic, Bob replied, “The new campus provides a vitality that energizes our community and imparts a new found sense of pride. Everyone is proud of this place! I think anything I can contribute to ensure that future generations of young people have the same great opportunities at Eastside Catholic that my daughters had is a good thing.”