PRESIDENT’S BLOG: OCTOBER 2021
Steve Schmutz
My wife and I were blessed over the years to have our two children, Houston and Sydney, attend school during their elementary and middle school years with Stephanie at St. Alphonsus and with me when they arrived at AMHS. Spending mornings and afternoons together in the car each day allowed us time to check in, catch up on our busy schedules, and somehow agree on what to listen to on the radio. Once they were able to drive—they were very anxious to have this freedom—my morning and afternoon commute was often just me and the radio.
This summer I had a chance to revisit the morning and afternoon car time with Sydney as she worked for a client at the Edmonds Saturday Market. Each Saturday we loaded up my truck with her tent and products and set up her stand near the Edmonds town hall. The market opened just after 8am and closed at 2pm—navigating through the marketplace at closing time was my least favorite part of the experience. On the way there we had time to chat and have coffee. Coming home I would hear about her day at the market as she prepared for her afternoon job in Edmonds.
As both of our children complete this phase of their college education, my wife and I are fortunate to have had the foundation of their formative years in Catholic schools. At St. Alphonsus and Holy Rosary in Edmonds, our children were blessed to be in an environment that challenged them academically and instilled in them the values and life lessons that shaped their adolescent years. Now as young adults, Houston and Sydney are prepared for the next phase of their lives and we owe so much to their teachers, coaches, and mentors at AMHS.
Houston will complete his degree in education at Western Washington University this spring. Sydney just completed a two year degree at FIDM in Los Angeles. Fortunately both of them found their passion and areas of focus while at AMHS–Houston as a future Health/PE teacher, and Sydney as a marketing and sales associate. Houston was inspired by his amazing teachers in our physical education department, then led by Blaine Smith, Cassie Snell, and Jordan James. Sydney found her role models and advocates in her teachers and coaches: Allie Sinex, Shannon Reese, Natalie Schmidt and Danielle Appleby.
Having spent most of my career in education at AMHS–I started here in 2006 as a member of the faculty—I love to reconnect with alumni and hear of their post AMHS and Holy Cross journeys. This past spring we profiled dozens of alumni in the healthcare industry fighting the pandemic on the front lines as we honored our healthcare heroes at our spring STAR event. We also caught up with Sam Myers (class of 2016) and shared his story of being our first virtual learner for our November DREAM Auction. Sam is now in the PhD program at the University of Arizona’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory program.
We have seen our alumni travel exciting paths following their graduation, including ten alumni who work at AMHS in a variety of roles. When we launched our Health Studies Program five years ago, our hope was to expose our students to the wide range of areas in healthcare for our students to consider as a career. Our STAR event last spring illustrated how many of our Holy Cross and AMHS alumni have entered the healthcare industry, due in large part to the amazing impact of teachers such as Pat Jack, Jack Serwold, Dawn Lawrence, Tom Wier, and Gail Wellenstein. In addition to healthcare, we have countless students who are pursuing their career in law, education, engineering, business, information technology, and a variety of other fields.
This year we have launched our Business Pathway Program featuring guest speakers, field trips, internships, and service opportunities for our students.
On November 19, our DREAM Auction Fund a Need will profile a new program at AMHS with a Ready for Life curricular focus. This will include a mid-year elective experience for students—outdoor education, culinary/cooking classes, and personal finance are among some of the courses. In addition, we are preparing to launch a vocational program to expose our students to trade programs and opportunities in what is a rapidly growing industry in Snohomish County.
The Fund a Need at our November DREAM auction will focus on our goal of launching new opportunities for experiential learning at AMHS, including dedicated innovation and design workspaces on campus for project-based learning. These plans include the construction of a multi-use facility that will function as a woodworking studio and fabrication lab, where students can put artistic, engineering, and design principles into action. Through hands-on opportunities to imagine and create, students will gain broader exposure to future academic and career paths, while developing critical thinking and problem solving skills. We look forward to sharing our story featuring students, faculty, and community members on November 19 with the debut of our Fund a Need video.
One of the first conversations my daughter and I had about FIDM was on the car ride home from AMHS back in 2018. In early September of this year, our family watched Sydney walk across the stage at the Staples Center for her Associate’s degree. This is not the end of her journey by any means, but my wife and I know both of our children wouldn’t be where they are today without their experiences at AMHS and without the committed adults who prepare our students for their future.
