Alumni News - Teis to Zinn

Alumni News - Teis to Zinn

Kyra Teis finished her Master's Degree at Boston University School of Theology and then worked at the Kennedy School of Marketing at Harvard. She has also been working as an illustrator. She has illustrations in "Cricket Magazine" and did eleven chapter heading plates and the cover for a Nancy King book. She recently signed her first book deal with Beyond Words in Orgegon. She has done the illustrations for several children's books, including She is Born: a Celebration of Daughters, and Read to Me. (2004)Kyra has two children, is living in Southeastern Virginia, and is having fun in the sun!

Chris Testa (NCCL class of 2001) is attending Newark High School.

Emily Thomas graduated from NCCL in 2000.

Aaron Tova has a B.S. in Computer Science and an M.S. in Mathematics. He lives in Minnesota with 2 rambunctious beagles, Darwin and Barkley, and one intimidated cat, Louise. He has a house with solar electric panels and a job writing software at www.endocardial.com. He is into Zen meditation, the Green Party, dancing, camping, and traveling. Aaron says, "I have always been very grateful for the education experience that you provided for me and others."

Nick Tovo is in broadcast journalism in the Army. He was in Italy for a year where he met his wife. They were married in October 1999.

Nana Twumasi graduated from Padua Academy and Oberlin College (2002), which she attended on a full scholarship. She is currently working on a MFA in writing at California College of the Arts. She says, "Of course, my experience at NCCL has blessed me with plenty of writing fodder." There is a story she has written posted on Ballyhoo Stories at http://www.ballyhoostories.com/ballyhoo/main.html?1.

Alessandra Vadala is married and has a son, born in 2005. She graduated from Towson State University with a B.S. in English and Art and a Masters in teaching English as a second language. She spent a semester in Italy student teaching in an Italian elementary school. She is now teaching in ESL at a high school in Maryland.

Teresa Vadala was married in 2005. She graduated from Maryland Institute College of Art, Magna cum Laude. She will continue at MICA in the Master's program in teaching. She is teaching high school Art.

Elle Vanderkley (NCCL class of 2004)
I am 14 years old and have been going to NCCL for five years! I think that the most important thing to me about NCCL is definitely the environment of this school. There is so much that everyone gets here at this school. I also enjoy art, and the art program here definitely helped me expand my skill and helped me get into Cab Calloway School of the Arts. I love soccer, volleyball, painting, and sketching in my free time. All of these areas are a joy in my life. I love writing so much; several of my pieces even made it in to "Word Dance" and other writing magazines! As I said before, I was accepted into Cab Calloway School of the Arts. It is an awesome school and I am looking forward to the next four years there. What excites me about going to high school is definitely the experience! Meeting new people and teachers and taking new classes! I am a little afraid of the tests! I don't work well under pressure! I was about ten years old when I came to NCCL, and started out in Group 3. Some of the highlights of my years here at NCCL definitely have been meeting my three best friends, Tori, Stephanie, and Anna! I love the Drama program, and I love the fact that we put on a play every year. Those experiences definitely moved me forward in my dramatic skills, and led to me being accepted into Cab for a Drama class, too! I have had a wonderful time here at NCCL. I will miss everyone here and I am looking forward to my new life!

Elie Venezky is working as a writer. He has written children's stories, puppet shows, fables and screenplays. He has had two plays read at the Drama Bookstore. He attended trapeze school last summer.

Phillip Wemlinger graduated from Del Castle High School and is contracting with his father.

Kate Wendelburg (NCCL class of 2003) is attending Padua Academy.Some of her favorite subjects at NCCL included math, science, and writing.

Flippy White is attending the Baltimore School for the Arts, majoring in harp. She has won national/international competitions in Celtic harp and classical harp. She has performed concertos with the Raleigh, Durham Symphonies, performed at Spoleto as principal harp, and played with the Fayetteville Symphony for 2 1/2 years. She has also written articles for journals, edited the March issue of "Harp Column Journal" and maintains several webpages, including "Young Harper's Almanac". "All because of you!!!!!!" she says.

Mike Windle (NCCL class of 2001) is attending Cab Calloway School of the Arts. He plays starting offside hitter on the Volleyball team and has discovered a love for computers. He is studying web design and hopes to take some Java or C++ next year.

Ashton Worley (NCCL class of 2001) is attending Wilmington Charter School.

Courtney Zaleski is studying psychology at the University of California, Davis.

Erin Zaleski is studying writing and theatre at the university of California, Santa Barbara.

Amy Zinn graduated Cum Laude from Villanova University. She spent a summer in Europe and may go into teaching.