Putting Names on the Alhambra AFS Memories -Revised to include School Program AFSers

EDITOR'S NOTE:  Regretfully, I inadvertently forgot to include the list of Alhambra students who participated in the Americans Abroad School Program from 1963 to 1985.  My apologies for that and my thanks to Pat Cerri Hair for a gentle reminder.  I have added them below.  (HJB)

The Roll Call:  30 Years of AFS Students at Alhambra

I know enough about writing for publication that lists would rank at the bottom of any news or feature story in just about any news outlet in the universe, let alone the world – “The Book of Lists” notwithstanding.  On the other hand “names make the news” is one of the cornerstones of journalism and always has been.  And, since I’ve already written a history of the American Field Service at Alhambra from 1956 to 1986, some of you Alhambra reunion types may be trying to remember who the AFSer was during your senior year.  But, bottom line, blame this on Martinez Patch editor Jim Caroompas.  When I apologized in advance for being a “long” writer, he said he didn’t care as it all went on “the cloud” so it didn’t matter to him. 

However, as the enthusiasm and excitement builds towards the Reunion events, it’s possible people will be glad to have their reading heads “in the clouds” catching memories.  We’ll start with the “Winter Program” students who came to Alhambra for the school year from 24 different countries. In cases when more than one family shared the year, I have included the final family to save room as even the cloud isn’t infinite.  Also included will be the Americans Abroad Summer and School Year lists which name Alhambra students who headed off to 24 different countries either for the summer or for an entire school year carrying their families, their school and their community with them.  15 Alhambrans participated in the American Indian program living with families on reservations mainly in the Southwest while a child from that family came to Alhambra – we will list them also.

Comments about the impact AFS had on your high school experience and education or on your life in general whether large or small are most welcome. If anyone has been inadvertently left off, let me know at hjburt1940@comcast.net (HJB)

AFSers at Alhambra between 1956 and 1986

1956-57: Franca Smargiassi – Italy – Charles Laird family.

1957-58:  Klaus Wendler -  Germany – Ray Taylor family.

1958-59: Veslemoy Vatne – Norway – Harvey Wainwright family.

1959-60: Kristi Valio – Finland – James Thomas family.

1960-61: Pedro Palacio – Argentina – Marvin King Family.

1961-62: Kazuko Inoue – Japan – William Wright Family.

1962-63: Allen Saelan – Indonesia – Phillip Haag Family.

1963-64: Ricardo Ochoa – Ecuador – Cornelius McLaughlin family.

1964-65: Iris Benitez – Chile – R. F. Evenson family

1965-66: Sabine Lahl – Germany – Ralph Swanson family.

1966-67 – Folke Jesperson – Denmark – Sam Satre family.

1967-68 – Juta Yingchareon – Thailand – Troy Fitzhugh family.

1968-69 – Knut Moe – Norway – Bruno Pistochini family.

1969-70 – Christine Thomas – Australia – Sam Satre family.

1970-71 – Vuokko Lindroos – Finland – C. J. McKinnie family.

1971-72 – Anne Bereziat – France – Jack de Graaf family.

1971-72– Maher Shamma – Lebanon – Phillip Haag family.

1972-73 – Masato Murakami – Japan – James Emanuel family.

1973-74– Chantale Noel – Belgium – Bill Heath family.

1974-75 – Nickie McGowan – England – C. J. McKinnie family.

1975-76 – Beth Claich – Brazil – Stuart Willis family.

1976-77 – Anthony Avidon – South Africa – James Porter family.

1977-78 – Jacqueline Bataille – Germany – Jack Case family.

1977-78 – Michiko Yoshida – Japan – Harold Almquist family.

1978-79 – Gloria Inez Alvarez – Colombia  – L. Schweinfurter family.

1978-79 – Pauline Browne – England – Daniel Young family.

1979-80 – Viviana Bertacchi – Argentina-  Jack de Graaf family.

1979-80 – Anna Lindblom – Sweden – William Beeman family.

1980-81 – Rosa Lopez – Panama – Tony Mora family.

1980-81 – Liliane Charrier – France – James Porter family.

1981-82 – Eric Renard – Belgium – Norman Karr Family.

1981-82 - Leah Rachowski – Israel – Susan and Rebecca Williams family.

1982-83 – Susanne Baxter – England – Doug Sasseen family.

1982-83 – Michele Meredith – New Zealand – Larry Roof family.

1984-85 – Baerbel Henneman – Germany – Herbert Reeves family.

1985-86 – Cecilia Lindblad – Sweden – Geri Schonberg family.

Americans Abroad – Alhambra AFS Summer Program Students

1957 – Chris Newman –Germany

1958 – Bill Evenson - France

1959 – Will Newman - Sweden

1960 – Walt Viglienzone - Germany

1961 – Adrienne Duncan -Finland

1962 – Don DeFraga - Belgium

1964 – Janet Brush – Italy

1965 – Douglas Taylor - Turkey

1967 – Mary Jean McLaughlin - Holland

1969 – Barbara Smith - Malagasy

1970 – Jim Viglienzone - Sweden

1971 – Cynthia DeGraaf - India

1972 – Ann McClure - Afghanistan

1972 – Lance Beeson - India

1974 – Tim Forgey - Argentina

1976 – Allison Case – Turkey

1976 – Elisa Nordaby - Kenya

1977 – Patricia Dragavon - Paraguay

1977 – Nancy Oakley – Costa Rica

1978 – Jim Nichols - Argentina

1978 – Devon Searles - Jordan

1978 -  Michele Shortall - Australia

1979 – Theresa Haselett - Ecuador

1979 – Eileen Roberts – Costa Rica

1979 – Kathie Young - Honduras

1980 – Susan Holt - Spain

1980 – Lori Ryan – Germany

1980 – Chris Giblin - Australia

1981 – Paul Riek - Paraguay

1981 – Rachel Mendonsa - Colombia

1981- Kelly Stilwell - Chile

1984 – Staci Schonberg – Turkey

School Program - Full Year

1963 - Heidi Koller - Netherlands

1969 - Connie Dorval - Argentina

1979 - Lori Platts Summerville - Chile

1981 - Linda C. Quadros - Argentina

1981 - Ern Woodburn - New Zealand

1982 - Bill Greenya - Honduras

1983 - Tim Woodson - Brazil

1985 - Rebecca Delzell - Netherlands

American Indian Exchange

1972 – Les Weeks & Peggy Radke

1973 -  Leslie Macaluso & Sue Hodneth

1974 – Laura Perry & Nancy Cabral

1975 – Susan Anderson & Tim Weaver

1976 – Kim Walton & Geri Quintero

1977 – Leonard Beeman & Becky Banuelos

1978 – Ruth Delzell & Trina Cardinale

1982 – Linda Mendonsa

AFS Scrapbooks will be available to view at the Martinez Museum during its Reunion Weekend Open House.

Martinez Museum, 1005 Escobar Street (cnr Court & Escobar)

                        Saturday, August 18 from 9 a.m. to noon (drop by before heading up to Rankin Park for the picnic)

                        Sunday, August 19 from 1 to 4 p.m. (drop by before or after visiting Art in the Park for a last chance to touch base with oldand new friends at the historic Susana Park spot where last year the Decades Reunion idea for this year was hatched by the Remembering Martinez Facebook group