Celebrating ASP Valentines

Ken Charon attended the American School of Paris for 1971–2, his senior year. He knew of Rebecca Rosen, then in Grade 8, but she was not in his circle of friends. Rebecca attended ASP from Grade 5 through graduation, 1968–1976. Ken went to high schools in three different countries but he says that his year at ASP was by far his best. Both students were artistically talented. Rebecca recalls AP Art with teacher Ronald Bowen, which at the time was a series of assignments, rather than an actual class. One year, she also received the ASP Art Prize from Mr. Bowen. Ken's art graced the pages of the ASP 1972 yearbook.

Ken and Rebecca are both originally from New York State. After living in Paris, they met up many years later at the wedding of alumna Janis McKirdy '78 in Grass Valley, California. Ken had traveled from Hawaii Island, where he had been living, and Rebecca from Manhattan Island. The wedding party lasted one whole week, and It was during those festivities that Ken and Rebecca connected.

Their long-distance relationship became close later that year when Rebecca went to live with Ken in Hawaii in the fall of 1997. They got married in 2003 in a beautiful seaside ceremony and reception in Hilo, Hawaii, with swaying palm trees and sea turtles swimming in the surf just behind them as they took their vows.

They are both contributors to the arts community on the Big Island. Their home, known as the Art Farm, is in a tropical rainforest on the slopes of Kilauea Volcano. Ken also teaches art to children and Rebecca continues her graphic design. Ken's first art exhibit was at the Hotel Meridian in Paris, January 1980, where many ASP alumni were present.

They stay in touch and are close friends with several dozen alumni on Facebook and others in person when they visit New York or Paris. They were at the 1997 ASP 50th anniversary event in Paris where many former students from all years were in attendance. Their 70's table was joined by Neal Austin who had been a math teacher for both Ken and Rebecca. A good time was had by all.

Ken and Rebecca invite any ASP alumni who come to the Big Island to look them up and visit. Aloha!

1973 ASP prom on the Eiffel Tower

ASP 50 Anniversary Reunion in Paris 1997 with Diane McKirdy and Neil Austin

Kona getaway 2020

Hawaiian Wedding in 2003

The Paris Paint and Sip Pathway

The excitement builds: Local alumni receive their painting and sipping supplies, thanks to the alumni (delivery) team of Caro MacDonald and Janet Rubinstein.

Set up time and Cheers

Final results

Individual portraits

6. Some even painted the wine:

Chateau Pubarbe 2014. Read about Château Pubarbe

The Class of 1970 50th Anniversary Zoom Reunion

On December 12, members of the Class of 1970 continued the conversation started during their virtual 50th reunion earlier in the year. Not wanting the fun to end, this time some of the classmates stayed on the call for three hours! Here's to next time!

Alumni in the News

Steve Torres '80

Steve Torres '80 shares his reflections on life in France in this essay, "A Moveable Feast in Paris."

In 1977 President Jimmy Carter appointed my father, Esteban E.Torres, as the first U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization, (UNESCO) headquartered in Paris, France.

We were living in Northern Virginia at the time and we had never traveled abroad. The adventure began with my parents and my two older sisters. None of us spoke French but we were eager to learn the language and assimilate with the Parisians. Upon our arrival, my mother enrolled at the Alliance Francaise for an intensive french class. My older sister Camille, attended The American College, and my sister Selina and I attended the American School of Paris (ASP) in St. Cloud. It was Selina's senior and my sophomore year and like many other ASP students we were thrusted into a new school environment in a foreign land.

My Father quickly settled into his position at UNESCO. As the U.S. Ambassador, he was responsible for ensuring that U.S. policy was advanced and he was constantly negotiating terms and conditions with over 190 other participating member countries. UNESCO's aim is promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, the sciences, and culture. One of its main objectives is to protect and preserve historic landmarks throughout the world.

For the first 4 months we were living out of suitcases. We started at the Meridien Hotel in the 17th, then moved to Hotel Mirabeau in the 15th. Later we were off to Rue Du La Faisanderie in the 16th, then to Rue du Bac and finally to Quai Anatole France, both located in the 7th. Each location was more unique than the previous and we learned not to get too comfortable in each setting, however, we did find it very easy to embrace each new arrondissement and make it our home.

As my father was the U.S. Ambassador to UNESCO, our lifestyle in Paris was more unique than most. Aside from our lavish apartments, we had a chauffeur, butler, maid and a chef at our disposal. It wasn't easy getting adjusted to this type of lifestyle but it didn't take too long before it became a normal way of life and we adapted quite rapidly to the perks. Most evenings consisted of my parents attending diplomatic functions around the city or hosting 100 or more Diplomats in our home, typically when an event occurred, the U.S. Embassy sent over additional butler's and cooks to assist the regular staff.

The American School of Paris was very different from the high school I previously attended in Virginia. In my first week at ASP, I joined the Track and Field Team and the following week we took the train to Brussels, Belgium for the International School Sports Tournament (ISST) track and field meet. While playing travel sports, we were hosted by a team player from the host American School. Subsequently, when teams traveled to Paris, we reciprocated by hosting their team players. Over the course of 3 years I was on the Soccer and Baseball Teams and I was fortunate to have traveled to Germany, Holland and other cities throughout France for sports competitions.

ASP was probably the best education I received. Interesting enough, I repeated a lot of the same course work later when I attended college. Life at ASP was academically challenging and a life changing experience that only a few fortunate people have the opportunity to experience. The educational format and camaraderie with both students and teachers was excellent. The teaching style was unprecedented, and to this day, I am convinced my teachers at ASP were better instructors than some of my college professors.

Life on campus was great. When I wasn't in class, I was in the "bubble", an inflatable structure that housed our lockers, the student center, a snack bar and several ping pong tables. We had a cafeteria that we shared with a local french culinary school, the meals they served were comparable to eating at a gourmet restaurant. There were other lunchtime alternatives like the cafe across the street or "Meals On Wheels" with chef Claude, the chef. His speciality was a deep fried hot dog in a baguette or a jambon et fromage sandwich and frites.

There was a diverse student population, with families hailing from Saudi Arabia, Norway, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, the United States, and more. We all were students in a foreign land and had to adapt and assimilate in our new environment; that is what made us strong and unique. Our experience at ASP gave us an advantage when we returned back to our home countries and prepared us for our future endeavors.

In 1978, Selina graduated from ASP and my father had the privilege to be the commencement speaker. I didn't get to graduate from ASP in 1980 because in late 1979 my father was called back early to Washington, DC to work in the White House as President Jimmy Carter's Special Assistant for Hispanic Affairs. In this capacity, our family was exposed to new and exciting experiences. In 1980, Carter was defeated by Ronald Reagan. My father pursued his political career and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives representing California's 34th Congressional district. He served as a U.S. Congressman for 16 years until his retirement in 1999. In 2000, California Governor Gray Davis appointed him as a Commissioner to the California Transportation Commission. He officially retired from government service in 2005 but continued as a board member for the Cabazon Indian Tribe, Entravision, the National Latino Media Coalition and LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes Museum. In 2005 the Los Angeles Unified School District honored my father by building The Esteban E. Torres High School in East Los Angeles. It is one of the first pilot schools of its kind, with five separate academies operating on one campus.

In 2020, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) presented my Father with The University of California at Los Angeles Medal of Honor, UCLA's highest award. He is in good company with the likes of President's Carter and Clinton, Carl Sagan, Kofi Annan, Madeleine Albright and many other distinguished persons. Here is the link: https://youtu.be/nzccBqM79yQ

Upon our return stateside, my sisters and I pursued our education. After univeristy, I pursued many different career paths: as a Paramedic (EMT-P), U.S. Postal Service Manager, Computer Analyst and Software Sales Rep., CEO of a non-profit community development organization and a published children's book author (Adrian's Adventure in the Loire Valley). I currently own two businesses with my wife Jayme. We are professional photographers and world travel advisors, have 5 children and 4 grandchildren, and reside in Southern California.

In closing, the American School of Paris, was not just an educational experience, but was also the foundation of my adolescent years. The camaraderie with other students, foreign and domestic, showed me a unique perspective of the world around us and will forever be a reminder of how fortunate I was to have lived in and attended high school in a foreign country.

As Ernest Hemingway so eloquently said, "If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast".

Léa Schlackman '15

After graduating from ASP, I left for the Big Apple, to study fashion business in my dream school : the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. After two years and obtaining my Associates degree, I did a summer internship in a PR agency specialized in tourism where I worked for European hotels. I decided to come back to France and get a Bachelor and Master's degree in PR at ISCOM Paris- ('the grand école for communications and advertising. I worked in London for the Los Angeles Tourism Board, and in Paris for the New York, Australia, and the Buenos Aires Tourism Boards. I worked for a year in the PR department for SNCF in Paris, and am now working at TBWA Corporate as a PR consultant for Emirates Airline, Netflix, and Edmond de Rotschild Heritage.

I remember arriving at ASP in 2011 from a French school, and thinking of all the possibilities that were ahead in studying in an American school. I discovered my love for photography, film, languages and more. My years at ASP taught me that I could combine all of those in my dream job and helped me get into my dream school. Studying and working in different parts of the world has also helped me keep in touch with my friends from ASP, and we love to reunite all together whether it be in London, New York or good old Paris (just like when we were 16)!

Stephanie Thompson '84

Stephanie Thompson '84, writer and public relations agent, shares her experience as a 'Jeopardy' contestant:

Marie Christine (Micki) Garland, Upper School teacher from 1964 to 1974 died of COVID 19 in November, in Kansas City, Missouri. Born at the American Hospital in Paris in 1933, Micki was married to the late ASP teacher Robert Garland, and the mother of Katy Garland '77.

Tom Markus '52, an author who has also worked as a theatre director and actor, and who has taught at top universities around the world, has received glowing reviews for his first novel "Dying Well: A Comic Novel of Revenge." Tom's extensive resumé can be found on his website. Per his write up on amazon.com: Tom has written books on theatre (A Novel Approach to Theatre, An Actor Behaves), an ex-pat's reminiscence (The Cairo Diaries), a college textbook (Another Opening, Another Show, 3rd ed.), and plays that have been produced in America and internationally. He has worked in theatre as a director and actor from Broadway to Hollywood, and he has taught at Yale, University of California, Flinders University of South Australia, and the American University in Cairo. He is retired (undefeated) and lives in San Diego. Dying Well is his first novel.