What are you up to now?

My family lives in Midtown – we have 2 kids and 2 dogs, and they all keep us busy! Ava is a NC Senior and Theo just turned 3. I work in Human Resources, and while HR often gets a bad rap, I love the people and the work that I do. I’m a volunteer at various organizations that have captured my heart. This year is my first Managing the Spirit Shop at North Central, which has been fun and keeps me involved at the school. Ava and I love when we run into each other there! I’ll be serving on the PTO as the Co-Chair of the Senior Luncheon. I’m also on the board of the Indianapolis Library Foundation and the Diversity Roundtable of Central Indiana – both of those roles involve special event planning and fundraising. A big passion of mine is yoga, I’m a RYT 200 and was working towards my RYT 500 when the pandemic hit. While I gave up teaching and paused the continuing ed, I hope to get back to it in a few years. I miss teaching my favorite classes: a kids yoga class at CFI #2 and a restorative practice at Santosha in Nora.

What does it feel like to have your daughter at NC, walking the same halls that you once walked?

I love having Ava at NC – it helps me to feel connected to her in a unique way and I hope that she’s getting to have all the learning and social experiences that I had, and more. (I never expected her to want to go there, as she’s very much her own person, and had such a distinct experience at IPS.) While the teachers and administrators have changed (excepting the cameo by Dr. White!), I know she’s having a wonderful time as the feel of NC – the culture and day-to-day – appear to be similar to my time there. It makes me proud, both as an alum and as a parent.

How did North Central impact and shape who you are today?

The diversity of NC can’t be understated – the wealth of experiences, the varied curriculum and wide-ranging classes, and activities, helped me to grow so much during my time there. I challenged myself both academically and as a person. I felt like I could explore almost any interest I had and the teachers there were some of the best I’ve ever had. It was a benefit to me to meet people from all walks of life, especially those with a different background and world view. Everything that I experienced at NC set me up for success in college, and in life, where I can continue to be a life-long learner, open to exploring experiences and people, and not to be afraid of new challenges and growth. And a shout out, and RIP, to Mr./Coach Farley, who was the best teacher I ever had – never failed to make time to explain something to me, occasionally multiple times, as Physics was a real bear for me to get through. My favorite funny story to tell: I had his home phone number from my time managing the basketball team and I would call him for homework help. (I DO realize now, as an adult, how over the line that was.) Every single time I did this, this failure to respect the work/life boundaries, his response was exactly the same: “Damn it, Jeter, I told you not to call me at home. *audible sigh* Ok, what’s the problem?”

WHAT IS your favorite memory from North Central?

This is a challenge – there are so many great moments from my time there, and many of the Senior ones could make the cut. The NC experience seems to naturally include many opportunities for peak moments baked into the culture. My favorite memory would have to be when I was cast Queen of Hearts in the Repertory Theatre production of ‘Beanie and the Bamboozling Book Machine’. It was a traveling children’s show that was tons of fun and a great learning experience. There were quite a few of my friends in that class Senior year and it felt like a place where I belonged.

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