RE Log Fall 2018

The former Wall Street executive and daughter from a Detroit automaking family gathered other education-minded parents from Miami to form a board of directors. They placed their hope in an exacting headmistress named Gertrude Peirce. And, instead of sending their daughter away to school, they opened their own in Coconut Grove. That decision changed the lives of gen- erations of girls in Miami. For the Swenson’s daughter, Katherine “Kaki” Swenson Kahan ’61 , it was a gift with seemingly end- less reach. Nearly 60 years after her gradu- ation, at an age many choose to slow down, Swenson Kahan still energetically lives out the essence of an Everglades education and exudes JUDWLWXGH IRU WKH EHQH¿WV VKH UHFHLYHG The dedicated women’s and children’s ac- tivist has made a career out of volunteerism and advocacy in New York City, serving on DQ DUUD\ RI QRQ SUR¿W ERDUGV IRXQGDWLRQV and city commissions over decades. She has been actively involved with civic causes for more than 50 years. Swenson Kahan currently serves on the Citizens’ Committee for Children of 1HZ <RUN D QRQ SUR¿W GHYRWHG WR WKH well-being of the city’s youth co-founded by Eleanor Roosevelt in 1944, and the New York City Commission on Gender Equity, which was created in 2015 by Mayor Bill de Blasio to support women, girls and New Yorkers of all gender identities and expressions. “Her list of endeavors goes on and on,” said Jourdan Moore Houston’62 , a Mount Holyoke gradu- ate who went on to a long and successful career in journalism. “Every time I spend time with Kaki, I say, ‘Do you have time for all that?’ I’m just in awe.” Swenson Kahan downplays her life’s work, insisting she is no more worthy of attention than her many accomplished peers from the Everglades School for Girls, which in 1974 merged with the Ransom School for boys to create what is now Ransom Everglades School. 8 Ransom Everglades LOG )$//