RE Log Spring 2023

60 Ransom Everglades LOG SPRING 2023 Class 1990 Class Agent: Vanessa Chartouni-de la Serna (vchartouni@aol.com ) Vanessa writes, “We had the best gathering at Coral Reef Yacht Club for our mini reunion. Everyone was saying that it was great that we all got together and we got to see a lot of faces that we haven’t seen in many years. We had a great showing of 14 alums and several more sent messages that they wished that they could have joined us.” L-R: Drew Ogden, Carlos Dominguez, Konky Arellano, Stephen Bander, James Weaver and Jody Drulard. L-R: Vanessa Chartouni-de la Serna, Lisa Nadler Pearson, Perri Young, Alicia Gerrits, Cathy Harrison Balestra and Tiffany Smith Garcia . 1991 Class Agents: Christian Falk (cvfalk@gmail.com) , Marika Lynch (marikalynch@me.com) , Lisa Sayfie (lsayfie@yahoo.com) , Tracey Stokes (tstokesmd@bellsouth.net ) Todd Mestepey, see 2010 Benji Glazer writes,“We likely under- estimate the role parents, teachers and coaches play in adolescent lives. For myself, Coach Paris and Coach Shandor played monumental roles in my devel- opment and the person I was to become. Specifically for Bill, he wore many hats in my life: A teacher, an athletic coach, a teammate and a much, much older brother. And for Bill as a 20-something recent Pepperdine graduate those were probably difficult roles to balance – but he knew he had something to offer. Certainly the most profound impact for me was in water polo. He not only coached me during all my years at Ransom Everglades but he also was a coach and teammate during the early days of the Miami Water Polo Club. The most profound contribution he made to 10 high school water polo players including myself and several other RE alumni was to organize and coach us on a nearly month-long exchange program to play water polo in Hamburg, Germany. We certainly played some of the most competitive water polo we had seen in our lives with Bill playing alongside us, but the essence of the trip lay in all the things outside of the pool. We lived with local families. Took historic trips to look at World War II-era naval vessels … We had no idea at the time and only now with the benefit of perspective and maturity can I truly appreciate what Bill did for us. We cer- tainly were reasonably good kids – but I assure you we pushed boundaries and he let us have just enough rope. I am not sure as a parent or coach I could have managed the same outcome as he did – he trusted us and had the courage and commitment to show us a much bigger world than we knew. “Bill also set the course for me on my sole objective in college selection: Play water polo at a Division I level. Bill had played at Pepperdine University and his teammate was the most prolific U.S. water polo player in history, Terry Schroeder … Bill’s example and encour- agement set me on my path where I only considered schools with a Division I caliber program. I almost didn’t make it. I was not good enough to be recruited by any top schools and barely made it as a walk-on to the U.S. Air Force Academy water polo team. I eventually made it to the travel roster and competed in the NCAA tournament my senior year – and while I was never an impactful player at that level, I am forever indebted that Bill Shandor had sown the seed and nurtured the athletic potential for me as a young teenager. “Finally, Bill was a friend. He did not have to be. Teacher, coach, teammate were certainly enough. But he brought us into his circle of friends – mostly water polo players he knew from his high school days. He and his friends included us in nearly everything. We played club water polo together – same team and competed to win. They would invite us to their houses and families. And they began to instill the allure of all things in the ocean: surfing, diving, spear-fishing, open-ocean swimming, boating. My life has never been the same since. While I play less water polo today, my life is sur- rounded by these dreams and passions as do many others who spent time close to Bill. I regret not being closer with him as my life took its own course but there is no doubt the profound impact he played in my life, my sisters’ lives and our very closest friends. Forever with me and always missed – Bill Shandor.” Adam Haft writes, “Sadly, cherished and loved RE student, alumnus (’80), teacher, coach, mentor and friend William ‘Billy’ Shandor peacefully passed Submit Class Notes for Fall 2023 at: bit.ly/2KX4qX6 Notes