CENTENNIAL

COMMITTEE

Our team of educators, parents, and alumni has been working with care and creativity to honor our history and shape a year of meaningful celebration.

An elderly couple smiling outdoors during autumn, with colorful trees in the background.

Will Erickson

What I always appreciated about LJCDS was the intellectual freedom it afforded me. I learned to teach by experimenting with methods and curriculum, and I always got support from the administration, my colleagues, and especially from the parents.

School History Co-Chair, Former Educator
A group of people, including children and adults, standing inside a library near a glass door. The adults are smiling, and one child is wearing sunglasses. Behind them, bookshelves and signs indicating a library section are visible.

Bruce Fayman ’77, P ’15, ’17, ’19

LJCDS allowed me to become a creative person, which has always been at the heart of my various artistic pursuits over the years. 

School History Co-Chair
Smiling older woman with short blonde hair wearing a black shirt and a heart-shaped pendant necklace, standing outdoors near trees with a blurred background of a park or street.

Susie Nordenger H ’23

I am grateful to Country Day for the opportunities it gave me to be the best I could be. I love our alumni, faculty, staff, and families, with whom I was able to work. Wouldn’t trade my time at LJCDS for anything. 

Alumni Engagement Chair
A group of four smiling people outdoors with trees and cloudy sky in the background.

Maite Benito Agahnia ’85, P ’17, ’20

Coming from a different country in the middle of my adolescence was tough, but I was welcomed and embraced at Country Day. I owe the guidance and support of LJCDS to choosing art as my career.

Arts Co-Chair
A selfie of five people smiling outdoors in a green, leafy forest, including two adult men, a woman, and two boys, one with glasses and one wearing a cap.

Noah Heldman ’90, P ’24

LJCDS taught me what it means to be a person of character. It didn't hit me until I had been in the working world for a while, but the quality of the people at LJCDS is incredible, and it brought out the best in me.

Arts Co-Chair
A smiling man with beard and light blue shirt taking a selfie with a woman with curly hair and makeup, both outdoors near the coast with water, mountains, and blue sky in the background.

Ian Han ’10

Country Day and its values are woven into my very existence. I often say I am who I am because of LJCDS; every day I use skills I learned on Genesee Avenue. LJCDS wasn't about what you learned but how to learn. 

School Spirit and Athletics Co-Chair
Three people smiling at a Christmas parade, wearing black shirts with yellow and white logos, standing in front of a decorated float with large lollipop ornaments, Christmas decorations, and a large white structure with colorful circles. The background shows palm trees and other parade participants, some dressed in holiday costumes.

Niki Castle ’96

LJCDS shaped me in every way. I wouldn’t be the person I am today had it not been for my experience at Country Day. Here is where friends became family and teachers were so invested in me that we still stay in touch 30 years later.

School Spirit and Athletics Co-Chair
A family of four standing outside a house, smiling at the camera. The family includes a woman, a man, and two children, one girl and one boy. Behind them, there are trees, potted plants, and a partially open black front door with double panels.

Natalie Michan Kovaleski ’03, P ’35, ’37

LJCDS allowed me to be well-rounded. I was given a great education, played sports, made a ton of friends. The school aided my career choice, prepared me for the real world, and encouraged me to be a kind and caring person. 

Community Events Co-Chair
A group of people outdoors, including a man with dark hair and a beard, a woman with long blonde hair, a girl with long brown hair, and a boy with short light brown hair, standing in front of trees with autumn leaves.

Meredith Wyman Davis ’01, P ’32, ’35

My time at LJCDS shaped me in many ways and made me who I am today. LJCDS is more than academics; it is about being part of a community and learning how you can make a unique difference in your community. 

Community Events Co-Chair
A group of five people smiling and posing outdoors at a garden party, with a woman holding a bouquet of colorful flowers in the foreground.

Katie Sigeti ’06

Simply put, I am who I am today because of my years at LJCDS as a student, and I am literally here as a member of our staff today because of one extraordinary mentor— Susie Nordenger. 

Philanthrophy Manager, Alumni Programs
Two girls standing outdoors on grass, holding a handmade sign that reads "Google Big Lucy" with a volleyball illustration. The taller girl wears a white cap, blue shirt, and sneakers, while the shorter girl has braided hair, a gray shirt, and white sneakers. They are smiling with trees, a building, and other children in the background.

This is a historic moment for LJCDS and the entire La Jolla community. Learning about the rich history of our school and its founding has been inspiring, and I am excited to help share the story with the next generation.

Centennial Coordinator, Director of Community Engagement

Chelsey Watkins P ’33