Dear Alums,
Happy New Year from all of us at The Academy! I’m writing with a couple of exciting announcements.
2019 Alumni Grant Winners
We announced the winners of the 2019 Alumni Grants at the Alumni Party late last month. (The party was a lot of fun, by the way, with alums from every decade of the school’s history in attendance. We’ve attached some pictures below for those who missed out!)
Jamie Weiss (Media Arts ‘17) is receiving a grant to hire a casting director as she works on a short film for her senior thesis at Chapman University. Silk Screen is about a Korean family's screen-printing business, focusing on the son’s surreal-photographic escapism which leads to the accidental photograph of an apparent murder. She aims to tell a story that is truthful to the culture of the Garment District in LA and tackle a larger diversity and representation problem in cinema.
Quinn Bailey (Media Arts ‘16) is receiving a grant to enter his film Cold Hard Blood into more festivals to, as Quinn puts it, “make it easier to show the film the way it was intended and share its message with a larger audience.” Cold Hard Blood uses genre cinema elements to critique the “prosperity gospel” interpretation of scripture popular in American evangelical Christianity, demonstrating how faith can be used – and abused – to justify drastic wealth inequality, dehumanizing business practices, and violent exploitation. The film is a SAG-AFTRA union-approved production and is currently in the middle of post-production.
Congratulations Jamie and Quinn!
The 2020 Alumni Challenge
Thank you so much to all of the alums who participated in the 2020 Alumni Challenge. Five generous alums — Shannon Greene Robb (‘89), Jeremy Callner (’94), Tyler Schwartz (‘03), Lauren Williams (‘10), and Joey Massarelli (‘14) collectively pledged $2,020 if 100 other alums would contribute $20.20 in honor of the Class of 2020.
We are thrilled to announce that 112 alums donated $3,630, so we collectively raised $5,650 — our most successful alum fundraising campaign ever. Thank you so much to all who participated!
(Did you mean to donate but just didn’t have time? It’s not too late to be included — click here for more info.
Showcase Honoring Margy Stover
We are thrilled to announce that Mayor Lori Lightfoot has proclaimed February 8 (Showcase Day) to be “Margy Stover Day" in Chicago!
In a letter to Margy, the Mayor writes:
“Over the course of a remarkable career, you have not only demonstrated excellence in art and education, but also upheld a steadfast commitment to community and culture. As a teacher and Chair of the Visual Arts Department, you have taught hundreds of students and continue to motivate and mentor students to new heights, and as an artist, you have inspired audiences around the world. I commend you for a body of work that will enlighten and inform people for generations to come.”
Margy will be honored with The Academy’s fourth-annual Faculty Legacy Award at Showcase on February 8. All alumni families are invited and strongly encouraged to attend—please join us for the celebration! Tickets can be found here. If you can’t come, please consider sponsoring a ticket for someone in need. And, if cash is tight right now, just let us know — we’d be happy to comp you a ticket.
Jason Patera
Head of School
