Barstow School Alumni

Start here, go anywhere! We’re proud to celebrate our alumni who recently earned bachelor’s and advanced degrees! Here are a few of the many graduates we’re celebrating:

Sophie Yagan ‘22: Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Kansas State University

Selena Ledezma ‘22: Bachelor of Arts in English & Creative Writing and Screenwriting Arts from the University of Iowa

Peter Pan ‘22: Honours Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, Specialist in Statistical Science: Theory & Methods from the University of Toronto

Rosemary Warren ‘22: Bachelor of Science in Biology and minor in philosophy from the University of Arkansas

Isabel Wilson ‘22: Bachelor in Secondary Social Studies Education from Kansas State University

Samantha Georgie ‘22: Bachelor of Science in Mathematics with a concentration in statistics from Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State University

Matthew Justis ‘21: Bachelor of Architecture in Architecture from the University of Southern California

Logan Ball ‘16: Master of Business Administration from New York University Stern School of Business

Pedro de Castro ‘15: Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Kansas City University

Jonah Elyachar ‘15: Doctor of Medicine from the University of Kansas

Will Kanan ‘13: Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Baker University

Jeanne Brown ‘14, thank you for speaking to students at the Junior-Senior Breakfast about your journey from nursing to a career in the law, and inspiring our students to make a career path that fits their interests! We are of Jeanne, who practices law at Shamberg, Johnson and Bergman. And those who remember Jeanne’s soccer prowess will be happy to know she also coaches a girls’ club soccer team in KC!

A huge congrats to Sarena Biria ‘23, who has been named the University Athletic Association’s Women’s Tennis Player of the Year! Sarena is a junior at the University of Chicago, and in 2024, her team took home the NCAA Division III championship for the first time in the program’s history. Sarena enters this year’s NCAA tournament ranked second nationally. Good luck to Sarena and the UChicago team!

The Class of 2026 is spending their last day of school completing the Senior Walk. They walk 11 miles from the former Cherry Street campus back to the State Line Road campus! At the Cherry Street site, Daly O’Brien ‘63, Jean Kiene ‘60 and Kirby Upjohn ‘66 told the seniors about what life on the Cherry Street campus was like. Thanks for sharing your memories!

The Class of 1966 still has the senior line formation down pat! Our alumnae celebrated their 60th reunion with lunch and tours of IDEA Space and Barstow. When they arrived at their former campus, our Kindergarten students welcomed them in style with “Standards High” and the “Barstow Boom!” There are some lyrics you never forget 🎶

Cheers to 55 years! The Class of 1971 recently gathered at the Saddle and Sirloin Club to celebrate their reunion year.

Pictured: Pamela Bowers Kessler, Ann Dietrich Cooling, Diane Atha Harriman, Leslie Francis Cutler, Virginia Daye Sims, Marie Adams Dolembo, Debby Wheelock Duensing, Jill Pettegrew O’Connor, Shelley King Theis and virtual attendees Eden Lee Murray Jellinek and Ann Trusty Hulsey

Hear ye, hear ye! Monday, April 27, 2026, is officially William Frank Day in Kansas City, Missouri!

Bill is celebrating 40 years at Barstow, and will be retiring at the end of this academic year.

Bill’s colleagues read the official proclamation issued by Mayor Quinton Lucas ‘02 in front of a cheering upper school.

“Mr. Frank is the embodiment of what makes Barstow special,” Mayor Lucas, one of Bill’s former students, wrote. “His mission has always been more than just teaching formulas; it has been about instilling confidence in problem-solving and a genuine joy for learning.”

Tell us your Bill Frank memories below ⬇️

Then & Now: Kelly Ray Darata ‘82 and Emi Matsumoto ‘81

These former host sisters recently reconnected in Dallas, spending a weekend touring the downtown area and enjoying TexMex and steaks!

Emi spent the 1980-1981 Barstow school year as an AFS student and lived with host siblings Kelly and Todd Ray. Emi is now a Professor of Law at Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo, Japan. She specializes in comparative law and has studied extensively in France and Great Britain. Emi was in Texas conducting research at Southern Methodist University. Kelly lives in Plano, TX, and spent her career in legal publishing sales and account management for Thomson Reuters/Westlaw. She is now enjoying retirement with her husband, family and friends, traveling and pursuing hobbies of painting, sewing and reading.

Kelly and Emi, thank you for sharing your reunion with us!

Congratulations to second grade faculty phenom Mallory Plungkhen — this year's Betsi Brooks Krumm Award recipient. The honor is given annually in memory of Barstow alumna Betsi Brooks Krumm '90, who dedicated her career to education before she passed away in 2003. Teachers who nominated Mrs. Plungkhen cited her enthusiasm, peer support and creative classroom approaches in their letters to the selection committee. Thank you to Berent Krumm and Betsi's classmates Jenny Waldeck '90 and Sean Hart '87 for sharing heartfelt stories about Betsi during this week's presentation.