Donna Vandermark:
CLASS OF 1971
Dondero High SchoolClass of 1971
Royal oak, MI
Bradley-Bourbonnais High SchoolClass of 2004
Bradley, IL
Northern Michigan UniversityClass of 1975
Marquette, MI
Franklin Elementary SchoolClass of 1965
Royal oak, MI
Washington Elementary SchoolClass of 1965
Royal oak, MI
Donna's Story
Life
At Dondero I spent most of my time either on ACap Choir activities or school musicals. Under the direction of Harriet Levy, Dondero did excellent musicals such as Bye,Bye Birdie, My Fair Lady, Music
Man and Annie Get Your Gun. Highlights of those events were performing the Street CanCan, the Ascot Gavotte along with the Waltz in for the Ballroom scene in My Fair Lady. I believe Marianne Williams and Tom Suda were involved in all four of those musicals. During this time, Dondero was blessed with many talented students in drama, music, dance and art.
This was also the era for the new young choir director to introduce Concert Choir and Pop Concerts into the choral music curriculum. Getting to sing the duet from Vivald's Gloria with Maddie Brent Nelson was a once in a lifetime event. Who would guess that my daughter would also perform the same duet her senior year 33 years later?
For me, being in ACAP Choir was exactly as Mr. Hartsoe described it at the 1970 Convocation. It took blood, sweat and tears to accomplish all we did, but it was truly worth it. Putting on Christmas Concerts was fun and all but the icing on the cake was doing the Pop Concerts. Performing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star in our jammers. 3 1/2 minutes of MMM good-gosh, wa-wa peddles and Peter Max murals. I'm so glad that I was in choir and also historian. I loved taking pictures of everyone having a good time and working together. The photos help to recall how much we accomplished. Now we can not only view the events by photo, but we can also listen to these concerts which are available for downloading from the web.
Most of us have favorite high school moments. Those were mine to 'cherish.'
After DHS I went to Northern Michigan University which is located on the shores of Lake Superior. This is where I learned what snow and cold really are. The snow banks we...Expand for more
re 5 ft high by Thanksgiving. From December on we had to walk in the streets until the April thaw. Even though it was only a 2 minute walk from the dorm to the campus, students moved very quickly to get out of the minus 50 degree windchill. Was proud to be a Delta Zeta and a Lambda Chi Crescent. Enjoyed performing with the Marquette Choral Society. Steve Mariucci lead us to a National football championship in 1975. I never missed a home football game while living in Marquette. Graduated with a BSW in 1975. Married once in 74, divorced in 79. Been a social worker for the State of Illinois for 30 years. Worked as a child protection investigator for 9 years but currently license foster homes. Am looking to retire in 23 1/2 months. (March 2009) That is unless our Governor makes an even bigger mess of the Illinois economy. I hope to travel and visit with family more often. My daughter studies music ed. at Olivet Nazarene University here in Bourbonnais, IL.
I have been trekking back to the UP since I left in 1976. Am generally homesick for family and friends from Michigan. I really dig contemporary Christian Music especially Newsboys and Michael W. Smith and go to festivals such as Lifest in OshKosh Wisconsin. Could easily get lost in a mosh pit. Still go see the oldies like Moody Blues, Air Supply, and Michael McDonald but also am an avid Dixie Chick and Garth Brooks fan. I still love to go to the theater. Fortunatley all the great stuff comes to Chicago. In the past year have seen Michael Crawford, Too Hot to Handel and Wicked.
I really enjoy hearing from other alums. Circulating the Dondero Auditorium Petition to Honor Mr. Hartsoe has given me the opportunity to hear from many alums over the past year. So, please feel free to communicate, and the petition is still online for anyone who cares to add their name in support.
Glad you stopped by.
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