Members of the founding board received The Webster Award at the 2024 Trailblazer Awards Gala & 25th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, August 24, 2024. At the lectern is Marcy Bandick, Chair of the 2024-25 University High School Board of Trustees. Left to right: Founding board members Sandy Morris, Sandy Lange, Phil Himelstein, Kathy Hurst, Patti Clayman, Mike Clayman, Kate Appel, and Jeff Lewis.
In celebration of our 25th anniversary, University High School is proud to announce the establishment of Founders’ Day, to be held annually on September 28. This special day was first announced by our head of school at the 2024 Trailblazer Awards Gala, where we honored the original members of our founding board, Ann Skilling Andrews, Kate Appel, Mike Clayman, Patti Clayman, Andy Greenspan, Ellen Greenspan, Jon Hand, Phil Himelstein, Cathy Hurst, Alexander (Sandy) Lange, Charlie Lanham, Marnee Lerums, Jeffrey O. Lewis, Sandy Morris, and Kim Thompson.
Why September 28? Although “New High School” was officially incorporated in January 1998, it wasn’t until September 28, 1998, that University High School of Indiana received its revised articles of incorporation, signed by then-Secretary of State Sue Anne Gilroy, who now serves as an emeritus trustee of University. This milestone in our school’s history serves as a fitting date to commemorate our founders and the vision they set forth over 25 years ago.
Founders’ Day will serve as a time to reflect on the values that laid the foundation for University High School. The visionaries who established our school believed in placing students at the center of their learning experience, fostering meaningful relationships between faculty and students, and expanding both the heart and the mind through education. Our founders’ foresight in creating signature programs—from one-to-one mentoring that fosters authentic conversations between students and teachers to the January Term that allows for deep, immersive learning—has made University High School a place where innovation is fostered and students thrive under the care of faculty and staff.
Today, we are a community of 350 students, but our commitment to helping each individual reach their full potential remains steadfast. As we celebrate Founders’ Day each year, we will honor not just the growth and achievements of our school, but also the spirit of collaboration and shared purpose that continues to guide us.
We look forward to celebrating Founders’ Day and recognizing the ongoing legacy of our founders, whose commitment to education has shaped our community.