This year, New Trier has chosen another 10 outstanding alumni to be placed in the Hall of Honor. This is the third year of the program, and will make 30 recognizable faces in the Hall.
The 10 who are joining this year are Bruce Alberts (1956), Bobbi Brown (1975), Steve Fickinger (1978), Susan Grant (1972), James Hackett (1972), Mary-Claire King (1963), W. James McNerney Jr. (1967), Bonnie Stern Miller (1966), Thomas Miller (1956), Scott Turow (1966).
To decide who makes it up onto the wall, there is a Selection Committee consisting of alumni, New Trier staff, two NT students, and members of the New Trier Educational Foundation. They pick candidates based on the New Trier motto: “To commit minds to inquiry, hearts to compassion, and lives to the service of humanity.” Those who embody the slogan the most have their photos framed and bios written for the Hall.
This year’s class received their Alumni Achievement Award from the New Trier Educational Foundation on Thursday, March 14 at a dinner at the Hilton Orrington Hotel in Evanston.
During the week of the awards ceremony, the honorees visited New Trier to share their stories and experiences with students, as well as their work. Over the course of the week, Susan Grant, Steve Fickinger, Jim Hackett, Scott Turow, Bruce Alberts, Thomas Miller, and Bonnie Miller came to speak to students while they were in town to receive their awards.
Bonnie Stern Miller is a women and children’s rights activist who created the Youth for Peace program in Bosnia, and worked to end human trafficking in the country, as well as Greece.
Miller spoke about her experience receiving the award. “It feels great. I never expected it. My best friend from elementary school wanted to nominate me, but I never thought I would get it. It feels fantastic, especially considering the other people who were honored with me this year,” she said.
Miller noticed the differences between her experience as a student, and those of students today. “I think the philosophy of education has been the biggest change at New Trier. Using the technology and also having a relevant education, an education that talks about current events and, even with history, how it influences current events. It’s relevant to the lives of students,” she said.
“I think the difference now is that the kids are really encouraged to speak and question and discuss with their teachers and discuss with each other.”
She was interested to see the changes in students’ learning. “I think there are a lot of choices now with what students do and how they choose to learn. They’re encouraged to interact with adults. We never really interacted with adults and we really didn’t interact with each other in terms of learning from other students. Even in language classes, we never had small group conversations, or role plays or anything like that to learn conversational skills,” she said.
“These alumni are an inspiration for our students,” said District 203 Superintendent Linda Yonke to the New Trier Educational Foundation. “They have such wonderful tales to tell of their time at New Trier, and we are humbled that so many of them choose to take time from their busy schedules to return to their alma mater. It is a privilege for our students to spend time learning from them.”