no longer kiddos

once upon a time before ann entered the lucrative world of crafting, she ran an after-school program for teenagers. this was perhaps one of the happiest periods of ann's professional life; she walked to work each morning in her non-business casual attire, arriving leisurely at 10 am, preparing for the arrival of the greatest group of kids from all over the boston area. the goal: to make and talk about media - radio, web, newspapers, billboards, tv, film - no genre was left unturned.

last night was their first reunion in years. ann was a little apprehensive at first - worried about feeling old. after all, these kids were no longer the 15 and 16 year olds from her memory who worried about homework, parents, etc. but full-fledged adults living their lives, attending graduate school, renting apartments, and going to real jobs.


this picture doesn't show it, but there were actually alcoholic beverages on the table. ann found it incredibly surreal to be drinking with this group.


ann with the always cheerful lucia who went on to boston university greatness and is currently climbing the ranks at state street bank.


ann with chris and julie - a.k.a. the cutest couple ever. the always adorable chris is a senior at hamilton college in ny and recently studied in spain. back in the day, julie was a the biggest dave matthews band fan in the world and holds what has to be a record of seeing them in concert thirty times. now, julie is a program coordinator in dorchester. ann is happy to report she works with teens.


the giant with a heart of gold, levi is still the only mormon that ann knows personally. levi went on to make waves at brigham young university and is currently applying to law schools. he is still as handsome as ever.


always wise beyond his years, james was always the thinker of the group. later he honed his entreprenuerial zeal at babson college. james will soon marry his high school sweetheart. ain't that sweet?


ryan and neal (a.k.a. the nealmeister). ever-ebullient teens, now they are irrepressible young adults who light up rooms with their smiles. neal was one of the few fellow filipinos ann knew in new england. he went on to be a notre dame football fan and is currently at suffolk law. always one of the best writers and public speakers, ryan gave brandeis the gift of her presence for four years. she is now a vista volunteer at clark university and an avid knitter.