Alumni
Once a Tarrier, Always a Tarrier!
Dear Charles Wright Academy Alumni,
Sam and Nathalie Brown founded Charles Wright Academy in 1957 on Peach Acres. In the spring of 1964, our first graduating class, all 14 of them, assembled in the Brick Gym for their commencement ceremony. As we reflect on over 70 years of graduating classes of Tarriers, we are filled with pride and gratitude for the incredible community that has emerged from Charles Wright Academy. We cherish the memories of spirited gatherings, athletic events, and the countless moments that have woven the fabric of our Tarrier experience.
Throughout the decades, Charles Wright Academy has been a place of learning, growth, and connection that nurtures and challenges our students to develop the character, creativity, and skills to successfully navigate the future with confidence. As one of the premier schools in the Pacific Northwest, Charles Wright is an inclusive community serving more than 550 students in preschool through grade 12.
As we look forward, our goal and focus is on reconnecting and strengthening our relationships with our alumni. Whether you graduated last year or decades ago, we invite you to engage with the Charles Wright community. We have numerous opportunities to connect through our Regional Tarrier Tours, Homecoming, Alumni Pub Night, Class Reunions, and more.
We believe that your experiences, insights, and relationships are invaluable to our CWA community. Together, we can continue to foster a vibrant alumni network that celebrates our achievements and supports all of our Tarrier alumni for generations to come.
We invite you to stay connected with us through our website, Bleed Green newsletters, CWA social media, or visiting campus. Thank you for being an essential part of our journey. We look forward to celebrating our shared history and bright future together.
Once a Tarrier, Always a Tarrier!
Henry Cheney ’16
Alumni Relations Manager
De’Andre Jones, M.Ed.
Director of Development & Alumni Relations
Upcoming Events
CWA 2025 Spirit Auction “A Charles Wright Masquerade” – Saturday, April 19, 2025
The Annual Spirit Auction is a lively and highly anticipated event held every year to support CWA’s programs and initiatives. The auction brings together the school community, including parents, alumni, faculty, and friends, in an evening filled with excitement and camaraderie. The event features an online, silent, and live auction with a variety of unique items and experiences up for bid including student art pieces!
CWA Founders Day – Friday, May 9, 2025
Join us as we bring back this beloved tradition! We will be offering a community breakfast, hosting an all-school assembly where we will present our Alumni of the Year and Inspirational Faculty Awards and honor our Society of Elders, followed by cake and an afternoon reception! We hope you will consider joining us as we celebrate the incredible achievements of our Charles Wright Community.
Ways to Connect
Keep up to date with your fellow alumni by submitting a Class Note! Class Notes are shared annually in CWA’s TIES Magazine.
Update Your Contact Information
The CWA Alumni community welcomes you! Please complete this brief questionnaire to help us ensure we have up-to-date contact information for you in our system. Once a Tarrier, Always a Tarrier!
Join our Tarrier Business Directory
The goal of the Tarrier Business Directory is to highlight and showcase businesses owned, operated, and managed by our Charles Wright Community. Submit your business today!
Follow CWA on Social Media
We love to stay connected with you in many forms, the best way to stay up-to-date on campus happenings is to follow CWA on Instagram and Facebook.
2024-25 Regional Tarrier Tour
Calling all Tarriers! The Alumni Relations team will be hitting the road this year and embarking on our 2024-25 Regional Tarrier Tour! We hope you will consider joining us at one (or more) of these fun events!
Los Angeles (Culver City), CA – Monday, February 24, 2025
6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at 33 Taps Culver City
Los Angeles (Silver Lake), CA – Tuesday, February 25, 2025
6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at 33 Taps Silver Lake
South Bay (Mountain View), CA – Wednesday, February 26, 2025
6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at Steins Beer Garden & Restaurant
East Bay (Berkeley), CA – Thursday, February 27, 2025
6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at Jupiter
Alumni of the Year
We are excited to announce that we are bringing back one of the many historic traditions – Founder’s Day! As a part of the Founder’s Day programming, we will be honoring our 2025 Alumni of the Year award recipient. The Alumni of the Year Award recognizes a graduate of Charles Wright Academy’s accomplishments and service to their community. The Nomination form is now LIVE!
Submit a Nomination for the Alumni of the Year Award!
Bleed Green Alumni Newsletter Archive
Our goal with the alumni newsletter is to keep CWA alumni up-to-date about what is happening at CWA, and secondly to highlight, celebrate, and share what CWA alums are doing in the community.
Alumni News
Bleed Green Alumni News – December 2024
Message from the Alumni Relations Manager Tarrier Alumni, With the unexpected passing of our interim head of School Chris Gorycki, Rachel Rippl has been named our interim …
Bleed Green Alumni News – Fall 2024
Dear Tarriers, Our goal with the alumni newsletter is to keep Tarrier Nation and all of its alumni up to date about what is happening at CWA, and …
Fall 2024 Philanthropy Letter
Fall 2024 Philanthropy Letter Message from the Director of Development & Alumni Relations Dear Charles Wright Academy Community, The end of summer marks an opportunity for …
Alumni of the Year 2024: Henry Cheney ’16
Henry Cheney ’16 is a CWA lifer, starting in the Beginning School and staying through his senior year. After graduation from Charles Wright Academy, he attended the University of Portland …
Alumni of the Year: Nate Mondou ’13
By Kimberly Banti Nate Mondou ’13 has been making headlines over the past 12 months—first after appearing for the Oakland Athletics in his Major League Baseball debut last fall, …
Alumni On Campus: Jaleesa Arias ’07
By Kimberly Banti Internationally best-selling author Haruki Murakami wrote in his 2007 memoir, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, “The most important thing we learn at school …
Alumni of the Year 2022: Trevor Will ’93
Odds are if you’re a longtime South Sound resident, you know Trevor Will ’93’s face. For years he has starred alongside his brother, Courtney Will ’95, in charmingly goofy televised …
Alumni of the Year 2021: Laura Malcolm ’00
There’s a nautical term describing the part of a boat’s hull that suburges and emerges from the sea with the rolling of the waves: between wind and water. Laura Malcolm …
Alumni of the Year 2020: J’Nai Bridges ’05
J’Nai Bridges, known for her “plush-voiced mezzo-soprano” (The New York Times), has been heralded as “a rising star” (Los Angeles Times), gracing the world’s top stages in repertoire ranging from …
Alumni of the Year 2019: Scott Case ’94
“It is still and peaceful outside in the fog-shrouded world.” Thus begins Scott Case ’94’s ninth-grade English journal entry dated November 27, 1990. He and his family (including sister …
Alumni of the Year 2018: Trevor Moawad ’91
In 1986, a ninth grader at Charles Wright Academy (CWA) wrote down 14 things he wanted to accomplish during the four years ahead of him as a high school Tarrier. …
Alumni of the Year 2017: Charles “Chuck” Morey ’65
Charles “Chuck” Morey ’65 is a director, playwright, and former artistic director with more than 45 years of experience in professional theater and extensive credits from coast to coast. …
Alumni of the Year 2016: Kathy Naikan ’96
Dr. Kathy Niakan ’96 is fascinated by fertilization. Studying how human embryonic cells progress in their earliest stages, Kathy explores the process by which cells specialize to make up any …