Reunion week-end

Final Announcement

 

 

Dear Classmates:

 

Within the week, we will be celebrating our grand reunion. You will be catching up with friends you haven’t seen in 40+ years.

 

It’s going to get LOUD!!!

 

Here are some last minute important details for you to be prepared for.

 

1.Ticket Sales:

 

Ticket sales officially closed on Thursday, August 31^st, 2017. I know there are still a few of you out there that are trying to make it. If you are still planning of attending and will be paying late, please email me directly.

 

Due to the fact that ticket sales closed last week, anybody that comes in last minute will not be able to participate in the Friday evening event at the Castillo de Chapultepec. Unfortunately, we are at capacity and cannot admit anyone else.

 

• Projected attendees Friday night are 190 guest
• Projected attendees for Saturday ASF tour is 140 guest
• Projected attendees for Saturday Main Event is projected 165 guest
• Projected total classmates from all classes 125

 

2. Friday Night:

 

The current agenda is requiring you to meet at the Hyatt lobby at 5:00PM for an “ice breaker” before you board the buses to the Castillo de Chapultepec. This “ice breaker” is a “cash” bar. It is really, really important that you arrive on time, as we will start boarding the buses around 5:40 PM.

 

IMPORTANT: Private Autos: For those of you who plan to drive your own cars to the Castillo event, please contact Isabel Bagñasco from the reunion committee. The Castillo has rules and they must know the make, model and license plate of your car so you could be authorized to drive up to the top.

 

Private Tours:

 

Isabel Bagñasco and Jesus Diaz have put together two different walking tours of the downtown area for Friday and Sunday morning. These tours are optional and there is a small fee and requires you to pay cash in dollars or pesos. I will also post these tours on our website. Since the tour on Sunday conflicts with the Paul Goebel pozole event, it will be up to you to choose what event you would like to participate in. See below tour details.

 

Weather Update:

 

As of today, it appears there may be showers and the day temperature will be in the mid to high 60’s. And if it rains….well, as stated by Steve Miller in the song “Jungle Love”, everything’s better when wet. So please pack accordingly.

 

 

Well that’s all for now. Please feel free to reach out to your reunion committee members or me if you have any more questions. We are super excited to see you all once again in the great city of Mexico, re-igniting friendships and making new ones. Your interest and attendance is what makes this work, and we are grateful and appreciative to you and your families.

 

Viva Mexico!!!

 

 

 

Mark Maldonado , and the Reunion Committee

 

 

Tour details:

 

        

TOUR 1   Mexico City Downtown.

September Friday 8^th . 10:00am.

(Tour starts at 10:00am -2:00PM. In order for you to meet a 10:00am start time, you must leave your hotel in Polanco at 9:15am and we advise you take UBER).

 

Your hosts:  Isabel Bagnasco & Jesús Díaz.

Point of reunion central  door of cathedral at 10:00 am.  Make your arrangements to take an Uber and ask your driver to take you to Cathedral at the Zocalo.

 

Cost per person, $35 USD. Payment will be only in cash in dollars or $600 pesos .  Well collect prior to the tour at the point of reunion.

 

We shall start from the very heart of one of the oldest cities in the continent and still standing.  The Aztecs founded the heart of Tenochtitlan in 1325 and the city continues to amaze every visitor with more than 2000 landmarks in downtown, classified by UNESCO as patrimony of the humanity.   We will start our tour entering the Mexico`s City Cathedral, describing the main altars and the exception baroque organ. Exiting the cathedral we will walk to Moneda Avenue, heart of the colonial administration,  reaching the landmark of the first university of the Americas. From there will reach the pyramids of the Templo Mayor – Tenochtitlàn, center of the Aztec Empire since 1325.  Walk through Donceles Street, visiting the best baroque church in the city: Iglesia de Enseñanza. Continue through Av. Cinco de Mayo, visit the first pawn shop in the continent Monte de Piedad and Dulceria Celaya, a Belle Epoque candy store. We will take a break at the Opera Bar, famous for the Pancho Villa´s revolver shot in the ceiling:  drink and fell the atmosphere of the 1880s. (Drink and food is on individual consumption). Return to Tacuba Av. to see one of the most beautiful plazas of the XVIIIth century, Plaza Tolsá. We will see Palacio de Minería, Museo Nacional de las Artes, Postal Office and the tour ends at the Palacio de Bellas Artes, the main opera, ballet and concert house. Time to go to the hotel to get ready for the Castle of Chapultepec.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
TOUR 2 Palacio Nacional, Madero & Alameda Terraces

September Sunday 10^th 12:00pm.

(Tour starts at 12:00pm -4:00PM. In order for you to meet a 12:00pm start time, you must leave your hotel in Polanco at 11:15am and we advise you take UBER).

 

Your hosts:  Isabel Bagnasco & Jesús Díaz.

Point of reunion main door of National Palace at Zocalo at 12:00 pm

 

Cost per person, $35 USD. Payment will be only in cash in dollars or $600 pesos .  Well collect prior to the tour at the point of reunion.

 

We Star the tour in front of the National Palace  “Palacio Nacional”  , landmark of Spanish colonial power.  Brief explanation of the Tenochtitlan and the Aztec Empire. View of Mexico City`s Cathedral and the Cityhall  Palaces.  Walk through the Zocalo porches to Madero pedestrian street. View of the Majestic Hotel lobby (an example of colonial time style) and the Centro Joyero. Arrive at the corner of Madero and  Motolinía  to see testimonies of Aztec and Colonial construction.  Isabel la Catolica corner, the Profesa Church,  a landmark of the Independence movement, Museo del Estanquillo,  Downtown hotel, Azul Histórico, area of restaurants and shopping galleries. Return to Madero Avenue: Borda Palace, Iturbide Palace, Gante Street, High Life Art Nouveau building, First Presbyterian Church of Mexico and host of the first Jewish Congregations of Mexico (circa 1850). Arrive to Casa de los Azulejos (Sanborn`s Coffee House); Torre Latinoamericana, and enjoy the view of the Palacio de Bellas Artes from an amazing terrace. Stroll through the famous Alameda Park (1590-first public park of the Americas) and revel in its fountains and monuments. Optional visit (on your own) Franz Meyer museum and meet us at the Cancino Terrace at the end of the Alameda Park.

 

Useful tips

·       The tours will be in English

·       Be mindful of the weather at this time of year as you might expect thundershowers

·       Picture taking is acceptable in these historic sites

·       We suggest that upon your return you either take UBER or a cab. Its very safe

 

 

Announcement

2 weeks till our Mega Reunion

August 23^rd, 2017

 

 

Dear Classmates:

 

 

I’m excited to inform you we are within two weeks of our Mega Reunion. The reunion committee is still actively finalizing details, logistics and making sure all aspects of the reunion weekend are covered. I will be making one more announcement before the reunion to highlight any changes. Remember, our logistical HUB is the Hyatt in Polanco.

 

Tickets and Class breakdown:

 

As I have said before, ticket sales to our reunion weekend conclude Friday, August 31^st, 2017. This has to be done to provide the venues with our final attendance and help us plan for logistics and services throughout the weekend. So please make your decision real soon if you are still contemplating attending. Here is where we are from a Class attendance as of today:

 

Class of 81: 1

Class of 80: 1

Class of 79: 1

Class of 78:  14

Class of 77:  92

Class of 76:   5

Class of 75:   3

Class of 74:   3

 

Total :     120

 

 

ASF Tour on Saturday:

 

Important: You will be required to bring your ID to get into the ASF.

 

We have modified the schedule to accommodate a short memorial to those that have passed including students and teachers. As soon as we arrive, we will tour the ASF grounds and conclude at the new Auditorio. At the Auditorio, we will have a 30 minute ceremony to honor those that have passed. There will be an opportunity for you to say a few words if you desire. Concluding this, we will have lunch by El Ticoncito by the cafeteria.

 

Dress Code:

 

I have received various emails from classmates clarifying the dress code for our events.

 

Friday Night:

 

Castillo de Chapultepec

 

• Men: Coat and tie. If you do not have a tie, a coat and nice pants is fine. NO JEANS.
• Women: Cocktail attire. No long dress or high heel shoes necessary, although an option if you desire.  Buses will be taking you up to the Castillo.

 

ASF Tour

 

• Men and Women: Whatever you feel comfortable in. Jeans , Tie-Die, lo que sea.

 

Casino Español

 

• Men: Tuxedo is optional. Suit is desired, but sport coat and tie is ok too.
• Women: Short or long dress is acceptable. Remember, if you plan to wear high heal shoes, you may want to bring an extra pair of comfortable shoes to dance in.

 

 

Weather:

 

It appears that the weather will be in the mid 70’s during the day and the low 60’s at night. It is not clear yet whether it will rain or not, but from what it looks like today, it will be clear with some clouds. Please check the weather before you arrive just in case there is chance of rain.

 

Projected Attendance:

 

Castillo de Chapultepec:  170 including guest

ASF Tour:  150 including guest

Casino Español: 155 including guest

 

 

Hotel Rooming:

 

Some classmates have asked me to reach out to see if there are those who would be interested in rooming together to help on cost. Please feel free to email me. Email: markrafaelmaldonado@yahoo.com

 

 

Sunday Brunch

 

Some of you have asked about the Sunday brunch at Paul Goebel’s studio in Polanco. The event is from 12:00pm to 3:00pm and is strictly optional. Dress code is whatever you want to wear. The address is:

Hopolito Taine #212, Polanco, Mexico City. It is around 5 blocks walking distance from the Hyatt Hotel.

 

 

 

See you soon!!!!

 

 

 

Mark Maldonado and the Reunion Committee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Announcement

30-Days to our Mega Reunion

 

 

Dear Classmates:

 

As you all know, we are in the last lap and only 30 days to our reunion. We are continuing to break attendance records and thank you for making the effort to attend. For those that are on the fence, it’s decision time. Also, a reminder to you that ticket sales CLOSE on Thursday, August 31^st, 2017. The main reason for this is we have to let the venues know the exact count for meals, transportation and other venue fees. So, consider this and make your decision soon.

 

Update on Ticket Sales and who’s Coming:

 

• Friday Night Castillo: Current count has us at 175-200 with guest and ASF.
• Saturday ASF Tour: Current count at 145 with guest.
• Saturday Casino Español: Current count at: 147 with guest.
• Sunday Pozole Brunch: Current count at 65 with guest.

 

Class Breakdown:

 

• Class of 81: (1)
• Class of 77: (82)
• Class of 78: (13)
• Class of 79: (1)
• Class of 75: (3)
• Class of 74: (2)
• Class of 76: (4)

 

 

Total Clasmates:  (106)

 

Dresscode to the events:

 

Some of you have called me regarding the dress code to these events. Allow me to reiterate:

 

Friday Night at The Castillo de Chapultepec:

 

Men: Sports coat and tie. No jeans or T-Shirts. If you show up without a tie, you will still get in, so don’t worry. These are Castillo rules, not your reunion committee

 

Women: Cocktail. FYI, wear appropriate shoes as you will be going through a walking tour and negotiating some steps.

 

ASF Tour:

 

• Dress however you like.
• Very important point: You will be required to bring your ID to get into the ASF. Please don’t forget this.

 

Casino Español Saturday Night:

 

Men:  This is a formal event. Now, TUX is optional, but please wear something nice as in tie and jacket. Pictures will be taken..

 

Ladies: Formal, short or long dress. You will be dancing so bring an extra pair of shoes. Stilettos will be a challenge for dancing.

 

Memorabilia:

 

Although we will have a lot of memorabilia present, please bring some of your own. This could include, yearbooks, photos, pins, concert tickets, whatever you have to share.

 

 

Sunday Pozole Brunch at Paul Goebel’s Art Studio:

 

On Sunday, we will be having a Pozole Brunch at Paul Goebel’s art studio in Polanco. It starts at 12:00PM and you can wear whatever you like. The brunch will be from 12:00-3:00PM and the event is casual and you can attend anytime between those hours. I will post the address on our website later in the month. It is a few blocks from the Hyatt, so you can either UBER or walk  the distance.

 

Post Reunion trip to San Miguel de Allende:

 

There is a small group of us that will continue our adventure on a trip to San Miguel de Allende. If you are interested in coming with us, please email me and I can give you details on when and where we are staying. We head to San Miguel Monday, September 11^th through the 14^th.

 

Other points:

 

• To get around in Mexico, plan to use UBER. Do NOT rent a car.
• If you plan to visit your old neighborhood or any other plans to see friends, keep in mind that the traffic is beyond what you are used to in your state/country. Plan accordingly. For our events, please be punctual, meaning hora “Inglesa”. There is very little wiggle room.
• After the ASF tour, you will have some time in the afternoon to acclimate to the altitude and rest. Please take advantage of that downtime, as the evening Saturday night will be active and go into the early morning.
• The rainy reason in Mexico City concludes during the month of September. Be sure to check the weather before you come in anticipation of short showers during the day.

 

Final Note:

 

On behalf of the reunion committee, we have made every effort to ensure a wonderful experience back to where it all started. Mexico has changed, but you will find that your local classmates will be there for you “con manos abiertas” as your host in this amazing city to ensure you enjoy your weekend. I would expect that you rekindle old friendships and new ones moving forward. As we get older, its friendships and family that matter the most as we continue through our journey into our senior years. Between now and then, if there is anything you feel we are missing to enhance this experience, please email me as soon as possible as our time to our event is coming soon.

 

 

Fuerte Abrazo a todos,

 

 

Mark Maldonado and the Reunion Committee

 

 

 

 

Announcement

60 Days to our Mega Reventón!!!

 

“Viva Mexico”

 

 

Dear Classmates:

 

We are officially in RECORD territory!!!

 

And less than 60 days to our Class reunion.

 

Here are the statistics as to where we currently stand right now:

 

Friday Night:

 

For the Castillo de Chapultepec, we are currently at (172) attending, climbing and confirmed which includes the ASF.

 

Saturday Tour of the ASF and a Memorial Tribute:

 

We are currently at (70) attending. It is very important for you to know that we are also planning a short memorial remembering classmates and faculty who have passed. I will read a short poem/eulogy by Tedi Lopez 77 and there will be some time allocated for those who wish to say a few words. The reunion website has a section called “In Memory”. Please review the list and if there are any others I may have missed, please send me an email:

 

markrafaelmaldonado@yahoo.com

 

 

Following this, the tour will commence of the school grounds and lunch will be provided by “El Ticoncito”, the best taquisa in Mexico City.! It will be "A la Parilla” which will include tacos de: Bistec, Costilla, Chuleta, Chorizo, Pollo, Arrachera, Rajas con Crema, Nopales, Quesos , Hongos, Chicharron,and Guacamole, beer and Aguas Frescas. It doesn’t get any better than this folks!!!

 

Saturday Night Main Event:

 

We are currently at (133) attending with guest and continuing to climb. Here is the breakdown of the ASF classmates from each class that have purchased tickets thus far:

 

• Class of 79:   (1)
• Class of 78: (12)
• Class of 77  (73)
• Class of 76    (3)
• Class of 75:   (3)
• Class of 74:   (2)

 

 

Total:           (94)

 

We are expecting at least another (30) classmates to sign up before the reunion. Our goal is to reach (160) with guest for our main event Saturday night, so please continue to reach out to others.

 

Photos:

 

We are working on a video and would appreciate you sending us a recent photo of yourself so we can also use it for the nametags. Please upload your photos to the website by going to your profile page.

 

Tickets:

 

Reminder to all of you that have not purchased tickets yet. The last day to purchase tickets is August 30^th. We have to do this to make sure all the venues have an exact count and logistics are properly coordinated.

 

Looking forward to seeing all of you real soon,

 

 

Fuerte Abrazo,

 

Mark Maldonado and the Reunion Committee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

American School Foundation High School Class of 1977

	Announcement From the Class of 77 Reunion Committee Guillermo “Memo” Aguilar-77       Memo Aguilar on the left "Con los Cuates"- 20th ASF Reunion.   It is with our deepest regrets to inform you that one of our beloved classmates and ASF Old Timer;Guillermo “Memo” Aguilar has passed away peacefully battling pancreatic cancer for the last three years.  As most of you know, Memo was an icon of our class with a great sense of humor, a loving disposition, great friend to all of us and an accomplished lawyer, father, husband to his wife Andrea and his two sons Patricio and Claudio.   Memo had emailed me a couple months ago in support of our reunion and had planned to come contingent on his health. He was looking forward to reconnecting with all of you not knowing how much time he had left on this earth.   It would be great if you could all say a prayer for him and his family and close friends as we all mourn his tragic loss and struggle through this difficult time.   Sad to say but, a small part of us dies when one of our classmates passes. As some of us have had these friendships since childhood, a passing of one of our own reminds us that life is short and precious.   May he Rest in Peace and we will miss him dearly!!   Fuerte Abrazo a todos,   Mark Maldonado and the Reunion Committee http://www.ahsclassof77reunion.net/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 17^th, 2017

 

Announcement

 

Escudo design by Luis “Lucho” Lozano to commemorate our

 

40^th class reunion

 

VIVA MEXICO!!!

 

The reunion committee has reached out to Luis Lozano to create a logo design that would embody our 40^th class reunion this September. We asked Lucho to incorporate the following into the design: The Class of 77, our 40^th reunion, and the American School Foundation, your alma mater that open the door to all of us for a great education and the opportunity to develop the friendship we have established from the day we set foot on its grounds.

 

Luis’s drawing is absolutely spectacular. Within, you will see a number of interesting details that symbolize the foundation of our cultures during a time when foreign companies were coming into Mexico to establish a beachhead into the economy. Most of us were oblivious to what our parents were doing as we immersed ourselves into the school culture and established our friendships. The foundational representation is the “Piramide de Sol” with the EAGLE on the left and the BEARS symbol on the right.

 

On the top, Luis adds “40^th” with a Roger Dean flare of “YES”, which was the band that influenced all of us at this time.

 

The contornos of the escudo represent the old ASF escudo, with a bit of a twist. It’s actually an OWL looking over all of us!!. Luis’s idea was that it represented a mirror or reflection of what we could have been feeling at that time, whether it was wisdom, serenity, comfort or since we are creatures of a higher power, its whatever you want it to be.

 

Within the escudo, you will find, ASF and 77. It’s there; you just need to study the art for a bit. And as you continue to study his rendition, you may find other nuggets of interesting metaphors that may mean something to you, which is always a goal of any artist. What does this mean to you?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

American School Foundation High School Class of 1977       June 16th, 2017 Announcement Class of 77 -40th Reunion, Mexico City Mexico September 8th-10th , 2017 Viva Mexico!!!     Dear Classmates:   I have some important and exciting news to share as it relates to our reunion:   First, we are now within our 90-Day window to our reunion in Mexico City, or in football terms “Fourth Quarter”. The reunion committee is hard at work finalizing details and continuing to enhance your weekend experience.   Update on Ticket Sales and a key announcement with the American School Foundation:   As the old saying goes:” If you build it, they will come”. Well In our case, “If you create it, they will come”!!   Friday Night- Chapultepec Castle:   Today marks a major milestone: We have hit the (100) confirmed attendees to our reunion weekend. In addition, we have extended an invitation to the American School, who is currently celebrating its 130 year anniversary, to join us Friday night at the Castillo de Chapultepec. Thanks to Richie Katzman from the reunion committe in putting this together,this will add at least another (40) guest, which will include Board Members, major donors and the Executive Staff including, Paul Williams, Executive Director. This is the first time the ASF will join an alumni celebration of this magnitude. Since we now anticipate over (150) attending Friday evening at the Castillo, the reunion committee has decided to upgrade our orchestra to (14) members, a concert you will enjoy thoroughly and an event you will remember for years to come. This is big news as the “buzz” of this reunion continues to build positive momentum!!!     Update on Transportation to Saturday Events:   You can count on the party starting on the buses. We have arranged with the American School to utilize their buses!!! This will add more nostalgia to your Saturday-day and night experience. The buses will pick us up and drop us off at The Hyatt in Polanco. For Saturday night, there will be two return buses times. Please review the agenda on the website for more details.   Saturday Tour of the American School: It should be noted that we have hired " El Ticoncito" as our taquiza for our tour lunch!!!   Saturday Night at The Casino Español:   We have hired a lighting specialist to further enhance the interior lighting of the main floor for mood and picture taking. We also added a “Pista de Luz” to further entice you to get out and dance. See attached photo. This is exactly what it will look like. And there are more surprises that the reunion committee is holding out to keep you in suspense!       Passports:   A reminder that you must have a current passport to enter the country. If your passport expires (6) months after the reunion date of Sept 8th (March 8th), you will need to renew your passport.   For those of you that have not purchased tickets:   Please be mindful that we are within 90 days from our event. Please make your best effort to purchase your tickets sooner rather than later. This helps us plan accordingly for logistics, financial matters, your safety and in the end, ensure all details are covered for your enjoyment.   Images Attached:   I have attached some caricature images attached as a clue of what you will see Saturday night. Can you guess who and what they represent??   Abrazo a Todos !!!   Mark Maldonado and the Class of 77 Reunion Committee         http://www.ahsclassof77reunion.net/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Update on Tickets Prices and Sales to date

And Reunion Committee meeting in Mexico City this week

 

 

Dear Classmates:

 

I wanted to share with you where we currently stand to date on our ticket sales. On March 13^th, 2017, we announced our tickets prices and want to thank Dr. Bob for being our first ticket purchaser!!

 

Here is where we stand:

 

We have sold to date (50) tickets. This consist of (25) SINGLES and (25) COUPLES. Of these SINGLES and COUPLES,  (33) are from the US and (17) from Mexico. This currently gives us a total of  (75) people attending to date. We are averaging 1.2 ticket sales a day and on to a really good pace. If we continue this pace, we are anticipating a turnout between 160 to 200 people, making this the biggest reunion of them all.

 

Ticket Prices:

 

As I previously announced on Ticket prices, effective Monday, May 1^st, 2017, ticket prices will go up slightly as follows: SINGLE ticket prices will now be available at  $240 per person and COUPLES ticket prices will now be available at $375 per COUPLE. Although the increase is modest, we encourage you to purchase your tickets soon to take advantage of the discounted rate.  On July 1^st, ticket prices will slightly increase once again.

 

Reunion Committee Meeting in Mexico City Update

 

The reunion committee has gathered this weekend in Mexico City and hard at work to iron out the details for a spectacular weekend.

 

Castillo de Chapultepec:

 

We have met with our organizer that is helping us with the Castillo de Chapultepec. The agenda is set and the Castillo personnel is all on board to give you an incredible evening of food, drinks, orchestral music and tours of the grounds.

 

American School Tour

 

We are continuing to work the day agenda with a tour of the school and a light lunch

 

Casino Español

 

We have met with the Casino coordinator, selected floral arrangements, table cloth colors, menu, drinks, lighting, entertainment, logistics and fine tuned the evening program. Everything looks great and I’m confident you will love this venue and location.

 

Sunday Pozole Brunch at Judy’s

 

Although Judy was kind to offer her incredible home to host, we may not be able to fit everyone, so we are evaluating alternate venues.

 

All for now and looking forward to seeing all of you in September!! The reunion website is : www.ahsclassof77reunion.net.

 

Abrazo,

 

Mark Maldonado 77

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Announcement

Entertainment for Saturday Night at The Casino Espanol

 

 

Dear Classmates:

 

The entertainment for Saturday night is starting to come together. We currently have a band from Mexico City called : Groupo Mediterraneo” and a disc jockey that will play later in the evening for dancing. Grupo Mediterraneo plays a wide variety of music from Latin, Salsa, Rock, Disco and Mexican boleros.

 

The agenda will allocate some time for those of our class and other classes that have musical and artistic talents to perform.

 

I am pleased to announce that we have secured Casey Weston, Dave Weston’s (78)  daughter to perform an acoustic tribute to our class. Maybe Fleetwood Mac? Who knows! We have also secured Brandon Scott and Fritz Heede. both professional artist to perform as well. Please be mindful that these artist are taking time from their busy schedules to express their talents to you in this special evening. So please express your appreciation when you speak with them after their performance.

 

• Casey was one of the finalists of The Voice in early 2000’s and her singing ability is absolutely phenomenal. You can view more on Casey at her website at: www.caseyweston.com. Casey just released an album called "Gypsy" as a tribute to Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks.

 

• We have also secured the attendance of Brandon Scott Class of 75 who is a professional magician. Brandon’s first performance was at the old auditorio at the AHS when he was in Theater and to this day continues to perform. Brandon is one of a few elite magicians that are part of the Magic Castle in Los Angeles that is by invitation only. Brandon will be performing an act either on Saturday at the AHS or Saturday evening at The Casino Espanol. Brandon’s website is: www.brandonscott.tv.com. Brandon just performed to an audience of 25,000 for Air B&B's annual meeting in Los Angeles.

 

• We have also secured Fritz Heede from the Class of 75 that is a multi instrumentalist. Fritz a self taught piano prodigy and guitar virtuoso, has composed music with Jon Anderson of YES, Julian Lennon, Pter Gabriel and developed award wining films with Charleston Heston. Fritz will be playing a piano piece and a guitar piece Saturday night to commemorate our reunion. Fritz is also an award winning film artist and is married to Nijole Sparkis a professional singer and healer. Fritz’s website is: www.fritzheede.com

 

Just so you know, we encourage all classmates that are eager and interested to perform to come forward. This may be your only chance to perform in front of your classmates as this continues to be the biggest reunion to date.

 

More to come!!!

 

Fuerte Abrazo,

 

Mark Maldonado

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Announcement

 

 

The American School Foundation Class of 77

40^th Reunion September 8^th-10^th 2017, Mexico City, Mexico

 

Tickets Prices

 

 

 

Dear Classmates:

 

 

The Class of 77 Reunion Committee has spent considerable time organizing an event that will be both memorable for a lifetime yet affordable considering travel, hotel, food and transportation. In order to achieve a good balance of a spectacular reunion and keep tickets prices as low as possible, the way to achieve this is through “volume” attendance. The more that attend, the more we can apply these funds to continue to enhance the experience. At the moment, we have 130 classmates that are registered and our goal is to reach at least 150-175, making this an unprecedented attended reunion. If we surpass these attendance goals, I will be making further announcements to enhance the weekend experience. No monies go back to the AHS, no monies come back to me, ALL monies go towards this event. So let’s make this happen in a big way !!!!

 

A, Ticket Prices: Important: Ticket prices close August 30th, 2017 !!!

 

Per Person Tickets Prices: $255 USD-After July 1^st,- August 30^th, 2017

Per Couple Ticket Prices: $400 USD-After July 1^st,-August 30^th, 2017

 

Since the reunion committee has already financially secured the events, we will be offering incentives for you to purchase your tickets early. Please do not wait until the last minute to purchase your tickets.

 

Early Ticket Purchases March-April 30^th, 2017

 

Per Person Ticket Prices: $225 USD

Per Couple Ticket Prices: $350 USD

 

Early Ticket Purchases May 1^st-June 30^th, 2017

 

Per Person Ticket Prices: $245 USD

Per Couple Ticket Prices: $375 USD

 

NOTE: The ticket prices are all inclusive meaning that if you cannot attend an event, there will be no discount.

 

B.Ticket Purchases day of the event:

 

Tickets purchases at the day of the event will not be allowed unless prior arrangements have been made with the reunion committee.

 

C. What does the ticket price include?

 

• Castillo Event including transportation: Hired buses To and From The Hyatt in Polanco. Please view agenda on website for more details
• Tour of the American School and lunch including hired buses To and From The Hyatt in Polanco
• Casino Español main event. Hired buses To and From the Hyatt in Polanco. Please review agenda on website for more details
• Sunday’s Pozole event at Judy Mariscal’s house.  
• Photographer for Friday and Saturday night. You will be able to download all photos taken.

 

D. What does the ticket price NOT include:

 

• Hotel and hotel incidentals
• UBER or cabs
• Airline tickets
• Valet parking at the Casino Español.
• Transportation to Judy’s on Sunday

 

E. Comments on ticket prices:

 

For some of you, this may be a stretch. The reunion starts in 6 months and should give you plenty of time to save extra monies to attend. Also consider this: Our Ixtapa reunion 15 years ago, tickets prices went for $150. Also, the Class of 76 ticket prices for their 40^th were $260 per person.For our Mexico classmates, this should be a steal considering an event at the Castillo alone is around $1,600 pesos ($80 USD) Again, in order for us to make this work, we need at least a critical mass of 125 attending, so please do your best to encourage others from our class and all other classes to attend.

 

Refunds:

 

Refunds will only be allowed on a case-by-case basis. Aside from that, there are NO refunds.

 

Special Needs Fund:

 

The reunion Committee is considering establishing a “Special Needs Fund” for those classmates that require financial assistance to attend. We can only allocate funds to this coffer if we reach critical mass. We will evaluate your needs on a case- by- case basis and your name will not be divulged. Please send me an email directly to: markrafaelmaldonado@yahoo.com.

 

How to Pay:

 

1. Website: You can pay through the website.(www.ahsclassof77reunion.net) .It is 100% secured. The website takes the following credit cards: VISA, MasterCard, Discover or American Express.  Keep in mind, this is the preferred method.

 

2. You can mail me a check. Please send me a check to the following address and made out to me personally.

 

Mark Maldonado

245 Almendra Ave

Los Gatos, CA 95030

 

3. Online Transfers Through Bank of America: Online Transfer using recipient’s email: Bank of America offers account holders the ability to send money securely using just an email of the recipient. For those of you who have Bank of America Online Banking, you can transfer money by going to the Transfer>Send Money> and send the amount to: markrafaelmaldonado@yahoo.com. Make sure to write in the message box shown in the page who you write “purchase of (however many) tickets(s) and your name(s). If you do this, send me an email letting me know you have transferred the funds. I will respond with a confirmation.

 

4. Online Transfer via your Bank: Online transfer using account and routing number: This process allows you to send money online to someone else’s account. To perform a transfer, sign into your online account and select transfers from the navigation menu. You will need to know the account number and transit routing number of the recipient. In our case, the numbers at Bank of America are as follows:

 

• Account number: 3250-8987-7308
• Transit routing number: 121000358(within the US)

 

Please send me an email (markrafaelmaldonado@yahoo.com) letting me know you have transferred the funds. I will reply with a confirmation.

 

5. Paypal: Paypal maybe an option through the website at a later date.

 

6. Special Arrangement Payments: Please email me if there is another form of payment you wish to engage in. If you wish to wire the funds, please let me know and I will provide you wiring instructions.

 

Questions?:

 

 

Please feel free to email me at (markrafaelmaldonado@yahoo.com) if you have any issues or questions.  We look forward to your attendance at this reunion of a lifetime. I promise you this will be our best reunion ever.

 

Viva Mexico!!!

 

Fuerte Abrazo,

 

Mark Maldonado and the Reunion Committee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The American School Class of 77 proudly presents our reunion Kick-Off :

 

 

An exclusive evening with your classmates and invited guest of

MAXIMILIANO I and CARLOTA at the

Castillo de Chapultepec

Friday Evening Sept 8^th, 2017

 

 

 

Dear Classmates:

 

I have some really exciting news to share!!!!!!!

 

The Class of 77 reunion committee, specifically Isabel Bagnasco, Richie Katzman, Sergio Sato, and in cooperation with Paul Williams, Executive Director of the American School Foundation, have for the First time in the history of AHS reunions, booked our Friday night “Ice Breaker” at the Castillo de Chapultepec. The castle as you know, is an iconic landmark rich with history and architecture that will remind you of the old European castles. It is also one of the main attractions in Mexico City and in all Latin America. It is where Maximilian I and Carlota lived during the second Mexican Empire and the site where the Niño’s Heroes died defending the castle during the Mexican/American War. You will visit with your classmates and feel the royalty that abounds with the spirits of Maximilian I and Carlota!!! It doesn’t get any better than this folks!!!!!

 

 

This is a Once in a Lifetime private event for all of us to be together for four hours, so please take advantage of this unique opportunity and plan accordingly!!!

 

The event will include 1) Approximately 4 hours to ourselves to enjoy the event, 2) A first class string quartet that will play Vivaldi and other classical music 3) Local wine and tasty horderves to your hearts content, AND 4) A private tour of the Castillo. We will enjoy our evening in the outside promenade deck with views of Mexico City, reminisce, and thank God for how grateful we all are for our health, happiness and special time together. Since the Castillo is under the auspices of the Mexican government, there will be heavy security, which comes with your utmost respect to the Castillo and its grounds. The agenda for now is outline below. Be sure to check back through our website for updates.

 

 

 

Agenda for Friday night

 

 

 

• Buses will pick us up at The Hyatt in Polanco . Departure from the hotel to the Castillo at 6:00 to 6:15PM. A representative from the Castillo will sign you in.

 

• Arrival at the Castillo: 7:00PM

 

• Castillo Tours:  7:10 to 7:40

 

• Concert: 8:30-9:30PM. String Quartet that will play classical music: Del Barroco a lo Contemporáneo -Vivaldi, Packelbel, Albinoni, Rodrigo y temas de películas. This will be a sit down event.

 

• Mingling, wine and canapés: 9:30Pm- 11:00PM

 

• Departure to the Hyatt Hotel: 11:00PM. A representative of the Castillo will sign you out.

 

• Dress Code: Semi Formal

 

• Beverages: Chilean wines from Santa Carolina winery and soft drinks (per the Castillo rules)

 

• Food: Assortment of horderves to fill your appetite.
• Professional Photographer: Fernando Rodriguez Zarate

 

Transportation:

 

We will be arranging a bus to take us to the Castillo from the Hyatt Hotel in Polanco and back. The buses will drop us off at the bottom of the Castillo and small vans will take us to the top promenade area where our venue will be. Richie is going to try and see if we can get the American School buses for the transportation to add to the nostalgia!! More details on this later this Spring.

 

Note regarding dinner for Friday night:

 

Due to the fact that a large group of classmates will be arriving from the states at different hours and adjusting to the altitude, we will NOT be serving dinner. Additionally, the Castillo does not allow full meals, only horderves. Therefore, you will be on your own for dinner and we will post-suggested dinner and bar hotspots.

 

Just so you know:

 

The Castillo de Chapultepec is part of the Museo Nacional de Historia which falls under the Departamento de Difusion Cultural y Servicios Educativos. Although the Castillo de Chapultepec does offer private events, they are very, very selective!. The criteria is, the event has to be cultural or academic and sponsorship must come from an organization that meets this criteria.  Hats off and thanks go out to your Alma Mater: The American School Foundation in supporting our event and the many months of effort and negotiations from our reunion committee to pull this off.

 

So please register if you haven’t already done so. We look forward to seeing all of you at this unprecedented reunion event. Remember: GO BEARS and make sure you thank Paul Williams when you see him and of course your reunion committee.

 

Fuerte Abrazo,

 

Mark Maldonado and the Reunion Committee

 

  

 

 

 

Announcement

 

Tour of the American School Foundation

Saturday, September 9^th, 2017

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Classmates:

 

I have some exciting news to share:

 

What is a reunion without a tour of our school?

 

Thanks to Richie Katzman and coordination with Daniela Escalante Nassar from the ASF Alumni Association, we are scheduled for a tour of the ASF on Saturday, September 9^th, 2017. The tour will start at 10:30am and conclude approximately 1:30PM. The ASF alumni association will be preparing a “program”, including a light lunch that will be used for future class reunion tours and details of this program will be available later this Spring. For those of you who have not toured the school since graduation, here are some of the highlights:

 

• Starbucks is now on campus

 

• First class new auditorium that seats 1,000
• Buses are now underground beneath Colman Field
• New gym and basketball courts

 

 

 

 

 

• Tennis courts are now on top above the gym

 

 

 

• 7th-8^th grade building are all new
• The lower cafeteria no longer exist
• The Elementary buildings still remain in their original condition
• Colman Field now has new turf and bleachers

 

 

 

 

As we continue to develop the weekend agenda, please check back to the website and Facebook page for more details, including updates on transportation and the program for the visit.

 

We look forward to seeing all of you this year for this unprecedented reunion in Mexico City.

 

FUERTE ABRAZOS !!

 

Mark Maldonado-

Class of 1977

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AHS Class of 77-40th Reunion

Hotel Announcement

 

 

 

Dear Classmates:

 

One of the most important component of a successful reunion is the selection of our hotel that will act as a “base” to the other scheduled events, provide ample rooms to accommodate large groups, preferred room rates and most importantly an opportunity for all of us to be in one place. We understand that some of you will want to use your points and have preferred hotels and by all means take advantage of that.

 

The reunion committee has selected the Hyatt Hotel in Polanco as the hotel of choice. Thanks to Richie Katzman, we have secured a preferred rate. The hotel is 5 star and has a 725 room capacity with all amenities and is centrally located to all the venues we will be attending to.

 

At this moment since we are still 10 months away and have not started selling tickets, Hyatt has allocated us (10) rooms at our preferred rate. Once these rooms are taken, we will book a larger block. The rate is good for two nights : Friday and Saturday night.  Here is the procedure to book your room:

 

1) If you only plan on staying two nights, the rate is $135US plus tax: Click on the following link provided by the Hyatt Hotel, or highlight to your web browser.

 

http://aws.passkey.com/go/AmericanSchoolFoundation77

 

2) If you are planning to stay longer, meaning coming in earlier or staying a few days later after the reunion, please go directly to the main Hyatt website and book your reservations online as the blended rate may be less. Hyatt also accepts AAA discounts.

 

HYATT REGENCY MEXICO CITY
Campos Elíseos 204, Polanco Chapultepec, México D.F. 11560
T +52.55.5083.1234  E Berenice.flores@hyatt.com 
mexicocity.regency.hyatt.com

 

 

 

 

Abrazo a todos!!

The Reunion Committee