Join EHS as we go Sailing into the Starlight!

Be a part of Edgewood’s Biggest Event of the Year!

Join us this year as we go

“Sailing Into the Starlight”

at our Annual Social and Fundraiser.

April 22, 2016 at 6:00 p.m.

This year's event offers a romantic and fun-filled cruise theme with lots of “shipboard” entertainment. In addition to providing a wide array of buffet tables, games to play, and great items and packages to purchase—all necessary for any cruise ship passage—the evening also features an Edgewood favorite, Piano Fondue. These stellar performers will take center stage in our "Starlight Lounge" and supply plenty of lighthearted musical entertainment.

We can use your help. 

Donate to the live and silent auctions. Gift cards to Madison area restaurants, retail stores, tickets to entertainment and sports events, and gift certificates for service providers are best-sellers. Unique experiences, travel and EHS items are also especially valued—be creative! 

Support the event financially, either with funds dedicated to purchasing auction items or with sponsorships that help offset auction expenses. Naming and sponsorship opportunities are available. Please contact us directly with questions. 

Find your favorite cruise attire, then register to attend and bring a friend! Take advantage of this opportunity to spend an evening of fun with others from the Edgewood community—and contribute to an important cause: supporting a great educational experience for another generation of Crusaders! 

Lori Venturella ’98 and Katie David ’97 bring history to life for readers and students

Lori Walther Venturella ’98 has a new book, Feathers of Inheritance, that is now in publication. It is set in the years from the Civil War through the late 1800s, and tells the stories of how “... through these two generations that we learn inheritance is passed down, not only through blood, but through sacrifice and hope.” The book is available through Amazon-Kindle.

Recent reviews of the book have given it high praise:

Vividly detailed with strong characters. A lyrical feel that takes you back into the world of war and love and the hardship people endured.

I considered myself a civil war buff, but … the author’s descriptions make you feel like you are there witnessing all this pain and beauty.

The story is full of suspense and … teaches a lot about how we live with our relatives and how we treat people with special needs.

This author has a fresh new voice who takes her readers to the very soul of her characters.

Lori received her BS in English with a concentration in Creative Writing from Edgewood College, Madison, Wisconsin. She has taught Orton-Gillingham since 2009. Lori currently lives in Verona, Wisconsin with her husband and two sons.


Ninth grade history teacher Katie David ’97 was featured in an article by the Portage Daily Register and the story was expanded upon in a blog by TCI, a K-12 publishing company created by teachers for teachers. TCI interviewed Katie about the implementation of the Pursuing American Ideals Program at Pardeeville High School in Wisconsin.

Katie says, “I’m a believer in projects. I like my students to demonstrate their understanding… [through] a variety of different skills–from drawing maps to writing songs–which allow me to differentiate instruction and test multiple intelligences without constantly inventing new projects. My students love the lessons that get them out of their chairs, especially the activities that have them take on a role – immigrant, muckraker, etc.”

“Like my students, I love the activities that have them moving around and looking at authentic sources. I have not utilized many of the online features yet due to my students’ irregular access to computers. As our district grows less reliant on paper-based assessments, however, I think they will be more relevant to my teaching style.”

After years in the Big Apple, Sarah Milestone ’90 now raises funds for Taliesin

Sarah Milestone ’90 moved to New York in 1995 with an art history degree from UW-Madison. She worked as a fundraiser for a number of art museums, including the Guggenheim, the Frick and the Whitney, as well as the American Ballet Theatre.

After returning to Wisconsin in 2012, she worked as director of development for the Wisconsin Historical Foundation for two years and is now the director of development and communications for Taliesin Preservation in Spring Green. She and her team are implementing ways to increase audience engagement and build awareness for our education programs and preservation projects.

Read a “Executive Q&A” interview with Sarah posted by Pat Simms of the Wisconsin State Journal.

Jo Jean Kehl Janus ’54 still light on her toes

Jo Jean Kehl Janus ’54 led a professional life as a dance performer and choreographer, and was devoted to teaching at the Kehl School of Dance, which was founded by her grandfather. Now retired, Jo Jean continues to spread the love of dance. But instead of teaching ballet to youngsters, she’s teaching hula and other lively dances to the elderly.

Jo Jean and members of the successive generations of the family who continue to operate the dance school, now expanded to multiple locations and in its fifth generation, are featured in an article by Katie Mohr in the March 2016 edition of Brava magazine (article on page 20 of pdf file).  Another story about the business appeared last April in InBusiness magazine.

For some great historical photos from the Kehl School of Dance, like this one of Jo Jean and her twin sister, Jo Ann, visit this Flickr page by the Wisconsin State Historical Society.