Student
Lutheran High School South Class of 2006

Steve is a National Merit Semifinalist at Lutheran High School South. He is a member of the National Honor Society and has been recognized each semester on the Honor Roll. He plays Varsity basketball, runs cross country, and has been a cast member for Drama department plays and musicals. He also serves as a Devotion Small Group leader at LHSS. At his church, St. Paul’s in Des Peres, he is a member of the Youth Group and gives of his time at Vacation Bible School and the summer St. Paul’s basketball camps for grade school age students.

Special Projects Coordinator
Lutheran High School South Class of 1986

Michael Schoedel (LHSS '86) was a three-sport athlete, Post-Dispatch Scholar Athlete, president of the student council and co-editor of the Troubadour while at South. Aiming for a career as a public servant, he spent two years at West Point, and then graduated from Valparaiso University with majors in political science and geography. After a brief stint as a planner, and a Master of Public Administration at SIUE, he began his career as a city manager, serving communities in suburban Chicago, St. Louis and Clayton. He is currently a Special Projects Coordinator for the Apex Oil Company. He and his wife Alyson and daughter Madelyn are members of Concordia Lutheran Church, Kirkwood.

U.S. District Judge
Lutheran High School South Class of 1972

The Honorable Rebecca Pallmeyer (LHSS ’72) was active at Lutheran South in the Thespian Society and in choir. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Valparaiso and her juris doctorate (J.D.) at the University of Chicago. After clerking for a Minnesota Supreme Court justice, she practiced law with a Chicago firm from 1980 to 1985, concentrating in the area of commercial litigation. From 1985 to 1991, she served as an Administrative Law Judge with the Illinois Human Rights Commission. As a U.S. Magistrate Judge after 1991, she supervised pre-trial criminal matters and civil matters, and tried and settled complex securities, commercial, and patent cases. She was appointed a U.S. District Judge in 1998 by President Clinton. Rebecca is married to Dan McAdams, a professor at Northwestern University, and has two daughters. She and her family are members of Trinity Lutheran Church in Evanston, Illinois.

CEO of Negwer Materials, Parent
Lutheran High School North Class of 1975

Scott Negwer (LHSN '75) played soccer at Lutheran North, but waited until his college years at Blackburn College to become a student leader, Resident Assistant, and peer group counselor. According to Scott, Lutheran North provided the building blocks for his successful college career, teaching him to think and formulate ideas. Studying economics at Blackburn provided some preparation, but the years of working in the family business were equally as important as he learned the business from the ground up. He is now President and Chief Executive Officer of that good-sized family business, Negwer Materials. He and his wife Jennifer are members of Atonement Lutheran Church. Their two daughters, Michelle and Lindsey, are alums of North and Curt is currently a student; all three have followed their dad’s lead and played soccer for North.

Church Worker
Lutheran High School South Class of 1985

Terri Mize (LHSS 85) was involved in religious drama as a student, but because she took the bus from the city to South, was somewhat limited in her extracurricular involvement. She majored in elementary education at Concordia University, River Forest and then taught in public schools in Chicago for several years before returning to St. Louis in 1994. After teaching in St. Louis public schools and Riverview Gardens for eight years and earning her masters in school administration at the University of Missouri St. Louis, she had the opportunity to return to her elementary school alma mater, Holy Cross.

In 2002, she was appointed assistant principal and later principal of the newly created Concordia Elementary School, a ministry of Holy Cross and Historic Trinity. While working on an educational specialist degree, she serves as one of three principals of King of Glory Lutheran School in south St. Louis. Her commitment to this ministry, which serves many unchurched families, reflects her own experience at Holy Cross, where she became a Lutheran while attending Holy Cross Elementary School. Terri attends Historic Trinity.

CEO and Co-owner of SSE, Parent
Lutheran High School South Class of 1966

F. Mark Kuhlmann (LHSS '66) was active in student council and served as the senior class president. While at South, he played JV baseball and basketball, and then varsity tennis and soccer. After graduating from Washington University with a degree in political science, he earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School and then returned to St. Louis to practice law, initially with Stolar Partnership. He joined the McDonnell Douglas law division and eventually became General Counsel and Senior Vice President for McDonnell Douglas. He also served four years as president of their commercial information technology division.

After helping lead the merger with Boeing, Mark is now one of two owners and is co-CEO of SSE, a St. Louis firm that provides a wide range of information technology solutions and services. In addition to his corporate leadership, he feels: “I was encouraged to be of service and to be in ministry by my education at South; in my case that led me to many years of service on community and Lutheran boards.” Mark and his wife Barbara have two grown children, both graduates of Lutheran South, and currently attend St. Paul Lutheran Church in Des Peres.

Student
Lutheran High School North Class of 2006

Ryan has been a member of the National Honor Society since his sophomore year at North. He plays football and baseball and is a member of SALT, Student Council and serves as a Student Ambassador. He is considering majoring in either business or pre-law and states that "Lutheran North is a great place to learn. The teachers really want to see you succeed with your work." Ryan is a member of Chapel of the Cross Lutheran Church.

Church Worker
Lutheran High School North Class of 1999

Michael Kersten (LHSN '99) was involved in band, drama, the National Honor Society, cross country and track. He graduated from Concordia University in Seward with a BS in secondary education in 2003. His passion was directed to mission work in Asia where he worked for three years at Concordia Middle School, a Lutheran missionary school in Chiayi, Taiwan. He continually shared the Gospel through relationships with co-workers and students and by teaching and developing curriculum for English and Bible classes. He is currently teaching Humanities and Religion at Hong Kong International School.

Student
Lutheran High School South Class of 2006

Jessica is the 2005-2006 Student Council President at Lutheran High School South. She is a respected athlete, leading by example on both the Varsity volleyball team and Varsity basketball team. She enjoys participating in the Lancer Singers and also in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She is a member of National Honor Society and has been recognized repeatedly on the Lancer Honor Roll. Jessica also plays club volleyball and is active in her youth group at St. John’s Lutheran Church on Morganford.

Former Denver Broncos athlete, Investment Advisor
Lutheran High School North Class of 1984

Steve Atwater (LHSN '84) was North’s top scholar athlete in 1984, playing football, basketball and track. After graduating from the University of Arkansas, where he was a two-time All-American football player, Steve played for the Denver Broncos for 10 years, including two Super Bowl championships. He was selected for the Pro Bowl eight times, and was recently named to the Denver Ring of Fame, one of 20 great Denver Broncos on the facade around the stadium.

He is now an Investment Advisor representative for International Management Associates Advisory Group (Certainty Capital Management) in Atlanta, Georgia. His company makes money for its investors by actively managing and trading stocks and options of large capitalization companies. Steve specializes in working with retired professional athletes and other high net-worth individuals. According to Steve, “The education and grounding I received at North helped me make a smooth transition from playing pro football to working as an investment advisor.”

Steve and his wife Letha reside in the Atlanta, Georgia suburb of Duluth with their three sons, Stephen Jr., DiAndre and Paris, and their daughter, Malaysia. They attend Victory World Church.

Church Worker
Lutheran High School South Class of 1995

Pastor Joshua Hower (LHSS '95) played basketball, baseball, and golf and served on the National Honor Society and student council. Because, according to Josh, “Lutheran South encourages you not just to consume, but also to contribute to the lives of others,” he planned a career as a church worker. He attended Concordia University Seward where he majored in psychology and pre-seminary studies. Josh spent a semester in India, which convinced him that outreach in ministry was his role. After attending Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, with a vicarage in Kingwood, TX, he served as Associate Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Pocatello, ID. Currently he is Pastoral Director of Assimilation and Small Groups at Concordia Lutheran Church in San Antonio, TX. He and his wife Jennifer (whom he married after graduation from Seward) have a young daughter named Brooke.

Student
Lutheran High School North Class of 2006

Genese is a published author of a book and short story and she was one of the ten National Merit Finalist in the Miss Teen America (Missouri Program). She is a member of the National Honor Society, Student Ambassadors, HiStep, SALT, Chapel Leaders, Peer Ministry and President Elect of the Student Council. Since 2002, she has been featured in Who's Who Among American High School Students. She has participated in musicals and plays at North. She is a member of the basketball team and Co-Captain of the Varsity Volleyball Team. Genese said that the thing that brings the most joy to her life is helping others and going on mission trips. In 2003, she participated in a mission trip to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico and she currently volunteers at the Ranken Jordan Pediatric Rehabilitation Center. She said she was "completely excited about Faith In Action." She explained that, "North is a place where people learn and grow." Genese attends First Christian Church of Florissant, MO.

Government & Business Professional, Parents
Lutheran High School North
Class of 1976 & 1976

Kevin Cross (LHSN '75) and Rhonda (LHSN '76) met at Lutheran North and are perpetuating a tradition with their two children. Kevin participated in football and track before heading first to Lincoln University and then to Arizona State where he studied business. He is now Inventory Manager for Save-a-Lot. Rhonda, was a cheerleader, member of the first girls’ track team, student council and a columnist for the Courier, attended Southeast Missouri State, studying marketing and home economics. She earned a Masters of Arts in Computer Resources/Information Technology Management from Webster University and now serves as an Information Technology Specialist for the Department of Defense. Their daughter attends North (and is a cheerleader) and their son will be coming soon. They appreciated the fact that their kids were connected with North through the academic fair, instrumental program and sports before they actually started as students. According to them, “The smaller classes and more focus on the students makes North even better than when we attended.” Kevin and Rhonda are members of Salem Lutheran Church in Black Jack.

Church Workers, Parents
Lutheran High School North
Class of 1974

Pastor Joel (LHSN '74) and Lori Vogelsmeier Christiansen (LHSN '74) feel that the commitment to ministry and the modeling of servant-hood of their Lutheran North teachers were critical in who they have become—Pastor of Webster Gardens Lutheran Church and Executive Director of the Lutheran Association of Special Education respectively.

While at Lutheran North, Lori was a member of the Student Council and the National Honor Society, the Girls’ Athletic Association, and participated in choral and musical productions. Joel played soccer and tennis, was in the band and the National Honor Society. Both went to Valparaiso University. Joel then continued to the Seminary in St. Louis, and while he vicared in Odessa, TX, Lori earned a masters in reading at the University of Texas.

Joel served two congregations in Oklahoma for 13 years before returning in 1995 to St. Louis to Webster Gardens; Lori taught remedial reading, special education and served as a special education consultant before joining LASE. Their daughter Rachel, who attends Valparaiso, graduated from Lutheran South in 2003, and their son is currently president of the National Honor Society at South.

Lawyer, Lutheran High School South
Class of 1993

Brent, a 1993 LHSS graduate, was an all-around student, playing JV basketball, baseball and football for four years, participating in musicals and plays, and serving as president of the National Honor Society. He earned a BA/BS in economics and English from Vanderbilt University and then earned his J.D. at the University of Missouri, Columbia in 2000. According to Brent, “many of my teachers at South taught in a style similar to my college professors, challenging me to think critically.” Brent practices general corporate law, including commercial real estate and mergers and acquisitions, with Blumfeld, Kaplan, and Sandweiss. Brent and his wife Ashley are members of Concordia, Kirkwood, and maintain close friendships with some of Brent’s South friends.