![Bal de Ballet chairwoman <B>Jamie Angelich</B>, center, Young Man of Distinction <B>Alex Weisiger</B> and debutante <B>Genevieve Tarlton.</B> <!--IPTC: [CUT1]Bal de Ballet chairwoman Jamie Angelich with Young Man of Distinction Alex Weisiger and debutante Genevieve Tarlton. [CREDIT]Photo by Joanne Davidson, The Denver Post-->](/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/20100916__20100919_E15_FE19DAVIDSONp1.jpg?w=468 "20100916__20100919_E15_FE19DAVIDSON~p1.JPG")
Each of the 76 high school seniors to be presented at the 2011 Bal de Ballet has a story; some are pretty amazing.
Last Sunday, when the 43 debutantes and 33 Young Men of Distinction were revealed at a Cherry Hills Country Club reception, we learned that the group includes world-class power lifter Alex Weisiger; Skye Pawlik, founder of Throwdown, a group that plans and hosts events for teens and young adults with Down syndrome; Ellory Read, an outdoors enthusiast who has trekked the Alps, been on safari in Africa, snorkeled in the Galapagos Islands and climbed Mount Aconcagua in South America; and Jack Fritzinger, who in January helped deliver a baby while on a six-day medical mission to Haiti in the wake of its devastating earthquake.
The son of Peter and Gail Fritzinger of Denver, Jack became fluent in French during the year he lived in France, a skill that better enabled him to communicate with the 500 patients he and his colleagues treated in a street clinic in Port-au- Prince. The Colorado Academy senior also has been an exchange student in Edinburgh, Scotland, and will spend the coming summer in Malawi on a global health outreach program.
On a trip to Costa Rica, Matt Greene aided in the effort to control turtle poaching by recording data every night for the week he was there; Katie Imhoff, student body president at Kent Denver School, volunteered at a Young Life camp in Arizona for three weeks where she worked with mentally and physically challenged children; and Robert Jornayvaz IV developed a love of horses from his father. He plays polo, is a competitive show jumper and aspires to become a Grand Prix rider.
Jamie Angelich is chairing the 43rd edition of Le Bal de Ballet, a benefit for the dance programs supported by Denver Ballet Guild. The theme is Faberge.
Her co-chair is Pamela O’Neal, and Loretta Kelce is the honorary chairwoman. The announcement party was the first in a series of special events leading up to the June 11 presentation at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House.
Paulene Cole, whose husband, Dr. Toby Cole, is Bal de Ballet’s master of ceremonies, organized the announcement party with Pam Kelsall and a committee made up of Julie Kucera, Thais Shapiro, Vicki Henry Harding, Cindy Halliday and Shirley Joondeph.
Sixteen high schools are represented in the honoree Class of 2011, whose members also include:
Adam Angelich, Margeaux Azar, Alex Barclay, Tori Bealer, Drew Behnke, Bryan Bennis, Katie Binder, Kit Brown, Pete Buntmann, Blake Burbage, Caroline Coffin, Chandler Corder, Shelby Cusick, Chris Deline, Pete Dikeou, Julia Donahue, Katie Durham, Allegra Flanigan, Reilly Frye, Hayden Gibson, Emily Griffith, Chelsea Hamilton, Kathleen Hansen, Rhody Heller, Clare Hickey, Chris Howell, Mikaela Hutchison, Corbin Jones, Margaret Knudsen, Addison Kramer, Hayley Kraus, David Lantz and Kristin Lipe.
Also, Maddie Maguire, Alexander Mair, J.D. Mandarich, Conner Manning, Claire McCloskey, Meg Meagher, Claire Molk, Connor Morgan, Alex Moskowitz, Alex Napheys, Emma Orr, Kellen Piro, Mandy Raeder, Matt Rakowich, Connally Reid, Heidi Ripley, Abby Rosenblum, Brita Salzmann, Annelise Schaler, Lily Talesnick, Genevieve Tarlton, Olivia Taylor, Kristen Underwood, Sam Van Hook, Clayton Vitek, Taylor Wagner, Cooper Wahl, Carson Walker, Kenzie Walker, John Wattles, Charlie Wham, Brynn Wheeler, Sarah Wilkins, Kevin Wylie, Eric Yakes and Dani Youngsmith.
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com; also, and GetItWrite on Twitter
