Remembering the fun we had

I remember one time I went to Sue’s office to give her something from a teacher like usual. She was eating a banana and said, “hey Katie this should be funny,” and she threw the banana peal out in the hall.





She never meant for someone to slip, but as I was leaving, a middle school student slipped and fell from the banana peel. She felt really bad, you could tell from the expression on her face. Before she did anything, she couldn’t help but burst into laughter, and then she jumped up and helped him while having a huge smile on her face. That smile was always on her face, but I never saw it like that before. Her smile was contagious. She would greet you with that smile and you couldn’t help but think, does she ever have a bad day or ever be in a bad mood. I know I have had my share of bad days but whenever I saw her, I couldn’t help but smile, and she always was concerned with why I wasn’t in a positive mood. I will miss her contagious smile and joy.

-Katie Almaleh, Academy

Senior

Good day sunshine

A few years ago, a great woman came to the Academy. Some saw her as just a secretary, but to others she was like another mom. Sue Munzer was a hard working person who always had a smile on her face to welcome everyone entering the Academy. She was the one that people would turn to if they needed someone to cheer them up. No matter what was going



on inside her, she never let her problems affect others or her sunshine personality. Personally, I think Sue was a role model. She was a mom, teacher, guide, student, and grandma not just to her family but to everyone around her. The halls of the Academy will begin each day with a little less sunshine. We need to keep this wonderful person in our minds and hearts every day. If this one person could affect so many people, it makes me think about my own potential, and how I affect other people positively.

-Molly Rissen, Academy Sophomore



How I wish you were here

Sue Munzer was a role model for us all. She was uncomplaining, always smiling and positive, never saying no to any request or urgent need. She presented a standard for others to live up to. If there was any negative about Sue, and this is a stretch, it was her inability to admit her own vulnerability. I remember one day I was substituting and Sue was taking a medicine that made her so sick she could barely keep her head up, but the doctor ordered it, so Sue took it. Finally, she was feeling so badly, I helped her up from her desk and made her go home. I loved substituting upstairs and visiting with Sue. She just made you feel good to be around her. I loved hearing about her busy life: plans to go on a motorcycle trip with her boyfriend,

participation in a dance competition, the fabulous dress and shoes she would wear or her latest sewing project. Sue was the epitome of living every minute to



its fullest. Even when she came to visit the Academy while she was so sick, her mantra was, “I’ll be back.” Well, Sue, we wish you were.

-Jean Bratt, Academy Parent and staff

Patience ‘Til that Brighter Day

Different people are blessed with different qualities, both good and bad. Some people happen to be blessed with positivity, grace, and kindness. Sue Munzer, a fantastic role model and truly pleasant individual, to say the least, was lucky enough to be one of these people. Commendably, Sue utilized these positive qualities through her interactions with those around her. I think I first realized this during my senior year, as Sue and I were the first ones, day after day, to arrive at school long before the bells rang. I sat in the same spot in the hallway each morning, and Sue would walk by for a greeting and brief conversation before she unlocked the classroom doors. After graduation, though, I realized that Sue’s true beauty lied in the quality of patience. That is a very hard characteristic to obtain, let alone exhibit daily. Still, Sue really did define patience at its best. While in Israel during my first semester out of the Academy, I pestered Sue with endless phone calls in search of Mr. Clauer, my college guidance counselor, and Mrs. Ravid, my Hebrew teacher from my senior year. Sue, with all the patience in the world, happily helped me everyday. Her enthusiasm from across the globe definitely made me feel a lot less alone and a little more at home.

-Lisa Rapschutz, Academy Alumna



Beautiful. That is the first and most prominent word that comes to my mind when I think about the type of person Sue Munzer was on the inside and out. Walking up those stairs, with a full day of challenging classes awaiting me, there was always one thing that would put a smile on my face, “Hello Elisa, how are you today?” These are the words that Sue spoke to me almost each morning. She helped me start my day off right with a smile and a friendly hello. If I ever needed help, Sue was always one to step up and help me. Friday morning bagel sales were always hectic, but Sue always made sure that she was at school extra early to help me set up the card table. Her heart was the kindest of kind and her attitude was as optimistic as they come. In all of the time I spent watching Sue do things that would help the school, I never saw her complain or even get angry for one second. She was always willing to help, and I think her eagerness to do so really made her someone unique. I know that she will be truly missed by the Academy family as a whole, but more importantly, she will be missed by those whose lives she touched individually. She touched my life, and I can only hope to have as big of an impact on those whom I encounter in my life as she did.

-Elisa Davis, Academy Alumna