For Kimberly (Altschul) Straker ’90 and Sean Altschul ’92, Pine Crest was never just a school. It was a foundation worth coming home to.
Long before either imagined returning to South Florida, the siblings carried the lessons, relationships and confidence they developed as students into adulthood. Both siblings had successful careers as attorneys in New York City, had gotten married and started families of their own. While they had built their lives in the northeast and their respective roots were deep, one conversation resurfaced again and again.
What if their children could experience Pine Crest, too?
Sean ’92 and Kimberly ’90 at commencement 1990
"The idea always came up," Kim said. "We would always talk about how amazing it would be to move to Florida and send our kids to Pine Crest."
For years, the conversation remained hypothetical. Professional obligations kept both families in New York and New Jersey. The move they imagined seemed increasingly unlikely. Still, neither sibling forgot what Pine Crest meant to them.
Looking back, both point to benefits that extended far beyond academics. For Kim, Pine Crest was where she discovered her voice. As class president, student council president, captain of the varsity tennis team and an active participant in school life, she developed confidence, leadership skills and the ability to advocate for herself.
"The lifelong skills that I developed while at Pine Crest fully prepared me for college," she said. "Public speaking, study skills, independence and learning how to advocate for myself."
Sean remembers the same sense of preparation, along with a community that continued to shape his life long after graduation. "Pine Crest taught me leadership skills and built my confidence," he said. "As a member of the debate team, I strengthened my public speaking skills. Those experiences laid the foundation for my career as an attorney and ultimately for my role as Head of the Real Estate Department at Smith, Gambrell and Russell." Academic excellence was one of the primary reasons he wanted his own children to attend Pine Crest. "But it was also the friendships and relationships that I had through the school community," he said. "Those relationships remain an important part of my life today."
More than three decades after graduation, Sean is still close with many of his classmates. “My friends from college and law school do not have the same special bond with their high school friends as I have with the friendships I made at Pine Crest,” he said. “Most are no longer in touch with their high school friends. But, the Pine Crest bond has remained very strong for me and my family.”
Dave, Kimberly ’90 and Chloe ’26 Straker, Ryan ’26, Lauren and Sean ’92 Altschul following commencement 2026
Those friendships became one of the strongest examples of what Pine Crest had given both siblings. They watched classmates grow into leaders, entrepreneurs, physicians, attorneys and business executives. The connections formed during childhood evolved into lifelong friendships and professional connections. That sense of community stayed with them. It became part of what they hoped to give their own children someday.
Then came an unexpected opportunity.
When remote work became commonplace during the pandemic, a move that once seemed impossible suddenly became realistic. For the first time, both families could envision continuing their careers while living in South Florida.
"It was Pine Crest or bust," Kim said. "Neither one of us applied our kids anywhere else." In fact, neither family put their homes on the market until they knew their children had been accepted. The move was about more than returning to Florida. It was about recreating an experience they believed had shaped their lives.
Today, both families are watching that vision unfold.
The Straker family: Kimberly ’90, Chloe ’26, Alexa ’27 and Dave
Kim's daughters, Chloe ’26 and Alexa ’27, have embraced opportunities ranging from PCTV and psychology research to the Social Entrepreneurship Program, varsity tennis, and the Technology Student Association. Sean's son Ryan ’26 spent four years on the varsity golf team, following in his father's footsteps, and was a two-time team captain. He also was a member of the Beta and Economics and Investing Clubs. Sean’s daughter Sasha ’29 has immersed herself in dance, ballet, cheerleading and student life.
Through their children, both siblings have discovered a Pine Crest that is both familiar and entirely new. "The campus is almost unrecognizable in a lot of ways," Sean said. But what stands out most to him is what has not changed. "The foundation is the same. The standards are the same. The commitment to excellence is the same."
Kim sees that continuity as well.
While today's students have access to advanced technology, research opportunities, innovation spaces and entrepreneurial programs that did not exist during her years on campus, she recognizes the same emphasis on character, confidence and preparation that shaped her own experience.
"I think Pine Crest is giving students even more opportunities to learn and grow as innovators, independent thinkers, advocates and leaders," she said.
Some of the most meaningful moments since returning have come through unexpected connections between generations. Sean was surprised to learn that one of his favorite teachers, Spanish instructor Mr. Frank Kruger-Robbins, was still teaching at Pine Crest. Years after sitting in his classroom as a student, Sean watched his son Ryan learn from the same teacher. "It was incredible," he said.
The Altschul family: Sasha ’29, Lauren, Ryan ’26 and Sean ’92
Kim experienced a similar full-circle moment.
When Chloe began working with Mrs. Marcia Hunt ’12H, Dean of College and Academic Advising during the college process, Kim found herself reflecting on her own meetings with Mrs. Hunt decades earlier. Mrs. Hunt had played a significant role in helping Kim navigate her path to college. "Seeing both of my daughters have that same opportunity to work with Mrs. Hunt is amazing," Kim said.
There have been other reminders of Pine Crest's enduring culture as well. Sean and Kim both reconnected with classmates whose families remain deeply connected to the school. They watched former classmates become parents, alumni leaders and school administrators. Familiar names appeared once again as their children built friendships of their own.
Those moments reinforced something both siblings already believed before returning: While Pine Crest has evolved, its culture remains remarkably consistent. That consistency matters because the world their children are entering is very different from the one they experienced.
"Students today are entering into a whole different world," Kim said. "They're learning how to embrace technology and how to use it responsibly."
She sees students gaining practical experience through collaboration, leadership opportunities and real-world problem solving. Whether producing broadcasts, pitching business concepts or conducting independent research, students are developing skills that will serve them well beyond graduation.
Sean sees the same preparation taking place through a different lens.
For him, one of Pine Crest's greatest strengths remains the people students encounter every day. "You're surrounded by similarly motivated students," he said. He believes that the environment creates opportunities for students to challenge one another, support one another and develop friendships grounded in shared values.
Sean ’92 and Kimberly ’90
When Kim and Sean reflect on their own Pine Crest classmates, they see people who pursued ambitious goals and achieved incredible success. More importantly, they see people who have remained friends. That is what they hope their children will carry with them.
"I also hope they'll leave with a real sense of pride, confidence and independence," Kim added. "I hope they'll feel like they can do anything they put their minds to."
More than thirty years after their own graduations, both siblings remain grateful for the education, relationships and opportunities Pine Crest provided. Returning to South Florida allowed them to give their children something they valued deeply in their own lives: an academic community that supports them through growth and prepares them for whatever comes next.
In many ways, the Pine Crest they remembered is still here. It has simply grown alongside the generations it continues to serve.
