Stewart School graduate, Elaine Hou, attended Educare with Mrs. Steigerwalt and then Stewart School from 1990 to 1997. While here she gathered some of her most vivid memories, like playing on stand swings, getting the wind knocked out of her on the bars, and performing educational works with maps.

At Stewart Elaine's favorite subject was art, with Miss Pat, who owned and brought many animals to school. Her most challenging subject was Language Arts, because she did not enjoy the grammar boxes . . . at all. Additional memories gathered here were playing games, classes, programs, snow days, and most of all Water Day. The teachers that she remembers most are Mrs. Carmichael, Mrs. Gadd (the previous Language Arts teacher), Mrs. Arnholt, Miss Pat, Mrs. Mumley, and Mrs. Solso, and Mrs. Phillips, both of whom were the Culture teachers at the time.

While at Stewart Ms. Hou participated in many extracurricular activities, including cheerleading, piano, violin, and many others. Some of these she continued to do all the way into high school.

When Elaine continued on to attend other schools, she discovered that the homework she did at Stewart helped her. The time tests and memorization also enabled her to work easily with multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction. Going back to do corrections also helped her learn in which areas of math she did well and in which concepts she didn't do as well.

Some of Elaine’s most memorable trips were Bradford Woods and Washington, D.C. Bradford Woods was plenty of fun for her, even though they had many bug bites when they returned. D.C. was eye opening for Elaine and her friends because of all the culture around them.

At Stewart Ms. Hou enjoyed American History Day, especially when Mrs. Solso made Johnny Cakes. She also appreciated the Valentine Tea because she and her friends made mints and punch for their parents. Another favorite of hers was the Halloween Party, when she made the haunted house in Mrs. Carmichael’s room. She loved to scare people. Also she delighted in the Thanksgiving Feast, the Talent Show, and her favorite - the Roast.

Elaine received several awards in swimming including the All American. She also recalls receiving awards from the teachers during her Stewart in-school graduation.

Ms. Hou found pleasure volunteering in various organizations, including the Ethnic Expo, the Housing Project Incorporated, the Key Club, and many others.

When leaving Stewart she was very excited and thought that middle school would be the same as elementary. When she reached North High School, however, she found that it was very different. Upon graduating from high school she was surprised at how soon it had come, so surprised that she almost felt old.

She attended Case Western Reserve University until the year of 2006, when she transferred to Indiana University so that she could be closer to home. In college she still participates in swimming, and she also joined the Taiwan Student Association. Currently Ms. Hou is majoring in Business, but she hopes to minor in Business Law, and then attend Law School.

During her high school and college summers she took extra classes and acquired a job. This year, however, she is looking for a summer internship. She recommends students take Physical Education and Health in the summer so that they do not have to change between classes.

Ms. Hou has traveled to many places, including China, Taiwan, Mexico, Alabama, Canada, Florida, Wisconsin, Seattle, Iowa, Ohio, Texas, California, Delaware, and a few others. Ms. Hou, who loves to travel, and she recommends that everyone should visit at least one continent other than their own.

Ms. Hou feels that her greatest achievement during her school years was all her accomplishments in swimming.

Ms. Hou's advice for today's Stewart students is to “Have fun and not to worry about the little things. Going into middle school is a big shock, but don't let anyone change who you are. Also, in middle school, especially, RELAX. People start to care about a lot of things that don't matter, such as how you look, or what you wear. In the end it doesn't matter, the only thing that does matter is who you are and of what your character consists of. Remember the things you learned at Stewart, and don't change because someone thinks it isn't 'cool'.