SASD Press Archives

A² Charter School students collected money for a memorial fund to honor one of their teachers, Mrs. Kathy Nelesen, whose 38 year-old son, Andy, died suddenly in January.

A parent, Nara Detienne, whose son attends the A² Charter School, coordinated the special memorial. The two trees were purchased at Caan's Floral and were planted by Jackson custodian Fred Mayer. One of the trees is planted outside the A² office and the other is planted across the driveway, just outside Nelesen's classroom. Both trees are flowering crabs. Nelesen said that her son Andy would have laughed at it being a "crab" tree.

During the dedication the following poem/words were read to Nelesen as her students, principal, and other staff surrounded her.

I thought of you with love today but that is nothing new,
I thought about you yesterday and days before that too.
I think of you in silence I often speak your name,
all I have are memories and your picture in a frame.
Your memory is my keepsake with which I'll never part
God has you in His keeping and I have you in my heart.

Like the branches of this tree,
He reached out and touched us with his wit, wisdom and talents.
In memory of our friend and neighbor, Andy Nelesen 2010