Press Release:

August 17, 2006

LOCAL ENGLISH TEACHER DUBBED MODERN "RENAISSANCE MAN"

Andy Pederson is all smiles after receiving his Masters Degree at Lincoln College in Oxford, England. He is pictured walking out of the chapel, diploma in hand. [photo courtesy of Anne Pederson]

Andy Pederson has been called a modern day Renaissance man before. He's actually rather used to it after several years of directing drama productions and coaching football as an English teacher at Walther Lutheran High School in Melrose Park. A perennial favorite with students, Walther's well-loved man of letters has now earned another feather in his cap. Having completed several summers of study at the Bread Loaf School of English, Andrew J. Pederson was awarded his Masters of Arts degree on Saturday, August 5, 2006 at Lincoln College in Oxford, England.

"We're really excited for Andy," said Beth Kraegel, Pederson's aunt, who traveled to England with his parents, sister and a friend to celebrate the big day. "He's worked hard for this." Indeed it's no secret around Walther that Pederson's summers have centered on English classes. He has swung from being an instructor during the academic year to studying as a scholar for six weeks beginning each June. Much of his time at Bread Loaf has been spent on the main campus in Middlebury, Vermont. His tenure there has included stints as an actor. In the summer of 2004, his role as the bumbling constable Elbow in Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure" had Pederson sharing the stage with Pulitzer Prize winning poet Paul Muldoon.

As a member of the Walther faculty, Pederson has designed and constructed stage sets, planned and run football plays, accompanied student groups on mission trips and choir tours, and, of course, taught classes. Like many Walther students, junior Cassie Slechta really enjoyed class with Pederson. She declared, "If I ever grew up to be a teacher, I'd want to be a teacher just like him."

The expectations of a "Renaissance man" were first defined by diplomat and author Baldassare Castiglione is his 1528 work, The Book of the Courtier . "[He] is expected to have a warrior spirit, to be athletic and to have good knowledge of the humanities, classics, and how to draw and paint." Pederson regularly has full classes for Shakespeare, Myths and Folklore, and "Brit Lit." He also continues to direct Readers' Theater at Walther, Children's Theatre at Concordia University/River Forest (his alma mater) and coaches the frosh-soph Bronco football team, all with equal fervor. His reputation as a modern day Renaissance man appears pretty secure.

Walther Lutheran High School is in its 52nd year of providing a challenging academic program with broad spectrum extracurricular opportunities in a nurturing and vibrant environment. The school is located at 900 Chicago Avenue in Melrose Park. For more information about Walther Lutheran High School, call 708-344-0404, ext. 245, or visit Walther.com.

Press Release contact: Lori Solyom, Public Information Coordinator