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Rachel Saunders

Met at: Outside Alpha High Met date: 2025-05-12 Role(s): Cruce Saunders' Mother Last interaction: 2025-05-12 (conversation outside Alpha High)

Contact Information​

  • Email: Not available
  • Phone: Not available
  • Address: Austin area (inferred)

Personal Background​

  • Mother of Cruce Saunders (Walter Cruce Saunders IV)
  • Has faced "hardship in the past" (mentioned but not specified)
  • Plans to travel starting around June 6th-7th, 2025
  • Has medical challenges (implied from Cruce's file mentioning her heart condition)

Professional Background​

  • Not specifically mentioned in the transcript

Expertise​

  • Parental perspective on Alpha School's impact
  • Understanding of the transformative effect of the Alpha model

Current Projects & Interests​

  • Supporting Cruce's education and development
  • Evangelizing Alpha School to friends and acquaintances
  • Planning upcoming travel (June 2025)
  • Attending Alpha events (mentioned an upcoming AI/education event with McKinsey)

Connections​

  • Cruce Saunders (son)
  • Ferdie (friend who is interested in Alpha School for his son Orion)
  • Ferdie's ex-wife (implied as potentially resistant to Alpha School)
  • Orion (Ferdie's son, potential Alpha School student)

Notes​

Rachel Saunders has witnessed a remarkable transformation in her son Cruce since he joined Alpha School. She describes pre-Alpha Cruce as "apathetic," "downtrodden," and "going through the motions," noting he was "disillusioned" with traditional education. Post-Alpha, she characterizes him as having "life" and "excitement" every day, saying "he lives for the opportunities that he gets."

She appears to be a strong advocate for the Alpha model, stating "I think it's going to transform education" and believing it will fundamentally change both K-12 and college education. Her conviction stems from seeing the direct impact on her son's outlook and development.

Rachel has been actively promoting Alpha to her social circle, particularly to her friend Ferdie, who is interested in enrolling his son Orion. She has invited Ferdie to Alpha events and mentioned that Cruce has spoken with Orion about the school. She indicated that Ferdie's ex-wife might be the obstacle to Orion's enrollment.

She shared some family history regarding Cruce's name, explaining it's a family name with Spanish origins meaning "crossroads." Interestingly, the name originated from a lawyer who successfully defended one of Cruce's ancestors in a murder trial related to water rights.

Rachel appears willing to participate in Gary's planned parent event, expressing that she would be "more than happy to participate" because Alpha "changed my son's world" and gave him "a completely different life trajectory." She shows a strong commitment to supporting Alpha's growth, stating "I'm going to do whatever I can to help."

Interaction History​

  • 2025-05-12: Met outside Alpha High, discussed Cruce's transformation, Alpha's impact, and potential parent event participation

Potential Collaboration Areas​

  • Speaking at parent events about Cruce's transformation
  • Helping with parent testimonials/recruitment
  • Connecting other interested parents to Alpha School
  • Supporting expansion of the Alpha model

Transcripts​

Transcript IDDateSummary
2025-05-12-rachel-saunders-alpha-impact-discussion2025-05-12Conversation about Cruce's transformation at Alpha School and Rachel's advocacy for the education model