Our Alumni
A life of enthusiasm and growth begins here.
If you grew up at CAVS and want to say hello — to us, to a teacher, or just to the campus — we mean it when we say the door is always open. Reach out anytime.
A Life of Enthusiasm and Growth Begins Here.
Where our alumni have gone on to study
Meet Our Alumni
Alumni Features
“Growing up at Carden gave me the confidence and freedom to express myself.”
Kyle Smith
NFL’s First Fashion Editor
Kyle Smith was recently named as the first fashion editor for the NFL — a groundbreaking role that blends style and sport at the highest level.
After graduating from Carden Arbor View School in 2008, Kyle attended The Webb Schools in Claremont and Bard College in New York. While at Bard, Kyle was offered a prestigious apprenticeship with renowned Los Angeles–based celebrity stylist Karla Welch. This opportunity brought him back to California, where he completed his Bachelor of Arts in Art History at Cal Poly Pomona.
Niti Gupta
Public Service Attorney
Niti Gupta, a proud member of the CAVS Class of 1994 and a current CAVS parent, has dedicated her life to both public service and education. After graduating from CAVS, Niti was accepted early decision to Claremont McKenna College and later earned her law degree from Santa Clara University School of Law.
Today, Niti works as a public service attorney with Los Angeles Dependency Lawyers, serving as parent’s counsel at Edelman Children’s Court in Monterey Park — an incredibly meaningful role advocating for families and children in need.
In addition to her professional work, Niti remains deeply involved in the CAVS community. She supports our Competitive Debate Team and serves on the Advancement Committee. (Niti is pictured here at our recent CAPER Fundraiser.)
Maddie LaFerr
Broadway Star Assistant
Maddie LaFerr’s journey in the arts has been nothing short of inspiring. After attending the prestigious Orange County School of the Arts, Maddie was awarded a Presidential Scholarship to Wagner College in New York, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Theatre Performance and graduated Summa Cum Laude.
Since then, she has graced off-Broadway stages, worked behind the scenes as a personal assistant to Tony Award-winning actress Lindsay Mendez, and continues to pursue her passion in the arts.
Her mother, Ms. Laura LaFerr, reflects fondly on Maddie’s early beginnings: “Carden gave Maddie the self-confidence to do what she does. The school had the kids performing on stage since kindergarten, which is amazing. We’re so grateful to the teachers, staff, parents, and peers who were always supportive of Maddie and her interest in the arts. Carden was a big part of her development — both academically and artistically.”
Madison Payne
National Drag Racing
Madison Payne is a graduate of Texas Christian University and is currently pursuing her MBA at Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business.
Madison isn’t just accelerating her academic journey — she’s also making a name for herself on the racetrack. As a competitive dragster driver in the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), she continues to race — and win — at the national level. Balancing high-speed success with academic excellence, Madison is truly driving her future forward.
Maya Chin
Webb Valedictorian 2026
Maya Chin of the Carden graduating class of 2022 received the honor of Valedictorian at Webb Schools in 2026.
Due to her hard work, integrity, and achievements, she is currently attending Cornell University.
On top of her academic achievements, Maya is also an accomplished record-breaking swimmer, serving as the Webb swim team captain and former assistant coach.
“She has been an amazing role-model within Squadron 25 for years.”
Thea Kirkpatrick
Civil Air Patrol — Class of 2014
C/Col Thea Kirkpatrick has been a member of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), California Wing since she was 14, and recently received her Spaatz Award. In the words of her unit commander, “she has been an amazing role-model within Squadron 25 for years, and we are very grateful to have her finally join us on the senior side of the squadron.”
She completed an internship with Textron Inc. and was featured in their video below — read more on page 20 of the Fall 2020 Bear Facts magazine.
Are You a Carden Graduate?
We Are Growing Our Alumni Network
If CAVS is part of your story — whether you graduated decades ago or just a few years back — we’d love to hear from you. Stop by, send a note, or just say hello. The door is genuinely always open.
Share a little about where life has taken you using the alumni contact form.
Carden gave Maddie the self-confidence to do what she does … Carden was a big part of her development — both academically and artistically.
— Ms. Laura LaFerr, parent of a 2014 graduate
The Carden Way
They Keep Coming Back
The Carden connection follows you past the campus gates and all the way to adulthood. It is not uncommon for alumni to come knocking on the front office a random Tuesday afternoon with no particular reason other than that they were passing by and something pulled them in — only to spend the next hour sharing life updates and successes with their favorite faculty and sharing their story with current students.
This is what a CAVS education looks like a decade after graduation. If you grew up at CAVS and want to say hello — to us, to a teacher, or just to the campus — we mean it when we say the door is always open. Reach out anytime.
Join Our Accomplished Group of Alumni
When your child attends Carden, they are part of the CAVS community. This means life-long friendships, networking opportunities, and so much more.