Michael Anderson

Michael Joseph Anderson, 25, of Wai’anae Hawaii died in a hiking accident that occurred on January 29, 2010, in the Makaha Valley on the island of Oahu. Born, May 30, 1984 in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, he was the son of Nils A. Anderson III and Carolyn Anderson of La Plata, Maryland. He was educated in the Charles County School System, where he graduated from La Plata High School in 2002. While attending La Plata High School he was involved in many activities, including Mock Trial Club, Student Government Association, National Honor Society (where he re-established the organization’s tutoring program), Cross-Country and Track, It’s Academic!, Computer Bowl, and Math Club. Michael was a National Merit Scholar Finalist and Valedictorian of his 2002 La Plata High School class. Michael was very active in Boy Scouts as a member of La Plata Troop 1321. Michael was an Eagle Scout, Senior Patrol Leader, and a member of the Order of The Arrow. He attended annual summer camps including Florida Sea Base and Len’Hoksin. He mentored many younger scouts in hiking, orienteering, and chess. After graduation from high school, Michael also participated as an Assistant Scoutmaster. Michael received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame in Political Science and Theology, graduating in 2006 from Notre Dame’s College of Arts and Letters Honors Program. While attending Notre Dame, Michael was involved with the Notre Dame Mock Trial Association, where he won many awards including the “Spirit Of American Mock Trial Association” award for Civility and Justice in 2003 and 2004. He was a 5-time outstanding attorney / witness award winner from 2003 through 2006. Michael was also the Social Concerns Chairperson for his Stanford Hall dormitory, helping to raise money for an overseas orphanage and providing tutoring and activities for South Bend area children. Michael served as an Intern Investigator for the Public Defender Service of Washington, D.C. in the fall of 2004, and also spent his summers from 2002 through 2005 working at the law office of Mudd, Mudd and Fitzgerald P.A. in La Plata, Maryland. Michael decided to defer his decision to attend law school upon his graduation from Notre Dame after he was contacted by the Teach For America program to consider a 2 year commitment to become a teacher. Michael accepted and was placed in a teaching position at Wai’anae High School on Hawaii’s Leeward Coast. While teaching Math at Wai’anae, Michael established the school’s Advanced Placement Calculus program. Michael also started Wai’anae’s Mock Trial Club, which beat Punahou High School in a 2008 competition. The Hawaii State Bar Association recognized Michael that year with its Liberty Bell Award for outstanding high school legal educator, for founding the Mock Trial Club and teaching his students about the judicial system. Michael also started Wai’anae’s Gaming Club, which became a popular after school safe haven to play video games and compete against other schools. Mike was also the advisor for the Health Occupation Students of America, when there was no one else to sponsor them. Michael spent numerous after school hours on nights and weekends tutoring students in all subjects, not just his classes. He also taught special summer classes for Wai’anae students. Michael conducted special SAT prep tutoring sessions for students, sought out scholarships for them, and provided them with recommendations. This year, Michael became a substitute teacher so he could focus on his master’s degree in education to enable him to also become a political science and history teacher. In 2009, Michael was elected to a position on the Wai’anae Coast Neighborhood Board. He headed the board’s Economic Development Committee, in addition to focusing on traffic and education issues. Michael was preceded in death by his grandfathers Nils A. Anderson II and Victor Lepere. In addition to his parents, Michael is survived by his brothers David Anderson and Nils James Anderson; grandmothers Margaret Anderson and Anna Lepere; aunts Maria Anderson, Nancy Anderson, Susan Anderson, and Mary Ann King; uncles Victor Lepere, David Lepere, and Thomas Lepere; cousins Jason Gottlieb, Lauren Gottlieb, Matthew Gottlieb, Samantha Gottlieb, Jennifer Galiotos, Hilary King, Melissa King, Sarah Kotarides, Christina Lepere, Jereme Lepere, Lisa Lepere, Michelle Lepere, Renee Lepere, Tanya Lepere, and many other loving, caring relatives. A viewing will be held on Friday, Feburary 12, 2010 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Newport, MD, from 4pm to 7pm, and a memorial service from 7pm to 8pm. Michael’s funeral will be held at 10am at St. Mary’s Church on February 13, 2010, where he will also be interred. Michael lived his life to make the world a better place, to teach and inspire others so that they might also do the same. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the “Michael J. Anderson Memorial Fund”, c/o: Bank of Hawaii, P.O. Box 2900, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96846. Scholarships will be established in his name at the schools he taught at and learned from.

Michael Anderson

May 30, 1984 - January 29, 2010