Latin School of Chicago

Ryan Allen '95 & Andrea Duran Allen '99 Ryan may not have been clued in to Andrea in high school, but he made up for it nearly a decade later, after he and Andrea had graduated from College of Wooster and University of Redlands, respectively, and were back in Chicago. As part of the Latin alumni circle, they ran into one another frequently, said Andrea. Finally, she said, at a 2004 alumni gathering, "We really started talking." "We went on a couple of dates," she said, "and then things just snowballed from there into a relationship." That relationship led to a proposal – and a July 2011 wedding at Chicago's Soldier Field, where, for perhaps the first and only time in history, Romans outnumbered Bears. "We both have lots of Latin connections in our lives," said Andrea, who manages a condominium building in Chicago. "It's really nice to have that common point of reference, the same teachers. It creates a shared vernacular and a bond." Ryan is a teacher, coach and college counselor Ryan Allen '95 and Andrea Duran Allen '99 "People always ask us if we're high school "Latin was a great place for both of us. I'll always have a warm place in my heart for the school." – Ryan Allen sweethearts," mused Andrea Duran Allen, who married fellow Latin alum Ryan Allen in July 2011. Technically, the answer to that question is no. By the time Andrea Duran started at Latin's upper school, Ryan Allen had already graduated. But Andrea was already very much aware of Ryan – thanks to his skills on the basketball court and his reputation as an incredibly kind person. "He's always been such a very nice guy, and we all knew who he was," Andrea said. "You always know the older students – but they didn't know us." at Muchin College Prep, part of the Noble Street Charter School system. "Latin was a great place for both of us," he said. "I really appreciated all the opportunities Latin provided me. I'll always have a warm place in my heart for the school." From the very beginning of their life as a couple, both Ryan and Andrea were aware that the Latin community was particularly interested in their romance. "There wasn't any pressure," said Ryan. "It was just that people were excited." "When we first started dating," Andrea said, "someone in the alumni office called to ask if they could do a story about us. I told them, 'Maybe when we get married.' And now here we are." And now the inevitable question: If they decide to have children, will they send them to Latin? "We've talked about it," laughed Ryan. l 38 Latin Magazine ALUMNI

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