Congressional School Magazine for Alumni, Parents and Friends: Spring 2018
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Tripps Run is the name of our on-campus stream, and we are so thankful for the many learning opportunities it offers – writing inspiration, boat races, pollution testing, watershed management, sensory walks, and so much more!
Janet F. Marsh Head of School
Our mission is to provide an inspirational and challenging studentcentered educational experience within our diverse and supportive community where children question, collaborate, create, and lead.
Brent Hinrichs Assistant Head for Academics and Director of Lower and Middle School
Congressional admits children of any race, color, creed, and national or ethnic origin.
Kim O’Neil Director of Early Childhood and Primary School
2 Spring 2018
Andrea Weiss Director of Innovation and Learning Tavis Laws Director of Athletics and Physical Education
congressionalschool.org
Chris Pryor Director of Advancement
Dan O’Neil Director of Auxiliary Programs
Gretchen Herbst Director of Admission and Financial Aid
Magazine Designer Ru O’Dell
Alyce Penn Director of Communications
2017-2018 Board of Trustees Daniel Timm, Board Chair Michael Gilbert, Vice Chair Curtis Anderson, Treasurer Betsy Frantz, Secretary William W. Devers, Founding Family and Chair Emeritus Gretchen Devers, Founding Family Lindsey Devers-Basileo, Founding Family
Janet F. Marsh, Head of School Alejandra Almonte Rev. Dr. Clarence Brown, Jr. Thomas L. Coolidge Bud Harrell Damian Jones Juanita Koilpillai Justin Miller Todd West
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Table of Contents Spring 2018
Features 8 18 20 32 38
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Inspiring Lifelong Readers Some Thoughts on the Writing Process Digital Technology Unplugged Life is About Choices: Reflections from Houston Hurricane Relief Student Athlete Features: Liam and Ava
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Departments FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL ACADEMICS 6 14 16 22 23
Global Perspectives What’s Your Favorite Book? Literacy Highlights: Jr. Kindergarten, 2nd Grade Faculty Spotlight: Agnes Starfield Middle School Electives
THE ARTS 25
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“Lessons from a Snowflake” by Annika ‘19
AROUND CAMPUS 26 28 30 34
Hurricane Helpers Faculty Accolades More Than a Little Paint Job Keeping It Old School: Congressional Traditions
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COLTS ATHLETICS 37 39
Sports Round-Up Homecoming 2018
ALUMNI 40 41 42 48
Congratulations, Class of 2017! Foundations at Congressional: Commencement Address by Al Ahmed ‘11 Alumni Spotlights Class Notes
4 Spring 2018
On the Cover:
Eighth and first grade students, Olivia and Layan, reading together during their Buddy Day time.
congressionalschool.org
FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL Dear Congressional Friends,
One of the joys of a being a small school is that we truly care about getting to know each and every child and developing meaningful relationships based on trust and respect. Teachers are the best positioned to develop personalized learning plans for students based on their individual learning style; capitalizing on their strengths and providing extra support where needed. We intentionally focus on helping students apply their learned knowledge and employ critical thinking and problem solving skills, resulting in a deep and long-lasting education.
Our approach to teaching and learning is not static; it is fluid. Our faculty is committed to staying apprised of best practices and current research in their fields. This past summer alone, teachers participated in over 40 professional development opportunities through institutions such as the Stanford Graduate School of Education, George Mason University’s School of Music, Columbia University’s Teachers College, and Harvard Graduate School of Education, among others. Our English teachers also participated in a rigorous internship with world-renowned author and teacher, Nancie Atwell, founder of the Center of Teaching & Learning.
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Janet Marsh was recently appointed as Vice President of the Board of
Trustees for the Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington Studies show that children who (AISGW). She also serves on the board for Emerging Scholars as Vice have a love for reading outperform President, and for the Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS). those who do not regarding overall academic achievement. It is also no In early April, we partnered with Mothers of North Arlington secret that most children prefer reaching for smartphones or iPads (MONA) and welcomed educator, journalist, and New York Times rather than picking a book. As a result, this year we have introduced best-selling author, Jessica Lahey, to Congressional. Ms. Lahey gave an a new initiative called All School Reading. Our younger students outstanding presentation about her book, The Gift of Failure: How the have always enjoyed what we call “DEAR” which stands for “drop Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed. Ms. Lahey everything and read” and this continues to be a regular feature of our also held a workshop with Congressional’s faculty, and we are very academic program in the primary and lower school grades. Since grateful to the Congressional School Parent Organization (CSPO) middle school students are often those most likely to reach for for sponsoring this portion of her visit. In addition, we are already technology rather a book, we introduced “Middle School Reading working on plans for a second author visit next year for what we Zone” – a 30 minute period each day dedicated to quiet reading. hope will become an annual feature at Congressional School. Our teachers are reading at the same time as the students, and it is I hope that you enjoy this issue of our magazine and I am grateful wonderful to see how the students and teachers are discussing their for your continued support! books, sharing reading recommendations, and generally nurturing a culture of reading. Parents, we encourage you to institute a “Family Most sincerely, Reading Zone” in your household to also model this desired behavior for your children. For more insights into our approach to literacy, please look for the feature articles in this issue written by our middle school English teachers and spotlights on teaching and Janet F. Marsh learning in other grades. Head of School
KNOW
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ACADEMICS
Global Perspectives Getting outside your comfort zone. Looking past our own lifestyle and at those around the world. Trying to literally feel what others in poverty feel. Heifer International, a non-profit working to end hunger and poverty, has created Heifer Global Village – the perfect place to stretch our students and open their perspective. Each year, our 5th grade students, as a precursor to the 6th grade Global Perspectives class, takes an overnight trip to Heifer Global Village, which consists of housing styles representing various impoverished areas around the world. Students are split into groups, each assigned a house and supplies for the night. Some may sleep on a bumpy dirt floor. Some may not have enough food or water for the night. All are encouraged to barter supplies, take care of each other, and embrace the experience to truly empathize with those who are less fortunate. “When they go into the village, it is so emotional, and then at the very end, when we reflect, it ties in to action,” Denise Yassine, our Global Perspectives Teacher, says. “What is our moral obligation now that we know these things? What are the things we can do in our little sphere to make an impact?” Read more at: https://athomeplaces.com/stories/global-perspectives
A Shared Science Lab
Fibonacci in Nature Flowers! Pinecones! Cauliflower! Oh My! After reading a book about young Fibonacci, 3rd graders went on a search for the Fibonacci sequence in nature. Math is everywhere! 6
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Design and engineering are not just for middle school students. About twice a month, 1st grade students have made trips to the science lab with Mrs. Mankar, 5th and 6th grade Science Teacher, for building and creating. Their latest unit included planting and monitoring seed growth. We love sharing the lab!
Army Robots for a Visit
Excitement filled our 3rd8th grade students as they walked into our gym and their eyes hit the three military-grade robots waiting for them. Thanks to Mr. Suvari P’21, three Army Sergeants from the 55 EOD CO joined us on campus for a very intriguing time of learning and robot driving. A great supplement to our robotics and coding program. congressionalschool.org
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ACADEMICS Our infants and toddlers have three specials classes. Our youngest colts take PE, library, and music just like the big kids! #MoreThanJustADayCare
Floating Down the Creek
Financial Literacy A creek through campus means boats on the water! In the fall, both preschool and kindergarten explored the science of sinking and floating. Preschoolers took mini pumpkins and predicted whether they would sink or float. After recording data, they added sails and took a trip to the creek to see what would happen on moving water and how far they would travel. Kindergarten took it a little further and engineered their own boats, experimenting with shape and design!
As we continue to prepare our students for future success, Financial Literacy was introduced this year as a required middle school core elective. We are excited to partner with Junior Achievement, a non-profit organization that works with other organizations to deliver experiential programs to students on the topics of financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship.
Steve Thormahlen is a Junior Achievement volunteer who is teaching “Economics for Success” to 7th and 8th grade students. Mr. Thormahlen has an extensive background in banking, finance, and investments and recently retired from his position as Managing Director of PNC Bank’s Wealth Management Group in the DC area. He also has previous experience teaching financial literacy at schools in Fairfax County. Financial Literacy in 5th and 6th grade is taught by Middle School Social Studies teacher, Denise Yassine, who is excited to introduce students to the important concepts of personal finance, entrepreneurship and economics. Congressional School Magazine 7
As an educator, I consider myself extremely lucky to have the privilege of working hard in a profession I love and which I view as important and positively impactful. I count myself as particularly fortunate because I have the distinct honor of teaching young readers. In my role as a seventh and eighth grade English teacher, I instruct and guide students as they deepen their understanding and analysis of theme and character, form and craft, poetry and prose. These are essential skills for the great thinkers and leaders of tomorrow, so I feel a strong sense of responsibility to do my job well. In developing curriculum for my classes, I choose poetry, short stories, speeches, articles, essays, and novels that students read in class or independently. I employ a range of teaching methods, including direct instruction, guided discussions, Socratic seminars, and writing assessment. But the longer I have taught, the more I have come to understand that these methods can only do so much. The fact of the matter is that great readers read more than I can assign and learn more than I can teach. Independent reading is an indispensable part of developing reading skills.
Thus, I have come to understand that if I want to give my students the greatest advantage, I have to teach both reading skills and a love of reading.
By Jeanette Lelchitski 7th and 8th Grade English Teacher
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ACADEMICS
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Habit and Pleasure
I always have a book on my bedside table. On my long commute to and from Gaithersburg, Maryland, I listen to books through my Audible or Overdrive apps as much as my toddler in the backseat will allow. And one of my favorite “me time” activities is to sequester myself away with a good book. I am a lifelong reader, and when I look back at this trait, it is very clear where it came from: habit and pleasure.
I grew up in a reading household. My mother always had a book on her bedside table, and she instilled in me the same habit first by reading to me, then by having me read to her, then by taking me to the library or bookstore to acquire titles to read to myself. I read in the car while running errands, in the living room after dinner, and in bed at night – often later than my parents knew. During the summers, I spent countless hours suspended in the hammock on our screened-in porch, the fan whirring on high to break up the humid Atlanta heat, a book propped on my knees. In my middle school years, books provided a muchneeded respite from the challenges of that age. These years were my greatest period of reading exploration as I had the time, drive, and ability to read a wide range of novels. In the sixth grade, I lost myself in every title from a popular young adult author known for her stories’ thrilling supernatural elements. I picked up The Giver by Lois Lowry after my sister had devoured it. I read a contemporary fiction novel about a girl with anorexia when someone close to me battled an eating disorder. When the prospect of growing up felt just too daunting, I reread all of Roald Dahl’s books. And I read Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell and Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier when I felt up to the challenge. Some challenges I tried were just too difficult, though: I started Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton but abandoned it after the long and tedious explanation of chaos theory. I also could not bring myself to struggle through Shakespeare’s language in Romeo and Juliet even though one of my teachers had lent me her own anthology. In high school and college, an odd shift occurred in this daily ritual I had enjoyed for the first fourteen years of my life: I stopped reading. I read the classic titles assigned in my English classes, of course, but I seemed not to have time for other books. When I got into bed at night, I was too tired and mentally exhausted to read even a page. I could not wait for vacations because that is when I could finally read for the pure pleasure of it. 10 Spring 2018
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ACADEMICS
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Since the beginning of the school year, our middle school students as a whole (104 students) have read over 1,670 books!
Reading’s Impact My teenage hiatus from reading is not unusual. Statistics show that especially once children reach their teen years, but often long before that, they stop reading at an alarming rate. This fact has become even more true in recent years.
As a parent and educator, I find this concerning because reading serves so many important purposes in children’s intellectual and personal development. A good story transports a reader to other times, places, and people outside of his or her immediate reality; it provides experience and therefore builds knowledge. Considering others’ viewpoints through fiction also develops empathy and can tackle prejudice (Bergland 2014, 2015). Reading broadens vocabulary and develops reading skills. And a benefit that is often overlooked: Reading is fun. In a fast-paced world of digital information and constant stimulation, a book forces us to slow down and enjoy ourselves in something as simple and powerful as a story. Not only does reading make us better, more knowledgeable people, but it also makes children better students. Unsurprisingly, the strongest readers are those who read in large volume. “Independent Reading and School Achievement,” a study by the American Library Association, found that fifth grade students scoring in the 98th percentile on standardized reading tests spent an average of 65 minutes reading per day (Anderson, R.C., Wilson, P.T., & Fielding, L.C. 1988). Perhaps more compelling is the fact that how much a student reads has a high correlation with overall academic achievement as well. Nancie Atwell, nationally-known author and educator, asserts, “Every major study, including results from the PISA (international reading scores), the NAEP (the U.S.), and the SAT, shows that the single most important predictor of academic success is the amount
of time children spend reading books. In addition, one of the few predictors of high achievement in math and science is the amount of time a child devotes to pleasure reading.”
Reading is of vital importance to children’s personal and intellectual development, as well as to their academic achievement. As a result, reading is worthy of close attention by both educators and parents. Thankfully, research consistently shows a clear “formula” for creating great readers: Children become readers by reading frequently and voluminously. One potential problem with this recipe for success is that people like to engage in activities which they enjoy, so if reading feels like a chore, children – and adults – are not going to do it, especially not frequently and voluminously. I certainly do not regret that my formal education required that I read many great works of literature. After all, I had to struggle through Shakespeare’s language in my ninth grade English class before I could come to appreciate his universal truths about human nature and peerless genius for words. However, there needs to be a balance in any literacy curriculum: We need to expose students to literature and guide them through the nuances of craft, voice, and theme. But if the greatest predictor of academic success is volume, it is not enough to assign mountains of classics and hope that our students actually read them. We also must give children intrinsic motivation to read. Congressional School Magazine 11
Self -Selected Reading
Novelist Robertson Davies called reading “a personal art;” tastes vary from person to person, and these tastes can change over time. The fact of the matter is that every book is not for every person at every time in his or her life. Even as an avid reader, if I pick up a title that I do not find enjoyable, I find excuses not to read it. I will listen to NPR rather than my current audio book or scroll through Facebook rather than pick up the book on my bedside table. The solution is to make reading enjoyable by allowing children to choose some of what they read.
The full “formula” for creating lifelong reading, then, is frequent, voluminous, self-selected reading, an idea has long been touted by Nancie Atwell, founder of The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), a professional development opportunity I had the pleasure of participating in last spring.
Curricular Enhancements
Thankfully, much of what we witnessed at CTL already happens at Congressional. In middle school language arts classes, Congressional students engage in thoughtful dialogue about shared texts, write about the deeper implications of the reading, and are not afraid to voice “outside-the-box” ideas and questions. My students regularly amaze me by supporting their observations with interesting, nuanced details and interpretations that I had not previously considered. We did bring back some new ideas, however, and they have inspired some thoughtful and exciting shifts in the curriculum. After multiple meetings with the language arts department, in-depth communication with the administration, and a summer fellowship focusing on middle school language arts, Congressional middle school students are benefiting from several key changes to the reading curriculum. These key changes are listed on the following page.
The Center for Teaching and Learning In April 2017, Congressional School sent Jeanette Lelchitski and Cameron Yassine, Middle School English Teachers, to learn from Nancie Atwell* at The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL). CTL is an independent K-8 demonstration school Ms. Atwell founded in 1990. Our two teachers traveled to Edgecomb, Maine to sit in on almost a week’s worth of lessons. Participants learn about writing and reading minilessons, conferences, spelling instruction, age-appropriate literature and poetry, and approaches to record-keeping and evaluation. 12 Spring 2018
For four full school days, they moved among the students, discreetly pulling up next to teacher-student conferences, taking copious notes, and silently witnessing a range of lessons, discussions, and workshops. Every day, they met with CTL’s 5th/6th and 7th/8th language arts teachers, as well as Nancie herself, to ask questions about their school’s philosophy and methodology. * Nancie Atwell is an education “celebrity” among many English and humanities teachers. A middle school English teacher for more than 40 years, she was the 2015 winner of the prestigious Global Teaching Prize, as well as numerous other accolades. She has written nine books on teaching (with praise from Harvard’s Graduate School of Education), edited five collections, and delivered 120 keynote addresses on her teaching.
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ACADEMICS 1. Rigorous Independent Reading An impressive product of the Center for Teaching and Learning’s (CTL) reading curriculum is the fact that its middle school students read an average of 40 titles per year. One of the reasons CTL is able to offer so much direct instruction in reading and provide time for reading during the school day is that they have carved out substantial time in their daily schedule. For the 2017-2018 school year, Brent Hinrichs (Assistant Head for Academics and Director of Lower and Middle School) and Andrea Weiss (Director of Innovation and Learning), have made some changes to the schedule. One of the many positive outcomes is that the new schedule includes a daily 25-minute “Reading Zone” period. This time built into the new schedule, along with the required independent reading students complete at home, provides time to emulate the rigorous reading schedule which produces such volume.
2. Poetry
3. Classroom Literature
Nancie Atwell calls poetry “the essential genre” to teach, and one of the most compelling methods we saw at CTL was her use of daily poetry to teach a wide range of reading and writing skills. At the start of every class, her students “unpack” a poem, whether it be a classic by Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, or Wallace Stevens, or a more contemporary free verse piece. They listen to the teacher – a fluent reader – read the poem, spend several minutes annotating independently, and discuss as a class the author’s craft and the poem’s central theme.
One of the most conspicuous characteristics of CTL is the staggering number of books it houses. Every room is lined with bookshelves, and students are always in easy reach of their next great read.
Cameron and I were impressed by the intellectual “bang-foryour-buck” in this daily exercise: Because the shared reading was condensed yet full of meaning and technique, students practiced important deep reading skills in just 15 minutes per lesson. In our classes, we are supplementing independent reading and shared novels with even more short fiction than we did previously.
Closing Thoughts
The Congressional library contains a wide variety of reading material for student use, and our librarian, Ross Mulry, is passionate about putting books into children’s hands. To supplement this collection, however, we also need an extensive, varied, and carefully curated collection of literature in our classrooms. As a result, Cameron and I have been busy selecting and purchasing hundreds of new titles for our classroom libraries, and more books are on their way!
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The Kang Family P ’18 ’22 ’23 generously gave a restricted gift to enable the purchase of over 50 new books for the middle school classroom libraries.
As a lifelong reader, a Congressional parent and educator, I am deeply invested in building the community of readers at Congressional. Both professionally and personally, I know the benefits of reading: Children grow as people, readers, and students when they read. I have always felt proud of the reading instruction our students receive. And I am excited to take that instruction to the next level by taking steps to ensure that Congressional students develop the right habits and experience the joy of being lifelong readers. Congressional School Magazine 13
What’s Your
Favorite Book?
Fanuael, 6th Grade “My name is Fanuael, and I am new to Congressional. My favorite book is The Last Kids Earth by Max Brallier. This book has inspired me to have a big imagination and makes me realize how important friends can be.” Cameron Yassine, 5th and 6th Grade English Teacher “I would probably have to say Life of Pi. This book, in some ways, started my passion for literature and set into motion the events leading to me becoming an English teacher. Like all the books close to my heart, I read it through the eyes of the main character and found myself relating to him in so many ways. The fact that he and I have very different lives and experiences proved to me that books have the power to transport you to new worlds and allow you to live vicariously through the characters.” Anderson, 4th Grade “The Lightening Thief is a good book because when you read a page or a sentence, you are in a different world. The magic wanders in my head. Also, Percy is brave, so he inspires me.” Patrick, 8th Grade “Children of the Mind by Orson Scott Card: Card’s conclusion to his series was artful, thrilling, and provocative. It took on issues such as cultural differences and the meaning of humanity.”
Ashton, 2nd Grade “I like the Iron Giant because you always want to read more.” Bella, 6th Grade “The book Where The Sidewalk Ends, by Shel Silverstein, was a book that really spoke to me when I was in third grade, and still does. Some of my favorite poems come from that book. Whenever I am sad, mad, frustrated, etc. I can read some of the poems, and it is guaranteed that they will cheer me up. Though it took a while to recognize this amazing book as a favorite, Where The Sidewalk Ends is definitely a five star book that I will remember forever.” Maisie, 2nd Grade “I love reading biographies! Frida Kahlo is a great one. I learned that she was very fancy.”
Annika, 7th Grade “The Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands: The book was filled with action, secret codes, and adventure. The author’s writing transported me to 17th century London and immersed me into the story.”
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ACADEMICS Jeanette Lelchitski, 7th and 8th Grade English Teacher “The Red Tent by Anita Diamante: Based on the tribe of Jacob from Genesis, it tells a timeless story about women, mothers, and daughters. I am rereading it on a recommendation from a student.” Vabees, 6th Grade “It’s hard to choose a favorite book, but if I had to, I’d choose Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson. I would choose this novel because I love dystopian themes. Steelheart is filled with action and adventure in a dystopian world with corrupted leaders and a little boy trying to survive. The book leaves you on a cliffhanger that makes you want to read the next book. ” Summer, 2nd Grade “I love El Deafo because all the characters come to life.” Michael, 5th Grade “That is a very difficult question to answer because I have read so many great books. But I must admit that it is most likely Wonder by R.J. Palacio. I love this book because it exposes the bullying that Congressional is not exposed to. How amazing it is to read from the perspective of a ‘facial deformity’ (their word, I wouldn’t want to say that), and now he has to go to school for the first time, and it’s in middle school. This gave him perseverance and integrity, two of the five core values we search for here at Congressional. To tell you the truth, it almost made me tear up in some parts, and I really felt like I was August (Auggie) Pullman.” Raghav, 4th Grade “I like The War I Finally Won. This book is one of my all-time favorites. This book actually made me shout ‘Noooo’ and at another point ‘Why!?’ The feelings this book deliver are so realistic, I feel like the’re mine.” Katherine, 6th Grade “Regarding my favorite book, that’s a tough one. If I had to choose one right now, I would have to say that my favorite book is The One and Only Ivan. It is a special book that brought me on a roller coaster of emotions. It brought me joy when I found deep connections with the one-of-a-kind characters. It brought me great sadness when I connected with a character that passed away. I’ll never forget how much it changed my life forever.”
Evan, 5th Grade “My favorite book, what a tough question!! Overall taking into account all the books I have read, my favorite would have to be Survivor’s Club by Michael Bornstein. This was a true story about a young child caught in the web of World War II. Survivor’s Club explained the basics of the war, and had comments and descriptions about heroic people who helped fight for freedom and peace. I just recently finished this book, and it has inspired me to read more about this topic. Survivors Club was a real heart-wrenching book, but in the end it was worth it.”
Today a Reader. Tomorrow a Leader. - Margaret Fuller
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literacy HIGHLIGHTS Jr. Kindergarten
One of the most exciting times in a young learner’s educational journey, is the point at which they begin to read and write. Our teachers provide a diverse range of literary experiences focused on building strong alphabetic and phonetic understanding to prepare our students as emergent readers and writers. Preschool students develop a rich verbal vocabulary and an ability to tell and retell stories and express their own ideas through illustrations and early writing. After preschool, our junior kindergarten teachers are ready to step in and move the students to the next level as the children’s literacy skills begin to take form. As a precursor to reading, it is important for young learners to demonstrate phonemic awareness – an understanding of how sounds work together to form words. With a range of proven tools and strategies, our junior kindergarten teaching team is ready to tap into each student’s innate curiosity and readiness to learn. Maura Rice, Junior Kindergarten Lead Teacher and Co-Chair of the Literacy Committee (one of several faculty-led academic committees), describes a number of the team’s multi-sensory approaches to teaching literacy in junior kindergarten:
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Professional Development opportunities have opened up a wealth of resources for teachers. Some of those tools include components of researchbased programs including Handwriting Without Tears, and the Lindamood Phenome Sequencing Program. I like to use sound blocks for an auditory processing activity. We may start with a made up word which the children think is hilarious. We then challenge them to identify the different sounds they hear in that word, working up to 2-3 syllables. We model the process to the students, showing them how to repeat the sounds and use a different colored block to represent each sound. Each of these activities help to build strong phonemic awareness. Student writing at this level is based on sounds using inventive spelling. By the middle of the school year the student’s writing is taking off. We have a writing center in the classroom and we introduce theme words based on our unit of study. We work with the students in small groups as well as one-on-one which allows us to differentiate, moving ahead for those who are ready, and offering more support to those who need it. We have a print-rich classroom with lots of books. We discuss concepts about print: directionality, title, front and back,spacing, letters/words/sentences, and vocabulary. Print awareness is one of the earliest introductions to literacy that young children have.”
“Our goal is to make literacy physical, with lots of hands-on techniques to reinforce learning, incorporating fine and gross motor skill development. We also work hard to build a partnership with parents as it is important to reinforce at home what we are doing in the classroom.” - Maura Rice, Junior Kindergarten Teacher 16 Spring 2018
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ACADEMICS
Meet Mat Man “Mat Man is a character from the literacy program Handwriting without Tears. Mat Man is made out of the big lines, little lines, big curves and little curves that are used when forming letters. He is also a wonderful way to demonstrate the different elements of drawing a complete person. The junior kindergarten students made a Mat Man as a class, and used his different lines to make letters. The students were thrilled to see that Mat Man’s ear can make a lowercase “c” and that his leg is an uppercase “L”. After the group demonstration of how to make Mat Man, the students were then tasked with making their own, using different colored construction paper. It was also great practice for their fine motor skills, as they cut, glued, and designed their characters.“ - Heather Dawson, Junior Kindergarten Teacher
second Grade
It’s a Monday morning in October, and Mrs. Hinrichs’ and Mrs. Willmott’s second grade classes are working on reading comprehension. The students are spread around the room; some are sitting at their desks, some on the floor, others perched on wobble stools, and all have clipboards and guiding questions in front of them. The teachers introduce the story, first the title, then the author. They then ask the students to look at the cover of the book and try to predict what the story might be about based on the visual cues. As the story moves along, the teachers pause to ask questions of the students. Why did the main character do that? Is the dog in the pictures relevant to the story? What do you think the author meant when she said this? Do you agree with the character in the story? The class slowly dissects the story, picking apart the plot, the characters, and the hidden meanings. As they draw closer to the end, they take turns predicting the conclusion.
Throughout this process, the students jot down notes relating to several prompts. These help the students focus as they listen. Some take written notes, others sketch visual cues as reminders. The comprehension exercise is lively, interactive, and engaging. The students are encouraged – with guidance from their teachers – to ask questions, and to understand what is implied and what is actually stated in the story. It’s an exercise in higher-order thinking where students make predictions, draw inferences and make conclusions based on what they hear and see.
The students may not realize it now, but the skills they are building are critical, and they will lean on them heavily in all academic disciplines as they continue their educational journey. Congressional School Magazine 17
Some Thoughts on the Writing Process By Cameron Yassine
5th and 6th Grade English Teacher
As students move through the grades, there is growing emphasis on the writing process and the volume and style of writing increases across the curriculum. In the following article, fifth and sixth grade English teacher, Cameron Yassine, outlines his own writing process, discussing how he perseveres through challenges and draws upon this experience to help students improve and grow as writers.
W
hen I was asked to write an article about the writing process, I gladly agreed and started right away. This topic, like any I choose to write about, is one that I find myself dwelling on all the time. It’s a topic that I know a lot about and one I could discuss for hours on end without running out of things to say. Regardless, or perhaps as a result of this, I knew I had my work cut out for me.
Step 1: Brainstorming, Research, and Pre-planning First, I think about it. I pull the topic to the front of my mind and let it live there for a short time while I pick, poke, and caress it before pushing it to the back for a few days where it continues to rumble behind more pressing matters. Next, I do a little research.
I pull books from my library that might act as inspiration, cull through articles for quotes, data, and statistics, and speak with colleagues and friends about their own takes on writing. After that, I grab my favorite pen and… sit there staring at the paper. I start to doodle, thinking perhaps a little ink on paper is all that I need for the floodgates to open. Soon enough, open they do, and a plan begins to form on the paper in front of me. It isn’t pretty at first: a phrase here, a half completed thought there, a question, a doodle, a quote, and more, but I begin to see where I am going with my article. So I open my computer and begin to draft. That’s right, about two weeks of thinking, doodling, talking, reading, reflecting, drinking coffee, surfing the web, drinking more coffee, and pre-planning with pen on paper. Only then am I ready to draft.
Step 2: Drafting Two days later I am staring at what I consider to be a solid first draft. Still, it’s not pretty. As I write I leave blanks to fill in later. For example, the first sentence in this paragraph will read, “_________ hours later…” until I know just how long the draft will take me (it turned out to be days and not hours). I have half-finished sentences here and there, as well as a list of ideas and quotes at the bottom that didn’t make it into my first draft. When drafting, the idea is to get the thoughts down fast before they disappear. I 18 Spring 2018
often tell my students to imagine that they are “writing in the wind” when they are first getting started. That’s why I leave blanks in my writing. To dwell too long on one idea may result in losing my train of thought and forgetting where I am headed, as if at any second a gust might blow the thought out of my mind. Occasionally, an idea comes to me and I will backtrack a little, but for the most part I press on, tapping keys with ferocity until I reach my destination, regardless of the path I take to get there. I allow myself to do this because I know what is coming next.
Step 3: Proofreading After I write my first draft, I read it out loud once or twice and fix some of the more glaring typos inherent in a rough draft. I fill in some of the blanks and remove a few words and phrases that I discover to be unnecessary or repetitive. Then, deliberately, I forget about it for a day or two. It continues to ruminate in the hidden corners of my mind, and often it will come back to me in a dream or while I’m walking my dog (those who know me know I can’t write or even speak for very long without bringing up my precious Supernova), but research as well as personal experience has proven to me that a little active procrastination can do wonders for one’s creativity and problem solving abilities (Psychology Today 2015). Then, a day or two later, the real work begins.
congressionalschool.org
ACADEMICS Step 4: Revising, Making it Better One of the many ideas that resonated with me from my professional development at The Center for Teaching and Learning last April is described by the center’s founder, Nancie Atwell. Nancie writes, “Writing is as much an act of reading over what you’ve already written as it is drafting new writing.” Whether writing text messages, emails, letters, essays, fiction, nonfiction, or anything else, re-reading is that step people often ignore. And not just students. I could go on and on about the fast-paced times we live in and a modern human’s need for immediate gratification, but really, those are just excuses. If you are going to write something, and if someone is going to take the time to read it, spend whatever time is necessary first to ensure it makes sense. If the reader needs to translate typos or jump to conclusions on their own, it does not make sense and it certainly is not persuasive. After all, as Kurt Vonnegut explained in a conversation about writing he had with Lee Stringer, “...literature is the only art that requires our audience to be performers.” So with a lousy script, even Sidney Poitier may seem like an amateur. Read, re-read, read out loud, have someone read it out loud to you until you’re sure the message is clear in your writing. Sometimes, in emails for example, it only takes a quick twice over to ensure clarity and accuracy.Yet still, many don’t do this. Often, especially in regards to student writing, it takes a number of revisions before it can be considered publishable. And truly that is what we want. Not just to write for the sake of writing, but to write as a way of inspiring, persuading, memorializing, comforting, relating, and so much more. In order for us and our students to accomplish this, the writing must be published and presented in some fashion. Which is exactly where we are headed. BUT FIRST...
Steps 5 - 10: Proofread, revise, again, and again, ask someone else to proofread, revise... Obviously, the amount of proofreading and revision (as well as the amount of pre-planning) will depend on a number of factors: the intended audience, message you are trying to get across, genre or style in which you are writing, etc.
“Writing is so much more than pen on paper and fingertips typing on keys...” This is the time to wordsmith. Does your piece make sense? Yes? Great, then now is the time to make it beautiful. Replace boring verbs (such as come, do, get, make, to be) with vivid ones (arrive, prepare, acquire, etc.); replace generic nouns (such as stuff, the candy, people) with specific ones (treasures, the melting Milky Way, fidgety villagers, etc.); show don’t tell (he looked asleep vs. it looked as if a bug landed in his eye and now he was trying to suffocate it to death); use your words to create a mind movie; let your voice ring through; stay away from the cliche; so on and so forth. In this step, writers become poets and their words become art. In this step, excellent writers are born. Master Poet, Wesley McNair, sums it up nicely when he said, “The capacity to revise determines the true writer. Suspect the finished poem.Your evil twin wants your poem to be finished.” The point is this: writing is a process, and it’s a messy one. It’s one that takes a significant amount of time and effort when done right, but, as Kurt Vonnegut said, anybody can do it, “...if only that person will write the same thought over and over again, improving it just a little bit each time. It is a lot like inflating a blimp with a bicycle pump.” In other words, writing takes perseverance.
Step 11: Publishing or Presenting The final product of all that work is important and deserves to be seen. The intended audience for each one of our pieces is discussed and analyzed in the pre-planning process, and not just because it helps us during the drafting process. We write for a number of reasons, and although writing can be therapeutic and therefore private, the majority of our reasons can only come to fruition when others get involved. So, we publish, or at the very least present in some fashion. It’s no surprise that students care more about their writing and spend more time in the writing process when they expect it to be read by a real-world audience. Whether their work is displayed in the classroom, around the school, submitted in essay or creative writing contests, published on blogs or in the Congressional Literary Art Journal, or sent directly to the intended audience through a letter or email, students will be heard, and in some ways, immortalized. Then, if they are anything like me, they will see their published work, and find about eighteen ways they could have revised, proofread, or wordsmithed a little more. That, however, is how it should be, because the writing process never ends. Congressional School Magazine 19
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY
UNPLUGGED Students in kindergarten through 8th grade are learning the concepts and foundations of coding, robotics, engineering and design. To prepare our youngest learners for the more complex lessons in coding and robotics, Ross Mulry, our Librarian and Technology Integration Specialist, unplugs the students from technology and goes offline with some valuable hands-on lessons. Unplugged challenges – ones that are completed without the use of digital technology – familiarize students with programming and code vocabulary and the process coders use to translate algorithms into code. The value of unplugged coding lessons has been widely embraced by educators. The challenges give students important practice using the skills they will tap into when coding and programming. This fall, Ross Mulry, who teaches coding to students in kindergarten - 4th grade worked with students for two weeks on carefully selected challenges designed to ready them for plugging in and beginning to code. She describes some of the activities and challenges she’s presented to her students:
“ 20 Spring 2018
Third grade students worked on Graph Paper Programming to grow their understanding of programming as a way to communicate an algorithm to a computer. They wrote code using their own symbols to shade certain blocks of a five-by-five piece of graph paper. They swapped their code with a partner and checked their programming by swapping back and inspecting the results together. Mistakes were discovered and solutions found
with students using the appropriate terms and process. These lessons provide students with opportunity to discuss programming, use code vocabulary, and discuss the process coders use to translate algorithms into code. The unplugged challenges also provide valuable lessons on perseverance and persistence with students engaging in discussions about struggles they may have faced to reach a goal and the frustrations that may be present as they work towards achieving their goal. At the beginning of the school year, I presented second graders with an unplugged challenge in which students were tasked with building a structure using mini-marshmallows and toothpicks that was to be no taller than a solo cup and would support the weight of a textbook. I was thrilled to see them discussing their plans, testing as they went along, and redesigning their structures to strengthen their foundation. At the close of the exercise, students reflected on what they had learned and what the exercise was really about. They considered how they felt when their structures failed, and what problems and subsequent solutions they came up with as a result.” congressionalschool.org
ACADEMICS
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In celebration of our coding curriculum during Computer Science Education Week, k-4 students had a Coding Fair—coding, decoding, deciphering, and creating.
ADVANCEMENTS IN STEM
As a result of generous support for our 2017 fundraising gala, we acquired a brand new set of Dot and Dash and LEGO Mindstorm robots to enhance learning in coding, robotics, engineering, and design. We are also excited to have received a commitment of $10,000 from MindPoint Group to further enhance our STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) program. Read more about our robotics and coding program in our blog post: Embracing Robotics and Coding in Education at: www.congressionalschool.org/blog
“Congressional School students are challenged to solve problems through applications of engineering and coding. This may result in the creation of a bridge, a paper stool, a robot completing a task, among other innovative outcomes. Each project provides students with new opportunities for creative, critical thinking. As a part of this process, we are continuing to build on students' love of learning and curiosity.” - Andrea Weiss, Director of Innovation and Learning Congressional School Magazine 21
Faculty Spotlight: Agnés Starfield
Her students have produced video shorts using green screen technology in which they act out skits that they have written – all in the target language of course. With her youngest students, she likes to incorporate song into her lessons. She records the students singing and posts the videos online so the students and their parents can watch them at home. Mme. Starfield has compiled a huge digital portfolio of her students’ work that she shares with parents, and she encourages her students to go back and review their work. “My goal is to build confidence, leadership, and fluency,” states Mme. Starfield. “My older students keep a portfolio of their work on Google Drive, and I encourage them to look back and see how far they’ve come,” she says. “It really boosts their
Walk into any of Angés Starfield’s “I get the students to talk about French classes and you’ll hear themselves, their favorite color, children’s voices comfortably their interests, or their family.” talking away in French. Their comfor t in speaking the She’s also keenly aware that target language is something student learning can increase Mme. Starfield fosters daily, when the right tools are encouraging the students to use introduced.“Children love the language at every possible technology, so I use technology oppor tunity. Even between in fun ways to help reinforce the classes, when she sees her learning,” she says. “When the students in the hallways she will children are having fun, they don’t ask them questions in French even realize they are learning.” and they eagerly reply. Mme. One example is the comic books Starfield believes in teaching in that her students created using context with strong emphasis the Book Creator App on the on the physical application of iPads. After creating their stories, the language and not just theory. the students record the voices “Learning in context provides a of their characters before framework for students to relate publishing them online. “Children love to the material,” she says. “It helps Stor ytelling is another technology, so I use them to reinforce what they have big component of her lessons, with her younger technology in fun ways learned to say or write.” students creating a class to help reinforce the Mme. Starfield particularly likes story book, and the older learning. When . the to relate contextual learning students creating individual children are having fun, experiences to the students books. themselves. “The students will they don’ t even realize learn better if they can relate to they are learning.” what they learn,” she says.
ACADEMICS We invite you to join us for our
Congressional Derby Gala 2018 April 21 6:00 p.m.
Fairview Park Marriott Falls Church, VA
Proceeds to support school-wide STEM initiatives.
Derby Attire
www.congressionalgala.org
NGRESSIONAL DERBY GALA 2018
NEW: Middle School Electives
Congressional’s new electives program provides middle school students with choice and exposure to a wide-range of experiences.
Research indicates that exposing middle school students to a variety of different experiences can spark new interests and passions that will often carry through to a student’s adult life (Creating Innovators, Tony Wagner). This year, we created a new middle school electives program that provides student choice, a broad range of experiences, and allows for concentrations in different areas of study. A catalog of options was shared with students in areas such as drama, music, fine arts, and STEM programs such as robotics, coding, design lab, and app design. Two types of electives have been offered to students in 6th-8th grade. Core electives carry a credit requirement for graduation and include art, music, speech, and financial literacy. Choice electives allow students to select four classes per year. Fifth grade students take the core electives and a class called Computing and Innovation. This class is designed to continue building their programming and robotics skills, design thinking ability, and understanding of how it all applies to engineering tasks.
robotics
Outdoor Ed
Music Tech
Robotics
Mixed Media
yearbook
Yearbook
innovation
Directing from Stage
Chorale
Computing and Innovation
Electives Not Pictured: Model UN, Guitar, Technical Theater, Directing for the Stage, Chorale, Speech, Debate, and Financial Literacy
Congressional School Magazine 23
THE ARTS
Beethoven Tableaus
After studying the life of Beethoven in music class, 4th graders created tableaus of his life – frozen pictures through body positions to illustrate a summarizing snapshot. The frozen groups then created six-word stories using adjectives to describe Beethoven and presented in front of the school to the soundtrack of Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata.” A creative, musical way to study such a famous artist.
A Celebrity Visit
It was such an honor to have Dr. Jean visit us on Grandparents and Special Friends Day for a special program in the Little School! Dr. Jean is a nationally-known author, teacher, and musical artist, and her career spans over 40 years in the early childhood education world. We love her approach to education, creative activities, energy, and of course her music! Tooty Ta, anyone?
Musical Independence Musical Approaches with Mrs. Bicksel “I like to focus on independent singing at a very young age so that children gain a sense of pride in something as personal as their own voice,” says Mrs. Bicksel, Infant - 3rd Grade Music Teacher. “Students start by learning simple songs that are easy to remember, and when they sing them, their friends pick them up quickly and join in.” At first, some students are a bit reluctant to sing independently, but with practice, they build confidence and eventually sing without inhibition. Her goal she says is to “encourage children to become independent musicians, and to take an active leadership role in singing, movement, and dance.” With that goal in mind, Mrs. Bicksel is planning increased performance opportunities for the students throughout the year. 24 Spring 2018
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A Spring Arts Showcase has been added to our calendar! We’re looking forward to this new opportunity for our students to show off their musical and artistic talent! Join us May 31, 2018.
congressionalschool.org
Handscapes
THE ARTS
Lessons From a Snowflake
7th and 8th grade students have been working on “Handscapes.” Students began by practicing observational skills – drawing a hand using blind contour and contour drawing techniques. They then practiced shading, mixing colors, and creating textures with pencil, paint, and oil pastels. After practicing each technique, “Surrealism” was introduced. Then everything merged. Each student had to create their own idea to try to transform or camouflage their hand contour within a surreal landscape.
By Annika ‘19
Painting the Skies It’s such a treat when our younger learners get to go up to the Big School. Our preschoolers explored the Aurora Borealis in the art room and made some super creative pieces... under the table! A great opportunity to get familiar with the older students’ classrooms and teachers for when they get to “jump the fence” to the Big School!
When I observe them through my window they are Dancing, Gliding, Floating, Slipping, Sliding, Falling, Soaring, Flying. They descend upon the blanket that covers my world. An alien invasion, perhaps. Extraterrestrial incomers. Snowflakes From afar they all look identical. But as I look closer they are all different They are covered in intricate ice patterns and flawlessly formed designs
Garage Band Composing
I gaze into this winter wonderland and realize that snowflakes are not aliens but visitors that do not invade but contribute to the culture of our society Music class isn’t always just singing and playing instruments. Mrs. Spalletta’s 6th and 7th grade students have been composing their own music through Garage Band. 6th grade students had to envision an original TV show in groups, create a complimentary theme song for the show, and film or animate its opening sequence using their music. 7th grade students were tasked with something similar: creating a movie trailer. After envisioning their original movie, students created music appropriate for the movie’s genre, filmed or animated scenes, timed the music with their scenes, as well as included a pre-existing song in their trailer. Such a creative way to approach music!
Unknown visitors don’t come as a giant invasion Look closer. Like snowflakes, People are full of intricate patterns that define who they are. Just remember you can learn a thing or two from a snowflake. All you have to do is look a little closer. Congressional School Magazine 25
AROUND CAMPUS Hurricane Helpers
In the wake of the hurricane devastation in parts of the US and Puerto Rico, in the fall, Janet Marsh, Head of School, and Andrea Weiss, Director of Innovation and Learning, have partnered with student representatives from 4th - 8th grades to form the Congressional School Hurricane Helpers Initiative. Student interest in joining the initiative was tremendous with over 45 students choosing to participate in the leadership opportunity. After an initial kick-off meeting, the students established an Executive Leadership Team comprised of all 8th grade volunteers and one elected representative from grades 4-7. One of the Hurricane Helpers’ first tasks was to assess the different areas affected by hurricanes to determine where best to focus their efforts. After much discussion, the students selected Puerto Rico as their focus and then turned their attention to researching organizations with which to partner. The students voted to work with UNICEF for a number of reasons including the organization’s strong presence in Puerto Rico. To raise money, the students are now selling snacks during middle school recess each day. They are also researching other fundraising opportunities with all proceeds designated for UNICEF’s Puerto Rico relief efforts.
A New Blogger in Town You’ve probably seen it and didn’t even realize – Congressional School now has a blog! This resource is the perfect medium for our staff and faculty to share exciting happenings in addition to their professional advice and expertise. Take a look sometime and share an article with a friend! www.congressionalschool.org/blog
Looking at Single-Use Plastics as You Never Have Before The 5th and 6th grades have joined forces in Service Learning this year. Focusing on single use plastics and their harm to the environment, the students have been divided into three persuasive focus groups – researching to appeal to logic, emotion, and encourage action. Their goal is to educate our Congressional community on the ways we are using single use plastics and encourage more sustainable and environmentally friendly choices – especially in encouraging the end of single use plastic sporks and straws wrapped in plastic wrap offered during lunch. They hope to present their persuasive findings in the spring at a Gathering. Next year, they look to turn to educate the larger community and local eating establishments who are consistently putting unnecessary plastic straws in glasses.
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congressionalschool.org
AROUND CAMPUS
CSPO Does It Again
Pool Party
It has been a busy and successful year for the Congressional School Parent Organization! Mobilizing volunteers and organizing over 20 events and activities throughout the year, our CSPO Leadership Team, backed by a strong base of volunteers, has worked hard to fulfill the CSPO’s mission to “Welcome Families and Build Community.” Room Parents play an important role in supporting the CSPO and classroom teachers by coordinating volunteer needs and keeping other parents informed of school events and opportunities. We hope to each volunteer at our Volunteer Reception on Thursday, May 24 at 6 pm at Ms. Marsh’s house!
Movie Under the Stars
2017-2018 CSPO Officers (L-R) Laura Michael, Vice President; Mary Beth Testa, Primary School Division Coordinator; Angie Howard, Early Childhood Division Coordinator; Nicole Guagenti, Middle School Division Coordinator; Cheryl Vance, President. (Not pictured, Heather Drevna, Lower School Division Coordinator)
Out of Office for VAIS Accreditation Visits Since receiving Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS) accreditation in 2016, Congressional administrators have been invited by VAIS to be part of visiting teams to conduct accreditation visits at other schools. The VAIS staff carefully selects visiting team members from their accredited schools to serve in this capacity. Prior to the on-site evaluation, the VAIS visiting team receives a comprehensive report prepared by the candidate school about its curriculum and other pertinent information. During the visit, the team examines all aspects of the school, conducting interviews with representatives of the school’s constituent groups, observing classes, and other activities. At the conclusion of the visit, the team produces a report for the VAIS accreditation committee in which they evaluate the school in context of the VAIS standards for membership.
Janet Marsh, Head of School School Visited: St. Michael’s Episcopal School Location: Richmond, VA Grades: Kindergarten - 8th Grade Reason: Five-year interim accreditation review Role: Vice chair of a six-member visiting team
Brent Hinrichs, Assistant Head for Academics and Director of Lower & Middle School School Visited: Sullins Academy Location: Bristol, VA Grades: Kindergarten - 8th Grade Reason: 10-year re-accreditation visit Role: Responsible for evaluating program Andrea Weiss, Director of Innovation and Learning School Visited: Grace Episcopal School Location: Alexandria, VA Grades: Preschool - 5th Grade Reason: Five-year interim accreditation review Role: Responsible for evaluating the school’s curriculum, pedagogy, and use of technology in the classroom
Chris Pryor, Director of Advancement School Visited: Seven Hills School Location: Richmond, VA Grades: Middle school for boys Reason: Initial accreditation Role: Part of a six-member team evaluating the school
For VAIS member schools, the evaluation/accreditation process is continuous throughout the 10-year accreditation period, and all VAIS accredited schools undergo an interim review five years following the initial or ten-year accreditation visit. Congressional’s 5-year interim review will take place in 2021. Congressional School Magazine 27
Faculty Accolades Congressional’s Middle School Speech and Drama Teacher and Musical Director, Derek Bowley, is in the books as a leading theater educator. In May, 2017, iTheatrics debuted The iTheatrics Method, the world’s very first book dedicated to building quality musical theatre programs for young people. For the past decade, this New York based group has worked with thousands of school programs worldwide as well as with a number of clients in the private and public sector to create programs and tools that ensure young people everywhere have access to quality musical theatre programs. The iTheatrics team interviewed hundreds of educators from different types of theater programs across the U.S., and insights from these conversations are featured throughout the text. We are excited to report that Mr. Bowley is one of the featured educators and is quoted in the book.
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In the summer of 2017, Congressional teachers participated in over 40 professional development opportunities through institutions such as Stanford, Harvard, Columbia, and George Mason Universities.
A VAEA Presenter: Sarah Philip
Sarah Philip was on the conference committee for the Virginia Art Education Association Conference as the Exhibits Chair and also presented on Symbolic Self Portraits. The presentation was well received by Art Ed students as well as veteran teachers. She also got to take five pieces of student artwork to display!
28 Spring 2018
Denise Yassine Presents at the Virginia Conference for Social Studies Educators
Denise Yassine, 5th and 6th Grade Social Studies Teacher, submitted a proposal to the Virginia Conference for Social Studies Educators and was chosen to present on Three Persuasive Appeals of a Global Perspective. The following is an excerpt from her proposal: “Grow a global perspective curriculum for your students through the three elements of persuasion: logic, emotion, and morals. To develop an enduring history/global perspectives curriculum that empowers students to see through multiple lenses, a teacher approach that incorporates the three persuasive appeals of logic (statistics, research, expert opinion), emotion (tug at their heartstrings), and morals (appeal to their core values to do the right thing) has the potential to make a lasting impression on the students and engage them in a way that makes learning transformative.” congressionalschool.org
AROUND CAMPUS
WEtLo CCoOnMgrEessional Camp! Summer 2017 Highlights 1,903 campers attended throughout the summer Orange BB8’s won Congo Conquest against the Green Yodas
Our first Hula Camp where campers learned and performed traditional Hula as well as learning Hawaiian culture, language, history and sampling food. Our Lake Anna Trip! We stayed in a house on Lake Anna with swimming, kayaking, tubing and tons of activities. The kids had a blast and this year’s trip is already sold out. Look below for what’s new for Summer 2018! Certain programs fill quickly. Registration continues through summer as space is available. Contact us with any questions info@congocamp.org, or 703.533.0931.
GO BABY GO SPANISH IMMERSION CAMP
CONGO BBQ
CYBER SECURITY
NEW HORSES JOINING HERD
ONE WEEK SESSIONS ALL SUMMER CONGO ESCAPE ROOM
NEW ROPES COURSE ELEMENT
WATER ROBOTICS
ENHANCED DAY CAMP ACTIVITIES
CAKE DECORATING
Register your camper today! Visit our website for more information, and we’ll see you this summer!
congocamp.org
Congressional School Magazine 29
New Flooring in Big School Hallways and Stairwells
New Outdoor Signs across Campus
New Security Door Cameras for All Schools
WiFi for Tripp’s Run Nature Center
New Cubbies in Little School Hallways
Makerspace STEM Equipment and Supplies
More Than a Little Paint Job
In the fall of 2016 we undertook a significant number of campus upgrades, and this year, we are continuing to make enhancements to many areas of our campus. All but one of the projects this year were funded through revenue from the 2017 Gala (the new bleachers for the athletic fields are a legacy gift from the Class of 2017). We are very grateful for the support of our community and that of our sponsors, for making these upgrades possible. In addition to the images above, the following enhancements have also been completed this year:
New Bulletin Boards in the Big School Hallways
New Air Conditioning in the Big School Library New Athletic Field Bleachers
Athletic Field Sprinkler System
Interior Signage in the Big School
30 Spring 2018
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AROUND CAMPUS
THE SPARK the Congressional Fund Thank you for your investment in the Congressional School community! Our school’s vision is to ignite the spark in young learners to become great thinkers and leaders who will positively impact our world. Generous support from the Congressional community ensures that we are able to encourage our young learners to explore the world, develop leadership skills, discover hidden talents, pursue creative endeavors, and blaze their own path.
Make Your Gift Today! www.congressionalschool.org/ignite
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Our second annual Give Day on November 15 yielded 122 gifts in 24 hours!
Congressional School Magazine 31
Life is About Choices
Photo by NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center
This fall, after the devastating floods in Houston and the subsequent floods in Puerto Rico, many people searched for ways in which to help. Some donated items, others donated money, but Congressional parent and Parent Organization President, Cheryl Vance P ‘24, wanted to do something different, so she packed her bag and headed to Houston to lend her support. The following is her account of the experience.
Life
is about choices. And the choices we make impact others, whether it’s family, friends, co-workers, or complete strangers. We can choose to do good, do bad, or do nothing at all. When Hurricane Harvey hit Houston (my husband and I lived in Houston ten years ago), I felt I needed to do something to help. I couldn’t just send money; I needed to do more. I knew in the immediate aftermath there would be a wave of help. However, weeks after the hurricane hit people would go back to their daily lives and the people in Houston would still need help. So I waited. When I finally decided it was time to go, I booked my flight and headed to Houston.
Upon arrival, Houston looked the same as always. I connected with the Samaritan’s Purse organization to volunteer and arrived at 7:30 a.m. at one of the base camps. I had no idea what I would be doing. Before heading to a huge auditorium for orientation, I began meeting people. There were people volunteering from all over. Once orientation began, I quickly realized I would be heading into local homes (two on this particular day) to help the homeowners clean up. We were given many safety guidelines such as changing your mask every two hours to keep the mold out of your lungs, wearing rubber gloves under your work gloves to keep the bacteria out, and making sure you don’t wipe the sweat from your face with your shirt because the contaminants would be all over your clothes. It was a lot to remember, but everyone assured us that what we were about to experience would change our lives and that we would never look at things the same way again. They were right! I went outside to meet the team I was assigned to. My team was led by a couple from Canada. There was a group of men from California, a couple from Illinois, a woman from North Carolina, and myself. We were told the most important thing was to stay hydrated because we would be sweating a lot – one Gatorade for every two bottles of water. We loaded up in the trucks and headed out. On the ride over to the first house, we were given backgrounds on the homeowners.
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Our first homeowners were Aaron and Sheryl. Aaron was a holocaust survivor who was only three years old when he and his family were taken to a concentration camp. Needless to say, a flooded house was not the worst his eyes had seen. Upon arrival at his house, he asked all of us to get in a circle and hold hands. He wanted to say a prayer before we entered the house. He told us that he would be singing the prayer that the Jews sang before heading into the gas chambers. As he began singing in Hebrew, you couldn’t help but get chills. After the prayer, we entered the house. Even with the masks, the smell of the mold was overwhelming. We began cleaning and continued for hours. The teamwork among complete strangers was amazing. As we finished the gutting, our final step was to scrub every inch of the house with a non-toxic chemical to keep the mold out for thirty days in the hopes that FEMA would do its inspection within that time so the homeowners could try to piece their home back together. Aaron and Sheryl thanked us and said one final prayer before we left. As we drove away, we looked back and saw all the piles of debris covering the street. Those piles weren’t trash. They were pieces of Aaron and Sheryl that were gone. At the next house, we had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Dorothy – 92-years-young. She had lost her husband to Alzheimer’s just a few months earlier and suffering from ovarian cancer had finished her last chemo treatment just one week before the hurricane hit. She was incredible. As I walked into the house, the smell of mold was so much stronger than the previous house. Ms. Dorothy’s house had stayed flooded a lot longer. We began cleaning. After several hours, I noticed my breathing was a little harder. I assumed my asthma didn’t like the mold, so I began changing my mask more frequently; however, it just wasn’t helping. I didn’t want to quit, so the team leads had me work outside with Ms. Dorothy to sort through her belongings. I sat with her for hours going through old pictures that were soaked. She told me stories of all the things she had done in life. There were pictures of her husband in fighter planes from World War II and the Korean War. He had been a navigator. The pictures were covered in water and mud. Instead of being sad, she smiled and said, “You can throw those away.” I said “Are you sure you want to throw them away?” She said, “Those are just things. The memories will always be with me in my heart.” My biggest fear when hearing that the homeowners would be at each house that we visited was that they would be emotional, and I am not an emotional person. I didn’t want to seem cold to them; however, it was quite the opposite. The people were resilient, hopeful, and thankful. They didn’t focus on the things they lost. They looked positively to the future.
AROUND CAMPUS
“As a parent of a student at Congressional School, we talk often about service, community, kindness, perseverance, and responsibility, but I felt in the wake of these devastating floods, it was important to lead by example. The people of Houston will recover. And I will never forget what I saw and what I experienced in my short time with them.”
Cheryl Vance is the 2017-2018 President of the Congressional School Parent Organization (CSPO). She previously served as CSPO VicePresident for two consecutive years. She and her husband, Bruce, are the parents of Nolan who is in 2nd grade.
CSPO Repurposes Old Uniform Shirts for a Good Cause
With the introduction of a new school logo last year, we saw a dramatic increase in uniform exchange donations of shirts with the old logo. Cheryl Vance, CSPO President, connected the CSPO with the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Project Haiti to repurpose the old uniform shirts into quilts, baby bibs, and other useful items for children in Haiti whose orphanage and children’s center was destroyed in the earthquake that devastated the region. Congressional School Magazine 33
KEEPING IT
OLD SCHOOL
Continuing Congressional Traditions: The Congressional campus is a busy place with events and activities happening all the time. With over 78 years of history behind us, many of our events are ones that have been part of our community for many years. Highlighted here are just a few of the traditions we have celebrated so far this school year.
Congressional Buddies
Grandparents & Special Friends Day
Middle School Hangout
Jr. K & Kindergarten Thanksgiving Feast
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Fall Festival
Halloween
Williamsburg & Jamestown Expedition
Fire Safety Week
Thanksgiving Food Drive
8th Grade Hoodies
AROUND CAMPUS
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COLTS ATHLETICS
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sports round-up
COLTS ATHLETICS
The fall sports season wrapped-up with many success stories to celebrate. Congressional played host to two major cross-country events in October, the Think Pink Cross Country Invitational and the Capital Athletic Conference Cross Country Championship. Our Colts runners were gracious hosts to the many visiting schools and were inspired by the home advantage, capturing a combined total of seven 1st place individual and team wins at the events. Our soccer season also produced amazing individual and team results. Our JV Girls placed 1st overall and JV Boys placed 2nd overall in the Capital Athletic Conference Championships. Congressional’s basketball season just wrapped up, and both our Varsity Boys and Varsity Girls teams walked away from the Barrie Tournament with first place trophies, and our Varsity Boys placed 3rd in the CAC Championship.
from our coaches I get great joy watching our students strive for greatness and pushing themselves further than they ever thought they could. What running and sports teaches our young athletes is priceless.” - Tavis Laws, Director of Athletics and Physical Education, Cross Country and Basketball Coach
Every runner that I have ever coached holds a special place in my heart, and this group is no exception. I am so proud of them and the hard work that they dedicated to last season. They always come to practice ready to work and with smiles on their faces, and this determination translated to success on the course. I am excited not only to see them enjoy their accolades but to watch them continue to flourish and grow through the season and beyond.” - Jackie Rose, Registrar, JV Cross Country Coach
The best part about coaching basketball is watching how the players progress throughout the season. The kids work hard in practice every day and it is translating into game-time success. While we have come a long way as individuals, we have grown even more as a team. This year’s team has learned to truly play together, and to give their absolute best for each other. Becoming selfless is something that will benefit them for a lifetime, which transcends wins and losses on a court..” - Matt Porter, Varsity Boys Basketball Coach, Extended Hours Staff
Every player is unique just like a delicate bonsai tree. The coach is just like a special gardener who needs to carefully observe and provide the right care, love, and passion to bring out the best in them.” - Se Jin Kim, Physical Education Teacher JV Girls Soccer Coach
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Even our 1st - 4th graders have the option of participating in athletics through Little Colts Academy—an after school opportunity to enhance their skills in various sports throughout the year.
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student athlete features Captains of this year’s varsity basketball teams. Leaders among their peers. Examples of our core values both on and off the court. Liam and Ava, Class of 2018, have performed phenomenally in athletics this year. In the fall, Liam placed first overall in cross country at the Barrie School Invitational, Congressional Think Pink Invitational, and the Capital Athletic Conference Championships, and Ava placed in the Top 3 overall for the same races. In honor of their accomplishments, we asked the two of them to reflect on athletics at Congressional and share wisdom with future student athletes.
Liam ‘18 Ava ‘18 What would you attribute your athletic success to? I would definitely attribute my athletic success to all the wonderful coaches at Congressional. They really care about every single one of us students, no matter how skilled we are. All the coaches at Congressional have been incredibly encouraging and inspiring for me as I journeyed through middle school. Without them, I wouldn’t even be close to the skill level I am now in many sports. What do you think makes Congressional’s athletic program strong? Every Congressional sports team demonstrates characteristics of true competitors. We give our all on the field and fight until the final whistle sounds. We support our teammates and listen to our coaches. We all respect officials and opponents and are gracious in victory and defeat. All of us want to succeed, but we realize that winning isn’t everything and that we also should have fun. What’s the best advice that you’ve received from one of your coaches here? When I was in fifth grade, I joined the basketball team and played a sport I had never played before. That first season was tough, and it was difficult to compete when everyone was faster and knew the game better than I did. One time I even asked Coach Laws if I could stay on the bench because I was too afraid that I would embarrass myself. But Coach Laws would not give up on me and told me that learning a new sport would take time. That was the kind of encouragement that I needed, because every day from then on I practiced and practiced until I got to where I am. I cannot thank Coach Laws enough for believing in me when I didn’t even believe in myself. Do you have any advice for aspiring younger Colt athletes? Be brave and try a sport that you have never played before. Being on a sports team is one of the most exciting experiences in middle school, and it will help you get closer with your peers. You might even find a sport that you love, just like I did. Remember to listen to your coaches, because that is how you improve. And even if you struggle, never surrender and just try your best. 38 Spring 2018
Which has been your favorite sport to play at Congressional and why? My favorite sport to play at Congressional is basketball. The program here gives us the opportunity to come together and bond as a team. It also teaches us to not only to be better basketball players but to be better teammates and people. What do you think makes Congressional’s athletic program strong? Congressional’s athletic program is strong because we have coaches who care and players who are eager to learn. We play hard and competitively, but more importantly, we play with heart and good sportsmanship. What’s the best advice that you’ve received from one of your coaches here? The best advice I have received was from Coach Laws during a basketball game this year. He told us that it is not about being perfect, but about the effort we put in. He said, “You cannot control if your shot goes in, but you can control diving after the ball and jumping to get the rebound. Effort is 100% in your control.” When you bring that effort every day that is when transformation occurs and when good teams become great. Do you have any advice for aspiring younger Colt athletes? My biggest advice would be: do not be afraid to fail. You are going to miss a shot, get the ball stolen from you, lose, and lose again, but you have not failed until you have stopped trying. Take a risk, try something new, you never know what you are capable of doing; all quitting does is limit your potential. congressionalschool.org
COLTS ATHLETICS
homecoming 2018 “My teammates on the basketball court are my closest friends, and we have all developed a trust in one another. That is why my coach, Coach Porter, always has us say ‘Family on 3...1,2,3 family!’”- Liam ‘18
Congressional School Magazine 39
ALUMNI
Introducing Our Most Recent Alumni:
THE CLASS OF 2017
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ALUMNI
Class of 2017 High School Matriculations BASIS Independent McLean Bishop Ireton High School Bishop O’Connell High School The Field School Flint Hill School Georgetown Day School Gonzaga College High School Jeb Stuart High School Lawrence Academy (MA) Maret School St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School
Al Ahmed ‘11
Foundations at Congressional
Al Ahmed ‘11 joined the Congressional School community in kindergarten. Following his time at Congressional, he attended Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. Today, Al is a junior at the University of Virginia pursuing a degree in Kinesiology. In June 2017, Al Ahmed delivered the Congressional School Commencement Address. In the following excerpt from his address, Al describes how he discovered his passion for science in third grade at Congressional, and other academic influences from his years here that made an impact on him.
“I remember the first time I really got fascinated by science was in 3rd grade.
We were talking about biomes, specifically the Ocean, and I became really fascinated with underwater life. As a result, I begged my parents to take me to various aquariums and still recall the whale-watching trip that we took in the summer. In high school, we were required to conduct a senior research project in one of the senior labs; I ended up choosing the Oceanography & Geographical Systems Research Lab because of that interest that started from third grade. In Mr. Smith’s fourth grade science class, I remember a key theme was experimentation. One experiment that I still remember to this day was when he poured water into a graduated cylinder. A week later, we checked up on it and some of that water had disappeared. This concept of evaporation really fascinated me and until this day I enjoy being able to apply what I learn in the classroom to a laboratory setting conducting experiments, as I now am a Research Assistant.
My love for math developed in PreAlgebra, Algebra I, and Geometry classes when everything came to me naturally and just clicked. I enjoyed doing math and I think these experiences, along with my passion for science, were the foundations that sparked my interest in STEM.
Class of 2013 College Matriculations University of California Christopher Newport University Denison University University of Mary Washington George Mason University Hamilton College Harvard University NOVA Community College Marquette University Randolph College University of Rochester Skidmore College Texas A&M University University of Virginia Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Polytechnic Washington College University of Waterloo Wellesley College College of William and Mary
Though I am not intending to pursue a career in the humanities, Mrs. Lelchitski’s English classes definitely challenged my reading level as many of the books that we read in class I re-read in high school including The Book Thief, Kite Runner, and Macbeth. She also honed my writing skills and as a result I was able to breeze through English in high school and aced my writing classes in college. Last but not least, Mr. Cavanaugh’s history classes truly laid a strong foundation for me to do well in high school in World History and AP US History. I was able to recall a lot of what I had learned in seventh and eighth grade as a sophomore and junior in high school.”
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31% of the Class of 2017 were Lifers (students who enrolled in kindergarten or earlier), and the Class of 2018 has 37%.
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Alumni SPOTLIGHT
Journey with Jessica ‘08 Alumna Jessica Gandy ’08 believes her educational background at Congressional School was foundational to her academic success in high school and beyond. After graduating from Battlefield High School, Jessica completed her undergraduate degree at Alabama University, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Information Sciences, with a double major in Journalism and Political Science and a minor in French. She is currently studying at American University Washington College of Law. “Congressional gave me a wonderful foundation for my future,” she states. “It helped me to excel both
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academically and socially, and I met people there who continue to be my friends to this day.” The value of a Congressional education is apparent in the transition from middle school to high school. “After I graduated from Congressional, I took a range of high school classes including Pre-Advanced Placement and Advanced Placement classes,” says Jessica. “The Advanced Placement classes helped to challenge me academically and hone some of the skills that I needed for college.”
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ALUMNI
What stands out most to Jessica when she reflects on her years as a Congressional student? “Congressional taught me important lessons about the meaning of community,” she says. “Congressional is a very diverse school and I was exposed to different cultures and backgrounds. That, in addition to my family’s love of traveling, gave me a very broad understanding of what a community is,” she says. “I still love to travel. This year alone I’ve been across the US and to Geneva, Paris, Annecy, Milan, Italy, and Quebec. My passion to experience and understand different cultures came directly from Congressional and will continue to shape my life.” Congressional has also impressed upon Jessica the importance of giving back. “I remember spending my middle school years singing at retirement homes for chorus, preparing meals for the homeless, collecting donations during the holiday season for those in need, and sending letters to those serving our country overseas,” she recalls. “Those experiences helped to shape my values, and community service has continued to be a big part of my life since leaving Congressional. During college, I spent time volunteering with youths in low income neighborhoods. Last year, I went with my law school to Prince George County schools to teach constitutional and criminal law to high school students. Congressional taught me the value of community service and it is something I will continue to enjoy in the future.” Jessica decided she wanted to attend law school while she was an undergraduate student. “At Alabama, I majored in Journalism and Political Science and minored in French. I originally wanted to pursue a career in journalism, but as I neared graduation, I began to gravitate towards the idea of attending law school instead.” Law school appealed to her because of its challenging nature and because of her desire to pursue career where she could use her research and writing skills. “I have always enjoyed researching new things, and while journalism would have allowed me to do this, I felt that a career in law would be a better fit for me personally and the type of life I want to have,” she says. As a student attorney, Jessica enjoys the opportunity to work with real clients in the Washington, D.C. community. “In the law clinic, we try to assist clients with any legal issues they might have while running their small businesses. In addition to playing the role of a legal advisor, we also advise clients in matters of policy, which I greatly enjoy.” What does the future look like for Jessica? “Most of my focus right now is on graduating from law school,” she says. “I know that I want to work in international trade, but I am keeping my options open as to what kinds of careers I might choose. I have had a lot of great experiences in the
legal field thus far, but I might also be interested in working in the policy area as well. I am also interested in owning and operating my own business at some point. Right now, my goal is to fully immerse myself in every new work experience so that I can get a better idea of what type of career I want to pursue.” One of those work experiences is as Vice President of Volunteers for the DC-based Association of Women in International Trade (WIIT). “My role is to find volunteers for WIIT’s Trade Talks, which are essentially informative events on current topics in international trade law and policy. I meet many experienced professionals who work in international trade, as well as other aspiring young professionals. It has been a valuable way for me to get more involved in the trade community and to meet women who I aspire to be like one day.” Jessica has also gained experience as a Legal Fellow with the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) where she worked in areas of law and Intellectual Property & International Trade, which she hopes to practice one day. “Working with CCIA helped improve my legal research and writing skills, while learning more about international trade itself and the types of careers in the field. It also exposed me to areas of law that I had not yet experienced, like data privacy and telecommunications, which are increasingly important modern problems in the legal sphere.”
Why do you love Congressional? “It’s where everything began. I met my closest friends here and they are still friends to this day. This was my first job and I’ve learned so much. It gave me a foundation for everything in life. I don’t think I’d be the same person without all of the opportunities Congressional gave me.” For many years, Jessica returned in the summers as a Congressional Camp Counselor. “Congressional was not only my school from kindergarten - 8th grade, but it was also where I had my first job.” The teachers, counselors, and my peers have all been mentors, co-workers, and family to me as I’ve grown older and moved through the different phases of my life.” Jessica remains in touch with many of her Congressional classmates. Some of them are the longest lasting friendships I have,” she says. “The relationships I built while at Congressional are some of the most valuable things that Congressional gave me.”
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Alumni SPOTLIGHT
A Mother’s Insight: The Proano Brothers
Maria Delgado shares insights about her family’s experience at Congressional School through her sons Nicholas ‘10, Leonardo ‘13, and Lorenzo ‘14.
In what ways would you say that Congressional School prepared your sons for high school? Congressional School’s curriculum is top academically no doubt, but the true preparation comes when it is time to assess and appreciate the ethical values immersed in our children while they attend school. I am sure that all boys and girls leave Congressional with a strong foundation of values, knowledge and readiness to move ahead in life.
What do you think sets Congressional apart from other independent schools? As parents, we have been motivated by a mission to create a better world through educating our children. The more our children accept and respect other cultures, the more we make this planet a better place to live in, and that has been our aim since their father and I started their education. This laid the foundation for self-discipline and selfmotivation in college. Congressional’s structure, the higher standards for education, and respected teachers, who are not only there for teaching the material but also to instill ethical values, make this school one of the top. 44 Spring 2018
Beyond academics, are there any other experiences at Congressional that influenced your boys?
Looking back, having been away from Congressional for a number of years now, what impression did your time here leave on you?
Nicholas, Leonardo, and Lorenzo played soccer at Congressional. They continued playing soccer in high school, and Leonardo and Lorenzo played in DC Leagues, becoming top players in their divisions. During his senior year, Leonardo’s team won their tournament in 2017, but he unfortunately needed an ACL surgery right after. Sports had its ups and downs but the boys played with a lot of spirit.
I moved to the Sleepy Hollow neighborhood back in the late 80s and driving by every day I noticed Congressional School. Back then I thought, “If I have children I will send them to Congressional.” So I did, and I have no regrets. Now I drive through Sleepy Hollow with three children getting ready to become professionals and respectable adults, and my memories of that yellow bus that used to take them to school come back to me whenever I see the Congressional buses around town.
During middle school at Congressional, all three boys participated in WordMasters and MathCounts. Leonardo and Lorenzo participated in the 2013 Northern Virginia Regional Competition. They all took the National French Exam, which earned them the Certificat d’honneur and we always looked forward to attending the ceremony at St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School. Leonardo and Lorenzo were also part of the talented team of students that represented Congressional at the Model United Nations; it was a bridge to pursuing Model UN at Washington International School. Nicholas was Vice President of the Student Senate at Congressional, and continues to carry himself like a leader.
I have fond memories of International Day with the Parade of Flags that represented diversity and a global community. I remember the concerts and the basketball tournaments. I remember Maria helping with lunch in the cafeteria, and the drama program with Mr. Bowley where one day Lorenzo played Aladdin.
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Leonardo ‘13
ALUMNI
Lorenzo ‘14 Nicholas ‘10
Nicholas: Washington International School, University of California, California State Polytechnic University Leonardo: Washington International School, University of Bristol (U.K.) Lorenzo: Washington International School, college still to be decided (considering both U.S. and U.K. schools)
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Alumni SPOTLIGHT
Leonardo ‘13
Leonardo, what made you want to study in the U.K.? I felt that going abroad was really the only way to truly develop as a person. I had been living in the D.C. area for the majority of my life and while my international background provided me a culturally diverse outlook, I wanted to challenge myself socially and academically by going to an unknown place. Also, the more focused academic philosophy of university teaching in the UK would allow me to really master the subject I am interested in.
You are studying philosophy and sociology – do you know what career field you want to go into? As of now I am not entirely sure what career I want to go into but am considering pursuing a role in academia or going into human rights law.
What are your plans for graduate school? I plan on going to graduate school here in the UK right after the end of my undergraduate studies, and I am also thinking about continuing with sociology or maybe anthropology after which I may go back to the US for law school.
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Are there any Congressional teachers that left a lasting impression on you or your sons? If so, who and why?
Do you remember what level classes the boys placed into for world languages, math, science or other subjects?
We have immense appreciation for Mr. Cavanaugh, the best teacher of history and master of teaching the Constitution. Mr. Cavanaugh has left the greatest impact on Nicholas, Leonardo and Lorenzo, because he did not just expect them to memorize information for a test, but to fully think about it and learn it. Mr. Cavanaugh was able to engage students and taught them to love social studies. He sparked their interest in historical events and in the “why” questions.
Nicholas placed highest in Spanish, Math and Science. Lorenzo got gold level achievement in MathCounts. They all wrote for the American History Essay Contest at the National Society of the DAR. All three participated in the National French Exam.
Mrs. Lelchitski helped Nicholas develop strong critical thinking skills and expand his creative mind. It was in her class that Nicholas started to really enjoy writing about novels. English was his favorite subject in high school. He also participated actively in the Lincoln-Douglas Debate Club, and he used the valuable writing skills learned at Congressional to write excellent papers at UCLA.
Have the boys maintained friendships with any of their Congressional School friends that you know of? Have you stayed in contact with any parents? Some the boys’ classmates from Congressional continued at Washington International School, like Yousef who is now a senior along with Lorenzo. Good friends like Nuki, Amir, Joe, Elias, and Maggie are still in contact. Some of the classmates continued playing together with the local soccer team that Mr. Hisham Kamal organized so nicely throughout out the years, and we have a long-lasting, beautiful friendship with the Rana family. Rohan and Nicholas are both in college, but they stay in touch and plan to see each other during the holidays. Congressional is a community that brings families together, even after students graduate.
They received many Gold Awards and were part of the “A” honor roll for many years. But beyond grades and certificates, I should say that they formed the highest sense of achievement.
All three boys went to Washington International School (WIS). Why that choice, beyond the fact that it’s a great school? As parents, we always strive to give our children the best possible education. I think the most important factor in aiding the progression of society is having a global perspective, and we see WIS as the best secondary school to provide that. Also, the International Baccalaureate® (IB) is among, if not the best, academic curriculum to prepare you for university study. The IB is a highly respected program that allowed all three boys to develop the intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills needed to live, learn and work in a fast-moving globalizing world. We chose WIS because they needed to continue being challenged, and WIS was the best opportunity for them to recognize that despite our differences in language, culture, nationality, prior countries of residence, or worldview, we have exceptional chances to learn from each other. Leonardo was chosen to give the commencement ceremony speech at WIS on graduation day, and he reflected philosophically: “We are driven to action and motivated by that which we find spectacular, the things that cause us to wonder, cause us to ask why and how the congressionalschool.org
ALUMNI
Leonardo ‘13 Nicholas ‘10
marvels of the world can be manifested in a moment, and it is these moments that we discern life from existence.” That speech gave me the peace of mind of knowing that sending them to WIS was the right choice.
Lorenzo is a senior at WIS this year. Has he set his sights on any particular university? Lorenzo is considering a year overseas, maybe in France, and he is currently applying to universities in Canada, Europe and USA. He is taking the SAT test for US universities and working on the IB Diploma this last Senior Year, with a Higher Level French as his third language. Lorenzo decided to study French, rather than Spanish like his two older brothers, so now he is the trilingual member of the family. Lorenzo traveled to Paris in September and navigated through the language and the culture very well. Hopefully, he will decide to study in a francophone country.
“I moved to the Sleepy Hollow neighborhood back in the late 80’s and driving by every day I noticed Congressional School. Back then I thought, “If I have children I will send them to Congressional.” So I did, and I have no regrets. Now I drive through Sleepy Hollow with three children getting ready to become professionals and respectable adults, and my memories of that yellow bus that used to take them to school come back to me whenever I see the Congressional buses around town.” - Maria Delgado P ’10, ’13, ‘14 Nicholas has done extremely well, attaining his undergraduate degree in only 3 years, with such a high GPA. What’s next for him?
attention to time management and goals. Nicholas just graduated from UCLA with a major in Psychology and a minor in Global Issues. Now he is pursuing Graduate School at California State Polytechnic University.
Finishing undergraduate in 3 years is feasible, without having to compromise on free time, leisure and without major stress implications. It only takes dedication and focus, so Nicholas has proven that 3 years of college is better than 4. Any of our children can finish their studies with lesser economical debts (like student loans), and promptly, if they pay
As it is hard to predict the future, Nicholas’s goal is to start his career as a Marriage & Family Therapist (MFT) in a mental health agency and to look into opening a private practice. He has also become interested in personal training and may pursue that at a later time. Congressional School Magazine 47
class notes ‘02
‘45
James Heath attended Congressional in 1945. This past summer, he stopped by to see his granddaughter perform in her Congressional Camp magic show, and enjoyed being on campus and seeing how much it has changed.
John Simon ‘64 (pictured above) presenting on Congressional’s campus for Founders Day 2018.
‘64
John Simon attended George Marshall High School and the University of Chattanooga. While a student at Congressional School, he played on the Colts football team, and is now Head Coach at Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C. He has been the Head Coach at Sidwell Friends since 1997 and recorded his 100th Victory this past season.
Matt Mroczek ‘02 says, “Ready, Set, Scrub!” for his online startup business, Scrub30.com.
Matt Mroczek’s new online startup business, Scrub30.com, launched in October 2017. Scrub30 is a subscription service that will send a clean body scrubber, body wash, shampoo and conditioner straight to your door every 30 days. After realizing his shower scrubber was way past the dermatologists recommend (30 days), Matt decided he could not be the only one who forgets to change out their scrubber, and what began as a simple shower thought has now become Chicago’s freshest startup. So remember, “Don’t Scrub Dirty - Scrub30!” (Pictured Left)
‘03
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Debbie Sieber and a few of her Congressional classmates got together recently to celebrate their 30th reunion. The group met at Tyson’s Corner.
Alyssa Weinberger was married to Ben Cresciman on October 28th in Topanga Canyon, California. After finishing work on the TV show The Blacklist, Alyssa worked on a new show Lodge 49 scheduled to air on the AMC channel this spring. Alyssa will soon begin a two week residency at the prestigious Hedgebrook Writers in Residence program for women writers. Six writers are in Residence at a time and Alyssa was selected for her residency from an application pool of over 200 women writers. Alyssa and Ben live in Los Angeles.
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Susie Howard (Gilbertson) has been working on her wrist-worn human interface that can help with carpal tunnel and hand challenges, reduce germs in hospitals, as well as aid gesture-inspired video game play. She says, “My time at Congressional inspired me to become the productive and compassionate person I am, which has helped me to give back and make our society better for everyone.”
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‘01
Scott Franz married Layne Eidemiller on September 3rd at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, VA. Scott is a graduate of Davidson College, where he majored in Economics with a minor in Chinese.
Congrats to Alyssa Weinberger ‘03 and her new husband, Ben, on their marriage in October!
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ALUMNI
‘07
James Abrahamsen attended Flint Hill High School after which he attended Dickinson College, returning to Virginia each summer and working as a Congressional Camp Counselor. James is now living in Arlington, Virginia and works for a political fundraising group.
‘07
Joe Giammittorio attended high school at Georgetown Prep and college at Yale University from which he graduated cum laude with a B.A. in economics. During college, Joe spent a summer in Shanghai and two semesters in Harbin studying Mandarin Chinese. He is working in the Washington, D.C. office of the Boston Consulting Group.
We love having alumni stop by campus, and this past summer we had a visit from the Schlech family. Wally, Kate, and Kristen attended in the 1960’s and loved flipping through their old yearbooks.
‘09 ‘09
Patrick Abrahamsen graduated from Flint Hill High School, attended Dickinson College, and graduated in May. Patrick worked as a Congressional Camp counselor in his summers all the way through college. This fall, he moved to Cambridge Massachusetts and is working for Blue Cross Blue Shield in the wealth management/marketing division in the Prudential Center in Boston.
JJ LaPointe received All-American honors for his past season with the Christopher Newport cross country team. JJ is recognized as “one of the program’s standouts since arriving in Newport News in 2013.” He placed 14th overall in the NCAA championships and collected AllConference and All-Region plaudits while he moved to second on the school’s alltime performance list. (Pictured left)
‘10
Sanjay Bhagowalia attended high school at Middleburg Academy and college at Virginia Tech where he is majoring in Biological Science/Biomedical option and a pre-med student. He is scheduled to graduate in the spring of 2018.
‘09
Will Figg attended high school at Woodberry Forest School in Virginia. He then went on to study genetics at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. This fall, Will started working towards a PhD in Organic Chemistry at the University of Oxford in the UK.
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Ankush Joshi ‘13 is studying at William & Mary and recently received a surprise visit from his former Congressional History Teacher, Mr. Cavanaugh, 7/8 English Teacher, Jeanette Lelchitski, and Middle School Director, Brent Hinrichs, who were in Williamsburg chaperoning the 8th grade field trip in the fall.
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‘15 Every year, we bring back the previous year’s graduating class to meet with our 8th graders and share their high school experiences. The Class of 2016 from Left to Right (Front Row): Daniel Aziz-Quintana, Delaney Moore, Natalie Macheret, Valorie Vanarsdall, (Back Row): Derik Mejia, Joshua Ciesar, Camron Nemati, Will Sapp, Lee Stokes, Maria Simpson, Sophia Phaltankar, Isabel Garcia-Sosa
‘12
Qudsia Aziz-Quintana graduated from South County High School in Lorton, VA. She is now studying at George Mason University.
‘12
Alexander Hoganson graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and is now studying at Yale University.
‘12
Elizabeth Lewis graduated from Saint John Paul the Great High School in Dumfries, VA. She is now studying at George Mason University.
‘12
George Odoom graduated from Flint Hill High School and is now studying at Virginia Tech.
‘13
Jose Marquez writes, “The college I’m going to attend is Randolph College in Lynchburg Virginia. I’m planning to major in Political Science and History, as well to minor in Law. I want to study abroad in Europe and see how other governments work. I’m happy to have graduated from Edison High School; however I’m grateful that Congressional was a stepping stone to being very successful in high school.”
‘13
James Quek completed high school in the Singapore American School this summer, and has begun his National Service (2 years) prior to attending college. He is using this extended time to work on his college applications and to consider his choices while gaining experience in the military, police, and civil defense.
Nicholas “Nico” Ozioli says, “I’m a junior at Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington, VA and starting my college search. O’Connell is great; someone asked me just recently if I liked it, and without thinking I said, “I LOVE IT.” I’m a varsity coxswain on Crew and am definitely looking at Nationals this year, hoping to continue this in college. By the way, thanks to Mr. Cavanaugh, some classes are repeats!” (Pictured 4th from the Left)
‘17
John Mason Conrod is a freshman at Bishop O’Connell High School where he is enjoying playing football. John Mason is pictured wearing jersey #60 during game vs Bishop Ireton in the fall in which O’Connell secured its first JV win of the season. His parents state, “He loves it. And we love that he loves it.”
In Memoriam Colonel Robert J. Myers Class of 1971
May 13, 1953 - October 25, 2017. Robert (Bob) was born in Charleston, South Carolina and graduated from The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina as a Distinguished Military Graduate. After graduation, Bob began a 28-year career in the Army, serving as a Medical Service Corps officer. He also married the love of his life, Diane Allen ‘72, shortly after graduation. He was and will forever remain in the hearts of many as an amazing husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, friend, and mentor.
50 Spring 2018
congressionalschool.org
Class of 1998 It’s crazy that it’s been 20 years since we saw these students graduate from Congressional! Recognize anyone?
#20years #throwback
?
DID YOU
KNOW
1987 graduated Congressional’s first 8th grade class. Before that, Congressional had a high school.
Want to Schedule a Reunion? Is your Congressional graduating class hitting a milestone this year? Get the gang back together! Contact Chris Pryor, Director of Advancement, cpryor@congressionalschool.org.
Major Dates
#CongressionalSchool Thank you for being a part of the Congressional community! Connect with us on our social media channels and explore even more exciting happenings on our campus! www.congressionalschool.org