The Magazine of Highland School | Fall 2017
Celebrating 90 Years of Highland School REMINISCE WITH HOPE PORTER ’37 AND BETTY GOOKIN ‘35 ON PAGE 34 OUR FIFTH GRADERS ASK: “CAN WE SAVE THE BEES?” HALF A WORLD AWAY WITH EMILY DALE ‘08
YEARS
1 9 2 8 -2 0 1 8
www.highlandschool.org
Board of Trustees Mr. Mark Van de Water* P’13,’15,’18 Chairman Mrs. Jody Warfield* P’20 Vice Chair Mrs. Lesley Soltys* P’19,’21,’25 Treasurer Mrs. Heather Iasso* P’15,’18 Secretary
Mr. Fred Blackburn* P’17,’17,’21 Ms. Darragh Davis ‘69 At Highland School, our mission is to provide a demanding academic and co-curricular program
Ms. Katherine Ellsworth P’18,’21,’24 Ms. Candice Hall ‘92
that develops the skills and character essential
Mr. John “Jeb” Hannum P’21,‘23,’25
for students to meet the challenges of college
Mr. David Hartley P’17
and leadership in the twenty-first century.
Mr. Thomas “Ty” Moore Lawson P’19 Mr. Jim Mitchell P’19,‘20
To carry out this mission, Highland School has assembled thoroughly modern facilities; a large, diverse, and highly qualified staff; a student body ready to meet the challenges; and an academic philosophy and strategy that make maximum use of these resources.
Mrs. Kathy Morehouse P’20,’22,’24 Mrs. Vaughan Myers* GP’17 Ms. Diana Norris* P’26,’28 Mrs. Katrine Pendleton* P’14,’17 Mrs. Elizabeth “Libby” Robinson P’14,’17 Mrs. Wendy Rodgers P’17,’19,’21 Dr. Beejal Taylor P’25,’27 Dr. Laura Tremblay P’19,’21,’25,’27 Mr. Dave Turner* P’19,’23
Our Founders Mrs. Dorothy Montgomery Rust P’67 Ms. Lavinia Hamilton Founders Award Honorees Mr. William A. Hazel P’70,’72,’74,’78,’82 GP ‘15,’17,’20 Mr. Jay Keyser P’06,’08
Dr. George E. Wallace P’16,’19 Mr. Henry D. Berg P’08,’11,’13 Head of School Mrs. Kathy Thornhill P’14,’16,’19,‘21 Parents Association President Mr. Marshall D. Doeller ‘67 P’97,’04, Trustee Emeritus Mr. Paul Rice P’04,’08, Trustee Emeritus
Mr. Lewis Pollard P’12,’13 Mr. Paul Rice P’04,’08
*Indicates member of the Executive Committee
Table of Contents
Fall 2017
FEATURES Sophomore Field Studies
14
Can We Save the Bees?
26
Highland’s Grande Dames
34
Our History Surrounds Us
48
Half a World Away
52
Alumni Reflections
64
Every year, Highland’s tenth grade class heads out to Shenandoah National Park for a unique immersive experience with classmates and faculty chaperones. Highland’s fifth grade class took on a unique project this year. With concern for pollinators growing every year, students asked themselves a crucial question: “Can we save the bees?”
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Check out 90 Years of Highland History on Page 38
Betty (Williams) Gookin ‘35 and Hope (Wallach Burrage) Porter ‘37 are serving as honorary co-chairs of our 90th Anniversary Celebration. Every commemorative plaque around the Highland campus tells its own story of our 90 year history. Emily Dale ‘08 is returning to teach third grade in Highland’s Lower School. For the past two years, she’s been teaching in the Marshall Islands in the Pacific Ocean.
60
Super-Chefs ‘ Favorite Recipes on Page 60
Five members of the Class of 2017 reflect on their recent graduation day.
DEPARTMENTS 6
News from Around Campus
Our fifth graders ask: “Can we save the bees?” PAGE 26
Meet Our New Faculty
12
Highland Heroes
18
The Mikado
22
Alumni News & Notes
71
In Memoriam: Jacob Mark Blackwell ‘11
82
Note: Highland School does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational, employment, or admission policies, its scholarship, athletic and other school-administered programs.
Fall 2017 Highland Magazine 3
Letter from our Head of School
For 90 years, exploration and learning have gone hand-in-hand for our students In this issue of the Highland Magazine, past meets present as we commemorate the ninety-year history of the school. It is astonishing that two of our earliest alumnae, Betty Gookin ‘35 and Hope Porter ‘37, still live in Warrenton and remain involved with Highland. Betty and Hope are extraordinary examples of community builders who continue to influence those around them. We look forward to having them serve as co-chairs of our 90th Anniversary Celebration. No one could have imagined in 1928 that the school would grow into its present form, yet many of the original characteristics have continued to live on. The balance of academics, activity (athletics), and the arts was part of the original recipe. Reflective practices and engaged learning were embedded in the experiences of the first students at what was then the Warrenton branch of the Calvert School. Critical thinking, inquiry, and experiential learning, then, are natural extensions of the methods begun in 1928. Read how the Sophomore Field Studies program helps students appreciate the culture and history of the Piedmont, and how the fifth graders respond to saving bees and other critical pollinators. Speaking of learning from experience, this summer I took a bike trip across much of the United States with a high school classmate. Like our profiled alumna, Emily Dale ‘08, who now teaches 3rd grade at Highland after working in the Marshall Islands, my life was changed by experience with people I met on this trip. People make a community what it is; our shared memories and traditions connect past to present. I hope you will join us for events celebrating 90 years of educating students, and that you will share your thoughts and memories of the Highland School experiences that have mattered to you. Sincerely,
Henry D. Berg Head of School
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Head of School Henry D. Berg Editor David Henrickson Writers and Contributors Marc J. Belanger Callie Broaddus ‘08 Cathy Campbell Briar Leake Lora Mackie Photography Callie Broaddus ‘08 Cathy Campbell Laura DeBoer David Henrickson Director of Advancement Marc J. Belanger Class Notes Coordinator Briar Leake Highland Magazine is produced by the Office of Advancement for alumni, parents and friends of Highland School. Letters and comments are welcome. Please send inquiries to: Director of Communications, Highland School, 597 Broadview Avenue, Warrenton, VA 20186, email to dhenrickson@highlandschool.org, or call 540-878-2717.
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linkedin.com/company/highland-school On the Cover In 1929, students of the Warrenton Branch of the Calvert School play in Culpeper Street outside St. James Church. Learn more about the history of Highland on page 38.
News from Around Campus
NEWS FROM AROUND CAMPUS
Girls Lacrosse Earns 2nd VISAA DII State Title This spring, the girls varsity lacrosse team defeated Cape Henry School 13-11 to win their second straight state championship – and this time it’s on their home turf! Article written by Kyle Smith ‘17. Originally published in the Fauquier Times and Fauquier.com on May 23, 2017 The Highland School girls lacrosse team proved that there’s really no place like home. Taking full advantage of a VISAA decision to move the Division II state tournament semifinals and finals to their Warrenton campus, the top-seeded Hawks rode a wave of emotion and steady scoring to a 13-11 victory over the Cape Henry Collegiate Dolphins in the championship game. Highland completed the season with a 17-0 record and 35 consecutive wins, including an 18-0 run last spring that gave the Hawks the 2016 state championship.
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“We usually don’t talk about the streak, but now we can,” Highland senior Katie Clifford said. “It’s amazing to go undefeated that long, and the perfect way to go out as a senior.” Despite extreme confidence derived from blowing out Covenant, 19-1, in the semifinals Saturday, Highland didn’t win easy Monday. The championship was scheduled for Sunday, but moved back a day to accommodate Cape Henry. The Hawks once again had a potent attack as sophomore sensation Kayla Soltys scored sixteen seconds into the game. After winning the game’s opening draw, she glided past
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News from Around Campus
several defenders before finishing with a high shot into the back of the net.
collected their medals and state plaque, which they displayed to the rabid Highland fans.
“She’s the heart of our offense,” Hawks coach Kristen Conques said. “When it mattered, she stepped up and kind of put the team on her back.”
“There were some difficult games, where we didn’t just blow teams out,” Conques of the season. “It feels like it was meant to happen.”
The Dolphins equalized two minutes later, setting the stage for a back-and-forth flow in the first half. Highland quickly regained the lead at 2-1 as junior Cady Eldredge scored with a low finish.
“It’s the best feeling in the world,” Ferrell said, “the way we all came together to win it all again.” Kayla Soltys agreed. “It’s amazing. We are so excited.”
The game settled down for a while as the Dolphins absorbed and blunted some Highland possessions. After a Soltys goal, the Dolphins’ Libby Kennedy scored one of her four goals to cut the Hawk’s lead to 3-2. Surging Cape Henry then put up three goals in a row to lead 5-3 with seven minutes left in the first half. “They started to win some draw controls and it really allowed them to go on that scoring run,” said Highland senior defender Emy Ferrell, who will next play for Wofford College (Spartanburg, South Carolina). “We knew they might get some goals and even go up on us. We didn’t get down on ourselves and we came back and readjusted.” The Hawks answered with five goals in the next seven minutes, featuring finishes from Kayla and Abby Soltys, Raegan Dodson, and Katie Clifford. That gave them an 8-5 halftime cushion. “We knew how good they were,” Conques said of the Dolphins. “We knew that they could be really dangerous if they got momentum.” The Hawks came out of the break with focus and quickly built an 11-5 lead thanks to a trio of Soltys goals – two from Kayla and one from Abby, an eighth grader. Later, with the Hawks ahead 13-7 and only seven minutes left, Cape Henry went on a 4-0 run, making hearts race in the Highland stands. “We weren’t prepared for their aggressiveness,” Kayla Soltys said, “but we were able to match it eventually.” At 13-11, Highland went into close-out mode. The Hawks passed the ball in circles around Cape Henry’s side of midfield, winding the clock down. “We were up two and with not much time left,” Ferrell said. “We knew what we had to do. We just had to keep the ball and it would be over.” As time expired, the Highland players raced to dogpile in front of their goal. The Hawks then
She led Highland with eight goals and added two assists and 11 draw controls. Junior Cady Eldredge scored twice, while junior Blake Bogin had five assists. Goalie Madison Turner had four saves and Ferrell had two ground balls, a team high. For Cape Henry Collegiate School, Kennedy scored four goals and Emma Lowenstein had two. So the streak lives on for Highland, but Conques said she wants her girls to downplay it. “We’re going to enjoy this for now. But we don’t want to start talking too much about the streak and all that,” she said. “There’s still next year.”
Kayla Soltys ‘19 scored eight goals and controlled 11 draws to lead the Highland attack.
17-0
In 2017, the Hawks went 17-0 and have 35 straight wins over the past two seasons!
Fall 2017 Highland Magazine 7
Spotlight on Academics
New Event Takes Aim at Scholarships October event at Bull Run Shooting Center in Centreville will raise funds for need-based scholarships honoring Andrew Winfree ‘99
New Engineering Lab Honors Class of 2017
The first annual Andrew Winfree ’99 Sporting Clays Event will take place on Monday, October 30, 2017. All proceeds will go toward providing need-based scholarships to deserving Highland students. “Drew loved Highland and sporting clays,” said Tom Winfree, P’91,’99. “This is a terrific way to honor his memory and create a lasting legacy for generations to come.”
Flexible space with modular design will serve as hub for students in Highland’s new Pre-Engineering Certificate program The extraordinary Class of 2017 created an impressive legacy of achievement and leadership at Highland School, setting a high bar for future generations of Highland students. To honor them, the parents of the Senior Class successfully raised over $35,000 of special restricted funds—over and above their annual gifts to The Highland Fund—to create a new “Class of 2017 Physics and Engineering Lab.” “This new lab empowers our faculty and students to do more,” said Cassin Bertke, Assistant Head of School & Upper School Director. “Pre-Engineering Certificate students will now have the space and tools they need to design and execute their projects.”
Open to participants of all levels of ability, the Bull Run Shooting Center will host this fun day of sporting clays and other games. Prizes will be awarded for the top scoring teams, as well as for best all-around male and female shooters. The event will take place rain or shine, and a catered lunch will be provided.
Specifically designed for the teaching of physics and engineering, the new classroom is modular and adaptive. It was developed in consultation with upper school science faculty Elizabeth Kennedy, David Robertson, and Pat Hewitt.
The event committee includes Drew’s father Tom; his classmate “Strick” Payne ’99 and schoolmate Max Tufts III ‘98; as well as current parents Melissa and Dan Pennell P’18, ’26. Athletic Director Gary Leake, who also coached Drew, has been instrumental in honoring his memory at Highland over the years.
Thanks to all of the parents, grandparents and friends of the Class of 2017 who made gifts to this project. A plaque featuring the names of all graduates will be installed this fall.
Sponsorships are available, and teams are still forming. For details and registration, please contact Briar Leake, Director of Special Events & Alumni Relations, via email at bleake@highlandschool.org or call 540-878-2794.
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Spotlight on Community
Annual Fundraising Goals Exceeded
Programs including the Annual Fund, the Highland Classic Golf Tournament, Give Local Piedmont, and the Highland Auction raised more than $665,000 to support our students Support for Highland’s students and faculty came pouring in again this year, providing the funds vital to operating at peak performance. Thanks to a winning effort by trustees, former trustees, parents, grandparents, alumni, parents of alumni, and local businesses we exceeded our goal by almost $18,000 and raised over $665,000 of unrestricted funds. “We are incredibly grateful for all of the generous donors who continually invest in Highland,” said Katrine Pendleton P’14,’17, Advancement Committee Chair. “Every dollar we raise helps support our students’ learning as they grow and develop into the leaders of tomorrow.” Kudos to Michelle and Fred Blackburn, P’17,’17,’21, Annual Highland Fund Co-Chairs for the 2017 school year. Annual giving to The Highland Fund exceeded its $300,000 goal for Fiscal 2017 (ended June 30). Success came in part from
donations made through Give Local Piedmont on May 2, which earned more than $10,000 in matching funds from The Path Foundation and prizes from the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation. Special thanks to our Auction Chairs Anne Hall and Karen Wachtmeister P’91,’94, GP’29,’31; Auction Coordinator Samantha Gravett P’16,’19; and the entire “Night at the Races” Auction Committee and Volunteers. The auction raised almost $230,000 for our kids. This year’s success was also made possible by funds raised through the Highland Classic Golf Tournament, the Highland for the Holidays shopping bazaar, and the Highland Hero annual corporate sponsors. The Piedmont Region continues to play an important role in supporting our school as it enters its tenth decade of service.
FAST FACT: In 2016/2017, Upper School students achieved the highest-ever passing rate for Advanced Placement (AP) exams. High school students can use their results on AP tests to earn college credits at colleges and universities in the United States and Canada.
AP r highest u o f o One ! tes ever assing ra p 2015/2016 Academic Year 2016/2017 Academic Year (255 students in Upper School)
(248 students in Upper School)
80% 80% exam passing rate
156 90 students took 156 exams
90 90 Upper School students took AP tests
85% 85% exam passing rate
196 95 students took 196 exams
95 95 Upper School students took AP tests
Fall 2017 Highland Magazine 9
Spotlight on Community
Tyler Ross ‘02, Tom Ross P’02,’03,’13,’16, Dave Couk, ‘74,P’11,’15, and Ryan Sprague P’32 at last year’s Highland Classic at Fauquier Springs
25
TH
2017 Highland Classic Celebrates 25 Years, Honors Memory of Judge Dudley Payne
Golf tournament at Fauquier Springs Country Club brings together alumni, parents, staff, and the Highland community for friendly competition – and a few long-running rivalries A quarter century ago, former Fauquier County Judge H. Dudley Payne, Jr. P’99, ’01, and Trustee Emeritus Marshall Doeller ’67, P’97, ’04, gathered a few fellow Highland parents and alumni to start what became a fun annual tradition of playing golf to benefit Highland School. This year, the 25th Annual Highland Classic Golf Tournament will be hosted on Friday, September 29, 2017, at the Fauquier Springs Country Club.
Registration for this year’s event will start at 9 a.m., and golfers will tee off in a shotgun start at 10 a.m. Lunch and beverages will be provided. Contests, prizes, raffles and friendly rivalries will also be available.
“In celebration of this important milestone, and in memory of Judge Payne, we are introducing the Payne Cup,” said Gary Leake, Athletic Director. “This award will be given to the team with the best score, and join the Ben Gravett Putting Contest as an annual tradition.”
Sponsorships Still Available Event sponsorships and foursomes are still available. For details and registration, please contact Briar Leake, Director of Special Events & Alumni Relations, via email at bleake@highlandschool.org or call 540-878-2794.
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Thanks to Our Highland Heroes Thanks to our Highland Hero annual corporate sponsors for their support of this important fundraising event. See page 18 for a full listing.
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Introducing Highland School’s
Quae Vernant Crescent Legacy Society
Highland’s Quae Vernant Crescent Legacy Society embodies our school motto, which translates as “that which is growing yields increase.“ The Society recognizes individuals who have made planned gifts or chosen to include Highland School in their estate plans. To learn more about planned giving and bequests, please contact Marc Belanger at mbelanger@highlandschool.org or call 540-878-2777.
www.highlandschool.org/legacy
Spotlight on Faculty
Highland’s New Faculty for 2017/2018 “Will Not Be Eclipsed” Highland School added eleven new members to the Highland community this year. These dedicated educators bring a wide range of experiences across Highland’s three divisions Marcus Carter joins the Middle School faculty to teach Math. He comes to Highland from Cedar Lee Middle School in Bealeton where he taught 7th grade Math, 8th grade Science and was the Head basketball coach. Marcus is certified in youth mental health first aid, CPR/AED, and holds a Virginia Collegiate Professional Teaching license. He earned a B.S. in Environmental Science/Geographic Information from James Madison University.
Elisabeth Carver will join the Upper School to teach
Math. She comes to Highland from Bull Run Middle School in Haymarket where she taught 7th and 8th grade Math. She holds a Virginia State Teaching License and is a member of the Virginia Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
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She earned many scholarships and honors during her graduate and undergraduate studies. She earned a B.S. in Mathematics with a minor in Psychology from Virginia Tech and continued to earn an M.A. in Education and graduated with a 4.0.
Susan Chacey, current Highland parent and substitute
teacher joins the Lower School faculty to teach PK-2 music and strings. Susan and her family own and operate Red Oak Farm and Apiary. She brings a strong background in Middle School education, specifically Language Arts, and is a talented violin player. Susan earned a B.S. in Middle School Education with an English Minor from Gordon College. She is a member of the Piedmont Symphony
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Spotlight on Athletics
Orchestra, and her two children Addison (‘24) and Danielle (‘26) attend Highland.
Javier Flores joins the Upper School as a Spanish
teacher. He most recently taught Spanish in Arlington where he was also a Substitute Teacher. For many years prior to that, he taught English and Math in Lima, Peru at both the Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola and the Universidad Nacional Federico Villareal. He also taught Middle School Science in North Carolina and has coached soccer and basketball.
Emily Dale ‘08 joins the Lower School faculty as a 3rd
grade teacher. She comes to Highland from her overseas experience in the Marshall Islands where she taught both 1st and 3rd grades at the Majuro Cooperative School for two years. Prior to that she taught 3rd grade in Fairfax County and 4th and 1st grades in Hanover County. Emily holds a Virginia State Teaching License, a TEFL Certificate and a first aid/CPR certification. She was also part of the 2016 Accreditation Team at the Majuro School. Emily graduated from the University of Richmond with a B.A. in Psychology and Elementary Education.
Rachael DeLawder will join the Upper School faculty
to teach both Science and Computer Science. She recently graduated Summa Cum Laude from Rollins College with a B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. While there, she was a Chemistry tutor and grader. She earned Presidents List recognition every semester and was inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success.
Adam Rossi will teach Upper School Science. Most
recently, while earning his graduate degree, Adam was a graduate teaching assistant in the Department of Biology at West Virginia University. He has also completed internships with the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks as well as the National Park Service. He earned a B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries summa cum laude from the West Virginia University Honors College and an M.S. in Recreation, Parks and Tourism from WVU as well.
Anita Sprague joins the Lower School faculty as a
PK-4 assistant. She recently retired from a lengthy nursing career to include time spent as a School Nurse in Prince William County, a Registered Nurse at Fairfax Hospital and Bloomington Hospital and was a Public Health Nurse in the Prince William County Health Department. Anita earned a B.S. in Nursing from the University of Akron College of Nursing. Her son Mark is a senior at Highland this year.
Barbara Teach will teach the Pre-K3 class three days a
week. A current parent, long-time substitute teacher and volunteer, Barb has also worked as a senior Math teacher at the Mathnasium of Warrenton. Prior to this, she was a professional in the Architectural community having earned a B.S. in Architecture from the University of Virginia. Barb is the parent of Shelby (‘17) as well as Charlotte (‘21) and Daniel (‘24). n
Milena Glumsic will teach Latin and Language Arts in the Middle School. A May graduate of Radford University, she earned a B.S. in English with a concentration in Secondary Education. While in college, Milena held various internships at area schools to further her knowledge of the teaching profession. She also volunteered in Radford’s Learning and Resource Center to help students with a variety of topics to include grammar, punctuation, organization and more.
Adam Pollak joins the Upper School faculty as an
English teacher. He most recently was an Adjunct Instructor at American University and also taught at the Institute for Reading Development in Washington, D.C. He graduated Cum Laude from Lynchburg College with a B.A. in English then went on to earn an M.F.A in Creative Writing (Poetry) from American University. While in graduate school, Adam was the FOLIO poetry editor and an organizer for the Visiting Writer Series Fellowship. He is also an ice hockey player.
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SOPHOMORE
FIELD STUDIES If we align ourselves with the spirit of place we will find humility fused with joy. The land holds stories.
~Terry Tempest Williams, author and conservationist
Since 2006, Highland School students have spent three days each spring in the Shenandoah Valley. The program, “Blue Ridge Heritage,” is part of Highland’s commitment to experiential education and is designed to make historic, environmental and artistic connections to the region. It is a cornerstone experience for all sophomores.
experienced Highland faculty), students carry their gear and camp for two nights in the backcountry. Like the Culture group, students explore the theme “Blue Ridge Heritage” by learning about the history, geology, and ecology of the Shenandoah Mountains.
“Blue Ridge Heritage” consists of two Challenge Teams: Culture (Art, Music and Craftsmanship) and Campcraft (Wilderness Backpacking). Students choose either Culture Challenge or Campcraft Challenge, depending on their interest and comfort level.
One of the most important strands of the Blue Ridge Heritage experience involves learning
Students Have a Choice Between Culture and Camping Challenges
Culture Challenge emphasizes the influence of geography and history on the lives of the people who have inhabited the Blue Ridge, and the development of traditional music, arts and crafts of the region. Students stay in a rustic cabin at Graves Mountain Lodge and interact and learn from various local artisans, such as basket and quilt makers. They participate in crafts, visit a sustainable organic family farm and the Valley Museum in Luray. Back at Graves Mountain Lodge in the evening, they cook for the group and write songs to perform at the evening campfire. Highland art and music teachers accompany students during their 3 day, 2 night experience. Campcraft is a wilderness experience with an emphasis on team building and leadership skills. Divided into groups of six to eight, with two leaders per group (leaders are usually
An Adventure that Never Loses Sight of the Heritage of the Region
Since 2006, Highland students have spent three days each spring in the Shenandoah Valley. The program, “Blue Ridge Heritage,” is part of our commitment to experiential education. the history of the Park’s creation, including its complicated relationship with former residents. When Congress authorized the creation of the Park in 1926, surveyors found more than 2,000 people lived within the planned borders. In 1928, Virginia passed a law allowing the state to claim their land through eminent domain. Students study the Park as a social construct and read personal histories, such as that of Beulah Bolen, who was displaced at age 15, along with her relatives, from the 1,000 acre homestead purchased by her grandfather in 1895. Now, only the family cemetery remains, visited by hikers on the Little Devil Stairs loop who are shaded by trees planted by Beulah’s father. Highland students “adopt” a Park resident from the
Fall 2017 Highland Magazine 15
compiled history, study him or her, and work to emulate that person’s mindset for the duration of the program. It’s a chance to more fully understand those who went before. In addition to exploring people of the past, sophomores relish the intense time spent with their classmates in the moment. The bonding that comes from days and nights spent together with no cellphones or electronic distractions proves a memorable part of their Highland experience. Junior Claire Olson, reflecting on last year’s experience says, “During those three days in the Shenandoah we were faced with challenges and triumphs. We held each other up and sometimes pulled each other down when we fell during a creek crossing, but we always stuck together. I built amazing and unexpected friendships.” Adds Grace Barratt, “It’s incredible how close you get to people when you’ve all slept under the same tarp!”
Quilt Project “Stitches” Classmates Together
The sophomore class remains stitched together once they return to campus. Students from the culture group, during their module on craftsmanship, piece together a quilt comprised of personalized squares contributed by each sophomore. Their squares come from a pair of old jeans, a baby blanket, or a favorite T-shirt. The class quilt is displayed in the student lounge during senior year and is then “awarded” to the senior voted by on the class for his or her citizenship. The quilt remains a tangible symbol of handiwork and shared experience.
A Signature Highland Program
Head of School Hank Berg, himself a veteran of many wilderness trips, sees Blue Ridge Heritage as a signature Highland program, and part of the school’s larger investment in experiential learning. “It’s a major endeavor to transport an entire class to the mountains for three days,” he comments, “but the rewards are huge. Students get off their phones and off campus, and learn from each other and their natural surroundings. The whole Shenandoah region has so much beauty and history, and it’s at our doorstep. We have a commitment to ensure our students engage with their surroundings in a meaningful way, and one that emphasizes the complexities of conservation. Our future depends on it.” n
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Megan Catalfamo, Highland’s Director of Experiential Learning, speaks to members of her group before heading to their campsite.
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THANKS TO OUR HIGHLAND HEROES FOR THEIR GENEROUS SUPPORT
Highland Heroes Be a Part of Highland’s Annual Corporate Sponsorship Program
Titanium Sponsors
Support Highland School and Your Business Goals Highland Heroes are businesses large and small who make an annual financial gift to Highland School. The benefits provided to Highland Heroes give your business maximum visibility among, and personal engagement with, a broad audience of the Piedmont region’s most involved families and community leaders.
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Year-Round Visibility From placements in our bi-annual magazine and other publications, to signage at the school, to tickets to our Auction Gala, golf tournament and other events, your investment as a Highland Hero puts your business front-andcenter with more than 1,800 parents and grandparents, alumni, current and former Trustees, and philanthropic supporters of Highland School – all with one annual, tax deductible commitment.
Attotek, Inc. Union Bank & Trust Company Platinum Sponsor
Silver Sponsors
Griffin & Errera Orthodontics Lynx Investment Advisory Meridian Financial Moser Funeral Home Superior Paving Bronze Sponsors
American Automatic Sprinkler Fauquier Bank Fauquier Chamber of Commerce NVP Inc. Temp-Power Inc. Warrenton Toyota Scion
Add Your Business to the List of Highland Heroes
To learn more about joining our Highland Heroes annual corporate sponsorship program please contact Marc Belanger at mbelanger@highlandschool.org or call 540-878-2777.
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IF IT’S IMPOSSIBLE,
WE MAKE IT.
IF IT’S COMPLICATED
IT’S SIMPLE
MAKE SURE YOU WORK WITH
“The Mikado”
This spring, Upper School students presented this classic Gilbert and Sullivan musical in The Rice Theater under the direction of Artistic Director Michael Hughes. The Mikado was originally performed in 1885 and is renowned as one of the most popular musical productions of all time.
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HIGHLAND FIFTH GRADERS ASK:
“CAN WE SAVE THE BEES?” ARTICLE BY LORA MACKIE
Colony Collapse Disorder might sound like a sequel to the old classic horror flick Attack of the Killer Bees. However, this is not Hollywood and Colony Collapse is not a fictional tale. It is a real life disaster in the making that threatens the world’s food production. Hundreds of thousands of bees, as well as other pollinators, are dying everywhere at alarming rates. We need to act now to preserve their presence in our lives, and protect the food we eat. The issue is quite simple: without pollinators, we won’t have much food. This crisis captured the attention of Highland’s fifth graders last year so they sprang into action to help these ill-fated, innocent creatures. As Highland middle schoolers are quick to tell you, “These tiny beings are not only responsible for the honey you eat on your biscuits, but also for the almonds, pears, avocados, grapes, corn, soybeans and more that
we take for granted on our tables every day.” Imagine stopping at your favorite grocery store and seeing the produce sections void of all your favorite fruits and vegetables. “Ninety percent of all plants around the world and at least thirty percent of all crops everywhere are a result of pollinators,” sixth grader Noah Payne told a group of parents, fellow students and teachers last spring. After discovering the ill-fated plight of the pollinators, students embarked on a mammoth research project and decided they had to help. They went to work
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establishing a garden with native plants that are known to attract pollinators. They are not determined to save just the lives of a few honeybees. They plan to protect and attract all kinds of pollinators, including a more diverse group of bees, butterflies, beetles, flies, moths, other insects and hummingbirds too. Their new pollinator haven lies peacefully on the hillside between the Middle and Lower Schools. It is visible from the bustling playground below. When firmly established, the colorful and fragrant bed will provide the nectar and cover that the pollinators crave. Like Joseph’s coat of many colors, the garden will boast an array of oranges, yellows, purples, pinks, whites and reds. It will be a smorgasbord of Common Milkweed, Butterfly Weed, Caroline Roses, Beard Tongue Penstemon, Coreopolis, Service Berry, Mountain Mint, Cardinal Flower, Turtlehead, Blazing Star, Aromatic Aster, Goldenrod and Little Bluestem. None of the plants were grown with pesticides nor have been treated with pesticides.
Their new pollinator haven lies peacefully on the hillside between the Middle and Lower Schools. It is visible from the bustling playground below.
For Reese Blankenship, “The best part about this project was learning about the pollinators because the more we learn about them, the more we can do to help save them.” Under the caring guidance of science teacher Erica Deane and Highland librarian Janie Banse, the students became thoroughly invested in this exciting new project-based program. According to Mrs. Deane, “This class has gone above and beyond my expectations and has become a collective group of experts on native pollinators/plants. I am so proud of all of the hard work they put into this project. It wasn’t always easy, but they see the bigger purpose and it continues to motivate them to move forward.”
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commonly called neonics, comprise a class of neuroactive insecticides chemically similar to nicotine. Neonics are widely used on crops, plants, lawns and flowers. The pollinators eat the nectar in the plants, ingest the pesticides and either die or are unable to reproduce. As the practice of using neonics has increased, pollinators have decreased in numbers.
The fifth graders learned a lot about native plants, flowers and grasses at Wayne and Beth Gibbens’ 100-acre Innisfree farm near Rectortown. In consultation with landscape expert and Highland parent Katherine Ellsworth and Janet Davis of Hill House Nurseries, they designed their garden. Highland parent Sid Rodgers helped the young scientists prepare the garden and he stationed giant tree stumps, which will serve as nesting sites for the bees and beetles, in integral places on campus. Randy Weiss donated and delivered soil for the garden and Ashlee Campbell of ADC Graphics is designing a sign. Highland Mom Karen Herzog and Larry Hohn helped the students educate the staff at Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park, where other gardens are being established. Former parents Ike and Julie Broaddus shared inspiration and will donate a garden bench in memory of their daughter Finley and her Green Leap Forward Campaign for whom the garden is dedicated. The bee population naturally fluctuates each year due to droughts, natural diseases and stormy weather, but they are remarkably resilient in these cases. Most scientists attribute Colony Collapse to the over use of pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals. Frequent use of chemicals called Neonicotinoids,
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Many people believe if they plant certain plants in their gardens they will attract pollinators. However, if the plants have been treated with neonics they could be contributing to the problem. Therefore, it is imperative to use organic plants that have not been cultivated or treated with neonics. The chemical can be stored in the soil for three years after its use and can affect plants for that long. As pesticide use has soared, the production of honey and many crops has waned, resulting in dramatic pollinator deaths. Experts maintain using fewer pesticides would result in more reliable pollination and less harm to humans and wildlife.
What you can do to help: • Create a habitat • Try to use organically-grown native plants; avoid hybrids • Remember bees love wildflowers • Quit using pesticides • Provide habitats like rotten stumps for insect motels • Get involved and spread the word “Seeing this Highland class become increasingly aware of the plight of pollinators and realizing that they had the ability to make a positive impact through their scholarship, advocacy and hard work, was one of the most rewarding learning experiences I have ever been a part of,” Mrs. Banse proudly revealed. n
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Students pose with Mrs. Banse and Mrs. Deane amidst their newly-planted pollinator garden
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REGISTER TODAY FOR THE FIRST ANNUAL
ANDREW WINFREE ‘99
SPORTING CLAYS EVENT
TO BENEFIT HIGHLAND SCHOOL
MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2017 BULL RUN SHOOTING CENTER IN CENTREVILLE REGISTRATION: 8am START: 9am Join us for a fun day of sporting clays and shotgun games! Catered lunch included. Top shooter prize. Raffles and giveaway items. Rain or shine. The Bull Run Shooting Center has shotguns available for rent, and ammunition and accessories available for purchase. For Details and Reservations Contact
Briar Leake
Email to bleake@highlandschool.org or call 540-878-2794
At Highland School, our mission is to provide a demanding academic and co-curricular program that develops the skills and character essential for students to meet the challenges of college and leadership in the twenty-first century.
WHAT’S
NEW?
Check out some of the latest gear in the Hawk’s Nest!
B d lueGold Team Shirts Blue l Go and B G l d e o u l u ld e o l G B Gol e u l B LAN
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Are you Blue or Gold? Whether you’re new to this long-standing Highland tradition or ready to remember past glories, this year’s shirts look great and will leave no one guessing about your allegiances ($15). Available in Youth and Adult sizes.
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HLA ND HAW KS HIGH ND Dig Pink Tee Athletic Gear and A H L AWLAKND HIGH KS S HAW
Students in the Middle and Upper Schools are D LANfor the latest Nike® DryFit athletic H going crazy G I H WKS in short sleeve ($25) and long wear. Available HA sleeve ($30) in adult and youth sizes.
HAWKS
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Learn more at www.highlandschool.org
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In the Spotlight
“A Night at the Races” Brings Community Together in Support of Students and Teaching
On Saturday, April 8, 2017, parents, faculty, alumni, and friends of Highland came together in the Upper School gym for the Highland Auction. This annual event raises money to benefit Highland’s teachers and students through the generous support of the community. This year’s theme was “A Night at the Races.” Learn more at www.highlandschool.org/events.
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In the Spotlight
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Celebrating 90 Years of Highland School
Grande Dames Highland School’s
Article and Photos by Cathy Campbell
Betty (Williams) Gookin ‘35 and Hope (Wallach Burrage) Porter ‘37 are the oldest of friends, a pair who finish each other’s sentences, recall funny stories from the past, and just generally delight in each other’s company. Taking tea with them, as I had the pleasure of doing last June at the Gookins’ historic estate, The Oaks, is to witness a treasure chest of memories opened–many of them are about Highland. Elegant, funny, and sharp as tacks, they are Highland’s grande dames, its oldest living alumnae, who were there in the earliest days when the school went through sixth grade and was known as the Warrenton Branch of the Calvert School. Betty Gookin, now 95, was a member of the School’s first graduating class; in fact, Highland grew out of Betty’s mother’s desire to have her three children well educated. In 1928, Betty and her family lived in Casanova; Lavinia Hamilton was a local teacher who lived on Winchester Street in Warrenton and tutored area children. Known to the children as “Miss Binnie,” Hamilton was, says Betty, “a strikingly beautiful woman, in her thirties, with bright blue eyes.” When Betty’s mother approached her with the idea of gathering a group of local children and forming a school, Hamilton said she’d “think about it.” Hamilton, in turn, approached Dorothy Montgomery (later Rust), a
dynamic young woman and avid equestrienne who had just returned home after graduating from college. Montgomery and Hamilton agreed to start a school, which met in the Sunday School in the basement of the John Barton Payne building for the first year, and then moved to the Parish Hall at St. James Episcopal Church in 1929. While Betty Gookin began school in first grade, Hope Porter started in fourth grade at age ten. In Hope’s family, the educational focus had been on her three older brothers, who received private instruction at home and then attended the Stuyvesant School for Boys on Winchester Street (now the site of St. John the Evangelist Church). Hope had little formal schooling, although the family’s English nurse, Minnie Nightengale Stoner (a cousin of Florence Nightengale), read to her from Dickens and Thackeray. When Hope’s mother brought her in for an interview with Montgomery and Hamilton, the women wanted to put her in third grade, but her mother insisted on fourth. This was a fortuitous decision, according to Hope, because she was placed in a class with five other
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Celebrating 90 Years of Highland School
girls who became lifelong friends. Says Hope, “That group of girls changed my life. Living with older brothers, I hadn’t had many girlfriends. So being put in that class with those girls was such an important thing for me. We became fast friends and later on were each others’ bridesmaids, and godmothers for each others’ children.” She tics off their names as though she had seen them in class just yesterday: Anne Williams, Babs Batchelder, Sally Spilman, Emily Neilson, and Marion Carhartt. Hope rode her pony to school, accompanied by her mother who rode sidesaddle on her own horse. After dropping Hope off on Blackwell Road, her mother led the pony home. When school was done, Hope walked over to the Fauquier Men’s Club where her father was lunching, and shouted for him from the street (no women or girls were allowed in the building). Then he’d drive her home.
“That group of girls changed my life. Living with older brothers, I hadn’t had many girlfriends. So being put in that class with those girls was such an important thing for me.” Both Porter and Gookin remember school as a happy place with a relaxed atmosphere. Porter recollects playing hopscotch and prisoner’s base on Culpeper Street during recess, and taking part in staged Civil War re-enactments in the Parish Hall basement. One student headed up the Northern Forces and another led the South. Gookin also fondly recalls a small orchestra where students played cymbals and triangles, piano recitals headed up by music teacher Minnie Fisher, and buying milkshakes at recess. The academic instruction was excellent. Classes were small, as the school enrolled between 25-30 students altogether. “Everything I knew came out of that school,” says Porter. “Every paper we did had to be perfect. You’d keep working on it until it was exactly right. We would bind our papers together and illustrate them, then at the end of the month we’d put them together in a book. By the end of the year, you’d have a book, a volume of your year’s work. We put so much effort into those books and we were so proud of them.”
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Porter and Gookin collectively rave about a textbook used by their teachers, “A Child’s History of the World,” written by Virgil M. Hillyer, a Harvard graduate and first headmaster of The Calvert School. [See insert about textbook] They also remember Lavinia Hamilton and Dorothy Montgomery Rust as involved, passionate educators. “Dorothy Montgomery Rust seemed to be active in everything,” says Gookin. “She was a great talker, very spiritual and interested in the church. She collected clothing for the poor and was a great horsewoman.” Gookin describes how Dorothy Montgomery Rust donated the land where the school now sits and chose the its new name, “Highland,” in deference to her Scottish heritage. After graduating in sixth grade, Betty Gookin went on to boarding school at St. Catherine’s in Richmond; Hope Porter attended Warrenton Country School, a girls’ school where only French was spoken. Both found their new schools less than satisfactory—Betty was homesick at St. Catherine’s and Hope says that she did her best to get kicked out of Warrenton Country School, but instead was punished by having to stand up and publicly report all her errors—in French. “I really did miss everyone,” says Betty. Adds Hope, “Those three years at [what is now] Highland defined the rest of my life.” After attending Sweet Briar, Betty did graduate work at University of Richmond. She became a teacher herself, working at a public school and then helping to found Stonybrook school outside Richmond. Hope Porter helped lead the fight against developer encroachment in North Wales in 1967, and wrote a book, “The Saga of North Wales,” in which she details the decades when Fauquier County was “under attack” by outside developers. Through the years, they continued a connection to Highland through their children and grandchildren. This Spring, Hope and Betty will serve as honorary co-chairs of the Highland 90th Anniversary Gala Auction on Saturday, April 14, 2018. Over the teacups, the two friends share another laugh. Says Betty, “It’s just wonderful to be our age and have so many happy memories!” n
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Celebrating 90 Years of Highland School
Beloved Textbook Brought the World to Life for Highland’s Earliest Students First published in 1924, “A Child’s History of the World” was a textbook beloved by Highland’s earliest students in the days when the school was known as the Warrenton branch of the Calvert School of Baltimore. Virgil M. Hillyer, the book’s author, served as Calvert’s first headmaster. Harvard educated, he wrote much of the school’s curriculum himself. Hillyer aimed to develop the “ideal school” and believed in a well-rounded, classical education that was studentcentered (a novel idea at the time). He insisted on large windows to let in light and air, and aimed to engage young imaginations. Hillyer thought the traditional focus on teaching only American history to young students was misguided. In the book’s introduction he writes: “Since World War I, it has become increasingly more and more important that American children should have a knowledge of other countries and other peoples in order that their attitude may be intelligent and unprejudiced.” Written in a conversational style, “A Child’s History of the World” appealed to elementary students by recounting history as a series of simple stories. Illustrations were minimal: line drawings, a few maps, words arranged to convey an idea. The second- person narration brought young readers directly into the action. Suppose you had been a boy or a girl in the Stone Age. I wonder how you would have liked the life. When you woke up in the morning, you would not have bathed or even washed your hands and face or brushed your teeth or combed your hair… The cave would have been cold and damp and dark, with only the bare ground or a pile of leaves for a bed. There would probably have been bats and big spiders sharing the cave with you… For breakfast you might have had some dried berries or grass seed or a piece of raw meat, for lunch the same thing, for dinner still the same thing…
Written in conversational style, A Children’s History of the World appealed to elementary students by recounting history as a series of simple stories.
Do you think you would have liked to live then? (Excerpt from “Chapter 2: People Who Live in Caves”) “A Child’s History of the World” is available in the Highland library.
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YEARS
1928-2018
1928 1928-2018: A Visual History of 90 Years of Highland School
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1928
Founded by Dorothy Montgomery and Lavinia Hamilton as the Warrenton branch of The Calvert School. In that first year, classes were held in the lower level of the John Barton Payne Building in Old Town Warrenton. Nine students were enrolled.
“We had no playground at St. James, so we played outside on the sidewalk, but we didn’t care, since we knew that we would be going home by 1 o’clock, to ride our ponies.” Mrs. Betty Gookin ‘35
1929
The class of 1929/30 taken in front of their new home at Saint James Church on Culpeper Street.
The Warrenton branch of the Calvert School was open to boys and girls up to 13 years of age. Tuition ranged from $240 to $280 per year.
“Art appreciation was a three-year course. Painting, sculpture and architecture illustrations were given to the students to keep in their handmade portfolios. On field trips to Washington, D.C., students enjoyed recognizing the architectural examples they had studied in the classroom.” Mrs. Ann Power P’71,’73,’86
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“There were many dramatic performances from Shakespeare, Gilbert and Sullivan and original works by Mrs. Montgomery. All the children became accustomed to speaking before an audience.”
1944
Mrs. Ann Power
At the start of the 1944/45 school year, 24 students of the Warrenton Branch of the Calvert School moved to a new school building that was accessed from Green Street in Warrenton. The new building featured five classrooms, a separate kindergarten, a meeting hall with a stage, and space outside for a playground.
What is The Calvert School?
Calvert’s first head master Virgil Hillyer wrote the beloved textbook A Child’s History of the World during World War I and it is still available today. Read more about it on page 37.
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The Calvert School, located in Baltimore, Maryland, was founded in 1896. The Calvert School’s first head master, Virgil Hillyer, created an innovative and comprehensive curriculum that could be taught to students from Kindergarten through eighth grade at home. Highland’s founders envisioned using the Calvert education method in a classroom setting. The Calvert Education system is still in use around the world today.
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1956
On October 19, 1956, the school contracted to purchase 12.28 acres on the north side of the Warrenton Bypass. According to an oft-repeated school legend, while Mrs. Rust was walking the property with her brother and Ms. Hamilton, she found numerous four-leafed clovers – clearly a good omen!
1957
School moved to new site. Now known officially as ‘Highland School’
$20,000
Total amount needed in 1957 to construct a gymnasium and auditorium on the new site.
Support for the new school came in different forms. Several alumni and parents served on the teaching staff, and faculty and students provided much of the maintenance and janitorial service. In order to help keep the school clean, students removed their shoes and put on slippers upon entering the building.
1959 YEARS
1928-2018
The Fauquier Education Foundation The School’s board of trustees became the Fauquier Education Foundation Inc. Officers were William E. Schlusemeyer, chairman; Max Tufts, president; Mrs. Porter and Mrs. Rochester, vice presidents; William D. Doeller, treasurer; and F. Cleveland Hendrick Jr., secretary. Other directors were Mr. van Roijen, Mr. Lawrence, Douglas R. Smith and Edward L. Stephenson.
1960
Lavinia “Binnie” Hamilton, co-founder, retired in 1960 Fall 2017 Highland Magazine 41
Celebrating 90 Years of Highland School
1961 Highland Becomes Non-Profit
According to an article in the Aug. 8, 1961 edition of The Fauquier Democrat, the Fauquier Education Foundation had purchased Highland School from Mrs. Rust, and that for the 1961-62 school year, Mrs. Rust and Max Tufts served as co-principals.
1964
Highland becomes first independent school in Virginia to desegregate. Sam Stevens of Warrenton becomes Highland’s first African American student.
9th Grade For the 1964-65 school year, Highland added a 9th grade class. It lasted for one year and was not instituted again until the 1984-85 school year.
Prominent Names Join Foundation Board in 1967 That year, the Fauquier Education Foundation Inc. board was expanded. Joining Chairman Robert D. van Roijen and President Edward L. Stephenson were Vice President Mrs. Benjamin H. Davis and Secretary Joseph W. Trundle. New directors included Alan L. Day, Miss Lucie Duer, John H. Berne, Nelson “Monk” Noland, Mrs. Ann Marie Lindgren and Fredrik Wachtmeister.
Chilton Building Constructed
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Thomas B. Dingman of South Kent School in Connecticut accepted the position of headmaster of Highland. He would be followed by Alexander Dearborn in 1967.
In 1968, A “four module addition” for students in kindergarten through second grade was completed. Five years later, the unique structure was named the Chilton Building, in honor of Mrs. Gladys Chilton who started teaching first grade at Highland in 1963, and served as the first head of the primary department.
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1982
Board of Trustees Established William Osier becomes Highland’s Head of School. During Mr. Osier’s tenure a 16-member Highland Board of Trustees, drawn from parents, alumni and community leaders, was established.
Highland Earns State Accreditation
1968
Highland earned accreditation from the Virginia State Board of Education in 1982.
Some of the students in the graduating class of 1968 pose for a photo printed in the June 20, 1968 issue of The Fauquier Times Democrat.
Do you recall the rooster?
1974
Mrs. Sandra Harris Mitchell, an alumna of the Calvert School, joined the faculty of Highland School in 1974. She would be named the interim head of school at the beginning of the 1976-77 academic year.
During Mrs. Mitchell’s tenure, the School purchased it’s first school bus, a used bus previously owned by the Fauquier County Public Schools system. The bus allowed Highland to offer transportation services to families in Manassas and Haymarket.
Blue & Gold
“There was always a big rivalry between the Blue and Gold teams, much like the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys. Even today, alumni can recall who was a Blue, and who was a Gold. Mr. Ben Merchant, Blue Team Fall 2017 Highland Magazine 43
Celebrating 90 Years of Highland School
Remember Skiing on Fridays? That tradition started in the 80’s!
1985
Marshall Doeller, son of William Doeller, returned to Fauquier County. By the early 1990’s, his daughters were enrolled at Highland School.
Hazel Family Gives 22 Acres
Mrs. Rust
Dorothy Montgomery Rust, who was 19 when she founded the Warrenton branch of the Calvert School with Lavinia Hamilton, officially retired from Highland in the 1960’s. She would visit the campus and attend school events well into the 1990’s. She is shown here with her son, “Monty” who graduated from Highland in 1967. 44 Highland Magazine
In 1994, The Hazel family generously donated 22 acres next to the Highland campus. The gift would provide the space needed for immediate and the long-range needs of the school.
1992
David Plank became the headmaster of Highland School in 1992. During his time at Highland, the School would add an upper school, expanding to include students from Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade.
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1996
As part of a 10-year strategic plan, the Board of Trustees recognized the need to expand Highland School through 12th grade. In 1996, the Upper School opened on part of the property donated by the Hazel family two years earlier.
“At the time, there were concerns about starting the high school. It was a leap of faith, taking the school from what it was then up to what it is now, nearly 500 students.”
Mr. Marshall Doeller ‘67, Trustee Emeritus
1996
1999
HIghland’s first high school graduating class included 18 students.
Gary Leake joined the faculty of Highland School as the Upper School’s first Activities Director. He would become the Athletic Director and has served in that role for more than 20 years.
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Celebrating 90 Years of Highland School
The Highland Center for the Arts
In 2004, the School completed the final phase of its Upper School expansion adding five classrooms, and the Highland Center for the Arts, which includes the Lise Hicklin Black Box Theater and the 355-seat Rice Theater, named for Paul and Gina Rice, whose generous support made the project a success.
2003
Pre-Kindergarten added for 3-year olds and 4-year olds in the Lower School.
Throughout the school, from Pre-K to Grade 12, a spirit of caring and collaboration prevailed; a creative feeling of support and goodwill embraced at once both unity and diversity. 46 Highland Magazine
2004
While theatreical performances have always been a cornerstone of a Highland School education, plays and musicals took on new significance with the addition of the Highland Center for the Arts.
Mrs. Dorothy Montgomery Rust, co-founder, passed away in 2004 at the age of 95.
2005
Hank Berg became Highland’s eighth Head of School. Berg said his educational philosophy is a blend of traditional, time-tested practices and experimental process-oriented methods. At its core is the belief that schools should nurture people – both students and adults.
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“I believe that strong institutions reflect an alignment of mission and philosophy with resources and environment. Great schools have an unmistakable synergy that comes from a community of parents, students, educators and leadership working in unison.” Mr. Hank Berg Head of School
2014
2010
The William A. Hazel Family Lower School opened. It received LEED ’Silver’ Certification in 2011 for its environmentally sensitive construction and operational methods.
2008
Improvements to the campus include the new Upper School Humanities Wing, artificial turf fields and new dedicated bermuda athletic fields adjacent the Middle School.
Renovations of the Hazel Family Library in Upper School completed. The renovation resulted in a more flexible and collaborative space for students and school events for faculty, students, and parents.
The Highland School community celebrates the 90th anniversary of its founding with a year-long celebration including a special Homecoming event in the Fall and a Reunion Gala Auction in the Spring.
2018
2012
Extensive renovation of Highland’s Middle School building completed. This renovation modernized the facility with the addition of the Johnson Academic Media Center, a new library space and dedicated technology lab, and increased classroom space and capacity for students.
YEARS
1 9 2 8- 2 0 1 8
YEARS
1928-2018
OUR HISTORY SURROUNDS US You may have seen some of them around the Highland campus. Commemorative plaques – typically engraved out of stone or cast out of metal – pay tribute to the legacy of former students, faculty, families, and individuals who have shaped the history of Highland School. We’ve compiled a selection of some of the many reminders that can be found in our hallways and greenspaces.
Watch for more features of commemorative plaques around Highland School in the 2018 issues of Highland Magazine as we celebrate 90 years of Highland history!
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HIGHLAND SCHOOL STREET HAWKS
FIRST ANNUAL
MEMORIAL CAR SHOW SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2017 • 11:00AM – 3:00PM 597 BROADVIEW AVENUE, WARRENTON
HELD IN MEMORY OF WYATT FLORY ‘13 AND WARREN JENKINS P’07’09 JOIN US AT HIGHLAND FOR: • GREAT FOOD • LIVE MUSIC • FAMILY FUN FREE ENTRY FEE! FREE ADMISSION! To reserve a spot in the show or for more information, please send email to Gary Leake at gleake@highlandschool.org
ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY CALLIE BROADDUS ‘08 Article originally published in the May 2017 issue of Middleburg Life. Reprinted with permission
Emily Dale ‘08 is back at Highland teaching third grade this Fall. In 2015, however, she was looking for a way to shake things up. She found it on a sprawling chain of volcanic islands and coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and the Phillippines. Her next stop would be more than 7,000 miles and 11 time zones away from her family and friends in Middleburg.
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Spotlight on Alumni
“I had no idea where I wanted to go, but I knew that I was craving something different — something that would challenge me, push me, make me uncomfortable. At 25, I had never lived outside of Virginia.” Middleburg-grown Emily Dale ‘08 had been teaching third grade in Reston, Virginia, for two years when that feeling rushed over her. She Googled “out-of-state teaching options” and three weeks later had signed her contract. When she announced her new teaching job in the Marshall Islands, her family and friends had to scour a map to find the dot situated more than 7,000 miles away from home: A thin strip of land between Hawaii and Australia would be Dale’s home for the next two years.
Thirty-six hours of travel from an Upper Crust cookie, a continent plus half an ocean away from her tight-knit family, Dale stepped off a crowded flight in hot, sunny Majuro. “From that day forward, my life was changed. I was not in Middleburg anymore,” Dale recalled. “I remember being excited, delirious and feeling completely vulnerable.”
IMMEDIATELY WELCOME IN HER NEW FAMILY
The first face she saw belonged to a 9-year-old boy with an ear-to-ear smile. Ruben was a member of her welcome committee and would be a student in her third grade class at Majuro Cooperative School. “We all hopped in the school van and headed to our new home. Without hesitation, he jumped on my lap and leaned back to get comfortable, as if we’d done this a million times.”
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BOUNDLESS HAPPINESS BELIES CHALLENGES
Fast forward six months, and this toothy child had taken up residence on a floor mattress in Dale’s tiny, onebedroom, painted cinderblock apartment. He slept next to her other young ward, Charlotte, a teenager who had also silently struggled with an abusive home life. Through the lens of these two children, Dale learned about the myriad problems that are a fact of life for many in Majuro: domestic abuse laws that are often unenforced, teenage pregnancy, alcoholism, meager education, and a complete dearth of mental health care resources. But these societal issues took time to unearth. Emanating from every colorful home, swaying coconut tree and crowded basketball court was a universal happiness that seemed to seep into her skin as she walked down the
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street. The pitter-patter of barefoot children playing outside her apartment window shored Dale’s growing perception that children in Majuro are simply happier than children back home. With next to no internet access, children play outside constantly, “making kites out of chip bags and baseball gloves out of cardboard. They make basketball hoops out of plywood and buckets. They use rocks to play checkers.” Dale paused, reflecting on life in Virginia. “Kids don’t have to have ‘nice things’ to be happy or to have fun.”
ACADEMIC CHALLENGES
Most of Dale’s students have an effusive nature, but she has still encountered hurdles trying to effectively teach
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her class. “Unlike in Virginia, most families are not exposing their children to books and other educational resources from a young age. Some parents are not fluent in reading, writing or speaking English, making it very difficult to help their children academically.”
WIDE RANGE OF LEARNERS REQUIRES A RANGE OF TEACHING TECHNIQUES
She teaches children reading both well below and well above grade level, children with various special needs and a wide range of English comprehension. “It is not easy trying to establish a connection with every single one of your students, but the best teachers are the ones who don’t stop until they have. Establishing and fostering meaningful relationships with my students is what gets me out of bed every morning.”
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Dale’s two-year contract is nearly up, and much has changed since she was greeted with a toothy smile from a future student. Ruben, now 11, is living with his family again. His smile is bigger than ever, and he still has an “open door policy” at Dale’s apartment, where he announces himself by barging in, yelling, “Miss Emily!” and knocking over whatever is in his path.
FORMING LIFE-LONG CONNECTIONS
Dale assumed guardianship of 16-year-old Charlotte when they flew to Middleburg together last summer, but Charlotte will be staying in Majuro when Dale returns home next month; she loves her country too much to fathom leaving. They plan to remain in constant contact, always looking forward to the next visit. As Dale anticipates returning to life in Middleburg, she recalls the forgotten pleasures of binging on Chick-Fil-A and “Law & Order SVU,” free Wi-Fi and drinkable tap water. She will leave a chunk of her heart in the Marshall Islands, but will come back having accomplished her goal. She has been challenged, pushed, uncomfortable and, at 27, has lived about as far away from Virginia as possible. “Over the past several years,” Dale said, “I have been searching, thinking and praying… What is my life’s purpose? I have finally realized how simple the answer is: To love the shit out of those who come into it. Making others feel loved, supported and safe… That is what I am called to do.”
WHERE IS EMILY NOW?
Dale returned from Majuro this summer, and is looking forward to bringing the insight she has gained over the last two years to her new post as third grade teacher at Highland School. She continues to provide for Charlotte’s education, and hopes to visit the Marshall Islands again next summer. While it has been an emotional boon to return to family and friends, Dale admits that it has been hard to adapt back to culture in a developed nation that has changed so much since she left. She finds herself missing many aspects of Marshallese life, and especially missing the young people she came to love so well half a world away. n
Callie Broaddus ’08 is a writer, artist, designer and photographer with a background in architecture and an interest in animals, science, and the environment. She currently works as a Senior Designer for National Geographic Partners in Washington, DC and writes for regional publications including Middleburg Life.
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Spotlight on Alumni
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less ‘03 Caleigh Meg
Ryan Ross ‘03
SUPER CHEFS Caliegh Megless and Ryan Ross from the Class of 2003 share fun recipes!
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Say hello to Highland’s own super-chefs, Caleigh Megless and Ryan Ross, members of the Class of 2003. Caleigh and Ryan are making names for themselves as innovative, creative young chefs and are garnering attention from media and foodies on both sides of the Atlantic. Additionally, Caleigh and Ryan are close friends. We asked Caleigh and Ryan to share favorite recipes with the Highland community. They responded with two recipes that are not only fantastic and fun, but give you a look at their signature styles and favorite ingredients. Turn the page to learn more about these two alums and their promising young careers.
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Ryan’s Recipe
Fresh Cornmilk Polenta
corn or crab chowders, and to cook ravioli and pastas instead of plain water!) In a large skillet over medium high heat, add butter, corn kernels, all the cornmilk, 1/4 cup of corn stock, chili, nutmeg, and another pinch of salt. Sauté for 5 minutes.
Serves approximately 6-8 and is best prepared during Sweet Corn Season (July-August in Virginia)
Add skillet contents to a blender and blend until smooth, spooning in more corn stock as needed. Once smooth, pour all blender contents back into skillet, whisk in cream and cheese. Taste and season further to your liking. You can reduce over medium low heat for several minutes if you would like your polenta thicker, otherwise top with chopped chives and blossoms and you ready to eat. Great with Scallops, and Portobello Mushroom “steaks”!
Ingredients*
A Little About Ryan Ross ‘03
Adapted from the finale episode of SCRAPS FYI channel. Originally aired July 2017.
6 ears of corn, shucked and silks removed 2 tablespoons salted good quality butter 1/8 teaspoon chili powder 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, grated 2 tablespoons of full fat heavy cream 2 tablespoons cup Irish, English, or Raw milk cheddar cheese, crumbled sea salt, fine or flaked Fresh chives/chive blossoms *This recipe is gluten free. If you would like to omit dairy from this recipe, swap coconut oil for the butter and full fat coconut milk for the cream, and omit the cheese all together.
How do you make it?
Slice the corn kernels off the cob; I like to set a bowl with a flat bottom upside down on a sheet pan. Slice the tip of the cob to create a stable and flat surface, set cob upright and flat end down atop the inverted bowl and slice off the kernels from top to bottom. The sheet pan helps contain the kernel scatter. Collect kernels and set aside. Using the back of your knife, scrape the cobs again in to a bowl to ‘milk’ the corn. All the residual juices from the leftover kernels will create a ‘cornmilk’ which will offer loads of flavor to your dish. Set aside. Now, that you have truly naked cobs you will use them to make corn stock. Place cobs into a pot and just cover with water, add a couple pinches of sea salt and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain, discard/compost cobs. Set aside. (Leftover stock freezes well, is great in
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Ryan Ross, a Warrenton, native, moved to the Pacific Northwest four years ago from Brooklyn, New York. Ryan has been in the realm of bespoke dining and food–centric events for the last 10 years.
Ryan grew up in her Mother’s organic healthfood store, The Natural Marketplace, in Warrenton. She attended the Natural Gourmet Institute of New York City, as well as the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Ryan is also a certified Holistic Health Practitioner by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. Health supportive, festive, organic, sustainable, foraged and local food is her world! Ryan currently resides in Bow, Washington with her husband. She is a recipe writer, product developer and has consulted for plant-based restaurants in Washington state, New York City, on Little Corn Island, Nicaragua, Munich, Germany and Paris, France. She is a recent partner and chef for The Good Moon Farm and Food Lab in Tortola, BVI where she will spend six months every year creating bespoke dining experiences and plant -based products and provisions. The other six months of the year, you might just find her throwing a dinner party for 40 guests in the farmlands of Skagit Valley with her roaming dinner club Supper Corps, and creating a homebase and kitchen in her home town of Warrenton. Watch Chef Ryan Ross win an episode of CHOPPED, “Light makes Right,” on the Food Network and catch her co-hosting the finale episode of Joel Gamoran’s first season of SCRAPS on the A&E network. (Aired July, 23, 2017) highlandschool.org
Caleigh’s Energy Bites are a tasty, easy to make, and healthy snack.
Caleigh’s Recipe
Energy Bites Recipe makes approximately 20 energy bites
Ingredients 1 cup cashews 1 cup almonds 1 teaspoon fine salt 1 teaspoon of matcha 1.5 cups of unsweetened coconut flakes 6 dried figs 12 pitted dates 2.5 cups of coconut flakes
You can store these, covered, at room temperature for up to three days, and a batch of this size makes about 20 bites.
A Little About Caleigh Megless ‘03
Caleigh Megless, a graduate of National Gourmet Institute in New York City, is the owner of KEÏLI, a premium catering company in Paris, France, that specializes in healthy organic, gluten free food. Her approach on catering is known for being a unique combination of creative originality and tastyhealthy. Caleigh was featured in Vogue.fr and ELLE. fr. She does live cooking shows for ELLE Magazine. Among her clients, Caleigh has cooked for Dior, Grazia, Adidas, Disney, Piaget, and Printemps.
How do you make it?
In a food processor, blend 1 cup of cashews, 1 cup of almonds, 1 teaspoon of fine salt, 1 teaspoon of matcha and 1.5 cups of unsweetened coconut flakes until everything is finely chopped. Add 6 dried figs and 12 pitted dates, which add the sweetness to the energy bites. Pulse until they’re all incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and taste. You want the batter to be slightly tacky so that you can easily roll them. Spread 1 cup of the coconut flakes on a plate. Scoop up one-inch balls of batter, roll them between your hands, and roll in the coconut.
Tell Us About Your Passion!
Do you have a passion that you share with a fellow alum? We’ll help you share your interest with the HIghland community in a future issue of this magazine. Send your ideas to Briar Leake, Director of Alumni Relations, to alumni@highlandschool.org. Send your story ideas to:
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Spotlight on Alumni
Our Newest Alumni Reflect on Graduation We asked members of the Class of 2017 to reflect on their recent graduation. Five of our newest alumni shared their thoughts: Annie Pendleton Cecilia “Cece” Zugel Kyle Blackburn Tal Tomlinson Mallory Bryan Abbie Long
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Ashton Eicher ‘17, Annie Pendleton ‘17, and Savarna Pahari ‘17 gathered on the Winfree Commons after their graduation ceremonies in June.
“Overwhelmed with Pride” By Annie Pendleton ‘17, Founders Award Recipient
In hindsight, the day of graduation was filled mainly with pride. As I sat in my chair and watched all of my closest friends walk across the stage, I was overwhelmed with pride. One of the special things about Highland is that you get to know everyone in your class, so as I watched my peers receive their diplomas I felt connected to everyone. I had seen all of them struggle and thrive through every assignment; I got to watch all of their progress. This made watching them receive their diplomas even more special because I knew how much all of them deserved it. 66 Highland Magazine
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“Ready to Take the Next Step” By Cecilia Zugel ‘17, Class of 2017 Salutatorian
Graduation is strange and sort of surprising because everything has been moving so fast for so long and all of a sudden the moment you’ve been envisioning in your mind is there and then gone again, quicker than you’d expect. You’ve got this buzz putting on the gown, getting in the line, walking across the stage, and socializing with your friends afterward, but when you go home after all the festivities you realize that even though this day was supposed to be the biggest of your young life, nothing has really changed. You’re still the same exact person you were that morning, and if you’re like me, you still don’t quite feel ready to move on with your life. There’s a part of you that wants to stay and watch the underclassmen grow. You want to love them and be there for them in their tough times, but you also want to cherish their formative moments for them and watch over them in The Catcher in the Rye sort of way, because you know exactly what they’re going through and find a deeper appreciation for it in hindsight. There’s a part of you that wants to keep experiencing life through the lens of high school. You want to continue as the “big fish” in whatever activities you’ve devoted yourself to, and you’re feeling a lot of sadness over leaving your beloved clubs, departments, and friends behind. But eventually you have a moment where you make the choice that you’re not going to stay here anymore. You might want to take new classes, or meet new types of people, or try new activities, and sooner or later it hits you that there’s a new life out there waiting for you. You have to make the choice to go step into the unknown and believe that there’s something else that you still need to discover. Nobody is going to tell you that you can’t stay; your parents will
be sad to see you go, your teachers will welcome you back with open arms, your friends will want to meet up again. The activities you participated in will have a hole where you can still fit back in. But eventually you have to make the choice to go out into the world and see what it has to offer you. That’s really the heart of graduation – not the ceremony or the diploma or some magical transformation that occurs when you shake Mr. Berg’s hand, but the change of heart that permeates this season of your education, the ownership that you take of your life, and the hope and determination that you have for the future. It’s that shift in perspective and the conscious choice you make to move forward that marks your graduation from Highland; in that sense, you can graduate whenever you feel ready, and whether you make that choice now or in a few months or years, graduating is your personal decision to move on, to learn new things, and to fulfill your life’s greater purpose.
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“A Desire to Succeed” By Kyle Blackburn ‘17, Class of 2017 Valedictorian
When I stood with my fellow seniors in the Black Box Theater on graduation day, I could not believe that my time as a student at Highland had come to an end. It seemed like just yesterday that I walked in the door by Mrs. Brinson’s room on my first day as a freshman. However, when I began to reflect back on the last four years, I was struck by how far we had come. It was at this moment that my classmate Crishon Washington said, “There is a lot of brain power and talent in this room.” I couldn’t agree more. Among my classmates I saw people with theatrical talent who could make people feel the full range of human emotion; I saw people who could create with their hands pieces of art that are awe inspiring; I saw people who had come together to win state titles in athletics, as well as some of the most brilliant people I have ever met. Most of all, I saw people with the ability to change the world. What I most admire about my classmates was what Indian philosopher Swami Sivanda viewed as the key to success. It is to “put your heart, [your] mind, and [your] soul into even your smallest acts.” My classmates never took lightly the small actions that lead to success – both individual and collective. This skill, I believe, is the most valuable one that Highland instilled in us. The Highland faculty taught us this first by leading by example. They have an unwavering and contagious enthusiasm for
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the material they teach, and this enthusiasm inspires the passions and the dreams of their students. They go above and beyond to ensure their students’ successes as if they were their own. This enthusiastic attention to detail that is commonplace among the Highland faculty is the characteristic that is most replicated by their students. Highland has taught me that success is doing the best you are capable of in everything you do, because it’s the little things that are seemingly irrelevant to others that help you be successful. Graduation, in essence, is the celebration of this talent. It’s the culmination of many years of small acts that are built up into one moment where all of a person’s accomplishments are put on full display. Looking around the Black Box that day, I saw that all of those small acts had transformed my classmates into people with the capacity to make a difference. It was the late nights, the extra laps, and the extra enthusiasm that built them into some of the most impressive individuals that I have ever had the privilege of knowing. I know that Crishon was right that day, and in my four years at Highland I discovered why – my classmates have a desire to succeed that prompts them to put their all into everything they do and it is this commitment to excellence that has transformed them into men and women who will go on to change the world.
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“The Culmination” By Tal Tomlinson ‘17
For me, graduation day was the culmination of all my hard work throughout lower, middle, and upper school. The best part for me was that final stride across the stage, shaking Mr. Berg’s hand and receiving my diploma. That’s when I became a Highland alumnus and knew that I would always have my Highland family by my side no matter where my path takes me in the future.
“A Day Full of Special Moments” By Mallory Bryan ‘17
Over a decade ago, having just completed the first grade, I stood in a field where the Chilton Commons now stands with my brother’s oversized graduation cap drooping over my eyes. In that covered darkness there seemed to loom an eternity before the cap would properly fit on my own head. Growing up the youngest of four children who all graduated from Highland, ten years spanning between the oldest and myself, the phrase “Highland Graduation” holds many special memories for me. Each of my siblings’ graduations brought an exciting day of watching them stride in to the ceremony to Pomp and Circumstance, shouting their name when they grasped their diplomas, and gazing at the palate of blue as their caps composed a sea which touched the sky. What I didn’t seem to realize was that each one of these graduations also brought me closer to my own. On June 9, 2017 it was my feet in stride, my hand grasping the diploma, and my hat among the palate of blue. Experiencing graduation as an actual graduate wasn’t just exciting, but exciting mixed with so many other emotions all at once. There were surreal moments when we helped each other put on our gowns and adjust our stoles, fun moments when we danced in the black box while lining up, nervous moments when we had to walk up and down the stage stairs, proud moments when close friends received awards and diplomas, and thrilling moments when we grasped our own. There were thankful moments when we spoke with our teachers, bittersweet moments when we looked in the program at all the colleges we would be attending, and somber moments when we hugged and said goodbye knowing we wouldn’t come back to the halls of Highland or senior lounge the following Monday, or even in the Fall. But most of all, there were celebratory moments, because Class of 2017, we made it!!
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Abby Long ‘17, Kate Willey ‘17, and Mallory Bryan ‘17 after graduation in June.
“This Isn’t Goodbye Forever” By Abby Long ‘17
If you have ever been to Walt Disney World you are certainly familiar with the inexplicable feeling that magic is swirling in the air around you. Whether you’re two or 92, a first-timer or a park veteran, a Disney fanatic or a dad checking boxes on the list of memories he wants his kids to have, it is a universally accepted fact that all who venture to the theme park leave with memories that they will hold onto forever. When reflecting back on the festivities surrounding my graduation this past June, I can’t think of a better metaphor to convey the feelings that I had as my time at Highland School drew to its end. When I started school at Highland in 1st grade, I imagined myself entering this theme park full of rides and characters that I would come to know like the back of my hand over the course of the next 12 years. And sure enough, that’s exactly what happened. As I made friends and walked the halls throughout those years, I realized that the same excitement I once felt about seeing Pluto running through Mickey’s yard had adapted to a joy that came from watching my friends take on opponents on the fields or in the gym. I wasn’t singing along to Beauty and the Beast but rather those who ventured onto the stage in the Rice Theater. And I certainly had my fair share of Cinderella moments as I got to join my peers at homecomings and
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proms. I won’t go so far as to say that middle and high school were “the happiest place[s] on earth,” because let’s be honest, they can be just about as enjoyable as riding the Teacups three times in a row on occasion. But I can’t help but revisit the emotions that engulfed me as I sat in the gym surrounded by my closest friends, all of us in our caps and gowns, with the same glum attitude every child has when their parents say vacation is over. No matter how many times I told myself that graduation wasn’t marking the end but rather the beginning, I felt in my gut that the magic was over, the clock had struck midnight, and there was no way that the life I had known since I was six wasn’t about to end. What got me through it however, was knowing that just like Disney, I can always go back and feel right at home. Even though I wish I could have stayed longer, I know that the teachers who felt more like fairy godparents most of the time will now and forever be friends, and all of the wonderful memories I made will be incorporated into stories that I can tell my children about just as easily as I can put Toy Story on the television. So even though I must now move on and venture out into the world with this bittersweet feeling hanging over my head, I wish to say that I have the courage to do so because of the joy I experienced at Highland. And because I firmly believe that this isn’t goodbye forever, I must borrow the words of Mickey Mouse himself and say, “See ya real soon!” n
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News and Notes from Alumni
CLASS NOTES HELP US CELEBRATE 90 YEARS OF HIGHLAND SCHOOL! We need you! Highland is celebrating its 90th Anniversary this school year. Have a story to share with your classmates, friends, and faculty? Contact your class representative or alumni@highlandschool.org. Please note, all graduation years are listed as follows: pre-1998 are for 8th or 9th grade, from 1998 on they are for the 12th grade. Anyone who attended Highland School qualifies for alumni status, and is listed by the year they would have graduated 8th or 12th grade respectively.
1940’s Send Us Your Stories! Have a story to share with the Highland community? Please send it via email to alumni@highlandschool.org
1950’s Send Us Your Stories! Have a story to share with the Highland community? Please send it via email to alumni@highlandschool.org
1960’s Send Us Your Stories! Have a story to share with the Highland community? Please send it via email to alumni@highlandschool.org
1970’s Betty Williams Gookin ‘35 and Hope Wallach Burrage Porter ‘37 will serve as Honorary Co-Chairs of Highland’s 90th Anniversary Celebration. Read more on page 34.
1930’s Elizabeth “Betty” (Williams) Gookin ‘35, GP‘90,’93 and Hope Wallach Burrage Porter ‘37, P’67, GP’89,’94,’01,’03 are serving as Honorary CoChairs of Highland’s 90th Anniversary Celebration.
Send Us Your Stories! Have a story to share with the Highland community? Please send it via email to alumni@highlandschool.org
1980’s Michele “Chele” (Matrick) Hipp ‘82 chelehipp@gmail.com Kathryn (Sedam) Lamonia ‘88 klamonia@piccadillyltd.com
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Michele “Chele” (Matrick) Hipp ‘82 and her husband Kent wined and dined Head of School Hank Berg and Director of Advancement Marc Belanger in Winter Park, Florida, in May. They live there with their sons Rhett and Pierce. Kathryn (Sedam) Lamonia ‘88 brought her sons Thomas (9) and Andrew (7) to Highland Summer Camps this year. She reports that “they had a fantastic time and are already looking forward to next year!”
Clarissa (Fleming) Fischer ‘98 sent photos of their recent family trip to Disney. “I am the 8th grade class of 1994, and the 12th grade class of 1998. My husband Rusty and I have been married 16 years and have four kids: Jocelyn, William, Patrick and James. I am a financial coach and my husband is a combat veteran and now helps hold down the home front.”
1990’s Clarissa (Fleming) Fischer ‘98 clarissamaefleming@gmail.com Strickland “Strick” Payne ‘99 jstrickland.payne@gmail.com Charles McCormick ‘96 and wife Courtney welcomed their baby girl Cadence in May, who will hopefully join her older brother Colton ‘29 at Highland and continue the McCormick-Johnson Family legacy.
Clarissa (Fleming) Fischer ‘98 sent in this photo of her family on a recent trip to Disney.
<< Congratulations to Charles McCormick ‘96 and wife Courtney on the birth of their baby girl Cadence.
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News and Notes from Alumni
Max Tufts III ‘98, along with his wife, Jeanne-Marie, and their four children (Charlotte, Camden, and Caroline, 7, and Maximilian “Mills” IV, 2), have recently moved back to Fauquier County after having served 12 years in the United States Marines Corps as an FA-18 pilot. Max and his family are enjoying settling back into life in Warrenton, and catching up with familiar faces and friends.
2000 John O’Bannon gburgff01@yahoo.com Reynolds Oare roare@highlandschool.org Tiffany (Beker) Broadbent tiffany.l.beker@gmail.com
Max Tufts III ‘98 sent along this great photo of his triplet girls Charlotte, Camden, Caroline, and two year-old son Maximilian IV, who goes by “Mills.”
2001 Mark Miller markman130@gmail.com Dudley Payne dudleypayne@gmail.com Kate Roehr kateavril@gmail.com Mark Miller ‘01 sent in a “big family picture with Mitch Rodia ‘01, next to his fiance, Stephanie Rogers. My sister Rebecca Miller ‘07, who attended Highland from Kindergarten to eighth grade, is the tall one on the left.”
Michelle (Perry) Pais ‘01 joined Prospect 33 in February 2010, and in 2016 was promoted to Managing Director and COO and relocated with her husband, Matt Pais, to the company’s New York City office. With a global and growing presence that spans London, Montreal, DC, Singapore, Hong Kong and Poland, Michelle enjoys the opportunity to travel and to help grow the company alongside a fun, energetic, bright and talented team. When home, Michelle spends her time training for marathons, of which she has currently completed three, running with her black Lab, Porter, spending time with family and reading. Tristan Shields ‘01 is running for Virginia Delegate District 18. He writes “Just to let you know, you’ll be seeing me a lot over the next few months in Warrenton, all over District 18, online and in-person. Don’t be shy, introduce yourself and let me know if we are fellow alums. If you want to know more about me, my campaign and how I want to change our world, visit http://tristanshields.com or like my page on Facebook (@VoteTristanShields). See sidebar on page 74.
2002 Tyler Ross tylerjamesross@gmail.com Johnny Wen ‘02 writes “Happily married to my wife Joanna now for seven years. Our son, Ryland, is three years old and daughter, Lily, is one year old. We now live in
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Tristan Shields ‘01 Running for 18th District of Virginia House of Delegates in November drop in my lap, is how I wanted to live my life. It’s why after graduating from college, I moved to Memphis, Tennessee and worked as an entertainer, actor, and singer playing music in clubs on Beale Street. It’s why I auditioned for NBC’s The Voice and went to Los Angeles, CA, to be on TV’s most popular reality show. It’s also why I decided to move back to the Piedmont to start my own media business. And now, it’s why I’m running for Virginia State Delegate here in District 18. I know how hard it is to be an entrepreneur in this area. Young people leave and rarely come back. We need to keep our talent here by expanding opportunity. I am one of the few younger people in this region who came back to run a business. It’s a primary reason why I decided to run for political office. Highland instilled in me the desire to seize opportunities and the belief that I could do it. Today’s disruptive economy and uncertainties demands young people develop the ability to see opportunities among the fog and have the courage to act. It is a skill set employers are looking for and entrepreneurs and communities need. Thinking deeper, learning faster and collaborating better is how we can make the Piedmont a home of opportunity for all.
Carpe diem! The biggest gift I received from Highland School was the life lesson to seize the day. When I played guitar in the hallways, nobody told me to stop. When I decided to set up a rather precarious scaffold for our abridged production of Hamlet, they let me do my thing (in retrospect that was not my safest idea). I was even able to play team sports I never thought I would. After watching me get more fouls than points in basketball, Coach Leake urged me to play lacrosse. Finally, all this was going on while the steady support and encouragement for academic success became the foundation of my time at Highland. These experiences cemented my belief, as an adult, that seizing opportunity and not waiting for things to
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I have been in the music business during the most tumultuous time ever for that industry. Technology and changing distribution systems have completely displaced a generation of creative professionals. Learning to pivot, bounce back, fail, try new things are all essential skills necessary to live and lead today. Highland offered me experiences that prepared me for a world of accelerated change. For that, I am grateful. Just to let you know, you’ll be seeing me a lot over the next few months in Warrenton, District 18, online and in-person. Don’t be shy, introduce yourself and let me know if we are fellow alums. If you want to know more about me, my campaign and how I want to change our world, visit http://tristanshields.com or like my page on Facebook (@VoteTristanShields).
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News and Notes from Alumni
Fairfax. Joanna is an optometrist and owns her own practice in Manassas. I’m a technology consulting manager with Accenture in DC. Last summer the four of us traveled to Iceland and Hungary to celebrate Andras’ (‘02) wedding. We just returned from Colorado for my wife’s family reunion and are planning a road trip to New Orleans this fall.”
Stu Stoley ‘03 and his wife Billie Shay Soley live on the island of Maui in Hawaii with their 10 month old daughter Keegan.
12, 2016 and it’s going great! Its location on the beautiful property of The Maui Tropical Plantation attracts both locals and visitors from all over the world which makes everyday a beautiful mix of life. We feel truly blessed and are excited for the what each day brings. Aloha and A Hui Hou!
2004 Johnny Wen ‘02 and his wife Joanna recently took in a Washington Nationals game with daughter Lily (1) and son Ryland (3).
2003 Caleigh Megless cmegless@gmail.com Stu Soley ‘03 writes “Our family has had a busy 2016/17. My wife, Billie Shay Soley, and I had the true blessing of bringing Keegan Makena Soley into the world December 29, 2016. What a way to start out the new year! We are currently living in our beautiful home in Pukalani, Hawaii, and are both working hard but finding time to play and enjoy the beautiful paradise. We opened our Boutique Gallery, Soley Aloha Boutique and Gallery, November
Brooke Howard tbh@hhlawva.com Jamie Gravett jamie@primetime-limos.com Brittany (Carlton) O’Bannon brittcrltn@gmail.com
2005 Ainsley Dickens ainsley.dickens@gmail.com Rachel (Shutt) Gravett rachel@primetime-limos.com Melanie Loba ‘05 sent along photos of her beautiful wedding held in June in southern Virginia. Melanie has worked works at MITRE since 2013. She started
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Dennis and Donna Loba shared a photo with their daughter Melanie and her new husband Franklin Shere.
Highland alumnae at the Loba Shere wedding were (left to right) Meghan Warman ’05, Lauren Kruck ’06, Melanie (Loba) Shere ‘05, Angelica (Windland) Newham ’05, Jocelyn (Leu) Meloy ’06, Adrienne Rinella ’05 and Jillian (Gorsuch) Paff ’06.
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News and Notes from Alumni
Caleigh Megless ‘03 married Philipp Schmidt in August surrounded by family and friends at a ranch in Bozeman, Montana.
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in the Marine Corps program in Quantico before moving to their corporate headquarters in McLean. Melanie’s wedding included lots of Highland graduates including Meghan Warman ‘05, Lauren Kruck ’06, Angelica (Windland) Newham ’05, Jocelyn (Leu) Meloy ’06, Adrienne Rinella ’05 and Jillian (Gorsuch) Paff ’06. Melanie’s mom, Donna, is a prekindergarten teacher in Highland’s Lower School.
2006 Paige (Statler) Wines paigeswines@gmail.com McClain (Bell) Herman mcclain.bell3@gmail.com .
Share Your Stories with Classmates and Friends Celebrating a special event? Want to reconnect with your classmates, friends, and faculty? Send stories to alumni@highlandschool.org and we’ll include your update in an upcoming issue. go to www.facebook.com/ HighlandHawksAlumni go to www.linkedin.com and search for ‘Highland School Alumni’ to join group
Connect with alumni and friends at
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Samantha (Casey) Coleman ‘06 has fond memories of Highland. Since then life has quickly moved on from graduating from the College of William and Mary to meeting her now husband, Michael Coleman, a United States Secret Service Agent. A little over a year ago, Samantha and her husband Michael moved back to Warrenton to be closer to family and the wonderful people of Fauquier County. Eight months later, by the grace of God, her husband survived a life-threatening motorcycle accident while on the job outside of the White House. He was hit head-on by an SUV and taken in a helicopter to the DC Medstar Trauma Center. Of course, it’s no surprise that since Samantha was eight and a half months pregnant at the time, with everything that had happened, their daughter Charleston arrived three weeks early. Samantha counts her blessings every day and is so grateful for the life lessons and experiences that Highland School, teachers, and other students/alumni taught her. Now that she is back in the area she is hoping to get more involved in the alumni efforts at Highland.
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Spotlight on Alumni
Ryan Dunn ‘06 married Lauren Corke on May 13 in Washington, D.C. His three best friends from Highland all served as “Best Man” in the wedding - classmates Chris Callaway ‘06, Austen Allen ‘06, and Ben Gillette ‘06.
2007 Courtney Brewer brewer_c@lynchburg.edu
and concert where the couple met years prior on New Year’s Eve. The band celebrated the occasion with the couple’s favorite song at midnight. The two recently relocated to Augusta, Georgia, where Brandon will continue to coach and teach as well as offer the specialized knowledge on outdoor leadership he gained from his National Outdoor Leadership Studies (NOLS) training in Patagonia.
2008 Callie Broaddus callie.broaddus@gmail.com Lauren Keyser keyserlmk@gmail.com Read the article by Callie Broaddus ‘08 about Emily Dale ‘08 on page 52.
2009 Molly Statler mstatler2@gmail.com Joe Johnson ‘09 and wife Rachel welcomed a baby girl Amelia in July.
Brandon Perry ‘07 vacationed with sister Michelle Perry Pais ‘01 in the Outer Banks, their lifelong family vacation destination. Read about Michelle on page 65.
Brandon Perry ‘07 finished his fifth year teaching and coaching at Fredericksburg Academy, where he was named Conference Coach of the Year after leading the Varsity Boys Lacrosse team to a DAC Regular Season Championship. Engaged to Dr. Kirstie French, a recent medical school graduate practicing pharmacy with a focus on Veterans Affairs, the two are planning a September 2018 wedding in Middleburg. Brandon proposed on December 31 at an Infamous Stringdusters show in Richmond, the same venue
Fall 2017 Highland Magazine 79
News and Notes from Alumni
2010
John Bounds johnbounds0121@gmail.com
Phoebe Krumich pkrumich@highlandschool.org
2016
Brendon McCann brendonmccannjr@gmail.com
Bailey Babcox bbabcox@highpoint.edu
2011
Rich Gerhardt herhrj16@wfu.edu
Class Representative Needed Interested? Contact alumni@highlandschool.org
2017
2012 Sarah Henry smh7tp@virginia.edu
2013
Annie Pendleton apendletonhs@gmail.com Manti Batistas Batistas.manti@yahoo.com Congratulations to the Class of 2017. For a complete matriculation list, please go to page 81.
Lauren Frye lauren.frye@enmu.edu Simon Schwartz simon.am.schwartz@gmail.com Jess Shaw jcs8bs@virginia.edu Victoria “Tori” Hall ‘13 graduated from Yale University with a major in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. Tori has just started at Duke where she is pursuing a PhD in Neuroscience. She recently received a National Science Foundation fellowship.
2014 Gus Moshos gusmoshos10@gmail.com Mimi Robinson mimisscene@yahoo.com
2015 Olivia “Liv” Bell oliviabell19@gmail.com
80 Highland Magazine
Share Your Stories with Classmates and Friends Celebrating a special event? Want to reconnect with your classmates, friends, and faculty? Send stories to alumni@highlandschool.org and we’ll include your update in an upcoming issue. go to www.facebook.com/ HighlandHawksAlumni go to www.linkedin.com and search for ‘Highland School Alumni’ to join group
Connect with alumni and friends at
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Congratulations to the Class of 2017! Ahmed, Hodman Howard University
Lee, Joon Pennsylvania State University
Schulz, Emily Virginia Tech
Bartley, Richard Kansas State University
Lerman, Noah Sewanee: The University of the South
Silvernale, Jack Randolph-Macon College
Batistas, Diamanti Gettysburg College Bazaco, Christopher Virginia Tech Blackburn, Kyle Wake Forest University Blackburn, Trent Wake Forest University Bryan, Mallory North Carolina State University, Park Scholar
Long, Abagail University of Virginia Long, Alara Virginia Commonwealth University Long, Sawyer Denison University Lutz, Madeleine The University of Tampa Mainali, Rohan College of William and Mary
Buss, Sky PR @ Partners Cosmetology School
Marino, Andrew Colorado School of Mines
Champion, Erica Gettysburg College
Martinez, Anthony University of Mary Washington
Clifford, Katherine Franklin & Marshall College
Massimiano, Julia Sewanee: The University of the South
Daum, Jacob College of William and Mary Day, Austin Randolph-Macon College Driskill, William Hampden-Sydney College Eicher, Ashton Bridgewater College Ferrell, Emily Wofford College Graves, Tucker Lafayette College Hartley, Mac Wofford College Hoerner, Stefanie Franklin & Marshall College Kerns, James Christopher Newport University Kinsella, Isobel Gap Year â&#x20AC;&#x201C; England Kidd, Elijah University of Virginia
McGrath, Ethan Christopher Newport University Mulford, Preston College of William and Mary Myers, Kathryn High Point University Nelson, Sophie Randolph-Macon College Pahari, Savarna Virginia Commonwealth University, Honors College Pendleton, Anne Dickinson College Pittman, Joshua St. Bonaventure University Place, Hailey Samford University Robinson, James Christopher Newport University Rodgers, Maddie Clemson University
Simon, Andrew Cornell University Simon, Matthew Cornell University Singleton, Daniel High Point University Smith, Kyle Christopher Newport University Stephan, Timothy Rider University Teach, Shelby Bakersfield College Tomlinson, Tal Virginia Tech Tucker, Jaymen Delaware College of Art and Design Washington, Crishon Pennsylvania State University, Millennium Scholar Weber, Ryan College of William and Mary Welch, Taylor Virginia Tech White, Conor Emory & Henry College Whitehead, Kathryn College of William and Mary Whitner, Harrison Virginia Tech Willey, Katherine Wake Forest University Zoller, Jacob Emory & Henry College Zugel, Cecilia Dartmouth College
In Memoriam
was unwavering and boundless. It was impossible to meet Jacob and not end up with a smile on your face. He could always brighten the lives of those who knew him. His love and adoration for his nieces was especially heart warming. Jacob was an experiential talent; he was a hands-on learner from his elementary years and he never stopped adopting and adapting to become better at his true loves in life. Jacob was an avid and extraordinary fisherman, mostly self-taught and in all types of waters. His interests were varied and went well beyond the rod and reel. He loved and lived nature, on his own and with friends. He was a lifelong Chicago Cubs and Chicago Bears fan, could sing from oldies to country to hip-hop, could cook a five-star duck a l’orange, and could lay out a marketing plan for a fledging company with detail, style and creativity. He loved to travel with friends and family and had a special love for snorkeling the family favorite vacation spots in the Virgin Islands as well as with friends in Bermuda. Whether it was Italy or Egypt, the Rockies or the Blue Ridge, he was always ready to hit the road since he always knew that when he got where he was heading, he would know ‘it doesn’t get better than this’.
IN MEMORIAM Jacob Mark Blackwell ‘11 beloved son, brother, brother-in-law, uncle, nephew, cousin and friend passed away on Sunday, August 13, 2017. Jacob was 24 years old. Jacob was born in Highland Park, IL and moved to Virginia with his family while just a toddler. After graduating from high school, he moved to North Carolina for his college years. He worked for a period in Annapolis, MD; however, the outlook for a new career and a family need called him home to Virginia late last year. Jacob was the consummate people person. He was always at the front of the line to make people laugh, feel relaxed and included. His love and dedication to his family and friends
82 Highland Magazine
Jacob graduated as a ‘Lifer’ from Highland School in Warrenton, VA and attended High Point University, graduating in 2015 with a Bachelors in Strategic Communications. He was a member of Delta Sigma Phi fraternity. He is survived by his parents, Richard and Linda Blackwell of Gainesville VA; and siblings Gina Saenz of Bartlet IL, and Jonathon and Leslie Blackwell of New York, NY. Jacob was preceded in death by his sister Andrea Saenz of Gainesville, VA; his grandparents Mark and Mardell Blackwell of Terre Haute, IN; and his great grandparents Juan and Margarita Rodriguez of Pearland, TX. His extended family includes the Alan and Cathy Blackwell family of Indiana and Wisconsin, the Michael and Mary Blackwell family of Mississippi and Alabama, and the Charles and Tammy Blackwell family of Texas.
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Save the Date for the 90th Anniversary Gala Auction and Reunion!
Join us on Saturday, April 14, 2018 to celebrate 90 years
Starting this fall, we will be celebrating the 90th Anniversary of the founding of Highland School. One of the highlights of the year will be our 90th Anniversary Gala Auction and Reunion that will take place on the Highland campus on Saturday, April 14, 2018. We hope to have alumni from every decade join us on what will certainly be an enjoyable evening of celebration, recollection, and reconnecting. To learn more about this and other 90th anniversary celebrations, please visit www.highlandschool.org/events.
YEARS
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