ST. GEORGE’S
Geronimo turns
ST. GEORGE’S
FEATURES
8 Prior to the premiere Director offers a look inside theater production
14 Pushing it to the limit
Allie Skelley, St. George’s senior associate director of admission and head boys’ varsity hockey coach, paddleboards for a cause
18 Celebrating 50 years of Geronimo A reflection on St. George’s signature program
32 1966 classmates reconnect to publish children’s book
Denis O’Neill and Cyrus Quadland collaborate to create “Bradford’s Walk”
DEPARTMENTS
02 Letter from the Head of School
03 Campus News
29 Alumni News
38 Class Notes
80 Student Essay
81 From the Archives
ON THE COVER Geronimo at sea.
The St. George’s Bulletin is published biannually. It's printed on 8 pt. Stirling Matte Cover and 70-pound Stirling Matte text by Lane Press, South Burlington, Vermont. Typefaces used are Antwerp, Brix Sans and Brix Slab. Please send correspondence to bulletin_editor@ stgeorges.edu © 2024 St. George's School
OUR MISSION The specific objectives of St. George’s are to give its students the opportunity of developing to the fullest extent possible the particular gifts that are theirs and to encourage in them the desire to do so. Their immediate job after leaving school is to handle successfully the demands of college; later it is hoped that their lives will be ones of constructive service to the world and to God.
Today, we continue to teach our students the value of learning and achievement, service to others and respect for the individual. We believe that these goals can best be accomplished by exposing students to a wide range of ideas and choices in the context of a rigorous curriculum and a supportive residential community. Therefore, we welcome students and teachers of various talents and backgrounds, and we encourage their dedication to a multiplicity of pursuits — intellectual, spiritual and physical — that will enable them to succeed in and contribute to a complex, changing world.
The Bulletin of ST. GEORGE’S SCHOOL
Michael C. Wirtz Head of School
Jedd Whitlock Director of Advancement
Suzanne McGrady Director of Communications
Tia Rogers
Associate Director of Constituent Engagement
Jeremy Moreau Web Manager
Ian Vescera Digital Communications Specialist
Adam Bastien Designer
INSIDE COVER Geronimo Program Director and Captain Mike Dawson leads a lesson on board the boat.
From the Hilltop
One of my favorite things about working in a school is seeing students push through challenges, accomplishing something they once thought impossible. These moments, whether big or small, build resilience and help students gain confidence. Most often, they expand a student’s view of what they feel is possible, opening the world for further exploration. In as much as the change is cognitive, you also see it manifest physically; a smile breaks across their face, as they realize what just occurred and they become swept up in the moment and in the joy of learning.
I am fortunate to see this happen again and again here at St. George’s. The school teems with opportunities for students to challenge themselves to create an ever-growing comfort zone, whether in the classroom or beyond. I am confident that when today’s students look back on their time on the Hilltop, their recollections will resonate with feedback I have heard repeatedly from alumni: St. George’s created some their most impactful educational moments. It is within that context that this edition of The St. George’s Bulletin includes several stories of learning and growth that result from pushing beyond the comfortable to experience the type of positive friction necessary for learning.
The arts, whether visual or performing, are integral to a St. George’s education and a wonderful laboratory for student growth. In the first feature story, Kaitlin Lawrence, Director of Theater and Dance, shares insights on theater at SG and this year’s productions. Her “yes and” philosophy helps students push themselves and promotes the type of powerful learning born of participating in a theater production.
St. George’s faculty model a willingness to push through their own challenges, embracing the learning that these moments create. Senior Associate Director of Admission Allie Skelley
paddleboarded around Aquidneck Island last summer, one of several endurance feats he has completed to raise money for spinal cord injuries. His story is as inspiring as it is incredible.
This edition’s cover story on Geronimo celebrates 50 years of a program that is all about the type of learning that results from new experiences that push one’s level of comfort. Beyond the adventure of exploring different areas of the world, Geronimo represents for many students a unique opportunity to test their limits, physically, mentally, and socially. The stories (and student-generated videos during assembly!) are filled with the joy of learning, something that students carry with them for a lifetime. Although the trips are shorter than when the program first began, we are seeing increased demand from students; over the last four years, 208 students traveled on Geronimo. At this point, it is difficult to imagine St. George’s without Geronimo, as the vessel (the school’s second) and the program are integral to the experience of today’s students.
I hope you enjoy reading these stories in The St. George’s Bulletin, alongside various updates and images from campus, including the Arden/ Diman/Eccles renovation, Prize Day, and Reunion Weekend. There is also a wonderful story about two alumni from the Class of 1966 who reconnected to illustrate and publish a children’s book, strengthening the bonds of a friendship that was born over 50 years ago on the Hilltop.
There are so many great things happening at St. George’s now, providing everyone connected with the school opportunities to be proud of the learning opportunities for today’s students. I welcome alumni, parents of alumni, and friends back to campus to witness this work firsthand, perhaps even sharing stories of how St. George’s helped you push beyond your own limitations.
Alumni checked out the latest renovation work in the Arden-Diman-Eccles complex during a tour with Director of Campus Planning and Operations George Staples over Alumni Weekend. They are pictured here inside the new addition in Diman Hall, which will contain a new common room for all students as well as a space for day students. Arden Hall is set to reopen this September and house 34 girls. Boys are scheduled to move back into Eccles Hall in 2025.
If walls could talk
These items were found during the demolition phase of the renovation of Arden Hall, which was built in 1907.
LENTEN CARD
ACADEMIC DAILY SCHEDULE
We learned that this double-sided schedule belonged to Thomas Hoopes, Class of 1960.
PATIO ROOT BEER CAN
In 1963, PepsiCo Inc. launched Patio Diet Cola, which came in three flavors: orange, grape, and root beer. It was conceived as a sugar-free alternative for people with diabetes. After a year, the cola was rebranded as Diet Pepsi. Fans of “Mad Men” may recall the short-lived brand being featured in season 3, episode 4, when Sal produced a Patio television commercial.
LANCE SUBMISSIONS
This double-sided Lenten card featured the schedule for the season in 1947. The back of this card, titled “What a Christian Ought to Do,” outlines a list of expectations for students during Lent.
Two photos were found, matted and coded for what we believe were submissions to The Lance.
ALLEN GINSBERG POSTER-CARD
This postcard, featuring a 1966 photo of Ginsberg at a peace demonstration in Central Park to stop the war in Vietnam, shows it addressed to a “Mr. Alexander B. Toland, Jr.,” whom we have not been able to find in our database. It was sent from Bennett College, an all-girls school in Millbrook, New York, which went bankrupt and closed in 1978.
“CANOE OF FATE” POSTCARD
This postcard features a 1974 painting by artist Roy De Forest. It is believed this postcard was purchased from the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which has the artwork in its collection.
“A JOYFUL EASTER” POSTCARD
Ralph Kirlin was a student at St. George’s School, born in Montclair, New Jersey, in 1891, who later attended both Harvard and Yale universities.
Celebrating
the one hundred and twenty - first
One hundred three graduates received their diplomas on the Front Steps on May 26, 2024.
Connor Hadfield ’25 and Christina Xiang ’24 starred in this year’s production of “Romeo and Juliet.”
Prior to the premiere
Director offers a look inside theater production
Each year, Director of Theater and Dance Kaitlin Lawrence thinks long and hard before she announces the productions for the upcoming school year, but when she announced that the 2023-24 play would be Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” she knew she would be asking for the cast and crew to truly stretch their talents.
One of the biggest challenges? Language, she said. Students, including Connor Hadfield ’25, who played Romeo, and Christina Xiang ’24, who played Juliet, had to learn lines written in Early Modern English, a linguistic period that lasted from approximately 1500 to 1750.
Looking back on the production now, Ms. Lawrence, who directs and choreographs the annual play and annual musical, and who teaches Theater I and Theater II, says it all came down to committing to the process.
“The cast had an amazing work ethic in regards to memorizing their lines. They understood that ‘acting’ cannot even begin until the lines are memorized,” she said. “I wanted the language to feel natural and the script to be abridged so that we may be able to make this tragic love story more accessible to any audience members that may not feel a connection to the Shakespearean language.”
The cast members would all sit together before each scene and make sure that everyone fully understood what was happening, determine the emotional state of their characters, and had a chance to discuss what they wanted to convey with that scene. It was the same when the cast of “Mean Girls” came together for the annual musical this year.
Another crucial aspect of any theater production that requires a lot of practice and preparation is the blocking of scenes, Ms. Lawrence added. This entails positioning actors on stage, and determining where they will be moving to most effectively showcase the scene. After that, the other intricate details of a scene need to be accounted for: what props will be used, who will bring them on and off stage, how lighting and sound might be added in, and more.
Once all of those elements have been fleshed out, it is time for tech week — the week before a play — where all of the technical elements of the show, like lighting and full costumes, are incorporated into the performance of scenes.
“The first couple of days, we start and stop a lot to make sure that everything moves smoothly and safely and complements the story being told. And then our goal is to run
it at least twice without stopping before we have an audience,” Ms. Lawrence said.
During tech week, the rehearsals don’t always run according to plan, but the cast and crew rise to the occasion to work through the kinks before opening night.
“It is a joy to watch them work together, to step in and help each other if someone forgets a line or a prop. That is the magic of theater,” Ms. Lawrence added. “Everyone must work as a team to make this intricate backstage choreography work so that the audience walks away thinking about the story and how easy we made it look.”
While the director is critical to the success of the show from assigning the cast their roles, working with actors to nail their lines, and pushing them to be the best they can be — Ms. Lawrence views the students as the ones who are in charge of the show and she wants to empower them to own the performance.
“One phrase that I love is, ‘YES … AND.’ It is an improvisation idea that translates into any safe creative space and beyond,” she said. “The basic concept of these two words is that you are open to all ideas, you are willing to look for solutions, and you will do whatever it takes to keep the show going!”
Winter musical: Mean Girls Winter musical: Mean Girls
The St. George’s Performing Arts program’s winter musical was, “Mean Girls.” In total, more than 40 students, faculty, staff members and Parents Committee volunteers contributed to the success of this production. “It was an honor to have so many new faces in the cast and crew this year,” Director of Theater and Dance Kaitlin Lawrence said. “I am most proud of how everyone rose to the creative challenge of making this well-known story their own! The cast and crew paid attention to details and were able to present a fully student-run production.”
HISTORIC WINS HISTORIC WINS
Girls’ varsity basketball, boys’ varsity swim & dive teams win NEPSAC Championships for the first time in program histories.
The girls’ varsity basketball team won their first-ever NEPSAC Class B Championship, defeating Beaver Country Day 57-30 in the finals with Mia Fiore ’24 (inset left) earning tournament MVP. The girls ended the year on a 11-game winning streak to finish with a 24-4 record, which set a new program record for wins in a season. The team also received numerous accolades for their play this season in Class B: Laura Johnson-Shedd ’24 (inset right) was named Defensive Player of the Year, Olivia Healy was named Coach of the Year (inset middle), and four players were named NEPSAC All-Stars — Mia, Laura, Aleah Bracey ’25, and Molly Donovan ‘25.
The boys' varsity swim & dive team claimed their first-ever NEPSAC Division II Championship, defeating seven other teams at the meet. The boys scored 401 total points across 12 events, which was 121.5 more points than the next closest school. In total, Dragons finished in the top three for 10 of 12 events, including wins in the 200-yard freestyle relay, the 400-yard freestyle relay, and Cash Martin ’24 (right) in the 1-meter dive, to round out a true team effort. The team was coached by Tim Anderson, who was in his first year on the Hilltop, and also helped lead the boys to the EIL/ISL Championship win.
Academic Spotlight Students rave about
their favorite classes
I think history is an important class because it really allows us to connect with our past. In order to know our future and in order to live in our present, I think that understanding and knowing our past is important. This year, in class I not only understood more about neighboring cultures, but also my own. The project that I worked on very thoroughly throughout the year was my history paper, learning about revolutionaries and learning about independence in Greece really opened my eyes. ”
AJ ’26 – HUMANITIES II: HISTORY
I’m into STEM, and I really like looking for an answer through math because our physics class is algebra based and I really enjoyed algebra last year. I like knowing which formulas to apply in which situations — and physics really gives us an answer for the little things …”
Noelani ’25 – PHYSICS
We did a project where we were using welding tools to create anatomical human figures and motions. I have a passion for art and a passion for being creative in general. It’s what I want to do in college, and so being in that class, I am able to exercise that muscle.
It’s just really fun. ”
Banya ’24 – 3D DESIGN
Right now, I am doing a project on fast fashion and how that impacts the world around us. I am super interested in learning more about the fashion industry and I am very happy that I was able to take that opportunity here at St. George’s. ”
Charlotte ’25 – ADVANCED ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
My favorite course is my Economics course because my teacher previously worked as a lawyer on Wall Street, and he is able to connect the topics from the book to real-world scenarios that he has worked through and lived through. ”
Troy ’24 – ECONOMICS
We get to learn about law terms. We get to have mock trials, and it’s super hands-on. We just finished ‘As I Lay Dying’ by William Faulkner and it was my favorite one. ”
Laura ’24 – CRIMINAL LAW AND LITERATURE
I really like this class because I really like reading mystery novels. I was always interested in [them] as a kid. I love that the class is discussion-based and interactive — and I think [Mr. Hyson] is a really great teacher. ” J ake ’24 – DETECTIVE FICTION
I find it super interesting to learn about different parts of the world. We also just finished learning about the Industrial Revolution, so it’s great learning about how our world came to be. And my teacher is also super passionate about the course, so the energy in the classroom is always super fun, and everyone is always participating. ”
Celia ’26 – HUMANITIES II: HISTORY
Although I had not taken Spanish before I came here, since I’ve come here, it is definitely one of the most interesting classes I have taken. My favorite part of this class this year was making a project called El Dia de los Muertos. … I thought it was very creative and very fun. ”
Zoe ’26 – SPANISH
8 HOURS, 39 SECONDS.
That’s how long it took Allie Skelley, St. George’s senior associate director of admission and head boys’ varsity hockey coach, to paddleboard 34 miles around Aquidneck Island in an effort to raise money for individuals and families affected by a spinal cord injury.
“I think I’m still sort of processing it,” Mr. Skelley said. “It was so much because of the planning and the organizing and the danger of the whole thing. There’s definitely a sense of relief and certainly a sense of accomplishment.”
This was the eighth year that Mr. Skelley has gone above and beyond to push himself to his physical limits to raise awareness and money for spinal cord injuries. Mr. Skelley, a spinal cord injury survivor himself, has previously done a variety of endurance challenges, including running the Boston Marathon twice; hiking the 11 highest ski mountains in New Hampshire in 24 hours, and paddling across Lake Winnipesaukee, biking 70 miles to Mount Washington, and finishing it off with a hike up Tuckerman Ravine — all in one day.
“People ask, ‘Why would you do this, first of all? How can you do it?’ But for me, what’s the alternative? And that’s being a quadriplegic and living my life in a wheelchair. I was this close to doing that,” Mr. Skelley said.
Mr. Skelley suffered his spinal cord injury in December 2002. While playing as a captain on the St. Lawrence University hockey team, he was hit from behind and went into the boards. After the hit, he immediately lost all feeling in his body.
Within a few minutes, he felt a tingling sensation throughout his body and feeling returned. Mr. Skelley was quickly taken to the hospital and underwent an emergency spinal fusion surgery to repair his broken neck and
Mr. Skelley joined the Admission team at the beginning of the 2023-2024 academic year.
several dislocated vertebrae. He spent the next seven days in the hospital before completing a four-month recovery at home.
The hit would end his hockey career.
“It starts off like, ‘Why me? Why did this happen to me?’ But then that shifts to, ‘No, it wasn’t unlucky,’” Mr. Skelley said. “‘You were lucky that you’re not living your life in a wheelchair.’” Despite the appreciation for his full recovery, it has left Mr. Skelley with “survivor’s guilt,” which has been a big part of his motivation for doing these endurance challenges.
“This is my therapy — doing these crazy adventures,” Mr. Skelley said. “So that’s on the personal side, but it’s also being able to raise a lot of money and a lot of awareness for the cause, which is important to me.”
So how does Mr. Skelley come up with these difficult challenges?
His inspiration for the Aquidneck Island paddleboard journey came while attending a gala for SCIboston, the nonprofit spinal cord organization he is fundraising for.
While at the gala, Mr. Skelley said, another individual who also suffered and recovered form a spinal cord injury spoke about how he had previously swum all the way around Aquidneck Island.
“Ever since I moved down here eight years ago, I thought it would be cool to somehow get around the island — and I knew that for me it wasn’t going to be swimming,” Mr. Skelley said. “I had done some paddleboarding, but I didn’t even know if it was possible.”
With the idea in place, the logistics came next. Mr. Skelley amped up his weight training prior to the paddle, increased cardio work, and made sure to get on the water and paddle. Even still, he said two hours was the longest he had paddleboarded for, six hours shorter than the challenge ahead. The board Mr. Skelley used was loaned to him by a professional paddleboarder, ensuring that he had one sturdy enough to withstand the water for the entire time.
The paddle around Aquidneck Island began for Mr. Skelley on Aug. 22 at 5:30 a.m. at Third Beach. He went counterclockwise around the island, ending at the Fort Adams area in Newport.
Every 45 minutes to an hour, Mr. Skelley stopped paddling and received a granola bar or peanut butter sandwich and some water from the support boat that followed for his safety. Other than these brief stops to fuel up, it was just Mr. Skelley and the open ocean. He didn’t listen to podcasts or music. He just focused on the task at hand. It was just him, his life jacket, the paddle, and the board.
“Even if it’s enjoyable, who wants to do anything for eight hours?” Mr. Skelley said.
“There’s a lot of mental focus to stay on the board. If you get sidetracked, you’re going to fall off.”
Mr. Skelley said this challenge was very demanding, due to the hot sun, and his shoulders, legs, and feet getting sore. Once he finally reached the Newport Bridge, Mr. Skelley said he
knew he was in the home stretch and was excited to reach the finish, where a great crew waited to support him upon his arrival, including SG employees Ryan Mulhern, Jeff Nadeau, and Sarah Mongan, as well as Doug Frey, the head of SCIboston, and Mr. Skelley’s family.
Reflecting on all of the physical challenges Mr. Skelley has done and the injury he suffered, he said the injury has had a “profound effect” on the way he lives his life.
“Every morning when I wake up and swing my legs to the side of the bed and my feet hit the ground and I can feel them and stand up, I feel grateful for that. I was this close to not being able to do that and that’s no joke. Every single morning of my life, I feel grateful,” he said.
In 2023, Mr. Skelley raised nearly $10,000 and has raised more than $150,000 in total for spinal cord injuries between SCIboston and the Travis Roy Foundation.
“This is my way to raise money and awareness for people who weren’t as lucky. They’re my motivation, they’re my inspiration.”
In his first year as head coach, Mr. Skelley led the boys’ varsity hockey team to an ISL Eberhart Division title with a 23-4-1 record. The team also qualified for the NEPSAC Elite 8 tournament for the first time in school history.
Mr. Skelley began his counterclockwise route around Aquidneck Island at 5:30 a.m. from Third Beach.
Celebrating 50 Years of GERONIMO
When eight students boarded Geronimo in Athens, Greece, on June 4, 2024, it marked a notable anniversary for St. George’s oldest signature program: It had been 50 years since St. George’s began the school-at-sea program that endures to this day. Throughout the past five decades, more than 1,650 students have experienced a trip aboard Geronimo they’ll never forget. Acceptance to the Geronimo program does not require sail training, only a solid academic record and a willingness to learn how to operate and adapt to life aboard a ship — and for many, the journey has been transformational. In fact, dozens of alumni have gone on to study marine science and work in the field, crediting the Geronimo program for sparking their initial interest.
The beginning
IN THE 1970S, the goal of creating an academic program that brought students out to sea was a Board of Trustees initiative, passionately pursued by trustee Jonathan T. Isham ’46, P’78, who served on the board from 1967 to 1980. “For a long time, I had felt that it was important for St. George’s to emphasize its proximity to the ocean,” Mr. Isham recounted in an interview before his death in February 2023. “The uniqueness of St. George’s is the sea! ... [We should] encourage students to come to St. George’s because of the opportunity they might have in the ocean.”
Captain and founder of the Geronimo program Stephen Connett worked closely with Mr. Isham, the board, and many other key supporters to develop the program. “Jon Isham, without a doubt, was the driving force behind the whole thing,” Mr. Connett recalled recently. “Jon was really interested in getting some kind of permanent, scientific, oceanographic presence at the school and, if possible, to do that with a boat.”
In the summer of 1974, buoyed by the success of a pilot program the previous year on a donated boat that was eventually sold, students took part in a new course in oceanology, designed and run by Captain Connett and outlined in the May/ June 1974 edition of the St. George’s Bulletin. Announced as “an advanced high school seminar in ichthyology, concentrating on sharks and bioluminescent fishes,” the Deepwater Oceanology Seminar, it said, would “be taught aboard the school’s oceanographic research vessel, Geronimo,” of which the school had taken ownership in December 1973.
The first Geronimo was a 54-foot auxiliary yawl designed by William Tripp and built of aluminum by Abeking & Rasmussen. By the winter of 1973 it had been laid up for a few years and the owner, James Grove of St. Louis and New York, knew it needed a new home.
Mr. Connett reveled in the school’s good fortune when he first spotted the boat at the Newport Shipyard in 1973. Geronimo was a solid ship with a solid reputation: Helmed by Tripp, she was the Class A winner at the first Block Island Race Week, in 1965. What’s more, St. George’s was in a good position to purchase her. With proceeds from the sale of a previously donated boat and a number of donations for the program, St. George’s now had a fund for ongoing maintenance of a large vessel fit for the program the school had envisioned.
Science and sailing
WHEN HE WAS HIRED IN 1973, Mr. Connett was an experienced ocean-racing yacht skipper with bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, who was studying for his Ph.D. at the University of Rhode Island. He was hired to teach English and navigation — and to take responsibility for bringing St. George’s signature school-at-sea program to life. Besides academic study and practical research, the students in Captain Connett’s Deepwater Oceanology Seminar in the summer of 1974 received “instruction in the safe handling of a sailing vessel in coastal and ocean waters.” Students were expected to stand watches, handle sails, and help with all the housekeeping chores. “We feel strongly that sailing aboard Geronimo will develop in the students the disciplined habits of sailors, a better understanding of the sea, and a greater sensitivity to [humankind’s] relationship with the ocean environment,” Mr. Connett wrote at the time.
During the first week and a half of the course, students spent time in the mornings in the DuPont Science Building laboratories learning
about shark anatomy, feeding habits, reproduction, and migration patterns. In the afternoons, they went on board Geronimo to learn about emergency procedures, sail handling, and the handling of oceanographic equipment.
Geronimo then set sail for 10 days, during which time the students set longlines about 40 miles south of Nomans Land to tag sharks, fished for bioluminescent fishes in the Gulf Stream, and then sailed to Bermuda, where they toured the island and collected specimens of tropical fish.
When Geronimo departed Bermuda that summer in 1974, students set longlines off the Bermuda reefs, studied shark parasites, and collected data to forward to Dr. Ronald A. Campbell at Southeastern Massachusetts University, who was studying shark parasitology. Five scientists from the National Marine Fisheries Service — John Casey, Harold Wes Pratt, Charles Stillwell, Larry Lingren, and Peter Sabo — were also part of the program.
After that first summer program, Stevie Connett and his wife, Babbie, an accomplished sailor herself, worked for months designing a yearlong program that could truly become integrated into the St. George’s curriculum, taking students on multiweek trips during the school year. The first fall Geronimo trip was in 1975.
Key to the early success of the Geronimo program, recalled Mr. Connett, was the academic prowess of the first student crews. “They were smart kids who could handle the rigor of studying independently aboard the boat,” he said.
The Second Geronimo
IN THE LATE 1990s, it became clear that the Geronimo program could benefit from a new boat, one specifically designed to take crews of high school students out to sea. J. Philip “Phip” Lee, a former member of the SG Board of Trustees who served as a key member of the board’s
Marine Committee, agreed. “In order to have a topflight program, we needed a more modern vessel,” Lee said in an interview in 1998.
Support for the initiative was resounding. Fundraising for the new boat, which ended up costing a little more than $1 million, became part of the school’s 1996 Centennial Campaign, which was directed by Assistant Head of School for External Affairs Joe Gould and which in total raised $36.6 million. Everyone — from students to teachers to alumni and friends — weighed in on the decision to build Geronimo, according to Lee.
On Sunday, Sept. 20, 1998, the new boat, a 70-foot cutter designed by the Ted Hood Design Group and built by Safe Harbor New England Boatworks in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, was christened at Fort Adams in Newport in front of the entire St. George’s community. Board Chair Betsy Michel and Chrissy Connett Mulligan ’87, who grew up with her brother Steve on the first Geronimo, culminated the ceremony with the traditional breaking of the champagne bottle across the bow. The new Geronimo was dedicated to Stevie Connett, who headed the program for 26 years until his retirement in 2001, and Babbie Connett, who had served as a fellow captain and first mate and who sadly died in 1997.
Tim Friend ‘01, Melissa Mitchell ‘00, Kristen Olson ‘00, Anna Vietor ‘00, Sarah Hunt ‘00, Chrissy Brewster ‘00, and Caleb Bush-Brown ‘00 crewed on the Geronimo’s maiden voyage to the Bahamas in the fall of 1998. It was the first voyage for the boat specially designed for St. George’s school-at-sea program.
Geronimo through the years
Back in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Captain Connett took his crews to the Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic, even Haiti. “Most of them had never seen a third-world country,” Connett said in 1998. After several years of working on shark research, Mr. Connett joined forces with the Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research at the University of Florida to advance the center’s goal to track migratory patterns and population statistics in order to ensure the survival of the species. Catching, measuring, and tagging turtles became a hallmark of many crews’ experiences from 1984 to 2020.
The ways in which today’s students benefit from a journey aboard Geronimo continue to evolve. Though turtle research has slowed since the Bahamian government became stricter about issuing licenses during the pandemic, Geronimo has expanded the cultural component of the program by bringing the boat to the Mediterranean, where, along with learning to sail and navigate, students have explored sites in such countries as Greece, Montenegro, and Croatia. This summer and fall, students will sail to Italy, France, Spain, and the Canary Islands before a winter transatlantic trip back to the Caribbean. Next spring, Geronimo will sail to Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, and back to the U.S. East Coast, ending the academic year in Charleston, South Carolina. In June 2025, students will explore U.S. coastal communities and complete a threeyear, roundtrip transatlantic voyage by sailing Geronimo back to Rhode Island. Mr. Connett is extremely complimentary of the current program, directed by Captain Mike Dawson since 2007. “Keep the focus on today,” he told me recently. “Mike runs a great program.”
St. George’s Geronimo program owes its
IN TERMS OF DRAMATIC RESCUES AT SEA, both the “old” and the “new” Geronimo have had their turn in the spotlight. Babbie Connett was on deck when she spotted Janet Culver, then a 48-yearold legal secretary from New
success to many people: the early visionaries who saw its potential; Stevie and his late wife, Babbie, who raised their own children aboard the boat and cared for hundreds of students who learned to sail and appreciate the sea under their care; the dozens of teachers who created special academic packages for students so that they could continue their coursework at sea; the program directors and captains who followed in the Connetts’ footsteps; donors who’ve supported the program; program alumni who’ve encouraged others to take a Geronimo journey of their own; and the heroes back on the Hilltop who have been a communications lifeline and faithful liaison to the boat — people like former Head of the Science Department Steve Leslie, who helped Mr. Connett developed the marine science curriculum for the crew in those early days, and his wife, former Admission Associate Betsy Leslie, whose meticulous trip logs were incredibly valuable in preparing this feature.
As St. George’s evolves its connected-learning curriculum, blending learning inside and outside the classroom into elevated experiences that transform students’ lives, the Geronimo program, indeed, continues to provide a fitting anchor.
Jersey, floating in a life raft on July 31, 1989. The crew saved her life.
Not to be outdone, however, the crew of the “new” Geronimo on Jan. 30, 2004, rescued a 49-year-old Polish seaman who’d fallen
overboard from the merchant ship Pilica a day earlier. When the seaman, who’d broken his wrist but was otherwise in good condition, was found, he was wearing only a wedding ring. Bill Taylor ‘04 offered his SG sweatpants.
1970s
“We like to think of ourselves as trailblazers, but we got a lot of help from Cory Cramer at SEA [Sea Education Association]. He was a very impressive man. … They had just started their program. I spent hours on the phone with him … and Cory joined the SG Board for a while. He was a real mentor for me.”
— GERONIMO PROGRAM FOUNDER AND CAPTAIN STEVE CONNETT
“It was the best summer I ever had.”
— WICKLIFFE “WICK” KELLEY ’76, who took part in the first academic program aboard Geronimo — a six-week Deepwater Oceanology Seminar — in the summer of 1974
1980s
In the early 1980s, research on the diversity and abundance of shark populations in The Bahamas was a focus of study for students onboard Geronimo. In a research study that took place more than 45 years ago conducted by Captain Steve Connett and the crew of Geronimo, 96 sharks from six species were captured during 25 scientific longline sets.
1990s
During the 1990s, Geronimo partnered with the Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research at the University of Florida to advance the center’s goal to ensure the survival of the species. For years, crews onboard Geronimo helped the center track migratory patterns and monitor population statistics by measuring and tagging marine turtles.
2000s
The 2000s marked the first full decade aboard the “new Geronimo,” the boat specifically designed and built for St. George’s program. The boat was christened in 1998 and still serves the program today.
“Mike runs a great program.”
— GERONIMO PROGRAM FOUNDER AND CAPTAIN STEVE CONNETT on current Geronimo Program Director and Captain Mike Dawson
2010s
Due to high demand, a concerted effort was made in the 2010s to get more students aboard the boat each year. In the summer of 2011, a new program dubbed “Sea Legs” began to take new students on Geronimo in the summer for orientation trips, and in the winter of 2017, instead of one five- to six-week trip in winter, we offered two three-week trips. From 2015-2017, Geronimo was on a transatlantic voyage to the Azores, Spain, Greece, and Turkey.
2020s
While three voyages — Spring Break, Spring 2020, and Summer 2020 — were suspended due the pandemic, crews were back onboard Geronimo by the fall of 2020, and the Geronimo program today remains strong, with record numbers of students applying each year. As former Geronimo crew member Alana Ahern ’07, who went on to attend the U.S. Naval Academy, once reported: “The Geronimo program was one of the key deciding factors when I was choosing which high school to attend. It was what truly captured my interest in St. George’s.”
Alumni News
IN THIS SECTION
30 Alumni establish new scholarship
31 Ogden Nash Society profile
32 Classmates publish childrens’ book
37 Alumni receive Diman, Dean Awards
When the 2024 Summer Olympics take place July 26-Aug. 11, St. George’s School will be represented. Emily Kallfelz ’15 is a member of the U.S. Olympic rowing team. Emily was one of just 24 female rowers selected and the only Rhode Island native. She will participate in the women’s four event; those heats will take place on July 28.
And this just in …
At press time, we learned that former SG boys’ varsity basketball standout Tyler Kolek ’20 was selected in the NBA Draft. Tyler was picked 34th overall in the second round by the New York Knicks (via the Portland Trail Blazers). While at SG, Tyler was a two-time ISL Player of the Year, the 2019 Rhode Island Gatorade Player of the Year, and the 2020 Class B NEPSAC Player of the Year. As a guard at Marquette University, Tyler was named the 2022-23 Big East Player of the Year and also earned Most Outstanding Player honors for the Big East Tournament after helping to lead Marquette to victory. In 2023-24, he led the nation in assists, averaging 7.7 per game.
Dee Dee and Kane ’59 live in Pacific Palisades, California. Kane works as a psychotherapist and was a social worker earlier in his career. His call to serve his fellow man is a living reflection of his parents’ values.
Kane ’59 and Dee Dee Phelps establish scholarship fund
St. George’s is excited to announce the establishment of The Walter K. and Connie M. Phelps Memorial Scholarship Fund through a generous gift from alumnus
Kane Phelps ’59 and his wife, Dee Dee. The Phelps Memorial Scholarship, which honors Kane’s parents, is instituted with a preference for a deserving student of color and/or a student who identifies as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Kane and Dee Dee attached this preference to the scholarship for a few reasons. Says Kane, “My parents loved and respected all peoples, regardless of race, creed, or color.” The fund recognizes their dedication to living by this guiding principle; which, in turn, they inculcated in Kane and his brothers, Dick, Michael, and Tim ’65.
The Phelps family connection to St. George’s stretches back over a century. Kane’s father, Walter
Phelps, was a graduate of St. George’s Class of 1920, and he returned to the school to serve on the faculty during the 1923-24 school year. The Dragon tradition continued when Kane, and later, his younger brother, Tim ’65, attended St. George’s.
The fund also recognizes Walter’s and Connie’s commitment to activism on Aquidneck Island.
Walter was the long-serving chairman of the Portsmouth School Committee, which led the charge to establish Portsmouth High School. This was no small feat at the time.
The committee faced strong political opposition, but Walter never wavered from his belief that the students of Portsmouth deserved a public high school close to home and independent of the parochial schools that predominated Aquidneck Island.
For her part, Connie served as president of the Portsmouth Parent-Teacher Association, where she helped Walter to navigate the political landscape as chairman of the School Committee. Additionally, she served as a spokesperson for
Alcoholics Anonymous throughout New England. Walter, meanwhile, established a local chapter of Al-Anon, which is a support group for family members of alcoholics, on Aquidneck Island.
In addition to honoring Kane’s parents, Kane and Dee Dee created their fund to ensure that St. George’s remains a school open and available to all. In recent years, they’ve met several student participating in the Dragons in Hollywood program, through which they also came to know St. George’s 12th Head of School Alixe Callen P’21. Impressed with the diversity and dynamism of our students - and inspired by Alixe’s vision for diversity and equity at St. George’s - Kane and Dee established their scholarship to support our shared vision of inclusion and belonging on the Hilltop.
To learn more about endowed scholarship funds, please contact: Ryan W. Kirk Director of Leadership Giving 401-842-6729 ryan_kirk@stgeorges.edu
Ogden Nash Society Profile: Wilson McElhinny ’49
Editor’s note: “We were saddened to learn of Wilson’s passing prior to the publication of this profile. Our thoughts and love go out to his family and St. George’s classmates, and we are so deeply grateful for everything he has done to support his beloved alma mater.”
What inspired you to include St. George’s in your estate plans? I came to St. George’s in September of 1944. Because of the school’s proximity to the naval base, and the financial and enrollment challenges they were having, they must have lowered their admission standards in order for me to get in! I wasn’t a very good student, but Headmaster Eccles took a chance on me, and I’m so glad he did. Dr. Eccles and the faculty took a boy who wasn’t a good student, and through patience and persistence, turned me into a good student who was accepted at Williams and Yale. I chose to go to Yale and had a successful career in banking afterward — all due to St. George’s. The school was incredibly supportive, and they made me the man I’ve become. I grew so much that I was elected as senior prefect my sixth-form year, and I even made the Honor Roll!
What are some of your fondest memories from your days as a student?
Picnic with the former Headmaster Buell at Purgatory was a favorite memory. The Chapel, of course, was always present. Even though I’m not a religious person, going to chapel eight times a week certainly played a role in forming me into who I am today. I had superb masters in nearly every subject, and they shaped me both academically and personally. They were inspired teachers and people. In particular, Norry Hoyt played an outsize role in my development. He was an outstanding English master, and he resurrected the crew team after WWII. We would run down to Third Beach after classes each day of the season, and we’d launch our boats there. He kindled in me a love of being on the water, and since, I’ve enjoyed a lifelong love of sailing and
rowing. Being senior prefect is also a cherished memory, and it was a great exercise in leadership.
What’s the most valuable thing you learned or experienced on the Hilltop?
Essential honesty and integrity. I learned this, in a way, from each master, who demonstrated these qualities and in return expected them from each of us. Master Twitchell tutored me in French and was very patient and forgiving. He, along with my other teachers, played a role in my finally making the Honor Roll in the sixth form.
What has helped you stay connected to St. George’s long after Prize Day?
My relationships with classmates and those who were a year older and a year younger than me kept me involved and interested in the school for many years after graduation. Then my oldest son, David ’71, came to St. George’s, and he went on to serve as a trustee, and so he kept me abreast of what was going on at the school. Later on, my granddaughter, David’s daughter, Taylor ’10, came to SG, and her attendance renewed our interest in the school all over again. It’s really been a family affair.
For additional information, please contact: Ryan W. Kirk Director of Leadership Giving 401-842-6729 ryan_kirk@stgeorges.edu www.stgeorges.edu/ONS
Wilson McElhinny ’49 with his granddaughter Taylor ’10 and his son David ’71 in 2010.
1966 classmates reconnect to publish children’s book
About 55 years after graduating from St. George’s School, two Dragons from the Class of 1966 reconnected with each other.
In 2021, Denis O’Neill ’66 was scrolling on Facebook when a beautiful watercolor landscape painting came across his feed. Denis instantly recognized the name of the painter — Cyrus Quadland ’66.
They had not been in contact since graduating from SG, but the painting gave Denis the chance to reach out.
The two got to talking, and Denis, a writer, had his memory sparked and inquired about collaborating on a project with Cyrus. Back in the 1970s, Denis wrote singsong rhyming verses for a children’s book about his family’s dog, a coonhound named Bradford, and the walks they would go on together in the Connecticut countryside. Denis asked Cyrus if he could try and paint the dog. Cyrus was up for the challenge and took a stab at it.
“What came back was the cover picture of Bradford, which is so beckoning,” Denis said. “And when I saw that, I knew we were off to the races, and I knew I had the right partner for this project.”
In 2023, the pair of St. George’s classmates published “Bradford’s Walk” — nearly 50 years after the story was written.
“Bradford’s Walk” takes place near the edge of Long Island Sound in Westport, Connecticut, where Denis would go on walks with Bradford, approximately on a five-mile loop, which is illustrated as a map in the beginning of the book.
“He was just kind of an affectionate, goofy, adventurous companion,” Denis said about Bradford, whom his family had as a pet for about 12 years. “He was full of energy and gusto, stopping at every branch and fire hydrant and then chasing after every woodchuck and dog. Then by the time we headed home, he was running out of steam a little bit.”
Cyrus himself was no stranger to dogs or animals when he was growing up. He is from Somers, New York, where his family lived in an old 1820s farmhouse on a six-acre property, and they always had an abundance of different animals — cats, dogs, lizards, and even snakes.
Being around animals and dogs his whole life made the task of capturing a dog’s emotions no challenge at all.
“I got a nice vibe from the verses, and I just sort of translated that into my illustrations,” Cyrus said. “I think animals do express a lot of personality that people miss.”
Cyrus took pride in being able to express the variety of expressive emotions dogs show, as well as some of their other smaller subtleties, like the way they get excited to see a creek or the way they rub their backs against the grass.
This is perfectly captured in Denis’ favorite image of the whole book, which is on page 7. Denis’ character is standing in the doorframe, just about to step outside, while Bradford is out in the front yard and lets it be known that he is in fact heading out for a walk. The tail is mid-wag, and Bradford’s head is looking straight up into the sky, with his ears flapping and his mouth open, letting out the biggest howl in a sense of pure joy because he knows what is next.
the golf and wrestling teams while at SG, but it was his love for art where he found he was able to truly be himself. And he was able to develop that talent under a special mentor.
When Cyrus first came to St. George’s in 1961, he described himself as a “little nerdy kid” and it took him some time to find his footing. Cyrus played on
“Richard Grosvenor took me under his wing,” Cyrus said about the former SG art department head who spent 40 years, from 1953 to 1993 on the Hilltop. “He really was a tremendous inspiration and was wonderful in the way he could very quickly work up a watercolor of a specific scene.”
Cyrus said Mr. Grosvenor was a lovely, enlightened human being who was very flexible, very spontaneous, and always wanted to do what was best for his students.
Original pages of Bradford’s Walk.
Denis O’Neill ’66 and Cyrus Quadland ’66 from the 1966 edition of the The Lance.
“I love the rapport we have and I’m looking forward to illustrating more work.”
– CYRUS QUADLAND ’66
Most of the time, that meant taking his students off campus, bringing them to different locations to paint, and allowing them to immerse themselves in their surroundings and their work.
“He was a big proponent of putting your ego away and just painting. First, sort of quickly sketching the composition and then painting it as carefully as you could,” Cyrus said. “That was a good lesson teaching you to sort of look studiously at where you were.”
Nearly 60 years later, Cyrus put Mr. Grosvenor’s lesson into practice when he made the trip down to Westport, Connecticut, to drive the loop that Denis and Bradford had walked all those years ago, to immerse himself in the surroundings before painting it himself.
“It’s a very beautiful, picturesque area and it really inspired me to see the rural towns and the churches and the beautiful view from the higher terrain down to the Long Island Sound,” Cyrus said.
As for Denis, he arrived on the Hilltop in 1964 and was instantly viewed as a star athlete, participating in three varsity sports — soccer, lacrosse, and hockey — and developing friendships by playing on those teams.
In total, the Class of 1966 had approximately 60 students, but despite that smaller number, Denis and Cyrus didn’t really overlap with one another and were limited in their interactions.
“You know, I certainly liked him and knew him and I knew he was a good golfer and he was a classmate,” Denis said about Cyrus.
“Denis had a great reputation and people talked fondly of him,” Cyrus added.
Had the two not reconnected on Facebook, Denis believes the rest of the world would never have gotten to see and read all about “Bradford’s Walk.”
“I don’t know why the light bulb went off,” Denis said.
“I’ve written magazines, books, TV, public TV, and films. I write a million things and some of them get made
and paid for and most of them don’t, which is any writer’s journey. But you always have them in your mind.”
Nearly 58 years later, after graduating from the Hilltop, both still reflect back on their different experiences very fondly and appreciate how SG set them up for success.
“I think St. George’s gave us a nice grounding for going forward in our lives,” Denis said.
As the two classmates reflect upon the completed process, they both have the same main takeaway.
“The joy comes from the collaboration with another artist,” Denis said. “I love writing the words, but then it’s fun to see what the partner does with them.”
Cyrus agreed.
“It’s the partnership,” Cyrus said, which was his favorite thing about this project. “I love the rapport we have and I’m looking forward to illustrating more work.”
Khadija Lewis Khan ’94, P’22, ’25, Director of Equity and Inclusion Dr. Kim Bullock, Holly Fidler ’94, and Alena Chalan ’94 dancing at the Alumni Reception Dinner.
Let's Celebrate 50 Years of Geronimo!
NEXT YEAR'S ALUMNI WEEKEND ON MAY 16-18, 2025, will include a special celebration of St. George's signature Connected Learning program, Geronimo . Please join us on Saturday, May 17, to be part of the celebration, and to commemorate the 50th anniversary of St. George's unique academic program at sea. Whether or not it is your reunion year, we hope you'll return to the Hilltop!
Alumni took part in an student-led campus tour. Back Row: Chip Angle ’59, George du Pont ’59, Harris Healy ’74, Robby Taylor ’64, Michael Cohen, Derek Storm ’59, and Cindy Gossett. Front Row: Henry Pemberton ’64, Lindsey Boone ’26, Pricie Hanna, Colin Hanna’64, and Cynthia Wessick Cohen ’74.
2019 classmates Gianni Rodriguez, Cam Jones, Thad Stern, Henry Dane, and Liam Ballou gathered for a group photo at registration.
2019 classmates Effie Blue and Brinley Burdick reminisce about their Winter 2019 trip aboard Geronimo.
Alumni receive Diman, Dean Awards
This year, St. George’s highest alumni honor, the John B. Diman Award, was presented to Christopher “Kim” Elliman ’71 on Friday, May 18, 2024.
Mr. Elliman was recognized for his long and distinguished career as a prominent advocate for land conservation and the preservation and care of open spaces. For the last 31 years, he served in various leadership roles, including president and CEO, at the Open Space Institute, a national land conservation organization that seeks to make parks and other protected areas more accessible to the public. Mr. Elliman retired in March following a time of remarkable growth and success for the institute.
As part of Alumni Weekend 2024, Mr. Elliman was honored in the Chapel in front of the entire St. George’s campus community as well as Mr. Elliman’s classmates, family, and friends. After the ceremony, he met with student members of St. George’s Sustainability Club.
The Diman Award is presented annually to an alumna or alumnus whose personal accomplishments or public service contributions exemplify the mission and values of St. George’s.
Three alumni were honored on Saturday, May 19, 2024, with a Howard B. Dean Service Award, which recognize members of the St. George’s School community whose service to the school has been exceptional. Charles K. Williams ’49 is a former member of the Board of Trustees and one of St. George’s largest benefactors. Jeremiah Jones ’70 has served the school for decades in numerous roles, including as a volunteer fundraiser and member of the Alumni Council. And Leslie B. Heaney ’92 served the school as a trustee and dedicated board chair.
The CLASS NOTES section has been removed from this digital copy of the Bulletin to respect our alums’ privacy.
Class notes are only available in the print edition.
When winning isn’t everything
BY KATE PICKFORD ’24
If you don’t believe in miracles, then you certainly weren’t present at the 2014 Pumpkins in the Park 5K — or more specifically: the pie-eating contest after the race. It wasn’t a love for pumpkin pie that led me to compete, but rather a love for winning. At 8 years old, I never passed up a challenge, even if it was against adults twice my size. My determination can be seen in a video recorded by my dad. At one point, I faceplant into the pie, an action that did little beyond getting pumpkin in my hair and making a face-shaped crater in the filling. Still, this ferocity was rewarded when at the end of the two minutes, it was announced that I had eaten the biggest portion.
At the time, I was obsessed with the idea of winning. I was being consumed by (and consuming) meaningless challenges simply because I wanted to be the best. I chased the few seconds of gratification that came from winning my heat in a swim meet, recording the most hours in my reading log, or eating the most pie without stopping to think about having fun. School and sports, which had once served as a source of happiness, became stressful as I realized it was impossible to be the best.
was something entirely within my power, even if it wouldn’t be easy.
In the next few years, I started to learn the difference between doing the best and doing my best. I had been so focused on everyone else that I hadn’t realized the fearless tenacity that occurs when the only thing that constitutes a loss is a lack of effort. As my mindset changed, I found new parts of my life to channel this energy into. I leaned into a class schedule that helped me explore the love of learning that I had almost forgotten. Homework loads that would have once seemed oppressive were now welcome challenges. I no longer approached work as a tedious step on a journey to be the “smartest”; I saw my fool’s errand for what it was. Hours spent at the library fueled my desire to be the best student I could be, and I realized that the people sitting at the same tables were friends, not opponents.
During a swim meet in seventh grade, I found myself in the hallway of the pool, too scared to go in and race. So nervous that I had made myself sick, I clutched a can of ginger ale like a lifesaver. It was what my mom leaned in and whispered, however, and not the soda that eased my stomach ache: “You don’t have to do anything other than your best.” This wasn’t a new idea — “do your best” seems to be everyone’s mantra — but for whatever reason, this was the first time that it sunk in. I couldn’t control anyone else, but doing my best
Well into high school at this point, I joined a team each season and was inspired by the communities of people eager to do their best. For the first time in my life, competition brought people together and I realized what it meant to be a teammate. I marveled at the way I looked forward to races. My adrenaline spike came from pep talks and loud music, not isolating stress.
Now, the pie-eating contest is nothing beyond a funny family anecdote, but it marks a time in my life when my main goal was winning. I was determined, and this determination was not lost but rather redirected towards being my best self. Any future pie-eating contests will be done for fun, not glory. Striving to do my best is simultaneously liberating and inspiring, and I am excited to dive headfirst into not pie, but my life.
This is Kate’s college essay. She will be attending Duke University in the fall.
This 1947 pencil rendering by Schell Lewis was used in the July 1948 Bulletin to announce that the Newport sculptor John Howard Benson had begun carving the names of 29 St. George’s men who died in World War II on the tablet that was to be hung in Memorial Hall. Interestingly, the creation of the tablet was also used to unify and energize the St. George’s community to create the school’s endowment fund.
“The vital part of our memorial is a monument more enduring than marble,” the article announced. “It is the creation of a one-million-dollar Endowment Fund — the first general endowment in St. George’s history — by all the alumni, parents, masters, suppliers, Newport, Middletown and Portsmouth neighbors and other lifelong friends and beneficiaries of our school.”
At the time, 400 people had given or pledged $112,426.29 to the fund. St. George’s endowment as of March 20, 2024, was $226,124,772.57.
Ms.
Drysdale, Mr. Jeff Simpson, Ms. Julie Butler,