EHS’s New Anatomage Table • Getting Started – Who We Are Dr. Telford’s Note on Junior Research
Episcopal High School was founded in 1983 as a four‑year coeducational day school within the Episcopal Diocese of Texas.
ACCREDITATION
Independent Schools Association of the Southwest
MEMBERSHIPS
National Association of Independent Schools
National Association of Episcopal Schools Council for the Advancement and Support of Education Educational Records Bureau College Board
National Association for College Admission Counseling Texas Association for College Admission Counseling Southwest Preparatory Conference
MISSION
Episcopal High School, founded and guided by the Diocese of Texas, is an inclusive and joyful Christian community where students discover and develop their individual talents through the Four Pillars – academics, arts, athletics, religion – preparing for meaningful lives in service to others.
ADMISSION
Episcopal High School admits students of all races, colors, and national/ethnic origins to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities accorded or made available to students at the School. The School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national/ethnic origin in the administration of its educational and admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, or athletic and other school‑administered programs.
ALUMNI
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EHS’s new Anatomage Table gives students access to thousands of anatomical structures and the ability to perform virtual 3D dissections.
FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
Dear EHS Family,
With the design of our new Chapel nearing completion, stained glass artist Aaron Frei visited campus earlier this fall to begin to make plans for our new windows. His visit was to observe the Chapel’s uses throughout the day; to familiarize himself with our community, its rhythms and daily routines; and to speak about his art and his plans for making new windows to complement the old. In speaking with the students in Chapel and with parents, donors, and alums at our evening reception, Aaron also took the opportunity to teach.
All know that the stained glass in the Benitez Chapel illustrates important moments in the life of Christ. The windows that Bishop Benitez’s wife chose when the Chapel was renovated at our founding teach and inspire those sitting within. They teach us just as do the hymns we sing, the psalms we recite, the scripture we read, and the homilies we hear. They teach us about ourselves, about our world, and about our God.
Frei taught that stained glass quickly heats up to the touch the moment it is exposed to sunlight, with darker colors heating up more than lighter colors. The different colors arise as wavelengths of light are filtered out by the minerals within the glass, leaving the energy of the light that was filtered out in the form of heat. Sitting within, we see only the light that the artist intends us to see, chosen for a higher purpose.
What a wonderful metaphor for life at EHS. We aim to teach and to model a particular way of looking at the world, inspired by God and guided by our Episcopal traditions, a particular way of seeing. And that way of seeing uplifts and inspires, just as stained glass art does. Think of the uplifting and inspiring work that history teacher Travis Smith or science teacher Katie Samson, both featured within, do with their students inside and outside the classroom. They help their students see the world differently, help students like Ethan and Ivonna, featured within, understand themselves differently. As stained glass does, we filter the world outside to best accomplish the School’s Mission, to live our Founders’ vision.
Alumni Vanessa Ramirez ’02 and Beau Pollock ’95, featured within, certainly do this in partnering as they have at The Opportunity Center. Vanessa and Beau credit teachers like John Flanagan and Nguyet Pham for instilling in them the importance of living for something bigger than themselves, of working together to make a positive impact on the world. They take the world as it is and they filter it, through all that EHS taught, to leave the world more beautiful than they found it.
Thank you for all that you do to support us as we continue our work in that world, and we look forward to seeing you back on campus soon.
Go Knights!
Ned Smith
ANATOMAGE TABLE
BRINGS NEW EXPERIENCES TO SCIENCE AND LAB CLASSES
New to EHS this year, this 3D Anatomage Table allows students of Isaiah Coleman's Anatomy and Physiology class to visualize thousands of anatomical structures and perform virtual 3D dissections exactly as they would on a real cadaver. It is equipped with four full sized human models and includes animals. Interactive educational experiences like these are made possible by dedicated faculty and generous support from the EHS community.
“I am currently using the Anatomage Table as a supplement to my lectures and as an opportunity for the students to explore anatomical and physiological concepts like never before. As the year goes on, the students will use the table to review for exams, present projects, and even to present lectures of their own to their peers.” – Isaiah Coleman, Science Teacher
EHS WELCOMES NEW MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR
EHS welcomed Molly Nevins as the new Mental Health Counselor in August, adding her to the support staff within our clinical services team. Officed on the Convent first floor, Molly is an experienced high school mental health counselor dedicated to supporting students’ emotional and psychological well being. With over six years in school counseling, including her work in a recognized ASCA Model Program, she specializes in creating strategies that address the unique challenges high school students face today.
Molly comes to EHS from a high school in Denver and most recently from Assumption Catholic School in Houston, where she was a K 8 counselor. She earned her B.A. in Psychology and Family and Child Development at Texas State University and her M.S. in School Counseling from Capella University, completing counseling residencies in Atlanta and Chicago. A native Houstonian, Molly was familiar with EHS and leaped at the opportunity when it arose. “I am truly thrilled to be here,” she says. “It feels like a place where they want me to succeed. The faculty, staff, and parents have made me feel so welcome!”
Molly is passionate about promoting resilience and emotional growth and helping students navigate the complexities of adolescence while preparing them for future success. At EHS, she looks forward to enhancing the mental health support system and ensuring that every student feels valued and heard.
“Ms. Nevins is an empathetic and compassionate counselor who provides a safe space for students to express their feelings. She is trustworthy, culturally sensitive, and skilled at giving the right advice.”
– Lulu Gibellini ’25
In her spare time, Molly likes to cook, swim, play tennis, travel with her husband and siblings, and watch the latest TV murder mysteries.
Diversity in Action Mix and Mingle: A Celebration of Unity
The Diversity in Action (D.I.A.) Mix and Mingle held in early September brought together students, families, faculty, and staff for an afternoon of community building and meaningful dialogue. Jess Adams, Associate Director of Diversity, Community, and Inclusion, served as the emcee, guiding the group through a series of ice breakers. D.I.A. Sponsors and Diversity, Community, and Inclusion Liaisons, Kanika Clark and Lauren Bostick, shared why Diversity in Action is such an important organization on campus.
D.I.A. President Lulu Gibellini ’25 addressed the crowd, sharing her inspiring vision for the year. “I want to provide all students at EHS with a safe space to express themselves and surround themselves with supportive peers.”
The Underwood Student Center was alive with conversation as attendees from various backgrounds mingled and connected. The D.I.A. team’s efforts are a testament to EHS’s commitment to being a joyful and inclusive community.
Field Knight Welcomed Prospective Families to Arts and Athletics Knight
In mid September, prospective families joined EHS students and parents at Field Knight, this year joined with Arts and Athletics Knight, to give families a glimpse of EHS in action. Beginning with a cookout, families met our Arts faculty and students in the Underwood Student Center, then moved into Alkek Gym for the full EHS pep rally experience. Current Knights cheered alongside future Knights as the Arts and Athletics Pillars celebrated at Field Knight.
Everyone enjoyed a late innings Varsity Football win as the Knights beat Legacy Sports and Science in overtime! Final score – Knights 28 | Legacy 21
FOUNDERS DAY
Each year, EHS gathers to celebrate the commitment and incredible effort of our Founders. Through their conscientious planning and forethought, our School still holds true to the Mission and Guiding Principles that were purposefully scripted in our earliest of days.
EHS welcomed alumna Bridget Butler Wade ’87 back to campus for Founders Day in October. Bridget was in Episcopal’s first graduating class, and her son Will ’14 was the first legacy graduate to receive a diploma from EHS. In addition to her son, Bridget and her husband Patrick have two daughters, Gracie ’16, and Sally ’17, who are also EHS alumni. Bridget has worn many hats at EHS including student and parent, and during the last seven years, she has been closely involved with the design of the interior spaces of the Hildebrand Athletic Center and the Underwood Student Center, and now she is keenly focused on the renewal of our beloved Benitez Chapel. Bridget warmly shared her EHS experiences, bringing us from the past to the present, and encouraged us to look toward the future.
LEADING BY EXAMPLE
Ethan Lahoti ’25
Ethan Lahoti’s time at EHS has been about pushing his own boundaries. Throughout the years, with the support of his teachers, coaches, and peers, Ethan has surprised himself with all that he has achieved. But it has been teamwork— being a member of teams and eventually, a leader—that has allowed Ethan to feel confident and supported when approaching new challenges. The team nearest and dearest to Ethan’s heart, and one of the things that attracted him to attend EHS, is Boys Volleyball, which Ethan has been part of for four years. After watching his older brother thrive on the EHS Varsity Boys Volleyball team, Ethan gave it a try his freshman year and discovered a passion for the sport and for the camaraderie: “We laugh and joke, but we take it very seriously. Volleyball is a team sport, but each player is crucial for us to win and progress. I love to see my teammates grow as athletes and people.”
Through his love for singing, which Ethan notes has been passed down through his family, Ethan dipped his toes into musical theatre and was quickly swept away by the challenges and group dynamics, which he says aren't that dissimilar to those of volleyball: “The goal of theatre and volleyball is the same—to succeed—and the collaboration is the same because we each do our part, but in theatre it is nice to have a supporting role where I feel I can create harmony and balance.” While Ethan relishes rehearsals, practices, and all aspects of improving himself, his extracurriculars are not without challenges, though Ethan’s teachers and coaches say he makes putting in the extra effort look easy. Science teacher and choir member John Flanagan says, “Over the years, I have seen Ethan grow in confidence about his abilities and in his willingness to share his gifts,” and he credits Ethan’s “friendly, positive manner combined with his focus on the goals” for making him an excellent leader.
Being a conscientious leader is important to Ethan, not only to set a good example for his peers, but as a way of connecting with them: “Leadership roles allow me to share my experiences and help those around me reach our common goals. I think meeting and learning from others also makes me a better leader.” Ethan has spent years growing within organizations like Student Council, Choir, and Diversity in Action (D.I.A.), and has, as a senior, stepped into leadership roles in each: “I have loved helping others since I was little.” Jess Adams, faculty sponsor of D.I.A., where Ethan is secretary, has nothing but praise for Ethan’s self awareness and natural poise, noting, “As both student body vice president and secretary of D.I.A., Ethan exemplifies what it means to be a dedicated and dynamic leader. Poised, grounded,
and always approachable, Ethan is a role model for younger students. His genuine care for others and his charismatic personality make him the kind of leader who not only guides but uplifts those around him.” Ethan credits D.I.A. with being “a place I felt comfortable, a place where others could relate to my culture, which is really powerful.” He said he particularly wanted to take on more responsibility within the club to see it grow and “correct a misconception that D.I.A. is only for people of color.” He reflects fondly on events he has helped orchestrate like Culture Fest, which he said does just that, inviting all of EHS to celebrate.
“Knights are ready to face challenges and overcome them through teamwork and perseverance.”
Ethan’s heavy extracurricular involvement has not distracted him from the classroom. He has taken as many honors and AP classes as he could manage since his freshman year, particularly excelling in math and chemistry: “Math was always my strong suit and I like chemistry because it incorporates a lot of math. I love chemistry experiments and labs because they provide another way for me to understand and interact with the concepts we are taught.” Science teacher John Flanagan notes that even in the classroom, Ethan can’t help but take charge and help steward his classmates in group projects. “Ethan’s leadership in class boosted everyone as his classmates realized that working together to make educated guesses and propose innovative solutions helped everyone.” In the subjects that don’t come as naturally to Ethan, like history and English, he is sure to lean on the expertise of his teachers, frequenting tutorials, which he feels are “helpful to understand my teachers’ perspectives and to use their feedback to refine my skills. This motivates me to put my best foot forward and learn from my mistakes.”
Ethan describes his time at EHS as “unexpected, transformative, and memorable.” When asked what being an Episcopal Knight means to him, Ethan says it boils down to “having confidence in your ability to approach anything because EHS encourages Knights to push past the boundaries they set for themselves. Knights aren’t scared to branch out and try new experiences. They have pride in EHS, supporting every aspect of the Four Pillars. Knights are ready to face challenges and overcome them through teamwork and perseverance.”
– Tennessee Sipe, Communications Faculty Liaison
SERVING WITH JOY
Ivonna Lloyd ’25
Whether she is dribbling on the basketball court, coding in the computer science classroom, or serving as an acolyte in Chapel, Ivonna Lloyd is doing it all with a smile. At EHS, she has found ways to grow as a teammate, leader, and creator that have made Ivonna feel more capable than she ever imagined, ultimately driven by a desire to help others and innovate. By all who know her, Ivonna is described as steadfast, selfless, and hugely joyful. Though she is a fierce independent creator, Ivonna is a dedicated teammate whose love for being part of a team extends to her role in Varsity Girls Basketball, where she is now a co captain in her senior year, and as part of the larger EHS family: “I’m the kind of person who needs to be counted on and count on others to be better!”
“It is not hyperbole to say that I have never seen Ivonna have a bad day.” – Coach Chelsea Bass
At EHS, Ivonna says she has learned “the value of routine and work life balance, not to rush but still to take every day by the horns.” She brings this attitude into all that she does, but there is maybe no place where Ivonna’s intentionality is more evident than on the basketball court. She loves practices and drills with her teammates, even when tough, because she feels “we can help make each other better.” Ivonna especially appreciates the team tradition of eating a meal together before conference games, about which she says, “By breaking bread and talking about life, our team is stronger.” As a co captain of Varsity Girls Basketball, Ivonna leads by example. Coach Chelsea Bass notes, “It is not hyperbole to say that I have never seen Ivonna have a bad day. She masterfully puts her best foot and best self forward every single day, no matter what might be happening in her own world.”
It is the joy of “turning nothing into something” that has sparked much of Ivonna’s love for learning, as she gravitates toward courses like Ceramics and Computer Science where she revels in “scraps becoming treasures.” Her knack for coding became clear
to computer science teacher Scotty Johnson early on, noting that Ivonna “is not afraid to make mistakes. She is willing to take chances, make mistakes, and learn from those mistakes.” Propelled by her signature go getter eagerness, Ivonna spent three weeks last summer on the EHS campus, programming and coding in JAVA to better prepare herself for AP Computer Science in the fall. In the same spirit, Ivonna started the Future Innovators’ Forum with Director of Technology and Innovation Kyle Sumrow to give students an opportunity to connect with and ask questions of working engineers to better understand what a future in STEM might hold for them. Sumrow said that throughout the process, “Ivonna’s organization, networking skills, and kindness to everyone involved” were unmatched. Ivonna hopes to see the Future Innovators’ Forum extend beyond her years at EHS, leaving her mark on the community and encouraging future Knights toward careers in STEM.
Ivonna is not only driven by a desire to learn and grow in her chosen field, but she is deeply rooted in her faith, having served as an acolyte and lector in Daily Chapel at EHS for two years. The Reverend Art Callaham describes Ivonna as “an icon of constancy” and notes she “takes her responsibility to help lead the School’s worship seriously, all the while maintaining a spirit of joy.” To Ivonna, the decision to serve in the EHS tradition of Daily Chapel was an easy one: “I’m really based in my faith. I love reading scripture in Chapel because it’s a small act that reflects God.” Ivonna sees Chapel not only as an opportunity to serve, but as a time in her day to find peace and reflect, aiming to bring patience and sensibility into all that she does.
Ivonna centers herself in kindness and strives for “growth, discovery, and adaptation.” Whether it is in the Chapel, on the basketball court, in the classroom, or in conference with future innovators, she does everything with intention. Ivonna’s teachers agree that she will excel in anything she sets her mind to, here at EHS and beyond. When asked what it means to be an EHS Knight, Ivonna says: “To be a Knight means to be myself, and to remember that being myself is important. As a Knight, I must be kind, coachable, and consistent. I must be willing to grow and receive constructive criticism so that I can be the best version of myself.”
– Tennessee Sipe, Communications Faculty Liaison
KNIGHTS STAND OUT | ATHLETICS
The fall athletic season proved to be an exciting time at EHS as each program enjoyed success both in the regular and postseason.
The cross country season ended with an SPC Championship trophy for the girls’ team as the Knights earned their fourth straight SPC title. Nine EHS runners finished in the Top 18, as Huntley Buckingham ’26 (3rd), Georgia Bass ’26 (6th), Madison Morgan ’25 (9th), Palmer Popov ’26 (11th), Meg Billipp ’28 (12th), Asher Luengas ’25 (14th), Ashley Conoscenti ’27 (15th), Julia Bumgarner ’28 (17th), Olivia Kiefer ’27 (18th), and Cecilia Bass ’28 (27th) completely dominated the field.
The boys’ team ran an outstanding race in the opener as the Knights finished third overall. William Pacey ’26 finished 2nd overall to pace the Knights while David Farrell ’26 (14th), Grayson Luengas ’27 (15th), Shivam Albee ’26 (20th), and Grant Evans ’27 (22nd) finished in the Top 25.
The Boys Volleyball team finished as SPC runners up after a tough five set loss to St. Mark’s in a rematch of last year’s title game. The Knights enjoyed an outstanding season and ranked as high as #4 in the MaxPreps national rankings during the regular season.
The Field Hockey team enjoyed another successful season as the Knights earned the Episcopal Cup Championship for the third consecutive season. In SPC tournament play, the Knights earned a 1 0 win over Greenhill in the opening round before losing 5 0 to eventual champion St. John’s in the 4A semifinal. The team rebounded with a thrilling 2 1 win over St. Stephens to finish 3rd in the final standings.
The Girls Volleyball team battled key injuries throughout the season but persevered to earn the #4 overall seed in the SPC 4A division. After advancing past Houston Christian in five sets in the opening round, the Knights fell 3 0 to eventual champion Hockaday in the semifinal.
The EHS Varsity Football team earned thrilling overtime wins over Spring Legacy and St. John’s en route to earning another berth in the SPC 4A Championship game. The Knights fell behind early in the title game which was played at TDECU Stadium at the University of Houston and finished as runners up.
The cheer teams were incredible this fall as they thrilled crowds at pep rallies and athletic contests. The Knights were the undisputed champions of halftime performances on Thursday and Friday nights all season. All three EHS cheer teams competed in NCA’s Lonestar Classic in November.
Both the girls’ and boys’ athletic programs continue to stack up well against SPC competition in the race for the Athletic Directors’ Cup as the girls finished the fall season in second place, just three points behind frontrunner St. John’s. The boys finished the fall season in first place, three points better than second place St. Mark’s.
Congratulations to our fall season athletic teams!
– Jason Grove, Athletic Director
POP QUIZ
KATIE SAMSON
Director of Service Learning and Science Teacher
A native Houstonian, Katie Samson, EHS’s new Director of Service Learning, oversees all service learning events both on and off campus, coordinates the Freshman Service Experience (FSE), the Student Achievement Program (SAP), the Students of Service organization (SOS), and Senior Outreach (SO), and manages the service calendar including any events happening across all Four Pillars of EHS. With a B.S. in Biology from St. Edward’s University and working toward an M.S. in Animal Biology from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Katie discovered as a teaching assistant that teaching biology was the best part of her day. When she graduated, she promptly moved back to Houston to teach high school biology.
At EHS since the fall of 2020, Katie teaches Biology 1 and AP Biology 2 and is a D.I.A. sponsor in addition to heading service learning. In her spare time, she enjoys birding, reading, gardening, and spending time with her mom and her mom’s dog Chewy.
What is on your playlist?
Cry Your Heart Out – Adele
If you could eat only one meal this week, what would it be?
Massaman Curry
What is your favorite EHS food item? Plantains!
What is your favorite family tradition? Birthday lunches
Did you have a mentor growing up who inspired you?
My mom has and continues to be my mentor – I admire her strength, independence, empathy, and intelligence!
If you were not a teacher, what would you choose for a profession?
I would be a translator of Arabic, Hebrew, Japanese, or Spanish. I’ve always been interested in learning languages other than English.
What is your proudest accomplishment? Continuing to be authentically myself every day
What do you most respect about your students?
Their curiosity, empathy, and kindness
In your time at EHS, what is a favorite moment?
Senior Retreat with my Class of 2024 advisees
What do you hope your students take from you as a teacher?
Growth over time is more important than instant success, and being kind can ripple through a community.
TRAVIS SMITH
POP QUIZ
History Teacher and Head Varsity Boys Soccer Coach
Travis was born in Philadelphia but is proud to have grown up in Hershey, Pennsylvania, home of the Hershey candy company, where the street lamps are shaped as Hershey kisses and his high school was just off Cocoa Avenue. He says that on most days, he could smell the chocolate from the factory down the street. He majored in history at Lehigh University, and after graduation worked as an assistant men’s soccer coach while completing his M.Ed. Originally, he planned to coach college soccer but discovered that he found the combination of classroom and coaching more appealing. Teaching high school has afforded him the opportunity to do both.
At EHS since 2006, Travis teaches U.S. History and A.P. U.S. History and coaches Varsity Boys Soccer, heading the boys’ soccer program. In his spare time, he rides his bike, attends concerts, organizes neighborhood soccer games, and travels throughout the Houston area to watch his children play soccer.
What is on your playlist?
British Indie, Scandinavian Indie, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Marley, Oasis, Sigur Ros, and lots of coaching podcasts.
If you could eat only one meal this week, what would it be?
I’d have to go with paella or perhaps something else seafood related.
What is your favorite EHS food item?
Definitely the cinnamon apples.
Did you have a mentor growing up who inspired you?
My club, high school, and college soccer coaches, who also happened to be educators, inspired me to take the path of teaching and coaching.
If you were not a teacher, what would you choose for a profession?
I would love to coach club soccer, focusing on the ages of six to ten years old. I think this is the window of time when the most important development occurs.
What is your proudest accomplishment?
Outside of anything connected to my family, I would have to say playing Division One college soccer. Starting in junior high, that was my dream, and the experiences I had as a college athlete are some of my fondest memories.
What do you most respect about your students?
One thing I really respect about our students and which often goes overlooked is how well our students manage their time. When you factor in extracurriculars, it’s not uncommon for many of our students to be putting in 12 hour days. With such busy schedules, finding time to study and take care of their homework isn’t easy, but our students are determined and resilient and develop work ethics that will serve them well beyond their experiences at EHS.
In your time at EHS, what is a favorite moment?
I’ve had many great moments at EHS, but I’d probably say winning an SPC Championship for the first time in 2016. The School had not won a soccer championship since 1992, and we came a long way from my first year in 2006 2007!
What do you hope your students take from you as a teacher?
That not only is the study of history fun and interesting, but it’s my hope that our class inspires a thread of curiosity that students pull on to become lifelong learners.
The Rev. Tori Gilliland and The Rev. Art Callaham joyfully welcome the student body to Daily Chapel for Senior Blessing.
“The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.”
– Numbers 6:25-26
GETTING STARTED –WHO WE ARE
Third in the series about the founding of Episcopal High
School
FOUNDATIONAL IDEAS
In addition to the property search during 1982, an Operations Subcommittee was formed, meeting first on January 4, 1982, and including Bishop Benitez, Betty Key, Claudia Moursund, Larry Neuhaus, and John Cooper, former head of the Kinkaid School. According to the meeting minutes, Cooper recommended the following: The School should serve 400 students and have 40 faculty for a 1/10 student/teacher ratio. The Founders would need to hire a headmaster, secure an ISAS accreditation, and approach foundations for funding. The future Board of Trustees should include parents, who would contribute their time, talent, treasure, and wisdom. Cooper also suggested that the group consider including grades seven and eight.
But most importantly, throughout 1982 and early 1983, Cooper advised the members that before they hired a headmaster and opened the School, they needed to articulate the core values and foundational principles in order to build a school that would withstand the things that happen in schools. Even after they purchased the first land parcel in early 1983, he admonished them to take the time necessary to set up a strong foundation rather than start the school immediately in the fall of 1983 as many of them, recognizing their large debt, were inclined to do. He offered the questions to which they would need answers,
which led to prolonged and healthy conversation on a number of topics, advising them that until they could answer the questions, they were not ready to start a school. He said, “First you have to figure out what you want the school to be.”
Larry Neuhaus remembers driving Cooper home after a session early on in which Cooper listened patiently and then reiterated that the group needed to figure out the mission and values before opening the doors. He described the problems at other schools when the values were not abundantly clear.
The goal was not to make everyone Episcopalian; rather it was to create a community that cares for one another and respects one another’s faiths.
Although Cooper asked the questions, it was the Founders who suggested, discussed, debated, pondered, insisted, and created a faith based high school, based on the principles of the Episcopal Church, where students and adults would “respect the dignity of every human being” as stated in the Baptismal Covenant. In the steering committee meetings leading up to the creation of the Board of Trustees and in the early board meetings, there was much discussion of the foundational ideas of the School, which were later crafted into the Mission and Guiding Principles. Forty one years later, we are still a School that knows who we are. The following is a summary of many of the key ideas:
• Students and faculty will attend Daily Chapel for morning prayer, conducted in the Episcopal tradition. The goal was not to make everyone Episcopalian; rather it was to create a community that cares for one another and respects one another’s faiths.
• The School would be a respected academic and college preparatory school, but one available to an academically wider group of students than the existing Houston schools allowed. A bell curve of students would be admitted.
• The primary academic attributes of the School would be the fostering of intellectual curiosity and creative imagination.
• The School would focus on arts and athletics as well as academics with an emphasis on student involvement. Although there would be varsity teams where athletes excelled, the objective was student participation, getting everybody on a team.
• The objective was for students to try new things. They did not have to be expert but to discover new interests and talents. The Founders wanted students to enjoy both the arts and athletics. They would encourage athletes to take ceramics and dancers and visual artists to play field hockey and football.
• The School would serve students at all times. Decisions would be made with the best interest of the student at the center.
• The faculty would understand and support the School’s Four Pillar Mission rather than single mindedly focusing only on their particular discipline. The Founders believed that students would excel if they were happy in a school focusing on joyous learning and the whole child.
• The School would be diverse geographically, socioeconomically, racially, and in religion. It would hire Christian as well as non Christian faculty who supported the values of the School.
• The trustees would establish a generous financial aid budget to allow students throughout the greater Houston area to attend. The financial aid budget would be at minimum 10% of gross tuition.
• With several Founders experienced in working on non profit boards, Lynda Underwood in particular, the Founders expected standards of excellence and best practice for trustees regarding nonprofit governance practices.
GOVERNANCE
Louisa Bonner recalls her high school years in the early 80’s when her father John Bonner was deeply immersed in the founding of Episcopal High School as chair of the steering committee and then of the Founding Board of Trustees. It felt as if everyone she knew, everyone with whom “her life overlapped,” was involved in the founding. Bill Miller, chair of the headmaster search committee, was her godfather, and Jack Trotter, who quarterbacked the fundraising, lived next door. David and Lynda Underwood’s son David was in her class at school, and Paul Howell, who chaired the finance committee for 13 years, and his wife Evelyn were close family friends. Numbers of her fellow churchgoers at St. John the Divine were also involved in the project, and she knew Bishop Benitez from her church youth group when he was rector.
To teenaged Louisa, it felt as though “this was not just one person’s crazy idea”; the conversations, the meetings, the awe she felt when her father announced a million dollar gift over dinner,
To teenaged Louisa, it felt as though ‘this was not just one person’s crazy idea... [it] felt like ‘a family thing.’
and the slow but steady progress felt like “a family thing” with everybody in her world involved in founding Episcopal High School. And the Founders carried that family feel to the School they created as the children and grandchildren of the Founders, including Louisa’s sons Jack ’17 and Hunter ’19 as well as the over 5,400 alumni, will attest.
Although the initial meeting of rectors and parishioners took place in December 1981 and the follow up steering committee met throughout 1982 and early 1983, the Founding Board of Trustees was not officially organized until April 1983. In those early years, the Bishop, John Bonner, and the other Founders concentrated on finding and renovating a site, raising the funds to pay for it all, and figuring out what the School would be.
Sidney V. Smith
Thanks to Founders The Rev. Laurens Hall, Betty Key, Graham Luhn, Claudia Moursund, Larry Neuhaus, Joel Shannon, and Lynda Underwood; Louisa Bonner, daughter of Founder John S. Bonner; former Director of Development Sukey Voskamp, Associate Head of School for Finance and Operations Evelyn Cambria, and Director of Facilities Robert Buckelew for their ongoing help with the research.
FEBRUARY 21, 1983
Two resolutions were passed by the small group acting as the Board of Trustees:
The name of the School be changed from Episcopal High School of Houston to Episcopal High School;
The Right Rev. Maurice M. Benitez was elected President and John S. Bonner was elected Secretary until the organizational board meeting. The two were authorized to open an account at Republic Bank and to take all actions and execute all documents as they deemed necessary.
APRIL 6, 1983
The
Founding Board of
Trustees
met for the first time.
John S. Bonner, President; Don Holloway, Treasurer; and Claudia Reifel Moursund, Secretary were directed to execute and deliver any and all written instruments for the School.
The Bylaws were approved.
Twenty four members* were appointed as elected trustees of the School by the Bishop to serve until the next meeting of the Diocesan Council in February 1984.
Seven persons would serve as the Executive Committee** including the Bishop.
The Committee Chairs*** were appointed.
Of note, one of the provisions of the Bylaws was somewhat unusual. Of the board’s 24 members, two thirds were to be Episcopalian. (The Bylaws were amended in 2010 to 60% Episcopalian.) The origin of that bylaw can be traced to some changes at a neighboring school, a separate institution from St. John the Divine Church next door, but which used the church for assemblies. Louisa Bonner recalls her father telling the story of sitting in the church with Bishop Benitez for a school program, perhaps Baccalaureate or a Christmas celebration, and noting the absence of God. “It was a sanitized gathering,” he observed. Similarly, Larry Neuhaus recalls that in 1980, the school’s headmaster informed the Bishop that because of concerns from non Christian parents, the school would discontinue displaying the cross when programs and assemblies were held in the church. Uncomfortable with the use of an Episcopal church without the cross, the Bishop determined that the new School would have predominantly Episcopalian trustees.
*Founding Board of Trustees
Isaac Arnold, Jr.
John S. Bonner III
W. Jack Bowen
John B. Connelly III
James A. Elkins, Jr.
William S. Farish III
The Rev. Laurens A. Hall
Don R. Holloway
Howard W. Horne
Paul N. Howell
Allan C. King
Frederick R. McCord
The Very Rev. Pittman McGehee
William J. Miller
Walter M. Mischer, Jr.
Laurence Neuhaus
Claudia Reifel Moursund
Leonard Rauch
Joel I. Shannon
Sidney V. Smith
J. T. Trotter
Lynda Knapp Underwood
The Rev. Jeffrey H. Walker
Isabel Brown Wilson
**Founding Executive Committee
Paul N. Howell
Frederick R. McCord
William J. Miller
Sidney V. Smith
John S. Bonner III
The Right Rev. Maurice M. Benitez, D.D.
Robert Moore Woolfolk, Jr. (Non Trustee)
***Founding Committee Chairs
Search Committee
William J. Miller
Buildings and Grounds, Frederick R. McCord
Capital Campaign
Paul N. Howell
Chancellor
Joel I. Shannon
– Nancy Laufe Eisenberg, Former Associate Head of School
Bishop Ben Benitez and John S. Bonner III
Paul N. Howell and Bishop Ben Benitez
EHS TAPS FIFTH-GENERATION
STAINED GLASS ARTIST FOR RENEWAL OF BENITEZ CHAPEL
It has been more than 30 years since our beautiful stained glass windows were installed in Benitez Chapel. The rose window, the four gospel windows, and the 14 windows depicting the life of Jesus Christ have been a constant inspiration as the bright colors glistened and brought the biblical messages to life every day in Chapel.
Now with the renewal of our beloved Chapel on the horizon, EHS has tasked a fifth generation stained glass liturgical design studio, Emil Frei & Associates, with restoring the beloved windows currently in Benitez Chapel as well as designing additional windows to complement those that have been a testament to our daily worship for more than three decades.
Earlier this fall, campaign co chairs Mindy Hildebrand, Jenna Junell, Courtney (Lanier) Sarofim ’88, and Randa Duncan Williams welcomed Aaron Frei to campus along with many close friends of EHS. What a terrific evening! Frei gave a dynamic talk about his artistic process and provided a glimpse into the restoration and design of the future Benitez Chapel’s custom stained glass windows.
“I hope and pray that each student, boy and girl, who passes through this school, goes out with this message in their hearts and minds. You are a child of the Living God! You have a great inheritance in this world. YOU GO OUT AND CLAIM IT!”
– The Rt. Rev. Maurice M. Benitez, Founders Day Chapel 2008
With the campaign for the new Benitez Chapel underway, EHS is thrilled to see the final stage of the 2014 Campus Master Plan upon us. Since the inception of EHS, our School has not veered from Daily Chapel and the importance of our community’s gathering together for daily worship where each child is assured that he or she is loved by God. It is truly the beating heart of our campus.
We hope you enjoy these photos of the evening. If you have any questions about plan details and naming opportunities, please reach out to Chief Development Officer Margaret Young at myoung@ehshouston.org or 713.512.3600.
A PARTNERSHIP FOR PROGRESS:
How
EHS Helped
Shape the Collaboration Between Vanessa Ramirez ’02 and Beau Pollock ’95
In the bustling world of business and education, two Episcopal High School alumni, from two different decades, are living meaningful lives in service to others. Vanessa Ramirez ’02, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Harris County Juvenile Probation Department and Director of The Opportunity Center, and Beau Pollock, President & CEO of TRIO Holdings, have teamed up to train and educate Houston youth, provide a second chance to children who don’t often get one, and transform lives. Vanessa and Beau’s partnership exemplifies the importance of meeting the needs of today and highlights the lasting impact that EHS had on their adolescent lives and adult careers.
VANESSA RAMIREZ ’02
Vanessa’s journey from high school student to leader in youth development and juvenile justice reform is a testament to the transformative power of education and opportunity. As a proud financial aid recipient, Vanessa’s EHS experiences played a critical role in shaping her perspective, instilling a sense of purpose, and preparing her to become a powerful advocate for change.
Vanessa’s time at EHS began when she was offered the opportunity to be one of the first "KIPPsters" to become a Knight. KIPP Academy, as it was known in its early years, is a public charter school that focuses on appreciation, patience, humility, standing up for justice, and doing the right thing. While EHS was a new environment for Vanessa, different from the predominantly Latino community she had grown up in, it was also an opportunity that would change the course of her life. Initially, she questioned whether she belonged in such an environment with vast opportunities. She described her early years at EHS as a time when she often kept to herself, unsure of how to fully engage and take advantage of all the opportunities available to her.
A turning point in Vanessa’s EHS experience came her junior year when she studied abroad in Zaragoza, Spain. She says that year was transformative, opening her eyes to a broader world and helping her reflect on how she had been holding herself back. When she returned for her senior year, she was determined to maximize her opportunities and not let fear or assumptions dictate her actions. She made a conscious effort to build connections and engage more deeply with her peers, realizing that the support she received from EHS was genuine and encouraging.
Vanessa’s career trajectory took her from working at a financial consulting firm in Washington, D.C., to volunteering at KIPP schools, which brought her back to Houston. Her commitment to youth development grew as she worked with KIPP Houston, SERJobs, and eventually the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department (HCJPD). In her current role as the Director of Strategic Partnerships at HCJPD and Director of
The Opportunity Center, Vanessa is developing innovative programs to support youth who have been through the justice system. She tells us her goal is to replicate the sense of community and support she felt at EHS. She believes that the key to real change is providing opportunities, offering guidance, and most importantly, showing young people that they are valued and capable of succeeding.
BEAU POLLOCK ’95
Beau joined his father in the electrical field in 2005 after a number of years in investment banking in Los Angeles and Chicago. Together they formed TRIO Electric, and under Beau’s leadership, TRIO has grown into one of the largest electrical contracting firms in Texas. One of Beau’s greatest challenges as CEO has been addressing the shortage of skilled electricians in the U.S. It was with that in mind that Beau launched TRIO Education with a focus on curriculum development and training to address the skilled labor shortage in the construction industry. The Electrical Pre Apprenticeship Program (EPP) within TRIO Education has formed partnerships with independent school districts, charter schools, and community colleges to offer electrical training to high school students and adults.
THE COLLABORATION
Vanessa’s role at The Opportunity Center is to oversee programming that focuses on community education and workforce development. Recognizing the potential to bridge gaps in skilled labor, she joined forces with Beau to bring TRIO Education’s innovative training programs to the center. Beau and the TRIO team created a curriculum that teaches essential skills to aspiring electricians, enabling them to secure stable, well paying jobs in a field with growing demand.
“We’ve developed a curriculum that partners with organizations across the state, and The Opportunity Center is one of our key collaborators,” Beau explained. “It’s about providing hands on learning opportunities and creating pathways to careers that might not have been accessible otherwise.”
“What we ’re trying to do is create opportunities for people,” Beau said. “If we can help someone get their start and build a career, that’ s a win for everyone.”
One of the standout features of TRIO Education’s approach is the use of cutting edge technology. Through virtual reality (VR) headsets, students can practice skills like bending conduit and wiring systems in a simulated environment before applying them in real world scenarios. Beau and Vanessa believe this method engages students and helps them gain confidence and proficiency.
“We’re working with students from high school age up to adults, giving them the skills they need to succeed,” Vanessa said. “It’s been incredible to see how quickly they adapt to the training, especially when they get to use the VR technology. It makes learning more interactive and accessible.”
The influence of dedicated EHS teachers like Mr. John Flanagan and Mrs. Nguyet Pham left a lasting mark on Beau. “They had this way of finding different approaches to help students understand. That patience and creativity are things I carry with me to this day,”
he said. It’s this understanding that has shaped the way TRIO Education trains its own instructors to ensure that all students receive the support they need to succeed.
Vanessa was inspired by EHS’s emphasis on community and service. “EHS instilled in me the importance of giving back and being a part of something bigger than yourself,” she shared.
“That’s why I was so excited to collaborate with Beau. It felt like coming full circle—two EHS alums working together to make a positive impact.”
The collaboration between Beau and Vanessa serves as an inspiring example of how connections made at EHS can continue to thrive long after graduation. Whether through shared values or a common vision, their work demonstrates the enduring influence of the EHS Mission.
– Colleen Kearns, Director of Alumni Affairs
FUN FACTS ABOUT OUR FRESHMEN!
Freshman
at Camp
was an exciting opportunity for students to strengthen connections within their advisories through fun, meaningful activities, including writing a letter to their future selves, which will be returned to them senior year.
–
Retreat
Allen
Photos by Kennedy Greene ’25
PARENT INVOLVEMENT: DADS CLUB
Dear EHS Parents,
On behalf of the Episcopal High School Dads Club, I want to take the opportunity to introduce myself and the Dads Club to our new and returning families.
My wife Stephanie and I have two children. Our daughter graduated from EHS in 2023, and our son is a current senior. Both of our kids loved their time at EHS and fully embraced the Four Pillars. I immediately became involved with the Dads Club when our daughter started at EHS in 2019, and I’m thrilled to be serving as president this year.
Every father of an Episcopal student is automatically a member of the Dads Club, and as your incoming president, I want to share some background on the Club itself. Our mission is to promote involvement in the School through three primary functions.
• Five breakfast meetings during the school year held at EHS for dads’ fellowship, coupled with presentations from School leaders and students from each of our Four Pillars (Academics, Arts, Athletics, and Religion), and College Counseling.
• Funding of one off requests from various School departments that cannot be satisfied through the School’s normal operating budget.
• Opportunities to get involved and have fun with fellow dads at a wide range of events, from our annual golf tournament to grill and concession stand duty at EHS sporting events.
In addition to our annual dues ($100 per EHS family – part of your annual tuition bill), our annual budget is funded primarily from proceeds raised from our golf tournament. Please accept this as an invitation to our golf tournament on Monday, April 28, 2025. This school year the tournament will be held at Westwood Country Club! It is a scramble, so all skill levels are welcome. Please make plans to participate and start putting together your foursome. We are very proud to share that we have raised and given to various EHS causes more than $2,460,000 over the life of the Dads Club.
The EHS experience is best enjoyed by saying “yes” to opportunities to get involved. And for EHS dads, the Dads Club is your home at the School. I look forward to all the opportunities to spend time with EHS dads.
Go Knights!
Brian Sauer
Father of Lindsay ’23 and Hunter ’25
PARENT INVOLVEMENT: PARENTS ASSOCIATION
Dear EHS Parents,
I am honored to be serving as the president of the Parents Association at Episcopal High School. Our family is in its eleventh and final year at this wonderful School, and I am thrilled to be actively involved in serving its community. This School has offered our three sons countless ways to grow in a safe and nurturing environment. Whether in the classroom, the Chapel, the band hall, or on the football and baseball fields, our boys have had the opportunity to broaden their horizons and grow into well rounded young men. All of our students are blessed to be part of such a supportive and engaging setting. We have our teachers, administrators, and spiritual leaders to thank for providing the framework for developing hardworking, resourceful, and inclusive individuals. I am very proud to be a part of a School where the faculty, students, and parents all play a vital role in its day to day success.
Without a doubt, Episcopal has that sense of community that sets it apart from other schools. New families are welcomed with open arms, and parents learn early on that their involvement is not only valued, but instrumental in the overall effectiveness of the School. The mission of the Parents Association is to enhance the EHS community by supporting all aspects of the School and its programs. We encourage each parent to jump on board and find a way, big or small, to make a positive impact at EHS. We have a myriad of opportunities for which to volunteer and hope that all parents become involved at some point along the way. From weekly or monthly commitments to one day projects, our parents can find meaningful ways to make a positive impact on our community. Special events such as Homecoming, Prom, and the annual EHS Auction Gala would not be possible without our parents’ strong involvement. On a personal level, I know that volunteering at EHS has offered me the chance to meet incredible parents and make lifelong friends. Being on campus has also provided the chance to see the “behind the scenes” efforts that contribute to making Episcopal a special place for our children.
If you have questions about becoming involved, please feel free to reach me at bonnyedwards1@yahoo.com. I highly encourage you to dive in and become a part of our Episcopal culture. You will not regret it!
Bonny Edwards Mom to Avery ’18, Beau ’22, and Brooks ’25
Varsity Boys Volleyball practice during the regular season. Congratulations on your SPC runners-up finish!
ICE CREAM AND CAKE: A NOTE ON JUNIOR RESEARCH
Brad Telford, Ph.D., English Department Chair
I think my own Junior Research process must have started back when Episcopal High School was a glimmer in Bishop Benitez’s eye.
When I was small, my parents always insisted on an early bedtime. More than 50 years later, I cannot tell you whether it was 7, 7:30, 8 p.m., or later, but I can say that my mother’s firm but loving voice encouraging and, later, enjoining me to lay out my pajamas, brush my teeth, and say my prayers always signaled what was, for teeny tiny me, a blessing and a curse. A curse because the party was just starting up, and here I was getting hustled out of the VIP room! But a blessing because I quickly learned that if I kept the hall light on and cracked my bedroom door at least as wide as a slice of cake (as a child I measured everything in units of ice cream or cake), my dark room would be just bright enough to allow me my favorite thing in the whole world: a book.
Lying prone, the covers drawn up past my neck and forming a loose, Obi Wan Kenobi hood over my head so that—when I heard the hall door creak open—I could flop down and pretend I was asleep, I soon learned to relish bedtime because it meant leaving one world and entering another. I could re read a volume of my 20 book World Book Encyclopedia set (which I had stolen from my brother) and reacquaint myself with battlements and beekeeping (from the B volume) or hydroelectric power and hydrogen bombs (from the H). Or maybe it was a night for The Phantom Tollbooth, where Milo and I again might encounter The Humbug and collectively jump to conclusions on our way to Dictionopolis. Or perhaps it was another chance for Edmund and me to gobble up yet another serving of Turkish delight as Narnia’s White Witch looked on with that familiar gaze, as approving as it was dire. If it was a particularly special evening, I could even open up to the great kinetic cherubim named Proginoskes who helped Meg cure her sibling in Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wind In The Door. To this day an angel, in my imagination, always pulses and throbs with 100 wings and as many eyes and is restless and loving and time traveling and utterly abstract yet, to me, more concrete than any feathery and begowned anthropomorph strumming a harp.
And most concrete of all, after all these late night six or eight year old rendezvous? My love of reading. By myself. For myself. To discover myself.
After nearly 15 years of helping students navigate the vectors and vagaries of Junior Research, I confess I love it more than ever before. Junior Research is one of the things that makes EHS so very special, a key ingredient in our secret sauce, the visor on
The Knight’s gleaming helmet. Like Daily Chapel, like our spring musical and our fall and winter plays, like the college admissions process, and like any of our numerous championship games and tournaments, Junior Research is something that all Knights experience by themselves and for themselves, all while doing so in a community of like minded peers, as everyone aims to satisfy the high standards set by a cohort of brilliant, empathic teachers who awe me with their compassion and skill.
But that still doesn’t mean Junior Research is always fun or ever easy. In teaching students to do the impossible (and do it well), I, myself, have made every mistake you’d expect (and some you’d never expect, like the time I scheduled a big deadline for Homecoming Weekend, or that year I made my students do two Junior Researches instead of one—my apologies, Class of 2014!). But through it all, the students and their work always shine through. Each year I read essay after essay featuring boundless creativity, bottomless passion, and buckets of class A Episco grit. And what do students get in return for all their intensive study and work? They get a lot of joy and little bit of agony (okay, sure, sometimes it’s the other way around). They get to make the journey from feeling unprepared and anxious to feeling well prepared and utterly unafraid (that second part usually happens in college). They get to test themselves. They get to stretch themselves. They get to become ever more themselves. Yes, they do get some guidance from the bushy gray eyebrows that unfold atop these here bifocals. But they do the work, they make the connections, they engage with the conversation of literature— which is always the conversation about what makes us human— and, in so doing, they become a little more of the fabulous humans they are destined to be.
When I was my EHS juniors’ age, I wasn’t so lucky. Back at another school in another city (in another century), our papers were short and our tests were very long. I would have to wait till college to discover the joys and terrors of working for months and months on building a persuasive synthesis and sourcing a multipart argument. And because I had never done it before, my experience was a little fraught and often quite frantic. What I had done before—as an itsy bitsy—is stay up too late and fall in love with words and stories. But for 40 years at EHS, the English faculty has engineered and managed a process whereby Knights stay up a little past their bedtime, read more than they ever have before, write amazing things they don’t know they think, employ an array of skills they don’t yet know they have, and emerge able to find more meaning and magic in themselves and to better serve others in the worlds around them. To me, that’s the whole point of education. To me, that’s ice cream and cake.
IN MEMORIAM
MERRELL ATHON
1949-2024
It is with great sadness that we mourn the loss of former EHS Executive Chairman Merrell Athon. Words cannot express the devotion that Merrell had for his family his wife Chris, sons John ’01 and Bryan ’04, and the grandchildren that brought so much joy to Chris and him.
Merrell served as Executive Chairman of the Board of Trustees from 2002 2004 and filled countless roles across campus well before and beyond his chairman commitment. He was instrumental in the original baseball field renovation and volunteered countless hours ensuring that the players, coaches, parents, and program were set up for success.
His quiet leadership stewarded EHS through a tremendous amount of growth as he diligently worked alongside Founders, trustees, and parents eager to see EHS prosper. And true to his character, Merrell was keenly focused on making EHS an opportunity for those who may not have been able to attend otherwise.
While watching his sons play baseball filled his calendar for years, Merrell also loved his time on the golf course and time spent in Carmel with Chris and his family and friends. Merrell will be missed tremendously by his EHS family.
Photos courtesy of the Athon Family
2024 - 2025 BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Chairman
The Rt. Rev. C. Andrew Doyle
Executive Chair
Richard A. Howell ’01
Katie Barnes ’92, Stewart Black, Fowler Carter ’98, Edward B. Crain, Jr., Stacey Crenshaw, Morrow B. Evans ’94, Carl F. Giesler, Jr., Curtis Hartman, Steve W. Herod, Simmi Jaggi, George O. McDaniel III, Amy Melton, Joel Moore, Charlie Neuhaus ’95, Eloise (Fay) Novotny ’94, Charles H. Prioleau, Courtney (Lanier) Sarofim ’88, Ned Smith, The Rev. Dr. R. Leigh Spruill, James E. Taussig, Dr. Ramsi (Bethany) Taylor ’98, Patrick G. Trask, Duncan Underwood ’89, Mollie Phelan Wallace, James Whitehead ’94
Life Trustees
John F. Austin III, Edward C. Becker, The Rt. Rev. Maurice M. Benitez†, W. Craig Childers, Lacy Crain, The Rev. Laurens A. Hall, Victor A. Kormeier, Jr., Frederick R. McCord†, Laurence B. Neuhaus, The Rt. Rev. Claude E. Payne, Joel I. Shannon, Lynda Knapp Underwood, The Rt. Rev. Don A. Wimberly
Executive Committee
Edward B. Crain, Jr., The Rt. Rev. C. Andrew Doyle, Melinda B. Hildebrand, Richard A. Howell ’01, Joel Moore, Eloise (Fay) Novotny ’94, A. Haag Sherman, Ned Smith, Dr. Ramsi (Bethany) Taylor ’98, Duncan Underwood ’89, Lynda Knapp Underwood, Randa Duncan Williams † deceased
LEADERSHIP
Head of School
Ned Smith
Associate Head of School for Finance & Operations
Evelyn Cambria
Associate Head of School for Academics & Student Life
