KnightsStandOut

#KNIGHTS STAND OUT

Oh, What a Knight!

On Friday, February 18, the EHS community celebrated Episcopal High School’s 38th Auction, Oh, What a Knight! Chairs Mary Ellen Bos ’93, Anne Freeman, and Allison Jordan, along with countless volunteers and generous donors, raised the necessary revenue for the School’s operating budget.

The evening took on a new format with all silent items being sold in our Online Auction. The night consisted of a jubilant cocktail hour before attendees moved into the ballroom for dinner and a Live Auction. Guests enjoyed a wonderful dinner prepared by Jackson & Company, bid high in our Live Auction with energetic Auctioneer Johnny Bravo, and danced the night away with tunes spun by DJ Senega.

EHS is already gearing up for Auction 2023. Chairs Rebecca Martin, Cara Michael, and Mindy Rippstein promise an unforgettable evening as we celebrate The Greatest Knight. Save the date for February 24, 2023!

Speech and Debate Team’s Hours of Hard Work Pay Off

Our Speech and Debate Team competes between October and February, and it is a grueling schedule these students undertake on the weekends. “It’s for this reason,” Jordan Butler, Head Coach of Speech and Debate, says, “that I often describe our tournaments as marathons. Our students have to be prepared to debate for four to five hours, non-stop on Friday, and wake up Saturday morning ready to continue for semi-finals and finals.”

This school year, the Speech and Debate Team has competed in the TFA Stratford Spartan Tournament, the Big Cat Swing at Cypress Creek, the Mayde Creek Ram Classic TFA Tournament, the Clear Creek Classic, and the Tompkins Cy Park Spring Swing.

Outside of the NSDA/TFA circuit, our students also compete in the Coolidge Cup at either SMU in December or online in May. Students who do well in the Coolidge Cup will qualify for the Coolidge Cup National Tournament in Plymouth, Virginia.

Our students also compete in Model UN with Coach Michael in the Spring semester. Accolades go to Emily McKay ’24, who qualified for Nationals in Program Oral Interpretation in late February.

EHS Yearbook Earns National Recognition

Episcopal High School’s yearbook The Hexagon, earned national recognition with its inclusion in the Jostens 2022 Look Book.

Celebrating the best‑of‑the‑best in yearbook design and coverage, the Jostens Look Book is the largest and most comprehensive publication of its type in the world. The annually published Look Book honors the important role well‑crafted yearbooks play in helping schools chronicle the experiences, stories, and achievements most relevant to students and that academic year.

A panel of judges comprised of nationally recognized scholastic journalism professionals and award‑winning yearbook advisors carefully selected the best spreads and covers from outstanding yearbooks across the country.

Selected for its 2021 Born to Be Blue cover featuring a unique plexiglass design, The Hexagon has been included in the Look Book for four of the last six years. Congratulations to Mr. Framel and his group of students!

Musically Talented Juniors Earn Notable Recognition Interim Term 2022: Something for Every Knight

Lydia Berckley ’23 was named a Finalist in the 2022 NATS Texoma Regional Musical Theatre auditions. This is a considerable competition, and we are very proud of Lydia’s accomplishment! We also would like to thank Dr. Laura Ballard for her commitment to the students of EHS in giving them the support they need to excel.

James Neeriemer ’23 auditioned and won a chair in the 2022 TPSMEA All‑State Band but he didn’t stop there. He participated in the second round of auditions and won 1st chair amongst the best euphonium players in the state.

James is skilled in the piano, organ, trombone, trumpet, and euphonium. “James is an integral part of our ensemble, and his success makes us all better. He is an inspiration and leader among his peers in the band,” shared Music Coordinator Grant Gould.

Lydia and James recently performed in Chicago: High School Edition. Lydia starred as Matron Mama Morton, and James was one of two student musicians in the orchestra. With the full return of Interim Term in January, students had the chance to challenge themselves, explore new disciplines, and serve others through electives, trips, Freshman Arts Day, and Senior Outreach.

This year, Interim Term electives included but were not limited to costume design, printmaking, creative writing, stage combat, graffiti art, knitting, sewing, cooking, and dance. Every Interim Term elective course concluded with a final project that allowed students to put their skills to the test. Some of the projects completed this year included a ramen cook-off, choreography, and filming stage combat in the theatre.

This year also included trips to Disney World and National Parks across the Southwest. At Disney World, 34 students explored the art and science of theme park design in the “Imagineering: The Science of Disney World” course.

14 students visited National Parks including White Sands, the Guadalupe Mountains, the Carlsbad Caverns, and Big Bend. With history, geology, geography, and astronomy as the primary focuses, students hiked mountains, slid down sand dunes, and explored caves while learning about the pre‑history and culture of Native Americans in the regions. Additionally, Freshman Arts Day was a day full of excitement, learning, and creativity. The campus tradition is aimed at helping ninth grade students make informed decisions regarding their fine arts electives at EHS.

Lastly, this year’s Senior Outreach paved the way for the School to make new community partners and for students to volunteer in multiple locations throughout the day. Our seniors devoted their time and service to help more than two dozen organizations in the Greater Houston area, including Small Steps, Mosaic in Action, Houston Food Bank, and Buffalo Bayou Park.

#KNIGHTS STAND OUT

McMillian Named Head Girls Volleyball Coach Spring Arts Performances Finish Strong

The Athletics Pillar is pleased to announce that Cyd McMillian will join EHS as the head varsity volleyball coach. Coach McMillian comes to EHS from St. Agnes where she led the Tigers to the 2021 TAPPS 6A State Championship. Coach McMillian has been recognized by both the Texas Association of Volleyball Coaches and the Greater Houston Area Volleyball Coaches Association as their Coach of the Year.

In addition to leading the Girls Volleyball Program, Coach McMillian will teach in the Wellness Department.

Our beloved Coach Amanda Watts announced she is relocating to the Dallas area at the end of the 21‑22 academic year. She inherited a tradition‑rich program struggling to remain competitive in the SPC and quickly built the team into a perennial SPC contender. She led the Knights to two SPC championships in her time at the helm and solidified our standing as one of the top programs in the city, both public and private. We wish her well as she begins a new journey this summer and becomes our biggest fan in Dallas. In March, the spring season kicked off with the wildly entertaining musical performance of Chicago: High School Edition. The cast and crew wowed audiences, and the Underwood Theatre was packed for every performance! There were 38 student performers, 16 student crew members, and an orchestra of 13 professionals and two student musicians conducted by Dr. Jay Berckley.

In April, the Spring Dance Concert Moving Forms took center stage. The student‑choreographed performances featured more than 40 dancers and 16 student choreographers from Impact, Repertory, and Elevate.

In a combined night of entertainment and student talent on display, the Spring Concert and Masterworks Concert impressed the EHS community. The Spring Concert featured the EHS Band, Orchestra, and Chorale as they played selections from The Mandolorian, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Holst’s: The Planets, and more. In observance of Holy Week, the Masterworks Concert was held in the Benitez Chapel. The EHS Choir, EHS String Orchestra, and a professional string quartet performed Pergolesi’s “Stabat Mater,” Bach’s famous “Air on the G String,” Mozart’s “Ave Verum Corpus,” and “Kyrie” by alumnus Todd Frazier ’88. The student‑directed One‑Act Plays required student directors to choose scripts, hold auditions, plan rehearsals, advertise, and put on several performances of their shows.

We want to thank all the students, faculty, and staff, who made this performance season a success! Additionally, thank you to the friends and family of our student performers for your unwavering support and encouragement.

National Healthy Relationships Advocate Visits EHS 29th Annual EHS Dads Club Golf Tournament

EHS welcomed Katie Koestner, a national expert on healthy relationships and campus student safety, to speak with students and parents about dating violence in late March.

In 1990, Koestner appeared on the cover of TIME Magazine as the first woman in history to speak out publicly as a survivor of date rape. As an advocate against dating violence, Koestner has shared her stirring story with more than 5 million students across the country. Koestner’s presentation to students and the lunch‑and‑learn workshop for parents covered topics related to bodily consent, healthy decision‑making, and the impact of substance use.

Koestner’s visit was presented by the Consent, Advocacy, and Refusal Skills Education Initiative of the Diversity, Community, and Inclusion department, and generously supported by the Dads Club and Parents Association. More than 170 parent and alumni registrants teed off at the 29th Annual Dads Club Golf Tournament at the Wildcat Golf Club. Ronnie Deyo chaired the event held in April. The day of fellowship and competition raised approximately $90,000 for student programs throughout the Four Pillars. Thank you to all who attended!