EHS: The Magazine of Episcopal High School Spring 2024

What Sets Episcopal Apart

IAN CREWS ’24 prepares to act as a witness in a mock trial at the D.C. Court of Appeals.

SPRING 2024

THE COVER

36 WHAT SETS EPISCOPAL APART

An Advanced Government class that takes advantage of all our nation’s capitol has to offer. A social studies class that culminates in a mock trial in front of a presiding judge on the D.C. Court of Appeals. Take a look at classes that can only happen at Episcopal — and the teachers and students who make this place so special.

FEATURES

30 AN UPDATE ON THE COURAGE CAMPAIGN

From launching The Power of Parent Giving over Family Weekend to surpassing $128 million, the COURAGE CAMPAIGN has reached exciting new milestones, with many more to come.

44 FROM THE ARCHIVES

A look into the life and legacy of Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans.

88 AMELIA HANSON ’24 ON THE ART OF THE CHAPEL TALK

In a long-anticipated Chapel Talk, senior Amelia Hanson expressed gratitude for the special Episcopal community.

DEPARTMENTS

2 FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

4 EPISCOPAL UP CLOSE

48 CLASS NOTES

After Episcopal: Chuck Baldecchi ’89, Chris Hutchins ’03, Lucy Whittle Goldstein ’97 and Kiamani Wilson ’14, Adie von Gontard ’07

85 IN MEMORIAM

Head of School: Charley Stillwell

Assistant Head for Advancement: Christina Holt

Director of Communications: Irfan Latimer

Associate Director of Communications and Magazine Editor: Ann deSaussure Biondi ’08

Assistant Director of Communications and School Photographer: Piper Hartman

Assistant Director of Communications and Class Notes Editor: Marissa Murdock

Photographers: Natalie Davies, Rebecca Drobis, David Douglas, Grant Gibson, Harrison Griffin, Sam Levitan, Will Mebane ’91, Cory Royster

Archivist: Laura Vetter

Design: Linda Loughran

Printer: Dominion Paper Products, Inc.

Published by Episcopal High School for alumni, parents, grandparents, and friends of Episcopal High School. ©2024 Episcopal High School

Please send address corrections to: Advancement Office, Episcopal High School, 1200 North Quaker Lane, Alexandria, VA 22302. Or by email to communications@episcopalhighschool.org.

Episcopal High School does not discriminate in its admissions, or in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship programs, or in access to or treatment in any other School-administered program on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, ancestry, sexual orientation, disability, national origin, or any other protected category in accordance with applicable Federal, State, and local laws.

HEAD OF SCHOOL LETTER

The final months of the school year are always an especially exciting time on campus. As spring and warmer weather arrive, the beauty of our campus and the powerful bonds that form among our students, faculty, and staff remind us how fortunate we are to be part of this very special community. When one wanders our campus during this time of year with the dogwoods and redbuds in bloom, our spring teams being cheered on by students and parents, and our seniors enjoying their final weeks together and their special projects throughout the Greater Washington area, one is reminded that The Holy Hill is a truly remarkable setting for our students’ educational journey. Yet what makes this journey so powerful and the development of our students’ intellectual and moral courage so impressive is less about the beauty of our campus and our outstanding facilities and much more about the fact that Episcopal, for nearly two centuries, has been successful in attracting an amazing group of adults who guide and mentor our students in such transformational ways.

I have marveled at the level of dedication and commitment that our faculty and staff offer each day to our students.

During each of my eight years at Episcopal, I have marveled at the level of dedication and commitment that our faculty and staff offer each day to our students. The adults at Episcopal understand that building strong and caring relationships with our students positions us to foster in each the confidence, curiosity, comfort with rigor, and most importantly the strength of character that allows them to flourish in all areas of school life. What is particularly wonderful to see is when we have faculty and staff members here who dedicate decade after decade to our institution so that they have very positive impacts on their students and then eventually on the children of their former students. This year we say goodbye to three important, longstanding members of our community whose impact has been outstanding: Boota deButts ’76, our CFO and teacher of entrepreneurship, Peter Goodnow from our social studies department, and Kathleen Caslow from our science department. In this magazine, you will find more information about their significant impact, from Boota’s amazing knowledge of each child and outstanding work as a ninth-grade advisor to Peter’s creative approach to his government courses serving as an incredible role model for our new flex block academic excursions to D.C., to Kathleen’s arrival just as coeducation began to guide our first female students and bring a passion for experiential education to our science department.

As we continue this summer and next fall to finalize an update for our Strategic Plan and to chart an especially bright future for Episcopal, we now have the important task of living up to the powerful example set by the legendary adults from our School’s past and guiding our students to new heights. I am grateful for the remarkable generosity of our school family, alumni, and parents alike, who through the Roll Call and our Courage Campaign are helping us support the adults on campus in crucial ways. These resources allow our gifted adults to create exciting new classes connected to their personal passions, some of which you will read about in this magazine, and they also help us support our adults in an increasingly competitive market for outstanding talent with ongoing professional development and attractive compensation. The success of Episcopal will always rely on the care and commitment of our gifted adults. I thank all those past members of our faculty and staff who have set a high bar for educational excellence and transformational relationship-building. It is our turn now to honor that tradition and to inspire our students to become the caring, collaborative, ethical leaders of tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Charles M. Stillwell Head of School

“Woven into the History of this School” Episcopal Up Close

BY ANN de SAUSSURE BIONDI ’08

When I first returned to Episcopal to work in the communications department, I had trouble calling my old teachers by their first names.

Mrs. Caslow was my freshman advisor who shepherded me through the sometimes-bumpy transition to EHS; Mr. deButts was my friend Lindsey’s dad who always had a handshake and a smile at the ready; and Mr. Goodnow was my Advanced Government teacher who taught me how to think critically and be an engaged community member. Now, Kathleen, Boota, and Peter are my colleagues, and they are woven into the fabric of my life, as they were then, and as I am in theirs now. The strength of the Episcopal community lies in these connections, these shared experiences. We live, work, and grow alongside each other, some of us for 32 years like Caslow and some of us for only a brief moment, and we are bettered by each other’s presence.

This spring, Caslow bookended her three decades at Episcopal with a moving Chapel Talk on the fabrics of our lives. “My presence is woven into the history of this School,” said Caslow. “I’ll always remain a part of the essence of this place, much like each of you will,” she told students. As these three Episcopal fixtures retire, we would like to thank them for their many years of service to the School — and for being part of the fabric of this place for so long.

BOOTA deBUTTS ’76

It’s 10:01 p.m. on campus, and hordes of boys are running from various dorms to the deButts family house. Study Hall has just ended; cookies are warming in the oven; and the boys have been waiting all day for “Cooks,” a weekly tradition in the deButts advisory. deButts, who advises freshmen, invites all classes of former advisees to his house for milk and cookies two evenings a week.

This kind of magic is certainly not rare at Episcopal. Some of the most important and memorable moments on campus happen in a warm, homey kitchen with an enthusiastic group of students and a caring faculty member. “The moment my fingers touched them,” wrote Bennie Wang ’23, “I felt the warmth fresh out of the oven, and I suddenly got the feeling of home.” This feeling of home would not be possible without deButts, the Class of 1976 alumnus who once again made Episcopal his home in 2005, along with his wife Shelley and his children Lindsey ’08, Hunter ’10, and Austin ’12.

Before returning to Episcopal to serve as Chief Financial Officer, Boota deButts ’76 and his wife Shelley traveled the world, working from Paris to Abu Dhabi to his hometown of Richmond, Va. Throughout the years, deButts worked as a sales executive at IBM, a materials manager on the plant floor at Carrier, a CEO of a manufacturing company, and a CEO of Uncle Harry’s Ice Cream Cakes.

deButts’ varied jobs and interests set him up well for the CFO job he would eventually take at Episcopal — which requires him knowing everything from the cost of raising a dollar to the amount of food a freshman boy will eat over the course of a year. There is little that deButts has not touched or impacted across Episcopal’s campus and departments, but his legacy can be most felt in his relationship with students and colleagues. He is known for greeting everyone he encounters with a smile, and he goes out of his way to connect with Episcopal’s students, whether in the classroom, through the Student Investment Group that he advises, or across campus as everyone goes about their busy days.

When asked what he thinks makes Episcopal so special, he said it is the students, without a doubt. “We develop good people,” deButts said. “And you need good people in the world.”

Episcopal Up Close

“Woven into the History of this School”

KATHLEEN CASLOW

Kathleen Caslow arrived on campus in 1992 having never stood in the front of a classroom. “I was terrified,” she said while laughing at the memory. “I spoke so quickly that I finished my first class in 20 minutes.” She was (and remains) a researcher at heart, and the thought of standing in front of high schoolers made her more nervous than researching infectious diseases with field leaders.

Caslow was brought on by then Headmaster Sandy Ainslie ’56 to help young girls adapt to the School as Episcopal went co-ed. When she was hired, she was working with the renowned AIDS researcher Robert Gallo, and teaching was far outside of her comfort zone. Episcopal sent her to a teaching institute before she began to help her learn the basics. Little did she know, she would love teaching enough to remain at Episcopal for over half of her life.

Within the science department, Caslow was mentored by Episcopal teachers like Blair Buck ’66, Joe Shelor ’52, and Jackie Maher. She and Maher worked diligently to seamlessly integrate girls into the fabric of the School and to support them in their transitions. “Jackie was a force to be reckoned with. She really advocated for the girls,” said Caslow. Once Maher became the School’s assistant head for academics, she made Caslow chair of the science department, believing in Caslow more than Caslow believed in herself at the time. “Jackie helped me recognize I could be a leader.”

One of Caslow’s proudest moments of her Episcopal career is her involvement with the Burch Outdoor Program. She has only missed one trip since the program began in 1998. The intrepid teacher and outdoorswoman was able to visit with Lucius Burch ’59, the founder and benefactor of the program, in his hometown of Nashville, Tenn., and she was able to give him one of her cherished Outward Bound patches she earned while on the trails. “I conveyed to him that it symbolized the honor he rightfully deserved for his unwavering support in shaping the lives of many students,” Caslow said.

Along with her husband Doug and her sons Scott ’08, Quinn ’12, and Schillo Tshuma ’12, Caslow has made her mark on this intuition, as it has on her.

PETER GOODNOW

When Peter Goodnow used to walk parents through his courses during Family Weekend, he would say, “Here’s my syllabus,” and hold up a blank piece of paper. (Sometimes it landed, sometimes it didn’t, he reported.)

The important point Goodnow was making was that his classes are only possible at a school like Episcopal. As a social studies teacher in the nation’s capital, he has always had the luxury and the responsibility of responding to real-world events, knowing he can take his students right into the action. “I would wait and see what the world and country gave, and then I would create the course,” he said of his unique strategy.

A former CIA analyst, Goodnow has a wealth of connections in Washington, D.C., and he is a seasoned expert at getting his students into offices and conference rooms that most high school students would not have the chance to visit. His classes have met with Admiral Mike Mullen and General Hugh Shelton, both former chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; former CIA Director General Michael Hayden, U.S. senators and House members, including Senator John McCain ’54, among countless other government and non-government professionals. Goodnow most values the moment where he flips teaching on its head and has his students present their findings to experts. “When we go into these offices,” he said, “we’re not there to hear from the people. We go there to tell the people how we think they’re doing.” He has seen a Marine Corps general asking pointed questions to students from an underlined, annotated copy of their report, showing the academic excellence of the Episcopal student. “My biggest thrill is when you have an admiral and a senator and the students say, ‘Well, sir or ma’am, we’ve just analyzed you.’ It’s an incredibly powerful thing.” (Read more about Goodnow’s teaching in “What Sets Episcopal Apart” on page 36.)

Goodnow’s Washington experience has not only shaped the social studies department. For over a decade, Goodnow served as the director of Episcopal’s Washington Program (which is now housed within the McCain-Ravenel Center for Intellectual and Moral Courage), bringing his love of place-based learning school-wide and impacting all students.

Goodnow has also become the voice of Episcopal athletics, calling historic games in Hummel Bowl in his familiar baritone and expertly keeping time in close basketball games where every second matters. “I get far more compliments about how I sound at a football game than teaching Advanced Government,” he laughed.

Goodnow and his wife, fellow longtime EHS teacher Catherine Gómez-Goodnow, have devoted their lives to teaching and helping young students grow. Along with their children Ned and Lizzie, the Goodnow family has called Episcopal home for over two decades. “I’m very grateful to have been able to utilize these off-campus opportunities in my teaching,” Goodnow said. “It takes an already great job and makes it even better.”

SPRING FAMILY WEEKEND

Community in Full Bloom

THIS YEAR’S SPRING FAMILY WEEKEND WAS A VIBRANT CELEBRATION OF COMMUNITY AT THE HIGH SCHOOL. WITH A BACKDROP OF BLOOMING CHERRY BLOSSOMS, FAMILIES RECONNECTED WITH THEIR STUDENTS, CHEERED ON PERFORMERS AND ATHLETES, AND ENJOYED A SPECIAL RECEPTION CELEBRATING THE POWER OF PARENT GIVING AS PART OF THE COURAGE CAMPAIGN.

Episcopal Up Close

M c CAIN-RAVENEL DAYS

8th Annual MLK Jr. Symposium

EPISCOPAL STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF

CELEBRATED THE LEGACY OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DURING THE THIRD M c CAINRAVENEL DAY OF THE YEAR.

The day began with an all-school service activity in partnership with IRUSA and ALIVE! where students assembled more than 71,000 meal kits to support those in need in Northern Virginia and D.C. The keynote presentation, “At the Table with Dr. King,” used live music, the spoken word, and multimedia to bring to life Dr. King’s legacy and portions of America’s Civil Rights Movement in compelling and engaging ways. Our community enjoyed a special lunch prepared by local Blackowned caterers, who recreated the meal that was to be served to Dr. King on April 4, 1968. Students then spent the afternoon in various workshops exploring everything from gospel songs to global missions.

As our community considered what it means to honor Dr. King, the discussion focused on Episcopal’s Portrait of a Graduate qualities. Students were challenged to consider the impact of moral courage in standing up for what is right, the importance of intellectual courage in respecting and valuing diverse perspectives, and the power of courageous action when committing to ambitious goals.

The Sunday preceding the Symposium was the School’s annual MLK Vespers service, which included guest preacher the Reverend Charles L. Fischer III P’26 and an inspiring performance by Episcopal’s Community Choir, comprising students, faculty, staff, and family members, led — for the second consecutive year — by renowned guest conductor Arreon Harley-Emerson.

WHAT ARE McCAIN-RAVENEL DAYS?

Faculty in the McCain-Ravenel Center for Intellectual and Moral Courage plan five McCain-Ravenel (MRC) Days each academic year. Reflecting on the purpose of these days, Dr. Ryan Pemberton, The William Stamps Farish Fund Director of the McCain-Ravenel Center for Intellectual and Moral Courage, said, “We purposefully make connections between the ways leadership and courage help build strong communities. Through speakers and chosen workshops and activities, we want students to feel connected to our Portrait qualities of standing up for what is right, respecting and valuing diverse perspectives, and committing to ambitious goals in all facets of their lives, while here on the Hill and beyond.”

Episcopal Up Close

L to R: Molly Wheaton ’06, Nate Green, Joy Durling P’25, Ellie Gans ’24, Arhip Dmitriev ’25

Panelists Debate the Future of Artificial Intelligence

THE 2023-24 SCHOOL YEAR’S SECOND INSTALLMENT OF THE CIVIL DIALOGUE PROJECT FEATURED A THOUGHT-PROVOKING DISCUSSION ON THE IMPACT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI). THE PROJECT, LAUNCHED IN 2022, IS DESIGNED TO MODEL CIVIL DISCUSSION WITH KNOWLEDGEABLE SPEAKERS, WHO REPRESENT AN ARRAY OF PERSPECTIVES AS THEY ENGAGE IN THOUGHTFUL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT TIMELY TOPICS.

The student body gathered in Pendleton Hall to hear from Joy Durling P’25, Nate Green, and Molly Wheaton ’06. Durling serves as the chief data officer at Procore Technologies, with a 20+ year background in Silicon Valley, 11 of which were spent at Adobe. Green is a teacher and academic technology coordinator at nearby Sidwell Friends School who is heavily focused on the implications of social media on middle schoolers and teenagers. Wheaton is the co-founder of EarnBetter, “a free AI job search assistant that reformats and rewrites people’s resumes in minutes, finds personalized job matches, and drafts cover letters tailored to specific opportunities.”

The student-led programming kicked off with a warm welcome from Sean Kim ’25. Deftly moderated by Ellie Gans ’24 and Arhip Dmitriev ’25, the panel focused on questions like Should we be afraid of AI? Can it emote? What implications does it have in today’s classroom? The three panelists generously shared their thoughts and modeled respectful, introspective civil dialogue in real time.

WHAT IS AI?

Wheaton kicked off the discussion with her definition: “AI is a software that trains computers to ingest information and think like humans. It analyzes that information and then generates an output.”

Green reminded students of the prevalence of AI around them, even if they cannot see it. “It’s important to say that AI is in a lot of things we already do on a daily basis,” the digital citizenship and media literacy teacher reminded the audience. “Probably most significantly for all of you in the audience is the algorithms that deliver posts to you on Instagram and TikTok. It’s been embedded in things beyond that for many, many years.”

Despite AI feeling like a “new” software with the popularity of ChatGPT, Durling also reiterated its long history in the background of daily life, dating back to early models of AI in the fifties.

WHAT EXCITES YOU ABOUT THE FUTURE OF AI?

It is “a game changer in every single industry and every single job type,” said Durling. She can comb through the 300+ emails she gets a day with help from AI. It saves her time on menial tasks and helps her prioritize her day. “It’s helping everyone move up the value chain,” according to the tech EVP. “It’s pushing all of us to be more strategic and think about more creative ways to solve problems.”

As a teacher, Green has seen firsthand the benefit AI can have on today’s students. “No matter your learning style, there are ways you can use AI to increase your skills with support in a way that’s super beneficial to your learning,” he told the students. He harkened back to the invention of the calculator, which originally made teachers and mathematicians nervous. “As we began to figure out how to use it in the right way, it actually allowed us to pick up our math skills and become better math students faster.” AI pushes us all to be better, the panelists agreed.

Wheaton spoke of the “democratization of resources” made possible by AI. Many people with resources are able to pay for tutors and assistants. With AI, everyone can have access to those resources and timesavers for free. “It will help level the playing field,” Wheaton said. “If you’re saving time and being smarter and more productive, you’re going to move up the value chain like Joy said.”

CAN AI EMOTE?

Panelists acknowledged the fear of AI robots eventually replacing humans, but here is where the art of civil discourse shined on Pendleton Hall’s Fox Stage. “It can’t think; it can’t read; we don’t need to anthropomorphize it,” Green said emphatically. The other two panelists agreed, with Durling adding that “it can’t think or feel yet.”

“The key part of a human that’s very unique is our emotions,” Durling continued. “They’re impossible to replicate now…. But I can never say never.”

Green equated the idea of a conscious AI with perfectly replicated human emotions to “snake oil” in the present moment. Conscious AI will not happen anytime soon, Green predicted, but he did not rule out the possibility.

HOW WILL AI IMPACT CLASS AND THE SOCIAL LADDER?

Durling’s company “uses one technology to remove bias and leverages AI to support and scan resumes, removing internal biases that you may already have. AI ensures we get the right candidates.” She spoke of AI leveling the playing field and providing equitable opportunities for all in the hiring process, regardless of background, race, or gender.

Green and Wheaton acknowledged deficiencies in AI, citing photo-generating technology in particular. “It should be more representative of the population as a whole,” Wheaton said of assumptions AI makes when asked for a photo of a “person.”

But the answer is not so simple, according to the panelists. “If this was an easy fix, the engineers would have already fixed it,” said Green. Wheaton added: “There are definitely steps we need to take with some of the platforms and apps that are already out there that aren’t necessarily doing it so well.”

Episcopal’s Assistant Head for Academics Nate Ebel said of the event: “Listening to the panelists’ insightful and nuanced discussion about what the technology is, what it can do, and how it should be used will help our school-wide conversation move beyond the basic and popularized ideas about AI. Using artificial intelligence wisely and thinking critically about its future applications and ramifications will be important skills for our students as they move through EHS, college, and into their careers.”

Episcopal Up Close

The Right Rev. Brian Prior Visits Episcopal

THE THEOLOGIAN-INRESIDENCE PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1993 THROUGH THE GENEROSITY OF DICK RUTLEDGE ’51, IN ORDER TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE A FOUNDATION OF FAITH.

Rev. Brian Prior brought a wealth of experience as the 2023-24 Theologian-in-Residence, having served as a Bishop in the Episcopal Church, vice chair of the Episcopal Church Pension Board, and chair of the Episcopal Camp and Conference Center’s Visionary Council. With an impressive background that includes starting two education and recreational non-profits, Prior holds a master’s and doctorate from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific. He is also a board member of the Absalom Jones Center for Racial Healing and the HUB Sports Center.

Throughout his week at Episcopal, Prior preached an inspiring sermon during Vespers, taught several classes, and engaged in meaningful programming with students. “My experience at Episcopal was extremely positive. I found the community to be warm and inviting, the students to be inquisitive and engaging, and the overall culture to have a strong sense of community,” he said. Prior was also impressed with the closeness of the Episcopal community: “The cultivation of a strong sense of identity, respect, and reconciliation are all lived out here. These people are more than classmates and teachers — they are friends and neighbors.”

During the annual welcome dinner in Bryan Library, Prior candidly answered questions about students’ faith. He encouraged them to find solace in “the struggle,” and to acknowledge that “the struggle” allows for inquiry, wonder, and imagination. He also touched on his personal experiences

in grappling with faith and reconciliation. “There’s actually a huge blessing in the midst of messiness for learning and growth. I’ve tried to empower students to turn those struggles and challenges into curiosity and inquiry.”

Drawing from his experience as a former girls’ basketball coach, Prior incorporated a basketball to open his Vespers homily at the end of his time on The Holy Hill. Reflecting on his team losing the state championship game by one point, he conveyed to students the emotions of joy and anguish in being a part of a team. He identified three elements that define being on a team but also resonate in the context of daily life. “Order: a time in our lives when things are going well; disorder: when things go wrong, or there’s chaos; and reorder: the place where we can live with fullness.” By the end of his sermon, Prior offered students advice on navigating life’s ups and downs as they journey from disorder to reorder.

Episcopal’s Assistant Chaplain Rev. Richmond Jones expressed heartfelt gratitude to Prior for his guidance in navigating Jones’ own faith journey, “When I met Bishop Prior in high school, I had the feeling he was someone who modeled being intentional about how you approach the world,” Jones said. “He was one of the first people to give me the courage to pursue a call to ministry. His kind words and recognition of my gifts took what seemed risky and uncertain and made it tangible and admirable. At each junction in my life, he has been a trusted friend and mentor who is guaranteed to have wisdom in spades.”

SCHOLAR-IN-RESIDENCE

This year, Dr. Tamika Nunley joined Episcopal as the 2023-24 Scholar-in-Residence. Nunley is an associate professor at Cornell University, where she also directs the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship program and serves as associate chair of the history department. She currently serves as the chair of the American Historical Association program committee for the 2025 annual meeting.

Dr. Tamika Nunley Stays Curious

ESTABLISHED IN 1998 BY AN ANONYMOUS DONOR, THE BEN GEER KEYS SCHOLARIN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM BRINGS TALENTED SCHOLARS AND ARTISTS TO THE HIGH SCHOOL TO WORK WITH AND LIVE AMONG STUDENTS FOR SEVERAL DAYS.

Nunley has written two books: “At the Threshold of Liberty: Women, Slavery, and Shifting Identities in Washington, D.C.” and “The Demands of Justice: Enslaved Women, Capital Crime, and Clemency in Early Virginia.”

During her visit, Nunley met with students to discuss history, research, writing, and more. Nunley joined several classes, from Molly Pugh’s Protest Literature to Louis Smith’s Nonfiction Writing for Publication and Heidi Huntley’s Honors Modern World History. In them, she shared her own experience as a writer and historian, jumping into the students’ work to share her research and provide new perspectives. During Protest Literature, she and the students dove into Black women’s history, with Caroline

Brown ’24 calling it “a very eye-opening day that I will never forget.”

Nunley spoke with students about the importance of staying curious and practicing civil dialogue, especially when you disagree. “Maybe the purpose of the dialogue is not necessarily a resolution, but to hold space in that moment and remain curious. That’s the beauty of connection,” Nunley said. She acknowledged how tempting and natural it can be to want someone to immediately agree. “Sometimes we’re so obsessed with making our point known, and we want the other person to consume it wholesale, but that’s just not how we work as humans.” Instead, she has learned to constantly ask herself: “What does it look like to rest in a place of curiosity?”

Nunley noted the importance of students giving themselves room to grow. “In elite spaces like Episcopal and Cornell, our students have been socialized to have it all figured out. But having a posture of learning and growth means you can give yourself some grace and allow yourself to receive all that the experience has for you.” As for Episcopal students, she was confident that they are already well on their way: “I was so impressed with their confidence, curiosity, and poise. We had such vibrant conversations.”

Episcopal Up Close

FLEX BLOCKS

Flexing Creative Muscles

A LOOK AT HOW EPISCOPAL’S MID-DAY, 2.5-HOUR FLEX BLOCKS HELP STUDENTS THINK CREATIVELY AND DIFFERENTLY.

LATIN ADVANCED TOPICS GOES BEYOND THE CLASSICS

Alec Robinson’s Advanced Topics in Latin 1 and 2 visited the National Gallery of Art to explore neo-classical GrecoRoman statues and figurines. The trip’s goal was to demonstrate that the influence of Greco-Roman culture persisted far longer than the classical period itself and help students define “Classical Reception.” The European and American sculptures from the 1600s to the 1800s displayed at the gallery showed the students the influence of ancient Greece and Rome, emphasizing that classical motifs extend beyond their designated period. This enriching experience enabled the students to see that the impact of this culture stretches across a wide range of times and places.

ADVANCED CALCULUS ANALYZES AIRPLANE DESCENTS

Patrick Thompson’s Advanced Calculus class found an ideal application for solving the mathematical scenario of an airplane’s descent. Students had a unique opportunity to calculate the angle and speed of the planes at Gravelly Point Park, just north of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Against the backdrop of the scenic Potomac River, the Washington Monument, and other iconic D.C. landmarks, the class witnessed planes descending with such powerful gusts that they nearly swept their graphing calculators away.

CIVICS STUDENTS STAR IN INFOMERCIALS

Ninth-grade Civics students each researched one of the three branches of the U.S. government. The class visited three iconic U.S. government locations to connect each building in the student’s mind with its branch and corresponding article of the Constitution: the Capitol (Legislative Branch, Article 1); the White House (Executive Branch, Article 2); and the Supreme Court (Judiciary Branch, Article 3).

While on the flex block, each student took pictures and filmed videos that they later used to create a 4-minute infomercial to make a persuasive case as to why their branch is the best. On the final day of the project, they hosted a “Film Fest” in which all of the infomercials were played and the students voted on which one was the most informative and creative. During the process, the students not only gained a mastery of their assigned branch but also a thorough understanding of the roles and interactions of all three branches.

POETRY CLASS WELCOMES ALEXANDRIA’S POET LAUREATE

English teacher Katrina Reed’s poetry class welcomed KaNikki Jakarta, Alexandria’s first African American poet laureate, to campus in preparation for their end-of-course open mic night at local restaurant Busboys and Poets. The class leaned into her wisdom and creativity through a series of transformative confidence-building exercises. Jakarta encouraged students to read their original pieces for an authentic audience and was incredibly impressed by their “first lines.” She also performed a poem from one of her five published texts, “Alabama Girl, Virginia Woman,” and gave tips on how to connect with an audience through body language and purposeful delivery. This experience left students with a deeper appreciation for the power of poetry and the confidence to share their individual stories with pride.

Episcopal Up Close

ACADEMICS

EHS Model U.N. Tackles

Global Diplomacy

EPISCOPAL’S MODEL

UNITED NATIONS (U.N.) CLUB ATTENDED THE ANNUAL AMERIMUNC CONFERENCE HOSTED BY AMERICAN UNIVERSITY.

Model U.N. serves as a simulation of the U.N. General Assembly and its other multinational bodies. Students assumed different roles to address pressing global issues such as gender equality, climate action, and global health. Located in the heart of Washington, D.C., AmeriMUNC provides an intimate yet dynamic platform for educational initiatives. All students participate in one simulated universe, which means each topic can affect every committee.

Under the stewardship of Jayden Muthaiah ’24 and Classics teacher Alec Robinson, Episcopal’s delegation engaged in various simulation committees to learn about diplomacy and international relations. Students discussed topics such as crisis control in Ghana, disaster risk reduction, human rights in Africa, and more.

Congratulations to this year’s participants!

Gigi Abed ’25

Caroline Benavides ’25

Lucinda Cahan ’26

Luke Dávila ’24

Joely Gendell ’25

Grey Gibbins ’26

Jayden Muthaiah ’24

Sean Nguyen ’26

Lucy Nolan ’25

Nobles Preiss ’26

Sean Schwartz ’26

Margie Whitaker ’26

Sunook Yoon ’25

AFTERNOON OPTIONS

Sports Media Takes Athletics Coverage to the Next Level

FOR OVER FIVE YEARS, EPISCOPAL’S STUDENTS HAVE EXPLORED THE DYNAMIC WORLD OF SPORTS MEDIA AS AN AFTERNOON OPTION, GUIDED BY LUKE DAVID ’93, DIRECTOR AT AUTOMATIC FILMS. FROM WIELDING CAMERAS TO COMMANDING THE AIRWAVES, STUDENTS DON MULTIPLE HATS AS THEY STEP INTO THE ROLES OF BROADCASTERS, DIRECTORS, AND ON-AIR PERSONALITIES.

Sports media has broadcast numerous games while occasionally producing compelling short stories. Last fall, they tallied over 6,500 views across 25 broadcasts. Through this experience, students master the technical intricacies of live production while honing vital life skills like teamwork, selflessness, and accountability, echoing the values learned on the field or court. “I unfortunately was not cleared to play any sports, so luckily, I had the opportunity to participate in sports media,” Sunook Yoon ’25 said. “Through the program, I have developed commentating, directing, and camera skills, which has introduced me to a new atmosphere.”

For David, the seamless execution on game day continues to impress him. “Our students set up in minutes what professionals take hours to achieve,” the accomplished filmmaker said proudly. “Witnessing their growth and celebrating their progress is the heartbeat of this program.”

To follow along, visit EHS Live on YouTube.

Episcopal Up Close

A Winter to Remember

THE HIGH SCHOOL HAD AN ELECTRIFYING WINTER ATHLETICS SEASON, WITH A FEW NOTABLE STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:

` On the hardwood, the girls’ varsity basketball team won the ISL A Division tournament and finished the regular season with a historic 21-4 record.

` Both the boys’ and girls’ climbing squads took second in the Washington Area Interscholastic Climbing League (WAICL) Championships.

` The boys’ indoor track and field team sprinted its way to the 4x200 State Championship.

` The girls’ JV squash team dominated the courts, finishing their season undefeated.

` Ava Reese ’25 claimed the State Championship title in the shot put.

` Emre Sensoy ’24 grappled his way to the top to be crowned the VISAA Wrestling State Champion in his weight class

PERFORMING

IN FEBRUARY, THE EHS THEATER DEPARTMENT PRESENTED THE HIT MUSICAL “LES MISÉRABLES.”

Set in 19th-century France, the musical follows the life of Jean Valjean, an ex-convict who seeks redemption after breaking parole despite being hunted for decades by his rival and ex-guard Javert. In his quest for absolution, Jean Valjean agrees to care for Cosette, the daughter of tragic factory worker Fantine, changing his life forever. The instantly recognizable songs of the epic musical were at the center of this EHS main-stage production, highlighting the cast, crew, and orchestra of 60 students and their amazing voices and talents.

“Working on ‘Les Mis’ was such a rewarding experience and being able to see how much our group grew throughout the process was incredible,” Charlotte Whiteley ’24 said. “I have never been prouder of a show I have done here and I think that speaks to the caliber of talent and work ethic everyone has.”

Episcopal Up Close

VISUAL ARTS

Arts Students Capture the Essence of Episcopal

WHETHER THEY ARE CHATTING WITH ARTS TEACHER DAVID DOUGLAS ABOUT HIS EXTENSIVE CAMERA COLLECTION LINING THE SHELVES IN HIS CLASSROOM, SOLVING A PROBLEM THEY RAN INTO ON ADOBE PHOTOSHOP, OR PLANNING THE FOCUS OF THEIR INDEPENDENT STUDY, STUDENTS FIND THEMSELVES IMMERSED IN THE WORLD OF ART UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF DOUGLAS.

“My goal as a teacher is to give my students something they are interested in,” Douglas said. “They come to class, grab a camera, and are excited to get to work.”

Inspired by photographer Chris Usher’s 1993 portrayal of life on the Hill, “Episcopal High School of Virginia: Fortiter, Fideliter, Feliciter,” Douglas challenged his Advanced Studio Art: 2D Design class students to, like Usher, craft a 75+ page viewbook capturing the essence of campus life.

Under Douglas’ guidance, students delved into Usher’s work, dissecting his photographic style and immersing themselves in the visual narrative of Episcopal’s past. In the original project, Usher was challenged to “illustrate the character of Episcopal High School in photographs,” and he did just that, Douglas said. Smattered with images and an introduction written by former chair of the English department and alumnus Perry Epes ’65, the first several pages describe the essence of the Episcopal that Epes knew, plus the history and the future of life on campus.

Usher fills the subsequent pages with hundreds of images highlighting life on campus in the early 90s.

Embarking on their photographic journey and armed with cameras, students ventured through campus, documenting facets of Episcopal life — from chapel services to English classes to movie nights on dorm. They sought out distinct, meaningful locations and moments, capturing the vibrancy of daily life at EHS.

Back in the classroom, students merged their photographs with text using Photoshop, infusing each page with their unique artistic vision. Ethan Kim ’24 experimented with layered compositions, overlaying an image of a friend jumping in the air over a picture of a wooded area, juxtaposing images to create depth. Maisie Halloran ’25 played with color and shape to highlight contrast, and Bluebelle Richert ’25 captured images of her friends taking an afternoon walk on campus and kept the original image intact. Students crafted physical copies of their

MAISIE HOLLORAN ’25

viewbooks as the project progressed, binding them with Douglas’ assistance. Each page contains the imprint of the students’ perspectives, offering a varied view of Episcopal life captured through their lenses.

Reflecting on her experience, Richert shared: “This project allowed me to capture our busy campus and find moments of quiet and stillness. I realized how beautiful aspects of this campus are, even if I walked by them every day and was always too busy just to stop and admire. I could see parts of my day as single frames instead of one big hectic day.”

For Douglas, the project allowed students to see Episcopal through their lenses. “Artists don’t work in a vacuum,” he said. “I tell my students to find something you like and do your version of it.” The students celebrated the beauty, diversity, and simple things that shape their EHS experience and community through their viewbooks, echoing Usher’s timeless portrayal of Episcopal life.

BLUEBELLE

ETHAN KIM ’25

Episcopal Up Close

SENIOR TRADITIONS

Celebrating the Class of 2024

As the senior class returned from Spring Break, they gathered together for the Blessing of the Bricks and Senior Dinner. This year marked an exciting change in timing for these two special traditions, which were moved out of the seniors’ packed May schedule to more formally kick off “Senior Spring.” Before the bricks were unveiled to cheers and laughter, Head Chaplain Rev. Betsy Carmody prayed: “May these bricks be a reminder of the imprint that this place has left upon these seniors, and the imprint that they have left upon us.”

That same evening, the Class of 2024 gathered in Centennial Gym for the annual Senior Dinner, where they watched a slideshow of their class over the past four years. There was plenty of laughter — and tears! — as the class began to celebrate their impending graduation as the end of classes and the start of externships neared.

Announcing the Freshmen Village at EHS

TO FOSTER THE STRONGEST AND HEALTHIEST POSSIBLE COMMUNITY FOR OUR NEWEST AND YOUNGEST STUDENTS, EPISCOPAL ANNOUNCES THE CREATION OF “FRESHMEN VILLAGE” IN HENDERSON HALL, WHICH COMPRISES BOTH HUMMEL AND MCGUIRE DORMITORIES.

Beginning the 2024-25 school year, this new approach to centralizing the on-dorm experience for our freshmen is an exciting evolution of our residential program and has been several years in the making. Supporting the Courage Campaign’s strategic priority of maximizing the power of relationships and commitment to community, the Freshmen Village was conceived as part of the School’s renewed focus on the Ninth Grade Program to further enhance the positive experience of our youngest students.

By centralizing the living environment for all freshmen in two separate and distinct dorms within Henderson Hall, we will:

HELP freshmen

create a strong foundation for their time at EHS;

NORMALIZE healthy friendships between girls and boys in the 9th grade; and

CREATE engaging programming and fun community events that are specifically designed to meet the needs of this age group, supported by two dorm heads and upperclassmen student leaders who specifically express an interest in working with our youngest students.

With light construction taking place over the summer, McGuire Dorm will transition to a freshmen girls’ dorm and complement Hummel Dorm, which will remain the freshmen boys’ dorm. While the dorms will have separate and distinct living spaces and common rooms, there will be a shared common room in the middle of the building and a shared outside space. Traffic between the dorms will only be possible during specific, adultsupervised hours. With this change, Dalrymple will return to being a boys’ dorm after 12 years as a girls’ dorm and Anderson in Robertson Hall will transition to an upperclassman girls’ dorm.

EHS CONNECT

Episcopal Up Close Courage in the Workplace

EPISCOPAL ALUMNI

AND FAMILIES HAVE ALWAYS LOVED TO GET TOGETHER, AND REGIONAL EHS COCKTAIL RECEPTIONS ARE A LONG-TIME FAVORITE.

Over the past decade, though, Episcopal has aimed to diversify our event offerings and to help our constituents connect in deeper ways. “We want to be an asset to others in the Episcopal community through sharing diverse life experiences and leveraging professional networks,” wrote the 2015-16 Advisory Council, chaired by Bill Goodwin ’95 P’26.

Fast forward to this winter, Goodwin served as one of three panelists at an EHS CONNECT event in Raleigh focused on the role of courage in the workplace. The CONNECT event series was created in 2015 in response to our community’s desire to network with and support fellow EHS constituents who share interests and experiences. Episcopal hosted three CONNECT events this winter and spring in Charlotte, Raleigh, and Atlanta. At these events, CFO Boota deButts ’76 shared remarks and led conversations with alumni panelists from a range of industries.

At the Charlotte event, the panelists connected over that very first “What am I doing here?” moment Episcopal students can have when dropped off for the first time as a teenager — and how persevering through it makes a student stronger. “It teaches you when you’re really young that you just have to stick with it and keep grinding,” said EHS Trustee Ned Durden ’88 P’20 ’22. Leah Andress Brady ’08 agreed: “You can’t teach that independence. Having to solve your own problems is invaluable once you get to the workplace.”

Thank you to our panelists for your time and wisdom!

Leah Andress Brady ’08

Shaw Cornelson ’04

Ned Durden ’88 P’20 ’22

Bill Goodwin ’95 P’26

Khadijah Hall ’08

Lindsey Dorman Johnson ’07

Steven Lilly ’88 P’21 ’23

Crystal Taylor-Simon ’96

Jenner Wood ’70 P’06

Raleigh attendees gathered at Legion Brewing, owned by former EHS trustee John Glover ’81 P’11 ’14 ’18. During the event, high school principal Crystal Taylor-Simon ’96 remembered the teaching of Dr. Thom Hummel. From a small town where she “was told what to think,” Taylor-Simon had never stopped to ask the important question of “Why?” Hummel changed that for her. “The biggest knowledge I have taken from Episcopal is to always question,” she said. Now, she constantly asks herself questions like: “What can we do to make the world a better place? What can we do to make our students and our next generation better?”

Ultimately, all three events emphasized finding the courage to ask for help, something all the panelists learned at Episcopal. Some, like Brady, referenced being the youngest one at the table. “Having the courage to ask for help has been immensely important” in her career growth in finance, she said. Others who have been on the other side of the ask agreed. “Once you know someone well enough, you want to try to be that person for them,” EHS Trustee Steven Lilly ’88 P’21 ’23 added. “It makes us really happy for them to achieve their goals. Mentorship is so incredibly important.”

CAMPAIGN LEADERSHIP

CHAIR, BOARD OF TRUSTEES Sarah Akridge Knutson ’96 P’26

CAMPAIGN CABINET Lee Ainslie ’82 P’14 ’17 | Robert Mason ’77 P’15 | Rodney Robinson ’86 | Kathryn Tyree P’17 ’19

HEAD OF SCHOOL Charles M. Stillwell P’18

ASSISTANT HEAD FOR ADVANCEMENT Christina M. Holt P’12 ’15 ’17

Always advancing our mission to prepare young people with the intellectual and moral courage to pursue lives of leadership and service, Episcopal High School is evolving with the world around us and within an educational landscape that demands distinction. Positioned to deliver an educational journey that no other school can, Episcopal publicly launched COURAGE: THE CAMPAIGN FOR EPISCOPAL in November 2022.

PERSPECTIVES ON COURAGE

SARAH AKRIDGE KNUTSON ’96 P’26, CHAIR, EHS BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The COURAGE CAMPAIGN is not just about bricks and mortar. It is about connection, relationships, community, rigor, and wellness. It is about Episcopal’s values, such as the Honor Code and personal integrity, and we are making sure those values thrive for generations to come. That is the ethos of the School that existed long before I was here and hopefully long into the future.

As we invest in the School’s future, this campaign bolsters the ways we are able to instill intellectual and moral courage in our students and develop the leaders our nation needs. Whether or not our students aspire to run the country or their local town, they all have the opportunity to support and lead in their communities. Episcopal really helped me understand what kind of leader I wanted to be.

The five campaign pillars are differentiators, and with COURAGE we can deliver a student experience that is like no other. I feel nothing is more special at Episcopal than the relationships that are built here, and the campaign priorities are doing so much to enhance that — from the commitment to community to investing in our world-class faculty. I am especially passionate about the campaign’s priority to support the faculty and staff, as I have felt their impact on my life when I was a student and on my son Jack ’26 now that he is a student. The adults on campus are delivering the Episcopal experience to our students every day.

As I told Jack before his freshman year, connect with the faculty and know that the adults at EHS will be your mentors, your cheerleaders, and your compass. The adults support each student’s individual growth, whether in the classroom, the athletic field, or in residential life, and they demand that you excel in the best way that you can. It is therefore imperative that we attract the best of the best for our faculty and that we retain the talent that we have. Whether that is through compensation, housing, or professional development opportunities to explore avenues that they are excited about, we must be sure they want to be here. And with COURAGE , we will…

I am confident, now more than ever, that our school has outlined the top priorities to continue to propel our school to excellence while holding tight to our foundational values. I invite you to join me in support of this ambitious campaign and all the strategic priorities that it fuels.

GO HIGH SCHOOL!

Supporting priorities set forth in the 2018 Strategic Plan, COURAGE is a $150 million campaign — the most ambitious in Episcopal’s 184-year history.

This is a defining moment for The High School. Our bold plans are only possible with equally bold support from our community. Our thanks to all the donors who have joined this historic effort to date!

DONORS: 717

ALUMNI: 406

PARENT (CURRENT & PAST): 210

FOUNDATIONS: 19

$120 MILLION RAISED

$150 MILLION GOAL as of April 2024 $128 MILLION RAISED

OUR WORLD-CLASS FACULTY AND STAFF

THE POWER OF THE TEACHER/STUDENT CONNECTION

Hear from Dean of Faculty Lucy Whittle Goldstein ’97 P’27 and Natasha Wanjiru ’20 about their bond that is unique to our extraordinary learning community.

PROFESSIONAL GROWTH GRANTS

See how COURAGE is helping EHS build the resources to attract and retain gifted and diverse faculty and staff dedicated to the School’s mission and eager to take full advantage of Episcopal’s unmatched professional environment and opportunities.

In a new opportunity, a commitment to COURAGE may be used to create a named endowed Professional Growth Grant fund.

TO LEARN MORE, CONTACT DIRECTOR OF CAMPAIGN AND LEADERSHIP GIVING WINNIE ROBINSON AT 703-933-4192.

Enriching professional development inspires existing and prospective teachers. Take a look at examples of recent professional development at Episcopal:

Science teacher DR. KACEY MEAKER has for several years both led and attended workshops hosted by the United States Association for Young Physicists Tournaments, and this school year she is serving as the Association President.

Teaching Fellow HADIYYAH ABDUL-JALAAL ’17

attended the Gardner Carney Leadership Institute (gcLi), a program that helps teachers learn the skills of developing leadership in young people.

Science teacher JAVIER BASTOS , Spanish teacher and Director of Externships NORMAN KIM-SENIOR , and DR. RYAN PEMBERTON , The William Stamps Farish Fund Director of the McCain-Ravenel Center for Intellectual and Moral Courage, attended the Independent Schools Experiential Education Network (ISEEN) Institute in January, with Kim-Senior also serving as a cohort leader. Joining teachers from across the nation and around the world who value experiential education, the trio from EHS returned energized with creative ways to incorporate new pedagogies into their work with students.

INTRODUCING THE POWER OF PARENT GIVING

On the Friday evening of Spring Family Weekend, nearly 200 parents gathered at the iconic Alexandria landmark, the George Washington Masonic National Memorial, for The Impact of COURAGE reception. They celebrated the ongoing progress of the campaign and launched THE POWER OF PARENT GIVING initiative, hearing from Board Chair Sarah Akridge Knutson ’96 P’26, Head of School Charley Stillwell P’18, and Head Monitor John Rogers ’24 about the opportunities that COURAGE donors are making possible for EHS students and how to join this historic effort.

“If you want to feel optimistic about our country’s future, spend some time with us at Episcopal High School.”

WATCH JOHN’S REMARKS:

— HEAD MONITOR JOHN ROGERS ’24

JOIN US!

Families play an integral role in supporting and enhancing the Episcopal mission, and giving to Episcopal is an important way parents and grandparents make a difference. All families are invited to take part in THE POWER OF PARENT GIVING and help achieve the goal of raising 25% of campaign funds from our parents. WITH COURAGE, WE WILL…

Thank you to the EHS parents and grandparents who have already generously committed to the campaign priorities! AS OF APRIL 2024

“We got involved with the COURAGE CAMPAIGN because we want to support what is most important to us about Episcopal: the values, the community, and the culture. We are delighted to be chairing THE POWER OF PARENT GIVING and look forward to involving all parents in this important campaign. Please join us!”

— TODD AND MISSY SAVAGE P’23 ’26, CHAIRS, THE POWER OF PARENT GIVING

What Sets Episcopal Apart

A compilation of classes unique to The High School.

STEFANIE SPARKS SMITH

PRACTICES WHAT SHE PREACHES.

When Episcopal offered Stefanie Sparks Smith a position on the faculty, she was a full-time practicing trial lawyer with Ekstrand & Ekstrand in Durham, N.C., and working on the biggest case of her career, the Duke lacrosse case, which lasted from 2006-2014. (Smith was a standout lacrosse player at Duke so the case was particularly meaningful to her.) The criminal case lasted just over a year followed by years of civil litigation. That case, which resulted in the first time the state of North Carolina proclaimed defendants innocent in an official court filing, was one of the many cases she has worked on that now informs her Legal Principles and Trial Advocacy class.

For over five years, Smith has taught the course, which shows students the ins and outs of courtroom trials and the art and effectiveness of persuasive advocacy, using hypothetical cases gathered from her time at Georgetown University’s esteemed law school. The course culminates in a mock trial in front of a practicing judge on the D.C. Court of Appeals. The Honorable John P. Howard III, a friend of Smith’s from law school, has been presiding over these mock

trials since the course’s inception, and has hosted numerous Episcopal externs over the years. Howard, who was initially appointed by former President Trump then reappointed by President Biden, embodies the bipartisanship Smith teaches her students.

Smith’s love for the law is infectious in the classroom. Now serving as Episcopal’s General Counsel in addition to teaching legal electives offered to juniors and seniors, Smith’s real-world experience provides a perspective in the classroom unlike any other. Natanim Bekele ’25 said she “would have been so surprised and so proud” if someone had told her one year ago that she would deliver an opening statement in a real courtroom to a presiding judge. “It was just an incredible experience. It boosted my confidence.”

“I always tell them as they’re getting ready and preparing for the mock trial that there are experiences and opportunities in life that you’ll regret not investing time and energy

Commit to the preparation and work hard.”

into. This is one of them. Commit to the preparation and work hard,” she said.

To include the greater community, Smith invites parents, friends, and EHS Board members to sit in on the trial, which is always well attended. Former students of the class and faculty sometimes act as witnesses. Each team has a practicing attorney mentor including Smith’s husband Stephen, a trial lawyer for the Department of Justice. The energy and engagement from the attendees, according to Smith, is one of the best parts of the experience. Parents and other spectators agree. “The trial was one of the most incredible educational experiences I’ve ever seen,” said Jen Ryan P’24 in an email

to Smith after the event, “and we are thrilled that Beau had the opportunity at 19 years old! From the directions to the selection of the judge from the mentors for each team to your leadership in the room, it was a well orchestrated and safe learning environment.”

I feel I’ve gotten students to look at the bigger picture, at both sides of the argument.”

PETER GOODNOW

FLIPS THE SCRIPT AND HAS STUDENTS PRESENT THEIR FINDINGS TO EXPERTS.

Until the early 2000s, social studies teacher Peter Goodnow was teaching Advanced Placement Government. Ultimately, he felt the standardized curriculum limited the impact studying government in the nation’s capital could have on Episcopal students, and with the support of the School, he set about creating an Advanced Government class completely unique to our location. His class seamlessly integrates Washington, D.C., and Goodnow builds the coursework around national and global news. As a result, no semester is the same.

Goodnow, a former CIA officer with many connections in the D.C. area, takes a different approach when he brings his classroom to meet with industry experts. He has his students study the person’s policy, business, or role, and then essentially give them a report card. Rather than taking students to hear a lecture or be taken on a tour, Goodnow has students take a leading role, making the history come alive.

As the 2024 election approaches, Goodnow created a unit on third parties. If a percentage of Democrats want a candidate other than President Biden, or a percentage of Republicans want a candidate other than

Peter Goodnow’s class meets with Holly Page (far left) of No Labels.

former President Trump, how should third parties use this data to their advantage? The students explored questions like: Would you risk Biden winning by voting for a thirdparty candidate that might lessen Trump’s chance, and vice versa? At the culmination of the unit, the class traveled to the D.C. office of No Labels, an organization which strives to put country first and political party second. There, the students met with No Labels co-founder Holly Page. As is customary in Goodnow’s class, students presented their findings on the political viability of selected No Labels positions and compared them with historial third parties dating back to 1912, impressing Page with their attention to detail and individual points of view.

Goodnow invites hard conversations, especially when students disagree. He willingly shares his own perspective, not to change students’ minds but to engage in meaningful civic discourse. “I feel I’ve gotten students to look at

DR. RYAN PEMBERTON

CHALLENGES STUDENTS TO EMBRACE THEIR OWN LEADERSHIP STYLES.

the bigger picture, at both sides of the argument. If they honestly examine both sides, that’s a net plus because they’ve thought critically.” And it is not just the students who are challenged to think differently; Goodnow himself thrives on the discussion that results when students find something in their research that is news to the veteran teacher. “I’m always glad when that happens,” he said, “because it not only expands my knowledge, but it also gives the rest of the class more perspective to deal with the topic at hand.”

To gather real-world data for assignments, Goodnow includes the greater EHS community by sending polls to all faculty and staff to get the pulse of public opinion on campus, while recognizing that campus could not appropriately capture the wide swath of the nation’s view. “It’s so important to understand we are a democracy,” Goodnow said of his strategy. “Public opinion matters.”

Dr. Ryan Pemberton and Thomas Smith ‘25 in March Library

The purpose of education is to connect what you’re doing in the classroom with the world outside.”

While at Hampden-Sydney College, Dr. Ryan Pemberton taught multiple classes related to leadership theory. When he began at Episcopal as The William Stamps Farish Fund Director of the McCain-Ravenel Center, he hoped he might be able to adapt aspects of those classes for the high school setting — while still maintaining the standards he had for his college classes. The result? Two semester-long classes called Leadership Theory, which focus on D.C. and U.S. institutions in the fall and D.C. and international institutions in the spring. Both courses use experiential learning (EL) pedagogy, which the faculty uses widely, primarily in flex blocks, to bring the material to life. EL can be loosely described as a model where students learn concepts, act, and then reflect on the experience, according to Pemberton.

Pemberton’s classes are built around interactions with expert leaders in a wide range of fields from politics to law and nonprofit leadership. Students begin by learning leadership concepts like organizational culture, leader-follower interaction, and ethics. Pemberton has learned that creating engaging interactions with leaders provides the students with a sense of ownership. Pemberton builds self-reflection into the course to encourage students to think critically about leadership concepts and their own goals, priorities, and values. “Students move from being passive bystanders

to active participants who will serve with intellectual and moral courage — the foundation of our Portrait of a Graduate qualities,” Pemberton said.

In the course, students discuss how much a leader’s background can and does influence his or her leadership style. They study famous leaders from Ronald Reagan to Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Malcolm X along with Mother Teresa and Winston Churchill. As they dive into leaders’ backgrounds, Pemberton reminds his students of the power of civic discourse, an initiative essential to the ethos of the McCain-Ravenel Center. “If you don’t understand what the other person is going through, it’s really hard for you to move forward together,” Pemberton tells his students. “It’s not solely being nice for nice’s sake, it’s so you can do things collectively and move the institution forward.”

Like Advanced Government, Pemberton’s class can turn on a dime to respond to real-world happenings. During the spring semester, for example, students studied the conflicts between Israel and Hamas, Russia and Ukraine, and China and Taiwan, keeping up with current news and diving into leadership styles of each group and country. Pemberton tells his students that “the purpose of education is to connect what you’re doing in the classroom with the world beyond campus.” He also knows how rare these opportunities are for high school students — opportunities made possible by Episcopal’s location and vast network. “We are so fortunate to be located where we are and to be a part of this EHS community. Alumni and parents go above and beyond to share their experiences with our students. The world really is closer here at EHS.”

Throughout the class, students also evaluate their own leadership styles. The students assess their individual strengths and opportunities for growth and track them throughout the semester. At the culmination of the course, they present a creative project to explain how they grew and evolved. “I’ve learned that to be a good leader, you have to connect with those you’re leading. Meeting them where they are and honoring that space is so important,” said Ava Reese ’25.

Director of March Library Anna Collins helps Ava Reese ’25 with her research assignment.

TOMMY PRATT

MEETS STUDENTS WHERE THEY ARE.

The summer before he arrived on campus, math teacher

Tommy Pratt went to an institute to hone his skills teaching Advanced Placement Computer Science. As the first day of classes approached, Pierce Brennan, chair of the mathematics department, realized there was a need for a class above AP Computer Science for the seven students who had already aced the exam and were looking for another challenge. Brennan tasked Pratt with designing a higher-level computer science course, and the new teacher quickly jumped at the opportunity to continue doing what he loved so much in undergrad at Duke University, where he majored in the subject.

Pratt began to design a course called Advanced Topics in Computer Science, with the first semester focusing on Algorithms and the second on Computer Architecture. The two sections of the class build upon each other as the year culminates in one large project: designing a fully functioning computer processor. “It’s so empowering to come in as a brand-new teacher and be given so much freedom,” Pratt said

of designing the course that is meant to demystify computers. “It’s rare to be given the opportunity to delve into subject matter that is so intrinsically interesting to me.”

Pratt draws inspiration from his time as a teaching assistant in a computer architecture class while at Duke, and he intentionally keeps a college pace because he knows his students can handle it. “I hope I’ve scaffolded them to the point where any introductory level computer science class they take in college will be a breeze.” Pratt’s teaching style is to push the students as much as they are able, and if they falter, he will start fresh alongside them. “It’s a heavy lift, but they’re flying through the material,” he said proudly.

Leo Melton ’24 spoke of what he thinks makes the class special: “It’s taught me to consider the ‘why’ behind everything. You want to understand how things work and why things work. You don’t just want to regurgitate information.”

Math teacher Tommy Pratt

You want to understand how things work and why things work.”

Alexa Parchment ’24, who plans to major in engineering in college, agreed: “Mr. Pratt has this fresh angle. He can see the area where we’re going to struggle, because he just struggled himself.” Pratt himself knows the power of this teacher-student connection. “I’m relatively close to having learned the material myself in the classroom,” he said.

While touring Clemson University’s famed College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences, Parchment told the director of the program about her recent work in Pratt’s class. “We ended up talking about the Traveling Salesman problem, and I told him I learned about it in our first semester,” she recounted. “He had never met a high

schooler who knew about the problem. It made me really get a grasp on how ahead I will be going into college.” She even got advice from a current junior at Clemson who told her the problem was the basis for many interview questions for summer opportunities.

The ultimate lesson Melton and Parchment have taken from the class is to embrace the challenge. “Even if we do really poorly on a problem, at least we try,” Melton said. “It’s better than not trying at all.”

Alexa Parchment ’24 (left) and Leo Melton ’24 (right)

the legacy of LETTIE PATE EVANS

Lettie Pate Evans and Robert Woodruff meet at the Stork Club in Manhattan in 1941.

Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans, Episcopal’s most enduring philanthropist, did not attend Episcopal High School, as the School only became coeducational in 1991, thirty-eight years after she died in 1953. But as a deeply devoted Episcopalian who was raised in the Episcopal Church in Virginia and who valued education, she chose Episcopal High School as a beneficiary of her philanthropy.

in 1899 , Evans’ first husband, Joseph Brown Whitehead, and his business partner, Benjamin F. Thomas, purchased the bottling rights for Coca-Cola for just one dollar, suggesting how little confidence The CocaCola Company had in the venture. Before Whitehead developed the bottling operation, the popular drink was only available in soda fountains. Legend has it that Whitehead’s vision to bottle Coca-Cola was inspired by his love of baseball and his realization that bottled sodas could enhance the stadium experience for fans. Joseph Whitehead’s untimely death in 1906 from pneumonia left Evans to raise their two young sons and manage the family’s growing real estate and business interests, most notably the Coca-Cola bottling business. The philanthropist went on to marry Colonel Arthur Kelly Evans, a retired Canadian Army officer, in 1913.

The bottling operation was a phenomenal success, and by 1909 there were nearly 400 bottling plants across the country. In recognition of the importance of the bottling business to The Coca-Cola Company, Robert Woodruff, the CEO of the Company beginning in 1923, named Evans to the board in 1934, a role she held for nearly twenty years. It was a historic moment, as Evans was among the first women to serve on the board of a public company in the United States. Beyond their professional relationship, Woodruff was a friend and trusted advisor to Evans.

Grieving the loss of her first husband and later her two sons, Evans committed herself to philanthropy, living by the quote she wrote in her scrapbook: “I shall pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.” As a devoted Episcopalian with an inquisitive mind, she included the Episcopal Church and education among her philanthropic pursuits, and it was natural that she chose to support Episcopal High School. Evans also extended her philanthropy to the arts and culture, as well as healthcare, even touching the lives of those abroad with her support of the American Hospital in Paris and service on its board. These priorities were reflected in the foundation Evans established in 1945 to which she left her estate upon her death in 1953. That foundation supports the Lettie Pate

During her life, she gave away millions to foster religion and education… by her life and example, Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans made the world a better place in which to live.”

— THE COCA-COLA COMPANY

Evans General Fund and the Lettie Pate Evans Restricted Fund. Evans designated Episcopal High School to receive five percent of the Restricted Fund each year in perpetuity, with the School receiving over $6 million from the fund last year alone. Over the years, the General Fund has supported numerous capital projects at Episcopal, including the deButts Health & Wellness Center, the David H. March Library, the Baker Science Center, and the Ainslie Arts Center. In total, Evans and her younger son Conkey Pate Whitehead have given nearly $104 million to Episcopal through their foundations, making the family the School’s first nine-figure donor. The School chose to honor Evans by naming Episcopal’s first girls’ dorm Lettie Pate Evans Hall.

Inspired by her leadership and business acumen in the years before women assumed such roles, as well as his love for his mother, Conkey Pate Whitehead established the Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation in her honor. This foundation was chartered in 1946 for “the aid and benefit of poor and deserving Christian girls and women” in nine southeastern states. Moved by his mother’s extraordinary example, Conkey prioritized educational support for women. Each year since 1992, Episcopal has received funds from the Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation to provide scholarships for deserving female students with financial need.

The impact on the School of Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans’ philanthropy and vision cannot be overstated. Her generosity has touched all elements of the EHS campus as her spirit endures.

Episcopal’s “First 48” gathers in front of Evans Dormitory in 1992

Workers at an early Coca-Cola bottling plant.

The June 30 Roll Call deadline is coming soon!

h Make EHS more accessible to great students.

h Support compensation for faculty and staff.

h Allow the business office to say “yes” to teachers’ ideas and needs.

h Direct your gift to a specific area that you care about.

h Demonstrate the strength of our community through high participation rates.

h Express gratitude for Episcopal’s impact in your life.

h Honor a specific teacher or classmate. WITH A GIFT TO THE ROLL CALL,

THANK YOU FOR YOUR AMAZING SUPPORT, YEAR AFTER YEAR!

Support the 2023-24 EHS Roll Call before June 30 at ehsrollcall.org

Questions?

Email rollcall@episcopalhighschool.org

Class Notes

’45

James McVoy writes: “Living retired in hometown Birmingham, Ala., after 32 years in northern Virginia following retirement from the U.S. Navy.”

’46

Class Correspondents Needed

If you would like to share an update or volunteer to be the Class Correspondent, please contact Marissa Murdock at mmurdock@episcopalhighschool.org or 703-933-4125.

’47

Class Correspondents Needed

If you would like to share an update or volunteer to be the Class Correspondent, please contact Marissa Murdock at mmurdock@episcopalhighschool.org or 703-933-4125.

’48

Class Correspondents Needed

If you would like to share an update or volunteer to be the Class Correspondent, please contact Marissa Murdock at mmurdock@episcopalhighschool.org or 703-933-4125.

’49

Herbert A. Donovan (C) 914-645-6561 hdonovan@gmail.com

’50

Class Correspondents Needed

If you would like to share an update or volunteer to be the Class Correspondent, please contact Marissa Murdock at mmurdock@episcopalhighschool.org or 703-933-4125.

’51

M. Lee Marston (C) 443-994-1216 sizzle34@verizon.net

’52

Class Correspondents Needed

If you would like to share an update or volunteer to be the Class Correspondent, please contact Marissa Murdock at

There are several ways to submit Class Notes:

1 Submit news online through the alumni portal at episcopalhighschool.org;

2. Contact your Class Correspondent by phone, mail, or email; or

3 Write your news in the space provided on the Roll Call reply card and mail it with your annual gift. 1 2 3

mmurdock@episcopalhighschool.org or 703-933-4125.

Armand Eyler writes: “I will celebrate my 90th in January! Seems like last week that I entered EHS September 1947, my home for five years.”

’53

Edward W. Mullins Jr. (C) 803-463-1440 ewmullinsjr@gmail.com

Your Class Correspondent writes: “I got a soft landing when I retired from my law firm, Nelson Mullins Riley and Scarborough, which has become a national firm with over one thousand lawyers. It’s ranked by the AM Law 100 magazine as a 68th firm in the United States based on annual gross revenues. I got a soft landing in my son’s firm, a small boutique mitigation firm. I gave up my license to practice and am not a member of his firm. I have a pretty nice office with very limited support, for which I consult with them on growing and diversifying their practice. I see Nelson Weston ’54 quite often, and we were roommates when he was at Episcopal in 1952 and 1953.

Peter Page reports “My wife Donna and I remain as active as winter doldrums allow. The jonquills are up about four inches, welcome harbingers of spring. We are looking forward to getting feet and fingers in the dirt again as the garden season approaches. About the most dramatic thing that goes on in winter is occasional participation in a weekly lunch gathering of other retired fighter pilots, one of whom is a former POW. They are a lively group awash with good cheer. We still set out birds to give our lovely setter a chance to ply his trade. Hope all is well with all of us who remain.”

Bailey Patrick reports that he still goes to the office regularly when he is in town. He is having fun with seven great-grandchildren and expecting another one in the near future, and the parents of six of them are Old Girls or Old Boys.

’54

Charles V. Covell Jr. (C) 502-639-2691

covell@louisville.edu

Leigh Hunt Jr . writes: “With many thanks to EHS for my high school education, I was a member and graduated with the 1st Class at the United States Air Force Academy. Our EHS Class will celebrate its 65th year reunion in 2024. Hope to see you all there!”

Morton Boyd Jr. says: “Not much news and indeed some disappointing news. My grandson applied to EHS, and they couldn’t have done a nicer job, including pictures of Granddad playing basketball and football. Unfortunately, my grandson chose Middlesex, a fine old school just outside Boston. Really not surprising given that my daughter, his mother, is a Choate graduate and his dad went to Andover. Nonetheless, I had hoped to break the Yankee tradition. Otherwise, all’s well, given that my wife, Anne, and I are in our late eighties but doing well.”

Will Bridgers writes: “I do have one item — I am finally retiring from Morgan Stanley, after 59 years in the financial world. The only “crash” that I missed was 1929! I look forward to traveling and seeing more of my family. I’m still a ‘regular’ at the gym but no more ‘heavy stuff.’ Let’s stay in touch, and I will keep my nose alert for class news. Make sure you have my personal email: wbridgers@aol.com.”

Gill Holland responded, saying he had nothing to report.

Darrell Jervey says: “We are recovering slowly from type one flu but otherwise still here. I have wondered how with 50% women (which I approve of) do we field competitive athletic teams? What has Woodberry done about enrollment? I hope all is well.”

John Mason Jr . writes: “No news, though, apart from the usual spate of yearend diseases. As someone once said, God’s

ALUMNI CHALLENGE CUP

SEPTEMBER 15-17, 2024 | YEAMANS HALL

CLUB | HANAHAN, S.C.

For 25 years, Episcopal and Woodberry alumni have faced off in a legendary golf tournament at courses across the Southeast. The challenge harnesses the fun-loving spirit of competition between the schools to fund an endowment supporting financial aid at each institution. Episcopal’s EHS-WFS Alumni Golf Challenge Scholarship Fund is currently valued at $750,000 and has impacted many deserving students at The High School.

EHS team leaders Matt Long ’84 and Jim Sutton ’84 originally came to the challenge for the competition. They stayed for the camaraderie. They recounted stories of connecting with different eras of Episcopal graduates and meeting their Woodberry peers over many years playing in the tournament. Despite representing different sides of the longest high school rivalry in the South, all players connect over their shared love of school. “From the moment I got there,” Sutton said of his first tournament, “I wasn’t a stranger.”

THE DETAILS

• Each school fields a team of 36 players every year.

• Pending the outcome of the tournament, each player donates $600 to the winning school and $400 to the losing school to support their respective scholarship endowments.

• Additional costs include approximately $1,250 to $1,500 for lodging, 54 holes of golf, and all meals.

With an interest in welcoming new faces and making this event accessible, player sponsorships may be available. Please use the registration form to express interest in sponsoring a younger player or receiving a sponsorship.

QUESTIONS?

Reach out to Associate Director of Advancement Rick Wilcox at 703-933-4024.

REGISTER HERE:

greatest blessing on a community is that it should have no news. From time to time we go by Christ Church, and across the Norris bridge, of course. I think of you each time. (I helped build the bridge in 1957, CVC). Be well and stay in touch. Great to hear from classmates for publication. Always love hearing about them and their families.”

Bill Pender says: “I have been blessed this month with my 88th trip around the sun and the attendant love and attention from friends and family, most notable of which are my wife of 57 years, four children, and nine grandchildren. Among the latter group Wheaton College, University of South Carolina, Sewanee, the Citadel and, for some inexplicable reason, Woodberry Forest are represented. My last pursuit as an attorney before becoming inactive at the age of 81 was conducting mediation conferences. I gave up the practice in order to masquerade as an artist with some degree of proficiency. My website is paintingsbypender.com. I look forward to warmer weather and spending time at Dogpatch, our primitive mountain cabin on the south side of Big Yellow Mountain in Avery County while greeting family and friends as well as their dogs. Meanwhile, I continue to nurse my health with walking and unimpressive workouts with weights. Best to all our classmates.”

I have enjoyed being your Class Correspondent these past few years. Thank you for the opportunity to represent you all. I am now retired from the Florida Museum of Natural History and living with Betty and son Rob in The Village in Gainesville.

That’s all for now. I wish you all well in “mind, body, and estate.” Please let me know how you’re doing.

Cheers, Charlie

’55 Sandy A. Wise II (C) 614-638-5190 hawppmd@gmail.com

’56 Class Correspondents Needed

If you would like to share an update or volunteer to be the Class Correspondent, please contact Marissa Murdock at mmurdock@episcopalhighschool.org or 703-933-4125.

’57 Shepard B. Ansley (C) 404-277-3582

shepardansley@gmail.com

A note from your Class Correspondent: “I was in Savannah over the Thanksgiving weekend, and I enjoyed visiting Pearce Connerat and his wife Joyce. Pearce and I had a great time recalling memories of our days at EHS and also memories of all of our class reunions.”

Robbie Harrison writes: “I see Pearce Connerat once in a while, as well as Tim deGavre, who travels the world. It seems all three of us are still blessed with wives who we chase around the house from time to time. Otherwise, enjoy having my granddaughter, Evie Jane Harrison ’26, playing soccer and killing the High List as a 5th generation Harrison at EHS.”

’58 Surry P. Roberts

surryroberts@adventure777.com

Joint 65th Reunion with 1959: June 2024

Tommy Boyd says: “One of my most fond memories actually goes back before my time on the Hill, when I was with ‘Coach Mac’ and his wonderful sweet wife Rosa, when I attended their camp, Camp Maxwelton, near Rockbridge in Bath County, in the early 50s. He was known to us boys as “Knubby” then. Camp life was such a great experience. A number of my camper friends there were from Charlottesville, like Venable Minor, some from Richmond, and some came to EHS after camp. When I got to Episcopal in the fall of 1954, both Coach Mac and Rosa went out of their way to let me know that they were there to help. I could look down on their house from Dalrymple Dorm and know they were nearby. While I was never good enough to play on the varsity football team, Coach Mac and Rosa were always so great to me while I was on the Hill. This is one of the first of so many good memories.”

Saunders Midyette writes: “As the leading scorer, rebounder, and captain of the 1956-57 EHS basketball team, Sandy Ainslie ’56 became my hero. In my Whispers yearbook, I still cherish his writing the following message, ‘Maroon, it has been wonderful knowing you this year. I am expecting great things from you next year (1957-58). You have the potential, and I know you will work. So I am sure you can’t

be anything but GREAT! Good Luck with the basketball team. Sandy.’ Motivated by his encouraging message, as team captain in 1957-58, I set a new EHS basketball season scoring record of 304 points in 15 games, a 20.2 point average.”

Bill Moffett says: “Living in Alexandria as I do, I find it easy to be drawn to the aura, the physical being of the grounds of The High School. On occasion, in response to this ethereal thought, I even discover myself entering the grounds and taking a walk throughout. On the handful of times, I take the trip down memory lane, usually in mid-morning. I view a sea of students going hither and yon. To class? To Chapel? Girls? Certainly, there is more freedom of movement than I remember from 1958. What a change my mind sees.”

Rick Pietsch writes: “I’m still vertical, staggering to the tee box, jogging and playing in a jazz band here in Naples. Hey, we’re playing at the Ritz in a few weeks! My son Scott ’86 and I ventured into the Ten Thousand Islands off the Everglades this past Tuesday and made it back, to many people’s surprise. Do you notice that the ground and your feet keep getting farther away? I’m a bore for big news.”

Your Class Correspondent says: “The boys at EHS were my primary inspiration. They provided the incentive to do the very best possible in every endeavor. I remember Pope Shuford for determination, Billy Sackett for big ideas, Jimmy Watts for a worldly view — see the whole world, Cam Shuford ’59 for optimism, and John Amos for a bit of humor in every experience. The masters captured a hint of the military — Mr. Thompson perhaps aspired to be Rommel; Herr Wittle added a hint of humor to the German goose-step; Mr. Tompkins in chemistry added firepower to a chunk of chalk; William Bee Ravenel brought memories of General Bee of South Carolina who stood alongside Stonewall at the Battle of Manassas; and Miss Annie added a flare of the military to the infirmary. EHS was a true adventure!”

’59 Page Dame III (C) 802-624-0071

wpdame3@gmail.com

Joint 65th Reunion with 1958: June 2024

Your Class Correspondent writes: “Two days before Thanksgiving, we were told the lease on our townhouse would not be renewed when it expired on January 31, as the owner had decided to sell. That gave us 60 days to find a new place and move. This we did (horrible, but accomplished — whew), and we are having to downsize from three bedrooms to two bedrooms in the process. The throwing-out process has been painful. A nearby Goodwill location has been a major recipient. At least we are now in an apartment complex and are not at the mercy of an absentee landlord. The whole thing was a near-death experience.

I have been in regular contact with John B Thompson and also keep up with Charley Matheson and Bucky Buxton I just received a call from Fontaine Lawson ’60, Rob’s younger brother, who has been here in Sarasota for a while, and we will be getting together shortly. Talk about generational threads arising from The High School. Rob and Fontaine’s uncle, Fontaine Broun, was one of my father’s closest friends, a classmate at EHS and UVA, and also my godfather.

Bill Gibbs writes: “Everything is going well here! Anne and I are having a great time!”

Sandy Hale says: “Last weekend, Hope and I were in Vancouver B.C. to hear our son play a tuba concerto (who knew there was such a thing?). Meanwhile, back in not-so-sunny Carmel, a “pineapple express” arrived from Hawaii. We delayed our trip home because the roads to our house were impassable. We arrived home Tuesday to downed trees everywhere. Power was not restored until late last night (fortunately, we have a generator), and we are still being told to boil our water — but the sun is out today, and life is good. Meanwhile, residents of a townhome development in nearby Monterey have been informed by Farmers Insurance that, because they live among lots of trees, their fire insurance rates will be increased from $25,000 to $200,000 per year. Welcome to the new world.”

Charles Logan writes: “Claire and I are laboring through our 12th winter respite here in Islamorada away from the chill of Roanoke. In a recent conversation with a Dartmouth fraternity brother, it was revealed that Landon Hilliard is his golfing partner in Hobe Sound. Small world!

Most of our time is spent reading the latest best seller or the newspaper online. Otherwise, we sit on the porch and watch the tide in anticipation of happy hour. Best regards to all.”

Mike Pleninger writes: “Marcia and I celebrated our 60th anniversary last June. It’s not so shocking when you consider that in West Virginia, the marriage age was 18, but you could get married at 12 if you weren’t family. We enjoy spending winters in Naples and the rest of the time in Williamsburg, Va. Come see us! Look forward to seeing everyone at Reunion in June.”

Fred Scott says: “At 83 and in good health, I have nothing of note to report that’s worth your time reading. I do hope you are all well. I still have a few Ravenel English Reference Books.”

Nick Slater writes: “I’m doing well and still own and operate Westview Title Company. Our oldest granddaughter was accepted early decision at UVA. Stay well.”

Warner Bass says: “Madge and I celebrated our 60th anniversary last September 7. Do I hold the record for longest marriage among our ’59ers? We had a big shindig attended by Nashville alums Shade Murray and Norris Nielsen ’56. Regrettably, Lucius Burch III and D B Murray were unable to be there due to some health issues, and Rob Cheek II and Hayes Noel had conflicts. Lucius had a fall and some complications and is having to spend some time at a rehab facility, but he seems to be on the mend and hopes to go home soon. I formally retired my law license in January, but the firm kindly allows me to keep an office there — at least so far! I’m still avidly supporting the Tar Heels, having now a second grandson there, who is a fraternity brother of the grandsons of Tim Burnett ’58 and Tim McCoy ’58. Best to all of you guys!”

’60

Bill M. Drennen

(C) 304-283-5011

wmdrennen1@me.com

Joint 65th Reunion with 1961: June 2026 Your Class Correspondent writes: “Looking through my copy (copied) edition of the 1960 Whispers through the enlarged selection of senior classmates, I am a little cold in spite of living now in sunny (not southern) California awaiting the return of

wife Bella-Donna Quinn Robbins from her trip back to the D.C. area to check on the health of her sister Sally Quinn Bradley of The Washington Post, while I am staying in Novato watching the Baltimore Ravens battling the Texans in the NFL playoffs.

I have yet to quiz the alma mater on those ’60s grads who have left us behind, seeking the peace and quiet of eternal rest. Flipping through those 18 pages of smiling faces and abbreviated bios, I am reminded of the days spent putting together that publication and the people who have gone through life with the benefit of EHS education in their pasts: “Fortiter, Fideliter, Feliciter.” I, of course, know of the passing of Stuart Saunders and Don Fitzhugh Jr., and I cannot remember who else, but heading towards a 60th reunion with my Yale class, I know there must be some I have overlooked.

I am happy to say I have been in touch with Jamie Polk, Henry Swift, and Barna Szabo recently. All the other classmates that I know are getting my best wishes today. Reviewing the “Last Will and Testament” pages of that document, I find that the “bitterest” is Frank Fletcher Jr., the “Most Likely to Succeed” is Don Fitzhugh Jr., and the “Biggest Publicity Hound” is Stuart Saunders, based on the “Senior Poll.” How does that jive with the lengths of their lives, and how did they play out their accumulated futures while serving their high school years in Alexandria? For me, it has been much more than I could have imagined, including sending both my sons to Episcopal and on to successful careers in banking and ministry.

So, best wishes to all of you, classmates, schoolmates, and football fans. Looks like Baltimore is headed for the finals.”

’61

Elliott Randolph Jr. elliott.randolph@comcast.net

Joint 65th Reunion with 1960: June 2026

’62 Al R. Berkeley III (C) 443-310-0588

alfredBerkeley@gmail.com

Joint 65th Reunion with 1963: June 2028

Pressly Gilbert writes: “Enjoying my many different friends and relishing my good fortune of being born in 1944!”

Robin Hayes writes: “I’m operating a nonprofit called Bridge to 100. The website is bridgeto100.org. We help low or no-cost addiction recovery centers access federal and state opioid settlements and private funds. We want to build a bridge to all 100 North Carolina counties to provide faithbased recovery for them. I don’t charge for this.”

Al Berkeley III writes: “I enjoyed the EHS cocktail party held in Baltimore recently. It was the first since the pandemic. Otherwise, I have gotten involved with some healthcare-related companies. Our classmate, George Morison , is president of Patient First, an urgent care chain with 80 centers in the mid-Atlantic region. Another company is finding some cancers in stage one when they are more treatable.”

’63 Class Correspondents Needed

If you would like to share an update or volunteer to be the Class Correspondent, please contact Marissa Murdock at mmurdock@episcopalhighschool.org or 703-933-4125.

Joint 60th Reunion with 1964: June 2024

’64

Alex S. Jones (C) 617-549-8203 alexsjones2@gmail.com

Joint 60th Reunion with 1963: June 2024

Many of us were there on the afternoon that Mayo Gravatt set the school pole vault record by clearing 13 feet. I recall being awestruck. There was Mayo, thundering as fast as he could while holding a pole like a jousting lance, planting it, hanging onto the pole as it bent backward, and then being catapulted upside down high up into the air and managing somehow to get himself over a bar 13 feet from the ground. It was a record that stood for several years and sealed Mayo’s outstanding athletic record at EHS — as a sprinter, football kicker, and record-setting pole vaulter.

Mayo was also an excellent student. “He was one of the smartest people I’ve ever known,” said Tigger Alexander, who was Mayo’s roommate and fraternity brother at UNC. “He had almost a photographic memory, and I’ve seen him sit on a couch at the fraternity house for eight hours straight, reading four books at the same

time, switching every thirty minutes. That was Mayo.” Mayo died in 2023, and, at the end, it would not have been wrong for him to have sung, “I did it Myyyyy Wayyy.” He certainly did.

Tigger’s assessment was that Mayo was not necessarily a great natural athlete. But he was enormously stubborn, and when he committed to something, it was total. But this stubborn streak earned him the nickname “Mystic Mayo” at UNC because some of the things he did perplexed his friends. For instance, in his senior year at UNC, one of his professors told the class that he enforced a three-cut rule. If they cut more than that, they automatically fail the class. He said he imposed that rule because they couldn’t get what he wanted to teach them without coming to class.

“That flew all over Mayo,” Tigger remembered. So, to prove the professor wrong, Mayo never went to another class, read all the books, borrowed people’s notes, took all the tests, and passed them handily. But the professor failed him on cuts anyway, and he needed that credit to graduate. So he didn’t graduate. Instead, he enlisted as a private in the Army and went into combat in Vietnam. Mayo met his wife Sarah the summer after he graduated from EHS on a cross-country trip with his brother Bill Gravatt III ’63 and Tucker King ’63 . They stopped in Beaumont, Texas, to see Ed Carrington Jr. ’63 and he fixed Mayo up with Sarah. “He was somewhat shy, quiet, and interesting,” Sarah recalls. Though she and Mayo

eventually divorced, she remained very close to his family.

In Vietnam, Mayo escaped death by being a step or two away from where he would have been killed and where friends lost their lives. Sarah felt he came back with PTSD and was forever changed. She felt he was haunted by survivor’s guilt. He entered law school after (finally) finishing his degree at UNC and eventually became a judge. He was also chosen for the EHS Athletics Hall of Fame. The photo of him clearing the crossbar at 13 feet was a moment that Sarah, his two sons, and his daughter felt was an important highlight of his life. It is exalting to look at it now and to remember.

We also lost George Greenhalgh III in February. George was from an equestrian family, and his passion was polo. Reading the obit that accompanied the announcement of his passing reveals a George that, I suspect, few of us knew. I mean, polo! He played varsity polo in college and was active in the sport throughout the rest of his life, as were his daughters. At EHS, I remember George as being one of the quiet ones. And lurking there all along was a talented polo player!

’65

Richard H. Lee (C) 617-512-2034

dlee60@verizon.net

Joint 60th Reunion with 1966: June 2026

Apart from family, when we lose old friends, we lose witnesses. Witnesses to

Mayo Gravatt ’64 pole vaulting at the School in the 60s.

Members of the

shared experiences of time and place. A mutual understanding of such requires no explanation. It is a “given” that cannot be easily achieved with newer acquaintances.

We heard from Chris Taylor announcing the death of his lifelong friend Terry Thurmond in November. Chris notes that “Terry and I were close friends most of our lives after getting to know each other during our first year at Episcopal.”

Such announcements are, of course, naturally concurrent with our demographic, something to which we adjust. The loss of a classmate always resonates in a way other submissions do not.

It was a wedding and a funeral, however, that brought Angus Randolph and Richard

Gwathmey to Houston in December. Milton McGinty notes what a pleasure it was to get a visit from them while there. And he extends an offer for others in our class to stop by if down his way on the “third coast.”

After two decades in the military, Jamie Totten remains mission-driven. He seeks to match his golf score with his age. This goal would appear aspirational, but then longevity may work in his favor. We shall have to wait’ n see how the variables play out. Jamie and Jody continue to divide time between Florida’s west coast and Birmingham, Ala., where they are close to children.

Florida suits Mason Sexton and Jane, as well — this, after forty-seven years of marriage. Mason simply notes that Jane is

the best thing that ever happened to him. It would appear a Sexton dynasty is forming in South Beach…three sons with families living in the area.

A photo by George Cathcart was chosen by the Guardian as one of the “21 funniest animal photos of all time.”

Will Haltiwanger sends a photo of a moose he passed at close quarters while biking in Idaho. Absent his sitting astride it; we demurred on its posting herein. Rafting, biking, and sailing, with much attendant travel, continue to consume Will’s energies in impressive fashion. That titanium hip replacement is serving him well.

To conclude, think of Class Notes solicitations as a “wellness” check of sorts — rather like putting a mirror under the collective nose of the Class of ’65. Who is still emitting vapor? The Fall ’24 edition is just around the corner.

’66

Jack N. Sibley Sr. (C) 404-290-6427

jack@sibleyfarm.net

Phil G. Terrie Jr. (C) 810-300-5311

pterrie@bgsu.edu

Howell Hollis III howell.hollis@outlook.com

Joint 60th Reunion with 1965: June 2026

Tom Dashiell writes: “I’m still enjoying life in the Bay Area. Spend a lot of time with my two grandchildren, ages three and 11, and my daughter Lily. I retired from the law practice many moons ago, but continue

Mason Sexton ’65 with family in South Beach.

Bayly Buck ’69 recently completed a successful fishing trip in Abaco, Bahamas.

Verne Morland ’69 and his pickleball partner posing as winners of the Hawaiian Pickleball Tournament.

Class of ’69 enjoying the 2023 WFS Game, including Verne Morland, Alex Wise, Kinloch Nelson, and Marty Martin. Fred Poisson stepped away by the time the group got organized enough to snap this screenshot.

to do some real estate development (single-family homes). I’m now substitute teaching in the local public schools, which has been a real eye opener. Being out here on the left coast means I don’t see my Episcopal friends as much as I’d like, but I’ll definitely be back for the 2026 reunion. I’d love to hear from any of you in the meantime at tcdashiell@gmail.com. Stay healthy: we’re in the home stretch.”

Wick Williams says: “I am launching my third book on Amazon this spring. When I stopped designing buildings, I started designing books, taking other peoples’ manuscripts and preparing them for publication. They are like small construction projects. The latest is a series of essays following a feminist’s take on being a woman from the 1960s to the 2020s. As I recall, we could have used a book like this as we were figuring out what a girl/woman was back then. Next up, a children’s story illustrated with woodcuts. I find retirement to be full of surprises.”

’67

Charles D. Coppage (C) 252-202-1323

charles@nccoppagelaw.com

Joint 60th Reunion with 1968: June 2028

’68

George W. St. Clair Moore Jr. (C) 864-941-0666 moorew327@aol.com

Joint 55th Reunion with 1969: June 2024

’69

Marty Martin (C) 919-272-2106 marty_martin@martinlegalhelp.com

Kinloch Nelson Jr. (C) 585-733-3132 kinloch@rochester.rr.com

Joint 55th Reunion with 1968: June 2024

Your Class Correspondent writes: “If you couldn’t be in Orange for The 122nd Game, Zoom provided the next best option to cheer on the Maroon, though, sadly, to no avail this year. Utilizing Zoom call technology, Verne Morland, Alex Wise, Fred Poisson, Kinloch Nelson, and Marty Martin watched The 122nd Game together. Morland was enjoying his annual fall Hawaiian adventure and won the award for the most distant viewer. Alex brought us

up to date on his research and work for his forthcoming book. It promises to be a fascinating historical study that will be about 90% historical fact and 10% fiction, but quite plausible fiction emerging from the historical record. Fred continues to enjoy practicing law with his daughter, Stewart Poisson ’96, and son, Davis Poisson ’99 Kinloch recently participated in a North Carolina weekend concert and musical gathering before attending the Washington, D.C., premiere of a documentary film on the life of master guitarist Danny Gatton, to which he contributed. Kinloch and I visited over lunch while Kinloch was in transit to D.C. Sharon and I attended Sandy Ainslie’s memorial service at VES. We enjoyed an unanticipated U.S. Air Force Band and its

Singing Sergeants’ concert that evening and then toured Appomattox the following day.”

During a trip to Birmingham, Marty Martin enjoyed a pre-holiday visit and dinner with Stephen Fitts ’68 and Carrie and Lewis Fitts ’71 Joining as a surprise guest was Kent Alley from the EHS Advancement Office. We had a great time catching up with one another. All are looking forward to next year’s reunion.

While enjoying Pacific breezes in Hawaii, Verne Morland traded in his surfboard and competed in the 4th Annual Big Island Open Pickleball Tournament in Waimea. Verne and his partner won the Division I championship and have the hardware to prove it. He and his wife Sheila participated in Zumba classes at the Pacific Island

Stephen Fitts ’68, Marty Martin ’69, Director of Planned Giving Kent Alley, Carrie Fitts, and Lewis Fitts ’71 enjoyed a pre-holiday visit and dinner.

A 2016 photo of Isaac Stephens ’69.

Kinloch Nelson ’69 performing at the Artisan Guitar Show.

Fitness Club as well. When not engaged in athletic activities, Verne learned about the differences between the island coffee plantations and their beans by sniffing the coffee beans under the direction of a local coffee store owner intent upon making the sale before drinking the island’s world-famous Kona coffee. He thoughtfully shipped two bags to Marty, who generally drinks the “good to the last drop” variety, with his recommendation to sniff before drinking.

Sim Cozart writes: “After a career in dentistry in the small western North Carolina town of Brevard, I retired in 2020 (a good year to retire!). My wife Liz had retired from hospice at the local hospital a few years earlier. After 35 years in the same house where we raised our two children, we moved across town to a community with a small lake and nature conservancy and lots of old-ER people. We downsized to something larger (!) with living space all on one level (with lots of additional room downstairs). Our daughter Emily, her husband, and two children live in Denver, Colo., and our son Ben, his wife, and two children live 40 minutes away in south Asheville, N.C. We enjoy frequent visits with Ben and his family and less frequent but longer stays with Emily and her family. Liz and I remain active in our town and surrounding area. I stay in contact with EHS alums Mack Johnston, Sandy Schenck, Richard Berkeley ’70, and Jim Furniss ’72. Well, the surprising part is that I just summarized 55 years of life in a very short paragraph! Best wishes to all.”

Last April, Kinloch Nelson performed at the 2023 Artisan Guitar Festival in Harrisburg, Penn. He was playing a guitar made by Krzysztof Trze ś niowski, a Polish luthier (guitar maker) and the owner of Blue Arch Guitars. In his introduction to Kinloch’s videos playing his guitar, Trześniowski wrote: “I chose Kinloch to present the capabilities of my guitars because his fingerstyle playing is so considerably different from what we are used to when imagining playing an archtop. I wanted to show that the modern design of an acoustic archtop expands the interpretative possibilities of this type of guitar, and it becomes a tool for many types of music — not only jazz.”

Alex Wise reports that he is “retired” in Memphis after spending most of his working life in government and nonprofits

(except for a few years practicing law in Richmond). Now, he is working on a book project, which may or may not see the light of day. Alex is also helping his wife with her catering business and serving on a couple of nonprofit boards. Besides these things, he is trying to stay in some sort of shape and be present to their four children and four grandchildren. Alex notes he also spends a lot of his time keeping doctors employed!

Bayly Buck recently completed a successful fishing trip in Abaco, Bahamas. He included photographic proof of the fairsized barracuda he caught.

Lewis Lawrence , Isaac Stephens , Sim Cozart, and Bob Slaughter came to EHS from the then-small town of Fuquay Varina, N.C. Bob passed away many years ago. Isaac died in the fall of 2023. Lewis wrote, “Isaac’s passing leaves a great gap in my life, that’s for sure. He was a wonderful person who was always looking for new adventures. We drove out to Oregon from North Carolina together many years ago and had a great time visiting out-of-theway places, like Como Bluff, Wyo., where a desolate landscape was punctuated by a single old sheepherder’s hut made entirely of dinosaur bones! Issac practiced law in Seattle, Wash.”

Lewis is a retired judge living in Oregon. At the time of the last report, Sim was practicing dentistry in western North Carolina. He gets together occasionally with Mack Johnston , who is retired and living in Asheville, N.C., where he enjoys playing his music, among other activities. Marty hopes to get together with them during a future visit to Asheville.

’70 James E. Newman Jr. (C) 253-677-4697 newman_jim@comcast.net

Joint 55th Reunion with 1971: June 2026

Craig Stewart had a great visit with Jenner Wood in Atlanta in the fall. They were excited that their favorite baseball teams — Atlanta Braves and Baltimore Orioles — were on fire and sure to make the World Series. Oh well…next year. Craig also had a short visit with Kris and Johnny Coupland, whose granddaughter attends Porter-Gaud School in Charleston, where Craig is the director of advancement.

Speaking of Jenner Wood, I received an update from him: “I will finish my third term on the Board at Episcopal this April. It has been good to serve. Episcopal was good for and to me, and I am pleased to support the Courage Campaign by contributing to the financial aid component of our endowment, and I encourage our class to jump in.”

The fall edition of EHS: The Magazine included an article on Jenner’s contribution to the Courage Campaign. Jenner emphasized in the article how the campaign will set Episcopal apart by creating a robust endowment to attract the best and the brightest to the School.

My former junior football teammate Jim Farmer wrote that he has nothing new to report but still wants his position as the funniest in our class. You’ve got it, Jumper!

Bob Coffin enclosed a cool picture with his daughter Chloe at Mount Holyoke College. I remember that Mount Holyoke was a participant in the College Bowl Series during the mid-1960s.

From North Carolina, Spears Mullen writes: “September 2022 I was able to attend Munroe Jones’ 70th birthday celebration at Lake Tahoma near Marion, N.C., Had a ball telling stories with Munroe, his wife Janet, who is a world-class pontoon boat driver, his brother Halbert ’67, his wife Ann, and assorted other family and friends. Munroe was a little late getting to the lake from his home in Swannanoa because he had been forced to use his 12 gauge to convince an uninvited bear to exit the premises. In October 2022, Munroe and Janet were able to attend my 70th birthday party at Elon University, where we, along with 20 other assorted guests, attended a performance by the great American songwriter Jimmy Webb. This past summer, Chris Nufer and his entourage stopped by Raleigh on his way home from a tour of the deep South and joined us for lunch. He seems to be very happy residing in Richmond, Va.”

’71

Geoffrey P. Snodgrass (C) 504-914-4470

geoff@snodgrassplc.com

Joint 55th Reunion with 1970: June 2026

’72Beau A. Wilson Jr. (C) 828-390-9802

beauatciti@aol.com

Joint 55th Reunion with 1973: June 2028

Your Class Correspondent writes: “I spoke with Pat Stewart last December about his remarkable career as a Navy veteran and later about his worldwide Catholic community. Pat and his brother Craig ’70 were destined to attend Georgetown Prep in D.C. from Fayetteville, N.C., but Craig and their father found EHS so inviting after interviewing with Mr. Helfenstein that Craig and Pat opted for EHS. Pat fully embraced all that EHS had to offer in the classroom, choir, track, art, and theater, and learned from our masters like Rev. Smith, Mr. Lisanick, and Mr. Walker. Based upon the teaching and guidance from Mr. Lisanick, Pat has continued to paint for decades, selling and exhibiting his paintings internationally.

Pat matriculated to UNC on a Navy ROTC scholarship. In the summer of 1975, he was almost killed in a tornado in Chapel Hill. With the funnel-dropping trees all around him, he shouted at the top of his lungs, ‘Lord, save me, and I’ll become a priest!’ Well, he never became a priest, but the Lord definitely had a plan of sacred service in store for him.

Pat spent 11 years in the Navy in the Pacific and worldwide. He served as gunnery to the then auxiliary engineering systems officer on the Nimitz-class, nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, USS Carl Vinson, and combat systems officer on a guided missile frigate and guided missile cruiser. He helped control the air defense of a carrier battle group on his last round-the-world cruise. He left active service in 1987 as a lieutenant commander.

Shortly before leaving the Navy, Pat experienced an unmistakable religious calling and, with the guidance of a North Carolina priest, took philosophy courses at Duke University in preparation for Roman Catholic seminary. During this time, he learned about the Madonna House Apostolate, a worldwide Catholic community headquartered in Combermere, Ontario, Canada.

The Madonna House Apostolate is a Catholic Christian community of laymen, women, and priests with a call to bear

witness to the merciful love of God revealed in Jesus Christ and all who take lifelong promises of poverty, chastity, and obedience. The members are dedicated to loving and serving Jesus Christ in all areas of their lives. Their lives, shared together, are modeled after the Holy Family, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, who served humbly in the village of Nazareth. Madonna House is more than an ‘agricultural’ organization that produces dairy products and runs’ soup kitchens’ but gives ‘wayward men and women’ a ‘sense of purpose and caring for each other.’

After first visiting the community in Canada for nine months, Pat felt strongly that this ‘was his calling,’ and he decided not to attend Catholic seminary despite the endorsement of his parents and Raleigh Bishop. He joined Madonna House over 33 years ago and has worked in Ontario and Alberta, Canada, England, and most recently in the Missouri Ozarks. In December 2023, Pat was elected one of three director generals of this worldwide 200-member Catholic community and returned to Combermere, Ontario, in January.

In looking back on his life since EHS, Pat characterizes it as ‘unmerited joy.’ Pat also says a final exhortation and a blessing, ‘Maranatha, come, Lord, come quickly’ (1 Corinthians 16:22 ) to remember his ‘calling!’”

’73Class Correspondents Needed

If you would like to share an update or volunteer to be the Class Correspondent, please contact Marissa Murdock at mmurdock@episcopalhighschool.org or 703-933-4125.

Joint 50th Reunion with 1974: June 2024

David Carr Jr. writes: “Daughter-in-law Ginny Moore-Carr ’03 and Will Carr had Alice Jeffreys Carr on April 23, 2023. Alice has her grandmother, Kathryn’s, blue eyes and has lots of smiles and bubbly laughs!”

Marshall Mays writes: “Ever since I ran away from home, I mean ‘the Hill,’ in 1972, I have been a roamin’ round the world. But it was the Navy that set my focus on Asia by sending me to a ship in Japan 46 years ago. I gave Europe another try during graduate school, but for all the nice wine and GrecoRoman architecture, it lacked the dynamism and optimism of Asia. Apparently, that appealed to two other OBs, Dabney

Carr ’68 and Sam Moncure ’70, whom I met a few times in Shanghai, Hong Kong, and parts of Thailand. I hear there are some alumni in Japan — and a lot in Korea — but I have not met them.

Since my return to Asia in 1986, I have continued to roam. Along the way, I saw a bit of Greco-Roman architecture in China, but nothing was built before 1980. Most of the monumental buildings across Asia are Grand Ecole attempts at inspiration, like the disasters that mar London’s landscape. Singapore, for all its charms, has the biggest collection of such visual assaults. They serve to prove, if there were any doubt, that the Lion City’s main business is the management of wealth amassed elsewhere. Currently, that has made it the most expensive place to live in the world, as thousands of millionaires from China seek a safer place to hold their gold. Russian entrepreneurs seem to prefer Pattaya, while its oligarchs prefer Dubai and London.

Not all is unseemly consumption, though. The cumulative effect of better-managed debt and equity markets and a welter of anti-money-laundering paperwork has gradually shifted corruption from its previous, shameless displays to more American-style, quiet, swan-like smoothness. My work has been on both the institutional investor side and the dealer side of investing in Asia’s growth. And I continue to work, intermittently, on guiding regulators to make those investments more accessible and fair to Asia’s small savers and SMEs.

Along the way, I experimented with marriage a few times until I got it right. The first time, with mixed results, was to a cruising sailboat that I took all around Japan and down to the Philippines and finally Hong Kong. Everything that is said about sailboats is true, both the good and the bad. But I gave her up for Ruth and our son Brooks. I hope to eventually lure him into off-shore sailing (without actually buying the boat), but not this year.

As you may surmise, that has kept me quite cynical about human nature, but I am, by nature, an optimist, nonetheless. So, I have settled for my last few decades to come on what I know best: investing in Japanese companies and, through them, in the global economy, to which Japan is the most heavily exposed market. After all, how many of you drive or use a Japanese brand, even if it is

only in the components you never see? The benefit of this is that I get to keep on roamin’ to meet companies and new people in different parts of the world. I hope to see some of you again before too long, too.

For those of you who have not otherwise heard, I should report the death of my brother, Patrick ’74, in an automobile accident in November 2022 near Charlotte. The Hill was a special place for him, too. You can reach me through my personal account, bondsage@yahoo.com.”

’74Class Correspondents Needed

If you would like to share an update or volunteer to be the Class Correspondent, please contact Marissa Murdock at mmurdock@episcopalhighschool.org or 703-933-4125.

Joint 50th Reunion with 1973: June 2024

William Stokes Jr. writes: “I retired from Morgan Stanley on January 31, 2023, and am currently splitting my time between Durham, N.C., and Cape Cod, Mass.”

’75

Stuart M. Grainger (C) 910-352-7474 stuartgrainger@msn.com

Joint 50th Reunion with 1976: June 2026

Greetings from Stuart “Lanny” Grainger in Wilmington, N.C. I shot my first hole-in-one this past September on The Teeth of the Dog course at Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic. I recently ran into the following alumni at some funerals in Wilson, N.C. — Jay Barnes ’74 , Jimmy Glover ’77, John Glover ’81, and Bill Baker ’77. I ran into Greg Michaels and wife last summer, who was vacationing at Wrightsville Beach. We see Ed Ricciardelli ’77 and his wife Bonnie on a regular basis. They have two grandchildren here in Wilmington. Ed is still practicing

plastic surgery and enjoys golf and flying his Beechcraft Baron.

Anne and I had breakfast with Rob Clement last August. Rob is still in the commercial real estate business and lives in downtown Charleston. Apparently, Rob goes to Scotland every year to hunt rather than play golf. We frequently see David Dougherty ’64 and his wife Kay at St. James Church. Kay, who also taught at Episcopal, is on our vestry.

Mel Broughton’s niece, Mary Ann Broughton Daniel ’15 lives in Wilmington. She introduced herself to me when she saw me wearing an EHS t-shirt at a produce market. Mel is still working and enjoying his first grandchild. He sees Trent Ragland ’74 frequently in Raleigh.

David Jones reports that he is still working with Merrill Lynch in Charlotte. His youngest son is a senior and Deke at Carolina. David also spends time at his mountain home at Lake Toxaway. Mason Hawfield and wife Jennifer were quite the travelers last year. They went on a UNChosted trip to Greece with several couples, including Ryal Tayloe and his wife Kimbro. The Hawfields then went on a second trip to South Africa via London. Mason is still in the banking business, and Ryal is an attorney here in Wilmington.

Rob Banner and Rob Saunders live near each other in northwest Virginia. They recently got together with Charlie Nulsen, Billy McIntosh ’77, Jack Carter ’76, and their wives for dinner in Berryville, Va., then music at The Barns at Rose Hill to see American Idol singer Sela Campbell. Rob still fox hunts and show jumps. He won two classes last year. He is on the Virginia Horse Industry Board and the president of the Orlean Community Trail System. Billy and his wife are also fox hunters. His wife Anne is the master of foxhounds (MFH) for the Blue Ridge Hunt. Charlie has a trip planned to take his son skiing in Japan. Jack and his wife enjoy cross-country skiing at their home in Millwood, and Rob and Melissa Saunders enjoy hiking.

Bobby Estill is still in Hawaii, where he surfs every day on the North Shore and spends time with his two grandchildren. A group of students have established a Distinguished Professorship within the UNC Department of English in memory of Dr. J. Kimball King, the father of Scottow

King and Caleb King ’77. Numerous EHS alumni took Dr. King’s literature classes over the years. He was one of the most popular professors at Carolina.

Max Hoon ’08, the middle son of David Hoon, is in Raleigh, N.C., and is the proud father of a one-year-old daughter Harper Mae Hoon. Max tells me he was dreaming of his dad, who came up with the name Harper. Max is in computer sales and enjoys his two German Shepherds.

Jim Hardison is still working for Stephens in Winston-Salem. He and Kathy just celebrated their 40th anniversary. They are enjoying their one-year-old grandson James Glenn Jr. and son Jimbo Hardison ’09, who got married last fall.

Will Pierce reports he is still practicing law with Glankler Brown in Memphis. Will has two daughters and four grandchildren. One daughter, Palmer, is in real estate with Will’s wife, Pam. His other daughter, Mary, lives in Charlotte and interior decorates while raising her children. Will plays golf and enjoys duck and turkey hunting.

The “Commonwealth Crooner” Jim Dudley no longer has his restaurant Jimmy’s on the James in downtown Lynchburg, but you can still find him performing in local venues and in Richmond on occasion.

We understand Willie Moncure is making us proud, but no one has a clue how.

’76Boota H. deButts III (C) 703-774-5717

whd@episcopalhighschool.org

Joint 50th Reunion with 1975: June 2026

Dear Fellow Members of the Legendary Class of 1976,

I hope these notes find you and your loved ones healthy and happy. I have a lot of catching up to do with everyone. First, as I explained in my email to each of you, I am retiring from Episcopal after 18 years at the end of this school year. Shelley and I will move to our family farm in Marshall, Va. My, how time flies!

Another recent retiree is Alex Liu. He is retiring from A.T. Kearney and will spend his time as a new minority owner of one of the Super Rugby League clubs in England. Shades of Ted Lasso. I guess all that time he spent on the rugby pitch at Yale paid off!

I heard from Kevin Wallace, who is killing it in San Francisco with his company

Rob Banner ’75 and Billy McIntosh ’77 with singer Sela Campbell.

ABVIO, which he co-founded. It is a fitness-tracking app for cycling, running, and walking. His oldest daughter, Kathleen, is a pediatric resident at UCSF, and his youngest daughter, Sarah, is a software engineer for Google.

Staying on the West Coast, Jeff Thomas says he actually retired from the Aerospace Corporation in Southern California, where he worked for 35 years, and then was hired back to help pass on his knowledge to the next generation. He works remotely and doesn’t have to fight his 60-mile commute each day. It gives him and his wife Janice more time for traveling. He says he still enjoys working with computers and reminisces about his first computer course at Episcopal using a teletype. I must have missed that course. I took typing in the basement of Stewart.

I can give an update on two former West Coasters, Lee MacIlwinen Jr. and Tench Coxe. Lee is the new General Manager for SC Launch (That is South Carolina, not Southern California). SC Launch is South Carolina’s tech start-up program. He works with founders and investors across the southeast and is loving it. No plans to retire. Lee says he has a granddaughter at Clemson and two teenage boys at home. I don’t see retirement on his horizon for quite a while!

If you recall, Tench and his wife Simone relocated from Palo Alto, Calif., to Austin, Texas. The move seems to agree with them. Tench spends an enjoyable amount of time golfing, fishing, and bicycling with Simone and friends, yours truly included. His daughter Isabel is finishing up at Dartmouth, and his two older boys, Tench ’17 and Zeke, are gainfully employed.

Heading further afield, Georg Schaefer writes from Munich that he still enjoys retirement by driving a small truck collecting food for the local Munich food bank. He and his wife Vera celebrated a Canadian Thanksgiving with his Canadian cousins in Ontario. One of his travel high points was attending the 120th birthday of the Harley-Davidson company. He still rides his Milwaukee Iron Horse in Germany. His daughter Theresa ’12, who spent an exchange student year at Episcopal, works for McKinsey in Zurich, and his son Nikolas is finishing his two-year master’s in global public policy in Barcelona.

Coming to my future backyard, Jack Carter writes from Millwood, Va., that he loved his job and now loves retirement. I will need to speak with him to find out what the secret sauce is for retirement. Jack says he has several ongoing projects. Screenplay — done! Vineyard — producing! Sailboat — in the works. I know it is hard to believe, but Jack and Page are grandparents. Picture is of Virginia Page Carter, daughter of Lee ’08, and Carolyn, who live in Newburyport, Mass. Their daughter, Liza ’10, has just started her own business called 18 Olives, which does editorial consulting.

Ryvers Wright is currently working for Altria and is considering retirement. I’ll leave it at that. His son Thomas is a senior at St. Christopher’s in Richmond and is headed to Rose-Hulman in Indiana next year.

Verner Daniel Jr. has relocated back to God’s Country and calls Charlottesville home. Not too shabby. He gave me a great quote about retirement after asking the question, “How in the world did we suddenly become 65+ years old? Happiness is good health and a bad memory.” Isn’t that the truth.

Rob Cunningham offered no real update but suggested that I “check off some of those bucket list items and just sit back and enjoy!” Amen, brother!

Cameron Clement, always a man of few words, responded to my request for news with the following: “Boota, no news, and I hope you have a good retirement.” However, upon further questioning, I did get out of him that he currently has not one but two great-nieces at Episcopal. Adele Yu ’25 is from San Francisco, and Caroline Hoover ’27 is from Alexandria. That has to be a first!

It’s always good to hear from Bill Mitchener. He reports that he still dips his toes into the real estate development projects business in Stafford and Waynesboro, Va. Vicky and Bill’s three daughters are spread out all over the country. Recently married Ruffin ’11 is in Venice Beach, Calif. Middle daughter Larson ’14 is in Austin, Texas, and youngest daughter Mary is in med school at Wake Forest.

Harold Tilley writes that he has finally retired after 45 years as a volunteer ski patrol at Beech Mountain. He shuttles between Boone and Asheville. He still owns a property management company

that caters to college students. We plan on rendezvousing in Linville sometime soon. Speaking of Linville, Al Rhyne III is in the house at the Linville Country Club. What a great place to catch up with good friends, especially when you are forced to put everything on the Rhyne account! I also recently had the pleasure of staying with Al and June Rhyne in Charlotte at an alumni and parent event. I also saw Dalt Ruffin Jr and Paula there as well. Things were so crazy that I had no idea what they were up to, but they both looked good!

Finally, Edward Morrison checked in from Charleston. He has recently become a grandfather twice over and is expecting two more! Good for him. He laments that Charleston is no longer a sleepy southern town and is growing and changing rapidly. He escapes to his place at McClellanville 40 miles north when he can.

Rob Pierce got back to me just before my deadline with the following update: He was about to retire in May when his company landed a new client that he says has lots of money to spend on his consulting services, so he has put retirement off for a while. However, despite continuing to work fulltime, he seems to have the travel schedule of someone who is fully retired. He and his wife Pam are planning their next trip to Europe, this time headed to Switzerland to experience the three greatest trains of all time: The Glacier Express (from Zermatt to St Moritz), The Gornergrat (from Zermatt straight up to the Matterhorn), and the Berning Express (from St Moritz to Tirana, Italy) and then to Milan, Cinque Terre, Venice, and Portofino. They then head to Rome and take a cruise through the Greek Islands. Phew! A travelin’ man from Georgia!

Rick Lane was also a deadline responder. I believe he was responding from the San Antonio, Texas area, but it is hard to say. If you remember, he was born and raised in Altavista, Va., and still spends time there. Rick and his wife, Lellen, assist small but transformational local and international Christian ministries and churches. Last year, he spoke with Rev. John Wires to catch up. He also corresponded a little with Steve Six before he passed. He said Mr. Six sent him a couple of his trademark two-dollar bills for Christmas.

Is there no surprise that I hear from J.O. Brown after the deadline, and as usual, we

can slip his news in. J.O. writes: “My years at The Holy Hill are easily the most formative years of my life, and it was a time that I hold dear. My friends, teachers, and the adventure of northern Virginia, the eastern shore of Maryland, and Seven Springs skiing hold fast in my heart and mind.”

He also said he was able to see David Dougherty ’64 when he was in Houston promoting The Hill School during his tenure there. Mr. Dougherty remarked that J.O. was the ONLY person who could make him laugh at 7 a.m. in the morning. For J.O., Mr. Dougherty and Mr. Geer were strong forces in his life. He recalls when we were both in Mr. Geer’s AP Math senior year and “the feeling of triumph when a 25 cent “quarter” was doled out for winning one of his calculus contests. The thrill of leaving class to “stroll” to the Coke machine and drink a Coke in class was “heady.” He found the love of his life, Georgia Carter. They have been with each other for 19 years and married for 14 years. They have a great blended family of seven total and now 12 with significant others and grandchildren. Due to unfortunate knee injuries from playing lacrosse, he started playing competitive croquet in 2011 and won the 2021 National Championship teams doubles with a good friend. He hopes to nail down a National Singles title someday. In closing, he says: “The Honor Code at EHS was certainly the most formative building block of my character. It was the basis of a moral compass that I always turned to in my life. There are so many junctures in life that require me to pause, reflect, and ‘pull out’ that compass. And I was glad to have it. And to know that I had such a strong group of friends who felt the same way. A blessing in my life, most certainly.” Amen!

Johnson Hays said in his email to me that he told his boss he was retiring. He recalled that Mr. McCarty got him started in the information technology business. He taught a programming class our senior year. Johnson’s been working in IT for over thirty years. His last gig has been at NASA/ Goddard. He said they had a “Houston, we have a problem” moment, but after long, intense hours, it was fixed. He is glad to be going out on a good note. He keeps up with David Smith and Thorpe Sanders. They get together for March Madness and plan to be together for the ACC tournament here in DC. Thorpe is Johnson’s brother-in-law! The

story is that Thorpe and Johnson went to Durham, N.C., to watch a Cheech and Chong show. He says they told the same jokes as when he saw them at the Shady Grove theater in the round while at Episcopal. After the show, Johnson stopped at Thorpe’s house in Elizabeth City and met his wife’s sister. He reports: “We have been married for the last ten years, and it has been wonderful.” Kudos to Thorpe and his bride.

John Lee Hopkins reports from Atlanta that he is still an employed architect. One of his current projects is leading the design and construction of a 17-story residential tower in Buckhead for the Shepherd Center, a 50-year-old hospital for spinal cord and brain injury rehabilitation. The apartments will house out-of-town family members of patients for the typical in-patient stay of two months at no charge. It’s a Ronald McDonald house on steroids. On the family front, John Lee says his son, John “Lee” III, and daughter, Anna, now live in LA. He and his wife will be visiting their granddaughter, Eva (daughter of John Lee III and his wife ‘Aga’ Agnieszka) soon. Eva just turned six months and is a very happy baby.

Billy Kelly called to let me know that he is alive and well, but barely. As a pediatrician, he says the patients he sees usually have one illness and then get over it, while for him personally, he says he collects problems. Bad knee, bad back, bad skin, etc.! In spite of all that, he does get away to practice his favorite pastime, which is fly fishing. He goes with his brothers, Sterling ’72 and John ’82. I see his two nephews, Worth ’25 and Noble ’26, daily. He reminisced about the Double R Bar Burger and a holster of fries at the Roy Rogers in the Center. It is no longer there, having been replaced by a McDonald’s many years ago!

Well, that is all my news for now. Stay in touch, and if you haven’t been on campus in a while, it is worth a trip.

’77

Class Correspondents Needed

If you would like to share an update or volunteer to be the Class Correspondent, please contact Marissa Murdock at mmurdock@episcopalhighschool.org or 703-933-4125.

Joint 50th Reunion with 1978: June 2028

’78

James F. Clardy Jr. (C) 704-609-5570

jim.clardy@wellsfargo.com

Joint 45th Reunion with 1979: June 2024

Now that we’re firmly ensconced in our seventh decade and in preparation for our upcoming 45th reunion, I asked our class to share what they’ve learned over the last four decades. Did you find happiness with the path you chose, or do you have any second regrets? What would you have done differently, what did you get right, and what advice would they pass along to their 18-year-old self on graduation day?

What I uncovered was hard-won wisdom, redemptive second chances, marital and financial advice, and the pitfalls of newfound freedom after three years of boarding school lockdown.

One of the best lines comes from our class philosopher Ben Salt: “It was Mr. Wires at EHS who introduced me to the Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, widely regarded as the father of existentialism, who wrote, ‘Life can only be understood looking backward, but it must be lived forward.’ I guess the importance of gratitude is my takeaway. I have a colleague who lost his daughter a few years ago to a fentanyl overdose. This year, he’s been sending out a morning email. Its title is ‘The Daily Gratitude.’”

John Langhammer urges us to “embrace the simple wonders all around us daily and strive to nurture your inner child so as to never grow old in your heart.”

Joel Jones, our class’s most celebrated thespian, said, “Life is not as long as you think it is, so have fun, do what you want, and don’t care too much about what other people think.”

Whit James advises to “live life in the moment while savoring the ups and downs with the wisdom that it is the journey and not the destination that matters. Dream big, take chances, and don’t be afraid of making mistakes. My major regret was focusing too much on the destination and not on the journey. Too much focus early on in my career and outcomes and often missed smelling the roses, but my best decision was my choosing gastroenterology. I have had a stimulating and fulfilling career.”

From Jeff Pierce: “Happiness, or bliss, is a choice. Choose it, and then keep choosing

it. Be grateful for friends, for family, for all those who’ve helped you in life, and for all your blessings. Embrace gratitude and practice it. Among many other things, I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to attend EHS with such a great group of guys and be challenged by some outstanding teachers (and coaches): Joe Badge, Dewey Dunlop, EAR (Ed Rice)…the list goes on. All made a difference.”

Cook Edens offered this gem: “Number one piece of advice to anyone graduating high school today would be to always think for yourself. Listen to others, but be your own person and make your own decisions and judgments based on your beliefs. Resist going with the flow of whatever the current fad is. We live in a time where many try to erase history, but that cannot be done. In George Orwell’s words, ‘Who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present controls the past.’ You must not let anyone control your thoughts or your present, or you will lose control over your future. You must be your own person, be responsible for your errors, and take pride in your accomplishments. Learn from history. I would advise them to read George Orwell’s ‘1984.’ It is a chilling book that strikes many chords in today’s society. Finally, you will be judged by how you act and present yourself. Everything counts, from your appearance, your demeanor, and your actions. Dress properly, have a firm handshake, look people in the eye, and listen more than you speak.”

Army Wellford , one of Richmond’s best-known animal portraitists, said, “When I was 18, my father gave me some advice about pursuing a career. ‘Armistead, you’re a sociable fellow. You’re a good horseback rider, painter, and musician. Marry rich! That way, you can do what you want to do and not worry about it.’ I wished I followed his advice, although he did say years later that being married to a rich woman can be hard work.”

This brings to mind the old saying, “Those who marry rich women earn every penny of it.”

Charles Winston said: “The only advice I have for EHS is that while I was prepared for UNC academically, I was not prepared socially. To leave EHS, where everything was scheduled, and you were forced to be places or consequences loomed, I was not prepared for the lack of any disciplined

structure. We were on our own. There were no guardrails, and I, for one, went off the path. There were no demerits for skipping all your classes, and one day turned into many skipped classes. When we went to class, we still had too much time on our hands since we only went to school for three hours a day. The rest of our days, we had to figure out. Instead of study and academics, alcohol seemed to replace any semblance of sanity. Now, I know that most of my classmates got through all this with no problem, but it derailed me. Women all around us in class and bottomless buckets of beer were soon my demise. Also, not having a sport to practice in the afternoon every day was another tether that was cut. Even though I had fall lacrosse, that was not enough practice to fill the void. I wish EHS had done something to prepare us better for all the changes that came with college. Of course, I finally figured it out, but a little direction or heads-up about what to expect would have been helpful. Thus, my biggest regret was not being prepared for the changes that college would throw at me.”

Mack Faulkner said: “I like the saying “It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters’ and have encouraged our boys (17, 20, 23) to think that way. Our oldest son struggled with ADHD and later substance use disorder (SUD) with high potency pot (THC content in liquid form can be up to 100% versus 4-7% in the 1970s). With help and guidance, we got him into a high-quality treatment program, and he completed their step-down programs over the next 18 months. This turned his life around, and he returned to Virginia Commonwealth University and has a 4.0 GPA to date. Like many others with

SUD (especially young men, as we learned), smoking pot helped calm his ADHD brain until high-potency pot took over. SUD is prevalent in many families, and finding the right path forward can be difficult. We want to help others by sharing our story, and please reach out anytime if we can be helpful to you or someone you know (mobile is 203-722-2307).”

Preston Copenhaver advised: “Don’t pay too much attention to your old self. There are many neat paths through life. Your old self only knows one of them.”

Steve Vogel said: “I want to give a salute to Herr Six, who was a teacher like no other at EHS; Mr. Deeble, who wrote on my report card, ‘Good pen, no tongue,’ his succinct way of saying I was a good writer but needed to speak more in class; and Mr. Hoxton, who didn’t blink an eye when I showed up at his house on a school night and asked to watch the NY Yankees play the KC Royals in the 1976 playoffs on his living room TV. I had taken literally his welcoming words that all students were always welcome at his home, and they weren’t watching the game on the Dalrymple TV. I stayed until the seventh inning when both Mr. Hoxton and Mrs. Hoxton were asleep in their easy chairs, and I felt it was time to leave.”

The most succinct line came from Harry Archer: “Buy Apple stock.”

Finally, your humble correspondent gets more cautious with each passing year. I don’t trick or treat in Haddonfield, Ill., or attend holiday parties in Nakatomi Plaza and studiously avoid dangerous situations such as Superfund waste sites, large public urination festivals (otherwise known as New Year’s Eve gatherings), and gender reveal parties.

Bruce Pettyjohn ’80 and his wife Katherine with a travel group in Egypt in December 2023.

The only thing I would tell myself on that sunny June day in 1978 is as you travel through this life, you will be surrounded by more love, mercy, and forgiveness than you can possibly imagine.

See you at our 45th in June.

’79

Bill L. Hughes (C) 203-252-1153

william.hughes@pb.com

Joint 45th Reunion with 1978: June 2024

’80

Staige D. Hoffman Sr. (C) 813-597-5059 staigehoffman1@aol.com

Bill J. Watt Jr. (C) 804-320-6525 chezwatt@gmail.com

Joint 45th Reunion with 1981: June 2026

Greg Green is still selling real estate in North Carolina on the Outer Banks. Greg is beginning the transition back to Virginia Beach to be closer to family, as he now has his real estate license there as well. Greg attended The Game this past season in Orange, Va., but nobody else from his class was there, hence the loss. A good time was had anyway in wine country. Looking forward to a better turnout this year at EHS.

David White lives in Birmingham with his wife Beth of 17 years. He has two daughters from a previous marriage: Isabelle, 28, in NYC, and Fairbanks, 24, in Fort Worth. David is a sportswriter/author. He has written about college/NFL, college basketball, NBA, NHL, PGA, ATP/WTA majors, and horse racing. He has a website for his blog,

davidhwhite.com. He has also written five books, with his latest one, “An Exceptional Coach,” published in mid-December 2023. If anybody wants that novel about a highly successful high school football coach who takes over a fledgling college program and has his sights set on winning championships along with dealing with all the drama of college football, or if anyone wants any of the others, they can go to his website and click on the image for “An Exceptional Coach” or go to his books tab at the top of the homepage. If they want to read his columns, ‘let ’em know if they send me their emails to david@davidhwhite.com, I can sign them up.’”

Bruce Pettyjohn Jr. has been working out of California in the aviation maintenance business for the past 27 years. For over 12 years, he worked with a charter airline, flying professional sports teams and some celebrities here and there. He reports that he spent some time overseas working with the State Department supporting flight operations in Iraq, but for the past ten years, he has been teaching aircraft maintenance at the College of Alameda (a community college in the San Francisco Bay area). He has enjoyed reconnecting with other classmates on Facebook! Except everyone looks so old! He recently traveled to Egypt with his wife Katherine.

’81 Seward Totty (C) 859-361-1568

seward.totty@gmail.com

Joint 45th Reunion with 1980: June 2026

’82

Arthur Smith IV (C) 205-222-3054

wilchester@msn.com

Joint 45th Reunion with 1983: June 2028

Hello, Class of ’82, and I hope this finds everyone safe, in good health, and having a prosperous 2024. Since the last writing, we lost a dear member of the EHS family, Mr. Sandy Ainslie Jr ’56, who was such a positive influence in shaping EHS and, likewise, on all of our lives. Requiescat in pace.

Notes from hither and yon:

Christopher Marston joined Will Thomas for the opening night of “Out of the Vineyard” in Mt. Rainier, Md. Based on Will’s book “A Question of Freedom: The Families Who Challenged Slavery from the Nation’s Founding to Civil War” (Yale, 2020), the play examines the complicated legacy of freedom lawsuits in Maryland. Offering multiple perspectives of our divisive past, the powerful play initiates a dialogue for healing in the present. Congratulations, Will!

Rich Taylor writes: “It was good to see and talk with everyone at our last reunion! As of September 2023, I have officially retired — hopefully it will be permanent. I have now been given full freedom to clean and shop for our family. Andrea and I are hoping to move to Spain in a year or two, so I am also charged with reducing our “material footprint” to a smaller set of belongings. This involves many challenging decisions, like…how many EHS yearbooks do I really “need” to keep? Wish us luck and get in touch if you’re hanging in the Atlanta area.”

Caulley Deringer shared a photograph taken late last summer at Bill Hanahan’s childhood home in Charleston, S.C., which is currently owned by his sister Anne Blessing P’23 ’24 (husband Bo).

Todd Gray reports: “Hey there, good friend! A couple of updates from the Chef: In November, we moved Equinox to a new location. Our lease of 25 years was up at 818 Connecticut Ave. We are now located at 900 19th Street NW, two blocks from our old location. Much bigger bar, great private dining options, and a big ass kitchen! Can anyone say ’82 reunion night out at Equinox on 19th? We opened up a spot in Rehoboth Beach, Del., a few years back called The Federal. Check out our website and come see us if you’re out that way. On a family

Left to right: Caulley Deringer ’82 P’23 ’26, Bowen Deringer ’26, Caulley Deringer Jr. ’23, Walter Blessing ’23, Bill Hanahan ’82, and Jane Blessing ’24.

Christopher Marston ’82 joined Will Thomas ’82 for opening night of “Out of the Vineyard” in Mt. Rainier, Md.

note, Harrison graduated from WVU and is now working for Monumental Sports. Let us know if anyone needs Wizards tix! Very exciting night out. He can get you and the family courtside if that’s your thing. Hope to see you boys soon!”

Cheers!

’83John R. Sloan (C) 910-616-6375 jsloan14@ec.rr.com

Frank Vasquez (C) 804-873-2212 rfvasquez1965@gmail.com

Joint 40th Reunion with 1984: June 2024

Frank Vasquez says: “On January 16, I came out of my early retirement when a former employer contacted me to come back to work for them to help the company remain strong for the next five years until they decide to retire, at which point I will help them sell the company. My daughter is in her fourth year of nursing school at VCU Health in its neuroscience ICU. She also just started her fourth of six semesters in her pursuit to become a nurse practitioner. She has a 4.0 GPA, so Inabnet will be happy since she is a product of the University of Kentucky’s incredible nursing school. As some of you know, my son dropped out of college to pursue a trade as an electrician, and he is closing in on his journeyman’s certification. After that, it will be another year for his master’s, and then the sky’s the limit. Macon Baird ’82, a few other local Old Boys, and I have started the ‘Old Boy Bread Breakers,” which is a group that gets together at least once a year to break bread and catch up in between Reunions. It is mostly Old Boys living in Virginia and North Carolina, but it is open to all who may want to join. Just let me know, and I will send you the details — or just search for Old Boy Bread Breakers on Facebook and request to join.”

Bert Exum has decided to slow down quite a bit and develop (on a much smaller scale) the residential subdivisions he loves to design and build. This has given him a dramatic amount of time to work on his infinite bucket list. Currently, he and a friend are sailing around the Caribbean, starting in Granada the first week of January and slowly working their way up to Guadalupe. He personally likes the Grenadines the

best and a little old seaport called Bequia. The Grenadines are undeveloped, and it feels like you have stepped back into the 1920s. From Guadalupe, they sailed across the Caribbean to Bonaire, where they scuba-dived for a week and left on February 6. On the 6th, they sailed to Curaçao for a few days, then to Aruba, where they were going to leave the boat until late April. From here, he went skiing for a while with two of his kids, Robert, who lives in Tahoe City, and Ann Carter, who lives in Salt Lake City, two great ski areas. While we’re on kids, his middle one, Eli, and his lovely wife, Taylor, had a baby girl on November 2, 2023. So, Bert’s officially a granddad! Eli and Taylor live in NYC. Bert hits the big 60 on April 5, so on the 7th he’s been asked to help sail a catamaran from Lisbon to the Canary Islands. His girlfriend is going to meet him there for a week to help celebrate! Happy 60th, Bert!

Gill Holland says: “Louisville is gearing up for the 150th Kentucky Derby, and they just opened the Outsider Art Museum & Gallery here in Louisville. I’m still doing music, movies, buildings and beer. If you are ever in Harlan County, Ky., you need to stop by my craft brewery, Harlan County Beer Company. harlancountybeer.com”

In September 2023, Ken Tyler left his role as major gifts officer at Episcopal to take over as vice president and director of athletics at Barton College in Wilson, N.C. Barton is a high-level NCAA Division II program with 25 sports and almost 700 student-athletes. It was tough to leave EHS, but he’s excited to be back in a leadership role and utilize his passion for athletics to support young people. Barton is about 30 miles from Raleigh, so please visit if you’re in the area! After two years in Japan, his son, LTJG Jordan Tyler ’16, is now serving as an officer in the Secretary of Defense’s Office at the Pentagon. His daughter, Logan Tyler ’19, is working as an assistant director of admissions at Bridgewater College. He is looking forward to the EHS Reunion this summer, especially the launch of the Homer Jacobs ’83 McCain-Ravenel Day.

John Iliff is retired! To sum up his 33-year career, here is his farewell email to his NOAA colleagues:

“Dear OHC Community,

It has been the career of my wildest dreams. Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) was the common

thread through virtually all of it. In the mid-90s, I had just left the fledgling Damage Assessment Center in the DARRP Program to do habitat protection work at SERO. My office was in Miami, and Kerry and I were living in Key Largo. I asked if I could work alongside Harold Hudson, “The Reef Doctor,” and William B. Goodwin to assist them with NRDA vessel grounding work in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. About that time, a lot of terrible seamanship involving large ships gave me some cool opportunities in my early career. These were the earliest days of coral reef restoration practice. We learned by doing and used the best information available to us. When there wasn’t any information, as was often the case, aesthetics were a top priority.

In 1998, I was asked to join the Restoration Center to fill a NOAA Corps vacancy left by Mike Devany. From this point on, it was nothing but restoration work for another decade. Among the hands-on opportunities I had direct involvement with were seagrass restoration, marine debris removal, derelict crab trap removal, monofilament removal and recycling, mangrove restoration, oyster restoration and shell recycling, saltmarsh planting; reef ball deployments; aids to navigations; installing mooring buoys; dam removal; culvert replacements; land acquisition; sea turtle protection and TED enforcement; impounded marsh management; “tire reef” removal, seabird protection; invasive species removal; coral salvage; coral transplanting; reef module design and deployment; coral rubble stabilization; seagrass prop-scar restoration; seagrass enhancement via birdstakes; removal of illegal lobster casitas; and environmental education projects. To say that I got experience in restoration work would be a colossal understatement.

Chris Doley gave me another opportunity in 2008 to be both the Great Lakes Supervisor and the DARRP Supervisor. I did both. My perspective on restoration expanded immensely due to the awesomeness of the Great Lakes, which, to this day, I still feel are underappreciated by NOAA at large. Among the great challenges during this time was, of course, the DeepWater Horizon Oil Spill. I remember vividly that Julie Simmons, Terry Heatlie, and I were hosting NOAA Administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco in the Great Lakes for site visits

and meetings with our partners when I got the call about the explosion and broke the news to her. We’ve been working on it ever since.

My OHC OMI team is the best in the business. Try working in another NMFS office for a while if you don’t believe me. They manage and execute the public’s money as if it were their own. I couldn’t be more proud than to say I led them from the very beginning.

I will miss NOAA and my long-time colleagues at the NMFS Office of Habitat Conservation. To the newcomers in OHC I haven’t met, the challenge in restoration is not so much what to do; everyone has opinions on that, but how to get it done. Be bold, be innovative, take calculated risks, and always be a good steward of NOAA’s Trust Resources. Mahalo to all for this magical career.” Congratulations to John on starting his next chapter!

Nick Owen still lives in Atlanta, and he spends a lot of time near Highlands, N.C., where he volunteers doing trail maintenance on the Bartram Trail a couple of times a month if he’s around.

Graham Ferguson claims to have transformed his status from slacker to en vogue. Halsey Wise and his wife, Lisha, are excited and proud that all four of their children have graduated from EHS. Hale ’15 is in Atlantic Beach, Fla., Olivia ’15 is in Austin, Texas, Cole ’19 is living in New York, and Harrison ’21 is a third year at UVA in Charlottesville. Without a doubt, EHS has imprinted on their family. Each year the School gets better, but he always tell his kids that they missed out as they never had the character building experiences of Rat Duties, living according to the sound of the bell, Sunday full-contact Mass Meetings, and “Send Up,” dorm fights with wet towels and “rat tails,” raking the baseball field or going to the third floor lecture room to work off demerits, running “Vietnam” and walking by “Egypt,” eating “train wreck” and trading for your favorite post meal dessert “boss,” recalling the distinctive smell of old Stewart Gym and wrestling athletic issue, hearing the creaky, loud and rumored to be haunted pipes inside the Health Center, writing a paper-based college application, having your chemistry teacher (Joe Shelor) throw dusty chalkboard erasers at you for missing a question, having Allen Phillips

read the “Apple Tree” in English and broadcast, “Always use the possessive case with a gerund” and “the nominative case follows a linking verb” and traveling to Bermuda with many of you disguised as a rugby team! He thinks Borden was their “international captain” and helped them deal with the local authorities. Great times and memories for sure. He looks forward to seeing everyone and catching up on all fronts at our Reunion.

In the category of “we are getting older,” our Reunion coincides with his son Cole’s reunion for the Class of 2019. During our reunion weekend, he encourages you all to give/show him the Class of 1987 treatment! I know Allston will do so as his daughter, Maggie Moore ’19, is also in the class of 2019.

’84

Samuel B. Froelich (C) 336-402-3772

froelich@me.com

Joint 40th Reunion with 1983: June 2024

’85

Thorne Gregory Jr. (C) 917-922-6250 thornegregoryjr@me.com

Joint 40th Reunion with 1986: June 2026 Paul Barringer says: “I am in Chevy Chase, Md., and am also often in Lee County, N.C., at the farm where I grew up and where my 95-year-old mom still lives. Not too many years now hopefully before we are back there more of the time. Two kids: son is a junior at University of Chicago and daughter headed to Middlebury College next year. She’s a senior at National Cathedral School and her sports have taken her to EHS for games — including a squash match a few weeks ago. I went out for the event and it was great to walk around campus. Work: I started a clothing brand a few years ago — making things in the USA using organic and recycled materials (millandmountain. com). Also still working in health care, helping managed care companies with business development, and doing some pro bono legal work, helping disabled people get Social Security benefits. I saw Christopher de Movellan by chance a few years ago at the 8 a.m. service at the beautiful Episcopal church in Cranbrook, Mich., when we were in Detroit for a wedding. Tom Crampton visited North Carolina a few years ago when

he happened to be in RTP. I saw Chris Bickford about a month ago and also connected with Jeff Burnett then. Louis Gump I only see on Facebook but he has a great new book out. Kudos, Louis! Tom Holden — congrats on the 25 year anniversary! We had our 25th last year too. Would love to connect with anyone in D.C. or North Carolina. On the off chance anyone is into nordic skiing or ultrarunning I am always looking for partners.”

Tom Holden says: “Unlike Bueschen, I am not semi-retired nor close to retirement. Sorry about the hips! We live in Raleigh. My wife and I just celebrated our 25th anniversary. We are older parents, but not as old as Kerr. Our two kids have finally moved out. Our daughter is a junior at Duke, 20 years old and soon to be 21 (she can buy my beer), and our son is a freshman at North Carolina State, 19 years old. I am a general contractor and have been in the residential building industry for the past 30 years. My company, Holden Barnett Properties LLC, primarily focuses on small-scale development and housing, from single-family detached to townhomes to condominiums. Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill continue to grow. Great for business, but terrible for traffic. Scott Collie (#33) and I stay in touch and get together every once in a while. Luke Harvin is in Raleigh, and we also hang out. A couple of weeks ago, I joined Luke and his family to celebrate his mom’s 85th birthday. For those who do not remember, Luke, Jesus, and I grew up together in Henderson, N.C.” Jeff Burnett writes: “Great to hear from everyone. I have been in Charlottesville for about 15 years and now run risk, quant trading, and research for Haidar Capital, a New York hedge fund. I have daughters, 20 and six, and a son who just turned 18. I see Chris Bickford often and occasionally run into Buzz Male ’64 at local EHS events. If you’re ever in the area, please let me know! Would be great to catch up in person.”

Christopher de Movellan writes: “Greetings from Amsterdam (work travel), and I can almost see Crampton in London from here! Speaking of Tom , he and I connected online a few years ago (I think you were in Hong Kong?), and he then shared with me an online interview he did with Ted Faunce (EHS French teacher) during COVID. It was interesting to see the dialogue more as peers than students/

teachers. Along those lines, I have remained good friends with Ray Keck (EHS Spanish teacher), have visited with him in Dallas, and will see him in Segovia, Spain, this summer (they now live there about half the year). I had the pleasure of having dinner at Michael Klesius’s house a couple of months ago, and, like most of us, he “married up” and has two great kids to show for it. Toby Burke was invited to join us, but he had a work event he was hosting in Texas, so he wasn’t in town that night.

Geoffrey Reid just got another year older on February 7. A bunch of us texted him in a group chat, and he hasn’t yet acknowledged it. If he is like me, he needs special glasses to see the damn screen! Bill Jennings sent me a bold picture of him in his Ohio State gear just before the Ohio State/ Michigan football game this fall (I am still a Kentucky fan first, but have adopted the Wolverines since we live in Big Ten Country). That didn’t work out too well for him but at least he can say that they lost to the national champs (I am sure that only makes it worse). I also talk to Barry Lovette regularly, and we did a “home and away.” I got down to his house in Birmingham and met his wife and two lovely girls, and he then was able to stay with us and meet Diane and our two girls. Milo Jones and I had a brief chat on LinkedIn as I follow his very thoughtful and well-informed posts about global strategy, and I hope to take him up on the invite to connect with him in Warsaw one of these days. Since he started this dialogue, I don’t want to leave out Ed Kerr, who received a call or text from me every time I made it out to LA the past 32 years, which kept us in touch, but unfortunately didn’t result in us tipping a glass together…perhaps we can enjoy some burnt ends together in KC (if you don’t know what that is, go to KC and have Eddie-Bob take you to one of the traditional barbecue places). Besides, I am sure he knows where we can find a “Tay-Tay” Chiefs jersey!”

Milo Jones says: “I’m still living in Warsaw but traveling about 300 days a year. I’m a visiting research fellow at the Changing Character of War Centre at Pembroke College Oxford; I teach geopolitics in MBA programs at Imperial College London and IE University in Madrid; and I’m a senior advisor for geopolitics and technology for Arcano Partners, Madrid.”

Esteban Serrano ’87 and significant other skiing in the Pyrenees.

Bo Weatherly and Karen Weatherly are the proud grandparents of Sophia Poole and are expecting another granddaughter in April 2024.

After living in LA for 32 years, Ed Kerr moved his family back to his hometown of Kansas City. After enjoying a career as an actor for over 20 years, Ed transitioned into the tech space about a decade ago. He founded a new company called Practis (gopractis.com). Practis has developed a patented conversation simulator that leverages AI to help remote teams become more effective communicators. While he loved his time in LA and in the entertainment industry, it’s great to be back home. He and his wife Michelle got a late start at parenting but enjoy having their hands full with son Walker (10) and daughter Scarlett (8). Ed would love to hear from any Episcopal alums who might find their way to KC. Congrats (again!) to Ed and Taylor’s KC Chiefs.

Howard Hunter ’87 and his son Robert pose for photographers in Giza after wrapping up a two-month excavation at the lost city of Tanis.

Glenn Dickson writes: “Still in Durham. Finally, I had one job in real estate after 14 years and was part of a company sale in November 2022. Parted ways in November of 2023. Still see Scott Collie, not enough, but hopefully more, now that I am doing just real estate. He is doing great.”

Louis Gump and his wife, Mary Elizabeth, are getting used to having a college student in the family. Their oldest daughter Sarabeth went to UNC-Chapel Hill in the fall. Son Louie is a junior in high school, and daughter Mary Adelaide is in the 8th grade. He enjoyed catching up with Michael Klesius in northern Virginia during fall break last year while on a college tour and more recently with Alex Cann ’84 and Ken Hodges ’84 in Atlanta. Louis has spent much of the last year writing a book called “The Inside Innovator: A Practical Guide to Intrapreneurship,” which was published on March 12. The book focuses on building

Class of ’86ers, Chuck Jones and Worth Williamson.

growth businesses within larger organizations. It’s already become an Amazon best seller through pre-orders, and he hopes it will help people achieve more, build stronger relationships, and increase personal fulfillment through intrapreneurship. He’s also been active in the community, including in volunteer roles with the Technology Association of Georgia and Junior Achievement.

’86 Art Taylor III (C) 703-774-5079

art@arttaylorwriter.com

Joint 40th Reunion with 1985: June 2026

I was glad to hear recently from Worth Williamson , who shared about getting together with EHS alums both our year and in other classes — and with connections between them. Early last fall, Worth and his girlfriend, Ducie Wilson Stark, met up with Chuck Jones and his wife Shea in New York City. Ducie is the sister of Ed Wilson ’85, and over Christmas, Worth and Ed ran into Mason Pope ’87. (Worth is our former Class

Correspondent, so he knows firsthand some of the challenges in rounding up news. I’m hoping that others will chime in with their own meet-ups and connections and more — and pictures, too!)

David Opie didn’t reach out directly, but I’ve been enjoying the “Murray in a Hurry” panels he’s unveiled on Facebook; see the series on his website at spacemandave. com. And I’ve got a bit of publishing news myself. I helped to organize a new anthology for my publisher, Crippen & Landru: “School of Hard Knox,” with stories breaking the century-old rules of detective fiction laid down by Monsignor Ronald Knox of England’s Detection Club. My own story there is “Ordeals,” and I’ve had two other stories out so far this year: “We Keep the Wall Between Us As We Go” in the magazine Mystery Tribune and “Two for One” in the anthology Murder, Neat

If all goes well, I should have four more stories coming out this year. Stay tuned — and remember to send in news of your own!

’87

David S. Haddock II (C) 301-575-6750

davidhaddock@yahoo.com

Joint 40th Reunion with 1988: June 2028

All, thanks for your many contributions to this installment of our Class Notes, and thanks for a fun email exchange. You will see I have included updates and pictures and largely excluded our banter, which was super entertaining.

James Blue writes: “I quit what I imagined would be my ultimate job — running a basic cable channel for Paramount, spent time in the Arizona desert, had two kids graduate college from Ole Miss (Alden) and Kenyon (Effie), and have found my true calling in running a small production company with a variety of clients. I just arrived at Martha’s Vineyard (our happy place) for

Tad Sherrill ’87 and his father Bing Sherrill ’56 hiking in Canada on vacation.

James Conner ’87 and nephew hiking the Alta Via 1.

Jason Huff ’87 fishing.

Nelson Tyrone ’87 dog sledding near Lake Louise in Canada.

James Blue ’87 and family in Anguilla for Thanksgiving.

a few days, setting up some projects for the summer. Princeton invited a few of us to their wildlife research facility in Kenya last month, and my husband and I (along with Effie, who still lives with us) will return to Anguilla (another happy place) later this month. We are all healthy but dreading the election season, which has arrived. The extremes seem to have taken over in ways that are not helpful. If you make it to New York City, please give me a shout.”

James Conner writes: “I left my business three years ago and have been on a bit of a walk around since. Living in Hendersonville, N.C., now, and trying to find a job that doesn’t involve rowing Jason Huff down rivers. :-) I did Alta Via 1 last summer with my nephew, who just graduated from UVA. Was a super rocky trail, and would recommend doing the Tour du Mont Blanc instead if you are considering a long trek. Need to plan an unofficial reunion soon.”

Andy Reynolds writes: “I’m dialing back my healthcare communications career to work part-time as a fitness trainer. After three decades of arcane, abstract work at a desk, the gym offers a deliciously concrete change of pace. I feel lucky to be able to make this shift and credit EHS with instilling in me a desire to be in shape and help others do the same.”

Harrison Coleman writes: “I attended the 2024 Orange Bowl in Miami with Rob Jones ’86 and Tom Roback ’86. Tom is a diehard FSU athletic supporter, and I’ve been a Dawgs fan since birth. Rob was there to sign-steal to better the odds for the Blue Devils’ invitation to the 2025 Duke’s Mayo Bowl.”

Esteban Serrano writes: “Currently living in Madrid, Spain with my second life (not a wife just yet), here’s a picture of us skiing in the Pyrenees.”

Tad Sherrill writes: “Things have been changing in our household for the past year or so. Our eldest child, Emilee, started at Quinnipiac and is loving her newfound freedom despite not having a car to drive. Thank goodness for her father’s Uber account. Our youngest child, Kaitlyn, occasionally laments not going to EHS but, due to our visit three years ago, is now aiming for college in the D.C. area — Georgetown (near the Tombs for those unfamiliar with it) or perhaps American. Patty (my awesome wife) was promoted to deputy chief of the

Canton, Mass., police department in 2022 and is eligible for retirement in two years. I started a new job as IT director at Eventide Asset Management in 2023 and love the job/ company. (If you care how your investments bring humanity forward, you should check it out). My retirement isn’t slated for another decade or so.”

Nelson Tyrone writes: “Still a birth injury (obstetric malpractice) lawyer with my own firm in Atlanta. Trying hard to have a couple of adventures a year. Raising a 14-year-old girl who is transforming before my eyes and, thankfully, still enjoys adventures with her dad. We went on a snowboard/dog sledding trip near Lake Louise in Canada over Christmas Break. Love hearing what y’all are up to.”

And many thanks to Howard Hunter, who didn’t write much (he said it all in the caption to his photo) but submitted a great photo and got the whole conversation started.

’88 Ned N. Durden (C) 704-576-5039

neddurden@gmail.com

Joint 35th Reunion with 1989: June 2024

I recently caught up with John Allen Jr. via text. John was in New Orleans (aka his “happy place”), where he owns a second home to which he likes to retreat during the long West Virginia winters. More importantly, John informed me that he has a new bride named Sarah, and he swore that he will be at our 35th(!) reunion in June, where hopefully we may get the chance to meet the new Mrs. Allen.

Speaking of our reunion, we are actually tag teaming with the Class of ’89 this year, which is worth noting, as Chris Avery, William Grasty, and I recently had a beer with Chuck Baldecchi ’89 in Charlotte. Chuck moved to Queen City just before COVID-19 to be Head of School at Charlotte Latin School. After successfully navigating the pandemic, Chuck seems to be hitting his stride, and he, his wife Erin, and their kids are now 100% Charlotteans. For the record, you only have to live in Charlotte for about two years before you are considered a native. That’s it for now. I could talk about Joe Alala and his kids, Jon Beane and what’s happening in the NFL, or Steven Lilly and life in the Triangle, but if you want to learn more, then come to our reunion June 7-9! It promises to be a stone groove for sure.

’89

Croom M. Lawrence (C) 540-878-6754

croomlawrence@gmail.com

Joint 35th Reunion with 1988: June 2024

’90

Jason L. Acosta (C) 301-933-4690

JAcosta_JAh311@hotmail.com

Joint 35th Reunion with 1991: June 2026

Greetings, fellow Old Boys! This time around, I have some updates from the class. Beau Mueller shared that he lives in downtown Charleston, S.C., with his wife, son, and daughter. His son is 12, and his daughter is at boarding school in New England to concentrate on sailing. She was

Jason Acosta ’90 and Nao Sakata ’90 enjoy a night out in Jacksonville, Fla.

Charles “Chuck” Baldecchi ’89

While sitting in English class during his sophomore year at The High School, Chuck Baldecchi ’89 answered a question about text analysis from his English teacher, Ed Brown ’79. Brown responded, “You’re going to make a great teacher one day.” Almost four decades later, Baldecchi is the Head of School at Charlotte Latin School in Charlotte, N.C.

Baldecchi credits Brown and several Episcopal faculty members for inspiring him to pursue his passion for teaching. “I had five incredible English teachers. Perry Epes ’65, David Dougherty ’64, Al Phillips, Ed Brown, and Dr. Bill Hannum were all great inspirations in my life,” he reflected. “Ed was so young, and what he said resonated with me, but my greatest inspiration was Al Phillips. After interning at The Taft School in college, I realized that if I didn’t teach, I would be lying to myself about how much I enjoyed it.”

After graduating from Denison University with a major in economics and English literature, Baldecchi returned to the Hill to pursue a teaching career. After a year, he shared his plans to eventually become a school administrator with former Headmaster Sandy Ainslie, Jr. ’56, who recommended that Baldecchi join “the best in the business, Billy Peebles ’73.”

Baldecchi relocated to North Carolina to serve as an English teacher, dorm head, and eventually director of admissions at the

Asheville School under the leadership of Headmaster Peebles. “Billy was absolutely a formative influence in my life and inspired me to think about becoming a head of school. He also gave me a pretty incredible opportunity that allowed me to have hands-on experience,” he shared. Peebles expressed his own appreciation and admiration of Baldecchi’s early years in Asheville. “Chuck excelled at Asheville as a teacher, advisor, and school leader. He did truly path-breaking, outstanding work there as our director of admissions,” the former Head of School said. “His energy, creativity, integrity, and deep concern for people make him such an effective, caring teacher and leader. It is a privilege to know him.”

At 26 years old, Baldecchi revitalized and transformed Asheville’s summer program, sparking increased enthusiasm among potential students. “I was basically running a small school through our summer program; that experience taught me so much.” In 2004, he received his first Head of School offer at The Lexington School in Lexington, Ky. He held that position for 15 years until 2019 when he transitioned to his current role at Charlotte Latin School.

“Being a Head of School is a mix of education and business,” Baldecchi said. “For someone who always thought in high school he was going to be on Wall Street, I got the chance to use both my

economics and English degrees to help create community and culture for the next generation of students.”

During 2009, Baldecchi accomplished a significant milestone as a school administrator — establishing a “school within a school” at The Lexington School specifically tailored for dyslexic students. Over 14 years later, The Learning Center at the school has evolved into “a unique program designed to support children with language-based learning differences while offering a completely immersive experience with traditional learners,” as described by the school. This initiative brought an educational option for dyslexic students in Lexington that previously did not exist.

“When I look back on my career, that’s the accomplishment I’m most proud of,” Baldecchi said. “I have always had a particular interest in the way kids think, so to learn and then offer them something that provides substantial help is something I will never forget.”

As he rounds out his fifth year at Charlotte Latin School and his 30th in education, Baldecchi continues to draw upon his years at The High School. Having served as a monitor, head waiter, and head cheerleader, he recalls the numerous mentors and exceptional teachers he encountered during his time on the Hill. “I often reflect on those relationships and how important it was for me as a young adult to have great mentors who cared about me. I always draw upon that sense of community and the faculty’s dedication at Episcopal — it is a craft.” Baldecchi remains hopeful that more young people will follow their passion for teaching. “It is an awesome job, and it’s truly a privilege to have people entrust you with their child’s education,” he expressed. “It can’t get any more humbling than that.”

fourth this fall in the high school national championship.

And I have some news to share myself. Nao Sakata stopped by Jacksonville while in Florida to sell his inventions. We went out to dinner with my family and caught up on our lives since EHS. We exchanged fond memories of our time at The High School. That’s it for now. Everyone have a safe and relaxing summer!

’91

William M. Coxe Jr. (C) 864-313-9803

williecoxe@gmail.com

Joint 35th Reunion with 1990: June 2026

’92

Fred C. Alexander (C) 704-641-4858

fcaiii@yahoo.com

Joint 35th Reunion with 1993: June 2028

Hello, class of 1992. I hope this note finds all of EHS well.

Murdoch Matheson celebrated his 50th birthday on January 29. We happened to touch base that day on what was a serendipitous text. He informed me that he was celebrating all week and concluding that Saturday with a fox hunt, hunt breakfast, and a band party that night.

Oddly enough, I celebrated my own birthday the following Monday, and my wife would argue I celebrated through the week that ended with taking my dogs to the kennel, coaching my middle child’s basketball game, followed by a band party that night.

I give Murdoch the nod on the hat trick of events, but I ain’t complaining about my day.

Murdoch later wrote that he got to put on the old lacrosse gear and had what I’d call a “Clydesdale team” lacrosse event at halftime of a UVA lacrosse match on February 10. He did not disclose that their opponents were the greater Lynchburg U10 girls’ team that stormed up route 29 north and won 6-1 in 10 total minutes of action…so much for the last class with all balls.

However, to stave off losses for our class everywhere, Mark Masterson writes that he was in a heated match of Wordle with fellow ’93 class scribe Walker Lamond ’93. This competition lasted for six months, and in this “maht vs. monitor” battle – our very own Masterson managed to get more “2-try”

responses correct. The final tally is 20-17, at which point I’m told Lamond retired and began writing his Class of ’93 notes.

Finally, it’s been recommended that we start a “where are they now episode.” We’ll start this with two of our classmates, Abbitt Goodwin and Will Cranz . They’ve evidently collaborated their talents and started a billy goat farm in suburban Raleigh, N.C.

Things are going well enough that Abbitt has time to go duck hunting on the weekends, leaving Will to wait around for a new animal health expert, our own Mike McCabe. McCabe comes by and somehow levers himself to personally check out the t-bones of each goat to ensure that the Goats are for Lovers farm are producing quality meats. Hopefully, you’ve seen “Tommy Boy” to get an idea of how this is done.

Until next time, I’m your humble literary servant. Feel free to drop me a line at fcaiii@yahoo.com, or you might end up on the storytelling end of “Where are they now.”

Best,

Fred Alexander

’93

Walker Lamond (C) 301-580-0761

walkerlamond@mac.com

Joint 30th Reunion with 1994: June 2024

At Dukes Hotel in London, the martinis are so daunting that house policy limits its patrons to just two. They make the rare exception, as was the case when Cary Goodwin steamed through town, and together, we commandeered a corner table and claimed it for the colonies. As head of global sales at HSBC, Cary was presumably on the island collecting debts from delinquent oligarchs, but he found time to catch up with an old EHS pal and recount, play by play, his entire football career, which he spent mostly in concussion protocol. Cary is as awesome as ever and is raising four kids on Long Island who are destined to be All-American dominators just like their old man. Side note: his older brother Howdie Goodwin ’91 named his first son Walker. Just saying.

Lee Vaughan also hopped the pond this fall to cheer on his beloved Tennessee Titans, a team that also plays eight home games just ten minutes from his house in Nashville. Our run around town reminded me of Lee’s first wide-eyed trip to New York

Stewart Poisson ’96, Mary Logan Currie ’97, and Katherine Moncure Stuart ’98.

in the 90s when he realized he may have spent too much time in the hills of Sewanee. But don’t let his aw-shucks routine fool you; Lee’s about as high a roller as they let you get in Nashville before they put you in the county hall of fame.

In other news, congratulations to Ham Morrison, who has restored the Starlight Motor Inn and was the recipient of a Carolopolis Award for excellence in historic preservation. More importantly, the Starlight serves ice-cold Hamms at the bar, and I hear there’s a suite reserved for any fellow Old Boy passing through North Charleston.

Finally, we were all saddened to hear about the passing of the great Jim Masterson, father of Mark Masterson ’92 and legendary EHS dad and booster. We’ll all miss him, Sparky, and will never forget his rousing war cry: “Do it for Mark!”

That’s all for now. I’m due at the palace by half six. But you better believe that I’d take dinner with King Mueller over King Charles any day of the week. Hope to see everyone at our 30th Reunion this June!

Cheerios!

’94 Emily Fletcher Breinig (C) 480-330-8017 fletchee@hotmail.com

Joint 30th Reunion with 1993: June 2024

’95

Class Correspondents Needed If you would like to share an update or volunteer to be the Class Correspondent, please contact Marissa Murdock at

mmurdock@episcopalhighschool.org or 703-933-4125.

Joint 30th Reunion with 1996: June 2026

’96

Temple Forsyth Basham (C) 804-332-1517 templefbasham@gmail.com

Randy Shelley Jr. (C) 843-452-2244 randallshelley78@gmail.com

Luke J. Zehner (C) 571-338-1389 zehnerlj@gmail.com

Joint 30th Reunion with 1995: June 2026 Yo, yo, yo! Temple here, coming to ya’ live one day before Valentine’s Day. Well, not really ‘live’ since this won’t be read for several months. If you ask me, it should officially be renamed Galentine’s Day since only female classmates responded to my multiple (and very friendly, not annoying at all) requests to submit updates for this issue, AND we pretty much run the world anyway. So, THANK YOU to every gal who wrote in to share a quick and very much appreciated summary about how each of you is crushing life and running the world in your own ways. I genuinely love to hear from you!

Julia Doffermyre Green says: “Eli and I are still living in Atlanta! William is a senior at Woodberry Forest and will be attending the University of Virginia in the fall. Mary Parrish is a junior in Atlanta and keeps us busy with her travel soccer schedule. We’ve had fun going to The Game the past few years and seeing EHS friends!”

Glynne Barber Bassi writes: “Last year, I passed the CFP® exam and moved to Morgan Stanley — God continues to light my path with unbelievable opportunities! My daughter Beatrice just committed to Indiana University — we’ve not yet been to Bloomington, but it seems the sports teams and fans book hotels in advance; I’ve already reserved rooms at the Biddle for graduation 2029! I’m getting inducted as co-president of Edina Federated Women’s Club in May and have decided I’m not going to run the Hood To Coast 200-mile relay again this year. If anyone has other relay races they love, please let me know. I’m open to a misogi in 2024!”

Evans Whitaker Dawson says: “I am in my 22nd year teaching and working in education, specifically special education. I absolutely love my career and all the children and families I work with each year. Volunteering in our community with various children’s activities is my passion. My husband, Eric, and I have been married for 21 years and have two children, Ellie and Arthur, who keep us very busy with all their many activities. Ellie will graduate this May, top of her class, and will attend the University of Alabama in fall 2024. Arthur is in the 9th grade and loves all things math, soccer, basketball, and football. We travel a great deal around the southeast with Arthur’s soccer team! I miss all my friends from EHS, and hopefully, I will catch up soon with everyone!”

Fagan Cheatham Goodwin writes: “I am living in Henderson, N.C., with my

husband of almost 16 years, James, and my sports-obsessed 11-year-old son, Sam. I am still working for my family business in insurance, Joel T. Cheatham, Inc. We stay pretty busy with soccer and basketball and enjoy spending time in the mountains, kayaking in the summer, and skiing in the winter. Between my work and home life and serving on various boards, (Henderson Country Club, Church of the Holy Innocents Vestry, etc.) I stay pretty busy! We are heading back to Old Town for spring break this year, and I hope to introduce my son to the area and show him The High School for the first time.”

Wicken Hardin Rocchini says: “I am doing well living in Atlanta with my husband, Mike, and our two girls, Sandifer (11 years old) and Reese (9 years old). I am working as an outpatient physical therapist on a PRN basis, and I am enjoying juggling this with motherhood. Atlanta has far superior weather compared to Chicago, and partially because of this, I have enjoyed getting back into tennis the last couple of years. I was fortunate to catch up with Bobby Watts this past fall when he was visiting Atlanta, as his granddaughter is on my daughter’s soccer team. I have also enjoyed seeing Betsy Watts Metcalf ’00 at these games. I can’t wait to travel to Episcopal in the near future and show our girls around the school, Alexandria, and D.C.”

Jane Pope Cooper writes: “All is going great with us. Kiddos are getting so big. Our life revolves around sports schedules and getting our little people where they need to be. Wade is now 5’10” and calls me pipsqueak. Pope is playing JV lacrosse (because there is no middle school team at her school) and loves it. I am trucking along with work. I have a really awesome team of women who keep the JP ship in tip-top shape. I am feeling better than ever and extra grateful for my health after a small hiccup last fall that involved another surgery on the noggin (yes, that is the medical term). Temple was there for me and gave me some big belly laughs during recovery that reminded me of how important these ‘ole friendships are. I also saw Lane Eastland McCluer ’94 for lunch and some jewelry needs, which was fun! Anne Tate Pearce ’95 came and visited last summer with her sweet baby Jane for a few days. Courtney Gunter Rowson ’95 hosted us for dinner with a big group of EHS gals and others. Lee Vaughan ’93 and his

Rehm Jackson Taylor Akers (eldest son of Finny Akers ’97) meeting his little sisters for the first time.

Samantha Akers, wife of Finny Akers ’97, with Ella, Emmy, and Mochi the cat (the 3rd sister).

Lucy Whittle Goldstein ’97 and Kiamani Wilson ’14

In 2014, 17 years after graduating from Episcopal, Lucy Whittle Goldstein ’97 returned to the Hill as an English teacher and ninth-grade dean. That same year, Kiamani Wilson ’14 celebrated her commencement ceremony on the lawn in front of Hoxton House. Seven years later, Wilson joined the Episcopal faculty as a math teacher. Their original journeys, though divergent, have brought both alumnae back to their beloved High School as Wilson finds herself under the mentorship of Goldstein.

As the daughter and granddaughter of Episcopal alumni, Goldstein’s childhood was intertwined with campus life, often attending events with her father, Rob Whittle ’69. She described the School as “a mystical place for boys” until it transitioned to coed when Goldstein was in seventh grade. “I grew up coming to Episcopal and knowing it wasn’t available to me,” she said. “When it became coed, I was thrilled because I wanted to build my legacy at the School — echoing my father’s friendships and relationships that lasted well after he graduated.”

Wilson’s journey to Episcopal began in the Bronx during seventh grade when a guidance counselor encouraged her to explore different programs for high school. She successfully secured a spot in the TEAK Fellowship, which is sponsored by the Heckscher Foundation for Children. According to their website, TEAK “helps motivated New York City students gain admission to top public, independent, and parochial

high schools.” As a native New Yorker, Wilson felt connected to the vibrancy of living near a major metropolitan city, which influenced her decision to choose Episcopal. “I had such a positive experience at EHS. From day one, I felt like I had teachers who genuinely cared about me.”

Both Goldstein and Wilson were inspired to become teachers and, eventually, administrators, which stemmed from their time at Episcopal. Influential faculty members like Dr. Thom Hummel, Bill Hannum, and Marcia Jones impacted Goldstein. “All three of those teachers were amazing and influential, but Dr. Hannum was truly the reason I wanted to become an English teacher,” she said. “He set the bar incredibly high, and I feel like I did some of my best writing with him.” For Wilson, Molly Pugh played a pivotal role from her first day on the Hill. “To have a faculty member that did not look like me affirm my identity so many times on campus, she changed my whole EHS experience,” Wilson explained. In a beautiful full-circle moment, Wilson and Pugh now work together in Episcopal’s Office of Community and Equity.

Just prior to her graduation from the University of Virginia with a major in English, Goldstein received a call from Chuck Jones ’86, the former Head of Middle School at Forsyth Country Day School. “He invited me to interview to become an English teacher, and the rest was history,” she said. “That was a real moment of thinking; this is where I am supposed

to be, and I absolutely loved how difficult but rewarding it was.”

Wilson started her teaching journey after graduating from Haverford College with a major in economics. She participated in Teach for America at the Urban Assembly School for Applied Math and Science in the Bronx. She stayed for two years before moving to a charter school in New Jersey. “That time in public school taught me so much, especially during the pandemic,” Wilson shared. “These kids had to pick up jobs to help their parents pay the bills and they were babysitting their siblings.” Her students taught her about sacrifice, and her devotion to them taught her how much she could care for each of the children in her classroom. Committed to fostering deeper connections with her students, Wilson began to consider boarding school, where she would see them not only in the classroom but on the athletic fields, in the arts, and more. She began at Episcopal in the fall of 2021, after an initial interview with Goldstein. Now heading into her fourth school year at EHS, she credits Goldstein with playing a pivotal role in her professional growth. “Lucy has been the only Dean of Faculty in my career, and she does a phenomenal job. How she invests in her faculty is rare and deserves to be celebrated. She is always there whenever you need help or guidance.”

Early on, Wilson shared her future plans with Goldstein about eventually becoming a Head of School and opening her own institution. “I feel really honored that I’ve been able to mentor and guide Kiamani in this part of her career,” Goldstein remarked. “Being the Dean of Faculty means I’m working with people who are further along in their life stories than teenagers are, and while it’s challenging, it’s also a huge gift.”

Several EHS alumni gathered in Middleburg to celebrate Matilda Reuter Engle’s ’02 40th birthday. Left to right: Grant Brown ’02, Will Corbitt ’02, Will McGettigan ’02, Wilkes Evans ’02, Matilda, Laura Faulders Jordan ’02, Fletcher Slater ’02, Fritz Reuter ’07, Taylor Robison ’07, and Will Nisbet ’01.

wife Liz came by the studio recently, and we had a great catch-up. He told me about his experience back up on campus with his child being there, and was kind enough to get Liz some beautiful JP Jewels. I also ran into John Hooff ’95. Always good to see a familiar EHS face in my day. KENT LOWRY, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!?!? Miss seeing your face. Old boy Tom Pope ’64 and Adele celebrated their 50th Anniversary in November! Something to aspire to for sure.”

Stewart Poisson says: “Life is busy here in Wilmington, N.C., with my son Alexander (11) and daughter Cutlar (9) and my boyfriend Adam Green. I have entered my 20th year of law practice and am lucky to get to work with my dad, Fred Poisson Jr. ’69, and my brother, Davis Poisson ’99 There’s not a lot of time for much else between work and kids, but I do see a lot of EHS friends around town, including my good buddy Lizzie Wellons Hartman ’98, with whom I just chaperoned our sons’ youth group ski trip. The kids were a lot better behaved than we were at Seven Springs EHS ski trips back in the day. I also caught up with Mary Logan Currie ’97 and Katherine Moncure Stuart ’98 in Raleigh in December, and I love them as much now as I did way back when. I hope everyone is doing well!”

Meg Furlow Parker says: “I’ve been living in Athens, Ga., for over 20 years, balancing a fulfilling career as a financial advisor with Merrill while navigating the adventures of parenting four incredible kids — two in 8th grade, one in 10th grade, and another in 11th grade. As for life outside of family and career, I serve on the Board of Trustees

for Athens Academy, frequently attend UGA sporting events, and try to catch great musical talent as they pass through town. I am embracing the journey! I bumped into Shep Rose ’97 at a UGA/Ole Miss tailgate in Athens this fall, but other than that, I haven’t seen many EHS alumni since our last reunion, but I can tell you that I am already counting the days to the next one!”

Meg, the countdown is on! I feel lucky to live in Virginia near so many alum. Andrew and I recently celebrated Hampton Moore Eubanks’ husband, Ben, at a surprise dinner where Laura and Robert Birdsey ’95 were in attendance. Robert was particularly rowdy (not surprisingly). Hampton is building her business selling a wonderfully moisturizing, all-natural, tallow-based balm called Coco and Guy. Highly recommend.

Keeling Harris Pennington ’94 and I had a ball hanging out during VES Family Weekend in October. Just like old times!

In December, Lucy Whittle Goldstein ’97 and I caught up at a friend’s baby shower, where we shared a lot of laughs, primarily due to our intense relief from drinking mimosas and not having babies ourselves.

Andrew and I went to a friend’s wedding in Charleston, S.C., where we saw Garland Lynn. (Still no sign of Kent Lowry.) Garland helped Andrew decide which boat to buy for our river house, recommending the same model he has but with more horsepower. We took his advice. As a result, Andrew’s is bigger than Garland’s, but he’ll have to come visit to see for himself. Totally bummed that we didn’t see Tyler and Jane Pope Cooper

while in Charleston but promised to make it happen very soon. At least I have my new necklace from Jane Pope Jewelry around my neck daily.

I see Tyler Meurlin here and there at lacrosse games; his older son is at Woodberry and seems to be enjoying it, except for the lack of interaction with girls. Sarah Pugh Kadish and I are in touch regularly, and Sarah Akridge Knutson came through town recently for an overnight visit. She and I met Laura Morton Michau for dinner, where we started hatching plans for a mini-reunion with girlfriends from EHS. I was honored to be at the table with two incredibly successful women, each ascending the professional ladder and making her mark on the world. Seems like that’s a good place to end this portion of the Notes, having come FULL CIRCLE. All the best to everyone, boys included!

’97 Class Correspondents Needed If you would like to share an update or volunteer to be the Class Correspondent, please contact Marissa Murdock at mmurdock@episcopalhighschool.org or 703-933-4125.

Joint 30th Reunion with 1998: June 2028

Finny Akers writes: “My wife Samantha and I welcomed twin girls into the world on December 12, 2023. Emerson Natalie Finn Akers (Emmy) and Isabelle Harper Presley Akers (Ella) are thriving and already cannot wait to attend their first Episcopal vs. Woodberry football game. Much like “28-27” (arguably the greatest game in the history of The Game), these girls have kept us on our toes, hustling hard, and feeling incredible and thankful for every moment that led us here.”

’98

Katherine Moncure Stuart (C) 434-989-7054

katstu@gmail.com

Andrew B. Nielson Sr. (C) 706-254-2277

Joint 25th Reunion with 1998: June 2024

Alyson Evans Beha reports: “I live in Rye, N.Y., with my husband, Jim, and three children. Catherine Wray Whitticom lives a mile away. In October, Wray and I met up with Lizzie Wellons Hartman, Elizabeth Boothby Krusen, Katherine Houstoun

Schutt, and Margaret Kopp Andrews for a reunion weekend in Holden Beach, N.C.”

’99

Ravenel Richardson (C) 843-422-7638

ravenelrichardson@gmail.com

Joint 25th Reunion with 1999: June 2024

In celebration of the 150th anniversary of Harvard University’s football, Carl Morris was named to the university’s Sesquicentennial All-Crimson Team first team as a wide receiver.

Davis White caught up with Walker Inman and Amanda Inman and their three awesome kids this fall in Monterey, Calif. They celebrated our 25th reunion a few months early.

Noah Rhodes and his wife Jordan celebrated their 15th anniversary last fall and are living in London with their three kids, Scottie (11), Fourth (10), and Georgie (7). Jordan’s travel business has taken off and keeps her busy. Scottie and Fourth are enjoying their independence at boarding school, and Georgie is taking full and unmitigated advantage of her daddy/daughter date nights.

Ravenel Richardson had a chance to visit with William Akridge and his family over the summer in D.C., where she ran into Brenton Hardee ’02 in the streets of Georgetown. Ravenel and her family are in Cleveland, Ohio, where she works at Case Western Reserve University and is attempting to make the best of midwestern winters by skiing on the weekends with her 8-yearold twins Tess and Ollie. She is planning on catching up with Reid Phillips this summer in Colorado to enjoy some hiking and, of course, some WSP at Red Rocks.

Philip Cox just got back from a ski trip with the family in Deer Valley. The bowling season is going well. Best way to fill a winter till golf season! He writes: “Our team is trying to make the playoffs. I plan to make it to The Game this year and take my son Charlie, who will be a rising 7th grader. Our plan is to send him to Woodberry this summer for camp. Alex Schultes and I are planning to meet up this year in Germany for Oktoberfest. Spend most of our time in Banner Elk, Northeast Tennessee, and Asheville. If you ever make it that way, feel free to reach out for a drink, lunch, or round of golf.”

Lauren Campbell Ayers and her family visited Katie Kaufman and family in Lexington, Ky., this fall for a weekend of all things Kentucky and the Kentucky vs. Florida football game. They had a great time (despite the Gator loss for Lauren’s Florida family). They also caught up with Will Chapman and Georgeanna Milam Chapman with their families while in Lexington.

’00

Schuyler Williams Seifert (C) 703-304-9423

schuyler13@gmail.com

Maisie Cunningham Short (C) 310-498-5241

maisieshort12@gmail.com

Joint 25th Reunion with 2001: June 2026

Peebles Squire ’05, Lauren, and Oliver welcomed their newest addition, Keira McGowan Squire, on November 2, 2023.

From left to right celebrating Hugo Gilbert’s ’04 wedding in Bermuda: Harrison Gilchrist ’04, Nick Stewart ’04, Connor Williams ’10, Elizabeth Turner, Hugo Gilbert ’04, Blake Murphey ’04, Odie von Werssowetz ’04, and Ben O’Neill ’04.

Lila Warren ’05 and her husband, Tyler Hern, welcomed their son, Martin Russell Hern, into the world on December 29, 2023.

All three sons of Catherine Blanchard Gillespie ’04.

Chris Hutchins ’03

Throughout his career, Chris Hutchins ’03 has been laser-focused on one question: How do you maximize happiness at the lowest cost? He now ponders it weekly with other industry experts on his award-winning podcast “All the Hacks,” which has been downloaded over 7 million times since its inception in 2021. Hutchins calls coming to Episcopal his very first life hack. “I lived in the suburbs, and my parents both worked,” he explained. “I couldn’t figure out how to get around without a car. So why not live with my best friends and eliminate the need to drive to hang out with them?” Thus began his career at Episcopal — and his fascination with hacking his way to a better life.

While at Episcopal, Hutchins began to explore his intellectual and entrepreneurial curiosities.

Throughout his four years, Hutchins worked closely in the computer lab with his advisor David Hathaway, Episcopal’s technology director from 1986-2013. He also started a business selling pizza by the slice after Study Hall (which continues to be an EHS tradition today), lobbied the mail room to hire student helpers, and lobbied the school to create

a multivariable calculus class with other students and former math teacher Tom Berry.

Hutchins went from Episcopal to Colorado State University, and his path after college was as diverse as it was impressive. A few years into his first “career” in investment banking and management consulting, Hutchins and his wife Amy began to feel burned out and restless. Amid the 2008 financial recession, the two began to consider taking a break from the corporate world and traveling the world on a budget. “It never crossed our minds that this was a thing that you could do,” Hutchins said, but he had been travel hacking and optimizing credit card points to lessen the cost of travel for a few years. The Hutchins then dove in headfirst, buying a one-way ticket to South Africa, and spent the next seven months backpacking throughout Africa, the Middle East, India, and Southwest Asia.

Back in San Francisco, Hutchins once more caught the tech bug that began in the computer lab at Episcopal. He co-founded Milk, to experiment with mobile app ideas, which was acquired by Google in 2012. From there, he worked as

an early-stage investor at Google Ventures (GV) making over 40 investments. After over three years at GV, Hutchins founded his own company, Grove, which strove to “make financial advice accessible and affordable to everyone.” Grove was acquired by investment firm Wealthfront in 2019.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Hutchins began to miss organic conversations with friends that once happened around the dinner table.

“So I thought, ‘Why don’t I record the interesting conversations about life hacking that I was having?’” He started All the Hacks while working for Wealthfront, not anticipating the rapid growth the podcast would experience.

Now a fixture in the personal finance industry, Hutchins and his wife both went full-time with All the Hacks just two years later. The podcast has evolved from travel and credit card hacking to more all-encompassing tips on how to live a more fulfilling life and get better outcomes in everything you do. “Helping people live better lives and be more thoughtful about where they spend their time, energy, and money feels like such amazing work,” he said.

Hutchins has interviewed industry experts like personal finance guru Ramit Sethi, skateboarding legend Tony Hawk, and 3-time Olympic Gold Medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings; he has been a guest on Tim Ferris’ wildly popular podcast; he has been featured in a documentary titled “Playing With FIRE;” and, most importantly, he has continued to ideate and grow at every turn, following his curiosity as he has done since his days at Episcopal. “I’ve always been a relentless researcher,” Hutchins said. “I’m willing to push the boundaries of what is allowed.”

Class Notes

Lillian Smith Teer ’00 lives in Wilmington, N.C., and is working at Live Oak Bank. Daughter Lilly is 6.

’01

Beezie McLaughlin Sayers (C) 713-560-6210 beezie.sayers@gmail.com

Joint 25th Reunion with 2000: June 2026

’02

Andrew S. Farrar (C) 919-616-6636 asfarrar@gmail.com

Artie L. Armstrong (C) 805-341-5233 artiearmstrong@yahoo.com

Joint 25th Reunion with 2003: June 2028

Eliza Smith Dunn lives in Beaufort, S.C., with her husband Josh and daughters Eliza (6) and Ann (4).

Jon Pareti and his wife, Brittany, welcomed their son, Finn Joseph Pareti, on September 6, 2023.

’03

Alden Koste Corrigan (C) 443-783-4659 alden.k.corrigan@gmail.com

Joint 20th Reunion with 2004: June 2024

’04

Kalee Stuart Blackburn (C) 704-654-1855

kalee.blackburn@gmail.com

Hugo Gilbert (C) 703-402-6077 gilbert.hugo@gmail.com

Joint 20th Reunion with 2003: June 2024

Katharine Ragsdale Bared and her husband Lorenzo moved to Durham, N.C., in 2023 after spending 13 years in Washington, D.C. They welcomed their second son, Gray, on Christmas Eve. Their oldest son, Henry, is thrilled to be a big brother.

Hugo Gilbert married Elizabeth Turner, and Connor Williams ’10 was maid of honor. There were a good number of EHS folks there. They got married on May 20, 2023, in Bermuda and also moved to Raleigh this month.

Catherine Blanchard Gillespie writes: “This fall, our family welcomed George Day Gillespie. Busy with three little boys, I will be very sad to miss the reunion. Although maybe sitting it out will allow me to

continue believing I graduated high school fewer than 20 years ago!”

’05

Peebles Squire (C) 434-594-4652

peebles.mobile@gmail.com

Joint 20th Reunion with 2006: June 2026

Chris Swaim survived her first semester of business school this fall while also managing to hold down her job. Despite the lack of sleep, she has made the brave decision to keep going. She was in San Francisco for work in November and was able to squeeze in dinner with Ellie Frazier and her husband Jake. Unfortunately, they forgot to take any pictures as they could not stop talking the entire evening. Poor Jake.

Jessica Hartman Mendoza was recently named partner at McElroy, Sullivan, Miller & Weber, an energy and environmental law firm in Austin, Texas. More importantly, she also became a founding member of a pickleball club near her home in east Austin, along with her husband Victor.

Lila Warren and her husband, Tyler Hern, welcomed their son, Martin Russell Hern, into the world on December 29, 2023. They’re thrilled with their healthy baby boy and looking forward to future adventures as a family.

Peebles Squire , Lauren, and Oliver welcomed their newest addition, Keira McGowan Squire, on November 2, 2023. As Squire girls are a comparatively rare species, the entire extended family is overjoyed to welcome their new Queen.

’06

Molly E. Wheaton (C) 504-247-8674

mewheaton@gmail.com

Margaret von Werssowetz Waters (C) 843-607-5788

margaretvonw@gmail.com

Joint 20th Reunion with 2005: June 2026

Sending all my best to my classmates from 2006! Margaret von Werssowetz Waters reporting this time. Ned and I are still enjoying D.C. and spend most of our time working, hanging out with our children, and getting together with friends whenever we can. Our daughter Goodwyn (“Goody”) will turn five this summer and is completing her first year at a darling little public school in D.C. Our son Charles is two, and he continues to be a very joyful liability with stick-straight blonde hair that seems to grow an inch every day. Unfortunately, we now know through experience that I am NOT qualified to give at-home hair trims. Now some news from our class:

Honour Alston Thornton is still living in Virginia Beach and sent a gorgeous picture of her two girls, Pierce (5) and Harper (2).

Cate Smythe Sobieszczyk added another daughter, Sofia Isabelle, to her crew in August. “Still living in Charleston and teaching Spanish part-time at a local Waldorf school. We managed to see some old EHS friends throughout this year —we caught up with Dina Clay and her husband Connor and also Kidder Williams ’07 in NYC this spring. Headed to see Mary Lide Parker in Wilmington next weekend! Love this awesome network we have!”

Pierce and Harper Thornton, daughters of Honour Alston Thornton ’06 and granddaughters of Cotten Alston ’63.

Julie Barraza Boggs ’06 with sons Warren and Wyatt.

Julie Barraza Boggs sent this amazing update: “My husband Thomas and I left our previous positions in agriculture and joined forces with a new company (the Peoples Company, out of Iowa) about a year and a half ago. I joined as a land manager and Thomas as an agricultural real estate agent. I’ve been doing farmland management in the Delta region for nearly 10 years now. I manage land for investment funds, local landowners, and absentee landowners. I currently manage my family’s property in Louisiana, where we farm rice, cotton, corn, soybeans, peanuts, and wheat. I was granted my American Farm Management Accreditation through the American Society of Farm Managers & Rural Appraisers last fall, making me the only accredited female

farm manager in Louisiana history (shocker). Fully immersing myself in farmgirl life, Thomas and our boys relocated to the “country” and bought my grandparents’ house just outside of Monroe, La. It has ample room for our two sons, Wyatt and Warren, to be destructive little maniacs. I’m digging into country life: planting herbs, pumpkins, roses, tomatoes, etc., anywhere I can find a free spot, and we’re farming roughly 15 acres of pecans on the property. We were also gifted a horse named Rattler, and I’m looking to get a dairy cow and chickens this year (Thomas is SUPER excited about the animal additions). I spend a lot of time with Julie Zambie Williams ’07 and Aimee Barraza MacInnes ’07, who are decidedly less interested in my farmgirl aesthetic and

much prefer the city life in the booming Metropolis of Monroe. Aimee recently had her first child (she’s perfect), and Julie’s son and my youngest are best friends (scary). We’ve recently had the opportunity to connect with Stuart Thornton ’18, who recently moved to the area with his company, Cascade. Stuart is involved with the farmland asset management side of the company, so we will be seeing a lot of him, as the agricultural space is relatively tight around these parts. Obviously, we met him through his good friend, Daniel Barraza ’18.” Dina Clay reports that she and her husband, Connor, welcomed their first baby, Everett Howard Todd, this December. She is headed back to Columbia for CRNA school this June and is depressed that Harrison

Wilson “Dean” Oswald Jr., son of Katheryn Grover Oswald ’07 and Wilson Oswald.

Louise Bell Cornelson, daughter of Shaw ’04 and Amanda Weisiger Cornelson ’08. Emily Urquhart ’08, Trina Brady Hooker ’08, Grace Chesson Hawley ’08, and Elizabeth Dale Uhrinek ’08 celebrating Grace’s wedding.

Davnett Eileen Caslow, daughter of Scott Caslow ’08 and his wife Hillary.

Kit Eisenzimmer, son of Chris and Ann Gordon Pelletier Eisenzimmer ’08.

Mark Paschal, Carson Roberts Paschal ’08, and Mac Paschal, with Mac’s godmother Amanda Weisiger Cornelson ’08 and Shaw Cornelson ’04.

Aldabert August “Adie” von Gontard IV ’07

Adie von Gontard ’07 has made a name for himself in the sports agent industry with an unlikely business partner — music mogul Dwayne “Lil Wayne” Carter. Named after the four von Gontard brothers (Andrew ’01, Peter, Alex, and Adie IV) and Carter’s recording label, Young Money APAA Sports Agency (YMAPAA) has become a trailblazer in athletic representation. YMAPAA proudly boasts an impressive roster featuring top-tier athletes like University of Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Leonard Taylor III, New England Patriots cornerback Isaiah Bolden, and Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard Ricky Council IV. With a proven track record, the agency has masterfully negotiated contracts exceeding $1 billion.

Hailing from Front Royal, Va., von Gontard was poised to impact the sports world. His roots in the industry were strong, as his grandfather owned the St. Louis Cardinals and his great-grandfather co-founded the St. Louis beer titan, Anheuser-Busch. “Coming from my family background, I always lived and breathed sports, but my passion started while I was at Episcopal,” he said.

von Gontard collaborated with Hunter Coffey ’07 and Gil Lamphere ’07 to establish and operate a website dedicated to sports analytics. “People would pay $15 for one pick or $25 for three picks,” he explained. “We were making substantial money during a busy month. That propelled me to start my own sports marketing agency straight out of college.” His senior externship at Oppenheimer & Co., also helped him understand investments, money, and networking — an experience he says “made all the difference.”

After graduating with a double major in real estate finance and sports management from Southern Methodist University in 2011, von Gontard founded two companies, BYA Sports Group and APAA Investments. His financial company invests in deals and purchases portfolios, assets, and notes. In 2014, BYA morphed into APAA Sports to support athletes through brand deals, marketing opportunities, and contract negotiations, with a focus on securing generational wealth for its clients.

In 2019, Carter and Young Money Sports partnered with von

Gontard to bring their distinctive sports agency to fruition. “Wayne and I shared visions of what we were trying to build, which was a national agency that could compete with anybody out there,” he explained. “We wanted to stay true to our roots, build a core group of around 10 athletes per year that were going to run through a wall with us as we continued to build.”

That same year, YMAPAA held the third and thirtieth picks in the NFL Draft. “Having Quinnen Williams and Deandre Baker as top picks was definitely a standout moment in my career.”

Approaching his 8th NFL Draft, von Gontard emphasizes the significance of building a great team with even better people. The agency remains a family atmosphere with his brother Peter as a co-owner and a current NFL sports agent within the company. “One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned personally is we’re not for everybody, and everybody is not for us,” von Gontard said of the temptation to sign as many players as possible. “We want to ensure that we’re recruiting and signing the right players, which means evaluating their core values and determining what motivates them.”

With more than a decade of experience, von Gontard hopes YMAPAA continues to secure generational wealth for its clientele. “At the end of the day, it’s about more than getting them a great contract or a great sponsorship deal. We want to set them up for the rest of their lives so they can retire confidently no matter how long their career is.”

Jobe abandoned her in New York City for the San Francisco Bay.

’07

Class Correspondents Needed

If you would like to share an update or volunteer to be the Class Correspondent, please contact Marissa Murdock at mmurdock@episcopalhighschool.org or 703-933-4125.

Joint 20th Reunion with 2008: June 2028

’08

Lucy Glaize Frey (C) 540-327-2267 lglaize@gmail.com

Joint 15th Reunion with 2009: June 2024

Hello from the Class of ’08! We are eagerly anticipating our first Mega Reunion in June of this year. We were originally scheduled to reunite on The Holy Hill in 2023 for our 15-year (wow!) reunion. So, the suspense of our first Mega Reunion is more

amplified by having to postpone a “regularly scheduled” reunion. We can’t wait to celebrate with all of the 3s, 4s, 8s, and 9s! Several of us will now have spouses, siblings, and parents at our reunion. I can’t think of anything more special than celebrating the magic of Episcopal on campus with classmates and family alumni.

Speaking of alum, Tucker Clarkson and his wife Rebecca welcomed their second child in September. She is named Palmer, after her grandfather, who attended EHS.

Leigh Ainsworth Coutoumanos also welcomed her second child within the last year. She and her husband, David, had their second son, Ben, in December. Their oldest, George, just turned two in January. They still live in the Trinidad neighborhood in Washington, D.C., and Leigh just started a job at the SEC last June. Leigh looks forward to seeing everyone at Reunion in June!

Ann Gordon Pelletier Eisenzimmer and her husband, Chris, welcomed their

third child, Christopher Herring “Kit” Eisenzimmer, on October 12, 2023.

Amanda Weisiger Cornelson is Kit’s godmother. Kit is Amanda’s third godchild from our Episcopal class and second from this past year. She also baptized Carson Roberts Paschal’s son, Mac, this year.

Not to be outshined by her two newest godsons, Amanda and her husband, Shaw ’04 , also welcomed their second child, Louise Bell Cornelson, this past year. Louise is trying out several informal nicknames these days, including Weez, Lulu, and Loubird.

Grace Chesson Hawley and her husband, Kyle, celebrated their marriage this fall in the English countryside. Many Episcopal alumni attended as guests or were in the wedding party, including Zach Chesson ’05 , Joslyn Chesson ’13 , Jim Chesson ’79, Jim Everett ’67,

Trina Brady

The children of Ann Gordon Pelletier Eisenzimmer, Leah Andress Brady, Liz McLean Hughes, Eliza Coker Sheldon, and Marguerite Kleinheinz Stoner get ready for the Fort Worth rodeo!

Stephen ’09 and Claire Jervis with baby Elle.

Edward Pritchard IV ’09 and wife Holly.

Trina Brady Hooker ’08, Emily Urquhart ’08, Jim Chesson ’79, Grace Chesson Hawley ’08, and Elizabeth Dale Uhrinek ’08 celebrating the Hawleys.

CeCe, Smith, and Kit Eisenzimmer, children of Ann Gordon Pelletier Eisenzimmer ’08

Class Notes

Hooker , Elizabeth Dale Uhrinek , and Emily Urquhart. The wedding was outside Cambridge in Ely and, in the words of Trina, “was as picturesque as you’d imagine an English countryside wedding to be.” Cheers to the Hawleys!

Scott Caslow and his wife welcomed their daughter to their family this past year. Davnet Eileen Caslow was born October 3, 2023. Congratulations!

Alex Hess got engaged, and he and his fiance, Valerie, moved to Glen Ridge, N.J.

Last but not least, Ann Gordon Pelletier Eisenzimmer, Leah Andress Brady, Liz McLean Hughes, and Eliza Coker Sheldon had a wonderful time visiting Marguerite Kleinheinz Stoner’s family in Fort Worth, Texas, for the Fort Worth Rodeo this winter. Eight of their collective 11 children all joined for the fun!

As cliche as it may sound, our time at Episcopal feels like forever ago and just like yesterday all at once. I certainly don’t want to wish time away with our young children, but with every casual, day-to-day update about our Episcopal friends’ growing families, as well as the Class Notes updates, I can’t help but imagine all of these sweet children as future EHS classmates themselves!

’09

Jeila M. Kershaw (C) 334-399-0386 jeilamartin@gmail.com

Haley Morgan Tenney (C) 703-509-3117 09hmorga@gmail.com

Joint 15th Reunion with 2008: June 2024

Hello, gorgeous classmates! Haley here, hoping your year is off to a wonderful start and it’s starting to warm up wherever this finds you. I’m excited to see so many new names in our inbox this spring. If you haven’t recently, please send us an update! We love hearing from you.

I’m lucky enough to live close to Stephen Jervis in Brooklyn, whom I see regularly with his wonderful wife, Claire. They’re excited to share that they welcomed the beautiful and most chill Elle Jervis in October. Congrats, Stephen and Claire, and welcome, Baby Jerv!

Patrick Mealy writes: “I have two girls now with my lovely wife Mary Margaret. Mara is 15 months and Evie is 3.5 years old. Things are busy at the Mealy house

Patrick Mealy ’09 with wife Mary Margaret, and Will Ryan ’09 with wife Elizabeth.

in Atlanta but we are staying above water. Every now and then we sneak away from the kids to get away to either coast to see friends; often EHS folks. We visited Will Ryan and his wife in San Francisco and saw the New York mafia in December. Haley bailed on us, but we still love her!” (Editor’s note: I was on a work trip, okay?!)

Edward Pritchard was promoted to Major in the United States Marine Corps at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., on June 23, 2023.

Also in San Francisco, Ginna Oates and her husband Tyler welcomed perfect baby Bea on August 25. She reports lots of quality time with Bay Area EHS alumni, like Wells ’12 and Caroline Patrick ’12, Khoury

Ross Higgins ’12 and Emily Emmens on their wedding in St. Michael’s, Md.

Bea also got to celebrate George Ryan’s, Will Ryan’s son’s, 1st birthday. “Future EHS and friends in the making!”

Not that it’s a competition, but Lester Batiste wrote in with possibly the coolest update this season: “I would love to share that my debut poetry collection will come out this year with the Black Spring Press Group out of the UK. Here is the pre-order link if anyone would like to pre-order a copy of my book before it is published this fall 2024: https://ow.ly/LrSP50QIhS5” Go, Lester! Making The High School so proud!

We’re so thrilled for Beau Perona, who moved to Miami last year and married his

Ibrahim Kindrish ’10, Jordan Martinez, and Will Ryan.

Wells Patrick ’12, Caroline Hagood Patrick ’12, Khoury Ibrahim Kindrish ’10, Ginna Oates Allen ’09, Jordan Martinez ’09, and Will Ryan ’09.

Back row left to right: Jack Rauch ’12, Celeste Jones ’12, Austin Conger ’12, Kiki Nix ’12, Kate Bickley ’13, Fred Dotterer ’13, Harrison Clement ’12, Thomas Coker ’13, Gus Youmans ’12.

Middle row left to right: Weeza Miller Congleton ’12, Elizabeth Buyck Howell ’12, Joseph Howell, Chase Hughes Thalhimer ’12, Hannah Gray ’12, Merrill Pischke Coker ’12, Emmy Ragsdale Kirby ’12. Front row left to right: Brooks Buyck ’17, Gilly Dotterer ’11

Ben Strawsburg ’12 with his bride Yijun Wan, Andrew Jyan ’12, Julian Lee ’12, Curtis Sidbury Little ’10, and friends.

Quinn Caslow ’12 married Madison Young in New Orleans on January 13, 2024.

Bethany Gordon Hoy ’12 married Alexander Hoy in Durham, N.C., on August 5, 2023.

Matthew Valcourt ’12, Zachary Ashburn ’12, and Worth Smith ’12 spent the end of September in Charleston, S.C., at Beeple Studios CryptoPunks meetup.

Quinn Caslow ’12 finishing his flight training before deployment.

Stuart Agnew ’12 in Cape Town, South Africa, helping run a study abroad program for UNC students.

Kelly Chandler ’12 and Salvador Fernandez celebrating their engagement.

stunning wife Taliya on January 6 in Miami. I’ve seen pics and let me say, Beau Perona knows how to throw a party! Congrats, Beau and Taliya!

With more exciting wedding news, Edward Pritchard wrote in to share that this past February, he married Miss Holly Annas in Charleston, S.C. Several members of the great class of 2009 were present for their nuptials including Hill and Bess Trotter DuBose, Bitsy Motley, and Bridgette Ewing Traywick. Immediately following their marriage, the happy couple moved across the country to Oceanside, Calif., from Washington, D.C. Congratulations to the happy couple!

Lots of love to the Class of 2009 and their loved ones. Hope to see many of you at the reunion coming up this year!

’10

Whitt W. Clement Jr. (C) 804-477-5732

whitt.clement@gmail.com

Joint 15th Reunion with 2011: June 2026

It was great to receive an update from Matt Hudson, who writes: “I’ve received a Juris Doctorate degree and a master’s of business administration from Wake Forest University. I am working at the Supreme Court of North Carolina, and I am marrying my fiancée Stephanie this April.” Congrats, Matt!

By way of Connor Williams, an exciting update from the Class of 2004, where Connor was maid of honor to Elizabeth Turner as she married Hugo Gilbert ’04 Many EHS graduates were in attendance. Hugo and Elizabeth were married in Bermuda on May 20, 2023 and the newlyweds moved to Raleigh!

’11

Connor V. Gallegos (C) 703-919-4833

connorgallegos92@gmail.com

Joint 15th Reunion with 2010: June 2026

Peter Pritchard received a master’s in business administration from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H., on June 10, 2023.

Kathryn Oldham Drucker ’15 and Hamilton Drucker ’14 tied the knot on August 26, 2023, in Roaring Gap, N.C.

’12

Celeste H. Jones (C) 434-414-4696

jonescelesteh@gmail.com

Joint 15th Reunion with 2013: June 2028

Sarah Claiborne and T R Wall ’11 got engaged in December! Congratulations, Sarah and TR!

Congratulations to Hannah Gray and Jamie Kirchen, who got engaged in September!

Brian Mascatello married Braden Timm on November 11, 2023, in Sea Island, Georgia!

Kayla Murphy Borah ’18 at her wedding with Esi Igyan ’18 (first on the left) as one of her bridesmaids!

Congratulations to Maggie Boozer and Andrew Mutch, who got engaged in December!

Elizabeth Buyck Howell married Joseph Howell in Florence, S.C., on October 7!

Ross Higgins married Emily Emmens on June 6, 2022, in St. Michael’s, Md.

Will Davy married Mirrah Warren on June 4, 2022.

Bethany Gordon Hoy married Alexander Hoy in Durham, N.C., on August 5, 2023.

Weeza Miller Congleton married Brewer Congleton in the North

Kathryn Oldham Drucker ’15 and Hamilton Drucker ’14 celebrated their wedding surrounded by EHS alumni!

and

McKenna Gribbon ’19 celebrating a birthday in New York City with Lindsey Harrison ’19, Didi Tyree ’19, Jonesy Wilbanks ’19, Alice Maxey ’19, Maggie Moore ’19, Catie Wood ’19, and Lilly Schmachtenberger ’19.

Carolina mountains in Linville, N.C., on August 26, 2023!

Woody Dewing married Caroline Arrix at the Jersey Shore on October 14, 2023.

Matthew Valcourt “VALKO,” Zach Ashburn, and Worth Smith did not marry but rather spent the end of September in Charleston, S.C., at Beeple Studios CryptoPunks meetup.

Ben Strawsburg married Yijun Wan (again) on November 11, 2023, in WinstonSalem, N.C.

Quinn Caslow married Madison Young in New Orleans on January 13, 2024, and is being deployed to Iwakuni, Japan, in April

Whit Goode ’17, Cole Wise ’19, and Max Foulk ’19, at the 2024 OneLove Church Party.

2024 as the flight surgeon for the Marine F-35 unit there.

Stuart Agnew spent the fall months living in Cape Town, South Africa, helping run a study abroad program for UNC students. She also attended the baptism of Ryan Bennert Thorne and George Thorne’s ’11 baby Ben in January 2024 as his newly minted godmother!

Kelly Chandler and Salvador Fernandez got engaged in July in Ireland.

Marion Williams Lojou married Emilien Lojou in Soustons, France, on December 10, 2022.

Johnny Bond, Jack Blaine, and Buck Armstrong are performing really secretive research and are almost at their conclusions.

And now for some birth announcements: Lauren Mealy Burgin and Brady Burgin welcomed their son, Braeden Reece Burgin, on August 17, 2022!

Ryan Bennert Thorne and George Thorne ’11 welcomed baby boy, George Bennert “Ben” Thorne, on November 3!

Marion Williams Lojou and Emilien Lojou welcomed a baby boy, Bruce Léon Lojou, on July 31!

’13

Somer G. Glubiak (C) 804-370-5886

sglubiak@gwu.edu

Joint 10th Reunion with 2014: June 2024

Lee Stewart received Vista Print’s prestigious Spirit Award for her “extraordinary ability to unite and inspire people.”

’14

Cici R. Sobin (C) 703-999-1277

cici.sobin@gmail.com

Joint 10th Reunion with 2013: June 2024

Adelle Bortz, Page Dudley, and Celeste Pritchard ran and finished the New York City Marathon on November 5, 2023.

’15

Presley G. Goode (C) 804-441-2286

pgoode2@gmail.com

Tyler P. Hartmeyer (C) 516-474-9843

tyler.hartmeyer@gmail.com

Morgan A. Lineberry (C) 205-789-0447

morganlineberry12@gmail.com

Joint 10th Reunion with 2016: June 2026

Congratulations to Kathryn Oldham Drucker and Hamilton Drucker ’14 for tying the knot on August 26, 2023, in Roaring Gap, N.C. They were surrounded by several EHS alumni: Adelle Bortz ’14, Ann Mason ’15, RJ Drucker ’12, Teddy Smith ’14 , Artie Schoen ’14 , Greg McGowan ’14, Nico Benitz ’14, and Gray Williams ’14.

Brianna Williams ’18, Kiki Veatch ’18,

Lindsey Veatch ’20 at Virginia Tech.

’16Kelsey M. Anderson (C) 703-624-6968

kelseymanderson4@gmail.com

Andrew Karo II (C) 804-592-9640 andrew@andrewkaro.com

Priscilla B. Barton-Metcalfe (C) 727-410-8746 16bartop@gmail.com

Joint 10th Reunion with 2015: June 2026

Preston Laws writes: “Started law school at Washington and Lee in Fall 2023.”

’17Halle T. Hughes (C) 904-322-2828

hughes.halle@me.com

LizaBanks Campagna (C) 202-650-7687

lizabankscampagna@gmail.com

Joint 10th Reunion with 2018: June 2028

Philip Brossy started a company called ADAS Safe in Miami, Fla. ADAS Safe’s (adas-safe.com) mission is to safeguard lives with specialized brick-and-mortar service centers dedicated solely to the precise calibration of ADAS sensors in post-collision vehicles, in accordance with Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) standards.

Whit Goode started a new job as a private equity associate at Union Capital Associates in Greenwich, Conn.

David Jones moved to New York City to start a new job as a private equity associate at Cerberus.

Honor Kalkin is pursuing a master’s degree in social work at Columbia University and is set to graduate in 2025.

Avery Legg and Clare Henderson are roommates in New York City, working as a wealth management analyst at Morgan Stanley and a software engineer at Narmi, respectively.

Julia Leisenring is currently in law school at Georgetown University and is set to graduate in the spring of 2024. She has been spending her summers working as a summer associate at Kirkland & Ellis in New York City.

Gabi Navarro-Bowman started a new endeavor as a private equity associate at Charlesbank Capital Partners in New York City.

Courtney Riddle is fueling her passion for living a healthy lifestyle by working as a

Thomas Kreger ’18, Peter Webber ’20, Joseph Notzon ’20, Edward Maybank ’20, Millie Pettegrew ’20, Nora Huffines ’20, Anna Morris ’20, Wyatt Singletary ’20, Josephine Trask ’20, Janie Reynolds ’18, Henry Hohlstein ’17, South Wallace ’20, Sophie Singletary ’18, Madeline Dolan ’17, Lily Dolan ’20, and Mary Preston Singletary ’20 coming together in Atlanta, Ga. “Loved seeing alumni from different classes!” Joseph Notzon ’20 said.

Bea Campagna ’20, Elyse Farrell ’20, Molly Berry ’20, and Haley Dod ’20 celebrated the New Year together in Naples, Fla.

member sales associate at Equinox in New York City while simultaneously running her own personal styling business on the side.

Emma Thorp is working as a social worker in New York City.

Duncan Trau is working for the South Dakota State Historical Society as a historic preservation restoration specialist. He reports he visited Jewel Cave National Monument Caves, as well as some of South Dakota’s other sights, including Mt. Rushmore and Wind Cave National Park. He hiked Bear Butte, which is a large laccolith that is sacred to many tribes in the area and has enjoyed successful dove and pheasant hunts. In honor of Frederick Law Olmsted’s 200th birthday celebration, Duncan co-authored “A Combination of Frederick Law Olmsted and Leland Stanford’s Minds” in the Olmsted Network online publication. His article can be accessed at olmstead.org.

Hubert Wood ’20, Peter Webber ’20, and Joseph Notzon ’20 rooting for their college football teams at the University of South Carolina vs. University of Texas A&M football game.

William Wiltshire is a lead teacher at Success Academy Charter Schools in New York City.

Jules Wonodi is working for Amazon as a sales account manager in Washington, D.C., along with instructing yoga at CorePower Yoga.

Leo Zhang is pursuing a doctorate of philosophy in computer science at Princeton University.

’18Lexi N. Weger (C) 571-721-8585

aweger@princeton.edu

Joint 5th Reunion with 2019: June 2024

Henry Barrett is living out in Budapest and Prague on a Fulbright-Schuman Scholarship conducting research on EU policy issues. He will wrap up the grant just in time for our mega reunion!

Several members of the Class of 2020 in Tyler, Texas attending the 2022 Texas Rose Festival: Maura Jones, Caroline Jones, Liza Ryan, Tallie Steiner, Pierson Gammage, Molly Berry, Haley Dod, Amber Azmoudeh, Josephine Trask, Bea Campagna, and Lily Dolan.

South Wallace ’20 and Edward Maybank ’20 attended a holiday party together in Charleston, S.C.

Tola Banjoko would like to include that he is training to be able to do a handstand.

Kayla Murphy Borah had an exciting year! In March of 2023 she got married to her husband Scott. Esi Igyan was one of her bridesmaids! Kayla and Scott welcomed their baby girl, Esther Grace Borah, on December 23, 2023.

In 2023, Frances McIntosh moved back to her hometown of Charleston, S.C. She recently joined the institutional advancement team at the College of Charleston.

Lexi Weger is getting her masters in sports administration from the University of North Carolina and is working as the graduate assistant for the women’s basketball team.

Brianna Williams also moved to Arlington and took a trip down with Kiki Veatch to see fellow EHS alum, Lindsey Veatch ’20 at Virginia Tech.

Christian Wright , “CDub,” is wrapping up his second year at The Antonin

Will Cory ’19 and Caulley Deringer ’23 playing for UVA at EHS on February 3.

Scalia Law School at George Mason in Arlington, Va.

’19

Olivia H. Tucker (C) 415-361-1561

olivia.tucker@yale.edu

Lilly F. Whitner (C) 904-504-5027

lfwhitner@gmail.com

Joint 5th Reunion with 2018: June 2024

Max Foulk reports that he and Cole Wise recently served on the host committee for the 2024 OneLove Church Party, along with Whit Goode ’17.

McKenna Gribbon reports that she is now living in Washington, D.C., and working in real estate. She recently traveled to New York City to celebrate a birthday with a group of fellow EHS alumni.

’20

South Wallace III (C) 843-973-0626

csw3ve@virginia.edu

Joint 5th Reunion with 2020: June 2026

’21

SS Singh (C) 732-586-9788

ssinghseeds@gmail.com

Joint 5th Reunion with 2021: June 2026

’22

Class Correspondents Needed

If you would like to share an update or volunteer to be the Class Correspondent, please contact Marissa Murdock at mmurdock@episcopalhighschool.org or 703-933-4125.

Joint 5th Reunion with 2023: June 2028

’23

Class Correspondents Needed

If you would like to share an update or volunteer to be the Class Correspondent, please contact Marissa Murdock at mmurdock@episcopalhighschool.org or 703-933-4125.

Joint 5th Reunion with 2022: June 2028

Births and New Arrivals

Email alumni@episcopalhighschool.org with news of births, adoptions, and other family additions.

Robert Edward “Bobby” Joyce to Thomas Joyce ’97 on October 18, 2023

Emerson Natalie Finn “Emmy” Akers and Isabelle Harper Presley “Ella” Akers to Finny ’97 and Samantha Akers on December 12, 2023

Finn Joseph Pareti to Jon ’02 and Brittany Pareti on September 6, 2023

Watson Robbins Taylor IV to Courtney Kershaw Taylor ’03 and Robbins Taylor on November 21, 2023

Alice Jeffreys Carr to Ginny MooreCarr ’03 and Will Carr on April 23, 2023

Gray Bared to Katharine Ragsdale Bared ’04 and Lorenzo Bared on December 24, 2023

Louise Bell Cornelson to Shaw Cornelson Jr. ’04 and Amanda Weisiger Cornelson ’08 on October 4, 2023

George Day Gillespie to Catherine Blanchard Gillespie ’04 and Patrick Gillespie on September 3, 2023

Keira McGowan Squire to Peebles Squire ’05 and Lauren Squire on November 2, 2023

Martin Russell Hern to Lila Warren ’05 and Tyler Hern on December 29, 2023

Sofia Isabelle Sobieszczyk to Cate Smythe Sobieszczyk ’06 and Troy Sobieszczyk in August 2023

Everett Howard Todd to Dina Clay ’06 and Connor Todd in December 2023

Wilson “Dean” Oswald Jr. to Katie Grover Oswald ’07 and Wilson Oswald on May 19, 2023

Davnet Eileen Caslow to Scott ’08 and Hillary Caslow on October 3, 2023

Palmer Huger Clarkson to Tucker ’08 and Rebecca Clarkson on September 11, 2023

Ben Coutoumanos to Leigh Ainsworth Coutoumanos ’08 and David Coutoumanos in December 2023

Christopher Herring “Kit” Eisenzimmer to Ann Gordon Pelletier Eisenzimmer ’08 and Chris Eisenzimmer on October 12, 2023

Elle Jervis to Stephen ’09 and Claire Jervis in October 2023

Joan Beatrice Allen to Ginna Oates Allen ’09 and Tyler Allen on August 25, 2023

Saoirse Walker Doherty to Nancy Walker Doherty ’11 and Conall Doherty on December 16, 2023

Braeden Reece Burgin to Lauren Mealy Burgin ’12 and Brady Burgin on August 17, 2022

George Bennert “Ben” Thorne to Ryan Bennert Thorne ’12 and George Thorne ’11 on November 3, 2023

Bruce Léon Lojou to Marion Williams Lojou ’12 and Emilien Lojou on July 31, 2023

Esther Grace Borah to Kayla Murphy Borah ’18 and Scott Borah on December 23, 2023

Marriages

Email alumni@episcopalhighschool.org with news of any and all matrimonial unions.

John Allen Jr. ’88 to Sarah Douglas in September 2023

Hugo Gilbert ’04 to Elizabeth Turner on May 20, 2023

Grace Chesson Hawley ’08 to Kyle Hawley last fall

Edward Pritchard IV ’09 to Holly Annas in February 2023

Ruffin Mitchener ’11 to Chris Cikowski on March 11, 2023

Quinn Caslow ’12 to Madison Young on January 13, 2024

Weeza Miller Congleton ’12 to Brewer Congleton on August 26, 2023

Will Davy ’12 to Mirrah Warren on June 4, 2022

Woody Dewing Jr. ’12 to Caroline Arrix on October 14, 2023

Ross Higgins ’12 to Emily Emmens on June 6, 2022

Elizabeth Buyck Howell ’12 to Joseph Howell on October 7, 2023

Bethany Gordon Hoy ’12 to Alexander Hoy on August 5, 2023

Marion Williams Lojou ’12 to Emilien Lojou on December 10, 2022

Brian Mascatello ’12 to Braden Timm on November 11, 2023

Ben Strawsburg ’12 to Yijun Wan on November 11, 2023

Kayla Murphy Borah ’18 to Scott Borah in March 2023

In Memoriam

In Memoriam includes deceased alumni as reported to Episcopal High School on or before February 1, 2024.

Mr. Albert Lee “Pete” Wardlaw Jr. ’44 of Columbia, S.C., on September 26, 2023

At Episcopal, Mr. Wardlaw was a member of Fairfax Literary Society, choir, and Missionary Society. He played spring tennis, JV football, and Centennial Basketball.

Mr. Wardlaw is survived by his wife, Sandra, four children, eight grandchildren, and one nephew. He is predeceased by his brother William Elliott Wardlaw ’48 and cousin John Julius Pringle III ’52

Dr. Elmer Edwin “Ed” Wilson Jr. ’45 of New York, N.Y., on December 2, 2023

At Episcopal, Dr. Wilson was a member of Fairfax Literary Society, The Chronicle Board, Missionary Society, choir, hop committee, E Club, and 8:30 club. He was also a Senior Monitor and schoolroom keeper. Dr. Wilson played JV football and ran varsity track. He was awarded the Quentin Roosevelt Memorial Prize, the Whittle Prize, and the Reading Prize. In 1995, Dr. Wilson established the Edwin Wilson Awards for Theater Arts, which recognize outstanding achievement in acting, dance, and stagecraft at Episcopal.

Dr. Wilson is survived by his wife, Catherine, and several family members including his cousins Charles Wilkerson Cook Jr. ’52 and William Compton Cook ’55.

Mr. George Carl Francisco III ’47 of Houston, Texas, on September 16, 2023

At Episcopal, Mr. Francisco was a member of A.A. Shop, Stewart AC, Blackford Literary Society, and Missionary Society. He played varsity tennis and Centennial Basketball.

Mr. Francisco is survived by his wife, Trebie, three children, and four grandchildren.

Mr. William Hunter “Bill” Dunn ’48 of Santa Cruz, Calif., on December 3, 2023

At Episcopal, Mr. Dunn was a Monitor and valedictorian, and on the board of both The Chronicle and Whispers. He also played varsity baseball and varsity football. He was awarded the Johns Prize, Wm. H. Wilmer Memorial Junior Prize, Whittle Prize, and the Shakespeare Medal.

Mr. Dunn is survived by his wife, Joan, three children, and predeceased by his brother Dr. John Thornton Dunn ’50

Mr. Anthony Addison “Tony” Lea ’50 of Atlanta, Ga., on October 28, 2022

At Episcopal, Mr. Lea was a member of The Chronicle and Whispers. He played varsity football, soccer, baseball, and Centennial Basketball.

Mr. Lea is survived by two sons, two stepdaughters, seven grandchildren, and many extended family members.

Mr. Palmer Newcombe Stearns Jr. ’51 of McLean, Va., on October 29, 2023

At Episcopal, Mr. Stearns was a member of Blackford Literary Society and E Club. He played varsity football, varsity baseball, and was varsity soccer captain.

Mr. Stearns is survived by his wife, Patricia, two children, and five grandchildren.

We are proud to honor each departed alumnus and celebrate the contributions each made to Episcopal and their respective communities. Scan to read their full obituaries.

Mr. Lee Sanford “Sandy” Ainslie Jr. ’56 of Lynchburg, Va., on October 22, 2023

At Episcopal, Mr. Ainslie was chairman of the Honor Committee, a Senior Monitor, President of E Club, a church usher, and schoolroom keeper. He was a member of the Advisory Board, Blackford Literary Society, Whispers, hop committee, and Missionary Society. Mr. Ainslie also was captain of the varsity basketball team and the JV football team, and co-captain of track. He earned the William Caskie Watts Award for Basketball and the J.C. Herbert Bryant Scholarship Medal.

Mr. Ainslie is survived by his wife, Sharon; three children: Lee Sanford Ainslie III ’82, Garth Quinn Ainslie ’84, and Elizabeth Ainslie Green; and several grandchildren, including Lee Sanford Ainslie IV ’14 , Garth Quinn Ainslie Jr. ’15 , Hayne Ragsdale Ainslie ’17, John Stevenson Ainslie ’17, and Catherine Blake Green ’25.

The School honored Mr. Ainslie’s life and legacy in the Fall 2023 issue of EHS: The Magazine. Read more: bit.ly/3xtEPQj

Mr. Russell Hill “Russ” Roberts ’56 of Fredericksburg, Va., on August 29, 2023

At Episcopal, Mr. Roberts was a Monitor, cheerleader, schoolroom keeper, and Editor-in-Chief of Whispers . He was a member of Missionary Society, Blackford Literary Society, and dramatics. He played baseball, JV football, and JV basketball. Mr. Roberts received the Selby Barnes Papin Medal in 1954.

Mr. Roberts is survived by his wife, Rosalyn Stevens, two children, sister, cousins Robert Vernon May ’64 and Walter Wells May ’65, and many extended family members.

Mr. James Edward “Jim” Briddell ’57 of Kingsport, Tenn., on January 8, 2024

At Episcopal, Mr. Briddell was a member of Missionary Society, dramatics, and he managed the football team. He also played Greenway baseball.

Mr. Briddell is survived by his wife, Rebecca, brother Dr. John Douglas Briddell ’58 , and several nieces and nephews.

Mr. Mayo King Gravatt ’64 of Blackstone, Va., on October 15, 2023

At Episcopal, Mr. Gravatt was a Senior Monitor, class president, head waiter, schoolroom keeper, and an usher. He was a member of E Club, chapel committee, Advisory Board, Missionary Society, Honor Committee, and hop committee. Mr. Gravatt was varsity track captain and ran winter track. He also played junior football, varsity football, and junior basketball. He won the Beaudric L. Howell 1906 Award for Track and graduated with advanced standing. He was inducted into the EHS Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019.

Mr. Gravatt is survived by his sister, three children, two grandchildren, and cousin Moncure Gravatt Crowder ’58 He was predeceased by his father William Moncure Gravatt Jr. ’37, brother William Moncure Gravatt III ’63, and uncle John Segar Gravatt ’28.

Mr. Edwin Wallace “Ned” Johnson II ’66 of Columbia, S.C., on January 20, 2024

At Episcopal, Mr. Johnson was a member of E Club, Fairfax Literary Society, and Missionary Society. He played junior, JV, and varsity football, junior and JV basketball, and ran junior and varsity track. He also received the Beaudric L. Howell Award for Track.

Mr. Johnson is survived by his wife, Victoria, two brothers, one godson, and several nieces and nephews including Jamie Johnson Boyd ’96, and Susan Ann Johnson ’00

Dr. Alexander Atkinson “Alex” Waldrop III ’66 of Roanoke, Va., on January 13, 2024

At Episcopal, Dr. Waldrop was a member of The Chronicle , Grins & Grimaces, and Fairfax Literary Society. He played junior football and baseball, and managed varsity wrestling.

Dr. Waldrop is survived by his three siblings, cousins Dr. Preston Adam Waldrop ’75 and Tessa Jamison Waldrop ’08 . He is predeceased by his uncles John Bear Waldrop ’37 and Louis Stephens Waldrop Sr. ’42.

Mr. John Randolph “Randy” Coupland IV ’67 of Wilmington, N.C., on November 14, 2023

At Episcopal, Mr. Coupland was a member of Wilmer Literary Society, Blackford Literary Society, Missionary Society, The Chronicle, and was a bookstore keeper and an usher. He played varsity football, varsity baseball, JV basketball, junior football, and junior basketball.

Mr. Coupland is survived by his wife, Katharine, two children, brother John Buchanan Coupland ’70, cousin Clinton Wadsworth White ’98, four grandsons, and several nieces and nephews.

Mr. Brad Langdon Walker ’73 of Greensboro, N.C., on March 3, 2023

At Episcopal, Mr. Walker was a member of Grins & Grimaces, Whispers, and The Chronicle. He wrestled and played football.

Mr. Walker is survived by his wife, Cheryl, two children, three grandchildren, and three brothers including Berry Chilton Walker ’75 and Brian Richard Walker ’78

Mr. Patrick Calhoun “Pat” Mays ’74 of Davidson, N.C., on November 28, 2022

At Episcopal, Mr. Mays was a member of E Club and Daemon. He ran varsity cross country and varsity track.

Mr. Mays is survived by his wife, Rebecca, daughter, and brothers Marshall Trammell Mays ’73 and Foster Marshall Mays ’77.

Mr. Frank Neal Montgomery ’81 of Panama City Beach, Fla., on September 23, 2023

At Episcopal, Mr. Montgomery was Chairman of Program Selling International Relations Club and a member of E Club and century club. He played cake football, junior football, JV football, JV soccer, varsity soccer, varsity golf, and was a varsity wrestler. Mr. Montgomery won two varsity golf gold awards.

Mr. Montgomery is survived by his wife, Robin, stepdaughter, two sisters, seven nieces and nephews, and many extended family members.

Mr. Vincent McNair van Dillen ’00 of Annapolis, Md., on November 26, 2023

At Episcopal, Mr. van Dillen played varsity squash and varsity tennis, and ran varsity cross country.

Mr. van Dillen is survived by his parents, sister, brother, five nieces and nephews, fourteen cousins including Koorosh Hadi Bakhtiar ’01 , stepmother, step-brother, and step-sister. He is predeceased by his great great uncle T. Marshall Duer Jr. ’31

APrayer

from School Chaplain Rev. Betsy Carmody

O God of grace and glory, we remember before you this day our departed alumni.

We thank you for giving them to us, their family and friends, to know and to love as companions on our earthly pilgrimage.

In your boundless compassion, console all who mourn. Give us faith to see in death the gate of eternal life, so that in quiet confidence we may continue our course on Earth, until, by your call, we are reunited with those who have gone before; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

of the Chapel Talk the

IN A LONG-ANTICIPATED MOMENT, AMELIA HANSON ’24 REFLECTED ON THE ART OF THE “CHAPEL TALK” IN FRONT OF HER TEACHERS AND PEERS IN CALLAWAY CHAPEL. THROUGH THE PROCESS, SHE EMBRACED FEAR, FELT DEEP GRATITUDE, AND RECOGNIZED THE EXTRAORDINARY MOMENTS THAT MAKE UP ORDINARY DAYS.

When I first toured Episcopal four years ago, I sat in the balcony of Callaway Chapel and listened to a moving Chapel Talk, given by a then senior. It was compelling to witness how a person could be so vulnerable with so many people at once, and that’s when I knew there was something special about Episcopal. Since then, I have been under the impression that Chapel Talks must be extraordinary. I had become fascinated by the art of the Chapel Talk.

Ever since that first time stepping foot into Callaway, I’d walk into Chapel, and at some point during the service, I’d think to myself, “What shall my Chapel Talk topic be?” No joke, I’ve thought about this question almost every day over my past four years here, and until just a few weeks ago, no topic had stood out to me as worthy enough. So, you may be wondering what changed my mind.

One day during Chapel, Mr. Bastos, my brilliant advisor, turned to me with his usual compassionate conversation and asked, “Do you think you’re going to do a Chapel Talk?” I responded, “I really, really want to, and I think that if I don’t end up doing one, I will regret it. But I don’t have anything to say.” Or so I thought. During that service, per usual, I pondered

yet again what I wanted to share with you all. Finally, I thought, “You know what? The regret I would feel not doing this is enough to make me do it.” I thought about how badly I wanted to stand up in front of all of these people who I am so, so more than utterly grateful for and love so much and thank them, really thank them, and so here we go.

I know gratitude is a major theme in a Chapel Talk, and so I asked myself why that is. For me, it’s because of this feeling I become overwhelmed by every once in a while when I look around at our regular old campus, eating the usual chicken and rice in the dining hall, socializing on a perfect day for football in the Bowl, storming the halls of my humble abode, and I am struck by the amount of talent which surrounds me in my typical day to day.

During our time here, it’s not hard to be overtaken by a feeling of familiarity. Still, when I’m able to break through that and take a moment to evaluate, I think about my teachers. The never-ending amount of time and care you continually dedicate to us is more than admirable. I really feel it in everything you do, the hope you see in your students and how deeply you enjoy seeing us succeed. I am in awe of you all every day, and I will cherish all of your work forever. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I wouldn’t be me without you.

“So, after reflecting on all of this gratitude, I have taken away this: Everyone brings something to the table to make this community what it is.”

Secondly, I feel so lucky to go to school and learn with people who are smarter than I am, people who have these immensely impressive talents. I’ve read some killer articles in The Chronicle, sat through gorgeous and impressively lengthy instrumental pieces, had the privilege of listening to my sister Liv perform, and got to witness the eye-opening work ethic of some of our most dedicated athletes. I have to stop there because the list is actually endless.

However, other things also make me feel this overwhelming thankfulness, which I have identified, for lack of a better word, as micro talents. Micro talents are little things I have taken from small interactions in my day-to-day exchanges where others have inspired me to improve, whether it’s someone who can light up a room with laughter, who always turns to kindness, who leads by living a sustainable life, who knows how to be present and in the moment, or who is good at keeping those around them accountable. Throughout my journey at Episcopal, I have often wondered if there will be any other time in my life when I will again be surrounded by such mind-blowingly gifted people that I currently have the privilege of witnessing.

So, after reflecting on all of this gratitude, I have taken away this: Everyone brings something to the table to make this community what it is. Really, at the very end of the day, it isn’t the red bricks, Orah tiles, tablecloths, ID cards, or any tradition that make this place what it truly is, but it’s all of you. You are a part of such greatness. Everyone in this room has a talent for being themselves. Everyone here brings something to the table. Though, there have been many moments when people very close to me, whom I was in complete awe of, confessed they thought they were talentless, which was hard for me to hear from people I admire. I, too, have had these thoughts, and over the years, I’ve realized this: It’s easy to be hard on yourself, especially here, and sometimes it can be hard to separate your self-demeaning thoughts from the truth. I had dozens of moments while writing, editing, and practicing this talk when I thought it wouldn’t be good enough and was scared I would mess up. When these critical thoughts come up, I try to slow down.

In life, it is important to highlight what you are good at and know that you don’t have to be the best to do those things and still make an impact. Your expertise may be something grand, which is lovely to show off, or it could be more of a micro talent.

I feel blessed every day Episcopal has allowed me to be around people who are better than me and, therefore, made me better.

Don’t put yourself down by comparing yourself to others because you will waste so much time rather than letting yourself be just as great as you are in the hopes of becoming greater. I never thought I had anything to give a Chapel Talk on because I wasn’t sure I could come up with something that everyone could relate to or be powerful enough to remember.

Still, I decided to speak because I realized that that’s not what truly mattered. What mattered to me was seizing the opportunity to share my gratitude and knowing it didn’t matter if it was the best Chapel Talk in the history of Chapel Talks because it was the best one I could offer today, and that’s enough for me. The second you tell yourself you can’t do something, you’re not worthy of your successes, or you become scared just because you may not be the best at something, that is the moment you close yourself off from new opportunities, bettering yourself, and the undiscovered things in life.

So little of life is being the best at something because only so many people can be the best, and you can only be the best at so many things, so why would you limit yourself to that?

Photo by Lucy Whittle Goldstein ’97