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THE MAGAZINE OF THE EPISCOPAL SCHOOL OF DALLAS
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REST C THE
THE MAGAZINE OF THE EPISCOPAL SCHOOL OF DALLAS
EVER PRESENT:
LIVING OUR EPISCOPAL IDENTITY AND FULFILLING OUR FOUNDING TENETS ART, HISTORY, AND SCIENCE MEET AT THE
DUST BOWL
Stay connected.
THE STATE OF THE SCHOOL:
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MEREDYTH COLE’S LOOK BACK AT HER FIRST YEAR
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2013-14
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM
OUR
MISSION The Episcopal School of Dallas prepares young men and women for lives of intellectual discovery, integrity, and purpose. The School develops the unique talent and potential in each student and embraces sound learning, discipline, and faith as essential elements of an educated conscience.
Meredyth M. Cole HEAD OF SCHOOL
Ruth Burke
ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL
Donna Hull, Ph.D.
HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL
The Reverend Amy G. Heller SENIOR CHAPLAIN
Robert A. Buchholz
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Dawn Thomas
DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES
In appreciation for your support of the 2014-15 Annual Fund
Increase your gift and impact on ESD’s community! Help us jump start the 2014-15 Annual Fund campaign and reach our North Texas Giving Day goal of $100,000 and 250 donors. It’s a great way to honor a faculty member who makes a difference in your child’s life.
AN EVENING WITH ARTIST
POTEET VICTORY
All donations of $25 or more are eligible to receive bonus dollars through the Communities Foundation of Texas North Texas Giving Day. All gifts are tax deductible. For more information, please contact Kam Bakewell, Director of Annual Giving and Special Projects, at 214.353.5808.
September 24
THE CREST STAFF Julie Clardy
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
Nicole Jacobsen
COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR
Jamie Mitcham
OUR FOUNDING TENETS were created to integrate the Mission into the individual and corporate life of The Episcopal School of Dallas community. DAILY WORSHIP Nurturing a spiritual relationship with God through the use of the Book of Common Prayer within the context of a pluralistic, diverse student and faculty population. COMMUNITY Experiencing mutual trust, respect, and honor while preserving individual identity, uniqueness of thought, and personality. ETHICAL DECISION MAKING Preparing students for actions which promote the common good through the study of religious and moral paradigms of history and contemporary thought. SERVICE Advancing the common good through acts of compassion and concern here and within the larger community. Daily worship, experiences in community, and studies in ethical decision-making prepare students for service to others, the highest manifestation of God’s presence in their lives.
Eleanor Arnold Katie Barnes Ashley Beck Carol Bergman Eric Boberg, Ph.D. Megan Boyd ’09 Ruth Burke Sharon Chapman Jensen Clardy ’17 Meredyth Cole Libby Conder Christine Cook Eddie Eason Meg Fahrenbrook ’01 George Fiala Gabrielle Griffin Sandy Hall-Chiles Linda Harris Donna Hull, Ph.D. Mike Jenkins Shelle Montgomery Alan Neuhoff ’89 Cindy Newsom Devean Owens Reid Prichett, Ph.D. Brian Rawson ’96 Rebecca Royall Jen Sanders Victoria Siu ’15 Haley Teegarden Chelle Wabrek Ben Weaver Mary Beth Weinberger
E TH E D
Details to Come
The Episcopal School of Dallas is pleased to welcome Poteet Victory as our Fall 2014 Visiting Artist. We are grateful to Chris McLarry ’80, McLarry Modern and McLarry Fine Art in Sante Fe, for making this exhibition possible.
ATE
CONTRIBUTORS
SAV
DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST
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NOVEMBER 21
IN THIS ISSUE
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2 The State of the School: A Look Back Over My First Year 8 Planning for ESD’s Future, Today 12 Putting Learning First: A Case Study 14 A Quick Guide to ESD Technological Platforms 15 Art, History, and Science Meet at the Dust Bowl 16 Reflections of the ESD Experience by Members of the Class of 2014 21 Safety First 22 The Class of 2014 Moves Forward 26 Sixth Grade Tweets in Washington, D.C.
MASTERING THE MIND GAME
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28 Engineers Collaborate to Convert Vegetable Oil to Biodiesel 30 A Year in the Life of the Code of Conduct 34 Springing Forward: Magical Moments with Mr. Eason 36 The Great Outdoors 38 Building Lives: Habitat for Humanity 40 What Is Global Education? 42 Ever Present: Living Our Episcopal Identity and Fulfilling Our Founding Tenets 44 Field Day of Dreams 45 Letter from the President of the Parents’ Association
GRANDPARENTS’ DAY AT ESD
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46 ESDPA Speaker Series: Loving and Useful Support 47 Celebrating Success at the ESDPA Spring Luncheon 48 Thank You for Supporting the ESD 2013-14 Annual Fund 49 Beginner Crosses 50 The Art of Making Art 52 Faculty News 56 Retiring Teachers and Staff: Thank You for Making a Difference 59 Service Awards 60 Pass It On
FOUNDERS’ WEEKEND
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62 Student News 67 Great Kids Doing Good: 292 Students Earn President’s Volunteer Service Award 74 Reigning Champions: ESD Wins Top Prizes in Lacrosse, Soccer, and Rowing 75 Class of 2014 Collegiate Athletes 76 Perspectives: The Educated Conscience of the 2014 Dunlevie Scholar 77 And the Award Goes to... 85 Letter from the President of the Alumni Association 94 Alumni News
ON THE COVER
Kindergarten students, guided by their teachers, curiously explore nature and science.
THE CREST, the magazine of The Episcopal School of Dallas, is published two times a year.
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THE STATE OF THE SCHOOL: A LOOK BACK OVER
MY FIRST YEAR DEAR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS OF ESD, It is hard to believe that it has been 12 months since I became your second Head of School, one of the most humbling and exciting opportunities of my life. Thank you to everyone for welcoming my family into this incredible community. It is truly the people who make The Episcopal School of Dallas so special. My greatest satisfaction this year was witnessing ESD’s Mission and Founding Tenets in action. As a community, we seek honor, respect, and integrity. We are spiritually grounded, service-oriented, hardworking and unafraid to transform challenges into opportunities, innovative, resilient, and supportive of one another. We are relentless in our commitment to ensuring that being educated at The Episcopal School of Dallas means that our students are not only well prepared to succeed in college, but also well equipped to pursue a life of purpose. Dr. John Chubb, president of the National Association of Independent Schools, recently wrote, “It is very difficult for schools to create a culture that enables students to succeed academically or artistically or athletically. Students do not succeed just because a school offers a rigorous curriculum or thoughtful instruction. Students must be engaged, heart and soul, to do their very best. They must be motivated by more than some promised means to an end.1”
This is what happens at The Episcopal School of Dallas.
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ur assets are many: an unshakable foundation of excellence and innovation, gifted and seemingly tireless faculty and staff, an eager and curious student body, responsive and generative governance, and an enlightened strategic plan that maps a bright and sustainable future for our students and school. The support of our community is stunning. Faculty, staff, parents, alumni, founders, board members, grandparents, friends, and volunteers are harmonious in action and unparalleled in dedication. We are blessed, and, like our students, we are “engaged heart and soul.” From the littlest Beginner to the boardroom, learners are welcomed and expected here – thank goodness! In my first year, I have learned a lot, some of which was easily anticipated and other things that were not. One of the treasures of this year was spending time listening and gaining insight into The Episcopal
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School of Dallas through the eyes of Father Swann and our founders, current and former faculty, our students, our parents, our grandparents, and our alumni. To glean understanding of a school’s vision and history firsthand from those who created, nurtured, and experienced it is a rare and precious gift. It is this vision – this quest for a higher purpose demanded by our history and our Episcopal identity – that we honor as we move forward into our next 40 years. I am pleased to report that the state of our school is strong, and The Episcopal School of Dallas continues on an upward trajectory. We are mindful and responsive to the educational and empathetic needs of our Generation Z learners, whose destiny exists in a world that at present is largely unimaginable. In addition to affirming the traditional Rs, our students’ education must empower the development of habits of mind: persistence, data
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I am pleased to report that the state of our school is strong, and The Episcopal School of Dallas continues on an upward trajectory.
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gathering, listening, empathy, flexibility, responsible risk taking, and independent thinking.
Working together, our community continues to grow. Below are several highlights of our collective efforts. More can be found throughout this issue of the magazine and on our website, www.esdallas.org.
LEARNING AND TEACHING • We are ensuring that our curriculum addresses both the challenges and possibilities of what “living in a global economy” really means and how it changes the way students may expect to live. • To the extent to which it is relevant and appropriate, teachers are incorporating technology as a learning tool, streamlining classroom management and access to information that is resulting in more effective and readily available personalized instruction. • Our students benefit from strategic partnerships, including this year’s program with the Perot Museum of Nature and Science through which Lower School teachers gained invaluable insight to carry forth for years to come. • Middle and Upper School instituted new schedules to allow more time for in-depth exploration. For 2014-15, the Middle School and Upper School schedules will operate independently, further focusing on the needs of our students. • Experiential learning remains a hallmark of the ESD education. This year, our outdoor education program was further developed through the addition of division-level coordinators. • As a result of work within the strategic plan, the arts program is growing. In 2014-15 we will add dance to the Middle School art rotation and as a “zero hour” class for Upper School. Instrumental music is also expanding. Band remains a Middle School option for the arts rotation and Upper School will have the option of a “zero hour” class, allowing students to participate fully without impacting the Chubb, John. “Emotion.” www.nais.org. National Association of Independent Schools, 1 May 2014. Web. 12 May 2014. www.nais.org/Presidents-Corner/Presidents-Blog/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=356
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Faculty, staff, parents, alumni, founders, board members, grandparents, friends, and volunteers are harmonious in action and unparalleled in dedication.
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academic class rotation. • From projects like Invention Convention and Snack Sacks, to the retooled Battle of the Books and Wolf Run projects, to the independent studies of converting oil to biodiesel and programming an autonomous drone, ESD students continue to thrive as our teachers serve as mentors, coaches, and facilitators.
BEST PEOPLE AND SUSTAINABILITY • The soul of The Episcopal School of Dallas has always rested in the hands of our talented and engaging faculty. Unwavering in this imperative, we welcomed four new members of the executive administrative team: The Reverend Amy G. Heller, Senior Chaplain; Reid Prichett, Ph.D., Assistant Head of School for Learning and Teaching; Mike Jenkins, Head of Middle School; and Linda Harris, Head of Lower School. • We examined our hiring, professional development, and retention policies. Faculty salaries are near or above the ISAS/DFW benchmark goals and funding for professional development has increased significantly. We are distributing leadership and empowering faculty members to be teacher-leaders by providing them the training they need to fill those roles. • Safety and security on all our campuses was enhanced this year. We became the first school in North Texas to earn accreditation from Praesidium, a nationally recognized authority on student safety and risk management. • We have increased our student diversity and continue to look at ways to broaden our reach to ensure that our own community ultimately represents the diversity of thought our graduates will face as they leave us. • ESD employed a tuition increase (2.8 percent) significantly less than the NAIS average (4.08 percent), marking the fourth consecutive year of falling beneath the NAIS standard. • Through the work of the Business Office, the Finance Committee, and the Endowment Trust, the debt per student ratio is now more than $2,000 below the 50 percentile of all NAIS day schools, but our expense per student is more than $5,000 (22 percent) higher than the NAIS average.
EPISCOPAL IDENTITY • Our Episcopal identity – the spiritual formation of our students from all walks of faith and character development – remains a cornerstone of The Episcopal School of Dallas experience. Improving student engagement and honoring the sacredness in chapel is paramount. This year, we piloted a monthly Eucharist schedule for Middle and Upper School. In 2014-15, we will return to a near-weekly schedule, with the celebration of Eucharist on every Day 1 of Middle and Upper School. 4
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• Our school, as written by the National Association of Episcopal Schools, was established as an “ecumenical and diverse ministry of educational and human formation for people of all faiths and backgrounds.” We initiated an open and caring dialogue about diversity and inclusion, a mission-critical facet of our institution. • We instituted a Code of Conduct to protect the integrity of our community and provide rules of engagement, if you will, for our membership. Taking into consideration the imperfection of adolescence and the responsibility of adulthood, we navigated several consequential applications of the Code. • Lower School students, with the guidance of faculty members, translated the Code of Conduct into words more readily understood by our youngest learners. Every faculty, staff, student, and board member pledged to abide by the Code of Conduct in 2013-14. During the 2014-15 enrollment process, parents committed as well. • Through ESD’s incredible community service program, our students contributed tens of thousands of hours this year to organizations and people in need, both locally and internationally. A new junior-senior independent project allowed students to contribute their talents to
causes that interest them. Opportunities like these and ESD’s Habitat for Humanity house teach the value and joy discovered only by serving others. One of the distinctions of an independent school education is the way it is measured. Yes, our students score exceptionally well on tests, including the ERB, AP, SAT, and ACT examinations. Yes, our students are remarkable athletes and brilliant artists. Yes, our students are accepted into colleges and universities of their choosing, including the world’s most prestigious and selective. But at ESD, our goal is an even higher outcome. We graduate students uniquely prepared to succeed in the 21st century. Our Founding Tenets of Daily Worship, Community, Ethical Decision Making, and Service provide a strong underpinning of life skills that equip our students and graduates to navigate and succeed in an increasingly complex world. In short, The Episcopal School of Dallas graduate is prepared to live a life of purpose. Over Memorial Day, I experienced my first, ESD’s 34th, graduation ceremony. I watched with confidence knowing that these 104 young men and women would further perpetuate the legacy of The Episcopal
School of Dallas that is so apparent in our alumni. The pride I felt for these students, their families, and our faculty and staff was immeasurable. The next step of their journey is beginning. They are ready. Chubb, in his article, continued, “Great schools not only teach values and character, they embody them. Students appreciate what it means to be loved for what they are doing, because their teachers and coaches and prefects and school leaders show them that depth of caring and affection.”
This year, I learned that this is exactly what happens at The Episcopal School of Dallas. Expect great things to come. Sincerely yours,
Meredyth M. Cole Head of School
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Nestled behind the Quarry’s waterfall and next to the butterfly garden is the outdoor chapel. This sacred space, named in loving memory of Mary Elizabeth Williams ’82, is a place for quiet reflection and peace.
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PLANNING FOR ESD’S FUTURE, TODAY. By Ruth Burke, Assistant Head of School
“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” Robert Louis Stevenson
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Every day, The Episcopal School of Dallas faculty plants and nurtures the seeds of knowledge, understanding, and experience in our students. They tend carefully to each garden, helping students discover and reap the joys borne from a curiosity and zest for life-long learning. Our strategic plan, ESD Tomorrow, demands that we deliver the absolute best learning and teaching environment and experiences for our students and teachers. The plan builds on ESD’s history: our Mission, Founding Tenets, our relentless dedication to the whole child, and the belief that every child is made in the image of a loving God. By ratifying and thoughtfully moving forward with this plan, The Episcopal School of Dallas Board of Directors ensures that the fruits of our founders, faculty, and students’ labor will have the resources and learning spaces to grow in perpetuity. As we enter the year that marks ESD’s 40th anniversary, charting a course for the School’s next 20 years has heightened significance. The vision Father Swann set in motion 40 years ago provides a strong foundation as we take steps necessary to solidify ESD’s standing among the top independent schools in the country. In Year Two of the strategic plan, there was a conscientious effort by the Board of Directors and the Executive Team to focus on the future and safeguard the quality of today’s programs and deliverables. Three future-oriented topics were at the forefront this year: ensuring financial sustainability, determining the most appropriate location for our Lower School, and making critical decisions regarding the footprint of the Merrell Road Campus. The Executive Team and key volunteers presented recommendations on each of these areas at the May 6 Board of Directors meeting. Below is a brief summary of those recommendations and the actions taken by the Board of Directors.
Financial Sustainability We recognize that in order to achieve the specific goals and objectives of the ESD Tomorrow Strategic Plan, the School will need to raise funds to support and provide the very best resources. This includes funds for our endowment to support people and programs, as well as enhanced and new learning spaces. This year, a small group of board volunteers, feasibility experts, and administrators worked to determine the size and scope of the campaign required to achieve our goals. Following a thorough presentation of its work and upcoming plans, the Board of Directors was unanimous in support and approved the Campaign Cabinet’s request to continue its preliminary research, discussion, and preparation.
Location of the Lower School Integral to the Board’s decision was the work of the Lower School Task Force. Thoughtful and thorough, the Task Force carefully considered many perspectives, opportunities, and challenges. Their research, which included listening sessions, a survey of parents and alumni, and discussions with key stakeholders, clearly illustrated a strong shared desire for our three divisions to be on one campus. Non-negotiable themes
were also communicated, such as maintaining the warm and caring nature of the Lower School and planning for separate, child-centered, age-appropriate facilities for learning, worshipping, and playing. The Board of Directors unanimously accepted the recommendation from the Lower School Task Force. The heart of ESD is our incredible community and our school will benefit greatly from being united on one campus. The construction of a new Lower School facility on the Merrell Road Campus is an integral part of our 20-year Master Plan (see next section); however, there is much to do before ground is broken. An exciting and impactful development, we will seek feedback and input from community members throughout this process and communicate specifics on timelines and plans as decisions are made. Parent Survey, February 25 - March 25, 2014 232 responses total including 190 responses from parents whose children entered ESD at the Lower School
Please describe the culture at the Lower School campus. Inclusive
132
Warm
183
Dynamic
87
Challenging (in a good way)
109
Engaging
152
Happy
187
Active
154
What benefits do you anticipate if the Lower School is relocated to Merrell Road? Young children have benefit of full facilities
162
Ease of drop off/pick up
131
Visible continuity of educational program
151
Space built from ground up specifically for younger students
182
For Lower School parents, what factors helped you select ESD for your child? Culture
121
Sense of Community
138
Gifted Faculty
94
Strong Reputation
136
Academic Program
128
Family Tradition
78
Physical Location Other
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20-Year Master Plan In December, the School contracted with Gund Partnership, a nationally recognized architectural firm based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to conduct a thorough master plan study based on the goals and objectives of our strategic plan. After six months of intensive and collaborative work,
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ONE OF THE IMPORTANT items addressed by the Board at the end of year meeting was the election of new board members, placement of committee members for the upcoming year, and recognition of members of the Board whose term has concluded. The Board is proud to introduce the Board of Directors Class of 2017: Don Carty, William Decherd ’97, Sarah Hamlin, Caren Kline, Marshall Mills, Beth Puckett, and Margaret Ryder ’87. On behalf of the Board and the entire community of The Episcopal School of Dallas, thank you to retiring board members Jeannie Berry ’83, Gerald Bulloch, Pat Crow, John Eagle, Jason Nix, Matt Waller, and Joe Worsham. During their tenure and through the leadership and dedication they exemplified, the Board ratified the 10year strategic plan, ESD Tomorrow, and appointed ESD’s second Head of School, Meredyth Cole.
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Gund completed and submitted a 20-year Master Plan for the Merrell Road Campus, a vision for ESD’s future. It considers key elements of our pedagogy and how our physical spaces can enhance and maximize the learning and teaching process. The plan features a new Lower School facility, state-of-the-art STEM and library/ media resource learning environments, an entry that mirrors the strength of our program and welcoming nature of our community, and enhancements to Wolf Run Outdoor Education Center. The Board of Directors unanimously adopted Gund’s vision and aspirations for ESD’s 20-Year Master Plan. The Board will soon begin making the 20year vision operational, including defining the specifics of the spaces, priorities, and timelines. The Board and school leadership will continue to communicate plans, progress, and initiatives in a timely manner.
Frequently Asked Questions To help in the understanding of the master planning process, and what may or may not happen next, following are a few questions that seem to come up more often than others. Should you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. When will construction of the new Lower School begin? There is much planning to be done before ground is broken on the Merrell Road Campus for the Lower School facility. In addition to the development of a fundraising campaign, the leadership of the School is already working with officials from the City of Dallas to ensure we are taking all appropriate and necessary steps for zoning approval. It is also very important for us to be open and communicative with our neighbors to ensure those living close by are aware of our vision for the physical footprint of our campus. We must do all we can to enhance traffic flow and parking so their lives are not disrupted or inconvenienced. The planning, designing, and fundraising processes will undoubtedly take a few years, so the construction of our new Lower School is not something that will happen in the immediate future. Does ESD have to buy or acquire new land? No. ESD currently owns all of the houses on Montwood Road, the road south of campus. The Gund Partnership’s vision for our Merrell Road Campus footprint encompasses this acreage and it is more than sufficient. In the Master Plan, the Lower School facility is located on the south side of campus and includes ample parking for parents and visitors. ESD’s Lower School facility will feature enhanced learning spaces, plus a
chapel, gymnasium, dining room, and expansive outdoor play area for our youngest students. Will the School be taking on debt to finance the building of the Lower School and other Master Plan initiatives? No. A campaign to support all endowment and physical plant enhancements is in the preliminary planning stages; no new construction or renovation of facilities will take place until fully funded. What about Endowment? How will money be raised for the Endowment if funds are needed for new construction and renovation? The Board of Directors and school leadership are committed to raising ESD’s endowment to a level commensurate to a school our size and quality. Endowment dollars support our people and programs, so we are confident that donors who are passionate about ESD and our future will see the value of investing in the School’s endowment and understand its significant impact on the lives of our students, faculty, and programs. Will all the Master Plan initiatives happen at once? No. The Master Plan is a 20-year plan and will be implemented in at least three, and potentially four, phases. Phasing will be based on priorities regarding funding, programs, and logistics of ensuring the least possible disruption to the learning and teaching environment for our current students. How will parking and carpool be impacted by the Master Plan at the Merrell Road Campus? Based on studies conducted by traffic engineers during the Master Planning process, we are very encouraged and happy to report that parking availability will improve significantly and the carpool process will become more streamlined and efficient – both for parents driving carpool and our neighbors. What can I do to help if I would like to offer my professional expertise or financial support to these exciting plans? We welcome the participation and input of our community members in the implementation of the Master Plan. It is our goal for this process to be as transparent and interactive as possible. If you have an interest and would like to get involved, or if you have questions or points you would like clarified, please contact Ruth Burke at burker@esdallas.org.
You’re Invited 40TH ANNIVERSARY
FOR THE EPISCOPAL SCHOOL OF DALLAS
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
5:30-7 PM • BEFORE THE FOOTBALL GAME
Food .
Friends. Fun
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PUTTING
LEARNING FIRST: A LOOK INSIDE DR. BOBERG’S CLASSROOM
Learning Innovation Plan Mixes Traditional and Technological Tools By Eric Boberg, M.Ed., M.B.A., Ph.D. Director of Curriculum and Instruction
GOAL AND LEARNING OUTCOME Ensure my senior Advanced Placement® Language and Composition students become more skilled readers and writers.
SUMMARY Putting learning first is a fundamental principle permeating the ESD Tomorrow Strategic Plan that keeps us on a course towards continuous improvement of our academic programs. Although the first five years of the plan have been designated as Learning, Piloting, Implementing, Assessing, and Standardizing, respectively, the plan’s long-term goal is to foster a professional learning culture that continues to innovate on its own. All teachers will continue to improve their practice as part of a professional community that learns, pilots, implements, assesses, and standardizes on a regular basis. During this Year of Implementation, teachers will standardize at least one significant innovation in their classrooms in the form of an authorized learning innovation plan. Teachers can choose to redesign an element of their instruction or assessment through the adoption of a series of iterative changes, a new interdisciplinary unit, or a well-developed, lengthier inquiry-based project. My own approach in the classroom will combine traditional and high-tech strategies to help my students become skilled readers and writers. Seniors in my AP Language and Composition class will read and annotate the paper text so that initial experience with each edition of The New Yorker – the classroom text – will be a tactile, visual, and communal experience. Even though my students’ first experience with each expository, argumentative, or narrative essay will be with the printed text, my learning innovation plan for next year seeks to leverage numerous online software programs to assist my students as they strengthen their skills. To this end, subsequent work and reflections with each text will involve an appropriate use of Schoology, Google Docs, Google Sites, and Google Slides designed to support the learning objectives and learning outcomes for the class. As research continues to evolve on the proper role of technology in the classroom, there is little debate about the benefits of online computer software for tracking the learning process and providing data on students, classes, and schools that can guide future resource allocation and personalize the student’s learning experience (Huang, Educational Technology Research and Development, 2012).
THE HOW AND WHY Although electronic devices like e-texts and e-readers continue to improve, studies suggest that reading and annotating on paper can enhance reading comprehension, especially when readers engage advanced content. First, the physicality of reading on paper provides a tactile experience that surpasses most e-reading experiences and conveys a richer reading topography or landscape (Mangen et al, International Journal of Educational Research, 2013) that “makes it easier to form a coherent mental map of the text” (Jabr, Scientific American, 2013). Additionally, paper texts lend a level of serendipity and a sense of control to the process by allowing students greater freedom of movement within the text. Some studies also indicate that readers approach e-texts less seriously than paper texts, often taking shortcuts as they read instead of effectively directing their attention and working memory (Jabr, 2013). Combined, these findings suggest that while e-readers and tablets may be ideal for leisurely reading and browsing, the printed text is better suited for sophisticated reading and study. Finally, recent research shows that even when students are on task and focused on class work, taking notes on computers often results in shallow processing (Mueller & Oppeheimer, Psychological Science, 2014). Students at Princeton University and UCLA who took longhand notes outperformed students who took notes on computers because longhand notes encourage students to process – summarize and synthesize – what they 12
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Even though my students’ first experience with each expository, argumentative, or narrative essay will be with the printed text, my learning innovation plan for next year seeks to leverage numerous online software programs to assist my students as they strengthen their skills.
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ENHANCEMENT
TRANSFORMATION
see and hear. Although students can be the study and review of vocabulary. PUENTEDURA’S SAMR MODEL taught to take better notes on computers, Armed with real-time information made they tend to simply record as much as possible through technology, teachers REDEFINITION Technology allows for the creation of new tasks, they can instead of reworking the material can tailor assessments to the varying previously inconceivable through an activity of personal senselevels of their students and coach making. Thus, my students will engage in students about how to improve their MODIFICATION a very traditional-looking initial reading study skills more specifically. Without Technology allows for significant task redesign and discussion of the printed text. This will the aid of an online computer and support students’ reading comprehension software, such hard data were previously of sophisticated content and promote unavailable. exploration and discovery of a printed AUGMENTATION Technology acts as a direct tool substitute, CONCLUSION text that helps distinguish my students as with functional improvement At The Episcopal School of Dallas, our members of a community of readers and faculty is fortunate to have a wealth writers. SUBSTITUTION of resources and techniques at our Among its many uses, our new learning Technology acts as a direct tool substitute, disposal. By drawing upon our collective management system (LMS), Schoology with no functional change experience, reviewing the latest research, is a great platform for online generative and applying the SAMR model to adopt discussions and debates about a piece Ruben R. Puentedura, Ph.D. new technologies in the classroom, we that students have read. As an extension aim to develop and implement learning of classroom discussion, these online discussions allow students to formulate, defend, and refine their thinking innovation plans. First and foremost, we remain keenly focused on the before developing written work or presenting their more fully formulated students’ learning objectives and desired learning outcomes. I look forward to keeping you posted on my class and other teachers’ stance to the class. The online rubrics in Schoology will allow me to assess student involvement in the discussions in terms of the strength of learning innovation plans as the 2014-15 year progresses. Please tune their claims, their use of evidence, and the soundness of their reasoning. into innovationesd.blogspot.com. Throughout the year, my students and I will also be able to track their progress along these three learning objectives. Drawing upon the shared, collaborative resources of Google Apps for Education, students can use Dr. Boberg credits his love of learning to the teachers who challenged and Google Docs to facilitate group papers and peer-editing, Google Sites to encouraged his intellectual, emotional, and character development. He began develop classroom resources for students to share their work or develop teaching as a way to save money for law school. What he discovered was his their own glossaries and study guides, and Google Slides to create visuals career. “As a life-long learner, I am most at home in thriving educational that support their classroom oral presentations. communities, like The Episcopal School of Dallas. I enjoy the interpersonal, As suggested by Puentedura’s SAMR model (see above), online intellectual, and innovative nature of education.” programs that monitor student learning not only augment and modify how students learn, but more importantly they can help redefine the Boberg earned his undergraduate degree in philosophy and political science ways teachers interact with and support students. We are adopting several from the University of North Florida, his M.Ed. in Curriculum Design tools to improve how teachers use learning analytics to assist students. and Instruction from the Harvard Graduate School of Education Teacher Schoology will provide information about how frequently students use Leadership Program, his M.B.A.in Finance and Economics from Texas particular online classroom materials and engage in online discussion, Christian University, and his Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Google Drive will allow teachers to evaluate how students collaborate by Studies from the University of Texas at Arlington. He continues to research viewing their students’ live online interactions or a document’s revision the relationship between school leaders, collective teacher efficacy, student history. Our new vocabulary program for sixth through eleventh grade engagement, and achievement. students, Membean, will modify how students and teachers approach SUMMER 2014
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A QUICK GUIDE TO
ESD TECHNOLOGICAL PLATFORMS WHAT’S NEW SCHOOLOGY, “UNIFIED DAILY LEARNING”
GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION, “COLLABORATION STATION”
MEMBEAN (Sixth Grade through Junior Year), “VOCABULARY WIZARD”
Award-winning Schoology is a passwordprotected learning management system (LMS) that intends to improve the learning experience for students
Google Apps for Education provides students and faculty a premier, alwaysavailable, platform-agnostic, über-secure digital workspace.
Membean, a digital vocabulary program for sixth through eleventh grade students, modifies how students and teachers approach the study and review of vocabulary. It features:
and teachers. Implementation of Schoology will vary by grade, division, and teacher, with some general requirements for Middle and Upper School. Lower School: This year, the Lower School faculty and staff will explore how a resource like Schoology can best serve its students, faculty, and parents. Middle and Upper School students will access: · Advisory-, class-, team-, grade-, and division-level information formerly found in First Class · Daily schedule and weekly assignments · Weekly class, grade, or progress updates · Connections to resources such as Google Apps for Education · Additional functionality as determined by the teacher. This past spring, Mercedes Hotz, Upper School Spanish instructor, used Schoology with her class by employing the voice recording function for oral quizzes.
Google Apps for Education will be implemented as developmentally appropriate for each grade level. · Gmail replaces First Class as ESD’s email client, for students (fourth grade through seniors), faculty, and staff. Fourth grade student email accounts will be limited to communication between teachers and students only and unable to receive external messages. · Google Drive securely stores student work, second grade through senior year. · Collaborative e-learning spaces include the communication tools and resources Google Docs, Google Sites, and Google Slides.
RETURNING
· Multimodal instruction, including audio clips, videos, root trees and word constellations, and examples of the word in context, to strengthen word associations and improve recall; and · Faculty access to class or individual learning goals that enables coaching to improve student vocabulary study skills more specifically.
QUESTIONS?
JOIN US FOR A TRAINING SESSION: Friday, August 29 at 8:30 a.m. Details to come.
ESDALLAS.ORG and PORTALS,“BROADCAST AND COMMUNICATION”
MY BACKPACK, “THE VAULT OF PERMANENT DATA”
ESD’s website provides public and private information for parents, alumni, and volunteer leadership. In addition to many content-rich pages, you will discover:
My Backpack continues to serve a critical function for the ESD community. By logging into ESD’s parent portal and clicking My Backpack, parents find:
· School calendars divisible by division, arts, athletics, college guidance, parent events, and more, that can be loaded onto personal devices
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· Individualized student learning with reinforcement mechanisms;
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· Up-to-date parent and student directory information
· Library databases, research tools, and e-Books from Overdrive
· Official schedule, grades, and transcript information
· News, announcements, and galleries featuring achievements and program insight, as well as password-protected access to photo downloads and emergency alerts
· Personal tax-deductible giving history
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· Business office information
ART, HISTORY, AND SCIENCE MEET
AT THE DUST BOWL THE INSPIRATION. Vikki Martin studied art under Alexandre Hogue’s wife, Maggie Jo, while attending sixth grade at Herbert Hoover Elementary School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the 1960s. Upon graduating high school, Martin went on to attend Tulsa University where Alexandre Hogue had worked as Chair of the Art Department from 1945 – 63. Though he did not teach at TU when Martin was a student, she still had the opportunity to interact with him during campus visits. The friendship lasted well into the ‘70s when Martin was completing her Masters in Drawing at the University of Texas at Arlington and interviewed Hogue for a paper for her Social Realism course. “When I read in the newspaper about the show the Dallas Museum of Art was having of Mr. Hogue’s Erosion Series, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity for me to explore some of the new teaching philosophies with ESD,” Martin said.
THE PROJECT. In April, the fifth grade class from The Episcopal School of Dallas spent an afternoon navigating the halls of the Dallas Museum of Art, examining a series of paintings by Alexandre Hogue, an Oklahoma-based painter known for his documentation of the 1930s Dust Bowl. Before heading to the museum, Martin showed students the June 21, 1936 edition of LIFE magazine that featured the debut of Hogue’s Erosion Series. Once on site, students divided into eight groups and rotated through the gallery as they collaborated with one another to prepare their presentations on the artistic and scientific impact of this “ecological holocaust.” The combination of methodical exploration coupled with the artistic evaluation of Hogue’s Erosion Series gave students the opportunity to flex their creative and analytical thinking skills. “Every student had a particular role to play, serving as a presenter, recorder, reporter, timekeeper, videographer, text box interpreter, or evaluator, who reported on the group’s success,” Martin, one of the project’s creators, said. During the presentation, each group led a discussion regarding its assigned painting from Hogue’s collection that included explaining key findings and answering any questions their peers and teachers had about
the research and discovery processes. The group’s “text box reporter” had to deliver the historical facts about each painting, including the year in which it was completed and the medium with which it was created. Finally, the groups’ assigned videographers were tasked with recording the presentation and ensuring it was uploaded to a private YouTube channel for the ESD community to view. “We had to talk about what was happening in the painting, what message the artist was trying to say, and what our group’s favorite part about the painting was,” Charlotte Clark ’21 explained. Ellen Neill, ESD’s fifth grade science teacher, also collaborated on the project and spent the days leading up to the museum trip teaching students about soil and water conservation and showing them documentaries about the infamous dust storm, as well as other environmental disasters. Neill also tied in current-day disasters, like the BP Oil Spill in the Gulf Coast and Hurricane Katrina, to show students the impact that Mother Nature has on people. “The students were completely engaged in this project,” Neill said. “The class discussions we had, the videos of dust bowls, and then seeing the paintings at the DMA made it a great educational learning experience.” After the presentations had been delivered, students returned to campus to hear from Greg Crook, ESD’s fifth grade history teacher, about how the families of the 1930s were impacted by the decade-long storm. Crook spoke about the consequences the Dust Bowl had on the migration patterns of travelers from Oklahoma and Texas into California, as well as the laborintensive skills the men, women, and children had to develop to survive in the arid climate. “The whole project focused on 21st century learning models that allow students to learn about the past and then apply the concepts to present day,” Martin explained. Impressed by the depth and breadth of the unit, Tulsa University is reviewing ESD’s multidisciplinary study for possible inclusion in its future curriculum.
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REFLECTIONS ON THE ESD
EXPERIENCE We invited 10 members of the Class of 2014 to share their thoughts on the ESD experience. How have their experiences at ESD helped shape their lives? Clearly the Class of 2014 is well prepared to tackle the adventures that lie ahead, and grateful for the incredible education received at The Episcopal School of Dallas.
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Jenkins Bender
Mason Conine
What you are most proud of during your time at ESD?
Give one example of being inspired by a faculty member. What did you learn? I had the pleasure of
Years at ESD: 4 College: University of Texas Dream Job: Nonprofit CEO Major: Communications Profile: Student Vestry, Student Ambassadors, The Chancellor’s Cup Award Recipient, AP Artist, Four-year PVSA Recipient
My biggest “aha” moment at ESD happened toward the end of senior year. I missed some school due to illness and was fairly surprised in checking my email that multiple teachers emailed me to see how I was feeling. To outsiders, I’ve always described ESD as a school with a very strong community, but I had never realized the depth of how much each individual member was cared about – someone noticed if your seat was empty.
Give one example of being inspired by a faculty member. What did you learn? Mrs. Carona taught me that the best kind of learning isn’t found in a textbook. I found that I learned and retained twice as much through debate and discussion rather than traditional learning. More importantly, being able to converse easily about familiar or foreign topics is a skill not untaught. I learned that my opinion is important and that gaining knowledge is as easy as a conversation.
How has ESD helped you develop an educated conscience? ESD has allowed me to be a part of the process and to be involved in many different aspects of school life. I’ve learned that I’m in charge of what I want to happen: if there’s a problem, I need to fix it; if there’s an idea, I need to propose it. My educated conscience has been molded due to this, and I have gained an appreciation for the outcome because I’ve had a hand in the process.
How have ESD’s Founding Tenets prepared you for a life of service to others? The presence of service
Years at ESD: 7 College: U.S. Military Academy at West Point Dream Job: Army JAG Attorney Major: Political Science and Economics Profile: All-SPC Wrestler, Cum Laude Society, Homecoming Court, Four-year PVSA Recipient, President of National Honor Society
being taught by some of ESD’s greatest teachers, but the most inspirational faculty member I encountered was Mrs. Salz. She reminded me how everyone is created in the image of a loving God, and to treat everyone with dignity and respect.
How has ESD helped you develop an educated conscience? The most important aspect of my educated conscience that ESD cultivated is my faith. Daily worship in the beautiful All Saints Chapel has grown my personal relationship with God in a way that no other school could, with the student-led talks, prayers and, my personal favorite, the hymns.
How have ESD’s Founding Tenets prepared you for a life of service to others? The emphasis that everyone at ESD put on service to others inspired me to go to West Point. Though not a typical form of community service, I felt I had an obligation to give back to the people and the country that gave me the opportunity to have such an amazing childhood and the opportunity for a successful future.
If you could do one last thing at ESD, what would it be? I wish I had given my own chapel talk. For years I watched students like Jeff Patton, who gave numerous insightful speeches, and wanted to deliver one of my own. Unfortunately, I never mustered up the courage to do it.
at ESD is a part of the culture of the school. Through working with many different nonprofits, I have come to love interacting with children in the medical world, pursuing this further through internships and fundraising. Although I’m not exactly sure what I want to do for a living, my time with these kids has made a monumental impact on me, and I hope to mesh this love with my vocation. SUMMER 2014
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Shelby Conine
Years at ESD: 7 College: University of Texas Dream Job: Broadcast Journalist Major: Broadcast Communications/Sports Journalism Profile: N ational Merit Commended Scholar, Stephen B. Swann Scholar Athlete Award Recipient, Four-year PVSA Recipient, Cheerleading Captain, Senior Class President
Years at ESD: 2 College: Rhodes College Dream Job: Novelist Major: English, minor in Education and Creative Writing Profile: National Merit Scholarship Finalist, The Eagle Edition, Homecoming Court, AP Scholar
TJ Jackson
Years at ESD: 4 College: University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Dream Job: Own a multi-trillion dollar company Major: Business Profile: Senior Faculty Award, Football Captain, Theater, Four-year PVSA Recipient, Student Ambassador
What you are most proud of during your time at ESD?
What you are most proud of during your time at ESD?
What you are most proud of during your time at ESD?
I’m proud of a lot of things I’ve accomplished at ESD, but the most meaningful to me was being elected Senior Class president. I ran for class president after losing the executive public relations race. I was essentially coerced into applying for the position since I honestly didn’t think I had a chance of winning. Nevertheless, I prepared a speech and won. It’s truly been an honor to serve my class and represent them in such an important way.
I conquered my fear of public speaking and gave a chapel talk at the end of my junior year, then did it again at the beginning of my senior year. Being able to thank the entire community for accepting new students so well was probably one of the most fulfilling things I did while I was at ESD.
I can honestly say I am most proud of the football team. The amount of work that we put in helped me and my teammates make lifelong bonds with each other. For myself, I know I will never forget all the adversity the team had to overcome last year, and I can proudly say, “we made it fam.”
Give one example of being inspired by a faculty member. What did you learn? Mr. Randall has done
Give one example of being inspired by a faculty member. What did you learn? Ms. Milian has always
Give one example of being inspired by a faculty member. What did you learn? When I walked into the J-Lab and met Mrs. Meier freshman year, I knew I’d encountered someone special. Her love for her students and passion for teaching journalism were inspiring. She essentially set me on the path to discover what I want to do with my life, and for that I’m forever grateful. I’ll never forget her, her red pantsuit, or her “Meierisms.” (Justin Beiber? Is he a new student here?). When she passed away it was devastating, but true to Mrs. Meier’s wishes, we kept the paper going. I’ll always appreciate what I learned from her both in and out of the classroom.
nothing but encourage my passion for writing. His Creative Writing class has helped me immensely in finding what kind of fiction I want to write, and how I want to write it. His comments and criticism are some of the most valuable that you can find!
How has ESD helped you develop an educated conscience? ESD has taught me that there is more
in ways I’d never thought were possible. I was regularly challenged, but in a healthy way that only moved to improve my thought processes and my ability to analyze information.
to education than just filling in the right choice. Beyond college and ESD, there will be no tests left to take, and no circles left to fill. More than just memorizing the correct answers, we should be encouraged to learn and retain information in more ways than just on pen and paper. It’s impossible to play the guitar with a diploma. It’s impossible to perform a heart transplant with pen and paper. It’s impossible to write great fiction with the four choices provided on a multiple-choice question. In the end, it’s not the circles you fill that determine the content of your character, but your desire to explore, and to learn, that define who you truly are.
How have ESD’s Founding Tenets prepared you for a life of service to others? I think the Founding Tenets
How have ESD’s Founding Tenets prepared you for a life of service to others? ESD’s focus on community
have made it habitual for me to look for ways to serve others. At ESD, I’ve found that everyone is so willing to help out a fellow classmate. The sense of community here is unparalleled; I know that whenever I need help I can ask pretty much anyone and they’ll step up. It’s truly incredible.
has aided me in determining what I want to do in my life. If I can’t make a living off writing books, I’d love to give back to the community by teaching. Honestly, nobody has inspired me more than my teachers and the love that he or she put into educating the children of the future.
How has ESD helped you develop an educated conscience? ESD enriched my intellectual curiosity
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Alex Gulis
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been one teacher that inspires me. She is always happy, loud, and enthusiastic, which are three qualities that I try to have in myself because it makes life and school so much easier.
How has ESD helped you develop an educated conscience? My coaches have shown me how to discipline myself in my life, thus helping me make the transfer from high school to college easier.
How have ESD’s Founding Tenets prepared you for a life of service to others? Through my community service, I have learned how important it is to serve not only people who I care about, but also to care for others in the community. Through my faith in God and my commitment to being a believer, I have learned that I must take the next step to placing God first in every area of my life.
If you could do one last thing at ESD, what would it be? If I could do one last thing at ESD, I would want to turn Senior Hall into a game room and have one last Rally Day.
Jakesy Jordaan
Years at ESD: 15 College: Southern Methodist University Dream Job: Synthetic Biologist Major: Economics and Biology Profile: Student Ambassador, Youth and Government, Fouryear PVSA Recipient, Cum Laude Society, Crew
Gabby Laurendine
Years at ESD: 4 College: St John’s University Dream Job: Broadway Star/Stage Manager Major: Theater/Film and Television Profile: National Achievement Scholar, Musical Theater, John Eagle Award for Highest Achievement in the Arts, TPSMEA All Region Choir, Senior Class Secretary
Will Lipscomb
Years at ESD: 13 years College: Texas A&M University Dream Job: Not really sure Major: Chemical Engineering Profile: Four-Year PVSA Recipient, Eagle Scout, Theater and Choir Award, AP Scholar with Honor, TPSMEA All State Choir
What you are most proud of during your time at ESD?
What you are most proud of during your time at ESD?
What you are most proud of during your time at ESD?
The thing I am proudest of doing at ESD is helping to start and expand the Stock Club. My friend and I started the club, and it quickly caught on. Now, various board members are interested in funding it and increasing the club’s presence in the community. It’s been very rewarding to see the club succeed and expand.
I’m proud of all the work that I’ve done in the theater department, and the plays and musicals at ESD that led me to participate in theater competitions and groups outside of ESD. I gained a newfound sense of confidence, and I realized acting is something that I always want to do in my life. Mr. Davidson, Mr. Snyder, and Ms. Biewenga pushed me to do my very best, and never to let fear hold me back.
I’m probably most proud of my accomplishments in choir. I made All State choir all four years of high school, and I had the privilege of singing “O Holy Night” at Lessons and Carols. I’m most proud of these accomplishments because in Middle School I wasn’t even planning on joining choir in high school. I hesitantly decided to give it a shot, and it was singlehandedly my favorite class at ESD.
Give one example of being inspired by a faculty member. What did you learn? My junior year, while I
Give one example of being inspired by a faculty member. What did you learn? Mr. Matzen was one
was taking physics with Mrs. Chura, one of our final projects was to make a working “steamboat” out of a soda can and wax candle. I had the poor misfortune of being one of the students who had an infinite number of boat problems. It got to the point where I was fighting back tears because I was at such a loss. Mrs. Chura came up to me and said, “Come on, you have got to work. Crying won’t solve anything or make your boat work. The work has to come from you.” I carried that advice with me because it showed me that getting upset about a problem doesn’t fix it…it just makes it more difficult.
of my most inspirational teachers. He developed my appreciation for math through countless hours of instruction and practice for the number sense competitions, and he taught me that persistence and hard work really does pay off. He was always one of the nicest, most caring teachers I knew, and I, along with the rest of the community, miss him very much.
Give one example of being inspired by a faculty member. What did you learn? Mr. Lutken’s beforeschool Nature Watching Club in fifth grade inspired me to see the beauty around me. Even though attending for eight years has lessened the quarry’s aura, every time I see Mr. Lutken watching the birds with the fifth grade, I realize how lucky I am to live and learn in such a wonderful environment.
How have ESD’s Founding Tenets prepared you for a life of service to others? Ever since Beginners, ESD has focused on service to others. Whether it was through trips to the North Texas Food Bank, building a house for Habitat for Humanity, or just listening to a sermon regarding our role and responsibility within our community, ESD has always stressed that in order to live fully, you have to improve and help the world around you. One of my favorite things about how ESD prepared me for a life of service is by showing there isn’t just one path to service; we can all focus on our strengths and find a way to use them to better society.
If you could do one last thing at ESD, what would it be? If I could do one last thing at ESD, I would thank my teachers again. My teachers were the ones who pushed me to be the best I can be and I am very grateful.
How has ESD helped you develop an educated conscience? School has inspired me to want to think outside of the box and pursue different ways of learning and thinking to better myself. I’m not afraid to ask for help, or to step up and take charge when it is required of me. The teachers I’ve had have truly been some of the best and have helped me develop my educated conscience in ways that I never thought possible.
If you could do one last thing at ESD, what would it be? I would go back and be even more involved with the clubs and events on campus. I would also go to more games because I always felt like I was missing some great sporting events!
How has ESD helped you develop an educated conscience? ESD taught me more than just facts from a book. This school has taught me how to learn in any environment. Teaching methods vary from teacher to teacher, and this has broadened my ability to learn through different methods. This tool of knowing how to learn is crucial moving forward because we are always learning, even when we are not in school.
How have ESD’s Founding Tenets prepared you for a life of service to others? Every chapel service we read the Virtue of the Month aloud. Every day, these prayers, psalms, and sermons taught us valuable lessons and exemplified the way we should live and treat others. Our many community service projects, as a school and as individuals, allowed us to put these virtues to practice and experience how it feels to help those who cannot help themselves.
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Virginia Puckett
Izzi Salinas
What you are most proud of during your time at ESD? My biggest
What are you most proud of during your time at ESD? I would
“aha” moment came when I injured myself during a softball game and went into the Athletic Training room. Coach Martin and Coach Geier patiently rehabilitated me back to be able to play sports again and answered my thousands of questions about injuries. This led to me becoming a Student Athletic Trainer for the last three years of high school during the seasons I did not play a sport. This experience taught me that even in the worst and saddest moments everything will work out and something happy will come around.
say I am most proud of creating and completing an AP Studio Art Portfolio. Through the process of creating my own portfolio, and with the help of Mrs. Raymond and Ms. Chambliss, my work began to evolve and improve immensely. In the end I was left with a more individualized artistic style, which I really think reflects my personality.
Years at ESD: 15 College: Texas Christian University Dream Job: Athletic Trainer Major: Athletic Training Profile: High Mountain Institute, AP Art, Student Athletic Trainer, Four-year PVSA Recipient, First Place, Texas Association of Texas Photographic Instructors
Give one example of being inspired by a faculty member. What did you learn? Every third quarter since fifth grade I have sat in chapel and listened to Mr. Lutken give his famous Roger Bannister speech. He taught me how there will always be people who say what you want to do is impossible, but if you push through the hate and the hard parts, you will come out on top.
How has ESD helped you develop an educated conscience? ESD gave me the stepping-stones to create my educated conscience. I was allowed me to spend the second semester of my junior year in Colorado at the High Mountain Institute. This semester program pushed me past my limits many times and I came out on the other side a stronger person. ESD was willing to let me spend a semester away and teachers worked with me when I came back to make sure that I did not miss any material. ESD taught me to be open to new adventures and to have the willingness to go out on a limb. How have ESD’s Founding Tenets prepared you for a life of service to others? Each morning in chapel we hear from faculty and students about how to live a life with integrity, honor, and service. Then, our teachers encourage us to go out and lead these lives every day through our class discussions. We go out and serve the community as grades and advisories. ESD has helped stress the importance of service and how rewarding these good acts can make you feel.
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Years at ESD: 3 College: George Washington University Dream Job: Attorney Major: Political Science Profile: Youth and Government, AP Art, Dance, National Honor Society
Give one example of being inspired by a faculty member. What did you learn? As I was finalizing my senior year schedule of academic classes last spring, I realized I still needed a government credit, so I signed up for the regular class offered first semester – you know, to get it done. All my life I “hated” politics... mainly because I was ignorant about anything politically related. After meeting Mr. Oglesby, however, my attitude began to change. His enthusiasm toward teaching made it hard for me to be bitter toward the class, and he never failed to make the class interesting.
How has ESD helped you develop an educated conscience? ESD’s students and faculty have taught me – and shown me – the importance of faith, hope, and love, and that, as stated in 1 Corinthians 13:13, the greatest of these is, in fact, love. People’s compassion, respectful attitude, and genuinely kind nature toward one another are what make our school community such a strong and tight-knit one, and what drew me to ESD in the first place.
How have ESD’s Founding Tenets prepared you for a life of service to others? What’s great about ESD students is that we practice ESD’s Founding Tenets of Daily Worship, Experiences in Community, and Studies in Ethical Decision Making both within and outside the school walls. ESD students are always willing to lend a helping hand. What’s unique is that ESD students offer community service not just for the hours or recognition, but also because of their want and will to be of help to others.
SAFETY FIRST LABA What was one of the first things that struck you in regard to the pulse of the ESD campus when you first arrived? MONTS One of the first things you notice when you step onto the ESD campus is a relaxed, comfortable sense of belonging.
SCHOOL SAFETY has been in the news all too often recently, and as a nation, we have had to come to terms with a number of terrible tragedies at schools over the past few years. In 2012, ESD reevaluated security, emergency preparedness, and how we protect the children in our care. It was time for a different type of “security,” one that has a much greater scope than just staffing a guard booth or checking for locked doors. ESD asked Jeffrey Laba, Assistant Head of Upper School, to examine everything we did, look at how other schools did things, and forge a new direction for security in the role of Director of Campus Safety. In April of 2013, ESD hired Robert Monts, formerly with the Frisco Police Department and now a current Frisco PD reserve officer, as the Assistant Director of Campus Safety. The conversation between Laba and Monts reflects the continuous efforts ESD is making to ensure that our campuses are safe.
LABA I agree. Whether it is at the Lower School Carnival or an AP Art Show in the Bray Performance Hall, ESD has a long tradition of being a place where people are welcomed and feel at home. MONTS Absolutely. The creation of that feeling is not an accident. Behind the scenes, the Department of Campus Safety is going to great lengths to ensure that all of our students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, and visitors are safe on all three of our campuses. LABA Yes. From a staffing standpoint, we have moved from five security guards, along with the Director, to nine Campus Safety Officers (CSO), the Director, and you as the Assistant Director of Campus Safety. Having more hands on deck has allowed us to have a CSO at the Lower School during the day and, as always, we employ off-duty Dallas Police Officers to patrol each campus. MONTS Another area to stress, and one of the biggest changes over the last year, is the implementation of an intensive training program for all of our CSOs. We have teamed up with an online training program for law enforcement and security guards, and our officers are averaging about an hour a week of training. Besides the online training, the officers are producing in-house training sessions based on their areas of expertise. LABA Yes, for example, one of our CSOs is a retired DFW Airport Police Officer, and he has been teaching workshops on handling potentially hazardous materials. MONTS Campus Safety has expanded into other aspects of life at ESD as well, including emergency preparedness and student protection policies. Besides keeping abreast with what the federal government recommends through FEMA and other agencies, the department is monitoring weather events, keeping up with and expanding emergency equipment, and training in different scenarios.
LABA When the tornado happened during the Pass It On Ceremony at the end of the school year, our students were prepared, knew what to do, and where to go. MONTS Our student protection policies are an area where the department is moving into protecting students in all situations, including in the classroom. Policies like our “verbal interaction policy” help define acceptable behavior in different situations and help keep ESD a professional and safe institution. LABA ESD is partnered with Praesidium, a national student protection organization that works with groups like the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and the YMCA, to help keep people, specifically minors, safe from abuse. ESD became the first school in North Texas to become Praesidium Accredited.
MONTS We have reason to be proud of that accreditation. The Department of Campus Safety will continue to make visible changes, from small efforts like the blue traffic cones to newer initiatives that include having bicycles available for the CSOs to patrol with on both campuses. LABA Besides our efforts, we are also reaching out to other schools to open up lines of communication, share ideas, and train our officers. ESD attended a workshop at the St. Mark’s School of Texas earlier in the year, and we will be hosting our own in August that is open to a number of public and private schools in the area. MONTS We are in a good place, and while safety is never guaranteed, we want our faculty, staff, students, parents, alumni, and everyone in the ESD community to know that it is our priority. LABA Our job is to make sure that you can rest assured knowing that while you are enjoying a comfortable sense of belonging on campus, there is a dedicated group of professionals in the background keeping it that way.
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The Class of 2014
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Alexandra Aronowitz The University of Texas at Austin Loyola University New Orleans Benson Barbour Emily Barnes The University of Texas at Austin Emily Bassel The University of Texas at Austin Notre Dame, after PG year John Beare Oscar Benavides Vanderbilt University Elizabeth Bender The University of Texas at Austin Tulane University Danielle Berg Hampden Berry The University of Texas at Austin Leonidas Blaylock The University of Texas at Austin Berry Boeckman Davidson College University of Southern California Carter Boisfontaine Emma Boulle Southern Methodist University Meredith Bower Colorado College University of Virginia Caroline Brennan Gillian Broadway Southern Methodist University Grant Brown Case Western Reserve University Gerald Bulloch Southern Methodist University New York University Ines Bustamante William Butter Austin Community College Wake Forest University Vincent Carrozza Samantha Cheung Southern Methodist University Mason Conine United States Military Academy Shelby Conine The University of Texas at Austin Caroline Corson The University of Texas at Austin Preston Crow Texas A&M University Laura De Loache Pepperdine University Jeffrey Dietz The University of Texas at Austin Northwestern University Kelly Eichenholz Sara Jane Emmons New York University Colorado State University Armand Fernandez-Pierre Jordan Frank Southern Methodist University Alexander Gulis Rhodes College Tanner Hakert Florida State University John Hart The University of Arizona William Heidarian Southern Methodist University Corey Henderson Wichita State University Staley Hobbs Tulane University Dylan Huey Southern Methodist University Foster Huggins Loyola University Maryland Katherine Hunsaker Vanderbilt University Timothy Jackson University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Todd Jensen Brigham Young University Olivia Johnston Roanoke College Austin Jones Texas A&M University Jakobus Jordaan Southern Methodist University Karley Kampf The University of Texas at Austin Cannon Karns The University of Texas at Austin Benjamin Kelly The University of Texas at Austin Christina Kline Colorado State University Gabrielle Laurendine St. John’s University John Lefferts Pennsylvania State University Kiara Leonard Texas State University
Christopher Levonyak Eleanor Light James Lincoln Meghan Lindsey William Lipscomb Richard Loftus Milagro Lopez Catherine Lovitt William Malouf Grant Matzen Michael McCrory Erin McWilliams Jackson Mikeska Crain Miller Margaret Mulcahy William Nastri Nigel Naulls Kyle Noonan Shalom Nwakibu Shannon O’Connor Caroline Oden Michael Pappas Elizabeth Patrick Jeffrey Patton Jr. Kirbian Peters Mary Puckett Matthew Redish Madison Rhone Anderson Riddick Marguerite Rooney Casey Rutherford Baylee Safady Maria Salinas Lauren Sands Kelsey Schmitt Gentry Shive Sidney Sikes Megan Sims Sophie Sisson Alec Smith Wesley Smith Alexandra Snyder Sarah Starr Eric Stern John Todd Celeste Turner Mary Waller Clarke Wilson Olivia Winton Thomas Wray Elizabeth Young
The University of Texas, San Antonio Emory University Texas Christian University University of Colorado at Boulder Texas A&M University Dartmouth College St. Edward’s University College of William and Mary University of Redlands University of Oklahoma The University of Texas at Austin The University of Texas at Austin University of Oklahoma The University of Texas at Austin Texas Christian University Tulane University The University of Texas, San Antonio Texas Christian University Texas Christian University Bucknell University The University of Texas at Austin Auburn University University of Louisville Baylor University Kansas State University Texas Christian University Indiana University at Bloomington The University of Texas at Austin Duke University Duke University University of Miami The University of Texas at Austin The George Washington University University of Southern California University of Chicago Texas A&M University Washington and Lee University Harvard University Northwestern University Southern Methodist University Southern Methodist University University of Notre Dame The University of Texas at Austin The University of Texas at Austin Texas Christian University Stanford University Wesleyan University Purdue University Texas Christian University Regis University Abilene Christian University
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MASTERING THE MIND GAME FRIDAY MORNINGS in the Lower School Dining Commons are full of excitement; rooks can often be heard rolling across the floor as students push back from tables to scramble across the tiles to record their latest victory. Little black boxes are smacked with excitement each time a move is completed. Cheers frequently erupt as students gather around in groups to encourage their peers. There’s plenty of friendly competition at the Lower School Chess Club meetings, but the meetings are two-fold. “Chess Club not only allows students to learn the strategy of the game, but the mornings also provide social interactions between students in different grade levels,” Zora Skelton, the club’s sponsor, explained. “Students challenge each other based on their chess competency and not on their age or grade. It is very satisfying to watch a first grader find the courage to challenge a third grader.” At one end of the Dining Commons is a leaderboard that records the standing of each participant. To advance up the ladder, a student has to defeat a higher-ranked opponent. Each colored ladder represents a different level of difficulty the students must navigate during the year to reach the most challenging rings.
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“Everyone’s trying to beat the person at the top of the blue ladder, but those kids are so good that it’s really hard to win against them,” first-grader James Altizer said. “Before I leave the Lower School, my goal is to beat everyone.” At the start of the morning, students grab a chessboard, game pieces, and partner to squeeze a few games in before the lessons begin. About halfway through the morning, Hermanio Baez and Paco Gomez divide the students into groups to teach them new strategies and tactics. Gomez, who currently serves as the group’s parent liaison, has been a valuable member of the club for years. He is also responsible for organizing ESD’s “Fit for a King” tournament every fall. (See the sidebar for more information). “Chess is a fantastic game that can benefit every child. The game helps develop thinking skills, such as the ability to visualize, analyze, and think critically,” Gomez explained. “Chess Club brings together children of different ages and genders in an activity they all enjoy, while also teaching them about sportsmanship, how to win graciously, and not give up when encountering defeat.”
FIT FOR A
KING Last fall, the Lower School Chess Club held the first annual “Fit for a King” tournament in the Daryl Johnston Family Dining Commons on the Merrell Road Campus. More than 50 students of all ages from Dallas-area schools, including Alcuin School, Centennial Elementary, Lakehill, Lamplighter, and St. Mark’s, competed. This year’s event is
Saturday,
November 15 Merrell Road Campus Registration information will be made available closer to the day of the event.
Started 12 years ago by Kaitlin Smith ’13, the club has grown to as many as 60 students on any given Friday. With lessons tailored for every skill level, students of all abilities are encouraged to attend. “When the club started, we had between five and eight students,” Skelton said. “Since that first year, lessons are provided at each level and students are encouraged to play chess regardless of whether they win or lose. Many students choose to participate in weekend chess tournaments for additional exposure and competition.” Several students say that learning how to play chess has also helped them become more studious and disciplined in the classroom. Through the lessons they learn from Baez and Gomez, participants say they have improved their memory and concentration, and can better focus on assignments. “Chess helps me do better on my homework because I can stay focused and pay attention to what is in front of me,” Edwin Bishop, a fourth grade student, said. Parents are also invited to attend the Friday morning meetings and challenge their son or daughter to a game, or offer advice to an entire table as they face-off against another parent. For some, just watching the students yell “checkmate” or move their picture up on the ladder is rewarding enough. “My favorite memory of Chess Club is ongoing,” Skelton said. “No matter how tired and worn out I am, coming in on a Friday morning before 7:00 and finding one or two students waiting for me in the Dining Commons waiting to play chess… How can anyone not love Chess Club?”
SIXTH GRADE
TWEETS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
Every winter, the sixth grade travels to Washington, D.C., to tour our nation’s capital and visit the historical landmarks that apply to the material they cover in their American History classes. This year, for the first time, updates from the trip were shared on Twitter by teacher Meg Fahrenbrook ’01. For safety and privacy, tweets were posted following each event, not during. More than 100 “followers” traveled with them to experience two sightings of the Presidential motorcade, the Jefferson Memorial, Arlington Cemetery, Yorktown and Williamsburg, and more.
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ENGINEERS COLLABORATE, CONVERT VEGETABLE
OIL TO BIODIESEL By Victoria Siu ’15
Reprinted with permission from ESD’s Eagle Edition, The Dallas Morning News’ “Best Student Paper 2014, Class B”
Silence punctuates the air as senior Mason Conine pours a transparent gold liquid into a small engine’s fuel tank. He flips the power button and the motor whirs to life. Cheers erupt from the semi-circle of classmates around the machine. “It was fantastic to see everything come together,” Conine said. Nick Brette’s Engineering II class and John Gallo’s Environmental Science class collaborated on a biodiesel project presented at the Earth Day Texas 2014 Festival, April 26-27. After weeks of research, the Engineering II class successfully produced biodiesel, a corn-oil-based alternative fuel, and ran samples through a 3 horsepower engine. Senior engineering student Jakesy Jordaan and members of the environmental science class, including Shannon O’Connor, helped at the booth. Both STEM teachers planned the project last summer. “We use millions of gallons of oil every day in this country, so instead of throwing it out, how do we make use of that,” Brette said. “We worked on a plan to interact with the engineering group and the environmental science group. The students actually saw the environmentalists and their concerns and dealt with that as a technical person.” The new project also led to ESD’s first appearance at Earth Day. Science Department Chair Amy Henderson and Gallo saw many Dallasarea high schools participate last year and wanted to involve ESD. “We actually switched our science classes,” Henderson said. “We did anatomy in the fall and Environmental Science in the spring so it would correlate with the Earth Day Fair. We had our Environmental Science students run our booth and present the projects.” Brette started the biodiesel project last year, but continued studying how to recycle used vegetable oil. Students had no knowledge of biodiesel when Brette introduced the project. The class was expected to develop conversion procedures. “I found a way to convert vegetable oil into biodiesel, so I posed that as a problem to the class,” Brette said. “I told them, ‘I want you to go out and find a way to do this.’” Students assembled into groups of three. While some started with fresh store-bought corn oil, Conine’s group decided on a gallon of used vegetable oil from SAGE. Although an environmentally-friendly choice, it required neutralizing the used oil’s acidic pH with sodium hydroxide.
“The process for used oil is different than normal oil. It’s more difficult because you have to make sure the pH is right,” Conine explained. “You learn about the problems of having to heat a bunch of oil and getting the right mixtures. It’s a difficult balance to strike.” After stabilizing the oil, Conine’s group, like the others, boiled the liquid before mixing in 220 milliliters of methanol and four grams of sodium hydroxide for every liter of oil. When the chemicals dissolved thoroughly in the solution, engineering students allowed the fluid to sit overnight to cool. The next morning, the solution turned into a three-layer Jell-O-like substance. A thick, alcoholic substance called glycerin on the bottom of the solution and surface remnants of soap, a natural byproduct, sandwiched the biodiesel in the middle. In addition to finding the “perfect equilibrium,” Brette instructed that soap and glycerin had to be removed from the diesel properly, or complications could create non-functioning biofuel. The groups ran risks of ruining their biodiesel, but Brette still enjoyed the project’s emphasis on individualism and creativity. “Everybody’s product could be different,” Brette said. “The science is the same, but the art is different for each group and that was the true engineering accomplishment. Each group had its own idea and the final result was actually some really good biodiesel.” The Environmental Science class met with engineering students for two days, listening to what the engineers learned about the environmental and economic impact of biodiesel. Engineers brought up that while biodiesel burned cleaner with less sulfuric and toxic emissions, it froze easily at lower temperatures and had lower potential energy than petroleum-based fuel. “It was a worthwhile experience,” Conine said. “When I first heard we were going to make biodiesel, I thought, ‘That’s just a bunch of hippie stuff, and I could see many problems with it.’ But once you start working with it, you begin to understand it better.” Henderson considers the Earth Day project an achievement worth repeating. “This is our first year and we’ll continue it,” Henderson said. “It was a great success this year, and it was good to be there.”
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A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF THE
CODE OF C NDUCT By Donna Hull, Ph.D., Head of Upper School
The Episcopal School of Dallas believes that everyone is created in the image of God. It is fitting then, that students, parents, faculty, and staff conduct themselves with honor, respect, and integrity in a manner consistent with the ideals of ESD’s Mission Statement and Principles of Honor, Respect, and Integrity. Collectively, we take pride in making a commitment to these higher ideals and hold each other accountable when we fall short.
“The ESD community is bound by honor, respect, and integrity.” It has been almost one year since we began asking our community to live by these words. How are we doing? I have mostly one perspective, as I sit in the office of the Head of Upper School. It is, however, a place where the ESD Code of Conduct is alive and in use on a regular basis. In my last newsletter of the year, I noted that when we came together to write the Code of Conduct, we knew that it was going to be quite an undertaking to integrate it into our school. In some ways, it seems that it should not be such a hard task – the Code speaks directly to our Mission Statement and Founding Tenets, and it embodies so much of what we say we love about ESD. But when we have to sign our name to any document or creed, it gives us pause to think – “Do I buy into this? Is this what I believe? What happens if I or my child fails to follow the code? What are the consequences?” These are all very good and worthwhile questions that my colleagues and I have been working on steadily over the past year. I cannot tell you that each time we have a serious violation of the Code of Conduct we are instantly ready with our response. On the contrary, we have taken a different approach this first year. ESD has disciplinary rules and a set of responses ready for breaches in the academic pledge and school rules. But the Code takes us to a new level and holds us accountable to a high standard of behavior wherever we represent our school. It also begins to address the behavior of our students on social media and illegal actions, such as underage drinking, on and off campus.
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Upholding our Code of Conduct is necessary for us to be an institution that is respected in Dallas and across the nation. It is also, at times, very uncomfortable. Our approach, thus far, has been to evaluate each Code of Conduct violation as it occurs, one event at a time. As a school, we do not “go looking” for issues, but when they are brought to us, we must address them. We begin by carefully and thoroughly learning all that we can about what happened. Once all the information is gathered, several administrators come together to make a decision as a team. In doing so, we have developed a set of responses that allow our children to make mistakes while still being held accountable for their actions. We must hold them accountable; a Code of Conduct violation without consequences is a lost opportunity to teach our children how to behave as honorable and ethical people in a world that sorely needs good citizens with strength of character. This is a safe place to make mistakes. We hope that we are striking the right balance. This summer, we are discussing the larger picture of potential consequences for our students, including incidents that happen at extracurricular activities. We will communicate any new consequences to the entire community, including students and parents, as we begin our new school year in August. Again, ESD is a safe place for our kids to make mistakes and learn. Good schools do this for their students to make them better people, prepared for life outside of these walls. Thus the Code of Conduct will continue to be an integral part of The Episcopal School of
Dallas. The signing ceremony will be the third week of September in Chapel and will follow a series of homilies about Honor, Respect, and Integrity. We will discuss the Code of Conduct in our advisories. We will, of course, review consequences as well so that all of the students and parents are aware of where the School stands on Code of Conduct violations. This is a work in progress. Remember, as of this year, we are all now signees of the Code of Conduct. As the Code states, “Collectively, we take pride in making a commitment to these higher ideals and hold each other accountable when we fall short.” Together, we will make ESD an even better place.
Dr. Hull loves science. Her early career was spent as shipboard scientist in the Norwegian-Greenland Sea and Arctic Ocean. After becoming a university researcher and instructor, she discovered that even more than science, she loves watching students awaken and discover their purpose. At ESD, Hull is responsible for guiding the Upper School experience, which encompasses academics, extracurriculars, community life, and college placement. Hull graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Biology-Geology from the University of Rochester. She earned her Doctor of Philosophy in Geosciences from The University of Texas, Dallas. In 2003, Hull was certified in education technology integration by Penn State University.
THE ORIGIN OF THE CODE
• In 2012-13, a learning team composed of 13 teachers, coaches, parents, and students studied documents from more than 25 schools before drafting a document applicable to ESD standards. • The team deduced that the best approach was to create ONE code that embodied the entire community and centered on Honor, Respect, and Integrity. • More than 94 percent of parent survey respondents believed ESD needs a strong Code of Conduct, and that the School’s administration has jurisdiction over student conduct at off-campus, ESD-related events.
WHAT ARE HONOR, RESPECT, AND INTEGRITY?
At ESD, the entire community is expected to be accountable for our actions and interactions while being respectful of others’ ideas, perspectives, property, and boundaries. Members of the ESD community do not lie, steal, or cheat, and strive to be kind, compassionate, and fair. Honor, Respect, and Integrity demand every individual respond to the calling to always do their best, not only for ourselves, but for others, too.
LOWER SCHOOL STUDENTS COLLABORATE TO MAKE THE CODE KID-FRIENDLY
On January 22, the Lower School community joined together in a series of special chapel services to sign the new Code of Conduct. However, in order to ensure the younger students were able to interpret the true meaning of the creed, more than 40 third- and fourthgraders teamed up to translate the Code of Conduct into more “kid-friendly” language. Working alongside Natalie Amato and Emily Romprey, students replaced some words to include simpler meanings so their younger peers would be able to read and understand the values they should uphold. Then, students watched their teachers come forward in Chapel to sign the Code of Conduct; after the ceremony, students signed their names on separate pages to later be bound in a large volume representing all three divisions. The book signifies the ESD community’s commitment to the tenets of Honor, Respect, and Integrity.
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On Thursday, April 17, children across all divisions welcomed their grandparents and special friends onto campus for classroom visits and a special chapel service. At the Lower School, children had the honor of showing their grandparents an array of art projects and singing with them in Chapel. On the Merrell Road Campus, Middle and Upper School students toured their grandparents around to visit with teachers, attend English and history lectures, and enjoy a special performing arts presentation. “Grandparents’ Day is one that everyone treasures,” Meredyth Cole remarked. “Seeing the mutual admiration between a grandchild and a grandparent as they share time in a classroom or Chapel is soulful and uplifting. It is our honor to host these very special members of our community.” Thanks to many parent and student volunteers, hundreds of incredible photos were taken this year. To see more photos, please visit www.esdallas.org/grandparentsday.
November 21, 2014
GRANDPARENTS’ DAY 2014-15
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S
PRINGING MAGICAL MOMENTS WITH MR. EASON The third quarter ends with the ringing of a bell. Not just any old school bell, it is the bell that announces the bell-lap; the last leg of the race. And with it comes the joy and excitement of the fourth quarter. Everyone focuses on the mad dash to the finish line. It is not a short sprint, but a fullsized quarter filled with time-honored traditions. The fourth quarter starts with first graders and their ninth grade buddies wandering around Wolf Run Outdoor Education Center. They are checking out the native prairie grasses and wildflowers. A late winter and colder than usual March made this trip a real challenge. All of the native plants were blooming about three weeks later than usual. It is pretty tough to check out the wildflowers when they have not popped the surface yet. The kids still had a great time just being outside, chewing on lemon (sour) grass, and running around the ranch. March ended with a flurry of Upper School activity. Following an early release, the sophomore class went on its annual trip to the North Texas Food Bank warehouse for an afternoon of community service. They helped prepare thousands of weekend food bags for school-aged children to take home with them the following week. While the sophomores were busy stuffing food sacks, the junior class was finalizing a yearlong philanthropy project. Over the course of the school year, the juniors researched, visited, and made decisions as to which nonprofit agencies would be recipients of their philanthropy. In just its third year, this class activity is a perfect of example of one of the many ways an ESD education extends beyond the classroom, helps develop an educated conscious, and teaches the students how to act on their beliefs. Who said April is the cruelest month? With all due respect to Mr. Eliot, our ESD April got off to a wonderful start with our seniors visiting the Lower School and attending Eucharist
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with their first grade buddies. April was a busy month at Wolf Run. The seventh grade came out in two groups to participate in the annual archeology dig at the Shields’ family home site just south of the bunk houses. Under Dr. Moyer’s guidance, the number of artifacts recovered each year never ceases to amaze me, and we have been digging for 15 years. I know the kids enjoy the evening activities as much as they do unearthing the past. Hey, who doesn’t enjoy a good old fashioned stew cook-off? This year’s activity was made challenging by some local thunderstorms, but the seventh graders persevered and had a great time. The following week, the sophomore class went to the ranch for the midpoint retreat. Their day was spent playing challenging group activities, navigating the low-ropes course, and reflecting on the first two years of their Upper School experience. After some assessment, they had the opportunity to think forward about what they wanted to accomplish over the next two years. I am always impressed with how high they set their sights, and how quickly I find myself at the Meyerson Symphony Center two years later celebrating their commencement. The second graders helped close out the month of April at Wolf Run. Everything the first graders missed out on in March was in full bloom by the end of April. Working with their freshman buddies, the second graders explored various areas of the ranch making note of their senses – sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. It was a wonderful day outside with highlight being the tossing of the second-grade seed balls. We will have to wait for next spring to report on their success. The ranch wasn’t the only busy place in April. The theaters on both campuses were buzzing with activity as well. The Upper School students kicked off the month by attending the ISAS Fine Arts Festival in Austin. Meanwhile back on campus, just about every inch of the hallways and studios were covered with student art of all ages and grades five through twelve. Spring musical and drama performances rounded off the month and the Upper School Cabaret Night brought a very lively month to a close. The month of May was equally as busy. Lower School fine arts headlined the activities on Colgate. Both Primer and first grade classes made trips to the Merrell Road Campus to check out the Quarry after studying pond units. The Quarry did not disappoint, and it was teeming with all types of life and activity. There were numerous birds flying about, and the little sunfish and the turtles surfaced as if to say hello and to make their
FORWARD
presence known, too. The kids enjoyed going down to the water’s edge to see what all they could scoop up in their nets. They hiked around the quarry trail visiting the Mary Elizabeth Williams ’82 Outdoor Chapel and the butterfly garden before ending their trek at the ESD Geodesic Growing Dome. The biggest surprise there was not the warm climate or the abundant growth; it was the indoor goldfish pond. What a great way to kick off the final month of the school year. Later in the week, the sixth graders visited Wolf Run to celebrate their language studies. The highlighted activity of the day was their version of the “Sixth Grade Language Olympics.” The rest of May can be described with two words: closure and celebration. The spring sports come to an end with SPC, lacrosse tournaments, and spring crew regattas. It was a banner spring for ESD sports (pun intended). The men’s lacrosse team won the State Championship, and several boats qualified for the Stotesbury Cup Regatta and the National Youth Championships. Not to be outdone by varsity athletic teams, several other organizations had successful springs as well. The ESD Robotics Team returned from Oklahoma City with a championship trophy in hand, and the Eagle Edition hauled in its fair share of awards from The Dallas Morning News High School Journalism Awards. While all of this activity is taking place, Middle and Upper School students are gearing up for exams. Many Upper School students spent the first two weeks of May taking their College Board AP exams. In the middle of all this, this month of closure, we stop for five grand celebrations – Pass It On, Founders’ Weekend, honors assemblies for all divisions, Junior Ring Ceremony, and graduation weekend. Pass It On is our oldest school tradition. Our graduating senior class welcomes the rising freshman class to the Upper School passing on the “it,” the light of Christ, via a candle. There was a little unscheduled excitement this year in the form an inclement weather warning. No problem, we
just picked up where we left and finished the following week in Chapel. We celebrated Founders’ Weekend for the first time this year, and it was a huge success (see alumni section). The Class of 2015 was treated to an alumni panel and Q&A session moderated by Head of School Meredyth Cole. The panel featured David Hale Smith ’86, Allison Vose Smith ’88, David McFarland ’94, and Dr. Blake Barker ’97. It was a wonderful morning and the first of many to come. Our students felt as if they were able to gaze into a crystal ball and catch a glimpse of their very own future. The last Friday of classes, each division hosts an honors assembly that recognizes both individual and academic achievement. The last Wednesday of the school year, the rising senior class of 2015 donned their blue and yellow shirts for the first time, and they received their ESD ring at the annual ring ceremony. If you haven’t heard, the ring is redesigned this year to a flat signet style that emphasizes the three crosses and the Founding Tenets. And then the school year for the students comes to a close with a celebration of baccalaureate in All Saints Chapel on Saturday, and commencement at the Meyerson Symphony Center on Sunday. Valedictorian Sophie Sisson gave the class address. Following Sophie was the commencement speaker, Barbara Pierce Bush, who gave a wonderful address about being open and ready to try anything, and there was another education to be learned that occurred outside of the classroom. In the blink of an eye, another school year has drawn to a close, and we have 104 brand new members of the ESD Alumni Association. Now that is what I call a bell lap!
Eddie Eason has dedicated his professional life to The Episcopal School of Dallas. He arrived after graduating from SMU in 1981 and has served our school as a physical education teacher, math teacher, Head of Upper School, Dean of Students, Director of Campus Scheduling, Athletic Director, coach, and a fixture in outdoor education. Did you know that in college he played baseball with Mr. Kimball? Always active and always engaged, Eason continues to wear multiple hats. He is currently the Director of Outdoor Education, Alumni Relations Liaison, team leader for the ESD Tomorrow Sustainability Learning Team, and is chairing ESD’s leadership development task force.
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For service and community, freshman advisories accompany younger students to Wolf Run.
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THE GREAT OUTDOORS.
e students have the privilege First grade marks the first tim the trails at Wolf Run while of spending the day exploring ing t plants and animals and eat learning to identify differen lf nce it is their first visit to Wo hotdogs with their dads. “Si Bryan ally excited and energetic,” Run, the students are especi see excursion. “I love getting to Powell ’07 said of the annual dents and teach them how to the dads interact with the stu ch back at the ranch.” hike on the trails and cook lun lf fall as the Middle School Wo Powell returned to ESD last tion. nt Director of Outdoor Educa Run Coordinator and Assista ken, he said, was incredible. Working alongside Peter Lut r were sitting in Mr. Lutken’s “My favorite moments this yea an move,” Powell said. “It’s been office, talking about our next look that I have been schooled. I education, and it’s safe to say m Eddie Eason as he takes the forward to learning more fro ucation.” role of Director of Outdoor Ed
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BUILDING LIVES EVERYONE GAINED FROM HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
In 2013, The Episcopal School of Dallas announced the School would be sponsoring a house as part of its continued partnership with Habitat for Humanity. After nearly a year of encouragement, planning, manual labor, and teamwork, the home was dedicated to Rivelino Lopez and his four sons during a special ceremony held Saturday, March 22, 2014. Several members of the ESD community were in attendance, including Meredyth Cole, members of the men’s varsity basketball team, and dozens of students, alumni, parents, and faculty and staff members. The ceremony was officiated by The Reverend Amy Heller, ESD’s senior chaplain. “Helping build the Habitat house every Saturday was a blast,” Kate Robinson, a sophomore at ESD, said. “It’s been a great joy to work alongside Mr. Lopez as we saw his dreams become a reality.” At Saturday’s dedication ceremony, several gifts were presented to the family, including a toolkit, four basketballs for Lopez’s sons, a Bible, and a set of house keys. A loaf of bread and bottle of wine were also given to the Lopez family to symbolize the “many happy meals to be shared together in the home” and “to celebrate the joy in their lives.” Service to Others is one of ESD’s Founding Tenets and has led to several local, national, and international partnerships with charitable organizations. The School’s partnership with Habitat for Humanity started eight years ago when Middle School students built flower boxes at Wolf Run. Primer students gathered in the Quarry and filled the hand-made boxes with colorful flowers to present to new Habitat for Humanity homeowners. That tradition continues today in conjunction with the build. “ESD became more involved with the organization by funding a house through a donation from the Casey family,” Laura Gomez, ESD’s Habitat for Humanity coordinator, explained. “We were responsible for providing the volunteers to build the house from January through March. Though you had to be at least 16 years old to help build, we appreciated everyone who came out to be part of this amazing opportunity.” Lower, Middle, and Upper School students not old enough to assist in the building process still found ways to get involved. Scout troops collected supplies and distributed snack packs to volunteers during the Saturday shifts; other groups set up water stations and lemonade stands to make sure everyone stayed hydrated. Divisions also gathered household items and cleaning supplies for the Lopez family. The ESD Alumni Association also spent a day during Founders’ Weekend helping
the Lopez family move into the new home. Construction on the Lopez house started in January with the ESD Booster Club, Dads’ Partnership, Alumni Association, Parents’ Association, Young Men’s Service League, and Upper School faculty and staff supplying volunteers for designated build days. Students and the rest of the community were also encouraged to spend their free Saturdays trussing, decking, roofing, and siding the home. The final weekends were spent painting the exterior and planting flowers in the front yard to prepare the house for the dedication. “Working alongside members of the ESD community while helping a family in need was a truly heart-warming experience,” Meredyth Cole said. “It was very rewarding to interact with students and their families in a new setting and collaborate with them on this hands-on project. We are grateful to the Casey family and all of the volunteers who helped make the Lopez family’s dreams come true.”
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GLOBAL EDUCATION? B WHAT IS by Eleanor Arnold and Meg Fahrenbrook ’01
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eginning with the 2014-15 school year, ESD will explore the very challenging questions of what constitutes global education and what, in particular, it should look like at The Episcopal School of Dallas. The Global Education Learning Team (GELT) co-chaired by Eleanor Arnold, Director of Global Education and Upper School history teacher, and Meg Fahrenbrook ‘01, Middle School history teacher, will first research and evaluate the various frameworks for global education that are being applied in schools around the world; then determine what models might be most appropriate for ESD and make recommendations accordingly to the administration; and, third, develop a plan for implementing the selected approach. As with everything we do, the touchstones for the learning team in this multi-year process will be the ESD Mission Statement and the goals articulated in the ESD Tomorrow Strategic Plan. At its most basic level, the final product should match the admonition of ESD Tomorrow: “It must help [our students] develop the knowledge and perspective to thrive in a rapidly globalizing world” (emphasis added).
to operate. Global education is all about content, emphasizing the need to know about and understand the complex issues at work all around us.
Obviously, any academic and curricular changes must be grounded in the rubric of 21st century skills. They, however, for the most part are just what they purport to be: skills. For example, the list includes such critically important items as creative and critical thinking, effective written and oral communication, problem-solving and project execution, collaboration, competent use of technology and information resources, ethical decision-making, and working productively across cultural and linguistic lines, as outlined in ESD Tomorrow. All of those skills are vitally important in preparing students for the global challenges and opportunities they will face as adults, but they do not address the more important component of education, actual content, i.e., the “knowledge and perspective” requirements. Indeed, none of these skills is attainable without a thorough knowledge base on which
The intersections of the components of global education and 21st century skills are frequent. One provides the content, the other the approaches and skills. Reimers, in another article, “Educating for Global Competency,” makes the connection explicit: “I define global competency as the knowledge and skills to help people understand the flat world in which they live, integrate across disciplinary domains to comprehend global affairs and events, and create possibilities to address them. Global competencies are also the attitudinal and ethical dispositions that make it possible to interact peacefully, respectfully, and productively with fellow human beings from diverse geographies.”
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In an article entitled “Fostering Global Competency: Framing the Challenge,” Fernando Reimers, Ford Foundation Professor of Practice in International Education and Director of Global Education and of International Education Policy at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, sets out the basic components of global competency: “affective (a positive disposition toward cultural difference); action (the ability to speak, understand, and think in languages other than the dominant language in a particular country); and academic (knowledge and understanding of world history, geography, and the global dimensions of topics, such as health).” He also acknowledges the significant resources that must go into devising and implementing a successful program: “high quality instructional materials, skilled teachers, professional development for teachers, and time set aside in the curriculum.”
ESD’s current students will live throughout most of the 21st century and beyond, into the now unimaginable 22nd. To prepare them
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I define global competency as the knowledge and skills to help people understand the flat world in which they live, integrate across disciplinary domains to comprehend global affairs and events, and create possibilities to address them.
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for the rapid changes and ultimate unknowns of that life span, we need to provide them with the set of tools – skills, knowledge, and perspectives – that will enhance their appreciation for the diversity, the delights, the challenges, and the experiences that the broader world offers them. They will be the leaders of that world – not just on the local or the national stage, but on the global as well. Education for those roles must be creative, rigorous, and flexible to allow them to meet unforeseeable challenges and opportunities. Getting that balance right is the task of the global education learning team. Director of Global Education since returning to ESD in 2010, Eleanor Arnold and Suzette Carona co-created ESD’s Humanities curriculum in 1996. Under Arnold’s direction, ESD’s partnerships with global agencies continue to flourish, including UTD’s Confucius Institute, World Affairs Council, and Student Shoulder-to-Shoulder for global service-learning. Arnold earned a Bachelor of Arts in Government from the University of Texas, a Master of Arts in Humanities from the University of Texas at Dallas, and Juris Doctor from the University of Chicago. Meg Fahrenbrook ’01 returned to teach at The Episcopal School of Dallas after graduating summa cum laude from Wheaton College in 2005. Fahrenbrook is active in ESD life, teaching Middle School history and serving as a director in the faculty/staff mentoring program. About teaching, Fahrenbrook says, “I love how each day is different, and I love seeing students get excited about learning.
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EVER
PRESENT LIVING OUR EPISCOPAL IDENTITY AND FULFILLING OUR FOUNDING TENETS The Reverend Amy G. Heller, Senior Chaplain
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I am often asked the question “What makes an Episcopal school different from other denominational or faith-based schools?” For me, the answer is evident in the four core principles of our Episcopal identity − worship, diversity and inclusion of all faith traditions, religious education, and community service. In scanning the many and varied Episcopal schools across the nation, one finds all four principles present. Episcopal schools are Christian communities which place the honor and worship of God at the center of their common life. They are intentional about the inclusion of all people who are made in the image of the one, living God. They are schools where one is confirmed in their faith and not where anyone is forced to convert or conform to a set dogma. It is clear at ESD that our Founding Tenets are a direct reflection of these four core principles. WORSHIP Since its founding in 1974, students and faculty at The
COMMUNITY SERVICE ESD’s commitment to local, national, and
Episcopal School of Dallas have participated in Daily Chapel and the celebration of Holy Eucharist. Our Chapel programs in all three divisions are intended to nurture everyone’s spiritual relationship with God through the use of the Book of Common Prayer within the context of a pluralistic and diverse student and faculty population (from our Founding Tenet of Daily Worship). Every day, students, faculty, and staff alike gather for worship and prayer. The Chapels on both campuses are sacred spaces where we come together with a heart of thanksgiving for the life we have been given. In Chapel, we are invited to wonder about how we can love God and our neighbor as we steward our spiritual gifts and bear God’s image to the world.
international service opportunities is unsurpassed. From the distribution of donations in response to a natural disaster or local need, to weeks of summer service projects, to building a Habitat House, the entire ESD community, including the Alumni Association, practices what we say in our fourth Founding Tenet as we “actualize the advancement of the common good through acts of mercy and renewal here and within the larger community.” An awareness of the needs of others turns into active responsiveness by ESD students. When we serve others, we honor the image of God in others and we honor it within ourselves.
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION ESD is committed to being a community where all experience mutual trust, respect, and honor while preserving individual identity, uniqueness of thought, and personality (from our Founding Tenet of Community). Our school, as written by the National Association of Episcopal Schools, was established as an “ecumenical and diverse ministry of educational and human formation for people of all faiths and backgrounds.” We are intentional in our radical hospitality for all people of any culture or religious tradition. We are committed to supporting all of our students in becoming who God calls them to be as we each grow in understanding of what we believe.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION All three divisions have religious studies dedicated to enriching the lives of students, fostering ethical decision making, and helping them develop a strong moral and educated conscience (reflected in our third Founding Tenet). We are committed to graduates who are capable of strong moral decisions and who have an educated conscience. Our religion classes are designed to draw out of our students the ability to reflect and responsibly articulate an understanding of sacred texts from across the global human experience with a clear emphasis on the writings of the Old and New Testaments. As our Middle School curriculum states: “Reason, experience, and knowledge of religious traditions are combined to nurture students’ spiritual, ethical, and intellectual growth.”
Worship, Diversity and Inclusion, Religious Formation, and Community Service − these four core principles woven together distinguish Episcopal schools from other denominational or faith-based schools. I am honored to serve as ESD’s Senior Chaplain and look forward to living out our Episcopal identity together. Blessings, Amy
ESD’s Senior Chaplain, The Reverend Amy G. Heller, most enjoys engaging students, faculty, staff, alumni, and families in wondering about the big questions of faith and humanity within a community of academic and spiritual rigor. Active in local schools and parishes for nearly two decades, Reverend Heller earned her Bachelor of Art from Colgate University and her Master of Divinity from Yale University. Read more from The Episcopal School of Dallas chaplains, including Father Michael Harmuth’s Virtues of the Month and Reverend Heller’s blog, at www.esdallas.org/chapel
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FIELD DAY OF DREAMS Lower School Field Day held on Thursday, May 22, marked the end of school and the beginning of summer for ESD Beginners through fourth grade. This annual event was organized by Lower School dads and the Lower School PE teachers at the Troutt Athletic Fields on the Merrell Road Campus. In addition to the ever-popular sponge war, students raced, clomped, hopped, rolled, and ducked and goosed their way to a fabulous time. It was a wet and wild blast for all!
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DEAR ESD PARENTS AND FRIENDS, I am certain there is no school in the country that gives, serves, celebrates, and loves as much as our ESD community! Thank you to the parents, faculty and staff who volunteered their time and resources to benefit ESD. It has been an absolute joy and privilege to serve as your PA president, and I will be forever grateful for your love and support. This has been a remarkable year for the Parents’ Association, and I would like to recognize our amazing leadership of over 100 parent volunteers who have led with heart, integrity, and a passion for ESD that was contagious. Thank you! The new year was jump started with a “Cow-A-Bingo” good time thanks to our totally awesome Bingo Chairs, Sherry Yeaman and Adrienne Wooldridge, who planned a fun-filled community event for all our Lower School families. In the spring, we were busy “Keeping ESD Awesome” thanks to the help of two remarkable women who accomplished the incredible in planning the greatest gig in ESD’s history! ESD City Limits at Trinity Groves was a paramount night filled with continuous live music by Skyrocket and Whiskey Pants, delicious food truck fare, tasty libations, record breaking Live and Big Board, and all the things that make ESD awesome! Thank you Cecilie Holman and Nancy Saustad for chairing one great gig that will long be remembered as one of the best auctions ever. Thank you to the auction committee who gave their time and talent in supporting this exciting night! There are so many PA leaders who were hard at work behind the scenes throughout the year. Thank you, Lauren Cheetham, for your endless hours in managing and monitoring our volunteer system to ensure all our families had the opportunity to help. It is also important to recognize our Teacher Appreciation Teams who provided monthly goodies to our beloved faculty and staff. Thank you Michelle Sims, Rebecca De Loache, Nancy Duessel, Elizabeth Greening, and Stephanie Logan for making this happen each month and for doing it so well. There are also many junior moms to thank who worked tirelessly in raising funds and planning an incredible Prom led by our favorite Prom Queen, Caroline Gehan. And finally, a heartfelt thank you to our PA Coordinator, Mary Beth Weinberger, whose wisdom and leadership helps the PA soar each and every year!
Another joy of springtime is seeing our campus in full bloom with prospective families! Thank you, Kelly Robinson, for giving a warm welcome to all our new families and doing a wonderful job integrating our new students into their new ESD family. We are fortunate to have your warmth and hospitality in serving as Community Ambassador. Our final event for the year was the beautiful Spring Luncheon chaired by high fashion moms, Rose Fitzgerald and Alisha Sinacola, in honor of the senior moms, the Class of 2014, and PA Volunteers. Their theme “Roots and Wings” was a lovely reminder of the most precious gifts we can give our children – roots to grow and wings to fly. This special tradition included the renowned fashion show presented by Stanley Korshak with our very own ESD senior moms on the runway with their sons and daughters! Because of the outstanding efforts of our community, as well as the extraordinary leadership of our auction, carnival, bingo, and resale chairs, the Parents’ Association presented a check to the school for $600,000 which will 100 percent benefit the goals of ESD Tomorrow by providing support for Learning Innovation Grants, 21st Century Technology Tools, Strength in Faculty Development, Excellence in Learning and Teaching, and Operational Support. This year’s gift is only possible because of the service, generosity, and passion of a very special community Thank you all for making the 2013-14 such a successful year. Next year looks to be even brighter, and it is with great excitement I pass the PA President bell to Sally Dutter, mother of Susan ’12 and Janie ’16. Our community is blessed to have Sally lead us next year; she is open, authentic, intelligent, quite funny, and extremely committed to everything ESD. Sally will be an inspiration to our entire community! Thank you for the opportunity to serve our community during such an exciting time in ESD’s history and support our dynamic Head of School, Meredyth Cole, as we enter this new chapter in ESD’s legacy. I have learned so much and still have much to learn, but I am proud to reflect on all the accomplishments we have made together! Sincerely,
Christine Cook
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LOVING AND USEFUL SUPPORT ESDPA SPEAKER SERIES
Throughout the year, the ESD Parents’ Association hosts a variety of speakers to provide valuable insights on educational trends and parenting. The presentations give opportunities to not only learn about navigating the ever-changing landscape of adolescence, but also to ask questions about an array of issues. “The mission of the Speaker Series is to engage the parents within the ESD community with topics that match up with their needs and interests,” Lori Watson, the committee organizer, said. To kick-off the 2013-14 Speaker Series, Kay Wyma, author of Cleaning House: A Mom’s Twelve-Month Experiment to Rid Her Home of Youth Entitlement, spoke to the Lower School community about how parents can effectively navigate the road of “comparison living.” Wyma’s presentation covered everything from the competitiveness between parents to how children can express gratitude and appreciation towards their peers and adults. Karen Williams, Director of Special Projects at Rainbow Days, visited both campuses in October to educate parents about what too much stress does to a child’s brain development. Using real-world examples, such as the pressure to “fit in” on social media or how you handle conflict in front of an infant, Williams showed how negative interactions can potentially stall or even halt the development of emotional brain compartments. Chico West spoke with Middle and School parents in November. A licensed counselor who works with a variety of clients, West helps kids learn how to generate hope from within, rather than thinking they can find happiness in a bottle, a pill, an Instagram post, their peers, etc. He and members of his team shared share some tips, strategies, and advice on how to get real, open, and productive conversations with pre-teens and teenagers.
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In March, Dr. Leonard Sax, a national parenting expert and the best-selling author of Boys Adrift and Girls on the Edge, spoke to Middle and Upper School parents about the difficulties of navigating adolescence, and how parents can help their children develop positive relationships with their peers, and how technology can be beneficial to a child’s upbringing when used appropriately. He also talked about establishing healthy relationships between parents and siblings, and ensuring there are open lines of communication for children to utilize. “We laughed at Kay Wyma’s take on competitive parenting; we learned about the dangers of too much stress on the adolescent brain; we peppered Chico West about what’s really going on in the teen world; and we hung on every word of Dr. Leonard Sax’s research about the effects of a toxic culture on our children,” Watson added. “The Speaker Series has a fantastic impact on our community as it starts many conversations among parents that continue as parents begin implementing the speakers’ expertise at home.”
Special thanks to the ESD Parents’ Association for bringing timely and practical knowledge to our community.
2014-15 ESDPA SPEAKER SERIES THANK YOU TO THE ESDPA for another terrific line-up of speakers! All parents are encouraged to attend. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 Dr. Julie Bell “The Mind of a Champion” BRAY PERFORMANCE HALL TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7 Jody Capehart “Identifying Learning Styles and Healthy Homework Habits” LOWER SCHOOL THEATER TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11 Kim Garrett Roll With It: The Electra Zane Project and Helicopter Parents BELL THEATER TUESDAY, JANUARY 20 Dr. Nell Bush Co-author of Parenting Survival Guide, Essential Tips and Tools for the Parenting Expedition BRAY PERFORMANCE HALL TUESDAY, MARCH 3 Sarah Brooks “Don’t Panic: Social Media, Your Child, and You” BRAY PERFORMANCE HALL LATE SPRING Dr. Terry Flowers Executive Director of St. Philip’s School and Community Center and ESD Board Member
CELEBRATING SUCCESS AT THE
Spring Luncheon The annual Spring Luncheon and Fashion Show honors the remarkable efforts of ESD parent volunteers and senior moms. On April 9, more than 100 mothers gathered at the Dallas Country Club for a fantastic show featuring Stanley Korshak fashions worn by members of the Class of 2014 and their mothers. Because of the generosity of our parent community in both time and talent, ESDPA president Christine Cook was able to present a recordsetting gift to the School of $600,000. These funds directly support Learning Innovation Grants and professional development opportunities for our faculty and staff, technological resources for our students, and help fulfill the ESDPA’s pledge in support to the ESD Tomorrow campaign. Additionally, ESD parents gave thousands of volunteer hours, always ensuring The Episcopal School of Dallas community is warm and welcoming. Thank you to all who make ESD such an extraordinary place.
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THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE EPISCOPAL SCHOOL OF DALLAS’ 2013-14 ANNUAL FUND Your generosity embodied the theme of this year’s campaign: “Support what you love.” Because of your unwavering dedication, we were able to accomplish so much. As you know, the Annual Fund is the cornerstone of fundraising for ESD. It is essential to maintaining our daily operations and supports academic programming such as science lab materials, technology equipment, and supplies for the arts. Additionally, it serves as a resource for important initiatives like faculty recruitment and retention, tuition assistance, and campus improvement. Contributions from alumni and parents allow ESD to provide an extraordinary educational experience for our students while positioning the School to grow and thrive for generations to come. We are proud to announce that Annual Fund Parent Participation was 89 percent, Board and Parent Volunteer Leadership reached 100 percent, and Alumni Participation
was 15 percent. Together, ESD parents, alumni, grandparents, faculty, staff, and friends donated more than $1.7 million to the Annual Fund. Every gift, no matter the size, has a positive impact on our community, including demonstrating collective support. Special thanks to Parent Annual Fund Chairs, Kathryn and Lance Etcheverry; Chris Elliston ’88, Alumni Association Annual Fund Chair; Suzanne McGee, Chair of the Advancement Committee for the Board of Directors; and the more than 100 parent and alumni volunteers who generously contributed their time and energy to help ESD in its annual fundraising efforts. Thank you for helping ESD deliver an unparalleled learning experience for our students and faculty. Please accept our heartfelt thanks for your generosity!
For more information about the Annual Fund, please contact Kam Bakewell, Director of Annual Giving and Special Projects, at 214.353.5808 or bakewellk@esdallas.org.
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BEGINNER CROSSES Every year, the students in ESD’s Beginner classes carry brightly decorated crosses down the aisle of the Chapel to celebrate Easter. This nearly three-decade old tradition dates back to 1988 when Nancy Bloede joined the ESD community as a Beginner teacher. In the days and weeks leading up to the celebratory service, students put their best artistic skills on display as they adorn paper crosses with bright, pastel paints to reflect the happy atmosphere. As members of the ESD community fill the pews, the children process down the aisle to “Lift the High Cross.” Father Harmuth leads a special chapel service for this blessed tradition.
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THE ART OF MAKING ART
Creative thought and expression are universal competencies that must be developed and honed. The goals of ESD’s Fine Arts Department are to instill students with confidence in their personal vision, provide a foundation for imaginative problem solving and expression, and develop cultural literacy and appreciation. Throughout the year, students perform and exhibit a beautiful array of artistic talent through musical performances, theatrical productions, 2D and 3D studio work, and AP Art Exhibitions.
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FACULTYNEWS Photography instructor George Fiala and journalism teacher Sandy Hall-Chiles presented to more than 2,200 high school journalism students and their advisers at the Columbia Scholastic Press Association Spring Conference. Hall-Chiles presented “Reviewer vs Critic” and “How to Say Something Meaningful Without Whining.” Fiala’s presentation was on “Photography as a Social Change Agent.” Eleanor Arnold and Meg Fahrenbrook ’01 attended the Global Education Benchmarking Group Global Educators Conference at the Collegiate School in Richmond, Virginia in April. Arnold also attended the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Global Education “Think Tank” seminars in May. Monica Awbrey and Joe Snyder presented at the Texas Choral Director’s Convention in San Antonio in July. Their presentation will focus on choosing appropriate choral literature and teaching resources for young voices for students in kindergarten through sixth grade. Middle School librarian, Leslie Beatty, and Upper School librarian, Michelle Randall, helped organize the three-day conference for the Association of Independent School Librarians in April. Congratulations to Marcia Biggs, Libby Conder, Cait Dunn, Jeff Geier, Carrie Martin, and Jim Roney for winning the Spring Faculty Fitness Challenge by nearly 52
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3,000 points. Martha Bowden and Allison Hogan presented at EdTech’s Teacher’s Summit at the Chicago Navy Pier this summer about involving students in classroom redesign projects. The pair was also invited to speak at the Educational Records Bureau Conference about teaching coding and computer programming to students. The women also attended the Tech4Tex’s Texas Google Summit. Charlotte Chambliss was featured in the fall publication of Trends, the Texas Art Educator Association’s journal. She also presented at a one-day workshop in Philadelphia at the AP National Convention this summer about Vertical Teams in Studio Art. (photo a)
Lisa Rusnak attended the National Council of Teachers of English’s annual convention in Boston in November. Dr. Eric Boberg’s dissertation, “High School Principal Transformational Leadership Behaviors and Teacher Extra Effort during Educational Reform: The Mediating Role of Teacher Agency Beliefs,” was selected as the best dissertation in the social sciences over the past two years at UTA and submitted to The Council of Graduate Schools and ProQuest Dissertation Publishing for their annual recognition of outstanding dissertations. Dayna Davenport and her husband, John, celebrated the first
birthday of their daughter Emarie on April 27. (photo b) Dusty Davidson presented at the Texas Educational Theatre Association State Convention in Dallas in January. Mary Ellen Davison had a baby boy, Benjamin Nathan Davison, on March 27. Ben was born at 5:15 in the morning weighing 6 pounds, 8 ounces. (photo c) Luke Dobson was born to Casey and Daniel Dobson on the evening of March 17. Mom, dad, baby, and dogs are all doing well. Daniel will continue to coach the ESD men’s soccer team, while Casey plans to become a full time mom. (photo d) In February, third grade teacher, Jenny Esteve, and Primer teacher, Allison Hogan, presented at the EdTech Teacher iPad Summit in San Diego, California. Their presentation, “Going, Going, and Gone: Paperless It Can Be Done” focuses on using paperless technology to make grading papers and generating classroom assignments easier. (photo f) Chris Gonzales and Bonnie McCown attended the National Association for College Admission Counseling national conference in Toronto, Canada in September; they also attended the Texas Association for College Admission Counseling (TACAC) in Addison in April with Kari Wade. At the TACAC conference, Gonzales presented about responsible social media use in the college application process.
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b Yi-Chun Haapanen attended the National Chinese Language Conference in Los Angeles in May. She also participated in the Chinese Language Education and Research Center Workshop in May. The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the leading international nonprofit education leadership association, has selected Allison Hogan for its 2014 Class of Emerging Leaders. Meg Fahrenbrook ’01, Allison Hogan, and Adam Willis are
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course instructors for Students Shoulder-to-Shoulder this summer. Each will lead a group of students on community service projects in Nepal, Kenya, and Pine Ridge, South Dakota, respectively. Prior to their journeys, each attended the Global Solutions Forum at the Vail Mountain School in Colorado. Ashley Jarol will marry Michael Scott II on September 27 in her hometown of Chicago. The pair plans to move back to the Windy City this summer. (photo e) Laila Kharrat welcomed little Zia Laila Kharrat into the world at 6:59 a.m. on Tuesday, May 13. Mom, dad, baby, and big brother, Ziad, are all happy and healthy. (photo g) Middle School band teacher,
Steve Luthye, attended the Jazz Education Network National Conference in Dallas in January, as well as the Texas Music Educators Association conference in San Antonio in February. Vicki Patterson and Tanya Harris attended the People of Color conference as part of NAIS in December in Washington, D.C. Jamie Mitcham and Nicole Jacobsen presented at Finalsite University at Avon Old Farms in June about streamlining information to school constituents through email, and getting the most out of social media and website integration. (photo h) Mark Oglesby, ESD’s AP
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i Government teacher, presented at the American Political Science Association’s Teaching and Learning Conference in February in Philadelphia. Oglesby, the only high school teacher to attend the conference, presented alongside a professor from Providence College about “Learning from High School: A Comparative Study of AP and College American Politic Courses.” Congratulations to Crystal Rosenthal, ESD’s incoming Chair of the Classical and Modern Languages Department, for being awarded the Goldman Sachs Scholarship to study at the American Academy in Rome. Rosenthal was selected from a pool of 22 applicants; only one scholarship is awarded each year.
Marc Salz presented at the World History Association Conference in Costa Rica this summer about “Salsa in History: Adding Spice to Your History Class.” He lectured about the benefits of kinesthetic learning and the “how to” for creating a kinesthetic classroom. Leslie Beatty and Bonnie Tollefson attended the Libraries in Commons conference in Boston in February to learn about digital and Internet-based libraries. Congratulations to ESD Campus Safety Officer, Marcus Jackson, and his fiancée, Saraya, on the birth of their son, Joshua Anthony Douglas Jackson on July 7. (photo i)
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THIS MAY, Scott Kimball, who will return to the ESD Upper School classroom in the fall, was honored for his incredible leadership as Head of Middle School. Set to a baseball theme, students presented Kimball with gifts including a handmade Gods-eye and a book of ponderings and Kimball-isms. FACULTY PICTURED Dr. Renee Phillips, Libby Conder, Darla Hodge, Greg Crook, Scott Kimball, Robbie Cook, Ellen Neill, Amanda Fahrenbrook Smart ’97, and Meg Van Ingen Fahrenbrook ’01. SUMMER 2014
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At the closing service for faculty and staff on May 29, we honored nine treasured members of the ESD faculty and staff who collectively dedicated more than 220 years to our community. Brian Rawson ‘96, on behalf of the Alumni Association, and Rebecca Royall presented the seven who had served our community for more than 20 years a Royall Cross. With gratitude and admiration, we say goodbye to seeing them on a daily basis and welcome them into the Keystone Society. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of many.
Diane Allen
joined the Saint Michael School staff in 1982 before becoming ESD’s administrative assistant to the Head of Upper School. She was also the sponsor of Sunshine Club and a member of the Performance Evaluation Learning Team. 56
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Marion Baker
started teaching first grade at the Lower School in 1997. Baker, who most recently worked as a reading specialist, said what she loved most about teaching is watching the children learn how to read and achieve success in their academic endeavors.
Suzette Carona
came to ESD in 1988 as the eighth grade English teacher, and has served multiple roles. She co-developed the Upper School Humanities curriculum with Eleanor Arnold and founded the very popular film studies program and club.
Judi Davidson Katharine has been raising Lower School Deem voices in song at The Episcopal School of Dallas since 1999. Through her encouragement, many students have discovered courage and joy through music.
began teaching Upper School math in 1990. She was also the sophomore dean, Mu Alpha Theta sponsor, and a member of the Upper School Schedule Learning Team.
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Lynn Harnden
Peter Lutken
Doris Sampson
Michael York
came to ESD in 1984 as an academic learning specialist at the Lower School. She also helped coordinate the language lab sessions for all grade levels.
started working at ESD in 1984 as an Upper School math teacher. She has also been a sponsor for Mu Alpha Theta and was a member of the Algebra/ Physics Learning Team.
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came to ESD in 1984, and has since been the Director of Outdoor Education; taught English, science, math, history, and theater; and served as the Dean of Students, the Head of Middle School, and the Head of Upper School.
started working at ESD in 1996 as Director of Development. Longing to return to the classroom, he taught Middle School history and AP European History. He has also chaperoned the sixth grade trip to Washington, D.C., and sponsored the Middle School Student Council.
SERVICE AWARDS Congratulations to the following faculty and staff for achieving milestones of longevity in their service. 5 YEARS
15 YEARS
Monica Awbrey Nick Brette Carmen Carley Casey Dobson Maggie Ferris Lily Garza Katie Grunst Mary Hernandez Matthew Noack ’94 Shaun O’Brien Hollie Read Laura Rocha
Eleanor Arnold Bryan Barnett ’01 Charlotte Blaine Julie Butterworth Judi Davidson Ellen Neill Christine Nicolette-Gonzalez Cindy Ragan Evangelina Saavedra Sharon Stout
10 YEARS
Shannon Bealke Ashley Beck Ben Bray Julie Clardy Mary Hansell Amy Henderson Ramiro Leon Amy Livingston Shelle Montgomery Lisa Rusnak Sonja Ryberg Pedro Salazar Amanda Smart ’97
20 YEARS
Jana Reed 25 YEARS
Jeff Laba Joe Snyder 30 YEARS
Lynn Harnden Doris Sampson 35 YEARS
Mercedes Hotz
ROYALL CROSS presented by the Alumni Association to retiring faculty and staff who served the ESD community for 20 or more years
Diane Allen Suzette Carona Judi Davidson Katharine Deem Lynn Harnden Peter Lutken Doris Sampson
40 YEARS
Julie Allen
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ASS IT ON
Every year, a few months prior to one of the School’s most treasured traditions, the senior class invites a member of the ESD faculty to address the class and rising ninth graders at Pass It On. This year, and for the seventh year in a row, Mr. Eddie Eason was invited to speak. This year’s ceremony, however, was anything but “traditional.” Rain started falling as members of the ESD community filtered into the Competition Gymnasium of the Stephen B. Swann Center for Athletics and Wellness. As Eason took the stage, rain pelted the roof, and great bursts of thunder and lightning threatened to steal the spotlight. The Upper School choir beautifully outperformed the storm with the class song, “Friends are Friends Forever,” and students lined up and anxiously awaited the light to be passed down from a graduating senior to an incoming freshman. Nothing could dampen this group’s spirits. Just over half the students had lined the upper track when a tornado warning was issued, forcing everyone in attendance to evacuate the gym and shelter in place. Parents, students, and guests filed into locker rooms and inner corridors. All candles were extinguished; Pass It On was over. ESD’s oldest tradition, dating back to a small ceremony held in 1978 in the basement of The Saint Michael and All Angels Church, had been interrupted. As students left for the day, the community began asking if the remaining students would have the opportunity to participate in a second ceremony. Clearly, it was important. A week passed and Pass It On, Part Two, was scheduled to take place in All Saints Chapel so those students who had not been given the opportunity to have their candle lit could still be included in the celebration. On a warm sunny day, many seniors voluntarily returned to campus to “pass on the light” to the Class of 2018 and welcome them into the Upper School. “Pass It On has been a tradition at ESD loved and cherished by not only the student body, especially the senior class. It is a uniquely physical way to represent moving on to the next chapter of our lives post ESD,” Kaki Miller ’14 said. “When the first Pass It On was interrupted by Mother Nature, many of us were upset that we didn’t get to finish the ceremony, so when the opportunity arose for Pass It On, Part Two, I and many of my classmates jumped at the opportunity. Because I came
to ESD as a freshman, I experienced my first Pass It On Ceremony as a senior, and I am so thankful to have been given the opportunity to participate in the second service.” Ironically, in the moments before the storm peaked, Eason said he had heard 2018 was an enthusiastic class, and it was better to “be labeled lively than boring any day.” As the students lined the hallways, several could be heard saying, “We’ll never forget this Pass It On Ceremony!” Despite the unexpected disruption, Eason’s message was the same:
“Never forget our Founder’s constant reminder that your worth as a human being will always be more than the sum total of your successes and failures; you are not a grade in a gradebook, you are not a score on the sports page. Each and every one of you is a unique, special, beautiful child created in the image of a loving God. Take a good look at the ground beneath your feet right now, and know that you may always call ESD home.”
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STUDENT NEWS Miller ’17, Madhav Nair ’17, Tilley Neuhoff ’16, Eryn Patin ’17, Lizbeth Perez ’17, Christina Radford ’15, Caille Riley ’15, Bianca Rodriquez ’16, Kelsey Schmitt ’14, Joshua Shull ’17, Sophie Sisson ’14, Sarah Stukalin’16, Christina Tatum ’15, and Claire Wirtz ’16.
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ACADEMICS
Emily Barnes was named one of 17 students to receive the prestigious “Forty Acres Scholar” by the Texas Exes. The honor includes a fullride, merit-based scholarship to the University of Texas. (photo a) Seniors Alexandra Aronowitz, Emily Barnes, Emily Bassel, Meredith Bower, Caroline Brennan, Mason Conine, Kelly Eichenholz, Katherine Hunsaker, Jakesy Jordaan, Catherine Lovitt, Anderson Riddick, Megan Rooney, Kelsey Schmitt, Megan Sims, and Sophie Sisson for being inducted into the academically-elite Cum Laude Society. Congratulations to the Middle School students who won the Battle of the Books contest in May. This year’s winners included: Jackson Breard ’21, Samy Dar ’19, Emily Delgado ’20, John Heldman
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’19, Christopher Hess ’21, Brian Jones ’20, Clayton Mulford ’19, Penelope North ’21, Sophie Sumrow ’20, Raleigh Toledo ’21, and Ella Varel ’19. (photo b) Megan Sims ’14 was selected as one of 565 semifinalists to advance to the final round of the 2014 U.S. Presidential Scholars competition. Students are selected based on broad academic achievement and exceptional SAT and/ or ACT scores. Many students were recognized for their outstanding journalism achievements at the Texas Interscholastic League Press Conference. The Eagle Edition received a Silver Star in the contest. Individual winners included: Saniha Aziz ’15, Emily Barnes ’14, Gillian Broadway ’14, Gerald Bulloch ’14, Ines Bustamante ’14, Shelby Conine ’14, Alex Gulis ’14, Meredith Hessel ’16, Leyla Khotanzad ’15, Jack Kieffaber ’16, Connie Lee ’15, Catherine Lovitt ’14, Anderson Riddick ’14,
Margaret Siu ’16, Victoria Siu ’15, and Chisom Ukoha ’16. Students in Ms. Brenda Wilder’s fourth grade class totaled a record of 235 points in the Lower School Quiz Bowl in May. The winning team members were: Paco Gomez, Charlie King, Caroline Martineau, and Lillian Nettle. (photo c)
Sam Billig ’17 was ranked seventh in the nation, and fifth in North Texas, for his score on the annual French National Contest. Regional winners included: Claire Cramm ’15, Paty Gomez-Palacio ’15, Saheel Junaghare ’17, and Honor Kidd ’15. Receiving honorable mention were: Grace Bellman ’17, Josephine Bellman ’17, David Boruff ’17, Chace Bullard ’17, Joe Cheniae ’15, Nicole Curry ’16, Ann Dockery ’17, Caroline Durante ’17, Alexandra Espinal ’17, Steven Gonzalez a ’15, Madison Guy ’17, Maria Hieber ’17, Zoe Long ’16, Ellis
Connie Lee ’15 won “Best Short Feature” in The Dallas Morning News J-Day contest in April. Alison McPherson ’15 won “Best Review.” The Eagle Edition staff won “Best Paper” in the Class B category. (photo d) Several Upper School students excelled on the National Spanish Exam. Gold medal recipients included: Natalie Monger ’15, Pedro Rivera ’16, and Kohl Swift ’16. Silver medalists were: Bella Goncalves ’16, Jack Kieffaber ’16, Evan Marshall ’16, and Andrea Salinas ’17. Students that received the bronze medal were: Brooks Hardcastle ’15, Blake Hobson ’16, Charlotte Neuhoff ’15, Coco Pidgeon ’15, and Eliza Wagley ’15. Honorable Mention students were: Haley Allen ’15, Johnathan Barr ’15, Raymond Fernandez ’16, Adan Garcia ’16, Jacob Gonzalez ’16, Abigail Holman ’16, and Sabrina Scott ’15. The Primer class was recognized in the April edition of, Educational Leadership, for writing a letter after its field trip to the Perot Museum of Nature and Science about how certain educational programs can be improved for students.
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The following Middle School students received “Outstanding Achievement” certificates and ribbons for their performance on the National Latin Exam: Grace Boyd ’19, Samantha Brosler ’18, John Calvert ’19, John Heldman ’19, Maggie Lipscomb ’19, Liam Nickell ’19, Jack Rocchio ’19, and Anastasia Sotiropoulos ’19. The c following received “Achievement” certificates: Atticus Cabrales ’19, Sriya Dodda ’19, Alexandra Everbach ’19, Katelin Gildersleeve ’19, William Hargrave ’19, Trinity Hawkins ’19, Brian Jennings ’19, Brett Landin ’19, Story Langston ’19, McKinley Lawson ’19, Anisa Noor ’19, Annie Sawers ’19, Sarah Schultz ’19, Davis Sutter ’19, Christopher Talbot d ’19, Madeline Tong ’19, and Francesca Wimer ’19. Several Upper School students performed exceptionally well on the National Latin Exam, too. Earning “Cum Laude” recognition are Tommy Hessel ’17 (Latin 2), and Jackson Fitzgerald ’16, Charlotte Scott ’15, and Bennett Sessa ’16 (Latin 3). Achieving “Magna Cum Laude” are Lauren Kim ’17 and Mark Reppe ’17 (Latin 2), Areeb Afridi ’16, Janie Dutter ’16, and Madeline Smith ’16 (Latin 3), and Tate Curington ’15 (AP Latin). Will Stroud ’16 (Latin 3) and Gretchen Mahoney ’15 (AP Latin) received “Maxima Cum Laude” honors. Virginia Puckett ’14 was named one of 16 incoming freshmen accepted into TCU’s Athletic Training Sports Medicine program.
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Christopher Talbot ’19 finished in sixth place in the state at the annual TMSCA Math and
Science Team competition in San Antonio. Other students participating in the competition included: Paige Adams ’21, Samantha Brosler ’19, John Calvert ’20, Christian Duessel ’21, Elliott Duessel ’20, Nick Harapanahalli ’21, Zain Haq ’21, Maggie Lipscomb ’20, Christopher Miller ’21, Tarun Mittal ’21, Tarushi Mittal ’19, Ryan Nuth ’21, Sabrina Nuth ’19, Amanda Park ’21, Katie Smythe ’19, and Ella Varel ’20. (photo e)
Jacob Gonzales ’16 received a scholarship from The American School in Switzerland to spend the summer studying foreign languages in Dorado, Puerto Rico. Congratulations to the Eagle Edition and Itinerary staffs for earning Silver Crowns from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. The students had the honor of attending the 90th Scholastic Convention at Columbia University in New York in March where they received their awards. (photo f) The ESD Robotics Team received first place for the second consecutive year at the Regional Botball Tournament in Norman, Oklahoma in March. More than 50 teams participated in the competition. This year’s team included: Oscar Bautista ’15, Renner Brown ’15, Paul Cahoon ’15, Byars Crowe ’17, Alexander Eggers ’15, Grant Hemingway ’17, Liam Herrick ’15, Tommy Hessel ’17, Evan Marshall ’16, Natalie Monger ’15, Armon Naeini ’15, Brett Neurohr ’15, Pedro Rivera ’16, Bennett Sessa ’16, Matthew Sims ’17, Isaac Swift ’17, Kohl Swift ’16, and Christian Viracola ’17. Deb Goudy, Chair of ESD’s Computer
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Science Department, and Jerone Mitchell, a first-year Computer Science teacher at ESD, mentored the team. (photo g) The following students were inducted into the French National Society for their outstanding foreign language grades: Josephine Bellman ’17, Joseph Cheniae ’15, Ann Dockery ’17, Caroline Durante ’17, Madison Guy ’17, Liza Hamlin ’15, Maria Hieber ’17, Ellis Miller ’17, Madhav Nair ’17, Tilley Neuhoff ’17, Virginia Tiernan ’14, and Claire Wirtz ’16. The new members of the Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica include: Alexandra Aronowitz ’14, Alyssa Bower ’15, Karina Boyea ’15, Taylor Compton ’17, Gab Goncalves ’15, Scottie Gonzalez ’17, Harry Hull ’15, Jack Kieffaber ’16, Tommy Landry ’15, Kiara Leonard ’14, Natalie Monger ’15, Campbell Munson
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’16, Charlotte North ’17, Mindy Osler ’17, Sydney Palis ’17, and Isaac Swift ’17. Middle School students participated in the YMCA Junior Youth and Government State Conference in Austin in March. Participants included: Wesley Banks ’18, Miguel Bustamante ’19, Lily Cameron ’18, Syria Dodda ’19, Sarah Kate Farmer ’18, Brett Landin ’19, Lauren Marks ’19, Liam Nickell ’19, Kathryn Smith ’18, Anastasia Sotiropolous ’19, Christopher Talbot ’19, and Cara Westra ’19. Banks was named a “Distinguished Delegate of the House of Representatives,” and Landin was recognized as an “Outstanding Delegate in the House of Representatives,” the highest honor awarded at the contest. Smith received ESD’s “Outstanding
Member Award;” the group as a whole earned “Premier Delegation” status for exemplary citizenship and leadership skills.
Sims was named a winner in the 2013 National Merit Scholarship program and awarded a $2,500 scholarship. (photo h)
In March, five students from the Class of 2018 placed in the annual French National Contest. Tarushi Mittal placed 13th in the Level Three category; Cierra Gordon, Nick Greenberg, Kathleen Hobson, and Braden Rhone all finished 22nd in the Level One category.
Several Middle and Upper School students were recognized for their outstanding achievement at the Fete Francaise competition in March. Participants included: Sam Billig ’17, Ryan Brennan ’16, Cal Etcheverry ’17, Reese Gerber ’16, Lauren Levy ’18, Zoe Long ’16, Alejandra Lopez ’14, Pepper Potts ’17, Murphy Pressley ’18, Christina Tatum ’15, and Virginia Tiernan ’17. (photo i)
Six seniors were recognized as National Merit Scholarship Finalists. Emily Barnes, Alex Gulis, Anderson Riddick, Kelsey Schmitt, Megan Sims, and Sophie Sisson were selected from more than 16,000 students from across the nation based on academic achievement and extracurricular involvement. In May,
Congratulations to Lauren Kim ’17, Mary Katherine Nix ’17, and Virginia Tiernan ’17 for being named finalists in the 2013 Thanks-Giving Foundation’s “Expression” Competition. Upper School English teacher, Christine
Graham Smith ‘16 was profiled in The Washington Post in January for helping to keep the popular mobile app, Snapchat, “honest.” Smith was able to eventually track down the Chief Technology Officer of the app and alert him of the security breach. Smith was also interviewed by the CW33 News, and featured on Bloomberg News. (Scan here for the interview)
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Congratulations to Fernando Gomez ’25 for finishing in first place with a perfect score at the University of Texas at Dallas Region III Texas Scholastic Chess Championship in January. James Altizer ’25 and Paco Gomez ’22 both finished in sixth place in their respective divisions.
l Nicolette-Gonzales, was also recognized for helping the students write their essays. Nix finished first, Kim in second, and Tiernan in third. (photo i) Congratulations to Lauren Kim ’17, Mary Katherine Nix ’17, and Virginia Tiernan ’17 for being named finalists in the 2013 national Thanks-Giving Foundation’s “Expression” Competition. Each of the students received either first, second, or third place in the freshman and sophomore essay contest. ESD’s Upper School English teacher, Christine Nicolette-Gonzalez was also named a winner in the competition for helping the students complete their work. (photo j) A group of fifth graders performed a dance to the traditional Chinese folk song, Feng Yang Flower Drum, at the Confucius Classroom’s Chinese New Year Celebration in February.
Performers included: Charlotte Clark, Mary Cowser, Katherine Cowser, Cleo Neuhoff, Susanna Newsom, Emmie Rubin, Victoria Willox, and Lily Yandell. Oscar Benavides ’15 and Emily Jaggers ’17 delivered a “Cross Talk” on the positive and negative Chinese vocabulary at the same event. (photo k)
The ESD Youth and Government group earned “Premier Delegation” status at the 66th annual YMCA Texas Youth and Government State Conference in Austin in February. Tate Curington ’15 was named “Outstanding Delegate” for his efforts. Gillian Broadway ’14, John Cannata ’15, Zoe Long ’16, Alex McElya ’15, Pedro Rivera ’16, Josh Sessa ’16, Margaret Siu ’16, Isaac Swift ’17, and Kohl Swift ’16 also participated.
Several Upper School students excelled at the January “We the People” competition at the Texas State Capital. Three units won their divisions; ESD was also tied for first place with the defending state champion, but fell in the tie-breaking round. Seniors William Butter, Derek Gibson, Austin Jones, and Nigel Naulls won the “Framing the Constitution” division, seniors Carter Boisfontaine, Sophie Sisson, and Alec Smith won the “American Institutions of Government” division; and seniors Alejandra Lopez, Michael McCrory, and Shalom Nwakibu received first place in the “21st Century Challenges and Citizenship” division. Other student participants included: Ben Barbour ’14, Berry Boeckman ’14, Caroline Corson ’14, Jakesy Jordaan ’14, Karley Kampf ’14, Grant Matzen ’14, Kaki Miller ’14, Shannon O’Conner ’14, Madison Pyle ’15, Matthew Redish ’14, Izzi Salinas ’14, Marisa Soto ’15, and Jeffery Taber ’15.
Congratulations to Natalie Monger ’15 for being named a winner of the 2014 National Center for Women and Information Technology’s DFW Metroplex Aspirations in Computing Award. Monger was also a national runner-up for her computer-related achievements and interests, and computing and IT aptitude, leadership ability, academic history, and plans for post-secondary education. Congratulations to the new Upper School Student Council and Class Officers. Seniors Rachel Hersh and Claire North will serve as Student Council President and Vice President, respectively. Senior Rainey Lynch will be secretary while Joseph Rooney and Christina Gordon will serve as Treasurer and PR Chair. Senior Class Officers include Alyssa Bower, Ignacio Bustamante, Jack Johnson (class president), Caroline Jones, Connie Lee, Larson Lynn, and Christina Radford. Junior Class Officers are: Areeb Afridi (class president), Jack Colonnetta, Janie Dutter, Morgan Eller, Meredith Hessel, Abigail Holman, and Anna Konradi. Sophomore Class Officers include: Josephine Bellman, Caroline Durante, Tommy Hessel, Saheel Junaghare, Ellis Miller, Madhav Nair (class president), Matthew Sims, and Virginia Tiernan. Freshman Class Officers are: Emma Cabrales (class president), Quincy Lynch, Sarah Kate Massey, Thomas May, Braden Rhone, Pierson Riley, and Carly Weisberg.
ATHLETICS
In April, Lower School students capped off a great year at the annual Girls on the Run Spring 5K at Lake Grapevine. (photo l)
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Thomas Fitts ’15 and Winston Guillory ’15 earned MVP honors at the Sonny Dykes Football Camp in California following the team’s winning performance in the 7-on-7 championship game. Mark Reppe ’17 won first place at the TaylorMade-adidas Golf Junior All-Star Tournament at Watters Creek in Plano in June. Congratulations to Grant Troutt ’15 for verbally committing to play Division I basketball for the University of California at Santa Barbara. Congratulations to freshman Nakeie Montgomery for committing to play Division I lacrosse for Duke University. The Lower School track team had a great showing at the May races. The fourth grade boys’ team 66
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finished fourth overall. Fourth grade runners included: Fletcher Calvert, Taylor Elliott, Carson Langston, Luke Mooty, Cash Whiteman, and Rider Yeaman. Third grade participants included: Patrick Burke, Garrison Elliott, Hood Mathes, and Daniel Sucato; the team finished in fifth place in the relay race. The second grade girls’ team was made up of: McKenna Harvey, Elliot Lovitt, Amelia Schoellkopf, and Easterly Yeaman. Cheney Mathes represented the first grade girls’ team. Nicole Curry ’16 has verbally committed to play Division I soccer for the University of Texas Longhorns. Corey Henderson, Jr. was invited to play in the fourth annual Texas Shootout in May on the Baylor campus. The shootout featured the top-ranked graduating seniors from
q Texas-area high schools. (photo m) Congratulations to the ESD fifth grade girls’ track team. All 18 members of the team hit personal records at the Park Cities Y Track Meet. Highlights of the meet included the 4x200m relay win in a time of 2:08 with team members Hannah Adams, Genevieve Minnis, Ali Sparrow, and Ally Aikman. Other top finishers at the meet were Ally Aikman in the long jump, the 200m, and a first place finish in the 400m; Delaney McBee in the 50m, long jump and high jump; Hannah Adams in the 200m, 400m and softball throw; Ali Sparrow in the 800m and softball throw; Avery Cole in the softball throw and high jump; Genevieve Minnis in the 100m and high jump; and Susanna Newsom in the 100m. (photo n)
Several Middle School athletes competed in the Lone Star Classic National Volleyball Qualifier this spring. Kristen Leland ’18 won the 14 Open tournament, making her the first player in ESD history to receive this honor. Caitlyn Henderson ’19 finished in fifth place at the tournament, and first in the 14 USA Division at the Big South National Qualifier in Atlanta. Izzy Siragusa ’18 and Kathryn Smith ’18 got second place in the 14 USA Division and advanced to the national tournament this summer. Other tournament participants included Maddie Esping ’18, Quincy Lynch ’18, Peyton Jeter ’18, Sabrina Nuth ’18, Taylor Robertson ’18, Ellery Spencer ’18, and Sophia Stener ’18. Matt Jones ’18 finished in first place in the Boys’ 14 singles
GREAT KIDS DOING GOOD: 292 STUDENTS EARN PRESIDENT’S VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARD
r and Boys’ 16 double matches at the 2014 Dallas Open Tennis Tournament in March. His brother, Brian Jones ’20, won first place in the Boys’ 12 division. The varsity baseball team swept the Hillcrest Tournament in March, posting a perfect 4-0 record with wins over El Paso Bowie High School, Parish Episcopal, Hillcrest High School, and North Dallas High School. Congratulations to Caleb Williams ’15 for setting a new school record in the triple jump of 44 feet and 3.25 inches at SPC in May. (photo o) Lili Clark ’15 shattered the ESD record, as well, posting a time of 11:21:43 in the 3200m. Several track and field athletes set school records at the Greenhill Relays in March. Lili Clark ’15, Shelby Conine ’14, Madison Pyle ’15, and Chloe Roberson ’16 set a new record of 4:25.70 in the sprint medley relay. TJ Jackson ’14, Clarke Wilson ’14, Jacob Goncalves ’16, and Kohl Swift ’16 clocked in at 11:58.60 in the distance medley relay. (photo p) The men’s varsity lacrosse team defeated The Woodlands High School, 10-8, to win the Patriot Cup at SMU’s Gerald J. Ford Stadium on March 1.
s Congratulations to Winston Guillory ’15 and Marshall Lefferts ’14 for being invited to represent ESD in the 2014 International Bowl in February at the University of Texas at Arlington. Hosted by USA Football, the event features six games showcasing the top 500 athletes from the U.S. and Canada. (photo q)
Elizabeth Patrick ’14 committed to row with the University of Louisville this coming fall. She signed her National Letter of Intent to join the Cardinals at a special ceremony in February. Senior Elise Waller committed to playing Division III soccer at Wesleyan University in the fall. (photo r) Anna Konradi ’16 earned Honorable Mention in The Dallas Morning News Player of the Week poll in early February. Leading up to the week she was ranked, Konradi was averaging 13.5 points per game, and accumulated 19 rebounds and 7.5 blocks in two weeks. William Malouf ’14, Travis Carter ’17, Vincent Carrozza ’14, and Jackson Fitzgerald ’16 posted outstanding performances at the Texas Prep State Wrestling Tournament in February. Malouf received All-State recognition; all athletes finished among the top six.
More than 290 Upper School students from The Episcopal School of Dallas received the President’s Volunteer Service Award for completing a minimum of 100 community service hours in a 12-month period. More than 68 percent of the Upper School students worked together to log more than 25,000 total hours of community service projects. This year, 54 seniors were recognized for working with more than 60 Dallas organizations. Of this group, 52 percent of the students from the Class of 2014 have received the honor all four years of high school. The students who received the award for four consecutive years are: Alex Aronowitz, Jenkins Bender, Danielle Berg, Luke Blaylock, Berry Boeckman, Carter Boisfontaine, Emma Boulle, Meredith Bower, Gillian Broadway, Grant Brown, Vince Carrozza, Mason Conine, Shelby Conine, Preston Crow, Laura Lynn De Loache, Armand Fernandez-Pierre, Jordan Frank, Tanner Hakert, Wynne Hobbs, TJ Jackson, Todd Jensen, Olivia Johnston, Jakesy Jordaan, Karley Kampf, Canon Karns, Christina Kline, Ellie Light, William Lipscomb, William Malouf, Michael McCrory, Erin McWilliams, Jack Mikeska, Kaki Miller, Margaret Mulcahy, Kyle Noonan, Shalom Nwakibu, Caroline Oden, Elizabeth Patrick, Kirbian Peters, Virginia Puckett, Maddie Rhone, Megan Rooney, Lauren Sands, Kelsey Schmitt, Sidney Sikes, Megan Sims, Sophie Sisson, Alec Smith, Alex Snyder, Sarah Starr, Eric Stern, Jack Todd, CeCe Turner,
Elise Waller, Olivia Winton, and Catlin Young. In the other grades, 71 juniors, 85 sophomores, and 77 freshmen were acknowledged for their community service commitments. In all, 68 percent of ESD’s Upper School students received the award. Several of the students choose to donate their time to multiple organizations; several seniors and juniors also sit on various leadership boards. Service to Others is one of ESD’s four Founding Tenets, and each student must fulfill community service requirements to graduate. Students received their pins and certificates during two special Chapel services on February 11 and 12. Bill Hall, the CEO of the Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity organization, and Mike Wallis, the organization’s chairman of the board, spoke at the services. “Poverty is not going to be solved by the government, it is going to solved by people like you who are dedicated to working towards finding a solution to serious societal issues,” Hall said. “ESD is doing great things in teaching all of you to get involved in giving back to the community and making Dallas a better place.” The President’s Volunteer Service Award was established in 2003 by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation to recognize the valuable contributions to community volunteers. Each award recipient received an award pin, a personalized certificate of achievement, and a congratulatory letter from President Barack Obama.
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Congratulations to Rowen Brown ’18 and Blair Oden ’18 for their outstanding accomplishments at the Middle School State Championship Wrestling Tournament in January. Oden was crowned state champion for the third consecutive year; Rowan finished in third place in his weight class. (photo s) The varsity women’s soccer team finished in second place at the prestigious Highland Park Tournament in January. ESD defeated two 4A schools to advance to the final round, including Forney and Lake Travis.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Several Middle and Upper School students spent the summer participating in Students Shoulderto-Shoulder programs all over the world. Participants included: Ryan Brennan ’16, Donny Carty ’17, Cal Etcheverry ’17, Jackson Fitzgerald ’16, Tarushi Mittal ’18, Dillon Montgomery ’17, Jackson Neuhoff ’17, Eryn Patin ’17, Chloe Roberson ’16, Logan Smith ’17, Duke Trammell ’17, William Watson ’17, Carly Weisberg ’18, and Catlin Young ’14. The Primer class was showcased on the City of Dallas Environmental Blog in May for its ongoing recycling efforts to collect 10 pieces of trash every Tuesday. Congratulations to James Hands ’15 for being honored with the rank of Eagle Scout. He built two computer tables for the St. Philip’s School and Community Center. (photo t) Luke Hands ’17 also became an Eagle Scout in January for helping coordinate and build picnic tables for the same organization. (photo u) The brothers join older brother Coleman Hands ’13, who is also an Eagle Scout.
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Kayla Andrews ’17, Johari Jenkins ’16, Nigel Naulls ’14, and Clarke Wilson ’14 represented ESD at the St. Philip’s School and Community Center Destiny Awards Luncheon in February with Sharon Stout, ESD’s Director of Diversity, and Corey Henderson, ESD’s Admission Program and Outreach Coordinator. The annual luncheon recognizes companies and individuals who demonstrate exceptional commitment towards bridging relationships between different racial communities. John Cannata ’15 earned his Eagle Scout award in April and was his Court of Honor in May. For his project, he led a team that designed and built two roundtable storage carts and refurbished 16 chair carts for the Dallas Children’s Theater. The following students proudly represented ESD as member of the Community Partners of Dallas THANKs Teen Board: Andrew Blair ’15, Caroline Blaylock ’16, Emma Boulle ’14, Caroline Durante ’17, David Kerrigan ’16, Honor Kidd ’15, Haley Morway ’15, Claire North ’15, Kate Robinson ’16, Baylee Safady ’14, Ryan Schmitt ’17, Matthew Sims ’17, Alexandra Williamson ’15, and Georgia Zogg ’16. Seniors Luke Blaylock, Megan Sims, and Sophie Sisson served on the THANKs Teen Board’s Leadership Team.
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Alexander Eggers ’15 earned the rank of Eagle Scout for designing and building a monument-style sign for the Dallas Rowing Club to help direct first responders in the event of an emergency. (photo v) The Eighth Grade Water Council raised more than $900 in this year’s Lucky Ducky Derby to help fund a water filtration system in Nicaragua made possible by the Episcopal
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Students in ESD’s journalism class gathered on May 16 to pay tribute to their beloved teacher Barbara Meier who succumbed to cancer on February 25, 2013. Under Meiers’ leadership, the Eagle Edition was founded in 1982 and went on to win many national awards. Current journalism teacher Sandy Hall-Chiles and team captain Emily Barnes (Class of 2014 Co-Editor of Eagle Edition) led students in the American Cancer Society Relay For Life event. The Eagle Edition Vol. 31 staff formed the team to remember the lady who inspired them and to honor all those who have been affected by cancer. Forty-seven students, alumni, and families contributed to help the team surpass the $3,000 goal, raising $3,535 for the American Cancer Society. The ESD Eagle Edition team raised the most money of all the first-year Relay for Life teams at the event. Eight students took turns walking around the track and were cheered on by several alumni. Top fundraisers include Emily Barnes ’14, Sandy Hall-Chiles, Alex Gulis ’14, Alison McPherson ’15, and Austin Magnuson ’13. Pictured: (front) Emily Barnes, (back row, left to right) Alex Gulis, Saniha Aziz ’15, Connie Lee ’15, and Leyla Khotanzad ’15 packing up at the end of the race.
Relief and Development Fund. (photo w)
Danielle Berg ’14, Margaret Mulcahy ’14, Alex Snyder ’14 all received the Girl Scout Gold Award for their community service efforts. Only 5 percent of Girl Scouts earn this prestigious honor.
Cullen Corr ’16 was named a Distinguished Finalist in the 2014 Prudential Financial Spirit of Communities Award in Texas for his impressive community service activities. Corr founded the organization Kids Helping Kids to raise money and organize activities for underprivileged children.
Amanda Kung ’16, and Erin McWilliams ’14 all served on the VNA Meals on Wheel Teen Advisory Board. Janie Dutter ’15 is the incoming secretary for 201415; Libby Laughlin ’15 was the board’s treasurer this past year and will take on the responsibility of vice president for the 2014-15 year.
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Congratulations to Jack Colonnetta ’16 earned the rank of Eagle Scout for his involvement with Homes for Defenders of Freedom, an organization that builds and donates homes to wounded veterans. Colonnetta and his team landscaped the front and back yards of a home being built for a soldier injured in Iraq. The project really hit home for Colonnetta when he met the veteran and his family at the home’s dedication.
Congratulations to Damon Colonnetta ’15 for earning the rank of Eagle Scout upon the completion of his projects with St. Philips School and Community Center. Colonnetta worked to refurbish the baseball dugouts by installing new benches and hat racks. He also painted new baselines and installed a new bases and pitching mound. (photo y) Annabel Clark ’17, Paul Cooke ’15, Leyla Khotanzad ’15,
Several students have been accepted to the VNA Meals on Wheels Teen Board for the upcoming school year. Libby Laughlin ’15 will serve as the organization’s new Vice President and Janie Dutter ’16 is the group’s incoming secretary. Students who served this past year include: Annabel Clark ’17, Paul Cooke ’15, Leyla Khotanzad ’15, Amanda Kung ’16, and Erin McWilliams ’14. Andrew Blair ‘15, Caroline
Blaylock ‘16, Luke Blaylock ’14, Emma Boulle ‘14, Caroline Durante ‘17, David Kerrigan ‘16, Honor Kidd ‘15, Haley Morway ‘15, Claire North ‘15, Kathryn Robinson ‘16, Baylee Safady ‘14, Ryan Schmitt ‘17, Matthew Sims ‘17, Megan Sims ‘14, Sophie Sisson ‘14, Alexandra Williamson ‘15, and Georgia Zogg ‘16 celebrated the 25th anniversary of Community Partners of Dallas collecting trash bags and snacks for women and children. For 25 consecutive hours, student volunteers collected different items to donate to the organization. The Middle School Student Council raised more than $3,600 through bake sales to donate to the ESD Annual Fund, Wounded Warriors Project, Operation Kindness, and Baseball Buddies. This year’s officers were Grace
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William Heidarian ’14 and Eric Stern ’14 won third place in the college division for their entry in the Dallas 24-Hour Video Race.
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Boyd ’19, Luke Logan ’19, and Abby Stanford ’19. (photo z)
FINE ARTS
Congratulations to Lili Clark ’15 and Kelsey Schmitt ’14 for receiving a superior rating and gold medal for their duet performance at the Texas Private Schools Music 70
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Educators Association’s State Solo and Ensemble contest in May. (photo aa)
Four Middle School students placed in the Private School Invitational exhibit at The Oakridge School. Amanda Park ’20 and Braden Rhone ’18 received first place,
Jiaying Fu ’21 placed in second, and Sophia Stener ’18 received Honorable Mention. Other students who had work accepted were: Samantha Brosler ’18, Claire Koonsman ’19, Sabrina Nuth ’18, Katie Smythe ’18, Caitlyn Tong ’18, and Sumner Wooldridge ’21. (photo bb)
Students in Mary Bickley’s kindergarten and primer art classes replicated blown glass sculptures using recycled packing popcorn and tissue paper, and based on real art displays around Dallas. The artwork was inspired by the Neiman Marcus display at NorthPark, as well as Dale Chihuly and ESD alumna, Carlyn Ray ’00. In April, the sixth grade band competed at the Sandy Lake FunFest competition; the group earned a “Superior” score and a giant trophy. Band students included: Riley Breaux, Brodie Burke, Cameron Burress, Fin Davis, Christian Duessel, Spencer Dunn, Zain Haq, Brian Jones, Alexander Konradi, Tarun Viswanathan Mittal, Ava Mollabashy, Braden Montgomery, Humza Naseem, Ryan Nuth, Sohaib Raza, Austin Russell, Trey Schroder, and Humza Tariq. (photo cc) Fifteen seniors took their final bow as part of the Fine Arts program at April’s Cabaret Night performance. Emily Barnes, Emily Bassel, Gillian Broadway, Armand Fernandez-Pierre, TJ Jackson, Gabby Laurendine, Will Lipscomb, Jack Mikeska, Margaret Mulcahy, Shannon O’Connor, Jeff Patton, Elizabeth Patrick, Megan Sims, Alex Snyder, and Jack Todd, all participated in the singing and dancing numbers, along with other members of the Upper School Concert Choir. (photo dd)
Congratulations to the 15 Middle and Upper School students featured in the Art of Nature exhibit sponsored by the Dallas Arboretum and SMU Meadows School of the Arts. Samantha Brosler ’18 (photo ee) received second place and honorable mention for her submissions; Berry Boeckman ’14 won first place and “Best of Show” for her monoprint. Other student participants included: Abby Brand ’20, Caroline Durante ’17, Jiaying Fu ’21, Olivia Jennings ’16, Tommy Landry ’15, Sarah Pappas ’17, Taezja Phelan ’19, Christina Radford ’15, Izzi Salinas ’ 14, Margaret Siu ’16, Madison Willox ’19, and Sumner Wooldridge ’21. Senior Eric Stern received first place in this year’s Shakespeare Week film contest. Seniors Kelly Eichenholz and Elise Waller finished in second, followed by Katherine Hunsaker ’14 and Sidney Sikes ’14 in third; Cal Etcheverry ’17 received honorable mention. ESD sent 18 Middle and Upper School students to perform in the Texas Private School Music Educators Association’s Region Solo and Ensemble contest in March. Student participants included: Ali Hasan Adatia ’18, Elliot Duessel ’19, William Hargrave ’19, Trinity Hawkins ’19, Sean Hemingway ’19, Hector Hernandez ’18, Christian King ’19, Danny Kung ’19, Emelia McLaughlin ’18, Scott Neuhoff ’19, Sarah Schultz ’19, Campbell Smith ’18, and Davis Sutter ’19. Oscar Benavides’14, Tarun Mittal ’20, Tarushi Mittal ’18, Brianna Sessa ’15, and Shawn Tran ’17 performed solos at the competition; Benavides also qualified to compete at the TPSMEA State Solo
Ensemble contest in May. (photo ff) Kelsey Schmitt ’14 had her monotype, Hold My Heart, printed in Teen Ink’s March edition. The monthly magazine features submitted art and writing pieces from teenagers across the U.S. (photo gg)
During her trip to New York, Kirsten Carona ’21 visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art and got to see Edward Hick’s painting of the Peaceable Kingdom. Carona studied the painting this semester in Vikki Martin’s class. (photo hh) Lili Clark ’15, Jiaying Fu ’21, Emilie Owens ’18, and Kelsey Schmitt ’14 received “One” or “Superior” ratings on their performance at the Texas Private School Music Educators Association contest at Greenhill in March. Fu and Owens performed violin solos, and Clark and Schmitt teamed up for a Back viola and flute number. Congratulations to Samantha Cheung ’14, Danielle Berg ’14, Michael Patterson ’16, and Megan Sims ’14 for having their artwork accepted to the Texas Visual Arts Association’s High School Art Competition. Only 15 percent of entries were accepted from more than 890 entries from over 30 schools. Tommy Landry ’15 had his drawing, “The Six Caballeros,” accepted into the Young American Talent Show at the H. Paxon Moore Fine Arts Gallery at El Centro College in February. Landry received Honorable Mention for his participation in the Booker T. Washington-sponsored contest.
ff
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ii Senior Eric Stern had his film, Heartbreak, selected for screening at the 2014 SXSW Film Festival in Austin as part of the Texas High School Shorts competition, and during the Dallas International Film Festival. The short film featured two friends discussing relationship woes and deception. (photo ii)
Samantha Brosler ’18 and Tarushi Mittal ’18 were named to the 2014 Texas Private School Music Educators Association’s Middle School All-Region Honor Band. Brosler was named principal oboe, and Mittal was honored with the third chair percussion position. Senior Caroline Corson’s ceramic piece, Patches, was accepted into the National K-12 Ceramic
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ISAS ARTS FESTIVAL
jj Emilie Owens ’18 won the audition for a spot to perform in the Texas Private School Music Educators Association’s Middle School Honor Orchestra. She won the seventh chair position in the first violin section.
kk Exhibition in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The exhibition features students’ works in conjunction with the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts. Corson’s piece was one of 150 selected from a pool of more than 1,150 entries. (photo kk) Janie Dutter ’16 received first place in the Black and White Images Contest sponsored by Fort Worth Country Day for her photo essay, “Behind the Mask.” Danielle Berg ’14 and Rainey Lynch ’15 were also featured in the show. Congratulations to Cal Etcheverry ’17 for being selected for the TXU Energy Film contest as part of the 2104 Dallas International Film Festival. Etcheverry’s horror 72
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film highlighted the importance of turning off unused lights and conserving electricity. Three Upper School students were named regional winners in the 2014 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Southwest Region-atLarge contest. Kelsey Schmitt ’14 won gold keys for her poetry and personal essay/ memoir, silver keys for her short story and poetry, and honorable mention for her poetry, painting, and photography entries. Megan Sims ’14 won a gold key for poetry, silver keys for her poetry and personal essay/memoir and honorable mention in the poetry and short story categories. Margaret Siu ’16 won a silver key for her poetry.
Congratulations to the three instrumental music students named to the Texas Private School Music Educators Association’s All-State group. Lili Clark ’15 was named principal viola in the All-State Orchestra, seniors Oscar Benavides and Kelsey Schmitt were named to the All-State Band. Seniors Jenkins Bender, Berry Boeckman, Ines Bustamante, Samantha Cheung, Virginia Puckett, Megan Rooney, Lauren Sands, and Megan Sims were featured in the AP Art Show Roots in January. In February, Emily Bassel, Danielle Berg, Izzi Salinas, Kelsey Schmitt, Sidney Sikes, CeCe Turner, and Sophie Sisson were featured in the Wonder show. Each student delivered a portfolio presentation prior to a reception with the ESD community. (photo jj)
Sixty-five Upper School students traveled to Houston in April for the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest Arts Festival. During the festival, students present their studio and performing arts skills, including film and photography projects, jazz and other musical ensembles, and theater and improv showcases. “The ISAS Arts Festival is an incredible opportunity for our students to showcase their talents in the arts,” Dusty Davidson, chair of the Fine Arts Department, said. “They get to see the amazing work of other students, as well, which teaches, encourages, and inspires them in ways that the regular classroom experience cannot.” The festival, started in 1967, features student artwork from more than 30 regional schools. All Upper School students are invited to participate to stimulate creativity among their peers and help develop fine arts programs in ISAS schools. Students are also critiqued, but not judged, on their presentations and submissions.
NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY ACCEPTS MORE THAN 60 PERCENT OF CLASS OF 2015
More than 60 percent of the Class of 2015 from The Episcopal School of Dallas was inducted in the National Honor Society during a special Chapel service on Thursday, March 27. To qualify for the honor, students must demonstrate excellence in character, leadership, scholarship, and service to others. These students must also have been enrolled in classes at ESD for at least one semester and maintain a cumulative GPA of 6.0 on an 8.0 scale. This year, ESD’s National Honor Society chapter raised more than $700 in a bake sale for ESD’s Habitat for Humanity project. In addition, a record 58 students participated in the Carter Blood Drive in November. This select group of individuals has also donated hundreds of hours tutoring Middle School students. “It is my challenge to the new inductees to carry on these traditions,” Mason Conine, president of ESD’s NHS chapter, said. “They are already off to a great start with a record number of students being inducted. These students will ensure that the reputation of ESD’s National Honor Society is one that promotes excellence in scholarship, leadership, service, and character.” Those inducted into the School’s NHS chapter include: Brock Anglin, Johnathan Barr, Oscar Bautista, Andrew Blair, Alyssa Bower, Karina Boyea, Renner Brown, Ignacio Bustamante, Paul Cahoon, Annaliese Chang, Joseph Cheniae, Lili Clark, Damon Colonnetta, Claire Cramm, Rae Crowe, Tate Curington, Kendall DeSantis, Alexander Eggers, Jared Eichner, Gordon Gehan, Paty Gomez-Palacio, Gabriel Goncalves, David Gonzalez, Jason Goolsby, Christina Gordon, Winston Guillory, Elizabeth Hamlin, James Hands, Mary Hardcastle, Rachel Hersh, Harry Hull, Emma Jenevein, Jared Johnson, Caroline Jones, Joseph Kerr, Leyla Khotanzad, Honor Kidd, Tommy Landry, Elizabeth Laughlin, Connie Lee, Rainey Lynch, Melanie Maguire, Gretchen Mahoney, Margot McGee, Alison McPherson, Natalie Monger, Joseph Mrozek, Armon Naeini, Hadleigh Nelson, Charlotte Neuhoff, Hudson Nix, Claire North, Coco Pidgeon, Sam Postma, Christina Radford, Cailin Riley, Abigail Rivera, Joseph Rooney, Charlotte Scott, Sabrina Scott, Victoria Siu, Kristina Stukalin, Christina Tatum, Henry Thornton, Eliza Wagley, Caleb Williams, Alexandra Williamson, Sophie Wilson, Andrew Winsauer, and Roger Wong. SUMMER 2014
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REIGNING
CHAMPIONS THE ESD LACROSSE TEAM, led by Pat Kennedy, knocked off Dallas Jesuit for the Division I Texas High School Lacrosse League state championship title on Sunday, May 4, in Houston. Despite being tied with the Rangers 2-2 at the half, the Eagles rallied to outscore their opponent by a final score of 9-4. ESD advanced to the title game by overthrowing Highland Park, 8-5. Junior Sam Romano was named the tournament’s MVP; senior teammates Jack Beare and Foster Huggins were named tournament Offensive and Defensive MVP, respectively. The win avenged an 11-7 loss to Dallas Jesuit from back in April. ESD finished the season at 18-2. In April, the Eagles defeated the Marksmen for the SPC crown. THE MEN’S AND WOMEN’S VARSITY SOCCER TEAMS were named Division I SPC Champions in February. The men’s team defeated Cistercian 2-0 on February 15 with one goal by Winston Guillory ’15 and a penalty kick from Grant Matzen ’14. To advance to the finals, the Eagles defeated the number one seed from the south, Episcopal High School, on their home turf in overtime with a game winning goal from Joseph Rooney ’15. The women’s team shut out John Cooper, 5-0 for the championship title. Ellis Miller ’17, Elizabeth Reid ’17, Karina Boyea ’15, and Sarah McGinn ’17 all scored for the Eagles. In the match prior, the Eagles triumphed in an extraordinarily competitive match versus the defending champions, Hockaday, 1-0. IN APRIL, 10 OF ESD’S CREW BOATS advanced to the finals in the Texas Rowing Championship Regatta on Town Lake in Austin. Julius Stener ’16, Liam Herrick ’15, Carter Boisfontaine ’14, and Michael McCrory ’14 won first place in the men’s varsity 4x. Josiah Hamid-Khani ’16 and Jack Knowles ’16 also won first in the men’s JV 2x. Caroline Brennan ’14 and Emma Jenevein ’15 won first in the women’s junior lightweight. In June, three varsity boats accepted their invitation to US Rowing’s National Youth Championships. Racing a single, Elizabeth Patrick ’14 finished 10th fastest in the United States. Racing in a double, Caroline Brennan ’14 and Emma Jenevein ’15 won the B Final, with the 5th fastest time overall lightweight girls. Racing in a quad, Michael McCrory ’14, Carter Boisfointaine ’14, Liam Herrick ’15, and Julius Stener ’16, finished first in the C Final with the 5th fastest time overall.
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Jack Beare
Grant Brown
Corey Henderson, Jr.
Foster Huggins
Lacrosse, Notre Dame (after PG year)
Tennis, Case Western Reserve University
Basketball, Wichita State
Lacrosse, Loyola Marymont
TJ Jackson
Marshall Lefferts
Richie Loftus
Nigel Naulls
Football, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
Football, Penn State
Lacrosse, Dartmouth
Football, University of Texas at San Antonio
C Elizabeth Patrick Crew, Louisville
OLLEGIATE ATHLETES This year, 11 graduating seniors have committed to playing their sport of choice at the collegiate level. This year’s class has lacrosse and soccer champions, a tennis ace, running backs, rowers, a point guard, and linemen; after the buzzer sounds, these student-athletes excel in a rigorous academic workload and give back to their community. “I am so proud of this group. They are ambassadors of ESD and demonstrate the exceptional academic and athletic programs we have here,” Jerry Reese, Director of Athletics, said. “They also validate the research that indicates a strong and positive correlation between high school sports participation and academic success.”
CeCe Turner
Elise Waller
Crew, Stanford
Soccer, Wesleyan
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PERSPEC
TIVES
THE EDUCATED CONSCIENCE OF THE 2014 DUNLEVIE SCHOLAR
Established in 2000 in honor of Mr. Dwight Dunlevie, retired ESD Middle School Head, and enhanced by memorial gifts from family and friends in 2006-2007, the Dwight and Vera Dunlevie Endowed Scholarship provides competitive scholarships for two students in the Upper School. Among other qualifications, Dunlevie Scholars exhibit exemplary academic achievement and the highest standards of personal character. The following personal reflection on “what is an educated conscience” is by Nigel Naulls, the 2014 Dunlevie Scholar. I GRAB MY DILAPIDATED STAND; ITS SCREWS NO LONGER CAN KEEP IT STRAIGHT. I place it on the carpet while
the black frame sways as a bare tree on an autumn eve. In my hand I carry my faded black case, weary from the many miles of travel. After all my hard work, the treasure I have been awaiting is unearthed. I grab the wooden instrument and its companion. I plop in the chair, trying to sit upright, and I strike the pose: back straight, both feet on the ground, left hand forming a “C,” keeping the elbow up, while the right hand is loose, and position my body at the end of the chair. I begin to play my cello.
IT IS THIRD DOWN AND 10 YARDS TO GO. The hot Texas
air strangles me as I search for my next breath. I strike the pose: feet shoulder-width apart, slightly staggered, squat on the pot, place hand on the ground with 70 percent of weight on it, and keep my head up. I impatiently wait in my stance as the other teams quarterback yells the cadence, “Down, set, hut-hut.” My muscles flex and I shift my weight to the balls of my feet. I jump. Hoping that my hands don’t deceive me this one time, I snatch the ball out of the night air. The roars of my team and fans catapult me towards the green end zone. My opponent’s hand presses down on my back, trying to tackle me, but I will not stop. I dive for the pylon. “Touchdown!”
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THIS IS MY STORY. I am not the person you would expect. The idea of being well-rounded – with an eclectic array of likes and skills – was instilled in me at a young age. However, the two prominent loves of my life involve the strings of the football and the strings of my cello. Many are flabbergasted that a young African American male would indulge in such juxtaposed passions as football and cello. But this is who I am. I am not your typical jock, yet I am not your typical musician. I find myself in the middle trying to balance the two on a day-to-day basis. Through my participation in both at ESD, I have found a work ethic that I am confident will propel me throughout my life. Playing both the cello and football changed me. But what makes me who I am is not just the pads on my back or the bow in my hand. My educated conscience has taught me that I am not defined by the stereotypes. I am not defined by the boxes people want to place me in. I am not defined by other’s expectations of me. What defines me is me. I choose to play football, and I choose to play the cello. They are me – I am a jock and I am a musician. I have learned that life is what you make of it, and you are who you chose to be. I am Nigel Willis Naulls. And as the saying goes, don’t judge this book by its cover, “Because I’m telling you now, you’ll get it wrong.”
AND THE
AWARD GOES TO...
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2013 - 2014
LOWER SCHOOL AWARDS
THE MARY ELIZABETH WILLIAMS ’82 AWARD is given to two fourth grade students who exemplify outstanding leadership ability, academic achievement, and service to others.
Mary Grace Altizer and Cash Whiteman POETRY CONTEST PRESENTERS
MATH OLYMPIADS
TEXAS MATH LEAGUE
FIRST GRADE
THIRD GRADE
FOURTH PLACE
Mackenzie Brooks Mira Gosslee Luke Lange Barrett McBrayer Stice Neuhoff Cecily Northcut
Mary Grace Altizer Connor Awbrey Edwin Bishop Evin Bishop Andrew Bohnsack Fletcher Calvert James Click Taylor Elliott Price Johnson Sydney Knodel Minje Kwun Emily Lichty Jackson Lutz Reid Moorman Dalia Nabulsi Thomas Philip Mac Rodvold Courtenay Sands Kathryn Sands Kathryn Sullivan Alexander Wysk Rider Yeaman
FIRST PLACE
Wyatt Ayers Elyana Bishop Sarah Chiste Benjamin Moorman
Minje Kwun
Andrew Bohnsack Ruby Long Luke Peron Kathryn Sullivan James Wharton Alexander Wysk Rider Yeaman
SECOND GRADE
Caroline Bagley Logan Betts William Custard Houston Jones Katie Martineau Iris McKethan Sarah Rocchio Kate Ryder Brooks Searcy James Sutherland Easterly Yeaman
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FOURTH GRADE
Connor Awbrey Erika Batson Evin Bishop Casey Curtis Kate Elliston Harris Jones Sydney Knodel Minje Kwun Ruby Long Reid Moorman Dalia Nabulsi Kathryn Sullivan James Wharton
SECOND PLACE
Dax Dundon Paco Gomez Dalia Nabulsi THIRD PLACE
Riley Calvert Price Johnson Sheldon Clements Taylor Elliott Camille Greening MATHLETICS
Fletcher Calvert Jackson Lutz Rider Yeaman
2013 - 2014
LOWER SCHOOL AWARDS FLYING ANGELS READING AWARDS To receive a Flying Angel Reading Award, third and fourth grade students must read 10 fiction or biography chapter books that are not already required by their teachers. Students must then write and turn in a brief summary of each book, including the story’s plot and who the major characters are.
TEXAS BLUEBONNET READING AWARDS To receive a Texas Bluebonnet Reading Award, third and fourth grade students must read 10 books from a provided list, and then write a brief summary about the main characters and major events.
THIRD GRADE
FOURTH GRADE
MS. AMATO’S CLASS
MS. JAROL’S CLASS
Patrick Burke Henry Nichols Blake Scheinberg Caroline Waterman
Esme McGaughy
MS. ESTEVE’S CLASS
Briggs Briner Teddy Sparrow Lily Tollison MS. LOONEY’S CLASS
Maren Ayres Amber Donahue
MRS. ROMPREY’S CLASS
Kate Elliston Reid Moorman Gloria Wang MRS. ROBERT’S CLASS
Casey Curtis Isabella Custard Jake Lewis Rider Yeaman MS. WILDER’S CLASS
Taylor Elliott Paco Gomez Price Johnson Luke Peron
THIRD GRADE
FOURTH GRADE
MS. AMATO’S CLASS
MS. JAROL’S CLASS
Sanders Chipman Hal Crenshaw Harrison Elliott Callie Hawkins
Erika Batson Fletcher Calvert Harris Jones
MS. ESTEVE’S CLASS
Riley Calvert
Grace Exall Raafae Haq Caroline Ragan Layne Scheinberg Will Searcy MS. GINSBERG’S CLASS
Harper Knight Elizabeth Sawers Elisabeth Siegel
MRS. ROMPREY’S CLASS
MRS. ROBERT’S CLASS
Kellen Carona Marley Frazier MS. WILDER’S CLASS
Dalia Nabulsi Finley Nelson
MS. LOONEY’S CLASS
Daniel Sucato Grace Worsham Stephanie Pfister Courtenay Sands Caroline Teegarden
TEXAS BLUEBONNET & FLYING ANGELS READING AWARDS THIRD GRADE
MS. ESTEVE’S CLASS
MS. GINSBERG’S CLASS
MS. LOONEY’S CLASS
MS. AMATO’S CLASS
Katherine Hess Jack Nurenberg
Mia Carley Alex Dabbous Liam Runyon Sally Tomlin
Hudson Baker Rohan Schlehuber
Andrew Carrie Alexis Scott
FOURTH GRADE
MRS. ROMPREY’S CLASS
MRS. ROBERT’S CLASS
MS. WILDER’S CLASS
MS. JAROL’S CLASS
Sydney Knodel Minje Kwun Mary Frances McGaughy Stephanie Pfister James Wharton
Connor Awbrey Evin Bishop Kara Dross Camille Greening Day Nettle Jayne Pierce Mac Rodvold Courtenay Sands Cash Whiteman
Mary Grace Altizer Edwin Bishop Caroline Martineau Lillian Nettle Kathryn Sands Kathryn Sullivan Alexander Wysk
Andrew Bohnsack James Click Emily Lichty Caroline Teegarden
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MIDDLE SCHOOL AWARDS FINE ARTS FESTIVAL
SEVENTH GRADE AWARDS
FIFTH GRADE
SEVENTH GRADE (3D)
1ST
1ST
John Stallman Ellie Bass Jackson Breard Sumner Wooldridge Jiaying Fu Emma Sucato
2ND 3RD 4TH 5TH HM
2ND 3RD 4TH HM
Adam Bland Mason Goslee Natalia Siddiqi Annie Saustad Trey Brooks Will Beck
SIXTH GRADE
EIGHTH GRADE (2D)
1ST
1ST
Lily Finn Abby Brand Ava Mollabashy Lily Jackson Rachel Morrow Charlotte Podeszwa
2ND 3RD 4TH 5TH HM
SEVENTH GRADE (2D) 1ST
Dane Linocut Maddie Tong Claire Koonsman Francesca Wimer Patrick Phillips
2ND 3RD 4TH HM
2ND 3RD 4TH HM
Samantha Brosler Alexa Lutz Cameron McGee Ellery Marshall Peyton Jeter
EIGHTH GRADE (3D) 1ST
2ND 3RD 4TH HM
Katie Smythe Trevor Hobbs Lauchlin Langston Patricia Crawford William Cooper
SIXTH GRADE AWARDS DALLAS COUNTY SPELLING BEE COMPETITION AND ESD RUNNER-UP
Caden Dundon WRITER’S FORUM PARTICIPANTS
Jordan Aikman, Catherine Blaylock, Abby Brand, Brodie Burke, Catie Gallo, Claire Groves, Lily Jackson, Abby Ragan, Meg Wilson, and River Woods PICTIONARY CHAMPIONS
Paige Adams, Jordan Aikman, Kerrm Ahsan, Brodie Burke, Jake Connelly, Ned Dockery, Spencer Dunn, Catie Gallo, Claire Groves, and Will Jones BATTLE OF THE BOOKS WINNERS
Emily Delgado, Brian Jones, and Sophie Sumrow DEBATE CLUB CAPTAINS
Zan Haw and Christopher Miller REMOTE CAR CLUB CAPTAINS
Christian Duessel and Blake Mahowald
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John Calvert and Anastasia Sotiropoulos Maddie Tong HISTORY Katelin Gildersleeve SCIENCE Trey Brooks and Jetlyn Toledo RELIGION Grace Boyd LATIN Liam Nickell and Francesca Wimer SCULPTURE Adam Bland and Mason Gosslee THEATER Atticus Cabrales and Lilly French CHOIR Maggie Lipscomb and Christopher Talbot BAND Christian King ART Mackenzie Fain-Parish COMPUTER William Hargrave ENGLISH MATH
REBECCA ROYALL AWARD awarded to seventh grade students who have “made a difference” at ESD
Christian King and Ella Varel EIGHTH GRADE AWARDS
Sam Bass and Samantha Brosler Tarushi Mittal HISTORY Amelia Danklef SCIENCE Sophie Holland FRENCH Lauchlin Langston and Michelle Shen SPANISH Shelby Stansbury LATIN Kathryn Smith CHINESE Caitlyn Tong COMPUTER Nick Greenberg ART Sabrina Nuth ART PURCHASE Samantha Brosler THEATER Lauren Levy and Quincy Lynch BAND Tarushi Mittal STRINGS Emilie Owens SCULTPURE Grace Crenshaw 3D PURCHASE Katie Smythe CHOIR Isabella Siragusa RELIGION Amanda Warren ENGLISH MATH
THE PETER K. LUTKEN AWARD IS given to an eighth grade student who displays honor, respect, integrity, and courage.
Sophie Holland
THE OUTSTANDING STUDENT AWARD is presented to two eighth grade students who have shown dedication to learning, involvement in the community, generosity of spirit, and personal growth.
Samantha Brosler and Trevor Hobbs THE HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL ACADEMIC MEDALS is awarded to eighth grade students who have consistently demonstrated academic excellence over a long period of time.
Sam Bass, Samantha Brosler, Emma Cabrales, Sarah Kate Massey, Thomas May, Tarushi Mittal, Emilie Owens, Katie Smythe, Sophia Stener, and Caitlyn Tong
2013 - 2014
UPPER SCHOOL AWARDS HIGHEST RANKING GRADUATES VALEDICTORIAN
AWARDS FOR INDIVIDUAL DISTINCTION
THE CHANCELLOR’S CUP, presented by the Head of School, was established to honor The Reverend Canon Donald Henning, ESD’s first chancellor.
Sophie Sisson Northwestern University
Jenkins Bender
SALUTATORIAN
by the values of ESD’s Founding Tenets.
Megan Sims Harvard University 3RD
THE HEAD OF SCHOOL AWARD is presented to one senior boy and one senior girl who exemplify their commitment to living
Mason Conine and Elise Waller
THE DAVID M. MUNSON LOYALTY AWARD presented by Mr. Munson’s son, David, to honor David M. Munson, lifetime
Megan Rooney Duke University
member of the ESD Board of Directors. This award recognizes a student’s dedication and loyalty to ESD.
4TH
THE JOHN R. EAGLE AWARD recognizes a junior or senior student who has a passion for and distinguishing talent in visual or
Emily Barnes The University of Texas at Austin 5TH
Kelsey Schmitt University of Chicago 6TH
Shalom Nwakibu
performing arts.
Gabby Laurendine THE PETER K. LUTKEN AWARD is given to one senior in honor of Peter’s long and valued service to ESD as a former division head, Director of Outdoor Education, and teacher.
Jeff Patton
Anderson Riddick Duke University
THE BARBARA MEIER AWARD is presented in honor of ESD former journalism teacher by her husband, Frank, to an
7TH
Anderson Riddick
outstanding student.
Meredith Bower Colorado College
THE CAROL RUGELEY DOCKERY AWARD is presented to a junior girl who exemplifies the qualities friends treasured in the late
8TH
Liza Hamlin
Kelly Eichenholz Northwestern University 9TH
Jakesy Jordaan The University of Texas at Austin
Mrs. Dockery – a deep love of God and family, a commitment to learning and scholarship, and loyalty towards friends.
THE KEVIN MICHAEL HUHEEY AWARD presented by the freshman class dean in honor of Kevin Michael Huheey, who was killed in an accident before the Honors Assembly, the award was established in his honor by the Class of 1989, Kevin’s family, and the ESD community. This award recognizes an outstanding freshman boy or girl for their positive contributions to ESD.
Madhav Nair
10TH
Emily Bassel The University of Texas at Austin
FACULTY AWARDS
Given to students who make ESD a better place for all who work and learn here. FRESHMEN
Grace Bellman, David Boruff, Carter Daulton, Ann Dockery, Tommy Hessel, Mary Katherine Nix, Mindy Osler, and Daniel Puckett SOPHOMORES
Alexandra Eagle, Bella Goncalves, Josiah Hamid-Khani, Kay Merritt, Pedro Rivera, Chloe Roberson, Charlie Sikes, and Julius Stener
JUNIORS
Jonathan Barr, Kendall DeSantis, Steven Gonzalez, Christina Gordon, Liam Herrick, Harry Hull, and Libby Laughlin
VARSITY ATHLETIC AWARDS
Honoring participation in three varsity sports each year for four years. EAGLE AWARD
Shelby Conine, Catherine Lovitt, Sidney Sikes, and Olivia Winton ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
Karina Boyea and Richie Loftus STEPHEN B. SWANN
SCHOLAR ATHLETE AWARD
Shelby Conine STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING AWARD
Rachel Hersh and Brock Neurohr
SENIORS
Alex Aronowitz, Meredith Bower, Jordan Frank, TJ Jackson, Austin Jones, Will Lipscomb, Elizabeth Patrick, Izzi Salinas, and Eric Stern
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UPPER SCHOOL AWARDS DISTINGUISHED STUDENT LIFE AWARDS
DISTINGUISHED SCHOLAR AWARDS
ITINERARY WRITER’S AWARD is given to two students who have made an
BROWN BOOK AWARD
outstanding contribution to the school in the area of creative writing.
Emma Jenevein
Kelsey Schmitt and Megan Sims SHERRILL AWARD was established to honor the student who has made the most significant contributions to the acolytes at ESD.
Catherine Lovitt
CONNECTICUT COLLEGE BOOK AWARD
Claire North
DARTMOUTH BOOK AWARD
ZACHARY BENJAMIN BELL JOURNALISM AWARD is presented by the parents
Connie Lee
Emily Barnes and Shelby Conine
FRANCILE EHRIGHT LATIN AWARD honors ESD’s former Latin teacher,
DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION AWARD is given to a student
performance and participates enthusiastically in the Latin program.
of Zachary in honor of his legacy as Editor-in-Chief of the Eagle Edition.
who demonstrates dependability, service, leadership, and patriotism.
Mason Conine
GEORGE MALEY WILDERNESS AWARD is presented in honor of George, a member of the founding class at ESD and devotee to the outdoors.
Emily Bassel
and is presented to a student who shows excellence in academic
Gretchen Mahoney
FREDERICK DOUGLASS/ SUSAN B. ANTHONY AWARD
Emma Jenevein
HENDRIX COLLEGE ODYSSEY BOOK AWARD
EDDIE EASON SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD is presented to the student-athlete
who best exemplifies the characteristics of teamwork, commitment, and loyalty.
Sidney Sikes
Eliza Wagley
JOAN D. HODGES AWARD honors the former Head of Upper School and is given to a student who has a love of history, always contributes to class discussions, and takes a challenging history course load.
Mason Conine DISTINGUISHED ACADEMIC SCHOLAR AWARDS COMPUTER SCIENCE
Renner Brown
ENGLISH Emily FILM Eric
Barnes
Stern
FRENCH Sophie INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
Riddick
Kelsey Schmitt
LATIN Tate
Curington
MANDARIN CHINESE
Victoria Siu
MATHEMATICS
Jakesy Jordaan, Sophie Sisson
POLYGLOT Paty RELIGIOUS STUDIES
Gomez-Palacio
Jenkins Bender
SCIENCE CeCe
Turner
SPANISH Catherine
Alexander Eggers
SEWANEE BOOK AWARD
Sisson
HISTORY Anderson
RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE AWARD
Lovitt
THEATER/CHOIR AWARD
Will Lipscomb
VISUAL ARTS
Berry Boeckman
Rachel Hersh
SMITH COLLEGE BOOK AWARD
Meredith Hessel
UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY APPOINTMENT
Mason Conine - United States Military Academy at West Point UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER BAUSCH & LOMB HONORARY SCIENCE AWARD
Charlotte Neuhoff
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA JEFFERSON BOOK AWARD
Gretchen Mahoney
WELLESLEY COLLEGE BOOK AWARD
Caroline Jones
YALE BOOK AWARD
Tate Curington
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UPPER SCHOOL FINE ART AWARDS THEATER AWARDS
OUTSTANDING THEATER PRODUCTION
Jeff Patton
PHOTOGRAPHY AND ART AWARDS FROM SHOWS ATPI AWARDS
Gabby Laurendine BAND AND ORCHESTRA AWARDS OUTSTANDING BAND STUDENT
Oscar Benavides TPSMEA ALL-STATE BAND
Oscar Benavides and Kelsey Schmitt Lili Clark
BLACK AND WHITE IMAGES CONTEST
3RD
TPSMEA ALL-STATE CHOIR
Armand Fernandez-Pierre and William Lipscomb TPSMEA ALL-REGION TREBLE CHOIR
Armand Fernandez-Pierre, William Lipscomb, and Ryan Sands FILM AWARDS ATPI AWARDS 1ST HM
Eric Stern Eric Stern
OUTSTANDING FILM EDITING
2ND
1ST
2ND
TEXAS VISUAL ARTS ASSOCIATION
3RD
ACCEPTED WORK
HM
Danielle Berg, Samantha Cheung, Michael Patterson, and Megan Sims
DRAWING
NATIONAL K-12 CERAMIC EXHIBITION
2ND
ACCEPTED WORK
Caroline Corson
YOUNG AMERICAN TALENT COMPETITION
1ST
3RD HM
2ND
1ST
Kelsey Schmitt
ART OF NATURE EXHIBITION 1ST
Berry Boeckman
3RD HM
1ST
3RD HM
Kate Monger and Trey Scardino RISING STAR FOR FILM MAKING
NATIONAL YOUNGARTS
1ST
FOUNDATION AWARD
VISUAL ARTS PURCHASE AWARDS
CERAMICS Sidney DRAWING AND PAINTING PHOTOGRAPHY PRINTMAKING SCULTPURE
Sikes Emily Bassel Danielle Berg Izzi Salinas CeCe Turner
Emily Bassel Jenkins Bender Danielle Berg Berry Boeckman Ines Bustamante Samantha Cheung Virginia Puckett Megan Rooney
2ND HM
GRADUATING AP ARTISTS
Izzi Salinas Lauren Sands Kelsey Schmitt Sidney Sikes Megan Sims Sophie Sisson Sarah Starr CeCe Turner
Maddie Whittington Maddie Whittington Gordon Gehan Sara Starr
PRINTMAKING
3RD
Megan Sims
Jenkins Bender Bo Baker Taylor Crosby Megan Rooney
PAINTING
Caroline Durante, Olivia Jennings, Tommy Landry, Sarah Pappas, Christina Radford, Izzi Salinas, and Margaret Siu
Cal Etcheverry
Emily Bassel Samantha Cheung Emily Bassel Tommy Landry
SCHOLASTIC ART AND WRITING AWARDS
ACCEPTED WORK
OUTSTANDING FILM II STUDENT
Sidney Sikes Zoe Long Kendall DeSantis Kate Robinson
MIXED MEDIA
2ND
Alison McPherson
Danielle Berg Rainey Lynch Megan Sims Rainey Lynch
Tommy Landry
HM
Johnathan Barr and Joey Mrozek
1ST
CERAMICS
Danielle Berg
Rankin Hobbs Liza Hamlin Anna Konradi Bo Baker
ADVANCED PHOTOGRAPHY
HM
SOUTHWEST REGION-AT-LARGE
OUTSTANDING SCREEN WRITING
HM
Janie Dutter HM Rainey Lynch
Emily Bassel and Gabby Laurendine TPSMEA ALL-REGION MIXED CHOIR
3RD
SPONSORED BY FORT WORTH COUNTRY DAY
ACCEPTED WORK
CHOIR AWARDS
1ST
2ND
1ST
TPSMEA ALL-STATE ORCHESTRA
BEGINNING PHOTOGRAPHY
Virginia Puckett 2ND Megan Sims 3RD Danielle Berg and Caroline Beutel HM Danielle Berg, Claire Cramm, Rainey Lynch, Kay Merritt, Sarah Pappas, Virginia Puckett, and Megan Sims
1ST
BEST THESPIAN
VISUAL ARTS AWARDS
Elizabeth Neuhoff Bo Baker Natalie Groves Robert Crenshaw
SCULPTURE/ METALS 1ST
2ND 3RD HM
Alyssa Bower Charlie Sikes CeCe Turner Caroline Blaylock
BEST OF SHOW 2D
Emily Bassel and Danielle Berg BEST OF SHOW 3D
Sidney Sikes
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ESD VARSITY ATHLETIC AWARDS BASEBALL
MIP
MEN’S BASKETBALL
FOOTBALL
All-SPC
All-SPC
Oscar Benavides
Corey Henderson, Jr.
All-North Zone
Corey Henderson, Jr. and Gordon Gehan MIP Grant Troutt MVP Corey Henderson, Jr. Phil Pressey Mr. Assist Award
Corey Henderson, Jr. Prostock/ Wesson Mr. Hustle Award
Ben Barbour and William Butter Dash Krause Defensive Player Award
Grant Troutt Trevor Fuller Windex Rebounding Award
Gordon Gehan Cincy Powell Coaches Award
Blake Morrison, Jason Goolsby, and Trey Scardino WOMEN’S BASKETBALL All-SPC
Anna Konradi and Charlotte North
All-North Zone
Katherine Hunsaker and Leyla Khotanzad MIP Johari Jenkins MVP Anna Konradi Offensive MVP Charlotte North Defensive MVP Katherine Hunsaker Ms. Hustle Award Shannon O’Connor ESD Leadership Award Rachel Hersh ESD Spirit Award Leyla Khotanzad CHEERLEADING MVP
Caroline Oden
High Flyer Eagle Award
Shelby Conine, Kay Merritt, and Kristina Stukalin Leadership Award Caroline Jones All-Around Cheer Whitney Webb CREW MIP
Emily Jaggers and Julius Stener Elizabeth Patrick Ryan Kraft Award Niko Gies MVP
CROSS COUNTRY All-SPC
Lili Clark
All-North Zone
Lili Clark, Joseph Rooney, and Kohl Swift MIP Alex McElya and Caille Riley MVP Lili Clark and Joseph Rooney Newcomers of the Year
Annabelle Clark and Isaac Swift FIELD HOCKEY All-SPC
Rachel Hersh Sidney Sikes Offensive MVP Eliza Wagley Defensive MVP Rachel Hersh All-North Zone
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Elizabeth Reid
Heart of the Team Award
Sidney Sikes
All-SPC
Brock Anglin, Jack Johnson, Richie Loftus, and Brock Neurohr All-North Zone (QB): Richie Loftus All-North Zone (RB): Jack Johnson Tom Hillary All-Star Classic Nominees
TJ Jackson, Marshall Lefferts, Richie Loftus, Grant Matzen, and Nigel Naulls GOLF
All-SPC
Mark Reppe Areeb Afridi MVP Mark Reppe MIP
MEN’S LACROSSE All-American
Foster Huggins, Richie Loftus, and Sam Romano THSLL All-State Foster Huggins, Richie Loftus, Sam Romano, and Charlie Sikes THSLL All-District Jack Beare, Gab Goncalves, and Nakeie Montgomery THSLL Honorable Mention Preston Crow, Thomas Fitts, Cole Johnson, David Kerrigan, Joseph Rooney, and Matthew Senter THSLL Tournament Final Four MVP
Sam Romano THSLL Tournament Offensive MVP
Jack Beare THSLL Tournament Defensive MVP
Foster Huggins All-SPC Jack Beare, Preston Crow, Foster Huggins, Richie Loftus, Nakeie Montgomery, and Sam Romano MIP Cole Johnson MVP Preston Crow and Sam Romano Offensive MVP Jack Beare and Richie Loftus Defensive MVP Charlie Sikes Top Freshman Nakeie Montgomery No Name Award Joseph Rooney Class of 2014 Senior Leadership Award
Foster Huggins and Richie Loftus WOMEN’S LACROSSE All-SPC
Charlotte North, Claire North, and Sydney Sikes All-District Amanda Kung MIP Nika Willis MVP Charlotte North The Glue Sidney Sikes Coach’s Award Claire North MEN’S SOCCER All-SPC
Josh Clardy, Adan Garcia, Winston Guillory, Richie Loftus, and Grant Matzen All-North Zone Matthew Redish, Joseph Rooney,
Ryan Schmitt, and Jeffery Taber MIP Jack Mikeska MVP Grant Matzen Offensive MVP Winston Guillory Defensive MVP Josh Clardy WOMEN’S SOCCER All-SPC
Karina Boyea, Morgan Eller, Ellis Miller, Sarah Stukalin, and Elise Waller All-North Zone Nicole Curry, McKenzie Kelly, Elizabeth Reid, and Katie White Comeback Player of the Year Christina Gordon MVP Karina Boyea Defender of the Year Elise Waller SOFTBALL All-SPC
Connie Lee Rachel Hersh MIP Kayla Andrews MVP Rachel Hersh Offensive Players Emily Bassel Defensive Players McKenna Pressley All-North Zone
SWIMMING All-SPC
Nicholas Hemingway
MEN’S TENNIS All-SPC
Grant Brown Grant Brown MIP Alden Vose MVP Grant Brown All-North Zone
WOMEN’S TENNIS All-SPC
Kaki Miller and Margaret Mulcahy Abigail Holman and Charlotte Neuhoff MIP Honor Kidd MVP Charlotte Neuhoff All-North Zone
TRACK AND FIELD All-SPC
Lili Clark, Madison Pyle, and Caleb Williams Lili Clark and Madison Pyle Most Valuable Athlete Caleb Williams Most Valuable Runner Kohl Swift MVP
VOLLEYBALL All-SPC
Karina Boyea Rainey Lynch MIP Abigail Holman MVP Karina Boyea Newcomer of the Year Marley Boyea All-North Zone
WRESTLING ALL-STATE
William Malouf Vincent Carrozza, Travis Carter, Mason Conine, Jackson Fitzgerald, and William Malouf MIP Mason Conine MVP William Malouf All-SPC
DEAR ALUMNI FRIENDS AND FAMILY, The ESD Alumni Association looks forward to building on the successes of last year. In May, we enjoyed the inaugural ESD Founders’ Weekend, coordinated by Alan Neuhoff ’89. It was a great weekend to reconnect with old friends, catch up with favorite teachers, and learn about the exciting things that are taking place on campus. Founders’ Weekend started with the Pass It On Ceremony. The threat of tornados did not dampen this great tradition of ESD seniors “passing on” their legacy to the eighth graders.
of ESD, while profoundly impacting the lives of countless students both inside and outside the classroom. This year’s only inductee into the Convocation was Jana Reed; the Inspirit Accolade honorees were Julie Allen, Elaine Biewenga, Connie Elms, and Mike Schneider. The speeches from the honorees and the former students they selected to introduce them were amazing. Julie Allen’s brother summarized the night the best by stating, “It felt like a family reunion.”
The next day started with an alumni coffee and “State of the School” address from our new Head of School, Meredyth Cole, and an overview of ESD’s long range plan by Ruth Burke, Assistant Head of School. Following the positive and uplifting reports, Cole moderated an alumni panel consisting of internal medicine specialist and professor Dr. Blake Barker ’97, MD; cinematographer David McFarland ’94; freelance editorial and fine art photographer Allison V. Smith ’88; and highly regarded literary agent, David Hale Smith ’86. Before an audience of alums, teachers, and the junior class, panelists answered questions ranging from their favorite ESD memories to advice for the junior class as they begin to think about life after ESD. Hearing from these very successful former students was not only inspiring, but made everyone in the room extremely proud to be associated with ESD.
Founders’ Weekend concluded on Sunday morning with a special Eucharist service performed by Father Swann in the All Saints Chapel. Father Swann’s words always help us appreciate the importance of ESD’s traditions and how they have shaped our lives.
The day continued with a chapel service and classroom visits for the alumni, which included Mr. Randall’s lecture on The Great Gatsby. After we revisited Jay Gatsby’s love and obsession with Daisy, many raced to the Golf Club of Dallas for the annual ESD Golf Tournament benefiting the Mary Elizabeth Williams Endowed Alumni Scholarship Fund. The two winning foursomes left the course that night with Masters-like jackets made of ESD plaid. Following the tournament, certain classes enjoyed their class reunion parties. On Saturday morning, the Alumni Association hosted a grass and flower planting party at ESD’s Habitat for Humanity house. That night we enjoyed the fourth annual Eagle Laureate Dinner, organized by Carol Vig ’89. At the dinner, the Alumni Association honors faculty and staff for their continued commitment to ESD by inducting those with more than 20 years of service into the Keri Scholz Hall ’87 Convocation and presenting a select four with the Inspirit Accolade. The Inspirit Accolade recognizes those who have perpetuated the Founding Tenets
At this year’s Faculty Closing Convocation, the Alumni Association bestowed the Royall Cross, named after the great Rebecca Royall, upon long-serving faculty and staff who retired this year, including Diane Allen, Suzette Carona, Judi Davidson, Katharine Deem, Lynn Harnden, Peter Lutken, and Doris Sampson. This year, we look forward to building on our increased involvement in the ESD community. In September, the Alumni Association will help celebrate ESD’s 40th Anniversary at a community-wide event. In October, we will host another Homecoming weekend, which will kick off with a Friday night BBQ before the Eagle’s football game. Alums will be able to catch up with old friends and teachers at the game. In November, the Alumni Association will be partnering with the Brock sisters and Stanley Korshak to host a holiday event featuring photography by Gray Malin ’04. I hope to see you at one of our events this semester. As always, please contact me with any questions or comments. Sincerely,
Brian Rawson ’96 Alumni Association President
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Alumni
TAKE OVER THE CAMPUS THURSDAY, MAY 8 PASS IT ON OPENING RECEPTION FRIDAY, MAY 9 ALUMNI COFFEE STATE OF THE SCHOOL from Head of School, Meredyth Cole ESD LONG RANGE PLAN AND STRATEGY from Assistant Head of School, Ruth Burke ALUMNI DISCUSSION PANEL Dr. Blake Barker `97, MD; cinematographer David McFarland `94; freelance editorial and fine art photographer, Allison V. Smith `88; and highly regarded literary agent, David Hale Smith `86 moderated by Head of School, Meredyth Cole joined by the Class of 2015 CLASSROOM VISITS a. Gatsby Revisited: A Discussion Led by Greg Randall b. Use of Technology in Today’s Classroom with Mary Hansell, Meg Fahrenbrook ‘01, Eric Boberg, and Ellen Neill CHAPEL led by Peter Lutken LUNCH with current faculty members and students STUDENT LED TOURS OF CAMPUS by Student Ambassadors ESD GOLF TOURNAMENT INDIVIDUAL CLASS REUNIONS for classes ending in 4s and 9s SATURDAY, MAY 10 ALUMNI COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT EAGLE LAUREATE DINNER SUNDAY, MAY 11 CLOSING EUCHARIST with The Reverend Canon Stephen B. Swann, Celebrant COFFEE AND DONUTS
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Honoring Mary’s Legacy: THE 11TH ANNUAL ESD GOLF TOURNAMENT By Megan Boyd ’09, Alumni Relations Manager
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Founders’ Weekend IN MAY, 84 GOLFERS PARTICIPATED IN THE 11TH ANNUAL ESD Golf Tournament hosted by the Alumni Association, benefitting the Mary Elizabeth Williams Endowed Alumni Scholarship Fund. The flight, comprised of alums, teachers, former teachers, parents, former parents, students, and friends, came together at The Golf Club of Dallas to enjoy a great round of golf with friends, take a swing at an Aston Martin sponsored by John Eagle and Aston Martin of Dallas, and celebrate the special community we all call ESD. This year, the champions were awarded their very own ESD plaid jackets, modeled after the green Masters Jackets. On paper, the leader board listed the foursome of Jimmy O’Neal `87, Brian Cheek `88, Chris Elliston `88, and friend Sean Wyatt tied with Chris Ayres `97 and his crew. The true tournament winners are the future ESD legacy alums that are afforded the opportunity to attend ESD through the generosity of the endowed alumni scholarship program. In 2003, the Mary Elizabeth Williams Endowed Alumni Scholarship Fund was established to award tuition assistance to children of alumni who might otherwise be unable to afford an ESD education. Mary loved ESD as a student, parent, and teacher. Through the generosity of this tournament, the corpus of the
endowment has grown to more than $355,000. The success of this year’s tournament was the result of numerous alums volunteering their time and talents, the leadership of Douglas Dunsavage ’90, Brian Rawson ’96, past and future golf chairs, and community sponsors. Douglas, Brian, Eddie Eason, and I extend our gratitude to everyone who played, sponsored, and volunteered this past year. Plans for next year’s tournament are already underway as I write to you today; we have some ambitious goals to elevate the tournament to the next level. Our message to you, “This is an entire ESD community endeavor, and we welcome and invite all ESD constituencies to participate: alums, alumni parents, current parents, current and former faculty, and all friends of ESD.” Get ready to mark your calendar. The date of next year’s tournament is Friday, April 17, and the location will be announced soon. I personally challenge each alumni class to field a team and get involved. If you are a golfer, please join us. If not, please sign up to volunteer or sponsor this worthy cause. Speaking on behalf of everyone who knew Mary, please join us in perpetuating Mary’s legacy by supporting the endowed alumni scholarship that bears her name.
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REUNITED AND IT WAS SO GOOD It was the year of the 4s and 9s as several classes held reunions during the inaugural Founders’ Weekend to reconnect with old classmates and reflect on their years at ESD. Some of the week’s highlights included:
Class of 1984 John Vassallo and Sarah Cochran organized their class’s reunion at the home of Kathy and John Vassallo. Class of 1989 Alan Neuhoff and Carol Carlock Vig organized a party at the home of Kenneth and Elaine Lindh.
Class of 1994 Jamie Allen Sowa organized an event for her class at Katy Trail Ice House. Class of 1999 Grant Baldwin organized and hosted an event for his former classmates at his home. Class of 2009 Megan Boyd organized an event at Renfield’s Corner for one of the more recent graduating classes.
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1989 2009
Founders’ Weekend
FOURTH ANNUAL
EAGLE LAUREATE DINNER Excerpt from the speech presented by Alan Neuhoff ’89
“
Welcome to the Fourth Annual Eagle Laureate Dinner.
I am honored to be introducing our Keri Scholtz Hall ’87 Convocation inductee and the recipients of the Inspirit Accolade this evening. But before we get to the heart of why we’re all here, I would like to take a moment to recognize a few special guests. Father Swann, without you, none of us would be here, and your presence here tonight means everything to the alumni and our faculty and staff. Meredyth Cole, you have done a remarkable job in your first year as Head of School, and we are so lucky to have you, and are grateful for your presence here tonight. I would like to recognize Nita and Dick Scholtz and Doug Hall, the parents and husband of our beloved Keri from the class of ’87, for whom the Keri Scholtz Hall ’87 Convocation is named. It is always a pleasure to have you join us. We are here tonight to honor you, our faculty and staff. You inspired us in the classrooms and in the hallways, on the fields
and courts, in chapel, on the stage, and in the wilderness. For most alumni, this is the place where the quest for knowledge and wisdom first began. This is where many of us first learned to think in the abstract. This is where we were encouraged to step outside our comfort zone and consider the larger world beyond the Commons. This is where we learned the importance of serving and supporting one another. This is where we learned what it means to be created in the image of a loving God. Those lessons transcend that which can be gleaned from a textbook. Those lessons provide the foundation of an educated conscience, and they prepared us for lives of intellectual discovery, integrity, and purpose. They represent the pinnacle in teaching and learning. But, I don’t mean to diminish the importance of a classical education- everything from the primary colors and the alphabet to Shakespeare’s Sonnets and higher derivatives. Those lessons build on one another as year gives way to year. Ultimately, the byproduct of those lessons is admission to college, and then jobs that enable us to support our families and our communities. Those lessons serve as the foundation of our livelihoods. What makes the ESD education so remarkable, and quite frankly sets it apart, is that we learned and experienced life lessons right alongside our classical instruction. They came in a package somehow, not separate from one another. And we learned both sets of lessons from you, our faculty. You taught us to read and to develop our own ideas about what we were reading. You taught us how to calculate the slope of a point on a curve and to stick with a problem until we have the solution. You taught us about the Battle of Gettysburg and to be tolerant and respectful of one another. You taught us about molecular biology and the importance of volunteering in the community. The list is endless, and because of the gifts you bestowed upon us, it is our pleasure to stand before you tonight and say, “Thank you.” Thank you for your service to ESD. Thank you for your patience. Thank you for your wisdom. Thank you for your understanding. Thank you for being there for us inside and outside the classroom when we excelled and when we struggled. Thank you for inspiring us. We are eternally grateful to have had your guidance during our formative years, and tonight we express our gratitude.
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The Honorees In 2011, the Alumni Association convened the Keri Scholtz Hall ’87 Convocation. This convocation is comprised of individuals who have served our school for 20 years. To date, we have inducted 84 members of our faculty and staff into the Convocation. 2014 Inductee: Jana Reed In addition to the Keri Schultz Hall ’87 Convocation, the Alumni Association honors four faculty members. The recipients of the Inspirit Accolade possess the following criteria: • A demonstrated ability to foster a spirit of inquiry and aid in the development of skills related to acquiring, organizing, and processing knowledge in the subject matter he or she teaches. • A demonstrated ability to make a connection with students outside the classroom that furthers them along the path to leading lives of intellectual discovery, integrity and purpose. • A significant role in promoting the Founding Tenets of the School. This may include leading daily worship services, fostering experiences of community, encouraging the development of a belief system and leading others to a life of service through example. • At least 20 years of service to ESD. The 2014 recipients of the Inspirit Accolade: Julie Allen introduced by Callie Edmondson Shumate ’05
Elaine Biewenga introduced by Bart Freeman ’86
Connie Elms introduced by Ann Jackson, a Saint Michael School alumna and ESD Lower School teacher
Mike Schneider introduced by Jennifer Hurst Edenfield ’97 We are grateful to everyone who supported the Eagle Laureate Dinner. We give special thanks to Margaret Ryder ’87 for the beautiful flower arrangements and David Martineau ’87 for underwriting our faculty for this event.
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ALUMNI NEWS 1984
1990
Sarah Cochran Jewett and her husband, Bruce, now live in Raleigh, North Carolina, with their daughters, Mollie and Elizabeth. Mollie plans to attend Auburn University in the fall. (photo a)
Annie Gabriel has been living in Kuwait for five years now while working as Vice Counsel to the British Embassy. She has a 10year old son and has completed three 10k’s this year.
Julia Hardin Snyder continues to travel across the U.S. teaching needlepoint classes. (photo b)
Chase Robertson Martin and her husband, Antoine, recently moved to Orange County, California, with their children, Felix and Celeste. The family previously resided in Austin.
1987 Mike Simpson and his wife are continuing their voyage through the Caribbean aboard their boat, Three Sheets. The pair has visited Puerto Rico; the British, Spanish, and U.S. Virgin Islands; St. Maarten, and Antigua. It is with great sadness that we report Shea Edwards passed away May 8, 2014. Among many things, Shea’s outgoing personality and bubbly laughter will be missed.
1988 Allison V. Smith debuted her fifth solo show at the Barry Whistler Gallery in Deep Ellum. The exhibit featured the light and coastal life of Maine.
1989 It is with great sadness we report John McNabb passed away May 19, 2014, in New York City. John will be best remembered for his talent, generosity, and kindness.
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1992 Jim Macari was the cover photographer for the 50th anniversary Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2014. See more of his work at www.jamesmacari.com.
1995 Hannah Ferguson recently launched her own jewelry line. The collection is available at Stanley Korshak and Studio Sebastian’s in Dallas, or online at www.hannahfergusonjewelry.com. Scott and Samantha Sproat are expecting their second child this August. The couple currently lives in Austin with their son, John. Scott works in commercial real estate development for Aspen Heights; Samantha manages company finances for a small firm.
1997 Chris Ayres was named to the Dallas Business Journal’s “40
b
c
Under 40” list for his success at Ayres Law Office, PC.
1998
Jennifer Hurst Edenfield and her husband, Bruce, as well as big sister, Annabelle, welcomed their second daughter, Lilah Anne, in April. (photo c) Carson Fisk was named to the “Rising Stars” list by the Texas Super Lawyers organization for his work in construction litigation. Lindsey Williams performed a solo sketch in June at the Chicago Women’s Funny Festival. She is also running in her fifth Chicago Marathon in October with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
David Fisk and his wife, Casey, were named to the “Rising Stars” list by the Texas Super Lawyers organization for their work in general litigation, and employee benefits, respectively.
1999 Elizabeth Lozier Farrar and her husband, Daniel, have been living in Charlotte, North Carolina, since 2012. Daniel opened a Stream Realty Partners office in Charlotte, while Liz stays home with Charlie and Katie. (photo d)
2001 Chad Alexander officiated his first professional soccer match for U.S. Soccer on May 11 in Fort Worth. (photo e)
d
e
g After eight years of teaching in New York City and San Francisco, Carla Hinojosa, is moving back to Texas. She will be living in Austin to be closer to her family and little nephew, Max. (photo f)
2002 Jason and Meredith Grosman Boullioun are proud to announce the arrival of their daughter, Laurel Judith. She was born on February 17, at 5:27 p.m., weighing 6 pounds and 2 ounces. Congratulations to Lauren Siepiela Podbury on the birth of her daughter, Claire Isobel Podbury.
2003 Elizabeth Kozlow Marcum
f
h recently joined the law firm of Bracewell and Giuliani, LLP, in Austin, Texas, as an associate.
2004 Congratulation to William Binnie for having his work displayed at the Beefhaus in downtown Dallas. The collection featured works by Dallas artists who produce site-specific installations, exhibitions, and events utilizing vacant commercial and public spaces throughout the city.
2005 Edward Bogel was named to the Dallas Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” list for his success as vice president at Venture Commercial Real Estate.
i
2006
2007
Dahlia Guerrero is starting her third year of medical school with clinical rotations at Nassau University Medical Center in Long Island, New York. She received her bachelor’s degree from Pepperdine in 2010 and is anticipated to graduate from the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine in 2016.
Congratulations to Jordan Anderson for graduating from Columbia University with a Masters of Architecture in May.
Laura Hendrix married Mark Sullivan in Perkins Chapel on the SMU campus on January 18. A reception was held at the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek to celebrate the couple; Laura’s sister, Sarah Hendrix ’11 served as the bride’s maid of honor. (photo g)
Fontaine Foxworth recently started working at Google as a product manager for the company’s Analytics product. McCary Wyly Gilbert got married last year and is working towards her international teaching certificate and Montessori teaching license.
2009 Callie Butterworth and Camie Carlock have been living together in Washington, D.C., since graduating from college in May 2013. Callie graduated from the SUMMER 2014
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University of South Carolina and is an assistant property manager with Carr Properties. Camie graduated from Washington and Lee University and is a program specialist at the National Association of Attorney Generals. (photo h)
Celia Skaggs is currently living abroad and completing a teaching traineeship in Lisbon, Portugal. She works as a preschool English teacher during the week and spends her free time exploring all the Iberian Peninsula has to offer. (photo i)
2010 Donna Knight graduated Cum Laude with other honors from Oklahoma City University in May after completing a 96
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performance internship at Walt Disney World. This summer, she was a part of the Legally Blonde cast with the Repertory Company Theatre of Richardson. (photo j)
Congratulations to Lindsey Osimiri for graduating from MIT with a degree in biological engineering. (photo l)
Four students from the Class of 2010 graduated from Vanderbilt University in May. Congratulations to Megan Anderson, Alex Levonyak, and Sarah Puckett for all graduating Cum Laude; Carey Davis graduated Magna Cum Laude.
Michael Colonnetta was a contributing researcher for the recently published book, Game Plan: How to Protect Yourself from the Coming Cyber-Economic Attack, by Michael Freeman. He also worked alongside Freeman last summer at the Center for Security Policy in Washington, D.C.
Mary Crockett, Sullivan Franklin-Mitchell, and Sarah Pennant graduated from the University of Texas in May. All three were members of the Beta Xi chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma. (photo k)
2011
2012 Austin Sarles, a member of the rock climbing team at the University of Texas, helped lead his team to a national title for the third consecutive year. He also had his first poetry collection published,
The White Lily. (photo m)
2013 Jamila Jenkins was invited into the National Society of Collegiate Scholars at Howard University. The organization provides career and graduate school connection, leadership and service opportunities, and millions of dollars in scholarships. Austin Magnuson has taken his photography talents to Washington, D.C., and is shooting for Honor Flight, an organization that flies WWII veterans to memorial events around the country. (photo n)
2013-14
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM
OUR
MISSION The Episcopal School of Dallas prepares young men and women for lives of intellectual discovery, integrity, and purpose. The School develops the unique talent and potential in each student and embraces sound learning, discipline, and faith as essential elements of an educated conscience.
Meredyth M. Cole HEAD OF SCHOOL
Ruth Burke
ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL
Donna Hull, Ph.D.
HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL
The Reverend Amy G. Heller SENIOR CHAPLAIN
Robert A. Buchholz
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Dawn Thomas
DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES
In appreciation for your support of the 2014-15 Annual Fund
Increase your gift and impact on ESD’s community! Help us jump start the 2014-15 Annual Fund campaign and reach our North Texas Giving Day goal of $100,000 and 250 donors. It’s a great way to honor a faculty member who makes a difference in your child’s life.
AN EVENING WITH ARTIST
POTEET VICTORY
All donations of $25 or more are eligible to receive bonus dollars through the Communities Foundation of Texas North Texas Giving Day. All gifts are tax deductible. For more information, please contact Kam Bakewell, Director of Annual Giving and Special Projects, at 214.353.5808.
September 24
THE CREST STAFF Julie Clardy
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
Nicole Jacobsen
COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR
Jamie Mitcham
OUR FOUNDING TENETS were created to integrate the Mission into the individual and corporate life of The Episcopal School of Dallas community. DAILY WORSHIP Nurturing a spiritual relationship with God through the use of the Book of Common Prayer within the context of a pluralistic, diverse student and faculty population. COMMUNITY Experiencing mutual trust, respect, and honor while preserving individual identity, uniqueness of thought, and personality. ETHICAL DECISION MAKING Preparing students for actions which promote the common good through the study of religious and moral paradigms of history and contemporary thought. SERVICE Advancing the common good through acts of compassion and concern here and within the larger community. Daily worship, experiences in community, and studies in ethical decision-making prepare students for service to others, the highest manifestation of God’s presence in their lives.
Eleanor Arnold Katie Barnes Ashley Beck Carol Bergman Eric Boberg, Ph.D. Megan Boyd ’09 Ruth Burke Sharon Chapman Jensen Clardy ’17 Meredyth Cole Libby Conder Christine Cook Eddie Eason Meg Fahrenbrook ’01 George Fiala Gabrielle Griffin Sandy Hall-Chiles Linda Harris Donna Hull, Ph.D. Mike Jenkins Shelle Montgomery Alan Neuhoff ’89 Cindy Newsom Devean Owens Reid Prichett, Ph.D. Brian Rawson ’96 Rebecca Royall Jen Sanders Victoria Siu ’15 Haley Teegarden Chelle Wabrek Ben Weaver Mary Beth Weinberger
E TH E D
Details to Come
The Episcopal School of Dallas is pleased to welcome Poteet Victory as our Fall 2014 Visiting Artist. We are grateful to Chris McLarry ’80, McLarry Modern and McLarry Fine Art in Sante Fe, for making this exhibition possible.
ATE
CONTRIBUTORS
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DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST
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NOVEMBER 21
4100 MERRELL ROAD DALLAS, TEXAS 75229
THE MAGAZINE OF THE EPISCOPAL SCHOOL OF DALLAS
NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID DALLAS, TX PERMIT #04224
REST C THE
THE MAGAZINE OF THE EPISCOPAL SCHOOL OF DALLAS
EVER PRESENT:
LIVING OUR EPISCOPAL IDENTITY AND FULFILLING OUR FOUNDING TENETS ART, HISTORY, AND SCIENCE MEET AT THE
DUST BOWL
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THE STATE OF THE SCHOOL:
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SUMMER 2014
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MEREDYTH COLE’S LOOK BACK AT HER FIRST YEAR
SUMMER 2014