MAGAZINE | WINTER 2018
The Creative Class Three Flint Hill alumni representing three different decades find success in entertainment, advertising and luxury event management.
When Spring Break Camp was interrupted by winter weather, students improvised! 2 | FLINT HILL SCHOOL
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CONTENTS Board of Trustees 2017–2018 Mr. Richard J. Hendrix, Chair Mrs. Sarah D. Hazel, Vice Chair Mr. Gary D. Rappaport, Treasurer Mr. John M. Thomas, Secretary Mr. Randall W. Byrnes, Development Committee Chair Board Members Gen. John R. Allen, USMC (Ret.) ’71 Mr. Steven C. Anderson Mr. Matthew J. Bullock Mrs. Jacqueline M. Copeland Mr. Michael P. Corkery Mrs. Claudia Z. Fouty Mr. James J. Fitzpatrick ’95 Mrs. Linnie M. Haynesworth Mr. Edward H. Kennedy Mr. John M. Kudless Mrs. Lisa R. Lisker Mrs. Sharon C. McBride Mr. David W. Middleton Mrs. Liza Wright Renner Mr. Hugh E. Taylor Ms. Lucia Anna Trigiani Mr. John M. Wasson Trustees Emeriti Mr. John T. Hazel Jr., Founding Chair Emeritus Sister Martha Carpenter, O.S.F. Mr. Edward R. Carr Mr. Otis D. Coston Jr. Mr. John M. Dowd The Honorable Johanna L. Fitzpatrick Mr. Paul C. Kincheloe Jr. Mr. Michael C. McCarey Mr. William N. Melton Mr. Norris E. Mitchell The Reverend Edwin M. Ward Editorial Team Angela Brown, ambrown@flinthill.org Staff Contributor, jviteri@flinthill.org Magazine Design Eve Shade, eshade@flinthill.org Director of Alumni Relations Maria Graceffa Taylor, mtaylor@flinthill.org Photo Contributors James Kegley Photography Susan Spencer, Perfect Shot Photos, LLC Victor O’Neill Studios Jackie Viteri Jim Craige Photography Flint Hill School 3320 Jermantown Road, Oakton, VA 22124 www.flinthill.org Flint Hill School is a Junior Kindergarten through Grade 12 independent school.
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CONTEMPLATING CULTURE
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ARTS ON THE HILL
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ATHLETICS
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FACULTY/STAFF NEWS
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PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION NEWS
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THE CREATIVE CLASS
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ALUMNI EVENTS
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ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
LETTER FROM THE HEADMASTER
Dear Flint Hill School Community, Whenever I meet with prospective families during admission events, I always talk about “people, passion, purpose and place” at Flint Hill. But one “p” that I don’t often mention is “pace,” and as you know, ours is very brisk. Throughout the year, we offer many events, activities, coffees and moments that have a tremendous impact for our families. Many of these experiences happen on campus, but occasionally, they take place away from School. In fact, in this issue of the magazine, you are going to read about ongoing trips members of our community have been taking to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Through her generosity and genuine openness to the School community, one of our parents, Alysia Dempsey P ’20, P ’23, has been hosting frequent trips to this incredible new museum for individual parents, student groups, faculty, our full Leadership Team and our Parent Representatives. The purpose of these amazing tours is to further cultivate a better understanding and appreciation of varied cultures and experiences that have shaped our School and our nation. You will also read about three alumni representing three different decades—the 80s, 90s and 2000s—who have channeled creativity, wanderlust and a knack for logistics into thriving careers in entrepreneurship, entertainment travel and luxury event management. Each of these wonderful alums has a great story to share, including fond memories from their time at Flint Hill. This issue also highlights the incredible successes we experienced in the fall, from the academic arena with our Cyberpatriot Teams or in athletics, with championships won by the Girls’ Tennis, Football and Volleyball teams. Having the football and volleyball teams win state championships, as well as Coaches of the Year for the state of Virginia and Players of the Year for the state of Virginia, for both sports are not coincidences. They demonstrate our deliberate focus on excellence on all fronts. It is a very exciting time in education today and an incredibly exciting time here at Flint Hill. I hope you enjoy this issue of the magazine. And if some time has passed since your last visit to campus, please know you are always welcome—and encouraged—to visit. Best wishes to you! Sincerely,
John M. Thomas Headmaster
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An Innovation Lab Designed for Lower School Students See p. 4 2 | FLINT HILL SCHOOL
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An Innovation Lab Designed for Lower School Students In the Summer of 2017, Flint Hill completed construction for an Innovation Lab for Lower School students. Designed to reinforce the throughline developed for the Innovation program from Grades JK-12, the lab’s unique features were an immediate appeal to the students. “It provides a space that invites curiosity and creativity in all our Lower Schoolers,” explained Innovation Department Chair Joey Starnes. “They can learn to use new tools, create new projects and develop a sense of independence as they design, test and iterate in a safe and supportive space.” The space is in constant use, buzzing with excitement and the sounds of students using the wide assortment of tools, equipment and materials available to them, including a 3-D printer; a Lego wall; a magnetic marble run for designing, redesigning and experimenting; KEVA planks for
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building simple and complex structures; and the Makey Makey invention kit. Use of the lab is seamlessly integrated with class needs and supports a variety of different class projects in every Lower School grade. Inspired by reading various versions of “The Gingerbread Man,” the Junior Kindergarten class used the 3-D printer to make cookie cutters to give to their parents as holiday gifts. Kindergarten students used the lab for an art class project to make LED flowers, using a basic circuit with pipe cleaners. They added the flowers to paper vases they had painted in the style of Matisse, whose work they had seen on a field trip to the National Gallery of Art. First-graders studying the Earth’s movements in science class used the lab to make spinning globes with Squishy Circuits, playdough that conducts electricity. Second
Grade students used a wind tunnel machine in the lab to test objects in flight. For a library printing press project, Third Grade students used the Carvey machine to make stamps with their own designs. And fourth-graders created musical instruments for an African instrument project. The lab also provides a place for additional enrichment opportunities, such as a Girls Coding Club, the Builder’s Club and Little Engineers Club. At a ribbon-cutting ceremony, on October 20, to formally introduce the School community to the new space, guests had the opportunity to see some projects and how the students use the lab. The ceremony was also a way for students, who use the space, to be involved in the celebration, and it was an expression of appreciation for the many generous Flint Hill Annual Fund contributors who support educational advancements like this one.
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WEAVING A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF GUATEMALAN CULTURE Guest presenters with the Mayan Arts Program (MAP) from the Guatemalan Highlands region visited the Upper School, on October 27, to demonstrate the art of weaving and discuss its historical significance in the Mayan culture. MAP is a collaboration involving the Asociación de Mujeres del Altiplano (AMA)—the Association of Highland Women—and the Highland Support Project (HSP), a group with which Flint Hill has held a long-standing partnership. Five demonstrations, each 45 minutes in length, were given throughout the day, and most were in Spanish. Paula Tzep, a weaving supervisor with AMA, gave the demonstrations, and Fabiola Giron, an AMA coordinator who works with suppliers and international stores that want to sell their work, helped to translate. “This experience exposed students and faculty to a new culture. They were able to learn that weaving is not just an art form but a way of storytelling and representing your culture. Hearing the personal story of Paula, a Mayan woman, provided them with a new perspective and allowed them to reflect on what it may be like to grow up in another culture. For our students who are learning Spanish, it provided a really authentic opportunity to practice with listening and speaking skills as well as make cultural connections to things they have learned in class,” said Middle School Spanish teacher Melissa Turner, who is also the technology integration department chair for Grades JK-12. 6 | FLINT HILL SCHOOL
For nearly a decade, our Upper School students have traveled on HSP community service trips to Guatemala, where they have built stoves and provided educational support in classrooms. And on various occasions over the years, HSP has arranged for guests to visit both of Flint Hill’s campuses and share different aspects of Guatemalan culture with students. The weaving demonstrations last fall were open to anyone interested—students, faculty and staff—although Upper and Middle School students taking Spanish classes were specifically invited. “We wanted to provide our community with a glimpse into the experiences we have on our annual service trip to Guatemala. It allowed a chance to share a little bit about the organization that we partner with,” said Turner. All who attended learned that weaving is one of many entrepreneurial programs run by AMA, which serves an overarching purpose of educating and empowering women. The next educational and cultural community service trip to Guatemala is scheduled for July 2018. Service projects planned during that trip include building a library and wall at a rural school and planting trees for a reforestation project. Students also will have the opportunity to explore parts of the country through activities such as visiting Mayan ruins, touring the city of Antigua and ziplining at Lake Atitlán.
Volunteers Celebrate Athletes Competing in Special Olympics
Twice a year, Flint Hill hosts Special Olympics events:
soccer in the fall and track and field in the spring. On October 21, more than 400 athletes from the Washington region arrived at the Upper School Campus ready to compete in the soccer tournament, and volunteers from the Flint Hill community were ready to be part of making their day one they would treasure. “When it comes to hosting Special Olympics events at our school, we are fortunate to have beautiful and beautifully maintained fields and facilities. The soccer athletes and their families, who came from all around the area this past fall, were so grateful for the opportunity to play at Flint Hill, as we were glad for the opportunity to share. Yet, it was the people in our community who offered their time and talent that showcased the greatness of this school,” said All-School Service Coordinator Linda Okoth, who is also an art teacher at Flint Hill’s Middle and Upper School.
Volunteers participated in a variety of ways to make the event meaningful, memorable and fun for the athletes. Upper School students created handmade cards for each athlete. Members of the Parents’ Association made and donated lunches. Lower School students decorated paper bags for those lunches, and many others helped to pack the lunches, including three generations of the Carrico family—Middle School student Connor ’23, his mother and his grandmother. Leading the way was Danielle Effley ’18, chapter president of the Best Buddies Club, who served as chairperson of the event. In addition to tending to such details as having the soccer goals set up and taken down, Effley also baked and distributed homemade cookies to the dozens of student volunteers. “All in all,” said Okoth, “it was a day that we Huskies put our ‘best paw’ forward!”
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KINDNESS: It’s Contagious
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alk through both of Flint Hill’s campuses and kindness is evident — literally. The word “kindness,” or some form of the word, is printed on signs that are displayed on bulletin boards and embossed on wristbands worn by students, faculty and staff. There’s even a kindness tree placed in a commons area for anyone to add comments of appreciation and gratitude. Outside, stones colorfully painted with positive messages by students and faculty have been placed near walkways, prompting many to slow down for a moment to look and smile. Initiated as a schoolwide theme for the 2017-2018 academic year by the Counseling Department, the kindness campaign has created opportunities for involvement from the entire school community. “The Counseling Department went to each division and collaborated with teachers, administration and student groups to promote the theme,” said Director of Counseling Barbara Benoit. “The counselors have played roles in each division, consisting of teaching and reinforcing kindness skills. Research shows that kindness is teachable and that acts of kindness build compassion, self-esteem, positivity, overall happiness, and it is contagious! Think about it; how have you felt when you did something kind for someone?” Student Council Association President Leyla Ebrahimi ’18 took a lead role in determining ways to weave the theme into student life at the Upper School. A wristband with the words “Be Kind” was one particular concept that grew into something bigger. “The idea was that every time someone put on a bracelet, he or she must commit to performing at least one kind act a day. We began by purchasing the bands for the Upper School, and with time, the movement spread to the Lower and Middle Schools as well,” said Ebrahimi, who was invited to speak to the younger students and distribute the bands. “Seeing so many people walking around sporting their yellow wrist bands is truly amazing. It has meant the world to me to be a part of this campaign, and I can only
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hope that future Flint Hill students continue to remember the ‘Be Kind Campaign’ and all it consists of.” Middle School students took a technological approach to spreading the kindness message by making kindness videos with their iPads. After watching videos with examples of how one act of kindness leads to the next and then some, Sixth Grade students in wellness class worked in groups on their own videos. “They created their own scenes depicting
acts of kindness and demonstrating their contagious effect upon others,” said Middle School Counselor John Magner. “The class then watched each other’s videos and were inspired by one another. This illustrates how individual acts of kindness can serve as models and inspirations to the people who witness or experience them, and then lead those people to perform acts of kindness for others.”
school community and beyond. In Second Grade, students made care packages for the Fairfax County Animal Shelter’s “feline and canine guests,” and inquired how else to help the volunteers there. Third-graders provided activity books for children at Fairfax Hospital, and Fourth Grade students wrote short plays and gave performances at a local nursing home for residents unable to travel.
Through Kindness Projects, Lower School students found ways to spread joy while helping others. Students and their homeroom teachers thoughtfully discussed, researched and determined how to fill an area of need within and outside of the school community. Junior Kindergarten students made items for a birthday kit, which they delivered in person to the Katherine Hanley Family Shelter for their monthly birthday party. Kindergarteners wove scarves and donated them personally to day residents of The Lamb Center, a facility for homeless individuals. First-graders put together information about healthy habits to share with other children in the
The Kindness Projects were highlighted at Flint Hill’s International Festival, in February, themed “In a world where you can be anything, Be Kind.” “Our focus this year has been to teach our students what kindness is and what it looks like to be kind,” said Director of the Lower School Sheena Hall. “Kindness can be including someone during recess, a smile or helping a friend in need. It is something that comes from the heart, is thoughtful, and at times, unexpected. We have certainly seen a growth in awareness, and the number of kind acts that our children are doing for others.”
Olympian Gives Winning Presentation Two-time Olympic judo gold medalist Kayla Harrison flipped six-foot, five-inch teacher Nate Green over her shoulder, and instantly, the audience of Upper School students was thrilled. As she talked about her training and the experience of competing on the world stage, the students were captivated even more. And then they were in awe when she shared her moving personal story. “Her openness talking about her early sexual abuse and the impact it had on her, her determination to fight back and ultimately earn two gold medals at the Olympics was absolutely inspirational,” said Headmaster John Thomas. “We also learned about her Fearless Foundation, which is a nonprofit she started to help survivors of sexual abuse through the use of sports. It was a tremendous honor to have Kayla Harrison join us at school. She made an incredible impression on everyone who was able to meet with her during her various presentations. Her very honest, direct and personal approach to working with the students and sharing her story was incredibly impressive.” Harrison brought her gold medals for students and faculty to hold or try on. Her personable way gained her many fans
by the time she left and made her even more of a champion. “She was able to bring humor, candor and just a very authentic personal style that made her presentation memorable,” said Thomas. “And, students will never forget watching her flip Nate Green with a beautiful Jiu-Jitsu move! We need great speakers like Kayla Harrison who are an inspiration for students when they see how these people we read about in the news are real. They have life experiences, some good and some bad. We are always on the lookout for role models to come speak to students in a very authentic and true manner.”
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That’s Debatable
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eventh Grade students spent time in the fall absorbed in thought-provoking conversation in their U.S. History class, gaining a better understanding of how debates are fundamental in policymaking and, consequently, the lives of all Americans. At the core of the discussion was the Bill of Rights. The students were given an assignment to defend contrary viewpoints stemming from historical court cases pertaining to the first ten amendments. “We had to fully understand the concept of the Bill of Rights as to what it does and also why it is there, and we had to fully understand the amendment the case was based on and also what the whole case was about,” said Paras Bhanot. Before the debates took place, students researched both sides of the argument and prepared to defend the position they were assigned. “What I enjoyed about the project was how real it felt,” said Sydney Krug. “It felt like I was really on this case, thinking like a lawyer, trying to find ways to convince people I was right. I think that it was an extremely effective way to teach the Bill of Rights. It really showed that the Bill of Rights is not always straightforward. They set great guidelines, but it’s hard to know when the lines have been crossed, and this project was a great way to show that.” Middle School Social Studies teacher Katie Knicely introduced the Bill of Rights debates into her class several years ago and has refined it over time. “My goal is for my students to realize that the Bill of Rights is not a stagnant document from ages ago but, instead, a living document which continues to grow and change as our nation does the same. This experience also allows students to demonstrate the concept that, in our nation, we are allowed to question and challenge ideas.”
Student Debate Topics:
For Krug, that concept hit home. “I really had to test my thinking, not only for my case, but for others as well. What is right and wrong? How do you know if something should be allowed? How do I stay unbiased? They are all questions that will apply to our everyday lives, so this project was a good way to learn the Bill of Rights, become prepared for later life, and have some fun, all at the same time.” As the debate format has evolved in her class, Knicely has been pleasantly surprised to watch her students take the challenge to new heights. “The days we hold these debates are always highlights of my year. Over the years, students have taken their arguments to levels I never expected but always hoped for. Last year, one debate even ended in an ‘epic rap battle!’ To see the students passionately discussing major issues and using our founding documents as supporting evidence is a history teacher’s dream come true.” After observing some of the debates, Director of the Middle School Brian Lamont commented, “Our students were very impressive, with each pair of ‘debaters’ crafting and delivering compelling arguments and the student ‘jury’ asking clarifying and provocative questions, while filling out scorecards. I was left thinking about how debates and discussions on these types of issues mirror those that are happening throughout our country —often without the civility and respect for differing viewpoints. In general, throughout our Middle School, we believe that it is important to talk about difficult and sensitive topics and to structure lessons and activities that teach students how to do so in a way that allows for sharing safely, listening for understanding (not just responding), and examining our own biases. We do a lot of work with our teachers on facilitating developmentallyappropriate discussions to ensure that all voices and perspectives are heard and respected.”
What would your viewpoint be about the court cases the students debated? Here are a few: Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District (1965) At issue: Is a student’s freedom of speech and expression (First Amendment rights) protected in schools, or can schools limit free speech?
J.D.B. v. North Carolina (1966) At issue: When questioning a child about his involvement in a crime, did the police violate the child’s Fifth Amendment right to not incriminate himself?
New Jersey v. T.L.O. (1985) At issue: Can students be searched by school officials without permission, or is that a violation of their Fourth Amendment rights?
Hazlewood v. Kuhlmeier (1998) At Issue: Does a school have the right to censor student work or does this violate the student’s freedom of speech/press?
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STUDENT ACCOLADES Megan Johnson ’20 was selected to participate in Youth Leadership of Greater Washington, a five-month program for high school sophomores and juniors, from the region, who are “aspiring youth leaders interested in learning about and addressing the needs of the community while improving their leadership skills.” Caroline Katzman ’18 received the U.S. Figure Skating Association’s Graduating Senior Award, Platinum—the highest level—as a result of winning the bronze medal, competing with her team at the U.S. Synchronized Figure Skating Championships, and a gold medal in the Eastern sectionals. Chase Sizemore ’18 was awarded the National Construction Gold Medal for building the O’Russey Primary School, located in the land-mined jungles of Oddar Meanchey Province, Cambodia. His Excellency Mr. Sar Thavv, Governor of the Oddar Meanchey Province, presented the award to Chase and his sister, Morgan, on behalf of His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni. In addition, His Excellency Dr. Hang Chuon Naron, of the Cambodian Ministry of Education in Phnom Penh, issued separate Certificate of Appreciation plaques to the siblings, who are co-founders of the nonprofit organization Teach Them to Fish Foundation. Their mission is to “do our share to alleviate the unimaginable human suffering caused by extreme poverty and hunger in the developing world, by building primary schools for orphaned and underprivileged children in rural Cambodia
and Uganda, while emphasizing the importance of enabling girls at risk for human trafficking to attend school.” Last year, Chase and Morgan were awarded the National Construction Gold Medal from the Governor of the Siem Reap Province, where they built the Omaneash Primary School. They also have begun construction on Prey Khol Primary School—deep in the jungles in Prey Viher Province near the Thai and Laotian borders—and expect to complete it in 2018. Vy Vo ’24 was a gold medalist at the 2017 Kukkiwon International Cup, Washington, D.C. Open, taekwondo competition in October.
Stephanie Walcott ’18 completed Girls Who Code, a seven-week computer science immersion program and was interviewed about that experience for the article, “An Inside Look at a Local Girls Who Code Classroom: ‘We are Going to Change the World,’” published on DCInno.com.
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Contemplating Culture An opportunity from a Flint Hill family leads to a movement.
A
fter supporting the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s (NMAAHC) building campaign, Alysia and Ray Dempsey (parents to Sophomore Alyana and seventh-grader Mariya) knew their family would have the opportunity to attend the museum’s grand opening. What they did not know was that they would also be able to share access, to the museum, with others. When Mrs. Dempsey learned of the opportunity in the fall of 2017, she immediately approached Headmaster
John Thomas to discuss how visits to the museum could impact the greater Flint Hill community through a series of ongoing, guided tours. She recalls, “I knew from his devotion and commitment to our School, he would share this gift in a way that would impact our entire community and beyond. To this day, I am so glad I took a meaningful risk and offered this gift to him. I told John I would go to the museum 100-plus times if I needed to in order to bring our entire Flint Hill family there with me.”
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“Differences are not intended to separate, to alienate. We are different precisely in order to realize our need of one another.” - DESMOND TUTU The NMAAHC is the only national museum devoted to documenting African-American life, history and culture. It was established by an act of Congress in 2003, after a decades-long effort to promote African Americans’ contributions to the nation’s history. At 40,000 square feet, the Museum has collected more than 37,000 artifacts and has welcomed more than 3 million visitors since it opened in the fall of 2016. Passes for entry into the wildly popular museum can be difficult to come by — they can only be obtained on a limited walk-up basis through timed entry, and the wait for advance passes can last for months. The ability to roam the museum’s halls without enduring a long wait is a true privilege. Encompassing four centuries, the collection is arranged in chronological order, taking visitors on a complex journey from the Middle Passage to the Obama administration. A dress worn by Rosa Parks, a trumpet owned by Louis Armstrong, a Tuskegee Airmen biplane and fedora that belonged to Michael Jackson are only a few of the highlights visitors can expect to see at the museum. The museum also tells the stories of the nameless Underground Railroad
conductors, inventors, orators, legislators, teachers and protesters whose histories would be lost otherwise. As Flint Hill works to educate members of the School community on issues of equity and inclusion, the chance to introduce faculty, students and their families to the NMAAHC was a welcome opportunity. “The mission for diversity and inclusion at Flint Hill is for every student to have a place in our community,” says Headmaster John Thomas. “Ensuring that our students and members of our broader school family embrace diverse cultures, identities, experiences and ideas is a critical part of that process, and visits to the National Museum of African American History and Culture have provided a tremendous opportunity to support that work.” The visits began quietly, with Flint Hill parents meeting at a Starbucks, near campus, each week to visit the museum in small groups. Soon, as museum visitors shared and reflected on their experiences, interest in touring the museum grew quickly. Since last fall, student leaders, faculty, parent representatives and the School’s leadership team have all traveled to Washington for daylong trips to the museum. “It was a truly humbling experience that gave me so much insight into the history of African Americans in the U.S.,” says Director of the Lower School Sheena Hall. “There were so many takeaways for me, one of which is a quote from a fellow South African, Desmond Tutu, ‘Differences are not intended to separate, to alienate. We are different precisely in order to realize our need of one another.’” As a result of the museum tours, members of our community have gained new insights, forged new relationships and engaged in powerful discussions about both the shared and very different experiences members of our diverse community bring to Flint Hill. Headmaster Thomas shared, “As I walked through [the museum] reading and experiencing the exhibits, reflecting on what I was learning, sharing in an experience with so many others that I admire and respect, and coming to a greater awareness of the important life journey that we are all on together, I kept coming back to the need for people to talk openly and honestly, to share their stories, and to commit to learning from the past.”
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By coming together to share our stories, we are showing empathy for each other. - A LY S I A D E M P S E Y The tours are ongoing and have expanded beyond Flint Hill. Through her frequent visits to the museum, Mrs. Dempsey has made a variety of connections with leaders from other organizations who are inspired by Flint Hill and are eager to share in this experience, including McLean Bible Church, Ford’s Theater, the Fairfax County Police Department, and the Collegiate School in Richmond, Virginia. During a recent trip with the Advancement Office, Mrs. Dempsey met Michael Amend, a soccer coach with the Doris Henderson Newcomers School in Greensboro, North Carolina, which serves newly-arrived immigrant and refugee students. In addition to planning a trip to the NMAAHC for Newcomers students in 2019, Mrs. Dempsey connected the school with Flint Hill Middle School Social Studies teacher Katie Knicely to support seventh-graders’ studies of immigration. The seventh grade is partnering with the school to connect with peers who are experiencing the U.S. for the first time. To kick off the partnership, the students sent a video they made introducing the Newcomers School to Flint Hill, along with a banner signed by members of the Flint Hill community. Looking ahead, Mrs. Dempsey remains hopeful that every member of the Flint Hill community who has the desire will be able to visit the museum. “I will continue to invite parents from the Flint Hill community to join me on this journey,” Mrs. Dempsey stated. “And I look forward to seeing teachers bring students to the museum in all divisions. By coming together to share our stories, we are showing empathy for each other. This simple act is very powerful in that it speaks to our core values and enables us to see other points of view. Everyone wants to be valued for who they truly are and what they can offer to the world.”
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Upper School production of “The Crucible” See p. 19 16 | FLINT HILL SCHOOL
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arts on the hill THE MAJOR MINORS, Flint Hill’s Upper School a cappella group, launched the 2017-2018 school year with one of their most impressive college tours to date. The group traveled to Duke University and had individual workshops with five Duke a cappella groups. Each workshop provided an opportunity to work on songs, beatboxing and presentation with the college groups, and to try out new arrangements and ideas. The Major Minors and the college groups sang across the room to each other and then shared observations and critiques. In addition, the Major Minors were special guests at two a cappella concerts on campus.
MUSICAL ACHIEVEMENTS CONTINUED throughout the fall and winter: Grace McKay ’20 was selected for the Senior Regional Orchestra as third chair, second violin among the top 30 of all the violinists in the region. Six Upper School students made it into the District Honor Choir, including Dhruv Pillai ’19, Henry Jeanneret ’18, Simon Van Der Weide ’20, Emma Conkle ’21, Julianne Cuevo ’20, and Natalie Naylor ’21. Seventh-grader Brigit Cook was selected for the Middle School District Honor Choir. Members of Grades 5-12 performed in four winter concerts at Flint Hill that were well attended and well received by the community. This year, the concerts also featured several faculty members as guest performers with the groups.
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EACH YEAR, one of Flint Hill’s theater productions is selected to be presented to the Cappies, the Critics and Awards Program of the Capital Region. Our fall production of “The Crucible” was a hit with the visiting student critics from other schools who attended and reviewed it. Here are some of their comments:
“Hannah Khan portrays the youthful Mary Warren with immeasurable emotion that ignites sympathy.” “The cast at Flint Hill School performed ‘The Crucible’ with commitment. The atmosphere of distrust, desperation and fear created by the cast lingered on after the show, a testament to Miller’s message of the danger of vengeance and false accusations.” “Flint Hill not only performed ‘The Crucible’ with dedication but also with purpose. The production begged the crucial question: is the struggle to blame each other for inexplicable horrors over?” “‘The Crucible’ is a shocking play showing the Salem Witch Hunt of the 1600s. Flint Hill School’s production of ‘The Crucible’ was a chilling portrayal of such an elusive event. After seeing this performance, you won’t know who to trust!”
OUR ANNUAL PRODUCTION of “The Nutcracker” brought together performers from every division, and as such, it marked a breakthrough year for a dance program that now reaches from the youngest beginners to the most accomplished older students. When we say “all-school,” we really mean it — there were 41 Lower School, 15 Middle School and 23 Upper School dancers joined by 7 faculty, 1 alumna and 1 professional guest artist. The all-school production reached an audience of 775 people over 3 performances. This year also featured all new costumes and opportunities for alumni and student choreography.
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athletics
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athletics
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all 2017 was one of the most successful and exciting athletic seasons in School history. It was a record-breaking year and a season of firsts for our student-athletes. The Varsity Football team enjoyed its first undefeated season as well as its first ever state championship. In Varsity Volleyball, the Huskies captured their eighth state championship, recorded another undefeated season, and their 35-win record was the highest in program history. In Varsity Cross-Country, John Moxley ’18 won the School’s first individual Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference championship.
CROSS-COUNTRY The Cross-Country team had a successful season with many runners improving their times throughout the season. The girls were again led by Barrett Harrington ’20, who won a couple of races this season and just missed all-state honors at the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISAA) State Championships. The boys finished their most successful season ever with a second place team finish at the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAC) Championships. As he has for the past three seasons, John Moxley ’18 led the way with the Huskies’ first-ever individual MAC championship. Sebastian Aguilar ’19, Charles Stuart ’19, Calvin Lucido ’20 and Simon Van Der Weide ’20 completed the scoring for the Huskies. Moxley closed out his Husky running career with a seventh-place finish at the VISAA Championships, earning all-state honors for the second year in a row. Husky Awards Boys: Tyson Zhang ’18 Girls: Jackie Fraley ’18 MVPs Boys: John Moxley ’18 Girls: Barrett Harrington ’20 All-State John Moxley ’18 All-Conference John Moxley ’18 All-Met Washington Post Honorable Mention: John Moxley ’18
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FIELD HOCKEY In its fourth season as an organized sport at Flint Hill, the Varsity Field Hockey team enjoyed its most successful year yet. The team finished with a respectable 7-9-3 overall record and was competitive in each contest. Led by seven experienced Seniors, the Huskies’ victories included wins over three Washington Catholic Athletic Conference opponents: Bishop O’Connell, Bishop Ireton and Paul VI. In conference play, Flint Hill beat Madeira on Homecoming Day and recorded ties against Bullis and National Cathedral School. Three of the team’s losses were by only one goal, which showed how much the team has improved in its brief program history. Flint Hill’s defense was anchored by Bella Stork ’18 and Nina Jenkins ’18. Kinsley Helmer ’21 and Molly Paulsen ’20 led the team in all offensive categories.
Husky Awards Varsity: Lauren Hayler ’18 and Avery Mengenhauser ’18 JV: Lauren Coakley ’21 Offensive MVP: Molly Paulsen ’20 Defensive MVP: Nina Jenkins ’18 and Bella Stork ’18 All-Conference Nina Jenkins ’18
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athletics
FOOTBALL The 2017 football season was definitely one to remember as Flint Hill rolled over opponents to finish undefeated, 11-0, and as the VISAA Division I state champions. The Huskies began the season by defeating cross-town rival Paul VI by a score of 35-13. Jordan Houston ’19 ran for 163 yards on 22 carries and many others contributed offensively. The team went on to beat Collegiate, Blue Ridge and Benedictine. Against rival Potomac, the Huskies totaled 54 points — Houston rushed for 161 yards and Mark Lewis ’18 totaled 102 yards. Ranked number one in the VISAA state poll, the Huskies hosted its first ever state championship game against Collegiate and won it 33-21! Husky Award The Team MVP The Team All-State VISAA Division I Coach of the Year: Tom Verbanic VISAA Division I Player of the Year: Jordan Houston ’19 First Team: Justin Duenkel ’19 First Team: Jamarian Hawkins ’18 24 | FLINT HILL SCHOOL
First Team: Trey Rucker ’19 First Team: Miles Thompson ’19 Second Team: Xavier Formey ’18 Second Team: Mark Lewis ’18 Second Team: Elijah Wasson ’20 Honorable Mention: Justice Ellison ’20 All-Conference Justin Duenkel ’19 Justice Ellison ’20 Xavier Formey ’18 Jamarian Hawkins ’18
Jordan Houston ’19 Mark Lewis ’18 Elijah Wasson ’20 Joe Worman ’19 All-Met Washington Post First Team: Jordan Houston ’19 Honorable Mention: Justin Duenkel ’19 Honorable Mention: Miles Thompson ’19
GOLF With 40 student-athletes participating this past fall, the golf program at Flint Hill continued to thrive and enjoyed another competitive and successful season. Led by five experienced Seniors, the varsity team opened up with victories over conference rivals Potomac, Maret and Sidwell Friends. The Huskies defeated their first five opponents and were led in scoring by captain Jack Hoel ’18. Flint Hill also had victories over Georgetown Day and Saint James. Even though the team fell short of their overall goal of winning another MAC championship, they finished the 2017 campaign with a very respectable overall record of 8-5. Husky Awards Varsity: Reid Johnson ’19 JV: Austin Ayers ’20
MVP Jack Hoel ’19
BOYS’ SOCCER The Varsity Boys’ Soccer team had a strong start to the fall season that included three wins over Potomac, Maret and Sidwell, and a 2-2 tie against in-state foe Collegiate. The Huskies ended the season with an overall record of 10-6-2 and qualified for the VISAA state tournament, where they defeated John Paul the Great in the first round by a score of 2-1. Cameron Tefft ’18 and Alex Shahmirzadi ’18 each had a goal in the contest. Although Flint Hill came up short in the state quarterfinal game against Paul VI, they enjoyed another successful season. Tye Williams ’18 led the team in goals with 22, and Shahmirzadi totaled 15 assists on the season. Husky Awards Varsity: Tate Rusby-Wood ’18 JV: Hunter Roberson ’21 MVPs Alex Shahmirzadi ’18 and Tye Williams ’18 All-State First Team: Alex Shahmirzadi ’18 Second Team: Tye Williams ’18 All-Conference Shiv Lamba ’19 Tate Rusby-Wood ’18 Alex Shahmirzadi ’18 Tye Williams ’18 All-Met Washington Post Honorable Mention: Alex Shahmirzadi ’18
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GIRLS’ SOCCER The Varsity Girls’ Soccer team began the season with an exciting win over opponent Bishop O’Connell, by a score of 6-5. Whitney Wiley ’19 led the way with three goals and one assist for the Huskies. Cami Lamont ’18 recorded 15 saves in the contest. The team’s 5 Seniors provided outstanding leadership, and the squad totaled 9 wins and 2 ties in its last 11 regular season games. The Huskies qualified for the inaugural Northern Virginia Independent Schools Girls Soccer Invitational tournament in which they fell short in a close, hard-fought contest against Potomac School, by a score of 2-1. Flint Hill ended the season with an overall record of 10-4-4. Husky Awards Varsity: Eliza Mankin ’18 JV: Gabby Nash ’21 Offensive MVP Whitney Wiley ’19 Defensive MVP Cami Lamont ’18 All-Conference Cami Lamont ’18 Whitney Wiley ’19 All-Met Washington Post Second Team: Whitney Wiley ’19
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GIRLS’ TENNIS The Varsity Girls’ Tennis team won the Independent School League A regular season and tournament championships. The Huskies won the tournament championship match by a score of 7-0 over Maret. The team defeated non-conference foes Paul VI, O’Connell, and St. Anne’s-Belfield during the regular season. The team finished with an overall record of 16-3 and earned a berth in the state tournament quarterfinals, where they lost a hard fought contest to St. Catherine’s, 5-4. Led by a young and talented roster, the future of the girls’ tennis program looks very bright.
Husky Awards JV: Lissa Silk ’19 Varsity: Caroline Dycio ’19
All-State First Team: Marisa Geib ’21 Second Team: Lara Geib ’21
MVP Laura Geib ’21
All-Conference Belle Ditthavong ’19 Lara Geib ’21 Marisa Geib ’21
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athletics VOLLEYBALL Finishing as the number-one ranked team in the Washington Post and in the state of Virginia, the Varsity Volleyball team enjoyed a remarkable season. Led by AllMet Player of the Year Siron Hardy ’18, the Huskies finished the season with a perfect 35-0 record, which is the highest number of wins in program history. Flint Hill defeated the number-one ranked teams in New Jersey, New York, West Virginia and Maryland during the season. They were able to win the Garden State Challenge and the Flint Hill Invitational tournaments during the regular season. Going undefeated while playing arguably the toughest schedule in the state allowed them to end the season ranked 13th in the MaxPreps XCellent 25 national rankings and 27th nationally by PrepVolleyball. The Huskies won their eighth state championship by defeating Bishop Ireton, 3-0, in the state finals. Husky Awards Varsity: Aubree Phillips ’18 JV1: Kara Giuliani ’19 and Ava Buffum ’20 JV2: Rhea Shah ’20 Freshmen: Sydney Collo ’21
All-Conference Elayna Duprey ’21 Siron Hardy ’18 Krissy O’Malley ’19 Sydney Reed ’20 Laila Ricks ’20
MVP Siron Hardy ’18
All-Met Washington Post Player of the Year: Siron Hardy ’18 Second Team: Sydney Reed ’20 Honorable Mention: Krissy O’Malley ’19 Honorable Mention: Laila Ricks ’20
All-State VISAA Division I Coach of the Year: Carrol DeNure VISAA Division I Player of the Year: Siron Hardy ’18 First Team: Krissy O’Malley ’19 First Team: Sydney Reed ’20 First Team: Laila Ricks ’20
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OUTDOOR SPORTS As in the past, the fall season began with a group hike that allows students get to know one another in a natural environment. This year’s group walked Billy Goat trail in Carderock, Maryland, and enjoyed the fall weather along the cliffs. The team of students ventured out on the ever popular rock climbing session, where they spent time learning how to set anchors, using trees and rocks for top-rope climbing. Then, they moved into the
skill of belaying and outdoor rock climbing, where students visited Carderock, Maryland, and Great Falls, Virgina — both places offered magnificent views of the Potomac. The next several weeks were spent mountain biking on local trail systems, plus learning how to perform some basic bike repairs. The group completed the season with an amazing campout at Bears Den Trail Center where they hiked the Appalachian Trail for five miles.
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athletics
VARSITY BOYS’ BASKETBALL The Varsity Boys’ Basketball team clinched the MAC regular season championship after defeating Georgetown Day School, 69-34! They began their season by winning the 14th Annual Flint Hill Tip-Off Classic with a 65-43 victory over James Madison High School in the championship game. Qudus Wahab ’19, the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, led the Huskies with 17 points, while Isaiah Moore ’18 added 15 points. The team also went on to win another tournament championship at the Rebel Roundball Classic held at Fairfax High School. Competing in one of the toughest conferences in the Washington metro area, the Huskies—toward the end of the season— ad a conference record of 9-3 that included two exciting victories over rival Potomac: one in front of a roaring home crowd at Winterfest and the other, a buzzer-beater, overtime victory on the road. With the team on an 11-straight-game-winning streak and 2 regular-season games left to go, Head Coach Rico Reed’s group looked to make some noise, in postseason play, under the strong leadership of the team’s 7 Seniors.
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VARSITY GIRLS’ BASKETBALL The Varsity Girls’ Basketball team finished the regular season in second place in the very competitive Independent School League AA Division. Over the holiday break, the team had a strong showing at the Rebel Roundball Classic by placing third, defeating Chantilly High School and George Mason High School. In front of a packed crowd at Flint Hill’s Winterfest, the team defeated Westfield High School by a score of 51-31. Cami Lamont ’18 led with 17 points while Claire Miller ’19 added 13. Head Coach Jody Patrick’s squad also enjoyed wins over rivals Sidwell Friends, Bullis, Holy Child and Potomac. They looked to build on their success into the postseason.
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athletics
CLIMBING The Climbing team expanded by almost 100 percent this year, with 38 students on the rosters. Because of the overwhelming interest, teams were split into varsity and junior varsity teams with both performing very well in their second year in the league. At midseason, the varsity team was at 4-1, and all climbers were improving with hard work at practices, which showed on the scoreboard each week. Many of the climbers, both boys and girls, were making constant placement on the comp leaderboards. The junior varsity team was impressive in learning the sport, and they continued to improve with the competition in the league. At the varsity championship on February 11, at Earth Treks in Crystal City, Virginia, the Huskies finished a respectable third place out of the 12-team field. With more than 150 climbers participating, Flint Hill had 3 climbers who finished on the top-10 leaderboard: Conrad Nakamura ’21, Kian Shah ’21 and Kilarah Lott ’18.
INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD Flint Hill has competed indoors before; however, this was the Huskies’ first official season. The Indoor/Winter Track and Field team began their season in November, and by midseason, had three meets at Battlefield High School, Prince George’s County Sports and Learning Center and Episcopal High School. Jacqueline Fraley ’18 and Natalie Johnson ’18 were the girls’ top performers, both with a number of top-10 finishes, and new School records in the 55-meter dash for Fraley and the 500-meter run for Johnson. John Moxley ’18 and Calvin Lucido ’20 were the top boys’ performers, each with strong showings in the 1600-meter run.
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DANCE Every year, the Varsity Dance team sets new goals in hopes of learning new skills and styles, and the bar was set high this season. The year began in the summer when the team traveled to the University of Virginia for the Universal Dance Association camp. They were awarded a Superior trophy and Team Full Out Award for their team performance, and each member received Superior ribbons for their individual evaluations. Becca Stone ’18 and Karolena Salmon ’18 were selected as All-American Dancers and given the opportunity to perform in London. Guest choreographers visited, during preseason, to create new dances for our biggest performances. The team’s enthusiasm and strong energy continued into the fall with an exciting football season. The winter season brought a busy schedule with
performances every week at Husky basketball games, and the team was prepared to learn new dances for each game. A highlight for the team was performing four dances during Flint Hill’s Winterfest festivities. Faculty member Lauren So choreographed a hip-hop dance that challenged the team to get out of their comfort zone. “It is always special to have the Middle and Upper School teams perform together, and the younger dancers enjoyed having a Flint Hill Dance Team buddy they could look up to,” Coach Olivia Landrum ’11 stated. “It has been inspiring to watch each dancer reach her personal goals as well as see the team come together and support each other in times of injury and stress. I admire the determination in each of them and am very proud of all they accomplished this season.”
SWIM AND DIVE More than 40 student-athletes were on this year’s Varsity Swim and Dive squad. For the first time, the Huskies competed in the diving format with Oliver Mills ’20 leading the way. At the Saints Diving Invitational in Richmond, Virginia, Mills rocked the varsity boys’ competition by placing first out of 17 divers. He also won the Washington Metropolitan Prep School Swim Dive League’s Diving Championships held at Holton-Arms School. In swimming, at the Independent School League Championships held at The Madeira School, Jasmine Hellmer ’18 led the Huskies to a fifth place finish overall. Hellmer won the 200-meter individual medley and the 100 freestyle, while Sisi Baker ’18 placed fifth in the 200 free and fourth in the 500 free. Natalie Champagne ’20 finished fourth in the 100 butterfly and third in the 500 free. The Huskies were aiming for their best showing at the state meet. FLINT HILL MAGAZINE | 33
faculty/staff news In February, Upper School Learning Specialists Stephanie Batbouta and Matt Philipp were guest lecturers at George Mason University, where they presented “Academic Coaching” to future educators in Dr. Silvia Moore’s class, “Secondary Strategies for Students who Access the General Education.” Grades 7-12 English Department Chair John Copenhaver’s novel,
“Dodging and Burning,” has been published. The launch for the book was held at Politics and Prose, at The Wharf in Washington, in March. He wrote an article, “Ten LGBT Crime MustReads,” that was published in Electric Literature in February. He designed a writing workshop series with OutWrite, a local LGBTQ writers organization at the DC Center, and he held workshops on point-of-view, stereotypes, and pacing in fiction throughout the winter and spring. Last year, he was also awarded another $5,000 Artist Fellowship grant from the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities. Kindergarten teacher Jessica Craig was a panelist for a
discussion themed “Picture of Practice” at the NOVA Project Zero professional event hosted by Flint Hill in January. Lower School Science Lab Specialist and Enrichment Coordinator Megan Dhar presented “Day of Play” at The
Progressive Education Summit, in Baltimore, in January. The presentation focused on the behind-the-scenes process of planning, organizing and executing Flint Hill’s Lower School Day of Play. Director of the Lower School Sheena Hall is co-leading
the Emerging Leaders Institute for the Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington (AISGW) and is also serving on the AISGW Member Services Committee.
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An exhibition of Upper School Art teacher Cianne Fragione’s work, “Dancing the Tarantella,” was held at Gallery Neptune & Brown, from September 9 to October 8. She was also part of the three-woman show “Radix: The Eternal Feminine” at the American University Museum, November 11–December 17. In January, Upper School Technology Integration Specialist and Upper School Information Specialist Nate Green was
interviewed for the education podcast StartEd Up, by host Don Wettrick, about the Disruptive Innovation through Social Media class he teaches. Tre Mongo ’19, a student in the class, was also interviewed. Green also wrote an article with Grades JK-12 Technology Integration Department Chair Melissa Turner, “Why Every School’s Edtech Department Should Make Themselves Obsolete,” which was published in the December 11 issue of EdSurge. Green and Turner also spoke together at Bullis School about Digital Citizenship.
Director of the Annual Fund Chris Kitzmiller was a
speaker in the “Strategic Idea Generation: Annual Fund 101: Speed Networking” session at the CASE-NAIS Independent Schools conference, in Anaheim, California, in January. Engagement and Stewardship Officer Tiffany Parry hosted
a Special Events and Fundraisers Group roundtable, in September, with colleagues from peer schools affiliated with the Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington.
Founder’s Day Recognitions At our annual Founder’s Day, in January, we celebrated Fourth Grade teacher Rob Taylor’s 20-year anniversary at Flint Hill as well as this year’s Driving Spirit Award recipients: Director of Diversity and Inclusion Mia Burton; Lower School Learning Specialist Kim Dewar; Grades JK-6 Language Arts Department Chair Christine Dwyer; and Upper School Computer Science and Robotics teacher Mike Snyder.
Grades JK-12 Innovation Department Chair Joey Starnes
was awarded the Virginia Association of Independent Schools’ Innovation in Education Award, Upper School, at that association’s Leading Learning Conference held in Richmond, Virginia, in November. Lower School Technology Integration Specialist and Lower/ Middle School Computer Science teacher Lisa Waters was
a guest speaker on the panel of educational futures at the Symposium on Foresight in Alexandria, Virginia, in October. She presented “Creating a Caring Online Community: Improved Interactions, Feedback and Engagement” at George Mason University’s (GMU) Innovations in Teaching and Learning Conference in September. She also serves as an adjunct faculty member at GMU’s College of Education and Human Development, Masters in Blended and Online Learning program.
Apple School 2017–2019 Flint Hill School has been recognized once again as an Apple Distinguished School “for continuous innovation in learning, teaching, and the school environment.” The recognition — given as a two-year designation for 2017–2019 — demonstrates the School’s commitment to academic excellence.
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faculty/staff news Professional Development by Faculty for Faculty Flint Hill Upper School Campus — January 2018 Professional Development by Faculty for Faculty (PDBFFF) — a mini-conference for Flint Hill teachers to share their expertise and learn from one another — was created by Upper School Technology Integration Specialist and Information Specialist Nate Green, Instructional Coach and English teacher Jen McKain, and Grades JK-12 Technology Integration Department Chair Melissa Turner.
“We reached out to teachers that we knew were doing something interesting or unique in the classroom and/or had recently presented at a conference on an interesting topic,” said Turner. Teachers were offered three 30minute sessions from various topics including:
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• “Top Strategies to Teach Students with ADHD” presented by Director of the Learning Center Susan Biggs. • “Multi-Disciplinary Teaching: Humble Observations from Teaching both English and Physics” presented by Upper School English teacher and Science teacher Jonathan Chang. • “Information Literacy in an Age of Fake News” presented by Upper School History and Social Sciences teachers Sam Brickman and Kristoff Kohlhagen. • “Finding Student Voice with Socrative Seminars” presented by Upper School History and Social Sciences teacher Amy Clement.
• “Aim, Steady, Fire: How to Use and Hit Learning Targets” presented by Upper School English Teacher Monét Cooper.
summed up the experience, “We are all passionate about teaching and learning, and when we work together, we push one another to step outside of our comfort zones.”
• “Incorporating Inquiry in the Classroom” presented by Grades 7-12 English Department Chair and Middle/ Upper School English teacher John Copenhaver.
Virginia Association of Independent Schools’ Leading Learning Conference
• “Photoshop: Take it for a Whirl!” presented by Upper School Digital Arts teacher Catherine Huber. • “Research, Posters and Gallery Walks, Oh My!” presented by Grades 7-12 Science Department Chair and Upper School Science teacher Zack Krug ’95. • “To Homework or Not?” presented by Jen McKain. • “Embrace Blended Learning, It’s the Future” presented by Upper School Spanish teacher Kristin Piazza. • “See-Think-Wonder + Mindfulness = Success” presented by Upper School Math and Innovation teacher Harrell Rentz. • “Fostering Student Culture in the Tundra” presented by Upper School Math teacher Riki Weeks. This inaugural PDBFFF was piloted at the Upper School, and feedback collected after the program indicated interest for more in the future. “We heard a lot of teachers talk about how they were going to change something they were doing or start doing something new as a result of these sessions,” said Green. Turner
Richmond, Va. — November 7 • Middle School Learning Specialist Ann Bazzarone, Instructional Coach and Middle/Upper School English teacher Jen McKain, and Assistant Director of the Middle School Tanya Salewski presented “‘To Home-
work or Not?’ How to Return the Joy of Learning to Homework.” • Grades 7-12 English Department Chair and English teacher John Copenhaver presented “The Curious Leading the Curious: Structuring and Implementing an Inquirybased Literature Course.” • Middle School English teacher Travis Keatley and Middle School Learning Specialist Katherine O’Donnell
presented “Bringing Joy Back to Grading: Assessing with Purpose.” • Upper School Math teacher Riki Weeks presented “Three Strategies for Building and Strengthening Relationships in Schools.”
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parents’ association news Greetings Flint Hill Community, The motto of the 2017-2018 Parents’ Association Board is “Making a Joyful Impact.” To do this, we established Working Groups to focus on the following schoolwide matters: • Increasing school spirit • Engaging parents in supporting students and alumni in their career development • Growing the Parents’ Association Endowment for Financial Aid In Honor of Sally Hazel by increased attendance at events and strong fiscal management Each of these Working Groups is led by a member of the PA Executive Committee and meets during our monthly board meetings. Using Design Thinking principles, challenges have been defined and goals established. This has allowed the PA to make a meaningful contribution and remain accountable to the parent body and school leadership. A few examples of our progress in these areas are increased attendance at Homecoming and Winterfest through collaboration with the Athletic Department and providing parent support to the Director of Alumni Relations on career services. Additionally, we increased our Holiday Shoppes contribution to the Parents’ Association Endowment for Financial Aid In Honor of Sally Hazel by 75%. We would not be able to “Make a Joyful Impact” like this if it wasn’t for the selfless work of our many parent volunteers. This is why we instituted a special parking space on both of our campuses for our Volunteer of the Month. It is a small token of our appreciation but an important distinction. I hope when you see these folks around campus, you will express your gratitude to them. Sincerely, Sharon McBride P ’16, P ’20 Parents’ Association President, 2017–2018
Fall Tennis Social Brings Parents Together on the Court On a beautiful September morning, more than 40 parents came together on the Upper School tennis courts for the annual Fall Tennis Social. Seven new Flint Hill parents participated, and it was wonderful to see them on campus and welcomed by all of our families. Players of all skill sets enjoyed four rounds of mixed doubles tennis. Beginner-level players refined their skills with drills run by Flint Hill Varsity Tennis Coach Steve Spratt, while more advanced players enjoyed friendly competitive matches.
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We extend our gratitude to parent volunteer coordinators Leesa Blum P ’19, P ’21 and Sally Burns P ’25. Sally arranged a delicious lunch and made beautiful, welcoming centerpieces. Leesa took on the challenge of making the pairings and player rotations. We are grateful to both Leesa and Sally for all their efforts in organizing this fun event! Mark your calendars for the Springfest Tennis Social on Saturday, April 21! Visit www.flinthill.org/springfest for more information or to register.
Flint Hill Celebrates Another Memorable Homecoming Homecoming weekend brought excitement to both campuses. A pep rally, Powder Puff game and bonfire kicked off the celebration on Friday, October 13. On Saturday, October 14, families and students of all ages enjoyed the many games—all resulting in wins!—and activities on Spirit Alley that were hosted by Upper School student clubs, including the Major Minors Cake Walk, pumpkin decorating with the Classics Club and a demonstration from the Robotics team.
The festivities concluded with a decisive win for the Football team over Bishop Ireton with a score of 42-0, followed by the Homecoming dance later that evening. We extend our gratitude to Homecoming Coordinator Shaun Marzett P ’24, P ’28, and a dedicated team of more than 100 parents and students who came together to volunteer, from decorating and helping at the School Store, to making cotton candy, grilling and selling concessions. The Igloo, Hut and School Store had a banner day, and all around campus, there was a festive atmosphere filled with students, parents, alumni, faculty and staff.
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parents’ association news
Community Converges at the Upper School for 15th Annual Holiday Shoppes On Saturday, November 11, the Upper School was transformed into a bustling holiday market where eager shoppers came to choose gifts for family and friends. This year, there was an exciting new addition: a Louis Vuitton Handbag Raffle, generously donated by Flint Hill parent and realtor Karen Sparks. During the Shoppes, we welcomed back more than 50 parents of alumni at the first-ever Parents of Alumni Luncheon. It was wonderful to see everyone back on campus reconnecting with one another.
Thank you to our parent co-chairs, Karen Sparks P ’11, P ’21 and Alex Shumway H ’10, P ’12, P ’15, P ’20, P ’20, P ’21, for their months of planning to make this a successful fundraiser for the Parents’ Association Endowment for Financial Aid in Honor of Sally Hazel, and a community-building event for our School. The day’s success is attributed to the many parents and Upper School students who volunteered to help with decorating, greeting, hospitality, the Kids’ Space, bake sale, parent tables and vendor support. Thank you to everyone who came out to shop and volunteer! The Parents’ Association raised more than $21,000 to benefit the Parents’ Association Endowment for Financial Aid in Honor of Sally Hazel. Whether you shopped, volunteered or contributed to the bake sale, our combined efforts made the day a success!
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Huskies Heat Up Winterfest Weekend Exciting, energetic and celebratory are three words that describe the electric atmosphere surrounding Winterfest 2018! In front of a packed crowd in the Upper School Gym, the Flint Hill Basketball teams provided high-level entertainment for the School community. The dance teams did an outstanding job encouraging an already spirited crowd by performing during halftime for the boys’ and girls’ varsity games. After the girls’ game, Flint Hill recognized the Football and Volleyball teams for their state championship seasons by unveiling their banners. The packed student section, dressed in their “tropical” theme attire chanted, “undefeated, undefeated!” as both banners were unfurled. Capping off an incredible day, the Varsity Boys’ team defeated Potomac in a thrilling contest that came down to the final 35 seconds of the game! Thank you to our wonderful volunteers for helping at the Igloo and School Store, and thank you to all who came to cheer on our teams and share in the Husky pride. We are especially grateful to our Winterfest volunteer coordinators, Thomas and Angela Parham P ’27, for their efforts and enthusiasm to make this a spirit-filled day for our community.
Thomas and Angela Parham
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The Creative Class Three Flint Hill alumni representing three different decades find success in entertainment, advertising and luxury event management.
STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) remains one of the hottest topics in education, but not all students are aspiring scientists, programmers or engineers. Martha Montes Loffarelli ’82, John Armstrong ’98 and Jeannette Tavares ’06 are proving that there is an abundance of opportunity — and adventure — for students who choose a different path.
Martha (Montes) Loffarelli ’82 ENTERTAINMENT TRAVEL, BCD TRAVEL
S
Some of the people involved in producing hit television shows are obvious — they are writers, directors, producers, makeup artists and, of course, the actors themselves. But there is a less visible group of professionals working behind the scenes, 24/7, to ensure that on-camera talent arrive on-set (and elsewhere), on time and on budget, so we can enjoy our favorite programs without interruption. In her role at BCD Travel, in Los Angeles, Martha Loffarelli is one of those unsung heroes, orchestrating the complex logistics behind getting actors, directors and crew members to and from various filming locations. Martha moved to Northern Virginia after living a global, nomadic life with her family, when her father accepted a position with the World Bank. She enrolled in Flint Hill Prep in 1980 and thrived both on the stage and the basketball court,
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earning the Coaches Leadership Award in basketball during her Senior year. She was one of 34 Falcons to graduate in the Class of 1982. Martha noted that attending Flint Hill reinforced the importance of relationship-building, and the Flint Hill staff gave her perspective on how we all relate to one another, saying, “To this day, I am in still touch with some of my classmates and Flint Hill staff.” Her travels with her family instilled a deep passion for exploration in Martha that she knew she wanted to incorporate into her professional life. But when she attended Texas A&M University, in the fall of 1982, a career in the travel industry wasn’t on her radar. She recalls, “I studied architecture, because I wanted to renovate old buildings. I was in love with the old buildings we would see in Europe and the Middle East and the sense of history there. I would just stand in the ruins and try to picture when these places were in their heyday, and it really brought history to life for me.”
Martha joined BCD Travel after holding positions at DreamWorks SKG and Universal Music Group. BCD Travel is one of the largest travel management companies representing the entertainment industry, with a client roster that includes CBS, Comcast NBCUniversal, Viacom, Time Warner and smaller production studios. Working with VIP clients through Comcast NBCUniversal, Martha is responsible for arranging travel logistics for five different television shows. Attention to detail, accuracy, confidentiality, and the ability to build and nurture relationships are critical. Martha notes, “My work is not just about making reservations. You create relationships with your vendors, you create relationships with your production crew, so it’s a very relationship-driven business.”
Her position is a demanding one, requiring her to be accessible to her clients around the clock. She says, “If you’re not willing to go above and beyond, then this job is not for you.” Martha’s shows A career as a are in production - MARTHA (MONTES) LOFFARELLI ’82 travel agent was from July to April, suggested as a way with a two-week to channel her hiatus during the passion of travel. holidays. And in That suggestion, and her homesickness for Northern addition to booking travel for shows in production, Martha Virginia’s cosmopolitan culture, led Martha to return must coordinate travel for network news crews and talent home to enroll in the travel and tourism program at for breaking news events around the world. There is also Northern Virginia Community College, one of only a few pilot season, award season, publicity travel and network hospitality-focused programs in the area at the time. upfronts, which require Martha and her team to keep VIP From there, an internship with American Express Travel in executives, talent and crew members on the move daily, Tysons Corner gave Martha her first taste of the business effortlessly and without a hitch. But she wouldn’t have it and acted as a stepping stone for what would become a any other way. She reflects, “Travel is the only expense vibrant career in the travel industry. She recalls, “After my that will leave you richer. You have to expand your horizons internship at American Express, I later accepted a position and see how other people live, and I thank my parents for at Trans World Airlines, working at the City Ticket Office giving us that experience as children. I encourage anyone in Washington. Then I moved to Dulles Airport and St. who has a wanderlust to pursue a career in travel and Louis Airport. After relocating to Los Angeles, I began tourism; your life will be richer beyond measure.” working in corporate travel and later transitioned to the exciting world of entertainment travel where I am today.”
you’re not willing to go “Ifabove and beyond, then this job is not for you.”
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John Armstrong ’98 CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER AND CO-FOUNDER, JOY RIOT
J
John Armstrong joined Flint Hill as a middle schooler in 1992. Like most Flint Hill students, John was very active — he was a member of the Lacrosse and Cross Country teams, co-founded a music club and took German, which he recalls felt like more of “an activity instead of a class” because of its intimacy and the level of cultural immersion provided by his teacher, Peter Terry. When reflecting on his time at Flint Hill, John gives a tremendous amount of credit to the English department and some of its legendary faculty, who equipped him with the writing abilities that are critical to success in his chosen field. He says, “No one writes better than a Flint Hill student. That applies to critical and creative writing, both of which have a place in advertising. I was lucky to have been taught by a top-seed English department at Flint Hill. Dick Rouse was a stern, hilarious and brilliant taskmaster. There was Maddie Krug, a living legend whom I was lucky to have twice; Mark Feiner, who read the same books I did and harbored a similar weltanschauung; and Patty Lee, the most empathetic teacher I’ve ever had, whose son Mike is my best friend to this day. Those teachers all encouraged wideranging discussions that served as a precursor to the type of environment I found in advertising agencies.”
John says, “I compared every history course at Fordham to Patricia Deveneau’s AP U.S. History class at Flint Hill.” After graduating from Fordham, he spent a period of time in apparel sales before identifying the career path that would lead him to study advertising at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York. He recalls, “There was a period between Fordham and SVA when I had a sales role in the apparel industry. It was fun — I traveled the county, racked up my share of stories and sales acumen, and even met my wife in the office. But the job always felt like a layover before the ultimate destination. One night, the man who would become my father-in-law suggested advertising copywriting, which is the intersection of sales and writing. I worked a couple of blocks from Manhattan’s Union Square Barnes & Noble, so I visited during lunch and found a book called - JOHN ARMSTRONG ’98 ‘Copywriter: A Life of Making Ads and
No one writes better “than a Flint Hill student.
After graduating from Flint Hill, John attended Fordham University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in history.
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That applies to critical and creative writing, both of which have a place in advertising.
”
Other Mistakes’ by a retired Boston ad man named Ray Welch. I think I read it in one sitting. The next day, I wrote Ray a self-involved and plaintive letter, in spite of which he agreed to mentor me. During his mentorship, I enrolled at SVA, where I completed the portfolio that would land me my first industry gig.” From SVA, John went on to hold positions with a who’s who of media and advertising companies, including Saatchi & Saatchi, Audible, Inc., and Global Thinking, before starting his own firm. A bold statement, “We create pleasant interruptions,” is one of the first things you see when you visit the website for Joy Riot, the Alexandria, Virginiabased advertising agency John launched in September 2017 with his business partner, Jessica Brown. At a time when the human attention span hovers at eight seconds, and consumers routinely fast-forward or scroll past ads, the promise of a “pleasant interruption” is an important differentiator. And the company’s memorable name was chosen to reflect that. John says, “Our work is designed to foment joy riots. Those are special moments of enjoyment for the audience. So when someone sees our work, she doesn’t think, ‘That’s a nice ad.’ She thinks, ‘That was amazing,’ and she shares it with a friend, becoming a viral ambassador for our client. It’s advertising that transcends the medium.” During their time directing accounts and creative teams at their previous agency, John and Jessica regularly discussed how they’d do things differently if they ran their own business. John says, “Those talks took on a life of their own, until we were naming [the company] and writing a manifesto. The truth is, I’ve started a business, and I’ve had kids. You’re never ready for either. The state makes sure you can operate a motor vehicle before they let you drive, but there’s not nearly the same oversight if you want to be a parent or a business owner.” After less than a year in business, Joy Riot’s growing client roster includes nonprofit and corporate clients throughout the East Coast. John is reveling in the opportunity to do what he loves on his own terms and offers these words of wisdom to students who are considering careers in advertising, “Advertising is for people whose intelligence arises from curiosity. To learn about the craft, read ‘Hey
Whipple, Squeeze This’ by Luke Sullivan, and ‘The Advertising Concept Book’ by Pete Barry. To keep your finger on the pulse of the cultural zeitgeist, read Chuck Klosterman, attend shows by new bands and unknown artists, and watch documentaries—about anything. The other essential ingredient is persistence. Walt Disney said, ‘The difference between winning and losing is most often not quitting.’ I subscribe to that.”
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Jeannette Tavares ’06 SENIOR EVENT PLANNER AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR, EVOKE
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The fact that browsing images from an EVOKE event feels like thumbing through the pages of a high-end lifestyle magazine is no accident. Weddings and parties planned by the Washington-based event design, planning and management firm regularly appear in print and online publications like Brides, InStyle, Martha Stewart, BizBash, Inside Weddings and the Washington Post. And Jeannette Tavares is often the architect of these stunning events. In addition to weddings and corporate events, Jeannette has been the creative mind behind some events for Vice President Mike Pence and former first lady Michelle Obama. As the lead planner for EVOKE’s destination events, clients rely on Jeannette for her eclectic, globally-influenced style, high energy and laser focus on the details. That energy and attention to detail served her well at Flint Hill, where she discovered her passion for event planning early. Jeannette was a lacrosse player, was elected president of her class and led and served on a number of committees, including planning committees for Homecoming and Winterfest. As the child of Portuguese immigrants, Jeannette grew up in a home that constantly hosted visitors for both formal and informal family events. This, combined with her mother’s background working for the Watergate Hotel and the Kennedy family, further influenced her career path. She recalls, “I was raised with a very traditional background with a lot of hosting and welcoming people into our home, and that for me was a big part of deciding what I wanted to do.” After graduating from Flint Hill, Jeannette attended the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, where she studied hospitality and communications. An internship with the Greater Wilmington Sports Hall of Fame provided her first professional opportunity to coordinate events, allowing her to support programs for Michael Jordan’s foundation. After returning to the Washington area, Jeannette worked as a intern for Hitched, a Washingtonbased bridal boutique. One day during Jeannette’s internship,
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EVOKE founder Jodi Moraru serendipitously walked into the boutique, and the rest was history. Jeannette has now been with the company for more than eight years, rising from an intern to Moraru’s second-in-command. Jeannette’s life in and outside of the office is a whirlwind. She is currently in the process of planning seven destination events for this year — three abroad and four in the U.S. — with more likely to come. Her day typically starts with a morning team meeting and brainstorming session, before she rushes off to client meetings, tastings and venue walkthroughs. The EVOKE team is the definition of full-service, touching every aspect of an event firsthand to ensure nothing short of complete satisfaction. Jeannette says, “There are a lot of event planners in this world, but we are providing a very luxurious service, while keeping the process fun for our clients. I am going to make sure everything is absolutely perfect. I can truly say I touch, see and taste everything that goes out and that just goes back to our commitment to the luxury service.”
In addition to designing events according to her clients’ tastes and personalities, While Jeannette’s direct experience in event management their guests are top of mind for Jeannette during the began in Wilmington, she believes Flint Hill equipped her planning process. She says, “I plan [based on] what the with essential skills for her career. She says, “This job inguest experience will be. Are cars picking them up from volves a lot of problem solving. And you have to be a great the airport? How are communicator in order we getting them from to execute the ideas point A to point B? and vision you might When they arrive, have [for an event]. what will be the first Sometimes it’s really thing they see? What great communication is the first thing they’re and sometimes, going to experience and unfortunately, it’s not do?” This approach is always the best news particularly effective you have to give to for international events, clients, so you really which require the same have to be a great hands-on approach communicator in this with the addition of field. I personally believe more complex travel that Flint Hill taught me logistics, vendor relations this with their hands-on and language barriers. approach to teaching. One of those events is Flint Hill is an amazing a June wedding for 350 establishment with the - JEANNETTE TAVARES ’06 guests, taking place in way classes are taught Portugal. The event will and the way teachers require Jeannette to live interact with you. We abroad, for the month were learning using of May, to work with vendors, inspect materials and put the real-life scenarios at all times, and that hands-on finishing touches on the affair before the bride, groom and approach taught me how to handle [different] their guests arrive for the festivities. Fortunately, Jeannette situations with my clients in the best ways.” has been there and done that — her own Portuguese wedding was featured in Martha Stewart Weddings.
My focus is to take “your style, vision and
needs, and design innovative, seamless, once-in-a-lifetime celebrations.
”
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alumni events COLLEGE DINNERS:
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1. William & Mary (L-R): Tommy Blackwell ’14, Lauren Freeman ’16, Alexandra Alden Wagner ’17, Varvara Troitski ’16, Jennifer Chen ’17, Ameer Rezazad ’17 2. James Madison University (L-R): Diana Simione ’17, Bethany Patton ’14, Will Dolin ’16, Alex Parseghian ’16 3. Virginia Tech: Gracie Anderson ’15, Robert Fitzgerald ’17, Caitlin Hadjis ’16, Tori Herman ’17, Jaclyn Koger ’14, William Krisko ’15, Jared Levin ’16, Ally Lucas ’14, Stephen Lucas ’17, Lizzy Schofield ’14, Kirsten Schuler ’17, Omar Talaksi ’17, Jordan Taylor ’16, Jordan Tunks ’17, Jack Wyant ’17 4. University of Virginia (L-R): Bryan Stabbe, Bruce Briglia ’14, Moksha Sharma ’14, Amy He ’14, Kelly Fulton ’14, Christina Vohra ’14, Maria Taylor, Zane Homsi ’15, Olivia Stiebel ’15, Jack Harrington ’17 5. American University, Georgetown University and the George Washington University (L-R): Kayla Hewitt ’17, Josh Lisker ‘16, Hailey McDonnell ’17, Cydney Solomon ’14, Margaret Hudak ’16,
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The Alumni Office has hosted 14 College Dinners so far this year, with attendance from alumni from 18 colleges. It has been great to catch up with our youngest alumni at these events!
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Giana Fiore ’17, Mahima Chaudhary ’16, Olivia Ferrer ’16 with Doug Schoemer 6. Georgia Institute of Technology (L-R) Raynal Singh ’14 and Ali Talaksi ’15 7. Christopher Newport University (L-R): Isabel Rice-Martorell ’17, Annie Hajost ’16, Cameron Stork ’16 8. Bucknell University (L-R): Katherine Doyle ’14, Christian Tailor ’15, Aaron Lippman ’16 9. University of Mary Washington: Michael Davisson ’14 10. Penn State (L-R): Jason Police ’15 and Jack Swart ’15 11. Elon University (L-R): Christina Mazziotta ’16, Sky McBride ’16, Paige Rucks ’16, Tucker Reilly ’16 12. Wake Forest University (Front Row L-R): Dillon Foley ’14, Josh Cohen ’16, Paul Holland ’14 (Back Row L-R): Corey McCarten ’14, Britton Anderson ’14 FLINT HILL MAGAZINE | 49
alumni events
TURKEY BOWL Huskies returned to campus the day after Thanksgiving for an alumni football game and scrimmaged against the current Varsity Girls’ and Boys’ Basketball teams. Alumni were able to keep up with the current students on the court!
Turkey Bowl Football (L-R): Daniel Giguere ’12, Christian Taylor ’15, Reid Lavin ’15, Jordan Taylor ’16, and Coach Tom Verbanic
Alumni with varsity players and coaches:
Alison Bragaw-Butler ’12
Daniel Giguere ’12 and Juwan Lockhart ’09
Shea Patrick ’12
Cecily Wolfe ’17
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ALUMNI NETWORKING EVENT Washington-area alumni participated in a networking event that included a presentation by keynote speaker Michele Kuntz, a professional certified coach, who did a workshop on “Defining and Communicating a Strong Personal Brand.” Alumni then had the opportunity for professional networking. A special thanks to Scott Schillereff ‘05 for hosting us at The Army Navy Country Club.
LO S A N G E L E S ALUMNI G AT H E R I N G Los Angeles-area alumni, parents of alumni and grandparents gathered on a sunny afternoon in Santa Monica to reconnect and reminisce about Flint Hill. Despite being 3,000 miles away from Flint Hill, there are quite a few alumni on the West Coast. It was great to hear about all of the exciting adventures alumni have had since they graduated from Flint Hill. FLINT HILL MAGAZINE | 51
parents of alumni event
PA R E N T S O F A L U M N I FA L L R E C E P T I O N
Gretchen Schofield P ’14, P ’17 Lisa Benn P ’14, P ’16 Lisa Lisker P ’15, P ’16 Sam Lisker P ’15, P ’16
Jennifer Herd P ’15 Karen Sparks P ’11, P ’21
Parents of alumni enjoyed catching up at Greenhouse Bistro, a new venue for the fall reception. Headmaster John Thomas ended his brief remarks with a toast to the parents of alumni. Attendees were able to learn about all of the new initiatives and programs at Flint Hill through a fun video.
The best way to leverage your alumni network is through the Flint Hill Alumni App. Have you downloaded it yet? The Flint Hill Alumni App is exclusively for alumni and can be accessed using your LinkedIn login information or with your email address. Now available on desktops! Have questions? Contact Director of Alumni Relations Maria Taylor at mtaylor@flinthill.org or 703.584.2350.
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REUNION WEEKEND 2018 F R I D AY & S AT U R D AY, M AY 4 – 5 Classes of 1963, 1968, 1973, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, 1998, 2003, 2008 and 2013
a w e a k l a T ow k d n m e mory lane TWO DAYS OF REUNIONS, RECEPTIONS AND ACTIVITIES Falcons and Huskies return to Flint Hill for Alumni Reunion Weekend 2018. Whether you are celebrating your 50th reunion or your 5th — or somewhere in between — come to campus to reconnect with old friends and to make new ones. Classes ending in 3s and 8s will celebrate their Reunions at Flint Hill May 4–5. If you would like to help plan your Reunion, please contact Director of Alumni Relations Maria Taylor at mtaylor@flinthill.org or 703.584.2350.
. t c R e n e m n o i n c i e sce . Reunite R
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alumni class notes 1992 Heather White writes, “This summer I left the D.C. area for New Haven, Connecticut to take a position at Yale University. I work with various schools within the university on custom web applications and with the Student Developer Mentorship Program, mentoring undergraduates interested in computer science.”
1993 Jessica Aspinwall Springsteen is a senior international project finance lawyer at Clifford Chance US LLP, an English law firm with a large U.S. presence. She regularly advises commercial banks, multilateral organizations and export credit agencies in all aspects relating to the development and financing of energy and infrastructure projects worldwide, with a particular emphasis on Latin America. Jessica is ranked as a “next generation” lawyer in Legal 500 Latin America 2017 for Projects & Energy. Prior to joining Clifford Chance US LLP, Jessica worked for the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency and the Inter-American Development Bank. Jessica received her JD from The Catholic University, Columbus School of Law, and obtained her MA
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1995 in International Affairs with distinction from Catholic University. Jessica is also a member of the board of directors of Isabella & Ferdinand Spanish Language Adventures, a Washington-based educational facility for children that specializes in teaching the Spanish language through culture and music. Jessica is also very active in fundraising for the Washington International School, which both of her children attend. Jessica speaks fluent Spanish and Italian. Jessica’s husband, George Springsteen, is General Counsel at the IFC Asset Management Company. Jessica, George and their two sons live in Chevy Chase.
Semper Fi from San Diego. Lt. Col. Andrew Mills and Capt. KC Gordon Koepp ’06 met aboard MCAS Miramar and shared a few Flint Hill memories. Capt. “Curry” Koepp is serving on the I MEF Staff and preparing for medical school. Lt. Col. “Silky” Mills is serving on 3d MAW Staff and preparing to command the HMH-466 Wolfpack.
1997 This past fall, Jennifer Stringfellow Lamanna, her husband, Paul, and their son, Henley (4), were very excited to welcome a second child, daughter Caroline Elizabeth, born September 28.
2001 Keven Schreiber writes, “In June of 2017, I transferred to Naples, Italy, to become the Senior Trial Counsel (prosecutor) for the U.S. Navy Region Legal Service Office Europe, and Africa, Southwest Asia. My department is responsible for criminal prosecution of Navy service members across the region, handling court-martial for matters ranging from sexual assault to entitlement fraud to murder. On September 1 2017, I was promoted to Lieutenant Commander, and my parents made the trip to Naples to pin on my new rank.”
his mother, siblings and nephews. In December of 2016, Dev returned to New York, accepting a position as Chief of Staff at Complex, the #1 male-millennial focused digital publisher in the U.S. He continues to work there in 2018.
Katie Gregg ’07, Andrew Gregg ’03, Jeff Hurlock ’04, Mike Joyce ’04, Geoff Kfoury ’04, Ryan Miller H ’04, Eric Polgar ’04, Andrew Sensi ’04, Bryan Tropeano ’04, Matt Tsun ’04, Jessica Tsun ’04 and Sara-Jane Whitcher H ’08.
2004 Russell Watts, President of Chess Club, Captain of Basketball Team, Student Government Representative, and Honors Student married the legendary Lindsey Pinkerton, Slayer of Dragons, Champion of Champions, on January 20, in Charleston, South Carolina. The wedding was attended by fellow Flint Hill alumni including: Derick Blakely ’04, Nick Bradford ’04, Adam Elaroussi ’04, Tommy Fortkort ’04, Mike Gregg ’04,
2002 Dev Sethi spent almost all of 2016 taking a hiatus from the workforce, deciding to travel internationally and domestically while moving back to Northern Virginia to spend time with
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alumni class notes 2006
2008
Michael Freedman recently left Washington, D.C., and his career with the U.S. Navy to pursue a more outdoor-oriented life in Seattle, Washington, where he’s now working as a Sr. Program Manager for Amazon. Before starting his position with Amazon, Michael took a two-month gap period to work through his bucket list, including:
Leah Weiss married Sean Dalton on October 28, 2017, at the Winery at Bull Run in Centreville, Virginia, with many Flint Hill alumni in attendance.
• Visiting numerous National Parks (e.g., Arches, Canyonlands, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Badlands) • Participating in Adult Space Camp at the U.S. Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama • Reaching the summit of Gannett Peak, the highest point in Wyoming, with his father, Bruce Freedman, who has now climbed all 50 high points (the highest point in each state) Now in Seattle, Michael is orienting himself within Amazon and spends the weekends hiking, snowshoeing, trail running, snowboarding or some combination of them all!
Taylor Swart writes, “I currently live in Columbus, Ohio, and I became a Registered Nurse in December 2017. I currently work full time as an RN in the Med-Surg Float Pool at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. I am also in graduate school full time at The Ohio State University, and will be a primary care pediatric nurse practitioner in May 2019, at which time I hope to move closer to Virginia. I enjoy doing Crossfit, and competed in two team competitions this past fall, taking home first and second place in them.”
2010 Kiran Kumar writes, “Since graduating from Flint Hill in 2010, I have completed my B.S. in Biophysics at Wake Forest University (’14) where my undergraduate research contributed towards two scientific publications in the field of bioinformatics. I then relocated to the U.K. where I earned my M.Sc. in Molecular Biophysics at King’s College London (’15) exploring the use of computer simulations to study the behavior of proteins involved in cancer pathways. Currently, I am in the final year of my Ph.D. in Theoretical Organic Chemistry at the University of Oxford. My thesis project utilizes computer
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John Wisiackas writes, “Flint Hill alumni of Classes ’09 and ’10 reunited for the 10th annual Timberline Men’s Wilderness Retreat. Attendees from the class of 2009 included John Stertzer ’09 and Jess Wisiackas ’09. Class of 2010 attendees included Chris Cassaday ’10, Pat Farrell ’10, Preston Gray ’10, Daniel Augustine ’10, Johnny Lane ’10, Jared Leader ’10, James Shuler ’10, and John Wisiackas ’10.”
From left to right: Cady Carman ’08, Alix Ginsberg ’08, Leah Dalton ’08, Matt McNerney ’08, JJ Kfoury ’08, Akhil Akula ’08, Jon Callan ’08, Quan Chi Le ’08, Erik Fredericksen ’08, Ashley Lounsbury’ 08 and Audrey Allen ’08.
simulations and quantum mechanical calculations to further cancer and antibiotic resistant drug discovery. Since joining Oxford, I have co-authored six other scientific articles in collaboration with four research groups and presented my work in several international conferences. Living in Europe has also allowed me to pursue my love of traveling; so far I have had the opportunity to visit over 12 countries in Europe and Asia.”
2011 Since graduating from Harvard College in May 2016, Ratna Gill has been working for Living Cities, a nonprofit based in New York that works to create economic empowerment for low-income people in the U.S. This year, she is very excited to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Gyaan Ghar, the learning center in India that she founded with support from the Flint Hill community in 2008. Ratna has recently had the opportunity to have
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alumni class notes her writing published by Ms. Magazine, HR Professional Magazine and Sense & Sustainability, and her vocal performance of Ordinary People by John Legend, recorded with the Harvard Opportunes, was just released on Spotify (listen at bit.ly/ ordpeople). Ratna was lucky enough to visit former Flint Hill teachers Fred Chanania and Patricia Deveneau this year, and constantly feels grateful for her Flint Hill community.
2015
Elias Chajet writes, “After two years working for the Goldring/Woldenberg of Institute of Southern Jewish Life, in Jackson, Mississippi. I have spent the last six months living in Jerusalem, Illinois for my first year of Rabbinical School at Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute of Religion. Upon returning to the states in May 2018, I will be living in Los Angeles for five years to finish Rabbinical School and pursue a Masters of Jewish Education.”
and am looking forward to what lies ahead. Go Huskies!”
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Sarah Lang is a junior at UCLA pursuing a degree in Global Studies. She recently completed the Semester at Sea program. Sam Lisker writes, “Currently, I am in the second semester of my junior year at Ithaca College. For the next few months, I am taking classes and interning at CBS News in New York City! I’m having so much fun here,
To be included in Alumni Class Notes, email the Alumni Office at alumni@flinthill.org with news of a union, birth of a child, professional developments, travels, or anything you’d like to share with your classmates. If you would like to include a photo with your submission, please note that digital photographs must be high-resolution JPEG images (1MB+) to appear in print. Flint Hill Magazine editorial staff reserve the right to edit submissions for clarity and length.
L I F E C YC L E S
Marriages
Mr. Edward J. Gill Jr. Parent of Eddie ’93, Mike ’97 June 17, 2017
Mr. Chris Louden Parent of Elisabeth ’22 February 21, 2018
Dr. David P. Gormley Sr. Parent of Blair ’91 January 1, 2017
Ms. Deborah A. Martell Parent of Leslie ’08 July 5, 2016
Births
Mr. Gordon S. Jarratt Parent of Jessica ’21 January 25, 2018
Mr. Powell McGill Parent of Tori ’12 January 30, 2018
Jennifer Stringfellow Lamanna ’04 and her husband Paul: Caroline Elizabeth Lamanna September 28, 2017
Ms. Beth D. Kiesewetter Parent of Andrew Pestone ’22 May 21, 2017
Mr. Walter Merritt Parent of Melissa ’06 January 23, 2011
In Memoriam
CAPT Edward C. Kline Jr., USN (Ret.) Former Faculty December 13, 2017
Mr. James S. Berman Parent of Jenny H ’95 May 31, 2017
Mr. Daniel I. Kliska Parent of Michael ’12, Lauren ’13 November 16, 2016
Mrs. Frances Pleasants Former Staff, Parent of Stephanie ’77, Greg ’80 September 15, 2008
Russell Watts ’04 and Lindsey Pinkerton on January 20, 2018 Leah Weiss ’08 and Sean Dalton on October 28, 2017
Mr. Robert L. Pye ’74 January 24, 2018
Mr. James T. Foster ’74 January 27, 2018
From the Archives: Do you know who these alumni are? This picture from the Flint Hill Archives is from the Falcon era. If you can identify any of the people in this picture, please contact Director of Alumni Relations Maria Taylor at mtaylor@flinthill.org or 703.584.2350. We are always looking for alumni and parents of alumni to visit the archives to identify pictures. If you are interested, please contact Maria Taylor using the information above.
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Don’t miss a thing. Follow Flint Hill Alumni on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and the Flint Hill Alumni App to connect with other alumni and get real-time updates from the Alumni Office. Search Flint Hill Alumni to connect now! ALUMNI APP
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Springfest | SATURDAY, APRIL 21 Come celebrate Flint Hill’s spring athletes at Springfest! Start the day with a friendly Parent Tennis Social. Enjoy lunch at the Husky Hut concessions stand, pick up some new spirit giveaways and head to the stands to cheer on our Upper School Lacrosse and Baseball teams. Huskies of all ages will enjoy a bounce house and inflatable activity. Come out to play tennis, cheer or volunteer to grill or sell concessions in the Hut. Visit www.flinthill.org/springfest for more information. Go Huskies!
SAVE THE DATE
Grandparents and Special Friends Day Friday, May 11 This is a special morning for our Lower and Middle School students to showcase their work and share Flint Hill with members of their extended families. For more information or to volunteer, please contact Engagement and Stewardship Officer Tiffany Parry at tparry@flinthill.org or 703.584.2364. FLINT HILL MAGAZINE | 61
REGISTER TODAY!
Flint Hill Golf Invitational
Thursday, May 24 | 1:00 p.m. Shotgun Start | Westfields Golf Club, Clifton, VA
Join us for this fun day on the links! Form your own team or we’ll place you in a foursome—all levels of golf ability are welcome. Stay for dinner, player awards and great raffle prizes. Alumni, compete for the inaugural Husky Cup to win a trophy, bragging rights and free entry into the 2019 tournament! Register at www.flinthill.org/golf. Proceeds benefit the Parents’ Association Endowment for Financial Aid in Honor of Sally Hazel.
Swing and Soirée: A golf clinic for everyone!
Thursday, May 24 Westfields Golf Club 13940 Balmoral Greens Avenue Clifton, VA
Not ready for 18 holes? Join Flint Hill Parents Mary Ellen Bowman, Katrina Tiedge, Heather Gray, Jason Gray and Regina Gramss for a fun golf clinic. Whether you have some skills or have never picked up a set of clubs before, this is the place for you to connect with one another, have some fun and learn a little golf! $125 per person. Register at www.flinthill.org/golf. Proceeds benefit the Parents’ Association Endowment for Financial Aid in Honor of Sally Hazel. 62 | FLINT HILL SCHOOL
Creativity matters. Your gift to The Flint Hill Annual Fund will ensure that our students express themselves through their artistic work and discover their passion in a multitude of disciplines and media.
Your gift matters. FLINT HILL MAGAZINE | 63
Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage
PAID
3320 Jermantown Road Oakton, VA 22124
Permit No. 643 Oakton, VA
SUMMER ON THE HILL June 18 – August 17 Day Camps; Multi- and Single-Sport Camps; STEM Camp; Academics and Enrichment; Creative and Fine Arts for rising Pre-K to Grade 12. Learn more and register at www.flinthill.org/summer.
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