Flint Hill School Magazine - Spring/Summer 2022 by Flint Hill School

MAGAZINE SPRING/SUMMER 2022

HOW A SMILE AND A WAVE MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE p. 4 TAKING A PAGE FROM THE GREATS p. 18 SENIOR PROJECTS: A FLINT HILL TRADITION p. 22 THE GIRL WHO WAS ALWAYS SINGING p. 34

Commencement Speaker Alicia Waller ’05

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2021–2022 Miss Lucia Anna Trigiani, Chair Mr. Michael P. Corkery, Vice Chair Mr. Gary D. Rappaport, Treasurer Mr. John M. Thomas, Secretary Mr. Omar Balkissoon Ms. Alexandra L. Bettius ’03 Mr. Taylor O. Chess Mr. Harry E. Dean III Mrs. Linnie M. Haynesworth Mrs. Miki Toliver King Mrs. Lisa R. Lisker Mr. Richard P. Moxley Mr. Terry A. Nelson Mr. Terry Y. Pao Mr. Prem J. Pillai Mrs. Liza Wright Renner Mr. Timothy R. Rupli Mr. Hugh E. Taylor Mrs. Sibel P. Unsal Mr. John M. Wasson Dr. Howard-John Wesley Mr. David S. Wiley TRUSTEES EMERITI The late 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. Richard J. Hendrix Mr. Paul C. Kincheloe Jr. Mr. Michael C. McCarey Mr. William N. Melton Mr. Norris E. Mitchell The late Reverend Edwin M. Ward

3320 Jermantown Road, Oakton, VA 22124 FLINTHILL.ORG

EDITOR Kaylynn Yankovich STAFF CONTRIBUTORS Lisa Campo Maria Graceffa Taylor Olivia Landrum Dewayne Robinson James Venhaus Jackie Viteri Kaylynn Yankovich MAGAZINE DESIGNER Eve Shade ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL FOR INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT Meredith Cook VanDuyne DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS Maria Graceffa Taylor PHOTO CONTRIBUTORS FREED Spirit Photography Anne Peterson Meredith Cook VanDuyne James Venhaus Jackie Viteri Please contact the Marketing and Communication Office at communications@flinthill.org with any questions.

CONTENTS SPRING/SUMMER ’22 FEATURES

IN THIS ISSUE

HOW A SMILE AND A WAVE MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE

TAKING A PAGE FROM THE GREATS

How a Smile and a Wave Make All the Difference

10 The Hill 18 Taking a Page from the Greats 22 Senior Projects: A Flint Hill Tradition

26 Senior Alumni Move-Up Day 28 Commencement 34 The Girl Who Was Always Singing 38 Arts

22 SENIOR PROJECTS: A FLINT HILL TRADITION

34 THE GIRL WHO WAS ALWAYS SINGING

44 Athletics 56 Faculty/Staff News 58 In the Community 72 Reunion Weekend 80 Class Notes 86 The Definition of a Trailblazer

Flint Hill Magazine

LETTER FROM THE HEADMASTER Dear Flint Hill School Family, I trust everyone has had another successful year of working while continuing to deal with COVID-19. At Flint Hill, we did our best to support our students, teachers and parents in the most intentional, deliberate and strategic way we could. At the start of the school year, we were maneuvering through uncertainty, but we persevered in a very Husky fashion despite the challenges. I may be biased by my fondness for our faculty, students and community, but we must be among the best in the world when dealing with COVID issues. In particular, our faculty members make me proud every single day. When I meet with faculty, it doesn’t feel like a meeting because they are people I call family; they are people I respect, care for and can laugh with at all times. Our students have also risen to the occasion, with the driving spirit expected from them. At Flint Hill, we continue to work hard to have a positive mindset and a sense of grit and determination. And it all comes back to our core values of respecting and valuing everyone equally, leading with compassion, acting with integrity, imagining what’s possible and blazing our trail. All of it has gone well. Our faculty, students and alumni are doing incredible things every day. In this edition of the Flint Hill Magazine, you will read about the extraordinary work being done in the classrooms, out on the fields, and in the studios and theater. As you read through the articles, I know you will join me in being amazed at our great Huskies. They continue to impress me daily with their passion, curiosity and deep respect for one another. This year, like many years before, we had students doing remarkable things. Some students organized and planned a walkathon to raise money for awareness on suicide prevention. Another student blazed her own trail to be a Virginia House Page. Still another took a meaningful risk for her

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cybersecurity peers and turned an idea into something much more significant. Finally, our Unmanned Aerial competition team came in 4th in the world out of 71 leading schools worldwide, most represented by engineering departments at colleges and universities. Thinking about all these achievements, I feel nostalgic as I realize I am ending 17 years of writing a year-end letter for the magazine. It’s hard to put into words all the feelings I have at this moment. To some degree, it is bittersweet to see some students begin the school year by lighting the lantern then in June walking across the stage for Commencement. And part of that emotion is because I have been with those students for the entire duration of their Flint Hill experience. I’ve seen countless students start in JK and K and ultimately walk across the stage and continue their successes in college. Looking back, I know that part of what makes our community so unique is the opportunity to be with each other. It is being together that matters, whether it’s waving at people at carpool, meeting for parent coffees, having conversations just in passing or attending institutional events like Founder’s Day, where we teach our students about the history of the school. Everything we do is about the people that are here. Commencement allowed us to celebrate 145 members of the 2022 class. The day could not have been more beautiful, and I could not have been prouder of the class and the incredible gathering. While we may never be past COVID, the celebration made it feel like we have certainly learned how to live with it. Our Commencement speaker and our alum highlight in the magazine is Alicia Waller ’05. She advised the Class of 2022 “to be true to yourselves and respectful to others and understand how the relationship between the two allows you to be successful and effective to the world around you.” She has had a remarkable career in music, and throughout this music career, she has used her voice to inspire others and make a difference in the world. When looking to our future, I can’t help but think of Til Hazel, chairman emeritus of Flint Hill. He would say, “I’m a firm believer that education starts in Kindergarten.” He knew people, business and the power of education. Saying Til was instrumental in Flint Hill’s success is an understatement. I can’t put into words how influential he was to me, to the School and to Fairfax County. He knew everything that was happening around Fairfax County and still made time to come to Flint Hill games, where I had many conversations with him. I will never forget one comment from Til at a football game early in my career, shortly after I had made the move from Texas. He looked over at me and said, “I think Flint Hill is going to make it!” I was glad to hear him say that because I had fallen in love with the school and was prepared to devote the rest of my career to this incredible institution. As this year came to a close, we were all so pleased with the excellent retention of our current families and the enormous enrollment we accomplished, even after balancing the challenges from COVID. We will continue to bring in great people and to hold on to those who have joined our school family. And with that, please help me welcome Head of School Patrick McHonett; his wife, Jessica; and their children, Charlotte and Jack, as they join our school family. Please know that I will always be nearby, and I will always hold Flint Hill in my heart. I’ll be checking back in every once in a while to hear of all the outstanding accomplishments happening on the Hill. Best wishes to you! Have a great summer and a tremendous start to the next school year. Sincerely,

John Thomas Flint Hill Magazine

HOW A SMILE AND A WAVE MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE

HEADMASTER JOHN M. THOMAS prefers to start his workday with a smile and by greeting families at carpool. He also dedicates a day of the week to each division to greet students in the morning by holding the door. “How can you possibly have a bad day if you start it by waving and smiling at people for 45 minutes? It’s impossible,” Thomas said. His dedication doesn’t stop there. He embodies the “Once a Husky, always a Husky” mentality in everything he does. Whether that is cheering the Huskies on to victory, having coffee chats with parents, watching concerts and shows, supporting faculty through roundtable discussions, or kindly holding a door, Mr. Thomas is the definition of one of a kind. Lower School Teacher Rachel Hinnant P’20 stated, “What stands out to me about seeing John on campus is how often I see John on campus.” With unparalleled dedication, vision and leadership over the past 17 years, Thomas has led Flint Hill School to be nationally recognized, guiding the education and maturation of more than 6,400 alumni.

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He is an innovator whose exceptional north star is rooted in the belief that education is a child-centric vocation. As headmaster and teacher, Thomas has influenced students inside and outside the classroom. He shares his wisdom, knowledge and kindness with everyone he meets and is often heard saying, “Have I told you this story?” Ryan Stewart ’21 shared, “While John has taught me in the classroom, something else that he taught me was how you can approach people with kindness and how it can make a difference in their lives.” Jake Shevlin ’14 said, “He taught me to be kind and believe in myself a little bit more.”

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I would say one of the traditions of the School has always been change, and it’s always growing, always getting better. And he’s been a big part of driving that constant improvement, constantly trying to become better at what we do and even rethink what we do. —Fred Atwood, Science Teacher Flint Hill Magazine

HOW A SMILE AND A WAVE MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE

Thomas is leaving behind more than a lasting legacy. He leaves behind a piece of him in all of us at Flint Hill and a host of traditions that will continue to inspire, create wonder and foster connections between students, faculty and the wider Flint Hill School community. “I would say one of the traditions of the School has always been change, and it’s always growing, always getting better. And he’s been a big part of driving that constant improvement, constantly trying to become better at what we do and even rethink what we do,” said Science Teacher Fred Atwood. Thomas’ availability and genuine personal approach —sharing in both the joys and disappointments with students, families, faculty and coaches—are among the many reasons so many people cherish his leadership and, even more, him as a person. “A leader is not about the title or the position, but it’s about serving. And so he is the epitome of the servant leader,” said Tana McNeil Taylor P’16, ’18.

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What stands out to me about seeing John on campus is how often I see John on campus. –Rachel Hinnant P’20 Lower School Teacher

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Flint Hill Magazine

HOW A SMILE AND A WAVE MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE

Over the years, Thomas’ leadership has come in many forms, whether teaching in the classroom, supporting the Annual Fund by shaving his long-time and idolized mustache, jumping in a frigid lake to bolster fundraising engagement for a student’s cause, or enjoying Klondike bars with students. Thomas’ approach as headmaster is rooted in kindness and will forever be reflected in the community’s hearts.

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Before all-school gatherings and Commencement, the bell rings for the five core values; Thomas’s gift of the bell to Flint Hill and the introduction of this tradition symbolize his contribution to the School. He leads and supports people with compassion, he respects and values all equally, he acts with the utmost integrity, and he constantly imagines what is possible. He blazed the trail for all of us to continue his great work. Now it’s up to us to continue pulling the sled toward a future with a smile on our faces, opening one door at a time.

Once a Husky, always a Husky. Flint Hill Magazine

THE HILL

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Open Mic Returns See p. 16 Flint Hill Magazine

THE HILL

RISING SENIORS PUT ON WALKATHON AS A SUICIDE PREVENTION FUNDRAISER

IN EARLY 2020, Yasmeen Mogharbel ’23 and Aahna Patel ’23, then freshmen, decided to plan a walkathon to raise money and awareness for suicide prevention. But of course, they had to put the event on hold due to COVID-19. On Sunday, May 22 of this year, Aahna and Yasmeen were finally able to hold their walkathon. The two rising seniors brought about 80 people together at Burke Lake Park in Fairfax Station for the first annual BDR Suicide Prevention Walk. BDR stands for “before, during and after.” Aahna and Yasmeen hope to raise awareness about how suicide can be prevented before someone has suicidal thoughts, during the time the thoughts are occurring, and after or throughout recovery.

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“I was talking to a younger cousin who mentioned how lacking the conversation was about suicide prevention and mental health overall. She commented on how she and her friends, who were in middle school, could have benefited from better resources and conversations about both topics,” Yasmeen said. At the event, the seniors invited presenters to speak about the BDR aspect of suicide prevention. Headmaster John Thomas talked about “before” prevention. Kathianne Smith, a local therapist, addressed “during.” Finally, yoga teacher Briyana Patel covered the “after,” or recovery, aspect. “We wanted to convey the equal importance of all three aspects because we feel there isn’t enough emphasis on how suicide can be prevented even before thoughts occur. We can prevent it by teaching younger generations about mental health and sharing ideas about what happiness truly is and where it comes from,” Aahna said. “I know a lot of friends and even relatives who have struggled with suicidal thoughts,” Yasmeen said. “They were the same people who provided me with such an amazing support system when I personally struggled with them as well. This event was a way to support them, teach others a toolbox of skills and have a fun day outside.” The BDR Suicide Prevention Walk raised about $2,500 for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. “Overall, the walk was a huge success. We were not only able to raise a significant amount of money, but we were also able to spread awareness and knowledge to everyone who showed up at the event. None of it would have been possible without the support of Flint Hill and all the ambassadors we had,” Aahna said. “We learned so many beneficial lessons from it and hope to host an even better walkathon next year.”

Flint Hill Magazine

THE HILL

CYBERSECURITY SPEAKER SERIES SPARKS CAREER INTERESTS WHEN RACHEL PAO ’23 arranged for a guest speaker to give a presentation to the Cybersecurity Club at the Upper School, she was pleasantly surprised by the students’ positive responses, so much so that it prompted her to create the Cybersecurity Speaker Series with five more presenters. “After I realized how interested people were and how great of an opportunity this was, I decided to continue it,” Rachel said. The cybersecurity professionals who participated were as follows: • Chris DeRusha, Federal Chief Information Security Officer and Deputy National Cyber Director for the Executive Office of the President. • Josh Mason, Cybersecurity Training Developer for INE, who had an extensive career with the Air Force in cybersecurity and cyberwarfare positions. He also served as the Cybersecurity Club’s mentor and attended every club meeting. • Richard Bejtlich, a strategist and author in residence with Corelight and former Chief Security Strategist at FireEye. 14

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• Amy Bejtlich, Threat Intelligence Engineering Manager with Amazon Web Services. • Emily Mossburg P’23, ’28, ’31, Global Cyber Leader with Deloitte. • Stephen Schmidt, Chief Security Officer at Amazon. “The amount of information we have learned as a club is staggering. People who have never considered studying cyber now want to study cyber and pursue a career in it,” observed Rachel, who added that the presentations solidified her interest in cybersecurity. “I feel like the exposure to these cyber professionals has made a profound impact on Flint Hill, but none of this would have been possible without [Upper School Computer Science and Robotics Teacher] Mr. Snyder. He has created an opportunity for students to explore and find a passion in cybersecurity and has given me so much confidence and freedom to explore my passion and create this series for the club.” The Cybersecurity Club was started 8 years ago by Vale Tolpegin ’18, with 5 members, for the purpose of learning more about cybersecurity and taking part in

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The amount of information we have learned as a club is staggering. People who have never considered studying cyber now want to study cyber and pursue a career in it. –Rachel Pao ’23

the Air Force Association’s CyberPatriot competition. Interest quickly grew, and today, the club has 27 active members who participate in four cybersecurity competitions during the school year. Mike Snyder elaborated, “This club creates an inclusive environment where students collaborate to deepen their understanding of computers, operating systems and networking while developing problem-solving and leadership skills.” He went on to state, “Rachel’s work ethic, charisma and enthusiasm for cybersecurity are

infectious. She brought more new members to the club than any previous year, took the time to get them started and ensured that they had the resources to be successful.” He called the Cybersecurity Speaker Series a “meaningful risk” for Rachel. Snyder summed up by saying, “I am so proud of her and the team. Rachel’s efforts were rewarded when the team placed fourth in the state of Virginia and eleventh in the nation, participating against thousands of other teams in the CyberPatriot competition.”

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THE HILL

OPEN MIC RETURNS BRENDAN METZ ’15 began the tradition of the Upper School Open Mic event in November 2013, at the beginning of his junior year at Flint Hill. He loved music and attending open mic nights, and he wanted to give others the chance to show their talents. Open Mic, held in the Upper School Learning Commons during the school day, invites anyone to sign up. Participants give whatever type of performance they choose, from dance to guitar to spoken-word poetry. When Brendan graduated, he wrote detailed instructions for the next year’s emcees. Various students continued the event, but once the pandemic hit in 2020, Open Mic hit a few snags. “Going to virtual in the spring of 2020 stopped the rest of the activities of that year, including our final Open Mic,” said Upper School Dean of Students Howard Chang. “It really blunted the ability of the graduating students to pass those traditions on to others.” 16

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Left to right: Jordan Ripley ’23, Mariella Silvia ’23, Ali Metz ’22, Shea Gillespie ’22

In the hectic year that followed, Chang decided to give the Open Mic responsibilities to the Student Council Association (SCA). That’s when Shea Gillespie ’22 and Ali Metz ’22 got involved. They helped put together a virtual Open Mic, prerecorded and with video transitions. Ali and Shea both wanted to keep Open Mic alive; since Ali is Brendan’s sister, she had a great resource to go to. When Flint Hill reintroduced in-person events, Ali and Shea started putting together the line-up for an in-person Open Mic event. At first, they had to work to find the participants. “It was hard because the underclassmen didn’t know what it was,” Shea said. “We had only had two Open Mic events for the Class of 2023.” But in February 2022, along with fellow emcees Jordan Rupli ’23 and Mariella Silvia ’23, Ali and Shea held the first in-person Open Mic event in more than two years. After that, it was easier to get people involved. “Once people started to figure out what was going on, they were excited. We had a bunch of people signing up,” Shea said. “You could see on everyone’s faces how much they loved being there and how much they loved being a part of it.” “The only other time we come together is during our town meetings,” Ali said. “Giving kids who want to share some sort of talent the platform to do so for the community, that’s the best. I know it can be nerve-racking, and they don’t have anywhere else to do it.” Ali, Shea, Jordan and Mariella hosted two more Open Mic events in 2022. With SCA backing and student support, Open Mic has the foundation to continue for many years to come. Flint Hill Magazine

TAKING A PAGE FROM THE GREATS Ellie VanDuyne ’25 with First Lady Suzanne Youngkin and Governor Glenn Youngkin at the Virginia Executive Mansion

EVERY YEAR, the Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates appoints 13- and 14-year-olds from across the state to serve as House Pages during the General Assembly Session. This year, Eleanor “Ellie” VanDuyne ’25 was one of those Pages. Ellie, a rising sophomore, found the Page Program while she was searching online for ways to get more involved in government and politics. She then met with Pia Trigiani, Chair of the Board of Trustees, who explained the program in more detail. Trigiani, a lawyer, began her career in Virginia government; she has served on several state regulatory boards and has recently completed her term as Rector of the Longwood University Board of Visitors.

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Rising Sophomore Serves as Flint Hill’s First Virginia House Page

“Ms. Trigiani helped me realize that this was something I wanted to do. The complete immersion in government, as well as the independence I would get, were what really made me want to apply,” Ellie said. Trigiani was just as excited to help her participate. “The Virginia General Assembly Page Program offers a unique opportunity for students to have a firsthand experience observing the development of legislation in the oldest continuous law-making body in the Western Hemisphere,” Trigiani said. “I was thrilled that Ellie expressed an interest and hope that other Flint Hill students will consider serving as a page too.” The application process for the Page Program involves four main components. Applicants submit an essay, letters of recommendation from two teachers, authorization from teachers and administrators, and an endorsement letter from the applicant’s House of Delegates legislator. “The entire process took about a month, meeting with teachers to figure out how exactly my school would work and meeting with an administrator to fine-tune the logistics,” Ellie said. Debbie Ayers, Assistant Director of the Upper School and Upper School Academic Dean, said that she was happy to work with Ellie to offer her support. “Because our teachers focus on developing skills, including presentation, critical thinking, analysis and time management, they could easily see how Ellie’s role as a Page could build these skills and provide practical application in a specialized setting,” Ayers

said. “During her time away, Ellie maintained excellent communication with her Flint Hill teachers and kept current with her studies. Her enthusiasm and appreciation for this opportunity were constant and I’m thrilled that Ellie took a very meaningful risk during her freshman year.” The last part of the application process was getting an endorsement letter from Ellie’s local delegate, David Bulova, D-Fairfax. They met at a local café so he could get to know her, which convinced him to send his endorsement letter. For Ellie, the hardest part was writing her essay, distilling herself and what she would do with the experience down to words on a page.

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TAKING A PAGE FROM THE GREATS

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We learned the processes of the legislative body with a front-row seat. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience. -Ellie VanDuyne ’25

According to the House of Delegates, about 250 teens apply each year, but only about 30 are accepted. Ellie was among those 30 students. The nine-week program spans the length of time that the Virginia General Assembly is in session—this year, it was from January 12 to March 12. Pages work full time; they are paid, and they are considered state employees. The students live in a Richmond hotel with chaperones, close to the Virginia State Capitol building. Ellie’s favorite part of the program was serving in the House chamber, where she was able to see the delegates in action. “We learned the processes of the legislative body with a front-row seat. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience. Some

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of the daily sessions are really short, while others could go on for six hours,” Ellie said. Virginia’s program, which exists in both the Senate and House, is the only residential Page Program in the country. Ellie didn’t just learn about government processes in her nine weeks as a Page. In addition to these processes, the program teaches participants about many topics through guest speakers, and they get to know the city of Richmond by going on field trips. “Almost every week, a speaker visited to talk about a topic such as current events, party lines or money management. We’ve taken field trips to the Virginia State Library, the Virginia War Memorial and VCU’s

Siegel Center. I like that we get to explore the city while we learn about its history and immerse ourselves in all that it has to offer,” Ellie recalled. Ellie also learned important lessons about living independently and managing her time, which she said Flint Hill had already helped prepare her for. “Juggling both school and work is very difficult, but when you have a support system that’s always ready to be there for you, it’s easier. I’ve learned to use every free second I have to finish an assignment to stay on top of my work. Since it began, I’ve gotten much better at knowing my limits and asking for help when I need it.” Despite her excellent ability to keep up with her classes, Ellie said that if she could do it again, she’d apply to the Program in eighth grade instead of ninth. “There were more middle schoolers in the program, and their course loads were easier to manage,” she said. She thinks that what’s most important is for students to discover and work on something that they’re passionate about. “Whether it’s finding an experience to explore, learning from someone, or simply researching it, it helps you to figure out what matters to you.”

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SENIOR PROJECTS: A FLINT HILL TRADITION Senior Projects have been a tradition at Flint Hill School since the early 1990s; indeed, the school Archives has a list of Senior Projects dating back to 1993. The purpose of the Senior Project is to support each student’s Flint Hill school career to culminate in an educational experience tailored to the student’s individual interests. Successful completion of a Senior Project is a graduation requirement. At the conclusion of the Senior Project, each senior gives a 20-minute presentation to a panel of faculty members sharing what they did for their project and reflections on their experience. As seniors explore what they would like to do for their Senior Projects and look for opportunities, the Alumni Office acts as a resource for them, reaching out to alumni in industries of interest to see if they can host a senior. This is a powerful way for alumni to give back to their alma mater and connect with current students. This year, four seniors did their Senior Projects with alumni. 22

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ZACH BOWLES ’22 AND KAITLIN HILL ’07 Dorm Room Cooking to Survive and Thrive ach Bowles ’22 wanted to do a project that he could connect to his college experience. He chose to learn a practical skill—namely, cooking. He related that going into his Senior Project, he knew almost nothing about cooking, but he knew that he would have access to a community kitchen with an oven/stove and a microwave in his college dorm. Kaitlin Hill ’07, a professional chef, was the perfect person to host Zach for this project. For the first part of the Senior Project, Zach took a class at Culinaria in Vienna; during the second half of the Senior Project, he worked with Kaitlin virtually. Kaitlin taught Zach some kitchen hacks, such as how to grow his own green onions. He learned some basic recipes, like spicing up ramen noodles with chili flakes, as well as some more involved meals, such as salmon with potato fries and homemade vinaigrette. His meals were so great that his family asked him to make them dinner. “The best part of my Senior Project was when I made a salmon dinner for my family,” Zach said, “and my mother asked me to show her how I was able to keep the salmon moist by adding lemon slices while it cooked.” In addition to making spaghetti from scratch and pork curry with homemade naan, Zach learned to make croque-madame from Kaitlin, which he said was the best thing he made: “It was surprisingly easy to make and I think I’ll be making it a lot in college!” The most challenging part of cooking for Zach was multitasking when he had several components of a meal cooking at once. A major part of Senior Projects is engaging in reflections and finding takeaways. Some of Zach’s reflections have to do with gaining confidence in experimenting in the kitchen, learning how to grocery shop for specific recipes and realizing that he likes cooking for other people.

Kaitlin said of her experience: “Working with a Flint Hill senior on their Senior Project has been an absolute treat. It has provided a new way to feel connected to the school, and Zach has been an absolute joy to work with. Honestly, this Senior Project is way more fun than mine! The chance to collaborate on recipes, teach a skill versus just work a job and getting to know Zach has been a pleasure. So much more than logging required hours, this Senior Project has been more personal and more entertaining than mine was 15 years ago.” She also described her enjoyment in working with Zach: “Zach is ambitious, patient, flexible and eager to learn. I was impressed by his willingness to get out of his comfort zone and learn a new and foreign skill.” Zach will be attending the University of Georgia next year, where he plans to major in business management.

Kaitlin Hill ’07 Kaitlin is a professional chef with a degree from the Culinary Institute of America. She is the food editor for the Piedmont Virginian, a resident food blogger for Old Bust Head Brewing Company, and a contributing writer for Middleburg Life. For her Senior Project, Kaitlin worked with the Neighbors International Foundation, packing care packages to send to soldiers stationed overseas. She commented, “I chose the project because I wanted to do something to support the military and lend my time to a valuable cause. While I don’t officially work in the nonprofit sector, through my baking, I am able to support a handful of charities with bake sales. In 2020, I was an active participant in an initiative called Bakers Against Racism, supporting organizations like Black Voters Matter, the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, the Loveland Foundation and many more.” Kaitlin also taught a session on college cooking for the Senior-Alumni Move-up Day for the Class of 2022. For more on that, see page 27. Flint Hill Magazine

SENIOR PROJECTS: A FLINT HILL TRADITION

AJ BOWLES ’22 AND TRISTAN TIMBLAN ’14 Building a Website and Experiencing the Office Environment

Bowles ’22 is interested in pursuing software engineering, so when he approached Director of Alumni Relations Maria Taylor for help in finding a location for his Senior Project, she was thrilled to connect him with Tristan Timblan ’14 and Ben McGinnis ’02 at Yext. During his month with the company, AJ created his own implementation of the Yext search engine product. He found a data source (video game sales) that they uploaded to their platform, and he implemented a front end in React—a JavaScript library—and Typescript based on its response. Tristan shared, “This was valuable because we got to see someone outside of our company use the product, which we are eventually going to be providing to our customers as open-source software.” AJ shared that not only was he able to learn a new coding language and gain more experience in HTML, but he also experienced how challenging it can be to commute in the DMV! After driving to Arlington, on his first day (which he called a “rookie mistake”), he quickly realized that this was not the way to commute, so he took the Metro the rest of the time. Sometimes, Senior Projects provide these real-world life experiences and skills that will help students in their years beyond Flint Hill. Tristan was impressed with AJ’s work and said, “The codebase AJ interacted with is extremely new, and AJ did well picking up how to use it. He also had to take in a lot of information very quickly to get started.” AJ will be attending Clemson University next year and plans to major in software engineering.

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Tristan Timblan ’14 Tristan Timlin ’14 has been a Software Engineer at Yext since 2019. Since graduating from Drexel University in 2018, he has worked at several companies in the area of software development. For Tristan’s Senior Project in 2014, he worked at General Dynamics, which sponsored IROC, the competition that Flint Hill’s robotics team competes in. Tristan felt that his Senior Project experience was valuable, and he is still working in that field today. When sharing his reflection of hosting a current senior and thinking back on his own experience, he said, “I enjoyed doing it [giving a Senior Project experience] for someone else. The biggest difference was that I thought a week of work was a big deal back then!”

RACHEL COE ’22 AND MIKE HWANG ’01 Creating a Character for a Video Game Company

achel Coe ’22 wants to pursue commercial art as her profession, and she was hoping to combine her interest in creating art for the purpose of a greater work product in her Senior Project. Mike Hwang ’01 is a Senior Software Engineer II at Second Dinner, a gaming company, and he was more than happy to help a fellow Husky; therefore, he connected Rachel with Jomaro Kindred, Art Director at Second Dinner. Jomaro worked closely with Rachel and asked her to iterate a character design and illustration for a potential video game. Second Dinner set up her project so that Rachel would experience what it would be like to be an independent illustration contractor, and she worked remotely with Yext, which is based in California.

The prompt she was challenged with was AZTECH, which is a video game set in a future world where the kings and queens of the Aztec Empire have become the worldwide ruling class. Rachel had to develop a character called Golden Puma King, who is 25 years old and one of the youngest kings in AZTECH. This experience took her through the process of creating her character from research to sketches, original design, color pass, thumbnails, line passes, flat colors and ultimately her final design. One of the biggest challenges with this character design that Rachel discovered was making the gold on the character look like gold. In her reflections on her project, Rachel shared what it was like to receive direct feedback on creating a piece of art for someone else. She learned that you have to be able to listen and change your product because when creating art for a third party, Rachel said, “their vision is more important than your vision.” Jomaro Kindred had only good things to say about Rachel, remarking, “She absolutely killed it!” Members of his team could see she was able to take his direction and run with it, and they clearly saw a huge improvement compared with the sample work she showed them at the beginning of the Senior Project.

Mike Hwang ’01 Mike Hwang ’01 has always been interested in computers, and although he doesn’t remember his exact Senior Project, he does remember that it involved building a website for a family friend’s business. Mike said, “my Senior Project pretty much solidified my decision to major in computer science. It has been one of the best decisions I have made since it has allowed me to work on video games, which has been a lifelong hobby, as my career.” Mike is a Senior Software Engineer II at Second Dinner. Prior to working at Second Dinner, he was a studio architect and software engineer at Jam City and Venan Entertainment. He earned his bachelor’s degree in computer science from Rochester Institute of Technology.

Rachel will be attending Ringling College of Art and Design next year, where she plans to major in illustration. Rachel’s final design of Golden Puma King

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SENIOR ALUMNI MOVE-UP DAY – BACK IN PERSON!

NOW IN ITS SEVENTH YEAR, Senior Alumni Move-Up Day was back in person after being held virtually for the past two years. As a capstone to the series that the Alumni Office hosts for seniors in the second semester (Visit www.flinthill.org/flint-hill-news for more on this program), Senior Alumni Move-Up Day provides workshops on topics to help our newest Husky alumni in their lives beyond Flint Hill. This year, the Class of 2022 rotated through three sessions: College Cooking, LinkedIn 101 and Budgeting in the Real World. As seniors arrived for the afternoon, they had a professional headshot taken that they would use during the LinkedIn session. This was the first time the class had been together since Senior Day in April, when they were leaving for their Senior Projects, so there was a lot of great energy and excitement in the Upper School.

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LINKEDIN 101 We were thrilled to have Zane Homsi ’15, Product Manager at LinkedIn, lead the session on LinkedIn for the fourth year. With Zane’s firsthand experience, he gave concrete advice to seniors on best practices in setting up their LinkedIn profiles. During this session, seniors had time to take what they learned to create their profile using their new professional headshots.

COLLEGE COOKING A new workshop session was added this year at the request of the Senior-Alumni Committee. Seniors wanted to learn how to prepare a few meals and snacks with the limited cooking facilities that they would have access to in college. Alumna and professional chef Kaitlin Hill ’07 was the perfect person to lead this session. She shared some dorm room cooking basics and demonstrated how to make Rice Krispies treats in a mug with simple ingredients that college students can easily find.

BUDGETING IN THE REAL WORLD Grades 7-12 Math Chair, Riki Weeks led a session on budgeting and finance essentials that will be helpful to the Class of 2022 throughout their lives. During his session, Weeks compared students’ future credit scores to their GPAs, explaining that having a good credit score can open up opportunities in the same way as having a high GPA.

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COMMENCEMENT

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UNIQUE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE WORLD

he Class of 2022’s 145 graduates celebrated the close of their Flint Hill journey on June 10 at their commencement ceremony. Valedictorian Qiyang Yu summarized their Upper School experience: “At the start of freshman year, I couldn’t have imagined how unique these four years could be. We had a lot of exciting moments together but had to survive a global pandemic in the meantime.”

This graduating class navigated an abrupt shift into virtual classes at the end of their sophomore year, hybrid learning in their junior year with days of in-person and virtual studies, and a return to a more “normal” school life in their senior year. Yu, who will go to University of California, Los Angeles in the fall, said, “Like it or not, among many things, what makes our class special is the experience of the pandemic. We are among the first group of graduates emerging from the COVID crisis, and I can proudly say that we came back strong together as a community. If I learned something from the pandemic, it is about how valuable our relationships in this community are. I took them for granted, and it wasn’t until the lockdown that I realized how fortunate I was to be part of this community.”

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“

They have taken the opportunities offered to them and charged ahead with enthusiasm, pride and a driving spirit like none of us have ever seen before. Sometimes people worry, ‘Is our child ready for the world?’ My question is, ‘Is the world ready for this class?’ They are going to do incredible things. -John Thomas, Headmaster

Headmaster John Thomas complimented the students and recognized the distinctions and accomplishments that make the Class of 2022 special: “They have taken the opportunities offered to them and charged ahead with enthusiasm, pride and a driving spirit like none of us have ever seen before. Sometimes people worry, ‘Is our child ready for the world?’ My question is, ‘Is the world ready for this class?’ They are going to do incredible things.” In her speech, Salutatorian Anna Guethoff—who will attend Bowdoin College—described the uniqueness of her classmates: “We have future biogerontologists who love Spiderman, artists who are rock climbers, aspiring dentists who want to learn German, softball players who know every lyric to a Harry Styles song. This school isn’t one-dimensional; in fact, Flint Hill nurtures multifaceted students … encourages them to be more than one thing.” Commencement Speaker Alicia Waller, a member of Flint Hill’s Class of 2005, is an example of that kind of versatility, and the message she conveyed about listening to one’s own “inner compass” resonated with the Class of 2022. During the course of her career, the award-winning singer-songwriter has explored many

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UNIQUE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE WORLD diverse musical genres beyond her background in opera, venturing into soul, R&B, blues and jazz and becoming the bandleader of Alicia Waller & The Excursion. Her advice to the graduates included this: “Being yourself serves not only your inner peace, which, to be frank, is quite enough as it is, but it also allows you to be more effective in and to the world around you. It allows you to become either a source of inspiration to others or simply enables you to maximize your contribution to your community by freeing you to most effectively contribute whatever your secret sauce might be. And, let’s be honest, a world where we are all contributing the best of our own secret sauces is a world we probably all want to live in—a world where people live joyously in contribution to their societies, as opposed to in fear and friction.” At Flint Hill, Headmaster Thomas has inspired others as Waller described. The commencement ceremony marked the culmination of his remarkable career in education and the start of his retirement, and he was applauded for his significant contribution to the school community. Yu expressed the gratitude felt schoolwide, saying, “Thank you to Mr. Thomas for his dedication to making the school great over his 17 years here.” Pia Trigiani, Chair of Flint Hill’s Board of Trustees, also took a moment to pay tribute to him and called him the “additional member of the Class of 2022” as a symbol of his own type of graduation and new beginning. Prior to the conclusion of the ceremony, Thomas had the opportunity to share his thoughts: “With deep gratitude, I thank you for the 17 years and the chance to be a part of this great school. Trying to express gratitude—sometimes it’s hard to find the right words. So, I’ll use the words that are the most sincere and the most honest. And it’s that I love you. I love these students. I love this school. It has truly been one of the highlights of my entire life to have been a part of this. We are a team, and the idea of a Husky stays with us no matter what. We are a family, and we are a part of something much bigger than ourselves. And I hope all of us will always cherish and hold precious the time we have been here at Flint Hill.”

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FLINT HILL'S CLASS OF 2022 BY THE NUMBERS

students will play college sports

10 National Merit Scholarship Commended students

2 National Merit Scholarship Finalists 1 offer of appointment to the

United States Naval Academy

15 Visual and Performing Arts schools/programs admitted students

1,174 college

applications submitted to 250 different schools

Students were accepted to 200 schools in 29 states, the District of Columbia and Canada

14 different colleges accepted 10 or more seniors Students will attend 83 different colleges in the fall Flint Hill Magazine

THE GIRL WHO WAS ALWAYS SINGING SINGING IN THE HALLS, singing too loudly and even singing before a math test: Alicia Waller ’05 always loved to sing. “I’ll never forget when my math teacher, Mrs. Reiner, said, ‘Alicia, you’re singing out loud.’ And I was thinking, ‘No, I’m not,’ because I was convinced I was singing in my head,” Alicia explained.

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Seventeen years later, Alicia writes music and performs in the studio and for live audiences. She is also the bandleader for the jazz fusion ensemble Alicia Waller & The Excursion. A prime example of a Husky who blazed her own trail, she returned to Flint Hill School as this year’s Commencement speaker. As a student, Alicia was also into sports. “I played basketball, ran track and loved to sing,” Alicia said. She went on to say that she was constantly curious, something she continues to embrace today. “I think my best artistry and work are sparked by curiosity,” Alicia added. Although Alicia was a curious student, she also laughed as she admitted that she was not very punctual. “I was a creative soul. I showed up late to class, practice and everything,” Alicia said. One of the most important lessons she learned at Flint Hill was through playing sports, which helped her develop organizational skills.

as a senior. She explained that playing basketball and performing involve two different mindsets. She remembered feeling nervous and had to compartmentalize her nerves and embrace the butterflies in her stomach to perform, but she persevered. “I sang the national anthem well, and the Huskies also won the game,” Alicia said with a smile.

“Coach Jody Patrick was the first to teach me about time and responsibility,” said Alicia. “I still think about her lessons because they taught me to be responsible with my time and interactions with others.” Alicia artfully balanced being an athlete, a student and an aspiring performer. She recalled being asked to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” at a Girls’ Varsity Basketball game

Alicia’s grit, determination and curiosity are some of the many characteristics that have helped her forge an incredible musical career; through her music, she inspires others to come together. “I want everybody to be able to ‘visit’ other places through sound,” said Alicia. “Wouldn’t that be great if we could just listen to each other and experience that as a form of intercultural contact?” She attributes her passion for international relations and music diplomacy to being from the D.C. area and attending Flint Hill. She mentioned her childhood experiences at Flint Hill as influential in helping her get to where she is today. Her days in school included a diverse and Flint Hill Magazine

THE GIRL WHO WAS ALWAYS SINGING

well-rounded curriculum. Alicia also recognized special moments at Flint Hill, such as taking day-long hikes, traveling for Major Minors, doing hands-on field studies and making friends from all over the world. “That was the norm for me since I was 12, and again, not everybody has that opportunity,” Alicia said. Alicia recounted being in the inaugural Major Minors class at Flint Hill. “It made performing real for me,” Alicia said. “Going on tours for Major Minors was probably the first time outside of my immediate community that my singing was validated.” She says nostalgically, “the UNC-Chapel Hill college students validated my singing.” This bolstered her self-confidence and her belief in her talents. While she was in high school, there were many things she planned for her future—but they didn’t always work out. Looking back, she said, “I’m so grateful that they didn’t go exactly as planned.” “I have experienced a quirky and winding path of initially meaning to do one thing and then realizing that I had to carve out who I was,” said Alicia. “There’s a real beauty to discovering that ‘you can,’ and betting on yourself.” While going down that winding path, Alicia took meaningful risks in her career. “I’m so grateful that I did. Because if I had my way, I would have been on the

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stage singing opera. I would have never discovered that I enjoyed sharing cultural music with people and certainly never discovered that I had the capacity to write my own music,” Alicia said. “I would have never found the magic in sharing and writing music, having people enjoy it or collaborating with musicians in an intimate setting like an ensemble or band.” As Alicia stood on stage and spoke to the Class of 2022, she said, “If someone had told me 17 years ago that I would be standing back in this gymnasium—here at this podium—giving the same address that I witnessed legendary civil rights activist Dorothy Height give, I absolutely would not have believed it.” She continued, “When you are kind to yourself, you are naturally more willing to let yourself be yourself. As a result, the more likely you are to find success within yourself, and also out.” Although Alicia has found success and continues to make her dreams become reality, she continues to be humble. “I am not a finished product. My career and ideas are still developing,” she said. Her advice to the Class of 2022 is to live life “happy and in your own skin” and to act with respect, truth and integrity. “Life is most easily and successfully led,” Alicia said, “when you are happy with yourself in how you are leading it.”

“

Life is most easily and successfully led when you are happy with yourself in how you are leading it. –Alicia Waller ’05 Flint Hill Magazine

ARTS

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Logan Wagner ’22 and the cast of “Working: A Musical” perform at the annual Arts Jam concert at George Mason University See p. 43 Flint Hill Magazine

ARTS

DON’T CALL IT A ‘COMEBACK’ HOW FINE ARTS RETURNED TO A FULL SCHEDULE OF IN-PERSON EVENTS By James Venhaus, Director of Fine Arts

his spring, Flint Hill Fine Arts returned to the first full in-person spring Fine Arts season in three years. The pandemic forced the Fine Arts Department to pivot and find new ways to help students

stay engaged. We did this through a variety of

virtual events, including the virtual production of

“The Nutcracker” in 2020 and socially distanced events like the Major Minors Drive-In Concert in 2021. However, this fall, in-person events began to return in modified forms, and after Spring Break, Fine Arts resumed its full schedule of events. The spring schedule included 13 events across all three divisions, starting with the Arts Jam Concert on April 13 and ending with the Fourth Grade Music Concert on May 27. Each event had a unique “reentry.” For example, the Arts Jam Concert included 110 students, only 20 of whom had participated in the Arts Jam Concert before. Likewise, of the 22 students who participated in the Upper School musical “Working,” fewer than 5 had ever performed a musical at Flint Hill. “It was nerve-racking,” said Ian Wagner ’24. “In the moments before the curtain went up, I thought

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several of us were going to be sick. But once I realized that we were all in this together, I felt better.” Our Middle School Fine Arts reached new heights. The Middle School play, “The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged),” was held in Olson Theater and featured student lighting design, another Middle School first. And after a three-year hiatus, our four Middle School music ensembles—Band, Choir, Orchestra and Percussion—participated in the Music in the Parks music festival. All four ensembles were ranked first in their respective divisions, repeating our success from the last time we participated in this festival in 2019. Our littlest Huskies had similar experiences. In the Lower School, we featured three events—our JK-1, grades 2-3 and grade 4 concerts. This was the first time performing in front of an audience for many of our young musicians, and it was often their first time seeing the inside of the Olson Theater as well.

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ARTS Lower School Music Teacher Thomas Murley increased the number of rehearsals for each group so that they would feel comfortable being on stage for the first time. Despite the time away from the stage and the studio, our artists have thrived. Many attributed their ability to pick up where they had left off to the virtual and hybrid lessons of the last two years. The Fine Arts faculty were determined to keep the skills of their students sharp so that the return to normal wasn’t a big leap. An example of this was the Upper School Visual Arts Show, which boasted over 500 pieces of art from more than 100 Upper School students. The show celebrated more artists and their art than any past show had done before. Several patrons lauded the professional level of the work on display. The return to the music classrooms had a deep impact as well. “I think the thing I missed most during COVID was playing in an ensemble,” said Zach Bowles ’22. “I couldn’t wait to get back to playing with my friends.” Our audiences were glad to be back as well. Each spring performing arts event set all-time attendance records. Observers witnessed a few tears shed by grateful parents at the first inperson events of the season, illustrating just how important and impactful Fine Arts events are for our community.

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ARTS JAM: BY THE NUMBERS Starting in January, students and teachers began rehearsing for our annual Arts Jam Concert at George Mason University. The concert featured performances from Upper School Dance, Choir, Band, Orchestra, Percussion and Musical Theater. “The highlight for me is playing with the other ensembles,” said Jazz Band member Isaac Grossman ’23. “Hearing the sound we make when we all play together is like nothing else I’ve ever experienced.” Indeed, Arts Jam is all about collaboration, which is why the theme of Harmony was so fitting this year. But it takes a lot of rehearsal both in and out of class to make this happen. Below is a look at some of the numbers behind the magic of the Arts Jam Concert. 110 students, enrolled in 9 classes and 2 after-school activities, led by 8 teachers, contributed to a combined total of over 600 rehearsal hours to make the Arts Jam concert happen.

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ATHLETICS

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ATHLETICS

BUILDING CHARACTER ON AND OFF THE FIELD By Dewayne Robinson, Director of Athletics

TO PARAPHRASE BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, TIME WAITS FOR NO ONE. It is surreal to be looking back at the 2021-22 school year already. On reflection, I am truly amazed by the year we have had. Athletics and physical activity are powerful endeavors that promote and display the values that make Flint Hill special. Although our journey was not free of hurdles, our athletic programs continued to be both competitive and enriching this year. My focus now is on ensuring that we continue to meet this standard. The preeminence of these programs stems from both a commitment by our coaches to create a well-rounded athletic experience and a dedication by our students to strive for excellence inside and outside of the classroom. One of Flint Hill’s goals is empowering students to blaze the trail. We incorporated this maxim into our athletic philosophy this year to shape our students’ minds, hearts and perspectives. We understand that every child has different goals, ambitions and experiences. However, we believe in athletics as an outlet for all students to be challenged to push themselves individually and collectively. Further, we aimed to teach the values of accountability, dedication, perseverance and humility. 46

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While we had to adapt at periods throughout the year, all our athletic programs finished the seasons on the playing surface. We also returned to many traditions that make our athletic program special. Our unforgettable Homecoming celebration saw our community rally and return stronger as one. Our Winter Tip-Off tournament was an electric environment full of school spirit, athletic pride and community engagement; we were also happy that our infamous toilet paper toss could take place. Our Springfest began with our Baseball, Lacrosse and Softball Programs conducting the first annual Jr. Husky Springfest Clinics for Lower School students. Our Athletic Advisory Council led the return of our amazing student section and their unwavering chants. We celebrated the impact of athletics and our community coming together, and we look forward to building on that momentum moving forward. We celebrated many individual and collective achievements this year. Our Varsity Volleyball Program won its 11th VISAA Division 1 state championship in 14 years. Our Varsity Girls’ Tennis team won the Independent School League (ISL) regular season and tournament championship, and our Varsity Baseball team was named Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference

The Dance Team at Homecoming

The toilet paper toss at the Tip-Off Classic

A junior Husky participating in our first annual Springfest Clinic

Student-athletes at their commitment ceremony

(MAC) Co-Champions for the regular season. We had 11 programs advance to VISAA Division 1 state tournaments for the year. They were Varsity Volleyball, Varsity Girls’ Tennis, Varsity Co-ed Cross Country, Varsity Girls’ Basketball, Varsity Boys’ Basketball, Indoor Track, Varsity Swimming, Varsity Diving, Varsity Baseball, Varsity Softball and Outdoor Track & Field.

Our individual accomplishments were also impressive. We had 37 students named to All-Conference teams, 21 students named to VISAA All-State teams and 3 students named to the Washington Post All-Met team. We celebrated Macaria Spears ’25 as the VISAA Volleyball Player of the Year, Simon Bermudez Santa Maria ’24 as a state champion and VISAA Swimmer of Flint Hill Magazine

ATHLETICS the Year and Head Coach Patrice Arrington as the Washington Post All-Metro Volleyball Coach of the Year. You can find a breakdown of all the year’s awards on the pages to follow. We also recognized 13 members of our senior class who committed to NCAA Division I schools: • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Jacqueline Bardin, Volleyball, Davidson College Spencer Bloom, Diving, North Carolina State University Kelli Giuliani, Basketball, United States Naval Academy Lucy Hankins, Lacrosse, Butler University Grace Hausamann, Softball, Lafayette College Reis Jones, Basketball, Morehead State University JT Landwehr, Baseball, Mount St. Mary’s University Rachel Larsen, Volleyball, George Mason University Jason Mendler, Baseball, High Point University Jack O’Grady, Basketball, Elmira College MarQuis Roberts, Football, Campbell University Bryson Robertson, Football, University of Miami Saxby Sunderland, Basketball, East Carolina University

This year was a great opportunity to observe and experience the culture of Flint Hill and listen to the many stories of what makes our community special. A successful student and athletic experience is not a lone venture, and I appreciate those who have shared perspectives and helped our spirit thrive continuously. Leonard Sweet wrote, “The future is not something we enter, but something we create.” Our team has already begun planning for the future, and I am excited to see our program grow next year. I look forward to building on the foundation of our amazing School and helping our athletic experience reach new heights. Together, we can and will blaze a trail to greatness.

FALL SPORT AWARDS VOLLEYBALL

TEAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: ISL Regular Season Champions, ISL tournament champions, Tiger Paw Invitational Champion, Flint Hill Invitational Champion, VISAA Division 1 State Champions, #1 seed in VISAA Division 1 state tournament TEAM AWARDS: Varsity: MVP: Jacqueline Bardin ’22 Husky Award: Rachel Larsen ’22 JV: MVP: Kadi Pynchon ’25 Husky Award: Emily Kearney ’24 ALL-CONFERENCE: Jackie Bardin ’22, Renee Jones ’24, Ryla Jones ’24, Rachel Larsen ’22 and Macaria Spears ’25

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ALL-STATE: Jackie Bardin ’22, Renee Jones ’24, Ryla Jones ’24, Rachel Larsen ’22, Macaria Spears ’25 and Sonja Meyers ’23 (2nd team) WASHINGTON POST ALL-METRO: Jackie Bardin ’22, Macaria Spears ’25 and Rachel Larsen ’22 (Honorable Mention) VISAA PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Macaria Spears ’25 WASHINGTON POST ALLMETRO COACH OF THE YEAR: Varsity Head Coach Patrice Arrington

FOOTBALL TEAM AWARDS: MVP: MarQuis Roberts ’22 Husky Award: Misha Dasek ’22 ALL-CONFERENCE: MarQuis Roberts ’22, Andrew King ’24 (Honorable Mention) ALL-STATE: Dylan Logue ’23, MarQuis Roberts ’22, Harrison Daily ’22 (Honorable Mention), Andrew King ’24 (Honorable Mention), Bryson Robertson ’22 (Honorable Mention)

GIRLS’ TENNIS TEAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: ISL Regular Season Champions, ISL tournament champions, #7 seed in VISAA Division 1 State Tournament TEAM AWARDS: Varsity: MVP: Dyuthi Harikar ’23 and Lexie Perez ’22 Husky Award: Nicole Kladakis ’22 JV: MVP: Manuela Greenlaw ’25 ALL-CONFERENCE: Shelby Berger ’22 and Hunter Pformer ’24 ALL-STATE: Hunter Pformer ’24

BOYS’ SOCCER TEAM AWARDS: Varsity: MVP: Richie Kallas ’22 Husky Award: Michael Seegers ’22 JV: MVP: Emmet Lee ’24 Husky Award: Jack Dunn ’25 ALL-CONFERENCE: JT Landwehr ’22, Rohan Regi ’22 and Matthew Running ’22

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ATHLETICS

FALL SPORT AWARDS ffCONT.ffi GIRLS’ SOCCER TEAM AWARDS: Varsity: MVP: Shal Jagannathan ’22 and Paige Thomas ’22 Husky Award: Kelli Giuliani ’22 JV: MVP: Amelia Monjazeb ’25 Husky Award: Clara Stevens ’24 ALL-CONFERENCE: Paige Thomas ’22

GIRLS’ FIELD HOCKEY TEAM AWARDS: Varsity: MVP: Ava Pavco ’24 Husky Award: Emily Hay ’22 JV: MVP: Berkeley Gardner ’25 Husky Award: Audrey Howell ’23 ALL-CONFERENCE: Emily Hay ’22

50 30

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CO-ED CROSS COUNTRY TEAM AWARDS: Girls: MVP: Wacuka Ngata ’23 Husky Award: Neha Matai ’22 Boys: MVP: Marc Sipher ’22 Husky Award: Aidan Stephenson ’23

GOLF TEAM AWARDS: Varsity: MVP: Porter Hoel ’22 Husky Award: Vincenzo Fiorino ’25 JV: Husky Award: Stanislav Rachkoviskiy ’24

WINTER SPORT AWARDS BOYS’ BASKETBALL

TEAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: #7 seed in VISAA Division 1 state tournament

TEAM AWARDS: Varsity: MVP: Matthew Gray ’22 and Saxby Sunderland ’22 Husky Award: Nathaniel Pabis ’23 JV: Husky Award: Adrian Kladakis ’24 Freshman: Husky Award: Brady Phair ’25 ALL-CONFERENCE: Matthew Gray ’22, Saxby Sunderland ’22 and Gibraltar Coleman ’23 (Honorable Mention) ALL-STATE: Saxby Sunderland ’22 (2nd team)

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL TEAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: #8 seed in the VISAA Division 1 state tournament TEAM AWARDS: Varsity: MVP: Kelli Giuliani ’22 Husky Award: Lyndsey Costigan ’23 JV: MVP: Clara Stevens ’24 Husky Award: Anna Yu ’25 ALL-CONFERENCE: Kelli Giuliani ’22 ALL-STATE: Kelli Giuliani ’22 (2nd team)

CO-ED CLIMBING TEAM AWARDS: MVP: John Calhoon ’24 Husky Award: Sydney Krug ’23 ALL-CONFERENCE: John Calhoon ’24 and Caden Green ’25 Flint Hill Magazine

ATHLETICS

WINTER SPORT AWARDS ffCONT.ffi CO-ED SWIMMING AND DIVING TEAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Boys finished 4th in the state tournament, Silver Medal in Boys 400 Free Relay (Simon Bermudez Santa Maria ’24, Michael O’Connor ’23, Jonathan Peterson ’23 and Jeffrey George ’22) TEAM AWARDS: MVP: Elizabeth Nehring ’23 Husky Award: Daniel Kalan ’25 DIVING: MVP: Michayla Eisenberg ’24 Husky Award: Mohamad Mogharbel ’22 ALL-CONFERENCE: Spencer Bloom ’22 (1 Meter dive), Jeffrey George ’22 (200 and 100 Meter Free), Simon Bermudez Santa Maria ’24 (200 M Breast), Michayla Eisenberg ’24 (1 Meter dive)

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ALL-STATE: Simon Bermudez Santa Maria ’24 (State Champion in 100 Yard Fly and 100 Yard Breast), Jeffrey George ’22 (Silver Medal in 100 Yard Fly and 100 Yard Backstroke), Spencer Bloom ’22 (Bronze medal in 1 Meter dive), Elizabeth Nehring ’23 (Silver Medal in 100 Yard Backstroke) and Michayla Eisenberg ’24 (Silver Medal in 1 Meter dive)

INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD TEAM AWARDS: Girls: MVP: Mary DelVecchio ’25 Husky Award: Alexis Chickillo ’22 Boys: MVP: Bryson Robertson ’22 Husky Award: Omer Aziz Quintana ’23

VISAA SWIMMER OF THE YEAR: Simon Bermudez Santa Maria ’24

STATE QUALIFIERS: Tyler Degnan ’24, Mary DelVecchio ’25 and Bryson Robertson ’22

ICE HOCKEY

DANCE

TEAM AWARDS: MVP: Conrad Qu ’23 Husky Award: Michael Lettieri ’23

TEAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: UDA DC Dance Regional Competition: 3rd in Pom, 4th in Jazz Winterfest Dance Competition: 3rd in Pom, 3rd in Jazz TEAM AWARDS: MVP: Meredith Morello ’22 Husky Award: Grace Reidenbaugh ’23

SPRING SPORT AWARDS BOYS’ BASEBALL

TEAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: MAC Regular Season Co-Champions, #8 seed in VISAA Division 1 State tournament TEAM AWARDS: Varsity: MVP: JT Landwehr ’22 and Alex Freel ’22 Husky Award: Jason Mendler ’22 JV: MVP: Kamari Chisolm ’25 and Vincenzo Fiorino ’22 Husky Award: Jake Blazejowski ’25 ALL-CONFERENCE: JT Landwehr ’22, Jason Mendler ’22 and Alex Freel ’22 ALL-STATE: JT Landwehr ’22 and Jason Mendler ’22 (2nd team)

GIRLS SOFTBALL TEAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: #6 seed in VISAA Division 1 state tournament, 2nd in ISL TEAM AWARDS: Varsity: MVP: Katie Chong ’22 Husky Award: Grace Hausamann ’22 JV: MVP: Aashvi Sangal ’25 Husky Award: Meghan Barry ’25 ALL-CONFERENCE: Alexis Chickillo ’22 and Mackenzie Murdock ’25

BOYS’ LACROSSE TEAM AWARDS: Varsity: MVP: David Kraus ’22 Husky Award: Porter Hoel ’22 and Edward Rice ’22 JV: MVP: Michael Kieffer ’25 Husky Award: Dylan Riihimaki ’25 ALL-CONFERENCE: Porter Hoel ’22

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ATHLETICS

SPRING SPORT AWARDS ffCONT.ffi GIRLS’ LACROSSE TEAM AWARDS: Varsity: MVP: Lucy Hankins ’22 Husky Award: Kelli Giuliani ’22 JV: MVP: Laurel Waters ’23 Husky Award: Ainsley Brown ’23 ALL-CONFERENCE: Emileigh Goodloe ’23 ALL-STATE: Emileigh Goodloe ’23

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TRACK AND FIELD TEAM AWARDS: MVP: Mary DelVecchio ’25 and Emmet Lee ’24 Husky Award: Ida Guerami ’23 and Kalin Sheth ’24 STATE QUALIFIERS: Mary DelVecchio ’25, Matthew Harper ’23, Emily Hay ’22, Andrew King ’24, Emmet Lee ’24, Helena Nester ’24, Anwen Reed ’24, Clara Stevens ’24 and Anna Yu ’25

BOYS’ TENNIS TEAM AWARDS: Varsity: MVP: Michael Seegers ’22 Husky Award: Ethan Grossman ’23 JV: MVP: William Kennedy ’24 Husky Award: Paras Bhanot ’23 ALL-CONFERENCE: Colin Owen ’22 ALL-STATE: Colin Owen ’22 Flint Hill Magazine

FACULTY/ STAFF NEWS

Nine Perspectives: Birth of 2020 Visions,” a collaborative project reflecting on the events of 2020 created by members of the Dandelion: Black Women Artists collective. The books presented “visual narratives of human experience that transgress, transcend or transform often traumatic experiences and speak to the resilience of the human spirit.”

Tower by Nikki Brugnoli

UPPER SCHOOL ART TEACHER NIKKI BRUGNOLI was featured in the Washington Post article titled “In the Galleries: Artists Bring Light Out of the Darkness of Night. An Exploration Into the Transformative Power of Landscape,” which highlighted her work in the “Forces Fleeting” exhibition at the Athenaeum in Alexandria, March 8 to April 17. She also participated in a group exhibition, “Suspended Inter-Spaces,” that took place at VisArts in Rockville, Maryland, from March 11 to May 15. LOWER SCHOOL ART TEACHER ADJOA BURROWES wrote an essay titled “Transformative Learning Through Bookmaking in a Black Women’s Art Collective” that was published in the International Journal of Lifelong Learning in Art Education (Vol. 4, 2021). The topic is summarized in an abstract as follows: “This visual essay uses the sociocultural dimension of transformative learning theory to examine bookmaking in a Black women’s art collective as they worked on an artists’ book initiative called project 2020 that amplified the historically muted voices of Black women artists during the pandemic.” Burrowes was part of “Resilience, Resistance and Remembrance,” an exhibition at the Maryland Institute College of Art’s Decker Library in Baltimore, from March 10 to April 7. The exhibition combined a selection of artists’ books from the Decker Library’s Artists’ Books collection and “Nine Artists | Nine Months |

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In March, at the 75th anniversary of the National Art Education Association Conference, held in New York, Burrowes (second from left in a submitted photo) was one of four panelists who presented “Artist Collectives as Sites of Mentorship, Artistic Growth, Healing and Transformative Learning.” LOWER SCHOOL MATH DEPARTMENT CHAIR AND TEACHER JESS HENRY completed work to earn Google Level 1 Teacher certification. MIDDLE SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY AND INSTRUCTION SPECIALIST JOYCE HONG became certified as an Apple Learning Coach. “This program helps me to support and empower our teachers to effectively integrate Apple technology into learning,” said Hong, who completed rigorous training that included both independent work and virtual workshops. Flint Hill has a long relationship with Apple, working with the company for more than a decade to develop a top 1:1 technology program.

UPPER SCHOOL LEARNING SPECIALIST SHANNON MCCARTY and LOWER SCHOOL LEARNING SPECIALIST SHANNON TITMAS presented the lecture “What Do Children with ADHD Need to Be Successful?” at the 2021 CHADD of Northern Virginia and DC Regional Resource Fair, Virtual Exhibit Hall, in October. MIDDLE SCHOOL ART TEACHER LOUISA NEILL joined the Sparkplug Collective, associated with the District of Columbia Arts Center, and exhibited three works in a show with this artist group. The exhibition, “Human Nature,” ran from February 25 to April 3.

UPPER SCHOOL SPANISH TEACHER KRISTIN PIAZZA has been collaborating with the European publisher Difusión, which is affiliated with Klett World Languages in the United States, on their level two Spanish book, “Reporteros.” Piazza explained, “It’s a book that is designed for the instruction of Spanish learners in the United States. I worked on designing activities for different chapters in the student textbook as well as the student workbook and the teacher’s edition. The highlight was being able to work with former faculty member Sonia Josa Castro on different parts of the publication. We look forward to seeing our work in print, hopefully by late summer/early fall!”

Advisory Committee of the Association of Technology Leaders in Independent Schools. MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHER AND UPPER SCHOOL INNOVATION TEACHER GARY SMILOWITZ presented “The Journey Is Always Worth the Time” to the student chapter of systems engineers at George Mason University on May 3. The presentation included a brief discussion of his career in the Navy; engineering research and testing; leadership; teaching opportunities; and the path to a great experience. HEADMASTER JOHN THOMAS led an accreditation visit for the Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS) to Norfolk Collegiate School in Norfolk. It was a three-day interim visit. He commented, “This was my last one. I have led eight accreditation visits over the years here in Virginia. It is an intense process but always very rewarding to the school and to those of us on the teams.” He also served on the VAIS Accreditation Committee, which reviewed all the reports and issues that came up over the course of a school year. Thomas was asked to serve on a special committee for the Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington (AISGW) to review all admission procedures and the timing of decisions based on best practices. The aim was to allow the committee to make recommendations to the AISGW Board for potential changes in the future. He also completed his tenure on both the Board of Trustees for Emerging Scholars, which he described as “an incredibly active educational program here in our region that Flint Hill actually helped found prior to my time,” and the Board of Directors for FolioCollaborative, a national organization that supports more effective communication with and by teachers. He remarked, “As a school, we have been affiliated with both organizations since their inception.”

DIRECTOR OF STUDIES EMILY SANDERSON joined the Innovation Advisory Board with Studyo.co, an education technology company. She also joined the DEI

Flint Hill Magazine

IN THE COMMUNITY

Flint Hill School

The Community gathers to celebrate the retirement of Headmaster John M. Thomas. See p. 62 Flint Hill Magazine

IN THE COMMUNITY

A FOUNDER’S DAY FULL OF SURPRISES Founder’s Day is an annual Flint Hill tradition where we come together as a school community to reflect on the milestones in our school history, remember those who have passed and honor our educators who excel in their craft with the Driving Spirit Award. This year was extra special and meaningful as we remembered John Tilghman “Til” Hazel, who led the re-organization of Flint Hill, and as we surprised our headmaster—John Thomas—with special recognition.

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The Driving Spirit Award, created in 2006, has been given to a number of unbelievable educators who have made a lasting impact at Flint Hill. This year’s recipients are: • Rick Clark, Controller • Mary Hart, Director of Health Services • Tom Kessel, Assistant Director of Facilities • Melissa Turner, Information Technology Manager

Faculty members Christine Dwyer, Lori Emerick, Linda Okoth, Adam Rice and Derek Ross were honored for their 20 years of commitment to the School. Sibel Unsal P’22 and Parent’s Association President, was also recognized for her years of service to Flint Hill. One of the best surprises of the day was our reflection on John Thomas’ years at Flint Hill. Thomas was honored by the presentation of a commending resolution adopted by the Virginia General Assembly and introduced by Fairfax Delegates David L. Bulova and Mark Keam. Delegate Bulova made the presentation to Thomas at Founders Day. In addition to the resolution, we surprised Thomas by amending his “rules” regarding qualification for the Driving Spirit Award with the creation of the ULTIMATE Driving Spirit Award. What better way to honor him for his years of service? Flint Hill Magazine

IN THE COMMUNITY

A NIGHT TO HONOR AND CELEBRATE ON FRIDAY, APRIL 22, Peterson Middle School transformed into a homecoming for alumni, parents, parents of alumni and our extended Flint Hill family to celebrate their collective generosity, honor the incredible career of Headmaster John Thomas, reconnect at Reunion Weekend and finally explore the new Middle School together. After walking the blue carpet and a warm welcome from Thomas, guests explored classrooms and collaborative spaces. Conversations continued on The John M. Thomas Terrace, and the Robert W. Rupli Balcony was the perfect spot to enjoy the sunset over the Peterson Family Field. Music from the Black Tie Band added to the festive vibe throughout the night. Guests gathered in the Mitchell Commons to celebrate and recognize those who provided the momentum to bring the vision of Peterson Middle School to reality as well as the Annual Fund leadership donors who

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bring it to life every day. Trustee and Development Committee Chair Ed Dean reminded us, “Everyone here has their own special Flint Hill story. Our students and teachers can imagine what is possible because we are here to support them. Together, we blaze trails thanks to you.” Headmaster John Thomas gave homage to two of Flint Hill’s great philanthropists: Til Hazel and Milt Peterson. He shared, “We would not be the School we are today without the lasting legacy they leave behind.”

“

As we are here tonight in this phenomenal space, the Peterson Middle School, looking out over the Peterson Family field, we can’t help but reflect on the impact that the Peterson family has had on our great school. They believe the power of a strong education is critical in today’s world, and as Milt Peterson himself said, ‘Education is becoming more and more important as each year goes by. To compete in this world right now, it takes both the facility as well as the administration and the teaching. You can’t have a great school without excellent facilities.’ We remain indebted to Milt and Carolyn Peterson and the entire Peterson family for their vision, philanthropy and love of Flint Hill. –John Thomas, Headmaster

Flint Hill Magazine 63 63

IN THE COMMUNITY

The evening continued as we gathered to honor Thomas and his 17-year tenure at Flint Hill. There were many surprises for him, including two of his three sons flying in from California to celebrate together, unveiling his official portrait and presenting a Flint Hill family album full of memories and messages of gratitude. Before a moving tribute video, Pia Trigiani, Chair of the Board of Trustees, announced the John M. Thomas Endowed Scholarship Fund. This fund, named in Thomas’ honor, will benefit financial aid for families of first responders. By the time of the event, our community had already given almost $200,000, and the endowment continues to grow. Later, Pia announced the naming of The John M. Thomas Terrace, a permanent reminder of Thomas’ legacy and our gratitude for his focus on community building. It was a fantastic night to honor those who have made significant contributions to our School and celebrate the next chapter together as a Flint Hill family as we look ahead to a bright future.

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Left to right: Board members Linnie Haynesworth, Pia Trigiani and Liza Wright Renner

Left to right: Jackie Coston, Sally Hazel, Wendy Mitchell, Norris Mitchell, Skip Coston and Jimmy Hazel

Trustee Mike Corkery unveiling Thomas’ portrait

The newly dedicated John M. Thomas Terrace

Thomas standing with a photo of his former self, from 1996 prior to his first headship.

Thomas embraces his son, Patrick.

Flint Hill Magazine

IN THE COMMUNITY

GRANDPARENTS AND SPECIAL FRIENDS DAY As the weather got warmer and flowers started to bloom, so did the opportunities for our community to come together. In May, Grandparents and Special Friends Day returned to campus, and the Golf Invitational and Skills Clinic brought many members of our extended Flint Hill family together for a day of fun on the links. The halls were filled with happy Huskies on May 6, as JK–6 grade students welcomed grandparents

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and special friends to their classrooms. This year, Lower School students led the way as guests followed along throughout the morning and got a glimpse into the classroom experience. Students were excited to show their guests around campus through a lively scavenger hunt that had everyone exploring the building. Guests then enjoyed what they loved doing the most, spending time with their Huskies and enjoying activities together in the classroom.

Alumni returned for a day on the links.

GOLF INVITATIONAL AND SKILLS CLINIC The Golf Invitational and Skills Clinic was another way our community gathered this spring, and it was wonderful to be back at Westfields Golf Club for a beloved event that brings together so many members of our extended family. What a beautiful day it was for some friendly competition and fellowship to support the Parents’ Association Endowment for Financial Aid in honor of Sally Hazel. The day began with a casual Skills Clinic that gave our parents some tips from the pros. Then, the tournament kicked off with 25 alumni players and 28 foursomes that included parents, alumni parents, trustees, grandparents and community partners. Thank you to our generous sponsors and incredible co-chairs for their hard work in helping us make the return of golf special: Jon Peterson P’09, ’10, ’14, Karen Landwehr P’22, ’27, Ted Kramer P’19,’19, Hugh Taylor P’16, ’18, Leslie Rhodes

P’20, ’26, Jack Hoel ’18, Mica Howard P’19 and Sibel Unsal P’22. The 16 Husky sponsors and 16 Clubhouse and additional sponsors allowed for an exciting day while providing a significant contribution to need-based financial aid. Our co-chairs were key in spreading their excitement for this favorite event, and their enthusiasm garnered support and showed many new families just how special the event is. While the outing is fun for all, there is always a little friendly competition. The Alumni Cup is awarded to the top all-alumni foursome, and this year’s cup was given to John Horey ’13, Bryce Johnson ’14, Michael Kliska ’12 and Joey Lane ’13. We are already looking forward to next year’s tournament. The spring is always an exciting and busy time, and we are thankful for the many ways in which we can come together as a community.

Flint Hill Magazine

IN THE COMMUNITY

THANK YOU, VOLUNTEERS! We are grateful for the many volunteers who give back to our community through their service at school events and initiatives. They allow us to keep the Igloo and Den filled with the best snacks, greet new families at admission events, spread spirit at athletic events, increase support for the Annual Fund and so much more. We recognized and shared our appreciation for our parent volunteers at a breakfast reception in June on The John M. Thomas Terrace. Two of our most dedicated volunteers, Sibel Unsal P’22 and Michelle Stanciu P’18, ’22, were also recognized for their tireless efforts to our community. They have not only given back to our School but also encouraged many parents to serve as well. Thank you to all our wonderful volunteers for all they do to make Flint Hill special!

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THANK YOU TO PRESIDENT SIBEL UNSAL P’22 AND THE 2021-2022 PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION!

Sibel, you have become part of our school fabric through your consistent support and volunteerism. Your service to our School is extraordinary, and the impact you’ve made reaches far and wide! Thank you for your leadership of the Parents’ Association and bringing our community together over the past 13 years. Your daily presence around campus will be missed. We are grateful for all the meaningful connections and contributions you’ve made to our community. Together, we celebrated the return of traditions, including Homecoming, the Tennis Social, Golf Tournament and more. The Parents’ Association organized division and grade-level gatherings throughout the year, grilled countless burgers, served thousands of snacks at the Den and Igloo concession stands, and found new ways to recognize and celebrate teachers. Most importantly, we found joy in spending time with each other and building relationships with families across all divisions. Thank you, parents, for your thoughtfulness and partnership!

Flint Hill Magazine

ALUMNI

Flint Hill School

Members of the Class of 2012 reminisce after opening their time capsules. See p. 75 Flint Hill Magazine

ALUMNI

REUNION WEEKEND It was fabulous to have Reunion back in person this year! Classes ending in 2 and 7 celebrated this year and classmates traveled from as far as Texas and Montana for the opportunity to see their friends. The Friday night Welcome Reception was extra special as the community celebrated Headmaster John Thomas on his retirement with an amazing event.

CLASS OF 1972 CHAMPAGNE AND CONVERSATION WITH JOHN THOMAS

Top, left to right: Charlie Dixon ’72, Ace Ernst ’72, David Moshier ’72, Dean O’Connell ’72 Bottom left: Headmaster John Thomas kicked off Reunion Weekend by toasting the Class of 1972 on their 50th Reunion. Bottom right: Ace Ernst ’72 posing with the yearbook cover that he drew for the 1972 yearbook.

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WELCOME RECEPTION Reunion alumni had the opportunity to see the new Peterson Middle School during the Reunion Welcome Reception.

Top left: Emani Fenton ’07 and Admission Officer and Alumni Ambassador Rico Reed reunited! Top right, left to right: Jonathan Slater ’88, Rick Armstron ’12, Alex Milliken ’12, Ricky Marske ’12 Bottom left: Charlie Dixon ’72 celebrating his 50th Reunion and Eliot Brener ’67 celebrating his 55th Reunion. Bottom right: Mitch Arnold ’17 and Trini Kechkian ’17 had a chance to catch up during the Welcome Reception.

Flint Hill Magazine

ALUMNI

CLASS OF 2010 TIME CAPSULE OPENING The Class of 2010 waited until they could be together in person to open their 10-year time capsule.

Sierra Blake ’10 and Monica Akhtar ’10 find something fun in their time capsule!

Top left: John Thomas catches up with John Wisiackas ’10 as he opens his time capsule. Bottom left: Courtney Overholt ’10, Chris Nelson ’10 and Mohammad Al-Hussain ’10 share some memories with John Thomas. Right: Chris Nelson ’10, Sierra Blake ’10, Courtney Overholt ’10, Monica Akhtar ’10, Skye Silansky ’10, Mohammad Al-Hussain ’10

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CLASS OF 2012 TIME CAPSULE OPENING The Class of 2012 gathered Saturday morning to reveal what they included in their time capsules ten years ago. Top left: 2012 Reunion Chairs Caroline Stottlemyer ’12 and Erin Dooley ’12 cut the ribbon on the time capsule. Top right: Andy Rehberger ’12 and Robert Rucks ’12 reminisce while reading The View from 2012. Bottom left: Alex Milliken ’12 and Kevin McNerney ’12 share pictures from their time capsules. Bottom right: Caroline Stottlemeyer ’12 finds a school ID from 2012.

Flint Hill Magazine

ALUMNI

ALUMNI ATHLETE RECOGNITION Alumni athletes who returned for Reunion/Springfest Weekend were recognized during halftime of the Boys’ Lacrosse game. Top, left to right: Coach Adam Rice, Chris Nelson ’10, Chris Cassaday ’10, Patrick Farrell ’12, Preston Grey ’10, John Wisiacas ’10, Director of Alumni Relations Maria Taylor, Director of Athletics Dewayne Robinson Left, left to right: Director of Athletics Dewayne Robinson, Steven Lenz ’07, Director of Alumni Relations Maria Taylor

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Fred sets up alumni children with binoculars for the walk.

NATURE WALK WITH FRED ATWOOD Science Teacher Fred Atwood’s Nature Walk has become a beloved annual tradition on Reunion Weekend! Alumni love to bring their kids to the Nature Walk so that they can experience the magic of Atwood’s nature walks that they enjoyed as students.

Top: Atwood chats with Quinn ’32, son of Garnett Soles ’93, before the nature walk. Bottom: Steven Lenz ’07 and Kaitlin Hill ’07 test out binoculars for the nature walk.

Flint Hill Magazine

ALUMNI

FALCON RECEPTION Falcons gathered under the beautiful backdrop of Miller House for the Annual Falcon Reception, with music by Touch of Grey.

Top right: Eliot Brenner ’67’s band, Touch of Grey, played during the Falcon Reception this year. Bottom right, left to right: Richard Kirsch ’73, Claudia Cruise ’73 and Tom Critchfield ’73 attended the Falcon Reception. We can’t wait to welcome them back for their 50th Reunion next year! Bottom, front row: Richard Kirsch ’73, Tom Critchfield ’73, Claudia Cruise ’73, Dianne Davis ’67, Dean O’Connell ’72, Charlie Dixon ’72 Back row: David Moshier ’72, Ace Ernst ’72, Eliot Brenner ’67, Jim Rogers ’67

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2012

CLASS DINNERS The Class of 2012 continued their 10th Reunion celebration Saturday night at Open Road. Left to right: Danny Weiss ’12, Brandon Anderson ’12, Michelle Webber ’12, Rick Armstrong ’12, Ricky Marske ’12, Cameron Field ’12, Erin Dooley ’12, Hunter Windmuller ’12, Caroline Stottlemyer ’12, Robert Grey ’12, Alex Milliken ’12 Top: The Class of 2002 gathered in the Hazel Academic Building for their class dinner. Front row: Andrew Chanania ’02, Phillip Vickery ’02, Justin Bell ’02, Ryan Mannix ’02 Second row: Jovan Yavari ’02, Jeremy Biggs ’02, Sachin Anand ’02, Nicole Cira House ’02 Back row: Ezzat Shehadeh ’02, Dev Sethi ’02, Andrew Tropeano ’02

2002

1967

2017

Middle left: Members of the Class of 1967 gathered to celebrate their 55th Reunion! Left to right: Eliot Brenner ’67, Dianne Davis ’67, Jim Rogers ’67 Bottom left: Karl Gelles ’97, his daughter, Lucy, and Jennifer Stringfellow Lamanna ’97 celebrated their 25th Reunion at their class dinner in the Hazel Academic Building.

1997

2017

Top right: Members of the Class of 2017 gathered on campus and off campus to celebrate their 5th Reunion. Left to right: Mitch Arnold ’17, Jack Lovelace ’17, Peter Husisian ’17 Bottom right, left to right: Mitch Arnold ’17, Jennifer Chen ’17, Eugine Oh ’17, Trini Kechkian ’17, Steph Renner ’17

Flint Hill Magazine

CLASS NOTES To be included in Alumni Class Notes, email the Alumni Office at alumni@flinthill.org with news of a union, birth of a child, adoption, 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.

CLASS OF 1967

CLASS OF 2005

ELIOT BRENNER writes, “A band I’m in, Touch of Grey, performed at the annual Falcon Reception. It happened to be my 55th reunion. And, amid COVID, I have tried to keep up with the FAA requirements for pilots.” (below)

SCOTT SCHILLEREFF and Brittany Glassman were married at Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, on September 18, 2021. They recently bought a new home in Oakton, and are excited to be a short drive from Flint Hill.

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CLASS OF 2008 TAYLOR SWART is currently a primary care pediatric nurse practitioner at Capital Area Pediatrics in Falls Church.

CLASS OF 2009 DAVIS ROSE and Heather Ceran celebrated their marriage on August 14, 2021, at Olympic Valley Stables in California. After postponing their original wedding date, they eloped over Zoom in San Francisco on November 17, 2020. They loved having Flint Hill classmates TYLER O’CONNOR, CHRISTIAN MELTON, MATT DOYLE, BRENDAN O’FLAHERTY, JESSICA JOHNSON, LAUREN WHITE and NICK VONESH with them in Lake Tahoe to celebrate. (below)

DOUG HOWARD wrote, “Currently, I am the Vice President of Evolution Basketball, a basketball training company for players of all ages! We currently have facilities all over Northern Virginia and just added one in Rockville this past February. It has been amazing to help the kids in the area and watch them grow up over the years. I might be a little biased, but one could say I enjoy training kids who are Huskies a little more than others.”

CLASS OF 2013 MARLO SWEATMAN was called in to play for the Jamaica Women’s National Soccer Team for the World Cup qualifier. She is still currently playing for a pro women’s team in Hungary. It should be exciting to watch them play the USA!

Flint Hill Magazine

CLASS NOTES

CLASS OF 2014 MATT ZECCA married Maria Regina Zecca on Oct. 22, 2021, at Whitehall Estate in Bluemont. Classmate EVAN HARRINGTON was the officiant, his best man was classmate JAKE SHEVLIN and his groomsmen included BRUCE BRIGLIA and BRYCE JOHNSON. KATE ZECCA ’16 was a bridesmaid. Other Flint Hill guests at the wedding included MADELINE WOOD, BRETT BRIGLIA ’16, SCOTT McGHEE and CAROLINE SHEVLIN ’17. (below)

Left to right: Evan Harrington, Bruce Briglia, Jake Shevlin, Matt Zecca, Bryce Johnson, Ryan Neighbors and David Katzman

Back row, left to right: Bryce Johnson, Bruce Briglia, Evan Harrington, Madeline Wood, Brett Briglia ’16, Jake Shevlin and Scott McGhee Front row, left to right: Kate Zecca ’16, Maria Regina Zecca, Matt Zecca and Caroline Shevlin ’17

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CLASS OF 2015 ALEXANDRA CLINE recently graduated from Notre Dame Law School in the top 10 percent of her class. During law school, she served as an editor for Law Review, as an oralist on the Moot Court Board and as a teaching and research assistant. This summer, Alexandra will sit for the New York bar exam before starting her legal career as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Paul B. Matey of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Following a one-year clerkship, Alexandra will return to Weil, Gotshal & Manges as a litigator in the firm’s New York office. She looks forward to a fulfilling career in the legal profession. (below)

a few blocks of the White House, the U.S. Department of State, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. During his graduate studies, Simuel had the opportunity to intern with the Department of Energy and the Federal Communications Commission. In 2020, Simuel graduated cum laude from Morehouse College with a dual Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and Spanish and a minor in mathematics. Morehouse College is a private historically black men’s liberal arts college in Atlanta. Simuel worked as a research assistant for the chair of the Economics Department during the regular school year and studied in Cuba, Costa Rica and Spain during the summers. Prior to starting his graduate studies, he worked as a research associate at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Simuel graduated from Flint Hill in 2015. While attending high school, he fulfilled his service requirement by working for Congressman Bennie G. Thompson and the Democratic Staff of the House Committee on Homeland Security. (below)

SIMUEL JAMISON, JR., has been hired as an associate consultant with IBM in Atlanta. On May 13, 2022, Simuel obtained a Master of Arts in international affairs (with concentrations in international security studies and international law and organizations) from the Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University. The Elliott School is located within Flint Hill Magazine

CLASS NOTES

CLASS OF 2017

CLASS OF 2021

JESS RAPPAPORT recently installed an exhibit of her art at Urban Arts Space at Ohio State University. Jess’ exhibit, called Interlude, is made from porcelain and metal. Faculty member Julia Cardone traveled to the opening reception.

CHLOE KAHLER is a freshman at Savannah College of Art and Design and is currently interning at Disney World for the summer as part of their college program. Her dream after college is to become an Imagineer, the creative developers responsible for the production, designing, engineering and planning of Disney theme parks and attractions. She is thrilled to have this opportunity to pursue her passion in the hopes of building a career at Disney. (below)

CLASS OF 2018 BECCA STONE writes, “I am about to graduate East Carolina University with a BFA in dance performance and choreography! Following graduation, I will be working at Kings Dominion for the summer (June-July) for the Grand Carnival show as a dancer!”

CLASS OF 2020 CADENCE HINNANT has started a concert booking company in Nashville. Check out the picture from the Sounds from Underground festival that his company held in March at the Exit/In, a legendary concert venue in Nashville. Cadence’s mom and current faculty member, Rachel Hinnant, ran into two Flint Hill alums at the show — OLIVIA DEWITT ’19 and ISABEL FERNANDEZ ’19. (right)

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LIFECYCLES MARRIAGES Scott Schillereff ’05 and Brittany Glassman on September 18, 2021 Davis Rose ’09 and Heather Ceran on August 14, 2021 Megan Donnelly Latimer ’10 and Jason Latimer in August 2021 Matt Zecca ’14 and Maria Regina Zecca on October 22, 2021

BIRTHS/ADOPTIONS Sean Donnelly ’06 and his wife Maria welcomed twin girls to the family in December 2021

IN MEMORIAM Mr. Barry Bittner Former Faculty May 28, 2011 Mr. Lance R. Cross ’18 December 1, 2021 Mr. Anthony M. Fortkort ’13 June 19, 2022

Mr. John Hall Parent of Shaun Hall ’04 March 28, 2022 Mrs. Anne B. M. Hazel Wife of the late Til Hazel January 18, 2021 Mr. John “Til” T. Hazel Jr. Chairman Emeritus, Grandparent of Marion Remuzzi ’01, Emily Hazel ’09, Mac Hazel ’07 March 15, 2022 Mr. Randall V. Kerr ’64 June 28, 2019 Mrs. Maureen McLoughlin Parent of Kevin McLoughlin ’02 and Former Faculty March 31, 2022 Mrs. Martha J. Mesnier Former Faculty January 31, 2022 Mr. Milton V. Peterson Grandparent of Jillian Fellows Dill ’07, Megan Fellows ’09, Cara Peterson ’09, Chris Peterson ’09, Tim Peterson ’10, Steven Peterson ’13, Nick Peterson ’14, Tommy Peterson ’15 May 26, 2021

Flint Hill Magazine

THE DEFINITION OF A TRAILBLAZER John Tilghman “Til” Hazel Jr. 1930–2022

hen you think about the term “trailblazer,” what comes to mind? A pioneer, a leader, an innovator? Maybe it is someone who leads by example, breaks ground and paves the way for others to follow. In a very literal sense, John Tilghman “Til” Hazel Jr., 91, Chairman Emeritus of Flint Hill School, philanthropist, attorney and real-estate developer, transformed the landscape of Fairfax County and was the catalyst for Flint Hill’s resurgence.

At our 2022 Leadership Donor Reception, Headmaster John Thomas stated, “Til Hazel’s DNA runs through this entire School. We are bold because he was bold. We have a growth mindset because he had a growth mindset. We have a vision. We have determination. And [in the early 1990s] when people said ‘Flint Hill wasn’t going to make it,’ he made it clear we would, and we live up to that legacy each and every day because of his support, guidance and leadership.” The son of a doctor, Hazel left rural Virginia to attend Harvard University and Harvard Law School. Returning home to practice law after military service, Hazel developed a passion for real-estate development. Having been a major force in the development of Northern Virginia, he continued to pursue a vision, which included improving and expanding the educational opportunities available to the citizens of the region and the Commonwealth. While Flint Hill School would be the only educational institution that Hazel would reconstruct from the ground up, it would be but one of many educational enterprises that would benefit from his vision, business acumen and persuasive powers. 86 86 Flint Hill School

In 1989, Hazel led the acquisition and reorganization of Flint Hill Preparatory School and ushered in a new era of excellence and innovation in academics, arts and athletics under the name Flint Hill School. In September 1990, Flint Hill opened its doors to students in kindergarten through grade 12 with a new campus, now known as Hazel Lower School. He gathered others with a commitment to education to serve on the Board of Trustees. Their collective determination, with his focused visionary leadership, quickly identified the need to expand the facilities and led the way to purchase and develop a separate Upper School Campus in 1998. Hazel’s experience and deep understanding of the land entitlement process allowed the School to seamlessly navigate and acquire the necessary approvals to build the Upper School building and athletic fields, which opened on September 10, 2001. Hazel was an astute businessman, a palpable presence, and he has been described as among the best at running effective and efficient meetings. His passion for Flint Hill School is unrivaled. He was a force of nature, a persistent and insistent advocate for education. Flint Hill School will forever be fortunate that such power, energy, loyalty and vision were with us at a critical time in our School’s history. He not only generously gave his time and talent but also rallied others in support of the mission of Flint Hill. He became an example of leadership and character for the entire School. “Til possessed a rare and prized gift called leadership—that ineffable and sometimes magical quality that sets some men and women apart so that others will follow them as they conjure up grand visions and invite those around them to dream big and exciting dreams,” said Assistant Head of School for Finance and Operations Anne Peterson.

“

An educated populace is our greatest resource. Oil is exhaustible, steel doesn’t count like it used to, and the list of temporary assets goes on. But the benefits of education are unlimited and inexhaustible if we have the will and commitment. –Til Hazel, Chairman Emeritus

Former Headmaster Tom Whitworth observed, “Til had faith, drive and belief to make Flint Hill School happen. Without him, Flint Hill would not be the leader in independent school education it is today. He understood that Fairfax County needed a great school for its citizens.”

Flint Hill Magazine

THE DEFINITION OF A TRAILBLAZER

Hazel led the Board of Trustees for over 20 years before deciding that it was time for a new generation of leaders to begin to make a difference. But first, he ensured that the Flint Hill he envisioned would persevere. Upon Hazel’s retirement from the Board of Trustees, in recognition of his extraordinary and steadfast leadership, the Board bestowed on him the honor of Founding Chair and Trustee Emeritus. According to former Board Chair Skip Coston, “Til set the standards for all future leaders of Flint Hill School. I was extremely proud to follow in his footsteps. His vision and example of exceptional governance should be the cornerstone for all future leaders in their dedication to Flint Hill.”

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Hazel continued to be actively engaged until his passing, participating in monthly Finance Committee meetings and lending his personal support to every Flint Hill philanthropic endeavor, including the Annual Fund, for over 30 years. He could often be seen on the sidelines of a Saturday football game cheering the Huskies on to victory. He took great pride in the further expansion of the School’s program and efforts, and he supported and encouraged the recent creation of Peterson Middle School, which opened in 2020. Mr. Hazel observed, “I think this is a great moment in the history and life of Flint Hill School. This will guarantee its future for years to come. It’s a tremendous thing for me to see.”

“I started here some 30 years ago, and it’s been a remarkable growth; it’s doing extremely well. It’s one of the most satisfying things in all my years.” –Til Hazel, Chairman Emeritus

In 2020, the Lower School was renamed Hazel Lower School in appreciation of Hazel’s transformative impact on Flint Hill School. During the Momentum campaign kickoff celebration, he said, “I started here some 30 years ago, and it’s been a remarkable growth; it’s doing extremely well. It’s one of the most satisfying things in all my years.” Hazel understood, in a way unique to him, that the economic vitality of Northern Virginia is inextricably linked to the range and quality of education options from kindergarten through college. Flint Hill Board of Trustees Chair Pia Trigiani shared, “Til’s passion for education brought him to Flint Hill. His fortitude and

strength of character and his deep and abiding relationships with others of like mind guided the rebirth of Flint Hill and charted a path for what Flint Hill has become—an institution dedicated to educating the whole child to be prepared for a changing world.” Trailblazers share a unique trait: they transform the future. Hazel had a vision. Through his passion, vision and commitment, he touched the lives of everyone associated with Flint Hill. Hazel made it his life’s work to blaze a trail in our region, and we are all better for it. We will forever be grateful for the impact he has had on our great School family.

Flint Hill Magazine

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SAVE THE DATE

REUNION 2023 APRIL 14–15, 2023

It’s all about the friends and faculty TWO DAYS OF REUNIONS, RECEPTIONS AND ACTIVITIES Falcons and Huskies return to Flint Hill for Alumni Reunion Weekend 2023. Whether you are celebrating your 50th Reunion or your 5th — or are somewhere in between — come back to campus to reconnect with old friends and see your former teachers. If you would like to help plan your Reunion, please contact Director of Alumni Relations Maria Taylor at mtaylor@flinthill.org.

Flint Hill Magazine

HOMECOMING

WEEKEND

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14 AND SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2022 92

Flint Hill School

Join the Flint Hill community for a weekend filled with athletic events, school spirit and fun for the entire family!

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Our kids have gotten all the foundation they needed at Flint Hill to be successful citizens in the future. –Parent ’14, ’16, ’22

Thank you for supporting Flint Hill students along their journey. You brought joyful learning to life inside the classrooms and beyond … and have been there for them every step of the way! We can’t wait to see where they blaze their trails next!

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Flint Hill School Magazine - Spring/Summer 2022

Articles inside

HOW A SMILE AND A WAVE MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE

TAKING A PAGE FROM THE GREATS