Seniors Sander McComiskey and Martha Rigney

by Susan F. Sheehan

Christ Episcopal School

AT THE HEART of Christ Episcopal School is the belief that each child is special, an individual, and that in giving students the tools to develop selfesteem, independence and self-motivation, they will be prepared for the continuing educational process.

Seniors Sander McComiskey and Martha Rigney embody this CES ethos, one that combines an individualized and superior academic experience for each student with opportunities to pursue a wide variety of interests both in and out of the classroom.

“In so many ways, I always say I’d be an entirely different person if I had not attended CES,” says Martha, who transferred to CES in seventh grade. “I was given room to grow, and the opportunities that I’ve had here gave me a voice. I have been set up for success.”

Sander started his journey at CES in kindergarten and agrees with Martha. “The opportunities here shape you as a person as you grow into an adult,” he says. “It’s more than academics; you’re taught how to think—to love to think.”

Both are 2022 National Merit Finalists, and academics were certainly an integral component of their time at CES. They each point to one-onone meaningful relationships with their teachers as playing a vital role in their success.

“The relationships developed with teachers are really special,” says Sander. “They help you through life, not just learning.”

Martha says, “I felt seen and respected by my teachers. We are given room to grow, and I feel confident and prepared to now take the next step.”

The next step for Martha will be pursuing a degree in textiles, apparel and merchandising at LSU, a passion that took root as she honed design and sewing skills through dedicated courses in theatrical costume design and years of participation in theater department productions.

“I will always be involved in theater—I will still sew and help in that way,” Martha says. “Costume design gave me a deeper appreciation for how humans can express themselves through what they wear, and I’m taking all I learned from that (to explore) all of the ways to branch out, such as through research and designing and marketing sustainable fashion.”

Branching out is something Martha did throughout her CES career. While she designed and constructed dozens of costumes for the theater department’s productions and won national recognition for this work (including two 2021 Thespy Award medals for Superior ratings in both costume construction and costume design at the International Thespian Festival), she took the opportunity to explore almost everything CES has to offer.

“I’ve done sports, theater, student council, and speech and debate (where she also garnered national awards). And doing so many things at once definitely taught me time management,” she laughs.

Sander, who plans to attend Princeton in the fall, will continue to be guided by several of CES’ Operating Principles for Students—including “do a good deed daily” and “reach out and help others”— as he prepares for a life of public service.

“I can 100 percent say that there’s no chance I’d be in this position if it was not for CES. Colleges want people who love to think and people who care about service and making a difference,” Sander says, noting that a career in government and public policy will allow him to utilize problem-solving and critical thinking skills while improving the lives of others.

Like Martha, Sander has found numerous ways to be involved at CES. He laid the groundwork for future career plans—he founded the nonprofit LAVote, which focuses on voter registration and education, and a good government state PAC; he is a member of the Louisiana Legislative Youth Advisory Council; and he served as the CES High School student body president. At the same time, he excelled as an athlete—he was a four-year starter on the varsity basketball team, surpassing the 1,000-career-points mark this year, and participated in cross country and golf—and won numerous speech and debate awards.

Martha and Sander both express excitement about their futures, and, like many seniors, also are starting to feel a bit nostalgic about their high school days.

“I’m going to miss all of the little things, like going to games to support friends, field days, fun events, knowing the names of everyone in the school,” Martha says.

And Sander concludes, “This is really just a very special place.”

Founded in 1984, Christ Episcopal School is an independent, co-educational college preparatory day school for students in Early Pre-kindergarten through 12th Grade. The school, with its 600+ students, is set on two idyllic campuses in Covington. For more information, visit christepiscopalschool.org.