SPARK Magazine // Spring 2017

THE MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI, PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF COLLEGIATE SCHOOL

Robotics Reboot A Re-Energized Robotics Program Launches Excitement for Rockets, Race Cars, Virtual Reality and More

SPRING 2017

COLLEGIATE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION Stephen D. Hickman, Head of School Stacy H. Adams, Director of Communications Charles L. Blair, Jr., Head of Middle School James M. Britto, Chief Information Officer Karen S. Doxey, Director of Athletics Susan R. Droke, Academic Dean Patrick E. Loach, Head of Upper School Deborah I. Miller, Head of Lower School Phyllis Palmiero, Vice President - Finance and Administration James P. Watson, Assistant Head of School Kristen O. Williams, Vice President - Development

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2016-17

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD 2016-17

John D. O’Neill, Jr., Chairman of the Board Frank F. Mountcastle III ’83, Vice Chairman of the Board John L. Walker III, Immediate Past Chairman of the Board Stephen D. Hickman, President/Head of School Phyllis Palmiero, Treasurer Susan C. Wiley, Secretary

Sarah Cook Martin ’94, President* Beth Flippo Hutchins ’88, Vice President/President-Elect* Alan Vaughan ’91, Recording Secretary* Barbara Robertson Burke ’68, Corresponding Secretary* Chris Kulp ’84, Finance Chair* Mayme Beth Donohue ’03 and Lizzie Cullen Cox ’00, Annual Fund Chairs* Marshall Schutt ’98, Past President Laura Moore Hall ’68, Town School Representative Evan Ocheltree ’05 and Neely Markel Winston ’96, Volunteer/Community Service Chairs

Stella Crane Alexander ’85** Richard L. Bennett, Jr. ’90 Michael G. Bland ’83 Mark A. Christian ’77 David A. Gallagher Eucharia N. Jackson Peter E. Mahoney, Sr. John W. Martin ’78 Sarah Cook Martin ’94*** Malcolm S. McDonald Gaye C. Montgomery Joan Olmsted Oates* Judy Wagoner Pahren Tracey A. Ragsdale Carter M. Reid C.B. Robertson III* Sheryl A. Robins ’85 Lisa E. Roday Danielle D. Scott L. Mark Stepanian ’89 Wallace Stettinius* Brude D. Stoever Alfred L. Stratford III ’85 Robert S. Ukrop* Michelle P. Wiltshire * Life Trustee ** Parents’ Association President *** Alumni Association President

Boo Florance Smythe ’56

Barbara Culpepper Townsend ’64 Martha Fleming Moore ’75

Meade Spotts ’75

Jeff Modisett ’78

Charley Scher ’83

Sarah Paxton ’84

John Fallon ’85

Jo Ellen Constine ’87 Jack Woodfin ’87 Clay Coleman ’89 Stephen Spraker ’92 Katherine Thalhimer Adamson ’96 Camp Goodwin August ’99 Liza Jarvis Scott ’99 Sarah Gray Tullidge Innes ’05 *Executive Committee

Erin Egan Editor, SPARK Associate Director of Communications Dianne Carter ’04 Assistant Editor, SPARK Communications Officer Stacy H. Adams Director of Communications Jennifer Robertson Wilkins ’92 Alumni Director Weldon Bradshaw, Ashley Jones Contributors Dianne Carter, Taylor Dabney, James Dickinson, Kyle LaFerriere, Robin Reifsnider, JoAnn Adrales Ruh Photography Think Graphic Design B&B Printing Printing Thanks to all parents, students, alums and friends who share generously of their information, photographs and archives.

The Spark is published by Collegiate School. We welcome letters from readers, though we may not have room to publish them all. Submissions may be edited for publication. Photographs deemed unsuitable in quality by the Spark’s designers may not be included. We make every effort to return photographs shared with us — please send high-resolution (300dpi) digital images whenever possible (to: spark@collegiate-va.org).

Class Notes and Photographs: Please send your news and photographs, and we will use them in an upcoming issue. Digital images must be high resolution (min. 300dpi).

Address Spark Editor Collegiate School/Communications Office 103 North Mooreland Road/Richmond, VA 23229 Email spark@collegiate-va.org Visit our website at www.collegiate-va.org.

Phone Spark: 804.741.9781/Alumni Office: 804.741.9718

103 North Mooreland Road/Richmond, VA 23229 804.740.7077/Fax: 804.741.9797 Collegiate School is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or national origin in the administration of its educational, admission or financial aid policies, or any other programs administered by the School.

Second Graders perform the “Fifty Nifty” song in Oates Theater at the annual States Fair, one of Collegiate’s most-treasured traditions, in which the students also parade around the Lower School wearing the hats they create to represent the 50 states.

SPARK

Spring 2017

AROUND C A M P U S

Highlights of Fall 2016 ....................................................................................................................................... 4 New Board Members .......................................................................................................................................... 18 State Champions ................................................................................................................................................ 20 Fall Sports Roundup ........................................................................................................................................... 24 Holidays at Collegiate 2016 ............................................................................................................................... 26 A Teacher’s Take .................................................................................................................................................. 28

F E AT URES Robotics Ramps Up Collegiate’s robotics program, part of the School’s STEAM initiative, revs up interest in rockets, virtual reality, race cars and more. .............................................................................................................................................. 30

Developing Difference Makers Melissa and Mark Christian ’77 aim to support Collegiate student leaders through their financial assistance program. .............................................................................................................................................................. 38

AL UM NI A C T I V I T I E S Letter from Sarah Cook Martin ’94 ..................................................................................................................

President of the Alumni Association Chips off the Old Cougar Block .......................................................................................................................

Oyster Roast ........................................................................................................................................................

Homecoming ......................................................................................................................................................

Legacy Lunch .....................................................................................................................................................

Pageant Lunch ...................................................................................................................................................

Winter Party & Auction .....................................................................................................................................

CL ASS N O T E S News from Alumni

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On the Cover In Room 105 of the North Science Building, members of Collegiate’s robotics team work on robot design while, in the background, a fellow Cougar tests out Tilt Brush, a virtual reality tool.

COUG A R C O N N E C T I O N S Have you stayed in touch with your Cougar Pal, your Kindergartner/Senior, Big Sis/Little Sis, Seniors and Fleurs? We want to hear from you for a future story in Spark.

Email us at spark@collegiate-va.org.

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LE T T E R F R O M TH E H EA D O F SC H OOL MINDS THAT SEEK. HEARTS THAT SERVE.

DEAR COLLEGIATE SCHOOL COMMUNITY, As I go about my work, our School’s inspiring call to action constantly reminds me of our unique mission and guides me in most everything that I do. We remain duty-bound to our young people to provide them with a foundation that nurtures lifetime habits of inquiry and service.

With our world confronting rapid changes, shrinking borders and increasing strife, I cannot imagine a more compelling and important mission.

AGE OF ACCELERATIONS This perspective was reinforced a few months ago, after reading Thomas Friedman’s book, Thank You for Being Late, in which Friedman seeks to explain what he calls the “Age of Accelerations.” The book shares key insights from, among others, Eric Teller, CEO of Google’s X innovation lab. Teller offers compelling evidence that the increasing speed of scientific and technological innovation is outpacing “the capacity of the average human being and our societal structures to adapt and absorb them,” and notes that the technology platform for our society turns over every five to seven years. Typically, however, it takes 10 to 15 years for society to adapt to such changes. The result is that “we all feel out of control.” Since it is futile to try to slow down technological progress, Teller argues that we must increase our society’s ability to adapt. The ability to adapt must include examining our structures around how we teach our young people, he insists.

that differentiates us from nature and machines. Not everything is better faster or meant to go faster.” Schools must surround young people with a community ethos guided by shared values and enriched by life-changing relationships, instilling an enduring and spirited sense of belonging.

Thank You for Being Late left me questioning, Are we doing what we need to do to prepare Collegiate’s young people for the “Age of Accelerations?” As you read this edition of Spark and learn more about our innovative and service-driven student experiences, the generosity of our donors, the accomplishments of our students and graduates and the life-changing impact of our faculty, I’ll let you decide.

ACCREDITATION NEWS In addition to inviting you to enjoy Spark, I am pleased to report that Collegiate has received its five-year accreditation from the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS), the Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS) and AdvancED. As part of the accrediting process, we also received SAIS’ Early Childhood Endorsement and the endorsement of the Global Education Benchmarking Group (GEBG), an organization comprised of independent schools nationwide that are committed to global education.

In its report, the Visiting Team stated that it was “honored to observe a school community that is mission-driven, has a responsive plan for the future, and represents the best practices and high standards of VAIS and SAIS.” The report also noted that the School’s strategic plan demonstrates a highly collaborative process and relied upon copious community feedback and data and research to inform its conclusions. “The Plan provides a bold, comprehensive and ambitious roadmap for the School’s future.” We thank all in our community for making these results possible.

Friedman’s book highlights three ways of thinking about a problem — “inside the box, outside the box and where there is no box” — and that thinking “without a box” is the most sustainable and open-minded approach. With this in mind, it is imperative that educational institutions continue to evolve, challenging young people early and often to think differently and push past traditional boundaries to discover what is possible.

LOOKING AHEAD

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, schools must encourage young people to value reflection and relationships, and practice patience. As Dov Seidman, CEO of LRN, a legal research firm for corporations, asserts: “Our ability to forge deep relationships — to love, to care, to hope, to trust and to build voluntary communities based on shared values — is one of the most important things

Sincerely,

Minds that seek. Hearts that serve. We believe it is a proven formula for success.

Your support for and commitment to Collegiate School are appreciated as we continue to focus forward.

Stephen D. Hickman Head of School

A L UMN I DATEBO O K All Collegiate alumni are invited to attend the following events. For more information, contact Director of Alumni & Special Events Jennifer Robertson Wilkins ’92 at jwilkins@collegiate-va.org or Associate Director of Alumni & Special Events Lauralee Glasgow Allen ’03 at lauralee_allen@collegiate-va.org.

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Cougar Bites Social, Belle and James Hosted by the 2000s Wednesday, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

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Washington, D.C. Reunion, The Metropolitan Club Wednesday, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

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Reunion Planning Meeting for Classes Ending in 2 and 7, Centennial Hall Thursday, 6:30-8 p.m.

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Cougar Bites Social, Portico Restaurant & Bar Hosted by the 1980s Wednesday, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

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Town School Tea, The Country Club of Virginia James River Clubhouse Tuesday, 11:30 a.m.

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Distinguished Alumni Reception, Collegiate School Development Office Friday, 10:30 a.m.

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Cougar Bites Social, Kabana Hosted by the 1990s Thursday, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

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F R O M

M O O R E L A N D

R O A D

AROUND CAMPUS PROVOCAT I V E S P E A K E R S H I G HLIG H T TH IR D A N N U A L TEDxY O U TH @ RVA EVENT A diverse lineup of speakers from across Virginia headlined the 3rd annual TEDxYouth@RVA hosted at Collegiate, during which local youths and adults presented on the theme “What Now?” The free event, held in November, was open to the public, and gave participants a platform to share their personal perspectives on a topic that other youths and adults around the world would be discussing on the same day.

A group of Collegiate seniors and students from eight other area schools began collaborating in May 2016 to plan the event.

The partnering schools were Appomattox Regional Governor’s School, Deep Run High School, George Wythe High School, Hanover High School, James River High School, Maggie Walker

Governor’s School, Saint Gertrude High School and Trinity Episcopal School.

The students worked to find Richmond’s hidden stories. They looked to discover people who dream big or think about wild ideas; people who find small ways to make a difference in the lives of others, and even people who fail big and learn from that failure.

“The students found remarkable voices,” said TEDxYouth comentor and Head Librarian of Collegiate’s Upper School library Allen Chamberlain. “They lived and honored inclusion. These students made a radical case for hope through the speakers they invited to be on the stage.”

Left to right: Emcees from Maggie Walker Governor’s School, Deep Run High School and Collegiate School open TedxYouth@RVA.

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FRONT ROW (from left): Kyle Riopelle, Jane Fergusson, Price Withers. BACK ROW: Claire Murphy, Georgia Beazley, Sumner Brinkley.

M E RI T SCHO L A R S , N AT I O N A L HO N O R S O C IETY MEMB ER S R EC O G N IZED In September, six seniors — Georgia Beazley, Sumner Brinkley, Jane Fergusson, Claire Murphy, Kyle Riopelle and Price Withers — were named 2017 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists, the most of any independent school in Virginia.

These academically talented students will continue on to compete for about 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth approximately $33 million.

In addition to the National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists, the following 13 seniors were named Commended Students: Morgan Baxter Aidan Berger John Bullock Felipe Campos Parker Conquest Elizabeth Harrison Christopher Johnson

being wonderful examples of the society’s motto, Areté (excellence), Diké (justice) and Timé (honor).

The honorees for the fall were: Georgia Beazley, Reese Bowling, Sumner Brinkley, John Bullock, Felipe Campos, Jane Fergusson, Elizabeth Harrison, Mia Jackson, Parker Johnson, Gillian Laming, Matty Pahren, Michael Warker and Price Withers. Additional students will be inducted this spring, on April 13, during an Upper School Assembly.

Parker Johnson Gillian Laming Matty Pahren Michael Romer Quinn Schebell Margaret Wadsworth

National Merit Scholarship winners will be announced April through July.

Additionally, last November 13 Collegiate seniors were commended at an Upper School Assembly as inductees into the Collegiate chapter of Cum Laude, a national honor society that recognizes academic excellence and citizenship.

Upper School Head Patrick Loach applauded the honorees for

Collegiate’s Cum Laude Society members

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S T UD EN T S COM P E T E I N

8th Annual Ethics Bowl

Two teams of Collegiate School seniors went head to head during the final round of the school’s 8th Annual Ethics Bowl in December.

Using a list of cases compiled by the National High School Ethics Bowl, Team A, comprised of Olivia Brown, Jack Kachel, Nick Morrison, Kyle Riopelle, Jack Sroba and Virginia Syer, tackled an issue involving contraception. Team B’s Anna Galanides, Sam Hunter, Austin Jupe, Parker Reed and Kate Surgner handled a case about tobacco use.

Team B proved the winner and represented Collegiate at the Virginia High School Ethics Bowl, held on the Collegiate campus, in January.

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Upper School senior seminar teacher Rhiannon Boyd brought the idea of an Ethics Bowl to the School in 2009. She had competed in a similar event as a college student and saw the positive impact it could have in the lives of students.

“It’s all about skill building,” she said. “It allows you to address difficult topics in a civil manner.

“The Ethics Bowl reflects who we say we are so fully as a School with responsible citizenship,” Mrs. Boyd said. “Listening to the ideas of others makes you better. It’s good for everybody.”

JUN I ORS TAK E PA R T I N ANNUAL APP L I C AT I O N W O R K S H O P The College Counseling Office hosted 12 deans and directors of admission from colleges across the country to provide insight into the college search and application process to Collegiate juniors in February. The all-day program featured representatives from Bates College, Elon University, Virginia Tech, Davidson College, Miami University, University of Virginia, Washington & Lee University and University of California-Berkeley, and gave students the chance to get advice and ask questions about applying to college. Later that evening, the guests served on a panel and spoke to freshman, sophomore and junior parents in attendance.

CEL E BRAT E D A U T H O R S E R V E S AS F ORUM ’S K E Y N O T E S P E A K ER Collegiate welcomed Kelsey Timmerman as keynote speaker for the 4th Annual Global Issues Forum in February. The awardwinning author of Where are You Eating? and Where are You Wearing? discussed global poverty, slavery and child labor. Each year, the forum brings together high school students and teachers from the greater Richmond area to address ways the local community can impact global challenges.

COUGAR CL A S S I C LI VE S UP T O I T S N A M E The annual Cougar Classic thrilled a full house in Seal Athletic Center in February as the “Green Machine” pulled out an intense double overtime 44-42 victory. Middle School humanities teacher Charlie Williams earned MVP honors after tying the game to head to the first overtime. He then sealed the victory with the gamewinning layup in the second extra period.

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A bronze cougar statue, dedicated to Alex Smith ’65, sits between Jacobs Gym and Seal Athletic Center.

Honoring Our Greatest Cougar To celebrate the retirement of Alex Smith ’65 from Collegiate School after an extraordinary 47-year career, 500 admirers convened in Oates Theater on Sept. 18 as he received the Collegiate Medallion for exemplary service.

Mr. Smith led the development efforts at Collegiate School from 1969 until his retirement in August 2016. His accomplishments are vast, including raising more than $160 million, growing the

campus by more than 20 buildings, and increasing the endowment to more than $60 million.

At the 18th annual Convocation that marks the start of the school year, a new bronze cougar statue dedicated to Mr. Smith was unveiled. Positioned between Jacobs Gym and Seal Athletic Center, the bronze likeness of a cougar will serve as a reminder of Mr. Smith’s service and commitment.

SM I T H FA MILY E N D O W ME N T Alex Smith ’65 and his family have always wanted the best for Collegiate, and this endowment in their name will create a lasting legacy to further strengthen and advance the mission of Collegiate. The fund will support School priorities, including, but not limited to, financial assistance for deserving students, faculty and staff development, and program enhancement. The fund shall be used at the discretion of the Head of School.

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The Collegiate School Development Office invites you to make a gift in honor of Alex Smith, whose dedication, enthusiasm, vision and commitment have influenced the School community more than any other Cougar in our history. Overwhelming support of the fund has raised more than $1 million to date. Thank you to those who have generously given.

If you would like to make a gift, please contact Kristen Williams, Vice President of Development, at kristen_williams@collegiate-va.org or 804.741.9706.

Josh Katz, left, accepts his award.

E NGL I SH T E A C H E R W I N S I N TER N ATIO N A L FILM AWA R D Upper School English teacher Josh Katz attended the Oaxaca FilmFest, often called the “Sundance of Mexico,” last October and came away with some exciting accolades. His screenplay, Murphy’s Act, was nominated for three awards, Best Thriller/Crime, Best Original Script and Best Overall Script. He and his writing partner, Josh Thorud, were awarded Best Thriller/Crime.

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C O L L EG IATE EA R N S

Five-Year Accreditation Collegiate School received its five-year accreditation from the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS), the Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS) and AdvancED. As part of the accrediting process, the School also received SAIS’ Early Childhood Endorsement and the endorsement of the Global Education Benchmarking Group (GEBG), an organization comprised of independent schools nationwide that are committed to global education.

In its report, the Visiting Team stated that it was “honored to observe a school community that is mission-driven, has a responsive plan for the future, and represents the best practices and high standards of VAIS and SAIS.” The report also noted that the School’s strategic plan demonstrates a highly collaborative process and relied upon copious community feedback and data and research to inform its conclusions. “The Plan provides a bold, comprehensive and ambitious roadmap for the School’s future.”

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COL L E GI AT E H O S T S

6th Annual International Emerging Leaders Conference

Collegiate welcomed 41 high school students from 10 countries to its 6th Annual International Emerging Leaders Conference in October. For 10 days, teens from China, India, Italy, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, South Africa and Spain, and 20 Collegiate seniors, immersed themselves in a unique experience through which they partnered around design thinking and collaborative skills to devise business-oriented solutions for environmental challenges facing their countries. An additional 41 Collegiate 11th Graders served as Junior Ambassadors, giving them

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unique insight into the conference and offering opportunities to lead tours and team-building activities. The visiting students also lived with 39 Collegiate host families, allowing them to befriend even more Cougars and experience American culture.

Throughout the conference, the international delegates, along with the 20 Collegiate senior delegates, met with local marketing, branding and design experts. They visited an environmental center, as well as the University of Richmond and Virginia Commonwealth University, where they

During IELC, international students and Collegiate seniors create business-oriented solutions to global environmental challenges, participate in panels and interact with the entire Collegiate community.

participated in a design-thinking session with leaders of the daVinci Center for Innovation. Later in the week, the students participated in a forum on terrorism and the media, took part in a Cultural Fair for 3rd and 4th Grade students and their families, and visited with JK-12th Grade students to talk about life in their home countries.

The week led up to the DesignPitch event, during which student groups pitched their product designs to an audience of Collegiate community members and the general public.

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8 T H G RADE C AP ST ONE PROJ E C T D E SI GNS CI T Y S OLU T I ONS For one week in October, Collegiate’s entire 8th Grade took part in Envision Richmond — an experience that acquainted them with issues and challenges occurring in Greater Richmond and with opportunities to make a difference. Now in its fourth year, the unique grade-level capstone program uses the design-thinking process to provide students with information and understanding necessary to collaborate and develop viable solutions as creative designers and problem solvers.

The students visited and learned about 20 local nonprofit organizations, including the Cameron K. Gallagher Foundation, Richmond Cycling Corps, Virginia War Memorial and the Virginia Home for Boys and Girls. At week’s end, they presented their plans to community leaders who offered feedback on the viability of their solutions. (This spring, students will implement a service learning project to address the need they’ve worked on, making Envision Richmond a true, year-long educational experience.)

Since the program’s inception, the solutions students have designed have influenced several programs in the community. This year’s presentations included one group’s model of a revamped Monroe Park, complete with solar lights and lanterns to address safety concerns. Another team demonstrated its idea for an app to read body temperatures for those who suffer from sickle cell disease. All of these potential solutions were borne from the students’ visits and candid conversations with leaders and patrons of the nonprofits they toured.

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TH R O U G H EN V IS IO N R IC H MO N D , I D IS C O V ER ED ...

“That I can learn to really care about something within just a week when I didn’t know anything about it. At the beginning of the week, I didn’t really think I would be able to help anybody, but by the end of the week, I really wanted to help the children.”

– Regan Berger “That I have a lot to contribute and that I need to put myself out there more and not be afraid to say things. This experience helped me to realize this; and when I had to be the leader in my group, I learned that I have a lot of good ideas and that I need to contribute to my group more.”

– Alice Mendelson “That I was selfish. I learned this because I didn’t care about anybody in the community. I never knew that there were a lot of immigrants at different schools. If I didn’t know these people, then I would still be selfish. Since I met people, too, I kind of have a feel for what they feel like.

– Christian Hyman “That I can make a difference in the Richmond community. I thought I was just an 8th Grader, but I learned that I am more than that. I am someone who can make a change.”

– Halsey Hallock

Collegiate 8th Graders explore their city and develop solutions for issues it faces during the Envision Richmond capstone program.

Collegiate students share their love of lacrosse with fellow players from Harlem Lacrosse & Leadership.

C O LLEG IATE H O S TS N EW Y O R K LA C R O S S E PLAYERS Fifteen Collegiate School families welcomed a group of New York youths into their homes last October who shared a mutual love of lacrosse with their Cougars. At Collegiate’s invitation, Harlem Lacrosse & Leadership traveled to Richmond with 27 players to participate in lacrosse clinics, play pickup games with Collegiate athletes and visit two local colleges in the Richmond area.

HLL is a nonprofit organization that uses lacrosse to engage children from low-income areas of New York City in the sport. HLL’s mission is to provide a safe, structured environment for children to compete, learn and develop into future leaders in their communities.

“The experience of spending time in the Collegiate host families’ homes and on campus is truly transformative for our student-athletes,” said Owen Van Arsdale, HLL program director. “Showing the kids firsthand the opportunities that exist at the prep school and postsecondary levels affirms their belief that they can use the sport of lacrosse to better their lives.”

As much as lacrosse has grown in the last 10 years, it’s still a small sport and a close-knit community, says Andrew Stanley, Collegiate’s lacrosse coach.

“The most important part of lacrosse, and probably sports in general, is the relationships you develop on and off the field,” he said. “Having the opportunity for our lacrosse players to meet and have fun with players from a different part of the country reinforces the idea that sports are a valuable vehicle to build bridges and broaden your perspective.”

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S TU D EN TS C O LLA B O R ATE ON W R ITIN G - P H O TO G R A P HY PROJECT After sharing a book with her students that paired photographs with words, Collegiate School 3rd Grade teacher Katie Taylor had her class replicate the process, with help from a group of Upper School photography students.

Mrs. Taylor and her students read The Best Part of Me: Children Talk about Their Bodies in Pictures and Words

by Wendy Ewald.

“I read this book with them so they could celebrate and learn to love themselves,” she said.

In the book, Ms. Ewald, a professional photographer, asks children what they like best about themselves and photographs their answers. The children’s descriptions are accompanied by striking black and white images.

Mrs. Taylor asked Dana DuMont, Collegiate’s Visual Arts Chair and Lower School art teacher, to suggest a Middle or Upper School class to photograph her 3rd Graders so that they could replicate the book. Mrs. DuMont connected Mrs. Taylor to Taylor Dabney, Upper School photography teacher.

“His students listened to my students and then captured their pride with photography,” said Mrs. Taylor.

“It was a lovely connection. My students loved it!”

A member of Katie Taylor’s 3rd Grade class collaborates with a student in Taylor Dabney’s Upper School photography class.

Mrs. Taylor’s students’ The Best Part of Me work: ___ The best part of me is my smile. I chose my smile because it could make everyone smile. Then no one would ever be sad. I chose my smile because it has a very positive outlook on people and if I am happy other people will be too. ___ I like my eyes because I need them so I can see. My eyes are dark brown. My eyes can see very far away. My mom says I have eagle eyes. My eyes can see the ball when I play sports. My eyes are big, my sister’s are small. My eyes are useful and that is why I love my eyes.

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___ The best part of me is my nose because it lets me smell the warm fresh air of my dad’s shed. It lets me smell the wilderness in my grandfather’s backyard. My nose can smell the green apple shampoo from my old beach house. ___ The best part of me is my mouth because I can sing and perform for people with it. I can share my feelings with my mom when I’m sad or can’t stop thinking about something. I can taste things with it, some good like seafood and some bad like capers. I can whisper when I’m in bed talking to my dad.

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Author Harrison Candelaria Fletcher speaks to an Upper School English class about the writing process.

Acclaimed Essayist Visits Upper School Harrison Candelaria Fletcher, known for his powerful and lyrical memoir, Descanso for my Father: Fragments of a Life, spoke at Collegiate’s Upper School Assembly in October as the Whitfield Lecturer. Mr. Fletcher, a Latino and a native of New Mexico, explained that while the meaning of descanso is literally a resting place, it really is more of a living monument.

“It is a sacred, special place where those who have lost someone go to talk to them,” he said. “So every essay, fragment and poem [in my book] was a literary shrine to this man I never knew.”

Before he addressed the entire Upper School, Mr. Fletcher, a former journalist, spent the morning with two Upper School English classes and engaged students in two writing exercises. He encouraged the students to save what they had written because, “these things often turn into something,” he said.

For more than 10 years, the Whitfield Lecture series, generously made possible by former Cougar parents Maha and Bryan Whitfield, has brought poets, journalists and novelists to campus to talk about their craft.

SEC OND GRA D E R S H O L D 4 T H AN N U A L A FR IC A N MA R K ET As part of their Studio Two class that combines art, global education and social entrepreneurship, Collegiate School 2nd Graders opened the 4th annual African Market in December.

The class, taught by Lower School art teacher Holly Smith, connects students with children enrolled in Jam’s Academy in Bertoua, Cameroon, to learn about each other’s geography, culture, school, families, holidays, religion and rituals.

Using bright and bold West African textiles (pagne in French), the 2nd Graders created products such as magnets, picture frames and hair ties to sell at their market, with all proceeds going toward purchasing books and school supplies for Jam’s Academy. Last year, Mrs. Smith and her students released a children’s book, Pagne Pals: A Story of Cross-Cultural Curiosity and Friendship, which was also available for purchase. Since its inception, the market has raised nearly $5,000.

Collegiate School’s 2nd Grade 4th annual African Market sells handmade products to raise funds for Jam’s Academy in Cameroon.

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FI RST GRADER S HIT T HE STAG E Collegiate School 1st Graders put a creative spin on Robert McCloskey’s classic tale as they performed Make Way for Ducklings RVA Style in front of charmed parents and friends in their annual fall play in November.

C O LLEG IATE TH ES P IA N S S H OWCASE TH EIR TA LEN TS Audiences were transported Into the Woods during the Upper School fall musical in October. There they met the Brothers Grimm characters Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Jack (and his beanstalk) and more in their fairy tale world. For three nights, 29 cast members and 24 crew members performed the sold-out show, based on the Tony Award-winning book and score written by James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim.

In January, Oates Theater transformed into a black box setting for the annual Upper School winter play, Photosynthesis and Dramamine, a collection of works by Christopher Durang and Jane Martin. The quirky pieces connected through their comedic tone and focus on character, speaking to both the light and dark of human nature. The performance, produced by student directors, featured Upper Schoolers onstage and behind the scenes.

Challenge Grant to Renovate, Expand

Students perform Into the Woods (top) and Photosynthesis and Dramamine.

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Collegiate is delighted to announce that the Mary Morton Parsons Foundation has generously approved a one-to-one challenge grant for the renovation and expansion of Oates Theater to include additional seating, and the creation of a dedicated STEAM Innovation space. In order to secure this commitment, we must raise $500,000 from the Collegiate Community by November 2017.

If you are interested in helping us meet the challenge, please contact Kristen Williams, Vice President of Development, at kristen_williams@collegiate-va.org or 804.741.9706.

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Students sign the final steel beam for the renovated McFall Hall, Collegiate’s Middle and Upper School cafeteria, scheduled to be completed in August 2017.

McFall Hall Construction on Track Construction continues on schedule for the renovation of McFall Hall, Collegiate School’s Middle and Upper School cafeteria, named for beloved former athletic director and mentor Charlie McFall.

Renovation of the 55-year-old McFall Hall began last summer, and the building is still in use while construction is underway. Donations from several generous supporters made the renovation possible.

In November, students in Grades 5-12, and some faculty and staff, had an opportunity to sign the final steel beam of the new section of the building. A beam signing is a common tradition through which

individuals leave their mark (or name, in this case) on what is traditionally the highest beam of a building project.

When completed in August 2017, the updated space will feature additional serving line capacity; kitchen/prep and storage space, and a larger dining area for students and faculty that expands seating capacity from 300 to 450 people. The renovation will also create two flex spaces that can convert from dining areas to seminar or meeting rooms, as warranted.

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WE L COM E

New Board Members Collegiate’s Board of Trustees welcomes these new members. We appreciate the hard work they and other members of the Board do on behalf of the School.

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D AV ID G A LLA G H ER David and his wife, Grace, have five children, two of whom attend Collegiate – Reilly ’18 and Sydney ’24. Mr. Gallagher is the founder and CEO of Dominion Payroll Services (DPS). He speaks nationally on a variety of topics including leadership development, entrepreneurism and managing the millennial workforce.

Mr. Gallagher’s career began with Coopers & Lybrand and he later became a sales director with ADP and eventually managed the company’s West Coast and Asia-Pacific sales operations. In Richmond, he started DPS to provide an alternative that didn’t just supply products, but focused on offering valuable customer service to clients and a healthy work environment for his team.

DPS now has offices in Richmond, Nashville, Tampa, Charlotte and Austin, Texas.

The Gallaghers started the Cameron K. Gallagher Memorial Foundation to honor their daughter, Cameron, who died from heart issues in 2014 after completing a half marathon in Virginia Beach. The Foundation hosts a race called the SpeakUp5K to stomp out the negative stigma associated with teenage depression.

Mr. Gallagher received his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Virginia Commonwealth University. In addition to serving Collegiate, he sits on the Board of Trustees for The Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce, Richmond CenterStage and is chairman of the Cameron K. Gallagher Foundation.

D AN I E L L E SCOT T, P H . D .

P ETER MA H O N EY

Danielle and her husband, Khary, have two children at Collegiate – twins Elle ’25 and Jackson ’25. Dr. Scott is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist/Certified School Psychologist and founding partner of the Nelson Scott Evaluation Center, a private practice specializing in psychological and educational evaluations for both children and adults.

Dr. Scott received her Doctorate of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology and Master of Education in School Psychology from the University of Virginia. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Duke University where she majored in developmental psychology. She also completed specialized coursework in early childhood education and special education.

Dr. Scott has worked as a special education teacher, school psychologist and educational consultant. Her clinical work has included an internship at the Virginia Treatment Center for Children.

She is a published author in the Journal of Teacher Education and Special Education, and her research has investigated the co-existing relationship between reading disabilities and behavioral disorders. Dr. Scott serves as an educational consultant to parents and many local schools.

She is affiliated with many local and national psychological organizations. She is also a member of the Midlothian Chapter of Jack and Jill Inc. and the Commonwealth (VA) Chapter of The Links Inc.

Peter and his wife, Mimi, have six children, four of whom are Cougars: Peter, Jr. ’15, Annie ’19 and twins John ’26 and Ryan ’26. Mr. Mahoney serves as Chief Regulatory and Compliance Officer for SunTrust Banks Inc. and is responsible for regulatory relations and exam management as well as corporate compliance programs and oversight for all SunTrust banking and lending activities.

He previously served as Executive Vice President – Capital Markets & Regulatory Strategy for SunTrust Mortgage, moving to Richmond in 2013.

Mr. Mahoney graduated from the University of Virginia (Bachelor of Arts with High Distinction) and the University of Virginia School of Law. He chaired SunTrust’s 2015 United Way Campaign in Central Virginia, which raised more than $1 million, and served as chair of SunTrust’s Enterprise Veterans Teammate Network from 2014-15 and on the Board of the Sacred Heart Center serving Richmond-area Latino families.

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STATE CHAMPI NS Collegiate’s varsity football team secured the title of 2016 VISAA State Champions in a 22-14 win over Benedictine College Preparatory in November.

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It was an autumn of memories for Collegiate School athletics. Foremost among them, on a brilliant Saturday afternoon in November, the varsity football team defeated Benedictine 22-14 to win its seventh VISAA title since 2003.

The Cougars played at home, on Grover Jones Field, before an enormous crowd of fans from both schools. The game launched with Collegiate kicker Jake Johnston kicking a field goal for the team’s first three points, followed by a touchdown pass from quarterback T. Brewer to wide receiver Ayinde Budd.

Johnston scored again in the second quarter — a 47-yard field goal — which left the score at 12-0 at halftime.

The Cougars scored their second touchdown (Brewer to Budd) in the third quarter, raising the score to 19-0 before Benedictine came back with a touchdown. Collegiate’s Johnston responded with another field goal, and the score entering the fourth quarter was 22-7.

A determined Benedictine squad came back and scored a second touchdown, closing the gap to 22-14.

The Cadets continued to press, and in the waning moments of the fourth quarter had possession of the ball; but Collegiate’s defense once again came through and held off Benedictine for the win.

The victory was the varsity football team’s first state championship since 2009. Benedictine held the title in 2015 and 2014.

Athletic Director Karen Doxey applauded the Cougars and the varsity coaches for preparing well and playing with determination and a winning mindset.

“This spirit has been there throughout the season, and the way it really came to the forefront today was outstanding,” Coach Doxey said. “We played well on both sides of the ball, with very few mistakes. This was such a great way to end a fantastic season.”

Head varsity football coach Mark Palyo also saluted the team.

“I’m super proud of the boys,” he said as students and parents stormed the field to surround and congratulate the Cougars. “They did a fantastic job.”

– Stacy H. Adams

FROM TOP: Cougar fans storm the field after the win; The team gathers under the scoreboard; A player holds the plaque high.

Swimming and Baseball Champions In addition to becoming football state champions this year, Collegiate earned state titles in swimming and baseball last year.

In February 2016, the Collegiate girls’ varsity swim and dive team won the VISAA State Championship for the fifth consecutive year. The feat matched the girls’ tennis team’s string of state championships from 2002-06. The swim and dive team finished the dual-meet season undefeated, 21-0.

“The Collegiate win was a result of total team effort, pulling together as one united team to produce a winning effort,” said Head Coach Mike Stott.

Collegiate’s varsity baseball team won the VISAA state championship game in May 2016, bringing home the School’s first state title in since 1996. The #2 seed Cougars won 5-1 against #1 seed Paul VI at Shepherd Stadium in Colonial Heights.

The win not only showcased the Cougars’ dedication to excellence and teamwork, but also the players’ ability to focus and execute with precision over time, said Head Baseball Coach Andrew Slater — who himself was a Cougar baseball player on the 1996 championship team coached by retired Collegiate athletics director Charlie McFall.

“Winning was a byproduct of talent, but also great competitive spirit, mental toughness, resiliency, belief and a sheer will to win,” Mr. Slater said. “Our wins were a culmination of a long and consistent process of working hard and competing every day.”

Collegiate’s champion baseball team piles on; Members of the swim and dive team pose on the podium.

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Gwin Sinnott ’17

FA L L S PORTS ROUND UP In addition to the football victory, other sports posted impressive results. Volleyball finished 18-7, the squad’s best won-loss record in six years, and returned to the eight-team state tournament for the first time since 2009.

Girls cross country earned runner-up spots in both the League of Independent Schools (LIS) and VISAA championship meets.

Soccer (13-5) placed second in the Prep League and reached the state quarterfinals. The tennis team, with a record of 17-3, advanced to the league finals and the state semifinals. Field hockey, which finished the season 9-12-1, earned berths in both the league and state tournament semifinals.

“We had an outstanding fall season,” said Head of School Steve Hickman. “All of our teams competed well, many of them at the highest level.

“What I remain most excited about is how our young people and coaches conduct themselves in our competitions. We win with humility. We lose with grace. How you play the game does still matter. We have that in perspective. I’m more proud of that than the win-loss column. They’re not mutually exclusive. We showed that this fall.”

A one-for-all, all-for-one mentality program-wide was also a crucial ingredient in the success of the fall season.

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Brigid O’Shea ’17

“What rings true is the great sense of community we have at Collegiate,” said Athletic Director Karen Doxey. “(At the endof-season assembly), every varsity captain talked about not only how unified the players on their teams were, but also how teams followed other teams and showed up at games at home, across town and even across the state.”

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SOCCER 13-5 2nd in Prep League // VISAA Quarterfinalist All-Prep: Carson Groce-Wright ’18, Colson Williams ’18 Prep League Sportsmanship Award Coach of the Year: Charlie Blair

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY David Hugo ’18, John Diemer ’18, Adam Bowes ’17

4th in Prep League // 7th in VISAA All-Prep: Adam Bowes ’17 All-State: Bowes

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY 2nd in LIS // 2nd in VISAA All-LIS: Elyse Cram ’21, Emily Stallings ’17, Maddy Watkins ’19 All-State: Cram, Stallings, Watkins

FIELD HOCKEY 9-12-1 LIS Semifinalist // VISAA Semifinalist All-LIS: Jordan Marcus ’17, McGee Roman ’17, Gwin Sinnott ’17 All-State: Marcus, Roman, Sinnott Times-Dispatch All-Metro: Sinnott (First Team) Times-Dispatch All-Metro: Roman (Second Team)

Emily Stallings ’17

TENNIS 17-3 LIS Runnerup // VISAA Semifinalist All-LIS: Bailey Andress ’19 (#3 doubles), Georgia Beazley ’17 (#1 singles, #1 doubles), Sophie Mitchell ’19 (#1 doubles), Mary Ottley ’17 (#3 doubles) Coach of the Year: Karin Whitt

VOLLEYBALL 18-7 LIS Semifinalist // VISAA Quarterfinalist All-LIS: Ellie Casalino ’17, Brigid O’Shea ’17, Eva Whaley ’18

FOOTBALL 8-2

Price Withers ’17 and Zach Moelchert ’17

Georgia Beazley ‘17

2nd in Prep League // VISAA Champion All-Prep Cole Eck ’17 (Outside Linebacker), Berkeley Geho ’17 (Defensive Line), Jake Johnston ’17 (Kicker), Patrick Kirchmier ’17 (Inside Linebacker), Excellence Perry ’17 (Running Back), Jess Speight ’17 (Offensive Line), Jack Sroba ’17 (Punt Returner) All-State Geho, Johnston, Kirchmier, Speight, Sroba (First Team); Eck, Perry (Second Team) Times-Dispatch All-Metro: Johnston, Speight (First Team) Times-Dispatch All-Metro: Geho, Kirchmier, Perry, Sroba (Honorable Mention)

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HOLIDAYS AT COL L EGI AT E 2 016

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1. Cougar Holiday Express 2. Kindergarten Chapel 3. Feast of Juul 4. Family Holiday Dinner 5. 3rd Grade Concert of Carols 6. Lessons and Carols 7. Brunch 8. Pageant

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A TEACHER’S TAKE IN THIS NEW ADDITION TO SPARK, WE TALK TO LONG-TIME FACULTY AT COLLEGIATE »

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ur first subject, Blair Chewning, began her Collegiate career 32 years ago with the Kindergarten extended day program. She taught 2nd Grade for eight years and then jumped to 4th Grade, where she has taught for the past 23 years. (According to her students, she had learned enough to skip 3rd Grade.) Mrs. Chewning’s late husband, John ’68, taught math in the Upper School for 27 years, and her children, Cameron and Craig, graduated from Collegiate in 1997 and 1994, respectively.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE COLLEGIATE TRADITIONS? Now that would be a very long list. I’ll stick with mostly Lower School traditions. Barbara Schneider and I started the States Fair right after Operation Desert Storm [in 1991], and I wait with eager anticipation each February to see that 2nd Grade program. I don’t know if this is exactly a “tradition,” but I have LOVED being a part of the Cougar Savings Club or “the Bank” as some call it. The connections that are made with students from the youngest JK students right up to my 4th Grade bankers and the incredible economics life skills it teaches are just wonderful.

One tradition that doesn’t involve me personally, but that I believe is very unique, is the pairing of Kindergarten students and seniors. Seeing them at Convocation gives me goosebumps.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT COLLEGIATE THAT MAKES TEACHING HERE SPECIAL? In my tenure here I have ALWAYS felt valued as an educator. The School encourages teachers to be lifelong learners, and extraordinary professional opportunities are given to us. But even more important than that are the connections I have made here. Collegiate is like one big, enormous family. It has been a lifeline for me and for my family through some incredibly difficult years.

I am so grateful that my children are Cougar alums, who will forever have this support system to count on.

I always say that no one

truly understands the Collegiate spirit until you’ve been on the receiving end of its outpouring of love and care.

HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN YOU SEE FORMER STUDENTS? Former students are wonderful about just dropping by — especially after school, when I’m here working in my room, and they have a sports practice that brings them to this side of campus. Truly, the years just melt away when I see them, and I can imagine them just as they were in the 4th Grade.

And I love that they remember and want to talk about the Mosaic or Westward Ho or a favorite book I read to them.

That they remember those things truly touches my heart.

Events such as Homecoming and the Oyster Roast allow me to see students who have already graduated, and again, it feels like it was just yesterday.

IF YOU HAD TO DESCRIBE COLLEGIATE IN THREE WORDS, WHAT WOULD THEY BE? Family, connectedness and spirit (the true intangible).

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT COLLEGIATE? It’s a JK-12 school. When you teach in a stand-alone elementary school, your students graduate and that’s that.

Here, I can watch them perform in one of the plays, go to one of their athletic events, attend a recital, show up for 8th Grade graduation and, of course, senior graduation. That’s what I mean about the connections. They are lasting. I get to follow them for eight more years after I send them across the bridge — and often well beyond that.

WHEN YOUR STUDENTS LEAVE YOUR CLASSROOM, WHAT DO YOU HOPE THEY TAKE WITH THEM? I’m going to steal this one from my late husband: Remember who you are. In other words, be the very best YOU that you can be. John and I were firm believers that teaching our students to be kind, considerate, compassionate, honorable, respectful citizens was much more important than the academic concepts we imparted. The world we live in today is a tough one. Being caring and empathetic, tolerant and understanding, committed and values-driven will take you much farther than being a mega brain at math facts.

Don’t get me wrong, though. High academic standards are very, very important, too. Perhaps I should add to John’s mantra: Remember who you are and remember to reach for the stars. Everyone’s star is different, and yours is NEVER truly out of your reach, if you just try.

Editor’s Note: Mrs. Chewning will retire at the end of the 2016-17 school year.

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ROBOTI S P M P A U

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Robotics leads the spring semester STEAM initiatives (science, technology, engineering, the arts and math) and revs up interest in rockets, race cars and more.

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Room 105 in the Upper School North Science Building features a cluster of brightly lit computers at one end. A prototype for a standup video game rests against one wall. An in-development robot lines another. Drones, sensors and rockets fill shelf after shelf. Legos spill from multiple containers that cover a wooden tabletop. The room is ground zero for all things robotics and, in fact, Collegiate’s Middle and Upper School STEAM program as a whole. Science, technology, engineering, the arts and math projects are not only infused into daily curriculum activities, they drive many of our students to get excited about learning new ways of collaborating, thinking and leading.

“When science, technology, engineering, the arts and math intersect and students see the connection, that’s where the magic can happen,” said Susan Droke, Collegiate School’s Academic Dean.

The space in North Science belongs to Daniel Bartels, Collegiate’s STEAM Coordinator for the Middle and Upper Schools. It does not look like a typical classroom or even a lab. The room is intentionally fluid and can quickly shift from a rocket testing ground to a robotics workshop to a virtual reality studio, depending on the needs of the students.

“I want it to look like a startup and be an incubator for relationships and projects,” Mr. Bartels said.

“I want to find out what students want to do and have us define STEAM by what we do.”

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Last fall, the room served as the staging ground for 9th-12th Graders who were prepping for the FIRST Robotics competition, themed “Steamworks.”

FIRST is an acronym that means “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology.”

The students received the rules of the competition at the FIRST Robotics kickoff on Jan. 7. The on-campus event that day was canceled due to snow, but Collegiate’s robotics team viewed the unveiling of this year’s game design plans and rules via livestream from their respective homes, then traded building ideas in an online forum moderated by their faculty coaches, Mr. Bartels and Greg Sesny, Upper School science teacher.

Mr. Bartels says the expectation of the kickoff affects students and teachers alike. He likens the excitement level to the anxious anticipation of Christmas experienced by many children.

“The night (and day) before, when you used to think about what was under the tree is replaced with the anticipation of what the competition reveal will bring,” he said. “Most of us, mentors included, find it difficult to sleep the night before.”

CREATIVITY AND CAMARADERIE In the hours after the January kickoff, the 45 members of this year’s robotics team pored over the 126-page FIRST Robotics Competition game and season manual before brainstorming with Mr. Bartels and Mr. Sesny about what they wanted their finished design to be.

The next six weeks were a whirlwind of creativity, problem-solving and camaraderie as the team jumped right into work. They gathered after school, on Saturdays and on some Sundays.

Using engineering graphics software, such as CAD and Inventor, they progressed to creating a prototype model which eventually morphed into the building of a 29 1/2” x 29 1/2” robot they named “Overkill.” They finished on Feb. 21, Stop Build Day, and launched into seven weeks of head-to-head competition with the hopes of a repeat performance at the FIRST Robotics World Championship in April.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Torch 5804 at the 2016 Robotics World Championships; A soapbox derby dragster built by Upper Schoolers; Middles School students with an underwater remote-operated vehicle, working on a bot and playing with Arduinos.

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Robotics team members demonstrate the dragster at the Science Museum of Virginia; A student signs good luck wishes to the 2016 team; Students examine the robot at a 2016 pep rally; One team member works on the bot.

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“We are expecting to at least go to the district championship,” said 11th Grader and robotics team member Sean McHugh. “And I see us having a solid chance of going to World’s again.”

(At press time, they were gearing up for their first competition, scheduled for March 17.)

Impressive, considering that during the last school year, in 2015-16, Collegiate fielded a robotics team for the first time since 2007. The newly revamped FIRST Robotics team, TORCH 5804, performed well beyond expectations. The team won first place at a Hampton Roads district event, its first-ever qualifying competition.

“I am amazed at how well we did, even to this day,” said Sean. “It is unheard of for a rookie team to win as often as we did and do as well as we did. It was truly a product of our ability to work together.”

The team then placed first in the Chesapeake District Championship competition and earned the High Rookie Seed Award. From there, they advanced to the FIRST Robotics Championship, where out of 100 rookie teams, they were one of eight that earned their place based on performance and were the only first-time team from the Richmond area. Before they left for the championship in St. Louis, Missouri, in April 2016, the team was treated to a full-scale sendoff by the Upper and Middle Schools.

“In the 12 years I’ve done this, I’ve never seen that type of support from faculty, staff and the student body,” Mr. Bartels said. “We appreciated it.”

Sophia Clark, a 10th Grader, joined the team last year because she has always been fascinated by how things worked and why. Although a bit nervous at first, she now calls the decision the best she ever made.

“I think it’s important for anyone who wants to, to get involved with robotics,” she said. “At first I was terrified of being judged or not taken seriously, but I quickly found that our team doesn’t do any of those things. The only thing that matters is whether or not you care about what you’re doing.”

Members of Torch 5804 run a test.

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EXPANDING THE THREE R’s The success of the robotics team last year spawned an interest in rocketry, and this year, 12 Upper School students interested in this area have formed three teams.

Upper School students have also built a soapbox derby dragster that is powered by four carbon dioxide fire extinguishers, which they demonstrated at the Science Museum of Virginia in December. The race car is equipped with force sensors, Arduinos (open-source electronics platforms) and strips of programmable LEDs that provide a visual representation of the applied force when it is pushed. The vehicle is being incorporated into Lower School science classes and Upper School physics classes.

“We are expanding the three Rs to include robotics, rockets and race cars,” Mr. Bartels said.

Building robots extends beyond the robotics team, however.

Tucker Golladay, a 10th Grader in Mr. Bartels’ STEAM Collaboratory class, is building an underwater remotely operated vehicle for his honors biology class. The biology students must tackle a project in which they take an environmental issue and develop a biologically-based solution.

Tucker’s team is researching methods to restore coral reefs after coral bleaching, due to increasing ocean temperatures and acidification. They are designing a submergible remote-controlled robot that can deliver calcium carbonate (or another chemical) to restore the pH of the ocean water in the immediate area of the affected reef.

“At my old school, I never had a chance to join a class like STEAM Collaboratory,” he said. “The class has opened me up to many opportunities. It is a great experience and I have learned so much.”

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O OUT-OF-THE-BOX THINKING While robotics captured the attention of Mr. Bartels and members of the Upper School robotics team most of the winter, curiosity and interest has spread to Middle School and Lower School as well.

Middle School students have the opportunity to participate in FIRST Robotics with Upper School students, as well as try out various STEAM-related activities, which include robotics, during the school day. These activities meet twice in a rotation and offer students the chance to casually explore additional opportunities.

As a 5th Grader, Drew Atiyeh signed up for a robotics activity with Mr. Bartels. After watching videos of FIRST Robotics, Drew decided to help the Upper School robotics team members with their computers. He became adept at using various software, including Inventor. Because he needed a PC to run the software he liked to use, the current 6th Grader built his own machine.

“I thought it might be a good learning experience,” he said. “And it would also be fun.”

This year, Drew has continued working with the robotics team and is planning the design of his next more powerful computer.

And because of huge interest in a FIRST Lego League activity among Middle Schoolers, Mr. Bartels has registered two teams with the league in order to develop the robotics program for that age group. With the guidance of teacher and parent coaches, FIRST Lego League teams research a real-world problem

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such as food safety, energy or recycling, and are challenged to propose a solution. They design, build and program a robot using Lego Mindstorms technology, and engage in competitions on a table-top playing field. Mr. Bartels incorporated the Middle School FIRST Lego League build-and-programming sessions into the already existing FIRST Robotics build sessions on Saturdays.

In Paul Lupini’s 6th Grade science classes, students build wind turbines as an introduction to working with underwater remoteoperated vehicles (ROVs). Using repurposed ROVs from last year’s class, the students will redesign them as a sea creature of their choice and then test their designs in the pool later this spring. The project challenges his students, Mr. Lupini says, and teaches them about success and failure.

“If something doesn’t work, they can troubleshoot,” he said.

“Learning from each other, they begin to think creatively outside of the box to solve the problem.”

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Lower School students build and program Lego robots and a robotics team member has some fun (upper right).

BUILDING HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE In the Lower School classrooms, Instructional Technology Coordinator Frank Becker and technology teacher Karen Hurd introduce Collegiate’s youngest Cougars to STEAM through the lens of robotics by building Lego robots in the 2nd Grade.

The students can also participate in a fall or spring session of an after-school enrichment Lego and Robotics Club that meets one afternoon a week for five weeks. Each year the club solves a different realworld problem, which encompasses a wide range of curriculum objectives in math, science and language arts. The sessions enroll 20 students who work in teams to solve the problem using the designthinking process. They then build a machine using Legos and a small motor. Some past projects have included developing and building projects called “Super Seniors,” to help seniors with daily challenges and “Waste Wise,” to reuse some trash items in useful ways.

Debra McKercher, 2nd Grade assistant teacher and 2nd Grade First Lego leader, has headed the club for the past eight years. She says it provides younger students with an introduction to a handson experience that they build upon as they continue through Collegiate.

“Each student has the opportunity to collaborate in a team environment, use the scientific method and develop skills such as teamwork and persistence,” she said.

Back in Room 105 in the Upper School North Science Building, several students tinker with electronic components on a pegboard table. Another trio looks at a 3D virtual model of the FIRST Robotics competition playing field. Still other students test out their robot’s mobility and tighten a few nuts and bolts. Committed to their tasks, the students seem at ease and the atmosphere feels creative, loose and light.

“I really enjoy the freedom robotics gives me to solve problems my own way and to learn how to do things hands on,” Sean said.

For Grayson Richmond, a 12th Grader, the experience of working with his fellow FIRST Robotics team members has put his future goals into sharp focus.

“When I joined this team, I found that all of the hobbies I had been enjoying could in fact lead to successful careers,” he said. “With all the exposure to robotics, virtual reality and programming, I have been able to gain a very clear idea of what I want to pursue in college.”

FULL STEAM AHEAD In recent years Collegiate has worked strategically to expand its J -12 integrated curriculum related to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts and math). The incorporation of STEAM into various subjects helps students develop communication, collaboration and critical thinking skills in a real-world context — attributes that will be necessary for the higher education, and the career and life paths they ultimately pursue.

To that end, Mr. Bartels strives to foster collaborations with faculty members in every discipline. Among those he has partnered with include Upper School Latin teacher Tyler Boyd, whose class used virtual reality to research and recreate a 3D virtual model of Vindolanda, the Roman fort.

“Being able to integrate brand new, extremely powerful software with 2,000-year-old history was absolutely incredible,” said junior Ashray Namala. “This technology certainly allowed us to cross thresholds we could not have imagined before.”

Middle School and Upper School French classes utilize interactive fiction software and Upper School anatomy classes use virtual reality to enhance their studies. Carrie Thomas’ history classes use MinecraftEdu software to help better understand their exploration of Mesopotamia.

Teachers who have worked with Mr. Bartels to incorporate STEAM into their classes, now cannot imagine returning to the way they previously taught their classes.

“The students are more engaged because it is real to them.

Now, their understanding is more complete and lasting,” said Mrs. Thomas.

Mr. Boyd concurs that incorporating this technology ramps up the interest immeasurably.

“It’s magical,” he said. “We’re pushing our students to learn, to do, to make. That’s the key.”

In fall 2016, Collegiate published a special report on its STEAM initiative. To view it, visit News on the School website.

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DEVEL OPIN G D IFFER ENC E MA K E R S

MELISSA AND MARK A. CHRISTIAN ’77

CREATE A PROGRAM TO SUPPORT

COLLEGIATE STUDENT LEADERS

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ollegiate roots run deep for Melissa and Mark A. Christian ’77. Mr. Christian has fond memories of the lasting friendships he forged with classmates, teachers and administrators from Kindergarten through 12th Grade.

He recalls especially close ties with former Head of the Boys School Malcolm U. Pitt Jr., former Head of the Girls School Catharine Flippen, biology teacher Ann Griffin and English teacher, soccer coach and former Vice President of Development Alex Smith ’65.

“Alex was a mentor and has been a very good friend to me through the years,” Mr. Christian said. “Mac Pitt was a tremendous friend of mine, and Mrs. Griffin was one of my favorites.”

When it came time to educate their three children, Mac ’08, Elizabeth ’11 and Katie ’14, Collegiate was the only choice.

“I wouldn’t have my kids go to any other school because of the foundation they received at Collegiate,” Mrs. Christian said. “They went to college and they were prepared.”

Mr. Christian believes a Collegiate education extends beyond the academics.

“It goes back to the values of Collegiate that have always been there,” he said.

“When kids graduate and have that love of learning developed, that sense of honor and integrity they carry with them, that makes a huge difference.”

The Christian family, always big supporters of Collegiate, generously gave during the Centennial Capital Campaign.

Their contribution resulted in the Christian Family Plaza. It is adjacent to the Sharp Academic Commons and serves as a favorite space to gather after performances in the Hershey Center for the Arts.

With education as one of their passions, the Christians have recently created the Christian Family Scholars Program. At $1.5 million, it is the largest single gift in the history of the School supporting students who desire to attend Collegiate.

The program “seeks difference makers who have demonstrated academic promise/ excellence, intellectual curiosity and leadership in their community.”

“This gift from the Christian family will allow us to attract new, talented student-leaders to Collegiate,” said Kristen Williams, Collegiate’s Vice President of Development. “We are so grateful for Melissa and Mark’s vision and their ongoing friendship and loyal support.”

The chance to provide others with the opportunities Collegiate offers thrills the Christians.

“Education is so important,” Mrs. Christian said. “And if you have been given to, you need to give back in some way.”

That is a lesson the Christians hope to pass on.

“This gift is partly a vehicle to teach our own children about philanthropy and to give back to organizations that have given a lot to you,” Mr. Christian said. “And if this gift helps get others to give, we’re happy to do it.”

Class of 1966 then and now

Class of 1966 Creates Endowment Fund To celebrate its 50th Reunion in 2016, the Class of 1966 created an endowment to support faculty and staff and their professional development.

The class, spearheaded by Tad Thompson ’66, Suzanne Parker Yount ’66 and the 50th Reunion Planning Committee, decided to support faculty not just because it is one of the current

strategic initiatives of Collegiate School, but also because the alumni want to acknowledge the significant role teachers play in students’ lives and how appreciative they are of their own teachers.

The Class of 1966 leads the way in creation of this endowment. It is the members’ hope that future classes will

mark their 50th reunion by making a contribution to this fund.

“Each succeeding class will contribute and do their part and the fund will grow nicely,” Mr. Thompson said. “We hope to get it off the ground and get to the level where we can immediately start to award grants.“

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ALUMNI ACTIVITIES

LET T E R F ROM A L U M N I ASSOCI AT I ON P R E S I D E N T SARAH COOK M A R T I N ’ 9 4 There is rarely a day that goes by that I don’t think about how thankful I am for Collegiate School. Beginning with my first days in Mrs. Spence’s 1981 Kindergarten class and continuing today as Alumni Association President and mother to Katherine (5th Grade) and Sallie (3rd Grade), the School has made a huge impact on my life. The more I become involved, the more impressed I am!

I’m thankful that Collegiate is teaching my children to become responsible citizens. Sallie came home beaming with pride at the Random

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Acts of Kindness (RAK) project she worked on in the Lower School. She and a friend wrote a thank you note to Mr. Napier and Mr. Crump, two of the Lower School’s custodial staff, to thank them for the good work they do every day.

This fall, the 8th Grade students participated in a weeklong capstone project, Envision Richmond, where they ventured out into the city to learn about the issues Richmond faces and to develop solutions. Our students are learning how to work with their friends at school, in their city and around the world to shape their communities.

I’m thankful for all of the opportunities Collegiate offers. As part of her reading curriculum, my daughter Katherine used Skype this fall to connect with Salva Dut, one of the “Lost Boys” of Sudan, who gives back to his homeland of South Sudan by building wells. Our Lower School students learn about robotics, and these opportunities continue through to the Upper School, with the award-winning robotics team that reached the world championship in 2016. Our students have the chance to swim and play lacrosse, softball, football and many other sports on our stateof-the-art fields and facilities. They learn to play the violin, saxophone, piano, take dance lessons and participate in numerous first-rate theatrical productions. They are exposed to tools and technology, from using Google applications to video conferencing with classrooms across the world to software coding. The academics, athletics and art programming at Collegiate are best in class.

I’m thankful for the outstanding teachers, administrators and staff at Collegiate. We are so fortunate to have so many dedicated individuals helping Collegiate relentlessly pursue the very best educational experience for our young people. They push the limits in our classrooms, on our athletic fields and around our campus every day. For alumni, they made an impact we will never forget. I appreciate that Ms. Hunt, my Upper School math teacher, pushed me to keep working on homework problems I just couldn’t quite solve, and was willing to meet me before school to help. I appreciate my children’s teachers who send me quick notes during the day saying “All is OK” when we have a rough morning on the way to school. We regularly hear that the relationships we build at Collegiate are the best part of the school, the part we value for years to come.

I’m so thankful to be able to serve as President of the Alumni Association this year and I will always be grateful for all Collegiate has given me and my family.

2011 Alum Joins RVA News Team Spend a few minutes with Jasmine Turner. With her radiant smile, effervescent personality and perpetually positive outlook, the 2011 Collegiate graduate will brighten your day. Guaranteed.

Friends from her her high school years already knew that.

Those who met and worked with her during her four years at Elon University knew as well. Those who tuned in to WECTTV in Wilmington, N.C., the past year and a half also knew.

Now, those who view the news on WWBT NBC12 in Central Virginia are learning firsthand. She joined the station in early October.

“Jasmine is always very professional,” said Karla Redditte, a colleague at NBC12. “As soon as we met her, we fell in love with her because of her personality and work ethic. She knows how to ask questions and get people to answer them and give you more. When she smiles, she makes other people smile.”

As a Collegiate School freshman in the fall of 2007, Jasmine quickly immersed herself in the life of the school as an athlete, dancer, singer, actress and participant in a variety of activities, including Mosaic and the Collegiate Community Council.

She was a three-season-a-year distance runner who won the League of Independent Schools and VISAA championships in the 3200 meters in the spring of 2010 and earned All-State and All-League honors in cross country the following fall.

She was a regular in the fall musical and spring play, sang in the choir and somehow found time for after-school dance.

She even sang the national anthem before Collegiate athletic events including some in which she competed.

“I had a great experience,” she said. “I had no problem getting involved when I got to college.”

At Elon, she continued her pedal-to-the-metal pace. She sang in the gospel choir. She became involved with student media. En route to her B.A. in broadcast journalism, she spent her summers interning at WXII in Winston-Salem, NBC4 in Washington, D.C., and at 60 Minutes.

She never considered another career path.

“It was always communications,” she said. “Storytelling is my passion. I had to figure out how to do that. For me, it’s been every day, on-air reporting.”

Everywhere she has gone, Jasmine has made an impression. In fact, she was so highly regarded at Elon that as a junior, she was selected to serve a four-year term on the University’s Board of Trustees.

Local reporter Jasmine Turner files a New Year’s Eve story.

She has endeared herself to colleagues and subjects of her stories at each stop in her broadcasting career. Her personal style, sincerity and ebullience play well on television.

“I’m humbled every single day when people entrust me to share their life,” Jasmine said. “Everyone has a story. There’s something to be learned from every person you encounter. You don’t realize what a gift a person is until you stop and start talking to them. That’s so beautiful.”

– Weldon Bradshaw

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Max Schnur at the net and traveling the world

FR O M C O U G A R T O LION TO TEN N IS P R O Two weeks after graduating from Columbia University in 2015, Max Schnur ’11 played in his first professional tennis tournament. Since then, he has logged thousands of miles as a member of the Association of Tennis Professionals Tour.

A two-time National Open Doubles Champion, three-time Prep League Player of the Year and three-time VISAA Player of the year while at Collegiate, Max currently ranks No. 99 in the world in doubles.

He spent about 32 weeks on the road last year from January to mid-November, earning three titles and one runner-up finish in tournaments throughout Europe, Asia and the U.S. While the year’s results exceeded his expectations, Max knows he has room for improvement.

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“I had a great first half of the year,” he said. “The second half, I struggled physically. But to do what I do, you have to give yourself plenty of time because you’re not going to win every week. I’ll use it as fire for next season.”

Initially uncertain about joining the pro circuit after college, Max soon found his groove.

“Less than six months in, I felt like I had a shot,” he said. “I decided to really go for it. You can’t be successful if you cut yourself off. I’m fully committed.”

Last November after playing a tournament in Charlottesville, Max returned to Richmond to catch up with some classmates at his 5th Reunion. Being back at Collegiate and reconnecting with old friends was nice, he says.

“People came up to me and said how proud they were of me,” he said. “When you’re on the road alone, you don’t really know where your support is coming from. It’s nice to know the community is behind me. That motivates me and makes me want to succeed.”

Meg Timmons, second from right, with a group of friends

FROM LEFT: David Angstadt, Ben Greer, Dalton Ruh, EJ Patterson and Gordon Granger with their award

YOUNG AL UM S E A R N FUN DRAI SE R AWA R D A fundraiser created by a group of alums while they were Collegiate School students received a youth philanthropy award, and the five behind the endeavor attended the November ceremony to accept the honor.

The Association of Fundraising Professionals Central Virginia Chapter awarded its Youth Philanthropist of the Year Award to David Angstadt, Ben Greer, Dalton Ruh, Gordon Granger and EJ Patterson — all 2016 graduates.

The friends and classmates created the Deb Angstadt Wiffle Ball Tournament in 2013 to honor David’s mother, Deb Angstadt, who was a friend and inspiration to many Collegiate parents and students before she succumbed to cancer in 2014.

“The thing that astonished me was how quickly and passionately all of my friends reacted when my Mom first got sick, and being able to grow the tournament to where it is today really just boggles my mind still,” said David, who is now a freshman at the College of William and Mary.

Since its inception, the Deb Angstadt Wiffle Ball Tournament, has raised $21,175 for the organization Stand Up to Cancer.

FRO M C H IN A WITH L OVE Meg Timmons ’07 always had a passion for anything related to Eastern Asia. As an undergraduate at Christopher Newport University, she took three semesters of Chinese and studied abroad in that country for a month.

She returned to Richmond after graduation and settled into her career. Life was good. Still, she missed China. After much deliberation, Ms. Timmons packed up and moved to Hubei province. She now lives in Shanghai and works developing creative content for Storyland English Ltd., a small British company with an intriguing name.

“People always ask, ‘Where do you work?’” she said. “It’s great and I’m helping them expand. I’m developing a career here. I’m doing what I love.”

Ms. Timmons also teaches literacy to children ages 5-13, and creative writing and essay writing. She helps write textbooks and tests and performs workshops.

With her long-term plans in flux (“In Shanghai, I rarely see people predict the exact length of their stay,” she said.), Ms. Timmons does intend to explore more of the region.

“I love being able to travel,” she said. “It’s easy to go to take a quick plane trip and go to Thailand or South Korea.”

To be truthful, Ms. Timmons says, moving anywhere after Shanghai, a city with 24 million residents, will pale in comparison.

“If I move to a big city in the U.S., it will be downgrading,” she said.

“Obviously, New York is the city that never sleeps, but Shanghai is up there.”

Looking back, her move to a foreign city around the world from her home may have seemed impulsive, she says. Still, she has no regrets.

“Moving somewhere else is daunting,” she said. “But you’d be surprised how deftly you can land. You never know what you’re going to learn about yourself until you do something like that.”

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C H I P S O F F TH E OLD C O U GA R B LOCK This fall we welcomed the following legacies of Collegiate alumni …

Caroline Adamson K

Rose Blackburn K Corin Boyd K Ainsley Brown K Lena Brown 1 Eli Campbell K

Andrew Clarke JK Blake Dabney K Roby Fisher K

Margaret Galanti K Perry Greenbaum JK

Laila Gwathmey 8 Harper Hailes 5

Brynn Hallberg JK

Josh Hatcher 5 T.J. Hatchett 5 Alice Hunter K Ryan Jenkins K Taylor Jenkins 3 Matthew Jenkins 6 Haley Jenkins 8 Emerson Johnson JK Abbie Kantner K Henry Kerr JK Theo Lansing K Stuart Lewis K Warner Lewis 5

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Katherine Thalhimer Adamson ’96 Bill Thalhimer ’64 Joe Blackburn ’99 Carrie Cutchins Boyd ’98 Ann Lee Saunders Brown ’36 Brittany Hutchinson ’01 Jill Thalhimer Campbell ’00 Bobby Thalhimer ’70 Harrison Higgins ’67 Carter Dabney ’96 Aynsley Miller Fisher ’93 Bettsie Adamson ’66 Jeff Galanti ’97 Muffy Zimmer Greenbaum ’04 and Noah Greenbaum ’03 Ben Greenbaum ’65 John Owen Gwathmey ’80 Brent Hailes ’89 Virginia Brent Evans ’61 Virginia McGuire Brent ’38 (deceased) Lee Hallberg ’01 Bettie Chandler Hallberg ’73 James Hatcher ’80 Travis Hatchett ’92 Matt Hunter ’97 Scott Jenkins ’94 Scott Jenkins ’94 Scott Jenkins ’94 Scott Jenkins ’94 Chris Johnson ’96 Nancy Jo Ukrop Kantner ’95 Sarah Maxwell Kerr ’95 Ted Lansing ’98 Shep Lewis ’96 Libby DeVoe Lewis ’84 Mary Bruce Featherston DeVoe ’56

Porter Linkonis JK Frank MacNelly 4 McAlister Marshall 6 Asa Massey-Trent K

Annie Miller JK Hayes Nolde K

Harry Reed K

Ginny Russell JK Henry Samuels K Finlay Short K Anna Siebert K Dolan Taylor K Grayson Timmons K Jacob Timmons 2 Benjamin Waldrup K Sophia Waldrup K Reid Whittemore JK

Ella Williams K Carter Williams 5

Elly Williams 5

Avery Wiltshire JK

Dabney Winston JK

Wes Zizzo K

Nicole Kelleher ’93 Danny MacNelly ’92 Mac Marshall ’88 Alina Massey ’99 and Justin Trent ’99 Ivor Massey ’66 Brent Miller ’98 Tatum Gallienne Nolde ’98, Mary Sadler Mann ’68 Scott Reed ’92 Francie Shetter Adamson Reed ’63 Mary Scott Reed ’25 (deceased) Kathryn Bates Russell ’88 Charles Samuels ’94 Estelle Munford Call ’64 Anne Gray Cullen Siebert ’97 Marguerite Brooks Hock ’37 (deceased) Ken Timmons ’68 Ken Timmons ’68 Teller Andrews Waldrup ’98 Teller Andrews Waldrup ’98 Allison Johnson Whittemore ’96 Pam Wagner Johnson ’72 Jonnie Williams ’95 Preston Williams ’88 Meade Howarth Williams ’63 Preston Williams ’88 Meade Howarth Williams ’63 Drew Wiltshire ’99 Rick Wiltshire ’64 Jean Betts Wiltshire ’38 (deceased) Neely Markel Winston ’96 and Thomas Winston ’96 Hennie Winston ’71 Steve Markel ’66 Brady O’Dea Zizzo ’02

1. Asa Massey-Trent, Henry Kerr, Perry Greenbaum, Andrew Clarke, Annie Miller, Ginny Russell 2. Dabney Winston, Emerson Johnson, Reid Whittemore, Porter Linkonis // 3. Brynn Hallberg, Avery Wiltshire

1. FRONT: Theo Lansing, Hayes Nolde, Grayson Timmons, Roby Fisher. BACK: Alice Hunter, Abbie Kantner, Anna Siebert 2. Henry Samuels, Wes Zizzo, Benjamin Waldrup, Corin Boyd, Stuart Lewis // 3. Margaret Galanti, Ryan Jenkins, Rose Blackburn, Ella Williams, Blake Dabney 4. Finlay Short // 5. Ainsley Brown, Sophia Waldrup, Dolan Taylor, Harry Reed, Eli Campbell, Caroline Adamson

1. Lena Brown ’28 // 2. Taylor Jenkins ’26 3. Jacob Timmons ’27 // 4. Frank MacNelly ’25

1. Laila Gwathmey, Haley Jenkins (both ’21) 2. Warner Lewis, T.J. Hatchett, Josh Hatcher, Carter Williams, Elly Williams, Harper Hailes (all ’24) 3. Matthew Jenkins, McAlister Marshall (both ’23)

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Oyster Roast

The 33rd Annual Oyster Roast was hosted by Sue and Tad Thompson ’66 at Tuckahoe Plantation on Nov. 4, 2016. The Class of 1966 gathered beforehand to celebrate its 50th reunion. Later, more than 400 alumni joined them for oysters and music by Gallatin Canyon.

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1. Hayes Blackburn, Leah Batten ’99, Anne Taylor Drake Schaaf ’99 and Liza Jarvis Scott ’99 2. Marshall Schutt ’98 and Katherine Schutt 3. Melissa Holloway Lodge ’96, John Merrick ’97, Alyson Blanton Stoakley ’96, Adam Hofheimer ’95, Katherine Thalhimer Adamson ’96, Shep Lewis ’96, John Adamson and Ginny Harris Hofheimer ’96 4. Hayley Bance ’11, Amanda Johnson ’11, Elise Harrigan ’11, Olivia Massie ’15 and Ellen Geho ’11 5. Breezy Arduini ’11, John Martin ’78, Sara Martin, Becca Martin ’11 and Victoria Cotes ’11 6. Skip King ’66 and Leroy Vaughan ’66 7. Daniel Bagbey, Brant Tullidge and Emily Younts (all ’11) 8. Tracy Sinnott Mason, Irl Weatherford, Sally Stuart Ingram, Stuart Deaton and Doug Massey (all ’81) 9. Terry Hughes, Stephen Hughes ’98 and Teia Sheppard 10. Janie O’Connor ’10, Alden Gregory ’12, Maura Simpson ’12, Sarah Romer ’12, Katie O’Connor ’12 and Addie Gottwald ’10 11. Priscilla Fairlamb Stinson ’72, Dona Schaaf, Behle Schaaf ’72, Beth Watlington Marchant ’72, Pettus LeCompte ’71, Ry Marchant ’71 and Ellen LeCompte 12. Marty Grinnan Marstiller ’96 and Spencer Marstiller ’96

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Homecoming Weekend On Friday, Nov. 4, 2016, the entire Collegiate School student body gathered in Seal Athletic Center for a raucous Pep Rally to rev up the Cougars for the Homecoming game against St. Christopher’s School.

The next day, a crystal clear fall Saturday, the Cougars proved victorious against the Saints, 30-22, on Grover Jones Field.

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9 6 1. The Homecoming Court smiles for the camera.

2. Cougar spirit shines.

3. Upper Schoolers cheer the loudest.

4. Gwin Sinnot and Reese Bowling 5. Jordan Marcus and Jess Speight 6. Olivia Jacobs and Grant Villanueva 7. Kate Surgner and Excellence Perry 8. Emily Stallings and Shaan Sharma 9. Cougie (standing in for Ah’rea Jones) and Barry Burgess

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1. Seniors take the field.

2. A full house fills Grover Jones Field.

3. Ayinde Budd pulls in the pigskin.

4. The final score 5. T. Brewer launches a pass.

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1. The student section rocks.

2. Lacey Sinnott and Nancy Martin ’20 3. Scott Curry ’86 and Katie Remick Kurtz ’91

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Legacy Lunch

On Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016, in Centennial Hall, alumnae celebrated Homecoming at the Legacy Lunch.

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1. Mary Kennon McDaniel ’61, Peggy Tilghman Bothwell ’59 and Kay Tilghman Lowe ’53 2. The 4th Grade Cantorion singers entertain lunch attendees.

3. Nancy Page Hall Edmunds ’52, Jane Reed Fields ’52, Ann Chesley Edmunds ’53 and Jane Terrell Neer ’59 4. Harriet Franklin, Polly Jefferson and Anne Gordon Dickerson Harrison (all ’61) 5. Dorothy Ewing Ferrell ’57 and granddaughter Kate Ferrell ’18 6. Margot Deck ’59 and Margaret Eanes Noftsinger ’46 4

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Pageant Lunch Alumnae enjoyed lunch in the Craigie Board Room of the Sharp Academic Commons before attending the Pageant dress rehearsal on Dec. 2, 2016.

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1. Angie Ledford Hutchison ’90, Neely Markel Winston ’96, Ginny Harris Hofheimer ’96 and Katherine Thalhimer Adamson ’96 2. Margaret Eanes Noftsinger ’46 and Elizabeth Noftsinger Wiertel ’96 3. Sue Eastham King ’66, Connie Whittet Garrett ’61, Bettsie Adamson ’66 and Elizabeth Whittet O’Conor ’67 4. Bunny Gentry Williams ’72 and Julia Shannon ’72 5. Ann Lee Saunders Brown ’36 and Terry Starke Tosh ’71 6. Margot Deck, Jane Terrell Neer, Connie Kennon Harriss, Peggy Tilghman Bothwell and Catharine Tucker (all ’59) 7. Cristy Conner Jarvis, Laura Hall, Barbara Robertson Burke and Ginny Stevens Purcell (all ’68) 8. Elizabeth Kennon Shuey ’55 (seated), Connie Kennon Harriss ’59 and Mary Kennon McDaniel ’61 9. Susie Materne Benson ’62 and Celia Phillips ’19 10. Kay Tilghman Lowe ’53 and Ann Chesley Edmunds ’53 11. Kim Frazier Childs, Lauralee Glasgow Allen and Alexandra Squire Saunders (all ’03) 12. Anne Preston Robertson Farmer ’76, Sarah Kay ’75 and Helen Anderson Carter ’74 12

After graduating from the University of Georgia, Kate Robertson ’05 moved to New York City and enjoyed all the Big Apple had to offer.

But in 2014, she decided to make a drastic move.

“I looked at my long-term future and realized I didn’t necessarily want to be doing this in 10 years,” she said. “It just seemed like the right time to make a change.”

Change she did. She enrolled in a farmto-table-focused culinary school. In Ireland.

For three months.

Ms. Robertson had always had an interest in cooking and had grown up baking with her grandmother. At

Ballymaloe, the only culinary school in the world situated on an organic farm, she immersed herself in learning to prepare meals with ingredients grown on the property. She dissuaded friends from visiting because she wanted to focus on perfecting her craft.

“I wanted to be in a place where I didn’t have friends to rely on,” she said. “I was going to take those three months to push myself and learn more. And I did.”

After her stint in Ireland, Ms. Robertson returned to Richmond. She looked at job opportunities in Charlottesville and Charlotte, North Carolina. In the meantime, friends and friends of friends asked her to cook for them. The requests

continued, and eventually Kate Uncorked, her personal chef, catering and wine consultation business, took off.

“It’s definitely very fulfilling work,” she said. “I get to cook and be creative on that front, but I’m still interacting with clients and learning how to run a business as well.”

Among the events she has catered is Collegiate School’s annual Pageant Lunch for alumnae. Ms. Robertson has prepared the luncheon for the past two years.

“It’s definitely such an honor, because Pageant is such a big deal,” she said.

“Collegiate has been so supportive and I’m so grateful.”

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Winter Party & Auction Chaired by Ellen Turbeville Bonbright ’86 and Jim Bonbright and Laura and Steve Holdych, the 41st annual Winter Party & Auction, “A Night at the Museum,” was held Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017, at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

More than 300 parents and alumni entered the Marble Hall to enjoy cocktails, live music and mobile bidding on fabulous silent auction items, including an expanded art category. Guests then headed to the Cochrane Atrium for a seated dinner as auctioneer Ernie Rogers took the stage for the live auction, which featured a special piece of artwork from Tenley Fleischer Beazley ’86.

Proceeds from the event, which netted approximately $140,000, will fund ongoing capital projects, including the transformation of McFall Hall, Burke Hall and Oates Theater.

Thanks to Winter Party & Auction Coordinators Pam Roberts and Susan Brizzolara for a beautiful night to support Collegiate!

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1. Winter Party & Auction co-chairs Jim and Ellen ’86 Bonbright and Laura and Steve Holdych 2. Brad and Melissa Jiulanti, Natalie and Ian Watt and Mark and Marcie Apelt 3. Martha Proutt ’98, Nicole Holland and Corbin Neuner 4. The evening’s theme? Pop art!

5. Rupa Tak, Gauri Gulati, Sahil Tak and Rakesh Agarwal 6. John and Jana Barnes and Whitney and Jeff Lou 7. Winter Party & Auction attendees mingle in the Marble Hall.

8. Event coordinators Pam Roberts and Susan Brizzolara 9. Stedman and Lauren Oakey, Martha ’98 and Bobby Proutt and Sara Galloway 10. Lower School Head Debbie Miller, Anjali Varandani and Sameer Rohatgi 11. Auction items fill the VMFA’s Marble Hall.

12. Nicolle Holland, Alex and Callie ‘95 Brackett, Anne Innes and John Neuner play Heads or Tails.

13. Patricia Lyons and Melinda Smith peruse the silent auction.

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14. Auctioneer Ernie Rogers gets the bids going.

15. Tom Roberts makes his bid during the live auction.

16. A bid spotter warms up the crowd.

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Head of School Steve Hickman presents Pam Roberts with a token of everyone’s appreciation.

Her co-workers, who have become close friends, will miss her dearly. Here’s what just a few say about her: “I have loved working with Pam for the past three years and experiencing her wisdom, tact, attention to detail, kindness and sense of humor. Her love for Collegiate is apparent with her dedication to planning and executing a successful event for the Collegiate community, donors and all involved. Our School has benefited tremendously from her strengths and commitment over the last seven years.”

- Susan Brizzolara, Winter Party & Auction Coordinator

A Sincere Thank You! Pam Roberts is dedicated to Collegiate School. Mother of Sam ’18, Luke ’19 and Jane ’24, she has spearheaded the Winter Party & Auction since 2011. Sadly for Collegiate, the 2017 event was her last, as she will turn it over to her successors.

During her tenure, Mrs. Roberts has raised more than $1 million, with funds supporting the Sharp Academic Commons, Reed-Gumenick Library, the Centennial Campaign, the Robins Campus, STEAM initiatives, upgrades to school playgrounds and capital projects including renovations to McFall Hall, Burke Hall and Oates Theater.

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“Pam is fun to be around. She is a tireless worker, a team player and has great persistence. It is impossible to turn her down when she smiles at you.”

- Alex Smith ’65, recently retired Vice President of Development

“ Pam is super organized, detail-oriented, has a fabulous sense of humor and loves Collegiate. She is creative and savvy — qualities that make for a successful auction. Her goal has been to raise money for Collegiate and she kept that in mind, but always wanted to tweak things. It was about what was best for Collegiate. She did her job with a smile, humility, a sense of humor and always with her development co-workers’ full support. Planning the auction is not easy. Pam had the energy to put a spin on the event each year. Collegiate is so lucky to have had her for this long.”

- Margaret Randolph Pace ’90, Middle and Upper School Admission Coordinator

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CARI NG F OR T H E C L A S S O F 2 0 1 6 In February, more than 50 parents of Collegiate School alumni gathered at the home of Maureen and Mark Stepanian ’89 to fill care packages for (and write notes to) the Class of 2016, who are now freshmen at colleges and universities around the country.

The next day, members of Collegiate’s Student Cooperative Association assisted with the packing of treats and Collegiate trinkets.

COUGAR AL U M S O F F E R A D V I C E Seventeen Collegiate School graduates returned to campus in January to speak to sophomores and juniors about making the transition from high school to college.

The alums attended local universities including University of Virginia, College of William & Mary and Washington & Lee University and out-of-state schools such as Yale University, Princeton University and the University of California, Berkeley.

Acknowledging that the college selection process can be overwhelming, the graduates advised the students to trust their own feelings regarding their decision.

“Go with your gut,” said Mark Brizzolara ’15, now a sophomore at the University of Southern California.

Recent alums spoke to sophomores and juniors about making the transition to college life.

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CLASS NOTES 19 2 7 DIED: Gerturde Murrell Howland on Aug. 13, 2016.

She attended Westhampton College, graduated from Wells College and attended graduate school at Columbia University and the New School of Research. For 50 years, Gertrude lived in Greenwich, CT, where she founded the Auxiliary at the Nathaniel Witherell Home, was a member of Green Fingers Garden Club, the Belle Haven Beach Club, The Round Hill Club, The Field Club, The Indian Harbor Yacht Club and the Colony Club (NYC). She received a medal from The Garden Club of America for spearheading an initiative to plant trees on Greenwich Avenue. From 1964 to 1987, Gertrude worked on 33 archaeological excavations on the northern rim of the Mediterranean Sea, from Majorca to Jerusalem. She served on the Governing Board of the Archaeological Institute of America for 12 years and was their first Society Trustee. Returning to live in Richmond in 1990, Gertrude was President of the local chapter of the Archaeological Institute of America and a member of The Country Club of Virginia, the Torch Club, the Kiwanis Club and St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church. Later in life, Gertrude self-published a book of poems, a book of short stories, a novel and her memoirs.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Dr. Thomas W. Murrell, Jr.;

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her husbands, Alfred Rhett duPont and John Gibbs Howland; and son, Thomas M. duPont. Gertrude is survived by her sons, A. Rhett DuPont, Jr. (Patricia) and Francis I. duPont III (Linda); five grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; her niece, Page Murrell Woltz (William); and her nephew, Thomas W. Murrell III (Gillian).

1 944 DIED: Peggy Flippen Whitaker on Sept. 5, 2016. At Collegiate, she was photography editor for the Torch, served as vice president of her class, played field hockey and was a member of the Glee Club and the Gold team. After graduating from St. Mary’s College, Peggy married Keith Bleecker and they moved to Bakersfield, CA. She was one of the founders of Bakersfield Community League, which became the Junior League of Bakersfield.

She belonged to the Mercy Hospital Auxiliary for 40 years and loved doing the “Puppets Program” in which children learned not to fear visits to the hospital. A great music lover, Peggy joined Bakersfield Symphony Associates and served on the board in many jobs for over 30 years. She was also a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Keith Bleecker died in 1996 and Peggy remarried Bernell Whitaker.

The marriage ended in 2013. She was predeceased by her daughter, Erin Francis (Bill), and is survived by her daughters, Betsy (Bart) Wallace and Molly Bleecker;

grandchildren, Alison Wallace Farler (Ryan), Drew Wallace and Kate Francis; and greatgrandchildren, Henry and Jack Farler and Skylar and Jordyn Wallace.

1946 June Campbell writes, “I’m enjoying life without snow and ice. I have my own private apartment and patio in a senior residence in Campbell, CA. My ancestors had something to do with the settling of Campbell and I am very happy to have lived here for 38 years now. I tutor kids with reading problems and dyslexia every day with the Barton Method which I recommend as the best, and use other methods I have learned in my years as a resource specialist with the public schools in California. I am thankful for my years at Collegiate and see no comparison here.

My tutoring is mostly with private school students.”

1950 DIED: Jane Moseley Ogden on Oct. 20, 2016. She was preceded in death by her son, Bruce Nash Ogden. She is survived by her son, Clay Drewry Ogden, and his wife, Susan, and their children, Hannah and Samuel of Steamboat Springs, CO; granddaughter,

Julia Ogden Ayscue, and her husband, Marc, and their children, Palmer and Libbie, of Richmond; and grandson, Frederick G.L. Ogden, and his wife, Jordan, of Cornelius, NC.

19 5 5 Betsy Minor McCommon, who lives in Blacksburg, VA, writes, “I remain deeply involved in our environmental problems, the latest being the natural gas pipelines planned across the state. My deepest concern is for the use of water to generate the gas and oil industry. I sometimes sing; I sometimes talk; I write many letters.

I continue to find acting opportunities, including an ensemble performance with friends telling stories about living life at the end of life, ‘Loose Threads.’ My five children and five grandchildren are all doing well, making their way through this maze called life.”

DIED: Anne Pyle on Oct. 13, 2016. At Collegiate, she was president of the Glee Club and secretary of her class, served on the Library and Proctor Committees, was a member of the National Honor Society, Athletic Council and the Gold team and played basketball and field hockey. After graduating from Wellesley College, Anne moved to San Francisco where she taught elementary school. She then returned to Richmond and taught 2nd Grade at St. Christopher’s. Later, she worked as Executive Secretary at the Wilton House Museum, headquarters of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the Commonwealth of Virginia. A dog lover, Anne spent many years breeding and showing Westies, raising several champions. In later years, she became accomplished at machine embroidery. Anne is survived by her sister, Lucy Cabell Pyle Summerell ’51; her brother, Howard Pyle; her niece, Elizabeth Pyle Ross; and her nephew, Howard Pyle.

1 957 Ginger Puller Dabney writes, “I am happily settled at Westminster Canterbury in Lynchburg near my son, Lewis, and his family. I have two grandchildren at Collegiate: Virginia Kauders ’19 and Andrew Kauders ’20!

The oldest grandchild, Page Dabney, is a first year at UVA. I would love to see any classmates in the area and eagerly scan ‘alumnae notes’ for Collegiate.”

1 959 Jane Terrell Neer writes, “My husband, Ernie, and I have been living at Westminster Canterbury Richmond for eight years, and we just love it — best move we ever made. There are so many activities, events, professional theater, a clinic, salon, café, two restaurants. One would never have go outside, if she/he didn’t want to.

I still have my car and stay as active as I want to. I am quite content and happy.”

1 960 DIED: Betty Jane Stone Jefferson on Aug. 31, 2016. At Collegiate, she was a member of the Glee Club and the Gold team and served as chair of the Gift and Welfare Committee. She is survived by her husband, John Jefferson; sister, Mary Stone Rowe ’66; daughters,

Jeannie Yager Dortch reports on the 28th annual fall getaway of girls from the Class of 1963: “This year we rendezvoused in Williamsburg, eating late and talking until midnight! Our friendship grows sweeter with each passing year!” Pictured are Ethel Fultz Walker, Dottie Albright, Joan Roberts Cates, Patsy Margraf Bussard, Carolyn Baker Bottger, Jeannie Yager Dortch, Francie Shetter Adamson Reed, Lucy Oliver, Katherine Henley Bennett, Page Robinson Kemp, Sally Bates Allen and Anne Gordon Cooke Curran.

Lisa Jefferson, Rebecca Jefferson Cave and Elizabeth Jefferson Dickerson; son, John Jefferson; and grandchildren.

1963

DIED: Betsy James Adams on Aug. 17, 2016.

At Collegiate, she played field hockey and basketball. After graduating from Stratford Hall, she attended the University of South Carolina. Betsy was a founding partner of The Knitting Basket, Ltd., a member of The Tuckahoe Woman’s Club, Deep Run Hunt Club, The Woman’s Club, The Junior Board of Historic Richmond, The Goochland Garden Club, and Sustaining Member of The Junior League. She was also a passionate advocate of breast cancer research. She was preceded in death by her husband, John Kirk Adams, Jr.; and parents, Roseann Townsend and Stephen Beveridge James. Betsy is survived by her daughters, Morgan Beveridge Adams and Mary Banner Adams; grandsons, John Kirk Adams Radin and Benjamin James Radin; and her special friend, Donald Davis.

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50 T H R E U N I O N

The Collegiate Class of 1966’s 50th reunion was a huge success! The weekend of Nov. 4-6, 2016, brought together 39 classmates for a total of 67 including spouses and dates! The weekend was kick-started at Sue and Tad Thompson’s beautiful Tuckahoe Plantation backyard reception and brought together longtime friends so happy to see each other. The evening was specially welcomed with cases of wine sent by our own exchange student, Andrés Navarro from Chile.

On Saturday, the Alumni staff greeted us with a delicious luncheon where we were able to catch up with good friends and meet the new Head of School, Steve Hickman.

Saturday evening, we were welcomed

by Jerry and Suzanne Parker Yount to their lovely home for a delightful fall dinner. An added treat was the divine California wine sent by our classmate, Charlie Wood. The evening was magical and who could believe we are 50 years older! – submitted by Sandy Davis King.

19 6 8 DIED: Drew Sinnickson on Jan. 7, 2017, in Annapolis, MD. After attending Collegiate, he graduated from Mercersburg Academy and the University of Richmond. An accomplished sailor, Drew covered thousands of nautical miles from the Caribbean to Maine, Panama, West Coast and transatlantic passages. In his early days he raced Penguins, Mobacks, Jollys and Finns and participated in many handicap CCA, DELTA, IOR and MORC races. Drew competed in numerous Newport/Bermuda, Annapolis/Bermuda, Marion/Bermuda, SORC, Key West & Antigua race weeks as well as other Chesapeake Bay racing events taking many top awards. In 1983, he moved to Annapolis to begin a career with the

62 SPARK | Class Notes

Jerry and Suzanne Parker Yount hosted the Class of ’66’s 50th reunion at their home.

BELOW: As part of their 50th reunion, the Class of ’66 gathered at Collegiate for lunch on Saturday of Homecoming weekend.

Department of Defense at the U.S. Naval Academy working with the USNA offshore fleet. He was a member of The Cruising Club of America, Storm Trysail Club, Annapolis Yacht Club, Naval Academy Officer’s Club, Fishing Bay Yacht Club and Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club & West River Sailing Club. Drew was predeceased by his parents, Andrew and Suzanne Sinnickson.

He is survived by his wife, Sarah; daughters, Sarah Corter Walker (Alister) and Anne Corter German (Kyle); sisters, Kenzie Sinnickson Hubard (Harrison) and Perry Sinnickson Guy (John); sister and brother-in-law, Martha and Ben Harris; and grandchildren, Peter Richardson Awalt, McLain Randolph Awalt and Peyton Lambeth German.

1 969 DIED: Jim Fontaine on Sept. 20, 2016, in Fredericksburg.

At Collegiate, he was a member of the Monogram Club and played football and

soccer. He graduated from the University of Virginia, where he was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity and played on the rugby team. Jim spent many years in Steamboat Springs, CO, where he served on the ski patrol and enjoyed skiing, camping and horseback riding. He was also an instrument-rated pilot. Later, he developed an avid interest in golf and spent many hours volunteering for Ducks Unlimited. Jim enjoyed hunting waterfowl with his friends and his black lab, Rowdy.

He joined the Newtown Hunt Club and its associated organization Boulware Shooting Society. Jim is survived by his wife, Susan; brother, Madison Fontaine ’71 (Wanda); nephew, Thomas Madison; niece, Tara Katharine; and grandnephew, Trevor Matthew Fontaine. Also, Susan’s children, Kelly Soderman (Kyle), Michael Rogers (Diana); grandson, Kenneth Nichols (Kira); and great‑granddaughter, Kylie Nichols.

1970 Lib Northen is the president of the board of directors for the Executive Women’s Golf Association, Richmond Chapter for 2017.

and his JD from University of Richmond, where he received the Charles T. Norman Award and was a member The Class of ’71 gathered at the home of Ellen and Pettus LeCompte of the McNeill to celebrate its 45th reunion.

Law Society and the University of Richmond Law Review. Before the Virginia General Assembly appointed him The Class of 1971 celebrated its 45th commissioner of the Virginia Workers’ reunion in fine Cougar spirit with a party Compensation Commission in 2008, Roger hosted by Ellen and Pettus LeCompte practiced law in the area of insurance on Nov. 5, 2016. Girls in attendance defense litigation, with emphasis on the included Anne Day Friddell, Barbara law of workers’ compensation. He was Briesmaster Sensabaugh, Betsy passionate about his golf and his sleightCockriel, Kate Fleming Parthemos, of-hand magic. He was preceded in death Zoe Anne Green, Susan Heiner by his parents, Dr. Louis H. and Eloise Steadman, Molly Nichols Tashjian, Betty Williams; and his brother, David H. Pitt Cimmino, Cabell Smith Longan, Williams. Roger is survived by his wife, Terry Starke Tosh, Susan Williams Annie; his daughter, Lauren; and his son, and Boodie Wiltshire McGurn. And Matt, all of whom provided great comfort no reunion would be complete without to him during his battle with brain cancer.

Nancy Meyers Marsiglia, who traveled He is also survived by his siblings, Steve all the way from New Orleans to be with Williams ’72 (Caroline), Van Williams us! On the boys’ side, we enjoyed seeing ’76 (Beth) and Wendy Williams Jones ’76 Jim Cochrane, Larry Dumville, Roger (Steve), and numerous nieces, nephews Fraley, George Field, Hoppy Goddin, and extended family.

Bill Moore, Ry Marchant, Tommy Pruitt, Jim Scholl, David Shuford, John Stinson, Mike Smith, Taylor Waller, Harry Thalhimer and George Whitley. One blast from the past was DIED: Anne Madison Fontaine who had not been to a Watlington on reunion in 45 years! Everyone enjoyed the Oct. 15, 2016. scrumptious buffet of food while catching At Collegiate, up with classmates. We all agreed that she was on the even though it’s been 45 years, we can Flame staff and still party like it’s 1971! We are already played basketball. planning for our 50th! – submitted by She attended Mt. Barbara Briesmaster Sensabaugh Vernon College and later began a culinary Last fall, George Whitley became business called The Catery. Eventually Chief Legal Officer of TowneBank. He she moved to Florida, where she put her previously worked at LeClairRyan for artistic talents to work as over 20 years with a focus on representing community banks in Virginia.

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45 T H R E U N I O N

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DIED: The Honorable Roger Williams on Oct. 11, 2016.

He received his BS from Washington and Lee University

“Watlington Artworks.” Anne is survived by her husband, Kendall Ropp; her sister, Beth Watlington Marchant ’72 (Ry Marchant ’71); her niece, Meg Marchant ’98; nephew, Reilly Marchant ’03 (Lizzy Gehr Marchant ’04); her aunt, Betsy Mebane; and uncles, Everette Dunn (Patricia) and Jim Dunn (Rachel).

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4 0TH REUNION

Allen Kemp writes, “Since taking early retirement from pastoring two churches in the Presbyterian Church (USA), my wife Debbie and I have been focused on doing leadership training in developing world countries and with the underground church in Central Asia. Typically we visit a country for two‑four weeks, staying in homes, guest houses and huts. In Uganda, we teach on a remote farm, no infrastructure, to pastors and church leaders who literally live on about a dollar a day economics. We work with the Episcopal Church of Haiti and with Young Life in Nicaragua. Most recently, we returned from a month in Central Asia, north of Afghanistan and next to the Western China border but what we do there could get a lot of people arrested and ourselves deported (it’s not a free world there) so I cannot say more.”

RIGHT: Alan Kemp recently spent a month in Central Asia. He writes, “This a photo of me not in Arizona but atop Jeti-Oguz or ‘Seven Bulls’ at the foothills of the Tien Shan mountain range, full of ‘7000ers’ (peaks over 7000 meters high).”

BELOW: The Class of ’76 celebrated its 40th reunion at classmate Ginny Reynolds Parker’s parents’ home in November.

Ever since their days at Collegiate, 1977 classmates Philip Hudgens and Brian Richardson have shared a love of cars and motorcycles. This past summer they had the opportunity to take some laps in an Indy car thanks to one of Brian’s friends. Philip, Brian and Albert Kirtland (also Class of ’77) all experienced high-speed rides in Andretti Racing’s two-seat Indy car.

Then Philip and Brian each had the opportunity to drive their own singleseat Indy car on the high-banked oval.

It’s all part of the Andretti Racing Experience and is highly recommended as a fun way to spend a Sunday.

Philip Hudgens and Brian Richardson suited up to drive an Indy car.

Brian Richardson, Philip Hudgens and Albert Kirtland visited Andretti Racing Experience last summer.

19 7 7 Mimi Fleming McCully writes, “I started a new job as pediatric nurse practitioner in December 2015 in Union, SC, which caused us to leave Gastonia and move to Gaffney, SC, to be close to my job. Hoping to make it to our 40th Reunion!”

64 SPARK | Class Notes

19 7 8 Mary Garner DeVoe writes, “We moved to Washington, DC, this year to build out Keller Williams in the District of Columbia. We love it here and are happy to have moved even closer to Richmond.”

Sandy Jordan has joined The Fauquier Bank in Warrenton, VA, as VP, Wealth Management. He currently lives in Charlottesville with his wife “Sandy.”

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Alice McGuire Massie is president of the Monroe Park Conservancy. Renovations of Richmond’s oldest park began in November after the conservancy group met its project fundraising goal of $3 million. To learn more, visit www.monroepark.com.

On August 25/26, 2016, Jill Remington Powers, along with her husband, three children and one additional friend, summited Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa. At 19,341 feet above sea level, Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and considered one of the seven summits — the highest peaks of the seven continents. Jill and her party reached the top, without oxygen, on the sixth day of an eight-day trek, then bombed all the way back down the mountain in two days!

Talk about a quad and knee killer! It was amazing and breathtaking (literally) to stand on the roof of Africa! After their hike, the Powers family spent five days on safari in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, seeing all the usual exotic African animals, with the exception of the rhino.

Also in August, Jill and fellow Cougars John Remington ’81 and John Hill ’79 breakfasted with Irl Weatherford ’81 and his wife, Gail, during the latter’s visit to Ft. Collins, CO.

Our 35th reunion was held at the Sound of Music Recording Studios. Many thanks to Bruce Smith, co-owner of the internationally acclaimed production studio in Scotts Addition, for hosting such a ROCKING evening. Over 75 people turned out to enjoy great food, a wonderful slide show and lively conversation — all while listening to great ’80s tunes pumped out of a great sound system. Even though many of us had not seen each other in MANY years, we felt very fortunate that we could pick up right where we left off.

Until next time, Class of 1981! – submitted

by Margaret Williams Pace Rodney Willett and his two sons, Turner Willett ’12 and Winston Willett ’16, lived on a glacier deep in Wrangell St. Elias National Park, AK, for a week this past summer as they learned ski mountaineering techniques from expert

35TH REUNION

guides there. The trip was in celebration of Turner graduating from Tufts University and Winston from Collegiate. When not cutting blocks of snow to build walls to protect their tents from high winds and, yes, snow in the summer, they hiked and climbed mountains in the area so that they could ski down them. And there were no lift lines.

Turner is teaching English to middle school boys in a Dallas, TX, public school through the Teach for America program.

Winston is a first-year student at the University of Virginia. Rodney is senior vice president of business strategy for Impact Makers in Richmond and the official photographer of his daughter Nora Willett ’22 and her teammates on the Collegiate varsity girls tennis team.

BELOW: The Class of ’81’s 35th reunion took place at Sound of Music Studios.

BOTTOM: Turner Willett ’12, Winston Willett ’16 and Rodney Willett ’81 lived on a glacier for a week this past summer.

19 8 0 In October, James Hatcher became CEO of the Virginia region of the American Red Cross. He oversees chapters spread across the state (with the exception of Northern Virginia) and divisions including disaster services, volunteers, services to armed forces and humanitarian mission delivery.

TOP LEFT: Renovations of Richmond’s Monroe Park began in November. Alice McGuire Massie ’79 (far left) is president of the Monroe Park Conservancy.

MIDDLE LEFT: Jill Remington Powers ’79 and her family summited Mt. Kilimanjaro in August.

BOTTOM LEFT: In August, a small Collegiate reunion took place in Ft. Collins, CO, when John Remington ’81, Jill Remington Powers ’79, Gail McLoda Weatherford, Irl Weatherford ’81 and John Hill ’79 got together at Silver Grill Cafe. “We’ll do another in 37 years.”

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19 8 3 Leigh Compton Shobe writes, “After a long career in the legal field, I have gotten my real estate license and have joined the firm of One South Realty Group. Our firm handles both residential and commercial transactions in RVA. Excited to be representing clients who are looking to buy or sell a home!”

Pelle Ewers ’85 and Lewis Lawson

19 8 5 Doug Reed has been named artistic director of the Broom Street Theater in Madison, WI. Doug is a playwright and actor who wrote and directed The Lamentable Tragedie Of Scott Walker, a 2011 play that satirized the governor’s rise to power in Shakespearean verse. He also improvises with Monkey Business Institute.

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30 T H R E U N I O N

The class of 1986 celebrated its 30th reunion with a wonderful party hosted by classmate Ellen Turbeville Bonbright and her husband, Jim, with a delicious dinner provided by Champagne Taste Catering.

Forty-one alums, plus another 23 better halves came, caught up, reminisced and celebrated 30 years of friendship. Clint Day won the “traveled the farthest” prize, having traveled all the way from Wilson, WY! This class is a diverse group of health care professionals, attorneys, accountants, homemakers, authors, professors, builders and marina owners! One alum administers the Institute of Writing and Rhetoric at Dartmouth. Another is a biological oceanographer with NOAA. A great time was had by all. Many thanks to the planning committee: Ellen Turbeville Bonbright, Paige Ingram Fox, Will Hall, Mary Catharine Ginn Kolbert and our fearless leader — Liz Everett Cherkis! Looking forward to seeing everyone again in five years, as well as those who couldn’t make it this year.

Cheers to 30 years! – submitted by Mary Catharine Ginn Kolbert

66 SPARK | Class Notes

Lewis Lawson, Mary Gill Lawson, Pelle Ewers ’85 and Victoria Ewers Lewis “Bubba” Lawson, retired English teacher, and his wife, Mary Gill, visited Sweden last summer and got the chance to catch up with Pelle Ewers ’85. Mary Gill writes, “We were royally entertained and had a wonderful time with Pelle and his family in Viken, Sweden! Even kayaked in the North Sea!”

RIGHT: Ellen Turbeville Bonbright ’86 interviewed Sarah Hailes Easley ’89 on stage at the Tuckahoe Woman’s Club on Oct. 26, 2016. Sarah, a fashion forecaster, trend analyst, former owner of luxury boutique Kirna Zabete, designer and all around “it” girl, returned to her hometown to offer the women of the Tuckahoe suggestions for “Developing Your Own Signature Style.”

BELOW: Jim and Ellen Turbeville Bonbright hosted the Class of ’86’s 30th reunion at their home.

In October, Collegiate alums visited Lars Lüthjohan Jensen ’88, a student from Copenhagen, Denmark, who spent the 1985-86 school year at Collegiate. He and his wife have been spending time in Virginia recently as their son, Daniel Barir, is playing soccer for the University of Virginia.

19 8 8 Last fall, Father Greg Gresko became a professor of moral and pastoral theology at the Pontifical Athenaeum of Sant’Anselmo in Rome. Before that, he was at the monastery of Santa Scolastica in Subiaco, Italy.

In November, Suneeta Hazra was recognized with the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service, the U.S. Department of Justice’s second highest award for employee performance. Sunita served as lead attorney on the US vs.

Henthorn case, which resulted in the conviction of Harold Henthorn for pushing his second wife to her death from a remote cliff to collect $4.5 million in life insurance.

Sunita and her team not only proved that Henthorn murdered his second wife, but also that he murdered his first wife 20 years earlier. All of this was accomplished without direct evidence.

19 9 0 DIED: Patrick Henry on Jan. 9, 2017. At Collegiate, he played baseball and basketball and was president of Key Club. He spent two years at James Madison University before transferring to the Rhode Island School of Design, where he earned a BFA in

The Class of ’91 celebrated its 25th reunion at McCormack’s Big Whisky Grill.

Film/Video/Animation. He then began a documentary film about the Arthur Ashe statue on Monument Avenue before moving to New York City and working as a commercial video editor and collaborating with his brother on comedy projects. The Henry Brothers won Best of Show at the 1996 Richmond Ad Show for a spot they made for the Texas‑Wisconsin Border Café.

Patrick then moved to Los Angeles, where he wrote and helped generate story ideas for 20th Century Fox’s Family Guy and The Cleveland Show. He and his brother also created the critically acclaimed web series, Kicked in the Nuts. Patrick later returned to Richmond and created a documentary about The Red Wiggler Community Farm, a working organic farm in Maryland founded by Woody Woodroof ’84, which employs mentally handicapped adults. He most recently produced a TV pilot with his brother. As a youth, he played goalie for the Richmond Strikers soccer club and was a stand out in Tuckahoe Little League. At age two, he was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. Filmmaking was his life’s passion along with the Boston Red Sox and the band U2. He was preceded in death by his father, Charles Russell Henry. He is survived by his mother, Barbara Sullivan Henry; brother, Mike Henry ’84 (Sara); nephew, Jack Henry ’22; niece, Josie Henry; stepmother, Tina Henry; aunt, Cathy Sullivan; aunt, Elizabeth Minkowetz (Richard); uncle, H. John Henry (Helen) and aunt, Lois DeDad (Mike).

Remick and Berns, sons of Katie Remick Kurtz ’91, showing their Cougar spirit in Telluride!

1991

2 5TH REUNION

The Class of ’91 once again had a memorable and fun reunion with classmates, spouses and special guests at Big Whiskey Bar in Regency! What a true throwback to the ’90s! Classmates traveled from all across the commonwealth and the country to catch up on our lives after 25 years! One of the highlights of the weekend was spending time with Susan Reed, and honoring the loss or our friend and her husband, Wilson Reed. What a surprise on seeing Mr. Truscott, AJ and Wilbur at the Saturday night party as well! Not only did we reminisce about past memories, new ones were made as well! We are already planning our 30th reunion and looking forward to another great attendance! – submitted by Chandler Thaxton Klevana Katie Remick Kurtz writes, “I totally enjoyed coming back to Richmond for my 25th Reunion! It was great to see all those that showed up in honor of Wilson Reed.

Scott and Chandler did a great job!

“I live in Telluride, CO, with my husband, Paddy, and our two boys, Remick (12) and Berns (10). My most important job is still chasing after my boys but when I have down time I am currently pursuing a career in painting. I am also teaching classes at the local art center, Ah Haa School for the Arts, in Telluride.”

John and Katherine Thalhimer Adamson hosted the Class of ’96’s 20th reunion at their home.

19 9 2 ARCHITECTUREFIRM, run by Danny MacNelly and his wife Katie, received two 2016 American Institute of Architects (AIA) Virginia Design Awards. The James River House (mentioned in the last Spark) won the Residential Design Honor + Excellence award with the jury saying, “This project captured the jury from the first slide and was the favorite of all entries submitted this year.” The firm also won an Interior Design Merit Award for its Park Avenue Apartment in New York.

AIA Virginia recognized only 19 out of 146 projects submitted.

Ashley Knaysi, Astrid Liverman, Jill Witty, Mary Mittell and Anya Schwender (all ’94) recently enjoyed a girls’ trip to Costa Rica.

19 9 4 Anya Schwender writes, “After a long adventure abroad, I’m settling in the U.S. for a while, currently job hunting in the DC area. En route from Los Angeles to the East Coast, I reunited with classmate Liz Cohn Browne in Flagstaff, then visited several others in Virginia: Olivia Lelong Cropp, Brett Carreras ’96, Justin Pope ’93 and Peter Hopewell ’91. I also enjoyed a girls’ trip to Costa Rica with lifelong friends Jill Witty, Astrid Liverman, Mary Mittell and Ashley Knaysi. We celebrated our 40th birthdays there with yoga, surfing, good eats and a bonus reunion with Cameron Dabney ’93.

68 SPARK | Class Notes

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We had a wonderful time celebrating our 20th reunion. Classmates kicked the weekend off by attending the Oyster Roast and others connected Saturday at the football game. Katherine Thalhimer Adamson along with her husband, John, graciously hosted the party for the Class of 1996 at their home. Ginny Harris Hofheimer, Allison Johnson Whittemore and I helped Katherine with the details.

The night was a complete success! Over half of our class was in attendance having traveled from New York, Colorado, Florida,

Boston and California along with those who came down the road. Classmates Andy Berglund and Chris Johnson, otherwise known as the Westham Plank Pickers, entertained the crowd with a few bluegrass songs. We had a great time catching up, checking out the class memorabilia and slide show and sharing some big laughs!

Thanks to everyone who made the effort to attend! See you all in 2021! – submitted by Neely Markel Winston Brett Carreras was named to Style Weekly’s 2016 Top 40 Under 40, a feature that recognizes young professionals in the Richmond area. Brett is president of

Katherine Thalhimer Adamson ’96 proudly ran the VCU Health 8K with three generations of Cougars!

John Adamson, Katie Adamson ’23, Shepard Adamson ’25, Katherine and Billy Thalhimer ’64 celebrated after the run on Nov. 12, 2016.

Virginia Comicon. After experiencing trade shows on the West Coast, Brett became the promoter of Richmond Comicon in 2006 and took over as operator in 2014.

Richmond Comicon attendance has grown tenfold thanks in part to Brett’s redesign of the marketing and infrastructure. He continues to modernize the show and gives free tickets to children saying, “The future of everything really is children. If you can get them excited about anything pop culture, anything comic‑book related, then maybe they’re going to pick up a book and read.”

Thomas Winston is now senior vice president at Union Bank & Trust where he specializes in lending to professional practices.

BORN: James Patrick Wood to Missy Seymour Wood and husband Adam on Sept. 13, 2016. He joins big brothers Philip (4), August (8) and Harrison (8).

DIED: Allison Hiller Hale on Nov. 30, 2016. At Collegiate, she was a section editor for the Torch, on the Flame staff and a member of the Collegiate Community Council. Allison received her BA from Randolph-Macon College and a Master of Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University. She was a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Last year, she set up a private practice, Get Real Therapy LLC. Previously, she was employed by the Goochland-Powhatan Community Services Board. Allison adored

James Patrick Wood, son of Missy Seymour Wood ’96, was born Sept. 13, 2016. He is shown with big brothers Harrison, Philip and August.

Mae Ellen Lecky, daughter of Stephen Lecky ’98, was born Dec. 19, 2015.

her pets, dog, Deezal; and cats, Ellie and Annie. A wheelchair user since age four, Allison never let her physical disability or subsequent kidney transplants keep her from achieving her educational and professional goals. She is survived by her husband, Scott Hale; parents, Laura and George Hiller; sister, Katie Hiller Renie ’90; and her nieces and nephews, Madeline, Wally, Lawson and Henry Renie. Other survivors include Scott’s parents, Rose and Doug Hale; and Scott’s brother, Richard.

Allison is also survived by her aunts, Mary Pellegrini and Laura Arabian; aunt and uncle, Ann and Rusty Hiller; and her cousins, Shelby Moody, Russel Hiller, and Tony and Leah Pellegrini.

Last summer, Tanner Powell ’98 was named chief investment officer of Apollo Investment Management.

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The Class of ’01 gathered at the home of Katy and Warren Hunter to celebrate its 15th reunion.

Collegiate friends and family celebrated the marriage of Virginia Lawson ’97 and Mike Kirwan on July 16, 2016.

Pictured are Tanner Powell ’98, Molly Blackburn Neilson ’97, Mike Kirwan, Virginia Lawson Kirwan ’97, Lewis Lawson and Meriwether Powell.

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Bo Vaughan is currently an assistant professor of medicine and infectious diseases at Virginia Commonwealth University and an attending physician and hospital epidemiologist for the Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Richmond.

MARRIED: Virginia Lawson to Mike Kirwan on July 16, 2016, at St. Anne’s Parish in Annapolis, MD. BORN: Margaret Pope Hairfield and Brooks Harrison Hairfield to Scott Hairfield and wife Anne on April 27, 2016, in Norfolk, VA. In work-related news, Scott has been promoted to assistant vice president, senior account executive with First American Title Insurance Company in Virginia Beach, VA.

BORN: Mae Ellen Lecky to Stephen Lecky and wife Liz on Dec. 19, 2015. She joins big brother Ben. Ellington Mae Powell to Bryson Powell and wife Lauren on Nov. 8, 2016.

She joins brothers Brooks and Carter.

70 SPARK | Class Notes

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The Class of 2001 held their 15-year reunion at the home of Katy and Warren Hunter. A great time was had by the more than 80 classmates and significant others who attended. Everyone enjoyed catching up, eating food from Slideways food truck, reminiscing while looking through Torches from (many) years past, and even catching

Bryson Powell ’98 and Hunter Powell ’01 both had daughters last fall. Ellington Mae Powell (daughter of Bryson and Lauren) was born Nov. 8, 2016, and Sara Bryce Powell (daughter of Hunter) was born Sept. 3, 2016. up with Weldon and Emily Bradshaw, who stopped by! Many thanks to the Hunters for hosting, and thanks to all who were able to make it from both in and out of town. Hope those who weren’t able to be there will join us for our 20th Reunion in a few short years! – submitted by Lucy Moore Hogsed Warren Hunter was recently named head of the Middle School at St. Christopher’s School after serving as interim head. He previously worked as a Lower, Middle and Upper School teacher, a three-sport coach and a Middle School Dean of Students at St. Christopher’s.

Patrick Wolfgang ’01 married Alyssa Zurawsky on May 7, 2016.

Class of 2001 Cougars turned New Yorkers celebrated the second birthday of Carter Judkins Greendyke’s daughter, Annie. Pictured are Carter Hamill Backus and her daughter, Beau, Carter Judkins Greendyke and Annie, and Kristen Ekey Berke, and her son, Blair.

Sarah Hyslop ’01 married Nick Leonardelli on Aug. 6, 2016.

Gregory “Rory” Edward McGeorge, Jr., son of J eannie Costin McGeorge ’06 and Greg McGeorge ’01, was born Aug. 3, 2016.

Carter Judkins Greendyke writes, “We loved celebrating our daughter, Annie’s, second birthday with fellow ’01 Cougars turned New Yorkers and their kids (see picture)! I am so glad I was able to make it to Richmond for our 15th Reunion! What a great class we have!

Life is still good in NYC. I’m still teaching Spanish at KIPP NYC College Prep HS and we love living on the Upper West Side.”

MARRIED: Sarah Hyslop to Nick Leonardelli on Aug. 6, 2016, at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Richmond with a reception following at Willow Oaks Country Club. Collegiate grads in the

wedding were sisters of the bride and maids of honor, Anne Forrest Hyslop ’03 and Lauren Hyslop ’08, as well as Sarah’s classmates Brandon Jacob Moss ’01 and Sarah Morck Peavey ’01. Many fellow Cougars enjoyed the festivities including Sarah’s former 3rd Grade colleagues Lauren Brown, Dani Mendonsa, Ann Staples and Emily Oney and former field hockey coaches Karen Doxey and MH Bartzen. Sarah and Nick live in Boston where Sarah teaches 5th Grade at the Park School in Brookline and Nick is an assistant basketball coach at UMass-Lowell.

Patrick Wolfgang to Alyssa Zurawsky on May 7, 2016, at Wintergreen Resort.

Sister Katie Wolfgang Beaman ’03 was a bridesmaid. Patrick and Alyssa live in Pikeville, KY, where he is an anesthesiologist and she is a critical care nurse at Pikeville Medical Center.

BORN: Gregory “Rory” Edward McGeorge, Jr. to Greg McGeorge and wife Jeannie Costin McGeorge ’06 on Aug. 3, 2016.

Sara Bryce Powell to Hunter Powell and wife Carla on Sept. 3, 2016.

SPRING 2017 71

Rose Antoinette Thalhimer, daughter of Michael Thalhimer ’01, was born Nov. 15, 2016.

Rose Antoinette Thalhimer to Michael Thalhimer and wife Alyson on Nov. 15, 2016. After spending over five years together in California, this past summer Michael and Alyson moved back to the Midwest just in time for baby Rose’s arrival and to follow Michael’s career change into the solar energy industry.

Following 11 years with The Coca-Cola Co., Michael was hired as director of business development for All Energy Solar, a company founded in 2009 by one of Michael’s long-time friends from the University of Wisconsin. He currently oversees the company’s commercial and industrial solar energy projects across Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Massachusetts. The new family recently bought their first home together and now reside in St. Paul, MN.

20 0 2

Hunter Huber and Rob Courain recently launched High Brass Cuffs, a business that creates cufflinks handcrafted from spent shotgun shells. Visit www.highbrasscuffs.com to learn more.

Adam Pendleton was recently interviewed by The Atlantic following the opening of his exhibition, “Midnight in America,” at Galerie Eva Presenhuber

72 SPARK | Class Notes

in Zurich, Switzerland.

His work uses language and abstraction to explore history, race and art itself. Based in Brooklyn, Adam is one of the youngest artists represented by Pace John Flynn ’02 married Stephanie Stawicki on Oct. 28, 2016.

Gallery, and his work has been acquired by the Museum of Modern Art and the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago.

His clinical and research work has been MARRIED: John Flynn to Stephanie presented at meetings in the U.S. and Stawicki on Oct. 28, 2016, in Moorestown, Europe. In June 2016, he attended the NJ. Gray Clevenger served as best European Extracorporeal Life Support man. Stephanie and John live near Society’s annual conference in Glasgow, Philadelphia, where she works at the Scotland. There, he was one of 20 Wharton School of the University of international young physician-scientists Pennsylvania and he works in advertising. who received the “Young Fellows Award for Promising Research” for research into artificial lung technology for larger neonates requiring cardiopulmonary Dr. John Daniel is finishing his bypass support. John plans to continue fellowship in neonatal intensive care his clinical and research work at a large medicine at the University of Kentucky’s academic medical center and is currently College of Medicine. John provides care for being recruited by centers in the U.S. and critically ill infants who have been born United Kingdom. prematurely as well as larger infants who require cardiopulmonary bypass.

2 003

Alexis Beck ’03 married Jordan Henry on Sept. 10, 2016. Several Collegiate alums served as bridesmaids including Amanda Beck Gano ’95, Christina Sweeney Bier ’03, Kim Frazier Childs ’03, Samantha Price Huber ’03, Melissa Goodman ’03 and Melissa Preston Jessell ’03.

MARRIED: Alexis Beck to Jordan Henry on Sept. 10, 2016, at the Ritz-Carlton Georgetown in Washington, DC. They currently live in Seattle, WA. BORN: Wyatt Marshall Dillon to Caitlin Kelly Dillon and husband Zach on July 20, 2016. “I am finishing up my last year of family medicine residency at St. Luke’s University Health Network in Bethlehem, PA, where I am chief resident, and am looking forward to completing residency and joining a local family practice in Allentown, PA, while my husband, Zach, finishes his last year of ER residency in the area. We are enjoying being parents to Wyatt, who is a very happy and smiley little guy.”

River Anna Stone to Brenna Koorse Stone and husband Jett on Sept. 8, 2016.

Wellington “Watkins” Cottrell V to Caitlin Shalley Cottrell and husband Will on Aug. 13, 2016. The family resides in San Francisco where Will is a director with the Corporate Executive Board and Caitlin is a nurse anesthetist with the San Francisco VA Medical Center.

River Anna Stone, daughter of Brenna Koorse Stone ’03, was born Sept. 8, 2016.

Wellington “Watkins” Cottrell V, son of Caitlin Shalley Cottrell ’03, was born Aug. 13, 2016.

Caitlin Kelly Dillon ’03 and her son Wyatt recently took their first trip to the Finger Lakes.

SPRING 2017 73

Grant Steadman ’04 (far right) recently joined Steadman Family Dentistry where his father, Robert Steadman, is the founder and his mother, Susan Heiner Steadman ’71, is the office administrator.

2004

MARRIED: Spotty Robins to Anne Carey Roane on June 11, 2016, at The Homestead in Hot Springs, VA. Father Randy Robins ’64 served as best man. Spotty and Anne Carey live in Orange, VA, where he is the assistant admissions director and head lacrosse coach at Woodberry Forest School and she is pursuing a master’s degree as a family nurse practitioner at VCU. BORN: Benjamin William Emerson II to Benjamin Emerson and wife Kelsey on June 6, 2016. The family lives in Atlanta where Ben works for the Georgia Tech combustion lab and is teaching a jet propulsion course for the engineering school this year in addition to being in charge of U.S. government research for the lab.

Mattie den Hartog ’05 married Louis Maisel on June 18, 2016.

74 SPARK | Class Notes

Maura McGroarty ’05 married Jason Robinson on July 9, 2016.

2005 Ian Chavis recently earned a new degree: MAI, or designated member of the Appraisal Institute. MAI designation is held by individuals who are experienced in the valuation and evaluation of commercial, industrial, residential and other types of properties, and who advise clients on real estate investment decisions.

MARRIED: Mattie den Hartog to Louis Maisel on June 18, 2016, at her parents’ home in Crozier, VA. Clarke Leisy was a bridesmaid and brother Jonathan den Hartog ’99 was a groomsman. Mattie and Louis live in Mobile, AL. Maura McGroarty to Jason Robinson on July 9, 2016. Tori Christmas was a bridesmaid and Madeline Sisk was a reader. Maura is a senior consultant for the North Highland Company and Jason is a lobbyist for the National Automobile Dealers Association.

Evan Ocheltree to Alexis Janes ’08 on Sept. 17, 2016, in Jackson, WY. The wedding party included Jamie Bokinsky, Clay Carter, Chase Lansing, Braxton Pruitt, Will Parker, Pierce Redfern, Lindsey York ’08, Alice Chambers ’08 and Amy Ocheltree Schaaf ’01.

Caroline Stutts to Daniel Gardiner on Sept. 10, 2016, in Charlottesville, where they now live. Collegiate alums in the wedding party included Peter Stutts ’02, Barbara Kahn ’02, Liza Stutts ’99, Gracie McGurn Mason, Sarah Harrison and Kate Robertson.

Alexis Janes ’08 married Evan Ocheltree ’05 on Sept. 17, 2016.

Cougars celebrated the marriage of Caroline Stutts ’05 and Daniel Gardiner on Sept. 10, 2016.

Collegiate friends celebrated at the rehearsal before Ellen Munson ’06 married Ilya Krifman on June 18, 2016.

Pictured are Becca Sellergren, Caroline Cannon, Ellen Munson Krifman, Maribeth Turner Lacy and Katie Carter (all ’06).

SPRING 2017 75

2007 Sarah Gorrell received her MA in Counseling from Eastern Mennonite University and is a supervisor with Compass Youth and Family Services in Harrisonburg, VA, where she works with families affected by autism.

MARRIED: Jaclyn Buseck to Rys Davis on Aug. 6, 2016, at St. Bridget Catholic Church in Richmond. Sisters Jessie Buseck Poole ’06 and Victoria Buseck ’12 served as matron and maid of honor, respectively. Brother Nick Buseck ’09 walked Jaclyn down the aisle and was a groomsman. Jaclyn is working toward her MS in clinical speech-language pathology at James Madison University and Rys works at Woodside Equine Clinic.

Kate Hoover to Dave Goerold on Sept. 24, 2016. Sister Anna Hoover ’14 was maid of honor. Classmates Jackie Foster Mullen, Brooke Matson, Terren Niethamer and Cara Tuttle Dutil were bridesmaids. Kate and Dave met in the Master of Accounting program at the University of Virginia in 2011. They now live in Northern Virginia, where she works in tax at Deloitte and he works in financial reporting at AES Corp.

The Class of ’06 celebrated its 10th reunion at Balliceaux.

Jaclyn Buseck ’07 married Rys Davis on Aug. 6, 2016.

Kate Hoover ’07 married Dave Goerold on Sept. 24, 2016.

20 0 6

10 T H R E U N I O N

The Class of 2006 gathered to celebrate our 10-year reunion at Balliceaux. We had about 50 classmates attend, including a couple West Coast Cougars and one all the way from Cambodia (shoutout to Troy Shapiro). It was great to see everyone and catch up — thanks so much to all who joined us! – submitted by Francie Friddell MARRIED: Ellen Munson to Ilya Krifman on June 18, 2016, at King

76 SPARK | Class Notes

Family Vineyards in Crozet, VA. Becca Sellergren was the maid of honor and Caroline Cannon, Katie Carter and Maribeth Turner Lacy were bridesmaids.

Ellen and Ilya live in Arlington, VA, where she is transplant nurse practitioner at George Washington University Hospital and he is a project manager for software company NIC. BORN: Gregory “Rory” Edward McGeorge, Jr. to Jeannie Costin McGeorge and husband Greg McGeorge ’01 on Aug. 3, 2016.

Caroline Terry ’07 married Selwyn Turner on July 16, 2016.

Caroline Terry to Selwyn Turner on July 16, 2016. Catherine Barnett was the maid of honor and Meredith Ascari, Carly Golliday, Virginia Layfield, Betts McGurn, Berkley Robins, Steffi Ross, Melinda Sisk and Bonnie Zimmer Bedell were bridesmaids. Brother Walker

Terry ’05 was a groomsman. Caroline and Selwyn live in New York City where she is a merchandising manager at David Yurman and he is a senior credit manager at The Credit Junction.

20 0 8 MARRIED: Alexis Janes to Evan Ocheltree ’05 on Sept. 17, 2016, in Jackson, WY. The wedding party included Lindsey York, Alice Chambers, Jamie Bokinsky ’05, Clay Carter ’05, Chase Lansing ’05, Will Parker ’05, Braxton Pruitt ’05, Pierce Redfern ’05 and Amy Ocheltree Schaaf ’01.

DIED: Perrin Thompson Hall on Nov. 25, 2016, after a six-and-a-half-year battle with kidney cancer. At Collegiate, she was the Madonna in Pageant, a senior pages editor for the Torch, and a member of the Honor Council and crew team. She went on to graduate from Furman College. She lived her senior quote from Les Miserables, “To love another person, is to see the face of God.” Perrin is survived by her husband, Joseph Curtis Hall; her grandparents,

Stella and Wardy Thompson and Louise and Jeff Mann; her parents, Tommy and Weezie Thompson; her brothers, Chris Thompson ’11 and Alex Thompson ’13; her aunts and uncles, Elizabeth Thompson Childrey ’68 (Bill), Mike Thompson (Christy), Litt Thompson (Kath), Suzie Cowan (Andy), Boo Winsett (Pat) and Jeff Mann, Jr. (Molly); her many cousins; her parents-in-law, Jack and Cathy Hall; and sister-in-law, Alice Hall.

2 00 9 Alex Daniel currently lives in San Francisco where he works for Carbon Five as a web developer and software engineer.

Teddy Gorrell is a full‑time student at UNC-Asheville where he is finalizing his BA with a major in business. Previously, he worked as a part-time supervisor at UPS in

ABOVE: Collegiate alums reunited when Kennon Harrison ’09 married Tracy Sanders on June 18, 2016.

BELOW: The Class of ’11 celebrated its 5th reunion at the Vintage Room at Pearl Raw Bar.

Asheville while he took classes part time.

MARRIED: Kennon Harrison to Tracy Sanders on June 18, 2016, at Norwood Plantation.

Jim Lindgren to Sierre Norton on Oct. 24, 2015, at Randolph-Macon College.

The couple lives in Ashland where Jim is a diesel mechanic and Sierre works at Union Bank & Trust.

20 1 0 Jake McGee is a tight end with the San Diego Chargers’ practice squad.

20 1 1

5 TH REUNION

The Class of 2011 had a great time celebrating our five-year reunion! We had over 65 folks attend the event at Pearl Raw Bar. While the venue was great, the large turnout is really what made the night special. It was wonderful getting to reconnect with our class, tell old Collegiate stories, and hear about the different things people are doing these days. The Class of 2011 is doing some GREAT things! I cannot wait to see what the next five years bring! – submitted by Walker Surgner James & Emma, the duo featuring Emma White, recently released a music video for their song Forget About Us. The video, shot in the Richmond area, was directed, filmed and edited by Daniel Bagbey, and Russell Harper ’10 contributed drone footage. Rutherford Moore was an actor in the video and John Thompson assisted on set. Michael Bland ’83 offered up his Wagoneer for the shoot. To see the video and keep up with James & Emma, visit www.facebook.com/ jamesandemmamusic.

Cougars from the Class of 2011 got together last fall in Washington, DC.

SPRING 2017 77

20 1 2 In May 2016, Anna Jones graduated summa cum laude from Bucknell University with a BA in psychology and Italian studies. She was also inducted into Bucknell’s chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. Over the summer, Anna worked as in intern with

Class of 2012 friends reunited when Grayson Thornton got married on Oct. 29, 2016. Pictured are Duncan Kilpatrick, Luke Walker, Scott Newton, John Moore, Chap Roberts and Jimmy Berents.

Cole Phillips ’12 visited three Upper School classes in January to share his perspective about the political climate in the Middle East.

Anna Jones ’12 lives in Verolanuova, Italy, where she works as an English teacher.

78 SPARK | Class Notes

two psychologists at VCU in Richmond.

In October 2016, she moved to Verolanuova, Italy, a small town in the northern part of the country. She now works there as an English teacher at a high school and will stay through June 2017.

Cole Phillips, a Fulbright Fellow currently living in Amman, Jordan, visited three Upper School classes in January to share his perspective about the political climate in the Middle East.

For his year‑long Fulbright grant, Cole is researching the economic problems in rural areas of Jordan and how they contribute to the political unrest in the

region. Cole talked about how participating in Collegiate’s inaugural International Emerging Leaders Conference (IELC) six years ago, and traveling abroad to Morocco as a student at Collegiate, guided him toward his current career path.

Aside from his research, Cole works with Collateral Repair Project, a nonprofit organization that aids refugees from Syria, Iraq, Sudan, Yemen, Somalia and Eritrea with basic needs as they try to rebuild their lives. He teaches English classes, helps with activities for adults and children, and raises funds for the organization.

MARRIED: Laura Davia to Andrew Kistler on June 18, 2016.

Brother Brian Davia ’14 was a groomsman. Laura and Andrew live in Atlanta where she attends Emory Law School.

Grayson Thornton to Ellie McKinnon on Oct. 29, 2016.

20 1 3 Wilton Speight, quarterback for the University of Michigan, was named the Big Ten offensive player of the week in September. In December, he was voted the team’s most improved player for the 2016 season.

O B ITU AR IES

Our condolences are offered to these Collegiate families.

Elizabeth “Betty Call” Dorset, mother of Elizabeth Dorset Hospodar ’93, died Dec. 29, 2016.

Alan G. Fleischer, father of Tenley Fleischer Beazley ’86 and grandfather of Ford Beazley ’16, Georgia Beazley ’17 and Frances Beazley ’23, died Aug. 17, 2016.

Anne Watlington ’74, sister of Beth Marchant ’72, died Oct. 15, 2016.

John “Jack” D. Welsh, husband of former math teacher Jeanette Welsh and father of Murray Welsh ’89, died Oct. 21, 2016.

Jim Fontaine ’69, brother of Madison Fontaine ’71, died Sept. 20, 2016.

The Honorable Roger Williams ’71, brother of Steve Williams ’72, Van Williams ’76 and Wendy Williams Jones ’76, died Oct. 11, 2016.

Allison Hiller Hale ’96, sister of Katie Hiller Renie ’90, died Nov. 30, 2016.

J. Early Wood , father of Jay Wood ’88 and Lil Wood Harris ’92, died Nov. 25, 2016.

Perrin Thompson Hall ’08, sister of Chris Thompson ’11 and Alex Thompson ’13, died Nov. 25, 2016.

Patrick S. Henry ’90, brother of Mike Henry ’84 and uncle of Jack Henry ’22, died Jan. 9, 2017.

Gerald “Jerry” D. Jackson, Jr., husband of Nancy Smith-Jackson ’78, died June 13, 2016.

Betty Jane Stone Jefferson ’60, sister of Mary Stone Rowe ’66, died Aug. 31, 2016.

Charissa F. Massie, mother of Brown Massie ’10, Emma Massie ’11 and Olivia Massie ’15, died Oct. 8, 2016.

Carol I. McGee, mother of Bo McGee ’08 and Jake McGee ’10, died Jan. 6, 2017.

Dr. J. Thomas “Tom” Owen, father of Courtney Owen Mattes ’97, died Aug. 24, 2016.

H. Merrill Plaisted III, father of Fred Plaisted ’79 and Parker Plaisted ’82, died Nov. 30, 2016.

Middle School French teacher Maria Benson visited Yixuan Zhao ’18, who was a Collegiate student from K-9th Grade, in Boston the weekend of Nov. 11-13, 2016, to hear her play flute in the NEC youth orchestra. Yixuan is now a junior at Phillips Andover.

John W. Watkins, Jr., husband of Kathe Beattie Watkins ’60 and father of Kendall Watkins McGlynn ’87 and Stewart Watkins Allen ’89, died Nov. 5, 2016.

Anne Pyle ’55, sister of Lucy Cabell Pyle Summerell ’51, died Oct. 13, 2016.

Harry C. Stoddard, father of Jo Beth Stoddard ’07, died Jan. 12, 2017.

A LU MNI Gertrude Clark Murrell duPont Howland ’27 Margaret Elizabeth Flippen Bleecker Whitaker ’44 Jane Drewry Moseley Ogden ’50 Anne Pyle ’55 Elizbeth Jane Stone Jefferson ’60 Helen Elizabeth James Adams ’63 Andrew Hurty Sinnickson ’68 James Arthur Fontaine ’69 The Honorable Roger Louis Williams ’71 Anne Armistead Watlington ’74 Patrick Sullivan Henry ’90 Allison Adams Hiller Hale ’96 Perrin Louise Thompson Hall ’08

FO R MER FAC U LTY & S TAF F Elizabeth “Betty Call” Dorset, teacher, died Dec. 29, 2016.

Adelaide W.B. Glascock, French teacher, died Oct. 3, 2016.

Charles “Charley” F. Wiltshire, French teacher, assistant to the head of the Boys School and Battle of the Brains coach, died Nov. 18, 2016.

Jordan L. Strickler, son of Ann Robins Strickler ’76, died Nov. 9, 2016.

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80 SPARK | Class Notes

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Class Notes

PA R T I N G S H O T Last fall, 24 student crew members — lighting, sound, costume, makeup, set — worked some magic backstage during the successful three-night run of Into the Woods. Among other duties, they managed 150 lights, 30 audio outputs, 24 microphone inputs, three computers and one projector. Here’s an above-the-stage view of their efforts.

103 North Mooreland Road Richmond, Virginia 23229

Celebrating a New Year

Students ushered in the Year of the Rooster with the Fourth Annual Chinese New Year Celebration, marking the 10th anniversary of the Chinese language program at Collegiate.