August 2017
EPISCOPAL COLLEGIATE SCHOOL MAGAZINE
School Leadership Dr. David Perkinson Head of School Tom Charlton Director of Finance and Operations Davario Hardy Director of Athletics The Reverend Rob Leacock Chaplain Cole Lester Head of Lower School Dr. Chuck McCormick Head of Middle School Catherine Radtke Director of Student Support Services Matt Radtke Director of Institutional Advancement Don Stalls Director of Innovation and Technology Jo Stoltz Academic Dean, 6-12th Troy Urquhart Head of Upper School
On the Cover
Episcopal Collegiate School Magazine August 2017, Volume 4, Issue 1 EDITOR Marty Trieschmann GRAPHIC DESIGN Tom Melson The Episcopal Collegiate School Magazine is published by the Office of Institutional Advancement, Episcopal Collegiate School, Jackson T. Stephens Campus, 1701 Cantrell Road, Little Rock Arkansas. This magazine is published for Episcopal Collegiate School parents, alumni, and friends. Send comments to mtrieschmann@episcopalcollegiate.org. 2 | episcopalcollegiate.org
Freshly minted with their Senior Blazers, (l to r) Lee Tucker, Samuel Rhee, Andrew Mathews, and Nicole Occidental celebrate their status as Seniors on Transition Day.
From the
Head of School Dear Wildcat Community, This year’s magazine marks the end of a remarkable year in the life of Episcopal Collegiate—continued academic excellence, impressive college acceptances, an expectation-exceeding annual fund, award-winning student work, championshipwinning teams, captivating performances, and transformative service to the greater good. I am encouraged by our ongoing commitment to ensuring the Episcopal Collegiate experience is second to none for each and every student. I hope you sense the positive energy so many have expressed to me throughout the spring.
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Two ideas capture much of what excites me about where we are and where we are headed. The first is related to an unattributed quote someone shared with me recently: Excellence is a journey, not a destination. Our commitment to excellence is knitted into the fabric of this school and can be traced back to its founding vision. Our pursuit of it is multi-faceted, ongoing, and evolving. Routinely, our faculty challenge themselves to critically examine their practice as they seek to maximize the growth of each and every student. Daily, our students engage enthusiastically in a host of domains—exploring passions, embracing challenge, and striving rather than settling. As successes are earned, the effort is renewed. The second aspect of my anticipation of what is to come is related to my belief in this institution and the members of this community that love it so dearly. The best days of Episcopal Collegiate School are yet to come. We have a remarkable story of vision, commitment, and action. Our students have accomplished so much. Our alumni cherish their time at Episcopal and what it has meant to them. We have enjoyed tremendous success. Yet, we have even greater things within our grasp. In the coming months, you will hear about the strategic plan developed by the Board of Trustees as a result of our work over the past year. That work included input from almost every member of the current school community through the constituent surveys conducted in April of 2016 and focus groups conducted with over 250 students, faculty, administrators, current and past parents, alumni, and Board members this past March. Members of the Senior Leadership Team and the Board of Trustees poured over these responses and a variety of data with our consultants during a retreat in early April. Since that time, we have been working to refine a set of strategic targets, hone strategies for reaching those targets, and identify priorities. This work will guide our efforts in the coming years, and we are eager to share it with you. Early this fall, you will have additional opportunities to have input as we wrap up the planning process and transition into an implementation phase. The best is yet to come.
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As we look forward to our 20th year of operation during the 2017-18 school year, I hope you share my excitement and lend your time, your voice, and your resources to our ongoing pursuit of excellence. Sincerely,
David B. Perkinson Head of School 1. Bringing out the Alleluias in Lower School Chapel; 2. First day of school formal wear; 3. Introducing Timber to some new friends; 4. Iron Man and the Senior Leadership Team surprise Lower School students on Halloween
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Intelligent, Engaged, Creative, and Compassionate: Episcopal’s Class of 2017 is Poised to Make a Difference
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hey’ve served as counselors and tutors, Sunday school teachers, coaches, and care providers. They’ve worked in clinics, camps, and rehabilitation centers. They’ve used their artistic talents, their personal struggles, and their love of sports to minister to the needs of others,” said Head of School Dr. David Perkinson in describing the volunteer efforts of the Class of 2017. “Their service is as diverse as their interests,” said Perkinson in addressing family and friends of graduates gathered on May 20 for the School’s 14th Commencement exercises. While service is infused in the lives of Episcopal students early on, students in the Class of 2017 took their charge to turn their eyes “outward to see their obligations in the world” (daily school prayer) to a new level. Collectively, the class volunteered more than 2,250
hours in support of 33 non-profit organizations and projects, with some students individually giving more than 150 hours while performing well academically, and actively participating in the school’s athletic and arts programs. “They are change-makers,” said Tricia Davis, Director of College Counseling. “They have so much going for them. They’re smart, they know how to gets things done, and they care. I’m excited to see what the future holds for this group.” In addition to being one of the most involved and service-minded classes to attend Episcopal Collegiate, the graduation of the Class of 2017 marked a significant milestone, as the class is the first to graduate with students who attended the Lower School, which opened in 2009. Episcopal was pleased to welcome back the Founding Head of Lower School, Kelly Kennedy, for the occasion.
CLASS OF 2017 Highlights Most Competitive Colleges
2017
CLASS OF
(schools that admit 1/3 or less of applicants)
40% Acceptance Rate
Compared to a 33% average acceptance rate
Highly Competitive Colleges
181 College Applications
(an average of 3 per student)
65%
2017
CLASS OF
(schools that admit 1/3 - 1/2 of applicants)
86% Acceptance Rate
Compared to a 33-50% average acceptance rate
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51
Students
Awarded 87% college merit
scholarships in excess of $6.5 million
27 Average ACT Score
(39% at 30 or higher)
Participation in Athletics
87%
Participation in fine arts
Commencement 2017 Honors and Awards
Valedictorian
Salutatorians
Jackson T. Stephens Outstanding Senior
Montgomery Scholars
Clay Schuler
Jack Carney Alice Berry
Alicia Duvall
Jordan Moore Kaitlyn Johnson
Outstanding Athletes Josef Braunfisch Micaylah Thomas
National Merit Finalists Jack Carney Pierce Risinger
Summa Cum Laude Dahye Kim Olivia Moore Harrison Shelnutt Elizabeth Strickland
David Davila Caleb Dowell Alisha Duvall Anna Feldman
Magna Cum Laude Tristan Brass Caroline Burns Madison Davis Townes Delp Owen Hadden
Gavin Hawkins Meredith Headlee Amalie King Emma Lassiter Abigail Martin
Madeline McCulloch Jordan Moore Jack Nolan Arden Stephens Mallory Whitehead
Cum Laude Caitlyn Brandom Kennedy Brown Haley Henderson
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Mimi Johnson Maggie Jones
S E N I O R SUCCESS The Class of 2017 is an amazingly diverse group of 51 individuals. They’re artists, athletes, book worms, social activists, and leaders. We would love to tell you about each and every one of them. They each have their own successes and unique stories. What do they have in common? They are all moving on to great college experiences. Here are a few of the amazing opportunities our graduates will experience.
#bestcollegeprep #morethancollegeready Jack Carney Co-Salutatorian, National Merit Finalist, Stephens Award City Education Trust Winner, Quiz Bowl Stud, History Buff, Voracious Reader, Soccer Player Will Attend: Stanford University Madison Davis Cheerleader, Mentor, Twin, Hair Artist, BeyoncĂŠ Fan Will Attend: Tulane University, Academic Merit Scholarship
Alisha Duvall Award-Winning Artist and Fashion Designer, Volunteer, Social Activist Will Attend: Washington University in St. Louis
Erbie Jennings Accomplished Track and Field Athlete, Model, Salesman, ECTV Reporter, Artist Will Attend: Sewanee: The University of the South, Jesse Ball DuPont Scholarship
Maddie McCulloch Performer, Singer, Stage Manager Extraordinaire Will Attend: The Theatre School at DePaul University, one of the most selective theatre schools in the country.
Milo McGehee Lover of the Written Word, Actor, Musician, Beat Boxer Will Attend: Olglethorpe University in Atlanta, GA, James Oglethorpe Scholarship
Pierce Risinger National Merit Finalist, Football Player, Wrestler, Soccer Player Will Attend: United States Air Force Academy, full scholarship
Harrison Shelnutt Math Whiz, Comedian, Stagehand, Arkansas Food Bank Volunteer, Photographer Will Attend: University of Arkansas Honors College Fellowship
Wildcats Recognize Achievement (and Rock the Boat) on Class Day! It’s hard to know what brought more joy on Class Day 2017 – the unforgettable performance of the popular 80’s song, Rock the Boat by Wildcat Percussion or the recognition of 130 students for a remarkable string of achievements during the 201617 school year. Class Day always brings the magic, but this year, it was hard to contain the emotion as the incredible talents and achievements of our students were on full display. Students in grades 6-12 dressed in their Episcopal finest for the annual ceremony, held May 19 in the Championship Gym. The event recognized student achievement and contributions in many areas, including scholarship, service, fine arts, and technology. For seniors, Class Day marked the “kick-off” of Commencement as they wore their caps and gowns for the first time. The ceremony included remarks by Warren A. Stephens, President of the Episcopal Collegiate School Foundation Board of Directors, Harriet C. Stephens, Vice President of the Board of Trustees, and Head of School David Perkinson. David Davila ’17 delivered remarks announcing the Class of 2017 gift of a hydroponic growing system for the Lower School.
Nicole Occidental, Harvard Book Award
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Head of School David Perkinson announced the Senior Honor Roll on Class Day: Valedictorian Clay Schuler (photo above), and Co-Salutatorians Jack Carney and Alice Berry. Shelby Worsham, Washington & Lee Book Award
Class Day Awards Upper School Service Award Maddy McCulloch
Citizenship Awards Emma Grace Cooley, 6th Grade Ellie Braunecker, 7th Grade Tatum Howard, 8th Grade John Peter Braunfisch, 9th Grade Cori Clower, 10th Grade Jessalyn Hoskyn, 11th Grade Jordan Moore, 12th Grade
Steven Angtuaco, Jefferson Book Award
Andrew Mathews, Yale Book Award
Samuel Rhee, Penn Book Award
Middle School Service Awards
The Reverend Canon R. Ewing Jackson Jr. Medal
(l to r): Adanna Mogbo, Lotanna Mogbo, Jamil Jackson
Scottie Traylor
Class of 2017 College Acceptances Agnes Scott College
University of Miami
The University of Alabama in Huntsville
Millsaps College
The University of Alabama
University of Mississippi
Allegheny College
Missouri State University
Arkansas State University
University of Missouri Columbia
University of Arkansas
The University of North Carolina at
Auburn University
Chapel Hill
Baylor University
Pennsylvania State University
Belmont University
University of Pennsylvania
Butler University
University of Puget Sound
Case Western Reserve University
Rhodes College
University of Central Arkansas
University of Richmond
University of Central Florida
Samford University
College of Charleston
Savannah College of Art and Design
Colorado College
Seattle University
University of Denver
Sewanee: The University of the South
DePaul University
Southern Methodist University
Emerson College
Spelman College
Emory University
Stanford University
Fisk University
Texas Christian University
Florida Atlantic University
Trinity University
Florida Institute of Technology
Tulane University
Fordham University
United States Air Force Academy
Furman University
University of Utah
Georgetown University
Utah State University
The University of Georgia
Vanderbilt University
Grinnell College
University of Virginia
Hendrix College
Wake Forest University
High Point University
Washington and Lee University
Johns Hopkins University
Washington State University
Kenyon College
Washington University in St. Louis
Louisiana State University
Western State Colorado University
Loyola University Chicago
Wheaton College
The University of Memphis
College of William and Mary
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2017 Stephens Awards Jackson T. Stephens Outstanding Senior Alisha Nicole Duvall Alisha Nicole Duvall ’17 was announced as the recipient of the 2017 Jackson T. Stephens Outstanding Senior Award on Class Day. The Senior Award, which includes a $5,000 grant to be used at the recipient’s discretion, recognizes a scholar who has compiled a superior academic record and possesses an unparalleled work ethic. “Determination, loyalty, integrity, hard work, and service ... these are the qualities exemplified in my father’s life and made manifest in the life of this year’s recipient,” said Mr. Warren Stephens, President of the Episcopal Collegiate School Foundation Board of Directors. “Without a doubt, [she] has established a superior academic record earning an overall GPA of 4.30 while taking eight AP classes and earning only one grade below 93 for any course for any semester during her entire high school career. “Her teachers describe her as one of those thinkers who listens, analyzes and synthesizes information, makes connections across disciplines, and offers insightful comments that move the understanding of others forward. She is self-motivated to learn—devoted, thoughtful, and always giving an incredible effort to any task.
“While her academic and artistic accomplishments are impressive, it is the expression of her character through the humble and caring way she lives that truly sets her apart.”
“As an artist, she performs and produces across the disciplines— singing, acting, designing, painting, and illustrating. She has a commanding presence and an expressive style on stage and has performed in almost every theatrical production since her 7th grade year. She has won city-wide awards and recognition for her design work and led peers in service efforts through the arts. She has painted murals to brighten up impoverished neighborhoods, organized classmates for community projects, and participated in work to support Homes for Haiti,” Mr. Stephens said. “While her academic and artistic accomplishments are impressive, it is the expression of her character through the humble and caring way she lives that truly sets her apart.” Congratulations Alisha!
Jackson T. Stephens Outstanding Faculty Katie Robinson
Middle and Upper School Technology Integration Specialist Katie Robinson received the 2017 Jackson T. Stephens Outstanding Faculty Award. Ms. Robinson received a $10,000 grant - $5,000 that may be used at her discretion and an additional $5,000 for continuing education. “[Katie] so clearly epitomizes the qualities outlined in this award description that some might think we wrote it just for her,” said Mr. Stephens in presenting the award named for his father. “Her commitment to excellence is reflected in the challenge she presents to her students and in her personal efforts to grow. Her love of teaching and learning is evident in her classes and her rapport with students. Her energy and leadership is appreciated by her colleagues. “Her classes reflect many of the best practices of today and require students to think critically, solve problems creatively, and collaborate effectively,” Mr. Stephens added. “The projects for her course clearly reflect her belief in their ability to reach high levels of success. Her strong rapport with students allows her to continue to hold them to high standards without students getting frustrated by the challenge. She is artful in recognizing when to provide just the right kind of support. In the midst of it all, she maintains a smile on her face and a pleasant and playful disposition with her students. She clearly enjoys her work with students.” “But [Katie's] contributions and efforts extend well beyond her own classroom. There may not be another teacher on
this campus who is more up to date with current trends and approaches in her discipline. Not a day goes by without her sharing with a colleague about a new teaching method, a new tool, or an innovative project that she read about. “Like most good leaders, she first looks to serve—providing technical support, generating ideas collaboratively, and helping her colleagues implement new approaches. Her efforts allow others to take productive risks in their classrooms and help us move forward as a school. She is a cheerleader for our community and constantly encourages those around her to grow.”
Established by Mr. and Mrs. Warren Stephens in May 2014 and named for Mr. Jackson T. Stephens in honor of his lifelong support of education and the significant role he played in making Episcopal Collegiate School a reality, the Jackson T. Stephens Awards are presented annually to faculty and a senior who best exemplify the qualities which characterized Mr. Stephens' life and work.
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Harriet Calhoun Stephens Distinguished Service Mr. and Mrs. Chuck and Terri Erwin
“They have given of themselves in every respect for the establishment, growth, and success of Episcopal Collegiate School.”
Established on Class Day 2012, the Harriet Calhoun Stephens Distinguished Service Award honors community members who have given generously of their time, talent, and resources to ensure that Episcopal Collegiate School’s young people receive the very best education possible. On Class Day 2017, the award was presented to two recipients Mr. and Mrs. Chuck and Terri Erwin. “Episcopal Collegiate School has been blessed since its early years with the support and devotion of a very special couple,” said Mrs. Harriet Stephens. Mrs. Erwin served as Co-Chair of the first capital campaign in 1998 when the school was in its infancy. She was Chair of the Celebration Committee when The Cathedral Middle School was dedicated on November 3, 2000, before it was renamed Episcopal Collegiate School. She went on to serve on the Board of Trustees from 2000-2004 as Chair of the Long Range Planning Committee and the Resource Development Committee. She served on the Executive Committee as Secretary of the Board from 2003-2004. She was a member of the Committee on Trustees and served as the Parents’ Auxiliary Liaison during her tenure as well. She was a member of the Decennial Committee from 2007-2009 to help plan the school’s 10-year anniversary. She has been a member of the Episcopal Collegiate School Foundation Board of Directors since 2010 until present, serving as Secretary for six of those years. Mr. Erwin has been a member of the Board of Trustees since 2006. He was Treasurer for two years, Vice-President for one
year, and is completing his seventh year as President of the Board of Trustees. To date, he has served on the Board for 11 years, with 10 of those as an officer on the Executive Committee. He has served on the Finance Committee where the School has been the beneficiary of his day job knowledge. He has chaired the Long Range Strategic Planning Committee for the past eight years, with the most recent Strategic Plan undertaken in April. He has chaired Head of School searches and has been a source of great knowledge and wisdom for acting Heads of School and the Board of Trustees. He also has been an ex-officio member of the Foundation Board. The Erwin’s have separately and together volunteered in other capacities as well. “This certainly included varied involvements when their two children were students in the Classes of 2006 and 2008, but it is now 2017 and they are as dedicated and committed to Episcopal Collegiate School as ever,” said Mrs. Stephens. “Their financial generosity to the school has resulted in the naming of the Middle School library, the Lower School performance center and gymnasium and one of the school’s largest endowed scholarships. They have given of themselves in every respect for the establishment, growth, and success of Episcopal Collegiate School.” Past recipients of the Harriet Calhoun Stephens Distinguished Service Award are Christy Snowden, Debra Brown, and Mary Lou Entzminger.
Jack Carney and Joy Schultz Win 2017 Stephens Awards from City Education Trust Episcopal Collegiate’s Jack Carney ’17 and Upper School Visual Arts Teacher Joy Schultz were among the group of only eight high school seniors and five teachers in Little Rock to receive the 2016-17 Stephens Award from The City Education Trust. The awards include a $5,000 scholarship. “I cannot imagine two more deserving of these recognitions,” said Head of School David Perkinson. “Jack is the quintessential student—a deep thinker, a voracious reader, and an engaging writer. Joy is a national leader among visual art teachers. She effectively integrates technology, art, various media, art appreciation, art history, and communication in her highly student-centric approach.” Among Carney's many honors and accomplishments, he is a National Merit Scholar and was a key member of the School's award-winning Quiz Bowl Team. In 2016, Jack was named the State Quiz Bowl Tournament MVP. He was also member of the school's State Champion History Bowl Team. At Class Day he was awarded the Washington and Lee Book Award, in addition to numerous awards in individual subjects. He was a four-year letterman in Varsity Soccer. Jack will attend Stanford University in the fall. Ms. Schultz developed Episcopal's unique choice-based arts program in the Upper School and is a frequent speaker at art conferences around the country. She was recently featured in School Arts Magazine and was named the 2015 Secondary Art Teacher of the Year by the Arkansas Art Educators Association. She is Co-President of the Choice-Art Educators special interest group of the National Art Education Association.
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Summer Science Fellowships Expose Students to Medical Research Five rising seniors spent eight weeks this summer immersed in medical research as part of the 2017 Summer Science Fellowship Program. Episcopal partners with Arkansas Children’s Hospital and the Jackson T. Stephens Spine and Neurosciences Institute at UAMS to offer the exclusive summer fellowships to Episcopal students. Samuel Rhee and Shelby Worsham were recipients of the Arkansas Children’s Hospital Stella Boyle Smith Summer Science Scholar Awards. They spent eight weeks shadowing physicians, attending rounds and clinics, and touring different hospital units, as well as participating in mentored research with Dr. Wendy WardBegnoche, Pediatric Psychology, and Dr. Shannon Rose, Arkansas Children’s Research Institute..
“Episcopal is the only school invited to participate in these phenomenal programs and we are extremely grateful,” said Michell Dowell, Episcopal Science Department Chair.
Shelby studied and co-authored a paper on the effects of environmental agents on mitochondrial cells in children with autism. Samuel studied and coauthored papers on communication and leadership development. He won the Outstanding Research Award and $250. “Episcopal is the only school invited to participate in these phenomenal programs and we are extremely grateful,” said Michell Dowell, Episcopal Science Department Chair.
Colin Bridges, Andrew Mathews, and Nicole Occidental were recipients of the Jackson T. Stephens Spine and Neurosciences Institute Summer Research Fellowship Awards. They spent eight weeks directly involved in medical research under the guidance of some of UAMS’s leading researchers and physicians. Nicole worked with Dr. Mahmoud Kiaei, Assistant Professor of Neurodegenerative Diseases. Dr. Kiaei, father of Arianna ’16 and Lily, 8th grade, is researching the use of human stem cells to find a cure for Lou Gherig’s Disease, or ALS. Ezra Feldman ‘15 also worked with Dr. Kiaei, co-authoring a paper while he was a summer science scholar in 2014. Andrew worked with Dr. Sang-Hun Lee, Assistant Professor of Neurology, and Colin worked with Dr. Stewart MacLeod, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at UAMS.
Tandy Cobb: Episcopal’s First Lady of Literature Retires Chapel Message by Upper School English Teacher Lisa Conyer, May 8, 2017 It is a truth universally acknowledged that when one chapter comes to a close, another exciting chapter begins. When my friend Tandy Cobb told me she was going to “graduate with the Class of 2017,” I did exactly what you would expect me to do: I cried. Rather than enthusiastically support her decision, I “turned my eyes inward” to focus on ME because I’m a little selfish that way. Her announcement was bittersweet as all graduations are because I knew how much I would miss her being next to me every day, because she is my friend . . . because she is my best colleague, and because I have never known an Episcopal without her. Ms. Cobb is a cornerstone of this School. She came to Episcopal in 2000 when the halls of the Upper School were dark and empty. It was a little like Genesis, and God said, ‘Let there be light!’ and there was Tandy Cobb! When that first graduating class, the Class of 2004, was in 8th grade, she taught them and the Class of 2005 for 8th grade English, and 9th grade English, and, then again, when they were finally seniors, which she has done ever since. Among her many accomplishments, and there are many, Ms. Cobb has one claim to fame that no one else will ever be able to topple. She has taught every single student who has ever graduated from
Episcopal since our first graduating class in 2004. With the Class of 2017, that will be more than 650 students! Recently, I had the opportunity to ask them if they would write a note of congratulations to Ms. Cobb upon her retirement, and the response was overwhelming. As I read through the letters, I was reminded of so much about Episcopal through the years, and Maya Angelou said, the strong sense of community that “People will forget what has been unique to this place. In most of the letters, students added you did, people will what they remembered about her forget what you said, class, and in addition to the long but people will never list of favorite novels, plays, and poems she taught them to love, forget how you made there was one common thread that them feel.” transcended the content materials and the challenge. Above all else, they remember her laughter, her kindness, and her unwavering support of them as students and individuals. I wish you all had the opportunity to read these letters; they clearly define what it is to be an exceptional teacher and an exceptional person. Maya Angelou said, “People will forget what you did, people will forget what you said, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” At the end of your careers, I hope you will all know that true success is not really measured by your scores and awards. It’s really about the people we touch through our kindness, our laughter, and our love. To this end, Tandy Cobb is one of the richest people we will ever know. For the past 15 years, she has been my friend, my colleague, my mentor, and my “tone checker.” She has tried to teach me to be the best version of myself—she’s not finished yet. I will miss her daily presence in my life at school. However, she is intent on “graduating.” So, will you join me in congratulating her as I present her with her very own SENIOR SCRAPBOOK! Congratulations!
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Photo (l to r): David Webb, Joy Schultz, Melissa Baker, David Perkinson, Lisa Conyer, Vivian Blair and Don Stalls.
85 Collective Years of Educating Episcopal Youth At the annual end of the year faculty luncheon, seven faculty members were recognized for their more than eight decades of service to Episcopal Collegiate School, its mission, and students. Jo Stoltz became the School’s first 20-year service award recipient. Upper School English Teacher Lisa Conyer was honored for her 15 years of service to the school, and five others celebrated ten years of service. Congratulations to our ten-year Wildcats: Learning Specialist Melissa Baker, Upper School English Teacher Vivian Blair, Upper School Visual Arts Teacher Joy Schultz, Director of Innovation and Technology Don Stalls, and Middle and Upper School Latin Teacher David Webb. When this news spread on social media, alumni parents and students began liking, sharing, and posting comments, like this one from Susan Orsi Davis: “All of these teachers are so deserving of recognition for their service. Each one in this picture, in one way or another, made a positive impact on Andrew Schoessel and/or Austin Schoessel. This mama appreciates you. Thank you.”
Jo Stoltz celebrates 20 years!
On behalf of the Episcopal Collegiate community, we thank you, too!
DIVISION NEWS
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WIlDcat round-up We had a rip-roaring good time with 1,000 parents and friends at the 9th Annual Wildcat Round-Up Fall Festival.
LOWER SCHOOL The Episcopal Collegiate Lower School, commonly referred to as the “House of Joy� around the Jackson T. Stephens campus, continues to be a vibrant learning environment for our youngest students. We had a wonderful year tackling new subjects and being active participants in our own learning. Read on for some highlights of our year.
CAPSTONE
We presented our capstone projects to show what we learned. Some of our themes were Native Americans, Inventiveness, Let the Games Begin, Civil War, and Caldecott.
new Language Arts curriculum
We piloted an improved Language Arts curriculum focused on high level learning content with domains such as Greek mythology, ancestry, immigration, Ancient Rome, Fighting For a Cause.
Duke University Talent identification Eighty-four of our 4-6th graders qualified based on test scores for the competitive Duke University Talent Identification Program.
maker space mornings We got to tinker and let our imaginations run free during Maker Space Mornings in the Braunfisch-Stella Boyle Smith Library.
Design lab We constructed an 8’x3’ Lego Wall in the Lower School Design Lab where we display models of designs that test our creativity, spatial thinking, fine motor, math, and collaborative design skills. We had a great time in Design Lab and loved working with the Arduino microcontroller, Makey Makeys, TinkerCad, and Scratch.
QUIz bowl In their first year on the job, the Lower School Quiz Bowl Team won their first competition - the First Annual Upper Elementary Quiz Bowl Invitational in Texarkana, TX.
girls on the run We launched Girls on the Run, a wonderful program that inspires girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experiencebased curriculum which creatively integrates running.
memorable visitors
We enjoyed visits from Authors Diane DeGroat, Laura Murray, Emily Wyatt and Illustrator Nathaniel Dailey, New York Times best-selling author Margaret Peterson Haddix, Dancing Drum of New Orleans, and a real Secret Service Agent. 22 | episcopalcollegiate.org
Grandparents & Friends day We welcomed thousands of visitors to see us perform in the annual Christmas programs, and on Grandparents and Friends Day.
What lifts you? We enjoyed talking about what makes us happy, “lifts,” and inspires us in our What Lifts You? visual arts project based on the work of street artist Kelsey Montague.
Hi, dad! We started Dad’s Breakfast Fridays. What a great way to end the week!
election day
We cast our votes in our own mock election on Nov. 3 in the Lower School Simpson Commons. We elected “Winston” the Wildcat by a vote of with 51%. He’s doing great and his approval rating is high.
monarch migration We learned about the lifecycle of a butterfly, created our own butterfly wings, and marched through the hallways during the Annual First Grade Monarch Migration.
hands-on science We learned about the cardiovascular system by dissecting pig hearts in the Sydney and Bentley Blackmon Lower School Science Lab with the help of Dr. Tom Wallace and Dr. David Jones.
crayola surprise
We were so surprised when “Dan D,” the retiring yellow crayon, came all the way from Crayola’s headquarters to see us on his retirement tour.
shark tank
We created products from recycled materials and presented them in our 4th Grade Shark Tank Competition.
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New Playground equipment
We ran, jumped, and climbed on our new stage and play structures at Early Childhood recess time. Thank you Sydney and Bentley Blackmon for your generous gift to enhance our playground! We love it!
5th Grade boys basketball
We defeated LRCA 41-26 to win the 5th Grade Boys Private School League Basketball Championship!
5th grade recognition Day
Read to feed We read 58, 912 minutes in support of Heifer’s Read to Feed Program! We raised $5,183.50, enough to purchase a Gift Ark of Animals to help all kinds of people around the world.
Scholastic Bookfair Destination imaginaton
Our book fair was a big success, during which our community purchased enough books to equal 816,102 independent reading minutes!
christmas program
Middle School Field Trip
MIDDLE SCHOOL There are so many new and exciting things happening in the Episcopal Collegiate Middle School! New awards to recognize the efforts of our students, new clubs and organizations to explore, and new opportunities in the arts and athletics to inspire and challenge our students and prepare them for Upper School.
NEW clubs Fashion Design, Chinese, Ancient Games, Movies & Discussion, Four Square, Mindfulness, Chess, Green Club, and Lacrosse are among some of our new Middle School clubs.
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Morning Meetings On Monday and Thursday mornings, we all come together to hear updates, recognize each other, and enjoy performances. It’s a great time to foster camaraderie.
Advisory discussions We talked about internet safety, learning styles, banned books, exam prep and study skills, goal setting, gratitude, and kindness.
homework eats dog We staged our first Middle School play, Homework Eats Dog and other Woeful Tales.
sports participation More than 200 Middle School students participated in fall/winter/ spring athletic seasons. Girls basketball champs The 5th/6th Grade Girls Basketball Team made it to and won the Private School League Championship.
8th grade Girls volleyball Our 8th Grade Volleycats had a remarkable season, posting a 19 win and 1 loss record. It will be exciting to see this group’s contributions in Upper School!
Girls track & Field Our Girls Track and Field Team swept their conference meet, racking up first place wins in nine events.
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Heart of the wildcat awards
New Awards Programs
New awards programs include the 6th Grade Top Cat Awards, 7th Grade Seeking the Summit, and 8th Grade Over the Top Awards. The Heart of the Wildcat Awards also recognize strong character and random acts of kindness. Artists of the Month and Wildcat Athletes of the Week are also recognized at Morning Meetings.
developmental Design Our faculty spent four days this summer training in the developmental designs approach to advisory and community building by The Origins Program.
junior honor society We were pleased to induct 19 new students into the National Junior Honor Society.
Rock/paper/scissors OUtstanding performances Fifty of our Middle School students earned recognition on the National Latin, National Mythology, National Latin Vocabulary, and National Roman Civilization exams.
Juliette Callahan won the 3rd Annual 8th Grade RockPaper-Scissors Tournament. Her name is now placed on the trophy, alongside such illustrious previous winners as JP Braunfisch ‘17 and Harrison Janes ’15.
film festival We celebrated our year-long 8th Grade Capstone Documentary filmmaking process with a Film Festival at the Central Arkansas Library System. Some of the winning films were about Johnny Cash, General Douglas MacArthur, The Wrightsville Fire of 1959, and Conscientious Objectors.
Camp mitchell
The Environmental Club learned about sustainability and organic farming on a field trip to Camp Mitchell.
arcansas food drive We collected 1,312 cans during the ArCANsas Food Drive.
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Parent book study group
Yosemite trip
We examined the books Mindset by Carol Dweck and The Curse of the Good Girl by Rachel Simmons in our Parent Book Study Group.
Spelling bee Fifteen students went nine rounds in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Seventh Graders Joe Rhee and Arden Claire Noland placed first and second respectively and advanced to the state tournament.
Quiz bowl The Middle School Quiz Bowl Team won in all six rounds of the regional tournament and placed second at state.
Chess team Middle School Chess defeated eStem, Lisa Academy, and Dunbar to win first place in the LRSD Chess Championship.
SNOW Dance And who could forget the “snow dance,� the impromptu student performance designed to encourage overnight snowfall. Video of the dance was captured and went viral, landing on ABC News Facebook with approximately 273K views, 733 shares, and 270 comments. The video attracted feedback from viewers as far away as Anchorage, Alaska and appeared on the Jan. 6 broadcast of Good Morning America.
Spirit week
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upper SCHOOL Our Upper School students continue to work hard in a supportive environment, and they consistently, year after year, reap the benefits. They are exceptional writers, analytical readers, and critical thinkers. They persevere through challenges and demonstrate their resilience when they experience setbacks. No matter the setting—in academics, in athletics, in the arts, or in Chapel—they continue to demonstrate a strength of character and a commitment to our Honor Code that will serve them well for a lifetime. Once again, our students have earned an impressive set of awards and recognitions, produced stunning visual and performing arts won state championships and athletic honors, and set us apart through the college acceptances of our seniors. Perhaps most importantly, if you listen to the Senior Chapel Talks, you will hear a common theme – “I’m a better version of myself” — stronger, more confident, and highly skilled.
Here’s a quick recap of some of the highlights of this past year:
Meaningful Service We had one of our most abundant years in community service as students gave thousands of hours to countless non-profit organizations and community projects, including Louisiana Flood Relief, Walk for the Waiting, and ArCANsas Food Drive. However, we were most excited to see many of our students embrace the opportunity to engage in meaningful service learning— understanding a problem of society, recognizing what action organizations might be taking to address it, and finding ways to get involved. There were also countless examples of our students leading others to become involved.
DISaster relief Episcopal student volunteers provided disaster relief and clean-up for residents of Baton Rouge, LA after devastating storms and flooding occurred in the area. 34 | episcopalcollegiate.org
Colleges of Boston tour We took 15 students on a college tour of Boston, visiting Boston University, Boston College, Harvard, MIT, Tufts, Emerson, and Northeastern.
mit
Tufts University
Boston College
College Topic Talks College Topic Talks were held for parents and students during the year on the college application timeline, financial aid, researching and visiting colleges, and standardized testing.
Academic advising We improved academic advising in all grades and held one-on-one individual meetings with each rising 9th grade student and their parents to develop an academic four-year plan.
Deans panel College Counseling hosted a Deans Panel with Admission Deans from Florida State University, Vanderbilt, Vassar, and the University of Denver. The deans led a full-day workshop for our juniors and an evening panel discussion for our parents.
New leadership workshop We expanded our existing leadership development efforts last fall to include our first Leadership Workshop conducted by professionals in the field, Ellen Babers and Cliff Colia with P4 Consulting. Twenty six students and seven faculty spent three intense days honing and practicing their skills. We will continue to offer this unique program annually.
PRE-ACT Series testing We added Pre-ACT Series testing for 8th, 9th, and 10th graders, which will give students practice on this important college admissions test while also informing the work of students, teachers, and parents to further enhance their performance.
Todd Rinehart
Todd Rinehart is the Associate Vice Chancellor for Enrollment & Director of Admission at the University of Denver (CO).
Summer internships We continued to offer unique and authentic learning experiences to our students through internships, travel opportunities, and community service. This year marked the seventh year our students have secured summer research internships at Jackson T. Stephens Spine and Neurosciences Institute at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital thanks to the Stella Boyle Smith Trust. We also had three students participate in an internship with the Lieutenant Governor’s Office, thanks to Chief of Staff and Lower School parent Scott Burton.
Meet the New Upper School Head, Troy Urquhart Wednesday, August 23, 7:45 - 8:30 am,
Upper School Simpson Library
We invite you to meet and talk with Troy at a Parent Drop-In scheduled for Wednesday, August 23, 7:45 am to 8:30 am, in the Upper School Simpson Library. We hope that you can join us to welcome Troy to Episcopal Collegiate School!
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AP program additions With the successful addition of AP US Government and Politics this year and the introduction of the AP Diploma program for 2017-18, we now offer 20 AP courses. We are particularly excited about the addition of the AP Diploma program, which will ultimately involve a twocourse sequence, AP Seminar and AP Research and the completion of an individualized research project. Here’s what the College Board has to say about the program: “AP Capstone is a College Board program that equips students with the independent research, collaborative teamwork, and communication skills that are increasingly valued by colleges. It cultivates curious, independent, and collaborative scholars and prepares them to make logical, evidence-based decisions.”
New class offerings Each department also invested considerable time in analyzing existing course offerings and identifying new ones that can tap into the emerging interests of students. Those efforts resulted in the addition of several new classes and a redesign of our non-AP English courses for juniors and seniors. For the 2017-18 school year, we have added Exploratory Design, an engineering, coding, and problem-solving course; Latin American Studies, to be team taught by our History and World Language departments; Convergent Technologies, a blend of art, video, animation, and technology; and several new Religion courses, two of which will be offered in 2017–18, Sin and Redemption in Christian Thought and Promise and Liberation. Our non-AP English courses for juniors and seniors will now be centered around texts related to a theme, a genre, an author, a period or a geographic context and conducted in a college seminar style. Among the new seminar courses from which students can choose are: Harlem Renaissance, Literature of War and Peace, and Dystopian Literature.
student life With all this going on, you might wonder if students and faculty had any chance to relax and reflect. Rest assured, between ultimate frisbee, ping-pong, and just about any game involving a football or soccer ball, you could always find students playing on the quad or in the commons. You might even walk into the Upper School and here any number of our students taking a little time to play the piano donated for our commons. You would also be pleased to see our favorite school traditions like Senior Tree Trimming, Homecoming, Spirit Weeks, Powderpuff, Chapel Talks, and more.
senior tree trimming
homecoming
quad time
Chapel talks
powder puff
senior kindergarten buddies
Photo (l to r): Jocelyn Wang ‘17, Alisha Duvall ’17, Joy Shultz, and Dayhe Kim ‘17 (seated)
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State of the Arts Students of all ages took full advantage of Episcopal’s rich arts programs, finding even more creative ways to express themselves and explore their potential. Across all divisions, students engaged in the arts at the highest rate ever, with an amazing 83% student participation – and we don’t mean by just taking an art class during the school day. Students auditioned for plays and musicals, worked on the crew, performed with percussion, choir, and orchestra, and even stepped outside the school walls to use their creative talents to beautify our city and serve others. Two incredible examples of community engagement involved a publicuse piano and a city storm drain. In Upper School, students transformed a donated piano into a beautiful work of art and donated it to the City’s Creative Corridor. The piano made its debut April 28 in a news conference in downtown Little Rock and now makes its home on the 2nd floor of the River Market. Through DrainSmart (photo below), students worked after school and on weekends to paint a mural on a storm drain at the corner of University and Kavanaugh. Designed by Middle School Art Teacher Sarah Higgins, the mural was one of 13 selected to be painted on storm drains around the city to encourage conservation.
The piano made its debut April 28 in a news conference in downtown Little Rock and now makes its home on the 2nd floor of the River Market.
by haley henderson, State youth art show
arts
Permanent student art collection Episcopal announced a Permanent Student Art Collection, of which 12 pieces were initially selected. These works will be on permanent display at various places around the school in the coming years and new works will be added to the collection on an annual basis. Please join us for an Artists Reception on Monday, August 21, 6-7 pm in the Middle/Upper School Dining Hall.
Kinetic Body drawings The Upper School’s kinetic body drawing project by our visual arts students was recognized nationally in School Arts Magazine.
Visual art Visual art students won more than 20 awards for their work this year, some of which graced the walls of the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion, the Statehouse Convention Center, and the William F. Laman Public Library. 40 | episcopalcollegiate.org
Chibitronics
In one of the most innovative programs of the year, students had the opportunity to explore the convergence of art and technology with developer Jie Qi of MIT Media Labs. Jie introduced students to Chibitronics, which combines paper craft and electronics.
DrainSmart
Men’s glee
In theatre, the drama department presented Anton in Showbusiness and the musical Children of Eden, which featured the work of more than 80 students onstage and behind the scenes. We were excited to premier our first Middle School play this year, Homework Eats Dog and Other Woeful Tales, produced and staged by our 6-8th grade students.
musical - CHIldren of eden cast of anton in showbusiness
percussion students on dance fridays Percussion students had the opportunity to learn from visiting artist Kae Reed of the University of Memphis and drumline instructor for Arkansas Tech University. Other visiting artists included Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Principal Harpist, Alisa Coffey, who performed Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, and world-renowned pianist, Norman Krieger. Our choir, orchestra, and percussion students enriched our experience with music from Hamilton, Godspell, Harry Potter, La la Land, Pentatonix, and Buster Keaton’s Balloonatic.
Beginning Percussion broadcast journalism Broadcast Journalism students produced five new editions of ECTV and the yearbook staff unveiled Vol. 14 of Epiphanies, the School’s 228-page yearbook, to great fanfare in May. ECTV, yearbook, and literary magazine students won more than 30 awards for their work at the Arkansas Student Press Association Conference and Competition.
Episcopal student designers again won top awards in the Curbside Couture Fashion Show.
orchestra
World-Renowned Pianist, Norman Krieger and Cathy Mayton of the Stella Boyle Smith Trust 42 | episcopalcollegiate.org
Wildcat Athletics
Wildcat Wrap-Up 2016-17 Boys Golf Advanced to State Tournament All-Conference & All-State - Preston Pitts Boys Cross Country All-Conference & All-State – Jed Johnson Varsity Volleyball 3A Conference Champions Advanced to Quarterfinals of State Tournament All-Conference - Caroline Burns, Haley Henderson, Amalie King, Charlotte Powers, Sarah Reddick, and Micaylah Thomas All-State - Caroline Burns, Charlotte Powers, Micaylah Thomas Monty Smith – 3A Coach of the Year Varsity Football All-Conference – Phillip Bryant, Jackson Owens, RJ Rice Boys Tennis 3A State Champions All-Conference – Sydney Dassinger, Graham Gordon, Harrison Janes, Jack Nolan, Henry Schock, and Ethan Strauss All-State – Sydney Dassinger, Harrison Janes, Jack Nolan, and Ethan Strauss
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Girls Tennis 3A State Champions All-Conference – Anne Marie De Luca, Meredith Headlee, Lily Jackson, McKinley Morden, Mary Claire Patton, Hailey Pruett
All-Conference - Madison Davis, Kaitlyn Johnson, Ashley Jemerson, Amalie King, and Micaylah Thomas All-State - Madison Davis, Amalie King, and Micaylah Thomas
All-State – Anne Marie De Luca, Meredith Headlee, Lily Jackson, McKinley Morden, Mary Claire Patton, Hailey Pruett
Boys Soccer Advanced to semifinals of State Tournament
Varsity Girls Basketball All-Conference - Micaylah Thomas
All-Conference - Will Bateman, Josef Braunfisch, Jack Carney, and Nick Stowe
Varsity Boys Basketball 3A State Champions Conference and Regional Tournament Champions All-Conference - Kamron Brasfield, Gavin Hawkins, Treylon Payne, Khalen Robinson
All-State & All-State Tournament Team – Josef Braunfisch, Jack Carney
All-State – Kamron Brasfield, Khalen Robinson Brandon Friedel, 3A Coach of the Year Wrestling All-Conference & All-State – David Davila, Owen Hadden Baseball All-Conference - Clay Schuler and Whit Hyde Girls Soccer Conference Champions Qualified for State Tournament
Girls Varsity Track and Field All-Conference - Raivin Jackson, Kaitlyn Johnson, Mimi Johnson, Micaylah Thomas Boys Varsity Track and Field All-Conference - Erbie Jennings, Middle School Track and Field Girls Conference Champions High Point of Conference Meet – Hannah Jackson Overall 43 All-Conference Athletes 24 All-State Athletes 7 All-State Tournament Teams 5 Team Conference Championships 3 Team State Championships 2 Coaches of the Year 1 State Tournament MVP 1 Team Regional Championship
2017
Episcopal Wildcat Football
Upper School
Date: Team: Place: Time 8/22 Quitman(Scrimmage) Home 7:00 9/1 Drew Central Home 7:00 9/8 Charleston Away 7:00 9/15 England(EN) Home 7:00 9/22 Cedar Ridge Away 7:00 9/29 Rose Bud Away 7:00 10/6 Bald Knob(CA) Home 7:00 10/13 Lee County(HC) Home 7:00 10/20 Barton Away 7:00 10/27 Mayflower(SN) Home 7:00 11/3 Harding Academy Away 7:00
Middle School
9/16 Bearden(Jamboree)(2) Away TBD 9/18 Jacksonville Home 5:30 10/2 Baptist Prep Home 6:00 10/12 Robinson Home 5:30 10/16 NLR Home 5:30
Tailgates and Touchdowns is Back! We hope all Wildcat Fans will join us for another fun season of tailgates held before each home game to support our Wildcat football team. Join Wildcat fans for fun and football for our first home game on Sept. 1 against Drew Central when we will have Le Pops on campus for our first tailgate from 5:00 pm to game time! We’ll also tailgate on Sept. 15 when we play England and on Oct. 6 when the Wildcats take on Bald Knob. Our homecoming tailgate will feature the Red River Catering food truck on Oct. 13 when the Wildcats play Lee County. And we’re bringing back our fun Trunk or Treat event for our tailgate party on Oct. 27 when we take on Mayflower.
Join us as we cheer on the Wildcats this season!
Boys Basketball Wins Third 3A State Championship in Four Years The Wildcats had a triple threat against Tuckerman in the Group 3A boys state championship basketball game on March 10. Khalen Robinson and Treylon Payne, both freshmen, and Senior Kamron Brasfield put up 18 points each to lead Episcopal to a 61-47 victory over the Bulldogs at Hot Springs Convention Center. Add to that the 7 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block by 6’6” Senior Gavin Hawkins. It’s no wonder the Wildcats went into the tournament on 17-game winning streak. “There are no words to truly describe how proud I am of this team and all they have accomplished,” said Coach Brandon Friedel, 3A Basketball Coach of the Year. “Not only did they grow individually as young men, they came together as a team and put each other first. They worked hard, and they truly deserve the success they earned.” “Our team is young and the future looks bright, Coach Friedel added. “However, we will miss our seniors, their leadership, and the legacy they leave us: STATE CHAMPIONS!” Seniors leading the team were Josef Braunfisch, Preston Pitts, Joseph Krowski, Kamron Brasfield, and Gavin Hawkins.
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The Wildcats became the first 3A boys high school team in Arkansas high school basketball league history to win three state championships in only four years. Episcopal won back-to-back titles in 2014 and 2015. The Wildcats made the finals in 2013 but fell to Harding Academy in the final game. The Wildcats never trailed and maintained a comfortable lead over Tuckerman. Khalen Robinson (photo right) was named Most Valuable Player of the game. All-Conference players were Kamron Brasfield, Gavin Hawkins, Treylon Payne, and Khalen Robinson. All-State players were Kamron Brasfield and Khalen Robinson. Kamron and Gavin continue their athletic careers in college, Kamron playing for the Hendrix College Warriors and Gavin for the Wheaton College Thunder.
The Episcopal Wildcats celebrate their win over Tuckerman Saturday, March 10, 2017 after winning the 3A boys state basketball championship game at Bank of the Ozarks Arena in Hot Springs.
Wildcat Tennis Leads in State Championships
Both the varsity boys and girls tennis teams won by a landslide in their respective conference tournaments. All players qualified to play in the state tournament. The girls outscored their opponents 22 to 6, and the boys outscored their opponents 20 to 7. Both teams had very successful state tournaments as well, both winning state championships again - the girls 9th and the boys 12th. Both were in dominating fashion with the girls outscoring their opponents 15 to 9, and the boys outscoring theirs 19 to 7. The Wildcats had 7 out of 12 players qualify for the AAA overall tournament. Episcopal continues to have one of the highest participating percentages in the overall tournament, behind tennis powerhouses Lakeside Hot Springs and Pulaski Academy, both 5A schools. Individual Results Rising Senior Lilly Jackson won her third consecutive conference and state titles. The first two were in doubles. In 2016–17 Lilly won in singles. “She barely broke a sweat as she dominated her bracket, dropping only three games in the conference and state tournaments combined,” said Coach Andrea Barnett. Lilly drew a 4th seed at the overall tournament, which qualified her for a firstround bye. She played the No. 5 seed in the quarterfinals, and dropped a tough match to a 7A opponent. Lilly once again had a great season for the Wildcats. Rising Sophmore Anne Marie De Luca had a great first showing for the Wildcats. She played a great conference tournament, eventually losing to champion Lilly Jackson. At the state tournament, she made it all the way to the semifinals before losing to a senior from Haas Hall in Fayetteville. She has a very bright future in Wildcat Tennis.
Senior and rising Junior duo Meredith Headlee and McKinley Morden also had a great tournament showing. This was the girls first year to play together. They won their conference draw and were finalists at the state tournament, losing to a tough opponent from Riverside, who were last year’s 2A champions. They qualified for the overall tournament, where their first round opponent didn’t show up, giving them a walk over to play the No. 1 doubles seed. “One of the girls of the doubles team they played just signed at the University of Arkansas. Needless to say, they were very good, and we lost. Meredith and McKinley had a great tournament and we will be sad to see Meredith go,” said Barnett. Seniors Mary Claire Patton and Haley Pruett placed second at the conference tournament, and were semifinalists at the state tournament, losing to the eventual champions. Mary Claire and Haley have played together for the last couple of years, doing very well at our tournaments in order to help our team win every year. We will be sad to see them go as well. All of the aforementioned players were named to the All-Conference and All-State Teams in Girls Tennis. For the boys, rising Junior Harrison Janes added another conference and state title to his resume. He also dominated his brackets in both tournaments, qualifying for overall, earning the No. 4 seed and receiving a bye. He won his first round match to play in the semifinals against the No. 1 seed and eventual champion. Harrison was named to the AllArkansas Preps Boys Tennis Team by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. “Harrison had a great showing at all three tournaments. I expect that he’ll keep improving in the future.” Senior Jack Nolan helped the Wildcats win both tournaments as a team, placing second in both tournaments only to champion Harrison Janes. Jack has had a great career for our Episcopal team. He was state runner up as a freshman and state champion as a sophomore
and junior. His state title his sophomore year made the difference in winning or placing runners up as a team that year. Jack also qualified for the overall tournament, losing in the first round to a tough opponent from 6A Mountain Home. We appreciate Jack’s dedication to this team the past four years. Doubles team Ethan Strauss and Sidney Dassinger dominated their doubles draws, winning both the conference and state tournaments. This is Ethan’s second individual championship, and Sidney’s first. They also qualified for the overall tournament, facing 6A Searcy in the first round and losing a hardfought match. We look forward to seeing what Ethan and Sidney can do for the future of Episcopal tennis. Doubles team Henry Schock and Graham Gordon placed third at the conference tournament, qualifying them for the state tournament. They won their first round match in a big upset against a team from Haas Hall Fayetteville, giving the Wildcats a crucial point towards our team standings. They lost the next round to the eventual finalist doubles team. This is Henry’s third tournament on the team and Graham’s first. All of the aforementioned players were named to the All-Conference Team in Boys Tennis. In addition, Sydney, Harrison, Jack and Ethan were named to the All-State Team. “I am so proud to be a part of this program and enjoy watching the kids have success year after year,” said Coach Barnett. “I look forward to the future of Wildcat Tennis and know that we will continue to be successful, due to the competitive spirit and hard work of our athletes.”
Boys Reach Soccer’s Final Four Wildcat Boys Soccer had an exciting playoff this season. The boys (10-4) earned a spot in the 3A Final Four for the first time when they defeated Mena 4-3. “At the start of the season, I was worried due to the loss of the school’s top scorers and seven other starters who graduated,” said Coach Duke Ophof. “In the first couple of games, some freshman started to emerge and others started playing to their potential. We were building some momentum.” By the end of the season, the Wildcats had lost only two conference games to the top two seeds, Hamburg and Warren. “Going into the state tournament off of those two losses, I wasn’t sure of the boys’ state of mind. And after going down early in our first game against Green Forest, I was worried but this team had a fight and no quit in them. They worked and fought together to come back and win on penalties.”
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In the quarterfinals against Mena, the boys also went down one goal early and then went down a player with the ejection of a key defender. The team fought back again and with a beautiful set piece goal by Jack Carney, the Wildcats won the game in overtime again. The Wildcats reached the semifinals but without key defenders Jackson Owens and the loss of goalie Will Bateman in the second half. “The boys kept on fighting through all the way to the end. The leadership and play of Josef Braunfisch, Jack Carney, and Nick Stowe were three of the main reasons for this team’s success. Also, having one of the best goalies in the conference, Will Bateman, doesn’t hurt either. “We’re proud of this team and how they all worked together to get better and better after each practice and game. It was real team effort.”
Girls Cross Country
Q & A with Dean of Students and Head Football Coach Michael Carter Q. Are there any similarities in the way you approach your role as Dean of Students and your role as coach? A. Yes, Both roles are similar in that what is best for the student always comes first. My job as a coach and a dean is to hopefully guide them on a path that will make them become the best they can be. Q. How do you view the role of athletics in student development at Episcopal? A. I believe that athletics along with the educational side go hand in hand in making the student a more well-rounded individual. Athletics is a great teacher of life lessons. Q. What are your hopes for the kids you work with? Ultimately, what do you want to see them become and how does athletics play a role in that? A. That they become something bigger than they could ever imagine. I want them to bring the gifts and talents they have been blessed with and merge those with the rest of the team to make the team the best it can be. Q. Of course, we have to ask. How is the 2017-18 Wildcat Football Team looking? A. We are working hard to become the best we can. We are working on the foundation that will hopefully be something great in the near future.
Caroline Burns broke the 14-year school volleyball record of 560 kills this season! #561
Shelby Worsham, All-Arkansas Preps Hussman Community Award Winner
Rising Senior Shelby Worsham was selected from 117 student-athlete nominees statewide for the All Arkansas Preps Hussman Community Award. Lynn Hamilton, President of the Arkansas-Democrat Gazette, had this to say when presenting the award at the AllArkansas Preps Banquet.
POST-SEASON
AWARDS
"We are presenting some big awards tonight, but in some ways this one may be the biggest,” said Hamilton. “Long after athletic skills are diminished and achievements forgotten, the kindness is shown and the services performed for others will live on. The creativity of tonight’s honoree and her community-wide reach through volunteering in numerous organizations are just two of the reasons we selected Episcopal Collegiate School’s Shelby Worsham as the 2017 recipient of the Hussman Community Award.” Shelby founded ACE Tennis, which stands for Amazing Children Empowered through Tennis, to help children with special needs with focus, coordination, and independence. Shelby has given more than 150 hours to the development of the program and spends about 10 to 15 hours per week to keep it running. ACE Tennis clinics are free of charge and are held at Rebsamen Tennis Center. Shelby is thankful to the many student volunteers from Episcopal Collegiate who have helped her staff the clinics.
Amalie King: Female Academic Athlete of the Year For the second year in a row, an Episcopal Collegiate student has been named the Academic Athlete of the Year by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Following Harris Bethel's win in 2016, Episcopal's Amalie King '17 was named Female Academic Athlete Year for 2017. Amalie is an All-Conference Volleyball player for the Wildcats, as well as an All-Conference, AllState Soccer player. Amalie was also named to the 3A All-State Soccer Tournament Team and was a cheerleader. 50 | episcopalcollegiate.org
Harrison Janes, All-Arkansas Preps Boys Tennis As only a Sophmore, Harrison led the Wildcats to its 12th State Championship in Boys Tennis, outscoring opponents by an amazing 19 to 7. Harrison qualified for the Overall Tournament, earning the No. 4 seed. He won his first round match in overalls and advanced all the way to the semifinals in boys singles.
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS Varsity Boys Tennis | Varsity Girls Tennis Varsity Boys Basketball
Conference Championship Teams Varsity Volleyball Varsity Girls Soccer Varsity Boys Basketball Middle School Girls Track & Field
All-State Tournament Athletes Caroline Burns, Volleyball Kamron Brasfield, Boys Basketball Gavin Hawkins, Boys Basketball Khalen Robinson, Boys Basketball Amalie King, Girls Soccer Josef Braunfisch, Boys Soccer Jack Carney, Boys Soccer
3A Coaches of the Year
Monty Smith, Volleyball Brandon Friedel, Boys Basketball
CLASS NOTES Alumni News
2004
Mary Hall
2005
Jason Boullie
Jason earned a BA in History from the University of Central Arkansas in 2011 and a Master of Public Administration from UALR in 2014. He is a Medical Informatics Analyst for Blue Cross Blue Shield and is engaged to be married.
2007
Laura Bryan and Russ Curtner
Megan McCain
Megan is a Middle School Spanish Teacher at Pulaski Academy in Little Rock. She is completing her master’s degree in teaching from the University of Central Arkansas. Mary is a teacher at Children’s House Montessori in Little Rock. She is a mother of two boys, Julian, age six, and Jonah, almost four.
Miles Stephens
2006
Jamie Holt Edwards
Jamie recently finished the requirements to become a Registered Architect. She is currently an Architectural Associate for Flad Architects, focusing on healthcare and industrial projects.
Maggie Meadors Rosenheck
Miles and his wife, Katie, welcomed their first child, son Harvey Thomas Stephens, at 4:27 pm on June 28, 2017. Harvey is the nephew of Episcopal graduates John and Laura Stephens, and the first grandchild of Warren and Harriet Stephens.
Laura and Russ Curtner '07 were married on August 22, 2015 at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Little Rock, making them the first Episcopal Collegiate graduates to be married. Their union was a long time in the making, since Laura and Russ first met in carpool in the second grade. Fast forward to Upper School at Episcopal Collegiate, where the two remained close friends. This friendship continued through Russ' attending Ole Miss and Laura's attending Pratt in New York. Eventually, Laura and Russ began to date and Russ proposed on Laura's birthday. Guests at their wedding ceremony at The Cathedral and reception at Dreamland Ballroom celebrated the couple's 20 years together.
Natalie Griffin Daniel Maggie and her husband, Ben, live is Tulsa, OK and are the parents of two boys, Henry, 3.5, and Bear, 1.5. Maggie says that although she does miss Arkansas, they are raising the boys right and both know how to "call the Hogs!" (Henry even believes the Razorbacks are the only team that plays football!).
Natalie is a first grade teacher at The Oak Hill School in Nashville, TN. She and her husband, Christopher, live in Nashville.
Alumni News Andrew Charlton
Andrew and his wife, Chloe, welcomed their first child, daughter Rose Claire on February 22, 2017. Rose is the niece of Caroline Charlton '10 and the granddaughter of Alumni Parents Tom and Sandy Charlton.
Jason Joyner
John Stephens
Alex Bass
Alex is Vice President of Operations for Sage Partners in Rogers, AR. He and his wife, Lauren, welcomed their first child, son Bennett Marshall Blass, on February 11, 2017.
Emily Barnes McCarty John and Mary Olive Murphy Keller were married on July 15, 2017 at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Little Rock. John is the brother of Episcopal graduates Miles and Laura Stephens, and the son of Warren and Harriet Stephens. The couple are living in London.
Emily Sells Sweeney
Emily is a real estate agent for The Charlotte John Company in Little Rock. She and her husband, Andrew, welcomed their first child, a girl Emma Reese, on October 13, 2016. Jason and Liza Billington were married in Trinity Episcopal Church, Southport, CT on June 3, 2017. Jason is the son of Alumni Parents Jeanne and Harold Joyner, and brother of Jonathan Joyner ’04 and Lauren Hampton Joyner ’05 of San Francisco, CA. The couple met while attending the Robins School of Business at the University of Richmond. Liza graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BS in Business Administration and is an Assurance Manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Richmond. Jason also graduated with a BS in Business Administration from the University of Richmond and has a JD from the University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville. He is an attorney in Richmond.
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2008
Clayton Erwin
Clayton is a Senior Account Executive with Joele Frank, Wilkinson, Brimmer Katcher in New York, NY. Emily and her husband, David, welcomed their first child, a son Owen Michael on February 22. Emily is a kindergarten teacher at The Oakridge School in Arlington, TX, and was recently named one of the Top 10 Teachers in Fort Worth. David is an assistant principal at Aledo ISD.
Abbie Golden
Abbie graduated from the University of Virginia Law School in May. She will wed Blake Winston on May 5, 2018 in Asheville, NC. She will begin working in the Charlotte office of McGuirewoods, LLP as a litigation associate in September 2017.
Alumni News
2009
2011
Wally is an Account Lead for Open Realty Advisors in Dallas, TX.
Patrick is an Infantry Platoon Commander in the United States Marine Corp, stationed at Camp Lejeune, NC.
Wally Davis
Lauren Weems Farley
Patrick Bunce
Alex Geiger
Alex is Pastor of Youth Worship at New Jerusalem Baptist Church in Tulsa, OK. He and his wife, Jasmine, have been married for two years.
Robert Kelly
2012
Sam Thoma
Robert is Branch Manager of SRS Distribution in Dallas, TX. He is completing his MBA in the SMU night program.
Gillian Sacks Krafft
Lauren attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and graduated in 2013 with a BSBA. in Supply Chain Management and minors in Marketing and African & African American Studies. Lauren has worked for General Mills and Reckitt Benckiser in various locations, including Rogers, AR, Scottsdale, AZ and Cincinnati, OH. In 2014, Lauren married E.J. Farley and both now work for Walmart Corporate in Bentonville. EJ is also a minister and is pursuing a Masters of Divinity. In their free time, Lauren and EJ enjoy spending time with family, traveling, spoiling their puppy, Ali, and exploring the hidden treasures of Northwest Arkansas.
2010
Victoria Garrett
Gillian married Matthew “Skip” Krafft, Jr., at Moss Mountain Farm on April 22, 2017. The ceremony was officiated by Episcopal Collegiate’s Monty Smith and attended by several other alumni. Gillian and Skip live in Morgantown, West Virginia where Gillian is a psychotherapist.
Victoria will wed Grant Chandler from Houston, TX on September 2, 2017. Victoria works on the Arkansas Made Research Initiative at the Historic Arkansas Museum and Grant is the Quality Control Manager at Lost Forty Brewing in Little Rock. The couple met at Hendrix College.
Rachel Garrett
Rachel is pursuing an M.Ed. in Learning and Design from Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Upon graduation in December, she hopes to return to the classroom to teach high school math or outdoor education. Rachel delivered the keynote address at the 2017 Episcopal Collegiate Cum Laude Induction Ceremony.
After graduating from the University of Illinois with a double major in Physics and French in 2016, Sam began teaching in Biarritz, France through the Teaching Assistant Program in France.
Olivia Patton
Olivia is a CV-ICU nurse in Cardiovascular Intensive Care at CHI St. Vincents in Little Rock. She plans to pursue CRNA graduate school in 2018.
Caitlin Allison
Caitlin accepted a position with Teach for America and will be moving to Rhode Island this fall to teach middle school math in a low- income community.
Matthew Stewart
Matthew is an account services coordinator with Media and More in Little Rock.
Alumni News 2013
Jennifer Saccente
Jennifer graduated with a BS degree in Biology and a minor in Poverty & Human Capabilities Studies from Washington and Lee University in May. In August, she will be moving back to Little Rock to begin medical school at UAMS.
Conley Hurst
Jonny Schultz
Caroline Stebbins
Caroline is a Senior at Texas Christian University and is scheduled to graduate in December 2017 with a major in Nursing and a minor in Child Development. She is President of the Gamma Chi Chapter of Alpha Delta Pi. After graduation, she hopes to return to Little Rock to work in NICU or Labor and Delivery nursing.
2015
William McCastlain
Conley graduated Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa, and with honors from Washington and Lee University in May. He earned a BA in History, with minors in creative writing and music. At W&L’s May 25th Commencement, Conley was honored with the university’s prestigious Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award. Washington and Lee presents the award to the undergraduate senior man and woman, as determined by a vote of the faculty, who exhibit Sullivan’s ideals of heart, mind, and conduct as evidenced by a spirit of love for and helpfulness to others, who “excel in high ideals of living, in fine spiritual qualities, and in generous and unselfish service to others. When the institution makes the Student Award, it appoints the recipient as its representative to bear its standard before the world.” A two-time ODAC Men’s Golf Scholar Athlete of the Year, Conley was cocaptain of the W&L Men’s Golf Team for the past two seasons. Earlier in May, he received the William D. McHenry Scholar Athlete Award. Conley served as Arkansas State Chair for the 2016 W&L Mock Convention and as co-editor of opinions for The Ring-Tum Phi newspaper from 2016 to 2017. Conley plans to pursue a master’s degree in History at Oxford University.
Jonny was one of six students to graduate Summa Cum Laude in May from the University of Arkansas Walton School of Business. He graduated with a double major in supply chain management and economics, and a minor in Spanish. He is one of 71 seniors recognized by the University of Arkansas Alumni Association as a 2017 Senior of Significance. Jonny is a second-year intern with Nestle and plans to continue his education in the Executive MBA program.
2014
Jade Pfeifer
Jade is a Junior at Savannah College of Art & Design. She just returned from a quarter studying in LaCoste, France. Her illustration work was recently selected for the Open Studio Design Show at SCAD.
William received the 2016 Marie Interfaith Leadership Award for his work on behalf of suicide awareness and prevention. This annual award recognizes leaders from different faiths and different segments of the community who address import issues and problems facing Arkansas and the nation.
2016
Laura Dunnagan
Laura is Junior at Davidson College in Davidson, NC. She is a Senior Staff Writer for student newspaper, The Davidsonian, and a member of Davidson College Symphony Orchestra. Laura returned to Episcopal Collegiate in March to talk to AP Spanish V students about her research trip to Mexico, student life at Davidson, and her interest in Spanish language and culture.
Calling All Alumni Artists! If you would like to submit artwork or help with our first Alumni Art Show, please contact Joy Schultz at jschultz@episcopalcollegiate.org. 54 | episcopalcollegiate.org
Episcopal Collegiate students and faculty had the pleasure of welcoming many alumni back this year as guest speakers in Middle and Upper School Chapel.
Rachel Garrett ‘10
Alumni Chapel Speakers
Hunter Brown ‘08
Keynote Speaker, 2017 Cum Laude Induction Ceremony “My call to you is to go out into the world, find a passion, and pursue it in a way that gives back. You don’t have to be a teacher; that was just my example. You can be a doctor, an advocate, a scientist, or a coach. You can be whatever you want to be because you’re starting here. You’ve been given an incredible privilege, which means you now have a duty to make use of it.”
The Reverend Michael McCain ‘07
Jacob is a senior at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, majoring in Mechanical Engineering.
Kelly Singer '12
"You learn by exposure to new ideas and this kind of growth can happen right here in the library.” Hunter earned a BA in History from SMU while minoring in German, Latin, and Classical Studies. He attended Washington University's School of Law, graduating with his Juris Doctorate in 2016. Hunter lives in Little Rock and is a clerk for The Honorable D. Price Marshall, a federal judge for the Eastern District of Arkansas.
"If you only take away one thing from this Chapel talk, take away this – God loves you. The you that you are right now at this very moment. Not a better version of you that you wish you were. Not a you that if only you got a better grade on a test, a faster time on the track, a better position in the orchestra. There is nothing you need to do, nothing you can try to earn this love because it's already there." Rev. McCain is Episcopal’s first graduate to join the priesthood.
"Be passionate about your performance, and be prepared to sacrifice for those you lead."
"I owe so much to the teachers here. I didn't realize how well prepared I was to make life my own.”
Senior Midshipman Jacob Rowell '13
“I always felt encouraged to perform well, not only in the classroom, but in all areas of my life. Thanks to this encouragement, I participated in a number of extracurricular activities, including tennis, theater, National Honor Society, and of course, choir." Kelly performed Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter of Zion from Handel’s Messiah for students in December. Kelly attended UALR and received top honors as a Donaghey Scholar, a Cooper Hones Scholar, and a Magna Cum Laude graduate. She holds bachelor's degrees in both English Linguistics and French.
Class of 2006 10-Year Reunion Episcopal Collegiate's Class of 2006 held their 10-year reunion on Friday, October 21, during Episcopal's annual Homecoming weekend. Episcalums and their parents and friends gathered at the home of Pam and Rick Blank, parents of Chandler Blank '06, for a pre-reunion tailgate honoring the class. Our alumni enjoyed catching up with each other and their former teachers before attending the Wildcat Homecoming game and being presented on the field at halftime. Many thanks to the Blank family for hosting such a memorable gathering!
Reunions and Events
Among their accomplishments, the Class of 2006 was Episcopal Collegiate's first to make the state playoffs in football and volleyball, and the first All-Arkansas Broadcast Journalism and Yearbook staff. The class of well-rounded student athletes and artisticallytalented individuals headed to 21 different colleges and universities from the east coast to the west after leaving their legacy at Episcopal Collegiate. On Saturday, members of the Class of 2006 gathered for their official reunion at Samantha's private dining room. The alumni reminisced about life at Episcopal
while flipping through senior scrapbooks and viewing ECTV (Episcopal Collegiate Television) News from the 2006 school year. Hostesses Erin Baskin '06 and Garrett Simpson '06 planned a memorable evening that included libations and a delicious menu. Many thanks to Erin and Garrett!
Episcopal welcomed back alumni on January 9 for the Annual Alumni Basketball Game in Championship Gym. All seemed to enjoy catching up and playing some hoops. Alumni were invited to stay and watch the Wildcats battle the Mayflower Eagles at home later that evening.
Northwest Arkansas Get Together
Submit a Class Note! Visit episcopalcollegiate.org/ alumni and submit a class note for the next magazine or the alumni section of our website. We love hearing from you and want to share all of your good news. Marriage and birth announcements are welcome. Send us a photo and the details! Recently promoted or taking on a new adventure? Let us know!
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Episcalums from classes of 2005 to 2016 gathered at Grub’s on Dixon Street in February to re-meet and reminisce about their Episcopal days. Close to 40 alumni turned out for this event hosted by Alumni Relations Director, Ashley Honeywell.
The 1998 Society
The 1998 Society party welcomed guests who supported the 2016-2017 Episcopal Collegiate Annual Fund at the leadership level. This year, the party was hosted at the home of Cindy and Warren Simpson, and guests walked away with a custom Episcopal picnic blanket; all who attended joined in celebrating a successful Annual Fund year. New ideas and the support and leadership from Annual Fund Chairs Michelle and Allen Carney allowed for great success in the Annual Fund. Named in honor of Episcopal Collegiate School’s founding year, the 1998 Society recognizes (or honors) donors whose Annual Fund gifts are $1,000 and above. Donors across all giving levels lead the way in helping raise more than $560,000 this year. If you would like to learn more about the Annual Fund and our other ways to support Episcopal, please contact Kyle Arnold in the Office of Institutional Advancement at 501.978.4418. You may also visit episcopalcollegiate.org/supportus to see more about our Annual Fund and out eight different giving levels.
Wild Game Dinner A Success! This year’s Wild Game Dinner gave guests an authentic hunting experience, as it was a rainy, frigid evening in March. However, the rain nor the cold kept attendees from enjoying a variety of beverages, seafood, and wild game. In addition to the rain, celebration was in the air because more than $50,000 was raised for the School’s arts and athletics programs.
The event’s success and funds raised were due in large part from the work and dedication from event co-chairs Howard Martindale and Beau Blair. Together, these two helped secure sponsorships from parents and companies alike. This would not have been possible if it were not for these two, in addition to all who volunteered to cook and support the Wild Game Dinner.
4th Annual Watermelon Supper & Fall Sports Kick-Off Friday, August 25, 6 - 7:15 p.m. at Wildcat Stadium Our annual tradition continues when the school community comes out for our fall sports kick-off and popular Watermelon Supper. We hope all of our Wildcat families – from every division in every grade – will join us on August 25 as we kick off our school year with our annual event. We’re going to be serving hot dogs, watermelon and Wildcat fun! EXTREME GREEN OUT! Wear your Wildcat green or an Episcopal Collegiate School spirit shirt! Sponsored by the Spirit Committee of the Episcopal Collegiate School Parents’ Auxiliary.
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Save the Date
Saturday, February 10, 2018 Save the Date for the biggest event of the year - our Parents' Auxiliary Auction! Please mark your calendars for this wonderful event and let us know if you would like more information about sponsorships and/or auction item donations. We will be selling raffle tickets for free tuition for the 2018-19 school year. If you are interested in serving on the auction committee, please contact our Auction Co-Chairs: Ginger Blackmon, gingerblackmon@yahoo.com Sydney Blackmon, sabueter@yahoo.com We would LOVE to have your support!
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