THERE’S A POWER WITHIN YOU.
Open Houses May 28th and June 10th Register at rma.edu/open-house
Ladies and Gentlemen, By now, many of you have seen our new tagline: The Power of Rise. Over the coming months, you will learn more about the ways in which this short phrase captures the very essence of what it means to be a member of the R-MA family.
R-MA President Brig Gen David C. Wesley, USAF, Retired, congratulates Air Force VA 091st Group Commander Victoria Voellm ‘18 during the Cadre Promotion Ceremony in August.
Disturb us, Lord, when We are too pleased with ourselves, When our dreams have come true Because we dreamed too little, When we arrived safely Because we sailed too close to the shore. Disturb us, Lord, when With the abundance of things we possess We have lost our thirst For the waters of life; Having fallen in love with life, We have ceased to dream of eternity And in our efforts to build a new earth, We have allowed our vision Of the new Heaven to dim. Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly, To venture on wilder seas Where storms will show Your mastery; Where losing sight of land, We shall find the stars. We ask you to push back The horizons of our hopes; And to push back the future In strength, courage, hope, and love.
From the President’s Desk
For me, the crux is R-MA’s resilience over these many decades of change. Our Academy, founded in faith, tempered by fire, tested in war and cultural change, is true to its founding principles while it pursues the very latest technologies and methods of learning, so that our graduates will be what R-MA graduates have always been: ready to rise to the challenge. For some, this means stepping forward and speaking up when others will not. It can mean having the courage to fight for our freedom in a much more tangible way. It has often meant helping those less fortunate, so that their potential is unlocked and their dreams can be realized as well. The Power of Rise speaks to our tireless pursuit of academic excellence, our never-ending quest for personal integrity, and our longstanding commitment to serving others. It is a new way to speak an old truth. R-MA endures because it is not a building or a group of individuals or a piece of equipment. R-MA represents an idea that persists in the face of all challengers; we seek to make a difference in an indifferent world; we strive to become part of something larger than ourselves; we endeavor to lead not for the sake of power, but to serve others, as we aim to help develop a better world. Let me close with a prayer (on left) attributed to Sir Francis Drake in 1577. His words, though nautical in emphasis, drive me forward in this wonderful task. They call upon each one of us not to be satisfied with where we are, but to have the courage to go after our God-given dreams. If we are to serve, if we are to make an impact on this world, then we must step forward with determination and confidence, and inspire the Rise within those around us. God bless you and thank you for all you are doing for R-MA! Warm Regards,
David C. Wesley Brigadier General, USAF, Retired President
~Sir Francis Drake, 1577 Randolph-Macon Academy admits persons of any race, gender, color, religion, nationality, and ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. R-MA does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, color, religion, or national or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
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Rise & Shine
Reader Submissions........................................................................ 3
Rise Inside
Campus Happenings...................................................................... 4 Scenes from the 125th Anniversary Homecoming.............................. 6 Middle School at FIRST LEGO League Competition........................... 7 Middle School Adds Flight to Fridays................................................ 7
Inside This Issue
The Power of Leadership
Color Guard in Training.................................................................. 8 MSgt Pederson Spearheads Return of Ham Radio Club...................... 8 R-MA Receives STEAM Grant form Toshiba America Foundation........ 8 Drill Team Sets the Tone.................................................................. 9
The Power of Giving
Campus Happenings Supported by Gifts.........................................10 In Memoriam: Stan Fulton ‘49........................................................ 11 A Decade of Service, a Lifetime of Support.......................................12 New Members Join Board of Trustees..............................................12 Parents’ Association Corner............................................................13
The Sabre
M a g a z i n e Winter-Spring 2018 | Volume 97 | Number 1 Published by the Office of Communications Editor: Celeste M. Brooks P’12,’21 Assistant Editor/Staff Writer: Cooper Bourdon ‘11 Photography: Misti Walters Copy Editors: Clare M. Dame and Amy M. Harriman The Sabre is published twice a year for alumni/ae, parents, students, and friends of: Randolph-Macon Academy 200 Academy Drive | Front Royal, VA 22630 Phone: 540-636-5200 | Fax: 540-636-5419 www.RMA.edu | sabre@rma.edu On Facebook: Facebook.com/Randolph.Macon.Academy.VA On Twitter: @RandolphMaconA On YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/RandolphMaconAcademy On LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/randolph-macon-academy On Pinterest: pinterest.com/randolphmacon/
Feature Articles
The Power of Rise...........................................................................14 Innovation Lab..............................................................................18 Leadership & Character................................................................ 20 Tess Hegedus, Ph.D., Named Dean, Instructional Leadership & Innovation; Jonathan Ezell Promoted to Vice President................... 22
The Power of Service
R-MA Spends Patriot Day Serving Others........................................ 24
The Power of Grit: Your Yellow Jacket Sports
Middle School Girls Cross-Country Claims First VMSC Title............ 25 Day by Day (Varsity Soccer)............................................................ 26 Trupiano: DAC Player of the Year....................................................27 “Lucky Goal” Sets Up Championship.............................................. 28 Miles Gilmore: Soft Spoken, Hard Hitting....................................... 29 Samson Jiya: Adjusting to Adversity................................................ 29 Josh Ilnicki Runs Yeti 100-Mile Race............................................... 30 Henry Liu: Respect Earned.............................................................31
Rise Beyond
Class Notes................................................................................... 32 The Final Roll Call........................................................................ 34 Notes from Homecoming.............................................................. 35 Alumni Profile: Johnathan Epps..................................................... 36
On Instagram: instagram.com/randolphmaconacademy/
Affiliated with the United Methodist Church
Board of Trustees RADM John D. Stufflebeem '70, Chairman Mr. Henry D. Light ’58, Vice Chairman Mr. Harry G. Austin III ’75, Secretary Mr. Rodney Deane, Jr., P’95, Treasurer Mr. Eric D. Carlson ’73 Mr. Glenn Carrington P’08 Mr. James Crouse ’67 Mr. Joe Hadeed '84 Mr. Stuart Hester P'16 Ms. Lucy Williams Hooper Mr. Doug Huthwaite ’69 Ms. Patty Keenan Mr. George Mathias ’54 Ms. Pamela McInnis Maj Gen David Puster, USA, Retired ’75 Mr. John D. Simar ’68 Ex-Officio Members Dr. Susan Gawalt P'14, '16, '20 Ms. Heather Grossman P’16, ’18, ’21 Mr. Robert “Bo” Snitchler ’06 Rev. John Peters, Representing Bishop Sharma Lewis Rev. Larry Thompson
President Brig Gen David C. Wesley, USAF, Retired
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The Sabre Magazine | Winter-Spring 2018
R i se &
SHINE
So much happens at R-MA and with our alumni that our photographer cannot get to it all! Reader-submitted photos are highlighted in this section, to give you a glimpse of the camaraderie of our people. Have a photo you would like to send in for the next issue? Email a high-resolution file to sabre@rma.edu.
From Our Readers
Bob Lewallen cuts the cake at the Air Force 70th Birthday Celebration in September, as Abigail Stewart ‘21 watches. Photo by TSgt Tina Laing.
Mom’s first flight! Connor Gamma and Mary Kay Gamma at Front Royal Airport, September 25, 2017. Photo by Ryan Koch. Ebenezer Scrooge (a.k.a. R-MA Chorus Director Michael DeMato) visits Kim Cramer’s English class!
After a lesson on stress management, an Aerospace I class finds a way to offer support to each other. Photo by TSgt Tina Laing.
R-MA Drill Team competing in the Raider Competition at the North Stafford Drill Meet, November 18, 2017. “Go, Go, Go, Go!” Photos by TSgt Tina Laing.
R-MA cadets enjoy a Super Bowl Party in Student Services. Photo by Yi Xiong ’18.
Freshmen run in unison during their “E2C” (Eco-Endurance Challenge) training in Aerospace class. Photo by TSgt Tina Laing.
International fun: A group of R-MA teachers and students enjoyed a trip to Japan last June. This photo, taken by English and Drama Teacher Kim Cramer, shows some of the group in a Karaoke Suite in Kyoto, Japan. From right to left: Mr. Brandon Sloan, Liwen Zhang ’18, Erik Wagner ’18, Ozzie Awa ’20, and Chris Khalil ’18.
The cast of Mulan finishes up a lesson in Thai Chi, courtesy of the instructors at Full Moon Thai Chi in Front Royal!
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Campus Happenings
R i se
INSIDE
Early Guest Speaker Kevin Basik, PhD and retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, gave a motivating presentation on character and leadership to the Randolph-Macon Academy family in September.
Air Force Junior ROTC Exceeds Standards On Monday, October 16, 2017, representatives from Air Force Junior ROTC Headquarters paid a visit to RandolphMacon Academy for an inspection of the 091st Virginia Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFJROTC). They examined numerous components of the corps from uniform wear, marching, financing, and support provided to Junior ROTC by R-MA. To no one’s surprise, the R-MA cadets and their instructors once again earned the “Exceeds Standards” rating.
Mulan Returns to R-MA R-MA’s drama group put on Mulan as our annual autumn play. Nearly the entire school attended at least one performance of the play, and the general consensus was: What an amazing show! The scenery was beautiful and made use of the whole stage. The crew managed to make Melton Gymnasium feel like ancient China, and the cast serenaded the audience with music and surprised them with props and special effects that seemed straight out of Broadway. Gillian Rydholm ‘18 as Mulan was no surprise, starring in last year’s performance as Cinderella and blowing us away yet again this year. Two freshman played main roles as well in this performance: Izzy Spencer ’21 as Mushu and Sardor Danier ‘21 as Captain Shang. Photo: Mushu, played by Izzy Spencer ‘21, center front, encourages Mulan, played by Gillian Rydholm ‘18, left, to “Keep Them Guessing.” ~Katy Babineau ‘20
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The Sabre Magazine | Winter-Spring 2018
Students Awed by Torah Scroll Members from Ratio Christi, Latin for “The Reason of Christ,” came to Boggs Chapel on Thursday, November 9, 2017, to present a scroll of the Torah from the 16th century. This scroll predates the King James Bible and came to the United States from Yemen. It is a remarkable artifact that has experienced a significant amount of history. It contains 221 columns, 304,895 letters, and 42 panels of scripture stitched together, giving it a length of 79 feet. Photo by Eric J. Anderson, Riverton United Methodist Church
Honoring Those Who Have Served In celebration of Veterans Day, Dan Fines ’67 delivered a presentation to R-MA students on November 13th. He discussed the importance of service to one’s country and how to show gratitude to those who have served.
Photo by Cooper Bourdon ‘11: Dan Fines ‘67 (on left) and Corporal Bill Woods speak to an R-MA Air Force JROTC class as part of the Veterans Day Celebration. Because R-MA’s band and color guard are involved in the Front Royal Veterans Day ceremony each year, the two men visited campus a few days later.
Rise Inside
Accompanying Fines was another man who sacrificed for his country: a WWII combat veteran named Corporal Bill Woods. Corporal Woods was a member of General Patton’s 3rd Army during the 1944-45 campaign in Western Europe. Woods joined the 3rd Army as an infantryman in Luxembourg and would soon find himself in one of the greatest struggles of WWII: the Battle of the Bulge.
First Soloist of 2017-18 On the afternoon of Friday, December 1, 2017, Randolph-Macon Academy (R-MA) junior Jon Yue did something special: he flew his first solo flight in a Cessna 172. And yet the 17-year-old Kensington, MD, native does not even have his driver’s license. The accomplishment was the culmination of a lifelong passion for flying. Jon can recall being in kindergarten, with all the students being asked what they wanted to be when they grew up. Without hesitating he said, “I want to be a pilot.” That childhood fantasy solidified into a goal when he was in third grade and he had the opportunity to take a ride in a small aircraft. He fell in love with flying and knew there was nothing else he would rather be doing. Jon became a student pilot in R-MA’s flight program this past fall, and flew his first powered solo on December 1, 2017. “There’s a feeling of freedom,” he explained. “When I get up there, everything I was worried about on the ground doesn’t matter anymore. At least for that time, you’re above everything.”
Three Partipate in District Chorus Randolph-Macon Academy cadets Usran “Ozzie” Awa ‘20, Gillian Rydholm ‘18, and Sarah Ponn ‘19 were selected to participate in the 2018 District XIV Chorus Concert, which was held at Millbrook High School on February 10th. Rydholm sang Soprano 2 and Ponn sang Alto 1, while Awa participated as a Bass 1 singer.
Fall Family Weekend The National Honor Society Induction and Scholarship Recognition Ceremony was held on November 17, 2017. A total of seventeen students were inducted into the National Honor Society and National Junior Honor Society. Later in the semester, ten students were inducted into the National English Honor Society. We are very proud of these young Yellow Jackets for working so hard! Congratulations!
In addition, on Thursday, February 8th, Rydholm and Ponn auditioned for All-Virginia Chorus, with Rydholm being selected as a second alternate. “Both did well,” said R-MA Chorus Director Michael DeMato, who was also the chairman of this year’s District Chorus event. “This year’s field of singers was extremely competitive, as this year was the first year all high school students could audition, not only juniors and seniors, as it was in the past.” The Sabre Magazine | Winter-Spring 2018
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Campus Happenings
Scenes from the 125th Anniversary Homecoming
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The Sabre Magazine | Winter-Spring 2018
Middle School Team Takes Prize at FIRST® LEGO® League Competition
Middle School Adds Flight to Fridays by Cooper Bourdon ‘11, Communications Assistant
R-MA students prepare their LEGO Robot to run through its tasks during the FIRST LEGO League competition.
by Celeste Brooks P’12, ‘21, Director of Communications On Saturday, November 5th, two teams comprised of 13 students and two coaches from R-MA Middle School traveled to Alexandria, VA, to compete in a FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL) competition. The league was created through an alliance between FIRST®, a company whose acronym stands for “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology,” and the LEGO® Group. The program’s goal is to promote a healthy balance between sportsmanship, cooperation, and competition, while challenging students with a real-world problem. Students are scored in three areas: the design of the robot they have built and programmed; their solution to a real-world problem as presented to a panel of judges; and core values such as teamwork, respect, and sportsmanship. This year’s challenge was to address a water issue. One team created a toilet to help ease the contamination of drinking water in Africa. The second team created a filtration system to relieve the water crisis in Puerto Rico.
The two R-MA Flight Instructors are meeting with the middle schoolers every Friday from 2-4 p.m. “We want to bridge the gap between the Upper School and Middle School as far as aviation is concerned,” said Koch. “This is a great opportunity for the middle school students to see what the students in the upper school have been learning.” The middle schoolers have recognized this opportunity. Fourteen students signed up just one week after the program was announced! The sixth, seventh, and eighth graders will participate in various activities that are hands-on and interactive, the perfect combination to combat winter boredom! They will learn radio calls, how to navigate, how to fly drones, shoot video with said drones, and even fly one of R-MA’s own Cessna 172s. It is a club designed to educate students on the art of flight. What makes an airplane fly? What are the physics behind aviation? The science, math, and history? The students will learn this through the gradual process of working with gliders. These are no toys as they possess a three-foot wingspan.
Multiple awards are given in each of the categories—Robot Awards, Project Awards, and Core Values Awards. The team that had focused on water filtration for Puerto Rico won first place in the Research category of the Project Awards, an award given to the team that shows they have used diverse resources in gaining a deep understanding of their identified issue.
First, they will build their gliders and toss them to observe the balance and aerodynamics of an aircraft. Next, they will install flaps on the tail and wings that are remote-controlled to show the mechanics involved with flying. They eventually progress to installing a motorized propeller on the nose of the glider that will allow the kids to fly the airplane for an extended period of time.
The team that won the award included Cecilia Paredes ’22, Chidera Anyanwu ’22, Ben Badejo ’22, Alex Self ’22, Chloe Browning ’22, and Josh Fink ‘22. As this was R-MA’s first time at the competition, Middle School teacher Stephanie Wagner P’20, ’23 said she was very pleased with the results.
Competitions will take place at the end of the school year, testing the students’ abilities to maneuver their gliders and perform certain tasks involving their operation. This is another great opportunity for our young Yellow Jackets to set a bar and rise to its heights. The Sabre Magazine | Winter-Spring 2018
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Rise Inside
Friday afternoons at Randolph-Macon Academy Middle School just got a little more exciting. Flight instructors Ryan Koch and Mark Kramer P ‘19 are bringing the R-MA Flight Program to the Middle School! “We’ve been excited about this for quite some time,” said Koch. “Mark and I went to the Middle School during a mentoring session in the fall to present this club to the kids. It was very well received and they were excited about it.”
The Po w e r o f
Leadership on Display
LEADERSHIP
Color Guard in Training When the Front Royal Police Department decided to form their own color guard unit, they decided to visit the local experts: the cadets at Randolph-Macon Academy. The cadets taught them the history, the maneuvers, and the regulations, then finished off the training session with a demonstration and hands-on instructions.
MSgt Pederson Spearheads Return of Ham Radio Club Aerospace Instructor MSgt Stephen Pederson P’13, ’15, USAF, Retired, passed his technician ham license on December 10th. This license puts him on the UHF, VHF, and limited HF channels, and provides R-MA students with multiple opportunities. Upon receiving his license, Pederson quickly became a member of the local fire and rescue squad and a radio operator. He registered with the National Association for Amateur Radio as a classroom teacher, and he set into motion the workings to obtain the equipment needed to jump-start the R-MA Ham Radio Club. The Club was approved on March 1, 2018; in mid-March the group also received approval from the FCC to use the old R-MA call sign, WA4RMA. Pederson hopes to work with other R-MA teachers on projects involving the radio in the coming year. Ultimately, he would like to put students in touch with astronauts on the International Space Station.
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R-MA Receives STEAM Grant from Toshiba America Foundation Randolph-Macon Academy received a $5,000 STEM grant from the Toshiba America Foundation (TAF). These funds have helped improve the Academy’s STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) program, allowing for the purchase of a tabletop microcentrifuge, a shaking incubator, and micropipettes, which provide avenues for the Biotechnology class to explore DNA technology thoroughly and accurately. “This equipment will allow me to give students a lab experience just like a professional research environment,” commented Dr. Nicholas Bongio, R-MA’s science teacher who discovered, applied for, and obtained the grant. While Bongio applied for the grant with the Biotechnology class in mind, he said that the Advanced Placement Biology class and even the regular-level biology classes would benefit from the equipment that would be purchased. Mr. Paul Hickey, the Director of Sales for the Toshiba America Information Systems, visited campus on October 18, 2017 to present the check to Bongio. Toshiba America Foundation’s grants fund projects designed by individual classroom teachers. Teachers are able to change the way they teach Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects because the grant supports equipment for hands-on experiments and inquiry-based approaches to the curriculum. TAF grants provide teachers with the tools they need to be more effective educators, and make the classroom a more exciting place for both teachers and students. For more information, visit: toshiba.com/taf.
DRILL TEAM SETS THE TONE by Cooper Bourdon ‘11, Communications Assistant Meticulous maneuvers, constant practice, and the will to rise early every morning in order to perfect them. RandolphMacon Academy’s drill team has been on the rise for several years.
After Laing checked the numbers, she was even more confused than before. “I see that out of 300 points we were awarded 328,” Laing told the judges. “How is it possible for us to not finish in the top-three with these numbers?” The judges looked at the score card and realized that a significant error had been made.
Leadership in AFJROTC
R-MA’s drill team received a great deal of interest from the student body and it has led to numerous competitions that were met with success. When R-MA took to the drill pad during last year’s state meet at North Stafford High School, spectators observed with silence as time seemed to stand still. “It’s the Gadson stomp,” said TSgt Tina Laing, USAF, Retired, the coach of R-MA’s drill team. “It is a distinctive sound that sets the tone
for the judge’s table. She respectfully asked to see the score cards for R-MA. Each judge can score a team for a total of 100 points followed by an extra 10 for the commander. There were three judges that day and R-MA scored a total of 328 points.
It turned out that R-MA won first place, but the other schools had already packed their belongings and left. Nobody was even in the parking lot. Nobody except the R-MA drill team, which was in formation with their heads held high. Sergeant Laing could barely contain her emotions. “I was so proud of those kids,” said Laing, her voice wavering a bit. “They stood tall and didn’t let the result of the day define them.” After Laing delivered the good news, the kids celebrated and congratulated each other. A bar had been set and they were determined to raise it even higher. This attitude transcended to the 2017-18 school year.
At the Randolph-Macon Academy Yellow Jacket Invitational Drill Meet held on February 3, 2018, one of the judges attempts to get the competitors to break military bearing during the knock-out competition.
for everything that is about to happen on the drill pad. TaJour and Tradarius [Gadson ’18] brought it to R-MA.”
The drill team competed in the North Stafford drill meet again this year and took home first place in Armed Regulation and second place in Unarmed Regulation. TaJour commanded both teams and executed with flying colors. The R-MA drill team serves as an example to their peers of what hard work, grit, and perseverance can bring. They control what they can and leave the rest up to the Almighty.
The stomp is executed in unison and occurs simultaneously with the first step. It is a booming sound that captivates all those who watch and calls attention (pun intended) to those who are distracted otherwise. The “Gadson stomp” struck the floor that day, and the ensuing drill routine ran to perfection. The marching was stout, the maneuvers crisp, and the impact was felt throughout the gym. The time came for the judges to announce the winners, but R-MA was not on the board. “How could this be?” Laing asked herself. “We did so well.” Laing was heartbroken for her team. She saw the disappointment in their eyes. All of the hard work and early mornings felt as if they were in vain. The kids were deflated as they packed their belongings, but Laing did some marching of her own as she headed straight
The armed regulation team executes its movements with precision.
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The Po w e r o f
GIVING
Happenings made possible by your gifts R-MA Moves to 1:1 Computing
Annual Giving: Making a Difference
by Cooper Bourdon ‘11, Communications Assistant There have been great undertakings in our Academy’s history, but none quite like this: a campus-wide conversion from PC to Macintosh, one that will put a MacBook Pro in the hands of every faculty/staff member and a MacBook Air in the hands of every student. This initiative will put all students on a level playing field, enhance student collaboration, encourage innovative ideas, improve the student-teacher communication flow, and create a more dynamic and engaging learning environment both in and out of the classroom. We live in a society that is driven by technology. Our students will soon find themselves in a workforce that is galvanized by technology and digitization as opposed to brick and mortar. It is imperative for our future leaders to be ready for this change in the workforce. With hands-on training from Apple, our teachers will be able to provide an efficient and unique atmosphere of education. Imagine a 65” monitor in every classroom that can display each student’s work at the teacher’s discretion, or the ability to obtain class notes via the iCloud. No student is left behind with this swift execution of a lesson plan.
Band members enjoyed a trip to perform at the Magic Kingdom at Disney World in Florida this past January. Photo by Dawn Latham P’18.
The result? R-MA graduates will not only meet the demands of our technological world, but potentially shape it through their own intuition and innovation. Through our Macintosh 1:1 program, our students will be given the tools to thrive, the need to drive, and The Power of Rise.
Expanded Offerings This past fall, the Middle School opened R-MA’s first Innovation Lab (see related story, page 18). This has allowed for classes in Coding and Robotics, as well as a Makers class that is all-out creative in its approach to learning. In the fall of 2018, a second innovation lab will open in Stan Fulton Hall on the Upper School campus, infusing the rest of campus with that same creative, interactive, collaborative environment that exists at the Middle School this year. There are other classes made possible by annual fund donations as well--the Unmanned Flight Operations class and the new Biotechnology course, for example. Teachers have been able to offer extracurricular programs such as the Middle School Friday Flight Program and the Ham Radio Club.
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Graduation Events for Class of 2018 Class Night Thursday, May 24th at 7:00 p.m. in Boggs Chapel Baccalaureate Service Friday, May 25th at 9:30 a.m. in Boggs Chapel Senior Luncheon Friday, May 25th at 11:30 a.m. in Turner Hall Final Parade Friday, May 25th at 2:00 p.m. on Riddick Field Commencement Ceremony Saturday, May 26th at 10:00 a.m. in Melton Gymnasium
In Memoriam: Stan Fulton ’49
At the conclusion of his Air Force service, Mr. Fulton embarked on an impressive entrepreneurial career. He built and operated several cable television systems, built and managed a 135-unit apartment complex in Las Vegas, and was the majority owner of an electronic manufacturing company before becoming involved in the gaming industry. In 1976, he acquired his first gaming license in the State of Nevada and his company at that time, Fortune Coin, developed the first multi-line video slot machine and video poker machines. Subsequently, he helped to build one of the largest gaming routes in Nevada with Gaming and Technology, and then founded Anchor Coin in 1989. Anchor Coin, which became Anchor Gaming, operated a slot machine route in Nevada and casinos in Colorado. In conjunction with International Game Technology, the company developed innovative gaming machines, including Wheel of Gold, the predecessor to Wheel of Fortune. In the year 2000, he sold his interest in Anchor Gaming to the company, but in leaving, Mr. Fulton also acquired Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino in New Mexico. Mr. Fulton was widely recognized for his philanthropy. He always worked hard, saying that he found that the harder he worked, the luckier he got, and he passed that fortune on to organizations that impacted where he had come from and where
Alumni Leadership
he had made his home. Las Vegas resident The R-MA family will Stanley E. Fulton ’49, recognize his generosity beloved alumnus and to R-MA in recent years, benefactor of as he donated the funds Randolph-Macon for the newest academic Academy, passed away building, Stan Fulton January 4, 2018. Mr. Hall, which opened in Fulton grew up in 2009. He also provided Hancock, MD. He funds that enabled the attended R-MA for his Academy to improve freshman and technology and sophomore years (1945academic offerings, 47), and though he increase financial aid, transferred to and expand marketing Mercersburg Academy, In this photo taken in 2016, Stan Fulton ‘49 is shown receiving his honorary R-MA diploma efforts. he always cherished from R-MA President Brig Gen David C. Wesley, USAF, Retired (left) and former R-MA Board of his time at R-MA. From In addition to his Trustees Chairman Joseph Silek ’77. Mercersburg, he went on gifts to R-MA, Mr. Fulton to attend the University of Maryland, eventually leaving college made donations to his hometown of Hancock, MD; New to serve in the U.S. Air Force in the 1950’s. Mexico State University; the City of Sunland Park; Gadsden Independent School District; Hope International University; the University of Nevada-Las Vegas; Central Christian Church; Keep Memory Alive; and the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. Mr. Fulton received an honorary doctorate degree from New Mexico State University in May, 2003 and the University of Las Vegas in May, 1997. He was awarded an honorary degree from Randolph-Macon Academy in 2016. He was honored as a Distinguished Nevadan in 1992, in recognition of his long-standing financial support of UNLV and the Las Vegas Community. In November of 2013, he was given the Outstanding Philanthropist award by the Association of Fundraising Professionals of Las Vegas. He was also honored with the Outstanding New Mexico Leader in Philanthropy award in 2014. “Mr. Fulton was a friend to Randolph-Macon Academy and to me personally,” said R-MA President Brig Gen David C. Wesley, USAF, Retired. “I am grateful for the support and guidance he provided since my arrival at the Academy. All of us will miss his humor, his generosity, and his insight.” Mr. Fulton is survived by his children, Deborah, Elizabeth (Thomas), Stanley (Mahalie), Michael, Lucinda and Virginia; and twelve grandchildren. His sons graduated from R-MA, Stanley in 1975 and Michael in 1976.
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A Decade of Service, a Lifetime of Support by Celeste M. Brooks, P’12, ’21, Director of Communications
Board of Trustees
Henry Light ‘58 began serving R-MA when he planned a very successful 50th reunion in 2008--and then he continued to serve the Academy as a member of the Board of Trustees. “R-MA was an important part of my education process,” he said. “I thought it was important that I give it some time back.” Henry and his older brother, Bill Light ‘56, both attended R-MA. Henry explained, “My mother sent us there because, as she said, ‘I want you all to go to college.’” The boys’ uncle had attended R-MA, so the family knew its college-prep reputation. His mother’s plan worked superbly. Upon graduating from R-MA, Henry earned a Navy ROTC scholarship to attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He served in the Navy for four years, then attended University of Virginia Law School with the GI Bill, which launched his successful career as a lawyer. Over the last decade, Henry has given R-MA his time and talent, most recently serving as the Board’s Vice Chairman. Though his term on the board ends in June, he will leave feeling excited about the Academy’s future. “The world is changing, and has changed. It’s not like it was in 2002. Somehow we had to respond to the market’s expression of its change. I see that happening,” he said. “I don’t see us wringing our hands; I see us trying to figure out how to make R-MA stronger. I think the study of the academic program, the advancement program, the branding study, and the efforts to give definition to where R-MA is headed to in the future are good. They are some of the strongest I’ve seen.” Though he will soon move on, Henry and his wife, Angelica, are continuing their strong financial support of R-MA; they recently became members of the Society of 1892, which is reserved for those who have included a bequest provision for R-MA in their estate plans, or who have arranged a gift via a planned giving venue, such as trusts, annuities, and life insurance policies. “My wife and I have this notion that if an organization is important to us, we contribute to it annually,” he explained. “Someday we’re not going to be around, so it’s nice to make a gift that will be there after you’re gone.” For more information about the Society of 1892, contact jsmith@rma.edu.
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New Members Join Board of Trustees R-MA welcomed several new members to the Board of Trustees in October 2017:
James T. Crouse ‘67 James Crouse holds a bachelor of arts from Davidson College and a J.D. from Duke Law School. He served 26 years in the U.S. Army, through a combination of active duty and the National Guard & Reserves, achieving the rank of lieutenant colonel before retiring in 1997. He has served as an adjunct professor at several law schools and was a partner at Speiser Krause from 1982 to June 2000. He is now the owner and founder of Crouse Law Offices, PLLC, located in Raleigh, NC.
Doug Huthwaite ’69 Doug Huthwaite graduated from Virginia Military Institute in 1973, with a B.S. in mathematics. He went on to a distinguished military career in the U.S. Army, where he spent 15-30 years in leadership, command, or deputy command positions. He also spent more than seven years serving as the Inspector General for the U.S. Army Special Operations Command. After retiring from the military in 2003, he became a defense contractor with L-3 Communications, where he worked until 2009.
George Mathias ‘54 After serving a long tenure on the R-MA Board of Trustees, including many years as its chairman, George Mathias took the break required by the by-laws, and now returns to serve on the board. In addition to being one of R-MA’s most generous donors, Mr. Mathias sent his son Michael (Class of 1984) and four grandchildren to R-MA. His career was centered around the food service industry, and he is now retired.
Robert “Bo” Snitchler ’06, ex-Officio (Alumni Association Committee, President) Upon graduating from R-MA, Bo Snitchler, attended Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA, where he studied International Business and Management. Currently, he is a staff officer in the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Force Education and Training, where he works on an analytical team that provides assessments of the Department of Defense’s exercise engagement and training transformation program. Mr. Snitchler has been on the Alumni Association Board of Directors since 2011 and previously served as Secretary/ Treasurer before becoming Vice President last year. His chief focus is increasing engagement between the Academy and its robust alumni base.
Parents’ Association Corner Grants Program The PA awards between $3,000 and $11,000 worth of grants each year to R-MA teachers, faculty or staff members who apply. The applications are thoughtfully reviewed and voted upon.
All proceeds are used to directly enhance student life! The 2017 – 2018 school year grants were given to benefit team building skills, equipment for science experiments, the U.S. History video library and Middle School rewards and prizes. The amount available depends on how much money the PA raises with the used clothing sale. This is dependent on clothes being donated. Volunteers are currently needed to wash, iron, set up the room and staff the sale.
Clothing Donation You can donate gently used clothing to the PA to help fund its grant programs. Items may be mailed to Student Services before, during and after semester break or dropped off at Student Services, including the day you pick up your child for the break.
The Teacher of the Year Grant This monetary award of $1,000 may be used by a teacher to: • Further their education; • Purchase something that would benefit the students in their classroom; or • Augment their teaching.
This year’s winner was Mr. Michael DeMato, Chorus Director and Assistant Bandmaster! Finally, the PA gave a one-time award of $1,000 to fund the incentives for the Yellow Jacket Academy Awards videos: An endeavor to encourage the students to artistically create videos showing the diversity of R-MA and the interesting facets of the school.
Come joi the fun! n
Amazon Smile For all Amazon users, if you place your orders through smile.amazon.com and designate R-MA as your charity, 0.5% of your purchase will be donated to the Annual Fund. This works with your Amazon prime account.
Volunteer Opportunities • Homecoming • Drill Meet • Military Ball
• Used Clothing Sale • Fall Family Day • Sports Concession Stand
For more information on any of the PA’s activities or to volunteer, email PA President Dr. Susan Gawalt P’14, ’16, ’20 at sgawalt@pediatric-assoc.com.
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THE POWER OF RISE.
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The Sabre Magazine | Winter-Spring 2018
by Celeste M. Brooks, P’12, ’21, Director of Communications The Power of Rise.
Developing and launching a new brand is one of the most exciting events that can occur for any organization. For a 125-year-old institution that has no defined brand, it is exhilarating…though perhaps just a bit terrifying for those in charge of the process. After all, this is more than a logo and a slogan. This is putting into words all the Academy is and all it aspires to be. As we move forward in the competitive boarding school market, our brand must embody who and what we are. At 125 years of age, the entire Academy family is devoted to the college-prep mission, a mission that has existed since the school’s founding in 1892. The Academy proudly added a military component in 1917, but continued to focus on the college-prep mission. We have built a strong college counseling program and a college-prep program that has resulted in 100% of graduates being accepted to college, with over $6.6 million in college scholarship offers each year. Yet the public perception of military schools remains somewhat negative, which has continued to impact enrollment and the perception of R-MA in general. Over the years, this has resulted in internal questioning—are we college-prep or military? Should we keep the military program? Is it helping or harming? And what about the Middle School, which has been a civilian program since it opened in 1995? When given the opportunity to conduct a branding study, Director of Enrollment Management Clare Dame and Director of Communications Celeste Brooks eagerly accepted the challenge. Ms. Dame created an RFP (Request for Proposals) that was sent to a number of highly recommended branding and marketing firms. The winning proposal came from Creosote Affects, a Mary-
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R-MA’s New Brand
land-based company that specializes in working with educational institutions. “We chose Creosote Affects in large part because of their thorough discovery process,” explained Ms. Dame. “Several other firms wanted to take a strictly survey-based approach and/or handle things through video meetings. It almost felt as if they had been doing this for so long, they already had a set expectation of what they’d hear and this was just going to be another job. Creosote was excited to work with us. They wanted to come spend time on campus, talk to people, sit in on classes, and truly get a feel for what Randolph-Macon Academy is. And that’s what we needed, because we wanted every audience, from current students to alumni, from faculty to parents, to have the opportunity to be heard.” Creosote’s process was thorough and personal. They reviewed R-MA documentation and statistics, acted as “secret shoppers” to see how the R-MA admission process worked (as well as the admission process of some of the Academy’s key competitors), and reviewed the programs of R-MA as well as other schools in the area. They looked at national statistics and reports from organizations such as the National Association of Independent Schools. They conducted two days of on-campus interviews and discussion groups with students, parents, teachers, administrators, staff, board members, and alumni, then returned to conduct workshops with various on-campus groups. They toured campus with a student and attended extracurricular activities. And they followed up with online surveys of these constituent groups to gather even more opinions. What came about was the conclusion that it is the unique combination of Air Force Junior ROTC and college-prep that sets Randolph-Macon Academy apart from its competition. The blend of military leadership training--used in a welcoming, thoughtful way, not a boot-camp manner--and a superior college-prep program sets our graduates up for success. And from that discovery came a thought-provoking slogan that manages to embody everything R-MA: The Power of Rise. “Rise” is not just an action at Randolph-Macon Academy. It is a mindset—an attitude the academy embodies every day. It
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represents the willpower and self-discipline of the R-MA student. “The Power of Rise” is hard work—the type of struggle that does not always end in success, but always results in a rewarding sense of accomplishment. It is a characteristic, a trait found within the very core of the most successful individuals. And students don’t develop this “rise” alone; they support each other on the journey. Down the road, when a Randolph-Macon Academy graduate reaches their moment to be tested, they call upon the rise within and overcome. For those thinking that the tagline should read “The Power to Rise.”, let us explain. The unexpected structure represents an example of anthimeria, a literary device in which a word’s part of speech is used in an uncommon way. While it would be more common to see “rise” as an infinitive verb, in this structure the noun form delivers the message. In “The Power of Rise,” the use of anthimeria serves two purposes; it teases the reader’s curiosity and better expresses the willpower within Randolph-Macon Academy students. Already, “The Power of Rise.” has been exemplified over and over on campus this year. The Academy has added an Innovation Lab at the Middle School that supports coding,
A Deeper Meaning The design recommendations that Creosote put forth included many of the aspects incorporated into this issue of The Sabre, including the dotted line arrows meant to convey motion and the perpetual search for improvement and knowledge--the desire to rise. Pay special attention to the triangles, which have a deep meaning. The three sides, like the three lines in our logo, represent our three pillars: Knowledge, Leadership, and Character. They are also reminders of the three Air Force Core Values: Integrity First. Service Before Self. Excellence in All We Do. And finally, they parallel the Holy Trinity of our Christian heritage: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
robotics, and cross-curricular projects. An unmanned aerial vehicle class, an entrepreneurship class, and biotechnology have been added at the Upper School. The school is moving quickly towards a one-to-one computer program; the staff and faculty have all received MacBook Pros and there are several carts of MacBooks and iPads in classroom buildings on campus, with the expectation that by the fall of 2018 every student will have a laptop.
INSPIRE THE RISE WITHIN.
The Middle School has embraced a Junior Leadership program, allowing students more training and opportunities for responsibility in the dorms and as school representatives. Just appointed this past summer, Leadership and Character Chairman Mike Starling ‘88 has quickly developed a curriculum that promotes characteristics of strong leaders who demonstrate virtue and integrity, and developed Leadership Challenge Weekends that have attracted dozens of students. Science teacher Nick Bongio applied for and won a grant from Toshiba to purchase equipment for the new Biotechnology class, and Air Force Junior ROTC Instructor Stephen Pederson obtained his ham radio license, which will allow him to re-start R-MA’s ham radio club and possibly even one day talk to astronauts on the ISS. Meanwhile, the R-MA Middle School soccer team won the Valley Middle School Soccer Championship, and the Middle School girls’ cross-country team won its first championship. The Middle School attended a FIRST® LEGO® League competition in November and took home a first-place trophy in the research category. Jon Yue ‘19 flew his first powered solo flight on December 1st and plans to obtain his private pilot certification before the end of the school year. The varsity soccer team defeated the #6 team in the state on its way to earning the runner-up title in the Delaney Athletic Conference. And the Drill Team won numerous first-place awards in the North Stafford Drill Meet held in November and
the Yellow Jacket Invitational held at R-MA in February. Every day on campus, the R-MA family passionately pursues The Power of Rise. It is the power of intellect, of creativity, of innovation. It is the rallying cry that inspires and unites us. It is the power within each one of us. Come visit campus, and experience for yourself
THE POWER OF RISE. The Sabre Magazine | Winter-Spring 2018
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By Celeste M. Brooks, P’12, ’21, Director of Communications
It is a classroom that is never quiet. Students get up from their seats to obtain supplies, ask each other questions, and look for guidance on the internet. They question, collaborate, cooperate, and create. They identify problems and build solutions. Even during the periods when there are no classes scheduled, students from other classes appear in the doorway in need of various supplies for projects, their faces alight with excitement and their voices eager. This is the R-MA Middle School Innovation Lab. 18
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The lab is the result of the work of many hands, including former R-MA Middle School Principal Derrick Leasure, current Principal Tony Ballard, Craig Campesi of the Technology Department, and Middle School teacher and Innovation Lab keeper Stephanie Wagner P’20, ’23, whose enthusiasm is contagious. The lab is full of various objects that engage the students: Ozobots, Little Bits, Spheroballs, iPads, Lego robots, and 3D printers, just to name a few. As Wagner describes her innovative classroom and its many components, a student wanders in to borrow clay and camera for a “Claymation” production, and before long an entire World History class joins her as they prepare to build chariots out of unusual objects. “They’re not allowed to use the wheels from Legos,” Wagner explains. “Some of them are building the chariots out of popsicle sticks and CDs.” Wagner explains that the Innovation Lab environment is built on the idea of “constructivism.” “When you make it with your hands, you will remember it forever,” Wagner says.
“These students will always remember that Greece and Rome had chariots.” In addition to providing a place for other teachers to think “outside the box” and assign projects that are more than just poster board presentations, Wagner is teaching a Robotics class and two computer science classes that became “Makers” classes for the spring semester. Her philosophy of continuous change and engagement for all is evident as she describes how she changes the groups around in the Robotics class every other week. “With different groups, students are given different jobs, and it helps get the quiet, reserved kids engaged,” she explains. For the computer science classes, the students focus on coding—and she found a way to challenge them early on, when she had the students create submissions for the Congressional App Challenge. With a Lego wall, a mechanical dog named Chip, TinkerCad programs, and dozens of other avenues for creativity and innovation, R-MA Middle School students are more engaged in their education than ever.
Innovation at work! Top photo: the Middle School World History I students used the innovation lab to create motorized chariots (they were not allowed to use Lego wheels), and held chariot races at the “Hippodrome” in the Middle School gym. Photo above: Students created prosthetic hands using the Innovation Lab’s 3D printers. The students will donate the hands to children who cannot afford a medically fitted prosthetic limb. (Photo by Stephanie Wagner.)
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R-MA Values: Leadership and Character
Emphasizing Leadership & Character By Cooper Bourdon ’11, Communications Assistant
Since the school year began, the new Character and Leadership Development program, spearheaded by Colonel Michael Starling ‘88, P’19, ’23, ’24 USMC, Retired, has taken root and grown rapidly. Created to help our students pursue potent character and leadership in order to thrive in all facets of life, the program encompasses everything from guest speakers to leadership retreats to a mentoring curriculum. Starling took advantage of the wonderful opportunity the Northern Virginia 4-H Educational Center, located right in Front Royal, provides toward the development of teamwork. In the middle of October, students from the Middle School participated in numerous activities to reinforce the lessons of character and leadership. They played games that tested their integrity and patience with their fellow classmates and tackled the ropes course to assess their ability to execute the instructions given to them. The Upper School visited the 4-H Center in October as well for their first Leadership Challenge Weekend and participated in similar activities. These weekends are another component of the program designed to challenge both the individual and the team. About two-thirds of the events were teamwork-related, but Starling wanted one-third to be focused on the individual to reinforce confidence and self-reliance.
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These Leadership Challenge Weekends are a hit among the students. Cadet Captain Grayson Galeone ’18 assured his participation in future Leadership Challenge Weekends. “I look forward to any future Leadership Challenges, and I am going to be sure to encourage more of my peers to participate in it,” said Galeone. He is not the only Yellow Jacket who feels this way. Katy Babineau ’20 spoke of an activity that opened her eyes to the importance of understanding the role of a leader. “My group had to use an assortment of materials to cross the ‘lake’ [a grass field],” explained Babineau. “When we crossed the first time, only the leader could talk, which was difficult
The Power of Rise
because it was up to the leader to solve everything. The second time, two people were allowed to talk and it was easier to solve and get across...it taught us all about working together and how important it is to listen to each other.” Starling developed a curriculum the mentors can use as well. Mentors are provided with discussion guidelines and resources to be able to address tenets each week, such as “Live ‘Honor above Self’” and “Develop self-awareness.” In addition, the Class of 1957 provided a $20,000 boost to fund various speakers and programs. Starling has an intriguing lesson plan laid out for students
in the classroom too. The Freedoms Foundation assembled the stories of every Medal of Honor recipient and created lesson plans based on their stories. Each Medal of Honor recipient’s story ties into one of six core values: courage, integrity, sacrifice, commitment, citizenship, and patriotism. The goal is to get students to replicate the six core values exemplified by these real-life heroes. Photo above: Students participate in the Tire Challenge, with the objective to study terrain, start points, and characteristics of various tires, and with four chances, gain the right combination to get a tire atop the pitcher’s mound. The Sabre Magazine | Winter-Spring 2018
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Tess Hegedus, Ph.D., Named Dean, Instructional Leadership & Innovation; Jonathan Ezell Promoted to Vice President
Academic Leadership
by Celeste Brooks P’12, ‘21, Director of Communications
On January 8, 2018, Randolph-Macon Academy welcomed Theresa (Tess) Hegedus, Ph.D., as Dean, Instructional Leadership & Innovation at the Upper School (grades 9-12). Hegedus replaces Jonathan Ezell, who has been promoted to Vice President of R-MA. Hegedus comes to R-MA with Tess Hegedus a rich background in education. After six years as a physical therapist in Virginia, she became a substitute teacher in public and private schools in North Carolina, eventually earning her North Carolina teaching licensure. She obtained a full-time position as a middle school science teacher at Sherwood Githens Middle School in 2002, then spent the following eight years teaching seventh and eighth grade science at Triangle Day School. The students there inspired her so much that she began working towards a master’s in gifted education at Elon University. In 2011, Hegedus completed her master’s degree at Elon, and immediately began her Ph.D. work in Science Education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, while serving as a research assistant, adjunct faculty, and teaching assistant. There she became engrossed in the research of best teaching practices, and how they could be applied in schools. She began to develop an even deeper appreciation for the depth and breadth of the teaching field.
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Upon obtaining her Ph.D, Hegedus taught undergraduate and graduate courses as an Assistant Professor at High Point University in the Stout School of Education, where she also served as the Coordinator of Gifted Licensure. Over the four years she served there, from 2013 to 2017, she recognized that she had a unique vantage point: she had taught at a K-8 school, worked with adolescent youth through her research at Elon, and finally, at High Point, worked with both pre-service teachers and veteran teachers who were returning for additional education. “I felt like I was getting this ‘whole picture’ of what it means to work in education and what it means to teach for best practice,” she explained. Once she acknowledged that fact, Hegedus tried to figure out where she could have the greatest impact, and concluded that a return to the independent school setting would be right for her. The ensuing search has led her to R-MA, where she looks forward to working with the teachers to better develop students to be “not just consumers of knowledge, but producers of knowledge.” Hegedus explained, “I think that we need to prepare our students for this ever-changing, technologically evolving world.” Even at the college level, she saw students struggle to think beyond memorized answers. “Life doesn’t work that way,” she said. “Students need to be scientifically literate, digitally literate, and financially literate, poised to make critical decisions about their lives.” She pointed out that STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) programs have become increasingly important because these disciplines serve to provide foundational knowledge that students can use to make future decisions about their lives. Ultimately, Hegedus believes in an integrated educational experience for our
students to best prepare them for a successful future. “How do we develop a student holistically, to be prepared for the world, prepared for careers that might not even yet exist ?” Hegedus asked. “I think if we cultivate disciplinary skills and practices--how to think and how to question--students can be ready for just about anything.”
That “coaching” needs to take place through a variety of techniques, including project-based and problem-based learning, which will engage students’ creative imagination and innovative minds, in addition to the focus on content knowledge mastery. Hegedus said there should be a “sweet spot,” where the combination of different teaching approaches mesh just right--yet she acknowledged that what that perfect blend looks like is going to be different for each subject and teacher. “I think teachers need to have autonomy. They need to be able to explore their passions, their interests, and share that excitement with their students,” she explained. Knowing he has left the R-MA Upper School academic program in Hegedus’ extremely capable hands, Ezell moved into the newly created position of Vice President on January 8th. Ezell taught English at the Upper School and coached several different sports from 1986-1997, then served as the Principal of the R-MA Middle School for several years before becoming the Upper School Academic Dean in 2000. His new position
Ezell acknowledged that social media makes it easier to “catch up” with recent alumni, but the feeling is that the Academy needs to be more deliberate in reaching out to this group. “Elite schools never lose contact with their alumni, their students, but what we haven’t done, ever, is to really hold close to us the recent alums, so that they’re always close to us,” Ezell observed. “So part of my role is to engage with all the students that I have had personal contact with.” Another part of his role, he explained, will be to work with long-term faculty such as Mr. Ed Richards and Mr. Eric Barr to reconnect with the recent alumni and communicate with them about happenings at their alma mater. “It’s very exciting,” he said. “Every day I’m making contacts.” Ezell said he re-started interacting with Facebook, which he had abandoned back in 2010, and within a week had reconnected with 500 alumni. Already, he has traveled throughout parts of Virginia to meet up with alumni. And while on campus, he makes regular visits to the Middle School, where he began his administrative career. Although Ezell said he will miss seeing the students and interacting with them on a daily basis, he is very excited about this new stage of his career, which will allow him to network with many of his former students and other alumni, and still remain engaged in R-MA life. “These changes bring the right people to the right positions at the right time,” said R-MA President Brig Gen David C. Wesley, USAF, Retired. “We are excited about Dean Tess Hegedus’ experience and vision. She will propel our academic programs forward, making a great college-prep program even better. Jonathan Ezell is a visionary in his own right. His sincere and caring way of connecting with people will enhance our relationship with younger alumni/ae. These leaders and the rest of our team have the potential to make R-MA one of the best college-prep boarding schools in the
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A Bold Move Forward
Hegedus explained that the inclination to be “knowledge seekers and knowledge producers” is innate in all of us--after all, when kindergartners play, they use their imagination and creativity. Over time, though, students learn not to explore or question, but to sit and listen. Hegedus believes an educator’s mission in the 21st century should be to counter that learned behavior. “We’re unlocking what’s already there,” she said. “We need to move away from a culture of standardized testing, to focus on what’s relevant, to help students productively apply their innate abilities. They’ve got it. We just Jonathan Ezell have to provide direction. We are coaches. We are facilitators. I think our role as an educator is one that allows for a collaborative learning experience.”
will allow him to re-establish relationships with many of the students who have passed through the R-MA hallways during his thirty years at R-MA.
Th e Po w e r o f
SERVICE
Community Service
R-MA Spends Patriot Day Serving Others In honor of Patriot Day this year, Randolph-Macon Academy spent the afternoon of September 11, 2017 in service projects throughout the local area. The entire student body-over 300 students--and more than 30 adult supervisors joined together to take on 19 different projects.
at Calvary Episcopal Church. Still another group painted bowls at The Kiln Doctor downtown; the bowls were later used in the annual fundraiser for the House for Hope. The projects also included work at several individuals’ homes, and an on-campus campaign to write letters to soldiers.
Projects included weeding, raking, spreading grass seed, and mulching at locations such as Andy Guest Shenandoah River State Park, St. Luke’s Community Clinic, and the Northern Virginia 4-H Center. The students did the same at the 3rd Battle of Winchester, where they also re-set fences. At the Warren County Fairgrounds, students updated the information on the marquee, picked up trash, and moved all the aluminum canopy frames to winter storage. The R-MA varsity soccer team cleaned up Kendrick Lane, just outside the Middle School gate.
One group of students took baked items to sell outside of Rural King, with the remainder being sold at R-MA the next day. In total, the bake sale raised $328.92 for the United Methodist Commission on Relief, to go towards the relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Harvey. This is in addition to funds raised in the previous week; in fact, another one of the projects on the 11th was using those early donations to purchase the supplies for relief buckets and put the buckets together.
The chorus and color guard participated in a 9/11 Ceremony at Greenwood Mill Elementary School in Winchester, and another group cleaned out flower beds at Spring Arbor and planted fall flowers. R-MA students were also found painting at The Warren County Senior Center, delivering flower bud vases to Hidden Springs Assisted Living, staining the fence at The Phoenix Project, and sweeping the parking lot
“With 2017 being our 125th Anniversary, we wanted to honor Patriot Day in a different way,” said Celeste Brooks P’12, ’21, R-MA’s director of communications. “Everyone really enjoyed getting out into the community and helping others. I’ve heard several requests from our teachers, staff and students to do it again.” And in fact, at the time of print, several Air Force Junior ROTC cadets were making plans to host another Community Service Day on April 4th.
Community Service Day September 11, 2017
330+
750+
More than 330 students and employees participated in Community Service Day.
Volunteers averaged more than two hours of service.
19 Volunteers engaged in 19 different projects on campus and in the communities of Warren and Frederick Counties.
wwww.piktochart.com support@piktochart.com +604-6116694
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T h e Po w e r o f
GRIT
Your Yellow Jacket Sports
Middle School Girls’ Cross Country Claims First VMSC Title
A year ago, the R-MA Middle School girls’ cross country team didn’t exist. The lone female runner from the previous two years ago had opted to join volleyball instead. No one else stepped forward to try the grueling sport. It seemed its time as an R-MA Middle School sport had ended. But a new school year brought new faces to R-MA, and six students—Sam Bai ‘23, Lisa Fei ‘22, Katie Reagan ‘24, Ima Enodien ‘23, Amy Lin ‘22, and Yizhen Ella Ye ‘24—came together to form a full middle school girls’ cross country team for the first time in quite a few years. In fact, the team had more runners than they needed, because in cross-country, only the first four are counted in the meet; the first three score points, and the fourth runner can displace the runners from the other team. As any sports coach will tell you, depth matters, and that is true for cross-country as well.
had held the top spots for years, including St. Joseph’s School of Martinsburg, WV. “Both of them [Cassarino and Ilnicki] are much more experienced runners than I am and have helped immensely with technique and training,” she said. Overall, the girls were undefeated in the Valley Middle School Conference, and they claimed first place for both the season and the championship meet. In doing so, the team defeated not only St. Joseph’s, but also Chelsea Academy, Mountain View Christian School, Wakefield Country Day School, and Front Royal Christian School. Coloso gave credit to the team’s grit. “It’s all the athletes,” she said. “They are driven. They want to win and they work hard.”
Bai was the top runner for the R-MA team and consistently placed in the top three in each meet; not surprisingly, she was named MVP of the team. Fei and Yu “Sam” Bai ’23 led the Middle School Cross Country team to its Coaches’ Award winner Reagan traded first ever championship. places for the second and third team Not only were the six girls new to R-MA cross country this spots, and stayed within the top ten in every meet. Enodien year, but so was their coach, Haley Coloso, who was new to and Lin each helped displace other teams’ runners throughout the sport in general. However, under the excellent tutelage the season. Perhaps best of all, every girl consistently dropped of varsity coach Joshua Ilnicki, and the superb assistance of her time; personal records were set on a regular basis. There her assistant coach, Col John Casserino, USAF, Retired, Coloso is nothing more a coach can hope for, or a runner can ask of was able to guide her team to defeat local powerhouses who herself.
Delaney Athletic Conference Fall and Winter Honors The following students earned All-Conference Honors in the Delaney Athletic Conference: Varsity Boys’ Soccer: Samson Jiya ’18, First Team and Conference Player of the Year; Ryan Latham ’18, 1st Team; Cailen Baggett ’18, 2nd Team. Varsity Girls’ Volleyball: Anastasia Chineme ’18, 1st Team; Kate Ponn ’18, 1st Team; Caroline Starling ’19, 2nd Team; Kimmie Pitts ’18, Honorable Mention.
Varsity Tennis: Liana Trupiano ’18, 1st Team. Varsity Boys’ Basketball: Luel Mekonnen ’18, Honorable Mention. Varsity Girls’ Basketball: Liana Trupiano ’18, Player of the Year; Kimmie Pitts ’18 1st Team; Reagan Grove ’18, 2nd Team. Additional Honor: In Varsity Wrestling, AJ Sullivan ‘20 was named to the Northern Virginia Daily’s All-Area Second Team for the 132-lb weight class.
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Middle School Champs
by Celeste M. Brooks, P ’12, ’21, Director of Communications
Day by Day
Varsity Soccer
by Cooper Bourdon ’11, Communications Assistant Eddie Rapoport ’18 sets the ball for a penalty kick on the saturated field in Manassas Park. This is heavy. If he makes this shot, R-MA will defeat the sixth-ranked team in the state and advance to the Delaney Athletic Conference (DAC) soccer championship game. Rapoport sizes up the keeper standing in net. The foe is determined to vanquish R-MA’s shot at victory. Rapoport steps back, takes a deep breath, and reminds himself how the R-MA soccer team reached this point. The level of success that R-MA soccer expected for the 2017 season was not high. They lost five key seniors from last year’s team and had a significant void to fill. “I was a little nervous at the start of the season,” admitted head coach Steve Latham P ‘18. “We lost a number of crucial players in key positions.” Despite the loss of these players, R-MA would rise to every challenge throughout the season. “We didn’t start off well,” said Samson Jiya ’19. “There were
A save by goalie Mason Wilkins ’19 set up the Yellow Jackets’ home DAC Tournament win.
how to play the game.” The key words in this prayer were, “Day by day we get better and better. The team that can’t be beat. WON’T BE BEAT.” The Yellow Jackets did not simply recite this prayer, they lived it. Not just on game day, but in practice as well. That is what separated them from the competition. They put in the work, “day by day.” The boys maintained this work ethic all the way to the DAC semi-finals. It was time to play Seton School for the third time. The first two matches earlier in the season had not gone well. The Jackets suffered a 4-0 defeat at Seton followed by a 5-0 defeat at home. This time felt different though. There was a sense of destiny hanging in the air.
“We were ready to play this game,” said Samuel Uzoma ’18. “We felt the hand of God in this one.” The Yellow Jackets gave Seton all they could handle from the first whistle. Rapoport scored the first goal of the The Yellow Jackets celebrate their DAC win over the number-six state-ranked Seton School. game and gave R-MA a 1-0 lead. Seton bounced back a lot of new faces on the field and guys were just not on the with a goal of their own to tie it at 1-1. The score would remain same page. We struggled with our passes and communication.” 1-1 for the rest of regulation and overtime. It was time for Both are key in winning a match, but things began to click as penalty kicks to decide the game. strange faces grew familiar. Seton and R-MA exchanged goals back and forth until As the boys continued to get acclimated with each other, Mason Wilkins ’19 snuffed out the sixth shot from Seton. That they sharpened their skills and increased their effort. What is when Rapoport set the ball on the rain-soaked field for his separated this team from their competition was not its level of penalty kick. He was too prepared to be nervous. He knew what skill, but its level of grit. They were hustlers and workers. Every kind of team he played for and how far they had come since the practice was an opportunity to get better. Not just as beginning of September. They deserved this win and he was individuals, but as a team. “This group has a lot of team spirit,” determined to give it to them. said Coach Latham. “They recited a prayer before every game He approached the ball as it lay on the ground, ready to that was meant to inspire them, but it also helped them realize
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They celebrated the victory for the rest of the day. However, once the morning light of a new day inched through their dorm room windows, it was back to business. The DAC championship was next and Trinity Christian School waited anxiously for the team that slayed Goliath. It was another hard-fought battle by both teams and R-MA, once again, found themselves in overtime. The first goal would win the match and each team was determined to protect their nets. Both teams were still alive after the first half of overtime. The final period of overtime began and the crowd’s tension built as each second ticked away towards penalty kicks. With less than a minute left, R-MA made its final substitutions in order to get their best penalty shooters on the field before time expired. That was when a momentous mistake was made. R-MA substituted too many players on the field, which gave Trinity a free kick in R-MA territory. Trinity crossed the ball in front of the R-MA goal and headed it in for the win. Game over. “We were just thinking, ‘Wait, what? That’s it?’,” said Ryan Latham ‘18. “It all happened so fast.” It was an emotional ride to a sudden end, and the Yellow Jackets were heartbroken. Despite a disappointing end to the championship game, the boys realized that it was far from a disappointing season. They worked hard and it paid off. They grinded every practice with the sole intention of getting better as individuals and as a team. Even when they were having a tough time, they continued to work and improve. The result: they advanced R-MA boys’ soccer past the first round of the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade. They overcame the leviathan that was the sixth-ranked team in the state. They took Trinity Christian School to the final seconds of overtime in the championship game. But most important of all, they did not let adversity get the best of them. On the contrary, they rose above it, day by day.
Trupiano: Girls’ Basketball DAC Player of the Year By Cooper Bourdon ’11, Communications Assistant Liana Trupiano ’18 has been playing basketball since she was five years old, and she has worked every one of those years to be the best. She reached her goal this past winter when she was named the Delaney Athletic Conference (DAC) Player of the Year. “I just feel very accomplished and proud of the work I put into it,” said Trupiano. “It is important to have goals. To really know what they are and set out to accomplish them.”
Varsity Athletics
Eddie Rapaport ’18 fights for the ball.
be sent home. With his eyes, he moved the keeper away from the spot where he planned to shoot, and buried the shot in the back of the net. The Yellow Jackets officially dethroned the kings of the DAC. Pandemonium ensued as the entire R-MA soccer team rushed toward their teammate.
During her time at R-MA she has been named 1st Team All-DAC and won a DAC championship. The coveted title of Player of the Year came in large part due to her ball-handling skills and her record of 198 points during the season, giving her an average of 11 points per game. It has been a successful high school career by anyone’s measure. Trupiano said she learned to trust her teammates, and she wanted their trust as well. To that end, she emphasized dribbling in her practice. “I play point-guard so it is an important part of my position,” she explained. “I want my teammates to be able to trust me when the ball is in my hands.” The team fell short of their goal to win the DAC championship when they lost to Chelsea Academy in the semi-finals. Despite the tough loss, Trupiano felt lucky to be part of a team like R-MA’s. “In the end it was a fun group to be a part of and I will miss it.”
Football Honors The following R-MA athletes were named to the 1st Team, All-Conference within the Patriot Football Conference: Defensive Back: Edmund Loolo ’18 Linebacker: Trysten Noszek ’19 Defensive End: Rhamel Brewer ’18 and Connor Blow ’18 Offensive Line: Awungafac Ngosong ’18 and W. O. ’18, (name withheld due to parent request) Running Back: Miles Gilmore ’18 In addition, Gilmore was named Second Team, All-State, and Loolo was awarded Honorable Mention, All-State. The Sabre Magazine | Winter-Spring 2018
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Middle School Soccer
“Lucky Goal” Sets Up Championship
by Celeste M. Brooks, P ’12, ’21, Director of Communications With a strong group of talented players, R-MA Middle School Soccer Coach Chris Peter found himself with a depth that was the envy of every coach in the Valley Middle School Conference (VMSC).
“We had at least eight kids step into leadership roles,” Peter said, naming Jiseong Choi ‘23, Minjun Choi ’22, Minjoon “Michael” Kim ’22, Luke Habiby ‘22, Nnamdi Odom ‘23, Sophia Wagner ‘23, Cecilia Paredes ’22, and Alex Self ’22 as all leading by example. In talking about the team’s success, he added, “R-MA established a solid connection with ROX Soccer, a travel soccer program in Front Royal. We had two players complete a dual season, playing with both R-MA and ROX. [And] the girls saw massive development due to playing alongside and competing against the boys.” Heading into the VMSC Championship Tournament on a confident note, R-MA Middle School faced off in a home match against Wakefield Country Day School. Odom assisted Nethaneel Loolo ’23 in the first goal. Paredes followed up with a blast into the upper 90 of the net, then scored again with an assist from Habiby, making the score 3-0. Ben Badejo ’22 assisting Loolo with his second goal, then Habiby scored his first unassisted goal, putting the Jackets up 5-0. After the half, Habiby assisted Minjun Choi with his first goal and Kim assisted Ugo Odom ’23 with his first goal, making the score 7-0. The Owls followed up with their only two goals of the night. Finally, Rick Banerjee ’22 assisted Badejo with his second goal to end the match with a final score of 8-2, Jackets. From there, it was on to the VMSC Championship match against Chelsea Academy. The Jackets knew it would be a tough match, as they had lost to Chelsea during the regular season. Early on, Chelsea pulled ahead on a free kick outside the penalty area, and that was the only score of the first half. R-MA was down 1-0 at halftime. The Jackets came out strong after the break and Badejo poked a shot past the Chelsea goalkeeper to tie the game 1-1. Shortly after, Kim shot a free kick from 25 yards out that sailed past the keeper and into the back of the net for a 2-1 lead—although Kim later said it wasn’t intended to
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be a scoring attempt. “I got a lucky goal,” he admitted. “It was supposed to be a pass, but it turned out to be a goal. I was surprised.” That “lucky goal” helped to keep up the Jackets’ spirits as Jerome Siegel of Chelsea tied the game 2-2 with his second free kick from outside the penalty area. That, however, was all Chelsea was going to manage against Wagner, R-MA’s goalie, whom Kim called “the perfect goalie.” R-MA rallied with a breakaway goal from Habiby. The final R-MA goal came at the final whistle as Gabe Hutto ‘22 blasted a left-footed shot in off a cross from Habiby. With that, R-MA claimed the VMSC Championship title with a score of 4-2. “The boys and girls played with so much enthusiasm, excitement and energy on the field,” said Peter. “The players worked hard and showed true dedication to this game.” Like their coaches, the players recognized that this title was not won on what happened only during that championship match. “We worked as a team and developed our skills,” Kim said. “Mr. Peter was a good coach, and Mrs. [Stephanie] Wagner was a good assistant coach.” “We all get along together,” agreed Minjun. “There was no one getting mad at each other. If someone did something wrong, we said, ‘It’s okay, you can do better next time.’” That supportive attitude pervaded the entire season, helping the athletes to build their skills and their confidence. “Overall, I have appreciated their desire to learn. It was a pleasure to watch them grow as a team this season,” said Peter.
Miles Gilmore:
Soft Spoken, Hard Hitting
Samson Jiya:
Adjusting to Adversity
by Cooper Bourdon ’11, Communications Assistant
Even the best need to make adjustments. That was the challenge that faced Samson Jiya ’19 on the soccer field this year. Anyone who has ever watched Jiya play will tell you of his blinding speed, tenacious effort, and formidable skillset. Despite all of these attributes, Jiya had to find a way to adjust and improve his game.
The 5’9” running back for the Yellow Jackets was one of the hardest runners to tackle in the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISAA) and it earned him 2nd Team AllState. “I just wanted to play well for my team,” said Gilmore. “We lost a lot of seniors last year so I knew I had to step up and play a big part in the offense.”
“Everybody in the DAC [Delaney Athletic Conference] knew about Samson,” said Stephen Latham P ’18, head coach of boys’ soccer at R-MA. “They knew how good he was and how detrimental he could be to the opposition.” As a result, teams always double-teamed Samson, and sometimes even triple-teamed him. “It was very frustrating,” admitted Jiya. “There was so much I wanted to do but couldn’t because of the attention.”
He certainly stepped up. Gilmore averaged 11.1 yards per carry, scored 17 touchdowns, and rushed for 1,337 yards in just nine games. Those 1,337 yards accounted for 53.5% of the Yellow Jackets’ entire offense this season. “I had a really good offensive line,” Gilmore explained. “Thirty-five tackle trap was my favorite and most successful play because the blocking was so good.” That is classic Miles Gilmore though. Soft spoken and selfless. All he wanted to do was play football and run hard. His teammates and coaches loved him for it. “It was an honor to coach Miles for four years,” said head football coach Frank Sullivan P ’20, ’23. “He was tough and versatile. Over his career he patiently developed into a top running back.” Gilmore’s combination of speed, agility, and power makes him one of the most lethal running backs R-MA has had in the past decade. His instincts were sharp and his nose for the end-zone would not be denied. The bruiser from Gainesville, Virginia, will be a tough player to replace, but he showed the younger generation how to run the football.
Latham recognized the opportunity this gave the Yellow Jackets and adjusted accordingly. “He took away so much attention from his teammates and they were left unguarded,” explained Latham. The plan was to turn Jiya into a distributor, a role the young athlete was unfamiliar with. They ran drills in practice to simulate how opponents would approach Jiya. It gave him the experience and repetitions needed to make a game-time decision in the blink of an eye, and it worked perfectly. Jiya scored 13 goals in 12 games, which is familiar territory for the speedster with a cannon for a leg. How did his role as a distributor go? He accounted for over one-half of the team’s total assists for the season. His hard work did not go unnoticed. “I nominated him for DAC Player of the Year, and there was no question that he deserved it,” said Latham. “He was our most valuable player last year as a sophomore and this year as a junior.” The coaches of the DAC agreed with Latham and Jiya was named DAC Player of the Year. “It’s an amazing feeling when your hard work pays off,” said Jiya. “But I could not have won this award without my teammates. They pushed me past my limits and urged me to never give up.” The Sabre Magazine | Winter-Spring 2018
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Rising Athletes
by Cooper Bourdon ’11, Communications Assistant He could run through you, around you, and by you. He could make you feel like you made a great tackle, then suddenly slip loose and blow the top off of your defense. He could turn your greatest strength into your biggest weakness. On the football field, Miles Gilmore ‘18 could ruin your day.
What would you do if you beat cancer? Josh Ilnicki ran a 100-mile race. by Celeste M. Brooks P ’12, ’21, Director of Communications Some of us might think running a mile sounds exhausting. So the idea that someone might actually voluntarily run 100 miles—consecutively and in a one-day period—well, that might sound a little crazy. But when you learn that the race was run by a man who three years ago was battling Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, suddenly it becomes inspirational. Such is the story of Joshua Ilnicki, a middle school teacher at Randolph-Macon Academy. Ilnicki’s journey to the Yeti 100 began less than a year ago, when he and a friend agreed to run it together. Ilnicki, a serious long-distance runner who runs regularly, began training in earnest in July, and the days flew by. Before he knew it, the date was Saturday, September 29, 2017, and the race was about to begin. The course was set on the gorgeous Virginia Creeper trail. It went 33 miles downhill, back up for 33 miles, then back down again, with a 3,000 foot change in elevation. Ilnicki felt good for the first 33 miles, running miles at about a 9-minute pace and walking a 15-minute-mile on “breaks.” But the mental challenge was just about to begin. At mile 50, there was an aid station, and Ilnicki made it in 9 hours 47 minutes. “I thought I was doing well, but my legs felt heavy, so I laid down in the grass for 10 minutes to rest,” he recalled. “I told my pacer get me up in 10 minutes.” Those 10 minutes flew by. He jumped up, only to have tunnel vision and then pass out. “When I woke up a nice lady was helping me put my legs up. I was freezing cold. She and my friend Mario dragged a chair into the sun so I could warm up a little bit.”
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At that point, Ilnicki realized he had not trained well enough for the race; frustrated with himself, he called it quits. “I told my pacer, ‘Call my wife, call the rest of the crew. We’re done; I’m cramping, I’m cold, I’m done.’” The call to Ilnicki’s wife Sara didn’t go through. Nor did any of the calls to the rest of the crew. They tried texting, Facebook messaging…nothing was getting through. Then, despite his haze, Ilnicki heard one of the head guys telling the volunteers to check for jackets and headlamps, because it was getting dark. Although he had claimed to have given up, Ilnicki didn’t want to be thrown off the course. Unfortunately, that could happen if he didn’t move immediately, as he did not have his headlamp with him; he was scheduled to meet his wife in another few miles and pick it up. If he moved out, he could make it before dark. So mustering his strength, he staggered to his feet, told the volunteer he was good, and moved out. It took 45 minutes to walk the three miles uphill, but somehow he made it. His wife joined him as his pacer at the next stop. “For the next 20 miles or so, I pretty much walked the rest of the way to the top of the mountain,” Ilnicki said. It was a cold night, only about 35 degrees, and as he entered the top of Whitetop Station dressed in only his singlet, shorts, and light rain jacket, Ilnicki continued cramping, not just in his legs but everywhere, and now he was shivering uncontrollably. “I had complete mental and physical breakdown,” he admitted. “I started crying. I kept saying I couldn’t finish, I can’t believe it.” His crew tried to argue with him—there was nowhere to go but down anyway, so why not finish it? But Ilnicki couldn’t fathom how he could possibly go on. “I’m
done,” he told them. A man entered the aid station, with a blister the size of a cell phone on his foot (according to Ilnicki’s memory). After the personnel at the aid station drained it, he prepared to go back out. Surprised, Ilnicki said, “You going to do this?” “Yeah,” the man answered, “I’m getting that belt buckle.”
But the rest of the journey was not without challenge. Exhausted and in desperate need of sleep, Ilnicki found himself running, walking, and then even falling asleep while running. The side of the trail started to look enticing, the leaves equivalent to a soft mattress. At one of the 46 bridges on the trail, Ilnicki paused, leaning against a rail, and dreamed that he fell off the bridge. An encouraging fellow runner lifted Ilnicki’s spirits, and he was off again, spurts of energy allowing him to attain an irregular 11-minute-per-mile pace. Upon entering Alvarado, where there was a real bathroom, a comforting fire, and plenty of replenishing salt and broth, Ilnicki took a break--now feeling confident that he would finish the race. He started back off in the dark once more, but soon enough the sun began to rise. Knowing he was nearing the finish, Ilnicki picked up the pace and was eventually rewarded by a throng of people who celebrated his finish with him. He was hugged by the race director and his crew, and awarded a commemorative belt buckle, a traditional honor given to each person who completes the race. A week later, Ilnicki was still recovering, his feet swollen and bruised, but his euphoria over his accomplishment still intact. “One thing that I learned is never give up. It was a thing I liked from Jimmy Valvano--he was a really great coach, taking underdog North Carolina State to the championship. He gave the most phenomenal speech of all time. ‘Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.’ I kept that in mind when fighting cancer, and I had it in mind all the way through the race.” His tenacity has inspired his students and athletes. Ilnicki hopes they take that inspiration to all areas of their lives. “Something as infeasible as a 100 mile race, if you set your mind to it, you can achieve it,” he said. “Don’t settle for mediocrity. You can always go a little bit further, a little bit longer; you can always handle the pain a little bit better.” For more insight into Ilnicki’s experience, visit his running blog, http://leftfootrightfootandrepeat.blogspot.com.
By Cooper Bourdon ’11, Communications Assistant
The doors of R-MA’s wrestling room read, “Blood. Sweat. Respect. The first two you give. The last you earn.” Hanyu “Henry” Liu ’18 lived these words as a wrestler at R-MA for five years, but even he will tell you that he struggled along the way. Wrestling is tough on your body and Liu resented every second of conditioning. “I liked the result though,” he explained. “It pushes your limits and makes you stronger.” The senior from Shanyang, China, came to R-MA as an eighth grader in the fall of 2013. He had no idea what he wanted to do for his winter activity; then he came across wrestling. “It was between wrestling and swimming. Harry Su [‘18] swam, so I knew I didn’t want to do that,” Liu laughed. As a result, Liu found himself in the R-MA wrestling room and gazed upon those three words. “Blood. Sweat. Respect.” Four years have passed since his introduction to the sport. This year, Liu earned second place in the Admiral Holloway tournament at St. James School and third place at the Peninsula Catholic Classic. As he headed into the VISAA wrestling tournament, Liu had a record of 12-4. He began the tournament with two victories in the opening rounds, which landed him a match with the second seeded wrestler in the state. Unfortunately, he lost this match, but won another match in the consolation bracket that made him the eighth-ranked wrestler in the state and earned him a spot on the 1st Team All-State wrestling list. Wrestling head coach, Frank Sullivan P ’20, ’23, praised Liu, saying, “Henry was an athlete that truly lived by the motto ‘When the going gets tough, the tough get going.’ With the nature of wrestling practices and the overall toughness it takes to wrestle, I am sure he thought of quitting many times.” He continued, “Henry never wavered and kept coming back for more. He is one of only three wrestlers that have wrestled all four years while I have been the coach at R-MA.” Blood. Sweat. Respect. Liu gave the first two and earned much more than the third alone.
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Rising Athletes
Inspired once more, Ilnicki stumbled to his feet and began running; his crew had been right—this portion was downhill again, and as his feet fell into rhythm, it suddenly seemed possible. He made his way to the next aid station, where he downed potato chips and Fritos.
Henry Liu: Respect Earned
R i se
Beyond
Class Notes
Alumni News & Class Notes
Lucy Williams Hooper and her husband Gary had a full house in Irvington, VA, when they hosted the Hampton Roads Summer Picnic in July, with more than 40 in attendance. Lucy, a member of the R-MA Board of Trustees, is the daughter of the late R-MA president Arvin Williams. Thanks to Dave Moore ’53 for organizing this annual event.
1950s
Wagner, is a 1991 graduate of R-MA. Jim was an Aerospace Instructor at R-MA from 1988 to 1991. Retirement brought him back to Front Royal and his alma mater, and he was an enthusiastic special teams coach for the Yellow Jackets. (Photo below.)
Betty and Dave Moore ‘53 visited with Judy and Jeff Dennis ‘53 this fall at the Dennis’ home in Southern California. Dave and Jeff had not seen each other since 1966, when they were together briefly in Vung Tau, Vietnam, as career Naval Officers. Dave and Betty, who reside in Virginia Beach, were on a coast-tocoast driving tour visiting Presidential libraries. They have visited all 13 Presidential libraries from President Hoover to President George W. Bush.
Bob Hudson ‘57 has accepted a new position as head baseball coach at Warhill High School in Williamsburg, VA. Richard Adams ‘58 was presented with the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity’s Distinguished Service Award during the organization’s annual conference in Boston this summer. Dick’s Bowling Green University chapter nominated him for this high honor. The nomination
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cited, “Throughout your life, you have remained a loyal and loving Brother Hero of the Fraternity, a gentleman who is steadfast and persistent.” (Photo above.)
1960s A memorial service for Major James
Charles Wagner, USAF, Retired, ‘61 was held on the R-MA campus in early August. Jim’s daughter, Shannon
Robert Stuart ‘64 welcomed a granddaughter, Ruby June Marshall, in October 2017. He reports that she is his first grandchild and that she and her parents are doing very well. Robert also
recently moved from Wilmington, NC to High Point, NC to be closer to family. Members of the Class of 1968 Yellow Jackets visited campus in August to give a Football Camp pep talk to this year’s team. Pictured in the photo below (from left) are Jim Henderson ‘68, Bucky
dinner at The Apple House.
David Reid ‘80 has been elected to the District 32 seat of the Virginia House of Delegates. David is now a member and was sworn in on January 20, 2018 at the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond. Former R-MA coach Donnie Simpson (right) has been inducted into the North Carolina High School Athlete Association Hall of Fame. Coach Simpson was at R-MA in 1981 and 1982 and went on to coach in North Carolina’s Camden County and Currituck County high schools in a career that spanned 40 years. He is a founding member of the NC Football Coaches Association and has served on the North Carolina Coaches Association Board of Directors.
1990s David Novy ‘92 shared that he was promoted to the rank of Colonel during a November ceremony. Dave recently graduated from the Air War College at Maxwell AFB, AL. He has been reassigned to the Pentagon as Senior Military Assistant, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Installations, Environment, and Energy.
2000’s and 2010s Between the show seasons of 2015 and 2016, Alice Barlow ‘09, owner of Team Barlow Performance Horses LLC in Middletown, VA, recruited the help Frank “F.C.” Fischer ‘73, a former of fellow R-MA alumni Scott Samson Army Ranger, was featured in The ’10 and Eric Anderson ’09 to help Martinsburg (WV) Journal’s “Unsung the team. The three of them qualified for Heroes” series which spotlights a local Nationals both years and achieved six veteran each week from Memorial Day to Veterans Day. “When the rangers went Gypsy Vanner some place, the job got done,” Fischer told National the reporter. “That’s what got me at being Championships and four a Ranger. You were a special group – you Reserve were elite. You were the best of the best. National I may get old and forget things, but I’ll Championships. always be a Ranger.” (Photo at right.)
1970s
Alex Neumeier ‘12 (far right in photo above) landed the guest role of Taima Peshlakai on the CBS drama “Bull.” The episode featuring Alex, entitled “Play the Hand You’re Dealt,” aired on Tuesday, October 24th, and is now available for purchase and viewing through Amazon, CBS, GooglePlay, and YouTube.
Sirui Zhang ‘12 married Linlin Wu on December 30, 2017, in a ceremony held in Boggs Chapel and officiated by Michael Williams P’20. Sirui tells us that he and Linlin have known each other since they were children and that Linlin is a graduate of the University of Southampton, UK. Sirui also recently completed his first semester at Howard University School of Law. He reports that as a first year student, he is studying all aspects of law, but upon graduation he plans to practice international business and immigration law.
Nick Anderson ‘13 visited campus while flying to gain hours for his instrument license. Nick is studying aviation at Kent State University and reported that it was warmer here on “The Hill” than in Ohio. Faith Funderburg Keller ‘14 graduated from Embry Riddle Aeronautical Univeristy in Prescott, AZ, with the distinction of Outstanding Graduate, the top award in her department. Faith majored in Professional Aeronautics with minors in Meteorology, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (as a licensed drone pilot), and Aviation Law.
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Class Notes
Hill ‘68, Doug Huthwaite ‘69, Bruce Warner ‘68, John Simar ‘68, Reid Fitchett ‘68, Harold Robinson ‘68, Ken Heskett ‘68, Conroy Wilson ‘68, Earl Allen ‘68, and Tommy Tucker ‘68. Attending but not pictured were Curley Hazelette ‘68 and George Ritter ‘68. That evening, George McIntyre ‘69 treated the team to a delicious steak
1980s
David Lee ‘14 has been awarded the prestigious Yenching Scholarship to study economics at the University of Beijing, and is also a semi-finalist for a Fulbright Scholarship. David is a senior at the United States Military Academy at West Point and reports that he is one of 12 students chosen to attend graduate school upon graduation.
Class Notes
Louisa Stanwich ‘14 received a 2017 Rocky Mountain Emmy Student Production Award in the Public Affairs/ Community Service category for her work on the documentary “MANZO.” The film follows students at Manzo Elementary in Tucson, AZ, as they work in their school garden producing sustainably grown and harvested vegetables for their community. The documentary is available to watch online. Louisa is a graduate of the Walter Cronkite School of Mass Communication and Journalism at Arizona State University.
Malik Cochran ‘15 has been hired as a Security Officer with the Prince George’s County Sheriff’s Department in Prince George’s County, MD.
The Final Roll Call The following members of the R-MA family have passed away since the last issue of The Sabre. They remain in our hearts forever.
Alumni Sydney Bare III ‘44 January 26, 2017
David Strouse ‘44 December 30, 2016
James H. Austin ‘45 July 28, 2017
William Hodges ‘47 September 14, 2017
William Schlechty ‘47 September 18, 2017
Harry Brightman ‘48 November 13, 2017
Wayland “Bud” Doggett ‘49 August 19, 2017
Stan Fulton ‘49 January 4, 2018
James Moriarty ‘49 June 23, 2017
Edwin M. Wright ‘49 January 27, 2018
John Crouse ‘50
Don Hammerstrom ‘62
March 24, 2010
September 2, 2017
John Brightman ‘51
Keith Evans ‘63
October 2, 2017
January 12, 2015
Robert Harris III ‘51
G. David Holabeck ‘64
October 8, 2017
July 1, 2015
Marvin Parker ‘51
Joseph Ecsi ‘65
September 24, 2017
June 23, 2017
Ramon Sanudo-Hallatt ‘51
John Kassouf ‘68
November 9, 2017
July 14, 2017
Albert Gunn ‘89
Harry Robertson III ‘54 May 8, 2017
August 20, 2017
Matthew Graves ‘06 April 16, 2017
Foy Shaw ‘55 March 4, 2017
Austin Reeves ‘10 L.W. “Chip” Houston ‘57 July 9, 2017 July 9, 2017 Mahlon Haines ‘60 September 26, 2017
John Jett ‘61 May 29, 2017
Faculty and Staff Dave Rickert (former R-MA Chief of Services) September 15, 2017
James Wagner ‘61 July 25, 2017
A group of R-MA students and faculty members attended the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) 2017 Leadership and Ethics Conference in October. At the conference, they were able to visit with John Camarella ‘15, who is currently enrolled at VMI, and Naji
Bseiso, R-MA Falcon Class of 2014 (pictured above, second from left), who is currently enrolled in the U.S. Air Force Academy.
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At right, Belk Daughtridge P’18 and Ben
Hester ’16, who is currently attending The Citadel, represented R-MA at the Boarding School Night at Charleston Day School in Charleston, SC, in October.
CAMPUS VISITORS It is always good to welcome alumni back to “The Hill.” Recently, several Yellow Jackets visited and checked in with the Advancement Office: Alice Gong ‘16, who is attending Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA; Amanda Whaley ’17, who is studying nursing at Adelphi University; and James Corro ’84, who returned to campus for the first time since graduation.
Notes from Homecoming DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS AWARD
STAFF RECOGNITION AWARD
The Distinguished Alumnus Award honoree was Dr. Robert DeGise, Class of 1944. In 1938, as a seventh grade student at R-MA, Dr. DeGise dreamed of attending West Point. Three years later, however, the United States entered WWII and Dr. DeGise enlisted in the Marine Corps. He was placed in the inactive reserves until graduating from R-MA in June, 1944 and was then sent to the Pacific where he participated in one of the most ferocious battles in Marine Corps history on the island of Iwo Jima. After his discharge from the Marines, Dr. DeGise attended college, married and had a son. He eventually earned a Master’s and Doctorate in Education and spent 24 years teaching.
The Staff Recognition Award was presented to Ed Richards, who has been at R-MA for nearly 40 years. Hired in July 1978 as the Bandmaster, Richards has also held the positions of Assistant Commandant, Uniform Shop Manager, Summer School Director, Summer School English teacher, Middle School Principal, and Acting Academic Dean of the Upper School. In addition to Bandmaster Ed Richards was presented Band, he teaches Handbell with the Staff Recognition Award. Choir and Middle School Band classes.
YOUNG ALUMNI AWARD The Young Alumni Award, which recognizes a recent R-MA graduate who is outstanding in their career field, was presented to Mr. Stephen Czarda ‘09. Czarda is the Senior Writer and Content Coordinator for the Washington Redskins. He graciously spoke at the R-MA Middle Stephen Czarda ‘09 was honored with School Promotion the Young Alumni Award. Ceremony this past spring.
CLASS AGENT OF THE YEAR AWARD
Robert DeGise ‘44 was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award at Homecoming 2017. This photo was taken in 2014, when he performed “Taps” in honor of his fallen comrades during an Honor Flight visit to the Marine Corps War Memorial.
BYRON C. GAYLE ‘50 DEDICATED SERVICE AWARD The Byron C. Gayle ’50 Dedicated Service Award went to Mr. Bill Abelkop ’70, who has been key in promoting the 20/70 Partnership and leading his classmates in supporting this unique pairing of alumni and current students.
Athough this award is normally reserved for one person, this year was an exception as the Class Agent of the Year Award went to Jim Hunter, Charlie Paris, George Riddick, and Bill Thomas, all of the Class of 1957. When their Class Agent was unable to plan their 60th reunion, these four stepped in to fill the gap and created a successful reunion weekend for the class.
ALUMNI BOARD ELECTIONS Jay Moore ’74 was installed as a new member of the board, in addition to the re-election of Robert “Bo” Snitchler ’06, Xandi Middleton ’05, and Scarlet (Praml) Kibler ’89. Byron Gayle ’50 was named Trustee Emeritus. The officers elected for 2017-18 were President, Snitchler; Vice President, Middleton; Combined Secretary/Treasurer, Andrew Pfister ’08; and Immediate Past President, Kibler. The Sabre Magazine | Winter-Spring 2018
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Alumni Profile: Johnathan Epps by Cooper Bourdon ’11, Communications Assistant Johnathan Epps ’01 was a hard-nosed kid from Brooklyn, New York, an area that had gone through tough times for a number of years. It was difficult enough to stay focused in school and earn good grades without being subjected to gang culture and street life on a daily basis. Epps stayed away from all of that nonsense, but that did not stop the nonsense from seeking him out. “Once the Los Angeles gangs, like the Bloods and Crips, made their way to New York, things got worse in my neighborhood,” said Epps. It is well known that the Bloods and Crips do not like each other, and it caused trouble for those who were suspected of loyalty to the opposition. “I went to a school in Crip territory and my neighborhood was Blood. As soon as I stepped on campus, they would single me out,” explained Epps. It led to a significant amount of self-defense for Epps. The situation grew worse, so Epps’ mother encouraged him to get out of the neighborhood. That is where R-MA came into the picture. Epps was interested in aviation and saw that R-MA offered the opportunity to fly. “I moved in with my aunt in Fredericksburg, Virginia, while I waited to be accepted into R-MA.” The news of his acceptance finally arrived and Epps became a Yellow Jacket, but it did not seem to be a good fit at first. “I was not used to that kind of structure,” recalled Epps. “I was a teenaged kid who was used to running around the neighborhood with no rules and no curfew. Now I was in a structured environment where I was always accounted for.” The first few weeks were a challenge and Epps did whatever he could to go against the grain, but eventually he recognized the value of the system. “I realized that a system was in place and you could not break it without being kicked out,” said Epps. “I started to go with the flow and things got better for me.” His situation got much better as he excelled in the classroom and became a starter on the varsity basketball team. After graduation, Epps went back to Brooklyn and interned as a paralegal assistant while applying to colleges. He was accepted into Stony Brook University and graduated in
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2005 with a degree in economics and political science, all while he interned as a paralegal assistant. He then put his economics degree to use and worked on Wall Street as a Proprietary Equity Trader. After the tumultuous routine of a trader on Wall Street, Epps decided to work for another firm on Wall Street, but this time as a paralegal. This is when his passion for the law grew and became his life’s work. As a result, he attended Cardozo School of Law where he studied intellectual property and interned at Sean John Fashion. Upon graduation, he briefly worked in securities litigation before he was appointed as an Assistant District Attorney, where he prosecuted school crimes in Brooklyn. Fast-forward to the present and Epps has his own practice focused on criminal defense and civil litigation. He is involved in the community and provides his experiences as a lawyer to incoming African-American law students, to help mentor them through the difficulties of law school and the legal field. Epps is also an enthusiastic chess player and teaches the game to youth at Union Square Park. He spends his free time rock climbing, mostly giant boulders in the parks of New York City, and enjoys fantasy football every fall. Epps was asked, “How did R-MA help prepare you for life?” After one second of silence he said, “It opened up the world to me. I came from a homogeneous environment where we never thought of life beyond the neighborhood. We didn’t make plans or talk about life outside of the neighborhood.” At R-MA, Epps met classmates from around the world and it broadened his scope. “I was exposed to culturally literate kids at R-MA who had seen more of the world than I could hope to in my life,” he explained. “It helped me develop patience with my peers and forge friendships despite the dramatic difference in our upbringings.” Epps makes an effort to impart the lessons learned at R-MA to his own children. Epps and his wife of nine years, Sheena, have two children: a nine-year-old son, Nathaniel, and a three-year-old daughter, Mia. “I always mess with Nate about his gig-line,” Epps chuckled. “It’s funny to watch how frustrated he gets.”
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Save the Date! Homecoming 2018 Oct 12-13