Bond of Brothers Year in Review 2016-17

Bond Brothers OF

YEAR IN REVIEW, 2016–2017

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE FOR SAN ANTONIO ACADEMY OF TEXAS

PASSING ON A LEGACY OF

CHARACTER

®

You may have noticed a new, subtle— but powerful—addition to the exterior walls of Ellison Hall, Taylor Hall and the stairway by the pavilion. They certainly didn’t happen there by chance; rather, the messages adorning these structures were carefully selected as a gift by the Class of 2017.

Visual Reminders of SAA Culture Thank you to the Class of 2017. Your gift is an impactful visual reminder.

Spearheaded by 8th grade moms Liesl Noble and Nicole Greenberg, their goal was to “enhance the public space of the campus with art while at the same time use the art to represent the values instilled daily in the boys of SAA,” says Mrs. Noble. To honor John Webster’s 31 years at SAA, they selected statements that Mr. Webster incorporated into his daily chapel teachings that would visually remind the boys, and everyone who visits the campus, what makes San Antonio Academy and its culture special.

The front facade of Ellison Hall was chosen for the school’s motto to share with all who enter so they can see the words that shape SAA students. One of John’s beloved quotes was also included because “What better place to remind the boys about ‘brothers living together in love’ than facing the sport court where so many gather each day?” Liesl adds, “The quote from Alumnus Tex Hill ’28 seemed appropriate for the entrance of the historic Taylor Hall building, where many classes and the main office is housed. And as the boys run up the stairs to the pavilion at the end of the day, that popular ‘Websterism’ reinforces what it takes to carry us through the challenges we all face in life.”

Bond Brothers OF

In this issue STUDENT OUTCOMES 5 CHAPEL: CREATING A CULTURE OF CHARACTER 8 FEATURE: PASSING ON A LEGACY OF CHARACTER 10 CURRICULUM 12 IN THE CLASSROOM 40 COMMUNITY OUTREACH 42 AROUND CAMPUS 44 ATHLETICS 48 ACADEMY COMMUNITY & SUPPORT 56 ENRICHMENT 59 ALUMNI 61 COMMENCEMENT 70

®

EDITOR Becky Shimek, Director of Communications

CO-EDITOR Virginia Beeler, Associate Head of School/Academics

CONTRIBUTORS Ruth Berg Natalie Bock Brendan Moore Paw Print Staff Mary Shrader Valerie Tamez Sofia Villarreal Yearbook Staff

PHOTOGRAPHY Natalie Bock Mary Candee Dana Parish Priscilla Power Becky Shimek Sofia Villarreal

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

San Antonio Academy of Texas offers prekindergarten through eighth grade boys an exceptional academic program that features small classes, a family-like atmosphere, the development of a positive self-image and a foundation for life based upon the love of God and country, integrity and respect for each other.

San Antonio Academy admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin.

San Antonio Academy of Texas 117 East French Place San Antonio, Texas 78212-5899 (210) 733-7331 voice (210) 734-0711 fax sa-academy.org

BE HONEST. BE KIND. BE THE BEST YOU CAN BE.®

Mr. Christopher Allison Mr. Sergio Alvarado Mr. David Angulo Mr. Bruce Bowen Mr. Steve Chiscano, Chair Mrs. Jennifer Hall, Development Committee Chair Mrs. Elizabeth Hart Mr. Roger C. Hill III Mr. Mark M. Johnson ‘60 Mr. Oliver Lee Mrs. Molly McAdams, Vice Chair Mr. James Oliver, Treasurer Mr. Lane Riggs Mrs. Victoria Roca Mr. Carson Rubey IV ‘93 Mr. Robert Sabom Mrs. Kelly Satel, Secretary Mrs. Patricia Smith Mrs. Polly Jackson Spencer Mr. Dennert O. Ware Mrs. Erin Wolff

John Webster By The Numbers

Days in the office:

Chapel skits with The Guapos:

10,752

82

Students walked across the graduation stage:

Actually made a basketball shot:

1,004

No comment.

# of Alumni that have beat him in the “hand-slap game”:

Two (out of thousands who tried)

Fist bumps & high fives: Chapel talks given:

5,440 Lunches (John attended both lunches everyday):

10,880

Millions. Literally.

Emails sent & received since becoming a savvy iPad guru in 2009:

480,000

Cookies eaten:

Boys to leadership positions after graduation (in HS, college):

3,456

300+

Dollars raised (endowment, annual fund, capital campaigns and scholarship):

Pair of Converse shoes:

$46,542,000

1 red; 1 red, white & blue

Number of knick-knacks that occupied his desk:

Anyone’s guess.

Summer vacation post cards received from students:

4,200 School dances attended:

140 Gummy worms served:

374,440

The Tex Hill Scholarship Winners San Antonio Academy proudly announces this year’s winners of The Tex Hill Scholarship: Max Dabbous and Ryan Jourdan.

In 2007, San Antonio Academy announced The Tex Hill Scholarship Program, which provides tuition, fees, textbooks and uniforms to two fifth grade boys attending San Antonio Academy during their 6th, 7th and 8th grade years. The threeyear Tex Hill Scholarship is valued at more than $60,000.

The purpose of the program is to seek outstanding young men who have demonstrated excellence in scholarship, citizenship and participation in activities and who demonstrate the potential to become leaders in the school community.

Applications were accepted from students new to The Academy and also from boys currently enrolled at SAA. The final decisions were made by the Tex Hill Scholarship Committee which consisted of members of the school community who do not work at SAA or have a child enrolled at The Academy.

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STUDENT OUTCOMES

Results-Driven

An Academy 7th grader qualified for the State Geography Bee and finished 6th in the State.

An Academy 6th grader placed 2nd in the City Wide San Antonio Express News Regional Spelling Bee.

Five Academy grads from the Class of 2012 were recognized for excellence in the National Merit Scholarship program; one was honored as a National Merit Scholar; one a National Merit Finalist; and three were Semi Finalists.

An Academy 8th grader who qualified and chose to enter the Science Fair received 3rd place in the Junior Division, Biochemistry.

In the Senior Division, Special Awards Winners, he received a 3rd place, U.S. Navy & Marine Corps.

An Academy 8th grade mathlete earned a place at State during the MATHCOUNTS competition.

More than 160 1st through 8th graders exhibited over 130 works of art at SAA’s annual Art Show.

SAA’s choir wowed the crowd of 19,000 when it sang the National Anthem at the April 10 Spurs vs.

Warriors game, as the SAA Honor Guard presented the colors.

Five Academy boys over the past two years have attained National status on the SAT. Almost 50% (18/38) of our 7th graders were State-Recognized on the SAT under the aegis of the Duke TIPS program.

SAA Robotics Team Infinity was awarded the 2nd Place Champion’s Award at the FIRST LEGO League Qualifier, while the RoBuccaneers took home the 1st Place Champion’s Award. Both teams were also recognized as “Innovative Thinkers”—a first for The Academy’s Robotics program.

An Academy 7th grader placed 3rd in the Battle of Flowers Texas History Essay Contest.

Over 96% of our 350 boys participated in SAA sports, and our varsity teams won 82% of their contests.

Year in Review, 2016–2017

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BATTALION STAFF Commander Jeb Brysacz Executive Officer Max Hart Adjutant Rod Hunter Aide De Camp Sam Riggs Logistics Officer Mark Sechler Inspector General Arun Simha

2016–2017 Leadership Positions

Operations Officer Vishal Nair Public Relations Officer James Schnoebelen

COLOR GUARD Commander Eli Greenberg Jonathan Duperier Richard Kinsel

DRUM CORPS Commander Chazz Hunter Executive Officer Walker Noble Ben Metersky

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STUDENT OUTCOMES

COMPANY A Commander Sammy Barr

COMPANY C

Executive Officer Ethan Parkhurst

Commander Michael May

Platoon Leader Steven Nguyen Platoon Leader Henry Satel Training Officer Zachary Lui Training Officer Andrew Seay Sergio Alvarado Alex Alvarez Zach Alvarez Chase Austin Traylor Azar Sawyer Barr Steven Benke Hutton Campbell Searcy Campbell Jack Casey Harry Crawford Benjamin Crawford Juddy Crawford Max Dabbous Tradd Embrey Ethan Feinstein Owen Feinstein Cole Finney Christopher Goldsbury Jatin Gurrala Thomas Gutierrez Christopher Hunter Cohen Hunter Blake Johnson Brooks Johnson Oliver Johnson Parker Johnson Brandon Lozano Luke Martinez Nate Mayo Suhin Nallagatla Aidan Notzon Ty Osterhage Isaac Parkhurst Sammy Penner Alexander Roca William Roca Teel Sabom Arthur Seay Edward Snyder Patrick Snyder Samuel Sytsma Beau Taber John Paul Tucker Luke Tucker Calvin Walls Alex Weis Matthew Ybarra

COMPANY B Commander Anthony Fletcher Executive Officer Cole Dunn Platoon Leader Isaiah Rettig Training Officer T.J. McFarland Nate Bell Bram Benshetler Christopher Chan Cameron Chan Christian Chiscano Niko Chiscano Alex Cross Cole Dudley Jackson Duffin Oliver Duffin Russell Duncan Kaden Fenno Meade Flavin Bailey Fletcher Griffin Freiling Jordan Garza Griffin Gipson George Hale Edward Hart Matthew Jackson Trip Johnson Ishan Kanaskar Abe Kirkpatrick Ekam Mehat Reaves Miller Warren Oliver John Paul Ortiz True Peveto Ben Powell Alex Pruitt Henry Ramirez Aidan Rasor Christian Rasor William Riggs Ben Rios Cullen Runnels Forrest Runnels Graham Schlicht Garrett Scott Lee Smith Morgan Smith Tristan Tamez Hudson Taylor Mason Traylor Samuel Velez Tristan Villafranca Chance Walker

COMPANY D

Executive Officer Emory Hill

Commander Vivek Beeram

Platoon Leader Andres Martinez

Executive Officer Erik Peterson

Platoon Leader Clark Webb

Platoon Leader Raed Khan

Training Officer Gavin Boyle

Training Officer James Jacob

Beau Bregman Chaz Bregman Noah Bregman Hill Britton Spencer Britton Caleb Browning Walker Bryant Walker Carrington Cinco Coiner Albert Colglazier Tucker Conlin Connor Davis Michael Davis Nico Diaz Ben Espy Tres Funk Robert Gulley Mason Gutierrez Jack Hall Harry Hassmann James Hawes Asher Heerema Carter Herrera Ryan Jourdan Jordan Lee Arjun Mahesh Jack Martinez Connor McGrath Asher Menick Ethan Met Sam Nye Wesley Nye Christian Pheiffer Pierce Rhoades Cole Roos Dylan Rybacki Mark Schnoebelen Matthew Silva Hayden Smith Will Thaggard Marc Thiltgen Jack Travis JT Turner Jackson Uhr Daniel Wang Nicholas Wheeler Gray Woodson Liam Wray

Chip Anderson Gavin Anderson Bennett Angulo Joseph Angulo Eshanth Beeram Timothy Blymyer Ojani Bowen Ozmel Bowen Richard Cage Henry Clifton Joseph Duperier Griffin Erwin Roan Erwin Hayden Hoelscher Max Huddleston Quinn Jones Jake Jones Luke Jones Evan Liu Deandre Marshall John Kohl McAdams Diego Morales Mateo Morales Ankith Padala Kyle Peavy J.C. Pena Robbie Pena Magnus Peterson Noah Rabinowitz Peyton Randolph Jackson Rogers Drake Rowland John Saad Ishan Shah Keaton Shindler Nathaniel Shriner David Smeburg Hugh Stone Phillip Stone Parker Thill Preston Thill Luke Thomas Wells Walker Hank Wolff Miles Wright Robert Frank Ximenes Omer Zafar

Year in Review, 2016–2017

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Chapel

Creating a Culture of Character MISSION: San Antonio Academy begins each morning with a schoolwide convocation where stories, film, the Pledge of Allegiance, announcements and shared experiences reinforce the school’s mission and promote the strong sense of family that is very much a part of The Academy’s culture.

Academy Says Farewell to Mr. Webster It seemed like any typical morning at SAA. Like clockwork, John Webster was wrapping up chapel announcements and eager to start grade-level dismissals when he was suddenly interrupted by Commandant, Frank Stanage. Mr. Stanage announced that Barry Bradley, long-time faculty member—who is often the target of friendly chapel banter—requested to ‘make his own announcement.’

John nervously obliged and handed the mic to Mr. Bradley, marking the exact moment when Mr. Webster knew this was NOT a typical day at SAA. It was evident that Barry enjoyed his role in reading the ‘official proclamation’ declaring that: “Today, May 16, 2017 is John Webster Day,” as he read aloud what would be John’s new, surprise itinerary for the next eight hours. After a medley of John’s favorite Beatles’ hits—performed by the members of the 6th grade elective “Garage Band”—filled Ellison Hall, he was ‘dismissed’ and whisked away to his first stop on the schedule.

From primary through upper school classrooms, to lunchtime, music, gym and the finale during a special afternoon chapel assembly, each visit was filled with touching tributes from the boys, teachers and staff members as each took the opportunity to say farewell to John in their own special way. To quote one of Webster’s favorite songs: “It was a beautiful day!”

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Year in Review, 2016–2017

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PASSING ON A LEGACY OF

CHARACTER John Webster’s legacy will live through his ‘words of wisdom’ delivered during his 5,440 chapel talks spanning over three decades as San Antonio Academy’s head of school. The following is a departing letter to SAA boys, as a final reminder of what’s really important in life, and to Mr. Webster, it’s always been about character.

At the end of the day…at the end of our careers…each one of us writes a résumé. I hope that each one of your résumés will include these components: •• Give love and let love come in. God has put love

in our hearts, and He wants us to share His love with everyone we meet. The outward signs of love are kindness and respect. Treat everyone with respect.

•• Work hard and learn so that you can go out and

make the world a better place. As Brigadier General Tex Hill ’28 used to tell Academy boys, “I am so proud of you. You are our nation’s future leaders. Work hard and stick to your values and trust God.” Make a difference in the world.

•• Talent alone won’t get the job done. Your determination,

pride, resilience and confidence will enable you to achieve your goals and overcome life’s challenges. When the going gets tough, you must take your performance to a higher level.

•• Life is a team sport. Learn how to work with others

to achieve a common goal. Treat your classmates with respect. Take care of your classmates, as you are brothers.

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••

Life is about relationships, and relationships are founded upon trust. People trust you to keep your commitments. Keep your commitments to: –God –Your family –Your classmates/schoolmates/teammates –Most important, keep the commitments you have made to yourself.

•• How you keep your commitments defines your

character. Character means that you put your values into practice in your life. Character means you do the right thing for the right reason. Your character goes right to the heart of the résumé you write during the days of your life.

•• Live life to the fullest, but in the end “let love and

honesty rule your life. Take those words, love and honesty and write them on the tablet of your heart and you will win a good name. A good name is more important than all the money in the world (Proverbs).”

•• Guys, always follow The Code: “Be honest Be kind. Be

the best you can be.”

•• Make us proud.

Welcome Clint DuBose San Antonio Academy’s New Head of School In the fall of 2016, after a 10-month search process with participation from SAA faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and grandparents, the search committee and Board members unanimously selected Clint DuBose as the next Head of School.

Clint’s skill set, communication and interpersonal skills make him a great fit for our boys, our community and our culture. Clint’s honorable and distinguished service at Houston’s Annunciation Orthodox demonstrated a proven track record of incredible and effective leadership. The love and respect Clint enjoys from each of his students, faculty and staff, parents and trustees at his previous school speak volumes about his character.

“It is humbling to know that I am now a part of a school whose rich history and traditions span one hundred and thirty-two years, and I will work tirelessly to live up to the standards set by the great leaders that have come before me” says Clint, adding “I will approach my responsibility as a steward of our great school with conviction and determination, putting our young men first in all that we do. I am passionate about providing our boys with the best education, and I am wholeheartedly committed to the continual growth of this beloved school.”

Prior to joining The Academy family, Mr. DuBose has held the position of Head of Middle School at Annunciation Orthodox School in Houston, since 2007. During his time at Annunciation Orthodox he served as faculty member, Dean of Students, and Assistant Head of Middle School before his current position. Mr. DuBose is a graduate of the University of Houston and holds a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Houston Baptist University.

We are excited to have Clint lead San Antonio Academy into the future, where our best years lie ahead.

Year in Review, 2016–2017

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Math Kinder Boys Create 2D and 3D Shapes

Math Creates Problem Solvers

After exploring and manipulating two and three dimensional shapes, Kristin Railsback’s and Anne Trevathan’s kinder boys put their knowledge to work.

Using mini-marshmallows and round toothpicks, they created their own two and three dimensional structures.

MISSION: Mathematics education at San Antonio Academy provides a challenging and stimulating environment which emphasizes mathematics as a language, producing competent thinkers and effective learners with lifelong problem-solving capabilities.

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CURRICULUM Geometers Are Early to Rise Twenty 8th graders took advantage of the opportunity to complete an early morning high school level geometry course instructed by Mike Hansen. Students who score A’s in the class often receive high school credit. The students who completed the course were: Sammy Barr Vivek Beeram Gavin Boyle Jeb Brysacz Jonathan Duperier Anthony Fletcher Eli Greenberg

Max Hart Rodney Hunter James Jacob Raed Khan Ben Metersky Vishal Nair Steven Nguyen

Ethan Parkhurst Erik Peterson Sam Riggs Henry Satel James Schnoebelen Arun Simha

Fourth Graders Take “Top-It” on the Road Investment Club Evolves Following shares of Disney and Nike in the stock market during math class, peaked Siomha Moore’s 4th graders interest in investments. Gina Walker, a financial advisor and mother of Chance, was invited to bring her real-world financial expertise to the boys which evolved into her after-school Investment Club. At each meeting the boys learned about a new economic concept, discussed their mock-corporation to understand the ups and downs of publicly traded companies, and reviewed the personalized investment portfolios each boy created.

Fourth graders played Everyday Math card games (Top-It) with younger students at Hawthorne Academy in SAISD in an effort to help them strengthen their math skills. SAA boys made addition and subtraction games accessible and fun for the students. The boys stepped into the big brother role to mentor others while engaging in math activities.

Eighth Grade Mathlete Earns a Place at State After having competed at Regional MATHCOUNTS, as teams and individuals, 296 of the winners earned the right to compete at the state level. Our own Jeb Brysacz placed 84th in the state putting him in the top 30% of this years’ local winners. We are proud of all of our SAA mathletes.

7TH GRADERS Bennett Angulo Edward Hart James Hawes John Kohl McAdams Matthew Silva Marc Thiltgen Daniel Wang

8TH GRADERS Vivek Beeram Jeb Brysacz Raed Khan Max Hart Vishal Nair Erik Peterson Arun Simha

Academy Students Excel in PREP Course The PREP program, a mathematics-based academic enrichment program offered over the course of three summers, enrolls over 1300 students each year. The following students successfully completed the course this past summer: Jatin Gurrala Vishal Nair Christopher Hunter Erik Peterson

Ishan Shah Arun Simha

Year in Review, 2016–2017

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English English Department Encourages Writing MISSION: The English Department provides students with the skills to enable them to become proficient communicators in regards to writing and speaking with clarity and precision.

Fifth Graders Leave Their Print Spearheaded by 4th grade English teacher, Siomha Moore, the Paw Print, in its ninth year, is the school’s student newspaper.

This year the staff was divided into two groups, meeting after school on alternate weeks to produce news-worthy issues.

“PrePAWsterous,”was a new feature in which the reporter asked a teacher a series of questions, and then listed two facts and one false statement about the teacher. The readers were to guess which statement was not true. Natalie Bock’s students contributed a bilingual addition to the newspaper. The Paw Print staff also contributed to this Bond of Brothers publication.

The staff included: WILDCATS Chip Anderson Harry Hassmann Ryan Jourdan Abe Kirkpatrick Liam Wray

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IRISH Connor Davis Quinn Jones Aidan Notzon Keaton Shindler Arthur Seay

CURRICULUM Spelling Bee Winner Places 2nd in City Bee The 2017 SAA Spelling Bee was close with many nail-biters, 28 rounds, and over 100 words spelled. Sixth grader Jatin Gurrala won after having spelled the work pentimento. Runner-up was another 6th grader Alex Pruitt. Jatin went on to win 2nd place in the City Wide San Antonio Express News Regional Spelling Bee. Additional participants included: Chip Anderson, Vivek Beeram, Joseph Duperier, Kaden Fenno, Max Hart, Ishan Kanaskar, John Saad and Daniel Wang.

Second Grade Rocks!

Early last year JJ Cornwell Allison and Kathleen Hill assigned an activity to make each 2nd grader shine. Using magazine clippings, descriptive adjectives, favorite quotes and stickers, each boy personalized the front of his writing folder. That special writing folder was also designed to show how each student had grown in their writing throughout the year. First grade teachers were able to attest to that growth when the boys read their letters of advice to the 1st graders in May.

Finalists and Winners in 2017 Laws of Life Contest Out of 264 entries, 13 finalists were recognized for their Laws of Life essays. All five Academy boys whose essays were entered were chosen as finalists. In their essays, the boys shared their own values based on experiences and people in their lives that exemplified those values. The results and topics chosen follow: 2ND PLACE ��������������������� Peyton Randolph (7th grade) Perseverance 4TH PLACE ��������������������� Jatin Gurrala (6th grade) Empathy CERTIFICATE OF MERIT ����� Roan Erwin (7th grade) Appreciating the Little Things in Life

Emory Hill (8th grade) Listening

Walker Noble (8th grade) Brotherhood

Growing Up In Guyland Growing Up in Guyland­—Wisdom Worth Remembering was created to honor John Webster and the impact of his leadership to faculty, staff, students, and the entire SAA community.

This beautiful hardcover book, written by Priscilla Power and Natalie Bock, includes those qualities John reinforced in chapel: Respect, Loyalty, Honesty, Obedience, Love, Effort, Responsibility, Self-Control, Determination, Kindness, Leadership, Excellence, Patriotism, Faith, and Brotherhood.

The book is still available to purchase for $25 each with proceeds going to the John Webster Need-Based Scholarship Endowment.

Go to: sa-academy.org/JohnWebsterBook.

Year in Review, 2016–2017

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CURRICULUM Humanitarian Essay Wins Recognition

Fourth Graders Treasure Special Moments

Each year when SAA’s Alumni Council sponsors the Col. W.T. Bondurant Oratorical Contest, four 7th and 8th graders and one 6th grader present their essays to members of the Council. Finalists were: Roan Erwin, Jatin Gurrala, Emory Hill, Peyton Randolph, and Walker Noble.

“ As I wake up one early Friday morning, I go to get changed and hear Winston barking his snout off. So I put on some shoes and rapidly walk downstairs to find an American Forest cockroach (AFC) sizing up to Winston.

The AFC hissed at Winston angrily only to be woofed into Winston’s small but effective mouth. “Drop it Winston!”

Winston dropped the huge AFC on the ground. As it rolled, I saw an apocalyptic look in its huge black eyes.”

Excerpts from personal narratives written by 4th graders in Siomha Moore’s English class.

—TRISTAN VILLAFRANCA

The 2017 Oratorical Contest Winner was Roan Erwin whose essay was titled, “Stop and Smell the Flamingo–Pink Flowers.”

Roan reflected on major adversities in his life which forced “his light” to come on which helped him realize that “not taking things for granted and instead, appreciating the special details of daily life, adds meaning, joy and fulfillment to life.”

“ As I felt my sweaty palms holding the fishing pole, I thought I would never catch one, but then all of a sudden, I felt a tug on my line. For a second I thought the fishing pole would snap in two. After an hour of fighting, I finally pulled it up on the boat. That was the happiest day of my life.”

—PRESTON THILL

Sixth Graders Engage in Picture Writing “Good writers paint pictures in the reader’s mind.” That was the message Melinda Biehl imparted to her students after giving them pictures from which they were to do just that—tell the story the pictures reveal. Varied sentence structure, use of figurative language and sensory details were required.

“

Shoulders hunched, the women to the man’s left, cuddled together in the steerage of the boat, and tried to stay warm under the blankets and bags.”

—CHAZ BREGMAN

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“

Sadly, Scott peered at the pages of his journal, feeling a bit under the weather due to the taxing trip.”

—JATIN GURRALA

“

He looks at the creation with satisfaction, a cloud-white swan ready to fly off into the day.”

—JACKSON DUFFIN

Reading Movie Book Trailers Screened at “Festival” The Texas Bluebonnet Honor list provides a great resource for our 4th and 5th graders. Not only does Maree Longoria have the boys read five books from the list, but also vote on their favorite book alongside thousands of other Texas elementary school children.

This year with the guidance of Linda Gielen, the boys used Adobe Spark on their iPads to create their own movie book trailers of their favorite Bluebonnet Book. With a rubric as their guide, the boys created a script summarizing their favorite book, used picture slides, and narrated their movie trailers.

They celebrated their Festival screening day with popcorn and a soda, and had their own Academy Awards with 4th grade as an audience and judge.

Reading Program Bucks National Trend MISSION: SAA’s reading program provides skills that enable boys to become proficient, critical and enthusiastic readers. The Academy instills purpose and meaning to reading through a variety of genres, texts, and cross-curricular connections. A love for reading is fostered in each child, creating a culture of lifelong readers.

Year in Review, 2016–2017

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CURRICULUM

First Graders Create a Pumpkin Patch Lindsay Kramme’s and Tanya Weis’ 1st graders transformed pumpkins into literary characters from a favorite book to be displayed in the library.

Novel Prompts Critical Thinking Brendan Moore used the Likert Scale with his 8th graders when asking them to agree or disagree with statements related to Lord of the Flies. Statements tied to specific events in the novel such as “Piggy contributes to the tragedy that takes place on the island” were given to groups to discuss. Individually the boys noted whether they agreed or disagreed and how strongly.

He paired the lesson to a visual presentation of different book covers for the novel and how they can cause a shift in the reader’s perspective of the work.

Horizons Broadened to Enrich Learning Priscilla Power’s 7th graders traveled to the Japanese Tea Gardens and the Tokyo Steak House, after having studied Japan’s culture, related to their study of Hiroshima. In Cathy Cummins’ enrichment classes, the students responded to the novel through art, including painting floral masterpieces inspired by simulated Ikebana-style.

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CURRICULUM

History Life of a Soldier As a culminating activity to the 5th grade study of the Civil War, Laura Douglass’ students experienced aspects of the life of a soldier. The boys gathered around a campfire drinking chicory coffee and eating hardtack, staples of Confederate and Union soldiers, while singing “Hardtack! Come Again No More!”

History Comes Alive!

MISSION: SAA’s Social Studies/History Department provides students with the skills to enable them to understand how the past affects the present and how to make informed decisions to participate in a culturally diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world.

Year in Review, 2016–2017

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CURRICULUM Third Place Winner in Battle of Flowers Essay Contest Seventh grader Robert Gulley placed 3rd in the Texas History Essay Contest. The topic was Blazing Trails: Forts on the Texas Frontier. Robert’s essay entitled “Long Live Hope” was on Fort Richardson.

Mock Congress Reviews Testimony Barry Bradley’s 8th graders participated in a mock Congress to learn how the legislative process works. The topic, “Gun Owners’ Rights vs. Public Safety,” was considered as each member from the select House and Senate committees listened to testimony from speakers who represented both sides of the debate—Academy parent, Karl Kinsel and alumnus, Marshall Webb ’12. After several rounds of pertinent questions, the Congress was then tasked with creating bills to be debated and voted on, and then to possibly become “law.” Eighth graders walked away with a greater understanding of how laws are made, and the value of listening to both sides of an argument.

Geography Bee Winner Places 6th at State

Kinder Crafts American Indian Culture Kristin Railsback’s and Anne Trevathan’s Kinder classes completed their unit about the origins of Thanksgiving with one of Cathy Cummins’ enrichment sessions. The boys expanded on their knowledge of the holiday through lessons on totem poles, the importance of maize to the American Indians, and by building models of the Mayflower. They also crafted their own authentic leather headbands to help them better understand the meanings of names such as “Buffalo Bill” and “Thundering Turtle.” To complete their attire, they made beaded necklaces.

Students from 4th–8th grades qualified to compete in the schoolwide Geography Bee. They included: Sawyer Barr, Eshanth Beeram, Vivek Beeram, Jeb Brysacz, Griffin Erwin, Max Hart, Diego Morales, Teel Sabom, David Smeberg, and Edward Snyder. Alternates were Sammy Barr, Caleb Browning, Cameron Chan, Ishan Kanaskar, and Dylan Rybacki. Seventh grader Max Hart won first place for the second consecutive year, with Vivek Beeram as the runner-up. Max qualified for the State Bee and finished 6th in the State.

Professor Hamilton’s Book— A Timely Resource Texas History essay contest participants discovered that their teacher is an expert on Fort Richardson. In fact, Allen Hamilton’s first book was Sentinel of the Southern Plains: Fort Richardson and the Northwest Texas Frontier. The book is considered to be a classic of Texana history, and as such, is still in print twenty-eight years later.

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Students Cast Votes in Presidential Election History teacher Barry Bradley served as Director of Elections for the school’s presidential election. Each 4th–8th grader “registered” to vote with his photo ID. Voting took place in the computer lab with 8th graders supervising the polling place.

SAA holds the election because all are curious as to whom the school would elect, and most importantly, they hope the experience will make students want to vote when they become voting age.

CURRICULUM

Colonial Fair 4TH GRADE

American Indian Interactive Experience Tyna Powers’ 4th graders traveled to the Witte Museum to participate in a hands-on experience about American Indian technologies. After an informative lesson on the Texas Pecos Indians’ lifestyle and culture, they participated in a workshop where they grinded pigment to make paint that was used to create a large pictograph. Boys explored how to make cordage (ropes), examine tools and master the art of throwing an atlatl at a “deer.”

Texas Festival KINDER

Walk Through History 1ST GRADE

Day at the Museum 3RD GRADE

Greek Festival 2ND GRADE

Year in Review, 2016–2017

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CURRICULUM

Science Engineering is Elementary at SAA Cathy Baumgardner’s 4th graders enjoyed engaging in the Engineering is Elementary unit, “Now You’re Cooking: Designing Solar Ovens.”

The boys were interested from the start of a story set in Botswana all the way through the second testing of the ovens, when they tried to improve their designs. Each study begins with a storybook about a child who solves a real-world problem through engineering. The boys were able to see how their understanding of the science concepts of heat transfer through conduction, convection and radiation were applied to the real-world creation of a solar oven.

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Scientists Investigate Their World MISSION: The SAA Science Department believes that today’s students need to appreciate the importance of science in their daily lives. They need to be prepared with the essential scientific and engineering skills and knowledge that will enable them to make well-informed decisions in our increasingly complex technological world.

CURRICULUM First Graders Create Plasma for Heart Study Lindsay Kramme used a hands-on activity with her 1st graders to teach them how the heart pumps throughout the body and how blood has many jobs. To demonstrate what roles plasma, platelets, red and white blood cells play, the class made “blood” (water dyed yellow) and added Cheerios to represent blood cells, marshmallows for white blood cells, and purple pom poms to represent platelets.

Science Fair Participants Advance to Regionals Again participating in a school Science Fair, the 7th graders constructed displays that were a culmination of months of research, planning and experimenting using the scientific method. Students recorded observations in a data table and created a graph demonstrating their results. During the Fair, six judges canvassed each display, while students showcased their projects through oral presentations. The top five projects and the Honorable Mention one had an opportunity to compete in the Alamo Regional Science and Engineering Fair at St. Mary’s University. They were: 1ST PLACE ���������������������� John Kohl McAdams, How do potatoes affect the salinity of corned beef?

2ND PLACE ��������������������� Edward Snyder, What is the best memory?

Severus Shows His Stuff With the assistance of computer teacher, alias snake handler, Alan Gielen, 1st graders were able to touch their visiting ball python Severus and watch him sliver around the classroom—an extension of the study of features and traits of animals.

Oreo Cookies Double as Phases of the Moon Terry Collier’s 3rd graders explored a delicious way to study the phases of the moon with the use of Oreo cookies. They first began a “moon journal” to better understand the moon’s phases. Each student documented his observations over a period of a month and then incorporated a ‘rap’ to help him memorize each phase. The boys then worked in groups to deconstruct an Oreo cookie (aka: ‘the moon’), using the icing part of the cookie to demonstrate each phase.

3RD PLACE ��������������������� Matthew Silva, Which soda produces the most byproduct gas?

4TH PLACE ��������������������� Alex Alvarez, Which brand of sports drink has the most electrolytes?

5TH PLACE ���������������������� Connor McGrath, What type of salt melts three ice cubes the fastest?

Robbie Pena, What foods can power household objects?

HONORABLE MENTION ���� Ethan Feinstein, How does PSI affect the distance and width of a tire mark?

As an 8th grader who chose to enter the Science Fair, Vivek Beeram received 3rd place in the Junior Division, Biochemistry.

In the Senior Division, Special Awards Winners, he received a 3rd place, U.S. Navy & Marine Corps.

Year in Review, 2016–2017

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CURRICULUM

Robotics Robotics’ Squad Showcases Skill and Strengthens Team Spirit

Robotics Teams Take Home Champion’s Awards, Advance to Regionals Team Infinity was awarded the 2nd Place Champion’s Award at the HS FIRST LEGO League Qualifier, while the RoBuccaneers took home the 1st Place Champion’s Award.

Last fall, several members from SAA’s Team Infinity robotics’ squad participated in the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Corporate Cup Build Day at the San Antonio Zoo. As members from a championship team, the guys served as “ambassadors” for FLL, demonstrating just how cool the FLL robotics program is. The boys assisted attendees in building the 2016–17 Challenge Kits and helped them learn how to program the robot, inspect completed models for correctness, and put together sets for the competition tables.

GEAR Teams Are Flippin’ Out Two 5th grade rookie teams and a 6th grade returning team competed in G.E.A.R. (Getting Excited About Robotics) competition at UTSA. Their team names related to the theme “Flippin’ Out,” which correlated to things that happen in a diner.

These included the Salty Shakers, Curly Fries, and the Fast Foodies.

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San Antonio Academy of Texas

Team Infinity and the Robuccaneers Recognized as Innovative Thinkers Team Infinity won the Presentation Award for its multimedia project “We Need Coral; Coral Needs Us”and the RoBuccaneers, whose project “Turbo Rat Feeding System for Cats,” captured the Innovative Solution Award. In addition, the RoBuccaneers were nominated as the FIRST LEGO League “Global Innovation Award” from Texas—Alamo region.

It rewards teams for their problem-solving, creativity, and inventiveness, along with the opportunity to further pursue their project solutions. The award was a first in our Robotics program history.

The Academy’s team of uniquely talented boys from grades six through eight, skillfully coached by dedicated sponsors Cathy Baumgardner and Tyna Powers, included: TEAM INFINITY

ROBUCCANEERS

Sergio Alvarado Eshanth Beeram Jatin Gurrala Emory Hill Christopher Hunter Erik Peterson Isaiah Rettig Ishan Shah Morgan Smith Daniel Wang

Vivek Beeram Chaz Bregman Noah Bregman Juddy Crawford T.J. McFarland Walker Noble Robbie Pena Dylan Rybacki Nathaniel Shriner

CURRICULUM

Wellness Friendship Chain Kindergarteners constructed a Friendship Chain after learning how to be a good friend.

Dimensions of Wellness MISSION: The purpose of the Dimensions of Wellness program is to give SAA boys a more comprehensive perspective of who they are in mind, body, and spirit while striving to teach them to live a healthy life.

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CURRICULUM Fifth–Seventh Graders Learn Social/Emotional Skills

Books Effectively Illustrate the Significance of Values

Margaret Couch, an educator, author, corporate trainer and equine facilitator, and mother of Kinder teacher, Kristin Railsback, engaged students by having them participate in a personality inventory to help them understand how they relate to others. The boys experienced the process of identifying those four styles: the sentinel–thinker; the responder–doer; the advocate–talker; the initiator–starter. The goal was for each student to know and understand their responses in relationships and to develop social/emotional skills that allow for effective choices to be made.

Marci Gutierrez, Wellness Coordinator, began with a book when talking about topics such as friendship, listening, teamwork, perseverance, and feelings. She taught 2nd graders that they “train their brain” when they learn from their mistakes and never give up, noting the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. First graders put their newly learned friendship skills to practice when each boy was given a bucket to fill with the help of giving one another compliments. Marci incorporates hands-on activities in teaching these values.

For a number of years, Dr. Nancy Rector-Finney, Academy mother of 7th grader Cole, has taken the time to talk with our 7th and 8th graders on maturation and human sexuality, a component of the Wellness program. Her knowledge and expertise are always appreciated and well-received.

Book Studies, Parent Forums, and Parenting Classes Counselor Theresa Moore’s book study was on Parenting the Sensitive Child by Rob Pluke, while her parenting classes drew from three books, Mindset by Carol Dweck, The Collapse of Parenting by Leonard Sax, and The Conscious Parent

by Dr. Shefali Tsabari. The Parent Forums are designed for developmental expectations and grade-level issues that reflect those expectations.

Whether your communication is live or viral, remember, “Be honest. Be kind. Be the best you can be.”

You convey your mission everyday By your Words Your Actions And especially by your Posts.

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San Antonio Academy of Texas

Social Media and Our Children Donna McElroy, a respected attorney, who teaches parents, educators, and students about the dangers of cyberspace again spoke to parents on Social Media and Our Children, The Fine Line Between Safe and Dangerous. Her message to 6th, 7th and 8th graders included the pitfalls that come with smart phones, iPads, and the internet. She concluded her talk with what she hoped would be a lasting message.

CURRICULUM

Technology Little Guys “Take” to Robotics Alan Gielen used Edison robots with his 1st and 2nd graders during their computer classes. He demonstrated how the robots read barcodes and use light and sound sensors. In teams, the boys experimented with figure-eight pathway, clapcontrolled driving, obstacle avoidance, flashlight following, bounce in borders, sumo wrestling and the remote control driving. They learned enough from these programs to then create their own.

Technology Integrated Into Every Classroom MISSION: The Technology Department prepares students to become lifelong learners and contributing members of an ever-changing information-based society through an integrated computer curriculum that builds key technology skills.

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CURRICULUM Technology Reboots More Classrooms The Academy has utilized resources, including Chromebooks and Google Drive for 3rd–8th graders. Chromebooks are issued to 6th, 7th and 8th graders for classroom use and at home for remote access to their school work. Although not issued to take home, 3rd, 4th and 5th graders have Chromebook carts they use in the classroom. Each primary classroom has its own set of iPads. Upper school students use either iPads or computers for the CTP achievement testing. The upper school science lab has a laptop cart. Students use Google Docs and Google Drive to write papers, create spreadsheets, and collaborate on projects. Teachers also use an online console, Hapara Teacher Dashboard, to access student accounts for sharing files, sending documents, monitoring work and activity and editing work.

Game Design Development Offered to 7th Graders Technology Facilitator, Linda Gielen, taught an elective to students with programing backgrounds in which they were to develop a video game to submit to the National STEM Video Game Challenge. After choosing a coding language to create their game, they would design it from developing a storyline with characters to final submission of the finished product.

3D Model and Design Class for 7th Graders In this 3D Model & Design class, students worked with AutoDesk Tinkercad: Project Ignite to learn how to create their own 3D models. Students were assigned projects to teach them how to use the simple, online 3D design and 3D printing tool.

After learning the tools, students created their own models, which were printed on the school’s 3D printer, a New Matter Mod-T.

PolyCraft-Chemistry in Minecraft Offered to 8th Graders This elective offered by Linda Gielen is part of a college course at the University of Texas at Dallas designed to teach chemistry and engineering concepts. Linda had the boys explore and learn how to use the mod and in the process, learn the basics of polymer science.

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Website Goes Responsive After a couple of years in the making, SAA launched its new responsive website in early June to positive reviews on The Academy’s social media networks. While the navigation remains intact, the new site is formatted to appear seamless on all viewing platforms to include desktop, tablet and smartphones.

In addition to the viewing ease, the upgraded design reflects The Academy’s culture with larger-than-life images that marries the school’s mission with its all-boy brand.

Stage

CURRICULUM

Academy Boys Take the Stage

MISSION: At San Antonio Academy boys learn to demonstrate poise and confidence and express themselves clearly and expressively as a result of the numerous opportunities they have to perform in front of an audience.

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CURRICULUM No Fault in These Stars Eighth graders took on the task of depicting the events surrounding the assassination of Julius Caesar, who was believed to be dangerously ambitious. In preparation for the enactment, the boys busily engaged in learning lines, studying the history of English and Elizabethan theatre, perfecting their blocking and stagecraft, honing their timing with lights and sound and finally donning costumes and makeup for dress rehearsals and performance. As director, Brendan Moore, SAA English Department Chair, pointed out the high level of teamwork necessary to producing the play. He said “the play challenged his actors, while making a lasting impression on them.”

Mr. Webster is presented his very own, slightly altered, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

Kinder Boys Perform Seuss Tribute In a touching tribute to John Webster, retiring Head of School, the Kindergarten students under the direction of Kristin Railsback and Anne Trevathan, recited lines from Dr. Seuss’s book Oh, the Places You’ll Go! The idea to honor Mr. Webster in this fashion was sparked by his annual tradition of reciting excerpts from that particular book to the 8th graders on their final day in chapel.

The story was brought to life by the elaborate and colorful Seuss-like set created by parent volunteers, Lindsay and Geoffrey Millican, Barbie Walther, and Ellen Evans.The performers, whose costumes matched the quirky colors from the book, wore bright beanies embroidered with each student’s name, courtesy of parent Meredith Shindler.

Pre-K Performs Annual Plays

Eighth Graders Engage in War of Words Two teams of Brendan Moore’s 8th graders debated the topic, “Music that glorifies violence and criminal lifestyles should be banned.” The boys exhibited eloquence and poise as they made charge and countercharge in defense of their positions, skillfully dissecting relevant studies and articles, parrying attacks by their opponents. The alternates paid careful attention to all of the speeches and provided a ready supply of rebuttals for their teammates to use.

TEAM PROPOSING

TEAM OPPOSING

Sammy Barr Vivek Beeram Anthony Fletcher Ethan Parkhurst Cole Dunn (alternate)

Jeb Brysacz Jonathan Duperier Max Hart Vishal Nair Raed Khan (alternate)

Voted Top Debater was Jeb Brysacz, and Top Public Speaker over the entire speech unit were Sammy Barr, Jonathan Duperier, Vishal Nair and Anthony Fletcher.

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San Antonio Academy of Texas

Mr. Wolf’s Pancakes

Old MacDonald had a Dragon

CURRICULUM

Language Paletas Provide Tasty Treats for 4th and 5th Graders Half-time at the annual 5th grade Spanish soccer game was celebrated with the field-side delivery of ice-cold popsicles and ice cream, compliments of “La Palateria de Esdra.” The boys indulged in helados and paletas of various unique flavors.

As a culmination of a unit on “all things food” 4th graders were pleasantly surprised when, sitting outside drilling for their upcoming quiz, Esdra, a familiar face in the SAA kitchen, appeared with a cart of the same ice-cold treats. Boys in both grades enjoyed the opportunity to practice their new vocabulary by using their Spanish to politely order their flavor of choice.

Emphasis on Communication Skills MISSION: The Spanish Department generates enthusiasm for the language and its culture by providing students with challenging and engaging opportunities to develop the skills necessary to use Spanish in their daily lives.

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CURRICULUM SAA Students Excel on National Spanish Exam With over 180,000 students participating, the following Academy boys earned medals: Premio de Oro (top 5% in the nation)

SAA Boys Excel in Spanish Poetry Contest Eight 1st through 4th graders represented SAA in the AATSP City-wide Colores, Voces y Poesia Speaking and Poetry Contest.

Spanish teachers Iliana Hieger and Natalie Bock proudly accompanied them. Each boy presented a memorized poem and interpreted it before a panel of judges. The boys walked away with lots of accolades, as well as the experience of public speaking. The results were: ELEMENTARY 1ST–3RD GRADE (NATIVE SPEAKER) Gold........... Max Bonilla (1st grade) Silver........... Jordi Mirabent (1st grade) Bronze........ Robert Frank Ximenes (3rd grade)

8TH GRADERS

7TH GRADERS

Sammy Barr Gavin Boyle Max Hart Erik Peterson James Schnoebelen

Roan Erwin Daniel Wang

Premio de Plata winners (top 10% in the nation) 8TH GRADERS

7TH GRADERS

Vivek Beeram Jeb Brysacz Jonathan Duperier Anthony Fletcher Emory Hill Andres Martinez Walker Noble Ethan Parkhurst Mark Sechler

Nico Diaz Robert Gulley Edward Hart John Kohl McAdams Connor McGrath Ty Osterhage Edward Snyder

Premio de Bronce winners (top 15% in the nation) ELEMENTARY 1ST–3RD GRADE (NON-NATIVE) Gold........... Wayne Bock (2nd grade) Silver........... Sam Sytsma (3rd grade) Bronze........ Philippe Jones (1st grade) ELEMENTARY 4TH –5TH Gold........... Phillip Stone Silver........... David Smeberg

8TH GRADERS

7TH GRADERS

Rodney Hunter James Jacob Vishal Nair Sam Riggs Reed Shemwell

Bennett Angulo Griffin Erwin James Hawes Nicholas Wheeler

Fifth Grade Perform Leyendas Lationamericanas Under the direction of Senora Natalie Bock, 5th graders presented four of the most famous legends originating in Latin America entirely in Spanish. From sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat suspense, to falling-out-of-your-chair slapstick, the lively productions and their talented players kept their audiences thoroughly entertained.

Although English narration and printed guides were offered to the English-speaking audience, the expressive acting and colorful scenes allowed for a solid understanding of each story.

First Annual Día de la Palabra Similar to Word Day, the Spanish Department hosted Día de la Palabra to promote awareness and use of the Spanish language during Hispanic Heritage month. Every student, faculty and staff member taped their favorite Spanish word to their backs.

Boys were challenged with knowing the word’s meaning or in Spanish. By the end of the day, SAA became just a little more fluent in a foreign language gracias al Departamento de Español.

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Music Notes from the Music Department MISSION: SAA’s Music Program offers broad, hands-on musical experiences, with training and live performance opportunities in voice, movement and instruments. Our goal is to make music learning fun, practical and stimulating as we seek to develop each boy’s abilities, enjoyment, knowledge and appreciation of music.

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CURRICULUM

Singer Receives Standing Ovation Vicki Adelstein, mother of kinder student David, dazzled the student body during chapel when she sang America the Beautiful. The passion with which she sang the song was in part due to the gratitude she feels for this great country, having lived in South Africa during her childhood. Mrs. Adelstein is not only a professional singer, but she has also written and produced two Off Broadway shows.

Symphony Players Tune Up To enhance and enrich understanding of the unique characteristics of their musical instruments, San Antonio Symphony players were invited to perform during chapel time.

Featured this year were a violinist, a flautist, and the English horn/oboist, Jennifer Berg, daughter of music teacher, Ruth Berg. The Academy thanks the Nancy Jean Newman Memorial Music Endowment for this enrichment opportunity.

Recorder Karate Engages the Brain Amy Girardeau’s and Ruth Berg’s 4th graders participated in an extension of the recorder karate program. By playing different selections called Easy 8, they were given opportunities to earn nine belts ranging from the white to the black belt. With each belt, they received corresponding colored tassels.

A Dance to Remember In the spirit of celebrating Halloween, Ruth Berg’s 1st and 2nd grade music classes danced to spooky tunes of a “G” version of Danse Macabre, written with a storyline by Saints-Saens, when cats and bats, ghosts and ghouls take flight. The class added movement to the piece to increase their memory and enjoyment of music.

Musical Mondays Showcase SAA’s Talent After an audition, students were invited by the Music Department to share their talents during the time of silence after the blessing in the lunch room. Performers included: William Abad Neil Burgess Alex Cross Noah Davis

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Connor Hart Cuatro Hill Hudson Hurt Philippe Jones

San Antonio Academy of Texas

Brian Levin Aidan Notzon J.C. Pena

CURRICULUM

Concerts

Grandparents’/Grandfriends’ Day, Mother’s Day, Holiday

Year in Review, 2016–2017

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CURRICULUM

Art Pre-K and Kinder Paint the Ceiling Smock-clad Pre-K and Kindergarten artists painted the ceiling of the “Sistine Tables” to learn first-hand about some of the challenges Michelangelo encountered while painting the famous ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Following the activity, the boys shared creative alternative methods for painting a high ceiling—water balloons filled with paint, a trampoline and a very, very long paint brush.

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San Antonio Academy of Texas

Art Encourages Creativity MISSION: The Art Program is dedicated to bringing out the very best in each student’s abilities, as well as promoting and fostering confidence and creative thinking. SAA art students learn the fundamental skills in a variety of media, while enhancing their awareness and understanding of art as a means of personal and social expression.

CURRICULUM Art Students Visit Briscoe Western Art Museum

Movies Do More Than Entertain

Cary Gates and Dana Parish took their 7th and 8th grade art students to view the paintings and sculptures at the Briscoe Museum.

Cary Gates’ History of Film elective demonstrates, through viewing the classics, how movies reflect and influence public attitudes.

His 6th graders realized how films have recorded and even shaped American values, beliefs, and behavior. The movie selections included Stand by Me, War of the Worlds, and Strangers on a Train.

Second Graders Paint to Music Second graders participated in the “Paint to Music Contest” sponsored by the San Antonio Symphony League. Studentproduced artwork is inspired through symphony music.

Elizabeth Eversberg and Ruth Berg guided the boys as they explored painting what they heard in Mozart’s Symphony #42.

The top three winners, Nathan Walls, Daniel Nelson and Wayne Bock had their art projected on the screen during the Young People’s Symphony Concert.

Primary Boys’ Art Displayed in Second Annual Show Under the direction of Art teacher, Elizabeth Eversberg, the work of The Academy’s youngest artists was featured in the 3rd Annual Pre-K, Kinder, and 1st Grade Art Show. The little guys created beautiful works of art inspired by the works and styles of famous artists, including Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Henri Matisse, Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso and Romero Britto.

Famous Artists Come to Life Dana Parish’s 6th grade art elective students studied wellknown artists with the help of surprise “famous artists’ visits.”

Dressed as the artist, a student appeared shortly after the lesson began, introduced himself or herself and answered questions about their works and life history. Included were Frida Kahlo, Andy Warhol and Vincent van Gogh.

Year in Review, 2016–2017

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San Antonio Academy of Texas

17th Annual Art Show Draws Crowds Cary Gates and Dana Parish did it again!

Ellison Hall was transformed into an art gallery and included displays of framed paintings and drawings created by over 130 Academy students in grades 2nd– 8th. The works of art were as versatile in style as they were in subject matter, ranging from realism to abstraction and surrealism. Some of the works exhibited were reproductions of art from past masters including Monet, Hopper and Homer.

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IN THE CLASSROOM

Parents & Extended Academy Family Bring Their Expertise on Campus On Good Dental Hygiene Dr. Vicki Leonhart, mother of Asher and Alden, used a large felt mouth and large toothbrush to show the importance of dental hygiene with the Pre-K boys. She taught the boys the importance of using dental floss and choosing foods that are good for them. She left the boys with a goody bag filled with all the tools for healthy teeth.

On the United Kingdom Paul Taylor, father of Henry, shared numerous interesting facts about the United Kingdom with the 1st graders. His detailed PowerPoint presentation outlined the history, culture and traditions of his native country in a fun and creative way for the budding geographers. The English candy bars were an added bonus.

On Teamwork

On Being an Olympic Medalist

Both Kinder and Pre-K boys were introduced to the children’s book Little Teammate by the author Alan Williams, father of Trammel. His book about a father’s unconditional love through the game of baseball positively impacted the little guys. As both an author and the founder of “Teammates Matter,” Mr. Williams has demonstrated his dedication to putting perspective back into TEAM.

Josh Davis, uncle of Brody and Connor, shared with the 1st graders his achievements as an Olympic medalist. After displaying his gold medals, Mr. Davis spoke to the boys about the importance of working hard and never giving up. He said his most “valuable” medal was the silver medal he won in the 2000 Summer Games because, although placing 2nd that day, he swam the best race of his life.

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San Antonio Academy of Texas

IN THE CLASSROOM

Special Events & Guest Leadership Speakers On Poetry

On Lessons Learned

Children’s Poet Laureate Kenn Nesbitt demonstrated to 2nd– 6th graders how fun poetry can be. After he performed humorous poems, he gave the boys a chance to write their own.

Alumnus John Amini ’05 relayed his SAA memories and lessons he has learned to the student body and guests. He engaged his audience with his stories and accompanying advice. He encouraged the boys to (1) Go for it, not being frozen by fear (2) Keep your Academy brothers as close friends (3) Always live by the school motto (4) Choose to live with a purpose, making God proud.

On Picture Books Susan Stevens Crummel, author of numerous children’s books, entertained and engaged her audiences of primary and 3rd grade boys with her funny picture books—Cook-a-DoodleDoo, My Big Dog, Jackaloupe, The Great Fuzz Frenzy, and The Dish Ran Away with the Spoon. She concluded by reminding each boy that he could be the next author.

On Impacting the Future

On Fantasy Adventure Books Author Lou Anders spent time with the 4th, 5th, and 6th graders explaining how he got started as an author, encouraging them to also consider being a writer. He is best known for his Thrones and Bones series.

On Hanukkah Lauren Abraham, the wife of a rabbi, taught the Pre-K boys about Hanukkah, including why Jewish people eat latkes and jelly doughnuts during that time. She relayed to them the story of the miracle at the Jewish Temple and the significance of the eight candles on the Menorah. The boys enjoyed hearing her sing the Hebrew alphabet. The lesson ended as the boys made edible dreidels using marshmallows and Hershey kisses.

When SAA alumnus William Negley ’98 arrived to speak to Academy students, he probably didn’t realize he was going to be Grand Marshall in the Pre-K’s shoe box float parade that day. He gladly accepted the challenge and offered some of his own. William worked for the CIA while in Afghanistan for seven years and said his experiences there positively affected his future. He left the boys with this advice: Follow The Code.

Be thankful for what you have been given, and pass it on. Be passionate in what you love. He reminded the students that they are the future of this country.

On Changing the Plight of Others The Academy welcomed David Ocitti who shared his passion to bring an end to the Lord’s Resistance Army in central Africa and to help those who experienced struggles similar to his own when trying to start a better life. As a result, he founded a non-profit community-based organization, Pathways to Peace Uganda, to help LRA returnees.

Year in Review, 2016–2017

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COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Making a Difference With Community Outreach Projects Thanksgiving Gratitude Kinder boys sang festive songs and gave out handwritten cards at Thanksgiving for residents at Chandler Nursing Home.

Mudballs Turn to Flowers First graders traveled to Phil Hardberger Park where they helped seed one of the gardens so that flowers would bloom in the spring to attract various butterflies and other insects. Each boy gathered a clump of dirt, dipped it into a bucket of water, making a mud ball and then rolled it in a collection of seeds. On the count of three, they enthusiastically threw the seed balls into the garden.

WITH THE LIVING LEGACY PROGRAM

Fifth Graders Lend a Hand Fifth graders volunteered at the Christian Assistance Ministry (CAM) which offers temporary assistance to individuals and families in crisis situations. The boys pitched in to help sort donations, sweep staging areas, and several even mowed the grass!

Haven for Hope Touched Hearts and Minds After touring Haven for Hope and then assembling hygiene kits, Melinda Biehl’s 6th graders returned to school and wrote diamante and invocation poems, reflecting on what they saw and what they would wish for the homeless and mankind. After having read several of the poems, Haven for Hope’s CEO shared the following with his organization, “Mature thoughts from a 10 year old! It’s a good ‘yardstick’ for how we help our members and guests. And each other!”

My Personal Prayer In the darkest of night As we pray before we sleep, Let sadness fill with happiness.

Let crying turn to laughter.

Let cold turn to warmth.

And all that is wrong Turn to right.

Let homelessness be no more.

Let stomachs be filled.

Let dreams be realities.

Please just this once Change the world before our eyes.

Make it a safe place to live And create opportunities for all And vanquish all evil.

—ALEX PRUITT

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San Antonio Academy of Texas

Initiated by Cathy Cummins and now in its twenty-eighth year, the Living Legacy program at the Chandler Nursing Home continues to impact the lives of Academy boys and their senior friends.

Academy 6th, 7th, and 8th graders each visit and interview a senior “buddy.” The boys write acrostic poems about the residents, highlighting qualities and details of their lives. Framed copies of the “living legacies” are read and presented to the senior participants at the May evening celebration. Thanks go to the sponsor, Virginia Beeler, and to this year’s participants.

6TH GRADERS Sawyer Barr Eshanth Beeram Chaz Bregman Noah Bregman

Henry Ramirez Pierce Rhodes Tristan Tamez Miles Wright

7TH GRADERS Jordan Garza James Hawes Asher Herrema Warren Oliver

Ben Rios Matthew Silva Marc Thiltgen Gray Woodson

8TH GRADERS Vivek Beeram Cole Dunn

Zachary Liu Ethan Parkhurst

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

With Service Projects The entire 2016 school year was filled with the spirit of giving, as our boys spread goodwill throughout our community and around the world. Students were encouraged to earn money or use a portion of their allowance when contributing monetarily to a project.

WITH SCHOOLWIDE DRIVES Annual Food Drive

Pre-K boys collected toys to donate to the Sonny Melendrez Foundation where the gifts were distributed to the area’s underserved children.

Kindergarteners collected school supplies and teddy bears to bring comfort to grieving children at the Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas.

Academy boys collected 800 pounds of food during the 2016 Annual Food Drive, bringing our total since we began in 2003 to 28,028 pounds. Each dollar equates to seven meals.

Pennies for Patients

1st graders collected pet supplies for the San Antonio Humane Society.

2nd graders collected children’s books for the San Antonio Assistance League “Togs for Tots” program.

SAA participates annually in the program benefitting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. This past year the school collected $2525 which brings our total contributions to $25,604.

End-of-Year School Supplies Drive 3rd graders collected new or gently-used books to donate to San Antonio’s Children Shelter.

4th graders collected food items to assist children at Stafford Elementary (ESD) who might be in need over the winter break.

SAA faculty and staff donated boxes and boxes of school supplies to the Children’s Shelter. Special thanks go to Yulanee McKnight, Summer At The Academy Registrar, for coordinating these efforts.

End-of the Year Binder/ Backpack Donations 5th graders collected new toys for children at CAM’s (Christian Assistance Ministry) Christmas Store.

6th graders collected new socks and underwear, along with gently-used coats to benefit the homeless served by the San Antonio Catholic Worker House.

Inspired to act after reading Hiroshima, 7th graders collected $560 for World Vision, an international organization that helps struggling families survive.

8th graders collected $2000 to help those abandoned and mistreated children now living in an orphanage in Los Quinchos, Nicaragua.

The money purchased new sports and art equipment and built up the food garden.

Backpacks and binders were donated to Project Quest, an organization that assists economically disadvantaged individuals to become highly qualified employees for indemand living wage careers.

Cork Recycling SAA recycled 35,075 corks this past year to donate to the Ready or Not Foundation dedicated to raise money for pediatric brain cancer.

Since 2009, The Academy has recycled approximately 189,816 corks donated to research.

Year in Review, 2016–2017

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AROUND CAMPUS

Each year, faculty and staff are recognized for their years of service at San Antonio Academy.

Celebrating

years of

THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION!

Service “I am proud of what our Academy family has accomplished. Together, we have created a school where we teach boys how important it is to ‘Be honest. Be kind. Be the best you can be!’ SAA begins every day focusing on God, country, character, leadership, pride in achievement and brotherhood. We are united by common values, traditions and goals. It is with gratitude that I reflect on my tenure at San Antonio Academy. So many trustees, teachers, alumni, staff members, grandparents and friends have helped SAA and me. Words cannot express my gratitude.

For thirty-two years, San Antonio Academy has defined my professional life.”

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John Webster 32 YEARS (retired)

Luisa Bolen 28 YEARS (retired)

Jan Fry 16 YEARS (retired)

“The moment I walked on campus and into John Webster’s office I fell in love with San Antonio Academy. I had found a place that I could call home and join a great family. The day John offered me a contract changed my life forever. Thank you, John, for believing in me.”

Jan Fry has retired after having taught 3rd grade here for 16 years. Jan has made such a positive impact on the boys in her classes and is loved and respected by her students, parents and colleagues. We all thank Jan for her commitment and dedication to the school and her students.

San Antonio Academy of Texas

AROUND CAMPUS

Celebrating

40 years of Service

Barry Bradley

Celebrating 30 years of Service

Cathy Cummins

Mary Wilde

Barbara Birgel

Year in Review, 2016–2017

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AROUND CAMPUS

Celebrating 20 years of Service

Allen Hamilton

Theresa Moore

John Watkins

Celebrating 10 years of Service

Kathy Miller 5 YEARS

Elizabeth Eversberg

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San Antonio Academy of Texas

Refugio Cedillo

Paige Matlock 5 YEARS

AROUND CAMPUS

Faculty & Staff Shine New Faculty & Recognitions Both Mike Hansen and Luisa Bolen were honored when asked by former Academy students to be recognized with them at their high school commencement. These summa cum laude graduates were told to select a teacher from their past who had had the most significant impact on their lives. Varun Patamalla chose Mike Hansen, and Marshall Beldon selected Luisa Bolen. Each received a certificate from the school district for “outstanding support, service and leadership in education.”

Siomha Moore recently earned her Master’s Degree in Teaching English from Teachers College, Columbia University. Siomha’s degree program emphasized “teacher inquiry, the integration of the language arts with the performing and fine arts, and literary study.” Her coursework included intensive seminars in the teaching of reading and writing, classes in cognitive science and qualitative research practices, and workshops at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She has already used her degree to support her work as a 4th grade English and math teacher here at The Academy.

Mary Beth Nieves joined SAA’s Kinder team as Teacher Assistant. Prior to coming to The Academy, Mary Beth served in that same role at Fort Sam Houston Elementary. Her experience and enthusiasm have made her a good fit for our school.

Year in Review, 2016–2017

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San Antonio Academy of Texas

ATHLETICS

“To become a good cross country runner, you need to practice at home with the hills, the long distances, and the sprints. A runner needs to practice during the off-season as hard as he works during the competitive season.”

— SPENCER BRITTON GRADE 5 Contribution by 2016–17 yearbook staff member, Peyton Randolph

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ATHLETICS

Teamwork is Motivating Factor BLUE & WHITE TEAMS’ TCB ATTITUDE GETS THE JOB DONE

“When playing Medina Valley, there were thirty-six seconds left in the fourth quarter. They were on the four yard line; they snapped, I cut right and got blocked. I couldn’t make the tackle, but my teammate came through and made it.”

— MICHAEL MAY GRADE 8 Contribution by 2016–17 yearbook staff member, Ty Osterhage

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ATHLETICS

Two Teams Equal One Force SOCCER PROGRAM PRODUCES TWO VARSITY TEAMS

During the 2016-17 season, Coach Brittany Schrader divided the entire soccer group into two varsity teams, Blue and White, to “see how the White team would do competing against other varsity teams, and to ensure they received the same amount of playing time as the Blue team.”

Contribution by 2016–17 yearbook staff member, Peyton Randolph

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ATHLETICS

Short Season, Tall Effort TEAMWORK ON DISPLAY DESPITE ABBREVIATED SEASON

“Despite the game schedule, which seemed short, players gave it their all in every game.

The 8th grade had a winning record of 4-3; the 7th grade dominated their division with an impressive 6-2 record.”

— COACH MIKE McCLINTOCK

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San Antonio Academy of Texas

ATHLETICS

Good Sportsmanship a Winning Strategy TENNIS TEAMS WORK ON FOCUS AND PERSPECTIVE ON THE COURT

“Trust that your opponent is honest. If you feel yourself getting mad, remember it’s just a game. Also, try to put yourself in your opponents’ shoes, and see the play from his perspective.”

— GRIFFIN ERWIN GRADE 7 Contribution by 2016–17 staff member, Edward Snyder

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ATHLETICS

Working Together Produces Championship Season LIMITED PLAYERS INCREASED DETERMINATION TO OVERCOME ADVERSITY

“With a limited number of players on both the varsity and junior varsity squads the most important thing the players learned was to overcome adversity. The varsity had an undefeated regular season, and after a hard-fought playoff, the team still achieved second in the city. And, after two hard-fought losses at the end of the year, the JV boys really came together as a team and went on to win the championship.”

— COACH MIKE GUTIERREZ Contribution by 2016–17 yearbook staff member, Peyton Randolph

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ATHLETICS

Enthusiasm at a High Level TRACK TEAM PLACES IN EVERY MEET OFFERED

“Our ability to compete at a very high level is our most important quality, considering we have very little practice time, which is impressive for a school with such a high level of academic rigor.”

— COACH LEON MCNEIL Contribution by 2016–17 yearbook staff member, Ty Osterhage

Year in Review, 2016–2017

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ACADEMY COMMUNITY & SUPPORT

ALL IN for Annual Fund

Part of what makes San Antonio Academy such a special place is the people. Students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, parents of alumni, grandparents and friends are united together to keep our school strong. Every gift from every person advances the same mission—to educate boys for life.

SAA is grateful for the annual support of close to 700 donors. The Academy surpassed its Annual Giving goal of $600,000 during the 2016–2017 school year, reaching $895,000 to help build a stronger school for our boys.

Annual gifts enable The Academy to attract and retain the very best teachers and keep the school small, ensuring that each boy is known, understood and valued.

Thank you to the Annual Fund leadership: Chairs Erin & Harry Wolff, Co-Chairs Lynnette & Trey Embrey, Alumni Chair Jamey Steen ‘03, Grandparents’ Chairs Richard Traylor & Gretchen Lahourcade, Faculty/Staff Chair Lindsay Kramme and to the 600+ participants who made a gift to SAA this year.

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Annual Fund Grand Slam Breakfast Party For the 8th year in a row, 100% of Academy families contributed toward the Annual Fund. In celebration of every class reaching 100% participation, students enjoyed a Grand Slam Breakfast Party during both lunch periods on April 26.

Students were treated to a delicious and unique lunch menu that included waffles, scrambled eggs, hash browns, bacon, biscuits, oatmeal, yogurt and fresh fruit. It was a fun and memorable time for everyone at SAA!

ACADEMY COMMUNITY & SUPPORT

Circle of Excellence Every fall semester, donors who are members of the Circle of Excellence receive an invitation to attend an annual donor recognition dinner. Members of the Circle of Excellence are donors who made a cumulative gift of $1,000 or more to The Academy during the previous fiscal year.

This year’s event was held on November 2 at the home of SAA grandparents, Bonnie & Berkley Dawson. The event began with cocktails and special remarks from Annual Fund Chairs, Erin & Harry Wolff, Board Chair, Steve Chiscano, and Head of School, John Webster, followed by an elegant dinner.

Parents’ Club The SAA Parent Education Committee hosted author and humorist Debbie Silver to San Antonio Academy to talk with parents about teaching kids to succeed. The topic is presented in her engaging and informative book, Fall Down 7 Times Get Up 8. A big thanks to the Committee, who worked tirelessly to create and coordinate all of the many logistics to bring Ms. Silver to The Academy.

Parent Volunteers Rock Stars in Disguise On any given day you can find a parent volunteer giving their time and talents as class representatives, manning ice cream snack sales, the Cat Shack store, serving as dance chaperones and decorating committee, making sure our cadets are hydrated during the Alamo guard shift, providing breakfast and lunch treats to SAA’s faculty & staff, and so much more. SAA is GRATEFUL for your dedication. YOU rock!

To find out how you can get involved as a parent, please visit sa-academy.org/parentsclub.

Grandparents are SPECIAL to Us SAA’s Grandparents and Grandfriends warm our hearts with their love and support.

They support our students in many ways—helping parents with carpool, attending school performances and joining their grandsons for lunch. Other grandparents serve as volunteers, provide leadership on the Grandparents’ Council or support SAA with an annual gift.

Indeed, SAA grandparents are special to our school!

During Grandparents’ Chapel on September 28 and February 22, grandparents got a glimpse of how their grandsons begin their school day.

Hank Wolff, 3rd grade, served as a greeter for the evening.

Trey & Lynnette Embrey, Annual Fund Co-Chairs, and Erin & Harry Wolff, Chairs/Event Hosts.

Trey Embrey, SAA Parent, Lance Lahourcade, SAA Grandparent, William Negley ’98 and John Webster, Head of School.

One of SAA’s most treasured days of the year is Grandparents’ & Grandfriends’ Day. Held on November 18, the event began with a special luncheon for grandparents at Club Giraud, hosted by Mrs. Helen Groves and Mr. & Mrs. Richard C. Traylor. Luncheon attendees were entertained by the 45+ member SAA Choir, who performed Rock-a My Soul, Dona Nobis Pacem and A Patriotic Festival.

Following the luncheon, grandparents and grandfriends joined The Academy’s family on campus to enjoy a musical performance by the primary students, whose program included singing, dancing and playing musical instruments, a Pass-In-Review Parade by the upper school boys, and student-led tours of the campus. More than 500 guests were in attendance.

Year in Review, 2016–2017

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ACADEMY COMMUNITY & SUPPORT

2016 Fall Family Fair: Brotherhood is Gold Over 1,400 parents, alumni, boys and girls, grandparents, faculty, staff and friends gathered together for an evening of oldfashioned family fun on the campus of SAA on Saturday, October 15. For over three decades, the Fair has invited the entire Academy family to celebrate all things SAA. Event Chairs Sherolene & Scott Barr and Clare & Donald Duffin led a team of 42 committee chairs who planned and prepared 26 different games, 11 delicious food options, over 150 auction items, 5 fabulous raffle prizes and 60 Drop in the Bucket prizes.

The Academy had over 50 alumni return to campus to volunteer in the beverage booths and visit the alumni pavilion, 350 donors contribute supplies, cash underwriting, auction items, prizes, cakes and food, and 180 dedicated parents work one-hour (or more) shifts. THANK YOU to everyone who made this year’s Fall Family Fair a HUGE success!

2017 Blue & White Unite: Gala Celebrates Generations of the SAA Family The 3rd Annual Blue & White Unite was a strong and well-attended gala, a testament to our strength. The oak trees in front of Taylor Hall provided the perfect canopy with glowing lights for a spectacular evening of re-uniting Academy friends and family. Greeted

by Academy cadets in dress blue uniform, 400 guests shared their memories about the 131-year-old school and what The Academy has meant for them, their families and for the San Antonio community. Gardner Peavy and John Browning, both of the Class of ’89, served as emcees and captivated the crowd with their own memories of SAA. The 3rd annual Blue & White Unite is an annual event where parents, parents of alumni, grandparents, alumni, faculty and friends come together to celebrate the values and traditions that will keep San Antonio Academy strong for another 131 years.

Over 150 businesses and individuals contributed fabulous live and silent auction items. James Willmann, professional auctioneer and SAA Class of ’92, kept the guests rolling in laughter during the live auction. “Buzz & the Blue Cats” entertained guests with live music while they shopped the silent auction on their mobile phones during cocktail hour before dinner. John Webster, on the occasion of his retirement after thirty-two years, was honored for his service and commitment to the school. An inaugural “paddles up” program kicked off a new John Webster Need-based Scholarship Endowment fund and raised $150,000 for future Academy students. Live music and dancing continued with sweet treats, compliments of Burger Fi and Tiff’s Treats.

Event Chairs, Lauren & John Browning and Jill & Gardner Peavy, lovingly created an evening of memories, camaraderie and support for a school that works diligently at helping boys grow up to be young men of character who make a difference in the world.

Mark your calendar for next year’s Blue & White Unite on The Academy’s campus on Saturday, April 14, 2018.

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Enrichment

ENRICHMENT

Michele Cummins jumps on top of a library table to reenact what kids at The Ron Clark Academy are encouraged to do when answering questions. RCA has received both national and international recognition for its success in educating students with academic rigor, passion, and creativity, balanced by a strict code of discipline.

Year Round Enrichment Classes Expand Intellect Now in its 31st year, Cathy Cummins has created an Enrichment program like none other. The sheer range of class offerings, from Early Bird Reading and Reading Masters to Chess, Kids’ Night Out and the countless academic classes and festivals interwoven into SAA’s curriculum, injects an extra dose of intellect into Academy classrooms.

In fact, you may not have realized, but Cathy and her team, daughter Michele Cummins and assistant Ashlie Williams, put on 30–50 different special events during a school-year for SAA boys. No small feat considering that the space she occupies—whether in her Taylor Hall classroom, or in Ellison Hall—is magically transformed into whatever topic’s covered: a dark cave for the Bat Festival; a colonial village for Jamestown; and even a tropical rainforest for her Amazon studies.

As a mentor to many local educators over the decades, Cathy herself draws inspiration from the author of the New York Times bestselling book, The Essential 55, Ron Clark, a teacher who has been described as “America’s Educator,” and “Phenomenal Man.” Over the years, Cathy has incorporated many of Mr. Clark’s teaching methods into her own instruction. After a previous meeting with Ron, where he requested Cathy “go see his dream school,” she did just that, thanks to the professional development opportunities afforded by SAA. Last February the Enrichment department attended a three-day workshop at The Ron Clark Academy (RCA), a highly-acclaimed, nonprofit middle school located in southeast Atlanta. After a whirlwind 15 workshops (and photo opts with their hero, Ron), Cathy, Michele and Ashlie came back to SAA filled with ideas, energy and enthusiasm—and shared those new-found concepts with our faculty and staff during In-Service last August. “He challenges (teachers) to be different, be bold and do it for the kids,” reflects Cathy. And though she said that Ron ‘teaches us to make magical moments for the students,’ it’s evident that Cathy has already been making magic happen all these years here at SAA.

Year in Review, 2016–2017

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ENRICHMENT

Summer Program Gets Plugged In SATA made two important debuts this year. The summer program launched an online registration system to help make that process fast and easy. We also unveiled a SATA FACEBOOK page to connect with the hundreds of parents who enjoy seeing what’s happening in the summer classes.

It was Another GREAT Summer!

Summer At The Academy (SATA) offered 396 classes with 1,608 students filling 6,136 slots. Students from far beyond our national borders like Hungary, Mexico, Japan, Turkey, the Ivory Coast, to kids from outside our state lines including California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington, and to children all over Texas and right here in our own communities. SATA welcomed many returning kids along with many new faces. A very sincere “thank you” to everyone who became part of the Summer Team and helped in so many ways, every day, to keep all moving smoothly and a happy one for our campers & families. And now, it is LIGHTS OUT until we start planning for Summer 2018.

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ALUMNI

Alumni 90s Reunion Kicks off School Year!

“Mr. Webster has been a magnet and a servant leader to many young men, and has helped develop the school into a great place for boys to learn,” says Pedro Martinez ‘97.

On September 9, alumni from the Classes of 1996, 1997 and 1998 returned to campus for an alumni reunion at San Antonio Academy.

The reunion, coordinated by Pedro Martinez, Class of 1997, was organized as an opportunity for alumni to catch up with former faculty, former classmates and to say farewell to John Webster, who retired as Head of School from SAA at the end of the school year. Afterwards, the festivities continued throughout the evening as alumni organized a social event off campus at Paramour.

SAA alumni and faculty in attendance included: Luisa Bolen, Barry Bradley, Karl Graf, Brendan Moore, John Webster, Houston Harte ’98, Jake Beckwith ‘96, Eric Garza ‘96, Chris Ford ‘97, Reeves Craig ‘97, Jose Bonilla ’98, Clint Beckwith ‘97, Atticus Bracken ‘98, Cefe Deza Alvarez ‘98, Bryan Gouger ‘98, Adam Green ‘98, Mike Guzman ‘98, Drake McCrary ‘98, Adam Reed ‘99, Pedro Martinez ’97, Linden East ‘97 and Stephen Hausser ‘98.

SAA Alumni, like Drake McCrary ‘98, traveled from out of town to attend this special evening with old friends.

Alumni Homecoming Weekend Festivities began on October 14 with Alumni Day serving as the kickoff event for the special weekend as Mark Johnson, Class of 1960, was recognized as the 2016 Col. W.T. Bondurant, Jr. Distinguished Alumnus Award Recipient.

Since 2007, the Alumni Council presents accomplished graduates with the Distinguished Alumnus Award for their professional achievements, contributions to society and loyalty to The Academy. The primary function of the award is to honor SAA alumni whose lives exemplify the highest values, traditions, and ideals of San Antonio Academy.

Following the award presentation and alumni muster in chapel, the Battalion performed their first Pass-In-Review of the school year on Frost Field in honor of Mr. Johnson and The Academy’s alumni.

Homecoming Weekend concluded with Fall Family Fair on Saturday, October 15, where over 50 alumni volunteered at the alumni beverage booths or stopped by the Alumni Pavilion to visit with friends, flip through old yearbooks and view photos on the Alumni Wall.

Thank you to all the alumni that made this year's Homecoming Weekend a success!

Special thanks to the 2016 Homecoming Weekend Chairmen, Brad Kaufman ’99 and Sean Knoll ’02, and to members of SAA’s Alumni Council who helped organize and promote the event.

Mark Johnson ’60 is Vice Chairman of Texas Capital Bank. He is responsible for several bank-wide initiatives as well as oversight of its Builder Finance Group, which serves the top home builders across the nation. Mark has a long record of community service, with a leadership role in numerous nonprofit organizations, including Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, San Antonio Zoological Society, the Texas Business Hall of Fame, San Antonio Academy, United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County, and the AugustHeart Foundation.

Year in Review, 2016–2017

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ALUMNI

Alumni Welcome 8th Graders to the Ranks On May 3, SAA Alumni gathered at La Fonda on Main to carry on the tradition of welcoming the graduating class to the Alumni Association. Members from the Alumni Council presented each 8th grader at the luncheon with an Academy Alumni gold pin as a symbol of their entry into the SAA alumni ranks.

With a packed room of over 80 guests in attendance, two of SAA’s alumni, Joseph Shields ’05, and Jeremiah Leibowitz ‘91, shared their advice with the Class of 2017 about how to apply the foundation and lessons of SAA toward their lives, and reminded them about the impact they have on The Academy’s future. “It’s up to the alumni of SAA to step up and be the mainstays during this time of transition with the school. It’s up to us to continue to improve the quality of the school and promote the “It’s up to the alumni of SAA to step culture and values,” said Joseph. up and be the mainstays during this time of transition with the

As The Academy prepared to see two of its beloved educators, Head of School, John Webster, and Spanish Teacher & 8th improve the quality of the school grade Advisor, Luisa Bolen, retire at the and promote the culture and end of May, the luncheon also served as values,” said Joseph Shields ‘05 an opportunity for alumni to say farewell to them. “The most important and meaningful memory I have of both of these fine individuals actually came after high school, college, three overseas deployments, and law school—20 years after I walked across The Academy stage. It was a point in time I was struggling professionally to get my feet under me so I reached out to both Mr. Webster and Sra. Bolen. Their willingness to sit with me, provide encouragement and perspective, and a listening ear…that is what I will always carry with me for as long as I live—they never leave their boys alone on the battlefield of life,” said Jeremiah. school. It’s up to us to continue to

Just before students were dismissed from the luncheon to return back to campus, Adam Reed ‘99, SAA Alumni Council President, encouraged students to remain connected to one another and to SAA. He concluded his remarks by showing a brief video entitled, The Bonds of Brotherhood, that captures the many moments alumni are involved and making a difference at San Antonio Academy.

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THANK YOU! The Academy would like to extend a thank you to Academy alumni and friends who made a contribution toward the luncheon. We also extend our gratitude to Suzy & Cappy Lawton at La Fonda on Main for their generous and continued support of SAA.

On May 23, Cappy Lawton was honored in chapel and presented with a special plaque for him and his wife, Suzy, for their support of our school.

ALUMNI

Reunion Recap 2017 On May 25, the eve of Commencement, alumni of all ages returned to campus to relive, remember and reconnect with fellow classmates and former teachers at the 6th Annual Gather Under the Oak Tree reception underneath the iconic oak tree in front of the steps of Taylor Hall.

While yearbooks were on hand to ignite fond memories, alumni gathered to reminisce about their former school days at San Antonio Academy and to catch up with one other.

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Gather Under the Oak Tree 1

Luisa Bolen, SAA Spanish Teacher and SAA Honorary Alumna, is surrounded by several of her former SAA students at the Gather under the Oak Tree alumni social. In honor of her retirement of 28 years at SAA, the Alumni Council presented Sra. Bolen with a special plaque and a bouquet of flowers.

2

Abraham Kepes ‘07, flew in from New York to attend the alumni event in honor of his 10 year milestone class anniversary.

3

SAA Alumni Tom Smith ’57, Kit Goldsbury ‘57, Bobby Hasslocher ’67, Philip Leggett ’67 and Jimmy Hasslocher ’67 gather together for a 60-year and 50-year reunion photo.

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James Montgomery ‘67, Mark Jacob ’67, Philip Leggett ‘67, Jimmy Hasslocher ‘67, Duke Stevens ‘67, Tommy Cude ‘67 and Bobby Hasslocher ‘67.

Milestone Anniversaries Alumni from the Class of 1942, Class of 1967, Class of 1992 and Class of 2007, were invited to breakfast, to serve as field marshals during the Pass-In-Review parade on Frost Field, and to receive special 10-year, 25-year, 50year, and 75-year, milestone anniversary medals during the Commencement ceremony on May 26.

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Year in Review, 2016–2017

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ALUMNI

Oh, The Places We’ve Gone!

Written By: Adam Reed, Class of 1999

Alumni Say Farewell to Beloved Head of School With this year’s Gather under the Oak Tree alumni social being the eve of John Webster’s retirement as Head of School, alumni honored him with a copy of Dr. Seuss’s book, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, that was signed by all of the alumni in attendance. During the program inside of Ellison Hall, Adam Reed ‘99, President of SAA’s Alumni Council, read aloud an original poem he wrote entitled, Oh, The Places We’ve Gone!

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Congratulations!

Today is your day.

You’re off to Great Places!

Well, after tomorrow—anyways.

You’ve got a smile on your face, You’ve got a head full of hair, You’ve not changed one bit, But, okay, in reality there may be a little less up there.

We’d say you’re on your own. And that you know what to do, But the plain in simple fact is that we’ll be looking out for you.

Because you did for us, and we do for others, Face it John, you’re every bit a part of this Band we call Brothers.

It started when we were the littles, And you’d pat us on the back, To cheer us on, and teach us things, Fist bumps, gummy worms, and hand slaps.

Through Bondurants, Joseph, Berdecio, Flournoy and Stanage, We shined our ranks, We polished our shoes, Our appearances we managed.

But it was not for shiny medals, Or for facetted ribbons donned with pride, But for a code, an expectation, and a longer, stronger stride.

We’ve grown as men, and in some cases We’ve seen roads to not go down, And in that case, of course, We’ve headed straight out of town.

Because Dr. Seuss tells us “it’s opener there in the wide open air.”

Out there we’ve seen things happen—great, important, magical things Out there we’ve applied, managed, and conquered whatever life may bring.

Oh, the places we’ve gone! Oh, the sights that we’ve seen, The people we’ve met, and the dreams that we’ve dreamed.

Echoing “stick to your values”, “treat others with respect—don’t you gloat!”

“Run the race”, “keep your promises”…but sometimes we won’t.

There are distractions and influences And they’ll snag us afoot, There are Hang Ups, and Bang Ups, And Fed Ups that put us out in the open, with a frown on our face Where we’ll feel far away from our home on E. French Place.

And then, it will happen.

We’ll find one of our own, when we least expect it, A brother from yesterday, just not in a dress blue jacket.

They’ll lift up our spirits, or reach out a hand, Why am I going on about disappointment…after all, you’re a Philadelphia Eagles fan!?

John, you’ve pulled together the finest, With the best still to come, From all over the map, We’d all say that you’re #1.

On the impact of your journey, there are too many things to say.

Names and faces that escape, but not to you.

Wow, you’ve just got a way.

We are “Honest, Kind, and the Best We Can Be” And we strive for it through and through.

From blue shorts to neckties—and from all of us, John, we owe it all to you.

ALUMNI

Alumni Connect with Students Through Sportmanship

TUG-OF-WAR CHALLENGE SAA alumni returned to campus to challenge the 8th grade students in a game of tug-of-war on April 7 during the Upper School Field Day. Held in the school gym and hosted by the Alumni Council, this was the third annual Alumni vs. 8th Grade Tug-of-War Challenge at San Antonio Academy.

After losing to alumni at last year’s tug-of-war event, students came back strong beating the alumni in both rounds. Win or lose, it was a fun event for all participants and fans.

ALUMNI VS. 8TH GRADE BASKETBALL GAME The Annual Alumni vs. 8th Grade Basketball Game, held on November 9, was a fun spectacle of camaraderie and sportsmanship.

Thank you to the alumni who came out to support and participate this year, making this much-anticipated match a memorable time for alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff and friends of SAA. The alumni team came out victorious with the win!

Year in Review, 2016–2017

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ALUMNI

2017 Colonel W.T. Bondurant, Sr. Distinguished Humanitarian Award Recipient Honored The Alumni Council of San Antonio Academy of Texas honored Shannon Sedgwick Davis as the 2017 recipient of the Colonel W.T. Bondurant, Sr. Distinguished Humanitarian Award.

In morning chapel on Tuesday, February 7, Ms. Sedgwick Davis was honored in front of the student body for her humanitarian efforts and work as CEO of The Bridgeway Foundation, a philanthropic organization dedicated to ending and preventing mass atrocities around the world.

As Ms. Sedgwick Davis addressed the crowd of students, faculty, staff, parents and guests, she shared photographs from her travels and experiences in Africa to help illustrate the impact of helping others in need. She concluded the slide presentation and moving speech by saying to SAA boys, “The most important thing for you to remember is that each one of you can make a big difference in the world. If we care about other people, we can all help to protect human rights and kids around the world and even right here in San Antonio.”

Following chapel, Ms. Sedgwick Davis viewed a formal Passin-Review on Frost Field that was held in her honor. Later that afternoon, over 200 guests that included SAA alumni, parents, grandparents, parents of alumni, staff, friends, event sponsors, family and colleagues of Ms. Sedgwick Davis, gathered in celebration of her service and achievements at an award luncheon at The Witte Museum.

Mr. Howard G. Buffett, Chairman and CEO of the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, one of the largest private charitable foundations in the United States, and a close friend of Shannon Sedgwick Davis, shared special remarks in her honor. “Shannon and I are really good friends because we believe in the same things. We want to change the same things. We care about the same things. One of those things is being somewhere where other people don’t want to be. Shannon never hesitates to do

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the big tasks. She prioritizes but never misses an opportunity. She is made of character that is very unique and rare and deserves this award more than anyone I know,” said Mr. Buffett.

As an attorney, activist and passionate advocate for social justice, Shannon Sedgwick Davis has guided Bridgeway Foundation in pioneering solutions to these seemingly intractable issues. More recently, Ms. Sedgwick Davis and the Bridgeway Foundation have been credited for their pivotal role in mobilizing awareness, civilian protection, and recovery efforts against the Lord’s Resistance Army and its leader, Joseph Kony, the first-ever indictee of the International Criminal Court.

Prior to joining Bridgeway Foundation in 2007, Ms. Sedgwick Davis served as Vice President of Geneva Global, and was the Director of Public Affairs at the International Justice Mission (IJM). Ms. Sedgwick Davis is an honors graduate of McMurry University and Baylor Law School. She sits on the board of several organizations including The Elders, Humanity United, TOMS, and charity: water.

With support from sponsors, attendees and donors who made a gift in honor of Shannon Sedgwick Davis, the event was a huge success for SAA setting record-breaking totals in attendance and dollars raised. “Just as Shannon shared these inspiring remarks at the luncheon, ‘…the world is interconnected…we need one another, and we are all stronger together’ we thank the many people who are making our school stronger through their support of this event,” said Joseph Shields ‘05, Academy Alumnus and co-chair of the award luncheon.

Proceeds from the award luncheon benefited the Colonel W. T. Bondurant, Jr. Scholarship Endowment, a need-based scholarship fund for boys attending San Antonio Academy. This year, SAA’s Alumni Council contributed $42,000 toward the Col. W.T. Bondurant, Jr. Scholarship fund – their largest annual contribution since the event began in 1977.

SPECIAL THANKS TO THIS YEAR’S HUMANITARIAN SPONSORS: BG Group, Humanity United and Octagon Corporation and to the Partner in Education and Table Sponsors: Bridgeway Foundation, Jetlinx, Red McCombs Automotive, Amegy Bank, Erika & Jimmy Boller, Catto & Catto, Frost Bank, Gi & Carlos Morales, Morgan Stanley, The Bank of San Antonio and Sendero Wealth Management.

As the 37th recipient, Shannon Sedgwick Davis follows three decades of Col. W.T. Bondurant, Sr. Distinguished Humanitarian Award honorees including Dr. Ronald K. Calgaard, Dela White, B.J. McCombs, Tom C. Frost ’41, Congressman Lamar Smith ’61, Dennert “Denny” Ware, Patricia Galt Steves and The Honorable Polly Jackson Spencer.

ALUMNI

Blue Bonnet Legacy Families Inducted On March 7 a reception was held in the Bondurant Library at San Antonio Academy to induct the Maverick/Noble Family into SAA’s Blue Bonnet Legacy Society. Formed by Col. Bondurant, Jr. in 2009, the Blue Bonnet Legacy Society recognizes families who have sent four or more generations of boys to San Antonio Academy. The previously inducted Legacy families are Altgelt, Downie/ Armstrong, Frost, Herff, Munson/Snow, Parish, Steves, White, and Womack.

SAVE THE DATE 2018 Col. W.T. Bondurant, Sr. Distinguished Humanitarian Award Luncheon

During the special reception held in honor of the Maverick/Noble Family, John Webster, SAA Head of School, spoke about the history of The Academy, and the impact that the Blue Bonnet Legacy families have had on the school. Afterwards, guests at the event were treated to a presentation of “Day at the Museum” by members of the 3rd grade class.

February 6, 2018 11:30 a.m.

Lunch & Program Witte Museum $75 Individual Tables & Sponsorships available Reservations Required We are pleased to announce that Scott Petty, Jr., Class of 1951, will be honored with the 38th Col. W.T. Bondurant Sr. Humanitarian Award.

The prestigious award, bestowed by the San Antonio Academy Alumni Council, honors a person who exemplifies the school’s most cherished values: honesty; respect; pride in achievement and service to others.

FOR MORE DETAILS CALL (210) 733-7331 ext. 268 VISIT sa-academy.org Proceeds from the luncheon benefit the San Antonio Academy Col. W.T. Bondurant, Jr. Scholarship fund.

Members of the Maverick/ Noble Family who attended SAA include: Jessie Maverick McNeel (Class of 1894), George Vance Maverick (Class of 1899), Lewis Adams Maverick (Class of 1909), Sam A. Maverick III (Class of 1886), John Frost Maverick Sr. (Class of 1888), William Harvey Maverick (Class of 1894), Lewis Maverick (Class of 1896), Robert Maverick (Class of 1900), Augustus Maverick (Class of 1903), Charles Noble (Class of 1943), Day McNeel, Jr. (Class of 1951), Douglas McNeel (Class of 1966), Samuel Maverick Noble, Sr. (Class of 1979), Donald Pancoast Noble (Class of 1979), Lewis McNeel (Class of 1995), Charles Noble IV (1995-1999), Samuel Maverick Noble, Jr. (Class of 2008), Marshall Ivey Noble (Class of 2010), Cooper Pancoast Noble (Class of 2013), and Walker Macdaniel Noble (Class of 2017).

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Class Notes Jonathan Delmer ‘80, who is an active member on SAA’s Alumni Council, was featured in the 78209 magazine for his leadership serving as president of the largest neighborhood association in San Antonio. (below)

Jeremiah Leibowitz ‘91 moved to Sacramento, CA to serve as the transaction director for California Rangeland Trust.

October 2016 two members of the Alumni Council, Brandon Grossman ‘92 and Miguel Dilley ‘95, took part in the Bisbee’s Black and Blue Marlin Jackpot Tournament, in Cabo San Lucas.

This three-day black and blue marlinonly fishing competition is considered to be the ‘World Series’ of marlin fishing.

Competing against 122 other boats, their team took 1st place overall. (below)

President of the Alumni Council, Adam Reed ‘99, was featured in the San Antonio Express-News for being a ‘citizen architect.’ As the 2017 president of the San Antonio chapter of the American Institute of Architects, he plans to make the profession more inclusive, among other things. (above)

Reeves Craig ‘97 and his wife, Allison, welcomed a baby boy, Reeves Harrington Craig II, on May 5. (above)

Matt Silva ‘02 and his wife, Virginia, welcomed a baby girl, Sofia Charlotte, on December 10, 2016. (above) Stephen Pils ‘03 and his wife Sarah welcomed a baby girl, Indie Grace Pils, on March 2, 2017. (below)

William Negley ‘98 and his wife Kelly welcomed a baby girl, Mabel Elizabeth, on December 26, 2016. In April, William returned to share his fond memories and lessons learned at SAA in a post-chapel talk, where he also served as unofficial parade marshall for the Pre-K Fiesta Float Parade. Watch the presentation from his chapel talk: vimeo.com/220863583 (above)

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ALUMNI John Amini ‘05 returned to The Academy in January to share his fond memories and lessons learned in a post-chapel talk about living in the moment and leading with purpose. Watch the presentation: vimeo.com/201921613 (below)

Phillip Hargrove ‘06 works at NASA at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral as a flight dynamics engineer.

Luke Moody ‘07, completed three years of training at the Defense Language Institute, where he serves as a Crypto Linguist in Arabic and Iraqi for the US Army. (above) Harrison Richter ‘11 was elected President of the Texas A&M University Pre-law Society.

Walt Buzzini ‘13 was awarded the Campbell Award from the McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The award is presented to two students who showcase all-around leadership and making a difference on campus. Walt now attends Universty of Virginia.

During his senior year at Alamo Heights High School, Nathaniel Prete ‘13, was selected among the top three “High School Play of the Week” on September 5, 2016. He was chosen for his “one-foot tiptoe-catch.” Nathaniel now attends Trinity University.

In August 2016, the Class of 2013 took part in the unveiling of their 8th grade class gift: a beautiful stain glass window depicting the school seal. The intricate glass masterpiece is perched at the top of the Bondurant Library stairs and includes each boy’s initials which act as a frame and their class year marked at the bottom. Pictured from left to right: Cameron Diamond, Matthew Schmueckle, Henry Snow, Marshall Beldon, J.B. Marshall, Alexander Johnson, Cooper Noble, Michael Kelleher, William York, James Taylor, David Edlund, Nathaniel Prete, Ross Nunns, Emory Word, and Joe McGrath.

Congratulations to Joshua Cross ‘16, who won a place as a semifinalist in the 2016 Broadcom MASTERS©, a program of Society for Science & the Public. This honor placed him among the top 300 middle school science and engineering projects in the United States.

Donny Duggan ‘16 was selected for a summer study program for rising sophomores at the Voelker Biomedical Research Academy at UT Health Science Center. Only three high school freshmen were allowed to be nominated from each school in the city, and from that group 20 students were chosen. Donny is now a junior at Keystone High School. (below)

SAA alumni, Tom McCormick ‘87 and James McCormick ’81, and their families were invited to the 2017 Commencement in honor of their late parents, Mr. & Mrs. J. Laland McCormick, who donated the Bondurant Gate in 1986. As tradition, graduates pass through the gate during Commencement, which symbolizes a portal into the rest of his life as he leaves SAA with a strong foundation.

Pictured: Opening the Bondurant Gate at Commencement this year was Adam Reed ’99, Tom Bondurant ’63 and Tom McCormick ’87. Not shown: James McCormick ’81, who was represented by his wife, Kathryn, and his daughter. (above)

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SAA Cannon Dedication On May 26, The Academy was honored to have Walter Buzzini III, Class of 1945, firing the cannon in honor of the Buzzini family. Walter, who graduated from the Peacock Academy in 1949, salvaged the firing mechanism from the Peacock Cannon and installed it when the cannon was brought to San Antonio Academy in the 1970s. Pictured: Walter Buzzini III ’45*, Walt Buzzini V ’13, Wills Buzzini ’08–‘13, Courtlandt Buzzini ’16, Jay Buzzini ’77 and Byron Buzzini ’82. * Mr. Buzzini ’45 passed away on July 12, 2017.

IN MEMORIAM Walter J. Buzzini III ‘45 Light T. Cummins ‘29 Johnie E. Ingram, Jr. ’51 Vernon Torgerson ‘57

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CLASS OF 2017

Congratulations

ALUMNI

On May 26, 35 young Academy men passed through the Bondurant Gate, accompanying their classmates for the very last time. From the Salutatory Address by Vivek Beeram to Max Hart’s Valedictory Address, to closing comments from Honorary Scholar, Jeb Brysacz, the 131st Commencement was marked with memorable moments. We wish our graduates the very best!

San Antonio Academy of Texas 117 East French Place San Antonio, Texas 78212-5899

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2018 Calendar of Events February 6................................... Col. W.T. Bondurant, Sr. Distinguished Humanitarian Award April 14.............................................. Blue & White Unite May 24–25..................................... Alumni Class Reunions May 25.................................................... Commencement