Bond Brothers OF
YEAR IN REVIEW, 2017–2018
THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE FOR SAN ANTONIO ACADEMY OF TEXAS
A TRADITION WORTH GUARDING
®
New Wildcat Sport Court a Slam Dunk With the scissor cut of a ribbon, boys went pouring on to the basketball court, thrilled to be back playing on their favorite spot after a two-day hiatus, a lifetime for middle-school boys, while it was being installed. The new upgraded sport court is made from the latest technology that gives an added level of cushion to reduce the impact on joints and limbs, so boys can play even longer on the court before and after school. THANK YOU to the entire 8th grade class and their parents for their generous contribution. This thoughtful 8th Grade Class Gift will bring lots of joy to our boys, while also making a lasting impact on the school for decades to come.
Bond Brothers OF
In this issue FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL STUDENT OUTCOMES CHAPEL: CREATING A CULTURE OF CHARACTER FEATURE: A TRADITION WORTH GUARDING WEB EXTRAS CURRICULUM IN THE CLASSROOM COMMUNITY OUTREACH AROUND CAMPUS ATHLETICS ACADEMY COMMUNITY & SUPPORT ENRICHMENT ALUMNI COMMENCEMENT
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 qualified students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin.
EDITOR Becky Shimek, Director of Communications
4 5 8 10 12 14 40 42 46 49 57 60 62 70
CO-EDITOR Virginia Beeler, Associate Head of School/Academics
CONTRIBUTORS Ruth Berg Natalie Bock Brendan Moore Mary Shrader Paw Print Staff Yearbook Staff Valerie Tamez
PHOTOGRAPHY Natalie Bock Mary Candee Dana Parish Priscilla Power Becky Shimek Sofia Villarreal
BOARD OF TRUSTEES Mr. Christopher Allison Mr. Sergio Alvarado Mr. David Angulo Mr. Taylor Dorris Mr. Ben Espy Mrs. Jennifer Hall, Secretary Mr. Roger C. Hill III Mr. Mark M. Johnson ‘60
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
Mr. Oliver Lee Mrs. Molly McAdams, Chair Mrs. Sonya Medina-Williams Mr. James Oliver Mr. Adam Rabinowitz Mr. Shaylon Rettig Mr. Lane Riggs, Vice Chair Mrs. Victoria Roca Mr. Joseph Shields ‘05 Mrs. Patricia Smith Mrs. Polly Jackson Spencer
BE HONEST. BE KIND. BE THE BEST YOU CAN BE.®
®
Mrs. Erin Wolff, Treasurer
FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
“These educational experiences mold our little guys into modern-day Renaissance men.”
Our First Year Journey When you flip through the pages of the 2017–18 Bond of Brothers magazine, you’ll see that the boys experienced a year truly worthy of praise and appreciation. Our SAA family— students, parents, grandparents, alumni, faculty & staff and friends—have demonstrated the honesty, kindness and commitment to excellence that we talk about and reinforce in chapel each day. The faculty, staff and administration have worked tirelessly to make our first year together a success. And the bond of brotherhood is evident when I reflect on what our boys have accomplished over the year. I am already looking forward to seeing our boys take on the new challenges that await them in activities such as sports and Robotics competitions; the 1st Grade Bike Race and Homecoming Weekend, where the Fall Family Fair and Alumni Day will bring us together to celebrate our school’s culture and history; the grandparents’ grade-level lunches; and more.
In our future, I see expanded opportunities for our students, which will prepare them for success in the world. Leadership and character remain the cornerstones of our school’s foundation. We will continue to develop a curriculum committed to STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), language arts, writing, oration and debate, while also promoting and engaging boys in fine arts, athletics and extracurricular activities. These educational experiences mold our little guys into modernday Renaissance men. Together, with your help, we are building relationships, making memories and forming young men who will be leaders in the community beyond our lifetimes. I thank you for your support and for taking this journey with us during my inaugural year as Head of School.
Clint DuBose, Head of School
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San Antonio Academy of Texas
STUDENT OUTCOMES
The Tex Hill Scholarship Winners San Antonio Academy proudly announces this year’s winners of The Tex Hill Scholarship: Mason Gutierrez and Asher Menick. In 2007, San Antonio Academy announced The Tex Hill Scholarship Program, which provides tuition, leadership fees, textbooks and a stipend for uniforms to two fifth grade boys attending San Antonio Academy during their 6th, 7th and 8th grade years. The three-year Tex Hill Scholarship is valued at more than $65,000. 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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7th and 8th grade students finished in the Top 5% in the Nation on the National Spanish Exam. Four of those students scored in the top 1% in the nation.
230 works of art exhibited from 145 boys grades 2nd-8th in The Academy’s annual Art Show.
85% of the 6th grade class (34/40) qualified to take the SAT, the college entrance exam.
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.
2
ND
PLACE
in Citywide MATHCOUNTS Competition; An 8th grade mathlete earned a place at State during the Competition.
1ST & 3RD PLACE in the 7th Grade Texas History Essay Contest sponsored by the Battle of Flowers Association.
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Several 8th graders won scholarships to high schools including McCallie, TMI and Central Catholic
boys represented as the Alamo Honor Guard during the Battle of Flowers Parade, a historic Academy tradition.
During the decade, over 95 Academy boys have been elected or appointed to more than 200 leadership positions at their high schools.
LEAGUE CHAMPIONS Varsity Soccer Team and Tennis Team
An Academy 7th grader qualified for the State Geography Bee and finished 6th in the State.
1ST PLACE Champions at the Alamo West Division Regional FIRST®LEGO® League Championship
An Academy 6th grader placed 2nd in the Citywide San Antonio Express News Regional Spelling Bee.
92% of 3rd-8th graders participated in After-School athletics.
Year in Review, 2017–2018
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BATTALION STAFF Commander John Kohl McAdams Executive Officer Edward Hart Adjutant Jack Casey Aide De Camp Lee Smith Logistics Officer Parker Johnson Inspector General Cameron Chan Operations Officer Nico Diaz Public Relations Officer Alex Alvarez
COLOR GUARD Commander James Hawes
2017–2018 Leadership Positions 6
San Antonio Academy of Texas
Bennett Angulo Robert Gulley Asher Heerema Matthew Silva
DRUM CORPS Commander Edward Snyder Executive Officer Jordan Garza
COMPANY A
COMPANY B
COMPANY C
COMPANY D
Commander Ethan Feinstein
Commander Ty Osterhage
Commander Peyton Randolph
Commander Daniel Wang
Executive Officer Connor McGrath
Executive Officer Marc Thiltgen
Executive Officer Warren Oliver
Executive Officer Gray Woodson
Platoon Leaders Kyle Peavy Alex Weis
Platoon Leaders John Saad Morgan Smith
Platoon Leaders Hutton Campbell Robbie Pena
Platoon Leaders Roan Erwin Ben Rios
Squad Leaders Timothy Blymyer Cole Dudley
Squad Leader Deandre Marshall
Squad Leaders Griffin Erwin Teel Sabom
Squad Leaders Niko Chiscano Nicholas Wheeler
Chase Austin Traylor Azar Bram Benshetler Ojani Bowen Ozmel Bowen Lee Brockwell Searcy Campbell Walker Carrington Benjamin Crawford Corbin Crocker Connor Davis Kaden Fenno Cole Finney Griffin Freiling Christopher Goldsbury Jatin Gurrala Zain Haq Harry Hassmann Sayers Hennessey Christopher Hunter Cohen Hunter Oliver Johnson Trip Johnson Parsons Lindberg Cito Longoria Brandon Lozano Ethan Met Harry Nester Aidan Notzon Sam Nye Wesley Nye Isaac Parkhurst J.C. Pena True Peveto Benjamin Powell Aidan Rasor Christian Rasor Carson Rogers Jackson Rogers Sam Smiley Benjamin Swaney Tristan Tamez John Paul Tucker Luke Tucker Liam Wray Robert Ximenes
William Bankler Beau Bregman Chaz Bregman Caleb Browning Richard Cage Drake Carroll Christopher Chan Christian Chiscano Max Dabbous Jackson Duffin Oliver Duffin Griffin Gipson Mason Gutierrez George Hale Jack Hall Cottar Hanzel Cuatro Hill Ian Hutchens Blake Johnson Brooks Johnson Ryan Jourdan Wilson Little Jack Martinez Luke Martinez Nate Mayo Daniel Nelson John Paul Ortiz Alonzo Peeler Magnus Peterson Christian Pheiffer Rex Railsback Henry Ramirez Cullen Runnels Forrest Runnels Nayan Sharma Keaton Shindler Nathaniel Shriner Hayden Smith Hugh Stone Phillip Stone Harrison Taylor Hudson Taylor Finn Thanairongroj Preston Thill Joey Turner J.R. Wood
Sergio Alvarado Zach Alvarez Joseph Angulo Landon Balldin Nate Bell Steven Benke Judah Berger Noah Bregman Justus Briskin Hill Britton Spencer Britton Albert Colglazier Tradd Embrey Brock Evans Owen Feinstein Meade Flavin Thomas Gutierrez Carter Herrera Charlie Jackson Matthew Jackson Ishan Kanaskar Evan Liu Ekam Mehat Danny Peavy Noah Rabinowitz Aaron Rettig William Riggs Cole Roos Drake Rowland Garrett Scott Arthur Seay Antonio Serna Patrick Snyder Sammy Stanage Jack Sytsma Samuel Sytsma Will Thaggard Luke Thomas Jack Travis Jackson Uhr Peter Upton Tripp Wommack Miles Wright Omer Zafar Davis Zunker Parks Zunker
Chip Anderson Gavin Anderson Sawyer Barr Eshanth Beeram Wayne Bock Walker Bryant Neil Burgess Henry Clifton Harry Crawford Juddy Crawford Alex Cross Michael Davis Russell Duncan Joseph Duperier Julian Dupertuis Ben Espy Bailey Fletcher Tres Funk J.R. Gingerich Hayden Hoelsher Emerson Jenné Jordan Lee Asher Menick Diego Morales Mateo Morales Edafe Nakpodia Ankith Padala Ekansh Parekh Sammy Penner Clinton Poulter Alex Pruitt Alexander Roca William Roca Dylan Rybacki Graham Schlicht Ishan Shah Daniel Smeberg David Smeberg Beau Taber Mason Traylor Samuel Velez Tristan Villafranca Chance Walker Calvin Walls Nathan Walls Hank Wolff Matthew Ybarra
Year in Review, 2017–2018
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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. 8
San Antonio Academy of Texas
Carpe Diem Clint DuBose began his very first chapel talk as new Head of School by introducing the Latin phrase, Carpe Diem, meaning “Seize the Day.” These simple but powerful words evolved into the school’s theme throughout the year, integrating its meaning into the daily lives of The Academy. The year of chapel talks included traditional moments, along with the addition of meaningful new ones, each revealing how SAA “Seized the Day.”
Mother Nature welcomed Mr. DuBose on his first day of school with a celestial extravaganza, the Solar Eclipse. SAA was prepped and prepared with specific instructions on how to safely watch the scientific phenomena, demonstrated in chapel through a musical presentation from the Science (aka: Solar Sisters) and Music departments, and a few "orbiting" Guapos, humorously set to the tune of Total Eclipse of the Heart.
Eighth graders stood stoically in formation before taking their seat in the primary benches—where it all began for them. And to symbolize the passing of leadership, a new tradition took root with the 7th graders ceremoniously given their coveted ‘white belt’ to mark their official status as the new student body leaders.
BIG SHOES TO FILL: 1st grader Grant Tuder was incredibly composed as he delivered the morning announcements, sang God Bless America and released the grade levels from chapel on May 4. “Headmaster for a Day” is part of a big tradition and a coveted auction item offered at the Blue & White Unite spring gala. The day also marked another “first” for Head of School, Clint DuBose, who was equally excited about spending the day with Grant showing him ‘the ropes.’
One of the many methods Clint DuBose used to get to know students during his inaugural year was through chapel, where he took the opportunity to ask the Officer of the Day (OOD) various questions about his favorite holiday/ summer memory and general questions about the cadet’s life. The daily exercise was a fun and meaningful way to connect with SAA boys.
Year in Review, 2017–2018
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A TRADITION WORTH GUARDING
A bead of sweat trickles down the side of his face, but he doesn’t flinch. Standing at attention, he’s got a job to do and he takes it very seriously, even though he’s surrounded by distractions. Outfitted in his drill blue uniform, complete with the vintage-looking officer’s trousers, his formal attire adds another layer of challenge amidst the South Texas heat. Ten minutes into his arduous duty, another young cadet approaches. They salute to signify the changing of the guard. Like a scene that could be taken straight from a Steven Spielberg movie, this stoic moment is one that is acted out every April. The set backdrop: one of the most famous locations in our nation, the Alamo.
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San Antonio Academy of Texas
▼ Battle of Flowers Parade History Essay contest winner, Browning Shemwell ‘16, hands his classmate a floral tribute to place on the grounds of the Alamo. Over the last decade, SAA has had several first-place essay contest winners, who also get the added bonus of riding in the Parade.
▲ Eighth graders (Class of 2015) Cameron Dudley, Michael Blaess and Will Tucker briefly become a bit distracted due to their surroundings. Parent volunteers, led by Tiana Hunter (far right), provide water, Gatorade and snacks to keep the boys going.
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▲ Manuel Zuniga ‘15 remains in parade rest while his fan club pose for a picture.
San Antonio Academy has participated in the city’s historic Battle of the Flowers Parade dating back to the mid-1930s, at the time when SAA was also a high school. Cadets marched down the Parade route often feted as celebrities. A half-century later, The Academy’s young honor guards’ duty is portrayed in a more somber manner. That’s because, as military school cadets, they’ve been granted the prestigious honor of symbolically guarding the shrine of Texas’ freedom.
While all boys in grades 5th through 8th are able to participate, it’s the 8th graders who have the sole privilege of accepting the floral tributes from the parade floats as they pass in front of the Alamo. The guys wait patiently in the noise and heat to vie for the opportunity to collect tributes from the parade dignitaries who include the Mayor, the Chief of Police and, from the cadets’ point of view, the coveted Silver Spurs Dancers. The tributes honor the fallen soldiers who lost their lives during the Battle of the Alamo. Witnessing the ceremonial act of accepting, and then slowly marching back to carefully lay the floral tribute onto the sacred ground in front of the Alamo, is a visual treasure. It also marks one of the final traditional milestones for the cadet, who just weeks later will graduate from San Antonio Academy. “A number of our students can reach back through generations of their families to the Texas independence. The cadets volunteer to come out on what would otherwise be a day off of school,” notes Frank Stanage, Commandant and Associate Head of School/Dean of Students. He adds, “To them, this duty represents a commitment to honoring those who fell in the Battle of the Alamo. It is truly a capstone event in which, regardless of changes to the Battle of Flowers parade route, we fully expect to participate for the foreseeable future.” No matter what the city plans ultimately shape up to be, San Antonio Academy will always hold dear to the memories of Parades past. And like any blockbuster, we look forward to our future script, one that’s certain to be filled with many movieworthy moments.
Year in Review, 2017–2018
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WEB Ex VIMEO.COM/SAAWILDCATSTV/BIKERACE2017
ANNUAL 1ST GRADE BIKE RACE PROMOTES BROTHERHOOD Watch how 7th graders support and encourage their ‘little buddies’ through the highs and lows of the beloved Tour de L' Academy Bike Race. After hearing that a student’s grandparents were victims of Hurricane Harvey, Laura Douglass encouraged him to write down their story as a way to preserve their tragic but historic event for their family history. After months of visits to her classroom after school, he finally completed his essay, but more importantly, he began to understand and deal with his feelings. Read at sa-academy.org/studentswrite
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San Antonio Academy of Texas
4 gor y e t a c ther n vey, a r u a o S H cane fall in d n a l talled Hur ri s e t d I a . 7 m , 201 4 cane, i 2 r d to t r e s u u u h n i g t on Au d con s n ved a a o x e e m n i T t l i t ll. As a e coas the f h n r t i e a n v r o o l rain p rentia r o r o t d ome p o t h e d dro e m u n I ca ontin e c told h t i d W t a . s d a … e a y, my a n are d o t t s x u se in e u n o Ho e h h ’ rents ccer t a o s p rain. d m e n h a t r fro my g ed by t d a o h o t l f me r was u h t r Port A
xtras During John Webster's final year as Head of School in 2017,
Houston Frost '95, spearheaded a project to capture John's favorite chapel talks. The convocation lessons have been culminated into a coffee table-style book. Visit sa-academy.org/charactercounts for pre-order information. Books will be available in 2019.
WILDCATS IN TRAINING: A few years ago SAA coaches began a new tradition “Primary Track Day” as a fun way to introduce Pre-K through 2nd graders to the sport. It’s not only an action-packed afternoon entailing jumping hurdles, shot putting, running relays and long jumping, but you’ll see from this clip that the coaches enjoy the day just as much, too.
Year in Review, 2017–2018
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Math Math Creates Problem Solvers 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. MATHCOUNTS Team Earns a Place at State After having competed at Regional MATHCOUNTS and placing 2nd, the team consisting of Jatin Gurala, Ishan Shah, Marc Thitlgen and Daniel Wang earned an invitation to the State meet in Austin. Jatin also placed 6th as an individual at the regional competition. All mathletes listed competed and combined for one of the best finishes The Academy has ever enjoyed.
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San Antonio Academy of Texas
7TH GRADERS Sergio Alvarado Eshanth Beeram Jatin Gurrala Dylan Rybacki Ishan Shah
8TH GRADERS James Hawes John Kohl McAdams Ty Osterhage Robbie Pena Marc Thiltgen Daniel Wang
CURRICULUM #NationalTeacherAppreciationWeek
Geometers Are Early to Rise
Last spring faculty member Karl Graf was photographed doing what he does every day in the classroom: provide exceptional teaching. It was a picture-worthy post for FACEBOOK to celebrate National Teacher Appreciation Week.
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 well in the class often receive high school credit. The students who completed the course were: Bennett Angulo Cameron Chan Ethan Feinstein Edward Hart James Hawes Parker Johnson John Kohl McAdams
SAA 4th Graders “Mathematics education is about so much more than formulas and algorithms—it’s about developing the habits of work and thought that are the hallmark of the truly educated person,” he notes.
Connor McGrath Warren Oliver Ty Osterhage Robbie Pena Peyton Randolph John Saad Teel Sabom
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Matt Silva Lee Smith Edward Snyder Marc Thiltgen Daniel Wang Nicholas Wheeler
Hawthorne 2nd Graders
=
Fluency with Basic Math Facts
Fourth graders teach local 2nd graders to play Addition Top-It and Name that Number, sharing what they learned in class.
Year in Review, 2017–2018
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English Yearbook Unveils Latest Masterpiece The 2016–17 Bluebonnet, SAA’s treasured yearbook tagline, “Good, Better, Best” embodied what everyone at SAA strives for each day. It takes countless hours to produce the publication. From theme concept, gathering and writing content, to design and layout of the 200 pages— it’s a huge commitment and a true labor of love. The team who captured the true essence of SAA was: STAFF FACULTY ADVISORS Robert Gulley Natalie Bock Ty Osterhage Priscilla Power Edward Snyder Peyton Randolph
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San Antonio Academy of Texas
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.
HOW TO BE A GOOD PRE-K BUDDY #1 Teach him how to open his milk. #2 Remember that everything you say and do your buddy will probably do too. #3 Always laugh at the jokes your buddy makes. #4 Teach him how to scrape off his plate into the trash cart. #5 Don’t let him wander off and talk to his friends so he can finish his lunch. —Chase Austin, 5th Grade
CURRICULUM Sixth Grader Wins Humanitarian Essay Contest 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. The students are instructed to write about a person who has had a major impact on their lives, how they learned an important lesson, or the impact of values on their lives. Finalists were: Chaz Bregman, Connor Davis, Jordan Garza, Robert Gulley, and Ishan Shah. The 2018 Oratorical Contest Winner was Connor Davis whose essay “Imagination is What Will Carry You Through Life” was well received not only by the alumni judges, but also by Connor’s audience when given during Grandparents’ Chapel. Connor stated that, “Imagination is what gives everyone ideas, hopes and dreams that will carry a person through life as easily as an airplane or as swiftly as a jet.” Those imagined adventures, he said, made his childhood dreams come true.
Siomha Moore’s Fourth Graders Compose Realistic Fiction Bones aching, I told my brothers they could play with my hamster. I would have stopped them, but I was too tired to deal with their whining. I was tired, so when they stopped playing with her, I didn’t see the open door. In the morning when I found out she was gone, I was very sad. It hurt as much as someone punching me. I was mad at my brothers for leaving the door open, but even madder at myself for not seeing that the door was open. —Excerpt from Russell Duncan
The Sentence Chef Presents the Perfect Paragraph
RECIPE:
Simple Sentence with a Compound Verb
INGREDIENTS:
1 subject, 1 period, 3 adjectives and 3 verbs, 1 coordinating conjunction, and 1 prepositional phrase
INSTRUCTIONS: Prepare one subject, seasoned with three adjectives, and toss in three verbs. Sprinkle on a tablespoon of a coordinating conjunction, glaze it with a prepositional phrase, and blend it all together.
The fat, black dog wiggled, snorted, and sneezed with happiness.
Spelling Bee Winner Places 3rd in Citywide Bee
—Richard Cage, Sixth Grade
Paw Prints Celebrates 10 Years
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Spearheaded by 4th grade English teacher, Siomha Moore, the Paw Print, in its 10th year, is the school’s newspaper. This year the Paw Print staff included a column which included questions for Mr. DuBose from the primary boys. The questions were posed in four issues under Pre-K Ponders, Kinder Kwestions, First Finds Out, and Second Searches for Answers. The Paw Print staff also contributed to this Bond of Brothers publication. They included: Ekam Mehat Wesley Nye
Aidan Rasor Christian Rasor
Patrick Snyder Luke Tucker
The 2018 SAA Spelling Bee went to the eighty-fifth word, with the final two competitors, Ishan Kanaskar and Jatin Gurrala, fighting it out over six additional rounds, spelling slumgullion, noctograph, navette, subnivean, and haplology. Jatin broke the tie by spelling mizzen. Jatin later represented San Antonio Academy in the citywide Spelling Bee. The 154 students first took a written spelling test, the results of which would qualify them for the next round. Jatin was one of 40 participants who moved on, placing 3rd this year after a 2nd place finish last year.
Year in Review, 2017–2018
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CURRICULUM
Finalists and Winners in 2018 Laws of Life Contest Out of 264 entries, 11 finalists were recognized for their Laws of Life essays. Four 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: 1ST PLACE Chaz Bregman (7th grade) Keep Pedaling (Bouncing Back) 3RD PLACE Ishan Shah (7th grade) Confidence is Key 4TH PLACE Jordan Garza (8th grade) Respecting the Natural World 4TH PLACE Robert Gulley (8th grade) An Open Heart and an Open Mind (Impartiality and Equality)
EXCERPTS FROM 6TH GRADE LAWS OF LIFE ESSAYS
“ Smiling, I started running “ Imagine yourself on again but a different direction back to my field of dreams.” —Cullen Runnels
a flimsy ladder, like one of those Home Depot ladders, and that ladder is one’s life.” —Arthur Seay
“ Whatever happens, one
must take responsibility because lying is like a snowball on a hill: When the lie is told, the snowball starts to roll.” —Calvin Walls
“Dashing and barreling
like galloping stallions, fellow athletes from different schools, cheeks colored, breaths rushing in and out, forged and plowed ahead.” —Ishan Kanaskar
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San Antonio Academy of Texas
Reading 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. SAA Boys Win “Book Battle” Members of the Battle of the Books Team, 5th graders Luke Tucker, Ekam Mehat, Chase Austin, Chance Walker, and David Smeberg were victorious after a hard fought battle competing against some of the sharpest minds from St. George Episcopal School and St. Anthony’s School. The Battle entails that students must answer questions compiled from the 20 Texas Bluebonnet books. Maree Longoria, Reading Department Chair and librarian Elizabeth Snow, coordinated and hosted the event.
Library Connects with the Classroom In an effort to challenge students to think critically, librarian Elizabeth Snow, had her 4th grade class write questions about a species of bats after reading about them in conjunction with their study of bats in science. The students in grades 2-5 read stories that tied in with the talks they had heard in chapel—Courage by Bernard Waber and Swimming with Sharks related to carpe diem (Seize the day.) Elizabeth used a tangram story/activity with the 2nd graders in conjunction with their Asian Festival.
Year in Review, 2017–2018
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CURRICULUM
KINDER IS BUBBLELICIOUS Students in Anne Trevathan’s and Kristin Railsback’s classes had a bit of bubblepalooza to celebrate this Uh-mazing letter. The boys had mini bubble bottles to blow, play and romp around with as they celebrated the impOrtAnce of their focus on vowels.
Mystery Readers Reveals Grandparents’ Love of Reading The Bondurant Library began a new program called Mystery Reader where grandparents or grandfriends of 1st and 2nd graders were invited to read a book of their choice to their grandsons during his library class time. The Mystery Reader remains a surprise for the boys up until the very moment they see their grandparent walk through the library door. The first Mystery Reader, Butch Klein, who shared the story “Hank the Cowdog” captivated his 2nd grade audience with sound effects, character voices and interactive questions.
An Enticing Menu of Words Tanya Weis’ and Lindsay Kramme’s 1st graders participated in the 3rd Annual Reading Restaurant. The boys not only “served up” their favorite poems, compositions, AR stories and jokes to their invited guests, but they also honed their public speaking skills as they read them aloud. Parents were treated to an extraordinary experience as the first grade classrooms were transformed into Italian restaurants with the students serving as waiters. All were able to celebrate the reading successes made by these young boys.
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San Antonio Academy of Texas
How Boys Learn: Pre-K Scavenger Hunt Trisha Sinclair’s Polars and Marci Gutierrez’s Grizzlies became familiar with faculty and staff around campus during the first week of school through a hands-on, kinesthetic scavenger hunt for alphabet letters. Each day the boys collected letters from various locations around campus. The lesson culminated in the little guys roaming around the playground to find the hidden foam alphabet letters scattered about—running, climbing and sliding to search as they saw fit. Once a letter was discovered, boys would match the letter to the campus map and then mark it with a stamp to indicate it was found. The physical movement and visual stimulation made it a great experience for them.
CURRICULUM
History History Comes Alive!
DAY AT THE MUSEUM
MISSION: SAA’s Social Studies/History Department provides students with the skills that 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.
and SAA students to their “Day at the Museum,” a celebration of
Terry Collier’s and Kathleen Hill’s 3rd graders invited family, friends noteworthy Americans dating back to the 18th century. Attendees watched as each character came to life, giving his date of birth and death, a childhood experience, his greatest accomplishment, a symbol that represented him and why he is remembered. Year in Review, 2017–2018
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CURRICULUM
History at a Glance
Asian Festival 2ND GRADE
Australia Festival PRE-K
Cowboy Festival KINDER
Diving into Artifacts 4TH GRADE
Greek Festival 2ND GRADE
Middle East Tasting 7TH GRADE
Come to the Gold Rush Standing at the top of a hill outside of Hangtown, Laura Douglass’ 5th graders imagined themselves looking through binoculars and using sensory detail, to focus on the townspeople.
See the miners panning for gold alongside the American River. Hear the screams of thieves being shot after an attempted theft of gold in the chaotic mining camp. Feel the hydraulic mining hoses shaking the ground while pounding at the mountainside. Taste the sweet but overpriced Domingo Ghirardelli’s chocolate after a long hard day’s work trying to find gold to afford a better life. Smell the horrible stench of the sweat of hardworking miners hoping to find gold in the California territory. —Mateo Morales 22
San Antonio Academy of Texas
CURRICULUM
Pre-K boys, along with the help of their 5th grade buddies, created shoebox floats that they proudly displayed during the Battle of Flowers Chapel parade. The moment was captured by KENS 5 News and included in a compilation of citywide shoebox float celebrations.
Students Recognized by Battle of Flowers Association San Antonio Academy had both the 1st and 3rd place winners in the Seventh Grade Texas History Essay contest sponsored by the Battle of Flowers Association. The topic was A Lone Star Love Affair: Texas Ranchers and Treasured Lands. Noah Bregman won 1st place with his essay, “The Goat King of the World” about Adolph Stieler. As the 1st place winner, Noah rode in the Battle of Flowers Parade. Jatin Gurrala won 3rd place for his essay, “From a Slave to a Respected Rancher: The Story of 80 John.” Both boys were recognized at the Oratorical Essay contest luncheon. As the winner, upon presenting his essay to the audience, Noah received a standing ovation.
Sixth Grader Wins Geography Bee and Advances to State This years’ 30th annual Geography Bee was distilled to a contest between Ishan Kanaskar and Diego Morales. Other contestants were Nate Bell, Noah Bregman, Caleb Browning, John Kohl McAdams, Warren Oliver, Dylan Rybacki, Teel Sabom, and Garrett Scott. Alternates included Christopher Goldsbury, Mason Gutierrez, Robbie Pena, and Noah Rabinowitz. During the Championship Round, the topics of the best-of-three questions were states bordering the Mississippi, Amelia Earhart, and a tunnel in Japan, and there Ishan prevailed. He was awarded the medal by SAA winner Max Hart ’17 who in the previous year finished 5th in the State competition.
HOLOCAUST REFLECTIONS from Melinda Biehl’s 6th Graders,following a visit to the Holocaust Museum and hearing the stories of a survivor: One man decides deaths of thousands. —Ben Powell Left my prison, still in one. —Aidan Notzon One single march: Thousands of deaths. —Ryan Jourdan Taught to love, forced to hate. —Bailey Fletcher
Year in Review, 2014–2015
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Science YOUNG SCIENTISTS STUDY MEALWORM METAMORPHOSIS
Scientists Investigate Their World
In tracking the stages of
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.
metamorphosis, Terry Collier’s 3rd graders first observed a mealworm in its larval stage, watching it daily as it changed from larva, to a pupa and to its final stage, a darkling beetle. The boys conducted ten 30 second experiments to test various behaviors of the mealworms when placed in a cardboard box. Behaviors tracked included where the mealworm would travel, its color preference, and even how to coax it to “back up.” After all of the data was collected, their results were recorded into a bar graph to engage discussions on their findings. 24
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Kinder Boys Welcome Coco and Kandi Not only did the two visiting tarantulas help Anne Trevathan and Kristin Railsback reinforce the vowel /i/ with spider having the second sound of this letter, but they introduced the boys to their body parts, even the cephalothorax. The boys learned that tarantulas can be helpful by keeping away nasty pests such as mosquitos. The study culminated with the boys making their own colorful tissue paper spiders that they hung from the ceiling.
CURRICULUM Sweets Used Scientifically Candy provided a sweet twist to STEM activities for SAA classrooms beginning with the Pre-K boys in Trisha Sinclair’s and Marci Gutierrez’s classes. They engineered ‘nests’ for their Peep ‘chicks.’ Using only jelly beans and toothpicks to secure the habitat, this problem-solving, think-ahead activity was a challenging exercise to help develop their fine motor skills. Eighth graders experimented with gummy worms for a lesson from Jennifer Hayes about exothermic reaction. By adding molten potassium chlorate to the candy, a spontaneous combustion is created. When the gummy bear was dropped, the oxide reacted with the glucose in the gummy bear, and an explosion of light and heat displayed a chemical reaction.
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. Six judges canvassed each display, while students showcased their projects through oral presentations. The top five projects and the five Honorable Mentions had an opportunity to compete in the Alamo Regional Science and Engineering Fair at St. Mary’s University. The winners in Jennifer Hayes’ science class included: 1ST PLACE Samuel Velez, What genre of music will help a boy perform better on basic multiplication problems? 2ND PLACE Christopher Hunter, How do whitening toothpastes affect Big Red stained teeth? 3RD PLACE Ishan Shah, How does changing the coating at the bottom of a raft affect how fast the raft moves? 4TH PLACE Tristan Tamez, Can wrapping a banana in different materials make it last longer? 5TH PLACE Sergio Alvarez, Which acidic beverage is the worse for your teeth?
Academy Boys Emerge as Winners at the Regional Fair
4th Graders Learn How Germs Are Transferred Cathy Baumgardner’s 4th graders demonstrated how quickly viruses and bacteria can spread among a group of people.
➊ They shook hands with a slight squeeze (direct transfer). ➋ They carried a ping pong ball “germ” on a spoon through a relay race. If the ball dropped, it had to be picked up resulting in becoming “sick,” so it had to move slowly through the rest of the relay (indirect contact).
➌ They blew bubbles into the air and sprinkled red glitter into notebooks (airborne transfer). Kim Stanage’s 6th graders explore principles of propulsion and flight by designing and launching their handmade paper rockets.
Noah Bregman Junior 1st Place awarded by the US Metric Association Chaz Bregman Junior 1st Place awarded by the Gem and Mineral Society Luke Thomas
1st Place in Junior Physics Division
Garrett Scott
4th Place in Junior Physics Division
Ishan Shah
Junior 4th Grand Prize in Physics
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Robotics
Eleven teams made up of two-three members in 5th, 6th and 7th grades competed against Keystone School during the “Get Excited About Robots’ (GEAR) tournament last spring. Pictured here are the “Hippocorns” Liam Wray and Richard Cage, who snagged an award for making it to the final-round during the competition. Hosted by San Antonio Academy in partnership with Keystone, the tournament marks the first time that the two schools have collaborated to put on this event.
SAA Robotics Teams Sweep 1st and 2nd at FIRST LEGO Regional Tournament Team Infinity was awarded the 1st Place Champion’s Award at the FIRST LEGO League Qualifier, while the RoBuccaneers took home the 2nd Place Champion’s Award, both qualifying to advance.
Winners at Regionals and a Qualifier for World Competition The RoBuccaneers received a Core Values award for Inspiration, and Team Infinity won 1st Place Champions, qualifying them to advance to the FIRST LEGO League World Festival in Houston.
Team Infinity’s winning project involved the creation of a small grease trap for residential use. The idea came to fruition after attending an event sponsored by SAWS, SARA, and the Edward’s Aquifer Authority last fall. There students were able to witness the life-cycle of our city’s water: how it is harvested, treated, transported back to the treatment facility and then retreated for release of the effluent into streams. The Academy’s team of uniquely talented boys from grades 6th through 8th, skillfully coached by dedicated sponsors Cathy Baumgardner and Tyna Powers, included: TEAM INFINITY Eshanth Beeram Christopher Chan Cole Finney Jatin Gurrala Chris Hunter Morgan Smith Ishan Shah Daniel Wang Matthew Ybarra Omer Zafar
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ROBUCCANEERS Sergio Alvarado Chaz Bregman Noah Bregman Christopher Goldsbury Ishan Kanaskar Robbie Pena Dylan Rybacki Nathaniel Shriner Gray Woodson Liam Wray
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Wellness 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 the elements of a healthy life. Creating a Culture of Kindness The Counseling Department chose a culture of kindness as a social/emotional program. This was put into practice when Charlotte Turlington, Primary Advisor and After-School Director, decided to “throw kindness like confetti.” It gave the primary boys a chance to put SAA’s school motto into practice. When the boys get spotted doing something “out of the kindness of their own heart,” they receive a piece of confetti to put on the confetti wall.
Teaming Up with LEGOS Charlotte Turlington presented a hands-on activity to 2nd graders on collaboration, teamwork and concentration. In teams of two, one boy directed the other on building a structure using LEGOS without the other seeing it. With only verbal instructions, the boys learned how to communicate with each other and work together to accomplish a difficult task.
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San Antonio Academy Recognized as a Gurian Model The Academy is identified as a school that understands that boys learn and use information differently than girls, which is the theory at the heart of the Gurian Institute. As such, SAA teachers use specific techniques designed to appeal to boys’ brains, intended to improve information retention and maximize academic success. For boys, these techniques can be as simple as offering stress-balls for students to access during class to engage their brains through physical motion.
Social Media and How to Guide Our Children Three speakers spoke to parents on guiding their children through the “internet jungle.” These included Donna McElroy, Board Certified, Labor & Employment Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization; William Wray, Director of Technology Support at SAA and Theresa Moore, LCSW,LPC–SAA School Counselor.
Trudy Ludwig, author of seven children’s books, and a well-known speaker and trainer, met with kinder–2nd grade, 3rd–5th graders and 6th–8th graders on Bullying Prevention: Healthy Peer Relationships. The three presentations addressed friendship issues and social peer cruelty in an age-appropriate manner. An evening presentation was designed for parents and included tips, tools and resources to help empower children in their social world. Michelli Ramon, Director of the Palmer Drug Abuse Program, spoke to 6th–8th graders about the misuse of drugs, vaping and alcohol as well as the addiction process. Michelli was a peer speaker, and a recovered addict, whose words resonated with the boys. Ms. Ramon, who has firsthand knowledge of the heartbreak and shame associated with addiction, gave an evening presentation on “Parenting with Courage and Empathy.”
Schoolwide Health Fair SAA hosted their 4th Health Fair in April. This schoolwide event fostered healthy lifestyles with topics ranging from meal planning to dental hygiene. The boys also got a taste of the dreaded burpee exercise in an obstacle course led by graduate students from the University of Incarnate Word. SAA moms, Edie Britton and Dr. Jennifer Bankler taught the boys about good dental hygiene and sent them home with the supplies to practice. Nutrition interns from H.E.B. manned stations with topics ranging from high fiber foods to “Make Your Own Trail Mix.” Hosted by the Wellness Department, with additional participation from the UIW Kinesiology Department, The Emergency Clinic and Supergoop, the Health Fair was a huge success.
Horsing Around School Counselor Theresa Moore took her Parents’ Class on a field trip to Esperanza Farm, a stable in Helotes. They were met by Leslie Vanderpool, a certified equine facilitator, who introduced SAA moms to insightful methods of reflection and communication. This process invites us to connect with the horse using our nonverbal senses in order to establish more effective communication. In doing this, Vanderpool notes that we experience the joy, excitement and effectiveness of being fully present and connected. This is especially helpful with children who still use their senses most often in order to assess the moment.
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Technology 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 technology skills. Coding and Programming Even before the buzz, computer teacher Alan Gielen was instructing his students to code. Fifth and 6th graders learned to program using Scratch, a block-based language that codes with icons rather than script. Sixth graders also learned BASIC, Python, and Javascript. The platforms they use to code include Codecademy, Codesters and Code Monkey. The boys have also used Minecraft to program a turtle. For the past three years, the Pre-K, Kinder, 1st and 2nd graders have been exposed to coding using Scratch Jr, Kodable and The Foos. Kodable uses drag and drop commands to program fuzzy characters to get through a maze. By doing this, the boys learn problem solving, computational thinking, sequence, conditions, loops, functions and debugging. These are skills necessary for learning any programming language, and they also enhance overall learning. Kodable is also used with 3rd and 4th grade students.
Travel Agents Create Websites The 7th graders in Seùora Bock’s Spanish class partnered up to role-play as travel agents, encouraging their class peers to travel to their selected Spanish-speaking destination. To promote their country and its capital, Linda Gielen, Technology Facilitator, taught them how to create internal websites with multiple pages and links. Once the polished marketing sites were complete, the boys introduced their live sites to the class with an oral presentation. Some presenters donned costumes and incorporated background music during their pitch, while the audience enjoyed sampling traditional food represented from each country.
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SPREADSHEETS SPREAD OVER SEVERAL DISCIPLINES Realizing the importance of spreadsheets when he worked as a biologist, Alan Gielen included spreadsheet software in a lesson he designed for his 6th graders on population growth and its effect on people. Supplementing discussion with videos and infographics on world demographics, each student chose three countries, and collected population data for each at five points in time. They would then input the data into Microsoft Excel and created a column graph showing the percentage of population growth change over time, and a line graph showing one of the country’s population changes over time. 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 them 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.
SAA’S DIGITAL DOORSTEP After the addition of transferring the school’s marketing website to a responsive design in 2016–17, the Communications Department next embarked on a new webhost, Finalsite, that would fully transition its online presence. While you may notice the updated interior page design, it is the backend functions, with a focus on SEO (seach engine optimization) and decriptive metadata, that provide a more powerful platform to ensure that The Academy’s story captures and engages more online viewers. 30
San Antonio Academy of Texas
Stage
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. A Play Within a Play Though this year’s 8th grade play took place during the cold, gray days of February, the boys successfully transported their audiences to the lush, green forests of Arden. In their production of “a Midsummer Night’s Dream,” the actors captured the magic and humor of this classic comedy, along with the essence of the play’s themes regarding the propensity of humans to complicate their lives with the entanglements and complexities of love. As Puck so memorably says, “Oh, what fools these mortals be!” In this play within a play, we witness the process of casting a play, distributing parts, arguing about roles, disputes with the director and the production itself. Both casts received acclaim for rousing and comedic performances, setting a high bar for the underclassmen to come.
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CURRICULUM 8th Graders Tackle Timely Topic More gun control laws should be enacted in the United States was the topic up for examination during this year’s riveting debate. Two teams deliberated proposing and opposing views backed with research to make each side’s case. The speeches and rebuttals were both powerful and impressive. In the end, the judges, Barry Bradley, Karl Graf and Mike Hansen, determined that the wining group was the team opposing the motion. Members of the debate teams were: TEAM PROPOSING Bennett Angulo Edward Hart Peyton Randolph Ben Rios Ty Osterhage (alternate)
TEAM OPPOSING Griffin Erwin John Kohl McAdams Connor McGrath John Saad Daniel Wang (alternate)
Voted Top Debater was Griffin Erwin and Top Public Speaker over the entire speech unit was Ben Rios.
PRE-K PLAYS BRING THE HOUSE DOWN The Pre-K boys, under the direction of Trisha Sinclair and Marci Gutierrez, performed plays entitled The Day the Crayons Quit and Click Clack Moo.
KINDER BOYS ENTHUSIASTICALLY SHARE SAA’S CORE VALUES Under the direction of Kristin Railsback and Anne Trevathan, the boys acted out lessons from the book series Pete the Cat for their annual play. They chose Pete the Cat and the Magic Sunglasses and Pete the Cat and the Missing Cupcakes.
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Language Emphasis on Communication Skills
2ND ANNUAL DÍA DE LA PALABRA
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.
The Spanish Department again
Academy Boys Are Learning the Language and Excelling Currently in our nation, 11.6 million people are bilingual, and according to the US Census Office, our nation will have an estimated 138 million Spanish speakers by 2050. Those statistics underscore why our Academy boys are learning and excelling in Spanish as is demonstrated through the Spanish National Exam and public speaking and poetry contests.
Cross-curricular Connections Spanish teachers, Iliana Hieger and Claudia Davis, created a cross-curricular connection with the music department by selecting Spanish songs for the Mother’s Day concert. The Primary boys learned and practiced the song “Los Pollitos” in Spanish class, and the 3rd grade boys learned and rehearsed the perennial favorite, “De Colores.” Mrs. Berg and Mrs. Girardeau led the boys in singing these songs as a way to tie in the concert theme of the San Antonio Tricentennial.
Miércoles Musical Hits the Right Note Natalie Bock’s 7th and 8th graders had fun with the version of “Despacito” she played even when surprised by the changed lyrics. This rendition was written by a teacher about the importance and value of learning Spanish little by little (Despacito). The class discussed the unprecedented success the song had on the English charts, and they watched an interview with the Columbian musician whose job it was to teach (phonetically, mostly) Justin Bieber to sing this fast-paced song in Spanish.
hosted Día de la Palabra to promote awareness and use of the Spanish language during Hispanic Heritage month. Scavenger Hunt Promotes Competition and Brotherhood Iliana Hieger’s 1st graders partnered with Claudia Davis’ 4th graders to locate and identify places related to the vocabulary learned in the primary class (biblioteca, oficina, gimnasio). The activity provided the boys an opportunity for the mixed age groups to practice oral language.
Bringing Alive the Culture of Spanish-speaking Countries Natalie Bock gave her students a chance to hear and interact with another Spanish speaker who spent a year in Ecuador and to see themselves one day possibly in her shoes—diving into another culture 100% in the effort to improve language skills and to enrich their lives while befriending people across the globe.
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CURRICULUM National Spanish Exam Results Are In… Academy Students Among Top 5% in the Nation With over 150,000 students in grades 6-12 participating, the following Academy boys earned medals.
Premio de Oro (top 5% in the nation) 8TH GRADERS Roan Erwin Edward Hart James Hawes John Kohl McAdams Connor McGrath Marc Thiltgen Daniel Wang
7TH GRADERS Eshanth Beeram Juddy Crawford Christopher Goldsbury Alex Pruitt
Premio de Plata (top 10% in the nation) 8TH GRADERS Griffin Erwin Ethan Feinstein Robert Gulley Parker Johnson Ty Osterhage Matthew Silva Edward Snyder Nicholas Wheeler
7TH GRADERS Sergio Alvarado Chaz Bregman Noah Bregman Jatin Gurrala Christopher Hunter Dylan Rybacki Ishan Shah Miles Wright
Premio de Bronce (top 15% in the nation) 8TH GRADERS Bennett Angulo Cameron Chan Hutton Campbell Nico Diaz Robbie Pena John Saad
7TH GRADERS Sawyer Barr Garrett Scott Omer Zafar
Essays on Qué Hay en tú Futuro When instructed to write essays on what they see in their future Sra. Bock’s 8th graders gave varying responses. Quisás un intérprete por la lengua de signos amerícano, o un professor de ingles en otro país. —Griffin Erwin Yo quiero jugar golf en La Universidad de Tejas. Y después de la Universidad quiero jugar profesionalmente. —Nicholas Wheeler Planeo estudiar ingeniería mecaníca. Quisiera en Europa. —Gray Woodson Quiero ser políco en Austin y también en Washington D.C. —John Kohl McAdams Planeo asistir a la facultad de derecho. Después pienso ser abogado. Quisiera ver el mundo. Quiero ser políco. —Peyton Randolph
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SAA Boys Excel in Spanish Poetry Contest Eight 1st through 4th graders represented SAA in the AATSP Citywide Colores, Voces y Poesia Speaking and Poetry Contest. Spanish teachers Iliana Hieger, Claudia Davis 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: NATIVE 1ST–3RD GRADE Gold........... Philippe Jones Silver........... Jordi Mirabent NON-NATIVE 1ST–3RD GRADE Gold........... Noah Davis Silver........... Whit Wright PORTUGUESE Gold........... James Boller NON-NATIVE 4TH GRADE Silver........... Benjamin Crawford NATIVE MIDDLE SCHOOL Gold........... Ryan Jourdan Silver........... Christopher Goldsbury Bronze........ Edward Snyder NON-NATIVE MIDDLE SCHOOL Silver........... Max Dabbous IMPROMPTU SPEAKING Gold........... Christopher Goldsbury and Edward Snyder ART POSTER CONTEST Gold........... Connor Hart Silver........... Max Bonilla Bronze........ Adam Padilla
Music The SAA Choir traveled to Washington D.C. for a four day sight-seeing excursion, experiencing many of the famous places that honor our
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.
nation’s rich history, while also bonding as musical brothers. Year in Review, 2017–2018
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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 Beau Evans Hudson Hurt Ian Hutchens Philippe Jones Atharva Parekh Ekansh Parekh Lucas Reyes
Jasper Saussy Edward Snyder Patrick Snyder Grant Tuder C.D. Vardiman Lawson Walker Daniel Wang Enzo Watel
SAA Supports the Symphony The Academy supports classical music in San Antonio! Throughout the year, SAA welcomes performers to share music and enhance and enrich understanding of the unique characteristics of their musical instruments. Featured this year were a trombone, a trumpet, a piccolo trumpet, a double bass, a viola and recorder. Jennifer Berg again entertained and informed her audience with her oboe. Special thanks to the Nancy Jean Newman Memorial Music Endowment for this enrichment opportunity.
HISTORY OF ROCK STRUMS A CHORD WITH STUDENTS SAA’s own music specialist, Dr. Owen Duggan, teaches a 6th grade elective “History of Rock” that covers the beginnings of rock and roll in the early 50s as it emerges from American blues, gospel and country and becomes the world’s most popular musical form to this day. The boys listened to the early Rock-n-Roll masters, including Fats Domino, Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Buddy Holly, as they set down the rhythms, riffs, and styles that form the language of the genre.
VIMEO.COM/SAAWILDCATSTV/CHOIR2018
Sixth Graders Sing with Deeper Appreciation Melinda Biehl’s 6th graders understood and appreciated the inspiration for writing “America the Beautiful,” a poem that evolved into one of the nation’s best-loved patriotic songs. After googling Pikes Peak, along with the phrases in the song, they could imagine what Katherine Bates must have seen and appreciated the words they sang in chapel on a deeper level.
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CURRICULUM
Concerts Fill Ellison Hall with Song & Dance All School Year GRANDPARENTS’& GRANDFRIENDS’ DAY, HOLIDAY AND MOTHER’S DAY CONCERTS
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Art 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.
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Ellison Hall Transformed into a Work of Art Cary Gates and Dana Parish did it again! Ellison Hall was transformed into an art gallery with 230 framed paintings and drawings created by over 145 Academy students in grades 2–8. Ranging from realism to abstraction and surrealism, the 18th Annual Art Show was a true masterpiece.
Watercolor Wisdom San Antonio artist Clay McGaughy painted a watercolor scene while addressing questions posed by the 7th and 8th graders in their art elective class. At the age of 85, he still enjoys painting, and his work is exhibited in numerous states. He told the boys that he especially enjoys painting wildlife, landscapes, and sporting art. In his words, “I am pleased to simply ‘let it out’ and speak as best I can with my brush, for there is a deep, instinctive pleasure in sharing my concepts with others.”
CURRICULUM Pre-K and Kinder Fly High on Kodomo No Hi After painting Koinobori Japanese carp wind socks and learning about Kodomo No Hi or Children’s Day in Japan, observed on May 5, the boys flew their kites throughout the school grounds onto the front field. Their art teacher, Elizabeth Eversberg, directed them in their art activity while explaining the significance of the day – celebrating children’s unique personalities and happiness while flying the carp, a symbol of strength and perseverance. Not only was there laughter, fun and pride in their creations, but as they ran, they sang the traditional Japanese song.
Second Graders Paint to Music Second graders under the direction of music teacher, Ruth Berg and primary art teacher Elizabeth Eversberg, participated in the SA Symphony League’s Paint to Music Contest. This year’s music was the theme to Davy Crockett, chosen to commemorate our Tricentennial celebration in San Antonio. First, second and third place winners had their artwork projected on the screen at the Tobin Center when the second graders attended the symphony concert. Our Honorable Mention winner was chosen in an independent competition to have his design printed on stationery cards that will be sold to help benefit the SA Symphony. The winners were:
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 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.
1ST PLACE....................... George Smiley (painting pictured) 2ND PLACE...................... Weldon Wolff 3RD PLACE...................... Max Gutierrez HONORABLE MENTION..... James Boller Two of the winners, George Smiley and Weldon Wolff, were chosen from over 4,000 plus citywide entries to be submitted into the San Antonio Airport’s Inaugural Fiesta Art Contest.
Plein Air Painting Artist Patrick Saunders painted a portrait of one of the students while answering questions posed by 7th and 8th graders during their elective class. He said he paints what he sees, making sure he gets the right value, temperature and shape. He, like Monet, enjoys plein air painting which takes him outside. Saunders believes that painting outdoors allows him to better represent the true colors of a scene, the true form of shapes, and the feel of a scene.
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IN THE CLASSROOM
Parents & Extended Academy Family Bring Their Expertise on Campus ALUMNUS ON LEADERSHIP Joe McGrath, Class of 2013, a sophomore at Stanford, spoke to the student body to share advice about the many decisions they’ll face in high school and beyond. “You have to be intrinsically
Whale Migration Gayle Runnels, grandmother of Forrest and Cullen, returned to present her whale presentation to the 3rd graders. She and her sister have been on many whale expeditions since 1981 and are actively involved in the preservation of whales. They co-authored and illustrated a children’s book about whale migration, Amigo, The Friendly Gray Whale.
motivated to do the right thing. You have to decide
Experiencing Ecuador
within yourself that you want to do well in school;
Julia Grace Walker, sister of 6th grader Chance, presented to the 6th , 7th and 8th grade classes, a slideshow presentation of her experiences in Ecuador. Her presentation, much of which was in Spanish, included her Ecuadorian family, her daily routine, her responsibilities as a teacher there and the things she found most similar and different to life at home. She also brought authentic traditional clothing and local art.
compete in whatever sport you might play, and be the best version of yourself possible. You make these decisions not because your parents tell you to, not because your teachers tell you to, but because you choose to hold yourself to a higher standard, and strive for excellence in everything you do.”
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IN THE CLASSROOM
Special Events & Guest Leadership Speakers Delayed Legacy Conrad Netting enriched the 7th graders’ study of Hiroshima and A Separate Peace with his own book, Delayed Legacy. His book is the true story of Conrad’s father, a WWII fighter pilot and the French town where he died just after D-Day. Conrad, born six weeks later, discovered in 1994 in a footlocker that had been sealed for fifty years, his father’s letters and personal effects. Incredible coincidences led Conrad to his father’s wartime roommate and to a French family in Normandy who told him the rest of his father’s story.
PERSEVERANCE IS PART OF PUBLISHING Chris Barton’s award winning books include two from the Texas Bluebonnet list: The Amazing Age of Jon Roy Linch and Whoosh! Instead of writing about what he knows,
Revisions are Key to Writing
Mr. Barton starts each
Matt Chandler spoke with 6th, 7th, and 8th graders to share his love of writing that grew into a career rooted in community newspaper. He is an author of twenty-five children’s books, mostly non-fiction, covering topics including sports, hunting, history and haunted places. His main advise for writers is “Revise, revise, revise!” Another tip Matt offered was, “Read what you are editing out loud.”
book project with a curiosity that leads him into deep research. He shared with the 2nd–5th graders that only 13 of his over 100 books have been published which indicates many rejections. His next effort will be writing about Congresswoman Barbara Jordan.
Heroic Writing Strategies Jeff Anderson, author and friend of SAA mom, Edie Britton, writes professional books with advice for teachers and novels for students. During a writing workshop, he offered advice to Academy boys to jumpstart their own writing careers. He advised them to take revision seriously and said that writers should always print their work out and read it out loud in order to make sure they have truly done their best work. His novel Zach Delacruz: Me and My Big Mouth, is set at a middle school here in San Antonio. With references to the book, the author’s closing words were, “You are the author of your life. What’s going to be your story? Be the hero that you are.”
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COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Making a Difference in San Antonio & Beyond Service Projects The entire 2017-18 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.
Kindergarteners collected school supplies and teddy bears to comfort the grieving children at the Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas.
Pre-K boys collected toys for needy children to be distributed through the Sonny Melendrez Foundation.
The pups and kittens at the San Antonio Humane Society were well taken care of with 1st grade’s donations of puppy pads, litter boxes, towels, and blankets.
New toys for children were collected by 2nd graders to support the S.A.ntas F.irefighter toy D.rive
4th graders collected food items to assist children at Stafford Elementary (ESD) who might be in need over the winter break.
3rd graders donated new and gently-used books to San Antonio’s Children Shelter.
5th graders collected new toys for children at CAM’s (Christian Assistance Ministry) to be used at the no-cost Christmas store. Two months later they answered a call for boys’ clothing at CAM.
7th graders collected $1,057.52 for World Vision for water, medical supplies, farm animals, mosquito nets and sewing machines.
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6th grade boys collected new socks, undergarments, and gently-used coats to benefit the homeless served by the San Antonio Catholic Worker House. 8th graders collected monetary donations for Fisher House located at Brooke Army Medical Center, an extremity injury rehab center. They also donated to the Surgical Research Burn Center.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Community Outreach Projects From Seed Balls to Indian Blankets First graders traveled to Phil Hardberger Park to assist naturalists there. After taking a short nature walk led by the staff, the boys assisted in making seed balls by compacting mud and covering the spheres in seeds. The highlight was throwing the seed balls into the butterfly garden so that Indian Blankets would flourish in spring.
Boys Offer Encouraging Notes for Residents at Haven for Hope Sixth graders were given a tour of the Haven for Hope grounds before racing to see how many toiletry bags they could fill for the residents there. The total was over 400 bags, and each bag had notes with words of encouragement from the boys.
Hurricane Relief Efforts Show SAA Cares The Academy pitched in together as a community to help aid in the Hurricane Relief efforts: James and Aurora Nester, parents of Harry, initiated the 3rd grade community service trip to the San Antonio Food Bank. The boys packed a total of 12,218 pounds of food for a total of 9,702 meals for people in need. The boxes for that day were sent on behalf of Tim Duncan’s Virgin Island Relief Fund. Academy moms, Margie Travis, Sharon Walls, and Cris Bregman, organized and collected enough requested supplies from the SAA community to fill a U-haul bound to the Rockport and Aransas Pass area, driven by former Academy dad, Charlie Robison. Some Academy families donated to Charlie’s relief fund and supported him at his concert benefit, in addition to filling a U-haul with supplies. Boys helped load a trailer full of supplies bound for the Houston area, driven by Coach Bobby Zander and his wife Karin, which was then received at a donation relief center by the brother of Academy mom, Shannon Sedgwick Davis.
Fourth Graders Take “Top-It” on the Road Fourth Graders played Everyday Math card games with 2nd graders at Hawthorne Academy in SAISD in an effort to help them strengthen their math skills. The boys stepped into the big brother role to mentor others while engaging in math activities.
Boys accompanied Mrs. Davis and additional Academy parents to the Catholic Charities on French Place, to help that organization fill up trucks full of supplies headed for Corpus Christi. Some of the proceeds from the Fall Book Fair were donated to Hurricane Harvey Disaster Relief: $300 went to Aransas Pass ISD for their middle schools, and $1000 to Port Aransas for their elementary and junior school libraries.
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COMMUNITY OUTREACH
MORE Community Outreach Projects
Third Graders packed a total of 12,210 pounds of food, enough canned goods for 9,702 meals at the Food Bank.
Fifth Graders Lend a Hand at CAM Fifth graders volunteered at the Christian Assistance Ministry (CAM) which offers temporary assistance to individuals and families in crisis situations. After unloading their own toy donations, they sorted boxes of toys and children’s books for the Holiday Store, and organized and cleaned the warehouse area.
Raising Awareness for Haiti’s Dental Needs The 7th graders helped with harvesting at the Food Bank’s Urban Farm. Working in assembly line fashion, they worked on two rows of cabbages that were 540 feet long, digging new holes a foot apart and replanting them in new rows. With the help from their teachers and a few parent volunteers, the boys were able to transplant over 1000 cabbages.
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Fourth graders pitched in to help SAA sports’ photographer, Mary Candee, prepare for an annual medical missionary trip to Leogane, Haiti. While Mrs. Candee showed a slideshow of her past trips to demonstrate how the organization assists villagers, boys worked in teams to remove toothpaste and toothbrush packaging, and then counted, sorted and organized the items for delivery. All packages and boxes were then sent over to SAA’s recycle bins.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Schoolwide Drives
Intergenerational Programs Living Legacy Program Changes Venues With the closing of Chandler Nursing Home, after almost 30 years, SAA found a new home for the Living Legacy Program at The Forum at Lincoln Heights. Several of our boys were present when residents and their families and staff gathered at Chandler to share memories and say their goodbyes. The boys were presented Fiesta medals as momentos of their time there.
END-OF-YEAR SCHOOL SUPPLIES DRIVE SAA faculty and staff donated boxes and boxes of school supplies to the Ella Austin Community Center. Special thanks go to Yulanee McKnight, Summer At The Academy Registrar, for coordinating these efforts.
ANNUAL FOOD DRIVE Academy boys collected 900 pounds of food during the 2017 Annual Food Drive, bringing our total since we began in 2003 to 28,928 pounds. Each dollar equates to seven meals.
The program continues to impact the lives of Academy boys and their senior friends, now at The Forum. 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 and co-sponsor respectively, Virginia Beeler and Mary Wilde, and to this year’s participants. 6TH GRADERS Chip Anderson Richard Cage Hayden Hoelscher Ryan Jourdan Sam Nye Jack Travis JP Tucker Calvin Walls Liam Wray Matthew Ybarra
7TH GRADERS Cole Finney Christopher Goldsbury Christopher Hunter Alex Pruitt Nathaniel Shriner 8TH GRADERS Cole Dudley Ethan Feinstein Robert Gulley John Saad Daniel Wang
PENNIES FOR PATIENTS SAA participates annually in the program benefitting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. This past year the school collected $2803 which brings our total contributions to $28,407.
END-OF THE YEAR BINDER/BACKPACK DONATIONS Backpacks and binders were donated to CAM, an organization that helps families and individuals who are going through difficult times and are in need of assistance.
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AROUND CAMPUS
a e r Y s g o n f i t S a ervice r b e l e C Each year, faculty and staff are recognized for their years of service at San Antonio Academy. THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION!
20 YEARS
10 YEARS
Michele Cummins
Linda Gielen
John Watkins
Gary Marvin
15 YEARS Linda Moczygemba
Faith Debow
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Esdra Gonzalez
Ernestine Pavelka
AROUND CAMPUS
5 YEARS
Diana Caamal
Kendall Newburn
24
YEARS
RETIRED
Dana Parish
21
YEARS
RETIRED
Isaac Rodriguez
10
YEARS
RETIRED
Bobby Zander
Allen Hamilton
Anne Trevathan
After 24 years of coaching and mentoring Academy boys, Coach Bobby Zander decided to retire. Bobby, also a SAA alumnus class of 1972, has been part of the heart and soul of our coaching staff in P.E. and Athletics. He helped create and nurture the tennis program, with a focus on integrity and good sportsmanship as the key to a winning strategy. In Bobby’s words, “Seeing the teachers’ and staff’s commitment to excellence, coupled with their love, care and enjoyment of the guys has been an inspiration and has shaped how I’ve tried to develop myself as a teacher.” We love Bobby and wish him the very best as he begins the next chapter of his life.
Professor Allen Hamilton has retired after having taught at SAA for 21 years. As a storyteller, he easily engaged his 7th graders with Texas History, a subject that he knew more about than authors of textbooks. As such, Allen has received numerous accolades within the community, the collegial world and the state. “In the last two decades, I have learned more about real teaching than I ever have in the 40 years I’ve been in college education. I’ve learned about patience, understanding, and kindness, and am leaving SAA as a better teacher and I think as a better person than when I arrived,” he states. We thank Professor Hamilton for “telling” the story of Texas to our Academy 7th graders for over two decades.
The Academy was fortunate to have Anne Trevathan spend the last 10 years of her 42 year career teaching our second graders and then kindergarten boys. She “retired” from teaching in 2007, but was enticed out of retirement after that first year and joined SAA’s family. As a master teacher, Anne has made a positive impact on her students. She has been loved and appreciated by students, parents, and her colleagues. Former students describe her as, “the best teacher ever.”
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AROUND CAMPUS
New Faculty & Staff The SAA community welcomed Clint DuBose as Head of School last year. Prior to assuming this position, Mr. DuBose 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. 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. Laurel Brooks joined SAA’s Pre-K team as Teacher Assistant. Laurel came highly recommended by our own Mary Beth Nieves who worked with her for several years at Fort Sam Houston Elementary School. Her experience and enthusiasm have made her a good fit for our school. Jennifer Hayes joined SAA’s faculty as the 7th and 8th grade science teacher. Jennifer came with 14 years of teaching experience, most recently in the Northeast ISD where she served as Science Chairperson and Lead Robotics Sponsor. She has a Masters of Art in Education from the University of New Mexico. She is GT Certified, and professional recognitions include being a Trinity Prize Winner and recipient of the NEISD Superintendents’ Award. Her energy and passion for science, along with her enthusiastic teaching and interactive instruction make her a great addition to our faculty. We were delighted to have Moye Mullins rejoin her Academy family last year as one of our 2nd grade teachers. Moye taught both Pre-K and Kinder here for eight years and has spent the last sixteen years teaching full time at Summer At The Academy. She was a familiar face to the primary boys, having substituted here for several years. We gladly welcome Moye with her enthusiasm, energy, experience and ever-present smile back to SAA!
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We also welcome Matt Veldt and his family back to The Academy having moved from Chicago last spring to join us as P.E. teacher and coach. Coach Veldt served as Athletic Director at SAA for 11 years. Since his departure from SAA, he has taught history courses to international secondary students in Chiang Mai, Thailand and a variety of courses to middle school students in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Along with his teaching duties at both schools, he coached volleyball, basketball, track, and cross-country. Matt has a Bachelor of Arts, Social Sciences degree from Wheaton College. We are delighted that Coach Veldt has come full circle and is back with his Academy family! We were pleased to welcome Charlotte Turlington as Primary Advisor and the After-School Care Director. Charlotte was a Pre-K teacher at Hopkins Elementary with eleven years of experience there, including four years in 1st grade. Charlotte has a Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education from Texas Christian University. Her classroom teaching experience has served her well in both positions. Before joining The Academy, Claudia Davis was a bilingual instructor in NEISD and later taught with Spanish Department Head, Iliana Hieger in the Alamo Heights immersion program. She was also a trainer for bilingual educators at Region 20. Claudia has a Masters from the Instituto Belga Guatemalteco as well as a Master of Arts in Curriculum Instruction/Technology from UTSA. Claudia was excited to join SAA as the 3rd-6th grade Spanish teacher. We were delighted to welcome Lauren Walls who joined The Academy as our school nurse. Lauren has a decade of nursing experience with the last three years working exclusively with young children and adolescents in the pediatric field. As a certified Registered Nurse, Lauren is also a United States Army Veteran, who served and was deployed as a combat medic. With her experience and three sons of her own, Lauren was a great fit for SAA.
Wildcat Year in Review, 2017–2018
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ATHLETICS
Cross Country Runners compete for themselves and for each other With a huge roster of 40 boys, who set multiple records for personal best times, the 2017–18 season was one of the best in Academy history! In his first season as cross country coach, Mike McClintock provided inspiration by leading the racers in prayer, pep talks and warm ups, prepping the Wildcats for every run. Contribution by 2017–8 Yearbook staff member, Chaz Bregman
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ATHLETICS
Football Teams’ positive spirit and character on display
It was a season that would test our teams' grit. With 20 boys on the Blue Team, Wildcats managed several victories despite matches with teams that had 50+ players. “Boys learned that the quality of play can indeed overcome quantity of players,” says Coach Mike Heineman. Sixth grader, Jack Travis, sums up the White Teams' season by reflecting on an act of kindness when the Wildcats devised a plan to help an opposing team's player. "My favorite moment of the season was the heart-warming play during our last game when a player with cerebral palsy scored a touchdown." For all, it was a win. Contribution by 2017–18 Yearbook staff member, Noah Bregman
Year in Review, 2017–2018
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ATHLETICS
Soccer Soccer program secures championship; continues to grow The Blue Soccer Team captured the middle school boys winter soccer tournament championship on February 1st. In the finals, Wildcats pawed their way to a 1-0 hard-fought victory against the Saint Mary’s Hall Barons to take home the 2018 trophy. The White Soccer Team roster was mostly made up of 6th graders. “Although their season didn't secure a championship,” says Coach Brittany Schrader, “many games were opportunities for the younger Cats to gain invaluable skills that will take them to the next level.” Contribution by 2017–18 Yearbook staff member, Tristan Tamez 52
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ATHLETICS
Basketball Conditioning Provides Winning Results
Both the 8th & 7th Grade "A" Teams had winning seasons. Part of that can be attributed to having a competitive edge thanks to Bruce Bowen, 13-year NBA player; with eight of those in a Spurs #12 jersey. "My goals for the season were exceeded with flying colors. I think they improved by becoming better conditioned, and so they were more competitive throughout the season," says Bruce. The two teams had a combined record of 17-1, dominating the competition. Contribution by 2017–18 Yearbook staff member, Tristan Tamez
Year in Review, 2017–2018
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ATHLETICS
Tennis Players Capture their Competitive Spirit Athletic Director, Coach Mike Heineman, stepped in to lead our Wildcat tennis team, securing the 2017-18 ISAL Tennis Tournament Championship in the process. "The entire team had the opportunity to participate throughout the season, which set up a very successful league tournament. Their competitiveness came through in the end," says Coach Heineman. Contribution by 2017–18 Yearbook staff member, Christopher Goldsbury
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ATHLETICS
Lacrosse Playing with Heart, Courage and Grit Our mighty 5th & 6th grade lacrosse squad played a hard-fought championship game earning them the runner-up spot in District. Despite being out numbered, the Wildcats 7th & 8th grade squad played with a lot of heart, never giving up, finishing their season with a 5-5-1 record, once again making the playoffs. “Showing courage and grit, each person on these two teams not only became better athletes physically, but mentally as well,” says Coach Mike Gutierrez. Contribution by 2017–18 Yearbook staff member, Chris Hunter
Year in Review, 2017–2018
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ATHLETICS
Track Each member shown to ‘Seize the SAA Way’ Each Wildcat track member, tall or small, showed excellent leadership, grit, and determination in all of their events. Winning or losing, they always kept their heads up. Even after being tripped, falling down, and feeling sick, every SAA athlete finished their race. That fortitude paid off in the end as the Wildcats fell short of first place in only one track meet out of four, demonstrating what it truly means to ‘Seize the SAA Way.’ Thank you Coach Leon McNeill and Coach Brittany Schrader for leading our track team. Contribution by 2017–18 staff member, Noah Bregman
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ACADEMY COMMUNITY & SUPPORT
ALL IN for Annual Fund Support from alumni, parents, grandparents, trustees, faculty, staff and friends are vitally important. In 2017-18, Annual Giving totaled over $784,000. Thanks to a dedicated group of volunteers led by the Annual Fund Chairs Lynnette & Trey Embrey and Co-Chairs Ashley & Alcide Longoria, SAA completed another successful annual fund campaign. Gifts of all sizes are meaningful to the school and its students, and participation is a key value in the SAA community. For the ninth consecutive year, Academy parents, trustees, faculty & staff all reached 100% participation toward the Annual Fund. These levels of support set The Academy’s giving programs apart from other independent schools. In fact, only 3% of the nation's private schools achieve this goal.
Breakfast for Lunch? Yes, please! Academy boys delighted in every bite of their Grand Slam Breakfast during a special treat that was in celebration of Academy families contributing 100% towards the Annual Fund.
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 7 at the home of SAA parents, Lynnette and Trey Embrey. The event began with cocktails and special remarks from Annual Fund Chairs, Lynette and Trey Embrey, Board Chair, Molly McAdams, and Head of School, Clint DuBose, followed by an elegant dinner.
#SAAPARENTSROCK! Parents Club volunteers were in full force during the 2017–18 school year. Here’s a brief snapshot of the good work they do for SAA.
A frightfully delightful breakfast was prepared and unveiled for faculty & staff prior to the Halloween holiday thanks to the incredible efforts and thoughtfulness from the Faculty & Staff Appreciation Committee. Mondays are so exciting here at SAA because of our after school Ice Cream sales! Thanks to our dedicated ICS Committee, our boys get to cool off with a cold treat when the last bell rings. New York Times bestselling author, Melanie Shankle “The Big Mama Blog,” shared her thoughtful (and humorous) ‘unofficial’ parenting advice with SAA families in February. An underlying theme to her message included ‘kindness begins in the home; kids that are kind generally have kind parents.' Shankle’s visit was made possible through our Parents Club Education Committee, who organized the entire event. A little drizzle couldn't keep the cowpokes from hav'n a boot-scootin' good time at the annual Cowboy Breakfast in January. Whether it was gathering around the campfire, chowin' down on tacos and biscuits and gravy, sipp'n (and spilling!) hot chocolate, or practicing their steer ropin', everyone celebrated Cowboy culture The Academy way! Hats-off to our 8th grade boys and their parents, along with the kitchen staff, who were up at the crack of dawn to get us all fed. Proceeds from the event went to help purchase the 8th Grade Class Gift, the Wildcat Sport Court unveiled in May.
To find out how you can get involved as a parent, please visit sa-academy.org/parentsclub. Year in Review, 2017–2018
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ACADEMY COMMUNITY & SUPPORT
SAA Grandparents are SPECIAL to our school SAA Grandparents and Grandfriends brighten our campus with their love and support through 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 The Academy with an annual gift. Grandparents always show up in droves for Grandparents' Chapel, scheduled each fall and spring, bringing their love and laughter with them. What a great way to start the SAA day! One of the most treasured days of the year, Grandparents’ & Grandfriends’ Day is held each November. To kick off the day, a special luncheon for grandparents was held at Club Giraud, hosted by Mrs. Helen Groves and Mr. & Mrs. Richard C. Traylor.
Following the special luncheon, grandparents and grandfriends join The Academy’s family on campus for a primary musical performance, a Pass-In-Review parade, and then studentled tours of the campus and classroom for a little bonding time. Grade-level grandparent lunches are always a favorite treat for Academy boys. They love visiting and showing their GP’s how they eat ‘The Academy Way,’ which for generations, has been gathering around the table ‘family style.’
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Rock'n Good Time at the Fall Family Fair: Academy City Limits (ACL) 1,400 Academy parents, alumni, students, faculty, grandparents, friends and neighbors gathered together for an evening of old-fashioned family fun on Saturday, October 21, 2017. Led by event co-chairs, Clare & Donald Duffin and Shelley & Tom Thill, 42 committee members planned and prepared food, games, raffle and a silent auction which provided a great environment for building community among the SAA family. 200 donors contributed auction items, food, materials and supplies for the event. 150 parent volunteers and 60 community volunteers work food booths and game booths during the event. Nearly 100 cakes are baked for the popular Cake Walk. For 32 years, the Fall Family Fair has been held on The Academy’s campus and has raised important funds to improve various programs at the school.
ACADEMY COMMUNITY & SUPPORT
2017 Blue & White Unite On Saturday, April 14, 2018, The Academy community celebrated “A Day in the Life of an Academy Boy” at the 4th Annual Blue & White Unite gala. Alumni, parents, grandparents, faculty, staff and friends united together to raise over $100,000 to help the operating budget of SAA and another $33,000 during the “Salute SAA” (paddles up) program. The evening under the blue-lit oak trees in front of Taylor Hall was spectacular. Event chairs Daniela & Antonio Serna and Sally & Roger Hill led an innovative committee who created a special experience for event attendees. Guests arriving in the carpool line, were greeted by Academy cadets in uniform and then made their way to various activities in which Academy boys participated throughout the school year: a basketball shoot-out, penny boats, selfies with Field-Day props, a cake walk (with wine!) and more. Guests’ knowledge of the SAA uniform was tested as they matched various medals and ribbons. The Geography Bee hosted by Barry Bradley was entertaining and educational. Guests dined family-style and learned about the lunchroom roles and rules. Each place-setting included a quote from a student about why he values San Antonio Academy and life-size portraits from each grade level highlighted activities and milestones unique to each grade at SAA. New this year, the online silent auction was conducted and closed on Wednesday before the event began. This allowed guests to not worry about attending to 110 auction items, and so they could fully participate in the day of the life of an Academy boy. A successful on-site auction of ten premier items was a big hit! Ice cream treats capped off the evening as guests were happy to know that their math “homework” was optional. Special thanks to Board of Trustees Chair and Academy mom, Molly McAdams, for emceeing the event, and James Willmann, Class of 1992 for facilitating the Salute SAA program.
$33K WORTH OF WISHES GRANTED During the “Salute SAA” portion of the Blue & White Unite spring gala, over $30,000 in cash was raised for our Faculty Wish List, which included:
• 10 LAPTOPS FOR ROBOTICS PROGRAM
• 3 MISTERS FOR FRONT FIELD • 10 DOCUMENT CAMERAS • 3 PROJECTORS • 2 MOBILE INTERACTIVE TV DISPLAYS
• 5 CHARGING CARTS • BOSE CD PLAYER WITH SPEAKERS
Year in Review, 2017–2018
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ENRICHMENT
Enrichment by the Numbers Each year, Cathy Cummins’ little corner of SAA, located on the first-floor level of Taylor Hall, is a bustling hub of giant activity that attracts children from all over San Antonio and beyond. In 2017–18 alone, Cathy’s year-round enrichment classes filled a whopping 2,605 spots; 1,485 of those positions were from her famous Reading Institute. Visit sa-academy.org/enrichmentprogram.
"We have been thrilled with Cathy Cummins' Enrichment offerings at San Antonio Academy. Our daughter, Reagan, participates regularly and loves whatever class she takes. And now our twin boys will begin taking enrichment classes, too. They are so excited because Reagan talks so much about the classes and the “stuff” she has learned.” —Ron Aaron Eisenberg, M.A., J.D.
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ENRICHMENT
Summer At The Academy
TURNS 30
Summer 2018 marked Summer at The Academy’s (SATA) 30th Anniversary! And each year, SATA has continued to attract 1,600+ children from all over the world who arrive ready to CREATE, LEARN & EXPLORE. With a 93.9% recommendation rate*, SATA works hard year after year, to run a successful program. It truly takes a village—from our Program Director Brendan Moore and Kid’s Place Director Brittany Schrader, to Summer Registrars Yulanee McKnight and Barbara Birgel, and to the army of counselors—many of whom are SAA alumni, runners, and Academy staff who make it all look ‘effortless.’ There’s one other important ingredient to the program: SATA instructors! They bring the energy and excitement to the over 425 classes offered during the eight-week period, which is nothing short of amazing.
* Would you recommend Summer At The Academy to a Friend? 180 Responses YES NO MAYBE
93.9%
Summer 2019 will be here before you know it, June 3 through July 26 to be exact. In the meantime, visit the link to view the highlight reel which perfectly captured all the fun during our 30th anniversary year: vimeo.com/saawildcats/summer2018 Year in Review, 2017–2018
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ALUMNI
Alumni Homecoming Weekend Alumni returned to campus to reconnect with classmates, faculty, staff and friends during San Antonio Academy’s annual Homecoming Weekend on October 20–21, 2017. “Homecoming Weekend is a time for alumni to reunite and celebrate 132 years of The Academy’s mission and traditions,” said Clint DuBose, Head of School, as he began his opening remarks in chapel on Alumni Day. Among the many alumni returning back to SAA was Dr. Philip L. Leggett, Class of 1967, this year’s recipient of the Col. W.T. Bondurant, Jr. Distinguished Alumnus Award. Since 2007, the Alumni Council has presented 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.
Association for over 20 years. All of these endeavors have benefited youth and education not only in Houston but across Texas. During the award presentation in chapel, Dr. Leggett, shared with students how grateful he is to his parents for providing him the opportunity to attend San Antonio Academy. He reminded students to “Seize the day!” and to never take for granted the opportunities and teachers at SAA. He encouraged the boys to always express gratitude to their parents for making it possible to receive an education at San Antonio Academy. Following the award presentation, Brandon Grossman ’92, President of SAA’s Alumni Council, invited all alumni who were in attendance, to step forward on stage to receive an honorary alumni medal commemorating Alumni Day. Following the alumni muster and chapel, The Academy’s Battalion performed their first Pass-In-Review of the school year on Frost Field.
Philip Leggett ‘67, M.D., F.A.C.S., F.I.C.S., a board certified general and laparoendoscopic surgeon, is well-recognized and has published extensively in medical journals detailing his innovative surgical techniques. He has performed over 20,000 laparoscopic surgeries, is recognized as an authority, and has operated on four continents. Dr. Leggett runs a full time surgery practice and teaches two new Fellows a year in conjunction with The University of TexasHouston as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery. For 20 years, Dr. Leggett sponsored a golf tournament, raising $1.5 million to benefit children at Boys & Girls Country of Houston. He is on the Board of several charities, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Richard Wallrath Foundation, Mary Jane Hamilton Foundation, and active with the Houston Golf
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Homecoming Weekend concluded with Fall Family Fair on Saturday, October 21. Over 40 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 members of SAA’s Alumni Council who helped organize and promote the event.
ALUMNI
Relive, Remember, Reconnect Brotherhood is the Common Thread Each May, alumni reconnect under the iconic oak tree on the evening before graduation. The chairs and stage for commencement under the oak tree are set and ready for the following morning, and this creates an ideal place for recalling memories of their days as students. On May 24 at Gather Under the Oak Tree, Alumni shared with the group their memorable moments and “boys” who had graduated many years apart from one another instantly bonded over shared experiences. Brotherhood at San Antonio Academy is a common thread that each alumnus shares. This thread seems to grow stronger each time alumni reunite. On Friday morning, alumni were recognized during commencement for their milestone anniversaries of 10, 25, 50 and 75 years. Of note this year: Charles Noble, Class of 1943 and his grandson, Maverick Noble, Class of 2008, celebrated their 75th and 10th anniversaries, respectively.
Alumni Welcome 8th Graders to the Ranks Dating back over two decades, the Alumni & 8th Grade Luncheon at La Fonda is a treasured annual tradition of welcoming the graduating class to the Alumni Association. Members from the Alumni Council present each 8th grader at the luncheon with an Academy Alumni gold pin as a symbol of their entry into the SAA alumni ranks. The lunch includes brief speeches in which alumni share advice and their past Academy experiences with the upcoming graduates, while all enjoy dining on the delicious Mexican food. The event is topped off with a group photo to capture the moment. Watch Chris Galvan’s advice to 8th graders here: vimeo.com/saawildcats/chrisgalvan
ALUMNI CONNECT WITH STUDENTS THROUGH SPORTMANSHIP Alumni vs. 8th Grade Tug-of-War Challenge The 4th annual Tug-ofWar Challenge is quickly becoming a fan favorite. Alumni return to campus during the Upper School Field Day to challenge the 8th graders to a friendly tug-of-war match. So far, the 8th graders have dominated this challenge due to their sheer numbers, but word is that the alumni plan to bring in reinforcements for future challenges to secure their elusive win. Alumni vs. 8th Grade Basketball Game This year’s Alumni vs. 8th Grade Basketball Game was an epic showdown of the friendly rivalry between the teams. Though neck and neck at one point in the game, alumni pulled out a victory in the end. Thanks to all the alumni, parents and students who attended and cheered on our boys to help keep this Academy tradition strong!
Year in Review, 2017–2018
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ALUMNI
2018 Colonel W.T. Bondurant, Sr. Distinguished Humanitarian Award “ I believe San Antonio Academy gave me the foundation to go forward in life. The education I received there should take credit for much of what I have accomplished.” — Scott Petty, Jr., Class of 1951
The Alumni Council of San Antonio Academy of Texas honored Scott Petty, Jr., Class of 1951, as the 2018 recipient of the Colonel W.T. Bondurant, Sr. Distinguished Humanitarian Award. In morning chapel on Tuesday, February 6, Mr. Petty was honored in front of the student body for his leadership and service to others. During his chapel remarks, he shared with students a special slide presentation entitled “Back in the Day” of photographs from his former school days at San Antonio Academy that captured a glimpse of what campus life was like when he was an Academy student. As Mr. Petty shared a photo of Col. W.T. Bondurant, Sr. to whose honor the award is named for and another of Col. W.T. Bondurant, Jr., he spoke fondly about the continuum of traditions that still exist today at SAA, such as chapel, Pass-in-Review, inspection and of course, the ever-so-popular Academy dances. A special surprise moment during his presentation was when SAA 1st grader, Rory Railsback, stood up before the audience, wearing Mr. Petty’s green, wool uniform that he wore at SAA over 65 years ago. Mr. Petty went on to express his affection for SAA and attributed much of his success to it, saying, “I believe San Antonio Academy gave me the foundation to go forward in life. The education I received there should take credit for much of what I have accomplished.”
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Following chapel, Mr. Petty viewed a formal Passin-Review on Frost Field that was held in his honor. Later that afternoon, close to 300 guests gathered in celebration of his service and achievements at an award luncheon at the Mays Family Center at the Witte Museum. SAA parent and a close friend of Mr. Petty, Todd Brockwell, shared special remarks in his honor saying, “I believe a significant factor for Scott was the foundation provided by San Antonio Academy. Some words from the (Petty) family’s mission statement which hangs in their conference room include HONESTY, INTEGRITY, RESPECT, ACCOUNTABILITY AND FAMILY. The values that Scott learned at The Academy are the ones that he and his family live by today.” Mr. Petty is a lifelong leader in geophysics, engineering, ranching and investment business. Throughout his career, he has held numerous executive positions within his companies, and has been recognized for his leadership within the science and engineering industry.
ALUMNI
Beyond his success in his professional life, Mr. Petty has invested countless hours in giving back to the community. He is an active and supportive member of various civic groups, including The Explorers Club, Texas Land & Mineral Owners Association, Order of the Alamo, Texas Cavaliers, San Antonio German Club, and Christ Episcopal Church. “His leadership with a long list of important organizations reminds us how important it is to use our gifts and talents to serve others,” said Clint DuBose, Head of School. With support from sponsors, attendees and donors who made a gift in honor of Mr. Petty, the event was a huge success for SAA, setting record-breaking totals in attendance and dollars raised. 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. Special thanks to this year’s Humanitarian Sponsors: BG Group; C.H. Guenther & Sons; Mays Family Foundation; Octagon Corporation; Joan Petty; Scott Petty Family Foundation and W. Darrell Willerson, MD and to the Partner in Education and Table Sponsors: Jefferson Bank; Jet Linx Aviation; Vicki McLaughlin; Monticello Wealth Management; Diana T. Morehouse; Red McCombs Automotive; Robert P. Thomas, MD; Amegy Bank; BKD; Michael & Jennifer Dewar; Lynnette & Trey Embrey; Frost Bank; Hasslocher Enterprises, Inc.; Person, Whitworth, Borchers & Morales; Tricia & Ryan Smith; Smyer Kaplan & Veselka; South Texas Money Management; Vinson & Elkins and Wortham Insurance & Risk Management.
The Colonel W.T. Bondurant, Sr. Distinguished Humanitarian Award is presented each year by the San Antonio Academy Alumni Council to honor a person who exemplifies the school’s most cherished values: honesty; respect; pride in achievement and service to others. Since 1977, the Alumni Council has honored individuals who exemplify the humanitarian qualities exhibited by Colonel Bondurant, Sr., who served as The Academy’s Head of School from 1927 to 1943 and as a leader in the San Antonio community.
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VIMEO.COM/SAAWILDCATSTV/TOMFROSTTRIBUTE
“ Every one of the teachers knew who you were and cared about you…San Antonio Academy was a wonderful place when I went there, but it’s even better now.” — Tom Frost, Class of 1941 Excerpt from a 2016 interview for the Blue & White Unite event video
➊ Tom (top right) poses with the Advisory Council and
Academy boys in April 2018 for a birthday greeting sent to fellow Council Member Edith McAllister, for her 100th birthday.
➋ Tom Frost (7th from the left) poses with a number of past SAA Battalion Commanders for a special group picture taken during the 2016 Commencement ceremony.
➌ Tom Frost ‘41 pictured with Jessie Oppenheimer ’31, 2008 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients.
➍ Tom Frost greets James T. Willerson ‘53, during the 2018 Colonel W.T. Bondurant, Sr. Distinguished Humanitarian Award luncheon held for Scott Petty, Jr., pictured center.
➎ Tom C. Frost, 1941 Bluebonnet Yearbook ➏ In 2014 8th graders lined up beside a banner moments before 300+ boys burst through it to celebrate the grand opening of the new turf on Frost Field.
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Saying Farewell We honor and remember Tom C. Frost, SAA Class of 1941, an extraordinary philanthropist and business leader throughout San Antonio and South Texas. To San Antonio Academy, Tom was a friend, mentor, brother and a loyal alumnus. As a student, a young Tom was involved in several clubs and activities including Captain of Company “A”; Bluebonnet Staff; football and baseball, and Valedictorian. He was one of 13 men in the Frost family who attended San Antonio Academy, including his father, T.C. Frost Class of 1927, and his grandfather and great uncles, who were among the very first students at The Academy in the 1890s.
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Throughout his life, Tom remained connected to his alma mater and to the school in countless ways. He was recognized in 1982 as the Colonel W.T. Bondurant, Sr. Distinguished Humanitarian Award recipient for exemplifying the school’s most cherished values: honesty, respect, pride in achievement and service to others. Tom was honored again in 2008 as a Distinguished Alumnus. Tom served for over 25 years as chairman of SAA’s Advisory Council, attending every meeting, including this past April, where he tirelessly continued lending his knowledge and leadership.
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“ There would be no San Antonio Academy were it not for the extraordinary efforts of Tom Frost. His influence is everywhere at The Academy. Beginning with a miracle loan in the early 80s and continuing with the sound principles of school leadership he vigilantly guided me throughout my 30+ year tenure, to his absolute emphasis on how ‘character counts and character endures’…Tom Frost’s impact on SAA and me is inestimable.”
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—John Webster, Head of School, 1985–2017
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Class Notes 2017–2018
Last winter freshmen from the Class of 2017 visited with upcoming 5th grade parents to share their experiences as they transitioned from SAA to high school. Bottom row (l-to-r): Walker Noble, Henry Satel, Vishal Nair and Ethan Parkhurst; top row (l-to-r): Jeb Brysacz and Arun Simha.
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation named Daniel Guerra '14 a semifinalist on last September 2017. He was one of 16,000 semifinalists. Daniel had the opportunity to continue in the competition with over 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $32 million in Spring 2018. Daniel is now a freshman at Yale University. Daniel is pictured here during SAA Alumni Day 2017 with new Head of School, Clint DuBose. Congratulations to Michael Shriner '14 for participating in his first, full marathon during the San Antonio 10th Annual Rock 'n' Roll Marathon in December 2017. Michael ran a 3 hour, 22 min and 17 sec time placing him in the top 2% overall (#54 out of 2,835 full marathon runners), top 3% for the men (#49 out of 1,497 male full marathon runners) and top 10% for his age division age 18-24 years (#8 out of 92 young male full marathon runners). Michael is now a freshman at Skidmore College.
Congratulations to Anthony Fletcher '17, for being recognized as the Second Highest Academically Ranked Freshman at Central Catholic High School. Anthony is now a sophomore at TMI.
Congratulations to Jack and Dan Covert ‘15, pictured far left and far right, who were part of the four-person team from Keystone High School where they won the Academic World Quest Regional Competition on March 8th. They traveled to Washington, D.C. on April 27 for the National Academic World Quest Competition. The duo are now seniors at Keystone.
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Congratulations to Vincent Notzon ‘14, for receiving the Varsity Football Moncure Award for Most Valuable Player and the Winniett Peters Award, honored during the Fall 2017 Athletics Awards Banquet at The Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia. Vincent is now a freshmen at Wakeforest and is part of its football team.
Andrew Lemke '13 (second from the right in the group photo) poses with friends during Beast at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs where in 2017, he began his college and Air Force career as a Basic Cadet.
ALUMNI Keith Hudson '83 stopped by SAA for a quick tour of campus in August 2017. While on his visit, SAA Math Teacher, Dr. Patrick Atkerson, invited him to share his experiences and life lessons learned at The Academy with the 5th grade students.
Our very own Paw Print staff got a great scoop about an Academy alumnus, which was included in the Oct. 2017 issue. Below, is a condensed version of SAA students' Patrick Snyder’s and Ekam Mehat’s article:
Javier Rocha ’91 is an active member of SAA. As an Academy dad to a (then) first grader, Javier was the Club Scout Leader of Pack 1886, which included SAA boys in 1st & 2nd grades. One afternoon he brought his Pack on campus to demonstrate how a water propelled rocket blasts off. Later in the school year, he then captivated SAA’s student body during chapel by ‘warming up the crowd’ to introduce Ken Flores, El Rey Feo LXX, who made a stop to The Academy as part of his citywide school tours for Fiesta.
Andrew Simms ’05 helped victims of Hurricane Harvey evacuate from their homes to safety. He is an Executive Officer in the National Guard. Andrew and his team of 80 soldiers saved 130 people, 25 dogs, 3 cats, and 5 horses; some of those animals and humans by using Zodiac Boats. Mr. Simms explained, “The Academy teaches a lot of the ideals and character traits that the Army seeks in its leaders and soldiers.” The values taught here at SAA prepared Lieutenant Simms to lead in the National Guard!
SAA Assistant Admissions Director, Gary Marvin ‘89, delivered fresh gummy worms to our boys attending the McCallie School in Chattanooga, TN. Mr. Marvin was touring McCallie to learn more about the high school's boarding program. Pictured: Alumni Class of 2017, left-to-right Erik Peterson, Emory Hill, Harrison Stuart, Hunter Schenk (Class of 2014), James Jacob, Michael May, Sammy Barr and Chazz Hunter.
Michael Wilson ’69 and his wife, Betsy, traveled to the “7th Continent” last January for an expedition that included a stop to the Antarctica. On their travels over land and sea, they experienced an abundance of wildlife including seals, penguins, leopards, elephants, Humpback and Orca whales. They described some of the visual wonders of the landscape as ‘beautiful blue shades of icebergs and pink-lite skies.’
IN MEMORIAM: Walter J. Buzzini III ‘45 Light T. Cummins ‘29 Tom Frost ‘41 Johnie E. Ingram, Jr. ’51 Vernon Torgerson ‘57
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Congratulations CLASS OF 2018
On May 25th, 38 young Academy men passed through the Bondurant Gate, accompanying their classmates for the very last time. From the Salutatory Address by James Hawes to Daniel Wang’s Valedictory Address, to closing comments from Honorary Scholar, John Kohl McAdams, the 132th Commencement was marked with memorable moments. We wish our graduates the very best!
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San Antonio Academy of Texas
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NEW SPORT & SPIRIT WEAR PARTNERSHIP We are excited to announce that we have committed to a partnership with the apparel store Vivroux Sports, and the Adidas brand. Located in Alamo Heights, Vivroux has outfitted the SAA community for many years, and so is a natural fit for our families. The affiliation will create numerous opportunities including consolidating all coaching apparel, varsity uniforms, and sport and spirit t-shirts. This strategic move will also positively impact San Antonio Academy’s image as we will incorporate upgraded Wildcat logo(s) and word marks that update our brand.