SUMMER 2022
FEATURES GRANDPARENTS' DAY RETURNS OVER $1 MILLION RAISED FOR AID CELEBRATING GRADUATES102218 4 Letter from Head of School 4 Letter from Board of Trustees 6 Comprehensive Site Plan 18 On Campus 22 2022 Gala For Financial Aid 1716151210GRADUATIONClassof2022CommencementSeniorAwards8thGradeGraduation8thGradeAwards5thGradeGraduation
WE ARE ARTISTS 24 'Shrek The Musical' 28 Select Choir Travels to Louisiana 29 St. Andrew's Film Festival WE ARE ATHLETES 30 Boys Take Lacrosse Title 32 Middle Schoolers Dominate Track Event 33 Three Middle School Champs WE ARE SERVANTS 34 Teacher Travels Polish-UkrainiantoBorder 36 Lower Schoolers Spread Kindness 37 Middle Schooler Interviews U.S. Surgeon General WE ARE SCHOLARS 38 Science Takes Center Stage 42 College Counseling Update 43 Luongo Elected President of American Classical League ALUMNI NEWS 44 From Student to Alumni 47 Alumni Fall Events 48 Alumni News STUDENTS SPREAD KINDNESS 36 28 CHOIR TRAVELS TO LOUISIANA
Dear St. Andrew’s Community,
It is an honor and privilege to be serving as this year’s Chair of the St. Andrew’s Board of Trustees. This is an exciting time for our school as we prepare to embark on a capital campaign that will allow us to bring beautiful new spaces that inspire teaching, learning, creativity, and mind-body wellness. Although there is much excitement surrounding these wonderful dualcampus improvements, our Board never loses sight of what makes St. Andrew’s special and that is the people.
A new parent described to me the reason they chose St. Andrew’s for their family. She said it was “a feeling they had when they stepped onto our campus.” She described an energy at our school that felt like a warm hug and interactions that felt authentic. It is those qualities we will continue to nurture and preserve. Our enhanced campuses will provide an inspiring environment where teachers, students, and parents can create authentic connections so that every person in our community can feel that warm hug and sense of belonging.
Yvette Rios
Faithfully, Melissa Grubb Head of School St. Andrew’s Episcopal School
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Chair, Board of Trustees Parent of Sofia Wesbecher ‘25
Dear St. Andrew’s Community,
FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
I am constantly inspired by the work we do together, and I am looking forward to the many priorities and plans we have in place for the 2022-2023 school year. Our athletes and fine artists are gearing up for practices and auditions, our teachers are prepping for in-service and lesson planning after a summer filled with professional development, our Teacher Fellowship Program has launched, and we are moving forward with our inspirational and very exciting 25Year Comprehensive Site Plan. Many good things are happening on both our campuses, and I hope you enjoy the stories we are sharing in this edition of our Highlander Magazine.
What an incredible spring and summer we have had at our beloved school! You will see so many stories that reflect our wonderful community of faculty, families, students, alumni and volunteers.
Chair of Board of Trustees, Yvette Rios
Assistant Head of School, Alice Nezzer
Administration
St. Andrew’s Upper School
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St. Andrew’s sees diversity as an integral element of community and education, and a vital facet of our mission, core values, and Episcopal identity. We believe that community diversity manifests in many ways, including ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, family composition, and physical ability. In our commitment to attracting, fostering, and celebrating all aspects of diversity, St. Andrew’s aims to create an intentional environment of equity and inclusion.
We recognize that this work is constantly evolving as we address the changing needs of a diverse community and as we educate our students to engage with a diverse world. We believe that our strength and resilience as a community stem from our commitment to respect the dignity of every human being as a child of God.
— Based on trust, traditions, communication, appreciation, and support
Head of Lower School, Katy Roybal
St. Andrew’s Lower and Middle School
5901 Southwest Parkway, Austin, TX 78735
SPIRITUAL FOUNDATION — To develop moral behavior
The mission of St. Andrew's Episcopal School is to provide an enriched academic program within a Christian environment emphasizing the fulfillment of each student's potential.
Statement of Purpose
Head of Upper School, Ben Courchesne
Diversity Statement of Purpose
HIGH EXPECTATIONS — Reflected in both the knowledge base and behavior of the faculty, staff, students, parents, and board members CARING, CELEBRATION, AND HUMOR — Fostered by kindness and collegiality
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St. Andrew’s seeks students of character and intelligence from diverse ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds. The school strives to help young people achieve their potential not only in intellectual understanding but also in esthetic sensitivity, physical well-being, athletic prowess and moral decisiveness so that they may lead productive, responsible lives, not only for themselves, but also for their community
Statement of Nondiscrimination
St. Andrew’s Episcopal School admits qualified students regardless of race, color, nationality, ethnicity, religion, physical disability, socioeconomic status, sex, gender identity or sexual orientation. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, nationality, ethnicity, religion, physical disability, socioeconomic status, sex, gender identity or sexual orientation in the administration of any policies or programs generally accorded or made available to students at the school.
St. Andrew’s Episcopal School sasaustin.org
1112 W. 31st Street, Austin, TX 78705
Core COMMUNITYValues
Mission Statement
Head of School, Melissa Grubb
Head of Middle School, Tim Moore
The result of this 18-month process, which included significant community, faculty, and administrative input, is a dual-campus site plan which was approved unanimously and enthusiastically by our Board of Trustees. It includes a long-term vision for growth, improved and new academic, arts and athletic facilities to provide immediate impact, and more creative use of our ample outdoor spaces with an eye on sustainable design and build.
■ We want to offer both best-in-class sports facilities and a variety of enhanced arts programming and facilities that fuel healthy hearts and minds,
■ We want our spaces to invite collaboration and creativity while building community.
students and teachers:
During the course of this planning process, we have looked at reworking our buildings, our outdoor spaces and our parking. It became more and more apparent that the 31st Street campus is limited for appropriate program growth. We need bigger, better and more flexible classrooms, age-appropriate STEAM labs, special program areas, community spaces for our students and faculty, and designated fine arts facilities for Lower School students. Our beloved 31st Street campus has been able to expand over the last seven decades with the growth of our school and student population, but today we are simply out of room. At our Upper School, classroom expansions and improvements are very needed along with an additional gym, fields and court space, a dedicated STEM Center, a ten-court tennis facility as well as reimagined outdoor learning spaces to help educate and inspire our students.
“I am beyond thrilled that we are moving forward with this incredible plan,” said Head of School Melissa Grubb. “This process has been thoughtful, visionary and inclusive of the needs of our students, faculty, and families and I cannot wait to see this plan become our reality. What a gift we have in front of us!”
■ We want to focus on creating the best academic programs - and proper facilities to support these programs - to challenge and inspire our students,
LPA’s educational expertise is focused on the individual, supporting both the social and learning experiences of every student and educator. They have collaborated on strategic facility and campus plans, on new construction, and on complex building renovations that are innovative and high-performing. “Designing engaging spaces creates engaged students,” said LPA Project Architect Federico Cavazos.
“This Site plan will enhance the student and teacher experience in new ways and allow our students to learn and grow to their best potential as scholars, artists, athletes and servants,” said Mrs. Grubb.
With this new Comprehensive Site Plan, which contemplates the next 25 years of growth at St. Andrew’s, we believe this is the time to be bold and visionary for our
This plan is bold and visionary and it is intended to continue elevating St. Andrew’s to be best-in-class academically, artistically, and competitively in sports across all divisions with a strong focus on health, wellness, and spiritual growth to form a strong foundation for high achievement and innovation.
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In 2021, the Board of Trustees and St. Andrew’s Administration began an intensive effort to develop a new Comprehensive Site Plan for the school. With a focus on creating the best learning environments for our students K-12, St. Andrew’s partnered with LPA architects to fully evaluate and make recommendations for both campuses.
■ We want to take advantage of the ample outdoor spaces at our Southwest Parkway campus and revitalize the use of outdoor space on our 31st Street campus with an eye on experiential and outdoor learning,
St. Andrew’s Eye on the Future Our New 25-Year Comprehensive Site Plan
This new Comprehensive Site Plan considers a variety of exciting options and opportunities, all with an eye on
Simply put, we want St. Andrew’s to be the most desirable education in Central Texas that will continue to attract and retain excellent teachers and families.
St. Andrew’s Episcopal School // sasaustin.org // 7 SOUTHWEST PARKWAY CAMPUS SITE DIAGRAM AND ENTRY 31ST STREET CAMPUS SITE DIAGRAM AND ENTRY
■ A welcoming and identifiable entrance with new admissions and administrative offices,
■ Collaborative spaces and STEAM labs,
■ A STEM Center with new admissions and administrative offices,
■ A new dining hall and pavilion that will allow for indoor and outdoor food service,
■ A new 1st-3rd classroom building with larger and more flexible classrooms,
enhancing the student experience. On our Southwest Parkway campus, this plan envisions:
■ A new Health and Wellness Center and Gymnasium,
■ Updated classroom wings, and
■ Reimagined community and outdoor spaces for our students and faculty,
As we evaluated the Middle School experience, and our hopes and dreams for our 6th, 7th and 8th graders and the reality of our limited space on the 31st Street
31ST STREET CAMPUS CLASSROOM NORTH, FROM LEFT, DINING HALL, AND CLASSROOM COURTYARD
■ Ten tennis courts and new fields,
■ Improvements to Dell Hall to accommodate our fourth and fifth graders,
The most transformative component of this new plan is the eventual relocation of our Middle School to the Southwest Parkway campus, where we would build a new multi-story, self-contained Middle School building.
On our 31st Street campus, our new plan includes:
■ Designated fine arts spaces and redesigned outdoor spaces for learning and play, and
SOUTHWEST PARKWAY CAMPUS GYM, FROM LEFT, STEM AND ARTS QUAD
■ A new Middle School (relocated from 31st Street),
As we look toward celebrating our 70th year as a school, we move into this next phase of our Comprehensive Site Plan with great hope and optimism for our future. This will be our largest community effort in the history of our school and we look forward to sharing more in the near future.
We will maintain the integrity of our programming and traditions that make the St. Andrew’s Middle School experience special, but a move to Southwest Parkway will only enhance those experiences and opportunities for our students, allowing for Middle and Upper faculty cross-collaboration, better curriculum alignment, student leadership and mentorship opportunities, and gradual student enrollment growth. In addition, the many years of transporting Middle School students to Southwest Parkway for sports and fine arts in the afternoons will no longer be necessary. St. Andrew’s administration is working on an increased busing plan that will allow for
A Campaign Feasibility Study, including a communitywide survey, launched this summer in partnership with DiniSpheris and St. Andrew’s Advancement Office to help determine which projects will be prioritized. Those results will be shared in the fall.
more transportation options between campuses and in the Austin area.
campus, it became more and more apparent that our students’ and faculty’s needs will best be met at the Southwest Parkway campus.
Next Steps
For the full
of hundreds of family, friends, facultyand staff, St. Andrew's proudly graduated 102 members of the Class of 2022 on Saturday, May 28. The class elected Asst. Director of College Counseling, Chad Fulton, first photo to right, as their faculty speaker and classmate Leo Vernor, second photo to right, as their student speaker. Both delivered beautiful, thoughtful and at times, very funny, speeches. After the ceremony graduates greeted faculty and staff in the traditional "hug line" before finding their proud family and friends waiting for them on Nazro Green for pictures and celebrations.
Our
Earlier in the week among the various ceremonies, celebrations and “lasts” that took place for the Class of 2022, faculty and department awards were presented in the chapel with classmates, faculty and family in attendance. AlumniNewest
QRscangallery,photothiscode.
10 2022 GRADUATIONInfront
St. Andrew’s Episcopal School // sasaustin.org // 11 THE CLASS OF COMMENCEMENT2022
DEPARTMENTAL AWARDS 2022 GRADUATION
The English Awards
Priya Julian and Hunter McDonald
The
Laney Goodrum, Maja Urban and Avery Wayne
The Science Awards
Senior Awards History Awards
Julia Cotlar, Hunter McDonald and Ella Parker
The Packwood Math Awards
Caroline Anderson, Julia Cotlar and Kendall Hall
The Mandarin Language Award Ella TheSheehanSpanish Language Award Daphne Nguyen The Latin Language Award Bering Edwards The Theatre Discipline Award Johnny Bennett The Technical Theater Award Sarah Cary and Luke Weaver The Warren TaylorTheAveryTheGraceFilmmakingTheJennaVisualTheLeoPrintmakingTheAliceTheBellaMusicTheHenriInstrumentalDicksonMusicAwardMartiniandKavyaSrinivasanWarrenDicksonVocalAwardCastroandPriyaJulianSeniorYearbookAwardLaynePhotography/PhotographicAwardVernorSusanKemner-ReedArtsAwardSchneiderKethanKumarAwardMcGrathFilmmakingAwardWayneReligiousStudiesAwardBlackwood Awarded for exemplary performance during a student’s entire Upper School experience.
Proud members of the Class of 2022, along with family, friends, and teachers, celebrating the end of their academic career at St. Andrew's.
Claudia Ellington and Michaela Mgba
PILLAR
This award is given to that student whose curiosity, positive energy, and supportive attitude consistently improve the classroom experience for fellow students and for teachers, regardless of discipline. This student’s presence, the faculty agrees, is a tide that lifts all boats.
By charting a path of dramatic growth throughout their individual high school journey, this senior exemplifies the tenacity and composure of the founder of the Upper School, Hilary H. Carlson.
GRADUATIONAWARDSAWARDS
Elle Garcia and Brady Kurad
The Artist Award Bray Stratton
The Athlete Awards
Laney Goodrum and Brady Kurad
The Faculty Prize
The Cornerstone Award
Caroline Martineau and Mia Tobias
The Episcopal tradition values employing the head and the heart in all that we do. Both are essential to encouraging people to love themselves, love their neighbors, and serve the deep needs of the world. Through our common life together, St. Andrew’s fosters a sense of each person’s belovedness and the desire to “strive for justice and peace among all people, and to respect the dignity of every human being.” The winner of this award embodies the spirit of our school’s foundation.
Julia Cotlar and Krista Drako
Bella Castro, Mackenzie Soldano and Kavya Srinivasan
Rico Beuerlein and Alejandra Vidaurri
The Scott Field Bailey Servant Awards
The Scholar Awards
Gray Eiland and Leo Vernor
2022 GRADUATION
The Hilary H. Carlson Award
Established to commemorate the pioneering Class of 2002, the Cornerstone Award recognizes that outstanding senior whose principled audacity and original thinking push the school to be a better version of itself.
The Lucy Collins Nazro Award
Created to honor former Head of School Lucy Collins Nazro in recognition of her love of this school and her ability to unite and inspire others, this award goes to that remarkable senior who contributes in thoughtful ways to improve the life of the St. Andrew’s community.
The St. Andrew Award
For the full photo gallery of 8th-grade graduation, scan this QR code.
On May 25, 2022, the St. Andrew's 8th graders — the Class of 2026 —celebrated the end of their middle school careers with a commencement ceremony in Nazro Hall. Alice Nezzer delivered her final homily as Head of Middle School, reminding students that St. Andrew's will always be their home. Congratulations to all 77 students on their hard work throughout middle school — we're excited to watch you continue to excel in high school.
Members of the Class of 2026 at their commencement ceremony in May
St. Andrew’s Episcopal School // sasaustin.org // 15
ofClass2026
Onto High School
This is the “E for Effort” award, one give to a student who works diligently at his or her responsibilities, does not necessarily get the top results, but who keeps the faith and demonstrates good cheer about any task or challenge. This student consistently demonstrates hard work, dedication, and a positive attitude.
The Faculty’s collective choice for that 8th grade student who seems to most completely represent what St. Andrew’s Middle School is all about, a student who embodies our four pillars of scholar, artist, athlete, and servant. He/she doesn’t have to have the best grades, be the most talented artist or athlete, or have the most hours of community service. But this person should be exemplary on all accounts. This person needs to participate in our four pillars.
This award is given in honor and memory of Adrienne Grooms, the first math teacher in the middle school.
This person demonstrates perseverance and does not make excuses. They learn from their mistakes and show a willingness to improve on them. They get out of their comfort zone. They are mindful of their interpersonal skills and have worked on their relationships with teachers and peers.
The award is given in honor and memory of Bill Costas, a former math teacher, who emphasized a positive work ethic to his students.
The Faculty Medal
16 2022 GRADUATION
The Bill Costas Medal
The Faculty Award is presented annually to an 8th grade student who from the beginning of their Middle School experience to the end has shown significant growth and maturity both academically and socially.
8th GRADE AWARDS
Adrienne Grooms Medal
Hannah S. and Abby G.
Cameron L.
Cameron L. is presented with the Adrienne Grooms Medal by Head of Middle School Alice Nezzer.
Marcus B.
Marcus B. is presented with the Faculty Medal by Head of Middle School Alice Nezzer.
This class was our very first kindergarten class to graduate to the sixth grade and we are eternally grateful to our donor families who helped establish Eleanor Hall and our kindergarten program at St. Andrew’s! Step: Middle School!
St. Andrew’s Episcopal School
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Patrick B., Gabriel R., and PK B. celebrating their new status as middle schoolers.
Next
In a chapel ceremony on May 19, Ms. Roybal waved her wand over the 5th graders declaring them officially 6th graders! Three members of the Class of 2029 addressed the audience, reminiscing about their time in the Lower School and sharing their hopes for middle school. Congratulations 5th graders on this exciting step — we know you'll do great things in middle school!
Head of Lower School Katy Roybal declares the Class of 2029 to officially be middle schoolers.
Class of 2029 moves on!
18 Kai B. ‘26 completed Pre-Calculus during his eighth grade year! This is a feat rarely accomplished for a student Kai’s age – we look forward to seeing what he accomplishes with his passion and talent for mathematics as he enters high school!
Seventh and eighth graders traveled to Camp Buckner and Fort Davis, respectively - students bonded with swimming, hikes, cave trips, horseback rides, and more! Some of the most memorable learning for our middle schoolers happens outside of the classroom – these trips are an important piece of the middle school experience.
March saw the return of the Senior Campout – seniors made memories camping under the stars, and a little rain, at the Upper School and enjoying an unforgettable night of class camaraderie.
EIGHTH GRADER ACES PRE-CAL
CAMPOUTSENIORENJOYS
MIDDLE SCHOOL EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
CLASS OF '22
ON CAMPUS
The Class of 2023 ushered in their new era on Senior Step-Up Day, their traditional celebration of the junior class becoming seniors. The Class of 2023 started the day with donuts and car-decorating, then enjoyed lunch as a class and splashed around with a water slide and water balloon fight.
SAS FAMILY
FIRST GRADERS VISIT UPPER SCHOOL HELP FAMILIES SETTLE INTO AUSTIN
CLASS OF 2023 STEPS UP
In April, first graders made their way to the Upper School campus to meet their senior friends in a beloved springtime tradition. First graders had a blast playing games, taking a walk in The PARK, and getting their faces painted with their senior buddies!
AFGHANI
St. Andrew’s Episcopal School // sasaustin.org // 19
Luke W. ‘26 and Cole W. ‘27, along with their parents, have been working to support two families who moved to Austin as refugees from Afghanistan. Along with a clothing and toy drive that they organized for the two families, Luke and Cole have focused on easing their transition to the United States and forming relationships with the families. “We used the Google Translate app on our phones to communicate with the older kids, and it was awesome to understand each other - I thought it would be harder to do. It was nice to meet the younger kids too. It didn’t matter that we couldn’t speak each other’s language. We were laughing together and playing together. I feel like fun is its own language.” said Luke.
MIDDLE SCHOOLERS LEND A HAND AT CAMP ON CAMPUS
SECOND-GRADERS START CLEANUP EFFORT
Many Middle School students volunteered at St. Andrew’s camp this summer, supporting younger students in Harry Potter DronesAromatherapyCamp,Camp,Camp,andso many more!
20 Grace McGrath ‘22 premiered her film SB8 at the 2022 South by Southwest Film Festival. The film was written and directed by McGrath with cinematography by Hanna Hutcheson ‘22 and starring Ixel Aguilar ‘22. SB8 was part of the highly selective High School category, which screened at the Alamo Drafthouse to a packed house on March 12, 2022.
Second graders Ellie B., Alexis M., and Isabella C., are founding members of the Pick It Up Club. Each week of the 2021-22 school year, they picked up trash around campus and reported back to Lower School administration how many pieces they collected to track their progress. These stewards of our campus help keep it looking its very best - bravo!
Priya Julian ‘22 was one of eight finalists in the Concordia University High School Young toToCompetition.Voicesmakeitthefinals,
The Upper School Service Council had a meaningful year of service during the 2021-22 school year. Among other things, they have collected and delivered supplies for the Refugee Services of Texas, collaborated with mutual aid organization Street Forum ATX to provide clothes, food, and supplies to people experiencing homelessness, and sat vigil with Nonviolent Austin at the Texas Capitol for an end to war, poverty, racism, and environmental destruction.
SERVICE COUNCIL CELEBRATES A SUCCESSFUL YEAR
McGRATH PREMIERES MOVIE AT SXSW
JULIAN MAKES THE FINALS OF COMPETITIONELITE
Priya had to submit video recordings of two memorized solos with at least one in a foreign language. Priya gave a beautiful performance of Handel’s Ah! Mio Cor at the final concert. This is the second year in the row that a St. Andrew’s singer has made it into the final round of this elite competition.
St. Andrew’s Episcopal
GRANDPARENTS' DAY RETURNS!
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This spring, St. Andrew’s grandparents and special friends got to experience a glimpse of daily life on 31st Street and Southwest Parkway. Grandparents’ Day is a favorite event for so many of our families, and it was made all the sweeter this year after pivoting online for 2021. Across all three divisions, grandparents and special friends were treated to chapel services, performances, and special lessons with their students. “I was surprised about how much fun it can be to be in school again,” said Dan Ahearn, who spent the day with sophomore Finley Ahearn. “School is a lot different than when I was in school. It's a lot more practical, and the teachers seem to be doing things that are more interesting for the students.”
For many Grandparents’grandparents,Daywas the first time they had ever seen their grandchild’s school. The joy was palpable all morning long with students eager to show off their classrooms, introduce their teachers, and tell all about their favorite lessons of the year.
Garrison Brothers bourbon, tossed horseshoes, and admired the evening’s Derby fashion!
Over $1
On a beautiful April evening, St. Andrew’s welcomed 500 parents and friends to the Southwest Parkway campus for the 2022 Gala For Financial Aid: A Night At The Derby. All throughout the month, excitement was brewing for the first in-person gala since 2019 – the community was ready to gather, dance, and most importantly, give. The Gala for Financial Aid is the largest single source of support for the financial aid program, and the funds raised during the gala help nearly 150 students attend St. Andrew’s and enjoy all that this special community has to offer.
Head of School Melissa Grubb kicked off the evening’s program, speaking on how financial aid changed the trajectory of her own life: “I can only hope that the work I am blessed to do at St. Andrew’s has begun to repay the many donors, faculty, and staff who decades ago started the path not only for me, but for countless others like me.”
Dressed in their Derby best, guests began to roll into cocktail hour, greeted with mint juleps and live music from the Upper School jazz band. Guests mingled over
Guests enjoyed a fabulous Southern-inspired menu by 34th Street Cafe before the auction began. The Cowboy Auctioneers ran a lively and energetic auction, showing off fabulous items like a home in Nantucket, an exclusive Austin FC experience in the Owner’s Suite, and a spring break ski trip in Montana. After a fabulous success at Million Raised for Financial Aid at Spring Gala
the auction, guests danced the night away with music by The Spazmatics.
Between the live auction, online auction, sponsorships, and donations, the St. Andrew’s community raised over $1,000,000 for the Financial Aid program during the gala. These funds will make a true impact, allowing St. Andrew’s students to explore their full potential as scholars, athletes, artists, and servants. It means that St. Andrew’s can continue to build a student body filled with exceptional students from different socioeconomic backgrounds, bringing a healthy mixture of perspectives to the classroom and enables all students to discover and expand upon their knowledge of the world.
A very special thanks to Co-Chairs Lisa Borgerding and Laurie Curry and the amazing Gala Committee for all their hard work planning this wonderful event.
Thank you for supporting the Financial Aid program! Save the date for next year’s gala on Saturday, April 15, 2023.
When it came time to select 2022’s Middle School musical, director Jason Kruger knew it had to be something special. Looking at his group of theater and choir students, he saw a group of students who were engaged, excited, and ready to take the stage, but whose performance experiences had been somewhat limited because of the pandemic.
Photography by Peggy Keelan Middle School Stuns in 'Shrek The Musical'
24 WE ARE ARTISTS
“We were looking for a show that would not only give the kids a lot of opportunities for roles, but something that would be fun for both them and the audience,” said Kruger. Shrek: The Musical fit the bill! Preparation began, with the cast and crew rehearsing songs like “What’s Up, Duloc?” and “Freak Flag,” creating otherworldly sets and costumes, and bringing to life the fairytale world
It's Not Easy Being Green
St. Andrew’s Episcopal School sasaustin.org
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through Covid and everything else. It was wonderful to get to do one last show with my music director Alec Warn as well as my principal and friend Alice Nezzer, who has been in more Middle School musicals than anyone in history!” Shrek was a truly memorable show to both end Kruger’s time at the Middle School and to energize this group of talented Middle School performers to continue their theatrical career at St. Andrew’s.
Shrek in particular was the scope of work needed to bring a fantasy world like Shrek to life. When the musical in question is based on an animated film, Kruger needed to think through how to make the magic come alive on stage. “Costumes, scenery, props, lighting, and projections all had an exaggerated element. Since a lot of our budget was spent on costumes and building scenery, I spent many late night hours painting castle bricks and a giant bridge over lava in the dragon’s keep.”
and required four Upper School students to operate it, and certainly brought a bit more whimsy to the Thoughproduction.Shrekwas
One particularly fantastical element of the show was the giant dragon puppet, spanning twenty feet, that was used in several scenes. Even more special was the fact that the puppet was the exact one used in the national Broadway tour of Shrek The Musical! The puppet was enormous
Kruger’s last Middle School musical, he takes fond memories of the show with him in his new role on Southwest Parkway: “I’m so proud of this group of students. I’m proud of the story they created and their perseverance
of Duloc. It was truly an all-handson-deck experience, even spanning grades outside of the Middle School. Olivia Stapleton ‘22 served as makeup artist as part of her Senior Project in which she learned the art of stage makeup and prosthetics and Greyson B. ‘32 and Madison B. ‘31 played Baby Shrek and Baby Fiona,
Arespectively.largefeatfor
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“A woman approached me after the performance at the retirement home to say that she was struggling that day, but prayed and felt like the Lord told her to come down to our performance, and that we had filled her soul with music and love. Seeing the effect our singers can have on a community simply by doing what they love is humbling and inspiring.” said Gasco. Engaging with the locals, the culture, and the seasoned professionals of Louisiana made for a memorable return to touring.
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Students were able to participate in collegiate-level voice clinics in both cities. They trained at Louisiana State University with Dr. Trey Davis, Associate Director of Choral Studies.
Cate Gasco directs the Select Choir in a performance.
For Upper School
repertoire included everything from vocal jazz and movements from John Rutter’s Requiem to sea shanties and spirituals, and their beautiful music truly impacted their audiences.
Select Choir, the annual tour is one of the highlights of the year. During the tour, students travel to new destinations to perform for new audiences, hone their craft, and see new corners of the United States. Previous years have seen the group travel to Washington DC, Chicago, New York City, and more.
After the pandemic canceled the tour in 2021, this group of Select Choir students was especially enthusiastic to get on the road again. This year’s destination was Louisiana, with the choir traveling to both Baton Rouge and New Orleans. “New Orleans has so many things that make it a great destination for us: it’s a drivable road trip, it offers amazing performance opportunities, outstanding educational excursions, historic landmarks, universities, museums, and delicious dining! This was my third time going to New Orleans with Select Choir.” said piano teacher Lori Hahn. Choir director Cate Gasco decided to add Baton Rouge as a stop on the trip for the opportunity to work with Dr. Trey Davis at Louisiana State University and to observe the LSU Chamber Singers rehearsal. Said Gasco, “This gave the students the chance to envision how they could be a part of choir when they go to college, and what the quality of an excellent university choir sounds like.”
After their collegiate clinics, it was time for Select Choir to put their new knowledge to work in several performances. The choir sang in New Orleans’ famous French Quarter, at the Villa St. Maurice Retirement Community, and for the congregation of Trinity Episcopal Church. Their
Dr. Davis is the conductor of both the LSU Chorale and the LSU Tiger Glee Club. At Loyola University New Orleans, Select Choir studied with Dr. Meg Frazier, Director of the School of Music. Along with being the director of Choral Activities at the university, Dr. Frazier has conducted for allstate choirs in Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alaska, and Louisiana, as well as conducted all-region choirs in 15 states. Students were honored to train under these two professionals, and they received high praise for their artistry and excellent vocal tone by both Dr. Davis and Dr. Frazier.
Choir also made time for some sightseeing during the tour – the group visited the National World War II Museum, went on a jazz cruise (and performed an impromptu
Select Choir Brings the Music to Louisiana
“My favorite part of the entire festival was getting to spend some of my last hours with the senior film students who had some of the best films in the festival. I loved hearing them talk on stage about their experiences in film over the years and what they plan to do after graduation,” said Charlie.
for sharing the joy of music outside our local community. I hope it gives them compassion for others in communities different from ours. I hope it gives them confidence in their abilities, responsibility to operate as a team, and maturity in their interactions as guests of new communities. We have the best students to teach and guide through their high school years and including this tour in our curriculum ensures amazing lifetime memories!”
Student filmmakers featured in the film festival were Grace McGrath, Avery Wayne, Hanna Hutcheson, Dexter Glassco, Julia Johnson, Jacob Kruger, Kelly Carolan, Emaline Davis, Marshall Harrell, Charlie Cahoon, and Ben Stapleton. Charlie Cahoon ‘24 drew inspiration for his film from the St. Andrew’s campus itself. “I was in an instrument room in the music hall with Mr. E and Grace McGrath. I enjoyed how the room looked so I decided to make a film with a plot that was surrounded by the vibe of the room.” Though Charlie ran into some challenges while shooting his film, primarily working around the different schedules of his many actors, he was thrilled with how
Upper School film students before the St. Andrew's Film Festival.
Select Choir, cont.
St. Andrew’s Episcopal School // sasaustin.org // 29
It's Showtime!
of serving their community through music. I hope they gain new skills and a new understanding of their repertoire through collegiate clinics. I hope they gain an appreciation for their ability to touch the lives of others through song, and that they look for ways to continue to use their gifts and skills to help others.”
concert) on the Natchez Steamboat, and braved a historic Ghost Tour in the French Quarter.
The festival was not only a memorable send-off for the senior filmmakers to celebrate their film accomplishments at St. Andrew’s, but also an inspiring event for younger film students as they look ahead to their career at school.
Austin is home to many renowned festivals: the Austin Film Festival, South by Southwest, Austin City Limits – but this May, the festival at the center of attention on Southwest Parkway was the St. Andrew’s Film Festival.
the film turned out and was honored to be featured among so many student filmmakers that he admires.
Being an artist means you are constantly learning – the Select Choir Tour allows choral students to learn from seasoned professionals, experience new places, and engage with different perspectives. Ms. Gasco hopes that after every tour, Select Choir “leaves with a reinvigorated love of music and love
Select St. Andrew’s film students had their works screened at the St. Andrew’s Film Festival on May 20. From experimental to documentary to comedy and drama, all kinds of genres were showcased - there was truly something for every audience member. Film teacher Rommel Eclarinal headed up the festival, hand-selecting each film to make for the most memorable screening.
Film Students Impress at St. Andrew's Film Festival
For Lori Hahn, the tour has similar effects on students. “I hope it helps our students discover a passion
After going undefeated against 3A SPC opponents in the regular season, the St. Andrew’s Boys’ Lacrosse team secured the #1 seed in the conference tournament and were fortunate enough to make a run for the title on their home field as St. Andrew’s hosted the 3A and 4A SPC boys lacrosse championship tournaments this spring.
St. Stephen’s, in the first game of the tournament. In a hard-fought battle, St. Andrew’s prevailed 9-7 behind strong performances from sophomore goalie Gus Stratton and junior Cullen Dawkins.
Boys Lacrosse makes History
30 WE ARE ATHLETES
The Highlanders took on cross town rival,
The win put them in the title game facing Trinity Valley, the #2 seed in 3A. After a back and forth first half, with multiple lead changes, Trinity Valley took control in the third quarter taking a 14-9 lead with
time winding down. But with seconds remaining in the period, St. Andrew’s senior attackman, Kris Latreille, put one in the net, creating a palpable momentum swing the Highlanders would carry with them into the fourth quarter.
St. Andrew’s Episcopal School // sasaustin.org // 31
The Highlanders dominated the final frame, holding the Trojans scoreless and finally knotting the score at 14 with 3:40 left in the game. The 2022 title would be come down to a “next goal wins” sudden victory scenario as they headed to overtime tied at 14.
winning goal just over a minute into the extra period. Latreille was again the hero, beating his man from behind the goal and sneaking a shot past the goalie to secure the first title for the St. Andrew’s Boys’ Lacrosse program in the 15-14 victory.
Congratulations to first year coach, Chris Delfausse, seniors Aiden Cary, Josh Gilbert, Dexter Glassco, Stuart Kim, Chet King, Kris Latreille, Daniel Ledet, Luke Precourt and the rest of the coaching staff and players on an incredibly successful season and SPC Championship!
The Highlanders didn’t waste any time, scoring the
■ 5th/6th girls 4x1 and 7th/8th girls 4x1 both took 2nd
■ 7th/8th boys 4x2 and 4x4 both finished 2nd
Congratulations to all our middle school track and field athletes on a very successful season!
■ Mary Louise T. won the shot put and discus events in the 7th/8th girls division, setting a school record in shot put.
■ Holly H. won high jump and placed 3rd in the mile in the 5th/6th girls division
With impressive performances from every member of the team, the St. Andrew’s Middle School Track and Field program put on a dominating performance at the AIPL Championship meet held at St. Andrew’s this spring. Three of the four teams (5th/6th boys, 7th/8th girls, 7th/8th boys) took home the title in their respective divisions and though it is tough to not include them all, here are some highlights of the event:
■ 5th/6th boys 4x1 won their race and were undefeated on the season
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5th - 8th Track and Field Dominate AIPL Championship
■ Reed R. won the 800m with a time of 2.05.40, beating his own school record, setting an AIPL record and recording the fastest time in that event by a middle schooler in the country!
School // sasaustin.org // 33
St. Andrew’s Episcopal
These Class of ‘26 and ‘27 athletes have seen much success during their time at St. Andrew’s and didn’t let up this season. We’re excited to see many of them perform at the high school level next year, and to watch the 8th graders continue the tradition of winning at the middle school level.
7th/8th Grade Girls teams bring home a championship each season of the 2021 - 2022 year!
Though the rosters and coaches may have been a little different each season, our 7th-8th girls 1A teams all had one thing in common: winning! Ok, actually two: hard work and winning! The volleyball, basketball and track and field teams all had successful regular seasons and took home the AIPL championships in their division. The Volleyball team went 6-2 in the regular and defeated Trinity in the AIPL championship in straight sets. After very close losses to both Trinity and St. Stephen’s in the regular season, the basketball team had a chance for redemption, facing both teams in the AIPL tournament. They beat St. Stephen’s in the semi final 24-18, and bested Trinity 21-15 for the championship. As mentioned earlier, each member of the track and field team gave great performances in the AIPL championship meet, to finish with 175 points, 58.5 ahead of second place Trinity, to bring home the third AIPL title for the 7th-8th girls of the year.
7th - 8th Girls Seasoned(Three)areChamps!
While they assisted some refugees by driving them for ten hours to Warsaw in an additional Microbus they rented, the group found that the place with the most to do was the train station in Przemysl, Poland, which was a major hub of travel from Lviv, Ukraine.
LendingSERVANTS a Helping Hand
on at the border and which organizations are in the most need of help.”
By Kelly Carolan '23
34 WE ARE
During spring break, Mr. Barton Ballard, a St. Andrew’s Middle School history teacher, traveled along with a group of his relatives to the Polish-Ukrainian border to help refugees through direct action.
Since he couldn't speak Russian, Mr. Ballard found that the most meaningful thing he could do to help was to volunteer with World Central Kitchen, which is a non
Middle School Teacher Volunteers at the Polish-Ukrainian Border During Spring Break
With over $80,000 raised from their GoFundme, on Monday, March 14 the group flew to Vilnius, Lithuania, where they rented an RV to drive to a town on the Polish border. Mr. Ballard said, “I think one of our big fears was that we would show up there and we wouldn't really have any way to contribute. We were especially afraid we might be in the way. Part of the reason we rented the RV is we wanted to make sure that we didn't take up hotel space, for instance.”
Originally published in the St. Andrew’s Upper School newspaper The Tartan.
Mr. Ballard traveled with his cousins and extended family, most of whom speak Russian and hoped to offer language services. Their GoFundme states, “This crisis is personal to our group for different reasons, but ultimately, we all felt compelled to do something concrete to help. One goal is to broadcast to our communities what’s going
Approximately five million Ukrainians have been displaced or fled their homes since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in February. As the refugee crisis worsens, bordering countries rush to provide aid to the incoming refugees.
As one of the largest and worst refugee crises in recent history, the sheer amount of people displaced is overwhelming, and the future looks dim. Mr. Ballard said “it also felt a little bit like there's no end to it, meaning that regardless of whether this conflict ends anytime soon, the likelihood that these people are going to be able to go home is not large, because a lot of their homes don't exist anymore or they're dangerous to be in. So where are they going to go next? How are they going to get jobs? Are they going to choose to stay outside of Ukraine? Are they going to go back? What's the political situation going to be
profit organization who is “first to the frontlines, providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises, [and builds] resilient food systems with locally led solutions,” according to its website.
Barton Ballard and his cousins volunteered with World Central Kitchen while at the Polish-Ukrainian border.
While volunteering for WCK, Mr. Ballard chopped vegetables, peeled potatoes, and made applesauce among other jobs. At the train stations, he handed out food from WCK, or from other local kitchens run by Polish nationals. He recalled a fast paced scene: “a lot of times they were short staffed, or it was crazy busy,” he said. “Sometimes trains would come in that had a lot of refugees, and they would all come across at once. So you would just be handing out bags of food as quickly as you could.”
St. Andrew’s Episcopal School // sasaustin.org // 35
Mr. Ballard’s cousins were able to interact more directly because of their language skills which caused them to have a “more intense experience, and in some ways, emotional experience than [he] did.” They spent most of their time helping people navigate the train system, or facilitating contact between families. Most Ukrainian
men are required to stay and help defend against Russia. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), states that 90% of the refugees are women and children, who are left to fend for themselves on the border. “Sometimes that was a problem,” said Mr. Ballard, “the husband didn’t know where the wife and kids really were or were going. A lot of times they would show up and they didn't have anywhere to stay that evening. We would drive them or sometimes just help them get on a bus to go to a center where they could have a cot and sleep.”
there? They're just so many unanswered questions.”
“It was a really powerful experience in so many ways,” Mr. Ballard says, “and I'm really glad we did it. Especially considering that we didn't really know what we were doing. We were just hoping that we could be of help. I think the biggest thing is just coming back and being able to talk about the experience a bit and hoping that people will continue to pay attention.”
About The Tartan Student Newspaper Launched by Upper School Journalism Teacher Claire Canavan and her students, The Tartan is an exclusively student-written digital newspaper covering school and human interest stories about our St. Andrew’s community. Recent Tartan issues can be found at: google.com/sasaustin.org/the-tartan/homehttps://sites.
fun was the anonymity of our little acts of kindness,” said 31st Street chaplain Ashley Brandon. “My hope is that the Kindness Ninjas will always remember how fun and gratifying it can be to bring joy to others, even in tiny ways."
Will T. '31 performs a random act of kindness via chalk message.
When asked what people in America, or Austin could do to help, Mr. Ballard said, “I will say that, for instance, with World Central Kitchen, they're an amazing organization people could donate directly to. There's a Ukrainian branch if you want to donate only to Ukraine, because [World Central Kitchen has locations] all over the world.” For anyone who wants to go to Ukraine, Mr. Ballard advises that they make sure they’re “connected to an actual organization, and have a job to do.”
"We had so much fun, and half the
Countries all along the border of Ukraine, have a similar experience as Poland. Ultimately, they are giving up some of their country's future stability to aid in this crisis. Some people have opened up their homes to Ukrainians. “The level of sacrifice, in so many cases, is really humbling, because what we did doesn't even scratch the surface of what some people were doing in Poland every day,” said Mr. Ballard.
VolunteersTeacherinUkraine
36 WE ARE SERVANTS
Right now, Mr. Ballard and his family are back in Austin, and have donated the $85,580 they raised to World Central Kitchen, which “will purchase more than 21,000 meals for the displaced.”
This spring, if you received an unexpected gift of kindness, the Kindness Ninjas might have been the ones behind it. Each Thursday afternoon, a group of sixteen students in grades K-4 gathered in a top-secret location to plan random acts of kindness for the St. Andrew's community. They then embarked on super stealthy missions to spread joy and love to others. Some of their missions included leaving uplifting notes on teachers' windshields, baking cookies for members of the
KindnessAbounds
staff, leaving uplifting chalk art on sidewalks, making inspirational posters to hang in bathroom stalls, and hiding Easter eggs stuffed with jokes and encouraging words.
SAS
Episcopal School // sasaustin.org // 37
When asked if there was anything else Luke wanted to share about his experience, this is what he had to say: “I just want to say that your voice is important. No matter your age, skin tone, ability, etc. Your opinion matters in the world. Learn as much as you can and inspire others. If you do great things, that energy will circulate back to you. It's very rewarding.”
Luke W. '26 at his meeting with U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy.
thought he’d ever hear back from Dr. Murthy, much less get the opportunity to sit down and speak with him. Not long after Luke sent his email, Mrs. Nezzer reached out to Luke and his family, letting them know that they had heard from Dr. Murthy's office. His team had received Luke's email and was excited about his Project Citizen topic. They let Luke know that Dr. Murthy would be in Austin in the coming months and wanted to sit down and talk with Luke about his
Reflecting on his project and what he learned, Luke wants everyone, but especially kids his age, to understand how impactful social media can be and how important it is to learn how to use it responsibly. “I learned that this issue is barely talked about even though we use social media all the time. It's very important to at least have a conversation and learn about it before you do whatever you want. I'm a very different person after learning what social media does to my mental health, and I think everyone should know too!”
along. It was super fun.”
Middle Schooler Interviews U.S. Surgeon General
Luke W. '26 chose The Effects of Social Media on Youth Mental Health as his topic for Project Citizen because he had noticed that mental health was an issue that many of his classmates were dealing with on a day-to-day basis, while also observing the amount of time spent on social media among his friends, making him wonder if there was a correlation. “I was curious if they had a connection so I started researching. I basically started all this for my friends/schools well being, including my own.”
St. Andrew’s
Inproject.early
Project Citizen is the capstone project St. Andrew’s 8th graders complete during the spring of their final year at St. Andrew’s Middle School. During the culminating project, students are responsible for choosing an issue that is important to them within their community. Students then conduct research and interview individuals with extensive knowledge on their topic to become better informed. After this, they brainstorm solutions or improvements for their issue and share these with the community during the Civics Fair in Dell Hall.
March, Luke met with Dr. Murthy to ask him some questions about his thoughts on the effects of social media on young people and in return Dr. Murthy asked Luke some questions about his own screen time and social media use. “Interviewing the Surgeon General was probably one of the best things that ever happened to me. I was really nervous before the interview because I had no idea what to expect.” Luke said “Dr. Murthy is actually a super chill, laid back guy and we really got
One day, while doing research for his project during study hall, Luke decided to reach out to Dr. Vivek Murthy, the United States Surgeon General, requesting an interview about his topic. Luke did some research and found Dr. Murthy's email address, and decided to send a quick message. Luke knew this was a bit of a long shot, and never
Keeping with a commitment to interdisciplinary learning, the symposium also incorporated other departments. The Dell Fine Arts Center lobby was filled with static projects from students illustrating concepts they learned from their chemistry, physics, and biology courses. Mr. McCoy’s art students decorated the gallery walls with their art pieces inspired by artist Michael Namingha, illustrating the changing landscape in line with the symposium theme, “Climate Crisis: Taking Action.” Ms. Hendrickse and Mrs. Jones’ Algebra 2 classes built projectile launchers in collaboration with the mLab to show projectile motion and
In January, the Upper School Science Department hosted the annual Science Research Symposium, showcasing our students’ love and comprehension of various topics in science. The two-day event offers engaging and thought-provoking work from our Upper School science students, spanning displays, presentations, interactive activities, and demonstrations. Lower and middle school students always enjoy traveling to the Southwest Parkway campus to participate in some of the activities the older students have prepared for them.
were welcomed into the Dell Fine Arts Lobby to learn from presentations on renewable resources, the carbon cycle, EcoColumns, and so much more.
38 WE ARE SCHOLARS
Students prepared for a loud explosion during a demonstration in Ms. Osiecki's class.
To begin the symposium, students from the Research and Design class presented their explorations, ranging from renewable uses for mushrooms as synthetic leather to the traditional Millikan Oil Drop experiment. Students
Science SymposiumResearch 2022
The egg drop is always an exciting highlight of the Symposium.
The science wing filled with students in each classroom as our younger Highlanders learned from Upper School teachers. They built Egg Drop vessels, enjoyed an Augmented Reality Sandbox led by mLab instructor Mr. Wright, learned from mini-lessons about energy and entropy with Mrs. Powell, did fingerprinting experiments with Mr. Osborne, tested out their green thumb with planting and potting with Mrs. Lambrecht, covered acids and bases with Ms. Pacheco and Ms. Osiecki,
Students on a forensics lesson and nature walk in The PARK.
SymposiumInspiresScienceatResearch
Join us at next year's Science Research Symposium on January 26-27, 2023!
and enjoyed a demonstration from Ms. Albach and Mr. Shumaker about electrolysis and water-powered vehicles. Seniors Ella Parker, Hunter McDonald, Mariana Vidaurri, Jenna Schneider and Alejandra Vidaurri of Ms. Pacheco’s Research and Design Class also presented their findings on various topics of interest and answered questions from their teachers and peers on their research.
40 WE ARE SCHOLARS
As the second and final day of the symposium rolled
its translation into tangibility, and gave demonstrations to show their work. A forensics lesson brought our students out to the PARK, but not without a nature walk to identify our campus birds with Mr. Osborne.
Mr. McCoy's art students pose with their pieces inspired by artist Michael Namingha.
After two day of learning and fun, liquid nitrogen ice cream hit the spot.
Next year’s date is set for Jan. 26-27, so please join our Upper School Science Department for this incredible display of student learning!
St. Andrew’s Episcopal School // sasaustin.org // 41
around, students were looking forward to the egg drop on Friday afternoon. There, fourth grade students would discover whether or not vessels they had built to protect eggs from a two-story fall would prove successful. The students cheered in suspense as Mr. Latreille checked each vessel to see if the egg stayed intact upon hitting the ground. After the egg drop, Mrs. Powell, Mr. Latreille, and Mr. Wright of the Physics team closed out the symposium with a sweet treat, serving up liquid nitrogen ice cream to students on the DFAC porch.
with the office by my colleagues from around North America. This organization has nurtured me as a student and a teacher and provides manifold opportunities and scholarships for my own students here at St. Andrew's. I'm lucky to be at a school that values the study of languages generally and of Latin
Jennie Luongo Named American Classical League President
by her peers is a testament to the hard work and dedication Jennie has put into teaching and growing the study of Latin to St. Andrew's students and beyond. The position is typically held by a Classics professor, often from a top tier college or university, and only extended to secondary teachers held in the highest regard among the Classics community. We are incredibly proud and lucky to be able to call Jennie one of our own, and have no question the excellent work she will do as the leader of the ACL.
Thislanguages.election
Jennie with members of the American Classical League at the annual ACL Institute conference earlier this year.
Eariler this year, longtime St. Andrew's Upper School Latin teacher Jennie Luongo was elected as Presidentthe of the American Classical League. AmericanThe Classical (ACL)Leagueis the leading inorganizationtheU.S. and Canada for the promotion of teaching and learning of the Classics in elementary, secondary, and higher education. They provide resources, networking, events, scholarships, and much more to support students and educators to help promote and advance the study of classical
42
When asked about her new position, Jennie had this to say: “I'm honored to serve the American Classical League and to have been entrusted
in particular and that supports me in doing this work. My hope is that my work with ACL will enable me to support teachers and students throughout the country and beyond, and I'm beyond grateful to St. Andrew's for supporting me in this endeavor.”
St. Andrew’s Episcopal School // sasaustin.org // 43 Class of 2022 by the Numbers This year’s senior class impressed us with their fun spirit, kindness, and support of one another They are a class of intelligent, creative, inspiring and hardworking students. Their dedication in the classroom was evident every day and they have the achievements to prove it! UNIVERSITIESCOLLEGES/DIFFERENTADMITTEDTO 173 UNIVERSITIESCOLLEGES/DIFFERENTWILLATTEND COLLEGE64COUNSELING 46% ATTENDING A SCHOOL FROM WHICH THEY RECEIVED A SCHOLARSHIP AVERAGE SCHOLARSHIP OFFERED WAS BETWEEN $18,000 - 20,000/YEAR 45% (SELFSCHOLARSHIPSRECEIVEDREPORTED) STUDENTS WILL BE MAJORING IN: LIBERALARTS 14% STEM 21% ARTS 12% BUSINESS 13% UNDECIDED 40%
● Keep an open mind about colleges that you would attend.
I liked how we had plenty of freedom and were in charge of choosing what we wanted in a college/ where to apply, and our college counselors were there to help us no matter what.
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ADVICE FOR THE CLASS OF 2023:
● Visit campuses in person if you can.
● Revise your essays multiple times
● Plan out your due dates.
● Use your resources, they are very helpful and will help you see things from a different perspective.
Reflecting on my high school experience in my applications helped me realize what I value in a college and some of the things I hope to continue with in college. I also learned how important the feel of a college campus and community are to me.
● Be authentic in your application and interviews.
Parting words from the Class of 2022
Thank you so much for a great year, we really couldn't have done it without you! I'm so grateful for all of the help and support from the beginning of the year to the end with everything from college counseling to guidance through senior events and senior projects!
Thank you for all of the hard work that you put into not only the college process but all of the events and activities outside of the college process - making sure that we not only focused on college but high school and taking breaks to have fun.
By Julia Driscoll | Alumni Relations Manager
The Transition from Student to Alumni
Senior Spring
The Class of 2022 gathering in the PARK for the Senior Wildflower Chapel in March.
St. Andrew’s Episcopal School
With the ending of every school year, the senior class experiences a significant milestone. It’s a time of growth, reflection, and of course, celebration, as they depart St. Andrew’s for their next adventure.
To kick off this time of school and class pride, a new event has made its way into senior celebrations: The Senior Wildflower Chapel in the PARK. This special Chapel was inaugurated with the Class of 2021 to provide a safe way to gather the entire class together for the first time in over a year (due to the pandemic). Though much has changed since then, the opportunity to gather together in the PARK and plant wildflower seeds to be enjoyed for years to come, has become a treasured service and activity for our seniors and their advisors.
Over the last few years, we’ve put more emphasis on the reflection of gratitude for the friendships made at St. Andrew’s, the unique relationships formed between students, faculty and staff, and the overall sense of community we strive to maintain -- even as our school grows.
(L to R) Emma Schmidt ‘21, Lorelei Ing ‘20, Esme Aguilar ‘20 and Maria Tobias ‘21 catch up at the Senior Dinner.
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At a time when every senior is determining what is next for them, we want them to know that St. Andrew’s will continue to support them through its robust network. Once our students graduate, their relationship is forever changed with St. Andrew’s, but it is not diminished. We’re simply replacing “goodbye” with “see you later,” as they join the Alumni Community.
Still, there was a missing element of connection between seniors and alumni, and so we expanded our celebrations to include a time for those two groups to meet. Our inaugural
48 ALUMNI NEWS
“I am extremely lucky to have spent 12 years here, and I remain very close to a lot of St. Andrew’s people to this day,” Will said. “I had 5 St. Andrew’s friends who were groomsmen in my wedding, a group of 15 of us still go on an annual summer trip, and I have served on the St. Andrew’s Alumni Board for over 5 years now. It has been so much fun giving back to the school, going to alumni events, and watching the campus grow.”
3 simple things that I try to do often, and have helped me through my college years and professional life.
Get involved in as many things as reasonably possible – in your community, at your school, at your church, and with your friends. Keep it reasonable so that it doesn’t distract you from what’s important, but I promise you’ll never regret getting involved.
“When I first sat down to think about this speech, and all the wisdom I have to impart on a group of young adults who are definitely smarter than me, I came up with 3 pieces of advice I wanted to share… These are not the 3 keys to success but they are
Ahead of this event, the senior class was asked to complete the Senior Challenge, in which they were to update their email address, join the True Blue Alumni Network, and had the option to make a deferred pledge to the St. Andrew’s Fund, to be fulfilled by their first Reunion in five years. The hope is that our seniors begin to understand the impact they can have on their community, as others have done before them.
Caring is cool – sounds simple… obviously, the more you care about something the better you are at it, but the older I’ve gotten, the more I appreciate the passion people have for their friends, family, job, church, and community. In high school the definition of cool isn’t really cool. What is actually cool in life is getting passionately involved in the things you care about.”
He then continued on his personal relationship with St. Andrew’s and his fellow alumni by adding,
Pursue a mentor – it is your job to find a mentor, not the mentor’s job to find you. You’ll be surprised at how much people like to help other people, especially the younger generation (i.e. you).
Senior Dinner was a special way to kick off our graduation celebrations with the Class of 2022, our newest class of St. Andrew’s Alumni. The senior class gathered for dinner on the DFAC porch, surrounded by photos of memories submitted by senior parents. To welcome them into the Alumni Community, Alumni donors, mentors and volunteers were invited to attend this special evening.
I am excited to see the continued growth in our Alumni Relations program, and look forward to welcoming future classes into the Alumni Community. The Class of 2022 has taken on a new role with St. Andrew’s. They have joined the ranks of the many artists, athletes, scholars and servants who came before them. I am thrilled to see their impact on future generations of St. Andrew’s students. Congratulations, Class of 2022!
Will Temple ‘12 shares some words of wisdom with the Class of 2022 at the Senior Dinner.
Will Temple of the Class of 2012 served as our Senior Dinner Alumni Speaker, offering three pieces of advice in his remarks, saying,
Join True Blue Alumni Mentors for an evening of resume peer review, job application do’s and don’ts, and networking tips and tricks! Light refreshments will be provided.
November
■ Homecoming: Oct. 28, 5:30 p.m.
■ True Blue Alumni Resume Workshop: Sept. 21, 5:30 p.m., Rollins Library, 31st Street Campus
■ True Blue Alumni Coffee: Dec. 15, 7:30 a.m., Mozart’s Coffee Roasters
A new installment of our True Blue
■ True Blue Alumni Happy Hour: Nov. 17, 6 p.m., Better Half Coffee & Cocktails
// sasaustin.org // 49
St. Andrew’s Alumni Fall Events 2022-23
October
Alumni, please join us for as many events as your schedule allows! Questions, or want to get involved in planning?
■ Alumni Holiday Party: Dec.17, 6:30 p.m. We look forward to celebrating the holidays together at Santa Rita Cantina.
Email alumni@sasaustin.org
Hope to see you under the Alumni Tent ahead of the football game kickoff! Refreshments will be provided. More details to follow!
September
St. Andrew’s Episcopal School
■ St. Andrew’s Day: Nov. 30
December
Networking event series! Join Alumni in the Austin area for networking over happy hour. First two drinks and appetizers are covered by the Alumni Relations Office.
■ True Blue Alumni Coffee: Oct. 20, 7:30 a.m., Radio Coffee & Beer
The opportunity to go to Ukraine was actually pretty spontaneous. I had just started a remote job when the war broke out, and tweeted "Does anyone need a freelance reporter to go cover the war in Ukraine.... because I'm available" and definitely didn't expect to hear anything back. Almost immediately, my former boss from one of the TV stations I've reported for DM'd me and said I should just go. I told her there was no way I could do that because I wasn't going to go completely on my own and I couldn't afford it. She wanted to go
“Explaining my experience in Ukraine is completely surreal. When people ask "how was Ukraine?!" I usually tell them they can have a five-minute answer or a two-hour answer. No in-between.
Lena on the ground reporting in Lviv, Ukraine.
ALUMNI
When the invasion of Ukraine began, Lena Blietz ‘11 and her journalistic instinct headed to the front line. We are grateful to Lena for sharing her incredible story with us:
50 ALUMNI NEWS
The biggest takeaway for me was being in Lviv, a relatively "safe" city in Ukraine at the time, where residents were continuing to go about their day-to-day responsibilities like work and school. But it was anything but "normal," because every single person was directly impacted by the ongoing war in the eastern part of the country. Everyone has a brother, son, father, uncle, friend, classmate, coworker, etc. who was either already off fighting or preparing to join the Ukrainian military.
SUMMER 2022ST. ANDREW'S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL
NEWS
Since my trip, I took a job as a Senior Sports Producer at Atmosphere TV, based here in Austin. “
I am happy to talk to any students or alumni who are pursuing journalism careers and absolutely encourage anyone to just shoot me an email at lmblietz@gmail.com. It would be easier to talk individually because the industry is wide-ranging yet simultaneously a super small world. For context, I have a bachelor's in journalism from TCU and a masters of science in journalism from Northwestern University. I've worked in local news at both TV stations and newspapers across the country from Chicago to Montana to Fort Worth to San Antonio and back to Austin.
I had the goal of making content specifically for TikTok, because it's the most popular app in the world and a space where a lot of people (especially younger people) are getting their news but also where not a lot of reporting was being posted.
Initially, we were only planning to fly into Krakow, Poland and tell the stories of Ukrainian refugees in the area. The first day we landed, we went to a local mall with a major train station in it and talked to incredible volunteers helping out, as well as families with just a few suitcases trying to figure out where they would be moving next.
During the two-hour drive across rural Ukraine to Lviv, I was busy trying to find us a hotel for the night at around midnight. I was able to get the last room available at a hotel and for all four of us (a therapist specializing in trauma and a photographer also ended up traveling with us). Thankfully, the next day we were able to get two rooms and ended up spending four days in Lviv.
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The next day, we decided to drive to the border of Ukraine and just see if crossing was even an option, but really planning to talk to refugees who had just crossed into Poland. When we parked near the border, we met a group of Ukrainians and Russians (supporting Ukraine) who were helping smuggle cars from the UK into Ukraine to send to the front lines of the Ukrainian military. They offered to take us across the border with them and then set us up with a driver to take us into Lviv.
I spoke with basically anyone who was willing to talk to me, and used a lot of Google Translate. Mainly, I talked to younger residents who were working in stores or coffee shops, or found people on social media who were willing to meet up with me.
too, and when I realized she was serious, I asked my brand new boss if I could take an unpaid week off of work (which was really nerve-racking!!!). Once I got the approval, I had about a month to try to save up and fundraise for my trip.
Recording artist Max Frost ‘11, released new music this spring with the drop of his new EP, Flying Machines. In June, he returned to the set of Live with Kelly and Ryan to perform his hit single, Head in the Clouds. Max also played a show at the Moody Theater in Austin this spring!
Callie Clemons Burns ’07 and her husband, Randy, welcomed their first baby, Randall Reed Burns this December. Here he is sporting his first piece of SAS swag!
Lily Beaman ‘14 received her master's from UT-Austin in Energy and Earth Resources and is starting a new job as a sustainability analyst for Longevity Partners in Austin.
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Kevin Armstrong ‘13 writes, “I recently graduated from the Guild for Structural Integration as a Licensed Massage Therapist and certified Structural Integration practitioner, and relocated to Austin to start my business. Rolfing / Structural Integration is an alignment therapy and systematic bodywork practice designed to improve posture, alignment and ease of movement over the course of a 10-session series. This work is great for anyone experiencing joint pain, musculoskeletal strain / stiffness, chronic or past injuries that have not fully healed, athletes looking to improve athletic performance, or otherwise healthy people that want to enhance their posture, energy levels and overall well being. I’m offering the most competitive rates in Austin as I start my business, and am looking for new clients and referrals while I get my business up and running!”
Sarah Rulon-Miller ‘14 recently graduated from Concordia with a degree in sociology and psychology. Here she is catching up with history teacher Courtney Elliott in the Austin airport!
Nikki Lim ‘17 graduated from Texas A&M University and started a new job as a Production Engineer for Dow Chemical.
Ellen Heck ‘02 published her debut picture book, A is for Bee: an alphabet book in translation. Written and illustrated by Ellen, this children’s book offers a unique insight into the world of translation. Ellen’s website reads, “Each page features a letter of the English alphabet paired with animal words that start with that letter in languages other than English. The book delights in the fact that something silly from one angle can be true from another; it celebrates both what we lose in translation and what we discover.”
Brandon Jerome ‘18 finished up at the University of Arkansas this spring, class)LaudeMagnagraduatingCum(4thinhisinIndustrialEngineering.
The Upper School student group, Empowering Women of the World, invited alum Whitney Langston '09 to one of their meetings this spring. Whitney is a HR Consulting Senior Manager at Accenture, and answered questions about her career path, challenges she has faced, and advice for the future. Whitney also serves as a True Blue mentor as part of our Alumni Networking program! This fall, she is chairing a Resume Workshop for all alumni who are interested in resume peer review, networking, job application do’s and don’ts, and more!
Chris Olfers ‘06 and his wife, Arielle, welcomed their first baby, a boy named Warner.
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He was in the Honors College, in leadership for his fraternity KA, a member of the GovernmentStudentAssociation Headliners Committee, and a member of the Industrial Engineers Honor Society. He is living back in Austin now and will be starting as an Engineer at Samsung Austin Semiconductor in July.
Kevin Latreille ‘19 is pursuing a degree in Sports Management at the University of Kansas. This summer, he worked for 4 weeks at the Golden State Warriors Basketball Academy where he was coaching kids ranging between 7 and 14 years old. Each week was spent at a different facility around the Bay Area, and Kevin worked closely with kids to teach basic and team basketball skills.
Mary Alice Sherman ‘12 married her husband, Sam Moon, at The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Austin, TX on June 4th. She writes, “Sam and I met in February 2017 when we were
college visit this winter to the Boston area, Bray Stratton '22, Kai Cohagan '24 and Gus Stratton '24 met up with alum ZimmermanGehrig'21
Duringfuture.”a
Gehrig plays Guard for the Gordon College Fighting Scots basketball team, and posed for a picture with his SAS fans while playing an away game at Endicott College.
Sam and I have now relocated to London, but plan to move back to Austin in the near
both working in Lloyd's of London. Sam is English, so 40 Brits flew over for the week. For many of them, it was their first time ever to the States let alone Texas. My bridesmaids were my sisters - Hasie ‘19 and Clara Sherman ‘19, Hattie Sherman ‘12, and Sallie Gayle Saunders ‘12
.
Finn Dickens ‘20 and US music teacher Lori Hahn recently attended the 4-day Texas Music Teachers Association State Convention in Dallas. Ms. Hahn chairs the Digital Keyboard Orchestra Reading Sessions and Finn was invited as a guest composer/conductor. For this event, Finn composed 3 fantastic pieces and spoke to over 100 piano students from grades 1-12 among 9 different sessions. Students were able to have a Q&A with Finn where he spoke on his involvement in the Austin music scene, his experiences as a UT music composition student, and shared valuable advice to the young musicians. Finn was also joined by composernationally-recognizedDennisAlexander.
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Amelia Bast ‘20, Belmont sophomore,Universityspent the spring semester studying at Queen’s College in Northern Ireland. Here she is performing in a showcase of Irish music in Belfast.
Francesca Reyna ‘18 writes, “I just graduated with a B.A. in ScienceBehavioralAppliedfrom
this spring, with the return of Zilker Hillside Theater shows. Trace played Snout/the Wall.
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Carson Witt ‘18 graduated and was commissioned from the United States Naval Academy on May 27th. President Biden gave the commencement address and Carson shook his hand on stage as he received his diploma. Carson now heads to Pensacola, FL where he will go to flight school and train to become a Naval Aviator for the next 10 years.
Jase Burner ‘09 and his wife, Glynis, welcomed baby Eloise this January!
While out for breakfast tacos at Taco Deli, former US Head of School Todd Stephenson and son Sam Stephenson ‘11 ran into Head Cross Country and Track Coach, Gilbert Tuhabonye and daughter Emma Tuhabonye ‘19.
the University of Kansas! I’m also moving back home to Austin to teach at the preschool I attended as a child!”
St. Andrew’s Episcopal School
Flo Clemons ‘09 and CummingsAdair Belisle ‘09 are getting closer to opening Flo’s Wine Bar & Bottle Shop in Tarrytown. Construction is underway, and the duo are looking to open their doors soon!
Trace Turner ‘13 joined the cast of Shakespeare’sAustinMidsummerNight’sDream
Taylor Thompson ‘17 married Elizabeth Robertson in Montgomery, Alabama, in July 2022. Members of the Class of 2017 pose for a photo at Taylor Thompson’s wedding: Pouya Mohammadi ‘17, Cameron Scott ‘17, Austin Modoff ‘17, Aaron Garcia ‘17, Hana Arriaga ‘17, Katie Taylor ‘17, Madison Day ‘17, Addison Brown ‘17, Luke Schwab ‘17, Will Sheehan ’17, Walton Schmidt ‘17. Will Temple ‘12 with his wife, Kate, on their wedding day in February 2022! Anna Zodin Faulkner ‘12 married Nathan Faulkner on April 30 at The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Austin. 56 ALUMNI NEWS
The Greenwell family has gathered to celebrate family weddings this year!
AT LEFT: Nicole Greenwell Kelley '09, Ryan Greenwell '11 and Andy Greenwell '16 gather at their brother Ryan's wedding.
Cullen also married Rachel Gawlik this spring!
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ABOVE: (L to R) Scott Greenwell, Melissa Greenwell, Chris Kelley, Nicole Greenwell Kelley '09, Ryan Greenwell '11, Nicole Greenwell, Andy Greenwell '16 gather for a family photo celebrating Nicole’s marriage to Chris Kelley.
Guitarist Cullen Parker ‘16 and upright bassist Caroline Parker ‘21 have been busy touring with their band, Southern Angels, around the central Texas region. The band is currently working on new music, so make sure you check them out at one of their live shows. Visit www. SouthernAngelsBand.com to find a show near you.
US faculty member Dan Latreille, caught up with Blake Birdwell '18 & Selinda Qiu '18 at Mozart's Coffee Roasters this summer!
‘03,
Members of the Class of 2018, Madison Leyens and Gabriel Kennedy, graduated from SMU this spring! Here they are celebrating their big day together.
Alumni Baseball Game
The annual Alumni Baseball Game made a triumphant return this Memorial Day weekend as 25 players, from graduation years ranging from 2002-2022, took the field. Family members and fellow alumni filled the stands to watch the friendly competition, as alumni parent Brett Schwab fired up the grill for a cookout. It was wonderful to gather the alumni baseball community, and look forward to seeing everyone at next year’s game on May 28, 2023. Steven Garcia Micah Wiener Greg
This year’s St. Andrew’s Summer Theatre Program put on a production of Legally Blonde the Musical, with help from many alumni! The cast featured Bering Edwards '22, Claudia Ellington '22, Luke Weaver '22, Dex Gordon '22, Jacob Kruger '22, and in addition, St. Andrew's Middle School alum Delaney Eiland. Assisting with the show was Christian Erben '17 as the stage manager, and Ella Parker '22, who served as the Assistant Stage Manager. Lastly, on the run crew and dancing in the ensemble were alumni Eugenia De la Garza '21, Lily Kruger '21, and Bailey Bartee '21
Players:
‘02, Keith Skates ‘02,
Hutton ‘07, Kyle Quick ‘10, Gareth Hutton ‘11, Thomas Sweeney ‘12, John Covert ‘15, Sam Martens ‘15, Scott Politz ‘15, Fletcher Lowin ‘16, Matthew Speitel ‘16, Gavin Massengale ‘17, Noah Moore ‘17, Matthew Otto ‘17, Luke Schwab ‘17, Avery Duncan ‘19, Thomas Ostrom ‘20, Michael Ross ‘20, Chase Samuels ‘20, Malcom Burns ‘21, Jacob Garcia ‘21, Aidan Madoff ‘21, Cole Nascone ‘21, Noah Gorelick ‘22 58 ALUMNI NEWS
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In early April, after a two-year hiatus, St. Andrew’s held its first Alumni Reunion Celebration, welcoming the classes of 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016 and 2017 back to campus. Though many of these classes had their celebrations postponed due to the pandemic, it was worth the wait to enjoy such a beautiful weekend together.
As the sunny weather continued, so did the reuniting and reminiscing at the Saturday night Alumni Reunion Dinner. Alumni were joined by many of their former teachers and advisors to enjoy an evening of cocktails and dinner, and a chance to watch the Final Four NCAA tournament in the Chapel. The biggest milestone belonged to the Class of 2002, who was celebrating their 20th Reunion, the first in our upper school history.
On Friday, April 1, Lily McCall ’05 kicked off our Reunion Celebrations by giving the Chapel offering to our community and alumni in attendance, citing her love for St. Andrew's, and the lessons she learned here. Malia Aycock and Steven Garcia ’02, helped by seniors Josh Gilbert and Annie Goldman, gave a tour to our alumni visitors, some areas of which did not exist when some of our alumni were students. The evening wrapped up with a casual welcome happy hour at Radio Coffee + Beer, owned by Jack Wilson ’02.
During cocktail hour, our Class of 2002, former and current faculty took a moment to celebrate the retirement of Veronica Putney at the end of the 2021-22 school year. Veronica has served St. Andrew’s for 27 years, teaching inside the classroom and beautifying our campus, as is evident with her colorful gardens in the Hobby Commons. Several current and formal faculty members, daughter Ashley ’04, and members of the Class of 2002, gathered together to share toasts in honor of Vero.
AlumniReturnsReunion
It was such a pleasure to see so many alumni back on campus, and we hope you’ll join us for next year’s big event. As always, if you’re interested in getting your class back together, more involved, or have event ideas, please email Julia Driscoll at alumni@sasaustin.org.
years:
2018
Join Class of 2009 alum, Whitney Langston and other True Blue Alumni Mentors for a new Alumni Resume Workshop. This is a wonderful opportunity to network and connect with established St. Andrew's Alumni, as well as gain some pointers in navigating the current job market.
& your
St. Andrew’s Episcopal School 1112 West 31st Street Austin, Texas 78705 All SAS Alumni, Faculty & Staff are invited to attend SAS Saturday,PicnicReunionSavethedate!April1,2023
Light refreshments will be provided.
Reunion Cocktails & Dinner
with your
Gather classmates former teachers catered Nazro recognition milestone Reunion 2003, 2008, 2013,
dinner on the
Wednesday, September 21 at 5:30 p.m. Rollins Library, St. Andrew's Lower School Campus
Green. Special
Alumni, please save the date for a new event on
Sept. 21!
SAS Alumni Resume Workshop
for cocktails and a
for the classes in
