1953: The Magazine of St. Johns Country Day School (Summer 2021) by St. Johns Country Day School

1953 T H E M A G A Z I N E O F S T. J O H N S C O U N T R Y D AY S C H O O L

Summer 2021

Contents Letter from the Head of School...................1 School News Briefs........................................2 Lower School................................................................................... 2 Middle School..................................................................................4 Upper School...................................................................................6 Athletics............................................................................................ 10 Performing Arts ............................................................................15 Visual Arts....................................................................................... 18

Graduation..................................................... 22 Spring Fling................................................... 32 Thank You...................................................... 36 Alumni Spotlight ......................................... 39 Alumni Notes................................................44

On the cover: Lower School buddies Aidan Prokop ’34 and Ian Johnson ’28 hang out on the playground. Above, W is for Weather for our Pre-K3 Spartans, who spent a week studying it this spring.

1953: The Magazine of St. Johns Country Day School is published twice a year for the School community, with goals to tell the School’s stories and capture the history, traditions, values, and culture of St. Johns Country Day School.

Dear Spartan Families, What a year it has been! As I sat down to write my final email to parents in May, I experienced an overwhelming feeling of thankfulness coupled with a deep breath. A very deep breath. Despite all the many challenges the past school year presented, we have had an amazing year. While it started with uneasiness, unknowns, and many, many questions, we ended the year celebrating having kept our doors open all year. And despite the 6’ distancing, the masks, and the temperature checks every single morning, really, it was a great year. This was possible thanks to our flexible, creative faculty who adjusted to the needs of our students by providing both live and virtual classes, and to the resilience and commitment of our students, parents, and the broader School community. I genuinely appreciate your support, trust, and cooperation. Despite such an unorthodox year, our students not only survived but truly thrived. Our school celebrated state championships (page 12), choral and band concerts (page 17), and live theatrical performances (page 15). We recognized our seniors’ admissions to many excellent universities and colleges (page 31) and St. Johns truly shined this year, despite many obstacles. As this magazine reaches your hands, we are embarking on a new school year, which includes new faces, facility upgrades, and new opportunities. Our students will be challenged to redefine college prep by seeking solutions, accepting responsibility, and creating collaboration. Go Spartans! Fondly,

Valorie Baker Head of School

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SCHOOL NEWS BRIEFS Lower School News Valentines for the Homeless Grade 1 teacher (and former St. Johns student) Ms. Katie Nimitz enlisted help from the whole school in a Valentine’s Day community service project. Nimitz invited students, faculty, and staff to help her create Valentine’s Day cards for the community organization, Blessing Others All The Time (BOATT), on whose Board Nimitz serves. Together, the School created 310 valentines, which the organization distributed over the Valentine’s Day weekend, along with candy, toiletries, and other needed items. “We had a ton of involvement from all divisions,” said Nimitz, “and I love showcasing the amazing things that St. Johns students do.”

Grade 3 Germ Lab This spring, Grade 3 scientists put their knowledge of the scientific method to the test with a guest speaker, Lynnette Chakkaphak, who is the director of labs and imaging at St. Vincent’s. Ms. Chakkaphak led the student scientists through a timely experiment to test how well disinfectant wipes work killing germs on surfaces. The students were super excited to use real petri dishes with agar and to see their results.

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School News Briefs

Grade 4 has been busy Grade 4 was busy this spring with research projects for Women’s History Month and on European Explorers. As they dove into Women’s History, they were presented with options of more than 30 different packets, each including information about a particular person. They chose a packet/person who they wanted to learn about, read it, and then completed supplemental research before creating a Google Slides deck, which they presented to the class. They underwent a similar process when learning about various European explorers. “The project was a written paragraph, handmade 2D/3D project, and presentation to their peers on a topic of their choosing,” said Grade 4 teacher Jennifer Keller. “I am so proud of each and every one of them for the time, effort, and enthusiasm they showed throughout the entire project.”

Kindergarten Portraits In March, our Kindergarten students were thinking about and drawing “people around campus.” They had several categories to think about, for example, people who are older, someone who works for our school, or a buddy who is a friend of theirs. Here is some of their artwork (and the subjects of their artwork)!

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School News Briefs Middle School News

Middle School Celebrates with Food Pantry Donations When they saw National Pizza Day coming on the calendar for February 9, 2021, Middle School Student Government decided to celebrate the day with fun, games, and donations to the Green Cove Springs Food Pantry. “Celebrating National Pizza Day was a lot of fun,” said Josh Lewis ’25 at morning announcements, “but it was the food drive leading up to Pizza Day that we are the most proud of.” Since fresh, hot pizzas are hard to donate, students instead collected

items for spaghetti dinners (to keep with the Italian theme). Homerooms competed to see which group could bring in the most donated items, with Lower School students pitching in as well. After the final tally, it was Grade 6 for the win, with Ms. Sachs’ homeroom coming out on top with 225 items donated and Mr. Burke’s homeroom with 179 items donated. “These top two homerooms contributed about 45% of the donations,” said Student Government sponsor

and Middle School math teacher Ms. Ashley Chancey, who thanked all the homerooms for their participation and their donations. In all, the food drive donated 915 items weighing 1,131 lbs to the Green Cove Springs Food Pantry. Middle School students celebrated the day with various games including pizza bingo, pizza box frisbee golf, and, of course, a tasty pizza lunch.

Williams Ties for 12th at Scripps After clinching the district spelling bee in February, Erik Williams ’25 went on to win his third First Coast Spelling Bee in March, earning him his second trip to the Scripps National Spelling Bee. At Scripps, Erik proceeded through the quarter finals to the semi finals, which took place on Sunday, June 27 and was broadcast by ESPN. After incorrectly spelling “orismology,” the science of defining technical terms, he ended up tied for 12th place out of 209 spellers—an incredible achievement for this very talented teen. Congratulations, Erik!

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School News Briefs

White Oak Conservation As a part of St. Johns’ partnership with White Oak Conservation, one of the United States’ premiere wildlife conservation facilities, this year Grade 6 studied the cassowary. White Oak conservationists introduced the cassowary in a video call in February, kicking off the students’ studies in all classes. In science, they conducted research on the cassowary and conservation, in history they studied where the cassowary lived and made maps of the area, and in art they painted life size cassowaries and learned how to make scientific sketchbooks. In English classes, students wrote cassowary myths and fables and a persuasive formal research paper about the need for cassowary conservation. Math classes made graphs of the populations of cassowaries over time. The students visited White Oak in hopes of seeing the facility’s cassowaries in person, but, because the cassowaries were incubating eggs, students were unable to see them. Fortunately, many other wild and endangered species were out and available for viewing (and, sometimes, feeding!) on the amazing field trip. The final product of their studies was the class presentation of all their work to the White Oak conservationists in May, also by video call.

Grade 8 Goes to Trial In a tradition that goes back more than 20 years, this spring Grade 8 English classes re-enacted the trial scene from Harper Lee’s classic, To Kill a Mockingbird. The tradition was started by former Middle School English teacher Cheryl Townsend in 2009, and, with the exception of last year, when School was closed due to COVID-19, each spring, Grade 8 students have taken on the roles of the judge, Scout, Jem, townspeople of Maycomb, the jury, and Atticus Finch himself to bring this scene to life. “Many of the issues addressed in this novel resonate with readers and audiences today just as they did when the novel was first published in 1960,” said Grade 8 English teacher Mrs. Thea Burke. “However, I think what still makes it such an influential work of literature are the uniquely memorable characters who bring this book to life.”

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School News Briefs

St. Johns’ Launches Esports Teams St. Johns was proud this year to launch a new esports program for Middle and Upper School students. Esports, or electronic sports, are a fast-growing form of video game competition. “Many high school, collegiate, and professional teams are forming both nationwide and globally,” said esports coach (and band director) Michael Warren.“Some colleges are even offering scholarships for esports players.” St. Johns hosts two teams, one for Middle School students, called Kopis, which has 16 Spartan members and offers games including SuperSmashBros, Minecraft, Rocket League, and Mario Kart. The Upper School team, Xiphos, has 5 members and predominantly features Rocket League.

Upper School News Students Study Biotechnology This spring, Honors Biology students were asked to take on the role of healthcare providers in a simulated patient diagnosis exercise. See if this sounds familiar—the hypothetical was that a new virus is spreading across the globe. Four patients have just arrived at the students’ clinic complaining of flu-like symptoms. Are they suffering from a typical case of seasonal flu or the new and dangerous novel influenza RNA virus that, through a mutation, recently jumped from cattle into the human population? By using molecular techniques students were able to determine which viruses infected the patients and arrive at conclusive diagnoses. Students learned how to use micropipettes, PCR, and gel electrophoresis—the same techniques currently used to detect COVID-19—and to diagnose hard-to-distinguish infections. “We concluded our biotechnology unit with a research project in which the students were asked to present a real-world example where biotechnology tools were used in healthcare, forensics, paternity, cloning, GMOs, or any other applications,” said Dr. Judibelle Román. Disclaimer: no pathogenic materials were used. The experimental protocol engaged students in a simulated patient diagnosis exercise.

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“I came up with the idea of creating an esports team after realizing how the pandemic has and continues to affect our student body,” said Mr. Warren. “The kids were losing most of the ways they connect with each other. I was fearful that we would enter lockdown and distance learning again but thought that at least esports could continue in that situation. And a majority of students currently play video games, so why not come together to try to earn prizes and scholarship money?” With or without scholarship money, the program seems to be on a fast track for growth. Warren anticipates having more space available on campus next year, which will allow the esports teams to practice both during and after school.

School News Briefs

Mr. St. Johns 2021 Crowned On Saturday night, February 27, St. Johns’ Interact Club hosted the 2021 Mr. St. Johns pageant. Eight Upper School boys volunteered to demonstrate their talents on stage in front of friends and family, with all the proceeds going to a very good cause—St. Johns Relay for Life team for the American Cancer Society. After a hilarious evening that featured airline jokes, dramatic origami folding, music, dancing, Dr. Seuss, and even some persuasive argument, the Interact Club raised $2,159.75 for the American Cancer Society and various winners were crowned: ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆

4th Runner Up Senior Jake Kailes 3rd Runner Up Sophomore Tripp Vogt 2nd Runner Up Senior James Wilson 1st Runner Up Sophomore Hunter Hopkins And, your 2021 Mr. St. Johns... Senior Alex Dimmick!

Also bestowed was the People’s Choice Award, as determined by the most dollars in his voting box: James Wilson with more than $300, and Mr. Congeniality, as voted on by his fellow contestants, Tripp Vogt. Hearty congratulations and thanks to each one of the contestants (Seniors Alex Dimmick, Jake Kailes, and James Wilson, Juniors Jack Minners, Robert Morris, and Callum Steiner, and Sophomores Hunter Hopkins and Tripp Vogt) and to the student producers: Amelia Dyer ’21, Avery Baskin ’21, Mary Beth Garrison ’22 and Lily Weldon ’23; to our faculty sponsors Mrs. Heather Velasco, Dr. Judibelle Román, and Ms. Diane Landers, to our fabulous Masters of Ceremony Mr. St. Johns 2020 John Cabrera ’22 and Miss St. Johns 2020 Julia Schildberg ’21. And of course to everyone who helped out in front of and behind the curtain, in the booth, and everywhere else. “It cannot be overstated how much work goes into a production like this,” said Head of School Valorie Baker, “from scripting to choreography, staging and coming up with costumes. It’s clear that all of these students put a ton of effort into this show and I thank them for putting themselves out there to do it and for the fantastic show itself.” S T. J O H N S C O U N T R Y D AY S C H O O L M A G A Z I N E

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School News Briefs

44 Inducted to National Honor Society In a ceremony held mid-April in the Performing Arts Center, the St. Johns chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) inducted 44 new members. Due to COVID-19 precautions, there was no live audience. The ceremony was livestreamed for family and friends. “The National Honor Society is sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals,” said Senior John B. Linge. “Its purposes are to create enthusiasm for scholarship, to render service to the school and community, to promote leadership, and to develop character in the students of the nation’s secondary schools.” In order to become a member of the St. Johns chapter of the National Honor Society, a student must have a cumulative Upper School grade point average of at least 3.6 at the end of the Sophomore or Junior year, must have been a St. Johns student for at least a year, must be an active participant in School activities, and must exhibit the finest qualities of character. Even through the pandemic, Linge noted, many NHS members have continued the School chapter’s primary service project—that of peer tutors. With that, James Wilson ’21 called new inductees to the stage: From the Class of 2021: Alexis Agramonte Landon Brafford Stephanie Constantino Chloe Crews Paige Crews Mykel Frazier Jona Kats Walker Mathews Max Monroe Mia Sadler

Congratulations, National Honor Society members!

And from the Class of 2022: Angie Arellano Julia Boaventura John Cabrera Abbie Campbell Kaiya Cooper Lauren Correia Walker Cowherd Addie Ellis Mary Beth Garrison Susannah Goodwin Sean Gregson Kinley Hall Evelyn Hanson Adan Herrera Jude Howell Finn Howell

Hannah Lemieux Jeramy “JD” Lewis Jack Minners Kiera Moisan Jonathan Moore Tyce Moore Mia Morin Robert Morris Riley Myers Lillian “Jolie” Ouattara Luke Pardo Maggie Pizzi Nate Rowan Noelle Sanford Ariel Sauer Callum Steiner Matthew Stratton Jordan Taylor

“You are St. Johns,” said Head of Upper School Mary Virginia Fisher to the new inductees, “and I look forward to seeing these young men and women and what they do in their lives in college and beyond.” 8

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School News Briefs

11 Inducted into Prestigious Cum Laude Society In April, eleven seniors and juniors were inducted into the prestigious Cum Laude Society in the 63rd Annual Induction Ceremony by the St. Johns Country Day School chapter. The Cum Laude Society is modeled after Phi Beta Kappa, the collegiate honor society, and works to recognize and encourage true scholarship. The ceremony was opened by Chapter Secretary Mr. Harrison Sepulveda, who introduced current members, including faculty members Leslie DeStefano, Mary Virginia Fisher, Harrison Sepulveda, Kristin

Hodge Jackson ’00, Jordan Robbins Rechcigl ’10, and Rachel Robison ’09, and current seniors who were inducted last year: Ethan Albright, Alexis Drumm, Abbey Lantinberg, John Linge, Julia Nichols, Isabella Richardson, and Sims Wulbern. Each year the chapter inducts up to 10% of the current junior class, and up to 20% of the current senior class. “Students selected for membership are not only great students,” said Sepulveda, “but also great people with mature senses of justice and self-discipline.”

New inductees include: From the Class of 2021: Yashas Aprameya, Fred Cone IV, Desiree Holmberg, Maggie Kent, Allison Korahais, and Julia Schildberg. From the Class of 2022: Abbie Campbell, Sean Gregson, Mia Morin, Robert Morris, and Ariel Sauer.

Unsung Spartan Award Presented at the Upper School Awards Ceremony on Thursday, May 13, 2021, this year’s Unsung Spartan Award went to Callum Steiner ’22. “The Unsung Spartan Award goes to a rising senior and recognizes that rising senior’s activities and service which might otherwise go unnoticed,” said Head of Upper School Mary Virginia Fisher. “In all of [Callum’s] activities he always goes the extra mile, can always be counted on, and the teachers always ask for him by name.”

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School News Briefs Athletics By Abigail Campbell ’22

Nothing We Can’t Take In a year marked by unforeseen challenges, lost opportunities, and mountainous oppositions, our Spartans proved just how dedicated and determined they are to their roles as student-athletes. The St. Johns Athletic Department was crowned with ten district championships, eleven regional appearances, six state appearances, two state runners-up, and a state championship. Despite the obstacles in their way and the strangeness of their seasons, each and every team of Spartans came together to achieve one of the most successful years in the history of the school’s athletics.

Onto the Next Chapter The class of 2021 proudly watched 16 student-athletes sign to play collegiate sports this winter and spring. The culmination of the group’s dedication to various teams has left an indelible mark on the Athletic Department and the legacy of St. Johns’ excellence. In November, both the girls soccer program and boys baseball program held ceremonies to celebrate the following athletes’ commitments: ◆ Alexis Agramonte (Soccer) Troy University ◆ Paige Crews (Soccer) Texas Christian University ◆ Lexi Drumm (Soccer) College of Charleston ◆ Maddie Moody (Soccer) Davidson College ◆ Ellie Rosenau (Soccer) Berry College ◆ Natalie Wilson (Soccer) University of Southern Mississippi ◆ Mia Sadler (Soccer) University of Southern Mississippi

◆ Mason Davis (Baseball) Florida State College at Jacksonville ◆ Connor Moore (Baseball) Florida State University ◆ James Oman (Baseball) Chipola College ◆ Luke Shannahan (Baseball) Pensacola State College ◆ Jace Thomas (Baseball) Flagler College

Boys Middle School Soccer — IMSC Championship Boys Middle School Soccer won the IMSC Championship 1-0 over Providence School. All Tournament Selections included Corban Berrang ’25.

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And in the Spring, four more Spartans joined the club: ◆ Max Arnold (Football) Furman University ◆ Max Monroe (Football) Wagner College ◆ Paul Allen (Basketball) Five Towns College ◆ Landon Brafford (Soccer) Brewton Parker College

School News Briefs

Girls Weightlifting

Photo by Mary Beth Garrison ’22

The new team on the block, Girls Weightlifting, crushed their debut season, ensuring promising results for the upcoming years. Evelyn Hanson ’22 had dreamt of starting a weightlifting team for years and was excited to lead as team captain this season. The team participated in a highly competitive Suwannee Power of Weightlifting Christmas Meet. There, Addison Frisbee ’24 lifted in the top 10 and Evelyn Hanson lifted in the top 4! The girls proved their commitment to success by showing up early in the morning before school to practice their olympic lifts! Way to go weightlifting!

Girls Varsity Basketball

Photo by John Cabrera ’22

Despite the various hurdles on their path, the Girls Varsity Basketball found immense success on the court this season. Neither injury nor three 10-day team quarantines proved effective in slowing down the girls’ momentum. The team, led by senior Maggie Kent and junior Kinley Hall, made their fourth consecutive trip to the state tournament. Dissatisfied after last year’s upset, the girls were proud to achieve their goal of winning the District Championship with a selfless, team effort. Coach Yolanda Bronston and Mary Kate Kent ’24 earned the title of FACA 2A District 6 Coach of the year for the 4th year in a row and FACA 2A District 6 Player of the Year for the 2nd year in a row, respectively.

Boys Varsity Basketball With the highest winning percentage in more than 15 years, the Men’s Basketball team hunted down 11 wins this season. This was no easy task. The team, with only 7 players, was reduced to 5 members for almost half of the season due to injury—a clear testament to their hard work and team spirit. And even though a large percentage of their games were cancelled due to COVID-19, the team was excited to have the opportunity to play this season and be together again out on the court. S T. J O H N S C O U N T R Y D AY S C H O O L M A G A Z I N E

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School News Briefs

Girls Varsity Soccer

Photo by Mary Beth Garrison ’22

Photos by John Cabrera ’22

They ran out of hands! The Girls Varsity Soccer team earns their 10th consecutive state title! Coming out on top wasn’t easy this year as the team was quarantined and couldn’t train together for 10 days in the middle of their season. Following the quarantine, the team decided to split into two training groups and take extra safety measures to ensure their path to the state championship. Overall, their hard work and dedication paid off, and they earned their 18th consecutive district championship and their 17th regional championship in program history. They also ended the year ranked #1 in the nation by the United Soccer Coaches Association!

On the same night the girls claimed the Regional Championship, so did the boys for the first time since 2005! The Boys Varsity Soccer battled Maclay High School for a full 80 minutes then two ten minute overtimes with no avail. Then, finally, the game was won in a penalty kick shootout that kept a huge student section on their toes. After the game, the students rushed the field and emotions were high as the Spartans finally conquered their rivals, the Maclay Marauders. Postseason, John Linge ’21, left, and Dru Detlefson ’22 were recognized as members of All First Coast Boys Soccer teams.

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Photo by Julia Nichols ’21

Boys Varsity Soccer

School News Briefs

Baseball

Photo by Josie Dinkins ’23

Ending the regular season 18-6, the Spartans headed into districts with confidence. The team this season was led by eight dedicated seniors, 4 of which are committed to play college baseball at their universities next fall. The boys rallied to win 4-0, claiming their first ever Regional Championship and punching their ticket to the Final Four in Fort Myers. Cheered on from a livestream in the library back at the school, the team earned their spot in the State Final when they beat Mount Dora on Wednesday. Just two days later, the team hit the field to play in their first state championship game in program history. All in all, the boys fell just short of the state title, ending the season with an unprecedented and boastable record of 24-7!

Tennis Order on the court! The Spartans Tennis team came to dominate this season. Grace Wonpat ’25, John Cabrera ’22 (left), Jona Kats ’21, Ethan Albright ’21, and Marshall Martin ’23 all played their way up the semi-finals in their singles matches at the district tournament this year. On the doubles stage, Cabrera and Katz, Zach Hyatt ’27 and Ben Payton ’24, as well as Lauryn Mateo ’23 and Grace Wonpat won their way to the semi-finals as well. Doubles partners Calli Berrang ’26 and Stella Hyatt ’23 even made their way to the FHSAA 2A State Championship! S T. J O H N S C O U N T R Y D AY S C H O O L M A G A Z I N E

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Photo by Meg Fackler ’23

School News Briefs

Track & Field Committed and triumphant, the track and field team sprinted, jumped, and threw their way to a great season. Sadly, the team didn’t get to compete last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but this year, the team made up for lost time and reached new heights together. Heading into the championship meets, it seemed like records were being broken meet after meet, and the team gained a lot of confidence and steam heading into the important race days. At the district championship meet, Tommy Keenan ’23 and Ashlyn Rose ’24 both placed 3rd in their respective discus competitions. Their momentum wasn’t stopped there as the team proceeded to the Regional meet where Evelyn Hanson ’22, Sarah Mejias ’26, and Sofia Conde ’24 ran hard versus a competitive pool of athletes. Ultimately, Ava Johnson ’23, Becca Stratton ’25, and Walker Cowherd ’22, Ethan Beauvauis ’22, and Matthew Stratton ’22 qualified for the State Championship where Becca placed 12th in the 1600, Ethan placed 15th in shot put, Ava placed 16th in the 400 dash, Walker placed 10th in the long jump, 14th in the 200 dash and 4th in the 400 dash, and Matthew placed 3rd in the 3200. We are so proud of our State Champions, those who made it on the podium this year, record breakers, and the whole team who pushed each other day in and day out.

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School News Briefs Performing Arts News

Too Fabulous to Fail! Typically, every other year, when St. Johns does not produce a St. Johns on Broadway, the Performing Arts department presents a spring musical-- a festival of singing, dancing, and acting with a full band on stage and a crush of music and activity. This year, however, due to limitations presented by COVID-19, theatre and dance instructor Kim Cadley-Mach and Director of Bands Michael Warren were forced to rethink. They couldn’t have as many people on stage at once, couldn’t put the whole band on stage, and had to limit groups interacting with each other. The answer? A Spring Musicale. They opened up the never-before-used pit of the stage for the band-- that gave them more space. Then they selected a show with care-- small groups on stage at a time, with musical band numbers and dancing interspersed throughout. The result was truly Too Fabulous to Fail, a story about a small town girl moving to the big city to pursue her dream of becoming a musical theatre actress. Naturally, along the way she manages to become the CEO of a major investment bank, runs that into the ground, gets pursued by the police, jailed, does a musical number from lockup, and manages all of this while occasionally fleeing from old ladies dressed up like Elmo. What else would you expect? “I was so impressed with all of the cast, crew, dancers, and band performers for this show,” said director Kim Cadley-Mach. “Everyone understood the issues we faced with COVID, rose to the challenge, and performed beautifully. I am so proud of all of them!” The band, in the pit, played for dance numbers, scene-changing interludes, and occasional commentary, which provided an extra layer of fun and interest to an already outstanding show. “I was really proud of the entire band and their performance in this show,” said Director of Bands Michael Warren. “It was something new for them in a lot of ways-from piecing together musical commentary, of sorts, to our first time using the pit-- and they really rose to the occasion and have a lot to be proud of.” Another outstanding performance from St. Johns’ Performing Arts department. As Mrs. Mach summed, when COVID gave them lemons, these students definitely knew how to make lemonade!

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School News Briefs

Upper School Students Win State, Regional Honors Band students Timmy Jackson ’24 and Alex Dimmick ’21 (above left and right, respectively) have been awash with awards and honors. Since January: ◆ Alex was selected for the All-State High School Honor Band. ◆ Both were selected for the University of South Carolina Honor Band. ◆ Both participated in the Florida Bandmasters Associations’ Solo and Ensemble festival, where Alex earned an Excellent and Timmy earned a Superior advancing to State.

◆ At the State Solo and Ensemble Festival, Timmy earned a Superior with Distinction. ◆ Both earned and participated in the All-County Honor Band. “I’m really proud of both Alex and Timmy,” said Director of Bands Michael Warren. “They are both so talented but beyond that, they couple that talent with a lot of hard work and as you can see, that gets fantastic results.”

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Yale Camerata Director Visits St. Johns In May, St. Johns was honored to have renowned choral director, composer, and author Dr. Andre Thomas, retired professor of choral music at FSU and now director of the Yale Camerata, come to campus to work with our Middle School Chorus and St. Johns Singers. Dr. Thomas worked with our students, shared his experiences and talked about the two compositions of his done by our groups. “The students enjoyed getting to work with him and were inspired by this experience,” said choral director Mrs. Brenda Scott. “It was an honor to welcome Dr. Thomas and to be his first group of live voices in many months!”

School News Briefs

Spring Bands & Bells Concert & Choral Concert In May, the bands, handbell choirs, and choral groups performed in two separate concerts. Both nights, live audiences were humming along to the themes from Batman and Star Wars, clapping to Pharrell’s “Happy,” taking in some Elvis and Motown, and enjoying some classics. The choral concert was particularly meaningful as it incorporated fond farewells to Mrs. Scott, Mrs. Cadley-Mach, and Mrs. Fisher, who was, of course, in the audience. In addition to the fantastic music, it was wonderful to see so many Singers alumni who came out to wish Mrs. Scott all the best in her retirement (see page 46 for more on that).

Spring Dance and Middle School Drama Performance Second semester wouldn’t be complete without various performing arts events, certainly including Dance and Middle School Drama. Presented in a joint performance, the audience first enjoyed a film presentation by Senior Julia Nichols about perceptions, both of oneself and of others, followed by the tap number, “Tea for Two,” performed by Upper School Dance students. The Middle School Drama production of Don Zolidis’ “Stage Parents” followed, and the presentation was capped off by a stunning number from “A Chorus Line.” Bravo, students! S T. J O H N S C O U N T R Y D AY S C H O O L M A G A Z I N E

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School News Briefs Visual Arts Still Life with Ice Cream Grade 1 dove into a tasty project this year in conjunction with their introduction to the work of American artist Wayne Theibaud, who is best known for his still lifes of edible treats such as cakes, pies, ice cream, and lollipops in his unique colorful and illustrative style. “Students had a blast bringing their ice cream designs to life using a glue and water mixture, newspaper strips, tin foil, and paint,” said Lower School Art Teacher Mary Beth Allgaier. “Toppings were created using puffy paint, small bits of yarn, and pom poms. YUM!”

Grade 2 Creates Ming Masterpieces Our Grade 2 artists completed a unit on Chinese Ming Dynasty vases this spring, and what amazing work they created! First, they colored the vases with blue oil pastel and painted a layer of white acrylic paint on top. Next, they scratched their designs into the dry paint with a wooden skewer, revealing the blue underneath. Finally, they used smudged oil pastel for the shadowing.

New Middle School Mosaic Series Grade 8 began a multi-year mosaic project this year, working to update some student art that is currently installed in the Middle School. The new project is a series of 12 tile mosaics that will eventually depict all aspects of the curriculum, including visual arts, history, science, world languages, English, math, music, sports, dance, drama, technology, and health & wellness. This project is expected to take 6 years for completion, with Spartan Middle School artists creating 2 panels each year.

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School News Briefs

History Students Tunnel Into Art This semester our Upper School Honors Art History students got up close and personal in their studies of Chinese landscapes by creating amazing tunnel books. “Part of Chinese art that they’re really well known for is landscape paintings,” said Art History teacher Mrs. Heather Velasco. “So, as part of our study of Chinese landscape paintings and understanding the difference between foreground, middle ground, and background, we made tunnel books based on famous Chinese landscape paintings.”

Grade 6 Cut Paper Collages In their studies of the nuances of space, shape, design, and color, Grade 6 artists created these cut paper collages, which, in some cases, were truly a sign of the times!

S T. J O H N S C O U N T R Y D AY S C H O O L M A G A Z I N E

SUMMER 2021

School News Briefs

Artists Earn Scholastic Awards “We are pleased that so many Middle and Upper School students received awards for their artistic excellence, especially during such an unusual year,” said Visual Arts Department Chair Anna Reynolds. “The Scholastic Art Awards are a great place for students to receive regional and national feedback on their creative ideas, technical ability, and presentation.” After adjudication in the 2021 Northeast Florida Scholastic Art Awards, awards are also eligible to go on National-level awards. This year, Senior Natalie Higingbotham’s mixed media piece, Pink Tights?, achieved a National Silver Key. The Scholastic Art Awards are the nation’s longestrunning, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens, and being recognized at any level— Honorable Mention, Silver Key, or Gold Key, at the regional or national level, is an achievement.

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29 student-artists earned 39 awards, including 12 Silver Key, 3 Gold Keys, and a National Silver Key, in the 2021 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, which recognize the vision, ingenuity, and talent of our nation’s student-artists. ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆

Yashas Aprameya ’21 Julia Boaventura ’22 Brooks Burson ’23 Kassie Burton ’22 Kaiya Cooper ’22 Ainsley Costarakis ’25 Addison Ellis ’22 Brooke Ferris ’21 Kelsey Gregson ’25 Natalie Higingbotham ’21 Mia Johnson ’25 Haley Juskowski ’21 Anna Kemp ’23 Marshall Martin ’23 Brice McClellan ’26

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Grace McNulty ’25 Grayson Moody ’25 Maddie Moody ’21 Riley Myers ’22 Cookie Myers ’23 Isabel Nix ’25 Lulu Nowicki ’23 Daniela Oceguera ’23 Noelle Sanford ’22 Emma Schultz ’23 Ella Wilkes ’23 Grace Wonpat ’25 Sophia Woolard ’24 Sims Wulbern ’21

School News Briefs

Spartan Spotlight: Taylor Thigpen ’24 By Shelly Kats ’24 Taylor Thigpen is a rising sophomore here at St. Johns Country Day School. In May of 2020, like most students in America, Taylor was stuck at home in quarantine. He decided to sell some plants online from his backyard and made 650 dollars in one week. Through the Clay County 4-H foundation and volunteering at the garden in Bannerman Learning Center, he acquired a background in horticulture and decided to obtain a nursery and resale licenses. “The first few weeks, I sat in my room with nothing to do for the first time ever,” said Taylor. “I started feeling really down, and I thought, ‘How can I support other people through this? How can I do something on my own?’ And that’s when Plantkingusa arose. I wanted to work with students around the country and decrease that food waste and food insecurity gap that we see in schools.” Now, as the one-year anniversary of his company just passed, Taylor has worked with thousands of children across America doing just what he set out to do, all while running a small business and juggling school. He has fed around 100,000 families through food distribution programs in Clay County and by providing funding for local food banks and nationwide nonprofits. Taylor serves as one of three student members of the national advisory council for Genyouth, an organization that empowers students to be healthy and active. He was invited to represent the country in 2017 at international summits re-

lating to student health and to participate and lead discussions on food insecurity for children. Through Genyouth’s partnership with Fuel Up to Play 60, a school nutrition program, Taylor writes mini-grants to help students start healthy living projects in underfunded schools. He’s written over $72,000 in grants for schools around the country, including Clay County. To him, having personal relationships with those he has helped is essential. I’ve worked with about 130,000 students across the country, individually meeting with them and learning their story, learning what’s happening in their schools, and then offering my advice or financial support,” said Thigpen. However, all of these achievements come with a high price. Juggling being a small business owner and high school student is not easy, especially while at a public school. Feeling under-supported in the public school system, he decided to think of his future and attend St. Johns for high school. St Johns provides

many opportunities for students to pursue passions outside of school. Between study halls and the Academic Achievement Center (AAC), Taylor is able to keep up with his studies despite the work he has to do for his business. “I’m balancing school and a job, and that’s not my customer’s fault. They shouldn’t have to wait for their order to go out because I have school. I try to stay for my main classes, and if I have to leave early, then that’s something I have to do.” Taylor likes the flexibility that St. Johns’ small community provides. He finds that his teachers are willing to help him catch up on days he has to focus more on the business, and the administration is approachable and open to new ideas. Once he goes off to college, he plans to evaluate the growth of the company before making a decision on its future and study either business or political science. With an entrepreneurial spirit and strong compassion for others, there’s no telling where he’ll go.

S T. J O H N S C O U N T R Y D AY S C H O O L M A G A Z I N E

SUMMER 2021

66th Commencement Ceremony

The Class of 2021 I

n a moving ceremony on Saturday, May 29, St. Johns was honored to celebrate the graduation of the 62 members of the Class of 2021. “As I reflect on this past school year, we can talk about the many obstacles, misfortunes, and traditions not kept due to COVID, but instead I will focus on what this past year has given to us all,” said Head of School Valorie Baker, in her opening remarks. “What I’m referring to is grit. And certainly the Class of 2021, and the rest of the student body during this past year, has shown a lot of grit and determination. That grit is a skill that will serve them well as they move past the doors of high school,” said Baker. After the awards presentations, Seniors Gaby Loustau and Ellie Rosenau—elected by their peers to deliver speeches— gave heartfelt talks. Loustau delivered a poem outlining what each of her classmates had taught her over their years together. From hard work and dedication to how to laugh at herself,

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Loustau called each of her fellow seniors out by name with some of their offerings to the demographic of their class. “These past four years have been full of laughs and tears,” she said, as her words were echoed with both laughter and tears from her classmates and the audience, “they’ve been full of success and failures. They have been the most meaningful and memorable years, and I am so fortunate to have experienced them alongside each of you.” A tough act to follow, Rosenau did so with aplomb, invoking the Senior Presentation talk given by senior-elected speaker Mr. Wes Cox. Discussing the merits of swag, she said it is “less about what you look like and more about what you’re made of. It’s not wearing the latest Jordans, it’s showing compassion to someone in need. It’s how you compose yourself, what you do to make a positive difference in this world, and how you handle the inevitable negativity.”

SUMMER 2021

Referring to Mr. Cox’s Senior Presentation acronym, she spelled out swag as:

S Stay true to yourself W Wake up and make the most of today A Always remember where you came from G Go after the thing that scares you the most. After talking through each of the letters, Rosenau zeroed in on going after the things that scare us by quoting former President Barack Obama. “Fear, uncertainty, and discomfort are your compasses toward growth,” Obama said. “If you run, you stand a chance of losing. But, if you don’t run you’ve already lost.” So, said Rosenau, “ask yourself, is this challenging? Yes, then do it. Am I afraid of failing? Yes, then do it. Do I feel unsure of myself? Yes, still do it. Our minds so often tell us that we’re not good enough, not equipped enough, not strong enough, not pretty enough, not ‘fill in the blank’ enough. That is just not true. These doubts and fears and insecurities will creep in, but it’s when we no longer let them have so much power that we can conquer even the things that make us afraid.” “While our experience was nothing like High School Musical, these movies provide a sense of camaraderie and love that we do share,” she summed. “We may not hold hands and sing ‘we’re all in this together,’ but remember we really are.”

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SUMMER 2021

Graduation 2021

S T. J O H N S C O U N T R Y D AY S C H O O L M A G A Z I N E

SUMMER 2021

While the prom was canceled due to COVID-19, the Class of 2021 enjoyed a Senior Dinner & Dance at Timuquana Country Club a few days before graduation.

Lifers: St. Johns Students Since Preschool

L-R Ellie Rosenau, Jake Kailes, Brooke Ferris, John B. Linge, Chloe Davis, Ali Korahais, Lexi Drumm, Max Monroe, Alexa Verboort, and Haley Juskowski. Not pictured: Yash Aprameya S T. J O H N S C O U N T R Y D AY S C H O O L M A G A Z I N E

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Graduation 2021

Members of the Class of 2021 Alexis Michelle Agramonte Member, National Honor Society

Ethan Anderson Albright

Member, Cum Laude Society Member, National Honor Society

Paul Brandon Allen Julia Marie Andrawis

Member, National Honor Society

Yashas Aprameya

Member, Cum Laude Society Member, National Honor Society St. Johns Student Since Preschool

Maxwell David Arnold

Member, National Honor Society

Avery Paige Baskin

Member, National Honor Society

Gary Frank Bradley III Landon Jeffrey Boone Brafford Member, National Honor Society

Kaley Marie Burnside Fred Marion Cone IV

Member, Cum Laude Society Member, National Honor Society

Stephanie Grace Constantino Member, National Honor Society

Chloe Renee Crews

Member, National Honor Society

Brooke Aidan Ferris

Member, National Honor Society St. Johns Student Since Preschool

Mykel Javier Frazier

Member, National Honor Society

Emma Jane Harward

Paige Riley Crews

Natalie Rae Higingbotham

Chloe Adair Davis

Desiree Holmberg

Member, National Honor Society

Member, National Honor Society St. Johns Student Since Preschool

Mason Timothy Davis

Member, National Honor Society

Member, Cum Laude Society Member, National Honor Society

Bianca Chiara Horen

Member, National Honor Society

Alexander Kingdon Dimmick Member, National Honor Society

Julia Hannah Jones

Alexis Sophie Drumm

Haley Ann Juskowski

Member, Cum Laude Society Member, National Honor Society St. Johns Student Since Preschool

Member, National Honor Society S T. J O H N S C O U N T R Y D AY S C H O O L M A G A Z I N E

St. Johns Student Since Preschool

Jacob Douglas Kailes

Member, National Honor Society St. Johns Student Since Preschool

Charles Tilson Branch 26

Amelia Jane Dyer

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Jonathan Eugene Kats

Member, National Honor Society

Maggie Elizabeth Kent

Max Nicklaus Monroe

Member, National Honor Society St. Johns Student Since Preschool

Mia Morgan Sadler

Member, National Honor Society

Julia Grace Schildberg

Member, Cum Laude Society Member, National Honor Society

Madeline Laura Moody

Member, National Honor Society

Member, Cum Laude Society Member, National Honor Society

Allison Bright Korahais

Connor Thomas Moore

Luke Christopher Shannahan

Julia Reese Nichols

Jay’d Alan Micha St. John

Member, Cum Laude Society Member, National Honor Society St. Johns Student Since Preschool

Abbey Rebecca Lantinberg Member, Cum Laude Society Member, National Honor Society

Member, National Honor Society

Member, Cum Laude Society Member, National Honor Society

John Michael Nowicki

Natalie Grace Lassiter

James Douglas Oman

John Bernard Linge

Alexa Marie Radford

Member, Cum Laude Society Member, National Honor Society St. Johns Student Since Preschool

Gabrielle Martha Loustau Member, National Honor Society

Hannah Agnes Marshall Spencer Charles Martin

Member, National Honor Society

Walker Bay Mathews

Member, National Honor Society

Jason Richard Thomas Jr.

Member, National Honor Society

Alexa Rose Verboort

Member, National Honor Society St. Johns Student Since Preschool

Member, National Honor Society

Vincent Lenorris Williams Jr.

Brooke Alexis Remolde

James Richard Loram Wilson Member, National Honor Society

Isabella Grace Richardson Member, Cum Laude Society Member, National Honor Society

Luke Daniel Robinson Ellie Camille Rosenau

Member, National Honor Society St. Johns Student Since Preschool

Natalie Zoe Wilson Anna Simmons Wulbern

Member, Cum Laude Society Member, National Honor Society

Cade Robert Zehner

Member, National Honor Society

Gavin Keys Russell S T. J O H N S C O U N T R Y D AY S C H O O L M A G A Z I N E

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Graduation 2021

Class of 2021 Graduation Awards Edwin Paul Heinrich Award Ellie Camille Rosenau

Service Awards Fred Marion Cone IV Alexander Kingdon Dimmick Amelia Jane Dyer Jonathan Eugene Kats Ellie Camille Rosenau Jason Richard Thomas Jr

Dora Helen Skypek Award Jonathan Eugene Kats Stephen F. Russey Best All-Around Young Man Ethan Anderson Albright

English Award Allison Bright Korahais

Stephen F. Russey Best All-Around Young Woman Maggie Elizabeth Kent

The Carol A. Hart Math Award Ethan Anderson Albright

Roddey R. Fisher Award Ellie Camille Rosenau

Science Award Anna Simmons Wulbern

Valedictorian Award Alexis Sophie Drumm

Art Award Natalie Rae Higingbotham

Leadership Awards Julia Marie Andrawis Avery Paige Baskin Maggie Elizabeth Kent Julia Grace Schildberg

The Mary Virginia Fisher French Award Allison Bright Korahais

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Spanish Award Ethan Anderson Albright

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Graduation 2021

The Myrtle O’Shea Latin Award Cade Robert Zehner Cynthia C. Landry History Award Julia Reese Nichols Drama Award For Theatrical Performance Gabrielle Martha Loustau Drama Award For Technical Theatre Jason Richard Thomas Jr Dance Award Julia Grace Schildberg

Awards Presented at the Upper School Awards Ceremony in May 2021:

Top Female Upper School Athlete Award: Paige Crews ’21

Music Instrumental Award Alexander Kingdon Dimmick Music Vocal Award Alexa Rose Verboort

Top Male Upper School Athlete Award: Max Arnold ’21 Laurie Anne Richards Scholarship: Allison Korahais ’21

Computer Science Award Jonathan Eugene Kats

Whitelaw Life of Light Award: Mary Beth Garrison ’22

Captain Borries Cup Award Connor Thomas Moore

Ashley Cowie Award: Gabrielle Loustau ’21

Linda C. Guswiler Athletic Award Madeline Laura Moody

The “I Dare You” Leadership Award: Mia Sadler and James Wilson

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Graduation 2021

Class of 2021 Fast Facts

Graduates

$10m+

National Silver Key Recipient

Received in scholarship offers

2021 AP Scholars*

St. Johns students since preschool

AP Scholars with Honors*

Florida Bright Futures Academic Scholars

Florida Bright Futures Medallion Scholars

Scholastic Art Award Winners

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AP Scholars with Distinction*

Will play sports at the college level *The AP Scholar designation is granted to students who receive scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP Exams; AP Scholar with Honors is granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. The AP Scholar with Distinction designation is granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams.

Graduation 2021

The following colleges and universities accepted members of the Class of 2021: American Musical and Dramatic Academy American University Appalachian State University Arizona State University Arizona State University (West) Auburn University Berry College Boston University Bowdoin College Brewton-Parker College Butler University California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo California State University, Long Beach Carnegie Mellon University Chipola College Christopher Newport University Clemson University Coastal Carolina University Colby College College of Charleston Colorado State University Columbia University Cornell University Davidson College DePaul University Drexel University Duke University Eckerd College Elon University Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Five Towns College Flagler College Florida Atlantic University Florida Gulf Coast University Florida Institute of Technology Florida Polytechnic University Florida Southern College Florida State College at Jacksonville

Florida State University Furman University Georgia Military College Georgia Southern University Hofstra University Indiana State University Jacksonville University Kansas State University Kenyon College Lafayette College Lander University Louisiana State University Massachusetts College of Art and Design Mercer University Montserrat College of Art New College of Florida North Carolina State University Northwestern University Palm Beach Atlantic University Pennsylvania State University Pensacola Christian College Pensacola State College Presbyterian College Rhode Island School of Design Rhodes College Rice University Ringling College of Art and Design Rollins College Samford University San Diego State University Savannah College of Art and Design School of the Art Institute of Chicago Sewanee: The University of the South Southern Methodist University Stetson University Syracuse University Tallahassee Community College Texas Christian University The University of Alabama

The University of Tampa The University of Tennessee The University of West Florida Trinity College Dublin Troy University Tufts University Tulane University of Louisiana University of Arizona University of California, Berkeley University of California, Davis University of California, Irvine University of California, San Diego University of California, Santa Barbara University of California, Santa Cruz University of Central Florida University of Colorado Boulder University of Florida University of Georgia University of Kansas University of Kentucky University of Maryland University of Miami University of Michigan University of Mississippi University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of North Carolina at Charlotte University of North Florida University of Pennsylvania University of Pittsburgh University of Richmond University of South Carolina University of South Florida University of Southern Mississippi University of Virginia Valdosta State University Vanderbilt University Virginia Tech Wagner College Winthrop University

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SUMMER 2021

Spring Fling

ST. JOHNS BIDS FAREWELL TO FOUR

n Friday, May 14, 2021, alumni, parents of alumni, and current and former faculty and staff members came together at Spring Fling to celebrate the retirements of Head of Upper School Mary Virginia Fisher, Assistant Head of Lower School and Lower School faculty member Celeste Heller, English Department Chair and Upper School faculty Elizabeth Herzog, and Performing Arts Department Chair and choral faculty member Brenda Scott. It was a beautiful evening out on the Roddey R. Fisher Quad as the St. Johns community reflected on all the achievements of these four outstanding educators.

Mary Virginia Fisher (46 years)

Recalling her first interaction with Mrs. Fisher, toastmaker Leslie DeStefano relayed that her immediate thought was that she had just met “the coolest, smartest, funniest, most loving problem solver on the planet.” “For 46 years, Mary Virginia has given her life to us,” DeStefano continued, ”students and teachers get her all every day. She is grounded in the belief that leadership is less about being in charge and more about caring for those in your charge.” Over her years at St. Johns, Mrs. Fisher taught French in all three divisions, served as the president of the Florida chapter of the American Association of Teachers of French, was named Florida French Teacher of the Year, and is a member of the Florida Foreign Language Association’s Hall of Fame. Throughout her years at St. Johns, Mrs. Fisher held numerous other titles and responsibilities, including starting St. Johns’ first summer camp, Acting Head of School, and, of course, Head of Upper School. Additionally, World Languages Department Chair Kim Murphy announced that St. Johns has renamed its annual French award the Mary Virginia Fisher French Award. 32

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Celeste Heller (22 years)

Mrs. Heller joined St. Johns 22 years ago and over the years has become a much-loved figure in the Lower School and across the divisions. In her salute to Mrs. Heller, Lower School teacher Amanda Powers ’01, mentioned the trepidation she felt when former Head of Lower School Mary Helen Cauthen told her she was moving to Grade 3 to work with Mrs. Heller. She was 24 years old, she said, and she’d been a teacher for only one year. It was daunting to think of working with, as she put it, “THE Celeste Heller.” But she did. They shared breakfast together that first day in pre-planning, and for many, many days to come, working together for fifteen years and eventually becoming the Grade 3 Dream Team. In her years at St. Johns, Heller also served as Assistant Head of Lower School and as the Student Government Faculty Advisor. Powers summed it all up by saying, “You are simply an amazing teacher… and one of St. Johns’ greatest.” And she will be sorely missed.

SUMMER 2021

Beth Herzog (22 years)

Mary Virginia Fisher issued a toast to Beth Herzog, recalling how impressed then-Headmaster Stephen Russey was with her when he hired her. “And he did not impress easily,” she said, “let me tell you.” Clearly it’s not just Beth’s fashion that we have admired all these 22 years, though, she continued. “It has been the dedication that she has given and the knowledge that she has shared with all those juniors and seniors who have had the privilege of having her as a teacher in their English classes.” “One of the greatest compliments we can receive as teachers,” said Fisher, “is when our students come back and tell us how well they have done in the next arena, being in college. Every year students come back and they tell Beth, ‘Hey, everybody on my floor came to me because I knew how to write the research paper!’” Mrs. Herzog will continue teaching AP English Language for another year, so she isn’t quite fully retired, and we all look forward to continuing to see her in the halls of the Upper School during 2021-2022, bringing along one more class of juniors in the art and technicalities of those literature and research papers.

Brenda Scott (30 years)

Former St. Johns performing arts teacher Anita Snell took the microphone to deliver a few remarks about Brenda Scott from their many years working together. “Like so many educators,”said Snell, “Brenda approaches her work, and has always approached her work, not as a job—it was not an occupation—it was a calling. And we’ve seen it played out over and over again. That means she gives her heart, and gave her heart and soul to everything… she not only enriched the students’ academic pursuits, she enriched their lives in a way that will stay with them forever.” Over her 30 years at St. Johns, Mrs. Scott built the choral program from a club activity attracting four girls in the first year to the robust, well-reputed program that St. Johns enjoys now, and created the unique handbells program from the ground up, in addition to many other accomplishments. “I could go on and on,” summed Snell, ”but I want to commend Brenda for mentoring and bringing out the best in students. [She has] prepared them not just for music in life—although many are pursuing careers in music—but she has prepared them for life itself.”

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SUMMER 2021

Spring Fling

Britt McTammany ’87, Franklin Ritch ’12 & William Stokes ’12

Mike Pickett ’83 & Jim Lyerly ’80

Paul Madison Duff ’13 & Madi Duff

Anne Auchter Gibbs, Una Pardue & Grover Howard

Anita Snell

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Ian Duncan ’20, Nasua’ Williams ’20 & Ashantii Williams ‘26

Ellen Crist ’13 & Madison Powers ’13 SUMMER 2021

Lisa Rosenau, Amanda Powers ’01, Erin Bare Willingham ’98, Maddy Rosenau ’18 & Jackie Buran

Eric Carpenter & Erika Wilson Carpenter ’01

Lillian Powell ’76, Mary Virginia Fisher, Anita Snell

Tyler Johnson Heinrichs ’01 and David Heinrichs ’98 with their daughter, Winnie; Aaron Makar ’19, Brenda Scott & Jonathan Plant ’99

Madison Powers ’13, Caroljo Creighton, Jean Marie Maierhoffer Petty ’13 & Ellen Crist ’13 S T. J O H N S C O U N T R Y D AY S C H O O L M A G A Z I N E

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Thank You!

hile this year brought many changes and uncertainties, one thing remained constant: the unwavering commitment and support of so many. Thank you to the parents, alumni, parents of alumni, faculty members, grandparents, and friends of St. Johns Country Day School who contributed to the 2020-2021 St. Johns Fund. Gifts touch every student, every teacher, and every corner of our School. The full 2020-2021 Annual Giving Report is available at sjcds.net/agr.

Gala & Auction: A Night in Old Havana Guests were transported to beautiful old Havana at the 2021 Gala and Auction, A Night in Old Havana, which took place Saturday, April 10, 2021, at Timuquana Country Club. Chaired by St. Johns parent, Jessica Cummings, with the support of Parent Association volunteers, this fun-filled evening featured cocktails, tapas, live music by ‘Arriba El Son,’ and a silent and live auction. Thank you to everyone who helped make the event a success in support of the School’s quad and deck renovations. The deck and surrounding areas are used by every Spartan, every day. The space is not only the epicenter of the campus but also is an important extension of the classroom, where students practice teamwork, creativity, communication skills, and more. We look forward to sharing the beautiful, updated space with Spartans for years to come.

15th Annual Spartan Golf Tournament The 15th Annual Spartans Golf Tournament was a success with more than 85 participants enjoying a beautiful day of golf at Fleming Island’s Eagle Harbor Golf Club. All proceeds from the tournament will be used to improve facilities and enhance programs for St. Johns’ studentathletes and coaches. A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to the success of the tournament! We hope everyone enjoyed the day, and we look forward to seeing you on the golf course next year. 36

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SUMMER 2021

Special Thanks to Our Event Sponsors Gala & Auction

St. Johns Spartans Golf Tournament

Title Sponsor:

Hole Sponsors:

St. Johns Investment Management Co.

Anonymous Donor Walker Footings

Mojito Sponsors:

Lunch Sponsor:

Gene and Caroline Nichols Hodges Mazda W.J. Sapp

Family Life Care, Inc.

Aiosa and Hoffman Orthodontics The Bailey Group Blackadar Insurance Brower Financial Group Future Home Loans Herff Jones Joseph Spanbauer Kailes Pediatric Dentistry, Dr. Beth Kailes La Nopalera North Florida Soccer Academy Roof it Right Sage Appraisals, Inc. Weaver and Stratton Pediatric Dentistry W.J. Sapp & Son, Inc.

Conga Sponsors: Weather Engineers WeGotSoccer

Band Sponsor: SendIt LTL, LLC

Cigar Bar Sponsor:

Gold Sponsor: Allstate Steel, Inc. Borland Groover St. Johns Investment Management Company Turf Doctor Landscaping and Lawn, LLC Vystar Investment Services Weather Engineers Williams & Rowe Company, Inc.

Vallencourt Construction

Beverage Sponsor:

Program Ad Sponsors:

Mapp Family Dentistry Southern Enclosures

David A. King, Attorney at Law Allstate Steel Co.

Day of Giving Thank You Thank you so much to everyone who donated, supported, and spread the word about our 4th Annual Day of Giving, #GreatDaySJ. We set out to reach 168 gifts—one for every day our School doors have been open this year when so many others have remained closed. In honor of St. Johns and of the resilience of our faculty, students, families, alumni, and entire Spartan community this year, our community came together and exceeded our greatest expectations. Together, we reached 235 gifts, raising $42,606! Thank you to everyone who believed in us and made a contribution to St. Johns. Your support makes an incredible difference for our students, our faculty, and the St. Johns experience.

Lower School students raise the total achieved on the Day of Giving, #GreatDaySJ.

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SUMMER 2021

Supporting the 2021-2022 St. Johns Fund What is the St. Johns Fund?

St. Johns Country Day School relies upon funds above and beyond tuition to cover the costs of delivering an outstanding educational experience. The St. Johns Fund, our annual giving program, works to make our School’s needs and wants a reality, providing the best possible education, environment, tools, and technology for Spartans of today and tomorrow. It’s fundamental to the School’s operating budget and the reason we are so deeply appreciative of broad participation from our entire School community: parents, alumni, faculty and staff, parents of alumni, grandparents, and friends of the School. Your gift is a commitment to our students, our faculty, and the St. Johns experience. Every gift, large and small, matters. Thank you!

How are contributions used?

Your support of the St. Johns Fund fuels every aspect of the St. Johns experience, including: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Supporting teachers, coaches, and staff through professional development opportunities Delivering technology to enhance teaching and learning Making enhancements to the campus, buildings, and security Improving student life and co-curricular activities, including trips, equipment, and more Strengthening St. Johns’ financial future.

Commit to St. Johns Today

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Online: sjcds.net/give Phone: (904) 264-9572 or Text SPARTANS to 243-725 Mail: St. Johns Annual Fund 3100 Doctors Lake Drive Orange Park, FL 32073

Alumni Spotlight

Alumni Spotlight William “Jack” Stephens ’77

Often it takes years for alumni to reconnect with St. Johns. This was certainly the case with Jack Stephens ’77, but once he did, boy did he have a story to share. He describes his time at St. Johns as an escape from his life outside school. He built relationships with peers and teachers and worked hard to keep up with the demanding academics. Jack recalls Miss Edith Cowles who taught English and was his homeroom teacher senior year, “She was known as being tough, but I enjoyed being a storyteller and she made it a challenge.” After graduating, Jack went to Jacksonville University where he majored in marketing and economics. He had one goal—to find a good-paying job. He found that job in distributing and logistics in Jacksonville, and he also found his wife, Cindy. Jack and Cindy inspired each other to explore, so a few years

after college, they both quit their jobs and left for a 30-day trip to Alaska. They spent the next six years there and started their own marketing distribution company. Jack and Cindy’s life in Alaska didn’t alleviate their need to travel and explore the world. They enjoyed different landscapes and moved from here to there only allowing themselves a few years in each place. When they were in their thirties, they decided to slow down, and Jack pursued a career in the pharmaceutical industry. He became an executive vice president for Express Scripts, a pharmacy benefits management organization, and was a private industry consultant for the Drug Enforcement Agency in Washington D.C. At this point, he and Cindy resided in Dallas, and he spent many days on the road away from home. By their mid-forties, Jack and Cindy were about to move yet again—this time to Albuquerque, New Mexico—when a life-changing tragedy changed the entire course of their lives. Jack’s wife was in a terrible car accident on the highway. Cindy recovered after suffering multiple life-threatening injuries, but the life she and Jack had been living changed drastically. They sold everything, gave up their careers, and moved to Argentina, where they have lived now for the last fifteen years. They spent their first nine years living in wine country, where Jack explored different interests and hobbies, including coding a website, publishing

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SUMMER 2021

Alumni Spotlight

writing pieces, and building his own home in the Andes Mountains. Jack published his first novel, Where the Green Star Falls, in 2017, and he quickly started getting letters from people all over the world wanting to know more about the characters. Since then, he has released another novel, Andalusian Legacy: The Complete Novel. He has sold the rights to these novels and an upcoming third novel to an executive producer in Hollywood and looks forward to continuing to write about adventures and emotions from his own experiences because, as he puts it, “writers influence lives.” Jack and Cindy still live six months out of the year in Argentina and the other half of the year in Alabama surrounded by friends and family. His advice for having it all and changing course is “Don’t be afraid to learn things. Don’t feel like you will be stuck in your 40

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profession for the rest of your life. I kept growing and changing until I found something that made me happy because what I wanted in life kept changing.” He also emphasizes the importance of learning another language. “I’ve been fortunate to accumulate friends from all over the world and the ones who are most successful and make the most interesting companions are those who speak several languages,” he says. “The world is a very big place and only 13% of it speaks English! I believe the young leaders who will truly change this world for the better, are the ones who can converse with, and understand people from other cultures.” St. Johns is thrilled to have reconnected with Jack and is excited to see where his next adventure takes him as a published author!

SUMMER 2021

Alumni Spotlight

Hwang Marino ’09 DMD

Determined to become one of the largest dental providers in Northeast Florida, Dr. Hwang Marino ’09 reflects on his time at St. Johns with great appreciation for a school that helped mold him into the well-rounded professional he is today. Hwang, who joined St. Johns in preschool, refers to the campus as his second home and his School friends as his family. A member of the inaugural football team and a 2005 Soccer State Champion, Hwang recalls, “I didn’t know anything different. I thought it was normal to play a bunch of sports in high school which I now know is uncommon at almost every other school.” However, his St. Johns experiences didn’t stop at just athletics; he cherished his time in the classroom as well. Mrs. Judy Kalil was a huge part of his St. Johns career, he says, and he still keeps up with her to this day. He couldn’t go without mentioning Mrs. Carol Hart’s science classes and applying her lessons to his college courses. Mrs. Tami Culbert’s ceramics class taught Hwang how to work on specific hand movements that he later perfected in dental school. Hwang knew in his late Middle School years that he wanted to become a dentist and a Gator at the University of Florida. Thus, he dedicated his high school career to become a well-rounded student, the type of student he knew the University of Florida would

want. In the fall of 2009, Hwang’s dream became a reality, but as he recalls, “It was a rude awakening because my class sizes were bigger than the entire St. Johns student body. I really had to compete academically to be successful as a biology major.” Hwang graduated from the University of Florida in 2013 and began dental school the following fall. After graduating from the University of Florida’s dental school in 2017, Hwang worked in a few associate roles and took the time to understand what it meant to run a successful dentistry practice. In May of 2019, Hwang’s goals came to fruition, and he is currently in his second office, one that used to be owned by his parents for their own medical practice. When speaking about the work that he does day to day, Hwang says, “A lot of people think that teeth are just there. However, they are a huge part of your overall health. So many things happen because of your teeth. A smile is a huge thing and a survival skill for life. Having the capability to change someone’s smile can really change someone’s life.” Throughout Hwang’s life, he has been driven by his personal goals. As his life has changed, his goals have, too—from getting into The University of Florida to owning his dentistry practice. His new goal is for his patients to leave his office better than when they came in and as Hwang said “If you put in the hard work, you’re going to be successful on your own time.” He will most definitely be successful and will never stop setting new goals.

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SUMMER 2021

Alumni Spotlight

Zhanee Anderson ’16

Her experience at St. Johns wasn’t always the easiest journey, but Zhanee Anderson ’16, known as Z, says she would do it all over again. Looking back, she says that transitioning to St. Johns from the public school system as a freshman was at times a challenge, but thanks to her soccer teammates, Coach Mike Pickett ’83, and Coach Pat Rodifer, becoming a part of the St. Johns family was made much easier. She says the faculty and staff at St. Johns made the school feel like a family, and she appreciated the open door policies that made new students like her feel welcome. What Z didn’t know during her freshman year at St. Johns was her next four years here would change the course of her career path. Z referred to St. Johns as a “safe space for support” and remembers the freedom that she had when she was a student. “My favorite part of school was eating lunch on the stage or in Brad Schmidt’s office. He and Mrs. Fisher both had a lot to do with why I stayed at St. Johns.” Of course, her favorite memory is winning four soccer state championships, and beyond soccer, St. Johns consistently gave her the opportunity to push herself outside of her comfort zone. 42

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When her senior year arrived and she had yet to complete her final arts credit for graduation, she found herself in Mrs. Ayres’ ceramics classroom. She thought it was relaxing, and she took a deeper dive into the world of art, a topic that had always interested her. During that time, her interests continued to grow, and now art direction is a big part of her career. After graduation, Z headed off to Valdosta State University. She graduated in May 2020 with a bachelor of fine arts degree in mass media and played soccer all four years for the university. While she was at Valdosta State, Z worked on numerous projects with the athletic department including—her favorite—serving as a color commentator for the 2019 NCAA Division 2 Football Playoffs and hosting a weekly sports update, “The Hot Minute.” Of course, graduating in the middle of a pandemic had its own challenges as far as what was next for Z. “On a whim, I applied to grad school and was accepted to the University of Miami as a film major.” During her time at Miami, she also interned for the Hurricane football team under the Creative Director of Recruiting. “That experience opened the creative sports door for me and I knew I really wanted to do video.” Z began looking for different jobs that would allow her to pursue her passion. Currently at Temple University in Philadelphia, Z is a graduate assistant to the Director of Creative Media, and she works directly with the football team and the recruiting staff. In this role, she manages the art direction of all recruiting marketing and media materials including graphic design, visual storytelling, social media content, photography, and videography. She also is responsible for a group of interns, which she says is a great way to continue to build her leadership skills. Z has seen a lot of growth and opportunities over the past year, and she credits that to some of the most valuable lessons that she learned at St. Johns. “Most of my lessons come from Coach Pickett,” she says: “‘A goal without a plan is a wish.’ I’ve had success because I always knew if I didn’t have a plan I wouldn’t get to where I wanted to be.” Z has had success and has

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Alumni Spotlight

an amazing story as an athlete. She really had to fight hard to play soccer in college, and her passion for her work comes from wanting to share the stories of other athletes similar to her own. “I want to tell stories from someone who understands other athletes and cares about them. I want to be their voice because their stories are important.” For an athlete, their college career comprises some of the most important years of their lives, and Z prides herself on being a support system for the athletes. As to the future, over the summer Z took a new job as a production assistant with the Carolina Panthers. She looks forward to continuing to grow, create, and prosper in her career. If she has taught the St. Johns community anything, it’s how to have grit both on and off the field.

ANNOUNCING THE ALUMNI LEGACY GIFT

Starting with the 2021-2022 School year, St. Johns is offering a 40% remission on all legacy—children of alumni—enrollees. In our world today there have been many stresses, unknowns, and uncertainties, and we want to make sure that choosing a quality education for your child is not one of those burdens. Legacy Gift is St. Johns’ thank you for being a Spartan alum, for sending your legacy child(ren) to St. Johns, and for the community, loyalty, and support that all of our alumni families provide to the School. We are proud of and grateful for you, and Legacy Gift is just one way we can show it. Please reach out to Associate Director of Admissions and Director of Alumni Relations Jean Marie Maierhoffer Petty ’13 (jpetty@sjcds.net) for more information or with any questions.

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SUMMER 2021

Alumni Notes

Alumni Notes 1970’s Bob Wooden ’74 retired from American Airlines as a captain in February 2021.

▲ Jessica Carter O’Brien ’02 and her husband, Kelly, welcomed their daughter, Finley Grace O’Brien, on April 12, 2021. She is happy and healthy and her parents are so excited to have her in their lives!

1980’s

Jessica Palombo ’04 started a new position as Editorial Director at WJCT Public Media.

▲ Vicki Holt Weaver ’78, Paula Holt Laukaitis ’79, Kay Blitch Lyerly ’80, Rhoda Holt Press ’80, Mary Timby Smith ’80, Susan Timby Lindholm ’80, and Pam Holt Brasher ’82 had a fabulous beach mini reunion in May!

▲ Will Courtney ’01 and his wife, Heather, welcomed Helen Hall Courtney on March 31, 2020. She is the sister of William ’34 and Lane ’36 and cousin to Charlie ’33 and Gwen Courtney ’36. Matt Jones ’01 was named as one of the 40 Under 40 business leaders by the Jacksonville Business Journal. He is the Vice President of H. Stephen Jones and Associates, Inc.

▲ A third generation of Webers has joined St. Johns! Kirkwood and Ellis, son and daughter of Patton and Larry Weber ’04, are very excited to be Spartans. They join a long generation of Spartans including their grandfather Larry Weber ’77, uncle Carter Weber ’07, and aunt Caroline Weber ’12.

▲ Vanessa Beasley Bowles ’84, Sandy Ellmaker Dinkins ’84 and Tara Lusk Kivett ’84 spent time together in Nashville this spring.

2000’s Paul Jones ’00 was recognized as one of the 40 Gators Under 40 by the University of Florida Alumni Association. Paul is the President and CEO of W.W. Gay Mechanical Contractor, Inc.

▲ Cary Cauthen Benefield ’02 and Doug Benefield ’03 welcomed their second child, Edwin James, in April. He joins his big brother, Douglas.

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▲ Marcus Courtney ’05 and his wife Claire welcomed Marcus Vincent Courtney III on April 8, 2021. Ada, who is just about to turn two, loves being his big sister! Marcus is the seventh grandchild of Bill and Owene Courtney ’73.

Alumni Notes Alex Nichols ’05 has been hired full time at Service Corporation International, the largest company for funeral and funeral services in the United States and now Canada. Working from the corporate office in Orlando, where he has lived since graduating from the University of Central Florida in 2010, Alex currently manages a self service queue for all IT and nonIT requests and issues for the company, both from SCI locations and SCI corporate offices.

2010’s

▲ Emily Child Grove ’08 and her husband, Tyler, welcomed their second son, Chase Marshall. Chase joins his big brother Carson, and the family resides in Snoqualmie, WA.

▲ Caitlin Booth Bookwalter ’06 married Joe Bookwalter May 22, 2022 at First United Methodist Church of Ormond Beach. Florida. Sam Booth ’09 was a groomsman.

▲ Jordan Robbins Rechcigl ’10 and her husband, Kevin, welcomed James Douglas Rechcigl on January 5, 2021. James weighed 6 pounds, 5 ounces, and was 19 inches long.

Anna Salas ’08 is engaged to Ryan Hatfield. They’re getting married in St. Augustine in early 2022.

▲ Ian Holman ’08 and his wife, Carrie, welcomed, Rolf Ian “Rian” Holman III, on April 30, 2021, weighing 8.7 lbs and measuring 21 inches long. They live in the Washington, DC area and are slowly adjusting to the lack of sleep.

▲ Meagan Eddy Bishop ’08 and Garrett Bishop ’13 are excited to announce the arrival of their first son on April 21, 2021. Weighing 7 pounds 4 ounces and measuring 19.75 inches long, Gavin Wright Bishop, entered the world and melted his parents’ hearts.

▲ Danielle Palombo Phillipp-Edmonds ’08 and her husband, Austin, welcomed their daughter, Charlotte Mells, on April 20, 2021.

▲ Klaire Sawicki Osbourne ’10 and her husband, Tyler, welcomed their first child, Olson Nash Osborne, on March 10, 2021. Klaire is currently the Marketing Coordinator at Curate & Co. and Tyler recently opened a coffee shop, Setlan Coffee Co., in San Marco.

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SUMMER 2021

Alumni Notes St. Johns Singers Reunion

Many St. Johns Singers alums turned out to bid Mrs. Scott a fond farewell as she moves into retirement this summer, joining the current St. Johns Singers to sing the traditional closer, “The Lord Bless You and Keep You.” Back row (L-R): Rhett Sessions ’19, TJ Ryan ’24, Connor O’Steen ’24, Franklin Ritch ’12, Heather Duncan ’15, Chastity Duffey ’16, Amber Rose Tomlinson ’18, Gayle Garrison ’94, Emily Patterson ’16, Melinda Peacock, Alexa Verboort ’21, Gigi Sessions 24, Noelle Sanford ’22, Ashlyn Anderson ’24, Tory Finley ’12, Valerie Cabrera ’20. Second row: Michael Beltz ’18, JD Lewis ’22, Tripp Vogt ’23, Emma Goodbread ’18, Kyleigh Barber ’17, Ashlyn Rose ’24, Lauren Correia ’22, Cordelia Painter ’24, Sasha Wallace ’24, Stephanie Schmidt ’16, Devin Ruhl ’18, Carolina Hollis ’20. Front row: Mark Scott, Kevin Taylor ’17, Bonnar Barber, Dillon Murray ’17, John Cabrera ’22, Sean Pendry ’98, David Heinrichs ’98, William Stokes ’12, Ian Duncan ’20, Alexa Radford ’21, Rachel Robison ’09, Brenda Scott, Megan Castiglione ’17, Katie Gordon ’17, Katie Higingbotham Jackson ’00, Tyler Heinrich, Natalie Zapp ’18, Lea Shah ’18, Leslie DeStefano, Susan Crenshaw de Mauro ’99, Devon Ritch ’95, and pianist Stephen Fennell.

▲ Lisette Coll-Román ’17 graduated from the University of Florida on May 3, 2021 with a BS in Animal Science and a minor in Zoology from the College of Agriculture and Animal Science. She will attend the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine starting in fall 2021.

▲ Carson Pickett ’12 supported Payton Crews ’18 at her TCU soccer game.

▲ Christianna White ’10 received her Georgia license in 2020 and is now a licensed pharmacist in Florida, Alabama, and Georgia. She was promoted to Pharmacy Manager with CVS Pharmacy in February. She is engaged to TSgt. Mark Christensen.

▲ Matthew Stankard ’13 married Kristin on January 3, 2021 at Timuquana Country Club. Following an intern year in Fort Lauderdale, Matt and Kristen will head to Boston where he will join the Mount Auburn Hospital Diagnostic Radiology program at Harvard Medical School. Kate Gordon ’17 graduated from the University of Tennessee with an Honors degree in Materials Science and Engineering. This summer she will start working as a product engineer for Honeywell in Kansas City.

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▲ Emily Merritt ’14 is engaged to Brian Adler. He proposed over Memorial Day weekend at Lake Texoma. They are excited to plan their wedding for the spring of 2022!

Alumni Notes

▲ Raquel Sanford ’14 is engaged to Kasen Jones.

▲ Allie Wilson ’17 graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in health science, majoring in communication sciences and disorders and minoring in disabilities in society. Starting in the fall, she will be pursuing a master of science in speech and language pathology at Jacksonville University. ▲ Lauren Remolde ’15 and Patrick Pelt were engaged on May 1, 2021. Both are graduates of Auburn University and met while on the Auburn Fishing Team. Patrick is a construction manager in Georgia and Lauren is currently attending Ross University Veterinary School in St. Kitts.

▲ Members from the Class of 2018 got together this spring. Natalie Zapp, Kasey Spencer, Devan Ruhl, Lea Shah, Emma Goodbread, Kyleigh Barber, Michael Beltz, Bishoy Abdelmalik, Connor Hale, Cade Walden, and former student, Ryan Teofilo, all had a great night out on the town! Kendall McGeorge ’17 graduated from Presbyterian College in May and accepted a job as the director of youth and college ministries at First Presbyterian Church in Hickory, NC.

April D’Innocenzi ’17 graduated from Florida State University in the spring and will be attending veterinary school in Glasgow, Scotland.

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SUMMER 2021

Alumni Notes

▲ Joshua Soffler ’20 auditioned and was accepted into the ensemble for the Florida State University Concert Band. Look for the tuba player in the back, center left!

▲ Ryan Hillard ’17 graduated from Florida State University with a bachelor of science degree in marketing and management. He is now in Nashville working for the Hershey Company.

▲ Members from the Class of 2017 got together to celebrate some of their graduations from Florida State University. From left to right: Lillian Dinkins, Mina Andrawis, Joe Nelson, April D’Innocenzi, Ryan Hilliard, Megan Lindholm, Evan Engelbrecht, Grace Cothren, and Kendall McGeorge.

▲ Jack Hodges ’20, Jackson Powers ’20, and Parker Robbins ’20 spent time with their former first grader, Parker Crews ’31, for his birthday!

We love to hear your news!

In Memoriam Captain Kirk Lewis, father of Jamie Lee Cooper ’03 and former Board of Trustee Member. Mary Jo McTammany, mother of Britt McTammany ’87 and Kristin McTammany ’89.

▲ Kyla and Lea Hartwell ’20 played their first season of basketball for St. Francis Xavier University this past year.

Minna Lee Conn Mori, mother of Mark Mori ’67, and Kurt Mori ’69.

▲ Flagler College goalie Jared Marsano ’19 was named Peach Belt Conference Soccer Player of the week after the Saints’ February 1 season opener against Francis Marion. (Photo courtesy Flagler College Athletics). At the end of the season, his Grade 1 buddy, Noah Rosenau ’30, came to support him as the Flagler College Soccer team won the Peach Belt Conference championship.

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Alumni, please send your updates to Director of Alumni Relations Jean Marie Maierhoffer Petty ’13 at jpetty@sjcds.net.

Published by St. Johns Country Day School Mail: 3100 Doctors Lake Drive Orange Park, FL 32073-6997 Phone: (904) 264-9572 Email: info@sjcds.net Web: sjcds.net Head of School Valorie Baker vbaker@sjcds.net Director of Alumni Relations Jean Marie Maierhoffer Petty ’13 jpetty@sjcds.net Director of Communications Regan Minners rminners@sjcds.net Director of Development Jordan Robbins Rechcigl ’10 jrechcigl@sjcds.net

St. Johns thanks those who served on the 2020-2021 Board of Trustees: Officers: Rick Gregson, President Richard C. M. Wilson, Vice-President Brad Crews, Secretary Allan E. Wulbern, Treasurer

Members: James W. Branch Steven W. Conner Nicholas K. Courtney Margaret Rood Gibbs Daniel W. Hodges

Joseph E. Lemieux, Jr. John Maierhoffer Robin McMullen Eugene B. Nichols Pamela Petty

Trustee Emeritus:

Headmaster Emeritus: Ex Officio:

Dr. Steven B. Kailes Dr. Arjav Ted Shah Sharon J. Suggs

Stephen F. Russey

Craig Phillips Daniel Towers

Valorie Baker, Head of School

Save the Date! Contact Director of Alumni Relations Jean Marie Petty at jpetty@sjcds.net to add or correct your mailing address, or for more information on these upcoming events: ◆ September 14: Founders Day ◆ October 25-29: Fall Spirit Week ◆ November 11: Grandparents Day

St. Johns Country Day School 3100 Doctors Lake Drive Orange Park, FL 32073-6997

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ORANGE PARK, FL NON-PROFIT CORP. PERMIT NO. 58

Mary Beth Garrison ’22 won the annual Chalice staff photo contest with this photo of John B. Linge ’21 embracing soccer teammate Matthew Stratton ’22 after they won the Regional Championship in February.

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College Prep, Redefined.

1953: The Magazine of St. Johns Country Day School (Summer 2021)

Articles inside

1953: The Magazine of St. Johns Country Day School (Summer 2021)

Athletics

Middle School

Upper School

Performing Arts

Lower School