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 2019
Above: Pre-K3 students in Ms. Potratz’s class take a break from their day. Left - right, Alex Turwitt, Samuel Pastorius, Ella Willingham, Kennedy Hunter, Grayson Starks, and Zoey Swarthout.
Contents Letter from the Acting Head of School.....1 School News Briefs........................................2 Lower School................................................................................... 2 Middle School.................................................................................. 5 Upper School...................................................................................6 Performing Arts ...........................................................................8 Athletics..............................................................................................9 Visual Arts....................................................................................... 14
Graduation..................................................... 20 Legacy Breakfast......................................... 32 Thank You...................................................... 34 Alumni Spotlight ......................................... 36 Alumni Notes................................................ 42
On the cover: Seniors Tvisha Patel and Diana Shaykh celebrate with their Grade 1 Buddy, Kyle Cool, at the Senior-Grade 1 Ice Cream Social in May.
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.
Greetings, St. Johns Families and Friends! What a whirlwind this past year has been! The School’s 65th year was full of treasured traditions, and the beginnings of what I know will become muchloved St. Johns events. In February, St. Johns hosted its first annual Spartan Bowl, an Upper School powder puff football game that proved to be a fun and exciting event for the entire school (see page 7 for a photo of the proud champions!). The PTL Gala and Auction in March supported the School’s vibrant performing and visual arts programs and allowed the purchase of new instruments, supplies, and equipment for the band, choral, drama, and visual arts departments. April brought our 2nd Annual Day of Giving, which Rod and I were both very honored to have as the “Tribute to the Fishers” in recognition of our combined 90 years of service to St. Johns Country Day School. Since Rod’s arrival in 1967 and mine in 1975, St. Johns has been home to both of us, and we have loved every year of our combined 90 years as teachers and administrators. Thanks to all of you, the Day of Giving was a resounding success, with a goal set at $16,500 and the day-end tally coming in at more than $47,000 in support of the School’s Annual Fund. Among our many St. Johns traditions, graduation has always been my favorite, and it was my special honor to be at the podium to deliver those coveted diplomas to the Class of 2019. From the impressive senior speeches and presentation of appointments to the United States Naval Academy and United States Military Academy to the hydrangea-laden decorations and the graduates’ elegant attire, this year’s commencement ceremony proved once again that no one does graduation like St. Johns! Be sure to check out the photos beginning on page 20. By the time this magazine is in your hands, the new school year will have already begun. All of us at St. Johns look forward to another year of providing the best possible education and experience for Northeast Florida children, and we hope you will take some time out of your busy schedules to spend with us this year. Whether you’re a parent of a current Spartan, or an alumnus who has not been back in years, we hope to see you on campus very soon! Spartan best,
Mary Virginia Fisher Acting Head of School 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 Lower School News
Million Minute Reading Challenge Lower School students were thrilled in May to celebrate the achievement of their Million Minute Reading Challenge, in which they worked to collectively read and track one million minutes of reading time. Students carefully tracked their time reading (or having someone read to them) all year, and they were successful, reaching 1,059,630 minutes!
“I’m so proud of these students for achieving their Million Minute Reading Challenge,” said Head of Lower School Otis Wirth. “It’s been a lot of work all year reading and tracking their time, but they did it. It goes to show that when you set your mind to it, you can accomplish anything!”
Grade 3 Studies Okapi with White Oak As a part of St. Johns’ ongoing partnership with White Oak Conservation, this year students studied the okapi, a member of the giraffe family that lives in central Africa. Grade 3 spent the year studying the okapi and working with White Oak conservationists to help design new habitats for the facility’s okapi population.
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School News Briefs
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From Caterpillar to Butterfly Kindergarten students spent an exciting unit learning about the life stages of a butterfly, from eggs to caterpillar, chrysalis, and, finally, butterfly. After what seemed like an interminable wait, they released their butterflies in May.
Mauro Lopez Diaz ’31 holds one of the newly-hatched butterflies with classmates in Mrs. Jackson’s Kindergarten. 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
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Art from the Heart This semester in art class, each Lower School student handcrafted a ceramic work, which they then took home toward the end of the year. 1. Kindergarten- Butterfly Wall Hanging 2. Grade 1 - Owl Pinch Pot 3. Grade 2 - Tropical Bird 4. Grade 3 - Decorative Flower 5. Grade 4 - Cake Slice 6. Grade 5 - Coil Bowl
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School News Briefs Middle School News
National Junior Honor Society Inducts 34 In April, thirty-four Middle School students were inducted into the St. Johns chapter of the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS), the nation’s premier organization dedicated to recognizing outstanding middle level students. Based not just on academics, students inducted into NJHS must demonstrate excellence in the areas of scholarship, service, leadership, character, and citizenship. In order to be considered for membership, a student had to be a Grade 7 or Grade 8 student who has been at St. Johns for at least one semester, have a GPA of 3.7 or higher, contribute at least eight hours of community service, secure two faculty recommendations, and complete and turn in the NJHS application and essay. “I am so proud of every one of these students,” said Chapter Sponsor Mrs. Katie Foster. “They have each shown so much commitment to the tenets of the National Junior Honor Society, and I am thrilled for them to receive this recognition and continue their growth and service to the school.”
Induction ceremony speaker Nancy Hogshead Makar, parent of Aaron ’19, Helen Clare ’24, and Millicent ’24, shows students one of her Olympic gold medals as she discussed the qualities of determination and grit.
Spartans Celebrate National Library Week
Grade 6 students Sean Zahler and Caroline Burson display their Golden Ticket.
Spartans in all divisions enjoyed contests, games, puzzles, and prizes during National Library Week, April 9-13, 2019. Librarian Mrs. Amy Perry and Library Assistant Mrs. Jeni Jacobs hosted many fun activities for all students during the week, including the Pencil Contest, a Golden Ticket book clue game, and much more. “The goal was really to get the students into and engaged with the library,” said Mrs. Perry, “and to continue to demonstrate to them that books—and the library—are so much more than ‘dusty old volumes!’”
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School News Briefs Upper School News Junior/Senior Career Week In January, juniors and seniors spent a few days thinking about the future. Upon return from Winter Break, they spent a day receiving and reviewing their results from taking the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, a personality test that can help provide insights into how you work best and what are your strengths. Then, they went into two days of career shadowing. “The job shadowing experience can be invaluable in helping students zero in on possible careers, or perhaps rule some out,” said College Counselor Sarah Beresik. Left: Courtney Sage ’20 with Rob Sweeting and Joy Purdy (Photo courtesy Joy Purdy); Ben Kailes ’19 & Connor Foster ’20 at Haskell Engineering (Courtesy Bob Haffeman); Tucker Price ’19 with Jags cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
Spartan on Point In February, Sheila Hodges ’20 went to Tallahassee to represent St. Johns in the Clay Electric 2019 Youth Tour to Washington competition. There, she toured Tallahassee, saw the state government in action, took a written quiz, and delivered a speech on the topic of “What moment in history would you like to go back to and why?” Her speech on Ruby Bridges’ first day of school in 1960 New Orleans was a winner. Sheila was one of four winners who attended an all-expenses paid week in Washington, DC this summer, where she met some of the Congressional delegation, visited museums, experienced national landmarks, watched the Marine Sunset parade, and much more. “What people don’t know about Ruby Bridges,” said Sheila, “is that for the remainder of the school year, she was in a class of one and was the only African American child on campus.” In her speech, Sheila said she would like to go back in time to that moment on the steps of William Frantz Elementary School. “I would walk her up the school steps and give her a big hug,” said Sheila. “I would tell her to stay strong, remember her dreams, and that she is making a difference for generations to come.” St. Johns’ last winner of the Youth Tour to Washington Contest was Auriel Haack ’16, who won as a junior in 2015. Haack is a rising senior at Wellesley College.
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School News Briefs
Congratulations, Mr. and Miss St. Johns 2019! Congratulations to Mr. St. Johns 2019 Max Monroe ’21 and Miss St. Johns 2019 Elizabeth Stoeber ’20! Monroe was voted Mr. St. Johns at the annual competition in February, which raised more than $3,000 for the American Cancer Society. The Miss St. Johns pageant took place in March and raised $3,800 for Best Buddies of Jacksonville. Congratulations to all of the contestants!
The Juniors’ winning team (front, L-R), Delaney Payton, Jessica Linge, Courtney Sage, Kena Herrera, Kendall Sage, Lindsey Sabo, Kyla Hartwell, and Lea Hartwell. Back row, L-R, Coaches Ryan Croft, Liam Bielik, Parker Robbins, and Jackson Powers. (Photo courtesy Ivonne Robbins.)
Spartan Bowl I St. Johns revived a tradition this year: Powder Puff football! It all started with a day of fun & games, including a Spartan Spirit Dress Day, cross-divisional lunches, and an all-school pep rally before the games started at 4:00 p.m. Battles were hard-fought, but the Junior class prevailed and presented their trophy to Acting Head of School Mary Virginia Fisher and the School on Monday morning.
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School News Briefs The Empathy Project This winter, Grade 9 continued its tradition of presenting a short research paper to the whole grade. For the past several years, this research has centered around building empathy. “We’ve always done a research paper in 9th grade,” said Grade 9 English teacher Mrs. Jen Knapp. “Every year we’d try to come up with a relevant topic in which the students could really stake a claim. It wasn’t until the Empathy Project that we felt the students started genuinely connecting to the topic.” First, students read a novel around one of many different themes—mental illness, homelessness, depression—then wrote a paper on the topic. Then, together with other students who read books in the same theme, they presented their findings to the grade, along with suggestions on how to better empathize with people dealing with that particular issue, alleviating the problem, and what students can do to help. “The hope through this project is that students will emerge changed individuals,” said Knapp. “Ones who will go out into our school, our community, and our world and make a real difference.”
Robert Morris (top) and Callum Steiner (bottom) deliver their presentations.
Performing Arts News
Peacock Earns Coveted FVA Slot In January, Melinda Peacock ’20 earned a place in the Florida Vocal Association (FVA) All-State High School Concert Chorus. Melinda rehearsed and performed in this prestigious choir with approximately three hundred other students from across the state. The group was directed by Dr. Brad Holmes of Milliken University in Illinois. “The 2019 chorus was among the best all-state chorus ever,” said Chair of the Performing Arts Department and choir director Mrs. Brenda Scott.
In their February performance at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, the St. Johns singers scored top marks — Superiors — across the board in their adjudication with the Florida Vocal Association. L-R Valerie Cabrera ’20, Noelle Sanford ’22, Orisa Patel ’19, Mary Beth Garrison ’22, Emma Stasiak ’22, Julia Jones ’21, Alexa Verboort ’21, Melinda Peacock ’20, Nasua Williams ’20, Addison Ellis ’22, Lauren Correia ’22, and Tvisha Patel ’19.
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School News Briefs Athletics Senior Signings Following Linsey Arnett (Softball-Southeastern) and Brianna Enter (Softball-Florida State University), who signed in the fall, this spring five seniors signed to play sports at the college level: ◆◆ Kamy Loustau (Soccer) Princeton University ◆◆ Corey McDaniels (Track) Samford University ◆◆ Jared Marsano (Soccer) Flager College ◆◆ Nick Rogers (Swimming) Washington University ◆◆ Payton Walton (Soccer) Thomas University ◆◆ Maddie Wilkes (Softball) United States Military Academy
Crew Rows to Success The crew team had a transitional year with results demonstrating the work that was put in. At North Florida Districts the team came home with two silvers and a gold. At State Sweeps, each boat made program history by moving on to the petite final, and the season ended at the State Sweep Championship in Sarasota, where all boats had exciting races over the two days. Three boats moved on to the petite finals with one boat, the second varsity four, making it to the grand final.
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School News Briefs
Soccer In January, both Girls and Boys Varsity Soccer teams took the District Championships in a Tuesday night sweep. First, the girls captured their 16th consecutive and 18th overall District Championship by defeating St. Joseph Academy 6-0. Kamy Loustau ’19, Kamy Towers ’22, Paige Crews ’21, Payton Walton ’19, and Lauryn Mateo ’23, and homeschooled player Lauren Weiss all scored. Goalkeeper Maddie Wilkes ’19 and the backline of Lexi Drumm ’21, Maddie Moody ’21, Ellie Rosenau ’21, and Kena Herrera ’20 held the St. Joseph attack to just two shots and recorded the team’s 12th shutout of the year.
Basketball Girls Varsity Basketball Coach Yolanda Bronston and Kendall Sage ’20 were once again named 3A District 6 Coach and Player of the Year at an awards ceremony in March.
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The boys followed with a 3-1 win over Christ Church to clinch their first district title in 14 years. Max Monroe ’21 scored all three goals for the Spartans with two assists by Dru Detlefsen ’22 and one from John Linge ’21. The defensive unit of Crystian DeMonbreun ’19, Luke Gaston, Patrick Lindholm ’19, Ryan Croft ’20, and goalie Jared Marsano ’19 all had solid games against a tough Christ Church attack. Following this achievement, Girls Varsity Soccer went on to win their eighth straight state championship on February 20, 2019, in a tight 1-0 game against Lakeland Christian.
School News Briefs
Tennis Varsity Girls Tennis had an outstanding year, ending the season with a 10-3 record. The team finished 3rd at Districts with Stella Hyatt winning the Singles Championship at court 3. Delaney Payton ’20 and Stella won the Championship at court 1 doubles and traveled on to compete in Orlando for the State Championship. “Congratulations to the entire team for a great 2019 season,” said Coach Wendy McCurry.
Delaney, left, and Stella on their way to the State Championship.
In the Game Players of the Year Congratulations to our Spartan Soccer athletes who were recognized as Players of the Year by In the Game Magazine.
On the boys’ team: Jared Marsano ’19 (Flagler College), Max Monroe ’21, and Matthew Stratton ’22.
On the girls’ team: L-R: Payton Walton ’19 (Thomasville College), Lauryn Mateo ’23, Maddy Moody ’21, Maddie Wilkes (who will play softball for Army), and Kamy Loustau ’19 (Princeton University).
Also at the Northeast Florida In the Game banquet, Megan Jeffers ’25 received the Female Youth Athlete Award for her stellar softball season and outstanding promise.
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L-R, back row: Corey McDaniels ’19, Jett Isley ’19, Micah Gouin ’19, Connor Little ’23, Matthew Stratton ’22, Ben Kailes ’19. Front: Sofia Conde ’24, Ava Johnson ’23, Courtney Sage ’20, Kendall Sage ’20, Juliet Moody ’23.
Track & Field The Track & Field team participated in thirteen meets this season, hosted two meets at home, and won five medals at the Florida High School Athletics Association (FHSAA) Track and Field State Championship. Eleven student athletes participated in the Regional Championships, out of which which ten placed in the top four and qualified for the State Championship Finals. These include: ◆◆ Courtney Sage ’20: 100m hurdle - 7th place Medalist and 300m hurdle - 2nd place Silver Medalist, 4 x 400m relay; only the 2nd double medalist in school history ◆◆ Nasua Williams ’20: Adaptive Shot Put 1st place Gold Medalist ◆◆ Corey McDaniels ’19: 200m and 400m 7th place Medalist ◆◆ Matthew Stratton ’22: 1600m and 3200m 4th place Medalist ◆◆ Jett Isley ’19: 400m ◆◆ Juliet Moody ’23: 800m and 4 x400m Relay ◆◆ Kendall Sage ’20: 100m and 4 x 400m Relay ◆◆ Sofia Conde ’24, Ava Johnson ’23 and Kelsey Gregson ’25: 4 x 400m Relay
Spartan athletes also set two new school records: Corey McDaniels ’19 ran the 200m in 22.80s and freshman Matthew Stratton ’22 ran the 3200m in 9’:27.70”. At the end of the season forty nine student athletes were honored at the Banquet and Awards Presentation. The highlights of the evening were the awards presented in the following categories: THROWERS AWARD ◆◆ Female: Nasua Williams ’20 ◆◆ Male: Alex Mosborg ’19 JUMPERS AWARD ◆◆ Female: Kendall Sage ’20 ◆◆ Male: Cameron Mackenzie ’22 DISTANCE AWARD ◆◆ Female: Juliet Moody ’23 ◆◆ Male: Matthew Stratton ’22 SPRINTERS AWARD ◆◆ Female: Courtney Sage ’20 ◆◆ Male: Corey McDaniels ’19 & Jett Isley ’19 SPARTAN AWARD ◆◆ Ben Kailes ’19 MVP AWARD ◆◆ Courtney Sage ’20
Left: Courtney Sage ’20, Kendall Sage ’20, Juliet Moody ’23, and Sofia Conde ’24.
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Above: Nasua Williams ’20
Congratulations student athletes and coaches!
School News Briefs
Baseball Spartan Baseball went 20-8 in 2019 winning the 3A District title for the first time in 21 years. In that game, Brad Hodges ’22 (right) tied an area record by striking out 19 batters. The team hosted a Regional Semifinal game against Tallahassee’s Maclay School which St Johns won 4-0, buying their ticket to the Regional Finals. The team played a very demanding schedule and throughout the season racked up wins against Bishop Kenny, Bartram Trail, Fleming Island, and Ridgeview. In district play, the Spartans went a perfect 10-0 and never allowed a run in a contest. Brad Hodges was named 3A all area player of the year.
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School News Briefs Visual Arts
Art It Starts with
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ooking at St. Johns’ visual arts curriculum now, it’s hard to imagine that the school hasn’t been a robust art school since the very beginning. But it wasn’t until the opening of the Swisher laboratory building in 1965 that St. Johns had its first comprehensive art room. For the School’s first decade or so, teaching fine art had taken a back seat while the emphasis was on core academics. Visual and performing arts were taught in the classroom, particularly by Lower School teachers, and incorporated in whole-school extravaganzas such as Headmaster’s Day and
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the Christmas program, which had a heavy emphasis on art and music. But the Swisher lab brought dedicated art space including a kiln, sinks, natural lighting, and large work tables, for the first time enabling students and teachers to place an emphasis on visual art. By 1984, St. Johns had two full time art teachers in Mary Ann Petska and Ann Andreu, and the Claude Nolan Brown Fine Arts Center opened that fall. Since then, the visual arts program has grown and evolved, and today St. Johns students know that straight A’s are
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not just about academics, but about the arts as well. “I believed everything was an opportunity and you could find some way to teach basic skills that would end up as something they were proud of,” says Petska, who wanted her students to feel like they could be artists, like “I can do this.” Petska’s philosophy certainly holds true today as St. Johns nurtures artists at every level who submit work to the Salvation Army’s Empty Bowls project and for judgement in the national annual Scholastic Art & Writing Awards competition.
School News Briefs
St. Johns’ visual arts curriculum exposes students to master artists and their work, giving even our youngest Spartans the opportunity to learn about and try their hand at mimicking the work of world renown artists. For example, this semester Grade 3 studied pop artist Romero Britto and then created these amazing self-portraits in his style.
Clockwise from left: Marcus Giles, Emily Johnson, Alex Kuczkowski, Emma Wilbur.
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School News Briefs
In Middle School, much of the student’s work focuses around St. Johns’ ongoing partnership with White Oak conservation, which provides art students with a constant supply of inspiration and subject matter for their imaginations. St. Johns’ ongoing partnership with White Oak Conservation gives our students unprecedented access to some of the best wildlife conservation scientists and facilities in the country—if not the world. This partnership also permeates all corners of our curriculum, including the visual arts. This spring, Grade 6 art students leveraged considerable patience and skill in creating these amazing okapi monoprints. St. Johns also donated 112 bowls to the Salvation Army’s Empty Bowls project, which raises funds to help feed the hungry in Northeast Florida.
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School News Briefs
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School News Briefs
St. Johns artists won 62 awards in the 2019 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.
Abbey Lantinberg ’21, winner of a Gold Key and three Honorable Mentions, and Desiree Holmberg ’21, winner of a Gold Key, two Silver Keys, and an Honorable Mention.
Paper Flower Wig, by Abbey Lantinberg ’21.
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Ceramic sculpture, by Brianna Enter ’19. SUMMER 2019
School News Briefs
From the top, Caroline Dinkins ’19, Micah Gouin ’19, and Yash Aprameya ’21
Humming sculpture by Caroline Dinkins ’19. 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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Opportunity Awaits! On the evening of Friday, May 31st, the temperature inside St. Mark’s Episcopal Church was warm and the sentiments were even warmer as St. Johns hosted a baccalaureate service for the Class of 2019. Guests in the pews wafted programs as fans while the 56 members of the Senior Class proceeded down the aisle to assume their seats at the front of the room-- settling in for the penultimate ceremony of their senior year. After an invocation by the Reverend Ken Herzog, Meredith Maierhoffer ’19 read a lesson from Deuteronomy 8, and the St. Johns Singers performed “Make Me an Instrument of Thy Peace.” The Reverend Ken Herzog delivered a heartfelt Baccalaureate Address, “Manufacturing Windows,” about the opportunities that await members of the Class of 2019, and how it is to them to seize each opportunity, make it their own, and get the most of them. An apt sentiment as the congregation gathered to wish them well in all their future endeavors. The ceremony was followed by a lovely reception and, of course, the senior slideshow depicting photos of each senior “then and now.”
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Graduation 2019
Graduation 2019 There are few more inspiring ways to occupy a Saturday evening than by attending a St. Johns graduation. If it is not enough to see the pomp and ceremony, the joyous tearstreaked faces of parents, friends, and family, and the vision of white as the Senior Class enters the Thrasher Horne Center, surely the seemingly endless list of graduate accomplishments and the finely-honed student graduation speeches would tip anyone over the edge into raw sentimentality. This year’s ceremony was no exception, as friends and family gathered to watch the Class of 2019 cross the stage as St. Johns students for the very last time. New this year were acknowledgements of and medals for students who completed Fellowships under St. Johns new Fellowship Program. 2019 Conservation Fellow - Aaron Mylrea was recognized by Science Department Chair Tina Sachs for his completion of the requirements for the Conservation Fellowship; Jenny Pack completed the Visual Arts Fellowship, and Jack Tolbert was awarded for his accomplishments as a U.S. Government and Politics Fellow. Additionally, Lane Montgomery was lauded for her completion of the
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requirements for the Edwin P. Heinrich Fellowship, which challenges students to achieve at the highest academic levels. Two special presentations marked an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy for Jett Isley, and to West Point for Maddie Wilkes, and sparked what will no doubt become years of Go Navy/Beat Army rivalry between the two. In keeping with St. Johns’ tradition, two speakers were elected by the Class of 2019 from among their fellow graduates, and 2019-2020 President of the Student Council Anthony Morris introduced Kamryn Loustau and Aaron Makar. Loustau, who will attend Princeton University in the fall, spoke first and, in a feat of her typical hard work and perseverance, crafted her entire talk into a poem, calling out each of her 55 fellow graduates by name and lauding them for some of the many talents they have brought to the Class of 2019. Inspiring laughter and tears, it was a tough act to follow, but Makar shone nonetheless with a tale of his transition to St. Johns, his decision in fourth grade that he wanted to attend Duke University, and the hard work and commitment it has taken him to achieve
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that goal, with the help of his teachers and fellow classmates at St. Johns. After tremendous applause for these two inspiring talks, diplomas were presented. Reading each graduate’s accomplishments and the college or university each is choosing to attend, Acting Head of School Mary Virginia Fisher and President of the Board of Trustees Mr. Rick Gregson bestowed the diplomas.
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Graduation 2019
Members of the Class of 2019 William Casey Albright II
Member, National Honor Society
Isabelle Alice Amacker
Member, Cum Laude Society Member, National Honor Society
Sergio Miguel RamĂrez de Arellano Varner
Member, Cum Laude Society Member, National Honor Society St. Johns Student Since Preschool
Maylee Alaine Gouin
Jazmin Anne Mateo
Sarah Alise Schemer
Micah Aleksander Gouin
Member, National Honor Society St. Johns Student Since Preschool
Jack Todd Henry
Adam Christopher Maytin
Garhett William Sessions
Corey John McDaniels
Diana Christina Shaykh
St. Johns Student Since Preschool
George Walker Hentschel Jett Reed Isley
Member, National Honor Society St. Johns Student Since Preschool
Cian Lince Jacob
Lane Inglis Montgomery
Member, Cum Laude Society Member, National Honor Society
Linsey Morgan Arnett
Member, Cum Laude Society Member, National Honor Society
Sydney Rae Morris
Ashton Douglas Correia
Benjamin Joseph Kailes
Eli Robert Morton
Crystian Edward DeMonbreun St. Johns Student Since Preschool
Caroline Elizabeth Dinkins Member, Cum Laude Society Member, National Honor Society
Henry Southward Dinkins
Member, National Honor Society
Brianna Michelle Enter Katherine Elizabeth Fackler Nicholas Shane Ferris
Member, Cum Laude Society Member, National Honor Society St. Johns Student Since Preschool
Nicholas Martin Glassman
Member, National Honor Society St. Johns Student Since Preschool
David Michael Gonzales
Member, National Honor Society St. Johns Student Since Preschool
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Member, Cum Laude Society Member, National Honor Society National Merit Commended Scholar St. Johns Student Since Preschool
Tyler Christopher Kuramoto Member, National Honor Society
St. Johns Student Since Preschool St. Johns Student Since Preschool
Alexander John Mosborg Aaron Christopher Mylrea Ruichen Ni
Member, Cum Laude Society Member, National Honor Society Member, National Honor Society Member, National Honor Society St. Johns Student Since Preschool
Wyatt Michael Smith
St. Johns Student Since Preschool
Rachel Nicole Thompson
Member, National Honor Society
Jack Wesley Tolbert
Member, National Honor Society
Tyler Thomas Townsend Sabreanna Marie Unger
Member, National Honor Society
Member, National Honor Society St. Johns Student Since Preschool
Member, National Honor Society
Jenny Gabrielle Pack
Brady Sasser Walden
Madison Morgan Livingston
Orisa Paresh Patel
St. Johns Student Since Preschool
Member, National Honor Society
Kamryn Bryn Loustau
Tvisha Pankaj Patel
Patrick Robert Lindholm
Member, Cum Laude Society Member, National Honor Society National Merit Commended Scholar
Member, Cum Laude Society Member, National Honor Society St. Johns Student Since Preschool
Meredith Jayne Maierhoffer
Tucker Logan Price
Member, National Honor Society
St. Johns Student Since Preschool
Aaron Hogshead Makar
Tyler Quinn Rodriguez
Member, National Honor Society
Jared Robert Marsano
Member, National Honor Society St. Johns Student Since Preschool
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Nicholas Payne Rogers
Member, Cum Laude Society Member, National Honor Society
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Member, National Honor Society St. Johns Student Since Preschool
Payton Elizabeth Walton
Member, National Honor Society
Kai Wang Madeleine Kate Wilkes
Member, National Honor Society
Matthew Charles Wolf
Member, Cum Laude Society Member, National Honor Society
Michael Vaughan Wyatt
Member, National Honor Society
Graduation 2019
Back row: Jett Isley, Jared Marsano, Ben Kailes, David Gonzales, Brady Walden, Tucker Price, Sergio Arellano, Crystian DeMonbreun, Wyatt Smith. Front row: Sydney Morris, Diana Shaykh, Sabreanna Unger, Nicky Glassman, Nick Ferris, Jazmin Mateo, Tvisha Patel, Madison Livingston, Adam Maytin.
Lifers In a tradition nearly as old as the school itself, St. Johns is thrilled to celebrate its graduates who have been Spartans since the very beginning of their education—our Lifers: Sergio Miguel Ramirez de Arellano Varner Crystian Edward DeMonbreun Nicholas Shane Ferris Nicholas Martin Glassman David Michael Gonzales Jett Reed Isley Benjamin Joseph Kailes Madison Morgan Livingston
Jared Robert Marsano Jazmin Anne Mateo Adam Christopher Maytin Sydney Rae Morris Tvisha Pankaj Patel Tucker Logan Price Diana Christina Shaykh Wyatt Michael Smith Sabreanna Marie Unger Brady Sasser Walden
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Graduation 2019
Class of 2019 Graduation Awards Valedictorian Award: Cian Lince Jacob
Science Award: Ruichen Ni
Edwin Paul Heinrich Award: Kamryn Bryn Loustau
Art Award: Jenny Gabrielle Pack
Dora Helen Skypek Award: Nicholas Payne Rogers
Spanish Award: Nicholas Payne Rogers
Stephen F. Russey Best All-Around Young Man: Benjamin Joseph Kailes
Myrtle O’Shea Latin Award: Isabelle Alice Amacker
Stephen F. Russey Best All-Around Young Woman: Caroline Elizabeth Dinkins
Cynthia C. Landry History Award: Lane Inglis Montgomery Drama Award For Theatrical Performance: Nicholas Martin Glassman
The Roddey R. Fisher Award: Kamryn Bryn Loustau
Music Vocal Award: Tvisha Pankaj Patel
English Award: Kamryn Bryn Loustau
Computer Science Award: Nicholas Shane Ferris
The Carol A. Hart Math Award: Matthew Charles Wolf
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Captain Borries Cup Award: Benjamin Joseph Kailes
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Linda C. Guswiler Athletic Award: Madeleine Kate Wilkes
The following awards were bestowed at the Upper School Recognition Assembly:
Leadership Award: Kamryn Bryn Loustau Diana Christina Shaykh Nicholas Payne Rogers Rachel Nicole Thompson Madeleine Kate Wilkes
Top Female Athlete Award Upper School: Brianna Enter Kamryn Loustau
Service Award: Sergio Miguel Ramírez de Arellano Varner Linsey Morgan Arnett Jazmin Anne Mateo Jenny Gabrielle Pack Orisa Paresh Patel Sabreanna Marie Unger
The “I Dare You” Leadership Award: Sarah Schemer
Top Male Athlete Award Upper School: Nicholas Rogers
Ashley Cowie Award: Kamryn Loustau Sergeant Tyler Zody Memorial Scholarship: Jared Marsano
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Graduation 2019
Senior Grade 1 Buddies One of the most beloved St. Johns Senior traditions is that of the SeniorFirst Grade Buddies! At the beginning of the school year, seniors are paired with a Grade 1 student, who will be their buddy for the year—and often a lifetime! This year’s festivities included plenty of holiday parties, a fabulous trip to the zoo, and, of course, the SeniorGrade 1 Ice Cream Social, on May 1— College Decision Day. Many seniors and their buddies came decked out in gear from the seniors’ colleges of choice!
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Graduation 2019
56 Graduates
$5.8m Received in scholarship offers
2/3 Of the class qualified for Florida Bright Futures
2 2019 National Merit Commended Scholars
11 AP Scholars
8 Will play sports at the college level
7,165 Hours of community service performed
9 Scholastic Art & Writing Award Winners (1 National and 8 Regional) 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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Legacy Breakfast
Legacy Breakfast St. Johns is proud of the strong family legacy at our school—our alumni love the school and want to give their children the same experience they had at St. Johns. As a small thank you to them for this love and commitment to our school, St. Johns is thrilled to host alumni and former students and their children (and grandchildren!) for an annual Legacy Breakfast. This year’s breakfast took place on Thursday, May 2, 2019 in the Heinrich Learning Resource Center. More than 90 alumni, former students, and their children joined us, and we had such a great time catching up with everyone. Mark your calendars now for next year’s Legacy Breakfast, Thursday, April 30, 2020!
Lilly Peterson ’20, Luke Peterson ’25, and Aime Tveras Peterson ’89
Josie Dinkins ’23, Caroline Dinkins ’19, Sandy Ellmaker Dinkins ’84, and Meredith Maierhoffer ’19
Wyatt Hollingsworth ’26, Lexi Hollingsworth ’32 and Jodie Spencer Hollingsworth ’86
Patrick Lindholm ’19 and Susan Lindholm ’80
Grant Cassady ’25 and Virginia Hall ’85
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Nylah Lauderdale ’25 and Brad Wimberly
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2018-2019 Legacy Students JJ (Jona) Gay Barber Bonnar Barber ’23 Kade Bender ’01 Vaughan Bender ’31 Matt Costarakis ’87 Ainsley Costarakis ’25 Hope Ragsdale Cowherd ’98 Walker Cowherd ’22 Kristin Vitullo Davidson Riley Davidson ’20 and Sawyer Davidson ’25 Ben Dinkins ’88 and Lisha Frick Dinkins ’88 Henry Dinkins ’19, and Josie Dinkins ’23 Sandy Ellmaker Dinkins ’84 Caroline Dinkins ’19 Four Dunton ’97 Grace Dunton ’25 and Evelyn Dunton ’29 Susan Elliott ’88 Lillian “Jolie” Outtara Mark Fackler ’87 Kate Fackler ’19 Katie Perkins Foster ’92 Rentz “Connor” Foster ’20 Liam Foster ’23 and Finley Foster ’32
Gayle Simpson Garrison ’94 Mary Beth Garrison ’24 and Jane Garrison ’25 Kelley Lewis Hall ’84 Grayson Hall ’20 and Kinley Hall ’22 Virginia Hall ’84 Grant Cassady ’25
Robert Nichols ’85 Julia Nichols ’21
Traci Peacock Livingston ’90 Madison Livingston ’19
Tracy Frick Page ’97 Max Arnold ’21
Matt Loftis ’02 Mason Loftis ’31
Aime Culton Peterson ’89 Lilly Peterson ’20 and Luke Peterson ’25
Laura Dinkins Maierhoffer ’85 Meredith Maierhoffer ’19 and Abigail Maierhoffer ’23
Robert Heinrichs ’97 Adrian Heinrichs ’26 and Torrin Heinrichs ’24 Jodie Spencer Hollingsworth ’86 Wyatt Hollingsworth ’26 and Lexi Hollingsworth ’32 Brad Jackson ’98 and Kristin Hodge Jackson ’00 Lewis Jackson ’32 Frances McKellar Jackson ’92 Arden Jackson ’23 and Ava Jackson ’23 Sara Beth Guswiler Johnson ’91 Jenny Johnson ’24 and Emily Johnson ’28 Michelle Abrisch Laird ’94 Will Laird ’26 Jenna Williams Lawrence ’10 Lorelai Lawrence ’31 and Landon Lawrence ’32 Jeff Lewis ’89 JD Lewis ’22 and Josh Lewis ’25
Susan Timby Lindholm ’80 Patrick Lindhom ’19
Anne Clay Wilhelm McNulty Jack McNulty ’23, Grace McNulty ’25 and William McNulty ’27 Britt McTammany ’87 (dad), Mary Jo Cotney McTammany ’60 (grandmother): Olivia McTammany ’23 Emily Wood Meagher ’10 Caylin Meagher ’30 Bob Montgomery ’58 (grandfather) Lane Montgomery ’19 Sjoukje Witkamp Mooneyham Jack Mooneyham ’23 and Luke Mooneyham ’28 Haley Morgan ’97 and McCall Cauthen Morgan ’97 Charlie Morgan ’25 and Caris Morgan ’28
Andrew Price ’02 David Price ’32 Mike Punya ’88 Alyssa Punya ’20 Addie Rivers Michael Wyatt ’19 Katie Gibbs Schmidt ’93 and Brad Schmidt Sydney Schmidt ’26 John Schmidt ’32 Anna Campbell Starks ’00 Charlotte Olmstead ’29 Grayson Starks ’33 Allison McClow Vogt ’96 Tripp Vogt ’23 and Addy Vogt ’25 Monica Wheeler ’88 Austin Wheeler ’21 Brad Wimberly Nylah Lauderdale ’25 Erin Bare Willingham ’98 Ella Willingham ’33
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Thank You!
Thank You
2018-2019 Annual Fund
Thank you to the many parents, alumni, faculty members, grandparents, and friends of St. Johns who contributed to the 2018-2019 annual fund! Your generosity is an investment in the children, the teachers, and the St. Johns experience. The full 2018-2019 Annual Giving Report is available at sjcds.net/agr.
L-R: Jason Monroe, Brad Crews, Mike Pickett ’83, Rick Gregson, Henry Dinkins ’19, John Maierhoffer.
13th Annual St. Johns Spartans Golf Tournament
2018-2019 Student Council President and members of the Lower School Student Government raise the total achieved on the Day of Giving: A Tribute to the Fishers.
Day of Giving: A Tribute to the Fishers St. Johns’ second annual Day of Giving was an incredible success! The goal was to raise $16,500 in 24 hours in celebration of St. Johns and Mr. and Mrs. Fisher’s 90 years of combined service to our school. Together, we blew that goal out of the water, raising $47,627! Thank you to every student, alumnus, alumni parent, current parent, grandparent, faculty or staff member, and donor who believed in us and who made a contribution to St. Johns Country Day School on the Day of Giving!
The 13th Annual Spartans Golf Tournament was a success with more than 95 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’ student-athletes 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. Mark your calendar for the 14th Annual St. Johns Spartans Golf Tournament, Friday, April 24, 2020, at the Eagle Harbor Golf Club.
President of the Board of Trustees Rick Gregson
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Mike Pickett ’83, Varsity Girls Soccer Head Coach and Physical Education Department Chair.
Thank You
Parent Teacher League Gala & Auction A Starry Night: St. Johns Sapphire Jubilee brought together more than 200 parents, faculty, and friends in celebration of St. Johns 65th Anniversary and in support of our vibrant visual and performing arts departments. The fun-filled evening consisted of a cocktail hour, dinner, silent and live auction, and music and dancing. The auction featured lively bidding for one-of-a-kind St. Johns items such as a trip to the Clay County Fair with Head of Lower School Otis Wirth, a Chapel Oak etching by art teacher Anna Reynolds-Patterson, and a set of custom Spartan adirondack chairs. The fun continued throughout the evening with guests dancing and singing along to music by ‘The Committee.” Thank you to everyone who helped make the event a success in support of needed programs, resources, materials, and improvements in St. Johns’ robust visual and performing arts. From tubas to studio stools, piccolos to printing presses, your support made all the difference for our student-artists!
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Supporting the 2019-2020 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, previously known as the Annual Fund, is our annual giving program that 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
Online: sjcds.net/give Phone: (904) 264-9572 Mail: St. Johns Annual Fund 3100 Doctors Lake Drive Orange Park, FL 32073
Alumni Spotlight
Alumni Spotlight Ned Sonntag ’69
While most alumni and families associate a vibrant arts education as an integral part of the St. Johns experience, there was a time when art wasn’t an option outside of extracurricular pursuits. That makes it even more impressive that one of St. Johns most accomplished artists graduated in 1969, before there was much art instruction at all. Ned Sonntag’s parents knew that he was gifted in art. At age 3, he drew a scene of a train with people inside it, speaking with word-balloons filled with a made-up alphabet. His mother got it printed on the front page of the afternoon newspaper. When he entered St. Johns, he realized that pursuing a career in art was going to take a lot of perseverance and thinking outside the box. His dad was working as an ad man in the 1950s when, as Ned put it, he “made the mistake of showing me MAD Magazine, which back then was all about deconstructing propaganda and replacing it with something weirder.” While at St. Johns, Ned served as an illustrator for the yearbook. He and classmates Helen Newton ’69, Joe White ’69, Roger Reep ’69, and Ken Sheffield ’69, worked on a “‘trippy’ multicolor mimeographed poetry-and-rant ‘zine called The Whole,” Ned recalls. “We got in lots of trouble.” Not everyone at St. Johns was as enthusiastic about comics as he was. Ned was creative and definitely embraced the counterculture vibe of the times. He did very well in academics, graduating in the top ten percent of his class. He remembers fondly Latin with Miss Short and Mrs. O’Shea, translating things like Virgil’s Aeneid. “Oddly this tied in with a semester course in logic that Miss Francis taught, things that later applied to how software design developed.” He also remembers Mrs. Chappell teaching
a whole semester of poetry, all the forms and rules and how to evoke emotions. After graduating from St. Johns, Ned went to Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, graduating in 1973 with a BFA in Cinematography. He continued to live in New York City from 1969 until 1997. Ned freelanced for King Features Syndicate starting in 1985 producing Betty Boop illustrations for their merchandise-licensing. “Betty had been in a sort of ‘deep-freeze’ after her last animated appearance in 1939. I was part of a team that ‘brought her back’ in the 1980s, under an arrangement between the Hearst family [which] owned the print rights and the Fleischer family [which] owned the film rights for another 30-year run on things like t-shirts, lunchboxes and beach towels.”
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Alumni Spotlight
Ned worked as part of the “Gig Economy” meaning he was contracted by the art director. He illustrated several Marvel comic books including Howard the Duck, Savage Sword of Conan, CRAZY Magazine, 2099 Unlimited, as well as some DC Comics including Scooby Doo: You Meddling Kids, and Scooby Doo: Scooby in the Booby Hatch. Ned also did some animation-design elements on a Bugs Bunny cartoon, Bugs Bunny’s Lunar Tunes. His wife Katy, who passed away in ’06, did some of the vocals on the cartoon as well. The work he is most proud of is a 10-page serialized comicstrip for Creative Computing Magazine in 1976 and 1977 that he wrote, drew, and lettered back when personal computers were first becoming widely available. “A lot of code writers, programmers, and sci-fi scriptwriters read this series back then, and have referred to it in TV shows of the 21st century.” He has been retired since 2016, although he continues to work on Do Cyborgs on Vacation Eat Fried Information?, a sort of heavily-illustrated sci-fi epic poem. Ned continues to draw, write and push the envelope in both art and culture. Many of his illustrations can be found on his Facebook page or his website.
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April Aultman ’00
When addressing high school students, speakers often implore them to follow their passion. Students nod and agree, but as the years pass and the reality of life hits, many find themselves in professions that are not connected to their passion, especially when it comes to the arts. April Aultman is one of the few that followed her passion for art and has made a career in that passion. April’s art teacher at St. Johns called her a “truly passionate person” who invests all of herself in everything she attempts, especially her creative work. April began at St. Johns in Grade 7 and dove into learning, athletics, and the arts. As she moved into Upper School, she began to focus more on art as it became her passion and the desire to go to an art school for college and getting an art scholarship became a goal. She still made time for others and has fond memories of hanging out with St. Johns friends, not just in her grade, but all throughout the school. “One thing I really loved about St. Johns was that I had friends in so many different social groups and
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age groups,” April says. “I loved eating lunch on the wall or in different parts of the school with different groups of friends.” Many of these friendships have continued on to the present. Her generosity of spirit and willingness to help others was evident to her teachers and peers. One of her teachers wrote that “she is a generous spirit and a talented teacher who loves nothing better than to help and encourage her classmates.” Aside from art, one of her favorite classes was geometry because she loved how the points, lines, shapes, and angles all worked together. Other than art classes, geometry is the one course that she uses the most in her current profession as a jewelry maker. During her senior year, she worked closely with art teacher Tami Culbert to develop a well rounded portfolio in order to apply for a scholarship to the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). She took a glass blowing class at Jacksonville University, did drawing, painting, ceramics and other mediums at St. Johns, and poured most of her time into her portfolio. April won awards in the Clay County art shows several years in a row, and her work was highlighted in St. Johns publications and displayed around the school. One teacher wrote that “April is tenacious in her efforts to make a concept reality, welcoming technical and intellectual challenges.” Her hard work
paid off and she was accepted to SCAD and awarded a $30,000 scholarship. In Savannah, she took a variety of classes, but when she took a jewelry making class, she knew she had found her future. She fell in love with the design and implementation of jewelry making, but also loved how quickly you could go from idea to finished product. She took every jewelry class available along with many other art classes before graduating with a bachelor of fine arts degree in metals and jewelry. After graduating from SCAD, April worked to pay off the rest of her student loans and to buy studio equipment which can be very expensive. She moved to Vail, Colorado in 2008 and started at the legendary local boutique, The Golden Bear, as a “bench jeweler—basically making other people’s designs. She worked in the back of the house, not on the main floor, but aspired to move to the front of the house to learn more about the business side. She eventually moved up front and then decided to go out on her own. April and her husband now live in Durango giving her more space for a warehouse and for their baby due in September. April was lucky enough to find her passion, brave enough to pursue it, and skilled enough to make a career out of it.
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Alumni Spotlight
Spring Dautel McManus ’96
Spring Dautel McManus came to St. Johns in 1995 when she was a junior. As the daughter of a St. Johns teacher, Kathy Dautel, who began working at the school in 2007, and older sister to twins Jacob and Dylan Dautel ’13, St. Johns is truly a family affair for Spring. Aside from being an honor roll student, she enjoyed swimming and playing soccer for the Spartans. Spring always knew she loved creating, analyzing, studying, and appreciating art. She says her favorite memories of St. Johns involve her art classes with Mrs. Culbert when they would blast 80’s rock band Jane’s Addiction and dance around the art room. “Mrs. Culbert taught me the foundations of studio art, exposing me to a wide range of media and processes,” Spring says. “She encouraged me to take risks through experimentation and play.” Spring uses the word “inspire” to describe St. Johns, as well as her current career. “St. Johns was such an inspiring, creative place that encouraged me to dream big,” she says. Those big dreams included a wanderlust that encouraged her to travel. She traveled with her family frequently to New York where they visited museums and auction houses. She went to her first Christie’s auction at age 17 with her dad; “this experience inspired the idea to someday work there, and I began creating my path.” Always an artist, she created her path instead of following one. After graduating from St. Johns, she attended the University of Florida were she received her degree with a major in studio art and art history and business minor. She spent a semester in Florence studying Renaissance art history, “spending hours looking at the old masters, which became a part of my language for translating and understanding contemporary art.” After graduating from UF, she drove across the country and spent time on the west coast, exploring and learning about the cultural scene of San Francisco. She came back to Jacksonville and worked for art advisor Jacqueline Holmes as an assistant and helped launch the Art in Public Spaces program. “We commissioned major works by Larry Kirkland for the public library and Jaume Plensa for the arena,” McManus said. Then she went to work 40
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for Jennifer Johnson and Bruce Dempsey at the J. Johns Gallery, where they exhibited works by international artists including Yayoi Kusama, Joan Miro, Javier Marin, John Alexander, Al Held, and more. That experience inspired Spring to continue her education. She went on to attend Christie’s Education in New York, receiving her masters degree in modern and contemporary art history, a history of the art market, and connoisseurship. That program led to a job at Christie’s in the private sales department and then to their private gallery, Haunch of Venison, where she was associate director for seven years. She then became director at Edward Tyler Nahem Fine Art, focusing on sales of modern and contemporary masters and exhibition programming. While she loved living in New York, in 2014 she made the decision to move to Miami and launch her own art advisory business, Spring McManus Art Advisory. In this venture, she works with select clientele in advising, buying, selling, appraising, and managing art collections. She says the lifelong love of learning that St. Johns provided and nurtured has been most valuable in her career. “I am constantly researching to discover new artists, learning more about our world through the visual. It is a constant education.” For any students interested in following in her footsteps, she advises perseverance and confidence. Spring is both inspired and inspiring. She helps connect people with art in a meaningful way. “Art is a translation of the world as we know it, and I am happy to be able to share it with as many people as I can.”
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Alumni Notes
Alumni Notes 1970s Owene Weber Courtney ’73 was sworn in as the president of the National Society of Colonial Dames in the state of Florida. The organization is for women who have ancestors who were in leadership roles in the colonies prior to July 4, 1776. Winfield Rogers Duss ’68 and former St. Johns student Marcy Mason Moody are past presidents of the organization.
Charley Snell ’88 completed his final year of coursework towards a doctoral degree in choral conducting at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University.
1990s
▲ Catarina Castruccio-Prince ’97 and Brandon Ester were married in St. Croix. Many friends and family attended including fellow classmate Sarah Robicheaux Harris ’97. They reside in Washington, D.C. ▲ Ian Skill, from the Chesterfield Boys School in England, spent time with his old exchange family this summer. The families have kept in touch since Ian visited St. Johns and met the Dinkins family in 1978. Both families are pictured here. Victor Dinkins ’18, Meredith Maierhoffer ’19, Thomas Maierhoffer ’17, Sandy Dinkins ’84, Caroline Dinkins ’19, Laura Maierhoffer ’85, Lillian Dinkins ’17, Samuel Maierhoffer ’15 and Abigail Maierhoffer ’23
▲ Members of the class of 1994 and 1995 got together recently when Emile Latour ’95 came to visit from Oregon. Rob Miller ’94, Gayle Simpson Garrison ’94, Randa Antar Blethyn ’95, Cam Mills Butler ’95, Mike Wright ’95, and former students Rob Cannarella and Layton Braddock all enjoyed catching up.
1980s
▲ Nancy Moodie ’83, Sandy Dinkins ’84, and Vanessa Beasley ’84 celebrating Caroline Dinkins’ ’19 graduation in May.
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▼ Class of 1999 celebrated their 20th Reunion in June 2019. Those in attendance were: Joseph Lai, Andy Harris, Justin Loftis, Christina Jackson Hoffeld, Autumn Ziegler, Brett Rountree, Paul Jones ’00, Chris Hagan, James Trimble, Kim Hellmuth Bartczak, Sara Beaty, Sara Powers Rountree, Scott Peden, Katie Harrell Hoffman, Hope Sellers Smith, Kirsten Macam Stinson, Erin O’Leary.
Alumni Notes 2000s
▲ Brooke Blasser ’08 graduated from the University of North Florida with her doctorate degree in nursing. She is now working at the Mayo Clinic as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA).
▲ Philip Robbins ’08 and his wife, Brittany, welcomed their first baby, a boy, in June. Mason was born in Hawaii.
▲ Elyssa Hall Jaffe ’02 and her husband Reid welcomed their first son on May 31, 2018. His name is Benjamin “Benny” Dale Jaffe and “he is an absolute angel.” His middle name is in honor of Elyssa’s dad, Roger Dale Hall, who passed away in January of 2018.
Hwang Marino ’09 opened up his own family dentistry practice in Orange Park.
2010s
Stacia Godbolt ’03 is a nurse at USF.
▲ Emily Child Grove ’08 and her husband welcomed baby boy, Carson James Grove, in May.
▲ Kaili Torres ’11 is currently in her second year as a graduate film student with the prestigious NYU Tisch School of Arts. Kaili is the writer and director on a short film, “Pancakes,” and was recently in St. Augustine to film the project. ▲ Congratulations to Molly Hallam ’05, who was the executive producer for the 2019 Robert Redford film, The Mustang, starring Matthias Schoenaerts, Jason Mitchell, Bruce Dern and Connie Britton. “The movie is based on a real animal therapy program that exists in several states in the West,” says Molly.
Corina Mercado ’12 graduated with her masters degree in global affairs from the University of Oklahoma in May.
▲ Preethi Rajan ’08 graduated from the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine.
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Alumni Notes In Memoriam Paul Armstrong ’71, brother in law of Sandy Ellmaker Dinkins ’84 Jane Gladson Boline ’81 Robert Vignier Duss ’64, husband of Winfield Rogers Duss ’68 Fayne Finley Gifford, mother of Amber Gifford Ju ’93 Roger Dale Hall, father of Elyssa Hall Jaffe ’02 and Jeremy Hall ’04 passed away in January of ’18. Roger was a member of the St. Johns board and a huge advocate of the school. Bobby Hoff ’82 ▲ Kerry Ann Spencer Harris ’14 on her wedding day with Kasey Spencer ’18, Yesha Patel ’14, Raquel Sanford ’14, Ellie Bright ’14, Sierra Langdo ’17, Erin Bare Willingham ’98, Traci Peacock Livingston ’90, and Christie Jones Slaughter ’05.
Minerva Rogers Mason, she and her husband Raymond were guests at Mira Rio on April 4, the first meeting of people who would go on to found St. Johns. Her daughter was a St. Johns student and she has many nieces and nephews and great nieces and great nephews that are St. Johns Alumni.
▲ Lauren Remolde ’15 received her bachelor of science degree in animal science pre-vet and will apply to vet school in the fall. Lauren was on the bass fishing team all four years at Auburn.
William Van Nortwick ’63 (pictured above) Paula Johnson Olive, mother to Kelsey Norton Collins ’10 ▲ Lexi Frasier ’13 and Jacob Dautel ’13 are engaged and planning a December wedding. They live in Atlanta. Paige Van Kuiken ’15 graduated from FSU in December 2018 with degrees in International Affairs and French. She is attending James Madison University’s M.A program in Florence, Italy with a focus in European Union policy studies.
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▲ Anna Glassman ’15, here with her parents Jen and Drew Glassman, graduated from the University of Virginia with a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering. She was the content editor for the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering’s website and social media.
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Alumni, please send your updates for Alumni Notes to Director of Alumni Relations Jean Marie Maierhoffer at jmaierhoffer@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 Acting Head of School Mary Virginia Fisher mvfisher@sjcds.net Head of Administrative Affairs Tanya Powers tpowers@sjcds.net Director of Alumni Relations Jean Marie Maierhoffer ’13 jmaierhoffer@sjcds.net Director of Communications Regan Minners rminners@sjcds.net Director of Development Jordan Robbins Rechcigl ’10 jrechcigl@sjcds.net
Thank you to the 2018-2019 Board of Trustees Officers: Rick Gregson, President Richard C. M. Wilson, Vice-President Andrew L. Glassman, Treasurer Angela DeMonbreun, Secretary Members: James W. Branch Nicholas K. Courtney ’03 Brad Crews Margaret Rood Gibbs Daniel W. Hodges Dr. Carissa J. Kostecki John Maierhoffer Robin McMullen Dr. Arjav Ted Shah
Trustee Emeritus: Dr. Steven B. Kailes Sharon J. Suggs Headmaster Emeritus: Stephen F. Russey Ex Officio: Mary Virginia Fisher Acting Head of School
Save the Date! Contact Director of Alumni Relations Jean Marie Maierhoffer at jmaierhoffer@sjcds.net to add or correct your mailing address, or for more information on these upcoming events: ◆◆ Founders Day - Friday, September 13, 2019 ◆◆ Homecoming - Friday, October 18, 2019 ◆◆ Senior Presentation - Friday, November 22, 2019 ◆◆ Alumni Baseball/Soccer Game - Saturday, December 21, 2019
St. Johns Country Day School 3100 Doctors Lake Drive Orange Park, FL 32073-6997
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Parents! Still getting your alumnus son or daughter’s issue at home? Please send their address to jmaierhoffer@sjcds.net, and we’ll route their magazine straight to them!
sjcds.net College Prep, Redefined.
Claire Trammell ’20 won the Chalice staff’s annual photo contest with this picture, “Air Time,” of Varsity Basketball player Connor Moore ’21 going up for 2 in a game against First Coast Christian this winter. Congratulations, Claire!