1953: The Magazine of St. Johns Country Day School

One of the submissions to the annual Chalice Yearbook Photo Contest, this entry from Becca Stratton ’25 captures the crowd reaction at a volleyball game during Homecoming Week.

Letter from the Head of School

Dear Spartan Families,

As our magazine arrives in your hands I hope you enjoyed a relaxing summer. I smile with reflection on our past achievements, and anxiously await the many plans for the new school year to unfold. The growth and accomplishments of our students and faculty was immense. From the beginnings of the Science Olympiad (page 6) to the unveiling of our school-wide mosaic project. We are very fortunate to have a forward-thinking faculty as well as a student population that expects cutting-edge academic opportunity and collaboration of learning.

As I look back over the past three years since I arrived at St. Johns, and I am so impressed and proud of how far we have come and the growth that we have achieved, both in student numbers, but also in new opportunities. I have had the pleasure to virtually meet alums from near and far, and I am reminded that though St. Johns has always been small by design (and that continues to be our goal) our students are provided opportunities that equal or surpass larger institutions with the bonus of a more tailored educational experience and a faculty that fosters collaboration in learning. This year, we anticipate traveling to meet more alumni and learning about their experiences at St. Johns that made their educational story unique. Please reach out to our alumni office (rtrevett@sjcds.net) if you are interested in being part of a city visit.

The beginning of the school year provides an opportunity for anyone connected to our school to visit the campus and be a part of the continued growth and energy that is St. Johns. This fall, we are welcoming 100 new families to our community. Whether you are one of those or have been with St. Johns for decades, I hope to see you on campus soon!

Spartan best, Valorie

Head of School Valorie Baker with St. Johns’ therapy dog, Byrdie

SCHOOL NEWS BRIEFS

Lower School

Grade 4 Digs for Oil

In science class, Grade 4 students learned about and applied methods that engineers use to locate drilling sites for oil, such as listening for and measuring echoes underground. They applied the technique to locate water balloons buried in bins of sand.

Lower School Celebrates Earth Day

Grandparents Day

St. Johns was pleased to welcome grandparents and grandfriends for the annual Lower School Grandparents Day celebration on Friday, February 24. Students wowed their special guests with a musical performance in the Performing Arts Center, and then grandparents and grandfriends enjoyed a light brunch in the Quad area. Following a visit to the classrooms, students and grandparents posed with fun props in the photo booth. New this year, guests were invited to visit resource classes from Library with Mrs. Jacobs, where they made bookmarks, to Art with Mrs. Allgaier, where they showed off their art pieces!

Grade 5 Crosses the Quad

In May, family and friends gathered in the Performing Arts Center for the annual Crossing the Quad ceremony, which celebrates Grade 5 students as they cross the metaphorical Quad from Lower School into Middle School. After an introduction by each Grade 5 classroom teacher, each student took the podium to reflect on their time in Lower School, name a few favorite parts, and give advice to future Grade 5 students. Then, personal recognition was awarded to each student (see the full list at sjcds.net/news) as they were called to “cross the Quad” and shake hands with Head of Middle School Ben Magidson and Dean of Middle School Patrick Rodifer.

A Day in Savannah

In March, Grade 5 took an amazing field trip to Savannah. They left school early in the morning and headed straight to the Georgia State Railroad Museum, which is the site of the most complete antebellum railroad of its kind in the world. They explored train cars and handcars, and learned about the railroad and its history. Next, they toured the riverfront on an exclusive sightseeing riverboat tour. They learned more about the area’s history and about the modern port city that Savannah has become. Students closed out their day with a fun “Scavenger Hunt” for sites around Savannah. They took plenty of photos and had tons of fun on this historic and exciting day.

Liam Griffin and Lincoln Feria show what they think centenarians are like on the 100th Day of School.

Middle School

St. Johns Spelling Bee

On January 10, twelve outstanding Spartans competed in the Grades 5-8 Spelling Bee. “The spelling bee is affiliated with the prestigious Scripps National Spelling Bee,” said Bee sponsor and Grade 8 English teacher Thea Burke, “and a past winner from St. Johns has gone on to compete at the national level in Washington, DC.”

Competition was fierce as the students went 14 rounds to determine the winner. Students were challenged to spell words like benefitted, unsettling, temperature, and inkling until only two students remained. In the final, very intense rounds, both spellers showed great concentration and nerves of steel, and ultimately a champion was named with the correct spelling of the word “threadbare”.

Brennan Rowzee ’28 was named first runner-up and designated as the alternate for the district competition, and the winner, Max Rivera ’29, represented St. Johns at the Clay County District Spelling Bee on February 23rd at Lake Asbury Junior High School. Congratulations to all the spellers who competed in the Bee!

Grade 8 Presents….

In May, Grade 8 students participated in a tradition that goes back more than 20 years at St. Johns: a re-enactment of the trial scene from Harper Lee’s classic, To Kill a Mockingbird. Through this readers theater production, Grade 8 students assumed the roles of Scout, Jem, townspeople of Maycomb, the judge, jury, and Atticus Finch himself to bring the scene to life.

“For St Johns students in Grade 8, the Trial Scene is a rite of passage,” said Grade 8 English teacher Mrs. Thea Burke. “[It is] a legacy event that connects them with our Upper School students and alums, many of whom are here today, and a memory they will share for years to come.” To Kill a Mockingbird is frequently cited as many adults’ favorite book to read in high school and was voted American’s #1 favorite book in PBS’ “Great American Reads” national survey.

Grade 7 Orlando Trip

In April, Grade 7 students went to Orlando for an overnight trip. First, they stopped at the Orlando Rescue Mission and helped clean rooms, sort and fold clothes, and with day care for small children of several families. “The impact on the students was profound,” said Head of Middle School Ben Magidson. “Many of the students came away appreciating that they were able to give back and assist in any way possible.”

At night, the group checked into SeaWorld and had classroom time where they studied the skulls of different animals and how the formations of

certain animal bones are instrumental in protection and adaptation to their natural environment. After a great dinner, students visited the different exhibits and were able to experience the park at night and by themselves since St. Johns was the only school on the grounds. Students were granted permission to sleep in the park and inside a chosen exhibit. They had their sleeping bags next to manta rays and the saltwater aquarium or the lively penguin exhibit. The next morning, students were given a tour of the rescue center where professionals discussed proper

St. Johns Reigning Champs on the Moon

It was announced in January that Ms. Sachs’ Grade 7 science class won “Best Crop Growth” this year in the Plant the Moon Contest (Middle School Division).

Plant the Moon is an international competition in which students join a global science experiment and research challenge to examine how vegetable crops can grow in lunar or Martian soil. In this challenge, student teams design experiments to optimize plant growth within specific parameters, conduct tests, and prepare formal reports on their findings. Based on NASA’s Artemis lunar exploration program, Plant the Moon brings this captivating challenge into classrooms, offering students the opportunity to contribute to solutions that will assist astronauts in their return to the moon. Notably, St. Johns holds the distinction of being the reigning champion for two consecutive years, as Mrs. Wagstaff’s class emerged as winners in last year’s competition.

boating safety, recycling, and what is currently affecting seas and oceans.

Grade 6 French Presentations

In January, Grade 6 French students did biographical studies and presentations of famous French people from a variety of categories, including military/government, sciences, athletics, cuisine, fashion and arts.

Students had a great time investigating personalities from Joan of Arc and Coco Chanel to Kylian Mbappe and Evan Fournier.

Inaugural Science Olympiad Team

In February, St. Johns sent its first-ever team to the Science Olympiad Regional competition at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Within the 24 Division B teams competing, River City Science Academy and Galaxy Middle School won almost every one of the twenty-three events. But, as the Regional Director called St. Johns student names, he had a huge smile on his face for the newbie St. Johns Spartans team:

„ Winning the silver in Division B Category RocksCeline Torkzad ’27

„ Winning the silver in Division B Category Solar SystemCeline Torkzad ’27

„ Winning the gold in Division B Category Write It Do ItMax Rivera ’29 and Izzy Dugre ’28

Team members included:

„ Gabi Oceguera ’25 - C Division

„ Haley Pierce ’25 - C Division

„ Celine Torkzad ’27 - B Division

„ David McDonald ’27 - B Division

„ Sophia McClellan ’28 - B Division

„ Maddy Dugre ’28 - B Division

„ Izzy Dugre ’28 - B Division

„ Zach Navarro ’28 - B Division

„ Max Rivera ’29 - B Division

32 Inducted into National Junior Honor Society

In a beautiful ceremony this spring, 32 Middle School students were inducted into the St. Johns Country Day School chapter of the National Honor Society.

“The National Junior Honor Society is sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals,” said NJHS Sponsor Thea Burke. “Its purposes are to create enthusiasm for scholarship, to render service to school and community, to promote leadership, and to develop character in the students of the nation’s middle and upper schools.”

Membership in the St. Johns Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society has been earned by the effective demonstration of the four qualities held in high esteem by the Society. These are scholarship, service, leadership, and character. Each of the students inducted this morning has demonstrated these qualities, and St. Johns applauds them for their accomplishments and looks to them

and to their leadership as they move forward through Middle School and into their high school years.

In order to be considered for membership, a student must be a Grade 7 or Grade 8 St. Johns student who has been at St. Johns for at least one semester, has a GPA of 3.6 or higher, and demonstrates the NJHS qualities of scholarship, service, leadership, and character. Mrs. Burke,

In Grade 8:

Camila Adame

Haleema Ali

Madeline Culbreth

Addison Kipnis

Nathan Kipnis

Arlo Kistner

William McNulty

Olivia Morehouse

Thomas Nichols

Ariel Wood

Head of Middle School

Mr. Ben Magidson, and Middle School Dean Mr. Patrick Rodifer lit candles for each of the four qualities, and students were called individually to receive their membership certificates.

In Grade 7:

Levi Avila

Cooper Blackwood

Chloe Cameron

Cam Cooper

Carson Connolly

Beckham Cummings

Isabel Dugre

Madeleine Dugre

Aiden Flaschen

Marcus Giles

Elliot Graham

Asher Hendrix

Cayden Ingram

Riley Lincoln

Caris Morgan

Zachary Navarro

Kendall Proffitt

Brennan Rowzee

Mieleen Sahni

Riley Spencer

Audrey Steckler

Grady Tees

Upper School

Winterim

In January, St. Johns hosted its second annual Upper School Winterim, a short period between Winter Break and the start of the second semester when students engage in targeted activities with an eye toward expanding their horizons, providing them with new experiences, allowing them to try out possible career avenues, and giving them the opportunity to move into the next semester gently.

This year, the seniors traveled to Washington, DC for a curricular tour of our nation’s capital. The juniors took part in internship opportunities in career paths of interest to them. Sophomores enrolled in short mini-courses on a variety of topics they don’t see on our usual curriculum, and Freshmen engaged in community service opportuni ties both on campus and in the Jacksonville area.

Congratulations, Miss St. Johns Contestants!

On the evening of Saturday, March 4, nine contestants competed for the title of Miss St. Johns. The theme for the night was “A Trip Through Time.”

“The contestants wore costumes and danced in routines that represented different time periods,” said Interact Club sponsor Heather Velasco. “Everyone had a great time being entertained by these talented young women.” The Interact Club event raised $2,148 for the American Cancer Society.

Shannon Hodges ’23 was crowned the winner and was also named Miss Congeniality. Calli Berrang ’26 was named the People’s Choice Award winner by raising the most money in her voting box. The rest of the top five were:

„ Mia Johnson ’25

„ Calli Berrang ’26

„ Abigail Maierhoffer ’23

„ Ava Johnson ’23

Eleven Inducted into Cum Laude Society

In an April ceremony in the Performing Arts Center, eleven Upper School students were inducted into the prestigious Cum Laude Society. The Cum Laude Society is modeled after Phi Beta Kappa, the collegiate honor society, and works to recognize and encourage true scholarship.

After brief welcoming remarks by Head of School Valorie Baker, Cum Laude Society Sponsor Mrs. Kristin (Hodge) Jackson ’00 assumed the podium. Mrs. Jackson introduced current members, who were seated on stage. These included six seniors who were inducted last year as juniors: Kennedy Brown, Brooks Burson, Hunter Hopkins, Ava Johnson, Jack McNulty, and Lily Weldon.

The Cum Laude Society is modeled on Phi Beta Kappa, the collegiate honor society founded by Thomas Jefferson at the College of William and Mary before the American Revolution.

“The Society was founded in 1906 by Dr. Abram Harris at the Tome School for Boys, in Port Deposit, MD to recognize scholastic achievement of juniors and seniors in secondary schools,” said Jackson. “Dr. Harris

envisioned a society which would encourage and recognize “true scholarship” among college preparatory students.”

Annually, Cum Laude inducts the top 10% of the junior class and the top 20% of the senior class, based on the cumulative Upper School GPA through the first semester of the current academic year. This year’s inductees include:

From the Class of 2023:

„ Madi Erwin

„ Jeffrey Henry

„ Shannon Hodges

„ Juliet Moody

„ Avery Raimondo

„ Aiden Rice

From the Class of 2024:

„ George Auchter

„ Gianna Lentini

„ Ava Morin

„ Richard Nichols

„ Ben Payton

As their names were called, students crossed the stage to receive their certificate from Head of Upper School Jackie Lentini and pause

briefly for a photo. Then they joined their fellow Society members seated on stage.

Mrs. Jackson then introduced Cum Laude Society member and St. Johns alumni, Mrs. Erin (Bare) Willingham ’98, who discussed the meaning of the Society’s core tenants of Excellence, Justice, and Honor and shared relevant stories from her own time at St. Johns.

In sum, she encouraged students to “continue to strive for excellence, but don’t forget to appreciate the moments as they happen.”

Be present and enjoy what happens along the way. Work hard and do your best, but remember that excellence goes beyond the classroom. Think about the person you want to be, and be that positive example for others.

Exemplify justice in your actions. Be fair, treat others with respect, and show kindness. Nurture your friendships and your relationships.”

Honor those around you, but also strive to be a person who is worthy of that honor in return.

Congratulations, Cum Laude Society inductees!

Model United Nations

This year Upper School students seized the opportunity to participate in the Tallahassee Southern Model United Nations (TSMUN). After being assigned to represent a specific country (Brazil, France, or South Korea), students spent months learning facts and reading news from the perspective of their country. They studied the work of the committee they would attend, and wrote position papers from their country’s perspective.

Participating students included Raeghyn Cobb ’26, Shannon Hodges ’23, AJ Hawk ’24, Tristan Lentz, Gabriela Oceguera ’25, Cordelia Painter ’24, Ashlyn Rose ’24, Taylor Thigpen ’24, and Jack Walker ’24

“I was so proud of these students who have taken time out of their busy schedules to learn about the importance of the United Nations and the challenges of global affairs,” said MUN Sponsor Mr. Josh Stern. “I look forward to continuing to grow the club and having most of these students return for a bigger and more experienced conference next year.”

In April, Mr. Stern was thrilled to announce that members of St. Johns’ South Korea delegation had been recognized by TSMUN. These included AJ Hawk, Shannon Hodges, Gabi Oceguera, and Taylor Thigpen as Outstanding Delegation: Republic of Korea. Shannon Hodges also earned Outstanding Position Paper for her work, “Furthering Disarmament and Addressing the Global Climate Crisis.”

Spartan Spotlight

In addition to being a St. Johns senior and on the baseball team, Kellen Brown ’23 has been pursuing his private pilot’s license, which he achieved this summer. It’s only the first of 5 total ratings he’ll need to complete to get his Airline Transport Pilot License and reach his goal of working as a commercial pilot, but it’s a tremendous start and congratulations to Kellen for getting it done in addition to school work and baseball. Kellen heads to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University this fall where he’ll play baseball and pursue aeronautics.

Spanish Students Explore Gaudí

Last semester, Sra Calderón delved into a culture lesson with her Spanish 3 students, focusing on the art of Catalan designer and architect, Antoni Gaudí.

Junior Class Ring Ceremony

On Friday, January 20, 2023, St. Johns Country Day School participated in a new kind of ring ceremony for the Class of 2024. This year, for the very first time, the School designed and ordered a custom ring just for this class and presented it to them during this ceremony, attended by family, friends, and Upper School.

Girls Basketball Clinches

Chick-Fil-A Tournament

In December, Girls Varsity Basketball was crowned tournament champions at the Chickfil-A tournament in Bradenton. Senior Taliah Scott was named the Most Valuable Player and broke four tournament records and Junior Mary Kate Kent played outstanding games and was named to the All-Tournament Team.

Spring Signing Day

On February 1, 2023, St. Johns celebrated Signing Day while two seniors signed National Letters of Intent to play baseball in college. Jeffrey Henry committed to play at Maryville University and Paul Janeczko committed to Rollins College.

“I couldn’t be prouder of these two athletes as they sign their Letters of Intent today,” said Director of Athletics Traci Livingston ’90. “Your Spartan family is behind you and will always be rooting for you as you take this next step in your journey.”

Scott Named McDonald’s All American

On January 24, Taliah Scott ’23 (committed to Arkansas) learned that she’d been named to the McDonald’s All American Games. Over 700 student-athletes were nominated for just 48 slots (24 boys and 24 girls) on this listing of the best high school basketball players in the nation.

Scott is one of only 4 girls from the First Coast ever to have been named, and the first of those not at Ribault High School. She hit the 2,000 career points mark back in December, and her average per game tops 37 points.

“I was totally not expecting this,” said Scott. “I was watching the announcement on ESPN with my dad and my brother, and when my name came up, I just started crying. It was so amazing.”

“Providing a national platform to elevate and honor these players is what the McDonald’s All American Games is all about,” said Joe Wootten, McDonald’s All American Games Selection Committee Chairman. “We’ve been doing this

for over four decades and have seen some truly amazing kids come through this iconic pro gram. That’s why this moment is so special… the history, prestige and all that comes with it. These players are joining a long list of icons to be named nominees to the Games and it’s something that will never be taken away.”

Scott received her McDonald’s All American jersey in a ceremony held at St. Johns on March 1, 2023 and the game will be played March 28 at the Toyota Center in Houston.

In addition to McDonald’s All Amer ican, Taliah has also been named Divi sion 2A Player of the Year, Gatorade Player of the Year for Florida, Florida Dairy Farmers Miss Basketball, and Florida Times-Union’s All-First Coast Player of the Year in girls basketball. She is also the two-time state scoring champion.

Senior Nights

In January, Girls Basketball celebrated their seniors (above), Juliet Moody, Taliah Scott, and Semaj Williams. Then, on February 1, Boys Basketball took their turn to celebrate senior player Andrew Hightower and team managers Cookie Myers and Lily Weldon (below). Coaches took the opportunity to thank all the players, managers, and their families for all their hard work and team effort over the years and celebrated their successes and contributions to the teams.

Girls Weightlifting

Addison Frisbee ’24 placed 3rd at the FHSAA State Championships in Olympic Weightlifting. In its 3rd season, the girls weightlifting team is holding its own against competitors and defeating some of the biggest schools in our area. The team placed well at districts and had three district champions and two runners-up with seven girls advancing to Regionals. Frisbee was crowned Regional Champion and advanced to the State tournament where she placed 3rd overall.

Boys Weightlifting

This year, St. Johns launched a Boys Weightlifting team with two students—Seniors Hunter Noble and Thomas Pounds—competing for St. Johns.

Tennis

Spartan Tennis finished another strong season with big wins against Providence, Trinity, and Bishop Snyder and had a great appearance at the district tournament with the girls finishing as the 2022 District Runner-Up. Singles district champion Stella Hyatt ’23 competed at the State Championships where she won her first match and line 1 doubles district champions Stella and Calli Berrang ’26 took their game to the State Semifinals.

Softball

Spartan Softball had a great season with top wins against district opponents. The team was seeded first in districts and charged into the Regional Championship in May.

Baseball

After a stellar season, the top-rated Spartans had a tough-fought Championship game in Ft. Myers in May and ended up 2A Regional Semi-Finalists. Eight Spartans were named to the All First Coast teams, including Kody Daneault ’24, homeschooled athlete Kyle Boylston, Trevor Bradley ’24, Jacob Thomas ’23, Seth Alford ’24, Shawn Andrade ’23, Jeffrey Henry ’23, and Isaiah Mamea ’23.

Soccer

Under direction of Mike Pickett, Spartan women’s soccer finished its season with a 20-2-1 record. Throughout the season, the team was recognized as one of the top areas in North Florida and six Spartans were named to the All First Coast Team including Lauryn Mateo ’23 and Sydney Schmidt ’26 (First Team), Avery Raimondo ’23 (Second Team), and Madi Erwin ’23, Cece Nowicki ’25, and homeschooled athlete Sophia Pontieri (Honorable Mention). The Spartans finished the season FHSAA State Runner-Up.

Track & Field

At the FHSAA Track & Field District Champi onships in April, 14 athletes qualified for the Regional competition, including:

„ Ashlyn Rose ’24 shot put and discus (Dis trict Champion)

„ Thomas Pounds ’23 discus, shot put (District Runner-Up), and javelin (District Champion)

„ Tripp Vogt ’23 javelin

„ Owen Johnston ’23 shot put

„ Meg Fackler ’23 high jump

„ Becca Stratton ’25 1600m (District Champion)

„ Ava Johnson ’23 400m Hurdles (District Champion), 100m hurdles

„ Sofia Conde ’24 400 hurdles

„ Girls 4X100 (Sofia Conde ’24, Sarah Robinson ’24, Matilda Morris ’29, and Becca Stratton ’25)

„ Isa Johnson ’28 and Sarah Robinson ’24400m

„ Matilda Morris ’29 - 800m

„ Kate Staten ’29, Olivia Morris ’29, Becca Stratton ’25 - 3200m

The Girls team was the overall District Runner Up, and Ava Johnson ’23 went on to compete at both Regional and State competitions in hurdles. Congratulations, Spartans!

Photo by George Auchter ‘24

Performing Arts

Lord of the Pies

In February, Middle School Theatre and Technical Theatre staged a performance of Clint Snyder’s “Lord of the Pies.”

Based on William Golding’s classic novel, Lord of the Flies, the show takes place in a pie shop and focuses around a woman, Franny, played by Eve Earp ’27, who warns that the apocalypse is coming and works to restructure society. The shop’s cashier, Ariel Wood ’27, and manager, Ian Johnson ’28, are taken hostage and chaos ensues.

“It was truly a fun and crazy experience for our Middle School students to put together a hectic, fast-paced comedy,” said Riker. “I am extremely proud of the work my students have accomplished and to have started the trend of students designing and building sets in the Middle School. Very good work to all who had participated!

Jackson Named Fillmore Winner

In January, Junior Timmy Jackson was named the winner of the Florida Bandmasters Association Fillmore Award. The award is given to the Florida High School student composer deemed to have written the finest musical composition entered into the competition.

Timmy composed a piece entitled “Angels of Innocence,” written for advanced concert band/wind ensemble. The composition was written in memory of the victims of the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas last year. Throughout the piece, bells ring representing the children who were killed during the tragedy. Timmy’s piece was evaluated by a panel of judges who then chose “Angels of Innocence” as the overall winner. Their comments to Timmy included, “Very emotional,” “Exceptionally beautiful and expressive,” and “Bravo!”

Timmy’s achievement was recognized at a banquet during the Florida State Music Education Association conference on January 12, 2023 in Tampa, Florida. Timmy was already attending the conference as a member of the prestigious All-State Band. Congratulations, Timmy!

The Addams Family

In April, St. Johns’ Performing Arts Department put on a production of The Addams Family, featuring all the favorite characters, from Uncle Fester to Wednesday Addams. The stage’s pit was opened for the orchestra, and the show featured live music and dance. The show was attended by agents from the Applause Awards, and cast and crew were nominated for several awards. Modeled after the Tony Awards, the Applause Awards are determined by a panel of 12 statewide casting agents who attended performances in 7 counties and 33 participating high schools this season. Nearly 300 students were nominated for their performances, including the following from St. Johns:

„ Outstanding Lead Performer(s): Autumn Henry ’25, Bobby Burnside ’25, Ian Johnson ’28

„ Outstanding Supporting Performer(s): Sergio Lopez Diaz ’26

„ Outstanding Actor(s): Sergio Lopez Diaz ’26, Sasha Wallace ’24, Autumn Henry ’25

„ Outstanding Singer(s): Autumn Henry ’25

„ Outstanding Dancer(s): Lily Weldon ’23, Sasha Wallace ’24

The School was also nominated for Outstanding Costumes & Set and Best Ensemble. Winners were announced in May, and Autumn Henry was among those named in the Outstanding SInger category.

Jacksonville Icemen Performance

At a special “St. Johns Family Night” in February, St. Johns’ band and chorus were highlighted for the community. Before the game, St. Johns’ jazz band played outside VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, and the St. Johns Singers performed the national anthem. Students and families alike had a great time during this fun night of ice hockey and fellowship!

All County Chorus

The All-County Vocal Solo & Ensemble music festival took place in February. All-County students are invited by their choral director to participate in a singing audition. At this year’s competition, the following students were awarded:

„ Addison Kipnis ’27 participated for the first time and received a Superior for her solo at Solo & Ensemble

„ Tripp Vogt ’23 participated in All-County

„ Caleb Cameron ’25 participated in his first-ever Solo & Ensemble and received an Excellent

„ Autumn Henry ’25 participated in All-County and received a Superior at Solo & Ensemble

„ Cordelia Painter ’24 participated in All-County and received a Superior at Solo & Ensemble

„ Ashlyn Rose ’24 participated in All-County and for the second year in a row made it into All-State Chorus (comprised of the best students in the entire state)

Choral MPAs

In March, the Middle School Chorus and St. Johns Singers performed for Music Performance Assessments (MPAs), and both choirs received an Excellent rating overall! Middle School Chorus also received a Superior in sight-reading, and the St. Johns Singers got a Superior from one of the stage performance judges.

Spring Concerts

In May, the bands and choruses hosted Spring Concerts.

Grade 3 Mixed Media Rhinos

As a part of St. Johns’ ongoing collaboration with White Oak Conservation, this year students are learning about and studying the rhinoceros. Grade 3 students took this into the art classroom and began by drawing rhinos from observation using various photographs. This practice helped students strengthen their hand-eye coordination, visual percep tion, and cognitive development. Once the rhino was drawn, students tore newspaper scraps to fill the form, being mindful of the placement of the pieces to maintain the shape of the animal and to create shading. Students then rubbed crayons on the front side of poster board, resulting in a textured collagraph print, which they then glued to their rhinos to create a nuanced background.

The Art of the Self-Portrait, by Grade 8

As a part of their study of self-portraiture, Grade 8 artists were required to consider clothing, background environment, lighting, and attitude. They took photographs of themselves and then drew self-portraits with tempera paint and colored pencils. “The resulting works of art are confident and serious,” says Visual Arts Department Chair and Middle School Art Teacher Anna Reynolds. “They have been noted as worthy of recognition in the 2023 North Florida Scholastic Art Awards.” Congratulations artists!

Scholastic Awards

In February, the results of the 2023 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards were announced, including 15 Middle School students and 34 Upper School students who received 126 awards total. In total, St. Johns Visual Arts students received 19 Gold Keys, 48 Silver Keys, and 59 Honorable Mentions.

Students and teachers gathered at the Florida Theater on Saturday, February 11 for the awards ceremony as stu dents walked the red carpet and saw their names up in lights. Congratulations to:

„ Haleema Ali ’27

„ George Auchter ’24 (Gold Key x2)

„ Xavier Baez ’25 (Gold Key)

„ Frances Bailey ’25

„ Breanne Barry ’27

„ Brooks Burson ’23

„ Regan Butler ’25

„ Grant Cassady ’25

„ Bailey Conner ’27

„ William Cooper ’23 (Gold Key)

„ Ainsley Costarakis ’25

„ Karley Costlow ’24

„ Madeline Culbreth ’27

„ Isabella DeLeon ’26

„ Josie Dinkins ’23

„ Kinna Dobes ’27

„ Rowan Fix ’24 (Gold Key)

„ Alixandria Fletcher ’25

„ Ayla Frisbee ’27

„ Anna Galnor ’25

„ Kelsey Gregson ’25 (Gold Key x2)

„ Gracie Hightower ’27

„ Calliann Holshouser ’25 (Gold Key)

„ Hana Hutsell ’27 (Gold Key)

„ Mia Johnson ’25

„ Anna Kemp ’23 (Gold Key)

„ Finn Kent ’27

„ Nathan Kipnis ’27

„ Sergio Lopez-Diaz ’26

„ Marshall Martin ’23

„ Lauryn Mateo ’23

„ Brice McClellan ’26 (Gold Key)

„ David McDonald ’27

„ Grace McNulty ’25

„ Grayson Moody ’25 (gold key x2)

„ Caris Morgan ’28

Congressional Art Award

„ Cookie Myers ’23

„ Thomas Nichols ’27

„ Lizzie Nowicki ’27

„ Lulu Nowicki ’23 (Gold Key x2)

„ Daniela Oceguera ’23

„ Gabriela Oceguera ’25

„ Luke Peterson ’25

„ Ishtananda Ramroop ’26

„ Emma Schultz ’23 (Gold Key)

„ Emily Steckler ’26

„ Celine Torkzad ’27

„ Reagan Wagstaff ’25

„ Ella Wilkes ’23

Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors a nationwide high school visual art competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent in the nation and in each congressional district.

The 4th District Art Award day-long exhibit, sponsored by 4th District Representative Aaron Bean, showcased selected art works from the District’s various schools, including several outstanding submissions from St. Johns Country Day School. “Being selected for this show is an honor for our students and a testimony to the excellence of our school’s art program,” said Upper School Art Teacher Pam Ayres.

The show was held in April, and in May it was announced that Lulu Nowicki ’23 was selected to represent the 4th district in Washington DC in a year-long exhibition at the Cannon Building.

Congratulations

BACCALAUREATE Class of 2023!

On a Friday night at the end of May, St. Johns seniors, family, friends, and the broader School community joined together at Grace Anglican Church for a baccalaureate service in honor of the graduates.

After singing the St. Johns Hymn, Head of School Valorie Baker opened with a few remarks about the class and how this is a precious time for the students themselves, and for their families. She introduced School Chaplain Owene Weber Courtney ’73 for the invocation, and Senior Tripp Vogt read a lesson from the Book of Isaiah.

Mrs. Courtney then gave the Baccalaureate Address, referencing her own time at St. Johns and noting that she didn’t know then that she had met her future spouse in Grade 9. “How many of you will say that?” she wondered.

The St. Johns Singers gave a beautiful rendition of Love Lifted Me, Mrs. Courtney offered a prayer for the Class of 2023, and the Singers led the group in The Lord Bless You and Keep You.

After the ceremony, families gathered together in the portico for cake, shared hugs and photographs, and looked forward to another exciting day on Saturday.

COMMENCEMENT

Friends and family gathered again on Saturday afternoon at Orange Park’s Thrasher-Horne Center for Commencement. The seniors processed down the aisle, followed by School faculty, Mrs. Courtney read the invocation, and Mrs. Baker delivered opening remarks.

Next, CDR Douglas Conkey, USN (Ret.) took the stage with a special presentation. Citing a long list of United States Naval Academy graduates and their successes, he congratulated Kennedy Brown on being appointed to join that strong tradition, closing with the most important words she needs to know: Go Navy, Beat Army.

From there, the School awards were bestowed before 2023-2024 Student Council President Richard Nichols ’24 introduced the two student speakers. It has long been a tradition at St. Johns that the senior class elect two of their own to deliver remarks at graduation, and, as usual, their selections were excellent, filled with both laughter and tears.

Gavan Bradley spoke first, discussing his transition into St. Johns two years ago. “In the first week I was on campus, we didn’t go through all the policies and procedures that other schools do, we got straight to work,” he said. “I was baffled.” But he got straight to work and he did what he needed to do with the help of his classmates and the St. Johns community. “All of you welcomed me with open arms and made me feel at home. That’s what’s special about St. Johns. It’s more than a school; it’s one big family.”

“All of you are unique and special in your own way. I’ve seen it first hand. So as you guys make your steps into the real world, make those steps with confidence, because you’re special and you’re more than prepared to be successful. Go strive to be great, and whatever

you do, you’re the future and I am more confident that you will make an impact on this world, just like you made an impact on me.”

Next, Hunter Hopkins took the podium, polling his classmates about who is excited for college, or maybe a little bit afraid. “We’re basically adults,” he said, “except, we’re not… My point is, we have so many years ahead of us, to learn and to grow. And that’s what college is—a place to do stupid things and learn from them. It’s a place where we find not just what career path we’ll take, but who we want to be as a person. And so when I look around, and I see us, I don’t see adults. I see potential.”

Encouraging all of his classmates to live in the moment and not to think too much about things they can’t control. “And so, with my parting words, I would like to say a quote from Master Ugwe in Kung Fu Panda: ‘Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. And that’s why it’s called the present.’”

Next, Head of Upper School Jackie Lentini and President of the Board of Trustees Mr. Gene Nichols presented the diplomas, citing each student’s college and career path of choice. And with lots of laughter, plenty of fist bumps, and at least one on-stage selfie, the Class of 2023 was announced.

Congratulations, newest alumni!

Members of the Class of 2023

Annie Boatwright Afflick Member, National Honor Society

Unaysah Ali

Shawn Michael Andrade II

Gavan Price Bradley

Kellen William Brown Member, National Honor Society

Kennedy Yvonne Brown St. Johns Student Since Preschool Member, National Honor Society

Brandon Alexander Bunn

Brooks Thomas Burson

Member, National Honor Society

Javier Alejandro Coll-Román

St. Johns Student Since Preschool Member, National Honor Society

Noah Scott Cone Member, National Honor Society

Emerson Roland Cooper Member, National Honor Society

William Conrad Cooper Member, National Honor Society

Alexandra Marie Desguin St. Johns Student Since Preschool Member, National Honor Society

Josephine Grace Dinkins Member, National Honor Society

Richard Frank Dubnansky III Member, National Honor Society

Madison Rose Erwin Member, National Honor Society

Bridger Douglas Espinosa Member, National Honor Society

Margaret Anne Fackler Member, National Honor Society

George Lawrence Friedline

William Thomas Gibbs II

John Dennis Hay Member, National Honor Society

Jeffrey Michael Henry Jr.

Member, National Honor Society

Andrew Lester Hightower St. Johns Student Since Preschool Member, National Honor Society

Shannon Allison Hodges

Member, National Honor Society

Antonio Ulrik Holmberg

Member, National Honor Society

Jacob Gamble Holyer

Member, National Honor Society

Hunter H Hopkins St. Johns Student Since Preschool

Member, National Honor Society

Samuel Lea Hopkins St. Johns Student Since Preschool Member, National Honor Society

Stella Kate Hyatt

Member, National Honor Society

Paul Christian Janeczko

Member, National Honor Society

Ava Joleen Johnson

Member, National Honor Society

Owen Jameson Johnston

Thomas Michael Keenan Member, National Honor Society

Anna Marie Lei Kemp

Member, National Honor Society

Talon Daniel Luster Member, National Honor Society

Abigail Lee Maierhoffer

Member, National Honor Society

Isaiah Tai’au Mamea

Marshall Gaines Martin Member, National Honor Society

Lauryn Ashley Mateo St. Johns Student Since Preschool

John Matthew McNulty Member, National Honor Society

Juliet Alexandra Moody Member, National Honor Society

Jack Freddie Mooneyham

St. Johns Student Since Preschool Member, National Honor Society

Camelia Katherine Myers Member, National Honor Society

Hunter Scott Noble Member, National Honor Society

Mary Halina Nowicki

Daniela Sophia Oceguera Member, National Honor Society

Kaitlyn Mae Phillips

Thomas John Pounds Member, National Honor Society

Avery Lynn Raimondo Member, National Honor Society

Aidan Nicholas Rice Member, National Honor Society

Emma Katherine Schultz Member, National Honor Society

Taliah Michelle Scott

Member, National Honor Society

Chloe McCrea Smith Member, National Honor Society

Mason Andrew Terry

Jacob Riley Thomas Member, National Honor Society

Marlen Jeffrey Vogt III

Member, National Honor Society

Patrick Robert Walsh

Member, National Honor Society

Lily Eliza Weldon St. Johns Student Since Preschool Member, National Honor Society

Ella Grace Wilkes

Semaj Tamira Williams

Member, National Honor Society

Award, The Roddey R. Fisher Award & Valedictorian Award: Ava Joleen Johnson

Graduation Awards

Best All-Around Young Woman: Lily Eliza Weldon

Award: Kennedy Yvonne Brown

Stephen F.

Best All-Around Young Man: Hunter H Hopkins

Art Award: Mary Halina Nowicki

Drama Award for Theatrical Performance: Margaret Anne Fackler

Drama Award for Technical Theatre: Thomas John Pounds

Myrtle O’Shea Latin Award: Jacob Gamble Holyer

Science Award: Ava Joleen Johnson

English Award: Margaret Anne Fackler

Instrumental Music Award: Kennedy Yvonne Brown

Vocal Music Award: Marlen Jeffrey Vogt

Cynthia C. Landry History Award: Shannon Allison Hodges & Patrick Robert Walsh

Carol A. Hart Math Award: Kennedy Yvonne Brown

Computer Science Award: Jacob Gamble Holyer & Javier Alejandro Coll-Román

The “I Dare You” Leadership Award: Marlen Jeffrey Vogt

Edwin Paul Heinrich

Dora Helen Skypek

Stephen F. Russey

Russey

The following colleges and universities accepted members of the Class of 2023:

Anderson University

Appalachian State University

Arkansas Tech University

Auburn University

Belmont University

Berry College

Bethune-Cookman University

Butler Community College

Butler University

Clemson University

College of Charleston

Eastern University

Elon University

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Daytona Beach)

Erskine College

Florida Atlantic University

Florida Gulf Coast University

Furman University

George Washington University

Georgia Southern University

Georgia State University

Hampden-Sydney College

Hartwick College

Hofstra University

Jacksonville University

Liberty University

Louisiana State University

Maryville University

McGill University

Mercer University

Miami University (Oxford)

Montreat College

North Carolina State University

Penn State University (University Park)

Savannah College of Art and Design

Sewanee: The University of the South

Southern Methodist University

Spelman College

Stetson University

Susquehanna University

Syracuse University

Tabor College

Tallahassee Community College

Temple University

Texas A&M University

The University of Alabama

The University of Tennessee (Chattanooga)

The University of Tennessee (Knoxville)

The University of West Florida

United States Naval Academy

University of Alabama in Huntsville

University of Georgia

University of Kentucky

University of Miami

University of Mississippi

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

University of North Florida

University of Oregon

University of Pennsylvania

University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh)

University of South Carolina

University of South Florida (Main Campus)

University of Vermont

University of Washington (Seattle Campus)

University of Wisconsin (Madison)

Valdosta State University

Thank You!

17th Annual St. Johns Spartans Golf Tournament

Thanks to everyone who sponsored, golfed, volunteered, or in any other way helped support the 17th Annual St. Johns Spartans Golf Tournament, presented by St. Johns Investment Management Company. The Golf Tournament is always a great day of golf and companionship, and this year was no different. Even better, this year’s tournament raised nearly $20,000 to support St. Johns Country Day School’s Athletic Department and ensure that our student-athletes have first-class facilities and resources. Mark your calendars now for next year’s tournament, on Friday, April 19, 2024.

Special Thanks to Our Event Sponsors

Presenting Sponsor:

St. Johns Investment Management Co.

Gold Sponsors:

W. J. Sapp & Son, Inc.

Allstate Steel Company

VyStar Investment Services

The Bailey Group

Beverage Sponsor:

The Powers Family

Lunch Sponsors:

Turf Doctor Landscaping & Lawn

Envirovac

Nichols & Pina, LLLP

Congratulations to our winners of the day, the Gregson family, (top L-R) Kurt Greiner, Richard Gregson, Rick Gregson, and Randy Gregson and, in 2nd place, (bottom L-R) Cody Bishop, John Baker, Billy Sellinger ’15, and Laura Baylor

A Night in NOLA

Thank you very much to everyone who bought tickets, donated items, bid in the auction, or otherwise supported St. Johns’ 2023 Gala & Auction, A Night in NOLA!

Sponsorships, ticket sales, auction purchases, and entertainment from the Gala garnered nearly $98,000 in support of St. Johns students. Funds from the Gala provided aquatics items such as diving blocks and lane ropes for the newly refurbished swimming pool, and the new art gallery space will soon be ready in the lobby of the Performing Arts Center. Earlier this month over Spring Break, the Performing Arts Center lobby was painted as we prepare for gallery installation.

St. Johns Fund

St. Johns Country Day School relies upon funds above and beyond tuition to cover the costs of delivery an outstanding educational experience. The School’s annual giving program, The St. Johns Fund, helps make the School’s wants and needs a reality, providing the best possible environment, tools, and technology for Spartans of today and tomorrow. Your gift is a commitment to our students, our faculty, and the St. Johns experience. Every gift, large or small, matters. Thank you!

GiveToday

Please make your gift and commit to St. Johns today.

 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 Profiles

Ross (’03) and Whitney (’04) Howayeck

Ross Howayeck was a sophomore at St. Johns, standing in the hallway at his locker, when he first glanced over at Whitney Rosenberg. They were in different grades, but he saw her often. They’d smile at each other, and eventually slipped notes into each other’s lockers. They began sitting together at lunch, and Ross would walk Whitney to her car at the end of the day. “It took some time and a bit of fate,” said Ross, “but sure enough, we made a connection and the rest is history.”

The pair got married in April 2013 and continue to make their history together, now living in Northern Virginia with their two girls, Olivia (6) and Juliet (3). Ross is a pilot in the Air Force and Whitney, an occupational therapist who has temporarily put things on hold to raise their girls. Both have fond memories of St. Johns Country Day School, and not just of meeting each other.

“Through St. Johns, I found a highly motivated and academically competitive peer group,” Whitney recalls. “Among this group, I also found lifelong friends.” She remembers countless nights studying at the office of Mittauer & Associates with Kate Mittauer Withers ’04 and Krista Gilligan Young ’04. “We’d lose track of time discussing various novels from Mr. Warner’s English class and prepping for exams.” She says she always felt like the faculty took a genuine interest in her, not just as a student but also as an individual outside the classroom. “In my time there, I truly felt like I had a St. Johns family. While at St. Johns, I was a competitive gymnast in a local club practicing nearly 20 hours a week. So at a young age, I learned the importance of time management, self-discipline, a strong work ethic, and perseverance. St. Johns helped me develop these characteristics and apply them to all aspects of my life. Needless to say, I felt very prepared when entering college academics.”

Ross agrees. He says he thinks back on his time at St. Johns nearly every day and that the School made a big impression on him. He lists a stream of teachers who made the biggest impact: “Mrs. [Carolyn] Sellars was my first teacher at St. Johns and welcomed me with open arms. She not only helped me feel welcome, but made me feel at home from the beginning.” Others include art teachers Mary Ann Petsca and Tami Culbert, Janet Huntley, and Sarah Harvey. Ross says Tina Sachs “always went the extra mile to relate her material to real-world applications,” which he appreciated. In fact, in Grade 6, Ross says, Sachs had the students split up into groups and had each group choose a business. Then she asked them to prepare business models and cost structures before they went into a one-week simulation where each business would interact with each other, forming a micro-economy. “Needless to say,” Ross relates, ”some businesses

developed conflict and I found myself at the end of the week in 6th grade civil court.” He was being sued by Brittany Acree ’03, “for I have no idea what. Long story short, [fellow student and lifelong friend] Ryan Mittauer ’03 represented me and inevitably lost his first case. Consequently, Ryan is now a big-time lawyer in Jacksonville,” Ross says, “which I don’t believe is a coincidence.”

He also remembers Una Pardue, who Ross remembers took time to make her class experience fun and exuded an infectious enthusiasm and School spirit; Martha Hellmuth and Mrs. Joanne] Gilligan, who were “warriors on the battlefields of algebra;” Mrs. Garrison, “who brought an unmatched passion to her history class” (and all things, really, Ross adds), and, finally, Beth Herzog, who taught him to write and speak publicly, giving Ross an enormous head start, he says, over his peers at both the University of Florida and in the

United States Air Force. “Each of these amazing people left a lasting impression on me,” Ross says.

Whitney goes on to cite lifelong friendships forged in the hallways and classrooms of St. Johns: Kate, Krista, Will Gibbs ’04, Marleigh Gibbs Gulliford ’05, Sue Ann Koe ’03, my sisters Lindsay Rosenberg Mastrangelo ’02 and Jillian Rosenberg Morgan ’05, and, of course Ross, now her husband. “I didn’t know what the future held for us at age 15, but I did know that I never wanted the time we had together to ever end.”

Ross also remembers cutting up with classmates Patrick Weaver ’03 and Nick Courtney ’03 during St Johns on Broadway’s “Music Man” and “Saturday Night Fever,” going to Space Camp with Brandon Dodd ’03 and Jason Sanders ’03, his time on the Varsity Swim team with Doug Benefield ’03 and Brittany Acree ’03, and jamming out with the St. Johns Jazz Band and then later in the evenings at Young Life with Mrs. Garrison and company.

Alumni Profiles

They both went on to the University of Florida, Ross studying architecture and Whitney psychology. Whitney continued gymnastics through college, and says “being a part of a Division 1 team in college is an accomplishment that I will never forget. I was so proud to be a member of the Florida Gators gymnastics team.” She continued on at UF to attain her master’s degree in occupational therapy.

Whitney’s parents instilled in her at an early age the importance of helping others. “I was very confident that I wanted to work in healthcare,” she says, “but I also valued flexibility to include a career that I could take everywhere with me. I couldn’t have picked a more rewarding or ‘portable’ profession for myself.”

Ross also knew what he wanted to do: “I always knew I wanted to fly. I also wanted to follow in my dad’s footsteps.” His dad had been a pilot in the Vietnam War and by the time Ross came along he’d transitioned to United Airlines.”He never missed an opportunity to share the joy of aviation with my brother and me,” says Ross. “I am proud of his service and his 37-year career with United. In addition to my dad, my mother also served United Airlines as a 42year Flight Attendant and Purser.”

Beyond that element, Ross says, he remembers sitting in Mrs. Garrison’s history class when someone leaned in the door and told her to turn on the television. “We had barely read the banner at the bottom of the screen when we watched United Flight 175 hit the south tower of the World Trade Center. My desire to be a pilot changed in an instant into a call to serve our country. My road to achieving Air Force wings was anything but easy and I could not have done it without Whitney and countless others who put me on this path. Coincidentally, fate would have it that my first daughter was born on September 11th, 2016.

After travels in some of the country’s most beautiful places, the family now lives in Northern Virginia. “Somehow the stars aligned,” Ross says, “and I was offered a position in the 1st Airlift Squadron (1 AS),”

where he would fly a specially modified commercial Boeing 757 aircraft. Ross clarifies that while most people think of it as Air Force 2, the callsign is reserved for any aircraft transporting the Vice President of the United States. In addition to the Vice President, the 1 AS also supports the remaining four members of the “Top Five,” including the First Lady of the United States, The Secretary of State, The Secretary of Defense, and The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. “I am proud to have served all of these National Leaders and Senior Military members,” Ross says, “but my most memorable missions include those involving Vice President Kamala Harris and former Vice President Mike Pence.

After leaving the 89th Airlift Wing and his adventures with the 1st Airlift Squadron, Ross was given another unique opportunity to serve in the White House Military Office. He now bounces between the White House and Joint Base Andrews where he serves as a liaison for Presidential Travel.

Meanwhile, the family is loving their time in Northern Virginia. “Although we still ride the struggle bus through the winters and long for North Florida weather, living in Virginia has been amazing,” says Whitney. They live near Mount Vernon and love to immerse themselves and their girls in all that Virginia and the District of Columbia have to offer, from museums to monuments, or just a casual bike ride around Mount Vernon.

The family still maintains close ties to Jacksonville, with their parents and Whitney’s younger sister still in the area. “We try to get back at least a few times per year,” she says.

“We have lived in Navarre, Florida; Columbus, Mississippi; San Antonio, Texas; Fairfield, California; Dover, Delaware; and currently Alexandria,” Whitney says, continuing that she has been fortunate enough to practice as an occupational therapist in each state where they’ve lived. “Leaving jobs and coworkers, houses we’ve made homes, and friends who are truly family, does not get easier even though we’ve done it so many times,” says Whitney, “however, I wouldn’t trade this adventurous lifestyle for anything!”

Britt McTammany ’87

Britt McTammany ’87 says there’s no doubt attending St. Johns Country Day School helped shape him. “St. Johns instilled in me a passion for learning, for just wanting to know things,” says Britt, “and that still holds true today.” And, he says, the mentorship available to him through the faculty was just amazing. He mentions Grover Howard, Carol Hart, Mike McMillan, Rod and Mary Virginia Fisher, drafting teacher Dick Sirch, Anita Snell, John Long, and Leslie (Ritch) DeStefano.

Britt has had a St. Johns connection from the very beginning. His mother, Mary Jo Cotney McTammany, was a member of the school’s fifth graduating class in 1960. His father Thomas attended St. Johns for a short time, and his grandfather, the Rev. John McTammany, was asked to bless the original campus buildings when they were completed in 1957.

“My parents really fostered my personal growth and education,” says Britt. “A lot of the stuff I had to learn on my own.” He talks about how his dad encouraged his exploration. “I would do graphic layout just for fun, and there’s where I learned a lot about balance, typography, and use of white space. Of course photography is a part of that, so my dad bought a camera and I just started taking pictures.”

He and Matt Costarakis ’87 were both student photographers in their school days, taking photos for the yearbook, the newspaper, and anything else that was needed. “Matt’s still my best friend,” says Britt. “I’m still friends with so many people I went to school with— Matt, Mark Fackler ’87, Kristin Holman ’87, and so many more.”

As he progressed through St. Johns and beyond, his end goal changed—architecture, digital art—he wasn’t sure where his path would take him. He attended Jacksonville University, initially to study digital art, but soon decided that he’d probably end up working on his own anyway. “Originally I didn’t know what I wanted to do, and there are a lot of things that I like to do.” So

he pursued a degree in business and marketing. “That way,” he thought, “I’ll understand all the business side of things and I’ll figure out all the other things on my own.” That has served him well over the years.

He started off as a music composer. “I was good with computers because my dad introduced me to them, and I had a computer that had a sequencer. I am not a trained musician. I can’t read music, but I know how to make a computer create what’s in my brain.”

“I was able to write music on the fly, and eventually I got hired to go into edit sessions and watch a commercial, then I’d go away on headphones for thirty minutes or an hour, compose something, get notes, make changes, and be done with it. That’s how I got my foot in the door at a post-house, White Hawk Pictures.”

“They had a computer in the basement, an Avid. They were the first non-linear, computer based editing system. I figured out how to use it and within three months I was doing work for Ford, for Diane Sawyer

on ABC Primetime, for all sorts of big names.”

From there, he and two partners founded their own company, Digital Video Arts, in 1994. It doubled in size within a year, and within another year they’d paid back their investments and the company was theirs. He was with DVA for almost 20 years before, almost overnight, the industry changed. The mid-2000s brought in radical shifts, including new computer capabilities, the launch of YouTube, and the advent of the DSLR. “Before the DSLR,” says Britt, “you had to get a crew of 10 people if you wanted it to look good.” But when DSLR came out, “that’s when I felt like I could shoot video that I didn’t think looked bad. I didn’t like the way video cameras or handicams looked. I wanted it to look more cinematic. And that’s when I started to be able to do that.” It’s also when he met Franklin Ritch ’12.

“I was up at the school shooting photos,” Britt says, “I was wandering around and this little red haired kid comes up to me and says ‘what are you shooting?’ I told him I was shooting stuff for the school, and he asked me about my camera. We struck up a conversation and it wasn’t too long after that that he said, ‘Hey, I’ve written a script’ and asked me if I’d be inter-

ested in shooting it. This was the beginning of Static, released in 2010. (Check it out on YouTube, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZL_CGi-Xg0)

Since then, the pair has done at least a dozen films, says Britt, including their latest, The Artifice Girl, which hit theaters this past spring. The pair has been touring film festivals this year, attending screenings, gathering audience feedback, and winning awards.

To St. Johns students who have an interest in photography, Britt says “just get out there and do it. If you want to make a film, get your friends together, get a camera—everybody has a phone, there’s a camera there—and do it. Watch, and absorb. Find some idols, some of the great DPs out there, and just study them. Just learn and do.”

Britt’s kids, Iain and Olivia, who both attended St. Johns, are also involved in film work and worked on The Artifice Girl and several other films. “They could have a career in whatever they want to do because they’re both smart and resourceful,” but he doesn’t think they’ll follow in his footsteps “I think it’s challenging for kids to find direction these days because there are so many different things they can do, plus they’re stimulated by all this digital stuff, instant gratification” It can be hard to narrow down. When they do ask his career advice, he tells them “I wish that you could find something that you’re passionate about, that you love, that you enjoy doing, that doesn’t feel like you’re working at all. I’m fortunate that way.” he says.

That’s still advice he’s taking himself. When he’s not behind a camera, he’s working on what he’ll be shooting next. “I’m always doing the stuff that I’m doing now,” he says. He just finished a short for someone he worked with on Artifice Girl. “I love the Director of Photography job,” he says. “The DP’s job is whatever you see on the screen. It’s not just lighting. It’s blocking, and talking to production designers and wardrobe. It’s makeup. Their job is to get whatever you see on the screen as close as possible to the director’s vision, and I love that role. Thankfully I have a

lot of experience in management—herding cats and getting consensus on a vision, and making it all come to fruition, on a timeline, and on budget.”

Asked what’s next, things get hazier. “Franklin has a bunch of irons in the fire,” says Britt. “And I think that’s the way to go. You never know what [a potential funder] might be looking for.” As to which might pan out, we’ll all stay tuned to find out.

Franklin Ritch ’12

As a student, the thing that Franklin Ritch ’12 liked most about St. Johns was that it was very supportive. “St. Johns was a school environment where you could go to the dean or to a teacher and say, ‘I want to make a short film,’ and they’d say, ‘Okay. What do you need?’ It’s the kind of school environment that lets you get a lot out of applying your own initiative to things. That was my experience at St. Johns as far as setting me on the path to become a filmmaker-there was an openness to say ‘yes, if this is something you want to do and you want to apply yourself to it, let us know how we can help.’” And there were a lot of teachers and staff at St. Johns who facilitated and encouraged that, Franklin says, including theater teacher David Patton, his mother, Leslie Ritch (now Leslie DeStefano), Pat Rodifer, Mary Virginia Fisher, and Brenda Scott.

“I’ve had a love for film as far back as I can remember,” says Franklin. “Even at a young age, in grade school I knew that that was something I wanted to pursue. When you’re that age, every kid wants to be an astronaut or a movie star, but for me, I had a light bulb moment in second or third grade when I watched a Wallace & Gromit short film. It was a big moment for me because I realized ‘Oh, I could do that! You get a picture camera and some plasticine, and you just take one frame at a time.’ You didn’t need actors or a big set. I could do that at home. So I did. And for a long while, through Middle School, I was

doing a lot of stop motion animation, and that was how I kind of self-taught the medium of film.”

He remembers a family tree project that he was particularly proud of. But of course, being a filmmaker, instead of building a family tree out of paper mache like everyone else did, Franklin recorded interviews with his family members and then animated individual plasticine birds and had each of the birds lip synced to the interview. “It was like the birds were telling stories that my family had, all these experiences, and the birds were sitting on different limbs of this family tree. It was so great because you got a real sense of the humanity behind each of these people and the nuances and absurdities. In one moment, when I’m interviewing one of my grandmothers and she gives an answer that my dad, who is sitting off to the side as I’m interviewing her, doesn’t agree with and he’s like, ‘no no no, that’s

Alumni Profiles

not right. Re-ask that question!’ and so I had his bird peek in and point just like he did, and so it was great. And again, St. Johns was the kind of place where you could say to your teacher, ‘I’d like to do it this way,’ and nine times out of ten they’d say ‘great, go for it.’ I think that’s a huge part of who I am today. If you have that initiative and you can apply that to your ambition, St. Johns is a great school to be at.“

“In Middle School we had an improvisation class and that was a fun experience. I remember in that kind of environment middle schoolers tend to be kind of loud and intense, and one time, the quietest kid in the class, the kid who seemed he didn’t have an extrovert bone in his body, who had been quiet the whole time and we had never seen do any kind of acting, stood up and in just a few seconds made everybody laugh. That kid’s name was Joe Capps and since then, since that day, he still is my best friend. We see each other every week and he’s one of the greatest people I’ve ever met in my life.”

In high school, Franklin graduated up to making live action short films with friends. “St. Johns was always the environment where you grab a few friends, you take a camera, you find a classroom that’s not being used, and you shoot a short film,” Franklin says. “That was what we did.”

I think I was in tenth grade when I saw this guy on campus with this really nice looking camera, and I remember saying to my friend, ‘That’s a DSLR. That’s a Canon 5D. Do you think he’s shooting photos or video?’ and so I remember walking in front of his camera just to gauge his reaction, to see if he was shooting photo or video.” Franklin struck up a conversation with the photographer, who turned out to be Britt McTammany ’87, and asked him what kind of camera he was shooting with. “That was the beginning. We talked to our theater teacher and we organized a little film shoot that we were going to do as a sort of extracurricular type of thing,” which turned into Static.

Franklin wrote Static with help from theater teacher

David Patton. The cast included Franklin, David Patton, Joe Capps ’12, Tory Finley ’12, Taylor West ’11, Katie Ivie ’10, Patrick Glenn ’11, and Hunter West ’13. It was produced by Savannah Markham ’10, with Britt McTammany as cinematographer. (Watch it at youtube.com/user/StaticTheMovie.)

“Flash forward,” Franklin says, “and I drop out of college and accept a job at Britt’s company, Digital Video Arts, and worked there. I started as an associate producer and ended up writing, directing, editing--all sorts of projects with him. Shot my first major festival short film with that company, and then after I go do my own freelance stuff, Britt and I kind of reconnected in 2015 or 2016, and he said, ‘hey, I’ve been kind of burnt out on doing all this kind of corporate healthcare stuff. I want to do something creative.’ And we had worked really well together on previous projects, so he said, ‘Is there anything you want to make, because I just want to shoot something.’ And I said, actually, I’ve got a script. It was a short film called Bedridden. (Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=IAt67BF07io) So we got together and shot that in a matter of a few hours, and from there, we just have been working together almost exclusively, as a director-DP (Director of Photography) team. Britt’s the Director of Photography and manages all the camera, lighting, all that sort of stuff, while I write, direct, and edit and manage that other side of it.”

The film premiered at Fantastic Fest in 2018 which, Franklin says, let the duo ultimately make this film that they just released in April, The Artifice Girl. “It’s so crazy now,” he says. “We’re going to all these festivals and walking these red carpets together, and obviously we’ve been doing this for so long we basically finish each other’s sentences but it’s just really cool to see that it all started because this kid noticed this guy with this camera on St. Johns’ campus. That’s how it all started.”

Part of that, Franklin says, comes down to Britt. “He is always into teaching other people,” Franklin says,

“and he has an infectious enthusiasm about the craft so if anybody reciprocates that, he’s always really good about talking to and sharing experiences with them.”

The pair have made a dozen short films now, including Still Life (Sleeping Giant Fest 2019), Powerful (Southeast Regional Film Festival 2019), and The 27 Deaths (Fantastic Fest 2021). Check those out at youtube. com/@LastResortIdeas. The Artifice Girl is their first major feature (you can buy it on your favorite streaming platform), with several more projects on the horizon.

Franklin was voted Most Likely to be Famous in his senior yearbook, and while he denies that he’s anywhere close to that, he does admit, “I’ve got red carpet photos, and you can Google me and it shows a photo of me at South by Southwest, but that’s the closest I’ve gotten to being considered famous. I’d rather it be about the films that we make and the stories we tell, that people recognize them. I don’t really care if someone recognizes my name, but if someone says, “Oh, yeah, The Artifice Girl. I watched that!” That means more to me, and I’m sure to Britt as well. We care more about what we make than our status.“

Asked about his dream talent to work with, Franklin mentions Artifice Girl’s Lance Henriksen (who many people know as Bishop in 1986’s Alien). “That was a huge dream come true. He’s a sci-fi legend. And I’m a big fan of Keith David. I’ve always wanted to work with him. He’s a terrific actor with an incredible voice. There’s a long list of people I’d like to work with.” Franklin would also love to act in a Bollywood

movie. He mentions the Indian blockbuster RRR, which won an Oscar last year. “I would love to play a British bad guy in one of those films,” he says.

“In high school, I had a long list,” he remembers. “I wanted to work with this person and that person. And now that I’m having conversations with these people, I feel like it’s less about that opportunistic, ‘Ooh, what can I make with this person?’ and instead it’s more about fostering genuine personal relationships with people, and if projects happen, projects happen, and if they don’t…. People are more important than the projects, so just getting to know the people and having conversations with them I think is more important.”

Franklin feels that the best storytellers do more than just tell stories. “They are experiencing life and they’re doing a variety of things and learning about people so that their stories are better and more interesting.” He also tries to get involved in community service. “I love things like the library and museums, and I’m a big fan of Jacksonville as a city, so trying to stay involved in that kind of stuff is really important to me. I want to try to give back to the community.”

He thinks it’s important that kids of the next generation know how to use the tools at their disposal, like cell phones, to tell their stories, especially when they’re in parts of our society that get undervalued or ignored. He has been trying to branch out into teaching the next generation about how “if you have a cell phone, you have everything you need to film and to tell your story, and why your story is valuable.”

While Franklin admits he’d rather everyone believe that he’s perpetually working on movies, he says the fact of the matter is that he does have to pay the bills. “So I do have a number of other smaller jobs that I try to juggle. I do everything from delivering Thai food to barista-ing. I’m not above anything. I need to get a lot of work done just to survive, but it’s worth it because you get to make films. And hopefully one day I’ll get to do that and that will also pay the bills. That’s the goal.”

Alumni Notes

1970’s

 Class of 1970 members (L-R) Bobby Knight, Calhoun Chappell, and Sandy Israel The three got together last fall for a multi-day offshore fishing trip aboard Sandy’s yacht, “Heat Transfer,” off the coast of Palm Beach, Florida. Larry Knight ’71, who submitted this note, says, “In the photo, Bobby is reading a surprisingly well-preserved 53 year-old copy of Beau Monde, the underground newspaper published by fellow 1970 class member Ricky Powell, with contributions by Jeff Carlisi and Bob Frosio, and illustrations by Ira Carter.

1980’s

 A group of Spartans from the 70’s and early 80’s got together at the Florida Yacht Club on December 27, 2023. These included (left to right) Beth Wilson ’82, Russell Haga ’82, Harland Chadbourne III ’81, Jed Fearon, Ben Raffaelly ’82, Mike Raffaelly ’80, Phillip Haga ’80, Jim Lyerly ’80, Sheila (Brown) Thomas ’81, Brad Thomas ’85, Jim Moss ’81, Michael Weise ’80, Debbie (Eilers) Weise, Kay (Blitch) Lyerly ’80, Ben Burbridge, Jr. ’81, and Charlie Ellmaker ’80. Thanks to Jim Moss for sending in this news and photo!

 Tiffany Ramos Cardwell ’86 received two major awards this year: The Greater Louisville Panhellenic Association’s Outstanding Alumnae Award and the Junior League of Louisville’s Founders’ Award.

 Members of the Class of 1973 got together in March for their 50th reunion. These included: Kim (Abbott) Brown, Anne (Israel) Calhoun, Mary (Allen) Howe, Bon Martens, Kathy (Robinson) Sanchez, Peggy (Sheffield) Slier, Owene (Weber) Courtney, Linda Watkins, Pam (Simpson) Hammond, Winslow (Ira) Colbert, Janet Chambers, Steve Mann, David Harden, Dale Pacetti, Phil Carter, Richard Stoudemire, And former students Bill Cooper, Bill Courtney, Bill McQuaid, and Hank Osbourne.

Above, Calhoun in the fighting chair on Sandy’s yacht, with Sandy in the background.

 Heather Stine ’88 recently became the events coordinator for the Jacksonville Historical Society, under the leadership of Dave Auchter ’89 (third from left).

1990’s

Alumni Notes

Geoffrey Yovanovic ’04 is a licensed architect with the Atlanta firm Norman Davenport Askins, Architect. He was the project architect of the home featured on the cover of the May 2023 issue of Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles.

2010’s

ran in the Boston Marathon on April 17, 2023 in support of finding a cure for DIPG (Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma) in memory of Lisa Arnold Kavalieros’ daughter, Ellie. The four ran in partnership with Golf Fights Cancer and raised more than $500,000 in support of The Ellie Kavalieros DIPG Research Fund at Dana-Farber and UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

2000’s

Melanie

 Jackson Conner ’15 made a career change. After working in football operations for 4.5 years with the University of South Florida, Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville State University, and the Miami Dolphins, Jackson now serves as the Advancement Coordinator at Oxbridge Academy in Palm Beach, Florida. He also serves as an assistant boys soccer coach. “The working environment is comparable to the environment I had in football and that is what has made the experience so enjoyable,” he says. “Both consist of small teams coming together to work towards a common goal with results that are easily noticeable.”

 Jackie (Flanagan) Rowland ’06, President and CEO of the Russell Rowland Inc. engineering firm, was named overall Small Business Leader of the Year of 2023 by JAX Chamber in February. Shown here with her husband and company CFO, Parker Rowland. Jackie and Parker also welcomed their first child, Harper Ellen, in December 2022.

 Molly Richardson ’07 was spotted in the news for her work on the Florida Avengers women’s football team. Playing quarterback, Molly is in her third season with the Avengers. The team began its 2023 season against the Kansas City Glory on Saturday, April 1.

 Carson Pickett ’12 took the time during a break from the USWNT and her professional team to help with her dad, Mike Pickett ’83, with his coaching duties for the Spartan Girls Varsity Soccer Team. While she was here, NBC reporter Ryan Donnelly stopped by to interview Carson, her dad, and two players— Seniors Lauryn Mateo and Avery Raimondo. Carson is currently with the Racing Louisville FC.

 Dr. Marc Peden ’93 and his ophthalmology practice, Retina Associates of Florida, was named Tampa’s Doctors of the Year by Tampa Style Magazine.

Michelle Arnold Moore ’92, Taryn Arnold Boiteau ’94, Lisa Arnold Kavalieros ’91 and good friend

Boree

 Caitlin Booth Bookwalter ’06 and husband Joe had a baby girl November 2, 2022. Eleanor (Ellie) Kate Bookwalter, 5lbs 6oz 18 inches long.



 Austin Franklin ’12 has been selected as the keynote speaker for the Illinois Association of Community Action Agencies (IACAA) 2023 conference, “Building Community DifferenceMakers.” The conference title, Austin says, is based on his keynote, “Think Like A DifferenceMaker Leader.” IACAA works to elevate the health, education, and economic standards of low-income residents of Illinois.

projects. Serena is a third-year MD/MBA student at University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and is currently working as a medical student researcher at the University’s Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. She will apply for her residency in 2024 and is hoping to match in ophthalmology.

2020’s

Jordan Sabo ’20 was selected as a Software Engineering Intern for Google for the summer of 2023.

Lindsay Sabo ’20 has been accepted into the Biomedical Engineering Accelerated Masters Program at Vanderbilt University. Her research is focused on gene knockout for proteins that support angiogenesis as a way to prevent tumor growth.

In Memoriam

Kay Bullerwell Agresti, mother to Louisa Agresti ’89, died on Saturday, May 20, 2023.

Helen Johnson Brown, mother of Randy Brown ’76, died in January at the age of 101.

Former member of the St. Johns Board of Trustees Dr. Marianne B. McEuen, grandmother of Mary Urnek ’15 and Molly Urnek ’17, died on April 9, 2023.

Dr. Marianne B. McEuen, grandmother of Mary Urnek ’15 and Molly Urnek ’17, died on April 9, 2023.

Jeffrey Mendillo ’83 passed away in October of 2022 after battling liver cancer.

Russell Brown Newton Jr., father of alumni Helen (Newton) Hartung ’69, Matt Newton ’72, Dr. Julie (Newton) St. John ’79, and Will Newton ’85, died in March.

We love to hear your news!

 Serena Shah ’16 was named University of Miami Graduate Student of the Year in March. The award honors a graduate student who demonstrates outstanding dedication to professional development and scholarly

Alumni, please send your updates to info@sjcds.net. We can’t wait to hear from you!

In February, Becca Staples ’11 married Eric Gerbert (brother of Tori Berger ’12 and Hailey Berger ’15). Middle School Dean Pat Rodifer officiated the ceremony and Tori, Hailey, Alex (Herndon) Bowles ’11, Ashley Small ’10, and Chelsea (Cutlip) Ledonne ’11 were in the wedding party.

 St. Johns French teacher Kim Price met her daughter, Marie Price ’16, in LA this summer to celebrate her birthday in Malibu. Happy birthday, Marie!

 Emily Merritt ’14 married Brian Adler on June 18, 2022 in Austin, Texas. The couple even had the University of Texas mascot, Bevo, attend their reception!

 Alexa Campbell ’16, University of Florida College of Pharmacy, got matched for her top choice pharmacy residency at UF Health Shands.

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 Communications Regan Minners rminners@sjcds.net

Director of Development

Ryan Trevett rtrevett@sjcds.net

St. Johns thanks those who served on the 2022-2023 Board of Trustees:

Officers:

Eugene B. Nichols , President

Nicholas K. Courtney, Vice-President

Allan E. Wulbern, Secretary

Craig Phillips, Treasurer

Members:

Nicholas K. Courtney

Winfield Rogers Duss

Joeseph E. Lemieux, Jr.

John Maierhoffer

Ryan J. Mittauer

Robin McMullen

Trustee Emeritus:

Margaret Rood Gibbs

Rick Gregson

Daniel W. Hodges

Dr. Steven B. Kailes

Stacey Myers

Pamela Petty

W. Judson Sapp

Daniel Towers

Richard C. M. Wilson

Headmaster Emeritus: Stephen F. Russey Ex Officio: Valorie Baker, Head of School

3100 Doctors Lake Drive Orange Park, FL 32073-6997

Congratulations to Ava Johnson ’23 for this winning submission to the Chalice Photo Contest! Ella Wilkes ’23 and Frances Bailey ’25 cheer on their teammates at a September swim meet