SPRING 2018
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What an inspiring day! On April 13 our JK-12 community came together for a special day centered around one aspect of what it means to be a Saint: our commitment to service.
Learning & External Engagement. "We hope his story inspires us all to consider how we might work together as Saints to solve some of society's greatest challenges."
Students heard from Karim Abouelnaga, an activist, a change agent, a connector, an entrepreneur, and a writer. He is the CEO of Practice Makes Perfect, a benefit corporation he founded when he was just 18 years old that partners with K-12 schools to deliver high quality, academic summer programs. "Karim exudes passion for educational equity and youth empowerment and is an outstanding example of someone who has made a true commitment to service," said Mary Via, Director of Service
Following Karim's address, students and teachers worked in mixed-age groups to explore more of what it means to serve others as members of a school community, as neighbors in the city of Alexandria, and as global citizens in the world. As a culminating activity, each member of our community made a prayer flag to represent our community's hopes and dreams for the world around us. The 1,300 prayer flags that were created are a visual representation of our commitment to service and the community.
"Sometimes service is hard. But a life worth living involves service, and the only life worth living is a life of service."
KARIM ABOUELNAGA Founder and CEO, Practice Makes Perfect
WHAT'S INSIDE
F E AT U R E S
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More Than a Game Excerpts and observations from an interview with Sebastian Abbot '94 about his newly released book, "The Away Game."
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Saints Write A look at non-fiction writing in all three divisions
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You've Got This! Saints alumni reflect on their freshman year in college and offer advice to our seniors.
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The Addams Family
32
Award-Winning Viewpoints
50
Ready to Read? Faculty and staff favorites, just in time for summer.
24 D E PA RT M E N TS 6 Headliner
32 C O V E R P H OTO BY Sebastian Abbot '94 The inside of a shop that specializes in repairing soccer cleats in Kaolack, Senegal. Read the feature article, “More Than a Game,” on p. 8.
4 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
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Face to Face with Sophie Reardon '14
22
By the Numbers: Environmental Stewardship
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Face to Face with Brian Kane, Director of Environmental Stewardship
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Saints Reflections
38
Saints in Action
46
Athletic Highlights
52
Face to Face with Katherine Schupp Zeringue '90
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Class Notes
88
Milestones & In Memoriam
91
From the Archives
THE MAGAZINE
SPRING 2018
Head of School Kirsten Prettyman Adams Director of Communications Jen Desautels Editor, Design & Layout Melissa Ulsaker Maas '76 Staff Writers Jen Desautels Melissa Ulsaker Maas '76 Mandi Sapp Alumni News Sarah Kaplan Director of Alumni Engagement Photographers Advancement Office Jameson Bloom '13 Marcia Mallett Melissa Ulsaker Maas '76 Jen Milbrett Photography Mark Regan Photography Sarah Revers Marcus Summers Printer Master Print Questions/Comments Melissa Ulsaker Maas '76 mmaas@sssas.org To Update Your Contact Information or Mailing Preferences Please email asmigel@sssas.org or call 703-212-2720. Published by SSSAS for alumni, current parents, friends, and other regularly supportive members of the school community. Š 2018 St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School admits students of any race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school.
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HEADLINER
Dear Saints Community, Each year at this time, in the weeks between spring break and the final days of school, I am amazed at how quickly the moments go hurtling by. Performances, championship games, culminating projects, parties, all things for which we have trained and rehearsed and planned for weeks and months, suddenly are here and then just as suddenly are in our rearview mirror, and we are onto the next thing. The momentum of "the end" can be both exhausting and exhilarating. This year though, the absurdity of our weather patterns (technically it is spring as I write this, but there is snow forecasted for two days from now despite today's beautiful sunshine and cloudless sky), has at times threatened to throw us off-balance. The other day a friend shared the following: "It's like winter is really mad and keeps storming out of the room and coming back yelling, 'And another thing!'" However, despite what feels like a never-ending winter, the promise of warmer days ahead is invigorating. Our students don't seem to mind the cold; they forge ahead with the resiliency and enthusiasm so characteristic of a Saint. The energy and passion of our students is contagious; their commitment to their work and service extraordinary. Through their focus in the classroom, their creativity in the art studios, and their curiosity and determination to learn more and do more, they are generating warmth and energy that is inspiring. I feel I have said this more times in the last few weeks than maybe ever before, but each day I am overwhelmed by the evidence which makes this statement so very true: I am so proud to be a Saint. As the final days of this school year come barreling toward us, I remain certain that while a cold snap might change our logistics, it won't change who we are or what we are after. Proof of this can be seen in the daffodils blooming around our Lower School campus. They were planted in November by our youngest students in honor of our veterans. Their bright yellow petals stand hardy even in the cold weather reminding us of the resilience of true goodness, beauty, and joy. I am grateful for our community's unwavering support of one another in these busy days ahead and I look forward to the celebrations that await all of us. Warmly,
Kirsten Adams Head of School
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MORE THAN A
GAME. 8 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
Sebastian Abbot '94, former SSSAS soccer star turned journalist, tells the story of one of the largest talent searches in sports history in his newly released book, "The Away Game." BY JEN DESAUTELS Photos by Sebastian Abbot '94
Their names are Bernard and Diawandou and Ibrahima. And there are
hundreds of thousands of more boys just like them. They play on fields that are more dirt and rocks than grass. They don't need cleats or shin guards or even a proper ball. They play for the love of the game. They play to pass the time. They play to survive. In "The Away Game," Sebastian Abbot tells the stories of these boys, boys who will do anything and go anywhere to play soccer if it means they will one day turn professional, playing for the biggest and most successful clubs in Europe. The following are excerpts and observations from an interview with Sebastian in February, just days before "The Away Game" hit bookshelves. Sebastian doesn't come from a soccer family. I know this because when we first started talking, I mentioned my previous status as someone who knew nothing about soccer. But now, as I told him, my children have made me a "soccer mom," premier league games are the only thing we watch on TV most Saturday mornings, and my previous disinterest in the sport has been replaced with a respectful appreciation for a game that can unite a country, seemingly transcending language, ethnic, and political divides, and inspire crowds of strangers to jump in unison, chanting "I believe! I believe that we can win!"
The Prologue
SA: I began playing soccer when I was five years
old. We were living in Jacksonville, Fla., and I started playing in a little youth league. I just really took to the sport; I loved it. We moved around a ton when I was growing up because my dad was in the Navy. So I played everywhere I went, and I played when I got to St. Stephen's and St. Agnes. I played on both the school team and a club team which at the time was not a common thing to do. Then I went to Princeton and was lucky enough to play there for Bob Bradley who went on to coach the U.S. National Team. After graduation, I worked at JP Morgan on Wall Street doing investment banking and private equity. I worked in finance for quite a while, about six years, but I always had a bit of wanderlust. Growing up, I had spent some time living in Italy, and my parents had lived in Germany as well. While I was at Princeton, I spent my summers working in Mexico and Spain; so I just always had this fascination with travel and foreign affairs. So I just decided to leave finance. I took a year off, backpacked around the world, and was trying to figure out what I wanted to do. While I was doing that, I had this little notebook and I was just taking lots of notes and was writing these long missives back to this big email list I had. This was pre-Facebook, and I would write these travel logs. After a while, I realized that I was enjoying the www.sssas.org | 9
writing as much as I was enjoying the traveling. Right before I had left for my trip, I applied to graduate school to study public policy and national security, and I ended up getting into Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. In the middle of my two years at the Kennedy School, I went to Lebanon and Syria and freelanced. I had a blast and thought to myself, "If I could get somebody to pay me to do this, this would be a pretty good gig." While I was there, I tried to connect with people. I hired a fixer and translator and went around looking for stories. To be honest, it was pretty hard to get stuff published because as a total newbie with no real track record or experience, it's hard to get anyone to publish your work. But I loved it. I was all over Syria and Lebanon, and I was just so fascinated by everything that was happening there, to see all that I'd been studying about at the Kennedy School. I went back to the Kennedy School and tried to figure out how I could become a foreign correspondent. My contacts in the journalism industry said, "Move somewhere you find interesting and try and make it work." I had a fellowship at the Columbia Journalism School right after the Kennedy School, and then I linked up with the Associated Press. I moved to Cairo and started doing some work with them and eventually they brought me on to their Cairo bureau. I was there for three years, working as an editor and reporter, covering stuff all over the Middle East. I traveled to Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Dubai, Doha, all these different spots, and I really enjoyed it. And then I ended up moving to Islamabad, where I was the bureau chief. I lived in Pakistan for four years, and I split my time alternating between Pakistan and Afghanistan. I spent some time covering the revolution in Libya, which was an amazing experience. I spent a month on the frontlines with the rebels there. Toward the end of my time in Pakistan I was ready for a new challenge. One of the favorite stories I'd ever done was while I was working for the AP; it was a story I did back in 2008 about this program called Football Dreams.
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I. Finding the story the first time. In 2007 Football Dreams held tryouts for millions of 13-year-old boys across Africa, looking for soccer's next superstars. Funded by the kingdom of Qatar, the lead scout was Josep Colomer, the man behind the launch of Lionel Messi's storybook career at Barcelona. During what may be the largest talent search in sports history, the scouts chose a handful of the best players and trained them to become professionals at a special academy. "To call these kids elite would be an understatement," writes Abbot. "The process was over a thousand times more selective than getting into Harvard."
SA: I stumbled upon the story in 2007. I was running on a
treadmill in a hotel gym in Cairo. I don't know if you've ever been to Cairo, but if you wanna run, you better do it on a treadmill, rather than on the street or you're gonna get run over by a taxi. So I would go every day and run in this gloomy, small hotel gym. But the one saving grace was that they had these TVs in front of the treadmills on which I could watch European soccer matches while I ran. One day this commercial came on and it was for this gleaming new sports academy in Qatar called Aspire. And it showed a boy juggling a soccer ball on the commercial. It piqued my curiosity so I went and googled the Aspire Academy, and it just so happened that they had launched this massive Football Dreams program not that long before. I did some research on it and I pitched my bureau chief at the time to go to Doha in January 2008; when the first class of kids they
found in Africa would be in Doha for their final tryouts. I went and I spent a few days with them, and wrote an article for the AP. Even then, I was like this would be an unbelievable book or documentary or a movie; I just wasn't really in a position to do it at the time. So fast-forward years later when I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do after my stint in Pakistan, and I was like, "I wonder if anybody ever wrote a book about that Football Dreams program." And so I did the googling, and realized: 1) That nobody had, and 2) The program had grown and gotten far more interesting even than it was at the time. Sebastian contacted agents in New York to determine whether there would be a market for the story. "For sure," the agents said. "If you can get access."
SA: Access is a very difficult thing to get in Qatar because it's
a very closed society; there's no freedom of the press. So for months, I lobbied the folks at Aspire to give me the access I would need and eventually they agreed. So at the beginning of 2014, I quit my job for the AP and embarked on what would become a fouryear odyssey.
II. Finding the story again.
SA: At the beginning, I had no idea what the story was. I just
knew, conceptually, this was a very interesting thing. I knew that if I did a lot of digging that I would find the storylines. I would find the characters that would drive the narrative. All I knew as I began my work was that they had launched the largest talent search in soccer history, mostly in Africa, and held tryouts for millions of kids, and they were looking for future soccer superstars. It was very difficult at the beginning because there are a lot of kids who have gone through this program, and I needed to figure out which ones I should focus on. I knew that I needed a manageable number of characters who are all very interesting, but interesting in different ways so they're distinct in the reader's mind. Their storylines needed to weave together so that there would be a coherent narrative. That was very hard. Over time, I realized it made the most sense to follow characters from the first or second years of the search because they would be the ones to have the most arc to their stories. They were older, they had finished the academy, and they were now trying to make it as professionals.
III. Journeying. He went to Doha for a month and met with people at the Academy. He went to Eupen, a small town in Belgium, where, as he writes in his book, Qatar had purchased a second-division soccer team for which a number of the first class of kids from the Academy played professionally. The kids who he had met in Doha all those years ago were in Belgium, and he needed to go see them again.
SA: All of a sudden, this town of 20,000 people woke up one
morning and their local team, the Pandas, was owned by some Middle Eastern country they never heard of and their town was filled with African teenagers. It was a huge uproar and not everyone was happy. So I went to this little town of Eupen, and I spent a bunch of time meeting with the kids from the first class and chatting with the local townspeople in Eupen about what had happened. It was fun because it's a small enough place that as soon as you've been there for about a week, everyone knows who you are. My wife was with me at the time, and she actually helped me because she speaks French and was able to do a lot of translating for me. We would walk down the street and people would wave to us and say, "Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Washington, D.C." The next stop was Senegal for six weeks. That's where the satellite academy for the opposing program is located, and I spent time at the academy talking to the people there and meeting the families of the kids from the first couple classes. Writing a book takes so much time; it can be so hard. All of these trips and meetings were just so I could write the book proposal so that I could pitch it to publishers. I finished writing the proposal in 2014 and sold it to publishers in 2015. So in spring of 2015, I sold the book to Norton, and then I went and spent three more months in West Africa, in Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, the Ivory Coast, traveling widely to visit the families of these kids and the friends of these kids. I wanted to see where they were found, see where they grew up, and see where they learned how to play soccer. I visited all the top soccer academies in West Africa. The whole three months was just fascinating; it was an amazing experience. I spent several weeks in Spain to visit Josep Colomer, the youth director at Barcelona and the scout who came up with the idea for this search. My final research trip was to Doha at the beginning of 2016, and then I just sat down and started writing. It's been a long haul.
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IV. The unwritten chapters. You spend a significant amount of time anywhere, doing anything, and it is impossible to tell every single story. It is impossible to write in detail about all of the small moments, like driving down a bumpy, dirt road in the bush, the smell of an afternoon rain steaming up from puddles in the hot earth, or squinting up at the midday African sun, relentless in its glare. Those moments are reserved for later conversations, like this one, when the topic turns to the experiences, to the everyday encounters that have stayed with Sebastian.
It's just too much." And so we kept on going to Saly. Afterwards I kicked myself, and I thought, "I should've gotten out and just gone and done it." A few days later, I went to the back to the translator and driver, I said, "Why don't we just go back there the same time of day and see. Maybe the kids will be playing again and I can shoot some photos and video." So we go back there and we get to the same spot around the same time, close to sunset and there's, nobody's playing. So I'm kind of disappointed, and I get out of the car and we find a young boy, and we say to him, "We came by here the other day. We saw you playing and wanted to come back and shoot some photos and video of you. Do you guys normally play? Why aren't you playing today?" The boy said, "Yeah, we play every day in the afternoon until sunset. It's the highlight of our day." They were the sons of these cattle herders that lived in shacks along the road and would sell milk from the cattle. So I ask "Well, why aren't you guys playing today?" And the boy said, "Well, the one kid who has a ball," which was this deflated, kind of yellow rubber ball, he said, "had to go to Thiès with his father for a funeral and so we don't have a ball, so we can't play."
SA: One of those stories actually has to do with the photo on the cover of the book,
which was a photo I took in Senegal. There's an interesting backstory to that, which I think is very revealing. I like that photo because I think it really captures a lot of what the book is about. Basically what happened was, I was in Senegal on a reporting trip. I'd been in this town called Thiès all day doing research. And at the end of the day, I hopped in my car with my translator and my driver and we were driving back to Saly where the Senegal Football Academy was located. And there's not much between the two places. It's just basically shrub brush and baobab trees and not much else. We're driving along and it's right around sunset, and we passed this unbelievably picturesque scene of these kids playing in the dirt next to these massive trees, right at sunlight. So the light is perfect. I think to myself, "I should really get out and shoot some footage and video there. Those would be stunning images." But I was really tired, my translator was really tired. My driver was tired. And I thought, "You know?
12 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
So I'm here talking to the kid, and then all the sudden this other kid comes running up with this massive smile on his face. Somehow he'd gotten his hands on the ball. And so he's got this half-deflated yellow rubber ball in his hands, a huge smile on his face, and just rolls the ball out into the dirt field and all the sudden, the kids just descend and start playing. It was just a cool scene, and when I shot the photo, I knew this was kind of a wonderful image that captured a lot of the story. I gave the kids some money afterwards so they could get another ball and didn't have go through that again. I would say the other experience that has really stuck with me is, basically, the experience of researching and writing the opening scene of the book, which is the scene where the Spanish guy, Josep Colomer, who helped launch Messi's career is in Nigeria's Niger Delta.
Personally I wondered about this, about the detail with which Sebastian writes, and as I read the book, I believed truly that Sebastian had been standing on the dock with Colomer. Because he nailed it. Like he had been there. But the timing didn't add up and I couldn't make sense of it. Turns out Sebastian did go. Just later, on his own.
SA: It is 2007, the beginning of the search and at the height of the war
between the militants and the government over oil. One of the local staff wants them to come scout in his local fishing village, which is an hour's boat ride away. But it is really dangerous. Colomer finally agrees and he shows up at the dock with his two paramilitary police guards who are protecting him and the local guy says, "You can't bring the guards with you. The militants would never allow armed government forces into their territory. But don't worry, I've spoken to the militants and they want you to come. They never had a scout come scout their kids. Not even a Nigerian scout, much less one that worked at Barcelona. And I have a senior militant leader here who's gonna personally escort you to make sure nothing happens." So there's another debate about whether he should do this and the police are like, "You're crazy. It's way too dangerous." But the Spanish scout has been hell-bent on finding soccer talent ever since he was a teenager growing up in Spain. "Colomer cherished the experience of nurturing one of the game's greatest players. Perhaps he would do it again with Football Dreams, but first he had to decide to get in a boat with a Nigerian militant." (Abbot, The Away Game, xiii)
hoping to find them on a big European team roster. But the stories Sebastian told weren't full of glamour and wishes coming true. The stories, though punctuated with joy and hope, were sad and difficult. The stories were real, and they represent the norm.
SA: One of the important things for me is to reveal this
side of the soccer industry that most fans never see. Most fans only ever see the side of the kids who make it because they're the ones who end up playing in the biggest leagues in the world. The millions who don't? Nobody tells their story for the most part. This is the real life. This is the real deal. The kids, even when [agents and scouts] have unlimited resources to go out and find the world's next superstar, it's an incredibly difficult endeavor. Most of the kids they find aren't going to make it. "Even so, the supply of young dreamers will continue, especially from many places in Africa where making it to Europe can seem like the only way up and the only way out. It may be a nearly impossible dream, but for many of them, the away game seems like the only game worth playing." (257)
For Sebastian, this was the story that needed to be told; it was the story worth telling.
SA: Colomer finally agrees to go, gets in the boat with the militant, and
heads off. And luckily for him, he manages to go and scout and come back safely and not be kidnapped. So in 2015 when I was in Africa for my long research trip, I recreated his trip. I went with the same militants in the same kind of boat to the same fishing village. I even walked through the fishing village in the same way that he did to the field, so that I could describe exactly what it was like for him. "Most of the buildings they passed were rusty shacks made out of corrugated metal that reached baking temperatures during the hottest months. They crossed makeshift wooden bridges over small canals clogged with trash. The air was filled with the pungent odor of frying fish, one of the main staples in Ogulahga." (xviii) I first heard that story at the very beginning of my research when I went to Qatar for my first trip, and I knew that would make an amazing opening for the book. To make it as compelling as possible, I knew I wanted to be able to walk the reader through it, almost like it was a movie, like they were watching it on screen. And I knew to be able to do that, I had to do it myself.
V. No fairy tale ending. It doesn't take long to become invested in the players in "The Away Game." It requires a lot of discipline to not keep setting the book aside to google their names and find out what happened to each of them. I admit, I did that on more than one occasion and found I was holding my breath as the page loaded, quickly scanning for the boys' names,
For more information about Sebastian Abbot and "The Away Game," visit sebastianabbot.com. www.sssas.org | 13
WHAT'S NEW
(and what's not) About Teaching the News
By Jill McElroy Upper School English Teacher
In this complex and changing world, some things remain the same. Depth and accuracy are still more important than speed. Careful reading and critical analysis are skills that are taught in every English course, and part
of being a savvy student of English is being able to understand the
power of messaging. How can words affect our emotions? How
can they persuade us to believe in an idea? Do words
always present a trustworthy, clear message?
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O
nce again the last weeks of February made me proud to teach journalism at the Upper School. The school newspaper, The Voice, gives students a vehicle for interacting with their community here at SSSAS and with the wider world, and this resource becomes more precious when the topics are tough. After watching, reading, and talking about the coverage of the Parkland, Fla., school shooting, I asked the class,
"How will our paper respond to this story?" The students in the class agreed to retool the March issue of The Voice to make room for a front-page article about Parkland. This article included research and reporting that cited national sources as well as interviews and polls gathered within our school community. It was not without its obstacles and challenges, but the class was driven to deliver a complete story. All while developing one article, our journalists provided their classmates with accurate information, a space to voice their opinions and concerns, and administrators were able to answer questions. "I feel like we validate students' opinions because we place them on the same level as any adults in the community who we interview and quote," said senior co-editor Afua Nyantakyi. "It's a really good way to open up our school community and give them a place to voice their opinions. If we didn't have the newspaper I don't know where that would go," she added. "We're definitely a bold school newspaper; we've written about things I'm not sure other school newspapers would." Media is a dynamic field that students interact with daily, and our student journalists have a responsibility to provide accurate, well-written articles; they also have an opportunity to use innovative technology and new media formats to engage the community with the news. A recent poll of the SSSAS community developed by junior Makeda Melkie, shows that 75 percent of respondents get their news from online sources (excluding social media), and that more than 60 percent report having read a physical newspaper recently. Some of those sources included The Washington Post, CNN, and NPR at the top of the list, followed by MSNBC, Fox, The National Review, The New York Times, Axios, and Huffington Post. The Pew Research Center reports that as of August 2017, two-thirds of Americans consume at least some of their news from social media. The SSSAS poll shows that Snapchat and Instagram are more popular as news sources than newspapers, but that newspapers edge out Twitter by one percentage point. The way Americans follow the news continues to evolve, so the journalism class has looked for opportunities to evolve, too. Over the past few years, the class has broadened its scope, making room to include new technology and media.
PODCASTING In 2004 Former MTV video jockey Adam Curry wrote a program called iPodder, which allowed him to download Internet radio broadcasts to his iPod. Software developer and writer Dave Winer developed the idea through RSS technology and podcasting was born. Using RSS, a standard and open distribution format, allows the media to be present on multiple platforms and audio applications. Since then podcasting has taken off and steadily gained in popularity. For the past two years, student journalists have experimented with long-form journalism involving more research, interviews, and audio components by creating their own podcasts, each between 20 and 30 minutes long. Topics have ranged from student stress to playing college sports to immigration reform to hidden talents.
"Welcome to the podcast 'Humans of SSSAS,'" Afua begins, narrating over upbeat piano music. "Here, you'll get to take a glimpse into what makes our school community so unique and colorful—from interests in history to travel, from parkour to The Sims, join me on a journey into the minds of some very interesting people."
50% of all U.S. homes (60 million +) are podcast fans
80%
listen to all or most of each podcast episode
44%
(124 million) of the U.S. population has listened to a podcast
56%
of podcast listeners are male
Credit: Nielsen Q1 2018 Podcast Insights
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VIRTUAL REALITY Immersive stories about school life have also been recorded using the school's 3D camera, which provides 360-degree views. Students filmed a backstage glimpse of the spring musical, "The Addams Family," as well as a day-in-the-life time-lapse story that walks the viewer through a typical student's day. The class started the year by exploring The New York Times' virtual reality reporting using the school's VR viewers and have modeled stories on this reporting. The class has also expanded to make more time for discussion and corporate consumption of the news. We read stories together, we watch stories together, and I invite students to arrive in class with stories that they have questions about. The Apple TV in our classroom allows us to shuttle between news outlets (BBC, CNN, Al-Jazeera, etc.) to explore how outlets cover the same stories in different ways, and to see what qualifies as a top story for one outlet versus another.
"This class makes you more aware of things you may not have considered before," said Co-Editor Jamie McLucas '18. "When we are discussing stories for the next issue, we see how much is going on in the world outside our classroom."
NEW IDEAS Helen Sweeney '19 established the Global Citizen's Magazine this year, an online op-ed supplement to The Voice, which is emailed to students and faculty once a month. "I wanted to write articles about global issues that may not come up in our daily lives in the SSSAS community," Helen explained. "It always upsets me when I hear people say that they 'don't like politics' or 'the media outlets are all corrupt.' The news is about so much more than politicians hurling insults at each other."
"I truly believe that staying informed is important to being a U.S. citizen and enables an individual to participate in government which is, after all, what democracy is about."
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SOCIAL MEDIA The Voice has joined Twitter and Instagram. The day the students created the @sssasthevoice on Twitter happened to be the day of President Trump's State of the Union address. Co-Editors Afua and Jamie live-tweeted the speech while they watched from home, quoting portions of the speech, linking to fact-checking articles, and creating polls. As responsible and ethical journalists, our students abide by guidelines. No matter what media format students work in, they must try to consider many angles of a topic and quote from multiple sources. Communicating context is also essential. The shape of a story can and should change as students research and gather interviews. And no story is published without going through a vetting process of discussion, questions, and editing, a collaborative exercise the seniors who have been through the course affectionately call "the gauntlet."
"The Voice put writing into a context for me that was different than the classroom," Afua said. "And, speaking from a personal perspective, it has made me more outgoing and direct." "This class makes you more adept at talking to people," Jamie added. "When I did my first interview [as a first-semester junior] I didn't really know what to say."
THE VOICE The Official Student Newspaper of St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School
The Voice @sssasTheVoice Tweets
Tweets & replies
Media
The Voice @sssasTheVoice Jan 30 USA chants break out after Trump talks about the sacrifices that so many have made to protect our freedom, "our ancestors who fought and lived and died to protect her," Lady Liberty. The Voice @sssasTheVoice Jan 30 Washington Post @washingtonpost Fact Check: Trump's claim that African-American unemployment rate is the lowest ever recorded wapo.st/2FxOQMf The Voice @sssasTheVoice Jan 30 The President first thanked First Responders "To everyone still recovering in Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, California, and everywhere else, we are with you, we love you, and we will pull through together" The Voice @sssasTheVoice Jan 30 Are you planning on watching the State of the Union address tonight? 75% Yes 13% No 12% What's that? The Voice @sssasTheVoice Jan 30 Want to prepare for tonight's State of the Union address? Here's a variety of stories and perspectives from 5 news outlets to get you up to speed. Don't forget to tune in to the address tonight at 9pm and check back to see Voice editors Afua and Jamie livetweet during the speech
In the fall, students sat in on a visit from Saints father Jim VandeHei, co-founder and CEO of Axios and the former executive editor and co-founder of Politico. VandeHei made the leap from his job at The Washington Post with the advent of the Internet. "I could tell that something was changing the [media] industry." He urged students to take an avid interest in the news so they could, "make better decisions and correct [their] friends when they're saying stuff that isn't true." And while he acknowledged that the pace of news is getting ever faster, he offered this piece of advice which resonated with many of the aims of our class: "Facts are facts; truth is truth, and you have to figure out who you can trust. You have to be a discerning consumer of information and news." Awareness of and access to news is more ubiquitous today than at any other time in history. Whether students realize it or not, they play a part—in journalism class, in their discussions, and through their use of social media— in shaping what the news is. As their teacher, I want them to feel empowered and excited by this responsibility. F www.sssas.org | 17
FACE TO FACE
SOPHIE REARDON '14 Sophie Reardon is a senior at Boston College majoring in communication and history. During her junior and senior years at SSSAS, she worked on the Upper School newspaper, The Voice. During the past three years, she has been writing and editing for BC's independent student newspaper, The Heights. Sophie has also interned at the U.S. Supreme Court Publications Department, The Northern Virginia Magazine, and WCVB-TV, ABC's Boston affiliate. She is currently head editor of The Heights, an intern at Callanan & Klein Communication, a PR firm in Newton, Mass., and a freelancer for NBC Boston.
Q. Did your experience as senior co-editor of The Voice help prepare you for college? A. Yes, it helped me more than any other class. I loved working for The Voice, so when I got to BC, I signed up to write for the daily student newspaper. Joining the newspaper allowed me to make a great group of friends, get involved in something I really cared about outside of the classroom, and learn so much more about BC than I ever would have otherwise. For example, I had to meet frequently with the dean of students to discuss upcoming events and current issues at BC, and we actually developed a friendship. He even invited me to dinner with his family one evening. Not many other students can say they had dinner with the dean of students!
Q. What was a highlight from your time as a news editor at The Heights? A. I served as the news editor in 2016, which was a very
interesting time for both BC and for the nation. We, as students and as American citizens, faced questions about who we were and what we stood for. People were passionate about their beliefs and wanted them to be heard. On a national scale, there were Black Lives Matter protests, demonstrations, sit-ins, and walk-outs. There was the tumultuous presidential election. There were questions about terrorism, immigrants, DACA, LBGTQ, and self-identity. As the news editor I wasn't required to cover these national events, but I did cover how they were manifested on BC's campus. We had Black Lives Matter sitins, walk-outs, protests, and demonstrations. I covered rallies hosted by Democratic and Republican student organizations before the election. I helped organize a campus-wide survey to better understand the student body's political views. I wrote about professors canceling classes, students crying in each other's arms in the Quad, and counselors setting up emergency group sessions in the wake of the presidential election. I wrote about on-campus LGBTQ issues. 2016 was a very difficult time to be news editor. Everyone was passionate about his or her beliefs, and I had to make sure to get every side of the story. I was given a tremendous amount of responsibility as a sophomore. There were many sink or swim moments, but I learned more during my time as the news editor than I have in any of my classes.
18 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
Sophie Reardon (left) with her associate news editor at Boston College
Q. Why should students care about the news? A. I read the news because I like to know what is going on
in the world around me. Caring about the news can actually be a helpful tool when meeting new people. When you first arrive at college, you meet a lot of new people, many of whom are from different cities, states, and countries. Having a good understanding of what is going on in the world around you can help you understand where they come from and how you can connect with them in a deeper and more meaningful way.
Q. How will media play a part in your post-college plans? A. Although I am a second semester senior, I still don't
know exactly what I want to do after graduation. I am a communication and history major but very much interested in journalism. I would love to work as a producer for a television news channel. Regardless of whether or not I end up in the field of journalism, I know that media will always be important to me. I love to read the news in all of its many forms.
Q. What's a news source that you trust? A. Just like a healthy diet, it's all about balance! I read a
variety of sources and never rely on just one. That being said, I love the online version of The Washington Post. It's a very credible source and doesn't have much of a political bias (but nothing is ever completely objective!). And, being from Virginia, it's what I grew up reading.
To read Sophie's articles for The Heights visit http://bcheights.com/author/sophie_reardon
STARTING WITH WHAT THEY ALREADY KNOW Non-fiction writing in the Lower School
I
n Katie Hahn's third grade class, students' heads are bent over their desk, the scratching (and erasing) of pencils and the sighs of the writers (happy sighs, deep-breath sighs, through-the-nose sighs that might be symptomatic of writer's block) the only sounds. They are working on their nonfiction books, each student using the techniques Ms. Hahn shared with them earlier to organize their thoughts. A student, one leg tucked up underneath her in her chair, leans forward over her paper and draws perfect circles for her Venn Diagram. She is writing about monkeys."She knows a lot about monkeys," Ms. Hahn tells me.
Apes Monkeys
Monkeys
tails Smart No tools walk on four legs smart
No tails very smart use tools walk on two legs
Venn diagram "In our writing curriculum," she says, "we start with expository nonfiction, which might be a book about volcanoes. We look at the text features that make nonfiction books unique--things like the index, the glossary, the table of contents, headings, subheadings."
By Jen Desautels
understanding or a vault of knowledge, and they write about it. They might fact check or look something up with the help of Lower School Librarian Julie Esanu, but for the most part, at this stage, researching their topic is kept to a minimum, and they use what they know already to write their book. "They're really very passionate about certain things," says Ms. Hahn, "and they are so excited to share with their classmates what they know." To prepare them for the process, Ms. Hahn talks with her students about all the different ways to think about information. "They can think about cause and effect, they can think about pros and cons. Then I give them the opportunity to try it out," she says. As the students get to work on their stories, she conferences with them, helping them fine tune their direction and their topic. "Then," she says, "I send them off to continue their work." Until‌. "They get pretty far into a book and then we ask them to start something new," she says. This allows the students to practice the process of writing nonfiction while giving them the opportunity to practice writing on another topic. "It's less about a finished product. It's more about the process." F
Chap 4. Banana
Fun facts
Monkey
large monkey
large dog
Monkeys Favorite Food
banana
is as big as a large dog smallest monkey is as tiny as a banana biggest monkey
Did you know that the smallest kind of monkey is as big as a banana!
Did you know thatthe largest kind of monkey is as big as a large dog!
Funky Fact
Then, she explains, they move into narrative nonfiction. The students identify something of interest to them, something for which they already have a basic
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FIND YOUR VOICE, THEN WRITE WITH IT Non-fiction writing in the Middle School
By Quincey Grieves Middle School English Teacher
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The ‘Miracle Game’ between the United States and the Soviet Union was about more than hockey: it was communism and democracy, the power of the people and the powerful government, it was the Cold War on ice, and it was exactly what the United States needed to lift its spirits.
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John Fontham '21
T
he eighth grade history research paper is a pinnacle of the Middle School experience. Students are challenged to do more than research a topic thoroughly and organize their ideas into a cohesive, artful essay. Rather, they are entrusted with crafting an argument—an original idea—around an essential question on the topic of their choosing from postWWII American history. The paper assignment itself impresses upon students the importance of their work during the six-week project: "Whether you want to be a writer, a doctor, an actor, or an engineer, understanding how to develop an opinion about a topic and support it with evidence is critical to success no matter what you do. Convinced that LeBron James is the greatest basketball player of our time? Make sure that you have several
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Japanese Americans lived like any other citizens until Pearl Harbor altered the way they were portrayed. All of a sudden, they were not welcome in their own country. The treatment of Japanese Americans during WWII called into question whether the United States could be a moral society.
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Skye Schofield-Saba '21
20 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
“
From Jesse Owens, Jackie Robinson, Michael Jordan, all the way to today's greats such as Lebron James and Cam Newton—one thing that everyone has in common is that they do not want to be ignored. That does not change with race. Everyone wants a voice, and athletics has simply given black people the platform they need for theirs to be heard. This is how racial prejudice against African Americans in America has been decreased through the leadership of Jesse Owens, Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali, and others.
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Jack Baldridge '21
reasons to support your claim or your friends won't be very interested in your statement. Writing a research paper is just the same. You are going to cultivate an opinion about your topic and then defend it with supporting facts and analysis. In essence, this is your thesis." Eighth grade students thrive in this work because it is so student centered and because it allows them independent thinking and encourages them—in fact, requires them—to find their voice and make a statement. "They can't just know their topics, they have to have something to say about it," says Candace Gregg, Middle School History Teacher. It is a perfect assignment for eighth graders, says Middle School History Teacher Andrew Avallone. "They have to have an opinion. And they're really good at that!" The arguments and opinions, however, are deeply supported by research. Classes are scheduled to work in the Babyak Library for at least two weeks during the project.
This I Believe
“
By Juliana Chiaramonte '22
Even though the Space Race was a competition, it ultimately just brought the two countries closer together with their communities. America was last to launch a satellite, but this was just a bump in its journey of beating limits and reaching full power. The United States surpassed its limits of power during the Space Race by creating risky technology, competing with a rival county, and putting a man on the moon.
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Iman Haddad '22 "In this project, students take research to the next level, building on all of the skills they've developed in Middle School," says Library Department Chair and Middle School Librarian Alicia Blowers. "They use a ton of primary sources, which is a new and big thing since they're looking at the event and interpreting it on their own. This is both challenging and exhilarating for them!" In addition to the original thinking and research, writing is central to the paper. Students are well-prepared for this task, as it incorporates the writing skills they have developed in their English classes throughout Middle School. In quick succession students write the research paper and a fiveparagraph English essay on "To Kill a Mockingbird," where they also formulate an argument around an original idea. One eighth grade student recently exclaimed in English class, "This is exactly like what we're doing in history!" Neither department could have asked for a better response. F
THIS I BELIEVE... Each year, eighth grade students write "This I Believe" essays based on the NPR series. This year, one student wrote about her challenge in writing her eighth grade history research paper. She concluded the essay with her belief statement: "Life may feel as though you are stuck in a world of gray but it takes true perseverance and curiosity to enrich your world with colour. That's what I believe. [Through my research paper] I learned not only about America but about myself." Students, indeed, learn about America —and about themselves— in this project. They learn to craft an argument, to research a topic thoroughly, to write clearly and persuasively. They learn that they have an academic voice and an opinion. They learn it takes perseverance to achieve all of this.
Over the past month, I, along with all of my classmates, have been in the process of writing a fairly long research paper for history class. For this particular paper, we had the freedom to choose to write about any topic that interested us. After finding inspiration from the issues being confronted in the world today, I chose to write my paper about the struggle surrounding equal rights for everyone, but particularly women's rights. While researching, I noticed that most of the women I read about felt limited or too intimidated to pursue a professional career in the field that they really want to go into. This shocked me. I believe that everyone should have equal opportunity, and that society should be adjusted enough to be able to overcome their own sexist biases enough to recognize that women, in particular, hold a power that has yet to be recognized and appreciated. When I was younger, maybe 5 or 6 years old, I vividly remember both of my parents, but especially my dad, reminding me that I could be whatever I wanted when I grew up. I could go to any college I wanted, pursue any career I was interested in, and have full control over my future. I realize that that is a common thing to be told by your parents as a child, but it really resonated with me, enough for me to grow up thinking I could truly seek any future I desired. When I was faced with challenges throughout elementary and middle school, whether it was in class or outside of school, my first thought was that I could not only overcome the challenge, but I could do it well. While researching for my history paper, I was astonished to find that aspiring professional women that were interviewed in the articles I read were not only daunted, but actually restricted in the jobs they were able obtain. This came as a harsh wake up call for me. I could not imagine how angry I would be, for example, if a job was denied to me because of a part of my identity that I am proud of and that is out of my control. I knew that my GPA, clubs, service work, and other aspects of my high school career would affect where I went to college and my career path, but it simply did not occur to me that my gender would be an aspect of consideration until I read these women's personal stories. It turned out that my history paper had become more poignant and opinionated than I had intended because of the sheer disbelief and anger I felt about the lack of equality women experienced every day. I believe that women are not defined by their gender, nor should they be limited because of that aspect of their lives. Women have so much to be proud of and empowered by. They shouldn't be shamed or treated differently because of their gender. I believe that because of the uncertainty of the future for women, there is space and time for necessary and positive change to be made.
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BY THE NUMBERS
St. Stephen's and St. Agnes is a regional leader in its strong commitment to environmental stewardship, continuously reducing energy consumption over the past decade, increasing the tree canopy, and responsibly managing waste and stormwater. Curriculum and student trips reinforce the importance of individual contributions to the well-being of our common home—the Earth!
30%
18
native trees planted on campuses by students over six years
25,040
pounds of compost collected in 2016-17 school year from dining halls
180
17%
total reduction in gas (measured in therms) used since 2006-07
1
pounds of vegetables harvested for the Arlington Food Assistance Center from Upper School gardens summer 2017
55
osprey stands constructed and installed by Middle School students on Chesapeake Bay tributaries over time
28
employees on the allschool environmental stewardship committee
40.2%
total carbon emissions reduction since 2006-07
city water-
of Alexandria 5 miles by ways adopted and cleaned 8 students and families (Timber
rry Branch, Lucky Run, Strawbe
17%
total reduction in electricity (kilowatt hours) used since 2007
Run)
total reduction in vehicle miles traveled by school bus and utility fleet annually
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1,200
1 1 231
Middle School students who have stayed on Tangier & Smith Isla nd for four day mini-course over tim e
Green Ribbon School Award by the United States Dept. of Education
Environmental Excellence Aw ard from the City of Alexandria average pounds of compos t collected weekly at each dining hall
FACE TO FACE
TENDING WITH PATIENCE Brian Kane, Director of Environmental Stewardship, shares how lasting, impactful change grows from gardens nurtured with patience and small victories.
As I guide tiny lettuce seeds into one-half inch furrows my father's voice returns to me—a repeated phenomenon each spring as I regenerate my small vegetable garden. Descending from generations of Pennsylvania Mennonite farmers, my father taught me from a young age how to prepare planting beds, distribute compost, sow seeds at the correct depth, prune suckers from tomatoes, and tie up cucumber vines. He taught me the frustrated patience required of any gardener, and the rewards and defeats that occur as one cares for and protects small living things. Despite his absence from my life for seven years now, he is with me every spring as I lean over the soil and start a new season of hopeful planting. Environmental stewardship requires the same frustrated patience as gardening: patience to understand that people slowly adjust habits to treat the Earth more mindfully; patience to observe dumpsters overflowing with a day's worth of waste, despite attempts to reduce the stream; patience to find time in a crowded day to observe the life-giving forces that sustain us; and patience to step away from our desks to observe the growing miracles surrounding us daily, most evident in this season of rebirth. The school is entering its 11th year in active practice of environmental stewardship, and I have overseen the small victories achieved on our collective 48 acres for six of these years. Since 2007 the school's total carbon emissions have been reduced by 40 percent. We have cut back electricity use by 30 percent and lowered solid waste volume by 8 percent. We have integrated sustainability and environmental understanding in disciplines beyond the sciences. I am grateful for students and employees who are passionate and committed to both protecting natural resources and looking out for people who are vulnerable to environmental degradation in their communities.
St. Stephen's and St. Agnes is a tiny speck in a vast and complex planet. Enormous climate-related challenges await today's students who have never lived a year where the Earth's average temperature was not higher than the prior one. My hope is for the grace of continued patience, despite inevitable frustration, so that we may further reduce our school's environmental impact by education, reflection, and purposeful action. I continue to guide our school's "garden" into more sacred communion with our common home, cautious, but hopeful for a future harvest.
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YOU'VE GOT THIS! You've written your essays, filled out your applications, and been accepted to college. This summer will be filled with planning, fun shopping, connecting with future roommates, and packing up to go. Follow these tips and suggestions from fellow Saints to make the most of your freshman year!
JAVON PRICE '16
Georgetown University Use reminders! There's an old saying "out of sight, out of mind," so having an alert constantly remind you of your responsibility makes it harder to ignore and easier to remember.
KATE LUCAS '16 Trinity College
Get involved! I am the yearbook editor, wrestling team manager, a tour guide, orientation leader, and student center manager, and I founded a College Diabetes Network chapter. I've made a ton of great friends with similar interests.
ERIC KARSTEN '16 University of Chicago
I can't say how long it took me to adjust to being away from home, but I can say call your parents from time to time. It makes them happy and I, for one, like talking to mine!
TOP TIPS... Meet lots of people, make lots of friends
Get to know your advisor and go to office hours
24 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
Communicate openly with your roommates
Keep a calendar and always back up your files
Pursue all your interests and try new things
Wash your colors separate from your whites
Saints alumni reflect on their freshman year in college and offer advice to our seniors Did it take long to adjust to being away from home? What made it easier? Not long at all. It's helpful living with a roommate so that you have someone to talk to about your day in the morning and at night. Meeting new people and eventually forming a core friend group makes being away from home easy. To make a quick adjustment, remind yourself that you are entering a new period of your life. The world is at your fingertips and college allows an individual to become the person they truly are—no strings attached. Explore, question, and have fun. If you do, I promise you will find your college experience more enjoyable intellectually, academically, and socially. The best thing you can do is find your people. No matter what school you're attending, big or small, rural or urban, there will be people there that you genuinely connect with and they're what makes it feel like home.
What are some tips for meeting and getting along with your roommate? It's not the end of the world if your roommate doesn't end up being your best friend. Aim for a stressfree relationship where you both can go about your business. Try to pick up on any mannerisms or habits that contrast with your own to ensure that they do not become an issue. Ultimately, open dialogue is critical and will hopefully help you develop a good and friendly relationship. It's important to establish ground rules with your roommates during the first couple of days. Coming to a mutual understanding of how you want to live is good for both roommates. Try to contact your roommate(s) via social media before you get to school just to get to know them and coordinate who is bringing what to the room. It's important that you have a system for what to do when you have disagreements. Make sure you communicate with them often and try to compromise.
What were the hardest and best things about dorm life? The hardest thing about adjusting to dorm life for me was living with a bunch of people who have very different lifestyles from my own. The best thing about dorm life was always having friends nearby. I was lucky to have lots of friends on my hallway my first year. We all shared clothes, snacks, and studied together, which created a sense of community that I didn't really have where I lived growing up.
What was easier than you expected? Adjusting to the massive lecture halls with over 100 students in a class. It sounds intimidating, but from the start I made a point of trying to sit toward the front to be able to see, hear, and focus better. My academic courses were much easier than expected. I thought college would be super academically challenging but I was well prepared for the course materials. Finding new friends and getting settled in a new city wasn't too hard.
What was more difficult than you expected? The time management aspect of completing my courses. In high school, your entire schedule is very structured for you. There's not much time that isn't structured. In college you have all this freedom and time you need to figure how to use and structure yourself. Your academics, your social life, your eating, your sleeping, are all now controlled by you. Because I only take four classes at a time instead of seven, I thought my workload would be a lot lighter, but it was actually heavier. It was much more difficult than I expected to discipline myself and make sure I spent my free time during the day doing work or going to office hours.
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How did you balance classes, homework, extracurricular activities, and your social life? Balancing classes, homework, and extracurriculars was a lot of trial and error for me. In my first couple of months, I attempted to do too many extracurriculars. I didn't have enough time to do homework and get enough sleep. I eventually crashed and had to realize I can't do everything. Coming from SSSAS, where I loved the culture of service, learning about my friends' different backgrounds and experiences, and where I enjoyed the opportunity to reflect and find some peace during weekly chapel services, I was drawn to a mission-driven college where I have the opportunity to engage with the values of service, diversity, interreligious understanding, justice, and more. Finding a college with a culture that fits your personal beliefs is the best way to find balance in your life. In all honesty, I'm not sure I completely understood how difficult the balance would be with no one there to ensure you stay on track. It is very easy to fall prey to procrastination and partying. Personally, I think my balance came to fruition after failure; after realizing that my B could have been an A if I studied that Saturday night and that I could have attained a leadership position in a given club had I shown a better attendance record in meetings. So I would implore the Class of 2018 to not pursue so much too quickly, as it can make your freshman fall a little more challenging than it has to be.
HALEY HASSELL'16 Hamilton College
Keep in mind that everyone is in the same boat as you: they want to make friends quickly, so be open to socializing with lots of different people.
Did you take advantage of office hours? If so, did going help? I generally think that going to office hours is a good idea. It's tough to make time to do so for all courses, so maybe you can choose a few courses you anticipate to be the most interesting, challenging, etc. Developing relationships with teachers was one of the most important parts of my SSSAS experience. I knew from the start that I wanted to continue to forge relationships with professors. It helps you perform better in classes and opens the door for some fascinating discussions.
JACK HALL '14
University of Virginia Stay organized and active. Be aware of all your due dates and use a calendar to visualize weekly class preparation. If you minimize time spent sitting around your dorm and get your work done, you can enjoy all the social activities.
I did take advantage of office hours. Office hours are crucial! You establish a relationship with professors who look out for you. It's especially important in a college environment, where you can sometimes slip through the cracks. Office hours help explain the material outside of lectures and you get to know your professor outside of the classroom. These relationships are important for recommendations and career opportunities once you leave that class. YES! Office hours have the ability to really help you for multiple reasons. It's great for relationship-building if you're looking to take more classes with a certain professor or want to ask for a recommendation later on. For courses that aren't in your strongest subject, going to office hours and even just listening to the questions that other students ask shows your professor that you care and that you're putting forth effort. I would not have made it through my first year math or physics classes first without office hours. Force yourself to go once. If you come prepared with questions, it is where really valuable learning can happen one on one with really brilliant professors. Going to office hours is such a power move. Since my college is small with only undergraduate students, we have access to our professors at almost any time. I was struggling in Intro Biology so I went to office hours, and my professor is now allowing me to retake the past two exams and is giving me partial credit if I can prove that I understand the mistakes I made.
26 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
Do you have any advice for socializing during the first few months? Have an open mind. Students in college come from all walks of life with different beliefs, cultures, nationalities, and socio-economic backgrounds. That's the beauty of college, it serves as a catalyst for dialogue, for an intellectual exchange, and ultimately growth.
NICKI GRAY '16
Georgetown University The best advice that I can give regarding socializing is to pace yourself. Don't feel like you have to go to everything that you're invited to. Sometimes a chocolate milkshake and two extra hours of sleep are totally worth it.
The first friends you make at college might not be your best friends for life, so try to meet as many people as possible. Don't be scared to branch out and join clubs or go to events where you don't know everyone. College is a fresh start, so make sure you focus on being yourself and finding people who like you for who you really are.
Did your parents give you some advice that turned out to be really helpful? Do your laundry, brush your teeth, make friends, and get outside of your room.
Do you have tips for organizing your workload and keeping track of deadlines? Keep a calendar. Make sure that you update it and consult it daily. I'm a fan of paper calendars, but apps like Reminders, Google Calendar, and Tiny Calendar are especially helpful because they're always with you on your phone. Use Google calendar on your laptop and mobile phone! It makes keeping track of deadlines, meetings, projects, and everything else in between substantially easier. Color code EVERYTHING. For example, I associate chemistry with the color purple so everything I use for that class is purple: folders, binders. I also have different colored pens for activities and classes; it helps me stay organized and not forget important materials and dates. Make sure you set short-term deadlines for yourself and stick to them. No one wants to pull an all-nighter writing a paper, but it will happen if you don't plan ahead. As soon as I get my schedule for classes, I like to mark all the due dates on both my room calendar and my planner so that I have them handy wherever I am. Also make sure that you aren't studying or doing all your work alone. Join a study group.
JOSHUA REED '15 Morehouse College
Morehouse has a liberal arts curriculum, and I had to take general education requirements during my first year and a half. The education that I received at SSSAS definitely prepared me well for my freshmen year.
How did your first year of college compare with your senior year at SSSAS academically? People always say that SSSAS prepared them well for writing at the university level, and I agree 100 percent. As much as I struggled with my research papers in high school, they were great practice for all of the research papers, policy briefs, grant proposals, and other writing I've had to do in college. Not only that, but SSSAS prepared me well for scientific writing, too. Academically, SSSAS prepared me more than one could imagine for the intricacies and difficulties that come with navigating a college curriculum. College is far from a walk in the park, yet SSSAS has made my time here much easier by preparing me with good study habits, time management, and overall academic performance.
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SAINTS REFLECTIONS
A skill can simply be just that—a skill. A skill is tying your shoes, holding your breath underwater for 30 seconds, or figuring out the perfect cooking time for microwave popcorn. But Saints Mission Skills are more than just your basic skills. They are character traits that shape and guide us and, more importantly, inspire those around us to be more and do more than they might have ever considered possible.
Creativity. Curiosity. Ethics. Empathy. Resilience. Teamwork. Those are the Saints Missions Skills. Middle School teachers Erin Daly and Jon Japha identified six individuals, some familiar, some relatively unknown, whose life work and passion demonstrate the lasting impact of these skills.
CREATIVITY Grace Hopper Her nicknames include "Amazing Grace" and "The First Lady of Software," but still, not enough people have heard of Grace Hopper. She served in the United States Navy during World War II, and was at the forefront of working with computers. Right after the war, she helped create one of the first high-level computer programming languages. In addition, she invented the first compiler, which translates programming code to machine language. And she helped coin the terms "bug" and "de-bug" as related to computer errors. The fact that she did this all during a time when women were generally excluded from the work place (and specifically from STEM fields) makes her creativity and resilience all the more impressive.
28 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
ETHICS CURIOSITY Albert Einstein Einstein is regarded by many as one of the greatest scientists of all time, and perhaps the best physicist that ever lived. His Theories of Special and General Relativity, his explanation of the photoelectric effect, and his concept of mass-energy equivalence (E=mc²) earned him a Nobel Prize and worldwide fame. It should be mentioned that none of that would have been possible if it were not for his curiosity. Einstein's fascination with science was sparked by a pocket compass. He wondered why the needle always pointed north, and he never stopped asking the question "why" for the rest of his life. In fact, he once said, "I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious."
The Grimke Sisters When we think of strong ethics, we think of doing the right thing, regardless of the consequences. This is what we want our middle schoolers to do, but we acknowledge how difficult it is to always choose the ethical path. No one embodies this spirit better than Angelina and Sarah Grimke. Born into a slaveholding family in South Carolina before the Civil War, it would have been easy for them to accept the system of slavery—as their friends and family did. However, they saw the evils in slavery and stood up against it. The sisters wrote a pamphlet arguing against slavery (which was burned in their hometown), and went on a speaking tour across 67 cities in the Northeast. When Angelina addressed the Massachusetts Legislature, she became the first woman in American history to speak in front of a legislative body. These two sisters are a model of what it means to stand up for what is right.
TEAMWORK Bill Russell
EMPATHY Clara Barton No one asked Clara Barton to serve as a nurse during the Civil War. In fact, the "Angel of the Battlefield," was not even trained as a nurse. Yet when war broke out, Barton wondered what she could do to help the wounded soldiers. Rather than wait for an answer, she volunteered at the Washington D.C. Infirmary to help care for injured soldiers. Feeling that this was not enough, Barton decided to leave the city hospitals and follow the soldiers onto the field. She earned her nickname at the Battle of Antietam in Sharpsburg, Md., when she brought her own supply wagons to the battlefield. Impervious to being in harm's way, she put herself where she could be of the most use and organized supplies, first-aid operations, and food distribution. Clara Barton is an example of what we want all our students to be—someone who saw a bad situation and figured out how she could best help.
RESILIENCE Cesar Chavez By the time Cesar Chavez, a prominent Mexican-American labor organizer, went on his first fast to bring attention to reform for farm workers in California, he had already persevered through so much. Chavez attended 37 schools because his family moved around so much, and when his father could not work because of an accident, he skipped high school to work in the fields. Upon returning from a stint in the U.S. Navy, he worked in the fields until joining and becoming the director of the Community Service Organization, a Latino civil rights group. In 1962 he co-founded the union that became the United Farm Workers, which worked to improve their conditions and treatment. But Chavez's most famous acts of resilience were his hunger strikes, which brought the plight of the farm workers to national consciousness. Chavez's selflessness, consistent action on behalf of others, and his ability to persevere despite the obstacles in his way, makes him an incredible example of resilience.
Although he was the best player on his team—and for many years the best player in the National Basketball Association—Bill Russell was often not allowed to sleep in the same hotel as his teammates on road trips. Despite the fact that he led his Boston Celtics to 11 NBA Championships, he was never embraced by the city. Impressively, Russell did not let that segregation and discrimination define his career. Instead, his legacy is as one of the greatest teammates in sports history. Russell did whatever was necessary to help ensure his team's success, whether that was defending the great Wilt Chamberlain or securing 22.5 rebounds per game. Russell was such a consummate team player—a five-time NBA Most Valuable Player and a 12-time All-Star—that in 1966 he became a player-coach and the first African American head coach in the NBA. During his two years in this position, he led the Celtics to two more championships. A good teammate thinks of the needs of each teammate before their own. No one did this better than Russell.
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"The Addams Family" The Upper School Stage One Players presented four delightfully ghoulish performances of "The Addams Family" musical in March. It took 104 members of the community to put on the production. The cast of 39 brought the weird and wonderful family to life with the support of 48 members of the artistic and technical staff. The Pit Orchestra, led by Middle and Upper School Music Teacher Jim Criswell, included 17 students and the talents of Upper School Music Teacher Vaughn Ambrose and Middle School Music Teacher Chris Gillespie. Georgia Tritak '18 & JP Payro '18
Aleah Walker '18 & Georgia Tritak '18
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Campbell Weiss '19 & Christian Corpening '18
Mary Margaret Lehmkuhler '19 & Fred Gehlhoff '20
Lex Long '20
Georgia Tritak '18 & JP Payro '18
Fred Gehlhoff '20 & Nora Fortune '21
Christian Corpening '18 & Aleah Walker '18
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AWARD-WINNING
Viewpoints Nineteen Upper School students received numerous honors in the 2018 National Scholastic Art & Writing Awards (southeast region), the Alexandria All City High School Art Exhibition (ACHSAE), and the Best of the Independent Schools Art Competition hosted by the Landon School Fathers' Club. Three students won gold keys in the National Scholastic competition and moved on to the national awards, Xander Chiaramonte '20, Chandler Kourtesis '18, and Catherine Owens '19. Catherine Owens '19: Self Portrait Painting | Scholastic Gold Key
Xander Chiaramonte '20: Afternoon Shadows Photography | Scholastic Gold Key
Xander Chiaramonte '20: The Workman's Sunlight Photography | Scholastic Gold Key
Maya Tumiwa '18: In the Jungle Drawing & Illustration | Scholastic Honorable Mention Landon Third Place
Lilly Cady '19: Off Season Drawing & Illustration Scholastic Honorable Mention
Chandler Kourtesis '18: Stone Face Sculpture | Scholastic Gold Key
Ashley Van Horne '20: Chips and Salsa Bowl Sculpture | Scholastic Honorable Mention 32 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
Maura Durkin '18: Frozen in Time Photography | Scholastic Honorable Mention Xander Chiaramonte '20: Very High Five Photography | Scholastic Honorable Mention Bette Vajda '19: Roots Photography | Scholastic Silver Key
Maya Tumiwa '18: Anonymous Painting | Scholastic Honorable Mention
Xander Chiaramonte '20: Welcome Street Photography | Scholastic Silver Key
Sophie Vandehei '20: The Hand of God Drawing & Illustration Scholastic Honorable Mention
Marta Rich '18: Oil & Steel Drawing & Illustration | Scholastic Honorable Mention
Marta Rich '18: Nathan Drawing & Illustration | Scholastic Silver Key
Isaiah Frazier '20: Rusty Oak Display Sculpture | ACHSAE Best Ceramics
Mede Alexandre '18: Stewart Drawing & Illustration | Scholastic Honorable Mention
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Lilly Cady '19: I've Got the World Mixed Media | Scholastic Honorable Mention | Landon Honorable Mention
Zak Zeledon '19: Pieces of Myself Mixed Media | Landon Third Place
Audrey Androus '18: Silent Stamina Painting | ACHSAE Best 2D Art
William Clark '19: Self Portrait Mixed Media | Landon Second Place
Xander Chiaramonte '20: Bus of Light Photography | Scholastic Honorable Mention Mikaela Discenza '19: Sweet Tooth Mixed Media | Landon First Place
Xander Chiaramonte '20: Trapped in Technology Photography | Scholastic Silver Key | Landon First Place Elliot Karsten '18: Blinding Red Photography | Scholastic Silver Key 34 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
Xander Chiaramonte '20: The Lonely Storm Photography | Scholastic Silver Key
The Origami Alchemist Andrew Knops '20 is folding paper into silver
Xander Chiaramonte '20: The Magician's Fog Photography | Scholastic Honorable Mention
Xander Chiaramonte '20: Orange Sunlight Photography | Scholastic Honorable Mention
Andrew Knops remembers exactly when his love for folding things emerged. It was his eighth birthday and his grandmother gave him a small origami instruction booklet that sparked a keen interest in art. It wasn't long before he had learned almost everything in it and began looking for new models to fold. Andrew is still enthralled with origami. When Upper School Art Teacher Joey Wade discovered Andrew's unusual interest, he encouraged him to see if he could translate his folding skills to precious metal clay (PMC) paper. When fired in a kiln, PMC sinters into sterling silver. Andrew took up the challenge and has since been creating beautiful silver jewelry, as well as pottery, and, of course, intricate paper pieces. This spring an array of his pieces were on exhibit in the Chapel/Performing Arts building. Andrew happily shares tricks, tips, and techniques with Mr. Wade and students in the Wood, Metal, and Stone class, and he shared more about his passion with us. WHAT FASCINATES YOU ABOUT ORIGAMI? I am fascinated by how complex a model can be despite being made from a single piece of paper. All of the lifelike patterns and intricate parts can be folded without any cutting. The real-life applications of origami in the fields of science and engineering keeps me interested. Origami-type folding principles are being used to help with design folding solar arrays for satellites and making robots that fold flat. WHAT CHALLENGES HAVE YOU ENCOUNTERED WORKING WITH PMC? When working with PMC, it can be hard to recreate models with the same amount of intricacy. The sheets of clay are much thicker than paper and can tear more easily, making it difficult to detail a model. Making a mistake can be disheartening because it is almost impossible to repair a torn sheet of the clay, and each sheet is quite expensive.
Bette Vajda '19: Meghalaya Photography | Scholastic Honorable Mention
DO YOU HAVE OTHER FAVORITE ART FORMS? I like to make pottery because it is much less precise than origami. Mistakes can be easily scraped away without much harm done. Pottery is very carefree and it is lots of fun to essentially mess around with mud for a while. Unlike origami, pottery can be functional as well as a beautiful piece of art. www.sssas.org | 35
LLOYD HOUSE VIEWPOINTS
Taylor Riley '25
Elliot Desautels '25 36 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
Gracie Hunsicker '25
Owen Siegel '25
What Matters Most to You? Areas of Greatest Need Academic Programs Arts Athletics Building & Grounds Faculty Support
Mariel Irish '25
Financial Aid Innovation & Technology Spiritual Development Sustainability
Make your gift to The Saints Fund Today! Visit sssas.org/give or contact Nicole Morrell, Director of Annual Giving at 703-212-2715 or nmorrell@sssas.org Campbell Spence '25 www.sssas.org | 37
SAINTS IN ACTION
THE ELECTRIC PAPER AIRPLANE LAUNCHER Toy design, descriptions, and ingenuity by Tate Commission '25 Our fifth graders used their powers of imagination, design-thinking skills, and scientific knowledge to create an incredible array of inventive toys and then shared them with the community at the Lower School Toy Factory Exposition on March 2. Tate's electric paper airplane launcher was one of many outstanding toys. "The students exhibited resourcefulness, tenacity, resilience, and teamwork during this challenging unit," said Lower School Science Teacher Mackie Berro. It goes without saying that everyone loved the fair, because we all know you're never to old to play with toys!
The On/Off Switches
The Electric Airplane Launcher has two switches: one per motor. To launch a paper airplane, both switches must be flipped simultaneously. Each switch is connected to some wires, which are also connected to the motors and batteries. Once the metal rod is touching both ends of the gap in the switch, power flows around the circuit, triggering the start of each electric motor.
The Electrical Power
The Electric Paper Airplane Launcher is powered by two separate circuits. Each has a switch, a motor, and a power source, with wires connecting them. The power source is 2 AA, 1.5 volt batteries per circuit. That is enough voltage to get the motors spinning, but not too much, which could lead to danger.
The Rear Weight
The Electric Paper Airplane Launcher's motors can produce some strong thrust. To make sure that in case of failure or overpower the launcher won't topple over on it's back, there is weight on the back. There are a few marbles, which, in all, help overcome the forces that would make the launcher topple over.
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CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY NEWS
Tate's Psalm As part of religion class, all fifth graders write their own psalms to God, and then share them during a chapel in the spring. Tate read his psalm on April 10.
Hello God Thank you for all you do The quarks that make atoms The atoms that make molecules The molecules that make crystal structures And those that make Earth, the Sun, and everything around them You created space and time before the Big Bang When there was nothing before space-time began You were there From the Hydrogen to Iron created in the stars To radioactive elements You have made our universe
The Plane Nose Guider
To ensure that when launched the paper airplane flies straight, (and doesn't circle back and hit you), there is a Plane Nose Guider at the front of the launcher. The nose, or front of the paper airplane fits nicely in that gap, and it sits there until launch. It also is used as a feeding tray while the motors are running, and you place the airplane in the launcher. At launch, it will (hopefully) speed out of the launcher, and fly very far away.
The Two Launching Discs
Adhered atop each motor is a white disc. When you feed the plane in and flip each switch simultaneously, those send power to the motors, which spin the discs. Located near the rear of the plane, it drives the rear forward, which pushes the nose forward too, and soon the plane is far from the launcher.
The Warning Lights
To make sure that nearby people don't get hit with the speeding paper airplane, there are three red and blue warning lights. After countdown begins, both of the red warning lights should be turned on between T-8 and T-6 in the countdown. Then, the blue warning light located in the center of the launcher should be turned on between T-5 and T-3. The warning lights will glow in the dark, and also dimly shine during the day.
The Structure
The launch control and launching parts of the launcher parts sit atop a "Quad-Pod" wooden plank structure, and have supporting wood planks holding up various parts. It is elevated for easy aim, and is sturdy. It will probably survive an impact.
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SAINTS IN ACTION
Seniors Meet with Chief Justice John Roberts On January 29, 55 Upper School AP Government students, led by History Teacher Bud Garikes, took a field trip to the Supreme Court and met with Chief Justice John Roberts. Chief Justice Roberts spent about 30 minutes with the group of seniors and explained the court's schedule of hearing cases beginning in October and going to June (‌"If we go into July, then I've done something wrong," he joked). He added that most opinions are not written until June and playfully compared the justices to high school students who procrastinate. Also, like high school students fleeing the building for summer break, Justice Roberts said that he leaves town as soon as the final day of the Court's term is complete. Students also met with the Clerk of the Supreme Court, Scott Harris, who is responsible for overseeing filings with the court and maintaining its records. Mr. Harris talked about the volume of cases that are filed in the United States in a given year (about 50 million) compared to how many the court hears per term (about 70-80). When asked about memorable cases during his career, Chief Justice Roberts recalled the difficulty of his first dissent, in a case where no precedent existed. He challenged the students to guess why he took the position he did, patiently listening as they attempted to deduce the reasoning behind his logic. He also talked about the difference between personally objecting to something (burning the flag), while protecting the legal right to do so. He also shared that he enjoyed the small cases that do not get a lot of attention even more than the big ones. Students asked about the working relationship between the nine justices and learned that they only deliberate cases with each other on Fridays. However, they often send each other written memos to continue their conversations, but only if all nine justices are included.
Upper School History Teacher Kate Hardwick @hangingwithMsH: As we wrap up our unit on migration, Human Rights students are tasked with developing a social justice driven activity to spread awareness and empathy. 40 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
The students had the opportunity to learn about the building (completed in 1935) and tour the courtroom, which only has room for about 250 members of the public to sit in to hear oral arguments. They also learned about the justices' habit of asking frequent questions and the strict time limit (30 minutes per side) that lawyers have to argue their sides. The students also visited the U.S. Capitol, which included a session with Taylor Andrae '05. Taylor currently serves as the Legislative Director for Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC).
Middle School English Kirsten Silverberg: @kmsilberberg: The Silberberg Advisory cleaned up a portion of Fort Ward Park today as part of service learning day. Saints are making our city a cleaner place to live and learn!
Dr. Gautam Gulati '93 Speaks at Academic Convocation
John Chapman '99 Shared His Story in an Inspiring Speech
In February, Dr. Gautam Gulati '93, speaker, author, professor, and entrepreneur, gave an engaging, motivating speech at Upper School academic convocation. He reflected on key moments in his life during the 25 years that have past since his high school graduation, and shared valuable advice with our students.
How can young people get involved with decision-making in local governments? Alexandria City Councilman John Chapman '99 stopped by our Upper School in January to answer that question, and share his own story on how he found his way serving and leading in local politics.
His three tips were: 1) Learn more and know less— "Focus less on knowing the right answers, and more on asking the right questions," 2) Don't live someone else's dream, and 3) Aspire to be a verb— "Embrace what makes you uncomfortable." After convocation, he visited with students in the social entrepreneurship class, Seeding Social Innovation, and stayed for an open Q&A in the Black Box Theater. Gautam, otherwise known as "Dr. G," is a self-proclaimed "Status Quo Agitator." A renowned speaker on innovation, he has helped and inspired the leadership of companies such as Google, Marriott, LG, and MedStar to think differently, change their perspective, and to reimage business opportunities. He has delivered more than 250 inspirational keynotes to more than 30,000 people around the world.
Lower School Fifth Grade Teacher Ms. Bliss' Class@MsBlissSSSAS: 5th grade teachers are "loving" this trip to Philly! #xoxo @SSSASsaints
"Three big things I took away from my experience as SSSAS was the duty to serve one another, being empathetic to each other, and the concept of finding your passion," said John. "I challenge you to find your passion and what you can contribute back into your community. Once you find those things, you'll live a much easier life because you'll have a drive, a goal, and a path to follow. It's been a blast for me to serve the community I've grown up in." John was elected to the City Council in November 2012. As a member of City Council, John serves on the following local and regional boards: the Local Emergency Planning Committee, Eisenhower Partnership Board of Directors, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Public Safety and Human Services Committee, Eisenhower Partnership Board of Directors, Eco-City Alexandria Environmental Action Plan Steering Committee, Alexandria Campaign on Adolescent Pregnancy, Sister Cities Committee, Gang Prevention Task Force, and the Children, Youth and Families Collaborative Commission.
St. Stephen's St. Agnes @SSSASsaints: Thrilled to have Alexis Sargent '13 back on campus as the Captains' Lunch speaker today! She motivated students to lead with courage, integrity, perseverance, selfcontrol, and an indomitable spirit. www.sssas.org | 41
SAINTS IN ACTION
Thunder Stone from left to right: Alex Kramer '18 (in front), Thomas Van Buren '19, Andrew Knops '20, Abigail Henshaw '20, Reagan Brown '18, and Zach Gaydos '19
Robotics Team Thunder Stone Advanced to States Upper School veteran robotics team, Thunder Stone, was part of the winning alliance that succeeded in the FIRST Tech Challenge Eastern Virginia Qualifying Tournament in Newport News, Va., in February. The highlight of the competition for our students was winning the Motivate Award, which celebrates the team that represents the essence of the competition through team building, team spirit, and displayed enthusiasm. Thunder Stone also placed 3rd for the Inspire Award, for acting with gracious professionalism both on and off the playing field. They advanced to compete in the Virginia state tournament, as they have for the last four years. At the state championship they won the 1st place Rockwell Collins Innovate Award for their robot design—a huge accomplishment as awards are few and far between. Their performance placed them in the top 10 out of 165 teams in Virginia, and they advanced to the East Super Regional for which only 72 teams from 13 eastern states and Washington, D.C., qualify. Unfortunately, the competition fell during spring break when all team members were travelling abroad.
SSSAS Languages @saintslanguages: US Director Mike Mallett welcomes Honorable Ambassador Canedo of Bolivia and SSSAS Class of '91 Rey Decerega to Spanish classes today! #saintslearn #bolivia 42 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
SSSAS Presented at the USA Science & Engineering Festival St. Stephen's and St. Agnes returned to the USA Science & Engineering Festival April 6-8, as a certified X-STEM School exhibit host this year. The festival drew more than 350,000 people interested in science, technology, engineering, and math to participate in more than 3,000 hands-on activities, stage shows, and science celebs. At the SSSAS booth, our Lower and Middle School robotics teams demonstrated their robots and answered questions. Many Saints students, faculty, staff, and parents were there throughout the weekend to help man our booth and assist with a variety of hands-on activities. Hundreds of visitors stopped by to hone their coding skills and navigate Dash robots through a maze. They used their creativity and problem-solving skills to build a device with motors, wooden parts, wheels, rubber bands, and marker to draw curvy lines on paper. Young and old tried on Virtual Reality headsets to leave the convention (virtually!) and explore the world. They sat down at the Minecraft station to play the open world building game and go on an adventure through the Oregon Trail. Visitors pedaled hard on a bicycle to see if they could generate enough energy to power up light bulbs.
St. Stephen's St. Agnes @SSSASsaints: What a treat! A group of ninth graders visited second and third grade students to read their original Geometry children's books this morning. #thesaintslife
Saints Community Adopts Three Streams and Conducts Clean-up Campaign As part of our concern for stormwater running from our campuses, St. Stephen's and St. Agnes has adopted three urban streams and will be their caretakers. The Lower School adopted Timber Branch, the Middle School adopted Lucky Run, and the Upper School adopted Strawberry Run. On the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, 31 members of the SSSAS community collected 60 pounds of waste from a one-half mile of Timber Branch, which is the Lower School's watershed. In midFebruary, the Upper School Green Leadership Council—which is comprised of student leaders who guide peers in best practices related to school-wide sustainability—did its clean-up of Strawberry Run. Students collected approximately 30 pounds of trash and discovered paint rollers, a cell phone, and a deer skeleton during their exploration. Another series of clean-ups took place in April.
The Lower School Creates an Identity Rock Garden Inspired by the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and explored further by reading "Skin Again" by Bell Hooks, each Lower School student and faculty member created an artistic representation of their "interconnectedness" as well as their unique qualities. After reading "Skin Again," the students completed a chart highlighting different aspects of their identity or describing things that make them happy. They then translated one or more of these highlights onto a rock. First they applied a base coat choosing paint that most closely matched their skin color. When the rock was dry,
Middle School Science Teacher Kelley Gorman @MsGormanSSSAS: Taking a pH reading of the Bay's water as we finish up our final morning at KNC. @SSSASsaints @chesapeakebay #SaintsLearn #LearnOutside
they added their colorful drawings and messages to ultimately create a vibrant, special rock garden. The fifth graders led the project and introduced it to the community at a school assembly celebrating the life of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Their goal was to look for a different way to embrace and celebrate difference, and build connections across the community. The garden is a wonderful, visual reflection of the interconnectedness and diversity in the Saints community. Lower School Chaplain Rosemary Beales blessed the garden as a conclusion to this beautiful and meaningful project.
St. Stephen's St. Agnes @SSSASsaints: Upper School Saints jetting off to Italy for their spring break trip!
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SAINTS IN ACTION
Senior Wins Service Award Gabby Sullivan '18 received the Alexandria Rotary Club's Jefferson Cup for Community Service. Recipients of this award exemplify the Rotary motto of "Service above Self" in their daily lives and volunteer commitments. Gabby enthusiastically gives back to others. She is a longtime member and the current co-president of the school's Best Buddies chapter and a co-president of the SSSAS Red Cross Club. During past summers Gabby has volunteered at Casa Chirilagua, an Alexandria organization that performs outreach to the Latino
community, where she utilized her Spanish skills to tutor the children. In the Seeding Social Innovation course, Gabby and her team have been designing a social action project called Project Safe House, focused on bringing light to the issue of human trafficking in the Washington, D.C. area, with the goal of providing safe housing to underage females who have been victimized. Additionally, in recognition for her commitments to community service, Gabby is the school's nominee for the Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship Program.
Junior Wins Prestigious Latin Award Junior Alicia Lopez won the Classical Association of Virginia (CAV) Wayne Wray Award, which is given to one Latin student in Virginia. This $500.00 scholarship is awarded to the student who most exemplifies the principle on which the CAV was founded: a love of and the promotion of the classics. Notably this year Alicia created Latina Loquenda, or conversational Latin dinners. She has hosted ten events around the state and introduced the event to the Maryland Junior Classical League, which is
St. Stephen's St. Agnes @SSSASsaints: It's Read Across Saints Day! Our Lower School Saints are wearing comfy pj's and snuggling up with great books across campus. #thesaintslife 44 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
following suit. Alicia organized some of her peers to educate Saints Latin Middle School students at Latin Cena this year. She also taught Saints third grade science students mythology and astronomy two years ago. Alicia helped host Classics Week last year at the Upper School, and she just received confirmation that, at her request, Mayor Silberberg will sign a City of Alexandria proclamation for Classics Week this year. SSSAS has been fortunate to have four winners in the last 16 years. Alicia is the first junior to win this award.
Upper School Science Teacher Shannon Fusina @MsFusinaChem: Experimentally exploring the different types of reactions. #SaintsLearn #ChemEd #HandsOnChem
Choir Sang at the Washington National Cathedral: The SSSAS Upper School Concert Choir participated in The Mid-Atlantic Episcopal School Association (MAESA) 2018 Choral Evensong on Sunday, February 11. Our choir joined with approximately 300 singers, including the Cathedral Choir, to perform repertoire written for larger choirs. This event represents a unique opportunity for high school choral students from Episcopal schools to lead the service of Evensong.
Band Students Excel in Virginia District X Events Five band students from the Middle and Upper Schools participated in the Virginia District X Honor Band Event February 2-4. The threeday event took place at Hayfield Secondary School and included more than 200 students from both private and public schools in Eastern Fairfax County, Alexandria City, Falls Church, and Arlington County. Thomas Daley '24 (clarinet), Kurt Gehlhoff '23 (tuba), and Ella Knight '22 (clarinet) participated in the
Middle School Honors Band, while Issac Ahdoot '20 (clarinet) was a member of the High School Wind Ensemble, and Katie Whalen '21 (clarinet) was a member of the High School Symphonic Band. Isaac Ahdoot also placed first chair clarinet in Virginia's District X Band, earning placement in the Virginia All-State Band for the second year in a row. He plays alto saxophone in the Jazz Ensemble and earned placement on the District X Jazz Band. Isaac Ahdoot '20 with Upper School Music Teacher Vaughn Ambrose
Lower School ThirdGrade Teacher Jonathan Lamkay @JonathanLamkay: @SSSASsaints use 3D printers to recreate artifacts from their study of Ancient Greece. Give students a blank canvas and see what their imaginative minds will create! #steam
Middle School Math Teacher Julie Riedy @mrsriedy: What do you see? Angles? Parallel lines? Transversal? Or just happy @SSSASsaints? #alloftheabove!
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WINTER ATHLETICS
BOYS BASKETBALL Overall Record: 18-10
Final Four of VISAA Division 1 State Tournament IAC All-League: Christian DePollar '19, Xavier Lipscomb '20, Charles Thompson '19 VISAA All-State: Christian DePollar '19 Outstanding Athletes: Charles Thompson '19 Saint Award: Domenick Bailey '18
GIRLS BASKETBALL Overall Record: 12-15
Defeated ISL A Division 1 and undefeated Potomac School on senior night ISL All-League: Bradyn Griffin '21, Simone Holland '20 Outstanding Athlete: Bradyn Griffin '21 Saint Award: Julia Burke '18
DOMENICK BAILEY '18
JULIA BURKE '18
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CHARLES THOMPSON '19
BRADYN GRIFFIN '21
ICE HOCKEY
Overall Record: 7-12 Runner up in MAPHL Tournament IAC All-League: Jack Lambeth '18 MAPHL All-League 1st Team: Jack Lambeth '18 (Offense), Will Sterrett '18 (Defense) Outstanding Athletes: Jake Jafari '18 (Defensive), Jack Lambeth '18 (Offensive) Saint Award: Maya Tumiwa '18
WRESTLING
Zion Lee '18 reaches over 100 wins
ZION LEE '18
in Saints career Alexandria Sportsman's Club Athlete of the Month: Zion Lee '18
JACK LAMBETH ‘18
IAC All-League: Zion Lee '18 VISAA All-State: Zion Lee '18 Outstanding Athlete: Zion Lee '18 Saint Award: William Reid '19
MAYA TUMIWA '18
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WINTER ATHLETICS
BOYS SWIM AND DIVE Alexandria Tri-City Champions for the third straight year New School Record: 200 free relay - 1:25.39: Adam Fischer '19, Barton Balistrieri '19, Jacob Foster '18, Andrew Revers '18 IAC All-League: Adam Fischer '19 VISAA All-State: Barton Balistreri '19 (200 free relay, 200 medley relay) Adam Fischer '19 (50yd freestyle, 200 free relay, 200 medley relay) Jacob Foster '18 (200 free relay, 200 medley relay) Andrew Revers '18 (100yd freestyle, 200 free relay,
JACOB FOSTER '18
200 medley relay) VISAA John O'Hara Coach of the Year: Evan Stiles NISCA Academic All-American: acob Foster '18 Outstanding Athlete: Adam Fischer '19 Saint Awards: Jacob Foster '18, Andrew Revers '18 Washington Post All-Met: Adam Fischer '19 (2nd Team), Andrew Revers '18 (Honorable Mention)
GIRLS SWIM AND DIVE Alexandria Tri-City Champions for the third straight year New School Records: 200 Medley Relay - 1:52.77: Emily Smith '21,
SHANNON FOSTER '18
Shannon Foster '18, Tory Atkinson '19, Ashley West '20 200 Free Relay - 1:41.87: Ashley West '20, Tory Atkinson '19, Shannon Foster '18, Emily Smith '21
SARAH GALLAHAN '18
400 Free Relay - 3:43.65: Claire Toman '20, Emily Smith '21, Tory Atkinson '19, Shannon Foster '18 100 Breast - 1:07.94 Shannon Foster '18 NISCA All-American Academic Scholar Athlete: Shannon Foster '18 Alexandria Sportsman's Club Athlete of the Month: Tory Atkinson '19 Outstanding Athletes: Tory Atkinson '19, Shannon Foster '18 Saint Award: Sarah Gallahan '18
SENIORS JACOB FOSTER & ANDREW REVERS
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BOYS WINTER TRACK
Private and Independent School Boys Champions VISAA All-State: Curtis Borden '19 (1st Team- 4x400m, 2nd Team- 4x200m) Brian Gilday '18 (1st Team- 4x400m, 2nd Team- 4x200m, Honorable Mention- 500m) Malcolm Johnson 21' (2nd Team- 4x200m) Myles Johnson 18' (1st Team- 4x400m) Jordan Walker '18 (1st Team- 4x400m, 2nd Team- Long Jump, 2nd Team- 4x200m, Honorable Mention- 300m) Outstanding Athlete: Brian Gilday '18, Jordan Walker '18 Saint Award: Drew Rose '18 Washington Post All Met: Jordan Walker '18 (Honorable Mention)
GIRLS WINTER TRACK
9th place at VISAA State Championships VISAA All-State: Audrey Androus '18 (2nd Team- 1000m) Jadyn Chandler '18 (Honorable Mention- Shot Put) Outstanding Athlete: Audrey Androus '18 (Track Events)
JADYN CHANDLER '18
Jadyn Chandler '18 (Field Events) Saint Award: AUDREY ANDROUS '18
JORDAN WALKER '18
Helen Treadway '19
BRIAN GILDAY '18
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Ready to Read? Faculty and staff favorites, just in time for summer!
BETH BARROW
JON JAPHA
Fourth Grade Teacher
BUD GARIKES
Middle School History Teacher
Upper School History Teacher
"Before We Were Yours" by Lisa Wingate (historical fiction) "Eligible" by Curtis Sittenfeld (fiction) "The Gift of Failure" by Jessica Lahey (parenting)
"Grant" by Ron Chernow (non-fiction) "Grunt" by Mary Roach (non-fiction/science) "Underground Airlines" by Ben H. Winters (historical fiction) "Paddle Your Own Canoe" by Nick Offerman (memoir/self-help) "Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession in the World of Competitive Scrabble Players" by Stefan Fatsis (non-fiction/humor)
"Advise and Consent" by Allen Drury (political fiction) "Moo" by Jane Smiley (fiction/humor and satire) "American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House" by John Meacham (Biography/History)
CARRIE MEYERS
KATIE HAHN
FAY SLATTERY
Middle School French Teacher
Third Grade Teacher
Upper School Spanish Teacher
"Milk and Honey" and "The Sun and Her Flowers" by Rupi Kaur (poetry) "The Signature of All Things" by Elizabeth Gilbert (fiction/sagas) "An Ember in the Ashes" series by Sabaa Tahir (romantic fantasy)
"State of Wonder" and "Commonwealth" by Ann Patchett (realistic fiction) "The Rules of Magic" by Alice Hoffman (fantasy series) "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin (self-help) "Stories I Only Tell My Friends" by Rob Lowe (memoir) I recommend the audiobook—he reads it! "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng (realistic fiction)
"Exit West" by Moshin Hamid (fiction) "Behold the Dreamers" by Imbolo Mbue (fiction) "Homegoing" by Yaa Gyasi (Fiction/Family Saga)
For Students and Their Families...
...LOWER SCHOOL LIBRARIAN JULIE ESANU RECOMMENDS: "A Wrinkle in Time: Graphic Novel" by Madeleine L'Engle This visual adaptation of the beloved book is one of the best. L'Engle's original masterpiece was groundbreaking and set the stage for other authors, including Lois Lowry, J.K. Rowling, Suzanne Collins, and Veronica Roth. Hope Larson translates L'Engle's concepts of traveling through space and time in search of self and family for all readers and sets the stage for the movie adaptation, which was released in March.
"The Antlered Ship" by Dashka Slater; illustrated by the Fan Brothers Marco is a curious fox who continually wonders about the world around him and soon embarks on an adventure with a cast of characters reminiscent of classical favorites. The Fan Brothers create a visual treasure using their signature pen and graphite technique. Ask any Saints' first grader and they'll tell you that this should have won the 2018 Caldecott Award for best illustrations.
"Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut" by Derrick Barnes; illustrated by Gordon James A must-read for everyone! Barnes shares an intimate look into a time-honored, beloved tradition. It is no surprise that it was a 2018 blockbuster and swept the awards, winning Newbery, Caldecott, and Coretta Scott King honors. 50 50 || St. St. Stephen's Stephen’s and and St. St. Agnes Agnes School School
BRIAN KANE
ROBERTA KLEIN
Director of Environmental Stewardship
Upper School English Teacher
"Garden of Evening Mists" by Tan Twan Eng (fiction) "Salvage the Bones" by Jesmyn Ward (fiction) "Barkskins" by Annie Proulx (fiction/historical)
"Small Island" by Andrea Levy (fiction) "Jane Austen: A Life" by Claire Tomalin (biography) "Maisie Dobbs" series by Jacqueline Winspear (mystery) "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro (fiction) "Memento Mori" and "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" by Muriel Spark (fiction)
JOE WENGER
JEANNA REIDY
TIM DODDS
Junior Kindergarten Teacher
Upper School Science Teacher
"Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann (history) "Outlander" by Diana Gabaldon (Sci-fi series) "Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet" by Jamie Ford (realistic fiction) "Under the Udala Trees" by Chinelo Okparanta (historical fiction) "The Mindful Brain: The Neurobiology of Well-Being" by Daniel J. Siegel (science)
"Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer (non-fiction) "Born to Run" by Bruce Springsteen (biography) "Furiously Happy" by Jenny Lawson (memoir/humor)
Upper School English Teacher "Long Way Down" by Jason Reynolds" (fiction) "Saga" Comic Series by Brian K. Vaughn & Fiona Staples (science fiction/fantasy) "Notes from No Man's Land: American Essays" by Eula Biss (Nonfiction)
KIRSTEN STAMMER Fourth Grade Teacher "The City of Ember" series by Jeanne DuPrau (sci-fi/post-apocalyptic) "Don't Know Much About the Civil War" by Kenneth C. Davis (non-fiction) "Spy Secrets That Can Save Your Life" by Jason Hanson (non-fiction)
...MIDDLE SCHOOL LIBRARIAN ALICIA BLOWERS RECOMMENDS:
...UPPER SCHOOL LIBRARIAN JOYCE AMES RECOMMENDS:
"See You in the Cosmos" by Jack Cheng
"Ready Player One" by Ernest Cline
Space-obsessed, 11-year-old Alex and his dog, Carl Sagan, head off to participate in a rocket competition in the desert, but wind up making a variety of friends and going off on adventures that take them off their original route and out into the world. I recommend the audiobook for the whole family!
The world of the future is an unhappy one for teenager Wade Watts, who escapes into the virtual utopia OASIS where players are so desperate to win the prize of power and money they are willing to kill. Winning is Wade's only way out. For gamers and 80s pop culture buffs.
"Counting By 7s" by Holly Goldberg Sloan
"Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich
Willow is a child genius with a particular interest in plants, medical diagnosis. When things get stressful or upsetting, she likes to count by 7s to calm herself, and she's been doing that a lot ever since the accident that killed her mom and dad. As Willow tries to find her way through grief, she makes unexpected friends and triumphs over tragedy.
Written in 1995, this book remains timely, fascinating, enlightening, and thoughtprovoking. Ehrenreich went undercover around the country to experience first-hand what it was like to work and live as a waitress, a motel housekeeper, and a retail salesperson to truly understand the issues of equity and the struggles that so many Americans face as they try to create a better life for themselves and their families.
"The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas Sixteen-year-old Starr is the only witness to her friend's death from a police officer's bullet. When Khali's death makes headlines, Starr becomes caught in the middle of a media frenzy and everyone is looking to her for answers as she tries to navigate the different worlds of her urban community and wealthy suburban private school. A timely and compelling tale and a riveting page-turner. Try the audiobook, which delivers an award-winning performance.
"All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr This Pulitzer Prize winner is a stunning novel of a blind French girl who lives in Paris with her father during the Nazi occupation and a young German orphan skilled at electronics. The story of their lives is woven together in a well-crafted, beautifully written, and captivating tale. www.sssas.org www.sssas.org || 51 51
FACE TO FACE
Katherine Schupp Zeringue '90 Weathering Storms Through Service By Mandi Sapp
With 17 storms, 10 hurricanes, and six major hurricanes, the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season was considered a hyperactive season, according to AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski. With 17 named storms, it ranks alongside 1936 as the fifth-most active season since records began in 1851. With this in mind, we asked Katherine, former FEMA Environmental Officer, to reflect on her own experiences with natural disasters and how they have changed her perspective on the world. Where were you when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005? Katherine Schupp Zeringue remembers the day well. She was living in New Orleans at the time and witnessed first-hand the devastation the storm had on many family members and friends. It also changed the course of her career. For the past 12 years she has been busy with disaster work in emergency management, as she served as the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Environmental Officer—a job she began soon after Katrina. Katherine credits St. Stephen's and St. Agnes with instilling her passion for service. "I believe that the school emphasized and provided exposure to community service as part of the learning environment throughout my tenure there. As a result, I naturally feel it is part of who I am and what I should do. One of the other things that the school cultivated in me was a strong appreciation and love for 52 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
the arts via my art history, music history, english, and fine arts classes. When the opportunity presented itself to help the community with a focus on the arts, I naturally gravitated to making that choice. It is very rewarding to combine service with something for which you are passionate." Katherine currently lives in Alexandria, Va., where in March 2018 she transitioned from her job at FEMA to the Federal Railway Administration as a Federal Preservation Officer. "I've decided to learn something new and get back to archaeology and history—two subjects I am very passionate about."
How has your life been shaped by your service to others? "Disaster areas are an interesting place to experience and help humanity. It is a place where individual's lives are chaotic
and uncomfortable for weeks, months, and sometimes years depending on the scale of the disaster. Disasters are merciless and wreak a psychological and emotional punch for which most people are not prepared. There is sadness, shock, and paralysis on how to begin picking up the pieces and rebuilding a sense of normalcy. That's even harder to do when the community services around you—your grocery, your church, your school, your library, your museum—are also equally affected. However, what really stands out in all the devastation is seeing those most in need helping others, whether they be neighbors or complete strangers, with a tremendous amount of camaraderie and selflessness. It's not what you would expect from those down on their luck who are also working hard at rebuilding their own lives. But, it's a wonderful reminder of the goodness in people and how much individuals are willing to serve their community. It is also
“
What really stands out in all the devastation is seeing those most in need helping others, whether they be neighbors or complete strangers, with a tremendous amount of camaraderie and selflessness.
“
inspirational because you begin to realize how important social networks and a sense of community are and how committed individuals are to rebuilding that when it is challenged. I have experienced both sides of disasters as I was living in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005. While I personally was fine in terms of material possessions, many of my friends and family were
not. When the opportunity arose for me to work for FEMA and help rebuild my own community, I immediately joined the organization. Because of my professional experience with non-profit organizations, I was initially hired to help the museums recover in the community. Eventually that expanded to include environmental compliance. The work is so rewarding and I worked for FEMA for 12 years because of it. I believe my unique experiences having been both a disaster survivor as
well as a professional in the emergency management agency made me impactful in other communities within the United States, such as those affected by Superstorm Sandy, as well as Harvey, Irma, and Maria. While it is demanding, stressful, and thankless work, it is so rewarding to know your career has such a tremendous impact on those who need it the most and truly makes a difference in people's lives."
A COMMITMENT TO SERVICE Mary Via, Director of Service Learning & External Engagement, shares how our school is teaching empathy far from the epicenter. In moments of crisis or disaster, our school community is always ready and eager to help. Our students have a tremendous capacity for empathy, and I have never seen a shortage of compassion for people who need our support in these difficult moments. The more challenging part is figuring out how best to offer that help thoughtfully and in a way that is timely and appropriate. What are the authentic needs of individuals and affected communities immediately following a crisis? What might some of their long term needs be? Often we look to trusted national or international partners to help guide our response. And certainly, we try to remember that many communities struggle to recover long after the cameras and media outlets have left. This fall we responded to the devastation in Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico by raising more than $2,300 for Episcopal
Relief and Development's hurricane relief efforts. We knew that writing a check, rather than sending supplies, would empower local agencies and community partners to purchase exactly what they needed to rebuild. We were also able to welcome a displaced family from Puerto Rico to our school, enrolling two students in October. Additionally, the entire SSSAS community felt moved to come together in a special way to offer prayers of hope for those who remained without electricity and running water. A lantern walk was envisioned in November 2017 to prayerfully "light the way" for storm victims as they faced an uncertain future. As participants walked around the school's track, the sky darkened, soft rain fell, and each lantern glowed brightly as a symbol of hope for those affected by the storms. "The lantern walk was a true expression of our school's Episcopal identity," said Head of School Kirsten Adams. "Coming together to share a moment of reflection reminded us that strength comes from community and connection."
www.sssas.org | 53
ALUMNI REUNION WEEKEND September 28-29, 2018 Classes ending in 3s and 8s
Your Classmates. Your Friends. Your School. 54 | St. Stephen's Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
CLASS NOTES Submitting News
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Get Connected!
Visit sssas.org/alumni • Get the latest alumni news • Find classmates in the directory • See the latest alumni event photos in our media gallery Join our Facebook and LinkedIn groups Join SaintsLink.org
Be a Class Correspondant
If you don't see your class listed in this section, it either means notes were not submitted or that your class doesn't have a correspondent. If you are interested in serving as a class correspondent, please contact Director of Alumni Engagement Sarah Kaplan at 703-212-2718 or skaplan@sssas.org. To update your alumni record, please contact Director of Alumni Engagement Sarah Kaplan at 703-212-2718 or skaplan@sssas.org.
St. Agnes Class of 1945
1945 ST. AGNES SCHOOL Stuart de Murguiondo Wineland
The Class of 1945 mourns the passing of friend and classmate Ruthie Watt Rich on May 4, 2017. Our St. Agnes Florida lovers are back again this year. Dodie Beal Stephens and Mal, plan to be in the Port Charlotte area where they will continue to compete in a table tennis event. They sold their large home and moved to Wolfeboro, N.H,. into a retirement community which they like very much! Dodie has written a book about her father's experience in WWII. Julie Halloran Rush is happy continuing to live in her Gulf Coast Village apartment in Coral Gables with her little white poodle, Happy III. Richard's daughter and family live nearby and see her often. I, Stuart de Murguiondo Wineland, will be at my condo on Fiesta Key (Sarasota) January-April, enjoying beautiful sunsets and pleasant neighbors. Daughter Laura Wineland '74 and Mike live in Tampa and they visit me often. Dodie, Mal, and I will get together and hopefully see Julie this year! Jane McKee Ingram still lives in Carlsbad, Ca.
1953 ST. AGNES SCHOOL Harriet Rippel Doub harrietd@bhhstowne.com
Joanna Dodson Camarata is happy and busy in Florida. Maude Nevins DeFrance, Nancy Lee Price Dunton, Sally Hotchkiss, and Mary Lou Collins King report that they are all doing well. Maude is not traveling anymore. Anne Clarke Harbold and Liz Melvin Patridge are both fine and enjoying having their families nearby. Ann L. Jackson is traveling a lot and is a substitute teacher for high school. Gloria Rothman is busy with activities for the American Association of University Women, Kiwanis, and garden club. I, Harriet Rippel Doub, am still selling real estate and busy with church activities. Always glad to be in touch with classmates!
1955 ST. AGNES SCHOOL Mimi Niepold Horne horne.mimi@verizon.net
Many of us have celebrated big birthdays this year, a time to reflect on our lives and our many blessings of family and friends. Jean Ellen Androus Woodman has a brand-new great-grandson. She celebrated her big birthday with friends, www.sssas.org | 55
CLASS NOTES
meantime, with the realization that friends mean more to us now than ever, I send you love and good wishes for a terrific spring and summer 2018.
1958 ST. AGNES SCHOOL Julia Shields habija@aol.com
including Jane Ferguson Junghans '56 and her sister, Mimi Niepold Horne, and four Woodman daughters in an Old Town restaurant overlooking the Potomac River. Then for Christmas, Jeanie and her two youngest daughters and their families enjoyed a cruise in the Caribbean and the West Indies, a good way to stay warm and enjoy being together. Betsy Blessing Anderson loves her house at Diamond Hill in Lexington, where she and her two cats enjoy the sun streaming into the sun porch. Ann Lanyon Kaplan's daughter, Samantha, and her family visited her and Jay for some happy family time during the holidays. Joanie Davis Hackett has moved to a larger flat at Westminster in Winchester, Va., and continues her work in genealogy with a project for the Warren Heritage Society. Joanie and seven members of her family had a wonderful time on a cruise along the Rhine at the end of May to celebrate her birthday. She has begun bridge-playing again, after leaving it for many years. She occasionally drives to Leesburg to meet classmates Jean Wells, Ann Lanyon Kaplan, and Mimi Niepold Horne for lunch. Audie Ramsey Hall is now living in Ashburn, Va. 56 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
Joan Boguess Poland and husband Tom are settling into their new place in Williamsburg, quite a change from their Berry Plain estate, but they like it. Judy Nevins LeHardy and husband Ward have been busy all year, traveling to Kiawah Island, S.C., Savannah, Ga., San Antonio, Texas, and Wilmington, N.C., enjoying golf, sailing, and church activities. They keep in touch with their far-flung children, grandchildren, and now two great-grandchildren. Their twin grandsons are both Eagle Scouts and another grandson is a captain commanding an Army dive unit, who is about to deploy to Kuwait for nine months. I, Mimi Niepold Horne, and husband Paul are still living in Alexandria when not visiting with our daughters and grandchildren in Brooklyn and Upstate New York. We continue to spend about five months of the year in Paris, where we lived for so long. We were happy to celebrate our 80th birthdays in Manhattan with a bunch of family and friends. What fun that four of the grandchildren were able to join us from college. Our class is near the top in supporting our school—we rank third, so keep it up! I hope to live up to the brilliant standard of reporting set by Joan Boguess Poland, so please help by sending me your news. In the
'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring… except a frantic class secretary trying to get class news written before the Christmas crowds descend. I am sad to report that Kay Burney Butler's husband, Rhett, died November 22. Kay says that he was so happy and healthy, feeling enormously grateful for his family. Eager to start the day, he said, "I'm ready!" and that was his last breath. Our sympathies to Kay and her family on this great loss. Kay and Rhett spent summers in Lake Forest near their daughters and grandchildren and winters in Arizona, where Kay enjoys ballet, opera, symphony, and theatre as well as garden club, book club, golf, bridge, and gardening. Sweet Marcia Kendzie Evans writes, "As I think about my years and many friendships at St. Agnes and how happy they made me, I want to wish everyone happiness in the coming year." Patty Bayliss Owens received my message as she and Carroll left for New York, and she remembered to write when they got home. Impressive! They had a lovely trip, visiting their granddaughter, a freshman at NYU, seeing museums and a play, and eating good food. Cary Lamond Courier is still enjoying life in Asheville. She has a dog, has taken lots of Olli classes, and has made a wonderful recovery from cancer. Judy Kurtz Suor is obviously delighted with their transition to Timber Ridge retirement home, what she calls a vertical cruise ship. Steve has Alzheimer's, so when it becomes necessary he will move to memory care and Judy will stay in their apartment, an end unit with beautiful views of mountains and forests. She is enjoying having meals ready and waiting, having laundry done and beds changed, and taking mini courses. There are lovely trails to walk Cooper the dog. Karen Zimmerman Gudinas says
it has been a great year for them with three cruises, one a family cruise. One grandchild is a junior at University of Central Florida, another a senior in high school, and one who turned teenager in December. Karen and Jim went to their 55th college reunion at William & Mary last fall. Next fall they will be working the elections as they have done for over 25 years. I didn't get any news of Janie McPherson Jewell and Pete, but I did see a very handsome picture of them on Marilee Fifer's daughter's Facebook page. Doggone, they look so young and handsome! Debbie Swift Zike reports that they have sold their Maine and Seattle homes and bought a house at The Landings in Savannah, Ga. They have evacuated for two hurricanes, Matthew (major damage) and Irma (not so bad). Nevertheless, they love Savannah and being closer to son David and his family. Granddaughter Lola lives in Dublin, Ireland. Sue Peery Moore and Bill have been intimidated by their children who have ordered them not to report on their activities and those of their children. So I will do the reporting instead! Bill reached the impressive age of 80 this August, and they celebrated with the entire family plus Sue's sisters Brooke and Linda. They also enjoyed two cruises this year, one through the Panama Canal and another to Iceland and Greenland. They spent hurricane season in Maine. Daughter Julia's children are flying the nest— Rick heading to college, Ellie to go to Hotchkiss, her mother's alma mater, and Will who is making noises about going away to school. All are good students and good athletes. Son Tom and his wife are also experiencing kids flying the coop: 10-year-old Walker headed off to camp in N.C. While Walker was at camp and Augusta was helping her parents recover from a serious auto accident, Tom and 8-yearold Lelia went on a father/daughter trip to Disney World. At my age, I, Julia Shields, am grateful for an uneventful year, marked by nothing more spectacular than a beach trip, a trip to Charleston, and a trip to Shrine Mont, all of which were delightful. I am focused on downsizing for an eventual move to the Lodge at Old Trail in Crozet. This year my emphasis was on family papers. I
have transcribed letters, recorded information on a Family Tree, and taken lots and lots of memorabilia to historical societies and libraries. They were almost as delighted to receive it as I was to get rid of it. But there is so much more to do. As usual, nieces and nephews and their offspring allow vicarious adventures. The two eldest took interesting semester courses, one in Jerusalem and one in New Mexico and Africa. I am hoping that we can all get together in the fall for our reunion. Let's do it before the young ones decide we are too dangerous to let loose!
1961 ST. AGNES Chris Hayes Moe cmoe6150@att.net
Greetings '61 Lambs! I've heard from a few but wish more of you would respond. I know many of you are traveling and wish you would just send in a blurb giving heads up or down about your experiences and recommendations for those of us planning adventures. I'll begin with news of Dorothy Bellinger Grimm who is still living in Australia. She and Jack do a lot of traveling whether in Australia, Hawaii, New Zealand, or Tasmania and shopping is always on the daily schedule. When home, Dorothy baked 54 batches of brownies, made 71 trips to the Alice Springs Correctional Center having conversations with 943 inmates, and gave out water bottles at the Todd Riverbed among other good deeds. They were also able to meet their son, Schaffer, and wife Julie in Tasmania. Did you know Dorothy still has a Studebaker sedan on a farm in Virginia? During Hurricane Harvey, I texted Mildred Tonahill Elmore, since I knew she lived in Beaumont, Texas, to make sure she was all right. She was fine. Then when I saw the water level in Beaumont, I texted again and she had evacuated with her daughter, Grace, to Austin to stay with her sister. I'm not aware of any house damage and have heard only that she has had problems with pneumonia and has spent some time in the hospital this fall. Mildred, we hope all is well now. Jean Cotter Spaans and her husband, David, had their 50th Reunion at Drexel University where they fell in love. They celebrated their
50th anniversary on December 23. Congratulations! Dorothy Bellinger Grimm was Jean's maid of honor. Niki Neese Lallande and husband Joe have settled into their new home in Charlotte, where they are not only close to daughter, Katie, and her family, but also have wonderful neighbors and a lively neighborhood. They did go back to Maine to their "camp" for the summer to escape the heat and have time by the lake. They returned home in late August to help Katie and John by taking the grandkids to soccer, gymnastics, field hockey, and horseback riding lessons—watching games was a treat. Over Thanksgiving they went on a Disney Holiday Cruise with Katie and family, visiting Mexico and the Grand Caymans. Two weeks later they flew to California to see son, J.G. and his family just in time to attend the kids' holiday concerts, and then back to Charlotte for Christmas. Now they are getting into their routines. Joe helps with tax prep and Niki volunteers with a literacy project for Charlotte public schools. She is also planning to participate in her first Masters swimming meet the end of January. Now that's impressive! Good for you, Niki! Helen Preble Stewart was also caught in a natural disaster in October. She and husband Alan moved to Santa Rosa, Calif., a couple of years ago and as we know the fires hit there in October. They survived and so did their home, so they feel very lucky. Their dogs woke Helen up around 3 a.m., and since they had strong 60-70 mph winds, all electricity, phones, etc. were knocked out. When she put the dogs out, she saw an orange/red glow on the ridge a couple of miles away and realized it was FIRE! She woke Alan and they packed the dogs, medications, clothes, etc. as fast as possible and left. They were evacuated for 10 days, moving three times. All stores, restaurants, etc. were closed and they were happy to find hotdogs for nourishment. They couldn't communicate for three days (all cell, land line, radio, TV towers burned.) "Lessons learned: have a list of things for emergency (they did - thanks to Alan); pack meds (they had a duffle); don't count on a cell phone; RUN!" writes Helen. She said that looking at whole neighborhoods burned to the ground was so shocking knowing those people lost everything. Helen, we're so www.sssas.org | 57
CLASS NOTES
thankful you and Alan made it through unscathed. As we all know, Anne Williams lost her sister, Libby Williams Barton '64, in December. She really appreciated hearing from many of you. In spring 2017 she had a wonderful trip to Ecuador with most of the time spent in the Galapagos. "It was amazing to be following in Darwin's wake, seeing most of what he saw almost 200 years ago." It has been brutally cold in Maine— 20 degrees below in the morning with highs of 10 to 15 during the day. A neighbor plowed her driveway while she was gone, but she has been raking 16" of snow off the roof to make room for what is to come! (I remember Tom doing that when we lived in Utah.) We all know Maine is not for sissies! Anne wishes everyone a 2018 filled with joy, good health, love, and peace. Well, I, Chris Hayes Moe, became a bionic woman this year with reverse right shoulder replacement and left knee replacement. I will say the knee recovery has been much faster and less painful than the shoulder. We managed to take a trip up to Rochester, N.Y., and east to Jamestown, N.Y. Did you know Lucille Ball was from Jamestown? She always took her children back to her roots. For that reason, Luci and Desi have moved all their parents' showbiz ephemera to Jamestown where it is kept in two museums—one for their show business careers and one for their personal lives. It was so interesting to see the TV sets, many of which had to be recreated from pictures since a lot was destroyed. It's well worth seeing. Lucy is buried in a Jamestown cemetery. We also took another driving trip starting with a visit in Chicago to see Connie, then on to Colorado Springs to see our son, Ryan, and his family with three energetic boys. Connie has been on Peritoneal dialysis (home dialysis) for over two years, but she was getting infections and it was not removing the fluid like it should. She is now on hemodialysis three days a week for three hours and the fluid has been coming off. It's more effective for her than the alternative, but is more confining. I was on that for two years but have now had my transplant for 23 years—I still marvel that I have been so blessed. I also have a niece who has this genetic polycystic kidney disease and has been waiting for a transplant for almost five years. I pray they both 58 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
receive transplants soon so they can live full lives. Organ donors are needed more than ever. Have a safe and healthy 2018!
1962 ST. STEPHEN'S Doug Hotchkiss dmhbythec@comcast.net
From John McRae: "My wife, Cathy, and I are still in Darien, Conn. Daily routine – stock market, gym, road biking, yard work. Trips – my usual four weeks in Chamonix (hiking, mountaineering, trail running), Jackson Hole, and Barcelona. Had a fine time at the SSS 55th Reunion reconnecting with a great group of guys not seen in all these years." From David Bill: "My the time goes by. Full year. Still based on the West Coast. A cruise to Alaska, my first visit there; two trips to to England/Scotland for golf, shooting, fishing, and visiting friends; birthday in Tahoe; visits with friends in L.A., San Diego, and Palm Springs; new job as vice chairman of the Eden Club, added to one Board and three advisor roles kept me busy; and lastly, and most importantly, daughter Martina delivered my first grandchild, a son, this February! BEAT ARMY!" From Doug Hotchkiss: "At our age every year is a good one. We continued our intrepid travels to Antarctica, Chile, and Patagonia. I took a polar plunge into 30 degree water while there. What
an experience that was. This spring we toured Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands by small boat. This fall I made it back to school for our 55th Reunion. It was great fun to catch up on things with ten of our classmates." Bill Hannan is serving on the 20172018 San Francisco Civil Grand Jury. From John Oberdorfer: "After 41 years, I retired from practice of law at a Washington firm two and a half years ago and now work with nonprofit organizations that focus on combating poverty by providing education and training opportunities for low income individuals. I also run a foundation that provides fellowships to law students so they can work for a summer in a public service capacity. My wife of 49 years, Leslie, and I spend a lot of time with our three grandsons who live close by." From Tom Carpenter: "After four years at Washington & Lee University, I spent one year of my ROTC service in South Korea. Over the years, after working for a transportation consulting firm, the Interstate Commerce Commission, among others, I decided to go into real estate and eventually the Federal Housing Administration. I retired from there in 2008 after 18 years. Sad to report that my wife of 31 years, Maryann, passed away in February 2017." From Nick Hoskot: "After St. Stephen's I attended VMI and then joined the Marines from which I
Robin Taylor Zoll '62 and Jean Hoppe Huston '62
retired in 1993 with the rank of Colonel. My service included three tours in South Vietnam, eight years in Hawaii, six years at HQMC, and more. Later I was involved with two small businesses and was general manager of a manufacturing company. I now live in Moulton, Texas, on a 37-acre ranch with acres of olive trees. My best to everyone." From Mike O'Donnell: "I retired from class representative in the fall of 2017 and received a corvette, yearly income, and a condo in Florida for my service. In 2017 Pat and I celebrated our 55th anniversary and enjoyed our class reunion last fall. We have not been able to travel because of health problems in the family. I completed a book I have been working on for a year and am in the process of marketing my workbench design. Our best to all." From Jim Howard: "The highlight of the year was the wedding of my son, Daniel, in Malibu, Calif., to Janine Dellomes. This was followed by a trip to D.C. and Virginia with my brother George Howard '60 and his wife, Lena. In addition, my wife, Kathy, and I moved from Irvine, Calif., where we had lived for over 30 years, to a new home in Rancho Mission Viejo, near San Clemente. We are planning an April vacation to Maui. Life is good!" John Williams reports that he is still involved as a contractor with simulation and virtual reality training
Jim Howard '62, wife Kathy, new daughter-in-law Janine, son Daniel, daughter Courtney, and her boyfriend, Derek
for the military, via an organization known as the National Training and Simulation Association. He has sights set on eventual retirement, just not yet. By contrast, Phylis plans to retire this spring after more than 20 years as an ESL teacher in Fairfax County, although John finds it hard to believe she'll remain content to spend all her time spoiling the grandson. He says, "Speaking of which, Gray, now almost four, has moved back into the Washington area with our daughter, Alison, and her husband, Franz. Alison continues her career as a foreign service officer with the State Department, soldiering though a bit of a rough patch, while thinking about onward overseas assignments. Our son, Kenton, continues to work in the D.C. area for a large firm concentrating on clean energy initiatives with power companies across the U.S." From Warren Andrews: "Last February in New Zealand, bookended with a week in San Francisco; two trips to Wisconsin to visit family and friends; a week in Cashiers, N.C., during the total eclipse of the sun in August. We had a lovely week sailing in the Azores on a friend's schooner. Weddings in Williamsburg and Atlanta and two weeks in Portugal in Lisbon and the Duoro River wine district. This January-February we are sailing in and around Tahiti, Bora Bora, and the Society Islands. Still biking the
beautiful backroads of Central Virginia and painting many masterpieces. Life is good. And I am still married to Polly!"
1963 ST. AGNES Margie Fifer Davenport margieinva@gmail.com
Hello all! It is always great to hear from St. Agnes Class of '63! Here's the news! Madeleine Long Tellekamp says her husband is finally near retirement. She adds "Dutch people cannot be idle. He has to be productive every day. Boredom is not an option." They built a guest house behind their house, where their daughter and granddaughter live. Madeleine feels blessed to have them close by. Grace, her granddaughter, who is 9 now, Madeleine says, "fills my life with joy." Grace, we're told, is part of a performing arts group called Project Entertainment and she sings, dances, and plays the piano. (Remembering the Long sisters and their sextet singing, I think I know where that talent comes from!) Madeleine helps with transportation, as her daughter works full time. Madeline tells us, "I still feed the homeless at Faith Cafe and am very involved in the life of St. John's Episcopal Church and St. Joseph Catholic Church. Faith is very important to me." Marion MacRae went on a cruise through the Seychelles Islands last www.sssas.org | 59
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February and enjoyed it thoroughly. She relates, "Five of the passengers were blind and 10 were their helpers. Two were German and two Russian. I hung with the 15 and assisted the blind in their island treks, swimming, drink and food choices." Then she had a second trip to the Dominican Republic in March with a third to happen in March 2018. She tells us that it was not damaged by hurricane Maria and says, "the beaches are wonderful and we have found a small hotel where you get to know the staff and other guests." Marion also took her "usual" trip to see sister, Fair MacRae Gouldin '61 in Raquette Lake, N.Y., with nephew, Douglas (Cary MacRae McDaniel's '65 son). Otherwise, Marion plays tennis 3-4 times a week, has Bible class on Wednesdays and is trying to find a solution for her sleep apnea. Marion says life is great and there are "No other physical problems, I'm happy to report!" She sends best wishes to all. Walda Cornnell Wildman writes, "I have now moved from semi- to mostly retired. I'm still working with about four dozen clients during tax season and helping my old office when they get in a pinch. But even without a full time job, somehow I'm still really busy." (Somehow?) Walda says they have been traveling a lot and have lots of the standard retiree plans for 2018 trips but she is "also on the board of the South Carolina Philharmonic" and is "volunteering to help the newly minted Pat Conroy Literary Foundation equip itself with a computerized accounting system." Walda doesn't paint as much this past year but she has sold a couple dozen of pieces so far. In April, Walda had her right knee replaced and she says she can walk better than she has ever been able to. She says "I just didn't realize how I had limited myself by not getting the surgery sooner" (a good reminder for us all). It's nice to hear her say, "Otherwise, I frequently remind God how grateful I am for His grant of good health…..and for my husband's as well." Walda met Nancy Corson Gibbes '56 on a Columbia Museum of Art trip to Chicago at the beginning of November. She was surprised she hadn't run into Nancy years ago but says it's "better late than never," and is happy she now sees her regularly at the museum. Walda says, "There is such commonality with and bond between us St. Agnes 'girls' even in our 70s…." 60 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
As Althea Ball Morrissey wrote she was "baking Christmas cookies and thinking gratefully of SAS for the gift of still being able to sing O Holy Night in French," which she sings along with the Three Tenors. Althea reports they have had a "great and busy year" and says that lots of family and friends like to visit San Diego. That's probably because she describes it as "sunny and warm Coronado." Althea is happy for their visits. They also take care of their 15-month-old granddaughter about three days a week when her mom is "off to be a neonatal nurse." Althea feels "blessed and excited to look forward to a baby brother in May." Althea had some fun travel, "spending a week in Maui with baby Amelia and her folks," and "a wonderful two weeks in Alaska seeing the state for a week then a cruise." Besides that, she still reads a lot and says she exercises in the warm outside community pool there when she is not "running after Amelia Grace who has just learned to walk." Louise Knox Livinghouse and husband Lowell have had another good year, but last summer they had to reside in their Pennsylvania cabin "due to a major woodpecker attack after 27 years." Renovation sounded like a big job starting with the cedar shakes, a new metal roof, and even a roof over the kitchen porch. In November they were able to take their daughter on an 11-day cruise to celebrate her 40th birthday and Louise's birthday, too. She said a "great time was had by all." As "Weesie" writes, they were in Florida "enjoying five months at our place on the Gulf Coast." Luckily, in 2017, hurricane Irma turned a bit and missed them. Louise says "hi" to everybody. Mary Anne Smith Gertson went back to work and is with American Airlines. She just wasn't able to sit at home and do nothing. She seems to prove that regularly with trips around the globe! She went to Hawaii last December "for a few days to visit a friend and….just flew back home." (Airline people, it seems, just do those things!) She plans to go to Australia and New Zealand next October and back to Hawaii again in December with son Dave. Mary Anne is thrilled that her family has moved back to Maryland, near her. On occasion, a friend will ask Mary Anne to paint a pet but otherwise she doesn't paint much now.
Stephanie Connor Paullen writes that she and her "very sweet retired husband, John," are still living in Raleigh, N.C. She says, "Back in the day, John roomed with Martin Baumberger '61," and tells us that John and Martin both taught at St. Stephen's for a couple of years. Our condolences to Stephanie and her family for the loss of her sister, Ann Connor Doak '61, last June. Stephanie says "Ann was so much a part of who I was and am" and she honors her in saying Ann was "blessed with a wonderful and loving husband for 53 years, two beautiful children, and five very talented grandchildren." Even with the shock of unexpected loss, Stephanie's faith is sustaining her as she says, "I am happy for her that she is with our mom and dad and we will see her again in Heaven." Joan Emerson Shoemaker's husband, Butch, was military (now retired), which meant they traveled "all over the world." Joan says that travel is what they like to do for fun. Joan watches out for her 97-year-old aunt who lives independently, but they still found time in 2017 for a great two week+ vacation with their grandson and a trip to Nashville. In Nashville, Butch found things of interest to do while Joan met with a group of ladies who taught with her when she was teaching in Okinawa, Japan. Joan's daughter lives in Maine with her family and her son lives not far away in Burke, Va. Norvell Jones spends a "lot of time reading, playing with dolls and sewing." She collects Sasha dolls and makes clothes for them. There are collectors for these dolls all over the world and they come together for big conventions. The last one was in the Washington area so that was a convenient place for Norvell who spends some of the year in Falls Church. At Christmas, she and Bob had a big get-together with his kids and grandkids. During the year, Norvell takes care of her kitty (with an overactive thyroid), and occasionally gets together with friends she knew from work who are also retired. Polly Hagan Sandridge is still "working with feral cats and doing library stuff." She is also learning Latin and says she has gotten "bogged down with a third declension I-stem." You may remember that Polly has two degrees in Russian. Polly obviously has that "knack" for learning languages. Maybe she can teach us "Hail St.
Agnes" in Russian? Polly's son is living in Orlando and doing "computer engineering stuff." Polly's husband will be retiring next December, and they hope to do some traveling then. Anne Bodman reported some harsh winter weather in Sturgis, S.D. I thought Virginia was cold but she said it was 20 below there, not counting wind chill! Anne says, that "adding to all the fun was taking our dog Zamboni," who had just had surgery and was further handicapped by "one of those attractive cones" out for potty breaks several times a day! As you can imagine, they are looking forward to spring! And she is also looking forward to a visit from Margalee Oelrich Riggan and husband Rob. Susan Walp French called right before a trip to Washington, D.C., to take part in the Sanctity of Life March, something close to her heart. Other than that, she is kept busy with "lots of babysitting" her 10 grandchildren! When she's not babysitting, Susan enjoys being a chaplain at the Phoenix Children's Hospital. Elizabeth Morgan is still in Atlanta and working full time as a plastic surgeon. Even with her busy career and two little grandsons, she is hoping to make it to our 55th Reunion this year. Mary Tolbert Matheny did not have the best year with two trips to the hospital, but the good news is that she says she is fine now. She has identified a job as a copy editor that she says would be perfect for her, so let's hope she gets it! You may remember that Caroline Moncure Taylor lives in Santa Barbara, Calif. She says she is still enjoying life there, but had many "new experiences" this past winter! At the time she wrote, she was in the midst of the wildfires and mudslides we heard about on the news. She and her dog, Bode, "wore slickers and masks for two weeks before Christmas to deal with smoke and ash from California's worst wildfire ever." She says there were "8500 firemen involved before it was finally under control!" In addition, the mudslides meant closed roads to L.A. for a long period of time. Boats and planes were the only way out until the tracks could be cleared for trains. Caroline has had to clean toxic ash from her garden and terrace. She says she is "feeling very thankful to have come through all this unscathed." We certainly wish a better
2018 for her and all there! I enjoyed catching up with Marilyn Hoppe. She still is enjoying selling real estate in Arizona. I found Dagmar Giffen Cosby in North Carolina. She moved to WinstonSalem when a scarf business needed a designer. You may remember that she was doing art posters for some of the big horse races in Virginia. She is still doing her artwork, designing scarfs, rugs, and other things and even has her own website, DesignsbyDagmar.com. Dagmar says her kids are doing well and are very busy! Libbie Shackleford Mull tells me that her daughter has moved in with her three kids, a dog, a cat, and a turtle! Grandchildren Sam (12), Emmy (9), and Sarah (7) fill up a lot of Libbie's non-work time as she takes them to school and events. Libbie is excited that her son, Jamie, was married in February. Other than that, Libbie follows sports for several colleges, sings in the church choir, and participated in a five church Christmas performance with the Tallahassee symphony. As for me, Margie Fifer Davenport, I continue to represent USAPA in the Charlottesville/Albemarle area, promoting pickleball, starting new programs, and teaching. It has been really fun this past year teaching highlevel tennis players at the Boar's Head Sports Club, in addition to helping two churches start programs. I'd like to travel abroad more but for now my travel is usually just going to pickleball tournaments. Still, I enjoyed going to Utah for the World Senior Games where I went on side-trips through the canyons. Beautiful! After that I went to Mexico to visit my nephew, Charles Dewey. He volunteers at an orphanage, so I brought them pickleball equipment to play with in their yard! It was great to see the smiles! After that I came back to Arizona for the USAPA Nationals. Hopefully by this year's end I'll be able to say I have done something other than pickleball! I hope you all will mark your calendars and make plans for our 55th Reunion the weekend of September 28-29, 2018. SSSAS was very accommodating and appreciative when we came for our 50th. I'm sure this will be another great occasion! Stay tuned for more information (and check out www.sssas. org/reunion). And for those of you who live far away, this gives you time to
make your hotel/plane reservations. We want to see you! All the best to everyone in 2018!
1963 ST. STEPHEN'S Tom Margrave tecmargrave@twcny.rr.com
The men of '63 exchanged holiday greetings, and everyone seems to be getting along well. Those who stay in touch are looking forward to our 55th Reunion, and the hunt is on for remaining "Alive for 55" baseball caps. Somehow, the conversation turned to replacement parts and how we are helping keep the dental surgeons and prosthetic orthopedists in business. Caps, knees, and hips are leading the pack. My hope as the class scribe is that we will once again give generously to The Saints Fund and perhaps our challenge will be to do better than SSS '68.
1964 ST. STEPHEN'S Richard Flynt richardflynt1@gmail.com
As always, a special thanks to Courtney Mallinson for continuing to organize our popular bi-monthly luncheons at Chadwicks in Old Town. Please let me know if you want to be included on the email announcement list for these lunches. Our most recent lunch last December included Courtney, me, Tom Kreutzer '64 and Jack Edsall '64, as well as David Speck '63, Derek Savage '65, Allen Caskie '65, and Randy Earnest '62 from other classes. All classes are welcome to these lunches, including SAS as well! April and I had a great time at Tom Kreutzer and wife Anne's new, beautiful house on Lake Kerr in southern Virginia last fall, along with Randy Earnest '62 and wife Gibby and Andy Kreutzer '63 and wife Barbara, as well as some very nice non-SSSAS folks. We spent much time shucking and cooking oysters, fishing, and touring the fabulous lake. We all ate far too much and listened to Bobby Moore and the Rhythm Aces and other great 60s groups. A very fine time was had by all. And, Tom is now the master and commander of his very own pontoon boat - arrrrgghhh, maties! Bruce Duerson reports that he and wife Peggy have moved from
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Winchester to Richmond to be closer to their children and grandchildren. Jack Edsall is smitten by his new grandchild. April and I will be visiting Eric Kendrick and wife Elaine in Key West in late January, before heading to West Palm Beach for the Nats spring training in March. That's all for now. Please contact me with news about yourselves. I would love to hear from you!
1965 ST. AGNES Lee Vosper Dorman jldor1013@gmail.com
As the class secretary I love that I get to go first with my news! Let me start by thanking each of my classmates who took time to respond to my request for news. It is always fun to see what we have all been up to for the past year. My goal is that one year every single one of us will send in news—even one sentence to add to our notes. We are a very busy bunch! We do miss hearing from those not represented here! So for me, Lee Vosper Dorman, the news is terrific! In July my grandson, Cody, was born! He is such a happy baby and it appears he will be very tall! His dad is hoping he will be well over 6 ft. and left handed so he can learn how to pitch a curve! My daughter, Liz, who lives here in the Richmond area is back to managing a Longhorn Restaurant. Her husband runs the kitchens for three restaurants in the area. My
Lee Dorman '65 and grandson Cody
62 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
second piece of good news is that my son was married on November 30 in Charleston! His new bride is Sarah Hawkins of South Carolina and I love her. Charleston is one of my favorite places to visit, so having them living there is a bonus. I will tell you that twice this year they have had to evacuate due to hurricanes! In October my kids threw a 70th surprise birthday party for me! I was surprised and speechless. Both hard to do! Even though I'm supposed to be retired I have increased the number of classes I am teaching at our county jail to four and started a new class there for computer literacy. I have learned way more than I thought I wanted to know about the criminal justice system – from this rather interesting perspective. I do feel I am performing a much needed service and I really do love the work. I'm still teaching an advanced GED math class outside the jail, too. I am sure Miss Ross would be nothing short of astounded by that news! I'm keeping busy playing bridge and taking classes at the Virginia Fine Arts Museum. Although I don't often travel as far afield as many of you, I do love to travel and have two best friends who share my love of hitting the road on a pretty regular basis. I have a trip to Hawaii in the works in June. My health remains good and I am in a very happy place. I have a large house just outside of Richmond, so if you are in the area you are welcome to stay. Call and we will have a meal – I know people! My hope is that each of you will find peace and happiness for this new year. Last year Missy Sumner Huggins missed our deadline so I made a special effort to find her and here is her news: "We are having a grand time now that Hugs and I are fully into our 70s...I will be 71 in February again giving my own birthday party! I fully believe in 'Never regret growing older...it is a privilege denied to many.' I have given up doing any full-blown catering...still playing in my big kitchen downstairs to entertain my friends and to keep a freezer full of soups, desserts, and cheese wafers for those that want them! We still love our neighborhood here in Smyrna after fifteen years and both really enjoy our family YMCA where we work out several times a week...I love my weight machines and can avoid sweating which is perfect. Son Drew lives just down the freeway from us, so it's fun to see him fairly often. He is
really busy working in the expanding movie industry here.. he thinks he's died and gone to heaven being the on set continuity rep at Pinewood Studios doing the two back-to-back Avengers movies for the past several months. The only thing better would be Star Wars, since he has an arm of tattoos to prove his adoration. Daughter Sam is still in London working for Citi Group as the head of sales trading in Europe. She is still sweating Brexit and its impact on her business...time will tell. We see her a good bit since she has the same love of Florence, Italy, and visits us often while we are in residence during the fall and spring. We spent our last trip scouting properties for her and she has just put a contract on a lovely apartment which she will spend many months renovating to her specifications. We are delighted since we will rent it from her for our stays and won't have to store all of our personal stuff that we now have to pack and unpack each time. We love to share our knowledge of the city with anyone thinking of planning a trip there. Do contact us anytime. I wish all of you a very healthy and happy 2018!" Sally Hines wins the prize for being the first to send in her news and then send another email just to make sure I got her news – thanks for that, Sally! She writes: "I'm still at the Manhattan D.A.'s Office, working part time, three days a week. This spring I'll also work at NYU Law School as an adjunct professor in a clinical advocacy program, which I love. Husband Ron is having a good time at a new, smaller, younger law firm, after 25 years at Hughes Hubbard & Reed! He's at Lewis Baach, working hard and enjoying the change. Son Bobby does computer design work for an international construction company based in France. He has spent the past two months in Paris. We visited him there earlier this month and had a great time! Classmates coming to New York City, please call us." Sally Jones Brodie sent me pictures of her house where they have spent the last few Christmases and a picture of where they hope to be next Christmas, plus this note: "We have been living in my husband's old law firm office (no kitchen and the shower is outdoors) for two and a half years. We hope to be in a new home next Christmas. All continues healthy and happy in our life in Stuart, Fla. What more could we ask for."
Jane Tinka Adams writes: "Dan and I have had a busy year. He is still active with the Shriners, serving on the Board of Directors of Lexington Shriner's Hospital and driving children and their parents to the various hospitals around the country. In his spare time he has continued to remodel our home. I have continued to work full time at the VA Oncology Ambulatory Clinic. I am now functioning as a clinical nurse specialist and enjoying the opportunity to work independently as a provider. Unfortunately, I also had the chance to become a patient after I discovered a lump in my breast. After surgery and radiation, I am recovering and waiting for the 10 percent chance of recurrence. Our girls are all very busy with careers and children! Kim came back from Iceland and is working in California for a solar energy company. Danielle stays busy running her very successful stone sheet company. In addition she and Logan have a home full of love in the form of three German Shepherds and many cats. They do not need a security system."
1965 ST. STEPHEN'S Allen R. Caskie acaskie@hotmail.com
News Flash— Seventy is the new fifty! Also, in case you missed it in a recent fundraising solicitation from SSSAS, our former leader, Doug Peck, has emerged from the mists of time, delivering a thoughtful recollection of his two years as a member of the SSS Class of '65. I know we all are glad to have an opportunity to reconnect with him and hope to see him at future reunions. Doug, you have been missed. Allen Caskie writes that he and wife Dawn are now firmly planted in Reston, along with several hundred assorted ornamentals that he personally moved from previous residences in McLean and Watkins Glen last year. His top New Year's resolution– no more digging, ever. Also, eldest son Ryan and family were sent back to the U.K. by Morgan Chase in September and will settle in Bournemouth on the South Coast, where they are expected to have spacious parental guest accommodations if they know what's good for them. Finally, Allen notes that he and Derek Savage have enjoyed periodic Old Town lunches this past
year with Courtney Mallinson '64, Dick Flynt '64, Dave Speck '63, Tom Kreutzer '64, Jack Edsall '64, Randy Earnest '62, and others. Denny Coombe reports that he and wife Carolyn visited Yellowstone and the Tetons this summer and strongly recommends the experience. Carolyn has retired from preschool teaching, but still subs occasionally. Son Kevin and Noon have an 18-month-old son, Aiden Akira, and Chris and Casey have an 8-month-old daughter, Hayden Caileigh, who joins her 5-year-old sister, Harper Grace. For the second time in four years, Denny's bank employer has been sold to another institution. He says he will remain with the surviving bank for a while longer as he just can't give up the fifteen-minute commute and his old clients yet. Denny, just face it– you and Culp are gluttons for punishment. Howard Harding spent 10 days touring and singing five concerts in Finland during late July with a 40-person contingent from the Marquette Choral Society to help celebrate the 100th anniversary of independence from Russian rule. In other breaking news, Howard noted that he continues to take college courses at Northern Michigan University which are FREE when you get really, really old—and, wait a minute...a guy from northern Michigan goes to Finland for his summer vacation? Derek Savage writes that he and MC went to Tanzania last January for a safari. They were in the Serengeti National Park, among other places, and saw all the wild animals we used to watch on Wild Kingdom, including elephants, lions, giraffes, leopards, and cheetahs. Best trip photo—Derek, wearing an Indiana Jones hat, riding a Wildebeest into a Kalahari sunset. In October they spent 11 days in Paris seeing all the sites, and eating all the good food. Beautiful weather, lots of long walks, and use of the Metro system which, he noted, is fast, frequent, and clean. Photos include Derek wearing a beret and playing an accordion with the Seine in the background. He added, "Our two granddaughters, Gloria (5) and Wren (4), are nearby in Baltimore, so we see them regularly. MC and I are still involved in a variety of volunteer activities to keep us out of trouble. I volunteer at a University of Maryland Law School clinic and a nature center
that hosts elementary school students." Bill Culp is retiring from Arthur J. Gallagher and Company, a worldwide insurance broker, in March 2018, after having been employed by it and predecessor companies since February 1, 1982. Says Bill, "I never thought I would work until age 70! It must have been fun!" (Bill, if you don't know for sure, it's possible it was just for the money.) Regardless, surrounded by his children and grandchildren in Cincinnati for the holidays, he concludes, "We are very lucky!" Brooke Spotswood reports, "Lu and I went to Scotland this fall to track down some old Spotswoods. I found two lawyers, four bishops, and only one confessed murderer. Really, I'm not making this up! Really enjoyed our 50th, we'll have to do it again! Wish Sleepy had been there, but Babyak, not so much— spent too much time in his office during '59-'60!" Dick Babyak could not be reached for comment. Is Jim Collett running for governor of South Carolina? He doesn't rule it out. " Well," he said," we'll just have to see what happens." Truer words have never been uttered by a politician– not recently anyway. The self-effacing Collett insists that he, like Chauncey Gardiner, just enjoys being there, living quietly on Hilton Head Island among the alligators that occasionally infest his back yard. John Cronin was the first and most loquacious responder to this year's class news request. " I have nothing untoward to report except that I saw Don Fontes, Bucky Sydnor, and Jim Worden (mit bride, Margie Dumas Worden '66) several weeks ago for dinner and we all thoroughly disgraced ourselves. I hadn't seen Jim and Margie since the 70s and Don and Bucky since the '05 reunion, but they certainly looked top drawer, I say. Life do go on, no? My girl is now 12 and a competitive swimmer and figure skater and my 10-year-old boy is a defenseman in an ice hockey league in Arlington. Cheri still works as an attorney for the Department of the Interior and is constantly on the run. I don't ever want to travel again. I've lived on four continents since I was 20 and I'm fed up with the jet lag and having to wash all of my produce in baking soda or risk getting some kind of horrible parasite that will turn my brain into the same mush that is bedeviling Trump. Peace, brothers. " www.sssas.org | 63
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Bob Whitton admits," I can't top Peck's magnum opus for length. However, as far as travel is concerned, I can tell you that since last year, same time, Andrea and I have been to Tanglewood and Boston and NYC for art and concerts, to a southern latitude 19.333111, -81.239681 for warmth in February, to Virginia for two different memorial services, to Maine for two different long weekends, to the Jersey Shore for August vacation, to France for a river cruise on the RhĂ´ne, to Delaware for Thanksgiving and to Ridgefield for a change of clothing and more than enough volunteer work to cure me of the retirement habit. Have read or listened to lots of books, held children and grandchildren close, and [are you listening Tom Boswell?] watched Williams defeat Amherst in football for the first time in many moons. And so it goes." At press time, John Disoway, had not yet submitted the account of his 2017 travel saga. However, after getting a preview of Whitton's chronicles, John was rumored to be going into OT with Travelocity to book a few more flights before year's end. The 2017 travel winner's name will be revealed in a special class supplement.
1966 ST. AGNES
Carter Dudley Flemming carterflemming@gmail.com While 2017 didn't have the same level of excitement as our 50th Reunion year in 2016; our classmates still had some news to share. Peg Craig-Kennelly writes from Florida that she and husband Dennis have spent some time this fall with family. They spent Thanksgiving with daughter Christine and grandchildren Connor and Sheridan in Charlotte, N.C. They also attended Peg's goddaughter Britton's wedding in Palm Beach. But Peg says her "greatest fun" was spending two days with classmate Peggy Johnson Hayes in Cocoa Beach. She reports it was like no time had passed since high school and she treasured the chance to regain such a jewel of a friendship this late in life. This was one of the benefits of our 50th Reunion, in that many of us regained connections with friends from our SAS days. Peg wants to see if some of us can arrange to meet somewhere fun for a few days. So get in 64 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
touch with Peg if you have an idea for a mini-Reunion! She wants to know who is in and prays everyone is healthy and thriving. Diane Haldane reports that she is very glad to be in Sebring, Fla. during this very cold winter. The eye of the hurricane passed directly over them, but fortunately, they had only minimal roof damage. Diane came to Alexandria for Thanksgiving to visit her mother who is turning 90 in April. Diane is finishing up a large knitting project and when she is done with that, she will resume working on her Navajo weaving. She says she can break down her loom and take it back to Wisconsin in April and continue weaving. She is yet another one of our talented class artists. Lee Vosbeck Hagan still works in property management for McEnearney Real Estate. She visited her sons in Florida over Christmas and was happy to spend time with her grandchildren. Lee's parents have moved to The Fairfax retirement community and she visits them every Sunday. Leslie Ferrell Kauffmann reports that she will be in Miami in February for her daughter, Ana's, wedding. Leslie has been doing beautiful quilting work that we have been able to see through the marvels of electronic media. She and husband Jose have enjoyed several trips this year, including one to Argentina, Chile, and Brazil in November. Sara "Pinky" Caples says this past year has been "kind of a fairy tale wonder for husband, Everardo Jefferson, and me." They received the President's Award from their local American Institute of Architects and were honored at a banquet where 1100 people were in attendance. She said it was "completely humbling, but lots of fun too." Pinky says that she visited 15 countries last year, including Nigeria, Bolivia, and Estonia, for their State Department clients. She is "excitedly counting the days until our next reunion" and says, "The big blowout doesn't stop at 50." Susan Whittington had two good hiking trips to Nova Scotia and Big Bend National Park. She says they are contemplating leaving Seattle this year and moving East. It would be awesome to have Susan back on this side of the country! Margie Dumas Worden hopes for a better 2018 since she and husband Jimmy Worden '65 spent most of
Sara "Pinky" Caples '62 and husband Everardo Jefferson received the 2017 AIA New York President's Award, which commemorates an architect, still active and in mid-career, whose work has made a significant impact on New York City. They were honored at the Heritage Ball on October 26, 2017. They founded their New York firm, Caples Jefferson Architects, in 1987. The practice is known for designing buildings that engage with social, cultural, and community concerns and serve as civic anchors in the public realm. 2017 recuperating from Jimmy's hip revision surgery and her broken arm. But she says life is good and they will forge ahead. They had a fun evening with John Cronin '65, Don Fontes '65, and Bucky Sydnor '65 in October and just picked up right where they left off many years ago! Jimmy was inducted into the TC Williams Athletic Hall of Fame in January in recognition of his many years of successful coaching there for boys' and girls' basketball, softball, and cross country. It was certainly a well-deserved recognition for someone who gave so much to our city's young athletes and I was happy to be at the ceremony that honored him. Ann Martyn and husband Frank celebrated their 40th anniversary this year. Ann says music is now "her occupation and pre-occupation." She plays and sings with various friends and takes singing and guitar lessons. She sang Frank the song "Lullaby" by Dan Seals for their anniversary. She and Frank hope to travel to Ireland again this year to the village where they used to live, and Frank wants to start a reading group at their local library on short Irish fiction. In a life-comes-fullcircle moment, their granddaughter, Madina, is a freshman at Hollins. She likes it very much and is studying snakes and forensic psychology. Since Ann and Frank live in Roanoke, they love having her close-by.
Tina Bell says that 2017 has been rather ordinary, but she is healthy and continues to work. She is treasurer of her HOA, and the "master of the fish pond in the courtyard, learning more about koi fish than she ever imagined, none of which have died under her inexperienced care." She is enjoying having time to learn more about the history of Denver. Liz Anglin Simmonds continues her travels with husband Terry in their RV, "Tin Lizzie." Jeannette Tracy visited with Erica Kessler Lodish and Margie Dumas Worden on her way to visit her mother, who still lives in her own home in N.C. at age 96! She and her husband, John, continue to love living in New England, despite the cold weather. Chris Motley spent some time in the D.C. area this fall and several of us had the opportunity to enjoy a long lunch with her. She continues her work in fiber art and receives requests to exhibit her work in various galleries and shows throughout the country. Petey Cosby has moved to a new home in Annapolis and enjoys being able to spend time with her four grandchildren. Star Bales Alterman and husband Hal continue to love living in Florida and travel to Connecticut when they can to visit their grandchildren. And I, Carter Dudley Flemming, am happy to be the class agent for our
awesome class. I continue with all my volunteer "jobs" around Alexandria. We enjoyed having all our family here with us for Christmas. I was once again touched when I received the SSSAS Annual Report, and saw the very generous contribution that our class made in honor of our 50th Reunion and my 50-year service as our agent! I think back to that night often and wonder at the surprise you all pulled off, marveling at how lucky we all have been to be in each other's company for so long! Stay in touch when you can and maybe we can pull off a mini-reunion before 2021!
1967 ST. AGNES Alice Reno Malone tammyarm@aol.com
Well, we did it—our 50th Reunion! All I really can say is that it was an absolutely wonderful and emotional weekend for all of us. Twenty-three St. Agnes '67 lambs came back to the Hilltop from as far away as the West Coast and Europe, some having seen each other within the year and others not for 50 years. The transition was seamless. It was as if we were still on Fontaine Street! A few of us arrived early to start the festivities on Thursday evening. Friday morning we spent time with the third graders telling them stories about our time as 8-year-olds
and learning from them about life today in the Lower School. This was followed by a Golden Saints Luncheon at Lloyd House (those who could find their SAS '67 class rings proudly wore them for a picture). We also had an opportunity to tour exhibits, including a boarding room furnished to reflect two eras, and talked with the archivist, Rachel Payne, about what we might be able to add to her collection and oral histories. That evening the school hosted a wonderful reception for all alumni at the Torpedo Factory, which gave everyone a chance to see friends from other classes as well as those from SSS '67. Saturday found us still talking and reminiscing about the past 50 years. The APT Fall Family Festival at the Upper School was scheduled in the morning, which included a picnic lunch for alumni, parents, and students there for Homecoming festivities. There was a tour of what we only knew as St. Stephen's, with a chance to see areas that were new, as well as those we never ventured into while we were there! It is an absolutely wonderful facility and the current students are so lucky! During halftime at the afternoon football game, the alumni classes marched around the track with banners held high and received pins from our fifth grade pen pals. Saturday evening we gathered as a class at Deborah Androus' for dinner, www.sssas.org | 65
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Reunion 2017 photos clockwise starting above: St. Agnes 1967 classmates. Seated: Robin Hirst Moore, Beth Grosvenor Boland; standing: Elizabeth Herbert Cottrell, Alice Reno Malone, and Jill Strachan. SAS 1967 Class Party on Saturday night at the home of Deborah Androus. Being recognized at the Homecoming football game halftime. St. Stephen's Class of 1967 photo at the Torpedo Factory Alumni Reception on Friday night.
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Susan Snodgrass Wynne '68 and her husband, Dubby, with their six grands in Virginia Beach.
hugs, and memory-making. Pictures were taken and we resolved to gather again in five years or sooner. The bonds of school friendships are alive and strong with our class, and we are all proud of how much our classmates have done individually and collectively to make the world a better place. Deborah wrote, "Getting to catch up with people we've known nearly all our lives, with whom we have a deep and meaningful shared history, a bridge between our youthful past and our 'mature' present, this is the magic of reunions. We are like fine wines....improving with age!" To those reading this who are not from our class, please give serious consideration to participating in your reunions whenever the opportunity presents itself. It was such a special weekend for our class - both graduates and those who still hold the school dear to their hearts. The rare opportunity to slow down, seize the moment, and reflect with others who share your memories is so special in this everwhirling world of ours. Hail St. Agnes!
1968 ST. AGNES Barbara Butler Leonard bbleonard@verizon.net
This is the big year you guys, 50th class reunion, September 28-29! Events will be on the Lower School (our old campus) on Friday with an evening cocktail party at the Torpedo Factory in Old Town. Saturday activities
will be at the Upper School (old SSS campus), followed by our class dinner. I have heard from a few of you who are planning on attending, hoping to hear from you quiet ones. Sherrie Rook is just finishing up a long career in art history visual resources at George Mason University. Sounds like she might travel in her new life. She'll be at the reunion. Mary Leith Leslie is super busy in Atlanta studying Ikebana, being president of the Atlanta chapter of Ikebana International! She serves of the board of the Atlanta Preservation center, plays bridge and travels with husband Dick. She's coming. Joyce Nichols Tomlinson lives on 32 acres of country in Snow Camp, N.C., with her husband, is retired from nursing, works part-time in a boutique, and has four granddaughters. I think she's coming! Susan Snodgrass Wynne is lucky enough to have all six of her grands living nearby in Virginia Beach. She volunteers with church, garden club, Ronald McDonald House and Beach House. Both her sons married "beautiful blondes" who were college friends at Georgia. Susan's coming! Martha Baldwin Guy writes that she and Benjamin still live in the same house they moved to 40 years ago. They spend winters in Aiken, S.C., she's a new grandmother to young Ben, and she continues to ride horseback and bikes, too. She looks forward to seeing lots of classmates at our 50th.
Sarah King Carr is gonna be there, too! That's all the news for now, stay tuned and see you in September.
1971 ST. AGNES
Sara Charlton charltonryan@earthlink.net I, Sara Charlton, wish to say hi to all my classmates! I am still living on the Oregon Coast and still working as a library director for a couple of more years. I am more involved in my music and guitar than ever and have fun performing. Next year I hope more of my classmates will have a chance to send updates. It is fun to see what everyone is up to.
1973 ST. AGNES
Marion Dawson Robinette marion.robinette@comcast.net The SAS Class of 1973 enjoyed another weekend at the 2017 Bayou Boogalo Music and Cajun Food Festival in Norfolk, Va., June 23-26. In attendance were our honoree, resident artist Annie Groves Odell, her daughter, Katie Odell, along with Mary Palmer, Meg Babyak Tucker, Madeline Cooley Flagler, Liz Bostick, Terri Shelton, Cary Reardon Nunnally, Pam Zimmerman Brislin, and Leslie Treece Fairbairn. First time attendees Terri Shelton and Mary Palmer were sold on this gathering and now promise to make all future www.sssas.org | 67
CLASS NOTES
Jane Kincheloe Wiles '73 and family co-founded the Solace Brewing Company in June 2017, near Dulles Airport. They also own the Paradise Springs Wineries in Clifton, Va., and Santa Barabara, Calif. They recently opened the Paradise Springs Tasting Room in the heart of Santa Barbara's Funk Zone. Her son, Drew, is co-founder and head brewer of the brewery and son, Kirk, is the CEO and cofounder of the wineries.
festivals. We are looking forward to the 2018 Festival in June and hope to have more first-time attendees, yours truly included! This has become a wonderful tradition spearheaded by Leslie's hard work to coordinate our gathering. 2018 is a big year for us because it is our 45th Reunion. Jane Kincheloe Wiles writes that "as the smoke clears in Santa Barbara, residents are waking up to her new Paradise Springs Winery Tasting room, which has just opened." She also adds that she opened Solace Brewing Company near Dulles Airport in June. Terri Shelton reports that she and her husband, Arthur Anastopoulos, are both at UNC Greensboro, where Terri continues as vice chancellor for research and engagement and the
Meg Babyak Tucker '73 and grandchildren
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Carol Jenkins Mattocks distinguished professor and Arthur is a professor in human development and family studies and director of the ADHD Clinic. Son Tyler graduated with his doctorate in physical therapy in December 2017. A family trip to Maui to celebrate is planned. Madeline Cooley Flagler writes that her daughter, Mary Grove, is married and living in Washington, D.C. She is marketing director for Water Street Partners, a consulting firm in Georgetown. Daughter Julia Flagler is general manager at the Rhubarb Restaurant in Asheville, N.C. Madeline enjoys working at the Wrightsville Beach Museum, where she endeavors to chip away the myth that museums are staid and dusty by nurturing programs that are creative, engaging, and make the site hum. Her husband, David, is restoring a 48-foot 1928 Elco wooden motor yacht. Suzanne Ives Dunkley reported the sad news of her mother's passing in August 2017 at age 94. On a happier note, Suzanne was a judge at the MidAtlantic Song Contest sponsored by the Songwriters Association of Washington. From the Eastern Shore, I, Marion Dawson Robinette, continue to enjoy life with dogs! My mini long-haired dachshund, Stanley, and I competed in our second agility trial at the end of the year. Our first one was in September. We did well, learned a lot, laughed a lot, and continue agility classes at the Salisbury Maryland Kennel Club. Stanley is also a therapy dog and we visit the residents at the Wicomico Nursing Home where my mother was
a resident for three years before she passed away in 2011. She received such excellent care that I figured this was a good way to give back. Stanley loves the residents and the residents love Stanley! Dan continues to be gainfully employed. His younger son, Mike, and wife Jess welcomed twin boys in September, who join Emmie (4) and Jack Henry (2). Yep. They are busy!! Meg Babyak Tucker reports she is still working and enjoying life with her three grandchildren. Pembroke Moreau Roeder is still working as a civil servant for Air Force Global Strike Command in Shreveport, La. She is active in Mardi Gras krewe and a non-profit Renesting Project that provides furnishings for families who leave shelters for apartments and houses.
1975 ST. AGNES
Effie Cottman Dawson effiedawson00@gmail.com The Class of '75 remains young at heart and closely connected to each other through social media and emails. It's a joy to see how everyone is enjoying life. Sharon Snow Nicholson's son, William, got married in Chapel Hill this summer and Beth Holliman Hart and I were honored to be part of the weekend celebration. We all danced the night away, including a few dances with just the three of us SAS gals. Boy did that bring back some high school memories. Sharon, Beth, Vickers Bryan and I got together again later in the summer at
1973 classmates Karen Washington Franklin and Annie Groves Odell
Sharon's lovely Atlantic Beach, N.C. beach house. One of the traditions of these visits is the sharing of a ceramic bird that was a door prize at a golf tournament decades ago. Whoever has it tries to hide it in plain site during a visit. The holder has to keep it until our next gathering. This year I'm happy to report that Beth tried to hide it at Sharon's and it somehow end up back in Beth's computer case. Good job ladies. Sorry about that Beth. Beth left the East Coast a few days after the beach for a West Coast wedding for her stepdaughter. Beth still loves a good road trip. Maggie Hoy Ross Heckman's grandson, Evan, turned 2 on Christmas Eve. As you would expect, Maggie is grandmother extraordinaire. Page Pettit and her partner, Gail, sold their health club in March, and as she said, "entered into the Big R." She had family trips to the British Isles, Iceland, and Africa. Her sons, Paul and Andrew, live in Richmond, leasing an apartment together in the Shockoe Bottom part of town. Nabers Cabaniss Johnson and her husband, Chris, are in their seventh year back in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where Chris practices law. Nabers is an English tutor to Saudi children, a job that gives her the flexibility to return to the U.S. for extended periods. She and Chris still have a home in Warrenton, Va., and Nabers' mother still lives in Old Town. Their son, Henry, graduated from NYU Abu Dhabi in May and is interning on Capitol Hill. It has been two years since Nabers' dear sister and our classmate, Ayn Cabaniss, died.
1975 classmates together in N.C.: Vickers Bryan, Effie Cottman Dawson, Sharon Snow Nicholson, and Beth Holloman Hart
You Did It! Thanks to the generosity of our Saints families, the new and increased giving thus far has helped our school take advantage of a unique opportunity. The Edward E. Ford Foundation and an anonymous donor have matched the increase in these gifts, providing $100,000 for St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School.
Many of these new funds will be used to enhance the innovative social entrepreneurship program offerings at the Upper School. You'll be amazed at how our Saints will impact the community in the months and years to come!
Haven't given to The Saints Fund yet this year? To support exciting programs like this and many others, please visit: www.sssas.org/give
Ayn's three sons now live at Nabers' mother's house when they aren't in college. Ayn's youngest, Leigh, is a freshman at George Mason, her middle son, Jelks IV, is a sophomore at Sewanee, and her oldest, Alex, is working in Old Town. Barb Rooth has been in Maine since 2006 and is in her 28th year teaching Spanish at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School. Barb lives close to her mother in Brunswick and said her mother "remains my best friend and favorite partner in crime." Her daughter, Shelby, and her husband are finishing up a three-year tour in Germany. Her son, Kyle, is a history teacher and football coach in San Antonio. His son and Barb's beloved grandson, Joshua, lives in Georgia with his mother. For me, Effie Cottman Dawson, it was a traveling 2017. Frank and I went to South by Southwest Conference and Festival in Austin and then gathered with all our children for the Houston Rodeo. Frank and I, our youngest daughter, Alli, and my beloved brother, Clancy Cottman '73, spent a week exploring Cuba in May, in the window when independent travel was still
allowed. I still work at The Washington Post as managing editor of The Post's wire service. I am blessed with a job I love, a dear family, and wonderful old friends from high school.
1976 ST. AGNES Melissa Ulsaker Maas mmaas@sssas.org
Thanks to all who submitted notes! Everyone is always so happy to catch up. From Suzanne Eudy Backus: "Loved seeing everyone who was able to come to our mini reunion lunch at Stacy Holleder Jones' home. Hard year. I lost my 91-year-old Daddy suddenly, who was in great health. I visited him almost every afternoon and miss him very much. On the good front, my oldest son, Glenn Edward, is marrying a lovely woman, Ally, and his father and I couldn't be happier. My middle son, Troy, is hoping for another promotion at Enterprise so he and his wife can move down south. My daughter, Frances, is happy in Atlanta. She is my traveling companion and we have a fun www.sssas.org | 69
CLASS NOTES
Front row: Daughters Aya and Tala. Back row: daughter Sarah, son Chris and girlfriend Natasha, Dave and Amy Goers Rhodes '76
trip planned in February. Love to all my classmates!" From Travis Brownley: "All is well in California! Our boys are eight and in the second grade. Liz is working for One School House and I am in my 10th year as head of school at Marin Academy. Hope everyone is well!" From Cate Gately Dean: "The holiday season was very nice. All of the kids were able to spend some time at home. My youngest, Meghan, completed her first semester at Washington College and is still very happy with her choice. She will be playing lacrosse this spring and fortunately for us she is close enough that we will be able to go to most of her games. The boys, Joseph and Hillory, Jr., are no longer 'boys' which is taking a little bit to get used to. The best aspect is that they all get along as adults. Work is going well. Thanks to the hard work of the staff, we recently became an AAHA Accredited Hospital. I am off to Florida for a few days at the beginning of February for continuing education, very much hoping for some warmer weather." From Sharon Huhn Dennis: "2017 was a good year for the Dennis family as Craig and I inch nearer to retirement. Craig is driving a school bus and tutoring homebound students. I am doing some bookkeeping for a home improvement company in NoVa, and still playing music. Last year I got to visit Ireland on a musical mission trip with my music partner, Doris (The Braeded Chord). Amazing!! The small town we visited, Rostrevor, is home to some very talented musicians and 70 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
Jameson Bloom '13, Melissa Ulsaker Maas '76, husband Brent Maas, Alex Bloom '11, and Summit
the woods there served as inspiration for C.S. Lewis' Narnia books. We led worship in several places, presented workshops, and played in a few pubs with the local musicians. Our oldest child, Sandy, is a nurse, living with us and working in a nearby hospital. Her twin, Jacob, finished his master's degree in computer science and is working in Blacksburg for a research group developing driverless technology. Middle son, Joe, moved to Calif. after finishing his Ph.D. in macromolecular science and engineering (polymers) at VA Tech and is working for IBM. Youngest son David is on the home stretch to finish his bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering at Tech in May. We can hardly wait to not have any children in college!" From Leslie Plummer: "I moved back to Northern Virginia in 2004 and recently moved to Manassas to be near the mountains and enjoy life in more rural surrounds. I've enjoyed a dual career path, as a front office manager and a documentation specialist/writer for high tech companies and nonprofits. My favorite aspects have been targeted facilities planning/design and corporate events planning. I left the rat race in 2007, when my company was sold for parts. Forty percent of our business was with Fannie and Freddie! Soon thereafter, I became my mother's full-time caregiver until 2015. During this time I was an admin volunteer for the Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Dept., where I loved portraying their primary medical patient for the Volunteer EMT-B classes at the Academy. In
2012 I also became an election officer for Fairfax County and loved it. I now serve as an election officer for Prince William County. I'm on the job hunt again, hoping to work for county government or somehow serve all my new neighbors." From Amy Goers Rhodes: "Dave and I are now empty nesters! Aya is in her first year of seminary at Southeastern Baptist seminary in Wake Forest, N.C. Tala is a junior at Radford University and Sarah is a freshman at Towson University. I became a grandmother for the third time! My stepdaughter Jessica had a boy in June. My step daughter Katie has two children, William (4) and Emma (2). Dave and I took a wonderful Viking River cruise down the RhĂ´ne river in the south of France in September. We had a marvelous time and are looking forward to our next cruise! Since 2018 will be a big birthday for the class of 1976 is anyone interested in getting together?" From Karen Scrivanos Oztemel: "My husband, Gary, and I had a big
1976 classmates Amy Goers Rhodes, Elizabeth Bancroft, and Melissa Ulsaker Maas
1979 classmates Hannon Jacob, Bob Webb, James Fulcher, and Michael Uzer
celebration party this Christmas (celebrating our son coming home from Bangkok for Christmas and some big news for daughter Alexandra who lives in San Francisco). Margaret Moreau and her husband, Eric Emanuelson, drove down from Guilford, Conn., for the party ! It was great to see them and have them be part of this special time for us. I'm still a real estate agent with Berkshire Hathaway New England Properties, and hope that any alums coming to NYC will let me know. I am only a 40-minute train ride away."
From Grace Tiffany: "I am still teaching early English literature at Western Michigan University and maintaining my blog, 'Shakespeare in Fiction and Fact,' at www. shakespearefiction.blogspot.com. I have a son, Joseph, who's about to turn 18 and my husband, Tom, is semi-retired and doing a lot of ice-fishing." I, Melissa Ulsaker Maas, had a good year in 2017. My husband, Brent, and I had a fun and delicious lunch with Amy Goers Rhodes and husband Dave, and Elizabeth Bancroft and
husband Charles in Old Town. Son Alex Bloom '11 continues to love his job and snowboarding (with trips to Vermont, Colorado, and Montana), and son Jameson Bloom '13 graduated from George Mason University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in game design. We had a wonderful family trip to Kiawah Island, after the blackout in Hatteras prevented us from going there. I got a new car on New Year's Eve because I needed one big enough for my 120 lb. dog, Summit, and her new brother, Ripley, (who will be about 130 lbs.)...back to a Honda Odyssey, the luxury car for parents. Yes, dog children count. I then went with Alex to buy his first car, the hottest looking Honda Accord you have ever seen. Yes, it's nicer than my Odyssey. Best to all in 2018. We should plan a big 60th birthday party for all who can come!
1977 ST. AGNES
Clara Bell Guess edenhouse3@gmail.com It was great to see so many classmates at our 40th Reunion in October! We enjoyed the reception at the Torpedo Factory and the gathering at the home of Barbie Beggs Frank '69. Many classmates keep in touch through our class Facebook page. Jenifer Shockley
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posts the cutest birthday greetings! Mimi Beggs Larsen uploaded lots of photos from "the good old days" prior to the reunion. There are also lots of great pictures from the reunion weekend. We are looking forward to our next reunion.
1980 ST. AGNES
Ann Hepburn Webb gadsby1988@gmail.com Happy 2018! As I write, it is freeeezzzing outside. Hopefully, by the time you read these notes, it is warm and sunny. Mary-McLean Bancroft Jones writes, "Breast cancer didn't get me down!" Instead, she and husband Lee decided to retire. During the winter months they are in Bradenton, Fla. They spend spring and fall in Basye, Va., and the summers in Nova Scotia. Mary-McLean cannot complain. She is enjoying herself tremendously and feeling well. Lee is a guitarist and has been enjoying the time to work on his music. MaryMcLean is busy volunteering at the local hospice, Jazzercising, collecting mid-century furniture and learning to cook. She says, "We don't have grandchildren, but we've adopted a rescue Burmese/Thai cat. I hope 2018 brings much joy to all of you." Puma Bridges Cornick and husband Carter remain in Alexandria and are down a child at home. Their daughter, Elizabeth, graduated from UVA and moved to Richmond for a job (and her boyfriend.) "That leaves her freshman son, Keene, double-teamed! He is low man on the totem pole at the Upper School, but enjoys having more wiggle room." Puma's dad recently moved into Goodwin House where Cathy Smith Tyler's and Ashley Montague's moms reside. There is quite an SSSAS network there. Carter and Puma are enjoying having more flexibility in their schedules and spending time with the "oldies-but-goodies like Cathy and Ruffin, Ashley, Vicky Howell O'Bresly, Ann Hepburn Webb, and Kem ReinWarren, as well as looking forward to catching up with more of you. Vicky Howell O'Bresly and family are doing well in the Bay area. Her oldest, Carolina, just got her driver's license. "It was such a big deal for us, and yet she's one of the few her age who has a license." Vicky just wishes she had a big old car like Mrs. Howell's Chevy 72 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
Caprice to drive around—it was a tank with an eight-track cassette player. Vicky's youngest, Catherine, has gotten the rowing bug and is fortunate to have some very supportive coaches. Vicky continues to teach a class in entrepreneurship at UC Berkeley. Also, she is working on her own real estate projects. Husband Mike continues to work as in-house counsel for an insurance company. Vicky's biggest news from recent months is that she was fortunate enough to go see the Rolling Stones concert in Hamburg. "It was a blast. The only bummer was when I told my students I was going to see The Stones, I got a bunch of blank stares when I was expecting some shock and awe. I guess we are really that old!" The O'Breslys had a pretty quiet New Year's eve …. "We were with our two girls and I told them about the wonderful New Year's Bash at Tracy Nelson Geschickter's. Sending you all my best and a big hug to boot." Lynne Rogich Ford has a new job as a private wealth, division executive for SunTrust for Greater Washington/ Maryland. She is very happy for this opportunity that keeps her in the region and off airplanes and out of the skies. Her parents are getting older but still live in the house where she grew up in Alexandria! Lynne's daughter, Blair, will finish up her MBA at Georgetown after returning from a 12-month hiatus in Billings, Mont.
1987 ST. AGNES
Shelly Webb shelly.webb.108@gmail.com The St. Agnes Class of 1987 turned 30 in 2017 and had a great time in October celebrating together, with their partners and children, and with their fellow reunion attendees from the St. Stephen's Class of 1987. Thanks to Cecile Lastelic Phillips and Jane Barness Verdecchia, who along with Dave Cogar '87 and Marc Miller '87, organized our class party at Whitlow's on Wilson. We had a great showing, especially from our SAS class. Here's to meeting again in another five years! Some personal highlights from our classmates include the following: From Sarah Williams: "I published an essay, 'Tight Lines,' in issue #65 of Gargoyle Magazine. The piece is about learning to fly fish in Montana with my mom, Carol Jo Williams, and her allwomen fly fishing group. I was invited to read from the essay at American University last fall as part of the 40th anniversary celebration of Gargoyle Magazine. I have also recently joined the National Cathedral School Athletic Department as the assistant JV and assistant middle school coach for both field hockey and girls lacrosse. Cecile Lastelic Phillips writes: "I am finishing my final term with the SSSAS Alumni Association Board this year. My girls are at SSSAS in high school— one a senior waiting to hear back from colleges and the other a sophomore
working on getting her driver's license. We purchased a beach house in Wilmington, N.C., so I have been busy traveling down once a month to supervise the work we are doing to it." Mary Elizabeth Duke is super happy that her daughter will be heading to William & Mary as a first-year student next year, and also notes that she had a great time at the reunion. Mariana Narcho Long was happy that reunion was great for both catching up with old friends AND getting the inside skinny on what life was like at several colleges and universities for her son James who is a senior at St. Albans. Ashley Duvall Hayes was gracious enough to chat with him about the particular joys of attending Syracuse—thanks again Ashley! In other news, Mariana was recently promoted to supervisory librarian at the U.S. Department of Justice and is responsible for managing a staff of eight and four branch locations. She
currently resides in Arlington, Va., with her family and regularly keeps in touch with Monika Talwar Pohlmann. Meanwhile, I, Shelly Webb, am still loving life in Boulder, Co., working for the Shambhala Buddhist Community and Whole Foods. Much love to all my dear SAS classmates.
1988 ST. AGNES
Sharon Dewey Cassidy cassidy4kids@gmail.com Hello Classmates and Happy New Year! Hope you had a lovely holiday with your families and loved ones. Hard to believe, but we are less than a year away from our 30th Reunion Please mark your calendar and plan to attend the Homecoming weekend this September 28-29! I had a wonderful visit over dinner with Cristin Curry De Silva in D.C. last August. She, her husband, and daughter
moved from Jakarta to Singapore last year. They've enjoyed recent trips to Margaret River, Western Australia, and Cambodia, and will be going to Japan for spring break. She will be back in Alexandria over the summer to visit family and would love to get together with local classmates! After 17 years as a preschool then elementary school teacher, Melissa Kuhn Cetola recently became a Real Estate Agent with Fonville Morisey in Cary, N.C. Her oldest, Conor, decided to stay local for college and is attending North Carolina State majoring in business finance. Carlin Porter Mihm's oldest, Emily (Carlin's mini me), will be attending the University of Texas in Austin this fall studying environmental science! Carlin is still in Frisco, Texas, and busy with tennis, volunteering, and managing the kids' busy schedules. We look forward every summer to our families vacationing together in Rehoboth! I also
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got to see Juli Keller McKinney this summer in Lewes at their family home. She's still is enjoying life in Apex, N.C., as her mom, Debbie, lives nearby! Alison Herr Christmas, Amy Izo Fang, and I caught up over lunch at Bradlee Shopping Centre in the fall, and oh, was that a walk down memory lane! We each have three boys and loved sharing stories and advice about how to raise kind, selfless, motivated, and humble kids! Alison is a real estate agent with TTR Sotheby's in Alexandria, and Amy lives in Arlington. Claire Jenkins Porter writes, "I am optimistic and likely also insane, as I am trying to start a charter school here in North Carolina with a terrific Board of Directors who are a hard-working and passionate bunch. It would be the first Waldorf-inspired public charter in the state and I would be the principal, but as you know, launching a brand new school with no capital/facility funds is a challenge. Wish us luck! Family is great, Nico is 11, Grace is 14 and about to begin driver's ed...no jokes...I am hopeful she won't mirror my youthful, inexperienced driver history :) We had a great trip to Japan this past summer without kids! I will spend some time with my parents in Florida in the next few weeks, and I am grateful that they are still healthy, happy, and starting 2018 strong. Best to you and yours!" I, Sharon Dewey Cassidy, after 12 years at home with my precious crew, am back to work full time! I am working for Guaranteed Rate, a mortgage lender, as a loan partner and sales assistant. I will be managing the Bethesda office, bringing in new business and planning events for the referring partners. Our oldest, Carson (sixth grade), started at the Bullis School this year and loves it. Our twins, Finn and Holden (third grade), and our youngest, Peyton (kindergarten), are together at our local elementary school in Darnestown, Md. Cheers to a fantastic year ahead!
1989 ST. AGNES Amanda C. Edwards acefoto@aol.com
For those who don't already know, I am so sorry to report that our classmate, Christine Rice Wagner, passed away suddenly on December 15, 2017. Many of us are still in disbelief after losing another classmate, Andrea 74 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
Price Madera, several years ago. Losing two friends at such a relatively young age has both saddened and reminded us all just how short and fragile life can be. I received a number of emails from classmates following Christine's passing, each one echoing the notion that life can turn on a dime and therefore must be lived to its fullest. One of Christine's best friends, Ashley Hanchey Bigelow, was able to attend her funeral in Lafayette, La. Ashley writes: "Christine's parents, Ed and Betsey, and their son Adam really appreciated all the supportive responses they received from the SAS and SSS communities. Christine was really happy living in the hometown of her late husband, Charlie. Their 6-year-old son, Michael, will continue to live in Lafayette, residing with Ed and Betsey and Eddie the Pug. The Lafayette community adored Christine, and Michael will be taken care of by family and friends, both local and afar." On a much happier note, Ashley also reports that her son, Andrew, is now a freshman at her (and her husband's) alma mater, Virginia Tech. Having successfully navigated all the changes that come with having a child in college, Ashley is offering to help any alums with children approaching college age. She says to please feel free to use her as a resource for "issues ranging from college applications to FAFSA to dorm attire options." Unfortunately, I do have more sad news to report. Gratia O'Rourke Barnett's father passed away in March. Ann Tiedeman and Alexandra Woodman Johnson attended his funeral and life celebration while Melanie Bartol Jones' mother, Cindi Bartol, helped with his funeral arrangements at Christ Church. Many of us have fun, if slightly-blurry, memories of Gratia's father letting us take over their home to celebrate our 100th Night all those years ago. I confess to not knowing him very well, but I do remember Gratia's father being quite a character. He laid down one or two ground rules at the start of the night and then let us freely get on with the madness! Another character many of us remember warmly was Paige Henke Hillegass' mother, Leni Christian, who passed away on May 6. I will never forget how she bravely chaperoned our rowdy lacrosse team during a training
week in Florida over spring break. She not only chaperoned us but also took turns driving our van all the way to Florida and back with Coach Kathy Jenkins. Again, I didn't know her very well but she always struck me as fantastic fun. Just another one of the girls! Nancy Ragland Perkins and Angela Miller both kindly let me know that Kathleen Ryan Peters' mother, Mary Ryan, passed away in early December. Her funeral was held at Blessed Sacrament in Alexandria and was attended by Nancy, Angela, and Tanya Dobrzynski. I think/hope that's it for all the sad news. My sincerest apologies if I've missed anyone or left anything out. Please do let me know and I'll be sure to include it in my next missive. Now on to happier news from a handful of other classmates… Ashley Kincheloe Dyson and husband Pat Dyson '88 are still living in New York City where they often meet up with Justin Palmer '88. Ashley also spent some time with Anna Toepffer Eckel and her kids last summer on Kiawah Island, S.C. Additionally, Ashley and her family visited with Molly Eppard '90 in Vail over the Christmas holiday. There is talk of a long-overdue California reunion with Ashley, Jamie Junghans Shaw, Allison Walker Mowers, and me, Amanda Edwards, sometime this year. Fingers crossed we can somehow pull that off. Speaking of Jamie, she randomly ran into former head of school Joan Holden at her favorite café in Sausalito last fall. Jamie says she immediately reverted into high school mode and called out "Mrs. Holden!" when she spotted her. Apparently, Mrs. Holden remembered her by name and they enjoyed a lovely chat. Kate Studeman celebrated a wonderful holiday with her 6-year-old son, Grayson. Kate had foot surgery five days before Christmas, so she and Grayson kept things simple making pine cone bird feeders, cookies, and a gingerbread house—all of which they enjoyed while gazing up at the twinkling lights of their Christmas tree. It proved a humble reminder that the best things in life are often the most simple. Lucky Grayson received a shiny new BMX bike for Christmas and Kate loved seeing the joy in his eyes and the smile on his face when he first saw his special present.
She wishes everyone many moments of such happiness and hopes that 2018 brings us all many special moments with family and loved ones. Christina Pfeffer Caporale and her family moved into their new home in Burke, Va., and jokes that they are even more suburban than before! Her children Emma and Cater are thriving and enjoying learning lacrosse skills from the daughter of their new neighbor, Nicole Harding, who is the assistant to the head of school at SSSAS. Mrs. Harding's daughter is in fifth grade at SSSAS and plays for Coach Kathy Jenkins' STARS lacrosse team. Talk about (almost) full circle! Christina also reports that she had the opportunity to see Lee Casselman Whelan and Nicole Zehfuss twice last summer. They enjoyed a girls' night out for dinner one evening and a kidfriendly trip to the Dairy Godmother on another. Lee Casselman Whelan and her family are enjoying their last few months of living in Antwerp, Belgium, before moving back to the U.S. (possibly to their home in Connecticut) in the summer. Returning home might prove quite a challenge after all the many travel adventures they've enjoyed while living abroad, including ringing in the New Year with a ski trip in France. On the opposite side of the world, Angela Miller continues to enjoy environmental and social work in Latin America and the Caribbean. As Angela puts it, work "allows me to travel a lot and have fun, and at times frightening, adventures like running into modernday pirates while being on a small boat with fishermen off the coast of Ecuador during a day trip to visit a mangrove restoration project." Hmm, sounds like she needs a photographer (me) to accompany her! Angela has also learned to surf and loves it. She and her daughters, Camila and Paola, spent part of the Christmas break surfing in Punta Mita, Mexico. Angela has also started taking creative writing classes in her spare time and can see herself immersing deeper into it in the future. If all goes to plan, Angela and I might be seeing each other in mid-January for the first time since our SAS graduation in 1989! As for me, Amanda Edwards, things are much the same and constantly changing in my life. One highlight from this last year was having dinner with
Sarah Williams '87 and former English teachers, Suzanne Hannay and John Palmer, following last year's incredible Women's March on Washington. We were all exhausted but thoroughly enjoyed swapping stories and photos. I had high hopes of meeting up with and marching/photographing alongside Michelle Lopez '88, but the sheer size of the crowd made that plan completely impossible! Another highlight for me was an awesome whitewater rafting journey through Guatemala last July. I continue to look for new photo projects and remain open to any and all suggestions, so please do be in touch with ideas. Or, just simply to be in touch!
1990 ST. AGNES Sarah Goldsmith Campos slgoldsmith@yahoo.com
Hope you all have had a great first half of 2018. Here are the notes I collected in December: Christa Tear Venable writes: "My husband, Rick, has been cancer free more than two years now. But after going through a year of chemo and radiation and losing both of my parents and his father within the following two years, we realized that life really is short. So, we purchased land in Costa Rica and have been working on the house design. We finalized it last week and hope to break ground in January and finish in September. We are building our house first, with plans for guest houses in a year or two for our bed-and-breakfast, Vista del Valle. Maybe we can have a St. Agnes reunion there someday." A St. Agnes reunion in Costa Rica sounds lovely! Nancy Banks Eades seconds that thought, as she writes that she and husband Allan are now empty nesters. "We sent our last wonderful young man to UNCC in August. As empty nesters, our first adventure was a last-minute trip to Louisville, Ky., to see U2 with some dear friends we hadn't seen in 20+ years. Allan and I are looking forward to many more adventures ahead!" Nancy and Allan also celebrated 26 years of blissful marriage in 2017. Katherine Schupp Zeringue writes that "the last few months have been very busy with FEMA on account of the lovely hurricane season we had this year. I was mostly supporting from D.C.,
Carol Huh '90 has coauthored a book featuring the photography from the collections of the Freer|Sackler Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C., "Painting with Light." The book reveals how the medium has shaped views of Asia from the midnineteenth century to the present day. Carol, an associate curator of contemporary Asian art, became the Freer|Sackler's first curator of contemporary art in 2007. Through exhibitions, acquisitions, and public programs, Huh focuses on current social change and artistic production related to Asia.
but did head down to Texas twice to help train some of FEMA's new hires. After twelve years of disaster work in emergency management, I've decided to learn something new and get back to my passion for archaeology and history. Sometime in 2018, I will be the new Federal Preservation Officer for the Federal Railroad Administration within the Department of Transportation. I'm looking forward to the change in agency and the change of pace. The only other exciting thing to report was a 15-day tour of Greece I took in July which started in Athens and ended in Santorini. It was my first trip there and I absolutely loved it. Truly an amazing place and very hot." Sali Qaragholi Rakower and husband Michael are still living in Scarsdale with their four children. "Michael is a partner at Rakower Law PLLC in Manhattan, which he founded more than a decade ago. I joined the firm as a partner two years ago. I have recently seen Christie Peterson Omar and Noor Kirdar. Liz Brinton Kusserow and I also are in frequent touch. Christie lives in North Carolina, Liz in Alabama, and Noor in Maryland." Carol Huh is the associate curator of contemporary Asian art at the Smithsonian Institution's Freer|Sackler Galleries. She traveled this year for www.sssas.org | 75
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both work and holiday "to various locations in Europe, United Arab Emirates (including a hard hat tour of the stunning new Louvre Abu Dhabi), Japan, and the U.S. I published a small book on our photography collections that came out last February. In October I had the pleasure of working with Delhi-based artist Subodh Gupta to present 'Terminal,' his immersive installation of threaded brass towers, in the Sackler for the grand reopening of both museums. Thoroughly exhausting but amazing event. Around 50,000 people descended on us in one weekend for new exhibitions, engaging programs, video art screenings, performances, and food. Every once in a while, an event shocks you into realizing how much time has slipped by. In November I attended a party celebrating the 20th birthday of the eldest daughter of Virginie, my French exchange sister who hosted me multiple times in Paris during my years at St. Agnes and Georgetown. A 20-year-old daughter! Yikes!" Cathi Lisle Barrett and husband Fred celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary in 2017. "We are still on the Outer Banks, and we love it here. Fred continues as pastor of a small Anglican Church here and I play my flute to lead worship during our services. This January we will have lived here seven years. Our big news of the year is that my oldest daughter, Anna, who I've homeschooled since kindergarten, was accepted into the dance program at Belhaven University in Jackson, Miss., with a $12,000/yr
scholarship! She is super excited. We are very proud of her and will miss her terribly when she heads off into the world next summer. All four girls are involved in dance. They are now 8, 10, 14, and almost 18. The two youngest danced in the Richmond Ballet's Norfolk production of 'The Nutcracker' this December. This year they are all on the competition team, so we'll spend the next few months on the road at comps or dance auditions for summer intensives. Usually, I'm busy educating them and learning so much myself. On any given day I teach a range of subjects: British literature, French I, world view studies, American history, aquatic biology, English grammar, etc. and we read a LOT. We take field trips every time we are off the Outer Banks." Angela Cheng Caplin sent in her firstever update: "I've made Los Angeles my home for the last 23 years. David, who works as an attorney, and I live at the beach with our three kids, ages 12, 10 and 7, along with our German Shepherd rescue named Stevie, after Stevie Nicks. I've had my own literary management/production company for the last 13 years, where I represent international bestselling authors, comic book creators, writers, and directors who work in film, TV, and theater. Over the summer I traveled with my family to China, Italy, and Israel, where I discovered I could run my company from anywhere in the world, as long as I don't need regular, uninterrupted sleep. Most recently I was in London, where I had the wonderful chance to catch up with Sarah Goldsmith Campos in
Eddie Chu '93 is a user experience designer in New York City. For the past three years he has been working for HBO as an Art Director and Creative Lead. His HBO projects include working on "Game of Thrones" and "Westworld." In 2017 his team won the Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Interactive Media for a Scripted Series for "Westworld." He has also cofounded an art collective and is developing a series of exhibitions in NYC around the themes of bias, otherness, and cultural discourse. Yale University has invited him to be an artist in residence this spring.
Sebastian Abbot '94 has published his first book, "The Away Game" [W.W. Norton & Company, March 2017], about a bold program to find soccer's next superstars called Football Dreams. In his book Sebastian follows a small group of boys from across Africa selected to attend the academy, as they pursue their dreams of being the next Lionel Messi. (See the feature article on p. 8 to read more about Sebastian and his new book.)
Photo on the left, 1993 classmates Craige Moore, Kate Gemmel Godfreyl, and Schulyer Deming at Kate's wedding. Photo on the right, Kate and her husband, Mark Godfrey.
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person over tea! I get back to D.C. to see my family once a year. Would love to be back in touch with old friends. Let me know if any of you are ever in L.A." Kirsten Curtis is currently in the D.C. area, but will likely be living elsewhere in 2018. She has enjoyed her time at home, visiting as many national parks as possible, the most recent one being Acadia in Maine. "We were fortunate enough to arrive right during the best
fall colors, and I still love photography so I took hundreds of pictures … We also went hiking for a couple of weeks in Corsica." Beth Franklin Wall writes that her "life is nothing but teenagers right now: four of my own, hosting International teens during the past four years (a Saudi prince and two Chinese sweethearts), and teaching middle schoolers Latin and Pre-Algebra. I dare you to stump me on top 40 music!" Bethie Kane of Arlington, Va., writes, "Nate is 7 and in the second grade. I still am in practice with my dad. We leave in March to go on a cruise to the Galápagos Islands—I think it will be great for Nate at his age. My husband, Chris, is unable to go as he still works for Congress, so it will be me, Nate, and my parents." As for me, Sarah Goldsmith Campos, this year was one of lots of travel, lots of family and friends, and lots of work. For travel, Juan, Virginia (6), and I went to Mauritius, Mallorca, Charlottesville, Northumberland, Mougins, Paris, the Canaries, the Cotswolds, and always the nearest and dearest to my heart, Alexandria, Va. I was fortunate this year to catch up with so many of you (and not even a reunion year!) in D.C., Charlottesville, and London. As for work, Juan and I are still in London, where I recently resigned as a senior legal analyst for Debt Explained, explaining high yield debt covenants to bond investors. Not sure what the next step is, but am looking forward to figuring it out! This next year we are hoping to make it to D.C. in August, as well as Shrine Mont, so I hope to be catching up with many of you then!
1993 ST. STEPHEN'S AND ST. AGNES Steve Lastelic lastelic@gmail.com
Kate Gemmell married Mark Godfrey on May 28 in Natchez, Miss., where her parents now live. Craige Moore and Schuyler Deming attended the celebration. After a quick honeymoon in New Orleans, Kate moved to Kailua, Hawaii. She had a baby, Luke William Godfrey, on August 20. She reports that Hawaiian life is good and invites the class to visit! Brendan Noonan left MillerCoors after 13 great years to become the chief brand officer for Guaranteed Rate, one
of the top ten mortgage companies in the U.S.
1994 ST. STEPHEN'S AND ST. AGNES Melissa Foote New melissafootenew@gmail.com
Himani Chandra is working as an endocrinologist with New York Presbyterian Hospital. She is enjoying life with her husband and little girl. Justin Taft shared that he lives in Arlington, Va., with his wife, Kate, and son, Christopher, who was born in May. He owns two cyber security companies, Soter Group and Cyber Apex Solutions. In his own words: "I'm now retired but I was the Beardathon champion for the Washington Capitals for the last five years and raised the most money for various charities, beating out the likes of the Sports Junkies, the Caps announcer, the NBC weatherman, and other sports media types. In 2017 I was the national Beardathon champ … so I retired after the playoffs. Everyone does charity and service in their own special way … Other than that I'm still an avid Virginia Wahoos and Washington Capitals fan. Keith Lonergan and a friend from Georgetown Prep went to our annual Redskins away game. This year was Kansas City and Monday Night Football … the Skins lost in the last two minutes. I held Lonergan as he cried on the way home. Denny Cordell '93 and I regularly play golf at Hains Point/East Potomac Park … the area's least exclusive golf course that is also very forgiving. We also enjoy our annual trip to Popeyes for a good chicken meal." Karen Helfrich writes: "I feel so fortunate to be living my passion as a psychotherapist with my own thriving private practice in Catonsville, Md. I've recently expanded and hired a couple additional clinicians. My young adult step-son and his partner recently had a baby, so, with my four-year-old daughter, I'm a late-life mother and young grandmother (!) all at the same time. It's crazy at my house and I love it!" Sebastian Abbot's new book, "The Away Game," was published in March by W. W. Norton & Company and is available on Amazon.com. It's about the largest talent search in soccer history called Football Dreams, carried out during the last decade by Qatar
in search of soccer's next superstars. Millions of 13-year-old boys in Africa have participated in the tryouts. In his book, Sebastian follows the journey of a small group of boys who were selected to attend their soccer academy. More information can be found at his website: www.sebastianabbot.com.
1996 ST. STEPHEN'S AND ST. AGNES From the Alumni Office: On September 15, 2017, Morgan P. Ames III was inducted to the United States Merchant Marine Academy Athletics Hall of Fame, at Kings Point, N.Y., as its very first varsity lacrosse player (see p. 78 to read more).
1999 ST. STEPHEN'S AND ST. AGNES Pender Ellett Koontz penkoontz@gmail.com
The Class of 1999 is full of talented hard workers, travelers, and new babies! Molly Janis Smith, her husband, and two kids took an awesome vacation to San Diego this past spring to visit her parents and take a break from the Minneapolis winter. They had surfing lessons, spent plenty of time at the pool, and went to Disneyland. They were joined by Devin Deaton '99 and his wife, Alicia Race, for a hike at Torrey Pines. They were at each other's weddings in 2016 and had a great time reuniting. Molly's parents, Margaret and Jim, ran into Joan Holden in San Diego earlier in 2017. Also on the west coast, Melissa Biles Lewis is living in Seattle and has been working at BAKED Custom Cakes for the past year and a half as a cake decorator. Her bakery was on the Food Network show "Cake Wars" for the second time and won again! Now she is taking time off work to focus on her new baby boy. She and husband Corey welcomed Luke Richard Lewis to the world on September 27. Erin McConnell and her husband, Avi Blaker, also welcomed a baby this year. Their daughter, Stella Hawkins Blaker, was born on June 28. They are having fun navigating the chaos of three kids. Erin's older sons, Alex and Charlie, adore their baby sister and have proven themselves to be responsible big brothers. They have been spending more time in Alexandria recently, and their boys have become great friends www.sssas.org | 77
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Morgan Ames III '96 (center) at his induction to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Athletics Hall of Fame. From left to right: Morgan's father, USMMA Athletics Director Mo White, USMMA Lacrosse Coach Tom Gill, and former USMMA Superintendent VADM Joseph Stewart, who introduced Morgan to the Hall of Fame.
Morgan P. Ames III '96 was inducted to the United States Merchant Marine Academy Athletics Hall of Fame, at Kings Point, N.Y., on September 15, 2017, as its very first varsity lacrosse player. From 1997-2000, Morgan was a record-setting, four-year starting goalie for the USMMA Mariners lacrosse team. He set the NCAA Division III record for saves in a season (15 games) in 1999 with 369—a mark that still stands today—and was recognized by the NCAA as its Statistical Champion for Goalkeeping. His .742 save percentage (over 857 career saves) ranks fourth all-time in the NCAA record books. Three times, he recorded 36 saves in a game for the Mariners, which still stands as a single game record at USMMA. Morgan led the Mariners to four straight appearances in the East Coast Athletic Conference (ECAC) Metro Tournament, including back-to-back trips to the championship game in his sophomore and junior seasons. He was named the All-ECAC Tournament Team Goalie in 1999. During his senior year, Morgan served as team captain, was elected the team's MVP, and was selected to play in the STX/USILA NCAA Division III North-
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South All-Star Game appearing as the starting goalie for the South team. Present at the banquet to help celebrate his HOF induction were his parents, Nancy and Morgan Ames, Jr.; his sister Megan Ames Jennings '97 (SSSAS HOF for the 1997 lacrosse team) and her husband, Tim Jennings, their three daughters Micaela (10), Colbie (8) and Mara (4); and Tim's parents, Patti and Jerry Jennings. Upon graduation and commissioning with USMMA's Class of 2000, Morgan elected to serve on active duty as a surface warfare officer in the Navy. His shore assignments include the Naval Postgraduate School, at Monterey, Calif., where he earned a Master of Science in systems engineering. Recently he published an article, "Joint Integrated Air and Missile Defense: Simplifying an Increasingly Complex Problem" in Joint Force Quarterly magazine [Issue 88, 1st Quarter 2018]. Morgan and wife Sarah live in Virginia Beach, Va. Morgan remains active playing tennis, scuba diving and "tending the pipes" for the Norfolk Neptunes, a post-collegiate lacrosse club competing in the American Lacrosse League, as well as coaching the defense at Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School, in Virginia Beach.
with Bethany Bryant Dukes' daughters, Ellie and Josie. Kristin Ward Miller also welcomed a third child, Landon Steele, October 20. He joins big sisters Royce (5) and Hadley (2). In addition to Kristin's motherly duties, she continues to work as a transactional real estate attorney. Military life has taken her family back to San Diego after an amazing year in Newport, R.I. Lily Matini was promoted as an ethics attorney at the Department of Justice, and she teaches swing dancing in Capitol Hill with Gottaswing LLC. She also dances for a professional swing dance troupe called Fidgety Feet and judges District Karaoke championships. Meg Graves Bernstein participated in the "Man and Woman of the Year" (MWOY) fundraiser for the central Pennsylvania chapter of Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). In this ten-week campaign, men and women all over the U.S. compete to raise as much money as possible for blood cancer research, advocacy, and patient services. Meg was able to raise $125,000 and her team raised $241,000. It was truly a life-changing experience, as she got to know two incredible patient heroes and their families fighting childhood leukemia. She was also able to name a research grant after her father, Ed Graves, who lost his life to Lymphoma in October 2008. She then attended two national research symposiums in New York City this past fall for LLS advocates, staff, and volunteers. She heard from leading doctors, researchers, and scientists about the latest research in blood cancer and new ground breaking therapies for blood cancer patients. She and her husband, Luke, now chair their chapter's Executive Leadership Team for LLS. They plan on staying involved in raising awareness and funds for cancer until there is a cure! They have two sons who keep them super busy, Ben (6) and Will (4), but they wouldn't have it any other way! Carlton Phelps works for Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston and was accepted to the MBA program at Northeastern University. Hugo Prera got the chance to visit Saints classmate, Huascar GomezGarcia, and his family this year in Boston, and they had a great time having their children play together and catching up on old memories. Hugo and
That Settles It This is Ben Hubbard '95. He is the only member of the Signet Society under the age of 45. But he shouldn't be.
Ben, you put the school in your estate plan. Why? St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School was somewhere I thrived so I love being able to help young people have the same sort of opportunity. I try to donate to the school every year. Leaving something to the school "one last time" was thus an easy decision when I created my will.
Don't you think creating a will now is a bit, well, early? I'm actually amazed at how many friends I have who haven't yet put together a will, even some with children. Whether you have insurance with beneficiaries, a nest egg on the side, or are even in debt at the moment, preparing a will is a responsible thing to do and every adult should have one.
So, do you think people put this off because it is too difficult? One thing I know from experience is that many people find creating a will daunting. They imagine a terribly long and difficult process (aggregating accounts, assets, and debts) and think it's expensive and requires complex legal work only done by lawyers. While this can be true for some situations, in most cases a will is much more simple.
Why should this be a priority today? If you donate to the school every year it is worth putting a simple clause in your will for another gift. If you have meant to give to the school but simply forgot, or not found yourself in position to do so just yet, your will is a way for you to ensure that your desire to help the school is fulfilled. Most importantly, when you do decide to include a gift to education in your will, and if you haven't yet created or recently updated your will, use this decision to give to St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School as the impetus for taking care of that important step. TAKE NOTE: For St. Stephen's and St. Agnes, the simplest residual gift language is: I give and devise to St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School (Tax ID #54-6054009), located in Alexandria, Va., all (or state a percentage) of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate, both real and personal, to be used for its general support. For sample bequest language, visit: http://sssas.plannedgiving.org
For more information about your gift to St. Stephen's and St. Agnes through planned gifts, visit: http://sssas.plannedgiving.org/ or contact Geoff Johnson '89, Director of Stewardship and Planned Giving, at 703-212-2717 or geoffjohnson@sssas.org
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his wife have been very busy at work, where they both received promotions this past year. They bought a new house in Orange County and moved in just before Thanksgiving. Hugo's son, Cruz, is off to first grade this coming year and loves to draw and build with LEGOs. His daughter, Carrera, is growing very quickly and loves to sing and dance. She will be starting kindergarten next year. On a sad note Andrea and Hugo lost their little Chihuahua of 13 years, Carmine, and they miss him dearly. Kelly Williamson is still living in Chicago working as an assistant program director for the Advocate Christ Medical Center emergency medicine residency and an associate clinical professor. She also does medical support for the Chicago Blackhawks and Cubs. Outside of work, she traveled to Cuba and Japan in 2017. John Chapman, busy as always, started the Manumission Tour Company, a cultural heritage tour company which showcases Alexandria's African American history. This upcoming year he will be running for re-election to the Alexandria City Council, and he is very thankful to all of his fellow Saints and their families for their support over the last five years. His website is www.chapman4council. com, if you would like to learn more about what he is doing. One of his most exciting pieces of news is that he got engaged in May and is planning a March 2019 wedding! I, Pender Ellett Koontz, am still living in Charlottesville and love it here. When I am not taking care of my children, Kelsey (7) and Todd (5), I am
substitute teaching at their school, St. Anne's-Belfield. I also volunteer each week at the UVA Children's Hospital in the Acute Pediatric unit and Pediatric ICU, caring for and supporting the patients and families by cheering them up, playing games, and doing educational activities with them. It has been an extremely rewarding experience. I was lucky to see many Saints friends during their visits to Charlottesville and my visits back to Alexandria! I hope our whole class is doing great and that this year leads to much happiness for all of you!
2000 ST. STEPHEN'S AND ST. AGNES Elizabeth Donatelli elizabeth_donatelli@earthlink.net
It is my pleasure to bring you the class notes for the first graduates of the new millennium! It's been an honor to reconnect with my fellow Saints alumni now that I live back in the D.C. area. While I used D.C. as my home base, I spent much of the year on the road traveling to interviews and producing an investigative series online. I did manage to find some time for a little fun on the road hanging out with Tyler Gray and his beautiful wife, Sarah, and two children, Hutson (2) and Ella (1), celebrating Cliff Goldsborough's wedding to his lovely wife Brittany in New Orleans. I also traveled to Chicago with Boupha Soulatha Inskeep, Randall Winnette, Amanda Cordell Casey, and Margaret Dyson to surprise classmate Allison Swindell Guzman at her baby shower! While we were there, we got in touch with our 16-year-old selves and
Boupha Soulatha Inskeep '00, Amanda Cordell Casey '00, Margaret Dyson '00, Allison Swindell Guzman '00, Elizabeth Donatelli '00, and Randall Winnette '00
80 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
John Wittington '01 had a great year in Hollywood as part of the writing team on "LEGO Batman" and "LEGO Ninjago," both released in 2017. His Netflix special, "When We First Met" debuted in February.
attended a Backstreet Boys concert while in town. Allison has since given birth to a healthy baby girl, Marina. We want to extend a big congrats to Colleen Salmon Andolina who married Dr. Jeff Andolina on August 15 in the Outer Banks. Their new family now includes Nate (9), Ian (8), Charlotte (7), Conner (5), and Betty (4). They reside in Pittsford, N.Y. outside of Rochester. Kassen Delano Gunderman made a move to Midland, Texas with her family (husband Chris, son Everett (2.5), and baby girl Peeti (8 months). Chris' job in the oil and gas industry brought them to the lonestar state and they've enjoyed it so far. Kassen has started a construction and interior design company called Alfresco Design, so in addition to raising the kiddos that's keeping her busy! Brian Thompson and his wife, Vicky, welcomed their first child, Olivia, this past July. Congrats to everyone and we look forward to getting continued updates!
Tyler Gray '00, Elizabeth Donatelli '00 and Cliff Goldsborough '00
Brian Thompson's '00 daughter Olivia.
2002 Alumni Reunion class party
Mary Beth Baylor Abplanalp '02, husband Chris, and son Andrew
2001 ST. STEPHEN'S AND ST. AGNES Salman Cheema spcheema@gmail.com
Peter Brodhead has renewed his contract to continue teaching in Seoul, South Korea. He took trips to Malaysia and Thailand this year and looks forward to more adventures in Southeast Asia. He is also recovering from losing in the finals of the Saints fantasy football league to fellow '01 alum, Travis Wooden, who won his first championship in the now 20-yearold all class of 2001 fantasy football
league run by Dennis Bakke! Dennis is largely responsible for keeping the gang together through the league and his annual Christmas party, which a number of classmates, including Mairtin Comey and Nathan Pollard, were able to attend.
2002 ST. STEPHEN'S AND ST. AGNES Virginia Pasley vbpasley@gmail.com
2017 is over, and with it came some updates. Here they are!
Meghan Mullarkey, husband Luke Abernathy, and daughter Cascade
Mary Beth Baylor Abplanalp and husband Chris welcomed baby Andrew on June 6. She reports "He's totally awesome." They live in Richmond, Va., where she works as the director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries at St. James's Episcopal Church. Elizabeth Smith DiStanislao and husband Thomas are living in Richmond, where they recently bought their first house and welcomed their first child, Phillip Thomas DiStanislao IV. Louisa Hall released her first album, Barista Boyfriend, this February. The www.sssas.org | 81
CLASS NOTES
Joanna Lewis (wife of Peter Lewis '02), Kaia Joye Moyer, Sarah Grey Lewis '03, Julia Reeder '03, Ann Lefeve Snyder '03, and Alice Curtin Smith '03
album, as well as three music videos featuring fellow alums Virginia Pasley, Mary Evelyn Humphreys, Anastasia Morozova, and Tia Shuyler, are available at LouisaHallMusic.com. Mary Evelyn Humphreys is still in New York City where she works for Physicians for Reproductive Health, which sometimes brings her back to D.C. to accompany doctors to Capitol Hill in order to advocate for access to abortion and contraception. She also spent time in early 2017 helping to launch Indivisible, an organization started by former congressional aides with the aim of providing advocacy 82 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
Kevin Gallagher '06 and Virginia Terwilliger '08 wedding
tools and strategies to local progressive activists. Jen Marlay Lowry and husband Christian welcomed Daniel Lowry on September 7. Meghan Mullarkey and husband Luke Abernathy welcomed Cascade Abernathy on January 18. Steven Pruitt was featured as one of TIME Magazine's "25 Most Influential People on the Internet" in June. The article highlighted his work making more than 2 million Wikipedia edits— more than any other English-language editor on the site. He began 2017 with the goal of writing 500 new articles on
"notable women" in order to help close Wikipedia's gender gap. He passed his goal in November and hit a new goal of 600 just before the end of the year, finishing with an article on Susan Brown Chase. Eric Vaughn and wife Julia welcomed their second child, Henry Deming Vaughn, on November 2. Fletcher Wilson and wife Kathleen welcomed Clementine Murphy Wilson on August 7. As for me, Virginia Pasley, I have gone to grad school again, this time for a master's in education from Johns Hopkins University, through a teaching
Drake Hudgins '09, Saints parent Marilyn Whitehurst, Brooke McLeod, Ian McLeod '09, and Aaaron Jumani '09
Ian McLeod's '09 company, Cleod9 Music, scored the film "Follow Through" for REI. The film follows Caroline Gleich's journey to complete the Chuting Gallery, a set of 90 ski mountaineering lines across Utah's Wasatch Mountains. Along the way, she overcomes personal tragedy and incessant bullying, all while remaining authentic and determined to push her limits. It's been one of REI's most successful films to date with over two million views/ impressions. The official premiere took place in November at the flagship store in Washington, D.C. A few SSSAS alumni attended to show their support and celebrate.
and high school) English. One last thing: I was on NPR's "Ask Me Another," a trivia quiz show, in January—search for the episode with celebrity guest Cat Cora to find me!
2007 ST. STEPHEN'S AND ST. AGNES Annie Culvahouse Teague aculvahouse@gmail.com
Micaela O'Toole graduated from the St. Louis University Physician Assistant Program this past December. After she completes her boards in January, she will move to a new home in Kansas City, Kan.! She hopes to pursue a career in emergency medicine.
2009 ST. STEPHEN'S AND ST. AGNES Garrett Whitehurst williamgwhitehurst@gmail.com
From the Alumni Office: Ian McLeod writes that his company, Cleod9 Music, scored the film "Follow Through" for REI.
2011 ST. STEPHEN'S AND ST. AGNES residency program called Urban Teachers. I teach fifth grade English and social studies (working with two co-teachers) during the day at a charter school in Northeast D.C., and then take grad classes at night. It's a lot, but by the end of May I will be 80 percent through the degree! Eventually I will be certified to teach secondary (middle
Meredith Bentsen mbentsen@brunswickgroup.com Mathias Heller mfitzheller@gmail.com
Joseph Sullivan is pursuing a master's degree in tropical forest ecology at Imperial College London and will be conducting field research in the tropics this year.
Daniella Diaz '12
Liz Desio has been living in Brooklyn, N.Y. and working as a PR recruiter. She also has served on the Junior Board and taught youth poetry workshops through America SCORES, a nonprofit that provides soccer and poetry programming in underserved schools. After teaching English and living in France, Marlon Copeland is considering law school and other international opportunities. He is currently living in Fort Washington, Md. Rhiannon Walker had a busy 2017 as a sports reporter for The Undefeated, ESPN's site dedicated to news and commentary that explores the intersections of race, sports, and culture. Rhiannon covered her first World Series writing about Dave Roberts as the fourth black and first Asian manager to lead his team to the Fall Classic and Houston overcoming hurricane Harvey, among numerous other sporting events of 2017. Overall, she brought in the fourth most traffic to The Undefeated and rounded out 2017 with a trio of NPR/WAMU interviews about her coverage. Andrew Busker is living in Dallas working as an associate at Spencer Stuart, an executive search and leadership consulting firm. Mallory Bell is working in Chicago as a commercial real estate analyst for BMO Harris. She is excited for SSSAS to start up its Chicago alumni group! Meredith Bentsen is living in New York, N.Y. and is now in her third year at Brunswick Group, an advisory firm specializing in business critical issues. Meredith focuses on clients in www.sssas.org | 83
CLASS NOTES
Iona McLean '15 visited Douglas Maggs '13 at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland
the philanthropic, private equity, and hedge fund sectors. She loved getting together with fellow 2011 Saints over the holidays in D.C.! Mathias Heller has returned to the D.C. area, where he works at Hamilton Place Strategies, an analytical public affairs consulting firm. He'd love to catch up with any Saints in D.C.!
2012 ST. STEPHEN'S AND ST. AGNES Maggie Edmunds maggie.edmunds@comcast.net Maddie Davidson 10sgal46@gmail.com From the Alumni Office: Daniella Diaz started vet school at the VirginiaMaryland College of Veterinary 84 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
Medicine this past August. The application process for vet school was very competitive as there are only 28 veterinary medicine programs in the entire U.S. Daniella was one of only 50 students from Virginia who were selected.
2013 ST. STEPHEN'S AND ST. AGNES Hope Gallagher hope.gallagher13@gmail.com Claire Malkie clairemalkie@gmail.com Brett Williams brettwlms11@gmail.com LeAnn Dunn graduated from Spelman College in May 2017. She
Mey and Iona McLean '15 in London, England
moved to Los Angeles, Calif., and is working toward her MFA in creative producing at the California Institute for the Arts. After playing Division 1 women's lacrosse for four years, Margaret Tucker Fogarty graduated from James Madison University with a bachelor's degree in communication studies. She has moved back to D.C. and is now a staffer for the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Capitol Hill. Hope Gallagher graduated with a bachelor's degree in public relations from James Madison University. She moved back to Harrisonburg, Va., in October 2017 to work for her alma mater as a communications assistant for the JMU College of Science and Math. She continues to teach Irish step-
dancing in downtown Harrisonburg and leads a women's small group at the JMU Catholic Campus Ministry. Lindsay Gess graduated from Rhodes College with a bachelor's degree in English. While at Rhodes, she played women's lacrosse for all four years and was grateful to be named team captain for two of those seasons. She is now living in Memphis, Tenn., with some of her old teammates and is working for a small real estate tech start-up, ProxBox. Matt Kelley graduated from Elizabethtown College, earning membership in the business administration honor society Delta Mu Delta. He is now pursuing his MBA at the College of William & Mary as he continues to work toward a career in the field of human resources. Matt says the perspectives of both international students and older classmates in his program have opened his eyes to the world. The field experiences and travel opportunities offered by the program have inspired and challenged him academically and professionally. Bridget Thompson graduated from
the College of William & Mary with a bachelor's degree in chemistry. She has continued at the university to pursue a master's of education in curriculum and instruction and will be graduating in May 2018. She plans to teach high school chemistry in southwestern Virginia upon completing her master's degree. Bridget continues to train for and compete in triathlons. Brett Williams graduated from the University of South Carolina with a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism. Highlights of his final semester include completing an Honors College thesis about the implications of the intersection of music and affect regulation for college freshmen—which he is now working toward publishing— and celebrating the Gamecock women's basketball national title and men's Final Four run. Brett now works for the athletics department at Queens University of Charlotte (N.C.) as a playby-play commentator and multimedia specialist. He is considering pursuing a master's degree at Queens while continuing to work there but is also
open to other opportunities to further his broadcasting career. Lizzie Zulauf graduated with honors from James Madison University with a bachelor's degree in biotechnology. Her senior honors thesis was on community 911 systems. She is working as a phlebotomist in Vienna, Va., as she prepares to apply to physician's assistant school in fall 2018. Lizzie pursues her creative interests by making and selling her original art online.
2014 ST. STEPHEN'S AND ST. AGNES Natalie Revers nrrevers@email.wm.edu
Hello Saints! It is hard to believe that the Class of 2014 completed another senior year. 2017 was quite a busy time for our class! We finished major requirements, traveled the globe, watched our sports teams win national championships, put the final touches on our cover letters and resumes, and signed leases for apartments in new cities! I am so excited to share the class
CLASS OF 2013 It's time for your first...
ALUMNI REUNION WEEKEND September 28-29, 2018
Your Classmates. Your Friends. Your School. www.sssas.org | 85
CLASS NOTES
Mary Elizabeth Cordia '16
notes for this year and hope everyone continues to provide updates on our social media pages as we move on to the next chapter! Adam Naidorf is completing his bachelor's degree in civil engineering and will be back home in the D.C. area after he graduates. He found UVA's musical theater groups to be just as fun as those at SSSAS. Outside of schoolwork and musicals, Adam has enjoyed his time with his fraternity brothers and fellow Saints alums Christian Osborne and Rice Tyler '15. Caroline Secrest is wrapping up her time at UVA with a Spanish and American studies double major. Her most notable projects include writing research papers on diverse topics such as the Cuban National Ballet and the symbolism of sugarcane in literature. She is finishing up the spring on a more relaxing note, easing out of college with classes such as "Intro to Sculpture" and "Dance for Fitness." Caroline is excited (and curious) for what the next phase may hold! Darby Philbrick finds it hard to believe that the Class of 2014 is preparing to enter the "real world" soon – it's crazy but also very exciting! Senior year proved to be great for Darby. She played on the Hamilton soccer and lacrosse teams and performed well on both. Her soccer team made it to
86 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
Nicki Gray '16
the NCAA tournament for the first time since joining their conference. What a perfect way to cap off an amazing soccer career! She spent the spring season juggling lacrosse with job interviews and hopes to end up in New York City working as an account executive at an advertising agency. Emelia Sliwinski is graduating from Virginia Tech with a degree in human nutrition, foods, and exercise. She has enjoyed working at War Memorial Gym and at the Sports Nutrition Oasis at Tech and was a also a member of Chi Omega with fellow Saint Helen Nicholson! Hernan Martinez is graduating with a major in industrial engineering, along with minors in economics and organizational leadership and supervision. He has enjoyed being treasurer of the Krannert Gear Club which works just like a start-up, producing custom gear as well as original designs and donating the profits back to the university. He also served as a student ambassador for the School of Engineering at Purdue, and was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity. Hernan additionally completed two internships in Colombia, one for a coal mining company (Caribbean Resources) in the logistics department and the other for a natural gas provider (Gases del Caribe) in the commercializing
department. As for the future, Hernan hopes to either go into consulting in the United States or investment banking in Canada! Ian Shackley notes how many people from SSSAS remember him as "the swimmer." What makes the Queens swimming team he committed to four years ago unique is that they recognize and celebrate their successes inside and outside the pool. For Ian, this came in the form of an internship this past summer with Stun Creative, a Los Angeles-based agency that labels itself "at the intersection of advertising and entertainment." He worked as an assistant editor on projects for clients such as ESPN, HBO, Fandango, and Netflix. Ian was also a production assistant on a shoot for Disney! His coaches and their emphasis on making excellence a habit across all parts of life prepared him well! Kemble Mountcastle is graduating from University of Miami with a bachelor's degree in public relations and minors in marketing, Spanish, and public health. She plans on moving to New York City to work in the crisis communication field, an area she has been interested in since she studied abroad in London last summer! Kemble is also very excited to embark on trips with her friends this year to Mardi Gras and Las Vegas. While sad to be leaving Miami's warm and fun environment, Kemble is excited to start a new chapter in her life very soon. 2017 was an exciting year for me, Natalie Revers, as well. I was recruitment director of my sorority and ran the social media accounts for a local Williamsburg Crossfit. The gym community was a great way to destress from job recruiting antics, but I must say that I have yet to find a workout more challenging than Coach Way's field hockey pre-seasons! I rang in the new year on a much more relaxing note with a family trip to Hawaii. William & Mary has certainly strengthened my ties within the Saints community. This year I spent a week at Katie Armstrong's OBX house for beach week, watched Graham Guidry's soccer team compete in the NCAA College Cup, and went to Yousef Beidas' fraternity formal in Charlottesville, Va. I am excited to return to the D.C. area post graduation and cannot wait to reconnect with people from SSSAS! Wishing everyone the best of luck in their endeavors and look forward to our reunion in just one year!
THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT! Have you seen the new SaintsLink app?
It's a new way to connect with your Saints community. Download it from iTunes* or Google Play
Open it up Enter the code 1310802
Connect via email, Facebook,or LinkedIn (*Apple users will be asked to first download the Graduway app.)
2016 ST. STEPHEN'S AND ST. AGNES Sarah Lowe sarahelowe20@gmail.com
Nicki Gray is a healthcare management and policy major at Georgetown University with a disability studies minor. She is on the school's Minority Health Initiative Council, where she mentors younger students from underserved communities who want to pursue healthcare careers. She is the RA of GU's newest Living Learning Community focused on Spanish Language/Cultures. She has also become an active member of GU's Emergency Medical Services organization, wearing cargo pants, riding in an ambulance, and taking promotional photos with CPR dummies. She is now pursuing a certification to be a licensed EMT instructor in D.C. At Southern Methodist University, Mary Elizabeth Cordia has been having an extremely successful year as an equestrian. Her team is ranked No. 2 for the season and was undefeated in the first five meets of fall semester!
Eric Karsten has been having an excellent sophomore year pursuing his interest in economics. He attended the American Economic Association annual conference in Philadelphia as a cohort leader in the University of Chicago's Economics Research Club and currently serves as a research assistant to two professors, Elliot Lipnowski (studying game theory) and Thomas Covert (studying industrial organization). Katie Connor is very excited to be studying abroad in Florence this semester with the James Madison University study abroad program. She can't wait to see firsthand some of the art she learned about in Ms. Hunt's AP Art History class!
2017 ST. STEPHEN'S AND ST. AGNES Sterling Gilliam sterlinggilliam03@gmail.com Adele Reardon amr6a@virginia.edu Chris Collins is at the University of San Diego and absolutely loving it! He plans to study behavioral neuroscience and go to medical school after graduation. Kendall Discenza is at Hamilton College in upstate New York. While challenging, she is greatly enjoying school. Her soccer team had an amazing season and made it to the NCAA tournament for the first time as a member of the NESCAC. She is unsure of what she wants to study besides Spanish, through which she will be able to participate in an immersion program in Madrid her junior year. Following our graduation Anna Evans went off to attend the University of South Carolina in Columbia, S.C. She has joined the Beta Epsilon chapter of Alpha Delta Pi and is planning to major in retail management with a minor in sports and entertainment management. So far, she has loved her time in college and is so thankful to SSSAS for giving her all the necessary skills she has needed to succeed at USC. For Sasha Koch college is certainly a whole new world, and while she misses her family and friends from high school it's a super exciting experience. She has recently become a business major and is taking classes like Economics and Spreadsheet Skills at Virginia
Commonwealth University. She's met a ton of new people in Richmond with the same interests, and she can't wait to hear from more people in the Class of 2017. Go Saints! Although she didn't travel far to get there, Mollie Miller is fully embracing and loving her time in college at Georgetown. Mollie is continuing her lacrosse career with her fellow defensive player and friend, Wynne Whitley. Mollie is studying business and enjoys cheering on fellow athletes at sporting events on the weekends. She even runs into Sam Dubke around campus from time to time. She is so thankful to everyone at SSSAS for their never ending friendship and guidance. Adele Reardon is absolutely loving her first semester on grounds at the University of Virginia. She is continuing to study French and is hoping to study abroad this summer. Although she misses home cooked meals and her family, it always brightens her day to run into fellow SSSAS alumni whether it's in the dining hall, at a football game, or even in the library. As a class correspondent, she is looking forward to keeping in touch with the class of 2017 this year and into the future! Wahoowa! Brendan Richichi started school at the United States Air Force Academy with 38 days of basic cadet training. Currently, he is undecided in his major. College swimming, while quite the adjustment, is going very well, and the conference championships are right around the corner. USAFA is difficult but full of great opportunities and even better people, and is a great place to be. He is planning on going to jump school this summer to earn his jump wings (six solo jumps from an airplane!). In the following years Brendan is planning on traveling and learning to fly with hopes of going to pilot training after graduation. School is going great for Denmark Slay at High Point University. He is an accounting major with a minor in finance. His basketball team is in season, so his schedule is pretty hectic. He does miss his 2017 classmates, but he hopes they're all having a great time at their respective schools! School has been a lot of fun for Alex Tyeryar, and he wants to thank SSSAS for preparing him so well. He is attending High Point University studying business with a minor in sales.
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MILESTONES
Emily Pomeranz and Rob Keith '03
Louis Gresham '04 and Caitlin Blosser
Sarah Lewis '03 and Ben Fay
Alex Evans and Alice Zimmermann '04
Car Costello and Eric Gresham '07
Keyann Griffin and Jake Logan '09
Laura Ambrose and Preston Bays
Lindsay Jagodowski and Ryan Burt
Martin Lopez and Sherry Lopez
George Sidarous '11 and Germeen Adel
MIDDLE AISLE
Faculty and Staff
Alumni
Laura Ambrose and Preston Bays, May 20, 2017
Rob Keith '03 and Emily Pomeranz, November 11, 2017
Anne Choi and Steve Kelly, December 23, 2017
Sarah Lewis '03 and Ben Fay, November 4, 2017
Candace Gregg and Keith James, July 27, 2017
Sean Ganley '04 and Elizabeth Shuklis, December 17, 2017
Lindsay Jagodowski and Ryan Burt, December 30, 2017
Louis Gresham '04 and Caitlin Blosser, March 25, 2017
Marvin Lopez and Sherry Lopez, July 14, 2017
Christina Shiroma '04 and Matt Becker, January 13, 2018 Alice Zimmermann '04 and Alex Evans, November 4, 2017 Eric Gresham '07 and Car Costello, December 29, 2018 Alexandra Quarles '08 and Sebastian Arrivillaga, November 24, 2017 Jake Logan '09 and Keyann Griffin, November 3, 2017 George Sidarous '11 and Germeen Adel, February 10, 2017 88 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
NEW ADDITIONS Alumni Kate Gemmell '93 and Mark Godfrey, a son, Luke William Godfrey, August 20, 2017 Ned Barbee '94 and Kellee, a daughter, Morgan Marie, on December 22, 2017
Luke William Godfrey
Bode Lee Warshauer and
Josephine Marie Brodhead with big brother Otto
Noa Elizabeth Schneidman
parents Dave '95 and Tracy
Henry Deming Vaughn
Margaret Elizabeth Mallon
Isabel Anna Bartis-Haynie
Allen Gabriel Weingarten and mom Susannah
Mark Ragland '94 and Catherine, a daughter, Ruby Isabelle Ragland, November 2, 2017
Eric Vaughn '02 and Julia, a son, Henry Deming Vaughn, November 2, 2017
Dave Warshauer '95 and Tracy, a son, Bode Lee Warshauer, January 23, 2018
Joey Mallon '03 and Meaghan, a daughter, Margaret Elizabeth Mallon, November 25, 2017
Andrew Akre '99 and Abigail, a son, Rhys Torstein Akre, January 3, 2018
Isaac Thompson '05 and Emily, a daughter, Lila Elizabeth Thompson, December 21, 2017
Peter Brodhead '01 and Sara, a daughter, Josephine Marie Brodhead, January 29, 2018 Will McGettigan '02 and Julie, a son, Michael Daly McGettigan, December 24, 2017 Kristen Zimmer Schneidman '02 and Matt, a daughter, Noa Elizabeth Schneidman, January 9, 2018 Matt Seglem '02 and Jillian, a daughter, Jocelyn Marie Seglem, December 28, 2017
Faculty and Staff Sebastian Bartis and Devon, a daughter, Isabel Anna BartisHaynie, January 29, 2018 Abbey Jones and Adam, a son, Luca Ellis Jones, February 8, 2018 Susannah Nadler and Zachary Weingarten, a son, Allen Gabriel, October 5, 2017 Victoria Calabrese and Michael, a son, Cecil Gerard Calabrese, July 7, 2017 www.sssas.org | 89
IN MEMORIAM
Alumni Jaquelin "Jackie" Cochran Nicholson '33 former St. Agnes Board of Governors member; sister of the late Bertha Wright '38 and the late Courtenay Ticer '28; mother of Jackie Nicholson Wysong '60, former St. Agnes Board of Governors member, and Elizabeth Nicholson Lewis '70; grandmother of Mary Wysong Dannahey '86, former Alumni Association Board member, David Wysong, Jr. '90, and Matthew Wysong '95 November 20, 2017 Ruth Watt Rich '45 sister of the late Tina Watt '48 May 4, 2017 Janet Haswell Bell '49 January 13, 2018 Jean Keatley Nelson '52 June 1, 2016 Don C. Uthus '57 brother of Doug Uthus '60 October 23, 2017 Ralph B. Price, Jr. '58 November 18, 2017 Elizabeth "Libby" Williams Barton '64 sister of Anne Williams '61 and Jim Williams '68 December 20, 2017 Christine Rice Wagner '89 daughter of Betsey Rice, former faculty; sister of Adam Rice, former faculty/staff December 15, 2017 Robert "Bob" E. Webb '79 September 20, 2017
Family, Faculty, and Staff Rida Azer former St. Stephen's Board of Governors member; father of Nigel Azer '88, uncle of Vivien Azer '95 and Adrian Azer '96 November 30, 2017
Barbara Grosvenor mother of Beth Grosvenor Boland '67 January 20, 2018 Robert "Bob" Harwood, Jr. father of Viki Harwood Bires '80; grandfather of Lucas Bires '19 and Nikki Bires '20 November 8, 2017
Frances Stevenson Bartenstein mother of Susan Bartenstein Necci SAS '67 February 19, 2018
Alice Christine Holland mother of The Rev. Lloyd "Tony" Lewis, Jr. '65, former Board of Governors member February 17, 2018
Don Beyer, Sr. grandfather of Stephanie Beyer Kirby '99 December 23, 2017
Frederick T. Jackson, Jr. grandfather of Madison Busker '05 and Andrew Busker '11 January 19, 2018
Rhett W. Butler husband of Kay Burney Butler '58 November 22, 2017 Frances Green Crabtree grandmother of Shana Crabtree '96 and Summer Crabtree Pomeroy '99 January 29, 2018 Thomas L. Ernst father of Jackie Mason, former faculty; grandfather of Jennifer Mason Halsted '94, former Alumni Association Board member, and Dave Mason '97; great grandfather of Connor Halsted '26, Maggie Halsted '28, and Brady Mason '29 August 9, 2017 Armando Figueroa Mother of Liza Kravinsky '81 and Kenneth Figueroa '82 December 22, 2017 Jeanne Goddin mother of Harvie Goddin II '76 and John Goddin '77 January 26, 2018
90 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School
Sarah "Sally" Katson mother of Deeme Katson '77, Peter Katson '81, and Paul Katson '82 December 19, 2017 The Honorable Donald H. Kent husband of Linda Kent, former faculty; father of Lisa Kent Duley '85 and Donald Kent, Jr. '90 January 19, 2018 Adrian S. Lineberger, Jr. father of Smitty Lineberger III '73, Jim Lineberger '74, Steve Lineberger '76, and John Lineberger '79 November 20, 2017 Ruena Lopez mother of Aileen Lopez Pugh '85, Michelle Lopez '88, and Rudy Lopez '96; grandmother of James Pugh '17, Nathan Pugh '17, and Olivia Pugh '17 January 24, 2018 Lillian S. Pate grandmother of Helen Cunningham '16 and Jay Cunningham '20 August 24, 2017
Mary Catherine Ryan mother of Kat Ryan Peters '89, former Alumni Association Board member November 30, 2017 Charles "Bee" Henry Smith, Jr., former St. Agnes Board of Governors and St. Stephen's Board of Governors member; father of Babette Smith '64 and Buzz Smith '67; uncle of Billy Smith '75, Leith Smith '78, and Cathy Tyler '80, Board of Governors member; grandfather of Will Smith '97 July 24, 2017 Oguz Temucin father of Rob Temucin '81 and Beverly Temucin '84 January 20, 2018 Kenny Tilson former staff December 11, 2017 George Tsapatsaris grandfather of Foster Belevetz '20 and Anne Belevetz '23, October 22, 2017 Craig Veith former Board of Governors member; father of Jones Veith '14, Hedy Veith '15, and AC Veith '18 February 5, 2018 Ann Hall Whittle wife of Rob Whittle, former faculty/staff; mother of Lucy Whittle Goldstein '97 and Lindsay Whittle Comstock '99; grandmother of Jane Goldstein '27 August 5, 2017 J.D. Williams husband of Carol Jo Williams, former St. Agnes Board of Governors member and former Foundation Board Trustee; father of Walter Williams '85 and Sarah Williams '87 January 27, 2018
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Lower School Daniel Gym Headmistress Roberta McBride oversaw the construction of the first gymnasium on the St. Agnes campus, which would also provide the much needed space for chapel services, performing arts, assemblies, and commencement. Before Daniel Gym was built, all sports were played outside regardless of the season, chapel was held in the lunch room on a raised stage, Christmas and Baccalaureate services were at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, and Commencement took place on the front lawn. Ground was broken in 1954 and on November 5, 1955, the Daniel Gym was dedicated in memory of John Moncure Daniel, a 1902 graduate of Episcopal High School, who later served as a teacher and coach at Episcopal. Mr. Daniel joined the St. Agnes Board in 1925, and later served as the Board Chairman. Unfortunately, Mr. Daniel died the week before the dedication. In honor of Daniel Gym, the theme of the 1956 St. Agnes yearbook was "Building for the Future" and this photo graced the cover. This short verse was on the athletics page: The Gym we've waited too long to see Is now a completed reality. On freezing days when we shiver and shake, Have no fear, Miss Bootie, we still can take! We now have a locker room, with baskets and space, And to dress for Athletics we need no longer race. With all these additions, it is generally agreed That in Athletics we shall now hold the lead. Since opening for use in 1955, Daniel Gym has hosted nearly 2,500 chapel services, countless fairs, pep rallies, plays, assemblies, and a number of famous speakers, including presidential speechwriter and author James C. Humes, floral designer Sheila MacQueen, and former first lady Mrs. Barbara Bush.
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Seminary Post Office Alexandria, Virginia 22304 If the addressee no longer lives at this address, please contact the school: 703-212-2720 or asmigel@sssas.org
2019 Athletic Hall of Fame Send your nominations for the Athletic Hall of Fame today.
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