May 2023 | The Pine Needle

Cover Art by Caton Lee ’23, a two-year member of our staff

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Editors-in-Chief: Mac Dixon ‘24, Randolph Trow ‘23

Seniors: Caton Lee, Nick Manetas

Juniors: Ned Lumpkin, Charlie Seaman, Armstead Butler

Sophomore: Patteson Branch, Noah Lee

Faculty Advisors: Ms. Montana Rogers, Mr. Nick Sherod, Ms. Emily Nason

Smith Forges a New Path

By Mac Dixon ‘24

Keys jingling down the hall, students frantically pull out two clean sheets, reciting random strings of words in a panicked attempt to predict the looming threat of a quiz.

On November 30, 2022, Mr. Smith’s retirement was announced to the school, which detailed his impact, distinct style and lengthy tenure at St. Christopher’s School. Emphasizing this, Headmaster Mason Lecky wrote on the way he “knows how to get the most out of young men through a combination of high expectations and relentless care for student growth and development,” a sentiment shared by his associates, students, and anyone who’s had the ability to understand his mastery of the classroom.

To hear of his departure was nothing short of devastating to our community. In tackling the beast that is his entire career, one finds issue not only in where to start, but where to end. The legacy left by Mr. Smith is, at this point, rivaled by few teachers at St. Christopher’s. Starting in 1972, the eccentric Savannah-born poet has spent virtually his entire adult life as a Saint, teaching boys the importance of language and philosophy, but most importantly, why someone should enjoy learning, not dread it.

Having 50 years of St. Christopher’s experience means Mr. Smith has seen both the school and our community evolve more than most. A former college athlete himself, he’s gone through many different roles as a member of the St. Christopher’s community, notably as a coach for the football team. One apparent difference that set the school apart from others was the balance between academic discipline and extracurricular activities, especially sports. Even with the anticipation of upcoming games, Mr. Smith remembered his players making sure to balance their work on and off the field. This reverence for the school, he noted, was apparent in students’ relationships with teachers, being “respectful but warm.”

The departure of our poet-in-chief may signal an academic hole in our community, but his presence is here to stay. Mr. Smith hopes to maintain his role as a Saint for the rest of his life. The idea of “once a saint, always a saint” is something seen in every student, but in the case of Mr. Smith, it couldn’t be more applicable. He is

someone who has truly dedicated his life to the purpose of learning, leaving us with a multi-generational legacy at St. Christopher’s.

Those taught by or even simply surrounded by Mr. Smith are aware of his unique teaching style. He described it simply as “do[ing] what works,” though many students would refer to his class as complete unpredictability. In this absurdity, though, Mr. Smith finds students become closest to what he refers to as an “ideal reader.” In pursuing this, he hopes “that even if students miss everything on a quiz, they will have learned a great deal by simply working from what they know to taking educated guesses based on active thinking, on deduction.” It’s not about getting everything right, knowing the most minute quotation of every passage, but understanding how these subtleties represent a bigger picture. He hopes for his students to try their best in being an ideal reader, to recognize the importance “embodied in tiny verbal adjustments and shifts.”

Serving as our in-house writer, Mr. Smith found a unity of his life as a poet and a teacher. Instead of a distinction between the two positions, he “find[s] those roles impossible to separate: Writing helps [him] teach and teaching helps [him] write.” Being a writer is a career that constantly builds upon itself, full of ups and downs.

A younger Mr. Smith stares down the camera.

Knowing this well, Mr. Smith “hope[s] the progress is mainly forward, but along the way, there are failed experiments, bad days, and just outright mistakes.” This unity is embodied in even the smallest aspects and quirks within his character, such as consistently writing down interesting observations on notepads or incorporating his own poems within his curriculum.

As a mentor for his students, Mr. Smith has provided a personable experience for each of his pupils. A former student of his, Barner Konvicka ‘23 “learned to synthesize information better, but [he has] surely become a more stressed reader.” This juxtaposition of understanding and confusion is not exclusive to Konvicka, but left a lasting impact on him, both as a writer and an individual. Alongside the apparent challenges of the class, Konvicka mentioned multiple anecdotes, each of which detailed the eccentric charm of Mr. Smith. Being kept for two hours after school to discuss the class material, Mr. Smith gave Konvicka the excuse that “literature is more important [than athletics].” Alongside this, Nicholas Manetas’23 noted the importance of Mr. Smith guiding him throughout the Upper School, turning him into the writer he aspired to become.

Mr. Smith has aspirations for the future, both for himself and for the school. Although he may be retiring from his position as a full-time teacher, he hopes to maintain his presence within the community, in whatever form that may be. The upcoming departure will surely change the English department, but Mr. Smith hopes

that the current faculty will maintain its role in creating students who “respect literature.” Equally important, he has aspirations that “[English] will help students even more to live fuller, more joyful lives of satisfying hard work and service to their fellow human beings.” As for Mr. Smith himself, he hopes to spend more time with his son, grandchildren, wife, and “especially to write more. Much more.”

After an innumerable number of questions, time and effort had been placed in chronicling the career of James Ron Smith, he was left with one last task: to give the St. Christopher’s community a “final” message. In an attempt to maintain the depth and consideration put into the response, I’ve left the full response unaltered here: “I have no ‘final message.’ Not yet. Message for this moment in the school’s history? Why not? Don’t lose sight of the school’s central mission and philosophy. Strengthen and maintain the Honor Code. Expect the best from people - and then help them to produce it. Laugh every day with someone you admire and respect. Don’t take excellence or virtue or friendships for granted. Figure out who to trust and then, yes, trust them. Keep an open mind. Always. Demand the truth, even when it hurts. Stick to your principles, but don’t allow yourself to petrify. Keep learning and thank all people, no matter who they are, when they teach you something you didn’t know. Stay flexible. Change with the times, but not superficially. Change when it makes sense to change, change when change is an improvement. Keep your emotions fresh and responsive, without becoming irrational. Ask for evidence; then, apply proper logic to the evidence. Again: Always, always believe in and pursue the truth - but never confuse plausibility with certainty. Be willing to change your mind, to admit that the evidence is always incomplete, that maybe you have evaluated it incorrectly. Live with joy, with purpose, with those you love and respect. Get plenty of sleep. Exercise every day, if possible. Choose important work that stimulates and satisfies you and do your best at it. Strive for perfection in that fulfilling work, but keep in mind that perfection is an ideal, that you will inevitably fall short of it. OK, that’s enough advice to fill a fleet of red wheelbarrows, glazed with brain water.”

Mr. Smith celebrates Fourth of July with his granddaughter.

Un Comienzo Nuevo

By Patteson Branch ‘25

After serving as a Spanish language teacher in the World Language Department for 23 years, Mrs. Sue Varner’s tenure here at St. Christopher’s will be coming to a close at the end of this school year. Throughout her time as a world language teacher at STC, she has taught courses ranging from Spanish I all the way up to AP Language and served most recently as the department head for the World Language Department in the Upper School.

Reflecting back on her time at St. Christopher’s, Mrs. Varner is extremely grateful for the support system that the school has given her, cheering her up every day. It is the small things that she appreciates, such as students and colleagues even going the extra mile to write her handwritten notes when experiencing a tough time. She also admires how inclusive and kind students are to one another and how welcoming they are to others in the St. Christopher’s community.

In the future, Mrs. Varner plans to spend more time with her family, care for her mother and mother-in-law, travel and read new books with her newfound time. However, she is sad to leave and will miss the positive teaching and learning environment that she has thrived in for the past two decades.

Mrs. Varner strikes an intimidating pose for St. ChristoCURES.

Mrs. Varner with her husband

Pohanka Builds Away

By Patteson Branch ‘25

Over the span of her twelve-year tenure at St. Christopher’s School, Ms. Carey Pohanka has built up the BUILD program from scratch for all divisions of the school and served as the Global Coordinator.

When Ms. Pohanka arrived at St. Christopher’s, the BUILD program was nonexistent. The very first oncampus makerspace was located in Mr. Tune’s current office next to the dining hall and was implemented in 2013. Ms. Pohanka worked with Mr. J.D. Jump to formulate and teach the first “make” elective. Fast forward to 2023, and the BUILD program has a very large space in the Luck Leadership Center, with seemingly unlimited resources for designing, innovating and creating, such as a host of 3D printers, countless art supplies and a full kitchen.

As the Global Coordinator, Ms. Pohanka has worked with students from all around the world, ranging from Germany to Guatemala, helping to connect them with host families right here in the St. Christopher’s community. Every year, along with the Faces & Our Culture program that she helps coordinate with Guatemalan students, she helps coordinate the stay of one international student in the school community for the entirety of their school year, most recently Jurgis Kemeklis ’24 this year from Lithuania.

In the future, however, Ms. Pohanka plans to work a more remote job, possibly working a hybrid combination of in-person and virtual work. She will miss St. Christopher’s, but is looking forward to spending more time with her family and young granddaughter.

Ms. Pohanka in the BUILD Lab

Ms. Carey Pohanka

An Ode to Our Resident Buddha

By Nicholas Manetas ‘23

Orson Scott Card famously said that “metaphors have a way of holding the most truth in the least space.” Mr. Jim Jump has served as Director of College Counseling at St. Christopher’s for the past 33 years, but I believe he is, at heart, a philosopher. And like famous philosophers throughout history, Mr. Jump is most at home teaching through metaphors.

Mr. Jump has not only served as my college counselor and the advisor to my Capstone Project in creative writing, but also a kind of life coach. Yet never once do I remember him beginning one of our conversations with formal talk. Smiling and chuckling from his desk, he always emphasizes the check-in, the congratulatory remark, the joke or the personal anecdote, expanding on my responses with brief metaphors and histories from his own life. Surprisingly, Mr. Jump’s conversational, friendly approach to our meetings was initially offputting. My only real college “advice” had come from college admissions YouTube which I believe should carry the same kind of disclaimers cigarette companies are forced to advertise: “WARNING: This platform may cause temporary moments of stupidity and general emotional discomfort.” Although I was only fourteen as a freshman, this kind of toxic admissions culture had already made an impression on me. I wanted to meet with Mr. Jump as soon as possible so that he could tell me the magic list of summer programs, research internships, and extracurriculars I needed to fulfill to earn my golden ticket to my dream school. But there’s a reason students don’t have college-related meetings with Mr. Jump until their junior year. Much like the great philosopher Yoda refused to train Luke “until he was ready,” Mr. Jump has always required students take space for self-discovery

before officially beginning their individual college meetings.

Nowadays, I appreciate Mr. Jump’s metaphors and personal anecdotes perhaps more than his actual college advice. I don’t know how he would feel about me saying that, and I in no way mean to knock the college wisdom of the former head of the National Association for College Admission Counseling. Rather, there is only so much a college counselor can actually do to influence your application process. Introduce you to new schools and scholarship opportunities? Yes, and Mr. Jump knows how to find a match better than anyone else in his field. However, what few college counselors actually do is prepare you, as a maturing individual, to drive the college process on your own accord and enter life on your own, grounded in an affirming sense of self.

Herein lies the beautiful subtlety of Mr. Jump’s counseling style. One of the most meaningful experiences in my high school career, my time spent at the Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshop last summer, was, on paper, made possible entirely by my own efforts. I discovered the program. I filled out the application. I connected with friends in Gambier. But in actuality, I never would have attended the Kenyon program had it not been for Mr. Jump’s recommendation the summer before to attend a similar program at Dennison. Rather than direct me to some boarding-school feeder program at an Ivy League university, Mr. Jump put out feelers, shared his personal experience as a humor writer, and left little inklings of breadcrumbs that helped me relinquish a need for name recognition in my activities. He didn’t prioritize which programs would lead to my work getting published but instead led me down the right path, one that I enjoyed and gladly devoted myself to without ever needing to be “advised” to do so.

As we seniors leave our home environments next year, we will all be confronted with a wide variety of paths: job opportunities, relationships and internships calling us to

Mr. Jim Jump

one city or another. It often excites me to think about the things my friends will be doing in the next five years, to briefly imagine the lives that Barner Konvicka ‘23 will save or the athletes that Kyan Patel ‘23 will meet. But the immense opportunities St. Christopher’s has afforded us can, at least to me, occasionally be overwhelming. At moments like these, I return to Mr. Jump’s wisdom. To him, college is less a degree or a crest or a name or a ranking. To Mr. Jump, college is a period of harmonizing our interests with our intentions, our passions with

our plans. I’ll be the first to call him the college Buddha, but not because he’s some genie in a bottle that blesses you with admission to your dream school. Buddha means “awakened,” a mindset Mr. Jump wants us all to achieve: awakened to our own talents as an individual, to our ability to maintain relationships with our parents, peers and teachers, to our anxieties and fears, and perhaps most importantly, the things that make us tick, our passions, and the path that will allow us to chase these to the best of our ability.

A Historic Tenure

By Randolph Trow ’23

Wrestling Loses Another Legendary Coach.

Mr. William “Billy” Abbott has had numerous achievements throughout his career at St. Christopher’s. Arriving in 1996, Mr. Abbott has been a history teacher, the Dean of Students and a wrestling coach. His experiences teaching both US History and AP Government have “opened the door to have some discussions about current events and issues,” said Mr. Abbott, who also said that those experiences were fun for him.

When I asked him to name faculty who influenced him, he said that Mr. Jim Jump and Mr. Robert Johns gave him good wisdom. He also thanked Mr. Simon Watson who gave him the offer nearly three decades ago, along with Mr. Jack Bolling, Mr. Rich Hudepohl and Mr. David Anderson, who taught with him for his first few years at the school. “I could give you a very long list and I’m sure I’m leaving people out,” he said, and he also is very “fortunate to work with a lot of really neat, interesting, unique people.”

“I went to Normandy with Mr. Hudepohl and Mr. [Greg] Tune, and that was just an incredible, nice journey, but also the camaraderie with my fellow teachers was a

very good experience,” recounted Mr. Abbott about his trip that he took during his time as a history teacher.

Mr. Abbott has also been a wrestling coach during his time at St. Christopher’s, and he said his favorite moment was when “there was a guy named Hunter Daniels [‘12] who was wrestling another guy from Christiansburg and he was losing. Then, he came off his back to pin the opponent and won the match for us.” He has had teams win numerous state championships and coached extraordinary wrestlers who have gone on to wrestle in college.

“I hope to travel some, get involved with the community somewhere, stay attached to St. Christopher’s in some way, ride a bike and spend time with family,”

Mr. Abbott said about his future prospects after school. “Literally, I’ve never retired before.”

Mr. William “Billy” Abbot

Mr/. Abbott being awarded the Neil Buckley Service Award

Baylor Opens a New Chapter

By Randolph Trow ‘23

“I’m gonna miss the kids. I think they’re goofy.”

Mr. Corydon Baylor has taught St. Christopher’s 8th grade boys since 1984. He has coached golf, soccer, Watermen, tennis, shot-put, but mostly golf. His favorite text to teach is the Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare because “eighth graders haven’t had Shakespeare, and they are very reluctant and confused when it first starts, but by the end of it they’re pretty good at it. Well, for an eighth grader they’re pretty good at it,” said Mr. Baylor.

When I asked him for his favorite coaching moment, he said, “they got to the last match against Woodberry and they lost by one stroke. So I didn’t have to get my head shaved.” Mr. Baylor had gotten his head shaved on the steps of Scott Gym when his JV golf team went undefeated their entire season the year before, saying “it was fun to do.”

He also said his favorite role to fill within the school was his position as Honor Council Chair for 15-20 years. Mr. Baylor said he definitely thought teaching 8th grade students was the most fulfilling for him. He taught 7th grade history and 9th grade English for a bit, but he said he didn’t enjoy those experiences as much as teaching 8th grade English.

His impact on the 8th grade English curriculum has

shaped even high school students, as Mr. Jay Wood, chair of the Upper School English Department, teaches the ‘Corydon Baylor Comma Rules’ in every one of his classes.

Mr. Baylor will also miss the relationships with the faculty when he retires. “There is a really good community in the Middle School, and I’ll miss that, even just the day-to-day experience,” he said. His advice for incoming students after he leaves is: “You don’t have to be like everybody else. Don’t go with a herd in the eighth grade.” He also said: “Failure is not failure.”

As for his future prospects, Mr. Baylor said he is going to go take some history classes at VCU, garden, travel with his wife and, of course, play golf.

Mr. Baylor stands outside with his signature garden.

Mr. Baylor teaches his 8th grade English class.

Peregrination of the Poet

By Randolph Trow ‘23

parent-student duo is probably Casey Torrence/Ellie Torrence, but I am partial to Big Mike.”

One of Ms. Nason’s closest colleagues that she cited was Mr. Chafee, who said she was “an amazing colleague who is constantly looking for new and nontraditional ways to challenge her students. Her goal was to always push the limits of what the boys thought they were capable of achieving. Her innovation oftentimes challenged me to rethink the approaches I took with my own curriculum and assessments. She brought an energy to St. Christopher’s that the boys in her classes needed and fed off of. It was because of that unique approach to education that gave her the opportunity to foster relationships with the boys who needed her most.”

Ms. Emily Nason has been my advisor for two years ever since Mr. Ross Gitomer left for New Jersey. She has connected with the students in a way that stays with them until their last year. She got her degree in poetry before her time here at St. Christopher’s and will likely return to it in some form after her time here ends. She has not confirmed anything yet about her future prospects, saying, “I’ve kinda always had a plan for the future, so I’m embracing the fact that I don’t really have one right now.”

She completed her degree at Kenyon College, where she moved on from school to enter the workforce, teaching a class at UVA before landing here at St. Christopher’s. Her favorite class to teach was British Literature because “it’s sophomores, and they’re generally kids I’ve had already.” Ms. Nason is most unhappy about leaving us, her students.

“My favorite memory was during my first year teaching when Lewis [Tompkins ‘23] kept going to the dining hall to get bananas, and one day I said ‘If you get one more banana, I’m gonna lose my mind,’ and he came back with an orange.” She also said, “My other favorite memory was during poetry out loud when Ryan Temple [‘24] went up to sing his poem in the highest pitch voice I have ever heard.”

Ms. Nason said she was going to keep in touch with Mrs. Casey Torrence, Mr. Chad Chafee, Mr. Joshua Thomas, Mr. Scott Van Arsdale, Mrs. Beth Berry, Mrs. Stephanie Barnes and many others. “My favorite

Now as I reflect on her as an advisee, Ms. Nason has been a great teacher and advisor to me for her two years of teaching here and I am truly sad to see her leave. I do wish her the best, and I know she’ll go on to do good things. If she follows me on Instagram, that is.

Ms. Nason savors a moment in the limelight.

Ms. Nason with a copy of Kenyon College’s The Southern Review, featuring a poem of hers

A New Era Begins:

Introducing Mr. Jake Westermann as the new Head of Upper School

By Randolph Trow ’23

We’ve been waiting for a year now.

Mr. Jake Westermann, the successor of Mr. Tony Szymendera as Head of Upper School, is moving to join the St. Christopher’s community and make his first official appearance on the job on July 1, 2023. However, Mr. Westermann will make several appearances on campus from now until then and will try his best to get to know the students before he becomes their leader.

The start of the search for him began a full year ago when Mr. Szymendera announced that he was stepping down from the position, and after a lot of work by the committee led by several members of the administration, the selection was made. As for why it took as long as it did, Headmaster Mason Lecky, who headed the committee for the search, said, “It’s really a compliment to St. Christopher’s. We had so much interest from really qualified and compelling folks.” Many of the qualifications Mr. Westermann has accrued will surely be put on display during his time here.

He has taught English and history, coached lacrosse his whole career, has run a global travel program and led boys and girls at The Potomac School as Head of Student Life. He also enjoys the outdoors and listening to a few of his favorite bands: Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, Allman Brothers, Tedeschi Trucks, blues and other southern

rock bands. He also has one chef in particular he takes his inspiration from which stemmed from his love of cooking and eating, especially Italian, Anthony Bourdain.

“What he liked to do so much was to go out and meet people and listen to them and show deference and respect and honor to what they did and how they did things. And I think as an educator, a teacher, you’re working with people, and so that idea of listening and learning is really important,” Mr. Westermann said, and he used that mentality when he went on numerous trips around the world with his Potomac students. One of his trips to visit the Northern Lights was really impactful, he said, in forming his love for travel and students.

Mr. Westermann loves the UVA Cavaliers, and the lacrosse head coach there was his old high school coach, who has now won back-to-back championships there, fueling his ambitions to both coach and teach after a year or two at St. Christopher’s.

“Mr. Westermann’s references described him as a great listener, thoughtful, wise, empathetic, a hard worker and heavily invested,” said Mr. Lecky, who went on to describe him as “Approachable, engaging, likable and somebody you guys can lean on as a leader.” Both Dr. Kimberly Hudson and Mr. Lecky have high hopes for the coming school years with Mr. Westermann at the helm of the Upper School.

Mr. Jake Westermann

Mr. Westermann being interviewed by Randolph Trow ‘23

Thank U, STC, Next

By Noah Lee ’25

Learning in a different country can change your life. This is a reality for some students in the Guatemalan exchange program, Faces And Our Cultures. The program is the reason why boys can visit St. Christopher’s. Ms. Carey Pohanka provides information about the exchange and being a host, serving as the Global Coordinator here on campus. None of this would be possible if it weren’t for students, such as Thomas Wright ‘24 who were willing to host these students.

He chose to be a host because he is of Guatemalan descent, wanting to learn more about his culture from someone who lives it rather than him researching on his own. He registered and ended up being a fit for a host. His sister hosted in the past as well, so he was not a stranger to the experience. Despite being polar opposites Wright and his student Nico Rodriguez quickly bonded. Their bond was so strong that they stayed in contact even after Nico returned to his home country. Rodriguez quickly adjusted to life in the Wright household.

From the very beginning, Rodriguez was nervous about it. When he was crossing the border he was thinking “OMG I’m gonna be sent back to Guatemala.” Of course, that didn’t happen, and he successfully made it to America. This wasn’t his first time in the States, but he was still very nervous. One thing that made Rodriguez excited was being in the same country as his two favorite artists, Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande. Rodriguez was scared because “[he didn’t] know anyone and it might be awkward.” However, quite the opposite happened.

He was relieved by such a pleasant introduction to St. Christopher’s and was approached by boys who treated him as one of their own and welcomed him with open arms. Even after he got to know some students better, he found that even people he did not know well would treat him nicely. Rodriguez “was shocked by how everyone was helping, saying hello, talking, and being so nice to [him].” Despite all the pleasant interactions with students, Rodriguez still had to adjust to academic life at St. Christopher’s.

Rodriguez mentioned “[three] big differences” between the schools. For one the main spoken language in his school was German, while at St. Christopher’s,

it’s English. Rodriguez is trilingual, being able to speak German, Spanish, and English. “St Christopher’s School had so much variety of subjects, like photography.” The amount and variety of subjects was the biggest difference. At his school in Guatemala, students are unable to pick classes, let alone classes such as photography, and graphic design, among others. Another difference is after-school activities. At St. Christopher’s, after-school activities range from publications to varsity sports and even the possibility to do contract sports, which his school back in Guatemala does not have.

Rodriguez spent time exploring Richmond and

Nico Rodriguez poses with his personal hero, Ariana Grande.

surrounding areas with Wright as they hung out. Nico says that he “loves Virginia” and he wouldn’t have learned all these amazing things about Virginia if it weren’t for his host. Rodriguez was always ecstatic to go shopping at Target and on Amazon. He loved Virginia and St. Christopher’s so much that he “didn’t want to go back” to his school.

Rodriguez learned many things while staying at St. Christopher’s. For one, he improved his English. One thing in particular he learned was to “speak now.” This applies not just to Rodriguez, but everyone. When you need help, speak up and tell someone, asking for help will only benefit you mentally and academically. Not only that but by speaking up, he made lots of friends and bonds with everyone. He also couldn’t have given his “iconic [chapel] speech” without talking to Ms. Pohanka and Dr. Kimberly Hudson.

After Rodriguez’s return to Guatemala, he missed being at St. Christopher’s. Although he was sorrowful after leaving, he began to grow more optimistic than pessimistic by remembering the parties he went to and all the fun things he experienced at St Christopher’s. Rodriguez still keeps in touch with many of his friends from St. Christopher’s here in Richmond, but he says he does feel a hint of melancholy not being able to hang

out with them anymore. Rodriguez said that “he feels he is living more in the past and future rather than the present.” His motivation for good grades is to eventually visit America and St. Christopher’s once more in the future.

Rodriguez with Thomas Wright at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens

Nico Rodriguez celebrates with friends at his going-away party.

One Sport’s Punishment is Another Sport’s Practice

By Charlie Seaman ‘24

The track division of the Track and Field team at St. Christopher’s, under the coaching of Virginia High School League Hall of Fame runner, Barney Cobb, has been held to high prestige by students and faculty. For the last seven years, Coach Cobb has been leading boys to greatness on and off the track. Coach Cobb states that he wants to teach his runners not only how to excel at running, but how to excel in the real world as well. Some of his values include hard working, being fair and conducting yourself with honesty. Cobb elaborates on these topics heavily by saying that with a proper understanding and grasp of them, the individual will be able to excel in many places they thought were not available.

All these points are great, but why would someone want to join the team and start running track for the school? On the outside, it looks tough, however, other than being a great way to keep in shape, it also allows students to build a sense of community within the

school and on the team. “Team development is very important to the group of guys,” said Coach Cobb, “with a strong team comes strong performance.” Coach Cobb urges the runners to greatness constantly because he wants to build a strong relationship with the members of the team. He says this is critical to the development of the team in case of a morale slump or a dip in team performance at meets for the group. He is able to reach out to members of the team to make sure problems are resolved as fast and as efficiently as possible.

Coach Cobb prides himself on the well-being of the team more than anything else. He also states that newcomers are always welcome to join the team, those with lots of experience or none at all.

Coach Barney Cobb

Coach Cobb being interviewed by NBC12

STC on the Silver Screen

By Ned Lumpkin ‘24

You may have seen a big camera crew on St. Christopher’s campus a few months back. That is because a show called Swagger that aired on Apple TV, loosely based on the life of basketball phenom, Kevin Durant, spent a few days filming on campus. The show follows a group of families balancing a fine line between dreams and reality when it comes to sports.

Even for only an episode and maybe a few minutes worth of scenes, there was a bunch of background work that had to be done. For example, the connection between St. Christopher’s and the filming crew started in June of 2022. Over the summer, the lighting crew, camera crew and one of the directors met with Mrs. Janine Davila, the Director of Auxiliary Operations, to talk about Scott Gym and the setting for the scenes.

According to Mrs. Davila, once the initial talks finished, the director “fell in love” with St. Christopher’s and Scott Gym because of the wood floor and the “the aesthetics of the campus.” The director felt that the school “fit perfectly” into what they wanted for these few scenes.

Luckily, while the filming crew came here to film, the director reached out to get some students to shadow. So, AB Bullock ’23 and Austin Levin ’23 had the opportunity to follow the film crew.

Levin, who has aspirations to write in college, was paired with the film crew by former arts teacher Mr. Russell Wilson. He was able to shadow the director for insight on certain filming and acting techniques. Levin

gladly followed the director to see “how he acts on his plans” and how he could get his “vision executed.”

Levin enjoyed seeing all of the little things that go into shooting one scene just as the director wanted. “From the lights to every little detail” being re-shot fascinated him as he shadowed the crew.

Although he took a back seat and wasn’t hands-on with the crew, Levin was able to see the amount of takes that the crew needed to have for one short scene. The crew “shot a particular scene over and over until every little detail was perfect” and kept going until the director was finally satisfied.

Once these scenes had finished, the director would come back behind to where Bullock and Levin were to explain his reasoning. The director shifted his talks to Levin and his aspirations for writing. Meanwhile, the acting coach talked to Bullock about why they retook shots and how certain things could have been acted better.

A crowd of onlookers during a basketball game.

The entrance to Scott Gym.

Jack I. the Theatre Guy

By Noah Lee ‘25

How does St. Christopher’s help their students prepare for college? Jack Ireland ‘22 graduated from St. Christopher’s last year. Right now, Ireland is attending the University of Virginia. His time at St. Christopher’s has impacted his perspective in classes and social settings as well as his acting and musical activities in college.

Ireland discovered St. Christopher’s helped prepare him for college “especially… [in] English and Writing classes.” He feels he can be more confident about his writing and be more himself. St. Christopher’s let Ireland be himself and feel celebrated in doing so. This celebration and self-discovery allow Ireland to write more confidently and in a more unique way.

St. Christopher’s is a very small school where most students know everyone in their grade. Ireland had to transition from this environment to a much larger social environment. He felt that because of St. Christopher’s secluded environment, there were specific cliques. Everyone knew each other but the “friend groups” were very tight-knit, and Ireland felt he didn’t fit in with many of them. However, now being in a much larger public environment with thousands of students, he can sit down with a plethora of people and feel comfortable.

Ireland was very invested in the St. Christopher’s theatre program, Ampersand. He is now a part of the First Year Players. Like Ampersand, FYP is also a student-led theatre program, everyone who acts are freshmen, but all the support can be from any grade. Alongside being larger, Ireland noted that FYP is organized, considerate and passionate. The leaders serve the students and help out rather than controlling them and making their own decisions. Many of the cast and crew do extracurriculars other than FYP including Ireland. They plan out convenient times for everyone so it can be consistent and productive. Ireland thinks the most important thing about FYP is the passion every member has for it. He can see that everyone works very hard to perform and do the best of their ability. The performance of FYP feels like a “celebration and a fun performance rather than a final product.” Ireland is cast as a lead in both upcoming productions and he is beyond ecstatic to perform

with FYP.

St. Christopher’s talks about its ability to help and educate boys, and Ireland feels that St. Christopher’s does this job very well. He feels he has an edge on other students at University of Virginia because he is confident in who he is and his abilities. “St. Christopher’s made my character and personality feel celebrated rather than my athletic, academic, or artistic abilities,” said Ireland. The most important thing to have is confidence in who you are and Ireland is grateful St. Christopher’s has given him that confidence. However, it is not confidence in ability but rather character and personality. St. Christopher’s does not simply give confidence to students but rather highlights each student’s unique personality and skill sets.

Jack Ireland shows off his theatrical chops at UVA.

Jack Ireland admires his likeness during a Senior Surprise.

Mental Health: Not a Destination, But a Process

By Charlie Seaman ‘24

Self Improvement Club is an organization with a simple goal. Started earlier this year by Mitchell Faglioni ’24, the club aims to provide students with practical tips for life that are not usually discussed at school. But why would someone want to go attend a meeting? Faglioni says everyone should join the Self Improvement Club to better their mental health and overall wellbeing. Faglioni said in an interview that, “you don’t necessarily have to do anything when you go, the club provides a resource and community to learn.” He continued, “I wanted a place to take the things that I have been learning and practicing and introduce these topics to others. Selfimprovement is such a broad category that I’m not excluded from talking about specific things.” Faglioni has created a safe space for students to talk about things normally not talked about at school, let alone talked about amongst guys in general.

For someone who does not normally attend the meetings, it could be slightly daunting or confusing if you had not participated in past discussions, but that does not matter in this case. During meetings, they discuss notes that Fagloini has created on a subject, and he encourages

those in the club to give their own thoughts and ideas on the concepts, jumping in where appropriate to share their own personal experience as related to the topic. The meetings do not build off of each other, so students can choose to go to meetings as they please. So, if you are still needing a good reason to go to a Self Improvement Club meeting or to start embarking upon your own selfimprovement journey, just remember that the process of self-improvement is a lifelong process and can only produce positive effects in your life.

Mitchell Faglioni ‘24

Teacher Sports: First Five

By Patteson Branch ’25

This series of stories will be exploring Upper School teachers’ experiences as student athletes at their alma maters. A vast variety of sports were played by our faculty, some of whom took their talents semi-professionally or even professionally. The series will expand into the 2023-24 school year as we take a closer look at another set of teachers who played sports in college and beyond.

Clelland: Football, Northwestern University

Did you know that Mr. Lance Clelland of the Admissions Office played football… in the NFL? His developed talents stemming back to his high school in Maryland, Owings Mills, Mr. Clelland was recognized as an All-American player for football, and pursued his dreams on the field through attending Northwestern and playing as a starter on the offensive line there for his full four years of college. At Northwestern, he flourished, racking up a total of 13 varsity letters and leading his team to win the Big Ten in 2000. After college, Mr. Clelland pursued the NFL, getting the chance to work with the Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets in 2002. He also spent time in the Arena Football League in 2005.

Geary: Baseball, Virginia Military Institute

Mr. David Geary, who grew up in Richmond, Virginia and attended Benedictine College Preparatory School, pursued his love for baseball in college as an infielder for the Virginia Military Institute Keydets baseball team. Several notable highlights from his time in college include a win over a topranked University of Virginia team, nine career home runs and participating in the Southern Conference Tournament. He also earned a spot as a Third Team All-American during his college tenure, which lasted for four years and spanned from 2013 to 2016.

Owen: Wrestling, University of Minnesota

Wrestling coach and health teacher Mr. Tommy Owen has a history of wrestling and coaching dating back to high school and even earlier. Having attended University High School in the state of Minnesota, where he attained the status of an All-American, Owen continued to wrestle in college for the University of Minnesota for another four years. While plagued with injury for a considerable amount of time in college, he still played a critical role on a team. They were a consistent superpower that placed consistently second in the Big Ten, which is one of the best conferences in the country for wrestling, and he specifically finished 11-15 overall in matches.

Turner: Field Hockey, College of William & Mary

A Richmond native and St. Catherine’s graduate, Mrs. Ginny Turner, a member of the College Counseling Office, conducted an accomplished career in field hockey, first as a player at William & Mary and later as a coach at Davidson College. While at university herself, Mrs. Turner started as a forward for a William & Mary team that achieved four consecutive national top15 rankings and to an NCAA tournament in 2002, also garnering a letter each of those four years for her skill. After college, she eventually became the field hockey coach at Davidson, where she led a successful squad throughout her 14-year tenure and being recognized as the Atlantic-10 Coach of the Year in 2015.

Sherod: Basketball, University of Richmond

Having just rejoined the St. Christopher’s community as an Upper School Childrey Teaching Fellow and familiar alumnus face to many, Mr. Nick Sherod ’16 is fresh off of wrapping up a full six-year stint as an accomplished basketball player at the University of Richmond, which spanned from the 2016-17 season all the way up until last year, the 2021-22 season in which Richmond won the Atlantic-10 Tournament and notably reached the second round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament after their upset of number-five-seeded University of Iowa as a twelve seed. However, in that span of time Mr. Sherod did miss the 2020-21 season as the result of a torn ACL. On the whole, he logged a career average of 10 points-per-game over his five-year tenure, including an average of 14 points per game in his sophomore season at Richmond the 2017-18 season. He also scored career totals of over 1400 points and 500 rebounds.

“I’m so grateful for not only my teammates and the friendships that I had, but also the coaches... [they have had] a lasting and a huge impact not onlyhow I coach, but how I live.”

Once We All Were Fish: The First Chomp

By Armstead Butler ‘24

In the distant past of about 550 to 420 or so million years ago, early fish had yet to evolve jaws and teeth. For a large part of their history, they were restricted to small, jawless, filter feeding forms while their ecosystems were ruled by much larger invertebrates. But this all changed in a time period that lasted from about 420 - 360 million years ago known as the Devonian period.

The events of the Devonian period were revolutionary for prehistoric fish in countless ways. They developed jaws, rose to dominance in Earth’s waters for the first time, gave rise to huge aquatic predators, and their descendants even began to take their first steps onto dry land. Scientists often refer to the Devonian period as “The Age of Fish.”

The first step that fish took in their rise to power was the evolution of jaws and teeth. But because such events took place hundreds of millions of years ago, little is known about exactly where the earliest jawed vertebrates, or gnathostomes, came from. It is known, however, that jawed fish evolved from the aforementioned jawless fish, or Agnathans. It is also fairly well understood how jaws first developed, and it is quite unlike how one might imagine. In an oversimplification, the very first jaws in vertebrates evolved roughly 420 million years ago from pharynx segments that were already present in the gills of earlier jawless fish.

It is very easy to see the advantages of developing jaws and teeth: it allowed primitive fish to diversify into more predatory forms, exploit different food sources, and develop defense mechanisms against predators.

The earliest jawed fish were a peculiar group known as the Placoderms. The Placoderms first appeared in the late Silurian period around 420 million years ago and became highly dominant and successful in the Devonian period. In addition to jaws, they possessed the earliest teeth, albeit ones that more closely resembled bony plates than the teeth in modern fish. As well as armed mouths, the Placoderms possessed heavy bony armor on their heads, neck, and thorax. They were also the first fish to develop pelvic fins.

Diagram of how jaws first evolved in fish

Reconstruction and anatomy of a generic Placoderm

Skull of a Dunkleosteus

One of the most prominent aspects of the Placoderms is how incredibly diverse they became during the Devonian period. Over 200 genera (plural for “genus”) of these ancient fish are currently known, and they came in all shapes and sizes. From large and fierce predators to algae feeding bottom dwellers, the Placoderms dominated countless niches during the early to middle Devonian period as the first vertebrate animals to sport bony armor, jaws, primitive teeth, and several fins. And while they did sport jaws, most Placoderms had rather simple, beak-like jaws made up of bony plates.

One of the largest and most well known of all Placoderms was Dunkleosteus. Although Dunkleosteus is not known from complete fossils, it is estimated that it could grow to 13 feet long and weigh around one to two tons (altough estimates prior to 2023 put it around twice this size). This ancient apex predator had a bite force of over 4,000 newtons, which undoubtedly made it the greatest marine predator of its time.

The Placoderms were some of the most diverse creatures in history during their reign and hardly any other group has ever diversified so drastically in such little time. However, like all of Earth’s inhabitants, their time came. Later in the Devonian period, around 372 to 359 million years ago, the oxygen levels of oceanic bottom waters dropped, the rates of carbon burial shot up, and high frequency sea level changes and volcanic activity occured. This pushed around half of all of Earth’s species into extinction, with the Placoderms included. By the

end of the Age of Fish, the Placoderms had disappeared entirely, having died out nearly as quickly as they had conquered the seas.

Another notable aspect of the Placoderms is that they are not part of any modern groups of fish. Today’s fish are divided into two different groups: bony fish (class Osteichthyes) and cartilaginous fish (class Chondrichthyes). Bony fish have skeletons composed of bone while cartilaginous fish have skeletons composed of cartilage. As of today, the cartilaginous fish are much less numerous than the bony fish and consist of sharks, rays, skates, sawfish, and a group of strange and now rare fish known as the Holocephalians while all other fish are bony fish. Bony and cartilaginous fish are estimated to have diverged from a common ancestor around 420 million years ago. Placoderms do not belong in either of these groups and first appeared before the divergence of the two main groups of modern fish.

Because they do not belong in either main groups of modern fish, possessed jaws quite anatomically unlike those of modern fish, and were eradicated by climate change fairly quickly, scientists once assumed that the Placoderms did not give rise to modern jawed fish and were simply a sign of things to come, as they were a group of jawed fish that become very dominant and diverse in the distant past on a lineage independent from modern jawed fish. In addition, scientists also once assumed that the very last common ancestor of both groups of jawed fish (bony and cartilaginous fish) was not a Placoderm, but a shark-like animal. And with that, it was also believed that sharks and most other cartilaginous fish were very primitive, being very similar to the ancient ancestor of jawed vertebrates. However, a discovery from 2010 suggested otherwise.

In China, scientists uncovered a new fossil fish dating back to 419 million years ago in the late Silurian period that rewrote scientists’ understanding of the evolution of jawed vertebrates. The prehistoric fish was classified as a Placoderm, but there was a catch: rather than sporting a primitive, beak-like jaw composed of bony plates like most Placoderms, this one had a jaw wellformed by interlocking bones much like those of modern jawed vertebrates. The new Placoderm was named Entelognathus, which literally means “complete jaw.”

Unlike other Placoderm specimens, the jaw anatomy of Entelognathus was nearly exactly like that seen in later jawed fish. The discovery of this Placoderm suggested that, contrary to what was previously assumed, the Placoderms are directly ancestral to later jawed fish, including bony and cartilaginous fish.

Reconstruction of Entelognathus, a species that suggests Placoderms are the direct ancestors of modern jawed vertebrates

Once We All Were Fish: A New Breed

By Armstead Butler ‘24

In the Fall of 2023, we explored the time in which fish ancestral to us humans evolved into forms that would be more familiar to us today, developing the first jaws on vertebrates, fins and bony armor in the early Devonian period. With jaws and teeth, they conquered the ancient waters, displacing the large invertebrates at the time as the dominant creatures in their ecosystem. But the early Devonian ended in a mass extinction that killed off most armored fish along with their invertebrate rivals. And while reigning invertebrates were never to rise again, fish would continue to prosper.

Although the Placoderms, the earliest fish to dominate their ecosystems, didn’t die out completely until the end of the Devonian Period, they went into a decline in the beginning of the upper Devonian Period, but not before giving rise to a new breed of prehistoric fish. In their next major step in evolution, the ancient fish lost their aforementioned bony armor in favor of evolving into larger sizes and exploding their populations once again.

Members of this new generation are known as lobefinned fish of the taxon (organism or group of organisms) sarcopterygii. Together with ray-finned fish of the taxon Actinopterygii, they form the superclass (a taxon above a class but below a phylum) of fish Osteichthyes, members of which have skeletons made of bone and are known as bony fish, which comprise all fish except for sharks, rays, and the rare, less well known holocephalans, which belong to a much smaller class known as Chondrichthyes, members of which have skeletons made of cartilage and are therefore known as cartilaginous fish.

Bony and vartilaginous fish diverged from a common ancestor around 425 million years ago and ray-finned fish and lobe-finned fish diverged from a common ancestor roughly 400 million years ago. Having diverged fairly early on the timeline of fish evolution, all these different taxonomic groups of fish are very distantly related. But all of them have living representatives and they have lived and evolved alongside one another for hundreds of millions of years. However, the lobe-finned fish would go on to take a different evolutionary path to other breeds of fish.

Lobe-finned fish get their name from the fact that, unlike other fish, their fins contain a central appendage that contains many bones and muscles attached to the

Illustrations of several extinct lobe-finned fish.

Several other species of lobe-finned fish, some living and others extinct

body by a single bone, making them stronger and more flexible, which served a very specified purpose. Earlier in the Devonian Period, while the Placoderms still dominated the oceans, some lobe-finned fish left saltwater ecosystems and colonized freshwater environments to escape other marine predators.

Leaving more wide-open ocean habitats dominated by larger predators in favor of shallower, plant-filled freshwater habitats ultimately gave some lobe-finned fish a major advantage. As the early Devonian went into the late Devonian, between 400 and 375 million years ago, lobe-finned fish began to diversify more and become the dominant creatures of ancient freshwater ecosystems. They fed on a diet of smaller fish, mollusks, insects, and aquatic plants. Some lobe-finned fish from the Devonian period measured just four inches long, while others grew into monstrous predators, such as Rhizodus, could grow up to eighteen feet long and weigh up to 1.7 tons and Hyneria, which may have grown up to ten feet long.

On the other hand, the other group of bony fish that now contains the vast majority of all living fish species, ray-finned fish, has a sparse fossil record from the Devonian period. Nonetheless, it can be reasonably assumed that they did not present significant competition for lobe-finned fish in the Devonian period, the latter of which were very common and successful at the time.

The secret to the success of lobe-finned fish in the shallower freshwater environments of 400-365 million years ago lies in their peculiar anatomy. As aforementioned, their fins were stronger and more dexterous than those of ray-finned fish, which allowed for more efficient means of locomotion in shallow waters filled with plant matter. With fins that were sturdy, agile, and capable of moving in a variety of directions, lobe-finned fish were able to use them to push their way through shallow waters filled with obstacles such as dense vegetation. These specialized fins were the precursor to limbs, which would eventually be used to move on dry land

In addition to these specialized fins, lobe-finned fish had another trick up their sleeve. At around this same time, some of the tissue sac surrounding their gills evolved into an appendage that allowed them to breathe oxygen from the air as well as the water, creating the animal kingdom’s first lungs. This development allowed these fish to live in oxygen-poor freshwater environments inaccessible to the larger predatory fish that inhabited the ocean.

With fins that allowed them to traverse habitats

inhabited by plant life and lungs that allowed them to breathe oxygen from the air when oxygen levels from the water were low, lobe-finned fish were among the first vertebrates to successfully leave the ocean, moving closer to the land. But to continue their success, the fish had one more thing to do: leave the water altogether.

It was originally believed that Devonian lobefinned fish, such as Eusthenopteron (see image 1) used specialized fins and primitive lungs to haul themselves out of the water and crawl on dry land to move from pool to pool during the dry season or whenever their habitats became exceptionally shallow. However, scientists now believe that they were still strictly aquatic and not yet able to traverse onto land in any way.

Reconstruction of Eusthenopteron, an extinct lobe-finned fish from the Devonian period

Reconstruction of a lobe-finned fish using its unique fins to crawl through shallow vegetation-filled water.

The Lithuanian Legend

By Mac Dixon ‘24

High School, in the eyes of people far older and less cynical than myself, are the prime years of someone’s life, time to cherish with friends, act stupid, get rowdy, find your place in the world. With that being said, why would someone choose to fly 4,602 miles to spend their junior year with a community of strangers? In Jurgis Kemeklis’ ‘24 case, this decision was not out of impulsivity, but an enduring path to find the best version of himself.

Jet-lagged by the seven hour time difference, Kemeklis stepped off the plane to be picked up by Global Coordinator and BUILD teacher Carey Pohanka. A few months prior, Kemeklis had entered himself into the ASSIST program, a highly competitive student exchange program which pairs academically inclined international students with a full-year scholarship at an independent American school. Shortly after, he was able to meet his host family, Matt Harris, Bea Gonzales and Sebi Harris ‘33. His host family, he says, was indispensable in helping support him throughout the year, but even more importantly, showed him what it means to be a Saint. In Lithuania, Kemeklis has an older sister and exists solely as the “annoying little brother,” he says. However, Kemeklis ended up in a new position, both taking care of and acting as a role model for Sebi. No longer was he antagonizing his sibling, but instead he found these whole new “social aspects of family relationships where…[he] was the role model in concurrence with [his] parents.”

Almost immediately familiarizing himself with the extracurriculars of St. Christopher’s School, Kemeklis was quick to find widespread appreciation within our community. Whether it be leading the math club, participating in swim meets or going on a blindfolded date during Ampersand’s production of Too Much Light Makes a Baby Go Blind, Kemeklis cemented himself as a force to be reckoned with. These extracurriculars provided a stark contrast to his school in Lithuania, which, unlike St. Christopher’s, has no connection to the sports or clubs the students involve themselves with. As “it’s so well rounded and so focused on the community,” he made sure to make use of any opportunities given to both grow closer to those around him while making valuable connections and memories.

Culture shock, while not remarkably drastic for Kemeklis, allowed him to break down exactly what this abstract idea of community meant to him. How does the school provide support to those who need it, he wondered? In a year stricken with multiple unfortunate losses, Kemeklis was able to see the “true nature of St. Christopher’s,” one stripped of any artificiality or posturing. “It’s all about helping you become a good human being in your future life and all aspects of becoming a man as well.” Even the use of the word “friend” provided insight on how community functioned in the United States. Lithuania uses two words for friend depending on how close someone is, whereas English uses one universal word, making it far easier “to have this deeper connection with [someone].” Without any preconceived notions as to what the program would hold, Kemeklis was surprised to see the role teachers play within the school. A teacher is obviously someone who provides education for their students, but at St. Christopher’s, teachers are friends, coaches and advisors. The person who gives you an F on a poorly written paper is the same person who guides you through high school.

Returning to Lithuania at the end of the school year, Jurgis hopes to return to the United States for college. Although his time here was limited, his influence cannot be understated and we’re all grateful to have been able to call him a Saint.

Kemeklis hoists a Lithuanian flag in the Memorial Chapel.

Facing the Future

By Patteson Branch ‘25

Matthew Matthews ‘27 Gerrett Broussard ‘23

- All of the new athletic and academic opportunities.

- I think all of my teachers prepared me well and I am excited.

- Just being familiar with everything: it’ll be fun going into something new, but I know the middle school well and all of the teachers.

- All honors classes.

What are you looking forward to?

- The opportunities and wide range of things I’ll be able to do next year.

What are you nervous about?

What are you going to miss?

What classes are you going to take?

- Varsity track and swimming, as well as cross country and some more lifting as well.

What extracurricular activities do you wish to pursue?

- The responsibilities that come with being independent, even as a college student.

- The people, I love all the friends and faculty I get to see here.

- I’m not sure yet. I plan on majoring in electrical engineering, so it’ll be something involving that. I want to take Chinese too, since I plan to minor in that.

- Soccer for sure, either club or intramural. I want to do something revolving around art and my major too.

- My time management skills. I’d really like to get better at that.

- I want to challenge myself and I want to succeed. I want to learn as much as I can and get the benefits from high school and grow up.

What are you going to change?

What are your goals?

- I want to be a little more proactive and take more chance when it comes to stuff I care about

- I want to get a masters or Ph.D while taking on as little student debt as possible. I also want to study abroad at some point

Working Beyond Boundaries

By Patteson Branch ’25

For St. Christopher’s Middle School science teacher Mr. Kyle Burnette, education goes well beyond the classroom. About nine years ago, in 2014, after being inspired from his work with the organization Environmental Traveling Companions in San Francisco, CA, Mr. Burnette cofounded (along with his business partner, Shep Roeper) a nonprofit to pursue his passion: being outdoors. This organization, Beyond Boundaries, is devoted to providing equal access to the outdoor experience in Richmond regardless of disability, physical limitations and socioeconomic status.

Beyond Boundaries’ mission is exactly that: to provide “the opportunity to experience outdoor activities with the surrounding community,” regardless of ability levels. The organization has a wide variety of active experiences for participants to engage in, including hiking, kayaking, boating, rock climbing and white water rafting. Each experience ranges in time from about two to three hour, and is led by one of their several knowledgeable guides. While there is a price tag attached to these activities on paper, the nonprofit offers scholarships and financially-

based aid to ensure that everyone is included. The program, which is the first of its kind in Central Virginia, takes advantage of the rich outdoor environments in Richmond and the greater area by participating in areas like the James River and performing more of their land activities in nearby locations like Brown’s Island or Belle Isle.

However, Beyond Boundaries does not only provide outside adventures, but has also pursued a program to help nurture further empathy in the community through their Disability Inclusion Training certification regimen. This program trains mostly outdoor outfitters and retailers to be more adept at suiting the abilities of every individual by taking advantage of the knowledge of the professionals already on staff at the organization.

In the long term, the vision of Mr. Burnette, Roeper and others involved in Beyond Boundaries is to continue to expand the programming offers to make for even more enjoyable kinds of adventures. For example, Mr. Burnette said that new additions he hopes to see in the next 10 to 15 years would be possibly a main site for the organization to reside, acting similarly to a year-round summer camp. Mainly, he stressed the importance of simply knowing about the nonprofit, and for those who have served to know that this is a chance for them to enjoy. He hopes that, along with the rest of Beyond Boundaries, he can provide more enjoyable opportunities to youth and adults alike. For those interested, Beyond Boundaries takes volunteers to help run their outdoor programs and sign-ups are available online at beyondboundariesrva.org.

Mr. Kyle Burnett, Co-Founder of Beyond Boundaries

Mr. Burnett surrounded with a crowd of participants

The Oak Needle Jay Wood: American Psycho

By Mac Dixon ‘24

Mr. Wood, on April 1st, 2023, has hidden a sinister secret from St. Christopher’s for too long. On the surface, he’s just like us, friendly, passionate, human, but beneath the skin, the primordial ooze of evil stands still. Since the mask mandate was removed, students noticed something off about their favorite British Literature Honors teacher, a smile. Gone were the days of his infamous metallic gaze, replaced by the same smile as a slicked-back car salesman. Investigating this sudden shift, Pine Needle staff found a hastily scribbled letter wedged between different editions of NAELs. Contents are as follows:

I teach in the Chamberlayne Building of St. Christopher’s on St. Christopher’s Road on the 2nd floor. My name is Jay Wood. I’m 56 years old. I believe in taking care of myself, a balanced diet and a rigorous learning routine. My house is filled with books, leather-bound volumes of the classics, from Homer to Shakespeare, Austen to Dickens. The scent of sun-bleached leather and musty pages transports me to another time, another place, where the world was simpler, more refined. But as I read these works of art, I cannot help but feel the darkness lurking beneath their pages, the primal, savage nature of humanity seeping through the cracks. I am reminded of the Gothic novels of the 18th century, where the line between good and evil was blurred and the supernatural was a reality. And yet, despite the darkness that creeps into my thoughts, I am drawn to it, like a moth to a flame.

There is an idea of a Jay Wood. Some kind of abstraction. But there is no real me. Only an entity. Something illusory. And though I can hide my cold gaze, and you can shake my hand and feel flesh gripping yours, and maybe you can even sense our lifestyles are probably comparable, I simply am not there.

I have all the attributes of a human being: flesh, blood, skin, hair. But my mind is something altogether different, a Joyce-esque labyrinthine maze of thoughts and desires that defy explanation. I am a product of my environment, a creature of the city, where the neon lights and the sounds of the streets pulse through my veins like a drug. Like Eliot, I see isolation and solitude within everything. And yet, despite the emptiness that surrounds me, I feel alive, more alive than I have ever felt before.

These books speak to me, their stories, their characters, they aren’t just words on paper. They ARE me. I am Heathcliff! I am Macbeth! I am Dracula! I am the “one sinner of the world!” These people around me, they aren’t the protagonists, I am! This is MY story, my epic, who do they think they are!

“Everyone sees what you appear to be, few experience what you really are.”

- Machiavelli

“Let’s see Ron Smith’s NAEL.”

A closer look at one of Mr. Wood’s posters

The Oak Needle

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