StC Magazine | Spring 2024

The Magazine of St. Christopher’s

FOSTERING WELLNESS

StC Magazine Staff

HEADMASTER

Mason Lecky

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Sharon Dion

EDITOR

Aynsley Fisher

VISUAL CONTENT EDITORS

Ashley Cameron and George Knowles

ALUMNI NEWS EDITOR

Jennifer Scallon

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Merry Alderman Design

PHOTOGRAPHY

Wright Hilbert ‘24

Jack Looney

Jay Paul

Jesse Peters

Brian Zollinhofer

CONTRIBUTORS

Kerry Court

Stuart Hotchkiss ‘73

Stephen Lewis

Ebo Rice ‘24

Ann Vanichkachorn

Davis Wrinkle ’81

Dear Saints,

St. Christopher’s is evolving to meet the needs of our boys of today and tomorrow.

What an incredible winter and spring it has been here at St. Christopher’s. As we prepare to send 90 new graduates into the world, I am reflecting on just how special our boys’ experience is here under the pines.

As a 113-year-old institution, there is a rich history and tradition that today’s Saints enjoy. The Lower School Literary Societies, our Missionary Societies, and our primary focus on honor and integrity remain at the forefront of the St. Christopher’s experience, just as they did when Dr. Chamberlayne founded the School in 1911.

However, as the world has changed, and as pressures and challenges that boys face today emerge as national and international phenomena, I am pleased to report that St. Christopher’s is evolving to meet the needs of our boys of today and tomorrow.

“Just as our young men routinely visit our training room when they need assistance with a physical injury, so too must they receive help from a trusted teacher, coach, mentor, or counselor when they need mental or emotional support.”

In my back-to-school update this year, I offered thoughts on how today’s boys and men are too often struggling and how an all-boys school such as St. Christopher’s is uniquely positioned to provide solutions to the challenges males face today. Those challenges include:

ACADEMIC CHALLENGES

• Boys constitute approximately two-thirds of the students in the bottom decile of high school GPAs, while girls constitute approximately two-thirds of the students in the top decile of high school GPAs (American Institute for Boys and Men1).

• As of 2022, men represent just 42% of enrolled students at four-year colleges and universities, down from 47% in 2011 (Pew Research Center2); nearly 59% of all bachelor’s degrees conferred in 2021 went to women, with 41% to men (National Center for Education Statistics3).

HEALTH AND WELLNESS CHALLENGES

• Driven in part by increasing rates of “deaths of despair” (deaths by drug/alcohol use, gun violence, or suicide) among men, the life-expectancy deficit for men vs. women has increased to 5.8 years, the largest gap in nearly 30 years (JAMA Internal Medicine4).

• In the U.S., the suicide rate is four times higher for men than it is for women (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention5); the suicide rate in the U.S. has risen steadily over the past 18 years, reaching its highest rate in 2022 in over 80 years (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention6).

These concerning trends should in no way detract from the very real challenges facing girls and women in the U.S. and around the world. We should have the capacity to demonstrate concern and thoughtful action in support of both boys and girls, especially as an all-boys school with a close and enriching relationship with our sister school, St. Catherine’s.

1. https://aibm.org/why-we-exist/research-areas/education-skills/

2. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/12/18/fewer-young-men-are-in-collegeespecially-at-4-year-schools/

3. https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=72

4. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/2811338

5. https://afsp.org/suicide-statistics/

6. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2023/20231129.htm#:~:text=The%20 rate%20of%20suicides%20per,2022%2C%20the%20highest%20since%201941

At St. Christopher’s, we work hard to combat the challenges noted above for the 1,000 boys in our care. We do this by making school relevant, engaging, and even fun for our boys and young men–there’s nothing quite like the camaraderie and esprit de corps found at an all-boys school, especially one infused with an Episcopal ethos of service and compassion to others. Further, we hire and train faculty who genuinely enjoy working with boys and who value, above all else, the power of relationships in an educational setting.

On the mental health front, we have taken steps to invest in full-time counselors in each division, along with chaplains in each division, and we are intentional and consistent in destigmatizing mental health challenges for boys. Just as our young men routinely visit our training room when they need assistance with a physical injury, so too must they receive help from a trusted teacher, coach, mentor, or counselor when they need mental or emotional support.

In March we were fortunate to host New York Times bestselling author Richard Reeves, an international thought leader on the state of boys and men and the founding president of the American Institute for Boys and Men. His 2022 book, “Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male is Struggling, Why it Matters, and What To Do About It,” was named a book of the year by both The Economist and The New Yorker. You can learn more about this visit and his work in this magazine.

MOMENTUM 2025

Our strategic plan, Momentum 2025, provides a roadmap for how we will enhance our boys’ experience here, especially as it relates to academic success, health and wellness, enhancing community, and creating a deep sense of brotherhood among our boys. Now three years into this plan, meaningful progress is taking shape for numerous initiatives.

The four strategic priorities of Momentum 2025–improving the student experience, empowering our people, strengthening our community, and stewarding our resources–each offer an opportunity for St. Christopher’s to move from great to extraordinary. I hope you will read on for more detail on the many exciting initiatives taking place on our campus and beyond it.

As always, I remain grateful for the steadfast support and strong spirit that is unmatched in the St. Christopher’s community. Go, Saints!

Yours,

Mason Lecky, headmaster

Love Thy (Every) Neighbor

by Ebo Rice ‘24

People are confused about pronouns.

Don’t worry, I’m not getting into the “he/she/they” pronouns, but rather “you/me/them.” For more time than words can possibly express, humanity has struggled to overcome its tribalistic mentality. Initially, this manifested itself by fights over food and shelter, beginning the tension of “you vs. me.” Civilizations developed and suddenly the mindset changed to “us vs them.” As in, what groups do we accept? Who are we threatened by?

As a response to this, the most common sentiment that most everyone agrees on, even outside of religious contexts, is ‘love thy neighbor.’ I mean, of course, this makes sense, right? Treat people the way you’d like to be treated, especially those closest to you. But your neighbor isn’t just based on social proximity. So, who is a neighbor? Where is a neighbor? And why do they deserve love?

My own answer to these questions ironically comes from my lowest points. For a large portion of my life, up until this past year, actually, I was depressed to the extent of being suicidal. Like most things, such feelings were inconsistent: some moments were harder than others. Yet, persistent throughout it all was the underlying feeling that nothing mattered. I felt as if, by a stroke of what some may call luck, I was placed here with no purpose. Nothing I did, am doing, or will ever do matters, so why should I be there to experience it?

One moment in particular, I see as almost—profound—in a roundabout way. I’ll spare the details, but it was an especially difficult day for me. I sat there, contemplating my own life, as my phone buzzed. One of my friends needed help with a girl he liked. It felt almost frustrating that I was expected to help others at a time when I needed it most. I picked up, swallowed my pride, and did the best I could to give advice. Retrospectively, it seems so shallow and petty. But now I see that, although I didn’t care about myself, I still cared about something, I still cared about others.

In a moment of utter annihilation and complete isolation, I found myself caring. I found myself lacking every necessary resource, yet not having nothing. I found myself thinking, “Since nothing matters, I might as well enjoy where I happen to be.” As if it were divine intervention, this moment and the feeling that nothing matters brought me perfect clarity and comfort.

Life is absurd. We are born knowing that we will die and are expected to focus only on the in-between. All ideologies, in their own ways, are counterarguments to the seemingly inescapable

“In a moment of utter annihilation and complete isolation, I found myself caring.”

idea of nihilism. And you know what, it might as well be true. There might as well be nothing out there because regardless of what it is, we are here, together, now. Personally, I believe that if nihilism rules, we might as well create meaning, fabricate our own answers, live the lives we want to live simply because we can. The more likely answer, however, is that there is a deeper meaning to life. But do the specifics of that meaning really matter as long as we have reason to live?

The meaning of life is, on its surface, an unanswerable question. However, if even in our darkest moments, we feel some drive to keep on, then there has to be something. Right? But regardless of what that something is or what you believe it to be, even if you don’t believe your life is a gift, you might as well treat it as such; might as well cherish every moment, might as well make the most of every interaction, exhaust every single option and then some.

So, to answer the original question; neighbors aren’t just people you like, they’re everywhere, they’re everyone. Neighbors deserve love because, although we don’t have all of the answers, love is universally and innately understood as good. Humanity was thrust blindly upon this world with no black or white, gay or straight, Christian or Jewish; there was “us” and there was “we.” However, we got confused and found purpose through exclusion. To reclaim our rightful terminology, do the most good, and overcome tribalism, I believe an addendum is in order: ‘Love thy every neighbor,’ so that, if nothing else, we may treat relationships as our purpose and strive toward the first person plural pronoun, we.

Virgil Hughes ’72 Helps Build Futures and Restore Hope

By Stuart Hotchkiss ’73

It’s been a long time since I was a student at St. Christopher’s, but the lessons I learned about service, hard work, spirituality and thinking creatively are foundational. Recently, I caught up with my friend Virgil Hughes ’72, a fellow Saint who epitomizes these values, and I was inspired to share his journey with our community.

After a long, successful business career, the former health care executive has reinvented himself. Virgil is the founder of NewVines International (NVI), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the alleviation of poverty and the building of new futures. In a recent conversation with Virgil, I was struck by how quickly NVI has made a real impact on people’s lives and how much it’s accomplished.

Hughes arrived at St. Christopher’s as a freshman in the fall of 1969. He participated on various sports teams and joined the Civil Air Patrol as a sophomore. He joined the West End Volunteer Rescue Squad in his senior year, and he was in the very first EMT class in Virginia, pulling duty every fourth night and every third weekend.

“Being drawn to these kinds of things was an expression of my inner personality style,” said Hughes.

When companies had a challenge they couldn’t solve, those who were asked to identify the best person for the job responded, “Call Virgil.”

“I had cut my chops as a high school student responding to civil disasters and walking into various situations in the Fan District to pull people out of car accidents,” said Hughes. “There was always a time that I was walking into difficult situations and figuring them out. That’s exactly what I did as a career, and it was no different.”

That’s how things played out in Hughes’ career after graduating from the University of Michigan in 1976. He went into venture capital for a while, then on to investment banking, but neither was satisfying. What grabbed his interest was a move into the

Stuart Hotchkiss ’73

Virgil Hughes ‘72

Virgil Hughes ‘72 with the leadership group of KRM, an Evangelical Church in East Africa

role of corporate “fixer,” stepping into corporate turnaround situations–where companies were in deep fiscal trouble–and returning them to fiscal viability.

Virgil was a successful executive who ran a multimillion-dollar hospital organization, and were it not for cancer that struck him in his prime, the 69-year-old might now be comfortably retired, spending days hunting duck and deer as he did as a boy in Tappahannock, Virginia.

At the end of his cancer recovery, he became a full-time business consultant and joined members of his church on a mission trip to Africa in 2012. It was his first exposure to abject poverty, and he began to talk with church and village leaders about something in his professional wheelhouse: microlending.

In 2013, Hughes received an email from a man in the village who thanked him for changing his life. “From then on, I just said, ‘I’m going to do this.’” Money was scarce–most of his corporate network “dried up” when he dropped out for many years while recovering from cancer. But some close friends and churchgoers were inspired by Hughes’ vision and donations began to come in, funding his first mission trip to western Kenya in October 2016.

A game changer for Hughes was when another friend pointed him toward training materials that an organization had developed and was giving away for free. A group of Christian men with degrees in economics used grant money to study best practices amongst nonprofits worldwide and compiled their findings into a series of training sessions. “It was so transformational that the ministry was effective right out of the box,” Hughes freely admitted.

Hughes’ holistic approach to raising people out of poverty sets him apart. He uses a series of training modules laid out so that people can go through them step by step and then put sound principles into practice in their lives. He also integrates competency assessments, mini credit unions, self-help groups and

business accelerator training into the mix. “Because we go more slowly, our business start-up rate for students is close to 90%. For other large international organizations, the rate is about 25%.”

In the last two years, NVI has gone from having 1,200 fully trained people to about 10,000 people. Hughes’ job has morphed from training one church at a time to training leadership groups within large church organizations.

Hughes knows how his work filters out into the different communities NVI serves. “Our reach is much broader than the number of loans we make or the number of students we graduate. Because we’re teaching couples to talk about their money, we’re seeing marriages heal. We’re seeing our trainers do more than train in their churches–they’re starting to teach kids as young as the first grade lessons on managing and saving money.”

Many of Virgil’s success stories and a more comprehensive explanation of NVI’s mission can be found at newvinesintl.org

In 2013, Hughes received an email from a man in the village who thanked him for changing his life. “From then on, I just said, ‘I’m going to do this.’”

Executive meeting at an ice cream shop in the Ivory Coast

Virgil Hughes ‘72 in the classroom

What Does Wellness Mean?

By Dr. Ann Vanichkachorn, director of health and wellness

Boys are simple yet complicated. They are messy but endearing. They are made of “snips and snails and puppy dog tails” and, even though Mother Goose stated otherwise in the nursery rhyme, some boys are full of “sugar and spice.” Those of us who teach and care for boys see firsthand that our boys have much to contend with in their often complicated journey into manhood. Within the education sector, understanding and supporting a student’s healthy development is just as important as academic, athletic and artistic successes; a priority that has become even more urgent emerging from the pandemic. Achieving health and wellness is foundational for our boys.

“Those of us who teach and care for boys see firsthand that our boys have much to contend with in their often complicated journey into manhood.“

-Dr. Ann Vanichkachorn

In the ever-evolving landscape of education, this pursuit of well-being has been gaining attention. As we prepare our students for the future, we must pause to consider the role of wellness in their lives. William James, the father of American psychology, argued that the acquisition, the retention and the recovery of happiness may be perhaps the most fundamental motivation behind all that we do and are willing to endure. This insight challenged me to rethink my approach to my role as the director of health and wellness and well-being in general, not only for our students but also for our faculty, staff and families. For me, the concept of wellness has been synonymous with physical health or the absence of medical illness. However, in our pursuit of excellence, as articulated in our Community Pillars, we must acknowledge that true wellness encompasses a broader spectrum that also includes emotional, mental and social well-being. Therefore, it is imperative to ask: What does wellness mean to our boys, our faculty/staff and our families?

Dr. Martin Seligman, the founder of Positive Psychology, offers a revolutionary perspective on this matter. In the late 1990s, Seligman (2019) formally challenged the notion that psychology, as the study of human behavior, should not merely be entrenched in pathological states and the search for remedies for human suffering. He acknowledged that while tremendous advances have improved our understanding, treatment and prevention of psychological disorders, the field as a whole has neglected to consider the benefit of leveraging what is good in life and how to live a good life. Simply put, positive psychology studies how humans flourish and thrive, and as Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi (2000) proposed, its framework rests on life experiences that are subjectively positive in nature; positive traits within individuals; and institutions that cultivate human goodness. What are ways, therefore, in which an all-boys school can become a place that supports the journey, not just to manhood, but to living the best life?

Recognizing the importance of this paradigm shift, I embarked on a journey to deepen my understanding of positive psychology through a master’s degree in applied positive psychology at the University of Pennsylvania last year. In my coursework and research I sought answers to my essential questions: How can StC, as an institution, embed protective factors and build skills in each student’s experience that contribute to their thriving? How can we foster an environment where resilience, optimistic explanatory style, and growth mindsets are the cultural norm? How can we

“How can we foster an environment where resilience, optimistic explanatory style, and growth mindsets are the cultural norm?”

-Dr. Ann Vanichkachorn

prioritize opportunities for thriving as a key factor at every level of decision making? These questions served as my North Star as I studied the broader concept of healthy masculinity and the role that positive psychology can play within our School.

Working with boys across the divisions, I am constantly amazed by their curiosity, their zest, their kindness and love of learning. I am also sensitive to the reluctance of some of our boys to share negative emotions or to ask for help. As part of my capstone research, I worked with boys from the Classes of 2023, 2027 and 2031. The goal of the study was to assess character strengths within our student population and explore whether these positive traits correlated with a higher willingness to express negative emotions as a way to foster the positive embodiment of masculinity. Among boys who consented to participate, the highest scoring strengths loosely clustered around strengths that connect us to something greater, recognizing our own limitations with a future-oriented perspective: curiosity, appreciation of beauty and excellence, zest, gratitude, honesty and humor were the six highest scoring character strengths. This may be a reflection of how the boys believe in and manifest our School’s Community Pillars. This is but one example of how positive psychology can be applied to increase individual and collective well-being.

Looking ahead at ways to further enhance wellness through student experiences, we are exploring how outdoor education can be used to build resilience. The development of Rites of Passage experiences target awareness of transition from childhood to adulthood and are grounded in developing skills to overcome challenges and to hone healthy coping mechanisms as boys mature. With full-time counselors in each division, we are now even better equipped to attend to individual counseling needs as well as the expansion of small group work within the Lower School and Middle School divisions. Under the leadership of Jen O’Ferrall , The Center

for the Study of Boys continues to offer parent programming that builds upon our partnership with families in order to better serve both our boys and the wider Saints community.

I have enjoyed this transformative journey that seeks to integrate the principles of positive psychology into our educational fabric. My commitment to nurturing happiness and well-being in our students, faculty and families drives us to reimagine education as a holistic endeavor. In embracing the wisdom of William James, I understand that the secret motive behind all that we do may be the pursuit of wellbeing. I believe that by fostering an awareness of their own strengths and nurturing each boy’s resilience, we can equip our students with the tools they need to thrive not only academically but also in life. We need to ensure that our boys not only achieve academic success, but also lead lives filled with purpose, fulfillment and joy.

REFERENCES

Seligman, M. E. P. (2019). Positive psychology: A personal history. “Annual Review of Clinical Psychology,” 15, 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-050718-095653

Seligman, M. E. P., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Positive psychology: An introduction. “American Psychologist,” 55(1), 5–14. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.5

Dr. Ann Vanichkachorn in the classroom teaching AP Psychology

MOMENTUM

Moving our School toward an inspired and intentional future

MOMENTUM 2025

By Aynsley Fisher

At StC

“educating boys for life” is more than just a tagline, it’s a mission. It’s dynamic, ever-evolving and informed by the latest research for best practices in educating boys. Movement, opportunities for teamwork and open inquiry in the classroom have been proven to help boys learn and retain information. Supporting the emotional needs of boys while also encouraging them to step out of their comfort zone creates opportunities for growth and self-actualization. Relationship building among peers, but also with teachers and mentors, is key and often depends on time spent outside the classroom. Educating boys for life is complex, purposeful and important work.

In 2019, StC turned its attention to the development of a new strategic plan that would provide a roadmap for the future and would take into account the best practices for educating boys–academically, spiritually, emotionally and socially. Initiatives to support this mission are at the heart of Momentum 2025. “The School was operating from a position of strength at that time,” said Headmaster Mason Lecky. “Everything was working; we had a good thing going, but we wanted to go from great to extraordinary.”

Early discussions resulted in seven task force groups representing all areas of the School. With input from so many stakeholders–board members, faculty, staff and parents–“The challenge,” said Strategic Planning Committee Chair Karen Welch P ’24, ‘26, “was taking so many great ideas and consolidating them into key strategic priorities.”

The task force identified four questions that, when answered, would create a roadmap toward positive and impactful change.

1. What are we doing to improve our student experience?

2. How will we empower our people and invest in our faculty and staff?

3. What will we do to strengthen our community and move toward a more diverse St. Christopher’s?

4. How will we steward our resources to ensure affordability and sustainability?

The answers to these questions became the cornerstones of Momentum 2025. They resulted in four strategic action priorities to support the whole School, whole student and whole community. Individually each priority was strong, but when implemented together, StC would be propelled from great to extraordinary. The plan identified 30 objectives distributed among the four priority areas that are able to be quantified and tracked. “What I love about this plan,” said Lecky, “of the four priority areas, the first three are all about people.”

“We are being intentional about a greater level of coherence across the School with what we do with the boys,” said Director of Strategic Priorities Tony Szymendera. “We revised our mission statement, we developed and introduced our Community Pillars. We’re having ongoing conversations about who we are and what we want to be. We’re moving toward a whole school, a unified campus, working with boys in new and innovative ways, taking our strengths, expanding them and trying to be a better version of ourselves.”

IMPROVING THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE

Momentum 2025 calls to improve the student experience from a holistic view. One example is introducing Rites of Passage initiatives at key transitions throughout the St. Christopher’s experience. While it will take time to fully develop and implement, these initiatives will provide transformative experiential learning opportunities. Such Rites of Passage might include a symbolic journey outside in nature, where the boys will engage in personal reflection, individual growth and bonding experiences.

“We’re moving toward a whole school, a unified campus, working with boys in new and innovative ways, taking our strengths, expanding them and trying to be a better version of ourselves.”

- Tony Szymendera, director of strategic priorities

“One of the most exciting things to come out of this plan is the conversations around Rites of Passage,” said Director of Communications and Saints parent Sharon Dion P ’28, ‘32, ‘35. “These pinnacle moments will give the boys something they will take with them and remember for the rest of their lives. They will get to know each other on a deeper level and experience the brotherhood that is such a special part of the St. Christopher’s experience.”

Formalizing a series of Rites of Passage moments at different grade levels reflects the School’s intentional, structured approach to educating every aspect of the student experience. “Today the concept of educating the whole boy is so much richer–socially, emotionally, academically, spiritually, cultivating honor and integrity,” added Szymendera. “We have a plan for that. A lot is intuitive; we’ve done it for 100 years, but the difference is now we’re naming it. You can see it, name it, measure it.”

With student wellness and best practices for teaching boys in mind, StC developed a new eight-day cycle schedule, unique to each division, which will begin in Fall 2024. Benefits include enhanced opportunities for coordination and flexibility between divisions and for the arts and co-curricular

offerings, and reduced impact of special schedules, early dismissals and transition times. Increases in breaks and opportunities for movement will be provided as well.

The new schedule in Upper School will help prepare students for college where classes don’t meet every day. Class meeting times will now rotate or “tumble” throughout the eight-day cycle, and students will experience their classes and teachers at different times. No longer will one or two classes get hit disproportionately due to early dismissals, particularly for studentathletes, and the variation of meeting times will benefit both students and teachers. Students will have four to five class periods and typically two to three courses taught per day. With the return to one lunch period, students and teachers will be free at the same time, enhancing community.

In Lower School, the new schedule will result in more movement (recess, P.E. and Dance/Creative Movement), and more opportunities for art, science and the addition of a third grade percussion ensemble and third/fourth grade guitar ensembles. “In Lower School, art is about exploration,” said Director of the Arts Kerry Court. “Studies show the benefits of arts extend into literacy, numerical

“We lean on the incredible talents of our own faculty, and we work to identify best practices that can be shared across our divisions. Our teachers do a fantastic job of learning from and supporting one another.”

- Sarah Mansfield, assistant head of school

comprehension and empathy. The benefits of art classes extend beyond creating art for art’s sake, but support work that’s happening in other academic classes.”

There are additional academic changes planned. World Languages teachers are changing their curriculum to ensure that students have an opportunity to explore multiple languages earlier in their experience at St. Christopher’s. Beginning in 2025, fifth and sixth graders will take Exploratory Languages–fifth graders will take a trimester each of Spanish, French and Latin, while sixth graders will take a trimester each of Spanish, French and Chinese. Students will then choose one language to pursue in seventh grade. This will allow the boys to make a more informed decision about which language to pursue in the Upper School and develop greater appreciation of their chosen language.

Additionally, in Upper School, the traditional ninth and tenth grade history and English courses and curriculums have evolved into a two-year World Cultures curriculum where the departments are working together to provide a coordinated exposure and deeper understanding of

literature and history from more peoples around the globe. This sequence started for ninth grade in the 2023-2024 school year, and will debut for 10th grade in 2024-2025. “In the English department, we’re engaged in more intentional planning to deliver the same course experience,” said Upper School English Teacher Jay Wood and chair of the Strategic Plan Task Force Academic Committee. “The thought behind this,” said Wood, “is that the world our graduates are moving into has changed. It’s a broader community globally, and it’s important they have a greater understanding of cultures around the world.”

EMPOWERING OUR PEOPLE

Momentum 2025 also supports and empowers the faculty and staff by calling for continued enhancement of the Faculty and Staff Professional Growth and Development Model. “We continuously stay current on reviewing research and best practices, and connecting with peer schools to share ideas and gain valuable perspectives,” said Assistant Head of School Sarah Mansfield. “We lean on the incredible talents of our own faculty, and

we work to identify best practices that can be shared across our divisions. Our teachers do a fantastic job of learning from and supporting one another.”

Recruiting and retaining faculty–our greatest asset–has become even more important post-COVID, as teachers are leaving the workforce in high numbers. The School created a Talent Management Team to expand and formalize the recruitment process. Designed to attract top talent, this group completed a compensation analysis and reviewed, analyzed and implemented other best practices to expand the School’s reach and to pull in a more diverse candidate pool. Additionally, the group revamped the screening and interviewing processes and the firstyear onboarding experience, as well as completed two formal surveys for current faculty and staff on employee engagement and benefits and compensation. The Talent Management Team continues to look at innovative and effective ways to empower and strengthen the community. “We gain a better understanding of what our faculty and staff enjoy about working here and what we need to improve,” said Mansfield.

“It is driving more intentional thought and attention to the lived experience that faculty, staff and students have in our community”

- Ed Cowell, assistant head of school for community engagement

STRENGTHENING OUR COMMUNITY

The third priority, Strengthening Our Community, focuses on supporting and enriching the whole StC community. “It is driving more intentional thought and attention to the lived experience that faculty, staff and students have in our community,” said Assistant Head of School for Community Engagement Ed Cowell. “In the spirit of belonging, it is not just about implementing strategies, but checking in to ensure that the strategies you have established/implemented are indeed having the kind of effect or impact you want them to have.”

Cowell added, “As StC seeks to become a more diverse community, emphasis on strengthening our community and initiatives that support this will always have to find a place in future strategic planning. Momentum 2025 does suggest a roadmap and a blueprint for how we might cultivate trust and belonging that will support our ultimate goals of creating an inclusive community.”

The fourth priority, Stewarding Our Resources, has a variety of workstreams underway, particularly as it relates to continued affordability for all students.

“The best thing about the plan, in my opinion,” said Dion, “is it’s evergreen. It won’t end when the calendar turns to 2025. There will be things we continue to explore, tweak and expand on. These are long-range plans and programs that will continue to evolve and will serve the School well into the future.”

Momentum 2025 is grounded in the day-to-day reality of the boys. “It’s lofty and aspirational, but highly pragmatic,” said Lecky. “We are forward-thinking, ambitious, and possess a genuine restlessness which fosters a desire to grow and improve. Our founding principles haven’t changed. Dr. Chamberlayne would be both proud and astounded by what this place has become. I hope people can say the same thing a century from now–that we are better, stronger, and more expansive today.”

“We want to make sure our boys have the toolkit to be successful, not just professionally and in college, but that they will lead happy, healthy lives, impacting others through leadership and service.”

- Mason Lecky, headmaster

HAPPENINGS ON CAMPUS

BEST SELLING AUTHOR LINCOLN PEIRCE VISITS STC

The Lower School was thrilled to host cartoonist and storyteller Lincoln Peirce. Peirce is the author of the bestselling “Big Nate” and “Max & the Midknights” comic series. The author spoke to third, fourth and fifth grade boys about his work and answered questions about reading, writing, illustrating and his creative journey. From an early age, Peirce was drawn to the written word and art. “I always loved telling stories as a kid. I even thought that maybe I could do this as a job one day,” Peirce said.

JK PAJAMA PARTY AT ST. CATHERINE’S

This winter, Jr. Kindergarteners headed up the street to St. Catherine’s for pajama day. The girls and boys played games, built Legos, had a puppet show and enjoyed hot chocolate and a winter story together.

NEW PUBLICATION DEBUTS IN MS

Middle School recently launched the first issue of “That’s Lit,” a student-produced arts and writing magazine. From two-sentence scary stories and poems to sports reviews and illustrations, the publication allows MS boys to express themselves, use their imaginations and work together on a creative project. With plans to publish issues up to three times a year, the vision for “That’s Lit” is to be an open, free outlet for expression where boys are involved in all aspects of producing it and are free to submit everything from poems to restaurant ratings. “This is kid-centered, kid-created. They’re writing about what they want, and they get to have other people read it. That, to me, is really cool,” said English Department Chair Alex Knight

SENIORS TEACH NEUROBIOLOGY TO FOURTH GRADE BOYS

Senior neurobiology students shared what they’ve been learning with our fourth grade boys in a fun, accessible way. Lower School boys visited different stations to explore how things like taste, smell and vision interact with the brain. The seniors were asked to design a fun and interactive activity. “I think it’s a great way for our Upper Schoolers to connect with Lower Schoolers,” said Lower School Science Teacher Bee Schnell. “You have to understand something to teach it, so it’s a good way for them to master the knowledge.”

LS AND MS RAISE MONEY FOR CHILDREN’S CHARITIES

Students and faculty donned mustaches, dressed down and donated $1 to Mustaches for Kids America, a national network of charitable organizations. The idea started with MS faculty Kyle Burnette, Jon Piper, Jeremy Dunn and Rob Horne, who spent November growing mustaches to support Beyond Boundaries, which specializes in guiding participants with disabilities, veterans, at-risk youth and recovery programs on outdoor adventures through M4K.

UPPER SCHOOL BOYS CREATE CARE PACKAGES FOR THE USO

The Upper School gathered in Bolling Field House to write letters and assemble care packages for the USO to distribute to service members overseas. “These items that we all go and pick up every single day aren’t necessarily readily available to service members,” Chad Chafee, upper school dean of students, said. “If we can help them in any way, that feels awesome.”

THE PINE NEEDLE GOES DIGITAL

On Jan. 30, Head Editor Mac Dixon ’24 revealed the launch of the new Pine Needle (thepineneedle.org). This Upper School student-run publication reports on campus-wide developments, life in the Upper School and faculty features. “Bringing it online allows for better outreach and allows people to access it at any time,” said Dixon. The Pine Needle team hopes the digital version gives a wider range of students an opportunity to submit their writings.

HAPPENINGS ON CAMPUS

WINTER WONDERLAND FUN

Our youngest Saints enjoyed a fun-filled morning in Ryan Dining Hall in December. The event included a scrumptious pancake breakfast, a kids-only Fawn Shop stocked full of inexpensive gifts, a gingerbread village and a visit from Santa. Thanks to Winter Wonderland Chairs Connie Mattox and Alison Martin for an unforgettable morning.

STC HONOR COUNCIL

In January, StC Honor Council representatives Bo Stocks ‘24, chair; August Lange ‘24, secretary; Jack Hall ‘24; Dougie Boardman ‘25 and Wally Jones ‘25 attended the Honor Symposium at Trinity Episcopal School, which was also attended by Honor Council reps from Benedictine, Collegiate, St. Catherine’s, St. Gertrude’s, Steward and Trinity Episcopal. Faculty Sponsors: Clarke Miller ‘06, Josh Thomas and Jay Wood

ALEX KERSHAW, PULITZER PRIZE FINALIST AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR

This March, journalist and author Alex Kershaw spoke in Memorial Chapel as StC’s Williams-McElroy History Endowment speaker. Kershaw’s “The First Wave: The D-Day Warriors Who Led the Way to Victory in World War II” is a vivid account of the Allied soldiers who carried out some of the most perilous missions in the early hours of the liberation of Europe on June 6, 1944.

During his talk, the bestselling author spoke to the boys directly and asked the students to put themselves in the positions of the men who helped free Europe from Nazi tyranny. “Not one of you is powerless,” he said. “On D-Day, the number of you in here right now, some 300— maybe less—changed everything.” Kershaw encouraged the boys to reflect on those young men’s determination, leadership and courage and consider how to lead lives full of purpose. “What difference has your life made for somebody else?” he asked.

SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAM

On January 24, 2024, St. Christopher’s was honored to host Ray Paul, chair of the National Board of Directors at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Speaking to the Upper School community in Ryan Recital Hall, Paul spoke powerfully about suicide prevention strategies and the importance of good mental health practices, particularly as they concern young men.

Paul pulled from his family’s experience with suicide. His son and StC alumnus Buck Paul ‘06 died by suicide in 2012, giving the talk an intensely personal aspect. “I’ve wanted to talk here for many years,” said Paul. “Looking out at the boys today, I like to think that I was talking to each one individually and that they were thinking about themselves or a family member. The personal connection is so important to me.”

During the discussion, Paul provided warning signs of suicide, mental health resources and best practices for the boys to remember. He reminded the boys that pressure does not have to be carried alone. He emphasized the importance of good mental health practices—daily exercise, eating healthy, getting enough sleep, spending time outside and staying connected to friends

and family—and reminded them that they have the capacity to think through problems. Following the event, students discussed the topic in advisory groups.

“Pressure does not have to be carried alone.” - Ray Paul

Paul believes that it’s important to be vigilant and to reach out to those who appear to be withdrawing or struggling. He encouraged them to trust their gut, to reach out and to be the one to step up. “An important thing that I want the boys to come away with is to be aware of their own mental health and those around them,” said Paul. “Having control over the mental aspect is critical to having a long, healthy life.”

Thanks to the senior leaders of the student wellness group MIND and The Center for the Study of Boys Advisory Board for their help in planning this important program.

CHALLENGES FOR BOYS DEMAND NEW CONVERSATIONS

Author and scholar Richard V. Reeves visits campus to discuss the issues that men and boys face and how to best support them.

by George Knowles

Richard Reeves, president of the American Institute for Boys and Men, spoke to a crowd gathered in Ryan Recital Hall on March 27 about the profound social, emotional and economic issues that young men face today. In his 2022 book, “Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do about It,” Reeves examines these challenges and makes the case for a robust, coordinated and considered response to address them.

Reeves outlined four areas where men face unprecedented challenges: mental health, education, wages and work, and family and fatherhood. “I think the stakes here are really high,” said Reeves. “We’re at an inflection point in our discussions about boys and men and gender, generally,” he said.

The information Reeves shared regarding mental health was sobering. Since 1999, suicide rates for men have been measured as four times higher when compared to women, and since 2010, the numbers have increased dramatically, especially among young men. Reeves pointed to institutional barriers, such as differences in how we approach preventive mental health care and taking different approaches to adolescent boys and girls as being worthy of reform.

“We need to make our young men and our boys feel like we see them, we get them, we hear them, we’re going to help them.”

- Richard Reeves President, the American Institute for Boys and Men

The author pointed out that in 1971, 13% more college degrees went to men than to women. By 2020, the gap had grown to 16%, only with the gender ratio reversed in favor of women. Reeves explained that girls also outperform their male classmates in high school GPA statistics. Boys occupy two-thirds of the bottom decile of high school GPAs. Approximately two-thirds of the top decile, on the other hand, are occupied by girls.

In the workforce, Reeves explained that men have become steadily less well-represented in health, education, literacy, and

arts and administration roles over the last 40 years. In 1980, 60% of psychologists were men. By 2020, that figure dropped by more than half. Percentages for male K-8 educators and social workers dropped by half over the same period as well.

Reeves, who strongly supports efforts to expand women’s representation in STEM and other areas of education, believes that it’s appropriate and necessary to boost the number of male teachers and counselors. “I worry we’re getting to a tipping point in some of these professions. We can’t allow our education profession to become successively more female and then wonder why our boys are struggling so much in school. Representation matters,” said Reeves.

Family life for men is also changing, according to Reeves. Sharing natality data from the Centers for Disease Control, the author showed that births outside of marriage for mothers outside the college-educated class spiked dramatically from 1999 to 2019. More than ever, many fathers aren’t married to the mothers of their children. The traditional household breadwinner role that fathers inhabited in previous generations has shifted profoundly, he explained. “Fatherhood has changed almost beyond recognition in the space of a generation,” said Reeves. However, the author explained that it’s still critically important to have an engaged father who is actively participating in their children’s lives. “You don’t have to be married to be a good dad,” said Reeves. “It’s the relationship that matters.”

Reeves is careful to point out that there is a path forward, despite where the data are leading for the moment and how our conversations about the state of modern masculinity sound lately.

Reeves recommends “redshirting” or delaying school entry for boys to allow for developmental differences between boys and girls, increasing the number of vocational or technical high school institutions, more apprenticeship opportunities, an ambitious male teacher recruitment drive, men’s resource centers on college campuses, scholarships for professions where men are underrepresented, and equal paid leave for fathers.

Following Reeves’ presentation, Laura Sabo, Lower School librarian and academic researcher for the Center of the Study of Boys (CSB),

facilitated a lively conversation with Reeves and six Upper School students, including a question from Captain Worrell ‘24 about the changing notion of modern masculinity. “What do you think makes a man, and are there things adolescents can do to become good men?” Reeves described a philosophy that he calls “mature masculinity,” where he encourages boys and men to “think of yourself less, and of others more.” The definition of manhood, according to Reeves, is “when you’re producing more of something than you need for yourself. When you’re generating a surplus of some kind and becoming a man for others for your friends or family. I think that’s when you see yourself becoming more of a man.”

Students EJ Seward ‘24 and Ben Smith ‘25 explained that they felt there were differences in how boys and girls sought emotional help from each other and wondered what effect that might have as they and their friends become young men. “It seems to be important for young men to do things with each other,” said Reeves, who discussed differences in communication styles between males and females and said boys should prioritize sustaining their social networks. “Male friendship is incredibly precious. We don’t do enough to support it,” said Reeves.

Acknowledging that opening up emotionally can be difficult for boys, Reeves encouraged our students to be more emotionally available to each other. “If you share something really serious with a friend and he tells you to ‘suck it up,’ I would respectfully suggest that he’s not really your friend. And if you did the same, you wouldn’t be acting as a good friend, either.”

Reeves encouraged the audience to examine the differences between boys and girls as “not a zero-sum game,” where to support boys is to discourage or diminish women, or vice versa. Encouraged by the progress that women and girls have made in school and in the workplace over the last few decades, Reeves believes there should be an equivalent national effort to support boys and men in certain areas. “There’s a lot of discussion right now about what’s wrong with boys and men, but I also want to talk a lot about what’s right with our boys and men,” said Reeves. “There are limits to what we can do, but there are no limits to what we can try and do.”

This program was sponsored by The Center for the Study of Boys and funded by the following endowments:

• John Sidney Davenport IV ‘60 Memorial Fund

• The Class of 1966 Speakers Fund

• Class of 1956 Leadership Endowment

• Class of 2006 Leadership Endowment

Ben Smith ‘25, Connor Campbell ‘24, Captain Worrell ‘24, Sonny Bridges ‘25, Richard Reeves, Eric Brown ‘24, EJ Seward ‘24, Bo Stocks ‘24

FALL & WINTER ARTS RECAP

MUSIC

A new choral ensemble was created this past fall, combining singers from St. Catherine’s and St. Christopher’s seventh and eighth grades, chosen by audition, under the direction of Choral Director Nick Brata (St. Christopher’s) and Choral Director Annabelle Mills (St. Catherine’s). The students named the ensemble Viale D’Acero, which means “Maple Ave” in Italian, and is a nod to one of the streets that connects the two schools.

Middle and Upper School students from St. Catherine’s and St. Christopher’s were selected for District Chorus, District Band and Central Regional Orchestra.

Students who were selected for District Chorus included August Price ‘29, George Wolfe ‘29, Palmer Berry ‘27, Ben Butterfield ‘25, James Segneri ‘26, Joaquín Torres ‘25 and Jack Wick ‘27. Additionally, StC had a record number of students who were selected for the All-Virginia Chorus for Middle School including: Miko Aboutanos ‘30, Matthew Caputo ‘29, Hugh Checkovich ‘28,

Freddy Gatty ‘30, Tal Horton ‘28, Aedan Imbert ‘28, August Price ‘29, Fletcher Stephens ‘29, W.J. Valentine ‘28 and Charlie Vaughn ‘29 Palmer Berry ‘27 was selected by audition at the event as the first tenor alternate for All-State Choir.

This past December, the Upper School Glee Club and seventh/ eighth grade choir presented the annual service of Lessons and Carols at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, while the fifth and sixth grade choir and string ensembles led their own Lessons and Carols service in Ryan Recital Hall.

The Upper School Orchestra and Concert Band presented a fantastic winter concert filled with classics and holiday favorites.

The Upper School Jazz Band and Jazz/Rock Rhythm groups under the direction of new leader Daniel Clarke were on display at their fall concerts, but also at Fall Festival, where they had everyone dancing to jazz and rock standards, and included the debut of a new tune that the students wrote for the occasion, titled “The St. Chris Bugaloo!”

ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE

“Be bold, be brave, be you!”

New York City-based choreographer, director, Broadway performer and educator Matthew Steffens spent a week at StC in February as the Artistin-Residence. Steffens led creative movement workshops with Middle School and Lower School boys, where they learned how movement informs problem-solving, self-confidence and learning.

VISUAL ARTS

Students studying visual arts with Upper School Teacher of Multi-Media Arts Amanda Livick (St. Christopher’s) and Visual Arts Department Chair Diego Sanchez (St. Catherine’s) received more recognition than ever before in this year’s Scholastic Awards competition hosted by the Visual Arts Center of Richmond. Between the two schools, Upper School Saints received 3 Gold Keys, 15 Silver Keys and 21 Honorable Mentions.

StC recipients included: Gold Key: Ebo Rice ‘24; Silver Key: Briggs Ireland ‘24, Tyler Overstreet ‘26, Turner Stout ‘25; Honorable Mention: Colin Boyle ‘25, Briggs Ireland ‘24, Konstantinos Kovanes ‘26, Tyler Overstreet ‘26

The gallery in the Arts Center was filled with beauty and color throughout the fall and winter, featuring work made by our students and faculty, and by local artists Betsy Moore, Jinx Constine, Lisa Brennan and Kathy Hoppe

(L-R): Award winners Tyler Overstreet ‘26, Tinos Kovanes ‘26, and Ebo Rice ‘24 with Upper School Multi-Media Arts teacher Amanda Livick

FALL & WINTER ARTS RECAP

UPPER SCHOOL THEATRE

AMPERSAND STAGES “TWELFTH NIGHT”

Ampersand, the joint theatre company of St. Christopher’s and St. Catherine’s Upper Schools, brushed up on their Shakespeare, presenting Shaina Taub’s new Funk/Jazz setting of “Twelfth Night” in the fall. Featuring bright costumes, colorful sets, disco lighting and an on-stage band, the students had the audience rocking for each of their four performances in the new Love Jennison Family Theatre in St. Catherine’s Endeavour Hall.

“BEHIND CLOSED DOORS”

Ampersand’s Artistic Director Paul Takács pushed the company to do something new by programming a devised piece for the winter season. Actors conceived of, wrote and performed a work they titled “Behind Closed Doors,” a presentation of thematically linked short performance pieces exploring the question of how much of our authentic selves we actually share with those around us, and whether it’s possible to really know one another.

MIDDLE SCHOOL THEATRE

OUTRÉ PRESENTS “THE MANY DISGUISES OF ROBIN HOOD” AND “ANNIE JR.”

In October, Outré, the joint Middle School theatre company of St. Christopher’s and St. Catherine’s, packed the Playhouse for four sold out performances of Brian Guehring’s “The Many Disguises of Robin Hood.” In February, Outré then had their first chance to grace the stage in the new Love Jennison Family Theatre in St. Catherine’s Endeavour Hall with their production of “Annie Jr.”, a classic that brought together Saints of all ages.

FALL & WINTER ARTS RECAP

LOWER SCHOOL THEATRE

LOWER SCHOOL WOWS WITH “THE LION KING KIDS”

The Lower School delighted audiences with four separate performances of Disney’s “The Lion King Kids,” directed by LS Music Teacher Mary Tryer. Parent volunteers helped to create magnificent costumes and sets, while the new Middle School Theatre Tech class and the Upper School MAKE class (part of the BUILD program) designed and created special animal costume pieces, bringing to life a rhinoceros, elephant and stampede of wildebeest.

FALL SPORTS RECAP

CROSS COUNTRY

Cross Country placed third at the Prep League meet, and fifth in the VISAA state meet. Asher Green ‘26 earned all-prep and all-state honors. Green was runner-up at the Prep League meet, while Patrick Mayer ‘24 finished fifth and Noah Smith ‘27 10th to earn all-conference honors.

FOOTBALL

Football finished the season 5-5 overall, falling in the VISAA semifinals. Darius Gray ‘26 was named prep league co-player of the year while also earning first-team all-state and all-metro honors. Making the all-prep league team: Michael Farley ‘26, Kahlil Nash ‘24, Henry Omohundro ‘24, Jack Seel ‘25, Walker Turley ‘26 and Jacob Zollar ‘24. Gray and Omohundro were named first-team all-state on offense and defense. Turley and Zollar joined them on the first team, and Farley made the second team. Omohundro and Zollar also played in the Big River Rivalry All-Star Game.

SOCCER

Soccer finished the season 12-4-4 overall, falling in a heartbreaker in the state final. Steven Bishara ‘25, Jack Bleecher ‘25, Jackson Carlyon ‘24 and Campbell Stalker ‘24 were named all-prep. Bleecher, Bishara and Beckett Schofield ‘24 were named first-team all-state, and Carlyon made the second team.

MOUNTAIN BIKING

Mountain Biking placed 11th out of 26 teams in the VIrginia Interscholastic Cycling League. Logan Amey ‘24 and William Sutten ‘26 also competed in the inaugural championship race in Maryland.

WINTER SPORTS RECAP

PREP LEAGUE & STATE CHAMPS

Wrestling, Swimming & Diving, and Indoor Track all won Prep League and state championships.

FINAL FOUR FOR BASKETBALL

Basketball went to the Final Four in states for the second time in school history, ending the season 25-8.

COACHES AWARDS

The winter season produced four Prep League Coaches of the Year and two State Coaches of the Year for StC.

WINTER WINS

BASKETBALL

Varsity Basketball finished the season 25-8, setting a School record for wins, breaking the mark set in the 2015-16 season (24). The program made its second trip to the state final four in the School’s history, and also won the 804 Coaches for Change tournament. Sonny Bridges ‘25, Darius Gray ‘26 and Brandon Jennings ’24 were each named to the All-Prep League team. Gray and Jennings were named all-tournament. Jennings was picked to participate in the 804 All-Star Game. Coach Hamill Jones ‘00 was named Prep League coach of the year.

FUTSAL

Two futsal teams combined to post a record of 14-10. For the playoffs, the two teams merged and made it to the semifinals of the season-ending Valentine Classic before falling to Collegiate.

INDOOR TRACK

Indoor Track won the Prep League and state VISAA titles this winter. A sophomore crew led the way, as Maddox White ‘26 (MVP at Preps and States, 55-meter school record holder: 6.34 sec.), pole vault champ Victor Olesen ‘26 (school record holder: 17 ft.) and distance dynamo Asher Green ‘26 were sensational for the Saints. This is the third VISAA crown for the program, and first since the 2019 season. Coach Marshall Ware earned coach of the year in the Prep League and VISAA.

WRESTLING

The grapplers won their 22nd straight league crown, and captured their third straight VISAA championship. Mitchell Faglioni ‘25 was named the Prep League’s most outstanding wrestler, while Tommy Owen took home the coach of the year trophy. StC took 11 of the 14 weight classes. At states, StC boasted 13 placers in 14 classes, including state champs Noah Rankin ‘26, Drew Roggie ‘26, Walker Turley ‘26, and Tyler Hood ‘25. Hood, Roggie, Turley and Faglioni led the Saints to a 10th-place finish at National Preps, as each earned All-American status for the second straight season.

SQUASH

Squash had a successful campaign, placing second at the Mid-Atlantic Squash Tournament, and fifth at the U.S. High School Nationals in Division IV. Charles Herlihy ‘25 went 4-0, and Captain Worrell ‘24, Loch Macfarlane ‘27 and Will Herlihy ‘27 registered 3-1 records individually at Nationals.

SWIMMING & DIVING

The boys won a seventh straight Prep League crown and a fourth consecutive VISAA title. Alex Gertner ‘25 set a new school record in the 200-yard freestyle (1:41.15), and teamed up with Ryan Smith ‘26, Ben Franks ‘27 and Edward Johnson ‘26 to tie the school record in the 400 free relay (3:08.92). Smith and Johnson also saw the podium individually at states, and Gertner and Smith both took league titles. Coach Bucka Watson earned coach of the year in the Prep League and VISAA.

Class Notes

Please send any news and photos for our next issue to Jen Scallon, scallonj@stcva.org

1964

Rick Renner is celebrating 10 years as an IT developer with BBRents in Ohio. He’s also gaining a daughter-in-law when his son Richard gets married this summer.

1965

Ward Wood and sons Ward Jr. ‘11 and John Garland ‘08 watched the Walker Cup at St. Andrews and played golf in Scotland in September 2023.

(L-R): Ward Jr. ‘11, Ward Sr. ‘65 and John Garland ‘08 got a lucky break when the sun came out in Scotland.

1966

Since retiring from the practice of law at Williams Mullen, Gus Epps has changed gears and is serving as a substitute judge in the Richmond General District Court and also the General District Court of Chesterfield County.

1969

Last fall, John Harris began his 20th season as the announcer of the varsity basketball team at Saint Gertrude High School. He also announced several of the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association’s basketball championship

games in early March. You can hear John in action at the McMurtrie-Reynolds Pavilion on the campus of the Benedictine Schools of Richmond.

1971

John Gayle has been inducted into the Virginia Lawyers Weekly Hall of Fame.

1972

Chuck Throckmorton and his wife Karen welcomed their fourth grandchild, Annie Whittaker Throckmorton, in September. Chuck lives in Miami, FL, and expects to complete the process of retiring from his legal practice in 2024.

1977

Tom Cain joined the granddad club in 2023 with young Millie, the daughter of Maria and her husband Wills Hooe.

Tom Cain ‘77 and granddaughter Millie

1978

John Board is pleased to report that he is back to his usual two full-time jobs at Duke University (professor of electrical and computer engineering and associate CIO), and no longer also has to run IT security there. He will be taking a sabbatical this fall to visit the world’s great computing and technology museums as he develops a new course on the history of computing.

Chuck Throckmorton ‘72 with his wife Karen and their grandchildren

John Harris ‘69, basketball announcer

1981

Ryland Gardner still spends most of his year in Nayarit, on the north coast of the Bahia de Banderas in Mexico, chasing grins along the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Let him know if you want to visit for a little dose of warm weather and fun surf.

Ryland Gardner ‘81 on a paddleboard

Albert Throckmorton, head of St. Mary’s Episcopal School (Memphis), was recently selected as treasurer for the Boards of Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS). He was named vice president of the Heads Collegiate Forum and will become the group’s president in July.

1983

Chris Guvenator and his family live in Onancock, VA, where he is the executive director of Habitat for Humanity Eastern Shore of Virginia. Habitat works in partnership with the community to build and renovate homes for hardworking families in need of an affordable place to live. To accomplish its mission, Habitat needs both financial support and volunteers to help build those homes.

This past month, former faculty member C.W. Stacks and 12 members of his church (from Williamsburg, VA) presented Chris with a check for $2,500 and spent three days helping build a new home for a firsttime homeowner.

1987

David Jones made a significant career change and is now the chief medical officer for Anthem BCBS of Georgia. In January, he celebrated his 20-year anniversary with husband Michael Fellin.

Steve Smith published a book, “Beneficial Risks: The Evolution of Risk Management for Outdoor & Experiential Education Programs,” which is about the role that risk plays in outdoor education, and how to best optimize and manage the physical, emotional and organizational risks. The book is being used by programs around the United States and beyond, and as a textbook in college and university outdoor education programs.

1990

Robbie Fierro was appointed to a six-year term as a juvenile and domestic relations district court judge for the Sixth Judicial District of Virginia by the Virginia General Assembly during their last session. The Sixth Judicial District is composed of the cities of Hopewell and Emporia, as well as the counties of Prince George, Surry, Sussex, Greensville and Brunswick.

Col. Francis Park , director of the Basic Strategic Art Program at the U.S. Army War College, was invited to speak at West Point’s 2023 annual conference on the Ethics of War and Peace last fall. His remarks focused on ethics and practical challenges in the conduct of military strategy.

1992

Paul Dickinson bumped into Warner Collier ’20 at a VMI alumni event in NYC.

1995

Rich Griffith was awarded the rank of 6th Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo in September. He also attended an invitation-only Master-level Black Belt seminar in December with 9th Degree Grandmaster Seung Dong and the president of the World Martial Arts Grandmasters Federation, 9th Degree Grandmaster H.Y. Kwon.

Rich Griffith ‘95 receives his black belt.

Will Ferguson sang Louis Ironson in a new production of the opera, “Angels in America,” at Theater Bremen in Germany; sang recitals at Victory Hall Opera in Charlottesville, the Gardner Museum in Boston, Lyric Fest in Philadelphia, and the Bard Music Festival in New York; and will sing the role of Harry King in the European Union premiere of Stuart MacRae’s opera, “Anthropocene,” in Salzburg, Austria. Last

Chris Guvenator ‘83 (right) with C.W. Stacks

Col. Francis Park ‘90 presenting at the West Point 2023 annual conference

Collier ‘20 (left) and Dickinson ‘92 (right)

Class Notes

fall, he became adjunct faculty at both the University of Virginia and University of Richmond as an instructor of voice.

1998

Rob Pinkerton and cousin Phillip Korman ’92 went elk hunting in western Colorado in October 2023.

Rob Pinkerton ‘98 and Phillip Korman ‘92

2001

John Dos Passos Coggin launched his first feature film project, Son of Portugal, in fall 2023. A number of St. Christopher’s classmates helped him raise seed money for development. His plans for early 2024 are to secure a producer and director, as well as financing to meet the projected total budget. Coggin wrote the script for Son of Portugal. The story, set in the 1960s, features an idealistic couple, Joe and Diana Connemara, who work at the U.S. State Department and decide to host a Portuguese exchange student, João, raised under Portugal’s fascist dictatorship. The Connemaras must decide what they’re willing to do to help the boy in the name of family and democracy.

2002

Dr. Ross Buerlein appeared on News Nation Prime as an expert on the rise in colon cancer. He’s a gastroenterologist at UVA.

Kevin Elmore and wife Juliette welcomed their son Louie Andrew Elmore on November 30, 2023. His big sister Elizabeth could not love him more!

2003

Emma and Bobby Johnson welcomed a baby girl, Louise Easton Johnson, on January 12, 2024.

Ryan Messier and wife Ashley welcomed their son Henry Hamner Messier on August 31, 2023. Henry joins big brothers James and Thomas.

2004

John Cain and wife Berkley welcomed their daughter Catharine Hennessey Cain on October 26, 2023. Catharine joins her big siblings Houston and Berkley Clare.

Lindsey and Stephens Johnson welcomed daughter Giles Ellis on December 21, 2023.

2005

Tyler Smith is the CEO of Health Data Movers (HDM), which achieved Inc. 5000 honors for the fourth year in a row, following recognition as “Best in KLAS” among health care IT implementation firms the previous year. Tyler lives in New York City.

2006

Clark Warthen married Melissa Weeter on December 3, 2022 in Savannah, GA. Classmate Clarke Miller delivered a groomsman speech that would have made Mr. Koenig proud. Several Saints made the trip. Clark is associate general counsel at NYC fintech DailyPay, and Melissa is a PA-C with OrthoVirginia. They live in Richmond with their retired racing greyhound named Pimento.

2007

Last fall, Tommy Callan successfully defended his Ph.D. in political science at Loyola University Chicago. “One Tiger, Many Lions: Uneven Adoption of China’s Political and Economic Investment Among Democracies in Sub-Saharan Africa” examines how unique qualities of democracies in Sub-Saharan Africa and their foreign policy decision-making processes affect their ability to exercise

state agency. Specifically, democratic qualities affect a state’s receipt of investment from China and how well those investment projects fare once accepted.

Jacques Farhi, M.D. finished a fellowship in minimally invasive surgery in urology at the University of Texas Southwestern this June. After completing the fellowship, he moved to Pensacola, FL, with his wife Mary Beth and two boys, Louis and Philip, to join Woodlands Medical Specialists.

Eddie Watkins and Molly McKee wed on September 16, 2023 in Arlington, VA.

Basil Jones and wife Gini welcomed son Basil Quinerly ”Quin” Jones on June 7, 2023.

2009

Thomas Brown and wife Claire welcomed the birth of their son Henry Valentine Brown on October 11, 2023. Henry is also welcomed by big brother Ford.

Philip Halsey and wife Alee welcomed their son Brenton Sharp Halsey on January 15, 2024.

2010

Hawley Martin wed Caroline Collins on October 28, 2023 in Birmingham, AL. Caroline attended St. Paul’s School in Mobile and Auburn University. After StC, Hawley attended Ole Miss. The couple lives in Portland, OR. Hawley is a senior copywriter and Caroline is an art director.

Dan O’Neill and wife Skye welcomed their daughter, Harper June, born September 30, 2023.

Basil Quinerly “Quin” Jones

Catharine Hennessey Cain, daughter of John Cain ‘04

Clark Warthen ‘06’s wedding (L-R): William Smith ‘06, Rob Bennett ‘06, Alan Basmajian ‘06, Hunter Garland ‘06, Clark Warthen ‘06, Ari Julius ‘06, Clarke Miller ‘06. Not pictured: Robert Molster ‘06, Alex Ucci ‘06

Eddie Watkins ‘07 (center left) with his wife and family at their wedding

Hawley Martin ‘10’s wedding (L-R): Ben Waterland ‘10, Jack Jessee ‘10, Hiter Harris ‘10, Caroline Collins Martin, Hawley Martin ‘10, Edward Custer ‘10, Hans Martin (attended StC through grade 8)

Henry, son of Thomas Brown ‘09

Dan O’Neill ‘10 with wife Skye and daughter Harper

Seth Wagner ‘10 with his family

Class Notes

Seth Wagner and wife Cassie welcomed Charles Dallas Wagner on December 22, 2023. (Photo on previous page)

2011

Will Halladay and wife Kristine welcomed son Clark William Halladay III on February 9, 2023.

Tucker Thompson married Gloria Lopez in San Francisco, CA, on April 1, 2023. Peter Dorsey was the officiant.

2012

Keaton Hillman starred in the world premier of Memories of Overdevelopment at the Firehouse Theatre in Richmond, VA.

Adam Richardson married Greta Hiestand in Richmond on September 30, 2023.

2013

Nathaniel Rogers, M.D. started a neurology residency at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.

2014

Alexander Ryan Ball married Ryan Irving Glaser, Esq. on February 10, 2024 at Dover Hall in Manakin Sabot, VA. Those who wish to celebrate their marriage are encouraged to donate to the St. James’ Children’s Center in the name of Jennifer Ryan Ball.

2015

Myles Brown (M.Y.L.O.) co-produced an original tribute by Mad Skillz for the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop at the 2023 BET Awards. Brown is currently directing and editing a documentary about the historic event.

2020

Wheat O’Hagan was named a presidential scholar at Trinity College, and was named to the All-Academic NESCAC team for soccer. He was also chosen by the Law & Public Policy Department at Trinity to write a senior thesis on Thomas Merton and his impact on the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

Richardson Wedding (L-R): Sutton White ‘12, Walter Robertson ‘72, Harris Blair ‘12, Alex Bennett ‘12, James Lockerby ‘12, Marshall Hollerith ‘13, Charlie Vaughan ‘12, Charlie Yorgen ‘13, Jordan Chalkley ‘12, Jack English ‘13, Jim Partee ‘12, Adam Richardson ‘12, Mac Robertson ‘12, Cameron Barlow ‘12, Scott Richardson ‘09, Peter Partee ‘10, Will Turner ‘12, Chris Blair ‘73, Stuart Horsley ‘78, Ford Turner ‘14, Harrison Houlihan ‘12, Andrew Carleton ‘13, Ward Wood ‘11, Jack McDowell ‘12

Myles Brown ‘15 at the BET Awards

Tucker Thompson ‘11’s wedding

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

The hidden StC

alumnus story

behind

Tom Wolfe’s “The Bonfire of the Vanities.”

Most Saints are familiar with celebrated author and alumnus

Tom Wolfe ’47. His literary career and trademark white suit are legendary, and his landmark work, “The Bonfire of the Vanities,” came to define an era. But few know the story behind fellow StC graduate Kirk Materne ’65, without whom the novel would not have been written.

The award-winning 1979 book, “The Right Stuff,” earned Wolfe high praise and critical acclaim. The author had become a celebrity and was known as a leading voice of “New Journalism,” which applied an engaging literary approach to nonfiction writing. A dedicated supporter of StC, Wolfe asked Materne to lunch to thank the younger Saint for a recent gift to the school. “I’d never really met him before,” said Materne, who by that time had become a successful bond salesman. “If I had, it was at one of his St. Christopher’s parties at his apartment, which usually involved just a quick drink.” Over lunch at the Friar’s Club, the conversation took off.

“I asked him what he was writing about at the moment,” recalled Materne. Only half-serious, he then suggested that Wolfe write a book about a bond salesman. Something seemed to click for Wolfe, and the two began discussing a fast-paced world where financial transactions were numbered in the millions every day. Over time and subsequent introductions to other investment heavy-hitters, Wolfe began work on his first novel, a story centered on a young banker in the ‘80s. Published in 1987, “The Bonfire of the Vanities” drew on themes of class, greed and race at a time when decadence and conspicuous consumption were very much in vogue. The main character? Sherman McCoy, who was revealed years later to have been an amalgamation of Materne and other people Wolfe had been introduced to.

The two remained friends over the years, and the author once graciously spoke at the Hotchkiss School in Connecticut, where Materne’s son was attending school. “Our worlds couldn’t have been more different,” said Materne. “He was in the social mix of New York about as thick as you could get, which was not my world. But this book is a part of my life. A small part, but a very wonderful part. Conversely, I became a small part of his life. We both loved St. Christopher’s. We had that in common.”

Tom Wolfe ‘47 visits Chamberlayne Hall in 1974

Wolfe ‘47 (left) and former headmaster George McVey ‘57

Kirk Materne ‘65

In Memoriam

1947

Ira Pascal Cromer Jr. of Midlothian, VA, died November 28, 2023.

1948

Clarence Adrian Holland of Virginia Beach, VA, died November 11, 2023.

1949

George Walker St. Clair of Richmond, VA, died December 3, 2023.

1955

John Jeremiah Funkhouser of West Falmouth, MA, died November 18, 2023.

1956

Walter Williams Scott of Richmond, VA, died December 9, 2023.

1957

John Carrington Cabell of Waynesboro, VA, died November 26, 2023. He is survived by his grandson William W. Cabell II ’13

1961

William Douglas Carleton Jr. of Richmond, VA, died September 18, 2023.

1963

Edward Montgomery Thomson of Virginia Beach, VA, died November 27, 2023.

1964

Robert Edward Hutchinson Jr. of Richmond, VA, died September 21, 2023. He is survived by his brothers Walter S. Hutchinson ’66 and Foster L. Hutchinson ’77

1968

William Page Rice of Richmond, VA, died August 9, 2023.

1971

Lewis Russell Wrenn of Encinitas, CA, died September 27, 2023.

1974

Peter Craig Harrelson of Ophir, CO, died January 22, 2024. He is survived by his brothers Michael S. Harrelson ’77, Austin B. Harrelson Jr. ’84 and John G. Harrelson ’89.

Faculty, Staff and Board of Governors

Anne Bell Turnbull of Richmond, VA, died November 17, 2023. Anne worked in the Admissions department for more than 30 years. She is survived by her husband Robert M. Turnbull ’68, sons Robert T. Turnbull ’98 and Edward R. Turnbull ’01, and grandsons Edward R. Turnbull Jr. ’31 and John F. Turnbull ’36.

Clancy Holland ’48

Pascal Cromer Jr. ‘47

Tex St. Clair ’49

John Funkhouser ’55

Walter Williams Scott ’56

Bill Rice ’68

Doug Carleton Jr. ’61

Peter Harrelson ’74

John Cabell ’57

Rusty Wrenn ‘71

Monty Thomson ’63

Anne Turnbull

Bob Hutchinson Jr. ’64

Alumni Gatherings

StC BASEBALL HOT STOVE DINNER

Over 150 Saints attended the second annual event on January 18, 2024.

VA Tech Head Baseball Coach John Szefc and former Saint, Hokie and current LA Dodger farmhand Nick Biddison ‘18 joined StC Coach Tony Szymendera to talk about all things baseball. Not an actual league, hot stove league refers to baseball’s off season and conjures up images of baseball fans gathering around a hot stove during the cold winter months, discussing their favorite baseball teams and players in anticipation of the season.

(L-R): John Szefc, Nick Biddison ‘18, Tony Szymendera

Alumni Gatherings

Austin, TX

HOME OF SARAH AND JEFF ZEIGLER ‘88 | JANUARY 23, 2024

Alumni from St. Catherine’s, Collegiate and Norfolk Academy were also in attendance.

Washington, D.C.

SULGRAVE CLUB | JANUARY 30, 2023

Hosted with St. Catherine’s

New York City

THE NATIONAL ARTS CLUB | FEBRUARY 15, 2024

Hosted with St. Catherine’s

College Visits

UVA SAINTS | FALL 2023

Hosted with St. Catherine’s

JMU

SAINTS | WINTER 2024

Hosted with St. Catherine’s

Alumni Gatherings

Great Saints Alumni Dinner

ST. CHRISTOPHER’S SCHOOL | NOVEMBER 3, 2023

The inaugural Great Saints Alumni Dinner debuted with great success. Alumni and friends of StC gathered together to celebrate the remarkable achievements of fellow alumni and the outstanding contributions they have made to St. Christopher’s and their communities. Their achievements serve as a shining example of the pursuit of excellence that St. Christopher’s strives to instill in all of its students. The evening was filled with moments of pride and camaraderie.

Proceeds from ticket sales totaled $2,675 for St. Christopher’s Alumni Legacy Scholarships, supporting qualified sons or grandsons of alumni with demonstrated financial need.

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARDS

Class of 1964 Service Award

The Class of 1964

Young Alumni Achievement Award

William C. Hardy ‘06

Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award

A. Donald McEachin ‘79 (Posthumously)

George Howell Jr. ‘29 Award

Thomas B. Valentine ‘76

This year’s Great Saints Alumni Dinner will take place on Friday, November 15, 2024. If you know a Saint deserving of an award, please visit www.stchristophers.com/greatsaints to submit a nomination.

RETIRING FACULTY & STAFF

Tributes to retiring faculty and staff who have 25 or more years of service to St. Christopher’s

TERRY DALTON

A Fond Farewell to a Devoted and Dedicated Member of the Business Office

For

“Terry is one of a kind. She had a gift for making everyone she talked to feel better.”

- Anne Wesley Gehring, director of lower school admissions

When Accountant Terry Dalton retired due to health issues in fall 2023, it marked the culmination of 27 years working at St. Christopher’s. It all started in 1996 when Terry, who had a son in Kindergarten, made a call to the Business Office with a question about her account. Shortly after that call, then-Business Manager Kendall Berry asked Terry if she might be interested in a job. Terry happily accepted, and the rest is history.

“Terry’s longevity here in the Business Office speaks to her devotion and dedication to St. Christopher’s,” said Lisa Aaron, accounts payable and human resources coordinator. “She saw many changes over the years and maintained a tight ship in the day-to-day operations. Not only was she a hard-working employee, but also a parent heavily involved in her boy’s education.”

When Berry left, Terry assumed the role of interim business manager for one year until the School hired Ace Ellis.

Throughout her years in the Business Office, the majority of which she served as the accounting manager, Terry handled everything from student accounts and parent relationships to overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Business Office and managing the annual audits.

“She was a numbers whiz and spreadsheet guru!” said Aaron. “Her attention to detail was evident.”

“It was a pleasure to work with Terry over the years,” said Chief Financial and Operations Officer David Reynolds. “As

a critical member of the Business Office team at St. Christopher’s, Terry’s focus was always providing the best service to the StC parents and our faculty and staff. She will certainly be missed!”

“She had one peculiar rule that we often teased her about,” said Aaron. “Any stack of papers that came in, went out, or even in our files could contain only ONE staple. She did not stop there. The staple could ONLY go in the upper left corner of the stack! Our world has moved away from paper and I rarely use my stapler, however, when I do I am reminded of that practice and smile to myself.”

“I first met Terry when I started working in Admissions 11 years ago,” said Director of Lower School Admissions Anne Wesley Gehring. “Terry is one of a kind. She had a gift for making everyone she talked to feel better. We always trusted Terry to talk to new families. When parents were concerned about financial issues, she always put them at ease. We often had parents call us and tell us about their love for Terry.”

For Terry, it was the StC community that meant so much to her throughout the years.

“What I treasured most,” she said, “were the relationships with parents and fellow employees. I appreciated my entire journey at St. Christopher’s.”

27 years, Dalton prioritized providing the best service to the StC community.

FACULTY & STAFF NEWS

Mary Anderson, Middle School science teacher and DEIB Middle School leader, traveled to Mallorca, Spain, in June 2023 as part of the Noell Travel Grant. Accompanying her were son Matt Anderson ‘05, daughter-in-law Marcey and grandson Wills.

StC faculty and staff attended the People of Color Conference November 28-December 1, 2023 in St. Louis, MO. Attendees included: Mary Anderson, Amy Buerlin, Ed Cowell, Allyson Diljohn, Sarah Hubard, Taylor Knight ‘10, Isa Shealy, Nick Sherod ‘16, Meredith Smart and Darren Steadman

Meredith Henne Baker, Upper School history teacher, led a webinar on Black garden club history in January by the National Museum of African American Culture and the Smithsonian Gardens. The talk was based on research for a forthcoming book, “Scenic Sisters: The Garden Club Women Who Changed America.”

Director of Information Systems and Academic Technology Hiram Cuevas attended BBcon (Blackbaud’s annual conference) in Denver in January and met keynote speaker and actress America Ferrera. Cuevas is also co-hosting the podcast Talking Tech with ATLIS. In the podcast, he has conversations with thought leaders in the technology and ed tech space. https://theatlis.org/page/podcast

Director of Security Hal Moser and Hiram Cuevas led a webinar for the Association of Technology Leaders in Independent Schools on When Universes Overlap: The Synergy between Security and Technology in October 2023.

Upper School Spanish Teacher Gracie Cuevas wed Audio/Visual Manager and Assistant Technical Director of Ampersand Drake Dragone on November 11, 2023. They were married by former Middle School Chaplain Durk Steed.

Members of the Development team attended the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) conference in January. Attendees included: Jane Garnet Brown, Andy Chesebro, Penny Lowrey and Erin Nord

Upper School Librarian and publications advisor Sheree Garrett joined StC in 2023 after working as a JK teacher at Westhampton Day School. Garrett is also pursuing her Master of Education in School Librarianship from Longwood University.

Middle School and Upper School French Teacher Jessica Healy went on an ACIS Teaching Training conference to Barcelona in January in preparation to take eighth grade students to France and Spain this coming summer.

Extended Day Teacher Margaret Hunter and Director of The Center for the Study of Boys Kim Hudson presented at the 2024 Richmond Association for Directors

of Early Childhood Education (RAD) Conference. Their presentation was titled “The Joy of Teaching Boys.”

Alex Knight, Middle School English teacher, published a new story, “La-Z-Boy,” in the “Dead Mule Literary Journal.” He was also a prize winner in the Artworks Gallery Fall Open Show for his painting, Farmer #3, 1961.

Upper School Digital Arts Teacher

Amanda Livick was recognized by the Visual Arts Center of Richmond in conjunction with the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards and Blick Art Materials for her support of her students. She received the Plaza Outstanding Regional Educator Award in February.

Andrew Maynard, Upper School English teacher, and wife Ally welcomed Sheppard Scott Maynard on November 16, 2023. He joins big brother Clyde.

Extended Day Kindergarten Teacher

Hope Morgan and StC alumnus Myles Brown ‘15 collaborated on Brown’s upcoming song, “Petrified,” recorded in the Arts Center with Morgan on vocals. The song and music video was released in February.

Derek Porter, Middle School teacher of history and music and coordinator of research for The Center for the Study of Boys, published the article, “Embracing Joy: A Light Through the Tunnel of Teacher Burnout,” in the December issue of “THINK” magazine by the International Academic Forum. Porter and wife Tiffney welcomed their son Eliel Sebastian Porter on December 12, 2023. Eliel joins older sister Jael Antoinette.

Cuevas with America Ferrera

Actor, director, theatre teacher Paul Takács hits the mark at Ampersand

Paul Takács, artistic director of Ampersand and upper school theatre teacher, enjoyed working on the winter show at Ampersand. “Behind Closed Doors” explores the question of authentic self versus the self that we share with the world–do we really know the people in our lives and who they might be when they’re “behind closed doors?”

The students, with Takács’ guidance, developed the theme and created all the component parts. A “devised work,” there was no script at the outset of the project. “This approach can be challenging for actors, especially young actors,” he said. “I’m very proud of them. There is nothing in the show the students haven’t touched. It’s a mission for me, in a big way, to have the students not just perform what they were told to do. They take ownership and feel like creative artists.”

Working with Upper School students, whether teaching a theatre history class or an acting class, Takács is enjoying the process by introducing acting students to the tools of the trade and teaching them how to analyze a script.

“The possibilities are limitless,” said Takács. “It’s really liberating. We’re not trying to achieve perfection. We are guided by intention and desire, to get more truthful, more honest, and if we have a transcending performance, then huzzah!”

In Takács’ opinion, one of the most rewarding things about working with Upper School students is to see them stop worrying about performance and to work on connecting with one another. “No craft requires as much courage and generosity as acting,” he noted. “You have to lay yourself bare, give of yourself fully–heart, spirit and soul. When I see this courage and generosity in an Upper Schooler, that is special.”

Mary Anderson with her grandson

Sheppard Scott Maynard and his big brother Clyde

Derek Porter’s newborn son

FACULTY NEWS

Director of Finance Maryn Ward was one of 18 independent school business office leaders across the U.S. selected to be in this year’s National Business Officers Association Leadership Academy. The NBOA Leadership Academy, in partnership with Vanderbilt University, is a one-year program designed for independent school business professionals ready to grow and advance as leaders. Maryn participated in monthly professional development, including taking part in a research project where her findings were presented at the NBOA Annual Meeting.

Jay Wood, Upper School English teacher and varsity soccer coach, attended the United Soccer Coaches Annual Convention in Anaheim, CA, in January. Wood caught up with his high school coach, Miller Bugliari, 89, who is still coaching at the Pingry School (NJ), and is the former president of the United Soccer Coaches and a member of the Hall of Fame for both the United Soccer Coaches and U.S. Soccer.

Lower School Learning Commons Coordinator/ Librarian Lucinda Whitehurst visited a Brooklyn art studio in January and enjoyed seeing the work of Caldecott Award-winning artists Sophie Blackall, Brian Floca and Doug Salati, as well as meeting author/illustrator John Bemelmans Marciano.

Congratulations to FLIK’s Director of Dining Mark Worsley, who received this year’s President’s Circle Award.

“FLIK Leadership recognizes Mark Worsley for going above and beyond to ensure that the students, faculty, administrators and staff of St. Christopher’s School are highly satisfied with their experience with our dining program,” said District Manager Juliana Grayson. “Mark has extended FLIK’s corporate culture of flexibility, leadership, integrity and knowledge to his team supporting St. Christopher’s School. Mark has gone beyond the normal daily operations by working with School leadership to improve the School’s food program.”

Worsley said, “About a year ago, we really started to redo everything from menus and service styles. With 16 other staff members in the kitchen, we were able to really excel.”

The award is for outstanding food, getting great feedback from students, good logistical and financial management, and other “back of house” criteria. The best part about Worsley’s job is simply feeding the boys and hearing their feedback. “It’s really fun getting the comments back, what they like and don’t like,” he said. “The freedom of menu is also great. What we’re feeding the boys is so seasonal, so fresh.”

What would the boys eat if they could only have one meal for the rest of the year? “Pizza! Pizza and chicken wings. If they could get that every day, they’d be happy!”

(L-R): Doug Salati, Brian Floca, Lucinda Whitehurst, John Marciano, and Sophie Blackall

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

NATIONAL MERIT COMMENDED

STUDENTS

CLASS OF 2024

Theodore L. Cross

Greyson L. DiCosmo

Robert J. Nelson

Robert A. Worrell

AP SCHOLAR

CLASS OF 2024

Logan R. Amey

Aidan M. Apostle

John W. Daglio

Carter M. Dixon

Nicholas J. Fraine

Patrick J. Goldman

Lucas P. Hilbert

John B. Long

Jackson T. Moore

William T. Moore

Henry B. Omohundro

Nathan R. Parker

Bryson Smith

Ryan S. Temple

George D. White

Thomas F. Wright

CLASS OF 2023

Scott E. Butterfield

Parker W. Cushman

Charles F. Hancock

Sidney R. Konvicka

John C. Kuhlen

Anthony J. Mattson

John Miles

Jeffrey R. Mitchell

Joseph B. Mumford

Sajiv H. Patel

Holden T. Valerie

Wesley E. Wise

Forrest H. Woodward

AP SCHOLAR W/ DISTINCTION

CLASS OF 2024

Theodore L. Cross

Greyson L. DiCosmo

Briggs M. Ireland

Jurgis Kemeklis

August F. Lange

Edward B. Lumpkin

Robert J. Nelson

Robert A. Worrell

CLASS OF 2023

Charles P. Aghdami

Christopher E. Beach

George H. Beck

William B. Bowles

Gerrett M. Broussard

Peyton J. Carpenter

James W. Clark

Richard S. Dodson

John K. George

Jacob B. Gray

Alexander Hatfield

Peter L. Huff

Luke R. Jones

Cameron L. King

Maximilian Kobal

Charles B. Konvicka

Austin R. Levin

Quintin T. Levy

Nicholas E. Manetas

Mason L. Moring

John E. Nystrom

Cabell C. Pasco

Edward B. Poarch

Theodore W. Price

Marc E. Revilla

Ethan E. Smith

James R. Southall

Mason B. Stanley

Alexander N. Street

Wyatt C. Townsend

Henry I. Willett

Thomas G. Youngkin

AP SCHOLAR W/ HONOR

CLASS OF 2024

Seth L. Aschheim

Patrick R. Mayer

Beckett G. Schofield

Oliver T. Smith

Berkley N. Stocks

Kellen T. Welch

Grady D. White

CLASS OF 2023

Rex J. Alphen

Maximus C. Buono

Bowen R. Hall

Michael K. Jimenez

Luke S. Pendlebury

Henry L. Westfall

National Merit Commended Students (L-R): Jack Nelson ‘24, Captain Worrell ‘24, Greyson DiCosmo ‘24, Theo Cross ‘24

St. Christopher’s School welcomes qualified students to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation or national or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid policies and athletic and other School-administered programs.

Member of VAIS, NAIS, NAES and IBSC

The Magazine of St. Christopher’s

Lower School performs Disney’s “The Lion King Kids”