Student Highlights

St. Luke's Debate Sends 8 To Nationals, Achieves National Charter Status

In March of 2022, the St. Luke's Varsity Debate Team participated in the National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA) District Tournament. After competing against 17 other schools, 8 St. Luke's students were granted bids to compete in the 2022 National Speech & Debate Tournament in Louisville, Kentucky: Charlie Adams '24, Laurel Aronian '25, Chris Briggs '24, Samantha Gerber '25, Dash Gilrain-Lennon '25, Will Moskowitz '25, Sally Picon '24, and Jack Sullivan '23. St. Luke's was the only team in Connecticut with students qualifying for nationals.

In May, St. Luke's Debate was awarded NSDA's highest honor: National Charter status. Nationwide, only 22 schools were recognized with this prestigious status in 2021-22.

According to a statement from the Association, “These schools have earned degrees in our Honor Society for outstanding participation in speech and debate activities. Degrees are earned by students and coaches through speech and debate competitions, community service, and leadership activities. Each degree represents hours of learning, practice, and improvement from the team.”

St. Luke's Student Artists Selected for Museum Exhibition

In February of 2022, three St. Luke's art students had their work displayed in the Katonah Museum of Art's Young Artists 2022 Exhibition. Young Artists, now in its 39th year, features the work of local high school artists who take part in all aspects of its curation, installation, and marketing efforts to produce this perennially favorite exhibition. The works range in scale, concept, media, and process, reflecting the diversity of expression in the region's young artists.

The artists' works featured in the exhibition included:

Catherine Clark '22, A Bathroom in Grand Central, Inkjet Print from Digital Negative (top-left)

Sara Minuesa '22, The Space Between, Inkjet Print from Digital Negative (top-middle)

Emilia von Lilien-Brockmeyer '22, Bye Bye Ouchies, Oil on Board (top-right)

St. Luke's Theater Takes Home Two Halo Awards

In May of 2022, St. Luke's families gathered at the Palace Theater in Waterbury for the 19th Annual Halo Awards. Presented by regional theater company The Seven Angels Theater Company, the Halo Awards honor every aspect of high school theater: actors, singers, stagehands, directors, dancers, designers, and more. This year more than 80 Connecticut high schools were celebrated at the ceremony.

St. Luke's School received nominations for Ryan DeFilippo '22 (Best Lighting Design), Sam Bauer '23 and Hannah Johnson '24 (Dynamic Duo in a Play), Myles Sead '23 (Best Male Standout Performance in an Ensemble Production), and Hannah Johnson '24 (Best Female Standout Performance in an Ensemble Production). The cast and crew of Eureka Day—, Connor Mannix '24, Dakota DeFrancesco '23,

Hannah Johnson '24, Myles Sead '23, Ryan DeFilippo '22, and Sam Bauer '23 —received nominations for Best Contemporary Play and the Fearless Award.

Johnson and Bauer proudly came away with The Dynamic Duo Award, given to performers who exemplify strong chemistry and partnership on stage. The cast and crew of Eureka Day took home the Fearless Award, recognizing theater programs willing to take risks by producing challenging work or tackling complex issues. It was an extraordinary win for St. Luke's Theater to be recognized as a program that provokes thought, pushes artistic boundaries, and inspires.

St. Luke's Volleyball Crowned New England Champions

The St. Luke's varsity volleyball team won its first ever New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Class C Championship in November of 2021. St. Luke's won every set in the NEPSAC tournament, defeating Greens Farms Academy 3-0 in the quarterfinal, Cushing Academy 3-0 in the semifinal, and #4 seed Winchenden 3-0 in the championship game in Carey Gymnasium.

St. Luke's finished the season with an overall record of 16-4, and head Coach Garrett Minyard was overjoyed with the team's accomplishments: “It didn't take 20 matches to win this championship. It took four years. This season's success is the culmination of all the hard work and effort our past teams and staff have put into this program. The athletes of this team were exactly the right group to take this huge step forward for SLS volleyball. I am extremely proud to be their coach. Thanks to these athletes, our program entered a new era. Winning a championship is no longer just an idea, it's an expectation.”

St. Luke’s Mascot Stormy Makes Its Debut

St. Luke’s new mascot, Stormy, made a debut appearance at the spring pep rally in April 2022, in front of a packed Carey Gymnasium.

Stormy’s energy, dancing, and school spirit is a welcome addition to the St. Luke’s athletic program. The new mascot was made possible thanks to St. Luke’s Stormchasers Leslie Balkind and Aimee Mueller, who worked tirelessly to get Stormy to the Hilltop. Look for Stormy at future sporting events!