Rising Above

Rising

Stone Ridge was honored to host a screening of the new documentary, Hoy Boys, in May, in the Cokie Boggs Roberts ’60 Theater. Hoy Boys chronicles the lives of twin brothers and Washington DC pho tojournalists, Thomas and Frank Hoy, who captured iconic leaders and events of the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s for the Washington Evening Star and Washington Post. Stone Ridge alumnae Betsy Hoy Shiverick ’78 and Christy Hoy Gosnell ’79 (sisters and daughters of Thomas Hoy) partnered with director Dave Simonds to tell this retrospective of a pre-digital era when Americans read newspapers and facts mat tered through the legacy of their father Thomas and uncle Frank.

We are grateful to Christy, Betsy and her husband Paul, and Dave Simonds for the screening and Q&A with students that followed. Thomas Hoy was incredibly involved with Stone Ridge assisting with the yearbook and providing photography when his daughters attended in the ’70s. The Upper School darkroom is named in his memory.

2021-22 ANNUAL REPORT NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE!

It was a terrific year. You gave your time, resources, and heart to our girls and programs. You created significant impact, and we thank you.

Stone Ridge has created an improved platform to share our story of philanthropy. We have also made a commitment to Goal III by better stewarding the earth’s resources in choosing to publish the Annual Report online.

Visit the Stone Ridge Digital Annual Report today!

www.stoneridgeschool.org/annualreport2022

Home to student performances, lecture discussions, and all-community gatherings, the state-of-the-art Cokie Boggs Roberts ’60 Theater captures Cokie’s spirit and her love for all-girls education and the mission of a Sacred Heart education. Using 200 lights adorning 7 skywalks, performances were taken to new heights with dramatic lighting enabling students to push their creative limits. Fully equipped costume and scene shops were playgrounds of innovation for cast and crew, bringing to life some of the most beloved plays of our time: High School Musical Jr., Anon(ymous), and Beauty and the Beast(pictured). On stage, dance, music, and choral recitals lifted audience’s spirits as the theater brought families together for these special performances and opened its doors to the community at large for book talks and film screenings—illuminating the heart of campus for all to enjoy.

Stone Ridge Magazine

2022

ON THE COVER:

Maddie Ogletree ’22 as Belle in the Upper School production of Beauty and the Beast

Please note that all photography included in this issue follows proper health and safety guidance.

The Stone Ridge Magazine is produced by the Office of Marketing and Communications at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart for alumnae, parents, students, and friends of the School.

HEAD OF SCHOOL Catherine Ronan Karrels ’86

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Stacy Springer

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Keri Rasmussen

VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR & PHOTOGRAPHY Caitlin Myler Taylor ’98

Please send any letters, comments, or suggestions to Caitlin Myler Taylor ’98 at ctaylor@stoneridgeschool.org.

Printed on recycled paper with vegetable-based inks in a 0% wind powered facility.

From the Head of School

Rising Above

The 2022-23 academic year marks our Centennial and an opportunity to reflect on how history has shaped our institution and now helps chart our path forward. The Religious of the Sacred Heart have always focused on an education that is both timeless and timely. Today, we are proud of the excellence that permeates programming and instruction across all grade levels. Stone Ridge has long been recognized for the defining outcomes on both the hearts and minds of our students, all rooted in our Sacred Heart Goals of faith, intellect, social action, community, and personal growth.

The impact of our program begins with the remarkable vision and educational philosophy of the Religious of the Sacred Heart, which is then operationalized thanks to the steadfast passion and dedication of our faculty and staff. As a collective, Sacred Heart educators are in a constant state of reflection, always striving to build on our successes and anticipate new avenues and opportunities for our students. The spirit of collaboration within the faculty and staff, and their deep commitment to lifelong learning and growth, provides our students with both exceptional educational experiences and also extraordinary role models.

The pages of this magazine provide just a small glimpse into the countless ways in which Stone Ridge thrived as a home for learning and growth in the 2021-22 academic year. Though we were still navigating the complexities of COVID-19, campus life was fully alive with the joy of being in community for our educational program. The opening of the Mater Center in August 2021 was a blessing even beyond our expectations. In addition to dramatically enhancing instructional and performance spaces for our arts programming, the Mathews Dining Hall, common areas in the Mater Center, and new outdoor spaces have restructured our daily life on campus and revolutionized our ability to build community.

The articles and images in this magazine also provide insight on the impact of shared leadership in our institution. Our School’s growth has been exponential because we are a community of dynamic and diverse learners and leaders, with students, parents, faculty, staff, trustees, alumnae, and past parents all engaged in moving the mission forward by showing up for one another and stepping up to lead various aspects of our school life.

As we launch this 100th year of educating young women in the Washington, DC region, we look back with gratitude and look ahead with hope for an even more brilliant future. Whether you are a current member of our community or an alumna, past parent, past grandparent, or past faculty or staff member, please accept our invitation to be part of our present and future. Our Centennial year provides a perfect opportunity to reconnect and reinvigorate our communal efforts to lead Stone Ridge forward. I especially encourage all alumnae to participate in our Day of Service on January 21, 2023, and our Alumnae Reunion on April 29, 2023. All members of the extended community are asked to save the date of April 30, 2023 for our Centennial Liturgy. We are honored that His Eminence Wilton Cardinal Gregory will preside that day.

Our 2022 Commencement Speaker, José Andrés, told our graduates: “Like Jesus fed the hungry, look within your heart. Find your life. Find what you are good at, what you excel at, and be ready to feed the hopes of the people. We need you to do that.” Indeed, the world needs Stone Ridge graduates, and Stone Ridge needs YOU to be part of our efforts to continue to equip them with all that makes their educational experience one of true transformation.

I look forward to an incredible Centennial year of celebration as we continue to build on our foundation and work together to impact tomorrow.

Sincerely, Catherine Ronan Karrels ’86

Pictured above with Catherine Ronan Karrels ’86 at the 2022 Graduation Ceremony are Commencement Speaker José Andrés, Graduation Marshal Beverly Robinson Wheeler ’72, and Barat Medal awardee Michaela O’Connor ’22

Celebrating our 2022 Barat Medal Recipients

Each year we award the Barat Medal to several leaders who we believe have made extraordinary contributions— volunteers, benefactors, or other stakeholders who are strategic thoughtleaders—people who have helped profoundly enrich the course of our mission through their actions. It is the highest honor that Stone Ridge presents to any non-student of the School.

Since early 2020, schools across our country scrambled to first pivot to virtual classrooms, and then rethink all facets of operations in order to safely bring our students back for in-person learning. Never in the history of the School have we seen such remarkable challenges and such a threat to our ability to safely keep our school open to sustain our mission.

I can say with absolute conviction that I could not be more proud of how Stone Ridge navigated this challenge. Our EdTech team, academic leaders and teachers pivoted time and time again to deliver quality instruction. Our facilities and maintenance teams made changes to campus, tripled down on disinfecting and cleaning, and created new classrooms out of any and all available space. The staff learned how to operationalize everything electronically and how to market enrollment, fundraising, and communications on completely new platforms. Our decisions had to be timely, strategic, and incredibly precise. We needed help in understanding the science and medicine that would drive our decision-making. It seemed almost impossible to be true that we had the exact right combination of talent, expertise, and a willingness to assist us right in the walls of our own community. Within one day, we magically formed a world class Medical Advisory Committee. Forming this committee was an unparalleled experience in my 20+ years as a Head of School.

Given the range of their skill and expertise, this team was able to tag team on every challenge or topic we threw their way. Engaging in bi-weekly phone conference calls at 7:30

am on Tuesdays, we have leaned on them to interpret data and trends, help set protocol and policy, help educate our parents, students and employees. They assisted the school in setting up an on-campus antigen test lab before rapid tests were available at home; they have hosted numerous educational zoom calls for all of our stakeholders to help empower our community with information.

They have helped us work with the counseling team to ensure a thoughtful approach to the mental health of our community. When the vaccine became available, they set up an onsite clinic to make vaccinations easy for our families. They have patiently and painstakingly helped us consider every angle, every question, every concern of the many stakeholders who needed our care.

What strikes me most about this group is how dedicated, patient, and persistent they have been. They play well off of each other—each bringing a different skill and experience to the table. They have demonstrated a high degree of empathy for all of us, and they’ve been able to calmly and thoughtfully help the COVID Task Force and Administration give careful consideration to the range of needs of our diverse community.

In addition to benefiting from their guidance about science and medicine, on a personal level I have learned a lot from this team about leadership and life. The tone and energy of our meetings is always marked by generosity, genuine love for the members of our community, and believe it or not—a sense of optimism, gratitude, and joy.

They have modeled for me what it looks like to be firm but loving, to rely on data when the pull of emotion is strong, and to listen with compassion—even when your resources are low and your fuel tank is nearly empty.

I remember a call early in the pandemic when Dr. Hickey shared a lesson he learned in the military. “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with a team.” It’s one of the most important leadership lessons that I think I’ve ever learned, and this team has proven the wisdom of that statement over and over again.

Edited from the Head of School Catherine Ronan Karrel’s ’86 remarks at the Barat Reception in May.

We are deeply grateful to our Medical Advisory Team: Dr. Stephen Evans, Dr. Steve Fong, Dr. Pat Hickey, Dr. Ric LaGrange, Dr. Mario Ortega, and Dr. Amy Richardson ’72.

2020 Barat Awardees

Unfortunately, we were not able to host our celebration in 2020, but were delighed to honor these three Barat Medal recipients at the 2022 Barat Celebration: Patricia Cleary, Patricia Wimsatt Myler ’64, and Kevin Lange. We also acknowledged the ongoing contributions of Gene Massey, Barat Award recipient from 1998. Please join the Stone Ridge community in congratulating these leaders.

From left: Head of School Catherine Ronan Karrels ’86, Dr. Steven Fong, Dr. Pat Hickey, Dr. Amy Richardson, Dr. Mario Ortega, Dr. Ric LaGrange, and Chief Administrative Officer Eric Osberg, pictured at the 2022 Barat Award reception. At right is Dr. Stephen Evans.

Above, Gene Massey, Patricia Wimsatt Myler ’64, and Tom Richey (son-in-law of Patricia Cleary), pictured with Catherine Ronan Karrels ’86 at the 2022 Barat Award reception. At right is Kevin Lange with daughters Marieve ’24 and Vive ’28.

FAITH & GLOBAL EDUCATION

Last spring, Dr. White and Dr. Downey-Vanover presented their expertise as Sacred Heart global educators with colleagues Melody Fox Ahmed from National Cathedral School and Jessica Campbell from Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart at the Global Education Benchmark Group’s (GEBG) Annual Conference. Guided by Ms. Fox, their presentation introduced how understanding dimensions of faith are essential to global citizenry and to becoming interfaith bridge builders, collectively working towards the common good. As a Catholic, Sacred Heart School, Dr. Downey-Vanover sees global education as essential to Stone Ridge’s identity and mission to bring the attributes of Christ’s heart into the world.

When asked, “Why global education?” Assistant Head of Upper School Dr. Jeanne Downey-Vanover says, “Global education develops an understanding, an appreciation of, and an openness to something outside your own world. It exposes students to the vast world beyond the classroom and challenges them to become aware of their responsibilities in an interconnected world.” At Stone Ridge, global education, explicitly reflected in the Goals and Criteria, is embedded throughout Sacred Heart education. Director of Social Action Dr. Katie White cites Goal III Criteria 2; “to immerse students in diverse global perspectives, developing competencies, such as critical consciousness, language facility, and cultural literacy,” as a powerful example. From studying history, mathematics, and world languages to environmental issues in science classes and moral and ethical decision-making in theology, “the different student programs at Stone Ridge speak to each other in such beautiful ways,” Dr. White says. “There are many singular threads that exist in the education of our students in the Upper School that can be woven into the unique tapestry that is global education,” says Dr. Downey-Vanover.

“Our goal of global education at Stone Ridge is to form students who are aware of their responsibilities in an interconnected world and who have developed the knowledge, skills, and disposition appropriate for interaction for a lifetime.”

For Stone Ridge faculty and students, global education extends beyond academics. Students have multiple ways to engage with the world through Social Action, DEI programming, student activity groups, and travel. The Sacred Heart Network Exchange, at the national and international levels, and Network Summer Service

projects offer profound learning experiences on topics like Juvenile Justice, Indigenous Environmental Justice, and Hunger, which communities face around the world.

What does global education look like in the classroom? Using the Goals and Criteria as their guide, different departments engage with this question to evaluate what it means to educate global citizens. Their efforts have led to various outcomes like the diversification of texts and authors in Women’s Literature and AP Spanish Literature courses, which have expanded from mainly white American or European perspectives on culture to include more diverse perspectives and experiences from the Anglophone and Spanish-speaking communities around the world.

When considering texts throughout the curriculum and various courses, faculty use the notion of windows and mirrors, stories that provide students insights into others’ lives, and stories that enable students to see themselves in new ways as they build their identity. When considering the students’ personalities, interests, and what kindles their curiosities, the windows and mirrors approach to texts can provide more empowering experiences for students. As a result, students are more apt to empathize with other perspectives and seek ways to build knowledge and understanding when faced with challenges. This work also reflects Commitment 3 of Stone Ridge’s commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the classroom, ensuring that areas of study reflect the lived experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and foster a realization that as a Sacred Heart school we are called to build a community in which the human dignity of each person is sacred.

As the content in classes is reimagined, courses are renamed to be more representative of the subject matter, such as shifting British Literature to Global Perspectives in English Literature. Principles of global education are echoed throughout programs like the Social Action program, framed by the essential question: how is my wellbeing bound up in yours? A question that is woven throughout a student’s education at Stone Ridge implores them to consider “our interconnectedness, how we are accountable to, and rely on each other,” says Dr. White. This essential question “is directly connected to the Sacred Heart Goals and Criteria and our understanding of what it means to be Sacred Heart educators who are inherently global educators,” says Dr. Downey-Vanover.

Learn more about Stone Ridge’s global commitments

Dr. Katie White and Dr. Jeanne Downey-Vanover

THE

MINDSET

Two new spaces in the Lower and Middle Schools are opening new avenues of creativity in making. The Lower School Creation and Innovation Station, named by Grade 4 students, and the Middle School Makerspace, led by Educational Technologist Rick Alfonso, are transforming classrooms into makerspaces and inspiring project-based learning throughout the curriculum. The intent, Director of Educational Technology and Innovation Jaime Chao Mignano says, is “to build a maker mindset across the divisions and for students to gain the sensitivity to see the nature of design in the world around them and empower them to affect change in their environment.”

Lower School

Faculty and students have an array of materials and specialized tools to choose from to fulfill any project’s needs in the Creation and Innovation Station. Led by Lower School Educational Technologist Julie Ott, the space houses materials that transform classrooms into makerspaces. Faculty and students are invited to look for supplies and often find inspiration to take projects to levels not thought of before ultimately enhancing making “so that kids can make novel connections between materials and their vision,” says Ms. Chao Mignano. Depending on a student’s level of proficiency, having access to a variety of tools greatly impacts their making and overall skills they acquire.

The Creation and Innovation Station encourages students to think more deeply about their representations and make stronger metaphors with materials. Lower School students can stretch their understanding and ability to craft representations from visual replicas to adding functional elements to their projects. Throughout their Lower School years, students will be able to elevate these representational projects into functional prototypes, naturally preparing them for more advanced subjects like Systems and Engineering seminars in Middle School.

Maker Mindset continued on page 11

FARMERS MARKET

This spring, Grade 1 completed a Farmer’s Market project. The students were learning about goods and services, examining how each type of community (rural, suburban, and urban) contributes to their neighboring communities helping all needs become fulfilled. When analyzing the material, the idea of a Farmer’s Market authentically grew from the students’ wonderings about how farmers bring their goods to cities and different ways people can acquire them.

The students decided their first representation would be to create a Farmer’s Market outside the Grade 1 classroom. They constructed the shelves using many of the tools and supplies in our Creation and Innovation Station. The students identified strong cardboard to use as the shelves, used canary knives to make the pieces the precise size, and then painted them white. Some students also identified the need to reinforce the shelves and used special “Makedo SCRUs” to make sure the shelves could support their items for sale.

After a class trip to the Poplar Animal Sanctuary, a few students decided they wanted to represent the farm. They created the farm using a variety of materials and different types of glue to make sure the barn stayed strong, and the fence did not collapse. They completed the farm with a set of miniature animals and enjoyed using the farm as a way to teach others in our community about the Animal Sanctuary.

REGIONAL CLIMATES

In Grade 4, the students completed their work on the Regions of the United States. As part of their opening activity, the students identified one section of the United States that they felt they had a strong connection to. Once they identified that area, the students recreated one small item to represent the area they loved. For example, one student created a lemonade stand to represent their time at the beach. Another student created a taxi cab, to show her love for New York City. The students experimented with all different types of materials and were able to try out tools to have more experience using these in preparation for Middle School.

Below, Grade 4 geographic representations; Grade 1 students study farm life

THE PROJECT APPROACH IN LITTLE HEARTS

by Lower School Educational Technologist and Instructional Support Julie Ott

The Project Approach in Little Hearts introduces topics using a cross-curricular dynamic where students learn literacy, communications, numeracy, and science all at once. Driven by the children’s interests, they grow self-confidence and pride in their work as they investigate a topic, in breadth and depth, and become experts.

THE EGG PROJECT

It all began when the Pre-K class was gifted two praying mantis egg cases early in the spring. After observing them, and creating representational drawings, the class looked at other types of eggs. Teachers followed the students’ interests as more lessons evolved from their wonderings until a student exclaimed, “Maybe EGGS should be our next project.” And thus, the egg-celent idea of the Egg Project was born.

A project is divided into phases. Phase 1 of a project allows the teacher to find out what experiences and knowledge the students already have about the topic. Students are able to represent their own experiences, share stories with their classmates, and think about questions they have or what else they would like to investigate.

“A project is an extended and in-depth investigation of a real-world topic. Children gain deep understanding and knowledge by seeking answers to their questions through rich sensory, firsthand investigations. Projects are usually undertaken by a whole class, divided into small groups. These groups become experts in different aspects of the topic of study.” (Chard, Kogan, and Castillo, 2017).

One student illustrated their story while the teacher transcribed her writing for her. “I know how to draw a baby egg. My sister found one; it was blue. But I couldn’t take one because the mother would be so angry with me. This is the mother. The mother sits on the baby eggs so the baby eggs can get warm. The wings are coming out.” These stories allow the teacher to understand what the collective knowledge of the class is and where to take the project. The teachers thought of a creative way to share the wonderings of this curious group of Pre-K students. The eggs were displayed around the classroom, often next to a display of an experience that answered the question they had.

During Phase 2, teachers organize experiences that allow students to find the answers to their questions. There are many ways a teacher can create these authentic experiences, but the most enjoyable are field experiences and guest experts. Through these experiences, the teachers find ways to weave in literacy and numeracy skills. The teacher is the facilitator guiding students to discover new ideas and concepts in an authentic way. In the Egg project, the class enjoyed a number of guest experts, including experts in painted wooden eggs, cascarones, chickens, egg cartons, and quail eggs.

Additionally, the students participated in an innovative experience to determine the strongest and most protective carton for eggs. The students prototyped and conducted experiments to determine this important discovery! These critical thinking skills are hallmarks of the Project Approach. Students start to think about new ideas in a whole new way! The teachers also redesign their centers to align with the project. This allows students to practice skills in reading, writing, and numeracy with the project to support their work.

A field experience with the Grade 1 classroom was an eggcelent idea! The students in Grade 1 were conducting a project of their own, and had 2 chickens and 6 eggs incubating, waiting to hatch! Pre-K students were able to hold the eggs carefully and use a special tool to candle the egg and see the growth of the chicken inside!

One final portion of Phase 2, which was simply delicious, was finding all of the ways eggs could be prepared, eaten, and enjoyed! The class created a survey of what ways they enjoyed eggs. The French teacher came in to share how eggs are prepared in France and also included a lesson in language. The students made egg salad and tasted roe!

Finally, phase 3 of the project brings all of the hard work together. This is a time to share the students’ learning. The culmination is the opportunity to tell the story of the project. It is a time to show the twists and turns the project took as the students investigated more and had new wonderings. The teachers decide when it is time for the project to be over, and with consultation with the students, decides how to share their learning with the larger community.

The Pre-K hosted a project culmination and invited their parents and members of the school community. The students were the guides for their parents, showing them each display.

particular experiment. They are the experts in their project topic and can now teach others about the topic. This was an EGGcelent project this spring, we congratulate the students on their hard work and their teacher on being fantastic guides through the project phases. We are waiting on our tiptoes wondering what the next Pre-K project will be this fall!

Maker Mindset continued from page 9

Middle School

In Middle School, students have a unique opportunity to secure and build their identity around making and embodying the statement and mindset “I am a Maker.”

Last winter, with the Makerspace construction complete, students in Grade 5–8 were asked to imagine themselves in the space and think of what they would need to be successful makers. Students submitted their designs and ideas to the Hacking Club, who gave their input and passed the proposed plans to Middle School faculty and academic leadership to receive feedback. This was truly “a community-driven process of designing a space,” says Ms. Chao Mignano, “to find what would inspire and excite creativity in students and support academic growth.” Though the trampoline and a live pig didn’t make the cut, baking equipment like an oven, hotplate, and microwave did. On opening day, faculty were treated to cookies made in the new Makerspace, subtly inspiring teachers to think about how food might fit into their curriculum as a maker project.

The Makerspace not only encourages teachers to think of their lessons in new ways, but also offers cross-divisional collaboration. One idea Middle School students had, to have

LED lighting throughout the space, grew into a user-centered design project in collaboration with Upper School students. Using what the middle schoolers had outlined, the Grade 9 Explorations in Technology classes made LED light fixtures, which are now displayed throughout the space. Additionally, students have access to new equipment like soldering irons, offering more opportunities for exploration. The Makerspace is open for classes, students who want to work independently on projects, and clubs, and it hums with activity during available periods like study hall or recess. Next year, the EdTech team looks forward to bringing more professional development activities for teachers to build the capacity to incorporate maker-centered learning into the curriculum.

The Lower School Creation and Innovation Station and Middle School Makerspace are opening doors for students and teachers alike. Students gain essential skills like choosing between different types of crayons and markers based on the style of their representation and learning how to build with various materials. These experiences foster an overall sensitivity to design so that children can work past the limitations in their environment and see beyond—making the impossible, possible.

A new club that formed this year, the Hacking Club, is focused on transforming familiar objects with intention. Hacking extends beyond the digital world for these students who have hacked magazines, boxes, and costumes. The Hacking Club was pivotal in designing the new Middle School tech seminar space (the Uncommons), and the Middle School Makerspace. Designing for collaboration and flexible grouping, the Uncommons takes on a coffee shop feel where students can work together on creative projects.

The proud Pre-K students showed their even prouder parents their 3-D representations, drawings, writing, and all of the hard work they had completed. Not only is this a chance for the students to demonstrate their own hard work, but also the work of their classmates. It is clear to see the pride they show in the discoveries their friends made while working through a

STRATEGIC DIRECTION OF SCHOOL

During the summer of 2022, we welcomed several new team members to administrative roles. We are delighted to have them on the Stone Ridge team and look forward to the gifts and experience they bring.

Mr. James (Jimi) Purse serves as our Assistant Head of School. In this role, Mr. Purse will support Mrs. Karrels on specific projects and strategic initiatives, as well as help to oversee the School’s accreditation process. Mr. Purse has spent nearly two decades serving in leadership positions in Catholic and independent schools in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, Maryland, and California. Most recently he served as the Head of Upper School and Chief Operating Officer at Aidan Montessori School in Washington, DC, and has previously served as a head of school, assistant head of school, assistant principal, director of constituent relations, teacher, and coach in a variety of school settings. He has a BA in Psychology from Miami University of Ohio (Oxford, OH), an MA in Educational Leadership and Administration from Trinity Washington University (Washington, DC), and is a recent graduate of the Harvard University Graduate School of Education Certificate of Advanced Educational Leadership Program (Cambridge, MA).

Excited for this role, Jimi says “I look forward to bringing strategic thinking, pragmatic organization, and a huge heart to the process of serving the students, families, faculty, and staff of Stone Ridge. There is no greater mission than working collaboratively to make Stone Ridge the exemplar of all girls Catholic education in the Sacred Heart Network of schools.”

Also taking on a new position, Mr. Nick Hitchens serves as our Director of Arts. With our new Mater Center now fully operational, this role is designed to further support the vision and mission of our Arts Department. Mr. Hitchens has been at Thomas S. Wootton High School (Rockville, MD) for the past

16 years as an Assistant Principal, English Department Head, and English teacher. In addition to his experience as an educator, he has served as a board member for several local community and arts groups including the Can YA Love urban gardening initiative and the Red Knight Productions Theatre Troupe. He holds a BA in English from The University of Maryland (College Park, MD), an MA in Arts Management from American University (Washington, D.C.), and an Administration I Certificate from Hood College (Frederick, MD). Mr. Hitchens expresses, “I am incredibly excited to begin working at Stone Ridge! I am most looking forward to working in such a beautiful building as the Mater Center, to collaborate with the amazing arts department and, of course, all of the young artists at Stone Ridge. I hope to bring energy, creativity, and arts advocacy to the Gator community.”

Our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion program has a new leader in Mrs. Kim Gayle Mrs. Gayle has worked in education for 30 years as a DEI practitioner, reading specialist, and teacher. Most recently, she was a member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leadership Team and Student Support Specialist at Potomac School (McLean, VA). Prior to that, she was a Reading Specialist and classroom teacher at Browne Academy (Alexandria, VA). Mrs. Gayle holds a BA in Elementary Education from University of Northern Iowa (Cedar Falls, IA), and a MEd in Education Leadership and Policy Studies from American University (Washington, DC). In addition to her experience as a DEI leader, she led the K-12 New Teachers’ Mentoring Program and coached first year staff and faculty during her time at Potomac.

Ms. Gayle reflects, “I am delighted to be joining and growing with the Stone Ridge community, by doing the life-changing work that a Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion takes on each day. “

Mrs. Stacy Springer is our new Director of Marketing and Communications. In this role, she oversees all of the internal and external communications efforts, as well as marketing the school and school programs. Mrs. Springer has over 25 years experience directing marketing and communications programs in the fields of education, health, and science. She was the Director of Admissions and Marketing at St. Vincent Pallotti High School (Laurel, MD) for the past 5 years. Prior to that, she served as the Director of Marketing and Development at St. John’s Parish Day School (Ellicott City, MD). Complementing her experience as a private school administrator, Mrs. Springer has been a self-employed marketing consultant leading teams of designers, writers, and multimedia specialists for the American Diabetes Association and World Wildlife Fund. In the federal government sector, she was the Department Head for External Communications in the

Office of Legislative and Public Affairs at the National Science Foundation (Arlington, VA). Mrs. Springer holds a B.A. in Business Management from Howard University (Washington, DC).

“I was attracted to Stone Ridge because of the Five Goals of a Sacred Heart Education which personally resonate with my life. I am excited for the opportunity to creatively and strategically share the stories of this robust community and enhance the overall marketing and communications portfolio at Stone Ridge,” she says.

Upper and Middle School Schools Welcome New Leaders in Dean’s Offices

Both the Upper and Middle Schools will welcome new faces to the Dean’s Offices. In the Upper School, MRS. LUISETTE DIAZ has been promoted from her role as Assistant Dean of Students to Dean of Students. Filling her previous role, MS. DESHAUNA CURRY will now serve as Assistant Dean of Students.

They will also both continue to teach in the Upper School science department. In the Middle School, MR. RICK WESTERKAMP has taken on the role of Dean of Students, in addition to continuing to teach drama to Grades 5 and 6. They bring a new vision and have exciting plans for the upcoming year.

Q: Congratulations to all of you on your new roles. What are some of the things that excite you about working with Stone Ridge students?

Mrs. Diaz: I have been a Sacred Heart educator for 11 years, and I genuinely believe in the mission of Sacred Heart institutions. I am excited to continue this work with our students as they work towards becoming who God calls them to be.

Ms. Curry: Thank you. I welcome the opportunity to get to know and interact with young women in all academics, not just those I teach or advise. And I welcome the opportunity to aid young women in acquiring and honing the skills needed to effectively lead in their various roles.

“Deans” continued

page

Interested in being a part of the SR Connects: Mentors

or Master Classes? Please contact Michael Anne Cullen ’95 at macullen@stoneridgeschool.org.

SR Connects: Mentors

In partnership with the Upper School and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the SR Connects: Mentors program provides a platform for meaningful interaction and engagement between alumnae and current Upper School students. The SR Connects Mentors program features a variety of themes and topics, some of which specifically address the 12 Commitments of the School’s work in diversity, equity, and inclusion. All alumnae are invited to share professional experiences with our young women to help them pursue their own paths and dreams.

SR Connects

SR Connects: Master Classes

The Office of Alumnae Relations in collaboration with the Upper School transformed the annual Fourth Academic in-person Job Shadow/Internship program to a virtual platform: SR Connects: Master Classes. The program connects seniors with alumnae speakers during a 60-minute session to explore their academic or professional path.

“Deans” continued from page 13

Mr. Westerkamp: Stone Ridge students bring a dynamite combination of a thirst for knowledge and the ability to find the joy in all activities, no matter where the activities fall on the spectrum of difficulty. Their inimitable energy makes every day an adventure!

Q: Stone Ridge is celebrating its Centennial this year. What do you think makes Stone Ridge a truly unique educational experience?

Ms. Curry: The charism that flows within the community, the dedication to educating the whole child while furthering the school’s mission, and the intentional preparation of future women leaders make Stone Ridge unique.

Mr. Westerkamp: Stone Ridge is a unique educational experience because our students are able to create, explore, and problem solve in all of their academic and extracurricular pursuits, and then reflect on those experiences through the lens of the Goals and Criteria. It’s such a gift as an educator to witness young people engage so authentically and vulnerably with their faith, intellect, social awareness, community, and personal growth.

Mrs. Diaz: Our Sacred Heart identity binds us to a Network of schools and traditions with global reach. Even within that commonality, we ensure that the work we do at SR is specific to the needs of our students and community.

Q: Do you have any special plans or goals that you feel comfortable revealing as we welcome the Stone Ridge community back for a new year?

Mr. Westerkamp: I’m incredibly excited to step into this new role in my eighth year at Stone Ridge, with an emphasis on shaping the culture of the Middle School through discipline and student life. While so much will be new, I’m grateful to keep my finger on the pulse of theater at Stone Ridge, and am looking forward to directing and choreographing Shrek Jr. with the Grade 5–8 Gators!

Mrs. Diaz: To ensure that our students embrace the Sacred Heart Goals and Criteria beyond their time as students at Stone Ridge, and that they become lifelong guiding principles for them.

Ms. Curry: My goal is to serve so that others achieve success and fulfill their purpose, and in doing so, I operate in my purpose and continue to evolve as an educator and leader.

YOU MAKE IT POSSIBLE.

The Stone Ridge Fund supports our students and faith community, strengthens our faculty, and helps to expand our academic, arts, and athletic programs.

Every contribution to help grow The Stone Ridge Fund plays a vital role to strengthen our community. Founded on Goals that are timeless and timely, Stone Ridge is proud to mark a century of empowering students to become leaders in their community who serve with faith, intellect, and confidence… but we couldn’t have done it without YOU.

Stone Ridge is made stronger through our community’s investment of their time, talent, and treasure. Your investment directly impacts our faculty and students.

EVERY GIFT MATTERS.

With your generosity, you ensure Stone Ridge can continue to do what it does best for generations to come.

STUDENT LIFE: Arts

HERITAGE FESTIVAL AWARDS

US String Band, Choral, and String Ensemble students participated in the NY Heritage Festival through World Strides under the direction of Hilary Park, Jamie Golembiewski, and Elizabeth Cunha on March 26. Over 500 students competed and performed in this event. Both ensembles placed 2nd in the Women Chamber Choir and Chamber Orchestra categories

with Gold and Silver ratings respectively. Amber Bowen-Longino ’22 was awarded the Maestro Award in recognition for top Brass performer of the day. In addition to performing, students attended a Broadway show, explored NYC, took in the views from the Empire State Building, and concluded the weekend with a dinner cruise around Manhattan.

DEDICATION PAYING OFF

Olivia Vaughan ’23 placed second in Maryland’s Eighth District 2022 Congressional Art Competition. Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors a nationwide high school visual art competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent in the nation and in each congressional district. More than 650,000 high school students have participated since the competition’s inception in 1982.

Olivia’s painting was titled “Fabric Study.” Olivia painted this in AP Drawing Year 1. The assignment was a monochromatic fabric study in the medium of their choice. Students were asked to focus on value, texture, and depth. She did an excellent job considering all three things.

Art teacher Emma Cowan said “Olivia strives to push herself to work on her paintings and drawings until they feel finished. She has very high standards for herself and works very hard at coming up with thoughtful solutions to each problem she encounters. Olivia’s a dedicated artist and keeps an amazing sketchbook. I’m very proud of her work this year.”

Read more about the Art Competition

BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH COMPETITION

In the 22 years Dr. Karl Austin has been a science teacher at Stone Ridge, he has picked up his Master’s and Doctorate degrees and is ready for a new chapter in his career. In his departure, Dr. Austin leaves an undeniable mark on the Middle School Science Department, most notably the annual STEAM Day competition that has kindled a love for STEAM fields in the hearts and minds of many of his students. STEAM Day is the culminating event of Grade 7 and 8 students’ spring projects. Students have two weeks to work on a project of their choice building electric cars, rafts, catapults, kites, bridges, gliders, and more. Students own the project from ideation through completion, choosing to work individually or in teams, and are provided all of the materials and tools to work in class on these projects. On the day of competition, they test their final designs against others within their grade level. Students all over campus come out to watch the competitions. Lower School students are given a glimpse into what’s to come and Upper School students who catch the competitions are able to reminisce about their projects. Dr. Austin crafted STEAM Day as a testament to Middle School academics and the spirit of Stone Ridge’s commitment to the Goals of a Sacred Heart Education.

As Dr. Austin expands his horizons, he is leaving knowing he has contributed to the success of many young women who have graduated and pursued careers as doctors, engineers, or researchers, “getting to hear about students continuing to grow passionate about science and STEAM fields is really probably the best thing,” he reflected.

The campus hummed with activity all day as students were thrilled to see the return of the annual STEAM competition.

FIELD DAY 2022: Gold Team Victory!

2022 SPRING ALL- MET HONORS:

LACROSSE

MICHAELA O’CONNOR ’22 • 1st team

COREY WHITE ’23 • 1st team

AMANDA BRILLE ’23 • Honorable Mention

ROWING

CHRISTINA STEINKI ’22 • Honorable Mention

TRACK

KATHERINE STRONG ’22 • Honorable Mention

BASKETBALL

Congrats to our Gators on pushing the limits and reaching new heights!

MARY HOLLENSTEINER ’23 • All-Met Honorable Mention, All-ISL

ICE HOCKEY

KATHERINE KHRAMTSOV ’22 • All-Met First Team, All-MAGHL

INDOOR TRACK

KATHERINE STRONG ’22 • All-Met Honorable Mention

SWIMMING

ERIN GEMMELL ’23 • All-Met First Team, All-ISL

CAITLIN HOFMANN ’22 • All-ISL

CAMERON HOUSE ’25 • All-ISL

DARBY LEFAIVRE ’23 • All-Met Relay Team, All-ISL

ELEANOR SUN ’23 • All-Met Second Team, All-ISL

LAUREN TUCKER ’23 • All-Met Honorable Mention, All-ISL

COACH BOB WALKER • All-Met Coach of the Year, WMPSSDL Coach of the Year

Stone Ridge is proud of the countless student-athletes who have taken their passion for playing sports to college with them and participated on teams for their universities. A record-breaking 17 members of the Class of 2022 committed to playing at the varsity intercollegiate level — for many the highest level of competition in their respective sports. #GatorStrong

Clara Attar

Swimming · Washington & Lee University

Maria DiBari

Cross Country/Track & Field · Colby College

Gigi Crafton

Soccer · John Carroll University

Becky Felker

Field Hockey · Hamilton College

Emma Hickey

Lacrosse · Swarthmore College

Caitlin Hofmann Swimming · Lehigh University

Paige Kenny

Lacrosse · University of New Hampshire

Katherine Khramtsov

Ice Hockey · Princeton University

Sarah Martin Rowing · Washington College

Grace Morrow Lacrosse · Occidental College

Ellie Muldoon Lacrosse · Denison University

Grace Murray Gymnastics · Ithaca College

Michaela O’Connor

Lacrosse · Boston College

Ashley Sadler

Track & Field · St. John’s University

Stefany Sparks

Track & Field · Denison University

Christina Steinki

Rowing · Notre Dame University

Katherine Strong

Cross Country/Track & Field · Dartmouth College

Class of 2022

Camille Amaditz · NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY

Nadia Anderson · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE

Lucia Andrés · GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY

Hailey Angier · UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT

Melina Anschutz · WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY

Clara Attar · WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY

Elisa Baker · FORDHAM UNIVERSITY

Alexis Battle · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Olivia Bentivoglio · BOSTON COLLEGE

Amber Bowen-Longino · UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK

Madeline Bowman · UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

Alexandra Boyd · BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY

Lorieann Brill · ENDERUN COLLEGES, PHILIPPINES

Ava Brooks · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY

Grayson Bullard · VASSAR COLLEGE

Kennedy Carroll · PRINCETON UNIVERSITY

Julianna Ciatto · GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY

Kathryn Cochran · MESSIAH UNIVERSITY

Gabriella Crafton · JOHN CARROLL UNIVERSITY

Nora Di Martino · PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY

Maria DiBari · COLBY COLLEGE

Kylie Donohoe · TULANE UNIVERSITY

Emma Dowd · PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY

Lauren Duvall · WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY

Ava Echeandia · GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

Jacqueline Espinoza · UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK

Adele Feldberg · COLLEGE OF THE HOLY CROSS

Rebecca Felker · HAMILTON COLLEGE

Simaya Flood · MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY

Yuan Gao · PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY

Emma Hickey · SWARTHMORE COLLEGE

Caitlin Hofmann · LEHIGH UNIVERSITY

Jillian Howard · FORDHAM UNIVERSITY

Gabrielle Hughes · SWARTHMORE COLLEGE

Isimenme Irene · UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO

Abigail Jacobs · COLLEGE OF THE HOLY CROSS

Sarah Joseph · GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY

Naomi Kaproth · UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME

Holland Keegan · DUKE UNIVERSITY

Sofía Kenary · COLLEGE OF THE HOLY CROSS

Meghan Kennedy · VIRGINIA TECH

Paige Kenny · UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

Katherine Khramtsov · PRINCETON UNIVERSITY

Jacqueline Klein · UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME

Sofia Laje · FORDHAM UNIVERSITY

Amelia Lawlor · CARLETON COLLEGE

Kinsey Lee · SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY

Perry Lindstrom · ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Catherine Madden · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

Camila Mansilla · SCIENCES PO PARIS, FRANCE

Sarah Martin · WASHINGTON COLLEGE

Katherine Maurano · RICE UNIVERSITY

Margaret McHugh · BOCCONI UNIVERSITY, ITALY

Sasha Mikita · BRYN MAWR COLLEGE

Carmen Moreno · TULANE UNIVERSITY

Margaret Morrissey · UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

Eileen Morrow · LOYOLA UNIVERSITY MARYLAND

Grace Morrow · OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE

Ellie Muldoon · DENISON UNIVERSITY

Tara Mulholland · PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY

Sophia Mullaney · ELON UNIVERSITY

Grace Murray · ITHACA COLLEGE

Ella Nascone · PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY

Anna Niepold · DAVIDSON COLLEGE

Rachel Nokku · GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY

Alexandra Norton · COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON Gráinne Nunan · CONNECTICUT COLLEGE

Michaela O’Connor · BOSTON COLLEGE

Madelyn Ogletree · AMERICAN UNIVERSITY

Page Patterson · NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY

Zoe Paul · NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY

Anna Person · PURDUE UNIVERSITY

Haley Porto · UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI

Madeline Powers · LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY

Jenna Raimond · UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND

Gabriella Richard · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

Alexandra Roberts · GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY

Marina Saad · VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY

Ashley Sadler · ST. JOHN’S UNIVERSITY

Hannah Schneider · CORNELL UNIVERSITY

Louann Schropp · COLLEGE OF WILLIAM & MARY

Eirenna Sequeira · WESTMONT COLLEGE

Kimberly Sharma · BOSTON COLLEGE

Clare Siffermann · UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

Riona Siffermann · COLGATE UNIVERSITY

Caroline Smith · NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY

Julia Smith · SANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY

Stefany Sparks · DENISON UNIVERSITY

Hallie Stallings · UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL

Christina Steinki · UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME

Katherine Strong · DARTMOUTH COLLEGE

Jia-Rong Tsao · UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK

Caroline Wenger · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Kathryn Yost · UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

Caroline Zaudtke · LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY

Photo courtesy of Victor O'Neill Studios

LIVING IN THE MIDDLE

Excerpts from Valedictory Address by Holly Keegan ’22

I feel as though I am in the middle of one of the biggest moments of my life.

For me, leaving the place that I have called home for the last fourteen years of my life is as big as it gets. How, then, can I possibly offer words of wisdom or advice as I stand on the edge of the most daunting cliff I have ever encountered, moments away from falling off? I have decided to start with what I know for certain: that here at Stone Ridge, we live smack in the middle of everything.

We are a class of creative writers, formidable athletes, thoughtful friends, and relentless advocates. Our Sacred Heart education has provided us with the opportunity to explore every interest, discipline, and passion that we can imagine, and we are a group of young women who have delved right into the middle of that opportunity.

In the midst of the (mostly) organized chaos that is life at Stone Ridge, it is easy to forget things that you learn.

What I have not forgotten, is that Grainne Nunan dressed up as “Tax Day” for “Favorite Holiday” during spirit week of our sophomore year. I have not forgotten the sound of the entire Upper School’s cheers as the Athletics Department retired Katherine Khramtsov’s number. I have not forgotten the rumbling of the floors as the thirteen classes of seniors I have watched graduate before us charged through the halls on their last day of classes, or the roar of applause after JR Tsao finished a Bonfire performance. The humor, pride, and sense of belonging that these moments inspired in me have become the emotions that I now strive to create in others.

One memory that I can’t shake stems from Lower School. I, an impatient second grader with Bucks on my feet and two pigtails in my hair, sat with my classmates at our last Primes ceremony of the year, staring adoringly up at the members of the Senior Class of 2012 who had been at Stone Ridge since Lower School and were visiting to attend their final Primes. One of those seniors

Graduation

was asked to share a few remarks with the lower school students, and while I have long forgotten her name, I have not forgotten her words. She asked us to look to the person sitting to our left, and then to the person sitting to our right, because these were the people we would grow up with. Class of 2022, I ask you again, to look to the person to your left, and then to the person to your right. Here we are, sitting in the middle of each other, all grown up, in what feels like one of the biggest moments of our lives.

Whether you have been here for fourteen years or six or two, I can say with confidence that there is no better group of people to grow up with. I am eternally grateful to all of you for being the friends, teammates, and sisters of my life.

Somewhere in the middle of the Stone Ridge chaos that we all know and love, I read that our personalities are a combination of the five people that we spend the most time around. While the scientific evidence on this is spotty, I am and have always been a firm believer in the impact that we all have on each other. This school has not only gifted us with an education full of opportunities, but with the chance to have our lives and personalities shaped by the people here. I often find myself picking up slang from the lunch table or repeating jokes overheard in the slounge, copying classmates’ outfits and habits, and celebrating their wins and grieving their losses as if they were my own. We wear each other, in our laughter, in our sorrows, in our interests, and in our mannerisms. Stone Ridge has gifted each of us with an inkling of Kennedy’s maturity, a drop of Olivia’s kindness, a shadow of Becky’s dedication, a sliver of Grayson’s sense of perspective, and an array of other beautiful qualities that have bled from one of us onto the others. We are each a unique combination of the people we have met here.

To the teachers and staff who have stayed after hours to help us write a paper, who have shared with us not only their knowledge but also their life stories, and who have worked tirelessly to make sure that we always had

a beautiful campus to call home, I speak for the entire graduating class when I say that we are eternally grateful. You have opened doors and inspired curiosities in us that will direct the courses of our lives. To Mrs. Karrels, Mr. McCluskey, and Ms. Fontanone, thank you for holding and guiding us with such love through the chaos of our Stone Ridge careers. As much as you consider us yours, we consider you ours. To our parents and families, thank you for the life-changing gift of a Sacred Heart education. You have been our most consistent and selfless champions, and we would not be here without you. For years, I have listened to my mother and grandmother’s stories of their time at Sacred Heart schools, and I am forever grateful for the opportunity to tell my own.

I have no doubt that the Class of 2022 will go on to lead big, busy, beautiful lives. If there is one piece of advice that I can give to sum up everything that I have learned in fourteen years, it is this: continue to live in the middle of things. Carry on Jules and Ava’s spirit by attending as many of your school’s sports games, theater productions, art shows, and concerts as humanly possible. Carry forward the values instilled in us here by the Social Action Program and seek out ways to be involved in the communities lucky enough to have you next. Surround yourself with people you admire and allow their love to be reflected in your actions. Living this way, in the honest here and now of the chaos of our lives, is what I believe will continue to shape us into women of purpose and confidence.

As I stand before you now, I do not stare into the cavern that lays ahead, but rather turn around and examine the path that brought all of us here in the first place. Where I expected to find a straight, unforked, and well-paved path, I instead gaze in wonder at oceans, mountains, and cliffs much higher than the one before which I now stand, and I am forced to face the truth: that graduation is not the biggest moment of my life. In comparison to the years that we have spent growing up together, learning how to do everything from flips on the monkey bars to parking in the student lot to leading morning assembly, graduation comes nowhere close.

EMBRACING THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE FUTURE Excerpts from the Salutatory Address by Amelia Lawlor ‘22

From the moment that Mr. McCluskey pulled me aside and told me that I was the salutatorian of our class, I’ve been stressing out about this speech. I wanted to find the perfect words to say exactly how I felt about graduating and leaving the community that I’ve known and loved and called my home for 13 years.

So, in a typical Amelia fashion, I turned to my beloved Spotify playlists, praying that I could find the perfect lyrics to speak for me. After much angsting, I’ve decided on a few lyrics that describe how I feel right now. I hope they speak to you all in the ways that they speak to me.

The first lyric that I’ve chosen is from a song I’m sure most of my classmates are familiar with: “Ribs” by Lorde. “I’ve never felt more alone, it feels so scary getting old.” I’ve been a student at Stone Ridge since I was 5 years old. On most days, I spend more waking hours here than I do at home. This school is the place where I’ve made

some of my closest friends, learned so much from my teachers and classmates, and discovered my passions. And although I’m excited to begin a new chapter in my life, I’m not ready to end this one either. Stone Ridge, and all of you, have been a constant in my life for so long. When I stop to think about the fact that we’re actually leaving, forever, and that we’ll never hang out on the slounge couches or have wild lit check-ins again, I feel so lost. It feels like just yesterday that we sang “First Grade, First Grade” on the Sophie Center stage as we graduated from Kindergarten, and here we are, graduating from high school.

Now, it wouldn’t be true to form if I didn’t include a Phoebe Bridgers lyric, since we all know that, to pretty much everyone’s chagrin, I love to blast her songs from the sound booth during assembly. But I feel like her introspectiveness and nostalgia are fitting now, even if some might argue that they weren’t at 9:30 in the morning on a Tuesday. From her song “Smoke Signals”:

“The future’s unwritten, the past is a corridor, I’m at the exit, lookin’ back through the hall.” We are at the exit of our high school experience. This is the last day for a long time, maybe ever, that we will all be here together, as the class of 2022. There are so many memories to cherish from the last four years. But I also know that every single one of you has a bright and brilliant future that lies ahead. Stone Ridge has given us the tools to succeed; we have been taught not only to be driven and ambitious, but also to be compassionate, considerate, and to care for our community and the world around us.

Now, as we stand at the exit, reflecting back on the last four years and preparing to venture out beyond what is known and safe, it’s time for us to embrace the uncertainty of the future.

Finally, the most cliché, sappy Taylor Swift lyric of all: “Long live the walls we crashed through, I had the time of my life with you.” These past four years haven’t exactly been easy for any of us. From college applications and massive burnout, to failed math tests and friendship drama, we’ve all seen each other at our worst, but we’ve also come out the other side stronger and closer than ever. That’s my favorite thing about our class, and about the Stone Ridge community; we support each other, whether that’s cheering obnoxiously loudly at softball games or coming to opening night of the musical. We celebrate each other’s successes, and we encourage each other in the face of adversity or disappointment. And, no matter what, we always show up for one another. I’m so grateful to you all for the incredible memories and experiences, for Prom, for Minute to Win Its at Assembly, for Field Day and Trés Bien, for Congé and Slounge dance parties, and, most of all, for allowing me to be part of such a loving and supportive community.

I would like to say thank you to my wonderful parents, thank you to the truly spectacular teachers who have supported me every step of the way, and thank you Class of 2022. I really did have the time of my life with you.

Graduation

Scenes from the ceremony included the reading of a final blessing by retiring History teacher Sharon Kenney and Dr. John Hogan, retired Theology teacher

Introduction

Some of you may know my father as a guy who is a Spanish chef, or the founder of World Central Kitchen, or even as the Stone Ridge father who took field day during my Freshman year way too seriously.

I know him as my dad, who never let me or my sisters order off the kid’s menu. He’s the guy who got kicked out of my sister’s soccer game for yelling at the ref in Spanish after he gave a bad call. Or even the one who showed me many different parts of the world through his love of food. However, these past couple of years has been very challenging for my father, my family, and the world. He’s been away fighting fires and, more recently, at the front lines in Ukraine. World Central Kitchen has been providing meals in response to various humanitarian, climate, and community crises. In February, as he prepared to leave yet again, I witnessed him standing at the entrance of our house carrying his World Central Kitchen backpack along with solar-powered chargers and walkie-talkies. I had a feeling this time that he would be gone more than the norm.

My father is a man of passion and determination who just can’t sit back while there are people suffering in need of food and support. When I was younger, I hated seeing my father leave, and I couldn’t really understand why he did. But as I grew older, I began to realize the significance of his work. In my eyes, he’s a real-life superhero. He continues to show up for those in need, and somehow for a brief amount of time when the world isn’t calling for his help, he manages to come home, and we are grateful. I haven’t been able to truly express my gratitude and admiration for my father, so I stand here in front of you, my father, my classmates, and my school, to say I love you so very much, and I’m so proud to introduce José Andrés as our 2022 commencement speaker.

CHANGING THE RECIPE

Excerpts from the 2022 Commencement Address by José Andrés

Class of 2022, you should be proud of what you’ve achieved. This would be true in any year, but after the last two years of this pandemic that separated you from each other and your teachers, what you have done is a super big deal. You have overcome adversity in your own way. These skills you have learned are also part of your education—the skill to adapt in a crisis, the skill to throw out the plans you had and embrace the complexities of the moment—the skill to take a different turn. You know I am a cook. So, I like to think of this as changing the recipe—if you don’t have the ingredients you need or expect, or if you don’t have the right pots and pans, what you do is easy—you don’t follow the recipe. You adapt; you change the recipe. That’s been our approach at World Central Kitchen, the non-profit I founded to feed the world after disasters, after a hurricane, a flood, or in the middle of a war. You rarely have everything you want or need. Food supplies are disrupted, communications may be down, and kitchens may be destroyed. That’s when you go and you change the recipe. To fix the broken parts of our world, you often need to break the rules and write new ones, to reimagine food, to turn a meal into a plate of hope. So today, as you begin the next chapter of your journey, I thought I would share with you some lessons I’ve learned about how to change the recipe. On that, I’m good at. From a lifetime I’ve spent in the kitchens and the streets of life.

When I was around your age, I joined the Spanish Navy. My role was cooking for the Admiral at his house, but I wanted to be on a ship. I wanted to be at sea. After a few months of service, I went to the office of the Admiral, I knocked on the door, and I told him my dream was to sail. Not on any ship, but on the Juan Sebastian del Cano. The greatest ship ever built, an amazing

tall ship. The Admiral granted my wish, and I sailed around the world. This is when I got the first glimpse of America, coming to beautiful Pensacola.

I fell in love with the idea that anything was possible here in America, no matter what your background. I wanted to be part of the American Dream, and you know what? If I hadn’t knocked on that door of the Admiral, I probably wouldn’t be here today. So this is the big lesson—don’t be afraid of rejection. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want and what you need. Don’t be afraid to knock on that door. Don’t miss your opportunity to sail into your future; if you want it, you should get it. Big results sometimes come from very small things. Small actions can have a huge ripple effect that you cannot understand in the present, but that can potentially change the world, especially if you believe it.

Very often, we will have in the middle of our streets trash or a piece of paper right there on the ground. One day on the streets of DC, when I was 21 or 22, I saw another man, maybe in his 70s, he was walking down 7th street towards the corner where my first restaurant in DC opened almost 30 years ago. It was Sunday morning, I remember, and I watched that man look at the paper in the middle of the street. He bent down, grabbed the paper, and put it in the garbage can. I went into my restaurant, but at that moment, I couldn’t stop thinking of that very subtle gesture in an empty street in downtown DC. When nobody was watching, that man did what he had to do.

I realized then the power of the ripple effect, of seemingly very small non-important actions.

by Lucia Andrés

I realized that the world is made of three types of people: the ones who will not even notice the piece of paper on the ground, the ones who will see the paper and will complain, and then people like this old gentleman, when nobody was watching, he made a difference. Be the one who will make the difference. Every time you take action to solve a problem, as small as it may seem, you are starting to change the world. Sometimes all it takes is picking up a piece of paper from the ground.

Dream that the impossible is possible. I founded World Central Kitchen because I saw inaction in moments of need. When people need help, and aid, and quick thinking, I saw hesitation, slow decisions, and bad decisions. When Hurricane Katrina destroyed New Orleans, I saw from the comfort of my house how thousands of Americans gathered in the Superdome, trying to find a safe haven away from the mayhem happening outside. Thousands of Americans were stuck in that arena. Hungry and alone for days. Everybody thinks an arena is a place for sports and concerts and music, but I always thought that an arena is actually a gigantic restaurant that happens to entertain with sports and music. But I didn’t show up. I just thought about it and dreamed that a cook like me maybe one day could help.

Like many of you, if not all of you, I had a good teacher. When Jesus saw hungry people who were following him, he didn’t think about what he could do—he acted. He multiplied loads of bread and fish. He fed bodies and souls with hope. One plate

of food at a time. He showed us the way. Last year after the latest hurricane in New Orleans. I followed his lead, and I didn’t hesitate this time. I was able to land hours before the hurricane made landfall on the Louisiana coast. On the first morning after the hurricane, we were cooking across the street from the Superdome. We served millions of meals in Louisiana when other organizations were just thinking about what to do.

The only person who most believes in your dream— is you.

Every one of you girls has something within you that can help the person next to you or your family or your community. You can dream to feed the world not just with food like me, but with what you know and with what you are good with.

Like Jesus fed the hungry, look within your heart, find your life, find what you are good at, what you excel at, and be ready to feed the hopes of the people. We need you to do that.

Life will forever teach you every day in ways that add to what you have learned here at Stone Ridge. The more you know, the more you will learn as you grow older that actually you know nothing. Keep learning and, at the same time, keep sharing your talents with all the people around you. The world is already a better place because you are in it. Congratulations again, Class of 2022. We are all so very proud of you.

Awards and Honors

VALEDICTORIAN · Holland Keegan

SALUTATORIAN · Amelia Lawlor

FOUR YEAR COMMITMENT AWARDS

Goal I: Faith · Ava Brooks

In Honor of Anne Dyer ’55, rscj

Goal II: Intellectual Values · Rachel Nokku

Goal III: Social Awareness · Sarah Joseph

In Memory of Mary Hogan Leslie ’64

Goal IV: Building Community · Gabriella Richard

Goal V: Personal Growth · Grayson Bullard

THE CITIZENSHIP AWARD · Rebecca Felker

THE CARDINAL'S AWARD · Louann Schropp

THE PARENTS AND ALUMNAE AWARD · Kennedy Carroll

THE PHILIPPINE DUCHESNE AWARD · Katherine Maurano

THE BARAT AWARD · Michaela O’Connor

ATHLETIC AWARDS

Bonifant-Willson Award for Best All-Around Athlete · Katherine Khramstov

Student-Athlete Award · Katherine Strong

Spirit Award · Ava Brooks & Julianna Ciatto

Sportsmanship Award · Catherine Madden & Grace Ann Morrow

Student-Athlete Leadership Award · Kimberly Sharma

Kevin Duffy Gator Strong Award · Maria DiBari

Brooks

Rachel Nokku

Sarah Joseph

Gabriella Richard

Grayson Bullard

Rebecca Felker

Louann Schropp

Kennedy Carroll

Katherine Maurano

Michaela O’Connor

who attended Stone Ridge

the Lower School

“Our foundress Madeleine Sophie Barat didn’t just set out to create great schools for girls. She set out to bring the heart of Christ into the world through the vehicle of education.

As children of the Sacred Heart, we are each called to live not only for ourselves, but to make the world a better place.

We are most certainly proud of what you have achieved in your years here—but even more importantly—we are proud of who you are.”

Catherine Ronan Karrels '86, Head of School

A Year of Service

SOCIAL ACTION TAKEN TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Stone Ridge students recognize their capacity to transform, to become powerful agents of God’s love and compassion, and to step out of their comfort zones to serve the poor, marginalized, and suffering in our region and throughout the world.

Social Action has been an integral part of a Stone Ridge education for a century. Throughout Lower and Middle Schools, students gain a social awareness through class discussions and age-appropriate research and through their participation in several community projects. Upper School students engage in Social Action days off and on campus with local organizations including Reading Partners, A Wider Circle, Food & Friends, Martha’s Table, and S.O.M.E. (So Others May Eat). In addition to service work, Upper School students also meet with their Student Community Governance (SCG) groups in the afternoon to continue their commitment to social awareness.

This year, Director of Social Action Dr. Katie White framed Social Action under the essential question: “How is my well-being bound up in yours,” to guide students to reflect on the interconnectedness and

accountability people have to one another. Linked with this reflection for students, Social Action activities begin in Grade 9 with a foundational knowledge of Catholic Social Teaching and dive deeper each year into our common humanity and God’s creation.

As a result of the depth and breadth of social awareness, many Stone Ridge students initiate service projects beyond the classroom engaging friends, family, and the broader community to help others in times of great need. Here are a few stories from the 2021-22 school year that brought the Stone Ridge community together.

In case you missed it! An exclusive written by Hallie Stallings ’22 and Lulu Schropp ’22 was published in the Catholic Standard in June.

THE GATORS BEAT BLOOD CANCER (GBBC) TEAM, originally formed in 2017 in honor of fellow classmate and Stone Ridge alumna Meaghan Kilner ’20, has raised close to $900,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) over the years during the Students of the Year campaign; a sevenweek nationwide challenge for students to raise funds and awareness for the Society’s mission. This year’s team’s efforts resulted in an impressive $260,000 earning the team the two Top Fundraiser Awards. Congrats GBBC Team! Led by Kate Aronson ’23, Samantha Aronson ’23, and Ella Hunter ’23, members include Alexis Battle ’22, Julia Capuano ’23, Claudia Donatelli ’24, Ava Guiterman ’24, Emanuelle Chloe Hair ’24, Claire Hohman ’23, Kali Leibrand ’25, Emma Mulford ’23, Maggie Myers ’24, Reagan Raffo ’23, Rosie Schramm ’23, and Nina Sinkford ’23.

The team receiving their awards from representatives of the LLS.

SUSTAINABILITY ON CAMPUS

Sustainability Committee

Charlotte Mahon ’28 and Jamie Russell’s ’28 Laudato Si’ composting project inspired a revival of Stone Ridge’s Sustainability Committee; a group of students, faculty, and staff dedicated to educating, raising awareness, and expanding the School’s green initiatives across campus. “Climate change is a lot more complex and we can’t just solve it with one thing,” says Charlotte. “Really everyone has to do their part,” Jamie asserts. The Committee has already made their mark on campus by adding new compost bins in the Mater Center with posters to educate people on separating food and waste. On Earth Day, the group published their first newsletter “Our Common Home” to report on current climate change issues, actions individuals can take in their daily lives, and promote environmental studies.

Greenhouse Growth

Upper School Science teachers Sky Lesnick and Joanna Caudle appreciated the opportunities that having an on-campus greenhouse provided for science students, and saw the potential for further development in collaboration with student efforts. They began working with students as part of the Upper School Social Action Wednesdays in an initial plan to transform the greenhouse and green roof into a productive urban garden that would provide space for science lessons and collaborative projects to educate the school community on topics of environmental stewardship and sustainability.

Students in the Greenhouse Social Action group designed and built flexible shelving for the greenhouse, poured paving stones for the green roof, and built a community potting bench. These efforts helped the greenhouse and green roof serve multiple functions throughout the year, including making them into great places to study and meet. Further, the students experimented with different approaches to growing crops in the greenhouse, the most successful of which was to grow microgreens. Students are hoping to share the literal fruits of their labor with the Sage dining program in the coming 2022–2023 school year.

“Even in your daily routine, all the little things together can make big changes.”

Jamie Russell ’28

Our Common Home, the newsletter of the Stone Ridge Sustainability Committee; Upper School students construct a community potting bench.

PRAYERS AND ACTION FOR UKRAINE

Since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war, the Stone Ridge community has been deeply involved in various actions all over campus and beyond. It all began with faculty, staff, and students reciting the Lenten Rosary for Peace on Mondays and Thursdays, thanks to the initiative of Emily Hammack ’23. Sisters Mao ’23 and Rena ’28 Kobayashi led the Senbazuru project in the Middle and Upper Schools, and Lower School students

Vivian Lee ’31 and Tatum Larrabee’s ’31 idea to collect donations for the people of Ukraine transformed into an all-school event.

WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN DAY

Vivian Lee ’31 and Tatum Larrabee ’31 were shocked when they heard that their idea for a wishing well to collect donations for the World Central Kitchen (WCK) expanded into a community-wide effort on April 7. In true Stone Ridge fashion, once word got out, the community rallied and created multiple ways to support the cause. Through the collective effort of students, faculty, and staff, Stone Ridge raised $6,146. This total includes a $750 donation from the Stone Ridge Parents Association (SRPA) and additional funds from students who rallied their Girl Scout Troops (Grade 7 Troop #34050 and Grade 6 Troop #34120) to donate a combined total of $740 of their cookie sales to help the cause. All donations benefited SR parent, chef José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen in Ukraine providing meals for those caught in the Russia-Ukraine war. “This was such an amazing community-wide show of support for the important work happening in Poland, Ukraine, and the surrounding countries,” says Director of Institutional Advancement Melissa Prather. “Our donations will be wrapped in prayers to those in need and the volunteers and service workers dedicated to supporting them.”

Living out our Sacred Heart Goal III, a social awareness that impels to action and Goal IV, the building of community as a Christian value.

Clockwise: Praying the Rosary by the statue of Mater Admirabilis; Tatum ’31 and Vivian ’31; Grade 7 Girl Scouts Josie, Eleanor, and Sonja; Middle School students selling baked goods and lemonade; Mao ’23 and Rena ’28 with their Senbazuru.

The day’s activities included the original idea, by Vivian ’31 and Tatum ’31, “Pennies for Ukraine” wishing well in Lower School. Middle School held a bake sale and lemonade stand during breaks and recess, and Upper School hosted a “Tag Day” for students and employees to make a donation for a free dress day in blue and yellow to show their support for Ukraine.

The spirit of action and community has also been noted in our alumnae like Kristin Irani ’88, Global Purchasing Manager for World Central Kitchen, helping to feed those in need in Poland, and Inés Andrés ’19 with alumnae parent Cindy Flannery (mother of Charlotte Flannery ’19) traveling to Poland to assist in serving meals and logistics for the operations.

SENZABURU

When the Russian attack on Ukraine began, Mao Kobayashi ’23 felt the urge to act and show solidarity for the Ukrainian people. She immediately thought of making Senbazuru—a chain of 1000 origami cranes. In Japanese culture, folding 1000 cranes brings good fortune and is a “way to express empathy,” Mao says. She was inspired by a similar gesture Ukrainian people made in 2011 when she lived in Japan and the country was devastated by a tsunami 40.5 meters high following the Tōhoku earthquake. “The destruction of nuclear power plants impacted the whole country both economically and socially. During that time of despair, the gift from Ukraine reminded us that we were not alone. Personally, I remember clearly my seven-year-old self being touched by their heartwarming gesture,” Mao recounts. She says it “was heartbreaking to witness how the lives of Ukrainian citizens dramatically changed in a single day, their home country no longer a place of safety,” remembering the effects of such life-altering events.

Mao shared these memories and her idea with her sister Rena Kobayashi ’28. Rena gladly jumped on board, “I wanted to encourage [the Ukrainian people], but also thank them for the encouragement in the past,” she says. When their friends and teachers found out about the project, the Stone Ridge community rallied behind the two sisters to see the project through. In Middle School, Religion teachers Lauren Winkler and Sally Ingram created time in their classes for students, as Mao enlisted friends during free periods, to learn the practice and fold cranes.

Folding 1000 cranes may feel like a daunting task. Rena shares that holding feelings of love and compassion for Ukrainian people helped get through the process, in addition to the tremendous support from their classmates and teachers. Rena was also excited to share Japanese culture with others in the process. Students finished the Senbazuru by stringing the cranes together. Some of the cranes were destined for the Ukrainian embassy and others were presented to a local Ukrainian church. As the Senbazuru reached its final stages, Mao reflected, “I think the value that this project possesses is that each one of our cranes has been created with much prayer and compassion for the people of Ukraine and by so many members of our community.”

SUMMER SERVICE: AWARENESS AND EMPOWERMENT

Each summer provides opportunities for students to recharge and explore their interests. As part of the Sacred Heart Network, Stone Ridge students are able to participate in Summer Service Projects that bring together students from across the Network to examine various social justice issues. Rooted in the criteria of Goal III, Summer Service Projects are “immersive learning experiences that promote the inherent dignity of all humans and deepen students’ understanding of service to others,” (rscj.org).

This summer students participated in a variety of programs to help rebuild homes and communities; work on farms, with food banks, and with people who have disabilities; and learn about indigenous environmental and juvenile justice issues across the country. These students immerse themselves in the culture and history of their chosen community. The relationships they foster expand their sense of empathy as they deepen their social awareness and are empowered with the right knowledge and tools to act.

Learn more! Read about the experiences students had in: OMAHA NOLA CHICAGO

WILD, WONDERFUL WEST VIRGINIA

This year, sixteen Upper School students and six members of the faculty and staff spent the first week of summer volunteering in Cabell County, West Virginia with Appalachia Service Project (ASP). After a two-year hiatus, Stone Ridge faculty and students were thrilled to partner once again with ASP, whose mission is to make homes warmer, safer, and drier throughout Central Appalachia. The work crews replaced a porch, a wheelchair ramp, and a roof while building relationships with three wonderful families. Through this service learning experience, Stone Ridge students put their faith in action while building leadership, teamwork, and friendships across grade levels.

“From the first moments of our seven-hour van ride, our two rising seniors created a collaborative team that was ready to work and play together for the balance of the trip. I was able to step back and watch these students do the bulk of the hard work and planning, as well as create an authentic and caring relationship with the homeowners. Whereas most students enjoyed a week off after the end of school, these students packed their bags and loaded a van to help their brothers and sisters hundreds of miles away. I am forever grateful to have been a part of this ASP trip.”

Rick Alfonso, Middle School Educational Technologist

STUDENT REFLECTIONS ON ASP:

“Through ASP, I have met so many different people...and hearing their stories and learning about their life experiences have expanded my worldview in an immense way... It was incredibly impactful to be a part of a service project so deeply rooted in community and love, and it was an experience I will never forget.”

ALICE HARPER ’23

“ASP was one of the best weeks of my life. I learned how to use power tools and how to build a deck, and I also learned about Appalachia, met people willing to share their stories and perspectives, and learned how to better be part of a community.”

SOPHIA MORACZEWSKI ’25

“This trip gave me a chance to live out Goal III, a social awareness that impels to action, and Goal IV, the building of community as a Christian value. This trip allowed me to build community with our homeowners and fellow students... ASP was a way to bring communities together to serve the neighbors that may not live next door to us.”

EMMA PERSON ’24

“I learned that tranquility and fulfillment are found in unexpected places. Not only was the service completely engrossing, but the physical landscape and friendships I formed were fulfilling and formative... It was enlightening to see how service bonded communities and people... At the end of the day, the trip was about how we used our resources. We were able to fix roofs, build porches, and more. Being active agents of change was exceptional, and we were able to see what social action is truly about.” ZOE TURNBULL ’25

“ASP was an extremely valuable experience that pushed me out of my comfort zone and taught me important skills. It was so fulfilling to work hard every day, connect with my crew, and make a positive impact on my homeowner’s life. I’m so grateful for this unique experience and all that it has taught me!”

Students who participated in the Appalachian Service Project were: Grayson Bullard ‘22, Sarah Joseph ‘22, Hallie Stallings ‘22, Dakota Dorsey ‘23, Alice Harper ‘23, Julia Vaughan ‘23, Olivia Vaughan ‘23, Emma Person ‘24, Lucy Stockton ‘24, Emmy Valeck ‘24, Fiona Volanth ‘24, Georgie Coleman ‘25, Cameron Moore ‘25, Sophia Moraczewski ‘25, Zoe Turnbull ‘25, Katie Whitaker ‘25. Adult chaperones (not pictured): Michelle Akaras, Rick Alfonso, Gillian Coppock, Sky Lesnick, Ed Sloane, Holly Zindulis

JULIA VAUGHAN ’23

“Personally, my main takeaway was the founding of relationships. ASP has this magical power to create a little family out of your teachers and peers from across grades and social groups through shared experiences of being blasted by rain in your pajamas at the ice cream shop and making so many friendship bracelets. I was able to connect with everyone through our shared experiences and love for what we were doing and each other, and learning to do that was simply invaluable. So certainly you’ll receive construction skills and an experience for your college application, but at the end of the day, ASP is worth so much more than that because each lifelong relationship you develop is priceless.”

KATIE WHITAKER ’25

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

Highlights from the 2021-22 Year

Diversity, equity, and inclusion at Stone Ridge School are inherently connected to the Goals of Sacred Heart education to advance understanding and respect among people of all cultures, religions, and races. Stone Ridge recognizes diversity as encompassing various dimensions, such as ethnicity, age, nationality, gender, mental/physical abilities, characteristics, socioeconomic status, and sexual orientation, as part of the human experience, one in which each person is created in the image of God.

Each year, Stone Ridge selects one of the Five Goals of Sacred Heart education as a focal point for the year. In 2021-22, the focal goal was Goal IV: the building of community as a Christian value. As a Sacred Heart school that is deeply dedicated to building a community where diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging are celebrated as core values, during the year we continued to provide programming, coursework, reflective opportunities, and social events designed to lift up every member of our school community as a beloved Child of God. Our approach to this work is woven into every facet of school life, including culture and operations, curriculum, and policy and comes through the combined efforts of our DEI program, Sacred Heart Formation to Mission program, campus ministry, counseling department, Social Action program, Institutional Advancement office, Professional Development program, and Academic Leadership Team. This work is focused on our call to live our faith fully through the manner in which we spread the Gospel values.

On the pages that follow, you will see a sampling of the many highlights of last year’s approach to this work. Lower School students held various assemblies to celebrate identities such as the Native American, Hispanic, and Indigenous peoples during heritage months. Middle School students invited author Paula Chase to talk about her project “The Brown Bookshelf” and the importance of Black authors in children’s literature. Upper School

students organized “Voices and Agency Day: A Reflection of Goal IV”, a school-wide celebration of community members’ voices, passions, and identities. The Social Action program encouraged Upper Schoolers to reflect on human interconnectedness and accountability by adopting the essential question, “How is my well-being bound up in yours?” The Advancement Office wrapped up the three-part Alumnae Voices for Community series by sharing information on the student experience and current Stone Ridge efforts to increase access and support for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students. Parents and guardians attended Better Together programming, which reaffirmed our values as a Catholic School connecting DEI work with the tenants of Catholic Social Teaching. Finally, for the sixth year since the 2015-16 school year, Stone Ridge has earned the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) designation of being a No Place For Hate® school. This program provides framework and encouragement for schools across the nation to be inclusive places where all people are known, valued, and loved.

KEEPING IT REAL

The sounds of snapping fingers echoed throughout the Cokie Boggs Roberts ’60 Theater as author Paula Chase shared her experiences as an African-American growing up in predominantly White suburban communities. Ms. Chase recounted times as a youth when she defied people’s expectations and was teased for not acting “Black” enough and the long-term effect of stereotyping. “You can govern yourself so that you are a part of the change of the world around you,” she said, prefacing how she combined who she was naturally with her talents to affect change.

Ms. Chase talked through how she infuses her writing with “sneaky advocacy” by representing voices that aren’t normally heard and the birth of her project, The Brown Bookshelf, an award-winning blog that creates awareness of Black voices in writing for young readers.

DEI Club members were able to ask Ms. Chase questions to wrap up the program. They asked the author: What kind of books did you read as a child? What would you say to young aspiring authors seeking to write about meaningful topics? And, what is one thing you could tell your younger self before going on this journey as a celebrated author?

Members of the DEI Club reflecting on her visit described Ms. Chase as relatable and the best speaker to visit Stone Ridge. Students appreciated Ms. Chase’s authenticity when she shared how she managed difficult experiences like microaggressions. Caitlyn, the DEI Club student leader, had the honor to introduce Ms. Chase to her Middle School peers “my heart was beating so fast,” she said. Thought she was overwhelmed by nerves in the moment, as Caitlyn listened to Ms. Chase’s talk, she “felt really proud” and saw Ms. Chase as a role model. “It was an inspiration for me to introduce her,” she reflected.

Paula Chase visited the Middle School (Grades 5–8) on February 9. Ms. Chase has authored several middlegrade and young adult novels. Her most recent work, Keeping it Real, explores friendships, family, and what it means to fit in. Ms. Chase founded The Brown Bookshelf, which seeks to raise awareness of Black authors of young adult literature.

Lower School students created class pledges stating their commitments to creating spaces of inclusion and respect in their classrooms.

VOICES & AGENCY

On Friday, April 8, Stone Ridge hosted “Voices & Agency Day: A Reflection on Goal IV,” a schoolwide celebration highlighting individuality and our spirit as a diverse community. Each division hosted age-appropriate activities to lift up different voices, passions, and identities, emphasizing Goal IV: the building of community as a Christian value. In Lower School, children expressed themselves by making name bracelets and contributing to a sidewalk chalk mural. Middle School students explored how to use their voice for positive change by creating blackout poetry and producing introspective first-person podcast stories. In Upper School, students watched West African and Ethiopian dances, immersing themselves in the history and culture of those regions. Upper School students also rotated through sessions with Diversity and Culture Groups and participated in workshops across campus, learning step routines and dances, making bracelets and bookmarks, and writing poetry. Middle and Upper School students created chalk murals adorning Shelter Hill Campus Walk, highlighting social and cultural issues significant to them. The day’s activities engaged students in unifying, meaningful, and fun exploration of themselves and others in the community.

Student leaders Paige Kenny ’22 and Gisele Sonnier ’23 organized the all-school event with the help of faculty advisors, the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Michelle Black, and DEI Co-leaders Barbara Beachler, Casey Robertson, Bridget Riley, Sally Ingram, Maureen Carter, and Susie Coffman-King. Paige described the day as a good mix of “celebration and education.” Gisele highlighted the day’s goal to celebrate “the many ways that diversity enhances our school community” and hoped “people take away that diversity builds us up.”

Scenes from the Voices & Agency Day: A Reflection on Goal IV

HEADSTONES & HISTORY

Mr. Tom Duckenfield, III, and Dr. Garrett Lowe presented Headstones & History: Black Lives Matter(ed) for the Stone Ridge community in April. Their presentation focused on how the erasure of African-American and Indigenous communities occurred throughout the DC metro area from the 1600s through the present day. They discussed land acquisitions and the impact of European settlers on indigenous Algonquian Nacotchtank (Anacostian) peoples and free and enslaved African-Americans spanning critical moments in DC’s history. Mr. Duckenfield and Dr. Lowe began their work together in the summer of 2020, researching the ancestry of two cemeteries, Mount Zion and the Female Union Band Society, in Georgetown. They enlisted the help of 25 people, teens and adults, from the DC area to uncover and restore headstones and bring to life the stories of the deceased. Through their project, they revealed a rich, racially diverse, and complex history and continue to add to the ancestry and genealogy of area marginalized people.

SOCIAL ACTION SYMPOSIUM

The Social Action Symposium on Wednesday, April 27 marked the final day of Social Action. “We decided to try something new this year,” says Director of Social Action Dr. Katie White, “and come together in a more intentional way to reflect and share out about the year.” The day was a tremendous success. Upper School students and faculty spent the day engaged with speakers and activities meant to provide space to reflect on the year and answer the essential question: “How is my well-being bound up in yours?”

Students learned about advocacy, voting, and leadership opportunities in the Social Action program, contributed to a community mural, and packed sandwiches for partner organizations Martha’s Table and So Others May Eat (S.O.M.E.).

The event kicked off with keynote speaker Mr. Cortez McDaniel from the Father McKenna Center followed by Alumna Alice Felker ’16 and core members of L’arche Greater Washington in the afternoon. Students walked away with a deeper understanding of not only themselves, but how and why they can make an impact in others’ lives.

Learn more about this inaugural project

Tom Duckenfield, III and Dr. Garrett Lowe

Scenes from the Social Action Symposium

REUNION 2022

The Class of 1972 (at right) celebrated their 50th Reunion during the 2022 Reunion festivities, held in April 2022

Congratulations!

REUNION

2022 AWARDS

Outstanding Alumnae Awards

GOLDEN OUTSTANDING ALUMNA

Kathryn Kavanagh Baran ’72

OUTSTANDING ALUMNA

Kathryn graduated from Stone Ridge in 1972. In 1976 she obtained a BA in Political Science from Brown University and, after a 20 year child-rearing career, earned her JD from Georgetown University Law Center. She practiced law at Skadden Arps as an Energy Lawyer for another 20 years. She is the author of Promise and Performance: Carter Builds a new Administration and numerous articles including those published in Glamour, Parents, and Parenting magazines.

Kathryn is a member of the Board of Directors of the Washington Jesuit Academy and serves on the Middleburg Library Advisory Committee. She has been a member of the Advisory Board of the Children’s Law Center. Kathryn currently volunteers as a researcher with the Afro-American Historical Society of Fauquier County and is a hospice visitor at the Missionaries of Charity. With her husband, Jan, she is the parent of a Dominican Friar and three daughters, and is the grandparent of six (and counting).

Julie graduated from Stone Ridge in 1997, and went on to receive her BA from Brandeis University, and her JD from George Washington University Law School. Julie is the Founder and Chief Brand Officer of Denizens Brewing Co., which opened in July 2014 in Silver Spring, MD. Denizens is the largest production brewery in Montgomery County, MD, and the only majority women-owned and operated brewery in the state.

Julie recently served as a presidential appointee at the U.S. Small Business Administration to help implement small business COVID recovery programs across the country. Julie has spent her career volunteering on national, state, and local trade associations and chamber boards of directors, and has testified before local, state, and congressional and senate committees. She is a fierce advocate for small business and supporting women in leadership roles. Julie is also an alumna of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship and ran for lieutenant governor in Maryland in 2018. She is a lifelong advocate for women’s rights, human rights, and LGBTQ rights. You can find her on a golf course or playing soccer most weekends.

OUTSTANDING ALUMNA

Dylan Williams ’12

Dylan, a 2012 graduate of Stone Ridge, went on to receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Elon University. Currently, she is a Manager with Protiviti, Inc., a global consulting firm specializing in internal audit, risk and compliance, and financial services, based in the Metro DC office. As a consultant, Dylan has recently found her work at the intersection of finance and the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis. Dylan has helped large financial institutions develop robust business resiliency plans to minimize adverse business impacts in crisis or pandemic scenarios. Additionally, she managed a stimulus program developed under the Coronavirus Relief Fund as part of the CARES Act, which provided housing relief for individuals who were financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dylan has always had a passion for serving her local community and the communities with which she identifies, a virtue she gained as a “lifer” at Stone Ridge. Professionally, Dylan has held leadership roles within her firms, focused on recruiting and retaining minority talent, and educating staff on experiences impacting racial and gender minorities. In her personal time, Dylan is an active member of the Junior League, where she enjoys volunteering with the Boys and Girls Club of America and her local area food bank, as well as networking with women with shared interests and passions.

The Outstanding Alumna Awards recognize alumnae who have made significant contributions to their community and/or profession. The Outstanding Alumna recipients from Reunion 2022 have demonstrated dedication to the Goals of Sacred Heart education, commitment to excellence in their life’s work, a loyalty to Christian values, and selflessness in service to others.

Julie Veratti ’97

Celebrating the Feast of St. Madeleine Sophie Barat

On Wednesday, May 25, the Stone Ridge community was honored to welcome His Eminence Wilton Cardinal Gregory for our celebration of the Feast of St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, where he presided over Mass after blessing the statue of Mater that resides in the Mater Center. This statue was commissioned by Mrs. Sandra McMurtrie, pictured at left standing with granddaughters Hannah Herndon ’23 and Eloise Quinn ’25, and daughter Meghan McMurtrie Quinn ’87 and her husband Eddie (along with Archbishop Gregory and Catherine Ronan Karrels ’86). We were also honored to have members of the local RSCJ community join us for the Mass, which was followed by a school-wide Congé celebration.

Marking a century of educating women of faith and purpose.

My parents enrolled me in Stone Ridge when I was five years old. That year, I was one of two students invited to help lay the cornerstone of a new addition to the school building. Joining the Stone Ridge community has continued to be a cornerstone of my life.

As we begin our Centennial year, I invite you to journey back to the beginning when the foundress of the Society of the Sacred Heart, St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, was a young girl. She grew up during an extremely tumultuous time and was only 10 years old when the Reign of Terror began. Unable to attend school, her older brother Louis taught her Greek, Latin, theology, Spanish, Italian, and History. At 19, not much older than our 4th Academics, Sophie set off from her small hometown of Joigny for war-torn Paris. It was there that she made her first vows and consecrated herself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. For the rest of her life, Sophie persevered through many hardships to follow her calling to make known the love of God through the education of young people.

Sophie’s vision remains as relevant today as it was when we opened our doors on Massachusetts Avenue to our first student in 1923. For the past 100 years, we have challenged our girls to think critically and empowered them to thrive in an ever changing world. Stone Ridge educators form the whole child in a dynamic way, true to our Sacred Heart Roots. Just as those who came before us, our efforts today will strengthen the foundation for generations of young women to come.

From the moment I stepped through the doors of Hamilton House on my first day of school, I joined a sisterhood that extends far beyond the walls of Stone Ridge. St. Madeleine Sophie Barat shared that “the Sacred Heart never asks that we become perfect all at once, but that we work at becoming so day by day as God gives us grace and light.” Stone Ridge empowered me to explore, reach high and experience the joy of discovering my very best self.

When I walk the halls of Stone Ridge today, the enthusiasm with which students actively engage in the Five Goals of the Sacred Heart is inspiring beyond measure. The students are creative, passionate, compassionate, and innovative. They are community builders, artists, musicians, athletes, scientists, activists, and faith-filled women. St. Madeleine Sophie Barat remarked, “your example, even more than your words, will be an eloquent lesson to the world.” These young women continue to reflect the values of the Sacred Heart upon whose pioneering shoulders we stand as they make an indelible impact on the world.

Guided by the spirit of St. Madeleine Sophie Barat and the timeless values of the Society of the Sacred Heart, Stone Ridge will move courageously into the future. Sixty-five years after laying the cornerstone for the 1957 Building, I could not be more thrilled to serve the Stone Ridge community as the Chair of the Board of Trustees as we celebrate our 100th year of Sacred Heart education in the Washington area. I invite you to join me in laying a new cornerstone for the next 100 years of educating women of faith and purpose.

EILEEN MAYER ’70 Chair, Board of Trustees

A Centennial Celebration

MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Centennial Auction: November 5, 2022

All-Community Social Action: January 21, 2023

Stone Ridge Museum Opening: January 2023

All-Alumnae Reunion: April 29, 2023

Centennial Mass of Thanksgiving: April 30, 2023

Honoring Our Retirees

Thank you for your

In Memoriam

Ingrid Anwander

Martha Corcoran

J. Thiel Sullivan

Lazette Mason Yoshiharu Aomatsu

John Hamilton Hunter

John A. Chase, Sr.

Robert William “Bill” Farrand

Bunny Bastian Martin Verhaegh

Lange Johnson

Chris Anthony Vannata

Edward S. Geier

Allen Hobbs, Jr.

Benjamin “Pete” Watkins, MD

Patricia Boler

Raymond Joseph “Randy” Funkhouser, II

Bishop William Phillips Deveaux

Nancy Pesek Rasenberger

William Robin Glattly

Bill Nolan

Dr. Christian Weber

Thomas Martin Connor, M.D.

Notices as reported to the School through the spring of 2022. To notify the School of a death please contact Michael Anne Cullen ’95 at macullen@stoneridgeschool.org.

The Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart community extends its deepest sympathy at the passing of your loved one. The Offices of Alumnae Relations and Formation to Mission are available to assist you. A full listing of those who have passed away in the last year are included on our “Remembrance” page on the Stone Ridge website, stoneridgeschool.org, under Living our Mission—Faith SR . If you are an alumna and would like to share information about the death of someone in your family*, please visit this Faith SR page as the School has provided a way to share this information, under In Memoriam.

*Immediate relatives such as a parent, spouse, sibling, or child.

Catherine Ronan Karrels ’86, Head of School, and the Administration of Stone Ridge recognize with deep gratitude MARYANN WILL , Middle School Learning Specialist, as she retires after 47 years, and JOANNA CAUDLE, Upper School Science Teacher and Department Chair, as she retires after 20 years.

Scenes of joy from the All-school Congé celebrating the Feast of St. Madeleine Sophie Barat

Joy comes of utter

with

will for us now.

Janet Erskine Stuart, RSCJ