Spartan magazine, Winter 2014

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s t e p h e n’ s

e p i s c o p a l

s c h o o l

Winter 2014

Teaching Excellence on The Hill Graduation 2013

snapshot Students enjoying the new

Booth Student Center; photo by Andrew Pogue

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St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

co nten ts

Winter 2014

Spartan Magazine

p h otos top right Kyla Scott, Stirling Burnett, Saba Hajiebrahimi, Erin Mikeska, Paige Lawrence and Maddie Almanza

2 Headlines 3 Remembering Dean Tower 4 New Community Spaces

center right Director of Advancement Christine Aubrey and friend in Manila

6 Putting Annual Giving First

bottom right Engineering students Angelica Tao, Mattie Mouton-Johnston, Anna Schulmeyer, Taite Sandefer, Peyton Malesovas and Jason Haugen

9 Spartans Span the Globe

8 Parents Unite to Make It Happen 10 Educating Students of the World Celebrating Teaching Excellence

12 Exploring Global Connections head of school Robert E. Kirkpatrick

13 Courting Critical Thinking Skills

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editor

14 Building More Than a Better 9

Anne Marie Becka

class notes editor

Mousetrap

14 Rocket Scientists Ignite

Lou Porter Bailey ’71

15 The Nature of Writing

design

16 Independent Voices

Ellen Buckmaster, Bucko Design

18 Information Literacy

contributors Christine Aubrey Lou Porter Bailey ’71 Cynthia Bartek Hayden Blood Sherry Buchanan Chris Caselli ’82 Kristin Eitel Anthony Fassi Nancy Flores Jaclyn Horton Mary Beth Jester Bob Kirkpatrick Brenda Lindfors ’80 Elizabeth Hansing Moon Andrew Pogue Kathryn Respess Nita Shuffler Vendo Toming

19 Spartan Life 24 Alumni News 26 Class Notes

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Copyright © 2014 St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

subscription information and address changes Judy Mullinix jmullinix@sstx.org or 512.327.1213 x158

www.sstx.org

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h e adl in es

Winter 2014

The Many Faces of Great Teaching at St. Stephen’s What does teaching excellence look like at St. Stephen’s? In order to find examples of teaching at its best, you need not look very far; it is all around us and in every facet of school life. It occurs among adolescents and adults, colleagues, and staff and parents. Quite simply, great teaching and learning have always been and continue to be at the core of the St. Stephen’s experience.

Countless examples of effective teaching-learning relationships can be found at St. Stephen’s every day. It is a teacher at an in-service session searching for new language to use to instill confidence in her history students. It is an administrator who, at a faculty meeting, reminds us all of the need for students to establish a meaningful, nurturing relationship with at least one faculty member and the importance of modeling for students appropriate behaviors at all times. It is apparent when veteran teachers, and so many others, embrace instructional technology in new ways for the betterment of their students. It can be seen in so many Chapel moments when, in times of sorrow, the opportunity exists for the chaplain and others to give meaning, comfort and instruction about ways to work through and learn from adversity. It also may be apparent in times when the obvious joy of being a member of this community is celebrated, such as when our expertly directed choirs enrich our collective experience at Lessons and Carols each December.

We see great teaching occurring, quite obviously, in our relationships with students, and also between parents, teachers and administrators, from formal programming like the Middle School Brown Bag lunches, to presentations by our college counseling or mental health professionals, to the more common exchange between classroom teachers and individual parents seeking the best path for their children. In the student-teacher relationship, it is clearly seen in those breakthrough or “aha” moments when a struggling math student gains new understanding from a teacher who, freshly returned from a workshop, still considers himself a learner, or when a casual comment from a 9th grade student, beaming with pride over achieving her personal best at the SPC cross country championships, says so much about how expertly she has been guided by a coach. And it is evident in our school’s efforts to create a safe place for students to take appropriate risks, to be themselves, and to explore and develop their interests and talents.

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St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

At St. Stephen’s teaching and learning take place beyond the confines of the traditional classroom. In fact, it occurs when the notion of “classroom” transcends the four walls of a Hines Hall science lab and sets up shop in the Davis Mountains of West Texas, or when students spend five weeks off campus in the spring of their senior year to help pilot the new Senior Internship Program. It occurs in the midst of residential program outings, lunchtime assigned seating that enables exchanges among a varied student-teacher mix, during student government and club activities, and between members of a cast and the director. As we move deeper into the realm of experiential learning, we are often reminded of the valuable learning experiences so many share in service to others, whether here in the Austin area, or in ravaged, impoverished places abroad like Haiti, Nicaragua and El Salvador. And, of course, in those many unplanned encounters with caring house parents in the dorm, with a teacher on The Hill, after class in an impromptu help session, with a coach on the sidelines, or in times of personal or family crisis … these are the moments when so many students, parents and alumni see St. Stephen’s at its best … guiding, encouraging, ministering, holding accountable … teaching in ways that are part of a life-changing experience for all involved. Expert teaching at St. Stephen’s makes possible the full development of human potential.

“

Expert teaching at St. Stephen’s makes

possible the full development of human potential.

”

As you will find in this issue of Spartan, great teaching has many faces here. Look for it in articles about Shelley Sallee’s moot court class, Octavia Sadler’s foray into political cartoons, Tony Fassi’s nature writing course, physics students’ construction of mousetrap cars, Frank Mikan’s rocketbuilding engineering students, Cynthia Bartek’s work on Information Literacy, thoughts about great teaching from Kathryn Respess, and global initiatives connecting St. Stephen’s to the world and providing meaningful learning opportunities beyond The Hill. As it always has been, the totality of the St. Stephen’s experience is all about the high quality of teaching and learning that abounds here.

— bob kirkpatrick, head of school

i n commu n it y

Spartan Magazine

remembering Dean Towner

O

n a bitterly cold day in December, the St. Stephen’s community gathered amid the warmth and good cheer of former classmates, teachers and friends to celebrate the life of Dean Towner, whose ashes were interred in the Memorial Garden following a funeral service in the school Chapel.

The Rev. Anne Knight Hoey ’56 gave a loving sermon in which she recounted the remarkably kind and generous life of the senior master Latin teacher who, along with wife Velberta (Bert), was a mainstay on The Hill for more than 30 years. An excerpt follows: Like many of you, I first came to know Dean at the dawn of history, the early 1950s, when he cast his lot with the band of young Yankee pilgrims who’d caught the vision of John Hines and William Brewster to found an Episcopal, college preparatory, co-educational boarding school for God’s sake — and I mean that literally! — in the wilds of Texas.

It was a truly Spartan outpost in those days, this house built

by God, this dwelling place of a hope, of a faith that has seen it He embodied our youth and all that was transformed into the beautiful campus we meet on today, tamed in part, Dean might insist, by the residual memory of the conjugagood in it, its promise that could never die. tion of Latin verbs and the works of Virgil and Cicero.

But what St. Stephen’s was and is all about, no one need remind us, is community: a community born of a dream. And as we in turn were incorporated into that community, into that dream, Dean came to represent the spirit so hopefully implanted in this stony soil. He embodied our youth and all that was good in it, its promise that could never die.

My daughter Sarah once said to me, “I don’t know how you had the sense to love Mr. Towner while you were still in school. I was totally scared of him.” How could that be, I wondered. Yes, he had indeed perfected the art of the single raised and rather menacing eyebrow to indicate he was onto us, that he saw for what they were those attention-getting tactics so basic to the adolescent arsenal of obnoxious practices. He did have certain senior master expectations that we’d use our God-given brains for other than criminal pursuits, that we’d sit up straight and not talk with our mouths full….

But the man was a living, breathing personification of what we’re all searching for at that age or at any: he just flat out loved us, whether we knew it or not, as Sarah later realized when she began to receive the birthday cards he sent us all every year. She came to know, better late than never, the kind and faithful person he was. And how he cherished us all: kith and kin, students and fellow teachers and friends from Austin to Osaka!

We come here today to give thanks that by grace we have known something of God’s own nature and purpose, of God’s eternal faithfulness, in the pattern and person of our friend Dean and in the love he nourished between us.

“

”

For Hoey’s full sermon, as well as photos and remembrances of Dean and Bert, please visit our tribute page at www.sstx.org/towners.

www.sstx.org

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f ram e the fu tu re

Winter 2014

St. Stephen’s Dedicates New Community Spaces room and media room, as well as large common spaces for students to lounge and study. The Student Center houses important campus offices, including College Counseling and the International Program, as well as the directors of Residential Services and Diversity.

“All of our donors, and especially the Temple and Booth families, are visionary philanthropists who understood how these two buildings would strengthen our school community,” said Christine Aubrey, director of advancement. “We are tremendously grateful for their support.”

These capital projects were made possible by generous donations to the school’s ongoing Frame the Future Campaign, which last year enabled St. Stephen’s to build Wycliff-Freeman House, home to 60 boarding students; 10 new faculty residences; the Roger Bowen Arts Studios, which house the Theatre Focus Academy and digital photography and film programs; and the Michael & Susan Dell Pedestrian Green, which significantly enlarged the green space in the heart of the St. Stephen’s campus.

The st. stephen’s episcopal school community and honored guests gathered early on Labor Day for a special ceremony of thanksgiving and dedication to mark the official opening of two important new shared campus spaces, the Booth Student Center and Buddy Temple ’60 Dining Hall.

Following a rousing performance by the school’s Thunder Drumline, the Rt. Rev. Dena A. Harrison, bishop suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas and St. Stephen’s board chair, led the more than 900 attendees in song and prayer. She then consecrated each building, stating “Let the door be open. Peace be to this house and to all who enter here.”

The Temple Dining Hall, named for St. Stephen’s Class of ’60 alumnus Buddy Temple, provides students, faculty and staff with grand views of the Texas Hill Country. The 13,000-square-foot building includes a modern servery and kitchen, meeting rooms and a sunset dining terrace.

The new Booth Student Center, named for David and Suzanne Booth, is a 10,000-square-foot, two-story building with a game

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St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

Spartan Magazine

“

The design of both new shared spaces

will inspire students, faculty and staff for generations, as they gather as a community outside the classroom.

”

The design of both new shared spaces will inspire students, faculty and staff for generations, as they gather as a community outside the classroom. Arthur Andersson and Chris Wise of AnderssonWise Architects designed the new buildings. Landscape architect Joan Hyde, owner of Resource Design in Austin, designed the natural spaces connecting the two new buildings. Her most recent St. Stephen’s landscape work includes the Dell Pedestrian Green, which connects the new Dining Hall and Student Center to central campus. Rogers-O’Brien Construction built the new facilities.

“We are excited and pleased to dedicate these new buildings, which promise to help St. Stephen’s achieve our founding vision of a diverse and inclusive village of teachers, students and staff, living and learning together,” said Robert E. Kirkpatrick, head of school. “We look forward to seeing how these campus enhancements will strengthen our programs and community.”

p h otos OPPOSITE PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Thomas Charpentier, Hannah Heydinger, Colin Hancock and Head of School Bob Kirkpatrick; Chandler Booth, Arthur Andersson, Suzanne and David Booth; Hailey Garber ’13 with parents Laurie and Ross Garber THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT Temple Webber, Hannah Temple ’91 and Chris Saunders with son Robert and daughter Mary Ellen, Buddy Temple, Ellen Temple, and Whitney Temple ’85 and Michael Evans; Anne Alexander, Mike Hull and Trustee Mignon McGarry; Thunder drummers Caroline Jones, Miles Grossenbacher, Griffin McGarrah, Will Deaderick, Isabel Mendiola and Callie Evarts

www.sstx.org

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ANNUAL GIVIN G

Winter 2014

Putting Annual Giving First in early september, st. stephen's kicked off

perfect environment in which to grow and learn during those allimportant middle and high school years.” its all-important Annual Giving campaign for the year with the When considering a gift to St. Stephen’s, please consider Annual goal of 100 percent participation from parents, alumni, trustees, Giving first. Every gift makes a real difference in the life of the school. faculty/staff and friends. Annual Giving funds are critical to the Every contribution will be gratefully received and wisely used. school’s operating budget and to closing the gap between tuition and the true cost of educating a student at St. Stephen’s.

During the kick-off dinner for parent volunteers, director of Annual Giving Sherry Buchanan welcomed the 2013-14 parent chairs, Patricia ’89 and Mark ’88 Rowe, and commended the 114 parent volunteers for leading the charge in fundraising. Following dinner, Patricia Rowe graciously thanked the volunteers and underscored the importance of their collective mission.

“We are here to celebrate the launch of the most important fundraising campaign of the year,” Rowe said. “All of you volunteered to help with this year’s Annual Giving campaign, and that tells me that you really don’t need to hear from me the reasons this fundraising endeavor is so important. You already know that like other independent schools, St. Stephen’s relies on Annual Giving contributions to cover the operating costs of the school — whether it’s paying an electrical bill, funding a faculty enrichment seminar or providing financial aid to a student who otherwise would not be able to enroll.

“You probably also already know that tuition alone does not cover the cost of a student’s educational experience at St. Stephen’s,” she added. “And what an experience it is. As a graduate of the Class of 1989, I can tell you firsthand that the investment you make in this school is well worth the sacrifice. I cannot imagine a more

p h otos CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Julie Maynard, Carron Whittaker, Trustee Mignon McGarry; Liz and John Mewborne; Nelson and Laura Robinson, Amy and Glenn Sutton

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St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

Spartan Magazine ph oto s TOP TO BOTTOM Patricia ’89 and Mark ’88 Rowe, parent chairs; Marci and Louis Henna ’64, grandparent chairs

The Ties That

Bind

... to St. Stephen’s

W

hen it comes to the Hennas and the Rowes, giving and giving back are clearly family values that run deep.

Louis Henna, an alumnus from the Class of 1964, and his wife Marci are this year’s Annual Giving grandparent chairs. Louis’ daughter, Patricia Rowe ’89, and her husband Mark ’88 are the campaign’s parent chairs. St. Stephen’s is fortunate to have this two-generation Spartan family leading our annual fundraising efforts.

Louis Henna has been a loyal and generous alumni leader and volunteer at St. Stephen’s, taking on jobs both large and small. He has served as executive chair of the board of trustees, written Annual Giving letters and hosted special school events. He and Marci, along with Patricia and Mark, are also strong supporters of the school’s founding values of inclusion and social justice.

“It should come as no surprise that I love St. Stephen’s,” Patricia said. “After all, I probably wouldn’t have been born had my mom [Rosanne Pollard ’64] and dad not met here. I am also forever indebted to the school because it was here, in 1984, that I met a boarder from Honduras named Mark Rowe.

“I cannot imagine a more perfect environment in which to grow and learn during the all-important middle and high school years,” added Patricia, whose son Andrew ‘16 and daughter Elizabeth ‘19 currently attend St. Stephen’s. “I have no doubt that, like me, long after our kids have left The Hill, they will look back on their years here and their favorite memories will be of teachers who challenged them academically and, perhaps more importantly, showed them what it means to be cared for as a whole person.”

Marci and Louis concurred. “We choose to stay connected to and support the school because we have witnessed St. Stephen’s influence on the development and transformation of student lives, as well as that of our family,” the couple reflected. “What more valuable gift can we give our children than to support their educational experiences at this exceptional school?”

Thanks to great volunteers like the Hennas and Rowes — and to our many generous donors — the Annual Giving campaign continues to make a real difference in the life of the school and in the lives of countless generations of St. Stephen’s students and families.

— brenda lindfors '80, campaign and advancement coordinator

www.sstx.org

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pare nts' association

Winter 2014

Parents Unite to Make It Happen

p h otos left to right Jacob Chappelear, Lily McGowan and Kayla Katz; Nicholas Hatton, Wyatt Gill, Ryan Turner, Joshua Morgan and Jacob Rothfus

Hiking on newly improved trails... happy Middle School students playing outside Gunn Hall after lunch… Watching a school play in a comfortable new seat in Helm Theater… Working out in a TRX training session.... All off these experiences can be had on the St. Stephen’s campus, and they were all made possible by funds raised by the Parents’ Association (PA) through Make It Happen.

Make It Happen is a collaborative effort between the PA, faculty, staff and administrators to identify and fund specific projects needed on campus but not covered by the general operating budget.

Make It Happen projects are intended to immediately benefit students, faculty and/or the entire St. Stephen’s community.

Indeed, the list of completed projects touches all parts of our community every day. Athletes, artists, scholars, boarders, faculty and parents have all experienced the benefits of Make It Happen.

The Parents’ Association will hold its 10th annual Spring Swing benefit for St. Stephen’s on April 12. In conjunction with Spring Swing, Make It Happen funding will once again be a part of the PA’s fundraising efforts — promising more exciting improvements for campus. The PA is proud to fund identified projects that immediately benefit our entire school community, and we look forward to Making Them Happen!

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St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

— mary beth jester, pa president

✓

Completed Make It Happen Projects Stone walkway to The Hill / Classroom technology / Granite Brewster Memorial cross / Trail enhancements / Middle School playground equipment / Sound Systems for the Helm and new dining hall / Temple Family Theatre lighting / Dorm and Middle School furniture / Bleachers and benches / TRX and Vertimax training systems / Portable field hockey and soccer goals / Motion-activated cameras, GPS, field guides for outdoor learning experiences / HD video cameras and computer / Football goal posts and scoreboard / Timing system and finish line for track and cross country / Championship sports banners / Student entertainment center / Enhanced faculty development / Laptop carts

glo b al perpective

Spartans Span

the globe ➤

ph oto s top to bottom Christine Aubrey and Sarah Todd with St. Stephen’s parents in Beijing; Spartans in Tokyo

Spartan Magazine

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ast fall, I had the unique opportunity to travel to Asia and Great Britain with Sarah Todd, international program director, to gather and visit with St. Stephen’s Spartans across the globe. In addition to attending five admission fairs and interviewing 83 prospective students, we hosted more than a dozen alumni and parent parties in Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo, Osaka, Taipei, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore and London.

Everywhere we went as representatives of the school, we attracted attention. To our great delight, we found that St. Stephen’s reputation as an inclusive, caring school preceded us at every event. When we stood next to our St. Stephen’s sign, people vied for our attention, telling us, “My cousin’s family had a wonderful experience at St. Stephen’s,” or “St. Stephen's is my sister's child's first choice for a school in America.”

When the Rt. Rev. John Hines and the Rev. William Brewster founded St. Stephen’s in 1950, the horrors of World War II were fresh in their minds. They created a school that envisioned a different future for all people. This new school was started by people united around the belief that we can work together in a community to overcome differences that divide us: racial, tribal, religious, ethnic and socio-economic. They believed that if people were brought together in a safe, inclusive community, where an honest and ongoing dialogue existed around differences, that understanding and appreciation of one another would flourish.

While Hines and Brewster had no way of foretelling the future of global travel and electronic communications, I believe they would be delighted by our current school population, a diverse mix of students from Austin, across America and around the world. I also think they would be pleased to know that many Spartans go out into the world, living and working outside of the United States, seeking out and appreciating many different cultures, religions, ethnicities and traditions. And they would be heartened to see that St. Stephen’s continues its legacy of welcoming all people while combating racial and religious stereotypes and prejudices through education and community life.

These founding values are still central to and intrinsic in our school community, and they are highly regarded far beyond our 370 acres.

While in Tokyo, Sarah and I met the parents of one of our Japanese alumna who appreciated that their daughter made friends with a student from Korea and invited her home to Japan for Spring Break.

These parents, along with countless others that we encountered during our travels, talked about the importance of understanding people from different countries and backgrounds. They understand that St. Stephen’s offers this opportunity more than most other schools and that, as a community, we live into our values of inclusiveness, cultural awareness and appreciation for others every day on The Hill.

— christine aubrey, director of advancement

www.sstx.org

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glo ba l perpective

Winter 2014

Educating Students of theW

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“

y trip to El Salvador was immensely rewarding,” said senior boarding student Nathan Goldberg, who spent 10 days last summer volunteering with disadvantaged youth in Latin America. “The older kids there told me what our visit meant to them — that it provided a much needed break from their monotonous schedule, and the materials, help and companionship we offered them truly made a difference in their lives.”

Goldberg, like so many of his St. Stephen’s classmates, strives to live into the mission of the school. Since its founding, St. Stephen’s has sought to develop educated, compassionate citizens of the world.

No doubt, the school’s multidisciplinary approach to its curriculum plays a large role in achieving this goal. But few things can enhance your global perspective like a learning trip that pulls you from your comfort zone and lets you see life through someone else’s eyes.

St. Stephen’s offers an array of cultural explorations — from indepth history studies in Germany and Prague; research expeditions to the Peruvian Amazon and canyons of Big Bend National Park; servicelearning and outreach projects in Haiti, Nicaragua and El Salvador; and advanced language programs in Japan, Spain and France — all of which are designed to provide students with unique, hands-on opportunities to learn, grow and give back.

For example, the school’s cultural exchange program with l’Internat d’Excellence de Montpellier (IDEM) in France enables students to develop a deep appreciation for the diversity of the world, deepen their understanding of another culture, practice their language skills, collaborate with international partners, and make lifelong contacts and friends.

Following a pen pal exchange in 2012 between French instructor 10

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

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Lisa Hallee’s Upper School students and students from IDEM, 24 students and three teachers from Montpellier visited St. Stephen’s.

That visit was reciprocated last June, when Hallee took nine French students to Montpellier for three and a half weeks of language and culture immersion.

The focus of the trip was students’ three-week homestays with local families in Montpellier. During this time, students took French classes at a language institute and participated in additional cultural excursions and workshops. Host families and teachers spoke entirely in French, so students were completely engrossed in the language and culture. They also spent time with their friends from IDEM and visited surrounding cities such as Nîmes, Avignon, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, and Sète, learning about the rich and diverse history of France. Their trip ended with four days in Paris. “Students had fun, but were challenged to express themselves in French, to understand a culture different from their own, and to call on each other and themselves for support,” Hallee said.

Chloe Zagrodzky ’13 agreed that the trip was as challenging as it was rewarding. “Being immersed in the French culture was truly invaluable,” she said. “In Montpellier, I found my language skills and understanding of culture improved at an exponential rate.”

While Hallee’s students were honing their language skills in France, a different group of St. Stephen’s students was participating in the school’s Spanish Immersion Workshop in León, which has provided St. Stephen’s students with a rich cultural engagement opportunity since the mid-1970s.

Under the direction of Spanish instructor Philip Doig, 18 students spent four weeks last summer taking intensive Spanish language

Spartan Magazine

p h otos OPPOSITE PAGE Students in León; this page Montpellier: Teniola Odumakinde, Martha Torres, Genevieve Spear, Jessica Harmon, Claire Zagrodzky, Chloe Zagrodzky, Amari Bethel, Laura Polanco, Catalina Polanco and Natalie Boucard with chaperones Amy Scofield and Lisa Hallee; St. Stephen’s students with youth in El Salvador

classes, meeting Spanish students from Colegio La Anunciata, making excursions to places of cultural and historical significance such as Burgos and Atapuerca, and enjoying trips to the ocean and spectacular hikes through the mountains.

“The final week of the program, students moved to the small mountain town of Cistierna, where they lived with families and interacted with adolescents their age,” explained Doig. “The last three days of the program were spent in Madrid, where students visited the Prado and Reina Sofia museums, the Royal Palace, and Santiago Bernabeu stadium.”

Service-minded students interested in a more hands-on approach to cultural immersion rolled up their sleeves and traveled to El Salvador, where they volunteered with underprivileged youth in partnership with the Salvadoran Association for Rural Health. ASAPROSAR, as it is commonly called, has provided health, education and leadership services to impoverished communities in El Salvador since the 1970s.

Fourteen St. Stephen’s students spent 10 days working with ASAPROSAR in the Santa Ana region of El Salvador. Most of their time was spent volunteering in youth centers associated with Barefoot Angels, an ASAPROSAR program dedicated to supporting school-aged

children. Students led program participants in a variety of arts and crafts activities and games, forging important bonds that transcend geographical, linguistic and cultural barriers. “As the only high school group that visits these centers, our longstanding friendship has become an important part of Barefoot Angels’ program development,” explained Spanish instructor Jorge Muñoz, who led the trip last June.

Its impact on the St. Stephen’s students who participated cannot be understated. “Obviously, interacting with kids from such a different culture and with a socioeconomic situation that is rare to even think about in Westlake was an eye-opener for many of our students,” Goldberg concluded. “It was incredibly gratifying to see how much joy we brought to the children we worked with. I definitely recommend this trip to all our students.”

www.sstx.org

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t e ach in g excellen c e

celebrating Teaching

Winter 2014

Excellence

EXPLORING

Global Connections i try to get kids to understand that we are all teachers and students, to be open to others and their ideas,” said Middle School history and social studies teacher Octavia Sadler, who challenges her students to examine critical social issues in her Global Connections class.

“The most rewarding thing I’ve done professionally is develop the curriculum for Global Connections,” said Sadler, who joined the St. Stephen’s faculty in 1997. “I grew up overseas, and my parents always stressed the importance of understanding and appreciating different cultures. Now I get to talk about important cultural issues every day in my class.”

One of Sadler’s most innovative classroom projects involves asking her students to analyze news events and create social commentary through political cartoons. “Following current events has always been a passion of mine, so I wanted to incorporate it into my curriculum,” she said. “We read the New York Times magazine, Upfront, which is written for teens, and most days we watch CNN student news. The kids become news savvy very quickly. Within six weeks, they are drawing their own political cartoons.”

Sadler also engages students in social issues through the study of song lyrics. “The kids play a song for the class that speaks to them in some way — social change, human rights, personal inspiration,” she explained. “Then we study John Lennon’s song ‘Imagine,’ and they write an original verse for the song that we put on prayer flags. We examine the tradition of prayer flags and the idea that the prayer is carried off by the wind and becomes the prayer of the world for the world.

“Teaching at St. Stephen’s is more than just a job for me,” she noted. “It is woven into every part of my life. I landed in the place where I belong.”

a rt work top to bottom Seventh grader Bryn Battani’s view of the 2012 election; Sixth grader Anna Nasi honors Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai 12

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

Spartan Magazine

Courting critical thinking skills clad in heavy black robes, the justices filed into the room and took their seats as the attorneys representing both parties in the case nervously shuffled through their notes….

A familiar courtroom scene, for sure, but this one actually took place in a classroom — thanks to the inventive instruction of Shelley Sallee, Ph.D., chair of St. Stephen’s history department. Sallee’s Constitutional Law class spent much of the fall term intensely preparing for their day in moot court. “We do a number of what I have named ‘mini moots’ with short pieces about cases,” she explained. “In addition, early in the term students work on a religious liberty case to practice doing research and then we begin work for the actual moot court.”

To tackle their capstone case, Fisher v. University of Texas, concerning the legality of UT’s affirmative action admission policy, students were divided into two teams of attorneys and a team of justices. Working together, the teams spent hours researching the case and refining their arguments. “This preparation is as valuable as the actual day of moot court,” said Sallee. “The students who sign up for this class are ready for the more independent research, the focus on sustaining logical arguments using precedents, and the esprit de corps of collaborating with a team.”

Despite being a Constitutional Law class, Sallee said the primary purpose of the course is not to teach law but to enhance students’ critical thinking skills. “They don’t have to understand everything about a case,” she explained. “They just have to take what initially seems obscure to them and make it accessible enough to formulate a well-supported argument.”

Sallee has seen students thrive in this challenging environment and seize the opportunity to take risks and tackle difficult topics.

“One year I gave students a choice between an easier freedom of speech case and the Citizens United case,” she said.

“I thought the language about campaign finance laws would bore them to tears, but most of the class opted to take on Citizens United.”

Lily Noonan, one of the few juniors in this demanding social science elective, appreciates the interactive nature of the class.

“Most students learn about important cases by reading them, but we get to experience them first-hand,” she noted. “And we perfect our arguments by working on them as a team and presenting them.”

This experiential approach to learning underscores Sallee’s teaching philosophy: Maintain high expectations and empower students to meet them. It’s a dynamic approach to education that she developed working alongside her peers at St. Stephen’s. “St. Stephen’s is a smart place that encourages you to always look for ways to be better,” she said of a community consciousness that applies as much to teachers as to their students. “Our school is demanding, but once you get a taste of the intellectual world here, it is really satisfying.”

“

The students who sign up for this class are

ready for the more independent research, the focus on sustaining logical arguments using precedents, and the esprit de corps of collaborating with a team.

”

ph oto s LEFT TO RIGHT Peter Feng, Stephanie Parker, Louis Lafair, Rebecca Lafair and Taite Sandefer sstx.org

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t e ach in g excellen c e

celebrating Teaching

Winter 2014

Excellence

rocket scientists Ignite “this was a project of my advanced physics classes,”

B u i ldi ng More t h an a

explained science department chair Frank Mikan, whose students spent the fall constructing rockets. “Rocketry was used to investigate a whole slew of topics, from how rocket motors work to the detailed physics behind rocket motor nozzles. Newton’s laws, factors involved in drag along with derivation of the Bernoulli equation, allowed students to really experience rocket science at a higher level. Building projects like these also allow kids to just have fun and use skills different than those used in typical classes. It’s great seeing kids having so much fun without electronic gadgets, iPods, computers or ear buds!”

Better Mousetrap “The goal of Principles of Engineering is to

expose students to a wide range of engineering fields through intensive hands-on projects,” explained physics instructor Danielle Horton. “Students develop problem-solving skills by working in teams to design and build solutions to real-world engineering problems.”

Throughout the course, Horton’s students research and solve problems related to mechanical, civil, architectural, environmental, aerospace and biomechanical engineering. “The class enables small groups of students to work on projects with unique parameters or to perform specific tasks,” said Horton, whose class comprises 19 seniors, the majority of whom plan to major in an engineering field in college.

Class projects included designing a launch structure that simulates the stresses and constraints of NASA systems; analyzing energy, friction and mass to build a mousetrappowered vehicle; creating a balsawood bridge to transfer, deflect or absorb tension and compression; designing model buildings that can withstand different seismic shaking from earthquakes; determining how different orientations and designs of airfoils affect the glide ratio for gliders; and designing efficient, working heart valves and a biomechanical arm that can do several predetermined tasks. After each project is completed, students explain their group’s designs in a presentation, technical paper, short video or design portfolio.

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St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

p h otos clockwise Jason Haugen, Taite Sandefer, Diehl Sillers, Miles Savage and Peyton Malesovas; Sam Newman, John Sullivan, John Parker, Danielle Horton, Cord Meyer, Anna Schulmeyer and Sunny Li

Spartan Magazine

p h otos LEFT TO RIGHT Will Skelton, Sarah Van Nort, Anthony Fassi, Will Deaderick and Steven Kim

The Nature of writing reading and writing nature, a new senior english course I taught this fall, introduces students to the literature of American nature writing, as well as the cultural politics and environmental concerns that have historically shaped the genre.

We begin by reading Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry Thoreau and Walt Whitman — foundational figures of American nature writing.

We also read a collection of Gary Snyder’s sparse, imagistic poetry; biologist and preservationist Aldo Leopold’s “A Sand County Almanac”; and John Graves’s classic eulogy to the Brazos, “Goodbye to a River.” We then complete a week-long unit on the nature of cities.

Throughout the course, students study an array of creative and analytical texts, hone their observation skills, and engage in writing creative works. Each student also keeps a nature-writing log. Daily entries might take the form of reading responses, but they also must record a student’s daily impressions of the outdoor world. Early in the term, students complete a lengthy questionnaire designed to hone their awareness of the Austin area, its land use history, animal population, native flora and fauna, geology, and unique environmental qualities. They then compose a work of creative nonfiction: an essay that begins by accurately describing a natural process, biological fact or environmental reality and segues into a speculative work of creative literature. Next, they write a three- to five-page rhetorical analysis of one of the persuasive essays we discuss in class.

Their capstone project requires them to compose, record and edit

an audio essay, which is a kind of field study of a “natural” site somewhere in or around Austin or the St. Stephen’s campus. I encourage students to challenge common perceptions about what places are defined as “natural.” They begin by thinking of a place that might be interesting to visit and write about. Next, they visit their chosen site to engage in careful observations, take field notes and collect audio data. After composing a brief essay on their chosen place based on their field notes and any additional research that is helpful, they mix a recording of this essay with audio or visual data captured at the site.

While I expect students to include some basic physical description and even historical background, I ask them not to produce a simple tourist guide. Instead, each audio essay should transport listeners to a particular location and evoke a sense of place. I also ask students to think about what these places mean to them and to others. Creating this audio essay challenges students in deep, meaningful ways, as the project requires students to really observe a place and to think critically about the way a space reflects various social, economic and aesthetic realities and concerns.

Ultimately, however, this course is about writing…. And my goal is to demonstrate that guidelines for writing and thinking well are guidelines for living well. I ask students to approach debates, ideas and classmates with humble, open minds; to become well informed before adopting a position; to honestly and tirelessly evaluate their prejudices; and to engage in arguments in the spirit of advancing conversations, not derailing them. I am awed by my students’ energy and creativity.

— anthony fassi, ph.d., english instructor sstx.org

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t e ach in g excellen c e

Winter 2014

celebrating Teaching

independent

Voices — Søren Kierkegaard

I liked this quote — first discovered in a college seminar — but it has taken me more than 50 years as a teacher (49 of them at St. Stephen’s) to deeply understand it. I came to St. Stephen's knowing little about independent schools or boarding schools. It was a steep learning curve. In consultation with my department chair, it was my job to write the curriculum I wanted to teach.

That's where “independent” came in. As a member of the boarding community, in Freeman Dorm, I pitched in with Secret Santa gifts and Halloween pranks. I expelled the illicit — from the boy under the bed to the toad in the wastebasket that a student wanted to keep as a pet. Through it all, I learned the power of personal involvement, a way of being with students that had no parallel in my short career as a public school teacher.

What did I see, as my St. Stephen’s colleagues, in their own independence, lived out their ideas about teaching? There was the theology teacher who convinced at least one of his students that he could walk on water (“You owe me $5.00,” he said after the splash). There was the English teacher who asked, “What if ?” and then threw out the textbook and set the class to making films. Then there was the biology teacher who took the whole 10th grade into the deep woods of East Texas for five days. To promote the adoption of a physics requirement, another teacher came to a committee meeting and did a simple but jaw-dropping demonstration. For this course he wrote his own textbook, using such experiments.

Some of us are known for the time we spend working with individuals or small groups outside the classroom, in what we call “conferences.” The trend to make greater use of these opportunities is one I’ve watched grow significantly during the last 15 or 20 years. If only I’d had a math teacher like some I've watched in the room where we give conferences. I see some math teachers in action and think that even I could have made headway with that kind of help.

There are the history teachers who spend every summer tightening the links between their teaching topics and current world issues. In the 11th grade course, the Middle East unit is constantly rewritten and newly taught.

When English teachers choose texts, some bring in St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

Excellence

“ The truth that edifies is the truth for you.”

16

“

Some of us are known for the time we

spend working with individuals or small groups outside the classroom, in what we call ‘conferences.’ I've watched this trend grow significantly during the last 15 or 20 years.

”

contemporaries such as Manuel Puig’s “Kiss of the Spider Woman” or Chuck Palahniuk’s “Fight Club.” Others stick with the more traditional, saying that “Hamlet” is never the same because student discussions go in so many directions.

In theater, I’ve seen what can happen when a teacher trusts that adolescent angst is the perfect medium for theater of the absurd.

Which Eugène Ionesco play was it, I wonder, that involved a great stuffed animal that stretched out onto the steps of Hines Hall?

More recently, there was the trust exhibited in our students to portray homophobic characters in “The Laramie Project.”

Another big eye-opener has been in the area of volunteer work, where teachers take small groups to Haiti, Nicaragua and El Salvador.

Partnering with the Nature Conservancy, another teacher takes groups to the Davis Mountains, where last year they helped get a tracking collar onto a cougar.

Was every one of these teachers the perfect fit for every student?

Inevitably, no. If you recognize any of your old teachers in the stories above, your memories may be either of the great joy of learning or perhaps great frustration. In our role as independent teachers, we create the situations we think will work. But we know full well that not all students will be equally edified.

A great thing about teaching at St. Stephen’s is that we are not evaluated against a checklist, but are encouraged to find our own unique voice. So many and so various are the teachers I’ve seen that I now understand the Kierkegaard quote to mean, “The teacher who edifies is the teacher for you.”

— kathryn respess, history instructor

Spartan Magazine

Battling Abuse

through student education

L Ride of the

Valkyries A longstanding tradition on campus on the last day of classes in May is Kathryn Respess’ “Ride of the Valkyries,” during which she chases students across The Hill while blasting the Wagner opera.

“Valkyries were Norse goddesses, the ‘choosers of the slain,’ who collected dead heroes to take to Valhalla,” explained Respess, who began her infamous annual ride in the late 1980s. She came up with the idea for her ride while sitting on a swing in her backyard, listening to the opera on her Sony Walkman cassette player. “From that came the idea of the chase on The Hill.”

Since 1997, the voice booming across campus during the ride is that of her cousin once removed, Emily Pulley, who sang the part of Gerhilde at the Metropolitan Opera that year. “Hers is the first voice you hear when the music starts,” Respess noted. “I love that I share DNA with an operatic Valkyrie — if not a real one.”

Respess claims she has never hit anyone, but her husband John said he has evidence to the contrary on video tape.

“Well, it would have been a soft hit,” Respess conceded.

ast fall St. Stephen’s incorporated an important new initiative into the school’s health education curriculum. “Your Boundaries, Your Call!” is an education-based video program designed to raise awareness in teenagers about the prevalence of childhood sexual abuse. The program teaches students sound methods of identifying and preventing a range of personal, emotional and physical boundary violations.

It is the first program of its kind and was designed especially for students ages 11 to 17.

St. Stephen’s already provides a mandatory training program called “Safeguarding God’s Children” to all faculty, staff and school volunteers working with students. This training teaches participants to identify sexual predators in schools and provides general tips on setting boundaries for appropriate relationships.

“In furthering the mission of educating and caring for our community, we now have extended this type of training to our student population through ‘Your Boundaries, Your Call!’ said Director of Counseling John Dugan. "Our students will not just learn the ‘facts’ surrounding boundary violations but also the skills of prevention and response.

Through our health education curriculum, we are directly and intentionally expanding those social-emotional skills essential to building healthy relationships and making healthy choices."

“Although hard-hitting, it is an age-appropriate, much needed attempt to do what ‘Safeguarding’ does for adults on the subject,” said Head of School Bob Kirkpatrick. “It can empower and educate young people in ways that are wholly consistent with our overall emphasis on wellness in body, mind and spirit in our health programming.”

The new healthy boundaries initiative was the brainchild of the school’s health and counseling team, which comprises Dugan, Upper School Counselor Karrie Poppinga, Middle School Counselor Tania Gil and Director of Health Services Gretchen Inman.

sstx.org

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t e ach in g excellen c e

celebrating Teaching

Winter 2014

Excellence

mission possible :

Information Literacy day one: information literacy class. middle school computer lab. Mission: Each 6th grade student will learn about the school’s technology policies, log into a shiny new Gmail account, send at least one email, and open Google Drive and share a document with a neighbor. If time permits, we also will explore the Google presentation function, create new slides and embed a YouTube video. Conversations begin, students with prior knowledge help their neighbors, questions arise. It is a slightly chaotic process, but by the end of class we have all succeeded.

I developed the Information Literacy class, under the auspices of Becker Library, to help our new students find and use information on school databases and the Internet, to evaluate and cite sources, and to start on the path to becoming fully realized digital citizens. Put simply, my goals are to help these students build a foundation for good academic research practices and encourage them to use the Internet ethically.

Early in the year, my focus is on introducing the class to the library and its wide array of research tools. Modern research skills include the ability to create effective searches and navigate online databases, so classes spend time getting comfortable with our library resources, both online and IRL (that’s “in real life”). Over the course of the year, students explore numerous electronic tools, such as Culturegrams, Encyclopedia Britannica, ArtStor, AP Images, and other useful collections offered through St. Stephen’s. In addition, each student opens a NoodleTools account, which is a safe online storage space for papers, notes and citations; we then practice citing print and online sources. During these sessions, we stress the importance of academic honesty and talk about copyright and plagiarism issues. These skills come in handy for projects during this year and beyond!

Before the academic year progresses too far, I take time to engage students in conversations about digital citizenship. It is extremely important to acknowledge that our students have digital lives and try to encourage them to consider the ways their online behavior reflects on them as individuals. To paraphrase CommonsenseMedia.org, the point of this discussion — and Information Literacy — is to encourage our students to “think critically, behave safely and participate responsibly.”

— cynthia bartek, assistant librarian and information technology instructor 18

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

p h oto front to back Jacob Wong, Lexi Poppinga, Jacob Hurst and David Allen

The Nuts and Bolts OF

Digital Literacy

Technology terms — What’s phishing? What’s a cookie?

What do all these cool and interesting sounding terms mean?

Online aggression — In collaboration with Middle School Counselor Tania Gil, students learn how to deal with online aggression. How is online bullying different from face-to-face bullying? Who can I turn to for advice or help if I need it?

Infographics — In collaboration with Global Connections Instructor Octavia Sadler, students learn to find facts associated with a unit of study and then represent that information visually in a graphic format.

Databases and web tools — We explore lots of cool online tools such as ArtStor, a subscription art collection, and create beautiful slideshow presentations using the licensed images we find there. We also make short videos using Animoto.

“Real” books — Sometimes the “literacy” part of Information Literacy is about discovering and enjoying books offline, so we take a day to browse the library for just the right thing.

s partan life

Spartan Magazine

Sounds of Yesteryear with Colin Hancock Huddled around a phonograph on a Sunday afternoon, six musicians pointed their horns, tenor banjo and bass saxophone into a 1906 Edison Standard B Phonograph and blared a hot jazz tune fiery enough to transport you to old New Orleans.

It takes a special music producer to pull off a recording of this kind, one who knows the ins and outs of yesteryear’s sounds and one who has mastered the inner workings of a phonograph. Not just any phonograph, but one that plays and records wax cylinder records. These toilet paper tube-looking records predate the disc-shaped records most people know.

Standing beside the phonograph, making sure the recording sounded precise, was 17-year-old music producer Colin Hancock. The teenager, who launched Semper Phonograph Company, has produced wax cylinder recordings for several of Austin’s old-timey bands. Hancock enjoys re-creating the music of eras gone by, music that he’s passionate about preserving, for a generation of music listeners who walk around with extensive music catalogs in their pockets.

Hancock is methodical about his process and strives hard to make the recording sound as perfect as possible. He's a multi-instrumentalist but says he’s known as a trumpet kid at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School, where he’s a junior. When Hancock was about 7 years old, he picked up one of his dad’s Bix Beiderbecke CDs and grew fascinated by the music of the 1920s influential jazz soloist. At 8, he had his first trumpet.

By 10, he had discovered wax cylinder records from his dad’s jazz book.

Hancock may be a teenager, but he leads the recording session with confidence, which is good, because when you’re working sans

electricity, you’ve got to get creative. Band mates stood close to the recording machine so it could capture the best sound quality possible, and they constantly adjusted — one step forward, another step back.

The four-hour session required multiple takes; there’s no editing.

Recording tunes such as “Kansas City Man Blues” or “Snake Rag” without electricity required sound waves to travel down the horn and funnel of the phonograph into a diaphragm where sound waves vibrated into a little needle, which cut grooves into the wax cylinder. When it comes to recording over a used wax cylinder, you have to put in a little elbow grease. Hancock shaves the wax cylinders to wipe away the recording grooves using a 1918 Dictaphone shaving machine.

But 21st-century technology wasn’t ignored. When the band needed a stopwatch, Hancock turned to his trusty smartphone. He also used a device called an archivette to connect the phonograph to his laptop. Once songs downloaded, he listened with headphones and identified trouble spots.

Hancock hopes to re-create and record music on 78s soon. He’d like to continue researching sound restoration as a hobby, but plans to study architecture in college. Jazz, for him, feels personal and has the power to soothe.

“When I want to sit down and read a book or relax, I listen to the teens, ’20s or ’30s music,” Hancock said. “That’s the kind of music I want to listen to when I want to feel good. Even the blues makes me feel better. It just speaks to me.”

— nancy flores, austin american-statesman reprinted with permission of the author, revised

photo Scan the QR Code in the photo on your smart phone to watch Hancock’s cylinder recording of St. Stephen’s Jazz Combo!

www.sstx.org

19

spartan life

Winter 2014

National Merit Semifinalists In September, eight academically distinguished members of the Class of 2014 were named National Merit Semifinalists. Selected students include Marc Canby, Campbell Chupik, Will Deaderick, Alyssa Epstein, Louis Lafair, Kaela Lemond, Daulton Perry and Samantha Richards.

The National Merit Scholarship Program, an academic recognition and scholarship competition, will award up to $35 million in National Merit Scholarships to program finalists in the spring.

National Hispanic and National Achievement Honorees St. Stephen’s is pleased to announce the National Hispanic and National Achievement program award honorees from the Class of 2014.

The National Hispanic Recognition Program award is presented each year to academically outstanding Hispanic/Latino high school students from across the country. This year’s honorees include Isabel Mendiola, Jamie Molina, Jacob Salomon, Emiliano Trevena and William Yzaguirre.

National Achievement Program honorees represent the top 3 percent of African-American students in America. Honorees from St. Stephen’s senior class are Morgan Robinson and Sheldon R. Foreman.

The St. Stephen’s community is honored and enriched by their academic excellence.

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St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

Spartan Magazine

Louis Lafair Waxes Poetic Louis B. Lafair was one of five high school students appointed to the National Student Poets Program, the nation’s highest honor for youth poets presenting original work. A member of the Class of 2014, Lafair will serve alongside his acclaimed student poet peers as a literary ambassador for the next year, during which time he will share his work and engage audiences of all ages in the art of poetry.

Lafair and the other four student poets were recognized by First Lady Michelle Obama, honorary chair of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, at the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C., last fall. “Our National Student Poets are seeing, hearing, experiencing and shaping a vision of the world around them, and they are motivating others to do the same,” the first lady said. “With this award, we celebrate their passion, dedication and creativity.”

The National Student Poets will participate in readings and workshops at libraries, museums and schools in their various states, as well as create community service projects to expand their reach while increasing engagement in the literary arts. Each National Student Poet will receive an academic award of $5,000, funded by the Bernstein Family Foundation, and serve as a resource for the U.S. Department of Education and the Library of Congress.

Hailey Wozniak: The Good Seed

p h otos opposite page, clockwise national merit semifinalists, left to right Alyssa Epstein, Samantha Richards, Campbell Chupik, Marc Canby, Will Deaderick, Daulton Perry and Louis Lafair; not pictured: Kaela Lemond national achIEvement honorees, left to right Morgan Robinson and Sheldon R. Foreman national hispanic honorees, left to right Jacob Salomon, Emiliano Trevena, Isabel Mendiola and Jamie Molina; not pictured: William Yzaguirre

Driving on to campus on a sunny spring day, you may notice the lovely Indian paintbrushes and Texas bluebonnets growing on the side of the road. We can all thank Hailey Wozniak, a junior who has attended St. Stephen’s since 7th grade, for these magnificent flowers.

Wozniak has received two Lady Bird Johnson Seed Grants, which she used to buy a mix of bluebonnets and other flowers for the St. Stephen’s campus. After walking around and enjoying our campus’ natural beauty, Wozniak decided, with the advice of other student government members, that the best place to plant the flowers would be on the road that leads on to campus. Wozniak and other volunteers then began the process of spreading seeds around the selected area. She said it was scary at first because the flowers did not grow right away. Suddenly, however, “the road was really pretty,” she said of the flowers that began budding near the school’s entrance.

While talking to Wozniak, it became evident that she is a strong believer that flowers are an important part of our community because they bring magnificence to places that may not have had any before. “Aesthetic beauty is underrated a lot of times,” she said.

When spring arrives, the road to St. Stephen’s will once again blossom with gorgeous flowers.

Wozniak’s hard work enhances the natural beauty of our campus and ensures that we will have colorful presents every spring.

— jaclyn horton, class of 2014 www.sstx.org

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spartan life

Winter 2014

Oompa, Loompa, Doom-Pa-Dee-Do St. Stephen’s may have been awash with alumni returning for Reunion in mid-October, but a good bit of hullabaloo on campus that weekend also surrounded the Middle School production of “Willy Wonka Jr.” “I wanted to do this show because it has so many great parts for different types of actors and singers,” said MS theatre director Jeremy Sweetlamb of his inaugural show at St. Stephen’s. “There are tons of funny lines, and they are all spread around the cast to give everyone a nice highlighted moment.”

The show proved to be a highlight of the fall term for the audience and actors alike. “Besides what they learned about the craft and process of producing a musical, many of the performers came away with a great sense of community between themselves and their peers,” he continued.

“The best part is definitely the kids knowing that they have created something unique and that everyone got to witness them showing off what they worked so hard to achieve.

“They also often break through personal barriers of fear — fear of failure, fear of being judged or general performance anxiety. I like to think we chip away at those fears early in their development and give them tools for coping and for succeeding in pressurized situations. Our theatre program gives students the space to grow into better humans.” ph oto s top to bottom Stone Mountain as Willy Wonka; Alex Dowd, Jake Chappelear, Joshua Morgan and Stone Mountain in the Choco-Vision Room; Anda Union musician

World Music on The Hill Austin is known for its amazing and multi-faceted live music scene, which is made even more vibrant by Texas Performing Arts at the University of Texas. In addition to bringing outstanding performers to the UT campus, Texas Performing Arts works to enhance arts education and appreciation throughout Austin by connecting inspiring touring artists with receptive area schools.

St. Stephen’s collaboration with Texas Performing Arts began two years ago with a special performance of the Shanghai Chamber Orchestra. In 2013, Texas Performing Arts introduced our school community to Anda Union, a group of young musicians seeking to preserve the traditional music of Mongolia by engaging audiences throughout the world. The St. Stephen’s students and faculty who packed Hines Hall Studio Theatre for this unique performance listened intently to the horsehead fiddles, reed flutes and stunning voices, as the nine performers who make up Anda Union told stories of life in Mongolia through their music. We don't know what performers we will learn from next year, but we are sure to enjoy a musical and educational experience we will long remember!

— elizabeth moon, fine arts chair

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St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

Spartan Magazine

Spartan Football Prevails on Senior Night As Upper School thespians were performing Macbeth on their hilltop stage, the Spartan football team was putting on a performance of its own on the gridiron, more “offensive” in nature, but with an equal number of plot twists.

For their final home game of the season, the Spartans faced the Trojans from All Saints Episcopal High School, who brought a loyal backing for their trip to Austin. Senior Captains Carl Austin III and Zachary Richards led the Spartans onto Denius Field for the last time and were met by thunderous cheers.

Receiving the opening kickoff, the Spartans took only 40 seconds to light up the scoreboard. By the end of the first quarter, the score was 21-0.

This proved to be the highest opening quarter for the Spartan offense for the season. The half came to a close with a score of 35-0.

The festivities produced some stirring moments, including performances by the Spartan cheerleaders, dancing by the Showstoppers, and the inspiring creativity and enthusiasm of the “Homecoming Parade” of floats — highly decorated golf carts designed by the students — and a performance by the Thunder drumline. The highlight of halftime was, of course, the final introduction of the senior football players with their parents. The ceremonies concluded with Director of Athletics Jon McCain recognizing Kent Savage for six great years of announcing at the football games.

The Tyler All Saints received the ball at the start of the second half.

However, the Spartans continued to dominate, and the third quarter ended with a score of 49-0. When the clock ticked down with the final score at 49-0, both teams gathered at the 50-yard line to congratulate each other on a well-played game by all.

p h otos spartan cheerleaders, (on ground) Peilyn Peanpattanangkul; (on bench, left to right) Crystal Lin, Chelsey Lee, Chania Whitaker, Amy Yoo, Rie Kawamura; (not pictured) Sabrina Chuang, Grace Thigpen, Coco Robertson senior night, left to right Daniel Sweeney, Cody Treybig, Valentin Aralkin as Martin the Spartan, James Old and Lucas VanDyke

www.sstx.org

23

alumn i n ews

Winter 2014

The Class of 1988

reunion 2013 After several days of cloudy skies interspersed with hard rain, Reunion 2013, held Oct. 18-20, dawned sunny and clear. Though not quite as big a crowd as seen at Austin City Limits or Formula One Racing weekends, large numbers of alumni and their families streamed into Austin to celebrate their years at St. Stephen’s.

Classes from all the years were represented, but special focus was given to the classes graduating in the 3s and 8s: ’53, ’58, ’63, ’68, ’73, ’78, ’83, ’88, ’93, ’98, ’03 and ’08.

Reunion kicked off Friday with alumni visits to classes. Later that day, there was a field hockey game on Phipps Field and a volleyball game in Clayton Gym. Class parties were held off campus all around Austin that night.

Saturday morning began with a hike led by Charlton Perry, Middle School history teacher and director of the Devil’s Canyon Wilderness Program. The Gulch was in near flood stage due to recent heavy rains, so it was not a part of the hike this year. After 24

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

more field hockey and volleyball, alumni gathered for lunch in the stunning new Buddy Temple ’60 Dining Hall followed by an engaging campus tour.

Two special events were held Saturday afternoon on The Hill.

First, the school and the Foster family honored Priscilla and Bob Foster with a new tree planted in their memory near the Chapel.

We then dedicated a new Brewster Memorial cross, made of granite in accordance with the plans of the original Brewster Cross. Will Brewster ’51 gave a talk about his father and the early days on campus. A reception and dinner overlooking the hill country at sunset closed out the day. Following dinner, many alumni ventured off to additional class parties.

On Sunday morning, alumni joined students in Chapel for a special service by the Rev. Todd FitzGerald, school chaplain. Thanks to all who came to Reunion; we are already looking forward to next year.

— lou porter bailey ’71, director of alumni relations and planned giving

Spartan Magazine

p h otos clockwise from top left : Former faculty member George Doig; the Class of 1973; the Class of 1983; Phil Hadley, Thomas Sumners ’63, Robert Sumners ’66, Alan Fenton and Mary Bachman Burke ’69; Sue and Bob Kirkpatrick, Louis Henna ’64 and Marci Henna; Rue Winterbotham Ziegler ’63, Nancy Wilson Scanlan ’59, the Rev. Will Brewster ’51 and Arlene Brewster

www.sstx.org

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alumn i n ews

Winter 2014

Class Notes 1951 W ill B rewster

wmbrew34@comcast.net

Toppy Castle wrote, “Marjorie and I are very involved in real estate in the greater Philadelphia area. The market here has changed for the better, and we are busy. All our children are well, and I have six grandchildren who are working or in school. Our youngest son, Clark, lives nearby and his son Dylan is the light of our life; we see them often. Life is good, and we are looking forward to what great adventures await us in the near future. We are healthy and God has blessed us in many ways. God bless Dean Towner and St. Stephen’s, both of whom were a very important part of my teenage

Nancy Hines Smith ’56, Michael Hines ’54, Caleb Hines ’88, Chris Hines ’58 and spouse, Lisa Hines, enjoying John Hines Day at the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest on Oct. 10, 2013

years, helping me grow and find my way to a great college experience. I’m looking forward to my next

to see the gorgeous photos that Jim took. I'm very proud

1955

trip to St. Stephen’s to see all the recent changes.”

of our work but even happier that it's done. My Ph.D.

C harlene M oore M artin

dissertation was a lot easier to write, and I had a lot

cma92837@aol.com

1952 F red H eldenfels

more help. Despite Cormac McCarthy saying that it's “No Country for Old Men,” that country produced an

Stuart Purdy is “still working at my travel agency

experience of a lifetime for one old man (me).”

(www.tripmakershouston.com) five days a week

fheldenfels@gmail.com

1953 E dna N oel H eldenfels

and doing home chores on weekends. Occasionally I direct plays at a local community theater, attend

1954 M ike H ines

mjhines1@cox.net

symphony and opera, and attend Trinity Episcopal Church in Houston, where I am the oldest acolyte in the Diocese. I’m pursuing my ‘bliss’ surrounded by loving friends, good health, and lots of fun and travel.”

fheldenfels@gmail.com

Bill Livingood reported that he and Marilyn have The Class of 1953 celebrated its 60th at Reunion this

finished renovating their newly purchased home in

1956

year. Danny Lane, Edna Noel Heldenfels, Hildegarde

Alexandria, Va. Bill has started a small company,

E llen M c C orquodale M artin

Brewster Bird and Joan McCaleb Hunt attended.

Livingood Advisors, that provides security solutions,

EMcCorq@aol.com

Danny Lane said, “Carolyn and I survived driving up I-35

conducts risk assessments and provides risk

from San Antonio and through Austin traffic to attend

management solutions. He also sits on several boards

Reunion. Just as important is that we also survived

and advisory committees. “Oh well, so much for

driving on Capitol of Texas speedway and back down

retirement.”

I-35 to safely arrive home.”

Mike Hines said, “This past October I visited my sister,

Ann Mills Weaver works with a horse rescue ranch, Walkin N Circles Ranch in Edgewood, NM; wncr.org. This ranch, designed for 60 horses, has taken in hundreds of horses the last two years. All work is done by volunteers and new homes have been found for many of them ... a good thing, as more and more horses have been

In July, Danny Lane “finally ‘put to bed’ the final

Nancy Hines Smith ’56, in Austin, as I try to do several

version of my book, “Sam Maverick’s Trail,” and am

times a year now. On Oct.11, she and I paid a visit to

can't ride anymore, just being around these wonderful

now recovering from the effort. That damn iBooks on

Dean Towner in his room at Westminster Manor. He was

animals translates to getting more than you can

my iPad turned up a bunch of 19th Century books I

wonderfully alert, and we spent the better part of an

give.” Ann is moving to a new home halfway between

had to use so the process was prolonged. It was bad

hour reminiscing.”

Albuquerque and Edgewood.

abandoned and brought to the ranch. “Even though I

enough getting my photographer to stop editing his digital images to the point of perfection. So with luck

In July, Ellen McCorquodale Martin presented the

someday (hopefully, soon) you'll finally have a chance

results of an evidence-based practice project on “Animal-Assisted Therapy with Oncology Patients” at the annual meeting of the International Society of

26

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

Spartan Magazine

Anthrozoology in Chicago, Ill. Her study was done at Ben Taub General Hospital in Houston. In September she presented at the annual meeting of the Texas Society for Patient Services of the American Hospital Association on “Animal Therapy in the Hospital Setting.”

1957 R uth W ilson W itten

Ruthwitten@aol.com

Ruth Wilson Witten wrote that she was “off tomorrow to our Diocesan Convention as a parish delegate and to speak on behalf of our Haiti Task Force. The school we are building there is moving along beautifully. By early spring a large group of us, including our bishop, should be returning to Haiti to celebrate the opening of St. Andre School in Mithon, Haiti. Thanks be to God!”

Set Phasers on Stun-ning!

Class of 2001 alumna Anna Murphy has a job that is, quite literally, out of this world. Her work sounds like something from a science fiction novel, but it is quite real.…

Murphy is an aerospace engineer working on Orion, a next-generation space vehicle designed to take astronauts into deep space. “Not since Apollo have our spacecraft been able to go past low earth orbit,”

1958 J. P. B ryan

BryanJ@teai.com, jamie.christy@teai.com

David and Mary Crawford Wolff “are in Houston but spend a good deal of time at our ranch in Washington County and in the summers in Nantucket. We have five wonderful, healthy grandchildren. Rob and Elizabeth live in Austin, so hopefully we will someday have some more St Stephen’s graduates in the family.”

Murphy explained. “Orion is designed for long-range human space travel. Our ultimate goal is to get astronauts to Mars or to a moon around Mars.”

And that goal is about to be realized. “Our first unmanned test flight is scheduled to take place within the next 12 months, and manned missions are expected to launch sometime between 2017 and 2020,” she explained.

So how did this St. Stephen’s graduate end up working on space travel? Her journey began with a robotics class offered during her senior year. “During the semester we had to build three robots, each with a different and more advanced control system,” she recalled. “I just loved it! By the end of the class I wanted to go into robotics.”

Murphy attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she planned to study electrical engineering. She quickly discovered, however, that she was drawn to more physical, ‘hands-on’ work, so she switched to the aerospace engineering department. As an undergraduate, Murphy secured an internship with the aerospace and technology company Lockheed Martin. Lockheed Martin won the contract to build the Orion spacecraft for NASA during her final semester, and Murphy was hired to work on the project full time.

1959 T om R omberg

tromberg@me.com

John Baldridge is “so glad that I have been a student of Dean Towner; memories in his classrooms will be cherished. I have finally accepted retirement as a pleasant sequel to work; I retired summer 2013. Cindy and I have enjoyed family gatherings in the West, California and Oregon, but our home in Fayetteville, Ark., always calls us back. At peace to plan anything affordable and safe, like a road trip to Austin next year!”

For the last few years Murphy’s efforts have focused on ‘fault management,’ which involves developing the diagnostic systems and solutions needed to ensure that Orion continues to function through any type of critical failure. It’s an enormous and multi-faceted job, one that draws on Murphy’s passion for systems thinking and engineering. “As an aerospace engineer you have to first know a little bit about a lot of things and then become the expert on how the systems interact,” she explained. “Failures on a spacecraft like this can impact multiple systems, and you have to know how all of the pieces fit together in order for the vehicle to survive or recover.

“It’s the problem-solving that excites me,” she admitted. “The challenge is the draw.”

In addition to systems thinking, strong critical thinking and communication skills are essential for this work. “The most important aspect of the job is critical thinking,” she explained. “You can’t just accept the first answer you’re given. You have to be willing to dig deeper. You have to want to know not just what the answer is, but why. You also have to be able to communicate with people who have different backgrounds, technical knowledge and communication styles.

“I think St. Stephen’s really fostered those critical thinking and communications skills,” Murphy added,

1960 Pat Fatter B lack

ggpat@gmail.com

Joan Berry Bird is executive director of Leadership Worthington in Worthington, Ohio. Her son Brandon

“with the small class sizes, open communication and teachers who were willing to prod our minds and make us really think.”

Murphy admitted that she often has trouble explaining what she does, perhaps because she has difficulty believing it herself. “When people ask, I usually say that I’m a rocket scientist,” she concluded, “and then I have to laugh, because I still cannot believe it’s true.”

— brenda lindfors ’80, campaign and advancement coordinator

married his high school sweetheart in 2012, and they are living in Boston. He is working with the design element of a new Keurig Coffee office headquarters.

www.sstx.org

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alumn i n ews

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Ecky Wyatt-Brown Malick is studying at the Iona

1963

1964

School for Ministry, whose dean is Sam Todd ’58. She

J ulia C authorn

J oiner C artwright J r .

also conducts a service at St. James Episcopal Church

Julia@texancapital.com

joiner.cartwright@gmail.com

success of the movie, “Red Wing,” which was directed

Rue Winterbotham Ziegler told us, “For five years

Elizabeth Shepperd Pittman reported, “In a successful

by her son, Will Wallace. The movie recently won the

I have been a professor of cultural anthropology

attempt to spend summers in a cooler climate, Tom and

top prize at the International Laughlin Film Festival.

at the University of San Francisco, a private Jesuit

I bought a house in Asheville three years ago. I’m now

institution. I teach two graduate courses and one

back in Austin for the winter. This year Tom decided to

undergraduate course each term in the department of

live in Asheville full time. I am still on the 50/50 plan, as

sociology. Last May USF honored me with the College

I have deep roots and close relatives in Texas and Tom

S teve J olly

Service Award presented by USF’s College of Arts and

does not. So we are opting for monthly visits with each

stevejolly@mindspring.com

Sciences: In recognition of her outstanding dedication

other, and so far it’s working splendidly. Tom is hosting

and service to the College. No plans to retire (though

vintage country and bluegrass radio shows on WNCW,

Bob and Mary Pillatt Felter traveled to the Smoky

my physician-scientist husband has just retired from

and we both play music with friends several times a

Mountains and visited with friends in Raleigh, NC, in

academic medicine), as I love teaching and USF is

week. Tom leads a honky-tonk jam at a wine bar once a

late October.

a wonderful school. I enjoy both the students and

week. I am still paying fiddle and bass. If you come to or

fellow faculty. We have a place on the campus during

through Asheville, do get in touch!”

in Taylor. In addition, Ecky is very excited about the

1961

Jim Romberg recently returned from a very successful

the week, and commute Duncan E. we Osborne ’62 back to the Napa Valley

on weekends. Any alumni would be most welcome to

Bayard Breeding has “moved to Colorado to begin a

2014, he will curate an exhibition of contemporary raku

come by and visit when in San Francisco.” She and her

new phase of my life with new challenges. I have left

ceramics at the Sedona Art Center. He has established

husband, John, have a vineyard and olive oil business

much of my Texas life behind me and feel like a pioneer

a studio and home in Sedona, Ariz.

named Bunny Run.

who uproots and ’heads out West.’ I am looking forward

Florence Owens Dodington was in Germany with

John Moore Hines was “sorry to have missed

some urban farming groups. Hopefully, life will be

children and grandchildren during Reunion this year.

Reunion, especially as this was our 50th! We hope to

interesting.”

She attended Evening with the Authors in Lockhart

spend a few days visiting Austin after Christmas to

at the home of Becky Marshall Hawener and visited

see daughter Bekah, son-in-law Steve and grandson,

with Becky Crouch Patterson ’63, who was a featured

Ethan, along with son, Josh, who is working his

1965

author at the event. “I finished her book this morning

chef magic at various eateries of the Larry McGuire

Pat B ooker

while enjoying my own country morning in Texas! What

properties. Maria will then head down under to our

patter78703@yahoo.com

a delight and what a rich and deep stream of life our

place in New Zealand, and I will follow after some

SSES friends bring.” Becky Patterson wrote “The Ranch

interim parish work here in Louisville. We try to spend

That Was Us” and “Hondo: My Father.”

at least four months a year in New Zealand; it is a

1966

wonderful place to relax, ride horses, play golf and

H elen T hompson

sample some excellent wines.”

Helent17@aol.com

show in Paris of his ceramics and drawings. In March

to volunteer work with some area garden groups and

1962

Helen Miller still maintains a web page for the class at

David S anders

Wendy Hirst Fredland reported that “a glimpse of

rdavidsanders@msn.com

my life involves focus on the next generation — six wonderful grandchildren. One girl ... she’s going to be

Sue Leverton reported that “Jake and I did the ultimate

www.postoakfarm.com/SSSLink.htm

Although Charlie Campbell claimed he is retired,

trailer trip this summer ... a huge loop from California

we have proof otherwise, from the general himself. tough. Penn (8), Fisher (6), Bancroft (5) and Whitney Nancy Scanlan ’59 and Betty (Bachman) Osborne ‘62 He wrote: “It has been a very full summer and fall for (almost 2) are Inga’s children. August (5) and Simon

to Newfoundland. We covered 14,500 miles and took

(2) are Nils’ children. They are all in the same New

me and Dianne. In June, I was the senior mentor for

three months (probably should have taken five). I am

Hampshire/Maine area, where it is cold and snows so

the 40th Infantry Division during their WARFIGHTER

not sure I would repeat it, but we surely had a great

my husband, Eric, is not at all interested in a move.

Exercise at Fort Leavenworth, KS. In July, I was in

time.” Sue also quoted Robert Louis Stevenson, who

Means lots of miles in the air ... thank you, Southwest.

Australia to support 1st Corps as it performed as the

said, “I travel not to go anywhere but to go. The great

I have things to keep me busy ... a greeting card

Joint Land Component Command during the conduct

affair is to move.”

business with a friend (PeepsArt) and a new focus

of Exercise Talisman Saber. It was my first trip to

at St. Anne’s, where I am training to be a Stephen

Australia. I spent three weeks at Gallipoli Barracks

Minister. I feel very lucky in my life.”

in Brisbane. Australia is a great place with wonderful

In November 2013, the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils elected Duncan Osborne to its

people. Uncharacteristically, I took a little time to travel

Estate Planning Hall of Fame and awarded him the

locally. I was impressed with the beauty and grandeur

Accredited Estate Planner (Distinguished) designation

of the country, as well as with the genuinely hospitable

at its 50th annual conference. Duncan is an attorney

and naturally gregarious nature of the people. From

in the Austin law firm of Osborne, Helman, Knebel &

Australia, I travelled to Korea to perform as the senior

Deleery LLP.

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St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

Spartan Magazine

Jay Millard sighting: Yes, opera fans, that was Jay at the

1969

TV stage manager’s desk right behind Renee Fleming,

J osh H arrison

who was introducing "Tosca" for the Metropolitan

JHarrisonLaw@aol.com

Opera’s “Live in HD” performance. Jay wears many hats for those Met performances, including associate director

Mary Bachman Burke and Alan Fenton continue to

for some productions and camera man.

travel a lot and to grandparent. “Our newest grandchild is the second daughter of Cleve Burke ’97, born in April.

1967

I am still working three days a week as a Jungian analyst in private practice. We enjoyed Reunion, especially the

R andy Parten

Foster event and rededication of the Brewster Memorial

jrparten@parten.com

Cross. Phil Hadley was here, and he stayed with Alan.

We got some nice visiting in with him! I hope classmates

Randy Parten ’67 and Michelle Childers ’69

Randy Parten and Michelle Childers ’69 were married

are well. We must be coming up on our 45th reunion?

on Oct. 3, 2013, by Robert S. Phipps, former chaplain of

Can’t believe it!”

St. Stephen’s, near the confluence of the Rappahannock River and the waters of the Chesapeake Bay. Michelle

Chrys Dougherty said, “Our son John Dougherty ’05 is

has six grandchildren, and Randy has two with a third on

currently taking his third Columbia Law School year at

mentor for Gen. J. D. Thurman and the UNC/CFC/USFK

the way. Michelle’s daughter, Christiana Gunn ’96, has a

University College London, where he will get an L.L.M.

staff during Exercise Ulchi Freedom Guardian. I had the

daughter, Augustine, and her son, Jeremy Gunn ’95, has

degree to complement his J.D. from Columbia. Mark ’09

honor and privilege to be Thurman’s senior mentor in

three children: Sam, 14, and twins Charlotte and Lillian,

graduated Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude in biology

each of the five theater exercises that were conducted

10. Randy’s children, Austin Parten ’01 and Evangeline

and Spanish from Duke University in May 2013 and is

during his command tour. He relinquished command on

Parten ’12, are also Spartans.

taking a gap year prior to enrolling in the University of

Oct. 2 and concluded 40 years of distinguished service.”

Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine. I am working as a senior research scientist at ACT Inc., where I recently

We have news from our most far-flung and peripatetic

1968

classmate, Stroud Kelley, who wrote: “I’ve been back

R ob H enderson

behind students who catch up to college and career

in Afghanistan again for the past 16 months, advising

rhenderson@nvcc.edu

readiness benchmarks between grades 4 and 8 or

the Afghan government in their efforts to restore their

wrote a report on the percentage of academically far

between grades 8 and 12. I also wrote a policy brief on

once-strong natural gas industry. It’s a follow on to the

Clarke Heidrick was named Austinite of the Year by

work I did here in 2007–09. I’m mostly in Kabul, but do

the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce. This is an

get to spend time in the gas fields in the north of the

extraordinary honor that recognizes what we already

Bob Bernstein, husband of the late Tari Shattuck, wrote,

country. It has been relatively quiet recently, which gives

know — Clarke is a thoughtful and remarkable leader

“Our daughter, Ruth Bernstein, who lives nearby (and

a chance to enjoy the very pleasant mountain desert

who is committed to making Austin a great place to

who visited St. Stephen’s as a 6 year old in 1989 for your

weather — similar to Santa Fe’s, but dusty. Not all work,

live and work.

20th reunion, with Tari and me) gave birth to her second

though, since I get home to Prague from time to time

the importance of early learning.”

child a couple of months ago and named her ’Nora

and an annual break at Cape Ann outside of Boston.

Margaret Shepperd Halcomb “retired three years ago

Elizabeth’ Bergevin for Nora Shattuck, Tari’s mother, and

I’ve now been doing international work since 1999, so it

from my job as a speech pathologist in a public school

Tari Elizabeth Shattuck.”

seems normal now; I get to see a lot of places I probably

program in Southern California. I spent the last few

wouldn’t otherwise visit, so far Republic of Georgia,

years of my career working with children with Autism

Sarah Johnson Entenmann stopped being a semi-

Armenia, Turkmenistan, Bangladesh, India, Russia,

and their typical peers, as well as working as one of two

retired freelance editor and now has two jobs. “I work

Ukraine, Ghana, Montenegro, Albania, Turkey, and of

augmentative communication specialists for my district.

at a store that supports our local community action

course, Afghanistan. All different in their own ways,

Since I retired, Rick and I have really been doing quite a

center by selling nice, recycled clothing, books and

but in all of them, ordinary people are almost always

bit of traveling. We are blessed to have a great group of

housewares. We offer discounts to low-income people

pleasant and welcoming.”

friends who enjoy hiking and cycling and traveling the

but get plenty of professor types, too. And I am leading

world. Our two children are grown. Scott, my oldest,

mental health workshops for a program called WRAP,

The runner-up (literally) in the peripatetic category,

lives and works in Tokyo. He has lived in various areas of

wellness recovery action planning. Since I am the poster

though, is Ann Gateley. She wrote, “I am in

Japan since 2006, so we have gotten to see many areas

child for people who recover successfully from all kinds

Albuquerque getting ready for a couple of 100-mile bike

of that country. Our daughter, Whitney, has a 2-year-old

of things and since I am so very well educated, this new

tours this fall. I completed my century ride in May and a

son and lives in Austin. Since John’s birth, I have been

aspect of my career is going very well. My husband is

trip to Europe before getting bilateral foot surgery (too

splitting my time between California and Texas. It is a

leading a class to China and Japan in January, so I’m

much running). Virginia Shepperd Hamilton came post-

joy to be his grandmother, and I try not to let too many

coming to Austin for a week with a friend. I can’t wait.”

op to run herd on me ... she is quite effective!"

weeks go by between visits with him and Whitney.”

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alumn i n ews

Winter 2014

1972

1974

M argot C larke , margotclarke@austin.rr.com

A nn R hodes M c M eans

L i z F oster Luc z ycki , lfoster@mail.smu.edu

armcmean@TexasChildrensHospital.org

Margot Clarke reported, “The Foster’s memorial was

David Smith wrote that “all are doing well in the Smith

lovely, and Reunion weekend brought some good friends

household. Ethan Smith ’03 is still playing music in Austin

to town (yea, Class of ’73!). My sister Henny Wright ’74

and Daniel Smith ’06 is doing his third year of law school

came down from Dallas to see Zan Brookshire ’73, and

in Barcelona. When he graduates, he will have a J.D. from

my classmate Danna Orr was also in town briefly.”

UT and a master’s in international law from the University in Barcelona. After retiring from IBM, I went back into the

Alexandra Caselli was “really looking forward to going

wine business several years ago, working with about 60

home to Austin for a week over Thanksgiving. Los Angeles

family owned wineries from different parts of the world.

is fun, but I need some refreshment with family. Also,

Imagine my surprise when I was in Dallas having an

I have a new CD coming out, “Gift,” a jazz piano trio

introductory dinner with a winery owner from Spain and

performing Christmas tunes. It is available from me at

when I asked what she had done all day, she spoke about

alexandracaselli.net or (soon) on cdbaby.com.”

spending the day with her good friend and her family. I asked who it was, and she told me it was someone from

Margot Clarke ’72 and Henny Wright ’74

Dave Parker reported that things are going very well with

Austin, Henny Wright. After a few other quick questions,

his new adventure, ParkerHighlander PLLC, which he

we did confirm that it was my classmate Henny.”

started in August 2012 with partners Steve Highlander and Mark Voges, after 12 years at Fulbright & Jaworski.

The new firm, now 21 employees strong, just completed

1975

E llen J ockusch

its first year and specializes in biotech, pharmaceutical and

M ary B randt, mlb0320@aol.com

ejockusch@gmail.com

medical device patent work. www.parkerhighlander.com.

S ylvia M c I ntyre - C rook , sycrook1@cox.net

1970

Kids Colin and Rachel are in the 10th and 8th grades

1971

at SSES, respectively, and daughter Stephanie will

Cecile Richards has been “keeping up with St. Stephen’s

hopefully start 6th grade there next year.

through my brother Dan. I live in New York City and will always call Austin home!” Cecile is president of Planned

K athryn M iller A nderson

zjmiller@austin.rr.com

It's interesting that Dave Parker keeps running

Parenthood Federation of America.

into Marschall Runge, who is a big shot Mud Phud Kathryn Miller Anderson reported, “Larry and I are now

cardiologist at UNC, serving as executive dean at the

grandparents for the second time! Our daughter, Nancy

UNC School of Medicine (Mud Phud is how Ph.D.s

1976

Meador ’04 and her husband, Frédéric Grandgeorges,

lovingly refer to M.D./Ph.D.s).

K im Fairey

kim.fairey@gmail.com

have a new baby, Thomas Gabriel Grandgeorges. He was born May 23, 2013, in Versailles, France. Jennifer and Dee Meador ’70 are also grandparents, and Emily

1973

Meador ’00 is Thomas' aunt. Other relatives of Thomas

doug anderson

are Margaret Miller Pierce ’72, Tom Miller ’77, Rachel

dlalaw@hotmail.com

Walker ’04, and Ricky Meador Walker ’68. Thank goodness for Skype!”

Jim Dart married David Parker on the Manhattan side

Her class Facebook page is St. Stephen's Episcopal School Class of 1976.

1977

This news is a little late, but Harvey Stearnes LaSeur

R obert E ttinger

won first place at the 2006 USA National Master’s Judo

robert@ettlaw.com

Tournament.

David Bryce wrote, “Life is good. I had to have my

of the Brooklyn Bridge on June 22. “My sister officiated, and a great party followed at a local Tribeca cafe. The

Chip Andrews wrote, “Thanks to Kevin Crawford for

prostate removed last Christmas Eve, and so far no

following week, we did it again (the party, not the

organizing a fabulous 40th reunion weekend for Class of

further problems there. Counting the step-grandkids; I

marriage) in New Orleans! Among the New Orleans

’73. And a big thank you to Kelli and Howard Reed for

am up to 10 grandkids with two more on the way. Pretty

guests were Will Dibrell, Claire McKay, and Hank

opening their home. It was great to see and catch up

good deal for a guy with only one biological child, who is

Ewert ’70! We received the best wedding present:

with so many good friends. Sorry Doug Anderson could

single and living in Anchorage, Alaska! The secret is that

Between our two events, the U.S. Supreme Court

not make it, and we hope he gets well soon.”

I married well; I got four daughters in the deal. It's fun

overturned the Defense of Marriage Act!”

to see the old gang on Facebook, too. Spoke with Steve Lawlis last fall. Unsurprisingly, he is the head of the

Larry Jones wrote, “Thanks Kathryn ... you preceded

Scott & White clinic here in Georgetown.”

Facebook and remain more effective.”

Dan Richards lives in Austin, and he and his wife, Linda, have two children who are students at St. Stephen’s.

30

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

Spartan Magazine

1978

1980

Would you like to be the Class Rep? We need one for

M iles W right

your class.

miles@veatchwright.com

Leslie McCulloch has retired after 29 years as a special education teacher. “Lots more fun times ahead!”

1981 C harlotte S tuckey B righam

Mike Moreman has been living in Del Rio and making

charlotteesbrigham@yahoo.com

furniture. He is married to Sarah, and they have a son

E rica P eters S tafford

and a daughter, both in high school.

Erica.Stafford@bvcpa.com

Kathryn Bills Albright was “sorry to have missed the

Holly Nitch Reed reported that she is “so proud of my

Reunion this year. I am still in Fort Worth at Kids Who

second generation ‘lifer’ Spartans, Harrison Reed ’12

Care Musical Theatre ... have been there almost 14

and Mary Beth Reed ’10! Harrison is a sophomore at

years now! My baby is at Texas State University, so I am

UT Austin, and Mary Beth is a senior at Harvard. I'm

adjusting to that empty nest thing! It is not too bad! I

still adjusting to not being a St. Stephen's parent. Our

would love to hear from old friends.”

families spent a combined 28 years at SSES! I work for Holly Reed Photography, producing business and ad

1979 C arroll L ively R eeser

carroll@reeser.net

photos, and I have a very demanding boss.” Wink, wink.

Brewster Memorial Cross Dedication

1982

The St. Stephen’s community gathered along-

W endy W hite Naughton

Lisa Rhodes “retired from full time teaching at Temple

wendy.naughton@gmail.com

University in December 2011, and Trisha and I moved to Durham, NC, in November 2012. We became engaged

Jon Schwartz said, “This has been an exciting year of

soon after, and we’re getting married, after 18 years of

reconnecting with St. Stephen's as both my son Jack

unwedded bliss, in September 2014. We’ve chosen a place

and my niece Zibby are boarding juniors. I would love to

on Maryland’s Eastern Shore to have a small ceremony.

hear from my classmates, if any of my fellow 50-year-old

It’s a shame we can’t marry in our own backyard, but

alumni would like to reach out.”

there you have it. I had dinner with Kal Silverberg when he passed through town earlier in the year. I was also

side returning alumni and friends during the school’s annual Reunion Weekend to dedicate a new Brewster Memorial Cross. In attendance were a bevy of alumni from 62 years of graduating classes, as well as members of the Brewster family, who came to honor the founding head of school and monument’s namesake, the Rev. William Brewster.

“As we are gathered here surrounding this

able to spend some time with Anita Montgomery in

1983

February, just before she passed. I was also able to catch

L aura M ears M irecki

up with her daughters Carolyn Montgomery ’82 and

llynnmir@aol.com

Eliza Montgomery Zimmerman ’76. Anita and I had been doing lunch on a pretty regular basis while I was living in

Laura Mears Mirecki said, “Awesome! sums up the

Philly, especially after Tad died. I attended her memorial

gathering of the class of 1983! Charles Chamberlain

ceremony, where I saw Stephen Becker ’77. She was a

hosted this year's Class of 1983 get-together, as he met

lovely person who was very kind and patient with me, and

up with fellow classmates during Reunion weekend. On

I will miss her terribly. I know I speak for many of us when

Friday night classmates enjoyed meeting up at Hotel

I say that my life would’ve been very different if Mr. and

San Jose and continued the fun with a late breakfast at

Mrs. M. hadn’t been a part of it.”

Magnolia Cafe. Alumni who showed up at the festivities were Tim Bostick, Grant Little III, Jenny Willigrod,

Mark Cooper wrote that “after the faculty-guided hike

Claire Smith, Sara Walser, Nancy Garrison, Elise Owen

and lunch at Reunion on Saturday, Maureen and I took

McClain, Kyria Sabin, and Pam Richards Watts.

the trail behind the fields, straight down to the Gulch.

Water was cascading throughout. Nice!”

The Rev. Will Brewster ’51

Other classmates in attendance were Charles Chamberlain, Sarah Buttrey, Amy Hawkins Crawford,

Chris Smith has been “enjoying my work with the

Ty Johnson, Wendell Smith, Briggs Donaldson, Rob

investment banking firm of Taylor DeJongh. My favorite

Woodard, Mike Dalton, Laura Malarkey, Kyria Sabin,

client is a short line railroad company, and I spent the

and Eliza Graham.

day today touring a rail yard up in Hershey, Pa. Kal Silverberg, I thought about you a lot today. How cool is

Alumni that we heard from, but who were not able to

this? Playing in a rail yard for work.”

attend, were Caroline Blake Faris, Joanne Sondock,

simple but elegant cross, let us remember it represents a vision,” said the Rev. Will Brewster ’51. “It is a vision of a Christianity that looks beyond nation, state and church to the Creator of all for wisdom. Thanks be to God that we live in a country that allows free expression of our faith and the faiths of all who come to our shores and this school. May this cross be the beacon of light to all.”

The new 8-foot beveled cross, made of Texas Sunset Red Granite, is an exact replica of the original cross from the 1950s that was damaged during relocation to the school’s Memorial Garden approximately 15 years ago. A wooden replacement stood in its place until late August, when the new granite cross was installed in its proper place, overlooking the Hill Country on the west edge of campus near the Chapel. The new granite cross was made possible by funds from Make It Happen.

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alumn i n ews

Winter 2014

Ann Hardesty, Emilie Talbot, John Knapp, Claire

1985

Amy Chanmugam is assistant professor at the University

Fortenberry Gahlen, Kirk Florence, Maggie Tucker,

L ibbie Walker A nsell

of Texas at San Antonio in the department of social work.

Kristi Lem Albrecht, Tim Corwin, Sherri Rivera, Fay

libbieansell@gmail.com

Miranda Grieder taught architecture and interior design courses as a visiting assistant professor at the University

Taylor, the Rev. David Sugeno and Brent Stahl.

of Southern Mississippi for five years. She recently

On a sad note, the Class of 1983 extends its sympathies

1986

to the family members of Dean Towner on his passing.

E mily H ummel

some time growing her own sustainable design business.

We remember him fondly.”

emhumm76@yahoo.com

She wrote, "The highlight of a typical day is to walk my

changed course to finish her licensing exams and spend

9-year-old son to school. I look forward to the next trip The highlight of Wendell Smith's reunion visit to

Mei Lisa Luther Thompson “had an amazing time

to Vermont or Austin to see family and, of course, my

St. Stephen’s in October was introducing his nephew, Pat

celebrating the marriage of Carey Gunn to Eric Venditti

dear SSES friends.”

Smith, currently a new St. Stephen’s junior, to the joys of

in Paris, France, this past June! Wendy Pollan Burgy,

hiking the Gulch, with enough water in it to swim!

Carey and I toasted to longtime friendships and kick-ass

1984

destination weddings. Getting older is not so bad.”

1987

Carey and Eric were married on June 15, 2013.

C atherine H oey R andall

caterandall@sbcglobal.net

S u z anne C antarino P feiffer

After all these years, the creative collaborations from

Suzanne@pf2realty.com

Miranda Grieder and Amy Gardiner Chanmugam

Jenny Shepherd reported that “Katie, my oldest

continue. They combined their expertise in architecture

daughter, just began 6th grade at St Stephen's. She loves

After 15 years of being a stay-at-home mom, Susan

and social work to publish research in the Journal of

it, and I love being around the school again. There are

McCrary Gretzinger wrote that she is back in a

Aggression, Maltreatment, & Trauma. Their article,

other alumni children in 6th grade with her: children of

Montessori classroom. “I spend my days with 3 to 6 year

“Applying Environmental Psychology in the Design

Chris Breckwoldt ’86, Shannon Wong ’85 and Ellen

olds and my afternoon/evenings being taxi driver/mom

of Domestic Violence Shelters,” asserts that a more

Osborne Ray ’86. We all graduated around the same time.”

to my four active kids (ages 15 to 6 years). It's crazy busy,

thoughtful, integrated design process can lead to

but I know it will be over way too soon ... time is just

shelters that feel less like crowded institutional

Ning and Jeff Gilman have two very cute and sweet

passing so quickly. Surely, our 30th is not next year!”

living and instead offer an emotionally supportive

daughters who are in kindergarten.

environment. It's an impressive read. Kudos, gals!

Remembering Ian Hanks ’00 During his time at St. Stephen's Ian Hanks ’00 made a lasting impression on his fellow classmates. Last fall, Tracey Herman Shababo ’00 led the charge along with Mike Murphy, Ian's adviser and chair of the Classics Department, to create a lasting remembrance of Ian on The Hill. Members of the classes of 1999, 2000 and 2001 contributed generously to place a bench with a plaque honoring Ian under the trees near the Brewster Memorial garden. Murphy recently reflected, “I think that many of us would like to have a place to sit and quietly recall that life-savoring grin and find some inspiration in how Ian lived his life.” Thanks to his classmates and the greater St. Stephen's community, Ian's legacy now will live on in the hearts of Spartans and on The Hill.

32

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

Spartan Magazine

1988

1989

visit our LinkedIn company page. You can also visit our

M ark R owe

L aura S canlan C ho

recently redesigned website at www.paytroniks.com.”

markrowe@henna.com

lcho@vervelabs.com

Kim Ballard Ray told us that the class’s 25th Reunion

Jenny Cook wrote, “I am happy to report that I have

1991

was really fun. Holly and Jimmy Bohart hosted a party

published my first book, “The Heart of Annie,” which can

L i z F leming P owell

at their home. Eric Romberg and Barb Davis won the

be downloaded from Amazon. I am publishing under my

lz.powell@gmail.com

Class of 1988 Annual Fund Raffle. “The goodie bags

grandmother's maiden name for a number of reasons,

were filled with all things St. Stephen's! Thank you to

not the least of which is the dream that one day the

all the classmates who participated.”

book will be nestled on a shelf in between

1992

Horton's and Shelby's.” Her nom de plume is J. S. Foote.

M onica P owe N elson

Jeff Norrell said he is still with Westinghouse after almost 15 years and has recently relocated back to

giantmonsterprincess@gmail.com

Columbia, SC, after spending a few years located just

1990

Andres Gutierrez reported, “We're in the process

outside of Pittsburgh, Pa. "I’m currently the director of

J oseph F ris z

of opening our second kidney dialysis center in

product engineering, responsible for design, testing,

friszman@yahoo.com

Queretaro, Mexico (two hours north of Mexico City) and building our third facility in San Miguel de Allende,

analysis and performance of pressurized water reactor fuel designs used around the globe. Before that, I was

Joe Frisz wrote, “I recently moved to the Dallas area

a popular U.S. tourist and retiree destination. It's

responsible for the quality performance across our

and relaunched my consulting company. Formerly known

safe to say that the core values instilled in me at St.

global manufacturing base. While I don’t miss all of the

as Global PayMobility, the company is now known as

Stephen's — mind, body, spirit — have been essential

snow from Pittsburgh, it’s also nice to not be traveling

Paytroniks and continues to dedicate itself to developing

ingredients in forming and growing a successful

as much as I did in my last role. When someone asks

products and strategies in emerging products, specifically

business … and one that helps a lot of people in need!”

you where you live and you reply, ‘the Atlanta airport,’

mobile payments and prepaid cards. Our services are

you’re on the road too much.”

tailor-made for clients to become leaders in their product offering and target markets. To keep up to date, please

The Class of 1993 celebrates their 20th reunion

www.sstx.org

33

alumn i n ews

Winter 2014

Caption

Mary Wommack Barton ’00, Valerie Herd Parker ’00 with daughter Avery, Leigh Jorgeson ’02, Natasha Barker, Emily Meador ’00, Dee Meador ’70 holding granddaughter Tati, Kathryn Miller Anderson ’71 and Rachel Walker ’04

1993

1995

1996

Davis B aldwin

R hea B enbow T homas

E li z abeth A nne S ykes R ains

dbaldwin@austin.rr.com

rheathomas@tx.rr.com

earains_lpc@yahoo.com

B eth C ockerham M ack

S hannon P owers F lahive

Davis Baldwin reported that 30 Spartans returned to

bcockerham@hotmail.com

spowers1@austin.rr.com

the scene of their senior party at the Baldwin's house

S eth A lley , sethalley@msn.com

20 years later to celebrate the Class of 1993. Margaritas

A nn S trauser Palmer

were enjoyed by all!

annstrauser@hotmail.com H awkins L i

Julie Flahive “had a wonderful time at our 20th reunion

hli3@yahoo.com

this past weekend. We had a nice tour of the campus, which is looking great with all its new buildings. I had a

John Pitts and his wife, Lesley, were thrilled to welcome

great time reconnecting with my former classmates.”

their third child, Caroline Drake Pitts, into the world this past March. With twin 4-year-old siblings, Caroline

JohnPaul Vaughn Lannon was born June 23, 2013, to Matthew and Annamari Anthony Lannon. He is happy and healthy and enjoys time with his older brother, Lennox. Annamari is vice president of Allie Beth Allman and Associates in Dallas.

Isaac Grombacher said, “Reunion was great! So cool to

quickly has learned that a relaxed demeanor is helpful

1997

go back to the Baldwin house 20 years after our graduation!”

for survival. In other news, John, based in Austin,

C ameron B eesley

continues to develop and contract utility solar power

lears_fool@hotmail.com

Nicole Levy reported, “My husband, Stephen, and I

plants for SunPower Corp.

celebrated our baby's (Marcia Elizabeth) first birthday recently and also moved.”

Beth Cockerham Mack “welcomed our second boy this August. Henry Gene Mack was born on Aug. 5. He and

1994

his big brother Owen are doing well.”

Campbell Horton Sullivan and Ryan Sullivan welcomed their second child, George Loren Sullivan, on Sept. 17, 2013.

Their daughter, Beatrice, is very excited to be a big sister. Campbell is finishing her fellowship in clinical

G retchen C onnally D oyle

Steve Driver is still living in Spring with his wife, Ashlie,

neuropsychology at Johns Hopkins Hospital and will

gconnally@gmail.com

and their three children, Madeline (10), Travis (8) and

join the faculty at Sinai Hospital here in Baltimore

Elise (5). Steve works as assistant district attorney in

in February. Ryan is finishing law school at George

Congratulations to Marty Beard-Duncan and husband,

Harris County. As an ADA, Steve handles serious felony

Washington and this summer will begin a career as a

Michael "Tex" Duncan, who welcomed a son, Theodore

cases. This year Steve became cubmaster for his son's

litigator at Goodell, DeVries, Leech & Dann in Baltimore.

James “Tad” Duncan on Sept. 25, 2013.

Cub Scout pack.

Misty Hornbeck Stroder and her husband had a little girl, Elizabeth, in July! “That's our biggest news.”

34

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

Spartan Magazine

of 6.5 years, Sergio Vasquez, proposed to me on the

winter I will coach JV soccer with Jonah O'Hara, and

Alpine Loop trail near Mt. Timpanogas in Salt Lake

in the spring it will be lacrosse with both the Upper

Jared H ockema

City. He surprised me and proposed in the exact spot

School and Middle School. I live in south Austin with

jhockema@mac.com

where we had carved our initials on an aspen tree

my radical girlfriend Kana and have a good-timing

several years ago. Our two French bulldogs, Sterling

band called The Bonfire Choir. I'll let you know when

and Bubba, were there to witness.”

we have some recordings together, hopefully early

1998

1999 B ecky H ollis D iffen

Becky@beckyanddaniel.com Don’t forget to join the Class of ’99 Facebook group.

2000

next year.”

Melissa Stratton Potapova wrote, “Husband Denis, daughter Eleanora and I officially moved all of our stuff and ourselves to London in October. So far, I’m still

2003

excited every time it rains (the drawbacks of having

W ynn M yers

lived in a drought for two years in Houston prior to our

wynnmyers@gmail.com

move). We’re loving it here and learning all about cold weather and rain boots.”

traceyherman@gmail.com

Jordan Walker received her M.B.A. from Kellogg School of Management in June and joined the Dallas

T racey H erman S hababo

Will Ikard and his wife and daughter are loving living

office of Bain & Company as a consultant in September.

on a farm in rural, mid-coast Maine.

Alexis Knepp wrote, “It's been a little over six years

On Aug. 28, 2013, Emily Meador adopted Tatiana Barker-Meador! Present for the joyous occasion were

Tracey Herman Shababo left the New York City Ballet

since I moved to NYC, but I still am loving life in the

Mary Wommack Barton, Valerie Herd Parker with

after six years to spend more time with baby July. She

Big Apple! Last spring I started a new job at Ross

daughter Avery, Leigh Jorgeson ’02 (who was one of the lawyers), Natasha Barker, Emily, grandfather Dee Meador ’70 holding baby Tati, grandmother Kathryn Miller Anderson ’71, and aunt Rachel Walker ’04. The Judge was Tim Sulak, whose daughter Sarah Jane Sulak

now works part time for the TV show “The Following” with Kevin Bacon (yes, she is now only one degree from Kevin Bacon) and part time teaching 5- to 8-yearold girls to sew. Tracey and family are planning a move next summer so that Ben can pursue a Ph.D.

is a member of the Class of 2003!

2001 Andy Barclay and his wife, Ashley Hamilton Barclay,

J uliet F rerking

have a new son, John Anderson Barclay V. He was born

frerking@gmail.com

three weeks early on Sept. 16, 2013, at 6 pounds, 12 ounces. “We love this boy!”

Lindsay Baldwin Porter has been “doing great! Had a baby on April 28, 2013, Charles Revel Porter II. I am

Alexis Asher “fought for a world title July 31 in Thailand and lost a decision, but went all 10 rounds and was on Thai National television. I am also getting married this March at Deer Valley in Utah. Life is good!”

teaching Montessori elementary and living with my husband, Don, on the north shore of Long Island.”

Kari McDonald Helm wrote, “My husband, Jeff, and I welcomed David Joshua Helm on June 30, 2013. He was 6 pounds, 6 ounces and was 20 1/4 inches.”

Baylee R. Wilkins reported, “In January, I began working for Grant Thornton LLP, one of the largest

2002

international public accounting firms, out of their Salt

K ean T onetti

Lake City office. Also, on Sept. 28, 2013, my boyfriend

stonetti@gmail.com

Kean Tonetti has been “working at Rice University and really enjoying living in Houston. I’m in the Resource

Denver Alumni Reception

Colorado Academy, Sept. 18, 2013

Development office and am director of development for California, so I have to fly out there once or twice a

Top: Charlotte Commons, James Commons,

month to visit with alumni and parents.”

Elizabeth Henna ’87, Lou Porter Bailey ’71, Emilia Keller, Sed Keller ’95, Katherine Bailey ’05

Ashley and Andy Barclay IV ’00 holding Andy V

Andrew Crosby wrote that he is “currently working

and John Dulles ’61 Bottom: Mike Davis, Paige

part time as a contractor on an environmentally

Bennett ’07, Sed Keller ’95, Emilia Keller,

sustainable home just outside Austin in Oak Hill and

Katherine Bailey ’05, Anna Murphy ’01, Kate

part time as a coach at St. Stephen's. Dean Mohlman

Burrow Rupp ’01 and Andy Rupp

and I run the Middle School football program. In the

www.sstx.org

35

alumn i n ews

Winter 2014

The wedding party of Natalie Blankenship ’08 and Ryan Wolfe ’08

Dress for Less. I am working as an associate buyer in

2005

ladies sportswear. This summer I took my first overseas

R achel K at z , rpk228@gmail.com

product development trip to Hong Kong! It was a great

S harina L offlad , s_shaw_2000@yahoo.com

experience, and I am excited to go back to Hong Kong in January. In addition to my work travels, I toured St.

John Dougherty has been “spending my final year of

Petersburg and Moscow this summer and will spend

law school in London completing an L.L.M. degree

Christmas with my family.”

in international law as part of a joint degree between

2004

Amber Hampton has been living and working in New York City for the past two years. She just completed her first marathon — the New York Marathon — on Nov. 3 in four hours and 14 minutes!

Columbia and the University College London. Loving

2006

London so far!”

Selina Strasburger

selina.strasburger@gmail.com

B rian K aufman

Patrick Ray “had a great time at Reunion attending

brian.r.kaufman@gmail.com

Mr. Mikan's astrophysics class and chatting with my old friend Ms. Kathi Murphy. I've been living in Odessa,

S arah C romwell

sarahcromwell@aol.com

Drew Harrison “has accepted a position at the world

where I'm from, and working in Midland as an engineer

renowned Industrial Light & Magic in San Francisco,

at Trace Engines. I get to build and test big turbocharged

Ca. They are one of the world's leading visual effects

V8 aircraft engines for a living! I've been playing music

companies and are known for popular films such as

around town and down in the Big Bend area with my

the Star Wars series. I will be working on many highly

girlfriend Laura (also an engineer), and we've been

Norwegian Getaway. The show is “The Illusionarium,”

anticipated feature films that will premier as early as

having a blast! We are headed next month to the Andes

which is an ultra-high tech magic experience.

next fall!” Congratulations, Drew!

of Argentina for some volunteer work and wine. Where

Mallory Boyle and Thomas Frakes ’05 are enjoying

Nyssa Peele finished her master’s degree in the arts of Europe from Christie’s Education. “Enjoyed a wonderful year abroad and traveled by train from London to

Matt Blankenship has been “working as a record

Athens. Upon returning to the States, I completed

producer and musician in Los Angeles, scoring films,

my thesis that reflects specific imagery on 4th and

the band ‘Disco Dust.’ Missing Austin but doing what I love to do every day, so I can't complain.”

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

launching the flagship show for the brand new ship, the

blows....”

commercials and video games, as well as performing in

36

for Norwegian Cruise Line. He is currently in Germany

from there depends on which way the Patagonian wind living and working in San Antonio (... and visiting Austin as much as possible).

Travis Brendle is a resident production stage manager

5th century BC Greek pottery. Now I am a project coordinator at Q2 ebanking.”

Spartan Magazine

John McKetta works as a member of three theater

Chantal Strasburger “has officially moved to

companies, based in Los Angeles, New York and

Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and has been interning at

Barcelona. He recently was made theater editor for the

NYLON magazine for the last three months in the

LA Review of Books. He lives in Los Angeles.

Mary Byars is in her second year at Harvard Law School, where she is president of the Texas Club.

Sarah Cromwell Sheppard got married in August to

Spring 2014 Campus Events

fashion, marketing and editorial department. She also has rented studio space nearby and is continuing to work on her ceramic figure sculptures. While her passion definitely lies within the fashion industry, she is still figuring out in exactly what area she wants to pursue a career. Stay tuned!”

Avery Sheppard. The two reside in Houston, where Sarah

Johann Botha recently graduated from George

is a second grade teacher and Avery is a lawyer.

Washington University and is currently working for a startup building a bitcoin exchange platform called

2007 A nne B uckthal , anne.buckthal@gmail.com C ole A rledge , arledge@fas.harvard.edu

Coinsetter in NYC and living in Brooklyn.

2010 C arlotta G ar z a , carlotta.garza@gmail.com O mar Yaghi , omaryaghi2@gmail.com

2008

Ryann Y oung , rhy9@cornell.edu

A manda K ushner

akk53@cornell.edu

2011

Amanda has set up a Facebook group for the class called

L indsay R edman, llredman@olemiss.edu

St. Stephen's Class of 2008.

G ray T wombly, Twombly.Gray@gmail.com H enry S ikes , WHSikes1@gmail.com

Kristine Cruz is a first-year law student at SMU.

A lia Yahgi , ayaghi@stanford.edu

Natalie Blankenship and Ryan Wolfe were married on

Madeleine Jones is “a junkie at Vanderbilt University

June 8, 2013, in the same Dallas church where Natalie’s parents were married 30 years before. Natalie’s siblings, Maddy Blankenship ’13, Travis Blankenship, and Matthew Blankenship ’05, were in the bridal party, as

studying elementary education. I'll be student teaching and starting the job hunt next year. I'm also serving as vice president in charge of intellectual development of my sorority, Alpha Chi Omega.”

were Blaire Metcalfe, Stephanie Collins, Lisa Collins ’07, Katherine Bell and George Jackson. Natalie formed the firm New Digital Strategies about two years ago. Ryan

2012 Helen Elizabeth Old, helenelizabeth1@me.com

works in investment banking and private equities. They

C aroline P ringle , caroline.pringle@yale.edu

live in Dallas.

Jake P olitte , jake.politte@rocketmail.com Y osua A diyasa , yosua.adiyasa@hotmail.com

2009 J. J. B otha

jjbotha@gwmail.gwu.edu C hantal S trasburger

chantal.strasburger@gmail.com

After graduating from Washington and Lee with a B.S.

Helen Elizabeth Old said, “This has been a great semester for me at UVA in terms of really starting to settle in and find my place. This summer I had the privilege of joining the Spartan Runners in their preseason training, even though I was never part of the team as a student at SSES. I am gearing up to run my first half marathon. I just declared an English major and am really enjoying school and all of the connections

in biochemistry in May, Caki Buckthal moved to Chapel

to my St. Stephen's syllabus in my classes at UVA

Hill, NC, to attend pharmacy school. “I hope to eventually

this semester! It has also been exciting to serve as an

practice as a clinical pharmacist. During my free time,

investigator for our University Judiciary Committee and

I train for marathons and will hopefully complete my

see student self-governance in action.

March 10-21 Spring Break March 7 & May 24 School Night at the Observatory March 28 Grand Day April 12 Spring Swing Gala April 18-21 Easter Holiday Break May 23 5 pm Baccalaureate May 24 9:30 am Upper School Graduation May 30 8:30 am Middle School Graduation For more information about specific calendar events, visit www.sstx.org/mysses.

second full marathon next week.” Good luck, Caki!

www.sstx.org

37

alumn i n ews

Winter 2014

Through my involvements as a program director with Adopt a Grandparent at a local nursing home and becoming more involved with my sorority, it has been a joy to become more immersed in student life both on the grounds and in the community. I am constantly reminded of my experiences and lessons on The Hill, and miss everyone so much!”

2013 James Carter, jamestevecarter@gmail.com L isa N ordhauser , lisa.nordhauser@gmail.com

Olivia Dell has been “in South Africa studying public health and working with hospice ... I'm heading to India in a week to study education, then to Thailand to study sustainable agriculture, then Ecuador for environmental science.”

In Me m o riam Lawrence G. Heppes ’53 Lawrence Geoffroy Heppes, age 78, passed away on June 16, 2013, in San Antonio, Texas. Larry graduated in 1957 from Sewanee University, where he played basketball and studied business. He was an elder at Wayside Chapel for many years and led Bible study fellowship for over six years. He owned and operated the Scripture Stall for 38 years; he loved to sell books and Bibles and share Jesus with anyone and everyone that walked in. Larry was a loving, involved father and grandfather and will be greatly missed.

Elliott Bradford Roberts III ’62 Brad Roberts died Aug. 28, 2013, in Austin, Texas, from unexpected complications brought on by cancer. He was 68 years old. Brad was born on Feb. 8, 1945, in the small mining town of Newgulf, Texas. Following World War II, Brad and his family made their way to Brownsville, Texas, where he spent much of his life.

It was there he met his first wife, Stella Jane Wiech, and raised his two children, Elizabeth and Elliott. Brad went to boarding school at St. Stephen's in Austin.

Upon graduating from St. Stephen's, he attended the University of Texas at Austin and received his B.A. in accounting. Although he subsequently earned his CPA, Brad was not an accountant at heart. His passion was automobiles; he spent much of his life racing, repairing and (occasionally) wrecking them, and was actively involved in Texas Spokes and the Sports Car Club of America. Brad also had a lifelong dedication to ensuring the success of his family ranch, the Circle X Ranch, in Rio Hondo, Texas. Above all, Brad was a

38

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

Shair Ahmed ’12 (as Nixon), Payton Broaddus ’12, Wallis Goodman and Jack Albright ’12 father. After Stella passed in 1984, Brad devoted all of

Lynn Duecker, while working on a volunteer project with

his time and energy to his children, often at the expense

the Midland Jaycees. They married on May 20, 1989,

of his own career advancements and personal interests.

and had two beautiful, intelligent and hard-working

There was no question that he loved his kids more than

children together, Taylor and Jon. Richard’s proudest

anything else in life. After ensuring his children made

achievement in life was being the best parent he could

the successful transition into adulthood, Brad met his

be and raising Taylor and Jon to be happy, healthy

second wife, Stephanie (Moni) Wells, with whom he

and independent young adults who always knew they

lived in Sunset Valley, Texas. It was there he became a

were loved unconditionally. Richard and Siri enjoyed

devoted grandfather and step-father.

24 wonderful years of marriage together and enjoyed traveling together. Richard was a true romantic and

Faye Blaire Chasseuil ’73

surprised Siri with a trip to Las Vegas on their 10th

Faye Blair Chasseuil passed away unexpectedly at her

anniversary to renew their wedding vows at the Little

home in Houston on May 25, 2013. She was born on Dec.

White Chapel while being serenaded by “Elvis.” Richard

21, 1954, to Alfred and Constance Blair in Houston. She

was happiest spending time with his family and friends,

will be missed by her friends and classmates from St.

particularly rooting on his Cowboys and Longhorns.

Stephen’s.

Richard truly treasured his friends and family and worked hard at maintaining the bonds and friendships.

Richard Keith Langston ’77 Richard Keith Langston passed away peacefully on July

Robert F. Foster Jr.

27, 2013, in Dallas after a long and courageous battle to

Robert Francis Foster Jr., age 86, passed away on May 21,

recover from transplant surgery. Richard was born in

2013, in Austin following a brief illness. Born in Concord,

Midland on Sept. 29, 1959. He attended Robert E. Lee

Mass., on June 2, 1926, Bob was educated at the Fenn

High School, but graduated from St. Stephen’s Episcopal

School in Concord and graduated from Middlesex School

School. He began his college studies at Trinity University

in 1944. He enrolled at Harvard College in 1944, but his

in San Antonio and went on to earn bachelor’s degrees

academic career was interrupted by a stint in the U.S.

in economics and real estate finance from the University

Navy, where he served as a radio technician during

of Texas at Austin. Richard worked as a commercial

World War II. Following his naval service, Bob returned to

property manager in Austin before moving back to

Harvard, where he earned his A.B. in physics in 1949. Bob

Midland to join Langston Realtors Inc. as vice president

met Priscilla Frances Landry on a blind date sailing on the

of relocation services. After working in real estate for a

Charles River. The couple was married soon thereafter.

number of years, he became an independent insurance

For their honeymoon, Bob and Priscilla traveled to

agent. Richard dearly loved his maternal grandparents,

Austin, where they had both been offered positions at St.

Joel D. and Edith Starnes. He met the love of his life, Siri

Stephen's Episcopal School, which had opened its doors

Spartan Magazine

two years earlier. Bob taught math and later worked as

as happy as when he would receive a new puzzle or

and her husband, Neil; Liz and her husband, Dennis;

the school's business manager before retiring after 44

gadget or when he learned about some new invention.

Ann and her partner, Allan; as well as John and his wife,

years of service. He was a lifelong baseball fanatic and

Until the end of his life, Bob maintained a child's sense

Lynn, and their children, Bryce and Adam. Memorial

served as coach of the Spartan baseball team through

of curiosity and wonder. He also was a master bridge

contributions may be made to the Priscilla and Robert

numerous winning seasons; St. Stephen’s baseball

player. In later years, Bob developed a hearty interest

Foster Financial Aid Endowment.

diamond, Foster Field, was named in his honor.

in genealogy, tracing his family roots back to the 14th century in Ireland. Bob and Priscilla both loved travel

Dolly D. Harrell

Although he loved the adventure and romance of his

and hauled a much-loved Airstream trailer throughout

Dolly D. Harrell, age 96, died in Austin on Aug. 7, 2013,

rough-and-tumble adopted home state, Bob remained

the United States with their four children each summer.

of age-related causes. Born in Smithville, the seventh

a Yankee at heart. He never replaced anything without

He and his family also enjoyed time at their cabin in

and youngest child of James and Josephine Harrell,

trying to fix it, often using ingenious and improbable

Ruidoso, NM, where Bob could often be found watching

she earned a scholarship to Baylor College, where

ways. He loved cars, often very obscure ones such

the hummingbirds and the Red Sox. He was a quiet,

she majored in Spanish. After she graduated in 1937,

as the Hillman Imp, and he tinkered with all of them

funny and unassuming man who loved his wife, Priscilla,

she embarked on a 45-year career teaching Spanish,

incessantly. He loved gizmos of all kinds and was never

their friends and their family. He will be missed by Cate

including 21 years at Alamo Heights in San Antonio, nine

Foster Tree Ceremony A highlight of Reunion 2013 was the dedication on The Hill of a newly planted tree given by the Foster family in memory of St. Stephen’s pioneers, Priscilla and Bob Foster.

Their children Cate Foster Ormond, Liz Foster ’72, John Foster ’74 and Ann Foster ’75 attended the event.

The Fosters came to St. Stephen’s in 1951, as the last stop on their honeymoon and stayed for 44 years. Priscilla was head of the Middle School and also taught physical education and science. Bob served as the school’s business manager, coached baseball and football, and taught math and physics.

Following opening prayers by the Rev. Todd FitzGerald, school chaplain, Cate Ormond dedicated the tree, and Ann Foster read a poem. Lou Porter Bailey ’71 then gave a short talk about Priscilla, and Bob Turpin ’57 spoke about Bob. The ceremony ended with a rousing rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” as the Fosters were big Boston Red Sox fans. It should be noted that just a couple of weeks after the ceremony, the Red Sox won the World Series!

www.sstx.org

39

alumn i n ews

Winter 2014

served as college advisor. In 1963 he married Velberta Asher Millerick, and their home on campus welcomed students, colleagues and alumni for the next 22 years. Alumni of the school happily remember receiving a card from him every year on their birthdays until his retirement in 1985.

During sabbatical leaves and after retirement, Dean and Bert taught English at Episcopal schools in Osaka, Japan.

At that time they were instrumental in establishing an exchange program between St. Andrew’s High School, Osaka, and Episcopal schools in the United States. Dean also served as a member and chairman of the board of Pat Fatter Black ’60, former Head of School Allen Becker, Elizabeth Becker, Bert Towner, Dean Towner and Karen Fife Payne ‘59

trustees of St. Andrew’s Episcopal School and was an enthusiastic supporter of St. James’ Episcopal School. He was preceded in death by his wife, Bert. He will long be

years at the University of Texas at Austin, and 10 years

languages and literature at Cornell University, where

remembered fondly by the legions of students he taught,

at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School. She led field trips to

he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He volunteered for

counseled and led by example. His legacy at St. Stephen’s

Monterey, Mexico, ran foreign language tournaments,

service in the U.S. Navy in 1943 and was assigned to

includes a dormitory, Towner House, named in honor of

and awarded scholarships to the National University

the USN Japanese Language School at the University of

Dean and Bert. A Requiem Eucharist was celebrated in the

of Mexico. Hundreds of her students were statewide

Colorado–Boulder, where he was trained as a translator

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School Chapel on Dec. 7, 2013, and

leaders in the Pan American Student Forum of Texas.

and interpreter. He served until 1946 as a Lieutenant

his ashes were interred in the Memorial Garden. Memorial

Her cutting-edge work in teaching language with films,

USNR in Naval Intelligence, stationed in Hawaii,

contributions may be made to the Velberta and Dean

newscasts and music led in 1963 to her position as

Okinawa and Japan. Dean began his church school

Towner Endowment for Fine Arts or the Dean H. Towner

director of the audio-lingual program in Spanish at the

career at St. Mark’s School in Southborough, Mass.,

Master Teaching Chair Endowment at St. Stephen’s or

University of Texas, where she helped create a closed-

and in 1950 became a founding member of the faculty

to the scholarship funds of St. Andrew’s or St. James’

circuit television network for classrooms and labs in

of St. Stephen’s, where he taught Latin and Greek and

Episcopal Schools.

colleges and universities throughout Texas. In 1972 she published “Dimensiones de Espana,” a cultural-based slide and tape series. She also created Bookshelf, Encarta, the Broderbund series, and other encyclopedic media devices for assimilating Spanish. Throughout her career, her close friend and associate for 50 years was Frankie Maverick, also a teacher, who died at the age of 103 in 2003. Together they made frequent trips throughout the U.S., Mexico and beyond. Eventually they settled at the Summit at Northwest Hills in Austin, where Dolly Harrell continued to teach a Spanish class

Submissions Alumni are contacted by their class rep several times a year for news and information. For assistance contacting your class rep or to submit news directly, please contact Alumni Director Lou Porter Bailey ’71 at 512.327.1213 x112 or lbailey@sstx.org. To find your rep online, visit the Alumni page at www.

We welcome high resolution photographs with your Class Notes news summary. When you send

circle of former students, family, caregivers and friends,

a high resolution photo, please always identify

all of whom appreciated her mischievous wit, generosity

everyone in the photo, make sure we can see all

and gift for making every person feel like he or she was

faces clearly, and make sure to send a JPG format in

Dean Hamilton Towner Dean Hamilton Towner, senior master emeritus of St. Stephen’s Episcopal School died peacefully on Nov. 5, 2013, at the age of 94. A native of Saranac Lake, NY, Dean was born on May 20, 1919, and earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in classical

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St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

Like us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/StStephensAlumni Join our Facebook alumni group at: www.facebook.com/groups/8735891587

sstx.org/mysses.

until 2011, and where she held court with an admiring

her favorite.

Join Your Classmates Online

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Printed submissions may be mailed to: Spartan magazine St. Stephen’s Episcopal School 6500 St. Stephen’s Drive Austin, TX 78746

Spartan magazine editors reserve the right to edit or omit any information submitted.

unity

behind our Annual Giving fund drive has steadily grown over the years, creating both

a powerful giving community at St. Stephen’s and an exceptional school. Because these two forces go hand in hand —

the strength of giving and the success of our school — we are grateful for each and every gift.

St. Stephen’s offers opportunities that far exceed those at other schools. And we do this by unifying around the Annual Giving campaign. Tuition is kept low in order to allow a greater number of students and their families access to a St. Stephen’s education. Annual Giving also helps us close the gap between tuition income and actual operating costs.

Our students benefit directly from your generosity and your ongoing interest in our school. The world class facilities and grounds, the exceptional faculty, and the significant St. Stephen’s extras all come from the generosity of our community during the Annual Giving campaign.

If you make one gift to St. Stephen’s, please consider Annual Giving, First!

Annual Giving Leadership Volunteers Annual Giving Parent Chairs Patricia ’89 and Mark Rowe ’88 Parent Class Captains Class of 2014, 12th Grade Deborah Dunn, Gracie Renbarger, Betty Trevena Class of 2015, 11th Grade Jacquetta Feldman, Liz Mewborne Class of 2016, 10th Grade Robyn Gill, Kathy Katz Class of 2017, 9th Grade Kathy Keig, Cheryl Parra Class of 2018, 8th Grade Judy Matula, Catherine Sansbury Class of 2019, 7th Grade Angela Hashman, Chris Hicks Class of 2020, 6th Grade Janet Allen, David Kessler, Stacy Schiffman Grandparent Chairs Marcie and Louis Henna ’64 Alumni Parent Chair Peggy Manley Alumni Chair Kim Ballard Ray ’88 Trustee Advancement Chair Jesse Otto Hite Faculty/Staff Chairs Jon McCain, Virginia Talley ’97 www.sstx.org

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6500 St. Stephen’s Drive Austin, Texas 78746

If you receive multiple copies of this publication or have updated address information to share with us, please send an email to jmullinix@sstx.org.

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snapshot A view of the Texas Hill Country

from the Buddy Temple ’60 Dining Hall; photo by Andrew Pogue

non-profit org. u.s. postage paid austin, texas permit no. 2556