Spartan Magazine, Winter 2022 by St. Stephen's Episcopal School

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Winter 2022

Excellence in STEM Programming

SNAPSHOT Robotics student Davis Wallin builds a motorized electric skateboard

CONTENTS WINTER 2022

2 Head Lines 3

In Community

6 Excellence in STEM Programming 18 Spartan Life 25 Alumni News 18 head of school Christopher L. Gunnin

chief marketing and communications officer David E. Perryman, Ph.D.

managing editor Anne Marie Becka

class notes editor Michelle Geo Olmstead

graphic design Ellen Buckmaster, Bucko Design

contributors

Cynthia Bartek, Mandy Borer, Louise McNutt Brazitis ’07, Sherry Buchanan, Chris Caselli ’82, Alison Chang, Melody Harman, Danielle Horton, Juliann Johnson, Troy Lanier, Matthew Morris ’09 , Kurt Oehler ’93, David E. Perryman, Ph.D., Nicole Wortham, Ph.D. Spartan magazine is published twice a year for constituents of St. Stephen’s Episcopal School. Copyright © 2022 St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

subscription information and address changes Emily Crouch-Ponder, ecrouch-ponder@sstx.org or 512.327.1213 x158

P H OTOS COVER: App Developers Luke Murphy, Michelle Liang, Rafael Almazan and Anish Palakurthi with Nicole Wortham, Ph.D., educational technology coordinator TOC: Jorik Dammann building a robot that can solve a Rubik's cube; Emerson Yorio, Lucy Clough and Jenny Jaffe prep for their first Spartan pep rally; Students introduce our annual school-wide theme for 2021‒22: HOPE

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H E AD LIN ES

Winter 2022

ADMIRATION AND GRATITUDE

FOR LIFE ON THE HILL When the coronavirus delta variant began to surge late last summer, organizations and communities around the world tempered their expectations for the fall. Some countries reissued

train in athletic spaces, and create and perform in studios and auditoriums. As always, some of the most memorable moments are the unstructured encounters that occur spontaneously outdoors, as well as in the dining hall and at club gatherings.

lockdowns, while a number of schools and universities, hoping to return to some kind of normalcy, decided instead to reinstate

This same spirit of hard work and imagination is alive and well in

tighter protocols for the start of the academic year.

our STEM programs, which are highlighted in this issue of Spartan magazine. From participating in a global competition to remove

Thanks to the extraordinary cooperation of our school community,

carbon dioxide gas from the atmosphere, to using spaghetti and

life on The Hill for the last seven months has been wonderfully

hot glue to build, test and redesign bridge trusses, our students—

rich and full. This effort was guided by our Health Center team

under the tutelage of our outstanding teachers—continue to push

and medical advisors, brought to life through the creativity and

the limits of their imaginations while solving real-world problems

commitment of our employees and students, and bolstered by

in science, technology, engineering and math.

very high vaccination rates throughout our community along with surveillance testing, when appropriate.

My own admiration and gratitude for St. Stephen’s continues to grow daily. Ours is a remarkable school community that,

In response to the nationwide surge of the omicron variant in late

first imagined 72 years ago, has been nurtured, sustained and

2021, we shifted to remote learning for six school days in early

strengthened with intentionality and commitment. I hope the

January 2022. This brief pause in our normal operations allowed

stories that follow will give you cause to celebrate, as well as a

us to assess the health status of our school community in light of

renewed sense of pride in your connection to St. Stephen’s.

omicron and to develop a few additional safety protocols. But aside from this temporary adjustment, our school programming has

With love and prayers,

operated entirely in person thus far, and all our students are fully engaged in the programs and activities that distinguish the St. Stephen’s experience.

Chris Gunnin, Head of School

Through it all, our students and faculty have been hard at work in true Spartan fashion. We worship together in Chapel, discuss and debate in classrooms, study diligently in dorms and the library,

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

I N CO MMU N IT Y

Spartan Magazine

City of Austin Begins Construction on Fire/EMS Station on Edge of Campus

s part of its efforts to improve fire department and emergency medical services (EMS) response times, the City of Austin recently embarked on a program to build new joint fire/EMS stations in

five areas identified as having immediate needs for better coverage. These five areas include Del Valle/Moore’s Crossing, Travis Country, Loop 360/ Davenport, Goodnight Ranch and Canyon Creek. The city approached St. Stephen’s in 2020 with a request to build a new station on campus, which offers an ideal location and ample space for the Loop 360/Davenport area. A series of discussions ensued that included the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, which owns the land on which campus is situated. As discussions progressed, city officials hosted several in-person meetings and conference calls with local community members to share proposed design plans, as well as respond to questions and concerns. According to the terms of the agreement, the city entered into a 40-year lease with the Diocese to build and operate a fire/EMS station on a two-acre plot of land located on the northeast corner of the St. Stephen’s campus. Fire and EMS vehicles will enter and exit the station directly off Westlake Drive. Construction began in December 2021 and is expected to continue for about 16 months, with no disruption to school operations and minimal, if any, impact on traffic coming into and out of school. “The safety and well-being of our school community is the primary reason that St. Stephen’s entered into this land-use partnership,” said Head of School Chris Gunnin. “The new station will ensure rapid response should an emergency happen on our campus. We also view this project as an opportunity to be a good community citizen, as it will also decrease fire/ EMS response times to residents and businesses in the area.” —david e. perryman, ph.d., chief marketing and communications officer

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I N CO MMU N IT Y

Winter 2022

MEET OUR NEW TRUSTEES “l was motivated to be part of the board to bring in a voice of a home-grown Latino of Mexican American descent. One of my primary concerns is to channel quality education and attention toward the formation of quality leaders among the youth and young adults of the Mexican American communities in Texas.” The Rev. Albert R. Rodriguez joined the board in August 2021 and serves on the governance committee. His background includes serving in Anglo and Latino parishes and social services ministries, and teaching Latino ministry competency on a national level. He is founding director of El Buen Samaritano Episcopal Mission in Austin.

“I am honored to be a community servant on the board. It is my hope that I can continue moving our legacy of diversity and inclusivity to greater heights in my position and look forward to building an even brighter future with my colleagues and St. Stephen’s family.” Yasmine Smith ’12 joined the board in August 2021 and serves on the campus committee. She is founding member and managing partner of Abundance Law PLLC, where she assists clients with business incorporation, estate and probate law, oil and gas contracts, and real estate issues. Additionally, she is director of development/partnerships and director of justice/advocacy for the Austin Area Urban League.

“I joined the board of trustees because I’ve seen firsthand the positive impact St. Stephen’s has on students. I want to help in whatever way I can to ensure the school continues to fulfill its mission.” Martin Taylor joined the board in August 2021 and serves on the finance committee. He is managing director and president of OneVista at Vista Equity Partners. Taylor sits on the Vista flagship funds’ investment committee and the private equity management committee. He is the parent of Zach ’19, Zoe ’19 and Ella ’22.

“Compassion and caring are qualities I keep close to my heart. To to be a part of the board, supporting the St. Stephen's mission of empowering students to have meaningful lives and a positive impact on society, is an honor.” Mandy Borer Parents’ Association president, joined the board in August 2021 and serves on the advancement committee. She grew up in Houston and played soccer at Texas Christian University before embarking on a career in nursing. Borer and husband Drake are parents of Hawkins ’22 and Trinity ’23.

“We all have a responsibility to do our part to ensure that as many kids as possible have access to an inspiring and transformative school experience. St. Stephen’s has been just that and more for my two children. I want to do whatever I can to pay it forward and serving on the board has given me this opportunity.” Christopher J. Oddo joined the board in 2019 and has served as executive chair since 2020. He is co-owner and managing partner of Barron, Adler, Clough and Oddo LLP. A past-president of the Austin Bar Assn., Oddo founded the Capital Area Private Defender Service, a nonprofit that provides legal services for indigent defendants. He and wife Karey Nalle Oddo ’90 are parents of Harrison ’24 and Katie ’25.

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Spartan Magazine

RECONNECTING WITH COMMUNITY The Parents’ Association (PA) is dedicated to supporting the St. Stephen’s mission, which includes a commitment to sustaining a diverse, inclusive parent organization. In support of this objective, all school parents are automatically members of the PA. We strive to create an environment in which every parent and student feels included and connected to something bigger than themselves.

Coffee Under the Trees Parents have been gathering every Friday morning for Coffee Under the Trees (CUTT) to catch up with one another, listen to guest speakers and hike together around campus. If you have not had an opportunity to stop by for coffee after morning drop-off, we hope you can soon. Big thanks to Martin Foster for hosting CUTT.

Spartan Spirit Week Spirit Week is held in September every year and includes five days of themed costumes coordinated by Middle School and Upper School students. It culminated this year with a Friday morning pep rally and scavenger hunt. After school on Friday, we had a huge turnout for the PA-sponsored Spartan Block Party and the Campus Cookout, and then wrapped up the day with multiple athletic events. The week was full of excitement, intensity, joy and Spartan spirit. Thank you to Laura Burkhart, Liz Seade, Ellen Navarre, Remi Ratliff, Katie Marye, Trevor Detling, Alison Chang and Sage Dining Services for all their help with the

Munira Bhaidani, Shahin Chauthani, Gita Lal, Rushmi Kumar and Avani Parikh Vije

week’s events.

Diwali Festival of Lights Our November Diwali celebration was a wonderful event as well. Students

Fall Fiestas We were happy to host two parent socials on campus in October. The events were a chance to get together as adults, meet new parents and reconnect with people we had not seen in a while. We also lucked out with beautiful weather each night, and both evening events were well attended. Thank you so much to Robin Chapman, Karen Lundquist, Robert Whyburn and Sage Dining Services. The evenings were perfect and could not have happened without them.

and faculty participated in a special Chapel service and then enjoyed a delicious Indian meal in the school dining hall. Other fun activities included henna tattoos and a performance by the Thunder Drums. Thanks go to Avani Parikh Vije, Shahin Chauthani, Rushmi Kumar, Munira Bhaidani, Gita Lal, Dhvani Sethi, Trevor Detling and Sage Dining Services for making this event so fun. As always, we welcome and encourage all parents to get involved in the PA. It is a great opportunity to get to know other people in the community. —mandy borer, parents’ association president, 2021–22

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E XCE L LEN CE IN STEM P RO GR A M M ING

STEM

PROGRAMMING AT ITS BEST St. Stephen’s instructors are known for challenging themselves to develop new and creative ways to provide transformational learning experiences for students. They incorporate new technologies in their classrooms and work with peers in other departments to integrate coursework from varying disciplines. Whether they teach social science, poetry, history or music, they strive to bring lessons to life to enhance students’ knowledge and understanding of our world. Perhaps no greater example of this cross-curricular approach to learning exists on The Hill than within our STEM programming, which provides an interdisciplinary approach to exploring topics in science, technology, engineering and math. We hope the following stories provide a glimpse into the daily activities of our amazing faculty and students, as well as a deeper understanding of how our school community fulfills our mission to prepare students to live meaningful lives and enrich our world.

Science instructor Troy Lanier with Zoe Schaffer

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

SHOWCASING EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES IN THE CLASSROOM —nicole wortham, ph.d., educational technology coordinator

ROBOTICS

Robotics student Jorik Dammann has been working in The PIRL makerspace to create a robot with movable arms that can solve a Rubik’s cube.

eveloping courses and programming that give students opportunities to dive deeply into emerging technologies and computer sciences has been a goal of mine since I arrived on campus five years ago. However, to develop inspiring courses for students, it has been critically important to listen to what they want and then look for meaningful ways to provide ways for them to expand their knowledge. The Maker Class is a perfect example of collaborative programming in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and math. It used to be a class taught by a cohort of teachers and offered students opportunities to have exposure to prototyping tools, such as 3D design and printing, robotics and coding to name a few. Not long after creating the Maker Class, as science instructor Troy Lanier concurrently developed the robotics course and as the Project and Idea Realization Lab (The PIRL makerspace) grew, it made sense to shift the class focus a bit. First, we wanted it to be a place where students could learn and take advantage of the incredible prototyping machines in our makerspace, including three 3D printers, an Epilog Laser cutter, a ShopBot desktop and desktop MAX CNC router, and any hand-held or power tool and accessory students would need to build whatever they imagined. In addition, we wanted it to be a place where students could bring ideas and concepts and literally build them into existence.

Throughout the last four years, it has been tremendous to see what has come out of the makerspace. Particularly impressive has been the work of 10th grader Jorik P HOTO S LEFT TO RIGHT: Arnow and the course for a second year and who is well versed Dammann, who Beck is now taking Addie McClish; Emily Wilschetz and Emily Young in using all of the tools and machines in the room. He is currently working on two

Each year the App Development class projects are completely different, because the problems students identify are unique to their lives and interests. sstx.org

E XCE L LEN CE IN STEM P RO GR A M M ING

Winter 2022

APP DEVELOPMENT Anish Palakurthi | MyWorld

A networking app that uses gamification to help reduce users’ carbon footprints. The networking component prioritizes an individual’s improvement rather than competition against others.

projects, one in the concept stage and the second in iteration, a process where the creator uses feedback and failure to make changes to an initial prototype. Currently in iteration is a robot that will automatically solve a Rubik’s cube. Dammann started the process by working with the programming languages Arduino and Python to develop the code to power his robot; a user inputs the faces of the unsolved cube into a graphical user interface (GUI), and then the program reads the input and uses the algorithm to direct the robot to manipulate the faces of the cube in order to solve it. In order to see this concept to realization, Dammann has honed his 3D design and printing skills, worked with the laser cutter, and refreshed his soldering skills. Still in concept form is a programmable airport-style flip board. Dammann’s flip board will have space for 12 letters and numbers, which will be programmed through an app to display content, whether that be the date and time

or a quick reminder, such as “STUDY.” In order to see this idea through to realization, Dammann will use CNC routers to build a mountable housing for the flip board and the 3D printer to create connection pieces, and he will need to challenge his coding skills in programming this device to work with an app. Finally, he will need to build that app for the end-user to control the flip board. Dammann’s ideas bring together all the facets of both the tools and the skills used in The PIRL and show how intersectional the work in this space has become. As demonstrated in the flip board project, there has been tremendous excitement and interest from students in developing apps for cell phones in the past few years due to the ubiquitous nature of mobile devices and computing. What started two years ago as an independent study with three seniors has developed into a full-credit math course that attracts students of all ages and coding backgrounds. In this class, students use the designthinking process to identify a problem in their daily lives. That problem is then researched, along with existing solutions, and then students ideate to come up with ways that an app might offer a solution to this problem. From there, students create a rapid prototype of their app using a drag-and-drop app development program and use that wireframe to collect feedback. Students then take their rapid prototype and feedback and code their app using XCode and SwiftUI for publication in the Apple App Store. Each year the class projects are completely different, because the problems students identify are unique to their lives and interests. In years past, students created SavvyApp, a voting app that worked much like a dating app, swiping left or right on issues that are important (or not) and being matched with a political candidate who most closely aligned with the voter’s viewpoint. This year, students in the class have continued to be exceptionally innovative with their app development ideas.

APP DEVELOPMENT

Rafael Almazan | Centered

A focus/study app that gives users points based on the length of time they do not use their phone. It also tracks the user’s productivity and generates reports based on how long and effectively they focused. 8

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Spartan Magazine

Anish Palakurthi, a 12th grader, has used his interest in environmental preservation to design MyWorld, an app that uses gamification to help users reduce their carbon footprint. A user takes an initial assessment to determine areas where they can impact their carbon footprint and provides suggestions to help decrease their use. Improvement comes in the form of a tree seedling that grows over time as the user makes continued improvements. MyWorld also has a networking component that extends the gamification to allow users to compete against friends. One of the most intriguing and unique features of the MyWorld network gamification feature is that users do not compete for overall carbon footprint, but on overall self-improvement. When asked about this choice, Palakurthi stated that he did not want a user to feel shamed by their carbon footprint, which he feels is a very personal identifier, but instead to feel compelled and challenged to make improvements. Aside from curricular opportunities to explore emerging technologies, The PIRL is open for students to do “drop in work” during the school day. Ninth grader Alexander Agrawal has a passion for building drones that defy the “rules” of those that are commercially manufactured and produced. He has spent extensive time pursuing his passion and, prior to developing his own in The PIRL, has had to seek out other people to design and print the highly specialized parts required for the machines he wants to create. However, this year Agrawal has been able to come to The PIRL during his lunch periods to produce some of these parts on his own. He has acquired 3D design and printing knowledge, but also has been able to share his passion and knowledge with faculty and other students who have been in the space for work of their own—designing and printing parts of an embroidery machine, laser cutting architectural models, using a CNC router to engrave a design into wood. These spontaneous collaborations help grow our collective understanding of the limitless nature of what can be imagined and actualized when students are given the opportunity to create using these emerging technologies.

APP DEVELOPMENT Michelle Liang | Foodify

Users input foods and ingredients they have on hand, and the app provides recipe suggestions for what they can make from those provided.

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APP DEVELOPMENT Luke Murphy | WakeUp

A dynamic alarm app that helps to wake the brain by asking the user to solve math problems or review a class lesson. In addition, users are required to actively turn off the alarm to prevent snoozing. sstx.org

E XCE L LEN CE IN STEM P RO GR A M M ING

MAKERSPACE Chinyere Nosike, a 12th-grade student in Troy Lanier’s Projects in Science and Electronics course, has been using The PIRL makerspace for several months to laser cut an architectural model of a house. Last year she was enrolled in Lanier’s Electronics and Robotics class, where she learned about LEDs, series circuits, parallel circuits, circuit breakers and electrical power consumption. Nosike is now using that knowledge to wire her house model with LEDs. “In short, she is trying to model not only the house itself, but the electrical systems within the house,” Lanier explained. “Once she is done with the prototype, her goal is to design her own home and then outfit it with not only the electrical systems, but also things like miniature ceiling fans, a doorbell and a remote-controlled, motordriven garage door.” Amazing!

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

Winter 2022

Spartan Magazine

P H OTO LEFT: Physics students Claire Murray, Avery Griffin and Kayla Patel; BELOW: Advanced Biology II students Sam Levy and Oscar Humphrey

MEASURING SURFACE FRICTION in Physics 1 Students in Danielle Horton’s Physics 1 classes recently conducted an interesting experiment to measure friction on inclined surfaces. For the experiment, students took friction blocks with different masses, placed them on a track and raised the track until the blocks began to slide. After measuring the angle of the track, they were able to calculate the coefficient of friction. If all went as planned, they should have discovered that no matter how much mass a block had, it still overcame its static friction at the same angle.

Students in Advanced Biology II with Dean Mohlman have been learning to edit genes thanks to a CRISPR experiment. CRISPR stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats. It is a component of bacterial immune systems that can modify DNA. Mohlman has used

“This experiment enabled them to definitively conclude that the only thing that affects the coefficient of friction is the type of surfaces in contact,” Horton explained.

USING CRISPR FOR GENOME ENGINEERING in Advanced Biology II

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the technique to teach students how to target bacteria DNA, cut out a specific gene and then insert another in its place, altering the original DNA. “I'm very proud of what the students have been able to accomplish,” Mohlman said. “It’s not as exciting as curing cancer, but it offers hope for the future of curing people of inherited diseases.”

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We wanted the makerspace to be a place where students could bring ideas and concepts and literally build them into existence. sstx.org

E XCE L LEN CE IN STEM P RO GR A M M ING

Winter 2022

STUDENTS COLLABORATE WITH BIOENGINEERING FIRM ON CARBON REMOVAL METHOD “Last spring, I notified the director of the school’s Spartans Engage Program about my interest in finding a summer internship,” said Natalie Kim, a member of the Class of 2022. “I felt like I hit the jackpot when I was interviewed and selected by attorney Beth McDaniel, president of Reactive Surfaces, to lead a student team in the XPRIZE Carbon Removal competition.

coating. Their greenhouse would be equipped to monitor carbon concentration, light intensity, temperature and humidity—conditions conducive to algae health.

“In addition to shadowing McDaniel throughout the summer, witnessing the intersection of STEM and law firsthand, I was interested in the XPRIZE because of the multifaceted societal implications of climate change,” Kim added.

“Such multidimensional problem solving is critical to advancing the fight against climate change, as well as the frontiers of science,” Kim added.

Funded by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, the XPRIZE Carbon Removal competition was created to help accelerate innovation for low-cost, scalable and sustainable carbon-removal solutions. McDaniel already was working on a submission from her company, which bioengineered a carbon-isolating surface coating that mimics the photosynthesis of ocean-bound algae. Within the coating itself, algae photosynthesize and sequester carbon in the form of nanocellulose. She and Kim soon engaged a team of St. Stephen’s students to work on a student submission. The Spartan team’s carbon-removal idea involved constructing a small greenhouse, the inside of which would resemble the environment on Mars. The greenhouse would contain six garment racks with hangers holding butcher paper coated with Reactive Surface’s carbon-isolating surface

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“CO2 concentration would begin at 2 to 3 percent,” Kim explained. “However, as the coating photosynthesized, a drop in CO2 concentration and increase in O2 concentration are expected. The efficacy of the experiment was meant to show that the coating could sequester carbon from high-CO2-emitting facilities, produce O2 for extraterrestrial environments, and produce biomass for barren soil, as well as function under extreme terrestrial conditions.

The Spartan team soon went to work, testing a scaled-down version of their Mars experiment to ensure the carbon-capturing coating would retain adhesiveness in an environment with high CO2 concentration levels, a premise of their XPRIZE Carbon Removal proposal. Students hung the coated paper on wooden dowels inside a sealed fish tank, rather than using a greenhouse and hangers. They discovered that, when applied over Massively Iterated Vertical Surfaces (CCC-MIVS), the surface coating could sequester carbon safely. “Minimizing space between vertically hanging substrates maximizes the surface area on which the coating can photosynthesize,” Kim said. “Implementing CCC-MIVS in a space conducive to photosynthesis is possible in nearly any environment, whether that be on Earth or elsewhere in the cosmos.” Looking back on their proposal and the experiment they conducted, Kim said she was impressed by the Spartan team’s tenacity. “When we began devising a proposal, we encountered many challenges due to our lack of knowledge about carbon-capturing coatings, scientific proposal writing and formal scientific experimentation,” she acknowledged. “To rectify this, we spent countless hours researching carbon-capturing coatings and reading relevant scientific literature. We also reached out regularly to Reactive Surfaces for feedback.” Kim said participating in the internship and preparing the student XPRIZE submission taught her that research is less about what you discover and more about the interpersonal and intellectual connections you make along the way. “The bonds I now have with my St. Stephen’s teammates are unique in that we all share common academic interests, regardless of our grade level,” she said.

Spartan Magazine

Natalie Kim

“In addition, I’ve experienced for myself the importance of being able to be a salesperson for science, because without any funds, significant scientific progress in this day and age is extremely difficult if not impossible.

“I spent my early childhood disassociating from Korean culture in order to assimilate into predominantly white spaces,” Kim added. “I’ve since realized that my intersectional perspective is worthy of celebration and understanding.”

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“This particular takeaway reminds me of what I learned in Frank Mikan’s Astrophysics class: George Ellery Hale was an astronomer who managed to secure funds to build the world’s largest telescope four times, each bigger than the last,” she explained. “His natural ability to forge human connections, while also possessing great knowledge in STEM and the humanities, helped him develop rapport with donors.” Although the Spartan team’s submission was not selected by the XPRIZE judges, Kim is still proud of the work they did—on top of their regular school workloads. “Having looked at the list of winners, all of whom have ties to world-renowned research universities, it is understandable that we did not receive a student award,” she said, humbly.

SPARTANS ENGAGE A Spark 2023 Strategic Plan initiative,

As expected, many of Kim’s favorite St. Stephen’s courses include Mikan’s Astrophysics class and his Advanced Physics II course. However, she also enjoys studying writing and social science, as well as playing field hockey and participating in the orchestra and chamber group. “I truly am passionate about every extracurricular group in which I am involved—Student Government, the Curriculum Advocacy Alliance, Asian Affinity Group, Korean Affinity Group, Debate Club, Christian Youth Group, Chapel Leadership Team and Proteus magazine,” she said. “What I enjoy most about St. Stephen’s is the support of students’ ‘dabbling’ in many seemingly disparate areas of study and extracurricular activities,” she said. “I am keenly aware of the fact that, had I gone to pretty much any other school in Austin, I would not be able to explore the range of academic disciplines, extracurricular activities and group dynamics I have. Coaches, teachers and mentors across departments understand and encourage students to try a million different things, holding some grace for each student because there are limits to how well one can do something while exploring a million others.” When she graduates in May, Kim acknowledged that it will be difficult for her to leave The Hill. “I’ve been a part of the St. Stephen’s community since 6th grade, which means that I had the privilege of establishing my identity over time in an accepting environment,” she said. “I will miss being able to go about my day, knowing that people around me know me intimately, know who I am as an individual and support me.

Spartans Engage enables students to gain real-world experiences while exploring different career fields alongside St. Stephen’s alumni, parents and parents of alumni. Math instructor Kurt Oehler ’93 serves as program director and matches interested students with appropriate mentorships and internships. He collaborates regularly with Paul Byars ’07 and Laura Scanlan Cho ’89, who work with alumni and parents to offer a range of engagement opportunities to Upper School students. To learn more about the program or volunteer to work with a student, please send an email to spartansengage@gmail.com.

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E XCE L LEN CE IN STEM P RO GR A M M ING

Winter 2022

Daniel Horton

t. Stephen’s Engineering and Physics Instructor Danielle Horton understands that students learn

better by doing, which is why she provides myriad hands-on learning opportunities. Her students build egg rockets that they hope to send skyward over Phipps Field. They build mousetrap cars and miniature catapults to study projectile motion. They design underwater remotely operated vehicles to explore both shipbuilding and ocean engineering. They even use spaghetti and hot glue to build truss bridges. Why pasta? Because it behaves similarly to steel—bending, twisting and breaking

P H OTO Danielle Horton discussing the spaghetti bridge project at a teachers’ conference

WITH PASTA ENAGING STUDENTS IN ENGINEERING

under tension and compression, which shows her students how and where they

Before any building begins, Horton’s students research 15 to 20 different trusses,

need to improve their bridge designs for

discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each truss, trace the path of force, and

greater load-bearing outcomes.

mathematically solve for different loads using varying joint designs. They also are expected to become proficient in computer-aided drawing programs, which they use to

“Unlike balsa wood bridges, joint types and

design their own bridges.

gluing skills are not a factor in the design,” Horton said of her spaghetti bridge project.

Armed with solid knowledge of trusses, forces and basic statics (forces balanced in all

“Using pasta allows for rapid prototyping

directions), students spend three or four class periods building their bridges before

so students can create multiple iterations

testing their initial designs and analyzing failure points. “The most challenging part is

and improve their designs.”

designing the bases,” Horton noted. “The designs must distribute the load downward and outward to the bases through a singular load path. The bridge will fail if the base is

For the spaghetti bridge project, students

not level and stable.”

are asked to design a truss bridge with the greatest strength-to-weight ratio, which

Finally, students modify their original plans and rebuild their bridges for improved

is determined by the amount of weight

outcomes. Following another day of testing, they craft a final report and present their

the bridge can hold divided by the mass of

projects to Horton and their classmates.

the bridge. The project requirements are straightforward: the bridge must weigh

“The beauty of using spaghetti for this project is that it takes very little time to create a

less than 80 g, the lasagna noodle roadway

3D bridge that can be tested and redesigned,” Horton said. “This allows students to see

must be at least 5 cm wide, the bridge

the failure points of the first bridge, analyze if it broke under tension or compression,

must be at least 5 cm high in the center

and then develop a solution and build a second iteration that hopefully is more

and span at least 30 cm, and the design

successful.”

must be open on both ends. 14

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Spartan Magazine

FROM EARTH SCIENCE WITH MIKAN TO THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY: Matthew Morriss, Ph.D., ’09 Shares His Story

am a physical scientist at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), based out of the Utah Water Science Center in Salt Lake City. I completed my doctorate in geomorphology at the University of Oregon in 2020. Geomorphology is the study of landscapes and how they

form, and geomorphologic inquiry is the means to answering fundamental questions about the Earth.

I find geomorphology and specifically rivers exciting, as they can be true tape recordings of the tectonic and dynamic evolution of a region. You can also actively see how they are evolving based on their long profile, which is readily extractable from our various remotely sensed datasets. I found this type of accessible and intuitive framework very tangible and exciting! As a plus, the literature is constantly evolving

Most of my graduate work was in the realm of fluvial geomorphology, the physical characteristics of rivers. Specifically, I examined the history of North America’s deepest canyon: Hells Canyon, which is 2,000 feet deeper than the Grand Canyon, located on the border of Oregon and Idaho. Despite its depth, the age and origin of the canyon have been a mystery for some time. My goal was to elucidate when the canyon was carved and provide potential rate of incision estimates and develop a conceptual model for the mechanism of canyon carving. This work involved a fair amount of field research, including caving, looking for river deposits in limestone caverns, empirical measurements from remote sensing, and numerical landscape evolution models.

in fluvial geomorphology so there are always new things to learn. I was inspired to study earth science by my teachers. I was very lucky to have some phenomenal teachers at St. Stephen’s. One teacher in particular, Frank Mikan, had spent years as a mining geologist in Montana. His stories of prospecting and mapping ore bodies

Since starting at the USGS, I have mostly been involved in a large database effort, the Watershed Boundary Database (WBD), which is a USGS-driven effort to map the drainage divides of every catchment in the country in high resolution. I have also been slowly developing some of my own research projects, including understanding rock glacier mechanics and hydrology. I've often enjoyed working on and in more obscure topics—a canyon no one has heard of or on rock glaciers that not many people are actively studying. It provides a bit more intellectual freedom as not many people are currently working in that region and you have a chance to hopefully provide some interesting

captured my imagination. I was someone who already loved being outside but had no concept of geology as a career before that moment. The idea of studying how the rocks on the earth formed or building a story of a particular geologic unit or event made so much sense to me and was truly captivating. I declared my major as geology the second month of my freshman year at Whitman College and never looked back. I pursued graduate school hoping to teach at a small liberal arts school and be an inspiration to others to study earth science, but as life takes interesting turns, I am now at the USGS. My doctoral thesis is dedicated to Frank Mikan and all the inspirational teachers in my life.

•

—matthew morriss, ph.d., ’09

and compelling results. The flipside is that it can be hard to get funding or attract interest from a committee of faculty at a given time, so some creativity is needed too.

Originally published on the American Geophysical Union website, https://connect.agu.org; edited and reprinted with permission of the author.

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E XCE L LEN CE IN STEM P RO GR A M M ING

Winter 2022

CREATING GREATER EQUALITY IN THE SCIENCES

MEET SONAL ALLA Sonal Alla, an 11th grader, joined the St. Stephen’s community three years ago for the school’s many academic and extracurricular opportunities, including an array of challenging STEM classes and the opportunity to connect with students from a variety of backgrounds. Alla, who is interested in a career in medicine, co-founded the Social Justice in Science Club with 12th grader Alice Huang. They also serve as Texas branch directors for Opportunity X, a national nonprofit that helps expose underrepresented students to science research. Through their partnership, Social Justice in Science Club members and other student volunteers host a biweekly science research club for students at Burnet Middle School. We asked Alla to share her experiences with our readers.

Social Justice in Science Club co-founders Alice Huang and Sonal Alla with club sponsor Danielle Horton

pportunity X is a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing science research opportunities to underrepresented and low-resource groups. I wanted to become involved with this program because by working with Opportunity X, I have the chance

to combine two of my passions: serving others and STEM. For our sessions with the Burnet students, Alice and I plan the curriculum, design the experiments and purchase the materials. We also design the presentation slides with the help of other St. Stephen’s students. During the meeting with Burnet students, we demonstrate an experiment and introduce the corresponding scientific concepts/principles. Next, our volunteers provide guidance to the students as they perform the experiment on their own. At the end of the

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Spartan Magazine

session, we conclude with a group discussion and analysis of the results. The best part of this volunteer work for me has been getting to watch the students develop a passion for STEM. There is nothing more rewarding than getting to see that you are making a difference in someone’s life. I also

CLINICAL NEUROPSYCHOLOGIST SPEAKS WITH SOCIAL JUSTICE IN SCIENCE CLUB

n early October, the Social Justice in Science Club, in partnership with Medical Society, welcomed their first guest speaker of the academic year: Robin C. Hilsabeck, Ph.D., director of UT Health Austin’s Comprehensive Memory Center.

love knowing that I am fostering a future of

A highly distinguished clinical neuropsychologist specializing in Alzheimer’s disease,

diversity in STEM.

dementia and cognitive impairment, Hilsabeck has been recognized for distinguished service by the National Academy of Neuropsychology and for excellence in research on

Raising awareness of minorities in STEM

aging by the Texas Aging and Longevity Center.

is essential, because including diverse backgrounds will drive more innovation.

She joined the club meeting via videoconference and spoke with more than 40 Upper

Additionally, diversity in STEM promotes

School students about her research on older adults with cognitive issues. In addition to

greater equality among the lines of race, sexual

discussing her clinical practice, she spoke about her experiences as a woman researcher

orientation, ethnicity, gender and socio-

in STEM, the future of neuroscience and disparities in health care.

economic status. Hilsabeck advised students interested in entering the medical field to seek the In addition to the Social Justice in Science

perspectives of different practitioners. “It’s a long, hard road,” she said of medical

Club, I co-run Medical Society, Indian Affinity

practice and research. “Talk to people doing the work you’re interested in to get

Club and Interact Club at St. Stephen’s. I am

their perspective.”

also a dancer in Chrysalis, the Upper School dance company. My favorite classes are

She also advised students interested in medical research to stay

definitely biology and chemistry; I have always

objective, avoid personal biases and always focus on the data.

been drawn to science.

“Working with older adults in a clinical setting can get sad,” she noted. “I feel privileged to hear their stories and focus on

Aside from these school-associated

helping them in their twilight years.”

extracurricular activities, I help conduct neuroscience research at The University

When asked about her biggest career challenge, Hilsabeck

of Texas at Austin. Under the guidance

said that being promoted can be a double-edged sword.

of Professor Robin Hilsabeck, I have

“I want to be a scientist and work with clients,” she said.

been studying the differences in cognitive

“But when you move into leadership roles, you also take

impairments across different ethnicities.

on managing other people and the work they do. That can be difficult, particularly when you cannot

I want to be a surgeon and am currently

control some of the things they’re up against.”

interested in neurosurgery. There is so much we have not discovered and so much

Special thanks go to Social Justice in

potential for medical breakthroughs. My love

Science Club leaders Sonal Alla and Alice

for neuroscience actually goes back to 7th

Huang for arranging Hilsabeck’s talk with

grade, when I conducted a research project

students. To learn more about this student

on how having a dominant side of the brain

organization, as well as the myriad other

affects someone’s personality. I also love the

clubs offered at St. Stephen’s, visit the

interpersonal aspect of being a physician; there

Campus Life section of our website.

is nothing more rewarding than getting to know the person you are helping.

•

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SPARTAN LIFE

Winter 2022

SPARTAN Life

PH OTO S CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Henry Padalecki, Henry Talarico, Noah Baer, Nikhil Manasa, Kerry Patterson, Emme Knox, Brynn Lloyd, Landis Middleton and Clementine Swicegood; Sarah Aggarwal, BeJay Mugo, Autumn Houston, Amanda Saunders and Michelle Liang; Jack Mabley and Emma Hutchison; and Sam Jones

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

EVENTS CLUBS CULTURE CELEBRATIONS AWARDS TALENT SPORTS HOLIDAYS ACHIEVEMENTS SUCCESS

Spartan Magazine PH OTOS Rebecca Gibbs shows off her Spartan spirit; Mia Ip, Ellie Thome, Sophia Yu, Alexa Natinsky and Lucia Sterling

Spirit Week Festivities Culminate with Five Home Games The St. Stephen’s community celebrated Spirit Week, which culminated on Friday, Sept. 17, with pep rallies, a Spartan Block Party, a campus cookout and five home games for our Spartan volleyball, field hockey and football teams.

Solomon Starkes, Anthony Watson, Cooper Nichols, Carson McCann and Ben Jones

Spirit Week kicked off early on Monday with five consecutive days of themed outfits, including pajamas, tropical and western wear, throwback Thursday, and Spartan gear on Friday. Middle School and Upper School pep rallies were held on Friday morning. Fans of all fall sports gathered behind Clayton Gym, where they were treated to the first of three rousing performances that day by the school’s Thunder Drums. Following afternoon classes, the festivities continued with the Spartan Block Party. Hosted by the Parents’ Association (PA), the annual Block Party included carnival games, rowdy activities and numerous tasty treats. When the Block Party ended, community members gathered in the field by Clayton Gym for the annual campus cookout. Throughout the afternoon and evening, Spartan fans filled the school’s sports fields and courts to support our players. The girls’ and boys’ varsity volleyball teams, varsity field hockey team, and boys’ JV volleyball team all battled Kinkaid. Girls’ varsity volleyball players scored a 3 to 2 victory. Both boys’ volleyball teams and the varsity field hockey team suffered losses, but fought valiantly. The capstone event of the evening was the varsity six-person football game against the Austin Royals. Our Spartans were triumphant in their first home game of the season. They beat the Royals handily, 63 to 16. Big thanks to all the staff, coaches and PA volunteers who helped plan and host the events, as well as the St. Stephen’s fans who cheered on our players throughout their hard-fought competitions. Go, Spartans!

Spartans Win Six-Man Football State Championship, Complete Perfect Season The St. Stephen’s Episcopal School six-man football team defeated Bastrop Tribe Consolidated, 31-22, on Nov. 27 to win the Texas Association of Independent Athletic Organizations (TAIAO) State Football Championship. The championship game, which took place at Allen Academy in Bryan, Texas, capped off the Spartans’ undefeated 11-0 season in the school’s first year of six-man football. The Spartans earned the right to compete for the state championship by defeating the Lubbock Titans 75-28 on Nov. 20. Congratulations to Head Coach Jay Patterson, Assistant Coaches Chris Breckwoldt '86 and Ben Hines '91, and the entire Spartan roster for an amazing season!

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SPARTAN LIFE

Winter 2022

Lisa Damour, Ph.D., Speaks to Faculty and Staff About Managing Student Anxiety

On Thursday, Aug. 19, St. Stephen’s welcomed Lisa Damour, Ph.D., an internationally recognized expert in the fields of adolescent development and psychology. In her talk, “Understanding Emotion, Finding Equilibrium and Caring for Students,” Damour shared with faculty and staff a number of strategies to help kids appropriately express and contain anxiety to achieve mental clarity. “Maintaining equilibrium is not about getting to a place that feels good,” she said. “It’s about having the right feelings at the right time and managing those emotions effectively.” “Anxiety is a normal and healthy emotion if you’re in a dangerous situation,” she added, referencing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as a situation that causes people stress and anxiety. “It’s appropriate to feel negative about the pandemic; that feeling makes sense in the moment. “There are really only two conditions where anxiety becomes pathological: when there’s no real problem or threat, and when the ‘ringing of the alarm’ is too great,” she said. Damour explained that effective emotion management involves finding a balance between expressing and containing your feelings. “Verbalization is a key form of expression,” she said. “By sharing emotion, you actually deplete its intensity, which creates the condition that allows the listener to offer empathy and understand.” Damour noted that many adolescents express emotions through actions, such as crying, listening to music, and running or dancing. “One way we can advance their expression is by helping kids find precise words to describe what they are feeling,” she advised. “Be a useful thesaurus to help them more powerfully capture their exact emotion. Help them drill down through language to find their precise feeling. “Two strategies to help kids verbalize their anxiety is to start a conversation with them when you’re in the car, but only a few minutes from

Image courtesy of Downie Photo

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

Spartan Magazine

home so they know they won’t be trapped in a long conversation,” she said. “Breathing is also powerful. When the brain detects a threat, it rings the alarm and sets off the fight or flight response. You can override this by breathing deeply, which shuts down the anxiety alarm.” To contain emotions, however, Damour believes diversion is key. “The number one form of distraction for teens is watching online videos like TikTok for 15 minutes,” she said, adding that video games are another activity that helps reduce anxiety. In contrast, adults typically find things they can organize as a way to achieve mental clarity. “Negative forces are mental clutter—like you have 40 tabs open in your brain and are trying to process too much at once,” she explained. “It’s tedious and exhausting. “I stumbled across a great solution for this: the idea of soft fascination, which requires only a partial use of our bandwidth,” she said. “Soft fascination doesn’t require much concentration, like washing the dishes or working in the garden. It enables you to get mental clarity and work through issues.” Damour recommended protecting soft fascination opportunities when you can, as they are vital to maintaining good mental health. She suggested leaving your phone at home when you take walks and driving in silence rather than listening to the radio or to podcasts.

Ling Allen Retires Ling Allen retired last fall after spending almost 20 years at St. Stephen’s. She initially joined the school as a parent volunteer when children Jenny ’06 and Daniel ’09 were enrolled as students. In 2006, she started working part time in Becker Library. The following year, she became a part-time student advisor for the International Program Office. She went on to hold a number of other critical positions, including 8th-grade residential coordinator, math and science substitute teacher, and tutor extraordinaire. Allen said she plans to spend her retirement “taking long walks, reading, and doing battle with the weeds and squirrels in my backyard. I also hope to start volunteering at the Austin Food Bank again.” We hope she visits campus regularly. She is a beloved member of our community, and we will miss her daily presence in our lives.

Before ending her talk, she shared one final thought with participants: “The presence of the negative doesn’t mean the absence of the positive. If you want to overcome feelings of despair, focus on what you are grateful for. Gratitude can be a source of comfort. Gratitude works.” Damour also spoke with St. Stephen’s parents and students in the fall. Her presentations were made possible by generous support of the Brooke Howe Laws Endowed Lecture Series. The endowment supports an annual guest lecturer on students’ social and emotional health. To learn more about supporting St. Stephen’s through this or another named endowment, please contact Director of Advancement April Speck-Ewer at aspeckewer@sstx.org.

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SPARTAN LIFE

Winter 2022

Students Introduce School-Wide Community Theme In September, groups of Middle School and Upper School students made presentations to the community during morning Chapel services to share and illuminate this year’s school-wide theme, HOPE. To illustrate different qualities of hope, the students began with a quick game. Three brightly wrapped gift boxes were placed at the front of the Chapel, but only one contained a prize — a fluffy teddy bear. Student volunteers tried their luck at picking the correct box, which led to some short-term, fleeting hope. The presenters used this exercise to show the difference between brief “hope-filled moments” and more long-lasting, transcendent hope, which is their wish for our community. Since the beginning of the school year, student committee leaders have been busy brainstorming ways to keep hope present and alive in our school throughout the academic year. They shared their plans during the Chapel presentations, unveiling several creative initiatives to be accomplished this year. HOPE Instagram Campaign Students and faculty are encouraged to submit hopeful and uplifting photos and captions to the student life Instagram account, @sstxlife, which is run by members of Key Society. This social media outreach is meant to spread hope and serve as a reminder of all the great things we have to be happy about on our campus.

HOPE Tree for St. Stephen’s The HOPE committee worked with Director of Outdoor Education Charlton Perry to select a special native tree to plant on campus in January. The committee wishes for this tree to represent our community’s hope. Perry chose the best location for the new tree, and students were involved in creating a meaningful dedication, which took place on January 7. HOPE Flag Project In the spring, advisories will create hope flags with an array of art materials. These flags will reflect the personalities of the individual creators and convey messages of hope, both small and large. The flags will be collected and displayed together for everyone to appreciate. Many thanks to the members of this year’s theme committee. Student committee members are Felix Halloran, Sophia Hawthorne, Chinyere Nosike, Patrick Simmonds and Rainbow Wang. Adult members include Liza Ayres ’14, Cynthia Bartek, Anne Marie Becka, Kathy Coe, John Dugan, Claire Simmonds ’93, Morgan Stokes and Sarah Todd. The idea for a school-wide “theme” was first introduced at St. Stephen’s in 2014 in an effort to focus our community on a common positive goal. To date, yearlong themes have included Peace (2014–15), Respect (2015–16), Beyond Tolerance (2016–17), Listen (2017–18), Welcome (2018–19), Kindness (2019–20), Together (2020–21) and Hope (2021–22). —cynthia bartek, st. stephen’s librarian

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

Spartan Magazine

Mikaila Ulmer Named Among Top Young CEOs to Know Last fall 12th-grade Spartan Mikaila Ulmer was named among the “Top 10 Young CEOs to Know” by CEO World Magazine. Ulmer is founder and CEO of Me & The Bees Lemonade, which donates a portion of its profits to organizations helping save the bees and their habitats through education, research and protection. We recently asked the young entrepreneur about her success and future plans. What does being named a young CEO to watch by a major business publication mean to you? It lets me know that established businesses and executives are invested and paying attention to this generation of entrepreneurs. One thing that meant a lot to me was how many of the businesses on this list were socially conscious businesses, either donating their services, products or funding to a cause like mine does. So it means a lot to know that CEO World Magazine is not only recognizing me for the success of my business, but also because of the impact it has made. For Me & the Bees, it means that our mission is getting more exposure to a larger audience, and more people can become the “me” in my effort to teach social entrepreneurship to kids and to save the bees. Have you decided what you want to study in college? As many of my teachers know, I’m still figuring it out! Any science class is usually bound to be my favorite, and I love the idea of designing and creating innovative technologies to help the environment or people. I’ve seen firsthand how businesses can grow and sustain themselves while also helping their communities and beyond, so business is a possible path. And thanks to St. Stephen’s, which has introduced me to students from all over the world, I am planning to do multiple study abroad or internship programs in college. What have you enjoyed most about your four years at St. Stephen's? The best part of attending St. Stephen’s has been life on The Hill. I know that encompasses such a wide variety of people, activities and classes, but that’s exactly it. I love how I can collaborate on projects at the picnic tables with other seniors while Tame Impala music is blasting. I’m amazed at how deep I can get into a conversation with someone during the 15-minute advisory time. And I love the exposure I’ve had to so many cultures of the places Spartans call home. What will you miss most about St. Stephen's when you graduate? I think I will miss the Devil’s Canyon Adventure Program (DCAP) the most and all the incredibly fun people in it. In my sophomore year, I was shocked when I discovered that the school has sports like caving, mountain biking, rock climbing and canoeing available to its students. Traveling to Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia with everybody to go caving for a few days was so memorable, along with practicing at the rock wall or towers while having fun.

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SPARTAN LIFE

Winter 2022

ANNUAL FUND FIRST Supporting the Annual Fund Directly Impacts Every Student Our school members around the globe have come together this year in an extraordinary way to rediscover how fortunate we are to be part of such a special community. A St. Stephen’s education is essential to awakening a world of wonder for our students. Our teachers guide intellectual exploration, creative inspiration and personal reflection in students, while our coaches model the belief that healthy bodies help cultivate strong minds and spirits. A gift to the Annual Fund supports their efforts on a daily basis and is the most important gift we ask of every community member. The cornerstone of the school’s fundraising efforts, the Annual Fund supports the yearly operating budget and closes the gap between the tuition and the true cost of educating students—approximately $2,600 per Spartan. We are grateful for our outstanding team of Annual Fund volunteers, for their dedicated work and belief in St. Stephen’s and our mission. Through their hard work and your generous philanthropy, we are on track to achieve our goal.

Annual Fund Parent Chairs Donna and Davis Baldwin '93 with sons Jacob and Basil

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

Please join me in thanking our Annual Fund Parent Chairs Donna and Davis Baldwin ’93, as well as our Parent Class Captains: Erin Florence Jones ’86 and Sally Metcalfe, 12th grade; Mary Casas and Lou Mabley ’86, 11th grade; Sandy Henson Griffin ’93 and Pam LaPlaca, 10th grade; Sandra Brown and Charlie Cole, 9th grade; Laura Burkhart and Rebecca Krauss, 8th grade; Lisa Monti and Kari Potts, 7th grade; Amy Baer and Chandler Ware, 6th grade. We also deeply appreciate this year’s outstanding Grandparent Chairs Jannis and Robert Baldwin, Alumni Chairs Claire McKay ’71 and Hank Ewert ’70, Faculty and Staff Chairs Alison Chang and Christopher Colvin, Ph.D., and Trustee Advancement Committee Chair Jennifer Stayton ’85. If you have not yet pledged or given to the 2021‒22 Annual Fund, please consider making a gift today at www.sstx.org/givenow. By doing so, you will directly support the exceptional academic, athletic and fine arts programs we provide to students every day, as well as the countless “extras” that make the St. Stephen’s experience so special. —sherry buchanan, director of the annual fund and parent liaison

Annual Fund Grandparent Chairs Jannis and Robert Baldwin

ALUMN I N EWS

Spartan Magazine

Celebration for the Class of 2020

Alumni Connect

The Class of 2020 was celebrated in a special Chapel program followed by dinner in the dining hall on Saturday, Aug. 7, 2021. The Chapel ceremony was led by Upper School Chaplain Adam Varner ’03, and the names of the graduates were read by Kim Garey, head of Upper School. It was wonderful to see so many Class of 2020 alumni on campus.

PH OTO CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: (top) Ami Ginor, Katie Shepard, Sophie Johnson, Kate Goodman, Miriam Kessler, Jordan Mendelson, Kamdyn Lyon (bottom) Leila Tilin, Stella FitzGerald, Sarah DeGrasse, Aubrey Johnson and Lillian Sims; Jinho Rhee, Phillip Doig, Yui Cao, Minjoo Kang, Rachel Huo, Natalie Kwon and Christopher Colvin; Ali Sait, Sophie Johnson, Anya Ganne, Addie McLish and Jake Chappelear; Chris Breckwoldt ‘86, Patrick Kennedy, Braeden Johnson, George Breckwoldt, Nathan Arimilli, Liam Archacki and Gregory Pacitti sstx.org

ALUMN I N EWS

Winter 2022

Reunion Weekend 2022

We are excited to invite alumni back to The Hill for an in-person celebration this year. Reunion Weekend celebrates being together and this year will honor the classes ending in 2s and 7s. Reunion co-chairs Shannon Powers Flahive ’96 and Alice Nazro Nezzer ’87 are making plans for an amazing weekend. Please join us. It will be filled with fun and engaging activities for alumni to connect with friends, classmates and faculty members. Look for additional details about the weekend in your email inbox, on the Spartan Alumni Network (spartanalumninetwork.com) and various alumni social media channels.

REUNION TWENTY TWENTY-TWO

Nevi Owens ’94 and Leilani Geitz Valdes ’91

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

Spartan Magazine

On Campus Local Alumni Events*

Winter Games 2021 On Dec. 16, 2021, the school community gathered for the annual Winter Games, which provides an opportunity for alumni athletes to return to campus and participate in Spartan sports. For the 2021 event, the Spartan Alumni Association hosted a holiday reception in the courtyard between the two gyms. Community members gathered for hot cocoa and holiday cheer. On Jan. 4, alumni returned to the field to play the girls’ and boys’ varsity soccer teams. More than 30 alumni came out for the event.

Spartan Alumni Fans in the Stands Alumni Fans in the Stands opportunity for alumni to come back to campus to cheer on current student athletes. Last fall alumni who played field hockey and basketball were invited to come out and cheer on our Spartans to victory. Look for additional Fans in the Stands events this spring and during Reunion Weekend 2022.

Mallory Boyle ’04, Chris Gunnin and Thomas Frakes ’05

Alan Fenton, Jenny Jordan Shepherd ’87, and Haidar Khazen ’87 at the 1980s Lunch on the Hill event

Lunch on The Hill 2022 The Spartan Alumni Association will host two Lunch on the Hill events in February. Join your classmates and friends in the Student Center Boardroom for a conversation with Head of School Chris Gunnin. Learn about what is happening on campus and reconnect with alumni from your decade. Both events also will be available by Zoom. To sign up, go to https://forms.gle/6zMpGYvBDT3Eksno6 or email Michelle Geo Olmstead at molmstead@sstx.org. Lunch on The Hill: Classes of the 1980s and 1990s Tuesday, Feb. 8, 12 p.m.

John Cooper, Barbette Cooper '75 and former teacher Lawrence Becker at Sense and Sensibility

Arts at St. Stephen’s Alumni gathered for a reception in the Helm Fine Arts Center before a special matinee of the Upper School Theatre’s performance of Jane Austen’s “Sense and Sensibility” on Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021.

Lunch on The Hill: Classes of the 2000s Tuesday, Feb. 15, 12 p.m.

*We continue to closely monitor COVID-19 and will determine before each campus event if it will be held in-person or via Zoom. Check our website for the latest plan for each event. sstx.org

ALUMNI N EWS

Winter 2022

On Tour Regional Alumni Events

Spartans in the Big Apple On Sept. 23, 2021, Spartans in and around New York City gathered for an Alumni Regional Event. The evening was hosted by International Program Director Sarah Todd, International Office Assistant Liza Ayres ’14 and Director of Alumni Relations Michelle Geo Olmstead. Despite a downpour that brought traffic to a halt, 27 St. Stephen’s alumni attended the event at Porchlight in the Hudson Yards area of the city. Spartans traveled from as far as Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia to reconnect with school members. The event included three special guests: Trustee Michael Ybarra ’98, Spartan Alumni Association President Patricia Henna Rowe ’89 and her spouse, Mark Rowe ’88, all of whom flew into the Big Apple from Austin. Special thanks go to our Spartan Alumni Association Representative for New York City, James Carter ’13, for picking the perfect venue for the evening. New York Spartans, mark your calendars for our next Alumni Regional Event in September!

Spartans in Dallas and at the SPC Fall Championships 2021 In early November 2021, the St. Stephen’s Field Hockey, Boys’ Volleyball and Girls’ Volleyball teams headed to Dallas for the fall 2021 SPC Championships. Alumni were invited to cheer on the Spartans at their games, as well as attend an Alumni Regional Dinner on Friday, Nov. 5. Hosted by Hayden Blood, director of major gifts, and Michelle Geo Olmstead, director of alumni relations, the events gave alumni in Dallas a chance to connect with other Spartans in the area. The Spartan Alumni Association would like to thank alumni couple Mallory Boyle ’04 and Thomas Frakes ’05 for cheering on the Spartans during all the SPC games. Their cheers and support were appreciated by student-athletes and coaches alike. Boyle currently serves on the Spartan Alumni Association Board as Alumni Regional Representative for Texas. Virtual events also were held in Boston and Chicago. Alumni in those cities were treated to a conversation with Yvonne Adams, director of equity and inclusion. Alumni in Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Houston and Denver: Look for the Spartan Tour to head your way this spring! Check out the Spartan Alumni Network (spartanalumninetwork.com) for details. PHOTOS TOP TO BOTTOM: Spartans in the Big Apple;

Watson Tao ’21 and Anouk Martin-Gachot ’21; James Carter ’13 and Sarah Todd; Campbell Chupik ’14, Liza Ayres ’14 and Madeline Renbarger ’14; Huy Nguyen ’12 and Jerry Hua ’15

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

Spotlight

Spartan Magazine

Christina Lowery ’89

Christina Lowery ’89 arrived on campus as a 6th grader. Lowery is passionate about narrative storytelling as an engine of social awareness. Her passion for storytelling is founded upon decades of work experience in documentary film and television production. In 2009, Lowery helped found the film production company Girl Rising. As the CEO she is responsible for the strategy and execution of Girl Rising’s expanding work around the globe.

different—researching, interviewing, filming, editing and then putting a film into the world. It was so fun to have an excuse to dig into different topics, talk to experts in that field, put every last ounce of energy into a film and then, when it was done, move on and do it all over again but with a different topic. It was about a decade ago that I was working at a small documentary production company in New York City. Our company was approached by a funder to research a film project on how to end global poverty. That very small subject! After talking to experts across the development spectrum, we learned that the best investment the world can make if we want to end poverty and create a safer, more stable and prosperous world, is to educate girls. Thus, Girl Rising was born. We saw that the power of girls’ education to change the world was a compelling, true and transformative story. And we believed if we could tell that story well, people would be inspired to care and to act. So we made the film “Girl Rising,” which tells the stories of nine girls from different countries, each written by a local female writer and then voiced by incredible talents like Meryl Streep, Alicia Keys, Priyanka Chopra and others. While we started as a film production company, today we are a nonprofit organization that uses storytelling to change the way the world values girls and their educations. We work with more than 120 partners across 11 countries, more than 200,000 students and 10,000 teachers a year. I love what I do. I get to continue producing films and stories but also dig deep into how to put those films in the world to bring real, measurable change.

What is your favorite memory from your time on campus? I have so many wonderful memories from my time at St. Stephen's. Many of my most vivid memories have to do with performances— helping backstage with “The Diary of Anne Frank,” performing in “Godspell” and “A Midsummer Night's Dream,” and singing as a Madrigal in the Festival of Lessons and Carols. What I remember and treasure most about St. Stephen’s is deeper than any single activity. I remember St. Stephen’s as a joyful place, a place where I was known, supported, cared for and challenged. Can you tell us a little bit about Girl Rising and your experience in film production and nonprofit management? When I stumbled on documentary film production in my late 20s, I was smitten. I loved how every part of the process required something

What advice can you share with fellow Spartan alumni and current students of St. Stephen's? My advice to students is to not worry so much about what you think your final destination is. I desperately wanted a clear picture of that when I graduated, and I was at times quite distraught that I did not know where I was headed. I was interested in so many things and had no idea how to choose. In the end, I followed my curiosities. I dabbled in things I thought were interesting and seized opportunities as they came my way. This led to all kinds of work and life situations I never could have planned for or imagined. So my advice is this: Follow your curiosities. Really live into them, and they will lead you on a wonderfully interesting path. Enjoy those twists and turns. —louise mcnutt brazitis ’07, chair, alumni recognition, spartan alumni association board

sstx.org

ALUMNI N EWS

Winter 2022

Class Notes 1957 Bob Turpin had shoulder surgery and has finished therapy. He is doing as well as can be expected. For the past 18 years, he has been involved in a prison ministry. He used to go to the prisons and visit certain inmates, but now he only writes letters. He said he is too old to do things that he really wants to do like coach boys’ baseball and play senior softball. He hopes all Spartans are staying safe.

1960 Nancy Jo Parkinson recently sold her house in Austin and moved into a 55+ apartment.

1966 The latest book from Helen Thompson, “Santa Fe Modern,” was released on Oct 26, 2021. The book is the third in the “Modern” trilogy. It's the first survey of modernist and contemporary architecture and interiors in Santa Fe.

Hank Ewert ’70, Jim Garrison, Scott Bailey ’70 and Larry Anderson at a Round Rock Express game last summer. that they traveled twice this summer to Colorado for two separate family weekends. She said it felt almost normal!

Mary Bachman Burke ’69 and Alan Fenton

1969 Mary Bachman Burke was happy to report that she and her husband, Alan Fenton, are both retired. She is still involved in teaching and training aspects of her professional organization, both in Texas and nationally, and she reported that it continues to feel good. She does miss the clinical piece, but had scaled back so she and Fenton could travel. Then COVID-19 hit. Burke dislikes working on Zoom, so she has not wished to resurrect her practice. She is hopeful that they will be able to travel again, hopefully abroad, and has a lot of faith in the vaccine. The couple stayed in during the worst of the pandemic, but are now meeting family and a few friends in person and allowing hugs and contact while still trying to be circumspect in terms of minimizing exposure to the outer world. She reported

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

Jane Dryden Louis became a grandmother again! Her daughter gave birth to her first child in June of 2020 in Manhattan at the height of the pandemic. She has traveled to the city nine times since then. She said that New York was an absolute ghost town at the time, but she has been a witness to it gradually coming back to life, albeit a shadow of its former self. As a busy grandma, she cannot claim to have been isolated, as she spent quite a bit of time during the pandemic with her other five kids who live in Dallas and Fort Worth. She currently serves as the secretary of the Spartan Alumni Association and said she has enjoyed being part of the group and looks forward to the next two years of service. She feels that she was obviously chosen to represent the dinosaur era, but that is not actually the case, as she brings so much youthful energy and a witty sense of humor that she is often the star of the quarterly meetings. The experience, she said, has been a real gift. She has had the opportunity to get to know younger alumni and find common threads of experiences and devotion to the school. She has discovered they all consider their years on The Hill a life-changing, transformative experience that echoes her own. This year, she has been joined by Claire McKay ’71, Hank Ewert ’70 and Ellen Jockusch ’70, so good times will roll! Sarah Johnson Entenmann said that considering the following reports from David Loiseaux and Stephen

Hearn, there are at least three reasons to visit the Twin Cities. Entenmann lives in the college town of Northfield, which is about half an hour from David’s new home. She has been writing, gardening, volunteering, making soup, knitting and, of course, reading. She is glad to have done a lot of international traveling earlier, including seven trips to China and six to Europe! She said she really cannot complain. In lieu of grandchildren, Entenmann and her husband, Bob, have a 9-year-old rescue beagle, Rudy. Their son lives four blocks from them, and their daughter has been teaching college in New York City from an apartment in Minneapolis during the pandemic. She sends her best wishes to all. Josh and Vicky Harrison are continuing to run back and forth between his office in The Woodlands and their home in College Station, with occasional trips to New Mexico to escape the heat. They feel fortunate to have dodged the COVID-19 bullet and been healthy enough to take some trips. The couple was relieved to receive their vaccinations earlier this year, which enabled them to gain entry into and through Germany in late July. For those who were comfortable traveling, this proved to be a very good time to visit Europe. They mostly encountered European tourists on vacation, so it was not as crowded as usual. Josh reported that there were mask requirements on the plane and indoors throughout Europe, but this did not seem to deter anyone. One evening while walking after dinner, they encountered an outdoor concert by a Simon and Garfunkel tribute band in Rothenberg. They thought it was a treat to see the Germans dancing to and singing the English lyrics. Josh and Vicky were very uneasy about the requirement to

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they heard a pitch from a local realtor and decided to list the house. The house went on the market at the end of June, and they received an offer over the Fourth of July weekend. The couple closed on their house and flew back to the Twin Cities at the end of August. This fall they moved into a downsized home in Eagan, Minn., just 1.2 miles from their daughter. The couple’s twin grandsons are sophomores at the University of Minnesota this year and are happy to attend classes in person. It was interesting to help them move into their apartments, as it took Loiseaux back to his days as a resident assistant at UC‒Santa Barbara, as he watched all the other parents and grandparents helping their children move in.

Class of 1971 Gathering (top row) Rudy Green ’71 and Tom Tuohy ’71 (second row) Margot Clarke ’72, Fred Myers ’71 and Kathryn Miller Anderson ’71

have a COVID test within 72 hours of their return flight to the U.S., but this turned out to be very easy. Speaking of Minnesota, Stephen Hearn and his wife, Diana, also live in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and are surrounded by family. Three of Stephen’s siblings and their families are all in the area. After some cautious months, they have begun spending unmasked time together again. The couple’s daughter, Kathryn, lives in the Twin Cities, too, but their son, Aaron, lives in Tokyo with his wife, Saori, and their three granddaughters. The newest granddaughter arrived last fall, but with Japan's current restrictions on travel, they have not been able to get back to Tokyo to visit. Hearn will retire from the University of Minnesota Libraries at the end of 2021. He plans to get back into studying Japanese. He took some beginning courses at the university a few years ago, but it proved to be too much while working full time. He reported that other than his atrophied academic muscles, they are in good shape. David Loiseaux and his wife, Karen, spent from March 2020 through March 2021 at home, for the most part, only going out for grocery pick-ups and prescriptions. The couple missed in-person Christmas with their family for the first time in more than 20 years, but had virtual gatherings over Zoom and FaceTime. Their daughter flew down to Atlanta this year for Karen's birthday in May and discussed selling the house and moving to Minnesota for their third such move in 20 years. Two hours later

Andy MacLellan reported to have had minimal disruption during the past 18 months. He has been in the hotel management hospitality business for most of his career. Thankfully, none of his crew has been sick. MacLellan and his wife, June, have even had their boosters. He is glad that they finally agreed that if you are old, you should get it! He said they walked in to a pharmacy, said “we are old,” and they said “which arm?” MacLellan has been traveling for business throughout the time of the pandemic, albeit very carefully. MacLellan said that he believes the airlines and hotels are doing a wonderful job with the cleaning protocols. Business wise, the travel industry has been severely impacted. Despite this, he said that they have done pretty well and picked up some new deals in the process, but generally it has been a really bad scene for a lot of hotels, restaurants, the meeting industry and airlines. Terry Seelinger said that he has weathered the past year-and-a-half fairly well in Durham, N.C., with a few ventures out and around. A few months into the pandemic his son, Ari, and his then-fiancé, Caryssa, decided to join the COVID-19 mini-wedding movement, so Seelinger and his wife, Nancy, drove to Philadelphia to be on hand for a lovely gathering of nine, plus their young dog, on the back steps of one of the historic buildings in the block adjacent to Independence Hall. Passersby joined in the applause when the vows were concluded! Meanwhile, the couple’s daughter, Lani, has been married for a couple of years now to a wonderful Finnish gentleman, Jussi, and they live in Helsinki. Lani is currently in a Ph.D. program at the University of Helsinki, studying political science and focusing on the intersection of populism and social media. Seelinger said that if he tried to explain further, he would just be making it up. Class of 1969 Representative Josh Harrison said he remembers their 8th-grade class of ’16 in 1964, when he had just moved from Fort Worth to Austin to be a day student, and Terry Seelinger and his mother, Cleo, were so welcoming.

1970 Hank Ewert and Claire McKay ’71 are serving as the Alumni Co-Chairs of the St. Stephen’s Annual Fund. As part of this role, the couple serves on the Spartan Alumni Association board. Boys of Summer baseball fans Hank Ewert, Jim Garrison (husband of Ellen Jockusch), Scott Bailey and Larry Anderson (husband of Kathryn Miller Anderson ’71) cheered on the Round Rock Express this summer. Ellen Jockusch is serving as the Pioneer Spartan Representative on the Spartan Alumni Association Board. In this role, she represents the classes of 1951 to 1972, and helps coordinate the Spartan Pioneer dinner at Reunion and Crackers and Milk events.

1971 Walter Adams has been in Guatemala, tending to his 92-year-old mother, whom a physician recently called “an oak tree.” Adams is in the third semester of a foursemester master’s degree in public health (no rocking chair yet) and teaching six Maya students quantitative methods as they study the importance of midwives in rural areas. He also has been working on two books and overseeing the publication of his late sister’s book, “How Chronic Violence Affects Human Development, Social Relations and the Practice of Citizenship,” initially published in English by the Wilson Center; posthumously, in Spanish, which is now in the final stage of publication. Mike Petry has been recovering from hip replacement surgery. He wishes all Spartans well and would love to be in touch with alumni in the Dallas area. Class of ’71 and friends gathered at the home of Fred and Jennifer Myers in lieu of the group’s yearly trip to the Myers’ home in Hunt. The group included Rudy Green and Tom Tuohy, Margot Clarke ’72, Fred Myers, Ginger Borron and Kathryn Miller Anderson. The class has been meeting regularly through Zoom since the pandemic began, and they are often joined by our former teachers and friends, Don Roth and Phil and Lynn Hadley. The class is still mourning the losses of their dear classmates who have died, most recently the sweet, funny and smart Lou Porter Bailey. “She is always in our hearts.” [Editor’s note: She remains in the hearts of our campus community as well! We miss our Lou-baby!]

1976 After 65 years in Midland, Christopher Rutter moved to central Texas to play on the lake and the ranch.

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the Architecture Award for Mar Vista Connect 11, Honorable Mention for Santa Ynez Connect 4 and the Connect Shelter System, which also won the Social Impact Award for providing supportive interim housing for people experiencing homelessness.

1997 While visiting Mexico City for the Admission Office, Lawrence Sampleton, associate head of school for enrollment management and financial aid, caught up with Grace Greig and Emilia Alton ’20.

1998 Trustee Michael Ybarra was visiting New York City for a wedding in September and attended the Spartan Alumni Regional Reception on Sept. 23.

2003 This fall, Megan Watkins returned to The Hill to teach math.

2004 Mallory Boyle and Thomas Frakes ’05 traveled from San Antonio to Dallas to support the Spartans at the SPCs.

2005 While visiting Bar Harbor, Katherine Bailey Brown ran into Anne Moultrie Johnson ’69.

Grace Greig '97, Lawrence Sampleton and Emilia Alton '20

1977 After 35 years at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center as a radiotherapy medical physicist, David Followill stepped into the world of retirement. He reported that things have been great and that he really enjoys the stress-free days. Now that COVID-19 restrictions have eased a bit, Followill and his wife plan to travel to visit their daughter.

classmates in November for a virtual get-together to reconnect and play some trivia. Congratulations to Will Wilson, who has been named CEO and secretary general of U.S. Soccer Federation.

1989

Class Representative Wendy Naughton has been leading the effort to plan the Class of 1982 party for their 30-Year Reunion. To learn more, please reach out to her!

Patricia Henna Rowe and spouse Mark Rowe ’88 traveled to New York City for the Spartan Tour: New York regional alumni event for Spartans in the New York City area. She is in her second year of serving as president of the Spartan Alumni Association.

1985

1992

1982

Jennifer Stayton recently was honored as the first emeritus member of the Spartan Alumni Association board. Jennifer and Tom Herbert gathered their

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

Congratulations to Gordon Stott! Connect Homes, the company that he co-founded, won three awards at San Francisco Design Week. He received

Anne Moultrie Johnson ’69, Katherine Bailey Brown ’05 and John Field Brown in Maine

Spartan Magazine

Sarafina Nance ’11

2011 Sarafina Nance has dreamt of going to space ever since she was a little girl. Despite the constant doubt, naysayers, and fear of not being good enough, she was elated to share that she has taken a giant step toward that goal. Last spring, she was selected for the Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (HI-SEAS), a Mars Analog Astronaut simulation on Mauna Loa, Hawaii. Located at 8,200 feet above sea level, the HI-SEAS habitat replicates the Martian habitat. As part of a crew of six, Nance lived for two weeks as though she was on Mars. They went on spacewalks, experienced a Martian “time delay” of 20 minutes for all communications, and conducted astronomical and geological research. And if that wasn’t out of this world enough, her children’s book, “Little Leo’s Fascinating World of Astronomy,” hit book shelves on Sept. 7, 2021. To check out her amazing adventure go to https://www.facebook. com/sarafina.nance.

2013

Natalie Kuo ’12 and Garett Jester

Natalie Kuo '12 and Garett Jester were married on Oct. 16, 2021, at Pecan Springs Ranch. Former St. Stephen’s faculty member Johnny Wilson officiated the ceremony. The two met as lab partners in Wilson’s class. Several St. Stephen’s alumni and school members were in attendance to watch the two Spartans tie the knot as Wilson pronounced them "lab partners for life!"

In Memoriam Bob Herlocker ’52 Bob Herlocker passed away in early 2019. After graduating from St. Stephen’s, this Pioneer Spartan attended the University of the South for one year before studying at The University of Texas. He graduated with a B.A. in business administration in 1956 and then joined the U.S. Navy, serving as a journalist on the U.S.S. Hancock aircraft carrier in the Pacific. After a year, Herlocker transferred to the U.S. Naval Training Center in San Diego, where he worked as a journalist in the Public Information Office until his honorable discharge in June of 1958. After returning to Texas, Herlocker met Peggy Felmet, and the couple was married in February 1959. They would eventually welcome five children. In 1963, Herlocker entered St. Luke’s seminary at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn., and graduated in 1967. The family then moved to Anchorage, Alaska, where he was ordained. After two years at All Saints Episcopal Church in downtown Anchorage, the family moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba, on a mission. Herlocker later served congregations in Winnemucca, Nevada, Ukiah, California and Oregon. While in Oregon, he served as diocesan fiscal officer and vicar of the Redmond and Sisters congregations. In 1979, he moved to the Diocese of Idaho and served as diocesan administrator under several bishops. He retired in 1997 after serving the diocese for 19 years. Throughout his life, Herlocker was an active community member and volunteer. In retirement, he and Peggy spent much of their time traveling around the country in their motorhome.

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Bill Jagoda ’53 Last April Bill Jagoda passed peacefully, knowing he was loved and appreciated. After graduating from St. Stephen's, he attended Sewanee College and later graduated from The University of Texas at Dallas. His adventures included living in Mexico City, where he was immersed in photography and local culture; working as a professional gardener in the Bay Area; working at Doubleday Books; inspiring others in activism for Zero Population Growth and other environmental causes; and studying a breathtaking diversity of topics, from Eastern philosophies to geology, astronomy, the stock market, history and all kinds of literature. Jagoda never liked being the center of attention, but those who knew him well experienced his razor-sharp wit and deep thinking. He was a devoted husband, stepfather and grandfather. He and Jo Kurth were married at the Unitarian Church in Berkeley in 1967—Jagoda clad in a velvet Nehru jacket and Kurth in a silk Emilio Pucci dress. The family moved to Dallas in 1969, creating an art- and music-filled home. For more than 50 years, his wife was the focus of his life and attention, and their relationship was loving to the end. He is survived by his wife, Jo Kurth Jagoda ’53; daughters Vivian Pyle and Sasha Pyle; and grandchildren Sasha Anemone, Bob Anemone, and Travis and Isabel Gibson. Keith Dunbar Hollins ’55 Keith Dunbar Hollins passed away on July 13, 2021. Hollins was known for her contagious positive attitude, a passion for fashion and decorating, a love of friendship, and a sincere devotion to the well-being of others. She never met a stranger and loved traveling all over the world. She loved Florence, Italy, where she lived for a time as a child and where she later returned with friends and family for extended visits. She also spent many summers in Mexico with her three sons and, in later years, would share that adventure with friends and grandchildren. She is survived by many family members and close friends. John Wilson Price ’57 John Wilson Price passed away on Aug. 5, 2021, in Houston. Price was born in Corpus Christi on Nov. 24, 1938. After studying at The University of Texas (Plan II) and earning his B.A in 1961, Price received a master of divinity degree from Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Va., in 1964. He was ordained an Episcopal priest in 1965 and served at Trinity Episcopal and St. Mark’s Episcopal churches in San Antonio. On Sunday evenings he hosted the radio program “Theological and Religious Patterns in Sacred Music” on San Antonio’s only FM station. He also served in the Texas Army National Guard and did military service simultaneously with parish work for 30 years, retiring as the state area command chaplain and colonel in 1995. Throughout his life, he was active in the Episcopal community. He served as rector of St. George’s Episcopal Church in Austin for 20 years. In 1984, he secured a HUD grant and founded St. George’s Court in Austin, a 60-unit apartment community for low-income seniors and the

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

Winter 2022

disabled. Price was also known for holding the door open for others. He hired the first female Episcopal priest in Austin and welcomed members of the gay and lesbian community as an active and open part of St. George’s. He also made time for his alma mater, serving as a member of the St. Stephen’s Board of Trustees from 1984 to 1989. After 32 years in parish ministry, Price found a new calling as a hospital chaplain at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital in the Texas Medical Center, ministering to patients on the transplant floor. Even in retirement, Price found ways to serve. He assisted with services at Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church and served as chaplain to Palmer Boy Scout Troops 511 and 1511, a new Boy Scouts of America troop for girls. This work led to him to receive the St. George’s Award of the Episcopal Church and the Inclusive Scouting Award. He served as chaplain for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which “paid” him in shooting range time with agents. Price was also a sailor and used his retirement to expand his love of sailing from inland lakes to charter sailing in the U.S. and British Islands and the Adriatic. He was known to be an energetic storyteller who injected humor at every opportunity. Price is survived by his wife of 55 years, Arlene Bruchmiller; son Robert Price and his wife, Pansy; son Rick Price; daughter Catherine Beebe and her husband, Mark; and grandchildren Alexander, Geoffrey, Kate, Mina, Sawyer, William, Helen and Lucy.

and the two were married in 2008. The couple lived on the outskirts of San Antonio and enjoyed playing golf, decorating and cooking. She also enjoyed spending time with her rescue dog, Baby Girl. Matthiessen adored her family and shared her love of history by planning family vacations centered around that passion. She was a member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas and a member of the Military Civilian Club. She will be remembered for her warm heart and endearing smile. She is survived by her husband, Jack Matthiessen; son James Burns Willis; son David Denton Willis and his wife, Lauren; granddaughters Wren Elizabeth Willis and Lillian Harriette Willis; brother James “Mack” McKinstry Burns and his wife, Vivian; as well as her sister, Laurel Burns Stuckey ’79.

Jack Curlee Jr. ’61 Jack Curlee Jr. passed away on Sept. 10, 2021, following a brief illness. He studied at York College then began a career in graphic design. Curlee created many wellknown logos, all drawn by hand. Many are still used today for numerous businesses. Before his retirement, he switched professions and owned and managed Biowerk USA Inc. The company invented the Tour Belt and FlexSupreme, as well as other various orthopedic back support designs. His back-support belts were worn all over the world, providing great relief to many, including professional golfers, NFL players and thousands of industrial workers. Curlee was known for his passion for helping others. He also was a gourmet chef and loved sharing his creations with friends and family. Many will miss his holiday chocolates. He enjoyed classical music, was a champion tennis player in his day and moved on to golf later in life. He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Sandra, their son, Kyle Curlee Mooney, and his wife, Anita.

Ariana Lisbeth Zarse ’19 Ari Zarse passed away on Oct. 10, 2021, in Athens, Ga., where she was a junior at the University of Georgia. Zarse attended St. Stephen's as a day student from 9th to 12th grade and graduated with honors while taking an advanced course of study. Her teachers remember her as “a determined student, a positive contributor to discussions and a cheerful helper to other students who were struggling.” They also noted that she always had creative ideas for projects and assessments and that her positive and friendly demeanor made class time a joy. Zarse brought a willingness to listen to others and join in conversations with interest and alacrity. She balanced her challenging academic course load with an incredibly full extracurricular life. She played club volleyball and was a valuable member of the St. Stephen’s varsity volleyball team. She was also a gifted photographer who honed her skills in photography classes on The Hill. In addition, she volunteered as a Breakthrough mentor, tutoring students in the Austin Independent School District. Zarse described this volunteer work as “a powerful and humbling” experience that reinforced her gratitude for the many opportunities she enjoyed in life.

Harriette “Paige” Burns Matthiessen '78 Harriette “Paige” Burns Matthiessen passed away on July 9, 2021. After graduating from St. Stephen’s, she went on to study at Tulane University, where she earned a degree in geology. She then moved to Roanoke, Va., and taught science to at-risk students and found success in real estate at Long & Foster. Although busy with both careers, she recalled that her most cherished memory was raising her two sons, Denton and Jamie. After returning to Texas, she met Jack Matthiessen,

Kurt Potter '86 Kurt Potter passed away on Aug. 13, 2021. After graduating from St. Stephen’s he went on to study at The University of Texas at Austin, where he received a B.B.A. in finance. While at U.T., he was in the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and a member of the Silver Spurs. His work with the Silver Spurs continued after graduation in the organization’s philanthropic endeavors and scholarship program. Potter remembered his time on The Hill and at U.T. fondly. He made wonderful friendships on both campuses. After college, he went on to earn an M.B.A. from Texas State University.

Spartan Magazine

Making a Planned Gift Is Simple When I was 11 years old, my mom told me that she and my dad had decided to send me to St. Stephen’s. I knew that my parents and two aunts had attended the school, but I did not know much about it and had little idea of what to expect. I had no idea how much a part of me St. Stephen’s would become. I did not know … that I would make lifelong friends with fellow students … that I would learn from some of the best teachers I would ever have in an academic career filled with many great teachers … that I would develop a deep attachment to, and sense of belonging in, the beautiful Chapel and campus grounds. I did not know any of those things then, but I know now that my St. Stephen’s education is one of the best experiences of my life. It makes me happy that when I no longer need my savings, some of it will go to St. Stephen’s and enable the school to continue to offer that same kind of meaningful experience to future generations of students.” —elizabeth henna, class of 1987

Making a meaningful planned gift to St. Stephen’s is simple. It’s as easy as naming the school as a beneficiary of a retirement plan, investment or bank account, or a life insurance policy. Please join Elizabeth Henna ’87 and the other members of the St. Stephen’s Legacy Council, who have pledged to support the school with a planned gift, by making one of your own today.

Thank you. To discuss your many options, please send an email to Melody Harman, director of planned giving, at mharman@sstx.org.

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ALUMN I N EWS

Winter 2022

T H E

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Alumni Class Representatives Winter 2022

Will Brewster ’51 brewsterwilliam34@gmail.com

Meghan Alexander ’96 MAlexander@AlexanderAtty.com

Fred Heldenfels ’52 fheldenfels@gmail.com

Shannon Powers Flahive ’96 spowers1@austin.rr.com

Edna Noel Heldenfels ’53 fheldenfels@gmail.com

Gerry DeLeon '96 gerryadeleon@gmail.com

Michael Hines ’54 poppyhines@msn.com

Elizabeth Anne Sykes Rains ’96 earains1109@yahoo.com

Colin Phipps ’55 colin@phippsfarm.com

Cam Beesley ’97 leardsfool@gmail.com

Ellen McCorquodale Martin ’56 ellenk.martin@aol.com

Jared Hockema ’98 jhockema@mac.com

Ruth Wilson Witten ’57 ruthwitten@aol.com

Rebecca Hollis Diffen ’99 bdiffen@mcguirewoods.com

J.P. Bryan ’58 BryanJ@teai.com

Claire Browder ’00 clairebrowder@gmail.com

Tom Romberg ’59 tromberg@me.com

Katharine Bayer ’01 kittybayer@gmail.com

Pat Fatter Black ’60 ggpat77@gmail.com

Juliet Frerking ’01 frerking@gmail.com

Steve Jolly ’61 stevejolly@mindspring.com

Kean Tonetti ’02 stonetti@gmail.com

David Sanders ’62 rdavidsanders@msn.com

Rachel Katz ’05 rpk228@gmail.com

Julia Cauthorn ’63 julia@texancapital.com

Sarah Cromwell Sheppard ’06 sarahhcromwell@gmail.com

Joiner Cartwright ’64 joiner.cartwright@gmail.com

Selina Strasburger ’06 selina.strasburger@gmail.com

Arthur Wright ’64 arthur.wright@tklaw.com

Cole Arledge ’07 cole.arledge@gmail.com

Dianne Duncan Tucker ’65 ddtuck@aol.com

Anne Buckthal Chilton ’07 anne.buckthal@gmail.com

Randy Parten ’67 jrparten@parten.com

Amanda Kushner ’08 amandakkushner@gmail.com

Robert Henderson ’68 rehenderson@nvcc.edu

J.J. Botha ’09 johannbbotha@gmail.com

Josh Harrison ’69 JHarrisonLaw@aol.com

Chantal Strasburger ’09 chantal.strasburger@gmail.com

Dee Meador ’70 meadortx@yahoo.com

Carlotta Garza ’10 carlotta.garza@gmail.com

Kathryn Miller Anderson ’71 zjmiller1513@gmail.com

Omar Yaghi ’10 omaryaghi2@gmail.com

Darrell David ’72 darrell.s.david@gmail.com

Ryann Young ’10 rhy9@cornell.edu

Douglass Anderson ’73 dlalaw@hotmail.com

Lindsay Redman ’11 llredman93@gmail.com

Ann Rhodes McMeans ’74 armcmeans@gmail.com

Henry Sikes ’11 WHSikes1@gmail.com

Dr. Mary L. Brandt ’75 mary.l.brandt@gmail.com

Gray Twombly ’11 Twombly.Gray@gmail.com

Sylvia McIntyre-Crook ’75 sycrook1@cox.net

Alia Yaghi ’11 alia.yaghi1@gmail.com

Dan Norton ’76 daniel@danielnorton.com

Yosua A. Husodo ’12 yosua.adiyasa@hotmail.com

Robert Ettinger ’77 robert@ettlaw.com

Helen Elizabeth Old ’12 helenelizabeth1@me.com

Mark Tucker ’78 mrtucker@mindspring.com

Caroline Pringle ’12 carolinepringle93@gmail.com

Carroll Lively Reeser ’79 carroll@reeser.net

Jake Politte ’12 jake.politte@rocketmail.com

Peter Larkham ’80 peter@peterlarkam.com

James Carter ’13 jamesterelcarter@gmail.com

Erica Peters Stafford ’81 Erica.Stafford@bvcpa.com

Annie Nordhauser ’13 lisa.nordhauser@gmail.com

Charlotte Stuckey Brigham ’81 charbrigham@gmail.com

Nathan Goldberg ’14 nathangoldberg@college.harvard.edu

Wendy White Naughton ’82 wendy.naughton@gmail.com

Jaclyn Horton ’14 jaclynlhorton@gmail.com

Laura Mears Mirecki ’83 Lauralynn787@gmail.com

Jim Old ’15 jamesold1@mac.com

Suzanne Cantarino Pfeiffer ’84 SuzannePfeiffer@austin.rr.com

Nick Goldreyer ’16 nick.goldreyer@gmail.com

Libbie Walker Ansell ’85 libbieansell@gmail.com

Allie Goldreyer ’18 allie.goldreyer@gmail.com

Chris Breckwoldt ’86 cbreckwoldt@sstx.org

Blossom Maduafokwa ’18 bdm2140@barnard.edu

Catherine Hoey Randall ’87 caterandall@sbcglobal.net

Andrew Yow ’18 david.andrew.yow@gmail.com

Mark Rowe ’88 markrowe@henna.com

Wyatt Gill ’19 Wyatt.gill912@gmail.com

Jonathan Quander ’89 jdquander70@gmail.com

Tom Guan ’19 guantomy@gmail.com

Joe Frisz ’90 joe.frisz@enovapay.com

Greta Kastner ’19 gretakastner@gmail.com

Liz Fleming Powell ’91 lz.powell@gmail.com

Chloe Lawrence ’19 chloelawrence512@gmail.com

Monika Powe Nelson ’92 giantmonsterprincess@gmail.com

Lucy Schmidt ’19 lucyschmidt88@gmail.com

Davis Baldwin ’93 rdbaldwin@mac.com

Lizzy Jones ’20 lizzyjonesatx@gmail.com

Catherine Cook Weiss ’94 cmcook76@aol.com

Sophia Waugh ’20 sophiastoylewaugh@gmail.com

Seth Alley ’95 sethalley@msn.com Ben Chan ’95 eyethump@gmail.com Hawkins Li ’95 hli3@yahoo.com Beth Cockerham Mack ’95 semack77@gmail.com Ann Strauser Palmer ’95 Annstrauserpalmer@gmail.com Rhea Benbow Thomas ’95 rheabt@gmail.com

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

We are seeking Class Representatives for the classes of 1966, 2003 and 2004. If you are interested in serving, please contact Michelle Geo Olmstead at molmstead@sstx.org.

Excellence in STEM Programming

Class Notes Submissions We encourage alumni to share personal updates with us for Class Notes. Spartan alumni are contacted by their Class Reps several times a year for news and information. For assistance contacting your Class Rep or to submit news directly by email, please contact Michelle Geo Olmstead, director of alumni relations, at 512.327.1213 x178 or molmstead@sstx.org. Class Notes also can be submitted directly online at www.sstx.org/alumni/. Select the “Stay Connected” box. We welcome high-resolution photographs with your Class Notes submission. Please send a JPG format in the largest size possible (at least 900 pixels; image 3 inches wide at 300 dpi). Please include the full names and class years of everyone pictured. Spartan magazine editors reserve the right to edit or omit any information submitted.

Get Social! Connect with St. Stephen’s and your classmates online.

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Facebook: StStephensAlumni

Instagram: SSTX_OnTheHill

LinkedIn: St. Stephen's Episcopal School Alumni

Spartan Alumni Network spartanalumninetwork.com If you have not received emails from the Alumni Office recently, we may not have your current email address. Please send your information to molmstead@sstx.org so you do not miss invitations to events and news about your classmates. Thanks!

St. Stephen’s Episcopal School

Annual Fund 2021–22

Anyone who appreciates exceptional educational offerings, an abundance of creative arts programs, welcoming sports teams and forward-thinking student organizations truly understands that these learning and growth opportunities are both rare and impactful. Throughout the year ahead, as we gather as members of our global school family—parents and educators, classmates and teammates, alumni and friends—we hope you will delight in the discovery of how one teacher or class, project partner or roommate, student club or coach can impact the life of a Spartan for a lifetime. Please join us in making a gift to the 2021–22 Annual Fund today!

www.sstx.org/givenow

Thank you.

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 ecrouch-ponder@sstx.org. Thank you!

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PARTING SHOT Robotics student Carson McCann hacks a sewing machine to create a CNC embroidery machine

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID AUSTIN, TEXAS PERMIT NO. 2556

Spartan Magazine, Winter 2022

Articles inside

In Community

Excellence in STEM Programming

Alumni News