The Summit Magazine Spring 2023

Blake Owens ’32 enthusiastically sings a number during the Grade 3 Musical “Snow Biz.”

Educating Leaders of Character with Empathy

For Kelley, “Whose leadership at the summit Will inspire Future leaders to plant and groW the seeds oF empathy and compassion in the World.” – in gratitude, mary Knight ’71

T

hese powerful words were written in the book, “Core Empathy, Literacy Instruction with a Greater Purpose,” signed and gifted to me by Summit alumna and author Mary Knight ‘71. Mary is a thought leader and awardwinning author on empathy: 2017 Green Earth Book Award for Children’s Fiction, Parent’s Choice Award and Notable Book for Social Studies from the Children’s Book Council.

It was an active Summit Friday in February of 2022. As I was moving from an Upper School tour with a prospective family and heading off to a Middle School faculty meeting to interview a candidate for an administrative position, I serendipitously bumped into Mary in the Mathile Family Chapel Foyer. She was visiting The Summit for the first time since her graduation in 1971. I could see the wonder in her eyes as she took in the majesty of the main building.

While only a brief first encounter, I felt an instant connection with Mary and was delighted to learn of her fondness for the school and in particular her account of how an Upper School teacher inspired her love for writing. I then discovered that she was an award-winning author whose passion was empathy. During our conversation, I had the opportunity to hear more about her inspiring work which also included developing curriculum with an emphasis on the cultivation of empathy in the classroom.

Since our first meeting, Mary has connected with The Summit community having visited campus several times, attending our Grade 8 Capstone, “Hear My Story, Be My Voice, Giving a Voice to Humanity,” and working with our Middle School students in a writer’s workshop. She made a special guest appearance this past fall, interviewed by Middle School students about the book she authored, “Saving Wonder,” a story about the power of words and importance of friendship. Students were actively engaged in the opportunity to ask her questions about the story line and choices the characters made.

I am energized by Mary’s work as it relates to the teaching and learning of empathy. As I have transitioned to my leadership role as Head of School, I am doing more research in the empathy area. I recognize how important empathy is to my leadership, and the work, we do with educating our leaders of character. The ability to take time to recognize, understand, and share thoughts and feelings with others is critical in developing trust and relationships, particularly in our world today. I feel blessed that I had the opportunity on that February day to meet Mary who has influenced me to think more deeply about the importance of empathy and our work with students.

Thanks to the commitment and belief in professional development from our donors, I had the opportunity to attend a national conference in February of 2023 where Jamil Zaki, Ph.D., a professor at Stanford University and the director of the Stanford Social Neuroscience Lab, presented on empathy. Dr. Zaki talked about his research and the book he wrote, “The War for Kindness, Building Empathy in a Fractured World.” His research shows that people are more likely to exhibit cruelty and misunderstanding when others around us do and more likely to exhibit kindness when others do too.

While research suggests that there is an empathy deficit in our country, I believe the power of empathy is alive and well at The Summit. I see it every day among our students as I walk throughout the campus.  Our mission is centered on grace, wisdom, leadership and character. I am inspired by the work of our faculty, staff, and alumni like Mary Knight, who are committed to this mission and the inspiring Hallmarks of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur.

Grow in Grace and Wisdom, Kelley Schiess HEAD

OF SCHOOL

Upper School Biology Teacher Karen Suder gets down on the floor of her Upper School classroom with a group of visiting Montessori students for a lesson in human anatomy. Montessori education supports the child’s infinite capacity to learn.

TOP 10 REASONS TO GO

AT THE SUMMIT

Celebrating 60 Years of Continuous Montessori Education

By Nancy Berlier

When school resumes this fall, The Summit’s Montessori School will begin its 60th anniversary year with a record enrollment of students from 18-months through kindergarten. A pioneer in Montessori education since its inception, the year will witness changes in faculty and continued innovations in curriculum. The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur first opened a Montessori program here in 1925. While that didn’t last, they started the modern Montessori School in the fall of 1963, and the sisters themselves became national experts in Montessori education through the publication of Montessori Matters.

Today, the school meets the needs of parents with a variety of half- and full-day options and offers beforeand afterschool care. As the school continues to provide an educational model that distinguishes it in the Cincinnati educational community, here are Summit’s top 10 differentiators.

Expertise of Faculty

Just as the Sisters were experts in Montessori education, today’s teachers are also well educated, well trained and abundant. Every toddler classroom has three teachers and every other room has two. The Montessori School has added two specialists to the faculty, a dedicated counselor and an intervention specialist who guide teachers in social-emotional learning, programming and curriculum. The

addition of an assistant director this year will provide additional support for teachers. About 34% of the faculty has advanced degrees while a professional development program provides ongoing opportunities to every teacher every year.

“It’s an awesome place for teachers to grow themselves, because we are committed to professional development,” says Montessori

School Director Lauren Guip. “We’re committed to the expertise and understanding of early childhood development.”

The Environment

The Lower School building, which opened in 2004, was designed with the Montessori student in mind. Peaceful, uncluttered classrooms are large and have natural lighting. Right-sized

Henry Chen ’37 identifies instruments and matches them to their photos, a popular language activity in the toddler classroom that supports vocabulary building.

furniture and organization follow the Montessori model and each classroom is rich with authentic Montessori learning materials. In mixed-age classrooms, children learn from each other.

“We’re social creatures, so having the opportunity to learn while you socialize is a tremendous asset for the student,” says Mrs. Guip.

Educating with Care

Education walks hand-in-hand with caring at The Summit. The Montessori curriculum meets students where they are. So, for example, teachers, specialists and didactic materials are available to help a 3-yearold who is ready to read or 5-year-old who needs help with phonics.

“I think our differentiated learning is top-notch,” says Mrs. Guip, “but beyond that the warmth of the community is so important. It can be difficult to find high quality preschool education with warmth and love and care and safety. There’s no more critical time than ages 0-6 in terms of brain development and the kind of experience and environment that children have. So, when parents see dedicated teachers cultivating an environment that blends education with care based on the needs of the children, they see we check all the boxes.”

Toddler Program

The youngest students at The Summit are 18 months old, and some of them receive a boost through the IGknight Movement and Movement Class for children from birth to 24 months. The Toddler Program offers an educational experience for children from 18 to 36 months and has been filled to capacity every year since it began in 2008. The program focuses on three primary developmental needs: movement, language and order.

Enrichment Program

The enrichment Program provides a deep dive into higher level units of study such as animal classification, human anatomy or ecological awareness. New this fall, full-day students will remain in their academic classrooms for afternoon Enrichment activities instead of transitioning into separate classrooms.

“One of the things COVID taught us, especially for our 3- and 4-year-olds,

was to have consistency in relationships and to be with the same teacher all day,” says Mrs. Guip. “Research says the number of transitions in a child’s day matters to their healthy development, provides a pace that meets their needs, gives them more time for enrichment activities and lays the foundation for building deep relationships. All our teachers are qualified to teach both the academic and enrichment subject matter.”

Orff Music Program

Carl Orff, a contemporary of Maria Montessori, developed a child-centered

way of learning music which stresses the importance of rhythm and movement. At The Summit, the program fosters listening and participation skills. Through singing, chanting, dancing, acting, moving and playing percussion instruments, children learn the fundamentals of performance, reading, writing and composition. These skills are a springboard for imitation, experimentation and personal expression.

Other Signature Programs

While the Toddler, Enrichment and Orff Music programs are special to the Montessori School, students also benefit from curriculum and activities developed

“We’re committed to the expertise and understanding of early childhood development.”

–Montessori School Director, Lauren Guip

Dressed in a traditional costume, Michelle Dasgupta teaches Nora Dasgupta ’36 and Kami Motiani ’36 about Day of the Dead in a multicultural lesson.

for Summit’s signature programs that span the years through graduation. These include world language, writing, social skills and tailored instruction.

Leaders of Character

The Summit developed a Leaders of Character framework that identifies character-based leadership attributes which are explicitly taught, practiced and modeled through each grade level. The Montessori School focuses on “growing self,” which resonates with Maria Montessori’s teaching. Their lessons revolve around what it means to be accountable, creative, curious, resilient and self-aware.

“When people are looking for a pre-K through Grade 12 school, there’s no better place than The Summit for character and faith formation,” Mrs.

“A room in which all the children move about usefully, intelligently, and voluntarily, without committing any rough or rude act, would seem to me a classroom very well disciplined indeed.”

–Dr. Maria Montessori

Reid Twyman ’37, Colin Ullman ’36, Houston Harvey ’37 and Elle Knapke ’36 enjoy a tasting lesson with avocados. New foods are presented weekly to expose children to different textures, tastes and smells, and also to learn about how fresh foods are grown.

Guip says. “Exposing kids from a young age to the idea that there’s something bigger than themselves builds community, emphasizes service and grows their sense of self.”

Creative Problem-Solving

The Montessori School also takes part in a pre-K through Grade 12 creative problem-solving framework. The key aspects of building a growth mindset include building empathy, finding and solving problems, taking risks, networking in teams, learning how to be observant, developing strategies for creativity and becoming resilient and reflective.

“This kind of thinking is a growth mindset that blends well with the Montessori philosophy,” Mrs. Guip says. “Understanding that there’s more than one solution to any given problem, develops innovation for the students as well as the teachers.”

Diversity

The Montessori School is the most diverse division at The Summit which has 28 percent students of color, 16 faith traditions represented and families from 78 zip codes. English is not the first language for many students and the school has a track record for helping international students with language barriers.

“The nationality and cultural differences of the students that we attract makes it a rich experience,” says Mrs. Guip. “We present lessons based on current events with the interests of those unique children, their culture and their heritage in mind. It’s important for our kids to understand the world we live in is not just the experience that they’re having. It helps form our thought processes about others, and we celebrate the differences.”

Montessori Admission: Contact Elaine Pearl at 513.871.4700 ext. 209 or pearl_e@summitcds.org.

Do you want to build a snowman? Taking every opportunity to enjoy fresh air, these students enjoyed a rare snowy day.

Viv Pate ’36 learns quantity in this hands-on correspondence activity that combines concrete materials with abstract numerals.

Stevie

’37 matches various insects to their pictures, an activity that builds vocabulary by using proper names of animal species.

Giordano

A preschooler paints a world map.

Students perform the annual Nativity Play for their classmates.

HISTORY AT THE SUMMIT

1963

The Summit opens the Montessori Program under direction of Sister Mary Motz & Sister Jane Thomas.

1964

Montessori moves to the second floor of the Kindergarten Building.

1965

Kindergarten becomes Montessori. Montessori methods are extended into the early grades.

1967

The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur publish “Montessori Matters.”

1970

The Summit Primary School opens for grades 1-3.

1974

Sister Noreen Joyce becomes principal. Mary Brinkmeyer begins teaching.

1977

Sister Mary Motz begins a second stint as principal.

1979

Linda Regensberger becomes principal.

1985

Nativity Play in Kyte Theater for first time.

1986

3-day program for 3-year-olds begins.

1989

Phyllis Schueler becomes Montessori Director.

1994

World Language Program begins in kindergarten.

1995

Educating with Character Program begins.

1999

Joan Hilton awarded Schilderink Chair.

2000

Linda Moeggenberg awarded Schilderink Chair.

2004

Montessori gets new home when new Lower School opens. Kim Bush begins.

2007

Toddler Program begins. 100th anniversary of Maria Montessori’s first school.

2008

First Early Childhood Education Symposium.

2009

Mary Humpert awarded Schilderink Chair.

2010

World Language Program expands. Bible Stories begin.

2011

Toddler Program Expands (2, 3 and 5 days).

2012

An enhanced Character Education Program curriculum begins. Fourth class of Extended Early Enrichment begins. Fifth Annual Early Childhood Education Symposium.

2013

Summit Montessori celebrates 50 years.

2016

Kathy Scott replaces Phyllis Schueler as Montessori Director.

2019

Lauren Guip replaces Kathy Scott as Montessori Director.

2022

Montessori School embraces redesigned character education program.

2023

Montessori School has record enrollment.

The Montessori School’s 50th anniversary was celebrated in an all-school Mass on the football field in 2013.

Rev. Philip Seher celebrates an all-school mass during Catholic Schools Week.

Four Questions with Rev. Phil Seher

At the start of the 2022-23 school year, Reverend Phil Seher came out of retirement to be The Summit’s full-time chaplain. Here, he talks with Communications Director Tami McMann about his role on campus and what inspires him each day.

How did it feel to be asked to return to The Summit after your previous retirement? What drew you back? It felt very good to be asked back to The Summit. I had more free time than I wanted, so last year I mentioned to Fr. Dave Lemkuhl that I was available if he needed help. He took my offer and I helped on several occasions. “Beacons of Light” brought new challenges to all the priests of the Archdiocese, both those active and retired. When Fr. Dave realized the demand of his new schedule, I was pleased to increase my time at The Summit. The Summit was always close to my heart. It was an easy decision.

What goals do you hope to accomplish this year?

My goal for this year is twofold. I am interested in providing liturgical services that are appropriate for each division. Secondly my goal is to be available to students, faculty, staff and parents. I have a very balanced theology, and in a world where there is a lot of division, I can offer a balanced approach to faith. I appreciate the diversity at The Summit and the presence of various faith traditions.

What are some of your favorite duties as chaplain?

Liturgy and prayer! Those are foremost in my ministry. Each division is different. Our Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel is likely the most remarkable chapel for a school in our entire country. It is an inspiration every time I am in it. I enjoy visiting classrooms. I thoroughly enjoy being at the morning car line and observing happy children arriving to campus. This activity is not my duty as chaplain, but I enjoy it.

How does the spiritual pillar at The Summit fit in with the academic, physical, artistic and social pillars?

Many people can identify the spiritual aspect of their lives, some do not. When you are watching an athletic event,

note the player pointing upwards in thanksgiving, making a sign of the cross before a shot, kneeling as a group or verbalizing a gift from above. Einstein once said that if a scientist did not believe in the divine, he or she would create one. An artist draws deep within self to create

– Reverend Phil Seher a work that comes from within. We always look inward to examine the meaning and depth of our personal relationships. The Spiritual Pillar is always present in these aspects of our lives and complements all other areas of growth and development.

“I am interested in providing liturgical services that are appropriate for each division. Secondly my goal is to be available to students, faculty, staff and parents. I have a very balanced theology, and in a world where there is a lot of division, I can offer a balanced approach to faith.”

Reverend Seher blesses a student during the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

It’s All Write

Writing programs across campus prepare students for learning and for life

By Emily Fernback

When was the last time you authored a professional email, cover letter or employee performance review? Did you recently compose a summary report or proposal or business plan?

Writing is everywhere in our daily lives and certainly all around The Summit. Serving students from 18 months to Grade 12, Summit’s English Language Arts and Literature curriculum is vast and strives to ensure students are meeting the academic challenges at each level on their educational journey. This commitment to rigor is intentional, and it prepares our Leaders of Character for endeavors both at and beyond The Summit.

Building a Foundation in the Montessori School

The youngest Silver Knights learn critical language skills through lessons in the Montessori program where writing

is taught before reading. Students are introduced to different concepts of communication and expression with hands-on practices. In toddler classrooms, students trace sandpaper letters as they sound out each one, which helps to stimulate both visual and muscular memory. Teachers and students also use a moveable alphabet -- letter cards they can hold in their hands and place in front of them -- to aid in word and sentence building, especially in kindergarten.

“Even before they can physically write, children can compose,” says Linda Moeggenberg, Kindergarten teacher and Schilderink Faculty Chair for Distinguished Teaching. The moveable alphabet is a technique that allows students to work towards phonetic understanding of words and phrases while gradually improving spelling throughout the process.

In their writing journals, kindergartners are given prompt ideas

to follow and encouraged to write freely and creatively. A student may write facts about an animal or an experience they had, using inventive spelling and pictures to support, and their teachers guide them to use proper spacing, punctuation and capital letters.

By the time they advance to first grade, students can read and write short stories.

Advancing Through the Lower School

In grades 1 through 4, students explore writing through different outlets. The general writing process in the first two years of the Lower School moves in a circular motion. Students begin with an idea: they plan and revise, work on their first draft, revise and edit, then the circle repeats. As reading and writing go handin-hand, there is an emphasis on phonics and reading fluency supported by two reading specialists.

Initially, they work collaboratively in small groups. Students read aloud,

Seventh graders like Lilly Yarnell (center) take their writing outside to be inspired by the pond scenery.

share their reading and do interactive writing, which directly involves teachers in the process and helps introduce words that challenge the writers. As needed, teachers pull students aside for more personalized micro lessons which foster the growth of their individual skills.

Sherry Schneider ‘81, Summit Lifer and Grade 1 teacher, guides her students to enhance their work with colorful details. “We talk about ‘unfreezing’ people to make stories more interesting using descriptive words,” says Mrs. Schneider. “They are encouraged to tell stories in small steps with descriptive writing that helps add dimension to characters and settings.”

Lower School students write in various styles like opinions, personal accounts, informative pieces and narratives. Before the concept of thesis statements is introduced in advanced grades, Lower School writers use prewriting organizers to form their drafts. These organizers prompt them to begin with a topic, transition to supporting information, then circle back to the main topic as a closing.

In Grade 3, students use a notebook to track what they read and record their thoughts and responses to the content they consume. As their reading levels advance, students start to write in new styles. By the time they enter fourth grade, students have a deeper understanding of specific subject content, and their unique voices start to shine through onto the papers.

Not all writing is done in language arts. For many years, Summit students have excelled in the Jerry Tollifson Art Criticism Open, a contest of the Ohio Art Education Association. For their essays evaluating designated works of art, Leo Lei (Grade 2) and Colin Kline (Grade 4) placed first in their divisions. See page 22 for more accolades.

The Power of the Middle School Pen

The Middle School writing program places increased importance on developing Leaders of Character through the use of language. Students in grades 5 through 8 write original poetry, narratives, expository pieces, and spend ample time on reflective writing.

Fifth-grade students begin the year by developing a well-written paragraph including a topic sentence and specific evidence. Students learn to incorporate

the steelWorKer

By Chelsea Beyerbach, Grade 4

The Steelworker was created by Kelly and Kyle Phelps in 2018. I see a tired, hardworking steelworker feeling underappreciated. I can tell that he feels this way because of the expression shown on his face. He looks as if nobody ever tells him how important steelworkers really are. The Steelworker was created by using clay and reclaimed pieces of metal and wood. The medium of this creation makes a difference because it creates the feeling that this was a real-life picture. The color of the background is important because the background creates the look of an American flag. Form is an essential element in this artwork because form creates the effect that the creation is real life, as if it really happened. This piece of art was created to honor the underappreciated steelworkers and the important work they did to build America. The expression on the man’s face looks weary and concerned about work he does every day and the instability of his job. I like this artwork because it makes people realize how important, special, and not thanked steelworkers really are. It makes people realize something important that most people overlook. I think the man does not enjoy being a steelworker because nobody ever tells him what an impact he has in the making of America. This artwork is important because it tells the story of all the factory workers the helped build our country but are unseen and underrecognized.

– Writing sample from Frances Keller’s fourth grade classroom

data, direct quotations from literature and evidence from informational texts as support for their writing. As the year progresses, students develop notetaking and research skills to craft five-paragraph essays. In addition to expository writing pieces, students compose poems, argumentative writing and various creative writing pieces throughout the year.

Sixth graders lean more into essay writing as they develop higher level critical thinking and communication skills. Students are introduced to wider

varieties of genres which strengthens their comprehension of different writing styles. They learn and practice inventive techniques for short stories, descriptive pieces and poetry.

Seventh grade students begin the year focusing on a strong five-sentence paragraph that incorporates varied sentences and a variety of grammatical techniques. Throughout the year, students write several formal pieces including argumentative essays, analytical essays, fictional stories and poetry. Students are expected to research using academic

William Thompson, Leelah Mason and Rosie Sansalone

databases and include MLA citations and bibliographies. All formal writing assignments go through a detailed writing process of drafting, revising, editing and publishing.

Eighth grade students re-examine the five-paragraph essay in their first semester and then move to embrace the literary analysis essays that help prepare them for the Upper School curriculum. Before the end of eighth grade, students compose four literary analysis essays and a full MLA research paper.

The sequence of the Grade 8 literature, poetry and writing curriculum follows the thematic path of justice which includes self-respect, respect for others, empathy and inclusion. For example, at the start of the year the class discusses a poem about self-respect and identity entitled “Where I’m From” by George Ella Lyon. Each student then authors a poem in that style.

Eighth grade English language arts teacher and Schilderink Faculty

Chair for Distinguished Teaching Rosie Sansalone says her goal as a teacher is for her students to “use the English language effectively in order to be upstanders for justice.” Their capstone project, “Hear My Story, Be My Voice,” is a collection of stories about real people and their experiences with injustice. It begs the question, “What are you going to do with this burden of knowledge?” and encourages students to use the power of their words to enact change.

This year, students had the opportunity to learn from Summit alumna, author and empathy advocate, Mary Knight ‘71 (see page 4) whose book, “Saving Wonder,” the students read at the start of the year. Ms. Knight discussed her journey as a writer and how teachers at The Summit inspired her to think and

Our alien has green skin. She has two legs and two arms and one head. Her name is Cheetobug. She is five years old. She likes to play soccer. Saturn and Neptune are her friends. She goes to school at The Summit. She goes to Florida for vacation. She eats apples and oranges. She has two dogs and three cats. She lives in Key West. She wears an Earth shirt and pants.

– Writing sample from Linda Moeggenberg’s kindergarten classroom composed by Leah Yarnell and Chloe Riegle

Alexis Weaver conducts a writing lesson with second graders Willy Vollmer and Siena Fildes.

Beatrice Nery (Grade 8), Brendan McEachern, Madelyn Smith (Grade 8) and Ben Hofmann (Grade 7) brought home awards from the district Power of the Pen contest.

“Where i’m From”

By Beatrice Nery, Grade 8

I am from statues

From paintings of a city unchanged

I am from the roses and hydrangeas

And the lightning struck tree

I am from magazines and French crepes

And music drifting from the piano

I am from “Walk Fluffy” and “Feed the cat!”

I am from make-believe worlds

From stories believed with whole hearts

Games of magic and fantasy

Of princesses and knights and wizards

Myths of forgotten kingdoms

I am from the lands of my ancestors

I am from my father’s family in Brazil

To my mother’s in Turkey

Different worlds I visit

As if in a dream

On the shelves sit albums of my life

Pictures taken and remembered

A monument to history

Those golden days of childhood

I am from those lost times

Memories treasured forever.

– Writing sample from Rosie Sansalone’s eighth grade classroom

write creatively. She told the students, “Be kind to each other. That would be enough. But I’ll go one step deeper, and that is being kind to yourself. When we start with our own self-respect and caring about ourselves, that extends outward.” Ms. Knight emphasized that empathy is the core of justice. With her inspiration, students worked to incorporate an empathetic tone into their written work throughout the year.

Those in grades 7 and 8 with a special interest and aptitude for writing can join Power of the Pen, a creative writing club that meets weekly. Coached by sixth grade language arts teacher and Schilderink Faculty Chair for Distinguished Teaching Brendan McEachern, Power of the Pen gives writers an outlet and an opportunity to socialize with others who share their interests. They can also enter writing competitions at the regional, state and national level. This year, three students in Grade 7 qualified for the state Power of the Pen contest and will compete in May: Kiersten Diaz, Ben Hofmann, and Avery Northern.

Writing Rigor in the Upper School

The writing program is appropriately rigorous throughout all divisions, and the Upper School program is no exception. While students have significant opportunities to write creatively in the form of poems, journals and short fictional stories, there is strategic emphasis on essays and research papers; the Upper School requires research papers across a number of departments besides English, including history and religion. This versatility in writing assignments prepares students for the future, both collegiate and otherwise.

English courses start strongly in the Upper School during the ninthgrade year. As freshmen, students are reacquainted with research papers and guided to keep improving in their analytical craft. In the first semester of the school year, teacher Amanda Schultz has students take part in a “gallery walk.” Students interview family and friends about how major world events have affected them. Then they create posters to tell these stories with the power of their words and associated imagery.

As they progress through Upper School classes, including honors and advanced placement courses, students continue to develop the technical and analytical skills that allow them to produce higher level written works. A 2021 survey of young alumni revealed that 92% felt their writing abilities were “well above” or “above” average compared to their collegiate peers. The benchmark for our peer schools is 86%. Students are encouraged to enter their work in local, state and national contests. This year, two Upper School

students won Gold Keys in the Scholastic Writing Awards program: Rimel Kamran ’23 for a poem titled “Preserving Culture and Identity” and Elena Stone ’25 for her critical essay, “I Will Never be Quiet, I Promise.” Kaitlyn Rassi ‘26 placed first in the high school division of the Jerry Tollifson Art Criticism Open. Kyle Lauckner ‘24 won second place in an essay contest sponsored by the local chapter of Sons of the American Revolution. Several seniors in the Schiff Family Science Research Institute have had their research papers published in scientific journals over the years.

“My goal is for students to leave my class and this school with confidence in their writing ability,” says Upper School English teacher Gail Rosero ‘82. “I want them to know that they can tackle any future writing assignment because they built a strong foundation at The Summit.”

Pick up a copy of Wordworks, an annual collection of writing that highlights the growth and development of writing skills in students from grades 4 through 6.

Coleton Chadwell ‘26 shows his poster on the impact of the terrorist attack in 2001, an assignment in Amanda Schultz’s ninth grade classroom.

Middle School Director Kim Perlman (left) and author Mary Knight ‘71

International Students Bring Unique Perspectives

By Amy B. Miller

Each fall, the leaves begin to change colors, fresh school supplies are purchased and school doors open to millions of students across the country. Many children will move to new schools for a variety of reasons. Some will leave their loved ones, travel across the world and embark on an experience which will forever change their lives.

These are international students, and The Summit Country Day School has been welcoming them since 2012. The Summit’s international program currently has 13 students from China and Spain. Six are members of the Class of 2023, and like their fellow classmates, they are making decisions for the next steps in their educational journey.

Yiheng “Ethan” Wu ‘23 came to The Summit from his home in China at the beginning of his eighth-grade year in 2018. As any middle schooler may be, he was a bit anxious entering a new school and environment, but not for the reasons one may suspect.

Ethan was nervous about perfecting his English, even though he had been studying the language since the age of 6. Daily immersion allowed his skills to emerge, and Ethan recently gave a chapel talk to his Upper School classmates about his experience here at The Summit. His message was one of gratitude. He thanked all those who have supported and cheered him on, including his soccer coach, Scott Sievering, and his varsity soccer teammates.

Known for his sense of humor, gift of gab and passion for soccer, particularly Manchester United, Ethan decided during his sophomore year to dedicate himself to being Summit’s soccer manager. It was there he found his place and purpose on the team.

“A good team doesn’t need just good soccer players, we need good team players,” he says. “We became a family, and I made lifelong friendships. I feel very lucky.”

Ethan set out to be “the best team manager there was,” and as those that he managed attest, he did just that. Teammate Dalton Slusher ‘23 says:

“Ethan has always been positive and seeks opportunities to succeed.” In addition to Summit’s AP and honors classes, he is studying Multivariable Calculus online with Johns Hopkins University.

“I chose Summit because it allows me to develop my interests, not just academics but also athletics. That’s a big part of my life,” he shares. “One of my friends [from China] came to Summit and he really loved this place. I decided to follow his path and it turned out very, very well. I love this place too.”

The Summit international program is rebounding from challenges presented during the COVID-19 years. Program coordinator, Brandon Lorentz ‘13, hopes to grow and expand international enrollment in the near future.

“We are fortunate to have this program at The Summit,” he says. “We have the opportunity to watch these kids grow and mature. We also see how our entire student body learns invaluable lessons from each student we welcome from countries around the world.”

“I chose Summit because it allows me to develop my interests, not just academics but also athletics. That’s a big part of my life.

One of my friends [from China] came to Summit and he really loved this place. I decided to follow his path and it turned out very, very well. I love this place too.”

– Yiheng “Ethan” Wu ‘23

Ethan Wu ’23, center, stands with Upper School Director Kelly Cronin and the rest of the soccer team.

For information on hosting one of Summit’s international students in the 2023-24 school year, contact Brandon Lorentz ‘13 at 513.871.4700 ext. 278 or lorentz_b@summitcds.org. A monthly stipend is available.

Ethan Wu ’23, center, gathers with some of his friends on the front steps.

Francie and Tom Hiltz Ne Ultra Award

By Nancy Berlier

Francie and Tom Hiltz have lived their lives in service to Greater Cincinnati and, in particular, The Summit Country Day School.

The number of Cincinnati institutions benefiting from their stewardship is both notable and lengthy. Their efforts have garnered many accolades. Mrs. Hiltz was named Enquirer Woman of the Year in 2001. Both of them received the Cincinnati National Human Relations Award from the American Jewish Committee and both were honored by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur.

But it was the Hiltzes’ significant impact on The Summit over decades of time that earned them the Ne Ultra Award during Founders Day celebrations earlier this school year. The award is given to individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the future of progress at The Summit.

Mr. Hiltz is chair of the Harold C. Schott Foundation, and the foundation has given many gifts to The Summit over the years. In 1990, the foundation contributed $250,000 to the Centennial Campaign. In 2004, the foundation gifted $1 million to the Middle School, which bears its name, and the school’s programs. In 2014, $500,000 was given to the Aiming Higher campaign. Most recently, $2.3 million to the Leading the Way campaign helped fund the Upper School resources program for 10 years.

“At The Summit, we like to emphasize our culture of philanthropy,” says board chair Tom Neyer. “Cultures are built over years, decades, generations, and nobody in The Summit family personifies that better than the Hiltz family and the Harold C. Schott Foundation. Part of the reason they are so effective at that is because they too are stewards of a great legacy. They understand the legacy that is The Summit. They are regarded in this community as being intelligent, engaged, thoughtful contributors. They have insights that help the institution become more durable, more competitive and more long lived.”

The Hiltzes also imbued their children – Allison (Hiltz) Kropp ’93, Peter ’98 and Andrew – with the notion that service to their community was expected. Mrs. Hiltz served on the board of trustees from 1992-1997. Mrs. Kropp followed in her mother’s footsteps, serving on the board from 2012 to 2022 and chairing it for the last four years of her term.

“I learned early on from my parents that giving of our time, talent and treasure is something that we do,” Mrs. Kropp says. “It’s part of giving back and paying it forward. All their lives they’ve worked hard to improve the lives of other people.”

Head of School Kelley Schiess credits Mr. and Mrs. Hiltz with staying true to the mission set for the school by the founders, the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur.

“Valuing and building community are central to Catholic life,” she says. “We are called to care about the various communities of which we are a part and to be proactive about helping those communities achieve their purpose, maintain their stability and ensure their sustainability.

“We are a blessed community because of the talent, the time and the treasure Francie and Tom have so generously provided us.”

Head of School Kelley Schiess, Francie and Tom Hiltz

Nick Ragland IV BMS ’83

Mackenzie-Sargent Distinguished Alumni Award

By Nancy Berlier

A nyone who has worked with Nick Ragland IV BMS ’83 knows he isn’t a person who likes to take credit.

“He doesn’t seek the limelight,” says former board chair Allison (Hiltz) Kropp ’93.

Former Head of School Rich Wilson adds, “For him, it’s not about who’s right; it’s about what’s right.”

Nonetheless, Mr. Ragland has proven to be a leader in the Greater Cincinnati community as well as The Summit. Head of School Kelley Schiess awarded him the Mackenzie-Sargent Distinguished Alumni Award at this year’s Founders Day celebration saying, “Nick’s fingerprints are all over the success of this school during the last 15 years.”

Mr. Ragland joined The Summit’s Board of Trustees in 2007 and chaired it from 2009 to 2011. He has served on The Summit’s Foundation Board since 2012. With his wife, Joelle, also a former board member, he established the Nick and Joelle Ragland Scholarship Fund and, with his parents, the Ragland Family Endowment Incentive Fund. Nick and Joelle also co-chaired the Aiming Higher and Leading the Way campaigns which raised $41 million for the school. They also demonstrated their support for The Summit’s mission to develop Leaders of Character by gifting their children, Alex ’19 and Sydney SMS ’17 with Summit educations.

“Nick is like a bulldog,” says his dad, Nick Ragland III SBS ’58. “If he’s got a job to do, he won’t let go until he gets it done.”

His mom, Martha, describes him as someone who “connects well with people” and “values others.”

Persistence and caring are just two traits of this Leader of Character that have inspired others.

“When you’re asking for someone’s involvement, you’re typically asking for time, talent or treasure,” says Summit Board Chair Tom Neyer. “In the case of Nick, you get all three. For him to be willing to give so much of his time and his talent and his treasure over such an extended period of time is true generosity.”

In addition to his work on behalf of The Summit, he’s also been successful in many leadership roles at Ragland family-owned Gorilla Glue Company and in service to many business and community organizations including Americraft Manufacturing Company, Cincinnati Regional Business Committee, the Cincinnati Reds’ Hall of Fame and The Children’s Home.

“Nick’s been important for our community because he’s been a pillar

of togetherness,” says former Summit board member Josh Lorentz. “The values that he exemplifies in his daily life and his community work for the entire city of Cincinnati and for The Summit are a model for all of us to look toward.”

Current trustee Joel Stone agrees. “Nick has exemplified to all of us how to be engaged individually, how to engage your family and how to be engaged if you have the opportunity to be a trustee.”

Head of School Kelley Schiess and Nick Ragland IV BMS ’83

Student Spotlight

perform with the Youth Wind Ensemble as one of the top high school musicians in the area.

Clarinetist Mason Moyle ’25 was accepted by audition to the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Youth Symphonic Wind Ensemble. He and Meghana Curran ’26 also earned “superior” ratings, the highest level, at a live critique with the Ohio Music Education Association.

Addie Johnson ’24 took first prize in Cincinnati Art Club plein air contest. Her artwork will be on display at the Cincinnati Art Museum for one year, and it will then travel to the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden to be displayed for another year.

Six students received the National African American Recognition Award from the College Board: Arielle Barnes ’23, Braeden Austin ’23, Jerome Goodloe ’23, Madison Sievering ’23, Olivia Stapleton ’23 and Teresa Tarnowski ’24. Three students received the National Hispanic Recognition Award: Giulia Genung ’24, Sofia Ramirez ’24 and Tarek Hasan ’24

Middle School student and piano prodigy Sophia Suwiryo ’27 participated in a piano competition in New York. She is a Lang Lang International Music Foundation Scholar.

Upper School students Sophia Nery ’25 and Charles Rahner ’25 were accepted into the May Festival Youth Chorus which performs with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

Four seniors were named National Merit Semifinalists by the National Merit Scholarship Program: Ali Burns ’23, Lavina Grzymajlo ’23, William McLane ’23 and Mia Rahner ’23

Eight seniors were named Commended Scholars: Reagan Heard ’23, Oscar

Loehrer ’23, Logan Miller ’23, Samuel Parker ’23, PJ Schaaf ’23, Justinian Su ’23, Maya Wood ’23 and Ethan Wu ’23

Middle schoolers Beatrice Nery ’27 and John Trokan ’28, Bennett Kreeger ’28 and Ben Hofmann ’28 were chosen through an audition process to be members of the Cincinnati CollegeConservatory of Music Youth Wind Ensemble.

Tarek Hasan ’24 was selected to

Lily Fecher ’28 placed in the top ten nationally in the Synonym Cinema Contest hosted by Membean Vocabulary.

Five Upper School artists were selected by Ohio Art Education Association for the Emerging Artists Exhibition: Haley Potter ’24, Julia Daniher ’24, James Hinton ’23, Ana Leyendecker ’23 and Lavina Grzymajlo ’23

Four Middle School musicians were selected by Ohio Music Education Association District 14 to join the Junior High Honor Band: Beatrice Nery ’27,

Mason Moyle ’25

Rimel Kamran ’23 is a semifinalist in the prestigious Coca Cola Scholar Program.

Kat Shuey ’27, Ben Hofmann ’28 and Will Fox ’28.

Middle School musicians Shriyan Masineni ’27, Kyan Gatewood ’28 and Ben Hofmann ’28 earned “superior” ratings from the Ohio Music Education Association for their video recordings.

Four seniors were named 2022 Heisman High School Scholarship recipients: Jake Carrico ’23, Kennedi Dukes ’23, Patrick McHugh ’23 and Mia Rahner ’23.

The National Chinese EXPO of Student Works honored students in the Honors III Chinese class for a group project called Shadow Puppet Show of Moon Festival: Sydney Brinkman ’26, Ava Dona ’26, Carolyn Federle ’26, Esme Gonyo ’25, Kwadwo Karikari ’25, Grey Love ’26, Nia Neal ’25, Sofia Ramirez ’24, Connor Schaaf ’26, Annabelle Schlotman ’25 and Diego Schurmann ’25. Two students were also recognized for individual works, Annabelle for “Three Paintings for the Year of Tiger” and Sydney for “Poster of an Asian American Celebrity.”

Several students won art awards in the Hyde Park Art Show, including first place artists Lexy Beyerbach ’29, Austin Miller ’29 and Maya Wood ’23

Macey Adams ’31, Audrey Beltran ’27, Jack Erbeck ’29, Caroline Reynolds ’29, Nina Williams ’34 and Lilly Yarnell ’28 were named “honored artists” at the 43rd Annual Young People’s Art Exhibition sponsored by the Ohio Art Education Association.

Shriyan Masineni ’27 won the grades 7-8 geography bee.

Six students were recognized at the district Mock Trial competition. Outstanding Attorney was awarded to Iris Katz ’24, Ana Leyendecker ’23 and Jack Robinson ’23. Outstanding Witness was awarded to Olivia Bolan ’25, Reagan Heard ’23 and Kwadwo Karikari ’25 “Team A” advanced to the state level competition.

Avery Northern ’28 won first place (also known as Best of Round) for her grade level at the regional Power of the Pen competition. Her piece was titled “The Last Mission.”

Several students wrote award-winning essays in the Jerry Tollifson Art Criticism Open. Leo Lei ’33, Colin Kline ’31 and Kaitlyn Rassi ’26 placed first in their divisions.

The Upper School Robotics Team advanced to the state level competition.

The Cincinnati Chapter of Sons of the American Revolution awarded Kyle Lauckner ’24 second place in the George S. and Stella M. Knight Essay Contest for his essay titled “Free Expression: Our Nation’s Bedrock.” Kyle will attend a banquet in May to receive his award.

Summit students earn awards for art and writing

Congratulations to students who were awarded “keys” from the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards program. Scholastic Awards are the nation’s longest-running, most prestigious recognition initiative for creative students (grades 7-12) and the largest source of scholarships for young artists.

Kelly Qiu ’24: Gold Key in drawing and illustration for “Susan and Me” and Gold Key in painting for “The Forgotten Corner.”

Maya Wood ’23: Gold Key in drawing and illustration for “Hey, Soul Sister” Honorable Mention in painting for “All She Sees is Pink,” Honorable Mention in drawing and illustration for “All the Stages and the Stars.”

Rimel Kamran ’23: Gold Key in Poetry for “Preserving Culture and Identity.”

Elena Stone ’25: Gold Key in critical essay for “I Will Never be Quiet, I Promise.”

Megan Ebken ’23: Silver Keys in drawing and illustration for “I See Stars” and “Home Body.”

Addie Johnson ’24: Silver Keys in drawing and illustration for “The Queen” and “St. Lucia.”

Madison Metzner ’24: Silver Key in poetry for "Pretty Pretty Legs."

At the 2022 Ohio Invention Convention, Beckham Carrasquillo ’29 came in third place for his invention, the Magnatie. He will compete at the state level in June.

Several students earned the Honorable Mention distinction in either the writing or art category: Braeden Austin ’23, Daisy Doran ’25, Lavina Grzymajlo ’23, Zaina Kamran ’26, Owen McEachern ’23, Mia Rahner ’23, Sophia Ramirez ’24 and Austen Young ’23

Spelling bee winner Danny Beyerbach ‘27 (right) poses with runner up Kyan Gatewood ‘28.

Reunion 2022

Summit alumni returned to campus September 24 during the annual Homecoming events which included the Summit Parents Association Fall Festival and Silver Knights football game. Alumni whose class years ended in 2s and 7s were treated to a campus tour, reception and class dinners. Save the date for Reunion 2023 on Saturday, September 23.

Legacy Photo 2022

Well-rounded MEET

Upper School students are all about the As: Academics, Arts, Athletics

By Tami McMann

Summit students are encouraged to “Aim High,” a maxim widely used across campus. While achievement and progress are celebrated in each division (see “Student Spotlight” on page 22), it’s especially impressive when students are active in multiple pillars of our program. The four Upper School students featured here not only exemplify well-rounded pursuits, but they also excel in the three As: academics, arts and athletics.

Maya Wood

’23

Artist, Scholar, Three-season Athlete

It can be difficult to catch up with senior Maya Wood, and not just because she is a track star who can sprint the 100-meter dash in barely more than 14 seconds.

She also represents the arts program on the Upper School Leadership Team and is a founding member of the National Art Honor Society at The Summit. Besides serving as an ambassador for the arts, Maya has participated in multiple exhibitions, earning top

recognition again and again. She was recently awarded a Gold Key in the Scholastic Art Awards for an illustration titled, “Hey, Soul Sister.” She says her favorite piece is an acrylic painting on paper titled “All She Sees is Pink.”

“It was very personal to me,” she says, “and I think it shows how far my skills have improved.” The piece won first place overall at the Taft Museum’s Artists Reaching Classrooms Exhibition last year.

A three-sport varsity athlete, Maya is always on her feet. She competes in cross country running in the fall, indoor track in the winter and track and field in the spring in sprints, relays and long

jump. Track is her favorite of the three, and her most memorable moment as a Silver Knight was in 2021, her sophomore year.

“During a 4x200 meter qualifying race for the state meet, I messed up the handoff and we were disqualified,” she shares. “I felt guilty about it, but I had to put the team over my feelings. We refocused and in our next qualifier, the 4x100, we advanced and were able to compete at state in that event. Getting disqualified but overcoming it to move on made us closer as a team.”

In the classroom, Maya excels at learning while immersed in a challenging Advanced Placement courseload. She is a National Merit Commended Scholar and one of the College Board’s National African American Recognition Program scholars. Her grade point average is exemplary.

“Being around so many different people with different interests at the Summit has helped me focus on what I want to accomplish and what I want to pursue,” she says. “I try to put effort into everything I do so I can be proud of the outcome.”

With all these achievements, you might wonder if there’s anything this student cannot do well.

“I can’t park,” she admits. “I have to get here early so I’m one of the first people in the parking lot.”

Graham Hodge ’24 Singer, Scholar, Football and Basketball Player

Junior Graham Hodge joined the Upper School as a freshman from St. Gertrude School in Madeira. Right away, he began involving himself in school activities while maintaining a rigorous academic courseload.

“I had conversations with my parents about what kinds of activities really make me happy and what interests me most,” he says. Ultimately, what stuck for Graham was Camerata, where he sings bass, and positions on the varsity basketball and football teams.

Following the 2022 football season, Graham’s hard work as a defensive end resulted in two recognitions from the Miami Valley Conference: First Team, AllConference and Honorable Mention, AllDistrict.

Academically, Graham is equally motivated to excel in the classroom. He is enrolled in the Homan Center for

Entrepreneurial Leadership and this summer he has an internship lined up as part of the Homan program. Other classes he enjoys are Advanced Placement (AP) U.S. Government and AP English Language and Composition. Graham is also on the leadership team for the class of 2024 and maintains a high grade point average. After Summit, he intends to pursue a business degree and someday be his own boss.

As he approaches his senior year as a Silver Knight, Graham has a few “bucket list” items yet to accomplish. He wants to take classes from Dr. Tracy Law ’85, Ph.D. and Stephanie Duggan, win a state basketball championship and be seen as a leader among the boys performing with Camerata. With so many balls in the air, Graham says his biggest challenge is putting the distractions away and focusing on one priority at a time.

“Summit teachers work on really connecting with students,” he says. “Everyone supports your goals.”

Zari Gillispie ’25 Artist, Scholar, Volleyball Player, Swimmer

It’s not hard to spot Zari Gillispie in a crowd. The 5-foot-11 sophomore with a bright smile quietly commands attention whether she is on the volleyball court, in the pool, at the artist’s table or in the classroom.

Zari is a top student who balances a challenging schedule of honors and college preparatory classes. Outside the classroom Zari is an avid reader of murder mysteries. She also volunteers at the Cincinnati Museum Center teaching young visitors about animals and nature. Next year she wants to join Summit’s Mock Trial team and might

someday pursue a law career.

Her accomplishments as a visual artist are impressive. Inducted along with Maya into Summit’s founding class of the National Art Honor Society, Zari has artwork on display in Columbus until 2024 as part of the Ohio House of Representatives High School Student Art Exhibition. She enjoys sketching on paper, but graphic design allows her to add layers and depth to her art.

During the fall volleyball season, Zari was a standout player. The Miami Valley Conference named her Player of the Year and First Team for District 16 Division III as well as First Team, All League. A middle hitter, she had 56 blocks and 179 kills and her power on the court helped advance the varsity team to the regional finals for the first time in program history. In the winter, she competes on the swim team in three sprint races: 50-yard freestyle, 100yard freestyle and 100-yard backstroke.

“To succeed at The Summit, it takes inner drive,” she shares. “You might not want to study for that test or go to practice, but you have to keep pushing yourself. This is a very inviting community, and your teachers and peers are always there to help you.”

Connor Schaaf ’26 Musician, Scholar, Gymnast

Connor Schaaf came to The Summit as a third grader when his father, Rob Schaaf, was hired to teach middle school. Now a freshman, he is known for more than just being the younger brother of PJ Schaaf ’23.

Connor is enrolled in honors classes like biology, geometry and Chinese. This year, he was part of a team that was recognized by the National Chinese EXPO of Student Works for a group project called Shadow Puppet Show of Moon Festival. He voiced one of the characters in the video recording.

“Chinese is very different from English and most other languages,” he says. “That’s what’s interesting about it – the sentence structure, vocabulary, alphabet – it’s challenging to learn.”

Outside of school, Connor spends most of his time at the gym. He began gymnastics training at age six when his family lived in Philadelphia. Today, he trains six days a week for more than 20 hours total. His best events are rings and pommel horse.

“The sport is challenging and scary,” he admits, “but there’s a sense of accomplishment when I push through and get over my fears. Being able to mentor and teach younger kids helps me understand how far I’ve come. I have a lot more confidence in my ability to persevere.”

Besides setting a high bar for himself as a learner and athlete, there is another side to Connor. He is also a musician who has played the clarinet in Summit’s band program since fifth grade.

“I’ve found that it’s very easy to stay disciplined if you have a goal and are motivated to achieve it,” he shares. “When it’s something I care about and I want to succeed, I push through.”

Faculty Spotlight

Art Community Volunteer

Lower School teacher coordinates Ohio’s Youth Art Month

By Tami McMann

Hilary Carvitti, Lower School art teacher, recently served as the Youth Art Month Chair with Ohio Art Education Association (OAEA), a statewide professional organization for visual art educators. Youth Art Month in March is an annual celebration of student art and creativity.

“I enjoy rewarding students for their artistic interest and the skills they practice − just like athletes and musicians can be rewarded when they perform their craft on a stage or competitive arena,” she says. “It sends the message to young artists that we value their abilities and the effort they put into fine-tuning their artistic skills.”

As the Youth Art Month Chair, Mrs. Carvitti coordinated the annual exhibit and reception hosted in Columbus while collaborating with other OAEA volunteers. The goal is to highlight student visual accomplishments and recognize students for their artistic achievements. Summit students had a strong presence during Youth Art Month, with several featured at the exhibition as “honored” artists. (See page 23.)

“I love that OAEA is a professional network that gives educators the support they need and deserve,” Mrs. Carvitti says. “As a member, I’m able to share ideas, and I have opportunities for professional development and leadership roles. We’re focused on careers that guide artistic youth across the state of Ohio.”

Mrs. Carvitti first volunteered with OAEA in 2004 as an undergraduate student at Mount Saint Joseph University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in art teacher education. Since then, she has held various roles on the OAEA board.

Hilary Carvitti is the art teacher for Grades 1-4, her role since 2015. Inside her colorful classroom, students are inspired to elevate their creativity and artistic skills. Follow her on Instagram @art_with_mrs.carvitti.

Briefs from the Breakroom

Art teacher Samantha England was selected to be in a juried art show at The Clifton Cultural Arts Center. The show had over 200 applicants and 40 were selected.

Four art teachers attended the 2022 Ohio Art Education Association conference: Carrie Barnett, Hilary Carvitti, Samantha England and Paula Yarnell ‘65

Upper School Director Kelly Cronin was nominated by her former student, Brigid Devine ’19, for the Northwestern University Morton Schapiro Distinguished Secondary School Teacher Award.

Lisa Baker, Lynette Grypp and Brooke Thomas attended the 2022 National Council of Teachers of Math annual conference in California.

Six faculty/staff members attended the People of Color Conference: Andrea Bennett ’02, Greg Dennis, Cliff Pope, Gail Rosero ’82, Kristen West and Arielle Wilson ’06.

Tami McMann, communications director, attended the INDEX communications conference. Emily Fernback, communications specialist, joined the Finalsite conference in Florida to learn new skills in managing the school website.

Several faculty members traveled to Tennessee for the 2023 Academic Support Conference hosted by the Southern Association of Independent Schools: Annie Christy, Meghan Cole, Allie Hadley, Kara Russell, and Cooper Schreibeis ’12 . The conference offered the latest research, curriculum, instructional strategies and best practices for supporting all learners.

Montessori Director Lauren Guip and Middle School Director Kim Perlman attended the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS) Academy for Division Directors, a leadership development program held in Chicago.

Art teacher Samantha England created a ceramic sculpture, “One in Eight,” that was selected for an exhibit at Manifest Gallery in conjunction with the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts conference. She is one of 13 featured artists out of 153 who applied.

Four Upper School science teachers attended the National Association of Biology Teachers conference: Kat Sickinger, Karen Suder, Jessica Replogle and Dan Smith.

Language arts teacher Brendan McEachern attended a Learning and the Brain conference.

Ed Buyniski was given the Compass Award in his first year as Summit’s robotics coach for outstanding guidance and support and demonstrating what it means to be a “gracious professional.”

Aligning Character Education

Faculty and staff buy in to the Leaders of Character framework

By Tami McMann

Early in the development of Summit’s new Leaders of Character program, administrators recognized that the framework was not designed for students alone.

LEADERS OF CHARACTER

Every adult in The Summit community is called upon to take responsibility for cultivating the positive character attributes taught at the school, model them and practice them daily with students. With that in mind, new hires this school year were offered Leaders of Character training during a revamped summer orientation program led by Kirstin McEachern, Ph.D., assistant head of school for academic affairs. The response was positive, and Dr. McEachern soon realized that more training was needed.

“It became clear that while it’s great to train new hires on the framework, this only works if everybody on campus knows it,” she explains. “There’s value in having a common vocabulary that is used and understood by the entire community.”

A plan was set up to extend training to all faculty and staff by holding six day-long workshops with a cross section of 16-20 employees each. The day is carefully planned. It starts with prayer and a presentation by Meg Sharp, director of mission integration at the Ohio Province of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. She describes details and anecdotes related to the

history of the sisterhood, its foundress St. Julie Billiart, the sisters’ enduring connection to The Summit and the significance of the Hallmarks of a Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur Education.

“I’m always struck by St. Julie’s story and her words that we should take joy in what we do as teachers,” says Cammie Corder-Nelson, Lower School librarian, who recently attended the workshop. “There is joy in working with children, and I try to bring that into my teaching.”

The day moves on to an in-depth look at the Leaders of Character domains and attributes, with ample time for discussion and self-reflection. Problem solving and collaboration challenges are mixed in to encourage participants to interact meaningfully with those outside their division or department.

The goal, says Dr. McEachern, is to give each employee the chance to deepen their understanding of the Leaders of Character framework, reflect on how they can put it into practice and learn how the different areas of the school are connected. The desired outcome is a better environment to teach, model and practice positive attributes for the good of the children we serve.

“It’s impressive to me that Summit commits so much time into not just talking about character education, but doing it,” says Allison Finkleman, Grade 3 teacher.

Summit’s Leaders of Character program

is a comprehensive and scaffolded effort to focus on three domains that contribute to personal development:

Serves God, Builds Community and Grows Self. The Leaders of Character framework was introduced in 2021 and is embedded throughout the school where specific character attributes are taught, modeled and practiced.

Brooke Byam, Marcia Sullivan, Mary Jean Feldhaus and Greg Dennis participate in a problem-solving activity at Leaders of Character training.

Celebrating Fifty Years of Coeducation at The Summit Upper School

By Tracy Law ’85, Ph.D.

Change is hard.

In the fall of 1972, 200 girls in The Summit Country Day School Upper School were joined by 14 freshmen boys. Maneuvering this transition challenged students, teachers, parents and administrators. Some alumnae still reminisce about what was lost. But as we celebrate 50 years of high school coeducation, it is inarguable that this was a change that has cemented our identity: the only Catholic, coeducational, independent school, serving students from 18 months to grade 12 in Cincinnati.

In 1970, Sacred Heart Academy, another local Catholic girls’ school, closed. This brought many new girls to Summit, growing numbers and

expanding diversity. Head of School Sister Rose Ann Fleming and Boys Middle School (BMS) Head Edward C. Tyrrell recognized that, in order to not just grow but thrive, The Summit needed a bold strategy. “We had a lot of resources – the faculty, the facility. We just needed students,” remembers Mr. Tyrrell. With the Summit Boys School already regarded as a preeminent option in Cincinnati, extending these students’ education into the high school was a natural step.

So, in February 1972, advertisements began appearing for The Summit Boys High School. As later described by Bruce Niemeyer, head of the Upper School, in an article in The Cincinnati Post (8/10/72), “it’s not going to be co-educational. It will be co-institutional. We’ll make use

“What made the enrollment of boys in the Upper School exciting and memorable was the initiative that the parents took to ensure enrollment. Particularly memorable is the indefatigable work of many eighth grade parents of the BMS Class of ’72 to ensure that their sons would benefit from the academic and sports programs planned for the boys in the new Upper School.”

– Sister Rose Ann Fleming ’50

The first year, Rostrum 1973

of the same facilities and some of the same faculty, but there will be separate classes.” Mr. Tyrrell (Cincinnati Post, 2/10/72) described the plan “to admit up to 50 boys in the ninth grade next year and add a grade each following year.” Ultimately, the goal included a “complete inter-scholastic athletic program within four years.” As the newly arrived Head of the Boys Middle School, it was Mr. Tyrrell’s role to shepherd as many of the eighth graders as possible from the Middle to the Upper School. Thinking back on these events today, Sister Rose Ann reflects that “what made the enrollment of boys in the Upper School exciting and memorable was the initiative that the parents took to ensure enrollment. Particularly memorable is the indefatigable work of many eighth grade parents of the BMS Class of ’72 to ensure that their sons would benefit from the academic and sports programs planned for the boys in the new Upper School.” Fourteen boys enrolled in the

new division, with George Junker from the Summit BMS announced as “the first scholarship winner to the new Summit Boys High School” (Cincinnati Enquirer, 5/13/72).

The next major step was the hiring of Farrell Ackley as the new Dean of the Boys. In his Summit history book, “To Grow in Grace and Wisdom,” Pat Kelly describes a pivotal moment:

“He and Bruce Niemeyer, the Upper School principal, had met with a number of the new boys in a cabin at Lake Cumberland in the spring of 1972. There, the boys decided on school colors of silver and blue, possibly influenced by the Dallas Cowboys’ uniforms, and, as a name, the “Silver Knights,” which was unique in Ohio. The knight, with its resonance of medieval times and Catholic codes of honor, was an appropriate symbol for the new school at The Summit.”

When the school year began in September, the boys were situated in a large room where they remained

throughout the day. Teachers traveled to them. The boys ran their own school paper, The Knight-Herald, and except for four boys on Student Council, the rest of the clubs were segregated. Plays, however, were coed and this served as a wonderful ice-breaker, linking the girls and boys Upper School divisions.

Covering the new boys high school, the BMS newspaper, The Hawk, reported on the 1972-73 year, including key details such as “the boys decided on a uniform of flared or belled navy blue pants,” and “the Boys High School has its own lounge with a coke machine, tape deck and a radio, a privilege granted to budding young adults.” The 1973 Rostrum also provides a vivid window into that year:

“As time progressed, an adjustment was made with little difficulty. The “Silver Knights” became familiar faces in the halls and their antics were humorously tolerated. Eventually they gained recognition as the mainstay of high school projects…. As December approached the boys received an official stamp of approval

At the gates, Rostrum 1973

“The boys decided on school colors of silver and blue, possibly influenced by the Dallas Cowboys’ uniforms, and, as a name, the “Silver Knights,” which was unique in Ohio. The knight, with its resonance of medieval times and Catholic codes of honor, was an appropriate symbol for the new school at The Summit.”

presented to them by the firmly established Girls’ School. A Plaque –which now hangs in Mr. Ackley’s office, welcomes the newcomers and is a true symbol of their acceptance into Summit high school life.”

Deborah Weber Reinstatler ’74 remembers the challenge of moving from an environment where “it was all about the girls” to sharing space and resources with the new boys.

“But there were positives that came out of the changes, many of which took aging to realize. Mr. Ackley was such a positive influence not only in the inception and growth of the boys’ high school, but also to the girls. He started a track team for the girls, something new to Summit. Without a track, without much equipment, we learned to run and compete in a sport that had not

been available prior to Mr. Ackley. We ran the beautiful streets behind the school overlooking the river. He also taught psychology. He had the ability to build rapport with all students, not just those pesky boys with their striped ties!”

During the 1973-74 year, the changes continued and were documented in the Rostrum: “the feeling is that the boys have been around a long time and they have created some marked differences. The most obvious change is in the area of sports. This was coupled with a new interest in school spirit and the necessity of cheerleaders.” Under Mr. Ackley, the first football team was fielded and managed to have a winning season. A second season of basketball was also in the books. Yet, the success surrounding Summit boys’ sports was not without tension; many girls felt resources were being shifted to these at the expense of established female sports such as field hockey and volleyball. When Mr. Ackley complained at a lack of enthusiasm from the Girls Upper School, several girls penned an anonymous letter explaining that their teams were struggling with old equipment and uniforms and little support from the boys. Soon after, Mr. Ackley had a large group of his athletes attend the next field hockey game and subsequent events. Sue Roeding Lanter ’74 recalls her father being involved in the formation of the Boosters Association once boys sports were added; “he said at that time he was very vocal that the association should support girls sports and not just boys sports. As the father of both girls and boys, he didn’t want the girls’ teams to be pushed aside in favor of boys’ teams.”

The close of Year 2 of the Boys Upper School identified the subtle, but very real change that the boys had effected: “They have a real pride in The Summit which is not always as readily seen in the girls. There is a new animation in the high school which can only serve to enliven the atmosphere.” (Rostrum, 1974).

The next two years saw Mr. Tyrrell become the Head of School, under new President Sister Frances Joan Miller, as Sister Rose Ann left to become President of Trinity University. They also saw the decision to embrace coeducation as more classes and activities included both boys and girls. The boys lounge moved to the basement with the girls, “but don’t get too excited,” reported the Rostrum, “no fraternization between the sexes was permitted in the lounges, and

– Pat Kelly

Coed classroom, Rostrum 1976

each sex has its own staircase.” Classes like mechanical drawing/drafting and calculus were added and enjoyed by both boys and girls. Under Mr. Tyrrell’s leadership, there was a goal of a feeling of community and smooth transitions, encouraging students to stay at Summit from ages 3 to 18.

Graduation for that first coed class did raise some issues. Mr. Tyrrell remembers a heated meeting with parents regarding who would graduate first during the ceremony. “The presidents of the girls’ and boys’ stood up and said, ‘we’re graduating together,’ and they did. With the girls processing in first, then the boys.” Class of ’76 member Chris Krohn summarizes her four years as “the first year was a year of transition, then everything was good. We became friends and classmates. We all graduated together. Happy ending!”

When asked about the impact today, Mr. Tyrrell pragmatically states: “It was the right thing to do. It was needed for the school to survive, and it put this school on the path it is now.” There is no question that the seismic change to embrace coeducation in the high school allowed for The Summit to be sustainable financially. But it was also a key piece to the model of “The Summit family.”

As Head of School Kelley Schiess explains, “Coed schools reflect our

Setting the Record Straight

As we celebrate The Summit Class of 1976 as the first coed class to graduate, it is important to recognize another first. In 1974-75, three boys enrolled as seniors and completed their high school education here. Unfortunately, their experience was not chronicled in the Rostrum, pictured in the framed composites, or documented in our Summit history. Dale Ankenman, Tudor Morse and Glen Rosen were the first young men to receive Summit high school diplomas in 1975.

future. Our students will be entering a work force where they will be required to work with opposite genders. Critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity take time to develop. At The Summit, our boys and girls have numerous opportunities to regularly practice communication, critical thinking, creativity and collaboration in community. Our culture of extraordinary care provides a safe environment where learning how to work with others is encouraged.”

Director of Enrollment Kevin Lavelle adds, “We’re preparing students for life as it exists outside of The Summit.

College, work, service, social life, practical life.”

Perhaps the most valuable effect of our coeducation though harkens back to the vision of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur concerning our mission to recognize each student’s unique gifts. Mrs. Schiess adds, “Our coeducational environment honors the dignity and sacredness of each person where students embrace the gift of diversity through a community among those with whom they work and with those they serve. Through our coeducational environment we are developing holistic learning communities which educate for life.”

The boys of 1976

Tee it High Golf program builds skills and character

In his tenth year coaching Middle School golfers, Coach DiPaola advises boys and girls who want to become involved in the program to play in summer tournaments and participate in available camps. Come August, the fall season tees off.

Rebuilding Upper School Program

Fall 2022 was Jeff Stayton’s last season with the Upper School golf program after three years as varsity coach and many more as junior varsity coach when he served with Tim Jedding, Mike Johnson and Bob Juenke, a legend in the Cincinnati high school coaching ranks. He says, “Golf is one of the only high school sports that players can continue enjoying for the rest of their lives. What I hoped to instill in the golfers was a love for the game as well as respect for golf rules and etiquette.”

Upper School math teacher Kevin Schomaker will take over the Upper School golf program this fall and will oversee both the boys’ and girls’ programs. He was Summit’s junior varsity coach last year and coached the golf team at Purcell Marian for three seasons prior to coming to The Summit.

By Tami McMann

A ccording to English author P.G. Wodehouse, “Golf, like the measles, should be caught young, for, if postponed to riper years, the results may be serious.” Taking his advice, The Summit golf program begins in Middle School where this year, one of Summit’s golfers hit a hole in one, a remarkable achievement, considering the average years a golfer plays before hitting an ace is 24 (pga.com).

Middle School Ace

The talented ace is Graham Moore ’30 who has developed a love for golf since age 4 while playing alongside his father, Ryan Moore. Because of Graham and other interested fifth and sixth graders, Coach Michael DiPaola expanded the Middle School golf team to include the younger players. With 14 boys swinging, Summit had one of its most competitive seasons. They won the B Division Championship at The Meadow Links Course topping off a season where the Silver Knights also won the Cincinnati Middle School Central Conference championship and tied for first place at the Little Miami Middle School Open.

The famous hole in one happened in October during a match against Walnut Hills with the Moore family in attendance for the shot. Graham was one of two top players on the team whose scores were so close, they were nearly interchangeable. The second player is Samuel Sprengard ’28, a left-hander who was also new to the team this year.

In golf, each player tracks his opponent’s score in addition to his own strokes. The sportsmanship needed to play golf complements The Summit’s Leaders of Character program by requiring middle schoolers to practice being honorable, accountable, respectful and inclusive, some of the specific attributes taught and modeled at The Summit.

“My coaching philosophy is to get each athlete to believe they can achieve more than what they previously thought possible,” he shares. “My goals for the upcoming season are to qualify the team to the district meet and hopefully get at least one individual golfer through to the state meet.”

With a strong Middle School program feeding into the Upper School, Athletic Director Greg Dennis believes Summit can be a top contender in the Miami Valley Conference in the coming years.

“It will take some very dedicated individuals from the Middle School on up,” he says. “Coach DiPaola’s program is thriving, and as long as we keep going in that direction, we should be competitive in the Upper School.

“Our goal is to bring back a state championship in every sport we offer, and I believe our golf program can get there.”

From Summit to Collegiate

The Class of 2022 had one player who was recruited to play golf in college.

The Middle School Golf team with Coach Michael DiPaola

Erin Johnson ’22 is finishing her first year at Ashland University where she is studying to be an intervention specialist who works with special needs children. At The Summit, Erin was not only an accomplished varsity level golfer, but a strong advocate for the game. She volunteered more than 150 hours of service with First Tee, a youth development organization that integrates the game of golf with a life skills curriculum to build inner strength, self-confidence and resilience in young people. During her senior year, Erin was also focused on a particular goal – to improve her handicap.

“I dropped my handicap from 21 to 12 because that’s when I got serious about playing collegiately,” she remembers.

Her love for the game has only increased since her years as a Silver Knight. “I love the aspect that it may be a team sport but it’s really a personal sport because more than 75 percent of the game is mental,” Erin says. “To watch myself improve along the way feels good. That’s what makes me continue to practice and strive to play in upper levels if given the opportunity.”

All freshmen golfers at Ashland are walk-ons and the coach awards scholarships to those who demonstrate hard work, determination and dedication. Erin’s coach told her to expect a scholarship next year.

“My whole life is based around golf,” she says.

The Pro Life

You have to go back a few years to find a Summit alumnus on the professional golf circuit. Wes Homan ’02 played under Coach Juenke and still holds many of The Summit’s individual golf records. Miami Valley Conference’s Player of the Year during his junior and senior years, he qualified for state all four years and finished with the silver medal in 2002, runner-up to his good friend and fellow professional golfer, Jason Kokrak.

“Golfing for Summit was definitely some of the best memories I have,” he says. “My only regret is we never won a state championship.”

Wes says he started golfing as soon as he could walk and began playing competitively at age 10. At one point as a youth, he held a record for lowest score on a nine-hole course in Ohio.

At Southern Methodist University,

he was an Academic All-American and helped carry his team to compete in the NCAA championship every year. With a finance degree in his back pocket, he played amateur golf with great success, winning the 2006 Met and qualifying for two U.S. Amateur competitions. Wes turned professional in 2008 and has played and won tours around the world, teeing off against the sport’s best golfers including Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson and Jordan Spieth. Wes is best known for winning the inaugural Staal Foundation Open in Canada in 2014.

Today, Wes works in the business world but still plays a few events and is a performance enhancing coach for elite amateur golfers. What he loves about the game is that learning to play is a never-ending journey: “I know more now than ever and I’m as good as I’ve ever been, but there is still more to learn.”

Wes is also a Summit parent with three young children enrolled at the school. As expected, all three play golf recreationally and have an eager coach standing by if they show interest in getting more serious about the game.

“My biggest goal is to play a few more PGA tour events so my kids can experience it with me now that they’re a little older.”

To support The Summit’s golf program and ensure Summit golfers have the opportunities and equipment they need to compete, make a gift to The Summit Fund and select “Five Pillars Fund” then “Physical Fund.”

Erin Johnson ’22

Wes Homan ’02

On Air in Three, Two, One Broadcasting club builds school spirit

By Xavier Mellon

Two seniors are leaving a lasting impression at The Summit after taking the initiative to brainstorm, develop and lead an innovative new club for Upper School students.

SCD.TV, also known as the broadcast journalism club, was launched by Jack Robinson ’23 and Patrick McHugh ’23 during the 202122 school year. Students involved in the club work on live broadcasting, photography, videography, social media, guest speaker engagements and podcasts related to Summit’s Physical Pillar. The club is a prime example of what students can accomplish with the right resources, support, influence and leadership.

The Back Story

In March 2020, the coronavirus spread exponentially around the world, prompting schools to transition to remote learning. Students were isolated at home and later socially distanced from their peers and teachers. Universally, school spirit declined while mental health issues escalated as the pandemic dragged on.

Concerned about these trends, Jack and Patrick dreamed up an idea. They wanted to broadcast live play-byplay commentary alongside live video during Silver Knights sporting events to entertain and provide an experience to people who were unable to attend in person. With permission from administration, the two created “SCD. TV” during their sophomore year.

“The school rallied around us and was our partner in making it happen,” Jack says. “It speaks to what makes Summit such a special place and that is two students having an idea and being able to carry it through, along with adults who want you to succeed and will give you the resources to do so.”

Long before the first broadcast, the pair worked to establish procedures, acquire equipment and train club members to do the various jobs involved. Then there were the hours of practice narrating live sports events. It’s a feat that requires intense preparation and the unique ability to

banter nonstop for up to two hours. Some members, like PJ Schaaf ’23, are athletes in one season and broadcasters in their off-season. Others, like the camera operators, offer a different, valuable skillset.

As recognition for the club’s contributions to The Summit grew, so did its membership. With more than 60 members this year, SCD.TV is the largest Upper School club at The Summit.

Go, Knights

Today, club members cover nearly all the sports offered at Summit, even broadcasting from away games, off-site facilities like Madison Bowl and postseason tournaments and meets. The club’s impact on the athletics program and school spirit is widespread.

“We’ve received a tremendous response from parents of alumni on how much it means to tune in,” Patrick says. “It helps them stay connected to The Summit family.”

With a solid foundation set and graduation on the horizon, Jack and Patrick are leaving SCD.TV in the good hands of the incoming co-presidents, Nick Bergeron ’24 and Grant Desch ’24. These two will no doubt continue to promote the Silver Knight spirit as they lead the next season of sports broadcasting at The Summit.

“It’s all about celebrating the hard work and accomplishments of the student-athletes at Summit,” says club advisor, Dave Wirth. “SCD.TV is one of the most organic and exciting things I have been part of in my 20-plus years in Catholic schools.”

Find the link to SCD.TV on the Summit mobile app and through the club’s presence on social media including Twitter (@SCD_TV) and Instagram (@SCD.TV).

Jack Robinson ’23, left, and Patrick McHugh ’23

Student athletes and coaches earn recognition

With six sports in heated competition during the first semester, Silver Knights athletes and the coaching staff gave fans a fall to remember. Here is a summary of the season’s accolades and accomplishments. MVC refers to the Miami Valley Conference. SWOFHL is Southwest Ohio Field Hockey League.

Maddie Sievering ’23 (center) is the fifth girls’ soccer player in Summit’s distinguished program history to be named to the All-America Team by United Soccer Coaches; she was also named First Team, All-Region. The Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association named her First Team, All-Ohio. The Miami Valley Conference (MVC) named her All League Player of the Year and First Team, and she was also invited to play in the MVC Senior All-Star game. Maddie earned Southwest Ohio Division II Player of the Year and First Team, All-Southwest Ohio from the Southwest Ohio High School Soccer Coaches Association. Finally, she was named First Team-Cincinnati Enquirer.

College Signings

Four athletes signed to play Division I sports at the college level: Ella Barnes ’23 (Soccer, Davidson College), Kelsey Bello ’23 (Soccer, Stonehill College), Mia Booth ’2 3 (Field Hockey, Bellarmine University) and Maddie Sievering ’23 (Soccer, Cleveland State University).

Football

Ben Jacob ’23 received the Dick Snyder Sportsmanship Award for integrity and good sportsmanship during the fall season and was named “Academic All Ohio” by the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association for

his academic and athletic excellence. He was named Honorable Mention− MVC.

Jake Carrico ’23 was a finalist for the “That’s My Boy” award from the National Football Federation. The MVC named him First Team-All League, First Team-All City and Third Team-All Ohio. He was also named First Team− Cincinnati Enquirer.

Braeden Austin ’23 was named Second Team, All League−MVC and Honorable Mention−Cincinnati Enquirer.

Donovan Mathews ’24 was named First Team-All League and First Team−All City by the MVC. He was

also named Second Team−Cincinnati Enquirer.

Graham Hodge ’24 was named First Team, All League−MVC; Second Team, All City−MVC and Honorable Mention−Cincinnati Enquirer.

Erik Deal ’23 and Cayleb Walters ’25 were named Second Team, All League−MVC. Lorenzo Rose ’24 was Honorable Mention, All League−MVC.

Cross Country

Allie Reuter ’26 was named First Team, All League−MVC; Second Team, Southwest Ohio−MVC and First Team−Cincinnati Enquirer.

Jocelyn Lauckner ’25 and Anna Reineck ’23 were named First Team, All League−MVC; Second Team, Southwest Ohio−MVC and Honorable Mention− Cincinnati Enquirer.

Lyla Soper ’24 was named First Team, All League−MVC.

Haley Zuckerberg ’24, Riley Nelson ’23, Vanessa Carrington ’24 and Claire Wiltshire ’26 were named Second Team, All League-MVC. Vanessa was also named Second Team, Southwest Ohio-MVC.

Larkin Woodward ’23 was named All League Runner of the Year−MVC as well as First Team, All League and First Team, Southwest Ohio. The Cincinnati Enquirer also named him Division III Runner of the Year and First Team. He placed first at the OHSAA Southwest District XC Championship.

The MVC named Drew Barhorst ’23 First Team, All League and Second Team, Southwest Ohio. He was also named First Team−Cincinnati Enquirer.

William McLane ’23 was named First Team, All League−MVC and First Team, Southwest Ohio−MVC. He was also named First Team−Cincinnati Enquirer.

Alex Rojas ’23 and Liam Woodward ’26 were named First Team, All League−MVC and First Team− Cincinnati Enquirer.

Garret Rahe ’25 was named First Team, All League−MVC; Second Team, Southwest Ohio−MVC and Honorable Mention−Cincinnati Enquirer. Liam Lakhia ’23 was also named Second Team, Southwest Ohio−MVC and Honorable Mention−Cincinnati Enquirer.

Volleyball

The MVC named Zari Gillespie ’25 Player of the Year and First Team for District 16 Division III as well as First Team, All League−MVC. She was also named Player of the Year and First Team-−Cincinnati Enquirer.

Georgia Schaefer ’24 and Elena Stone ’25 were named Second Team, All League−MVC and Second Team− Cincinnati Enquirer. Georgia was also named Second Team, District 16 Division III-MVC.

Kelsey Foley ’24 was named First Team, District 16 Division III−MVC and Honorable Mention−All League.

Reagan Heard ’23 received the District 16 Senior Academic Award from the MVC.

Kendall Northern ’26 was named Honorable Mention, All League−MVC.

Soccer

Dalton Slusher ’23 was named First Team, All League and First Team, Southwest Ohio. He was invited to play in the MVC Senior All-Star game and was named Second Team−Cincinnati Enquirer.

The MVC named Izzy Rawlings ’24 First Team, All League and First Team, Southwest Ohio. He was also named Second Team−Cincinnati Enquirer.

Michael Luiso ’23, Patrick McHugh ’23, Joaquin Beatty ’24 and TJ LaMacchia ’24 were named Second Team, All League−MVC.

Ethan Hudepohl ’23 and Charlie Bridge ’24 were named Honorable Mention, All League−MVC.

The MVC named Lily Martin ’24 First Team, All League; First Team, All Southwest Ohio; and All Southwest Ohio Academic Team. She was also named First Team−Cincinnati Enquirer.

Sammy Vibberts ’24 was named First Team, All League-MVC and All Southwest Ohio Academic Team−MVC. She was also named First Team−Cincinnati Enquirer.

Maggie McDowell ’24 was named First Team, All League−MVC and Second Team−Cincinnati Enquirer.

Ella Barnes ’23 was named First Team, All League−MVC and First Team, Southwest Ohio−MVC. She was also named First Team−Cincinnati Enquirer.

The MVC named Alex Davis ’23 (right) All League Offensive Player of the Year, First Team-All League, First Team-All City and Third Team-All Ohio. He also was named First Team-Cincinnati Enquirer.

Kelsey Bello ’23, Avery Smythe ’24 and Bella Desmond ’24 were named Second Team, All League−MVC. Kelsey and Bella were also named All Southwest Ohio Academic Team−MVC.

Caroline Talty ’23 and Lilly Sievering ’25 were named Honorable Mention, All League−MVC. Lilly was also named All Southwest Ohio Academic Team−MVC.

Several additional players were named All Southwest Ohio Academic Team−MVC: Esmé Gonyo ’25, Iris Katz ’24, Delaney Kintner ’25, Maryn Mahoney ’25, Maddie Mescher ’25, Lila Svendsen ’25 and Meg Witzeman ’24

Tennis

The doubles team of Maya Hajjar ’23 and Maggie Marburger ’25 was named First Team, All League−Doubles by the MVC and Second Team, Doubles−Cincinnati Enquirer.

The doubles team of Katelyn Bastos ’25 and Megan Ebken ’23 was named Second Team, All League−MVC and Honorable Mention, Doubles− Cincinnati Enquirer.

Jaydan Puryear ’26 was named Second Team, All League−Singles by the MVC.

Grace Sabath ’24 and Laura Matos ’24 were named Honorable Mention, All League−MVC.

Field Hockey

Glady Hill ’25 was named Second Team, All Conference−SWOFHL and Second Team−Cincinnati Enquirer.

Camille Nicholson ’23 was named Honorable Mention, All Conference− SWOFHL and Second Team−Cincinnati Enquirer.

Sophia Palek ’23 was named Second Team, All Conference− SWOFHL.

Coaches

Cotton Family Varsity Head Coach Kurtis Smith was named Coach of the Year by the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Kim and Drew Myers Endowed Volleyball Coach Karen Hess was named District Coach of the Year. See page 44. Boys’ soccer coach Scott Sievering was named Southwest Ohio Private School Coach of the Year by the MVC.

Girls’ soccer coach Mike Fee was inducted into the Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He was also named All League Coach of the Year and Southwest Ohio Private School Coach of the Year by the MVC. Coach Fee and Coach Eric Unwin attended the United Soccer Coaches Convention in Philadelphia.

Mia Booth ’23, center, was named Offensive Player of the Year and First Team−All Conference-SWOFHL. She was also named First Team−Cincinnati Enquirer.

Thomas DeRoussel ’24 was named

Co-Player of the Year by the MVC as well as First Team, All League and First Team, Southwest Ohio. He was also named Second Team−Cincinnati Enquirer.

Volleyball Program Powers Up

By Tami McMann

Summit’s volleyball program made history in the fall 2022 season when the varsity team broke school records and advanced to the regional championship for the first time. A successful run like that doesn’t just happen, it happens with intention.

It all started just before the pandemic hit in 2020 when Athletic Director Greg Dennis hired a seasoned volleyball coach to lead the program. Karen Hess had played the game since high school (club and varsity), then began her coaching career while still a college student. She grew teams at Wyoming, St. Ursula and Indian Hill before being recruited by The Summit. Right away, she saw potential.

“I came in as someone who was dedicated to seeing Summit’s program grow and succeed,” she says. “I want to build a legacy and I came with a fiveyear plan to put Summit on the map.”

In 2022, that vision began to come to life with a young team full of talent that powered its way to the Elite 8. The journey ended against the Versailles Tigers and Silver Knights finished the season as regional runners up.

Coach Hess was named District Coach of the Year following that historic season and Zari Gillispie ’25 was Player of the Year (see page 42). With several outstanding players returning in the fall and some new students on the roster, Coach Hess believes the team is well positioned to surpass last year’s results and extend the season beyond regionals.

The Kim & Drew Myers Endowed Volleyball Coach Fund was established in 2020 by the Myers family to ensure the volleyball program continues this growth trajectory and offers exceptional opportunities for Summit athletes. Coach Hess herself met several times with the Myers family to discuss her approach, goals and coaching

strategy.

“I’m a huge supporter of girls sports,” said Mr. Myers, whose daughter Zoe ‘19 played volleyball for the Silver Knights. “I saw first-hand how girls came out of their shells, matured, found friendships – all through being part of athletics.”

When Drew and Kim made their gift to The Summit, it was a turning point in perception.

“Players who had graduated the previous year come back to say they were so excited that the program is getting recognition,” says Coach Hess. “The endowment established that we are in this for the long haul and we’re on our way to creating a legacy program.”

To learn more about how a gift to The Summit can support faculty and coaches who provide a world-class experience, contact the development office (devoffice@summitcds.org).

The volleyball coaches applaud a play: Samantha Wolf, Jessica Montgomery and Karen Hess.

Summer Camp Programs • May 30 - August 4

Our program is fresh and packed full of fun for children from all over the tri-state area. Additionally, we offer classes for elementary, middle and high school students to receive credit or to explore new interests.

summitcds.org/summer

Shayleigh Holbrook,  Auxiliary Services Manager 513.871.4700 ext. 369   holbrook_s@summitcds.org

In Memory

Pat (Tyler) Perin ’45

The Summit sadly lost a dedicated member of our alumni community with the passing of Patricia (Tyler) Perin, 95, on September 10, 2022. Mrs. Perin was a member of the Class of 1945 and served as student body president. She proudly claimed to attend the school on scholarship and later went on to repay the generosity of Summit donors by becoming a donor herself.

After graduating with her class, Mrs. Perin majored in industrial design at the University of Cincinnati where she also minored in both interior design and fashion. She was a member of Kappa Delta Sorority and Delta Phi Delta Honorary Arts Society.

Mrs. Perin launched her awardwinning career in furniture and interior design with her husband, Joe. She established herself as an accomplished businesswoman in the Cincinnati area with ventures such as Cincinnati Distributors, Pat & Joe’s Home Fashions Showroom and Perin Interiors. Later, the couple also invested in commercial real estate.

Mrs. Perin’s legacy as a philanthropist is exemplary. Her mark on The Summit includes the gift of two brass candelabra rescued from the Albee Theater demolition. These beautiful pieces were commissioned by millionaire John Jacob Astor before he perished in the Titanic sinking. They now stand outside the entrance to Summit’s Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel.

Another way she supported The Summit and student success was through the many scholarship funds she created between 2014 and 2017. Currently, five students are receiving financial assistance thanks to Mrs. Perin’s generosity.

In 2017, The Summit honored Mrs. Perin with the school’s McKenzie-Sargent Distinguished Alumni Award, the highest award bestowed on Summit alumni. We are grateful for her life of faith, service and community engagement, and we join her family in celebrating her lasting impact on The Summit and Cincinnati.

Team Captains Develop Leaders of Character Attributes

A s The Summit continues to integrate its Leaders of Character framework across campus, Coach Ryan Fleming has developed a leadership program for team captains across all seasons. While each of the Leaders of Character attributes can be applied to athletics, Coach Fleming is initially focused on helping the captains become more accountable, inclusive and collaborative.

Starting with the fall season, Coach Fleming met weekly with the captains, first to define what makes a good leader. “They agreed that captains should be authentic, they should be consistent and they should keep themselves and their team accountable,” he says. “They should never ask others to do what they aren’t willing to do themselves.” Team captains were also guided to discover their own leadership styles, whether that means being a strong voice or leading more quietly by setting a good example. The meetings were largely student-led, a place where captains could share their challenges, hear advice and get support from their peers.

“It was helpful for me to hear the perspective of the senior captains,” says Lily Martin ’24. “They talked about how every moment of the season is important when it’s your last season. I want to remember that − it’s not about me, it’s about the experience others are having.”

As the leadership program for team captains continues to evolve, Coach Fleming hopes to use his connections at Xavier University to give students the chance to learn and be inspired by older athletes.

“I love helping these young leaders understand that being a captain is a 24/7 job,” says Coach Fleming.

“It’s not a mask you wear; it’s who you are.”

“I love helping these young leaders understand that being a captain is a 24/7 job.”

– Coach Ryan Fleming

513.871.4700

www.summitcds.org

11th annual Glenview Golf Course

Sunday, May 7, 2023

$120 player fee

Sponsorships start at $350

Questions: Beth Simmons (513-871-4700, ext. 258 or simmons_b@summitcds.org)

The Drive for the Knights Golf Outing raises funds for The Summit Country Day School’s Angel Donor Fund and provides financial assistance to deserving, talented and qualified students. The Summit Country Day School is a 501(c)(3) organization. Your contribution is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.