ACADE M Y NORFOLK NORFOLK ACADEMY ACADEMY MAGAZINE MAGAZINE
The Year of Togetherness Virginia’s 74th Governor: Glenn Youngkin ’85 Batten Leadership Program: The First Decade
SPRING SPRING 2022 2022
ACADEMY
NOR FOL K ACADEMY M A G A Z IN E
[ CONTENTS ]
SPRING 2022 HEADMASTER
Dennis G. Manning ASSISTANT HEADMASTER FOR DEVELOPMENT
Dr. Grayson Bryant DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
Esther M. Diskin ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
Kim Yager EDITOR
Esther M. Diskin ASSOCIATE EDITOR
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Mike Connors EDITORIAL BOARD
Ruth Payne Acra ’86 Chad Byler Jeff Danielson Beth Manning David Rezelman Jennifer Rodgers ’97 Toy Savage ’71 Gigi Cooke Tysinger ’87 Sean Wetmore ’86 Charlotte Zito ’99 PHOTOGRAPHY
Mike Connors Esther M. Diskin Steven Goldburg ’04 Stephanie Kalis Kim Yager DESIGN
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CONVOCATION SPEAKER
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BATTEN LEADERSHIP PROGRAM
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MINDFULNESS BUILDS RESILIENCE
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FIRST GRADERS MOVE WITH GUSTO (AND SOME GIGGLES)
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GLENN YOUNGKIN ’85
RiverBend Design & Lyons Graphics Norfolk Academy admits students of any race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, color, and national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, color, and national or ethnic origin, or any other basis prohibited by federal or state law in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, employment policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic or other school-administered programs.
COVER: Norfolk Academy celebrated a
milestone with the 40th annual Winter Musical, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, with participation by nearly 100 students to make the show “Part of Our (NA) World.”
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Honor & Integrity: Marriott Executive Leeny Oberg ’78
A Decade of Growth & Exploration
Breathe Deeply. Once Again.
Dancing Dynamos
Bulldogs’ Governor on the Court Is Now Governor of the Commonwealth
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RAMIN FATEHI ’96
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COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS GALVANIZE ACTION
New Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney
Partnership Is a Two-Way Street NA Contributes to Two Studies on School Safety During the Pandemic
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NEWS ROUNDUP
In the Year of Togetherness
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EDI PROGRAM FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL
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STUDIO & STAGE
New Space, New Directions
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IN THE GAME
Coaches’ Secrets Catching Up with a Storied Team Now You See It, Now You Don’t ALUMNI NEWS & EVENTS
Homecoming Reunions Open House CLASS NOTES
Class Notes Alumni Profiles In Memoriam Parting Shot
Visual Art in the Upper School
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from the [ H E A D M A S T E R ]
DENNIS G. MANNING
Headmaster
The Year of
Togetherness
Togetherness as a theme for our year might seem counterintuitive in these times when plans “to gather” are fraught with complexity. Yet it arose as an expression of gratitude for the outpouring of support that has come — and keeps coming — from the Bulldog family throughout these challenging times. That support has come in words of encouragement — phone calls, emails, and letters to me and to individual faculty members, as we persevere to carry out in-person learning and as expansive a slate of extracurricular activities as possible. Those messages keep us inspired. And it has come in financial support as well, enabling us not only to carry out a surveillance testing program that keeps us safe at school, but also to forge ahead with innovation, including expanding our Engineering, Design, and Innovation program to Middle School in a brand-new classroom (read more ahead). And it comes through coming together in person — so visible at Homecoming when fans packed Wynne-Darden Stadium to cheer on the Bulldogs and alumni gathered for Reunions on campus. We are thankful for that spirit of togetherness, and the galvanizing energy it brings to everything we do. Evidence of that energy is everywhere in these pages. This year marks an historic first
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for our nearly 300-year-old school — Glenn Youngkin ’85 is the first Academy graduate to be elected governor of the Commonwealth. The magazine has a look back at Gov. Youngkin as a young man, when he was leading the Bulldogs to victory on the court, achieving in the classroom, and flipping burgers at the Belvedere. We also had another Bulldog elected to an important office this election season, when Ramin Fatehi ’96 became Norfolk’s new Commonwealth’s Attorney. We also have a retrospective on the Batten Leadership Program as it hits the decade mark, still going strong — developing new partnerships and fresh approaches to leadership and solving difficult problems. So we salute “togetherness,” a word built from the Old English gæd, meaning fellowship and companionship. We are together on our campus. The learning continues to unfold. And the enduring relationships between students and their teacher-coaches, the wellspring of Academy’s strength and endurance, continue to grow. Those sacred bonds, built upon love of learning and character formation, keep us connected across the miles and over the years, in support of this extraordinary school. ◆
OPPOSITE: Seniors gather at Homecoming. Top row, left to right: Kate Ware, Ben Lagow, Foster Kimple. Bottom row, left to right: Rachel Thetford, Abby Fernandez, Sophie Ott.
Whether we are
putting our hands together
to cheer for athletic teams and arts performances,
hanging together
at the Pit for reunions, Senior Donuts, or Pitball,
putting 2 + 2 together
in math class or
piecing together
the meaning of a poem in English, we Bulldogs know how to
pull together
as one!
And we’re rolling onward in our Year of Togetherness!
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Marriott International executive Leeny Oberg ’78 delivered the keynote speech at Convocation. OPPOSITE TOP: Avery Britt ’22, Chair of the Honor Council, offered guidance for living honorably. OPPOSITE BOTTOM: Headmaster Dennis Manning conducted the swearing-in ceremony for the Honor Council.
HONOR
& INTEGRITY
CONVOCATION SPEAKER
Marriott Executive Leeny Oberg ’78 AS KATHLEEN “LEENY” OBERG ’78 ASCENDED THROUGH THE PROFESSIONAL RANKS TO HER CURRENT POSITION AS EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER OF MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, SHE RELIED ON LESSONS INSTILLED DURING HER YEARS AT NORFOLK ACADEMY. Oberg, a Norfolk Academy Trustee and the keynote speaker at Convocation to launch the Year of Togetherness, said people commonly attribute success to “smarts or hard work.” Those are significant attributes, she acknowledged, but there is something much more important. “The higher you go, the more character matters,” she said. Her remarks on the primacy of integrity came on a day of solemn significance for Norfolk Academy: In addition to Convocation, it was also S. Barron Segar Day, when the members of the Royster Middle School Honor Council and Tunstall Upper School Honor Council are sworn into office. The Honor Council members seek to provide education about the Honor System throughout the year, and that process began immediately. Honor Council Chair Avery Britt ’22 spoke about living up to the high standards of honor and recognizing the responsibility that students must embrace in their “honor journey at Norfolk Academy.” Britt’s speech mingled practical tips, such as encouraging students to ask teachers for clarification about assignment guidelines, and an elevated appeal to principles. “Honor provides stability, community, and a common goal that every member of our community seeks to uphold,” Britt said, closing her speech on an upbeat note. “This is going to be a fantastic year.” Through her remarks, Oberg gave students a vision of the many ways that the lessons of the school’s honor system shape actions in the real world. Oberg earned a B.S. in commerce from University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce and her M.B.A. from Stanford University. She worked at Goldman Sachs, Chase Manhattan Bank, and The Ritz-Carlton, in addition to a variety of positions at Marriott. For two years, she was based in London, serving as senior vice president, international project finance and asset management for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
Throughout her professional journey, she learned that “integrity is doing the right thing when no one is looking,” she said. She told students that the space where “no one is looking” gets larger as one succeeds in professional life, and individuals must rely on their own moral compass. Through repeated ethical actions, you demonstrate that “you will do what you say you will do,” and you build trust that leads not only to success, but also to respect. “Follow the Honor Code. It’s the best thing you can do for yourself and your community,” Oberg said. “It’s the shared set of values that makes all of us lifelong Bulldogs.” ◆ Esther Diskin is Director of Communications.
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10
th anniversary
[ B AT T E N L E A D E R S H I P P R O G R A M ]
A Decade of Growth & Exploration BATTEN LEADERSHIP PROGRAM FELLOWS CONTINUE TO BUILD A BETTER SOCIETY
Norfolk Academy has a longstanding commitment to producing moral, civic-minded leaders. In fact, our Statement of Philosophy and Objectives calls us “to develop leadership capabilities so that students can put those talents to the service of others.” Yet the Fellows Programs, which began 10 years ago to make this aspect of a Norfolk Academy education more intentional, are something quite new for our school. As the program reaches a significant decade milestone, we continue to surge ahead, and innovations from the Fellows Programs are influencing many other aspects of our school’s overall approach to learning. The years have passed swiftly, and we’ve come far from our days as an Academy “start-up” in 2010. At that time, I was working as the Director of Athletics and had worked with coaches to develop a Bulldog Leadership Program, also known as the Captains’ Club, where coaches and outside speakers would work with team captains to help them develop into better leaders on the field. One guest speaker, Admiral Scott Moore, encouraged me to expand our efforts, noting that our world was in desperate need of engaged and ethical leaders. Headmaster Dennis Manning had been thinking along similar lines. He had long been impressed by the substantial percentage of Academy alumni who returned to the area to work professionally and raise a family. These thoughts prompted his galvanizing questions: “What moral and civic obligation and opportunity do we have to educate our students about the challenges of living in Hampton Roads — and what, specifically, are those challenges, such as environment, health care, poverty, infrastructure? What portals into these challenges and issues might we open to our students to deepen their understanding of this community and, indeed, all human communities?” Mr. Manning’s concept was to combine experiential learning, leadership development, and community-based problem solving into one single program, which began as the Fellows Program of the Center for Civic and Global Leadership.
From its inception, the Fellows Program was infused with a spirit of experimentation and entrepreneurship. The first of the Fellows Programs focused, appropriately enough, on the region’s critical resource, the Chesapeake Bay. The school received a grant from the E.E. Ford Foundation to start the program. Chris Nelson, an avid environmentalist, kayak-builder, and longtime German teacher, was tapped as founding director of the Chesapeake Bay Fellows Program. He and I collaborated on a mission statement, designed curricula, and accepted six gifted and highly motivated ninth graders, members of the Class of 2015, through an open application process. Off we went! From the outset, the program was envisioned as an opportunity for depth and growth, where Fellows would be motivated not by grades or what was in it for them, but by a spirit of civic engagement where they would be tasked with solving hard problems that face our community. The following year Dr. David Rezelman and Price Hall ’02 approached me about ideas they had for new Fellows programs. David suggested an International Relations Fellows Program (now called Global Affairs) and Price, who had spent her early professional years working on public health initiatives in Malawi and India, suggested a Global Health Fellows Program. We developed their plans and formalized the admissions process, which came to include, as it still does, essays, teacher recommendations, and an interview. The Literacy Fellows, led by Dr. David Kidd, and the Engineering, Design, and Innovation Fellows, led at that time by Erica Newland, were quick to follow.
OPPOSITE: Michael Hostutler ’20 and William Smythe ’20 at Machu Picchu in Peru. BELOW: EDI Fellows Nathan Williams ’19, Sarah Haugh ’20, and Leah Smith ’20 work on a project.
Each program has added its own take on the formula: admit extremely talented students with a passion for solving hard problems; remove the extrinsic motivation provided by grades; deliver an academic program during the school year that combines reading, research, and project-based learning as a foundation for sustainable engagement with community partners both locally and abroad. We now have 90 students in five different programs led by 13 directors, and civic partners that include the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Tidewater Park Elementary School, Boys and Girls Club of Southeastern Hampton Roads, the New E3 School, Hampton Roads Refugee Relief, and many, many more. Our students have traveled extensively, including to rural Haiti, mainland China, central Belize, Peru, the Silicon Valley, Cuba, the Maine Island Trail, and more. As they traveled, they were working. The project examples are too numerous to list, but here are a few examples: Global Health Fellow Stuart Luter was struck by the lack of health education provided to young women in rural Haiti. She worked with Price Hall and our partners from Midwives for Haiti to construct a culturally appropriate curriculum and returned the following summer to teach young women about how to live healthier lives. Future Global Health Fellows groups built upon Stuart’s work to create a curriculum for young people in San António, Belize.
Our Literacy Fellows have enjoyed a long and enduring relationship with Tidewater Park Elementary and the Boys and Girls Club of Southeast Virginia. Committed to the idea that literacy levels in young people deeply impact their future opportunities, our Literacy Fellows spend time each week with these students to teach reading and writing, and they have published several books, highlighting the hopes and dreams of these talented young students. Today the Fellows Programs are a part of the Batten Leadership Program, made possible by a transformational gift from Mrs. Jane Batten to honor her late husband, Frank Batten, and his pioneering work as a media executive, which included serving as chairman and CEO of Landmark Communications, publisher of The Virginian-Pilot, and founder of The Weather Channel. He also served as president of the Academy’s Board of Trustees (1975–79). During his many years in publishing, including as chairman of the national Associated Press, Batten emphasized the importance of strengthening the civic life of communities. He said, “The earlier in their careers that exceptional students begin to think of themselves as future public leaders who can promote a better society, the greater the likelihood they will become such leaders.” The Fellows Programs embrace that wisdom. Whatever we have learned and wherever we have gone, we have always been mindful of the issues we face right here in Hampton Roads. The Fellows Program exists to develop these future leaders every day, and we will. ◆ Sean Wetmore ’86 has served as Director of the Batten Leadership Program since its inception as the Center for Civic and Global Leadership. He teaches history in the Upper School.
Fellows Programs Alumni They graduated from Norfolk Academy and zipped off to college… and another graduation. Now, they’ve taken adventurous paths. We caught up with a few of the Fellows who have launched into the working world or graduate school, and whose paths reflect learning they gained as Fellows. ELISE TURRIETTA ’16, CHESAPEAKE BAY FELLOW COLLEGE: WILLIAM & MARY WHAT SHE’S DOING TODAY: MASTER’S DEGREE IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES AT UVA
“My research group oversees the world’s largest seagrass restoration project with environmental and economic implications for Eastern Shore residents. Through this work, I try to mirror the principles espoused by the Batten Leadership Program: It is our duty to use our skills and the opportunities bestowed on us to aid our communities and help solve their problems with integrity.” STUART LUTER ’16, GLOBAL HEALTH FELLOW COLLEGE: UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA – CHAPEL HILL, MOREHEAD SCHOLAR WHAT SHE’S DOING TODAY: WORKS FOR WELL, A DIGITAL HEALTH START-UP, IN BOSTON
TOP: Chesapeake Bay
Fellows take a canoe trip to Watts Island and Tangier Island in the Bay. MIDDLE: Noa Greenspan ’18 with a young student at a book launch at Tidewater Park Elementary. BOTTOM: Global Health Fellows conduct home health visits to screen for diabetes and high blood pressure in San António, Belize.
“At Well, we believe that every individual deserves access to a trusted health partner, tailored to each person’s unique needs and goals. At Well, I work on our clinical team as the manager of Strategic Partnerships and Content Operations. The Fellows Programs challenged me to observe and understand who I was and where I came from, and grow toward who I wanted to be.” SOPHIE KIDD ’16, GLOBAL AFFAIRS FELLOW COLLEGE: WILLIAM & MARY WHAT SHE’S DOING TODAY: RESEARCH ANALYST AT POLICY STUDIES ASSOCIATES IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
“In my role, I work with clients at all levels of education (from early childhood to higher education) and in the foundation and nonprofit sectors. I assist with a wide
range of tasks and deliverables for our clients, including developing and analyzing surveys, creating policy scans and briefs, conducting focus groups, and creating final reports. I will always be grateful to the Fellows Programs for providing me a community to learn, grow, and discover new ideas — from classrooms in Tunstall to the Great Wall of China.” ANEESH DHAWAN ’16, GLOBAL HEALTH FELLOW COLLEGE: UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA WHAT HE’S DOING TODAY: FOUNDER AND CEO OF KNIT IN AUSTIN, TEXAS
“Knit is the Gen Z insights platform that connects brands with a network of 60,000-plus Gen Zers, who share their opinions over 30- to 90-second videos to raise money for their favorite charities. Knit has raised over $2.5 million from investors like Techstars and bread-and- butter ventures, and has grown from a dorm room start-up to a team of 15-plus across the U.S. The Fellows Programs gave me the confidence, the tools, and guidance to think big and act to build a better world.” PABLO VAZQUEZ PARAMO ’16, GLOBAL AFFAIRS FELLOW COLLEGE: YALE WHAT HE’S DOING TODAY: WORKS FOR A TECH START-UP CALLED NEWTONX IN NEW YORK CITY
“While NA as a whole — with classes, clubs, and sports — puts you in that arena, the Fellows Program pushes you to go beyond the delineated limit. To me it became a place of initiative, inventiveness, and drive that sticks with me now. After NA I went to Yale. I studied government but decided to pivot and enter tech in New York after graduating, working for a start-up called NewtonX.”
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Breathe Deeply. Once Again. MINDFULNESS BUILDS RESILIENCE
Gray ’33 practices roller coaster breathing, a student favorite during the mindful moments Katie Aladj ’03 uses while teaching guidance resource classes.
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Norfolk Academy’s youngest learners, students in grades one through three, are bolstering their social and emotional competence in this Year of Togetherness through lessons that emphasize mindfulness. Mindfulness is a general concept, one that has become more popular in schools in recent years. The Mayo Clinic describes mindfulness as an intense awareness of how you are feeling in the present moment, without interpretation or judgment. Recent educational research supports the positive effects of practices like focused attention and breathing exercises on improving self-awareness and the ability to self-regulate. Mindfulness strategies can be particularly helpful for young students, as they adjust to school expectations and begin to independently navigate social relationships outside of their households. This year, as was the case last year, students also face added stressors related to adjusting Covid-19 safety protocols like masks and distancing. At Academy, first grade students learn about how different parts of their brains respond to stress and other intense emotions. After being introduced to the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus (in a child-friendly way, complete with silly nicknames and hand gestures), students are better able to identify and understand their own thoughts, emotions, and actions. With this background knowledge, students are empowered to focus on the steps they can take to thoughtfully respond instead of reacting during stressful times, whether that be a particularly challenging math problem or a loss on the soccer field at recess. Students begin each guidance lesson in first through third grades with a mindful minute. Some favorites include “roller coaster breathing,” “belly
breathing,” and “fire hands.” These strategies help students to focus their attention and awareness on the here and now. Both students and teachers alike have responded with excitement to the applications of mindfulness that extend beyond guidance class. Resource teachers are using mindful prompts to help children transition appropriately through the hallways, and physical education teachers have incorporated focused breathing into their lessons. It’s not uncommon to walk past a primary classroom whose teacher is using one of the mindful minute scripts, introduced in guidance classes, to refocus or prepare the group for an upcoming lesson. Perhaps most popularly, Cooper Library Librarian Madelyn Kresinske and Guidance Counselor Katie Aladj ’03 have collaborated to host combined “guidrary” classes in the spring that include relaxation breathing and yoga poses. Students look forward to these lessons, especially when they are able to bring their yoga mats outside and enjoy their surroundings on campus. This intentional focus on self-awareness and self-regulatory skills in the early academic years helps to boost individual resilience while laying the groundwork for later lessons in character development, problem solving, and healthy friendship skills. ◆ Katie Aladj ’03 is a Lower School Assistant Director and Guidance Counselor for grades 1–3. She incorporates mindfulness into her guidance resource classes.
Dancing Dynamos FIRST GRADERS MOVE WITH GUSTO (AND SOME GIGGLES) The girls of 1GA were all smiles as they moved their way around Norfolk Academy’s dance room. The fact that they were doing some strenuous exercises wasn’t bothering them one bit. These youngest students at Academy were taking part in a dance class that has become a regular part of the first grade program; the 45-minute classes happen once every other week. But they’re not doing dance that most people might envision. Taught by Dance Master Elbert Watson, who works with the boys, and Instructor Suzy Gunn ’01, who works with the girls, the goal of these classes is to help students build an appreciation for dance but also to improve their hand-eye coordination, balance, and even memory. “They’re having fun together, they’re moving — it’s healthy,” Mrs. Gunn said. During a class in November, the 1GA girls were dancing around each corner of the room, shifting their hands and feet in good form. But they also were doing bear crawls, and a game called Mirror, Mirror, in which students watched and tried to copy the motions of their partners. To close, they performed a canon, during which a first dancer performs a movement that is then identically copied and performed by the rest of the group. Such exercises require students to use their brains to analyze what classmates are doing, and it gets their bodies moving, burning off the energy that young children have in abundance — before they return to the classroom. “They’re discovering things,” Mr. Watson said. The 1GA girls were loving every minute, from dancing to zombie music at Halloween to hip hop dancing. And while “It’s fun!” was a phrase many used to describe what they liked, they recognized a bigger value. “We get to move around, and that helps you get more energy,” Adelaide ’33 said. ◆
Dance classes are helping first graders like Anya, TOP , and Townley, BOTTOM , build an appreciation for dance, and improving their hand-eye coordination, balance, and even memory. The classes are taught by Dance Master Elbert Watson and Instructor Suzy Gunn ’01.
Mike Connors is Digital News and Social Media Specialist.
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Bulldogs’ Governor on the Court
OPPOSITE: Gov. Glenn Youngkin made headlines in 1985 as Player of the Year for his 25.8 points per game scoring average. The Norfolk Compass also featured his high SAT score. RIGHT: Youngkin (top row, third from left) was vice president of the Tunstall Student Council.
ASK THOSE WHO KNEW VIRGINIA’S NEW GOVERNOR IN HIGH SCHOOL WHAT HE WAS LIKE BACK THEN, and the response comes immediately and repeatedly: “Nice!” That’s the first word, emphatically stated, that friends and acquaintances reach for to describe Glenn Youngkin ’85. He was nice, and even “the nicest guy” — to classmates, teammates, teachers, parents, and customers at the Belvedere Diner, where he worked as a short order cook during high school. Yet hard on the heels of that are two other repeated adjectives that provide a hint, and perhaps more than that, about why Youngkin, a political newcomer, was able to masterfully defeat Terry McAuliffe, a former Virginia governor, experienced campaigner, and longtime Democratic fundraiser, to win election to the state’s top office: “Competitive.” And “disciplined.” Don Clark Jr. ’86 got a tutorial in Youngkin-level competitiveness when he came to Norfolk Academy as an Upper School student, transferring in from Cape Henry Collegiate, even then an arch-rival. Clark was a
The unstinting effort paid off. In 1985, with the 6-foot-7 Youngkin playing center, the Bulldogs won it all: the Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools, the Virginia Prep League, and to cap it off, the state championship. Youngkin had a 25.8 points per game scoring average and scored 953 points in the season, earning All-TCIS and the Norfolk Compass Player of the Year. That kind of run has only happened once more (1992) in all the years since. To the friends from his youth, many of whom have stayed in close touch with him over the years, that championship run was a harbinger of things to come, from his success in business — where he rose to partner and co-CEO of The Carlyle Group, a global private equity firm with nearly $300 billion in assets — to his remarkable political run. In the school’s nearly 300-year history, Youngkin is the first alumnus to be elected governor of the Commonwealth. Upper School Assistant Director Eric Acra ’84, his friend and former teammate, succinctly sums up
is Now Governor of the Commonwealth strong basketball player, and he had high hopes to play in college. Youngkin, the captain of Norfolk Academy’s team, took Clark under his wing the summer before Clark entered. The two knew one another already as players in AAU basketball, but that summer, Clark learned about what it meant to play basketball with “unparalleled intensity,” as Clark recalled it. Youngkin got Clark enrolled at a five-star basketball camp in the Poconos; he and Youngkin played in summer leagues; and they worked out with a single-minded focus in the weight room. “He was a leader by example,” Clark said. “He elevated my game. My desire was to play college basketball. He showed me the commitment needed to play college basketball. I had a dream, but he showed me what it really took to get the job done.”
Youngkin’s approach: “With Glenn, if it is going to be done, it will be done right.” Adds Clark, “Whatever Glenn does, he’s going to be successful.” Those admiring assessments of Youngkin’s drive even as a young man were echoed by others. Most said they didn’t see any signs that he would someday run for public office, even though he was elected vice president of the Tunstall Student Council. (He was also a National Merit Scholar and member of the Cum Laude Society.) What they do remember, even after many decades, was his “magnetic personality,” as Jennifer Stedfast ’85 put it. “He left an impression on everybody,” said Stedfast, who played lacrosse and girls basketball, and was a cheerleader. She and Clark recalled the
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excitement of the boys basketball team — referred to as the “Dream Team” during that championship year — and the packed Burroughs Gymnasium, as Academy fans chanted “D-O-G-S” and waved orange towels. “Athletically, he showed sportsmanship, grit, and intensity, and off the court, he was the nicest guy.” There was always a crowd of friends around him, and they frequently hung out at the Wetmore home. Doug Wetmore ’84 was on the basketball team, and his mother’s Italian cooking and warm personality drew teens to their home. Sean Wetmore ’86 was the admiring younger brother, and he can still recall being consciously aware of Youngkin’s genuine kindness as he tagged along. “He was very outgoing, very friendly to everybody,” said Sean Wetmore, now Director of Academy’s Batten Leadership Program. “We didn’t use the term back then, but his emotional intelligence was very high.” Friends also trooped over to the Belvedere Diner on the ground floor of the Belvedere Hotel, sitting on the stools at the counter and swapping jokes while Youngkin cooked. In that, too, Youngkin was unusual among his classmates, as not many Academy students held down a job during the school year, Stedfast recalls. Youngkin spotlighted that job in his campaign ads. In an interview, he noted the family circumstances that led to it. His family experienced financial challenges during his years at Norfolk Academy, he said, but then-Headmaster John Tucker Jr. told him, “Glenn, don’t worry. We’ve got this.” That kindness in a crisis was something Youngkin has never forgotten. Mr. Tucker has had a “perpetual impact” on his life, Youngkin said. At graduation, along with his diploma and a handshake from Mr. Tucker, he received the prized S. Barron Segar award, given by faculty selection to the senior boy for “leadership based upon the influence of character.” Youngkin headed off to Rice University in Houston on a basketball scholarship, where he earned a B.A. in managerial arts and a B.S. in mechanical engineering. He later earned an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. Through it all, he remained committed to the Academy and sought to give back to it. He served as a Trustee from 2004 to 2010, and that service had a profound impact on him. “That was an extraordinary experience for me,” he said. “The idea of community involvement and service has always been part of my ethos.” When he had the ability to give back to the school, he did so in a personal way. Of all the school’s traditions, he said, his favorite one by far was family-style lunches. “The refectory was a special place, and I am
glad it continues to be a special place to convene,” he said. “Students from different grades sitting together with faculty, that is a special component not only of NA but of life. That’s when you get to know someone, when you share a conversation and have a meal together.” He gave a generous contribution to the school’s Defining Leadership Campaign and came back to the school in 2017 with his wife, Suzanne, for a ceremony and meal to inaugurate the expanded and completely renovated refectory, now known as the Youngkin Refectory. “Glenn has rendered the highest service to his alma mater, serving as a Trustee and providing generous financial support in areas of central
lessons about teamwork that he first learned on the court. He was captain of the Bulldogs during both his junior year (with Acra as senior co-captain) and again in his senior year. That unusual two-year stint was a testament to his leadership and his generous style of play, always encouraging others to take a shot, rather than running up the score himself, a trait that could sometimes upset Coach Trickler even as it earned the appreciation of teammates, said Acra. “He was the guy who built up confidence in his teammates.” Youngkin learned three rules about successful teams from basketball, and he can reel them off with the precision of a three-pointer that swishes through the net. “Number 1, everyone has to have a common
Athletically, he showed sportsmanship, grit, and intensity, and off the court, he was the nicest guy. Jennifer Stedfast ’85 importance to our school’s mission,” Headmaster Dennis Manning said. Youngkin contributed funds to start a Headmaster’s Scholarship, honoring the support he received in attending the school, where he notes that he was influenced by a cadre of dedicated faculty with tremendous expertise. He recalls Mrs. Hume, who taught him in both 9th and 10th grades, instilling the fundamentals of how to construct a persuasive essay; Mr. Oberdorfer, with his ability to bring in music and art for the study of history; and Mr. Nelson, who taught him German. “I was always taken aback by the passion and quality of the faculty at NA,” he said. Of course, Coach Dave Trickler was among those who greatly influenced him and not just in basketball. “He was an extraordinary coach and guide,” Youngkin notes. As a business executive, and now as Governor of the Commonwealth, Youngkin has carried on
sense of purpose,” he said. “Number 2, each player on the court has a role to play, and those roles contribute to the purpose.” And finally, “When someone needs help, you have to step in to help them,” Youngkin said. “The best teams in the world, whether in business, military, sports, you name it — constantly operate with these three rules.” In a salute to the power of lessons learned while playing as a Bulldog, Youngkin invited the current team to march in his Inauguration Parade on January 15. Receiving that invitation was the thrill of a lifetime, said Acra, who has been the team’s coach since 2001, when Trickler stepped down. “This invitation is another example of the impact that the school has had on Glenn,” Acra said. “It shows his desire to honor those who helped make him the man he is today.” ◆ Esther Diskin is Director of Communications.
OPPOSITE: The 6-foot-7 Youngkin was captain of the 1985 “Dream Team,” which won the State Championship. LEFT: Glenn and his wife, Suzanne, with their four children.
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Ramin Fatehi ’96 NEW NORFOLK COMMONWEALTH’S ATTORNEY When Ramin Fatehi ’96 was running for Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney, he noticed a recurring theme. Voters didn’t necessarily agree with all his political positions. But they told him they trusted he’d be honest. That integrity helped Fatehi win a tough Democratic primary. He didn’t have an opponent in the general election and took over his new position in January. Fatehi has developed that integrity throughout his career as a prosecutor, by owning up to mistakes. It’s a character trait that took root during his years at Norfolk Academy. “Above all, it’s honor,” Fatehi said, thinking back on what Academy taught him about integrity. “If we didn’t have our honor, we were nothing.” Fatehi participated in many school activities. He played tennis and wrestled. He was part of the Chamber and Academy Singers. He was co-editor of the Belfry. He participated in the Science Fiction, REACH, JETS, and Chess clubs. He also excelled academically. His Senior Speech, about the need for American intervention to support human rights campaigns abroad and stop genocide, won the Class of 1952 Award, given at graduation to the senior who is chosen as the best speaker by a panel of outside judges. He also won the William Selden Memorial Award for excellence in the study of history. But what made him stand out was his selfless devotion. Richard Oberdorfer taught Fatehi in European History. Oberdorfer recalls Fatehi as mature beyond his years, writing and speaking calmly and rationally. But more notably, Oberdorfer remembers Fatehi volunteering to help him with a textbook he uses to bring to life historical stories. Fatehi redesigned roughly 120 pages so the book would make a better impact on future students. “He was a brilliant student,” Oberdorfer said. “That was a given. But a great person. Selfless, ethical. It’s a privilege to have someone like that in your class.” Paul Feakins was Fatehi’s college counselor and taught him in political science. Like Oberdorfer,
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Feakins remembers Fatehi’s intellect. He often anticipated questions in class and was a strong contributor, giving insightful, engaged responses. Feakins also remembers Fatehi using his intellect to improve the class as a whole. He sensed Fatehi was destined to enter a field that helped others. “I knew he was going to do something big,” Feakins said. After graduating from Academy, Fatehi earned his bachelor’s degree in history at Yale University, then a law degree at Columbia Law School in New York City. After law school, he served as a clerk to the Hon. Elizabeth B. Lacy, the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court of Virginia. He has served as a prosecutor since 2006, including most of the past decade in the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office. When he talks about his plans for the next four years, Fatehi references the opening lines of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece, The Great Gatsby: “In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since. ‘Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,’ he told me, ‘just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.’” Fatehi isn’t shy about saying he has been blessed with certain advantages in life — loving parents and access to education at premier schools, to name a few. He believes that the criminal justice system has too often given breaks to fortunate people that should be available to all people, fortunate or not. His goal is to bring justice to court cases and policy by providing an even playing field for the less fortunate. “Ensure that every one of us gets treated with the dignity we deserve,” Fatehi said. That certainly won’t be easy, Fatehi said. But he’s honored that he has been elected in the city where he grew up, trusted to serve the people. “Happiness comes from overcoming challenges and vanquishing adversity,” Fatehi said. “That is what being a public servant is.” ◆ Mike Connors is Digital News and Social Media Specialist.
TOP: Ramin Fatehi ’96 was a member of both the Chamber and Academy Singers when he attended NA. MIDDLE: Ramin and his wife, Mary Beth, with their two young sons. BOTTOM: Ramin played tennis and wrestled at Academy.
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partnership COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS GALVANIZE ACTION
Norfolk Academy’s Philosophy and Objectives puts “unselfishness,” “a just society,” and “responsibility for service to others,” at the heart of instilling moral character in students — a goal that the school elevates above academic achievement. Given the centrality of those ideals, it’s not surprising that the school’s approach to serving the community can seem not merely fast-paced but nearly non-stop. But when the pandemic hit, the school had to hit the pause button on many service projects, observes Bernie McMahon, who directs the Upper School’s student activities and is the founder and director of Leadership Lab. While disappointing at first, the break in the action wasn’t entirely bad, he said. “So rarely in our busy lives do we get a chance to pause. It gave us time to think and innovate.” That enforced pause created “a Covid success story,” he said. It is a reinvention of the school’s approach to community service that is still evolving, but already requires new language to capture its intent. Community service is now community engagement. “Service for some reason has a one-way focus to it — I serve the ball, I serve the food, and you receive it,” McMahon notes. “Engagement is a two-way street. We engage with our community as much as they can engage with us in what I call persistent partnerships.” The principles behind the revitalized approach arose from work done because of the school’s latest strategic plan, Creating a Just Society: Integrity, Leadership, and Pluralism. The Leadership Committee was formed to develop initiatives related to that pillar of the strategic plan. The committee’s faculty leaders researched independent schools and colleges with innovative approaches to community engagement and traveled to some of them for a firsthand look, said Linda Gorsline, Associate Headmaster and Upper School Director.
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In particular, the Haas Center at Stanford University, which Gorsline visited, had local outreach projects that drew students into sustained work with community partners. In addition, she noted, the Fellows Programs of the Batten Leadership Program have also demonstrated the educational impact of multi-year involvement with organizations that have deep roots in a community. For example, the Literacy Fellows have worked for seven years at Tidewater Park Elementary, and the Global Health Fellows worked for many years with Midwives for Haiti. Several Upper School clubs also have well-established partnerships, McMahon observes. The Happy Club, formed in 1982 to support Operation Smile, has served as the model for student-led clubs at schools across the nation. Academy has had a longstanding partnership with the Special Olympics; the Norfolk Team has practiced on campus for decades, and the Upper School’s Special Olympics Club, which started in 2012, helps with practices, assists with regional tournaments, and hosts a holiday party. This year, the Upper School structured community engagement around five broad topics with a steering committee of students to coordinate activities and develop educational presentations at Chapels: • Quality Education • Health, Wellness, and Nutrition • Global Engagement • Advancing Equity • Climate Sustainability & Environmental Action The Middle School is also retooling its model for involvement to promote more active engagement, said Middle School Director Jeff Boyd. In his first year at Academy, Boyd said he can already see the power of
BELOW: Middle School students bring in thousands of cans to support the local Foodbank.
is a twoway street
the Fellows model. In addition, he was involved in a successful, multi-year effort to build more community partnerships at his previous school, Durham Academy. “Does it require more time investment? Yes, it does,” he said. “However, there is incredible value in the process, the thinking that goes into it, and the relationships that are built.” He is working closely with Betsy Guzik, who leads the Middle School’s community engagement, to plan new directions for programming, particularly when Covid restrictions ease. They have discussed giving students a chance to identify areas of interest, so that students are more invested in the work they pursue. “The focus is less on accomplishing a task than on the relationships and partnerships you’re building,” Boyd says. Those relationships are galvanizing, and the time spent to develop them produces not only intangible benefits, but also concrete achievements that make the community better, he notes. “Together, you want to accomplish a project.” ◆
NORFOLK ACADEMY CONTRIBUTES TO TWO STUDIES ON SCHOOL SAFETY DURING THE PANDEMIC Norfolk Academy’s testing data and protocols for in-person learning and bus transportation have served as the basis for two peer-reviewed journal articles that provided guidance for schools seeking to conduct in-person learning safely. The studies, published in the Journal of School Health, were observational and retrospective in nature. Norfolk Academy supplied anonymized data about the number of cases for each round of the school’s surveillance testing and the category of individual (Lower, Middle, or Upper School student, faculty, or staff ) that had tested positive, comparable to the data that the school posted weekly on the Covid-19 Resource Board. That basic case data, along with specifics about Academy’s protocols, provided insight about ways to get students to school safely and carry out in-person learning. • The first study, which was printed in the May 2021 issue, compared two private schools, described only as School A (in the Southeast) and School B (Norfolk Academy, described as “in the mid-Atlantic”), which were conducting surveillance testing during the fall semester of 2020 (August–December); this was the period when many schools around the country remained in virtual learning. Researchers, including Dr. Jonathan Zenilman of Johns Hopkins University, who served as a medical advisor to Norfolk Academy, compared the two schools’ similar protocols, which included masking, social distancing, increased spacing of desks, and limits on the size of gatherings. Both schools did surveillance testing of their entire school communities using the SalivaDirect Yale protocol and PCR tests. The study concluded that although children can transmit the virus, “rates of COVID-19 infection related to in-person education were significantly lower than those in the surrounding community.” • The second study, printed in the September 2021 issue, was based on data from the 2020–21 school year. It showed that students can be transported on near-capacity buses without spreading Covid, using low-cost mitigation, such as universal masking and keeping windows partly open to improve ventilation. Students sat in assigned seats to enable contact tracing. Dr. Dana Ramirez, a pediatrician at Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters and the lead author on the study, also served on NA’s medical advisory team. Headmaster Dennis Manning noted that “the broadest goal was to keep our students and faculty safe and to sustain in-person learning,” and the school’s approach proved successful.
Esther Diskin is Director of Communications.
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News Roundup 2
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So much has already happened in our Year of Togetherness, and more excitement lies ahead! A quick look at some highlights:
1 WITH A PAT AND A
HANDSHAKE, CLASS OF 2033 STEPS INTO #BULLDOGLIFE In the school’s Year of Togetherness, each new first grader took part in a hallowed tradition that signifies their entrance into life as an NA Bulldog.
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NORFOLK ACADEMY WELCOMES NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL DIRECTOR Norfolk Academy welcomes Mr. Jeff Boyd for his official launch as the school’s new Middle School Director. He most recently worked at Durham Academy in North Carolina, where he served as Assistant Director of Enrollment Management, and as a teacher and coach. He earned his A.B. from Brown and an Ed.M. from Harvard.
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TUNSTALL STUDENT COUNCIL STARTS YEAR WITH CALL FOR HELPING OTHERS Oliver Jones ’22, President of the Tunstall Student Council, believes students this school year have a golden opportunity, one that they should take full advantage of by giving back to communities in need.
4 LITERACY FELLOWS AND
THE MUSE PUBLISH ANTHOLOGY Norfolk Academy’s Literacy Fellows Program, in a partnership with The Muse in Norfolk, published Just a Phase, an eclectic volume of writing done by teens during the Covid-19 pandemic.
5 LIVE THEATER RETURNS
WITH RIVETING PERFORMANCE The Academy Players debuted the 2021 Fall Play, Radium Girls, in school performances that set a high mark for both excellence and excitement. It was the school’s first live theater performance
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since February 2020, when The Addams Family played to sold-out audiences.
6 AS ONE TRIBE, DANCE
TEAM RETURNS TO JOHNSON THEATER STAGE The Norfolk Academy Dance Team drew rave reviews from both students and families in its return to stage performances. The show featured dance from ballet to hip hop and a dance choreographed by Madalyn Mejia ’22.
7 VETERANS DAY CHAPEL
ENLIGHTENS STUDENTS ABOUT SERVICE AND SACRIFICE Upper School students learned about the sacrifices that military service members and their families make during a powerful Veterans Day Chapel led by Bernie McMahon, an Upper School History Teacher and retired Navy SEAL. Dance Master Elbert Watson performed to “Amazing Grace.”
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CHARTER DAY AWARD GOES TO CHEMISTRY TEACHER JOHN CRAIG The prestigious Charter Day Award, given by the Tunstall Student Council to a teacher for overall excellence, went to Upper School Chemistry Teacher John Craig, who also serves as co-director of the Medical Scholars Program, part of the Batten Leadership Program, and assists with the girls soccer program.
10 SCHOOL RAISES $8,800
FOR TORNADO VICTIMS Norfolk Academy mounted a fundraiser across three divisions in the days before Holiday Break to help provide relief to families and communities impacted by tornadoes that swept through Kentucky and five other states in December. A check was presented to the American Red Cross.
9 NA-TV COMPLETES HISTORIC
SEASON WITH COVERAGE OF FIELD HOCKEY STATE CHAMPIONSHIP (BULLDOGS WIN!) NA-TV completed the fall 2021 season broadcasting 53 games, a single-season record for the student-led channel. Those games ran all the way through sweltering heat in August to the VISAA field hockey state championship final November 13 in Richmond, where Norfolk Academy won the crown. NORFOLK ACADEMY MAGAZINE
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EDI PROGRAM FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL
New Space New Directions Olivia Crocker ’25 loved the Engineering, Design, and Innovation classes she took in Lower School. Years later, the fun of building bridges with popsicle sticks — and studying the science behind that lesson — still sticks in her mind. “I like being creative and EDI is a way to be creative,” Olivia said. So, when Olivia learned about a new program that is debuting this semester, she eagerly signed up. In January, about 40 ninth graders began a semester-long Middle School EDI course. Taught by Afek Taragan, the classes meet in a brand-new EDI room, located in the Upper School near the art room and the wood shop. The new course is an extension of the Lower School EDI Program. The first EDI classes were introduced to first and third grade students in 2015, after more than a year of extensive research and planning by teacher Dr. John Galler ’93 and others. Grade levels and instructors were gradually added — Taragan came to Norfolk Academy in 2017 and in 2018–19 the program became part of the curriculum in all six Lower School grade levels. Projects for students in grades 1–3 focus on the creation of a product, like the bridges that Olivia remembers. Grades 4–6 explore more abstract topics like electricity and 3D design. Galler teaches these older students; Taragan teaches the younger ones, with help this year from Teaching Associate Christopher Thomas, who came to Academy in 2021. Middle School students will be using some of the same technology they learned about in Lower School — like 3D printers — but will be expected to think in more advanced ways. Among the points of emphasis are communication and collaboration. Students will be
thinking like entrepreneurs, considering projects that would make the Academy campus better. “I want students to be creative. This is a space to build things you are passionate about,” Taragan said as he pointed around the new classroom. Ninth graders are giving up their study hall to take the class. And while it is a natural link into Upper School, where some of the students could become EDI Fellows in the Batten Leadership Program, the school hopes to add seventh and eighth graders into the mix next school year. One of Taragan’s goals, this year and going forward, is to encourage students to take risks and be unafraid of failure. His mantra is that they’ll get better through errors. Those words are music to Olivia’s ears. Last fall, she gave her Ninth Grade Speech on the importance of making, and learning from, mistakes. “Failure is needed for success,” she said. “It’s not a bad thing.” ◆ Mike Connors is Digital News and Social Media Specialist.
OPPOSITE: Afek Taragan is teaching new Middle School EDI classes that debuted in January for the 40 ninth graders who signed up. Classes take place in a new room located near the Upper School Art Studio. RIGHT : The new EDI space includes new equipment, such as Ultimaker 3D printers.
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Visual Art in the Upper School Imagine an expansive light-filled studio where, on any given day, a student is disassembling a bicycle wheel so she can stretch primed canvas over it before clamping it in place with the tube and tire. Nearby, another is cutting into his painted canvas and carefully stitching it back together. On the opposite side of the studio, a student is grinding rich tones of natural pigments with gum arabic to make her own set of homemade watercolors. As music plays in the background, another student might be carefully burning through a stack of matchboxes, rendering a landscape of devastated trees by drawing with the tips of one match after another. Nearby, a classmate might be folded over her watercolor painting, painstakingly stitching beads along the edge of a poppy pod while one of her peers precisely coils her delicate watercolor and ink drawings before inserting them into large test tubes. This is Art 2 and 3. Largely studentdriven, the inquiry-based curriculum is a deliberate, thoughtful, and researched fusion of best practices drawn from time-tested tenets of art education, postmodern principles of design, and the Advanced Placement (AP) Framework. Though not an AP course, the combined sections of Art 2 and 3 have enthusiastically embraced the framework as “banks for their rivers” to quote Iona Drozda, a locally based artist and educator whose work was recently shown in Perrel Gallery as part of the Growing Together exhibition. Student choice is essential to this learning context, in which all students choose a theme to guide their yearlong “Extended Investigations.” In the former framework model, this theme was mapped as the center of a wheel from which 12
static spokes — individual works of art — emanated. The new model visualizes the extended investigation as a tree trunk whose branches — the individual works — grow organically as the exploration proceeds. Throughout the experience, students focus on the following as determined by the needs of their investigation: technical skill-development, practice, experimentation, revision (either to the way they are working or to previous work), and materials and processes that are physically and metaphorically related to their theme. Hence, the need for bike wheels, stitched canvas, homemade watercolors, matchstick drawings, beads, and test tubes as these students investigate such topics as homes away from home, mental wellness, the natural world, cultural stereotypes, and so much more. With this approach, the teacher becomes fellow researcher, guide, and coach, directing students to materials and other resources, demonstrating, brainstorming, and providing inspiration via the rich territory of artists working today. Classes often begin with a slide to provide context, a short video about a contemporary artist, and brief discussion afterwards. What resonates? What serves as a “takeaway”? Because our curriculum is structured to parallel the way artists actually work in the 21st century, we cast the net wide, experiencing the likes of Lesley Dill, Do Ho Suh, and Kehinde Wiley, all of whom, among other things, match materials and/or processes to the themes of their work because, as Canadian communications theorist Marshall McLuhan famously wrote, “The medium is the message.”
How to measure success in such a creative context? Formally assessed benchmarks are as objective as possible, drawing upon written reflection and self-assessment. Students are asked to assess themselves and comment upon the degree to which they have demonstrated technical skill, practice, experimentation, revision, and the selection of materials and processes that undergird their themes. For its part, Art 1 is a dynamic course offered as a “stand-alone” or as the foundation for continued achievement in Art 2 and 3. Students in this course eagerly embrace everything that comes their way as they are challenged to work in a range of media with a breadth of both design- and content-based goals and objectives. The flow is more teacher-driven than Art 2 and 3, yet students are nonetheless strongly encouraged and supported as they find their individual voices within guidelines that broaden over time. Every day in Visual Art, we pack our bags for destinations unknown and, though we have a roadmap, we crave the detours. ◆ Betsy DiJulio teaches art in the Upper School and is an artist and freelance writer whose work was recently included in the MOCA exhibit “Nourish.”
OPPOSITE TOP: Watercolor, ink, and beads by Claire Vu ’22. OPPOSITE BOTTOM: Watercolor and ink tunnel book by Eliza Blythe ’22. TOP LEFT: Biographical Botanicals—exploring plants that symbolize the artists. TOP RIGHT: Theory of Eternal Recurrence by Quinn Carroll ’23.
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Coaches’ Secrets FORGING TEAM TOGETHERNESS
TOP AND BOTTOM: Varsity field hockey players came together during a historic season that saw Teacher-Coach Mary Werkheiser win her 400th career game and the team win a state title. CENTER: Teacher-Coach Trish Hopkins guided varsity volleyball to the TCIS title and a berth in the state semifinals in fall 2021.
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In late September, Norfolk Academy’s field hockey team suffered a potentially tormenting loss: 2–1 in overtime to the top-ranked team in the nation. That kind of defeat that can demoralize players. The Bulldogs went the other way. They came together and improved as a group. “We came away feeling pumped, energized, so motivated for the rest of the season,” Field Hockey Coach Mary Werkheiser said. The Bulldogs did not lose another game. Two months later they were state champions. The team’s successful ride last fall happened because the student-athletes bonded as more than a team, said Werkheiser, who earned her 400th career win in September. They supported each other through preseason practices in the intense August heat, organized meals and activities on weekend road trips during the season, and even cooked pancake breakfasts before big postseason contests. “When you make the varsity field hockey team, you’re part of a family,” Werkheiser said. But what is the secret to building a successful athletic family? Kristen Kirkman is in her 15th year coaching Academy’s varsity swim team. Swimming presents added challenges for coaches. In many ways it’s an individual sport — student-athletes are not with their teammates while they’re competing in the pool. And the team annually has 60-plus members across four grade levels, among the largest groups in any sport. Realizing that, Kirkman talks often with her athletes about the importance of bonding as a team. One exercise they do early in the winter season is “four corners,” during which freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors go into different groups and get to know their classmates better. The team also has training partners, seniors who help underclassmen who are
learning the expectations of being on a varsity team. Everyone goes on a trip over Holiday Break — in December 2021 they went to Woodberry Forest — where they come together and bond. Another tradition is the handing down of legacy items like scarves and blankets at a team dinner at the close of the season. Kirkman also reminds her athletes that the best swimmers’ times and points are worth the same as everyone else’s. It behooves those swimmers to raise up their teammates. “A great team is not just about having great athletes,” Kirkman said. “It’s about having great leaders and students who work together.” For Varsity Football Coach Steve Monninger, the sign of a great team is that everyone feels proud and has a sense of belonging, whether they’re the starting quarterback or the backup long snapper. Building on Kirkman’s thoughts, Monninger said it’s important that students and coaches work together through the entire football program. Each spring, he gets together with JO Coach Scott Fowler to share information and draw up plays and schemes. During a varsity bye week last fall, he held a program-wide practice during which seventh graders worked alongside seniors and all 17 coaches were on hand, offering observations and advice. Beyond that, Monninger welcomes parents to become part of the program. He holds a “Parents Week,” during which mothers and fathers are invited to watch practices, weightlifting, and video sessions. The varsity “Last 100 Yards” ceremony celebrates seniors and their parents, allowing them to walk the length of the Wynne-Darden Stadium field together. Togetherness is critical in any sport, Monninger said. He can recall games Academy won when it had less talent but played more as a team. Specifically, he
Catching Up With a Storied Team FIELD HOCKEY STATE CHAMPS OF 2017 mentioned a win against Fork Union Military Academy a few years back. FUMA had the son of NFL star Randy Moss on its squad and Academy was without a regular quarterback because of injuries. Yet the Bulldogs overcame that adversity. “Total team performance and execution got us the victory,” Monninger said. Fowler has been an Academy teachercoach for 20 years, primarily at the middle school level. Even at that age, the importance of team unity is no less important. As JO Football coach, Fowler awards stickers to players that they put on their helmets — much like the Ohio State tradition of pasting Buckeyes on their helmets. These stickers are given for achieving team or unit goals, not individual accomplishments. Building team unity can be a challenge in middle school, though, even with creative ideas. Athletes understandably seek to stand out as individuals, so they can work their way up to the JV and, eventually, varsity. A few years back, Fowler was coaching JO Baseball and experienced such a situation. Some of the players weren’t buying into the team concept. Fowler turned to Teacher-Coach Bernie McMahon, a former Navy SEAL, for help. One day, he asked McMahon to put the team through various exercises that had nothing to do with baseball but hopefully would build chemistry. The exercises, similar to activities that students do during Leadership Lab at the end of each school year, worked. The team went 5–0 the rest of the way, clicking together. “Chemistry has become incredibly important to me as a coach,” Fowler said. “And when I can’t build it, I love that I can turn to colleagues to help.” ◆
Five years later, one of the great teams in Norfolk Academy athletics history is still going strong. In fall 2017, the varsity field hockey team capped a remarkable run by winning the state championship. The Bulldogs finished the season 25–0, ranked second in the entire nation by maxfieldhockey.com. They earned their second straight state title and third in four years. Almost a dozen student-athletes from that 2017 team went on to compete in college, including five from the Class of 2018 — Lily Clarkson, Riley Fulmer, Greer Gill, Halle Gill, and Liz Heckard — who joined powerful Division I programs. As their college careers wind down, that group continues to excel. Fulmer went to North Carolina, which won national titles in each of her first three seasons. A forward, she played every game in 2019 as the Tar Heels went undefeated. Greer Gill, a midfielder, has played in 77 games over four seasons — making 65 starts for UVA. In 2019, the Cavaliers reached the national semifinals. Greer’s twin sister, Halle Gill, made an instant impact at Georgetown, starting at midfield/ attacker in most of the Hoyas’ games as an underclassman. After Georgetown did not compete in 2020 during the pandemic, she picked up right where she left off in 2021, making regular contributions.
Clarkson, a midfielder, went to Penn, where she has played in 33 games over three seasons — the Ivy League also did not compete in 2020. Heckard, a defender, played in 63 games over four seasons for Stanford. Mary Werkheiser, Academy’s varsity field hockey head coach, follows all her former players closely. But what is more important to her than their athletic success is how they’ve grown and what they’ve achieved in the classroom. Fulmer is working toward a double major in studio art and anthropology, with thoughts of dental or pharmacy school down the road. Greer Gill has earned regular spots on the ACC Academic honor roll; Halle Gill was a multiple-time Big East All-Academic selection; Heckard has earned annual spots on the NFHCA National Academic Squad; Clarkson enrolled in Penn’s Wharton School of Business, which is ranked among the top business schools in the world. That’s hardly all of the group’s accomplishments. Sydney LeGuillow ’19 is playing at Hofstra, where she is president of the university’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. “I love what they’ve grown into — beautiful young women making their way in this world,” Werkheiser said. ◆ Mike Connors is Digital News and Social Media Specialist.
NA’s varsity field hockey team went 25–0 in 2017, winning a state title.
Mike Connors is Digital News and Social Media Specialist.
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Now You See It, Now You Don’t THE MAGIC OF THE BULLDOGS’ BELLY PASS
TOP: Coach Dave Trickler, left, with quarterback Tom Rixey ’80 and fellow coach Tinsley Van Durand. RIGHT: Coach Trickler introduced the Belly Pass to Norfolk Academy in the 1960s, finding much success with the special play. OPPOSITE: While Bulldogs like Stinson Moss ’22 are winning with a new batch of plays, the Belly Pass remains steeped in Bulldogs’ lore.
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At times it was the Miracle Play, a secret recipe for Norfolk Academy football success. “The Belly Pass” inspired Bulldogs from the 1960s through the 1980s. THE PLAY: The Belly Pass was a play-action, two back dive, roll-out, and tight end-release corner route called “Strong right, fake 75, belly pass.” Disruptive in pivotal moments, its lore grew with each spectacular completion. The play’s genius was deception, transitioning from “Who’s got the ball?” to “How did that happen?” in 10 seconds. Initially, the quarterback faked two handoffs using magician’s guile. First, he showed the ball while shoving it into the fullback’s gut. The fullback advanced two steps; the quarterback holding the ball tucked in his belly. The quarterback then theatrically showed the ball to the defense before giving it to the halfback for the same charade. The quarterback then withdrew the ball again, his magic act now hiding the pigskin. He deftly held it low on his hip, concealing it, watching the line devour his backs. Suddenly the quarterback feigning no purpose awakened, drifting right of the mass, alone, holding the football. As he pulled the rabbit from the hat, a lone receiver appeared downfield, unbelievably open. The tight end’s deceitful agenda was launching into the scrum, counting time, and dis-engaging downfield. A serendipitous moment amazed fans: two players concurrently moving freely away from the tangled pile. It seemed time slowed, like the movies; the quarterback threw to the open receiver, often producing a touchdown.
“It’s teammates,” recalled Craig Jones ’76, eyes sparkling. “The quarterback pauses, believes. Backs dive; the line and wingback block. Done correctly, it’s the parting of the Red Sea. Miraculous.” David Costenbader ’82 recalled “… the hardest pass was when that guy was so wide open.” While the quarterback and tight end might’ve gotten the glory, others played critical roles. Linemen toiled and decoy backs earned bruising tackles. Charles Lustig ’81, a lumbering power-back, never saw a pass. Below the nasty heap, he heard only reactions. … A grin under a sea of moans and distant cheers. THE COACH: Dave Trickler created the play, crediting 1950s Prince George County coaches. Trickler’s JV team used it in 1967, the year of Super Bowl I, at the “new campus.” In time, Trickler succeeded Royce Jones at varsity, and continued to run iterations of the play, continuously fooling defenses. Trickler introduced the play to Bill Lawler ’71. Other quarterbacks included Chip Beaman ’70, Chip Jones ’75, Craig Jones ’76, Sam McGann ’77, John Gibson ’78, Tom Elder ’79, and Trickler’s son, Brian ’89. Steve Kollmansperger ’90 was among the last to run the play. My classmates Tom Raynes ’81 and Jay Shipowitz ’81, plus teammates Costenbader and Jim Ingold ’82 ran it perfectly. I recall who I saw run it first: Tom Rixey ’80 and Bill Power ’80. JV Coach Tinsley Van Durand brought Trickler to August practice: the inventor and new disciples. Trickler wore shorts and Riddell cleats. Players struggled. Trickler blew the Acme Thunderer, got under
center, and modeled Houdini precision. Quickly the Rixey-Power tandem found their rhythm. Simply transcendent, both were older and for many players larger than life. They were effervescent, optimistic, handsome, kind, funny, and truly gifted athletes. Both were significantly better known for other sports, and sadly, neither is with us anymore. In the moment, they made magic. They were our teammates, our equals, yet only the Rixey-Power combination produced a crunch-time coolness, grace-underpressure ethos to make miracles. THE END ZONE: Playing sports is a gift and remembering the Belly Pass is a conduit to celebrate practice and teamwork. Thank you, Coach Trickler. Old Bulldogs still recall teammates making magic when nothing else could. Coach Trickler passed away in 2020, and never read this. Timing is everything. We discussed this play after Bill Power’s death; I never explained my interest. He enjoyed reminiscing as did each Bulldog collaborator. In Hebrew, “Hakarat HaTov” means recognizing the good with a thankful attitude. Generations appreciate Coach Trickler’s time invested in them. The Belly Pass re-teaches a lesson clear like an unbelievably wide-open receiver. When you appreciate someone for what they gave you, do them the simplest favor. Let Them Know. ◆ Palmer Hamilton ’81 wrote this article to commemorate a classic play that remains steeped in Bulldog history. A more in-depth version of the article is available at norfolkacademy.org/athletics
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Homecoming, October 15, 2021
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Reunion, October 16, 2021
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Events
Bulldog Bash, October 15, 2021
save
2 2 0 2 s n o i n u Re
TWOS an d SEVENS
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1972 1982 1992 2002 2012
1977 1987 1997 2007 2017
Get involved! Join the planning committee today! Contact Ruth Acra racra@norfolkacademy.org 757-452-6761
OCTOBER 21stand22nd
date the
Holiday Open House for Seniors, December 8, 2021
READY TO CHEER FOR THE CLASS OF 2022! GRADUATION — MAY 23, 2022 NORFOLK ACADEMY MAGAZINE
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Class of 2020 Returns to Campus for a Big “Welcome Home!” Norfolk Academy welcomed the Class of 2020 back to campus on December 17, 2021, to celebrate a group whose senior year ended most unusually. These graduates were the first seniors impacted by the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic; Virginia’s schools were required to close in March 2020, causing the final three months of that school year to be held online. Members of the class are thriving at nearly 50 different colleges and universities, a diverse list that includes military institutions, Ivy League schools, and flagships across Virginia and North Carolina. Sean Miller ’20, who was co-valedictorian of the class and attends UVA as a Jefferson Scholar, wove his speech around three themes: success, change, and family. He noted that the Class of 2020 always showed up to cheer one another, especially for athletics and arts performances. “We remember the victories because we were there to see it.” Teacher-coach Tom Duquette spoke about adapting to change, using the examples of three NA alumni who challenged themselves to shift gears and found success as a result. He said, “Their stories encourage us to embrace change, whether we seek it out or whether it comes uninvited.” ◆
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NORFOLK ACADEMY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
Ready to explore new career paths? Do you have a professional opportunity to offer? For 18 years, Bulldogs have been helping Bulldogs make key connections. The Alumni Job Board connects employers with NA alumni. Our Summer Internship Program places Upper School students and college-age alumni into exciting, challenging internships. Connect with a Bulldog today at
CONNECTIONS
CAREER
norfolkacademy.org/alumni/career
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in memoriam
| Barbara Styron Tucker
in memoriam
| Rachel Hopkins
Barbara Styron Tucker, Teacher and Former Headmaster’s Wife
Dr. Rachel Hopkins, Former Lower School Director
Barbara Styron Tucker of Southern Shores, NC, passed away on October 18, 2021, at the age of 87 after a brief illness. She was born November 5, 1933, to Lula and Edward Styron. She is survived by her husband, John H. Tucker Jr., in a marriage lasting 66 years. She is also survived by two sons, John H. Tucker III and Edward Tripp Tucker, and grandsons Johnathan and Joseph. She is also survived by a sister, three nieces and their families, and a first cousin. Barbara grew up in Norfolk County, attending Great Bridge High School and Madison College. She and John first came to Norfolk Academy when he was a teacher, coach, and eventually administrator at the school. The couple went to Roanoke, where he served as headmaster of North Cross School, and they returned to campus in 1978 when John succeeded J.B. Massey Jr. as headmaster. Barbara served as a computer instructor in the Lower School, teaching keyboarding skills to many grateful students, always memorable for her “positive presence,” as Tim Oliver ’97 noted in a tribute to her. Entertaining was one of the many roles of a headmaster’s wife, and Barbara truly loved organizing many gatherings at the headmaster’s house. Faculty and alumni recall her as an amazing hostess. Barbara and John shared a passion for the arts, and she enthusiastically attended school events and community performances. She was a member of the Society of Arts at the Chrysler Museum. When the couple moved to Southern Shores after John’s retirement as headmaster, they continued supporting the arts through involvement with the Lost Colony play, the Don and Catharine Bryan Cultural Series, and various other cultural and lecture programs, often arranging for NA alumni and faculty to perform. Barbara was a passionate reader and an equally passionate correspondent. The “email queen of the Outer Banks,” earned her nickname through her dedication to outreach; she would arise at 5:30 a.m. each morning and work for two hours, sending emails to friends and family. Many recipients of those epistles saved them to re-read, because they were lively, uplifting, and often very funny. She also loved playing mahjong and tennis. For years she and John served as directors for the Youth Fellowship Program at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Norfolk, VA. She was also a member of All Saints Episcopal Church. ◆
Dr. Rachel C. Hopkins was born August 14, 1925, in Statesboro, GA, and died January 8, 2022, in Ft. Walton Beach, FL, after a lengthy battle against Alzheimer’s. The oldest of 10 children, she left the farm after high school to attend Berry College, moving to Savannah afterward. After supporting herself for several years as a bookkeeper, she met her future husband, Gibbes C. Hopkins, Jr. They married in 1951, started a family, and moved to Norfolk in 1960. Following a passion for education that developed as a child, Dr. Hopkins earned her degree from ODU and began teaching in Norfolk Public Schools. In 1967 she accepted a teaching job at Norfolk Academy, soon moving from teaching to administration, and eventually becoming Head of Lower School, the first woman to hold that position. During that period, she earned a Doctorate in Education from Vanderbilt and developed innovative learning programs for the school. As an educator, she was influential in the community and received the Woman of the Year award from Outstanding Professional Women of Hampton Roads in 1995. She retired after 31 years to care for her ailing husband and remained an active member of Christ & St. Luke’s Church in Norfolk after his death. She volunteered for the Homework Club in Norfolk Public Schools as a tutor in Campostella. She was also proud of the certificate she earned as a Master Gardener and the Hopkins Garden donated to Norfolk Academy in her name. Dr. Hopkins and her siblings all remained close throughout the years — she enjoyed the large family reunions. She was a loving wife and mother, terrific cook, world traveler, and always led by example through her determination and enthusiasm for the goals she set and the challenges she faced. ◆
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in memoriam Mr. R. Bryan Grinnan III ’52
FORMER FACULTY AND STAFF
Mr. John Jay Thiemeyer ’65
Mr. Donald Craig
Ms. Nancy B. Welton ’65
Dr. Rachel Hopkins
Mr. Karl K. Wallace III ’75
Mrs. Barbara S. Tucker
Dr. S. Neil Morrison ’77 Mrs. Catherine Morgan Stockwell ’85 Ms. Carita Banks ’95
parting SHOT
“ONE TRIBE, ONE TIME, ONE PLANET, / ONE RACE, ONE LOVE, ONE PEOPLE”
The fall dance concert, a salute to the Year of Togetherness, was inspired by the lyrics of “One Tribe,” a song by the Black Eyed Peas. As Dance Master Elbert Watson noted in the program, “We are Bulldogs, we are citizens of the world. Human, devoted to the betterment of each other, One Tribe.”
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