In Tribute Building Genuine Relationships’’ ‘‘

trajectory of my life, and I will forever be indebted to him for bringing me back to my second home. Overnight, Monsieur Warsaw became Warren, Mr. Wetmore became Sean, Mrs. Gorsline became Linda, and Mr. Manning became Dennis (that one took a while). As a colleague, mentor, and boss, Dennis became even more influential in my life, and I was fortunate to work with him for 12 years. Dennis’s innovative approach to integrating traditional education with experiential, interdisciplinary instruction epitomizes his unwavering respect for the history of the institution and a willingness to engage in some “judicious experimentation with the new.”

Some of the most formative and impactful mentors in my life come from my time as a student at Norfolk Academy. At the top of that list is Dennis Manning, who arrived on the scene for my senior year. Navigating a leadership change, especially for my final year at a place I had called home for my entire childhood, came with some apprehension. However, Mr. Manning quickly became a beloved and revered new head of school, calling everyone on campus by their name, asking after family members, commenting on an athletic or arts performance from the night before, and even teaching a senior English elective that, regrettably, I was too intimidated to take.

This past fall during our 20-year-reunion weekend, several of my Class of 2002 peers reminisced that one of their favorite memories from high school was Thursday morning Senior Donuts in the Pit with Mr. Manning. I don’t think he ever missed a Senior Donut with our class that year. Looking back, those mornings were emblematic of his leadership style, one founded on building genuine relationships. Our class jokes that we really broke him in that year, but in our 20 years since graduation, it is remarkable to see all the visionary progress Mr. Manning has shepherded the school through — from major facilities upgrades to the introduction of interdisciplinary programs aiming for social impact to expanded faculty professional development to a commitment to increased diversity.

In the late summer of 2009, I unexpectedly returned to Hampton Roads, and somehow Mr. Manning persuaded me to join the faculty at Norfolk Academy. It was an opportunity that would change the

For me, the most compelling additions to NA during his tenure, his most notable legacy, are the formation of the Batten Leadership Program and the five Fellows Programs, along with shifting the academic calendar to involve all students in grades 7–11 in experiential education through the Mini-mester and Maymester programs.

I owe so much to Dennis and Beth Manning, both personally and professionally; my stint on the faculty not only led me to the most professionally fulfilling role of my life, working with the Global Health Fellows, but also introduced me to my husband. Our daughter will join the Class of 2035 this fall, and while it is bittersweet that Dennis will not be shaking her hand on her first day as a Bulldog, I know the educational experience, and, more important, the community she is joining, are extraordinarily strong due to the tireless, inspired service of Dennis Manning.

With gratitude and admiration, Price Massey Hall ’02

Price Hall served as a teacher in Lower and Middle Schools, the founding Director of the Global Health Fellows, Director of International Programs, and Associate Director of the Batten Leadership Program.