BISHOP’S A MAGAZINE FOR THE BISHOP’S SCHOOL FAMILY AND FRIENDS FALL/WINTER 2018
The Bishop’s School
Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID The Bishop’s School
7607 La Jolla Boulevard La Jolla, California 92037-4799
parting shots
Then…and now. After 100 years, we still garden, but not on the Quad.
The Episcopal Tradition at Bishop’s Parents of alumni, if your child no longer maintains an address at your home, please provide an updated address to the alumni office. (858) 875-0505 • Fax (858) 456-2681 • tbsalumni@bishops.com
Growing Kindness, One Smile at a Time
table of contents FEATURES
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Growing Kindness, One Smile at a Time
BISHOP’S A magazine for The Bishop’s School family and friends
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Fall/Winter 2018 • Vol. 16, No. 1 Bishop’s is published two times a year by The Bishop’s School.
Credits
Editor Letters: We welcome your comments. Keri Peckham Please send letters for possible publication Assistant Editors to weiners@bishops.com or contact us at Jen Heisel (858) 875-0735. Cathy Morrison
New initiative focuses on kindness in the Bishop’s community.
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Alumni Reunion Photos A photo montage from Reunion Weekend
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The Episcopal Tradition at Bishop’s
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Do justice, love kindness, walk humbly
10 The Power of Faith and Mentorship Faculty Focus: Rev. Nicole Simopoulos-Pigato
12 Paying Back by Paying Forward Alumna Alison Adams Royle ’57 provides a generous gift—an incredible opportunity for future Bishop’s students.
14 Leading the Way…
in Sports & Service Leaders in athletics, leaders on campus
Three alumni have taken their careers to new heights—literally!
The school day starts early for a Bishop’s senior and performing artist.
The Bishop’s School 7607 La Jolla Boulevard La Jolla, CA 92037-4799
20 Remembrance and Recognition
Phone: (858) 459-4021 Fax: (858) 459-3914
21 Family Matters: HONOR ROLL OF DONORS 2017-2018
Contributing Photographers Mission Statement Jen Heisel Pablo Mason School is an academic The Bishop’s Cathy Morrison community pursuing intellectual, artistic, Dave Siccardi and athletic excellence in the context studio m of the Episcopal tradition. We are dedicated to offering the highest quality The Bishop’s School education to a diverse student body Interim Head of School and to fostering integrity, imagination, Carol Barry moral responsibility and commitment to serving the larger community. Assistant Head of School and Chief Advancement Officer John A. Trifiletti
Bishop’s is published two times year the From the Editor: We apologize foraomitting by TheCindy Bishop’s School. name Weiler from the board of trustees list the fall/winter 2015 issue of Bishop’s. We in welcome your feedback. Mrs. Weiler a current and serves Please sendisstory ideas trustee to as the board’s secretary. Please note: Craig keri.peckham@bishops.com Higgs ’62 isusthe legal counsel. or contact at board’s (858) 875-0790.
18 A Day in the Life: Catarina Paul ’19
www.bishops.com Graphic Design Design Perspective
Director of Alumni Relations Sarah Garro
16 Alumni in Aerospace
Class Notes, Reunion Recaps and Transitions
Contributing The Bishop’sWriters School Jen Heisel 7607 La Jolla Boulevard Zach Jones La Jolla, CA ’01 92037-4799 Melissa Kenyon Cathy Morrison Phone: (858) 459-4021 Keri Peckham Fax: (858) 459-3914 Joe Tash Jared Scott Tesler
www.bishops.com
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Mission Statement The Bishop’s School is an academic community pursuing intellectual, artistic and athletic excellence in the context of the Episcopal tradition. We are dedicated to offering the highest quality education to a diverse student body and to fostering integrity, imagination, moral responsibility and commitment to serving the larger community. Cover Photo Photographer Cathy Morrison
Ensuring the Most Qualified Students Come Together in the Classroom and on Campus By Cathy Morrison
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very family at Bishop’s makes a sacrifice to be here: It might be a long commute, a financial commitment requiring an adjustment to other priorities or consumer choices or an increased commitment of time. “We, as a community, respect those sacrifices,” says Director of Admissions and Financial Aid Kim Cooper. Given the gap between tuition and the actual cost of educating our students, every family at Bishop’s also receives support from endowment investment income and annual giving funds. And, like most independent schools, Bishop’s provides tuition assistance to families through need-based grants. This assistance is allocated across a full scope of our student body with grants ranging from 12 to 99 percent of the total tuition and inclusive of some incidentals such as books, uniforms and transportation. Approximately 20 percent of our student body receives some level of assistance, with an average award of $24,077. Kim explains, “Our students come from diverse backgrounds, cultures, geographic areas and socioeconomic stratas. We seek the most qualified, mission appropriate students regardless of financial ability.” With the high cost of living in San Diego, families find themselves having important and often difficult conversations about affordability. A large number of aid applications come from middle income families; tuition assistance enables both access to and affordability of a Bishop’s education. “We have a wide spectrum of students receiving financial aid, families from all geographic areas and all kinds of family backgrounds,” Kim says. The discussion and learning that takes place in our classrooms is real and powerful. When students at a Harkness table can offer a unique perspective as to how or why they might interpret a passage a certain way, they listen to and communicate with classmates who have different viewpoints. It becomes possible to engage in authentic dialogue in a respectful and thoughtful manner. This type of classroom dynamic furthers kindness, a theme we have encouraged this year. Kim sums up, “It is a given that our mission calls for excellence in intellectual engagement, athletics and arts, but more importantly we seek a multicultural community in which everyone is respected for their individual values. Admissions goes well beyond a resume. We look for students who genuinely care for and respect others in the community. Ideally that is lived out here and carried into the world in the future.” The right student’s financial circumstance should have no bearing on joining our community.
If you are interested in supporting financial aid at Bishop’s, please consider attending our annual auction on April 27, 2019 and contact John Trifiletti, chief advancement officer at trifilettij@bishops.com.
on the quad with CB
Sincerely,
Carol Barry Interim Head of School
1 on the quad with CB
Why focus on kindness? I have been asked that question over and over again as we start this school year. Perhaps as I begin to think about my retirement and my 38 years in education, I have finally realized what is actually important. Or perhaps, it is the rise of cynicism and the daily media assault of bad behavior bombarding my sensibilities. Maybe, it is just my wish that my grandchildren will experience a kinder, gentler world. I am not sure, but I believe there is little work more important than how we treat one another. I think people mistake the word kind with the word “nice.” Nice is passive, it is not being mean. We are good at that and it is not hard, not to be mean. We can be nice by ignoring people in need. We are nice and polite if we smile and say hello. Nice is easy. Kindness is hard because we must be vulnerable; we must be genuine. We must “walk in another’s shoes” to truly understand and be empathetic. To be kind, we must act. For our students, they must reach out to a classmate and include them at their lunch table. They must stand up for the classmates being treated poorly on social media. They must think beyond themselves about how they can make this world a better place for the people around them. Students have embraced our focus on kindness. Peer Support leaders led chapel talks and included stories of acts of kindness. They created a video featuring students and teachers that explored and discussed what kindness means at Bishop’s. Students passed out cards encouraging classmates to engage in a random act of kindness. It is not just me. Our students understand the importance of kindness, and we are working to create a kinder Bishop’s experience. We are Bishop’s. We are kind.
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Growing Kindness, One Smile at a Time Interim Head of School Carol Barry leads Bishop’s focus on kindness. By Joe Tash
Kindness matters.
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hat’s the idea behind a “kindness initiative” launched this year at The Bishop’s School by Interim Head of School Carol Barry. In a letter written to Bishop’s families this summer, Carol noted that in a series of meetings, focus groups and surveys, five themes emerged regarding the goals of a Bishop’s education, in addition to a rigorous academic program. The consensus was that the School should develop students who are kind, healthy and balanced, curious, independent thinkers and globally-aware citizens. “While all of these characteristics are important, I believe that it is especially important that we be kind to each other and empathetic to others’ situations and perspectives. Growing
up is complex and communication matters,” Carol wrote. Under Carol’s leadership, the School has focused on kindness since the first week of classes, when students, staff and faculty were asked to wear name tags, allowing the entire School community to get to know each other better. The effort has continued with numerous activities, including chapel talks, the production of a kindness video by students and smaller gestures such as teachers sending thank you postcards to students who demonstrate kindness in their interactions with others and students writing kindness notes to classmates. Carol, who joined Bishop’s in 2010 after a 27-year career with the San Diego Unified School District, served as head of middle school until August, when she took on the role
of interim head of school for the 2018-2019 school year. The new head of school, Ron Kim, is scheduled to join Bishop’s in summer 2019. Carol was planning to retire after the last school year but agreed to postpone her retirement for a year to help guide the School through its transition, and says, “I was happy to do that, and I am enjoying myself immensely.” As she prepared for her new role, Carol reflected on a decrease in civility that appears to be taking place across society. “I feel like the world used to be kinder and gentler than it is today.” Carol felt that Bishop’s students were already kind, but sometimes they say or do or post (on social media) something that, while intended to be funny, could be hurtful to others. She set the School on a course to emphasize the importance of being kind, both on campus and in the community. “With social media it’s very easy for boundaries to become blurred,” Carol says. “We wanted to more clearly articulate what it means to be kind.” The kindness initiative encompasses a wide variety of activities throughout the school year, from speakers to campus outreach efforts. As Carol describes it, being kind to others is more than just being nice, but rather incorporates the concepts of honesty and respect. “There’s much more to kindness than what people might think,” Carol says. “It incorporates honesty and service, and what it means to identify with the Episcopal tradition of kindness, justice and humility. They go together. And practicing kindness doesn’t get in the way of strong academic work.” Bishop’s Peer Support Program has been involved in the kindness initiative in a big way, spearheading a number of efforts, says School Counselor Megan Cooper Broderick ’98, who supervises the students’ work. Even before the initiative was announced, Peer Support wanted to focus on promoting kindness and preventing bullying during the month of October, so they planned a month of kindness-related activities. They handed out cards featuring an act of kindness, such as thanking a faculty or staff member for their work, holding a door open for someone or sitting with someone new at lunch. Peer Support also put encouraging Post-it notes on students’ lockers and led chapel talks for each grade, focused on students’ personal stories about acts of kindness. They also produced a video about kindness featuring students, staff and faculty members. Another activity featured a speaker from Sandy Hook Promise, a group of parents that formed after the 2012 shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. The presentation, “Start With Hello,” was made by a representative of Sandy Hook Promise at an all-school assembly in October. The program’s aim is to prevent students from becoming isolated and lonely at school, which has led students to become victims of bullying, and even caused some to act out
“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” —Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Growing Kindness, One Smile at a Time 4
Nicole was touched by the warm welcome she received from Bishop’s students when she arrived at the School, from those who have come by her office to greet her, to a student working in a yogurt shop who made a point of telling her how much she had enjoyed a class Nicole taught when she interviewed for the chaplain position. Bishop’s “really stands out as one of the kindest communities I’ve ever worked in,” says Nicole. The kindness initiative also dovetails nicely with the School’s emphasis on helping others, says Jackie Gomez, director of service learning. In her role, Jackie runs a number of different groups and clubs, all with the common purpose of community service. and hurt themselves or others. The program is built around Service to others is a valued part of the school’s Episcopal three simple steps: See someone alone, reach out and help and identity, and it is an important piece of the kindness initiative. start with hello. “Their point is, how can we make everybody feel connected,” Being kind, Jackie says, is “service on a basic human level. We think it starts there, whether it’s holding a door open says Megan. “Sometimes it’s just about smiling at someone. for someone or helping to carry a heavy object. The School’s You don’t have to go out and save the world on a daily basis, kindness initiative is a wonderful tie-in to what service is you can start by saying hi.” The Rev. Nicole Simopoulos-Pigato, who joined The Bishop’s all about.” A recent project in which students made blankets for School this fall as chaplain, finds inspiration in many different children in orphanages in Tanzania and Haiti, as well as places for her part in this year’s kindness initiative, from scripture to the words of Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop those separated from their families at the U.S.-Mexico border, are examples of the intersection of kindness and Desmond Tutu, to the actions of two sixth-graders who community service. volunteered to help her carry a heavy box from her car to Sydney Gray ’19, community service representative for the her office. Associated Student Body Council, says that a small effort can As the chapel theme for the current year, she selected pay big dividends when it comes to spreading kindness. Micah 6:8, which says God requires his people “to do justice, “People don’t realize how a smile and a wave and a ‘how’s it and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God.” going’ can not only spread kindness but make someone’s day Nicole is also inspired by the words of Archbishop Tutu, 10 times better,” she says. who said, “Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those She recently told a friend in passing that she was having a little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” challenging week. In an effort to cheer her up, the friend went “I think especially in this day and age, in this political to a coffee shop and brought her a scone before class. “It made climate, we as educators, parents and leaders have a me feel like someone really listened, cared about me and went tremendous responsibility to model kindness and justice out of her way to make my day better,” says Sydney. for every human being. Not just teaching it, but modeling it, When it comes to kindness, it’s just as good to give as to living it.” receive. “There’s nothing quite like knowing you’re the reason someone is smiling.” “Every time I am kind I feel compelled to continue being kind. Kindness grows,” says Meredith Hunter ’20, a member of Peer Support who led a chapel talk about kindness for middle school students. Among the group’s activities in October was showing a movie each week promoting kindness. “Pay attention to other people and make an effort to include them. Say hi to people when you pass them in the hallway. It always brightens their day and strengthens our sense of community,” Meredith shares, adding that she is glad the School has made a point of focusing on kindness this year. “By making this extra effort, people will carry the message throughout their lives and spread kindness to others. If one person benefits, it is worth encouraging all of Bishop’s to focus on this idea.”
New Endowed Lecture Series Aims to Inspire Kindness and Civility
5 Growing Kindness, One Smile at a Time
A gift by Richard Woltman and his family will bring speakers to The Bishop’s School who demonstrate the School’s core values of kindness, humility and justice. The new endowed lecture series is set to launch in 2019, says John Trifiletti, assistant head of school and chief advancement officer at Bishop’s. The announcement is timely as Interim Head of School Carol Barry’s initiative for the 2018-2019 school year is focused on bringing kindness to the forefront in the daily lives of Bishop’s community members. “Richard was very impressed with the trajectory the School was taking with the kindness initiative, and he chose to endow a lectureship with speakers who represent The Bishop’s School’s core values of kindness, humility and justice,” says John. “The lectureship is intended to provide inspiration to students and to foster collegial dialogue among all members of the Bishop’s community.” The $100,000 endowment will allow the School to bring in speakers whose lives and work demonstrate their commitment to Bishop’s core values, and the speakers will come from all professions, including scholars, humanitarians, athletes and entertainment figures. “The thread that will run through the speakers we choose is their embrace of our core values. We want depth,” says John. “If you dream big you can attract great people.” The Woltman family are longtime friends of the School. In 2008, Richard and Kaye Woltman established a financial aid endowment in memory of their daughter, Melisa Reasner McGuire ’82. The new gift marks a continuation of the family’s support of Bishop’s. “We are delighted to make this commitment to the School. Bishop’s is an extraordinary place. We’re hopeful this program will bring in wonderful role models to inspire our students to do great things, while treating each other with kindness, dignity and respect,” says Richard. The lectureship joins a distinguished roster of endowed lecture programs at Bishop’s, including the Endowed Scholar-in-Residence Program, which focuses on academics, as well as lecture series on science, poetry and leadership. “We’re very fortunate to have these programs. The Woltman lectureship gives us a moment every year to pause and reflect on who we are. Part of that is our focus on kindness in our everyday lives,” says John.
Alumni Reunion 6
Reunion Weekend Fun: Oct. 5-7, 2018
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THE EPISCOPAL TRADITION By Zach Jones ’01
The Episcopal Tradition at Bishop’s 8
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ew things are as woven into the fabric of Bishop’s student life as St. Mary’s Chapel. Literally a cornerstone of the campus, it has welcomed the School community through its doors for more than a century while remembering each student’s name on its walls for generations after. So perhaps it’s fitting—if a bit daunting—that one of the Rev. Nicole Simopoulos-Pigato’s tasks in her first year as the School’s chaplain is to consider exactly what all of that history means to the School today. At an institution called “The Bishop’s School,” ties to the Episcopal Church and Episcopal tradition couldn’t be more explicit. But the next question follows logically for students, parents, faculty and even those considering an application: “What does that mean for us?” The Rev. Dan Heischman is now in his 13th year as the executive director of the National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES) and says the concept of a school’s “Episcopal identity” can be tricky for schools to explain. “Fewer and fewer segments of the population understand what the word ‘Episcopal’ means,” he says. “Sometimes Episcopal schools fall into the trap of saying what they’re not. They’re not evangelical Christian schools. They’re not Roman Catholic schools. They don’t proselytize. And that is all true. But I think that we also need to talk about what we’re about in a positive way and what we’re proud of about that [identity].” That’s a challenge that leaders at Bishop’s wanted to tackle when Nicole
arrived in La Jolla for her interviews, and it’s a question that she’d faced in a very different way in her first stop as a chaplain. Some at her first school had suggested —seriously or not—eliminating or greatly minimizing the affiliation with the Episcopal Church, and Nicole says it forced her to crystallize her own thoughts on a subject that is often taken for granted at schools like Bishop’s. “I think it was good that I started out at a school that was sort of wrestling with its Episcopal identity,” she says, “because I really learned ‘What does it mean that we’re an Episcopal school?’” Though she says each of her three previous schools has answered that question a bit differently, the answer has always centered around a welcoming spirit for every member of the community, regardless of whether they come from the Episcopal tradition in their own lives. Referring to the NAES website, Nicole says, “Episcopal schools are intentionally pluralistic. We practice open and genuine hospitality that welcomes many voices and many perspectives. We understand our diversity to be a source of strength that builds up our common life together.” Rev. Heischman points out that only about 20 percent of students at Episcopal schools nationwide are Episcopalian and at many schools that figure is much lower. Openness to a variety of religious traditions allows chapel time to be an extension of students’ classroom education via intentional exposure to their peers’ own faith journeys. “We introduce kids to Jewish
holidays and Hindu holidays through presentations in chapel, in a safe setting,” says Rachel Waite ’19, a member of Bishop’s Chapel Council that both plans and presents content at the weekly chapel sessions. “A lot of our chapel talks aren’t necessarily centered on the religion itself, but more on the morals and the person’s experience.” This year’s chapel theme, “Do justice, love kindness, walk humbly,” is taken from Micah 6:8, a passage Nicole says she has always loved as a simple expression of the Christian life. It is also an articulation of how the School’s Episcopal identity ideally shapes campus life beyond the chapel walls, from required community service to the very style of teaching in the classroom. “The School wanted to connect the life of faith with the work of service and justice in the world,” Nicole says. “As people of faith—or of no faith—we are called to be kind and decent and to have a heart for compassion and service. We must also do the harder work of not just serving those in immediate need, but asking why these people are in need in the first place and working for social justice, being advocates for those who have no voice.” It is that “love for kindness” that Rev. Heischman says is a differentiating factor in an Episcopal education. While many families are drawn to institutions like Bishop’s for their academic excellence, it is a sense of family that stays with them years after graduation. “Many families will say, ‘We didn’t know what it meant being at an Episcopal school until our family went through crisis, and we saw how the
AT BISHOP’S community cared for us, and then we understood.’” As for “walking humbly,” Nicole says she has been struck by the humility of the Bishop’s campus in all aspects of school life, and that humility is a key marker of the Episcopal tradition, whether in religious discourse or educational philosophy. “Episcopal schools are called to live and model the Christian life, while honoring, celebrating and lifting up the wisdom, truth and beauty of all of the world’s religions, that we don’t have an exclusive claim on truth as the Episcopal Church.” And in the classroom, the School’s use of the Harkness method— designed around circular tables and a conversational learning environment— promotes a humble exchange of ideas between teachers and students, where each side’s experiences serve as valuable parts of the process. Now entering its second century, the chapel is still an anchor of student life. “For students at Bishop’s,” Rachel says, “I think chapel is a way to back up from focusing on smaller problems to start to see what really matters and what they’re supposed to be cultivating in their lives.” Rev. Heischman points out that even alumni from outside the Episcopal tradition “gather at a place like Bishop’s and often talk about chapel as a formative influence on their lives.” It’s the product of a culture and identity that extends far beyond the chapel doors, welcoming each new generation to come in and find its place.
faculty focus
Nicole Simopoulos-Pigato The Power of Faith and Mentorship By Melissa Kenyon
Faculty Focus | Nicole Simopoulos-Pigato 10
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ife does not come with a how-to manual, but if we are lucky, we meet a handful of influential people who inspire us with words of wisdom. On her own winding journey, the Rev. Nicole Simopoulos-Pigato crossed paths with several mentors whose guidance ultimately led her to serve as the chaplain of The Bishop’s School. She didn’t always know what road her religious vocation would take or that she would eventually choose to serve in Episcopal schools; however, even as a young child, Nicole was drawn to a life of faith. “My father’s family came to America during the Greek Civil War, and I grew up attending the Greek Orthodox Church in Sacramento,” says Nicole. “I wanted to be an altar boy, but that was against the rules.” Since there were no female leaders at her family’s church, Nicole turned to the sisters at her Catholic high school for direction. She was intrigued by their occupation and way of life. After some discernment, she realized that she was not ready to make that kind of commitment. “When deciding between Notre Dame and Stanford for my undergraduate studies, Sister Catherine asked me if I wanted religion handed to me on a silver platter or if I’d prefer to find it for myself,” says Nicole. With Sister Catherine’s counsel in mind, Nicole landed on Stanford, and chose to study human biology. This course of study felt natural, with her dad as a doctor, her mother as a dietician and her two brothers headed to medical
school. While fascinated by her studies in the sciences and health care, Nicole never swerved from her faith. For her internship, she chose to volunteer at the Good News Society Hospital in Bihar, India, shadowing two doctors who provided medical care for the lowest caste, the “untouchables,” now known as the “Harijans.” She was inspired by the way the doctors combined their love for God with service to the most vulnerable. After graduation, she decided to explore a religious vocation by volunteering with Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity in Haiti. It was there that Nicole met a Catholic priest who encouraged her to attend seminary and study liberation theology. Taking the priest’s advice to heart, she went on to earn her master’s of divinity and master of arts in biblical studies from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. During her graduate program, Nicole received a Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarship that awarded her one year of study abroad. This time she journeyed to South Africa, where she studied at the University of Natal in Pietermaritzburg and immersed herself in the local culture. “In South Africa,
I discovered the Anglican Church,” she says. “I walked into the Anglican cathedral in Pietermaritzburg and knew I was home. A woman was presiding, the liturgy was high church with incense and icons, and the focus of the sermon was racial reconciliation and social justice. These three elements honored my faith. I returned to Berkeley, finished my studies and was received by the Episcopal Church.” The next stop on Nicole’s journey was Portland, Oregon, where she completed hospice training and began working as a hospice chaplain. There she encountered another mentor, the Rev. Stephen Schneider, who shepherded her during her first few years of priesthood. They remain close, and she values his friendship.
“My goal as a teacher and
chaplain is to help students discover who they are and how they want to make the world a better place.”
Each of Nicole’s mentors led her to find her calling as a teacher and chaplain. She feels fulfilled working in a school, where she, too, can offer guidance to those finding their way. Before coming to Bishop’s this fall, Nicole served as chaplain, taught religion and coordinated service learning programs at the Oregon Episcopal School, National Cathedral School for Girls in Washington, D.C. and ‘Iolani School in Honolulu. Nicole’s exposure to these different schools and their approaches to spiritual development helped to shape her own views and style of leadership. “My mentor at Oregon Episcopal School, the head chaplain, the Rev. Lou Ann Pickering, taught me what it means to be a chaplain and how to articulate the mission of an Episcopal school,” says Nicole. “Working at ‘Iolani School also prepared me for my role at Bishop’s. Never did I think I would end up in Hawaii, but like Bishop’s, ‘Iolani values service learning and social justice—two pillars I believe in.” When she came to visit, Nicole was blown away by the School’s culture. She remembers telling her husband, “We have to go to Bishop’s. The climate on campus is rare and unique.” It was important that her family be on board with this transition since when she’s not in the chapel or the classroom, Nicole is mom to 11-year-old Dominic, 2-year-old Sofia—and she’s expecting another baby in January! She also loves to read novels, cook and relax at the beach. This semester, Nicole is teaching Social Justice in American Society. She designed the course on the call
to compassion outlined in Matthew 25:35-36, which reads, “For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited me in; I was naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came to me.” She enjoys getting to know her students as they focus on discussing subjects like poverty in America, the global refugee crisis and racial discrimination in the criminal justice system. To help the class realize their personal passions and deepest intentions, Nicole asked them to develop human rights projects and act as advocates for their chosen cause. “My goal as a teacher and chaplain is to help students discover who they are and how they want to make the world a better place.”
PAYING BACK
BY PAYING FORWARD
By Cathy Morrison
Sometimes the people and places you love most come together in truly serendipitous ways.
later, Namibia is home to another school community as dear to her as Bishop’s. Joy to the World Kindergarten opened in 2007 with 30 little children writing in the sand, because they had no school supplies. David Moseley, religion and ethics teacher and director of Bishop’s Global Education Initiative, visited in lison Adams Royle ’57 has had 2009 with 25 Bishop’s students who a lifelong relationship with “painted walls, did athletics with the The Bishop’s School. Her children and taught them how to brush mother, Elizabeth Berger Adams was in their teeth,” recalls Alison. the class of 1923; older sisters Joanne Serving as a co-director of the school, Adams Bruun ’49 and Beverley Adams she is a goodwill ambassador and Hjermstad ’52 continued the family fundraiser. Today, there are 165 tradition. Alison recalls her first day students; adding second grade next of school in September 1951 as “one year will increase enrollment to 190. of the most exciting days of my life!” The school is licensed with the She was a “purple,” and one of her government and part of the Anglican favorite places on campus was the diocese of Namibia. Sister Gertrude hockey field. A student council is in charge onsite; set up with wifi, president then and class agent now, What’s App, a document scanner and she notes, “About a third of the class email, she and Alison stay in close is still actively engaged with the contact. Alison states eagerly, “It’s a School and came to our 60th perfect example of what you can do reunion last year.” when you get a few heads together She is adventurous and curious, and find resources. Every dollar goes a credit to her Bishop’s geography directly to the school. They are classes and the “curiosity and working to become self-sustaining.” openness about other cultures” she That 2004 trip was auspicious says the School fostered. She and her in another way. Former Bishop’s late husband, dentist Burke “Doc” chaplain the Rev. Mary Katherine Royle, traveled extensively, including Allman joined the group toward stints volunteering with the Flying the end of Alison’s stay. In 2009, Samaritans in Baja California, and Mary Katherine took a group of doing dental work “deep in the Bishop’s students on a civil rights Amazon jungle,” where they once Seated from left: tour to Alabama, with stops in Selma stayed for two weeks, doing Elizabeth Berger Adams ’23, Jeanne Adams Bruun ’47; and Montgomery. Fast forward to extractions and more with no Standing from left: Beverley Adams Hjermstad ’50 and 2018, when Alison took the same Alison Adams Royle ’57 electricity; the only instruments
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were the ones they brought with them in a tackle box. After Doc’s death, Alison continued to travel beyond the typical tourist’s path. An auspicious 2004 trip to Namibia, on the Atlantic coast of Africa, was the result of meeting Bishop Shannon Mallory and his wife, Toni, at a dinner party hosted by former Bishop’s headmistress Rosamond Larmour Loomis. Intrigued by their mission rebuilding project in Odibo, she offered her own volunteer services for three months; 14 years and eight trips
tour, which caused her to reflect deeply on her own family history: Ancestors on both sides had once been slaveowners.
“What could I do about it?” She couldn’t change the past, but she thought about Joy to the World, trying to “pay back in a way” and wondered what more she could do. She “thought about Oprah—her school in South Africa, giving opportunities to people, setting them on a path to a good education.” And she thought about Bishop’s, how much it meant—and still means—to her. Classmate and friend Carolyn Revelle ’57 became both sounding board and inspiration. Carolyn served on the board at Scripps College for 27 years, where she had endowed a scholarship, and Carolyn encouraged Alison to reach out to John Trifiletti, Bishop’s chief advancement officer. It took a few months and seven people, but Alison just made the largest alumni donation in School history. “Alison has a passion for helping people, and she is incredibly generous,” says John. Through her $1.1 million gift, she hopes to give more young women a lifelong relationship with Bishop’s. Deeding a vacant parcel of land in Del Mar to the School, the sale of that plot provided the funds to establish The Alison Adams Royle (Class of ’57) Scholarship Endowment. This particular endowment is dedicated for the benefit of a female student whose racial heritage is from the African diaspora including but not limited to AfricanAmerican, Afro-Latino and AfroCaribbean young women. The first award for this scholarship will be made for the 2019-2020 academic year. “Hopefully some young girls who fit that description will find out about it and go through their lives helping other people,” says Alison. Why a female recipient? Alison believes, “If we had more women leaders here in this country and other places in the world, we could ‘soften the edges’ a bit in how we relate to one another and how we care for one another and our planet. I want to help and encourage a young girl to become one of those women.”
Leading the Way… By Zach Jones ’01
“We say it all the time in coaching—you’re playing for the name on the front of the jersey and not the back.”
Leading the Way in Sports & Service 14
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hat’s how Joel Allen, director of athletics and head football coach at Bishop’s, describes the ideal student-athlete. “It’s a unique opportunity since our athletes are regularly on campus at other schools. They are often people’s only interaction with—and first impression of —The Bishop’s School, because they’re competing with them in volleyball or football,” he says. But the playing field is only part of the Bishop’s experience for many Knights athletes, and their athletic exploits are only part of their contribution to the School community. Charlie Mossy ’20 plays both football and lacrosse for the Knights and is also a member of a pair of student groups on campus—the Admissions Head Ambassadors and Peer Support. Charlie points to inspiration from former lacrosse standout Isaiah Dawson ’18, who was one of the top players in the
Caroline Alleyne ’19
in Sports & Service
country during his high school career and also a member of those two student groups. “Isaiah was a part of all these programs,” Charlie says, “and seeing someone like that, who’s really making a difference on campus, just inspired me to send the same message to the rest of the School.” The first member of his family to attend Bishop’s (his siblings attended another school), Charlie encourages others to join the Knights community with the Admissions Head Ambassadors, a group of upper school students who welcome prospective students to campus and interact with families during the application process. And Charlie isn’t the only one extending a welcome to potential applicants. Nathan Wu ’19 is in his first
Maddie Yu ’20
season as the starting goalie for the boys’ water polo team, but in his third year in the Admissions Head Ambassadors. “I had a really great host visit when I was in fifth grade and that helped me make my decision to come to Bishop’s,” Nathan says. “I love this School and the teachers, and being a head ambassador is great because it gives me an opportunity to share how wonderful Bishop’s is and all the opportunities that you have as a student.” Nathan is both the senior class community service representative —charged with promoting off-campus service opportunities for his peers —and a part of the Community Service Initiative, a group that drives engagement
Charlie Mossy ’20
Nathan Wu ’19
15 Leading the Way in Sports & Service
in community service and creates on-campus service opportunities for Bishop’s students. It’s a natural fit for Nathan, who took his first mission trip overseas (to the Philippines) with his family soon after Super Typhoon Haiyan hit that nation in 2013. He has since made medical mission trips to the Philippines, Haiti and Nepal. On the schedule for December 2018 is a trip to Guatemala. “What I remember most (from that first trip to the Philippines) is this giant oil tanker that was up on land and had crushed all the houses underneath it,” he says. “Those images stuck with me and my family, and we decided we were going to go on a medical mission to Haiti.” Nathan sees major crossovers between the character traits that drive success in team sports and those that drive service to others. “The biggest things for me would be selflessness and respect,” he says, “which are the main values and virtues of why we should do community
service. And those are big things in the pool. Sacrificing your time and putting others in position to succeed—that’s why we keep track of the assists and not just the goals.” Nathan isn’t the only one championing a cause close to his family’s heart. Caroline Alleyne ’19 plays soccer, volleyball and lacrosse, and is the chair of the Rady Children’s Hospital Project Board, just as her brother Will ’16 was before he graduated. “I wanted my community service to represent something I’m passionate about,” Caroline says, “and that’s always involved the medical field. Rady Children’s Hospital is one of the No. 1 children’s hospitals globally, and it’s amazing that it’s right here in our own community.” The project board works to provide money for an area of need at the hospital with a variety of fundraisers throughout the school year, from Halloween carnivals to hot cocoa sales and bake sales at sporting events. Last year’s efforts raised more than $15,000 to support mental health facilities at the hospital and this year’s beneficiary will be the neonatal intensive care unit.
Another half of a brother-sister service tandem, Maddie Yu ’20, is a volleyballplaying member of Peer Support, just as her brother Eric ’15 was. Peer Support promotes positive communication and a supportive environment on campus with various themes, including “kindness month” in October, and Maddie will be in charge of coordinating the spring’s “Stress Less Week.” Previous years’ activities have featured therapy dogs on campus, skits about bullying and sexual assault, and a pledge not to text and drive. At an age when admitting to feeling stress isn’t always easy, Maddie says student-athletes’ visibility on campus can be a plus for these student organizations. Likewise, athletes take new skills with them from these service opportunities. “A lot of people in Peer Support also play sports, and I think being in those roles has helped us to be better leaders in both athletics and in the general Bishop’s community.” At its core, that’s what Joel feels that this on-campus involvement does for Bishop’s athletes—cultivates leaders in ways beyond what can be done in the pool, on the field or court. “Our student-athletes love being part of this School and share that experience with others. You notice the kids who are involved with student government, Peer Support or other leadership roles on campus—and it gives a greater depth to the name on the front of the jersey.”
ALUMNI
IN AEROSPACE By Jared Scott Tesler
These high-flying alums’ accomplishments are—literally—out of this world! Danielle Hitchin DeVoy ’97
SENIOR MISSION MANAGER, ROCKET LAB At four years old, Danielle Hitchin DeVoy ’97 knew she wanted to work in spaceflight. While attending Bishop’s, she was already flying airplanes. Danielle went on to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees in aerospace engineering from the University of Michigan and the University of Southern California respectively, before launching a career. In her current role at Rocket Lab, she anxiously awaits her first launch of Electron, a three-stage orbital expendable launch vehicle. To date, she has contributed to the
Alumni in Aerospace 16
successful flight of almost 100 launches of five rockets from eight different launch pads.
Frank Tybor ’03
SENIOR FLIGHT TEST ENGINEER, KITTY HAWK CORPORATION A decade after his Bishop’s graduation, Frank Tybor ’03 revisited campus as part of the Shaffer Family Foundation Endowed Science Lecture Series, drawing on his comprehensive experience with aerospace manufacturer and space transportation services company, SpaceX. Frank currently leads ground and flight test operations from the control room and field for the development of Cora, an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft. He holds bachelor’s degrees in mechanical and aerospace engineering from the University of California, Irvine and a master’s degree in aerospace and astronautics engineering from Stanford University.
Susan Wyckoff ’58
PROFESSOR EMERITA OF PHYSICS, ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY Throughout her illustrious career, Susan Wyckoff ’58, former postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan, co-author of “Space Science in the Twenty-First Century” and recipient of the 2009 Ellen Browning Scripps Distinguished Alumni Award, has taught astronomy and physics and used telescopes at observatories worldwide. Susan’s work has appeared in numerous scientific journals published by the American Astronomical Society, the American Institute of Physics, the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, the International Astronomical Union, the National Science Teachers Association, the New York Academy of Sciences and the Royal Astronomical Society.
How did your Bishop’s experience guide you toward your career? DANIELLE: At Bishop’s, I took every science course available. My senior year at Bishop’s was harder than my first year of college where I had sophomore standing thanks to Advanced Placement credit. My extracurricular activities at Bishop’s were vital, too. I interned for Dr. Sally Ride at UC San Diego and started working toward my private pilot license. FRANK: Bishop’s was instrumental in guiding me toward a successful career in aerospace. The School’s strong math and science programs played a major part as well as the willingness of the entire faculty to embrace innovation and hands-on work. The AP Physics bottle rocket project helped, too!
What developments in aviation and spaceflight do you look forward to most? DANIELLE: Satellite customers are taking advantage of advances in technology, scaling to launch constellations of smaller satellites more frequently instead of one big satellite every few years. FRANK: I’m very excited to be a part of what really is another “space race”—this time driven by industry. We’re seeing a massive increase in interest, investment and innovation. I’m excited to see the cost of getting into space come down and space becoming more accessible.
observational endeavor into in situ fieldwork, where many scientific advances now come from data using robotic instruments. Every planet and dozens of small satellites and other solar system bodies have been studied up close and thousands of planets have been discovered. The future will certainly be a never-ending quest to further explore our own planetary system for scientific purposes and for rare natural resources.
How might the field of aerospace differ for those who enter it in the future?
DANIELLE: Every first holds a special place in my heart—standing next to Dr. Ride to watch Space Shuttle Atlantis launch, going out to sea for my first on-console launch with Sea Launch, launching my first Delta IV Heavy, and pathfinding new processes between SpaceX and the Air Force.
DANIELLE: The meetings I go to average only 12 percent female engineers. I never had a female aerospace engineering professor. One of my favorite quotes from Dr. Ride was, “Young girls need to see role models in whatever careers they may choose, just so they can picture themselves doing those jobs someday. You can’t be what you can’t see.” I’m working to change aerospace engineering and engineering in general. I visit schools and talk to kids about rockets every chance I get, so they can see more options for their future. FRANK: Ten years ago, the industry paradigm was that to make a consequential impact, one had to be a government. Happily, that’s no longer the case, with numerous “small” companies working to innovate in the field. I’m excited to see the aviation industry begin developing serious electric propulsion for planes. Just as we saw the first Teslas convince the public that electric cars were truly viable, we’re starting to see the same in aviation. SUSAN: Exploration of the planets began in the 1970s and culminated in the flyby of Pluto in 2015. During my career, data gathering in planetary science evolved dramatically from a strictly Earth-based
What’s been your greatest professional achievement?
FRANK: I’m excited to have been part of the development at SpaceX to make reusable rockets a reality. When I started leading development of the droneship, the enterprise was considered beyond the state-of-the-art. Although we had to repair damaged droneships as we learned along the way, it was an incredibly rewarding experience to move the line of common conception and make landing rockets almost routine. SUSAN: I trailblazed pathways for women beginning with two equal opportunity employers: Prime Minister Golda Meir in 1972 at Tel Aviv University and Queen Elizabeth II in 1975 at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. I’ve also been lucky to stumble upon a few minor discoveries such as ionized water in comets and galaxies around quasars. But I’m proudest of the two dozen Ph.D. students I’ve had the good fortune to mentor and launch into successful careers.
17 Alumni in Aerospace
SUSAN: Bishop’s was a boarding and day school when I attended. In those days, very few of my classmates were interested in science, especially physics, so these classes could be tailored to students’ interests in space physics and astronomy. In my junior year, the Soviets launched the first Sputnik satellite—a news event that further spurred me toward space physics.
SUSAN: The next generation of robotic space missions promises to reap exciting new scientific discoveries. A goal will be to find out whether another solar system body might have developed life. NASA’s Europa Clipper mission will use robotic instruments to explore the moons of Jupiter, and a mission to Saturn’s satellite, Enceladus, will be fascinating since it harbors active geysers and likely hosts subsurface oceans. As technology for space travel progresses, the exploration and colonization of the moon and Mars will bring exciting new developments.
CATARINA (CAT) PAUL ’19
A Day in the Life 18
By Jen Heisel
■ 8:15 A.M. – ADVISORY: Today, I’m starting my day with a bagel
Catarina (Cat) Paul ’19 takes advantage of the many opportunities at Bishop’s. She is very involved in the performing arts; she was Emmanuele Giri in the fall play “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui,” she will play Cosette in the spring musical “Les Miserables,” and she is a member of Bishop’s Singers and Acting Workshop. Cat is also a Class Council representative and an Admissions Head Ambassador. To say that she leads a busy life would be an understatement! Bishop’s magazine followed Cat around for a peek inside a typical day in her life.
that my advisor, Mr. Toretti, brought. I view advisory as time with people who I don’t see much during the school day and as a space to get ready for the day. Sometimes when I’m not having the best morning I walk into advisory, and they cheer me up. It’s nice to have the encouragement of others.
■ 8:20 A.M. – AP CALCULUS AB: In Mrs. Williamson’s AP Calculus AB class, we prepared for a quiz. For me, word problems are tricky. I know how to do the math, but I have
■ 6 A.M. – WAKE UP! Because I live in La Mesa, I need to leave
trouble visualizing. I find
home by 6:30 a.m. to get to school by 7:30 a.m.
derivatives interesting and really enjoy Calculus,
■ 7:30 A.M. – ARRIVE AT BISHOP’S: I like getting to school early.
which I wasn’t expecting.
In the morning, it’s calm on campus and the Senior Rec Room is quiet,
In classes like English,
so I catch up on homework and wait for the day to start. My favorite
you have multiple
spot is by the fireplace, and I sit there with my friends Jonathan Zau ’19
answers to one question
and Amea Wadsworth ’19. This morning, I read “The Scarlet Letter” for
but sometimes, it’s nice
my Honors Writing class. I also chatted with Amea about the upcoming
to know there will be only
Performing Dance Group show, “Orbiting Amadeus.”
one answer.
■ 9:30 A.M. – ACTING WORKSHOP:
from Bel Canto. It’s a choral arrangement of
We start Acting Workshop (AW) with a theater
“Lullaby” by Billy Joel, and it’s my favorite right
warm up or an improvisation exercise and today,
now because it’s familiar and fun to sing.
we started with “Virus,” a game where one person is designated as the virus, and they have to
■ 1:15 P.M. – LUNCH: I attended a panel
“infect” people by tagging them with a ball.
of young Bishop’s alumni put on by the Alumni
Then we workshopped and offered critiques
Association. I found the panel comforting. A few
on a play we’re doing in class, “DNA.” The class
of the panelists mentioned that they had a specific
is split in two for the play and today the other
passion when starting college but that changed
group performed, so I worked on the Laban
in school or shortly after graduation. As someone
efforts—the eight different ways you can do
who doesn’t know what I want to go into, it was
characterization—for my character, Richard.
nice to hear that you can change your major and
Laban efforts dictate trying a line eight different
still be successful.
ways and seeing which one fits your character.
■ 1:55 P.M. – PERIOD X: I had a meeting ■ 10:40 A.M. – MILK BREAK: Milk Break
with my college counselor, AJ Jezierski. We looked
is my only free time, so I usually hang out in the
at essays for my college applications and pared
Senior Rec Room or on the terrace with friends.
down the schools to which I’m applying.
Today, Jonathan and I got a snack and met up with Amea before heading to the Rec Room.
■ AFTER SCHOOL: All of the AW seniors direct shorts. Mine is “Babel of Circular Labyrinths” by Don Nigro. The play is symbolic,
■ 10:55 A.M. – HONORS WRITING: In Honors
examining the dialogue between the author and the character he
Writing, we open class with a
I thought it was funny, dark and absurd, so I knew I wanted to
five-minute free write. I really
choose one of his plays. We’re in charge of the entire process:
enjoyed how we started class
We audition the actors, determine the rehearsal schedule, figure
today. We were posed three
out costuming and tech, and Mr. Emmons acts as a coach.
writing prompts and presented
I’m a little nervous. I have a vision of what I want the play to look
one of them to the class. We
like, but I don’t want to give my actors—Sabrina Webster ’21 and
then analyzed an essay by
Jackson Fawcett ’20—too much direction. Finding that balance
Wayne Koestenbaum called
is hard. I feel like they respect me and are professional because
“Why Art is Always Emotional.”
I’m their friend and that helps. After rehearsal, I went home, took
We’ve been reading “The
a nap and did homework. I was in the fall play, and I’m in the
Scarlet Letter.” When we talk
spring musical, “Les Miserables,” so I’m enjoying not having any
about the book, Mrs. Kelly
after-school rehearsals.
and we take the discussion from there. We’re reading the book in conjunction with a collection of essays, “Men Explain Things to Me” by Rebecca Solnit and trying to draw connections between the two. We often focus on literary analysis in class.
■ 12:05 P.M. – BISHOP’S SINGERS: In Bishop’s Singers (BSings), we’re working to prepare for our winter choral concert. Today we warmed up then broke into sections and worked on songs for the concert including “Musick’s Empire,” “Pallaanda” and “O Come All Ye Faithful.” Outside of class, everyone in BSings takes three private lessons per quarter with Dr. Micu, and these definitely help prepare for the concert! The women of BSings are revamping a song
19 A Day in the Life
poses a leading question,
wrote. One of last year’s seniors directed a Don Nigro play, and
Remembering Karen Carter “The Teacher Every Bishop’s Student Deserves to Have”
Remembrance and Recognition 20
Bishop’s Visual Artist Earns First-Place Finish in the 2018 California State Youth Art Exhibition By Keri Peckham
By Cathy Morrison
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he Bishop’s School lost one of our own, math teacher and department chair, Karen Carter on Nov. 12. This news saddened anyone who had the privilege of working with Karen, having her as a teacher or knowing Karen and her husband, Roddy, as the parents of Bishop’s alumna, Robyn ’17. Karen’s contributions to the Bishop’s community were countless. She was a skillful teacher of middle school math, and her care for advisees, students and colleagues was apparent to everyone in the Bishop’s community. As news of Karen’s passing spread throughout the community, words of reflection and thoughtful remembrance were shared, including messages from colleagues and students. As alumna Alex Tsai ’17, classmate of Robyn’s, shared, “Mrs. Carter supported all students regardless of their level of achievement. They didn’t have to be a star student to receive her encouragement and praise; she rewarded proactiveness, engagement and effort. She did this by developing genuine, personal connections with everyone she came across. My friends fondly remember how she happily helped them with their math problems, even though they weren’t in her class. Mrs. Carter was devoted to the growth and success of every student. She was the teacher every Bishop’s student deserves to have.” Karen was remembered at St. James-by-the-Sea Church on Nov. 16, in a service with overflowing attendance. Karen came to Bishop’s Mathematics Department from Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart (Princeton, New Jersey), where she piloted an iPad program and co-developed a middle school honors course curriculum. Prior to that role, she taught at the Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart and St. John’s College, Johannesburg, South Africa. She loved the outdoors—particularly beach walks at sunset—and time with her family. The School community is forever grateful to Karen for her dedication and care, and continues to keep Roddy and their children, Matthew, Michael, Kirstin and Robyn, in our thoughts and prayers.
ach year, the California Art Educators Association (CAEA) in conjunction with the National Art Educators Association,
holds a Youth Art Month in each California city, with the top three works advancing to the regional level. From there, the work is judged for final selection for the state exhibition in Sacramento. While Bishop’s students consistently participate in and receive recognition from this program, this year, Nicole Ellsworth ’21 won first place for her work in colored pencil. Visual arts department chair Elizabeth Wepsic says, “Nicole is an exceptional artist who demonstrates that individual expression and determination can take you anywhere. She truly stands out as an artist in her own right and deserves extraordinary recognition.” Nicole’s award included a monetary prize from Sargent Art; in addition, Sargent Art also gave the Bishop’s Visual Arts department a generous donation of art supplies for all students to use. Announcing the award to the School community, Ms. Wepsic concluded, “Nicole, we thank you and acknowledge you for the art you make and the art you share with us.”
table of contents FEATURES
2
Growing Kindness, One Smile at a Time
BISHOP’S A magazine for The Bishop’s School family and friends
2
Fall/Winter 2018 • Vol. 16, No. 1 Bishop’s is published two times a year by The Bishop’s School.
Credits
Editor Letters: We welcome your comments. Keri Peckham Please send letters for possible publication Assistant Editors to weiners@bishops.com or contact us at Jen Heisel (858) 875-0735. Cathy Morrison
New initiative focuses on kindness in the Bishop’s community.
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Alumni Reunion Photos A photo montage from Reunion Weekend
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The Episcopal Tradition at Bishop’s
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Do justice, love kindness, walk humbly
10 The Power of Faith and Mentorship Faculty Focus: Rev. Nicole Simopoulos-Pigato
12 Paying Back by Paying Forward Alumna Alison Adams Royle ’57 provides a generous gift—an incredible opportunity for future Bishop’s students.
14 Leading the Way…
in Sports & Service Leaders in athletics, leaders on campus
Three alumni have taken their careers to new heights—literally!
The school day starts early for a Bishop’s senior and performing artist.
The Bishop’s School 7607 La Jolla Boulevard La Jolla, CA 92037-4799
20 Remembrance and Recognition
Phone: (858) 459-4021 Fax: (858) 459-3914
21 Family Matters: HONOR ROLL OF DONORS 2017-2018
Contributing Photographers Mission Statement Jen Heisel Pablo Mason School is an academic The Bishop’s Cathy Morrison community pursuing intellectual, artistic, Dave Siccardi and athletic excellence in the context studio m of the Episcopal tradition. We are dedicated to offering the highest quality The Bishop’s School education to a diverse student body Interim Head of School and to fostering integrity, imagination, Carol Barry moral responsibility and commitment to serving the larger community. Assistant Head of School and Chief Advancement Officer John A. Trifiletti
Bishop’s is published two times year the From the Editor: We apologize foraomitting by TheCindy Bishop’s School. name Weiler from the board of trustees list the fall/winter 2015 issue of Bishop’s. We in welcome your feedback. Mrs. Weiler a current and serves Please sendisstory ideas trustee to as the board’s secretary. Please note: Craig keri.peckham@bishops.com Higgs ’62 isusthe legal counsel. or contact at board’s (858) 875-0790.
18 A Day in the Life: Catarina Paul ’19
www.bishops.com Graphic Design Design Perspective
Director of Alumni Relations Sarah Garro
16 Alumni in Aerospace
Class Notes, Reunion Recaps and Transitions
Contributing The Bishop’sWriters School Jen Heisel 7607 La Jolla Boulevard Zach Jones La Jolla, CA ’01 92037-4799 Melissa Kenyon Cathy Morrison Phone: (858) 459-4021 Keri Peckham Fax: (858) 459-3914 Joe Tash Jared Scott Tesler
www.bishops.com
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Mission Statement The Bishop’s School is an academic community pursuing intellectual, artistic and athletic excellence in the context of the Episcopal tradition. We are dedicated to offering the highest quality education to a diverse student body and to fostering integrity, imagination, moral responsibility and commitment to serving the larger community. Cover Photo Photographer Cathy Morrison
Ensuring the Most Qualified Students Come Together in the Classroom and on Campus By Cathy Morrison
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very family at Bishop’s makes a sacrifice to be here: It might be a long commute, a financial commitment requiring an adjustment to other priorities or consumer choices or an increased commitment of time. “We, as a community, respect those sacrifices,” says Director of Admissions and Financial Aid Kim Cooper. Given the gap between tuition and the actual cost of educating our students, every family at Bishop’s also receives support from endowment investment income and annual giving funds. And, like most independent schools, Bishop’s provides tuition assistance to families through need-based grants. This assistance is allocated across a full scope of our student body with grants ranging from 12 to 99 percent of the total tuition and inclusive of some incidentals such as books, uniforms and transportation. Approximately 20 percent of our student body receives some level of assistance, with an average award of $24,077. Kim explains, “Our students come from diverse backgrounds, cultures, geographic areas and socioeconomic stratas. We seek the most qualified, mission appropriate students regardless of financial ability.” With the high cost of living in San Diego, families find themselves having important and often difficult conversations about affordability. A large number of aid applications come from middle income families; tuition assistance enables both access to and affordability of a Bishop’s education. “We have a wide spectrum of students receiving financial aid, families from all geographic areas and all kinds of family backgrounds,” Kim says. The discussion and learning that takes place in our classrooms is real and powerful. When students at a Harkness table can offer a unique perspective as to how or why they might interpret a passage a certain way, they listen to and communicate with classmates who have different viewpoints. It becomes possible to engage in authentic dialogue in a respectful and thoughtful manner. This type of classroom dynamic furthers kindness, a theme we have encouraged this year. Kim sums up, “It is a given that our mission calls for excellence in intellectual engagement, athletics and arts, but more importantly we seek a multicultural community in which everyone is respected for their individual values. Admissions goes well beyond a resume. We look for students who genuinely care for and respect others in the community. Ideally that is lived out here and carried into the world in the future.” The right student’s financial circumstance should have no bearing on joining our community.
If you are interested in supporting financial aid at Bishop’s, please consider attending our annual auction on April 27, 2019 and contact John Trifiletti, chief advancement officer at trifilettij@bishops.com.
BISHOP’S A MAGAZINE FOR THE BISHOP’S SCHOOL FAMILY AND FRIENDS FALL/WINTER 2018
The Bishop’s School
Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID The Bishop’s School
7607 La Jolla Boulevard La Jolla, California 92037-4799
parting shots
Then…and now. After 100 years, we still garden, but not on the Quad.
The Episcopal Tradition at Bishop’s Parents of alumni, if your child no longer maintains an address at your home, please provide an updated address to the alumni office. (858) 875-0505 • Fax (858) 456-2681 • tbsalumni@bishops.com
Growing Kindness, One Smile at a Time