Crossroads Spring 2012

crossroads Issue 21

Spring 2012

A publication of The Steward School

Teaching for the Future

page 22

Virginia’s First Lady, Maureen McDonnell, visits Steward to thank students for their hard work on the holiday decorations for the Governor’s mansion

crossroads is published three times a year by

The Steward School

The Steward School’s mission is to prepare each child for college and for life. Our core character values are honor, responsibility, and achievement, balanced by caring and respect for oneself and for others. Steward is committed to small classes and to small overall size, which allow for discovery and development of each student’s unique talents and passions, while providing more opportunities for individual participation.

We believe an environment with a diversity of talents, abilities, cultures, and backgrounds provides the richest and most fully-rounded educational experience.

crossroads Spring 2012

WHAT’S INSIDE Feature Story: Teaching for the Future

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Bryan Innovation Lab Groundbreaking Steward’s Cultural Exchange with China A Monumental Icon for Steward Athletics Alumni Spotlight: Ted Benson ’01

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20 44

DEPARTMENTS campusbeat

4

finearts

13

classacts

31

teamtalk

40

alumninews

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STeWArD WeBSITe www.stewardschool.org SOCIAL MeDIA ChAnneLS http://www.facebook.com/TheStewardSchool http://www.twitter.com/stewardschool

The Steward School admits students without regard to gender, race, color, religion, or national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School.

The editors have made every attempt to ensure the accuracy of information reported in this publication. We apologize for any inadvertent errors.

Publication Staff Administration Kenneth h. Seward Headmaster Carolyn Brandt Assistant Head of School Dan Frank Director of Upper School Chip Seidel Director of Middle School Melanie Casper Director of Lower School Lisa Dwelle Director of Finance and Operations Sarah Melvin Director of Development Debbie robson Director of Admissions Lori Jobe Director of Communications

Lori Jobe, ginny evans Editors Sherilyn Smail Designer Dilshad Ali, Chris Brown, Carrie nieman Culpepper, ginny evans, Dan Frank, Karen huennekens, Lori Jobe, Sarah Melvin, Carri naumann-Monti, rugene Paulette, Meg White Contributing Writers Shayna Cooke, ginny evans, Cindy grissom, Amy hale, Bridget hazel Photography, Lori Jobe, LifeTouch Studios, rugene Paulette, Sherilyn Smail, Katherine Toman Contributing Photographers

Shayna Cooke, Karen huennekens, Wallace Inge, Chris Lundberg, John McAlister, Andy Mudd, rugene Pauette, Meg White, Sabra Willhite Crossroads Advisory Committee

Printing Total Printing Company

campusbeat

BREAKING GROUND On March 26, the Steward community gathered to break ground on a unique learning facility that’s unparalleled in the state. The Bryan Innovation Lab, a 21st-century, problemsolving environment is scheduled to open January 2013. Through experiential learning in this cutting-edge facility, students will grapple with real-world issues challenging their critical thinking and resourcefulness.

The project, made possible by a generous

“We were incredibly excited to kick off

vegetable gardens and engineer projects

gift from alumni parents Mr. and Mrs.

construction for this unique indoor/

in wet and dry labs. This will be an in-

John R. Bryan and several other donors,

outdoor facility on our campus,” said

teractive facility that can be used across

will advance The Steward School’s mission

Headmaster Ken Seward. “In working

disciplines and grade levels, a place where

of inspiring discovery throughout the

with 3North, we’ve designed environ-

we can ask complex questions and explore

learning process. Their gifts not only

ments that serve as ‘textbooks’ where the

their answers beyond the confines and

make the building possible, but also

students can learn. They’ll analyze data

capacities of traditional classrooms or labs.”

create an endowment to sustain its

generated by metered heating and cooling

innovative programming.

systems in the building’s exposed ‘core;’ they’ll plan and execute herb and

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Chairman of the Board of Trustees Don DeLaney said, “We gratefully acknowledge

the financial contributions and tireless effort

Generation, the nation’s leading brand

of all donors who have made the Bryan

of household and personal care products

Innovation Lab a reality. We believe that

that help protect human health and the

this building will be a defining addition

environment. Thanks to parent Greg

to The Steward School and will provide

Trepp, Mr. Replogle effectively became

learning opportunities to our students

the first speaker for the E.E. Ford Visiting

that would not otherwise be possible.”

Scholars Program.

After the 4 p.m. groundbreaking, guest

Mr. Replogle ended his talk by congratu-

speaker John Replogle spoke to faculty,

lating Steward on its courage to step

staff, trustees, and parents on “Steward-

forward in 21st century education. He

ship in Action: Leadership and Purpose in

said, “What you aspire to do—to create

Exponential Times.” Mr. Replogle is a

a learning laboratory so students can see

nationally known executive with a

the world, shape the world, and sustain

commitment to conscious consumerism.

the world for future generations—I think is

He is the president and CEO of Seventh

preemptive. You are at the forefront with

The Bryan Family: John and Carter Bryan, Ellie Bryan ’09, JEB Bryan, Gussie Bryan with Don Delaney and Ken Seward

the Bryan Innovation Lab […] I can’t wait

“ . . . We believe that this building will be a defining addition to The Steward School and will provide learning opportunities to our students that would not otherwise be possible.”

- Don DeL aney

to come back and see it in action.”

FOR OUR future.

Top photo: Don Delaney, Lisa Dwelle, Matson Roberts, Jay Hugo, Ken Seward, John Bryan, Carter Bryan, Ellie Bryan ’09, Gussie Bryan, and JEB Bryan Middle photo: Faculty, staff, and trustees enjoy their annual dinner Right photo: John Replogle speaks to Steward faculty and staff

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Pictured left to right: Morgan Penberthy, Lisa, Julie, Chloe Pieters, Avillina, Jenny Chelmow, Caroline DeCredico, Sophia, Ana Leahy, and Amy (Pictures courtesy of Fay Chelmow and Andrea Pieters)

Steward’s Cultural Exchange with China Four high school students and their chaperone visited Steward for one week of cultural learning and exchange as part of the Sino-American Youth Ambassadors Program (SAYA), which was established by the Ameson Foundation in order to bring international awareness and cultural diversity to American and Chinese high schools.

The students arrived on Sunday, January 29 and departed on Saturday, February 4.

Throughout the week, the girls attended class, made presentations, and led PE classes. The students were also able to share in Kindergarten’s celebration of the Chinese New Year. “They helped Kindergarten celebrate in style,” said teachers Catherine Hathaway, Charlotte Wallis,

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and Kate Strickland. They taught Kindergarten about the different types of Chinese musical instruments and showed pictures of where they live. The girls even gave the kindergartners intricate papercuts to hang in their classroom windows, a Chinese New Year tradition.

Five Upper School students hosted our visitors at School and at home. “Having Amy live with me was one of the absolute best weeks of my life. I learned so much and also grew as a person from my experience,” said junior Ana Leahy.

One special highlight of their experience in Richmond was a trip to the Tan-A Supermarket. “The girls were eager to

“We really got to see that even though they live across the world, they are still teenage girls just like us.”

- S e n io r C h lo e P i e t e r s

cook and teach,” said parent Fay Chelmow.

After the trip, students prepared authentic Chinese meals for their host families to enjoy and to learn more about Chinese cuisine. In return, the students loved trying American foods, such as pizza, cupcakes, and Hershey’s chocolate.

Besides the food, the group and their hosts toured the historical sites in Richmond, went shopping at Short Pump, shared their music interests like Justin Bieber and Adele, and had an Americanstyle dinner and sleepover at junior Morgan Penberthy’s home.

“We really got to see that even though they live across the world, they are still teenage girls just like us,” said senior Chloe Pieters.

Fourth grade teacher Chris Tickle hosted the group’s English teacher and chaperone. Besides her fascination with American kitchen appliances and cooking, Nicole enjoyed discussing Chinese and American politics and listening to NPR every morning on the drive to school.

“Nicole really had a major curiosity about American culture,” Mr. Tickle said.

“We had really interesting discussions. I found it fascinating to have someone who was so interested in finding out about our country.”

January, and plans for our students to spend two weeks in China are now in the works. International Student Coordinator Kim Linnell said, “We hope that our continued participation in the SAYA Program will foster even more lifelong and lifechanging Chinese-American friendships in the future.”

Thank you to the Penberthy, Chelmow, Leahy, Tickle, DeCredico, and Pieters families for participating in this memorable cultural exchange.

Although their stay was short, the experience paved the way for future exchanges with high schools in China.

The Steward School has already committed to host another group of students next

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Honoring Dr. King with a

DAY ON

“Martin Luther King Jr.’s message did not only speak of equal rights, but also of helping our fellow man,” said sophomores Cassandra Martinez and Hailey Marie Ragan. “Instead of having a day off to simply sleep, go to the mall, or do whatever else we may want to do, our school has decided that, in order to truly celebrate MLK’s life, we should dedicate ourselves to a cause greater than ourselves.” The Steward School’s celebration of Martin Luther King Day with a “day on” has become a tradition of partnerships and service.

For this year’s MLK Day of Service, Middle and Upper School students partnered with the Anna Julia Cooper Episcopal School (AJCES), an independent, tuitionfree middle school for students from Richmond’s East End neighborhood. While Upper School students beautified the AJCES campus, students from AJCES spent the day with Steward’s middle schoolers for special programming. “It was a day of work, reflection, and togetherness,” said Technology Coordinator Robin Ricketts.

Grades 11 and 12 departed early on the morning of January 16 to paint, rake, clean, and revamp the AJCES campus. Other students were found in the Steward art rooms painting AJCES school logos and college pennants to decorate the walls.

In the Middle School, students were

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divided by grade level to participate in a variety of activities. Sixth graders created group collages to represent the themes of a poem by Langston Hughes and the Harlem Renaissance; seventh graders were challenged to debate issues of our civil rights and constitution; and Chip Chapman led eighth graders in a lesson about the events of Dr. King’s life. The morning happenings were followed by an afternoon full of art, theatre, and music activities that related to MLK’s legacy. The Middle School day ended with a friendly boys basketball game between the Spartans and the Lions.

Aside from the work for and with AJCES, Steward sophomores spent the day creating public service announcements about causes related to saving people, places, and wildlife. Each team’s oneminute video was presented to the entire grade, which then voted for the favorite.

Lewis Gray, Sarah Dickson, Walker Stettinius, and faculty

“The opportunity to give something of ourselves to others [was] a worthy use of a day.”

Before and AFTER . . .

- h e A D M A S T e r K e n S e WA r D

member Bill Cavender produced the winning PSA focused on water pollution.

Finally, Lower School students observed the day of service with a morning assembly about the Civil Rights Movement. Grades 3-5 then watched Our Friend Martin and participated in round table discussions about the film during “Mix It Up” day at lunch. The afternoon was spent decorating greeting cards for residents of local nursing homes.

As each student participated in service and civic engagement on the 2012 MLK Day of Service, the community grew collectively in our commitment to the ethic of care.

“No matter the activity, someone in our community will benefit in some way,” said Headmaster Ken Seward. “The opportunity to give something of ourselves to others [was] a worthy use of a day.”

If you are interested in learning more about the day of service, visit the MLK Day of Service blog at http://admissions.stewardschool.org/ MLKDay/ or by scanning the QR code with your mobile device.

Top photos: The cafeteria before and after college pennants were hung Middle photos: Library before and after books were added and labeled, storage bins and baskets were put in place, and a new light fixture was added Bottom photos: Hallway before and after stripes were painted on wall and school shield added

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j Louise

Robertson j

Honored with Paul R. Cramer Award Headmaster Ken Seward presented the prestigious Paul R. Cramer “Best Faculty Award” to Middle School Dean of Academics and English teacher Dr. Louise Robertson on March 26.

Established in 2008, the award is presented annually to a member of the faculty who best represents the spirit of former Headmaster Paul Cramer and his contributions to The Steward School.

“Her peers describe her as a wonderful mentor, role model, and teacher, one who takes delight in each of her students’ successes and well-being.”

“In the classroom, this teacher challenges and cares, discovers and shapes, inspires and requires,” said Mr. Seward.

“While honoring Steward’s past, this individual looks to the future and initiates and supports changes to ensure that the School continues to meet its mission in a changing world.”

Past recipients Rugene Paulette, Janet Rice, Chris Tickle, and Carolyn Brandt joined Mr. Seward to present the award.

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“This year’s award winner began her professional career three decades ago as a classifications analyst and has steadily risen to the lofty height of shaping the amorphous and distracted minds of adolescents,” said Mr. Seward. “Her peers describe her as a wonderful mentor, role model, and teacher, one who takes delight in each of her students’ successes and well-being.”

Dr. Robertson joined The Steward School in 1992 as a teacher and tutor. In 2009, she became the Middle School Dean of Academics, while continuing to teach seventh grade English. Dr. Robertson received a Bachelor of Arts from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College with majors in philosophy and sociology.

She earned a Master of Humanities from the University of Richmond and a Doctor of Education from the College of William and Mary. Her husband Elden and two children, Geoff and Meghan ’04, were in attendance to join in the celebration of her great success at Steward.

A Night to Remember A wonderful evening was had by all, as over 230 guests attended The Steward School’s Winter Gala at the Kinloch Golf Club on Saturday, February 4. Sally Caldwell and her committee produced a night of entertainment, including dancing to the sounds of Soul Expressions, as well as a silent auction with trips, wine tastings, and coveted parking spaces. As the evening progressed, guests dined on excellent fare, socialized with friends, and

enjoyed a fun-filled night in a lovely setting. Many sponsors contributed to the success of the evening including AXA Advisors, Azzurro, BB&T, Branditos, Buckhead’s, The Lewis Group, McGeorge Toyota, Release the Hounds, the Tharp, Ragan and Wauford families, and Total Printing. Thank you to the Parents Association for another memorable event.

1. (L to R) Al Orgain, Corbin Adamson Orgain ’96, Ginger and Daraley Adamson, Jan Orgain, and Frazer Orgain ’95 2. Julie Herzog, Amy Ernst, and Trish McClendon 3. Mike Murray, Kate Porter Murray ’92, Isaac Wright, and Andrea Wright 4. Mike Reazin, Lynne Reazin, Frank Iurono, and Maria Iurono 5. Mark and Mary Andrews 6. Sally and Dan Caldwell 7. Scott Mescall, Delaney Turnage Mescall ’92, Bonnie Turnage, and Neil Turnage 8. Sally Caldwell, Wendy Popp, Jim Popp, and Mim Mares 9. Amy Ernst, Carol Lambert, and Kate Porter Murray ’92 10. Jen and Jim Gorey 11. Jan, Al, Frazer Orgain ’95, and Corbin Adamson Orgain ’96

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8.

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From A to Z On January 17, Steward held its annual spelling bee for Grades 3-8. Congratulations to our winner, fifth-grader William Hobbs, and runner-up, third-grader Baylor McKeand. William went on to compete in the regional private school spelling bee at Veritas School in Boyd Hall on January 27. The Steward spelling bee participants included: Grade 3: Jenna Odum, Baylor McKeand, and Anna Pastore Grade 4: Claire Gorey, Mackenzie Jones, and Dabney Leverty Grade 5: Evelyn Dumeer, Aidan Gustin, and William Hobbs Grade 6: Molly Herring Grade 7: Landon Smith Grade 8: Taylor Leahy 25

An Ele Mn t of Fun Manganese

Students in Grades 3-5 enjoyed conducting experiments organized by Middle and Upper School students in the biology, chemistry, and physics labs in the Upper School during Family Science Night on February 16. Students made density columns, Alka-Seltzer rockets, tornadoes-in-a-bottle, clay boats, and observed goldfish, flowers, and pill bugs under the microscope. Students and parents also got a taste of what’s to come at the new Bryan Innovation Lab. Program Director Bill Cavender showed examples of the types of lessons that will be taught to Lower School students, such as combining technology and vermiculture. Family Science Night has been an annual event at Steward for more than ten years.

A First by the First First Lady of Virginia Maureen McDonnell, Steward parent and Secretary of Education Laura Fornash, and alumni parent and Senator Walter Stosch’s Legislative Assistant Karla Boughey visited the School on Tuesday, January 10 to tour the campus and thank students for their work on the holiday decorations for the Governor’s mansion. The group visited the art classrooms and received flowers from students in Mrs. Jenny Haar’s first grade class. Mrs. McDonnell also read George Washington’s Teeth to second graders, who absolutely loved the story and spending time with the visitors.

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finearts

A Monstrous Success

F

rom February 9-11, a cast of Middle and Upper School students presented an adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic horror novel Frankenstein. The story bore very little resemblance to Hollywood’s well-known black-and-white versions. The play, written

by Alden Nowlan and Walter Learning, focused on the intellectual battle between Baron Frankenstein and his “Creation.”

While the Creature struggled with the joy of his new-found life versus the cruelty of a society that rejected him, the Baron was hounded by an ungodly abomination that only sought his love and approval.

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An ArK FOr

NOAH’S CHILDREN The ethic of care—care for oneself, for others, for the School community, and for a cause greater than oneself—is at the heart of Steward’s educational philosophy. This very ethic often drives Steward teachers to think beyond the boundaries of their classroom walls. This winter, Lynn Zinder and Cindy Grissom participated with their students in an area-wide art project to support families in our community.

The art project, “Two by Two,” was sponsored by Noah’s Children, Central Virginia’s only pediatric hospice program. Since its inception in 1997, Noah’s Children has served hundreds of families dealing with the care of terminally ill children in the Richmond area. The hospice regularly uses children’s artwork to promote its mission and raise funds for the families it serves.

This year, Noah’s Children asked over 50 schools to create art that reflected ideas of hope, renewal, journey, or representations of the biblical Noah’s Ark story. The submissions were then featured in the city-wide art auction at the organization’s annual gala event on March 24. Mrs. Zinder’s Lower School students made an ark out of clay that was used as a centerpiece at the gala event, and Mrs. Grissom’s Middle School students made three clay bowls that were included in the auction. All proceeds from the auction directly benefitted hospice children and families. In the end, this project provided an opportunity for students to both share their artistic gifts and become passionate about a local cause.

Sharing the Spider Tempo As part of their efforts to increase the home game atmosphere, the University of Richmond invited a number of local bands to perform with its pep band during the 2012 basketball season, including Steward’s Basketball Pep Band. On Saturday, January 14, the band of students in grades 7-12 loaded up their gear and headed to the Robins Center.

The students played the UR Fight Song and “The Hey Song” with the Richmond band and “Party Rock Anthem” and “Dynamite” during media timeouts. Despite having not rehearsed with the Richmond pep band, the two meshed well and sounded great.

As parent Ellen Ambrose said, “It was a great event. They did a fantastic job!”

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&Dreams

Students Invited to Illustrate Their

Hopes As part of the Professional Artist Speaker Series, author Meg Medina visited Steward on February 23. The speaker series, established in 2009, brings artists from different professions to educate Upper School visual art students on the wide variety of professions available in the art field. Past speakers have included an archeological conservationist, advertising designer, independent artist, medical illustrator, book illustrator, and others.

A Cuban American author who writes young adult fiction and picture books for middle-school-aged children,

Ms. Medina spent the day at Steward speaking to Rugene Paulette’s Upper School art students and selected Spanish classes about the integration between art and literature. Students received an insider’s look at how picture book illustrators and authors collaborate and on the many new forms of visual storytelling, such as graphic novels.

The highlight, however, was Ms. Medina’s invitation for the students to participate in the Hope Tree Project. Steward students will join art students from seven other high schools from across the Richmond region to create a display designed to showcase the hopes and dreams of area youth.

Planned as an reflection of her newest novel, The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind (Candlewick Press, 2012), the Hope Tree Project asks young people to design a Latin American milagro, a prayer charm, to represent a hope or dream they have for themselves or their community. The collection of more than 600 milagros will be displayed on five crape myrtle trees in the Children’s Garden of the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden beginning on April 30, 2012. Students will be invited to a VIP reception to celebrate their work.

The Latin Ballet of Virginia will perform selections of Verde as part of the unveiling festivities.

“It’s vital that you dream for yourself, that you start to visualize what you want in your future,” Ms. Medina told students.

“If you don’t make a dream for yourself, you run the risk of others deciding who you should be.”

Ms. Medina is no stranger to The Steward School campus. She volunteers every summer as part of the Latino Education Advancement Program (LEAP), where she works with youth on writing activities that promote and support Latino culture. She has also been the guest speaker for the Lower School International Day. She is the author of Milagros: Girl from Away (Henry Holt Books, 2008) and Tía Isa Wants a Car (Candlewick Press, 2011) for which she earned the 2012 Ezra Jack Keats New Writers Award.

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The new gray Family Pavilion The Steward community gathered on Friday, March 16 to celebrate the ribbon-cutting and dedication of the horace A. gray Family Pavilion.

This beautiful new addition to campus will serve all athletic fields and tennis courts by providing a much needed concessions stand, media box, and restrooms. Athletes and spectators will greatly appreciate this new addition, which is made possible

thanks to the generous support of the Gray Family and The Spartan Club.

“This is just a small tribute that the Gray Family wanted to share with Steward to show our thanks for all the School has

meant to us over the years,” said Horace Gray. “We hope it will be an addition to the appeal of Steward to the community, current students, and future students.”

After the ribbon-cutting, Mr. Gray headed to the field to throw the first pitch of the varsity baseball game to his grandson, sophomore Lewis Gray, at home plate.

The Steward Spartan and Nutzy from the Richmond Flying Squirrels were both present to amplify the cheer. Despite a few rain drops, the crowd enjoyed popcorn, the new facility, and watching the Spartans play St. Christopher’s School.

Left photo: Nutzy from the Flying Squirrels joined in the celebration Right photo: Horace A. Gray as he cuts the ribbon

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Steering Us Forward Bud Jones and Linda Santini have served as the Annual Fund parent co-chairs for the past two years. As chairs, they have done a fantastic job establishing the largest Annual Fund Steering Committee to date. With their leadership, they have developed a team of over 30 parent and alumni volunteers, representing Junior Kindergarten through Grade 12.

The goal of the Annual Fund team is to help educate the alumni, parents, and community about the importance of the Annual Fund and its contributions to the operating budget. The Annual Fund supports everything from athletic uniforms to the purchase of e-readers and SMARTboards, as well as providing professional development for faculty and staff. Without the Annual Fund, many of these things would fall outside of the annual budget.

Being a member of the Annual Fund team has its advantages.

The group meets three to four times a year and hears from guest speakers from the Steward community. In past meetings, Carolyn Brandt and Miranda Saunders have given an in-depth presentation on the college process at Steward. The group has also heard from Upper School Director Dan Frank on the transition from Middle School to High School, and from Middle School Health Teacher and Counselor Meredith Mire on the revision to the Advisory Program and health education. Trustee Larry Eiben most recently provided an update on the Bryan Innovation Lab project.

Being a team member provides both the opportunity to become

Linda Santini and Bud Jones

more involved on campus regarding the advancement of school projects and a platform for two-way communication concerning specific topics of interest.

Bud, Linda, and the entire Annual Fund Steering Committee want to thank the Steward community for their outpouring of support to the Annual Fund this year. Steward parents are the single largest contributor to the Annual Fund with an overall 81% of family participation in 2011. The goal is to increase this percentage in 2012! The continued support of the Annual Fund in these most difficult economic times allows all of our children to continue to experience a first-rate college preparatory education in an excellent campus environment.

Thank you for making Steward one of your favorite things! With your help, we will continue to make Steward one of your children’s favorite things by providing the necessary tools to engage and educate them to become better stewards and citizens of the 21st-century.

We welcome you to join the Annual Fund Steering Committee and become involved in the successful advancement of the school, protecting and improving one of your biggest investments as a parent—the education of your child. Please contact Karen Huennekens at karen.huennekens@stewardschool.org for more information.

Top photo (L to R) Members of the Annual Fund Steering Committee: Jeff Harrison, Bud Jones, and Alex Brand Bottom photo (L to R): Members of the Annual Fund Steering Committee: Allyson Brand, Alex Brand, Noelle Harrison, Jim Gorey, Jen Gorey, and Jeff Harrison

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trusteenote Dear Steward Families and Friends, It is an exciting time at Steward! With the arrival of spring, we see signs of new growth all around us. Steward is no exception, from celebrating the opening of the Horace A. Gray Family Pavilion at the Athletic Complex to the groundbreaking for the Bryan Innovation Lab. The Horace A. Gray Family Pavilion at the Athletic Complex is an exciting new addition to our campus, made possible by the generosity of the Gray Family. It is a long awaited and much needed addition that will be enjoyed by generations of Steward students, families, and visitors. We gratefully acknowledge the generosity of the Gray Family and thank them for their support of Steward. We also recognize and thank the Spartan Club for its support of this project and for its efforts on behalf of Steward Athletics.

On Monday, March 26, we broke ground for the Bryan Innovation Lab, which was made possible by a $1 million dollar gift from the Bryan Family—John and Carter and their daughter, Ellie, Class of 2009. Their gift to establish the Bryan Innovation Lab and their generosity to Steward over many years have made a significant and measurable impact on the School. We are forever grateful to the Bryan Family for all they have done for The Steward School.

We also gratefully acknowledge the financial contributions and tireless effort of all donors who have made the Bryan Innovation Lab a reality. We believe that this building will be a defining addition to The Steward School and will provide learning opportunities to our students that would not otherwise be possible.

The programming made possible with the Bryan Innovation Lab will help prepare each student for college and for life by providing creative opportunities for instruction, scientific exploration, and an understanding of nature and science in a living, learning laboratory. This will help further the goal of our School to develop students who are contributing citizens and are aware of their responsibilities to themselves, their school, and society; it will help us continue to develop students who are good “Stewards.”

Although recent years have brought many physical changes and additions to our campus, our mission to prepare each child for college and for life is unchanged. Our commitment to developing the core character values of honor, responsibility, and achievement balanced by care for oneself and others and our commitment to the development of each child’s unique talents and passions while providing more opportunities for individual participation is unchanged.

We are so very grateful for the generosity of the Steward community, which has provided greater opportunities for our students and helped us to fulfill our mission in ways that could never have been imagined. Your Board of Trustees is committed to the mission and values of The Steward School and shares the excitement of the Steward community as our School continues to evolve and find new ways to enhance the Steward experience for our students and their families.

Best Regards, Don DeLaney Chairman of the Board of Trustees donaldfdelaneyjr@gmail.com

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By Dilshad Ali and Ginny Evans

It was two years ago at SpartaFest that Steward’s Director of Plant Operations Bob Sanders first met local sculptor Charles Reed, a fortuitous meeting that led to a monumental event.

The story might have ended there, but something struck Mr. Sanders about Mr. Reed, who in addition to the cutting boards, was selling hand-carved wooden spoons and spatulas and had a unique statue carved out of a tree stump amongst his wares.

“I was walking away, and then I stopped and turned around and went back to his booth. And I said, ‘Mr. Reed, I’ve got a project for you,’” Mr. Sanders said.

Mr. Sanders led Mr. Reed to a fallen stump on the grounds of The Steward School and asked him if he could carve something for the school. Mr. Reed, who sculpts bowls, spoons, and figures out of wood and is known in the local farmer’s market and art festivals circuit, studied the stump and agreed to the project.

The question was – what should be carved?

Mr. Sanders and Mr. Reed consulted back and forth on what would work on the stump and what would well represent the School. For Mr. Reed, deciding on what to

October 2010 an idea that came to life at Spartafest

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carve is a process of understanding the client and getting a vision of how the stump or tree should look. “I get a feeling of how it’s supposed to look. Something moves through me, and the idea comes to me,” he said.

And, so the idea came to the men to make the stump a carving that would represent Steward athletics. The stump was transferred to Mr. Reed’s studio in spring 2011 along with athletic equipment from all the sports played at Steward. And then, magic began to happen.

A Love of Sculpting Coming down the road to Mr. Reed’s studio in Goochland County is a bit like stepping back in time. The houses are far apart from each other and pushed back from the road; fields of green and wildflowers fill the landscape. And, as you round the bend towards Mr. Reed’s barn and studio with its homey front porch, a

whimsical giant wooden rabbit greets you with its buck tooth-grin and wide eyes.

It is here where large stumps and smaller pieces of wood are transformed into fanciful and unusual statues and creatures through Mr. Reed’s artistic touch.

Mr. Reed, who worked for Phillip Morris for 27 years making flavoring for the company’s products, has always had artistic tendencies. His earliest memory of carving goes back to when he was seven or eight years old. “My grandmother was the Rock of Gibraltar,” Mr. Reed said. “And when I was a boy, I took her large carving knife and started carving and cutting some wood. Her neighbor saw me and said to her, ‘You’d better take that knife away, or he’ll cut off his thumb!’ She said, ‘You leave that boy alone! Maybe he’ll grow up to be an artist.’”

“That always stuck with me,” Mr. Reed said. Through his years at Phillip Morris, he dabbled in painting (using a spatula) and did his first large carving in 1971.

February 2011 the rough design sketch of the sculpture

April 2011 the sculptor’s studio

Over the years, Mr. Reed honed his talent and talk of his work spread throughout Richmond and the surrounding counties, bringing in projects and clients from all around.

Though his hand-carved spoons, bowls, cutting boards, and other small functional pieces are popular on the art festival circuit, Mr. Reed’s large carvings stop people in their tracks, with their vast size and his attention to detail. The big pieces run upwards of $5,000 and are carved out of stumps or trees in decline.

His work starts with sealing the stump or tree to trap the moisture. After drawing the carving on the stump or tree, Mr. Reed uses a chainsaw to carve out large chunks from the wood with a combination of vigor, speed, and precision. Once a rough shape emerges, the quiet, detailed work begins with a chisel and mallet.

“I enjoy all aspects of the process,” Mr. Reed says. “From studying the tree to see what comes to me, to sketching it out, to the actual carving.” The finished product can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks of work. “I get inspired and work in bursts of energy on something, and then I have to step back and leave it alone for awhile. Then I feel it again and get back to work. It’s very satisfying,” he said.

carvings of each sport’s equipment – a baseball, lacrosse stick, soccer ball, and field hockey stick, to name a few.

After Mr. Reed and Mr. Sanders agreed upon the theme, Cindy Grissom, Middle School Visual Arts teacher, sketched out a rough design of the sculpture, placing athletic equipment around the tree stump. Mr. Sanders then took the sketch to Mr. Reed to serve as a guide.

In the first few weeks of the project, Mr. Reed modified the design to fit the contours and shape of the stump. He sketched the design onto the tree, got out his chainsaw, and went to work. A few hours of carving with the chainsaw produced a rough outline of the sculpture, with each sport finding its place on the stump.

After months of work, Mr. Reed transformed the large white oak into the impressive sculpture that represents Steward athletics.

At the dedication of the Horace A. Gray Family Pavilion on Friday, March 16, Mr. Reed presented the “totem pole” to the crowd. He hopes that it will serve as the good luck totem that Spartan athletes can touch on their way to competitions for years to come.

A Homage to Athletics The sculpture Mr. Reed created for Steward pays homage to the rich history of athletics at the School. Lacrosse, swimming, cross country, baseball, basketball, soccer, field hockey, golf, tennis, and volleyball are all represented on the sculpture through

Charles Reed and Bob Sanders next to the finished sculpture

August 2011 checking over the scuplture in its rough form

March 2012 completed sculpture unveiled at the Horace A. Gray Family Pavilion dedication

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featurestory

Teaching FOR THE FuTure

By Carrie Nieman Culpepper

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FACuLTy AnD ADMInISTrATOrS AT The STeWArD SChOOL hAVe Begun InCOrPOrATIng A neW, 21ST-CenTury APPrOACh TO TeAChIng. One OF ITS TeneTS? LET THEM HAVE FUN. The Steward School students are breaking the rules. They’re gathered around tables talking and snacking; they’ve got their feet propped on armchairs; they’re looking up the score on iPads, and laughing … in the library. So why is librarian Cori Haywood smiling?

Meanwhile on the southwest side of campus, the foundation is being built for a new facility where this kind of unconventional educating will thrive.

Over in an Upper School science classroom, nine students from different grades are questioning a senior about where she’s going to college. How far will she have to go to get to class? Will she have a car? They are in class, but they’re all there by choice.

Down the hall, another group of Upper School students is playing with a magnet-propelled car—studying how it works and offering suggestions.

The short answer is “We’re preparing them for jobs that don’t exist yet,” says Headmaster Ken Seward. These new approaches don’t always feel like school, but all this fun is exactly the kind of exercise that will prepare today’s Steward students for what’s to come in the future.”

Why all these changes? What’s happening?

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FEATURE STORY CoNtINUeD . . .

a neW age In the recent past, having a private school education paired with a university degree would give you a leg up in the world, guaranteeing a well-paying position, job security, a pension, and financial stability. Today, our children are competing for jobs with an increasingly well-educated population of young people from around the world. Many routine and an increasing number of white collar jobs are being out-sourced to highly skilled workers overseas. To compete in this global workforce, our children need an education tailored to the new world in which we live—not the world that once valued the recall of information. We now have a wealth of information at our fingertips, so much information that we now need workers who can synthesize it, analyze it, and make decisions based on those facts. Access to information has been devalued, but the ability to analyze that data will be highly valued.

“What’s required to be prepared for success and to lead in this new age, bears little, if any, resemblance to the goals of the prior century.”

“We are no longer in the Industrial Age, as China is, nor even in the Information Age, like India; we are now in the Innovation and Design Age,” says Upper School Division Director Dan Frank.

“What’s required to be prepared for success—and to lead—in this new age, bears little, if any, resemblance to the goals of the prior century.”

“The case no longer needs to be made for the speed of the change cycle nor for the enormity of information available,” says Frank.

“If you step out the door, turn on your computer, or power on your phone, you are living it.”

At The Steward School, faculty and administrators have been spending the last three years considering what life will be like 20 or so years from now when students have left school and are out in the world. What skills will they need to be successful in that world? What types of activities, interactions, and exercises make a high-performing learning experience so powerful? And, what would learning be like if it were designed around the answers to those three questions? This is a curriculum for the 21st century—a new kind of curriculum being implemented at The Steward School in classrooms, in existing facility overhauls, such as the Middle and Upper School Library redesign, and in new campus expansion projects, such as the Bryan Innovation Lab.

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reiMagining The LiBrarY “We’ve completely and utterly transformed the library space,” says Cori Haywood, Middle and Upper School Librarian. “For one thing, we now allow food and drink in the library, and that’s created a whole new atmosphere where students who never came in the library are now choosing to come here and work.”

The library is the first physical space on campus where these 21stcentury learning approaches have become apparent. The rigid study carrels have been replaced by plush armchairs and loose groupings of furniture meant to be arranged and rearranged depending on the current project. “A huge part of the goal is changing their perspective on what a library is,” says Haywood. “Now it’s a much more active space; there’s more movement and activity, many more conversations happening between students, rather than them coming in and sitting in individual carrels with computers.”

Haywood isn’t loaning dusty classics or weighing down students with heavy encyclopedias. She’s got a much more attractive arsenal to a 14-year-old: iPads, laptops, Nooks, and Kindles.

“Students need to be exposed to a variety of technology resources.”

“Students need to be exposed to a variety of technology resources,” says Haywood. “The theory is I’m not going to be able to tell you what they’ll be using five years from now when they leave us. So, it’s important for them to be confident in many different types of technology.”

If a student comes in looking to check out a novel, she loads it up on a Kindle and checks it out to the student for 21 days, exactly like she would have for a book just last year. Haywood believes the availability of e-readers has had a positive effect on leisure reading because she no longer has to start a waiting list for popular titles like The Hunger Games. “If they come in and want a particular book, I can put it in their hands in a minute. They don’t have to wait for someone to return it or for me to order it.”

Outside of the impact e-readers have made, the library overhaul also has to do with the glut of information available today and being able to skillfully find useful and accurate information.

Teachers in history, English, and other courses are challenging students to use the library to figure out the best piece of technology to use to find sources for various assignments. “Now, the library has become a place that students can come to sift through the noise and information overload in their lives to find the facts and research that will help them now in school and in the future in their lives,” says Haywood.

Students aren’t the only ones excited about the changes to Steward’s Middle and Upper School Library. Haywood has been invited to speak at several conferences on the topic and schools from across the state have made pilgrimages to study the space and discuss its implications with her.

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IN KEN’S WORDS: WhY Teach 21c-SKiLLS aT STeWarD? The founding mission of the School is to prepare our students for college and for life. One of the scariest things for me is welcoming students for JK who will be graduating in 2026. Most of my reading tells me that we’re actually preparing them for a career that hasn’t been created yet, so we don’t know the skills they will need to perform that job in the future. And rather than having one career, they’ll probably have five or six, and the jobs will be different, so they’ll have to learn new skills. There will be problems they’re trying to solve that haven’t yet been created. So, how am I going to prepare someone for that?

I’ve come to the conclusion that students will have to have a positive experience with learning new things, and they’ll have to develop the skills to do that and to figure out how to solve real-world problems. What will they need to learn to help them solve the real-world problems in the future? One of the biggest things is learning how to learn. Another is being able to define a problem and then figuring out what you need to solve that problem. Most problems are interdisciplinary by nature, and very few problems can be solved by a single individual, so collaboration, communication, and teamwork are very important parts of problem solving.

Students today know that there’s a mass of information out there. They will need to spend less time memorizing and more time being able to access information, then knowing how to determine which information is good and which is bad. The final step is being able to communicate findings to other people. I think America is going to sell innovative thinkers in the future. When I talk with colleges or businesses, they say these are the people we don’t have, and we’re forced to import them from other countries, so I want to make sure our kids have those skills.

- AS TOLD TO CARRIE NIEMAN CULPEPPER

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change iS here As the faculty works toward a new model, they’re dealing with questions not just of content and teaching techniques, but also of change management. As Peter Vaill wrote in his 1989 book, Managing as a Performing Art: New Ideas for a World of Chaotic Change, “The revolution we are in is first and foremost a revolution of the total situation. It is not just new kinds of problems and opportunities that we are facing, but whole new contexts within which these problems and opportunities reside.”

The fact is, change is here. The change is broadly driven by the trends we are seeing in technology and in what we predict as the needs for our kids in our current century. “Since the 1890s, educational best practices have been roughly modeled on the same sets of curriculum standards and assumptions, and it’s becoming clear that we have to re-examine our assumptions and recalibrate what and how we teach,” says Frank. “We’ve assumed that the educational environment is rational, predictable, and largely immutable, yet the evidence shows otherwise.”

reaL WOrLD QueSTiOnS The nine Upper School students who volunteered to be in Chris Lundberg’s Art and Science of the Sustainability of Design class are working on a very personal project. They’re not just questioning senior Molly Carter because they’re curious about college life; they’re gathering information. Molly has a physical disability, and students in this class are designing a vehicle to get her around campus when she goes to Christopher Newport University next year.

The sophomores, juniors, and seniors in this group all come from different backgrounds—some are artistic, others good in English, one likes to build. These students form a collaboration of different talents and abilities coming together just like team projects they might work on during their careers in the future. Each student has taken an aspect of the problem to investigate; one studied cerebral palsy, another researched other adaptive devices; a few are working with the Development Office to begin framing a case statement to go after funding for their model. They’ve all learned to use Google SketchUp so they can create drawings of their plans.

“This type of real-world experience sets them apart from other students applying for college.”

“It’s more interesting to them because they feel like they’re doing something real and something worthwhile,” says Mr. Lundberg, Upper School Science Teacher and Bryan Innovation Lab Resident Scientist. “They feel like they’re getting something accomplished.

It’s a personal problem, too, because many of them know Molly so they’re more invested.”

The students are self-grading and critiquing each other, just as they would in the working world. Lundberg says the end product is going to be a case statement that will be used to pitch to a company which they hope will either build the device, or donate funds to have it built by another company.

“This type of real-world experience sets them apart from other students applying for college,” says Lundberg.

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LeaDing TO The BrYan innOVaTiOn LaB This winter, several faculty and administrators ventured to New England on a fact-finding mission to various private schools in the region that have been getting recognition for their forward-thinking programs and spaces. They saw first-hand some innovative programs and facilities created to teach 21st-century skills.

Remember those students studying the magnetic car? They were looking at the winner of a new design contest implemented by Upper School Division Director Dan Frank. The assignment was to think of a problem, propose a solution, and come up with a rendering of what that would be, whether it’s a computer graphic, video, watercolor, essay, or some other form. One student came up with a plan to market a fuel cell, another proposed a coffee kiosk, one devised a plan to add DEET to detergent to ward off malaria in developing countries. The winner was the designer of the magnetic cell propelled car, the only one among them who built a prototype.

The model car worked, and the presentation was well put together, but the idea would not have worked if a life-size prototype was built. Yet as Frank points out, “The reasons that it won’t work are as interesting as the reason it will.” And, therein lies an important aspect of learning in the 21st century. Entrepreneurialism is

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“When you fail, you’re going to have to learn how to turn that into success.

And that’s where the real problemsolving occurs. And that’s what the real world is looking for, those people.” going to be valued, and in order to reinvent, you must be able to learn from mistakes and go back to the drawing board to redesign several more times.

The design contest is an example of a challenge that could be posed to students at the Bryan Innovation Lab. The difference is that in that facility the students will have access to 3-D printers and laser cutters so they can build models with the latest prototyping equipment, just as some students did in New England.

Steward’s Bryan Innovation Lab will offer a space for collaborating across disciplines and grade levels with new kinds of equipment and new, real-world questions being asked.

The building itself will pose a host of questions. It was designed so the students can run it as a business. They will be challenged

WhaT are 21StCentUrY SKiLLS? In this new Innovation and Design Age, students require very different skills than they did during the last century. During that time, a successful education was measured by the recall of facts. Today, facts and information are everywhere. Here’s what students need to succeed in the 21st century based on The New York Times article “The 21st Century Education” by Lawrence H. Summers, former president of Harvard University and former Secretary of the Treasury: - Facts can be Googled, students now need to learn how to process information, not simply how to recite it.

- To more accurately relate to what workers, businesses, and governments do, emphasis is now being placed on collaboration, because that’s what’s demanded on the job.

- Because we can’t predict what technologies are yet to come, flexibility to adapt to new technologies is essential.

- We understand the brain better and know that passive learning doesn’t absorb. Educators must be actively applying what’s being taught.

- The ability to analyze data in depth to test presumptions will be the key to success.

to pay for the energy consumed in the building, which may mean selling seeds, starting a farmers market, or running a recycling program. The students will decide.

“These are hard problems to solve and they’re going to have to learn how to fail,” says Headmaster Seward. “When you fail, you’re going to have to learn how to turn that into success. And that’s where the real problem-solving occurs. And that’s what the real world is looking for, those people. You really need to stretch and risk and then step back and reflect and adjust your approach. I believe there will always be a place in the world for people like that.

“At The Steward School we’re supposed to discover and develop abilities that are unique to individuals,” says Seward. “I think the Bryan Innovation Lab will help to develop skills from students we don’t know and they don’t know exist yet. I think there will be different leaders that will emerge. I think divergent thinkers will excel there. I think the hands-on, interactive nature of activities in the Bryan Innovation Lab will excite students that aren’t good at sitting still in a desk all day.”

And that right there may be the essence of what will make the Bryan Innovation Lab a powerful learning environment; the building and activities that take place in and around it will excite the students. As long as they’re having fun learning, they’re learning to love learning, which is exactly what the faculty is trying to achieve.

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Contemplating Teaching and Learning in 2012

By Dan Frank, Upper School Director What will the world be like 20 years from now when your child has left school and is out in the world?

What skills will your child need to be successful in this world you have imagined?

What were the conditions that made your high-performing learning experiences so powerful?

What would learning be like if it were designed around your answers to the first three questions?

You are now imagining a curriculum for the 21st century.

The School’s faculty has been working hard on its own answers, but the unavoidable question is “If we are still responsible for providing the basics of a fundamental education, what has to be added and what should be taken away to best prepare our students?” As we work toward a new model, questions arise not just of content and teaching techniques, but also of change management. Change is coming at us whether we are ready or not.

The change is broadly driven by the trends seen in technology and predicted needs for students in the current century. Educators have been roughly operating on the same sets of curriculum standards and assumptions since the 1890s; it is clear that assumptions need to be re-examined and what is taught and how it is taught needs to be recalibrated. We have assumed that the educational environment is rational, predictable, and largely immutable, yet the evidence shows otherwise.

In contemplating teaching and learning in 2012, we must look at the revision process as one of change management. In that context, we are moving people, processes, and programs from a stable, predictable environment to one which is new and dynamic.

This environment is changing rapidly, and its major defining characteristic, in fact, is change. As a faculty, we looked at Robert Evans’s Paradigms of Change as a model. (Please see Table 1.)

This paradigm echoes the same skills that are necessary for our students in the 21st century. Our environment is less rational and structured and more turbulent and unpredictable; adaptability is one of the key skills that we need to foster in our students.

At this point, our vision includes black and white shapes, but is not yet one of defined topography and color. It is emerging, and in that sense, because of the dynamism of the process and the environment, working with the vision will be a direction-setting, as opposed to direction-defining, iterative process. To help limit the shape, we have created contrasting paradigms to help flesh out the differences between where we have been and where we are headed. (Please see Table 2.)

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The “traditional” paradigm is exemplified by the work of Frederick Winslow Taylor, whose research dramatically affected work places in the early part of the 20th century, making them highly efficient, rational, and predictable. The “new” paradigm is comprised of methods and approaches that have been recommended for quite some time, but which have been given new urgency by our highly compressed change cycle, rate of innovation, and the ubiquity of the internet. Again, though, we are compelled to strike a balance; we have to apply the right tools for the right task. The traditional components of our curricula are fundamentally important, and the movement away from coverage (convergent knowledge) toward skills such as research and design (divergent knowledge) is a difficult one. Much as reading is not exclusively phonics or whole language, and as learning is not exclusively top-down or bottom-up, our curricula are not likely to be strictly one or another of these paradigms. We should expect to blend and adapt in order to innovate and create.

The road map for our skill sets is defined by the National Association of Independent Schools (see the work of Orvis and Witt) and influenced by Tony Wagner’s The Global Achievement Gap. These sets are broad but similar, as shown in Table 3.

You can see the focus is on how students think, communicate, interact with each other and the world, and make decisions. These broad categories can be broken down into subsets, with NAIS and ASCD’s Curriculum 21 being excellent sources (see Bibliography). We have to emphasize, though, that we are focusing on the habits of mind, the attitudes, and the background knowledge that will not only prepare our kids for college, but also help them employ the complex machinery of our new, modern times.

Bibliography Chaplin, C. (Director). (1936). Modern Times [Motion Picture].

Evans, R. (2001). The Human Side of School Change: Reform, Resistance, and the Real-Life Problems of Innovation. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Jacobs, H. H. (2010). Curriculum 21 Essential Education for a Changing World. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Trilling, B., & Fadel, C. (2009). 21st Century Skills Learning for Life in Our Times. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Wagner, T. (2008). The Global Achievement Gap. New York: Basic Books.

1 Environment Organization Planning Innovation Focus Implementation

2

rationalStrategiCStrUCtUral SYStemiC Stable turbulent predictable Unpredictable Stable fluid Logical psychological objective, Linear pragmatic, adaptable Long-range Medium-range product process fixed outcome emerging outcome Structure, function people, Culture tasks, roles, rules Meaning, Motivation Mostly top-down top-down and Disseminating, Bottom-up pressuring Commitment Building

traditional paradigm Low tech Individually-oriented Now-oriented Local Static Convergent thinking textbook as Curriculum Separate Disciplines tests and Quizzes Information “Behind” time

neW paradigm

high tech team/Collaboration-oriented future-oriented global Dynamic Divergent thinking textbook as resource Integrated Disciplines alternative assessments Information “ahead” of time and Just-in-time Limited Choices Unlimited Choices pencil and paper Constructivism, project-based Learning, experiential Learning

classacts

upper School Passions Pursued During the week of February 27-March 2, the seniors presented their Senior expert Projects. These year-long projects invite seniors to incorporate the skills they have learned at Steward to research and present on a topic of their choice. Whether they conducted a “real world” experiment, explored an interest, or pursued a passion, the seniors impressed their audiences by exemplifying what Steward is striving for in each of our students.

L to R: Lauren Saurs demonstrates martial arts, photography by Zach Barnard

Senior Expert Project Topics:

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naiS’S eSSential CapaCitieS For 21C analytical and Creative thinking and problem-Solving Complex Communication oral and Written Leadership and teamwork Digital and Quantitative Literacy adaptability, Initiative, and risk-taking

Wagner’S SeVen SUrViVal SKillS Critical thinking and problem-Solving effective oral and Written Communication Collaboration across Networks and Leading by Influence accessing and analyzing Information agility and adaptablility Initiative and entrepreneurialism

global perspective Integrity and ethical Decision making Curiosity and Imagination

Lucy Anderson - Drums Kaki Patterson - Sock knitting Zach Barnard - Photography Jessica Pennington - Pottery Kendall Bendheim - henna Kendrick Peters - Vietnamese cooking Caitlin Phelan - Fitness training Josh Bruce - Magic Molly Carter - Movie blogging Boyd Chambliss - Documentary Chloe Pieters - Zumba Gracie Côté - Musical review Logan Pryor - Boat captain Sam Cummings - Jewelry Lauren Saurs - Martial arts Mike DeCredico - Italian cuisine Sarah Shimer - Fundraising walkway Khalil Fredericks - Photography Daniel Simon - Butchering Kevin Friend - rescue training Mason Sizemore - Fletching arrows Audrey Gallagher - guitar

MinhKhoa Tran - Breakdancing Alex Gary - Documentary Fabio Villa - Song writing Andrew Gary - Martial arts Camille Gilbert - Furniture refinishing Alec Williams - Fly fishing – ties and pole Sam Henderson - yoga Ben Williamson - Soccer fundraiser Preston Huennekens - genealogy Kelsey Wright - Stained glass Ellie Iverson - Basic cooking Peyton Jenkins - Wilderness survival Ryan Johnson - Softball coaching Mackenzie Kirchmier - Snowboarding Kevin Liu - robotics Ethan Maestrello - Song writing Tim Marino - glass blowing Harrison Mire - Web design Carter Norman - Physical therapy Heth Owen - Music mixing Crossroads

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Interests

Explored

by Carri Naumann-Monti

During the week of February 27–March 2, 104 sophomores and juniors hung up their backpacks and ventured out into the working world as they explored potential career directions and participated in an area of their community.

Through the rewarding experience called Minimester, students learned about careers and opportunities outside of school in situations that cannot be thoroughly taught within the structure of a classroom.

When given instructions last December, students were encouraged to intern in a field of high interest and to begin their search early, as many placements took weeks of planning. This year, students worked at hospitals, corporations, retail, restaurants, farms, automotive repair, museums, airports, universities, schools, animal hospitals, gyms, turf care, law firms, photography studios, production companies, media, The Diamond, and in dentistry.

The feedback from this Minimester has been positive from the students, supervisors, and the visiting faculty. When asked about their various experiences, here is what students had to say: Archer Brill: “[Interning at Bon Secours in Labor and Delivery] was really exhilarating.

I was able to be in the delivery room.”

Claire Culbertson: “My favorite part of the week at the Library of Virginia was working with old documents. For example, coroners’ inquests from the 1800s were interesting because the coroners in reality were not medically trained to perform that job.

Working in archives has reinforced my desire to pursue the field of library science and archives. This summer I will return to volunteer.”

Yvonne Taylor: “Working with a VCU professor researching traumatic brain injuries was interesting. The highlight of the week was learning about the brain research and identifying disabilities by tracking eye movements.”

Next year’s sophomores and juniors are encouraged to determine their areas of interest and explore their options early.

With big ideas and planning, great placements await them! Many thanks to those employers and Steward families who either hosted or helped with placement of the interns; this program would not be possible without their support. If you would like to participate as a host for an intern next year, please contact Mrs. Naumann-Monti at Carri.NaumannMonti@stewardschool.org or (804) 7403394 ext. 5544.

1. Sam Fink works in carpentry 2. Ben Zoghby reviews documents with his supervisor at a law firm for a mediation case 3. Macky Marcia helps in the NICU at St. Mary’s 4. Vivian Baker and her friend smile while working at Lakeside Animal Hospital 5. Hailey Marie Ragan and Archer Brill take a moment to smile while working in Labor and Delivery 6. Ellie Atkinson and Maddy Douglas helping at Ten Thousand Villages 7. Sarah Dickson helps in a classroom at St. Andrew’s School 8. Luke Boschen helps a member of Ashland Athletic Club with physical therapy 9. GJ Apostle helps with aeronautical construction at Hanover Airport 10. Ann Marchetti works as a teacher assistant at Tuckahoe Elementary 11. Stephanie Legg shadows in the ER at Memorial Regional Medical Center

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1.

4.

7.

9.

2.

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3.

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National Honor Society The officers for the National Honor Society were elected on Tuesday, January 31. They are a wonderful group of top-notch seniors: President Sarah Shimer; Vice President Chloe Pieters; Treasurer Lauren Saurs; Secretary Caitlin Phelan The new members of the Society were inducted on February 14 in a special ceremony in the Lora M. Robins Theatre. The Upper School student body and each new member’s parents were present for the induction.

Lucy Anderson Grace Côté Ellen Iverson Sebastian Vera Ryan Burnett Andrew Caldwell

Blair Carnes Carlos Cevallos Maclaine Ellis Katherine Fore Parker Leep Stephanie Legg

Charlotte Levering Omid Mahban Mariah Montague Morgan Penberthy Emily Robinson Michael Sims

Jung So Yvonne Taylor Ben Zoghby

Building Ties The freshmen completed their 20-hour community service requirement and visited three area colleges during Minimester week. Monday through Wednesday, the students served as teacher’s aides and performed various tasks at Chimborazo, George Mason, and Woodville Elementary Schools. On Thursday and Friday, they visited the campuses of Virginia Commonwealth University, James Madison University, and the University of Richmond for tours and information sessions.

Spartan and Mouse

A Thrilling Time With emcees Zach Barnard and Ben Zoghby setting the stage, Middle and Upper School student performers captivated their packed audience with a variety of entertainment at the Talent Night show on March 23. There were over 50 performers and their acts included bands, dancers, solo and group vocalists, instrumentalists, and comedy. An eclectic mix of music ranged from shows, such as Glee and Wicked, to classical composers, such as Beethoven and Vivaldi. Popular music ranged from Neil Diamond, Michael Jackson, and Bon Jovi to Adele, Mumford & Sons, and Jason Mraz. Several original music selections written by Steward students were also presented.

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Chris Lundberg’s Honors Physics class has been taking their 21st-century learning to the next level. In February, the class studied simple machines such as inclined planes, levers, and pulleys.

They then used their knowledge of the machines to build a car made out of a mousetrap. An excerpt from Megan Frayser’s explanation of the project is below.

“First, each team had to sketch out its mousetrap car design on graph paper.

Then the teams had to transform sketches into working cars. When the mousetrap was set off, it would pull a string that was wound around the wheels […] When Friday came, each team brought completed cars to class. The cars were raced against each other to discover which car was fastest, went farthest, and was the best looking.”

Supporting the Community

middle School

The focus of Alternate Program in Grades 7 and 8 was community service. Students were divided into small groups and assigned an organization at which to work. The students read to elementary school children, served as teachers’ aides, helped adults at The Virginia Home with physical therapy, and played with young children at the Richmond YMCA.

Exploring RICHMOND The theme for Alternate Program for Grade 6 was “Exploring Richmond.” Each group of approximately 12 students worked and traveled around Richmond with two teachers to see first-hand some of the sights that make the city unique. On Friday, March 2, the grade gathered to hear presentations about each group’s activities. Some of the many activities included: • The Business, Industry, and Technology group went climbing at Peak Experience, visited Capri Jewelers, and learned how guitar cases are manufactured at TKL. • The River group made rain barrels for the Bryan Innovation Lab, went on the Canal walk, and visited James River Outfitters to go tree climbing.

• The Ghosts, Ghouls, and Graveyards group visited Hollywood Cemetery, toured the Shirley Plantation, and wrote ghost stories.

• The Arts in Action group visited a recording studio, the VMFA, and local theatres.

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eArThQuAKe Proof Science teacher Shayna Cooke has implemented STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) work into her eighth-grade classroom through the Earthquake Proof Construction Project. The students have spent time researching earthquake-proof construction practices in places where earthquakes are true issues.

They have used this knowledge and applied it to an existing building on the Steward campus. With existing building plans from the maintenance department, the students determined the general specifics of each building and the materials of which current structures are composed. Students use Google Sketchup (much like Autocad for Architects) to recreate the buildings in a 3-D format, applying the manipulations they deemed necessary to make our buildings safe.

Belaying to Safety The Outdoors Club made numerous trips to Peak Experience, a climbing center in Midlothian. Several students in the club, Eleanor Giordano, Owen Giordano, Julie Iuorno, Mary Madison Andrews, Abigail Herring, Weston Popp, and Morgan Ray, have passed the belay test, and numerous other students are getting close. Belaying is one of the most important climbing skills that climbers learn because it is the basis of climbing safety.

National Tour Eighth graders went on their annual trip to Washington D.C. on January 13. The students toured the United States Holocaust Museum in the morning. After lunch at the National Gallery of Art, they toured other Smithsonian museums. Even though the students had to endure the bitter cold while walking around the mall, they had a peaceful, relaxing, and fun-filled day.

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lower School

Our Furry Friends The fourth grade celebrated a 16+ year tradition at The Steward School on February 8—Pet Day/Special Collections Day. The students brought their pets and collections to show all of the Lower School students who visited their classes between 8-10 a.m.

Stunt Talent Night Over 60 Lower School students took the stage for the Stunt Talent Night show on the evening of February 24. Bonnie Anderson’s specially selected emcees, fourth graders Griffin Amyx, Mackenzie Jones, and Lydia Osborne, introduced each of the 44 acts with their hilarious jokes and excellent public speaking skills. Cole Mier delivered another witty comedy routine, Sarah Cafazza led the adorable first- and second-grade vocal groups in song, and third graders Will Frank and Stephen Johnson were impressive mimes. The audience was also entertained by a number of talented dancers, gymnasts, singers, and musicians.

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JK’s SPECIAL Guest JK had a special guest visit them on March 1. Third grader Alex Eiben, brother to Luke Eiben, has a strong passion for learning about birds. He visited JK to share many facts about birds, his stuffed animal birds, and the two nests he found. The children loved having him visit!

Destined for Success Starting out as one of five Steward Lower School teams competing at the Destination ImagiNation (DI) regional tournament in Richmond on March 3, a group of fourth and fifth graders is now the only Richmond team going global.

Having placed first in the improvisational “News to Me” category at the regional level, the team represented the School at the state tournament on Saturday, March 31 at Western Albemarle High School. The team earned highest honors in its “News to Me” skill challenge category there, which led the way to a wildcard bid to global competition slated for May 23-26 in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Fourth Graders Went to the MARKET The fourth graders traveled to VCU’s Siegel Center for the citywide Mini-Economy Market Day on Tuesday, March 27. The Steward students were joined by approximately 1,200 other third, fourth, and fifth graders from schools around the metro area. A number of judges from local corporations looked for outstanding entrepreneurship. They awarded 50 “businesses” with outstanding innovation, marketing, creativity, and overall entrepreneurial spirit. Three businesses from Steward won awards!

Claire Gorey and Lilly Brand were recognized for their scented bath salts, which not only came in a variety of scents, but were also well-packaged and displayed.

Lydia Osborne, Sydney Whiting, and Callen Smith were recognized for their “super stilts,” which were made from beautifully decorated empty paint cans.

They proved to be amazingly popular, selling out within the first ten minutes.

Finally, Erik Engelke was recognized for his charming and unique “plush buddies” (small pompon critters).

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Under the leadership of parents and team managers Sydney Smith and Kris Leverty, fourth graders Dabney Leverty, Callen Smith, Channing Haas, and James Cox, and fifth grader Katie Jobe did an outstanding job in their challenge, which required news research, human scenery, and improvisational acting.

This is the second Steward team to reach the Global DI competition in two years. Last year, the Middle School team of Mary Madison Andrews, Will Jackson, Danny Kovach, Taylor Leahy, Connor Parish, Quincy Rhodes, and Grace Yucha advanced to global competition.

Spirited SPARTAN Bash Spirits were high as a crowd of Lower School students entered the Varsity Gymnasium on January 27 to support the varsity boys basketball team against Tidewater Academy. The Lower School Jamboree event has become a Steward tradition to encourage connections between Lower and Upper School students. Prior to the game day, the boys and girls varsity basketball players and the varsity cheerleaders visited the Lower School for a special assembly. Each class then “adopted” a player to get to know and support during game. The students made special posters for their players, which hung in the lobby of the Athletic Center on the special game day.

The Complete-ish History of AnCIenT egyPT From February 21-23, the third grade took its audience on a venture through Egyptian history in a play written and directed

by Monica Moehring. How did they cover 3,500 years of history on stage in thirty minutes? By starting at the very beginning and stopping at points of interest along the way. They explored the Egyptian creation story, stopped in the fifth dynasty and met Pharaoh Pepi II, unearthed the mystery of Hatshepsut (the Lost Pharaoh Queen), and visited Osiris in the Hall of Two Truths for the weighing of Thutmose III’s heart.

101 Ways to Celebrate 101 Days The first grade celebrated the 101st day of first grade on Thursday, February 9 with several activities. The students wore Dalmatian ears with 101 dots, made new words with the two words “one hundred,” made 101 Valentine cards for children at MCV, created structures with 101 marshmallows and pretzels, and more.

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teamtalk

Basketball

Boys MS Basketball - Blue

Boys Varsity Basketball

Season Record: 8-3

Season Record: 12-15

The Blue team won seven out of eight games to finish the season at 8-3. Marquee wins included a 74-29 victory over Collegiate and a season sweep against Anna Julia Cooper Episcopal School.

This team will be known for its strong defense, regularly holding opponents to under 30 points. “Our players really embraced the idea of a tough-nosed defense,” said Coach Wallace Inge.

The team battled attrition and a tough schedule on its way to a 12-15 record this season. The Spartans fared better in VCC play with ten league wins, including an impressive 56-48 victory over Tidewater Academy at the Lower School Jamboree.

Senior Josh Bruce earned VCC AllConference honors, while junior Mark Tharp and sophomore Justin White earned honorable mention. Junior Andrew Caldwell represented Steward on the VCC All-Conference Academic team.

Boys JV Basketball Season Record: 26-0 Steward’s boys JV basketball team held on to its VCC championship title this winter under the leadership of first year Head Coach Mike Edwards ’03. The team managed to top last season’s results by finishing the season with a perfect 26-0 record. When asked about his team, Coach Edwards gushed about the teamfirst mentality saying, “Each member of this team at some point in the season played a vital role in our championship and undefeated season.”

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Boys MS Basketball - Gold Season Record: 2-8 The Gold team had two highlight wins despite a 2-8 record against older and stronger competitors. Sixth graders, Gray Hathaway and Jack Caldwell, led the team offensively throughout the season.

The teams best victories were a season opening win against Collegiate and a win later in the season against St. Christopher’s.

Boys MS Basketball - White Season Record: 5-3 The White team finished the season with a 5-3 record overall in the James River League. The Spartans’ most impressive win came as their defense closed in on

St. Mary’s offense en route to a 28-8 victory. Connor O’Brien scored 15 points in the win, while Dean Chambers made five assists.

Boys MS Basketball - Gray Season Record: 5-3 Steward’s Middle School Gray team participated in the James River League, finishing with a 5-3 record under the leadership of alumni Head Coach Carter Shamburger ’05. This team had strong shooters with Aaron Stein and Henry Ingram, who scored 18 points each in a 53-28 victory over St. Benedict. Logan Cox and Gavin Booker proved to be efficient offensively as well, scoring from long distances and driving to the basket.

Girls Varsity Basketball Season Record: 4-11 The girls varsity basketball team ended the year with a 4-11 record. The lady Spartans were greatly enhanced by the stellar play of three eighth graders, as well as the inspiring leadership of seniors Lauren Saurs, Sam Cummings, Camille Gilbert, and Lucy Anderson. They are looking forward to another great season next year!

Girls JV Basketball Season Record: 4-5 Though the girls JV basketball team was small, they were a mighty group! The JV girls had some major victories in the Trinity Tournament, as well as when they defeated Collegiate with a buzzer shot to secure a three-point victory. The girls ended the season with a 4-5 record and are looking to win more games next year.

Girls MS Basketball - Blue Season Record: 3-8 The Middle School Blue team compiled a 3-8 record during the 2012 season. After getting off to a slow start, Steward closed out the season with a pair of impressive victories against Collegiate and St. Catherine’s.

Girls MS Basketball Season Record: 6-1 After losing in their season opener against St. Bridget’s, the sixth-grade team reeled off six-straight victories. In five of those games, Steward held their opponents to under 10 points, except in their final game where they outscored St. Catherine’s 26-24 to close the season.

Swimming and Diving Girls Varsity Swimming and Diving Varsity swimming continued to make ripples in the water this season.

Sophomore Keaton Busser posted 330.80 in the VSIS State Diving meet, earning first place in the meet and her second consecutive diving title. Though the girls swimming team placed 20th at this year’s state championship, second year swim coach Eric Hopp was happy with the results saying, “For a team of our size, we have been very competitive this season.”

Diving coach Mark Busser was named Dive Coach of the championship meet.

Boys Varsity Swimming and Diving The boys team placed 15th out of 27 teams with junior Henry Bassett posting his fastest times of the season in the 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke, earning second place in both categories in the state championship. Henry’s time of 51:17 in the 100 backstroke has also qualified him for All-American consideration according to Coach Hopp. Sophomore GJ Apostle posted his personal best times, placing seventh in the 500 freestyle and

16th in the 200 freestyle. Freshman Ethan Cohen also posted his personal bests in the 200 and 500 freestyles.

Futsol The Varsity futsol team kicked off its inaugural season with an impressive 7-4 record. The team had impressive victories against Benedictine, Trinity, and Collegiate.

The Spartans also hosted Richmond Christian in their first home game, winning 9-1 in front of fans. The team was led by Coach Chris Green, who also coaches the boys and girls varsity soccer teams.

cheerleading Coach Melissa Ellyson’s varsity cheerleading squad was led by seniors Carter Norman and Michelle Phelan.

The team was very vocal and supportive of many of the School’s winter sports including the boys and girls varsity basketball teams and the JV team. They also helped with halftime entertainment.

One memorable moment was when the cheerleaders led a rowdy Steward crowd during the Lower School Jamboree as the Spartans upset Tidewater Academy.

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Spartans Capture VCC TITLE and Finish Season 26-0 When Mike Edwards ’03 began coaching, a return to Steward was something he always had in mind. “I wanted to help the kids have the same feeling I had of winning a championship,” he said.

Winning a championship is not new to Edwards, who helped lead the Spartans to a 30-1 record and their first boys basketball title.

While he grew comfortable adjusting to life on the court, Mike also became comfortable in the Steward setting. He said, “Steward was the first school where I felt at home. Everyone got along with everyone. No one looked at you as if you were different. They were accepting of each other’s culture and circumstances. It most certainly prepared me for college.”

After Steward, Edwards played basketball at Hampden-Sydney College and earned his degree in economics and commerce. As a Tiger, Mike lettered each year, earned second team all ODAC honors and tournament MVP in 2007, and led Hampden-Sydney to the NCAA Tournament.

After graduating from Hampden-Sydney, Edwards worked for Bank of America as a Senior Analyst and to pursued his master’s degree in sports management from Virginia State University. Balancing his full-time job, life as a full-time student, and being a head coach was difficult, but Mike says, “If you want something bad enough, you must go for it full speed and hold nothing back.”

This is a philosophy that Edwards preached to his JV basketball squad, which recently completed a perfect 26-0 season and a VCC regular season and tournament championship. His team’s play was spirited and aggressive with a sense of togetherness.

“The chemistry on the team was great. Everyone had a genuine care for one another. Each player wanted his peer to do well.

Through the good or the bad, they picked each other up,” said Mike.

The JV boys had impressive wins over St. Christopher’s, Christchurch, and Maggie Walker, as well as dominating wins over their VCC competition. The final game was a tough challenge as they took on cross-town rival Richmond Christian at Richard Bland College on February 25. The Spartans prevailed 39-33. The team became the first undefeated team in the School’s history.

Senior Pursues Perfection Senior Lauren Saurs was the weekly winner of the Lexus Pursuit of Perfection - Week 12! As a finalist, Lauren received dinner for two and an opportunity to compete for a $10,000 scholarship.

Five SPArTAnS Collect AllConference Honors Senior Josh Bruce earned a place on the VCC All-Conference team for his performance this past season. Junior Mark Tharp and sophomore Jackson White earned honorable mention, while junior Andrew Caldwell earned a spot on the Academic-All Conference team.

Cheerleader Carter Norman also earned VCC honors.

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33 Seniors Honored This past Valentine’s day, Athletic Director Janet Rice honored 33 senior student athletes at Steward. Though not all athletes will go on to play in college, some seniors will take their talents to the next level. Senior Peyton Jenkins will play Lacrosse at VMI next year, while Spartan pitcher Patrick Phillips will play for Old Dominion University.

Audrey Gallagher will attend University of Georgia on a Division I equestrian scholarship. Sam Cummings, Tim Marino, Heth Owen, and Lauren Saurs were four seniors who each garnered over ten varsity letters while at Steward. Congratulations to all our seniors and good luck in college!

alumni around campus

alumninews

Blair Sutton ’05 Art Exhibit The Alumni Association was honored to showcase alumna Blair Sutton’s artwork in the Paul R. Cramer Art Gallery from January 3 through February 3, 2012. Proceeds from the sale of her pieces benefited the Alumni Association. Photos of her artwork are available at www.blairsuttonart.com.

The Alumni Association hosted a reception for the opening of Blair’s exhibit on January 4 and invited alumni and parents to view her collection. Blair donated her piece “Fireflies” to the Alumni Association raffle. Surprisingly, when the drawing was held during the Alumni Back to Basketball game on January 6, the winner was another graduate of the Class of 2005—and current Junior Kindergarten teacher Sarah Newcomb.

Back to Basketball Night Alumni came out to watch the Spartan varsity basketball team play the Richmond Christian Warriors during the Steward Invitational Tournament and annual Alumni Back to Basketball game on January 6, 2012. Many alumni cheered on the Spartans as they beat the Warriors. Current seniors partnered with the alumni to help with check-in, toss alumni t-shirts at halftime, and draw the raffle for Steward alumna Blair Sutton’s artwork.

Afterwards, young alumni gathered at Shackleford’s to catch up and enjoy refreshments with friends. Thank you to those of you who helped make the night such a success!

Top photo: Gallery reception hosted by the Alumni Association members Bottom photo: Blair Sutton ’05 and Rugene Paulette

Alumni College Panel On Wednesday, January 4, the current juniors and seniors had the opportunity to ask questions of five young alumni during the annual Alumni College Panel. Ann Schimmels ’11 from University of Virginia, Ryan McKeown ’10 from Brown University, Amy Lane ’11 from College of Charleston, Peter Howard ’09 from Hampden-Sydney College, and Lexi Wiles ’08 from University of Richmond fielded questions ranging from time management to meeting friends. The panel has proven to be a great way to engage alumni with current students and provide students with insights on what to expect in college.

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Alumni Spotlight:

On the Cutting Edge Ted Benson ’01 is a really smart guy— not just your average smart, but MIT smart. And, he has a really big Google footprint. A quick Google search of Ted Benson uncovers that he teaches Introduction to iPhone Development at MIT, organized a weekend “hackathon” to build a tool that leverages support via social networks to help his local Boston community, co-authored a book entitled The Art of Rails on web application design and engineering, and co-authored a developer’s guide entitled Rich Internet Applications. And, that’s just a few of his accolades since graduating from The Steward School in 2001.

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During a recent conversation, Ted reminisced about his Steward experience, which began in the second grade. One of the greatest advantages for Ted was the school size. During his senior year, Ted remembers maxing out his math classes. What do you do when you’ve taken the most challenging classes your school currently offers? Fortunately, teacher Todd Serr had a free period and offered to work with Ted one-on-one each day. Ted couldn’t believe a teacher would take the time to teach a class for one.

In the end, the class enabled Ted to enter college a full year ahead in math.

His professional career began at BBN Technologies in Northern Virginia after he graduated as a Jefferson Scholar from the University of Virginia. It was while he was working at BBN with people who held PhDs that he realized there was another world of thought to which he didn’t have access. He knew that if he wanted to become an expert in the field of computer science, he needed to pursue a PhD at a place the caliber of MIT. Currently, Ted is a fourth year student at MIT CSAIL – Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. He’s researching and studying things that most of us take for granted and will never fully understand. His research focuses on improving the software architecture of web applications so that they are easier to build and require less power to run. The key to this is thinking of the web application as a collaboration between the browser and the server, rather than something that just happens out there “in the cloud.” His studies dig deep into web structure with a goal to make it more accessible for programmers and a better experience for the end user. He also mentors undergraduate researchers, which he has found tremendously rewarding.

What advice would Ted give today’s students? “It’s okay to do what you love,” he says. When it comes to preparing for college and college applications, he feels there’s a great deal of pressure to do what you think will make you look good. Ted has served on admissions and scholarship committees, including the Jefferson Scholars at UVA. “It’s not necessary to join every club at school.

Know who you are and what you like and pursue it to excellence.

Be proactive and seek out opportunities to excel in your area of interest.”

“The reality of research and innovation is that every single day we do something wrong. We don’t think of it as failure. Failure stops being something you try to avoid, but becomes a built-in part of the process for anything innovative. We talk openly about what’s wrong and how to fix it, in a constant feedback cycle—always moving ahead.”

When asked about his fondest memory of Steward, he replies without hesitation, “The people.”

“I graduated with a class of forty-two people that I was with every day. I felt as though I grew up with a bunch of brothers and sisters instead of classmates.” That’s what being a part of the Steward community is about.

Ted lives in the Boston area with his wife, Grace. Ted is the son of long-time Steward teacher Robin Ricketts.

Ted says MIT is “an amazing place to be” and truly appreciates its emphasis on collaboration. Study and research is very teamfocused with groups working towards common goals.

Perhaps one of the most valuable lessons Ted has learned at MIT is how to embrace failure. “The reality of research and innovation is that every single day we do something wrong,” he says. “We don’t think of it as failure. Failure stops being something you try to avoid, but becomes a built-in part of the process for anything innovative. We talk openly about what’s wrong and how to fix it, in a constant feedback cycle—always moving ahead.”

Ted has about two more years in his PhD program and says he would like to become an entrepreneur. Ted is eager to combine his love of education and teaching, potentially in a business enterprise. The great thing about innovation is that you don’t have to be in a college setting to teach; you can create a virtual classroom. Among his options, Ted may pursue developing education companies and pursue online publishing and teaching.

Photos courtesy of Grace Benson, wife of Ted (pictured above) Crossroads

Spring 2012

Classnotes ’80s Major Matthew Smith ’88 graduated from the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He also earned a Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University. The best part of being in Kansas was spending the year with his wife, Anne, and three boys, William, James, and Stephen, after being deployed in 2010.

’90s

Alec Kean ’95 and his wife, Andrea, welcomed their first son, Winston Magri Kean, in to the world on February 16, 2012. He weighed 7 pounds, 12 ounces.

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Pete Congdon ’99 and his wife, Susan, welcomed their daughter, Ella Kate, in to the world on February 2, 2012.

She weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces and measured 20 1/2 inches.

’00s Mike Edwards ’03 is the head coach of The Steward School JV boys basketball team and led the team to an undefeated 2011-2012 season.

Grace Astrove ’06 recently traveled to Israel on a birthright trip sponsored by the United for Reform Judaism’s Kesher-Taglit organization. She floated in the Dead Sea, ate delicious hummus and falafels, rode camels in the desert, explored the cities of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, and especially enjoyed visiting the very moving Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust Museum.

Katie Perkins ’05 submitted and won a grant for her students in Johnston County, North Carolina. She will use the awarded money in her classroom.

Cameron Taylor ’07 has been accepted into the Oxford University (UK) Law School for the summer 2012 semester.

He will be studying Islamic law. Cameron is currently a dual degree student at Regents University.

Mary Margaret Watson ’07 graduated in May 2011 from High Point University with a B.S. in psychology.

She returned to Richmond and is now enrolled in Bon Secours Nursing School.

Jonathan Wauford ’07 was accepted to the T.C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond. He is planning to focus on Real Estate Law.

Christina Nelson ’04 married James Wert III at Third Presbyterian Church on November 5, 2011.

Ann Yates Wyatt Pate ’03 and her husband, Jon, welcomed their first daughter, Frances Mims Pate, (Mims) to the world on December 6, 2011. She was 5 pounds, 14 ounces, and 20 inches long.

lastword

“Science is an imaginative adventure of the mind seeking truth in a world of mystery.�

- S I r Cy r I L h e r M A n h I n S h e LWO OD

ool h c S d r a w e t S e Th und F l a u n n A 2 1 0 -2 2011 !

Your Gifts at Work

ur favorite things!

Steward one of yo ank you for making

Th

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