Trojan VOICE Fall 2014 15 by Trinity Valley School

Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Fort Worth, TX Permit #844

inspiring the extraordinary since 1959 7500 Dutch Branch Road Fort Worth, TX 76132-4110

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED to parents of alumni:

If this magazine is addressed to a son or daughter who no longer uses your home as a permanent address, please e-mail his or her address to davisks@trinityvalleyschool.org

CHARACTER

TEN SENIORS REFLECT p18 WHO REPRESENTS ALUMS? p60

THE TROJAN VOICE

TVS

Trinity Valley School

WHY TVS STANDS OUTp4

INTEGRITY LEADERSHIP RESPECT

GRANDPARENTS’ AND SPECIAL

CHANGE CHALLENGE TURN IN!

FRIENDS’ DAY NOVEMBER 21

DECEMBER 12, MARCH 6

FALL BREAK

WINTER BREAK

NOVEMBER 24 - 28

DECEMBER 22 - JANUARY 5

Learn More about the TVS GLOBAL INITIATIVES PROGRAM Dr. Michael Roemer Speaks about the Growing Success of Students Skyping with the World and More ...

2405034_Cover.indd 1

Seniors Johan Cheah, Andie Mace, Eunice Ndungu, and Jonathan Pickell Share What It Means to Be a TROJAN! p20

FALL 2014

Detail of Cover Illustration by Lulu Rodgers and Jae Rhee (Class of 2017)

T R i n i T y va l l e y s c h o o l

WISDOM

11/11/14 12:45 PM

Why families say YES to TVS:

Year after year, new families tell us that they choose TVS for the quality of our academic programs, the caliber of our faculty, and our character development model. Our families describe TVS with words like innovative, caring, unpretentious, exceptional. Our parents share a common vision of providing their children with the best possible 58 learning environment in which to grow into the best version of themselves. This common purpose brings together families with varied backgrounds and experiences and creates the richness of our community.

How do we know we are meeting their expectations?

• School-wide, our attrition rate is under 3.7%, compared to an average of 7.7% for schools in our accrediting body (ISAS*) • 91% of our families (compared to only 70% on average for ISAS schools) make gifts of all sizes to our annual giving campaign (2013-14), allowing us to continue advancing. For a snapshot of some of the programs that make TVS stand out from the crowd, see page 4. *Independent Schools Association of the Southwest Source: NAIS 2013-14

Chinese and TOE!

The Chinese program takes learning outdoors this fall on the TVS campus. This is not the picture that comes to mind when thinking of learning Chinese ... but this is not an ordinary school either. Once again Trinity Valley School pushes the boundaries of classroom learning and engages students in a mental and physical experiment outdoors. Freshmen gathered under the oaks and selected a word in English. They wrote the Chinese characters on a notecard. Their word was "knowledge." Their mission? To recreate these characters as a group on a larger paper. The tool (designed by Trojan Outdoor Experience Fellow Chris McEachron) was a pen placed in the center of a circle with strings attached for each student to manipulate much like a horizontal puppet controlled from 360 degrees. A period of class time was spent communicating only in Chinese to move the pen and to create the characters. The application is far-reaching—from the obvious speaking in Chinese to get the job done to discussing how the group communicated. Upper School Chinese Instructor Christine He and Trojan Outdoor Experience Instructor Chris McEachron teamed up to make this a lesson of knowledge the students will long remember. As a bonus, those of us new to Chinese were taught by the students that most Chinese characters are comprised of two parts-the first being the radical, which tells you the basic meaning of the character, and the second the phonetic part, which indicates the pronunciation. Made in the shade? "Right on," Mr. McEachron would say!

Top center: Christine He, Upper School Chinese instructor, looks on as freshmen prepare to write as a group. Bottom left: Chris McEachron, TOE instructor, checks in on how students are collaborating to reach the goal.

TRINITY VALLEY SCHOOL

2405034_Cover.indd 2

11/11/14 12:45 PM

Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Hara

Weather: A sonnet

This is what we like about art,

The well think sideways,

it seems to prefer us and stays

under the influence

quiet as dewdrops, as persistent too

of weather

and long after morning

with all its turbulence

the image remains

its fickle mind never ceasing the effort

etched in our minds with the chisels

to irritate, to frustrate to no end

of wonderment

like the Marlin

And every message hits truer than any archerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

who never gives an old sailor rest

arrow could, finding its mark

never pitying the bold

adds to its charm

nor the poor

And the string trailed behind laces up

the weather gives no signs and no warning

like a web, the artist a spider

devastating somewhere, torrential anywhere

to tie us together,

how smugly does it deliver its judgement

unify us in a realization and a moment

as if the heavens themselves had ordained him

to be shared, cherished, adorned by us all

so dost the weather humiliate

a brand we can wear as our own billboards

those scientists,

to show we understand too,

who claim they know how his foggy head ponders, yet if never had the storms cut the soggy air,

Joe Vories, Class of 2016

no one could know a rainbowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gentle glare

Joe Vories, Class of 2016

T V SF I N E

A RT S

Cannon Brumley, Class of 2016, Pen and Ink

To Those Who Fear

Whispers

Listen.

The trees extend their hand,

You have to let the fog of the unknown

the plants whisper pain’s secrets.

scratch you once in a while

The flowers paint a picture

to let your fears free.

dripping with the ignorance we possess— Beautiful.

Fear is the infection in our mind,

They whirl and wind

manipulating our brain

grabbing our attention

into believing of its absence.

at every head’s turn. We hear their soft cries,

Our fears are like glass,

but listen, we don’t.

the fear of breaking it exceeds the sound of the shatter.

Why do we ignore

If fear becomes metal,

their cold whispers?

calloused and unbreakable,

We will drown in the silence,

it enslaves us with the shackles of 'what if'.

the still and stagnant. But we can’t love their rejoiceful songs.

Alas! Fear can be conquered.

Trying to mask the incessant murmurs,

Not by hiding behind the curtain of comfort,

We cover, overpower.

but by taking an arrow to the front

As much we try to put duct tape

not the back.

Upon duct tape, The winds will bleed their silent whispers.

Be daring. Imagine a tree—

Humble, innocent—

not of green, but of— ah!

yet we reject.

Magenta. The only way fear holds you back, is by holding on to it.

Lauren Faris, Class of 2016

T V SA D M I S S I O N S

WHY FAMILIES SAY YES TO TVS Judith Kinser, Director of Admissions and Financial Aid Alice Pritchett, Associate Director of Admissions

(continued from inside front cover)

Why families continue to say YES to TVS: The student artwork on our cover (and to the left as well as on the following page) represents many things that we feel are characteristic of the TVS community. Several of them represent aspects of our school that truly make us unique.

THe GLOBe represenTs Our GLOBAL InITIATIves prOGrAm. Tvs Is THe OnLy scHOOL In THe sTATe THAT HAs A FuLL-TIme dIrecTOr OF GLOBAL InITIATIves And THe GOAL OF IncLudInG every sTudenT In InTernATIOnAL reLATIOnsHIps eAcH yeAr. Our main objectives include: 1) making students aware of the diversity and interconnectedness of local and distant cultures; 2) encouraging students to value diversity and to seek commonalities that tie us together; 3) helping students learn to treat others with dignity and to recognize and preserve their own dignity; and 4) providing opportunities for students to make tangible, effective differences through direct intercultural and interpersonal connections and experiences. These goals align with Trinity Valley School’s mission by promoting scholarship on topics and peoples across the globe, broadening students’ interests to include cross-cultural experiences, fostering informed global citizenship, and enhancing spiritual and moral development through exposure to an array of worldviews. THe cAnOe sTAnds FOr THe TOe prOGrAm. Tvs’s experIenTIAL educATIOn prOGrAm empLOys TWO FuLL-TIme FAcuLTy memBers. The mission of the Trojan Outdoor Experience is to use outdoor activities to profoundly increase the respect our students have for themselves, each other, and the natural world. Each outing provides the opportunity for students, individually and as a group, to practice overcoming adversity through skilled decision making. All students in grades 3-9 and 12 participate in overnight excursions; younger students have TOE activities on campus, led by older students. From third graders spending the night on campus to eighth graders kayaking through historic areas of western Virginia, the breadth and depth of the opportunities provided to our students set our program apart. By engaging our US students as leaders on Lower and Middle School trips, leadership development is another significant facet of the TOE program. THe cHInese cHArAcTers represenT mAndArIn cHInese WHIcH Tvs TeAcHes Once A Week In GrAdes k-4, HALF A yeAr In GrAde 5, And dAILy In GrAdes 6-12 FOr THOse sTudenTs WHO cHOOse mAndArIn As THeIr prImAry

WOrLd LAnGuAGe FOr THe secOnd HALF OF THeIr Tvs cAreer. The study of Mandarin is enhanced through cultural studies and our relationship with High School #4 in Beijing, including student and faculty exchanges between the two schools each year. THe cHILdren pLAyInG sTAnds FOr THe kInGdOm OF pOsITIve AcTIOn, THe cHArAcTerdeveLOpmenT AspecT OF THe pOsITIve AcTIOn prOGrAm BeGun In THe LOWer scHOOL LAsT sprInG In cOLLABOrATIOn WITH Tcu’s scHOOL OF educATIOn THrOuGH prOjecT LIInk. The children playing outdoors symbolizes The Kingdom of Positive Action, the character-development aspect of the LiiNK Project, a program developed by Dr. Debbie Rhea of TCU. Last spring, the Lower School collaborated with Dr. Rhea to incorporate Positive Action as well as more recess and unstructured outdoor play time into the Lower School schedule. “According to cognitive studies, movement is vital to a child’s learning process, helping stimulate the type of brain activity that is necessary for learning and retaining information.” * *Source: Harris College Magazine - TCU THe GeArs represenT Our requIred pHysIcs cLAss. THIs Is An enGIneerInG-BAsed, prOBLem-sOLvInG experIence In WHIcH sTudenTs LeArn THAT THere Is A cOrreLATIOn BeTWeen desIGnInG sOLuTIOns TO cOncreTe prOBLems And desIGnInG THeIr FuTures. Project-based learning, such as building our own laser cutter, keeps TVS on the cutting edge. THe LInes OF cOde represenT LeArnInG TO cOde, Or HOW TO prOGrAm, WHIcH expOses Our sTudenTs TO THe LAnGuAGe OF THe dIGITAL WOrLd In WHIcH We LIve. Programming models the learning process as well as or better than any other activity. The ongoing process of evaluation and improvement in writing code provides a foundation for learning in other situations, in much the same way as the study of Latin provides a structure through which to better learn other languages. Last year, TVS students of all ages participated in the National Day of Coding. THe symBOLs sucH As drAmA mAsks, BALLeT sLIppers, And pAInTBrusHes represenT Tvs’s FLOurIsHInG And AccLAImed FIne ArTs, WHIcH Are WInnInG LOcAL, sTATe, And nATIOnAL recOGnITIOn FOr pOeTry, pLAyWrITInG, vIsuAL ArTs, THeATer, And cHOIr. TVS students

T V SA D M I S S I O N S participate in fine arts instruction daily from kindergarten through Middle School, and can choose from almost 20 arts electives as well as extracurricular clubs and activities in Upper School. THe TrOpHy sTAnds FOr vIcTOrIes; mOsT recenTLy, Our vArsITy BOys’ crOss cOunTry TeAm HAs WOn every meeT THIs FALL! Tvs Is prOud OF ITs TrAdITIOn OF spOrTs FOr ALL, And TeAms deveLOped FrOm mIddLe scHOOL THrOuGH upper scHOOL. AcAdemIcALLy, THe deBATe TeAm Is eArnInG TrOpHIes As WeLL FOr ITs AccOmpLIsHmenTs descrIBed BeLOW. THe mIcrOpHOne represenTs deBATe. THe speecH And deBATe TeAm HAs GrOWn expOnenTIALLy In THe LAsT 12 mOnTHs. As members of the National Speech and Debate Society, our students have the ability to compete in events as well as progress through an honors system that awards success in the form of achievement “degrees.” In the first three years of TVS Debate’s existence, the school earned a total of 35 “degrees.” Last year alone, we earned 43. We have brought home trophies in Public Forum Debate, Impromptu Speaking, Congressional Debate (all three first-time events for TVS), Policy Debate, Original Oratory, Extemporaneous Speaking, and Lincoln-Douglas Debate, and created a mock trial team that finished top 5 in the district at its first tournament. In short, the team is growing faster than we could have ever hoped for, and competing at a veteran level. THe FIGures Are pILLArs represenTATIve OF A pArT OF THe Tvs sHIeLd. THey represenT A dedIcATed WOrker: sOmeBOdy WHO Is deTermIned, sTrOnG, Or cOurAGeOus. The Trojan is also a part of the TVS shield and most recognized as representing TVS athletics. Goals of our athletic program include developing the best overall program possible for our student-athletes and becoming a model for other independent school programs; teaching fundamentals and techniques of each sport in a progressive, planned sequence; encouraging and developing healthy habits in view of lifetime wellness; offering a comprehensive commitment to full participation in the strength and conditioning program regardless of sport assignment or gender; emphasizing

full participation by encouraging athletes to play multiple sports and not to specialize in one particular sport; and providing the best facilities and equipment. THe cHIcken And eGG represenT A THeme In FIFTH- And sIxTH-GrAde scIence. FIFTH GrAders LeArn ABOuT AIr pressure And vAcuums In THe sprInG. To demonstrate, Mrs. Preston hands out the traditional springtime marshmallow “Peeps” which students place in vacuum tubes and watch them expand to several times their original size. Sixth-grade science teacher, Julie Frey, raises chickens at home. For the past several years she has brought her chickens to reside temporarily in a coop near the Middle School drive. Her classes conduct experiments to see how changes in the chickens’ diet affect the color of their egg yolks. The students also

Our families describe TVS with words like progressive, caring, unpretentious, excellent. Our parents share a common vision of providing their children with the best possible learning environment in which to grow into the best version of themselves. enjoy taking care of their temporary class pets! THe Teddy BeAr represenTs A LOnGsTAndInG TrAdITIOn In WHIcH cHILdren receIve THeIr very OWn Teddy BeAr WeArInG A Tvs T-sHIrT In THe sprInG As THey Are AccepTed TO kInderGArTen. Then, in the first big event of the year, each kindergartner brings that bear, or perhaps another special one, to class for the Teddy Bear Picnic. The large stuffed bears that live in each kindergarten class lead the children on a chase around campus, ending in a fun picnic when the big bears are discovered. THe dOme-sHAped cHArAcTer knOWn As A mInIOn FrOm THe Despicable Me mOvIes Is FAmOus WITH cHILdren. In the TVS community, the minions are famous as a Gump Day prize-winning set of costumes created and worn by the Upper School

Science department for Halloween 2012. Last summer, the minions were revived as Mrs. Murphy’s mascots for the 2014 Summer Reading Challenge - Read-O! Mrs. Murphy made a video of all the Lower School students and teachers (along with many Middle and Upper School folks) gearing up for their summer reading, led all over campus by the minions (check it out at http://youtu.be/kDknmr3E5gg).

ABOUT THE ARTISTS LULU RODGERS, cover illustration Lulu is an exceptional young lady with the amazing gift of expression. As a student at TVS, she has shown that she has the ability to quietly harness her experiences and present them in a final product that expresses the beauty and complexity of the TVS experience. Lulu, herself, represents the TVS student through her dedication to her academic education as well as her study of the art of expression. She is a wonderful representation of a young lady that Trinity Valley School is proud to call a Trojan. Amanda Collins US Biology and Environmental Science Lulu's art is the right side of the cover image.

JAE RHEE, cover illustration At Trinity Valley School, we are blessed with an array of students whose talent, skill, hard work, and dedication make the work of teaching here a joy. We also have students whose curiosity and thirst for knowledge seems insatiable. Jae Rhee is one such student. He will engage you in involved and intense conversations about metaphysics, ethics, linguistics, phenomenology, literature, and art. As if that weren’t enough, Jae is also an accomplished artist in his own right. We’re very lucky to have Jae with us. Don Carlson Ph.D. US English and Co-director of Much Ado About Shakespeare!

Jae's art is the left side of the cover image and the illustration on this page.

MANAGING EDITOR MARGARET KRAMER

CREATIVE DIRECTOR LAURIE WISDOM

COPY EDITOR KATHRYN DAVIS

CONTRIbuTING PhOTOGRAPhERs DAN BRYANT MARCY ROTEN GENE SESSA ASHLEY WHITE LINDA WHITEHEAD LAURIE WISDOM

CONTRIbuTING WRITERs

BLAKE AMOS PAM ASHER DON CARLSON AMANDA COLLINS ASHLEY CRISP KATHRYN DAVIS CHRIS GUNNIN TINA HARPER TIM JONES MARGARET KRAMER GARY KRAHN MIKE KRIS CLARE PRITCHETT LORIMER CHRIS MCEACHRON SANDY MCNUTT MICHAEL ROEMER GENE SESSA ASHLEY WHITE LAURIE WISDOM

Middle School students balance “all aboard” in a cooperative problem-solving activity during Skills for Tomorrow. This weekly course fosters key 21st-century skills including flexibility and adaptability, self-discipline and mindfulness, communication strategies, collaboration, and creative problem solving.

trinityvalleyschool.org

CHARACTER | INTEGRIT Y | LE ADERSHIP | RESPECT | WISDOm K -12 , C O E D , I N D E P E N D E N T S C H O O L O f f O R T W O R T H , T E X A S u S A

alumni

ATHLeTIc ALumnI neWs | pAGe54

WHO represenTs Our ALums? | pAGe60

cLAss nOTes | pAGe74

the arts TAxI TALes | pAGe23

FIne ArTs | pAGe29

athletics experiential education A dAy WITH duke's GreG dALe | pAGe41

TOe - An OuTsIder's experIence | pAGe24

cHInese And TOe | pAGe88

GloBal initiatiVes

WHy Tvs HAs GOne GLOBAL | pAGe36

the

inside arches WHy FAmILIes sAy yes TO Tvs | pAGe4

WHAT mAkes LIFe As A TrOjAn specIAL?

Ten senIOrs reFLecT ABOuT Tvs | pAGe18 AnnuAL Fund | pAGe30 FALL 2014 volume xv number 1 Trinity valley school | 7500 dutch Branch road Fort Worth, Tx 76132 | 817.321.0100 | trinityvalleyschool.org Trinity Valley School’s Trojan Voice is published twice a year. Please contact Laurie Wisdom, Director of Communications, with any questions, comments, or suggestions regarding this publication at wisdoml@trinityvalleyschool.org. Trinity Valley School is an independent, coed, college-preparatory, day school for students in kindergarten through grade 12. The school admits students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, color, national or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid programs, and athletic and other schooladministered programs. © Copyright 2014 by Trinity Valley School, Fort Worth, TX 76132-4110

I was excited to help the school, and a lemonade stand was a way I could contribute. It will be fun to have new buildings!!! Alyssa Poston, TVS Student, Class of 2020

BuILdInG FOr TrAnsFOrmATIOnAL cHAnGe | pAGe43

pArenTs’ cLuB | pAGe56

BOOks And Trees | pAGe58

learninG enVironments

mcnuTT On THrOuGH THe eyes OF cHILdren

| pAGe10

ssTvs | pAGe13

krIs On THe ArT OF TeAcHInG | pAGe14

GunnIn On WHAT's In A GAme? | pAGe26

krAHn On IAn LesLIe WOuLd AdmIre Tvs | pAGe32

seLecTIves: LeArnInG WITH A neW Lens | pAGe52

TRINITY VALLEY SCHOOL I N S P I R I N G T H E E X T R AO R D I N A R Y S I N C E 19 5 9

T V S ME SS AG E

F R O M

LO W E R

S C H O O L

Through the Eyes of the Children What is vastly important? Sandy McNutt, Head of Lower School

When life appears to hand us a bushel full of slightly sour lemons or a half-empty glass of water, or when the proverbial straw is placed on the camelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s back, a person only has to look through the eyes of a child to learn how to flip an overwhelming day or a particular situation to joy. There is not a day that goes by when I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t receive a life lesson from a child. Given the fact that I have been teaching children for over three decades, I have learned much.

We are Builders oF many thinGs in the loWer school at trinity Valley. We purposeFully Build

daily the Foundation that Will stronGly support the people We striVe to craFt into leaders oF tomorroW. stronG learninG enVironments are deFinitely a Goal at this Fine school. Just as important is modelinG and BuildinG character in our students. Recently, we invited an amazing professional, Donna Hicks, Ph.D., to our campus to speak with our faculty, staff, parent community, and students. Dr. Hicks is an Associate at Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Harvard University. She has extensive experience in international conflict resolution and insights on the vital role of dignity in our lives. On her recent visit to Trinity Valley School, she left us with some words that resonated with all of us. She remarked that, at the end of the day, it all boils down to this thought, “As I GO ABOuT my dAys, HOW dO I WAnT TO mAke peOpLe FeeL?” This phrase may sound simplistic to some, but when you see the impact of a great child becoming cognizant of this belief, it is transformative. In this article for the Trojan Voice, I would like to share with you a couple of life lessons, with the hope that a child’s perspective might leave a lasting imprint on all of our hearts. These few scenarios scratch at the surface of the character that is building in our youngest Trojans. We are in the midst of an exciting building campaign on our campus. The first area to be renovated called for the “demolition” of our playground. Though I was a little anxious as to how this would affect our children, my concerns were quickly dispelled. Observing a temporary play area, I noticed something interesting. A definite student leader stood out, orchestrating, directing, and collaborating play with a mass of students. I TOOk THIs cHILd AsIde AFTer recess And Asked HOW sHe puLLed THIs GrOup TOGeTHer; HOW dId sHe LeAd sO BeAuTIFuLLy? she said, “ms. mcnutt, if you can make everyone feel like you need them, the rest is easy!” Wow! HOW dId sHe WAnT TO mAke peOpLe FeeL? needed!

Third graders were gathered around a table, participating in a team project. Every student was fully engaged, sharing, presenting, and listening. The teacher asked the students in a wrap-up discussion, “WHAT Led TO THe GrOup’s success Or cHALLenGes?” One very quIeT, InTrOverTed cHILd repLIed,

“We did really well at our table — no challenges here because our group leader made everyone listen to each other. We couldn’t just talk about us. so, we all felt like what we said was important.” HOW dId He WAnT TO mAke peOpLe FeeL? vALued! In a Spanish class, students were encouraged to speak only in Spanish, giving their best effort - not perfection, but effort. A fourth grader was struggling mightily, very unwilling to put himself out there to be embarrassed by his lack of finesse with the accent. At lunch, I had the opportunity to overhear a conversation relating back to the classroom. One student said to the struggling linguist, “It is okay that you don’t know how to say words in a fancy way. I’m not too good yet at speaking spanish either. We are learning. you will get it!” HOW dId He WAnT TO mAke peOpLe FeeL? dIGnIFIed! So, in the midst of construction, temporary playgrounds, and even in Spanish class, here at TVS, students remind us daily of what matters on this journey together - to feel needed and valued and to be treated with dignity. We will not only be able to tackle and encounter the needed academic requirements that this phenomenal collegepreparatory school offers, but we will bring something even more valuable to these world-life lessons, taught to us through the actions and beliefs of our youngest Trojans. What is vastly important? It is how we make people feel.

What are a few ways tVs teaches diGnity in lower school? Tvs k-6 scHOOL cOunseLOr kAren penInGer teaches dignity through student-created videos. The social skills videos are a great way for our fourth-grade " students to model social skills as well as allow the entire Lower school to see social skills in action. These social skills enable us to interact with each other in a way that minimizes dignity violations. some of the topics that resonated the most with our staff and students are: • How to be Part of a Group • Disagreeing Appropriately • Manners in the Dining Hall • Getting the Teacher's Attention • Asking the Teachers a Question The fourth-grade students look forward to the planning and creating of these videos. secOnd-GrAde InsTrucTOr mrs. sHApArd teaches dignity by addressing a conflict when it arises. "I try to teach my students to see both sides of the conflict. In addition to this, I strive to help my students have a good understanding of how the other student feels. It is my hope that my students will respect differences amongst their peers." LOWer scHOOL LIBrArIAn kIrsTen murHpy influences all Lower School students in her weekly interactions with young readers. she shares: "One way the Ls Library is working to teach dignity is by sharing literature and engaging students in activities that teach and reinforce the essential elements of dignity, as identified by Donna Hicks. One such example of this was sharing the book, Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon, and having students participate in activities connected to that book that also reinforced the importance of Acceptance of Identity, one of the identified Essential Elements. THIrd-GrAde InsTrucTOr cArOL GrAmenTIne shares: "Instilling dignity in kids can be a bit nebulous. It is hard to measure dignity and is sometimes difficult to explain the term to kids. This is a subject that I feel a great deal of passion about. I feel that by helping kids truly understand how to honor another’s dignity, we will be capable of contributing to making the world a better place. "I start, of course, by modeling dignity — treating my students with respect, outwardly demonstrating to them why they are valuable, asking them questions such as: How have you made others feel today? How have I made you feel? How may I help you succeed? "We focus a lot upon the 'How do I make others feel?'

component of this lesson in truly understanding dignity. We have reflected in our journal specific ways we make others feel each day. "The children learn the (dictionary) definition of dignity. "Throughout our days when I see an example of someone honoring another’s dignity I am quick to point that out — so children can clearly see the 'honoring of one’s dignity' in the works. "I will soon begin to teach the kids the 10 “essential elements of dignity” (from donna Hicks, Dignity: its Essential Role in Developing Conflict). I will revise the words of her 10 essential elements a bit to make them more understandable for kids. We will focus on one element per week. And the kids will have a 'dignity journal' in which we will write the definition, take notes on our observations of dignity, and will write the weekly elements."

SSTVS

celebrates 15 years of summer enrichment Pam Asher, Director of SSTVS

We took a “Bite out oF summer in 2014” at ss tVs! during our 15th year of summer school at tVs, we “sharked” our way through many adventures on our cruise into summer, with offerings for all ages. Approximately 300 attendees cruised through a variety of academic and enrichment activities. The sounds of laughter and excitement were echoed throughout our hallways as students built, created, designed, sang, drew, and discovered through the summer classes designed by the inspiring SS TVS crew. Our junior counselors were such assets to every class and teacher, as friendships were cemented between our younger and older students. Thanks to the leadership and commitment of the junior counselors, the classes had extra hands to help with special learning and projects. Our youngest classes for four-year-olds included “Elephants and Their Young” and “Eggs, Eggs Everywhere.” These children explored elephants and animals hatching from eggs. They learned about their habitats, sizes, and eating preferences, through hands-on play and imaginative stories.

Classes on deck for older students ranged from music to mathematics, robotics to reading, science exploration of reptiles, spiders, sea turtles, and making secret formulas. In the meantime, our Athletics department conducted sports camps for all ages, as students honed their skills and learned self-discipline and team play. Our Community Partners Program, known as CPP, was again a huge success, with 30 Upper School students researching non-profits in the area and volunteering in some of them. In our Fine Arts department, our Upper School students enjoyed immersing themselves in the theater in “Much Ado About Shakespeare!” Upper School students also enjoyed ceramics and infused glass. In Lower School, the younger sailors experienced the arts through creative mosaics, “art attack” on various mediums, creating a musical play, and making amazing shadow puppets and then performing a play, “The Gingerbread Man.” Now that the SS TVS has docked for the summer, we are left with wonderful memories of our cruise and the amazing voyages to our various ports. May many new adventures await our sailors and crew in the summers to come! Thank you, parents, for supporting the summer enrichment program at TVS.

T V S M E S S AG E

F R O M

M I D D L E

S C H O O L

Mike Kris, Ed.D.

the art oF teachinG

Moving from One Canvas to Another

many schools have access to technology in the classroom, but that is not enough to make the difference. What schools need are teachers who understand how the world is changing and how technology can be used to fortify their relationships with students as they help them develop twenty-first century skills. That is what we are doing here in the middle school! 4 14

In 1350, Italian artist Laurentius de Voltolina painted a scene that looks oddly familiar to most of us. A teacher sits at the front of the room, facing rows of students. Most stare at him quietly, looking bored. Closer inspection reveals a couple of students whispering to one another; if you look really closely, you’ll notice one student who has actually fallen asleep in the back of the class. I wonder whether this artist, as he brushed his canvas with paints and color, knew that he was capturing a tension that generations of teachers would continue to confront. I was first introduced to this painting through a TED Talk by education futurist Dr. David Thornburg. In his talk, he juxtaposes this 1350s painting with numerous photographs of 20th-century classrooms. In both the painting and these more modern classrooms, the “dominant paradigm” involves the teacher stationed at the front, with students sitting passively in rows. It’s hard to believe that in some ways education has changed so little in 650 years. Over the course of my career, I have listened sympathetically to the argument that if educators had more resources, they could be more inventive. But perhaps the issue is not strictly related to economics but rather a lack of vision. This is Thornburg’s contention. To illustrate his point, he introduces his audience to Second Life — an online

virtual world where people can create buildings and structures with only their imagination as a limit. In this world, one does not drive or take a bus or use public transportation. In this imaginary landscape, people teleport wherever their hearts desire. But when Thornburg teleports to one classroom after another, instead of finding something new and exciting, he repeatedly finds classrooms with desks in rows and a teacher at the front. What he really discovered was a failure of imagination. The perception of a classroom as a box – as a singular location for teacher-directed learning – no longer serves children well. THANKFULLY, THE TEACHERS AT TRINITY VALLEY SCHOOL HAVE ALWAYS LOOKED OUTSIDE THE BOX for ways to reach students. This year, with the introduction of the 1:1 iPad initiative, the Middle School faculty has a powerful tool to further knock down the classroom walls. We live in an era of unprecedented access to information. Think about it: If you wake up Saturday morning and suddenly decide you want to learn how to graph an equation, make creme brulee, or design a henhouse, within moments you can find a website, podcast, or video tutorial to guide you. These days, education travels with you in your pocket. School is no

longer simply a physical place; rather, it is an activity that accompanies students wherever they go.

•

In his article, “Technology in K-12 Education: Envisioning a New Future,” Thornburg writes: This move from noun (place) to verb (activity) is an essential point to grasp in the redefinition of schooling. It not only conveys the idea that “school” can be in session from a variety of locations and times, but that learning is a process we engage in on a regular basis throughout our lives. Longshoreman and philosopher Eric Hoffer once said: “In a time of drastic change it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned usually find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer exists.” Technology does not replace the face-to-face relationship between students and teachers. Instead, it provides teachers with new avenues for connecting with students and helping them engage in a rich education both inside and outside of our school walls.

One tool that helps us connect with students in inventive ways is appropriately named Canvas — our new learning management system (lms). What is an lms? it’s a one-stop application that can be used on any ipad or computer that allows students to: • •

• •

VIew theIr CAlendAr ACCess resOurCe MAterIAls And hOMewOrk AssIgnMents subMIt wOrk tO teAChers COllAbOrAte wIth ClAssMAtes

engAge In dIgItAl dIsCussIOns wIth teAChers And peers reCeIVe feedbACk frOM teAChers

This platform also allows teachers to create multimedia assignments, lessons, and online assessments. It’s a tool for communication, collaboration, creation, and curation, and it is already having an impact. Here’s how our teachers describe its benefits. Early in the school year when eighth-grade science teacher Laura Montgomery was at home recovering from an injury, she quickly saw the power of this LMS: “Students submit assignments online through Canvas, so when I was away from school for a few days, I was still able to grade a quiz given at school during my absence!” Humanities teacher Mary-Mac Elliott describes how the system is changing classroom routines: “Canvas is keeping the students (and me!) organized. Anything we are working on is readily available in digital form, and students have a place to store work. Very little paper is changing hands, thus cutting down the possibility of lost assignments.” History teacher Peter D’Brass concurs: “Canvas chronologically plugs my assignments into the grade book – titles, dates, and all – and this is a helpful, timesaving feature. Students and parents are always in the know as they can access Canvas conveniently. They often mention that it acts as an insurance policy – if they are ever confused about the details of an assignment, they can refer back to the calendar and access all of the requirements.” The ability to submit assignments online has affected how and when teachers offer feedback. Humanities teacher Kelly Nickell says, “The ability to give instant

feedback to the students has been a huge plus! No longer is a student waiting for a teacher to pass back a paper to see their grades. As soon as the teacher assesses the assignment, it is available for the student to review.” Students can access this feedback at home at the press of a button, and they can refer to that feedback as they work on future assignments. Montgomery adds, “Due to the typing feature, I am able to leave much more thorough feedback than when I had to handwrite it. It frees up more time for me when I am grading, thus allowing me to give more extensive comments.” Teachers have also described unanticipated benefits to learning and classroom dynamics. “Canvas has opened up new ways of communication between my students and me that I wasn't expecting,” says Montgomery. “Through the messaging service, I can easily discuss in a private manner any situation or question that has arisen — whether concerning academics, late work, absent work, or concepts covered in class. I have also been impressed how some students have returned to school caught up after absences because they have access to their missing work and notes while at home.” Nickell continues, “The ease with which the students can navigate the technology astounds me! At times they, too, have stepped into the role of ‘teacher’ — constantly helping others, myself included, learn to use these systems better.” Our teachers have quickly adopted many of the features in canvas, coupling the best of traditional learning with new ways of interacting, organizing, providing feedback, and presenting material. But where will we take it from here? How will it improve the art and science of teaching?

canvas offers the capacity for teachers to create learning modules that will guide students from one interactive learning activity to another. these will allow teachers to focus more fully on the needs of individual students.

as students Work on modules at their oWn pace, teachers can track their proGress in real time, proVide support, interVene and reteach When necessary, and enGaGe in Focused Work With small Groups, knoWinG that the rest oF the class is enGaGed in dynamic proGramminG oF their oWn desiGn! Many schools have access to technology in the classroom, but that is not enough to make the difference. What schools need are teachers who understand how the world is changing and how technology can be used to fortify their relationships with students as they help them develop 21st-century skills. That is what we are doing here in the Middle School! As Thornburg states, “The 21st-century classroom will be wherever the learner is located — a room at a school, on the bus ride home, in the park, at a museum, or on the playground ... A more productive role [of a teacher] will be that of a co-learner — an expert guide who helps students navigate the subjects being explored, but who is open to new discoveries and pathyways along the journey."

WHAT MAKES LIFE AS

A TROJAN SPECIAL? TEN SENIORS REFLECT ON THEIR TVS EXPERIENCE Trinity Valley has been my home away from home for the past 12 years. I especially love the community here. The students and faculty have formed a second family for me. Johan Cheah (Class of 2015)

TVS Seniors Hamish Macfarlane, Neha Sharma, Johan Cheah, and Eunice Ndungu

timothy Baker Mrs. Carlson has become my role model in my 13 years at TVS.

She teaches drama like no other, and though it has been six or so years since I was last in her class, she still continues to shape and guide my life as I work toward my goals. She showed me through her absolutely amazing theater productions and programs not just who I am, but what I can be. She helps make TVS my home away from home. I am Timothy Baker and I will always be a Trojan.

Johan cheah Trinity Valley has been my home away from home for the past 12 years.

I especially love the community here. The students and faculty have formed a second family for me. The friends that I’ve made here, whether through my classes or through sports, have made memories that I’ll never forget. Everyone is supportive of each other’s sporting events, and as Trojans, we bond together to form a loud student section for every game. The teachers are also supportive of students both inside and outside the class and are always available to help. I can safely say that TVS has definitely prepared me as I’m ready to take the next step in my life and move on to college and beyond. Go Trojans!

teachers, and they care about you as more than a grade in a file. There are also so many opportunities to expand your interests and be involved in clubs, sports, and arts, and because of all of this overlap, you make so many different friends who help you expand your worldview and grow as a person.

andie mace No matter where your strengths and weaknesses are, I can almost guarantee you that Trinity Valley can cater to them. there is such a wide range of personalities and extracurricular activities that you will never be alone. and if, for some reason, there isn’t a club for your interest, you can take the initiative to start one! the teachers at trinity Valley honestly care about the students, and not just in an “i want to get a paycheck” kind of way.

the teachers will go out of their way to try and help you, even if it is on their own time. they embody what every kenneth cochrum In my time at Trinity Valley School, I have known teacher should be. great teachers who have cared for the students and so when you are considering where to always tried to help. send your child to school, just know One of these teachers is Ric Auger, who teaches pre-calculus. No matter how much extra assistance I required, he was always happy to help and would make sure I understood the material. In the spring of my Junior year, I missed a lot of school because of baseball obligations. When I went to Mr. Auger, he would patiently walk me through the information as many times as I needed. This made him one of my favorite teachers at the school. I am Kenneth Cochrum and I am glad to be a Trojan.

Julianna keller Trinity Valley is a family.

Everyone is willing to go the extra mile to help you achieve your goals. You become so close to your

that no matter who they are and what they are interested in, they will find their place at trinity Valley. i am grateful to be a trojan.

hamish macFarlane Trinity Valley has influenced the next chapter of my life - college - in a number of ways. It has given me the ability to succeed wherever I go through its in-depth coursework and many extracurricular activities.

TVS has certainly prepared me well for any academic challenge in my future through AP classes and

g tols. n i l l i w s i e n veryaochieve your goa E . ly i m a f a y isile to help you15) e l l a V y t i n i r T the extra m Class of 20 go lianna Keller ( Ju interesting electives that both educate and stimulate those involved. Extracurricular activities, athletics in particular, have greatly influenced me. Athletics have taught me leadership, teamwork, humility, and pride; all are traits that will help me in college and have already helped me in my everyday life. I am Hamish and I am proud to be a Trojan.

eunice ndunGu “Beep. Beep. Beep.”

The noise of reversing construction trucks has been a consistent feature of my last year at TVS. As I sit in government class, I wonder if this is how the seniors who graduated the last year TVS was located on the old campus felt. Displaced. Stuck in limbo. As if any mark they’d made would be erased as the entire campus shifted, or in my case, was renovated.

Tvs seniors Anna sudderth,

Timothy Baker, julianna keller, jonathan

pickell, Andie mace, and kenneth cochrum

Once they left, they couldn’t come back to the TVS they’d known, because it would be gone. They couldn’t look forward to the new TVS, because they wouldn’t be there to experience it. How were they supposed to deal with this change? A teacher once addressed this issue with my class. He told us that we would come back to TVS, but it wouldn’t be our TVS. We’d walk down the hallways, but the people we knew would be long gone. And we’d be different too. He was right, to an extent – every graduate visits their school, which isn’t their school anymore. So what of us would remain? Memories. But not our memories. The bearers of these memories are those who remain, as class after class of graduates leave. These are the storytellers, bearers of legacies not their own.

my parents would send me to, but after seeing many schools, the day I visited TVS I told my parents that TVS was the school that I wanted to attend. I really enjoyed the visit.

Teachers. They tell stories of antics long past, but never outdated. These stories are just as relevant as they were 10 years ago, because they speak of students just like me. These are legacies preserved through narration. Something as fragile and tenuous as memory may not seem like much, but memories, retold over and over again, assume strength. And while I might not be here to hear them (which may be for the best, because some memories are best forgotten), these stories say, “You are not forgotten.” Change can be good. But we must not forget the past.

Jonathan pickell A faculty member who has inspired me is Doctor Shelton.

It amazes me that Trinity Valley has teachers who are at the top of their fields, yet are here for their love of teaching. He taught me so much in his class, not only about history, but also about life. He truly cares about the students he teaches, and helps them better themselves on a daily basis. He has been a role model for me ever since I met him, and has inspired me to pursue whatever I want in my career. I am Jonathan Pickell and I am proud to be a Trojan.

neha sharma TVS is a great school if you want your child to succeed.

When I was new to TVS, I was admitted into several schools, but could only choose one. As a younger student, I didn’t have much say into which school

now in tVs i have found really great friends that support me in what i do, and they care for me. they mean a lot to me. above all, speaking academically, during my time at tVs, the advanced curriculum has developed me into a strong intelligent woman. this senior year i am taking

several college-level courses and am head of environmental club and trojan tutors, a tVs tutoring program to help younger students in charter schools in our area. tVs challenges me every day, and i am glad to be a part of this school.

anna sudderth Most students enter Paul Price’s Chemistry class full of worry, and I was no exception; Mr. Price’s classes are infamous for being ridiculously challenging. Now, as a graduate of both Honors and AP Chemistry, I can say that not only were Mr. Price’s classes every bit as hard as I had feared, they were also highlights of my high school career. Through endless problem sets and tests that often seemed impossible, Mr. Price taught me that taking risks and being okay with failure is the only way to truly learn, and that understanding is more important than memorization.

T V SP E R F O R M I N G

A RT S

taxi tales Gene Sessa, Upper School Theater Director

It was a model “meeting of the minds” that took place earlier this Spring semester in the TVS Black Box Theater when drama students, maintenance men and science teachers all put their heads (and hands) together to construct the set for the Upper School production of the play Metamorphoses by Mary Zimmerman. Based on the ancient tales of Ovid, Zimmerman intended for the show to be performed in and around a pool of water onstage. The result was a fine example of cross-curricular cooperation that took weeks to complete as teenagers and adults from at least three different departments worked side by side to problem-solve and put the show on as it was meant to be staged. Calculating things like water pressure and the load-bearing strength of a two-by-four (not to mention the challenge of having all that water safely around all those theatre lights powered by electricity) students, faculty, and staff worked tirelessly not only to construct but also to filter and chemically-treat the watery structure. The pool ended up being ten feet wide by

A CAst Of 21 tVs upper sChOOl students stArted Off the 2014-2015 tVs theAtre seAsOn by fourteen feet long. It was surrounded by a three-footperfOrMIng three shOrt plAys wide wooden deck and had a depth of 30 inches at its At the Of deepest. Thereend was also an septeMber, underwater entranceAll and Of exittheM for actorsset to swim off stage. Inon A and tAxI CAb! A stairway

ascended up from the back deck to an elevated The area production was “the called Taxi would Tales enter and each playing from which gods” and play was setset in was a different city:byLondon, New York City, and exit. The designed senior Patrick Kunkel was Pinter’s Victoria a andChicago. includedThe twofirst sets of Harold bleachers at either endStation, of darkly comic, work with theseldom-performed, pool where audience members sat10-minute during perforonly two characters. The second, TheBell Teaser’s Taxi by mances. Seniors Ivy Distler and Leah headed Melfi, featured four actors. Hellcab by Will Kern up Leonard the set construction, assisted by members of the was a series of 25 short scenes showing a day in the life of Technical Theatre Class. a Chicago cabbie two days Christmas. The main The cast of more thanbefore 20 students adapted part of the set was a real car—a 2005 Suzuki Forenza— with style and grace to the unusual aquatic acting with the windshields roof removed, decorated area. Costumes thatand spanned various decadesto look likedesigned a taxi. Decals donated Yellow Cab Dallas-Fort were by senior Kate by Kowalski, who of had the Worthchallenge gave theof vehicle anwith authentic auto was special dealing lots oflook. wet The clothes moved into the TVS Black Box theatre with the help of each evening. workers Rogers-O’Brien They took All offrom the hard work paid offConstruction. with rave reviews time out from their building work on Play. campus to andsome a Betty Buckley Award nomination for Best assist the TVS Players, using their hydraulic fork lift to raise the car onto the backstage loading dock.

TROJAN Outdoor Experience:

An Outsider's Perspective Chris McEachron TOE Assistant Director

From an outsider’s perspective, TOE is pretty special. It’s special in an amazing variety of ways. But perhaps I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s back up a bit. First of all, I suppose I should introduce myself. My name is Chris McEachron (Mr. McEachron, Mr. M, Big Chris or Captain Awesome, depending on who you ask). I came to Trinity Valley just this year to work with the TOE program, but this is far from my first stint in experiential education. Over the past decade I have worked from the Yukon to Chile and everywhere in between.

Having over 100 weeks of field experience in over a dozen different organizations under my belt, I say again,

TOe Is specIAL.

Flash back to early spring 2012. A friend asked me to work a course with him in the Bahamas (a word of advice: If somebody asks you to go to the Bahamas, especially if they are paying you, you say yes!). I had no idea that TVS or TOE even existed, but soon met Blake Amos and his crew of Trinity Valley adventurers. Over the next week I was able to get just a tiny taste of what it meant to be a Trojan. These folks were polite,

eager, and intelligent. While those traits are awesome, they are not particularly unique. What really caught my attention was deep-seated ambition within this group to pursue new adventures. I kept asking myself, “What type of culture must exist within a school that they would not only immediately recognize the value of new experiences, but then seek them out with unrivaled drive?” For those of you unfamiliar with schools outside of the walls of TVS, this is not a common trait. Most organizations resolutely shun new experiences, especially adventures. Needless to say, I was intrigued! At the end of the trip, Mr. Amos told me that if I really wanted to see how a TOE trip worked, I should make my way down to Texas and help out with the fifth-grade event. So, I strapped my kayak onto my truck and made my way to Fort Worth. What I saw at Lake Mineral Wells that year totally blew me away. At TVS, I experienced a culture of shared adventure. There was an entire class, and their teachers, spending time in the woods together. They were challenging themselves and each other to stretch beyond their comfort zones. Students and teachers were hiking, paddling, climbing, and rappelling together while encouragement flowed in all directions. Teachers were able to see their students in a new light, and students were able to see their teachers as actual people who needed support too. My intrigue grew. Over the next year and half, I became a regular staff member on the fifth- and ninth-grade trips, as well as working with several groups on campus. The more I saw the culture at TVS, the more I wanted to be a part of it. I, too, wanted to be a member of a community that actually grew stronger through shared adventure. To me, that

is an incredibly strong sign of a healthy and thriving organization. This was so enticing that I packed my things and moved to the great state of Texas. Now that I am here and can see everything that Trinity Valley offers, I have discovered an important new bit of information: even from an insider’s perspective, TOE is special. In fact, especially from an insider’s perspective.

In my experience, nO OTHer prOGrAm pOsITIveLy ImpAcTs so many students. No other program puts students right next to their teachers, in environments where all parties need to rely on each other in order for everybody to experience success. No other program so permeates the culture of the community that students look forward to specific events years in advance. TOE is special, and Trinity Valley is truly fortunate to have access to such a different and wonderful program. If I’m being honest, I am as well. Now, any story worth its salt must, to some degree, have a cyclical nature, and this one is no different. This year, as a full-time staff member with six TOE trips under my belt, I was excited to work my third Mineral Wells expedition. I felt comfortable and in the know. So I invited Shawn, one of my colleagues from another organization, to assist with paddling instruction. After the course Shawn told me that he was inspired by what we were doing and that he was intrigued about just how amazing this program is. He said that he wanted to be more involved, because TOE was special. I definitely have to agree!

see more about how the outdoor program touches students from third to 12th grades at www.trinityvalleyschool.org/toe.

25 25

T V SM E S S AG E

F R O M

U P P E R

S C H O OL

a newly Formed upper school club engages students and provides a Glimpse into the Future of learning

What’s in Chris Gunnin, Head of Upper School

“Deconstruct the fun in any good game, and it becomes clear that what makes it enjoyable is the built-in learning process. To progress in a game is to learn; when we are actively engaged with a game, our minds are experiencing the pleasure of grappling with and coming to understand a new system. The same factors that make well-designed games highly motivating also make them ideal learning environments.” – Jessica Trybus, Director of Edutainment for Carnegie Mellon University

early e arly in my career in independent schools, I learned that sometimes it’s a principal’s job simply not to get in students’ way; so when current juniors Truman robertson, jack keltner, and sam Pumphrey scheduled time with me last year to find out if they could start a GeoGeo-political club in the upper school, I was eager to let them take the lead upper in this new endeavor. A year later, I am proud every time I watch these three students and 20 of their classmates grab lunch “to-go” to head quickly from the cafeteria to Mrs. Robertson’s classroom for the Geo-Political Club’s weekly meeting. Once students arrive, the focus of their attention quickly shifts away from what happened over the weekend or which quizzes are coming up to matters of foreign policy, international diplomacy, trade restrictions, and economic and social policies. As the meetings begin each week,

members of the club divide themselves into small teams and assume the roles of the executive branches of countries' governments. Using a geo-political simulator called “Rulers of Nations,” students must think like politicians and balance the desire to please their electorates while making policy decisions, mediating conflicts, and passing laws for good of their countries. When you talk with Truman, Jack, and Sam, you quickly see why endorsing this club’s establishment at Trinity Valley School was such an easy decision. Their intellectual curiosity and commitment to this game speaks to their eagerness to learn and engage with the world as well as to the power of well-designed simulation games.

Jack offers a succinct explanation of how the game works: “We assign the students into groups and have them choose a nation they wish to play as, then they begin to pass laws, deal with conflicts, and please their nation’s populace.” Truman points out that the simulation challenges players to consider the complexities of leaders’ decision-making processes: “each executive has not only to worry about the success of the country but also whether he or she will be re-elected. This means that gameplay dramatically shifts in the second term as

a Game?

Chris Gunnin, M. Ed. Tvs sTudenTs FInd reAL-WOrLd experIences And reAL-WOrLd OppOrTunITIes WITHIn And BeyOnd THe GATes OF duTcH BrAncH rOAd

players worry more about what they are going to do and less about being re-elected. players come to understand how economic and social policies affect individual countries.” Sam adds that while part of the experience helps players learn about politics, the game also allows students to develop collaboration skills as they make group decisions: “students who play get to experience small-group dynamics. They elect a leader out of their group to lead their country, and the rest of the players on a team act as support members for the group. The way that each group handles its country and works together as a group is greatly affected by how well they work together. This along with resolving conflicts within their individual groups helps to teach the members about smallgroup dynamics.”

While truman, Jack, and sam and the other members of the group realize that they are learning the ins and outs of international policy and the complexities of political leadership, they may not know that their project is a perfect example of the educational movement of game-based learning. Across the country, educational leaders are exploring

Jack Keltner, Truman Robertson, and Sam Pumphrey began the first TVS Geo-Political club. the characteristics of good game design to understand how to better engage students in programs for learning rather than entertainment. Susan Ambrose and Jessica Trybus at Carnegie Mellon’s Center for Teaching Excellence explain that we don’t need more time in the classroom to learn how to think and perform in the face of real-world challenges; we need effective, interactive experiences that motivate and actively engage us in the learning process. They explain that “in an effective game-based learning environment, we work toward a goal, choosing actions and experiencing the consequences of those actions along the way. We make mistakes in a risk-free setting, and through experimentation, we actively learn and practice the right way to do things. This keeps us highly engaged in practicing behaviors and thought processes that we can easily transfer to real life. In game-based environments, we learn not only the facts, but also the important, underlying hows and whys. This understanding of

deeper, more abstract principles prepares us to perform consistently and effectively, even in new and unexpected situations.” Ambrose and Trybus point out that the success of game-based and simulationbased learning in the aviation, military, and healthcare industries provides a powerful proof of concept, and an endorsement of learning effectiveness. mr. seleny’s founding principle in establishing Trinity valley school was the simple belief that “if you want to be a leader in the world, you have to understand the world.” That belief still guides our work, and I think he would be proud of our students’ interest in and passion for global politics. But how we go about preparing our students to be leaders in the world looks very different today than it did even a few years ago. The Geo-political club demonstrates not only our students’ eagerness to be leaders in the world, but also our evolving understanding of what school looks like. With powerful emerging technologies, sometimes the teacher guides on the side while students actively explore, negotiate, strategize, and simulate. And sometimes that learning feels a lot more like play than work.

T V S

Courtney Morris, Class of 2016

F I N E

A RT S

Brylyn Lea, Class of 2016

Payton Shleman, Class of 2015

Liz Hiles, Class of 2016

Lauren Sorokolit, Class of 2016

Dylan Bade, Class of 2016

Lucy Meador, Class of 2016

Cannon Brumley, Class of 2016

Lulu Rodgers, Class of 2017

T V SA DVA N C E M E N T

lIndA And greg whIteheAd are thrilled to serve trinity Valley school as chairs of the 20142015 Annual giving Campaign. Their son Harrison is in the 11th grade, and serving the school that has not only given their child the foundation for his future, but has also provided the setting for him to grow into the wonderful young man he is today is an honor they cherish. The TVS Board of Trustees and Faculty & Staff are already at 100% participation in the Annual Fund. On behalf of the Whiteheads, the Leadership Team, the Board, and our Faculty & Staff, we invite you to partner with TVS by making a donation today. Imagine what we can do together! Our dedicated parent volunteers play a vital role in the success of our Annual Fund. We gratefully acknowledge the parent volunteers listed to the right for their valuable assistance. Also, a big thank you to Lower School Captains Amy and Chris Buchanan and Middle School Captains Angela and Bob Yonke. Donate online today at www.trinityvalleyschool.org/AnnualFundforTVS

Ashley White, Development

tVs annual Fund leadership team erin and robert Aldrich

kerry Fisher and ken duncan

jody and kirk miller

cyrena and craig Allen

vickie and dan dunkelberg

darcy and steve miller

Angel and rex Baker

Heather Breiter and pat dunne

Hollie and chad Barber

melodi and George Faris

kerensa and shahram naghshbandi

Bonnie and Bill Barksdale

Katie and Jeff Farmer

krista and don Barrington

susi and chad Fillmore

Marina and Cliff Beasley

kristi and Walter Floyd

kim martin Berkowitz

stacy and George Grau

Zahra and salim Bhaloo

kelly and Bill Hanley

crystal and Tracy Bolt

Beth and justin Harlin

Ann ranelle and michael Boothby

nancy and marcus Hiles

Whitney and scott Brown

Angie and Long Hoang

elizabeth and Brian carlock

melissa and Ben Hoskins

julia and daniel cleveland

julienne Greer and Gordon jorgenson

karin and michael steadman

shelley and robert karpman

ronda and Walter stucker

mandy and jeremy kirwan

jill and michael unell

sarah and chris klein

joanne viola

carrie and christopher kochan

mollee and Greg Westfall

susan and peter Lanasa

Ashley White

Alyssa and Field Lange

Ayeshia and clarence White

kellie and maxwell Lea

Linda and Greg Whitehead

jamie and darren Lewis

carol and stan Williams

jennifer and cue Lipscomb

Laurie Wisdom

Tracy and david matheson

Kimberly and Jeffrey Zavaleta

shannon and mike collins kim and Billy cordell donna and ross craft Ashley and cullen crisp Heather and rob curtis karen White-dacy and Trey dacy sona and virat dave jenny and steve davis Laurie and john dickens meredith and Hank dorris donna and david dozier

Allison and paul poston rubina and shiraz premjee kelly and drew pumphrey Betty and Thomas rajan claire and Walt reynolds jenny and Andrew rosell stacey and Aaron rumfelt reshma saran sheri and joe sears kate and chris snow

elizabeth and mark mccurdy

ADMIRE

IAn leslIe wOuld

TVS

F RO M

T H E

T V S

H E A D

O F

S C H O O L

Mr. leslIe ChAllenges us tO be “thInkers” whO exAMIne IdeAs deeply And plAy wIth prObleMs, prObIng fOr Answers. to advance our civilization, we must work hard to gain an in-depth basis of knowledge and fight the urge to use technology to wade only in the shallow end of the knowledge pool. he goes a step further and considers it unwise to place thinking skills, such as creativity, ahead of the curiosity for and acquisition of knowledge.

Gary Krahn, Ph.D.

Modern technologies in the form of computers are tremendous tools for visualization, pattern recognition, translation of ideas into design, exploration of information, and the connection of concepts. Today’s technological tools actually perform many of the processes of what were considered essential components of education in the past. We are all probably thankful that we do not have to teach our children or grandchildren the algorithm for finding the square root of an integer to six decimal places. Nevertheless, our students face new challenges. They will be required to process data and synthesize large amounts of information, understand the roles of artificial intelligence and information management, traverse multiple cultures while managing rapid change, confront complexity, leverage rapidly changing technologies,

and address moral and ethical dilemmas resulting from advances in bioengineering. In addition, our students will find themselves doing less managing and more leading - creating and shaping transformational change within their work and social environments. As a result, lifelong learning is no longer a goal; it is a requirement. As we undergo a “paradigm shift” in blending technologies into our lives (see Walter Isaacson’s Wall Street Journal article, September 27, 2014, “Where Innovation Comes From: Today’s biggest innovations are coming from the combination of human inspiration and computer-processing power”), the sciences of chaos and complexity, representations of neural networks, and a host of other new approaches to modeling are redefining the way we learn and make

informed decisions. Thanks to technology and the development of the Internet, information is ubiquitous. In this connected age, technology is valuable if it provides an individual with the abilities to think, reason, and act effectively and efficiently - that is, providing the abilities to sort and evaluate the plethora of available information, and ultimately to learn in depth. This leads to a fascinating discussion of whether the Internet makes us less intelligent, by making it too easy to find facts and by taking away the productive struggle of having to learn them. The Internet and search engines allow us to find information often and quickly. The efficiency of surfing of the Internet for facts often nullifies the practice of examining issues over time, eliminating a more prolonged investigation nurtured with questions such as: Do I believe this? What about that example? What does this remind me of? How is it different from this other case I’ve studied? What if I changed this or that? Most Internet searches are passive. As a result, technologies have altered students’ study skills, expectations, self-knowledge, self-reliance, and, more generally, their ability to meet what Dr. Donna Hicks’s mentor Dr. Robert Kegan calls “the mental demands of modern life” (the subtitle of his book, In Over Our Heads). Recently, I began studying the work of Ian Leslie. His book Curiosity provides a rigorous argument that the concept of curiosity may deserve more attention than creativity, the more popular skill within education circles.

the book describes two types of curiosity. “diversive” curiosity is superficial and can be satisfied very quickly through a Google search or the reading of a short article. “epistemic” curiosity is satisfied by a strong desire to understand an idea or concept in depth that often leads to greater learning and discovery. Mr. Leslie, through extensive research, has developed the position that current technologies cultivate diversive curiosity and make it more difficult to patiently explore and nourish ideas over time. He claims the iPhone and iPad make people believe, inappropriately, that they are smart. Mr. Leslie challenges us to be “thinkers” who examine ideas deeply and play with problems, probing for answers. To advance our civilization, we must work

hard to gain an in-depth basis of knowledge and fight the urge to use technology to wade only in the shallow end of the knowledge pool. He goes a step further and considers it unwise to place thinking skills, such as creativity, ahead of the curiosity for and acquisition of knowledge. In his book he cites the wisdom of Grandmasters in chess, who can see the board because they have memorized thousands of positions and possibilities. His research shows that “knowledge makes you smarter. People who know more about a subject have a kind of X-ray vision; they can zero in on a problem’s underlying fundamentals, rather than using up their brain’s processing power on getting to grips with the information in which the problem comes wrapped.” I would like to share with you, the best I can, in paraphrase form, a comment from Danny Goroff, currently the director of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and former Dean at Harvey Mudd College: a technological revolution should, ideally, make you re-examine and re-emphasize what is and is not most essential about what people have been doing all along without the machines. before the agricultural revolution, reading, writing, and civic living in towns were all possible and were done to some extent. by automating somewhat the ability to hunt and gather, the invention of the plow freed people to concentrate on civilized activities that humans can do and plows cannot. The biggest challenge of the information revolution is not to figure out what we can do with the Internet, but rather what the internet cannot do. Leslie advocates that curiosity is the core attribute that separates us from machines and is an engine that inspires us to move back and forth between facts and ideas to learn in depth rather than simply being receivers of information. Information is knowledge which is merely acquired and stored up; curiosity cultivates the human spirit and inspires the work necessary to convert knowledge into wisdom for the advancement of mankind. As you examine the articles in this issue of Trojan Voice and walk around our campus, we are confident you will view a school that Ian Leslie would admire.

TVS 2015 MILESTONES tVs proudly conGratulates the FolloWinG Faculty and staFF 35 years

10 years

julie nemser

sylvia Bussey cindy coggin

30 years

deAnna Hansen

Harriett moore

maggie knapp claire Lawhon pearce ’01

25 years

courtney prescott

sherry duncan johnny miller

5 years Ginger Alford

20 years

pat cooper

mike clemens

mike kris clare pritchett Lorimer ’89

15 years

erin macnabb

karen Arrington

jennifer smith

carol Gramentine

deborah Warner

Tim jones

nancy Wright

david keerins kyle kennedy ’89 kory robertson ’89 Amy ross ’97 marcy roten

WHY TVS HAS

Dr. Michael Roemer, Director of Global Initiatives

Since the inception of our Global Initiatives Program in the summer of 2011, TVS students, faculty, and families have connected with people in 30 different countries on six different continents as part of our programs. In addition to these exciting numbers, what is more important to us as a learning community is what happens as a result of these connections. Naturally, short- and long-term effects vary by individual. However, responses so far from students, faculty, families, and the guests with whom we’ve shared exchanges have been

overwhelmingly positive. TVS is one of the few schools in the U.S. with a full-time Global Initiatives Program, and this article aims to show how our Program makes learning about other cultures and ways of thinking about life enjoyable, rewarding, and inspiring. I also want to share how our Program supports what recent research on learning and teaching recommends concerning preparing our future leaders to compete in our global society and to be “social innovators” and “innovative learners.”

T V SG LO B A L

I N I T I AT I V E S

GONE GLOBAL First, some comments from the TVS community: NICOLE BERGAMINI (Class of 2016): Nicole traveled to Poland, the Czech Republic, and Israel this summer on the NFTY L’Dor VaDor Program. Here’s how she described her trip:

roemer: What Was the most reWardinG experience For you? nicole: i can’t think of just one rewarding experience, because the entire trip was rewarding. i can probably talk for hours about the friends i met and how many shocked me out of my sheltered life. ... it surprised me how quickly i became friends with some of them. roemer: hoW do you think this traVel experience chanGed you? Nicole: I learned to be myself and fit in at the same time, because my two cents can be appreciated in a conversation. SRA. LOURDES NEDRELOW (LS Spanish teacher): Sra. Nedrelow traveled to Nicaragua for faculty development (Summer 2013), and she chaperoned the Ethiopia Service Learning trip (Spring 2014).

roemer: Why do you think traVel aBroad is important For our Faculty?

nedrelow: our world is becoming smaller every day via technology and globalization, which enables our classrooms to become “interactive world classrooms.” as an educator, i believe that traveling abroad and having the amazing opportunity to share my personal experiences with my students is priceless. they appreciate the human connections/stories i bring back and share with them. roemer: do you think your serVice learninG proJect had an impact on the people you

Worked With in ethiopia? nedrelow: our service learning project in ethiopia through the phenomenal organization, adera, was truly inspiring. … i have to honestly say that the students, faculty, and staff at the hiber school and at the korah daycare had a larger impact on our tVs group than we had on them. Watching our students make connections with the students at hiber is something i will always remember. i am truly grateful to have been a part of this unique service learning project. RYAN LIN (Class of 2016): Ryan participated in the Ethiopia Service Learning Trip.

roemer: What Was the most reWardinG experience For you on the trip? ryan: Working with kids was very rewarding; learning how little kids act the same everywhere, in africa and america. roemer: do you think your serVice learninG proJect had an impact on the people you Worked With in ethiopia? ryan: i really think i made a lasting impact on some of the teachers there, as well as the kids. Just showing the interest to help them seemed to impact them quite a lot. CHARLOTTE DOZIER (Class of 2017): Charlotte also participated in the Ethiopia Service Learning Trip.

roemer: What Was the most reWardinG experience For you on the trip? charlotte: the amount of love and happiness that the people of ethiopia exuded onto us. they made me feel like they had known me for my whole life, which is something you do not see in america that often.

roemer: hoW do you think this traVel experience chanGed you? charlotte: it brought a new perspective that i would have never experienced unless i went somewhere where they lived off of each other’s love and company. CLAIRE-LISE GREVE (Class of 2018): Claire-Lise has hosted several of our international guests (Japanese and Chinese).

roemer: What has Been the most reWardinG part oF hostinG? claire-lise: learning about the cultures and traditions from other countries. roemer: hoW do you think that hostinG has chanGed you? claire-lise: hosting has made me more open to other people’s beliefs and customs. roemer: What is somethinG that you think you Will rememBer For many years to come From your hostinG experiences? claire-lise: i will remember all the fun i had with my new friends from all around the world. If these words haven’t convinced you of the importance of our Program, academics, politicians, and others offer other explanations for why we need to “globalize” education. According to the U.S. Department of Education, exposing our students to other cultures is crucial for the political, economic, and educational development and competitiveness of our society. According to a 2012 Department of Education publication by Department Secretary Arne Duncan, U.S. students need a “global” education for four main reasons: 1. Economic competiveness and jobs—our future leaders will need to be prepared to compete globally to keep our economy strong and to have rewarding careers; 2. Global challenges—our future leaders will be facing ongoing and new global challenges and need the knowledge and skills to tackle them;

3. National security and diplomacy—our future leaders will require “civic and global awareness” to help us relate to and work with other countries; and 4. A diverse U.S. society—changing demographics in our own country will require our future leaders to have even greater understanding of, and the ability to collaborate with, a diverse U.S. population (http://www2. ed.gov/about/inits/ed/internationaled/internationalstrategy-2012-16.pdf). The next point I want to explain is how our Global Initiatives Program is preparing our students to become “social innovators.” Tony Wagner, a leader in education theory and practice, argues that education needs to focus on helping our students become innovators, including “social innovators” (Creating Innovators, 2012). Unlike social innovations that focus on community service (already an important component of a TVS education), the kinds of innovations on which the Global initiatives Program has focused thus far are multicultural awareness, understanding, and acceptance. According to Wagner, social innovators “want to make change” (101, original emphasis). To do so often requires the ability to “think outside the box.”

tVs’s GloBal initiatiVes proGram encourages students to think outside our gates, our city, and our nation.

By spending time with people from other cultures, our students are learning new perspectives about life, learning, and the topics that they study together. They’re learning to collaborate and communicate with people who do not always think the way they do. Sometimes, they reach the same conclusion but through different processes. Other times, they disagree, and that’s fine, too. For social innovators to “make change,” they need to be able to convince others that change is necessary; they have to be able to work with people with whom they disagree to reach their desired outcomes. The kinds of interactions we are creating for our students with people from different cultures provide our students with these essential skills so that they can become social innovators.

they are learninG to Work amicaBly With people With diFFerent VieWpoints, BackGrounds, lanGuaGes (in some cases), and expectations. For those reasons, the Program is also an example of “innovative learning” (Wagner, Chapter 5). Innovative learners find something they want to do or learn about and take some risks to learn it. In the case of Global Initiatives, students and families decide they want to learn more about another culture or language, so they host a guest from Japan, Mexico, China, or Denmark (our international guests so far). Or, they are students who travel to another country and live with a host family or practice their foreign language skills, despite the discomforts or fears of being away from home or the inability to speak that language fluently. Students who learn online via blogs or Skype with students from various parts of the globe also take risks and often learn on their own time—outside of class—to pursue personal interests beyond the assigned topic of study. As the quotations from the students above reveal, what our students discover about themselves and about the people they live with and meet far surpasses anything they could learn in a classroom setting only. They are being social innovators and innovative learners—and the personal, emotional, and learning rewards are immeasurable. And, those are just a few reasons why... Tvs HAs GOne GLOBAL!

A DAY WITH Du DuKE'S GreG dAL GreG dALe Tim Jones, Director of Athletics

workshop was completed: “I think the workshop was great, and we should do something similar to this a few times a year. As coaches, it gives us a

chance to reflect on our own coaching style, while also getting a better idea of what our other coaches are teaching and sharing with their teams that some of us may not hear about normally.” After the coaches’ workshop, Greg had the opportunity to meet with a select group of our TVS athletes to discuss mental toughness. The student athletes in attendance enjoyed and benefited from his presentation. One athlete in particular remarked, On September 8, the TVS Athletic Department was host to Gregory A. Dale, Ph.D., Professor of Sport Psychology and Sport Ethics at Duke University. Greg is also the director of Sport Psychology and Leadership Programs for Duke Athletics. Dr. Dale led our coaching staff in an all-day professional development workshop titled “The Art of Coaching: Strategies for Creating More Confident, Consistent, and Coachable Athletes.” This workshop emphasized the importance of coaches earning credibility with their athletes as well as shaping positive group dynamics for maximum team development and productivity. During this interactive session, Greg challenged us to think about and defend our individual beliefs on topics ranging from discipline and accountability to motivation and success. One TVS coach had this to say after the

“I really enjoyed the guest speaker we had. personally, I thought it was impressive how he had worked with the duke teams and other schools, like the university of michigan, as well. I liked the exercise we did when we paired up and told our partner the same thing we would tell ourselves in a game. "This truly showed me to not be so hard on myself and that my teammates are experiencing this as well. I also thought the idea of coming up with something as a team that you can quickly say or do to refocus and let go after a bad play was helpful. I

applied the methods that he taught us on how to be mentally tough during tonight’s game and I feel that it really made a difference!”

Finally, before Greg returned to the Raleigh-Durham area, he had a chance to deliver his workshop, “The Fulfilling Ride: A Parent’s Guide to Helping Athletes Have a Successful Sport Experience,” to more than 70 TVS parents. This thought-provoking workshop received rave reviews from the parents in attendance. The session was centered on encouraging parents to analyze the type of environment they are creating for their children and providing strategies all parents can utilize to be more effective sports parents. We are already in the process of finding a time next year to bring Dr. Dale back to TVS to continue his work with our coaches, student athletes, and parents.

In addition to his work with Duke athletes and coaches, Greg consults with numerous high school, college, and professional athletes and teams as well as corporations around the world. Greg has written four books related to coaching, parenting, and performance in sport. In addition, he has written scripts and serves as the “expert” on a series of 13 videos on leadership, performance, and parenting. Greg has been featured on Good Morning America, ESPN, MSNBC, Court TV, and numerous national radio programs.

H FOR

TVS

THE CAmPAIGN

tVs celebrates major donors to the campaign for tVs

Please join us to support this important effort!

$1,000,000 and above Judy and paul Andrews* paul e. Andrews, Jr. foundation - Judy and paul Andrews, Chris Andrews, emelie Andrews graham ’98, Jennifer Andrews Moore ’96* Amon g. Carter foundation $500,000 - $999,999 shannon and Mark hart** nancy and Marcus hiles** kim Mcgartland Medley** the swienton family Charitable foundation $250,000 - $499,999 the dunkelberg family - dan, Vickie, sam (Class of 2015) and katie (Class of 2016)* katie and Jeff farmer ’87** fondren foundation hattie Mae lesley foundation tony and paula prater r4 foundation rosalyn g. rosenthal, rozanne and billy rosenthal, Ashli rosenthal blumenfeld ’99, ben rosenthal ’01, Madelyn rosenthal ’02** robert J. and edith k. schumacher foundation and kathy and frank kyle* william e. scott foundation $100,000 - $249,999 Meredith watts dorris ’81 and hank dorris ’81 winn dunaway family foundation by Carol & Jim dunaway and Christy & Jason smith Marta and Jeff ekberg kristy ekleberry* Adam '90, Craig '87 and Marc goldman ’92* Carol and ronald goldman the keltner family*

the Miller family - tod, laura, Jay ’04, scott ’08* James l. Murray, in honor of kathleen Murray dodd, M.d., Class of 1980* Martha sue parr trust, J.p. Morgan Chase trustee Ann l. & Carol green rhodes Charitable trust susan and John sheffield tVs faculty and staff tVs parents' Club* Ann and John Viola Crystelle waggoner Charitable trust* $50,000 - $99,999 In honor of Melinda w. Adams with love, glenn A. Adams and children will ’03, greg ’05, lauren ’07 and Andrew ’13 the Adams-gibson Charitable fund Anonymous (2) kaydee and bill bailey Ann ranelle and Michael boothby theresa and randy brillhart in honor of livia and Miles langford teresa and smith brownlie louise b. Carvey* Adam and Adrianne deem frill foundation Martha fry and family fanchon and howard hallam drs. bea and dan kutzler* tandra and Jeremy langford dana and Jack McCallum* Cheryl and ken d. Mindell ’70* Mr. and Mrs. walter M. stucker ’81 becca and Mark stupfel neel r. tanna ’97 and Amar k. tanna ’99* J. scott and elizabeth tindall* Marc and beth walraven Jayne and dennis withers*

$25,000 - $49,999 stephanie and brian Allen Carol Margaret Allen holly and Jason Anderson Jen and Michael Appleman ’86* bonnie and bill barksdale barlow and dozier families kim Martin berkowitz** the blum family - Marvin, laurie, Adam ’01, elizabeth ’04 Crystal and tracy bolt karen genovese dozier and gary dozier** Jill driggers and Matthew driggers (Class of 2020)* tahmineh and frood eelani Carolyn and dan fauber frost* stacie and Marc goldman ’92 kaye and leland hodges steven A. and emily M. hollis lee ’95, Chris ’99, hunter ’00 and rohan Johnson (Class of 2024) dr. and Mrs. david kostohryz, Jr. ’97* paula and gary krahn** susan and peter lanasa Mr. and Mrs. luther l. Marshall, Jr.* natalie and brant Martin ’88 ella C. Mcfadden trust at Community foundation of north texas* bob, Judy, paige ’06 and elizabeth Mcnamara ’08 Qurumbli fund Margaret neil riemitis ’80 and Andy riemitis the rubin family - donna, bernie, sarah ’08 stacey and Aaron rumfelt eunice rutledge* Jeanne Van Zant sanders* John solberg* Joanne Viola Mylinh Vu* lisa and Matt walker Carol and stan williams steve and tamara willmann $10,000 - $24,999 lynn Allen kristin and Jeff Anderson Mark and Julie Anderson Marianne Auld hollie and Chad barber george and kaye lynne boll brian bormann and linda kiraly Angie and nick bulaich

elizabeth and brian Carlock sausan and basem Chaker brenda and Chad Cline, in honor of Jared d. Cline ’12 and Jason A. Cline ’14 Ashley and Cullen Crisp kory and John Cummings Mr. and Mrs. Matthew deen John and laurie dickens heather breiter and pat dunne daphne and scott elliott Mr. and Mrs. g. walter floyd brian '93, kristie '94, and grace gibson (Class of 2025) david and lauri hadobas* kelly and bill hanley don and tammy hayward Angie and long hoang lauren and Jeff hooper the horton family the M.r. and evelyn hudson foundation Amy and rob Jacobs Judith ’76 and kevin kinser Chris and sarah klein Mr. and Mrs. John C. koechel ’89 Jamie and darren lewis Jennifer and Cue lipscomb Clare pritchett lorimer ’89 and bill lorimer ’95** bryan and brian lynch elizabeth and Mark McCurdy John McMillen ’99 whitney and Jonathan Mock Mr. and Mrs. Michael Moore lauren and scott norville* Alison parks (Class of 2017) Andrea and Mike pavell Christy and Clark peveto stuart and emily pickell Mr. and Mrs. warren prescott Jenny ’95 and Andrew rosell satyanarayana family* Amy and bruce selkirk* kent and hannah smitherman susie and robert ursprung linda and greg whitehead $5,000 - $9,999 Carma Anderson* Anonymous krista and don barrington* Jill bayne beasley foundation

peter and beth dahlberg* kathryn davis ’89* linda and Jay fierke ken duncan and kerry fisher Molly gamades rani and brad grandstaff gail granek Jim and tammy hille* Michael and elaine sanders Morris ’84* John and kristen patterson sophia yarnall payne Mr. and Mrs. John C. pritchett kelly and drew pumphrey david and Carolyn roberts '79* Mr. and Mrs. herbert l. schwarz schwarz-hanson Architects Mr. and Mrs. scott shapard daphne and Carl shaw Jodi and todd spake Amy and donovan williamson II* $2,500 - $4,999 dr. and Mrs. Mark Alford harry beaudry ’89* david and kim berzina Mr. and Mrs. s. benton Cantey John Comunelli and susan sward-Comunelli Calvin and Janis Crider Carter Crum ’89* Mr. reese henry laura Manning high ’89* Margaret and philip kramer Mr. and Mrs. Markus kypreos ’96* Cynthia and Jeffrey Mills Mills uniform Company Monty Moncrief ’89* Amber Anderson Mostyn ’89* Creighton pickett ’89* stephen and leigh scanlon Chris sonneborn ’89* lee and satish tiwari $1,000 - $2,499 Jennifer lester Anderson ’89* Jason Andrews ’89* Anonymous debby Alexander Arnold ’86* sue and Alan buratto Mark and sylvia bussey

Julie and greg butner ’82* stephanie Mcwilliams byrd ’91 and brian byrd kendall and david draper John and Mary-Mac elliott Carol and John elliott ’96* Aileen gauntt Mr. and Mrs. Christopher l. gunnin Abby '14, trip (Class of 2016) and kate hanley (Class of 2018) Virginia hobbs Charitable trust dawn and tim Jones linda kazanova* enrique espinosa koenig ’93 deborah and Mike kris dr. bill and Carolyn lorimer karen and robert Marlin barbara f. McCluer patrick ’98 and Moira Mcglinchey sandy Mcnutt Mr. and Mrs. Jay Miller ’04* Chris, Courtney, susan and John Morris Michael and Julie nemser don Ozuna Jon and Charissa perkins elise and david price kalpana ramakrishna ’86* Amy riley schumacher ’86 and david schumacher ’86* katherine and stephen seleny drs. sayeeda and farooq selod Joey and Carrie skains Jude and Marc sloter* Caroline dulle smith ’89* Chandler smith ’81* frank and Martha smith in honor of their grandchildren, louise Johnston and Martha Johnston susan parrish smith '86 and warren smith* pratibha and raj tanna* kim and lantz tooke laurie wisdom Monika and ben worsley * endowment donors ** endowment and building donors CAMpAIgn dOnOrs (as of 10/16/14)

New applied learNiNg spaces will provide our studeNts more opportuNities to learN by doiNg.

the nuts And bOltsâ&#x20AC;Ś. the lower school addition will house

the Exploratorium science room and a multipurpose collaboration learning center, as well as art, music and fourth grade. The nurse, counselor, world languages, and technology will relocate to the current LS building.

the middle school addition will welcome

science labs for seventh and eighth grade, a multipurpose collaboration learning center, music, choir, and world language building. Latin and other classes currently taught in the Upper School building will find a new home in the current MS building.

the upper school addition will accommodate a student commons/study area, Global Initiatives center, publications suite, computer science lab, and a multipurpose collaboration learning center.

Building for Transformational chanGe

H FOR

TVS

THE CAmPAIGN

Clare Pritchett Lorimer, External Affairs and Major Gifts

when students and families returned to campus this fall, no one could miss that something bIg was going on. forty-two hundred feet of safety fence lined in trojan blue surrounds three work zones. Construction of 40,000 square feet of new space for lower, Middle and upper schools is underway and scheduled to be complete this summer in time for the opening of the 2015-16 school year. why Are we buIldIng? The new facilities will allow for transformational programs not currently feasible. Although we are blessed with beautiful and sound facilities, they are no longer sufficient to meet the demands of a robust 21st-century education. We are not adding space to increase enrollment. Fifty-five years ago, Stephen Seleny gathered a small group of students and began with them the collective journey that has led to the Trinity Valley School of today. From those humble first days, the underlying philosophy

of TVS has been that to be a leader in the world, one must understand the world, and our TVS founders knew that developing young people intellectually, athletically, ethically, spiritually, and socially meant giving them the tools necessary to interpret and respond to the challenges they would face in their local and global communities. That vision continues today. The Campaign for TVS will support new and redesigned spaces that inspire learning through creativity, collaboration, and the exchange of ideas. Spaces for independent learning will also provide students opportunities for exploration of ideas on a deeper level, along with facilitating further self-awareness, performance, growth, and skills for lifelong learning. Our traditional practices combined with our progressive approaches will provide a unique â&#x20AC;&#x153;blend of excellenceâ&#x20AC;? in learning to best develop our students into global leaders of character.

new collaboration learning centers sized to fit an entire division will anchor each school. 47

These new spaces will allow for daily gatherings to build community, which has been especially meaningful in forging a more cohesive atmosphere in the middle years. Common areas for group study, debate, and discussion will be also added to provide a more comprehensive learning environment. Enhanced areas for faculty will be created to accommodate and advance collaboration amongst our educators, too. Idea sharing and collaboration are essential for our community to advance. New applied learning spaces will provide our students more opportunities to learn by doing.

an exploratorium will provide our lower school students a unique hands-on science learning environment. new science labs for middle school will support more experimentation and discovery. an innovative computer science lab in upper school will provide the appropriate space for our nationally acclaimed program to progress and prosper. By understanding “what is,” our students will be able to create “what will be.” Spaces will be added to significantly enhance our ability to provide an “education without walls.” Versatile, high-tech areas will allow our students to interact with other students and with professional experts in any given field, whether these peers or experts are located down the street, across the state, or on another continent. A specialized room for our Global Initiatives Program will also provide a central location for communicating with our school partners around the world. Exposing our students to a wide array of perspectives, experiences, and cultures will better prepare them for their global world.

hOw CAn yOu help? The building component of The Campaign for TVS is an expansive $15 million effort. Many current families, alumni, grandparents, parents, students, and community leaders have already stepped forward; still, fundraising is not complete, and we will need everyone’s help and support to be successful. We have until the end of this school year to complete the campaign. We owe a great deal to those who have come before us at TVS, and now it is our turn to do our part and secure a strong future for TVS. Let it be said of us, as we say of those before us, that here were leaders in the field of education, committed both to the individual child and, in turn, to that child’s eventual role as a leader in the world. Please join us in this effort by making a commitment this fall. Gifts can be paid in full or pledged and paid out over a period of three to five years. Contributions are accepted in the form of cash, check, or stock. All donations are significant and valued.

special Matching Opportunities Pledge now to increase the impact of your gift: An anonymous donor will match 12 new gifts or pledges of $25,000 or more. Campaign Chair Kim Medley will contribute an additional $100,000 to the campaign if we receive 20 new gifts or pledges of $10,000 by December 31, 2014. Donors contributing $10,000 or more will be permanently recognized in the foyer of the SST.

And you can advance the campaign in other ways, too! • Invite a TVS friend to a building update • Encourage others to join you in the effort • Visit with your extended family about giving together • Host a gathering to update TVS friends about the building project

wAnt tO leArn MOre? JOIn us fOr An updAte On the buIldIng prOJeCt In the rdr: thursday, december 11 at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. (following the LS holiday performances)

or thursday, January 15 at 8:30 a.m.

tVs frIends shAre suppOrt fOr CAMpAIgn we believe this is a unique opportunity to make a significant investment in our children’s future and our community. I expect the returns on this investment to exceed our expectations and change the lives of everyone it touches. Jenny ’95 and Andrew Rosell, TVS Parents, Jimmy (Class of 2025) and Charlie (Class of 2027) trinity Valley school has continued to be an important part of my life and my children’s lives. we are a part of the trinity Valley family. I believe that it is important to continue the legacy that Mr. seleny established at the school and within the fort worth community. Gail Granek, TVS Alumni Parent, Elise '89 and Josh '92

i was excited to help the school, and a lemonade stand was a way i could contribute. it will be fun to have new buildings!!! Alyssa Poston (Class of 2020)

my husband and i are proud to participate. i think iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m most excited about the open, groupseeing the difference a learning areas where tVs education provides the students can our grandchildren collaborate together on convinced us that interesting projects. Whitney Mock, TVS parent, Haden (Class of 2019) building additional students support Campaign: tVs facilities is ChAnge ChAllenge something we wanted COntInues to support for current and future students. It was a hot day, and my tVs bank was empty. I knew I needed to help so we could have those new buildings at school. After expenses, I felt the margin was enough to contribute. Paul Poston, TVS Student, Class of 2022

Encourage students to participate in the remaining three turn-in dates: 12/12, 3/6, and 5/8.

Calvin and Janis Crider, TVS Grandparents, Nathan (Class of 2023) and Ryan (Class of 2026)

I chose to donate to the building fund because the lab space to be created contributes to the mission of educating the whole child. It was more than an investment in infrastructure to me - it was an investment in the kids. tVs invests so much in their faculty, staff and students - it really was a "no-brainer" for me to invest back in them. Erin Kelly Nesbitt, TVS Chef we are very honored to contribute to the tVs building Campaign. the new learning and collaborative spaces that will serve the lower, Middle and upper schools are superbly designed and offer great flexibility. they will cultivate a sense of community spirit and improve how our students and faculty collaborate, communicate, create, and innovate. It is very meaningful to support a campaign that will benefit so many students and faculty in so many ways. Lisa and Matt Walker, TVS parents, Eleanor (Class of 2024) and Benjamin (Class of 2026)

Students are earning money in many ways: babysitting, mowing lawns, lemonade stands, making/selling hair bands, pet walking, picking up mail, and watering plants for neighbors. Share your ideas on TVS Facebook!

Contact Clare Pritchett Lorimer at pritchettctrinityvalleyschool. org or 817-321-0113 for more information or visit the website: www. trinityvalleyschool.org/thecampaignforTVS.

H FOR

TVS

THE CAmPAIGN

Building Campaign Pledge Agreement DONOR INFORMATION (please print) Title: ______________ Last name: ___________________________ First name: _______________________ MI: _______ Spouse name: ______________________ Business or Foundation name: _________________________________________ (for business and foundation gifts, only)

Address: ____________________________________________________________________________________________ City: _________________________________ State: _______________ Zip code: _________________________________ Phone: _____________________________________ Email: _________________________________________________

PLEDGE AGREEMENT

I (we) hereby pledge to contribute cash and/or assets to The Campaign for TVS. I (we) acknowledge that TVS may incur obligations and undertake financial commitments to third parties to support the Campaign, which TVS would not undertake but for Donor's pledge as provided herein. I (we) pledge $____________ to be paid over � 1 year � 2 years � 3 years � 4 years* � 5 years* *Gifts of $5,000 or more may be paid out over a period of up to five years I (we) enclose a cash/check payment of $____________ payable to Trinity Valley School and wish the remainder to be paid: � monthly � quarterly � annually beginning (date) __________________ My gift will be matched by ______________________________________________________________________________ � Matching gift form enclosed � Matching gift form will be forwarded to TVS

DONOR RECOGNITION (please provide your name as you wish to be recognized) ________________________________________________________________________ TVS Class of _______________ (if applicable)

� I (we) wish to remain anonymous.

I (we) understand that this contribution may be in addition to annual support to TVS. I (we) further understand that donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law; however, Donor's obligation to make payment(s) to fulfill this pledge agreement is not conditioned on or affected by whether such payment(s) is deductible by the Donor or any other payor for federal income tax purposes or federal gift tax purposes.

___________________________ Donor Signature

Date

_____________________________ Donor Signature

Date

Thank you for your support! Trinity Valley School 7500 Dutch Branch Road Fort Worth, TX 76132 817-321-0100 51

T V SM I D D L E

S C H O O L

SELECTIVES LEARNING WITH A New Lens

Tina Harper Middle School Humanities Instructor and Co-curriculum Coordinator

GuITAr AmpLIFIers, 3-d prInTers, THe mATHemATIcs OF OrIGAmI, sHerLOck HOLmes, WOrLd peAce. WHAT dO ALL OF THese TOpIcs HAve In cOmmOn?

At Trinity valley, our seventh and eighth graders have the chance to investigate the inner workings of these topics and more through the middle school selectives program. Trinity Valley Middle School is made up of a phenomenal team of teachers, all dedicated to helping develop the best in our students. We spend our days with bright, adventurous, compassionate young men and women who provide motivation every day to give our all. In an effort to make sure that our students see themselves how we see them, the Middle School is constantly looking for ways to stoke the fire of learning for our students.

The idea for creating a Selectives program is inspired by leading thinkers in education, technology, and brain research. Our teachers and members of the Fort Worth community have the opportunity each summer to create a course based on their own interests, courses that may even be a complete departure from the ones our faculty teach during the typical school day. During the first week of the semester, the Selectives courses are presented to our students, and each seventh and eighth grader has the chance to choose a course he/she wishes to study during the fall and spring semester.

We have adapted an idea from Google where engineers are given the freedom to work on any project of choice for 20

percent of the week by allowing teachers and students to carve out a portion of the school week to study ideas and problems of their choice.

We have looked at tony Wagner’s innovative research in education to

create courses that allow our students to practice what Wagner identifies as the key competencies for the 21st century: collaboration, integrative thinking, creativity, experimentation, perseverance, and transfer. As he states in his newest book, Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World, “to succeed in the 21st-century economy, students must learn to analyze and solve problems, collaborate, persevere, take calculated risks, and learn from failure.”

We have examined at the learning principles of master chess player and push hands champion Josh Waitzkin

in his book, The Principles of Learning, with the hopes we all might approach a new course with a beginner’s mind. He describes this principle as follows: “I think a life of ambition is like existing on a balance beam. As a child, there is no fear, no sense for the danger of falling. The beam feels wide and stable, and natural playfulness allows for creative leaps and fast learning. You can run around doing somersaults and

flips, always testing yourself with a love for discovery and new challenges. If you happen to fall off—no problem, you just get back on.” Approaching learning with a beginner’s mind allows us to marvel at new ideas from multiple perspectives without the fear of failure standing in the way. As members of a Selectives course, when we fall, we simply get back on.

With this freedom, we also looked at brain research in John medina’s

book, Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School. In his 12th rule, Exploration, Medina writes about the success of man throughout history, “Our survival did not depend upon exposing ourselves to organized, pre-planned packets of information. Our survival depended upon chaotic, reactive, information-gathering experiences.” We could apply this same description to the success stories of most leaders in our global society today. In Selectives, it is our goal to create similar experiences within the school day.

We were also inspired by a popular ted talk by sir ken robinson, “schools kill creativity.” you might

be thinking, wait…we want to foster creativity! As a renowned researcher and speaker in the world of creativity and education, Robinson challenges us all to reveal the talents of each child. He discusses the importance of making room for mistakes in order to foster creativity, as well as the importance of rethinking how we define an “educated” person in the world to account for the diversity of intelligence. Additionally, he highlights the varying ways our world’s great creators discovered their talents. It is our goal at TVS to see our students for all of their talents and to help them view their talents from multiple perspectives. selectives provides a new lens to help us understand and appreciate our students and the learning process as a community. The Middle School is dreaming BIG, and we hope to inspire our children to keep dreaming BIG as well.

T AThLETIc ALuMNI NEWS cALLIe HAdOBAs ’12 qualified to compete in all indoor/outdoor Atlantic 10 Conference meets as a pole vaulter at St. Louis University the last two years. Callie is the only student athlete selected to be a SLU Orientation Leader for incoming freshmen and has received the Student Athlete Academic Excellence award each semester.

rOBBIe HAdOBAs ’12 is playing volleyball at California Baptist University, a member of the Men’s Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Conference. The highlight of his freshman year was beating UC Irvine, who won the NCAA Championship the previous year. Robbie has been the Men’s Volleyball Student Athletic Advisory Committee representative for two years and has achieved the Student Athlete Academic Excellence award each semester.

rOWLAnd peTTIT ’12 and his Duke Lacrosse team won their second consecutive National Championship! Rowland plays defense for the Blue Devils and was an ACC Academic Honor Roll awardee. spencer sTAnLey ’12 saw action in six games during the 2013 football season and has earned the starting center position for the Rice Owls! Rice opened this season at iconic Notre Dame University. Spencer was a member of 2013 C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

Ty TempLIn ’12 competed for first team reps at the wide receiver position for the University of Texas during training camp. He made his first career reception in the opening quarter of the Kansas game on September 27. Ty has been a four-time member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

per aspera ad astra TVS has four main objectives for its students: 1) fIne sChOlArshIp wIth Its fulfIllMent At COllege 2) the deVelOpMent Of wIde COnstruCtIVe Interests 3) IntellIgent CItIZenshIp 4) spIrItuAl & MOrAl deVelOpMent whICh prOMOtes lAstIng VAlues

T V SPA R E N T S ’

C LU B

parents’ cluB Ashley Crisp TVS Parents’ Club President

“If you build it, they will come.” This rings true in many ways at Trinity valley school. This year is extraordinary as we are in the middle of “building” new learning facilities for each division, and the parents’ club Board is diligently working to provide wonderful experiences that will “build” a strong sense of community at school and at home. This summer, Amy BucHAnAn worked with Cage Bass and his amazing team to set up a mock storefront for the uniform resale shop. Her dedication to organization enabled her to raise a record amount in uniform resale revenue before school started. mAndy kIrWAn ordered and distributed school supplies to all students in grades K-4. krIsTIn AndersOn, Link Coordinator, smoothed the transition and helped new families meet current families in an effort to “build” relationships throughout the school year. nAncy HILes, Upper School Lead Room Parent Coordinator, organized an orientation for room parents schoolwide. cAryn snyder represented Lower School, and meLIssA AppLeWHITe led the Middle School parents. On the same day, jennIFer mcALIsTer and sHAnnOn mOOre hosted the faculty/staff appreciation luncheon that was enjoyed by all! The back-to-school coffee was hosted by Parents’ Club President-elect, cArOL WILLIAms. This year she welcomed faculty and families back to TVS on the first day with coffee, juice, and breakfast treats in all three divisions. With school underway, we are off to a busy fall! LIndA kIrALy and crIsTy mAyFIeLd are working with Chef Erin to make your child’s dining experience

successful. They have done a great job recruiting and organizing volunteers. It is never too late to sign up to volunteer in the dining hall! LIndA WHITeHeAd produced the TVS family directory this year. Each family received one directory, compliments of the Parents’ Club. Additional directories may be purchased for $5 in Central Administration. HeATHer BreITer, our TVS Connects chair, has provided our parent community with opportunities to come together for discussion on popular and important parenting topics. Check the TVS calendar for upcoming opportunities. crysTAL BOLT and susI FILLmOre hosted the Fall Parent Forum in September by welcoming Donna Hicks, author of Dignity. The Parents’ Club Q&A chairs in each division hosted question-and-answer sessions with the division heads. These were informal yet informative meetings, where questions related to a child’s grade level were addressed. The annual Fall Festival is always a fun and popular event for Lower School families. This year’s chairs, kerensA nAGHsHBAndI and jILL uneLL, planned an exciting event with a few new twists. The weather was perfect, and a festive time was had by all! On November 21, 2014, we will honor TVS grandparents and others with our Grandparents’ and Special Friends’ Day celebration, chaired by sTAcIe GOLdmAn and keLLIe LeA. Be sure to invite your child’s grandparents or special friends! BeccA sTupFeL will thank all faculty and staff with Thanksgiving gift cards from the Parents’ Club and holiday gift cards from all TVS students to wish them the happiest of holidays. As we look toward the second half of our year, please remember to clip Box Tops from participating grocery

items and send to school with your student. TrIcIA neLsOn is in charge of the Box Tops collections this year. Last year, TVS was able to purchase the popular nine-square sets for our temporary play areas. Make sure to check the packaging for the Box Top label before throwing away your trash. emILy pIckeLL and mAndy jOHnsTOn are co-chairing TVS Cares this year. This is an ongoing service provided to families or faculty and staff at TVS who have a special need during the school year. Check the volunteer website for information on how to sign up to provide a meal. Speaking of the volunteer website - thank you to sHAWn FersHTAnd who works diligently and efficiently adding volunteer opportunities for you to be involved in the classroom. As you can see, the fall semester was busy. I hope you took the time to “build” some special relationships and experiences within the TVS community. Look for more opportunities this spring! Thank you to all for your time and talent! We appreciate all you do for TVS! With gratitude, Ashley Crisp Parents’ Club President

hOnOr fAMIly, frIends, Or fACulty wIth A bOOk Or A tree bOOks

Our school libraries offer choices to honor a special occasion or person. The giving of a book is another shared treasure — a poignant way to reach the eyes and hands of our current students, and those to follow. For a minimum donation of $25, a book plate is inserted in the donated book. If the individual being honored is a Tvs student, he or she can also be the first to check out the book.

trees

Watching trees grow with our Tvs families is an affirming symbol of life. These oak trees, with a commemorative plaque at the foot of the tree, can be purchased through the Advancement Office. The oxidized cast bronze plaques mounted on the stone may honor anyone the donor chooses. The cost to underwrite a tree with a commemorative plaque is $1,500. The forms for books and trees follow. For more information on any of these wonderful ways to honor that special person or occasion, please contact Margaret Kramer in our advancement Office at 817.321.0100 ext. 103.

tVs liBrary Book order Form Celebrate or commemorate an important date with a gift that will live on. Honor a teacher, a child, or a friend. Your $25 donation to the endowment may be honored in a library book for either the Lower School library or the Middle School/ Upper School library. A bookplate placed in the front of each book will honor both the donor and the event or honoree. Please stop by the Advancement Office in Central Administration for more information, or forward your check with this form to: Trinity Valley School Advancement Office, 7500 Dutch Branch Rd., Fort Worth, TX 76132. Your Name _______________________________________ Phone # ____________________ Name of Honoree(s) ____________________________________________________________ Amount Enclosed $__________ (please make check payable to TVS) Please advise us on the age level of the book(s) in which you would prefer the bookplate. Please let us know if you prefer a specific broad subject such as art, sports, fiction, biography, music, animals, etc.

I prefer a book at the Kindergarten â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 4th grade level. Please let us know your subject preference (if you have one):

I prefer a book at the 5th â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 12th grade level. Please let us know your subject preference (if you have one):

How would you like the bookplate to read? Examples: In Honor of Mary Jones from The John Jones Family In Memory of Mary Jones from David Jones and the Jones Family Happy 10th Birthday, Mary Smith from Mom and Dad In Honor of James Smith, class of 2007, from the Carters Write your bookplate text here. Please print clearly:

Thank you for your support of the Trinity Valley School libraries. If you have any questions, please contact Margaret Kramer at kramerm@trinityvalleyschool.org or 817.321.0100 ext. 103.

tVs tree plaQue purchase A commemorative plaque may be purchased for $1,500. This plaque will be placed at the foot of one of our oak trees. Purchase an oak tree for your family and watch it grow over your familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tenure at our school! Our 3x5-inch, oxidized, cast bronze plaques honor anyone the donor chooses. We will notify you when the plaque has been installed so that you can have a personal place to visit on campus each time you are at Trinity Valley School. Please stop by the Advancement Office in Central Administration for more information, or forward your check with this form to: Trinity Valley School Advancement Office, 7500 Dutch Branch Rd., Fort Worth, TX 76132. Your Name _______________________________________ Phone # ____________________ Name of Honoree(s)____________________________________________________________ Amount Enclosed $__________ (please make check payable to TVS) How would you like the plaque to read? Write your text here. Please print clearly:

Thank you for your support of the Trinity Valley School endowment. If you have any questions, please contact Margaret Kramer at kramerm@trinityvalleyschool.org or 817.321.0100 ext. 103.

TVS 59

T V S M E S S AG E

F R O M

A LU M N I

trinity Valley school alumni association Board:

Who represents our alums?

Kathryn Davis, Director of Alumni Relations

As soon as a T Tvs student graduates, he or she becomes a member of Trinity valley school Alumni Association, now more than 2,600 members strong. Founded in 1989, the Trinity Valley School Alumni Association is celebrating 25 years of service to TVS. The Associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s board is elected by a nominating committee and approved by a vote of the alumni at the alumni annual dinner, held every spring. Meeting five times per school year, the board coordinates alumni functions and provides leadership to the school. Here are this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s members, along with a little bit of information about each one.

president – markus kypreos, Attorney 1)

name and GraduatinG class: Markus Kypreos, 1996.

tVs teacher Who stronGly inFluenced me and hoW: No way am I just listing one here. Mrs. Preston, Mrs. Elliott, Dr. and

Mrs. Carlson, Dr. Wood, Mr. Kenny, Dr. Shelton, and Mr. Scott. I could list 10 more. The faculty is the lifeblood of TVS.

i attended colleGe at The University of Texas at Austin, law school at Pepperdine, graduate

my Family consists oF my wife, Mary, my two children, Nikole, 3, and Maximus, 1, and me.

in addition to tVs, my community inVolVement includes even

school at UT again, and then the Culinary School of Fort Worth.

more TVS. Right now, I live at Trinity Valley: Alumni Board meetings, Board of Trustees meetings, Development Committee meetings ... with two kids, that’s all of my time.

iF i had an extra hour eVery day, i Would cook more and work on my

in my spare time, i like to run a lot. I blame Jon Bohnsack ’96 for this. It’s addicting and yet

i’d rather Be in Hawaii or Santorini than any other place on Earth.

not many people knoW that i write letters of criticism and offer advice to restaurants, hotels, and companies in general that obviously need assistance. I write letters weekly and probably closer to daily. I’ll write a book one day with all of the amusing responses, both good and bad, that I have received.

10)

the Best adVice i eVer receiVed Was from Mr. Kramer in 1991 when he told me “life’s

technique.

incredibly difficult and draining.

not always fair.” He won’t remember the circumstances, but he was correct and it’s partly why I became a lawyer, so that I can limit the number of times that phrase is spoken to me. It’s still true today. I just can do something about it now.

regan mcdonald Gilstrap,

Associate Director of Marketing and External Affairs at Texas A&M School of Law 1) name Regan McDonald Gilstrap, 2001.

and

GraduatinG

class:

tVs teacher Who stronGly inFluenced me and hoW: Mrs. Newton. Mrs. Newton is a great teacher and friend. Her love for her family, 2)

students, and TVS has stuck with me since I had her as my first teacher at TVS in 1988. 3)

i attended colleGe at The University of Georgia and grad school at TCU.

my Family consists oF my husband, Jonathan, our Jack Russell Terrier, Maddie, and me.

in addition to tVs, my community inVolVement includes

iF i had an extra hour eVery day, I would take a long walk with my husband and my dog.

in my spare time, i like to travel, read, and watch college football.

i’d rather Be in Beaver Creek, CO than any other place on Earth.

not many people knoW that i love to watch any and every sporting event I can. Preferably

10)

the Best adVice i eVer receiVed Was to work hard and be nice to people. I am not sure

Leadership Fort Worth - Leading Edge Class of 2013, and The WARM Place.

Georgia football, but if it’s sports I’ll watch it!

who told me that or where I saw it, but it is two things I try to do every day.

kendra Green-dias, Healthcare Law Attorney, Senior Counsel,

Children’s Health, Children’s Medical Center Dallas 1)

name and GraduatinG class: Kendra Green-Dias, 1991.

tVs teacher Who stronGly inFluenced me and hoW: Mr. Kenny – I became interested in the law in Mr. Kenny’s government class.

i attended colleGe at Brigham Young University, grad school at TCU,

and law school at SMU.

my Family consists oF my husband Luiz, my daughters Ava Elisabeth Green Dias (TVS grade 4),

in addition to tVs, my community inVolVement includes

iF i had an extra hour eVery day, i Would go for a run.

in my spare time, i like to read or volunteer with Junior League.

i’d rather Be in Rosemary Beach than any other place on Earth.

not many people knoW that i love to refinish old furniture.

10)

the Best adVice i eVer receiVed Was through a book my mother gave me. When I was in high school, my mom gave me a journal called While Others Slept. It was the journal of Ellis R. Shipp, one of Utah’s first medical doctors, who was a woman living in the 1800s. She accomplished so much at a time when it was really unheard of for women to go to medical school and have children at the same time. I have often thought of her as I work and raise my children; when it seems like I am stressed with no time, I just remember that While Others Slept, I am able to accomplish my dreams.

Savannah Marina Green Dias (TVS grade 1), and me.

Junior League Fort Worth, Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, volunteering at church.

kimble horak, Anesthesiologist at JPS hospital 1)

name and GraduatinG class: Kimble Horak, 2001.

tVs teacher Who stronGly inFluenced me and hoW: Susan Paulose’s rigorous biology coursework and stern but motherly

teaching style stimulated my interest in science and the medical field. 3)

i attended colleGe at Baylor University; medical school at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston; anesthesiology residency at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. my Family consists oF parents Frank and Sharlene Horak; brothers Kiley and Kelly Horak ’92;

and me.

iF i had an extra hour eVery day, i Would do some volunteer work at Cook

Children's Hospital.

in my spare time, i like to get some exercise, fly fish, cook, and travel.

i’d rather Be on a ranch than any other place on Earth.

not many people knoW that i secretly really like Six Flags.

the Best adVice i eVer receiVed Was from my dad: the only time a man has no

chance is when he gives up.

Ben hoskins, Director of Communications, WilliamsRDM 1)

name and GraduatinG class: Ben Hoskins, 1993.

tVs teacher Who stronGly inFluenced me and hoW: It’s hard to pick one, so I’ll pick TOE, including the 1991 eighth-grade 2)

campout, Ric Auger, Johnny Miller, and Caroline Prince-Smith. The event is what some might (erroneously) call “the most disastrous eighth-grade TOE trip ever.” The hiking/ camping area was not as advertised to new TOE Director Ric Auger to accommodate our group. My group became lost. But the leadership training and preparation from Caroline Prince, Auger, and TOE taught us to be prepared for anything. Once in trouble, Johnny Miller’s steady leadership led us around a forest fire, to what little water there was, through a bear scare in the middle of the night, injuries, frustrations, fears, and ultimately our “rescue.” I still look at that one as a success because almost everything went wrong, but we all lived, and we learned a little bit about each other and a lot about ourselves. (All of that is to say and specifically a plug for Auger: It did not occur to me until about eight years ago and mentioning it to him what a mess he probably had to answer for. I always looked at it as “stuff happened, we dealt with it and lived to tell the tale.” Isn’t this why we are at TVS? To prepare as best we can for the unexpected when we go out into a world that thinks nothing of chewing us up and spitting us out? Some good folks at TVS in bad circumstances showed me that—that even at 16 I could take care of myself, even in a barren, poorly marked wilderness.) 3)

i attended colleGe at Mercer University (Macon, GA) for one year, then finished at SMU. 63

my Family consists oF my wife Melissa Williams Hoskins, (also Class of ’93), Isabella (TVS grade 7), Georgia (TVS grade 2), Lily Kate, 4, starting TVS kindergarten next year (we hope!), and me.

in addition to tVs, my community inVolVement includes helping

iF i had an extra hour eVery day, i Would work on my marksmanship. With a new range going in just down the street, that should come true soon (pretty sure Matt Johnson ’91 is one of the co-owners).

in my [Former] spare time, I liked to cycle and coach soccer, just not recently (three daughters!).

i’d rather Be in Montana than any other place on Earth.

not many people knoW that my middle name comes from my paternal great-uncle, a maternal uncle and my dad (head spinning yet?). My maternal grandfather and my paternal great-uncle were golf buddies before my parents, or uncle, were born.

10)

the Best adVice i eVer receiVed Was to let your kids fail on their own, but provide

promote and raise money for the WPI Firefighters’ Fund, which helps bridge the financial gap created when a firefighter has been injured or fallen in the line of duty; working the games station at Christ Chapel Bible Church’s Kids Kamp - sharks & minnows - cue the Jaws theme.

scaffolding so the fall isn’t terminal. Help them to figure out how to deal with the bumps in the road themselves instead of trying to smooth things out for them.

hunter Johnson,

Immediate Past President of Alumni Assoc., Senior Business Development Manager, SMB Strategy and Partnerships, American Airlines 1)

name and GraduatinG class: Hunter Johnson, 2000.

tVs teacher Who stronGly inFluenced me and hoW: Too many to choose from, but I would have to say Mr. Kenny or Doc Shelton. 2)

Both had very different teaching styles but they both knew how to connect with the students. 3) i attended Cox School of Business. 4)

at University of Denver and grad school at SMU

my Family consists oF my wife Diana Johnson, stepdaughter Zabrina Weir, and me.

iF i had an extra hour eVery day, I would read more, maybe go to the gym.

in my spare time, i like to travel.

i’d rather Be in Asia than any other place on Earth.

colleGe

not many people knoW that i was born in the back seat of a car on Vickery Blvd. on the

way to the hospital.

John koechel, Real Estate and Business Attorney 1)

name and GraduatinG class: John Koechel, 1989.

tVs teacher Who stronGly inFluenced me and hoW: Dennis Fleming â&#x20AC;&#x201C; motivated me not to be satisfied with just getting by but to work harder and push myself academically to see what I could accomplish.

3) 4)

i attended colleGe at Vanderbilt University; law school at Texas Tech; grad school at SMU. my Family consists oF my wife Emily, two daughters, Juliet (TVS grade 3) and Lucy (TVS

grade 1), and me.

in addition to tVs, my community inVolVement includes

iF i had an extra hour eVery day, i Would read, exercise, or try to learn

in my spare time, i like to garden.

iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d rather Be in Telluride, CO, than any other place on Earth.

not many people knoW that i enjoy camping and also attending live music shows

10)

the Best adVice i eVer receiVed Was that being strong and being kind are not

activities with the Vanderbilt Alumni Association, the Greater Fort Worth Real Estate Council, and First United Methodist Church.

to paint.

and festivals.

mutually exclusive.

david kostohryz, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon 1)

name and GraduatinG class:

tVs teacher Who stronGly inFluenced me and hoW: Dr. Shelton encouraged me to believe in myself and inspired me

David Kostohryz, 1997.

to dream big.

i attended colleGe at TCU, then received my DDS from UT Health Science Center-Houston and MD from UT Health Science Center-Houston.

my Family consists oF my wife Jennifer Staley Kostohryz of Midland, daughter Avery, 5,

son Thomas, 3, and me.

in addition to tVs, my community inVolVement includes charity oral surgery work for the under-served community.

iF i had an extra hour eVery day, i Would spend it with my family.

in my spare time, i like to run.

i’d rather Be with my family than any other place on Earth.

not many people knoW that i can wiggle my ears individually.

10)

the Best adVice i eVer receiVed Was no matter what you choose to do, just be a good one.

erin Finley lee, Vice-President, Frost Private Banking 1)

name and GraduatinG class:

tVs teacher Who stronGly inFluenced me and hoW: There are so many it is hard to choose. The Pauloses as they

Erin Finley Lee, 1987.

helped me to learn how to study, Ms. Welch as I still find myself pulling out items learned in Latin that help me on a regular basis, Auger and Nemser for my love of numbers that has helped me through my accounting degree, MBA, CPA, and CFA, along with multiple licensing exams along the way, Mr. Fleming for challenging me and helping me to figure out who I was. 3)

i attended colleGe at UT and grad school at TCU.

my Family consists oF my husband Randy, my daughter Janie Catherine, 7,

in addition to tVs, my community inVolVement includes serving

iF i had an extra hour eVery day, i Would play with my family.

in my spare time, i like to be outside, cook, read, ski, spend time with my family.

i’d rather Be in Colorado than any other place on Earth.

not many people knoW that i once two-stepped with Gary P. Nunn around a camp fire in Leakey, TX, and I sang karaoke with Charles Barkley and Glen Campbell in Sioux Falls, SD.

10)

my son Griff, 4, and me.

as a Sunday school teacher at Christ Chapel Bible Church; Tanglewood PTA Treasurer and volunteer; United Way.

the Best adVice i eVer receiVed Was not to be average. Also, there isn’t much traffic

when you go that extra mile.

tracy redfearn matheson, Realtor with The Helen Painter Group

name and GraduatinG class: Tracy Redfearn Matheson, 1984.

tVs teacher Who stronGly inFluenced me and hoW: Dr. Van taught me to write and to read quality literature and that CliffsNotes were not 2)

the same as reading the actual novel. She scared me to death from the time I was in about second grade. However, I left TVS with enormous respect and admiration for her. Mr. Seleny taught me more about the arts than I ever thought I could learn. 3)

i attended colleGe at OU.

my Family consists oF my husband, David â&#x20AC;&#x2122;83; a son, Nick, 23 and soon to graduate from

Midwestern State University; daughter, Molly, 20, an Arkansas Razorback; son Ben, 15, a freshman at Paschal; son Max (TVS grade 8); and me.

in addition to tVs, my community inVolVement includes

serving as treasurer of my neighborhood association, Overton Park Neighborhood Association.

iF i had an extra hour eVery day, i Would do something crafty.

in my spare time, i like to watch crime shows on TV.

iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d rather Be on a cruise ship cruising from exotic location to exotic location than any other place

on Earth.

not many people knoW that i have chickens in my back yard.

10)

the Best adVice i eVer receiVed Was not really advice, but the best thing I ever learned was how to write. I left TVS with the ability to write clearly and properly, and that skill has served me better than almost any other thing I have learned. Sadly, I have watched my older kids leave school (not TVS) without learning the basics of good writing.

Jay miller, CFO of JSZY Construction, a residential construction and development company

name and GraduatinG class: Jay Miller, 2004.

tVs teacher Who stronGly inFluenced me and hoW: Dr. Shelton and Mr. Kenny both taught me how to ask meaningful questions to gain deeper understanding.

i attended colleGe and grad school at TCU.

my Family consists oF my wife Emily, 2-year-old son, Jack, and me.

in addition to tVs, my community inVolVement includes TCU,

Colonial Country Club, Fort Worth Club, and Steeplechase.

iF i had an extra hour eVery day, i Would spend it outside.

in my spare time, i like to enjoy the outdoors by playing in the back yard with my son,

golfing, hunting, or fishing.

i’d rather Be in Amon Carter Stadium watching my Horned Frogs with family and friends than any

other place on Earth.

not many people knoW that i have done the luge at the Olympic Ski Park in Calgary,

10)

the Best adVice i eVer receiVed Was

Alberta.

form of capital.

that your reputation is your best

matt montague, Commercial Real Estate Broker at Jones Lang LaSalle, Commercial Real Estate

name and GraduatinG class: Matt Montague, 2004.

tVs teacher Who stronGly inFluenced me and hoW: Mrs. Paulose; she taught me how to be a better student and what it means to 2)

understand a subject. This paid dividends for me during college, particularly in my accounting classes. She taught me Freshman Bio in her last year at TVS and I always wished she would have been teaching my junior year for AP Bio. I continue to remember her as the best teacher I ever had. 3) 4) 5)

i attended colleGe and grad school at University of Oklahoma.

my Family consists oF my wife Keelie and me. in addition to tVs, my community inVolVement includes Christ

Chapel Bible Church.

iF i had an extra hour eVery day, i Would play golf.

in my spare time, i like to play golf.

i’d rather Be in Texas than any other place on Earth.

the Best adVice i eVer receiVed Was to keep your head down and work hard toward your goal; don’t be concerned with the results or rewards - they will come.

Brent pierce, Senior Manager, Product Marketing at Smith & Nephew Biotherapeutics

name and GraduatinG class: Brent Pierce, 1982.

tVs teacher Who stronGly inFluenced me and hoW: Dr. Van Hamersveld. Three years of high school English with

Dr. Van has proven to be extremely beneficial in both my professional and personal life. She also provided firm correction and encouragement early in my freshman year that helped direct my path at TVS and beyond.

i attended colleGe at Baylor.

in addition to tVs, my community inVolVement includes

iF i had an extra hour eVery day, i Would spend it with family and friends.

in my spare time, i like to drive my classic sports cars, read and learn about the Native

iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d rather Be in Taos, NM than any other place on Earth.

not many people knoW that i appeared in a local television program for National Dental

the Best adVice i eVer receiVed was to always keep your nose clean, both literally and

church-related activities and Bible Study Fellowship.

Southwest, and follow college and professional sports.

Health week when I was 5. That was the beginning and end of my time in front of the camera.

figuratively.

cristina hindman schneiderman,

Stay-at-home Mother 1)

name and GraduatinG class: Cristina Hindman

tVs teacher Who stronGly inFluenced me and hoW: It is too hard to pick just one TVS teacher who influenced me.

Schneiderman, 1994.

I took away so much from so many teachers. 3)

i attended colleGe and grad school at TCU.

my Family consists oF my husband, Michael, our son Maximilian (TVS kindergartener), and me.

in addition to tVs, my community inVolVement includes membership at St. Andrew Catholic Church. I am enjoying spending time with my son at all the many kindergarten activities at TVS.

iF i had an extra hour eVery day, i Would sleep, or read, or just spend more

in my spare time, i like to read and sew.

i’d rather Be close to family than any other place on Earth.

not many people knoW that i lived in Panama from grades 1-3.

10)

the Best adVice i eVer receiVed was from my mother: Enjoy being a child as long as you can, because you can play at being a grown up, but once you grow up, you can’t pretend to be a child.

time with family.

chandler smith, Financial Representative with Northwestern Mutual 1)

name and GraduatinG class: Chandler Smith, 1981.

tVs teacher Who stronGly inFluenced me and hoW: So many in so many different ways! Probably Susan Paulose, due to her calm 2)

demeanor, endless patience, and thorough knowledge of her subject. She made learning Biology actually seem possible, which made learning anything thereafter possible. 3) i attended colleGe at TCU, then attended the Université de Nice, France, for a year as a Rotary Scholar. 4)

my Family consists oF my cat, Miss Odetta, and me.

in addition to tVs, my community inVolVement includes

iF i had an extra hour eVery day, i Would sleep until I caught up, which would

probably take a couple of weeks, then read for pleasure.

in my spare time, i like to spend quality time with friends.

i’d rather Be in Corsica than any other place on Earth.

not many people knoW that i danced with Barbara Billingsley (June Cleaver on Leave It

10)

membership at University Christian Church, Vice-President of the Airflow Club of America (antique car club), teaching and DJ’ing at swing dances, and many endeavors at TCU.

To Beaver) in the Casino Ballroom on Catalina Island and performed onstage with Fayard Nicholas (of the famous Nicholas Brothers) at the Hollywood Bowl as part of the Playboy Jazz Festival.

the Best pieces oF adVice i eVer receiVed Were 1) “You don’t have to have cancer to know it’s bad” (meaning, learn from other people’s experiences), and 2) “The world is full of good people; your job is to find them.”

JB strong, Attorney, Cantey Hanger LLP 1)

name and GraduatinG class: JB Strong, 1998.

tVs teacher Who stronGly inFluenced me and hoW: Doc Shelton, who taught me to enjoy history and reading.

i attended colleGe at Texas A&M University and law school at Texas Tech School

of Law.

my Family consists oF my wife Emily, two kids, Wyatt, nearly 5, and Abigail, 3 (and one on the

in addition to tVs, my community inVolVement includes serving on the Board of Directors at Campfire and President-Elect of the Tarrant County Probate Bar Association.

iF i had an extra hour eVery day, i Would spend more time with my wife and

in my spare time, i like to play sports.

i’d rather Be in Santa Fe with my family than any other place on Earth.

not many people knoW that i worked in Yellowstone for a summer as a bus boy.

10)

way), and me.

kids.

the Best adVice i eVer receiVed Was: “The graveyard is full of important people. Put

more emphasis on faith and principles.”

sarah topham, Banker, J.P. Morgan Private Bank 1)

name and GraduatinG class: Sarah Topham, 2003.

tVs teacher Who stronGly inFluenced me and hoW: Dennis Fleming encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone in

order to succeed. He said that getting comfortable with discomfort is crucial. I have used this advice throughout my college and professional careers.

i attended colleGe and grad school at University of Arkansas.

my Family consists oF my husband, Jeff Koons, and me.

in addition to tVs, my community inVolVement includes

iF i had an extra hour eVery day, i Would read more books.

Arborlawn United Methodist Church, Lena Pope YPA, Barnaby Social Club, Chi Omega Alumnae.

in my spare time, i like to travel and spend time with family and friends.

iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d rather Be in Kauai, Hawaii than any other place on Earth.

10)

not many people knoW that i teach kindergarten and first-grade Sunday school at

Arborlawn United Methodist Church.

the Best adVice i eVer receiVed Was to never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.

eloise Wiley Williams,

Representative for HF Custom Solutions and Aspen Power 1)

name and GraduatinG class: Eloise Wiley Williams, 1997.

i attended colleGe at The University of Texas at Austin.

my Family consists oF my husband Chris, our daughter, Lindley, 7,

and me.

in addition to tVs, my community inVolVement includes Junior Women's Club, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Kappa Kappa Gamma Alumnae Association, Pickin' for Premies, 7th Avenue, St Jude's.

iF i had an extra hour eVery day, i Would play tennis or just sit in

a park and people watch.

in my spare time, i like to ... what is spare time?

iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d rather Be on a beach than any other place on Earth.

not many people knoW that i sell promotional items and am an energy broker (I am kind of an open book, so I don't think there are many things that people don't know about me).

the Best adVice i eVer receiVed Was to take any opportunity that is put in front of me. You don't want to look back and feel like you didn't do what you may never have the chance to do again.

lexi kypreos yost, Dallas/Fort Worth representative for Sotheby's Auction House in New York; jewelry appraiser 1)

name and GraduatinG class: Lexi Kypreos Yost, 1999.

tVs teacher Who stronGly inFluenced me and hoW: Mrs. Reyelts. She told me that I was a princess and that I would grow up and marry

a prince. She was right!

i attended colleGe at SMU and also GIA.

my Family consists oF my prince Carson, my princesses Cypress, 4, and Mary Carson, 2, our

in addition to tVs, my community inVolVement includes serving

iF i had an extra hour eVery day, i Would do jigsaw puzzles.

in my spare time, i like to make flower arrangements.

iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d rather Be in Hawaii than any other place on Earth.

not many people knoW that i missed my true calling in life. I was meant to be a DJ. Someday if I find the time I will learn how to spin. Maybe TVS will hire me for the Homecoming dance and then I can really embarrass my children.

10)

the Best adVice i eVer receiVed Was to never give people advice.

dog Kona, and me.

on the board of Texas Ballet Theatre and involvement with the Fort Worth Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Center.

T V S

A LU M N I

MCCART CAMPUS, 1969-1998

class notes

ClAss reps 1967 Rick Goggans...................................................... rickcg@aol.com 1968 Barney Holland ............................... bholland@fuelmandfw.com 1969 Robert Secrest.......................................................(512) 301-3198 1970 Class Rep Needed 1971 Class Rep Needed 1972 Kent Smith ........................................................ kksmith@jw.com 1973 John Carey .........................................................carpltx@aol.com 1974 John Neyland ......................................john.neyland@yahoo.com 1975 Francie Richardson Allen ....................frallen@aledotravel.com 1976 Martha Harper ................................martharents@sbcglobal.net 1977 Class Rep Needed 1978 Robert Gerrard........................................ bgerrard@rnfcorp.com 1979 Lori Hughes Eagleton.......................rlmeagleton@earthlink.net 1980 Christine Stucker Klote .................................klote@s-steel.com 1981 Walter Stucker .................................walterstucker@yahoo.com 1982 Class Rep Needed 1983 Sandra Standefer .......................................... skshome@aol.com 1984 Tracy Redfearn Matheson ................tracymatheson@mac.com 1985 Stefanie Cooper Toppel .....................stefanietoppel@tx.rr.com 1986 Michael Appleman .................. mappleman@alumni.utexas.net 1987 Bill Whiteside...........................................billw35@sbcglobal.net 1988 Beth Borders Weese ....................... mrsweese2@sbcglobal.net 1989 Kathryn Davis ................................kathryndavis@sbcglobal.net 1990 Class Rep Needed 1991 Class Rep Needed 1992 Melissa Minker Miller ......................................TXMink@aol.com 1993 Jay Pritchard .................................jay_pritchard@richards.com 1994 Class Rep Needed 1995 Lynn Rosen Jordan ................................ljordan818@yahoo.com 1996 Markus Kypreos .................................. markus@lawfirmkp.com 1997 Nancy Park..........................................nancypark.tx@gmail.com 1998 Aislinn Goodman Rehwinkel .......aislinnrehwinkel@gmail.com 1999 Beth Harwood ............................... bethsharwood@hotmail.com Amar Tanna............................................... ATanna@barbnet.com

2000 Sarah Murphey Davis................................sarahtdavis@me.com 2001 Chris Handy............................................. chris@thinkhandy.com Andrew Oshman ............................andrew.oshman@gmail.com 2002 Allison Motheral Blakewell ........ allison.blakewell@gmail.com Jennifer Teichelman .................. jenniferteichelman@mac.com Jennifer Vigness ...................................... javigness@gmail.com 2003 Class Rep Needed 2004 Erin McDonald ............................. erin.mcdonald86@gmail.com Maggie Pine ......................................maggie9904@hotmail.com 2005 Shea Kinser............................................ sheakinser@gmail.com 2006 Amber Finley.............................................. finleya14@gmail.com 2007 Kelley Clark ............................................kelleylclark@gmail.com 2008 Morgan Wade....................... morganmadisonwade@gmail.com 2009 Ellen Clarke ....................................ellenmclarke@sbcglobal.net Sean Gallagher .......................................... viking6119@aim.com Katherine Kramer ............... katherinekramer9190@yahoo.com 2010 Leah Dintino................................................leahdintino@aol.com Katie Hadobas ............................................ kch1012@gmail.com Rohail Premjee .....................................premjeer@sbcglobal.net 2011 Claire Allen.......................................... allen.clairem@gmail.com Chris Morris ....................................... cjmorris2015@yahoo.com Azania Umoja.................................. freespirit10526@gmail.com Michael Walton....................... michaelwalton6924@gmail.com 2012 Katie Sheets......................................sheets1137@sbcglobal.net Kasey Kilpatrick ............................kasey.kilpatrick@gmail.com Adrienne Gamez ...........................adriennegamez4@gmail.com Cliff Beasley ........................................ beasleycliffd@gmail.com 2013 Grace Hanley............................................ grace.hanley@tcu.edu Austin Henyon ............................... austinhenyon12@gmail.com Maggie Parrish .............................maggieaparrish@prodigy.net 2014 Madelon Allen.................................... madelonallen@gmail.com Ricky Hiler.............................................rickyhiler95@gmail.com Mindy McCoy .......................................mindysue96@yahoo.com Garrison Roe ............................................garrison_roe@me.com

class oF 1967

Frederick c. Goggans, md has been named to the faculty of Harvard Medical School and the McLean Hospital. Goggans will become the Medical Director of a new McLean-operated facility in Camden, Maine providing residential treatment for patients with alcohol and substance-abuse disorders. McLean is the nation’s best psychiatric facility, according to US News and World Report.

class oF 1970

In October, duff Hallman attended his 40th college reunion at Trinity University. He continues to serve on his local school board and is currently president, “which has its challenges.” Duff believes House Bill 5 will be a benefit to public education in that it is trying to appeal to all students, not just the college bound. He shares that he still puts forth ideas in his school district that he learned from his experience at Trinity Valley and/ or has read about in the Trojan Voice. He says that TVS is still an inspiration! Thanks, Duff!

cLAss OF 1981: BLAKE PUMPHREY AND CHILDREN

class oF 1974

Robin and mike stout live aboard their sailboat and are currently cruising the Caribbean. They spent 12 years in the Pacific, transited the Panama Canal this July and are now on the Caribbean side.

class oF 1980

Julie and Fred closuit are grandparents. Oliver Ernest Hahn was born on September 10, 2014. Congratulations! I (christine stucker klote) saw minna in August in London. She looks fabulous and is doing great.

class oF 1981

The members of the class of ’81 encompass a broad spectrum as far as the different phases of their lives. We have everything from new parents sending their precious young ones off into the world for the first time to our first grandpa! Greg Brooks and his wife Sarah live in NYC and their adorable twins have started pre-K this year. Greg is an entertainment attorney with Serling Rooks Ferrara McKoy & Worob LLP, one of the most prominent law firms in the music business. Blake pumphrey lives in Flower Mound with his wonderful wife Julie. He is a Director of Government Sales at Verizon where he has worked for over 12 years now. He has two in college now. Son Matt finished his freshman year at OU and is back home this semester but plans to return next year. Daughter Mallory is a freshman at University of Arkansas. His stepdaughter Kaitlin is a junior in high school. He figures he has a couple of years to go before empty nesting sets in. And for some big news, the class of ‘81 is celebrating its first (as far as we know) grandpa! jim ravech welcomed granddaughter Aubree in September, courtesy of daughter Lindsay. Another one of Jim’s daughters, Michelle, was married this past June. As for me (Walter

cLAss OF 1981: TWINS OF GREG BROOKS

cLAss OF 1981: JIM RAVECH AND GRANDDAUGHTER AUBREE

7575

stucker), it’s pretty boring. My wife Ronda and I just celebrated our 21st anniversary. We have a junior and a freshman at TVS. Elizabeth, our junior, is starting on the college searches with an eye on becoming an engineer. Max, our freshman, is getting used to the work load in high school while pursuing his passion of video game programming and design. He already has a few things published, and is taking Digital Imaging and Computer Graphics at TVS. For some reason I don’t remember fun classes like that when we were freshmen in 1977! Ronda and I did have a brief experience with being “empty nesters” this past summer. For a two-week period, when the stars aligned, when Elizabeth was in Europe on a student exchange and Max was spending three weeks at SMU in a series of programming workshops, we were without kids for the first time in 17 years! cLAss OF 1982: KEN BLAKELY

class oF 1982

ken Blakely is retired from the Army as of 1 October, after 28.5 years of active duty. In late October, he was bicycling south from Townsville (Queensland, AUS) on his ride-around-Australia; then it’s the Appalachian Trail from June - October 2015. After that, he might be looking for a job, so if anyone needs a TopSecret-cleared former Colonel with a wanderlust, drop him a line: ken@blakelys.us. He included a photo of him and his loaded bike after a 68-mile checkout ride from DC to Harper’s Ferry. joel Livet went to several concert festivals this summer and learned to kiteboard in Aruba. He found a new passion, and now he and his girlfriend are obsessed with improving their kiteboarding skills. Besides that, he continues to grow Productive Edge, the software development company he started 6½ years ago. He has a girlfriend, no kids and no pets. cLAss OF 1983: BEAR AND CARA COYNE WILLIAMS

cLAss OF 1983: MARY KATHRYN BRONSON KELLY AND ANGIE MOFFET

class oF 1983

mary kathryn Bronson kelly reports that her husband, Todd, now works at Jones Day in Dallas. He switched firms a little over a year ago. Bryan is a senior at A&M. Hannah is a freshman at UT Austin. And Christina is a freshman at FWCD. Mary Kathryn says, “I myself am boring and have nothing new to report.” rafael mcdonnell was invited to the White House in June for their annual Pride Month celebrations, met the President and First Lady, then later got to hang around with Dixon Osburn (who lives in DC). Rafael was this year’s male grand marshal for the Alan Ross Texas Freedom Parade, better known as Dallas Pride. He had been nominated for the honor the past two years but finally won this year. Congratulations Rafael! Angela Moffet was in town from New York for a wedding in September. Angie saw Mary Kathryn at the wedding. See the photo of these two lovely ladies. Angela ravin-Anderson’s husband was awarded the NASA 2014 Exceptional Achievement Medal along with a Group Achievement Award for his leadership on the SAFER Project. Congratulations Herb! Angela is the Chief Advancement Officer at the Houston Graduate School of Theology. sharon Wisch ray shares that The Texas Jewish Post is being honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Volunteer Center in Fort Worth. Texas jewish post:

Founded in Fort Worth in 1947, The Texas Jewish Post serves the North Texas Jewish community with local, regional, national, and international news, as well as communicating the needs of nonprofit organizations. Published every Thursday, the TJP is family owned and operated. Its efforts have improved the quality of life in the North Texas Jewish community and the community at large. Sharon invited our class to join her at the cocktail reception in October. Thank you Sharon and congratulations! cara coyne Williams shares a photo of her and husband Bear from a recent wedding weekend. She says that they remain very busy with work, travel, and family. Her father moved to a condo very close to them this fall.

class oF 1984

Condolences to christy jack on the summer death of her mother, Betty Jack. karen White-dacy writes, “'In all things our Creator works for our good.' In the 30 years since you were a former student of TVS who walked across the stage of the multipurpose room to receive your diploma, have your dreams been fully realized or are they on hold like mine? Have the places where you have been planted been made better because you were there? Have you chosen to listen to your inner voice? Are you doing what you love? As your humble class rep for the past 24 years, I leave you with these questions and challenge you. I believe that in order to answer them honestly, you must acknowledge that the person who you are today is in part the person who was formed as a Trojan whether as a 13-year, oneyear or six-year veteran like me. My children are growing up as Trojans; Ian is a sophomore and Claire, a sixth-grader. I remind them that in ALL things our Creator works for OUR GOOD. My reign as class rep has come to an end and with full confidence, I pass the torch to Tracy redfearn matheson who has graciously accepted the role. Many thanks to her for planning the reunion in October as well as to karen’s parents, Dahlia and Paul Grant, for hosting the gathering in their home. Until next time...with love and best wishes, Karen.”

cLAss OF 1983: RAFAEL MCDONNELL

cLAss OF 1984: CLAIRE, TREY AND IAN DACY

class oF 1985

Wendy Farmer chapa feels as if she is always on the run. She is the Business Development Director at Mesa Springs Hospital in Fort Worth. Her husband Eddie left DISD after 11 years of being an administrator to work for Granbury ISD. Their daughter Grace is 12 and is in 6th grade at McLean. Grace plays select soccer and also plays basketball. Grant is nine and is in 3rd grade at Tanglewood. Grant swims for FAST (Fort Worth Area Swim Team) year round and also plays soccer and basketball. Grace’s favorite Tanglewood teacher was susan Larimore Howard, and Grant hopes to be in her class next year. Grant and Anna Lacy [jane Ann Freese Lacy’s daughter] have been in the same class together twice! Wendy’s dad and Margaret are doing well. Her dad is still working three days a week. Wendy reports that Jeff Farmer ’87 and Katie are great and their children, Patrick and Caroline, go to TVS. Big news from stephanie jackson! Stephanie has launched a new

cLAss OF 1985: JOY MENEFEE WITH ZACK AND ZOE

cLAss OF 1985: STEFANIE COOPER TOPPEL AND KELLEY RAINWATER

cLAss OF 1989: DAPHNE CRUM

cLAss OF 1989: DEMOTT FAMILY WITH KATHRYN DAVIS

design business in Philadelphia: Practical Sanctuary, Spaces that Heal. She’s combined her art and healing backgrounds to specialize in creating healing environments for both home and office. You can register for a complimentary Sanctuary Session on her site: practicalsanctuary.com. Todd Lydick moved to Dallas in 2011 and is working in Fort Worth with his family in the oil business. joy menefee accepted a new full-time position this summer at PGi, a web and audio conferencing company in Atlanta, as the Director of Product Research. She still teaches boot camp at 6AM and just bought a bike to check off an item on her bucket list—a triathlon. Zoë is in 7th grade and practices gymnastics 16 hours per week and spends about as much time worrying about what boys are doing. Zach is in 4th grade and plays competitive soccer and tennis. He’s all boy and just as competitive as his mother. Atlanta has some awesome attractions (e.g., world’s largest aquarium, College Football Hall of Fame, World of Coke, etc.) so they would love for folks to come visit. Joy sent a photo from their trip to Paris over spring break. raina spielman newsome is ridiculously busy but it is almost all about her three kids. They keep Raina busy as teacher, coach, chef, taxi driver, social secretary and full-time therapist. Raina’s not practicing law anymore, but teaches mock trial to middle schoolers. She’s also training for her sixth full marathon and coaching middle school cross country and track. Raina is looking forward to the next reunion - truly can’t believe it’s going to be our 30th. kelley rainwater moved back to Fort Worth in October after almost 20 years of being in Silicon Valley, California. Kelley is now leading the organizational design and change management consulting for Lockheed Martin’s F35 program. She and her two dogs Lexington and Lavender live on the west side of Fort Worth. She reports that she is looking forward to hosting dinner parties, getting reacquainted with her hometown, spending time with friends and family, and volunteering in the community. Kelley also hopes to start a Fort Worth-based version of the women’s spiritual community that she has been leading in the Bay Area since 2009. She is super excited to be back home!! 2013-2014 brought many milestones for diane Farrar smith and family. After 20 years of love and devotion, Bridget and Diane were legally married last October in a beautiful ceremony in Minneapolis. Thanks to Diane’s bff patricia Wise for coming up to join the celebration! Diane and Bridget’s son, Alexander, graduated from high school while their daughter, Renee, just started that leg of the journey. Diane is currently on medical leave, having donated the right lobe of her liver to Bridget’s brother. When Diane returns to work, she’ll take on the new position of Director of Application Development and Support for the Minnesota Department of Health. missy magnussen Wallace reports the Wallaces are chugging along in Nashville. They wonder why when they had kids, they did not realize that three teenagers at the same time would be exhausting? Missy also writes that jane Ann Freese Lacy went to Africa last year to spread the word of God (go Jane!) and that raina spielman newsome’s middle

child is some beast of a triathlete. I (stefanie cooper Toppel) was lucky enough to catch up with the fabulous Laura Boyles mousseau last May when she was in Dallas for a national chess tournament with her son Benjamin. We caught up while Benjamin was busy outwitting his opponent. I also visited with kelley rainwater (and her sweet mom Joyce) while Kelley was in town in August interviewing for her new position. Had fun house hunting with them and I’m so glad Kelley has moved back to the Fort. Some strange but true news - patrica Wise and I will be related! Patricia’s lovely and delightful niece Lauren recently became engaged to my oldest stepson Ryan at the Eiffel Tower! Lauren and Ryan met while they were attending Texas A&M. My husband Steve loves his new position at Trademark Property Company in Fort Worth, although he has quite a long daily commute. Our daughters Mandy (13) and Sam (11) both still love gymnastics and compete in the new Xcel program. I just try to keep up with everyone and squeeze in time to plan Mandy’s upcoming Bat Mitzvah.

cLAss OF 1989: JENNIFER LESTER ANDERSON, AMBER ANDERSON MOSTYN, AND CAROLINE DULLE SMITH

class oF 1988

jan Bauer stays very busy managing a diagnostic imaging center in Coconut Creek, FL. Jan recently added to her doggy family when she adopted a second dog; Percy now has a playmate named Molly, a three-year-old Shih Tzu. Jan rises most days by 4:20am so that she can still get in her daily swims. cleary clarke maly recently competed in her first Olympic distance Triathlon. Way to go, Cleary! jenny Lesok Westermann and her business partner, Diane Parks, purchased Sanders Travel Centre in Fort Worth last December. Congratulations, Jenny! Greg White and his family are gearing up for winter in Pennsylvania. Both Dora, 11, and Dawson, 10, are both very involved in Scouting.

class oF 1989

sarah Layne cronin and her family moved back to Fort Worth from Park City, UT this summer, just in time for Zac to start eighth grade in Aledo. He is 14 and doing great. Sarah works for Field Lange ’86 and is thrilled not to experience snow 11 months of the year! Welcome home, Sarah! carter crum writes, “For my ‘How I spent my summer’ essay, I basically have two words: Water Polo. You’ve heard of soccer moms; this summer I became a water polo dad. Never even saw water polo until I moved to California. For the uninitiated, the water polo girls wear t-shirts emblazoned with a basic descriptor: ‘The endurance of a marathon. The contact of hockey. The strategy of chess. Water polo.’ Played out in a large pool and in no less than 10 feet of water between your foot and the pool bottom, and with headgear to keep your eardrums from rupturing when opponents thrash you, that slogan is an understatement. After two months if tournaments in June and July, my daughter Daphne, 13, and her team earned a spot in the Junior Olympics in August. They faced off over eight days against some 40 teams from all over, including two from Texas! Though they came away off the medal stand, I came away with

cLAss OF 1989: EVERETT MONCRIEF WITH MRS. NEWTON AND MONTY MONCRIEF

cLAss OF 1989: ODETTE MONCRIEF

a new appreciation of the concept of ‘drown proofing.’ As in she is, and no way I could be. Photographer and cheerleader are much safer responsibilities. Looking forward to our 25th reunion!” marian mayo demott and her family graciously included kathryn davis on a summer trip to Montreal. The weather was perfect and the city was beautiful. Marian’s crew is growing: Ella is 14, Willing 12, Turner 9 and Briggs 7. Art Hutchinson shared a photo of daughters Samantha, 9, and Arden, 8. They play soccer and volleyball, and Art assistantcoaches both. What a dad! karen Beck Lewis is settling into life in Potomac, Maryland, just north of Washington, DC, having moved there in the summer of 2013 with her husband, Kevin, and two daughters, Saskia,11, and Anneke, 8½. Karen’s recently started working half-time in a small pediatric group practice, Kevin’s enjoying his role as CMO at Total Wine and More, and the girls are enjoying 5th and 3rd grade. Ashley and monty moncrief welcomed Odette Hollin Moncrief on July 28, their fourth (and final) child. She joins sister Nola, 2, and brothers Casper, 4, and Everett, 5½, who started kindergarten with Mrs. Newton. She also welcomed Monty to TVS kindergarten back in 1976. Everett and Dad both are very excited that they can share this experience! Condolences to Gabby richards, whose mother Pat passed away in August. Condolences also to suzanne jack silva on the loss of her mother, Betty Jack, this summer. caroline dulle smith writes that she joined Amber Anderson mostyn and jennifer Lester Anderson in Laguna Beach this summer for a Justin Timberlake concert. Go JT!

class oF 1990

Sympathies to charles jack on the loss of his mother, Betty Jack, in July. Great to hear from eric Woodworth, who has lived in Pleasantville, NY for the past seven years. Eric is happily married with two boys, ages 8 and 6. He has worked at DSM Capital Partners for the past 13 years as an analyst/ portfolio manager on the firm’s equity strategies. Outside of work he plays lots of tennis, hikes with the family, coaches soccer, and hosts many a BBQ in the backyard. He invites anyone in Westchester County north of Manhattan or in the Big Apple to please reach out.

class oF 1991

margaret jones rutter writes that she, Andrew, Elizabeth, Jack, and Charlotte have left the Big Apple and relocated to Alexandria, VA. They are settling into their new home and enjoying the extra space and slower pace of life. They love having melissa minker miller ‘92 nearby and would love to see any other TVS alums in the area!

class oF 1992

miles Wortham has returned to KPMG LLP as a manager in the Information Management Office. His daughter, Audrey, is now in second grade.

class oF 1994

kristie Taliaferro Gibson left Tarrant Area Food Bank last fall after 10 years of service there. She has been working at the All Saints Health Foundation for the last year and is now a major gifts officer. Brian ’93 manages commercial property and has a CPA consulting practice. Their daughter Grace is enjoying second grade at TVS. Congrats to johnathan Lively and wife Amy, whose son, John Robert Lively, III, was born on May 25, 2014.

class oF 1996

michelle Berger duncan and her husband welcomed a new daughter, Francesca, to their family this summer. Margaret, 6, Benjamin, 4, and Jojo, 2, love holding her. They are still living in Houston and staying busy with the oldest two in school now. Michelle has been working part-time from home since Margaret was born. dave motheral recently became engaged to Aracely Dominguez. drew Zerdecki married Beth Newill in Austin in October. And I, markus kypreos, along with my wife, Mary, spend all of our time with our daughter, Nikole, who turns 4 in January, and our son, Maximus, who just turned one.

class oF 1997

Hello Class of 1997. I start this year’s update with remembrances of Raj Tanna, father of neel Tanna and Amar Tanna ’99. Dr. Tanna passed away in February after battling leukemia for three years. He will be remembered well by the TVS and Fort Worth communities. Many of you are part of that Fort Worth community. justin mund is still a dentist there. His daughter Alexis is a sixth grader at TVS. His daughter Ever Grace is four and loves ballet and gymnastics. Justin’s wife Stacey plays a lot of tennis with eloise Wiley Williams. paige paul moved back to Fort Worth and is an art teacher for FWISD at Eastern Hills Elementary School. Her son Reynaldo is nine, and her son Nickolas is two. Nickolas often plays with Annalise, sarah Buchanan jirka’s three-year old daughter. Andy Lewis is also in Fort Worth. He’s in his last semester of law school, and will finish having had his law review article published. He’s working for an oil and gas company, and his wife Amanda is the Director of Development at the Fort Worth Zoo. Their son Will is four. sarah Bessire Florsheim, husband Charlie, four-year-old Raegan, and three-year-old Lilly are still in Fort Worth, as well. Sarah and the girls see jenny Wilkinson salzberg and her kiddos for play dates sometimes. Jenny’s son Hudson is three and started Pre-K at Lamplighter. Jenny and husband Mitch welcomed their daughter Heidi in February. They live in Dallas where Mitch works for ghSmart. Jenny also sees Haley Florsheim Byrne. Haley and husband Sean are expecting a baby girl in December. Haley still works as an RN at Children’s Medical Center of Dallas. Hollin shaw mcWilliams and husband Matt are also living in Dallas. Their daughter Hunter is in kindergarten at ESD. Hollin works for a small oil and gas company and also volunteers with The Abandoned Ones Animal Rescue. nina saksena Asrani is in the Metroplex, as well. Nina works with Consultants in Cardiology in Fort

cLAss OF 1989: SAMANTHA AND ARDEN HUTCHINSON; cLAss OF 1990: ERIC WOODWORTH AND SONS

cLAss OF 1991: CHILDREN OF DOUG WILEY, BARNEY '93, HOLLY '94, ELOISE '97; cLAss OF 1991: MARGARET JONES RUTTER WITH JACK, ELIZABETH, AND CHARLOTTE

cLAss OF 1994: LIVELY FAMILY; cLAss OF 1996: DREW ZERDECKI AND BETH NEWILL

Worth, and her husband Sumeet is a hepatologist at Baylor Medical Center in Dallas. They have four kids: the twins Aditi and Anjali are five and just started kindergarten, Anya is three, and Arjun is 18 months. jenn jacobs shultz recently moved back to Dallas from North Carolina. She is now working as a Chief Development Officer. She and husband Paul welcomed their first baby – Alexandria – in August. Duff Blair and wife Rory also welcomed their first – Charley June Blair – in June. Duff and family still live in New York. patrick Wright also has a new addition. He, his wife Gene, and three-year-old Mary Gayle welcomed baby Beau last October. They are all still living in Jackson, where Patrick practices pediatric orthopaedic surgery and the University of Mississippi Medical Center, with a subspecialty in spine and hip deformity. As for me, nancy park minkler, I am still living in Arnold, a small town in the California Sierras. I got married in June to Michael Minkler. Aminah qureshi ’99 attended and did a reading during the ceremony. Michael and I have a law practice in Arnold, which is to say that we have a monopoly on the legal market here. Thanks everyone for sending your updates. I hope everyone is well.

class oF 1999

Can’t believe its fall and it’s already been 15 years for our class! Ashli rosenthal Blumenfeld has been busy as she started working with her brother, Ben rosenthal ’01, and her dad in the food business while chairing the Women’s Center Gala with Lexi kypreos yost and Mary Lipscomb, wife of Blake Lipscomb ’92. Ashli’s son, Will, 15 months, recently started at Playhouse Academy in Fort Worth while her daughter, Elanor, 3½, is going to Kinderplatz. Clint and Lauren kwedar cockerell welcomed Belle Beardsley Cockerell on October 16, 2014! Abby crawford is living in Fort Worth with her adorable daughter Lyla. Bryan dahlberg got married in March and is living in San Antonio. katherine Harrington dorrin is still enjoying her time in Dallas. Beth Harwood is working her magic in Austin. Kristen and coleman mcdonald made a big change and moved to New York City with their son, Miles, 4, as Coleman started a new job with PricewaterhouseCoopers. john mcmillen recently became a godfather to Rafiki Tanna, Sonya and Amar Tanna’s new puppy. vijay muraliraj recently took his final boards in colorectal surgery – let’s hope he passed! Aminah qureshi is still attending every Soul Cycle class she possibly can in LA. Andrea and madhu satyanarayana welcomed a second baby girl, Aria, in May. Emily and Austin schell recently made the move to the other coast and are now living in San Francisco. Becky stevener is enjoying DC and working at the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center at Gallaudet University. She is in the second year of her PhD program in Hearing, Speech and Language Sciences. Amar Tanna married Sonya Amratlal on May 31 in Fort Worth. Amanda Hollander Wagner has a new son, Mitchell Wagner, who was born January 1, 2014 and was the first baby born in the new year in that particular hospital (just missing being the first new year’s baby in DC by a few minutes). Mom reports

that he is crawling all over the place, but still has zero hair. The Wagners will be in the Fort for Thanksgiving week and hope to see lots of TVS folks! Evelyn and Bryan Walsh are busy with their baby girl, Winnie Rose, who just turned one. Lexi kypreos yost can’t wait for Cypress, 4½, to become a Trojan next fall! Lexi is a new member of the TVS Alumni Association Board. Her brother, markus kypreos ’96, is the current president. Not in here? That’s because we didn’t hear from you! Please send us your updates - Tvsclassof99@gmail.com

class oF 2000

kiley schmidt Brannon’s son M.J. excitedly entered kindergarten with darcy Labovitz miller’s son Sheldon. They both have Mrs. Newton and are the class of 2027! dawn newell Ferguson and her husband Taylor welcomed their second daughter Eden Carter Ferguson on August 1, 2014. She was 7 lbs, 15 oz, 19 inches long. Jill and randy Hall welcomed their son Finnegan Preston Hall at 7:31 am on April 17, 2014 at Harris Methodist Southwest Fort Worth. He was 9 lbs. and 21 inches. Lauren Graham kilpatrick and her husband Ryan welcomed Heidi Lucille Kilpatrick on September 12, 2014. She is named after both of her great-grandmothers. molly sullivan parker and her husband Matt had their second boy, William Sullivan Parker, on June 29, 2014. He weighed 6 lbs, 11 oz and was 19.75 inches long. Becky murphy schmid and Andrew schmid welcomed their baby girl Anna Grace on August 26th. Everyone is doing great, and their 22-monthold son William is excited to have a sister! deepak sobti has moved back to Dallas after 14 years to complete a fellowship in oculoplastic surgery at UT Southwestern. He is excited to catch up with everyone!

class oF 2003

Olivia cosby is the Operations Director for the Wendy R. Davis Campaign for Governor. mike Isaac reports that his 2014 has come with many changes! After living in San Francisco for the better part of a decade, Mike moved to Brooklyn, NY in June for his new job as a technology reporter for The New York Times. When he isn’t writing about start-ups, he’s out eating, drinking, and exploring other neighborhoods in his new city. He lives in Bed-Stuy with his girlfriend, Sarah. Greg kwedar completed work on a four-year documentary project on Team Rwanda’s first national team by competing in a three-day charity pro/am on the Tour de France mountain stages. Greg is now working on a thriller set in the world of Border Patrol, his first feature film as a director. He’s still in Austin with his wife Greta '04 and chocolate lab Tucker. Alexandra surdo has decided on a major change in her career path. After graduating from Bucknell University and working summers as an intern at AMC, she accepted a position as a production assistant. She worked her way up and advanced to become the writer and producer managing the development of campaigns for awardwinning shows such as Mad Men, Breaking Bad, and Walking Dead. Her success was unparalleled and all shows became

hits, placing AMC as one of the top networks on television. Although enjoying her success at AMC, Alexandra wanted to contribute in a more personal way. She began to explore various health fields, concentrating on those focused on children. She always had a strong empathy for children who were forced to struggle with difficult hardships, and she decided to volunteer her time to an after-school program in East Harlem for children with language and speech disorders. There she found she was particularly adept at establishing relationships with these children, helping them to feel comfortable, and boosting their morale and self-confidence. She continued her exploration of this field by visiting clinics, speaking with professionals, and taking classes. Alexandra found that the creativity she used at AMC to attract viewers to TV shows could now be applied to motivate and engage children in their therapy sessions and the work required to overcome their disabilities. She eventually came to the conclusion that this was the work she was born to do. Consequently, she applied and was accepted to some of the best master’s degree programs in this field. The program at the University of Virginia was her first choice since it embodied her goals of securing a strong academic foundation with practical clinical training. The skills she hopes to develop in graduate school would allow her to facilitate the development of children with traumatic brain injuries into stronger, more competent communicators, so that they may also thrive in all areas of their lives. Alex attributes her experiences and strong academic background at TVS as key to her career success and her ability to make difficult decisions. TVS provided her with the confidence and motivation to meet any challenge, whether personal or professional, and the tools to independently think and solve problems, even those beyond her comfort zone. Congrats on this exciting news, Alex! sarah Toppel shares that she married Jeff Koons in Fort Worth on August 16, 2014. sari Hochberger Bar was a bridesmaid in the wedding. Congrats to Sarah and Jeff!

cLAss OF 1996: FRANCESCA DUNCAN

cLAss OF 1996: KYPREOS FAMILY: MAX, MARKUS, NIKKI, AND MARY

class oF 2007

Lauren Adams married Taylor Crowder in August in Beaver Creek, Colorado, with Bri Addison and Brittnie Bartlett serving as bridesmaids and Lauren’s brothers, Will '03, Greg '05, and Andrew '13 as groomsmen. emily Allender celebrated her engagement to Cameron Wilhoit in September in Charleston, SC. minator Azemi graduated from the University of Texas School of Law in May and joined Thompson & Knight LLP in Dallas working in corporate and securities law. kelley clark completed her clerkship with the Supreme Court of Texas in July and joined Bracewell & Giuliani LLP in Houston as a commercial litigation associate. chris cole co-founded a company, Everly, in 2013 that makes all-natural drink mixes, and their products are now available for purchase on Amazon. natalie Gamez and Garrett meyer, high school sweethearts, marred in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, in May 2014, surrounded by many Trinity Valley alumni. Natalie’s sister, Adrienne Gamez '12, was maid of honor. Grant sorenson graduated from Texas Tech

cLAss OF 1997: NANCY PARK MARRIES MICHAEL MINKLER

University School of Law in May and joined McDonald Sanders, PC in Fort Worth. david spiegel got engaged to Sammi Hirsch in August in Washington, DC. kellye Watson and nathan snodgrass '08, also high school sweethearts, got engaged in March and are looking forward to their December 2014 wedding in Fort Worth.

class oF 2009

Georgia Fender was accepted into Circle in the Square Theatre School’s two-year Professional Musical Theatre Workshop in New York City, and is now living in New York and attending that program. megan montgomery graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University on August 9, and married Lt. Casey Bosworth of the U.S. Air Force on August 30. Taylor stratton has started the MBA program at UT-San Antonio, and was also recently hired to work for Rackspace, the #1 managed Cloud company, as a Financial Analyst.

class oF 2010

Alex chaulk graduated from The University of Virginia in May with a degree in human biology and religious studies. She started medical school at UT Southwestern in August. rachel johnson was named a YMA Fashion Scholar for 2014 in which she is one of a hundred students nationally selected for a fashion mentorship with renowned designers and was placed with Kenneth Cole. Kristen Pfleger graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering. She majored in Systems and Science Engineering with a focus on Economic and Financial Systems. Kristen now lives in St. Louis and works at Anheuser-Busch InBev headquarters as a logistics management trainee. rohail premjee was selected as the Presidential Fellow in the Office of the President at Dartmouth College. In this capacity, he assists the President and senior leadership in President’s Office with new initiatives in support of the institutional mission in order to improve the systemic strategy and management of Dartmouth’s enterprise. Blake rutledge is working at Ogilvy & Mather in New York, doing an Artist in Residency as a designer and animator with the interactive advertising team.

class oF 2011

Larisa Bogle won Ms. TCU at TCU's Homecoming in October. nick comunelli spent this most recent summer in Germany working on his advanced language classes, and he is currently preparing to apply for graduate school to study Creative Writing. He hopes to attend graduate school in California. I (chris morris) spent the summer working as a messenger in the Senate at the Texas State Capitol, and I’m currently working on applications to attend law school next fall. Laney santana was

recently featured in the book Women Drummers: A History from Rock and Jazz to Blues and Country by Angela Smith, which is available in stores and on Amazon.com for purchase. ryan Templin spent the summer working for Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Colorado.

class oF 2012

ryan jacobs went to the Dominican Republic for a week on a medical brigade with Timmy Global Health to help interpret between doctors and patients. He got a stipend from Siteman Cancer Center to do research in tumor immunology in pancreatic cancer at Washington University’s medical school and is continuing research this school year. kasey kilpatrick recently got engaged to Colter Kasper (they met their freshman year of college at A&M) at Victoria Falls in Africa while on vacation with his family. spencer stanley proposed to Maggie Purczinsky (also from Fort Worth, but not a TVS alum) in March.

class oF 2014

madelon Allen, who is a photographer for TCU360, pledged Tri Delta at TCU. max Bolt pledged Sigma Alpha Epsilon at OSU. john cleveland is playing football at Sewanee. jason cline is at TCU and pledged Beta Theta Pi and is also involved with Frog Aides, an SGA organization. Anne claire cosby pledged Kappa Alpha Theta at OU. kelsey ekberg pledged Tri Delta at Alabama. Betsy ellithorpe pledged Tri Delta at UC Berkeley, where she is also in the Society of Women in Physical Sciences. emily elston pledged Chi Omega at Auburn. madison esenwein is a Kappa Kappa Gamma at LSU. madison Faris is a Zeta Tau Alpha at OSU. chad Fillmore pledged Sigma Alpha Epsilon at Ole Miss. Harrison Froeschke is at A&M and pledged Beta Upsilon Chi. megan Gallagher pledged Chi Omega at TCU. Abby Hanley pledged Kappa Alpha Theta at Purdue. Haley Harrington pledged Kappa Alpha Theta at OU. ricky Hiler is at A&M, where he is in the Corps, Corps intramural flag football, paintball club, mountain sports club, and the caving club. paul jackson is at the U.S. Naval Academy and in the USNA Men’s Glee Club and the Varsity Offshore Sailing Team. mallory kirk pledged Chi Omega at TCU. Brittany Lewis is a Chi Omega at University of South Carolina. morgan Osborne pledged Chi Omega at Texas State. Garrison roe is following up his TVS StuCo presidency by serving on the Dartmouth Student Assembly. rachel rutledge is a Kappa Delta at Ole Miss. Bitaal sadiq pledged Pi Kappa Alpha at A&M. dani shewmake is at Rice, where she plays Powderpuff (offense) and is a cheerleader. jordan smith pledged Chi Omega at TCU. Alara stuckey is at OU and pledged Alpha Phi. Thomas viola is at OU and pledged Beta Theta Pi. Bridget vories pledged Kappa Alpha Theta at Texas Tech. crawford Williamson is a Kappa Sig at Ole Miss.

cLAss OF 1999: ELANOR AND WILL BLUMENFELD; cLAss OF 1999: MITCHELL WAGNER

cLAss OF 1999: SONYA AND AMAR TANNA; cLAss OF 2000: FERGUSON FAMILY

cLAss OF 2000: FINN HALL; cLAss OF 2000: HEIDI KILPATRICK; cLAss OF 2000: SHELDON MILLER AND MJ BRANNON

cLAss OF 2003: ALEXANDRA SURDO; cLAss OF 2003: GREG KWEDAR AND MEMBERS OF TEAM RWANDA

cLAss OF 2004: NEALE CLARK MARRIES HALEY SINGER; cLAss OF 2004: CLARK FAMILY: NORA AND WILL '01, HALEY AND NEALE, EDWARD, AND KELLEY '07; cLAss OF 2007: EMILY ALLENDER AND CAMERON WILHOT

cLAss OF 2007: LAUREN ADAMS MARRIES TAYLOR CROWDER; cLAss OF 2007: ADAMS FAMILY: GREG '05, MELINDA, LAUREN, GLENN, WILL '03, ANDREW '13; cLAss OF 2007: CHRIS ARNOLD, BRI ADDISON, LAUREN ADAMS CROWDER, BRITTNIE BARTLETT

cLAss OF 2007: TVS GIRLS CELEBRATING NATALIE GAMEZ AT HER REHEARSAL DINNER; cLAss OF 2007: NATALIE GAMEZ MARRIES GARRETT MEYER; cLAss OF 2007: TVS GUESTS AT MEYER WEDDING

cLAss OF 2007: NATHAN SNODGRASS '08 AND KELLYE WATSON ENGAGED; cLAss OF 2007: WATSON FAMILY: SAMUEL '10, AMY '08, KELLYE, NATHAN SNODGRASS '08 WITH KAREN AND JIM WATSON

cLAss OF 2012: KASEY KILPATRICK ENGAGED TO COLTER KASPER; cLAss OF 2012: RYAN JACOBS IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC; cLAss OF 2012: SPENCER STANLEY ENGAGED TO MAGGIE PURCZINSKY

TVS Trojan Voice 11.4.indd 88

11/4/14 12:17 PM

Why families say YES to TVS:

How do we know we are meeting their expectations?

Chinese and TOE!

TRINITY VALLEY SCHOOL

2405034_Cover.indd 2

11/11/14 12:45 PM

Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Fort Worth, TX Permit #844

inspiring the extraordinary since 1959 7500 Dutch Branch Road Fort Worth, TX 76132-4110

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED to parents of alumni:

If this magazine is addressed to a son or daughter who no longer uses your home as a permanent address, please e-mail his or her address to davisks@trinityvalleyschool.org

CHARACTER

TEN SENIORS REFLECT p18 WHO REPRESENTS ALUMS? p60

THE TROJAN VOICE

TVS

Trinity Valley School

WHY TVS STANDS OUTp4

INTEGRITY LEADERSHIP RESPECT

GRANDPARENTS’ AND SPECIAL

CHANGE CHALLENGE TURN IN!

FRIENDS’ DAY NOVEMBER 21

DECEMBER 12, MARCH 6

FALL BREAK

WINTER BREAK

NOVEMBER 24 - 28

DECEMBER 22 - JANUARY 5

Learn More about the TVS GLOBAL INITIATIVES PROGRAM Dr. Michael Roemer Speaks about the Growing Success of Students Skyping with the World and More ...

2405034_Cover.indd 1

Seniors Johan Cheah, Andie Mace, Eunice Ndungu, and Jonathan Pickell Share What It Means to Be a TROJAN! p20

FALL 2014

Detail of Cover Illustration by Lulu Rodgers and Jae Rhee (Class of 2017)

T R i n i T y va l l e y s c h o o l

WISDOM

11/11/14 12:45 PM