2018 Strategic Plan Six Imperatives to Guide TVS’s Future » PAGE2
The Big Dig TOE-ing Our Way Through an Archaeological Dig » PAGE14
The Gift of Sight Is True Photography a Lost Art? » PAGE46
THE TVS MISSION Trinity Valley School has four main objectives for its students: fine scholarship with its fulfillment at college; the development of wide constructive interests; intelligent citizenship; and spiritual and moral development which promotes lasting values.
MANAGING EDITOR MARGARET KRAMER
CREATIVE DIRECTOR ASHLEY ROBINSON
CREATIVE PRODUCTION SARAH MORGAN
DESIGN SARAH RADICELLO RADICELLO CREATIVE
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS BLAKE AMOS DAN BRYANT JANET CHAFFEE JAKE FELTS NICOLE FORBES ANNE HERNDON SARAH MORGAN ASHLEY ROBINSON MICHAEL ROEMER MARCY ROTEN MARK SLOTER JEFF SNYDER
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS BLAKE AMOS MANISH BHATT ANNA CARLSON JANET CHAFFEE JENNIFER COOKE IAN CRAIG KATHRYN DAVIS NICOLE FORBES TIM JONES SARAH KLEIN MARGARET KRAMER SANDY MCNUTT JO-ANN MULROY CLARE PRITCHETT ASHLEY ROBINSON MICHAEL ROEMER MARCY ROTEN DANIELLE SELLERS JEFF SNYDER MARK WELLS PATTY WRIGHT
Sixth-grade students participated in a day of community service at Buckner Shoes for Orphan Souls in Dallas. The sixth graders assembled internationally distributed care packages and prepared decorations for an upcoming fundraising event.
Spring 2018 Volume XVIII Number II Trinity Valley School | 7500 Dutch Branch Road Fort Worth, TX 76132 | 817.321.0100 | tvs.org Trinity Valley School’s Trojan Voice is published twice a year. Please contact Ashley Robinson, Associate Director of Advancement, with any questions, comments, or suggestions regarding this publication at robinsona@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 school-administered programs. © Copyright 2018 by Trinity Valley School, Fort Worth, TX 76132-4110
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ACADEMICS CLASS OF 2018 | PAGE4
INTELLIGENT CITIZENSHIP | PAGE38 LEARNING FROM OTHERS | PAGE42
NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY | PAGE48
ALUMNI A NIGHT TO REMEMBER | PAGE66 CLASS NOTES | PAGE69
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THE ARTS LETTING GO | PAGE34
THE GIFT OF SIGHT | PAGE46
SCHOLASTIC AWARDS | PAGE58
ATHLETICS LEADING BY EXAMPLE | PAGE28
ATHLETIC MASTER PLAN UPDATE | PAGE30
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EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION THE BIG DIG | PAGE14
GLOBAL INITIATIVES A CONVERSATION WITH MR. SELENY ON STUDENT TRAVEL ABROAD | PAGE24
INSIDE THE ARCHES 2018 Strategic Plan Imperatives
IAN CRAIG ON STRATEGIC PLANNING | PAGE2
Academic and Co-Curricular Excellence
THERE’S EVERYTHING TO DO! | PAGE20
RETIRING FACULTY | PAGE8
RETIRING TRUSTEES | PAGE13
XPLORE SUMMER AT TVS | PAGES27,33,55,68
Student Support and Well-being
COMMUNITY SERVICE | PAGE56 ANNUAL GIVING | PAGE59
Diversity and Inclusion
UNDERWRITERS’ CLUB | PAGE60
Financial Management and Growth
PARENTS’ CLUB | PAGE62
Internal/External Communications and Marketing
TOLLING OF THE BELLS | PAGE83
PLANNED GIVING | PAGE64
Campus Facilities
Rationales and action steps will be available online soon at tvs.org/strategicplan
Partners in Learning. Experts in Education.
TRINITY VALLEY SCHOOL tvs.org
M E S S A G E
F R O M
THE
T VS
HEAD
OF
S CHOOL
STRATEGIC
PLA N NING During the 2016-2017 school year, we decided that the time was right for the Trinity Valley School community to engage in a strategic planning process. The school had just undergone the most comprehensive campaign in its history and completed a number of major construction projects. It seemed appropriate to pause and plan for the near future. IAN L. CRAIG Head of School
Ultimately, we wanted an inclusive process that produced something that we could continually reference, and not simply live on a shelf, as most strategic plans do. We researched a number of different consultants to help us with this process and decided
"Our consultants aggregated all of the data we had collected and returned for our intensive three-day retreat in November. In both large and small groups, we discussed and deliberated and brainstormed toward what would eventually become our strategic imperatives." on Heads Up Consulting, led by Pat Bassett, former president of the National Association of Independent Schools. The company’s experience
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with independent schools, as well as its understanding of current and global trends affecting our schools, was certainly a draw. After forming a strategic planning committee comprised of teachers, administrators, alumni, trustees, and parents, our first charge was to solicit feedback from every conceivable constituent. Consequently, we sent surveys to college alumni, postcollege alumni, current parents, current students, and faculty and staff. In all, we received nearly a thousand responses, which was most useful. From there, each member of the administration and the planning committee developed his or her own SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats), based on the survey feedback. In early Fall, we welcomed Heads Up President Rich O’Dell to Trinity Valley. He toured TVS and visited classes. He also engaged in a dozen focus groups that included teachers from all three divisions, parents, trustees, alumni, coaches, administration, and the advisory board. Our consultants then aggregated all of the data we had collected and returned for our intensive three-day
retreat in November. In both large and small groups, we discussed and deliberated and brainstormed toward what would eventually become our strategic imperatives.
will be updated accordingly on the TVS website. At its March meeting, the TVS Board of Trustees unanimously approved the Strategic Plan in its totality.
In the end, we arrived at six main imperatives — Academic and Co-Curricular Excellence, Student Support and Well-being, Diversity and Inclusion, Financial Management and Growth, Internal/External Communications and Marketing, and Campus Facilities. Under each of these, we have our rationales; below that are our foreseeable action steps which
Our sincere hope is that this becomes a living, breathing document that helps to guide our decisions for at least the next several years and serves as a reference for setting priorities.
Karen Peninger, M.Ed., our Lower and Middle School Counselor, helps our students with mindfulness through rock-stacking and meditation.
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Congratulations 4
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Class of 2018 TRINITY VALLEY SCHOOL
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CLASS OF 2018 GRADUATES Emmala Alfaro Sydney Archuleta Tina Bajramovic Rachel Baker Payton Benson Benji Berkowitz Sawyer Blackman Luke Bogle Tom Bosworth Connor Browne Allison Byrd Stephen Caero Joey Cascino Sophia Castro Lauren Chiang Sarah Clark Anne Cleveland Nicholas Cutrona Emma Dalley Dacy Distler Sarah Dodge Kamryn Dow Andrew Ekins Harrison Ellis Henry Evans
Emily Faris Eyan Farrukh Amanda Fisk Brenna Flynn Coleman Fortson Ronak Gandhi Abby Gerstle Addie Guinn Emily Hammons Kate Hanley Dustan Helm Emma Hernandez Cosette Hidalgo-Murra Daine Holsteen Ross Huck Brianna Hudson Audrey Jacobs Kevin James Erin Johnson Louise Johnston Maya Kalaria Jaxon Kelley Jackson Key Imran Khan
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Ina Lee Nicolas Levy Flavia Lima Lucas Lipscomb Ethan Lisenby Kerry Mackenzie Samer Majeed Brittany Masters Chris McCrary Sean McCrary Abigail McGowen KayLynne Midgley Hannah Nedrelow Michelle Nguimtsop Piper Odom Antonio Pana Niral Patel Alex Pitre Lesdy Posadas Torres Pay Prostok Jolene Pumphrey Brock Rodriguez Jordana Roet Thomas Ryu
Number of College Admission Offers made to the Class of 2018
Naveen Sadiq Jackson Schlossnagle Zane Schwarz Sommer Selod Sarah Shamai Maggie Shipman Margaret Shumate Mollie Sloter Emma Ashling Stack Katherine Stein Max Stucker Cassandra Sulzer Wesley Teeter Uma Tiwari Luke Vasquez Andrew Viola Michael White Reese Whitlock Adaje Williams Madi Williams Kailey Wilson Dylan York Sophie Yuill
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National Merit Finalists Ronak Gandhi Maria Virginia “Ina” Lee Kerry Mackenzie Hijun “Thomas” Ryu
National Merit Commended Connor Browne Andrew Ekins Daniel “Ross” Huck Kevin James Jackson Key Christopher McCrary Margaret Shumate
Number of Colleges that Admitted Students from the Class of 2018
Colleges where members of the Class of 2018 have been Admitted University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
AMDA College and Conservatory of the Performing Arts
Indiana University at Bloomington
Southern Methodist University
Iowa State University
Spelman College
Angelo State University
Lehigh University
St. Edward's University
Arizona State University
Lewis & Clark College
Stanford University
Auburn University
Louisiana State University
Syracuse University
Austin College
Loyola Marymount University
Tarleton State University
Baylor University
Loyola University Chicago
Texas A&M International University
Belmont University
Marquette University
Texas A&M University
Boston College
Maryville University
Texas A&M University, Commerce
Calvin College
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi
Carnegie Mellon University
McDaniel College
Texas Christian University
Clemson University
Miami University, Oxford
Texas State University
Cleveland Institute of Music
University of North Carolina School of the Arts
Michigan State University
Texas Tech University
College of William and Mary
University of North Texas
Minerva Schools at KGI
Texas Woman's University
Colorado State University
University of Notre Dame
Mississippi State University
The George Washington University
Columbia College Chicago
University of Oregon
Northeastern University
The University of Alabama
Columbus State University
University of Pennsylvania
NYU Shanghai
The University of Arizona
Connecticut College
University of Rochester
Oklahoma State University
The University of Edinburgh
Cornell University
University of San Diego
Old Dominion University
The University of Iowa
Dartmouth College
University of South Carolina
Otterbein University
The University of Oklahoma
Davidson College
University of South Florida, Tampa
Oxford College of Emory University
The University of Texas, Arlington
DigiPen Institute of Technology
University of Southern California
Pennsylvania State University
The University of Texas, Austin
Dillard University
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Pepperdine University
The University of Texas, Dallas
Drexel University
University of the Incarnate Word
Purdue University
Trinity University
Duke University
University of the Pacific
Quinnipiac University
Tulane University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach
University of Tulsa
Rhodes College
University of Arkansas
University of Utah
Rice University
University of California, Los Angeles
University of Virginia
Ringling College of Art and Design
University of California, San Diego
University of Washington
Rochester Institute of Technology
University of California, Santa Barbara
University of West Florida
Roger Williams University
University of California, Santa Cruz
Villanova University
Roosevelt University
University of Cambridge
Wake Forest University
Saint Louis University
University of Colorado at Boulder
Washington State University
Salve Regina University
University of Connecticut
Washington University in St. Louis
Samford University
University of Denver
Webster University
San Diego State University
University of Georgia
Wofford College
San Francisco Conservatory of Music
University of Houston
Yale University
Savannah College of Art and Design
University of Kansas
Yale-NUS College
Seattle University
University of Kentucky
Sewanee: The University of the South
University of Maryland, College Park
Emerson College Emory University Florida Institute of Technology Florida Southern College Florida State University Fordham University Furman University George Mason University Georgetown University Georgia Institute of Technology Goucher College Harding University Hawaii Pacific University
University of Miami University of Michigan University of Minnesota, Twin Cities University of Mississippi University of Missouri Columbia University of Nebraska at Lincoln University of New Hampshire at Durham University of North Carolina at Wilmington
(As of April 12, 2018)
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RETIRING FACULTY MARGARET KRAMER, DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT
WE KNOW YOU WILL JOIN US IN CONGRATULATING THESE TVS FOLKS ON ALL THE GREAT THINGS THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED AND WISHING THEM MUCH ENJOYMENT IN THEIR RETIREMENT.
DR. WILLIAM SHELTON UPPER SCHOOL AP US HISTORY | 34 Years Doc, as he is affectionately known, will retire from TVS after 34 years of service to the school. Doc was hired in 1984 by Stephen Seleny. A celebration of Doc’s retirement was held at a reception on Sunday, May 6. We ask that honorariums go to an existing financial aid endowed award that was named for Doc. We also named the US History award given to a senior in his
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honor. Manish Bhatt’s eloquent announcement of Doc’s retirement sums it all up: Each one of us can think back to our school days and recall one special teacher that ignited a deep love of learning within each of us. These extraordinary educators have shaped who we have become and remained loyal counselors along our journey.
To a great many TVS students, the teacher that fills this role is Dr. Bill Shelton. Bill’s dedication to his students earned him the affectionate nickname, “Doc,” and for 34 years his kind and humble service has positively impacted our TVS community. Bill’s classroom is often the first that alumni seek when they return to campus. When asked, one soon-to-be alumnus described Dr. Shelton as a “devoted teacher who cares for his students’ well-being both in class and in life.”
Bill also served as assistant chief reader and was one of three high school teachers to serve on the AP U.S. History Test Development Committee – which he did for nine years and served as co-chair from 2011-2014. Additionally, Bill has been an AP consultant for the College Board and the Southwest Region of the College Board since 1991. He appears on an instructional video created by the College Board to help teachers understand the format and scoring guidelines.
A short time ago, Bill announced to me that he would retire from teaching at the conclusion of this academic year. At TVS, Bill has served as an instructor of history and coach for both basketball and track and field. Additionally, he has accompanied students on trips to Europe, hosted international guests, and continues to serve as the scorekeeper and clock manager for home basketball games.
While the aforementioned accomplishments are but a snapshot of the many accolades that Bill has received, he has always remained true to his passion – education. Bill has been an exemplary educator, coach, mentor, and friend. It is with mixed emotions that I share news of his retirement. I, like so many others, look to Bill with great affection and am honored to work alongside him each day. I am pleased to note that while Bill will retire from teaching, I anticipate that he will continue to be involved with our fine school. Please join me in congratulating and thanking Dr. Bill Shelton for his many years of service to our school and community.
Bill has also served as a dignitary within the Advanced Placement community — lending his expertise in the history field as a reader, table leader, exam leader, and question leader for the AP exam reading.
LESLIE GARCIA SECOND-GRADE TEACHER | 22 Years Leslie was hired in 1996 and will have served TVS for 22 years upon her retirement. Sandy McNutt shared her thoughts: Leslie would like to share that she has been “abundantly blessed in
being surrounded by this nurturing, caring, and supportive community of colleagues and friends.” I think we would all add that Leslie and [her son] Joseph, a 2001 TVS graduate, have blessed all of us. We hope that Leslie can squeeze in time to TRINITY VALLEY SCHOOL
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travel with [her husband] Arcadio, enjoy time with her mother, and visit Joseph, who is doing amazing things through the Bill Gates Foundation in Seattle (she would give credit to the teachers at TVS for guiding his
path). Leslie’s steadfastness, her calm demeanor, and her ability to patiently refine our students into people of incredible character will be missed at TVS. She will leave behind a legacy of greatness.
DIANE MALONE FOURTH-GRADE TEACHER | 22 Years Diane Malone was hired in 1996 as a kindergarten teacher, and transitioned to become a fourthgrade teacher. Sandy McNutt observed the following: Diane Malone, teacher extraordinaire, has touched thousands of lives at TVS, leaving a remarkable impact on our kindergartners, as well as our fourth graders. After spending 12 years working as a kindergarten assistant alongside Kay Newton, Diane returned to school to pursue her Master’s in Education, as well as her teaching certification. Upon graduation, she left her position of assistant teacher and began teaching
our fourth graders – for 10 years now. Diane’s roots run deep at TVS. Besides teaching “our” children, we had the opportunity to teach “her” children, Wade ’01 and Jodi ’03. Much like their parents, and with the support of many TVS faculty and staff, Wade and Jodi also continue to make a positive impact in our world. Our best wishes go with Diane and “Husband Tim,” as they begin an amazing new chapter in their lives. Thank you, Diane Malone! You have made a positive difference in this place!
LIZ RUTHERFORD ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT TO THE HEAD OF SCHOOL | 19 Years Liz was hired in 1998 as the administrative assistant to Admissions. She served in that role until 2007 when she thought she would retire. A year later she came out of retirement, returning to TVS as the receptionist. She has served since that time as the Middle School administrative assistant and more recently as the administrative
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assistant to the head of school. Ian Craig had these words to share: Liz is excited to spend more time with [her granddaughter] Hallie Jayne and will help with her parents. For 19 years, you would be hard pressed to find a more dedicated, affable and organized person at the school, and we could not have a
brighter face welcoming people in the door.
been nearly as possible without Liz keeping me on track and organized.
On a personal note, there is no chance that my onboarding and any successes to date would have
Join me in wishing her the very best, and in thanking her for the myriad ways that she has given of herself to Trinity Valley.
PATRICIA WRIGHT FOURTH-GRADE TEACHER | 19 Years Patricia was hired in 1999 and has taught fourth grade for 19 years. Sandy McNutt mused: Patricia Wright, fourth-grade teacher extraordinaire, started teaching at TVS in 1999, and many at TVS had the privilege of teaching one of her two sons, Carter Froman, Class of 2007. Traveling to Colorado with lifelong girlfriends; flying to the West Coast to enjoy time with her son, Mark, his wife, and her precious grandson,
Alan; and even helping Carter with his dream of one day opening his own restaurant in Fort Worth (he is a phenomenal chef) are just a few of the adventures Patricia has planned in her “down” time. Patricia has given much to decades of children and their families at TVS. We are thrilled that she now has the opportunity to begin checking things off her bucket list and continuing to find much joy in her adventures. Thank you, Patricia, for giving 19 years of sharing your time, talents, and treasures with our children. You made a difference!
LARRY GLADWIN MIDDLE SCHOOL LATIN | 12 Years Larry was hired in 2006 and has been the seventh-grade Latin teacher for 12 years. Jeff Snyder had the following to say about Larry: In May, Larry Gladwin will conclude his 43rd year as an independentschool educator, and although he has been at it for so many years, his passion for teaching middle-school students is as strong as ever. In his 12 years at TVS, Larry has left a lasting mark as a teacher, advisor, and
colleague, and his calm approach to every situation invariably defuses any anxiety that students or parents bring to the table. His passion for Latin ignites student interest and engagement, and as one parent recently expressed to me, "We are amazed at his ability to instill a true love of Latin in our student!" In retirement, I suspect Larry's love of travel will continue to drive his pursuits, and something tells
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me we will see him in the halls of TVS from time to time. As you can imagine, substitute teachers with a background in Latin are few and far between. I speak for all of us in
the Middle School in saying, we are all thankful for the opportunity to work alongside Larry, and we wish him the very best in his retirement!
JUDY HOLLOWAY LOWER SCHOOL MUSIC TEACHER | 9 Years Judy was hired in 2009 and has served for nine years. Sandy McNutt had these words to share on Judy’s retirement: Judy Holloway will now have the opportunity to spend an inordinate amount of time with her grandchildren beginning next year. After nine years of showering our students with her musical talents, Judy will be retiring from TVS to pursue many more opportunities with her family and friends. When asked what she will do with her spare
time, it quickly became obvious that she has been spending the past few months wondering how she will find time to fit in all the exciting new adventures that she has planned. Judy gives much of her time outside school working in the ministry field, alongside her husband, Bob Holloway. It will be exciting to see what the two will accomplish together, now that she can devote more time to this passion and spread her musical talents to many other venues.
PAT COOPER MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH | 8 Years Pat was hired in 2010 and has served as a TVS teacher for eight years. Jeff Snyder shared his thoughts: After eight years at Trinity Valley, and 34 years in education, Pat will retire from teaching at the end of this school year. I cannot say enough
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about the amazing impact she has had on her students and colleagues. We will certainly miss Pat's constant smile and positive outlook! She has made TVS a better place. Please join me in wishing Pat the best as she embarks on this new chapter in her life!
RETIRING TRUSTEES MARGARET KRAMER, DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT
THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS ARE RETIRING FROM THE TVS BOARD OF TRUSTEES AT THE END OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR. WE THANK THEM FOR THEIR YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO TRINITY VALLEY SCHOOL.
JEFF FARMER joined the board in 2009 and has served for nine years. Jeff is a 1987 graduate of TVS; his son Patrick is a 13-year, 2017 graduate of TVS; and his daughter Caroline, who also started in kindergarten, will graduate in 2020. Jeff and his wife Katie have been dedicated school volunteers and supporters of all things TVS. Jeff served as president of the Board of Trustees from 2015-2017. Jeff also chaired the most recent head of school search committee. The Farmers have served as Annual Giving chairs, and Jeff has served on the Board’s executive committee as secretary and vice-chairman as well as serving on numerous trustee committees. Jeff and Katie have been longstanding members of the Benefactors’ Society and Underwriters’ Club, and are members of the newly established Astra Society and 1959 Club.
KEN MINDELL joined the board in 2009 and has served for nine years. Ken is a 1970 graduate of TVS. Ken has been the chair of the Endowment committee and served on the Executive committee since 2012. Ken and his wife Cheryl have been longstanding members of the Benefactors’ Society, Underwriters’ Club, and the Stephen Seleny Planned Giving Society, and belong to the newly established Astra Society and 1959 Club.
JOHN VIOLA joined the board in 2005. John has three children who have attended TVS since kindergarten. Catherine graduated in 2013, Thomas in 2014, and his youngest, Andrew, is graduating this spring. John has served on the TVS Board for 13 years in many roles, most recently as vice-president. He has also served as secretary and as treasurer/ finance chair for several years as well as on the HR committee. John has been a member of the Benefactors’ Society and Underwriters’ Club for numerous years, and belongs to the newly established Astra Society and 1959 Club.
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BIG DIG
T VST O E
THE
BLAKE AMOS, DIRECTOR OF EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION
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In the 1990s, an archeological dig starting with Dr. Michael Collins of the University of Texas began along Buttermilk Creek, near Florence, Texas. It has gained local and national attention and is changing the theories on peopling of the world and specifically North America and the United States. Through archeological excavation and cataloging, Dr. Collins and his staff have dated “original” Clovis peoples in the area back some 16,000 years. The TVS TOE program is now becoming an integral part of the archeological phenomenon. So…how did we get here? It’s a question I find myself frequently asking in the TOE program. Not in a “we’re lost and don’t know where we are” sort of way, but more a question of literally, how did we get to this point? To start, it is a humid and windy day in mid-February. I am standing on a hillside strewn with cactus, oak trees, and TVS students on their hands and knees carefully scraping the ground with small hand trowels as they sift through the Texas dirt. In my hand is a GoPro filming an interview with one of the preeminent archeology research professors in the country, Dr. Michael Collins. He concludes his comments by smiling and saying, “What a great group of students you have here!” Then, with a thumb tucked in his suspenders, he
ambles down the hill to offer more of his amazing insight. At that point, I pause, gaze at all the activity, and take a moment to reflect on all this, which then begs the question I ask myself, which simply put is…how did we get here? I suppose we should start at the beginning. Katie and Mark Kalpakis are relatively new to the TVS family. Their son George, who is completing the eighth grade, transferred to TVS about two years ago. The family immediately took to all things TVS, from academics to drama, sports, and especially the TOE program. While learning more about Mark and his work one evening with a beautiful sunset backdrop, I asked if he would keep an eye out for a small piece of property for TOE. Not to purchase, more like a lease, as an outdoor classroom of sorts. A spot where we could build and leave infrastructure and utilize the land in a multitude of educational ways. It’s something we have thought about for some time, but just haven’t stumbled onto the right situation. Mark paused for a second and then said, “I have an idea and maybe just the spot - let me talk to Katie and George.” In 2006, the Kalpakises bought a small plot of land just west of Salado, TX next to Katie’s brother. After getting
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were not allowed to set foot, lest they be arrested or worse. They kept mentioning how much they would like to extend their dig to that property, as they felt it would unearth a treasure trove of important data and artifacts and would have been their first choice for the initial dig. That began a plan for the Kalpakis family. Over the past 70 years, the Gault Site (gaultschool.org) has been looted, extensively excavated, and eventually protected. The impact of this site on how we view ancient world history cannot be overstated. As of 2016, there have been over 2.5 million artifacts and mammoth remains collected on only 3% of the property. Some of the highlights of the Gault Site include: •P ockets of intact Archaic deposits dating from 9,000 to 12,000 years ago
Top: William Dibble and Dr. Michael Collins measuring the depth of the artifact from ground-level. William 0is the third generation in his family to work with Dr. Collins at this site. Bottom: Caroline Snow holds worked pieces of chert. Opposite page: Harper Dunne, Piper Duncan, and Mrs. Amanda Collins beginning their test site dig.
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to know the land and the surrounding area better, they decided to build a home there. The more time they spent at the property, the more they fell in love with it. Slowly, as the land became available, they started buying other adjacent tracts of land, varied in size, near their new home. They knew they had acquired special land when “Eagle Eye” Katie, walking around, discovered some 100-plus arrowheads and older ancient tools. They became aware of the archaeological importance of the land and by coincidence found out that one of their new neighbors was an archaeological dig called the Gault Site. They contacted and took a tour with the Gault School of Archaeological Research (GSAR) Chairman, Dr. Michael Collins, and started to understand the geoarchaeological importance of the area they were living in. One thing stuck out to the Kalpakis family during those early visits. They noticed how the Gault staff longingly looked across the barbed-wire fence to the Langford Ranch where they
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• I ntact Paleoindian deposits from 14,000+ to 9,000 years ago • I ncised stones that are among the oldest provenienced art in the Americas •A possible Columbian mammoth kill site •M ore than 600,000 artifacts of Clovis age (13,000-13,500 years ago) •A stone floor dating to prior to 13,000 years ago, the oldest house in North America •D eposits below the Clovis strata representing the earliest known culture in Texas The Kalpakis family plan took shape. Could they somehow buy the Langford Ranch and leverage the Gault School’s interest in digging there into a long-term project for students? Could this project provide young people the chance to not
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just visit an archeological site, but actually learn every aspect of what goes into a professional dig? What might be under the ground over there? After eight years
"Over the past 70 years, the Gault Site has been looted, extensively excavated, and eventually protected ... As of 2016, there have been over 2.5 million artifacts and mammoth remains collected on only 3% of the property." of courting the Langford property owners, the Kalpakis family invited Mr. Langford to visit with them on their property to see how they restored the land, so as to convince him that they would be good stewards to whom to sell their land. With that, not only was Buttermilk Creek Ranch, LLC born, but most importantly, the beginning of a long-term project and relationship with TVS.
Which brings me to that humid February day when we finally began the TVS archeological dig site. Ten TVS students broke ground under the watchful eyes and wonderful instruction of Dr. Clark Wernecke (Executive Director of GSAR), Tom and Nancy Williams (GSAR Staff), and whom we now affectionately call the “Intellectual Indiana Jones of Texas� himself, Dr. Michael Collins. They began with an instructional overview of the project prior to the dig. They focused on the importance of proper techniques to excavate, wash, preserve, and keep records. Once this groundwork was laid, the students began digging in their respective one-meter plots. TVS Environmental Science teacher, Amanda Collins, was on site to learn the process and help our students navigate the steep learning curve. While some students meticulously dug, others operated the water screening station to sift for artifacts. The work, as with the inception of any project, proved tedious at first,
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but more rewarding as time went on with the telltale signs of some very significant future finds. The Texas skies watched us uncover history and became jealous, sending incoming adverse weather that chased us off the property earlier than expected, but not before we all got a taste for what is to come. Our archeological appetites grew! Hours digging in the dirt. Muddy clothes, shoes, and hands. Fierce ownership of “my square.” Smiling faces and cheers when small artifacts were found, recorded, excavated, and logged. Many heavy buckets of dirt carried through the scrub brush from sites to the screener. And ultimately the satisfaction of learning the details and process of a very important real-world science project, all under the watchful guidance of TVS, the Gault School staff, and yes, Dr. Collins himself. Top: Upper School students screening debris for artifacts. Bottom: Fishing group recorded weight, length, and number of fish species in the ranch ponds. Jack Allen displaying one of the catch.
When asked what stood out the most about participating on her first dig, Sophomore Harper Dunne said, “This is special because we
"The Texas skies watched us uncover history and became jealous, sending incoming adverse weather that chased us off the property earlier than expected, but not before we all got a taste for what is to come." are contributing to work on an actual professional project. We are digging on a real scientific research site and finding ancient
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artifacts that matter. I had a great time and can’t wait to get back!” GSAR Executive Director Clark Wernecke said, "We are very excited by the field school with Trinity Valley School which very neatly combines the Gault School of Archaeological Research’s two primary missions - research and education. The students are doing real-world research investigating the western perimeter of a world-famous archaeological site while learning about the science of archaeology. Archaeology is an apprenticeship discipline which means that many of the skills you need must be learned by doing them, and there are few opportunities for students younger than college age to do so. We hope that students come away from this experience with a better understanding of archaeology, prehistory, and science in general while actually contributing to our knowledge of some of the earliest peoples in Texas." As we wound down our first marathon day on the site and tiredly started cleaning up our work areas, I asked Katie and Mark what their end goal was with this project. They both smiled and said, “There isn’t one. We hope it continues past our and even George’s lifetimes. It’s something that we hope goes on and on because there is a lot to be found and share here. We think that one of the greatest legacies you can have is to affect young people and their ability to learn in a positive way. Our son
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George can carry this torch when we no longer can; we hope it continues even beyond that!” Now that we are finished cleaning up the equipment and starting to plan for our next visit, we want to say thank you to the Kalpakis family. We also want to thank the amazing professional staff from the Gault School of Archaeological Research. This
is the beginning of a long and meaningful journey that will put many of our students directly into an experiential education project like no other. For information on this dig or to learn about the many other projects we have started at Buttermilk Creek Ranch, LLC, please contact Blake Amos at amosb@trinityvalleyschool.org.
Top left: Katie and Mark Kalpakis Top right: Students fishing in the pond for Wildlife Management Project. Bottom: Excavated dirt coming to the screening station under the watchful eye of the Gault staff.
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T VSL O W E R
SCHOO L
THERE'S
EVERYTHING TO DO!
SANDY MCNUTT, HEAD OF LOWER SCHOOL
Six words every parent dreads to hear after the first week of summer: "I'm bored. There is nothing to do!" Often, the parental reply might go something like this, "You can go clean your room,” or, "There are plenty of weeds to pull!" We went to the experts, those who have a plethora of ideas, and asked the question, "Can you give us some ideas that will keep children active and engaged over the summertime?” We asked our teachers, coaches, staff, and our Head of School for suggestions that would be memory makers, possibly events that might become traditions. We asked them to list activities they enjoyed, and some naturally took them back to their own childhood. Following are our ideas for a fun-filled summertime. We hope these adventures make a difference in your summer fun. Our desire is for them to bring joy and to create memories that will last a lifetime. Have a blast! 20
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OH THE PLACES YOU'LL GO! Xplore | TVS summer events tvs.org/summer
Fort Worth Nature Center | Canoeing, Hiking | fwnaturecenter.org
Casa Mañana | casamanana.org
Pine Cove | pinecove.com
Dinosaur Valley | tpwd.texas.gov/ state-parks/dinosaur-valley
Southwest Nature Preserve in Arlington | naturallyfun.org/ southwest-nature-preserve
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center | fossilrim.org Weatherford Peach Festival | Saturday, July 14 | parkercountypeachfestival.org Bass Hall | basshall.com Levitt Pavilion in Arlington | Concerts on the grass; amazing firework display on July 3 | levittpavilionarlington.org Antique Mall on Montgomery | Walk through your past with your children and share memories.
Elmer W. Oliver Nature Park in Mansfield | olivernaturepark.com American Airlines CR Smith Museum | crsmithmuseum.org Burger’s Lake | burgerslake.com River Legacy Park in North Arlington | Great hiking and biking trails | riverlegacy.org Camp Thurman – Arlington campthurman.org
Painting with a Twist | paintingwithatwist.com
Sid Richardson Museum sidrichardsonmuseum.org
Creative Hands | Pottery creativehandsceramics.com
TCU Andrews Institute Science Workshops andrewsinstitute.tcu.edu/outreach/ summer-camps
Flying Armadillo in San Marcos | Disc Golf Enchanted Rock | tpwd.texas.gov/ state-parks/enchanted-rock Sundance Square | Splash around the "splash pad" Summit Rock Gym | summitgyms.com Sixth Floor Museum | jfk.org Panther Island Paddle Pavilion pantherislandpavilion.com/watersports FW Botanical Gardens | Picnic fwbg.org Comal River in New Braunfels Melt Ice Cream | melticecreams.com Steel City Pops at Waterside Benbrook Library Food Trucks on the Trinity clearforkfoodpark.com Farmer's Markets | Weatherford weatherfordfarmersmarket.com | Clearfork farmersmarket1848.com | Traffic Circle cowtownmarket.com | (There are others as well.)
LaserQuest in North Richland Hills | laserquest.com/tx-northrichlandhills Perot Museum | perotmuseum.org Fort Worth Stockyards | fortworthstockyards.org Fort Worth Museum of Science and History | Museum School fwmuseum.org/museum-school Van Grow | vangrowstudio.com Dallas Arboretum - Ultimate Treehouse | inhabitat.com/ultimatetree-houses-at-the-dallas-arboretum TCU Extended Education Workshops for Children | lifelong.tcu.edu Coyote Drive-In | Experience a drive-in movie…remember blankets and pillows for the car! | coyotedrive-in. com/fortworth Day trip to Waco | Dr Pepper Museum drpeppermuseum.com
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ADVENTURE AT HOME Geocaching
Disc Golf
Jigsaw puzzle
Frisbee Golf
First 100-degree day | Celebrate by enjoying all things “wet!”
Fly Fishing
Water-balloon fights
Sidewalk chalk
Make boats and float in gutters after a summer rain
Walk the dog/go to the dog park
Climb a tree Write and mail notes to tell people how much you appreciate them
Tye-Dye t-shirts
Bake with a grandparent Put on a backyard play Play hide and seek
Bowling
Summer journal
Putt-putt
Make your own popsicles
Volunteer | Mission Arlington, Union Gospel Mission, Assisted Living
Make Oobleck
Ride bikes around the neighborhood or Trinity Trails
Neighborhood Game Night | Include water balloon games, silly string wars, lawn darts
Family Game Day | Outdoor or board games!
Pile on the couch and watch 80’s movies
Kids’ summer reading book club
Technology-free day | Go to the public library or neighborhood bookstore
Jumbo water slide out of plastic tarp | homemade slip & slide!
Plan a scavenger hunt in your neighborhood
Chalk Paint | Use sidewalk chalk to leave happy/encouraging messages in public spaces. "You rock!" "You've got this!" "You matter!"
Get a library card and frequent the neighborhood library Host a block party | Let the children make the invitations and plan the event 4th of July Neighborhood Parade Decorate bicycles, golf carts, wagons, dogs
Neighborhood Block Party | Odd-numbered houses bring sides, even-numbered bring desserts Commit to a family walk once a week in a different neighborhood
Have a backyard campout with the works – tents, s'mores, reading by flashlight
Find and play at one new city park/ playground each week
Invite your block to play flashlight tag one summer evening
Exercise together
Stock an art cart at the beginning of the summer and let your children create all summer long
Shoot baskets Bubbles in the backyard Swim at night with glow sticks Flashlight tag with the neighbors Make thank-you cards for first responders and deliver them with your children Set up a lemonade stand and donate the money to a worthy organization/cause Nap!
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CREATE YOUR OWN FUN Paint the driveway/sidewalk with watercolors. Retrieve a bucket of water and an assortment of brushes. Children can practice cursive, handwriting, math facts, etc. Or, simply draw pictures. ETA game | Passengers predict time your family will pull into the driveway driver doesn’t play! Playground Photoshoot | Visit a variety of playgrounds throughout the city. Take pictures of your favorite playgrounds. Make a mini-book of favorite parks, and write a memory about each one. Create a Little Free Library/Book Box for your neighborhood. Place crates outside of homes on your block, and have them filled with free choice of reading and trading out of books. It will be an actual neighborhood library! Car Camping | Plan a week in a state or national park. Park the car and set up a tent just a few yards away. Who needs a cabin or hotel room when you have a tent and the stars for comfort and beauty? Lake Ouachita, in the Ouachita National Forest in Arkansas, is beautiful and just a few hours away. Write special events on Popsicle sticks with contribution of ideas from each member in the family. Place them in a jar, and choose one stick out of the jar each week. This allows everyone to have a suggestion and allows an element of surprise. (Family Summer Bucket List) Build forts in your home with sheets, towels, blankets, and pillows. Use it as a reading cave - join your children!
Put out a flyer at your neighbors’ homes, offering to serve as their "vacation eyes!" | Offer to pet sit, bring in the mail/newspaper, bring trash cans in from the curb, water plants. Try not to allow payment it's just what neighbors do for each other! Make a family summer bucket list | Take a giant poster board and split it into three columns and rows. Brainstorm with family ideas to add to the chart. The columns are titled; • Fun things to do • New places to try • Opportunities to do for others Make a menu for the week, allowing each family member to be in charge of selecting the family meal one night per week. Keep a journal, going back and forth between you and your child. Write poems to each other, make up a joke, draw a picture, write a secret code, do word scrambles. Keep passing the journal back and forth all summer. (This will be a memory keeper for sure!) Have an ice cream social in your neighborhood. Everyone brings their favorite toppings and favorite ice cream. If going on a road trip, assign each child a specific location to research along the journey. When you begin your trip and reach the specific destinations along the way, each child can report the newfound research to the family.
May our suggestions create opportunities for your family to try out some new adventures together, and unique places to explore. However, sometimes the beauty in a day is simply “to be.” We hope that when school begins in the fall, your reflection will be, “This summer our family created memories.”
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A CONVERSATION WITH TVS FOUNDER/HEADMASTER EMERITUS STEPHEN SELENY
ON STUDENT TRAVEL ABROAD DR. MICHAEL ROEMER, DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL INITIATIVES
When Mr. Stephen Seleny envisioned a school for Fort Worth, he wanted one that would open the minds of Fort Worth youth to different cultures and perspectives on life, and for decades, international travel has been an integral part of the TVS experience for many students. Today, the Global Initiatives and Trojan Outdoor Experience (TOE) Programs continue Mr. Seleny’s vision by coordinating with our faculty and with off-campus providers to create life-changing Trojans Abroad and TOE Beyond programs for our students.
able to increase the number of TVS students who can benefit from these transformative programs. Several families generously contributed gifts to establish a special endowed global travel fund to provide financial assistance to families who are unable to afford these travel experiences. The fund is in its infancy, but we hope that with the ongoing support of the TVS community, it will continue to grow, allowing us to support even more students. (For more details about this Endowment, please continue reading).
Since the inception of the Global Initiatives Program in July 2011, 325 students and faculty have traveled together to 15 countries: Australia, Austria, the Bahamas, Canada, China, Costa Rica, England, Ethiopia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Peru, Spain, Swaziland, and the United Arab Emirates. Travel with a purpose creates opportunities for self-reflection, empathy experiences, cross-cultural communication, and cross-cultural understanding—the four global competencies of our K-12 Global Initiatives Program.
Knowing that travel abroad has long been one of the highlights of a TVS experience, I sat down with Mr. Seleny to learn more about the history of TVS Abroad.
Beginning
next
fall,
TVS
will
be
During the summer of 1970 Mr. Seleny took a group of eleven boys and two girls to Europe, visiting Holland, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, and England. Top: Mr. Seleny in Salsburg, Austria. Middle: St. Mark's Square, Venice, Italy. Bottom: Resting in Aachen, Germany.
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ROEMER | Can you remember when TVS ran its first trip abroad for students? SELENY | When we were still on the Hemphill campus, we took seven or eight boys—juniors, seniors, and one freshman (the younger brother of one
of the boys). I think that first year we went all over Northern Africa, to Libya, Tunisia, Egypt, and Morocco and also to Turkey. A French teacher, Mustapha El Amri, had connections in Tunisia. He spoke French and Arabic and he was Muslim, so he could navigate the cultures for us. We were there for three or four weeks. We traveled every summer for three or four weeks, sometimes a little longer. ROEMER | Why was traveling abroad so important for you? SELENY | The world is not an earthly paradise. It’s run by humans; therefore, it’s imperfect… But, when [students] see all the amazing things humans have done, it’s a jaw-dropping experience for them that you can’t get in the classroom reading a textbook. They’ll sit there for half an hour in silence, mesmerized by the beauty of what they are experiencing. ROEMER | Do you think that the reasons for student travel abroad today are different from, say, 10, 20, or more years ago? SELENY | No. The outward appearances? Maybe. But, the essence remains the same. We are all still searching. Sometimes we find [what we’re looking for] and sometimes we don’t. It’s innate; at least that’s how I see it. ROEMER | If you could travel anywhere in the world today, where would you go? SELENY | China. It’s the most quickly changing place in the world. Give it 20 years, and you won’t know the difference between the U.S.A. and China.
[Puzzled by that claim, I asked him to elaborate. It was no surprise— knowing his passion for music—that he explained himself thus:]
Making friends in Swaziland | March 2017
Based on what I see in the news in the classical music debate, China is hungry for it... Shanghai is the center of classical music [in China], and it has spread to Beijing and Nanjing. The Chinese focus intensively on one European master then another, thus they become great [classical musicians]. Years of intensive, focused study have made them competitive. I predict the U.S. and China to be world leaders, just with different approaches to the same goals of global influence. Although where and how we travel have evolved over the years, what Mr. Seleny shared about why we travel continues to overlap with our current program development. Even with the internet and virtual reality, nothing compares to walking along the Great Wall in China, snorkeling with manta rays in the Bahamas, rappelling down a waterfall in Costa Rica, standing within a few feet of a black rhino in Swaziland, or making dinner with a host family in Spain. Those experiences cannot be replicated fully in a classroom. While
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we can help all our students make friendships and learn with people from around the world with our virtual-learning experiences (live video chats, online discussions, and video exchanges) or by hosting our international guests, travel abroad is one of the most effective ways to create transformative intercultural learning experiences for our students. That is why we are building the travel fund and why we are naming it in honor of Mr. Seleny: the Stephen Seleny Travel Endowment (SSTE). We want more TVS students to be able to experience these once-in-alifetime programs.
Top right: Making friends in Australia | Summer 2017 Bottom right: Dogsledding in QuĂŠbec | March 2018 Below: Snorkeling in the Bahamas | Summer 2016
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Please support Mr. Seleny’s vision by contributing to the SSTE. Contact our Director of External Affairs and Major Gifts, Clare Pritchett pritchettc@trinityvalleyschool.org or 817-321-0113. To apply for funding for a trip, please contact Michael Roemer at roemerm@trinityvalleyschool.org.
BE ACTIVE THIS SUMMER! BASEBALL • BASKETBALL CLIMBING • CROSSFIT KIDS DANCE: BALLET, HIP HOP, JAZZ, LYRICAL, POINTE, & TAP • FENCING WITH A TWIST OF MEDIEVAL FIELD HOCKEY • FOOTBALL LACROSSE • SOCCER TENNIS • VOLLEYBALL
Shuffle on over to TVS.org/summer and register for an Xplore camp!
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BY
LEADING
EXAMPLE
TIM JONES, DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS
IT HAS BEEN QUITE A YEAR FOR TVS GIRLS’ BASKETBALL COACH TAWANNA FLOWERS. NOT ONLY DID SHE LEAD HER TEAM TO AN SPC RUNNER-UP FINISH — MATCHING THE SCHOOL’S BEST FINISH IN THE SPORT SINCE THE 2001 SEASON — BUT SHE ALSO RACKED UP QUITE A FEW AWARDS THANKS TO THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE ROLE SHE HAS HAD IN THE LIVES OF SOME OF HER PLAYERS. During the jersey presentation for the McDonald’s All American game, Coach Flowers was honored by Senior Madison Williams with the American Family Insurance Dream Champion award for her role in helping Madi achieve her dream of playing basketball at the highest level. Recently, through the nominations of another of her players, Coach Flowers was notified that she had been named a 2018 North Texas Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) Double-Goal Coach! In the weeks since being named as a regional recipient of this award, Tawanna was also named as one of 50 national awardees chosen from nearly 800 nominations nationwide for her positive impact on adolescent athletes by teaching life lessons through sports. At the Positive Coaching Alliance national
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award ceremony in Palo Alto, California in April, Coach Flowers served as one of four panelists representing this group of coaches. Coach Flowers’s nominating student athlete, Junior Madison Briscoe, specifically identified Flowers’s pre-game visualization exercise as having an enormous impact on the team. Not only does the visualization allow the group to look past losses and mistakes, it also leads the players to focus on what the team and each individual player needs to do moving forward, putting the team in the best position possible for success.
SENIOR SIGNINGS AND NEWS BRIANNA HUDSON, Volleyball Signed with San Angelo State University
SOMMER SELOD, Soccer Signed a letter of commitment with The University of Texas at Dallas
Each year, the Positive Coaching Alliance honors youth and high school sports coaches throughout the United States who strive to win, while also pursuing the more important goal of teaching life lessons through sports. A Double-Goal Coach® operates with the following guiding principles:
MADISON WILLIAMS, Basketball Signed with The University of Oklahoma
•T akes a mastery approach to sport rather than a scoreboard orientation, teaching athletes to put forward maximum effort, continuously learn and improve, and not let themselves be stopped by mistakes or fear of mistakes. •F ills “emotional tanks” of athletes, refusing to use fear, intimidation, or shame to achieve the desired results from athletes. Rather, the DoubleGoal Coach® provides a mixed “fuel” of specific, truthful praises for every specific, constructive correction. •H onors the Game by respecting ROOTS (Rules, Opponents, Officials, Teammates, Self).
CONGRATS, TROJANS!!! Additionally, Madison Williams was one of 24 players in the nation named to the McDonald’s All-American roster. The game was played on March 28th at the Phillips Arena in Atlanta, GA. She was also one of 24 players named to compete in the 2018 Jordan Brand Classic on April 8th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Source: The Positive Coaching Alliance TRINITY VALLEY SCHOOL
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T VSAD VAN CE M EN T
ATHLETIC
MASTER PLAN
U PDAT E CLARE PRITCHETT ’89, DIRECTOR OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS AND MAJOR GIFTS
NORTH FIELD PROJECT Fundraising is complete! This past semester, 120 new parking spaces opened, and construction starts this May on the concession/restroom building. The students are thrilled that all will be ready for the fall season. Please plan to join us on the north field next year for field hockey, soccer, and lacrosse to cheer on our Trojans and check out the new amenities!
Above: Concessions building to be built between stands. Right: New parking.
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Extended thanks to our generous donors! Holly and Jason Anderson C. B. Baird, Jr. Foundation Hollie and Chad Barber Linda Kiraly and Brian Bormann Theresa and Randy Brillhart Emily and Benton Cantey Amon G. Carter Foundation Cummings Family Charitable Fund at NTCF Lizzie and Sean Dalley Keith Dalton ’87 Adrianne and Adam Deem Meredith ’81 and Hank Dorris ’81 Kerry Fischer and Ken Duncan Heather Breiter and Pat Dunne Sarah ’97 and Charlie Florsheim Janet and Mike Greene Laurie and Holman Harvey Mindy and Tom Hegi Shannon and Jay Kizer Karen Beck Lewis ’89 Bryan and Brian Lynch Kathy and Don Mason McCallum Family Foundation Erika and Dan McCarthy Amber Anderson Mostyn ’89 Jennifer and David Nickels Clare Pritchett ’89 Melanie and Ron Rosen Margaret Jones Rutter ’91 Caroline Dulle Smith ’89 Mark and Becca Stupfel George H. and Mary Morgan Sullivan Charitable Foundation Maria Capua and Brandon Teague TVS Booster Club TVS Parents’ Club Susan and Robert Ursprung Gloria and Tim Vasquez Beth and Marc Walraven Nicole and Jeremy Watkins
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SOUTH FIELD PROJECT The momentum is building! With the North Field Project on its way, energy is moving toward our south fields serving baseball and softball. Improvements in design include new stands, dugouts, and a concession/restroom building in addition to enhancements to existing batting cages and the Middle School field. The project is estimated at $3 million, and fundraising is just starting. Timeline is dependent on final cost and fundraising. Calling all Trojans!!
Conceptual drawings for South Field concession and restroom building.
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T VSAD VAN CE M EN T
STADIUM PRESS BOX Furthermore, plans for a new press box were presented by former football captains Jay ’04 and Scott Miller ’08 at April’s Alumni Annual Reunion. All in attendance were moved to learn that the press box will be named in honor of Dennis Fleming, who called Trojan football games for years. Mr. Fleming joined the TVS faculty in 1977, as a history teacher and basketball coach. Soon after arriving, Fleming added the duties of college counselor to his many school responsibilities. In 1988, Mr. Fleming became head of the Upper School, and until 1995 he continued to do college counseling while overseeing the growth of the Upper School program. From 2007 until his death in 2009, he served as associate head of school. Often remembered for his loud voice, students knew Mr. Fleming as a confidant, teacher, encourager, sports enthusiast, and friend. He was the type of school administrator who truly loved his students and had a strong desire for each student to succeed. The new press box will have multiple rooms to accommodate home and visiting coaches and students, in addition to a multi-purpose conference/hospitality room. It will also be elevated to allow for enhanced filming opportunities in addition to having an open breezeway below. The current facility is in need of major repair and no longer serves our growing programmatic needs. It is also on fan level, requiring box officials to ask attendees to sit down so coaches and
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commentators can see and call the game. We are currently working to develop new learning opportunities through a sports-broadcasting program whereby students serve as color commentators and stream the game for fans to watch who are unable to attend. This will provide another way to engage students and strengthen community building. The stadium serves our campus throughout the year. Please consider making a special gift in honor of Dennis Fleming. Contact Clare Pritchett ’89 to learn more about supporting the south field and stadium projects. 817-321-0113, pritchettc@trinityvalleyschool.org
Conceptual drawings for Stadium Press Box.
BE CREATIVE THIS SUMMER!
ARCHITECTURE WORKSHOP • ARTÉ IN THE AMERICAS • ASTRONOMICAL IMAGING BUSINESS BOOTCAMP • CALLIGRAPHY AND HAND LETTERING • CALLING ALL COOKIES! DIGITAL STORYTELLING • FIBONACCI’S STUDIO • KITCHEN CAPADES • KNITTING STUDIO • SUMMER MUSICAL: I NEED A VACATION • WRITER’S WORKSHOP
Find what strikes your fancy at TVS.org/summer and join us for an Xplore camp! TRINITY VALLEY SCHOOL
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LETTING ANNA CARLSON, MIDDLE SCHOOL DRAMA TEACHER
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I believe it was one of my Parent Production Team moms who said on the occasion of my 102-degree fever, which hit me the last morning of Peter Pan, “Wow, what a lesson in letting go!” A lesson indeed. Hearing those words took me back a bit, because although I could not lift my head from the pillow that entire day, I felt a sense of peace (was it the Tamiflu or the many prayers?) that the show would, you know, go on! When it hurts to open your eyelids, you keep them shut.
and then, my cast, rehearsed and confident, waiting for that pitch in the overture that would cue the curtain to be opened. They’ve got this, I told myself as I took a deep breath, and then added a Hail Mary. Why is it so hard to let go? I have had plenty of practice. I let go of my dad’s arm when he walked me down the aisle and gave me to that young man who was waiting to be my husband. I let go of our firstborn when I taught her to swim, or on that first day of Kindergarten, when she (actually) released my grip and ran to Mrs. Newton’s welcoming smile and warm
I think I peeked to text my stage manager, Mollie Sloter. “Mollie, I " Why is it so hard to let go? I have had plenty of can’t get out of bed, I have fever!” She was sympathetic, but rather practice. I let go of my dad’s arm when he walked quickly she texted back with a “Don’t me down the aisle and gave me to that young worry, Mrs. Carlson, we’ve got this!” Of course, they did! This was my man who was waiting to be my husband." Senior Production Team’s fifteenth show with the Middle School, if you count them as cast members in Willie Wonka hugs. I let go when we dropped off our oldest and Pecos Bill. They knew the protocol. And son at college, 10 hours away, up the Kansas the theater was abuzz with devoted volunteer Turnpike. And then four years later, did the parents, who were ready with a quick needle same thing with our youngest son. I let go and thread or leather gloves to fly our cast on when both daughters took off for opposite cue. My co-directors were all there, standing coasts. Each of those pivotal moments was by, ready to fix whatever could go wrong, brought on by lots of prayer, and as my faith got stronger, it became easier to let go. And as I lay there in bed, I realized that for the past 29 years at Trinity Valley, I have been praying over and letting go of show after show and student after student. This is, indeed, a special place. A place that embraced a (some might call) harebrained idea, such as, let’s put on a show with Middle Schoolers playing all of the roles! From our first Revues, back on the McCart campus, to our more recent forays into Broadway magic, I have been given the green light to create
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Opposite page: Guys & Dolls This page top: Alice! Middle: Lion King, Jr. Bottom: Peter Pan
a culture where students of all ages and parents and teachers work together to bring the joy of theater to our community. And joyful it has been! I think on certain memorable moments: The hours and hours of design meetings with passionate students, who tried so hard to create on paper what was in my head. When we stayed late to paint the stage or hang a light or when our actors donned skis to get across Tanglewood so they could rehearse even though school was closed because of a six-day ice storm! I remember the time during an extra rehearsal when our sailors finally tore the ship apart within the 12 measures of music, so that it looked like a hurricane. A year later, with the ingenuity of a junior student and our new 3D printer, we created a tornado. Those are the moments I will always treasure! Of course, the not-so-perfect moments I have let go, and they have become joyous memories that we laugh over. I remember during an early production of Alice through the Looking Glass, and my sweet fifth graders who were pawns were literally melting in the
Amphitheatre, because we did all our Drama Club shows there, and that matinee happened to be in 90-degree heat! Conversely, the very next year, our crew had to sit on the set so the 40-mile-perhour winds would not carry off our backdrop during Jungle Book. We (except for Cage) still laugh at the time the fire department arrived as the Beast was transforming to his princely self; the alarms had gone off because the smoke machines put out too much smoke. A few years later, our wonderful, quick-thinking Upper School soundboard engineer just turned up the sound so the audience could not hear the alarm, which was going off because we had just melted the Wicked Witch of the West! And more recently, when Sleeping Beauty was sleepwalking, and was late for her wake-up kiss! All of these unplanned moments have become a lifetime of joyous memories. I am blessed to have been intimately involved in the inaugural run of TVS’s Middle School musical program. Again, I must let go and make way for the next generation to arrive. As the story of our TVS family unfolds, I am grateful to my collaborators, all of the parents, the supporters, the well-wishers, and especially the students who have made all this possible. The past has been lovely, but the future is bright! With love, Anna Carlson
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T V S M I D D L E
S C HO O L
INTELLIGENT Citizenship
ENRICHING THE COMMUNITY BY TAKING OUR LEARNING BEYOND THE GATES JEFF SNYDER, HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL At the beginning of this school year, I asked our Middle School team to reflect intentionally and deeply on the ways that we foster intelligent citizenship, one of our mission statement’s four pillars. It became clear to me that we were already engaging students in amazing opportunities, both within our day-to-day curriculum and in co-curricular activities, to help them better understand their connection to the larger community. For example, in sixth-grade Global Studies, Ryan Churchward uses the United Nations’
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17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development as the backdrop for understanding the social, political, and economic context of the modern world. In eighth-grade Humanities, Ryan Ellis and Dr. Edwin Wood consistently connect the history and literature of the past to present-day debates, encouraging students to follow the guidance of To Kill a Mockingbird’s Atticus Finch, who emphasizes the importance of taking time "to climb into someone's skin and walk around in it."
The more we discussed our curriculum and learning objectives, it became apparent that all of our teachers were implementing some exciting strategies to ensure that all TVS Middle School students are grasping their responsibility as intelligent citizens. This year, however, some of our teachers have put an exciting twist on the integration of intelligent
"Six students from last year’s sixth-grade group accompanied Mrs. Frey to Houston to present aspects of the Monarch Project at CAST, the annual conference of The Science Teachers Association of Texas." citizenship by stretching students to step beyond the confines of the classroom to take their learning to children and adults outside the gates of Trinity Valley. Julie Frey’s longstanding sixth-grade Monarch Project has always connected students with elementary children and senior adults living nearby, but this fall, Mrs. Frey capitalized on a unique opportunity to link some of our students to the statewide educational community. Six students from last year’s sixth-grade group accompanied Mrs. Frey to Houston to present aspects of the Monarch Project at CAST, the annual conference of The Science Teachers Association of Texas. Thousands of teachers from across the state attend this conference, and more than 50 lower- and middle-school teachers attended the one-hour session presented by Mrs. Frey and her students. After an initial presentation on the overview of the project, students provided demonstrations and worked hands-on with the teacher participants on a number of activities that these educators could transfer to science classrooms in their home schools.
This page: Six students represented TVS and presented at the 2017 CAST Science Teacher Conference. Opposite page: Students celebrate the completion of their Humanitronics project.
In seventh-grade Humanities this year, Dan Betsill and Tina Harper teamed up with computer science teachers Abbie Cornelius
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Left: Completed Humanitronics project. Opposite page, top: 7th Grader EJ Buchanan works with an elementary student at the Fort Worth Museum of Science & History. Bottom: Maggie Eskue with Mrs. Cornelius during Engineers Week at the Fort Worth Museum of Science & History.
and Dr. Ginger Alford to take an existing student project into new territory. For the last couple of years, the “Dinner Party Project” has been a fun, midyear-culminating assessment that required students to synthesize the history, literature, and overarching themes learned in class into written arguments from the perspective of historical figures and literary characters. This year’s seventh graders were presented with the opportunity to take this project to the next level with “Humanitronics,” the creation of an animatronics show, complete with computercoded puppets, elaborate backdrops, and student-recorded audio. Over the course of a couple of weeks, students learned to design, build, and program their animatronic puppets. Eventually, some of the projects were presented in a Middle School assembly, and some of the students received feedback via Skype from former Disney Imagineer, Paul Dietz. The team of teachers did not stop there. They began to look for opportunities for our students to take their learning and this
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project to the larger community. With the help of Dr. Alford’s strong connection to the local computer science community, a total of 16 seventh-grade students represented TVS
"This year’s seventh graders were presented with the opportunity to take this project to the next level with 'Humanitronics,' the creation of an animatronics show, complete with computer-coded puppets, elaborate backdrops, and student-recorded audio." at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History on two days during National Engineers Week in February. The students set up their Humanitronics projects in the Innovation Studio and played live performances of their shows for museum guests. They explained the process of making the robotic puppets come to life and answered questions from children and adults. Even more exciting, our students
allowed museum patrons to experience the satisfaction of controlling the puppets themselves through demos and hands-on activities involving circuitry and programming of the servo motors. In March, four seventh-grade students took the Humanitronics shows on a road trip to Dallas! TVS was invited to showcase our projects at the TxDLA (Texas Distance Learning Association) annual conference. Our students set up a booth in the innovation room and throughout the day, they explained and demonstrated the Humanitronics projects to conference attendees, which included over 500 industry leaders and educators from around the world. The attendees were impressed by our students’ professionalism and communication skills. There were other independent schools from Dallas in attendance with robots or 3D printers, but we were the only school with student presenters and a project directly tied to core-curriculum objectives. For the second year in a row, through an additional collaboration with Abbie Cornelius,
Bill Buck and his sixth-grade art students built and programmed drawing machines using servo motors and other student-fabricated building materials. This year, however, a handful of our sixth-grade students participated in the iMake Festival at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History in late March. They set up their drawing machines, interacted with museum guests by explaining the process, and helped the visitors try one of their drawing machines to create a giant piece of art, with each visitor adding a little to the picture. Prior to this, another group of sixth-grade students co-taught two sessions of Scratch coding classes with Mrs. Cornelius during the National Day of Code, also at the Museum of Science and History. The participating students proved to be outstanding teachers, providing personalized instruction to participants who signed up for the classes from across Fort Worth. We believe these exciting opportunities have challenged our students to help others develop and learn new passions, and as our Middle School teachers continue to focus on the importance of the connection between teaching intelligent citizenship and providing authentic contributions to the larger community, there will certainly be more opportunities for our TVS Middle School students to take their learning beyond our gates.
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T VSUP P E R
SCH OO L
LEARNING
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OT HERS MANISH N. BHATT, HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL
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At Trinity Valley School, we are blessed with many learning environments. From our classrooms to our athletic fields, and everywhere in between, our students have the good fortune of studying with highachieving peers, engaging with expert faculty members and coaches, and taking up academic residence within the spaces that have been so generously provided to us by our many benefactors. We never lose sight of how lucky we are to enjoy the opportunities available to us and always seek to maximize the potential of each day of our academic year.
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In reflecting on this school year, I am proud to report that TVS continues its strong dedication to a growth culture to ensure that we are delivering the most relevant and highest-quality content and experiences to our students each day. To aid us in this commitment, we often bring in experts and luminaries to provide context and a different voice to the conversation. These voices come to TVS as part of our Upper School Speaker Series and the all-school Rutledge Lecture Series. We are very proud of these series. Their special programs serve to remind us that education is a lived experience and allow our students to engage their learning in a new context. Throughout the year, we were treated to a host of impassioned presentations and conversations. As we begin reflecting upon the past months, I thought it particularly important to memorialize these presentations so that our community and our students would forever remember the contribution that these speakers made to our collective education. WORLD WAR II VETERANS Early in the fall, our students heard from three members of the Greatest Generation: Sergeant Joe Simpson, United States Army; Private First Class Carmen Gisi, United States Army; and Petty Officer Jack Dye, United States Navy. This presentation was made possible by Roll Call, a 501(c)(19) veterans’ organization, and the coordination and assistance of Mr. Lee Ellis, a TVS parent and former United States Coast Guard boatswain's mate. Mr. Ellis served as the emcee of the event and shared the life stories of the three heroes. Later, SGT Simpson, PFC Gisi, and Petty Officer Dye took the microphones and encouraged the Upper School students to live their lives with character and integrity, and reminded the students of the importance of service to the community and each other. The veterans told their personal stories
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WWII Veterans with Mr. Bhatt.
" SGT Simpson, PFC Gisi, and Petty Officer Dye took the microphones and encouraged the Upper School students to live their lives with character and integrity..." with humility and conviction. This special presentation was capped by standing ovations from our community and a long line of eager students wishing to meet these American treasures. CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR AND CIVILIAN HONOR AWARD RECIPIENTS Later in the fall, we welcomed two Congressional Medal of Honor recipients and one Civilian Honor Award recipient to campus. The Congressional Medal of Honor recipients included Colonel (COL) Roger Donlon and Sergeant First Class (SFC) Melvin Morris. COL Donlon was the first recipient of the Medal of Honor from the Vietnam War and was SFC Morris’ commanding officer. SFC Morris is a member of Valor 24, a group of military members who were previously denied the Congressional Medal of Honor due to discrimination. COL Donlon and SFC Morris reinforced the importance of integrity and
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DARON ROBERTS - RUTLEDGE LECTURE SPEAKER SERIES Mr. Roberts has led an exciting life and is currently the Founding Director of the Center for Sports Leadership and Innovation at The University of Texas. He visited TVS as part of the Rutledge Lecture Speaker Series and discussed the importance of hard work and believing in oneself. His journey from Harvard Law to the National resilience and encouraged our students to find their path to serving others. They reminded our Upper School that they, too, were ordinary citizens but were called upon to do extraordinary things. They told our students that each one of them possesses the capacity to be extraordinary; they simply need to seek such excellence in earnest.
Congressional Medal of Honor and Civilian Honor Award recipients with our students.
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In this same assembly, students were introduced to Civilian Honor Award recipient Myles Eckert. Myles was introduced to the nation after he performed an act of extreme selflessness. Myles is a Gold Star kid, meaning he lost a parent to combat. Upon finding a $20 bill in a Toledo, Ohio carpark, he passed the money and a note to a uniformed member of the United States Armed Forces and instantly became the face of “paying it forward.” Myles’s presence spoke loudly to our student body, and he taught us all about selfless sacrifice.
Football League (NFL) to the University of Texas demonstrated
" His journey from Harvard Law to the National Football League (NFL) to the University of Texas demonstrated to our students that one’s limits exist only in the mind and that the right attitude can propel an individual to extraordinary heights." to our students that one’s limits exist only in the mind and that the right attitude can propel an individual to extraordinary heights. CHRISTO BRAND ON NELSON MANDELA The spring semester brought us a wonderful illustration of friendship against all odds. Christo Brand, former prison guard of Nelson
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Mandela, described his experience and the relationship that developed between him and Nelson Mandela. Mr. Brand reinforced to our students that justice and equity cannot be limited to one sector of the population but rather must be enjoyed by all peoples. This presentation was brought to TVS by Dr. Michael Slattery of Texas Christian University (TCU) and Mrs. Jennifer Cooke, Upper School science teacher. DR. MICHAEL SLATTERY, TCU RHINO INITIATIVE Dr. Slattery presented to our students about the work in which TCU is currently engaged to bring awareness to the plight of the rhinoceros and the market for ivory trade. Dr. Slattery’s presentation was engaging and motivating. This presentation demonstrated how much positive work can be done in spite of distance. Dr. Slattery’s team has made a significant contribution to the field of rhinoceros conservation and made this a Fort Worth concern. TVS students and faculty formed a team and participated in the TCU Rhino Run, designed to support TCU’s Rhino Initiative. Each of the above speakers personified the TVS mission. Through their words, and more importantly, their actions, our community witnessed the embodiment of: (1) fine scholarship, (2) the development of wide of and constructive interests, (3) intelligent citizenship, and (4) lasting values. These lessons reinforce and build upon our work in the classrooms and the athletic fields and serve as beacons for the future decisions of our students. We look forward to many wonderful years of meaningful presentations and celebrate the productivity of this year. We thank those that made these presentations possible and look forward to planning next year’s opportunities.
Top: Daron Roberts, Rutledge Lecture Series speaker, with Mr. Scott and Upper School boys. Bottom: Daron Roberts on stage.
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T VSF I N E
ART S
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THE GIFT
JO-ANN MULROY, FINE ARTS DEPARTMENT CHAIR MARCY ROTEN, UPPER SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHY AND YEARBOOK We currently live in a digital age, and with each updated cellular phone comes a newer and better camera. Everyone has a camera in his or her hands almost 100% of the time and believes that he or she is a photographer. The sense and wonder of waiting to see photographs after they have been developed seems to have disappeared. Is true photography a lost art? The Photography classes at Trinity Valley School offer students the opportunity to go back in time and learn what it is like not to instantly see a photograph and how to really “see” through the lens of a camera to create a piece of art. This page Top: Maddie Crisp | Fall Creek Feeder Bottom: Kate Hanley | Watchman Peak, Zion National Park Opposite page Top: Maddie Crisp | Farmhouse Middle: Kate Hanley | Observatory Bottom: Maddie Crisp | Who's your Llama?!
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The magic of the darkroom still remains at Trinity Valley. In the beginning of the semester, students use film to take photos. They learn to process the film and make enlargements in the darkroom. Along with the excitement, students may experience frustration as they encounter hiccups in the darkroom process. What some people do
not know is that many Adobe Photoshop tools, now considered instrumental for altering digital images, were generated from techniques (such as dodging and burning) used in the darkroom. Students learn first-hand how what they learn can be utilized not only in the darkroom but in the digital classroom as well. Once students have experienced the history of photography, they learn how to use a digital SLR camera in complete manual mode. This involves understanding how to control lighting, depth of field, and motion, as well as learning how to adjust the camera for certain situations that may require a bit more attention. Students really learn to “see” through the lens and make decisions based on their desired outcome. Digital doctoring is not the end-all, they learn. For instance, determining the correct exposure and cropping when taking the photograph is better than relying on Adobe Photoshop or other editing programs in post-production.
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I believe TVS students that have taken Photography see things differently when they leave the class. The magic of making and capturing memories is always going to be around, and hopefully the art of taking a photograph will not be forgotten.
" Going into my first year of photography, I would have never imagined I would fall in love with taking photos. Having my camera with me at all times has changed my perspective in the little and big things I see every day. I look into and really think about something and what it means in a deeper way then just what it literally is. Photography gives me an incentive to produce something that hopefully becomes bigger than myself. It has helped me express myself. " The Photography program at TVS would not be where it is without the help of Mrs. Roten (nor would I). From wanting to do a studio photoshoot of some of my grandmother’s old dresses, to needing a lens to shoot the US Open this past summer, Mrs. Roten was there offering anything and everything. Without her, I would have missed out on something truly amazing. For that, I am in debt. " I will be attending Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, where I will pursue a major in Elementary Education and a minor in Photography. I look forward to keeping photography close to my heart as I still look for any given moment that needs to be captured." Kate Hanley | 12th grade | 3rd-year photography student
" As a first-year photography student, I didn’t know much about the functions of a camera or how light affects a photograph. That is why I chose to take photography this year. Being in this class, I have learned that there is so much more to photography than just pointing the camera at an object and pushing the button. Learning how to make the most of angles and lighting this year has given me the skills to grow as a photographer in the future." Maddie Crisp | 10th grade | 1st-year photography student
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NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY PATTY WRIGHT, ADVISOR
Not even a mix of wintry, freezing rain and wind could delay the NHS formal induction ceremony, which took place on Wednesday, February 21, 2018, in the Stephen Seleny Theatre. Members of the Upper School Choir, under the direction of Alan Buratto, entertained families and friends before the ceremony. The ceremony began with the presentation of the flags by Jackson Key and Kevin James, followed by Emmala Alfaro leading the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. Before a large audience, each of the 54 inductees was introduced and welcomed to membership by one of the Senior members, and in the case of Ronak and Serena Gandhi, brother welcomed sister into membership. Special words of encouragement and experience were imparted by
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Seniors selected on the basis of embodying the four cornerstones of NHS. Maggie Shipman spoke on Scholarship, Allison Byrd on Service, Joey Cascino on Leadership, and Luke Vasquez on Character. Mrs. Patty Wright administered the NHS oath of membership, after which Dr. Bill Shelton addressed those assembled with his incomparable witticism and wisdom. Student directors of the event included Anne Cleveland, Erin Johnson, and Mollie Sloter. Following the ceremony, NHS members, along with their friends and families, were treated to a reception in the SST foyer. Reception coordinators were Ross Huck, Kerry McKenzie, and Pay Prostok. Senior NHS members played prominent roles in the production of the event, which is always a highlight of the Upper School year.
TVS WELCOMES 13 SENIORS AND 41 JUNIORS TO THE ALBERT M. GOGGANS CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY Maya Alarcon
Nicolas Gelvez
Eme Nwoko
Audra-Grace Alland
Kate Hanley
Delaney Pavell
Ellie Anderson
Hayden Harvey
Cade Peveto
Sydney Archuleta
Ben Hayward
Kinh Pham
John Bacon
Max Henshaw
Alex Pitre
Sam Barber
Emma Hernandez
Alexander Roemer
Sabra Belott
Connor Higgins
Tate Rosen
Benji Berkowitz
Yojana Jagadish
Shruti Sahu
Noah Bogard
Edward Lee
Will Sheffield
Paul Braymen
Samuel Levy
Sean Solomon
Stephen Caero
Kate Liao
Emma Spake
Michael Collins
Ethan Lisenby
Harris To
Sarah Dodge
Zachary Lutes
Jay Trivedi
Juan Dorado
Sarah Mason
Matthew Vories
Henry Evans
Brittany Masters
Kennedy Wainwright
Grant Farmer
Abigail McGowen
Kailey Wilson
Morgan Gallagher
Derek Munoz
Sophie Yuill
Serena Gandhi
David Ndungu
Luc Zelissen
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MAGGIE SHIPMAN SCHOLARSHIP
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IN THE FOURTH GRADE, MY TEACHER students participating in recreational from public school abruptly asked mathematics, as Ms. Burkhead likes to me to leave the class. I stood up call it, and participation in scientificin pure frustration in my favorite research programs throughout the purple tie-dye shirt from Justice year. I am happy to say that over and oversized glasses, and walked the past four years at Trinity Valley into the hallway. At the time, I was School, I have never had to ask twice beyond confused as to why I was for a teacher to explain “why.” I truly being punished for asking a question believe it is because they expect during class. However, what I left out from the full story "All students on this stage have when I explained the infraction worked diligently over the past four to my parents, was that I had repeatedly asked my teacher years to develop their foundation as the question “why?” with a bit contributing members of academia more aggression each time. and also as members of society. I am She had refused to explain the rules of the mathematics proud to stand in front of you today, we were applying in further recognizing these fine students for detail, because “honey, you’ll learn that later on.” Little did their scholarship and commitment my teacher know that she had to the pursuit of knowledge." released a small five-foot beast in her classroom that day. us to question the lesson and if, as While this melodramatic moment students, we don’t, then we have not from my childhood may seem funny truly embraced the opportunities Mr. and insignificant, I want to assure you Seleny has afforded us. that it has guided me in my scholastic endeavors throughout my schooling. However, none of this would Long before the uniform skirts hung be possible if a young man had in my closet and homework was up to recognized the statue of Charlemagne my ears, a younger and more stylishly in the summer of 1959, while on a misguided self had the courage to be Texas Boys Choir trip with Mr. Seleny curious. This moment has ultimately in Germany. It is through Mr. Seleny’s taught me that the key to scholarship devotion to fine scholarship that he is inspired curiosity. founded this school and has given us the opportunity to indulge in the This inspired curiosity is a quality valuable lessons that Trinity Valley has instilled in us, as students, from striven to provide. Mr. Seleny believed teachers like Sean Kenny, Doc that if the foundation for greatness Shelton, Paul Price, and Melissa can be developed, incredible change Burkhead who are masters of their is inevitable. respective fields. Their enthusiasm for the material fosters a culture All students on this stage have in the classroom that leads to worked diligently over the past four
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years to develop their foundation as contributing members of academia and also as members of society. I am proud to stand in front of you today, recognizing these fine students for their scholarship and commitment to the pursuit of knowledge. Their contributions to Trinity Valley have not gone unnoticed, whether it be through their passion for history, their work with Thalia, or their lighting design in the theatre. It has taken devotion and an underlying hunger for more. I would like to recognize how many sleepless hours it has taken us to get here, how many 1 AM facetime calls have been made because of webassigns, and how much resilience each one of us has shown after that one bad grade. While I will miss running into each one of you at Starbucks every time there is a big test, I look forward to watching each one of you grow and change the world. Congratulations to the inductees of 2018; may you continue to be curious.
ALLISON BYRD SERVICE
AT TRINITY VALLEY SCHOOL, WE place significant value on being a part of the solution. For years, we have sent students to the Peace Corps, Teach for America, and other forms of service to our nation and the global community. As I reflect upon how service has impacted my life, I am deeply moved. I learned to build not projects, but partnerships; I learned that passion is most effective when paired with wisdom; I learned to always reserve an aisle seat for a trans-Pacific flight. How amazing that when we have opportunities to serve to others, we find ourselves transformed.
I’ll tell you the story of a young woman whose service impacted me greatly. An eighteen-year-old refugee from Afghanistan, Zohra was denied the academic opportunities that have been afforded to me. While in her home country, Zohra taught herself to speak, read, and write English, Hindi, Arabic, and Farsi, in addition to her native language Urdu. Upon arriving in Indonesia, where we met, Zohra saw that the young refugees were receiving no education since fleeing their homes. Zohra easily could have dismissed this need, claiming her age, gender, circumstances, or lack of resources as legitimate excuses; but, in an act of maturity and selflessness, Zohra laid down her convenience and any remaining sense of normal teenage life to start Sunrise Refugee Learning Center. She located a venue, researched curriculum, and fundraised in just a matter of months to provide all eager students, boys and girls, with an opportunity to learn that they otherwise would not have had. When I think of Zohra, I can’t help but think of a quote to which my family often refers when discussing the issue of education. Many centuries ago, St. Bernard of Clairvaux wrote, “There are those who seek knowledge for the sake of knowledge; that is Curiosity. There are those who seek knowledge to be known by others; that is Vanity. But there are also those who seek knowledge in order to edify, and this is Charity. And there are those who seek knowledge in order to be edified, and this is Prudence. And there are those who seek knowledge in order to serve; this is Love.”
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As we honor these inductees tonight, and they reflect upon the pillars of Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character, my hope is that we will realize the incredible education available to us, and employ it in the service of others.
self-reflect. And if we can’t look into the mirror and see problems, then we’ve been lured into a false sense of security. We also can’t be purely pessimistic because just complaining about a problem doesn’t solve it. Productive pessimism lies on the fine line between these two extremes. True leaders practice productive pessimism because they actively look for ways to improve the quality of things, be they at school, home, or in the community. They see what’s broken and immediately start figuring out how to fix it. They can detect
LEADERSHIP. A WORD SO OFTEN defined but so rarely understood. Unfortunately, an overwhelming number of people fall into the trap of believing that leaders are merely lions herding sheep. That they give rousing speeches or hold prestigious titles. Many believe that only a "As a leader, it is critical to avoid select few have the capability complete optimism, because doing to lead and that the rest are made to be passive followers. so hinders one’s ability to
JOEY CASCINO LEADERSHIP
But I challenge these notions. self-reflect. And if we can’t look into Leadership is not having the the mirror and see problems, then loudest voice in the room or we’ve been lured into a false sense the bigger button on your desk. It’s not another student of security. We also can’t be purely council position. It’s not being pessimistic because just complaining the captain of the football team, having the lead role, or being about a problem doesn’t solve it." able to cut in the school lunch line because you have a “meeting.” potential long-term problems before Like Ratatouille taught us that anyone they occur. Most people only call out can cook, I say that anyone can lead. injustice; leaders take the extra step All you have to do is use three of your and make justice. Throughout all of five senses slightly differently than human history, all positive change you might be accustomed to. has stemmed from leaders seeing the First, we have to see the world through a more critical lens. Leaders look at the glass as half-empty; but instead of complaining about it, they find water and fill it to the brim. I call this productive pessimism. Yes, I just coined that. As a leader, it is critical to avoid complete optimism, because doing so hinders one’s ability to
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world in a productive pessimist light. Secondly, in order to lead we must make adept use of our sense of hearing. To lead is to listen just as a colony of E.coli is to room-temperature pork; they grow on each other. In any setting, people become better leaders when they open their ears.
As members of the human race, we’re constantly wrong and make mistakes. As hard as it may be, for the sake of the entity, be it a corporation or group project, we must be able to accept constructive criticism. We must be open to others’ ideas because they’re generally good and we don’t want to generate resentment. Equally important is using one’s ears to empathize with people’s needs. We have to listen to the views of people who will be impacted by the decisions we make; we have to understand all sides of an issue. Our decisions cannot directly disenfranchise a specific person or group of people. In order to lead, we must be willing to hear not only feedback but also voices. Thirdly, we must metaphorically make use of our sense of feeling by touching the dirt of the trenches alongside everyone else. President Eisenhower once said, “You don’t lead by hitting people over the head — that’s assault, not leadership.” I agree, because real leaders don’t stand around and bark orders at people working for them. They get down on their hands and knees and lead by example. If you don’t lead by example, if you can’t feel the figurative dirt in your fingernails at the end of the workday like your colleagues can, then you’re a hypocrite. Hold yourself to the same standards that you hold everyone else to. Today as you join this scholarly community, I implore you to use your natural abilities of sight, hearing, and feeling to become better leaders. Search for the wrongdoings of the world, small or large, then get to work on a solution. Along the way, seek out the advice of others on how to improve
your idea. Then be at the forefront of its implementation and personally see to its completion. I thank Sra. Wright and others for inviting me to speak tonight, and I congratulate all of you on reaching this special milestone.
I AM HERE TONIGHT TO DISCUSS Character. When I first heard this news, I was honored to be able to represent one of the four pillars of the National Honor Society. It was in this excited state that I sat for the entire night wondering how I view character, and how to define it. The funny thing is, character is what defines me, as well as all of you. Character is the basis on which someone is to judge you. We all know someone who exemplifies fine character. For my speech, I thought of many examples including a soldier standing watch for democracy while on foreign soil, a police officer - like my oldest brother - protecting those in need, or even a teacher who stays after school to help a student, something which is definitely not lacking at Trinity Valley.
LUKE VASQUEZ CHARACTER
When I began to think of character and the vital role it plays in National Honor Society, I was easily reminded of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of my personal role models. Dr. King once stated, "I have a dream,” and after these four powerful words came many, many dreams. One dream, however, stands out in particular to me. He states, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged
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by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."
remember to continue to stand for what is right and display fine character.
Today, for the most part, this dream has come true. That is why when you look at this stage, or more specifically at these inductees sitting to my left, you see amazing students anyone could be proud of.
While these large changes are constantly “looming” overhead, the students on stage also face day-to-day challenges where they continue to show their superb character.
While speaking of these students, I am reminded of another quote by Dr. King. This quote says, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” It was during the time of an unjust America when this was quote was said. The struggles kids our age faced in this time period were horrendous. They had to face those in power to stand up for what is right, and were sometimes even chased down by police dogs for doing what they believed was necessary. However, when you hear this quote, you may wonder how it relates to the students on stage. It is because of the message the quote implies and because the spirit of standing up for what is right has not been lost. Instead, this spirit has grown to shape every decision of these students, something Dr. King would admire. As we become young men and women, our generation will continue to be affected by societal changes. This can be seen with recent changes such as social media, social and cultural awareness issues, and even drug legalization. It is after these momentous changes that we must
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These challenges have included having too much homework or the temptation to procrastinate on an English essay. But as said before, these inductees have learned from history to stand up for what is right, even when there seems to be very little consequence. They decided NOT to copy a friend’s homework just to get it done and NOT to plagiarize their essay but rather drink a cup of coffee and start from the thesis and not stop until the conclusion. I have also seen these same students become athletes on their respective fields and courts and have seen their character in winning with humility as well as losing with dignity. I see the culmination of scholarship, service, leadership, and character in these inductees because of their outstanding GPAs and resumes, their collective volunteer work both at TVS and the broader Fort Worth community, and by their sportsmanship and camaraderie during athletics. These inductees represent all of these traits and are about to join the ranks of the National Honor Society. Now to the inductees I would like to say one final thing: Dr. King would be proud of the content of your character. But I am beyond proud to share this night with you.
TROJAN EXPLOSIVE POWER This summer program is an intensive strength and conditioning program for Upper School athletes. Trojans meet four mornings each week (M-TH). JUNE 4 – JULY 19 Boys: 8:00 - 10:30 a.m. Girls: 8:00 - 10:00 a.m. SPORTS PREP: STRENGTH, SPEED, AND MOBILITY This summer program is an introduction to strength training, footwork, and agility for Middle School athletes. JUNE 18 – 22 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. JULY 23 – 27 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Learn more and register at TVS.org/summer!
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CALLING ALL TROJANS!
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COMMUNITY SERVICE
UPDATE
JENNIFER COOKE AND DANIELLE SELLERS, CO-DIRECTORS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE Community Service is thriving in the Upper School at TVS! Our evidence: we were recently awarded the Youth Group Award by Trinity Habitat for Humanity. The honor was presented at the Habitat House Party in Sundance Square on March 22, 2018. Jennifer Cooke attended the ceremony on behalf of the School. Trinity Habitat is a favorite organization among students and faculty alike - the build has become the senior group tradition during the Spring Day of Service. April 13, 2018, marked our fourth-annual Spring Day of Service, an off-campus event serving a variety of local organizations. Upper
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School students had the opportunity to select their event and head out into the community with faculty and staff chaperones. Locations included Habitat for Humanity, United Community Centers, Catholic Charities of Fort Worth, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Fort Worth Parks & Recreation Tree Farm, Fort Worth Graffiti Abatement, Keep Fort Worth Beautiful, the Community Food Bank, and Don't Forget to Feed Me Pet Food Bank. Over 1,500 hours of community service were collectively performed! Â This year also marked the addition of our new Fall Day of Service, held on November 18,
2017. Since this project fell on Grandparents’ Day, Upper School students invited their grandparents and gathered at Mira Vista Country Club to perform a variety of service projects. The projects included writing letters to Santa to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation, making fleece tie-blankets, friendship bracelet kits, knitting baby caps for Cook Children's hospital, packing Thanksgiving activity packs for Como Aftercare kids, making homemade dog toys for the Humane Society, and writing letters of gratitude to members of our Armed Forces. Breakfast was served, and fun was had by all. For the grandparents who attended, it was a meaningful bonding experience with their grandchildren.
Top and middle: Fall Day of Service/ Grandparents' Day at Mira Vista Country Club. Bottom: TVS volunteers at United Community Center.
The Day of Service is a favorite among faculty and students alike. The activities offered also give students an opportunity to try new service projects and earn some of their required community service hours during the school year. This is especially helpful for students who do not yet have a driver's license. Service opportunities abound on campus and during school hours, including our Days of Service, Community Service Club activities, and even various TOE trips.
Above the Yo Habita
Our success is largely the result of a student body that is committed to helping their fellow man. Our wonderful 2017-2018 Community Service Club officers include Seniors Pay Prostok (CoPresident), Emmala Alfaro (Co-President), Kat Stein (Vice President), and Emma Stack (Director of Social Media). Each year, the Community Service Club sponsors four school-wide drives. This year's drives included: 1) Back-to-School Supply Drive, benefiting the Boys and Girls Club; 2) Canned Food Drive, benefiting the Tarrant Area Food Bank; 3) Diaper Drive, benefiting the Center for Transforming Lives; and 4) The Day Without Shoes, benefiting Soles for Souls.
Below for Ha fouthof Ser
Students at TVS are required to earn a minimum of 60 community service hours for graduation, but the Class of 2017 averaged 120 hours per student. Students with over 100 hours earn membership in the Centenary Society. School service is strongly encouraged, and those accumulating over 40 hours win the School Service Award. TRINITY VALLEY SCHOOL
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SCHOL A S TIC AWARDS In early December 2017, the advanced art students submitted work to the 2018 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. The Region-at-Large award recipients have been announced and are as follows for TVS:
EMMA DALLEY
ROSS HUCK
Silver Key Painting | Waxed Fruit
Honorable Mention Drawing | Ducks and Drakes
LUCAS LIPSCOMB Silver Key Drawing Toy Dinosaur
BRINKLEY PAULING
SYDNEY SRNKA
Honorable Mention Drawing | Negative Space
Gold Key Drawing | Rust
JAMES STUPFEL Honorable Mention Drawing | Untitled
Region-at-Large students are eligible to receive Gold Key, Silver Key, or Honorable Mention awards. Gold Key works will automatically advance to national judging and will be considered for national awards. We are pleased to announce that Sydney Srnka’s drawing has moved on to the national competition for Scholastic Art & Writing. 58
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SAM WONG Honorable Mention Drawing | Untitled
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TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE
2 0 17 - 2 0 1 8 A N N U A L G I V I N G C A M P A I G N ASHLEY ROBINSON, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT
The Annual Giving Campaign yielded remarkable support for TVS! The commitment of the TVS families and friends who participated in these fundraising efforts resulted in more than $685,000 benefiting the students, faculty, and programs of Trinity Valley School. The Annual Giving Campaign supports the School’s operating budget. But what are some of the things Annual Giving REALLY supports? • Fresh, healthy food options for our students and faculty in our Dining Hall, prepared inhouse by our incredible Dining team. • 70 sports teams fielded by our studentathletes, who are provided with equipment and uniforms. • Character-building and the opportunity to make new friends through our House System. Students are paired with a buddy from another grade for fun activities like making goodie packages for our alumni and writing cards to children’s hospitals and veterans’ organizations. • A beautiful and well-maintained campus with lots of room for students to play and relax during their brain breaks. • Getting outside our gates through our Trojan Outdoor Experience program, which provides students a chance to explore the world, practice teambuilding, and challenge themselves to try something new. We are able to include the cost of this in tuition due to the Annual Fund. • Incredible fine- and performing-arts opportunities not available in some schools. There is no additional charge for choir, drama, or visual arts. Students also have access to cameras, computer equipment, and supplies at no charge. • Salaries and professional development opportunities for our outstanding teachers and coaches to help them grow and be innovative in their teaching. Recent professional development opportunities have included animatronics and computer science, which differentiates us from other schools.
Trinity Valley School’s commitment to the highest academic standards is being realized through its dedicated faculty and staff, including many wonderful new hires who started in August. The School remains committed to the academic development of each student, as well as other interests whether they be athletic, artistic, outdoor, global, or any combination. Thank you to everyone who donated in support of Trinity Valley’s TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE! Megan and Matt Deen did a wonderful job chairing this campaign! Their time and energy has impacted the lives of hundreds of young scholars, athletes, makers, and artists, and will support many Trojans to come!
PARTICIPATION BY THE NUMBERS
100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 90 83 100% BOARD of TRUSTEES
F A C U LT Y A N D S TA F F
ALUMNI BOARD
ANnual giving leadership team
d e v e lo p m e n t committee
%
CURRENT PARENTS
WHO ARE ALUMNI
%
TVS FAMilies
PARENTS' CLUB BOARD
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UNDERWRITERS’ CLUB PHILANTHROPIC BENEFIT DONORS ASHLEY ROBINSON, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT
The Underwriters’ Club was established in the spring of 2005 to recognize a special group of philanthropic benefit donors who make gifts to the school through the Annual Giving and/or the Alumni Annual Fund campaigns. Membership has grown from 69 inaugural members to 117 current members. Underwriters’ Club members bridge the dollar gap between tuition and the actual cost of educating each TVS student. Membership qualifications include: • C urrent parents who donate the philanthropic benefit for each of their children enrolled at TVS. For the 2017-2018 school year, this amount was $2,300 per child. •D onors who are not current parents who donate $1,000 or more to the Annual Giving and/or Alumni Annual Fund campaigns.
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Endowment contribution to operating budget Prior-year Annual Giving contribution
+ ÷ Total enrolled students
= Philanthropic Benefit
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UNDERWRITERS’ CLUB MEMBERS Laura and Jeff Alexander '88
Carol and Jim Dunaway
Judy and Bob McNamara
Carol Margaret Allen
Sandy McNutt
Julie and Mark Anderson
Holly Edwards '95, Joy Edwards and Kelly Smith
Jen and Michael Appleman '86
Katie and Jeff Farmer '87
Elizabeth and Derick Mesch
Pamela S. Asher
Carolyn and Dan Fauber
Sandy and Fred Mesch
Marianne Auld
Ginger and John Fewins
Cheryl and Ken Mindell '70
Kaydee and Bill Bailey
Linda and Jay Fierke
Jennifer Andrews Moore '96
Barbara Baldridge
Ann and Charles Florsheim
Pate Foundation
Kimberley and Barrett Bartell
Martha Fry
Pat and Jack Pierce
Anne T. and Robert M. Bass
Kristie Taliaferro Gibson '94 and Brian Gibson '93
Paula and Tony Prater
Nancy Beaudry Kathryn, Emma and Royce Bedward
Nancy and Richard Gibson Felice and Marvin Girouard
Kim and Ben Medley
Kelly and Drew Pumphrey '77 Jennifer and Michael Ranelle
Annette and Jerry Blaschke
Emelie '98 and Will Graham
Margaret Neil Riemitis '80 and Andy Riemitis
Laurie and Marvin Blum
Rani Grandstaff
Ashley and Marshall Robinson
BNSF Foundation
Gail Aronoff Granek
Lisa Gomez and Eric Rogers
Judy and Jim Bohnsack
Dorothy and Jimmy Green
Crystal and Tracy Bolt
Lauri and David Hadobas
Jenny Kostohryz Rosell '95 and Andrew Rosell
Ann Ranelle and Michael Boothby
Fanchon and Howard Hallam
Diana and Charles Bosworth
Adele Hart
Madolin and Benjamin Rosenthal '01
Jan Bowerman
Shannon and Mark Hart III
Rozanne and Billy Rosenthal
Helen and Mark Brannon
Kaye and Leland Hodges
The Rosewood Foundation
Marylou and Dennis Breiter
Amy and Rob Jacobs
Diana and Charles Sawyer
Doreen Brigati
Mandi and Brandon Johnson
Charles Sevadjian '67
Theresa and Randy Brillhart
Christina Bronson Johnson '79 and Mark Johnson '78
Morgan Sharpe '08
Dawn and Tim Jones
Susan and John Sheffield
Joan and Howard Katz
Patricia and Travis Smith
Dr. and Mrs. John Kennedy
Dr. E. Warren Stadler '75
Judith Sullivan Kinser '76 and Kevin Kinser
Jo Ann and Greg Swienton
Nina and Randy Knight
TPG Global, LLC
Dainty and David Kostohryz
Joanne D. Viola
Jennifer and David Kostohryz '97
Ann and John Viola
Bea and Dan Kutzler
Gwen and Tommy Wall
Kathy and Frank Kyle
Beth and Marc Walraven
Vanessa and Michael LaGatta Rebecca Lucas
Beth Borders Weese '88 and Dennis Weese
Bryan and Brian Lynch
Melinda and Ted Whitlock
Kathy and Don Mason
Nancy and Alvin Willman
Carol and Charley McCluer '72
Leah and Art Zavala
Sue and Alan Buratto Julie and Greg Butner '82 Carolyn and Ben Cason Lori and William Chaney Cory Coons Janis and Calvin Crider Ashley and Cullen Crisp Cutrona Charitable Beth and Peter Dahlberg Kathryn Davis '89 Jenny and Steve Davis '92 Adrianne and Adam Deem Matthew and Megan Deen Meredith Watts Dorris '81 and Hank Dorris '81 Karen and Gary Dozier Jill Driggers
Wannee and William Shaw
Melissa and Brad Taylor
John McMillen '99
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CLUB
TVS attending. The Auction is a biennial event and is the Parents’ Club main fundraiser which benefits the “Grants for Greatness” program, with grants to be awarded in the fall of 2018.
PARENTS' CLUB SARAH KLEIN, PARENTS' CLUB PRESIDENT
“I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.” — Mother Teresa As another school year comes to a close, I would like to extend my gratitude to every chairperson and parent volunteer for making this a year of exceptional successes for the TVS Parents’ Club. I am humbled and amazed by all that was accomplished and thankful for this opportunity because “together we can do great things.”
Noel Nolet and Courtney Burns chaired the Spring Faculty and Staff Appreciation Luncheon on February 27. The theme was “Superheroes.” Everyone attending was recognized for their “Superhero Power.” What a fun and creative way to celebrate them! Field Day for the Lower School students was held on April 23. Paige Bacon worked with the Athletic Department to organize and create a fun day for “McNutt’s Marvel Heroes” to compete and display their “superhero” strength! Angst, a thought-provoking documentary on anxiety, was this year’s Forum presentation in April. Co-chairs Stacie Goldman and Kellie Lea collaborated with the Counseling Department to provide opportunities for students in grades 7-12, parents, faculty, and community members to view the film and
The Parents’ Club Board had a productive and busy year. We consisted of 51 members chairing 29 different events, committees, and groups with many of these events and committees having additional parent volunteers. It’s not hard to see how without the involvement of these many volunteers, we would not be able to support TVS the way we wish. We appreciate you and all you do! A huge thank you to Jennifer Briscoe and Jenny Davis! They “made history” as co-chairs of the record-setting “Night at the Museum" Auction. An evening of dinner, dancing and discovery was held on March 24 with 400 parents, faculty, and friends of Stella (5th grade), Sarah, Lane (7th Grade), Chris, and Maggie Klein with Sarah’s parents Paula and Tony Prater
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2 0 1 8-1 9 PARENTS’ CLUB BOARD participate in additional activities and discussions. Kristin Anderson, LaToyer Houston and Sona Dave chaired the Middle School Social. Middle School students and families were invited to “Meet Me at the Midway” on April 6. Food trucks, midway games, prizes and raffles — everything needed for a fun and successful evening — were meticulously planned for this new event! Jessica Poole and Hannah Smitherman, Upper School Q&A co-chairs, organized the informal spring meetings for Upper School parents in March. In January, TVS Connects chair Laura Gerstle hosted a speaker who presented an informative talk focused on parenting and communication. Please join me in welcoming Melissa Hoskins as our 20182019 Parents’ Club President! Melissa is not only an active member of the TVS community, but also is an alumna. The 20182019 Parents’ Club Board was chosen in April and is once again complete with many energetic and talented members. I am sure Melissa and her Board will “together…do great things!” Lastly, it has been my privilege to serve as the Parents’ Club President. I have loved meeting and working with so many generous and talented parents from our community. It has been an incredible experience that I will always treasure. With gratitude, SARAH KLEIN Parents’ Club President, 2017-2018
PRESIDENT........................................Melissa Hoskins PRESIDENT-ELECT..............................Carla Vogel SECRETARY........................................... Stacy Grau TREASURER................................. Stephanie Allen Annual Fund............................................................... TBD Back-to-School Fair.................................. Julie Taylor, Carol Ann Casagrande, Erin Nesbitt Box Tops...........................................Jennifer McAlister Cafeteria....................................................... Mindy Hegi, LaToyer Houston Community Education..................... Heather Breiter, Cristy Mayfield Directory.................................................Martha Mattox, Sarah Klein Faculty/Staff Appreciation........... Stacie Goldman, Kellie Lea Fall Festival..................................... Mary Ellen Becker, Ashley Moncrief Field Day......................................................Alicia Lesok, Telesa Jones Gallery Night.........................................Margaret Lane, Libby Moore Gift Cards............................................... Laurie Dickens Grandparents' Day..................... Jennifer Kostohryz, Allison Jones Grants for Greatness.................................. Noel Nolet Link Coordinator LS............................ Andrea Hunter Link Coordinator MS......................Vanessa Charette Link Coordinator US................ Hannah Smitherman Middle School Social................................. Sona Dave, Michelle Williams, Tamara Willmann Q&A............................................................Jessica Poole, Paige Bacon Room Parent Coordinator LS........... Mandy Kirwan Room Parent Coordinator MS......... Rachel Spence Room Parent Coordinator US..........Anjum George School Supplies........................................... Katie Danzi TVS Cares..............................Stephanie Bumgardner, Jennifer Briscoe Uniform Resale............................. Autumn McCarthy, Pia Lederman Volunteer Website....................................Kerry Fisher, Kate Snow
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Spring 2018
Investing in the
FUTURE
The Difference One Gift Can Make The late Eunice Rutledge had a deep passion for Trinity Valley School. She and her husband, Robb, were TVS parents and grandparents, and they were extremely supportive of their children’s and grandchildren’s educational experience.
Your TVS Legacy Starts Here Consider joining the Stephen Seleny Society, so that your planned gift will enhance the Trinity Valley School experience for the generations ahead. To learn more or become a member, contact Margaret Kramer at kramerm@trinityvalleyschool.org or 817.321.0100.
The Rutledges established a financial aid award, as they believed in the value of offering a TVS education to those who were qualified but unable to afford the tuition. They also established an endowed speaker series to bring an exceptional speaker to TVS each year, because they wanted students to hear from experts in their fields. In order to help grow and sustain these initiatives, the Rutledges made contributions to these funds over the years. Additionally, as one of the first members of the Stephen Seleny Society, Eunice made provisions in her estate for TVS to be the beneficiary of an IRA. Through this gift, Eunice and Robb have allowed their legacy to continue in perpetuity. The TVS endowment has grown over the years due in part to the generosity of those who make plans for the School in their estate. This newsletter lists some of the ways you can elect to designate part of your own estate to TVS.
You Can Give and Receive It’s not easy choosing the perfect gift, especially when it comes to charitable giving from your estate. When to give, how much to give and the affordability of giving are common concerns. And then there’s the choice about how you want the gift to benefit you. Whether you aim to enjoy tax savings or maintain your current lifestyle, there’s a charitable gift that meets your needs. Use the chart below to navigate these advantages and find the perfect gift—one that benefits you and makes a significant impact at TVS.
Smart Giving Solutions
If You Want to…
Make a larger gift now or in the
Make a simple gift after
future that has little or no effect
your lifetime, and:
on cash flow, and: • Qualify for an income tax charitable deduction
CONTACT Margaret Kramer at
• Avoid taxes on assets that
kramerm@trinityvalleyschool.org
have increased in value
or 817.321.0100 to discuss how a future gift to TVS can work for you and support future students.
• Transfer the expense of insuring or maintaining assets you no longer need
• Maintain your current lifestyle by controlling your assets during your lifetime • Enjoy the flexibility to change plans • Pass your retirement plan assets to us tax free
RETURN the enclosed reply card to get your FREE guide Estate Planning Starters.
VISIT www.trinityvalleyschool.org to learn how you can support TVS with a gift in your estate plan.
Choose From These Options…
Stock or other securities
Gift in your will or trust
Real estate
Beneficiary designation
Then Enjoy the True Reward!
Feel good knowing that you’ve created a brighter future for TVS students.
Personal property
Margaret Kramer, Director of Advancement 7500 Dutch Branch Road Fort Worth, TX 76132 817.321.0100 | kramerm@trinityvalleyschool.org www.trinityvalleyschool.org
© The Stelter Company | The information in this publication is not intended as legal or tax advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney or tax advisor. Figures cited in examples are for hypothetical purposes only and are subject to change. References to estate and income taxes include federal taxes only. State income/estate taxes or state law may impact your results.
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A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
SECOND ALL -SCHOOL REUNION A SUCCESS! KATHRYN DAVIS '89, DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS
When a tornado watch – lasting from early afternoon until 10 pm – was issued for Fort Worth on Friday, April 13, those planning the secondannual all-school reunion listened with one ear. Though a Plan B had been drafted, no one wanted to move the party indoors. First, though, guests arrived and mingled in the Stephen Seleny Theater foyer until the awards ceremony began. Robin Preston, veteran fifth-grade teacher, hosted the event in her inimitable warm, funny style. She welcomed the second graduating class of TVS, the Class of 1968, and introduced the nine members present. She named them the School’s newest Golden Trojans, and congratulated them on the 50-year legacy they have left at Trinity Valley. We were honored to share the evening with Rick Barrett, Ken Fine, Bill Gunther, Barney Holland, Mike Lynn, Bob McCamey, Jim Nichols, Joe Ulrickson, and Chris Ward. Mrs. Preston then presented awards to three individuals who personify all that makes Trinity Valley School a special place. Joan Katz, who was a TVS mom for 13 years and who chaired the campaign to build the Dutch Branch campus, won the Honorary Alumnus Award; Craig Goldman ’87, now a state representative, won the Distinguished Alumnus Award; and Dr. Donald Carlson, beloved Upper School English instructor, won the Stephen Seleny Distinguished Faculty & Staff Award. The ceremony concluded as Jay Miller ’04 and his brother Scott Miller ’08 announced a very special initiative: the construction of a new press box that will be named in memory of Dennis Fleming, who called football games for years and whose unmistakable “Touchdown Trinity Valley!” was featured on an audio clip for the audience to hear and recall. The Millers shared that the funding 66
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WE ARE GRATEFUL TO OUR SUPPORTERS! Chicotsky’s Liquor and Fine Wine Cinco Vodka Frost (Erin Finley Lee ’87) David Kostohryz ’97 Erin Nesbitt and Scott Stirling, TVS Chefs Office Authority (John Elliott ’96) Rent-a-Frog Seersucker Gin Andrew Sullivan Music Teresa’s Event Staffing & Bartending
will be alumni-driven, and encouraged all present to be a part of this incredible opportunity. More information about the press box is available in this magazine on page 32. Following the ceremony, the weather granted us a reprieve, and for the second year in a row, the reunion was held in the beautiful surroundings of the TVS Upper School courtyard. Dinner was provided by TVS Chefs Erin Nesbitt and Scott Stirling, and every bite was even better than the last. They prepared a remarkable and scrumptious spread of food for partygoers. Musician Andrew Sullivan’s background tunes were the perfect touch as alumni, faculty, and former faculty reconnected, in some instances for the first time in decades. Groups took advantage of the PicFlips Flipbooks booth and created new memories to go along with the memories established so long ago and now shared amidst laughter and knowing nods. Later in the evening, the winds picked up and turned the party area nearly upside down, but no one complained, considering how lucky we had been with the weather. Though the party ended a little early, everyone present had the same feeling – a love for this school we have all called home, and an appreciation for the opportunities it provided us. Thanks to all who made this possible, namely the Alumni Association Board under the presidency of David Kostohryz ’97. DATES TO MARK ON YOUR CALENDAR: ALUMNI ANNUAL DINNER AT JOE T’S | Tuesday, June 12 HOMECOMING 2018 | Friday, September 28
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BE CURIOUS THIS SUMMER! ACRYLIC STUDIO BIOLOGY 101 CAMP BLUEBONNET CREATIVE COMPUTING LAB ELECTRONICS: DECONSTRUCT/ RECONSTRUCT ENAMELING WORKSHOP THE ENGINEER’S CHALLENGE FAIRY TALES GAME OF LIFE MORE THAN WHICH FORK TO USE STORYBOOK STEM VIRTUAL REALITY AND GLOBETREKKING
Expand your world with a visit to TVS.org/summer and join us for an Xplore camp!
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1967
Rick Goggans......................................................... rickcg@aol.com
1998
Mary Hazelwood Barkley...................mbarkley@canteyhanger.com
1968
Barney Holland............................. bholland@holland1928.com
1969
Class Rep Needed
1999
Beth Harwood.............................bethsharwood@hotmail.com Amar Tanna................................................ATanna@barbnet.com
1970
Class Rep Needed
1971
David Miley....................................................David@TheMileys.net
1972
Class Rep Needed
1973
Deborah Horan................................................ dlhoran@mac.com
2002 Allison Motheral Blakewell.... allison.blakewell@gmail.com Jennifer Vigness Hurd..................jennifer.v.hurd@gmail.com Jennifer Teichelman Yack............jennifer.t.yack@gmail.com
1974
John Neyland..................................... john.neyland@yahoo.com
2003 Class Rep Needed
1975
Francie Richardson Allen...................... frallen@aledotravel.com
1976
Martha Harper.............................................martharents@sbcglobal.net
2004 Erin McDonald............................erin.mcdonald86@gmail.com Maggie Pine Bellinger....................... mpbellinger@gmail.com
1977
Class Rep Needed
1978
Carol Stucker Carr................Carol.Carr@northhighland.com
1979
Lori Hughes Eagleton...................rlmeagleton@earthlink.net
1980
Christine Stucker Klote......................... christine@s-steel.com
1981
Walter Stucker ................................walterstucker@yahoo.com
1982
Class Rep Needed
2009 Ellen Clarke.................................... ellenmclarke@sbcglobal.net Sean Gallagher............................................. viking6119@aim.com
2000 Sarah Murphey Davis...............................sarahtdavis@me.com 2001
Chris Handy...............................................chris@thinkhandy.com
2005 Maddie Dickerson..............maddie.m.dickerson@gmail.com 2006 Amber Finley................................................finleya14@gmail.com Margaret Baird .............................margaretkbaird@gmail.com 2007 Kelley Clark.............................................. kelleylclark@gmail.com 2008 Morgan Wade.................. morganmadisonwade@gmail.com
1983
Sandra Standefer............................................ skshome@aol.com
2010
Rohail Premjee......................... Rohail.Premjee@outlook.com
1984
Tracy Matheson............................... tracymatheson@mac.com
1985
Janet Kelly....................................................chafterall@gmail.com
2011
Claire Allen............................................ allen.clairem@gmail.com Chris Morris......................................... cjmorris2015@yahoo.com
1986
Michael Appleman..........................mgappleman@utexas.edu
2012
Adrienne Gamez.......................adriennegamez4@gmail.com
1987
Mark Jones..........................................markjonesmd@gmail.com
1988
Beth Borders Weese.................... mrsweese2@sbcglobal.net
2013
Grace Hanley..............................................grace.hanley@tcu.edu Austin Henyon............................... austinhenyon12@gmail.com Maggie Parrish........................... maggieaparrish@prodigy.net
1989
Kathryn Davis...............................kathryndavis@sbcglobal.net
2014
Madelon Allen.................................... madelonallen@gmail.com
1990
George Mills.......................................georgemills72@gmail.com
2015
Macy Clayton.........................................meclayton1@yahoo.com
1991
Derek Lou............................................................. dekelou@aol.com
1992
Melissa Minker Miller........................................ TXMink@aol.com
1993
Angie Elkins Ezell...................................... allezell@hotmail.com Melissa Williams Hoskins............... melissahoskins@me.com
2016
Ceileigh Holsteen.................................... ceileigh@holsteen.info Cannon Brumley........................... csbrumley@crimson.ua.edu Kailey Dow................................................ kaileydow@yahoo.com
1994
Kristie Taliaferro Gibson..................Kristiegibson@sbcglobal.net
2017
Grace Beasley....................................... gnb.beasley@gmail.com John Shipp........................................... johntexas99@yahoo.com
1995
Patrick Pate.................................................... cppatejr@gmail.com
1996
Brandi Barrett Wubbena................. bbwubbena@gmail.com
1997
Nancy Park Minkler......................... nancyminkler@gmail.com
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If your email and home addresses are not current with TVS, please update them ASAP by emailing Kathryn Davis at davisks@trinityvalleyschool.org or calling 817-321-0107. Thank you for staying current with the School!
CLASS OF 1967 Rick Goggans was recently appointed to the Maine Medical Advisory Board as an addiction specialist. Rick remains medical director at Borden Cottage, in Camden, which offers a residential treatment for alcohol and drug addiction through McLean Hospital. He oversees a team of professionals providing residential treatment for patients with alcohol and other addictions, many of whom present with co-occurring psychiatric disorders. He is a distinguished life fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and a lecturer on psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Rick is excited that his granddaughter, Eliza, will be the first third-generation TVS student when she starts kindergarten in the fall. Eliza’s dad and Rick’s son is Nick Goggans ’97.
CLASS OF 1968 Marshall Brachman updates us: “Remarried happily for six years, still lobbying for a large variety of interests in Washington, healthy (knock on wood), kids doing well, no grandchildren but grand dogs, and plan to work forever.” Barney B. Holland, Jr. shares, “Very happily married to Anne, originally from St. Louis, a recovering bank executive who worked in Houston, NYC, and Fort Worth. Six children in our blended family, and we will soon celebrate the TVS graduation of our youngest, daughter Dacy Distler ’18 - a halfcentury after we did! Tempus fugit. Five of ours are 13-year TVS alumni and one tried it. Erin & Maj. Clayton Holland ’02 have twin daughters, 8, and a son, 2 years old. The USMC has seen to it that all three are Hawaiians! We are also celebrating the 90th anniversary of our firm that has survived unto the third generation; through The Great Depression, WWII rationing, OPEC embargoes, family dynamics, Socialist-leaning administrations, and tough market forces. I have been in the saddle 44+ years. We successfully exited the fuel business after 88 years and now concentrate on horse tradin’ in our commercial real estate endeavors. I office and we live downtown in a high-rise condominium with great views and, you 70
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need to know this, mosquitos don’t fly above 25 feet off the ground! We spend some time at Anne’s family’s house in Tubac, AZ with more planned. Still reading after all these years.” Mike Lynn brings us current: “Married 44 years. Two daughters (older one a doctor in Denver; younger one, an executive at high-tech data company [have little knowledge about what she actually does other than your CNN page looks different than mine because of her and what I buy]). My younger one is getting married July 28 to a wonderful guy and they will live in San Francisco, where they live. My dad died last Memorial Day at 90. I downsized and moved into a high rise in Dallas. I continue to work and try cases; my wife is now Chief Federal District Judge Northern District of Texas. We have a great place in Santa Fe which we do not get to near enough. Just bought a new golden retriever who is my only son. In 2015, I took a sabbatical and hiked about 700 miles over three months on the Appalachian Trail. I kept a blog — search Tinmanonat in google and you will find it. My trail name was TinMan because I have two metal knees. If all works out, I will go out again for another 700 miles next April.” Bob McCamey writes, “Becky and I will celebrate 37 years soon. We have three boys. The oldest, Mason, almost 35, is a counseling psychologist in Dallas; Brantley is working with me in Dallas as we daily grind through the oil and gas business in the Permian Basin of West Texas; and Marshall, the youngest, is married and lives in Nashville where he helps design and build facilities around the US for a company called Escape Games. No grandchildren yet, so we like to spend spare time working on our ranch north of Hico.” Jim Nichols sums it up nicely: “Still living the dream, retirement is nice.” Harry Schiller’s entry comes with an explanation from Barney Holland, the class rep. The information here is from March 2017, and Barney has been unable to contact Harry because he lives in Thailand and the Thai military junta has imposed internet censorship. Harry writes, “Hi Barney! it's currently 3:15 in the morning here in Jomtien, Thailand. I'm on my way back home from Pattaya, where I spend pretty much every night, at least five hours anyway, on the dance floor of the Bamboo, a big
1968 Mike Lynn hikes the Appalachian Trail 1980 Janet Adamski | Zivney family 1982 Ken Blakeley
1985 Kelly Thomas Purselley with granddaughter Landry | 1982 Landry Grace Campitelli | Morgan and Ally Purselley 1989 Autumn Gray and Tim Edwards
1989 Autumn Gray and Tim Edwards | 1989 Scovil family | Kory Ogle Robertson, Clare Pritchett, Rebecca Sykes
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open-air, non-smoking dance club that caters to westerners (Falangs) and Thai women. I have leased a house for six months in Jomtien, about 300 yards from the beach, with an option to renew for another six months. I still manage money in the stock market, so being up until 3 a.m. is par for the course for me, in order to stay on top of the market. Until the recent time change it was 4 a.m., so this is a bit of an improvement. It's a different life and I love it.” Chris Ward imparts the following: “Forty years in the oil and gas business as geologist and in administration. Married to my first wife for 37 years. She passed away in 2013. We owned a Montessori preschool for 16 years that she directed. (My respect for Mr. Seleny grew even greater. The kids were great but the parents were the problem.) We have two daughters. I am retired and remarried. Presently I enjoy my two grandsons, facilitate a support group for dementia caregivers, spend time at our second home in Colorado and am rebuilding our home in Houston that was flooded by Hurricane Harvey. P.S. Have not climbed K2 but have summited on several Fourteeners in Colorado.”
CLASS OF 1970 Duff Hallman shares, “My world is clicking along just fine. I continue to serve as a trustee on the Christoval ISD board, over 15 years. Education is more important than ever in this fast-changing world. My family is healthy and what more could you ask for?”
CLASS OF 1973 Deborah Horan lives in Bethesda, MD, has a part-time psychotherapy practice, and serves as a consultant on workplace sexual harassment and other forms of violence against women. Her husband, Billy Moore, retired from working on Capitol Hill for Senator Lloyd Bentsen and two other members of Congress. He now works as a consultant to national organizations and coalitions. In the spring, they will celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary with a trip to Petra, Egypt, and Greece. Always happy to brag about her daughters, Deborah reports that Maggie (32) works as a communications officer at US AID (Food for Peace program). She recently spent a month in Bangladesh chronicling the Rohingya refugee camp. Daughter Meredith (32) teaches IB psychology and IB chemistry at the Washington International School. She’s been tapped to direct the middle-school play, Shrek. Billy and Deborah are grateful that both daughters live nearby in Washington, D.C. Bill Howell lives in Fort Worth with his wife, Kay. They will celebrate their 39th 72
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anniversary in June. Bill started a new engineering company in 2014 and developed a next-generation artificial lift pump for the oil & gas industry. Bill and Kay have three sons, William, Jr., Bo and John Patrick. The two oldest live in Houston; the youngest lives in Fort Worth. They have three grandchildren – two boys and a girl. Dan Reynolds lives in Raleigh, NC and retired from Smith Glaxco Klein after 25 years. He now does pharmaceutical consulting part time. When he’s not consulting, Dan is involved in volunteer work, hobbies and camping. Son Jason works in computer security and daughter Holly lives in Dallas working towards her Masters in linguistics. Dan and wife, Cassie, return to Fort Worth at Thanksgiving time to visit family, including sisters Penny ’76 and Stacy ’76. Sara Cristol Zweig has lived and worked in Shreveport, LA, for the past 26 years, along with her husband Richard, a neurologist. After practicing law and staying home while her children were young, she has worked for 22 years at a manufacturing plant that makes oilfield equipment. Sara does most of the quoting. She says, “It's interesting and exciting and I've learned so much.” Her children are Jonathan, age 33, and Beth, age 31. Jonathan lives in NYC and is an assistant attorney general. Beth lives on Long Island and is a legal aid attorney. Both are engaged.
CLASS OF 1980 Janet Adamski writes, “Still teaching at least for a few more years, and trying to decide what comes after that. Spent last summer with students on a trip to the Baltics where had a near miss with Minna. Spent spring break in Costa Rica (see photo).” Gina André reports, “Last year I designed and moved into my own home in Austin. In March, I opened a retail shop for CBD oil getRawsome.com, which is the second location for this store. The first one on Race Steet in Fort Worth was founded by my lifelong friend, Lori Thomson.” Jennifer Blair shares the following: “I am still in Louisville, Kentucky, being Mom, working and traveling as much as I can. My children: Taylor, 24, is living in Louisville and loving the commercial real estate business. He knows more people in this town than I do! My daughter, Tess, 22, is an art history major at William & Mary. Both are doing great. I just started my 15th year as a Life & Leadership Coach with my company Excavive Coaching & Consulting, and I still love coaching my diverse clients all over the country. I have also been doing a lot more inspirational speaking and organizational trainings the past couple of years (you can see
1990 Anna and Alex Johnston 1993 Loar family | Kate Lobpries, Pike Kleber, Powell Kleber, Cousin, Jill, Rory, Brad Lobpries
1993 Brad Lobpries and Powell Kleber 1994 Wiley family 1996 Lark Wubbena
2001 Karr and Lyle Kostohryz | Henry and Catherine Walton 2002 Charles Hurd
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2003 Coffee Family | Francis family | Andrew McLin
2006 Cason Jones | Emery Jones | Tyler Wagner's Art | Tyler Wagner's Art
2007 Sara Bailey with fiance Andrew Cardwell | Grace Sorenson '10 and Sara Bailey | Kelley Clark with fiance Matt Morris
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it all on my website, www.excavive.com and my social media). And of course for fun, I have been traveling (San Francisco 1-2 times a year, Prague last summer for 12 days, Bentonville, Montana every summer), taking floral design classes, and enjoying the arts. Paige Thomas Dehart says, “I am working as an Addiction Counselor for Tarrant County Community Supervision and Corrections Department. My daughter’s shooting is finally in the rearview mirror of our lives.” Ann Martin Gontier writes, “I’m still in England working as a special needs teacher and coordinator at a primary prep school. I have one son in Texas and the other one is based mainly in England, though he just spent six months in Austin. There is a big possibility I may be moving back to Texas in the near future. I’m thrilled to know everyone is doing well and it’s good to hear what they’ve been up to.” Minna Grip reports, “I am still working for myself, writing and creating marketing content and branding for companies. I actually have my first American client at present, enjoying that! I also have an American boyfriend, who is nice, too. And a dog and two cats to keep me company when he is traveling. I think about my TVS days with fondness and enjoy keeping up with the school and old friends via Facebook.” Sally Graves Jackson writes, “I moved to California three years ago and we've just moved into faculty housing at Stanford. My mother is here also, in assisted living, and we love having her nearby. Our sons are 25, 23, and 17 — so the nest is emptying and I'm using the extra time to lead hikes at a local preserve and focus on art more seriously. Big transitions in the last few years with college graduations, losses of parents, and moving — it's that time in our lives. Best wishes to all and please let me know if you come to Stanford/Palo Alto!” Craig Pierce fills us in: “My updates are the same as ever: 38 years (and counting) in Dallas, 22 years (and counting) at AT&T, Mom and Dad are well and still living at the bottom of the hill for 45 years (and counting), Brent ’82 is now in a cool mid-century house in the old neighborhood, so I’m still driving the same streets on which I rode my bike. Couldn’t be happier. Really enjoy everybody’s news.” Jeff Schweitzer says, “After enjoying the total solar eclipse with co-workers and families in Wyoming, my wife and I returned to learn back country skiing in Yellowstone recently. My picture is of a steaming hot spring and ice-encrusted spruce tree.” Ginger Beck Voss shares, “Twins graduating from college this year – UT Austin (Mechanical Engineering) and
A&M (International Studies-Russian). Thankfully both have jobs in May! Still working for Austin Ind. Schools in the 504 Dept. and loving my job. Need to find a new calling now that kids really are gone!” Chris Wilson has an update: “Still in Bartlesville, OK. I work for the Bartlesville Redevelopment Trust Authority in Economic Redevelopment and Real Estate Public Finance. My oldest daughter, Karly, is a sophomore at St. Louis University studying Nutrition with a culinary emphasis. Lydia (sophomore in high school) and Mattie (7th grade) are both homeschooled by my wife, Pamela. She is amazing.” Ben Zivney writes, “We are well in College Station; there have been lots of changes for us over the last year. Daniel is now a junior at the US Air Force Academy majoring in Aeronautical Engineering and loves being a member of the Air Force Wings of Blue Parachute Team. He and his partner won the silver medal at the National Collegiate Parachute Championships in Freefly last January. I left private practice in December in preparation for a commission in the US Army Reserves, and I am now an OB/GYN Hospitalist. Sue remains 'The One Who Can Do It All' keeping all her 'boys' organized, taking care of ailing parents and running her tax practice.”
CLASS OF 1982 Ken Blakely reports, “I’m still retired from the Army, still living in DC, and still living the good life. I travel a lot and do a lot of SCUBA diving. Last year I went to Ireland to dive WWI wrecks and to Truk Lagoon to dive WWII wrecks for a few weeks. Also Belize twice. I bought a rebreather so I can go deeper and stay down longer, which is pretty awesome (see photo). In 2018 I'm going to finish the Appalachian Trail (walked the north half in 2015), go back to Ireland for more wreck diving, and probably Belize or Costa Rica a few times.”
CLASS OF 1983 It's been a busy spring for Rafael McDonnell. In February, he was honored by the Texas Diversity Council, a group of major and smaller businesses committed to making Texas a more inclusive state in which to work. The organization selected him as the recipient of the second-annual Greater Dallas LGBT & Allies Leadership Award. And in April, the University of North Texas' Mayborn School of Journalism honored Rafael as the winner of its annual Career Service Recognition Award. This year marks Rafael's 30th year as a professional communicator--starting in radio, then television,
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and now public relations. As many of you know, Trace and Shannon Thomas Worrell's oldest son, Patrick, passed away unexpectedly on February 14. Please continue to keep the family in your thoughts and prayers. In memory of Patrick, please consider a memorial contribution to Volunteers of America, 4700 South Riverside Drive, Fort Worth, TX 76119. Please send news and photos for the next newsletter. TVS Homecoming is Friday, September 28 - please plan to attend. Let’s get together to celebrate our 35-year reunion that weekend on Saturday. Wow - has it really been 35 years?? More details to follow.
CLASS OF 1985 Thomas Purselley reports, “This past year has been filled with many, many changes which included saying hello and goodbye, which is always filled with emotions. We sold our home of 12 years and are moving from Hurst to Azle, just me and my beautiful girls and pack of wild animals. We also welcomed a new female to the pack, Miss Landry Grace Campitelli. I am finishing up seminary and will graduate in May and have returned to marketing research, doing ministry on the side. Paychecks are wonderful and I love being back at Decision Analyst. 2017 was not my favorite year but we are looking forward to a better 2018.”
CLASS OF 1989 Cara Flowers Brown’s necklace line is now being sold at Barneys NYC on Madison Ave. and at Saks around the country! Congrats, Cara! Check out her wares at carabrowndesigns.com and follow her on Instagram @carabrowndesigns. Autumn Gray and Tim Edwards recently celebrated their 10th anniversary by renewing their wedding vows in a traditional blessing ceremony at a Buddhist monastery in Thimphu, Bhutan. The three-week trip also served as a second honeymoon, including visits to Thailand and Dubai. They continue to live in the foothills of Albuquerque's Sandia Mountains with their dog and two cats. Our extended condolences go out to Amber Anderson Mostyn and her children Mitchell and Ava on the loss of their husband and father, Steve Mostyn, in November. Geoff Scovil and Kathy Love stay busy in Albuquerque practicing law, while third-grader Xavier Scovil stays busy practicing piano and golf.
CLASS OF 1990 This is dedicated to Kenneth Stanley who says that we never have anything to report. David Dyer wins the prize for furthest removed from 76
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TVS. He lives in Kent, England! I can’t wait to hear what adventures led him there. Dr. Mary Kramer Johnston is Chief Academic Officer for Elementary Schools in Rockwall ISD and an Adjunct Professor at UNT in the Educational Leadership Department. Her kids Alex and Anna are a junior at A&M and a freshman at Arkansas, respectively. Mike Muhlert is an Interventional Radiologist in TN. He is still playing drums and now considers himself to be a wine enthusiast. Teresa Morris Thomas tells me that she has been married to a pastor for 26 years, which has moved them almost as much as the military. They spent some time in Texas, Tanzania, Alabama, back to Texas, and now they've settled into the DC area where they have been 11 years and love it. Three boys, 16, 21 and 22. All three still at home with varying stories. She is working for a government contractor as an Outreach and Engagement Specialist (comms) for the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence. She and Laura Magnussen Cook have been acting as administrators for our class page on Facebook. You should all check it out. Elle Travis is back in Fort Worth and recently started a scholarship fund that sends African-American boys that live in gang-infested neighborhoods in East Fort Worth to college. Way to represent the Class of ’90 Elle! Chris Volkman lives in Aledo with four kids. Wow! Not to be outdone, Joy Tassin Kaiser is in Fort Worth with five kids, one in college! Neha Bhagat Vyas is practicing at the Cleveland Clinic. She has two boys and has become a Cavs Fan. I (George Mills) am pleased to be the new rep for the Class of ’90. After being away since high school graduation, my wife, Karla, and I have moved back to Fort Worth. Our daughter, Allison, is in the 7th grade at TVS, and our son, Andy, is a junior at TCU applying to law schools. I am excited to get reacquainted with all of you.
CLASS OF 1993 Kim Schussler Loar reports from Austin. She is in private practice as an obstetrician/gynecologist and she and her husband have a 12-year-old daughter at St Stephen’s (SPC) and an 8-year-old son. Kim’s husband is also a practicing physician in gynecology/oncology at Texas Oncology. Their newest hobby is taking RV trips. Michelle Ogle Lobpries reports, “My family has moved this year after spending 12 years in North Carolina back to TX. We now live in Katy with our four kids - Kate, Rory, Jill, and Brad. Hopefully we can make it to FW more often! Before we moved, we were able to celebrate Easter in Boone, NC with the family
2007 Ashlea Feezel, Kellye Watson Snodgrass, Emily Allender Wilhoit, Alyssa Eliasen Foster, Natalie Gamez Meyer, Sara Bailey, Esra Gumuser | Alyssa Eliasen Foster and Preston Foster | Ian Idleman with fiancee Mallory Shary
2007 Grant Sorenson and wife Keegan | Tyler Stamm marries Jennifer Allen | Alex d'Auteuil, Dorothy Ma, Tyler Stamm, Chris Arnold, Clayton Mellina
2007 Class Reunion: Sara Bailey, Kellye Watson Snodgrass, Natalie Gamez Meyer, Alyssa Eliasen Foster, Esra Gumuser, Laura Leigh Reeves | Class Reunion: Natalie Gamez Meyer, Alyssa Eliasen Foster, Esra Gumuser, Preston Heckathorn, Laura Leigh Reeves, Sara Bailey, Kellye Watson Snodgrass
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of Brooke Batchelor Kleber. In the photo, right to left: Kate Lobpries (15), Pike Kleber (6), Powell Kleber (8), Cousin, Jill (10), Rory (13), and Brad Lobpries (9). There is also a photo of buddies Brad Lobpries and Powell Kleber. Jay Pritchard and his wife, Katy, started a Public Affairs firm, Upward Strategy Group, last May that is focused on advocacy for public school education, race relations, immigration issues and LGBTQ inclusion. They also are running a State Senate race in Dallas for Democrat Nathan Johnson. They live in the Lakewood area of Dallas and have two kids, ages 8 and 5. Elizabeth Souder-Philyaw is one of the opinion section editors for the Dallas Morning News. She has three kids ages 9, 6 and 4 and lives in Richardson.
CLASS OF 1995 Kary Johnson and her two-year-old daughter, Clara Elizabeth, live in Fort Worth where Kary runs a reading clinic, The Reading Connection (www.reading-Connection.com), and a nonprofit, Literacy United (www.literacyunited.org). She also teaches college in the School of Education at Texas Wesleyan and UTA (she finished her doctorate in 2013). She works with several TVS kids and even has a few TVS retired and current teachers working for her at the clinic. After 10 years in NYC, Paige Fershtand Stephens moved back to Fort Worth in January with her husband, Scott, and toddler, Benjamin, and has a baby girl on the way! JW Wilson is also in Fort Worth with his wife, Andrea, and children, Ryder and Reese. JW recently started a new business, Roxo Energy, and is on the boards of the Union Gospel Mission and JDRF (diabetes research). Patrick Pate couldn't be more thrilled to be the new class of '95 representative, especially now that his daughter, Lucy, will be entering kindergarten at TVS next Fall. Mom, Melanie, and siblings, Jack and Chloe (11 mos), are all very proud of her!
CLASS OF 1996 Mary and Markus Kypreos' daughter, Nikole, is finishing up first grade at TVS. Their son Max is 4. After law school, culinary school, certification by the Master Court of Sommeliers and numerous spirit schools, Markus has left the legal world and is opening up Blackland Distillery in Fort Worth, Texas where he will make Bourbon, Rye, Vodka, and Gin. The distillery is located on Weisenberger Street, behind Montgomery Plaza and will have a tasting room/bar for cocktails. Please visit! As for me, Brandi Barrett Wubbena, my daughter, Lark, 78
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is also completing first grade at TVS. My other daughter, Wren, just turned 2. I am still a speech-language pathologist at a charter school in Fort Worth.
CLASS OF 1998 Robyn Bairrington says: “I’m about to start my third year as a Senior Talent Advisor with GM Financial in downtown Fort Worth. I moved into a condo in Ridglea Country Club Estates and am raising a spunky Pomeranian named Coco.” Felicia Bertch reports: “I was recently made the Head of the BFA Performance Program in the UT Arlington Department of Theatre and Dance where I have taught and directed since 2014. I continue to pursue my own art as a professional theatre artist, acting in and directing plays in the DFW area as well as in NYC and Chicago.” Patrick McGlinchey and his wife, Moira, welcomed a son, Patrick, in January. He joins Anna (3½) and Alexander (23 months). Family and friends of the Class of 1998 – please note our 20th reunion is coming up soon and will be September 29, 2018 at Woodshed Smokehouse at 7 p.m. Hope to catch up with everyone soon!
CLASS OF 2001 Kendall and John Kostohryz welcomed sons Benjamin Karr (Karr) and Lyle King (Lyle) on March 2. Welcome Karr and Lyle! Another set of twins blazed the trail for Karr and Lyle… Brittany Ringel Walton and her husband Nate welcomed Catherine and Henry on April 21, 2017. The Waltons still live in Houston. Congrats on the adorable twins!
CLASS OF 2002 Charles Martell Hurd was born to Jennifer Vigness Hurd and Owen Hurd on November 22, 2017 weighing 9 lbs. 12 oz. and measuring 21 3/4 inches long. Jennifer and her family live in Midland, TX. Jennifer has enjoyed connecting with other TVS alums in Midland, including J.B. Cosby, who has recently accepted a job in Fort Worth, and Marron Gebremeskel. Congrats to the Hurds!
CLASS OF 2003 Katie Schmid Coffee and husband Ben welcomed son Judson Benjamin Coffee on December 14, 2017. The Coffees live in Oak Cliff. Congrats on precious Judson! Olivia Cosby and her husband, Nico Martinez, are expecting their first child this August! Olivia is also pursuing her Executive Masters in Public Leadership through the University of Texas LBJ School as she continues her work for the City of Austin. Congrats to Lara Sorokolit
2008 Rishika Kapoor and Rohan Menon Wedding Ceremony | Rishika Kapoor New Denistry Practice | Marie Maloney and fiance Robert del Junco, Jr.
2008 Class members at the Barnaby Winter Party | Class members at the holiday mini-reunion 2009 Katherine Brownlie with fiance Ben Broyles
2009 Casey Fowler with fiance Briley Worthington | Cierra Fowler marries Jace Lynch | Miles Edward Seiken 2014 Elizabeth Ellithorpe TRINITY VALLEY SCHOOL
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Francis, her husband Will and daughter Preston on the arrival of Allie Christina Francis in September 2017. Sara Simpkins McLin and her husband Rusty welcomed a son, Keeling Andrew McLin, on January 23. He weighed 7lbs 1 oz and was 20.5 in long. Congrats to the McLins!
CLASS OF 2005 Shea Kinser is working as the Field Organizer for Ashwani Jain's campaign in Montgomery County, Maryland, just outside of Washington, DC. Ashwani is a Democrat running for Montgomery County Council, At-Large
CLASS OF 2006 Meredith Bratton Jones writes, “Our only new news is that we just signed a contract to build a house in Midlothian. We are moving to get more land and allow the twins (Emory and Cason, 2 years old) more space to run outside. We also want to escape the busyness of the city, yet still be close.” Tyler Wagner was in the Main Street Arts Festival this year and had a booth to showcase and sell his paintings. He also has a Facebook page: WagsArt.
CLASS OF 2007 There are lots of engagements for the Class of 2007 – and folks are picking Houston spouses! Sara Bailey is engaged to Andrew Cardwell of Houston (Dec. 21, 2017); Kelley Clark is engaged to Matt Morris of Houston (Oct. 8, 2017); and Ian Idleman is engaged to Mallory Shary of Houston (Jan. 1, 2018). And the bells have already rung for a few more: Alyssa Eliasen and Preston Foster were married in Fort Worth on March 24; Grant Sorenson and Keegan Ethridge married in Fort Worth on December 9; and Tyler Stamm and Jennifer Allen married on February 10 in Houston. Best wishes to these happy couples! Logan Dickinson will graduate from Texas Tech in May 2018 with a second degree in petroleum engineering. Ashlea Feezel will graduate from the University of North Texas - Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in May 2018 and will begin her residency in pediatric neurology at the University of Texas at Houston. Jeffrey Watson left the wonderful world of tennis for an amazing opportunity to head up Corporate Communications at Feld Entertainment, the global leader in live family entertainment. Feld's properties include Disney on Ice, Monster Jam (monster trucks), Supercross (motorcycle racing) and the upcoming Jurassic World Live! He still lives in St. Petersburg, FL and loved seeing many of his classmates at the 10-year get-together in Fort Worth over Thanksgiving - thanks, Natalie, for organizing! The reunion Jeffrey mentions was the Class of 2007 10-year Reunion on November 25, 2017.
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CLASS OF 2008 Stillmon Baker is a criminal defense attorney working in Fort Worth. Buck Bennett is in Ophthalmology Residency at UT Southwestern in Dallas. He will graduate (again) in 2020. Mark Bond is expecting to finish his PhD this year in educational psychology, with a focus on quant methods. During his six years at the University of Texas, he has co-authored 25 peerreviewed papers and presentations. His dissertation develops a new way to track student growth over time. Ben Cleveland currently lives in Houston with Ace Factor and works for Greene's Energy Group. He is continuing his education on the weekends at the University of Houston Professional Master’s program in Petroleum Geology. Brett Eliasen graduated from law school at the University of Colorado as the Vice President of the Class of 2017. After passing the BAR, he worked part-time for two solo-practitioners in Boulder until he was hired with the Law Office of Jacob E. Martinez, a criminal defense firm in downtown Denver. Ace Factor graduated from Duke Law School in May and is living in Houston and clerking for Judge Lee Rosenthal on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Lauren Grady is still working at Make-A-Wish, while also planning a wedding to Richard Brannon in May 2018! Matt Johns works at an advertising agency in Dallas, Texas while he also pursues a master’s degree. Rishika Kapoor graduated from her periodontics residency at Texas A&M College of Dentistry in Dallas in May 2017 and recently opened up a new practice in the Lakewood/White Rock Lake area. She also got married over Labor Day weekend to Rohan Menon, who is a Greenhill alum. They are currently living in downtown Dallas! John Karakelle is getting married in Newport in June and buying a home in Cambridge, MA with his fiancée. Needless to say, they are looking forward to relaxing on their honeymoon in Italy. Owen Kinser is currently working at The Perot Museum of Nature and Science in their Research and Collections Dept. as a Collections Technician. In his free time, he enjoys playing music and developing his newand-improved version of the classic ballpark hot dog, which he hopes to have in five Major League stadiums by 2022. Jenner Kizer has been living in London since June 2016. He is in the Leveraged Finance group at Deutsche Bank, where he’s been since graduating from Vanderbilt. Trey Kornegay is a second-year medical student in the Philippines. He is studying Japanese to practice in Japan. Claire LaFontaine is in the process of finishing her MFA thesis show and will be graduating this spring from UW-Milwaukee with an MFA in Printmaking. She plans to stay in Milwaukee after graduation. This summer,
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she will be traveling to South Korea and Japan for a month to study traditional Eastern paper crafts, printmaking and paper making with her printmaking professor and a group of students. Marie Maloney is practicing law in Southern California and living in Dana Point. On May 5, 2018 she is marrying Robert del Junco Jr., another attorney whom she met in law school, in Newport Beach, California. Will Matson married Claire Ann Lewis in Dallas in June 2017. She had been living in NYC and he had been living in London, but after the wedding, they moved to Philadelphia where Will is in grad school! Elizabeth McNamara took a new job in August 2016 as an account executive with a Fort Worth advertising agency, PAVLOV, and has really enjoyed the creative environment it offers. Lauren Menking is the Senior Marketing Coordinator for the NPR/PBS member station in Dallas, KERA and KXT 91.7. Christal Strong Miller is in her third year at the same company, Kimbell Royalty Partners, which went public on the NYSE in February 2017. Her hubby Scott Miller was promoted to VP at BOK Financial in Oil & Gas Banking. Kevin Mitchell is currently an Associate Attorney at Weaver Johnston & Nelson, PLLC in Dallas, practicing health care and corporate law. Philip Palmer is going to Dartmouth to complete his internal medicine residency starting this June. Bailey Sullivan Peresh and her husband moved to Austin last summer and absolutely love it. They are constantly trying to take advantage of all of the outdoor adventures and music the city has to offer. When she is not doing that, she is working part-time doing interior design work for a couple of companies and starting up her own design business on the side. She is hoping for some big strides this year! Sarah Rubin is currently pursuing a dual-degree MBA/MPH from the Ross School of Business and the University of Michigan School of Public Health. She will graduate in May 2019. She previously interned for PricewaterhouseCoopers in New York City as a consultant and will intern for United Healthcare this upcoming summer, focusing on impact investing in the Medicaid space. Corbin Santana works as a medical simulation specialist at Harris Fort Worth. Bob Streck is engaged to a wonderful woman named Brennan Parmelee. They have a tentative wedding date of May 2019. Bob continues his second year of his internal medicine residency at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Bethany Suba married fellow SMU grad Tyler Rainey on June 10, 2017 in Fort Worth. The Raineys moved back to Dallas after two years in North Carolina.
Laura Tucker is a therapist at the Excel Center of Fort Worth and teaching yoga at The Sanctuary Yoga Room. She is marrying Derek Brown in Vail, Colorado in July 2018. Allie Underwood lives in New York and is Communications Manager at the contemporary art gallery Hauser & Wirth. Morgan Wade is returning to Dallas after a year of fun in the sun in Scottsdale, Arizona. She will continue her career as a Commercial Insurance Underwriter with Chubb, working in the Energy Resources Specialty Group. Mia Wiegand is a PhD candidate (ABD) in the Linguistics department at Cornell. She has presented her research in formal semantics at a various conferences, authored several papers, and recently returned from Mexico where she conducted linguistic fieldwork with speakers of Ch’ol, a Mayan language. Additionally, she just got engaged to fellow linguist Ryan Hearn, and they will be married next spring, just in time to earn their doctorates and (hopefully) find jobs! Class of 2008 members - our 10-year reunion is in the works and the date is set for December 22. Mark your calendars now!
CLASS OF 2009 Jake Alford is moving to Los Angeles to start residency at UCLA for Plastic Surgery. Mikey Ayala became engaged to Sarah Shell on February 18. The two plan to marry on August 11, 2018. Katherine Brownlie became engaged to Ben Broyles on November 25, 2017 and plans to be married on January 12, 2019 in Fort Worth. Garrett Cannell will soon begin his Internal Medicine residency at UTMB Galveston. Meghan Drake and Samantha Travers married in Fort Worth on April 21. Meghan will begin her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Dallas Methodist upon graduation from UTHSC San Antonio. In January and February, Georgia Fender played “Missy” in The Marvelous Wonderettes at the Palace Theatre in Wisconsin Dells. Casey Fowler married Briley Worthington in Aledo on April 14, 2018. Ciera Fowler married Jace Lynch at Classic Oaks Ranch in Mansfield on November 4, 2017. The two bought their first house in Weatherford. Jordan McCune became engaged to Collin Flathers on December 8, 2017, and the two plan to marry exactly one year later on December 8, 2018 in Fort Worth. Katie Orth Seiken and husband Nick welcomed a son, Miles Edward Seiken, on March 17, 2018. Miles joins sisters, Harper and Scarlett, who will turn 2 this June. Sarah Tomberlin married Paul Farmer in October of last year and the two currently live in Annapolis, Maryland. Stephanie TRINITY VALLEY SCHOOL
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Tran married Joshua Laird on May 6 in Los Cabos, Mexico. Taylor Stratton and wife Mary moved in February to Dallas, where Taylor is now a Senior financial analyst at McAfee. Asa Yoakam married Katie Stevenson last October in Fort Worth and started a new job in January as the Fort Worth sales representative for Virtuoso Wine and Spirits.
CLASS OF 2010 Meredith Cook married Marshall McBurnett on March 3, 2018 outside Fort Worth. Marshall went to Southwest Christian and graduated from Texas A&M. They live in Houston and just bought their first house! Leah Dintino recently passed the Texas Bar Exam and accepted a position with the Dallas County District Attorney's Office in their trial division. She is incredibly honored to represent the citizens of Dallas County and has just completed her first trial as lead attorney. Additionally, Leah wed Grant Sprott in February 2018. She was excited to have fellow TVS alums Kelsey Andrae and Natalie Goodwin stand by her side as bridesmaids and to have many former and current members of the TVS faculty attend her wedding. Courtney Fillmore is still working as an Associate at Hill + Knowlton Strategies but has moved to their Los Angeles office. Let her know if you’re ever passing through Southern California! Christian Fletcher is a Lieutenant JG in the Navy's Medical Service Corps working as a medical operations officer. He is currently working as the Department Head in the Healthcare Business Directorate at Naval Hospital Guam. He has been stationed there for twelve months and will stay for another year. Still a working actor, Omri Horowitz has had several recent developments. He has been working on a multi-season web series that has been receiving great response from festivals and the public, with the team having hopes of it being sold to a larger network. In the theater world, he has just finished starring in two plays in a play festival with plays written entirely by women and about strong women in history. Remy Neville is almost done with her first year in medical school. In mid-May, she will be reunited with her former roommate (me!) after over a year of being in separate countries. Aaron Otenaike works in financial planning with Northwestern Mutual in Austin. He enjoys the fact that his job allows him to help people reach their goals and relieve stress. Besides working, he is fully enjoying his twenties. He loves it in Austin and doesn’t plan on moving anytime soon. After a fulfilling three years at the Aga Khan Development Network, Rohail 82
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Premjee will be departing his role as a Strategic Initiatives Associate in May in order to attend graduate school at the University of Chicago. He will be examining how to scale up philanthropic innovations like impact investments, which general social and environmental impact alongside a financial return. Let us know if you’ll be around Fort Worth this summer to hang!
CLASS OF 2012 The Class of 2012 held their five-year reunion over the holidays. Forty-five members of the class enjoyed time together over dinner at Terra Mediterranean Grill.
CLASS OF 2013 Congrats to Austin Henyon, who proposed to Emma Knox on November 22, 2017. The pair will marry on October 28, 2018.
CLASS OF 2014 Elizabeth Ellithorpe graduated in December with her BA in Physics and Astrophysics and she is going to OU for her physics PhD with a concentration in astronomy! She intends to continue her research in star formation there as an observational astronomer. Dani Shewmake graduated in December, a major in ecology/ evolutionary biology and Spanish, minor in biochemistry and cell bio. She’s working now until she starts medical school at UT Southwestern in the fall. She and boyfriend Matt are moving later in the summer to Dallas.
CLASS OF 2016 Olivia Alland is studying at Texas Christian University. Kailey Dow made the University of Alabama’s Presidents List for the Fall 2017 and will be participating in Dixon Hughes Goodman’s summer leadership program in Charleston this summer. Lauren Faris was accepted into Texas A&M’s nursing school! Elizabeth Hiles is studying abroad in Florence. Ceileigh Holsteen is going to be studying abroad in Florence. Brylyn Lea is playing baseball at Texas Wesleyan University. Morgan Miller is working at a camp this summer. Adison Ortenberg made Dean’s List at Auburn University for the Spring 2017 semester and was accepted into Auburn’s Interior Design school, one of the best in the nation. Ashley Riemitis is playing golf at Hardin Simmons University. Chris Rodriguez is a Buy side equity research intern at Cartica Investment Partners, an emerging markets fund based in DC. Abby Torres is the Vice President for Trinity University's Latino Association.
TOLLING OF THE BELLS | 2017-18 SEPTEMBER 1, 2017 Dorothy Auger, grandmother of Chris '92 and Matt Auger '97 and Karyn Auger Banke ’01; mother of retired Upper School Math Teacher Ric Auger SEPTEMBER 15, 2017 William Shan Wolff, brother of Jeff Wolff ’90 SEPTEMBER 29, 2017 Ann Widner, mother of Jonanna "JJ" Widner '90 OCTOBER 6, 2017 Alice Mae Holmes Berry, grandmother of Ben '01 and Wyatt Donahue '12 James Bews, father of Gordon Bews '81 and Melissa Bews Cannon '84 F. Clay Clifton, grandfather of Carson Clifton '12
NOVEMBER 10, 2017 Victor David Willmann, grandfather of Sarah (grade 7) and Anna Willman (grade 4)
FEBRUARY 16, 2018 Myrtle Lucille Gerrard Swearingen, mother of Bobby Gerrard '77
DECEMBER 1, 2017 Gaynelle McBrayer Kelley, grandmother of Graham '11 and Kelley Norman '13
FEBRUARY 23, 2018 Anabel Shotts Stripling, grandmother of Bowie '01 and Clayton Holland '02 and former student Walker Holland
Marjorie Nell Chumbley Clark, grandmother of Jenny Lesok Westermann '88 and Craig Lesok '92; great-grandmother of Janie (grade 3) and Charlotte Lesok (grade 1) DECEMBER 8, 2017 William Wyatt Campbell, grandfather of Ace '08, Jay '10, and John Factor '14 Paul W. Greenwell Sr., grandfather of Kate Greenwell Donnelly '01
L. Edna Stringer, grandmother of Catherine '88 and Caroline Conner '93
DECEMBER 15, 2017 Joe Robert Tunal, great-grandfather of Lauren Dorough (grade 10)
OCTOBER 20, 2017 Mary Elizabeth Harmon Lusk, grandmother of Geoff Scovil '89 and former student Keri Scovil Billings
JANUARY 12, 2018 John Arthur Anderson, grandfather of Lizzy '10 and Price Anderson '12
William Carr Parrish, father of Susan Parrish Smith '86 OCTOBER 27, 2017 Grace Elaine Butler Adams, grandmother of Win '96 and Katie Adams '99 Wrage Garfield "W.G." Wiley Jr., father of Shaun Wiley ’75 NOVEMBER 3, 2017 Carol Travis, stepmother of Thomas '89 and Elle Travis '90
JANUARY 19, 2018 Captain Eugene A. Cernan, grandfather of Caroline Ellis (10th) JANUARY 26, 2018 William Allison Horan, father of Roy Horan '72, Chris Horan '73, June Horan Haygood '75, Holly Horan '77, and Kathy Horan Young '79
MARCH 9, 2018 Robert E. Klawiter, father of Russell Klawiter '83 APRIL 6, 2018 Guy Mitchell McCollum, father of Rachel McCollum Zendig '01 APRIL 13, 2018 MSGT Roy Newton, grandfather of Travis '00 and Aaron Newton '02 APRIL 20, 2018 Doris Hall Nantz Carter, grandmother of Eden Richardson Beebe '95 and Reid Richardson Renwick '95 APRIL 27, 2018 Marie Lowrance Laing, great-grandmother of Livia (grade 4) and Miles Langford (grade 2) Dr. John Holt Sewell, Jr., father of Alan Sewell '76 and Shelley Sewell McDonald '78 MAY 4, 2018 Jerry Berkowitz, grandfather of Trevor '14, Matthew '16, and Benji Berkowitz (grade 12); father of Mike Berkowitz '79
FEBRUARY 9, 2018 Geraldine "Jerry" Canon Smart and Samuel B. Smart, Jr., grandparents of Meredith Smart ’01 TRINITY VALLEY SCHOOL
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Left: Third graders visit the Star Telegram newsroom.
Right: Ten US students recently competed in the World Affairs Council's Academic WorldQuest. It is an extremely challenging competition based on a bank of detailed knowledge about the world in which we live.