Toward Full Stature Magazine - Virginia Episcopal School - Spring 2021

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SPRING 2021


2020-21

BOARD OF TRUSTEES EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MARY HODGES GEORGE ’89

OUR MISSION Virginia Episcopal School is an engaging community that guides students to strive toward full stature in their academic, ethical, spiritual and personal growth.

ROBERT P. GORRELL, JR. ’73

JOEL T. C. WILLIAMS ’85 P ’17

ALAN E. HARER ’63

VICE CHAIR, BOARD OF TRUSTEES CHAIR, BUILDINGS & GROUNDS Raleigh, NC

ELIZABETH M. ELLISON ’96

CHAIR, ADVANCEMENT COMMITTEE Los Angeles, CA

CHAIR, COMMITTEE ON TRUSTEES Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Catherine Hunter Varner DESIGNER Esther Underwood

PAUL H. SHEEHY ’81 CHAIR, FINANCE Richmond, VA

__________________________________

MICHAEL K. ALFORD ’82 ADVISOR TO THE BOARD Jacksonville, NC

THE HONORABLE EMILY M. ASTOR

PHOTOGRAPHERS Chad Hanning Adam Underwood Esther Underwood Catherine Hunter Varner Fisher Zhang ’23

Raleigh, NC

London, England

MARVIN BARNARD, MD ’71 Fort Washington, MD

HALL F. BARNETT P ’19 JOHN E. BAUKNIGHT IV ’85 Edisto Island, SC

THE RIGHT REVEREND MARK A. BOURLAKAS EX-OFFICIO Roanoke, VA

SARAH P. DU BOSE P ’13, ’18 Charlottesville, VA

400 VES Road, Lynchburg, VA VES.ORG

Richmond, VA

ADVISOR TO THE BOARD Raleigh, NC

W. DOUGLAS HARTOG

VICE CHAIR, ADVANCEMENT Charlottesville, VA

CHARLES M. JOHNSON III ’71 Charlottesville, VA

JAMES T. JOHNSON, JR. ’73

VICE CHAIR, BUILDINGS & GROUNDS Ahoskie, NC

MALCOLM L. MILES P ’20 Lynchburg, VA

JAMES B. MOORE III ’00

WRITERS Jen Anderson Ali Cox Mimi Csatlos Matt LaFreniere Catherine Hunter Varner

Virginia Episcopal School, founded in 1916 in Lynchburg, Virginia, is an independent, coeducational college preparatory boarding and day school for students in grades 9-12.

New York, NY

CHAIR, BOARD OF TRUSTEES Charlottesville, VA

DONTAY J. RILEY ’99

HEAD OF SCHOOL Garth Q. Ainslie

MEREDITH MORAN GERMAN ’95

Mount Pleasant, SC

WILLIAM L. PANNILL ’73 ADVISOR TO THE BOARD Martinsville, VA

ANNE MARIE POORE P ’12, ’15, ’19 Roanoke, VA

WILLIAM E. SANFORD II ’77 Lynchburg, VA

LEIGH-ANN W. SPROCK P ’18, ’20 Charlotte, NC

FRANCIS B. TEAGUE ’81 Charlotte, NC

KINDELL HANSEN WALTERS ’99 Oklahoma City, OK

LOUIS E. WOOTEN III ’81 P ’19 Raleigh, NC

STEPHEN M. FARMER Carrboro, NC P = PARENT

Cover: I n this year of the global Covid-19 pandemic, VES made the bold decision to open campus for in-person school, implementing rigorous risk mitigation protocols that have allowed the school to remain open. Our faculty, staff and especially our students—those attending on campus and those studying remotely in states and continents away—have made VES proud.


TA BLE O F CO N T E N TS

2 A Message from Our Head of School

5 A Year Unlike Any Other: Reflecting on the Past Year

8 What Teaching & Learning in a Pandemic Added to Our Toolkits

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20

32

The Art of Adaptation

How Have Students Fared in the Pandemic? Hear Their Voices

Serving Our Community’s Health

Discovering the Laws of Science Poetry Inspires Amid the Pandemic SMAC Students Address Real-World Covid Issues

16 Faculty Recognition

36

28

A Conversation with Chris Button, Associate Head of School

VES Supports Its Faculty with One Room Schoolhouse

39

31

Class Notes

The Joy of Family at VES: Student Legacies and Siblings

42 In Memorium

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Dear VES Community, I am so proud to introduce this edition of Toward Full Stature magazine. Covid-19 has challenged everyone this year, and I am very humbled to see how our VES community has rallied behind our School. Figuring out how to open and operate VES for a return to in-person learning has taken more people’s time and energy than I could possibly recount here. I am sure there have been few years in the history of our School that saw such radical transformation of what it means to teach, learn, and live in this community. Ironically, while the changes to School life are obvious to anyone who visits campus with tents for outdoor classes; chapel, meals and meetings on the lawn; and windows wide open on the coldest of days, never have we had fewer visitors to campus! I am excited that we can share with you, in these pages, a sampling of the changes to VES this year. Although we are as eager as anyone to close the book on this pandemic, we also are trying hard to understand the lessons we have learned from these challenges and how we will emerge from this event even stronger. The biggest lesson I have learned from this year is how incredibly fortunate VES is today. I have felt incredibly supported by our community in my first year as Head of School. VES has a talented leadership team, a dedicated Board of Trustees, a resourceful faculty and staff who are able to adapt to every curve ball thrown their way, and a wonderful student body who have demonstrated their resilience time and time again. I have never been prouder to call myself a Bishop. Garth Q. Ainslie ’83 Head of School

If you missed the introduction to Head of School

Learn more about Garth and his first year

Garth Ainslie broadcast this winter, we invite you

leading VES in our Summer 2021 issue of

to watch the interview here: ves.org/meetGarth

Toward Full Stature magazine.

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A Year Unlike Any Other

H

ere we are in April 2021, reflecting on an unsettling one-year milestone: a staggering 580,000 lives lost in the U.S. to a global pandemic, economic

uncertainty, political rancor, and social justice and multicultural issues all at the forefront­—and for students, faculty and staff around the world and at VES, three semesters of school disrupted and reshaped by Covid-19. Can you remember that day one year ago, when students left campus for spring break, as the world watched the daily news with growing concern over this new, rapidly spreading virus? At the outset, we thought students might be home for just a few weeks beyond the scheduled break. How little we knew then. Behind the scenes at that time, a small VES leadership group—our crisis team— commandeered Jamison Dining Room, our pandemic response “war room.” There, we spent untold hours brainstorming every possible response to this unprecedented scenario, charting every student’s travel plans to determine risk; reading and reporting out the latest news from the WHO, the CDC, Centra, our local healthcare system, and the health department; participating in more professional organization webinars than we can count to share and learn best practices across peer schools, universities and

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colleges; and making swift but reasoned, thoughtful

Through the summer, VES leadership made a

decisions about how we would proceed to educate our

commitment to find a way to bring the community back

students while protecting the health of our VES and

together on campus in the fall. Of course, all the stars

local communities.

would have to align. Through intensive planning, crucial decision-making and herculean efforts, perseverance

Over the course of three weeks, teachers had to pivot

and hope, we pulled it off. On September 7, 2020, we

course content and teaching practices to virtual

welcomed back the majority of our students for the fall

instruction; students had to adjust to new ways

semester, and also offered a hybrid model of instruction

of learning; and we all had to adapt to a schedule

to meet the needs of our remote students.

overhaul to ensure ongoing support, connection and engagement. During this short period of time,

Our goal: to deliver the best education possible to our

VES designed and launched a brand new school

students while keeping our community’s health and

for the spring of 2020.

wellbeing as our top priority. As you would expect, we diligently live into risk mitigation practices, allowing

We found new ways to build community, humanized

us to remain open. We find joy in the spontaneous

our interactions in home settings seen through Zoom

in-person encounters where the magic of learning

and Teams, and reached into the core of who we are as

and teaching really happen. We seek out and listen

Bishops to make this new world work. Think creativity,

to constructive feedback from faculty, students and

innovation, grit, compassion and resilience. But no

parents. Living in a Covid world has put to the test our

one felt the loss more than the Class of 2020, whose

Portrait of a VES Graduate pillars, and affirmed these

senior year was abruptly cut short and their end-of-year

essential skills for success in life.

celebrations and graduation canceled. Every decision and corresponding action during this year has been intentional—we are not simply trying to push through the chaos of Covid; instead, we tie our

A Pandemic from the Past: The 1918 Spanish Flu

decisions to our school’s “strategic choices” whenever possible, to move the school ever forward. So here we are in April 2021—now eight months into on-campus school with a VES community that is

The global 1918 influenza pandemic, known as the Spanish Flu, came in three waves: the first in March 1918, the second, most deadly wave in August 1918, and a third in March 1919. VES sadly lost one student, Denziloe A. Thomas ’18, during the flu’s less severe outbreak in the first wave. When the flu returned with a vengeance in the fall of 1918, the school was forced to temporarily close in October; this time, thankfully, there were no fatalities in the VES community.

thriving in these strange times. We are humbled and grateful to all who are associated with our school for your collective spirit of flexibility, endurance, grace and steadfast commitment to VES. In the pages of this magazine, I hope you will find inspiration in the voices and stories of our Bishops community. Catherine H. Varner Director of Marketing & Communications

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What Teaching & Learning in a Pandemic Added to Our Toolkits

FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF ACADEMIC DEAN & DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE COUNSELING MIMI CSATLOS

M

anaging the Covid crisis has asked VES and schools around the world to change and adapt at a rapid pace to

safely deliver a rich educational experience to all our students— including a percentage of students who have been unable to make it to campus this year. In the spirit of Winston Churchill’s “never let a good crisis go to waste,” we’ve done our best to anchor the adaptations we’ve had to make to teach in the time of Covid to our Portrait of a VES Graduate and our Academic Philosophy. And as we’ve navigated hybrid learning and classroom teaching with physical distancing, we’ve made several discoveries about our teaching that we will carry with us once we can return to pre-Covid campus life.

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Outside for the Win The Adirondack chairs that cover our green spaces have been home to class discussions, debates, and group work over the past eight months, and there is no reason for that to change next year. The students have loved taking classes outside, soaking up more Vitamin D, and benefiting from a general feeling of wellness during an especially challenging time.

Fully Utilizing Our Learning Management System For the past five years, VES has used the OnCampus Learning Management System to record grades, take attendance, and create an online “homeroom” for each class. However, prior to the shift to online learning, only a handful of teachers had really explored the full extent of resources OnCampus offers. Now, all of our teachers are proficient-plus in managing their classes via OnCampus, and many students have shared their hopes that the structure OnCampus class and topics pages provide remains next year.

Reinforced Academic Safety Nets The structure that OnCampus provides, and clarified expectations regarding the format teachers use to enter their grades through our online gradebooks, allowed us to be more thorough in monitoring students’ progress across their courses, and to catch

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students who are slipping. Since last year, the Stature Team—consisting of the Dean of Student Life, Academic Dean, School Counselor, Learning Resources Teachers and Head School Nurse—meets weekly and reviews the progress of students who may be experiencing difficulties in any aspect of their VES experience, then we work with each student’s advisor to provide prompt support as needed. This spring we have already revised our processes to ensure that we are finding and addressing slips in performance as quickly as possible, allowing us to better fulfill our Toward Full Stature commitment to students and families.

Enhanced Video Production Skills As a required component of our hybrid model in the fall, teachers created weekly videos that provided an overview of the week ahead, and many teachers also filmed instructional videos to help deliver their content to students both on campus and across the globe. These instructional videos, and the skills/tools needed to make them, will remain important components of our faculty’s instructional toolkits moving forward. Videos allow students to revisit topics that may be challenging to them, and sometimes also give glimpses into teachers’ lives, and sense of humor, to which remote learners have not had as much access. It has been fun to see a host of “intellectually playful” videos that our faculty have created this year!

Preparation for College and Life Through Online Coursework For years we have been discussing whether or not to incorporate a required online course into our curriculum so students would not find themselves encountering online classes for the first time in college. Our hybrid teaching model this fall provided a structure similar to online courses, but with in-person support, and our juniors and seniors commented often about the clear ways the format would help them more easily navigate the transition to a college schedule, where they would need to be skilled in independently managing their time. This proved the wisdom of potentially keeping some non-core courses in a hybrid format in the future; for the last several years we have been teaching filmmaking online, with one weekly evening meeting, and we may look to expand to other, similar offerings in the future.

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Focus on Community... All Across the World Over the past 12 months, our students and faculty have taught in a fully virtual format for 10 weeks—seven weeks last spring, and three weeks both before and after Christmas Break. During those virtual periods, we’ve enjoyed glimpses into one another’s homes, introductions to pets, stories about family traditions, and even the occasional humorous interruptions from younger siblings and faculty kids. We saw first hand the many aspects of life that unite us across oceans and time zones—and we saw the unique challenges of our students/classmates who made the hard decision to flip their sleep schedules to connect synchronously to classes despite 11- to 13-hour time differences. Because we were able to make virtual school across time zones work, a soil experiment in AP Environmental Science this fall ended up including samples from Raleigh, Manhattan and Beijing, just to name a few students’ hometowns. Podcast and poetry assignments in English classes included interviews with relatives from all over the world. In Studio Art, landscapes were painted and photographed from backyards and balconies in Middleburg, Liaoning, Kigali and more. Our faculty used their skill as educational designers to turn pandemic circumstances into learning opportunities that emphasized the silver linings in being apart, together. In doing so, teachers and students alike expanded their educational toolkits and made the last year a sincere growth opportunity in VES’ collective Toward Full Stature journey.

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THE ART OF ADAPTATION Three years ago, faculty and academic leadership at VES articulated a progressive academic philosophy that has at its core the concept of “intellectual playfulness.” As Academic Dean Mimi Csatlos explains, “Just as we want our students to be curious and innovative thinkers and producers, we ask our faculty to be designers—shaping and delivering their curricula in ways that feed curiosity, build critical thinking skills, promote collaboration and stimulate creativity, characteristics cited as desirable in college applicants and new hires in today’s workplace.” As faculty made their pivot to a hybrid teaching model during the pandemic, their continued commitment to this philosophy is evident across the curriculum—both on campus and in our remote students’ homes and communities around the globe. “Our teachers have demonstrated endless innovation,” said Jen Anderson, Dean of Faculty. We challenged them to consider how can we preserve the core of our students’ educational experience, while adapting to the requirements of teaching in the midst of Covid. Faculty adapted their methods to keep learning interactive and engaging.” You will see in the academic examples powerful stories of creativity, open-ended problem solving, and risk-taking that prepare VES students to successfully navigate and contribute in today’s world.

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Discovering the Laws of Science

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n Dr. Pollock’s Physics class, students explore the fundamental laws of the universe. She makes the process of learning highly engaging through hands-on activities and experiments that allow students to apply their

problem-solving tactics to a variety of scenarios—a water balloon launched out of a slingshot, a roller coaster doing a loop, a light bulb in an electric circuit, and an electromagnetic motor. This spring, Physics students were asked to design a mobile—the kind you might hang over a child’s crib or observe as an installation in the Museum of Modern Art. In class, as in real life, it is critical that the mobile be both aesthetically interesting and hang in rotational equilibrium—the physics equation that the students must solve for in the project. Figuring this out involves understanding mass, measuring the distance from pivot points to properly secure supporting strings, and applying the torque formula. In the end, each mobile must have a minimum of four freely swinging horizontal arms with each bar balanced (up and down)—achieving rotational equilibrium and, if you give a bar a little push, having it rotate around in a horizontal circle. John Tharp ’21 and Arghya Thallapragada ’22 teamed up to develop their “Bat Mobile”—a witty nod to John’s Batman fandom and his extensive LEGO® collection that provided materials for

the project. So how does a lesson like this benefit the students? John shared, “Personally, I’m a hands-on learner. I definitely prefer labs over lectures. We learned about torque first-hand by doing the measurements, equations and calculations, and we developed a 2-D blueprint—all critical to creating a functional mobile that met all the requirements. You learn more quickly when you have to overcome real challenges, like getting the torque calculations right so the mobile achieves equilibrium, rather than tilting to one side. Plus collaborating with a teammate and being given creative license makes it that much more fun!”

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Poetry Inspires Amid the Pandemic

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att LaFreniere’s poetry students took their poems to the streets this winter. For their midterm, each student, wherever they were in the country or world, found a spot in their hometown, a spot that intrigued them or

moved them or engaged them—a patch of concrete, a park bench, an abandoned building. Students then took pictures of the spot to harness its details and used those images to craft a poem inspired by the spot. After the poem went through multiple rounds of edits, students returned to the spot and, however they wished, presented the poem. Some used chalk and some printed the poem out and carefully placed it. In days and months ravaged by the tedium of the pandemic, these poets felt it important to share beauty with the world, one poem at a time. Maybe the poems were read by passersby, and maybe not. Regardless, these poets are doing their part in helping provide meaning to these difficult times.

Backwards MYLASIA SMITH ’21 | NEW YORK, NY

Backwards is the only way towards my desire. But I can’t keep holding onto the past. Why can’t I let his betrayal go? His soft touch against my face, His strong grip while he grabs my waist, Going into a kiss felt like rain brushing against a window pane. For years I thought he would be here forever Wishing our love would never fail, I wanted a traditional love story. He left. The love spilled in my hands like sand, Little particles stuck to my fingers. So I’ll walk retracing Some of the places we’ve been this melancholy night Backwards towards what isn’t, killing time with the hate I can’t give him. Why walk forward?

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SMAC Students Address Real-World Covid Issues

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s the Covid pandemic began to spread in the U.S. last April, the 2019-20 Science & Math Advanced Consortium (SMAC) students spent six weeks seeking to better understand the novel coronavirus—

specifically researching the virus’ origin, structure and methods of replication; mathematically modeling Covid-19’s path across the world and its rate of change in different populations; hypothesizing about the approach to developing a viable vaccine, and evaluating risk mitigation tools and protocols. This fall, the scientific exploration of Covid continued. Chad Hanning’s class dove into the science behind PCR Covid testing— the gold standard for detecting Covid infection and a topic of great interest to students, as they undergo routine PCR-testing to help keep our community healthy. The class began by studying Covid, and learned that it is a retrovirus, which uses RNA as its genetic material—vital information for the next phase of their project. Using a mini thermal cycler and electrophoresis equipment in our VES labs, the students used reverse transcription (RT-PCR) that converts the RNA to DNA. Then they amplified—or copied— the DNA to create a critical mass of cells. Finally, they used a process called gel electrophoresis to test for the virus. “Imagine injecting DNA into Jello with an electric current. The pores in the The pattern of DNA particles indicated Covid in our students’ gel electrophoresis experiment.

Jello work like a sieve, allowing smaller particles to move more quickly. If the pattern matches a known Covid strand, then the patient is infected with the virus,” Hanning explained.

This research and hands-on lab work are real-life major science. The SMAC program provides the flexibility to investigate things that are happening in our world right now, and students apply theoretical concepts they learned in biology and chemistry, coupled with mathematical analysis, in a tangible way. RT-PCR, for example, is cutting-edge science used in paternity and forensic testing and to identify some forms of cancer. Hanning reflected on these students’ experiences: “Our SMAC students faced the unique challenges of collaborating in a project-based learning classroom during an incredibly unique time in history. They asked essential questions, applied critical thinking and analyzed an emerging global problem through a math and science lens using real data—all while communicating effectively across states and continents. Perhaps most importantly, through this work, our students hone important skills, gain confidence, and can envision themselves tackling real-world problems.”

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Faculty Recognition Each spring at graduation, the school bestows awards on faculty and an essential member of the VES community. With the shift to virtual school, we were not able to properly honor these special people. Congratulations to Jesi Thompson, Matt LaFreniere, Katie Messinger and Michelle Hanning! When you read their stories, you will understand their dedication and invaluable impact as colleagues, teachers and trusted adults to our students.

JESI THOMPSON

PAUL FULTON, JR. ’53 MASTER TEACHER AWARD Established in 1980 by the Board of Trustees to honor VES Class of 1953 graduate Paul Fulton Jr.’s unique and dedicated service to VES, this award recognizes that teacher on the VES faculty who, in the opinion of his or her fellow faculty members, most nearly represents the ideal of the “master teacher,” including: •

Mastery of his or her academic discipline;

Superior classroom instructional and motivational skills;

Evidence of stimulating further interest in the academic field beyond the classroom; and

An active interest in students outside the classroom.

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Jesi Thompson, originally from Massachusetts, grew up in a small town on Cape Cod. She received her BFA degrees in Art with a concentration in Ceramics and Art Education, graduating Magna Cum Laude, and earned her master’s in Arts Education, all from East Carolina University. Jesi teaches a broad range of classes in the visual arts at all levels, including ceramics, photography, studio art and portfolio development. In addition, she leads the Sketchbook Club and an after-school visual arts program, and serves as an advisor and dorm parent. Assistant Dean of Faculty Matt LaFreniere describes Jesi this way: “I could go on and on about the components of Jesi Thompson’s pedagogy, the intentionality of her craft—how she guides her students’ work with clarity, passion, and excitement through the endless one-on-one time she offers. But I’m more interested—and more in awe of—her ability to get kids to slow down, to exist in a moment, to just be when in the face of a drawing or painting or molding a hunk of clay. In class every day she offers students what this world seems to reject—encouraging them to consider the small details of seconds that make up moments. In a self-portrait, in a mixedmedia collage, in an image of campus rendered as a sketch, Jesi encourages her students to negotiate line and depth and texture and color and form; she helps them infuse art with vitality, shows them how to flesh it out through a sleight of hand that makes a moment come alive. She shows her students how art, in that way, can help them consider the same in the moments of their days. Point being: Jesi helps her students understand how the moments of their days can provide rich material for the ever-changing canvas of their lives—truly the stroke of a master teacher.

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MATT LAFRENIERE & KATIE MESSINGER SMITH FAMILY AWARD

The Smith Family Award is made possible through contributions to VES by Jean Smith and Gordon Smith, Jr., parents of Gordon Smith III ’62 and Clark Smith ’65. It recognizes excellence in teaching and the making of meaningful connections with young men and women, and is given to faculty who are chosen by their peers as representatives of this important VES value.

Brene Brown says,

To say that

“Vulnerability is

“love” is a part

the birthplace of

of an educator’s

love, belonging,

approach is to say

joy, courage,

that the cherry

empathy, and

blossoms on Box

creativity. It is

Plaza are pink, or

the source of

that the columns

hope, empathy,

on Front Jett are

accountability,

white—there’s no

and authenticity. If we want greater clarity in our

argument, they simply are. But the components

purpose or deeper, more meaningful spiritual

that make them pink or white are a different

lives, vulnerability is the path.”

matter, the small intricacies of things that need to happen, how the stars must align, as it were, for

There is not a better quotation to describe the

something so simple and almost unnoticeable to

modus operandi of Matt LaFreniere. What’s more,

take shape before our eyes.

one can often hear Matt describe his vocation as “builder of souls” and an educator who embraces

Katie Messinger does that for her students;

fostering a culture of joy. Perhaps this is why

she shows them the intricacies of the world and

Matt is one of the most profound and impactful

how the stars align to bring forth simple beauty.

educators to ever work at VES.

And there is true magic with how she teaches, with love that reverberates in all that she offers—

Matt is a consummate boarding school teacher.

in tone, in structure, in organization, in comment.

Whether he is supporting faculty in their professional growth, hosting rap battles in

Walk into Katie’s classroom and you’ll understand

Pendleton Basement, or having his students

what it means to teach through love.

transfer, in chalk, their self-created poetic words on the sidewalks downtown, Matt melds the art and science of teaching into a tapestry of excellence.

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MICHELLE HANNING ELINOR BASS HOPKINS MEMORIAL AWARD

This award was established in 2016 by

Without a doubt, Michelle Hanning has made outstanding

Emmy Ellison ’96 and John Ellison ’65

contributions to the VES community. In the early 2000s,

to honor Elinor Bass Hopkins—the late wife of retired long-time Senior Master James W. Hopkins—who devoted her life to the betterment of her community. A deserving faculty member, member of the staff, or

Michelle was VES’ database manager and, over the last two decades, Michelle and her husband, Chad, have hosted students and faculty in their home for many fun and meaningful get-togethers. Examples include a weekly Bible study, annual Easter egg hunts, caramel apple parties for faculty children, and faculty trivia nights.

spouse of a staff or faculty member is recognized with this award for

In 2019-20, Michelle raised her hand to assist in the

his or her dedication to the VES

Athletic department when we were short-staffed, work on

community and for making an

an important, time-sensitive school database project, lend

outstanding contribution to the

educational technology advice to faculty as we pivoted to

school and its students.

virtual school, and step in to teach an English class for a faculty member on maternity leave. Not only did Michelle take over two English classes in the middle of the year, but she did so at the start of an unprecedented pandemic.

For a list of all school awards, please visit ves.org/awards.

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HOW HAVE STUDENTS FARED IN THE PANDEMIC? H E A R T H E I R V O I C E S

F

or students living through a pandemic, it’s been a year like no other in their academic, extracurricular, social and emotional lives. They have experienced extraordinary disruption to their lives and their learning. Many have felt the weight of heightened stress and anxiety, loneliness and isolation; some have struggled to stay motivated and others are frustrated by restrictive Covid protocols on campus. All value the deep connections that come with community. Faculty interaction and support have made a significant difference, and students empathize

with their teachers more than ever before. And, yes, there are glimmers of joy and hope— discovering what’s most important in life, finding personal strength and resilience in difficult times, and gaining confidence to navigate an ever-morecomplex world. We asked students in all grades, with hometowns across the Southeast and around the world, to share their thoughts about how both the pandemic and school over the past year have impacted their lives.

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Tanner Nau ’21 Raleigh, NC

Georgia Mugisha ’22 Kigali, Rwanda

I have learned the value of

Over the past year, I’ve learned a lot

persevering through trying

about my instincts and how I react to

times as well as seeing the good in adverse

various situations and circumstances. I like to think of

situations. Though my senior year has been

myself as a positive person, and this year I had to put

drastically different than anticipated, I have

that to the test and see if that’s an accurate description

tried to focus on the things that I still can do on

of myself. I also think I learned how to go with the

campus rather than the things I cannot do. I am

flow and let things play out how they’re meant to.

really thankful that VES created an experience that is as normal as possible during Covid, so I

Being on campus versus virtual feels like two different

could see my friends and play my senior football

worlds, and I’m glad I got to experience both. Seeing

season. Despite some rules—while necessary—

people every day and having social interactions is

feeling overbearing at times, the faculty has

more important to me than I thought it was.

made the environment fun and welcoming. I’ve

I’m a lot happier being at school because of this, and

enjoyed outdoor chapel during beautiful spring

that helps me better focus in classes too. I’ve also

days, as well as eating lunch outside, and the

gotten to know some faculty on more personal levels

Adirondack chairs on Box are now my favorite

this year and gained insight into what it’s like being

place to sit to eat and talk to friends.

moms, dads, etc., plus teachers and coaches all at the same time, especially during Covid. I’ve grown more

As I move on from VES, I am hopeful that I can

compassionate and appreciative of all they do.

continue to strive Toward Full Stature on the football field and in the classroom at Rhodes

Next year, I’m looking forward to social events that

College, as well as pass on the knowledge

aren’t Covid-restricted, like raves, dances and being

and lessons learned at VES to future friends

able to crowd into the gym to watch basketball

and family.

games and other sports play.

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Nat Boling ’22 Alexandria, VA

Cate Bange ’23 Charlotte, NC

The world can change very

This year has been very

quickly and when that happens

emotional but also one of

you have to be able to adapt; sometimes you have

growth and transformation. I discovered that

to make hard choices, like leaving your home and

I love to be surrounded by other people,

going to a boarding school 3 ½ hours away, but

making new friends and making others laugh.

out of those choices comes new opportunities

I think my inner positivity really shined through

that never would have been possible before.

during this hard time of distancing. Everyone

It is unbelievable how helpful it is to go into class

is going through this rough time of confusion

and be able to learn with your peers around you.

and not knowing what’s next; it’s important

Although I appreciate all the effort and time my

to acknowledge that and treat everyone with

teachers put in during the virtual period, nothing

respect. Having fewer classes each day and the

can get close to being in person. I really liked the

“megablock”—an amazing time for students to

schedule this year because it created a lot of open

get work done and take a break from the stress of

communication between students and teachers

school, sports, or any other outside tasks—have

both about grades and assignments. Every coach

really helped me mentally and academically.

and faculty member on campus is here to help the students succeed in any way possible.

I enjoy everyone being outside and always on campus—especially on weekends—socializing and

I am a new student this year, and have never been

getting to know lots of people better. Outside

a part of the boarding school world before. I really

activities during the winter months brought more

like living on dorm and getting to participate in

people out of the dorms and, I believe, helped

the weekend activities as well as playing lacrosse.

with seasonal depression! I just wish we could

I am so lucky that I got to VES, especially during

have had all the fun DJ events, dances—like the

Covid, because this is one of the only places that

iconic Casino Night—and other traditions that

in-person school could—and did—successfully

really make VES the best, most fun place.

happen for the whole year.

Quique Peniche Ruiz ’22, Merida, Mexico I didn’t know if I was going to able to attend in-person classes because I’m from Mexico and traveling is a big risk to take. Thankfully I was able to come back to VES. Being in person is something I missed last year when we had to go into lockdown. This Covid year has been a big challenge for everyone—teachers and students. I learned that we’ve gotta do what we’ve gotta do, no matter the situation. If something is annoying but needs to be done, it should be done. I also am taking away from this experience that, no matter how bad things can be, I am the person responsible to take all of that from my life to be happy. I really look forward to being able to hang out with my friends after sports in the dining hall while having a nice dinner as soon as we can get back to normal.

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Shirley Hu ’23 Beijing, China

Walter Marr ’24 Wilmington, NC

Though it’s enjoyable

In my first year at VES, I have learned

and happy to return

how to persevere through difficult

to campus, I really hope the pandemic

situations. It was a bit hard coming in as a freshman during

could soon end and life without masks

a pandemic year and being immediately thrust into the

could return. While studying virtually,

high-speed day of a high school student. Of course, Covid

I had to stay up until 2 or 3 a.m. to

has affected all of our lives. Despite the pandemic, though,

attend classes, plus I learned that I am

life on this campus is energetic, dynamic, and engaging.

a chronic procrastinator! VES faculty

Being in person has been very beneficial to my learning

tried their best to be inclusive of remote

experience. While many of my friends are at home doing

students, and they were forgiving when

school on their couch, I am engaged in a learning schedule

the virtual experience hindered the

that will prepare me for my future. Living on campus with

way we performed in academics. I have

my teachers and coaches, I have been able to make great

found, though, that living inside the VES

connections. These bonds with a trusted adult, especially

community really is crucial for school life.

the ones in the dorm, are great to have as a freshman

I am eager to get to a time that we can

leaving home for the first time. One thing I am most

have meals in the dining hall and breathe

looking forward to is going off campus. I haven’t been

fresh air without masks.

able to see Lynchburg yet, and I am excited to be able to explore the town that I go to school in.

Winning Changes Across Daily Campus Life Students want to keep these new programs and activities in place as we move forward:

Starting School at 9 a.m.

Lots of Time Outdoors

A later start meets the needs of

Everyone loves being outside for classes,

adolescent brain development and

chapel, meals and weekend fun—in the warm

supports better learning.

sun and the cold!

Adirondack Chairs

Megablock

Conversations and connections

This extended period in the middle of the day

are happening in these new chairs

allows students time to destress, touch base

all across campus.

with teachers, and get ahead on their work.

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Day Students Experience Life on Dorm

W

ith a few dorm rooms unfilled due to international students’ restrictions on traveling back to the U.S., VES opened up the opportunity to day students to become boarders for the year. Twenty-nine students jumped at the chance to experience residential life at VES—

14 boarded for one semester and another 15 boarded for the full year. Based on the experience, a few have decided they want to go all in—boarding again next year and taking advantage of the full value that boarding school offers.

Mufu Tebit ’21 Forest, VA

Luke Meadows ’22 Lynchburg, VA

I was really excited to live on

I am very grateful to have the

campus this year because it’s

opportunity to live on campus,

my senior year and I wanted to spend as much

especially with all the things VES had to deal

time as I could with my friends. The part about

with in the pandemic. What I’ve liked most about

VES that will make me remember this place

being a residential student is being able to hang

forever are the relationships I’ve made here. Being

out with my friends at school after study hall as

a day student was great, but if I couldn’t have

well as being part of dorm life and the larger VES

seen my friends as often as I have this year, my

community. I appreciate how VES has listened

experience wouldn’t have been the same. While

to students’ requests and adapted to what the

living on Pendleton dorm, I feel like I’ve gotten

students need to make life on campus more

so close to my dormmates that I could call them

enjoyable. I have learned a couple of things during

brothers. The friendships I’ve made especially on

this time: how to be more patient with my friends,

Pendleton are some that will last many years after

which has ultimately made me a better friend, and

I graduate. I wouldn’t trade the chance to live with

that our faculty struggles with some of the same

such a great group of people for anything.

things we do on a day-to-day basis, so we need to be patient with them as well.

Lilly Lewis ’22, Lynchburg, VA Living on campus gave a whole new meaning to being a VES student and allowed me to see what life is like for my peers who are boarders. I am a junior Resident Assistant, and I loved being on duty on Perkins dorm. I have become closer with girls who, had I been off campus, I would not have been able to make connections with. One thing I have learned over this year is that we all need to have more empathy for others, as everyone, pandemic or not, is struggling with something.

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VES Supports Its Faculty with One Room Schoolhouse - Alison Cox, One Room Schoolhouse Teacher and VES Parent (Will ’20 and Elizabeth ’21)

Thankfully, VES applied its community-centric approach to problem solving the education challenge faced by resident faculty families with young children. The result was One Room Schoolhouse. It was the best experience my sons could have had this year, and it allowed me to remain focused on my commitments as faculty, coach and advisor to our VES students.”

History teacher Megan Nealis wondered how she and her community of VES parents could do it all without the structure of school for her three boys. “As many families discovered, it was an impossible trifecta trying to be a good professional, parent, and at-home educator, and we spent much of the spring problem solving how the boys could continue their learning in a safe, nurturing, and child-centric environment.” Associate Head of School Chris Button began to

Whether your elementary school experience was

envision an ideal school scenario. Limiting the

just a few years ago or a lifetime ago, you likely can

various schools that children would be traveling to

recall the friendships, favorite teachers, and sense of

and from the VES campus was a vital consideration,

routine and community that school provided. When

but equally important was the commitment to

the pandemic forced drastic adjustments to our

bringing to faculty children a sense of joy and

daily lives, devising a plan for VES faculty members’

learning into a classroom setting. What if that

young children was a top priority.

classroom was on the VES campus?

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The brainstorming sessions conducted in the

the Jamestown settlement, while Lola LaFreniere

summer afternoons culminated in a concrete plan

and Rowan Martin can be found during free time

and, with the Board of Trustees’s support, funds

creating painted masterpieces. Owen Campbell, who

were allocated for an elementary school teacher

joined us in January, delighted the class with his

(me). The One Room Schoolhouse was born, and

exquisite hand-made UNO cards.

parents gave a collective sigh of relief. And while Campbell Button loved most the On September 1, 2020, seven children in grades

pageantry of the Halloween party, her mother,

1 through 4 arrived through the doors of the boys’

Director of Admissions Justine Button, has enjoyed

locker room (our de facto classroom)—a very short

the convenience of our school and the growing

walk or scooter ride from home—to discover their

camaraderie of her own two children. “Having them

own school. I had used every teacher trick in my

watch out and stick up for each other and listening

repertoire to create an inviting space, complete

to their stories and different perspectives has been

with a comfy reading corner, cubbies, math cart,

really interesting.”

posters, colorful nametags, and loads of books. As the students explored, I took stock of this

One thing is for certain, gathering together at the

extraordinary situation.

One Room Schoolhouse restored a bit of hands-on learning, inquiry, and wonder for these children, and

Five faculty families are represented in class, and

certainly for this teacher.

most have siblings. The children have spent much of their young lives together, building forts, exploring the woods, walking their family dogs; always making the most of the beautiful VES campus. They also argued. Feuds as old as the surrounding hills reared their heads in class, but then, with the abundant grace unique to children, peace would arrive just as quickly. As 1st grader and little sister Caroline Rhem explained, “My favorite thing about the One Room Schoolhouse is that we always forgive each other!” There are certainly moments of juggling: teaching long division to 4th graders while encouraging 1st graders to write in their journals and reminding the lone 2nd grader to finish his book report. But unexpected benefits revealed themselves. Each child has naturally leaned into his and her strengths in our learning community, and in addition to individualized instruction, we enjoy regular opportunities to collaborate on projects across grade and ability levels. Charlotte Rhem is adept at helping organize cupcake-fueled events, such as our Halloween party and Secret Santa. Wyatt Button and Eamon Martin are often huddled over a book discussing details of

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The Joy of Family at VES We believe in the value of family. For us, family means being with people who understand and accept us, love and guide, challenge and inspire, comfort and support us. With a student body of 260, we grow close through shared experiences—across classes, afternoon activities, advisories, chapel, residence halls, student life and weekend fun.

And families love VES. An astounding 113 current students have family ties to the school. They are legacies whose parents, grandfathers, aunts or uncles attended VES or they are siblings of other VES students or graduates, and many hold the distinction as both! That says a lot about how families value a VES education.

We Invite Your Referrals If you know a student who would be a great fit in our VES family, please refer them to our Admissions Office: admissions@ves.org or 434.385.3701.


Serving Our Community’s Health

TO DATE

600 VES Masks

+40% Increase in Mental Healthcare Services

4,000+ Covid Tests

Covid Outbreaks on Campus Days Closed Due to Covid in 2020-21 School Year

26,000+ Temperature Checks

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VES Expands Health Services, Dorm Space to Support the Wellbeing of Students, Faculty and Staff

W

hen VES recognized that Covid would reshape everything we do, our community’s

health and wellness amid the pandemic became top priority, especially when it came to preparating our campus for the return to in-person school in the fall. Well before students and faculty stepped foot back on campus in September, we began educating them about our risk mitigation protocols—from videos about the 3 Ws (wear your mask, wash your hands, watch your distance, staying 6-feet apart) and revised foot traffic patterns around campus to the changes in dining hall practices and life on dorm. Upon arrival, students received a For Your Good Health welcome kit upon arrival with a 3 Ws information sheet, a VES mask, hand sanitizer and a touch tool for opening doors and pushing buttons. And everyone had their temperatures checked each morning at infrared devices installed across campus. But most critical for our operation—in fact, to even be able to open the school—VES needed to undergo significant structural

New Construction Expands Health Center Capabilities “As we assessed all of our campus facilities for a successful in-person school opening, we knew we had a significant challenge. The Health Center—at the time a small clinic staffed to care for students during the day—simply could not meet our needs. In fact, in the winter months before Covid, we were stretched to our limits to care for students with the flu, with an unprecedented 70+ cases on campus in 2020. Beginning last April, we worked with our nurses and others, following CDC guidance, to reimagine this space and the services we offered.” Understanding this critical need, the VES Board of Trustees approved fast-tracking construction to expand the footprint, increase staffing and offer testing capabilities that would effectively serve our 260 students 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

changes and enhance health services to support our students’ health.

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The $842,000 renovation provided the health center

In a non-Covid year, the floor will be opened for

with five additional beds for sick patients, with the

residential living, expanding our dorm capacity.

ability to expand to seven isolation rooms. Before the renovation, there were only three beds in the center—one for “well” patients coming in for daily

Covid Testing Becomes the Norm

medications or who may have a minor sports injury,

Prior to the start of school and throughout the year,

and two for sick patients with symptoms of an illness.

VES students have grown accustomed to taking

The new space also provides separate entrances

Covid tests on a regular basis—two times a week

and waiting areas for well and sick patients to

through February and now once a week through the

mitigate exposure.

end of the school year. Athletes follow particularly stringent mitigation measures and Covid testing that

Teresa Poe, RN, head nurse who has worked at VES

has allowed our soccer, basketball and football teams

for 22 years, and Elaine Dameron, RN, with 20 years

to enjoy competitive play with schools that agree to

of service at VES, both participated in the design

undergo the same rigorous protocols.

process of the new space. “Leaders knew that we were the people who worked here and knew how to

Head of School Garth Ainslie applauds Chris

best take care of the students, so they really listened

Button for his work in building partnerships with

to us,” Poe said.

healthcare facilities in Lynchburg—particularly Physicians Treatment Center (PTC) and F. Read

Dameron added: “Our desire is to provide

Hopkins Pediatrics—that have enabled our successful

comfort away from home. The improvements are

testing program. “Without these relationships and

tremendously helpful, especially having additional

the necessary equipment to conduct the tests, VES

staffing support and being able to serve students

may not have been able to keep our school open.

overnight in the center rather than sending them

We deeply appreciate the doctors and nurses at

to dorm, where they are not able to isolate. That’s

these clinics who have supported our nurses and

a game-changer. The school has come together in

leadership through this critical period,” Ainslie noted.

such a major way to help us help the kids.”

In addition, our partnerships with PTC, Healthworks

New Dorm Space Adds Flexibility

and Westminster-Canterbury allowed VES faculty and staff access to the Covid vaccine. By the end of March, faculty and staff will be fully inoculated.

In addition to upgrading the health center, VES transformed administrative offices on the third floor

“We have asked so much of our students, parents,

of Jett Hall back into dorm rooms, providing 16

faculty and staff in this year: transition how you

isolation rooms for students who need to quarantine

teach and learn, follow the three Ws of risk mitigation

following travel to campus, are sick or may have

every moment, live a quiet life at home while away,

been exposed to Covid, or who are awaiting test

get comfortable with testing, get vaccinated.

results, particularly athletes who have been able to

All of us at VES could not be more grateful for

compete outside of the VES bubble.

the personal sacrifices and the commitment to following our expectations. It is why VES has been

According to Chris Button, “The swing space on

able to open well and stay open well this year—an

3rd Jett has been crucial to helping us manage in a

extraordinary accomplishment that has been so

pandemic. Without it, we may have experienced a

important in the lives of our students.”

Covid outbreak on dorm that could have shut the school down.”

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Expansion & Enhancement of Health Services

Square Footage

Nurse Staffing

Hours of Care

2200 → 3700

2 RNs → 5 RNs and LPNs with overnight on-call nurse

daytime → 24/7

Mental Healthcare Support

Patient Rooms:

1 full time + 1 on call → 1 full time + 2 on call + telehealth option and male counselor

3 →8 with expansion up to 10

New Capabilities Swing Space for Quarantine & Isolation 16 residential rooms on 3rd Jett Sick Student Isolation Separate entrances for sick and well students with decontamination areas between spaces Negative Pressure Rooms Keep contaminated air from leaving the space with two complete air changes per hour

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A Conversation with Christopher Button, Associate Head of School As he celebrates his 10th anniversary with VES—and faced with one of the most challenging years yet— Chris Button shares his perspectives, lessons learned and hopes going forward.

Share a bit about your background. For nearly 30 years, I have lived and worked

How would you characterize your first few years at VES?

in boarding schools—in Indiana, Pennsylvania,

When I arrived, the school was in need of a

Colorado, and Lynchburg, Virginia. I knew I wanted

transformation. The world was reeling from the

to be a history teacher since high school, and

global financial crisis, VES was facing significant

I’ve enjoyed being in the classroom for 25 years. I

financial challenges and decreased enrollment, and

also have coached lacrosse, hockey and mountain

the student life and residential life programs needed

biking; served as Director of Hockey Operations

a lot of attention to give our students the support

and Athletic Director for several years; and I applied

and life skills they need to be great people.

my master’s degree in educational technology to support students and faculty in their tech needs.

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What was your role when you first joined VES?

• My son always describes my job as “the guy who picks stuff up.” Living here, I feel a strong sense

I was hired to be the Dean of Students—and new

of ownership of our campus—our spaces, the

role for me at that time—and was given complete

buildings and grounds. I try to teach students to

freedom to redesign the Student Life program. I set

have that same sense of ownership and pride.

out to build a great student experience and make

This is our home.

campus a place kids really want to be. Over these years, we have deeply invested in life skills education programs, health and wellness and student activities—what I call good, clean fun.

Ten years! What has kept you here? When Justine and I made the move to Lynchburg, we expected we would stay three to five years then move on to the next opportunity. But what we found here—this city and region, the school, the people in the Lynchburg and VES communities— clearly changed that thinking. I discovered some of the best mountain biking of my life, and I get to combine what I love doing—teaching, mentoring and coaching—in my job. We now have two kids (Wyatt, age 10, Campbell, age 7) and our family is in such a great spot. We feel really lucky.

What has been your greatest highlight in your 10 years working at VES? Seeing the school live into its own motto: Toward Full Stature—getting better each year, being

• After 10 years of deep engagement in decisionmaking, my institutional memory is helpful as we evaluate issues and ideas.

How has your role as a leader changed in the midst of the pandemic? Garth [Ainslie, Head of School] gave me the ability this year to be singularly focused on all things Covidrelated to keep our community safe. And we are grateful to have a strong team of leaders who have excelled in their roles, and we all have benefited from extraordinary partnerships—from Physician’s Treatment Center to Centra Health to our families in Asia who sent us PPE when we needed access to it early on.

What has been the most significant impact of Covid on VES? The loss of community togetherness that defines VES—being in Langhorne Chapel, enjoying seated meals in the dining hall, having relaxed fun on

intentional in all that we do, enrolling increasingly talented students, hiring the best and brightest faculty and administrators, strengthening our brand and communications, and bolstering our endowment and alumni engagement.

What don’t people know about your work? Three things: • My in-depth knowledge of campus—knowing every nook and cranny and knowing every person on our campus. Both are incredibly important when it comes to keeping our campus safe and secure.

Photo Credit: Kendall Warner/The News & Advance

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Fine Arts Fridays, campus fun. We’ve worked hard

What will VES take forward into next year?

to keep that sense of community that defines VES,

A slower pace to the day, taking advantage of being

but it has been a challenge.

outdoors as much as possible, keeping a focus on

campus and at marquis student events, holding

What was your greatest struggle? I understand the teenage brain and normal high

the total health and wellbeing of our students, and the power of great gatherings, like our studentfocused marquis events, to build community.

school behaviors, so the hardest thing was to enforcing rules to keep everyone safe—to have to

How do you see your role evolving?

continually prompt kids to keep their masks over

My role is to support the priority needs of the school

their noses and to stay physically distant when that’s

and ensure that our team has what they need to

just not natural.

perform their jobs well. Next year, I will again turn

What have you been most impressed by among: • Faculty & Staff - Flexibility and willingness

my attention to the student life curriculum and residential life, with an increased focus on health and wellness—ensuring our students have access to the support they need to live into their highest potential.

to adjust + being excellent at responding to

Parting words...

students’ needs. • Students - Positivity. The number of students who are super-excited about being in school and on campus is overwhelming.

I hope we regain faith that people will take care of each other. Our VES community has done that, and it’s been a defining moment in the life of this school.

• Board - Support and trust that “we’ve got this,” allowing us to go focus on what matters most. • Parents - Understanding the “why,” respecting

Tell us your recommendations.

the decisions we made, and being honest about off-campus risks to keep our community healthy Read: Enlightenment Now

and school in session.

by Steven Pinkard

How do you personally find hope these days?

BBC, NPR, WSJ: Balanced,

Overwhelmingly, our lives and those of our students

science-based news with

are pretty good. We get to be in school, play sports,

centrist viewpoints

spend time with friends, and are employed in a really great place. Going forward, my hope lies in

Watch: Kobra Kai for a

vaccinations for people of all ages.

connection to the ’80s

What is your most important learning from this year?

Listen: ’80s rock ballads from

At the core of the Episcopal Church is a commitment

the likes of Def Leppard, Poison

to unselfishly serve others. I saw how this behavior

and Mötley Crüe

plays out in a crisis. So, the lessons for me are to be selfless, take care of others, and just be kind.

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Class Notes Mixed Classes

“Blitz” James ’77, Paul Feinman ’77, Bob Vaughan ’78, Bruce Carrington ’77 and Carl Danbury ’77.

White Scholar Ghaven Williams ’17 enjoy dinner together in Raleigh, NC.

1940 Race fans Tom “Dinky” Harper ’80 and Paul Reich ’81, with trusty companion Caesar, during the Michelin IMSA Championship at Virginia International Raceway. The Weather Tech sales force loved the dog!

Bill White ’72, Stuart Ferrell ’02, and Sackett

Lt. Cdr. Trace Bowen ’04 and Trevor Garmey ’97 in the clouds at 7,500 feet over Charlottesville. Trace recently concluded a tour as an F-35 test pilot at Patunxet River NAS. When Trace’s personal Cessna needed repairs, he called on Trevor—a private pilot working on his instrument rating— for a ride home to Maryland.

Alums Larry Lynde ’77, Sandy McKenna ’67, BK Mundy ’67, Sydna Mundy ’10, Lee Herbert ’74 and Bill Sanford ’77 hike Mt. Pleasant in Amherst, Virginia. Frank Joyner, Jr. received a birthday surprise from his friends in the Goldboro, NC’s Golden K Kiwanis Club this March. The members honored Mr. Joyner, who turned 100 on February 27, 2021, with a “drive-by” caravan of nearly 50 cars.

New third-Thursday dinner tradition for old Bishops at Perky’s Restaurant in Altavista, Virginia! Pictured: John “Crash” Craddock ’77, Billy Flint ’79, Edwin

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1946

City. The book details the restoration of the home, related archaeology and the genealogy of the families who called it home.

1950 Under coach Henry Trevathan’s leadership, his football teams ascended to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 4-A championships in 1967, 1968 and 1969—an unprecedented accomplishment that helped to put Wilson, NC on the map. In the fall of 2019, both a Wilson County Historical Association marker and a monument were unveiled in the town, recognizing the Fike High School Cyclone football teams and Trevathan for their three state championships.

1948

Phillip McMullan co-authored and edited House in the Albemarle. Published in April 2020, the book details the history of the 1730 Newbold-White House in Hertford, NC—an historic town in North Carolina’s Inner Banks region, located between Edenton and Elizabeth

Tom Gathright ’77 shared that his father, Tom Gathright II, was recognized by the Virginia Geological Field Conference and presented the 2019 Anna Jonas Award. The Conference, celebrating its 50th year, noted Tom’s outstanding career in geology and service to the Virginia Division of Mineral Resources in the aftermath of Hurricane Camille. His photodocumentation of the devastation is recognized as “a lasting memorial to the awesome power of geology.” Tom, an avid Hokie, credits VES for both his acceptance to Virginia Tech and his lifelong passion for photography.

1956

Picture taken at the Edgewood Cottage, home and studio of world-renowned artist Elliot Dangerfield, in Blowing Rock, NC, during a visit with grandson Joe Dulaney ’56 (right). Also pictured are Ron Hood ’74 (left), Associate Director of Development at VES, and Lee Harper, artistin-residence, Juilliard graduate, dancer and choreographer who studied under VES alum Paul Taylor ’49 in New York. Joe was instrumental in establishing the Brahm Blowing Rock Art and History Museum, where works from the Dangerfield collection are prominently featured.

1966

maintenance costs for aging properties. He retired to Bellingham, Washington, in 1996, where he has provided his accounting and financial talents to his church. He is married to Linda Telfer and is retired once again, having served a second career as an accountant for Whatcom County.

1970

Jim Bonner is the proud grandfather of “William” Martin Bonner, born 7 lb. 15 oz. on March 20, 2021 to parents Stuart Bonner and his wife, Martha. William joins big brother J.A. Stuart Bonner III.

1973 Jim Beckwith was appointed as the Acting Treasurer for the Diocese of Olympia, Washington in January 2021. Jim was valedictorian at Virginia Episcopal School, attended Sewanee: The University of the South, and in 1971 graduated from Duke University. Early in his career, he developed a program for the third-largest property management firm in the Southeast that provided predictive

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Doniphan Thomson married Margaret Serfass Thomson on August 19, 2020 in a small ceremony in Nashville, TN. Most of the family attended via Zoom. The couple met at Margaret’s daughter’s wedding in August 2019, when she married the son of Doniphan’s first cousin. “I invite my


Garland R. Harper ’71

classmates to come visit us for some live music on Broadway when things open up down the road.”

As reported by the Lynchburg News & Advance

1974

For 45 years, Garland Harper worked his dream job. Harper, a longtime Amtrak station agent, was at home at Kemper Street Station in Lynchburg, Virginia. Enthralled by rail since childhood, he found endless joy watching trains pass by for a living. But after a nearly half-century career assisting passengers, on July 24, 2020, Harper retired from the business he loves. “I’ll miss it,” Harper, 67, said in an interview. “Once railroad gets into your blood it’s hard to get out.”

Lee Herbert and Ellen Gorman were married October 3, 2020 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Charlottesville, VA. Following the ceremony, a reception and dinner was held at the Ivy Inn, attended by family and close friends. VES attendees pictured above include Ron Hood ’74, (Lee), Cham Light ’71 and son David ’23. The family resides in Charlottesville.

Since 1975, he has been a familiar face for Amtrak riders traveling to or from Lynchburg. He worked the evening shifts at the city’s red brick station, greeting passengers after what was often a long day on the train. He was known for being helpful. Harper made sure passengers had all their luggage before leaving the station and he efficiently directed people to the nearby bus station and waiting taxis. “A lot of customer service, in my opinion, is just the golden rule,” Harper said. “Treat people like you want to be treated.” Train enthusiast Luke Sharrett described Harper as an “ambassador” for the Hill City—a stable presence for lifelong residents returning home and a welcoming figure for first-time guests. “The first person you meet when you step off the Amtrak at Kemper Street Station is Garland,” Sharrett said. “I really can’t think of anyone better to ask for as an ambassador for Lynchburg.”

1977

Harper’s interest in rail dates from his time growing up near the campus of Virginia Episcopal School, which abuts a stretch of tracks. Some of his earliest memories are dominated by the images of trains rolling along the James River. “Some of us when we’re little just get hooked on it,” he said. “Some of us never outgrow it.” Poor vision kept him from pursuing a career as a conductor but he was committed to finding a job in the industry. After graduating from the College of William & Mary, he took a job as a station agent in Williamson, West Virginia. In Williamson he learned the ropes of passenger rail and soon met his wife. The two honeymooned on a train. Burton Moomaw, LAc., DiplAc., is a practicing acupuncturist in Boone, NC. In his book Does It Hurt?, published in 2019, he introduces readers to acupuncture by answering the eight questions most

After four years, Amtrak discontinued the service to the small Appalachian town and Harper moved back to Virginia. He worked weekend shifts and split his time between Lynchburg and Charlottesville stations until 2009. “It was great to come back home,” he said. In retirement, he is enjoying spending weekends with his wife. He plans to remain active in the Blue Ridge Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society and expects his interest in rail will remain as strong as ever.

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commonly asked by those considering acupuncture and his patients. He aimed to simplify and demystify the practice of acupuncture, using the clear communication skills he developed as a former professional rock climbing guide.

completed their Maplewood project with four new homes in the highly desirable west-end neighborhood at Libbie and Grove.

Bill Sanford and Marianne Ramsey were married in Langhorne Memorial Chapel on December 26, 2020.

1979

Joey Reid and Reed Kernodle enjoyed a reunion with their wives, Karen Reid and Maureen Kernodle, in The Highlands, NC.

1982

Samuel H. “Tripp” Duerson III and Gray Fontana were married on November 16, 2019.

Clay Grubb’s new book, Creating the Urban Dream was featured in an article from SouthPark: The Art and Soul of Charlotte. Clay’s book, published by ForbesBooks, “emphasizes the importance of realestate ownership in generating wealth, citing racist policies that inhibited many African Americans from benefiting as property values soared in many neighborhoods in Charlotte and North Carolina.”

Richmond-based developers Ed Hettrick and Claude Whitehead

1997 Walker Hobson and his wife, Kate, welcomed son Robert Walker “Bo” Hobson on December 6, 2019—the same birthday as Walker’s late mother.

Retired faculty BK Mundy ’67 and Phil Garmey spent time with Chris Smith ’82 at the funeral of Chris’ mother, Jo Allison Smith.

1985

York City on December 14, 2019. The couple is also expecting their first child, a girl, in April.

Jorge Wilmer was named Chief Operating Officer of REDD Intelligence in New York in October 2019. REDD combines the latest web-based technology with emerging markets financial intelligence and data. Jorge holds his MBA in International Finance from European University, Brussels, and earned his B.A. in Political Science from Colorado College. He has more than 20 years’ experience in capital markets and investment banking, and has expertise in Latin American markets. In his current role, he has helped REDD extend its global presence in Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

1996

Leslie Pack Johnson and her husband, Patric, got married in New

Adrien Maught and his wife, Rebecca, welcomed their third child and first boy, Adrien Andrew Maught IV, on May 10, 2020 (Mother’s Day!).

2000

Candice Kenan and her husband, Graham, welcomed a baby girl, Kameron Maeve Kenan, on January 3, 2020. Kameron weighed 6 lbs. 15 oz. and was 21 inches long.


2002

2003

Congratulations to Bradford Tilley for several Amateur Golf wins in 2019 and 2020. In September 2019, in his debut at the 36th New York State Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship tournament, he secured his first state title by seven strokes. Just days later, he won the Metropolitan Golf Association MidAmateur tournament when he drained a 50-foot par-saving putt to win the title by one shot. As good things come in threes, he also won the Westchester Golf Association Mid-Amateur championship—earning all three titles in a span of 10 days. According to AmateurGolf.com, “No other player has ever won all three in their career, let alone in such a short time span.” Then, in July 2020, he won the title at the 101st Westchester Amateur Championship—a tournament he had not won since 2005 when he played at the University of Virginia. Congratulations, Brad!

Olivia Brumfield welcomed son Elliot Aspen Griffin Brumfield on March 6, 2020. Big brother Orion (3) is excited to have a baby in the house! Dylan Davis and Dr. Melissa Sartin welcomed son Thomas Anthony Davis on March 15, 2020. Kathryn Tennille and her husband, Tyler, welcomed their son Willis Hampton Wilkens in December 2019. Kathryn shares, “He is happy and healthy, and can’t wait to play tennis at VES.”

2005

Nicholas A. Coman, MD, a specialist in neurology, has joined the medical staff at Maury Regional Medical Center. Dr. Coman received his medical degree from Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, NC. He completed both his internal medicine

2006

internship and neurology residency at Washington University School of Medicine, Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. Maury Regional’s hospital medicine physicians are specialists who devote their time and expertise to patients exclusively within the hospital setting. Dr. Coman treats inpatients with suspected and diagnosed neurological conditions.

Paige Baron married husband Tom Baron of New York on October 13, 2018, in Forest, Virginia. Attending the wedding were groomsmen Robby Knelson ’06 and Tom Watson ’06, and Judy Lamerz ’06 and Cliff Brett ’07. Paige has been living in NYC for 10 years. She is a writer for the Interstitial Cystitis Association and does volunteer work with Ronald McDonald House New York.

Celeste “Celie” Wall and Jon Edwards married on November 23, 2019, at Yankee Hall Plantation in their hometown of Greenville, NC. Whitney Cast ’05 was a bridesmaid, and Reilly Holleran ’20 was an usher.

2007

Daughter Winifred Virginia Sorrells was born to Courtney Scruggs Sorrells and Medford L Sorrells, both Class of 2007, on January 12, 2020, in Raleigh, NC. Philip Deibel, MD, Class of 2000, provided care as the physician on call. Relatives include first-time grandfather Rick Scruggs ’73, aunt Sarah Scruggs Reddell ’03, cousin Trevor Garmey ’97, and great uncle Philip Garmey,

Kate and Stuart Tinsley welcomed baby boy Anderson “Brooks” Tinsley on July 24, 2020, 7 lbs. 13 oz., in Austin, Texas.

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Tereika Grooms ’11

former VES headmaster and teacher.

2008

William White and Rebecca Hill of Kinston, NC, were married in Pine Knoll Shores, NC, on October 12, 2019, surrounded by family and friends. They look forward to this new chapter of their lives and are now living in Raleigh.

Will Futrell and his wife, Hannah, welcomed son Henry Wilkins on November 27, 2019.

2009

Marcey Cook married Matt Anderson on August 8, 2020, in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Kori Penick married Erik LaFontaine at Sweet Briar College in Amherst, Virginia, on September 14, 2019.

Daisy Venners Perper and her husband, Brent Perper, welcomed their son, Brooks Samuel Perper, June 15, 2020 in Atlanta, GA.

After having to cancel their large wedding this year, Hannah Snead Coger and her husband Scott, were married at Hannah’s alma mater, Davidson College, and celebrated with their family in the backyard of their home in Charlotte. Hannah said, “It was different than we had planned, but the perfect day!” Left to right: Hannah’s brother, Parks Snead IV ’13, husband, Scott Cogar, mother, Georgeann Snead

Tereika Grooms, a native of Amherst County, Virginia, graduated from VES in 2011. She furthered her education at an HBCU-Morris College in Sumter, SC, where she received a degree in Biology in 2015 and was an active member of Sigma Gamma Rho. During her breaks from college, she worked at Lynchburg Parks and Recreation. After college, Tereika continued her work with Lynchburg Parks and Recreation, where she grew to love mentoring youth and building the community. She also helped to launch “Hill City Hoops”—a summer street league basketball program that was voted Best New Program in the state of Virginia through parks and recreation in 2018. Hill City Hoops is still serving youth today, and Tereika continues to participate when her schedule allows. After six years with Parks and Rec, Tereika recognized the need for more positive African American law enforcement role models within the community, so she joined the Lynchburg Police Department in 2018. During her tenure, she has been recognized with the Officer of the Month and the Millennial of the Year awards, and is well known for her work with youth and the broader community. Tereika also is the founder of Push Skills Training, which offers youth basketball skills training and recruiting services. She is known as Coach Gee. In her spare time, she enjoys being with family, traveling, coaching and working out.

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and father, Parks Snead III ’78.

2011

Helen Woolard Powell and her husband, Jess, welcomed daughter Peyton Ellis Powell on January 23, 2021, in Wilmington, NC.

C. Blair Alford married Wilburn Absher on November 23, 2019, in Lynchburg at First Presbyterian Church. The couple also welcomed their daughter, Georgia, in September 2019.

2010

2013

Western Australia. During his season there, White played 25 games, averaging 17 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists per game and earning a starting spot on the All-Star team. White, who returned to the U.S. in the fall, said that he enjoyed living in Australia and found that the only major adjustment was driving on the left side of the road with the steering wheel on the right side of the cars.

University of Texas School of Law in August 2020. She is currently involved in the APALSA Women Law Caucus and the Business and International Law Societies, and is interested in concentrating in Business, Transactional and Tax law. Catherine earned her B.A. degrees in Business Economics and History with a minor in Accounting from UCLA, where she was very active in campus clubs and was inducted into several national and international honor societies.

2014

2015 Chelsea Giles married Patrick Bowers on June 29, 2020, in Austin, Texas. Patrick is an Air Force officer, and the couple moved to his new duty station in October 2020. They now live in St. Louis, Missouri.

Janie Lazares and her husband, Kevin, welcomed daughter Caroline Flowers Lazares into their family on June 15, 2020. Caroline weighed 6 lbs. 3 oz. and was 18.75 inches long.

Caleb M. White, well known as a star athlete in several sports, took his love for basketball to a new level last year—Down Under. Caleb started out his career at VES where he played in two consecutive State Championship games. While attending East Carolina University, White started all four years, finished in the Top 4 in scoring in East Carolina’s basketball history, while earning a bachelor’s degree in Business Management. This past year White traveled to Perth, Australia, where he played for the Rockingham Flames, part of the State Basketball League in

Oluwadunsola “Sola” Alabi graduated with his Bachelor of Science degree in Computing Security from RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology) in May 2020. He is currently a consultant with Security Risk Advisors. Sola’s mom shared, “We are grateful to God for all He has accomplished in Sola’s life. We are also grateful for his time in VES.”

Frances Capel worked on a short film that was selected for film festivals around the world. Working out of West Hollywood, CA, Frances did the makeup, styling, and provided directorial assistance for the Young Actors Theater Camp’s short film “Monoceros Lex,” directed by Nathan Adloff. Since its release, “Monoceros Lex” has been selected by Italy’s Marano Ragazzi Spot Festival, Chicago’s Reeling Film Festival, L.A. Shorts International Film Festival,

Jieming (Catherine) Zhang began her first year of study at the

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Holly Hudson ’14 Holly Hudson has launched the online jewelry boutique Hoo Hoops, specializing in hypoallergenic, affordable hoop earrings. Holly graduated from the University of Mary Washington with a B.S. in Business Administration and a minor in Sports Management, while playing for the Women’s Lacrosse team all four years of her college career. After college, she worked for Simon Property Group for two years as an Assistant Director of Marketing and Business Development until she decided to work full-time as the owner and designer of Hoo Hoops. Holly said of her inspiration to launch her own company, “Growing up I always had very sensitive skin with jewelry and had to make sure that everything I wore was hypoallergenic. A problem I ran into is that hypoallergenic jewelry can become pricey. As I became older, I realized if I was having problems finding affordable, hypoallergenic jewelry (specifically hoop earrings), other people were as well. So I sketched out and designed my perfect hoop earring. Sixth months later, after testing and changing multiple samples, I launched Hoo Hoops.” Hoo Hoops is now in over 85 boutiques across the country and can be found online at www.shop-hoo.com.

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An Update from Gracie Thompson ’16 I graduated from UNCChapel Hill in May 2020, where I studied Geography and Urban Planning. I experimented with many different departments before I landed there. The people I met throughout my time at UNC were phenomenal, and I made friends that will last a lifetime. UNC also provided me with more than I could have imagined walking into my dorm freshman year. In my time there, I received a scholarship for my first ever passport; traveled to Cambridge for a summer program on International Security funded by UNC’s Peace, War and Defense department; was selected as a fellow for a National Science Foundation conference on Community Geography; spent a semester abroad in Singapore; received an Army ROTC scholarship (in part due to Riley Head, VES ’16); and took an honors seminar on food studies where we traveled to Asheville, NC, and NYC to explore many facets of our food system. The opportunities afforded in Chapel Hill have changed my life, but I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge that I had the ability to take advantage

Monterey’s Monarch Film Festival, the Tampa Bay International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival and the St. Louis International Film Festival. During her time at VES, Frances benefited from a robust arts program and working alongside teachers such as Ms. Burton, who push students to think creatively, strive for excellence in the arts, and reach their potential as creators. Now Frances is using her skills to spread a

message of acceptance and encouraging individuals to embrace our differences.

Sylvie Job is a People Operations Coordinator at MANTL in New York City and is pursuing her masters in Human Resources at Columbia Business School. Sylvie

of UNC’s resources because of my time at VES. Ms. Blaum helped me develop my task management skills. Mr. Sedlar helped me develop my grit and my belief in my abilities. Mr. Button encouraged me to venture West when the time is right, and to continue fostering my love for the outdoors. Mrs. Anderson planted the seeds for my love of running and other cultures. Mrs. Button was an exemplar for the hardworking woman and mom I hope to be one day. The Knebels, the Battles, Mrs. Csatlos and Ms. Rogas all played a pivotal role in shaping my current outlook on life. I guess that is one perk of constantly being surrounded by extraordinary people—you pick up a little bit of what they all offer and you try your best to make it your own. As for my current endeavors, over the summer I relocated to New Orleans, where I am serving as an elementary school ELA teacher for the next few years through the Teach for America program. I also commissioned into the Army and have aspirations to one day transfer into Civil Affairs—a branch of special operations. Eventually, I hope to go back and get my master’s degree in Urban Design, and perhaps Real Estate Development. I’ve found that the former is the best possible combination of creativity, management, and intellectual pursuit.

2016

married fellow Virginia Tech classmate Zayed Amin, whose parents are from Bangladesh, where they traveled for their wedding. Zayed is a lead engineer with Booz Allen Hamilton. The couple live in New York City. Sylvie and Zayed are pictured here, following their engagement, both wearing clothes from Bangladesh.

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While traveling in Europe last year, Lelia Battle spent the day in Prague with Sará Gebauerová—a former international one-year VES student, who was Mary Stuart Battle’s advisee. Mary Stuart said of the day, “It’s so

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2017

fun when VES lives collide abroad. Lelia’s traveling buddies loved hanging with Sara and her friends!”

Mary Mac Cowan graduated from Sewanee: The University of the South with a degree in Politics with concentrations in National Institutions, and Citizenship and Political Action. In the summer before her senior year, Mary Mac interned for the Republican Staff of the Committee on Oversight and Reform. Now, she has returned to DC and is a year into her role as a research analyst with the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC).

Chloe Ekberg graduated with her degree in Creative Writing from Elon University, where she served as managing editor for Colonnades, the student-run literary and art magazine. Speaking of the importance of creative writing, Chloe says, “A good piece of writing should leave you not being able to go about your day the way you started before you read it.” Chloe is currently working as a strategist on the SEO team at Pillar4 Media in Raleigh, NC, where she focuses on brand development and content marketing.

Abigail Martin graduated Cum Laude with her Bachelor of Science degree from the AerospaceProfessional Pilot program at Middle Tennessee State University in December 2020. She is a certified flight instructor and rated as a private, instrument and multi-engine commercial pilot.

“In maneuvering to the basket, Jaelin Llewellyn (Princeton ’22) varies between shifty and explosive. While capable of making acrobatic layups, he’s just as willing to deliver a slick assist (or sweep in for a soaring rebound).” VES was delighted to have Jaelin return to campus for the 2020 fall semester. He supported our students as a residential life intern and served as an assistant coach on the boys varsity basketball team, while remotely attending Princeton classes.

2018

Jaelin Llewellyn was featured his sophomore year in the Princeton Alumni Weekly for his hustle and leadership on the varsity basketball team.

Kate O’Brien (Gettysburg College ’22) earned her first career NCAA D3 Centennial Conference Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week honor in the fall of 2019. Kate is majoring in Spanish and Studio Art, and pursuing a minor in Education.

Former Staff: Leah Weiss Beginning July 27, 2021, look for Leah Weiss’ second book, All the Little Hopes. Leah, who served as assistant to the Heads of School at VES for 24 years (1991-2015) and is the mother of artist Paul Clements ’95, is now a best-selling author. Born in eastern North Carolina and raised in the foothills of Virginia, Leah places her novels in familiar North Carolina surroundings. Her debut novel and an Indie Pick, If the Creek Don’t Rise, is set in the Appalachian mountains. Her newest book, set in the tobacco land of North Carolina, is the story of two girls growing up as war creeps closer and embarking on a journey to discover if we ever really know who the enemy is. Learn more at leahweiss.com. VIRGINIA EPISCOPAL SCHOOL

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A Bouquet of Springtime

J

ust as we were celebrating the return of students from Spring Break and consistently

beautiful days on campus, the Spring 2021 issue of Central Virginia HOME magazine landed in our mailboxes here in Lynchburg. Gracing the cover is Maggie Moomaw, VES Class of 2013 and former Head Counselor. The family’s spectacular Irvington Springs Farm, just minutes down the road from VES, is featured in the issue. Excerpts of the magazine article follow with VES attributions added: Kaye Moomaw has been working the land of Irvington Spring Farm alongside her husband, Ben ’75, for decades. Although the land had been in Ben’s family for generations, they were the first to really farm it. Now, there are three acres of cut flowers and two “high tunnels” (think: greenhouses), which offer a different climate for growing flowers that might not survive in the field. The family has cultivated more than 70 varieties of flowers; all but a handful have limited availability—typically several weeks. They are also avid rosarians, and have created both propagation and cultivation areas for roses, as well planting dozens of varieties. What’s grown is available for wholesale, to designers and florists for special events (including weddings), and, for nonprofessionals, there is an onsite flower cooler that offers flowers by the bunch, mixed bouquets, and Mason jar arrangements; their blooms can also be found at the Lynchburg Community Market. As the plantings and other offerings evolve, so too, does the business. The Moomaws have handed

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over the management of the farm to their daughter

For the full article, check out Central Virginia HOME

Maggie, and have also recently opened their large

online (cvhomemag.com), and next time you are

farmhouse...and its adjacent buildings as AirBnB

in Lynchburg, pick up a bouquet of stunning

offerings; that business is managed by daughter

flowers from the farm at 236 Irvington Springs Road

Mary Ellen Moomaw LaFreniere ’04.

in Lynchburg.

They are passionate about caring for the land, coaxing beauty from it, and sharing that bounty with others. Especially after the pandemic hit,

Beyond the spotlight on the Moomaws, it is

Moomaw thought it was important to give people

interesting to note the flower farm article’s author

in the community a place to come for tranquility and

is VES current parent Jessie Thompson, Amelia

beauty, so while everyone is welcome to shop (using

Poore ’12, Anne Elise Hastings ’15 and Marissa

the honor system), people may also come to just

Hermanson Moomaw, married to Graham ’03, are

enjoy a picnic.

regular contributors/writers to Central Virginia HOME, Roanoke Valley HOME and SML HOME, all

VES notes: Kaye is married to Ben Moomaw III ’75;

publications by West Willow Publishing Group.

they are parents to six VES graduates spanning

Former parent and current VES trustee Anne Marie

2001-13. Mary Ellen, mentioned in the article, is

Poore is the editor of RV Home.

married to Matt LaFreniere, VES Assistant Dean of Faculty, English teacher and resident poet, who live

Photo credit: Michael Patch

on the VES campus with their two young children.

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In Memorium

Artwork by Elisabeth Hunter ’23

While we do not reprint obituaries in full due to space, we seek to capture an interesting note or two about our alumni who have passed away. These former students have led rich lives, have beautiful stories of family, church and spiritual life, community and philanthropy. We share these notes and encourage you to find their obituaries online for the details of the impact they had in the world.

Alumni

1939

Schofield (Scho) Andrews Jr. died February 24, 2020, in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. After receiving his degree from Harvard and serving in the military, Scho

pursued a lifelong love of language and culture, teaching, reading, opera and outdoor activities.

UNC-Chapel Hill, Bob was the senior partner of the firm Perry, Kittrell, Blackburn and Blackburn until his retirement after practicing for more than 50 years. Following his retirement, he pursued his passions for farming, forestry and golf.

Robert Gilliam Kittrell, Jr. passed away October 1, 2019, one day before his 98th birthday. A graduate of

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1941

Dr. Robert Andrew Abernathy passed away September 7, 2020, in Asheville, NC. He graduated from the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond and enjoyed a long career as a physician and leader in medicine in Virginia.


October 14, 2020. His life’s work was with Ford Trucking Company, where he was the Sales Manager for truck fleets in the southeast. Douglas Robert Copeland died July 18, 2019, in Winter Park, Florida. Service, honor and leadership guided Bob through his 96 years. A Lieutenant Colonel, he had a long career in Naval education and training and worked in national defense.

1942

Samuel Philip Hines, Jr. passed away October 7, 2020, in Chesapeake, VA. After receiving his master’s and Ph.D. in English from UNCChapel Hill, Phil was a professor emeritus in the Department of English of Old Dominion University and specialized in 18th century literature for more than 25 years.

1943

John Tillery Gregory IV of Greensboro, NC, died

1944

William G. Long was raised on his beloved family farm, “Longview,” in Garysburg, NC. He died there on May 17, 2020. After attending UNC-Chapel Hill, Bill lived a full life as a farmer. He and his wife of 68 years raised six daughters.

Hervey Strader Jones of Blue Ridge, Georgia, passed away August 17, 2020. He graduated from the University of Richmond, graduating with a B.S. degree in Personnel Management and later a master’s degree in Business. He worked for 30 years with the Small Business Administration as a Loan Officer.

1946

James Work passed away July 14, 2020, in Katy, Texas. He was a registered Professional Engineer in Virginia and Texas, and spent most of his career working in electrical engineering with the Western Electric Company in Burlington and Greensboro, NC, and in Huntington Beach, CA, in anti-aircraft and anti-missile defense systems.

1945

William Pryor Perry of Atlanta died October 27, 2019. His career in the employee benefits field included service with Pacific Mutual Life, Johnson & Higgins, his own firm, and Tillinghast Inc., now a part of Willis Towers Watson. Bill will be remembered as a voracious reader, an accomplished woodworking craftsman, and for his love of his two cats, family history and golf.

Albert Strayer Kemper, III of Lynchburg, Virginia died March 30, 2020. Al graduated from Hampden-Sydney College and the University of Virginia School of Law. He moved to Lynchburg to work for First National Trust & Savings Bank and its successors—now Truist—for 33 years. Al had a long history of VES legacy connections—father Albert S. Kemper, Jr. 1918; uncles The Honorable Hamilton Haas 1918 and John Kemper ’32; cousin Robert Zander ’50, brother Tal ’53; sons Bert IV ’79, Carter ’80 and Hamilton ’84; and

1947 William Sylvester Johnson Gallop passed away February 11, 2020. Bill was a native of Norfolk, Viginia and retired as a vice president of AddingtonBeaman Lumber Co. after 40 years of service. He was a great lover of animals.

Frederick Sears Harris, Jr. died in Nashville, TN, on November 17, 2019. He described his time as a Navy Pilot as the most exciting time of his life. For most of his career, Sears was an independent manufacturer’s rep in the hardware and industrial supply business.

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Michael’s Episcopal Church, and Life Long Learning Institute.

nephew Fourd Kemper, Jr. ’86.

1951

1950

Jacob E. Wiggins, Jr. of Wilmington, NC, passed away October 23, 2020. After VES, Jack attended UNCAsheville and then graduated from UNCChapel Hill, majoring in Radio and TV Broadcasting. He loved all things associated with the broadcasting industry and worked at WWAY Channel 3 in Wilmington for 30 years.

1948

Dabney C. T. Davis, Jr. passed away January 10, 2021, in Rockledge, Florida. He served as an educator in the Brevard County, Florida, public schools for 30 years, and as a park ranger for 16 summers with the National Park Service on George Washington Parkway in Northern Virginia. Summing up his career, he often stated, “he did it all and enjoyed every minute of it.” He is the son of the late Dabney Davis, Sr., Class of 1918.

Chiles Thomas Adams Larson departed January 22, 2021. A graduate of William & Mary, he continued his long love of photography on the staff of Colonial Williamsburg. After stints in the news, public relations and advertising, Chiles spent two decades as Deputy Director of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Office of Public Affairs. In 1990, Chiles established a management and consulting business and began assembling photographs and essays for his books. In 2012, he received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Virginia Episcopal School.

Charles A. Wayland of Midlothian, Virginia, passed away August 20, 2019. An incredible photographer, he also was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, attended RPI (VCU) and Virginia Tech and was a member of Bon Air Rotary, Kairos Prison Ministry, St.

Paschal Dorsett Brooks, Jr. of ManakinSabot, Virginia, passed away December 13, 2019. Pat continued his education at both Hampden Sydney and the University of Richmond. After serving in the Army in the 7th Infantry Division in Korea, Pat went on to become an IBM representative and later retired as the owner and President of P.D. Brooks Company after 40 years.

John Guion Thomas of Charlotte, NC, died February 24, 2020. Following graduation from NC State University, John served the U.S. Army. President of Thomas Textile Company, he also was a member of the VES Board of Trustees and a Charter Member of Christ Episcopal Church in Charlotte. John had quite a legacy at VES—in addition to his late brothers Mason ’45 and William ’48, two nephews Bo ’73 and David ’77, and his three sons John Jr. ’81, Billy ’84 and Marshall ’88, all attended VES.

1953

Edward Anthony Marvin of Topeka, Kansas, passed away October 15, 2020. Ted served in the United States Air Force, retiring as Major after 20 years. After his retirement from the USAF, he worked at the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad in Information Services.

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Joseph Richard Barber, Jr. of Wilkesboro, NC, passed away November 11, 2019. A graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, he was employed at RJ Reynolds and Archer Aluminum, and later Holly Farms Industries and Tyson Foods, which took his family to Springdale, Arkansas, for 27 years.


1955

College of William & Mary and Old Dominion University. He authored two books, including the definitive reference work on the United States-Mexican war.

1957 John W. Ervin Jr. of Morganton, NC, passed away November 23, 2020. John graduated from his beloved University of North Carolina, where he also attended the School of Law. He practiced law in Burke County for more than 50 years with Byrd, Byrd, Ervin and then in private practice, John Ervin Law, PLLC. He is the father of John Ervin III ’86.

1956

Paul Coe Clark, Jr. of Southern Pines, NC—a Vietnam veteran, career soldier and college professor— died July 27, 2019. He loved UNC basketball, peaches, Nicaragua, his horse, Viajero, jazz clubs and ice cream. A UNC graduate, he received his doctorate in Latin American studies from the University of Alabama. He taught at the Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia, and at Hampton University, the

Robert Clayton Gibson III passed away at home in Portland, Oregon, on January 21, 2021. Bob’s family took comfort in hearing about his adventures from around the world, including his frontline work serving survivors after the ravages of hurricanes, earthquakes and famines. A cardiologist and specialist in critical care medicine, “Dr. Bob” was well-loved at St. Vincent Hospital. Bob was happy back-country skiing, running, cycling and exploring new places. Bob’s three brothers, John Adams, Jr. ’62, John Gibson ’62 and Jim Adams ’63, also attended VES.

1958

Harry William Hull, Jr. passed away May 3,

2020. At Wake Forest University where he graduated with Honors from the business school, Bill was the first ACC player to start in two major sports— football and basketball. Bill played professional football with the Dallas Texans. After serving as a Captain in the Army in 1965, Bill chose to begin his career in commercial development—a career that spanned 45 years. Bill always had a strong work ethic, but found time for travel and saltwater fishing. Always an athlete, he played in the Senior Olympics for 15 years. Bill was inducted into the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame and the Tarboro High School Sports Hall Fame.

Company in the U.S. Tom went on to establish the Asheville Jet Center, now known as Signature Flight Support at the Asheville Regional Airport. He was passionate with selfless philanthropy especially in the fields of healthcare, education and the church. He is the son of the late Eddy Nash ’36.

William S. Wilkinson IV passed away November 13, 2019. A graduate of Hampden-Sydney College and Old Dominion College, he was a computer programmer before moving to San Francisco, where he set up trade shows and conventions and attended many concerts of the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane and others. He returned to Norfolk in the early 70s and worked aboard boats. He eventually moved to Lasqueti Island, B.C., Canada, where he embarked on what became his life’s work: building a 40-foot Chinese junk. He also became an avid cyclist, culminating in a 1,000-mile journey through the western United States.

1960

Thomas Edward Nash Jr. of Asheville, NC, passed away June 4, 2020. At VES, Tom lettered in track, earning the nickname “Top Speed.” He returned to Asheville where he earned his Bachelor of Commerce degree from Mars Hill College. Tom achieved CEO and owner of Coca-Cola Affiliated— the 15th largest privately held Coca-Cola Bottling

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1961

William Marshall Mayo III of Earlysville, Virginia, passed away February 1, 2020. After graduating from the UVA School of Engineering, he and his wife, Audrey, began their own successful manufacturing business in Atlanta. Retiring to Earlysville, Virginia in 2001, Bill enjoyed building and flying model airplanes, reading, and riding his Kawasaki Mule around the farm.

Robert W. Winston Jr. of Lillington, NC, passed away May 25, 2019. After graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill, he pursued advanced training at NC State University, Duke, Nashotah House, Boston University, Northeastern University and Harvard, earning his Ph.D. with a concentration in counseling psychology. Robert worked in many capacities in the field of psychology in North Carolina and Maryland,

served as Executive Director for the NC 5-county Regional Council of Government in the Asheville area, and farmed and managed real estate in Harnett County.

reserves. Dave founded the Utility Service Agency in 1978, serving as president for 42 years. He was an outdoorsman, mentor, leader, coach, husband, father and grandfather.

1963

Hampden-Sydney College with a degree in physics, Fred was employed by GE, worked at various nuclear plants in California, and retired from TVA in Chattanooga, TN. Fred’s passion was his workshop where he loved to build and repair things.

1966 Gregorie Elliott Calhoun of Goose Creek, SC, passed away March 29, 2020. Greg graduated from the University of South Carolina and attended the University of British Columbia. Greg served as the first Headmaster of Calhoun Academy in St. Matthews, SC, sales manager with Independent Life Insurance Company, and owner of Calhoun Woodworks in Charleston.

Richard C. Whitehead passed away December 21, 2018. Rich served his country honorably and well—first in the Navy as a Navigator on the USS Frank Knox in Vietnam, and later as a Registered Nurse at the VA hospital in Prescott, Arizona, for more than 30 years in the ICU, oncology and then primary care. Rich read everything, traveled the world, ran rivers, loved theater and developed a sharp eye for what was good and what wasn’t, and he became a valued artistic partner on every show he participated in, both on and off stage.

William “Doc” Riley Malloy, Jr. of Hilton Head Island, SC, passed away December 1, 2020. Doc served in the U.S. Army and Air Force and went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Carolina. He moved to Hilton Head in the early ‘70s and was instrumental in establishing tennis programs throughout the island.

1970

1965 James David Cooke, Jr. passed away at home February 9, 2021, after a battle with esophageal cancer. After graduating from Emory University, he was commissioned as an officer in the Marine Corps, where he ultimately achieved the rank of Major in the

Frederick H. Walsh III of Ooltewah, TN, passed away February 1, 2020. After graduating from

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Prescott Hamner Gay, Sr. died September 14, 2019. After earning his B.A. in History from Hampden-Sydney College and Juris


Doctor from the University of Richmond, Prescott practiced law in Lynchburg and surrounding counties for 41 years. Prescott’s passion was football and his gift for cooking over charcoal was legendary. His ready smile and fellowship will be sorely missed, particularly by friends from the Squires Club and from his regular lunchtime gatherings at the Cavalier. He is the

father of Prescott Gay Jr. ’10.

1971

John Reid Moore of Roswell, Georgia, passed away April 18, 2019. Reid attended

Davidson College, graduated from Guilford College, and worked in financial management as a CPA throughout his career. Reid loved raising his girls on the lake in Gainesville, Georgia, boating and, most of all, spending time with his family. He also cherished the bi-annual golfing trips with his buddies known as “the Divots.”

James Michael Powell passed away November 4, 2019, following a courageous fight with pancreatic cancer. Jimmy graduated from Wofford College with a BBA and then earned his master’s degree at

William Osborne “Tuck” Tucker III ’79 animator on projects such as Who Framed Roger Rabbit and The Little Mermaid. He also served as a writer, artist, and director with Pixar, DreamWorks and Nickelodeon Studios, and is most well-known for his work on the iconic TV series The Simpsons, The Ren & Stimpy Show, Family Guy, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Hey Arnold!.

Tuck Tucker, Class of 1979 passed away on December 23, 2020. Tuck made his mark over three decades in the TV and motion picture industry with his exceptional storyboarding and animation that brought characters to life. Born in Lynchburg, Virginia, Tuck was mesmerized by cartoons as a young boy and developed an early interest in animation. He attended VES, where his teachers encouraged his talent, and in college, he continued honing his skills in the communication arts program at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. After college, Tuck moved to Los Angeles and joined Filmation, where he worked on He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, She-Ra: Princess of Power, and the feature Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night. Tuck fulfilled his goal of working for Disney early in his career, where he served as an assistant

Hey Arnold! creator Craig Bartlett wrote this tribute on Facebook: “A great friend, a master draftsman, a tireless practical joker, a brilliant storyteller, the first one I reached out to when I began “Hey Arnold!” because he was the best board guy I had ever met. I’ll always remember him at his drawing board, arms blackened to the elbows with graphite, eraser shavings everywhere, bringing my characters to life. A killer work ethic, passionately into it. I’m so lucky I got to work with him for so many years.” In 2013, Tuck visited VES and spoke in Chapel, sharing his story about his time at VES and his career and then spent time connecting with students and drawing some of his famous doodles. In 2015, Tuck moved back to Virginia, where he taught graphic and animation design at Longwood University and married Anne Coates. He loved spending time with Anne and his daughter, Gina Tucker, riding his horse, Jameson, and foxhunting with the Bedford County Hunt Club. In April 2018, his coming-of-age book The Jake was published.

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the Wake Forest University Babcock School. His career started with Johnston and Murphy Shoe Company, then Georgia Boot/Durango Boot where he was the National Advertising Manager. He sold yarn for Glen Raven Mills and later ran the Munsingwear Grand Slam Division. JP played scratch golf at Alamance Country Club and at golf courses around the country where he made many endearing friends of all ages.

1972

1974

1979 Kinsley Corbin McCue passed away August 8, 2019. Casey graduated from James Madison University, where he played football. His family and friends have always cherished his love of people and life, his gigantic infectious smile, and passion for music that inspired so many others.

1976 Claiborne Reel Dingledine died November 24, 2019, after struggling with cancer. Johnathan Herring Harman of Bluefield, WV, died October 30, 2019. After attending Washington and Lee University, he worked for Norfolk Southern Railroad, retiring as a Locomotive Engineer. He enjoyed shooting, cooking, traveling, and most importantly, spending time with his grandchildren.

1973 Ashley Howard Watkins II of Burlington, NC, died October 30, 2020. His brother was the late William “Butch” Watkins IV ’57.

and with Bank of America. Bruce’s late father, Harold ’52, brother, William ’81, and cousin Nae Pearson III ’79, are all VES alumni.

Philip A. Wallace passed away April 19, 2019, in Timonium, Maryland.

1977 Harold Bruce Pearson of Lynchburg, Virginia, died December 9, 2020. Bruce received his undergraduate and MBA degrees from the University of Lynchburg and worked with his family’s business, Pearson’s Drug Stores,

Donald Reed Kernodle Jr. of Marietta, Georgia, passed away November 11, 2019. A graduate of the University of South Carolina, he worked in market management and retail sales in the wine and spirits industry.

Nick Gus Costas passed away July 22, 2020. A graduate of the University of Virginia, Nick started his career at Sovran Bank before moving to New York to work in the Fixed Income group at J.P. Morgan. He moved to Richmond in 1990 and worked at Craigie, Inc, BB&T Capital Markets, where he served among loyal friends as Senior Vice President, until his multiple myeloma diagnosis in July 2019. Nick was passionate about his children and

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devoted his time to coaching them in youth-league sports and encouraging them to believe in themselves. With Eliza, he founded The Richmond Angels, a lacrosse league to introduce low income girls to the sport. He was a dedicated member of Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral, where he gave his time to countless ministries and the annual Greek Festival. Nick loved his dogs, Stella and Hutch, his ’56 T-bird, breakfast at Westwood, and his Lynchburg blood. He is the father of Nick Costas ’11, and brother to George Costas III, ’75.

Thomas Gray Gallaher died November 6, 2020. Tom loved playing soccer and liked golf, enjoyed summers at Roaring Gap, was an avid reader and appreciated good conversation. He had a real estate license and constructed houses. He drew the orginal Fighting Bishop mascot. He also crafted wood sculptures and pictures reflecting Love and Peace. He showed great fortitude while


Levester Thompson, Jr. ’93 Levester Thompson, Jr., a native of Alberta, Virginia, and resident of Staten Island, NY, passed away April 7, 2020, after a multi-week battle with the coronavirus. Affectionately known as “LT,” Levester graduated from NYU’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business in 1997 with a Bachelor of Science degree in management and finance. He also participated as a member of the Violets’ track & field team, competing mainly in the shot put, discus, hammer, and 35-lb. weight throw. He went on to serve as an assistant coach of the NYU women’s basketball team from 1996-97 until 2011-12. In his first season, Levester served as a volunteer assistant as the Violets won their first-ever NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball Championship and set a school record for victories (29-1). During his 16 seasons on the bench, the Violets posted a 332-107 (.756) record and made eight NCAA Tournament appearances, including a Final Four berth in ’07 as NYU went 27-4 and earned a share of the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championship. During his tenure, NYU also captured five Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Metro Tournament titles. After his coaching stint at NYU, Levester served as Equipment & Events Manager at Hunter College from 2013-15. He then returned to NYU as an assistant equipment manager before being promoted to Equipment & Retail Sales Manager in September 2017. Levester is survived by his wife, Dr. Simone Andrews (NYU ’96 undergrad, NYU ’12 doctorate), their daughter, Jade-Anastasia (who attends NYU and is a member of the fencing team), son, Chase, and sister, Deidra Thompson ’94.

fighting brain cancer for 21 years.

1980

Steven Phillip “Deeb” Sanford of Lynchburg, Virginia, died January 25, 2021. A lifelong technology “nerd,” Steve started working in the electronics field immediately after earning his degree from Lynchburg College. He worked in California as a systems programmer and later returned to Lynchburg, then Baltimore. Steve lived and worked in Charlotte as an independent network engineer for the last 10 years of his career. He was devoted to his family and looked forward every year to Beach Week at Hilton Head with his many nieces and nephews. He is brother to Bill ’77, VES trustee, and Keith ’76 and Kirk ’76.

outdoorsman, John loved to fish and hunt and enjoyed boating both inshore and offshore. As a father, he instilled the same love and enjoyment of the outdoors with his sons. John was the son of the late John Jenkins Jr. ’62.

1988

Carl Blades II of Kill Devil Hills, NC, died April 18, 2020. After graduating from Campbell University, he lived in Raleigh, NC, but moved back to Elizabeth City for a time after his father was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2011. Carl was a lifelong Redskins fan, NC State Wolfpack fan and avid fisherman.

1986

John Thaddeus Bennett Jenkins III of Morehead City, NC, passed away May 13, 2020. An avid

Geoffrey C. Ochsner of Nederland, Colorado, passed away unexpectedly June 22, 2020, while running a trail in his beloved Colorado Mountains. Geoff graduated from Vanderbilt University and received his master’s degree from James Madison


University. Geoff is survived by his wife of 25 years, Elizabeth Holland; their two sons, Ben and Elliot; and his brother, Jon ’91 of Atlanta, Georgia.

1990

and made a mean banana pudding. He believed his greatest accomplishment in life was his daughter, Margaux, and being the best parent he could be to her. Chris is the brother-in-law of Jimi Paige Furman ’23.

1992

Steven Davis Grayson of Radford, Virginia, passed away July 12, 2020. He received a master’s degree from Strayer University and a B.A. from the University of Richmond.

Christopher Scott Irvine of Lynchburg, Virginia, passed away January 10, 2021, following a hard fought battle with Covid-19. Chris graduated from Mary Washington College and earned his MBA from Averett College. He was a project manager for Habitat for Humanity. He loved music and going to concerts with his wife and loved Hatteras Island, NC. He really enjoyed cooking

Ryan C. Wheeler passed away October 20, 2020, in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He was a free spirit and lived life to the fullest.

1995

Michael Preston Thompson passed away September 22, 2019. Preston excelled in soccer and lacrosse. He loved the Outer Banks and living in Asheville, NC, where he enjoyed hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains with his partner, Kaity Doyle, and their dog, Cyrus. His love of gardening and foraging were exemplified at The Historic Magnolia Inn in Hot Springs, NC, where he worked as a chef. Preston is survived by his uncle Jay Adams, Jr. ’62, stepsister Megan Gardiner ’91, and cousin Nat Perrow ’98.

2006

Dennis Scott Littke of Clayton, NC, passed away March 19, 2020. Dennis grew up in Rocky Mount, earned the rank of Eagle Scout and graduated from Appalachian State University. He is survived by his two precious sons, Tyler and William.

2001

William Duncan Rose Jr. of Tewksbury Township, NJ, passed away December 24, 2020, after an extended illness. He attended Rider University before moving to Southern California in 2019. Most often remembered for his polite and respectful manner, Will was an avid reader and student of history. Through his travels he developed a deep empathy and compassion for disadvantaged people on the fringes of society. His life goal was to become a writer to share the stories and experiences of those he met.

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Former Faculty

Michael Ellsworth Gardiner, 47, died February 10, 2021, after a courageous battle with esophageal cancer. Mike served as Head Coach of Boys Varsity Lacrosse, Assistant Director of Admissions, and a Development Officer at VES from 2015-18. It was from the sideline that Coach Gardiner created a significant and farreaching legacy. He loved his players, listened without passing judgment, and worked to bring a team together. He was named the Virginia Independent Conference Lacrosse Coach of the Year in 2013, 2014 and 2015 and the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISAA) Boys Lacrosse Coach of the Year in 2014 and 2015. His Virginia Episcopal School teams won the VISAA State Championships in 2016 and 2017. He was a loving and devoted son, brother, husband, father to his daughter, Madeline, and a cherished friend.



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