BOLLES
BUILDING CONNECTIONS Making a B.I.G. Impact: Bulldogs Inspiring Goodness Cultures, Community Celebrated at Lower School International Festivals Bartram Campus Building Connections, Fostering Belonging Winter 2023-24
2023-24 Administration
B With Bolles…
Tyler Hodges President and Head of School
...on our official social media channels! You
Mike Drew Associate Head of School
can also find many affiliated athletic, arts and activities accounts that we love to share by searching @Bolles on Instagram and X (formerly known as Twitter).
Carol Nimitz, CFRE Chief Advancement Officer Jeff Role Chief Finance and Operations Officer Paul Sollee ’88 Chief Technology Officer Kila McCann Dean of Enrollment & Accessibility
Bolles Global Learning Bolles Global Learning & Engagement & Engagement
Bolles Magazine Jan R. Olson, APR Editor-in-Chief Senior Director/Communications & Marketing Kristen DeSmidt Executive Editor Communications Associate John D. Curran Managing Editor Web Design & Communications Associate Dana Bussiere Assistant Editor Communications Associate Sandy Catanese, CFRE Director of The Bolles Fund and Parent Programs Janet S. Frampton Director of Advancement Services Alumni Notes
Education with a world view. Tell a friend or a family member to apply today! Bolles.org
Co-ed Day and Boarding College Preparatory School from Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 in Jacksonville, Florida
Bolles Mission Statement The Bolles School prepares students for college and life by inspiring excellence, courage, integrity and compassion in an academic community dedicated to nurturing mind, body and soul.
Julia Kalinski, MPA Director of Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving John Newman ’86, M.Ed. Stewardship and Alumni Officer Linda Boyett Advancement Services Coordinator Becca Rogers Advancement Events Manager Rahul Sharma ’03 Leadership Giving Officer Ed Martin, CFRE Leadership Giving Officer Contributing Photographers: Jeff Adams — Official Bolles Sports Photographer Cady & Cady Mark Krancer Sean Coleman
Volume 91, Issue 1 Winter 2023-24 For the friends and families of The Bolles School
Jan Olson
It seems like it was just the first day of school and now we are through the holidays and heading into a new year! Time flies! And while it all seems to go by in a blur, what resonates are the many traditions and events that Bolles presents each fall for our students, parents, grandparents and alumni. It’s the season for football games, parent nights, admission tours, Homecoming and Alumni Reunion Weekend, pumpkin drops and costume parades, hearing “Taps” played from the Bolles Hall towers to salute our veterans, Grandparents’ and Special Friends’ Days and so much more in between. Through all of these many events and traditions, Bulldogs far and wide are building connections. It is amazing to see the upper school students connect with the lower school students by remembering when they, too, marched around the mall circle on the San Jose Campus or to watch alumni come back and reflect on their time as a Bulldog. Teachers are connecting with students in their classrooms every day and some are connecting with others around the globe through classes with the Global Online Academy, video conferences in the Chahlavi Center for Global Learning and Engagement or through school trips abroad. Departments are connecting with each other across all campuses and many are looking ahead to see how the new Frank R. Sanchez & Hope and Dana E. Fender Center for Innovation will bring new ways of connectivity for their students and faculty. These many new connections are also fostering a better understanding of our numerous diverse cultures within our own community — building a better Bolles for the next generation of students who will be walking these halls.
About the Cover Martina Kellerman ’36 performed for her peers on the Bolles Lower School Ponte Vedra Beach Campus alongside fellow dancers from the Venezuela Marka Foundation during the International Festival held October 11. Learn more about the International Festivals on both lower school campuses on page 22.
Table of Contents: Building Connections From the President and Head of School
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Making a B.I.G. Impact: Bulldogs Inspiring Goodness
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We hope you enjoy this winter edition full of highlights from the fall flurry! It is an exciting time to be at Bolles. If you haven’t been by lately — connect with us!
Cultures, Community Celebrated at Lower School International
Best Regards and Happy New Year,
Bartram Class Notes
Bartram Campus Building Connections, Fostering Belonging
Bolles Class Notes
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Jan R. Olson, APR Editor-in-Chief Senior Director of Communications & Marketing
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From the
President and Head of School I recently had the privilege of meeting Bob Chapman at the INDEX Conference in Salt Lake City. Bob is the CEO of Barry-Wehmiller, a $3 billion global capital equipment and engineering solutions company who is probably best known for his work on human leadership and building community. In our conversation, we discussed the challenges facing large schools like Bolles as they navigate an increasingly divisive world. We both agreed that as a complex, internationally known coed day and boarding school with multiple campuses, it is incumbent upon each member of the Bolles community to foster building connections every day. This not only builds upon the existing day-to-day collegiality on our four campuses, but also, due to our international presence, extends far beyond Jacksonville to all parts of the globe. Our goal remains to create an educational family where everybody matters and feels that they are a significant part of something far larger than any individual. This is the essence of authentic connection and a crucial component of any thriving school. Authentic connection lowers stress, relieves anxiety and maximizes performance. Participants feel inspired, cared for and live longer. Those who feel valued also seek to find ways to help peers and colleagues experience the same. The result is a mutually beneficial environment that brings out the best in each individual and a community that values fostering both informed and caring citizens. At Bolles, we manifest these connections in a myriad of ways:
Designing and building new spaces that allow all members of the Bolles community to connect with others who are interested in the sciences, math and engineering. Emphasizing faculty/teaching teams and departments that collaborate not only among each other but across campuses.
Emphasizing classes and advisories that are big enough to foster a range of perspectives but small enough to allow everyone to participate. Supporting a boarding program that represents 30 countries and 11 states. Creating the Chahlavi Center for Global Learning and Engagement where our students and faculty are collaborating with and learning from peers around the globe. Prioritizing the Wotiz Family Outdoor Learning Center “The Treehouse” on the Ponte Vedra Beach Campus and the Parrish Family Outdoor Learning Lab on the Bartram Campus.
The future continues to be bright as we anticipate the opening of the Frank R. Sanchez & Hope and Dana E. Fender Center for Innovation this spring. Other initiatives include: the renovation of Schultz Hall to modernize the English classrooms, moving the College Counseling team into the Bent Student Center, building additional girls’ dorm rooms for Resident Life, repurposing North Hall on the Bartram Campus for additional arts space, starting the preliminary design process for a new dining facility and maker space on the Whitehurst Campus, and so much more! As we enter into 2024, all of this demonstrates our relentless pursuit of connection as we continue to build upon the remarkable Bolles legacy and strengthen our already strong community bonds. I, for one, see such promise for the future of our exceptional school, and I hope you feel the same. Respectfully,
Connecting with alumni from all over the world and inviting them to come to campus or visiting them in major cities throughout the U.S.
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Tyler Hodges
2023-24 Bolles Board of Trustees Russell Newton III Chair
Frank R. Sanchez
Trustees Emeriti
Allison Korman Shelton ’94
Tatiana Salvador ’86 Vice Chair
A. Chester Skinner IV ’98
Preeti Swani Secretary
John Surface ’90
Tyler J. Hodges President/Head of School
A. Rodney VanPelt ’73
Quinn R. Barton Jr. ’46 James V. Bent Sr. ’53 John W. Connolly Jr. Deceased William K. Hatcher ’48 Deceased Ann C. Hicks ’55 Bartram Beverley W. Hirsig ’46 Deceased Helen M. Lane ’42 Bartram Hal Lynch Robert H. Paul III ’52 Deceased Frederick H. Schultz ’46 Deceased A. Chester Skinner Jr. ’40 Deceased Herman Ulmer Jr. ’37 Deceased George W. Varn ’38 Deceased W. Lester Varn Jr. ’42 E. Ellis Zahra Jr. ’64
Trustees Fernando Acosta-Rua ’85 DeCovan Brown ’86 Marion Cangemi Ali Chahlavi Jed Davis Rahul Deshmukh ’89 Daniel Dross ’76 Jamie Dwyer ’92 William Erwin Jr. ’80
Karen Stone DeWayne Terry ’84 Matthew Wotiz
Ex-Officio Members Justin Hart ’00 Alumni Board, Chair Katherine Jones ’05 Board of Visitors, Co-Chairs Caitlin Hayes ’07 Board of Visitors, Co-Chairs Lisa Sawyer Parent Association, Chair
Steven Gold ’95 Michael Hodge ’90 Michael Meyers Kathryn Pearson Peyton
President Emeritus Harry M. deMontmollin Jr. ’56 Deceased
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Frank Sanchez, Austin Fender, Morgan Fender, Hope Fender, Dr. Dana Fender, Evan Fender ’26, Tyler Hodges and Rusty Newton (Not Pictured – Andrew Fender and grandson, Aiden)
Fender Family Matches $5 Million Gift from Frank Sanchez to Build Center for Innovation Dr. Dana Fender and his wife Hope signed a commitment on Monday, October 30, to match a $5 million gift from Frank Sanchez to build the Center for Innovation on the Bolles Upper School San Jose Campus. The 47,000-square-foot, three-story building marks the most expansive construction undertaking on the San Jose Campus property since the building now known as Bolles Hall was constructed as the San Jose Hotel in 1925. Groundbreaking on the $26 million building, designed by Miami-based Zyscovich architects and constructed by Jacksonville-based Stellar design-build company, began in June 2022 with construction expected to finish by spring 2024. The $5 million donations from the Fenders and Sanchez are the largest single gifts to The Bolles School in its history. The state-of-the-art structure will now be called the “Frank R. Sanchez & Hope and Dana E. Fender Center for Innovation” in honor of their generosity.
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“The Center for Innovation is an exciting work of both art and engineering, but like all campus structures, it exists to support the learning that happens within its footprint,” said Bolles President and Head of School Tyler Hodges. “In this case, this means collaborative hands-on learning, academic exploration with inspirational faculty and the ability for students to experiment and gain practical experience as they work toward their highest potential to serve our community and the world.” The state-of-the-art structure is being constructed on the San Jose Campus’ last prime development site adjacent to Bolles Hall on a bluff overlooking the St. Johns River. The building will house Bolles’ science, math and technology programs, as well as expansive areas for advanced courses in robotics, computer programming, information technology, engineering and design. Designs for the facility accommodate opportunities for new offerings and provide space for collaboration and dialogue across disciplines. The new academic areas
will deepen Bolles’ curriculum and cultivate the country’s next generation of innovators, according to department leaders. “The new facility will bring renewed student engagement, innovation and ultimately, achievement, in all areas of science — exposing our students to an entirely new and exciting level of academics,” said Bolles Science Department Chair Nancy Hazzard. “Although the Center for Innovation will be a hallmark building like all campus structures, it will be an intellectual incubator for countless young minds who will serve and change our community as entrepreneurs, scientists, engineers, explorers and creative leaders.” The Center for Innovation features numerous cutting-edge classrooms and 12 sophisticated specialty labs, including spaces for anatomy, biology and chemistry lab instruction. The building also will house Bolles’ Anatomage table, the world’s first and only virtual dissection table used by medical schools and universities around the globe. Bolles has long-been one of the few high schools in the country to offer students this college-level science resource. In addition to being built with the latest technology for advanced study, the Center for Innovation also will include spaces for small group discussions, collaborative learning and independent study. Faculty and School leaders felt strongly the building’s design should complement the School’s focus on real-world learning that allows students to create, invent and explore using a variety of tools, materials and technology. And it should also highlight the campus’ greatest natural asset — the St. Johns River. “The ornate design was meant to be a living building bringing an abundance of windows and glass walls throughout,” said Bolles Associate Head of School Mike Drew. “Walls can move to make multiple classrooms into one big open room or open a classroom to the outdoors in many cases. We wanted to capitalize on the proximity of the building to allow all students to be inspired by the beautiful outside views of the river. Every floor has its own terrace and gathering place that encourages discussion, collaboration and creativity. As technology and science evolves, the building will be able to evolve with it.”
What Happens After the Center for Innovation Opens? With excitement about the opening of the Center for Innovation comes questions about how this massive building will impact the layout of existing classrooms and programs on the Upper School San Jose Campus. In fact, the opening kicks off a domino effect for many renovations and capital projects that will change the landscape of the School. When complete, upper school students will start taking math and science classes in the Center for Innovation, and English teachers will move out of Schultz Hall for those classrooms to be remodeled, allowing for larger spaces and more classes to be added to the curriculum. The English teachers will move back to Schultz Hall after renovations are complete. Then, Phase II of the Gund Residence Hall construction will move forward with the south wing of the second floor of Bolles Hall being converted into dorm space — doubling the capacity for girls in the Resident Life program. Bolles College Counseling also plans to move to the Bent Center to add more space for learning above the Swisher Library. The old dorm space on the Middle School Bartram Campus will also be converted to classroom space to deepen the curriculum. Thank you in advance to all the students, faculty and staff for their patience during this transition period!
Dr. Dana Fender signs $5 million commitment to Center for Innovation construction alongside his wife, Hope, and fellow multi-million-dollar donor Frank R. Sanchez with President and Head of School Tyler Hodges
Go behind the scenes for an inside look at the construction site.
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Construction of the Center for Innovation, and the subsequent relocation of programs from classroom space in Bolles Hall and other buildings, also provides space for other areas of academic advancement and Resident Life — including the expansion of the Llura “Lulie” Liggett Gund ’58 Residence Hall for Girls on the second floor of Bolles Hall. Once the Bolles math department moves into the Center for Innovation building, the residence hall can be expanded to accommodate 60 students — a big jump from its current 28-student capacity. This figure represents added space but does not denote an increase in student population overall.
While the milestone Sanchez and Fender gifts continues the Center for Innovation on a course for success, Bolles Chief Advancement Officer Carol Nimitz said the School continues to seek support for the ongoing development of the facility. The Bolles School needs an additional $8 million in philanthropic gifts to meet the $26 million cost of the building. “We are grateful for the Fenders and Frank Sanchez’s historic gifts to the Institution. Their commitment exhibits extraordinary support to our students and faculty in their pursuit of always raising the bar of academic excellence, which is truly humbling. Dr. Dana Fender and Mr. Frank Sanchez are industry leaders and innovators within the areas of medical science and technology. We are proud to have these two wonderful families associated with this landmark facility,” Nimitz said. “Their generous gifts and those of numerous other donors are shaping the future of Bolles in a transformative way.” The Frank R. Sanchez & Hope and Dana E. Fender Center for Innovation is expected to be completed this spring. See sidebar on page 5 to learn more about plans for the opening of the building.
Check out a timelapse of the Center for Innovation’s construction.
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Hailey Christy ’24 with model of the Frank R. Sanchez & Hope and Dana E. Fender Center for Innovation
Christy ’24 Brings Center for Innovation to Life with 3D Model Bolles senior Hailey Christy ’24 worked with upper school instructional technology specialist Gloria Wood to design a 3D model of the Frank R. Sanchez & Hope and Dana E. Fender Center for Innovation, currently under construction on the Upper School San Jose Campus. Christy taught herself how to use a new program called Fusion 360 to design the 3D model from scratch, based solely on the 2D renderings of the 47,000-square-foot, three-story building. She printed the design using the School’s 3D printer with help from Wood. “Hailey is a curious, responsible, exceptionally helpful young lady,” Wood said. “She spent countless hours learning how to use the Fusion 360 program in her free time and on the weekends. We are immensely grateful to her for sharing her talents with the School community — whether taking on extra projects like this 3D model or filming on-campus activities as co-president of the Video Production Club.” Christy’s model sits on the desk of Bolles President and Head of School Tyler Hodges, who shows the figure to students, families and alumni who visit his office. The scaled-down structure has helped Hodges and administrators communicate the building design as they discuss the impact it’s poised to make for students studying science, technology, mathematics and more.
Christy with Bolles instructional technology specialist Gloria Wood
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Reimagined Upper School S.P.A.R.C. Day Ignites Action On October 11, Bolles upper school students participated in S.P.A.R.C. Day — a non-class day dedicated to Seeking opportunities, Preparing for the future, Acting local, Reaching global and Connecting communities. SPARC Day is a reimagined version of Make a Difference Day (MADD) held during previous school years. Bolles administration decided to refresh the programming and name to better reflect the variety of projects and goals each group of students pursues during the day of action. Seniors worked with the College Counseling team to prepare for the future and seek opportunities through workshops focusing on various aspects of the college admissions process. Juniors also reached toward these goals by taking the PSAT in the morning.
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The Class of 2026 focused specifically on connecting communities through a series of activities organized by Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Twyla Ashman. The sophomores attended a keynote speaker session from Leonard Chatman Jr. to kick off the day in McGehee Auditorium with the theme Better Together: Building Community, Respect, Gratitude & Belonging, followed by a workshop presented by OneJax. Students and faculty then gathered in break-out groups to take part in activities focused on building community and belonging. The day promoted kindness and respect for others and incorporated a combination of self-reflection, group activities and healthy communication. Freshmen began their S.P.A.R.C. activities on October 10, with a dynamic convocation led by Global Learning and Engagement Director Natalia Aycart that introduced them to the United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how to develop a mindset of acting local and reaching global. The Bolles Student Global Connections Committee/2022-23 Global Entrepreneurship Cohort assisted in the presentation by sharing their Research Process experience while developing Heartbeat in a Box last year. These Bulldogs shared how they used their skills and passions to solve a real-world problem based on the SDGs. The October 11 school day began with the Class of 2027 arriving as usual on the Upper School San Jose Campus, where they gathered as a class for a community service overview and an explanation of the day in McGehee Auditorium. The students then separated into advisor groups and headed out into the Jacksonville community to participate in one of several volunteer opportunities. In the afternoon, the freshmen explored the global meaning of service, looking at the topic through the lens of the SDGs. The students rotated through the following stations: a reflection exercise led by English teacher Steven Stam ’00 and math teacher Laura Dostert, a presentation from social studies teachers Sean O’Neill and Jeff Yeakel and instructional technology specialist Gloria Wood, a cyanotype print activity with fine arts teachers Christopher Hicks and Lily Kuonen, and a scavenger hunt in Ulmer Hall and Schultz Hall that challenged the students to put their SDG knowledge to the test.
Watch a video highlighting all the S.P.A.R.C. Day activities.
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Six Seniors Named 2024 National Merit Semifinalists Officials with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC®) announced the names of more than 16,000 semifinalists in the 69th annual National Merit Scholarship Program, a list that includes six senior students from The Bolles School.
Test, also known as the PSAT/NMSQT.® That test served as an initial screen of program entrants. The semifinalists represent less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors.
This year’s National Merit semifinalists from the Bolles Class of 2024 are Isabel Bassin ’24, Daniel Ji ’24, Alex Meyers-Labenz ’24, William Schilling ’24, Aryan Shah ’24 and Ashkon Shirazi ’24.
To become a finalist, semifinalists must submit a detailed scholarship application, in which they provide information about their academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment and honors and awards received.
The students will continue in competition for some 7,140 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $28 million that will be offered next spring. More than 1.3 million juniors from about 21,000 high schools around the country entered the 2024 scholarship program by taking the 2022 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying
A semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay and earn SAT® or ACT® scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test. More than 90 percent of semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing.
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Isabel Bassin ’24
Daniel Ji ’24
Alex Meyers-Labenz ’24
William Schilling ’24
Aryan Shah ’24
Ashkon Shirazi ’24
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Senior Women Program Pairs Freshmen with Big Sisters The Bolles Senior Women organization launched a mentorship-based Big Sis/Little Sis initiative this school year designed to bridge the gap between seniors and incoming freshmen girls new to the Upper School San Jose Campus. Led by president Zee Curtis ’24 and vice president Bella Bergeron ’24, members of Senior Women met with their “little sisters” on the River Campus August 17 during Zero Hour. The seniors warmly greeted the ninth graders with posters, donuts and water. Bolles upper school English department chair Pamela Clubb, who co-sponsors Senior Women with upper school academic assistant Cynthia Harcrow, said the senior mentors will meet with their mentees and plan activities for the group throughout the school year. “This mentor program provides the seniors the opportunity to form bonds with younger girls, establishing a network of encouragement and support,” Clubb said. “We’re confident that the seniors participating will give the freshmen sage advice as they begin their journeys on the San Jose Campus.” Well done, Senior Women! #BulldogsInspiringGoodness
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Making a B.I.G. Impact: Bulldogs Inspiring Goodness At Bolles, we think B.I.G. — as in, Bulldogs Inspiring Goodness. Students in all grade levels put their compassion into action through many charitable outreach projects that make an impact on our School community, country and the world.
Exploring Ways to Give Back During Club Day Bolles student leaders represented 75 upper school service and special interest clubs during the 2023 Bolles Club Day, held September 12 during Activities period on the Upper School San Jose Campus. The Bulldogs promoted their respective clubs at tables in front of Bolles Hall, encouraging their peers to join initiatives ranging from India Club and Bolles Fight Against Hunger to CyberAI Club and Paws-itive Change Club. Upper school students visited the tables to learn more about opportunities and signed up for initiatives that resonated with them. Bolles clubs are directed by students who organize fundraisers, community service events and other programs throughout the year. The clubs build fundraising and awareness for nonprofit groups, foundations and other issues across the globe.
Raising Money for Victims of the Maui Wildfires Bulldogs on all four campuses raised funds for those affected by the devastating Maui wildfires the week of September 4. Participating students collected more than $4,150 to support Maui Nui Strong, a Hawaii-based initiative that provides direct relief to individuals, families and businesses impacted by the natural disaster. Students, faculty and staff members who participated at the upper school were allowed to wear jeans and a Hawaiian shirt on September 8 for a special #MauiStrong dress-down day. The Middle School Bartram Campus organized its fundraiser similarly, with participating Bulldogs allowed to wear jeans and either Hawaiian shirts or Bolles t-shirts that day. Lower school students who contributed received floral leis to wear. Senior Katherine Asbury ’24 of the Upper School Student Council played an integral role in the project, collaborating with Campus Heads to organize this effort.
Breaking Fundraising Records for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s North Florida Region recognized Olivia Janse van Rensburg ’24, Claire Hastings ’25 and Olivia Vohs ’25 as the nonprofit’s Student Visionaries of the Year for their extraordinary fundraising efforts. The upper school students formed the Duval Dream Team last school year, raising more than $157,841 in seven weeks for the nonprofit, which aims to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. The Duval Dream Team ultimately collected a total of $234,768 for the organization.
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Welcoming Home the USS Detroit During Bolles Homecoming Week, students on the Bartram Campus took part in a different kind of Homecoming activity — celebrating the return of the USS Detroit (Littoral Combat Ship 7) to Naval Station Mayport. Bolles middle school math teacher Ashlyn Watson organized the students as they made patriotic posters and gathered Gatorade, water and snacks for the September 27 military homecoming celebration, where she welcomed her husband Lt. John Watson home from deployment.
Spotlighting Mental Illness Awareness Week Bolles AP Language and Composition students created a series of Public Service Announcements and disseminated them via Schoology to educate their peers about the importance of mental health during Mental Illness Awareness Week. The PSA video series encouraged students to watch and listen with the understanding that they are never alone, share their feelings with a trusted adult and seek treatment if needed — with the overarching message that it’s okay to not be okay.
Learn more and watch the NAMI Courtyard Concert.
Upper school English department chair Pamela Clubb organized the student-led initiative, which also included a fundraising component to benefit NAMI. On October 6, upper school students sold treats to raise money for the nonprofit while Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestra (JSYO) members Ashkon Shirazi ’24, Sarah Park ’25, Madison Adams ’26 and Noura Ossi ’27 gave a beautiful performance in the Martin E. Stein Sr. Courtyard.
Jacksonville Congo Support Group Hosts Trésor Yenyi On October 6, a new Bolles upper school club called Jacksonville Congo Support Group (JCSG) hosted Trésor Yenyi on the San Jose Campus to help the organization raise awareness of the atrocities of child human trafficking in the mines of the Democratic Republic of the Congo as well as the extreme poverty and lack of access to clean water. Yenyi is a published author and founder and president of Mwangaza International, a nonprofit dedicated to aiding those suffering in his home country. Bolles junior Joseph Graham III ’25 established JCSG this school year and played an integral role in arranging Yenyi’s speaking engagement with his upper school peers. Graham felt it was important for the club members to meet Yenyi, hear firsthand what is happening in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and learn how they can help. After Yenyi visited Bolles, the Graham family hosted a fundraising dinner that evening in Ponte Vedra Beach at Restaurant Medure to benefit Mwangaza International, with many Bolles families, alums and former faculty in attendance.
JCSG is led by Graham, who serves as the club’s president, as well as vice president Sangye Jorn ’25 and secretary Michael Zhang ’26. The club is sponsored by upper school social studies teacher Dr. Danton Kostandarithes.
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Homecoming Celebrations Showcase Bulldog Pride Bulldog spirit was alive and well on all four campuses during Homecoming Week! The 2023 Bolles Homecoming Court and senior fall athletes kicked off the celebrations with a parade on the Upper School San Jose Campus and Lower School Whitehurst Campus the morning of September 25. The seniors wore their court sashes and athletic uniforms, waving at their peers on the River Campus and the lower school students who lined the sidewalks of the Whitehurst Campus. The little Bulldogs enthusiastically cheered and chanted for candy that the seniors tossed from their vehicles.
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Homecoming Week continued with a series of dress-up days based on this year’s theme of U.S. cities. Students donned western wear for Dallas, grabbed their best Mardi Gras beads for New Orleans, wore leis for Honolulu, rocked pajamas for Sleepy Hollow, New York, and finally, recognized Jacksonville through an orange-and-blue Bolles Spirit Day on Friday. On the San Jose Campus, the Bolles Student Activities Committee also hosted a kickball tournament, with the championship match held during the Homecoming Pep Rally ahead of the annual festival on the Bolles Hall lawn. The entire Homecoming Court was recognized during halftime of the varsity football game against the Episcopal School of Jacksonville, and Zee Curtis ’24 and William Green ’24 were announced as this year’s Homecoming Sweethearts. Bolles students, families and supporters celebrated the entire court and cheered on the orange and blue to a 48-21 victory.
See photos from the 2023 Homecoming pep rally and carnival.
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Bolles Welcomes 77 Boarding Students in 2023-24 The Bolles School began classes on August 16, but students in the Resident Life Program began moving in on the San Jose Campus in late July. English Language Learner Orientation students were followed by some of the fall sports participants, and the full roster of boarding students arrived just prior to the start of school. In total, 77 boarding students are enrolled, hailing from 30 different countries and 11 different U.S. states. As families dropped off their students and helped them settle into their home away from home, parents and students attended Resident Life orientation meetings and the students enjoyed meeting new and
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old friends, activities such as swimming, ice cream socials and games, and learning who was in their Dorm Village. Dorm Villages are smaller groups led by Resident Life staff, creating a family atmosphere for the boarders. With a diverse mix of new and returning boarding students from around the world with a variety of interests, 2023-24 promises to be another dynamic and enriching experience for Bolles Resident Life!
Bolles Resident Life Hall Council Members Announced For the first time in many years, Bolles now has a Resident Hall Council consisting of student leaders who represent the interests of Bulldogs in the boarding program. It is also the first time the council has been co-ed, with the boys’ and girls’ dormitories now both located in historic Bolles Hall.
Landon Kyser ’24, Prefect; Marcelo Quintao ’24, Prefect; and Keira Scott ’24, Prefect.
In the past, dorm prefects and councils have played a significant role in enriching the boarding students’ experience and connecting them with their day school peers. The re-established Resident Hall Council will carry that banner forward. Congratulations to our 2023-24 council members: Emilie Sinesi ’24, President; Seth Tolentino ’24, Vice President;
Bolles Director of Resident Life Tranaé Robinson said the Resident Hall Council serves as the voice of the community, advocating for the needs of their peers and providing feedback directly to her. Council members also facilitate community in the dorm, support quality programming and commit to providing community service opportunities. “These five council members are the heartbeat of the dorm,” Robinson said. “I have no doubt that each of them will be instrumental in creating a sense of belonging and camaraderie among our diverse student population.”
Emilie Sinesi ’24
Seth Tolentino ’24
Landon Kyser ’24
Marcelo Quintao ’24
Keira Scott ’24
President
Vice President
Prefect
Prefect
Prefect
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2023-24 Global Scholars
Global Programs, Travel Opportunities Enrich the Bolles Experience Bolles students, faculty and staff continue to discover their passions and deepen their expertise through travel programs, exchanges and virtual offerings that stretch across the country and around the globe. This summer, three upper school students participated in the Bolles Japanese Exchange Program with the Keio School, traveling to Tokyo from June 2-18. The group consisted of seniors Alex Boutwell ’24 and Akshay Ketty ’24 and junior Bode Klassen ’25, who previously hosted their exchange partners from Keio when they visited Jacksonville and the Upper School San Jose Campus last spring. During their time in Tokyo, the group tried delicious local cuisine, immersed themselves in cultural experiences and participated in academic and special classes. They took judo and kendo lessons, practiced the art of Japanese calligraphy, participated in a traditional tea ceremony and carved kanji into stone to create stamps. Their journey was further enriched by meeting with Bolles upper school Japanese teacher Yukari Braren during their time in Japan. Fifteen more upper school students took an international trip last summer, crossing the pond for this year’s Literary Exchange program with the Alleyn’s School in the United Kingdom. The
students collaborated on projects with their UK-based counterparts throughout the spring semester and presented their final findings while staying with their new friends in Dulwich, London. The Bulldogs also had the opportunity to tour the Houses of Parliament and see a debate in progress in the House in addition to stopping by the Globe Theatre, Cambridge University and other sites around the city. Stateside, dozens of Bolles students trekked out west on an adventure to Zion National Park and Grand Canyon National Park May 30-June 5. Bolles Lower School Whitehurst Campus coach Trey Leonard ’05 and Upper School San Jose Campus English teacher Anna Jacobson chaperoned the Bolles Expedition as the group hiked, rock climbed and camped their way through the two incredible national parks. Back in Northeast Florida, the Bolles Global Learning and Engagement Department provided many opportunities this fall, influencing programming on all four campuses and ensuring Bulldogs had a local base for global enrichment. The new Global Scholar Program is off and running with 18 upper school students enrolled in the new academic track. Participants are working on leadership proposals that range from providing the School community with volunteer opportunities to “Think Global, Act Local” and encouraging Resident Life students to create deeper connections with day students so all can benefit from understanding each other’s cultures in a meaningful way. The School’s ongoing partnership with the Global Online Academy (GOA) also offers students an array of diverse, international courses from a consortium of schools across six continents and more than 30 countries. Learn more about this program on page 20.
Japanese Exchange Program
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But the learning doesn’t stop with the students. Six Bolles faculty members were announced as recipients of the 2023 Duane
Ottenstroer Excellence in Teaching Fellowships: Mark Meyers, middle school robotics and computer science teacher, Japan and Korea; Sara Phillips-Bourass, upper school French and Arabic teacher, Senegal; Dan and Lara Tamblyn, middle school math teachers, American National Parks; Kimberly Thomas, lower school art teacher, Arizona, Southern California and the Pacific Northwest; and Beth Zerkowski, lower school music and technology teacher, London. The Ottenstroer Fellowships identify and reward excellence in teaching at Bolles by providing opportunities for professional growth among faculty. Funded by a grant from Duane and Sue Ottenstroer, the fellowships are awarded annually to members of the Bolles faculty who have had a significant impact on the learning process and have a plan for future improvement. With the All Things Possible mentality in tow, the Bulldog Nation is poised to make a difference in the community, country and the world!
Zion National Park and Grand Canyon National Park Trip
2023 Ottenstroer Fellows
UK Literary Exchange Program
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Global Online Academy: A Window to the World “The students who participate gain valuable skills, make new connections across the globe and have access to courses that aren’t feasible for us to offer in person on campus. The Pathway Certifications are particularly eye-opening for students exploring different career paths as they head into college and beyond.” This fall, Nikolas Alvares de Azevedo ’25 became the first Bolles student to complete the Business, Economics & Finance Pathway Certificate. Azevedo took Introduction to Investments, Introduction to Branding & Marketing and Introduction to Legal Thinking as he gained a better understanding of markets and current affairs. Bolles President and Head of School Tyler Hodges said he is a strong supporter of GOA as it expands available electives and helps students develop virtual interaction skills. “Almost every college student these days is taking at least one online course during their college experience — and often several — so this is a great skill to learn,” Hodges said. “You have to learn how to interact [virtually] and make sure you’re able to share your ideas really well with your peers and instructor online, which isn’t always the easiest when you’re used to doing it in person.”
Bolles GOA Student Ambassador James McCranie ’26 The Bolles School’s ongoing partnership with the Global Online Academy (GOA) continues to expand horizons for upper school students preparing to thrive in a global society. Bolles has partnered with GOA since the 2017-18 school year, offering students an array of diverse, international courses from a consortium of schools across six continents and more than 30 countries. The virtual classes span a wide range of subjects, including Entrepreneurship in a Global Context, Filmmaking, Fiction Writing and Bioethics. According to Assistant Head of Upper School Piper Moyer-Shad ’91, who serves as the GOA Site Director for Bolles, more than 40 Bolles students are currently enrolled in GOA courses — with some pursuing new Pathway Certifications. Students earn these certificates by completing three or more courses in one of the specific GOA Learning Pathways: • Art, Media & Design • Business, Economics & Finance • Computer Science & Engineering • Global Studies • Health Science • Justice, Ethics & Human Rights • Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning • Psychology & Neuroscience “Enrollment in GOA courses has grown significantly since our partnership with the academy began six years ago,” Moyer-Shad said.
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Sophomore James McCranie ’26 is the designated Bolles GOA Student Ambassador responsible for promoting the virtual classes and serving as a resource for his peers enrolled in GOA courses. McCranie pursued the position as part of his leadership project for the Bolles Global Scholar Program — a new, innovative academic track designed to teach students global leadership and competence skills while shaping them into future global changemakers. “My role is to mentor people, assist them with their Global Online Academy journey and provide them with information that I didn’t know that would have been helpful to know before taking a [GOA] class,” he said. This summer, McCranie took a health science and physical education course through GOA with a teacher based in Bogota, Colombia. He worked alongside peers in China and India to complete his coursework, and the students met about once per week for discussion, using technology like voice chat, Zoom and Twist to connect, communicate and collaborate on projects. The partnership with GOA is offered as part of the Bolles Global Learning & Engagement program, an initiative designed to provide students and faculty access to programs, people and places around the world.
Read an article from GOA about its partnership with Bolles.
Alex Boutwell ’24
Innovation Fueling Artistic Expression Bolles Fine and Performing Arts students are discovering the depths of their creativity and finding innovative outlets for expression, pushing the boundaries in both traditional and modern mediums. Led by Bolles Director of Fine and Performing Arts Laura Rippel, expert instructors across all four Bolles campuses work in concert to ensure their students explore All Things Possible in their artistry. This fall, Pre-K through Grade 12 Bulldogs showcased their talents in fine arts exhibits as well as band, chorus, dance and drama performances, demonstrating impressive growth in their respective crafts. Students also took the stage for a lineup of spooky shows, including the middle school production of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and the upper school musical “The Addams Family.” Bolles’ art programming is further enriched by the Peyton Endowed Resident Guest Artist series this school year. The biennial initiative, which began in 2008, brings a renowned guest artist to the School to share their techniques, training and experiences and work directly with students.
Dylan Schwartz ’24 is melding science and visual arts by capturing stunning photographs of chemical compounds and tinctures through microscopes, while Shruthi Pakala ’24 is working on large-scale paint-dying projects using corn starch, hot water, paint and dye to create abstract 2D images. Rippel expects all this innovative artistry to be elevated by the Frank R. Sanchez & Hope and Dana E. Fender Center for Innovation — a 47,000 square-foot, three-story building under construction on the Upper School San Jose Campus. This state-of-the-art building will give science, technology and the arts room to collaborate in spaces designed to inspire and facilitate creative projects. “People don’t think about technology and arts together often, but they are inextricably linked,” Rippel said. “Our department is thrilled to work with our new Director of Innovation Arthur Maiman to see how we can bolster the bridge between both disciplines and open students’ eyes to the limitless possibilities before them.”
“The level of excellence our students exhibit never ceases to amaze me,” Rippel said. “They really take advantage of all the opportunities the School provides and challenge us to innovate as educators while they innovate as artists.” Rippel said students are using 3D printers and other cutting-edge technology to create stands to display their works as well as create the works themselves. For example, upper school students and faculty are experimenting with a Glowforge. Senior Alex Boutwell ’24 is using the Glowforge to design and cut hundreds of identical feathers for a 3D project involving articulating wings — something that would have been impossible without this technology.
Dylan Schwartz ’24
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Cultures, Community Celebrated at Lower School International Festivals Bolles families collaborated for the third annual International Festivals on the Lower School Whitehurst and Ponte Vedra Beach Campuses on October 11. Twenty-six families presented on more than 20 countries, cultures and international experiences between the two campuses. On the Whitehurst Campus, the morning began with a special Flag ceremony, where Grade 4 students performed “Sisi Ni Moja” with direction from lower school music teacher Beth Zerkowski. Then, each presenting student introduced themselves and the country or culture they were representing at the festival.
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View videos and more pictures from the Whitehurst Campus International Festival.
Simultaneously, the Ponte Vedra Beach Campus kicked off the day with a globally focused opening ceremony in George Hall, which included the introduction of the students and parents who would be sharing their cultures. Grade 5 students also sang the traditional Spanish language folk song “De Colores,” led by lower school language teacher Linda Farber, and the entire student body enjoyed a colorful performance by dancers from the Venezuela Marka Foundation. Students on both campuses then began 20-minute rotations through their respective classrooms, visiting the parent cultural presenters who shared demonstrations with students throughout the rest of the morning. The Bulldog families shared history, geography, traditions, clothing, food, music and dance from the culture they represented — with many showcasing photos and videos and providing single servings of food for each visiting class. Thank you to all the presenters for making both International Festivals a success!
View videos and more pictures from the Ponte Vedra Beach Campus International Festival.
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Grade 8 Trip
Bartram Campus WEB Leaders
Grade 8 Trip
Bartram Campus Building Connections, Fostering Belonging The Bolles Middle School Bartram Campus continues to bring belonging to the forefront of their campus culture by empowering student leaders and providing opportunities for Bulldogs to connect with each other and the community. Led by Bartram Campus Head Josh Bauman, the ingredients for an inviting atmosphere were set before the first bell of the 2023-24 school year. Select eighth graders on the Bartram Campus welcomed incoming sixth graders and new students at orientation and introduced themselves as mentors through the WEB program. WEB, which stands for “Where Everybody Belongs,” is an international middle school program that trains Grade 8 students to mentor sixth graders throughout the first year of their middle school experience. The impactful initiative is led by Middle School Counselor Brynne Plant and Coordinator of Inclusion & Belonging Michael Stephens.
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WEB leaders are especially crucial during the first week of school as the eighth graders serve as friendly faces for new students to turn to as they navigate their new hallways. Throughout the school year, WEB leaders continue their leadership roles, visiting their assigned Advisory groups every Thursday morning and sometimes for longer periods of time when needed. Plant said she heard about the WEB program in 2010 and thought it would be a meaningful initiative to implement at the middle school. “A couple of us went to [WEB] training, and we’ve been doing it ever since,” Plant said. “It’s truly one of my favorite things about middle school and being with the students. It’s always a highlight of my year and my days.” Every school year, the goal is to assign two WEB leaders to each Advisory group, but the program expanded this year due to a highly
qualified pool of applicants. In fact, about one-third of the Class of 2028 trained to become WEB leaders, giving new Bulldogs an even stronger network of on-campus support. In addition to enriching the on-campus culture, the Bartram Campus leadership team also prioritized giving students the chance to connect through off-campus outings this fall. Grade 7 participated in a walking tour of historic Jacksonville and enjoyed a tailgate lunch at Daily’s Place Amphitheater followed by a behind-the-scenes tour of EverBank Stadium on October 12. Highlights from the walking tour included viewing a 10-foot diorama of the damage caused by the Great Fire of 1901 in Jacksonville Public Library, discussing the silent film industry in the Visit Jacksonville offices and taking a ghost tour with stops at The Carling and the famous cast-iron street clock in front of Jacobs Jewelers. “In the spirit of belonging, the purpose of this field trip was to foster not only community among the Class of 2029 but also to deepen a connection with our surrounding community,” said Bolles Grade 7 math teacher Dan Tamblyn. “We hope the learning experience furthered our students’ pride and interest in Jacksonville’s past and present.” The Class of 2028 hit the road on October 24 for a four-day, three-night trip to Black Mountain, North Carolina, where the eighth graders bonded as classmates at the YMCA Blude Ridge Assembly. The 145 students participated in team-building activities and outdoor adventures, braved the rapids of the French Broad River and enjoyed campfires, s’mores and dancing as they celebrated their last year in middle school together. Thank you to all the Bartram Campus faculty and staff who are ensuring every Bulldog knows they belong!
View pictures from the Grade 8 Overnight Trip.
Middle Schoolers Present B.E.L.O.N.G. Statement to School Community Students on the Middle School Bartram Campus are embracing their differences and learning how to put empathy into practice through an adopted set of middle school norms called B.E.L.O.N.G. The acronym was developed by the Bartram Campus faculty multicultural leadership team and unveiled in the 2022-23 school year. B.E.L.O.N.G. stands for: • Build up others • Elevate your attitude • Listen to understand • Open your perspective • Notice your impact on others • Give grace Bolles Middle School Bartram Campus Coordinator of Inclusion & Belonging Michael Stephens said the driving purpose of B.E.L.O.N.G. is to foster a community where all students feel a sense of belonging and can be their authentic selves. He continued that the new norms are “a blend of being aspirational and bringing accountability to how we interact with and support one another.” “We want to be a community where our members and visitors do not feel the need to try to ‘fit in’ because the community demonstrates that everyone is appreciated and celebrated for who we authentically are,” Stephens said. “I believe focusing on our B.E.L.O.N.G. norms gives everyone an access point in which we can begin or improve how we foster belonging in our community. The six norms can be practiced in any order at any time by anyone.” Well done, Bulldogs! #BollesBartram
Watch a video of the students presenting B.E.L.O.N.G. at convocation. Grade 7 Field Trip
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Saunderson Schools Fifth Graders on How to Support Each Other Mentor and leadership trainer Steve Saunderson traveled to the Bolles Lower School Ponte Vedra Beach Campus on September 15 to teach fifth graders important lessons about sportsmanship and teamwork, with an emphasis on assuming positive intent and seeking to understand. Saunderson has worked for many corporations, including Nike and now Under Armour, running leadership training for large teams of more than 100 people. Ponte Vedra Beach Campus art teacher Kimberly Thomas arranged his visit to help the Grade 5 students connect as classmates. She assisted Saunderson in facilitating a lively group activity as well as breakout sessions with each Grade 5 class.
To kick off the morning, the pair took the students out to the basketball courts for a teambuilding exercise using the game rock, paper, scissors. The fifth graders were separated into their respective classes, matching up for a series of one-on-one competitions. The loser of each round then joined the line of their opponent’s team, with the purpose of learning how to support others even when it feels difficult to do so. When some students grew frustrated with losing, Saunderson and Thomas stopped the exercise to explain how to choose positivity in seemingly negative situations and how that choice can carry through their entire day. Thomas also explained the danger of assumptions through a dialogue that demonstrated how her students felt like they knew her but weren’t aware of many facets of her life outside of school. After the rock, paper, scissors activity, Saunderson met with each fifth-grade class individually for small-group sessions, which provided further opportunities to mentor and train students on how to support each other and work as a team.
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“Be a Maker” Author Virtually Visits with Second Graders Grade 2 students on the Bolles Lower School Whitehurst Campus hosted author Katey Howes for a virtual lesson in Copeland Library September 13-14. Howes used her books “Be a Maker” and “Magnolia Mudd and the Super Jumptastic Launcher” as inspiration for the lesson, organized by lower school librarian Jennifer Moore. The second graders learned about her journey of becoming an author, which began in third grade when Howes started writing poetry. She shared pictures of her early works and told the students that they, too, could become an author — or any other type of maker. Howes discussed the many different ways the students could be makers — from building snowmen and block towers to creating stained glass and costumes — before reading her book, “Be a Maker,” aloud to each class. The students listened thoughtfully while Howes told the story of a girl who has a big day of making — from drawing blueprints to building a lemonade stand to making a difference by donating the money she raised to help build a local park. Howes pointed out that her illustrator included tiny spiders on each page of the book because spiders are “nature’s best makers.” The book concluded with the following thought: “In a day of making choices, are you proud of what you made?” Howes let the students sit with that question before moving to the next portion of the lesson, inviting them to reflect on where they find ideas and sharing how they can write notes and journals to keep track of them. Thank you to Howes for inspiring our young Bulldogs to go out and make a difference with their creativity and compassion!
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Teamwork, Tradition and Titles — Athletics Makes the Bolles Community Proud Bolles added three more state championships in the fall sports season, along with a state runner-up finish, five district titles, a middle school state title and a middle school conference title. Bolles has now won 159 varsity state championships along with 100 state runner-up finishes, 535 district titles and 65 middle school conference championships.
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The girls’ and boys’ swimming and diving teams continued the program’s amazing streak of state titles at the Class 1A meet on November 4 in Ocala. The girls’ team won their 33rd consecutive state title and 37th overall and the boys won the program’s 36th consecutive state title, extending their national record, and 45th overall. Head Swimming and Diving Coach and Aquatics Director Peter Verhoef tallied his fifth boys’ and girls’ team state titles at Bolles.
The Bulldogs won a total of 13 events, set two state records, set five school records and posted 45 All-American automatic or consideration times. Individual state champions were Lila Higgo ’25 in the girls’ 200 IM (auto All-American/school record), Carter Lancaster ’24 in the boys’ 200 IM (auto All-American), Andy Kravchenko ’25 in the boys’ 50 free (auto All-American), Julia Murphy ’24 in the girls’ 100 fly (auto All-American/school record), Xavier Sohovich ’25 in the boys’ 100 free (auto All-American), Dillon Brigman ’26 in the boys’ 500 free (All-American consideration), Landon Kyser ’24 in the boys’ 100 back (auto All-American) and Eldad Zamir ’25 in the boys’ 100 breast (auto All-American). The girls won both the 200 medley relay (Lucero Mejia Arce ’26, Victoria Edgar ’26, Murphy, Kate Meyers-Labenz ’24) and 200 free relay (Meyers-Labenz, Murphy, Higgo, Simany Lee ’24) in state and school record and automatic All-American times. The boys won all three relays in auto All-American times: the 200 medley relay (Kyser, Wyatt Porch ’25, Sascha Macht ’25, Kravchenko), 200 free relay (Kravchenko, Seth Tolentino ’24, Anthony Whittall ’24, Lancaster) and 400 free relay (Kravchenko, Tolentino, Sohovich, Lancaster). Bolles also had one of the program’s best girls’ diving results at state with a runner-up finish by Alexiya Downer ’25 and 3rd place by Gianna Vasto ’28. Bolles won the 2A boys’ race and placed second in the 2A girls’ race at the State Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee on November 17. The boys won their third straight team title and eighth overall. It marks the boys’ second three-peat in program history
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(1983-85). Boys’ Head Coach Mike Rivera notched his fifth cross country state title. The girls continued their streak of consecutive top-5 state finishes (30) and top-2 finishes (16). Chris Joost ’24 led the boys with a runner-up individual finish, just two seconds behind the winner. Sofie Stam ’29 led the girls with a seventh-place finish. The varsity football team won the program’s 33rd district title and advanced to the state semifinals for the fifth straight season with playoffs wins over Bishop Kenny, Raines and Bishop Moore.
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Both the girls’ and boys’ golf teams advanced to the state tournament, highlighted by a tied-for-fifth place finish for Luke Balaskiewicz ’25. The girls’ team won the region tournament for the fifth year in a row, qualifying for the state tournament for the ninth straight season. The boys placed second at the region tournament with an individual win for Balaskiewicz. The girls won the program’s 11th straight and 23rd overall district team title, led by medalist Chloe McGrath ’27. Balaskiewicz won district medalist honors leading the boys to a district runner-up finish.
The volleyball team earned a berth in the state playoffs for the 37th time in program history, advancing to the region semifinals. Highlights for the middle school sports teams included winning the girls’ private school division and placing as runner-up in the boys’ race at the Middle School Cross Country State Championships, the middle school football team posting an undefeated season with an 8-0 record and winning the seventh IMSC title in program history and the volleyball team finishing as runner-up in the IMSC tournament. Go Bulldogs!
Bolles Wins All-Sports Award for 42nd Time The Bolles School earned the Florida Athletic Coaches Association’s Carey McDonald Award for the 42nd year and the FHSAA’s Floyd E. Lay Sunshine Cup All-Sports Award for the 27th time as the top athletic program in Class 4A for the 2022-23 school year. The FACA recognizes the top athletic programs in each classification based on whole school membership and a school’s finish in the FHSAA Sunshine Cup. The Sunshine Cup points are awarded to a school based on its finish in FHSAA State Series competition in each sport in the classification in which it has been assigned to compete. Bolles tallied six state titles, two state runner-up finishes, 13 region titles and 13 district titles in 2022-23.
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Boys’ Swimming National Runner-up Among Independent Schools The 2022 Bolles Boys’ Swim team placed second in the independent school team standings and fourth in the combined standings in Swimming World’s annual mythical national championships. Swimming World combines the top times from throughout the nation swum during the high school season to form a mock heat sheet to compile the listings. Will Heck ’23 led the Bulldogs with the top time in the 100 breaststroke. Additional top individual times in the 2022-23 season for Bolles included Carter Lancaster ’24 ranking 5th in the 200 IM, Wyatt Porch ’25 ranking 13th in the 100 breast, Aidan Paro ’23 ranking 16th in the 200 IM and Kayden Lancaster ’23 ranking 16th in the 200 free.
The Bolles boys were runner-up in the 200 medley relay, third in the 400 free relay and tied for 12th in the 200 free relay. Bolles ranked seventh in the girls’ 200 free relay and tied for sixth in the independent school girls’ team rankings.
Florida as a cheerleader for four years, then coached two years of middle school football in Mississippi. Here in Jacksonville, Jump taught and coached weightlifting and cheer for Nease and Orange Park. He is now in his second year at Bolles and already an important piece of the community. With this extensive résumé and passion for weightlifting, Jump decided to start the girls’ team this year, and he has high aspirations. The main competitors against Bolles in girls’ weightlifting will be University Christian, Episcopal and Bishop Kenny. These schools are also starting their teams just this year as well.
The Girls Get Gains: Coach Jump Launches Girls’ Weightlifting Team
“Girls’ weightlifting right now is in a kind of a boom stage,” he said. Jump plans to build on this and gain traction for weightlifting as a sport in his time here. He is doing his best to make it a well-respected sport at Bolles. “I plan to be at Bolles for the rest of my career,” he said. “And I plan to coach this for as long as I can. So, I’m certainly planning to make it not just a two year thing and then we’re done. I want this to last for decades.”
By Ty Neal ’25
Abby Bradley ’25, a member of the team with some prior experience, is excited about the new sport at Bolles and plans to take it seriously.
It has been a long time coming, but the team is finally here. Girls’ weightlifting is the hot new sport at Bolles, with over 30 participants. For years, Bolles has had a successful boys’ weightlifting team along with many other sports. As of this year, girls’ weightlifting has been added, led by head coach Tyler Jump.
Bradley is aware that the sport is helpful not just from a health standpoint but from a life standpoint as well. “You can basically do it for your entire life. Weightlifting is definitely a sport that will carry over and benefit virtually any other sport because of the strength and endurance you can gain.”
Jump is the only coach for the team thus far and has many years of experience as a weightlifting coach. He attended the University of
In general, the weightlifting team is just as fired up about the new sport as the coach and looking forward to a great year.
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17 Seniors Honored for College Athletic Commitments Seventeen Bolles student-athletes representing six sports were honored on November 8 for committing to a particular college or university to continue their athletic and academic careers. Family, friends, classmates, coaches and faculty gathered in Davis Gym on the San Jose Campus to celebrate this well-deserved achievement. Athletic Director Matt Morris welcomed everyone and coaches introduced their respective athletes. The following Bolles student-athletes were honored: Baseball Chayce Kieck, Clemson University David Martin, Samford University Spencer Stephens, US Naval Academy Boys’ Cross Country/Track & Field Chris Joost, Boston College Boys’ Lacrosse Gavin Boree, High Point University Daylin John-Hill, Jacksonville University Parker Kane, Florida Institute of Technology Boys’ Swimming Landon Kyser, University of Wisconsin Carter Lancaster, University of California, Berkeley Alex Meyers-Labenz, Duke University Seth Tolentino, Texas A&M University Girls’ Swimming Sophia Joos, Emory University Simany Lee, University of Georgia Kate Meyers-Labenz, Duke University Julia Murphy, Virginia Tech Volleyball Ashlyn Anderson, Kennesaw State University Bella Bergeron, Denison University This is the first of three college commitment ceremonies planned at Bolles this school year to recognize student-athletes as they commit to colleges. Ceremonies are also planned for February and April in 2024.
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Bulldogs Behind the Scenes: Thomas Gorman In this Bulldogs Behind the Scenes interview, the Bolles News team sits down with Thomas Gorman, the first full-time athletic trainer on staff at The Bolles School.
athletes. I have also worked with DI, DII, DIII, high school and professional athletes, so I try to be well-rounded.
Gorman, who previously worked as a part-time trainer for the School through the Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute, officially joined the Bolles family full-time in the winter of 2023 to provide our studentathletes with enhanced access to on-site medical assessment and treatment as well as preventative training. His regular presence significantly decreases the need for our world-class student-athletes to lean on outside entities for sports-related injuries.
When I was working at Florida A&M University and my daughter was about to be born, I decided that I needed to get another job — one that would allow me to have a better work/life balance. I was then hired by the great staff at Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute, which would contract me out to The Bolles School. That’s when I became familiar with this amazing culture. I saw a need for a full-time position here, along with the need for other personnel, and I was fortunate enough to become part of the Bolles family.
Let’s learn more about this valued staff member and what his new role means for the School community.
Bolles News: What is your favorite part about working with our student-athletes?
Bolles News: Could you share some insights into your background and experience that led you to become an athletic trainer at Bolles?
Gorman: I love working with Bolles student-athletes because most of them have a drive and passion to win. I am a competitive person — not sure I know many people who don’t like winning — but Bolles student-athletes and parents expect the best. I love the challenge of trying to bring that to them day in and day out. The kids keep me young (at heart), and you never know what you are going to see from one day to the next. I feel a sense of pride and achievement when I am able to help them achieve their goals and aspirations.
Gorman: I am originally from Massachusetts, and I earned two of my three degrees from there. I went to Westfield State College/University, a small division III school where I played two years of baseball. I grew up playing football, basketball, baseball, volleyball and competitive swimming, so I have experience and can relate to most student-
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Bolles News: In a high-intensity environment like Bolles, how do you balance the diverse needs of studentathletes across a wide variety of sports? Gorman: I feel like I have always played up to the competition and this is no different with my profession. I explained earlier that I played a variety of sports along with working at multiple levels, and the goal always remains the same — making sure athletes are competing at their highest level as safely as possible. Bolles News: What are some of the most common injuries you treat? Any advice to prevent these injuries for student-athletes reading along? Gorman: I see a vast array of injuries, especially working with so many different sports, but a couple common problems I find are improper footwear and dehydration. The hydration aspect seems like it would be the easiest to correct if the athletes just pay attention to their bodies. Most people think they are hydrated properly because they periodically drink water, but in fact, other things are dehydrating them like coffee, energy drinks or sodas. What most people do not realize is that if they
are thirsty, they are already dehydrated. People who cramp up typically are dehydrated, although that’s not always a water issue. Having a sports drink every once in a while is good to help retain some of the water. The electrolytes (salts) in the drinks help with water retention. “Water follows the salt” is something to keep in mind. As far as footwear goes, there are so many people who come to see me and wonder why they have toe, foot, ankle or lower leg pain, and they are either wearing something that offers no support or wearing their footwear improperly. Everyone is different, so this is obviously on a case-by-case basis, but folding the back of a shoe down and making it into a slide or slipping into shoes that tie on and off does not offer any support to the foot. I tell athletes to think about what they have on their feet and the amount of time they have said footwear on. Just because one thing works for one person does not mean it works for everyone. Sometimes inserts are a good investment. If anyone has any questions for me about either topic, I would love to help them out. Bolles News: Tell us more about your interests and activities outside of your work at Bolles. Gorman: When I am not at Bolles, I enjoy movies — especially Marvel movies and Star Wars. I’m a bit of a nerd when it comes to that. I have also picked up smoking BBQ meat on my pellet grill as a hobby. I enjoy spending time with family and friends, whether that be at the beach, playing board games or anything in between. I love spending time with my daughter (age 4) and hope that one day she can have the privilege of attending Bolles and receiving an education of this caliber. The academics, athletics and arts prowess that the School offers is hard to get anywhere in the country.
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From the
Office of Advancement The New Year always brings special reflection and hope for the future. This spring, we will celebrate as a philanthropic community the grand opening of the Frank R. Sanchez & Hope and Dana E. Fender Center for Innovation — a transformative facility that could only happen through the generosity of others. Stay tuned for a date coming soon! The celebration event will also mark the end of the “Future is Now” campaign. A campaign that was designed to raise $50 million, but through the humble work of our volunteers, leadership and thousands of donors, now stands at over $62 million! It also reinforces the great work and dedication of our faculty and staff who continue to share in the tradition of supporting and nurturing our students. Current and future leaders of the world are built by Bolles, a statement that could not be so profound without generations of philanthropic supporters wanting to make Bolles even better. It is not too late to be part of your generation’s historic campaign endeavor! Let’s make this campaign even better! Thank you for your support, Warmly, Carol Nimitz, CFRE Chief Advancement Officer
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Bolles President and Head of School Tyler Hodges; Lovett’s daughter, Elizabeth Lovett Colledge ’70 Bartram; Lovett’s great-granddaughter, Rose Longenecker; Lovett’s granddaughter, Elizabeth Longenecker ’01; and Bolles Director of Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving Julia Kalinski.
Betsy Lovett Extends Legacy, Remembers Bolles through Anticipated $3.4 Million Estate Gift The Bolles School announced an anticipated $3.4 million estate gift from beloved Jacksonville philanthropist Betsy Lovett ’48 Bartram. This act of generosity is expected to support the School’s financial aid program, which provides students with need-based tuition assistance to attend Bolles and will establish the Betsy Lovett Financial Aid Endowment. “This gift ensures that even more generations of our students will benefit from Mrs. Lovett’s kindness,” said Bolles Chief Advancement Officer Carol Nimitz. “A gift of this size powerfully contributes to the longevity and sustainability of the School’s mission of diversity, which includes students from all different kinds of socioeconomic backgrounds. On average, 1 out of every 5 students at The Bolles School receives some form of financial aid assistance. Last year, Bolles provided over $5 million in financial aid. With the nation’s challenging economic environment, this demand is continuing to grow. Mrs. Lovett’s endowment will only continue to grow over time. We are grateful that Mrs. Lovett thought of Bolles in her estate planning and remain humbled to continue receiving her support.” Lovett had many fond memories of her days as a Bartram student, and she continued to show her devotion to Bolles over the years.
Lovett left a lasting mark at Bolles by building the Betsy Lovett Arts Center on the Middle School Bartram Campus in 2008. Bolles students have thrived in this beautiful state-of-the-art facility ever since. Lovett’s daughter, Elizabeth Lovett Colledge ’70 Bartram, was present for the anticipated gift announcement, which was appropriately made in the Betsy Lovett Arts Center on November 16 during the School’s Grandparents’ Day celebrations. Lovett has many grandchildren, nieces and nephews who attend(ed) Bolles. Colledge stated: “Beginning with Betsy Ross Lovett and her sister Caroline Ross Burroughs, three generations of our family have attended the Bartram School for Girls or The Bolles School. All benefited from the excellent education and moral values instilled by these two institutions. Having previously funded the Betsy Lovett Center for the Arts at the Bartram Campus, she left a significant gift to Bolles for financial assistance for current and future students. We are grateful for our education and excited that Betsy’s gift will provide this opportunity for others. We encourage all parents and grandparents to consider expanding their investment in Bolles’ future.”
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Randal “Lee” Ringhaver Jr. Endowment Established for Learning Support David and Bree Alban ’96 established the Randal “Lee” Ringhaver Jr. Endowment for Learning Support Services in memory of Bree’s brother, Lee, who passed away in 1980 at 7 months old from leukemia. Bree was just two years old at the time of his passing and wanted to honor his memory by giving back to her alma mater. “My brother made an immeasurable impact on my family,” stated Bree. “Learning specialists make a profound impact on students that will serve them through all stages of life. We thought this would be a fitting tribute for my brother to continue to make an impact on students who need assistance.” David and Bree have always been champions for Learning Support Services as these specialists have made a great impact on their children, Lee and Carson ’33. Learning support services are critical to schools to ensure that students get the support they need as lifelong learners, identifying and removing barriers that might make learning challenging and creating an environment that helps students achieve academic success. Learning support services can help students through all stages of their academic career, whether it is learning better study habits, understanding the ways to tackle test anxiety or identifying and supporting a young learner with dyslexia. “We are so grateful to the Albans for establishing this endowment, which will help pave a brighter future for Bolles students for years to come,” said Carol Nimitz, Bolles Chief Advancement Officer.
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“Learning specialists make a profound impact on students that will serve them through all stages of life. We thought this would be a fitting tribute for my brother to continue to make an impact on students who need assistance.” BREE ALBAN ’96
All Aboard the New Whitehurst Campus Train! Bolles Lower School Whitehurst Campus students were let in on a big surprise the morning of October 9… The new and improved Bulldog Express has arrived!
meaningful gift at the unveiling, which also honored Hugh Powell ’46, making this addition to the Whitehurst Campus a reflection of the family’s four generations at Bolles.
Due to the generosity of the Powell family, the brand-new Whitehurst Campus train is now taking passengers on several routes, including to and from lunch at Verlander Hall every day.
Retired Whitehurst Campus teachers and administrators were also in attendance, including Bev McCown, Rhonda Gwin, Kari Terry, Cindy Selock and longtime past Campus Head Carol Imfeld.
After Flag, Whitehurst Campus Head Dr. Christy Lusk directed the entire student body to head to the street between the lower school office and the Pre-K house for the official unveiling. Teachers distributed conductor hats and train whistles to the excited students, who were delighted to see President and Head of School Tyler Hodges driving the train up the hill to deliver the orange-and-blue locomotive. Our favorite mascot, Champ, also joined Hodges aboard the Bulldog Express upon its delivery, but the train’s maiden voyage was taken by the youngest Powell to attend Bolles, who welcomed her classmates to join her. Billy Powell ’72 and Ben Powell ’05 were recognized for their
Thank you to the entire Powell family for this magical addition to the School community!
View pictures and videos from the unveiling.
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Parrish Family Outdoor Learning Lab Opens on Bartram Campus Bolles students, faculty, staff and supporters gathered on the Middle School Bartram Campus December 4 for a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of the Parrish Family Outdoor Learning Lab. Having already supported the Wotiz Family Outdoor Learning Center “The Treehouse” on the Lower School Ponte Vedra Beach Campus, Jay and Julie Parrish decided to take the lead on creating another outdoor learning facility, this time on the Bartram Campus. The Parrish Family Outdoor Learning Lab is nestled in the woods along Pottsburg Creek next to the Pratt Library. Like the other alfresco facilities, the Learning Lab provides an engaging space that facilitates experiential lessons in nature. In keeping with the active, outdoors-loving Parrish Family’s priorities, it fosters multidisciplinary
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education and research while developing students’ interest in conservation and sustainability. “The Parrish Family Outdoor Learning Lab will be an engaging space to conduct experiential lessons in nature and facilitate multidisciplinary education, with a focus on student research, conservation and sustainability,” said Bolles President and Head of School Tyler Hodges. “Our science programs have long inspired students on their journeys to become scientists, engineers, doctors and accomplished professionals in their respective fields, and this new facility will only bring about further inspiration.” Thank you to the Parrish Family as well as the additional families who gave their support for this innovative learning facility: Sallie Ball ’97, Bess and Tyler Goff, Liza and Blake Griffis and Justin Hart ’00.
Wotiz Family Outdoor Learning Center “The Treehouse” Coming Soon The Bolles Office of Advancement held a celebratory reception on November 30 to thank Ashley Wotiz ’96 and Matt Wotiz and many supporters for their generosity in funding the Wotiz Family Outdoor Learning Center “The Treehouse.” The Center, which will make its debut on the Lower School Ponte Vedra Beach Campus this spring, will enhance the learning process
through the outdoors, bringing elevated energy and connection to classroom learning. It also will create an opportunity to experience and appreciate nature and allow students to not only learn about nature but to also learn how nature can impact math, literature, history, art, music and science.
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The Sawyer Family
From the Parent Association Chair The 2023-24 school year is off to another amazing start! The Parent Association has been hard at work since the end of last school year when our New Parent Committee, led by Executive Chairs Yomary and Don Downer, along with campus chairs Dani Grissom and Kathy Bull (Bartram), Stacey Stec (Ponte Vedra Beach), Katie Lee (San Jose) and Madeleine Dunn (Whitehurst), kicked into high gear. We have welcomed hundreds of new students and families, hosted events for both students and parents and answered countless questions to make sure our new families felt welcomed and were ready to start the school year with confidence. Once the school year began, it was full steam ahead as the Faculty and Staff Appreciation Committee, led by Executive Chairs Laura and Jay Moore along with campus chairs Lindsay Eyrick (Bartram), Stephanie Allen and Beth Tagra (Ponte Vedra Beach), Anika Comar (San Jose) and Rosiland Jones (Whitehurst) hosted the back-to-school appreciation breakfasts at each campus; the Environmental/Uniform Recycle Committee Chairs Bethany and Tim Kuskowski and the campus chairs Birgit Singh (Bartram), Kara Trzasko (Ponte Vedra Beach), Katoia Wilkins (San Jose) and Kathy Lewis (Whitehurst) executed the Green Apple Week of Service, collecting over 1,200 pounds of electronics to be recycled; the Wine and Wisdom series, put together by Kathryn Peyton, held the first two sessions of the year; the Communications/Globals Chairs, Sha-Kerra and Ronnie Powell have been busy submitting Global requests to keep parents informed of PA events; and the Communications/PA News Chairs, Tracy and Russell Libby, have been submitting pictures and write-ups of PA events for the website to showcase our amazing Bolles community.
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I could go on for pages about everything the Parent Association has been doing (there is much, much more!) and the wonderful leadership of the Executive Council members and the Campus’ Council members. These leaders of our 2023-24 Parent Association could not do what they do without the help of the many volunteers who give of their time and energy. As Tyler Hodges has said at many PA meetings, Bolles truly does have a wonderful Parent Association and that is due to the amazing parents. The Parent Association is forever grateful to Sandy Catanese, Director of The Bolles Fund and Parent Programs, and Becca Rogers, Events Manager, both of whom work tirelessly with our parent volunteers to execute the numerous events our volunteers plan and create. I would also like to express my appreciation for former Bolles parent and Parent Association Executive Chair Elizabeth McGraw for mentoring me in this role. I know she would agree with me that the success of the Parent Association ultimately comes down to the campus and committee chairs and the amazing parent volunteers who pour their love and time into the events. We are in the season of gratitude and joy, and I would like to express my gratitude for each and every member of the Bolles Parent Association and the opportunities and events it creates for our students, faculty, staff and grandparents. With gratitude, Lisa Sawyer Parent Association Executive Chair Gavin ’27 and Marissa ’24
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Bulldogs Express Gratitude for Grandparents The Bolles Parent Association hosted Grandparents’ and Special Friends’ Day events on all four campuses November 16-17. Guests enjoyed visiting students in their classrooms, convening for student performances and visiting with their grandchildren and friends throughout the day. Bolles loves Grandparents!
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Class of 2023 Makes History with Endowment Thank you to all the families and students of the Class of 2023! Collectively, they are the first class in the history of Bolles to leave such an important legacy gift to the School in their graduating year. They not only met but exceeded a match challenge with gifts totaling $54,523.13 with a total of 52 donors. The Mark Adams Family
The Gratz Family
The Petteway Family
The Asad Family
The Hernandez Family
The Puri Family
The Avret Family
The Hoang/Mollitt Family
The Ranney Family
The Banning Family
The Hogan Family
The Saye Family
The Berry Family
The Hurley Family
The Selevan Family
The Bowen Family
The Kirk Family
The Senior Class Student Council
The Brill Family
The Kuravi Family
The Skinner Family
The Candelino Family
The Lane/Witt Family
The Steffes Family
The Commander Family
The Marrone Family
The Stovall Family
The Delaney Family
The McHayle Family
The Studebaker Family
The Dickson Family
The McIntyre Family
The Surface Family
The Divita Family
The McLaughlin Family
The Tracy Family
The Downer Family
The Nassar/Hanna Family
The Waheed and Azam Family
The Doyle Family
The Norris Family
The Wolfe Family
The Folstein Family
The Parmeter Family
The Zebroski Family
The Gellatly Family
The Pearson Family
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Remembering President Emeritus Harry M. deMontmollin Jr. ’56 The Bolles community is mourning the loss of President Emeritus Harry M. deMontmollin Jr. ’56, the longest-tenured president of The Bolles School who was a treasured colleague, classmate, mentor and friend. deMontmollin was the sixth Bolles President and Head of School, serving from 1976 until his retirement in 2000. He passed away October 20, 2023, at age 85.
deMontmollin began his journey at Bolles as a student, making lifelong friends in the barracks (now dorms), leading the marching band and serving as the editor of the Bolles Bugle before graduating in 1956. He was taught by Bolles legends, before becoming one himself, including former English teacher Rufus McClure who would later become his colleague and lifelong friend. It was McClure who enticed him to join the Bolles faculty when a position opened up in the English Department in 1964, after deMontmollin graduated from William & Mary and completed his military career. He subsequently served the School as Director of Admissions and Director of Operations until 1975, when he was appointed Headmaster/Head of School. As President and Head of School, deMontmollin directed The Bolles School through its most explosive growth ever in both numbers and distinction. With the assistance of his wife Jayne, deMontmollin successfully conceptualized, created and established the lower school level, now known as the Whitehurst Campus, and consummated the acquisition and integration of Bartram School with The Bolles School in 1991.
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He also converted the former Bartram School Campus into a fully realized middle school, successfully orchestrated the acquisition and implementation of the Fine and Performing Arts Complex and was instrumental in creating multiple initiatives that elevated Bolles to national prominence. During his final meeting with the Bolles Parent Association as Head of School in 2000, the organization reflected on deMontmollin’s impact: “Mr. deMontmollin has led Bolles through four decades of change. His vision, wisdom and determination moved us from an all-male program of 400 students in 1964 to the seventh-largest college preparatory school in the United States in 2000… He had the courage and ability to make significant changes… His leadership made Bolles a school recognized nationally and internationally for the excellence of its programs.”
But deMontmollin didn’t slow down upon retirement. He continued his steady and valued involvement in the Bolles community for the next 23 years, until his recent passing. In 2011, the Board of Trustees of The Bolles School bestowed deMontmollin with the title of President Emeritus for his “myriad contributions to The Bolles School and for his vision, his courage, his wisdom and his lifelong dedication that will forever characterize The Bolles School.” The Board also established the Harry M. deMontmollin Jr. ’56 Endowed Fund in his honor to provide financial assistance to upper school students to promote diversity and inclusion. The Bolles Office of Advancement worked closely in partnership with deMontmollin for decades after his retirement to strengthen relationships with the students and families touched by his influence. In this regard, he played a pivotal role in strengthening the fabric of the School community and deepening the School’s resources. “Simply put, we have lost a Bolles icon,” said current President and Head of School Tyler Hodges. “Mr. de, as students affectionately called him, was a visionary leader who is largely responsible for elevating The Bolles School to new heights while preserving the distinguished history of its halls. His impact was truly generational in scope, and I have no doubt that his legacy will continue to help shape our School’s path as we carry on the mission in which he cared for so deeply.” In total, deMontmollin’s entire Bolles connection, including his years as a student, covered nearly two-thirds of the School’s 91-year history. It is with deep gratitude that we reflect on his service and remember his far-reaching impact. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Harry M. deMontmollin Jr. ’56 Endowed Fund. Donations may be made by contacting Carol Nimitz in the Advancement Office of The Bolles School at NimitzC@Bolles.org.
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From the
Office of Alumni As we reflect on the past six months in the Alumni Office, we can’t help but think of the tremendous impact you, our dedicated alumni, continue to make on our entire Bolles community as we build connections and enhance the School’s ability to offer All Things Possible. In addition to growing the Alumni Association by supporting the Annual Fund, you continue to help provide the support necessary for our School to pursue excellence in all areas of student life. In September, you came together in record numbers to celebrate the School’s first combined Homecoming and Alumni Reunion Weekend. The Alumni Association kicked the weekend off with the first Bartram Boarding Student reunion on Thursday night. Resident students from 2000-2020 who called Bartram home, gathered on the Bartram Campus for a family-style dinner. Stories were shared with former dorm parents and lifetime connections were clearly visible around the table. Then, we hosted a family pre-game tailgate on Friday night, when Bolles leadership recognized Lindsay Skinner Eyrick ’98 and Mike Minutelli ’95 as this year’s recipients of the prestigious Sidney W. Register Sr. Memorial Award. The fun and fellowship continued Saturday when alumni gathered for the Legacy Lunch and Bartram Lunch on their respective campuses before finishing the weekend off with an all-alumni cocktail reception on the beautiful River Campus. The Bolles on the Road program continues to grow and thrive as our alumni and parent volunteers take on hosting and leading the way for these connections across the country. Chip Stelljes ’80 hosted Washington D.C. for the second year in a row, and as The Florida House filled with happy reunions, two members of the Class of 2023 joined us as first-time alumni and shared their wonderful college experiences and how prepared they felt after Bolles. Current Bolles parents Chris and Shelly Lanning opened their home in New York City and hosted the event with Bolles parents Matt and Ashley ’96 Wotiz, where we saw many reunions and plans to stay connected in the Big Apple. There is no better feeling than community, especially when you are far from home. The Alumni Association has also been busy at home where we officially launched the first Life Beyond Bolles program in early November. The Alumni Association Board, in partnership with College Counseling, invited a panel of Bolles alums to present to current junior and seniors students. The forum provided an opportunity for the students to learn about the different paths
that each alum took. By listening to the panel’s journeys through college to career choices and adjustments along the way, the program proved to be very insightful. As one senior student said afterwards, “It was so good to hear that I don’t have to have it all figured out this year.” Another participant added, “It was great to hear that regardless of what the panel studied in college, they all felt Bolles prepared them to be successful.” Thank you to our Bolles alums who continue to make a positive difference in our community. We appreciate your continued support of YOUR Alumni Association. Please reach out, visit us on campus or join us on the road to learn more about how you can make an impact on the future of Bolles. Go Bulldogs! John Newman ’86, M.Ed. Julia Kalinski, MPA Stewardship and Alumni Officer Director of Alumni Engagement NewmanJ@Bolles.org and Annual Giving KalinskiJ@Bolles.org
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The Bolles Alumni Association Board 2023-24 Justin Hart ’00, Chair
Max Glober ’08
John Langley ’03
Sid Simmons ’08
Karen Gray ’84, Vice- Chair
Mary Howe ’73
Tim Miller ’05
Travis Von Tobel ’95
John Dominey ’08
Jerry Hurst ’76
Shreena Patel ’98
Hunter Walker ’14
David Dunn ’03
Roland Johnson ’16
Carson Vandergriff Richardson ’02
Adam Edgecombe ’98
Steve Kurosko ’97
Lauren Bacalis Scheible ’01
Board of Visitors 2023-24 Caitlin Hayes ’07, Co-Chair
Kindt Brady ’14
Adrienne Hume ’11
Scott Rinehart ’79
Katherine Newton Jones ’05, Co-Chair
Talmadge Coley ’96
Michael Mikulic ’08
Greg Rogowski ’13
Carole Coplan ’84
Michael Minutelli ’95
Christopher Stubbs ’67
Katherine Prusiecki Davis ’12
Jamil Murray ’11
William Thompson III ’98
Summer Decker ’95
Ryan Ong ’99
Catalina Vergara ’92
Glen Elliott ’01
Ron Patrick ’90
Cameron Perry Walker ’18
Amy Akel ’05 John Bacon ’04 James “Quint” Barker ’86 Christian Bermudez ’15
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Tampa, Florida
Cashiers, North Carolina
Bulldogs Across the Country Catch Up and Connect Thanks to our incredible Bolles alumni, family and friends who joined Bolles President and Head of School Tyler Hodges and the Advancement team on the road in: • Vail, Colorado • Cashiers, North Carolina • Washington, D.C. • Tampa, Florida • New York City We enjoy catching up with each of you and creating connections across the country and beyond!
Washington, D.C.
Key Dates Bolles Alumni BOLLES ON THE ROAD... January 18, 2024: February 7, 2024: February 8, 2024: February 29, 2024: March 27, 2024: May 2024: May 2024:
Atlanta, Georgia Los Angeles, California San Francisco, California Orlando, Florida Charlotte, North Carolina Birmingham, Alabama Nashville, Tennessee
New York City
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Alumni Office Launches Life Beyond Bolles Program Bolles alums Chet Skinner ’98, Shreena Patel ’98 and David Cohen ’98 returned to the Upper School San Jose Campus on November 2 to participate in a forum focused on providing current students with an opportunity to learn about the different paths that each alum took to achieve the successes that they enjoy today. Introduced by Alumni Association Board Chair Just Hart ’00 and moderated by Bolles major gifts officer Rahul Sharma ’03, the panel shared their individual journeys through college to career choices and adjustments along the way. The program culminated with students and alums participating in an informative Q&A session. Bolles Alumni Association members can watch a video of the complete program on the Bolles Alumni+ Portal.
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It’s All in the Fall: Homecoming & Alumni Reunion Weekend The Bolles Office of Alumni welcomed proud Bolles and Bartram alums back for Homecoming and Alumni Reunion Weekend September 28-30.
catching up with classmates, attendees joined in to sing and wish longtime Bolles teacher and Bulldog legend Rufus McClure the best on his 98th birthday.
The lineup of activities was extensive, with the Bartram Boarders Reunion Dinner kicking off the festivities on Thursday. Attendees spent a night reminiscing at the gathering quarters of Bartram’s North Hall, “The Spoon."
Dozens of Bartram graduates also enjoyed the Bartram Lunch held in the Miller Room on Saturday. After lunch, alumni toured the San Jose Campus and Bartram Campus before heading to the All-Alumni Cocktail Party in the evening. Those in attendance enjoyed celebrating the past while learning more about the future of the School, all while overlooking the serene St. Johns River.
The next day, alums enjoyed the All-Alumni Family Tailgate Party ahead of the Homecoming football game against the Episcopal School of Jacksonville. Before kickoff, Bolles President and Head of School Tyler Hodges presented Lindsay Skinner Eyrick ’98 and Mike Minutelli ’95 with the Sidney W. Register Sr. Memorial Award alongside Director of Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving Julia Kalinski. Learn more about these impactful alumni on page 56. On Saturday, Bolles graduates from the Class of 1973 and earlier attended the Legacy Lunch held in Verlander Hall and outside on the River Patio on the Upper School San Jose Campus. In addition to
The Bolles Office of Alumni also specifically celebrated classes that end in 3 and 8, and many class parties took place throughout the three-day event. Special thanks to the Alumni Association Board and Board of Visitors for their leadership and commitment to furthering the Bolles mission. We loved having all of our alums back on campus and can’t wait to see everyone again next year! #BulldogProud
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Homecoming Tailgate
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Bartram Luncheon
Bolles Alumni Legacy Luncheon
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Eyrick ’98 and Minutelli ’95 Win Sidney Register Awards Bolles President and Head of School Tyler Hodges presented Lindsay Skinner Eyrick ’98 and Mike Minutelli ’95 with the Sidney W. Register Sr. Memorial Award alongside Director of Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving Julia Kalinski during a pregame ceremony on September 29 ahead of the Homecoming football game. Eyrick and Minutelli were joined by former Sidney Register Award winners on the sideline of Hodges Field at Skinner-Barco Stadium, including: Terri Arnold ’85, Richard Dostie ’72, Lynda Erwin ’80, Steve Gold ’95, Jud Graves ’65, Jeff Marks ’68, Steve Matson ’87, Dan Rice ’80, Chip Skinner ’70, Paul Sollee ’88, Chris Stubbs ’67, Mark Travis ’80, Gordon Terry ’76 and Ellis Zahra ’64. In the spring of 1933, Sidney W. Register Sr. ’33 received the very first Bolles diploma at a modest ceremony in the School’s mess hall. Since then, more than 9,000 graduates have been awarded Bolles diplomas. The Sidney W. Register Sr. Memorial Award was established to honor and recognize outstanding and distinguished alumni of the School. The award is presented each year and is recognized as the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a graduate. Eyrick has been an active member of the Bolles community, including playing a significant role in the Bolles Parent Association. While serving as the Chair for faculty and staff appreciation efforts on the Whitehurst and Bartram Campuses, Eyrick has coordinated, organized and hosted multiple events for Bolles teachers and support personnel.
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In addition to contributing her time and talents to the Parent Association, she also serves as a class representative and exemplifies the importance of effective alumni leadership, having also served for six years on the School’s Alumni Board. She and her husband Chris Eyrick ’95 are consistent supporters of The Bolles Annual Fund and have three daughters who are Bolles students: Molly Eyrick ’28, Hattie Eyrick ’29 and Bailey Eyrick ’31. Minutelli was a boarding student at Bolles who played baseball, soccer and football — winning a state championship as a part of Coach Corky Rogers’ 1993 football team. As a proud member of the School’s Board of Visitors, he has been instrumental in hosting the annual alumni event for Bulldog graduates in the Atlanta area. As a result of his efforts, the Atlanta Alumni chapter has experienced impressive growth with several Bulldog alums in the metro area reconnecting with The Bolles School to learn more about the exciting projects underway on all four of the School’s campuses. Minutelli’s passion for Bulldog athletics is also evident in his support of the School’s capital campaign in which he has contributed significantly during the early planning stages to build a new baseball facility on the San Jose Campus. He and his wife, Samantha, reside in Atlanta and have two children — Amelia and Jack. Thank you to these incredible alums for making a difference in our Bolles community!
Bolles Alumni Cocktail Party
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Bolles Class of 1983 The Bolles Class of 1983 celebrated its 40th reunion on April 28 at Strings Sports Brewery, owned by Scott Adeeb ’82 and located in historic Springfield. The next evening, Billie Nimnicht ’83 and wife Amanda King Nimnicht ’88 hosted the Saturday night reunion at their beautiful home in Miramar.
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Bartram
Alumnae Notes
’40s
1942 Trustee Emerita: Helen Murchison Lane
1946 Mary Ann Shands Bryan passed away on June 10, 2023, at her home in Atlantic Beach, Florida, surrounded by her family. Mary Ann wished to be remembered as a wife, mother, homemaker and artist. She was married to Joseph “Shep” Bryan for over 72 years until his death in November 2022. Margaret “Muffet” Murchison Corse passed away on October 31, 2023.
’50s
1951 Class Representative:Frances Watts McCurry fmccurry@comcast.net
1955 Class Representative: Beverly Brett Warren bbrettw@hotmail.com
1966 Class Representative: Marcia Caribaltes Hughes Marciahughes0017@gmail.com 1968 Class Representative: Judy Goins Quick jgquick@bellsouth.net From Judy Goins Quick — 2023 is the 55th anniversary of our graduation. We held no formal reunion activities, though classmates continue to keep in touch with each other. Mary Jane Scott Trimble and Jay celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, as did Frances Marx Harris and Joe (with their celebration in Greece and Capri). Frances reports that their daughter Jennifer was married in September. Diann Smith Catlin and Bodie also celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a Catlin (and Bolles) reunion at Migis Lodge in Maine.
Trustee Emerita: Ann Curry Hicks 1956 Class Representative: Louise Adams Ropp weezier@comcast.net 1959 Class Representative: Linda Burbridge Knight lbksr@comcast.net
’60s
1961 Class Representative: Meriel Traylor Rucker
1964 Class Representative: Missie Graham Sarra LePrell Missie@missiesold.com
Diann Smith Catlin ’68 and Bodie Catlin ’66 celebrate 50th wedding anniversary
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1968 (cont.) Dorothy Ulmer Marsh and Jane Jeter Arnold are active in the Colonial Dames. Dorothy affirms that “Jane Arnold did a remarkable job serving as president of the National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in the State of Florida for the past three years.” Donna Knauer Ennis and Mary Jane and Jay Trimble spend time with each other when they are at their mountain homes in Toxaway, North Carolina. Ann Williams Brinson has been traveling quite a bit with her family and friends, but at home, is grateful for her ministry where she leads monthly worship services at the Retirement Home for Assisted Living and Skilled Nursing residents in High Point. Anne Davis Baker and Judy Goins Quick had a lovely lunch at Ponte Vedra when Judy was visiting there. Anne shared that she and John had celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2022.
Anne Davis Baker ’68 and Judy Goins Quick ’68 Jackie Masterson Stradley, Judy, Frances and Sue Eliot Clineburg enjoyed lunch in Atlanta last winter.
’70s
1971 Class Representative: Kerry Lee Byron Ehrlich klehrlich@cox.net
In March, Betsy Skinner drove down from Tennessee with her mules in tow for several weeks at Black Prong Equestrian Village in Bronson for driving competitions and visited with family and friends. Betsy and Kerry took a two-mile hike through nearby Goethe State Forest as part of a fundraising event sponsored, in part, by Black Prong. Gayle Register Bolton published her book about the African safari that took two years to complete because of Covid cancellations. The title is “Mama Safari” (available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble). It comes from the name Gayle was called by a Maasai employee of the Tarangire Tree Tops Camp in Tanzania. “Safari” is a Swahili word meaning “a journey that changes you.” Gayle went through many changes in completing her journey, and in less than 200 pages, she conveys the delight of discovery and the wonder of how Africa’s wildlife, vegetation and people are intricately woven in a symbiotic, divinely created “bush Garden of Eden.” Descriptions of the amazing African wildlife are complemented by those of the friendly, hardworking, spiritually attuned people Gayle met as they helped her along the way. Also included is practical advice for anyone going on safari, as well as suggestions for books, films and websites. Seamlessly slipped in are a little history, geography, geology and zoology. Throughout are linguistics lessons on the Swahili language. The best lesson is that you don’t need to go to Africa to have a safari, you just need to “trust Jesus in your jeep” wherever you journey. This year, Gayle participated in three state-side disaster missions with Samaritan’s Purse. Jeannette Bolte continues to be happily swamped in her clinical psychology practice. She constantly preaches to her clients about “life-work balance” and promises to apply that to herself, one of these days. Jeannette does enjoy some time at her get-away in Highlands, North Carolina, and welcomes us all there. She would love to host a reunion. In September, Vicky Leighty’s 96-year-old father died after a long and eventful retirement in Caracas, Venezuela. Our graduating class of 18 has lost three of our number over the years: Lynne Lumpkins Petersen in 2005, Beverly Hirsig Brimacomb in 2018, and November marks the third year since the passing of Debbie Smith Stores. All too untimely!
Jackie Masterson Stradley ’68, Judy Goins Quick ’68, Frances Marx Harris ’68 and Sue Eliot Clineburg ’68 Martha Phillips Gordin sums up the gratitude so many of us feel at this stage in our life. Martha writes: “My life is very simple and quiet these days — nothing to write about, yet I am richly blessed with a joyful heart in my peaceful life.” 1969 Class Representative: Virginia Conley Pappas virginiacpappas@gmail.com
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In seventh grade, our class participated in the “Send a Mouse to College” fundraising campaign for the American Cancer Society. Beverly Hirsig Brimacomb had a couple of mice she used for a project in Mrs. Foultz’s Science Class. I convinced my parents to let me bring home a mouse for the summer — for a “science project” — and Bev helped me get the mouse, the cage and some litter and then delivered Winifred the Mouse in time for her trip to Gainesville. Winifred served no scientific purpose for me, but Beverly went on to be animal science based in her career: a world-renowned veterinarian who developed the “popsicle pups” method of breeding Golden Retrievers via long distance. While Debbie Smith Stores was the first mother in our class, Beverly was the last: arriving pregnant to our 1996 celebration of 25 years since graduation and safely delivering daughter Brooke a few months later.
And since Debbie was the first mother, she was also the first grandmother and enjoyed opening up the world to her children and grandchildren. Our English classmate, Susan Pinder, writes: “Debbie was, and remains, one of my favourite friends. She was kind, funny; all those traits one seeks in friendship. We had loads of fun at Bartram and even more fun when we met up in Jacksonville, France, England and travelled to Ireland. We never ran out of ideas, conversation and laughter. We picked up the phone whenever we felt like it and the years just melted away. I miss our spontaneous convergences, her incisiveness, her fearlessness; the world was always at her feet. When she began to decline, something urged me to ring her. I was so glad to speak with her as she passed a week later. It was all so sudden and pretty awful, especially for a wild spark such as Debbie. One year, she brought classmate Lynne Lumpkins Petersen over to the UK. Well, we certainly scared a few sheep high up on the W Sussex South Downs, our incessant cackling echoing across the Neolithic site. Lynne, too, was super company, though she was recovering from the death of her dear husband. I like to think that those long pub sessions gave her the respite she needed. Sadly, she too left us only a short time later. When I think of these two marvelous women, I always see them in their Bartram uniforms, then my memories, like a Rolodex, carry me through all the years I knew and loved them.”
1976 Class Representative: Virginia Ferguson McNulty virginia@mcnulty.tv 1977 Class Representative: Robin Giddens Sheppard rgsfld@att.net 1979 Class Representative: Karen Ibach Bowden kbowden61@comcast.net Class Representative: Jennifer Williams Wiegand
’80s
1980 Class Representative: Hilda Pendleton Fenton mafenton@hotmail.com
1981 Class Representative: Susan Williams Brodeur brodboys@bellsouth.net 1982 Class Representative: Virginia “Ginny” Jones Charest Gcharest1@verizon.net 1983 Class Representative: Rebecca Faircloth McNeil marvmcneil@bellsouth.net 1984 Class Representative: Marci Haimowitz Talisman Marci.talisman@gmail.com Alumni Board: Karen Ferguson Gray 1986 Class Representative: Patricia “Tricia” Helwig Todd ptodd@drivermcafee.com
Class of 1971 Reunion 1972 Cathy Jean Dennis passed away peacefully on October 22, 2023. 1973 Class Representative: Barbara Arnold Pickett bsap00@comcast.net 1974 Class Representative: Joann Ferguson Purdie 2210jrfp@gmail.com
1988 Class Representative: Rebecca “Becky” Martin Forbes Rebecca.forbes@me.com 1989 Class Representative: Josephine “Josie” Bryan jbryan@stmarksdayschool.org Class Representative: Courtney McCranie Moon mrscourtneymoon@gmail.com
’90s
1991 Class Representative: Jennifer Purino Hensley jphensley@mac.com
1975 Class Representative: Marnie Law George marnie@thegeorgegroup.com
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Alumni Notes
’40s
1942 Trustee Emeritus: W. Lester Varn Jr.
1945 William Warner, a 40-year resident of Sun City Center, Florida, passed away on October 6, 2022. 1946 Class Representative: Fitzhugh “Hugh” Powell hpowell@cwpowellins.com Trustee Emeritus: Quinn R. Barton Jr. Hugh Powell recently joined fitness trainer and fellow Bolles alum Britt Aubley ’14 for a workout at San Jose Country Club. Hugh entered The Bolles School as a cadet in 1941 and was a manager for the Bulldog basketball team, which was conference champions and made a deep run in the state tournament in Tampa in 1946.
Trustee Emeritus: James V.E. Bent Sr. Wendell Sheppard passed away on June 24, 2023. Wendell attended Bolles for two years (1946-1948) and was the father of Bolles alumnus David Sheppard ’75 and grandfather of Bolles alumni Molly Sheppard ’17 and James Sheppard ’19. 1954 Class Representative: Hayes “Butch” L. Basford Jr. hbasford@icloud.com 1956 Harry deMontmollin, Bolles President Emeritus, passed away on October 20, 2023. Learn more about his legacy on page 47. 1957 Class Representative: Albert “Ted” T. Quantz tedquantz@gmail.com Alberto Larrea passed away on October 12, 2023. Bolles legend Rufus McClure was the guest of honor at the Bolles Class of 1957’s 65th reunion. Ted Quantz and his classmates look forward to celebrating their 70th in 2027!
Britt Aubley ’14 and Hugh Powell ’46 1948 Class Representative: Robert “Bob” W. Brack Jr. 1949 Class Representative: Jerry Foley
’50s
1952 Harry Bennett passed away on Mary 19, 2023, in Rockledge, Florida.
Sam Bishop passed away on August 7, 2023, surrounded by his family during his final weeks. 1953 Class Representative: James “Jim” M. Barker IV jmbchb@aol.com
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Class of 1957 Reunion 1958 James Lindsley passed away on July 26, 2022. John Willis Hofen passed away on July 19, 2022. S. Thompson “Tom” Tygart Jr. passed away on November 18, 2023. 1959 Class Representative: Barry P. Sales bpsrnr@aol.com
’60s
1961 Class Representative: Ben T. Franklin Jr. bfranklin@southbankgroup.net
1962 Class Representative: Richard Hyer Richardhyer44@gmail.com Class Representative: Creston “Clark” Riffe clarkriffe@gmail.com 1963 Class Representative: C. McNeill “Neill” Baker Gannyb44@att.net 1964 Class Representative: Gregory “Greg” W. Blackmer gregblackmer@yahoo.com Trustee Emeritus: E. Ellis Zahra Jr. 1965 Class Representative: Charles “Chuck” P. Torrey Jr. ctorrey1@gmail.com 1966 Class Representative: Shepherd “Shep” E. Colledge Shepherdc904@aol.com Richard Altman and Bernie Swafford attended the Bolles varsity football game against Coffee County High School on September 8 in Brunswick, Georgia.
Disney Imagineer Scribner ’70 Visits Upper School Art Students Bolles alumnus George Scribner ’70, a celebrated artist, director, animator and Disney Imagineer, stopped by the San Jose Campus November 9 to speak with art students about his illustrious career and discuss industry trends, including the use of AI in art. He was accompanied by his brother and fellow Bolles alumnus Sam Scribner ’67. During his presentation, Scribner touched on how to create as a team, the importance of working hard and ways he finds inspiration as an artist. Born and raised in Panama City, Panama, and a former Bolles boarding student, Scribner has been with The Walt Disney Company for more than 35 years. Scribner directed the beloved films “Oliver and Company” and “The Prince and the Pauper” and worked as a Disney Imagineer on “Mickey’s PhilharMagic,” the Magic Lamp Theater at Tokyo Disneyland and the updated Mexican pavilion at Epcot starring the Three Caballeros. He also led the story and concept designs for Disney classics “The Lion King” and “Fantasia 2000.”
Richard Altman ’66 and Bernie Swafford ’66 1967 Class Representative: Christopher “Chris” B. Stubbs cbstubbs@snelling.com Board of Visitors: Christopher “Chris” B. Stubbs Robert “Bob” Oliver Wilhelm passed away on June 25, 2023, surrounded by his friends and family.
Furthermore, Scribner was commissioned to record the expansion of the Panama Canal — spending nine years creating large-scale oil paintings that are now part of the Panama Canal Authority’s permanent collection. He has also completed a series of paintings documenting the construction of Disneyland Shanghai and is now painting for Disney Cruise Lines. Thank you to Scribner for inspiring our students to achieve All Things Possible!
Watch a video compilation of Scribner’s top teachable moments.
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1967 (cont.) Sam Scribner visited the San Jose Campus on November 9 with his brother and fellow Bolles alumnus George Scribner ’70, who spoke with students about his illustrious career. See sidebar on page 63.
1973 Class Representative: Mary Allen Howe msah29926@gmail.com Board of Trustees: A. Rodney VanPelt Alumni Board: Mary Allen Howe Stephen Hugh White passed away on June 27, 2023, surrounded by love after a five-year battle with cancer. 1975 Class Representative: John Crescimbeni jrcjaxfl@aol.com Class Representative: Mark McGowan mark-mcgowan@comcast.net
George Scribner ’70, Jan Olson and Sam Scribner ’67 1969 Class Representative: James “Jim” R. McCain Jr. Jrmjr1951@gmail.com
’70s
1970 Class Representative: F. William “Bill” Borg bill_borg@vanguard.org
Class Representative: J. David Sheppard sheppardpvbfl@bellsouth.net Several Bulldog alums had a mini-reunion on the golf links recently, when a foursome enjoyed some fellowship and reminisced about their days at The Bolles School. Travis Tyre ’11, Peter Hager ’11, Bright Skinner and Alumni Association Board Member Sid Simmons ’08 gathered at the Pablo Creek Country Club in Jacksonville.
Class Representative: A. Chester “Chip” Skinner III chip@skinnerrealty.com George Scribner, a celebrated artist, director, animator and Disney Imagineer, stopped by the San Jose Campus November 9 to speak with art students about his illustrious career and discuss industry trends, including the use of AI in art. He was accompanied by his brother and fellow Bolles alumnus Sam Scribner ’67. See sidebar on page 63. Tim Patterson and his wife, Sue, visited the San Jose Campus on June 20, 2023, after driving over from Pensacola, Florida. Tim and Sue spend part of the year at their home near San Francisco and the remainder in Pensacola. Dan Sears passed away on May 25, 2023, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, following a career in news photography that spanned over 50 years. 1971 Tony Stone Baker passed away on July 12, 2023. 1972 Class Representative: James “Jim” F. Bailey Jr. Jimbjax53@gmail.com
Travis Tyre ’11, Peter Hager ’11, Bright Skinner ’75, and Sid Simmons ’08 1976 Class Representative: Kevin T. Gay kgay@operationnewhope.com Board of Trustees: Daniel “Dan” S. Dross Alumni Board: Jerry F. Hurst
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1977 Class Representative: Catherine Randle Hurst Catherine.hurst10@yahoo.com Terry Iverson shared copies of his books, “Inspiring Champions in Advanced Manufacturing” and “Finding America’s Greatest Champion,” to be displayed in the Alumni Authors section of the Swisher Library on the San Jose Campus.
Books by Terry Iverson ’77 Stephanie Stratford Keezel passed away peacefully on May 21, 2023, after a hard-fought battle with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Stephen Wayne Presser passed away on March 26, 2023. 1978 Class Representative: Jeffrey “Jeff” L. Evans jeff.evans@colliers.com Chip Bachara’s firm, Bachara Construction Law Group, has been recognized for excellence both nationally and internationally. Ranked firms were selected based on in-depth independent market analysis, coupled with an assessment of the firms’ size and types of matters, caliber of talent, results, expertise and client service skills experience. BCLG was also recognized as a “Best Law Firms in America” Tier 1 Metropolitan Law Firm for Construction Law. John Hightower and his family stopped by the San Jose Campus during a visit to Jacksonville in September. As a student at Bolles, John enjoyed participating in multiple sports and competed in football and baseball for the Bulldogs. He attended the University of Georgia for his undergraduate studies, and he also has an MBA from Oglethorpe University. The Hightower family resides in Atlanta, where John manages supply chain solutions for FedEx.
Nesty ’87 Named USA Men’s Swimming Head Coach for 2024 Olympics Bolles alumnus Anthony Nesty ’87 will serve as Head Coach of the USA Men’s Swimming Team at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, announced September 21 by USA Swimming. Nesty is a veteran Olympic coach, serving as an assistant coach with the USA men at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, head coach of Suriname in the 2016, 2012 and 2008 Olympics and an assistant coach for Suriname in 2008. As a swimmer, Nesty won gold for Suriname at the 1988 Olympics and bronze at the 1992 Games. Nesty made history as the first Black swimmer to win an Olympic gold medal and again makes history as the first Black head coach of a U.S. Olympic swimming team. Nesty’s international coaching experience also includes head coach of the USA men at the 2022 World Championships, an assistant with the USA men at the 2023 World Championships, coach of the Venezuelan team at the 2014 Pan Pacific Games and assistant coach for the Cayman Islands at the 2010 World University Games and 2009 World Championships. His first coaching duty for Team USA was as an assistant coach for the USA men at the 2011 World University Games. Nesty’s 23 years as a coach with the University of Florida swimming and diving program, currently as head coach of both the men’s and women’s teams, includes guiding numerous Gator athletes who achieved Olympic success, highlighted by former Bolles Shark and seven-time gold medalist Caeleb Dressel.
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1979 Class Representative: Karen Ibach Bowden Kbowden61@comcast.net Board of Visitors: Scott Rinehart Scott Rinehart joined this year’s Bolles Board of Visitors to promote and strengthen the Bulldog alumni network in the Midwest region of the United States. Scott resides in South Bend, Indiana, where he is the director of broadcast & streaming technologies at the University of Notre Dame. He is responsible for providing technical direction and oversight of Notre Dame Studios’ production infrastructure, as well as its streaming operations for campus events.
’80s Bono ’92 Officially Inducted into Florida Chapter of National Wrestling Hall of Fame Bolles alumnus Chris Bono ’92 was officially inducted into the Florida Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame during the chapter’s Honors Weekend on August 25-26 at the Wyndham Disney Springs Resort in Orlando. Joining Bono at the event was his father Ernie Bono Sr., brother Ernie Bono ’89, Bolles Wrestling Coach and Athletic Director Matt Morris and former Bolles wrestling coach Bill Borg ’70. The NWHOF Chapters recognize coaches, officials and contributors with 20 or more years of dedication to the development of leadership and citizenship in youth through the sport of wrestling. Bono has served as head coach for the University of Wisconsin wrestling team since 2018, following successful head coaching stints at South Dakota State and UT-Chattanooga. He has coached a national champion, 18 All-Americans and 71 NCAA qualifiers along with a 144-86 dual match record over 14 seasons. Bono began his coaching career as an assistant at Iowa State where he was a four-time NCAA qualifier and three-time All-American. He is a two-time United States National Champion, took first at the World Cup in both 2002 and 2003 and is a three-time World Team member. Bono was inducted into the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa in 2018 and FHSAA Hall of Fame in 2004.
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1980 Class Representative: Jennifer Akins Hanigan jenhanigan@outlook.com
Board of Trustees: William “Bill” Erwin Brett Basford stopped by the San Jose Campus in July 2023 to tour the facilities and learn more about the Bolles Alumni Association. Brett was a member of the Key Club and Coach Mike Barrett’s wrestling team during his time at Bolles. After graduating from the University of Florida with an electrical engineering degree, Brett worked for Compaq/HP as a technical program manager until retiring. He resides in the greater Houston area and is pursuing an interest in singing, songwriting and doing voiceover work. 1981 Class Representative: Ricardo “Rick” Morales III rick@moralesgroup.com 1982 Class Representative: Virginia “Ginny” Jones Charest gcharest1@verizon.net 1983 Class Representative: Robin Baxter rbaxter1107@comcast.net Class Representative: Erin O’Dell O’Brien Erinobrien8387@hotmail.com Class Representative: R. Dean Scott dscott@rdeanscott.com Robin Baxter stopped by the San Jose Campus in July 2023 to visit the Alumni Office and learn more about the new Center for Innovation. At Bolles, Robin was a member of the Spanish National Honor Society and Coach Terri Tucker’s Bulldog cheerleading squad. After graduating from Florida State University with a degree in interior design, Robin most recently worked as an account executive for 20+ years in Atlanta. In addition to being a golf enthusiast and a Bolles class representative, Robin also volunteers her time at the Ackerman Cancer Center as a part of the SHINE and BEAM team support groups.
1984 Class Representative: Stephanie Hodge Bassett Bassett4837@comcast.net Board of Trustees: DeWayne K. Terry Alumni Board: Karen Gray, Vice Chair Board of Visitors: Carole Coplan 1985 Class Representative: Beth Rosenbaum Angelo bethangelo@aol.com Class Representative: Kimberly “Kim” Tucker Price kimtprice@gmail.com Board of Trustees: Fernando J. Acosta-Rua 1986 Class Representative: Charles “Charlie” Arnold III Charlie.arnold@regdevllc.com Class Representative: Jeanine Gulliford jeaninegull@yahoo.com Board of Trustees: DeCovan Brown, Tatiana Radi Salvador, Vice Chair Board of Visitors: James “Quint” Barker V Quint Barker joined this year’s Bolles Board of Visitors to promote and strengthen the Bulldog alumni network in the northeast region of the United States. After graduating from Georgia Tech with an electrical engineering degree, he earned his MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. Quint resides in Harrison, New York, and is a founding partner of Dextra Partners, a New York City-based private equity firm.
Several Alumni Help Bolles to 18th at Masters Swimming Nationals The Bolles School Sharks competed in the club’s first Masters Summer Nationals in Sarasota August 2-6, placing 18th out of 196 teams. Several Bolles alumni participated including Steven Gold ’95, Will Hartje ’10, Clay Kirkland ’01, George Garcia ’00, Christian Oldenburg ’99 and Justin Powell ’98. Highlights included Gold placing third in his age group in the 1500 free, 100 fly and 50 breast and fourth in the 100 breast; Hartje ’10 placing third in the 50 breast and fourth in the 200 IM and Powell placing fourth in the 50 breast. Way to keep the tradition of excellence going!
1987 Class Representative: Ellis Barton ellis@moralesgroup.com Class Representative: Michael “Mike” S. Wachholz Mwachholz02@comcast.net Anthony Nesty will serve as Head Coach of the USA Men’s Swimming Team at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, announced September 21 by USA Swimming. Nesty is a veteran Olympic coach, serving as an assistant coach with the USA men at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, head coach of Suriname in the 2016, 2012 and 2008 Olympics and an assistant coach for Suriname in 2008. See sidebar on page 65.
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1988 Class Representative: Karen Rinaman Barakat karenbarakat@comcast.net Class Representative: Monica Bernhardt Mburns92@comcast.net Class Representative: W. Scott Hudmon shudmon@me.com 1989 Class Representative: M. Laurie Shumer Gelman lsgelman@comcast.net Class Representative: K. “Megan” Mickler Ira megira@me.com Board of Trustees: Rahul V. Deshmukh
Ratigan ’96’s Product Voted “Coolest Thing Made in NC” A product made by Fjord Inc., a company owned by Bolles alumnus Michael Ratigan ’96, was announced as the “Coolest Thing Made in NC” in the small business category on October 5. The Static Rope Edge Protection (STREP®) system, which was recently featured on “The Amazing Race,” ensures rope integrity for rock climbers, first responders and rope access workers. According to the company’s website, “the STREP® system is designed to withstand sharp angles and abrasive surfaces and protect the static line contained within.” The “Coolest Thing Made in NC” contest is an annual statewide competition held by the NC Chamber. The online contest began with 130 nominees, and after three rounds of public voting — totaling 45,116 votes — Ratigan’s product earned the top spot in its respective category.
’90s
1990 Class Representative: Cynthia Anderson Cythia.anderson3@gmail.com
Class Representative: David A. Barton davidabarton@yahoo.com Class Representative: Amy Hightower Beaver azbeaver@bellsouth.net Class Representative: Mary Elizabeth “Bet” Lande Givens betgivens@yahoo.com Board of Trustees: Michael B. Hodge, John S. Surface Board of Visitors: Ron T. Patrick Lower school teacher and Bolles alumna Melissa Nicholson and Lissie Hurst ’92, who cheered at Bolles and attended The University of Alabama together, met up at Bitty & Beau’s Coffee to celebrate National Coffee Day on September 29. Nicholson’s Instagram-famous pigs, Prissy and Pop, joined in on the fun, too!
The NC Chamber launched the competition in 2020 to honor North Carolina’s manufacturers and raise awareness about the rewarding careers in modern manufacturing.
Melissa Nicholson ’90 and Lissie Hurst ’92
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1991 Class Representative: Elizabeth “Liz” Kilgore Mundin Class Representative: Norianne Wright norianne@msn.com Dr. Kevin Barrett recently stopped by the San Jose Campus to visit with his father, Coach Mike Barrett, and check on the progress of the new Center for Innovation. During his visit, he was also able to catch up with longtime Bulldog Beckie Gowen on the Whitehurst Campus. At Bolles, Kevin was a member of Coach Corky Rogers’ 1990 state championship football team. He went on to compete at the collegiate level at Brown University. Dr. Barrett is a Professor and Chair of Neurology at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. The Florida Optometric Association named Dr. Bryan Stam as Optometrist of the Year at the organization’s 121st annual convention in Aventura, Florida, on July 20. The Florida Optometric Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the eye health and vision care of Floridians through the practice of optometry. Its membership includes more than 1,700 optometrists across the state.
Oldenburg ’05 to Showcase Works in Solo Exhibition in New York City New sculptural works and drawings from Bolles alumna Whitney Oldenburg ’05 were showcased in a solo exhibition titled Ticket to Paradise at CHART in Tribeca. The exhibition opened with a reception on November 3, 2023, and will remain on view through January 6, 2024. This was Oldenburg’s first solo show in New York.
Bryan Stam ’91 1992 Board of Trustees: Jamie P. Dwyer Board of Visitors: Catalina Vergara
According to a press release from CHART, “Oldenburg transforms redundant objects into sculptural protests that embody the existential environmental and economic crises that pervade our present moment.” Oldenburg obtained her bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and graduated with her MFA from Rhode Island School of Design. She is a practicing artist and has exhibited her work in New York City, Chicago, Richmond, Houston and Ottawa.
Chris Bono was officially inducted into the Florida Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame during the chapter’s Honors Weekend on August 25-26 at the Wyndham Disney Springs Resort in Orlando. Joining Bono at the event was his father Ernie Bono Sr., brother Ernie Bono ’89, Bolles Wrestling Coach and Athletic Director Matt Morris and former Bolles wrestling coach Bill Borg ’70. See sidebar on page 66.
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1992 (cont.) Lower school teacher and Bolles alumna Melissa Nicholson ’90 and Lissie Hurst, who cheered at Bolles and attended The University of Alabama together, met up at Bitty & Beau’s Coffee to celebrate National Coffee Day on September 29. Nicholson’s Instagram-famous pigs, Prissy and Pop, joined in on the fun, too! See picture on page 68. 1993 Class Representative: Matthew “Matt” T. Berquist mberquist@intrepidcapital.net
Sisisky Valliere ’07 Named a Rising Star by JBJ Bolles alumna Kendall Sisisky Valliere ’07 has been named among the Jacksonville Business Journal’s inaugural class of Rising Stars: Finance. The JBJ has been recognizing rising community leaders throughout the year who will be making a difference for years to come in various industries. The finance honorees are noted by the JBJ as the people who are helping their organizations and others manage their money, from raising it for nonprofits, advising on investment and providing strategic guidance in spending. Sisisky Valliere serves as Development Director for the Jewish Community Alliance. She joined the JCA staff in 2016 as Special Projects Coordinator and was promoted to Development Director in 2022. She previously worked in the mission department at St. Vincent’s Health Care, overseeing the coordination of the hospital’s food pantry, and began her work in the nonprofit sector as an intern with the American Diabetes Association. Sisisky Valliere is an alumna of JCA’s Michele Block Gan Yeladim Preschool & Kindergarten, as well as a lifelong member of the JCA. She earned a bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from Florida State University and a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of North Florida.
Amy Miller Wolpert is learning to navigate the tween years with her fifth-grade daughter and the scatological humor years with her first-grade son. She’s also helping to promote her husband John’s new book,“The Two But Rule: Turning Negative Thinking Into Positive Solutions.” It’s a witty guide for how to use momentum thinking to solve complex problems. To be published by Wiley on January 24, 2024, it’s available for presale at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Target. Amy and her family have resided in Raleigh, North Carolina, for the past seven years. 1994 Class Representative: Jason M. Winkler jwinkler@gmail.com Board of Trustees: Allison Korman Shelton Scotty Verlander has joined The Claxton Bank as its new president and CEO. 1995 Class Representative: Leed Silverfield lsilverfield@yahoo.com Board of Trustees: Steven T. Gold Alumni Board: Travis Von Tobel Board of Visitors: Summer J. Decker, Michael “Mike” S. Minutelli Bolles President and Head of School Tyler Hodges presented Mike Minutelli and Lindsay Skinner Eyrick ’98 with the Sidney W. Register Sr. Memorial Award alongside Director of Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving Julia Kalinski during a pregame ceremony on September 29 ahead of the Homecoming football game. See article on page 56. Steve Gold, along with fellow Bolles alumni Will Hartje ’10, Clay Kirkland ’01, George Garcia ’00, Christian Oldenburg ’99 and Justin Powell ’98, competed as members of the new Bolles Masters’ Swim Program in Sarasota, Florida, this past August. The Bolles Masters’ team finished 18 out of 196 registered teams in their first meet. See sidebar on page 67. 1996 Class Representative: Fontaine LeMaistre IV fontainelemaistre@comcast.net
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Board of Visitors: Talmadge Coley A product made by Fjord Inc., a company owned by Bolles alumnus Michael Ratigan, was announced as the “Coolest Thing Made in NC” in the small business category on October 5. The Static Rope Edge Protection (STREP®) system, which was recently featured on “The Amazing Race,” ensures rope integrity for rock climbers, first responders and rope access workers. See sidebar on page 68. 1997 Alumni Board: Steve Kurosko 1998 Class Representative: Lindsay Skinner Eyrick lindsayeyrick@yahoo.com Board of Trustees: A. Chester Skinner IV Alumni Board: Adam Edgecombe, Shreena Patel Board of Visitors: William “Bill” Thompson III Bolles President and Head of School Tyler Hodges presented Lindsay Skinner Eyrick and Mike Minutelli ’95 with the Sidney W. Register Sr. Memorial Award alongside Director of Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving Julia Kalinski during a pregame ceremony on September 29 ahead of the Homecoming football game. See article on page 56. Justin Powell, along with fellow Bolles alumni Steve Gold ’95, Christian Oldenburg ’99, George Garcia ’00, Clay Kirkland ’01 and Will Hartje ’10, competed as members of the new Bolles Masters’ Swim Program in Sarasota, Florida, this past August. The Bolles Masters’ team finished 18 out of 196 registered teams in their first meet. See sidebar on page 67. Jessica Mason won Teacher of the Year at Long Middle School for the 2022-23 school year. She was also chosen as one of the top three teacher of the year winners in the Chesterfield County School District. Jessica is a physical education and health teacher in Cheraw, South Carolina.
Wilson ’11 Inspires Faculty and Staff During Pre-planning Bolles alumnus Blake Wilson Jr. ’11 returned to the Upper School San Jose Campus on August 9 to share the profound effect of his Bolles experience during an all-school pre-planning meeting held in McGehee Auditorium. Wilson expressed his gratitude for the Bolles faculty and staff members who were central figures in many defining moments, both big and small, during his youth that would impact his life as he journeyed into adulthood. He discussed four types of moments — elevation, insight, pride and connection — and encouraged the group to continue creating memorable moments for their students during the school year. “You have such an opportunity to help craft and create these powerful moments for your students and their families — all of which ultimately multiply and collectively shape each child and form their Bolles experience,” he said. Wilson also recalled a time in college during his freshman year when he was helping his peers who were struggling to keep up academically. He remembers stopping in that moment and appreciating how Bolles prepared him to excel in a college setting. “I look back at my time at Bolles with a deep appreciation and loyalty to the standards and principles of the Bolles community — whether it be the memories I cherish, the life-lasting friendships I created, the rigorous academic experience that prepared me for college and helped instill a work ethic that carries into my professional life today, and the network of people that I have met through this unique community,” he said. “Bolles was an incredible experience that undoubtedly helped shape who I am today, personally and professionally, and I am proud of that.” After delivering his inspiring speech, Wilson caught up with many teachers, coaches and staff members and toured the San Jose Campus and the Center for Innovation construction site with his wife, Fallon, and their daughter.
Jessica Mason ’98
Wilson is responsible for finance and corporate development at Monarch Capital Investments in Ponte Vedra Beach. The Wilsons also reside in the Ponte Vedra Beach area and enjoy the beach lifestyle whenever they can. Thank you to Wilson for energizing the Bolles faculty and staff as they began the 2023-24 school year!
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1999 Class Representative: Christopher “Chris” Dostie ccdostie@hotmail.com Board of Visitors: Ryan B. Ong Whitney Korchun West and her husband, Tom, have announced the birth of their son, Francis “Ford” Thomas West IV, born on July 25, 2023. Tom West is currently the Director of Lacrosse at Bolles.
Bolles Presence Strong at 2023 World Aquatics Championships Bolles alumnus Ryan Murphy ’13 highlighted the Bolles Swimming presence at the 2023 World Aquatic Championships in Fukuoka, Japan on July 22-30. Murphy, a Team USA captain, won gold medals in the 100 back and 4x100 medley relay, silver in the 200 back and bronze in the 4x100 mixed medley relay. Murphy has earned 43 total medals in international championship events. Murphy was joined by five other swimmers with Bolles ties at the World Championships. Andres Dupont Cabrera ’22, representing Mexico, placed 18th in the heats of the 4x100 mixed medley and 4x100 medley relays and 19th in the heats of the mixed 4x100 free relay. Martin Espernberger ’22 of Austria placed 20th in the heats of the 200 fly. Jamaica’s Sabrina Lyn ’23 placed 36th in the heats of the 100 fly and 43rd in the 100 free. Current student Elisabeth Erlerndsdottir ’24, swimming for the Faroe Islands, placed 36th in the 200 back heats and 39th in the 50 back. Former Bolles Shark McKenna De Bever of Peru placed 25th in the heats of the 4x100 mixed medley relay, 28th in the 200 IM heats and 38th in the 100 back.
The Bolles Office of Alumni made a pit stop at District Bar & Kitchen in Ocala on November 2 for lunch with the restaurant’s owner, Matt Larmoyeux. They were joined by Bolles Athletic Director Matt Morris and Whitehurst Campus Kindergarten teacher Kathy Newman as the group made their way down to Tampa for an alumni social.
Matt Morris, Julia Kalinski, Matt Larmoyeux ’99, Kathy Newman ’86 and John Newman ’86 Christian Oldenburg, along with fellow Bolles alumni Steve Gold ’95, Will Hartje ’10, Clay Kirkland ’01, George Garcia ’00 and Justin Powell ’98, competed as members of the new Bolles Masters’ Swim Program in Sarasota, Florida, this past August. The Bolles Masters’ team finished 18 out of 196 registered teams in their first meet. See sidebar on page 67.
’00s
2000 Class Representative: Faye Goodman Hedrick fayemhedrick@gmail.com
Alumni Board: Justin Hart, Chair Whitney Yant Calfee visited the San Jose Campus in July 2023 and stopped by the Alumni Office to pick up some Bulldog gear. Whitney was a member of Coach Gregg Troy’s state championship swim team and went on to compete collegiately at the University of South Florida in Tampa. After graduating with a marketing degree from the University of North Florida, Whitney worked at NBC Sports and the PGA Tour. She is currently employed as a marketing representative for SERVPRO in Jacksonville. Whitney’s husband is Bolles classmate Taylor Calfee. George Garcia, along with fellow Bolles alumni Steve Gold ’95, Christian Oldenburg ’99, Will Hartje ’10, Clay Kirkland ’01 and Justin Powell ’98, competed as members of the new Bolles Masters’ Swim Program in Sarasota, Florida, this past August. The Bolles Masters’ team finished 18 out of 196 registered teams in their first meet. See sidebar on page 67.
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Dorothy Freeman Self and her team at DFS Creative Concepts are celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the full-service marketing and digital agency, founded by Self in 2013. Over the past 14 years, Self has achieved many accomplishments in Greenville, South Carolina, including a recent appointment as the 2022 Chair of the Local Advertising Review Program by the Better Business Bureau of the Upstate. 2001 Class Representative: Katie Skinner Farrar katie.s.farrar@gmail.com Class Representative: William O. Inman IV woinman4@gmail.com Class Representative: Lloyd Regas lloydregas@gmail.com Alumni Board: Lauren Bacalis Scheible Board of Visitors: Glen Elliott Wolfpack strength coach Brandon Howard and Caden Fordham ’21 celebrated North Carolina State University’s win over the Clemson Tigers on October 28 in Carter-Finley Stadium. Howard was a member of Coach Corky Rogers ’98 state champion football team, and Fordham was a stellar player on Coach Matt Toblin’s Bulldog squad.
Walker ’13 Recognized by Forbes as a Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisor Bolles alumnus Craig Walker Jr. ’13 was named to the Forbes “Top Next-Generation Wealth Advisors Best-in-State” list. Walker is a senior financial advisor and first vice president at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He has leveraged his degree in finance from the University of Georgia and his certification in the Merrill Investment Advisory Program to deliver a comprehensive and customized approach to wealth management that is grounded in understanding each client’s needs and goals. Walker is part of the Chappell-Walker group, a team of financial professionals who offer wide-ranging wealth management strategies to families and business owners.
Brandon Howard ’01 and Caden Fordham ’21 Clay Kirkland, along with fellow Bolles alumni Steve Gold ’95, Christian Oldenburg ’99, George Garcia ’00, Will Hartje ’10 and Justin Powell ’98, competed as members of the new Bolles Masters’ Swim Program in Sarasota, Florida, this past August. The Bolles Masters’ team finished 18 out of 196 registered teams in their first meet. See sidebar on page 67. 2002 Class Representative: Elizabeth Brotman Daniel eabrotman@yahoo.com Class Representative: Margaret “Meg” Cheney Coleman Meg.e.cheney@gmail.com Class Representative: John M. Marees II John.michael.marees@gmail.com
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2002 (cont.) Alumni Board: Carson Vandergriff Richardson 2003 Alumni Board: David Dunn, John Langley 2004 Class Representative: Harry A. Kenning III Hkenn1009@gmail.com Board of Visitiors: John D. Bacon
Thanner ’17 Completes Army Jungle Training Course
Jordan Bolch has announced his engagement to Jessica Brown. The wedding is planned for March 23, 2024, at the Faena in Miami, Florida.
Bolles alumna Annie Thanner ’17 completed the U.S. Army’s Jungle Operations Training Course in Hawaii. The Army notes that roughly 30-40% of the participants are unable to finish the arduous course as a result of both mental and physical fatigue. A First Lieutenant in the 25th Infantry Division stationed at Schofield Barracks in Oahu, Hawaii, Thanner successfully completed the course and earned her coveted “Jungle” tab. She was also one of a half dozen U.S. Army soldiers featured in a documentary about the training. Thanner began her military training as a member of the ROTC at the College of William & Mary where she earned her bachelor’s degree in 2021.
Jordan Bolch ’04 and Jessica Brown Bolles alumnus and current Board of Visitors member John Bacon has been honored as “Gardian of the Month” by professional development consulting firm Event Garde. Bacon is Vice President, Account Management, for Naylor Association Solutions and serves on the board of PACE Center for Girls Alachua.
John Bacon ’04
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2005 Class Representative: Catherine “Gracie” Williams Register c.gracie.williams@gmail.com Alumni Board: Tim Miller Board of Visitors: Amy Akel, Katherine Newton Jones, Co-Chair Whitney Oldenburg, currently working as an artist and living in New York, hosted a solo show of her artwork in New York City at the Chart Gallery in Tribeca in November 2023. See sidebar on page 69. Homecoming and Alumni Weekend included lots of fun and exciting opportunities for Bulldog families and friends to reconnect, reminisce and celebrate being a part of Bulldog Nation! Former Bolles boarders Sarah Roddy and Trisha Berman ’06 made the trip to Jacksonville to attend Thursday night’s Bartram dinner, Friday’s Homecoming tailgate and Saturday’s cocktail reception on the River Campus. They even had an opportunity to tour the new Gund Resident Hall for Girls, where they discovered the spirit of the Bartram Dorms is alive and well in historic Bolles Hall.
Voskamp ’18 Makes Strides in Medical Research Bolles alumna Sarah Voskamp ’18 continues to excel in her academic pursuits in the medical field, recently completing her time at the University of Florida and finishing her first year at UCF College of Medicine. While in her senior year at UF, Voskamp worked with a surgical oncologist and a few other students to investigate the trends of the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for patients undergoing surgical resection for pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Their work, titled “National adoption of neoadjuvant chemotherapy: paradigm shift in the treatment of pancreatic cancer,” was published this year in the scientific journal HPB. The publication focuses on challenges faced in the management of cancer involving the liver, biliary system and pancreas.
Trisha Berman ’06 and Sarah Roddy ’05 Lindsay English Speer passed away on October 4, 2023, in Jacksonville. 2006 Class Representative: Ashley K. Rawlins akrawlins@gmail.com
During Voskamp’s first year at UCF College of Medicine, she worked with a congenital cardiothoracic surgeon in Orlando, investigating the pathogenesis of the congenital heart defect tetralogy of Fallot. Through this research, they identified specific genes and pathways that are differentially expressed in tetralogy of Fallot patients, thus taking strides toward identifying screening, prevention and treatment strategies. Voskamp presented her research this year at the 8th World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery in Washington, D.C., as well as the European Association for CardioThoracic Surgery’s 37th Annual Meeting in Vienna, Austria.
Homecoming and Alumni Weekend included lots of fun and exciting opportunities for Bulldog families and friends to reconnect, reminisce and celebrate being a part of Bulldog Nation! Former Bolles boarders Sarah Roddy ’05 and Trisha Berman made the trip to Jacksonville to attend Thursday night’s Bartram dinner, Friday’s Homecoming tailgate and Saturday’s cocktail reception on the River Campus. They even had an opportunity to tour the new Gund Resident Hall for Girls, where they discovered the spirit of the Bartram Dorms is alive and well in historic Bolles Hall. See picture above.
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2007 Class Representative: Michelle Risley Baker michelle.e.risley@gmail.com Class Representative: Allison Dewan Giebink allisondewan@gmail.com Board of Visitors: Caitlin Hayes, Co-Chair Kendall Sisisky Valliere was named among the Jacksonville Business Journal’s inaugural class of Rising Stars: Finance. See sidebar on page 70. Allison Dewan Giebink and her husband, James, have announced the birth of their daughter, Rory McKenzie Giebink. Evan Rosenberg married Brittany Ufret on December 8, 2023, in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Bobby Triglia and Anna Triglia announced the birth of their daughter, Vivian Marie Triglia, on November 27, 2023.
Photo Credit: European Athletics
Hicks ’19 Wins 5K at Euro U23 Championships Bolles alumnus Charles Hicks ’19 won the 5000-meter run at the 2023 European Under-23 Championships in Finland on July 14. Hicks, representing Great Britain, clocked a stadium-record time of 13:35:07 to win his third European title. He won back-to-back European U23 titles in cross country as well. Hicks recently began his professional running career as a member of Nike’s Bowerman Track Club following a successful career at Stanford University, highlighted by a cross country national title and 10 All-American honors combined in cross country and track.
Vivian Marie Triglia Tommy Isaacs and Scott Betros ’08 stopped by the San Jose Campus for a quick tour and to pick up some Bulldog gear in preparation for the Homecoming football game. Scott and Tommy were both multi-sport athletes at Bolles and teammates on Coach Corky Rogers’ 2006 state champion football team. After Bolles, Scott attended Wake Forest University, where he played football for the Deacons, and Tommy was a member of the Georgetown Hoyas baseball team. The pair recently joined together to start the Coastal Oak Wealth Advisors group focused on generational wealth planning. Alex King stopped by the San Jose Campus this fall to visit with a few of his favorite teachers and learn more about the benefits of joining the Alumni Association. At Bolles, Alex served in student government and was a member of a number of Bulldog athletic teams, including cross country, basketball, lacrosse and Coach Corky Rogers' 2004 state champion football squad. He majored in economics at the University of Georgia, piloted helicopters for the United States Marine Corps and earned an MBA at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. Alex resides in Boca Raton, Florida, with his family and works as a private wealth advisor for Goldman Sachs.
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2008 Class Representative: Catharine A. Brown catharineabrown@gmail.com Class Representative: Christina “Christy” Prewitt Yost Christy.prewitt@hotmail.com Alumni Board: John Dominey, Max Glober, Sidney “Sid” Simmons Board of Visitors: Michael Mikulic Scott Betros and Tommy Isaacs ’07 stopped by the San Jose Campus for a quick tour and to pick up some Bulldog gear in preparation for the Homecoming football game. Scott and Tommy were both multi-sport athletes at Bolles and teammates on Coach Corky Rogers’ 2006 state champion football team. After Bolles, Scott attended Wake Forest University, where he played football for the Deacons, and Tommy was a member of the Georgetown Hoyas baseball team. The pair recently joined together to start the Coastal Oak Wealth Advisors group focused on generational wealth planning. Several Bulldog alums had a mini-reunion on the golf links recently, when a foursome enjoyed some fellowship and reminisced about their days at The Bolles School. Travis Tyre ’11, Peter Hager ’11, Bright Skinner ’75 and Alumni Association Board Member Sid Simmons gathered at the Pablo Creek Country Club in Jacksonville. See picture on page 64. 2009 Class Representative: Mandana “Mandy” Fatemi mandyfatemi@gmail.com Alicia Bishop was married to John Hinchee on November 10, 2023, in Mount Dora, Florida. Alicia is currently a physician at Tallahassee Memorial Health Care in Tallalhassee, Florida. Eddie Salem has announced his engagement to Rawan Farah ’16.
Mostovych ’19 Earns Top Lacrosse Honors Bolles alumnus Stefan Mostovych ’19 earned several honors in his senior season with the University of Florida men’s lacrosse team. The short stick defender was named First Team All-America, First Team All-Southeastern Lacrosse Conference, Specialty Player of the Year and a Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association Scholar Athlete. Mostovych was instrumental in leading the Gators to an overall record of 17-4, a return trip to the MCLA National Lacrosse Championships and six consecutive weekly rankings in the top five, including a number one ranking for three weeks.
’10s
2010 Class Representative: Morgan O’Hare mohareaffair@gmail.com
Bolling Cranford and his wife, Blair, welcomed a baby daughter, Darsey Evelyn Cranford, on August 2, 2023.
Darsey Evelyn Cranford Eddie Salem ’09 and Rawan Farah ’16
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Will Hartje, along with fellow Bolles alumni Steve Gold ’95, Christian Oldenburg ’99, George Garcia ’00, Clay Kirkland ’01 and Justin Powell ’98, competed as members of the new Bolles Masters’ Swim Program in Sarasota, Florida, this past August. The Bolles Masters’ team finished 18 out of 196 registered teams in their first meet. See sidebar on page 67. 2011 Class Representative: Ruth Curry Clements clements.curry@gmail.com Photo Credit: row2k
Sollee ’19 Earns 2nd All-America Honor
Board of Visitors: Adrienne Hume, Jamil Murray Bo Boswell and Lainie Hyman Boswell announced the birth of their daughter, Sophie Jane Boswell.
Bolles alumnus Richard Sollee ’19 earned Lightweight Second Team All-America honors from the Intercollegiate Rowing Coaches Association for the second consecutive season. Sollee recently graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a dual bachelor’s degree in physics and computer science. Sollee appeared in nine races as a senior for MIT, five as the number one seat of the Varsity 8+. He was the number three seat of the Collegiate 8+ that was the runner up at the 2022 Quinsigamond Snake Regatta and the number three seat of the Lightweight 8+ that finished eighth at the 2022 Head of the Charles. Sollee also earned IRCA All-America and Scholar Athlete honors as a junior and was named to the IRA All-Academic Team.
Bo Boswell ’11, Lainie Hyman Boswell ’11 and Sophie Jane Boswell 2010 (cont.) There was a big Bulldog celebration in June 2023 when Dr. Causey Dunlap was married to Dr. Ryan Hebel in a beautiful ceremony in Manchester, Vermont. Some of Causey’s classmates who attended included Keeton Leisure, Margaret D’Antignac Shepard and Matron of Honor Alyssa Wanderon Mendoza. Causey studied neuroscience at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, and is an OBGYN senior resident at Danbury Hospital.
Blake Wilson visited the San Jose Campus with his wife, Fallon, and daughter on August 9. While at Bolles, Blake gave a short talk to faculty and staff members returning for the 2023-24 school year. See sidebar on page 71. Several Bulldog alums had a mini-reunion on the golf links recently, when a foursome enjoyed some fellowship and reminisced about their days at The Bolles School. Travis Tyre, Peter Hager, Bright Skinner ’75 and Alumni Association Board Member Sid Simmons ’08 gathered at the Pablo Creek Country Club in Jacksonville. See picture on page 64. 2012 Class Representative: Victoria “Tori” Reiman v.reiman12@gmail.com Board of Visitors: Katherine Prusiecki Davis
Causey Dunlap ’10 Wedding
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Vicki Baker stopped by the San Jose Campus to reconnect with a few of her favorite teachers during her recent visit to Jacksonville. At Bolles, Vicki was voted “Best Leader” by her senior classmates, served
as a student council representative and was a member of the Turris yearbook staff. After graduation, Vicki attended the University of Florida, where she received a bachelor’s degree in health science and a master’s degree in science in management. Vicki currently lives in the Washington, D.C. area, where she works for a nonprofit organization. This fall, Charles Burnett was recognized at 7 Under 30, an event featuring seven successful Florida State University entreprenuers who started businesses before the age of 30. Burnett is the director of Excellere IT Services.
Charles Burnett ’12 2013 Class Representative: Shaye L. Newman slnewms@gmail.com Class Representative: Virginia Skinner Virginiak.skinner@gmail.com Board of Visitors: Greg Rogowski Jacqueline Flynn was married to Jack Digney on May 26, 2023, at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Jacksonville Beach with the wedding reception at San Jose Country Club. Shortly following the wedding, the couple moved to Amsterdam, Netherlands, with Jacqueline’s position at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Jacqueline and Jack are excited about experiencing European culture and anticipate spending two years in Amsterdam.
Hastings ’19 of “Survivor” Shares Perspective with Upperclassmen “Survivor 41” star contestant and Bolles lifer Xander Hastings ’19 returned to the Upper School San Jose Campus October 19 to speak with juniors and seniors at a special convocation to share how his experiences navigating the reality competition have impacted his outlook on life. Hastings is currently a student at the University of Chicago. The 23-year-old has visited all 50 states, 20 countries and 40 National Parks, built his own tiny home in Colorado and worked as an Alaskan meat packer in addition to his time on “Survivor.” His sister, Claire Hastings ’25, is a junior at Bolles. To view his entire presentation, Bolles Alumni Association members can log into the Alumni+ Portal.
Jacqueline Flynn ’13 and Jack Digney
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Lizzie Meadow was married to Cameron Barnes on May 20, 2023, in Leesburg, Virginia. Naomi O’Leary was married to Brian Bolze on September 23, 2023, at Spring Studios in New York City.
Mulligan ’20 Earns Scholarship with Michigan Gymnastics Bolles alumna Jenna Mulligan ’20, a senior gymnast at the University of Michigan, earned a full scholarship after being a walk-on member of the team for her first three seasons. Michigan Head Coach Bev Plocki said of the decision, “when that scholarship became available, I knew exactly who it belonged to, and that was to Jenna. She’s so deserving of the place she now holds on this team.”
Naomi O’Leary ’13 and Brian Bolze Ryan Murphy married college sweetheart Bridget Konttinen on September 30 at the Everline Resort & Spa near Lake Tahoe, California.
Mulligan had scholarship offers from several programs coming out of high school but chose the opportunity to walk-on at Michigan because of the combination of elite athletics and academics at the school. She worked hard to earn her role as a rotational gymnast in the team’s lineup and has excelled in the classroom as well. Last year, Mulligan was named a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association Scholastic All-American, posting a perfect 4.0 grade-point average in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts.
2013 (cont.) Several members of the Bolles Class of 2013 visited the San Jose Campus for a quick tour over Thanksgiving Break. In addition to learning more about recent facility upgrades, the group also picked up some Bulldog gear from the Alumni Office. Afterward, the alums joined their classmates off-campus for a fun evening celebrating their 10-year reunion.
Ryan Murphy ’13 and Bridget Konttinen Ryan Murphy highlighted the Bolles Swimming presence at the 2023 World Aquatic Championships in Fukuoka, Japan on July 22-30. Murphy, a Team USA captain, won gold medals in the 100 back and 4x100 medley relay, silver in the 200 back and bronze in the 4x100
Class of 2013 Reunion
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Girls’ Soccer Alumnae Earn Honors, Play in NCAA Tournament Three Bolles girls’ soccer alumnae played in the NCAA Division I Championships with two earning conference honors for their successful seasons. Avery Patterson ’20, a senior co-captain for the University of North Carolina, earned Third Team All-America, First Team All-Atlantic Region and First Team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors while ranking second on the team with nine goals and 20 points. Patterson helped UNC reach the quarterfinals in the NCAA tournament with wins over Towson, Alabama and Texas Tech.
Avery Patterson ’20
Aubrey Ramey ’20, a senior defender for Valparaiso University, earned All-Missouri Valley Conference Tournament honors in helping the Beacons win the MVC tournament and earn an automatic NCAA tournament berth. Valpo fell to Notre Dame in the first round. Ramey earned Academic All-District honors as well. Izzy Kimberly ’21, a junior forward/defender for Southern Cal, played in 17 games with nine starts for the Trojans. She tallied three goals and six assists for 12 points on the season. Kimberly helped USC to the second round of the NCAA tournament with a win over Grand Canyon.
Aubrey Ramey ’20
Izzy Kimberly ’21
mixed medley relay. Murphy has earned 43 total medals in international championship events. See sidebar on page 72.
advisor and first vice president at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. See sidebar on page 73.
Margaret Willetts was married to Michael Gallagher on October 14, 2023, in Jacksonville, Florida. They currently live in Washington, D.C., with their dog, George, and plan to move back to Jacksonville in December.
Forbes Holdings announced Newsette Media Group Founder and CEO Daniella Pierson, recognized by Forbes as one of the youngest and wealthiest self-made women of color in the U.S., as a member of its new board of directors on September 19. Pierson also invested in the fund for the acquisition of Forbes Global Holdings Inc. alongside fellow movers and shakers Tony Robbins, Kevin Hart, Scale Alexandr Wang, Victor Lazarte, benny blanco and William Hockey.
Margaret Willetts ’13 and Michael Gallagher Photo Credit: Business Wire
Craig Walker Jr. was named to the Forbes “Top Next-Generation Wealth Advisors Best-in-State” list. Walker is a senior financial
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2013 (cont.) New York Times best-selling author Alexandra Pierson, who writes under the nom de plume Alex Aster, released her new book “Nightbane,” the sequel to her young adult fantasy novel, “Lightlark.” The highly anticipated novel was published on November 7.
In September, Collin Smith ’16 and DeShawn Ruffin enjoyed a basketball workout in Davis Gym on the San Jose Campus. DeShawn and Collin were teammates on Coach Anthony Candelino’s district champion Bulldog basketball team. In addition to serving as a mental health advocate for Nami Jacksonville, DeShawn recently joined new Coach DeAndre Walker’s coaching staff at Bolles.
Photo Credit: Jennifer Trahan
Alexandra Pierson ’13 2014 Class Representative: William McKinney mckinneywilliamh@gmail.com Alumni Board: Hunter Walker
DeShawn Ruffin ’14 and Collin Smith ’16 Bolles middle school teacher Deborah Carney and her students ran into Margaret Odom-Tomchin and her family while hiking Castle Rock on this year’s eighth grade trip.
Board of Visitors: Kindt Brady Cody Boswell and Rachel Duffy married on July 8, 2023, at Montage in Palmetto Bluff, South Carolina.
Deborah Carney and Margaret Odom-Tomchin ’14 Fitness trainer Britt Aubley recently joined fellow Bolles alumnus Hugh Powell ’46 for a workout at San Jose Country Club. See picture on page 62.
Rachel Duffy ’14 and Cody Boswell ’14
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2015 Board of Visitors: Christian Bermudez Molly Heck recently stopped by the San Jose Campus during a visit to Jacksonville. In addition to touring the campus, Molly had the opportunity to visit with English teacher Beth Curran, whom Molly credited as her inspiration for being an English teacher today. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame and the University of Virginia with English degrees, Molly returned to Florida, where she is a middle school English teacher at The Community School of Naples. Dani Maysonet stopped by the San Jose Campus this fall to visit with some of her favorite teachers and learn more about the benefits of joining the Alumni Association. At Bolles, Dani was a member of the chorus and a standout student-athlete on Coach Tom Collins’ Bulldog softball team. After studying biology and playing softball collegiately at Savannah State, Dani has returned to Jacksonville, where she is an owner and CEO at Crawford Crossings, which focuses on youth sports and fitness instruction.
2016 Class Representative: Rawan Farah Rawanfarah16@gmail.com Class Representative: Roland Johnson Rleejohnson59@gmail.com Alumni Board: Roland Johnson Rawan Farah has announced her engagement to Eddie Salem ’09. See picture on page 77. In September, Collin Smith and DeShawn Ruffin ’14 enjoyed a basketball workout in Davis Gym on the San Jose Campus. DeShawn and Collin were teammates on Coach Anthony Candelino’s district champion Bulldog basketball team. Collin led the Bulldogs to a basketball state championship in his senior season and continues to pursue his passion for the game by playing professionally overseas. See picture on page 82.
Cross Country Alumni Perform Well in NCAA Postseason Several Bolles Cross Country alumni competed well in the collegiate postseason, helping their respective teams to success at the conference, regional and national levels. Jillian Candelino ’23 helped the University of Tennessee women to sixth place at the NCAA Division I Championships, placing 72nd individually as the Lady Vols’ second finisher. Candelino placed 10th at the NCAA South Region Championships to earn All-Region honors as the UT women won the meet and earned their first NCAA Championship berth since 2006. She also earned All-Southeastern Conference Freshmen team honors with a 21st place finish at the SEC Championships where UT placed third in the team standings. Elizabeth Csikai ’23 earned All-American honors with a 22nd place finish at the NCAA Division III Championships, helping Emory University to an eighth-place team finish — the second highest finish in program history. In her first-ever college race, Csikai placed third at the NCAA DIII South Region Championships to earn All-Region honors and help the Eagles to a second-place team finish and NCAA berth. Maxine Montoya ’21 placed 129th at the NCAA DI Northeast Regional and 65th at the Ivy League Championships as her Brown University squad placed 16th and eighth, respectively.
Ella Mickler ’23 placed 109th at the NCAA DI South Regional and 96th at the Atlantic Coast Conference meet as her Florida State University team placed eighth and 11th, respectively. Andrew McGraw ’23 finished as Colgate University’s second runner with a 163rd place finish at the NCAA DI South Region meet, as the Raiders placed 31st. McGraw placed 48th at the Patriot League Championships, helping Colgate to a seventh-place finish. Matthew McClure ’22 placed 52nd at the University Athletic Association Championships as his Emory team placed fourth. Matthew Thomas ’23 competed at the Atlantic Coast Conference Championships, placing 139th for the 15th place Miami Hurricanes.
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a member of the Bulldogs’ state champion track and field team. She is currently filming her thesis in Jacksonville as part of earning an MFA degree from Columbia University in New York. 2018 Class Representative: Stefanie Mendizabal Stefaniemendizabal3@gmail.com Board of Visitors: Cameron Perry Walker Cameron Perry Walker joined this year’s Bolles Board of Visitors to promote and strengthen the Bulldog alumni network in the southeast region of the United States. After graduating from the University of Georgia with a marketing degree, Cameron relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, where she is employed as a Cloud consultant for Oracle.
Espernberger ’22 Posts Olympic Qualifying Mark
Members of the Class of 2018 connected during the Bolles Alumni Event in New York City on November 7.
Bolles alumnus Martin Espernberger ’22 posted an Olympic Qualification Time (OQT) in the men’s 200 fly at the U.S. Open Championships in Greensboro, North Carolina, on December 2. Esperberger narrowly placed second in the event with a time of 1:54.69, .03 seconds shy of the winner. The OQT for the men’s 200 fly is 1:55.78. A sophomore on the University of Tennessee men’s swimming team, Espernberger swims internationally for his native Austria. Athletes who achieve the OQT in a particular event are automatically qualified for the event in the 2024 Paris Olympics, provided the maximum quota per event for their National Olympic Committee has not been exceeded. While unofficial, Espernberger is expected to be on Austria’s Olympic team.
2017 Class Representative: Joseph “Joey” DeWane dewanejoseph@gmail.com Class Representative: Elizabeth McKinney mckinneyelizaebethellen@gmail.com
Class of 2018 in New York City Sarah Voskamp continues to excel in her academic pursuits in the medical field, recently completing her time at the University of Florida and finishing her first year at UCF College of Medicine. See sidebar on page 75. Josiah Johnson, a redshirt senior tight end on the Oklahoma State University football team, earned All-Big Honorable Mention for the 2023 season. Johnson played in every game and caught 21 passes for 163 yards and a touchdown on the season, helping the Cowboys to a 9-3 regular season record including a win over Oklahoma in the “Bedlam” rivalry game. OSU earned a berth in the Big 12 Championship game, falling to College Football Playoff team Texas. The Cowboys conclude the season in the Texas Bowl against Texas A&M on December 27.
Annie Thanner completed the U.S. Army’s Jungle Operations Training Course in Hawaii. The Army notes that roughly 30-40% of the participants are unable to finish the arduous course as a result of both mental and physical fatigue. See sidebar on page 74. In October, Leah Scott stopped by the San Jose Campus to visit with a few of her favorite teachers and learn more about joining the Bolles Alumni Association. Leah was a “lifer” at Bolles who started her journey as a Bulldog at the Bolles Lower School Ponte Vedra Beach Campus. In addition to participating in high school theater productions and playing trumpet in the band, Leah was also
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2019 Xander Hastings returned to the San Jose Campus on October 19, 2023, to speak with juniors and seniors at a special convocation to share his experiences as a star contestant on “Survivor 41” and how navigating the reality competition has impacted his outlook on life. See sidebar on page 79. Cooper Sullivan, a senior wide receiver on the Wabash College football team, recently set a new career receiving record for their program by bringing his career total to 2,875 yards. He has also moved to 8th place on Wabash’s career touchdown reception list with 20. Charles Hicks won the 5000-meter run at the 2023 European Under-23 Championships in Finland on July 14. Hicks, representing Great Britain, clocked a stadium-record time of 13:35:07 to win his third European title. See sidebar on page 76. Bolles alumnus Richard Sollee earned Lightweight Second Team All-America honors from the Intercollegiate Rowing Coaches Association for the second consecutive season. See sidebar on page 78. Stefan Mostovych, a senior short stick defensive midfielder on the University of Florida men’s club lacrosse team, was named a 2022 Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association Division I Scholar Athlete. See sidebar on page 77.
’20s
2020 There was a mini-Bulldog reunion at Powers Field at the Princeton University Stadium in October. The Princeton Tigers and Bolles grads Simon Brackin and Kavon Miller ’23 hosted fellow Bulldog teammate Reed Collins ’22 of the Lafayette Leopards in New Jersey. All three young men were stellar student-athletes at Bolles and major contributors on Coach Matt Toblin’s Bulldog football teams.
Arun ’23 Recognized by Congressman Rutherford in U.S. Capitol Bolles alumna Ashvatha Arun ’23 met with U.S. Congressman John Rutherford in Washington, D.C., last summer on an expense-paid trip to celebrate her designation as the 2023 Congressional Art Competition winner for Florida’s Fifth Congressional District. Arun’s painting, titled “Eye of the Era,” was selected from among 77 pieces of art from 13 high schools across Duval and St. Johns counties. “Eye of the Era” is currently on display in the U.S. Capitol Building and can be enjoyed by visitors through next spring. “Each spring, I am honored to host the Congressional Art Competition for high schoolers across my district. Art enhances our culture and life experience, and the art competition allows us to recognize and encourage artistic talents across the United States,” Rutherford said. “I continue to be impressed by the talent and creativity of Northeast Florida’s high schoolers, and I am proud to show off Ashvatha’s outstanding artwork this coming year in the U.S. Capitol.”
Kavon Miller ’23, Reed Collins ’22, and Simon Brackin ’20 Jenna Mulligan, a senior gymnast at the University of Michigan, earned a full scholarship after being a walk-on member of the team for her first three seasons. See sidebar on page 80.
Special recognition also belongs to Arun’s classmate Lars Jendruschewitz ’23, who took second place in the competition for his stunning picture titled “Spring Sunrise.” He won a monetary prize for his photograph and was honored alongside Arun at a local reception held May 2. The Congressional Art Competition was created in 1982 to foster creativity and showcase high school students’ talent. All entries are original in design, concept and execution in categories such as painting, drawing, print and more.
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Jackson Baumeister ’21
Heck ’23 Named to All-USA Today Team
Several Bolles Cross Country alumni competed well in the collegiate postseason, helping their respective teams to success at the conference, regional and national levels, including Maxine Montoya, Matthew McClure ’22, Jillian Candelino ’23, Elizabeth Csikai ’23, Ella Mickler ’23, Andrew McGraw ’23 and Matthew Thomas ’23. See sidebar on page 83.
Recent Bolles graduate Will Heck ’23 was named to the 2022-23 All-USA TODAY Boys’ Swimming & Diving Team, announced July 11.
Izzy Kimberly, Avery Patterson ’20 and Aubrey Ramey ’20 played in the NCAA Division I Championships with Patterson and Ramey earning conference honors for their successful seasons. See sidebar on page 81.
Heck swam the top time in the nation in the 100 breast and was part of the second-ranked 200 medley relay. He also earned All-American honors in the 200 IM and 200 free relay and won state titles in the 100 breast and 200 medley relay. Heck has continued his swimming career at North Carolina State University.
Caden Fordham and Wolfpack strength coach Brandon Howard ’01 celebrated North Carolina State University’s win over the Clemson Tigers on October 28 in Carter-Finley Stadium. Howard was a member of Coach Corky Rogers ’98 state champion football team, and Fordham was a stellar player on Coach Matt Toblin’s Bulldog squad. See picture on page 73.
2020 (cont.) Avery Patterson, Aubrey Ramey and Izzy Kimberly ’21 played in the NCAA Division I Championships with Patterson and Ramey earning conference honors for their successful seasons. See sidebar on page 81. Tyler Popp stopped by the San Jose Campus in August to visit with teachers and learn more about the benefits of joining the Bolles Alumni Association. At Bolles, Tyler was a member of the Latin Club and enjoyed running for Coach Mike Rivera’s cross country team. He was also a member of Dr. Jim Lieb’s Bulldog soccer squad. Tyler is currently studying economics and Japanese at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, and expects to be working in Japan after graduation. 2021 Jackson Baumeister was selected 63rd overall in the 2023 Major League Baseball draft by the Baltimore Orioles. Baumeister recently completed his sophomore season as a starting pitcher for the Florida State University baseball team. He earned Third Team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors with a 5-5 record, 5.09 ERA and 95 strikeouts in 69.0 innings for the Seminoles.
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2022 Class Representative: Yasmeen Ibrahim yas.ibrhm23@gmail.com Andres Dupont Cabrera, representing Mexico, placed 18th in the heats of the 4x100 mixed medley and 4x100 medley relays and 19th in the heats of the mixed 4x100 free relay at the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan on July 22-30. See sidebar on page 72. Martin Espernberger of Austria placed 20th in the heats of the 200 fly at the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan on July 22-30. He also posted an Olympic Qualification Time (OQT) in the men’s 200 fly at the U.S. Open Championships in Greensboro, North Carolina, on December 2. See sidebar on page 84. Several Bolles Cross Country alumni competed well in the collegiate postseason, helping their respective teams to success at the conference, regional and national levels, including Matthew McClure, Maxine Montoya ’21, Jillian Candelino ’23, Elizabeth Csikai ’23, Ella Mickler ’23, Andrew McGraw ’23 and Matthew Thomas ’23. See sidebar on page 83. There was a mini-Bulldog reunion at Powers Field at the Princeton University Stadium in October. The Princeton Tigers and Bolles
grads Simon Brackin ’20 and Kavon Miller ’23 hosted fellow Bulldog teammate Reed Collins of the Lafayette Leopards in New Jersey. All three young men were stellar student-athletes at Bolles and major contributors on Coach Matt Toblin’s Bulldog football teams. See picture on page 85. In addition to coaching soccer at Bolles, Lincoln Hunt served his first season as a college assistant coach this fall with Trinity Baptist College. Focusing primarily on the goalkeepers and defensive unit, he helped lead the Eagles to the NCCAA Division II South Region Semifinals with the team achieving a season high national ranking of #6. He also currently serves as a goalkeeper coach at Florida Elite Soccer Academy, where he has also played two seasons for their USL League Two men’s pre-professional team. In late September, Hunt signed a professional contract with Club de Lyon FC of the National Independent Soccer Association, a league that falls on the third level of the American professional soccer pyramid. He joined the team for the final five games of their season, making his professional debut in the club’s final match of the season. Hunt joined Jay Bolt ’13 as the second Bolles alum to play soccer professionally. Most recently, he launched Gold Star Goalkeeping LLC, a sports apparel brand with a primary focus on soccer goalkeeper gloves.
Quirk ’23 Named to USRowing Scholastic Honor Roll Recent Bolles graduate Sophia Quirk ’23 was named to USRowing’s Class of 2023 Scholastic Honor Roll, a recognition of high school seniors who have excelled in both academics and rowing. Candidates must be USRowing members, have rowed or coxed at least one year, and successfully competed at or above the league or regional level. Quirk was named to the Honor Roll in 2022 as well.
Lincoln Hunt ’22 2023 Ashvatha Arun met with U.S. Congressman John Rutherford in Washington, D.C., last summer on an expense-paid trip to celebrate her designation as the 2023 Congressional Art Competition winner for Florida’s Fifth Congressional District. Special recognition also belongs to Arun’s classmate Lars Jendruschewitz, who took second place in the competition. See sidebar on page 85. Will Heck was named to the 2022-23 All-USA TODAY Boys’ Swimming & Diving Team, announced July 11. See sidebar on page 86. Sophia Quirk was named to USRowing’s Class of 2023 Scholastic Honor Roll, a recognition of high school seniors who have excelled in both academics and rowing. See sidebar on right. Jamaica’s Sabrina Lyn placed 36th in the heats of the 100 fly and 43rd in the 100 free at the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan on July 22-30. See sidebar on page 72.
Quirk was a part of the Bolles U19 double that qualified for nationals with a second-place finish at the Southeast Youth Championships in May. As part of the Varsity 2x boat, she won a district title and placed fourth at the sculling state regatta. Quirk also helped the 1st Varsity 8+ win the petite final at the sweep state regatta. Quirk has continued her rowing career in college at the University of San Diego.
Several Bolles Cross Country alumni competed well in the collegiate postseason, helping their respective teams to success at the conference, regional and national levels, including Jillian Candelino, Elizabeth Csikai, Ella Mickler, Andrew McGraw, Matthew Thomas, Maxine Montoya ’21 and Matthew McClure ’22. See sidebar on page 83. There was a mini-Bulldog reunion at Powers Field at the Princeton University Stadium in October. The Princeton Tigers and Bolles grads Simon Brackin ’20 and Kavon Miller hosted fellow Bulldog teammate Reed Collins ’22 of the Lafayette Leopards in New Jersey. All three young men were stellar student-athletes at Bolles and major contributors on Coach Matt Toblin’s Bulldog football teams. See picture on page 85.
winter 2023-24
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Births
Deceased
Whitney Korchun West ’99 and Tom West Francis “Ford” Thomas West IV
William Max Warner ’45
Allison Dewan Giebink ’07 and James Giebink Rory McKenzie Giebink
Margaret Murchison Corse ’46 Bartram
Bobby Triglia ’07 and Anna Triglia Vivian Marie Triglia William Bolling Cranford ’10 and Blair Cranford Darsey Evelyn Cranford Bo Boswell ’11 and Lainie Hyman Boswell ’11 Sophie Jane Boswell
Engagements Jordan Bolch ’04 and Jessica Brown Rawan Farah ’16 and Eddie Salem ’09
Marriage Evan Rosenberg ’07 and Brittany Ufret Alicia Bishop ’09 and John Hinchee
Mary Ann Shands Bryan ’46 Bartram
Harry Ezekiel Bennett Jr. ’52 Samuel Austin McKay Bishop ’52 Robert Wendell Sheppard ’53 Harry M. deMontmollin Jr. ’56 Alberto Rodriguez Larrea ’57 John Willis Hofen ’58 James Romaine Lindsley ’58 S. Thompson “Tom” Tygart Jr. ’58 Robert Oliver Wilhelm ’67 Daniel Currie Sears ’70 Tony Stone Baker ’71 Cathy Jean Dennis ’72 Bartram
Causey Dunlap ’10 and Ryan Hebel
Stephen Hugh White ’73
R. Elizabeth “Lizzie” Meadows ’13 and Cameron Barnes
Stephanie Stratford Keezel ’77
Jacqueline Flynn ’13 and Jack Digney
Stephen Wayne Presser ’77
Ryan Murphy ’13 and Bridget Konttinen Naomi O’Leary ’13 and Brian Bolze Margaret Willetts ’13 and Michael Gallagher Cody Boswell ’14 and Rachel Duffy ’14
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Lindsay English Speer ’05
G N I ! M CO OON N G S RI
2024
Key Dates JANUARY
January 8
Classes Resume
Future IS NOW.
SP 024 2
A CAMPAIGN FOR
FEBRUARY
January 15
Martin Luther King Jr. Day/School Closed
January 18
Bolles on the Road, Alumni Event in Atlanta
February 7
Bolles on the Road, Alumni Event in Los Angeles
February 8
Bolles on the Road, Alumni Event in San Francisco
February 16
LS/MS/US Professional Development Day No Classes
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
February 19
President’s Day/School Closed
February 29
Bolles on the Road, Alumni Event in Orlando
March 11-15
Spring Break
March 18
Faculty Workday/No Classes
March 27
Bolles on the Road, Alumni Event in Charlotte
March 29-
Holiday Break
April 1 April 26
Break/School Closed
May 2024
Bolles on the Road, Alumni Event in Birmingham
May 2024
Bolles on the Road, Alumni Event in Nashville
May 24
Last Day of School
May 25
Graduation
May 27
Memorial Day/School Closed
THE BOLLES SCHOOL
Ad to Be Sent
Join us for the conclusion of “The Future is Now Campaign” and Grand Opening of the Frank R. Sanchez & Hope and Dana E. Fender Center for Innovation Enjoy an evening of celebration, enlightenment and fireworks!
SPRING 2024 Frank R. Sanchez & Hope and Dana E. Fender Center for Innovation Upper School San Jose Campus INVITATION TO COME
Non-discriminatory clause: The Bolles School admits students of any race, color and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally available to students at the School. It does not discriminate in administering educational policies or other school programs. This School is
Your admission to this memorable event is your best gift to the Bolles Annual Fund. Give at Bolles.org/support or scan the QR code here.
authorized under Federal law to enroll non-immigrant students.
Adults Only
7400 San Jose Boulevard Jacksonville, Florida 32217 Change Service Requested DATED MATERIAL, PLEASE DELIVER ASAP
Coming soon! The Frank R. Sanchez & Hope and Dana E. Fender Center for Innovation opens spring 2024. LEARN MORE ON PAGE 4.