From the President and
Head of School As we enter into the new calendar year, I believe it is important to take time to reflect on the community we are all privileged to be a part of. I for one love being part of something much bigger than me and am extremely cognizant that I am able to do what I do thanks to the hard work of those who preceded me. In this humble spirit, I recently read Tim Elmore’s remarkable book, “Marching Off the Map,” which is all about how today’s school leaders should be reaching backward and forward at the same time. As I ruminate on how Bolles can best prepare students for an unknown future while also maintaining the quintessential aspects of the School that make us unique, I’ve found myself moving away from more traditional approaches and instead have started asking different questions with the intent to backwards design. In that light….
Now obviously, I have no crystal ball. I do, however, enjoy spending time trying to think and discover what this all might look like. We first must acknowledge that education has changed remarkably since 2001 — the year most of our current seniors were born. Students no longer need to attend schools such as Bolles solely to receive and learn content or even to get into college. (Thank you iPhone, Google and the internet.) Instead, we know that skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creativity will be at a premium in the future and therefore must be at the forefront of our teaching and learning. Our goal obviously is to create a culture and environment that equips an emerging generation to take their place in history. So what does this mean at Bolles as we enter into our next five-year strategic planning process? At Bolles we want to lead the way and never settle. This means a relentless commitment to The Bolles Way and the core values of excellence, courage, integrity and compassion. This means planning for an educational PK–12 experience that prepares graduates for anything that life might throw at them. Our individualized approach, PK–12 curriculum, multiple campuses and singular philosophy are huge advantages that we must continue to maximize. Doing so, however, will necessitate teaching and leading with different methods than what we used for the past century. The Bolles experience will continue to evolve to include more experiential and relevant learning opportunities, through lines that provide for student self-expression and increased potential for individual and group self-analysis and introspection. Our goal must remain to inspire lifelong learners, but we will do so now by seeking to pull ambition out of our students rather than by pushing information into them. In the words of Marcus Buckingham (and echoed by other thought leaders), “our role is to create space for students to have opportunities to succeed and fail.” This means seeing each child for who they are and what they can become and not what we want or expect them to be. Our job is not to remove hurdles or fix problems but instead to help our students face challenges, persevere and by extension experience genuine success and meaningful growth. I firmly believe that we must think boldly and act strategically to rethink education in order to best prepare our students for life. In doing so, we can continue to help them become the best possible versions of themselves and lead lives of reflection, learning and service. This is a crucial and exciting time for Bolles, Jacksonville, our nation, and the world. Concurrently looking backwards and forwards is never easy, but I have complete faith in our community to do so. In fact, doing so is in our DNA. Additionally, as an independent school, we are uniquely positioned to do so because we are well…independent. Our strategic planning process aligns us with best practices for schools to constantly evolve, not for the sake of change, but in order to consistently deliver upon their mission and vision. As a result, the #ThisIsBolles of 2019 should and will look different than the #ThisIsBolles of 2020 and in subsequent years. It should, because if it does not, we will no longer be serving our students in the fullest capacity.
What if the future could speak to us? What would our kids tell us 20 years from now? What would they say they wish they had gotten more of while at Bolles? What will they be doing?
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Tyler Hodges President and Head of School
From the
Chairman of the Board To Our Bolles Family: It is an honor to be your Bolles Board of Trustees Chairman as our School advances into such an exciting time of growth, innovation and strategic development. I can say without any hesitation that Bolles is on a fantastic and formidable trajectory. I have watched this develop during my multidecade Bolles experience, which began as a student and continues today in my roles as parent, school leader and volunteer. I have seen Bolles move from a position of academic, artistic and athletic strength to one that sets the standard for independent schools across the country. And now here we are, laying the groundwork for an even loftier future that prepares students for college and life at the highest levels. We have been studying this future vigorously with Marts & Lundy Senior Consultant Kathy Hanson, who has been working with our team during the past year to develop a new Strategic Plan. We have been conducting surveys with parents, alumni and senior students to elicit feedback and generate discussion points for focus groups. Information from these focus groups, as well as the surveys, will serve as the foundation of the Strategic Planning Committee’s work.
The overriding goal of our strategic planning efforts is to move forward the Bolles experience in all areas of student life. Two of the most compelling developments that have emerged are plans for a new STEM building and a new swimming and diving complex on the Bolles Upper School San Jose Campus. Fundraising for both projects has been moving along at a fevered pace. We are preparing to initiate construction of these facilities as soon as possible, bringing academic and athletic advancement to our more immediate horizon. This momentum speaks volumes about the tremendous support our Bolles community has for this important work. I hope you will join me and the Bolles leadership team on this exciting path forward. Thank you for all you do to contribute and support our School’s important mission. If you would like to learn more about our plans for the future, do not hesitate to reach out to me or any one of our incredible school administrators or board members. This is an exciting time to stir meaningful change for future students. This is what we do best. #ThisIsBolles
Fernando Acosta-Rua ’85
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2019-20 Bolles Board
of Trustees
Fernando Acosta-Rua ’85 Chair
A. Chester Skinner IV ’98
Russell Newton III Vice Chair
Karen Stone
Preeti Swani Secretary
Mark Travis ’80
Tyler J. Hodges President/Head of School
Ex-Officio Members
Trustees Charles W. Arnold III ’86 Elizabeth A. Coffman ’83 Anika Goel Comar Robert Crosby Rahul Deshmukh ’89 Aubrey Edge Steven Gold ’95 Brittany Groover
George Stelljes III ’80 Charles Tomm A. Rodney VanPelt ’73
Adam Edgecombe ’98 Alumni Board, Chair Marcia Howard ’83 Board of Visitors, Chair Jacque McGraw Parent Association, Co-Chair John McGraw Parent Association, Co-Chair
President Emeritus
Ricardo Morales III ’81
Harry M. deMontmollin Jr. ’56
C. Daniel Rice ’80
Trustees Emeriti
Tatiana Salvador ’86 John Schickel Jr. ’88 Allison Korman Shelton ’94
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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 Herman Ulmer Jr. ’37 Deceased George W. Varn ’38 W. Lester Varn Jr. ’42 E. Ellis Zahra Jr. ’64
#ThisIsBolles BOARD OF TRUSTEES This is Bolles:
Chet Skinner ’98 This is Chet Skinner ’98. He’s a twin, a father of twins, a Bolles trustee and a basketball coach among many other distinct personas. What you might not know about Skinner is that he moved out to Wyoming for four months to work at the A Bar A Ranch following his graduation from Sewanee: The University of the South. While out west, he enjoyed an incredible summer herding horses and cattle, fly-fishing and even fighting a forest fire. Alas, he was rolled by a horse and broke his collarbone — sending him back to Jacksonville earlier than expected, but in great timing — he met wife, Sarah just a month later. Now, the pair is raising four children, all students on the Bolles Lower School Whitehurst Campus. Skinner enjoys seeing his Bolles perspective through another lens. “Going to school at Bolles myself for 13 years and now having the joy of being a parent of four lower school kids, I have seen the way that Bolles challenges students in both their strengths and weaknesses in order to become a complete student and individual. The well-rounded approach, from academics to athletics to fine arts to the students understanding of their civic responsibility and place in the community, is truly unique. This a community unlike many schools and one that I am proud to be a part of.” #ThisIsBolles
This is Bolles:
Elizabeth Coffman ’83 This is Elizabeth Coffman ’83. This Bolles trustee is an award-winning filmmaker, documentary scholar and Loyola University Chicago professor in the School of Communication. Her film, “Flannery,” just won the first Ken Burns/Library of Congress/Lavine Family prize for a historical documentary. The film focused on Georgia writer Flannery O’Connor, someone Coffman respects highly. “With animations, never-before-seen archival footage and soul-raising music, ‘Flannery’ illustrates the biography of the brilliant, young writer from Georgia, U.S.A. Flannery O’Connor’s story is brought to life with Mary Steenburgen’s voice and through the eyes of Alice Walker, Tommy Lee Jones, Mary Karr, Tobias Wolff, Alice McDermott, Conan O’Brien, Mary Gordon and many more. These artists share their insights about O’Connor’s violent, redemptive work, while musicians—Lucinda Williams and Bruce Springsteen—share their Flannery-inspired music in this feature-length, NEH-funded film,” according to a project description. For her work, Coffman received the award in person at the Library of Congress in mid-October. As one who reflects on history, writers and environmental issues, Coffman shared perspective of her Bolles educational experience: “I love Bolles because it showed me that being smart and female was a cool thing.” This is the truth. #ThisIsBolles
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This is Bolles:
Mark Travis ’80 This is Mark Travis ’80. He is the President and CEO of Intrepid Capital and also sits on the Bolles Board of Trustees. Travis is a man of many talents and interests. He has surfed in Uluwatu, Bali as well as El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. He has been in the top 100 runners competing in the River Run with a personal best finish time of 54:12. He has a second-degree black belt in the martial art, Cuong Nhu. And this summer, he was on a three-man relay to swim around Key West. It’s not a surprise what his Bolles takeaway has been. “What I love about Bolles is you are taught to expect to win, whether that’s in the classroom or playing field. The preparation required for both brings good outcomes. As an employer of three Bolles grads — Matt Berquist ’93, Clay Kirkland ’01 and Tommy Issacs ’09 — I see how well-prepared they were by two important measures: academically (High IQ) and the emotional intelligence (EQ), which they gained through team competition — in their cases, both at Bolles and the college level.” This is what it takes to win. #ThisIsBolles
This is Bolles:
J.J. Schickel ’88 This is J.J. Schickel ’88 and he sits on the Bolles Board of Trustees. Children, Bear ’17 and Marley ’19, have come through Bolles in recent years and Schickel has enjoyed volunteering his leadership and expertise in various roles. This year was another special year for Schickel as the Bulldogs aimed for the state championship. It gave him opportunity to reflect on his own Bolles experience and achievements. Schickel was on the first Bolles football team to win a state championship. Go Bulldogs! The quality he most appreciates about Bolles now is the community diversity. “I love that we have students from more than 20 countries attending Bolles.” This is one of the School’s greatest strengths. #ThisIsBolles
This is Bolles:
Steve Gold ’95 This is Bolles Trustee Steve Gold ’95. He is the Chief Executive Officer of Refresh Mental Health. He has a background in law and earned a B.A. in History from Yale College and his J.D. and Masters of Public Health in Epidemiology from the University of Florida, as well as a Masters of Bioethics from the School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Gold’s educational experiences in larger cities, particularly Philadelphia and New York, provided him with easy access to a variety of ethnic cuisines which he loves — including Indian and Korean foods. His favorite cuisine? Ethiopian. Gold and wife Dr. Katherine Gold have four children and two attend school on the Bolles Lower School Ponte Vedra Beach Campus. He hopes his children enjoy the same kinds of friendships he relished as a Bolles student. “The many friendships I made at Bolles are lifelong and some of my closest friends are ones I met in my high school years at Bolles. The Bolles swimming coaches (Troy, Shofe, Wilby) and Science teachers (Matthews, Cortez, Spital) had a profound impact on my athletic and academic development. Bolles is unique in its ability to excel at both academics and athletics and the Bolles student athlete is truly well-rounded.” This is a common theme when describing our educational experience. #ThisIsBolles 6
#ThisIsBolles ACADEMICS New Courses, Online Learning, Global Connections Adding Richly to Bolles Experience With the goal of preparing students for college success and international fluencies, The Bolles School has been investing wisely in resources, partnerships and opportunities that are yielding extraordinary university-level, globally focused experiences for students. This year, academic leaders have introduced several new courses and programs including a sixth language offering in Arabic, Business Calculus, a study abroad course in England and dozens of online course offerings through the School’s new partnership with Global Online Academy (GOA).
“Our educational philosophy at Bolles begins with the belief that great students become great leaders, learners and well-rounded global citizens when we embrace students’ unique interests, passions and pursuits,” said President and Head of School Tyler Hodges. “These new courses, in conjunction with our incredible relationship with GOA help us do just that. We are committed to educating our students academically with a rigorous, robust and broad-based curriculum with the highest standards.”
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This is Bolles:
Michael Bachman This is Michael Bachman. He is the technology teacher on the Bolles Lower School Ponte Vedra Beach Campus. But more importantly, he is a new first-time father! This summer, he and his wife, Jessica welcomed their daughter, MJ, to this world. Michael has been working at Bolles for more than seven years, first serving all four campuses in the School’s IT department and later as a technology and computer teacher on the Ponte Vedra Beach Campus. It’s easy to see Michael enjoys being in the classroom. One of his most popular lessons is disassembling and reassembling a computer and showing even the youngest Pre-K students how to get onto their devices — troubleshooting knowledge that will surely benefit students as they compute their way through life. Michael also spins popular hits on the outdoor speakers before school starts on flag days. He gets the campus pumped — he jumpstarts the Bulldog spirit! Michael served our country as a Crypotolgic Maintenance Technician in the United States Navy. This new dad is a role model and friend to many in the Bolles family. #ThisIsBolles
Ylliah Jin ’21, one of Bolles’ six 2019 Mayo SPARK scholars, presents her research on “The Effects of EVs from MSCs on Cell Proliferation.”
Bolles employs several technology resources to help students achieve a familiarity with the college and university experience. Two years ago, the School was one of three high schools in the world and the only independent high school in the country to acquire an Anatomage virtual dissection table. The Anatomage table is a staple resource of leading medical
schools, healthcare institutions and universities all over the world. Table users are able to visualize a fully segmented 3D human anatomy system with accuracy and allows for exploration and learning of human anatomy “beyond what any cadaver could offer,” according to Anatomy teacher Piper Moyer-Shad ’91.
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Other technology resources include several 3D printers available to all students on all campuses, robotics labs, green screens, Tinkercad technology and special drafting computers and printers for art students. An iLab on the Bolles Lower School Ponte Vedra Campus and innovation curriculum on the Bolles Lower School Whitehurst Campus are honing students’ abilities to work collaboratively and creatively. Students are learning how to use these tools, and many others, through innovative technology course offerings including robotics, coding, game design and even through a new kinetic sculpture class that blends an understanding of coding and robotics with the creative expression of art. For the first time in school history, there are flourishing robotics team efforts underway on all four Bolles campuses. All competed at the state level last year and two competed nationally this summer.
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Medical science partnerships also are part of Bolles’ robust offerings for students. The School has enjoyed a unique educational partnership with Zimmer Biomet, a local firm which designs and manufactures musculoskeletal technologies and products for orthopedic surgeons. The company routinely hosts Bolles Anatomy students for visits to its North Jacksonville medical device factory for firsthand interactions with medical technology. An educational partnership with the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville has been ongoing since 2015. As part of this connection, Bolles Anatomy students enjoy visits to the hospital’s J. Wayne and Delores Barr Weaver Simulation Center, where they get to experience high tech medical training resources that build upon tools they utilize in their Bolles classrooms. “Our visits to Mayo provide students the opportunity to experience hands-on activities they would not encounter in a normal school
2019 Mayo SPARK Scholar Rishi Misra ’20 is participating in the program for the second consecutive year. setting conducted by medical experts,” said Bolles Science Department Chair Nancy Hazzard. “They have the opportunity to talk with these experts and ask questions, giving them knowledge they would not normally have been exposed to in a high school setting.”
school and take in the vibrant culture. For the first time last year, Bolles students traveled to China for “The Panda Project,” a Spring Break volunteer opportunity with the Bifengxia Panda Preserve and Research Center.
Many students also participate in Mayo’s SPARK program.
Bolles’ commitment to science, technology and international experience is reflected in an upcoming capital campaign. The cornerstone of the campaign is a new Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Building that will provide space for 13 labs, 12 classrooms and dedicated space for robotics and other sciences.
International experiences and travel enhance the “real world” offerings for students. The School already is home to students from all the world — during the 2019–20 school year, students are at Bolles from nine states and 23 countries. In addition to the travel and exchange opportunities noted earlier, Bolles offers service trips to various places around the world. Some years, students travel to Guatemala to volunteer at a local
“We are moving forward with a clear understanding of what we need to do today for tomorrow’s successful students,” Hodges said.
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This is Bolles:
Maggie Stevens ’28 This is Maggie and she learned recently how to design, code and create on the Copeland Library’s 3D Maker-Bot replicator as part of her STEAM curriculum. She may be the “little sister” in her family of three brothers, but Maggie is pursuing her interests in big ways. During the third grade States Fair, she did an amazing job with her Pennsylvania display! Always with a signature smile and twinkle, Maggie is a positive teammate and friend. #ThisIsBolles
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This is Bolles:
Mark Meyers This is Mark Meyers. He is the much-loved robotics coach and technology teacher on the Bolles Middle School Bartram Campus. Mark tells his surprising story best. “I actually had never done robotics before I came to Bolles in 2014. I took over teaching technology and coaching robotics from Gloria Wood, who started the program many years ago. Previously, I worked in public and private schools for 10 years teaching special education and technology. Teaching is my second career. I was a software developer for 12 years in various companies in Tampa and Jacksonville before moving into teaching. I earned my Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science at the University of West Florida in 1992. My wife Ann and I have been married for 20 years and have been in Jacksonville since 1997. Our son Luke is a sixth-grader at Bartram and our son Alex is a second-grader at Whitehurst. We have a 2-year-old labradoodle named Athena.� The robotics program at Bartram has grown to new heights since Meyers started in 2014. Here are some of the highlights: The number of students participating on the teams has nearly tripled. The team numbered seven students in 2014. This year, there were more than 20 students who came out for the team. There are now two middle school teams of 10. Six of the teams have reached the FIRST Lego League Regional Championship Two of the middle school teams have reached the FLL state championship One of the teams reached the FLL International Invitational tournament The program has earned numerous awards: Robot Design, Programming, Research, Inspiration, Coach of the Year Bartram had a FIRST Tech Challenge team for two season that won Rookie Team of the Year. This team has now moved to the upper school Bartram also had a Seaperch underwater robotics team for two years Bartram hosted an FLL qualifying tournament and two FTC tournaments including the league championship This is incredible momentum in innovation and engineering. #ThisIsBolles
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This is Bolles:
College Counseling
This is Bolles College Counseling Director Daphne Vagenas. She came into the lead role this summer after 19 years at Bolles, most recently as Senior Associate Director of College Counseling. Vagenas and the restructured college counseling team have made amendments to the counseling schedule and advanced the department’s software capabilities to better serve Bolles students and families in their college search. Plans also are underway to better utilize the department’s office space for student research, meetings and college representative visits. “I feel so energized with this group, everyone is generating new ideas and ways we can adapt our existing program and update it to make us more effective in our work,” Vagenas said. “This is an exciting time for our department, but even more so for the families and students we work with each day.” During the past 14 months, three college counselors have joined the department. Bolles Assistant Director of College Counseling Julie Moloney began her Bolles career during the 2018–19 school year and also serves the School’s mission as its first Global Online Academy Site Director. Jacksonville natives Dr. Jack Fitch and Danielle Leach joined the department as assistant directors of college counseling this spring following a national search that yielded many strong candidates. Together, Vagenas and the college counselors investigated the idea of moving from the Naviance college and career readiness software provider to a new, more user-friendly system called SCOIR. College admission colleagues around the country have begun using the new software, which is similar to Naviance but allows more interface for students and parents and a more fluid document submission process for college counselors. Leaning on the perspective and experiences of their vast professional network, the department made the decision to switch from Naviance to SCOIR beginning with the junior class this fall. The new system will allow students and parents the ability to access scattergrams on students’ fit at colleges and universities around the world. “With Naviance, parents had to sit with the counselor to see scattergrams,” Vagenas said. “SCOIR gives us so many more options to discover and manage information.” With a strong team in place, the college counselors made several adjustments to their fall programming. Juniors now meet with their assigned college counselor in October, bumping up the initial pairing and relationshipbuilding by three months. Seniors also are required to attend Common Application workshops in the summer and early fall, which frees up the counselors to spend student meeting time on more specific issues and interests. Also, first drafts of seniors’ application essays are due much earlier in the school year to provide more structured time for counselors to review drafts and offer
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suggestions. Under this more managed arrangement, most seniors have completed the main portion of their Common Application by early October and are able to concentrate their attention on the individual colleges’ supplements. “By requiring everyone to go to a workshop, it saves our time to be more available for student appointments,” Vagenas said. “And the workshops also give everyone in our department the opportunity to get to know all of the seniors, not just the ones we are advising. It’s been a real positive.” The last change for the department is a physical one. The staff would like to see the Office of College Counseling become a place where students can feel comfortable, relax with material and do research. So far, they have recycled three desktops and donated workstations and hope to add small tables and chairs for student use. They also are looking at the possibility of installing new technology in the college counseling conference room to enhance the capabilities to view webinars and other on-line resources. “Ultimately, we want to make the space more efficient and welcoming,” Vagenas said. The Bolles Office of College Counseling is one of the most important parts of the Bolles experience. The counselors work together to offer personal attention for each student as they help them conduct a college search that is unique to their needs and desires, and those of their parents. “Because of that individual care, we are able to build relationships with our advisees, which allows us to guide our students in building a list of colleges we think would be good fits for them and then help them share their story with the colleges to which they apply,” Vagenas said. “Our students have such wonderful academic and extracurricular experiences here at Bolles and it is our responsibility to ensure that they effectively present themselves to those colleges in their applications. This is a great partnership!” . #ThisIsBolles
This is Bolles:
Avery Patterson ’20 and Fatima Samb ’20 Please meet Avery Patterson and Fatima Samb, two of our incredible seniors from the Class of 2020. Avery is an avid and determined soccer midfielder who played an integral role on the state championship Bolles girls’ soccer team. This win marked the 136th state title in the School’s history and the team’s eighth overall and she hopes to lead the Bulldogs to another title this season! She and several other classmates were celebrated as 2019 Best of All-First Coast Preps honorees. Avery is high energy and friendly, and recently visited the Mayo Simulation Center as part of her Anatomy class. Avery will continue her soccer career at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Classmate Fatima also took Anatomy last year and visited Mayo to fulfill her interest in science. She, too, was recognized as a leading athlete at the All-First Coast Preps banquet for her volleyball accomplishments. A friend to many, Fatima has represented her class and led the school’s Honor Council throughout her upper school experience. She also enjoys taking art classes and excels in her Spanish language studies. Fatima is committed to playing volleyball for Yale University. #ThisIsBolles winter 2019-20
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“We have spoken about how after the hustle and bustle of the lunchroom, this calm, quiet time really helps to re-center us,” Benitez said. “The kids love that they get to choose their own activity and they practice self-control by not talking to one another and staying in their seat. After the 10 minutes, the children are much more settled than if I would have tried to start a lesson right when we returned from lunch.” On the Bolles Lower School Ponte Vedra Beach Campus, third grade teacher Anne Fallon directs a “peaceful moment” several times a week. This idea evolved after Fallon noticed students seemed more anxious and were lacking developmentally appropriate independence.
Anne Fallon
“I realized it wasn’t coming from just one area of their lives, and chances are, it wasn’t going to go away anytime soon,” Fallon said. “In a world where we are overscheduled and overcommitted, even as young as lower elementary, I could see that there was a need in the classroom setting to encourage a sense of peace, self-awareness and reflection.” She said her idea for a quick break evolved into a peaceful moment after counsel and resources from campus guidance counselor Shelley Serafin and librarian Christina Karvounis. The peaceful moment Fallon now directs occurs three times a week usually after transitional times like lunch, recess or “overexcited” times. “Lately, I have given students a topic or ‘place to go in their mind’ whether it’s a walk on a nature trail or sitting by the ocean or a happy memory,” Fallon said.
Andrea Benitez
Classroom mindfulness techniques are helpful for older students as well. Chris Gebauer, a history teacher on the Bolles Upper School San Jose Campus often begins his classes with a reflective journal covering various topics — many of which stem from a quote of the day. He allows students a few moments to write in their journal and leaves time for sharing if students are interested. He also incorporates meditation and yoga on occasion into his World Religions class. “I believe being able to set the tone for class with a journal allows students to center themselves,” Gebauer said. “Although not all students are going to always be receptive to internal and reflective writing, I would say the majority of students find some relief or solace in being able to take a moment and think about their life.”
Lisa Drew
Chris Gebauer
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#ThisIsBolles ARTS Integrating the Art into Academic Experience Having a successful arts education program affects all areas of school life, including the development of conscientious human beings. “We have long known at Bolles what years of research has backed up, that involvement in the arts builds academic success, out-of-the box thinking, empathy and grit, and develops problemsolving skills,” said Bolles Fine and Performing Arts Director Laura Rippel, who is still in a state of elation after the successful, high-energy staging of “Mamma Mia!” the musical this fall. The Fine and Performing Arts Department at The Bolles School helps students discover, hone and expand their arts pursuits in the general areas of visual arts, dance, drama, chorus and band at the lower, middle and upper school levels. 100 percent of lower school students on both Bolles campuses participate in art events each
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school year and 80 percent of middle and upper school students integrate arts into their educational experience. The arts are closely connected to student classroom curriculum at the lower school levels. At the middle and upper school levels, students explore numerous opportunities to be onstage, dance, discover new visual art mediums, try instruments and sing. Almost every area of the arts also includes a service component, allowing students to give to the community through their passions. An upper school club called “Dancing with Love,” for example, provides an outlet for dancers to share their talent with patients in area hospitals and nursing homes. During the past one to two years, several enhancements have brought new dimension to the Bolles arts experience. Thanks to funding from the School’s annual fund, The Bolles Fund, the department was able to purchase new stage curtains for McGehee
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Auditorium on the Bolles Upper School San Jose Campus. Also, the visual arts program recently acquired new computers for drawing as well as state-of-the-art graphics-specific computers and software that are used in Bolles’ photography program, 2D program and in AP art classes. The photography department also acquired new digital cameras.
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Technology teacher Gloria Wood and local Steampunk art legend and longtime Bolles educator Jim Smith debuted a new class last year called Kinetic Sculpture — a fascinating blend of technology, coding and 3D art. From a visual perspective, students also have been using 3-D printers to create classroom projects. These academic pieces are often displayed in museum-like community
This is Bolles:
Jake McGraw ’21 This is Jake McGraw ’21. He is all about the arts at Bolles. He has been a member of the Bolles band since his sixth grade year at Bartram, where he began playing the flute. He has since participated in Jazz Band, Honor Band and even performed at the Bolles Lower School Whitehurst Campus Holiday program last year. He has been a middle school band officer and is currently on the Upper School Band leadership team. Jake also brings his passion for the arts to the stage through his pursuits in Bolles dance and drama. He has performed in every show available during his upper school experience, said Bolles Director of Fine and Performing Arts Laura Rippel, adding he is an avid music lover. “One time at a yard sale he found a Walkman and several mix tape cassettes for sale. He bought them so he could discover new music!” Having found a passion for performing in musicals at Bolles, over the summer he auditioned for and was cast in the FSCJ Summer Musical Production of “Newsies” with classmates Kris Stam ’21 and Gianluis Hernandez ’21 as well as Director Michael Lipp, an AP Physics teacher on the Bolles Upper School San Jose Campus. “He always has energy and passion!” Rippel said. “This kid is awesome.” #ThisIsBolles
This is Bolles:
Kenny Sogbesan ’20 This is Kenny Sogbesan ’20. Kenny started his Bolles experience as a third-grader on the Bolles Lower School Whitehurst Campus. He is a twin to Taiwo and their family is from Nigeria. Bolles Director of Dance Angela Blackledge said Kenny took his first dance class in the seventh grade on the Bolles Middle School Bartram Campus and “progressed as a dancer as fast as a rocket.” He joined the Bolles Dance Company the next year and received a scholarship to the prestigious Florida Dance in Tampa. Each summer following, Kenny has received scholarships to further his dance studies in acclaimed summer dance intensives. As a freshman, Kenny and classmates Aleia Lerner ’20 and Shelby Flanigan ’20 started a new Bolles club called “Dancing with Love.” The group travels to area nursing homes and hospitals to entertain patients through dance. Kenny now leads the group as its president and also is president of the Bolles Student Council. Blackledge said she believes Kenny will continue to dance and perhaps pursue work in physical therapy, “or something that is very closely related to dance and the physical capabilities of the human body.” She said guest artists who work with Bolles students during the year are always impressed with Kenny’s abilities. “They are impressed with all the Bolles dancers, but with Kenny’s amazing extensions, strength, hard work and leadership, they always notice him. He always shows so much heart. When Kenny graduates from Bolles, he is going to lift the dance world to new heights.” #ThisIsBolles
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This is Bolles:
Kris Stam ’21 This is Kris Stam ’21. Kris was destined to be a Bulldog. His father, Dr. Bryan Stam, graduated in 1991 and his brother, Brand, graduated in 2019. Both of his uncles went to Bolles, including Steven Stam ’00, a Bolles cross-country coach and English teacher, and Geoffrey Stam ’87. Cousins Sofi ’29 and Ethan ’33 are current students on the Lower School Whitehurst Campus and his aunt is Bolles Spanish teacher Adriana Stam! Kris first became interested in stage and the arts in third grade on the Bolles Lower School Ponte Vedra Beach Campus when he was cast as Wilbur in “Charlotte’s Web.” Since then, he has actively and enthusiastically shared his talents across the Bolles and Jacksonville performing arts community for nearly seven years. He has appeared in several Bolles performances including “High School Musical” and “Mamma Mia!” and also has performed at Disney’s “Candlelight Christmas.” Last summer, he was cast in the FSCJ Artist Series-sponsored production of “Newsies” at the Wilson Center for the Arts. At Bolles, Kris is a member of Hearts for the Arts and Characters for Care. #ThisIsBolles
This is Bolles:
Katie Fites ’21 This is Katie Fites ’21. She shines onstage in big, memorable ways. A member of the Bolles Dance Company for many years at Bolles, Katie was the lead role in last year’s fall performance of “High School Musical” and this year’s fall musical, “Mamma Mia!” Last spring, she enjoyed a trip to New York City. There she met up with Bolles dance alumna Lauren Yalango-Grant ’02 at Lauren’s workplace — the stage of Broadway mega-hit, “King Kong,” where Lauren is a lead dancer. #ThisIsBolles
This is Bolles:
Jessica Zeng ’21 Bolles pianist Jessica Zeng ’21 performed at Carnegie Hall last year. She performed as part of the American Protégé competition, in which she won the second-place spot in the piano solo category. Zeng was well prepared and ready for the task but had a few nerves about the performance. “I am trying really hard to not be nervous, but I am really excited about the opportunity,” Zeng said during an afternoon practice on the grand piano in Bolles Hall before her event last year. While Zeng has been playing the piano for more than 10 years, it is not her only talent. Longtime Bolles Fine and Performing Arts teacher Don Bied said she demonstrates the same extraordinary talents in both drawing and painting. #ThisIsBolles
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#ThisIsBolles ACTIVITIES Activities, Service Provide Opportunities to Change the World At Bolles, service is at the core of almost everything students work toward in their Bolles experience. It’s a practice that begins early on at the lower school levels and is sharpened as students progress through middle school. By upper school, students are well educated on the importance of philanthropy, doing for others and how to organize for effective service work that makes a difference. “It’s always amazing to watch students manifest an understanding of philanthropy and see how it progresses and plays out in students’ lives,” said Bolles President and Head of School Tyler Hodges. “We would not be doing our job as school leaders if we were simply processing students who can achieve in the classroom, on the stage or on the field. It is imperative to send today’s young people out into the world with a sincere desire to make our communities better and with the experience and facility to implement it.”
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This is Bolles:
Avani Bansal ’21, Deiya Pandya ’22 and Nia Patel ’21 Please meet Deiya Pandya ’22, Avani Bansal ’21 and Nia Patel ’21. These three girls are part of a 16-person dance team called Teach Nachle that began three years ago. Avani’s sister Amber Bansal ’24 is part of the group, which also includes Bolles dancers Sahana Desai ’27, Annika Mirjankar ’24 and Aditi Ranjan ’23. The girls self-choreograph and perform Indian cultural dances for various local Indian events. Some performed at the annual Bolles Culture and Countries Fair and the lower school international event, “Whitehurst Wanders Our World” or WOW Day. These girls have a strong interest in their culture and the Bolles community is all the more robust because they are generous enough to share it. #ThisIsBolles
This is Bolles:
Dawson Carpenter ’20 This is Dawson Carpenter ’20, another star from the class of 2020 at Bolles. In this photo from last year, Dawson is enjoying an art class. But this “most amazing young man” also shines in another venue: in Davis Gym, on the basketball court. He is the Bolles Girls Basketball Manager. Better yet and more specifically, according to Associate Athletic Director and Head Varsity Girls Basketball Coach Kelly Stevenson, he is “the best manager in the world.” Always willing to help out in any capacity, Dawson is the kind of person whose happiness comes from making others happy. “He has so many great qualities and everyone loves him. Dawson is our practice player and continues to push the girls in every drill or scrimmage. On game days, he films the game for the team.” Dawson’s positive attitude, friendly demeanor, commitment to success and encouraging spirit has helped push the girls basketball team to new heights. At Bolles, students learn the importance of being part of a community — that there’s strength in being a hard worker on a great team! “The girls basketball program definitely wouldn’t be as successful without the hard work Dawson provides every day,” Steven said. This is what it means to be part of the Bolles family. #ThisIsBolles
This is Bolles:
David Adewale ’21 This is David Adewale ’21. David is a wrestler, weightlifter and football athlete at The Bolles School. Earlier in the school year, he volunteered at a Special Olympics event at Atlantic Coast High School in the weightlifting events. Bolles English teacher Dawn Roland, who also was volunteering at the gym that day, was taken with David’s compassion and encouragement for the Special Olympics athletes. “He was a great representative of the Bolles spirit,” Roland said. “He was a model student and the athletes participating enjoyed talking with him. The people in the gym enjoyed working with David so much, they invited him to another event so they can visit with him again.” Service and serving others is at the foundation of the Bolles experience. This is the foundation of life. #ThisIsBolles
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#ThisIsBolles BOARDING Boarding Program Brings Global Perspective This school year, Bolles boarding students represent 23 countries and nine states. Their presence adds a rich layer of culture and international perspective to the Bolles community. The home countries of boys and girls in the Bolles boarding program this year include: Albania, Antigua & Barbuda, the Bahamas, Brazil, Canada, Cayman Island, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Thailand and Vietnam. A significant number of Bolles boarding students hail from the United States including cities in Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas. Students in the program enjoy camaraderie with all students in the Bolles community, but also have a special connection to their hallmates and Residential Life peers. They all participate in special outings, meals and events that make for a special family away from home. For a better peek into how these students enrich the Bolles community, make sure to follow @BollesResLife on Instagram and watch for special stories on Bolles.org.
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This is Bolles:
Klara Sitarova ’21 This is international boarding student, Klara Sitarova ’21. In her free time, this Czech Republic athlete enjoys jet surfing! This fall, she won third place in a local competition. Our Bolles family is comprised of so many talented individuals with myriad strengths, interests and pursuits. Learn more about the people we live and learn with every day at www.Bolles.org/Thisisbolles. #ThisIsBolles
This is Bolles:
Ashley Khoo ’20, Kara Gavin ’20, Leah DeGeorge ’20 and Alex Breuer ’22 This is a happy group of Bolles swimmers after a fall meet. Here we have Ashley Khoo ’20, a senior boarding student from Singapore; Kara Gavin ’20, a swimmer continuing her athletic pursuits at the Air Force Academy next year; Leah DeGeorge ‘20, a boarding student from Alaska who is headed to Gainesville next year to swim for the University of Florida; and Alex Breuer ’22 a local swimmer who brings joy to her team. This photo represents well “what makes our team great,” according to Bolles Head Coach and Aquatics Director Peter Verhoef. “They’re a really good cross section — they have different backgrounds, different futures and are different years in school — but they love to swim and compete together.” This is what makes our swimming community dynamic and successful. #ThisIsBolles
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#ThisIsBolles ATHLETICS Fall Sports Continue Tradition of Success The Bolles boys’ and girls’ swimming and diving teams continued their state title streaks, winning team titles at the 2019 Class 1A meet in Stuart on November 9. The boys won the program’s 32nd consecutive state title, extending the national record for straight titles, and 41st overall. The girls won the program’s 29th consecutive state title and 33rd overall. Both squads added district and region titles as well. Carly Schwab ’20 won the girls’ 100 breast in an All-American time of 1:01.76. Ansen Meyer ’21 won the boys’ 100 breast in an All-American consideration time of 56.33. The girls’ 200 medley relay team of Faith Khoo ’21, Carly Schwab ’20, Emily MacDonald ’21 and Sasha Ramey ’21 won in an All-American time of 1:43.43. The girls’ 200 free relay team of Manita Satianchokwisan ’22, MacDonald, Ramey and
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Adair Sand ’20 won in an All-American time of 1:33.61. The girls’ 400 free relay team of MacDonald, Satianchokwisan, Megan McGrath ’22 and Sand won in an All-American time of 3:23.18. Schwab was named Class 1A Girls’ Swimmer of the Year and Peter Verhoef was named Class 1A Coach of the Year in the Florida Dairy Farmers Sports Awards. The varsity football team concluded an impressive debut season for Head Coach Matt Toblin with an 11–2 overall record and the Class 4A State Runner-up trophy. The Bulldogs came up just short of the program’s 12th state title in an exciting but disappointing 25–21 loss to Booker T. Washington in Daytona on December 11. Bolles reached the state finals for the 18th time in program history and the first time since 2016. The Bulldogs still hold the state record for most championships, along with the most playoff appearances (35). Toblin was named Class 4A Coach of the Year in the Florida Dairy Farmers Sports Awards.
Ten Student-athletes Commit to Colleges Ten Bolles student-athletes were honored on November 13 for committing to a particular college or university to continue their athletic and academic careers. Family, friends, classmates, coaches and faculty gathered in Davis Gymnasium on the Upper School San Jose Campus to celebrate this well-deserved achievement. Athletic Director Matt Morris welcomed everyone and several coaches introduced their respective athletes. The following Bolles student-athletes were honored: Girls’ Soccer Olivia Candelino, Auburn University Avery Patterson, University of North Carolina Aubrey Ramey, DePaul University
The Bolles girls’ and boys’ cross country teams both finished as state runner-up in the Class 2A State Championship in Tallahassee on November 9. The girls finished in the top two in the team standings for the 12th straight year and in the top five for the 26th straight year. After losing the top five runners to graduation from last year’s championship team, the boys tallied the program’s fourth straight top-2 finish at state. The teams swept the team titles at both the Region 1-2A meet District 2-2A meet for the fifth straight season. The Bolles girls’ golf team placed eighth at the Class 1A state tournament at Mission Inn Resort & Club in Howey-in-the-Hills November 1–2. The girls’ team won region and district titles, winning the district for the seventh straight year and 19th overall. Chloe Schiavone ’20 was the individual medalist at the region and district tournaments.
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Swimming and Diving Rafael Ponce de Leon, University of Tennessee Leah DeGeorge, University of Florida Katie Jordan, Southern Methodist University Kara Gavin, United States Air Force Academy Adair Sand, University of Southern California Carly Schwab, University of Florida Girls’ Golf Chloe Schiavone, University of Notre Dame This was the first of three college commitment ceremonies planned at Bolles this school year to recognize studentathletes as they commit to colleges.
The Bolles volleyball team earned a berth in the playoffs in the first year under the new MaxPreps ranking system. The Bulldogs finished as runner-up in the District 4-4A tournament and tallied an 11–15 overall record. Highlights for the middle school sports teams included Bolles winning a middle school girls cross country state championship for the second year in a row and the boys placing second. Bolles also won the girls open race and placed second in the boys open race at the middle school state meet. The volleyball team won the Independent Middle School Conference volleyball tournament for the second time in program history.
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This is Bolles:
Laine Roberts ’20 This is Laine Roberts ’20 and she is a high-flier. The champion pole-vaulter was named All-First Coast Girls’ Track and Field Athlete-of-the-Year, the fourth straight year a Bolles girls’ track and field athlete has earned the honor. Known by her coaches and teammates as a hard-worker, Laine only started pole-vaulting five years ago. Laine has enjoyed studying Latin at Bolles, where her mom is Dean of Students on the Middle School Bartram Campus. With her senior year flying by, Laine recently announced she has made a big decision about her college choice. She has committed to continue her athletic pursuits at Vanderbilt University. Up, up and away! #ThisIsBolles
This is Bolles:
Ford Milne ’21 This is Ford Milne ’21. His family has been on the Bolles scene for generations — many Milnes and Risleys have been on the Bolles parent, grandparent or school leadership front over the years, and cousins and a sister have paved the way before him. Now it’s Ford’s turn to leave his mark on Bolles. Ford tried track and field for the first time last year after putting basketball on the backburner. The shot put has become one of his favorite athletic pursuits and Ford plans on focusing on the event much more this year. Football, however, is his favorite athletic activity at Bolles and he has enjoyed working with Coach Toblin. What a season it was! Off the field, Ford was challenged and inspired by history teacher, Cormac O’Riordan. #ThisIsBolles
This is Bolles:
Isha Swani ’21 This is Isha Swani ’21 and she is one of the top 15 equestrian riders in the country. Last year, Swani competed in the Washington National Horse Show, where she was named Reserve Champion and also received the Lyric Challenge Trophy for highest score. Her final show of the fall season was in Lexington, Kentucky, a competition exclusive to the country’s top riders. At The Bolles School, students develop interests in many specific areas of athletics, arts and academics and the School embraces these passions! As demonstrated in Swani’s incredible example, passion is the foundation of success no matter the area of interest — and Bolles is the place to hone it. This is an important part of an All Things Possible education. #ThisIsBolles
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This is Bolles:
Taiwo Sogbesan ’20 This is Taiwo Sogbesan ’20. Like his twin, Kenny, Taiwo has been attending Bolles since the third grade. He and Kenny both have shared their family’s Nigerian heritage through World Cultures & Countries Fair events over the years and have been active in student council leadership and mentoring opportunities. This fall, both young men were on the Homecoming Court! The twins, however, diverge in their physical pursuits. Where Kenny has exceled in dance, Taiwo has been focused on athletics — primarily Bolles football. He has been an integral part of the winning Bolles football team this season under Coach Toblin. But last year, the successful path was not so clear. Sidelined by injury, Taiwo found himself in search of new activities while he recovered. “He’s a kid with a generally cheerful attitude who is grateful for the opportunities that come his way, so he found other avenues for his energy and talents,” said Bolles Director of College Counseling Daphne Vagenas, explaining how Taiwo came to join a group of Junior Mentor students that already had been established. “It is a credit to his engaging personality and the respect his classmates have for him that he fit in seamlessly, taking on roles as assigned by other mentors with great enthusiasm. Without overstepping as a new addition to the group, Taiwo proved himself to be a leader, often clarifying a point during a lesson and displaying initiative when an activity didn’t go exactly as planned.” He also tried dance for the first time! In mid-December, Sogbesan was named first place winner of Mayor Lenny Curry’s “Tomorrow’s Leaders” essay contest. After a winning season in football and an opportunity to try new interests, Taiwo is looking forward to graduation and a bright future. #ThisIsBolles
Athletic Advancement at Bolles Gains Momentum As a Bolles alumnus, I am most proud of our students and how each one continues to thrive in all areas of campus life: academics, the performing arts, service and athletics. I am a firm believer that all four must fit together in order to maintain our stature as one of the top independent schools in the country. Our office is working diligently to restore the glory of past champions, inviting letter winners to campus and celebrating proud achievements from years ago. Generous patrons and alumni have taken notice and contributed to establishing named funds in support of the sports they played. In the past year, Bolles has received endowed gifts in honor of football, wrestling, track and field and lacrosse. For the first time, a girls’ athletic fund has been established. Athletics has brought honor and distinction to our School for many years. In
collaboration with students, I am working to help restore the B Club, a once proud tradition that began during the cadet era at Bolles. This society of student athletes worked together to preserve our rich history and tradition, and I look forward to its new rendition. It is my obligation and commitment to ensure we have resources in order to compete at the highest level and build everyday champions into the future. And with your continued support, we will continue to uphold our proud tradition of excellence and winning. My heartfelt thanks to those who believe in our mission and Go Bulldogs! Rahul Sharma ’03 Leadership Gift Officer sharmar@Bolles.org
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The A.C. Skinner Jr. ’40 Family with Corky Rogers
Corky Rogers Plaza Unveiled During Bold City Showcase Bulldog spirit was well pronounced on August 24 with a special tribute to former Bolles Head Football Coach Charles “Corky” Rogers. Longtime Bolles football supporter A. Chester Skinner Jr. ’40 and his family sponsored the construction of a new plaza honoring Rogers’ storied career. Located at the west entrance to the stadium, the plaza creates a new arrival point for fans and showcases Rogers’ legendary wins. The Skinner and Rogers families gathered at the plaza prior to the start of the Bolles vs. University Christian game on
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August 24. The game was the finale of the inaugural Bold City Showcase, an event created by Airstream Ventures, led by Founder/CEO and Bolles alumnus Alan Verlander ’90. At the end of the game’s first quarter, a crowd of cheerleaders, football players, alumni and family gathered around Skinner and Rogers at the 50-yard line. Bolles President and Head of School Tyler Hodges shared remarks on Rogers’ coaching history and announced the official opening of the plaza. “Coach Rogers’ name is listed in the National High School Hall of Fame, the Florida Sports Hall of Fame, Gator Bowl Hall of Fame, Florida High School Athletic Hall of Fame, National High School Coach of the Year and the Florida Coaches Association Hall of Fame, among many other honors. When Coach Rogers retired from Bolles in 2016, we knew we had to do something to commemorate such an outstanding career and influential person,” Hodges said. “The Skinner family, led by Mr. Chester Skinner Jr. from the class of 1940, stepped up to create a space to honor Coach Rogers’ important legacy. Thanks to their generosity, the new Corky Rogers Plaza was built — establishing an entirely new front entrance to our Skinner-Barco Stadium.” Rogers concluded the short ceremony with a few words about his experiences with the Bolles team. He recalled how the team would congregate at his house after the games to celebrate their win and team spirit. He also encouraged the crowds gathered around him and in the stadium to support the team and the School’s exciting new football chapter under the direction of Bolles Head Football Coach Matt Toblin. The dedication was a part of a festive day of high school football hosted on The San Jose Campus. The triple-header of games welcomed 21,204 fans from Bartram Trail, Lee, Mandarin, Atlantic Coast, University Christian and, of course, Bolles. In addition, fans tuned in to live broadcasts for the entire event on WJXT Channel 4 and 1010XL. Bolles enjoyed a strong presence in local media features throughout the week leading up the game as well.
The Rogers Family
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Athletic Endowment Luncheon Flexes Strength of Support Athletic patrons and supporters gathered at Epping Forest Yacht Club on September 26 for the second annual Bolles Athletics Endowment luncheon. Rahul Sharma ’03, an ardent advocate for athletics, began the program with remarks about the School’s long-standing tradition as the best sports program in Florida and the need to remain competitive with funding and resources. President and Head of School Tyler Hodges, said athletic funding complements the School’s campus master plan and allows student-athletes to achieve the best version of themselves. Bolles Board Chairman Fernando Acosta-Rua ’85, a three-sport varsity letterman, endorsed athletic contributions to our sports programs as a critical component to building School’s endowment and ensuring Bolles’ legacy and reputation. In an effort to promote both boys and girls varsity athletics, Associate Athletic Director and Girls Basketball Coach Kelly Stevenson thanked donors for their support. She reflected on
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how coaches, such as the late Elise Bush, mentored her so she could have a similar impact and find success on her own. Sharma provided an update on the School’s $25 million athletic capital fundraising goal. New endowments have been created, most recently, for the sport(s) of football, wrestling, track and field and lacrosse — culminating in nearly $2 million in raised funds. A patron who exuded passion and a commitment to funding Bolles athletics was parent Scott Witt. He talked about accepting Sharma’s challenge of raising critical funds and inspired others to do the same. Witt, a current parent to Abigail ’20 (Cross Country and Track & Field) and Jacob ’22 (Wrestling and Weightlifting), has been a tremendous support. His recent gifts towards the renovation of the wrestling practice room have enabled student-athletes to compete at a high level.
From the
Parent Association Co-Chairs John and I are honored and thrilled to be Executive Co-Chairs of the Parent Association this year. The Bolles Parent Association is a pillar of support and service to the Bolles School and has been for almost 60 years. The keys to our strong Parent Association are its dedicated Parent Association Committee members, support from the School Administration, our wonderful teachers and most importantly, the parent volunteers. The countless hours given by the amazing families of our School are vital to the success of the Parent Association. By year’s end, Bolles parents and families will have invested over 10,000 hours of volunteer work to ensure all of the PA events and projects are staffed and overflowing with enthusiasm and pride in our School.
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The Parent Association has been very busy! The year began with the New Parent Committee welcoming new families on all four campuses. Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten students were treated to a Splash Party on either the Whitehurst or Ponte Vedra Beach Campus. New parents from all four campuses were welcomed with a reception in Bolles Hall. The Senior Class parents held the traditional Senior breakfast on the first day of school to welcome the Seniors to their last year. Fun and good food was had by all in attendance. Faculty and Staff Appreciation committees from all four campuses held welcome back breakfasts for the faculty and staff as a nice way to start the year.
We Love Bolles Grandparents! Grandparents’ Day is a two-day annual event sponsored by the Bolles Parent Association on all four Bolles campuses. Grandparents’ Day events on the Bolles Lower School Whitehurst Campus and Upper School San Jose Campus were held Thursday, November 21. Grandparents’ Day events on the Bolles Lower School Ponte Vedra Beach Campus and Middle School Bartram Campus were held Friday, November 22. Each campus event included a gathering of grandparents for student performances and words from school leadership, followed by a reception and time with students on campus or in their classrooms. We love Bolles grandparents!
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The Painted Duck Calls Atlanta Alumni for Gathering Bolles alumni in Atlanta convened at popular hotspot, The Painted Duck, November 7 for a casual gathering. Attendees hailed from a wide range of graduating class years – from 1985 to 2015. Bolles advancement and alumni representatives Rahul Sharma ’03 and Ryan Trevett ’99 hosted the event. The weather didn’t dampen any Bulldog spirit and the Bolles Alumni Office already is planning a return trip in 2020. A big thank you to all Bolles Atlanta alumni who came out to support their #BollesFamily!
Bolles Honors 1989 Volleyball State Champs Members of the 1989 state championship volleyball team returned to Davis Gym on the Upper School San Jose Campus September 19 as the School honored the 30th anniversary of their achievement. In attendance were Stephanie Gentry Burns ’90, Erin Hadlow Bryan ’90, Natale Washington Blackwell ’90, Sarah Meadows Brown ’91, Kelly Brill Jones ’92, Corrie Hurtz Labyak ’92, Sujata Narayan Mody ’92 and Melinda Washington Lekas ’92, along with longtime Bolles faculty member and former assistant coach Debbie Caruso and faculty member Vicki Gafford. The group was recognized prior to the Bolles varsity volleyball match against Bishop Kenny. The 1989 Bolles volleyball team defeated Ransom Everglades to win the program’s first state title, also beating Nease, Crescent City and Clearwater Central Catholic on their way to the Class 2A Final. On the season, the Bulldogs posted a 21-4-1 record. The team was led by the late head coach Elise Bush, who was posthumously inducted into the FHSAA Hall of Fame on Sunday, September 22, in Gainesville.
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Bartram
Alumnae Notes
#TBT 1980
’40s
1942 Class Representative: Helen Murchison Lane (904) 389-1801 | Helen3790 @aol.com
Trustee Emerita: Helen Murchison Lane 1945 Class Representative: Marion Whatley Cowart (850) 385-1911
1956 Class Representative: Louise Adams Ropp (904) 737-3373 | weezier@comcast.net 1959 Class Representative: Linda Burbridge Knight (904) 655-4820 | lbksr@comcast.net
1949 Class Representative: Anne Monroe Poidevant (904) 264-8977
’50s
1951 Class Representative: Frances Watts McCurry (904) 384-6230 | fmccurry@comcast.net
1953 Class Representative: Jane Howard Chadbourne (904) 396-3821 | jachadbourne@aol.com Richard C. Thalleen passed away on December 31, 2019. 1955 Class Representative: Beverly Brett Warren bbrettw@hotmail.com Trustee Emerita: Ann Curry Hicks
#TBT 1955
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’60s
1961 Class Representative: Meriel Traylor Rucker (843) 881-7939
1964 Class Representative: Missie Graham Sarra LePrell (904) 803-4141 | Missie@missiesold.com 1966 Class Representative: Marcia Caribaltes Hughes (303) 680-6636 | marciachughes@yahoo.com Mignon Upchurch Beranek passed away on November 29, 2019.
#TBT
1968 Class Representative: Judy Goins Quick (205) 669-6862 | jgquick@bellsouth.net
1980 1969 Class Representative: Virginia Conley Pappas (215) 843-9751 | virginiacpappas@gmail.com
’70s
1970 Class Representative: Elizabeth Colledge elcolledge@yahoo.com
In addition to Alumni Weekend’s May 1–2, 2020, 50th Reunion Gathering, Elizabeth Colledge will be hosting a gathering on Friday, January 24 in Jacksonville. Please contact her at elcolledge@yahoo.com for more information. Anne Witherspoon Beard died peacefully in her home on December 25, 2019.
1971 Class Representative: Kerry Lee Byron Ehrlich (352) 281-4010 | klehrlich@cox.net 1973 Class Representative: Barbara Arnold Pickett (904) 388-5994 | bsap00@comcast.net 1974 Class Representative: Joann Ferguson Purdie (904) 389-1007 | jpurdie@springfieldcapital.com 1975 Class Representative: Marnie Law George (850) 386-3060 | marnie@thegeorgegroup.com Board of Visitors: Marnie Law George 1976 Class Representative: Virginia Ferguson McNulty (904) 384-7777 | virginia@mcnulty.tv 1979 Class Representative: Jennifer Williams Wiegand (954) 727-5091
’80s
1980 Class Representative: Hilda Pendleton Fenton (978) 462-1502 | mafenton@hotmail.com
1981 Class Representative: Susan Williams Brodeur (904) 384-2148 | Susan_brodeur@ml.com 1982 Class Representative: Carmen Crenshaw-Hovey Switzerland 01141-1-720-49-11 | carmencrenshaw@msn.com
#TBT 1991
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1983 Class Representative: Rebecca Faircloth McNeil (904) 389-7334 | marvmcneil@bellsouth.net 1986 Class Representative: A. Patricia (Tricia) Helwig Todd (904) 387-0160 | phtodd@helwigandtodd.com 1988 Class Representative: Rebecca (Becky) Martin Forbes (904) 221-4597 | rmf2ya@bellsouth net
#TBT 1991 1989 Class Representative: S. Courtney McCranie (904) 321-2222 | Mccranie2222@gmail.com Class Representative: Josephine (Josie) Bryan (904) 388-6807 | jbryan@stmarksdayschool.org
’90s #TBT 1991
1990 Class Representative: Grace Herzog Bryan (904) 389-0062 |bryan.grace@mayo.edu
1991 Class Representative: Jennifer Purino Hensley
#TBT 1980
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Bolles
Alumni Notes
#TBT 1955
’30s ’40s
1938 Trustee Emeritus: George W. Varn 1940 Trustee Emeritus: A. Chester Skinner Jr.
A.C. Skinner Jr. contributed a new addition to Skinner-Barco Stadium — Corky Rogers Plaza, which opened on August 24, 2019. See story on page 36.
#TBT 1955 1942 Trustee Emeritus: W. Lester Varn Jr. 1946 Class Representative: Fitzhugh (Hugh) Powell 2965 Forest Circle, Jacksonville, FL 32257-5617 (904) 733-3673 | powell@cwpowellins.com Trustee Emeritus: Quinn R. Barton Jr.
The A.C. Skinner Jr. ’40 Family
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Chester Skinner Jr. ’40 Team Makes Strong Showing This School Year– 10 Greats, 1 Grand A Chester Skinner Jr. ’40 has defined Bolles spirit for nearly 90 school years, supporting numerous campus projects and pushing Bulldog football to greatness over the decades with an historic and total commitment to the program. But this school year, another Bolles team is taking Skinner’s legacy to new heights — and they aren’t playing games. A squad of 10 great grandchildren and one grandson are currently enrolled at Bolles. Most of the great grandchildren attend the Bolles Lower School Whitehurst Campus and are the grandchildren of Skinner’s oldest son, Chip Skinner ’70. Chip continues to serve the school on the Board of Trustees and is the chair of the board’s buildings and grounds committee. Through Chip’s four children — twins Lindsay Eyrick ’98 and Chet Skinner ’98, Katie Farrar ’01 and Riley Skinner ’05 — Skinner has a robust squad of lower school family taking the field: Tyler Skinner ’30, Raegan Skinner ’30, Marshall Skinner ’28, Landon Skinner ’28, Clayt Skinner ’33, Bailey Eyrick ’31, Hattie Eyrick ’29, Molly Eyrick ’28, Bo Farrar ’29 and Tucker Farrar ’30. Son David’s youngest son, Carlton “Reese” Skinner ’21, is a junior on the Bolles Upper School San Jose Campus. Skinner has many other grandchildren who have graduated from Bolles over the years, including the children of Kathy ’72, David ’77 and Christopher ’80. All of Skinner’s children and many of his grandchildren and great grandchildren were present for the dedication of the new Corky Rogers Plaza, which Skinner sponsored and built this summer. Skinner has been a generous, kind supporter of Bolles since his early years as a battalion commander, class president, valedictorian and honor cadet in the Bolles Class of 1940. While a student at Bolles, he achieved the nickname “Moo” because his father operated a dairy farm and furnished the School with all its milk in exchange for
tuition. Skinner went on to Georgia Institute of Technology where he earned a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering degree with highest honors and later served in the Army designing, testing and assembling radar units. He also was employed as an engineer with Reynolds, Smith and Hills before starting and operating a dairy, Meadowbrook Farms, with his brother, Brightman ’43. Named a Bolles Trustee in 1961, Skinner was inducted into the Georgia Tech College of Carlton Engineering Hall of Fame in 1999 and has a long history of philanthropy in the Jacksonville community. Skinner’s love for Bolles has never wavered. In addition to helping coach the Bolles Bulldogs in their early years, Skinner has remained a close supporter of the team and its coaches over the years. His assistance to Bolles, however, has been even more far-reaching. Some of Skinner’s “marks on Bolles” include beautiful handcrafted stone benches and wooden banquet tables around Bolles Hall, players’ benches on the football field made by Skinner in his backyard, campus statues memorializing Bolles’ military history, memorial flagpoles, tree plantings, school crests, the San Jose Campus’ river road to the Lower School Campus (said to have been made in one night under Skinner’s direction), the construction of Skinner-Barco Stadium, athletic storage and signage facilities, the stadium press box, athletic display cases, entrance signage, Valedictory Hall signage in Bolles Hall, flag donations, residential property transactions to expand the campus, locker rooms for swimmers, stadium lighting made from junkyard material, second hand weight room equipment and even the School’s San Jose Boulevard billboard to name a few. The entire Bolles community is grateful for Skinner’s legacy of generosity and are #BollesProud to see such a promising, kind and courageous group of Skinner grands and greats taking the field in all areas of school life! #ThisIsBolles winter 2019-20
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1948 Class Representative: Robert (Bob) W. Brack Jr. 3919 Buckskin Trail E Jacksonville, FL 32277-9727 (904) 744-2759 1949 Class Representative: Jerry (Jerry) S. Foley III 3624 Richmond Street, Jacksonville, FL 32205-9424 (904) 389-6460 George Dismore passed away on August 4, 2019.
’50s
1952 Class Representative: Charles (Charlie) E. Kern II (202) 362-4739 | kerndc56@gmail.com
Craig Seaman passed away on January 17, 2019, in Cocoa Beach, Florida. 1953 Class Representative: James (Jim) M. Barker IV (904) 287-4350 | jmbchb@aol.com From Jim Barker: In recent years, many of you have moved and/or changed mailing and email addresses and telephone numbers. Please send your current contact information, including your spouse’s name, your mailing and email address and your telephone number to me: James M. Barker IV, 1820 State Road 13, Suite 1, Jacksonville, FL 32259, (904) 287-4350, jmbchb@aol.com. Richard C. Thalleen passed away on December 31, 2019.
Robert “RC” Jones died peacefully at Community Hospice-McGraw Center for Caring, on the Mayo Clinic campus in Jacksonville, Florida, on June 26, 2019. 1954 Class Representative: Hayes (Butch) L. Basford, Jr. (904) 388-3932 | hbasford@icloud.com 1955 Class Representative: William (Bill) C. Hallowes (904) 387-4618 | bhallowes@aol.com Bolles 65th Reunion is on campus Friday, May 1, 2020. RSVP online today at Bolles.org/alumni/AlumniWeekend2020. 1956 Class Representative: Harry M. deMontmollin Jr. (386) 756-8576 | hmdem@aol.com President Emeritus: Harry M. deMontmollin Jr. 1957 Class Representative: Albert (Ted) T. Quantz (843) 546-3214 | tedquantz@gmail.com 1959 Class Representative: Barry P. Sales 11869 Remsen Road, Jacksonville, FL 32223 (904) 268-6629 | bpsrnr@aol.com Dr. Jemel David passed away on Tuesday, October 8, 2019.
’60s
1960 Bolles 60th Reunion is on campus Friday, May 1, 2020. RSVP online today at Bolles.org/alumni/ AlumniWeekend2020
1961 Class Representative: Ben T. Franklin, Jr. (904) 399-8977 | bfranklin@southbankgroup.net
#TBT 1955
David Seale and his wife recently moved from Louisiana to a retirement community in Port St. Lucie, Florida. 1963 Class Representative: C. McNeill (Neill) Baker (904) 448-0584 | neill46@aol.com 1964 Class Representative: Gregory (Greg) W. Blackmer (904) 613-8439 | gregblackmer@yahoo.com Trustee Emeritus: E. Ellis Zahra Jr. Board of Visitors: Jeffrey M. Berman Hugh “Corky” Simpson (pen name — MR Valentine) has a new book out entitled, “Connecting The Dots — A Journey From a TV Reporter to a Serial Entrepreneur.” Along with including a photo
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from his time at Bolles, this book discusses Corky’s role as the News Editor at the Bolles Bugle and how that “connected the dots.”
405 River Birch Lane, Fleming Island, FL 32003 (904) 208-8725 | jreeder@rpds.com
1965 Class Representative: Charles (Chuck) P. Torrey Jr. (865) 256-2713 | Charlestorrey1@gmail.com
Board of Visitors: William (Gil) G. Gainer
Bolles 55th Reunion is on campus Friday, May 1, 2020. RSVP online today at Bolles.org/alumni/AlumniWeekend2020.
Better late than never! The Bolles Class of 1974 enjoyed a gathering last spring during Alumni Weekend. They convened rooftop in Riverside at Black Sheep and all had fun catching up. Photos are below.
1966 Class Representative: Shepherd (Shep) E. Colledge (904) 619-1791 | Shepherdc904@aol.com 1967 Class Representative: Christopher (Chris) B. Stubbs (407) 324-7181 | cstubbs@linkstaffing.com James “Taliaferro” Lane Jr. passed away on Thursday, November 28, 2019. 1969 Class Representative: James (Jim) R. McCain Jr. (904) 613-5624 | Jrmjr1951@gmail.com
Bolles 45th Reunion
Class Representative: Charlie Tisdale (904) 982-7530 | gitmonomo@gmail.com
’70s
1970 Class Representative: F. William (Bill) Borg bill_borg@vanguard.org
Class Representative: Chester (Chip) Skinner III (904) 732-9400 | chip@skinnerrealty.com Bolles 50th Reunion is on campus Friday, May 1, 2020. RSVP online today at Bolles.org/alumni/AlumniWeekend2020. Chip Skinner rang the bell at the New York Stock Exchange this fall. A Consolidated-Tomoka Land Co. board member, Skinner and other company representatives were on hand to celebrate the company’s 50th anniversary. Skinner called it “a lot of fun and a good experience.” 1971 Class Representative: J. Malcolm Jones Jr. (904) 502-4616 | maljones@bellsouth.net 1972 Class Representative: James (Jim) F. Bailey Jr. (904) 396-3333 | jbailey@baileypub.com 1973 Class Representative: Mary Allen Howe (843) 384-6419 | msah29926@gmail.com
1975 Class Representative: J. David Sheppard (904) 273-9638 | sheppardpvbfl@bellsouth.net
Board of Trustees: Rodney VanPelt
Class Representative: Mark McGowan (904) 923-2545 | Mark-mcgowan@comcast.net
1974 Class Representative: Jan K. Reeder
Board of Visitors: Marnie Law George
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Bolles 45th Reunion is on campus Friday, May 1, 2020. RSVP online today at Bolles.org/alumni/AlumniWeekend2020. 1976 Class Representative: Kevin T. Gay (904) 476-4050 | kgay@operationnewhope.com Board of Visitors: Ruth Calvin Scharf 1977 Class Representative: Catherine Randle Hurst Catherine.hurst10@yahoo.com
Travis Tygart ’89
Dressel, Tygart ’89 Honored by USA Swimming
Class Representative: Terry Iverson tiverson@iversonandco.com Class Representative: Leslie Suskin office@suskinrealty.com 1978 Class Representative: Jeffrey (Jeff) L. Evans (904) 887-0542 Catherine Lockwood Davis passed away on December 25, 2019. 1979 Class Representative: Karen Ibach Bowden Kbowden61@comcast.net
’80s
1980 Class Representative: Jennifer Hanigan 4703 Devon Lane, Jacksonville, FL 32210-7510 (904) 607-1202 | jennifer.hanigan@wellsfargo.com
Board of Trustees: C. Daniel (Dan) Rice George (Chip) Stelljes III Mark F. Travis
Former Bolles School Sharks swimmer Caeleb Dressel and Bolles alumnus Travis Tygart ’89 were each honored by USA Swimming during the United States Aquatic Sports Convention Award Ceremony, held September 14 in St. Louis. Dressel was named USA Swimming Athlete of the Year for the second time in the last three years. Tygart was honored with the Athletes’ Appreciation Award. At the 2019 FINA World Championships in South Korea, Dressel became the first swimmer in history to earn eight medals at a single world championships competition. His performance included several records, including Michael Phelps’ world record in the 100m butterfly, the meet record in the 50m freestyle, while also setting American records in the 50-, 100m freestyle, and 50m butterfly.
1981 Class Representative: Ricardo (Rick) Morales III (904) 219-0224 | rick@moralesgroup.com
As CEO of the United States Anti-Doping Agency, Tygart continues to advocate and enforce a fair playing field. Under his leadership, USADA manages the national anti-doping program, drug reference resources and athlete education for all United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) recognized sport national governing bodies, their athletes and Trustee Emeritus: E. Ellis Zahra Jr. events. Additionally, USADA contributes to the advancement of clean sport through scientific research and education and Board of Visitors: Jeffrey M. Berman outreach initiatives focused on awareness and prevention.
Board of Trustees: Ricardo (Rick) Morales III
William “Hunt” Oliver passed away on May 20, 2018, in Nashville, Tennessee.
Bolles 40th Reunion is on campus Friday, May 1, 2020. RSVP online today at Bolles.org/alumni/AlumniWeekend2020.
Richard Paul Sollee’s grandson, Richard Paul Sollee III, graduated from The Bolles School during a special convocation ceremony on Wednesday, May 29 in the bandshell on the Bolles River Campus. Sollee, the class Salutatorian, was one of four senior rowers who competed in the Scholastic National meet on graduation day and could not attend commencement with their classmates on May 25.
#TBT
1965 Class Representative: Charles (Chuck) P. Torrey Jr. 12515 Long Cove Drive, Charlotte, NC 28277 (865) 256-2713 | Charlestorrey1@gmail.com
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1982 Class Representative: Virginia (Ginny) Jones Charest (813) 240-2316 | gcharest1@verizon.net 1983 Class Representative: Erin O’Dell O’Brien (904) 359-3103 | Erin_O’Brien@csx.com Class Representative: R. Dean Scott (904) 399-3479 | rdeanscott@msn.com
Ryan Silverfield ’99
Silverfield ’99 Named Head Coach at Memphis
Board of Trustees: Elizabeth A. Coffman Board of Visitors: Marcia (Ia) Morales Howard, Chair
Bolles alumnus Ryan Silverfield ’99 has been named head coach for the University of Memphis football program, announced by the school on December 13. In the 2019 season, Silverfield served as deputy head coach and offensive line coach, helping the Tigers to the program’s first outright conference title since 1969. Memphis won the 2019 American Athletic Conference championship on December 7 with a 29–24 win over Cincinnati. Silverfield also has also helped Memphis to three-straight American Athletic Conference West Division titles from 2017–19, four-straight bowl appearances from 2016–19, 38 wins over the past four seasons, including two 10-plus win campaigns in 2017 (10–3) and 2019 (12–1). He coached offensive linemen to five All-Conference honors in his four years at Memphis. Collectively, the offensive line was one of ten semifinalists for the 2018 Joe Moore Award, given to the best offensive line in college football. For his role, Silverfield was named one of six finalists for the offensive line coach of the year award sponsored by FootballScoop. Silverfield joined Memphis in 2016 with over 18 years of coaching experience at the high school, college and NFL levels. He remains the only coach to have worked with an NCAA single-season rushing leader and an NFL single-season rushing leader. At UCF, Silverfield helped tutor Kevin Smith when the junior back led college football with 2,567 yards in 2007. Five seasons later in 2012, Silverfield was at Minnesota, where the Vikings’ offensive line paved the way for Adrian Peterson’s 2,097-yard season. Silverfield has also coached with the Detroit Lions, Arizona State University, University of Toledo, Jacksonville University and his college alma mater, Hampden-Sydney College. He began his coaching career at Bolles, where he coached for one season. During his playing career at Bolles, Silverfield was a member of the 1995 and 1998 state championship teams and helped the Bulldogs to a No.1 ranking in the USA Today Super 25 national poll.
Elizabeth Coffman has been awarded the inaugural Library of Congress/Ken Burns Documentary Prize for “Flannery,” the film she directed with Rev. Mark Bosco. The film explores the life of the late Flannery O’Connor, whose fiction about Southern prophets, girls with wooden legs, and an assemblage of fantastic characters has inspired artists around the world.The Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize was unveiled in March to recognize a documentary filmmaker who “uses original research and compelling narrative to tell stories that touch on some aspect of American history.” 1984 Class Representative: Stephanie Hodges Bassett (904) 334-3230 | bassett4837@comcast.net Board of Visitors: Carole Ann Coplan 1985 Class Representative: Beth Rosenbaum Angelo (904) 534-0132 | bethangelo @aol.com Class Representative: Kimberly (Kim) Tucker Price (904) 349-2750 | kimtprice@gmail.com Board of Trustees: Fernando J. Acosta-Rua, Chair Board of Visitors: Terri Arnold
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Ginny Lynn Jenkins passed away on August 7, 2019, in Jacksonville, Florida. Bolles 35th Reunion is on campus Friday, May 1, 2020. RSVP online today at Bolles.org/alumni/AlumniWeekend2020. 1986 Class Representative: Jeanine Gulliford jeaninegull@yahoo.com Board of Trustees: Charles (Charlie) Arnold III Tatiana Radi Salvador Board of Visitors: Peter R. Bream Jr. Paul Kelly is senior managing director at The Blackstone Group. At Bolles, he was a boarding student and member of the varsity swim team coached by Gregg Troy. “PK” would go on to attend NC State University.
Dr. Emily Tanzler ’00
Tanzler ’00 Takes Cover of Local Magazine Dr. Emily Tanzler ’00 is on the cover of the August/September issue of “St. Augustine Social” magazine. She appears in a special section about Top Doctors in the area. A feature story in the magazine says Tanzler has been with Cancer Specialists of North Florida since 2014 following the completion of residency with the University of Florida. She has extensive experience treating common tumors involving the brain and also has a passion for treating patients with metastatic disease.
Paul Kelly ’86 and Rahul Sharma ’03
Andrew McCabe has written a book called “The Threat: How the FBI Protects America in the Age of Terror and Trump.” 1987 Class Representative: Michael (Mike) S. Wachholz (904) 738-9661 | Mwachholz02@comcast.net Class Representative: Ellis Barton (904) 777-0180 | ellis@moralesgroup.com Chris Commander and wife Barbara ’89 welcomed their fifth child into the world this fall. Graham Coxe Commander joins his four siblings who are all students on the Bolles middle and upper school campuses. Welcome, Graham!
Wiatt ’01 Debuts ‘Fly Like a Girl’ “Fly Like a Girl,” an independent film directed by Matt Wiatt ’01 and featuring Bolles STEM advocate and one-day astronaut Taylor Richardson ’22, was screened locally at the 2019 Jacksonville Film Festival on November 19. The screening was held at the San Marco Theatre in San Marco Square. Wiatt filmed an interview with Richardson nearly two years ago on the Bolles Middle School Bartram Campus. Parts of Richardson’s story are woven into the film, which documents “movement of young girls and women relentlessly pursuing their passion for aviation.” The film website is www.flylikeagirl.film Wiatt said the film won several awards and screened at 12 different festivals across the U.S. during the past film festival season. “We are currently working on distribution for 2020,” Wiatt said. “I will always cherish my time at Bolles and am thankful for how it prepared me for college and beyond.
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This is Bolles:
Piper Moyer-Shad ’91 This is Piper Moyer-Shad ’91 and her daughter Harper Shad ’32. Piper is the Director of Student Activities on the Bolles Upper School San Jose Campus. She helps manage student clubs and events and puts structure around community service work and ideas. She also teaches Anatomy and treats students of all ages to new science discoveries on the School’s Antomage virtual dissection table. Harper is a happy-go-lucky first-grader on the Bolles Lower School Whitehurst Campus. These two Bulldogs are orange and blue through and through. Harper’s dad Bill Shad graduated with mom Piper in the Class of 1991. Bill’s brother Jack graduated in 1993 and is married to Lori Rebman Shad from the Class of 1992. Sadly, brother Scott Shad ’01 died in a car accident during his senior year at Bolles. Grandfather Mike Shad ’64 and Jennie Scott Shad ’65 Bartram are part of the Bolles and Bartram family as is Hunter Moyer ’96, Piper’s brother, who married Melissa Morrow ’96. There is a lot of love for and at Bolles in this family! We love the Moyers and the Shads and are so grateful their legacy of wisdom and compassion continues today! #ThisIsBolles
This is Bolles:
Liz Mundin ’91 This is Liz Mundin ’91, Bolles’ Director of Middle School Admission. As the number by her name might indicate, Liz is a proud Bolles alumna. During her time at Bolles, Liz was very involved in the Sigma girls’ service club, student council, cheerleading, chorus, Young Life, the French Club and Homecoming and also enjoyed serving as a counselor at Bolles Day Camp. Now her two daughters Anne Harvey ’22 and Townsend ’21 are blazing similar trails at Bolles — both girls are involved in the Dance and Dance Company programs and cheerleading and both are second generation Bolles Day Camp counselors. Liz, who worked for many years as a teacher at St. Mark’s Episcopal Day School, says Bolles is “like home” to her. “I knew I wanted to eventually come back to work on the campus. Originally, I thought I wanted to teach in the Lower School, which I am sure I would have loved. However, that was not God’s plan for me. Now that I have been working in Admission for a few years, I see how much my teaching background has helped me. If I had to say what brings me back to campus each day, I would say the positive work environment, the families I get to meet through the admission process, and, of course, the fun Admission group I work with each day.” #ThisIsBolles
1988 Class Representative: Karen Rinaman Barakat (904) 396-9615 | karenbarakat@comcast.net Class Representative: Monica Bernhardt (904) 386-5662 | mburns92@comcast.net
#TBT
Class Representative: W. Scott Hudmon (904) 389-6071 | sargescott@aol.com Board of Trustees: John J. Schickel
1955
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1989 Class Representative: M. Laurie Shumer Gelman (904) 874-6182 | lsgelman@comcast.net Class Representative: K. (Megan) Mickler Ira (904) 707-4999 | megira@me.com Board of Trustees: Rahul V. Deshmukh Board of Visitors: L. Clarke Lemons Travis Tygart was honored by USA Swimming during the United States Aquatic Sports Convention Award Ceremony, held September 14 in St. Louis. See sidebar on page 58. Chris ’87 and Barbara Commander welcomed their fifth child into the world this fall. Graham Coxe Commander joins his four siblings who are all students on the Bolles middle and upper school campuses. Welcome, Graham! Bolles honored the 1989 state champion volleyball team in Davis Gym on September 19. See page 50.
’90s
1990 Class Representative: Cynthia Sinha-Anderson (904) 253-0608 | cynthia.anderson3@gmail.com
Alexa von Tobel ’02
Von Tobel ’02 Speaks at New Series Event
Class Representative: Amy Hightower Beaver (904) 396-3575 | azbeaver@bellsouth.net
Alexa von Tobel ’02, founder and CEO of personal finance website LearnVest.com, was the headliner for a new speakers series at Atlantic Beach-based Hotel Palms on October 3. Called “Elevate,” the hotel program invites top speakers to share their expertise and “foster a community of financially independent, intellectually curious and wellness conscious women.”
Class Representative: David A. Barton (904) 613-6060 | davidabarton@yahoo.com
Von Tobel helped launch the series, which includes curated events on a variety of topics as it moves forward.
Class Representative: Betsy Lande Givens (770) 405-8870 | betgivens@yahoo.com
The Bolles alumna is a highly sought-after financial expert and has been a featured speaker at conferences and events around the country including SXSW Interactive, NYU’s Stern Entrepreneurs Exchange Summit and Fortunate Summit: Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs. She also has appeared on many national television programs and publications including “The Today Show,” “Good Morning America” and The New York Times among others. The former Chief Innovation Officer of Northwestern Mutual, von Tobel has been included in Forbes magazine’s “Top 30 Under 30” list, was named a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, was noted as one of “18 Women Changing the World” by Marie Claire magazine and received a “Genius Award” from Elle. She is the author of New York Times bestselling book, Financially Fearless.
Alumni Board: David A. Barton Board of Visitors: Ron T. Patrick
#TBT 1955
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Stephanie Gentry ’90 (middle) with family Danielle Snyder ’03
Bolles Alumnae, Renowned Business Leader on Brides Cover Bolles alumnae and New York-based fashion and jewelry business luminary Danielle Snyder ’03 was featured on the cover of Brides magazine’s August/September 2019 issue. Her extraordinary Harbour Island wedding also was the subject of a real weddings feature called “Dannijo Founder Danielle Snyder’s Ethereal Beach Wedding on Harbour Island” in the magazine, known as “The Influencer Issue.” Snyder and new husband, Brandon, married in a beautiful Bahamian ceremony on May 11, 2019. Snyder and sister Jodie Snyder Morel ’00 co-founded DANNIJO, a fashion and jewelry company. DANNIJO jewelry and pieces are sold at select, high-end stores worldwide and the line has an extensive celebrity following including Natalie Portman, Beyonce, Blake Lively, Oprah and Rihanna. This is not the first time one or both of the alumnae sisters have been featured in an international publication. Snyder and Morel appeared on Inc Magazine’s 30 Under 30: America’s Coolest Entrepreneurs List, the TODAY Show and Fox Business and they have been profiled by the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. Snyder was also named to Forbes’ 30 under 30 in Art and Style as well as honored at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards. The Snyder sisters were the featured speakers at the 2016 Florida Times-Union EVE Awards, which recognizes local women making positive differences in the local community.
Stephanie Gentry, Natale Blackwell and Erin Hadlow Bryan were among notable volleyball alumni on hand to celebrate the 30-year anniversary of 1989 state championship. 1991 Class Representative: Elizabeth (Liz) Kilgore Mundin mundinl@bolles.org Class Representative: Norianne Wright noriannewright@yahoo.com 1992 Board of Visitors: Jamie P. Dwyer 1993 Class Representative: Matthew (Matt) T. Berquist (904) 422-0476 | mberquist@intrepidcapitalfunds.com 1994 Class Representative: Jason M. Winkler (919) 395-7465 | jasonwinkler@earthlink.net Board of Trustees: Allison Korman Shelton 1995 Class Representative: Leed Silverfield lsilverfield@yahoo.com Board of Trustees: Steven T. Gold Dr. Travis von Tobel married Tiffany Ashourian ’00. #BollesLove 1996 Class Representative: Fontaine LeMaistre IV (904) 874-1327 | fontainelemaistre@comcast.net 1997 Class Representative: Elisabeth Hill Bost elisabethbost@yahoo.com Class Representative: Anastasia Regas Houston Anastasia@smartflyer.com
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Class Representative: April Nudo Patterson aprilnudopatterson@gmail.com Alumni Board: Steven A. Kurosko Board of Visitors: Heidi S. Schauer 1998 Class Representative: Lindsay Skinner Eyrick (904) 226-9439 | lindsayeyrick@yahoo.com Board of Trustees: Arthur C. (Chet) Skinner IV Alumni Board: David C. Cohen Adam B. Edgecombe, Chair Board of Visitors: Michael J. Verlander Adam Edgecombe addressed campus faculty and staff at Back to School forum inside McGehee Auditorium in late August.
Kay Schellenberg ’09
Schellenberg ’09 Selected for Belmont Abbey Hall of Fame Bolles alumna and current Bulldogs assistant volleyball coach Kay Schellenberg ’09 was inducted into Belmont Abbey College’s Michael P. Reidy Athletics Hall of Fame. The three-member 2019 class was honored at Belmont Abbey’s Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet and Induction Ceremony on Saturday, October 12.
Adam Edgecombe ’98
1999 Class Representative: Christopher (Chris) C. Dostie (904) 251-5930 | ccdostie@hotmail.com Class Representative: Ryan R. Trevett (904) 610-4177 | trevettr@bolles.org Board of Visitors: Dennis E. Pash Ryan Silverfield was named head coach for the University of Memphis football program. See sidebar on page 59.
’00s
2000 Class Representative: Faye Hedrick (904) 655-5555 | fayemhedrick@gmail.com
Alumni Board: Justin L. Hart Board of Visitors: C. Clayton Bromberg Jr. George S. Pilcher III
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Schellenberg starred for the Belmont Abbey women’s volleyball team from 2009–12. She was named 2012–13 Conference Carolinas Female Athlete of the Year after earning Player of the Year for volleyball and an NCAA Woman of the Year Award nomination. She was the first player in school history to earn all-region honors (honorable mention All-Southeast Region by the American Volleyball Coaches Association/AVCA) after leading the team to a 26–5 overall record and first Conference Carolinas Tournament Championship and NCAA Tournament berth in school history. Schellenberg returned to Bolles in 2014 as JV head coach and a varsity assistant.
This is Bolles:
Lauren Yalango Grant ’02 This is Lauren Yalango Grant ’02 and she is kickin’ it big time in the New York City dance world. And when we say big, we mean “King Kong” big. Lauren made her Broadway debut last year in the Tony Award-nominated musical as one of the show’s lead dancers. This Bolles alumna is also big into giving back to the Bolles community. She and husband Christopher Grant were at Bolles two years ago to choreograph a piece for the Bolles Dance Company. Since then, several Bolles dancers who worked with them have traveled to New York to visit them on the stage of “King Kong.” Katie Fites ’21 and Bolles company dancer Donya Pordeli ’21 both saw the show and went backstage afterward. A few other big facts about Lauren: She and her husband were recently featured in Apple’s holiday advert which first aired on Thanksgiving 2017 to the mark the start of the season; originally from New York, Lauren received her BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts; she was a member of the Pilobolus Dance Theater from 2008–2015 and was a collaborator and principal dancer in their hit show, “Shadowland”; and Lauren has performed both onstage and on-screen for people such as Conan O’Brien and the Queen of England. #ThisIsBolles
George Pilcher and Clayton Bromberg enjoyed meeting with Bolles Head Football Coach Matt Toblin at the Homecoming Tailgate. Both George and Clayton serve on the Bolles Board of Visitors and were in town for the semiannual meeting.
2001 Class Representative: Katie Skinner Farrar (904) 955-5119 | katie.s.farrar@gmail.com Class Representative: William O. Inman IV (904) 476-2245| woinman4@gmail.com Class Representative: Lloyd Regas (904) 412-6135 | lregas2@yahoo.com Alumni Board: Lauren Bacalis Scheible Celebrating another Bolles union! Cale Leavitt and Lexi Chapas ’02 were married this year. Matt Wiatt’s independent film “Fly Like a Girl” was screened in Jacksonville November 19. See sidebar on page 60.
George Pilcher ’00, Matt Toblin and Clayton Bromberg ’00 Dr. Travis von Tobel ’95 married Tiffany Ashourian. #BollesLove Dr. Emily Tanzler appeared on the cover of a local magazine noting Top Doctors in the area. See sidebar on page 60.
2002 Class Representative: Margaret (Meg) Cheney Coleman meggie2431@aol.com Class Representative: John M. Marees (904) 994-0212 | jmarees@josephandmarees.com Class Representative: Carson Vandergriff Richardson carson.vandergriff@gmail.com
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Alumni Board: Heather Lane Courtney John M. Marees Carson Vandergriff Richardson
Hayden Hurst ’12
Hurst ’12 Feature Filmed at Bolles
Lindsey Hardegree ’02 (left)
Lindsey Hardegree is officially Georgia’s first (and only) Certified KonMari Consultant. Her training with Marie Kondo has prepared her to work with individuals and families through her new business, “Get Organized Y’all.” She continues to serve as the Executive Director for the Episcopal Community Foundation for Middle and North Georgia. Ryan and Kacie Durant celebrated the birth of daughter Hayley Mae Durant. Celebrating another Bolles union! Caleb Leavitt ’01 and Lexi Chapas were married this year. Dr. Swati Sikaria and Amit Pandit are engaged to be married. Alexa von Tobel was the headline speaker at a recent event. See sidebar on page 62. David and Courtney Stopyra celebrated the birth of their son, Luke Stopyra. John Ganzel and Rachel Barksdale are engaged. 2003 Class Representative: Kathleen Stopyra Dale stopyrak@gmail.com Class Representative: Rahul Sharma sharmar@bolles.org Alumni Board: David S. Dunn Carla M. Jones John A. Langley
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The Emmy Award-winning sports documentary series “Religion of Sports” aired a feature on Bolles alumnus Hayden Hurst ’12 in November. A film crew visited the San Jose Campus in early August to capture interviews and footage of Hurst and other members of the Bolles football family including former Football Head Coach Corky Rogers, football alumni Riley Skinner ’05, former coach and faculty member Ted Lyon and current assistant coach Mike Barrett. Hurst works with Barrett on strength and conditioning in the offseason and he goes to lunch with Rogers and other coaches when in town. Hurst is a second-year tight end with the Baltimore Ravens and starred at the University of South Carolina following two years of professional baseball in the Pittsburgh Pirate’s minor league system. “Religion of Sports” was created by executive producers Tom Brady, Michael Strahan, and Gotham Chopra. The docuseries travels the world to answer the question: why do sports matter?
Mike Barrett and Colin Stark ’03
Bolles Swimming Well Represented at World Champs
Colin Stark paid a visit over the summer acknowledging mentor, Mike Barrett. Colin maintains his love for weightlifting, competing in state tournaments. See photo above. Trey McCullough visited with his football coach Mike Barrett on the sideline during the Bolles Homecoming game against Clay High School. See photo below.
Four former Bolles swimmers competed at the 2019 FINA World Championships, held July 12–28 in Gwangju, South Korea. Former Bolles Sharks club member Caeleb Dressel led the Bolles contingent with an event-record eight medals. Ryan Murphy ’13 added three medals. Dressel became the first American ever to win the 50 fly at the World Championships, setting the American record in the event. He won the 100 free in another American record, set the world record in the 100 fly semifinals and won the final in the event, and won the 50 free in a championship-record time. Dressel led Team USA’s winning 4x100 free relay in setting a championship record, helped the U.S. set a world record and win gold in the 4x100 free mixed relay, and earned silver medals as part of the 4x100 mixed medley and 4x100 medley relays. Murphy joined Dressel on Team USA’s 4x100 mixed medley and 4x100 medley relays. He also earned silver in the 200 back and placed fourth in the 50 and 100 back events.
Football Coach Mike Barrett and Trey McCullough ’03
Bolles alumni Santo Condorelli ’13 (Italy) and Joseph Schooling ’14 (Singapore) competed at the World Championships as well. Condorelli narrowly missed a medal as part of Italy’s fourth-place 4x100 free relay and placed 18th in the 100 free. Schooling placed 20th in the 50 fly and tied for 24th in the 100 fly.
Rahul Sharma ’03 and Martin Garcia ’03 Rahul Sharma and Martin Garcia reunited after 16 years in New York City. Martin was proud to share the news upon welcoming second child, Parker Evans Garcia. See photo above.
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Martin and Laura Garcia welcomed Parker Evans Garcia into the world. The wedding jewelry business luminary Danielle Snyder was featured on the cover of Brides magazine. See sidebar on page 63. 2004 Class Representative: Harry A. Kenning III harry.kenning@beeline.com Alumni Board: Harry Kenning Board of Visitors: Jordan B. Bolch 2005 Class Representative: C. Grace (Gracie) Williams Register (904) 545-5499 | c.gracie.williams@gmail.com Alumni Board: Timothy (Tim) J. Miller Board of Visitors: Katherine E.S. Newton Congratulations to Rad Murphy and his wife, Rachel, on the birth of their son, Radford Sidney Murphy III. Bolles 15th Reunion is on campus Friday, May 1, 2020. RSVP online today at Bolles.org/alumni/AlumniWeekend2020. 2006 Class Representative: Ashley K. Rawlins (904) 629-0881 | akrawlins@gmail.com
Martin Cohen ’15
Cohen ’15 Receives White Coat for Dental School Martin Cohen ’15 was accepted into the Penn Dental Medicine program. With family looking on, Cohen received his white coat during a special ceremony August 12. The White Coat Ceremony marks the beginning of the dental medicine program for Cohen and his classmates in the Class of 2023. The ceremony featured the official introduction of the incoming students being cloaked in their white coats and the declaration of their commitment to assume the responsibilities and obligations of the dental profession. Cohen has been a popular figure during the past several summers at Bolles Day Camp. He is the much-loved skit character, “Macaroni Man.” Congratulations, Martin!
Alumni Board: Ashley K. Rawlins Cristin Harcrow Johnson accepted a position as Program Director for The New Transitions Center in Roanoke, Texas. The New Transitions Center is a nonprofit that enhances the lives of young adults with special needs and who want to continue to focus on learning and growing their life skills after finishing high school. The Center offers structured daily programs, special events and community based field trips, that address the unmet needs of this community.
Rasmus ’15 Wins 4 Gold Medals in 4 Events at Pan Am Games Bolles alumna Claire Rasmus ’15, swimming for Team USA, won four gold medals in four events at the 2019 Pan Am Games in Lima, Peru. Rasmus’ first gold came August 6 in the women’s 4x100 free relay. She claimed her second and third gold medals the next day, winning the 200 free and as part of the mixed 4x100 free relay. Rasmus wrapped up her Pan Am games competition with another gold on Team USA's 4x200 free relay.
Cristin Harcrow Johnson ’06
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Claire Rasmus ’15
2007 Class Representative: Michelle Risley Baker michelle.e.risley@gmail.com Class Representative: Allison Dewan allisondewan@gmail.com Board of Visitors: Allison T. Dewan Peter S. Sack Caitlin Hayes Shafer Mary Anne Tuohy Jolly is now Director of Alumni & Parent Engagement at Jacksonville University.
Chelsea “CJ” Reeves ’16
Reeves ’16 Studying Neuroanalytics Chelsea “CJ” Reeves ’16, a senior at Florida Polytechnic University, spent her summer studying and improving advanced neuroanalytics as a Neuroanalytics Engineer in New York City, according to a recent story published by her college.Advanced neuroanalytics help optimize memorable ads and shows on television. Reeves worked at SPARK Neuro, a company that measures emotion and attention to optimize advertising and entertainment.
2008 Class Representative: Catharine A. Brown catharineabrown@gmail.com Class Representative: Christina H. Prewitt christyp@knights.ucf.edu Sarah ’09 and John Dominey celebrated the birth of Elizabeth May Dominey. Jordan Hollis was married to Brett Bell at the Casa Marina in Jacksonville Beach on June 22, 2019.
The story reads: “Reeves has been working with electroencephalogram (EEG) machines and other high-tech equipment to collect data from test subjects and analyze it for clients. ‘I’m taking what I’ve learned at Florida Poly and incorporating it into a whole different type of company,’ the Jacksonville, Florida, native said in the story. Her interest in neuroscience was evident last spring when she was part of a team that won the annual Great Eight entrepreneurship pitch competition at the University with a plan for a consumer device that uses EEG signals to read a user’s mental state and inform mental health solutions. In addition to her internship’s data collection and analysis duties, Reeves has been working on creating a new EEG prototype for the company and helping to reduce noise that is present during the data collection process.”
Mr. and Mrs. Brett Bell 2009 Class Representative: Mandana (Mandy) Fatemi mandyfatemi@yahoo.com Board of Visitors: T. Edward Salem Katelyn Henderson Register and her husband, Bolles Director of Rowing Chris Register, have welcomed a baby boy to their family! Luke Register was born on October 21, 2019, and weighed in at 8 lbs. 5 oz., 21 inches long. Kay Schellenberg has been named to The Michael P. Reidy Athletics Hall of Fame at Belmont Abbey College. See sidebar on page 64. Sarah and John Dominey ’08 celebrated the birth of their daughter Elizabeth May Dominey.
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Suzanne Dannheim ’16
Kyle Johnson ’16
Dannheim ’16 Qualifies for NCAA Cross Country Meet
Johnson ’16 and Jackson ’16 Named All-Mountain West, Help Team to Bowl Win
Bolles alumna Suzanne Dannheim ’16 became just the second women’s cross country runner in George Washington University’s program history to qualify for the NCAA National Championship. Dannheim placed seventh at the Mid-Atlantic Regional in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, on November 15 to earn the national meet berth as an individual.
Bolles alumni Kyle Johnson ’16 and Jordan Jackson ’16 were among 14 Air Force Academy football players to earn All-Mountain West honors. Johnson was named to the Second Team and Jackson earned Honorable Mention.
Dannheim also led the Colonials to the program’s highest finish at the Atlantic 10 Conference Championships on November 2. Dannheim placed second as an individual and helped GW place second as a team.
Johnson, a senior linebacker, ranks second on the Air Force team in tackles with 76, fourth in tackles for loss with 5.5 tackles and tallied 1.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception return for a touchdown. Johnson also earned the 2019 Charlotte Touchdown Club Defender of the Nation award for his work on and off the field.
Dannheim is just the third Bolles alum to compete at the NCAA Cross Country Championships along with Rebecca Chandler ’11 who competed as a member of Vanderbilt’s team in 2013 and 2014 and Ed Baker ’97 who competed as an individual qualifier for Harvard in 1999 and 2000. The NCAA Cross Country Championship was Saturday, November 23, in Terre Haute, Indiana. Dannheim placed 205th in rainy, 35-degree conditions.
Jackson, a junior defensive tackle, ranks ninth on the team in total tackles with 38, fifth in tackles for loss with 4.5 and fourth in sacks with 3.5. He earned All-Mountain West honors in 2018 as well, being named to the Second Team. Air Force completed the regular season with an 11–2 overall record, finished second in the Mountain West Mountain Division with a 7–1 mark and a ranking of 24th in the AP and Coaches polls. Johnson and Jackson helped the Falcons to a 31–21 win over Washington State in the Cheez-It Bowl in Phoenix, Arizona, on December 27.
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’10s
2010 Class Representative: Morgan O’Hare mohareaffair@gmail.com
Class Representative: William Hartje william.hartje@gmail.com Bolles 10th Reunion is on campus Friday, May 1, 2020. RSVP online today at Bolles.org/alumni/AlumniWeekend2020. Erin Harcrow Dean graduated on Friday, Dec. 13 whereupon she was conferred with a Doctorate of Physical Therapy (Dpt) from Rocky Mountain University in Provo, Utah. She has accepted a Physical Therapy position in Bakersfield, California at the TERRIO Physical Therapy & Fitness Center. See photo below.
Mac Jones ’17
Jones ’17 Caps Big Semester at Bama Mac Jones ’17, a redshirt sophomore quarterback on the University of Alabama football team, capped a successful fall 2019 semester with a bowl win and bachelor’s degree. Jones threw for 327 yards and three touchdowns in the Crimson Tide’s 35-16 win over Michigan in the Citrus Bowl on January 1. On December 14, Jones participated in the university’s commencement, earning his bachelor’s degree in Communication and Information Sciences with summa cum laude honors. Jones wore a crimson mortarboard, a distinction for Alabama graduates who earn a 4.0 GPA. He plans to continue his football career and pursue a master’s degree in Sports Hospitality at Alabama.
Erin Harcrow ’10 (left) 2011 Class Representative: Ruth Curry Clements clements.curry@gmail.com Board of Visitors: Lewis S. Lee III Hanna Riley passed away on November 10, 2019. Christian Wayne, a Bolles boarder and swimmer from St. Lucia, is working in diplomatic service for the embassies of the Eastern Caribbean and is now living in Morocco doing business development on behalf of the Eastern Islands. See photo below.
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2012 Class Representative: Parker Wilf phwilf@aol.com Brogen Marie Kirby married Benjamin Charles Mowczan on July 6, 2019 at the San Sophia Overlook of the San Juan Mountains, Telluride, Colorado. Brogen graduated with honors from University of South Carolina then earned a Masters at the University of Florida and is currently back in Columbia, SC employed as an English Instructor at The University of South Carolina. Ben, is a graduate of Washington and Lee University and the University of South Carolina Law School. He served for several years in the South Carolina Supreme Court and now is employed as an Environmental
Riley Coonan ’17
Coonan ’17 Named All-SoCon Bolles alumna Riley Coonan ’17, a junior on the Wofford College volleyball team, was named to the 2019 All-Southern Conference Second Team. Coonan led the SoCon in hitting percentage, blocks per set and total blocks on the season.
Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Mowczan
Attorney in private practice with Williams-Mullen. Many Bolles family and friends traveled to Telluride to share in their marriage celebration! The Emmy award-winning sports documentary series, “Religion of Sports” aired a feature on Hayden Hurst. See sidebar on page 66. 2013 Board of Visitors: Ryan F. Murphy Chandler Soapes is currently in her second year of study at the University of South Carolina School of Law, and she has been invited to join the Mock Trial Bar. A big Bolles congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. Zachary Montford! Ryan Murphy, Santo Condorelli and Joseph Schooling ’14 competed at the 2019 FINA World Championships. See sidebar on page 67.
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Coonan recorded 10 or more kills 14 times this season, including a career-high 18 kills in a four-set win over The Citadel. On November 4, she was named SoCon Defensive Player of the Week after hitting .533 with eight solo blocks, in a pair of wins over UNC Greensboro and Furman. Coonan hit over .300 in 17 matches this season, recording three or more blocks in 22 of 30 matches played. On back-to-back nights in October, Coonan tied her career high of nine blocks against both East Tennessee State and UNC Greensboro. Her .296 career hitting percentage ties former teammate Colleen Reilly for first in program history, while her percentage for the 2019 season would finish first all-time at Wofford. “Riley had a breakout season this year. Although she had put together impressive numbers before, this season was on a new level for her,” said Wofford Head Coach Lynze Roos. “She dominated the net, and finished top three in hitting percentage and blocks per set for the league. She has the ability to take over a match, and we love watching her compete. She is a player who battles every day, so this recognition shows that her drive pays off.”
Christian Glover ’17
Glover ’17 Named FSU James M. Seneff Scholar Christian Glover ’17 was one of 16 Florida State University students to be named an inaugural James M. Seneff Scholar in the school’s College of Business James M. Seneff Honors Program. Glover and the other student honorees were celebrated in late-September at a special event hosted by FSU President John Thrasher and First Lady Jean Thrasher at the president’s house in Tallahassee. Seneff is founder and executive chairman of CNL Financial Group and the honors program was established in his name earlier this year. The scholars are “a new community of top undergraduate business students who benefit from an especially rigorous curriculum,” according to a recent story published on FSU’s College of Business website. “The program stresses innovation, leadership, networking, collaboration and forging lifelong professional connections. It also provides travel and research options and expanded internship and experiential learning opportunities.”
Al Muzaurieta ’13 Al Muzaurieta, currently a student at the University of Michigan Medical School, has been awarded a Darrell G. Kirch MD Scholarship. Established in 2019 by the AAMC Board of Directors, this scholarship honors the exemplary leadership of Dr. Darrell G. Kirch and recognizes his deep commitment to creating a diverse workforce of healthcare professionals. This $10,000 scholarship is awarded to eight first year underrepresented minority medical students for the 2019–2020 academic year who are enrolled at an LCME-accredited US, MD-granting medical school. The selected students must demonstrate both community service and leadership and will be eligible to renew for another three years. Muzaurieta also earned his master’s degree from Peking University in July. See story on page 74. 2014 Class Representative: Madisen Kemph madisenk96@gmail.com Alumni Board: Hunter C. Walker Brett Morgan graduated from William & Mary Law School in May of 2019 and was featured on the opening page of the law school’s website on Graduation Day. Brett has since passed the Virginia Bar exam and will be sworn in as a Virginia attorney. He is currently participating in a two-year Master’s in Public Policy program at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia.
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#ThisIsBolles ALUMNI Impromptu Reunion in Beijing Here are some of their stories: Al Muzaurieta ’13, graduated in July with a master’s degree in China Studies (Economics and Management) from the Yenching Academy of Peking University. Rothschild attended his graduation ceremony in Beijing while she visiting her parents in China. “I am immensely grateful for Mrs. Chengmei Rothschild because without her none of this would have been possible. Her world-class teaching in Chinese language and culture did not just prepare me to survive in China — she prepared and inspired me to engage with China in a profound way. Her unbridled enthusiasm and love for teaching are only a few reasons why her students love her so much. She always encouraged me to think big and emphasized that I could have a major impact in US-China relations. Now as political tensions rise, I am committed more than ever to be a bridge-builder between our nations,” Muzaurieta said. He graduated from Harvard University in 2017 with B.A. in Global Health & Health Policy, Latin American Studies and Mandarin Chinese. He will begin pursuing an M.D. degree at the University of Michigan Medical School in August, where he received a generous academic merit scholarship.
This is a story about how Bolles alumni connect all over the world. This is about five Chinese language class alumni who gathered with their Bolles Chinese teacher, Chengmei Rothschild, in Beijing, China — 7,500 miles away from Bolles. On a July 2019 evening, Rothschild and the five alumni students met at a well-lit Yunnanese restaurant in the Hutongs, where winding alleyways preserve the spirit of Old Beijing. The estimable half-dozen sat in spirited conversation around a lazy Susan featuring a wide range of delectable dishes—cold cucumbers in vinegar, pineapple rice wrapped in banana leaves, glutinous rice noodles and pork, mint salad, spicy potatoes with chives and green onions. Despite Beijing’s sticky air, the reunion was marked by delicious food and reflections on how Chinese language classes at Bolles had shaped the arc of their ambitions and the trajectory of their lives.
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Meet Natasha Pillai ’17. Pillai is about to start her junior year at the University of California Berkeley, where her major is Global Studies with a concentration in Peace and Conflict Studies. She also is pursuing a minor in Chinese. This summer, she had the amazing opportunity to study in Beijing with Duke University’s Study in China program. As Natasha frames it, “My desire to study abroad in China during my college career actually started with a trip I made to China with Mrs. Rothschild and some of my Bolles Chinese classmates in the summer of 2015. On that trip, we got to travel around China and spend two weeks as exchange students in the city of Qingdao. At the end of those three weeks, I knew that I wanted to spend more time in China in the future, and studying abroad in college seemed like the best way to do that. That trip also inspired me to continue studying Chinese in college. It is thanks to the strong foundation in Chinese laid at Bolles that I was able to participate in the highest level class offered in the Duke program, and as such, gain a level of competency that allows me to understand and study complex topics such as the
Chinese healthcare system and free trade agreements. I am incredibly grateful to Mrs. Rothschild and the Bolles Chinese program for instilling in me a passion for learning Chinese and always encouraging me to push myself further.” This is Russell Libby ’17. He is a business student at the University of Florida pursuing a master’s degree in International Business. Libby was in Beijing this summer for an internship with NIU Technologies. “The other alumni and I were able to look back at our experiences with the Bolles Chinese program and see how much it helped us get to where we are today. We were able to learn a language that advanced our studies and careers across the globe and opened up so many opportunities that we would not have had if we didn’t start taking Chinese at Bolles. Signing up to take Chinese in the 7th grade at Bolles has been one of my best decisions I’ve made to date. I encourage other Bolles alumni or current students to reach out to the vast network of alumni in China or studying Chinese so that Bolles can continue its growth in China!” Meet Ross Petrou ’17. He is a double major in International Business and Marketing with a minor in Chinese at the University of South Carolina and is currently studying in Beijing. In addition, he is a member of the International Business Chinese Enterprise cohort program through the Darla Moore School of Business at USC. This program places an emphasis on cultural and language immersion by sending students to Hong Kong for over a year and Beijing for a summer. Connecting the rails between his present course of study and his foundational language study at Bolles, Ross said, “These study abroad opportunities have enabled me to further my studies in Chinese culture with regard to business and to advance my Mandarin Chinese fluency levels. This achievement is due to the excellent foundation developed through the Chinese studies program at the Bolles School. I studied Mandarin Chinese at Bolles from seventh to twelfth grade, and without this valuable experience I would not have qualified for my current advanced studies.”
Carolyn Margulies ’14 and Nathan Sanders ’14
Carolyn Margulies met up with classmate Nathan Sanders at a New York Mets game recently. See photo above. 2015 Class Representative: Danielle Bernhardt danrbernhardt@gmail.com Martin Cohen participated in the White Coat Ceremony at the University of Pennsylvania Dental School on August 12, 2019, as an entering student. See sidebar on page 68. Claire Rasmus won four gold medals at the 2019 Pan Am Games in Lima, Peru. See sidebar on page 68. Amelia Hartje writes, “I am so excited to announce that I will be joining Florida State University’s College of Medicine Class of 2024! I am incredibly grateful for those who have continued to support me through this crazy process. The journey has just begun!”
This is Andrew Siguler ’17. He is a junior at University of Notre Dame. Siguler articulated the connections between his language studies at Bolles and subsequent collegiate and professional opportunities, “Having first gone to China when I was eight and starting to study Mandarin in the 7th grade at the Bartram Campus, Chinese has become an essential life skill. For the past two summers, I have interned in Beijing working at the Carnegie-Tsinghua Center for Global Policy and Xiaomi Inc., one of the largest smartphone companies in the world, pursuing my interests in global affairs and business. Some of the most memorable moments of my Bolles experience involved my Chinese class.” At the end of the summer reunion, Bolles alumni in China established a group Wechat, the most common used social media in China, called “Bolles Chinese Connection.” They have high hopes of connecting and building a larger network with more alumni who will be in China in the future! These alumni relationships are important. #ThisIsBolles
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Bolles 5th Reunion is on campus Friday May 1, 2020. RSVP online today at Bolles.org/alumni/AlumniWeekend2020. 2016 Alumni Board: Roland L. Johnson Suzanne Dannheim qualified for the NCAA National Championship. See sidebar on page 70. Kyle Johnson, co-captain of the #24-ranked United States Air Force Academy football team, received the “Defender of the Nation Award” at the Bronko Nagurski Award Banquet in Charlotte on December 9. See sidebar on page 70. Roland Johnson, Maria Muzaurieta, Andrew Ashchi, Julian Buchwalter, Eric Goreschak, Michael Love met up at recent University of Michigan game. Go Bulldogs! See photo below.
Caden Matson ’18
Matson ’18 Road Trip Profiled in Car Magazine The cross-country road trip of Caden Matson ’18, a secondyear mechanical engineering major at the University of Florida, was recently the subject of a beautiful spread in Mercedes Star magazine. Matson bought and restored a Mercedes 560SL in 2016. He purchased the car with money he earned from after-school jobs as a Bolles student. After a few short years of restoration, “Winchester” was re-born for new adventures. During the summer of 2019, Caden drove Winchester from Jacksonville to San Francisco during an epic one-month, cross-country journey.
2017 Cassidy Wasdin, who plays on the Florida Atlantic University women’s soccer team, was honored this fall as the Conference USA Goalkeeper of the Week. Wasdin received the accolades for her skills in games against Dartmouth and the University of North Florida.
Cassidy Wasdin ’17
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“I planned the entire trip with one main goal: always take the prettiest road, regardless of whether it increased the driving time. In many ways, the road trip was more about the driving experience than any of the destinations, and of course my 560 SL was a key aspect of the endeavor!” “On July first, at 4 a.m., I left Jacksonville, not knowing if I would make it 1,000 miles to Houston by the end of that day, let alone all the way to California by the end of the month. But I made it to Houston without a hitch, and by day three, I’d made it to the Denver Airport, where I picked up my cousin — and then the real road trip began. From that day forward, no day consisted of more than five hours of driving, leaving us plenty of time to explore every place on our list to the fullest. In New Mexico, we drove through the little town where my dad grew up, and in Colorado we enjoyed the fourth of July fireworks over Estes Lake from the top of the Rockies. Driving through Bryce Canyon at sunset, climbing Angels Landing in Zion, and my light off-road adventure in the desert of Canyonlands were all amazing experiences beyond my wildest imagination. To top it all off, waking up in the morning after we arrived in San Francisco and driving down the coast to Big Sur was one of the most rewarding days of my life. This car was built to drive, and by traveling all the way from Florida’s A1A to California’s Pacific Coast Highway, I accomplished exactly what my R107 was designed to do.”
Riley Coonan, a middle blocker on the volleyball team at Wofford College, was named to the all-tournament team at the Duke Invitational this fall and was named to the All-Southern Conference Second Team. See sidebar on page 72.
Katherine Baker ’18
Baker ’18 Breaks into FSU Record Books Bolles alumna Katherine Baker ’18, a sophomore on the FSU swim team, broke into the record books swimming the 10th fastest time in program history in the 200 breaststroke at the Georgia Tech Invitational on November 24. Baker won the “B” final in the event. Baker has also excelled in the classroom, being named to the All-ACC Academic Honor Roll and the Golden Torch Award winner for women’s swimming with the highest GPA on her team with a 4.0 as a freshman.
Charles Hicks ’19
Christian Glover was one of 16 Florida State University students to be named an inaugural James M. Seneff Scholar in the school’s College of Business James M. Seneff Honors Program. See sidebar on page 73. Kiera Geraghty was recently named Editor-in-Chief of The Hoya, the student newspaper at Georgetown University. She has been working at the paper as a staff writer, deputy editor and executive editor since her freshman year at Georgetown in 2017. Chelsea Reeves studied advanced neuroanalytics this summer in New York. See sidebar on page 70. Rajan Khanna, who established his passions for engineering and robotics at The Bolles School, was back on campus August 13 as a guest lecturer in Gloria Wood’s Video Production Class on the Bolles Upper School San Jose Campus. Khanna is a junior aerospace and occupational safety student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University where he also is the Editor-in-Chief of The Avion Newspaper. During his time at Bolles, Khanna was very active in the School’s robotics program and camps and counseled other students
Rajan Khanna ’18
Hicks ’19 Leads British to Gold at Euro Cross Country Championships Bolles alumnus Charles Hicks ’19 placed fifth individually and led the British Under-20 team to victory at the European Cross Country Championships in Lisbon, Portugal, on December 8. Hicks qualified for the event with a second-place finish at the British national trials. Hicks grew up in London prior to his family moving to Jacksonville where he enrolled at Bolles as a seventh grader. He is currently a freshman at Stanford University and a member of the Cardinal cross country and track and field teams. “It’s a thrilling experience that hasn’t really set in for me yet,” Hicks said after his race. “I’m over the moon and I’m still in a little bit of shock, but I feel incredibly honored to have been given this opportunity.”
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Hunter Barco ’19
#TBT 1975
Barco ’19 Named All-American by MaxPreps Bolles graduate Hunter Barco ’19 was named to the 2019 MaxPreps Medium Schools All-American Baseball Team. Selected to the First Team as a pitcher, Barco posted a 5–0 record with a 1.84 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 38 innings pitched. He finished his Bolles career with a 35–4 record and 336 strikeouts. At the plate, Barco hit .355 with 19 runs, 14 RBIs, five doubles and three homeruns.
#TBT
A 2019 draft pick of the New York Mets, Barco plays college baseball for the University of Florida.
in their learning, Wood said. Khanna began his presentation with a classroom demonstration of good camera techniques, interesting video shots and drone footage. Later, he took the class outside to show students how to program a drone. “The kids were interested and happy and Rajan left the school proud to be a Bolles alumni.” 2018 Katherine Baker, currently a student at Florida State University, broke an FSU record of the top 10 fastest swims in the 200-yard breaststroke. See sidebar on page 77. The cross-country road trip of Caden Matson ’18, a second-year mechanical engineering major at the University of Florida, was recently the subject of a beautiful spread in Mercedes Star magazine. See sidebar on page 76. 2019 Charles Hicks placed fifth individually and led the British Under-20 team to victory at the European Cross Country Championships in Lisbon, Portugal, on December 8. See sidebar on page 77. Hunter Barco was named 2019 Medium Schools All-American Baseball Team. See sidebar on page 78. Miles Herman was named to the Liberty League’s Men’s Swimming Honor Roll. See sidebar on page 78.
Miles Herman ’19
Herman ’19 Earns Liberty League Honors Bolles alumnus Miles Herman ’19, a freshman at Skidmore College, was named to the Liberty League’s men’s swimming honor roll on October 29. Herman led Skidmore to two team victories to open the 2019–20 season, winning four events in the two meets. Herman won the 1000 free and 200 fly against St. Lawrence, adding a second place in the 200 breast. He won the 200 free and 500 free against Potsdam and was runner-up in the 200 IM.
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This is Bolles:
Alumni Have Vito Moja This is a story about Vito Moja Inc., a Jacksonville-based nonprofit led and supported by many members of the Bolles family. Vito Moja is making a difference in our global community and you’ll be interested to know how. KT Albaugh, one of the Bolles moms guiding this good work, is going to share their story in her own words. This is Bolles: “In 2015 my family (Ryan and I and our two girls, Grace ’23 and Sophia ’27) were going to Kenya and wanted to do some humanitarian work while there. Some Bolles families recommended I get in touch with Debbie Maina. Debbie is from Kenya and at the time, her daughter Jasmine Maina ’14 was just graduating from Bolles and her son Eran Maina ’17 was in high school at Bolles. Debbie happened to be going to Kenya with Eran around the same time we would be there so we teamed up to do some work together.” “Debbie had been returning to her home village of Embu, a rural impoverished area towards Mt Kenya from Nairobi, to help the local community for years so we were just wanting to tag along and help in her efforts.” (**More Bolles context to add here: While she was a student at Bolles, Debbie’s daughter Jasmine helped established the village library at the Kirigi Primary School with donations from friends, family and Bolles classmates of all ages. In 2014, Jasmine, Eran and fellow students Christen Carter ’15 and Margaret Ann Riley ’16 joined Bolles Coach Kelly Stevenson and Whitehurst teacher Caryn Canfield on a summer mission trip to deliver some of the items and see how their humanitarian efforts played out firsthand.) “We brought additional books for the school, as well as supplies, balls, personal hygiene products, and clothes to the students at Kirigi. These children were so grateful and excited to meet us, and us them. They sang and danced for us — it was such a wonderful experience. We also went to Joy Orphanage where the majority of the kids ranging in age from toddlers to teenagers had HIV. We brought them bulk food and much needed supplies and played with the kids.” “It was a life changing experience. Shortly after we returned back in the States, Debbie established Vito Moja Inc (Vito Moja means “one gem” in Swahili) as a 501c3 non-profit. She is the President, I am the chairwoman. We later brought on Lisa Sawyer, a CPA and Bolles mom, to be the Treasurer. We run on a shoestring budget and usually self-fund the operating expenses so everything can go to Kenya that we receive in from donors.” “Since starting Vito Moja we have provided scholarship money to students to continue their education, and we have improved school conditions at Kirigi Primary where classrooms were open air, students were without desks, sharing textbooks 4–5 students to one book. The climate can be harsh in Embu and kids were getting sick and not attending school during the cold wet season. We enclosed the classrooms, patched the concrete floors, painted the walls, put in windows and doors, installed a chalkboard.” “We are currently fundraising for desks and have added many new desks. As a result, Kirigi has gone from a failing school to an average to above average school, with dramatically improved test scores. We also provide old Bolles uniforms to the Kirigi students there, so most of the kids are wearing Bolles clothes and we fondly refer to it as Kenya’s Bolles. We even named the library “Bolles Library.”
“Kirigi was our original primary project but we have begun developing libraries in other schools and communities surrounding Embu. Our goal is 20-20 — to establish 20 libraries by the end of the year 2020.” Above is a picture (left to right) of Debbie, her son Eran ’17, Lisa Sawyer, behind Lisa is Al, Debbie’s fiancé, and then Bolles parent, KT Albaugh. #ThisIsBolles
winter 2019-20
79
Weddings
Births
Dr. Travis von Tobel ’95 and Tiffany Ashurian ’00
Chris ’87 and Barbara ’89 Commander Graham Coxe Commander
Caleb Leavitt ’01 and Lexi Chapas ’02 Laura Jordan Hollis ’08 and Brett Bell Zachary ’13 and Madison Montford
Maggie and Sam Cairns ’99 Scott Howard Cairns
J
Brogen Marie Kirby ’12 and
Benjamin Charles Mowczan
Engagements
Daniel Frisch ’99 and Amanda Bauer-Frisch Jacks Henry Frisch
FE
Mark ’99 and Meredith Frisch ’99 Emmitt Jeffrey Frisch
Dr. Swati Sikaria ’02 and Amit Pandit John Ganzel ’02 and Rachel Barksdale
Deceased
Martin ’03 and Laura Garcia Parker Evans Garcia
George B. Dismore Jr. ’49 Craig D. Seaman ’52
Radford S. Murphy II ’05 and Rachel Murphy Radford Sidney Murphy III
Richard C. Thalleen ‘53 Robert C. Jones Jr. ’53
Sarah ’09 and John Dominey ’08 Elizabeth May Dominey
Jemel N. David Jr. ’59 Mignon Upchurch Beranek ’66 James Taliaferro Lane Jr. ’67 Anne Witherspoon Beard ’70 Martha Cousar Davis ’77 Catherine Lockwood Davis ‘78 Virginia Lynn Jenkins ’85 Robert Mallory Foster Jr. ’02 Hanna Riley ’11
80 | alumni |
Ryan ’02 and Kacie Durant Hayley Mae Durant
Bartram
Katelyn Henderson Register ’09 and Christopher Register Luke Chase Register David Stopyra ’02 and Courtney Stopyra Luke Stopyra
2020
Key Dates JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
January 6
Classes resume for all students
January 20
Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday, No classes
January 30
ACPG Celebration
February 4
End of Third Quarter Interim
February 14
Professional Day, No Classes
February 17
Presidents’ Day, No Classes
February 29
Bolles Bash
March 2
Tuition Drawing Kick-Off
March 4
PVB Campus Farmers Market
March 6
End of Third Quarter
March 10
Whitehurst and Upper School Farmers Market
March 13
Faculty Work Day, No Classes
March 16–20
Spring Break
March 23
Classes Resume
April 10–13
Holiday Break, No Classes
April 14
Classes Resume
April 16
End of 4th Quarter Interim
April 19
Tuition Drawing Sales End
May 1–2
Alumni Reunion Weekend
May 15
End of Fourth Quarter, Second Semester
May 15
Middle School Madness
May 18–22
Exams, Grades 6–12
May 21
Uniform Recycle Sale
May 23
Commencement
May 26
Makeup Exams
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 authorized under Federal law to enroll non-immigrant students. winter 2019-20
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