Today at Breck Winter 2026

Winter 2026

20. Humans of Breck 30. Meet Upper School Director Dr. Spree MacDonald

32. Class of 2020 five years later

Winter 2026

20. Humans of Breck 30. Meet Upper School Director Dr. Spree MacDonald

32. Class of 2020 five years later

Winter 2026

20. Humans of Breck 30. Meet Upper School Director Dr. Spree MacDonald

32. Class of 2020 five years later

Winter 2026 Today at Breck is a publication of Breck School.

123 Ottawa Ave. N. Golden Valley, MN 55422 Email communications@breckschool.org Head of School Natalia R. Hernández, Ed.D. Chief Advancement Officer Stacy Glaus Director of Communications Eric Halverson Editor and Chief Writer Rosie Moroney Designer Abby Terrell Chief Photographer Isaiah Rustad Contributing Writers Katie Ernst Leslie Nelson-Abell Contributing Photographers Ursula Bader Alicia Korpi Ethan Stromquist Communications Coordinator Kelli Frederickson Printer First Impression Group On the cover: Nawal A. ’37 (yellow cover), Caroline R. ’30 (white cover), and Yuchen S. ’26 (blue cover)

Breck School is an Episcopal, independent, college-preparatory day school enrolling students of diverse backgrounds in grades preschool through twelve.

Mission We create confident learners who lead lives of intellectual curiosity, self-knowledge, and social responsibility.

Core Values Compassion: Honor the dignity of all human beings.

Excellence: Strive with integrity for the highest standards.

Inclusivity: Foster a just and welcoming community.

Respect: Value each other’s unique talents, spirit, and potential.

Students sing during the Middle School Choirs and Upper School Voices Concert on December 8, conducted by Choir Director Dr. Camilla J. Horne.

In pursuit of excellence Our Communications Team strives to live up to Breck’s core value of excellence through all our work, including our publications like this one. We are proud to share that Today at Breck won a silver award in the Magazines | Alumni/ General Interest (Independent and International Schools) category of the 2025 CASE Circle of Excellence Awards, which recognizes exceptional achievements from colleges, universities, and independent schools across the world.

If there is a story you would like told in the pages of this magazine, reach out to communications@breckschool.org.

We would love to hear from you!

It is our honor to tell the incredible stories of our community and to provide a platform for connection and reflection around Breck’s mission and values and how they show up in the world.

Winter 2026 | 3

In this issue

20.

30.

COVER STORY

32.

DID YOU KNOW?

WHERE ARE THEY NOW

Humans of Breck

A world of experience

A class of their own

Breck students are beautifully themselves and united by a love of this place.

Three things you may not know about new Upper School Director, Dr. Spree MacDonald.

Members of the Class of 2020 share updates five years after graduating during a global pandemic.

6

20 Questions with Isaiah Rustad

8

Mustang Moments

10

Division Highlight: Early Childhood Nature and Art

12

Program Highlight: Partnership with American School of Madrid

14

Sports Highlights

40 Alumni Spotlight: Lynne Moore Nelson ’86

42

Alumni Class Notes and In Memorium

48 In Their

Own Words: Rev. Katie Ernst

From the Head of School Dear Breck community, I find myself writing this opening letter to our Today at Breck magazine in the first few days of February, following unimaginable circumstances in our Twin Cities community. Once again, Minneapolis is the focus of our nation’s attention, one that demands an affirmation of our core values and how we care for each other as friends, neighbors, and community members. Today, at Breck, we are feeling the acuteness of our mutuality as human beings. In response to the influx of federal agents on our streets and their actions against our community, stories of profound goodness have emerged. In this complex and painful moment in time, we are reminded that our core value of compassion, which we define as honoring the dignity of every human being, stands tall and bright even in the midst of darkness.

Our students and families are truly resilient: beacons of goodness, faith, and light.

It is with this perspective that I am deeply proud to share our winter 2026 issue.

This edition includes a special “Humans of Breck” feature, where we look at the children in our midst through a new lens — celebrating their interests, passions, and joy that represent the very DNA of our community. At Breck, we believe that learning is a social and emotional process; students learn best when they feel known, safe, and authentically cared for. And this feature allows us to see a window into their joyful and vibrant lives.

We also took a moment to revisit the Class of 2020. Much like our current students, their experience was marked by unprecedented challenges through the COVID-19 pandemic. Seeing all they have achieved serves as a powerful reminder that when we provide students with an essential foundation — an internal compass and a sense of purpose built around a challenging and innovative academic program — they can navigate any storm and create lives of intentional meaning and success.

Breck’s longstanding commitment to growing the leaders our world needs is evident now more than ever; leaders who think critically, foster just and welcoming communities, and stand firm for what is right. These leaders are in our halls every day, and we are so grateful for this community’s partnership and support in helping them thrive.

Warmly,

Natalia R. Hernández, Ed.D. Head of School

Winter 2026 | 5

with Isaiah Rustad Creative Strategist, aka “Cameraman” 1

What music are you listening to lately? I cannot stop putting on Olivia Dean even though her songs are everywhere. Bop after bop!

2

What’s one of the last books you read? The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning. Life changing!

3

What’s your favorite time of year?

September. The weather is great, football is back, the State Fair is still going on, the energy at Breck is high, plus my birthday and wedding anniversary are that month.

4

What’s one of the most adventurous things you’ve ever done? In less than 24 hours, my buddies and I explored Yellowstone, swam in a chilly Teton lake at sunset, drove overnight to Moab, Utah, and hiked through a canyon to a swimming hole before we could check into our Airbnb.

5

What is your favorite Breck lunch? Get me those baked chicken tenders and mashed potatoes now!!

6

What’s your dream job? Creative Strategist at Breck, duh! I love helping people, I love storytelling and photography, and getting to work with students of all ages makes the work here extremely fun!

6 | Today at Breck

7

What’s one of the best decisions you’ve ever made?

Moving to Minneapolis! It’s hard to imagine my life without that decision 13 years ago. I met my wife here at school, found my passion for photography by exploring the city, got to stick with my Iowa buddies who moved up to Minnesota, and also made new lifelong friends here.

8

What advice would you give to your younger self? I would tell that dude to stop caring so much about what people think and to be comfortable with who he is. I’d also tell him that he’s pretty talented at a lot of things, but he’s also a little lazy. Hard work can you take you so much further, little Isaiah!

9

What do you remember from kindergarten? I remember chipping my tooth on the water fountain. It didn’t even hurt, and I still got hydrated.

10

What is the most important room in your home? Living room.

Lots of living going on there.

11

What’s your favorite place on the Breck campus? Anderson Gym. Anytime I’m in there, I’m either watching something fun or doing something fun.

12

Favorite comfort food? Mom’s potato soup with dumplings!

13

Favorite treat: salty or sweet? SWEET. My wife’s banana bread.

Nerds Gummy Clusters. Maybe a Mountain Dew sometimes? Can’t go wrong with Fruity Pebbles. Sweet Martha’s Cookies. I could keep going.

14

If you had a theme song, what would it be? “Emotions” by Mariah Carey (MTV Unplugged).

15

Favorite line from a movie? “Bye Buddy, hope you find your dad.” —Mr. Narwhal, Elf. But you have to say it in a really deep voice.

16

Favorite family tradition? Before opening Christmas presents, Grandpa John would gather us in the living room and read the Christmas story from the Bible. He passed away a few years ago, but we still come together every year and watch the video of him reading it.

17

Three people — living or dead — you’d want to have dinner with? Joe Greer (photographer), Eugene Peterson (author and pastor), and Martin Luther King Jr.

18

If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? The Dolomites, a small mountain range of the northern Italian Alps. I’d stay in a little village and swim in a lake and drink espresso and hike everywhere.

19

What’s your pet peeve? When stray cats don’t let me pet them.

20 What keeps you up at night?

Easy. Our NEWBORN BABY! I’d be really annoyed if he wasn’t so cool. Baby Sullivan is the best. B

Winter 2026 | 7

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

MUSTANG MOMENTS Fall 2025 semester in photos: 1. Grade 8 students make flatbread during outdoor education. 2. Teddy C. ’31 reads with Damon S. ’35.

3. Selena Q. ’26 and Maria R. ’26 work together on their Advanced Science Research project focused on the impact of DEET on grass.

4. Noe L. ’31 shows off her bear as part of the grade seven bear book project. Seventh grade students author books and create their bear character, which are later donated to local nonprofit organizations. 5. Sam Kennedy, maintenance technician, and Jacob Cannady, chief engineer, always have a friendly wave and a smile in the halls of Breck. 6. The cast of MAMMA MIA! perform their final pose during this year’s Upper School Musical. 7. Nate P. ’36 welcomes his grand friends during Grand Friends’ Day 2025. 8. Joah M. ’32, Luc J.-F. ’32, and Marcellus N. ’32 celebrate a play on the Middle School soccer field this fall. 9. The 2025 Homecoming Court sing the alma mater during Coronation. 10. Lower School Chaplain George Dornbach blesses a beloved Mustang stuffy during the Blessing of the Animals.

8 | Today at Breck

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Winter 2026 | 9

DIVISION HIGHLIGHT

Lessons from the leaves Exploring every inch of Breck’s backyard.

By Leslie Nelson-Abell

On any given afternoon at Breck, you might find preschoolers crouched over the pond, nets in hand, squealing as they scoop up snails, water bugs, and crayfish.

They record what they find in their science notebooks — counting, sorting, and comparing creatures, noticing how one feels rough and another is slimy.

Others are tucked into the woods, balancing sticks into shelters and feeling how the air changes once they’re inside. In the playground vegetable garden, small hands tug at tomato vines or peel back the husks of ground cherries — sweet rewards for patient gardeners learning how plants grow and change over time.

On cloudy days, students stretch out on the grass for a cloud study, sketching and labeling what they see, then comparing and contrasting the shapes drifting overhead. Some count how many cumulus clouds they spot; others predict whether the sky will bring rain.

Every day, Breck’s youngest learners roam and wander across 55 acres of woods, marsh, and meadows — places so beloved they’ve earned 10 | Today at Breck

names of their own: Wedge Woods, Windchime Woods, The Marsh, The Mud Kitchen, and more. Each space holds favorite games, memories, and traditions.

“When I was a student here, these spaces didn’t even have names,” says Teaching Assistant Liam Kurth ’16.

“Now, they’re an extension of the classroom.”

Under Lower School Director Katie Mahoney’s leadership and with the help of new Early Childhood Nature & Art Teacher Heidi Matheson, outdoor learning continues to take root in new ways. “Preschoolers used to have 20 minutes of art per week,” Katie says. “Now they have an hour and a half of integrated art, nature, and science experiences. And we are just scratching the surface of what we can do outside with our students. It’s inspiring to see what we

know about how children learn best come alive in their daily experiences.”

Heidi adds, “Outdoor experiences tie back to what’s happening already in the classroom. We work alongside classroom teachers to interlink outdoor experiences with the curriculum and support the learning already happening there.”

For Breck’s youngest students, every inch of campus is alive with possibility — each day a chance to see, touch, and name the world for themselves. B Winter 2026 | 11

PROGRA M HI GHLI GHT

Memories from Madrid

Evening looking over the

city.

Una experiencia que transforma. r, In the 2025–2026 fall semeste e ang exch its Breck kicked off an eric Am the with partnership School of Madrid (ASM). During , this transformative experience acrous rigo in d students engage ademic coursework, participated in extracurricular activities, lived a with host families, and fostered . tive pec global pers As this new enriching partnership with ASM takes shape, here’s a glimpse into what four 8 students from the Class of 202 S., ie Ros ., M.-T ah Rey B., eo — Mat as and Taylor W. — experienced ents stud ck Bre of the first cohort in Madrid, Spain.

Breck School 123 Ottawa Ave N Golden Valley, MN 55422

The walkway to an ASM host family home.

The first day of school.

Dinnertime in Madrid.

ASM campus courtyard.

Winter 2026 | 13

Fall Sports 2025

Winter 2026 | 15

MIDDLE SCHOOL MUSTANGS

Ones to watch Marin O. ’31 • Volleyball H OW ’ D YO U S TA RT P L AY I N G ?

I started playing volleyball three years ago. It just started out with a couple of camps with my friends, just for something fun to do. Then I really started to love the sport and got into more competitive club and school volleyball. Now I’ve really been motivated by my teammates and my friends to just keep getting better.

For Breck volleyball, supporting other teams and supporting my team to try to be our best has really been a big motivator.

H OW H AS P L AY I N G F O R B R E C K H E L P E D YO U G R OW AS A P L AY E R O R P E RS O N ?

Playing Breck volleyball has strengthened my leadership skills and my supportiveness, along with many other things. When my team's energy was low, I quickly learned that cheering my teammates on and being as loud as possible was the best way to raise our energy level. As one of the few people on my team who had ever played competitive volleyball, I was able to help my other teammates and do my best to make sure that everyone felt proud of themselves.

W H AT D O YO U LOV E A B O U T VO L L E Y BA L L? My favorite thing is how unpredictable it is. Like one second you can be winning, and the next second you can be losing. So you've really got to stay focused. That motivates me to stay in the game.

16 | Today at Breck

Keep your eye on these rising athletes.

Chante W. ’30 • Football

W H AT D O YO U LOV E A B O U T F O OT B A L L?

FAVO R I T E M O M E N T S F R O M T H I S S E AS O N ?

W H AT A R E YO U R F O OT BA L L G OA LS ?

I started playing in sixth grade, and it’s just a fun sport. It’s active. I also like being a leader on the football team.

When I was in sixth grade, I looked at the eighth graders and thought “Oh, I kind of want to be like them one day.”

And now to see that I’m one of them today is fun. I like leading the guys on and off the field, helping keep them straight if they’re doing something they shouldn’t be doing.

My five touchdowns. It was just so exciting. Because I’ve never had five touchdowns in one game. It’s kind of a big accomplishment. Also, as a team, when we’re all having fun on the field and laughing, that’s also my favorite part.

I have always wanted to play football on varsity in ninth grade. It’s one of my goals. It will take a lot of hard work and determination and keeping on track with school, because you have to manage football practice, school work, hanging out with your friends, and having your own time. After high school, I want to play D1 college football, hopefully. B

Winter 2026 | 17

First grade student Harry M. ’37 joins his senior buddy CJ R. ’26 at McKnight Stadium on football senior night this fall. This season, the football team had its first 4-0 start since 2019 and an incredible comeback win in the playoff quarterfinals.

18 | Today at Breck

Growing the Game

This fall, Middle School and Upper School volleyball players, together with their coaches, attended the University of Minnesota Gophers vs.

University of South Florida Bulls volleyball game on September 12 at Maturi Pavilion on the University of Minnesota campus.

This year is the largest Breck’s volleyball program has ever been, with 38 students in grades 6–8 and 22 students in grades 9–12 participating. The night was the perfect opportunity for the Upper School players to help build community and mentor younger players who will be coming up through the program in the years to come.

Winter 2026 | 19

No two Breck students are the same.

Photography by Ethan Stromquist

REMI M. ’36

I’m the only girl on my football team. And when I get out on the field, sometimes boys say ‘Hey, there’s a girl?’

And then somehow — I don’t really control my body — I get my hands on the ball and score a touchdown on them.”

20 | Today at Breck

Taking inspiration from Brandon Stanton’s Humans of New York photoblog and book — where he shares portraits of New Yorkers and short conversations about their lives to illustrate the diversity and humanity in all of us — in this “Humans of Breck” feature, Breck Communications aimed to pull back the curtain on who

Breck students are. What do they love? What do they care about? What do they dream about?

The photos and quotes that follow capture a fleeting moment in time in the life of Breck students — all beautifully themselves but united by their love of this place.

DREW P. ’28

I have four brothers. I’m the youngest.

It’s challenging, but they’re always pushing me to be the best I can be. And it’s kind of nice learning from what they did wrong and what I can improve on doing.”

YAEL T. ’38

Every weekend I get to go to the farm to pick a bunch of veggies. It has beets, and it has carrots. It has pretty much any veggie.

And raspberries.

And bubblegum plums. ”

SABRINA M. ’31

This is gonna sound kind of silly, but I think my favorite place I’ve ever been is the Barnes & Noble at the Galleria. My mom and I went there recently, and it was just humongous. It was awesome.”

JOEY H. ’27

I’m really liking A.P. Art History.

It’s such a fun and interesting class. We just learned about Dadaism, which is basically the rejection of the meaning of art. You know like the famous banana taped to the wall? That’s Dadaism, because it’s making fun of art. Dadaism is art, but it’s the concept of not being art.”

Winter 2026 | 21

WYN S. ’29

I started playing hockey at 12. I tried football, soccer, and baseball, but I didn’t really like any of those sports. Once I tried out hockey, I loved it. It’s really addictive — just shooting the puck around.”

NAWAL A. ’37

I love Breck because I love the recess and I love the quiet time. ”

22 | Today at Breck

ETHAN G. ’38 I like petting Finley, my dog.

And I like scratching her.

And I like when she gives kisses to me.”

JANIE N. ’32

I like doing experiments and how science kind of combines a lot of different subjects.

We’re learning about the scientific method right now. So that’s kind of interesting.

I was a little confused when I first heard about it because it’s a lot of steps at one time.”

YUCHEN S. ’26

I play the piano and the violin.

When I was younger, I liked the piano better because it’s easier to play on.

Then I started to like the violin better because you can play multiple voices from the violin, and you have more control over all the notes that you play.

Now I kind of just like both, because I know how to perform a lot of things.”

JORDAN S. ’35

I have a lot of hobbies. I like to sing. I do dance and gymnastics. My mom says I have more than one thing to do in life. ”

Winter 2026 | 23

THEO G. ’31

I’m in band, and I love to drum. When I was listening to music, I listened a lot to the drum parts, and I just thought it would be so cool if I got into drumming.”

ALEX S. ’30

With tennis, I like that you can do it solo but also with a doubles partner. It’s really fun because there are so many strokes you can work on.”

24 | Today at Breck

DOROTHY K. ’34

My favorite thing to eat is my mom’s homemade pizza with sausage and pepperoni. She makes it all homemade.

She even makes the sauce.”

JANNA A. ’29

I really like physics, even though most people don’t. It’s a little hard, but I like that it gives you a new perspective on math and science combined.”

MAX W. ’35

I once went to the Four Corners where all four states connect.

It’s Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. There were lines on the sidewalk that told you what state it was, which was cool. ”

GRACE M. ’26

I’ve been playing volleyball since sixth grade, so it’s a really big part of my life. It’s just taught me a lot of life lessons like determination and grit, and then also it’s taught me a lot about problem solving, teamwork, and how to communicate.”

Winter 2026 | 25

ADELE S. ’28

Lauren W. ’39

I think I want to be a vet. I want to take care of bunnies.”

I like how Breck is preschool through 12, so you’re able to interact with all of the grades.

As a little kid, it was very powerful to have friends who were older than me and to have somebody to look up to. Now I’m glad that I am that somebody they can look up to.”

BEN N. ’33

I got this medal from Chicago from dance.

I do ballroom dance.

My mom signed me and my sister up for it like four years ago. It’s fun.

I hope to do it for a long time.”

26 | Today at Breck

CAROLINE R. ’30

I really like skating, but I also broke my leg skating two years ago. I fell on a jump, and then my leg twisted. But I’ve been able to get back on the ice, and now I’m better than I was before.

I didn’t think I was going to start skating again right after I broke it, but I’m glad I did because it makes me feel more confident in myself, like, I know I can do anything.”

JÓNSI W. ’37

Kindergarten doesn’t get to do the salad bar. But first graders do. Every day I’m looking for pickles. But my teacher said we can only take five things of each. By the way, I’m really hungry.”

Winter 2026 | 27

SOPHIE L. ’27

I love how mentally challenging golf is. I think a lot of times people play sports just to have fun and to let go, but golf has really taught me how to focus my mind, which I can then apply to school. The pressure golf puts on you is very, very intense, and so I think that has also helped me in other high pressure situations.”

MARCELLUS N. ’32 I’m very competitive and I like to win.

A lot.”

28 | Today at Breck

OLLIE B. ’39

Didi and Poppy gave this monster truck to me. They have a pool. The wheels are made of plastic, but this part’s made of metal, so it can’t go in the pool.”

JAYDEN E. ’34

I love the Timberwolves. My favorite player is Anthony Edwards. I like when he dunks.”

MIRANDA W. ’33 I want to be a lawyer so I can help out with problems, and I want to be an author so I can share stories.”

MILO H. ’36

I like to do art, play chess, and sing and dance.

My favorite song to dance to is ‘Moses Supposes’ [from Singing in the Rain]. I could perform it right now.”

[He did.]

Winter 2026 | 29

DID YOU KNOW?

A world of experience

From po’boys to permaculture, three things you may not know about Breck’s new Upper School Director, Dr. Spree MacDonald.

By Leslie Nelson-Abell Breck’s new Upper School Director, Dr. Spree MacDonald, is no stranger to being “the new guy.” Born in northern Michigan, Spree has lived nearly everywhere — the Midwest, the West Coast, Appalachia, the Gulf Coast, and even abroad in Africa.

With each move, he’s learned to adapt, immerse himself in new cultures, and carry forward the best of each place.

A lover of culture and learning

Spree lights up when he talks about the unique foods, music, and traditions he’s discovered in the places he’s called home.

In New Orleans, that meant muffalettas and shrimp po’boys from Frady’s Food Store, and Friday afternoon jazz concerts at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. In New Mexico, his family would take weekend trips to “magical spots” around the state, like the Gila National Forest–places to “exhale and recharge.”

These days, his curiosity finds new outlets, like diving into favorite podcasts such as On Being or This American Life, or unwinding at the end of the day with Louise Penny’s Chief Inspector Armand Gamache crime series.

As for life in Minnesota, Spree is all in. When asked about winter, he grins. “I prefer the extreme! I’m actually really looking forward to the winters and hoping that it does snow. It’s remarkable seeing how active people are in the Twin Cities. We’re in a mode of exploration and looking forward to discovering the culture here around wintertime.”

A passionate gardener

“I love throwing myself into regional gardening. It’s a big part of my life,” Spree says.

With a background in permaculture and sustainable practices, he plans to redevelop his yard here to have native plants, fruit trees, berries, grasses, and vegetables. He’s eager to see what Minnesota’s wetter climate makes possible — in New Mexico, he built a graywater system so his laundry machine could water the yard. He also plans to create spaces in the garden to hang out in, having even constructed his own outdoor adobe pizza oven in the past.

“Integrated outdoor living helps get me outside in the evenings, off of devices, out there with my kids, spending time outdoors.” His dream here? To transform his new yard into a thriving “food forest.”

A lifelong student of Buddhism

Spree also draws inspiration from his Buddhist practice. “There’s a whole other wing of my world that’s involved in Zen training, so I am constantly reading and listening to podcasts in the realm of Buddhist philosophy.” One of his long-term goals is to complete Zen training and eventually become a Buddhist chaplain. For him, he describes Buddhism as more than a religious endeavor; it’s “more a methodology for working with the human condition.”

With so many interests and so little time, Spree says, “Time is a fleeting condition. I’m trying to make the most of all of it. Sincerely. I’m all in. I don’t want to take it for granted that I get to do this tomorrow. That’s been my method for a long time.”

When you run into him on campus, stop by and introduce yourself to Dr. MacDonald. He’s eager to get to know the Breck community — and to make Minnesota feel like home. B

Winter 2026 | 31

WHERE ARE THEY NOW

A class of their own

F I V E Y E A RS A F T E R G R A D UAT I N G F R O M B R EC K D U R I N G A G LO BA L PA N D E M I C, M E M B E RS O F T H E C L AS S O F 2 0 2 0 S H A R E W H E R E T H EY A R E N OW A N D H OW B R EC K P R E PA R E D T H E M F O R L I F E B EYO N D O U R WA L LS .

It’s hard to forget where you were when the world shut down in March 2020. The Class of 2020 was in their final year at Breck, with senior traditions, Commencement, and closing Breck moments on the horizon. While their year ended differently than anyone could have expected, the Class of 2020 followed in the footsteps of generations of Breck alumni and carried forward Breck’s mission and values into a complex and uncertain world.

Five years later, six students — Elizabeth Berman ’20, Ellie Holt ’20, Olivia Mobley ’20, Taylor Nelson ’20, Will Ott ’20, and Jack Peterson ’20 — share their post-Breck journey, where they are now, and how graduating during such an unprecedented time has shaped their young adulthood.

Elizabeth graduated from the University of Virginia with majors in economics and Spanish. She also earned a TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certification. After graduating, she spent a year teaching English in Manresa, Spain through the Meddeas (Multilingual Education Development and Support) program. Today, she works as an economics research assistant in Chicago W H AT M OT I VAT E D YO U TO T E AC H E N G L I S H I N S PA I N AFTER COLLEGE? My time learning Spanish at Breck definitely motivated me to become a Spanish major and to live abroad. I also did my Community Partnership at Robbinsdale Spanish Immersion.

During my senior year at Breck, I was going to do a May Program trip to Colombia. It sounded awesome, but we unfortunately didn’t get to do it. Having that not happen is part of what really motivated me to go abroad as a sophomore in college, maybe a little earlier than some other people, and to stay there for a full semester. I studied abroad in Valencia, Spain, and that ended up being a really wonderful experience. I lived with a host family. I got better at Spanish, and I also volunteer taught in an ESL middle school classroom.

After that, I could see myself living in Spain again and teaching English, which is what I did.

W H AT D O YO U L I K E A B O U T YO U R J O B N OW ?

I majored in economics, and I wrote an undergraduate capstone project that had to do with public economics and labor economics. Economics is a really solid career field, and after teaching in Spain, I wanted to try working as a research assistant.

I care a lot about society, so it’s a really cool way to contribute analytically to how we understand society, hopefully making it better in the long term.

34 | Today at Breck

D I D G R A D UAT I N G F R O M B R E C K D U R I N G C OV I D A LT E R YO U R P L A N S AT A L L? COVID did not affect my plans at all.

I went on to a university that had all students back on campus. We were going to a lot of our classes virtually, but we were living in freshman dorms. It certainly shaped my experience, but it did not change my life plan.

H OW H AS B R E C K P R E PA R E D YO U F O R C O L L E G E A N D B E YO N D ?

At Breck, I was surrounded by really smart people in a really intense environment. What Breck does pretty well is balancing that intensity and those high expectations with a certain amount of emotional care and whole learning. There was a really nice balance between intensity of extracurriculars and academics and teachers who really cared about us in those settings. Both the high-quality education and the tight community feeling helped me be very ready for college.

Outside of academics, a passion that was nurtured at Breck that I’ve gotten to explore a lot since graduation is playing the violin! I was in orchestra with Mrs. Laureano since the 4th grade rotation. I loved it and grew from it so much. Mrs. Laureano is such a fabulous teacher. At UVA, I joined a string quartet group called Radio Music Society my first semester, and it became my biggest involvement outside of class.

Ellie graduated from Villanova University with a double major in Spanish and criminology and minors in business, peace and justice, and Latin American studies. Currently, she is a 3rd grade teacher at Academia Cesar Chavez, a bilingual dual-immersion charter school in St. Paul, Minnesota. Ellie is also a second-year Corps Member in Teach For America, a national organization that empowers dedicated new teachers to deliver equitable education for all children.

H OW D I D YO U G E T TO W H E R E YO U A R E N OW ?

My path to teaching has been both direct and winding. My first exposure to education came during my freshman year when I volunteered with Breck Summer Programs and spent my days with rising first graders. I loved the energy, curiosity, and creativity of that experience, and from then on, teaching sat in the back of my mind as a dream career.

Throughout high school, I sought out opportunities that mirrored the best parts of teaching.

When I graduated in the middle of COVID, I felt uncertain about pursuing education as a major. At the time, so much of teaching was happening online, and I knew I wanted to experience the classroom in person, not through a screen. So I explored other fields. But I kept finding myself drawn back to teaching.

I believe classrooms are transformative spaces — they’re not only where students learn academics, but also where they build confidence, ask questions, and imagine new possibilities for themselves. That’s what motivated me to officially pursue teaching through Teach For America.

W H AT D O YO U LOV E A B O U T YO U R J O B? When you are a teacher, every single day is different. No two lessons or moments are the same, and that keeps me on my toes in the best way.

I love seeing my students grow, not only academically, but also in how they view themselves as learners and independent thinkers. Since I teach at a bilingual school, I also have the privilege of watching my students gain confidence in two languages, which is incredibly powerful.

D I D G R A D UAT I N G D U R I N G C OV I D A F F E CT YO U R P O S T- B R E C K P L A N S ?

Graduating in 2020 definitely shaped my path. At the time, the future of teaching was extremely uncertain, and I knew I did not want to pursue education if it meant teaching virtually. That influenced my

decision to study Spanish and criminology instead, while exploring other interests and disciplines through my minors. In hindsight, even without an education major, I gained a unique perspective and a set of skills that I now bring into my classroom every day.

H OW D I D B R E C K P R E PA R E YO U F O R YO U R WO R K TO DAY? Breck instilled in me the value of learning and community, which is central to my teaching today. I’m grateful for how Breck challenged me to think critically, adapt gracefully, and work with others with a growth mindset. I learned the value of advocating for myself when I didn’t understand something, which is something I explicitly teach my 3rd graders to do when they don’t understand something (after trying it first, of course)!

Winter 2026 | 35

Olivia graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) with majors in marketing and Spanish. She played D1 hockey at UMD as well as at The Ohio State University and Quinnipiac University. This fall, she was drafted to play professionally for the Boston Fleet in the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL). This interview took place ahead of her first season, which began in November 2025 and will run through April 2026.

D I D YO U A LWAYS K N OW YO U WA N T E D TO P L AY PROFESSIONAL H O C K EY? I suppose I always knew I wanted to keep playing — that was always the goal, because I love the game and it’s what I’ve always done. When I was in college, the PWHL didn’t really exist, so I figured I’d cross that bridge when I got there. Luckily, the PWHL popped up, and it’s been super successful. I’m really excited to be a part of it.

W H AT M OT I VAT E D YO U TO T R A N S F E R TO P L AY HOCKEY FOR THREE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS? Quinnipiac was a great place for me at that time. After my junior year, I was looking for something different.

It was obviously super hard transferring. You grow really close with your teammates and grow close with the community and the familiarity of it all. Heading to Ohio, I want to be part of something bigger. Going through that year, mentally, I was kind of in a tough place. I figured that if I wanted to keep playing, I had to get out of that spot. Because I just wasn’t having fun. I really wanted to be happy at the rink, so I made the move to transfer again to UMD. I actually thought about the PWHL and what coaches and managers might think with all my transfers, but I got to chat with a few managers and was able to share my side of the story. I did what I felt was best for me at the time!

36 | Today at Breck

H OW D I D G R A D UAT I N G D U R I N G C OV I D A F F ECT YO U R P L A N S ?

I don’t think it affected too much of my decision because I committed to Quinnipiac when I was pretty young.

I learned a lot there about myself as a player and a person, but I don’t think COVID had too much to do with that. The only time I noticed it at Quinnipiac was that I didn’t really get to practice with my whole team until a few months into the season.

So it didn’t change too much of my trajectory, but 2020 was definitely a weird year.

H OW D I D B R E C K P R E PA R E YO U F O R W H E R E YO U A R E N OW ?

From an academic standpoint, Breck helped a lot with college. Breck was a pretty heavy load, and I developed really good habits from a school standpoint. Athletically, I really lucked out with the [Breck girls hockey] program. We all had a culture built in that we made a conscious effort to be at the rink, be present every day, and leave everything else outside the door. I had an opportunity to play for a really great program with really great coaches and really good teammates. Everyone has a different role, whether you’re first line, fourth line, not playing — everyone matters. Being able to play in such a strong culture is really cool, and knowing what that feels like, I can carry it into any program I go to.

Taylor graduated from Scripps College with an English major and a Chinese minor. Today, she is a staff assistant/senate special assistant to Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar.

W H AT D O YO U LOV E A B O U T YO U R J O B? The best part about my job as a staff assistant is being able to participate in the immigration portfolio that the Senator’s staff works on. The work I assist them with feels incredibly meaningful: conducting research, attending meetings, and making policy recommendations that can translate directly to legislation. In my role as a special assistant — which entails spending the day alongside the Senator, managing her schedule and acting as the communicative link between her and her senior staff — the best part of the job is the variability.

No two days are the same. Every moment reveals new layers of the drama that is our nation’s Congress.

H OW D I D B R EC K P R E PA R E YO U F O R W H AT YO U ’ R E D O I N G N OW ?

Breck prepared me well for the work I’m doing now and the environment I’m doing it in. Breck taught me how to write well, which is an important part of my job. As a staff assistant, I write constituent letters that need to strike the right tone and convey the Senator’s positions and opinions accurately. As a special assistant, I often need to write messages to Senator

Klobuchar while she is on the Senate floor, so it’s crucial that these be clear and concise. Good penmanship is also a key factor in writing these notes, which takes me all the way back to writing workbooks in Mrs. Powers’ kindergarten class!

D I D G R A D UAT I N G D U R I N G C OV I D A F F E CT YO U R P O S T- B R E C K P L A N S ?

world — be it at the state or federal level — and moving into a legal practice. Geographically, I don’t know where I will be. Many of the law schools that I am interested in are in New York, California, or Texas — all historic points of entry that coincide with strong immigration law programs.

Graduating during COVID had a substantial impact on my plans. I started my first year of college at Princeton University in the fall of 2020. During my first semester, our campus was closed. During the spring semester, campus was open, but the strict COVID policies almost made things worse than they had been in the fall. I was unhappy on campus, committed to a major that I was realizing I had no interest in (economics), and my mental health was in crisis. I took the following year off, which ended up being the best decision I could’ve made for myself.

I then transferred to Scripps College and changed my major to English with a focus in creative writing.

W H E R E D O YO U S E E YO U R S E L F I N F I V E Y E A R S ?

In five years, I see myself out of law school, likely at a crossroads between trying to return to the policy Winter 2026 | 37

Will graduated from Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth, Texas with a B.S. in strategic communications and marketing. Today, he is an active duty commissioned Officer (Second Lieutenant) in the United States Air Force stationed at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, United Kingdom, operating as a Flight Commander for the 100th Security Forces Squadron.

W H AT L E D YO U TO J O I N T H E M I L I TA RY? At first, I was not expecting to join the military, let alone a first responder type of job. I had the chance to do Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) in college but ultimately opted out because I figured I wasn’t going to be in the military at all. Once I got closer to graduating, I realized I still had no idea what I wanted to do. With several of my family members having served, I always thought of it as an option. I ultimately decided to take the steps to become an Air Force Officer for three reasons: I knew what it meant and what it takes to serve, I wanted to become a better leader, and I wanted to challenge myself.

W H AT I S T H E M O S T R E WA R D I N G PA RT O F YO U R C U R R E N T WO R K? The most rewarding part of what I do is knowing that I’m making a difference. The satisfaction I get from seeing my airmen with smiles when they show up for their 12-hour shifts makes all the bad days worth it. The vast majority of my airmen have just graduated high school, are thousands of miles from home, and have never lived away from home. For this reason, the most important thing to me is taking care of the people. Every base, every squadron, and every commander has a mission statement they want to execute upon.

With that said, if your people aren’t being taken care of, the mission isn’t getting executed and is therefore obsolete. As a people person, I take

38 | Today at Breck

pride in making my airmen laugh, building personal connections with them, and hearing them thank me for looking out for them. That’s what I love about it the most.

H OW D I D B R E C K P R E PA R E YO U F O R YO U R CA R E E R A N D L I F E I N T H E M I L I TA RY? My experience at Breck helped prepare me for the military because it gave me order and structure to follow, and it allowed me to build connections with all types of people. By the time I graduated, I felt the teachers I connected with showed patience in my development, albeit strenuous and sometimes stagnant, and helped me find ways to overcome my own attention and behavioral issues.

Breck also taught me the beauty of working alongside all different personalities and backgrounds and how these differences can help you grow as a leader and person. Breck gave me the opportunity to build many lifelong connections, creating a network I’ll have for life. It also gave me an appreciation for an organized environment which heavily influenced my decision to serve.

D I D G R A D UAT I N G D U R I N G T H E PA N D E M I C I M PACT YO U R P O S T- B R E C K P L A N S ?

COVID-19 didn’t really impact my post-Breck plans or my decision to join the Air Force. My first semester of college was virtual, which definitely affected my grades and ability to make friends when I first got to college. However, my sophomore year, everything was back to normal.

Jack graduated from the University of Chicago with a major in neuroscience and minors in astronomy, astrophysics, and chemistry. Today, he is in his first year of medical school at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Between college and medical school, he worked as a full-time clinical researcher at the NIH’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, studying nervous system infections.

H OW D I D B R EC K P R E PA R E YO U F O R W H E R E YO U A R E N OW ?

I’ve always been fascinated by medicine and health, but my education thus far has refined exact avenues to approach this. Breck did an amazing job of introducing discussions on social influencers of health, community health, as well as foundational scientific knowledge.

Research is always present in science, no matter what discipline or profession you pursue, so being provided this initial glimpse into the field through Breck’s Advanced Science Research Program was indispensable for my eventual career in STEM. Beyond that, Breck offered first insights into many of the fields which are still relevant when I complete multidisciplinary work. I still remember the basics from my introduction to computer science class and rely on mnemonics from AP Calc. While the complexity of these topics has grown as I pursue further education, I am grateful for the initial exposure Breck gave me; it definitely influenced the college activities and courses I pursued outside of the standard curriculum.

W H AT D O YO U LOV E A B O U T YO U R WO R K?

W H E R E D O YO U H O P E TO B E I N F I V E Y E A R S ?

I love the applicability of my medical education. For almost all my coursework until now, I constantly would question its relevance to my future career. Now, every class, lab, or patient encounter feels directly pertinent to being a successful physician. A lot of prerequisite work was required in a variety of fields, but I appreciate now being able to actively engage in what I initially set out to become.

Hopefully in residency. The trajectory for becoming a physician is quite tedious. In five years, I will be in my second year of a residency program (which takes 3–5 years), but I just have yet to pinpoint which field. As of right now, I am leaning towards surgical specialties, but things always change.

I also enjoy the collaborative environment. My classmates are all incredibly bright and passionate individuals, each with their own motivation for pursuing a medical degree, and learning alongside them reinforces my accountability and camaraderie. It’s overall just exciting to feel as if I’m finally beginning the profession (even if in a limited capacity) I’ve been working toward for years.

D I D G R A D UAT I N G D U R I N G C OV I D I M PACT YO U R J O U R N E Y? It really didn’t! By the time COVID caused a shut-down, all my college plans were pretty much set into place. I think myself and many peers felt like college got off to a slow start because of the precautions, but in some ways this led to a nicer transition post-Breck. B

Winter 2026 | 39

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

A foundation for leadership 2025 Distinguished Alumna Lynne Moore Nelson ’86 keeps Breck close to her heart.

Lynne Moore Nelson ’86 earned her B.A. in sociology from Howard University and a J.D. from Mercer University – Walter F. George School of Law. Today, she works as the executive director of the Institute of Continuing Judicial Education of Georgia (ICJE), which is the primary agency that provides continuing education and training for members of the judicial branch of the State of Georgia. Prior to her time at ICJE, Ms. Moore Nelson was the court administrator for the Fulton County Magistrate Court and the chief of staff in the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office. She also spent more than a decade working in various academic and operational executive management roles within Chicago Public Schools.

Pictured: Lynne speaks at Distinguished Alumni Chapel on September 24 and poses with attendees.

40 | Today at Breck

“My teachers, my friends, and my experiences at Breck are the cornerstone foundation of so many things that I’ve done in my life. What I received from Breck about being respectful, being humble, being open-minded, listening to people, and being a critical thinker is all Breck.

Breck is in everything I do.”

Winter 2026 | 41

Class Notes

HOMECOMING 2025 was incredible!

We enjoyed seeing so many Breck alumni back on campus. Our award winners include: Distinguished Alumna 1. LYNNE MOORE NELSON '86, Excellence in the Arts Award Winners 2. SPENCER REECE '81 and 3. CRAIG TABORN '88, and our Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees, 4. LINDSEY (HUGSTAD-VAA) MESICH '03, 5. CHRISTINA (MARTINEZ) STEIGAUF '85, 6. PATRICK MCCARTHY '04, 7. BLAKE WHEELER '05, 8. JOE KORDOSKY, 9. DEBBY RYE, the 10. 2003-04 GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM and the 11. 2003-04 BOYS HOCKEY TEAMS. The Breck Alumni Office enjoyed visiting ALUMNI IN CALIFORNIA in early November. Director of Alumni Engagement Brian Sobas was joined by Dr. Natalia R. Hernández for the 12. Los Angeles visits and events, and later by Margaret Wong for the 13. San Francisco event. Thank you to all of our alumni who met with us!

14. BRECK BASKETBALL ALUMNI came back to school on December 19 for the annual alumni basketball game. The Class of 2025 alumni team narrowly beat the 2024 and older alumni team 58-55 in a double overtime game!

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15. BRECK BOYS HOCKEY ALUMNI faced off against the Blake Boys Hockey Alumni at the Blake Ice Arena on Saturday, December 20. The Mustangs won 7-6 to clinch their 3rd win in the holiday rivalry game against the Bears.

16. We loved seeing over 100 alumni return for the annual Breck ALUMNI HOLIDAY PARTY on December 23.

Thank you for spending part of your holiday with us, Mustangs!

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60s

80s

17. JOHN PACKARD ’65 and ORRIE KESSEL ’65 organized a small 60-year reunion at Ike’s in Minnetonka.

SPENCER REECE ’81 published a poem, “Madrigal,” in the April 21, 2025, weekly edition of the New Yorker Magazine.

70s

ELIZABETH FOY LARSEN ’82 produced Magic and Monsters, a documentary film that uncovers the long-buried story of child abuse at the Children’s Theater in Minnesota in the '60s, '70s, and '80s.

18. JIM ROLLWAGEN ’70 hosted a 55year reunion at his house that included classmates and former faculty members. The Class of 1970 also toured the River Road Campus during their reunion this summer.

19. GRANVILLE HARLOW ’75, BILL LYDON ’75, FAWN WILDERSON ’75, and JOEL STONE ’75 hosted their 50-year reunion at Medina Entertainment Center on September 20.

44 | Today at Breck

WILLIE WISELY ’83 released his newest album, Through Any Window, in 2025. The album features a mellow acoustic mix of 24 songs spanning the decades of his artistic output.

WAYNE WILDERSON ’84 appears in season 5, episodes 1 and 2 of Abbott Elementary.

20. SARAH FLOTTEN ’85, DANNA (HEILICHER) MIRVISS ’85, ERIC CHRIST ’85, and SANDY STONE ’85 hosted their 40-year reunion at Pryes Brewing Company on September 27.

Fire Chief BRYAN TYNER ’86 retired from the Minneapolis Fire Department after 30 years of dedicated service. He is stepping into the Executive Director role of the Phyllis Wheately Community Center.

CRAIG TABORN ’88 is named a 2025 MacArthur Fellow in the category of Improvising Musician and Composer.

ALLISON O’TOOLE ’89 is the Constellation Fund’s first Chief Growth Officer.

90s

IMAD AHMED ’90 is now ReferWell’s Chief Operating Officer & Chief Product Officer.

21. DAVE WALTER ’90, CHRIS WELSH ’90, JENA BJORGEN ’90, RUSTY GAILLARD ’90, and LIZA (SWANSON) BORDENAVE ’90 hosted their 35-year reunion at Nolos on September 20.

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MARISA COUGHLAN ’92, who wrote, produced, and stars in Blue Eyed Girl, premiered on November 14 in Minnesota and on November 21 on streaming services. She is also working with ERIK STOLHANSKE ’87 on Super Troopers 3, slated for release in 2026.

22. HEATHER BEHNKE GRANT ’95, SUZANNE VARECKA ’95, and SUMMER (HILL) JOHNSON ’95 hosted their 30-year reunion at Nolos on September 5!

00s

23. AIRINA RODRIGUES ’00 hosted the 25year reunion at Brühaven on December 20.

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In November, Christina and ALEX CLARK ’02 joyfully welcomed their second son on the same day Alex’s father, longtime Breck faculty member Peter Clark, was born. He is named after his grandfather, but his friends know him as “Petey.”

YEMI GILLAND ’04 is now the Regional Manager, International - APMEA at Blistex Inc. LIAM O’HAGAN ’04 has been named the Executive Director and Banker at J.P. Morgan Private Bank at their Nashville office.

BRANDON ROBINSON ’04 was inducted into the 2025 CCX Sports Hall of Fame for his pivotal role leading the Mustangs to our 2003 state championship. His induction was featured in CCX Media's 30-minute 2025 CCX Sports Hall of Fame Special, which aired on August 30, 2025.

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24. MARLENE GOLDENBERG ’05, ROSEMARY LELICH ’05, and TYLER MCLINN ’05 hosted their 20-year reunion in partnership with PETER NGUYEN ’05 and ANDREW KITZENBERG ’05 (owner) at Picnic Linden Hills on September 27.

KATIE CREASEY ’07 and her husband Matt welcomed a son, Paul, in May 2025.

MIKE NELSON ’07, WIN BENNETT ’05, KRISTIN KELLY ’05, and MILES MARMO ’06 all presented to students in the Breck DECA Chapter, a business and entrepreneurship organization, sharing insights on starting and running successful businesses.

Winter 2026 | 45 24.

25.

KEVIN SCHRECK ’07 directed Onogo, a full-length animation-documentary hybrid and the inspiring story of rapper/producer/Ph.D. candidate Enongo LumumbaKasongo, a.k.a. Sammus. The film is a part of eight film festivals in the United States in the fall and winter of 2025.

25. LAURA (HOWARD) KILFOYLE ’08 and Matt Kilfoyle welcomed their first child, Piper, on December 13, 2024.

Piper enjoyed her first Boston spring and making frequent trips to MN see her baby cousin, Brooks.

10s

26. ERIC CHIEN ’10, NATHAN YUEH ’10, and COLE HARSTAD ’10 hosted their 15-year reunion at Red Wagon Pizza on November 26.

27. JOHN RUSSELL ’10 and his wife Hayley Ryan welcomed their son Cillian in late May. They are finally catching up on sleep and looking forward to celebrating his first winter (more importantly, his introduction to hockey).

28. KRISTINA (HOWARD) YATES ’11 and BRENDEN YATES ’10 welcomed their baby, Brooks, in March.

BLAKE CREASEY ’12 and wife Maddie welcomed baby Calvin Creasey in October 2025!

46 | Today at Breck

26.

29. JENN FABIAN ’15, MADI LOMMEN ’15, PETER KIESEL ’15, and JAILA TOLBERT ’15 hosted their 10-year reunion at Par365 on November 28.

CLAIRE COUSINEAU ’16 co-authored The Highest Exam: How the Gaokao Shapes China in the Fall of 2025, which was named one of the Best Books of 2025

by The Economist Magazine.

CARLY BENIEK ’19 and ETHAN GUELL ’19 recently announced their engagement. Carly is a Medical Device Sales Representative with Arthrex, and Ethan is a consultant with Kearney. They plan to get married summer of 2027.

BRETT SCHOPPERT ’19 and JACK WOLF ’19 are reunited again at start-up LineLeap.

20s

30. ELIZABETH BERMAN ’20 and EVE JAVINSKY ’20 hosted their 5-year reunion at Billy After Dark on November 29.

WALSH KERN ’21 was selected for a Fulbright Research Fellowship. He will be going to India in September to research renewable energy policies. His mom, Amy, reports that “he went to Claremont McKenna extremely well prepared.”

KEYA LUTA WIN HUNT ’22 is a setter on the University of St. Thomas volleyball team, helping lead the Tommies through their NCAA Division I transition. A public health major, Keya plans to pursue graduate studies in health care administration. She is a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin and also Leech Lake Ojibwe and Oglala Lakota. This fall, she was also featured in a story in The Circle newspaper.

ENRICO PETTO ’24 was named a winner of the 2025 Allen R. Sanderson Economics Prize.

HENRY SABO ’25 recently launched veteranatlas.com, a local map that helps veterans find community — people, businesses, events, and support — and appeared on KARE 11 News in early December to talk about his website.

VLADIMIR TSIPER ’25 performed a concert at MacPhail’s Antonello Hall on October 30. He performed the Glazunov Concerto, two movements of Bach's C major Unaccompanied Sonata, and the Skoryk Capriccio. B

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In Memoriam

It is with a heavy heart that we share the passing of members of our alumni community. Please keep the following Mustangs and their families in your thoughts and prayers: Robert Crosby ’49 Richard James ’49 James McCarl ’49 Timothy Sands ’51 Brian Wessel ’54 Gary Hanson ’56

Douglas Shaw ’60 Gordon “Bud” Mixon ’61 Lester (Skip) Davis Jr. ’76 Marit Dvorak ’85 Margaret McMillan ’17

Looking for more?

If you want more Breck alumni news between Today at Breck issues, check out the alumni e-newsletter at breckschool.org/alumni.

Learn about upcoming events, read interviews, and more.

We recognize there may be others in our community who have passed away but are not listed here. Please reach out to alumni@breckschool.org if there is someone who should be listed in the next issue.

Winter 2026 | 47

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

A call to courage

Head Chaplain Rev. Katie Ernst reflects on this year’s chapel theme.

Courage is one of those words that evokes strong images like a roaring lion or people running towards difficult things. However, courage is so much more than these popular notions. Courage shows up in unexpected and quiet everyday ways. It is the animating power between what keeps us rooted (values, traditions, family, and spirituality) and how we show up in the world (just, loving, kind, and supportive). Howard Thurman, a Christian mystic, educator, and civil rights leader, would say courage is about the integrity of the inner life.

It’s about how we live in truth, how we stay rooted in love, and how we

48 | Today at Breck

move through the world authentically, even when that world feels uncertain or unkind.

to trust her sister and friends, courage reveals itself not in isolation, but in relationship. Even in ancient sacred texts, the pattern holds: transformation begins when someone reaches out — when a hand extends, a friend shows up, or a community carries another’s burden.

In my October chapel message, I invited students to explore this through our subtheme: “The Courage to Ask for Help.” As I reflected on it, I began to notice how the theme of asking for help appears everywhere — in books, films, and in our sacred stories.

We see this same dynamic in two stories from the Gospel of Mark:

From Harry Potter to Frozen, Black Panther to Spider-Man, the turning point in the story often comes when the hero admits that they can’t do it alone. Whether it’s T’Challa realizing he needs his people, or Elsa learning

The first is about a woman who had been ill for 12 long years. Desperate and exhausted, she reached out to touch the edge of Jesus’ cloak, trusting that even that small act of reaching might lead to healing. And it did.

As we do at the end of each chapel, receive this blessing: Beloved, May you know deep in your bones that you do not make this journey alone. No matter the particularity of your need, your pain, your grief, or even joy — it is not solely yours to carry.

Jesus told her that her faith — her courage to reach out — had made her well.

The second story tells of a man who could not walk. His friends carried him to see Jesus, but when they found the door blocked by crowds, they climbed to the roof, cut a hole, and lowered him down. This story is not only about the man’s courage to be carried, but the friends’ courage to help.

Two stories. Two ways to have the courage to ask for help — one reaching out, the other allowing oneself to be carried. Both remind us that courage is not about standing alone; it’s about allowing love to move among us.

At Breck, courage shows up every day in small, quiet ways — a student speaking up when something feels unfair, a teacher asking a colleague

for support, a friend checking in on another who seems off. Courage shows up when students go out to the community and collect literally tons of food to help feed people who are food insecure. In doing each of these things, they remind us that courage and community are inseparable. Courage is about extending love when it would be easier to cast judgement, choosing connection over fear, and standing up for what is good and right even when it won’t win you a popularity contest and it will probably cost you something.

Having the courage to ask for help runs in opposition to a culture that rewards independence, self-sufficiency, and the illusion of perfection.

So let our beloved movies, books, and sacred texts teach us that when we open our hands and hearts to one another, courage ripples outward and healing begins. B

May you have the courage to reach out–to ask for help, to know that your burden is our blessing. May you realize just how beautiful it is to show your humanity to others.

May you never forget that there is no grade, trophy, accomplishment, or wealth that will ever change the simple yet profound fact that you are loved, enough, and worthy just as you are — a beloved child of God. And finally, may God give you courage to stand for what is just and good. Give you strength to walk the good road. And may God give you enough foolishness to love without pretense and to believe that you can make a difference in the world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done. Amen.

Winter 2026 | 49

Students, faculty, and staff pose outside of Breck on National Walk, Bike, Bus, & Roll to School Day on October 8.

Winter 2026 | 51

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Which cover did you get?

We were so excited to celebrate Breck students through our Humans of Breck feature that we couldn’t choose just one to feature on the cover. So we chose three students — one from each division — and randomly distributed each cover throughout our community.

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