SHENANDOAH HONORS
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| B I K I N G T H E C A P I TA L T R A I L
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| G U I N E A C U LT U R E
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Go FISH!
The Life-Changing Magic of Fly Fishing W W W.V I R G I N I A L I V I N G .C O M
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MID -CENTURY MOD ALEXANDRIA’S HIP HOLLIN HILLS p. 78
SECRET GARDENS HIDDEN GEMS BLOOMING NOW p. 84
FUTURE FLAVORS ENTREPRENEURS CHASE FOOD STARDOM p. 90 2/17/22 10:26 AM
It’s time you experience a view like this.
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From home.
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LITTLE NECK COVE • $4,450,000 VIRGINIA BEACH • 5 BR • 5 BA • 5,590 SF
MIDDLE PLANTATION • $1,395,000 VIRGINIA BEACH • 4 BR • 3.5 BA • 3,208 SF
GHENT • $1,195,000 NORFOLK • 7 BR • 4.5 BA • 6,000 SF
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With 40+ wineries located along the Monticello Wine Trail, the Charlottesville area is the perfect place for your next getaway. Whether you’re new to wine or have enjoyed it for years, you’ll find that our wineries are welcoming places to relax and spend time with friends and family. You can even stay on-site at several wineries for the ultimate vineyard vacation in Charlottesville and Albemarle County. Plan your trip today.
visitcharlottesville.org
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503 Faulconer Drive, Suite 5 Charlottesville, VA 22903 434.295.1131 office
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EDGEMONT ◆ Circa 1796
Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains is this Palladian inspired masterpiece called Edgemont. Surrounded by 572 acres of rolling Virginia farmland, with the Hardware River running through the lush fields, is a home whose design is reputed to be the only complete remaining private residence attributed to Thomas Jefferson. In addition to the main residence, the property includes a pool, pool house, two guest houses, manager’s house, separate executive office, tennis court, stables and a barn. Listed on the National and State Historic Registers, the property is extremely well located 15 miles south of Charlottesville, the University of Virginia, and exceptional hospitals. www.HistoricEdgemont.com
NORTH WALES ◆ Circa 1776
Unparalleled in its beauty and charm, North Wales is an exceptional 1,471± acre Virginia estate surrounded by breathtaking rural countryside, yet is less than one hour to our Nation’s Capital and 45 minutes to Dulles International Airport. Evidence of the estate’s historical significance for period design and superb craftsmanship is showcased by intricate moldings, elaborately carved mantels and 18’ ceilings. Estate dependencies include a stone carriage house, farm and equestrian improvements, additional residences and a shooting preserve. Under a preservation easement and listed on the Historic Registers, this extraordinary property is a rare offering of a National treasure. www.NorthWalesVa.com
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VL_0422.indd 7 Living Magazine - March-April 2022.indd 1 CFW-740 - Virginia
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Premier Coastal Living on Virginia’s Cape
Find Your Ideal Family Retreat by the Bay Welcome to Bay Creek on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Located in the charming town of Cape Charles, Bay Creek is the perfect place for families to create a legacy amidst the natural beauty, adventure, relaxation and endless memories of beach life on the Chesapeake Bay. Encompassing 1,720 acres of picturesque coastline, Bay Creek features nearly two miles of private beachfront, 27-holes of Palmer & Nicklaus golf, a 10,000 square foot Wellness Center and a spectacular 350-acre Nature Preserve with over ten miles of scenic walking and biking trails.
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Obtain the Property Report required by Federal Law and read it before signing anything. No Federal agency has judged the merits or values, if any, of the property. This is not intended to be and does not constitute an offer in any state or jurisdiction where prohibited by law. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Prices and square footages are provided for reference only but are subject to change and not guaranteed. Renderings are artist’s conceptual illustrations and are subject to change. Sales by Bay Creek Realty/Broker. ©2022 Bay Creek. All rights reserved.
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H O R S L E Y R E A L E S TAT E . C O M
2/17/22 7:34 PM
Discover What it Means to
LIVE UNIQUELY
IN THE
Alleghany Highlands of Virginia The Alleghany Highlands of Virginia is blessed with exceptional mountain scenery. The breathtaking views, active outdoor lifestyle and low cost of living have always appealed to retirees, but something different is happening now. Professionals
of all ages who are able to work remotely are discovering the Alleghany Highlands. And, they love what they’re seeing. Settling down in the region is both idealistic and practical. Instead of spending hours commuting in the traffic of big cities, it’s possible to go from conducting business online to mountain biking a scenic trail in a matter of minutes. More than 50% of Alleghany County is national forest, which means there are plenty of trails with easy access. A morning trail run, a leisurely walk with the family and an invigorating bike ride can happen on the same day on different trails.
The list of county-wide amenities is long, and growing; with high-speed fiber optic internet at the top of the list. This blazing fast service now reaches about 95% of the county. Excellent local schools and healthcare also contribute to the region’s quality of life. For those professionals whose career path allows them to work anywhere, it makes sense to choose a place that is affordable, safe, scenic and offers a fun and healthy lifestyle.
For more information, visit LiveUniquely.org Alleghany County • Covington • Clifton Forge • Iron Gate
Remote working in the Alleghany Highlands means more time for zooming… on the trails
LiveUniquely.org
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The outdoor recreation capital of the Shenandoah Valley, just minutes from Mossy Creek, Virginia’s most famous fly-fishing location.
VisitHarrisonburgVA.com
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FEATURES The Road to Food Stardom
Contents
page 90
New tastes begin at Hatch Kitchen.
MARCH | APRIL 2022
A Place Called Guinea page 94
Oral history keeps a culture alive.
The Life-Changing Magic of Fly Fishing page 98
This solo sport sparks friendships.
SPECIAL SECTION State of Education page 107
Our guide to the top schools.
17 EDITOR’S LETTER
UPFRONT
19 TAKE NOTE What’s happening around the state. 27 EVENTS
Our picks for the season.
HOMEGROWN
p. 90
31 SPOTLIGHT
Joye Moore of Joyebell’s Sweet Potato Pies prepares to-go slices at Hatch Kitchen in Richmond.
35 VIRGINIANA
A national park seeks redemption.
39 NATIVES
On the cover: Beaver Creek catch. Photo by Kyle LaFerriere.
Elk return to the Commonwealth.
40 DESTINATIONS
Cycling the Capital Trail.
GOOD TASTE 51 STARTERS
Food news and notes.
57 DRINK A tequila cocktail, winning wines. 58 DINING OUT
Alexandria’s Ada’s on the River.
60 COOKING
Charlottesville’s Cou Cou Rachou.
p. 35
p. 40
p. 51
HOUSE + GARDEN
73 MAKERS Textile artist Sarah Gibson Wiley. 73 DÉCOR News and views. 78 ARCHITECTURE Mid-century mod in Alexandria. 82 FURNITURE
An inspiring comeback at Clore.
84 GARDEN Hidden gems, now in bloom. 144 DEPARTURE On potato chips and gratitude. our TOP OF THE TRADES > Find list at VirginiaLiving.com.
photos (clockwise from top) by: tyler darden, greg powers, adam ewing, courtesy of library of congress
A UVA doctor documents past lives.
IDENTIFICATION STATEMENT: VIRGINIA LIVING (USPS) ISSN 1534-9984 Virginia Living is published bimonthly by Cape Fear Publishing Company, 109 E. Cary St., Richmond, VA 23219. Periodical postage permit 021-875 at Richmond, VA.
VIRGINIA LIVING
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NAVARRA COLLECTION
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REALTOR®
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Visit VirginiaLiving.com VOLUME 20, NUMBER 3 April 2022
Katrin Sydlik and Jamie Blinn rowing on the Chickahominy River in Williamsburg.
PUBLISHED BY
Cape Fear Publishing Company
109 East Cary Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219 804-343-7539, VirginiaLiving.com
PUBLISHER
John-Lawrence Smith EDITORIAL STAFF EDITOR Constance Costas
ART DIRECTOR Ann L. Harvey
ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR Ryan Rich
SENIOR EDITOR Madeline Mayhood
ASSOCIATE EDITOR, SPECIAL PROJECTS Vayda Parrish ASSISTANT EDITOR Konstantin Rega EDITORIAL INTERN Kaitlyn Hilliard
Kinsey Gidick, John Haddad, Caroline Kettlewell, Dean King, Renee Sklarew, Mark Taylor COPY EDITORS Elizabeth Cogar, Ashley Hunter
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
MEDIA CAMPAIGN CONSULTANTS
Matthew Marjenhoff 804-622-2602, MatthewMarjenhoff@CapeFear.com Warren Rhodes 804-622-2603, WarrenRhodes@CapeFear.com Clay Thomas 804-622-2609, ClayThomas@CapeFear.com E-STORE SALES AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Lizanne Jeveret 804-622-2614, LizanneJeveret@CapeFear.com E-STORE SALES AND DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER Dan Huber 812-461-8214, DanHuber@CapeFear.com E-STORE CUSTOMER SERVICE Lizanne Jeveret 804-622-2614, LizanneJeveret@CapeFear.com SALES MANAGER
OFFICE STAFF ACCOUNTING MANAGER Rosa Garcia
DATA ANALYST/RESEARCHER Deanna Johnson CREATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR Kenny Kane CIRCULATION MANAGER Angela Shapiro ACTIVITIES & MORALE DIRECTOR Rhett
ASSISTANT ACTIVITIES & MORALE DIRECTOR Shelby
POSTMASTER
Footloose in Fairfax: Explore Mount Vernon and Great Falls, dine at Cedar Knoll, and see the Space Shuttle Discovery and the Concorde. Fairfax delights with history, adventure, and luxury. Health & Wellness: Microgreens, medical cannabis cards, next-wave knee replacement, and the first plastic surgeon—a Virginian, of course. Plus: the secrets of early morning exercisers. Hitting the Slopes: Southern skiing began at The Homestead, followed by Bryce, Massanutten, and Wintergreen. From bunny slopes to black diamond mogul fields, we’ll take you there. Weddings: Discover our wedding style guide and meet 10 couples whose Virginia weddings we just adored. Online Exclusives: Look for our interview with Rachel Hawkins, bestselling author of Reckless Girls.
Send address changes to VIRGINIA LIVING 109 East Cary St., Richmond, VA 23219
Find our Hook-n-Hide Rainbow Trout Belt Buckle & Bottle Opener at VirginiaLivingStore.com
SUBSCRIPTIONS
One year - $36, two years - $64. Send to 109 East Cary St., Richmond, VA 23219; visit VirginiaLiving.com; or contact AngelaShapiro@CapeFear.com
BACK ISSUES
Back issues are available for most editions and are $9.95 ($13.95 for Best of Virginia) plus shipping and handling. Please call for availability or check ShopVirginiaLiving.com.
REPRINTS & REPRODUCTION PERMISSION Contact John-Lawrence Smith, Publisher, at 804-343-7539 or JLSmith@CapeFear.com
Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest to see all of the latest news and stories—plus exciting giveaways and exclusive content—from Virginia Living. Tag us @VirginiaLiving
Contributors MARK TAYLOR brought us “The Life-Changing Magic of Fly Fishing.” An avid fisherman, Taylor is the former outdoors reporter for The Roanoke Times. He now writes for Trout Unlimited.
photo by adam ewing
Outdoor photographer
KYLE LaFERRIERE hooked our fly fishing story. Kyle travels the world for photo projects. KyleLaFerriere.com
DEAN KING hit the Capital Trail
for a ride through history. The Richmond-based author's next book, Guardians of the Valley: John Muir and the Friendship that Saved Yosemite, will be released from Scribner this fall.
TYLER DARDEN shot our feature on Hatch Kitchen. A nationally recognized food and lifestyle photographer, he recently completed a short family-friendly film. TylerDardenPhotography.com
VAYDA PARRISH masterminds
our special projects. This month, she combed the state’s schools for our annual State of Education report, which is chock-full of encouraging news.
ADAM EWING photographed our stories on the Capital Trail and textile artist Sarah Gibson Wiley. His work has appeared in Southern Living, The New York Times, and Garden and Gun. AdamEwing.com
LEGALISMS Virginia Living is a registered trademark of Cape Fear Publishing Company, Inc. Copyright 2020, all rights reserved. Reproduction without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.
APRIL 2022
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VIRGINIA LIVING
2/17/22 9:02 AM
All that MOVES YOU Learning at Averett never stands still. It brings you into deeper questions, bigger hopes and out into a world where your talents are exactly what’s needed.
You’ll find hands-on learning in every program at Averett, because we know that building practical skills and sharpening your vision will accelerate your career. When you graduate, you’ll be ready to make an impact in the real world—because you’ve been there all along.
“Finding Averett let me connect all my passions in one place—playing the sport I love, earning my degree in aviation, and being a part of clubs and organizations that support me.” A D R I A N E A R L E ’ 2 2 - A E R O N AU T I C S - H O U STO N , T X
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AVERETT.EDU 2/17/22 7:37 PM
Editor’s Letter
April Lessons Learned Ada Lovelace, French butter, fly fishing, and secret gardens.
Y
OU KNOW WHAT I LIKE BEST ABOUT
being at Virginia Living? Every day I learn something new. And with our April issue, I got an education. Take fly fishing. I’d always figured this was a solitary sport for strong, silent types. But as our writer Mark Taylor illustrates in “The Life Changing Magic of Fly Fishing,” the shared fondness for casting a line creates enduring friendships and, yes, lifechanging encounters. In his article, you’ll meet some Virginians who’ve been transformed by a hook and a fly. I also learned that Ada Lovelace, the only daughter of the poet Lord Byron, was the world’s first computer programmer. Maybe you knew? Alexandria’s waterfront restaurant, Ada’s on the River, is named in her honor. Our writer Renee Sklarew will take you there. Then there’s the crucial matter of butter. For pastry chef Rachel De Jong, whose Cou Cou Rachou bakery just opened in Charlottesville, the right butter—French, of course—makes all the difference. A Diplôme de Pâtisserie from the Cordon Bleu École de Cuisine in Paris comes in handy as well. De Jong shared a few recipes, with us, so I hope you’ll feel inspired to roll up your sleeves and start baking. And if, like me, you’ve ever wondered how
Fly fisher and writer Beau Beasley at Beaver Creek near Crozet.
Constance Costas, Editor ConstanceCostas@CapeFear.com
Letters to the Editor SIZE MATTERS While I much enjoyed the article on Fairfax (“Footloose in Fairfax,” Feb. ’22), I do take issue with your assertion that Fairfax is the “largest county in the state.” While it’s by far the most populous with 1.1 million residents, at 406 square miles, Fairfax is nowhere near the largest. That honor goes to Pittsylvania, which occupies close to 1000 square miles (968.94, to be exact). Clarity of facts matter. Let’s give credit where credit is due.
photo by kyle l ª ferriere
WE KNOW THAT WEDDING! We were thrilled to see our clients, Rachel Baron and Endri Mustafa on the cover of your February issue. We hope you’ll share with your readers that Vida Events handled the design and planning for this cover-worthy couple. We’re proud of our work and pleased to see it featured in Virginia Living. —Maria Barrale + Megan Lentz, VidaEvents.net, Purcellville, VA
Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald
F. SCOTT, ZELDA, AND ALLIGATORS We were delighted to see “F. Scott and Zelda’s Excellent Adventure” in your February issue. We love hearing about visitors who remember when the alligators were residents of the Palm Court. Thank you for sharing that story, and The Jefferson, with your readers.
Thank you for John Van De Kamp’s excellent article on F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald’s drive through Richmond. Maxwell Perkins, Fitzgerald’s editor, was my great uncle, and reading a piece with such historical accuracy felt like taking my own vacation to The Jefferson. As a Northern Virginia girl, now English professor who studied at Harvard and UVA, I loved the trip!
—Jennifer Crisp, The Jefferson Hotel, Richmond
—Katherine E. Cox, Ed.D., Martinsburg, WV
—Curtis Nolley, Harrisonburg
Drop Us a Line LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
A DOG’S TALE Thank you so much for the lovely article on My Journey with Ernie in your February issue! I’m honored to be in the pages of Virginia Living.
We love hearing from our readers. Send your comments by email to editors@capefear.com or write us a letter and mail it to Letters to the Editor, 109 E. Cary St., Richmond, VA 23219. Please include your name and city of residence. Letters may be edited for length or clarity.
—Heidi Speece (and Ernie!), Yorktown
APRIL 2022
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food entrepreneurs bring their secret recipe sweet potato pies, bagels, and cocktail syrups to stores, you’ll enjoy John Haddad’s story on Hatch Kitchen, the Richmond food incubator where new flavors take flight. Then taste what’s cookin’ at the newly opened Hatch Local. With spring in bloom, I hope you’ll seek out the “Secret Gardens” revealed here by our garden writer, Madeline Mayhood. Each has a fascinating backstory, and they’ll be in full flower during Historic Garden Week (April 23-30). How did “America’s Largest Open House” begin? One more thing I learned: It all winds back to when Thomas Jefferson planted a few trees at Monticello. Find out more on page 77. Finally, don’t miss our special State of Education package. If you’re looking for a school— from kindergartens to graduate programs—you’ll find our statewide guide invaluable, and you just might learn something new along the way.
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VIRGINIA LIVING
2/18/22 8:40 AM
Fighting to protect future firefighters. Landon dreams of being a firefighter. Or a rockstar. Or maybe even an astronaut flying through space. Because when you’re a kid, nothing seems impossible. Fortunately, at the new Wonder Tower, dreaming big is something we still haven’t outgrown.
Together with world-class medical teams, community leaders, and families, we’re building a one-of-a-kind, 500,000 square foot hospital where state-of-the-art equipment and modern medicine are complemented by child-focused touches like VR sets that transport you to other worlds during imaging procedures. It’s a special place where a kid can still feel like a kid, even during some of life’s toughest moments.
But we can’t do it without your help. Donate at BuiltForKids.org to support the Wonder Tower today.
B U I LT FO R K I D S . B U I LT BY YO U .
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UPfront > Take Note > Events
Take Note PUTTING THE GLAM IN GLAMPING Getaway’s stylish micro cabins immerse visitors in the outdoors. By Mark Lynn Ferguson
photo courtesy of getaway
Getaway’s Virginia cabins offer easy access to Shenandoah National Park.
Let’s be honest: a lot of tiny houses look like they were thrown together from home store remnants. But the folks at Getaway, a vacation rental company with 16 outposts nationwide, take a different approach. They build style-forward structures that are more MoMA than modular home. At Getaway’s location outside Charlottesville, buildings are clad with blackened wood, which is both chic and cozy. Inside, an enormous picture window defines the space, bringing the outdoors in. Getaway cabins are finished in neutral tones and APRIL 2022
UF-TakeNote_Apr2022.indd 19
include comfortable amenities like crisp white linens, microkitchens, heat and air conditioning, and their own wee libraries. The company’s Virginia outpost is particularly special, says Getaway spokesperson Jordan Sweat, because it’s located just 30 minutes from Shenandoah National Park. And nothing has been overlooked. From a simple self check-in to doggy bowls, Getaway covers the details so visitors can clear their minds and reconnect with nature in a beautiful space. Getaway.House 19
VIRGINIA LIVING
2/17/22 9:13 AM
Our purpose is to help you find yours. With a reset tuition rate of $33,510 beginning in the Fall of 2022, Roanoke College is now making it easier for students to build lives with meaning and purpose and launch high-value careers.
See how at roanoke.edu/purpose
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>
UPfront Take Note
SAVING A BATH COUNTY LANDMARK
A natural mimic, the gray catbird is ideal for studying bird communication.
Restoration underway at Warm Springs Pools. WHEN BATH COUNTY’S Jefferson Pools were
OLD-FASHIONED TWEETING How city noise impacts bird chatter.
closed in 2017, the news of their deteriorating condition saddened generations of Virginians for whom visiting the octagonal bathhouses—and floating in the 98 degree natural spring water—is a beloved tradition. Now, after a two-year delay, the Omni Homestead is moving forward to restore the pools with Richmond-based architecture firm 3North spearheading the project.
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photos (from top): by earth arts photography, courtesy of 3north, courtesy of colonial williamsburg
ROWING UP IN RURAL NORTH CAROLINA , Dana Moseley was always curious about the chirps and trills of birds. What are they saying? Who are they talking to? After a rebellious period studying salamanders, Moseley, a professor of biology at James Madison University, now studies the impact of urban noise on bird communication. Because birds use their song to attract mates, noise from traffic or construction can interfere with their ability to communicate and reproduce. Moseley’s research has found that some bird species disappear from noisy areas, while others change their tune, adopting a higher pitch to get their message across. It’s an exciting time to be a bioacoustician, says Moseley, who continues her research at JMU and is also a research associate with the Smithsonian’s Migratory Bird Center. DanaMoseley.com —By Madeline Mayhood
“AMAZING FIND” AT COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG
The original domed
The Bray School was first in the colonies for Black children. “IT WAS HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT,” says Maureen Elgersman Lee, director of William & Mary’s new Bray School Lab, speaking of the small schoolhouse where freed and slave children were educated. Once thought demolished, the Bray School was actually ensconced within expansions to the Dudley Digges House, later a William & Mary military science building. Considered the oldest surviving schoolhouse for Black students, “it’s an amazing find,” says Matthew Webster, executive director of the Grainger Department of Architectural Preservation and Research. “Normally when you have an original building, it’s all guesswork.” But a 1930 renovation yielded clues. “We have these scraps of wood that tell us exactly what the trim work looked like, where the doors were, even where the dormers were.” Founded in 1760 by a British philanthropic group dedicated to educating slaves in the colonies, the school was named for English clergyman and abolitionist Dr. Thomas Bray. It was Benjamin Franklin who chose Williamsburg for the largest Bray School, with others established in Philadelphia, New York, and Newport.
“Research shows that close to 400 children were educated,” says Lee, whose lab will document the lives of the students and their descendents. “They were taught the tenets of the Anglican church, and how to read and write.” “This wasn’t just evangelizing,” adds Ann Marie Stock, William & Mary’s presidential liaison for strategic cultural partnerships. “But it empowered the students because they had access to literacy and that literacy resonated through their families and provided new possibilities.” The restored building will be relocated within Colonial Williamsburg, where it will provide a powerful piece of living history for visitors. “We’re looking at what this means for U.S. history, for Virginia history, and for our understanding of education in this nation.” —By Don Harrison
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The first question the ceiling in the architects faced was this: Ladies’ Bathhouse. restore the pools to when, exactly? “We decided on the mid-1920s,” says Ed Pillsbury, AIA, a principal with 3North. “It wouldn’t make sense to refer back to Jefferson’s day—the Ladies’ Bathhouse didn’t exist then.” Built in the 1760s, the Gentlemen’s Bath was enclosed in the 1820s. The domed Ladies’ Bath followed in 1875 with the Reception House added in 1890. “By 1838, we found the earliest reference to people complaining that the pools were in need of repair,” Pillsbury notes. “So we’re part of this 150-year tradition of triaging it.” Preserving the history and traditions surrounding the pools is a priority: “It’s a rehabilitation, not a reconstruction,” says Pillsbury. “If we don’t have to replace something, we won’t. These were wood buildings, so they should stay wood buildings.” Also being restored, the name. “The Jefferson Pools was a name made up by a hotel manager in the 1990s,” Pillsbury explains. “So Omni has returned to the original name, the Warm Springs Pools. They deserve a lot of credit for taking steps now to preserve the character of the place.” The project is scheduled for completion at the end of 2022. —By Constance Costas
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2/17/22 9:13 AM
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READERS’ FAVORITES AWARDS 2021
2/17/22 7:39 PM
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UPfront Take Note
Once a decaying S&W Cafeteria Building, Crafteria is now a buzzy creative hub. Below: Poppy rock glasses made by The Modern Home Bar in Alexandria.
A ’50s CAFETERIA GETS A HIP MAKEOVER Roanoke’s Crafteria showcases artisans and more.
A
sells everything from candles to cocktail bitters. Also on site: Little Green Hive Coffee & Tea; Tacorritos, a Mexican lunch spot; Vintage Vault Records and Pop Collectibles; The WellNest, a holistic wellness center; two salons; an event space; and a chiropractor. A dining mezzanine offers rooftop views, and a 1,500-square-foot community kitchen provides work space for fledgling food entrepreneurs. The Crafteria sign in front put the finishing touch on the building’s transformation. “The original cafeteria sign was long gone, but we managed to find the plans and had an artist hand trace the vintage typeface,” says Ferguson, who opened Crafteria’s doors in April 2019. “I still get a little thrill every time I turn the corner and see it.” Crafteria.Community —By Konstantin Rega
FTER STANDING HALF-EMPTY FOR
photos (from top): courtesy of crafteria (3), by robert sacilotto
decades, a 1950s S&W Cafeteria building in Roanoke is now enjoying a new life as Crafteria: Handmade Food and Goods. The buzzy creative hub and makers market showcases the work of more than 100 artisans and food entrepreneurs in a brick-and-mortar version of Etsy. Crafteria co-owner, Mark Lynn Ferguson, credits visionary real estate investor John Garland with making it happen. Garland had scooped up the abandoned building—along with other down-atheel Roanoke properties—with an eye toward reviving the city’s urban neighborhoods. When Garland asked Ferguson, “Mark, what can I do with that old cafeteria downtown?” Ferguson and husband Alex Dykes hatched a plan. With seed capital from Garland, they transformed the space into a hip hub that
FIELD OF CARNIVORES At this Stanardsville nursery, insects are on the menu. LOOK CLOSELY: the rows of colorful flowers at Bota-
nique, a curious plant nursery in the Blue Ridge foothills, are not flowers at all. They’re carnivorous pitcher plants. Robert Sacilotto was first inspired to grow carnivorous plants—which survive on insects and the occasional mouse—when he realized their wetland habitat was disappearing. “We’d see a corn field, and then a ditch where pitcher plants were dying,” Sacilotto says recalling early encounters in the 1970s. “So we’d stop, knock on doors, and ask if we could collect some plants. None of those sites exist now,” he explains. “The habitat is about three percent of what it once was.” Once Sacilotto had collected enough rare plants to open a small nursery, business partner Butch Bailey joined him. Today, Botanique also carries venus fly traps, sundews, and other carnivorous plants. Pitcher plants
produce a sweet nectar that attracts insects. When they come closer for a taste, the insects wind up slipping into the pitcher where they’re digested. Today, Botanique sells their rare plants and ornamental hybrids to gardeners, hobbyists, and florists—either online or through in-person appointments. Collectors and biologists around the world regularly offer him new seeds, but Sacilotto says, “unless it’s super rare—something that is an ecological necessity—I usually turn it down. There is a functional limit to what you can do.” For gardeners interested in growing pitcher plants, Virginia’s climate is ideal, Sacilotto says. Just add plenty of water, since they thrive in boggy soil. “They’re seasonal,” he explains, gesturing toward a gorgeous row of pitchers in fall colors. “Cover them with some oak leaves during the winter, and they will come back just fine in the spring.” PitcherPlant.com —By Jackson Landers
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Penny Lawson, a Sarracenia plant created by Robert Sacilotto, is named for his high school teacher.
VIRGINIA LIVING
2/17/22 9:13 AM
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UPfront Take Note
What’s Buzzing in Danville?
The Bee boutique hotel, Houdini magic, and a Caesars casino on the way. B y C O N S T A N C E C O S T A S 1
The rooftop bar at The Bee hotel.
A MAGICAL WEEKEND
images (from top) courtesy of: bee boutique hotel, library of congress, caesars entertainment. map by victoria borges
Celebrating Houdini’s Birthday at the Historic North Theatre.
EXTRA! EXTRA! Danville’s The Bee boutique hotel has guests abuzz.
T
IMING IS EVERYTHING. And while The Bee boutique hotel in Danville scrapped plans for a grand opening when it launched in late 2020, the buzzworthy independent is now attracting appreciative guests who’ve called it a “hidden gem” with “modern décor and amenities” in online reviews. “We have a lot of returning guests, including business travelers, traveling nurses, and doctors staying long-term,” notes The Bee’s general manager, Susana Popu, who says The Bee has seen brisk business since opening, despite the pandemic. The Bee gets its name from the pair of historic buildings it occupies that once housed the city’s newspapers, the Danville Register and the Danville Bee. “The two buildings were connected,” says Popu. “One is newer and one is older; that’s why we call it the Old Bee and the New Bee.” The
building renovations, reported at $7.5 million, preserved the newspaper’s original spiral staircase, which ran from the press office to the thirdfloor editor’s desk, and the Paper Boy statue over a South Ridge Street entrance. Located on South Union Street in downtown Danville’s River District, the hotel’s 47 rooms include 22 suites with kitchens and full-size refrigerators. The twin buildings horseshoe around a pocket park with tables and covered awnings. “When I moved here 10 years ago, it was like a ghost town,” says Popu of her adopted hometown. “Now I can see the city is coming back.” The hotel is within walking distance of the Historic Tobacco Warehouse District with restaurants like the Cotton at Riverside Mill, Golden Leaf Bistro, and Crema and Vine, a café, coffee shop, and wine bar located in a former gas station. DanvilleBeeHotel.com 2
WHAT BETTER TIME to gather magicians than on
March 24, the birthdate of Harry Houdini? That’s when the Houdini Festival of Magic will kick off, bringing stage magicians, sleight-of-hand and escape artists, magic historians, and collectors of magic memorabilia together at Danville’s 500-seat Historic North Theatre. Built in 1947, the theater is owned and operated by illusionist Wayne Alan who—as he puts it—may be the only magician in the U.S. and possibly the world to own, operate, and perform in his own historic theater. HistoricNorthTheatre.com
ROLLING THE DICE Danville welcomes a Caesars Casino. COMING TO DANVILLE, Caesars Virginia. The $500-million casino project will include 500 hotel rooms, a casino floor with 1,400 slot machines and 75 table games, a 2,500-seat live entertainment theater, and a World Series of Poker room—along with meeting and convention spaces. A restaurant by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is also planned for the Danville resort, which will make the city’s iconic "three sisters" smokestacks—once part of the original mill complex—a focal point. “Caesars Virginia will be an economic driver for the region, both as a tourist and entertainment draw and through the more than a thousand good-paying jobs the resort will create,” says Andy Carno, president and chief operating officer of Caesars Entertainment. “The people of Danville have entrusted us to build a world-class resort, and we look forward to proving that trust was well-founded with an incredible resort worthy of the iconic Caesars brand.” Caesars.com/Destinations#Virginia
APRIL 2022
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TALK TO A LOCAL – Naturally, if you want local answers, you ask a Local. Bo Bragg, owner and second generation broker of Bragg & Company, was born and raised in the Northern Neck. After earning an MBA (W&M) and his Class A contracting license, he returned home to be close to his family and the water. If you’re thinking about getting on the water too this spring, now’s the best time to see homes in Virginia’s River Country. Call today to get started. ILD
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2/17/22 7:41 PM
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UPfront Events
Spring Calendar 25 places to go and things to do.
CENTRAL MARCH 16 -20 VIRGINIA FESTIVAL OF THE BOOK Charlottesville 434-924-3296, VaBook.org
MARCH 26 -27 10TH ANNUAL CANSTRUCTION® Spotsylvania Towne Centre, Fredericksburg 540-371-7666, VisitFred.com/Events
APRIL 9 APPLE BLOSSOM FESTIVAL Bryant’s Cider Farm, Roseland 571-723-3260, BryantsCider.com
MARCH 19 KIM WATERS: CHURCH STREET JAZZ SERIES Attucks Theatre, Norfolk 757-664-6464, SevenVenues.com
APRIL 3 STRATFORD HALL WINE & OYSTER FESTIVAL Stratford 804-493-8038, StratfordHall.org
APRIL 25 - MAY 1 VIRGINIA INTERNATIONAL TATTOO
Sheep and lambs on site at the Frontier Culture Museum.
Scope Arena, Norfolk 757-282-2822, VaFest.org/Tattoo
NORTHERN
APRIL 10 RICHMOND SYMPHONY PRESENTS REX RICHARDSON Dominion Energy Center, Richmond 804-592-3330, DominionEnergyCenter.com
MOUNT VERNON PRESENTS MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
APRIL 12
The Ford Orientation Center, Alexandria 703-780-2000, MountVernon.org
BLACK VIOLIN: IMPOSSIBLE TOUR Historic Academy of Music Theatre, Lynchburg 434-846-8499, AcademyCenter.org
Virginia International Tattoo
SPRING SHEARING
MARCH 15 & APRIL 5
The Frontier Culture Museum celebrates Wool Week in April.
MARCH 19
IN A RITE OF SPRING, sheep shearing
19TH CENTURY WOMANHOOD AT THE HALSIP HALL HOUSE
begins once the lambs are born and, during the Frontier Culture Museum’s Wool Week (April 25–May 1), visitors can experience plenty of both. Once clipped, each sheep produces more than seven pounds of wool, which is then cleaned, teased, and carded to untangle the fibers. Fast fashion this isn’t: Spinning the wool into yarn can take days, even on a supersized spinning wheel. The yarn is then woven into fabric on a loom. But with lambs and ewes on site, this is one living history exhibit that’s as entertaining as it is informative.
Brentsville Courthouse Historic Center, Bristow 703-365-7895, PWCVa.gov
MARCH 24 PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY HISTORIC PRESERVATION LECTURE SERIES: “LIGHT HORSE HARRY” LEE Old Manassas Courthouse 703-367-7872, PWCVa.gov
MARCH 26 SNOW WHITE
Located just outside of Staunton, the Frontier Culture Museum offers a glimpse into the daily lives of pioneers from the 1600s to 1800s, with farmstead exhibits based on German, Irish, English, American Indian, West African, and early American cultures. Spaced along a two-mile walking loop, the farmsteads reveal the combined influences of each on American folk culture. The museum also hosts summer holiday and roots-music events, plus a popular artisan fair in November. FrontierMuseum.org —By Konsantin Rega
Hylton Performing Arts Center, Manassas 703-753-5005, HyltonCenter.org
APRIL 21 JOHN MCCUTCHEON The Barns at Wolf Trap, Vienna 703-255-1900, WolfTrap.org photos (from top) courtesy of: frontier culture museum, virginia international tattoo
EASTERN MARCH 18 -19 SEARCH FOR THE SHAMROCKS 2022 Chincoteague 443-614-6801, ChincoteagueMerchants.com
MARCH 19 EMBRACEABLE YOU: THE MUSIC OF GEORGE GERSHWIN Northumberland High School Performing Arts Theater, Heathsville 888-210-8006, RappahannockConcerts.org
MARCH 26
MARCH 18
SMALLMOUTH FISHING ON THE SHENANDOAH RIVER WORKSHOP
RANDY HOUSER
Murray’s Fly Shop, Edinburg 540-984-4212, MurraysFlyShop.com
SHENANDOAH VALLEY
MARCH 26
MARCH 11-26
PATSY MEETS ELVIS AT THE VIRGINIA OPRY
RADIUM GIRLS Winchester Little Theatre, Winchester 540-662-3331, WinchesterLittleTheatre.org
MARCH 12-13 & 19 -29
Historic Masonic Theatre, Clifton Forge 540-862-5655, HistoricMasonicTheatre.com
APRIL 2 JMU GEORGE WEST JAZZ FESTIVAL
HIGHLAND COUNTY MAPLE FESTIVAL Monterey 540-468-2550, HighlandCounty.org
Forbes Center for the Performing Arts, Harrisonburg 540-568-7000, JMUForbesCener.com
SOUTHWEST SHARE THE DATE Tell us about your upcoming event, and we might share it here! Send an email to Editors@CapeFear.com with the subject line “events.” Include the event name, date(s), location, sponsor, admission price, contact info, and a brief description. Plus, submit your event to our online calendar at: VirginiaLiving.com/Events/Submit.html.
APRIL 2022
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MARCH & APRIL
HONKY TONK THURSDAYS
Paramount Bristol 423-274-8920, ParamountBristol.com
MARCH 26 VMFA ARTMOBILE FAMILY DAY Piedmont Arts, Martinsville 276-632-3221, PiedmontArts.org
APRIL 2 GRAPEVINE PRUNING WORKSHOP MountainRose Vineyards, Wise 276-328-2013, MountainRoseVineyard.com
APRIL 16 FOOT LEVELERS BLUE RIDGE MARATHON Roanoke Outside Foundation, Roanoke 540-343-1550 ext.110, BlueRidgeMarathon.com
Floyd Country Store 540-745-4563, FloydCountryStore.com
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VIRGINIA LIVING
2/17/22 9:26 AM
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2/17/22 7:47 PM
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2/18/22 10:02 AM
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2/17/22 7:48 PM
HOMEgrown > Spotlight > Virginiana > Natives > Destinations
“I’m not trying to prove reincarnation,” says Dr. Tucker. But an openness to the unknown? Maybe that’s not so far-fetched.
Spotlight ARE PAST LIVES POSSIBLE? In a Netflix series, UVA’s Dr. Jim Tucker says he has thousands of reasons to believe. By Kinsey Gidick | Photo by Lincoln Barbour
In a spine-tingling scene from the Netflix documentary series, Surviving Death, a small boy points to a photograph of a playground in Brooklyn, a place he’s never been. “My mom took me there,” he says, with quiet certainty. “This mom?” asks Dr. Jim Tucker, who points to the boy’s mother, Erica, who is baffled by her son’s vivid recollections. APRIL 2022
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“No,” the child responds, “My old mom.” He’s speaking of a past life, something logic tells us isn’t possible. But, as the series reveals, Dr. Jim Tucker, child psychiatrist and director of the Division of Perceptual Studies at the University of Virginia, has reason to believe reincarnation might be real. 31
VIRGINIA LIVING
2/17/22 11:40 AM
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HOMEgrown Spotlight
For most children who claim a past life, the memories evaporate by the time they turn six or seven. the window of the car and said, “I miss when my mom took me to the playground.” Not the playground they went to, but another one, Atlas said, with another mom. Not only did Atlas claim to have known another mother, he provided her last name: Washington, and his own prior name: Jaylen Robinson. Scarier still, Atlas told Erica, “When I was a child, someone killed me.” Confused and concerned, Atlas’ mother went searching for answers online. That’s when she found a newspaper story that matched Atlas’ description precisely. A 2005 headline in the New York Times read: “Baby Sitter Is Charged With Murder of a 19-MonthOld Brooklyn Boy.” The boy’s mother’s name? Kareen Washington. Equally eerie, the deceased boy’s name was indeed Jaylen Robinson.
Erica Auberry and son, Atlas, meet Dr. Jim Tucker in episode 6, “Reincarnation” of Surviving Death on Netflix.
VIRGINIA LIVING
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What’s more remarkable was Atlas’ response to a blind test. In the episode, Dr. Tucker shows the boy five pictures to see if he can identify real parts of the deceased Jaylen Robinson’s life. Holding up two images of women, Atlas quickly points to Kareen Washington. “That one,” he says, identifying his past mother. He does the same with an image of a park near Robinson’s apartment and of the family’s home. Coincidence? Lucky guess? Dr. Tucker says it would be impossible for a parent to coach a child of Atlas’ age. His answers, he feels, are genuine. For most children who claim a past life, the memories evaporate by the time they turn six or seven, says Dr. Tucker. There’s but a brief window in early development when the veil between life and death seems to be thinner. And he believes that’s worth exploring, especially as more parents reach out to him. “We heard from 100 families last year, and this year we’ve already passed that,” he says. Of course, there are the naysayers. But Dr. Tucker isn’t bothered by them. “Children certainly have tremendous imaginations. So the question to the stuff that they say is does it match somebody who actually lived and died? And if it does, and it’s their imagination, then in the detailed cases, that’s one heck of a coincidence,” says Dr. Tucker. “I’m not trying to prove reincarnation,” he says, but an openness to the unknown? Maybe that’s not so far-fetched. “We may get to the point where it becomes accepted that consciousness is separate from our physical being and can continue on,” says Dr. Tucker. “Although, I like to say that I’ll probably have to wait for my next lifetime for that to happen.”
Kinsey Gidick is a freelance writer based in Scottsville. Her work has been published in the Washington Post, The New York Times, and Garden & Gun magazine, among others. When not writing, she can be found reading cookbooks and menu planning.
photos from top by lincoln barbour, courtesy of netflix
F
OR 20 YEARS, DR. TUCKER HAS BEEN
exploring children’s claims of lives lived before their own, and 2,200 cases later, he has a trove of evidence to back up the phenomenon. This journey into parapsychology, as the study is called, began in the 1960s when another psychiatrist, Dr. Ian Stevenson, then-UVA’s chairman of the Department of Psychiatry, became fascinated with reincarnation research. “He began traveling to study these children,” says Dr. Tucker, who completed his undergraduate degree at UVA before earning his medical degree at the University of North Carolina. He began his career in private practice, but when he heard about Dr. Stevenson’s work, he was intrigued. His wife’s fascination with the paranormal didn’t hurt either. “When my wife and I got together, she was interested in things like reincarnation and psychic abilities and so forth. So, to be honest, being with her in that relationship kind of woke me up a little bit and made me open to exploring things that I hadn’t considered before,” says Dr. Tucker. He volunteered his services to Dr. Stevenson, who eventually invited Dr. Tucker to join him in looking at children’s claims of reincarnation. “I traveled to Thailand and Burma, where I studied cases with a colleague of ours from Australia,” says Dr. Tucker. That’s where he began to see patterns. For instance, in the claims he’s studied, children as young as three could recall a prior life, and most of the people they profess to have been in those lives died within a few years of their birth. “The average age is four and a half years,” says Dr. Tucker. For the most part, children claim to have once been relative contemporaries not, say, Roman soldiers or Celtic tribesmen. That was the case with Atlas, who is featured in Surviving Death. He was five, coming home from school, when his mother Erica says he looked out
APRIL 2022
2/17/22 11:40 AM
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HOMEgrown Virginiana
Boys with the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) move Raymond Seal (left) and his family from the mountain to their resettlement home.
Homes were often burned, leaving nothing but the stone chimney, as seen in this 1937 photo from Corbin Hollow, in Madison County.
Shenandoah Honor
To clear the land for the national park in the 1930s, hundreds of mountain families lost their homes. Now, they’re being recognized. By K ATH Y AUGUST
T
photos courtesy of library of congress
HE CHIMNEYS STAND off trail, hidden by foliage. They go mostly unnoticed by the millions of people who visit Shenandoah National Park each year. But they are the crumbling sentinels of a centuries-old mountain culture. And they have a powerful story to tell. “I’d started doing a lot of walking off trail,” says retired teacher Bill Henry. “And one day, suddenly, there was a chimney. I didn’t understand why there wasn’t a house there—but it was a powerful experience that started something in motion in my head.” His curiosity ignited, Henry looked into the park’s history, but found little to solve the mystery of the chimney he’d spotted.
classic example of government and politicians abusing the people, without consequence.
Charlie Nicholson and his family lived in Madison County's Nicholson Hollow.
Forced From Their Land
Unraveling the Mystery
“Then I heard about Children of Shenandoah,” Henry says. “It was an organization of people whose ancestors had been moved off the mountain in the 1930s to make way for the national park. They held regular public meetings and had interesting guest speakers. So I started attending the meetings.” Founded by descendant Lisa Custalow, Children of Shenandoah was formed to persuade the park to change park displays to present the mountain people with the respect and dignity they deserved. It was at these meetings that Henry became
aware of the anger that has descended through the generations. “It was palpable, and I didn’t understand what it was about,” Henry says. “But as I talked to people and read and did research, it became clear that the way the government had handled the removal of the mountain people to make way for the national park wasn’t very considerate of them,” he says. It’s a APRIL 2022
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Unlike Yellowstone or Yosemite—where largely unpopulated federally-owned land required little more than a presidential pen-stroke to become national parks—the proposed Shenandoah National Park would involve government land seizure under an overreaching interpretation of the right of eminent domain. Once they had taken the land, there was the equally despicable matter of removing the mountain people who lived on it. To smooth the way, various state officials, park promoters, and business people—such as George Pollock, owner of Skyland Resort—deliberately misled the National Park Service, insisting that the scant few people who lived in the remote mountain ridges and hollows were lawless, ignorant hillbillies, cut off from civilization. They pushed the insulting notion that relocating these people was in their best interest. In truth, there were some 2,000 people living “on the mountain,” as they call it, many on family homesteads dating back more than 200 years. The anger many of the descendants felt wasn’t just about their ancestors being evicted from their homes and farms, or losing the only community, culture, and way of life they’d known for over two centuries: it was also about the stereotype that stigmatized mountain people.
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HOMEgrown Virginiana
The Rockingham County monument at Elkton Area Community Center. Left: Bill Henry at the Madison County monument.
Proud, Resourceful People
Indeed, when the Civilian Conservation Corps arrived to clear out the vacated homes, they found radios, store-bought shoes, fragments of 78 rpm records, military items, farm tools, and automobiles. There were villages in some of the hollows, complete with shops, churches, sawmills, grist mills, post offices, and schools. The people of Shenandoah were no poorer than most Depression-era rural families. Land surveyor and cartographer Darryl Merchant is a descendant of the mountain people on both sides of his family. “There was also shame and embarrassment. The mountain people were proud, resourceful, and independent—but many were relocated to places where their skills and experience were of no use,” he says. “Some, including my great grandfather, who had been a beekeeper, became wards of the state because they couldn’t get work,” Merchant notes. In many displaced mountain families, the subject was too painful to discuss. He was an adult before Merchant discovered his own family’s connection to Shenandoah. Carrie Eheart, great granddaughter of Joe Wood, the “mayor” of Sugar Hollow, says that because the government only wanted 50 feet of their land, her family was allowed to stay until the late 1940s. “My brother is angry because what should have been handed down through our family was taken away from us,” Carrie says. Her primary worry, however, is that the story of the Shenandoah mountain people will slip quietly into history, forgotten. Henry recalls a conversation he had around 2011 with the county tourism director: “He’d met a woman in her 70s who remembered when she was a child and her family was evicted from the mountain,” Henry says. “He was amazed that the memory still brought tears to her eyes. He didn’t know the story, but he said to me, ‘I wonder if there’s something we could do to honor that
“I thought we could come up with some sort of monument to honor these people.” —Bill Henry story, get it out there so people know.’” The idea stuck with Henry. “I talked to people I knew,” he says. “I thought maybe we could come up with some sort of monument to honor these people, that we now have this park to enjoy because of these people and the sacrifice they were forced to make.”
Honoring Mountain Families
Henry began speaking to community groups and working with county officials, tourism councils, and chambers of commerce, raising awareness and gathering support for a monument honoring the mountain people and their role in the creation of Shenandoah National Park. “At one of these public meetings,” recalls Henry, “a guy came up and said, ‘Why have only
Drying apples created a source of income for mountain people.
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one monument? Why not have a monument for each county?’ And we embraced that idea.” In 2013, Henry established the Blue Ridge Heritage Project, dedicated to memorializing the families from the eight counties that border the park: Albemarle, Augusta, Greene, Madison, Page, Rappahannock, Rockingham, and Warren. Lisa Custalow joined the BRHP board and, after reaching an accord with the park, Children of Shenandoah has joined the BRHP and is focused on preserving the stories of the mountain people. Today, only one monument, in Warren County, is awaiting completion. The stone chimneys honoring the mountain people and their role in the creation of Shenandoah National Park are a fitting, albeit belated tribute. They stand in testament to an almost-lost culture, invaluable to the fabric that is Virginia. BlueRidgeHeritageProject.com Kathleen August began her career as a freelance journalist, publicist, and script reader in L.A. over 25 years ago. Now based in Harrisonburg, she enjoys the adventures—and story opportunities— Virginia has to offer. kathyaugust54@gmail.com photos (clockwise from top left) by: bill lohmann, joshua gooden, courtesy of library of congress
“Yes, there were people living on the mountain who were uneducated,” says Lisa Custalow. “But there were also people who had college degrees. There were poor people who lived in cabins—and there were other folks who had nice two-story houses—just like anyplace else.”
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HOMEgrown Natives offered ideal habitat potential; elk like the cover of forested areas, particularly in summer where they can take refuge from the heat of the day, but they graze on grasses and other open-land plants. Starting with 75 elk from Kentucky brought in between 2012 and 2014, the Virginia population has since grown to at least 275, thanks in no small part to intensive volunteer efforts and support from conservation groups that together have continued to improve that habitat for the elk and other wildlife.
A buck in full antlered glory, emerging from the mists and bugling its call, is one of nature’s most awe-inspiring displays.
The Bucks Stop Here Once extinct, Virginia’s Eastern elk are back. By C A ROLINE K ET TLEW ELL | Illustration by PHIL
C
OME FALL, IN SOUTHWEST Virginia, you might hear a strange and unfamiliar sound echoing over the hills—something like your kid’s first painful clarinet lessons mashed up with a South African vuvuzela. What you’re hearing is the sound of success: the bugling call of Virginia elk. Nearly 170 years after they were extirpated from the state, these massive animals are now thriving again along the mountainous border with Kentucky, thanks to a restoration effort many years in the making. Jacalyn Rosenberger, Elk Project Leader for the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, explains that Eastern elk—a distinct subspecies of the North American elk population—were once not only native to Virginia but prior to colonization “would have been heavily present west of Virginia’s coastal plain,” she says. But hunting and habitat loss took their predictable toll; 1855 saw the last documented record of an elk harvested in the state. In the early 1900s, a first effort was made to bring elk back to Virginia. But in an era decades
before wildlife management became a profession, “Whoever did it had no idea what they were doing,” says Rosenberger. The elk, brought in from elsewhere, were “truly scattered everywhere,” she says, and they never got enough of a hoof-hold to make a comeback. In the late 1990s, neighboring Kentucky began an elk restoration program of its own, with the population there now numbering about 15,000. Not surprisingly, some wandered across the border into Virginia. Where for a long time they were not welcome. “Initially, people did not want them here,” says Rosenberger. There were concerns about agricultural damage, about collisions with vehicles, about diseases spreading to livestock. “If an elk wandered over, our agency tried to capture and return them.” But finally, Virginia began its own restoration project with Buchanan, Wise, and Dickinson counties, where with a relatively sparse population there was less concern for “elk-human conflict” and where extensive reclaimed mine lands APRIL 2022
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Elk are among North America’s largest land mammals. A mature bull can weigh 800 pounds or more, crowned with 30 pounds of antlers, which are shed and grown anew each year. “Antlers are the fastest-growing tissue in nature,” Rosenberg notes. “That’s 30 pounds of solid bone that they are growing every year.” The fall mating season (known as “the rut”), however, is hard on the males. A dominant bull gathers a “harem” (that’s the official term) of cows and calves, but must constantly defend them against other males. While the rut lasts only from the end of September to mid-October, Rosenberg says, the bulls can lose as much as 200 pounds during that time—just as winter is about to arrive. “They can’t rest. They barely have time to eat. They are constantly trying to guard their group against other bulls.” Thus, she says, in summer, pretty much all they do is eat, trying to pack on the pounds so they can survive the rut and the winter that follows. At the end of the rut, the cows and immature young herd into large groups for the winter, then in May or June, the cows break away to give birth. Although a newborn calf is vulnerable to predators, once a mother licks it clean, it also becomes scentless, and for a week or so it will lie still in the grass to evade detection while the mother visits it a few times a day for feedings. Once the calf is up and around—by about two weeks—it moves with its mother, and eventually cows and calves regroup for the summer. And so through the power of stewardship, Virginia’s elk population has continued to grow, and interest in viewing them has become a boon for the region. A buck in full antlered glory emerging from the autumn mists, bugling its call, is one of nature’s most awe-inspiring displays. Now, in the mountains of Southwest Virginia, you can experience it once more. Caroline Kettlewell has written on all manner of topics, from endurance athletes to electric vehicles; with a particular focus on science, health, and the natural world. CarolineKettlewell.com See the “elk cam” and learn more about Elk Fest, hosted by Southern Gap Outdoor Adventure, at DWR.Virginia.Gov/ Wildlife/Elk/ and SGAdventures.com.
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Transported by the Capital Trail A two-wheeled tour through history offers luxury and adventure. By DE A N K I NG | Photography by A DA M E W I NG
I
FIRST CYCLED THE VIRGINIA CAPITAL
Trail when it opened to much fanfare in 2015, and I was eager to see how it had evolved since then. The trail—which runs parallel to the James River, between Richmond and Jamestown—invites us to dwell with history while surrounded by natural beauty. And for me, that’s the point. There’s something special about this 51.7-mile ribbon of blacktop—62 miles if you continue on to Williamsburg. And by all accounts the Capital Trail has been a resounding success. “There were 1.2 million trail users last year, the biggest year ever,” Cat Anthony, executive director of the
Capital Trail Foundation, tells me. The trail links urban and rural communities, providing an economic boost. And it has inspired others, including a planned Fall Line Trail, from Petersburg to Ashland, which will eventually connect to it. The Capital Trail allows us to time travel to the place where the Powhatan Confederacy— a nation of more than 30 Algonquian-speaking tribes—flourished under the rule of Chief Powhatan. American colonists developed vast tobacco plantations on the James. And three wars were fought here—the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War—forging, challenging, and preserving our budding nation. VIRGINIA LIVING
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The Starting Point
The unofficial trailhead lies just through a doorway in Richmond’s floodwall, beneath a stack of roads and train tracks rising above Shockoe Bottom. Setting out on a sunny morning, I rode past the site where the notorious Libby Prison stood during the Civil War followed by the Great Shiplock, part of the historic Kanawha Canal surveyed by George Washington. Whizzing alongside the James where the Confederate Navy built ironclads during the war, I felt a whiff of history tinged with adventure. As I headed through Varina, it was good to see new life: Kul Wheels, a purveyor of electric bikes and bike tours, and a refurbished convenience store offering last-chance necessities. Here, you’ll pass Dorey Park followed by Four Mile Creek Park, another popular trailhead.
Grand Estates of the James
The trail serves as the back alley to the grand estates facing the James, with scores of historical markers to narrate. You’ll see Curles Neck, once home to Nathaniel Bacon, who famously rebelled, setting fire to Jamestown; while farther down the path is Shirley Plantation, the nation’s oldest family business, now in its tenth generation of Carters.
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HOMEgrown Destinations president. After that, it’s Westover, the Byrd family seat, where Cornwallis crossed the James in pursuit of Lafayette. I pedaled on toward Sherwood Forest, President John Tyler’s country home, whose grounds include Fort Pocahontas, the site of one of the Civil War’s fiercest battles between Black Union troops and the Confederate Army.
A Night at Eagles’ Watch Inn
Charles City, site of a 1730 courthouse, marks the trail’s midpoint and Cul’s Courthouse Grille, formerly the town’s general store, bank, post office, and ABC store, remains its epicenter. Here you might rub elbows with local luminaries like former governor Douglas Wilder or Chickahominy Chief Stephen Atkins while hoisting beverages with fellow trail riders. My wife Jessica met me here with the car, and I gulped down a large Arnold Palmer on the patio before we loaded up my bike and headed to the Inn at Eagles’ Watch, hoping to beat a looming storm. At this recently opened inn, six miles north of Route 5, proprietor Jennifer Jones held forth in her chef’s kitchen as Jess and I, perched at the counter on bar stools, enjoyed a charcuterie board and wine and watched the storm pummel the Chickahominy River. Jones, a William & Mary graduate from Pittsburgh, had been looking to buy a B&B in Williamsburg when she found “love at first sight” in Eagles’ Watch, part of which dates back to 1685.
The trailhead in Richmond’s Shockoe Bottom. Left: Basket & Bike founder Anne Poarch cruising on the trail near Upper Shirley Vineyards.
“There were 1.2 million trail users last year, the biggest year ever.” Upper Shirley’s Route 5 “2.0” burger.
Dean King near the beginning of the trail at Great Shiplock Park.
With 30 miles behind me, I pulled into Upper Shirley Vineyards, about a mile and a half south of the trail. This winery and tasting room overlooks the James and Presquile National Wildlife Refuge—a 1,300-acre island and eagle, heron, and osprey habitat. Upper Shirley is a hub for Basket & Bike, one of the trail’s earliest small businesses. Owner Anne Poarch offers bike rentals and excursions and delivers picnics to her riders along the trail. She’s also been known to belt out a rousing version of “Amazing Grace” during stops at Westover Church. “I’m trying to get people to press pause,” she told me, “to smell the breeze blowing across the field and to see what’s around.” Poarch says the arrival of more small businesses—purveyors of food, lodging, and services—continues to enhance the trail experience. I guiltlessly ordered Upper Shirley’s Route 5 Burger, version “2.0,” two patties of blended short rib, brisket, and chuck with American cheese and smoked bacon on toasted brioche. When I asked chef Carlisle Bannister what was in his signature “comeback sauce,” which united it all in a sumptuous warm glow, he only grinned. Up next, Berkeley, site of the first Thanksgiving, is the birthplace of Benjamin Harrison—a signer of the Declaration of Independence—and his son William Henry Harrison, the nation’s ninth APRIL 2022
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—Cat Anthony, executive director of the Capital Trail Foundation
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Judith Stewart Dresser Bridge over the Chickahominy River.
She’s transformed the place into a cozy inn by blending family antiques and art with a good dose of attentiveness and charm. During a dinner of delectably seasoned roasted chicken, I struck up a conversation with fellow guest Deneen Glennon, who’d come from outside Philly with her husband Patrick. They’d rented bikes at Upper Shirley and ridden seven miles out and back. “I’m not a biker,” Glennon told me, “but I enjoyed it. I liked the markers you can stop and
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read. For someone who doesn’t ride, it was easy to ride and comfortable.” Glennon and I compared notes on our lunches. “I think it was the best burger I’ve ever had,” she said, “double brie, bacon jam, and the roll was really fresh.” Hers came from Indian Fields Tavern, a converted farmhouse about five miles east of Upper Shirley. Duly noted for a future ride. The next morning, after a copious breakfast of eggs, bacon, airy biscuits, granola, and banana bread, I returned to the route with a sense that the trail is growing its own community. Crossing the Chickahominy on a high bridge, I got my first view of the James since leaving Richmond. It’s one of my few gripes about the route—to see more of America’s majestic first river, you’ll want to make off-trail detours.
A large group of bikers heads west on the trail afer a lunch at Cul’s Courthouse Grille in Charles City.
Pressing on to Wedmore Place
As I neared Jamestown, Spoke & Art, a trailside café offering pastries, cookies, Blanchard’s coffee, and craft beers, invites riders with its rambling deck. With live music and bike facilities, it’s just the sort of trailside spot needed in Richmond. I continued past Billsburg Brewery on the Jamestown Yacht Basin and, although I’d completed the trail, I hopped on the Colonial Parkway toward Wedmore Place, the European-style hotel at the Williamsburg Winery. Our incentive: an oyster roast followed by a couple’s massage. After a missed exit and a dozen more miles, Jess and I were sampling raw oysters and sharing a flight of aromatic red blends. Another Basket & Bike hub, the winery offers vigorous massages by Thai practitioners skilled at renewing riders for the trail. As mine knee-walked across my hamstrings and back, I was most thankful. Monday morning, day three, I was gratified to find route 617, the Colonial Parkway shortcut I’d missed. This turnoff allows you to ride seamlessly from Richmond to the winery avoiding any busy
roads. From the parkway I could see Jamestown Island. I horseshoed around on an isthmus to get a closer view of the historic site before we boarded the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry by car and bike to soak up more history on the river’s south bank. Crossing the river brought the water views I’d missed on the trail. The free, 20-minute passage took us to Surry County on the south side of the James. Riding up a steep hill, I caught up to a cyclist hauling serious panniers. When I asked if he’d ridden the Capital Trail, he responded, “Where’s that?” He was riding from Indianapolis to Florida via the Outer Banks. Humbled, I made
my way to the Surry Seafood Co., where I met Jess and soothed my pride with a soft shell crab sandwich and a bowl of crab soup. After lunch, we visited Smith Fort Plantation. Here, in 1609, Captain John Smith built a backup fort in case Jamestown was sacked. He was soon forced to abandon it to defend Jamestown—from rats—and never returned. Chief Powhatan gave the land to Pocahontas and John Rolfe as a wedding present. In the dappled light beneath towering sycamore and walnut trees, the view across the river to Jamestown from these diminished ramparts was serene, the vortex of history strong.
RIDING THE TRAIL? Whether you’re riding a short stretch or conquering all 51.7 miles of the trail, you’ll find trip-planning advice on the Virginia Capital Trail Foundation website, VirginiaCapitalTrail.org. Other helpful travel tips:
BIKE RENTALS Basket & Bike: Owner Anne Poarch offers bike rentals, excursions, and picnics for trail riders. Poarch shares space with RVA on Wheels in Richmond’s Shockoe Bottom at 1301 E. Cary St., 804-564-2568. BasketAndBike.com, RVAonWheels.com Bike the Burg: Located near Williamsburg’s historic district, this shop offers bike rentals, sales, and service. Daily or weekly rentals. 515 York St., Williamsburg. 757-570-7326. BikeTheBurg.net
Oysters from Big Island Aquaculture in Gloucester paired with Williamsburg Winery’s Semi-Dry Rosé and Wessex Hundred Chardonnay.
Kul Wheels: Electric bikes make riding the trail a breeze. Rent by the hour or the day, plus tours. 1106 New Market Rd., Richmond. 804.205.3452. KulWheels.com Pedego Electric bike rentals and tours. 301 E. Cary St., Richmond. 804-343-1850. PedegoElectricBikes.com
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TRAIL ACCESS AND PARKING Jamestown Trailhead: Greensprings Park off State Route 31. Williamsburg: Chickahominy Riverfront Park, 1350 John Tyler Memorial Hwy. Charles City County Visitors Center: Park at 10760 Courthouse Rd.
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HOMEgrown Destinations Guests at Peace Hill Farm, named for a treaty signed here in 1614, can help care for the animals, pick peaches and apples, and fish in a trout pond.
Susan Wise Bauer feeding the sheep at Peace Hill Farm in Holdcroft.
A Farmhouse B&B
On the last morning, I set out from Peace Hill Farm in Holdcroft, on the north side of the James. The 100-acre farm, once part of a royal land grant, was named for a 1614 treaty signed by Jamestown settlers and the Chickahominy. Now owned by author Susan Wise Bauer, whom the Washington Post called a home-schooling “force,” Peace Hill Farm includes a farmhouse B&B, a cottage converted from a henhouse, and its own church. Bauer raises Leicester Longwool sheep, Angora goats, and draft horses here, and guests can help care for the animals, pick peaches
Henrico County: Dorey Park, 2999 Darbytown Rd. Varina: Parking is available at Four Mile Creek Park.
and apples, and fish in a trout pond. Pedaling down Glebe Lane, I stopped at Piney Grove at Southall’s Plantation. Built circa 1800 as a one-story log corncrib, it was later converted into a store, and then a frame house. During the Civil War, Tom Harwood, the store’s clerk, carried the Confederate colors into battle at nearby Malvern Hill, only to be felled by cannon fire. Despite a shattered leg, Harwood managed to find his way to Piney Grove through pouring rain. Tuesday is a day off for many of the rural restaurants along the trail, so we’d arranged for Basket & Bike to drop off a picnic at Edgewood,
WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK Upper Shirley Vineyards: The tasting room offers bistro dining in a spectacular setting. Live music most weekends. 600 Shirley Plantation Rd., Charles City. 804-829-9463. UpperShirley.com
Nance-Major House B&B: The six guestrooms here include two suites with jacuzzis. Bike rentals available. Near the Nance-Major Store at 10811 Courthouse Rd., Charles City. 804-314-4903. Nance-MajorHouse.com
Spoke & Art Provisions Co.: Stop here for sandwiches, pastries, and lattes. There’s a bike repair station for trail riders. 3449 John Tyler Hwy., Williamsburg. 757-808-5278. SpokeAndArt.com
Piney Grove at Southall’s Plantation: Guest rooms at the 1857 Ladysmith House on this 1700s plantation feature modern conveniences with a pool on site. 16920 Southall Plantation Ln., Charles City. 804-829-2480. PineyGrove.com
Billsburg Brewery and its Hungry Pug Food Truck is surrounded by a marina with great water views. 2054 Jamestown Rd., Williamsburg. 757-926-0981. Billsburg.com Indian Fields Tavern: Seasonal American fare in a farmhouse setting. Live music most weekends. 9220 John Tyler Memorial Hwy., Charles City. 804-829-2200. IndianFieldsTavern.com
WHERE TO STAY Inn at Eagles’ Watch: This 17th-century inn offers elegant home-cooked meals with rooms to match, plus
HISTORIC SITES Edgewood Plantation: Once part of Berkeley Plantation, Edgewood offers guest rooms, a pool, guided tours, and Victorian teas. 4800 John Tyler Memorial Hwy., Charles City. 804-829-2962. EdgewoodPlantation.com Smith’s Fort Plantation: Captain John Smith’s 1609 “New Fort” features antique furnishings and guided tours. 217 Smith Fort Ln., Surry. 757-294-3872. PreservationVirginia.org
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Dean King is the best-selling author of Skeletons on the Zahara and The Feud. His next book, Guardians of the Valley: John Muir and the Friendship That Saved Yosemite, will be released by Scribner in October 2023.
views of the Chickahominy River. 12500 Eagles Nest Rd., Charles City. 804-220-6316. InnAtEaglesWatch.com The Bed & Breakfast at Peace Hill Farm: Working farm with guest rooms, meals, and farm activities. 18401 The Glebe Ln., Charles City. 757-771-1274. HistoricPeaceHill.com
Richmond Riverfront: Park at Great Shiplock Park, Pear and Dock streets.
an 1849 Carpenter Gothic mansion with an even older gristmill. J.E.B. Stuart stopped here for a cup of joe in June 1862 on his daring ride to inform Lee about McClellan’s positions. Edgewood’s halls are roamed by the ghost of Lizzie Rowland, who lost her true love when he left to fight the Yankees. Our picnic came with a blanket and a vase of flowers, and we lounged on the lawn, far from Lizzie’s troubles. From Edgewood, I rode toward Malvern Hill Farm, where I took a rutted country lane to Malvern Hill Battlefield. Here, in July 1862, Lee and McClellan squared off. The latter was forced to retreat from Richmond. Jess and I walked past gun emplacements and ruins and through woods so dense and convoluted that we worried we might not escape them before dark. The walk in the woods was unplanned, but the trail, with its outsized power to catapult us back to our nation’s beginnings, offers adventures of all kinds. It was just one of the myriad ways time travel can unfold on the Capital Trail.
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Billsburg Brewery’s Radler.
Shirley Plantation: Established in 1613, it’s Virginia’s first. Open daily for tours. 501 Shirley Plantation Rd., Charles City. 804-829-5121. HistoricShirley.com Sherwood Forest: Home to President John Tyler from 1842-1862. Daily tours. 14501 John Tyler Memorial Hwy., Charles City. 804-829-5377. SherwoodForest.com
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Travel Virginia
S P EC I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S ECT I O N
magical BATH
Journeys.
The back roads are winding and peaceful with stunning mountain views. The great food and legendary hospitality make the journey complete. That’s a Made in Bath County experience.
DiscoverBath.com 540-839-7202 #MadeInBathVA
The Inn at Gristmill Square
The Inn at Warm Springs
The Inn at Gristmill Square is Bath County’s premier boutique inn and restaurant located in the heart of the George Washington National Forest.
The Inn at Warm Springs features newly renovated rooms with ensuite bathrooms, Wi-Fi and complimentary breakfast, as well as an onsite restaurant, coffee shop and full-service spa.
The Omni Homestead Resort
Vine Cottage Inn
Your next golf escape is just a short drive away. Tee it up on two of Virginia’s finest courses, The Cascades and the Old Course.
Located within walking distance of downtown Hot Springs, Vine Cottage Inn is an awardwinning B&B that has been welcoming guests for over 100 years.
GristmillSquare.com 540-839-2231
TheHomestead.com 800-838-1766
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TheInnAtWarmSprings.com 540-839-5351
VineCottageInn.com 540-839-2422
2/17/22 7:53 PM
S P EC I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S ECT I O N
Find your
peace
Photo by Gordon Campbell-At Altitude Gallery
the fun you'll have.
Experience WanderLove
Experience first hand, why Captain John Smith called Onancock the gem of Virginia’s Eastern Shore.
Come to Madison for the hiking, history, artisans, scenery, breweries, wineries, or your destination wedding! Stay in a B&B, cabin, camper, RV, lodge, vacation rental house, tent or even a yurt! Or just enjoy the journey and the hidden gems along the way!
in
15 North Street | Onancock, VA 23417
757.787.7911 ExperienceOnancock.com
madisonva.com
West Point King William
www.visitwestpointkingwilliam.com
Join us April 8-12, 2022 to commemorate the Surrender and Freedom Day. w w w. e x p e r i e n c e a p p o m at t o x . c o m
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Travel Virginia
S P EC I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S ECT I O N
Great Views, Boos & Brews.
visitSuffolkva.com /VisitSuffolkVa
Suffolk Tourism | 524 N. Main St. Suffolk, VA 23434 | 757.514.4130
GIRLFRIENDS’
GETAWAY
Halifax County
NEED A THERAPY SESSION ON A
RIVERBANK?
Skip the hustle and bustle on your next vacation... Make memories while exploring the countryside on an outdoor adventure, discover local arts, culture, and history, celebrate over drinks at wineries, a craft brewery, and a distillery, pamper yourself at a European-styled spa, and rest anywhere from luxury resorts to rustic cabins. Discover your perfect girlfriends’ getaway in Halifax, Virginia.
Find yourself here
Unplug from the world and find yourself on a river bank, wading in the creek, or on a lake here in Patrick County. visitpatrickcounty.org
GoHalifaxVA.com
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Visit the Patrick County Visitors Center at 126 N. Main St, Stuart, VA
2/17/22 7:54 PM
S P EC I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S ECT I O N
Eat & Drink, Learn, Play, Relax, and Shop in Historic Downtown Leesburg
April 23rd & 24th (10am-6pm)
Festival Attractions:
• Landscape Designs • Plants, Flowers, & Herbs • Backyard Accessories • Garden Supplies • Beer Garden • Live Entertainment & Children’s Area
(10am-5pm)
Be Sure To Visit Our: • Restaurants • Shops • Galleries • Boutiques & Spas • Historic Sites • Public Art & Parks
Rain or Shine • Pets Discouraged Satellite Parking at Ida Lee Park’s Festival Field with FREE Shuttle Service For more information
Country Buick GMC • Heartland Foods • Washington Gardener • Wegmans Food Markets
leesburgva.gov
“The South’s Best Mountain Towns” — Southern Living
VisitStaunton.com
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GOODtaste > Starters > Drink > Dining Out > Cooking
photo by greg powers
Santé’s roasted whole branzino with white bean purée, sauteed vegetable, and sauce vierge.
Starters SANTÉ COMES TO THE RITZ- CARLTON Pentagon City hotel delivers Mediterranean-inspired cuisine. By Constance Costas
On the menu at Santé, the new Mediterranean restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton in Pentagon City, grilled Virginia oysters happily coexist with shrimp saganaki and chickpea fries. “It’s an experience that transports, yet feels familiar all the same,” says Matthew Felix, the hotel’s general manager. In addition to breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner, Santé offers a fireside lounge where you’ll find craft beer, rare wines by the glass, and handcrafted cocktails like the Santé Spritz—made with Catoctin Creek Watershed Gin, Campari, and sparkling grapefruit soda. “We hope to become a destination in the neighborhood,” Felix adds, “offering something unique for those who work and live in the area, as well as our visitors and hotel guests.” MeetAtSante.com APRIL 2022
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2/17/22 9:36 AM
P OOLE & POOLE ARCHITECTURE www.2pa.net
VERULAM FARM
PROSPECT HILL (c. 1732)
C H A R LOT T E S V I L L E , VA | $ 1 3 , 9 0 0, 0 0 0
LO U I S A , VA | $ 1 , 9 5 0, 0 0 0
Nestled in the Blue Ridge foothills is one of Virginia’s preeminent estates, conveniently located just 4 miles from UVA and modern amenities of Charlottesville. The Classical Revival manor offers an easy elegance with both formal and informal spaces that flow seamlessly to bucolic grounds with beautiful views, formal Charles Gillette designed gardens and handsome pool complex. Elegant proportions (10’ ceilings), fine architectural details and sophisticated craftsmanship are complimented by a modern kitchen and five enWILE YP R O P E RT Y. CO M
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RICHMOND • NASHVILLE • CHARLESTON
/
suite bedrooms. Tree lined drive and 20’ boxwood, a peaceful and private yet distinguished setting minutes from town. Additional amenities on 503-acre estate include a charming guest house and restored dairy barn turned grand event venue. The farm abuts 2,000 additional acres of protected land including the 1,000acre Ragged Mountain Reservoir Natural Area. Nearby access to major travel thoroughfares and airports with direct flights to most major US cities.
18th century Virginia living at its finest. Historic main residence features 5 bedrooms, 5 baths, with 2 half baths on main floor. There are eight additional bedroom suites in the dependencies, rich with character and historical charm—all with fireplaces, modern full baths and current mechanical systems. Property is in Green Springs Historic District only 20 minutes east of Charlottesville, and about 40 minutes from the west end of Richmond.
J UST IN W IL E Y | 434 9 81 5 5 2 8 | M L S 6 2 2 844
P E TER W I L EY | 4 3 4 4 22 20 9 0 | M L S 6 1 8 1 6 6
1 32 E M AIN ST SU IT E A , OR A NG E , V IR G INIA 2 2 9 6 0
540 67 2 3 903
/
5 0 3 FAULCONE R D R S UIT E 6 , CH A R LOTTESV I L L E, V I R G I N I A 229 0 3
434 2 93 3900
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GOODtaste Starters
WHAT FOODS SAY SPRING? We asked five chefs around the state.
“Spring vegetables, especially grilled with olive oil and lemon, such as ramps, asparagus, and spring onions. Also lightly dressed petite greens and baby brassicas, strawberries, and fresh Farmstead chèvre from Caromont Farm.” —Matt Hull, Zynodoa, Staunton Zynodoa.com
“Foraged ramps and morels. I love the combination. I pickle and dry them to last the whole year. I also love the first leaves of tender lettuce simply dressed with olive oil, sea salt, and lemon.” —Matt Hill, Ruthie’s All-Day, Arlington RuthiesAllDay.com
“Fresh asparagus. My wife and I forage for them around the Eastern Shore. It’s a great way to get outside and spend time together with a purpose. I think asparagus is the most sexy veg out there.” —“Johnny Mo” Morrison, Mallards At The Wharf, Onancock EatAtMallards.com
“Soft crabs. Everyone goes crazy for ramps, peas, asparagus, and other new vegetables. Heck, I do too, but the real treat for me in Virginia is soft-shell season.”
“Hot cross buns for Easter are my specialty. I’m a baker, so spring is the season for light, refreshing desserts that celebrate renewal—like strawberry rhubarb pie, strawberry shortcake, and lemon tarts.”
—Lee Gregory, Alewife, Richmond
—Stella Pomanek, Cafe Stella, Norfolk
AlewifeRVA.com
CafeStellaRoasters.com —By Patrick Evans-Hylton
SHAD ROE SEASON
Blink and you might miss this reason to rejoice.
photo by yelena strokin. illustrations by enya todd
A SEASONAL DELICACY, shad roe arrives with spring’s first
daffodils, then it’s gone in the blink of an eye. For devotees, the bulbous roe sacs hold a mythical allure; while others look at them and recoil. And that’s understandable. The sacs—a pair is known as a “set”—aren’t pretty. But, connoisseurs insist, that just means more for them. “For me, it’s a harbinger of spring—a delicacy with a short-lived season,” says chef Walter Bundy of Shagbark in Richmond. “The older generation has a fondness for it, but I just don’t think the younger ones are familiar with it.” Bundy likes to cook shad roe wrapped in prosciutto and serve it with cheese grits. “It’s a delicate flavor and, if you’re willing to give it a try, you just might be surprised." Supple and delicate, shad roe requires gentle cooking to prevent the sac, which contains thousands of tiny eggs, from bursting. A dredge of flour and a little butter or bacon fat in the pan complements the uniquely earthy, mineral flavor. Bacon makes a fine accompaniment, along with asparagus. And home cooks swear by splitting the cooked lobe down the middle, opening it like a book, then adding a little butter and a squeeze of lemon. Chef Tyler Thomas of the River & Rail in Roanoke tasted shad roe for the first time after a day of fishing on the Chesapeake with his grandfather. They breaded a set and slid it into hot oil, then savored the clean flavor and subtle brine. “That moment will remain with me forever. The flavor and the freshness are hard to beat. Since then, I’ve
cooked shad roe many times and always look forward to the season.” Thomas prepares shad roe using a quick buttermilk soak followed by dredging in a mixture of rice flour and cornmeal. The result is satsifyingly crunchy on the outside with a velvety smoothness within. With shad roe’s month-long season, now is the time to give it a try, and Thomas’ “Hangtown” Scramble with shad roe is a great way to dive in:
Shad Roe “Hangtown” Scramble Serve this crispy shad roe with soft scrambled eggs and smoky bacon. ½ cup coarsely milled cornmeal ½ cup rice flour Kosher salt & cracked black pepper, to taste Pinch of cayenne pepper 1 set of shad roe Buttermilk, for soaking Crystal Hot Sauce For the dredge, mix the first four ingredients in a bowl and set aside. For the shad roe, gently separate the lobes and rinse in lightly salted water. Pat dry. Place each lobe in a bowl with buttermilk seasoned with a few few dashes of hot sauce and let soak.
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While the roe is soaking, prepare soft scrambled eggs and bacon. Prepare a cast iron skillet with an inch or so of canola oil. Heat to 325-350 degrees using a fry thermometer. Pull roe from buttermilk mixture and place into dry mixture. Carefully press the roe into the dredge to get a good coating all over. Fry roe for several minutes, flipping periodically until golden brown and crispy. Remove to a paper towel and season with salt. Plate with eggs and bacon and enjoy. —By Stephanie Ganz
VIRGINIA LIVING
2/17/22 9:36 AM
LYH WELCOMES YOU
One of Virginia’s best college towns, LYH is looking the future in the eye and offering a seat at the table for all. LYHLOVESYOU.COM
City of Lynchburg Office of Economic Development & Tourism
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GOODtaste Starters
A PASSION FOR PASTA At Scratch Pasta Co. in Lynchburg, Stephanie Fees handcrafts the real deal. Scratch Pasta Co.’s spinach fusilli.
Mohsin and Katlin Kazmi pose with The Pakalachian’s mural, painted by Pakistani truck artist Haider Ali.
THE PAKALACHIAN This food truck dishes up Southern fare with a Pakistani twist.
photos clockwise from top left) courtesy of: the pakalachian (2), scratch pasta, bo prillaman
C
OMFORT FOODS FROM APPALACHIA
and Pakistan come together in this Abingdon-based food truck with a decidedly down-home vibe. “It’s all very familiar, like mac ‘n cheese, on the one hand,” says Katlin Kazmi, coowner of the Pakalacian, with her husband Mohsin. “But we use the unfamiliar, too, for a whole new culinary experience.” Think fried green tomatoes meet pakoras—or pot pie samosas. Katlin and Mohsin. who met as students at Virginia Tech, married in 2014 and soon began blending the flavors of their childhoods in a home-cooking mashup. Mohsin, the son of Pakistani parents, grew up in New Jersey, while Katlin is from smalltown Castlewood, Virginia, near the Kentucky and Tennessee borders. As they shared their playful food combinations with ever-enthusiastic family and friends, the couple was inspired to dream bigger. They commandeered a 1996 step van, outfitted it with the bells and whistles needed for a modern food truck, and the Pakalachian was launched. Curry Me Down South, a tomato-based chicken curry served on Southern mashed potatoes with a dollop of cilantro chutney, is the dish that started it all. And dishes like Tikka My Senses—a chicken sandwich with the pop of their own Pakistani tikka marinade blend of over 20 spices—have become
The Pakalachian’s Tikka My Senses chicken sandwich.
menu staples. Katlin and Mohsin aim for every dish to be half Pakistani and half Southern Appalachian, “whether by altering how the dish is traditionally served or by changing the cooking process,” says Katlin. The menu changes with the seasons as Katlin and Mohsin—who also runs adventure trips to Peru, India, and Panama—source their produce locally. “We are deeply connected to the area,” says Katlin, of their commitment to donate a portion of proceeds to local causes. “And we have loved creating an entirely new palette based on foods we both love.” ThePakalachian.com, TamaduaJungle.com
CHEF STEPHANIE FEES is changing the way we think about pasta. With flavors like porcini mushroom pappardelle lemon basil gemelli, and squid ink campanelle, her Scratch Pasta Co. in Lynchburg is elevating pasta night for home cooks. Fees got her start at New York’s Institute of Culinary Education before becoming a professional chef there. After a stint cookin at The Greenbrier in West Virginia, she returned to her hometown of Lynchburg to work as a catering chef at West Manor Estate, a wedding venue in nearby Forest. But it was an article about handcrafted pasta— and the California woman who made it—that inspired Fees to study pasta making in Chiavari, Italy, and bring authentic pastas to the Hill City. For customers wary of carbs, Fees has an easy answer: “If you’re having bread and pasta, make it the best you can get.” Fees introduced her handmade fusilli, campanelle, and radiatori at Lynchburg’s Community Market before launching an online store. Now, customers can also find her pastas, signature marinara sauce, and pasta gift baskets in specialty groceries across the country—including dozens of locations around the state. Up next, Fees is making plans to open a Scratch Pasta Co. storefront in Lynchburg this fall. ScratchPastaCo.com
—By Madeline Mayhood
—By Jennifer Prince
DELICIOUS INSPIRATION
A lifelong watercolor artist, Bo Prillaman trained his eye on 30 restaurants for his new book, Richmond in Watercolor: Dining Out. “I was thinking of people like the waitress who’s worked at the same diner for 20 years,” says Prillaman, a retired architect, who was inspired to help during the 2020 lockdown. “What happens to her when it closes?” The book, which includes recipes, is now on sale at restaurants around Richmond and on Prillaman’s website—and he’s already fielding requests for similar books for Williamsburg and Old Town Alexandria. “If this thing is helpful,” he says, “I would do 30 more.” BoPrillaman.com/Book —By Constance Costas Left: Bo Prillaman’s rendition of Can Can Brasserie in Carytown. APRIL 2022
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An artist paints for restaurant relief.
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GOODtaste Drink
STIFF COMPETITION Virginia wines compete for the coveted Governor’s Cup award.
photos (from top): by brent hofacker, courtesy of virginia wine board, by dasha romanova
OVER SEVEN DAYS IN MARCH, world-class judges will assemble to sniff, swirl, and sip more than 500 Virginia wines in the 2022 Virginia Governor’s Cup, one of the most stringent wine competitions in the U.S. A single winning bottle will take home the prestigious Governor’s Cup, while the highest scoring reds and whites will win a place in the Governor’s Cup Case. In 2021, the grand prize went to the 2015 Paxxito from Barboursville Vineyards, a delicious dessert wine. New this year: The Governor’s Cup Celebration— once limited to wine-insiders—will be open to all. The March 24th event at Richmond’s Main Street Station will include wine tastings, fine food, auction prizes, and a chance to hear the winners announced. A portion of proceeds go to the V Foundation for Cancer Research, founded by ESPN and legendary basketball coach Jim Valvano. For details and tickets, visit VirginiaWine.org/Governors-Cup —By Constance Costas
ROANOKE’S BLOOM This restaurant & wine bar serves smokin’ good cocktails, too.
C
HEF NATHAN SLOAN OF BLOOM
finds inspiration in the Roanoke River that winds around Wasena, one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods. Sloan’s showstopper dishes include gnocchi stuffed with sunchoke espuma and a carrot-cardamom cake with chai crème anglaise. But food isn’t all that’s breaking boundaries here. Although bloom bills itself as a restaurant and wine bar, you’ll find elevated cocktails here as well. Take Smoke on the Water. To create it, Sloan began by experimenting with crystal clear tequila blanco. “I started playing with some tequila sours,” he said. But instead of replicating a familiar drink, Sloan married the sour with a margarita flavor profile, then added small twists. “We spritz the glass with mezcal so you have herbaceous smoky notes,” he explained. “And we put some drops of the Angostura on top, so there’s a surface element.” The end result is flat-water smooth and as nuanced as the scents along a wooded creek bed. Still, this craft cocktail is simple enough to make at home.
British wine writer Steven Spurrier judges red wines during the 2020 Governor’s Cup.
SMOKE ON THE WATER Chef Sloan prefers Cazadores Blanco tequila but suggests trying Lunazul, Sauza Blue, Reposado or, for a richer flavor, a neijo. 1 ½ ounce Tequila Cazadores Blanco ½ ounce Harlequin Orange Liqueur ¾ ounce grapefruit juice ½ ounce lime juice ¼ ounce lemon juice ½ ounce light blue agave syrup 1 egg white 2 spritzes Del Maguey Vida Mezcal 4 drops Angostura bitters To a cocktail shaker add the tequila along with the orange liqueur, citrus juices, agave syrup, and egg white. Dry shake (sans ice) until the combo is frothy. Add ice and shake until the metal feels cold. Spritz a chilled martini glass with mezcal, then strain the cocktail through a bar strainer into the spritzed glass. Add four drops of Angostura bitters on top and draw a cocktail pick through the bitters to create a design of your choosing—a swirl or an arrow. “Play around with it,” says Sloan, adding, “it’s fun to make it your own.” BloomRKE.com —By Mark Lynn Ferguson
BEYOND JELLY BEANS
Easter egg hunts grow up.
EASTER EGG HUNTS aren’t just for children. Many breweries, cideries, and wineries around the state will celebrate the holiday with grownup egg hunts featuring prizes for the over-21 set. Topping this season’s list, Pearmund Cellars will host a hunt with a catered wine brunch at Effingham Manor and Winery in Nokesville on Saturday, April 16th. And those eggs? If you’re lucky, you might find a ticket good for a free glass or bottle tucked inside. At Norfolk’s Maker’s Craft Brewery, the Easter Sunday hunt will include an Easter bonnet competition, spring market, and beer prizes. And in Bluemont, look for an egg hunt at Henway Hard Cider. Bringing the whole family? Corcoran Vineyards and Cider in Waterford and Narmada Winery in Amissville are among those hosting hunts for all ages. “Wineries in Virginia have becoming places where friends and families can spend the day around events like Easter egg hunts,” says Nancy Bauer, author of Virginia Wine Travel Journal. “Some are adults-only, some are for kids. Morais Vineyards in Bealeton even has a glow-in-the-dark hunt.” Check websites for dates and reservation information. —By Vayda Parrish
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Dinner With a View In Old Town Ada’s on the River heats up Alexandria’s waterfront. By R ENEE SK L A R EW
‘‘I
S IT SOMEONE’S BIRTHDAY?” our server asks when she bounces up to our table. My family is dining at Ada’s on the River, on the waterfront in Old Town Alexandria. We look at each other and laugh. We are celebrating life, and Ada’s feels like a good place to do that. Ada’s is part of the reactivation of the Old Town riverfront. In recent decades, the city has removed the warehouses and industrial buildings, some dating to the 1830s, and added full pedestrian access to the Potomac. Built on the southern end of Old Town’s promenade near Robinson Landing, Ada’s on the River debuted in January of 2020, making a splash before being shuttered during months of lockdown. Once it reopened, locals and critics alike spread the word about the exciting new destination, and the vibe is definitely happening. To get there, we walked down a cobblestone street, toward the Old Dominion Boat Club Marina. In a city recognized for its historic architecture, Ada’s sleek style looks more Miami than Old Town. Poised beneath 18-foot ceilings, the
Tender and firm, the scallops are lightly browned and surrounded by chunks of Granny Smith apples, nuggets of lardon, and crunchy hazelnuts. dining room’s big, bold furnishings are encircled by glass on three sides. Greenery lends texture and beauty to the airy space, and the wooden transom scaling the length of the restaurant ties it all together. Although every indoor table has a view, Ada’s also offers year-round dining on a landscaped patio under ultra-modern heating lamps. From here, we can see the Capitol dome, while nearby birch trees frame the Capital Wheel across the river at Maryland’s National Harbor. Seabirds call overhead as the sky turns pink and gold, drawing
a curtain on the day. If the stellar views are not enough to delight, the pretty plates of food tear our gaze from the horizon. A tower of silky crab, a wedge salad with curly strings of endive, a merry-go-round of chargrilled scallops nestled among purple cauliflower florets; each plate arrives to a chorus of “Wows.” Our server says she loves hearing that. Despite the chill outside, Ada’s is toasty warm. The open kitchen with its long prep area and red pots of garnishes includes a high-tech grill burning live oak and hardwood coals. The aroma of VIRGINIA LIVING
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smoked and grilled meat curls around us, creating anticipation. Looking over the menu, we keep ordering, especially the sides, and of course, the steak and seafood. Eighty percent of the menu is touched by the coal or wood grill at some point, says regional executive chef Brandon Whitestone of Alexandria Restaurant Partners. “Ada’s is classic Americana with Mediterranean influence. Our custom Mibrasa charcoal oven gives Ada’s its signature flavor.” Mibrasas are made in Spain to exacting standards.
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GOODtaste Dining Out Ada’s Colorado lamb rack. Right: View of the Potomac River from the patio. Below, right: A portrait of Ada Lovelace—the restaurant’s namesake—by illustrator Gaby D’Alessandro, hangs near the bar.
photos courtesy of rockaway pr; ada lovelace portrait courtesy of morgan gaynin, inc.
Chef Brandon Whitestone
The Fare Thee Well, with Del Maguey mezcal, Olmeca Altos Plata tequila, organic agave nectar, cucumbers, ginger beer, and lime juice.
One of Ada’s signature dishes is the black brioche loaf with activated charcoal. The bread, spongy and sweet inside a charred crust, pairs nicely with the Lord Byron cocktail—Maker’s Mark bourbon poured over coffee and tinged with orange bitters. In Ada’s vegetables, we taste a complimentary swirl of citrus and smoke. The golden-brown Brussels sprouts rest in a creamy, buttery aioli with a dollop of tart yogurt. The wedge salad is an explosion of baby iceberg lettuce, adorned with cornbread croutons, whipped blue cheese,
Renee Sklarew is a journalist specializing in mid-Atlantic food and travel. She leads tours for Smithsonian Associates. Follow her @travelanddish. APRIL 2022
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sultry bacon vinaigrette, and pickled tomatoes. A heaping bowl of charred cauliflower is brightened with harissa vinaigrette and a punch of pine nuts. Everything is kissed by a flame. These are the perfect accompaniments to fluffy swordfish tattooed with grill marks and roasted scallops resting in a brown butter cauliflower purée. Tender and firm, the scallops are lightly browned and surrounded by chunks of Granny Smith apples, nuggets of lardon, and crunchy hazelnuts. Even better was the half-pound crab cake made with preserved lemon rémoulade, creamed leeks, and a mixture of greens. The secret, Whitestone says, is the Dijon mustard in the background. Smoke and fire are on full display when you order a 65-day-aged cowboy ribeye steak. It sails from a sizzling oven blanketed by a sliver of garlic butter and escorted by a tureen of chimichurri sauce made with shallots, jalapeño, cilantro, and other fresh herbs. The richness and texture is unparalleled. “Ada’s beef is aged no less than 45 days, some for more than 75 days,” Whitestone explains. “It’s a unique program where ranchers hand select their cattle and are really stringent on the standards. We want to provide the traditional steakhouse experience, but elevated.” Before dessert, we ask about Ada and the elegant portrait of her beside the bar. She is the mathematician Ada Lovelace. The only daughter of the poet Lord Byron, she is widely recognized as the first computer programmer. In the 1830s, Lovelace solved the problem of data input with polymath and sometimes collaborator Charles Babbage. An aristocrat who built a career in technology, she is hailed by the Computer History Museum as “the prophet of the computer age.” Discovering that Ada’s is named in her honor adds extra joy to our evening. For our final course, we order beignets and a jam jar of s’mores. From our table, we see the lights reflect upon the water, and a satisfied glow descends around us. When an evening is this special, an ordinary day feels like a celebration. AdasOnTheRiver.com
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A Taste of Paris in Charlottesville With Cou Cou Rachou, Rachel De Jong brings authentic French baking to the Blue Ridge. By JOH N H A DDA D | Photography by F R E D + E L L IO T T
L
ONG BEFORE WE MET IN PERSON, I
met Rachel De Jong’s lovely sourdough bread at Charlottesville’s Broadcloth restaurant. The loaf left a lasting impression. So when I heard that she was opening her own bakery in town, I had to know more. A warm and comforting space, Cou Cou Rachou feels like it’s been there forever. Antique display cases showcase traditional French baguettes and boules alongside sweet and savory croissants, quiches, scones, cookies, macaroons, and much more. Even the name is inviting: it’s a mashup of Rachel and the French term for “hello” among friends. De Jong, who grew up in Charlottesville, recalls the power of food to “delight and draw people together” and describes her family as a happy tribe, accomplished in film, painting, music, and photography. Her mother happens to be an excellent cook, too, “but she hates baking,” says De Jong, “so I filled in the blanks for holidays and birthdays.” She also counts the Food Network and Julia Child, whom she watched on Public Television, as early influences. Like those in Julia’s kitchen, hanging pots adorn the back wall of her bakery. After business studies at JMU proved “too corpo-
rate,” the budding food entrepreneur credits her father with floating the idea of a cooking career: “You do know,” he told her, “that food is a job, too.” She found her first culinary mentor in Sheila Cervelloni at The Baker’s Palette in Charlottesville, soaking up lessons before heading to the famed Cordon Bleu École de Cuisine in Paris, where she earned a Diplôme de Pâtisserie in 2011. Back in Virginia, she landed at The Inn at Little Washington in the kitchen of Michelin three-star chef Patrick O’Connell and his pastry chef Mia Ponce. The experience was eye opening. “Things were very black and white,” she explains, “the product is good enough or it’s not. They used the highest quality ingredients, and Mia taught me how to break down flavors.” Ponce walked her through bitter, sweet, tart, sour, and earthy to refine her palate. “Obviously much of this is preferential and highly personal,” she says, “but the groundwork and knowledge of how to manipulate flavor is crucial to a cook’s education.” Ponce had come up in the kitchen of famed Chez Panisse in Berkeley and the art of simple eating espoused by Alice Waters. “A lot of people equate simple with easy,” says De Jong, “and that’s not the case. A dessert with three ingredients is less forgiving than one with a dozen comVIRGINIA LIVING
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ponents.” It’s tough to make food taste great if the building blocks are mediocre. “Each one has to be ‘perfect,” she notes. After three years in tiny Washington, Virginia, this young baker moved on to Nashville and, later, L.A., where she worked with world-renowned French chef Ludo Lefebvre. Her time at Lefebvre’s Petit Trois further cemented her love of French food and pastries and, eventually, she headed home with the dream of opening her own bakery. But first, she landed at Charlottesville’s Broadcloth where she created bread and pastries for the restaurant while also supplying the boutique wine and coffee shop in the Wool Factory Complex. There, the owners, wowed by her talents, helped her launch her own space in November. She remains the Wool Factory’s consulting pastry chef, assuring that diners can continue to look for her deliciously nuanced baked goods at Broadcloth and The Workshop, as well. In her decade-plus career, De Jong has learned powerful lessons—the magic of using the right French butter along with the art of coaxing flavors in a gentle, clean way. For a tahini pastry cream, she steeps toasted sesame seeds in milk, and she makes her scones strictly by hand, without a mixer. “Cutting butter into the dry ingredients with a rolling pin on a wooden table ensures a flaky tender moist mixture,” she says adding, “flavor is our top priority. I love using citrus zest in just about everything.” Salt is another favorite: “It brings out nuances in pastry.” With her bright neon sign the window—and armed with local fruits from Agriberry, eggs from River Oak Farm, organic flours from Central Milling and Deep Roots, and Beurre d’Isigny, a French pastry butter—De Jong is changing the the baking game in Central Virginia. “Cou Cou Rachou is our way of sharing a warm hello and welcoming you into our world of butter-laden goods,” says De Jong. Stop by for a croissant, or a scone, or a cake, or a macaroon—they’re all swoon-worthy. CouCouRachou.com, RachelDeJong.com John Haddad has written about food and travel for more than 15 years. He founded Slow Food RVA in Richmond and is the Slow Food Governor of Virginia. JohnHaddad@epicuriousity.net
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GOODtaste Cooking
“A lot of people equate simple with easy,” says De Jong, “but a dessert with three ingredients is less forgiving than one with a dozen.”
APRIL 2022
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Spring Recipes from Cou Cou Rachou
By R ACHEL DE JONG
Toasted Coconut and Almond Financiers 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter 2¼ cups coconut, shredded, unsweetened 2 cups almond flour 1½ cups granulated sugar 1¾ teaspoons salt ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or gluten-free substitute) 8 egg whites ~2 cups marmalade, jam, citrus curd, or fruit butter for topping (our favorite is meyer lemon marmalade) These can be made ahead. Batter is best when rested overnight in the refrigerator before baking. Fills about 24 muffin tins. Heat butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking occasionally as it separates and begins to simmer. Allow to cook until the separated milk solids become fragrant and begin to lightly color brown (approximately 6-8 minutes). Remove pan from heat and continue whisking until milk solids are a deeper brown and very nutty in aroma. Pour into a heat-proof container and allow to cool. Toast coconut in a 325 degree oven for 8-12 minutes until lightly golden brown. Allow to cool, then place coconut, almond flour, sugar, salt, and flour into a large mixing bowl. Whisk well, then set aside. Fold egg whites into bowl with dry ingredients. Mix gently until moist then add browned butter and continue folding until the batter is fully homogeneous. Scoop batter into your desired muffin pan, approximately ¾ full in each tin. Using the back of a spoon, fully flatten each portioned financier, then create a well in the center of each, approximately the size of a nickel and ½-inch deep. Fill each well with one tablespoon of your favorite marmalade, jam, or fruit butter. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 15-20 minutes until financiers are deep golden brown on the edges and uniformly golden on top. Remove from the muffin tins and allow to cool fully before enjoying.
Hazelnut Sables 1 cup butter, room temperature 1 cup powdered sugar 3¾ cups all-purpose flour 1 vanilla bean, scraped 1 teaspoon salt ½ cup hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped ½ cup granulated sugar for coating In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter with powdered sugar and scraped vanilla bean. Mix on medium speed until fluffy and light in color and texture. Stop mixer and
Toasted Coconut and Almond Financiers and Hazelnut Sables.
Even the bakery’s name is inviting: it’s a mashup of Rachel and the French term for “hello” among friends. scrape bowl and paddle with a spatula. Add flour, salt, and toasted hazelnuts. Mix fully on low speed, just until blended. Do not overmix. Remove dough from bowl and turn out onto your workspace. Knead very gently one to two times just to ensure no dry spots of flour remain.
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Separate dough into three equal parts. Work these portions gently into an even cylinder shape, about one inch in diameter. Roll tightly in parchment or wax paper. Place dough logs in the refrigerator to chill for 10-15 minutes (at this point, dough can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days before baking).
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Remove from the refrigerator, allow dough to soften for 5 minutes, then unwrap each log and roll in granulated sugar. Slice logs into cookies about ¼-inch thick. Place on a baking sheet leaving a 1-inch space between each cookie. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes, rotating the pan 180 degrees halfway through. Sables should be golden brown around the edges, and lightly golden in the centers. Allow to cool fully. Makes about 4 dozen shortbread cookies
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GOODtaste Recipes
Mandarin Frangipane Galette 1 recipe of your favorite pie dough, enough for a dough circle 12 inches in diameter and ¼-inch thick. 1 cup butter, room temperature 1¼ cups granulated sugar Zest of 1 orange Zest of 1 lemon 3 whole eggs, room temperature ½ cup all-purpose flour 2 cups almond flour 1½ teaspoons salt 4-6 mandarin oranges or tangerines 1 whole egg, whisked well, for egg wash ¼ cup granulated sugar for sprinkling on top vanilla ice cream or whipped cream to serve Using your favorite pie or galette dough, roll and cut out to ¼-inch thickness and 12 inches in diameter. Place on a baking sheet fitted with parchment paper. Keep covered in refrigerator until ready to use.
Mandarin Frangipane Galette
For the frangipane: in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar, orange and lemon zests together until fluffy, about 3-5 minutes on medium speed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl with a spatula. Add eggs and mix again just until combined. Add flour, almond flour, and salt. Mix on low speed to combine. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl, and mix again on low until fully homogeneous. Set aside. To assemble the galette: peel mandarins and slice horizontally ¼-inch thick using a sharp serrated knife. Spread frangipane on pie dough in a smooth, even circle leaving 1 ½ -2 inches uncovered around the edges. Place mandarin slices atop the frangipane in a concentric pattern, overlapping slightly to fill the frame. Fold remaining edge of pie dough up and over the edge of mandarins, working in 2-inch sections to create a rippled edge without valleys that would allow juice to escape while baking. Brush egg wash all over the pie dough folded edge, then sprinkle the entire galette liberally with granulated sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, then rotate your baking sheet 180 degrees and continue baking for 15-20 minutes until the edge is fully golden brown and the edges of the mandarin slices are colored. Remove from oven and slide onto a cooling rack, off the baking sheet. Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream with creme fraiche (½ cup heavy cream whipped with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon creme fraiche).
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Planned Communities 2022 Atlantic Shores Retirement Community
Virginia’s only resident-governed co-op community, offering equity ownership. Set on a beautifully landscaped, 100-acre secure campus close to the oceanfront, boardwalk and 10 golf courses. Vibrant lifestyle with comprehensive range of services, social activities, amenities, award-winning cuisine, and full continuum of on-site medical services including full-time Medical Director. Independent Living apartment and villa homes. Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing, and Memory Care. 1200 Atlantic Shores Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23454.
757-716-2000 or AtlanticShoresLiving.com Bay Creek
Set on Virginia’s Cape, Bay Creek is a master-planned community that brings families together to live their best life through a connection with its coastal landscape, Palmer and Nicklaus Signature Golf, nature, state-of-the-art amenities and active lifestyle programming. From exploring the sparkling bay waters to hosting friends for dinner on the porch of your welcoming new coastal home, Bay Creek is the easygoing, elegant lifestyle you’ve always dreamed of. Set upon 1,720 lush acres along the Bay, this community is a natural wonderland, a place where residents can connect, forge friendships, and pursue their interests and passions.
844-620-2900 or BayCreekLife.com Cedarfield
Enriching Life’s Journey — Cedarfield’s guiding principle. Nestled on 90+ wooded acres in Richmond’s West End, our premier Life Plan Community provides residents with opportunities to make new, meaningful friendships at intimate social gatherings and outings within our community. Stroll along our walking paths, connect with new friends, or better your body and mind in our Fitness Center. Paint portraits in our Creative Arts Studio or enjoy year-round swimming in the Natatorium. Nurture your lifelong passions and develop new ones. Live independently with a secure plan for the future.
804-373-8511 or Cedarfield.org
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
The Providence
Shenandoah Valley Westminster-Canterbury
571-396-0500 or ProvidenceFairfax.WatermarkCommunities.com
540-665-5914 or SVWC.org
Established in 1987, this not-for-profit, CARF-accredited, Life Plan community offers all levels of care under one roof. Cottages and apartments available from 709 – 2550 sq. ft. New Villa apartments will range from 1186 – 2036 sq. ft. Amenities - indoor, saltwater pool, sauna, fitness center, putting green, woodworking shop, gift shop, nature preserve with walking trails, dog park, Chapel/Chaplain, clinic with full-time doctor, part-time dentist, dermatologist, and podiatrist, hair salon, full-service bank, transportation services, and in-house physical, occupational, speech, and music therapists. One exit from Winchester Medical Center and just over an hour from Washington, DC, in the gorgeous Shenandoah Valley.
The Providence is an award-winning assisted living and memory care community in Fairfax County’s MetroWest neighborhood, with easy access to I-66, the Vienna/GMU Metro station and Dulles Airport. Watermark’s highly trained associates provide custom care and signature programs such as Watermark University and Thriving Through Music. Amenities such as concierge and valet services, an art studio, day spa, salon and chef-driven restaurants are accompanied by thoughtful, imaginative interior design, sunny common areas and a rooftop terrace.
Sunnyside Communities
Rappahannock Westminster-Canterbury
Sunnyside Communities is three award-winning Life Plan Communities in Virginia – Sunnyside (Harrisonburg), King’s Grant (Martinsville) and Summit Square (Waynesboro). Each community offers a variety of affordable living choices and is located in a region of the state rich in history, culture and diversity, and surrounded by many area attractions. Recognized nationally, the communities have received awards for whole-person wellness programming, the highest ratings for quality of care, and “Best of Virginia” awards. Pet-friendly. Harrisonburg 800-237-2257 Martinsville 800-462-4649 Waynesboro 800-586-5499 or SunnysideCommunities.com
Situated on 165 wooded acres in Virginia’s Northern Neck, Rappahannock Westminster-Canterbury has provided exceptional living for senior adults for nearly 40 years. Housing options include apartments, cottages and free-standing homes – all within a short distance to the main building. A host of social and fitness activities along with delicious meals make it feel like living in an allinclusive resort. Everything is taken care of, so you can do the things you love!
804-438-4000 or RW-C.org
Williamsburg Landing
Riverside Health System
Located in the “South’s Best Small Town of 2020,” according to Southern Living, our premier Life Plan Community is the ideal place to enjoy a future of independence and inspiration. Since 1985, Williamsburg Landing has offered a vibrant lifestyle that cultivates new interests, lasting friendships, and a well-balanced retirement. Choose between beautiful home styles and sizes before spending your days staying upbeat in our state-of-the-art Health Club & Spa, playing pickleball, and enjoying educational opportunities and engaging classes. If health care is ever required, we’ve got you covered there, too! It’s time for Williamsburg Landing.
Strength of community. Strength of family. Strength of a team. You will find these strengths at Riverside, where we have built senior living communities and services centered around our residents. Enjoy freedom from housing costs, maintenance and repairs. Benefits include having a multitude of choices and the strength of an integrated health system to support your health and wellness. Add in great dining, fun events and a schedule as busy or relaxed as you’d like and you’ll have an ideal retirement living environment.
757-357-3282 or RiversideOnline.com/SeniorLiving
757-565-6505 or WilliamsburgLanding.org
Resident Owned, Managed & Focused. Rethink the idea of retirement. - RENT OR OWN (The choice is yours.) - Spacious, newly renovated apartments and homes (up to 1,839 square feet) on 100 beautifully landscaped acres. - Customize your home from the many options available in our Design Center. - Choose from 14 floor plans to suit your needs. - Safe, secure and located in beautiful Virginia Beach.
- Award-winning continuum of health care onsite. - Three restaurants serving world-class (resort style) cuisine every day. - Pool, gym, shared garden, tennis and bocce courts, biking, birdwatching, or just relaxing with friends. - Choose your activities, your lifestyle, your dining venue, your workout.
Call 757.849.0857 or visit AtlanticShoresLiving.com for a brochure or to schedule a tour. 1200 Atlantic Shores Drive Virginia Beach, VA 23454
Managed by
Greater Atlantic Shores Properties, LLC
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best in customer satisfaction with independent senior living communities 3 years in a row.
For J.D. Power 2021 award information, visit JDPOWER.Com/Awards
2/18/22 2:07 PM
e i c a r G & . B es c n Fra
Residents since 2021
At RWC, there are always interesting people to meet for lunch, a drink or just a visit. Meet Frances B., a second-generation resident whose mother lived here during our early years. Frances met Bob H. 30 years ago, and both are retired from teaching after spending most of their careers in Prince William County. They both also served in the U.S. Army and now volunteer at Seconds Unlimited in Kilmarnock. Frances loves antiques, reading historical non-fiction and is active at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church. Gracie, their 9-year-old cat, also calls RWC home, moving from Heathsville last year with her humans. If you’d like to meet other residents like Frances B., Bob H. and their furry friends, go to rw-c.org/meet-me or call us for a tour at 804-438-4000.
804-438-4000 | info@r w-c.org | www.r w-c.org Frances B_Va Living_10x13_1.21.22-1.indd 1 VL_0422.indd 65
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We are Here for You Independent Living Keep your lifestyle in welcoming maintenance-free communities
LL L
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riversideonline.com/seniorliving
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EN ER NIRCI H C IHNI G NG E N R I HING L I LFIEF’ES’ C S I FREN’ SE Y J OL U JOURNEY JOURNEY
LLOOVVIINNGG LIVING EVERY
LIVING LIVING EVERY EVERY MINUTE MINUTE OF IT! MINUTEOF OFIT! IT!
It’s It’s community. It’s lifestyle. It’s Cedarfield. It’sa aacommunity. community.It’s It’sa aalifestyle. lifestyle.It’s It’sCedarfield. Cedarfield. With a focus onon active aging, Cedarfield is aisLife Plan Community designed with your independence and With a focus active aging, Cedarfield a Life Plan Community designed with your independence and With a focus on active aging, Cedarfield is a Life Plan Community designed with your independence and future in in mind. future mind. future in mind. Imagine delicious, chef-prepared dinners with your neighbors, fitness classes with new friends, or or just a little Imagine delicious, chef-prepared dinners with your neighbors, fitness classes with new friends, just a little Imagine delicious, chef-prepared dinners with your neighbors, fitness classesofwith new friends, or just a little you time in our tranquil resident gardens — all without the hassles and chores homeownership. you time in our tranquil resident gardens — all without the hassles and chores of homeownership. you time in our tranquil resident gardens — all without the hassles and chores of homeownership. Located in in Richmond’s West End neighborhood with beautiful grounds, endless programs, and opportunities Located Richmond’s West End neighborhood with beautiful grounds, endless programs, and opportunities Located in Richmond’s West End neighborhood with beautiful grounds, endless programs, and opportunities forfor new adventures, you won’t have to change the way you live — just the address you call home. new adventures, you won’t have to change the way you live — just the address you call home. for new adventures, you won’t have to change the way you live — just the address you call home.
EXPERIENCE THE LIFESTYLE FOR YOURSELF. EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCE THE THE LIFESTYLE LIFESTYLE FOR FOR YOURSELF. YOURSELF. SCHEDULE YOUR VISIT TODAY! SCHEDULE SCHEDULE YOUR YOUR VISIT VISIT TODAY! TODAY!
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Planned Communities 2022
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Subscribe today and discover the beauty of our great Commonwealth. th.
$36 for 1 year $64 for 2 years VirginiaLiving.com
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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Celebrating 110 years.
Three award-winning Life Plan Communities in Virginia • Established communities offering affordable living choices • Located in regions of the state rich in history, culture and diversity • Surrounded by area attractions such as parkways, national parks, battlefields, museums and performing arts centers
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• Recognized locally, nationally and internationally for whole-person wellness programming
$36 for 1 year • $64 for 2 years
Call today to schedule a visit and tour.
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SUNNYSIDE Harrisonburg, VA 800.237.2257 KING’S GRANT Martinsville, VA 800.462.4649 SUMMIT SQUARE Waynesboro, VA 800.586.5499
www.sunnysidecommunities.com
Assisted Living, redefined— with the ideal balance of comfort and vitality A modern Assisted Living and Memory Care community for seniors in the MetroWest neighborhood of Fairfax, The Providence offers elegant residences, exceptional amenities, and elevated wellness programs to go with extraordinary personalized care. Just minutes from restaurants and shopping in the vibrant Mosaic District, here it’s easy to live well—and stay well. providencefairfax.com 9490 Sprague Ave., Fairfax, VA 22031 | 571-487-9285 ASSISTED LIVING | THE BRIDGE | MEMORY CARE
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GREG GARRETT presents COASTAL VIRGINIA’S finest $1,380,000
$1,400,000
tayLor farms Truly ONE OF A KIND, lacking nothing! Heated pool, heated outdoor shower and bathroom, massive pool deck, covered patio, oversized 3 car garage, whole house generator, gourmet kitchen & more!
$865,000
$1,050,000
seaford Waterfront Complete private paradise on the Chesapeake Bay. Lots of custom features including 20’ ceiling in the great room, 1200 sq ft newly remodeled primary suite, granite, sauna, steam shower & more.
$725,000
ford’s CoLony New countertops, fixtures, refinished hardwood floors, brand new luxury vinyl flooring, brand new roof and updated bathrooms. First floor primary bedroom, finished walk out basement.
virGinia BeaCh Waterfront AS IS and ready to remodel to your taste! High above indirectly on Broad Bay! Amazing opportunity to start over and remodel this custom home!
$699,000
Governor’s Land Featuring marble, blue stone terrace, sea glass tiled powder room, 10 ‘ ceilings and 12 ‘ ceilings in great room, arched opening to great room and master bedroom. Generator included.
saWGrass Pointe Waterfront Waterfront rancher on 2 acres w/ deep-water 40’ boat slip in beautiful upscale planned community that has a pool and tennis courts. Large sunroom and nice views of Sarah’s Creek.
Family owned, family loved. Since 1972, Holiday Barn has offered full-service pet care in a clean, safe, and stimulating resort where your furry friends can happily wag, play, and stay! • Cat Boarding • Dog Boarding
• Daycare • Grooming
• Training • And more!
CUSTOM HOMES |COMMERCIAL VENUES | STUDIOS
HOLIDAYBARN.COM GLEN ALLEN (804) 672-2200
MIDLOTHIAN (804) 794-5400
geobarns.com Built locally by partner and master craasman, Three Notch’d Construccon
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(757)
879-1504 • 1-800-GARRETT • greg@ggrva.com
$640,000
$625,000
BraNdoN heights This all-brick home is only one block from the James River! Classic style, modern amenities, accessibility considerations, outdoor living space, complete apartment above garage.
$500,000
North WaterfroNt 5 bedroom, 3.5 bath, 3086 sq ft of living space, with a loft, separate laundry room and dining room. Community will feature a pier with deep water access, but property does allow for a pier of it’s own!
$495,000
KilN CreeK - YorKtoWN Beautiful Lakefront views!! New roof, HVAC, gutters, Refrigerator, composite deck in 2020. Beautiful wood floors upstairs and downstairs. Built in cabinets. Granite kitchen counters.
the Woods oN MaNsioN road Bright & spacious custom built home on almost ½ Acre! Family Room w/cozy fireplace open to casual dining area and kitchen w/SS appliances, granite counters, center island and gas cooking.
$525,000
ChesapeaKe Tranquility and serenity as it is located on a private cul-de-sac and backs up to a large wooded park. Plenty of living space inside the home with a 1st floor primary bedroom!
$399,000
sMithfield WaterfroNt DEEP WATER!!! Beautiful view of the Pagan River located next to Smithfield Station!
greg garrett 757-879-1504
National Sporting L i br a ry & M use u m Middleburg, VA 20118 | NationalSporting.org
A Decade Afield exhibition coming soon! Visit NationalSporting.org for more information Edward Troye (American, 1808–1874), American Eclipse, 1909, oil on canvas, 25 1/4 x 30 1/4 inches, National Sporting Library & Museum, Gift of Mr. George L. Ohrstrom, Jr.
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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
“I’m so glad that I stopped by Bailey Grey! It was an easy, enjoyable experience. Both Lesley and Stacy have enduring experience in the field, beautiful taste, a commitment to fantastic customer service, and deep roots in the community.” —ALI COX
BAILEY GREY INTERIORS
Bailey Grey Interiors is a design firm and home furnishing store located in Lynchburg’s Boonsboro Shopping Center. The professional and dedicated design team of Lesley Stokes, Stacy Meeks, and owner Mark Little works closely with every client from Lynchburg, Smith Mountain Lake, Wintergreen, and Charlottesville. Helping define style, overcoming design challenges, creating the proper budget, and developing a plan. We craft a wide range of designs that reflect your lifestyle and meet your needs, from concept to implementation. Bailey Grey Interiors will help you make the right choice; whether you are looking for the perfect gift, a new look for your home, or that special piece for your collection. Offering a variety of beautiful gifts and furnishings not found anywhere else in our area, delivering a sense of timeless elegance. Our shop is a destination location for specially curated rugs as well as home furnishings. Accessories, gorgeous lighting, gifts and art fill our showroom. Our design consultants are always on hand to offer helpful tips and experienced aesthetic advice. You will be delighted by our personalized service and customer care. Stacy Meeks & Lesley Stokes Interior Designers
www.baileygrey.com
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434.384.CASA
2/17/22 8:07 PM
HOUSE+Garden > Makers > Décor > Architecture > Furniture > Garden
Sarah Gibson Wiley designs and stitches custom pillows inspired by the homes, pets, families, and celebrations that weave through her clients’ lives.
Makers IF THESE PILLOWS COULD TALK Textile artist Sarah Gibson Wiley captures life’s singular moments. By Elizabeth Cogar | Photography by Adam Ewing
Artist, interior designer, and seamstress Sarah Gibson Wiley gives her clients an inspired way to capture their favorite memories. Since 2012, Wiley has been creating pillows that artistically replicate photos of weddings, pets, children, family homes, and beach vacations. Through embroidery, stitching, and colorful fabrics, the images come alive as textile art. The impact of Wiley’s fabric artwork goes beyond a framed photograph. Each piece becomes a comfortable part of her clients’ homes. “Instead of just looking at it,” Wiley says, as she pats one of her designs, made up as a comfortable sofa pillow, “they live with it.” APRIL 2022
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HOUSE + Garden Makers
W
ILEY’S PATH
to textile art is dotted with a series of creative pursuits culminating in her business, Huger Memories. The greatgranddaughter of artist Charles Dana Gibson, who created the “Gibson Girl” in the 1890s, she grew up around art and naturally began making her own. She learned to sew at 14 and went on to make window treatments for herself, and later, for others through her interior design business. For 28 years, she translated her comfortable lived-in interior design style for her clients, following in the footsteps of another well-known relative, interior designer Nancy Lancaster— owner of the design firm Colefax & Fowler—who is widely credited with establishing the English country house look. As with most creatives, Wiley found herself looking for a new challenge. “I bought an embroidery machine, and I moved to monograms.” For several years, she turned out elegant monogrammed linens and accessories but, in the end, she says, “I didn’t like the precision it required.” Seeking a fresh use for her embroidery machine, Wiley began tinkering with the colorful fabric samples she’d used in her interior design work. “I started with children’s drawings—parents would give them to me.” She’d scan a child’s simple creation, trace the lines on the screen, and transfer the image to her embroidery machine which stitched what she’d drawn. “Soon, I was getting photos of houses and pets—anything memorable that had a story,” she recalls. Today, the small studio behind her house in Richmond is stuffed with fabric remnants arranged by color and pattern, complicated-looking digital equipment for designing and embroidery, and plenty of examples of her work. Assistant Allyson Dickinson keeps it all neat and tidy and keeps the business humming. Wiley’s new trajectory has been about capturing memories with an emphasis on style, color,
Some of Wiley’s recent commissions. Left: Wiley rifles through designer fabrics in her studio. Below: Hanging above Wiley’s mantel, a framed piece inspired by a room in Charleston House—home to Bloomsbury Group painters Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant—in Lewes, England.
Through embroidery, stitching, and colorful fabrics, photos come alive as textile art. and wit over sentimentality. “As we get older, we appreciate memories even more,” and this is a permanent way to preserve them, she notes. For a time, she marketed her wares at design shows, but ultimately decided to focus on private commissions. “Whatever they want, we try to make.” Wiley’s process for each pillow begins with a phone call, not an email. She wants to hear the emotion in her client’s voice, to pinpoint the meaning behind the image. After the initial conversation, Wiley begins each project by creating a
line drawing, or mock-up, of the image, which she then sends out for approval. Then, Wiley moves on to the fun part—the client’s backstory about the image inspires her choices of threads and fabrics from her large stash. “It’s like a painting,” she says, of selecting the colors and patterns that will go into each pillow. At times she takes creative license with a photo, adjusting the scale of a house, for example. Clients don’t see the work until it’s finished. Wiley loves the element of surprise that they experience when they unwrap the finished piece. Over the years, Wiley has created pillows and wall hangings of houses, weddings, family portraits, children, and lots of pets, including a hedgehog and a lizard. “I’ve learned so much about all the different types of dogs,” she says, rattling off the nuances between Frenchies and Bostons, goldens and labs and, of course, the mutts. She welcomes the offbeat commissions, too. One woman, who’s loved Joan of Arc since childhood, asked Wiley to stitch the saint in full armored regalia—with her own face in place of Joan’s. A few years ago she did a series of pillows inspired by famous faces—from fashionista Iris Apfel to Larry David, Oprah Winfrey, Willie Nelson, Frida Kahlo, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. For one dedicated fan, she recently completed a custom Tom Petty pillow. Because the design and finishing process combines her creative and practical skills, Wiley says she’s found a medium that suits her perfectly. Her strengths lie in combining colors and textures, a strong sense of proportion, along with a bit of mechanical know-how that comes in handy when the embroidery machine misbehaves. “It’s like my whole world has come together,” she says with delight. HugerMemories.com Elizabeth Cogar is a Richmond-based freelance writer and author of the book Really Richmond: A City Guide. Her stories of great houses, interesting people, and unusual destinations have appeared in numerous newspapers and magazines.
VIRGINIA LIVING
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APRIL 2022
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April 23-30,2022 T O U R S O F F E R E D S TAT E W I D E PROCEEDS FUND THE RESTORATION AND PRESERVATION OF VIRGINIA’S HISTORIC PUBLIC GARDENS AND A RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM THAT DOCUMENTS SIGNIFICANT LANDSCAPES IN OUR STATE
Southern Magnolia
VaGardenWeek.org
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Imagine the possibilities of a new and beautiful space.
Let us design it for you.
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HOUSE + Garden
Fountain and pool at the Guyer home on Richmond’s Westmoreland Place and Old Lock Lane tour, set for Thursday, April 28.
> Décor
THE ART OF LETTING GO The host of PBS’ Matt Paxton’s Legacy List speaks from experience. ANYONE THINKING OF
HISTORIC GARDEN WEEK 2022 America’s largest open house all began with Monticello’s trees.
photos (from top) courtesy of garden club of virginia, by leena robinson
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Y THE MID-1920S, THE TREES AT
Monticello—including more than a dozen planted by Jefferson himself— were in decline, suffering from age and disease. As concern grew, the members of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation wondered: could the Garden Club of Virginia be of help? Answering the call, the ladies of the club staged a 1927 flower show that raised an astounding $7,000 (over $100,000 in today’s dollars) to rehab and replace Monticello’s trees. Prescient and determined, they then considered their logical next step: Why not restore more historic properties? And to fund the work, let’s open homes and gardens around the state for tours. The rest, as they say, is history. Since its launch in 1929, Historic Garden Week has become a prized springtime tradition which, over nine decades, has enabled the Garden Club of Virginia to restore scores of treasured state
properties—from Monticello and Mount Vernon to Montpelier, Kenmore, Oatlands, Poplar Forest and Point of Honor—to name a few. Known as “America’s largest open house,” this year nearly 200 properties will open their doors and coax their gardens into peak bloom for one week, April 23-30. And, oh, the flowers: “Garden Club of Virginia volunteers will design more than 2,000 spectacular floral arrangements to decorate spaces open to the public,” explains Tricia Garner, chairman of Historic Garden Week. “Most will come from their own gardens.” Since 1929, this one-week event has generated a half billion dollars for restoration projects statewide, according to a 2019 study. Now in its 89th year, each of the 28 tours on this year’s Historic Garden Week lineup is produced by the members of GCV’s 48 garden clubs throughout the state. VaGardenWeek.org, GCVirginia.org —By Madeline Mayhood
BRADFORD BREAKUP
Virginia Tech, who also teaches in Tech’s School of Plant and Environmental Sciences. “Because of their poor branching structure, they are prone to breaking in wind or heavy snows.” Older Bradfords fall apart, damaging the homes and gardens they’re intended to beautify. And the flowers? Their scent is more fishy than floral. What’s more, Bradfords are food deserts, providing minimal value to birds or insects. To top it off, they’re invasive, colonizing wherever their seeds fall—in farmland, ditches, or riverbanks, edging out natives and choking out any species in their way. South Carolina, the first state to ban Bradfords, has announced a bounty program: bring a photo of your felled pear and they’ll give you a native species to plant in its place. Ohio has also issued a ban. And in Texas and Maryland, Bradfords are on the invasive databases. While the trees are still widely available in nurseries across Virginia, arborists say it’s time to rethink our love affair with the Bradford pear. —By M.M.
Is it time to end our romance with the darling of suburban landscapers? TIME WAS, nearly every Southeast subdivision hopped on the Bradford pear train. Instantly popular, the trees were touted as disease resistant, adaptable, and inexpensive. A 1964 New York Times article heralded it as a near perfect ornamental tree while developers from Winchester to Williamsburg snapped them up by the tractor trailer-full. Today, the truth is out: Bradford pears, a cultivar of the Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana), are invasive, inferior, and destructive. Never mind its prolific, cotton-ball blooms and spectacular fall foliage. What looked too good to be true turned out, well, too good to be true. “They are unreliable trees,” says Scott Douglas, ASLA, the director of the Hahn Horticulture Garden at
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downsizing will find Matt Paxton’s new book liberating. In Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff: Declutter, Downsize, and Move Forward with Your Life (Penguin Random House, Feb., 2022), Paxton covers everything from tackling clutter (start with a daily 10-minute sweep) to the generational guilt of inherited family furniture. “We feel obligated to keep it, but your deceased relatives literally don’t care at all if you get rid of their furniture,” says Paxton with his trademark wit. Avoid storing items, hoping they’ll increase in value, he cautions. “Your mother’s brown china cabinet probably isn’t worth much. Focus on the emotional value first, the financial value second.” Paxton, who appeared on AMC’s Hoarders for 12 seasons, was inspired to take his own advice recently, when he married minimalism expert and author, Zoë Kim. As he packed up his Richmond house, preparing to move, he admits to feeling overwhelmed. “When I got stuck, I’d focus on the ‘why,’” he says. “Stuff holds you back. My ‘why’ was about moving forward into a new phase of life.” And that old furniture? “Upcycling is a great way to modernize your memories,” he notes. Old dressers make wonderful bathroom vanities. Family bedstead? Have picture frames made from the wood, then let it go, he advises. “You can give new life to these items,” he says, adding, “the stories of your loved ones never go out of style. If you’ve got a great story, hold onto it.” IAmMattPaxton.com, MyLegacyList.com —By Constance Costas
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Interior of the Alcoa Care-free Home. Clockwise, right: the patio at the Shuster-Borman house; in the McNamara house, desk area and living room, where a wall of windows brings the outdoors in.
Hip, Historic, Hollin Hills
How a generation of young suburbanites went modern. By J I L L DE V I N E | Photography by T OD C ON N E L L
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testament to suburbia in the heyday of Frank Sinatra, martini bars, and Tupperware parties, the mid-century modern community of Hollin Hills runs counter to the buttoned-up colonial revivals that proliferated here during that era. Here, you’ll find no fluted columns, center halls, or white picket fences. Think instead of stark rectangles and glass—wall after wall of floor-to-ceiling glass—paired with flat roofs, splashes of stainless steel, and cypress paneling. This award-winning architectural enclave, situated south of Old Town Alexandria, was developed in stages between 1946 and 1971. The area’s first and largest planned mid-century modern neighborhood, Hollin Hills served as a model nationwide.
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A Visionary Community
The story of how it began speaks to our recent history. In 1946, soldiers were returning from WWII with GI Bill benefits burning holes in their pockets while the federal workforce was expanding. New homes were in demand and forwardthinking suburbanites were enchanted by the modern architecture they saw in posh magazines. Fledgling real estate developer Robert Davenport saw an opportunity in the 225 hillside acres here, just 10 minutes from the nation’s capital. Sensing that buyers were looking for a fresh alternative to traditional home design, Davenport teamed with modernist architect Charles Goodman to create a visionary community of homes that hugged the hilly landscape. Built from modular materials using prefabrication techniques, Goodman’s designs were not only stylish, they were affordable. In 1951, Life magazine touted Hollin Hills homes among the eight “Best Houses Under $15,000.” Connected by a school, pool, tennis courts, and a network of wooded parks intended to foster community, the neighborhood attracted a diverse group of residents. Singer Roberta Flack (Killing Me Softly) lived on Martha’s Road in the
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HOUSE + Garden
> Architecture
Enchanted by the modern architecture in posh magazines, forwardthinking suburbanites wanted fresh alternatives to traditional design.
1970s. Mad Men production designer Dan Bishop and Sex and the City designer Jeremy Conway both grew up in Hollin Hills. Attorney Philip Jay Hirschkop, who argued the landmark Loving v. Virginia case before the Supreme Court, lived in Hollin Hills as well.
“Units,” Not Houses
Goodman’s designs practically sold themselves. Advertisements from 1949 described Hollin Hills as “Homes in Tomorrow’s Vernacular for Everyone’s Pocketbook.” Goodman called his simple modern house models “units” and numbered them according to their design features. Early buyers could choose upgrades such as hardwood floors (an extra $290), extra kitchen cabinet space ($23), or a terrace ($250). Carports were favored over garages and indoor closet space was minimal. To buy in Hollin Hills required a live-lightly mindset. To allow for future expansion, the single- and multi-story units began as unadorned rectangles set on concrete slabs. Soaring glass walls and open floor plans welcomed sunlight and blurred the line between outdoor and indoor spaces. Landscape architect Lou Bernard “Barney” APRIL 2022
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In a twist of irony, the entire neighborhood—more than 450 houses in all—was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2013. Voigt directed builders to position units irregularly within the trees to optimize both sunlight and privacy. Voigt opposed fences, preferring a seamless merging of neighboring properties. “I have tried to make the community look as if there were no individual lots, but a beautiful park,” said Voight, who died in 1953.
Still Modern After All These Years
In a twist of irony, the entire neighborhood— more than 450 houses in all—was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2013. And today, Hollin Hills remains largely unchanged, thanks to the foresight of its developers who added restrictive design covenants once the first house was completed in 1948. These covenants prohibit exterior changes that are out of step with Goodman’s original vision— there will be no “McMansions” in Hollin Hills— thus preserving the neighborhood’s architectural integrity and protecting property values. Inside, however, most residents have thoroughly updated their kitchens, baths, and other interior spaces, often with jaw dropping results. Paul Phelps and his wife, Susanne Garvey, moved to Hollin Hills from Washington, D.C., in 1989, as third owners of their three-bedroom, two-bath 1952 Unit 3 home. Their kitchen still has the original St. Charles metal cabinets with steel counters. “The Capitol Hill furniture we owned didn’t look right in the house,” says Phelps, “so we eventually replaced everything with Danish modern and a few Asian pieces.” “You have to pare down your belongings to live here,” Garvey adds. Scaled to size, furniture in Hollin Hills homes also serves to delineate living spaces and maximize storage. Phelps says there was a time when covenant enforcement was a little slack, but that’s all changed. “One owner added a new, Colonialstyle restructured roof, so you have a long, flat house with a steep roof that looks like it will tip over,” he says. Hollin Hills is currently exploring obtaining historic overlay district (HOD) status, adding additional review from the county to help prevent such conflicts in the future.
Mad for Modern
The popularity of Mad Men increased public appetite for mid-century modern design, but according to Jodie Burns, a realtor with McEnearney Associates, the appeal of the neighborhood has never waned. “Mad Men certainly didn’t hurt, but Hollin Hills has always attracted design-focused buyers,” says Burns. A resident herself, she says most buyers choose Hollin Hills specifically for its famous architecture and strong civic association. “People just want to get into Hollin Hills, but it’s difficult,” says Burns. “Usually about 20 homes get listed per year, so there’s not a lot of turnover. Some buyers wait a long time for the right house VIRGINIA LIVING
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photos, from top, by tod connell, by robert lautman photography / courtesy of national building museum
Charles Goodman in his studio. Above: the McCarthy house living room.
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HOUSE + Garden that’s the right size.” Burns says that over the last year, 27 homes in the neighborhood sold for between $650,000 and $1,155,250, with the average price at $957,803. Markos Panas, owner of Alexandria bakery Bread & Water Company, is renting at Hollin Hills until he finds a home to buy. “We got our
feet in the door, and I couldn’t be happier,” says Panas. “It’s been great during the pandemic. Our bedroom has floor-to-ceiling windows, and the view is amazing. During the day, I watch deer and other animals come up to my windows, and at night I fall asleep gazing at the trees, the moon, and the stars.”
> Architecture
Jill Devine has lived in Virginia most of her life. A former staff writer for the Reston Connection and managing editor for Contract Management magazine, she enjoys writing about her beloved and beautiful Virginia.
The Safos House
The Alcoa Care-free Home
THE HOLLIN HILLS HOUSE AND GARDEN TOUR The Hollin Hills House and Garden Tour is the largest modernist architecture tour on the East Coast. Last September’s tour, a sellout, attracted 1,500 visitors from across the country who came to see 13 homes. Resident experts were on hand to discuss the four pillars of Hollin Hills—Architecture, Art, Interiors, and Landscape—and share life in this hip and historic masterpiece. A few highlights:
photos from top, by tammy loverdos / showcase photo tours, tod connell (2)
The Gyulnazarian House This 1968 home on Mason Hill Road has undergone numerous renovations, including a second-story addition with an expanded master bedroom and luxury bath. Owner Sam Gyulnazarian, an architect, says he first learned of Hollin Hills through his studies, and it was their first choice when he and his wife, Karina Sapondjian, went house shopping in 2001.
Their first priority was adding double-pane glass for the windows, because the original single-pane glass made the house cold in winter and hot in summer. He also revised the flat roof to add drainage. “The original flat roof created pools, so I changed the angles to direct water away.” The home is a showcase of art, almost all created by Sam, Karina, or their close friends.
The Alcoa Care-free Home The Goodman-designed Braun House, also known as the Alcoa house, holds 7,800 pounds of colorful aluminum and is the prototype and only Virginia-based example of an unsuccessful initiative by the Aluminum Company of America. “The Alcoa Care-free Home” was intended to revolutionize housing in America, but building costs far exceeded estimates, so only 24 such houses were built in 16 states. Today, only about a dozen remain. This house on Elba Road is the only one with its original Alcoa bathroom, complete with a built-in flip-out weight scale, oddly oversized medicine cabinet, and swivel toothbrush holder. New owners Lee and Peter Braun recently returned the house to its original glory with restorations by Deborah Lerner and Matthew Bieschke of Carbon Design Build. The eye-popping results include original purple aluminum siding, lime green entry door, bright blue wall panels, and yards of cypress ceilings. The open floor plan, updated modern kitchen, and enormous covered patio creates a comfortable, functional home well suited for entertaining. “One of the most repeated comments during the tour was that the house is so livable, that it’s not too pristine to actually sit and watch television.” says Lerner. “It’s a real home, warm and inviting, and don’t we all wish for a home like that?” Hollin-Hills.org
Safos house and pool. Left: The Gyulnazarian House
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A dramatic, full-size private swimming pool, one of the few in Hollin Hills, greets visitors as they approach Charlotte and Alex Safos’ 1961 home on Nordok Place. Wholewall sliding glass doors connect the front rooms to the pool area, making it the focal point when entertaining. “We love spending time with friends at the pool most of the year, but in the winter we close down the pool and cabana, and this house becomes a cozy cabin with fires in the fireplace,” says Charlotte. “There are lots of ways to get involved in this neighborhood,” she adds. “We have potlucks, and we go Christmas caroling. So many wonderful neighbors, from babies to elderly retirees.”
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Rib Rocker and foot stool. Right: Billy Coppage at work.
people something special that would last for generations.”
Preserving Craftsmanship
Back from the Brink
Founded in 1830, Clore furniture in Madison was facing the end. Their customers had other ideas. By E R IC WA L L AC E | Ph otog ra ph y b y J E F F R E Y G L E A S O N
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HEN THE GREAT RECESSION
slowed orders to a trickle in 2016, Clore Furniture president Troy Coppage was forced to make a heartbreaking decision. His company’s handmade hardwood tables, dressers, chairs, and four-poster beds weren’t selling. After nearly 200 years, his family’s fine, artisanal furniture company would have to close. Coppage, now 55, met with Clore’s 20 or so employees. He told his father and four generations of cousins, uncles, and great-uncles they would have to sell the 40,000-square-foot factory in Madison along with the farmhouse that his great-greatgrandfather, E.A. Clore, built around 1900. “We knew it was coming, but everyone still started crying,” says Coppage’s wife Karen, Clore’s marketing coordinator. She made the announcement on the company’s Facebook page and went home to mourn.
Touching Lives, Making Memories
But by sunrise, the post had gone viral. Karen sifted through the comments, emails, and voicemails from across the country in disbelief. Then a line of customers formed at the showroom door. “It took a minute to comprehend what was happening,” Karen says, recalling the morning that changed everything for Clore. These buyers weren’t return customers. They were the next generation: people who’d grown up around their parents’ Clore furniture, or pieces handed down by grandparents and great-grandparents. Now, they wanted some of their own—before it was too late. Clore soon booked a year-plus worth of orders. And with that, all thoughts of closing evaporated. “It was amazing to hear stories about all the lives this company has touched,” says Troy. The experience reminded him of why he took up the family business in the first place. “I wanted to be part of that tradition. I wanted to give VIRGINIA LIVING
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Clore is one of the South’s oldest and finest furniture makers, says James Dye, president of the Artisans Center of Virginia. The company’s hardwood furniture is made by hand using techniques passed down from family members since 1830. Their craftsmanship, says Dye, is “beautiful, durable, and impeccable.” Visiting the Clore factory and showroom is like stepping back in time. You won’t see stylish displays, just long rooms with whitewashed walls and heart-pine floors lined with rows of what look to be 19th-century antiques. Yet the rolltop desks, kitchen tables, rocking chairs, dressers, clocks— and more—are all new. Touring the factory explains the discrepancy. It’s divided into a series of small workshops: Sanding and shaping; soaking and bending; assembly; finishing and polishing. Hand implements abound. There are few power tools, and not a single computer in sight. Furniture is crafted from premium kiln-dried or air-seasoned hardwood. Some mahogany is imported, but locally harvested oak, maple, walnut, cherry, and poplar is preferred. Each piece is meticulously shaped by hand, and constructed using time-honored techniques like mortise and tenon or dovetail joints. Finishes are hand-rubbed. “It takes longer to do it this way,” says Billy Coppage, Troy’s father, who specializes in decorative carving. “But it’s the right way.”
An Accidental Career
Troy was named company president when Billy “retired” to the workshop in 2009. He’d started at Clore at age 13 to earn extra cash, picking up the family craft bit by bit. He never planned on making it a career. “I’d be sweeping up sawdust and Grandad would pull me aside to show me how to do something,” says Troy. One week they’d sand a tabletop. The next, they’d learn about varnishes. “It became clear,” says Troy, “that what we were doing wasn’t normal.” Most modern furniture was made of composite woods, mass-produced using
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HOUSE + Garden “It takes longer to do it this way,” says Billy Coppage, who specializes in decorative carving. “But it’s the right way.” computerized technology, and engineered to fall apart. Artisan apprenticeship models had essentially vanished from the furniture business. In a throwaway society, Clore insisted on upholding its artisanal lineage, with an emphasis on utility and topnotch quality. “I respected that,” Troy says. “It was something very special, something you could go home at the end of the day and feel proud of.”
Keeping the Story Alive
Since the company’s 2016 revival, demand for
Clore products has remained strong. James Monroe’s Highland has ordered custom reproduction furniture from Clore. And when Dean Maupin, chef-owner of Charlottesville’s C&O Restaurant, discovered Clore in 2017, he ordered 100 chairs and more than a dozen tables. “They’re so simple and elegant,” he says, “and the craftsmanship is remarkable.” The success inspired Troy and his family to build a new website and add an online store. They hired new apprentices, built partnerships with sustainable lumber companies, and made small updates to their product line. New offerings include a more contemporary line of bedroom furniture, just released, and popular items like TV stands and cutting boards, ideal for gifting. “We’re experimenting with ways to apply our traditional techniques to products that will appeal to more people, including millennials,” says Troy. The goal is to diversify and ensure the survival of the company’s ethos for generations to come. Troy thinks of Clore Furniture as an ongoing story. The narrative begins with his own family’s dedication and loving craftsmanship. Then,
> Furniture
through a lifetime of use, customers transform their pieces into priceless heirlooms. Says Troy, “I want to do everything I can to make sure that story continues long after I’m gone.” Eric J. Wallace is an award-winning journalist based in Staunton who has written for WIRED, Outside, Backpacker, Atlas Obscura, Modern Farmer, and more.
In Clore’s workroom, a Rib Rocker gets hands-on attention. Clockwise from right: Chisels, calipers, and other tools of the trade; Clore’s factory and home place; templates, used for making furniture parts, hang on a workroom wall.
The Home Place at Clore
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isitors to Madison County can now stay in the original Clore family homestead, built circa 1900 by Edward Ashby Clore, near the family’s furniture workshop. Here, E.A., as he was known, and his wife Alma Blanche Clore raised their 12 children. The home’s two rental apartments accommodate eight guests or four and, naturally, they’re comfortably outfitted with Clore furniture. Located near Old Rag mountain, the Home Place is ideal for hiking in nearby Shenandoah National Park, visiting the area’s breweries and wineries, exploring the town of Madison—and taking in sunset views of the Blue Ridge from the property’s charming “Little House.” Clore.Furniture/The-Home-Place-At-Clore
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Secret Gardens With a little digging, Virginia yields five unexpected gems. By M A DELINE M AY HOOD
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s garden visitors know, the state’s showstoppers, like Norfolk Botanical Garden, Lewis Ginter in Richmond, and the State Arboretum in Boyce deserve their place in the limelight. But look a little deeper. These lesser-known gardens are equally welcoming, each fascinating in its own way. As gardens open for tours during Historic Garden Week in April, these five properties offer serious springtime inspiration.
THE QUARRY GARDENS, Schuyler A staggering explosion of botanical diversity.
When Bernice and Armand Thieblot stumbled across a Wall Street Journal ad for an old soapstone quarry in rural Schuyler, the site ticked all their boxes. Set on 440 acres, “Paradise Found” conjured images of the magnificent Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island, sunken within a massive limestone quarry. Inspired by the possibilities, the Thieblots bought the property and hatched a retirement plan from their home in suburban Baltimore. After heavy mining in the 1970s, the quarry had been used as a dumpsite. And dumpsite it was. Beginning in the 1990s, the Thieblots spent years “casually tidying up,” as Bernice puts it; hauling out rusted appliances, box springs and mattresses, car parts, clothes, and shoes—quite literally, by the ton. By 2014, with the cleanup behind them, the couple retired full-time to Schuyler, intent on creating a public garden in what was once the largest soapstone repository in the world. Over three years, they would add more than 50,000 native plants, divided among 30 galleries, to the 40 acres they’d earmarked for gardens. They placed the remaining land in a conservation easement to protect it from future development. Opened in 2017, the Quarry Gardens offers a staggering explosion of botanical diversity. “It’s ‘subtle gardening,’” says Bernice, explaining the absence of traditional beds, borders, or plant ID markers, “and all very natural.” Rustic trails meander over hillocks and through dense tree canopies. Giant reefs of soapstone signal the property’s six quarries, and piles of boulders, left behind from the quarry’s heyday, dot the landscape. Today, the Quarry Gardens contain the largest documented number of Virginia native plants of any botanical garden in the state, with an astounding 14 eco zones and seven conservation areas. “The land is very folded with great variations in elevation, aspect, exposure, and moisture,” Bernice explains. “And the close juxtaposition of soapstone against other bedrocks means we have both basic and acidic soils.” Ultimately, location explains the gardens’ extraordinary variety. “Because the gardens are just where the Blue Ridge and the Piedmont
meet,” Bernice says, “it’s a place where plant species from both regions can thrive.” Open by appointment, April through October. QuarryGardens.com
ANNE SPENCER MUSEUM AND GARDEN, Lynchburg
A rich tapestry of plants, history, and people. In the garden behind her home on Lynchburg’s Pierce Street, Harlem Renaissance poet and civil rights activist Anne Spencer created a salon. There, the great minds of her day—including Langston Hughes, Martin Luther King, Jr., W.E.B DuBois, and Thurgood Marshall—would gather in her own “she shed.” The small cottage, named Edankraal, was situated amid the riotous vines, rambling roses, and colorful beds and borders of this ever-evolving garden. Spencer’s mother was thought to be the daughter of a Southern aistocrat. Her father was born into slavery. A valedictorian, she graduated from Virginia Theological Seminary and often wrote about her profound connection to nature, as well as the divisions she saw in the South. In her garden, Spencer found both solace and inspiration. Her work earned her a place in Norton’s Anthology of Poetry and secured her position as a major literary and cultural figure of the 1920s and ‘30s. A rich tapestry, the Spencer garden weaves plants, history, people, and place into a deeply intimate space. Spencer’s favorite color, robin’s VIRGINIA LIVING
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Fancy new perennials share garden beds with older varieties, and ancient crape myrtles seem to quietly conduct the whole symphony. egg blue, is painted on fences and arbors and the sprawling pergola her husband, Edward, built for her, now one of the garden’s most recognizable features. Her favorite pink rose still blooms here today, scrambling up and over a vivid blue fence. Beginning in the 1980s, the garden underwent a restoration thanks to Lynchburg’s Hillside Garden Club with support from the Garden Club of Virginia and the Spencer family. Anne and Edward’s granddaughter, Shaun Spencer-Hester now serves as executive director of the Anne Spencer Museum and Garden. She points to a concrete bench at the edge of the pond, where her grandparents would sit together in the evenings. Dranny and Pop, as she called them, “watched Prince Ebo, a gift from W.E.B. Dubois, spit water from his mouth and the purple martins’ ariel moves as they looked over the garden they’d created.”
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photos clockwise from far left by bernice thieblot, by diane ginsberg (2), courtesy of museum of the shenandoah valley (2)
HOUSE + Garden
> Garden
Clockwise from far left: Dwarf crested iris blossoms at the Quarry Gardens; spring border at Eyre Hall; jasmine allée and bamboo grove at Glen Burnie Gardens, Museum of the Shenandoah Valley; peony border in late spring at Eyre Hall.
Tours of the house and cottage are available from April through October, with advance reservations. But the garden is open daily, from dawn to dusk. If you’re lucky, Spencer-Hester may be your guide. The property is open during Historic Garden Week on Tuesday, April 26. AnneSpencerMuseum.com
EYRE HALL, Northampton County Synchronized blooms ensure color nearly all year long.
In springtime, when more than 5,000 tulips are at their peak, Eyre Hall on the Eastern Shore is simply spectacular. The 18th-century house APRIL 2022
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overlooks Cherrystone Creek, with sweeping views that stretch to the Chesapeake Bay. Visitors approach down a mile-long cedar line lane, packed with sand and crushed oyster shells. Around 1800, John and Ann Eyre enclosed a two-acre garden, topping brick walls with white pickets. The series of garden rooms there feature English style beds and borders, orderly pathways, and shaded areas brimming with hostas, ferns, pachysandra, and hellebores; many of the boxwood are thought to be original. Benches invite
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> Garden
wandering guests to pause and soak it all in. Head gardener, Laurie Klingel, synchronizes bloom times at Eyre Hall to ensure color nearly all year long. In spring, thousands of naturalized daffodils create meandering yellow rivers, with flowering perennials, annuals, trees, and shrubs on parade. Camassia, with its tall stems and dainty
lavender florets, makes a show now, too. It’s the plant made famous by Sacagawea, who reputedly kept the Lewis and Clarke team alive by encouraging them to eat its nutrient-packed bulb. The property, nearly three centuries old, is a private home, occupied by the eighth generation of Eyres. The original orangery, one of only three
remaining in the state, stands in regal ruins nearby. A family cemetery provides clues to Eyre Hall’s residents, dating back to Thomas Eyre who landed in Jamestown in 1622. Fancy new perennial cultivars share garden beds with older varieties, and ancient crape myrtles seem to quietly conduct the whole symphony. “They stand like proud sentinels over the garden, yet they impart warmth and wisdom that only comes from old trees,” says Klingel. “Twisted, gnarled, weathered and worn, they continue to age with true Southern grace.” The garden is a “seamless marriage of old and new that exists in absolute harmony with neighboring ancient trees and centuries-old boxwood,” she says. “It’s a unique reminder that at Eyre Hall, history continues to unfold.” The gardens are open to visitors year-round. The house, a private residence, will be open Saturday, April 30, during Historic Garden Week. VaGardenWeek.org
THE HAHN HORTICULTURE GARDEN AT VIRGINIA TECH, Blacksburg A living classroom planted by students, volunteers, and garden faculty.
Virginia Tech’s Hahn Garden took root in 1984, driven by the university’s horticulture faculty. “It’s a living laboratory,” says Hahn Horticulture Garden Director Scott Douglas. “And that enables Tech to better serve the landscape, nursery, and public horticulture sectors.” In just six acres, visitors will find perennial borders, water gardens, and shade gardens; display beds were planted by students, volunteers, and garden faculty. The garden’s pergolas, walls, and bridges were built by Tech students studying VIRGINIA LIVING
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photos clowckise from far left by devin floyd, bernice thieblot, roger foley / courtesy of garden club of virginia, courtesy of hahn horticulture garden at virginia tech
The Quarry Gardens contain the largest documented number of Virginia native plants of any botanical garden in the state.
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Clockise from far left: Rue anemone and Giant Steps at the Quarry Gardens; Anne Spencer Garden; tulips blooming in display beds at the Hahn Horticulture Garden at Virginia Tech.
landscape construction. The garden showcases hundreds of woody and herbaceous plant species from around the world. Visitors will see a “hot” perennial border, a spectrum mixed border, a conifer display, a xeriphytic garden of succulents that have adapted to dry habitats, along with a stream garden and waterfall. A meadow garden features native perennials, grasses, trees, and shrubs planted in the sweeping “New American Garden” style. Douglas says herbicides are used only minimally, with insecticides and fungicides not at all. “All leaves, branches, and other plant debris are chopped and used as mulch or composted,” he says. The garden also enriches the community, offering seminars, speakers, symposia, handson workshops, garden walks, plant sales, and art installations. HahnGarden.vt.edu
GLEN BURNIE GARDENS, MUSEUM OF THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY, Winchester An ad hoc series of gardens created over 30 years.
“We’ve done a lot of tinkering since the gardens opened to the public,” says Perry Mathewes, Director of Gardens at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley. The Glen Burnie Gardens were designed by Julian Wood Glass, Jr., the last descendent of the original owners of the 18th century house, when he moved there in the
1950s with his partner, Lee Taylor. Together, the enthusiastic amateur gardeners, inspired by their extensive travels, began laying out a series of garden rooms, which remained in constant flux depending on their changing tastes. “The landscape is more of an ad hoc series of gardens created over 30 years,” he says. Mathewes and his team addressed the gardens’ pathways and steps to better facilitate public access and anchored the statues in the sculpture garden. A replanting program was introduced to manage plant decline. The result, thanks to careful planning, preserves the soul of the gardens and their creators. “We’re trying to carry APRIL 2022
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their spirit of experimentation forward,” says Mathewes, “but the gardens are being used very differently now.” The result is relatable for both serious gardeners and the uninitiated. Gardens of all kinds— rose, perennial, parterre, knot, herb, vegetable, sculpture, and more—are packed seamlessly into seven acres showcasing seasonal plantings. TheMSV.org Madeline Mayhood, a master gardener and longtime garden writer, has contributed to Garden Design and Southern Living magazines. She is a senior editor at Virginia Living.
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S P EC I A L A DV E R T I S I N G S EC T I O N
DISTINCTIVE DESIGNS BY JANELLE For 26 years, Distinctive Designs By Janelle has worked with both commercial and residential clients. Owner Janelle Marshall has professional design expertise, with specialization in home design projects including kitchen and bath renovations, total room renovations, space planning, and sustainable design. Recent renovations of note were the Harmony Market at the Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg, Virginia, pictured above, and the men’s and women’s Spa Minérale not shown here.
Janelle Marshall Owner
Careful thought and consideration goes into every project we do, whether it be residential or commercial. Great designs come from bringing various elements together as a whole and
“We strive to make our clients feel special, acknowledged and appreciated. We will exceed your expectations in how we approach your design.”
—JANELLE MARSHALL
starts from understanding the client’s needs and expectations into every project, whether it be large or small. We pride ourselves on being trustworthy, professional, and ethical while developing strong relationships with our clients. Our mission is to provide exceptional customer service from start to finish.
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* Food The Road to
Stardom Hatch Kitchen stirs up next-level tastemakers. By JOH N H A DDA D | Photography by T Y L E R DA R DE N VIRGINIA LIVING
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e’ve all known that friend: The one whose homemade salad dressing tastes so good, you wish she’d bottle it. The grill master whose rib sauce beats anything you’ve found in stores (you know, you’ve searched). Or the weekend baker whose chewy-delicious bagels make you long to place a standing order.
helped me by sharing their But the journey from home stories and what they have kitchen to market shelves is learned along the way,” says filled with twists and turns. Joye Moore of Joyebell’s Sweet “Lots of people try to turn Potato Pies. “It saves me time food hobbies into legitiand energy.” mate businesses,” says Austin Hatch has also inspired Green, co-founder of Hatch offshoots like Hatch PackagKitchen, a food-business incuing, Hatch Logistics, which bator based in Richmond. handles inventory and logis“Now they have the resources tics management, and Hatch and mentors to make that Butchery, a USDA-certified journey a whole lot easier, craft production facility that leveraging the experience of works with local farms. businesses that have failed Members feel grateful for before and are willing to share the support from Hatch staff, the secrets of their success.” too, says Green: “They benefit Green takes pride in the as we learn from the mistakes support Hatch offers fledgling that others have made along companies. He opened Hatch the way.” Here, a few Hatch Kitchen in 2019 with Brad success stories: Cummings, who founded Startup Virginia, another local business incubator. “We Nightingale: Ice can take on 100 percent of Cream Sandwiches their needs, from product When I call Xavier Meers, development and branding, to co-founder and co-owner of production, packaging, and Nightingale, he’s on the road, storage,” Green explains, “and bound for New York’s JFK airwe can handle bottling foods port with a delivery for Jetsuch as hot sauce, Bloody Blue. The airline now serves Mary mix, and shrubs, as Nightingale’s mini-sized well as items like baking “Chomp” ice cream sandmixes and spices.” wiches on London-bound Green also understands the flights as part of their selfchallenges these food-hopedescribed “best in-flight meal fuls face because he’s walked experience.” a mile in their shoes. His Meers and Hannah Pollack, award-winning Texas Beach his wife and business partner, Bloody Mary Mix, created in never imagined their gourmet 2014, has thrived in the marice cream sandwiches would ketplace; but a few bottlebecome an international sensalabeling missteps in his early tion. Back in 2016, Nightingale days created big problems for produced 100 of the frozen the novice entrepreneur and treats a day. Today that figure sparked his interest in helping is up to 10,000, and their prodthe next generation. uct is sold around the country Located on the city’s southin over 1,000 stores and resClockwise from top left: Kitchen tools; bottling Crescent Simples; getting prepped; Chewy’s bagels. side at Clopton Siteworks, taurants. Opposite page: Nightingale Ice Cream Sandwiches. between Maury and Hull A longtime chef and native streets, a 25-acre site that of Belgium, Meers met Pollack once housed Philip Morris tobacco drying warehouses, Hatch provides the in a restaurant kitchen. Together they created a plated dessert of real vanilla space, facilities, and mentorship that small food companies need to grow. ice cream, sandwiched between brownies. The idea took flight, and NightinThe complex includes a 9,000-square-foot communal kitchen with commergale has grown to include a host of flavors, including the classic Cookie Moncial ovens, mixers, refrigerators, freezers, and dry storage. For food trucks, ster (chocolate chip cookies with cookies and cream ice cream), Fat Banana overnight parking spaces provide a safe haven. Hatch clients can get training (peanut butter cookie, fresh banana ice cream, half dipped in chocolate), and and mentorship from a network of in-house advisors, including food-business Key Lime (brown sugar cookies with key lime ice cream), among others. consultant Barb Upchurch Lamb of the Apple Cart. Like many food entrepreneurs, scaling their operation has been NightinWith the arrival of Hatch Local, a food hall—just opened in February at gale’s biggest challenge. The business, launched during off-hours in restauThe Current in the city’s Manchester neighborhood—the incubator now rant kitchens, quickly outgrew those spaces. Once they secured a distributor, offers a public gathering place for anyone looking to taste what’s new on the they couldn’t keep up with orders. local foodscape. Recognizing Nightingale’s potential, the team at Hatch approached Meers At Hatch, members find an encouraging community. “These folks have and Pollack about joining their growing roster of food businesses. Once APRIL 2022
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“
These folks have helped me by sharing their stories and what they have learned along the way. —Joye Moore of Joyebell’s Sweet Potato Pies
”
they settled into Hatch, Nightingale flourished. Now housed in its own 8,000-square-foot custom-built factory—with bakery, ice cream production, packaging, and dry storage—Nightingale has added a high-tech, low-touch flow wrapper system for hands-free packaging. Hatch, says Meers, “gave us the opportunity to grow, and our success story has helped them grow as well.”
Crescent Simples: Cocktail Syrups
As a bartender working in New Orleans’ French Quarter, Bill Miller loved to experiment with homemade syrups featuring fresh fruit and herbs. Over time, friends and fellow bartenders would drop by to visit Bill and his wife Megan, a restaurant manager, to sip his delicious concoctions. When the couple moved home to Virginia from The Big Easy to be closer to family, they were inspired to turn their cocktail syrups into a business. They started selling Crescent Simples at farmers markets, producing the elixirs out of The Cannery facility in Farmville. When they outgrew that space and discovered Hatch Kitchen, they moved to Richmond in 2019 to scale up. With flavors that now include Peach Hibiscus, Blackberry Vanilla, Grapefruit Rosemary, and Blueberry Lavender, this dynamic duo now fills orders from gift shops, wine shops, and small groceries in 16 states. The Millers source much of their fruit and herbs locally and spend two to three From top: Joye Moore processing pie days each week in small batch production. slices; Bill and Megan Miller bottling “I don’t know what we would have done Crescent Simples; rolling burritos for Sous Casa, another Hatch client. without Hatch,” says Megan. “We were VIRGINIA LIVING
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Clockwise from far left: The food truck “corral;” Hatch co-founder Austin Green; Joyebell’s Sweet Potato Pies.
able to grow our business without the typical high start-up costs that many businesses face, and the camaraderie and collaboration with other producers has been invaluable to our success.” Miller often turns to fellow Hatch members Meredyth Archer, founder of Mother Shrub, and Will Gray of Back Pocket Provisions to bounce ideas around and learn from their experience.
Joyebells: Sweet Potato Pies
Joye B. Moore, founder and CEO of Joyebells Sweet Potato Pies, has turned a six-generation tradition into a family business. Using a sweet potato pie recipe that originated with her third great grandmother, Sarah-Mae Howell, Moore is sharing her family’s legacy, one delicious pie at a time. She has been featured on The Today Show, in Southern Living magazine, and has recorded an oral history with the Southern Foodways Alliance. Moore’s baking journey started in home kitchens, but it was her move to the shared commissary kitchen at Hatch that catapulted her business to new heights. “I have learned so much from other members, the management team, and through mentorship and educational programs available to us,” relates Moore. Through those resources Moore discovered that the sweet spot for her pies was the wholesale market. She credits the incubator collaboration for much of her success. “I want to incubate on up to the co-packing facility,” she says. Contracts with Food Lion, Sam’s Club, and other retailers have given her new markets in multiple states with more on the horizon.
juice company.” Since 2015 Will has been promoting small farms through Back Pocket’s Bloody Mary mixes, including Bloody Brilliant with fresh juice from family-farmed tomatoes, spicy horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, and a dash of cayenne pepper; Bloody Baja, a Southwest-style mix with a blend of jalapeños, fresh garlic, certified organic sweet corn, and seasoned with smoky spices; Bloody Bangkok, a Southeast Asian blend of fresh tomato, Thai red curry, and a little fish sauce; and Bloody Blue Ridge, a collaboration using The Shack’s sorghum and ghost pepper hot sauce and Catbird’s miso and tamari Worcestershire sauce. At the core of Back Pocket’s flavors are thousands of tomatoes and other local farm vegetables considered too “ugly” for farmers to sell to consumers. Creating a market for delicious yet imperfect produce helps farmers mitigate supply chain challenges. Back Pocket started working with Hatch in 2020, leveraging everything from processing and seasoning to bottling and shipping. “We think of Hatch as an extension of our team,” says Gray, and that cooperation has allowed Back Pocket Provisions to optimize the yields of its seasonal business and deliver its delectable mixes to Bloody Mary fans throughout Virginia and beyond. HatchRichmond.com, HatchLocalFoodHall.com John Haddad is a food and travel writer at JohnHaddad@epicuriosity.net.
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Just opened in Richmond’s Manchester district, Hatch Local Food Hall offers a grab-and-go market, coffee bar, cocktail bar, local food purveyors, and private event space. “Guests will find so many opportunities to eat, drink, celebrate, and interact with makers from all over Virginia here,” says Joya Carlton, who’s spearheading the project as director of Lynx Hospitality. Look for tastings demos, and panel discussions—along with this delicious lineup:
Buttermilk and Honey Awardwinning fried chicken dishes from dynamic husband and wife, chef Mike Lindsey and Kimberley Love-Lindsey. ButtermilkAndHoneyRVA.com Oro Creative, handmade pasta and seasonal vegetable dishes from Laine Myers, who was selected by Food & Wine to compete in Barilla’s 2020 Pasta World Championship. OroRVA.Square.Site
Chewy’s Bagels
Originally from Maine, Ashley Cricchio came to Richmond to attend VCU and never left. Trained in the baking craft by Earl Vallery during a stint at Whisk Bakery, she perfected her own recipe for bagels in her home kitchen. Hand rolled from sourdough before a two-day proofing then kettle boiled, Cricchio’s process gives her bagels a crispy exterior that yields to a soft and chewy center. Word spread, and she started taking pre-orders from her friends at RVA Performance Training Gym who asked, “where can I buy some?” When it became clear she needed a bigger kitchen, Haluk Ural of Human Food RVA, a clean cooking meal prep service, tipped her off about Hatch’s services. Since her 2019 move to Hatch, Cricchio has been cranking out thousands of bagels a week for more than 15 locations across the region, including Outpost Richmond, Ellwood Thompson’s, Union Market, and Stella’s Groceries. Her flavors include blueberry, poppy, sea salt, and rosemary, and she’s now making plans to open her own bakery in Carytown. “My time at Hatch has been so valuable in teaching me how to grow my business and brand,” she says.
Odyssey Fish Fast, casual, and sustainable seafood from the awardwinning team at Alewife. @odysseyfish_rva —By Constance Costas
Royal Pig The authentic Cambodian food from Vanna Hem and Adam Stull inspired their motto: No spice levels, no frills, all flavor. @RoyalPigRVA Fat Kid Sandwiches Over-the-top sandwiches from John Martin and Liz Clifford, a culinary team with an impressive list of restaurants on their resumes and forays into molecular gastronomy in Chicago and pasta making in Colono, Italy. FatKidSandwiches.com
“Our mission is to lift up and support the small farmer,” says Back Pocket Provisions’ owner Will Gray, “and at our essence, we are a vegetable
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The Beet Box Cold-pressed juices, smoothies, and healthy food with an urban vibe from founders Ashley Lewis and Antione Meredith. BeetBoxRVA.com
Sincero Mexican food that takes a creative approach to traditional favorites from co-owners Alex Bobadilla and Karen Negvesky. @Sincero_RVA
Back Pocket Provisions: Bloody Mary Mixes
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John Martin and Liz Clifford of Fat Kid Sandwiches.
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A PLACE Called
Guinea In Gloucester County, a centuries-old culture with its own dialect endures.
By V IC K I L . F R I E DM A N | Photography by ROB O S T E R M A I E R
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yard sign in front of the wooden house behind the white fence on Lillaston Lane summed up Guinea Neck in Gloucester County this way: “There’s no place like this place anywhere near this place so this must be the place.” This place is where watermen weathered rugged conditions all day every day, fishing the rivers, dredging the oysters, and hauling in crab pots to harvest the seemingly endless bounty of the Chesapeake Bay. Smelling like fish, dismissive of their swollen hands and knuckles, these same men would later gather in a general store—you could find one on almost every corner—and swap stories over whose catch was the biggest. “Whoever was louder was the winner,” says fireman Nick Bonniville, whose father, grandfather, and a generation of great grandfathers all worked the Guinea waters.
Betty “Lou” Sammons at Achilles Shopping Center. Above: Church of God in Maryus.
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A PLACE DEFINED BY CULTURE
Plug Guinea into a GPS and you might not get a straight answer. It’s the unofficial name for a collection of Gloucester County communities in Guinea Neck—
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including Maryus, Jenkins Neck, Perrin, and Achilles—and located just across the York River from Yorktown. Here, a culture marked by its own dialect has proudly endured for centuries, preserved through oral history and the ongoing effort of the Guinea Heritage Association. Like a lot of things here, how Guinea came to be called Guinea is up for debate. Some say the first Guineamen were British deserters, who, after the Revolutionary War, exchanged Guinea coins to pay their taxes. Or, it’s been said, Guinea dates back to the slaves from the African nation of Guinea, who labored on the plantations in this farming community. If you catch yourself in conversation with a true Guineaman, be prepared. Deciphering the fast-talking dialect that sounds like Cockney English with peculiarly accented syllables can stump locals. A string of words collides into one, like an auctioneer’s call. “Pasture” can sound like posture. “Canoe” rolls off as cunnah. Hamilton Williams, 79, was raised in these parts; his dad owned the Stanley Williams store. When a waterman mumbled “fivepounflar,” he tried his best to make sense of it. “It was as if he had a mouthful of oatmeal,” Williams laughs. “He said ‘five pounds of flour’ like it was one word.”
Sunrise at Browns Bay. Below: A heron catches dinner in the Severn section of Guinea.
STORYTELLING TO PRESERVE HISTORY
As Guinea’s unofficial historian, Williams can fill your ear with stories that bring one of Virginia’s few remaining pockets of undiluted culture vividly to life. He can narrate the back stories of every nook among the forks and circuitous roads that surround waterways as big as the York River and as small as Browns Bay and Maundy Creek. Williams’ aunt Lena Rowe ran the general store and Lady post office, adjacent to the Severn River dock that once bustled with steamboats dropping off the fancy goods from Baltimore to stock the Guinea stores. He shares the memory of an easygoing man named Jack, shot to death by his scheming brother Clarence. The brothers were in a rift after Clarence grew convinced that Jack was going to turn him in for fencing goods from Jack’s store. Williams’ father, Stanley, used to work at Jack’s store and was pulling a push broom on its porch when a lady named Clarice Bunting, seated in the passenger seat of her brother’s pickup truck, snapped at him from the parking lot, “Don’t you even know how to handle a broom?” Stanley turned around and later told his son, “She was the most beautiful girl I ever saw, and I knew right then and there I was going to marry her.” By the time Stanley died in 1991, they had been wed 54 years. Williams hasn’t written down any of his memories, but he is a genealogy buff who lays claim to 77,300 extended family members, virtually all of them from Guinea. He’s been charting the names on an ancestry program since the 1980s. “I want people to know the names of these people, who they were, what they did, and why they were important,” he says.
Like a lot of things here, how Guinea came to be called Guinea is up for debate.
A GENERAL STORE MUSEUM
When he tools around Guinea today, Williams can’t hide his nostalgia, tinged with sadness. These homes were once the pride of the Guineamen—nothing fancy, but the fresh vegetable gardens and manicured lawns, many with flowAPRIL 2022
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Hamilton Williams
ers, were well-maintained year-round. Turn onto Guinea Road from Route 17 just past the Taco Bell and McDonald’s today, and it’s a hodgepodge of modest homes, several raised to avoid the floodwaters, junky front yards, abandoned buildings, and new houses that contrast with the simplicity. The waterfront property has attracted young families, most with no ties to a community that dates to the 1600s. Despite the efforts of the Guinea Heritage Association, preserving a history that is largely word-ofmouth will be up to the newer generations who no longer make their living on the water and lead a far more contemporary lifestyle than their parents and grandparents. Bonniville is a board member of the association that holds an annual two-day Guinea Jubilee every September, drawing thousands to celebrate this unique community. The group raised enough funds recently to turn one of Guinea’s storied gathering spots, C.B. Rowe & Son General Store, located in Bena, into a museum. Don’t mind the mustiness of the small building from 1920. Every artifact— from the commercial white boots fishermen used to wear to an authentic crab pot to the hairpins and spices the store once sold—means something to someone. Don’t leave without picking up the Guinea Jubilee Cookbook that’s full of hundreds of recipes, including Granny’s Guinea Clam Chowder and Alice Horsley’s Chocolate Cake. “Guinea women make food with a lot of love, and everything is seasoned just right,” says Betty Sammons, whom everyone calls Lou. She’s a fixture at the Achilles Shopping Center—one small store, gas pumps, and a post office— where a breakfast sandwich runs you $1.99. Sammons is revered for her fried chicken, cooked the old-fashioned way. She shrugs when asked why she’s known as the mayor of Guinea. “I guess it’s because I know everyone,” she says.
The fast-talking Guinea dialect sounds like Cockney English with peculiarly accented syllables that can stump even locals.
many who moved away instead. When nobody replanted the trees and sagebrush lost during that flood, shoreline erosion worsened. Even after a string of sunny days, it’s hard to drive far without seeing puddles of standing water.
A BRIDGE, HURRICANE BRING CHANGE
Sammons contends she and her uncle were in the first car that drove across the George P. Coleman Bridge in 1952—a modern swing bridge that opened up access to Guinea but also started an exodus. As the years wore on, regulations on seafood altered the ability of the watermen to freely fish, and then Hurricane Isabel dealt a brutal blow in 2003 with dozens of homes lost in the storm surge that topped five feet. Sammons lost everything. “I was living right far from the river,” she says. “But the little house I was living in, the water came right through the windows so bad. It was such a surge, that my coffee tables and end tables beat holes in the walls. I mean, it was terrible. My friend’s house, it pushed his Bronco through the walls, and all that was left were two outside walls and the roof.” “It was a big devastation,” Bonniville agrees. “The face of Guinea started to change, and to me that started with Isabel.” FEMA money poured in, but rebuilding in Guinea didn’t make sense for VIRGINIA LIVING
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A LIFE ON THE WATER
Today, commercial fishermen make a living in Guinea, but there are fewer one-man-shop watermen like Jeremy Bonniville’s father, Kenny. Father and son tried going into business together, but gave up when Kenny had no interest in upgrading to the technology that Jeremy uses to run his booming Crabs Express, a business that employs 30-50 people depending on the season. “We’d butt heads,” says Jeremy, who still eats Sunday dinner at his parents’ house. “My dad stopped going out in the water in 1994. He hasn’t been back on the water since. I begged him to come on the boat and just ride. He says he’s done with it and has closed that chapter.” Nick Bonniville dreamed of working the water like his third cousin Jeremy, but at age 15, he made a promise at his father’s deathbed that he wouldn’t pursue it when he grew up. Ricky Bonniville lived his entire life on the water, rising at one in the morning six days a week, returning home by noon to nap for five hours at best. Then he’d trek to a general store to play cards and pool APRIL 2022
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Exterior and (below) artifacts preserved inside the Guinea Heritage Association Museum at Buck’s Store in Bena.
before returning to the water to repeat the cycle. It was a life Ricky Bonniville didn’t want for his son. “There’s nothing more I miss, other than my father, than being out on the water with him,” Nick says. “There’s something about those sunrises at 5:30 in the morning and the smell of rotten fish and jellyfish getting in your eyes. I miss it. I really miss it.” Even with nature’s wrath and evolving times and just pure change, that sense of Guinea pride remains strong. Folks like Hamilton Williams, Nick and Jeremy Bonniville, and Betty Sammons won’t let Guinea history wash away with the tides. This place means too much to too many, Sammons says, adding, “We belong. We’re somebody. We are a working part of the community in this world. We’re a more welcoming people today. We’re more accepting to strangers. Everybody gets along. Once people get down here and get to know us, we warm up to them. We always treat you good in Guinea.” GuineaHeritage.org Vicki L. Friedman is an award-winning writer who spent 20 years at The Virginian-Pilot and a decade as an ESPN contributor. A Chesapeake resident, she is now a writer and digital media strategist for Consociate Media in Gloucester. APRIL 2022
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THE
Life-Changing Magic OF
FLY FISHING For these dedicated anglers, casting a line brought new possibilities. By M A R K TAY L OR | Photography by K Y L E L a F E R R I E R E
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Beau Beasley reels in a rainbow trout with help from fishing buddy Jay Barron at Beaver Creek near Crozet. Below: Jay selects a fly from his fly box.
Every fly angler has an origin story to tell.
F
or Beau Beasley, it all began in the back of an ambulance. Beasley, a 23-year-old Fairfax County paramedic at the time, had responded to a call concerning an angler at Burkes Lake who was having an allergic reaction to a bee sting. On the way to the hospital, Beasley was chatting with the man about fly fishing. “I was just trying to make small talk,” he remembers. “He said he’d be happy to show me the basics.” A week later, Beasley reached out to the man to take him up on the offer. “His name was Bob APRIL 2022
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Guess,” Beasley says. “At the time I had no idea he was one of the country’s foremost popping bug experts.” Popping bugs are high-floating, often garishly colored flies used to entice warmwater fish such as bass and sunfish. “That first day I caught a bluegill sunfish on a bug and that was it,” says Beasley, who lives in Warrenton. “I was already starting to get a little burned out as a paramedic, seeing everything I saw at work,” he notes. “I used fly fishing as a way to get out of the back of the medic unit.” Beasley eventually spent some time helping Guess sell his specialty popping bugs before finding his niche in the fly fishing world. He remained with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department for another 30 years but, along the way, Beasley became a prolific fly fishing writer with countless articles and two books—Fly Fishing Virginia and Fly Fishing the Mid-Atlantic— to his credit.
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For the past 21 years, Beasley has also been the director of the Virginia Fly Fishing and Wine Festival. He launched a similar show in Texas—the Texas Fly Fishing and Brew Festival—five years ago. The shows feature vendors and how-to clinics taught by some of the fly fishing industry’s best-known anglers and fly tyers. “The main goal is to teach anyone interested in fly fishing how to do it in an environment where they feel good,” Beasley says. About 40 percent of attendees are novices eager to learn how to cast, how to tie flies, and where to fish. About 35 percent of attendees are women. The shows also feature smaller speciality classes for experienced anglers. The Virginia show, which started in Waynesboro and is now held in Doswell each January, originally didn’t include the wine aspect. Beasley thought adding it would broaden the show’s appeal. He continues to tweak programming to attract a diverse audience. One of the most popular new clinics is “Bourbon and Bass Bugs.” Even as he puts the finishing touches on book number three—this one about fishing with veterans—Beasley still finds time to get out on the water. Not long ago, he tangled with a 120-pound blacktip shark off the North Carolina coast. His favorite type of fishing is targeting smallmouth bass in Virginia rivers. His favorite fly? A Bob Guess-inspired popping bug, of course.
Brian and Colby Trow: A Fly Business Born of Necessity
A
s kids growing up in Richmond, Colby and Brian Trow would hop on their bikes with fly rods in hand and pedal to a nearby pond to fish for sunfish and bass. Their favorite type of fly was one made of deer hair spun onto the hook, stacked tightly and trimmed into the shape of a frog or some other critter that a bass would find tempting. There was a problem, however. “I wanted 30 of them,” Colby recalls. “But they cost $7 to $9 each, so I could only afford one.” The solution? Trow and his twin brother, Brian, started tying the flies themselves. By the time they were teens the brothers had their own
Colby and Brian Trow by the reel display in their Harrisonburg store, Mossy Creek Fly Fishing.
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Beau Beasley and Jay Barron at Beaver Creek near Crozet. Left: Beau with fishing guide Tim Freeman's dog Zeb. Right: Flies on display at Mossy Creek Fly Fishing.
Brian and Colby Trow of Mossy Creek Fly Fishing cast a line outside of Harrisonburg.
booths at fly shows and were selling flies out of their house. Thirty years later they’re still at it, but on a much larger scale. The twins own and operate Mossy Creek Fly Fishing in Harrisonburg, a business the 2001 James Madison University grads have owned since 2003. After majoring in biology with a pre-med emphasis, Colby thought he’d follow in the footsteps of his dentist father. But that changed after
some post-graduation introspection. “As a dentist you’re seeing people who don’t want to be there,” he said. “People who walk into a fly shop—or who are going on a guided fishing trip—are pretty much at a place of peak happiness.” Not that running a retail business is all rainbows and cupcakes. When the twins developed their business plan, they made sure to account for the possibility of failure, formally pledging to move on if the numbers weren’t adding up. APRIL 2022
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People who walk into a fly shop are pretty much at a place of peak happiness. —Colby Trow
“When we started, we were still in the ramen noodles and Natural Light phase of our lives so we weren’t intimidated,” Brian said. “We didn’t know what we didn’t know, and we didn’t have anyone depending on us.” The brothers faced challenges, including fish kills on popular rivers, the Great Recession, and droughts. As the years passed and they got married and had kids, the stakes rose but their success—and hard work—continued. As 2021 drew to a close and friends were enjoying the holidays, the Trows and their employees were feverishly counting an estimated 80,000 flies, one at a time, as part of the shop’s year-end inventory. A general rule of retail is that mixing passion and business can be tough. Just as an avid surfer doesn’t want to be working on inventory during a sweet swell, passionate anglers want to be on the water. Success at one often comes at the expense of the other. The passion wins and the business fails or the business succeeds as the passion gets shoved aside. The Trows have made it work by taking on complimentary roles in the busines, which includes the brick and mortar shop near JMU as well as robust guiding, instruction, and e-commerce elements. “Every business owner at some point has said ‘I need another me,’” Brian says. “Well, that’s kind of what a twin is.” Brian gravitates to the on-water side of things, guiding about 150 days a year. Colby is more involved in the retail aspect. “We both can do everything within the business,” says Brian. “But there are things that Colby does that would drive me crazy if I had to do it all the time.” Working smart is important to success, but being prescient helps, too. When the pandemic hit in 2020, some retailers canceled orders for fear of being stuck with inventory during a prolonged shut-down. The twins predicted that interest in
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In this group, your background doesn’t matter. No matter what you’re going through, everyone is here for you.
outdoor activities would boom—and they were right. When the numbers came in, 2020 was actually a huge year for growth in the fly fishing industry and 2021 was even better. “People appreciated the therapeutic value of fly fishing and reconnecting with nature,” says Colby, adding that he thinks the trend will continue even as the pandemic eventually subsides. “I think it’s going to stick with people.” The love of tying those intricate deer hair bugs has stuck with the brothers, too, but they no longer tie flies to sell. They do still tie for themselves, however, perhaps the best proof that 30 years in the industry hasn’t dimmed their passion for the sport they love.
—Rosie Fox, REEL Friends
Finding REEL Friends in Roanoke
O
n an unseasonably warm early December day, Steve Elliott sat in the open hatchback of his SUV, removing his fishing waders as the Roanoke River gurgled in the background. Another fly angler approached.“What are they hitting today, Steve?” asked Becky Hancock, who was just getting started. While some tend to keep that kind of info to themselves, Elliott happily told Hancock what was working—a small nymph called a Copper John. Hancock in turn passed the info on to four other anglers who were also getting ready to try their luck on this section of stocked trout water in Green Hill Park. No need for secrets among friends. More than 20 years ago, Hancock was a charter member of the REEL Ladies, a formal club for fly-
The REEL Friends at Greenhill Park in Salem, from left to right: Becky Hancock, Brenda Ramsey Willis, Rosie Fox, Carrie Metheny, Joy Tarta, and Kathy Mueller.
Becky Hancock ties a fly before getting in the water.
anglers in the Roanoke area. The club eventually dissolved but the concept behind it—women of all ages and skill levels who like to get together to fish and have fun—remains alive and well. Calling themselves the REEL Friends, the informal group uses phone calls, texts, and a group Facebook page to plan fishing and social outings, as well as coordinate volunteer and conservation efforts. Ten of them recently spent a long weekend chasing trout on the Holston and Watauga rivers in Tennessee. “Fishing is important and fun,” says Hancock, a 73-year-old retired teacher who lives in Salem, just five minutes from the Roanoke River. “And even if I don’t catch fish, I always catch fun. This is really about the people.” The core of this group is tight, their friendships built not only on a foundation of fishing, but on supporting each other through life’s challenges. VIRGINIA LIVING
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When Rosie Fox learned that her partner of more than 20 years, Marlene Steward, had cancer, she immediately had a support network. That included Hancock, whose husband, Mark, had been fighting cancer for several years. “She retired at 70,” Fox says of Steward, who had been the manager of the Orvis retail store in Roanoke and was diagnosed a few months later. Fox and Hancock leaned on each other and their angling friends when Steward and Mark Hancock passed away within months of each other in 2020. “I worked in a factory my whole life,” says Fox, 62. “In this group, your background doesn’t matter, and no matter what you’re going through, everyone is here for you.” The friends support others, too. At the Roanoke Valley Trout Unlimited chapter, they’re among the most active volunteers, helping at outdoor festivals, youth camps, and with the chapter’s
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educational Trout in the Classroom program, in which students raise trout from eggs and then release them into Virginia waters. “I had one little boy who had never even seen a cow before,” Hancock says, recalling a field trip. “It’s just so heartwarming.” Many also volunteer with Project Healing Waters, a nonprofit that connects veterans to fly angling and fly tying. “I was very active before,” says Seyward McKinney, a 38-year-old Army staff sergeant, who entered medical retirement after a stroke. “When I met Becky and the others we just hit it off.” Kathy Mueller has been a volunteer leader with Project Healing Waters for years, enthusiastically passing along her expertise in fishing and tying. Mueller, 66, began her own journey at the Orvis distribution center near her Roanoke County home more than 25 years ago. Working in the call center, Mueller would often field detailed questions from anglers. “Most people would just forward the callers to our fly fishing team,” Mueller says. “I would go ask them myself.” When Mueller is in the stream gracefully casting a fly, it’s clear that those lessons took. Still, once in a while she has found herself getting crowded by another angler who underestimates
Kathy Mueller in good spirits despite some rain at Greenhill Park.
her skill. “I just hook their line, and they figure out pretty quickly that they’re in my space,” she says with a mischievous grin. The friends don’t fish together exclusively. Mueller and her husband have a place at Buggs Island Lake and often fishing there for bass and stripers. Joy Tarta travels to Canada at least once a season with her husband to target pike, bass, and walleye. Tarta, 76, is a relative newcomer to fly fishing. She started about six years ago after taking a Fly Fishing 101 class at Orvis. “I learned a lot but felt my casting still wasn’t very good,” Tarta says. “So I took the class again.” Now Tarta is the one giving the lessons. “I’m definitely a newbie,” says Heather Balsley, a 51-year-old school librarian, before heading to the water with Tarta. In this case there is already a strong bond. “I’m her daughter!” Balsley laughs. And, now, also her REEL Friend. Mark Taylor has been an avid fisherman since growing up in Oregon. After spending nearly 16 years as the award-winning outdoors reporter at The Roanoke Times, he has worked for Trout Unlimited since 2014. He lives in Roanoke.
GO FISH! WHETHER YOU’RE CASTING FOR TROUT, blues, or striped bass (“rockfish” as we call them in Virginia) fly fishing is an exciting way to get outside and enjoy Virginia’s mountain brooks, creeks, and streams. If you’re new to the sport, the key is to connect with a mentor. “Fly fishing isn’t hard,” says Beau Beasley, a veteran fly angling writer and longtime director of the Virginia Fly Fishing and Wine Show. “You just need someone to help you with the basics.” To get started, you’ll find helpful information and meet fellow fly fishing enthusiasts here:
FLY FISHING EVENTS
GUIDE BOOKS
The Virginia Fly Fishing Festival is a great place to start, with gear, seminars, and expert demos offering personalized instructruction.
With dozens of how-to and where-to guide books—including several specific to Virginia—it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Instead, start with in-person instruction, either through a guided trip or a fly-casting class, before diving into books and online tutorials.
RESORTS AND INNS Primland Resort in Meadows of Dan and the Omni Homestead in Bath County offer guided fly fishing trips for guests. In Lexington, guests at The Georges can visit Escatawba Farms Fly Fishing in nearby Covington for guided fishing and instruction at all levels.
CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS Joining a fishing organization allows beginners to connect with experienced fly fishermen. Trout Unlimited, a national coldwater conservation organization, has
a dozen active chapters in Virginia where members are eager to help newcomers. Members of the Coastal Conservation Association focus on fishing, along with sound management of saltwater sportfish resources. At the Virginia Coastal Fly Anglers club, the approach is more fishing-focused. TU.org, JoinCCA.org, VCFA.org.
FISHING RETAILERS Staffers can provide informal advice and many retailers also offer formal classes on fly tying and fishing, such as the popular Fly Fishing 101 classes hosted by Orvis shops. Many fishing shops offer guided outings on local waters and can refer anglers to independent guides.
VIRGINIA AGENCIES
Rainbow trout caught by Beau Beasley.
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State fishing agencies offer more than just fishing licenses. They’ll also provide information on how to best enjoy the Commonwealth's waters. For freshwater fishing, look to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources; while saltwater fishing falls under the Virginia Marine Resources Commission. DWR.Virginia.gov MRC.Virginia.gov
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BARTER THEATRE Laugh, scream, and lose yourself in a world of adventure, comedy, romance, and suspense. Escape to Barter Theatre in Abingdon, and experience world-class entertainment. Let your imagination run wild and discover thrills like you never have before, watching stories unfold at the nation’s longest running professional theatre. Barter Theatre has wowed audiences for 89 years and continues to earn support from all over our region and beyond. Ticket prices start as low as $20 for every show..
276-628-3991 or BarterTheatre.com
THE PRIZERY
Whether it’s a night at the opera, checking out the latest hit play, or taking in an exciting new piece of choreography, keeping actively engaged with the Commonwealth’s performing arts is a must for every sophisticated Virginian. 2022 Spring Arts Preview is the perfect resource for keeping abreast of the Commonwealth’s in-demand performances, from the symphony to the stage. Make sure that when the curtain goes up, you’re in the first row.
Did you know there’s a long and rich history of summer stock theater just like The Prizery Summerstock Theatre Festival in South Boston, VA around the whole country? These productions are put on by local talent, bringing a broad variety of people from all over the country together to create summertime magic. You’ll find Prizery alumni on Broadway today! With top talent and a fun show lineup, summer stock’s rich traditions bring unparalleled tourism to towns across the country, and we are so proud to continue the legacy this season. The Mountaintop, A Chorus and Footloose are running in rotating repertory, July 7th through August 14th. You can see all the shows for as little as $59.00!
JULY 7 – AUGUST 14
Visit our website for show times and more events.
434-572-8339 or Prizery.org
TAUBMAN MUSEUM Named one of the best designed museums in the nation by Architectural Digest and accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke, Virginia, is home to a widely respected permanent collection and offers rotating exhibitions showcasing work by global, national, and regional artists. The Museum also hosts two special ticketed exhibitions per year: Ruth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design is on view through April 3, 2022. Opening in October 2022 is Titian to Monet: European Paintings from Joslyn Art Museum. Free general daily admission is sponsored in part by Appalachian Power.
540-342-5760 or TaubmanMuseum.org
GET TICKETS AT PRIZERY.ORG 700 Bruce Street, South Boston, VA | 434-572-8339
Photo courtesy of SCAD
Final Weeks on View Closes April 3, 2022
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110 Salem Ave. SE, Roanoke, VA 24011 | TaubmanMuseum.org
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S P EC I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S ECT I O N
COMING THIS SPRING!
Becky has worked all her life to get out of the mountains. Then her grandmother Maud decides to sell the family farm, forcing Becky to confront who she is and who she wants to be. This musical fable flashes between the past and the present, revealing “what might have been” and “what still might be.” A story of love, longing, and second chances set in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains.
ABINGDON, VA
FOR TICKETS AND MORE
2022 SEASON SPONSORS
The Martha Washington Inn & Spa
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APRIL 23 - MAY 22 CALL 276.628.3991 VISIT BarterTheatre.com
127 W. Main St. | Abingdon, VA | 24210
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“As a showjumper and member of the Exceptional Proficiency program, I spend three to four months away from school each year. I have now been away from school for one month and in all my years of prolonged absences at different schools, I have never felt more loved and looked after than I do at Foxcroft.” — Wilhelmina M. ’23
©SportFot
Exceptional Talent Deserves an Exceptional School Developing a talent takes concentrated focus, discipline, and time — lots and lots of time. Foxcroft School’s Exceptional Proficiency (EP) program enables a student with demonstrated talent and passion — like showjumper Wilhelmina and race car driver Meredith — to spend time away from school to train, compete, and pursue her personal dream, while receiving the academic support to fulfill our high educational standards. Past participants of the Exceptional Profiency program also include:
©Philip Goodman
Actor
Equestrians
Softball player
Ballet dancer
Gymnast
Steeplechase jockey
Certified doula
Lyric soprano
Synchronized figure skater
Certified EMT
Motorcyclist
Tennis player
Competitive swimmer
Rock climber
Violinist
Contact our Admission Office today to learn more about the opportunities that await at Foxcroft School.
“Foxcroft’s Exceptional Proficiency program also allows me to miss class to pursue my dreams and helps me keep up with my work while away from school. Without the EP program, I would not have been able to spend a week racing at Winter Nationals.”
NOW ENROLLING FOR 2022-23 Schedule a Visit www.foxcroft.org/admission/visit
— Meredith K. ’23
www.foxcroft.org | admission@foxcroft.org | 540.687.4340 22407 Foxhound Lane, Middleburg, VA 20117
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ATTEND AN OPEN HOUSE April 29 October 7 December 2 TAKE A VIRTUAL CAMPUS TOUR foxcroft360.com A boarding and day school for girls in grades 9-12 & post-grad
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learn science with STEM Flights.
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Country Day School.
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I
f the past two years have taught us anything, it’s that schools and educators are the backbone of our state. To build Virginia Living’s Top Schools & Universities 2022, we combed through the latest news from schools around the Commonwealth—from rural private schools to major public colleges— nearly every institution, large, small and in between. What we found was inspiring: cutting-edge research, campus improvements,
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innovative teaching models, and a commitment to student wellness. Whether you’re choosing a kindergarten for your child, entering the college admissions process, or exploring one of Virginia’s top-notch graduate programs, our 18-page guide offers the most comprehensive and up-to-date overview of schools around the state. Read, learn, enjoy. And if you’ve found this guide a helpful resource, we hope you’ll share your story with us. Editors@CapeFear.com
By K A I T LY N H I L L I A R D , M A DE L I N E M AY HO OD , an d M A RG O M I L LU R E | With ar ticles by L AU R A A N DE R S L E E a n d S A N D R A S H E L L E Y | P r o d u c e d a n d e d i t e d b y VA Y D A PA R R I S H | I l l u s t r a t i o n b y J O N A T H A N R E I N F U R T
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Colleges Spotlight
Student Well-Being Emotional wellness has become a top priority on campus.
By R ENEE SK L A R EW
Emmett the therapy dog at the University of Richmond. Above: Yoga at UR’s WellBeing Center.
V
IRGINIA’S COLLEGES AND universities are leading the nation in embracing innovative mental health programs designed to address the challenges that students are facing now. Just ask sophomore Kevin Aviles, a wellness ambassador at William & Mary in Williamsburg. “A lot of students struggle with mental health,” says Aviles, an athlete and neuroscience major from Loudoun County. “And our goal is to help them find the resources they need.” When Aviles found virtual classes a challenge, he signed up for “Flourishing in a Relentless World,” a class taught by Dr. Kelly Crace, associate vice president of health and wellness at W&M. Through it, says Aviles, “I realized that being active, like joining the rock climbing club, made a dramatic difference in my academics and my state of mind.” College wellness programs and classes, like Dr. Crace’s, teach students to integrate mental and physical fitness into campus life. “We have data to show that when there’s an improvement in wellness, there’s an improvement in the college experience,” says Dr. Crace. “We can learn better, live better, relate better. It leads to a better quality of life overall.”
an upsurge in demand for services, partly because asking for help has become destigmatized. Anxiety is the most common presenting concern at college counseling centers, followed by depression, stress, family and relationship concerns, academic difficulties, sleep disturbances, social isolation, adjusting to a new environment, trauma, eating/body image concerns, and suicidal thoughts. College counselors triage student-clients based on urgency and connect them to outlets that provide support between counseling sessions. Today, campus activities such as yoga, mindfulness, group therapy, telehealth, peer-to-peer encouragement, ecotherapy—even podcasts— teach students how to access self-care. Dr. Peter LeViness, University of Richmond’s director of counseling and psychological services—and a national expert who worked on the AUCCC study—says demand for counseling has tripled in recent decades. “Twenty years ago, we might have had 100 students with a disorder, but only 20 asking for help. Now 60 out of 100 are seeking out counseling,” says Dr. LeViness. “Destigmatizing is paying huge dividends, and that’s a really good thing. Now, we have students yelling across campus, ‘There’s my counselor!’ and telling their friends, ‘I see a doctor, and you should see them too.’”
An Increase in Stress and Anxiety
Virginia Colleges Leading the Way
A 2020 survey published by the Association of University and College Counseling Centers (AUCCC) reported
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To address the growing interest in mental health, students at Virgina State University organized Trojan
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Claire Aminuddin and Kevin Aviles, wellness ambassadors at William & Mary.
Virginia
relaxation is considered a frill.” To counter this attitude and teach healthful practices, the school developed a 14-week required class on five key areas of well-being—exercise, nutrition, self-care, mindfulness, and sleep. These courses, along with the use of the university’s state-of-the-art wellness center and free counseling sessions, demonstrate why UR is recognized as a trailblazer in wellness policy. “We are trying to help people stay well and not break down in the first place,” Dr. LeViness notes. “We want students to build the wellness habits and lifestyle skills that will sustain them for the long run.” UR’s “Stepped-Care” system tailors the level of care to each student’s needs. “Counseling can help students stay in school and do better academically. If they’re feeling lonely or isolated, we can help them think through how to get better connected,” explains Dr. LeViness. “I think that’s a story yet to be told.”
W&M’s McLeod Tyler Wellness Center Wellness Day with a focus on Covid-19 mental fatigue while George Mason University hosted the GMU De-Stress Fest. Virginia Tech’s Cook Counseling Center has 40 mental health practitioners on staff, some with expertise in specific majors. And the University of Virginia supports students dealing with addiction and substance abuse through Hoos in Recovery. But three Virginia colleges—Randolph College, University of Richmond, and William & Mary—have crafted especially notable programs, offered both virtually and on campus.
PHOTOS FROM TOP COURTESY OF CLAIRE AMINUDDIN, RANDOLPH COLLEGE. OPPOSITE PAGE COURTESY OF UR (2)
Randolph College’s THRIVE
Riley Lorson ‘21 and Madeline Owens ‘20 spearheaded THRIVE at Randolph College in Lynchburg in 2019, with help from faculty, fellow students, and staff. “Nature is restorative,” says Lorson. “Spending time outdoors can improve mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and stress.” Lorson was inspired by NatureRx, a grassroots movement that encourages “prescribing” nature to enhance well-being. “It’s not a substitute for medication or counseling, but it is a supplemental resource,” says Lorson, who now serves as Randolph’s sustainability and special projects coordinator. Students can follow a map to seven locations around campus, including Randolph’s botanical gardens, pollinator gardens, labyrinth, and a dedicated room inside the library for inclement days. A handout suggests activities such as sky-watching and tree identification. Randolph offers weekly guided walks to THRIVE locations to encourage students to practice using these spaces on their own. “For a couple of students, THRIVE became part of their treatment plan,” says Jennifer Bondurant, director of counseling at Randolph College. “When they came in each week, I’d ask, ‘Which site did you visit? Tell me about that experience.’” “I talk a lot about grounding with my students,” Bondurant adds. “Teaching them mindfulness, paying attention to their surroundings. I ask, ‘What are you seeing, hearing, smelling, touching?’ These exercises help them stay in the moment and relieve anxiety.”
Sophomore Claire Aminuddin of Albemarle County is also a Wellness Ambassador at W&M. She uses social media and table displays to promote “Seize the Awkward,” a nationwide campaign that teaches students to advocate for themselves and their network. “Yes, it’s awkward and scary to talk about mental health, even with your friends,” says Aminuddin who is studying neuroscience. “But if someone is withdrawing, doing risky behavior, or not acting like themselves, we can learn to reach out and start a conversation.” Both Aminudden and Aviles connect W&M students with the range of resources available on campus—and through the school’s McLeod Tyler Wellness Center. “I do yoga and art therapy there,” Aviles notes. “The counseling center and student health center are there, too; and it has meditation alcoves and massage rooms,” he says, adding, “I’ve seen how it makes a difference.” Renee Sklarew is a journalist who has covered education. Her work has appeared in the Washington Post and Northern Virginia Magazine. She lives in the Washington, D.C. area and she has two daughters who recently graduated from college.
Living
Top Schools & universities
2022 THE TOP FIVE
Wellness begins with five core habits, says Dr. Peter LeViness of the University of Richmond .
1. COMMIT TO SLEEP Lack of sleep is like having jet lag all the time; it affects hormones and concentration. Students may have trouble staying awake in class or being safe on the roads. Lifelong regular sleep habits should start in college.
2. PRACTICE MINDFULNESS Being
mindful in conversations and avoiding distractions enhances how students relate to others. Mindfulness is also proven to reduce stress.
3. EXERCISE REGULARLY People are
not wired to be still. Students should strive to exercise three times a week. Students who were athletes in high school, especially, will benefit from continuing to find ways to move every day.
4. SEEK OUT MENTAL HEALTH
SERVICES College counseling centers can address anxiety, stress, depression, relationship concerns, plus a host of other challenges. Students may also find support in group counseling sessions.
5. PRIORITIZE SELF-CARE Set a pace
and schedule that won’t cause burnout and can be sustained for eight semesters. College is a marathon. What can students do to recharge and infuse life-sustaining activities into their daily lives?
Riley Lorson at one of Randolph College’s THRIVE locations.
University of Richmond’s UR-WELL
“It’s in our culture to burn the candle at both ends, to multitask, to squeeze in as many things as possible,” says University of Richmond’s Dr. LeViness. “Self-care and
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INSPIRING STUDENTS to BECOME CITIZEN LEADERS.
THAT’S CIVITAE.
TOP 10
PUBLIC UNIVERSITY in THE SOUTH
(U.S. News & World Report)
At Longwood, a proud Virginia public university, students explore the complexities of our democracy and form a powerful, deep understanding of the world through our distinctive Civitae Core Curriculum.
TAKE THIS MOMENT TO DISCOVER MORE
GO.LONGWOOD.EDU/EXPLORE
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COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES Virginia
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS
Bluefield University celebrates new name, surpasses $18 million goal for 100th anniversary.
W
ytheville was an early contender. But in 1919, when the Baptist General Association of Virginia met in Bristol to decide where to locate a new junior college, planned for southwest Virginia, a group of Bluefield citizens approached the committee with an offer of $75,000 and 65 acres of land. The gift was theirs, if the association chose Bluefield for the new college. It was an offer they couldn’t refuse. Construction on the campus, located at the base of the East River Mountain, began soon after; in September 1922 Bluefield College opened its doors with 100 students. One hundred years later, the “lighthouse on the hill” is home to 1,200 undergraduate and graduate students. The school revealed its new name, Bluefield University, at the President’s convocation on August 18, 2021—the first day of the fall term and the start of the institution’s 100th year. “The discussion to transition to a university name occurred approximately five years ago as we moved into a university academic structure with the addition of graduate programs,” says the university’s president Dr. David Olive. “Although there is a change in name, the institution will remain a Christ-centered learning community developing servant leaders to transform the world.” Bluefield University has more than 70 academic offerings, including on-campus and online master’s degree programs in Biomedical Sciences (in partnership with Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine), Business Administration, Nursing, Education, Educational Leadership, and Counseling. The campus has exceeded its $18 million goal to support scholarships, an addition to its Science Center, athletic facilities, academic program support, and faculty enrichment. “We have come a long way over the past 100 years, and we’re imagining a future that takes us even further,” says Olive.
Averett University
Bridgewater College
Averett.edu, 434-791-5600
Bridgewater.edu, 540-828-8000
Danville
A new dual-degree partnership with Appalachian School of Law (ASL) will put Averett University undergraduates on an accelerated, six-year fast track to a law degree. Program participants will spend three years studying at Averett and receive their baccalaureate degree after finishing the first year of law school. Two years later, students will graduate with their Juris Doctor. Two scholarships totaling $288,000 will be reserved for Averett students in the joint program.
Bluefield University Bluefield
PHOTO COURTESY OF BLUEFIELD UNIVERSITY
Bluefield.edu, 276-326-3682 Launched in 2021, the BC Be Well campaign provides weekly wellness programs for students, stemming from the Bluefield College Center of Counseling and Wellness established in 2019. In the wake of the pandemic, Bluefield prioritizes student mental health and well-being by incorporating yoga sessions, online devotions, and painting classes into course schedules. BC Be Well also supplies therapeutic services, simultaneously providing support and preparing pre-counseling students with essential skills.
Bridgewater
The Bonnie Forrer and John Harvey Rhodes School of Arts and Humanities, named for the $5 million alumna donor and her late husband, opened last year. Bridgewater’s existing Division of Communication Studies, Fine Arts, and Literature merged with the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences under the umbrella of The Rhodes School, the institution’s first endowed, named school. Funds are being allocated to faculty development, investment in digital resources, and expanded opportunities for student research.
Christendom College Front Royal
Christendom.edu, 540-636-2900 Each year, eight to twelve Christendom students are selected as Tocqueville Scholars to participate in the Tocqueville Forum, an annual series of lectures, seminars, and academic programming designed to meet an increasing need for student engagement in American politics. Named after French political scientist Alexis de Tocqueville, the Forum, part of Christendom’s Department of Political Science and Economics, aims to “promote civil debate and inquiry into America’s founding principles in order to facilitate informed citizenship.”
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Living
Top Schools & universities
2022 tion, and more. As a finishing touch, Suter’s S-106 lecture hall was renamed and dedicated as Swartzendruber Hall after President Emeritus Loren Swartendruber and his wife, Pat.
Emory & Henry College Emory
EHC.edu, 276-944-4121 Beginning in fall of 2021, Emory & Henry introduced a new interdisciplinary major, Equine Assisted Therapy, making use of its extensive equestrian center. Combining psychology courses and equine studies, students acquire a well-rounded knowledge of both human psychology and the potential impact horses can have on emotional well-being. The new major prepares students to enter mental health fields, such as occupational therapy, and sets the foundation for Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association certifications, obtainable postgraduation.
Ferrum College Ferrum
Ferrum.edu, 540-365-2121 In order to provide support to incoming firstyear students, Ferrum College instituted the Ferrum Foundations Experience. Prior to their first semester, undergraduates are encouraged to attend the experience which fosters relationship-building between fellow students, professors, and staff. The Ferrum Foundations Experience acknowledges the difficult transition between high school and college and supplies students with a balanced mindset and essential strategies to ensure a strong beginning to their college careers.
Christopher Newport University
George Mason University
Newport News
GMU.edu, 703-993-1000
CNU.edu, 757-594-7000
In preparation for the arrival of Amazon’s HQ2 in Northern Virginia, George Mason is expanding its computer science programs and introducing courses in related fields. To support undergraduate and graduate growth, the university is building new facilities to house Mason’s Institute for Digital InnovAtion (IDIA) and for industry and government partnerships that generate innovation of digital technologies. George Mason’s expansion also demonstrates its commitment to the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Tech Talent initiative.
Students studying computer science and computer engineering at Christopher Newport will have the opportunity to apply for admission to Virginia Tech in their junior year to obtain a master of engineering due to a new partnership between the universities. Following undergraduate studies at CNU, accepted students can continue their education at Virginia Tech’s Innovation Campus in Alexandria or in Blacksburg. The program promises a solid understanding of software development, communication skills, and the ethical issues surrounding technology.
Eastern Mennonite University Harrisonburg
EMU.edu, 540-432-4000 The final phase of multi-year, $12 million Suter Science Center renovations were completed in October 2021. More than 700 donors contributed to the project. Upgrades include seating and lighting updates, modernized classrooms, new laboratory space for EMU’s engineering program, expanded displays from the D. Ralph Hostetter Natural History Collec-
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Hampden-Sydney College Hampden-Sydney
HSC.edu, 434-223-6000 Due to the combined generosity of several investors totaling over $12 million, Hampden-Sydney College is expanding its science programs and facilities. Notably, Dr. W. Glenn Hurt donated $11 million which established a scholarship for summer research opportunities. Donations are also contributing to the construction of the Pauley Science Center on the university campus, providing students with essential research opportunities for careers in biology, chemistry, and other sciences.
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NURTURING DREAMS. TRANSFORMING LIVES. For more than 85 years, Norfolk State University has had a mission to provide a transformative educational experience to our students. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), like Norfolk State, play an important role in nurturing dreams, shaping futures and transforming lives. NSU is, and has always been, a place of access, opportunity and success for all. A state-of-the-art institution, offering 31 Bachelor’s, 17 Master’s and 3 Doctoral degrees, NSU prepares our students to compete in the modern world with degrees in Cybersecurity, Nursing, Social Work, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, CyberPsychology, Computer Science, Optical Engineering, Health Services Management, and Drama and Theatre. Norfolk State University serves a vital purpose for our students, their families and the Commonwealth of Virginia.
WE SEE THE FUTURE IN OUR STUDENTS.
▶ Learn more at nsu.edu
Norfolk State University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the associate, baccalaureate, masters and doctoral degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, telephone: (404) 679-4500, www.sacscoc.org for questions about the accreditation of Norfolk State University.
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COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES Hampton University Hampton
HamptonU.edu, 757-727-5000 Hampton University’s recent partnership with JetBlue allows Flight Education majors in the Department of Aviation to apply for First Officer pilot positions with the airline, while simultaneously obtaining their bachelor’s degree. Enrollees are deemed “the future of the aviation industry,” so students must complete vigorous training and courses. Hampton University’s partnership makes the school the ninth institution in the University Gateway Program and the first Historically Black College or University (HBCU) member.
Hollins University Roanoke
Hollins.edu, 540-362-6000 In an effort to lift the financial burden of tuition and increase the percentage of local students from the greater Roanoke Valley, Hollins University has launched Hollins Opportunity for Promise through Education (HOPE). This initiative aims to provide full four-year tuition to students within 40 miles of the Hollins campus and is based on academic merit and financial need. Through HOPE, Hollins takes pride in making its degree programs affordable and accessible to students.
James Madison University
courses, such as psychology, toxicology, and anatomy courses. In addition, students in the program are encouraged to take advantage of research or internship opportunities to contribute to their skill sets and credit hours.
producing skills for job readiness and career preparation. The university has partnered with several companies and capital funds which will provide internships and entry-level positions for Tech Set graduates.
Mary Baldwin University
Norfolk State University
MaryBaldwin.edu, 540-887-7019
NSU.edu, 757-823-8600
In spring 2022, Mary Baldwin will offer a new course titled “Local Color: The Racial Legacies of MBU.” The course is designed to analyze the history of racial and social justice at Mary Baldwin University and allows students to uncover stories that may have been distorted, minimized, or excluded from dominant historical narratives. Using records from newspaper articles, official university documents, and novels from university alums, students can form narratives of lost history.
Norfolk State University is one of five Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to receive a $2 million gift from the Shawn Carter Foundation, BeyGOOD, and Tiffany & Co. The donation provides scholarship funding for students in the arts and other creative fields. At Norfolk State, the “About Love Scholarship” goes towards producing graduates in music, theatre, fine arts, history, and communications. Students are eligible for the scholarship based on economic need and academic merit.
Staunton
Marymount University Arlington
Virginia
Living
Top Schools & universities
2022
Norfolk
Old Dominion University
Marymount.edu, 703-522-5600
Norfolk
Beginning in spring 2022, students at Marymount University will have the opportunity to participate in the Tech Set program, funded by the Virginia Growth and Opportunity Board. Designed to target low-income juniors and seniors from colleges in Northern Virginia, Tech Set is a two-month program focused on
Old Dominion University recently held a “Building Our Dominion” ceremony where two new buildings were unveiled to showcase the university’s dedication to STEM-Health education. The ceremony revealed a new chemistry building that expands the school’s
ODU.edu, 757-683-3000
chemistry and biochemistry programs and related research. The Hugo A. Owens House, a residential facility for many STEM-H students, also opened. A third building, which is dedicated to health sciences, is set to be complete by 2023.
Radford University Radford
Radford.edu, 540-831-5000 To better serve the more than 30 percent of first-generation college students (the first members of immediate families to attend college) that make up Radford’s undergraduate population, the university opened a Center for Opportunity and Social Mobility (COSM) in the fall of 2021. The COSM hosts workshops on test anxiety, note-taking skills, financial aid, and scholarships, in addition to offering academic and mental health support for any first-generation student navigating the college experience.
Harrisonburg
JMU.edu, 540-568-6211 James Madison University announced the opening of its new School of Professional and Continuing Education (SPCE). Designed to expand its existing resources, the SPCE empowers nontraditional learners, promotes partnerships with local businesses, and encourages students seeking further education through testing strategies and mentorship. Through SPCE, students have the opportunity to earn certificates, credentials, bachelor’s degrees, and complete professional development courses. JMU ensures the new school builds lifelong learners that will support local communities.
Liberty University Lynchburg
PHOTO BY DOMINIQUE CALDER / EXPSD CREATIVE
Liberty.edu, 434-582-2000 In response to global trends of increasing mental illnesses, Liberty University launched the Global Center for Mental Health, Addiction, and Recovery. The center aims to educate, train, and equip graduates for the continuing fight against mental illness and addiction and partners with campus resources to produce graduates knowledgeable about the science of mental health and policy implementation. Liberty operates the Global Center in partnership with various organizations and universities across the state, including Virginia Commonwealth University.
Longwood University Farmville
Longwood.edu, 434-395-2000 As of the fall 2021 semester, undergraduates pursuing medical, dental, veterinary, or other health-related fields may declare a pre-med concentration. Based on the traditional biology major, the pre-med concentration incorporates graduate school application requirements to offer diverse undergraduate
RISING STARS
NSU Alum connects STEM students with Netflix Pathways Bootcamp.
I
n the summer after his junior year at Norfolk State University, Michael Chase took part in an IBM mentoring program. When it ended, Chase—who graduated in 2012 with a B.S. in Computer Science— interviewed at IBM and secured his first full-time job. Now a Senior Software Engineer at Netflix, Chase is paying it back. He was part of the team that launched the Netflix Pathways Bootcamp at NSU in January 2020 to provide access and opportunities to underrepresented STEM Michael Chase at Netflix. students. In the 17-week program, students develop in-demand tech skills, build a professional portfolio, and make valuable industry contacts. “Our first bootcamp was magical!” says Victor Scotti, Program Manager of Emerging Talent at Netflix. As a result, the program is now in its third year and has expanded to six Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and HispanicServing Institutions (HSIs). Taking part are NSU as well as University of California/Irvine’s Division of Continuing Education, Talladega College, St. Edward’s University, Marymount University, and Edward Waters University. Netflix subject experts and online educator 2U, Inc. co-developed the program’s advanced Java engineering, UX/UI design, and applied data science curricula. While faculty teach the classes, seasoned Netflix employees like Chase offer one-to-one virtual mentoring with the students. Other virtual events have included an HBCU Homecoming Celebration with Dear White People stars Ashley Blaine Featherson and Marque Richardson and a Q&A with Jingle Jangle writer, director, and executive producer David Talbert. Students receive college credits, along with a Netflix scholarship to cover their cost of attendance in the program. Bootcamp graduates have landed technical internships and full-time opportunities at Netflix as well as Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Oracle, Solvvy, Revature, MITRE, and Cox Communications. According to Scotti, “our goal at Netflix is to entertain the world and bring our members joy. We know that, in order to fulfill this mission, we need our team to match the diversity of the world.” Netflix.2u.com
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VIRGINIA LIVING
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PUR SUE YOUR C ALLING & IMPAC T THE WORLD Whether you study on campus or online, Liberty University can help you turn your passions into a career. With 700+ degree programs to choose from, top-notch academics, and the benefit of a strong, faith-based community, Liberty will give you a solid foundation to launch you into your dream career.
You’ll also find generous scholarships and assistance programs to put the world-class education you want within reach. Our Middle America Scholarship, for example, is designed for families that don’t qualify for the Federal Pell Grant. Plus, we’ve frozen tuition on campus four years in a row and online for seven years.
Visit Liberty.edu to learn more today!
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(866) 418-8741 | LUOAinfo@liberty.edu LibertyOnlineAcademy.com
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COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES Virginia
LINING UP
Shaun Evans selected to head Shenandoah University’s first-ever marching band.
B
eginning this fall, Shenandoah University’s first marching band will bring a flash of color, sound, and entertainment to halftime at Hornets’ football games and school events. “With a marching band, there’s a lot of pageantry that comes with it. And along with that, there’s also boosted school spirit throughout the performance,” says Shaun Evans, who will lead the effort as Director of Athletic Bands. “It creates a stronger experience for students and fans.” Evans received his Master of Music from the University of California, Los Angeles, and is completing his Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota. During his undergraduate years, “I was a marching band student at Georgia State University during the inaugural season of their marching band. I got to see the impact it has on students and everyone around, just building a program from the beginning.” He is finalizing the logo and uniform designs and recruiting students for the 100-member band. Students are filling out an online interest form, sending emails, and reaching out to him on campus to share their excitement. “We build a sense of family and community,” says Evans of the band members’ experience. “Marching band is a place where students can find a sense of belonging; a place to be themselves, to have fun and work hard; and to grow and learn as individuals, but also as an ensemble.” “There’s no experience like it.” Shaun Evans. Right: SU marching band uniform.
Living
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2022 additional 11-21 credit hours gives students a “University Honors” transcript.
Sweet Briar College Sweet Briar
SBC.edu, 434-381-6100 Sweet Briar’s field hockey and lacrosse teams will soon be competing on a brand new, water-based turf field. The $2.6 million project, funded mostly by private gifts to the school, will include an upgraded LED light system to allow for night games, a new scoreboard, and an adjacent natural grass soccer field. After a groundbreaking ceremony in January, the field is expected to be competition-ready by fall 2022.
University of Lynchburg Lynchburg
Lynchburg.edu, 434-544-8100 The Beard Center of Aging at the University of Lynchburg fulfills the needs of older citizens in Central Virginia through community education and engagement with the help of university students. The Beard Center is student-led, allowing an immersive educational experience through research, seminars, and workshops. Student interns work collaboratively with university staff to provide a sense of community and care for older adults. These volunteer opportunities are especially valuable to nursing, biology, and public health students.
University of Mary Washington Randolph College
Regent University
Shenandoah University
RandolphCollege.edu, 434-947-8000
Regent.edu, 757-352-4127
SU.edu, 540-665-4581
In 2021, Randolph College completed the multi-year renovation of its athletic center, which was renamed the Michels Athletic Center (MAC). The enhanced facility features a renovated gymnasium which is home to the women’s volleyball team and the men’s and women’s basketball teams. The MAC is equipped with a five-lane pool, new weight room, team locker rooms, dance facilities, and aerobics rooms. Athletic administrators and support staff offices are also in the renovated facility.
Regent University is expanding its undergraduate programming with a new Bachelor of Education program and two new music degrees. The Bachelor of Education program includes specific degrees for early and primary, elementary, and specific subjects for secondary education, such as mathematics. Students interested in music can opt for the Bachelor of Music or Bachelor of Arts in Music Leadership. Both music programs target students seeking careers in performance, direction, composition, or teaching.
Shenandoah University students are able to bring their pets into designated rooms in two of the university’s dorms, after completing pet-registration applications. The new pet policy includes birds, cats, small- or medium-sized dogs, and a variety of rodents. Shenandoah has acknowledged the psychological value of pets for students experiencing stress and anxiety, while also implementing necessary precautions to maintain the safety and health of all dorm residents and their animals.
Randolph-Macon College
Roanoke College
RMC.edu, 804-752-7200
Roanoke.edu, 540-375-2500
Southern Virginia University
Duke Hall, the newest addition to the Randolph-Macon campus, is adjacent to Day Field and houses athletic facilities, which include new locker rooms for many women’s teams, in addition to the football and baseball teams. Duke Hall will also be home to the college’s Physician Assistant (PA) graduate studies program, which will begin accepting applications in April 2022. Randolph-Macon hopes the program will help to meet the need for healthcare providers across the country.
Shaun McConnon, a 1966 graduate of Roanoke College, recently made a $15 million donation to the college’s new Science Center, marking the largest donation in the school’s history. The Science Center will house majors such as biology, psychology, and environmental sciences, which are among the university’s most popular. Additionally, the Science Center will provide classrooms for courses in other fields, meaning every student will take three courses within the Science Center prior to graduation.
Lynchburg
PHOTOS COURTESY OF SHENANDOAH UNIVERSITY
Ashland
Virginia Beach
Winchester
Salem
Buena Vista
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SVU.edu, 540-261-8400 In fall 2021, Southern Virginia University launched its Honors Program for students pursuing a deeper education. The Honors Program centers around discussion-based courses to promote thoughtful conversation and provide students with diverse perspectives and opinions. Additionally, the program provides participants with faculty mentors and service opportunities across campus in roles such as teaching assistants and peer mentors. Completion of the program and an
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Fredericksburg
UMW.edu, 540-654-1000 In response to the multi-billion dollar food waste issue in the United States, the University of Mary Washington has incorporated a new marketing course on food waste. Participating students complete activities at the local Fredericksburg Food Co-op to document and minimize expired products and craft meals out of nearly discarded and imperfect foods. Students from various majors, including communications and business, collaborate to use social media to promote better food management and usage.
University of Richmond Richmond
Richmond.edu, 804-289-8000 Development of the University of Richmond’s Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship (CIE) initiative has accelerated after a recent $1 million gift from the Jason & Jaime Brown Family Foundation and the RB Charitable Foundation. The CIE program includes an entrepreneurship minor for non-business majors, a concentration in entrepreneurship, unique courses such as “Creating & Commercializing Culinary Magic,” “Introduction to Design Thinking,” and a summer incubation experience that provides student-founded startups with co-working space, mentorship, and funding.
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Fredericksburg, Virginia
www.randolphcollege.edu/TAKE2 800-745-7692 • admissions@randolphcollege.edu
CREATE your
POSSIBLE At UVA Wise, we dream up possibilities, and then we work to recognize—and achieve—what’s possible. We see a greater tomorrow rising up here in Southwest Virginia, in Appalachia and beyond. We believe that your education can be a new beginning, so we do what it takes to build a brighter future, together. We ignite potential, we spark progress, and we help you find your path (hint: it starts right here).
The University of Virginia’s College at Wise 1 College Avenue, Wise, VA 24293 276.328.0102 | info@uvawise.edu | uvawise.edu
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COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES University of Virginia Charlottesville
Virginia.edu, 434-924-0311 The College of Arts and Sciences launched the Program of Fundamental Neuroscience, which is based on the neuroscience major, a popular degree for undergraduates. The coursework allows students to study biology, chemistry, genetics, psychology, and various electives, creating a well-developed understanding of physical and life sciences. The program requires student research within
one of the 80 labs focused on neuroscience. The Program of Fundamental Neuroscience is creating the next generation of research professionals.
University of Virginia’s College at Wise Wise
UVAWise.edu, 276-328-0100 In an effort to advance the healthcare system in Southwest Virginia, UVA Wise has launched a University of Virginia Family Nurse
Practitioner (FNP) program. The program encourages and empowers nurses to pursue their Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degrees. Designed to be a three-year, part-time program, participants are able to complete coursework and practicums while continuing their current employment. Students will occasionally have access to specialized facilities at UVA Health in Charlottesville.
Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond
VCU.edu, 804-828-1231 Virginia Commonwealth University has begun construction on a new STEM building, which will house classroom and office space for the College of Humanities and Sciences. The building will feature the Math Exchange and the Science Learning Center, labs designed for hands-on experience and research opportunities. The university believes the STEM building is the first step in creating the next generation of leaders in science, technology, math, and healthcare.
Virginia Military Institute VCU President Michael Rao (center) with students and staff from Rams in Recovery. Professor John Freyer at left.
STUDENTS IN RECOVERY
Eight Virginia schools join national initiative to support student recovery.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF VCU
F
or many students, getting—and staying—sober is part of the college experience. And on-campus programs like VCU’s Rams in Recovery are responding by providing much-needed social and recovery support along the way. “I think there’s something really powerful when you combine recovery and education,” says Tom Bannard, leader of VCU’s Rams of Recovery and assistant director of Substance Use and Recovery Support. “When people go into their addictions, they lose hope and they lose purpose. Education provides purpose. Something special happens when you support someone in their recovery when they are growing in their purpose. It’s an opportunity to get something right, if they haven’t been successful in the past.” Rams in Recovery offers housing and scholarships along with the space and support for meetings. Students successful in their recovery speak to their classes and mentor others. And the organization also sponsors social events—such as sober spring break trips—to foster a positive community of support. A student hugs her mentor Rams in Recovery is also changing at recovery graduation. the culture on campus by humanizing addiction and raising awareness among all students. “VCU has a lot of students going into healthcare, and the program has given these future employees a better understanding of recovery,” says Bannard. “In the ER, healthcare professionals only see the worst parts of addiction. But on campus, they see their classmates’ success and realize that people can and will get well.” Since founding its program in 2015, VCU has served as a model for other universities across the state. Longwood, Mary Washington, Radford University, the University of Richmond, the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Washington and Lee have also joined the more than 150 colleges and universities participating in the Collegiate Recovery Program. The national initiative is sponsored by the Association of Recovery in Higher Education (ARHE).
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Virginia
Living
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2022 Virginia Union University Richmond
VUU.edu, 804-257-5600 Virginia Union University is incorporating the Smart Campus initiative by providing its first-year students with a bundle of Apple technology including iPad Airs, Apple Watches, and Airpod Pros. Virginia Union has titled this launch “Mobile Learning, Mobile Life” as it prepares students for digital lifestyles and tech-savvy work environments. This initiative will begin with the class of 2025. The university will also offer Apple coding and app development curriculum for students.
Virginia Wesleyan University Virginia Beach
Lexington
VWU.edu, 757-455-3200
VMI.edu, 540-464-7230
Virginia Wesleyan is easing the transition for students transferring from Virginia community colleges to the private university through its Fair Transfer Guarantee, a new program designed to help community college students graduating with an associate’s degree. Students that enroll through the program will have their lower-level general education requirements deemed fulfilled, allowing them to focus solely on the major and upper-level electives necessary to achieve their bachelor’s degree.
For the first time in the school’s 182-year history, Virginia Military Institute has a female commander of cadets. Cadet Kasey Meredith assumed the role in May 2021, making her responsible for the training, health, welfare, discipline, appearance, and morale of approximately 1,700 cadets at VMI. The announcement of the female commander is VMI’s most significant co-educational announcement since the first women enrolled there as cadets in 1997.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Washington & Lee University
VT.edu, 540-231-6000
Washington & Lee implemented its Strategic Plan to expand the Office of Inclusion and Engagement (OIE). In addition to increasing well-qualified staff, W&L relocated the OIE to Elrod Commons, a central location on campus, to combine resources and provide access to meetings and training. At the new location, students and staff can participate in LGBTQ+ and racial diversity programming. The university hopes these changes will prepare students for engaged global citizenship.
Blacksburg
Virginia Tech has announced the addition of Hitt Hall, which will house the Myers-Lawson School of Construction, a joint collaboration between the College of Architecture and Urban Studies and the College of Engineering. Hitt Hall will feature classrooms and the Innovation Lab for discovering and developing new construction industry technologies. Set for 2024 completion, the 100,000-grosssquare-foot multipurpose facility will double undergraduate enrollment in Construction Engineering and Management and Building Construction programs.
Virginia State University Petersburg
VSU.edu, 804-524-5000 VSU recently launched a partnership with Richmond Raceway, introducing a pilot program to integrate eSports students into the track’s current team. This initiative was designed to encourage and produce opportunities within the field of sports management, specifically for students of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Student interns from Virginia State University’s Department of Sport Management collaborate with Richmond Raceway staff to complete experiential projects, developing skills in operations, graphic design, marketing, and live event coordination.
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Lexington
WLU.edu, 540-458-8400
William & Mary Williamsburg
WM.edu, 757-221-4000 William & Mary undergraduates now have the opportunity to minor in integrative conservation. The degree is designed as a pre-professional program to prepare students for careers in biological and cultural conservation. Students in the program can choose from a variety of new courses focused on environmental justice, indigenous views of conservation, and the influence of humanistic social sciences. The minor coursework encourages the pursuit of internships and research involvement within and beyond the university.
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School of Business
Appalachian SCHOOL OF LAW
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PARTNERING WITH ENTERPRISES & ENTREPRENEURS TO EQUIP OUR NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS
New Hybrid MBA Program – Spring 2023* *Pending SACSCOC approval
Executive Education Programs: Small Business Venture Growth New & Rising Manager Development Business Administration BS • Accounting BS Undergraduate Concentrations in: Leadership, International Business, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, and Interdisciplinary Applied Data Analysis
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to make a difference At VCOM, we are inspired to bring physicians to rural and medically underserved areas of southwest Virginia and the Appalachian region. Our medical school based in Blacksburg, Virginia, trains students who are inspired to bring care to those most in need. Visit us online to find out how you will be
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www.vcom.edu For a copy of our Outcomes Reports, please see www.vcom.edu/outcomes. ©2022 Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine. All rights reserved. VCOM is certified by the State Council of Higher Education to operate in Virginia.
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GRADUATE SCHOOLS Virginia
MOVING MOUNTAINS
Blue Ridge LEND trains providers to work with children with autism and other developmental disabilities.
W
hen parents in Southwest Virginia suspect their child may have autism or other developmental disabilities, getting a diagnosis can mean a long drive to see a specialist. “For many families, if they can’t get their needs met in the Roanoke area, they go out of state or come to Charlottesville. Many of our patients travel five to six hours for a doctor’s appointment,” says Dr. Ellen Davis, MD, MPH, Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. As a result of the distance, families may put off the visits—sometimes delaying diagnosis by a year or more. In response, UVA has partnered with faculty at Mary Baldwin University’s Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Applied Behavioral Analysis departments to launch a graduate-level interdisciplinary training From left: Pamela Stephenson program designed to improve care options for of Mary Baldwin University children with special needs in the area. The UVA/ (MBU); Katie Blackard of UVA; MBU Blue Ridge Leadership Education in NeuroChristina Harkins of UVA; and developmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) student Paolo Cruz of MBU. program began in July 2021, with funding from a five-year $2.25 million grant from the state’s Health Resources and Services Administration. “Our program does not directly fund or serve clinical care, rather it trains graduate-level students as well as family and self-advocate leaders early in their careers how to overcome obstacles to care for children with disabilities,” says Davis, who serves as co-director of the program with Micah Mazurek, Ph.D., professor at the UVA School of Education. Virtual visits have helped overcome distance between the providers and the families. “We’ve been able to really help this next generation of providers recognize how much can be done over a telehealth visit and the strategies for doing autism assessment, for example, over a computer,” she says. In addition, Blue Ridge LEND also offers training to providers already located in the remote areas. “In every community that is as rich as Appalachia, what I’ve experienced is that the further —Dr. Ellen Davis, MD, MPH, Professor of Pediatrics, into the mountains you get, the more the people UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA SCHOOL OF MEDICINE want to be cared for in their own community.”
“We’ve been able to really help this next generation of providers recognize how much can be done over a telehealth visit.”
Living
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2022 Norfolk State University’s College of Science, Engineering, and Technology NSU.edu, 757-823-8600 NSU received $5 million to kickstart a Master of Health Informatics program, as part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ $73-million effort to train 4,000 people in public health informatics and technology. This new opportunity will aid NSU’s goal (in partnership with the Virginia Department of Health and the Hampton Roads Community Health Center) of producing 100 underrepresented minority graduates from its Department of Nursing and Allied Health by December 2024.
Regent University Virginia Beach
Regent.edu, 757-352-4127 The Schools of Psychology & Counseling, Nursing, and Allied Health recently merged to form Regent’s new College of Health & Behavioral Science. The college exists at the crossroads of “a growing demand in our country for interdisciplinary care that addresses the mind, body, and spirit,” says Dr. William Hathaway, Regent’s executive vice president for academic affairs. In total, eight master’s programs, three doctoral disciplines, four bachelor’s degrees, and one associate’s degree are now available.
Sentara College of Health Sciences Chesapeake
Sentara.edu, 757-388-2900
Appalachian School of Law Grundy
ASL.edu, 276-935-4349
PHOTO BY THOMAS ROSE / COURTESY OF DR. ELLEN DAVIS
In a recent partnership with Ballad Health, the healthcare system serving southwest Virginia, Appalachian School of Law students are providing free legal services to low-income patients at Ballad Health facilities. This Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP) aims to improve justice for patients with unmet legal needs and to address healthcare needs due to legal difficulties. Through the MLP, Appalachian School of Law students serve their community and participate in experiential learning opportunities.
Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Blacksburg
VCOM.edu, 540-231-4000 The mission of Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine is to provide globally minded, professionally focused physicians to meet the needs of rural and medically underserved populations and promote research to improve human health. With campuses in Blacksburg, Auburn, AL; Spartanburg, SC; and Monroe, LA, VCOM seeks to train students to be caring, practical, and well-rounded physicians.
Sixty-six percent of its graduates practice in states with medically underserved populations, where primary care is most needed.
George Mason University’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences Fairfax
GMU.edu, 703-993-1000 In the fall of 2021, George Mason University’s Department of Modern and Classical Languages in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) launched a new graduate certificate in Spanish Heritage Language Education. The program’s goal is to prepare teachers and educational professionals to understand, advocate for, and teach heritage speakers of Spanish. GMU’s is the only program of its kind in Virginia and one of only a few nationwide focused on heritage speakers.
James Madison University Graduate Health and Behavioral Studies Harrisonburg
JMU.edu, 540-568-6211 Behavioral health providers in six counties in Shenandoah will get a helping hand from 100
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James Madison University graduate psychology students over the next four years. With a $1.6 million grant from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration, the master’s degree students will receive stipends as they train and provide assistance to rural, community-based partners in Augusta, Greene, Page, Rockingham, Rockbridge and Shenandoah counties, all officially classified as Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Sentara College of Health Sciences’ Master of Science in Nursing-Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) is designed for working RNs. Student-nurses complete the hybrid online and clinical program within two years, while taking two courses per term. MSNs make up only 13 percent of working RNs, so CNLs, armed with an MSN, are poised to rise quickly, assuming leadership roles within their units. Sentara’s curriculum enables them to handle complex scenarios and improve patient outcomes.
Longwood University’s College of Business and Economics
Shenandoah University School of Business
Farmville
Longwood.edu, 434-395-2000 Longwood’s College of Business and Economics has launched a new, flexible MBA program designed to provide access to students with various academic foundations. To accommodate diverse undergraduate degrees and career paths, the MBA program has four tracks: general business, real estate, marketing, and data analytics. Longwood offers full-time and part-time enrollment. Its MBA program is also an AACSB-accredited program, which provides necessary credentials for students seeking tuition reimbursement benefits postgraduation.
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SU.edu, 540-665-4500 For the past 12 years, the School of Business at Shenandoah University has held an Annual Business Symposium for students looking to network and expand their business knowledge. The 2021 Symposium featured Shark Tank investor and Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship Daymond John as the keynote speaker. Shenandoah University School of Business provides unique opportunities for students seeking an MBA to gain relevant experience and essential industry savvy by learning from experienced professionals.
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, Virginia Tech will inspire you to act as a force for positive change, to serve, explore, imagine, and discover your potential through interdisciplinary education that goes beyond boundaries. With a roll-up-your sleeves work ethic and a can-do attitude, you will thrive here.
Do you have what it takes to be a Hokie? Claim your role at Virginia Tech.
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GRADUATE SCHOOLS The Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University Harrisonburg
EMU.edu, 540-432-4490 EMU’s Center for Justice and Peacebuilding has entered a new partnership with the Peace Corps’ Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program, an academic cooperative that provides financial assistance and internship opportunities at the graduate studies level to Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCV). Participants intending to continue the Peace Corps’ dedication to community service may apply for partnership benefits as an enrollee in either EMU’s Conflict Transformation or Restorative Justice graduate degree programs.
The School of Health Sciences at Emory & Henry College Emory
EHC.edu, 276-944-4121 To meet the rising demand for mental health providers, The School of Health Sciences at Emory & Henry College launched a new Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program in 2021. The 60 credit, 24-month program emphasizes prevention of emotional and mental health concerns, early intervention when problems are identified, and client empowerment. The program is one of few in the region and offers one of Southwest Virginia’s most affordable tuition options.
University of Lynchburg Lynchburg.edu, 434-544-8100 The University of Lynchburg now offers two new graduate certificates for nonprofit profes-
sionals interested in advancing their careers: a Certificate in Nonprofit Marketing and Fundraising and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management. Each certificate requires a total of three classes, or nine credit hours, taught by faculty in the Master of Arts in Nonprofit Leadership Studies. Designed to meet the supplemental needs of professionals, the graduate certificates also give students specialized training in a particular area.
University of Mary Washington’s College of Education Fredericksburg
UMW.edu, 540-654-1000 After a seven-year, $24 million renovation of a once-beloved dining facility at UMW, Seacobeck Hall will reopen in early 2022 as the new home of the school’s recently accredited College of Education (COE). The state-ofthe-art facilities will include classrooms, collaborative areas, and flexible event space, all designed to foster a sense of community while reflecting UMW’s roots as a school for teachers—with a nod to the future of UMW academics.
Virginia Commonwealth University Graduate School Richmond
VCU.edu, 804-828-1231 The Graduate School of Virginia Commonwealth University began an initiative to make advanced degrees more accessible and affordable for its students. In 2021, VCU began offering tuition discounts and waiving application fees and standardized testing scores. The VCU Baccalaureate Graduate Masters initiative is available to fall 2020 and spring and summer 2021 graduates through an
FILETS OF THE FUTURE
application process. Once accepted, students have the opportunity to pursue an advanced degree, choosing one from more than 50 available programs.
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Virginia Tech Innovation Campus Alexandria
VT.edu/InnovationCampus, 540-231-6000 Virginia Tech’s forthcoming 65-acre graduate studies Innovation Campus has received a record $50 million gift from Boeing. Funds will be allocated to support facilities construction, an array of scholarships, Ph.D. fellowships, a student center, a technology leadership program, and more. Additional programming plans include strategic pathways for nontraditional undergraduates, including military veterans, to eventually pursue graduate degrees at the Innovation Campus, and a K-12 STEM engagement program designed to increase diversity among technology workers.
Washington & Lee University School of Law Lexington
WLU.edu, 540-458-8400 Thanks to a unique partnership between students at W&L Law, the law firm Vinson & Elkins, and the Walker Program, aspiring business owners can access much-needed legal support to start their new venture on a strong footing. Students follow the timeline of a mergers and acquisitions transaction in the classroom and are then paired with a V&E attorney who advises them on legal issues for real-world clients at various stages of business development.
Virginia Wesleyan University Global Campus
William & Mary’s Virginia Institute of Marine Science
VWU.edu, 757-455-3200
VIMS.edu, 804-684-7000
Virginia Wesleyan’s online offerings grew in 2021 to include a new online Master of Education with a concentration in Teacher Leadership. The program is designed to expand career possibilities for already licensed teachers and may be taken on a full-time or part-time basis. All 10 courses required for program completion are taught by full-time VWU faculty and adjunct professors and adhere to the National Competencies of Teacher Leadership and the Teacher Leader Model Standards.
Students looking to gain a Professional Master of Arts in marine science can do so at William & Mary’s Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS). The new program launched in fall 2021 and is designed to aid students in forming connections between scientists’ abilities and society’s needs. The interdisciplinary program incorporates essential scientific knowledge with professional experience to develop skills in collaboration and leadership. The MA program prepares graduates for partnerships between scientists and business professionals.
Gloucester Point
Virginia Beach/Online
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sturgeon caviar, which normally takes eight years to harvest, just takes months to develop.” The grant is the first of its kind in the U.S. Also participating in the research: MIT, UMass, Boston College, UC Davis, and Tufts.
Two Virginia universities join M.I.T, Tufts, and others in pursuit of cultivated meat. magine your next steak dinner coming from a lab. This isn’t science fiction. The U.S. Department of Agriculture just awarded a $10 million grant to an elite team of universities—including Virginia Tech and Virginia State University—for cellular agriculture research that may soon produce foods such as chicken tenders, oysters, caviar, and salmon from animal cells grown in vitro. “The first question we always get is what does it taste like?” says Dr. Reza Ovissipour, assistant professor for the Virginia Tech Department of Food Science and Technology and lead for the Future Foods Lab and Cellular Agriculture Initiative. “But the result will be very similar in flavor and texture.” By 2050, the world population will exceed 10 billion, increasing demand for meat while putting a larger strain on natural resources. Lab-to-plate proteins can be produced much faster, on 99 percent less land, and with a 50 percent smaller environmental footprint. In a lab, Ovissipour explains, “we are able to recreate only the parts of the animal we need—100 percent of what we produce is consumable, so there is no waste.” The efforts will also help with overfishing. “From cell to final product, we can create an oyster in a matter of Media for growing cells. weeks rather than years. And
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Virginia
Dr. Reza Ovissipour in the microbio lab.
“We are able to recreate only the parts of the animal we need—100 percent of what we produce is consumable, so there is no waste.”
—Dr. Reza Ovissipour, Assistant Professor,
VIRGINIA TECH DEPARTMENT OF FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
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ST. MARGARET ’S SCHOOL TAPPAHA N N O C K , VIRGIN IA Situated on the banks of the Rappahannock River, St. Margaret’s School is an all-girls boarding and day school for grades 8-12 and postgraduate. For 100 years, St. Margaret’s has been challenging girls with a dynamic college preparatory curriculum rooted in Episcopal tenets. St. Margaret’s girls enjoy a holistic experience that utilizes the river across academic and recreational programs. Learn more at www.sms.org.
St. Margaret’s New Head of School, Colley W. Bell III
ST. MA RGA RE T ’S SCHO O L
444 Water Lane, Tappahannock, VA / 804.443.3357 / admit@sms.org
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PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOLS Blue Ridge School St. George
BlueRidgeSchool.com, 434-985-2811 Students in the entrepreneurship class at Blue Ridge School take part in an annual fall tradition of cooking and selling apple butter for local charities. In 2021, they peeled and cut the apples, stirred a giant kettle, and filled more than 200 jars of apple butter that were sold to families, friends, and locals to raise money for the Headstrong Foundation, which provides cost-free mental health treatment for military members, veterans, and their families.
Catholic High School
Chatham Hall ChathamHall.org, 434-432-2941 Chatham Hall prides itself on “meeting students where they are,” so the school made the intentional decision to move away from Advanced Placement’s prescribed curricula in favor of offering its own advanced courses. Supporting the school’s mission and values, the advanced courses allow students and faculty greater flexibility and input than College Board-dictated AP classes, as well as the opportunity for independent study, with an ultimate goal of encouraging a love for lifelong learning.
CHSVB.org, 757-467-2881
Cristo Rey Richmond High School
More than 75 percent of Catholic High School students play at least one school sport at the junior varsity or varsity level. To accommodate its thriving athletic program, the school broke ground in December 2021 for a new $1.3 million, 2,300-square-foot athletic facility, with nearly 3,000 square feet of outdoor space. Additional amenities will include a new concessions area, a multi-purpose room for team building, and an open-air brick plaza.
Cristo Rey integrates four years of rigorous college-prep academics with four years of professional work experience through its Corporate Work Study Program. The school serves students from families of limited economic means in underserved communities. St. Vincent College is Cristo Rey’s newest University Partner—its 61st. The college will support the recruitment, matriculation, and
Virginia Beach
CristoReyRichmond.org, 804-447-4704
college graduation of Cristo Rey students. Cristo Rey includes 37 schools in 24 states; its Richmond location opened in 2019.
Episcopal High School As the only 100 percent boarding school located within minutes of our nation’s capital, Episcopal High School harnesses the resources of Washington, D.C., to create real-world opportunities for students through its Washington Program. Leveraging a unique academic schedule, faculty can embark on learning expeditions aligned directly with their teaching during the academic day. From visits to museums and cultural performances to expert talks and more, these experiences prepare students to thrive after graduation.
Foxcroft School Middleburg
Foxcroft.org, 540-687-5555 Founded in 1991 to help Alison Firestone Robitaille ’95 balance a successful equestrian career with her studies, Foxcroft’s Exceptional Proficiency (EP) Program allows students the opportunity to master a personal passion alongside their schooling. Participants must be in good academic standing and training at a professional level in their chosen discipline. With the support of teachers, trainers, and parents, Foxcroft girls have used the program to pursue dancing, musicianship, rock climbing, doula-training, and more.
Oak-Hill.net, 276-579-2619 Oak Hill’s commitment to holistic health is evident in its theme for the 2021-2022 school year: #WarriorWellness. Emphasizing emotional, spiritual, physical, and social well-being, OHA has also embraced the concept of social-emotional learning (SEL), which describes what happens in a classroom beyond the subject material. The school’s recent partnership with the JED Foundation, a nonprofit that specializes in the mental health of teens and young adults, underscores OHA’s commitment to promoting positive growth.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CRISTO REY
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t Cristo Rey, students hold jobs with an impressive list of companies through the school’s Corporate Work Study Program. “They attend classes four days,” says Corey Taylor, the school’s Principal and Chief Academic Officer, “and one day each week, they work for our corporate sponsors in an entry-level job.” Working for heavy-hitters like Allianz, Markel, Davenport & Co., Luck Stone, and Bon Secours—whose Mercy Ministry is the school’s religious sponsor—“opens their eyes to what’s possible,” says Taylor. Each company pays a sponsorship fee for a team of student workers, which covers a primary portion of student tuition. The remainder is paid through scholarships and a small contribution from the students’ families, who must meet the school’s low-income threshold. The Richmond school, which opened in the city’s museum district in 2019, is part of Christo Rey’s national network of 37 schools. Based in Chicago, Cristo Rey offers a college preparatory Catholic education to students in urban areas who could not otherwise afford to attend a private school. The school welcomes students of all faiths, or no faith. Many students had never dreamed of going to college, says Taylor. “We work with our scholars to get them to achieve at levels that they probably hadn’t before—and we spend a lot of time cultivating that mindset that they can aspire to something greater.” Taylor, a UCLA graduate, believes passionately in his students’ ability to succeed. “In the history of the Cristo Rey network, every single graduate of a Cristo Rey school has been accepted to college,” he says proudly. “And that’s not going to change on my watch.”
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EpiscopalHighSchool.org, 703-933-3000
Mouth of Wilson
This private school education comes with a corporate job.
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Alexandria
Oak Hill Academy
CRISTO REY RICHMOND
Virginia
Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School Potomac Shores
JPTheGreat.org, 703-445-0300 A new STEM program was introduced last fall at Saint Paul the Great Catholic High School. Partnering with the math and science departments, the program’s goal is to establish technology and engineering courses within a robust STEM curriculum. Currently, classes in introductory computer programming are offered, and those in robotics and software and app development will soon be introduced. The school is known for its emphasis on the ethical development of its students.
Shenandoah Valley Academy New Market
ShenandoahValleyAcademy.org, 540-740-3161 Shenandoah Valley Academy is a Seventh-day Adventist college-prep program with a mission to turn students into genuine thinkers.
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To encourage school spirit and support its athletic program, SVA launched a capital improvement campaign for its Zirkle Gymnasium. The project includes a north entrance and west side addition, new locker room facilities, a terrace to enhance student life, as well as infrastructure upgrades. Fundraising for the $2 million project is underway.
St. Margaret’s School Tappahannock
SMS.org, 804-443-3357 Located on the banks of the Rappahannock River, St. Margaret’s School has been a place for girls to learn, grow, and thrive for 100 years. The school offers boarding and day programs in grades 8–12 and a postgraduate program, THRIVE. Students gain strong academic skills, develop leadership abilities, and build character to prepare them for success. Grounded in Episcopal values, the school provides a welcoming, inclusive experience for girls from around the world.
Trinity Episcopal School Richmond
TrinityES.org, 804-272-5864 Donations from the Titan community allowed Trinity Episcopal School to add a new turf field in Aycock Stadium. The field will be shared by four athletic teams: field hockey, football, and boys and girls lacrosse. The new synthetic grass allows student-athletes the opportunity to hone their skills on a collegiate-level field while having the flexibility to play in all-weather conditions. The field is designed to drain quickly for practices to resume without rain delay.
Virginia Episcopal School Lynchburg
VES.org, 434-385-3600 Students in the Creative Writing Lab club at Virginia Episcopal School have an ongoing joint venture with residents at Westminster Canterbury retirement community in Lynchburg. Twice weekly, VES creative writers collaborate with WC residents to tell stories, write fiction, poetry, and personal essays, and share in intergenerational fellowship. The program celebrated its four-year anniversary in 2021 with an in-person pizza and dessert party, coming together again after months of Zoom meetings during the pandemic.
Woodberry Forest School Woodberry.org, 540-672-3900 Woodberry Forest’s Expedition Program gives students an opportunity to bond with classmates in an unlikely, off-campus locale: the wilderness of Jefferson National Forest. For four days in October, the group of freshmen and sophomores hiked, canoed, rock climbed, and slept in tents under the stars. Even spelunking in caves and swimming in cold mountain streams was on deck for the adventurous. The opportunity builds bonds, creates challenges, and reinforces the benefits of being outdoors.
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PRIVATE K-12 SCHOOLS Virginia
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FLYING HIGH
Students take to the skies with STEM Flights.
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Winchester-based nonprofit pairs middle and high school students with mentor pilots who take them up into the skies in a mission that connects with aviation and other STEM curriculum—all free to students. “Every STEM Flights mission involves a flight experience. For many students it is their first time not only in an aircraft but their first time visiting the local airport,” says Carley Walker, Director of Development for STEM Flights. Some students have been inspired to seek aviation or other STEM careers. For others, particularly those from underserved communities, simply a change of perspective is inspiring. “When they see the world from above the clouds, they realize their problems aren’t as big as they thought they were.” The program reaches students in 25 states, including those from public schools throughout Virginia and private schools including the Independent School of Winchester and Loudoun Country Day School. STEMFlights.org
Ad Fontes Academy Centreville
AdFontes.com, 571-348-0784 Ad Fontes seeks to develop students who take purposeful action for their classmates, younger students, neighbors, and the world. Upper School students assume substantive leadership roles within the school by creating and leading their own clubs and activities, as well as through the House System, a unique way in which students are grouped.
Amelia Academy Amelia
AmeliaAcademy.org, 804-561-2270 Amelia Academy’s mission is to educate by promoting the qualities of good character, leadership, scholarship, and service. The school challenges students at all academic levels and instills just, moral, and democratic values by providing experiences in responsibility, critical thinking, intellectual curiosity, creativity, leadership, decision making, and communication.
Atlantic Shores Christian School Chesapeake
PHOTO COURTESY OF MILLWOOD SCHOOL
ShoresChristian.org, 757-479-9598 Grounded in a commitment to Christian principles and academic excellence, Atlantic Shores challenges students both academically and spiritually. Since 1985, the school has served families from a multitude of Christian denominations in Hampton Roads.
Banner Christian School Richmond
BannerChristian.org, 804-276-5200 After 20 years at Bethany Place Baptist Church, Banner Christian School is finally
encouraged to grow academically and socially, where teachers are encouraged to focus on individual students.
Chelsea Academy Front Royal
ChelseaAcademy.org, 540-635-0622 In 2020 Chelsea Academy students’ scores on the Classic Learning Test—a college entrance exam alternative to the SAT—ranked Number 7 in the U.S. among the top 25 schools in the country that take the test. Chelsea Academy currently serves grades 4-12, but will add grades K-3 beginning in the fall of 2022.
Christ Chapel Academy Woodbridge
ChristChapelAcademy.org, 703-670-3822 Christ Chapel Academy’s goal to reach, teach, and unleash future world leaders is made possible by its unique multicultural and multi-denominational learning environment. In a globally connected world, CCA challenges its students by utilizing state-of-the-art technology tools, science labs, and multiple language learning opportunities.
moving into its new 122-acre campus in Chesterfield County. The new school facility will include classrooms for the lower, middle, and upper schools, a cafeteria, administrative offices, and a soccer field.
University and local community colleges and prides itself on instilling aesthetic, moral, ethical, and democratic values.
Collegiate School
Calvary Christian School
Teachers in the school’s music program receive training from legendary German composer, Carl Orff. The Orff Approach is based on the premise that students are better able to learn about music when their entire bodies are incorporated into the lesson. Collegiate’s students take an active role in their music education, learning to sing, dance, as well as play instruments.
Triangle
BASIS Independent McLean
Calvary-ChristianSchool.com, 703-221-2016
McLean
McLean.BasisIndependent.com, 703-854-1253 BASIS Independent McLean serves age 2– grade 12 and offers a rigorous liberal arts program and an advanced STEM curriculum. Located near Washington, D.C., this vibrant school community fosters discovery and connectivity. Seniors take a daily college counseling class alongside college-level capstone courses, and their year culminates in an off-campus research project or internship.
Broadwater Academy Exmore
BroadwaterAcademy.org, 757-442-9041 At Broadwater Academy, students in pre-kindergarten through Grade 12 are engaged in creative and critical thinking, nurtured in a student-centered learning environment and empowered to become confident, independent, and caring leaders. BA’s graduates demonstrate a sense of excellence, honor, responsibility, and a lifelong love of learning.
Brunswick Academy Lawrenceville
BrunswickAcademy.com, 434-848-2220 For nearly 60 years, Brunswick Academy has provided the students of south-central Virginia with a quality education by emphasizing high standards of instruction. The Academy offers dual enrollment classes at Liberty
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Calvary Christian School partners with Christian parents to provide an outstanding Christian education for students from kindergarten through high school. The school’s integrated curriculum places Biblical truth at the foundation for all academic instruction, extra-curricular activities, and social interaction. Emphasis is given to each student’s total development, including their personal commitment and service to Jesus Christ.
Cape Henry Collegiate School Virginia Beach
CapeHenryCollegiate.org, 757-481-2446 Cape Henry Collegiate has elevated the study of health sciences for students with the addition of an Anatomage Table, a virtual library of human and animal cadavers and the world’s most technologically advanced anatomy visualization system. Cape Henry Collegiate has integrated this tool which is utilized by top universities and medical schools, increasing the ability to study aspects of the human body to increase student engagement and retention of material.
Carlisle School Axton
CarlisleSchool.org, 276-632-7288 Small class sizes, a nurturing learning environment, and a challenging curriculum define the Carlisle School experience. Students are
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Richmond
Collegiate-Va.org, 804-740-7077
Commonwealth Academy Alexandria
Ca-Empowers.org, 703-548-6912 Commonwealth Academy embraces students of average to gifted intelligence who have ADHD, executive functioning challenges, and mild learning differences. In an inclusive, caring community, CA empowers students to thrive and discover their paths to excellence through small class sizes and specialized instruction.
Denbigh Baptist Christian School Newport News
DBCS.org, 757-249-2654 The mission of Denbigh Baptist Christian School is to educate the mind, nurture the soul, and shape the character of each student in a Christ-centered environment. DBCS provides an enriching Christian education, while maintaining the highest possible academic standards, offering an active physical education and athletic program and activities where students can interact in fellowship.
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Give us a call at 804.740.7077 | Co-Ed | JK-12th Grade | www.collegiate-va.org
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PRIVATE K-12 SCHOOLS Desmond T. Doss Christian Academy Lynchburg
DesmondTDoss.org, 434-237-1899 Small class sizes and a qualified, motivated, and spiritual staff combine to create a nurturing environment for students at Desmond T. Doss. A vibrant sports program includes competitive cross country and soccer teams, a gymnastics program, and recreational winter skiing.
Eastern Mennonite School Harrisonburg
EMHS.net, 540-236-6000 At the start of each school year, EMS elementary students explore questions like: How do we want to live together this year? and How will we care for our school and the environment? After brainstorming, students sign classroom agreements and the Peace Pledge, adapted from The Institute for Peace and Justice, inviting them to be respectful and courageous, communicate better, and listen.
Fishburne Military School Waynesboro
Fishburne.org, 540-946-7700
Virginia
WORLD SUPERPOWERS
Richmond’s Collegiate School hosts international conference.
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his fall, more than a dozen Collegiate School seniors will participate in the 12th annual International Emerging Leaders Conference (IELC). Founded by Collegiate School, the program began in 2010 to encourage collaboration and problem solving among high school students from various countries around the world. The program focuses on cross-cultural communication, global awareness, leadership development, and design-thinking to solve problems. The past few years due to the pandemic, students have met virtually to create solutions to real-world environmental issues facing their home countries. “We are really proud to be part of a program that continues to grow,” says Rhiannon M. Boyd, director of Collegiate’s JK-12 Capstones. “Students discuss environmental challenges impacting the citizens of their country and the economic impact that has. Environmental challenges are really human challenges.” Collegiate has formed reciprocal relationships with high schools in China, Ghana, India, Italy, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, South Africa, and Spain over the years. Approximately 42 students from eight countries attended last year, including 14 from Collegiate. “After the week-long conference, students leave with a mindset to think through challenges,” says Boyd. “Seeing the world through different experiences makes you better.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF COLLEGIATE SCHOOL
Fredericksburg Academy Fredericksburg
FredericksburgAcademy.org, 540-898-0020 With the knowledge that interacting with nature is key to children’s physical, emotional, and intellectual development, the faculty and administration at Fredericksburg Academy have cultivated a learning environment where outdoor spaces are viewed as classrooms,
Chatham
Hargrave.edu, 434-432-2481 Hargrave is committed to providing a robust athletic program alongside an academically rigorous instruction model. Commandant CWO3 Jason Rader summed up his expectations for Hargrave students this way, “Excellence in the classroom, on the field of competition, and across the campus.” The college-prep boarding school for young men in grades 7–12 strives to develop leaders of character by fostering mental, physical, and spiritual growth in the classroom and beyond.
Independent School of Winchester ISWVa.org, 540-877-5552
and where faculty develop lessons that regularly put students in touch with the natural world.
Fuqua School Farmville
FuquaSchool.com, 434-392-4131 The Fuqua School is adding to its STEM curriculum two aviation courses for students in the upper school. These courses are in cooperation with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, which works to prepare the next generation of aviation professionals. Projects are varied, leading students to diverse careers as private or drone pilots.
Greenbrier Christian Academy Chesapeake
for Learning Differences—Successful Techniques for Education Progress. Here, individualized programs are built into the student’s school calendar and designed for students who need extra support in language therapy, resources, and accountability.
Grove Christian School Richmond
GroveChristianSchool.com, 804-741-2860 Grove Christian School partners with Christian parents by providing a Christ-centered environment that integrates learning with biblical faith so that students can achieve God’s purpose for their lives—spiritually, intellectually, physically, and socially. The school was established in 1978 as a ministry of Grove Avenue Baptist Church.
Hampton Roads Academy
GCAGators.org, 757-547-9595 Greenbrier Christian Academy exists in support of the local church, partnering with Chesapeake parents to provide a Christ-centered education. In addition to its Christian-based curriculum, the school offers a STEP Center
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Hargrave Military Academy
Highland’s Michael A. Hughes Center for the Arts is one of the top performance and rehearsal facilities in the region with dedicated spaces for music, drama, and fine arts. The state-of-the-art space features The Rice Theater, the Lise Hicklin Black Box Theater, a dedicated art gallery, and studio spaces used to offer a variety of arts and music classes.
FlintHill.org, 703-584-2300
Fork Union Military Academy offers high-quality academics and athletics while instilling self-discipline, leadership, and Christian values. The Academy follows a One Subject Plan curriculum defined by five, seven-week grading periods during which students take one subject, with one teacher. This approach allows students to focus on and master challenging academic material.
nered with Alga Performance, a sports performance training facility, to provide on-campus performance and strength training to all varsity athletes looking to perform at the highest level.
HighlandSchool.org, 540-878-2700
Oakton
ForkUnion.com, 434-842-3212
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Flint Hill School
Fork Union Military Academy
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Highland School
Fishburne Academy met challenges of the global pandemic with the precision one would expect from the oldest military school for boys in Virginia. The school’s leadership prioritized keeping the Corps together for on-campus learning. Through thorough planning, communication, and campus-wide resolve, the Corps return to campus without a single case of Covid-19 reported during its first semester.
An independent, co-ed, college preparatory school, serving grades JK–12, Flint Hill School believes in redefining educational excellence. Teachers and staff empower students to ask questions like, “Imagine if?” and “What’s possible?” Students graduate with the emotional intelligence and critical thinking skills needed to take on a complex world, both in higher education and in the workforce.
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Newport News
HRA.org, 757-884-9100 A recent recipient of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Safe Sports School award, Hampton Roads Academy, has part-
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With a curriculum based on the work of progressive educators, the Independent School of Winchester fosters the development of confident, skilled students who embrace creativity in all its forms: writing, design, graphics, applied math, scientific innovation, visual arts, music, and theater.
Isle of Wight Academy Isle of Wight
IWAcademy.com, 757-357-3866 “A Family Inspiring Excellence” to over 650 students from preschool-grade 12, the Isle of Wight Academy offers a broad curriculum with AP and dual credit options and is rich with extracurricular opportunities. The school’s upcoming capital improvement plan will renovate all academic buildings on campus by in the summer of 2026.
Kenston Forest School Blackstone
Kenston.org, 434-292-7218 Teachers and administrators at Kenston welcome parental support and participation as part of the school’s overall philosophy. Parents are encouraged to be partners in their child’s education with the ultimate goal of creating a community in which parents and staff work together to help students succeed.
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PRIVATE K-12 SCHOOLS Liberty Christian Academy
North Cross School
LCABulldogs.com, 434-832-2000
NorthCross.org, 540-989-6641
At Liberty Christian Academy students can take Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment classes, pursue vocational credentials in CORE and carpentry, or participate in LCA’s award-winning theater program. Bulldog athletics recently became the only VHSL Region 3C school to win championships in football, basketball, and baseball in the same year.
Elizabeth Armistead Lemon ’95 will become North Cross’s ninth Head of School, effective July 2022. She is notably the first woman and first alumna to fill the role, succeeding current Head of School Christian J.Proctor, who has served the institution for 11 years. North Cross is an independent, nonsectarian, college-preparatory school that serves children from early childhood through twelfth grade, providing a competitively rigorous academic curriculum.
Lynchburg
Mountain View Christian Academy Winchester
MVCA.CCMV.com, 540-868-1231 Mountain View Christian Academy is celebrating 30 years of Christ-centered education. This year-long celebration will include a Colora-Thon, where families will walk around the campus praying for different needs around the world; it culminates in being showered in a rainbow of colors. Renovations are ongoing: third and fourth grade classes are being expanded while still maintaining small class sizes.
Nansemond-Suffolk Academy Suffolk
NSAcademy.org, 757-539-8789 Nansemond-Suffolk Academy is continuing to strengthen and expand health and wellness initiatives to benefit students. Cultivating an engaged, inclusive, and supportive student community is a priority and will be the focus as school leaders develop a new strategic plan to identify additional opportunities to further enhance the student experience at NSA.
New Covenant Schools Lynchburg
NewCovenantSchools.org, 434-847-8313 A long-awaited expansion to NCS’s Marie Macdonald Chapel will begin in June at New Covenant Schools, with a projected fall 2022 completion date. Founded in 1991, NCS is the region’s first classical Christian school of its kind.
Norfolk Academy
PHOTO COURTESY OF WAKEFIELD COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL
NorfolkAcademy.org, 757-461-6236 Sixth graders in an engineering class recently built their own hot air balloons. Students were studying density (D=M/V) and designed the balloons with the goal of trying to keep them airborne as long as possible. With approximately 1,200 students, Norfolk Academy is an independent, coeducational day school that strives to prepare students to become useful and responsible citizens.
Norfolk Collegiate School Norfolk
NorfolkCollegiate.org, 757-480-2885 In an effort to tie its lower school curriculum to relevant issues, Norfolk Collegiate has teamed up with Virginia Wesleyan University for “Shared Waters: An Upstream/Downstream Collaborative,” a project designed to teach students about local watershed issues and how their own actions can impact environmental health.
Roanoke
Oakcrest School Vienna
Oakcrest.org, 703-790-5450 A new athletic center planned for Oakcrest School will support the development of female athletes. The McGowan Family Athletic Center will feature seating for 260 spectators, hardwood floors, new locker rooms, five additional classrooms, and a weight training and fitness room.
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Seton School Manassas
SetonSchool.net, 703-368-3220 Seton is a private, co-educational school dedicated to promoting the traditions of a Catholic education. In addition to a robust academic curriculum, Seton provides a variety of family-centered social activities to show the joy of Catholic living. Sports, dances, Christmas caroling, picnics, and play foster Christian community in a secular culture.
Southampton Academy Courtland
SouthamptonAcademy.org, 757-653-2512 The student experience at Southampton Academy includes a diverse range of curricula, extracurricular activities, and opportunities
to bond as a community. The school offers many options for students to choose from, making them directly involved in designing their own educational path.
St. Anne’s-Belfield School Charlottesville
STAB.org, 434-296-5106 With a goal of making computer science accessible to all, St. Anne’s-Belfield created a program that is integrated across all grade levels, spans all disciplines, and focuses on project-based learning and problem-solving. Through its SPARK! Hackathon program, students work with industry experts to solve real-world problems through technology.
OakTree Academy Virginia Beach
Polo practice at Liberty Hall Equestrian Center.
OakTreeAcademy.org, 757-248-9560 OakTree Academy exists to love and glorify God, to support Hampton Roads parents, promote strong families, and to help students reach their full potential. The importance of family is a key component of the school’s philosophy. Students are taught from a biblical worldview in creative classroom environments in a “family-like” atmosphere.
Randolph-Macon Academy Front Royal
RMA.edu, 540-636-5200 Randolph-Macon Academy has partnered with Silent Falcon UAS Technologies in Front Royal, manufacturers of unmanned aircraft systems for security, military, and commercial purposes. Through the school’s Unmanned Systems Lab, R-MA students in the program will gain first-hand knowledge of how drones and drone-based data collection can be used in community management and addressing business, environmental, and economic challenges, as well as the use of AI data collection and analysis solutions.
HORSEPLAY
Richmond Academy Richmond
Wakefield Country Day School launches a polo program.
RASDA.org, 804-784-0036 Richmond Academy is an accredited PreK-12 school with a 100+ year tradition of educating the whole child. Following its mission to provide a Christian education, the school provides a college-preparatory curriculum where faith and academics have been successfully integrated through a holistic approach of educating the mind, body, and spirit.
W
akefield Country Day School (WCDS) in Rappahannock County has established a polo team, one of just three of its kind in the country. Daniel and Sarah Coleman, school parents and owners of Liberty Hall Equestrian Center, will lead the program. The couple has played polo for 15 years, and Daniel Coleman is a former member of the prestigious U.S. Polo Association Board of Governors. “Virginia is horse country, so the kids are familiar with horseback riding but haven’t played polo before,” says Sarah Coleman. “Our goal is for every rider to be ready to play at the college level.” While polo may not be as mainstream as other sports, it’s actually the world’s oldest team sport, dating back to 6 B.C. “With polo, students are learning everything about handling and caring for horses, while also improving hand-eye coordination, communication, leadership skills, and self-control,” says Coleman.
Roanoke Catholic School Roanoke
RoanokeCatholic.com, 540-982-3532 In a recent collaboration with Commonwealth Catholic Charities, Roanoke Catholic School’s fall 2021 fundraiser to support Afghan refugees in Virginia shattered expectations, with more than double the projected goal raised.
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Funds will be used to purchase children’s backpacks and other necessities for families who were forced to flee their homeland. Grade-level competitions and an out-of-uniform day encouraged participation.
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PRIVATE K-12 SCHOOLS PROGRESSIVE PRINCIPALS Independent School of Winchester develops custom curriculum.
W
hen Dr. Claire McDonald and her husband, Bob, moved to Winchester in 2006, they saw a need for a progressive school in the area. Both had extensive backgrounds in education and decided to establish the Independent School of Winchester. “Kids are extremely capable and want to learn—they just need the right set of circumstances,” says Dr. Claire McDonald, Head of School. “We’ve read a lot of work by the progressive thinkers but rather than hang our hat on one, we’ve incorporated many philosophies.” For instance, the school uses multi-age classrooms like Montessori, a student-centered approach like Reggio-Emilia, and experiential learning like Rudolph Steiner. There’s also a traditional, college-prep component. About 50-60 students are enrolled in the K-12 school. Older students help younger ones, and all learn at their own pace and are encouraged to take on new challenges. In 2018, the campus moved to a seven-acre farm. “Students are outside every day,” says McDonald. “Our outdoor stage and natural playground inspire imaginative and nature-based play.” On Fridays, visiting organizations lead lessons on a variety of topics, including cartography, yoga, music, and pottery. “It really just brings everything to life,” says McDonald. Art class.
St. Catherine’s School
comes with the growth of the StoneBridge student body to approximately 400 students.
St.Catherines.org, 804-288-2804
Stuart Hall School
Richmond
In January 2021, St. Catherine’s broke ground on the new Arts and Innovation Center, which will feature a 550-seat, two-story theater with three lighting catwalks, sound booth, scene shop, and creativity lab. The Arts and Innovation Center will also include space for visual art galleries.
St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School Alexandria
PHOTO COURTESY OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OF WINCHESTER
SSSAS.org, 703-751-2700 With lower, middle, and upper school campuses in Alexandria, St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School lives by its mission to help students succeed in a complex and changing world. The school’s philosophy inspires a passion for learning, an enthusiasm for athletic and artistic endeavors, a longing for excellence, a celebration of diversity, and a commitment to service.
StoneBridge School Chesapeake
StoneBridgeSchool.com, 757-488-2214 Since 2015, StoneBridge School has been improving and expanding its campus to accommodate growing enrollment. The school has renovated the gymnasium, remodeled the front entrance, and added a parking lot. A two-story upper school building, now under construction, will feature 10 classrooms. This expansion
Staunton
StuartHallSchool.org, 540-885-0356 Stuart Hall School and Heifetz International Music Institute have partnered to provide Crescendo, a pioneering college-preparatory and music mastery program. In addition to core academic classes, daily activities include private lessons, chamber music study, studio classes, and multimedia training. Also part of the curriculum, masterclasses with world-renowned faculty and performance opportunities.
Tandem Friends School Charlottesville
TandemFS.org, 434-296-1303 Eighth-grade English students at Tandem Friends recently researched possible career paths. Students picked a wide variety of jobs and then found an adult to interview via a teacher-initiated Google Meet. The students then held a job fair for 7th graders. Each 8th grader set up a desk with an informative flier depicting the position they researched along with information on what the job entails.
The Carmel School Ruther Glen
TheCarmelSchool.org, 804-448-3288 At this independent private school for boys
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Virginia
and girls in JK-12th grade, a Christian-values approach helps children build character and knowledge. Small class sizes provide individual attention to fosters each child’s gifts. To accommodate expanding enrollment, construction on additional lower school classrooms was recently completed, as well as a new upper school gym and fine arts center.
The Covenant School Charlottesville
CovenantSchool.org, 434-220-7329 The Covenant School is a community of scholars that, from the earliest learner to the graduating senior, asks What kind of person do you want to be? and What kind of life do you want to live? Offered in a comprehensive, Christ-centered program, Covenant students are prepared to make connections and shape the world around them. This coeducational day school is committed to teaching the next generation to live well from pre-K-Grade 12.
The Fairfax Christian School
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2022 Virginia Beach Friends School Virginia Beach
VbfSchool.org, 757-428-7534 Friends School’s “FRIENDship Rock” initiative allows students to explore social and emotional learning by spreading messages of kindness throughout the Virginia Beach community. Children at the school paint colorful rocks that include words of encouragement and leave their creations in parks, at playgrounds, or on the beach. Each rock is signed #VBFS, to identify that it came from the kind hearts of the children at Friends School.
Dulles
Wakefield Country Day School
Fairfax-Christian-School.com, 703-759-5100
Huntly
WCDSVa.org, 540-551-2488
The varsity boy’s basketball team at the Fairfax Christian School has amassed more than 60 wins in two years, along with conference championships in Divisions 2 and 3. The school’s student-athletes excel in the classroom as well. Players are coached on and off the court to develop well-rounded academic and life skills from a biblical worldview.
Wakefield Country Day School has launched a $2.5 million capital campaign to coincide with the celebration of its 50th anniversary in 2022. Funds raised will go towards enhanced scholarship opportunities for students, an endowment fund, revitalization of WCDS’s 12acre campus and facilities, and development opportunities for faculty.
The New School of Northern Virginia
Wakefield School
Fairfax
WakefieldSchool.org, 540-253-7500
NewSchoolVa.com, 703-691-3040
Wakefield School has begun construction on the George L. Ohrstrom Jr. Theater & Auditorium. The project will include a proscenium stage, set and costume shops, wig space, and acoustic modifications. The theater’s 2022 opening is set to coincide with the school’s 50th anniversary celebration.
The New School is perhaps best thought of as a middle/high school version of a liberal arts college, with students experiencing a mix of freedom and academic challenge. With an average class size of 10 and teachers and students on a first-name basis, students at the New School are required to think critically and creatively.
The Steward School Richmond
StewardSchool.org, 804-740-3394 The Center for Engagement was launched in the fall at Steward School, thanks to an E.E. Ford Foundation Grant. In a cohesive approach, the center unites the school’s health and wellness program; the diversity, equity, and inclusion program; and the community life program. The center will address how to best serve the social and emotional needs of students and emphasize community responsibility.
Trinity Christian School Fairfax
TCSFairfax.org, 703-273-8787 To set students up for success, Trinity Christian School has incorporated a Study Skills class to prepare 7th and 8th grade students for the rigor of upper school classes. Each class begins with the introduction of an executive function skill, such as time management and note-taking. Students practice these skills during remaining class time. Student improvement and parental approval demonstrate the program’s effectiveness.
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The Plains
Walsingham Academy Williamsburg
Walsingham.org, 757-229-6026 A pre-K through grade 12, coeducational, Catholic-based independent school, Walsingham Academy was founded by the Sisters of Mercy on the principal values of compassion and service, Walsingham offers an engaging academic experience to students of all faiths. Students benefit from a high-powered, holistic education thanks to its transformative teaching practices and a caring faculty.
Williamsburg Christian Academy Williamsburg
WilliamsburgChristian.org, 757-220-1978 In 2021, Williamsburg Christian Academy became the first evangelical Christian school in the United States to be approved as an International Baccalaureate (IB) Organization Diploma Program. The two-year IB program at WCA combines rigorous college-prep with self-management and a well-rounded education. In 2022, WCA also anticipates becoming a K-12 IB continuum school with primary and middle year programs.
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Discover what makes Covenant unique
admissions@covenantschool.org |434.220.7330
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PRIVATE K-8 SCHOOLS Anna Julia Cooper School Richmond
AJCSchool.org, 804-822-6610 Grades 2-8 Anna Julia Cooper School is an independent, faith-based institution, providing full-tuition scholarships to students of limited economic resources from Richmond’s East End. Recently, the school’s 6th-8th grade students moved into a brand new middle school and gymnasium, conveniently located across the street from the existing lower school, creating space to welcome 2nd and 3rd graders. Expansion plans should wrap up in late 2022 when the new kindergarten and 1st grade spaces are completed.
Aylett Country Day School Millers Tavern
ACDSPatriots.net, 804-443-3214 PreK-Grade 8 Founded in 1966 and situated on 18-acres in Essex County, students at Aylett Country Day School embrace learning in a creative, nurturing environment. Field experiences through Aylett’s outdoor program provide learning experiences about the Chesapeake Bay and its surrounding watershed and focus on the importance of good stewardship of this vital resource. Additionally, students are given opportunities to explore the Rappahannock River by roundstern, kayak on local waterways, and garden oysters to supplement their classroom research.
structures were installed, and a farm-to-table project was launched, which brought four egg-laying hens to campus. Students tend the hens, and families take turns receiving eggs for a contribution, which is donated to a local food bank.
Congressional School Falls Church
CongressionalSchool.org, 703-533-9711 Infant-Grade 8 The Congressional School provides an inspirational and challenging student-centered educational experience within its diverse and supportive community where children question, collaborate, create, and lead. The school’s goal is to ignite the spark in young learners who will positively impact the world. Congressional horses are an integral part of the school’s academic and recreational culture. A herd lives on campus and is used for learning opportunities and the Congressional Riding Academy.
Field School of Charlottesville
Gesher Jewish Day School Fairfax
GESHER-JDS.org, 703-978-9789 JK-Grade 8 Gesher Jewish Day School, now celebrating its 40th year, is a community school offering every kind of Jewish family space to learn through joy. The new Marc Shichman Memorial Playlab was dedicated in June 2021 and offers a special place for young students (Jr.K1) to learn through play. From the sandbox to the water painting easels, opportunities for self-guided play abound and give growing minds the freedom to choose activities that interest them.
Good Shepherd Episcopal School
FieldSchoolCv.net, 434-923-3435 Boys, Grades 5-8 Field School of Charlottesville, a private, middle school for boys, is committed to developing well-rounded students of character and accomplishment. The school’s curriculum is designed to address the academic, social,
Richmond
GSES.org, 804-231-1452 K-Grade 8 The Nature Preschool at Good Shepherd Episcopal School opened last fall under the direction of Sarah Sinclair. This outdoors-only, nature-based preschool (with indoor breaks
BrowneAcademy.org, 703-960-3000 PreK-Grade 8
PHOTO COURTESY OF VASTS
Christopher Academy is a grade school with creative hands-on learning where students are encouraged to explore the world around them. The school celebrates outdoor play and innovative and relevant learning opportunities. Recently, several new playground
Alexandria
GraceSchoolAlex.org, 703-549-5067 Age 3-Grade 5 To recognize the needs of working professionals and parents who strive to balance child care and their careers and lives, Grace Episcopal School offers its 365 program, which provides families with a continuum of care beyond the school day. Grace 365 offers a flexible structure, safe supervision, and fun before and after school through extended opportunities, and its extended care, enrichment clubs, and vacation clubs give students more opportunities to learn, grow, and play together.
Green Hedges School
GrymesSchool.org, 540-672-1010 PreK-Grade 8
AFTER-SCHOOL STRINGS
Congressional School partners with D.C. Strings.
A
n after-school program at Congressional School in Falls Church is introducing students in grades 1-3 to violin, viola, and cello. Musicians from the D.C. Strings Workshop, a performing arts nonprofit, are making the music lessons possible. “It’s been a great partnership so far,” says Dr. Edwin Gordon, Head of School and a violinist himself. “The teachers are very careful, very flexible. They know how to manage a group of young people who have been in school all day and are staying for after school lessons when they could be outside playing.” Gordon is working with Gary Padmore, the New York Philharmonic’s Director of Education and serves on the philharmonic’s Education Committee, to develop a middle school orchestra at the school—“a natural progression from the lessons,” he says. The teachers choose music that appeals to children, says Gordon, who enjoys sitting in on the classes. He recalls the moment a child heard a familiar song in cello class that she had previously played on the recorder. “This young lady happened to say, ‘I know that song!’ She got so excited when she recognized that they were learning the actual notes to it. For her, it was an ‘a-ha’ moment.”
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Grace Episcopal School
Orange
Irvington
Christopher-Academy.org, 757-484-6776 PreK-Grade 5
for rest time and inclement weather) combines high-quality early childhood learning with exposure to an environmental education. Good Shepherd’s new venture is certified by the Eastern Region Association of Forest and Nature Schools, the American Forest Kindergarten Association, and the North American Association of Environmental Education.
Grymes Memorial School
Chesapeake Academy
Portsmouth
2022
At Green Hedges School, children get the nurturing, personal attention, and guidance they need to thrive. The curriculum emphasizes excellence in core subjects, community service, and learning by doing. Leadership, experiential learning, and world languages are emphasized, and robust programs in drama, music, and visual arts are also offered.
Browne Academy has a long-standing music program that offers classes for all its students. Lower school students receive instruction in singing, note reading, pitched and unpitched percussion, and recorder. Middle school students strengthen their notation reading skills using their singing voice and study music technology, music theory, improvisation, and composition. Browne’s music faculty regularly collaborates with teachers of other subjects on cross-curricular projects.
Christopher Academy
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GreenHedges.org, 703-938-8323 Preparatory: Grades 1-8 Montessori: Age 2-K
Alexandria
A small, independent school in the Northern Neck, Chesapeake Academy provides a safe and nurturing environment for students to develop academically, emotionally, and socially. CA partners with local and global organizations to broaden students’ experiential education. The campus contains a Nature Trail and Outdoor Classroom, and its Arts & Innovation Hub and James Library create an integrated space for robotics, coding, digital arts, and video and audio production.
Living
Vienna
Browne Academy
ChesapeakeAcademy.org, 804-438-5575 PreK-Grade 8
Virginia
physical, and emotional growth of boys during this critically important time of adolescence. It includes interactive and hands-on learning, regular field trips, daily physical activity, challenging academic courses, collaborative partnerships with parents, and an engaged, knowledgeable, and supportive faculty.
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Now in its 75th year, Grymes Memorial School is an independent day school situated on a 42-acre campus overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains in historic Orange. Its mission is to build curious, analytical, and tenacious thinkers through a thoughtfully designed curriculum rich in opportunities that invite exploration of more than just core subjects. Grymes students also study Spanish, creative writing, Singapore Math, drama, public speaking, technology, visual arts, and music.
James River Day School Lynchburg
JRDS.School, 434-384-7385 K-Grade 8 Celebrating 50 years of excellence, James River Day School offers the premiere K-8 education in the Lynchburg area. Students absorb world languages beginning in kindergarten, character education is integrated into daily curriculum, and children are encouraged to play. Deep attachments are formed here, as the school lives by its mission to cherish children while challenging them to become scholars, leaders, and citizens.
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Watch them grow at Sabot.
Grades PK-8 Excellence - Civility Integrity - Respect Service Boyce, VA powhatanschool.org
Small classrooms, experienced faculty and stimulating curriculum. Sabot is where innate curiosity, collaboration, and learning collide and where learning is a lasting experience. Visit us to discover a different approach to your child’s education. sabotatstonypoint.org/welcome
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PRIVATE K-8 SCHOOLS Loudoun Country Day School Leesburg
LCDS.org, 703-777-3841 PreK-Grade 8 Loudoun Country Day School strives to nurture curiosity, inspire natural inquisitiveness, and keep that awe alive in developing young minds. The school’s Garden Lab demonstrates a commitment to experiential learning opportunities. Whether observing the life cycle of a sunflower seed, harvesting a colonial crop, or helping monarch butterflies with milkweed, students enjoy a myriad of hands-on activities where each grade-level garden plot is fertile ground for academic growth as students collaborate on cross-curricular projects.
Montessori School of Northern Virginia Annandale and Falls Church
Open to new ideas, experiences, and people; remain Resilient and courageous when confronted with challenges and adversity; and be Engaged as citizens of the world.
Powhatan School Boyce
PowhatanSchool.org, 540-837-1009 PreK-Grade 8 Learning for life is Powhatan School’s signature motto and its Winter Tuesday program illustrates the school’s commitment to educational experiences that inspire passion, curiosity, and creativity. On- and off-campus opportunities are a part of Winter Tuesday, which includes Ski Tuesday, a ski-snowboarding program, and Winter Blitz, where students can immerse themselves in activities not typical of a school day—board games, cooking classes, bowling, zip lining, as well as participation in music, dance, creative writing, and art.
MSNV.org, 703-256-9577 Ages 2-12
Sabot at Stony Point
The front entryway of the Montessori School of Northern Virginia’s Hillbrook campus in Annandale underwent an extensive renovation during the summer of 2021. The renovation provides better coverage for staff and students from the weather’s harsh elements and introduces natural light to the entranceway. It also incorporates the icons of the school’s logo and effortlessly captures MSNV’s love for nature with the curved wooden benches and vaulted wood ceiling.
SabotAtStonyPoint.org, 804-272-1341 Age 2-Grade 8
Orchard House School Richmond
OrchardHouse.org, 804-228-2436 Girls, Grade 5-8 Orchard House girls emerge as confident, capable leaders and citizens who are well-prepared to make positive contributions to the world around them. The school’s C.O.R.E. program, at the heart of its mission, helps students make Connections in their own thought processes and in interactions with others; be
Richmond
Sabot at Stony Point, in the midst of a $4.5 million building project, has plans to move lower/middle school students to its new learning spaces this fall. The new building allows growth and resources to enhance its programs. In an environment that supports co-construction, collaboration, and respectful exchange, students are continually challenged to become effective communicators and disciplined thinkers, capable of solving problems in an increasingly complex world.
Strelitz International Academy Virginia Beach
StrelitzInternationalAcademy.org, 757-424-4327 Infant-Grade 5
what they are good at, identify where they can grow, and make changes where they can—all in a constructive manner. Parents are encouraged to help develop students who are reflective by taking time to review their child’s report cards, discuss the results, and set goals. This establishes a meaningful dialogue between the parent and child and “looks back in order to grow forward.”
Sullins Academy Bristol
SullinsAcademy.org, 276-669-4101 PreK-Grade 8
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2022 The Langley School McLean
LangleySchool.org, 703-356-1920 PreK-Grade 8 The Langley School’s inquiry-based curriculum encourages curiosity in a hands-on, collaborative, and imaginative environment that engages students intellectually, socially, and emotionally. The school’s “We Are Langley: The Next Generation Campaign” seeks to construct a state-of-the-art learning center to support its continually evolving program. The new Crossroads Building, with flexible, light-filled spaces designed in partnership with teachers, will encourage spontaneity and resilience, group work and individual investigation, blue-sky dreams, and real-world innovations.
The Hill School
The Williams School
TheHillSchool.org, 540-687-5897 JK-Grade 8
TheWilliamsSchool.org, 757-627-1383 K-Grade 8
Middleburg
The Hill School values community and total education, with each student being meaningfully and simultaneously engaged in a challenging core academic program and a broad co-curricular program including art, music, athletics, and theater. Students explore their areas of interest and passions as well as new possibilities. Hill’s philosophy is that when home and school work are coordinated, children become increasingly self-motivated and confident, maximizing their growth and development academically, socially, emotionally, artistically, and athletically.
Norfolk
The Williams School’s small class sizes, flexible school schedule, and vibrant community produce globally minded, independent thinkers prepared to succeed in an ever-changing world. By offering meaningful opportunities to enhance global awareness, cross-cultural experiences, and interdisciplinary connections, the school fosters student growth and learning. Its OWL program—Our Wider Learning—provides students with opportunities to engage with local, national, and global communities, many of which are in the dynamic Hampton Roads region.
Ware Academy
The Strelitz philosophy is to encourage students to reflect. Reflective students know
Gloucester
WareAcademy.org, 804-693-3825 Age 3-Grade 8
Hands-on approach at Bristol’s Sullins Academy leads to student success.
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PHOTO COURTESY OF SULLINS ACADEMY
Living
Sullins Academy’s SOAR program—Student Opportunities for Academics and Recreation—allows children to grow through the all-important relationships they form alongside their peers with student-centered activities available during the afternoon. In a “home away from home” environment, students can make new friends, strengthen old bonds, tackle homework, and participate in a wide variety of activities, from outdoor games and science experiments to art projects and opportunities to build math and literacy skills.
UPPER HAND
ounded in 1966 in Bristol as the Episcopal Day School, Sullins Academy later changed its name when it relocated to the 33-acre campus of Sullins College, once a junior college for women. Today, Sullins Academy is known for its differentiated instruction and student-centered approach. “Our ratio of students to teachers is 10 to 1, and because of our small class sizes, we’re able to meet the unique needs of each learner, whatever level they are,” says Sullins Academy Headmaster Roy Designing and Vermillion. building boats. “We take a hands-on approach to education,” Vermillion continues. “Our children are kinesthetic-learners—they’re not only hearing, but they’re seeing, touching, and manipulating the actual materials.” Students may enroll in preschool as early as three-years-old and continue through eighth grade. They are encouraged to take accelerated classes, and when they move on to high school, many have completed Spanish 1 and Spanish 2, as well as algebra and geometry. Vermillion says Sullins Academy also emphasizes the creative side of learning. “Learners need a variety of different opportunities,” he says. “We want them to mold, make, and create things. Art and music are very important.” Students may take voice and piano lessons during the day so they don’t interfere with other extracurricular activities after school. “It’s really a special place and extraordinary in so many ways,” he says. “And much of that is due to the commitment of our educators.”
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Ware Academy recently adopted a SocialEmotional Learning curriculum, which focuses on self and social awareness, relationship management, and decision making. It promotes the school’s character education program and mission to educate the whole child and support the well-being of both students and staff. To support this new curriculum, students and staff select color-coded wristbands associated with feelings to reinforce self-awareness, self-management, and social awareness.
Westminster School Annandale
WestminsterSchool.com, 703-256-3620 PreK-Grade 8 Westminster School provides an advanced academic program based on a classical curriculum with the added benefit of daily athletics, field trips, and a focus on the arts. Westminster also strives to develop exceptionally well-informed and well-rounded students. In addition to regular studies, the school chooses a curriculum-spanning theme for each school year where teachers and students dive into a variety of worldly topics. The 2021-2022 theme is “Changemakers.”
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prepares students to graduate
Every child, every day, whatever it takes!
Are you?
college, career and citizen-ready! Magnet and Specialty Programs Service Learning Career and Technical Education
• Providing all students K-12 learning opportunities to build career awareness • Transforming the traditional high school experience • Preparing all students for careers, linking ACADEMIES academic courses to college majors and PATHWAYS career sectors • Partnering with College, Career workforce, business and Life-Ready! and industry
See the world differently.
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Visit us online or follow us on social media.
www.nnschools.org
www.hampton.k12.va.us | 757-727-2000 One Franklin Street, Hampton, VA 23669
nnschools
The Eyewear Vault 703-443-6410 @EyetopiaInc
223 Loudoun St. SE Downtown Leesburg, VA
NURTURING THE WHOLE CHILD
Dedicated to developing academic and leadership talent in STEM and Scientific Research for gifted high school students located in the Hampton Roads region.
Vikki Wismer, Director 757-766-1100 ext. 3313 520 Butler Farm Road, Hampton, VA 23666 www.nhrec.org/gsst
Named Virginia’s Top High School 9 years running Visit RichmondCatholicSchools.org to learn more.
DISCOVER THE DIFFERENCE
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PUBLIC SCHOOLS Alleghany County Public Schools Alleghany.K12.Va.US, 540-863-1800 The library of Sharon Elementary School in Clifton Forge has been selected as one of 300 libraries to participate in Libraries Transforming Communities: Focus on Small and Rural Libraries. The $3,000 grant from the American Library Association has allowed school librarian Lia Fisher-Janosz to grow the library’s collection and implement a program with monthly themes that aim to reach out to the school community to build and foster literacy.
Amelia County Public Schools Amelia.K12.Va.US, 804-561-2621 Amelia County Public Schools have embarked on the Learning Enhancement Initiative (LEI) to address pandemic learning loss. Not only does LEI engage students in creative activities, it encourages after-school, at-home, and summer-learning opportunities. LEI’s after-school programs include fun and engaging clubs and camps designed to sharpen critical thinking skills. Staff, faculty, and extracurricular leaders aim to foster individual student growth and rigorous learning and to promote emotional and social wellness.
Chesapeake Bay Governor’s School for Marine and Environmental Science Bowling Green, Glenns, Warsaw CBGS.K12.Va.US, 804-443-0267 Hands-on learning is a signature component of the program at The Chesapeake Bay Governor’s School for Marine and Environmental Science. This emphasis on field study presented its own set of challenges during the pandemic. Immersive projects were adapted to day trips, allowing students to continue their senior research projects. CBGS students engage in a two-year research process in which they design and implement their own study and share their findings at a schoolwide spring symposium.
Goochland County Public Schools GoochlandSchools.org, 804-556-5630 Goochland County Public Schools are connecting students with work-based learning opportunities thanks to a partnership with Greenswell Growers. The collaboration means assistance with curriculum development as well as real-world experience for students at this cutting-edge, green industry leader. Greenswell is an innovative large-scale grower of healthy greens, and their new hydroponic facility will significantly reduce its carbon footprint and water consumption. Student interns will get a front-row seat to an agricultural and ecological game-changer.
PHOTO COURSEY OF MELISSA EDMONDS
Hampton City Schools Hampton.K12.Va.US, 757-727-2000 Hampton City Schools students learn realworld skills at the Academies of Hampton Summer Business Institute, an annual realworld business challenge where students design and develop a solution to a specific business challenge through collaboration and research. Each learning experience aligns with the academic and technical curriculum of its related field. Student teams work directly with
an assigned employer to learn more about business processes and apply academy skills to complete industry-specific challenges.
Lunenburg County Public Schools LunenburgCountySchools.org, 434-676-2467 Lunenburg County Public Schools found a major ally in the bus drivers who stepped in to fill various roles during the twists and turns of the pandemic. While most municipalities were struggling to find ways to transport students, LCPS bus drivers rose to the challenge, dispensing meals during the school system’s virtual learning phase and working well into the evening hours to ensure all children were safely delivered home and accounted for.
New Horizons Governor’s School for Science and Technology Hampton
Roanoke County Public Schools RCPS.US, 540-562-3900 Teachers at Roanoke County Public Schools work to help students do more than just learn—pupils get an engaging and purposeful education. In 2021, RCPS was deemed a “School Division of Innovation” by the Virginia Department of Education, one of the first in the Commonwealth. They are also implementing a nationwide program called Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. PBIS is an evidence-based prevention and intervention program that supports students’ academic, social, emotional, and behavioral competence.
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Living
Top Schools & universities
2022 Waynesboro Public Schools Waynesboro.K12.Va.US, 540-946-4600 This school year, Westwood Hills Elementary collaborated with students to come up with “What I Need” time—WIN for short. WIN time is used to tackle social and emotional stresses as well as the usual academic ones that students might have. Waynesboro High School similarly added “Flex Block,” which prioritizes giving students time to make up credits that are needed toward graduation. It also helps 9th graders acclimate to the high school experience.
NHREC.org/GSST, 757-766-1100 The Governor’s School for Science and Technology publishes an annual Science Research Journal to highlight the diversity and accomplishments of senior mentorship students’ work in the medical, engineering, computer science, social science, biological, and chemical fields. All students take a junior-year course in Research Methods and Ethics before designing and conducting a year-long research or engineering design project during their senior year, the results of which appear in the annual report.
Building with LEGO Spike Prime sets.
Newport News Public Schools NNSchools.org, 757-591-4500 Engineering 4 US All (E4USA) is a national pilot program for high school students that introduces engineering design principles to school teachers and students. Woodside High School is the program’s newest partner, and this fall, the school will collaborate with Hampton University to offer the organization’s design-based introductory engineering course to its students. E4USA emphasizes diversity and inclusion, encouraging female and minority students to participate and consider further study and careers in engineering.
BUILDING UP
Lego Master Educator Melissa Edmonds uses iconic plastic bricks to teach gifted students.
I
t’s easy to find Melissa Edmonds’s classroom: Just follow the sound of clicking LEGOs. A gifted education resource teacher at Kyle R. Wilson Elementary School in Woodbridge, Edmonds is one of Virginia’s first LEGO Master Educators. “I think LEGOs are important learning tools because of the opportunities for student choice, problem-solving, and creativity,” she says. Edmonds was selected as one of the first 100 LEGO Master Educators in 2018. She’s now among about 250 teachers worldwide to receive the designation. “I was most excited about the opportunity to give input about the plans for future sets and lessons,” she says, adding, “The kids were pretty excited, too, but I think they were thinking ‘Master Builder’ like they see on TV.” Edmonds also coaches the school’s robotics team, which participates in the FIRST LEGO League. “So far, we haven’t entered any of the FLL competitions. We prefer to focus on the coding and the experience,” she says. Generous donations through DonorsChoose allowed her to purchase several sets of LEGO Spike Prime, which offers new building elements and hardware, intuitive drag-and-drop coding language based on Scratch, and text-based coding with Python. “LEGO Spike Prime is the latest and greatest in the LEGO Education world. I’m thrilled to be using them with my students.” Edmonds’s other sets include LEGO StoryStarter, which students use to build a scene and then write a story about it; LEGO Simple and Powered Machines; and LEGO WeDO, which allows younger students with the ability to build and code things that move, make sounds, and light up. “Oh, and of course, I have a giant tub of regular LEGOs for whatever else we want to do.”
Prince William County Public Schools PWCS.edu, 703-791-7200 Prince William County’s newest high school, Gainesville High School will serve as home to the new Pathways to Global Citizenship program, designed to encourage students to identify and engage with topics of global significance while developing and refining skills in critical thinking, evaluation, and synthesis of ideas. Students in the program will select a preferred academic pathway, intended to ensure that all students have a rigorous academic experience commensurate with their interests and academic goals.
Richmond Public Schools RVASchools.net, 804-780-7710 Nearly 200 Richmond Public Schools educators have received training through the Arts Integrated Learning Certificate program in the School of Professional & Continuing Studies at the University of Richmond. The Partners
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in the Arts program (which was awarded a $1.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education in 2017) focuses on improving instructional practice and connecting educators and students to the region’s vibrant arts and cultural community.
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SPECIAL NEEDS SCHOOLS Virginia
SOMETHING SPECIAL
Top Schools & universities
Virginia receives $1 million federal boost to retain special education teachers.
W
ith national teacher shortages, nowhere is the pinch felt more than in the field of special education. But help is on the way. Last July, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) received a $1 million grant from the Office of Special Education Programs, a division of the U.S. Department of Education, to reduce turnover and promote the retention of special education teachers. “Special education has been the Commonwealth’s most pressing critical shortage area for 15 consecutive years,” says James Lane, Superintendent of Public Instruction, VDOE. “Keeping special educators on board is even more critical now,” he says, as reopened schools “address the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, especially on students with disabilities and other vulnerable learners.” Virginia has 174,638 students with disabilities such as speech-language deficits, dyslexia, autism, traumatic brain injuries, and health and orthopedic impairments.
Bear Creek Academy Cumberland
BearCreekAcademy.org, 804-492-9940 The Personal Empowerment Program (PEP) at Bear Creek Academy gives students the opportunity to build self-worth and internalize positive behaviors. Depending upon grade levels, students may earn from three to nine patches signifying important milestones in their personal growth. Each patch brings with it privileges and responsibilities. Students earn their patches by following school expectations and accomplishing personal goals. Therapeutic advocates and teachers collaborate to address the needs of behaviorally challenged students.
Boys Home of Virginia Covington
BoysHomeOfVa.org, 540-965-7700 Boys Home of Virginia is dedicated to helping young men ages 6-17 become productive members of society. Staff members help students develop their full potentials spiritually, mentally, physically, and socially in the school’s beautiful rural setting. Open 365 days a year, the school endeavors to lead and mentor each young man in its care. Students typically come from homes impacted by poverty, addictions, incarceration, or adoptive settings that have become challenging.
enCircle Minnick Schools Bristol, Harrisonburg, Roanoke, Wise, Wytheville enCircleAll.org, 540-774-7100 Lutheran Family Services of Virginia recently became enCircle to better represent the care and support provided in all its programs. At its seven Minnick Schools, the educational team uses a Learning Management System that increases opportunities for vibrant, differen-
VDOE’s grant application was prepared in collaboration with Virginia Tiered Systems of Supports Research and Implementation Center at the VCU Partnership for People with Disabilities and ODU’s Center for Implementation of Education Systems. The five-year grant will zero in on two to three school divisions with acute shortages, with funds targeted to existing programs to encourage the recruitment, development, and retention of special educators. Professional development for the teachers will focus on creating evidence-based classroom systems, defusing disruptive behavior, and data-informed decision-making practices. “Special education is one of the most rewarding teaching fields, but it can also be one of the most challenging,” says Lane. “Our efforts to reduce turnover among special educators are grounded in the research that shows that when teachers are prepared to successfully manage the challenges, they are more likely to stay in the classroom.”
tiated education. Support from board-certified behavior analysts and student support professionals provide students structure to succeed, and families have a network to assist them in navigating how to best support their child’s educational and behavioral needs.
Gateway Private Schools Gloucester, Montross, Stafford
GatewayPrivateSchool.com, 804-4938244 Each Gateway student is given the opportunity to work with a team of professionals to identify areas of concentration and to develop plans and solutions. Students are assigned a case manager who assists in developing an individualized plan, collaborating with teachers, parents, and other professionals and therapeutic staff as needed. Specific goals and achievement timelines are identified. Staff utilize natural consequences with cognitive/ reality therapy to modify behavior and help students reach their potential.
Grafton Integrated Health Network Richmond Campus Midlothian
Grafton.org, 804-674-8888 Grafton School serves students ages 5-22 with complex disabilities in a therapeutic, private day school setting. Grafton focuses on building an environment of comfort versus control and does not use coercive behavior techniques such as restraint or seclusion. Career and technical education opportunities are offered as well as occupational therapy and speech therapy. Its Intensive Support Classroom offers a small staff-to-student ratio and is supervised by a board-certified behavior therapist.
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Lafayette School Troy
MyLafayetteSchool.org, 434-589-2370 Lafayette School is an accredited special education school for children and adolescents with emotional and behavioral concerns. The philosophy of the school is that all students have the capacity for learning and growth, regardless of a disability. Coping skills, such as anger management, problem-solving, and assertiveness training are taught and reinforced. A structured behavior modification program with rules, consequences, and reinforcement assists in motivating students to achieve academic and social goals.
Morrison School Bristol
MorrisonSchool.org, 276-669-2823 Morrison School provides a safe, nurturing, stimulating, and personalized environment for students in grades PK-12. Morrison School ended the 2020-2021 school year with campus improvements and exciting goals for the current year. Students helped landscape an outdoor classroom and completed the Morrison Trail. Thanks to grants received, Morrison School was able to purchase a new math curriculum, musical instruments, sensory materials, and updated resources for physical education and health classes.
New Vistas School Lynchburg
NewVistasSchool.org, 434-846-0301 New Vistas School provides grades 3-12 students with learning, attention, and emotional challenges the opportunity to reach their full potential by fostering academic and personal growth. NVS’s philosophy is that students learn best from a variety of educational approaches aimed at meeting their individual
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2022 needs. The school’s Mind-Body-Spirit Capital Campaign, now entering its Finish Line Challenge, will add a gymnasium, two science classrooms, and one arts classroom to the NVS campus.
Northstar Academy Richmond
NorthstarAcademy.net, 804-747-1003 As part of a multi-year capital campaign, Northstar Academy has purchased the former Strayer University campus in Henrico County, which will be transformed into the Academy’s new home. The 10-acre, 21,000-squarefoot facility, located just five miles from the school’s current campuses at Staples Mill and Shrader Roads, will better serve Northstar’s 160 students with fully ADA-compliant buildings, spacious hallways and classrooms, and access to nature and greenspace.
The Faison Center Richmond
FaisonCenter.org, 804-612-1947 The Faison Center, with locations in Richmond and Newport News, serves children and adults with autism and related challenges from 35 localities across the Commonwealth. Its numerous programs are unique across Virginia, offering enriching, evidence-based services that support the entire lifespan. With early education services, schools, a diagnostic clinic, and adult residential and day programs, The Faison Center gives these individuals their best opportunity to live fulfilling lives.
The New Community School Richmond
TNCS.org, 804-266-2494 After several years of assessing a traditional grading model, The New Community School (TNCS) adopted Standards Based Grading (SBG) school-wide in the 2017-2018 school year. The grading system keeps the focus on learning by demonstrating that it’s a process not a product. TNCS believes that SBG helps pinpoint what is right with a student’s work, not what is wrong, and meets students where they are, guiding them to higher levels of mastery.
Virginia Home for Boys and Girls’ John G. Wood School Henrico
VHBG.org, 804-270-6566 Students at Virginia Home for Boys and Girls’ John G. Wood School have adapted to new emotional and behavioral support resources for fears and anxieties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Students are learning resilience skills thanks in part to the calming influence of school pets Lily the bunny, Lettie the dog, and Falkor the bearded dragon. VHBG’s dedicated staff implements the “power of pets” to improve mindfulness—the foundation for attention, intention, compassion, and awareness.
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Departure
Potato Chips and Gratitude The transformative power of a thank you.
By CL A R E OSDENE SCH A PIRO | Illustration by H A DLEY HOOPER
W
HEN I WAS A CHILD, I LEARNED THAT ANY JOY THAT
lingered after a Christmas or birthday would quickly curdle with one stern question from my mother: “Have you written your thank-you notes?” Thus, the habit was ingrained and, in a world where thank-you notes were fast becoming anachronistic, I soldiered on. As I got older, I began to enjoy writing notes. I jotted them after dinner parties, wedding receptions, and, sometimes, when a friend dropped by with a bunch of cut flowers from her backyard. The act of writing a note solidified the grace in these kindnesses, large and small, before they faded into the hubbub of life. Still, I never thought about these postmarked words of appreciation until one day, seemingly out of the blue, the food editor at the local newspaper where my husband worked invited me to her office and offered me a job as a cooking columnist—a job for which I hadn’t applied. “Yes!” I blurted out, before I could imagine what I was getting into. A few years later, I asked her why she’d offered me the job without so much as a résumé. “Because you wrote me a beautiful thank-you note,” she responded. In fact, I had; to acknowledge a dusty book on sausagemaking that my husband had spotted on her desk. “Clare makes sausage,” he’d told her. “Then give it to her,” she responded, “because nobody around here wants it.” And thus, my career as a food writer was launched, all courtesy of a thank-you note. Last year, as the pandemic maundered along, I was in a funk. Like most of us, I wasn’t going anywhere or seeing anyone beyond my weekly trips to the grocery store. “Why are they always so slow?” I’d grouse inwardly, as I waited for my deli order. Then one week, a new face appeared behind the deli counter. He filled my order with such precision, speed, and good humor that I asked his name and warmly thanked him as he cheerfully handed over my turkey. Then, on a whim before leaving the store, I asked to speak with the manager. “Keith in the deli has transformed things.” I told him. “He’s fantastic.” The manager looked stunned. “We really are trying hard,” he told me, blinking in shock. “I can tell!” I responded as I noticed he was tearing up. “Thank you and your staff so much!” After that encounter, I decided that the tonic for my grumpiness was graciousness. In traffic, I happily deferred to the other driver. I smiled at everyone who crossed my path, and I thanked anyone who even
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remotely merited it—and sometimes those who didn’t. In time, a funny thing happened. My world started to look a little brighter. As it turned out, I wasn’t alone. My son and I were eating lunch when I told him about my one-woman thank-you campaign. We were sharing a bag of potato chips when I stopped mid-sentence to say, “these are the most delicious chips I’ve ever tasted. Where did you find them?” “Aren’t they?” he responded. “I picked up a bag a couple of weeks ago. They were so good that I looked at the bag and noticed a phone number in Cambridge, Ontario for questions and comments.”
When I asked why she’d offered me the job, she responded, “Because you wrote me a beautiful thank-you note.” He’d grabbed his phone, dialed the number for Miss Vickie’s, and when the woman who answered asked what she could do for him, he said, “Nothing. I’m eating some of your chips and they’re phenomenal. I just wanted to say thank you and tell you what a great job you’re doing.” There was a long silence before the potato chip lady spoke. “I’ve been answering this phone for 10 years,” she told him, “and nobody has ever called to say anything nice before. What flavor chips are you eating?” “Sea salt and vinegar,” he responded, “Why?” “Because I’m going right out there to the factory to hit the red ‘stop’ button on the production line. And when everything grinds to a halt and they look at me, I’m going to yell, ‘You all are doing a great job! This guy in Virginia just called to compliment you!’” And that, my son and I agreed as we polished off the rest of his chips, is why saying thank you is magic. Whether you write a note, like your mother taught you, or you offer a heartfelt thank you to someone who’s not expecting one at all, the person who gets the gift is you. Clare Osdene Schapiro is a Richmond-based, award-winning writer, cook, and author of Stories and Recipes from Clare’s Kitchen. She can be reached at Clare.Schapiro@gmail.com
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Coastal Living at its Best. 321 Susan Constant Drive
Photos by V isionar y Perspectives, T im Gould
1220 York Lane
Suzanne House Roscher ©2022 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently owned and operated franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of HomeServices of America, Inc.® Equal Housing Opportunity.
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301 Lynnhaven Prkwy Virginia Beach, VA 23452 Office 757-486-4500 Direct 757-617-5656 SHouseRoscher@aol.com
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