Spark - Summer 2023

ON THE FUNDAMENTAL PURPOSE OF EDUCATION

Dear Collegiate School,

I am often asked what I find most interesting and fulfilling about my job and why I have been doing it for so many years. The answer is multifaceted. Firstly, young people continuously inspire and challenge me with their energy, talents, curiosity, idealism and even their playful and irreverent behavior. Most days, I find that I learn much more from them than they learn from me (I am particularly excited about the upcoming year and the new things I will learn by being back in the classroom teaching world religion). The students’ thinking, questions and perspectives often enhance and refine my own ideas about the complex and thorny issues of our time. Engaging in conversations with students frequently deepens my own understanding and provides true enlightenment.

Secondly, I am privileged to work with faculty and staff who genuinely care about the students, who possess an unwavering curiosity, and are committed to our community and mission. Every day, I witness my colleagues dedicating themselves wholeheartedly, graciously and lovingly to our students in all aspects of school life. My fellow teachers and staff members are always striving to grow, and it brings me joy to observe and participate in this ongoing process.

In addition to the faculty and staff, I have the opportunity to collaborate with Trustees, alumni, parents and friends of Collegiate who consistently support and encourage us, even when we fall short of the excellence we continually strive for.

Working in a school that is dedicated to developing the whole person — mind, body, heart and character — is immensely fulfilling. Education encourages students to think deeply and critically about what they learn and to utilize their knowledge for purposes beyond themselves. As a teacher, this uplifts and delights me. It is a privilege, as well as a sobering duty, to assist students in acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary to become informed, engaged and responsible citizens. We aim to instill in them an understanding of the mutual obligations we all have as members of a democracy like ours, where freedom extends beyond individual interests. True freedom must also serve moral and spiritual ends — public purposes that encompass personal freedom but transcend it. Few experiences are as profound as witnessing students’ learning inspire them to contemplate how they can serve others and make positive contributions to the broader community. This inspiration has always been a fundamental and indispensable purpose of Collegiate and the enduring liberal arts tradition. We strive to prepare students for life, work and service in a country that values the fundamental traditions of freedom, fairness, opportunity and the common good.

Sincerely,

Billy Peebles Interim Head of School

COLLEGIATE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION

William S. Peebles IV, Interim Head of School

Sarah Abubaker, Director of Strategic Communications

Sara Boisvert, Director of Powell Institute for Responsible Citizenship

Mike Boyd, Director of the Arts

Jeff Dunnington, Head of Middle School

Louis Fierro II, Director of Information Technology

Patrick E. Loach, Head of Upper School

Deborah I. Miller, Head of Lower School

Phyllis Palmiero, Chief Financial and Chief Operating Officer

Andrew Stanley, Athletic Director

Dave Taibl, Director of Admission and Enrollment Management

Tung Trinh, Dean of Faculty

Kristen O. Williams, Chief Development Officer

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2023-24

Carter M. Reid P ’16 ’18, Chair of the Board

W. Hildebrandt Surgner Jr. P ’11 ’14 ’17 ’19, Vice Chair of the Board

William S. Peebles IV, Interim Head of School

Neelan A. Markel ’96 P ’27 ’30, Secretary

Ellen T. Bonbright ’86 P ’24 ’26

Callie Lacy Brackett ’95 P ’22 ’24

Mason T. Chapman ’84 P ’22

Mayme Donohue ’03

Wortie Ferrell ’88 P ’24 ’27 ’31

Lauren Hepper P ’27 ’30 ’30**

Malcolm S. McDonald P ’87 ’88

Morenike K. Miles P ’24 ’25

Meera Pahuja ’97 P ’30 ’32 ’34

Jasmine Turner Perry ’11***

* Trustee Emeriti

** Parents’ Association President

*** Alumni Association President

J. Cheairs Porter Jr. P ’27 ’29 ’32

John H. Rivers Jr. P ’25 ’28

JoAnn Adrales Ruh P ’16 ’18 ’21

Kenneth P. Ruscio P ’08

Julious P. Smith III ’86 P ’20 ’22 ’25

Wallace Stettinius P ’77 ’79 ’84*

R. Gregory Williams ’69 P ’01 ’04*

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD 2023-24

Jasmine Turner Perry ’11, President

Peyton Jenkins ’00, VP/President Elect

Sarah Paxton ’84 P ’19, Past President

Ginny Harris Hofheimer ’96 P ’27 ’29, Recording Secretary

Beth Watlington Marchant ’72 P ’98 ’03 GP ’35, Corresponding Secretary

Stuart Farrell ’03 and Elizabeth Dolan Wright ’01, Annual Fund Co-Chairs

Patricia Hobson Hunter ’80 P ’10 ’15 and Sagle Jones Purcell ’94 P ’26 ’28 ’30, Stewardship Chair

Graham Mandl ’08, Amrik Sahni ’06 and Lauren Siff ’02 P ’32 ’34, Events Committee Chairs

Lauren Cricchi ’06 and Luke Walker ’12, Alumni/Student Connection Committee

First Term

Muffy Greenbaum ’04 P ’30 ’32

Devon Kelley ’05

Toby Long ’98 P ’33 ’35

Lee Moreau ’95

Rishi Pahuja ’04

Chris Pearson ’02

Tyler Negus Snidow ’80

Chas Thalhimer ’97

Bo Vaughan ’97 P ’31 ’32

Second Term

Ben Adamson ’98 P ’33 ’35

Brink Brinkley ’76 P ’11 ’13 ’17

Dominique Meeks Gombe ’09

Virginia Harris ’16

Helen Roddey ’16

Elisabeth Arnold Weiss ’86

Harry Wilson ’01

103 North Mooreland Road/Richmond, VA 23229

804.740.7077 / Fax: 804.741.9797

Collegiate School admits qualified students and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability, or any other status protected by applicable law in the administration of its admissions, scholarships and loans, and its educational, athletic and other programs.

Sarah Abubaker Director of Strategic Communications

Jack McCarthy Writer/Editor

Anne Gray Siebert ’97 Director of Alumni Engagement

James Dickinson

Creative Manager

Weldon Bradshaw

Brandon Fox ’82

Louise Ingold

Ellie Lynch

Contributors

Maggie Bowman ’23

Keller Craig

Taylor Dabney

Ash Daniel

Jimmy Dickinson

Jay Paul

Bill Ruhl

Photography

Think (think804.com)

Design

Illustrations in the spring issue courtesy of Iain McLennan Duffus.

Thanks to all parents, students, alums and friends who generously share their information, photographs and archives. Please note that Spark magazine is posted on the School’s website and may be available on other online platforms accessible through Internet search engines.

Spark is published by Collegiate School. We welcome letters from readers, though we may not have room to publish them all. Submissions may be edited for publication. Photographs deemed unsuitable in quality by Spark’s designers may not be included. We make every effort to return photographs shared with us –please send high-resolution (300dpi) digital images whenever possible (to: spark@collegiate-va.org).

Class Notes and Photographs

Please send your news and photographs, and we will use them in an upcoming issue. Digital images must be high resolution (min. 300dpi).

Address

Spark Editor Collegiate School / Communications Office

103 North Mooreland Road, Richmond, VA 23229

Email spark@collegiate-va.org

Visit our website at www.collegiate-va.org

Phone

Spark: 804.754.0869 / Alumni Office: 804.741.9757

Class Notes

ON CAMPUS

Collegiate Announces Incoming Head of School

As incoming Head of School, Jeff Mancabelli will advance Collegiate’s strategic priorities and unite the community around the School’s timeless mission.

In May 2023, following unanimous approval by Collegiate’s Board of Trustees, the School selected Jeffrey W. Mancabelli as the next Head of School, effective July 1, 2024. Mancabelli’s appointment ushers in an exciting new era for Richmond’s largest independent school.

With more than three decades of experience in education, most recently as President of St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C., Mancabelli brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to Collegiate. “Jeff has demonstrated exceptional leadership in all areas of independent school life, prioritizing student success and fostering a thriving school culture and community,” says Carter Reid, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “We are thrilled to have found an exceptional leader who aligns seamlessly with Collegiate’s core values and aspirations. We have full confidence that Jeff will advance our strategic priorities and unite our community around Collegiate’s timeless mission.”

During his tenure at St. John’s College High School, Mancabelli spearheaded transformative initiatives, including a remarkable 24 percent increase in enrollment, successful rebranding efforts and doubling the school’s endowment. His strategic vision, commitment to student-centered decision-making, inclusivity and fostering a strong sense of community align seamlessly with Collegiate’s values and aspirations.

The rigorous and inclusive search process, which solicited input from faculty, staff, students, parents, alumni and administrators, culminated in Mancabelli’s unanimous selection by the Search Committee and Board of Trustees. “I am honored and humbled to serve as the next Head of School,” Mancabelli says. “During my visit to campus, I was inspired by the faculty and staff’s commitment to a challenging and supportive educational experience where each student is known as an individual. This personal attention has instilled a sense of family, which is the hallmark of Collegiate School’s mission.”

The Collegiate community eagerly anticipates Mancabelli’s arrival and is confident that his visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to educational excellence will further enhance the School’s legacy and ensure continued success.

SUSTAINABLE FOOTPRINTS

In the fall of her Senior year, Eloise Revere ’23 began thinking about the mark she wanted to leave behind once she graduated. This was not a self-gratifying ambition; instead, what motivated her was an eagerness to serve and a wish to leave Collegiate on greener, more sustainable ground in the future.

As a leader on the tennis team, she would stay behind after practices and matches picking up the piles of trash a day at the courts produces. The haphazardly discarded wrappers from power bars. The plastic bags parents fill with fruit. The many single-use plastic water bottles at Robins Campus. All of it seemed unnecessary, wasteful. From the classes she had taken with Upper School science teacher Sandra Marr over the years, she knew there were alternatives to single-use plastics available, and she knew these alternatives could reduce Collegiate’s carbon footprint.

Along with Matthew Jenkins ’23, Sadie Brooks ’23 and Will Slater ’23, all athletes that noticed the same waste accumulating in their respective sports, Eloise began researching the issue. “We started by using a carbon footprint calculator to understand the carbon footprint for single-use plastics and for transportation from each of our respective fall sports teams,” Eloise explains. “We estimated the total number of water bottles used per team for

the season. And using the total number of buses and total trips taken each week, we calculated the total carbon footprint for athletic transportation.”

The research involved a thorough understanding of how a system, in this case the system of Collegiate’s athletic teams, operates, which is something the School instills in its students beginning in the Lower School. In this way, the research project is a culmination of everything the students had learned during their time at Collegiate.

Pinpointing where Collegiate’s athletic teams have the potential to reduce their carbon footprint was just the first step. Next, the four students brainstormed solutions with Director of Athletics Andrew Stanley and team coaches. They agreed that encouraging teams and athletes to make the switch from single-use plastic bottles to reusable water bottles was the most immediate, practical remedy. The students also found that making use of the large, 10-gallon reusable Gatorade dispensers teams have access to would limit students’ need to bring their own water bottles.

“A lot of coaches have been open to enforcing the use of reusable water bottles and trying to get people to carpool to and from practice, with permission from parents,” Eloise says. “And if we can also just get athletes to be more conscious of recycling their

plastic waste instead of throwing it in the trash we can reduce our footprint.”

In a slow, subtle way, small actions culminate in something much larger. This project, and the subsequent conversations involving students, teachers and administrators, has started making an impact. “Collegiate already does a good job of centering sustainability, but I think the project has brought more awareness to the subject,” she says. In this way, Eloise and her peers have left their mark on Collegiate by reducing another, greenhouse-gas emitting mark. “We’re beginning to shift a habit, and that’s a good start to change.”

Eloise Revere ’23 and three of her classmates completed a project that will help reduce the School’s carbon footprint.

Illustration by Think

SPIRITED PARTNERSHIP

Middle School students from Colegio Carol Baur, Collegiate’s partner school in Mexico, visited the School in May. While visiting, the Carol Baur students gave a presentation about three Mexican legends and performed a traditional dance full of color and verve. Carol Baur students stayed with Collegiate host families and visited classes throughout all divisions.

Areas of Commonality

Energized awe is not the response you might expect from Middle School students practicing long division on a whiteboard. But that’s what you find. It’s the subtle variation in approach, displayed by students of Sainte-Marie Bastide, Collegiate’s new partner school in Bordeaux, France, that is captivating the class. Students from both Collegiate and Sainte-Marie Bastide are realizing that they can arrange the dividend, quotient and divisor in ways that differ from how they were taught and still end up with the same answer. It’s a small lesson, packed within the larger discoveries of this new partnership, of how we can arrive at the same place differently.

What an exchange program such as the one between Collegiate and Sainte-Marie Bastide offers is complete language and cultural immersion, allowing students to connect what they’ve learned in the classroom to the broader world. It’s much more than a trip

to another country; it’s an experience. “In an exchange program, you don’t just travel and come back and have nothing change,” says Middle School French teacher Monica Melton, who along with her colleague Tamara Ingram visited France in the summer of 2022 to research new partner school opportunities. “Students are not just visiting places and moving on. Instead, they’re connecting with people, creating new relationships and really trying to understand their experience.”

In March, Collegiate students spent nine days at Sainte-Marie Bastide with their host families and teachers. During the exchange, students enjoyed an education where learning became more about engagement — both with the people and the communities. They had dinner with their host families every night and experienced daily life in their respective homes. They learn about a specific experience, and ultimately come to

understand that the French language represents many different stories from Francophone lives.

“In studying world languages, the magic really happens when you’re able to apply what you’ve been learning inside the classroom to life outside the classroom,” Ingram explains. “And that’s what we’re able to do with this program. The magic happens when you get to connect with someone of the language you’ve been studying.”

When the students from Sainte-Marie Bastide came to Collegiate, in May, those relationships continued to expand. Attending classes, exploring Richmond and visiting Williamsburg and Washington, D.C., Sainte-Marie Bastide students received the same kind of immersive experience that they gave Collegiate students. It’s a practice of sharing that allows mutual respect and understanding to blossom.

“I think having an exchange program aligns nicely with Col-

Collegiate’s new partner school in Bordeaux, France fosters language immersion, cultural connections and budding friendships.

legiate’s Portrait of a Graduate and the skills we hope students develop,” Melton says. “When you learn to better identify with your own experiences, and then you are able to build a relationship with someone who has had different life experiences, students are really able to grow that curiosity, develop empathy and obtain a deeper sense of respect.”

Overlaying all the lessons of this new exchange program, though, is a deeper sense of connection, one borne not out of differences but areas of commonality. “When you have an exchange, you really learn a new way of life,” says Madame Joaquina Guilhem, one of the two accompanying French teachers from Sainte-Marie Bastide. “Even if you live 10,000 kilometers away, some aspects of life are the same. You learn about the differences, but you also learn how life is the same everywhere.”

Collegiate School’s 47th Spring Party & Auction was a Sweet Success

The Collegiate community came together to use their golden tickets at the School’s 47th annual Spring Party & Auction this spring. The Willy Wonka-inspired event raised a record amount for the School. Thank you to those who attended in person and to those who participated in the online auction. We are so grateful to our co-chairs Kathy and Mike Bor P ’23 ’27 and Nimisha and Aaron Montgomery P ’35, the host committee, volunteers, sponsors, donors and guests for making this special evening possible.

From top left:

Spring Party co-chairs Kathy and Mike Bor P ’23 ’27 and Nimisha and Aaron Montgomery P ’35 getting in the auction spirit sporting Willy Wonka-themed attire.

Lauren and Tyler Agee ’09 P ’36 and Amrita Lalvani and Vishnu Ambur P ’34 ’36 soaking in the scene.

Eager Spring Party participant bidding it up.

Cougars filled Seal Athletic Center, decked out in candy colored light.

ENGINEERING SUCCESS

Collegiate School’s robotics team, TORCH 5804, finished fifth in the prestigious FIRST Robotics World Championship.

Triumphs that come in twos are a rarity.

The FIRST Robotics World Championship is the most distinguished high school robotics tournament in the world. Out of a field of 3,300 international robotics teams, around 600 teams qualified and came together for this year’s world tournament at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas. At the end of the three-day competition, Collegiate School’s TORCH 5804 was part of the alliance that came in fifth place in the FIRST Robotics World Championship.

Let the magnitude of the achievement resonate: Collegiate School’s robotics team built a robot that, for the second year in a row, finished with overwhelming distinction among stiff international competitors.

At the World Championship, teams are split into eight subdi-

visions to compete in a series of matches that dictate rankings, and alliances are formed to compete in playoffs. The winner of each subdivision then competes against each other in the Einstein Tournament finals for the title of world champion. Collegiate’s own team, made up of 30 high schoolers, won their subdivision and moved on to the finals.

Fewer than three percent of the teams in existence today have ever made it to the Einstein Tournament. Fewer than one percent of the teams in existence today have made it to the Einstein Tournament twice. TORCH 5804 now sits among elite company.

In January, when the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) revealed the theme and rules for their 2023 international competition, TORCH 5804 immediately began designing and prototyping

their robot, writing code, discussing competition strategy and conducting data research. Over the course of the long, frenzied season, filled with the inevitable technological setbacks, Collegiate’s students have innovated, competed and won as one.

Energized by a crowd of 20,000 people, the spirit of the FIRST Robotics World Championship is one of collaboration. Students and faculty mentors from around the world are able to gather together to share their love of all things STEAM.

“After making it to the World Finals last year, our team came into this year hungrier than ever with one goal in mind: to get back to the Einstein Field and the World Championship Finals,” says Greg Sesny, Upper School science teacher and a co-faculty leader of the team. “Using the knowledge gained over the past several years and the experience obtained during last year’s run, we put together the best robot in our program’s history, leading us to our back-to-back Newton Subdivision Championship and our second visit to the finals. Fewer than one percent of all teams that have ever competed have made it to the finals in consecutive years. What an amazing accomplishment.”

SERVICE ANNIVERSARIES ON THE MOVE

10 YEARS

Leah Angell, Upper School English teacher, will become the Fellowship Program Director.

Elly Bacigalupo is looking forward to moving into a part-time Stewardship Coordinator position next year.

Kim Ball has decided to transition from College Counseling to Associate Director of Student Life in the Upper School.

Evelyn Booth is being promoted to Accountant.

20 YEARS

30 YEARS

Amy Leibowitz has agreed to take on the responsibilities of directing the accreditation process and will continue to support the Dean of Faculty initiatives as the JK-12 Academic Coordinator.

Monica Melton accepted the position of Director of Global Engagement. She will continue to teach French in the Middle School.

Kaitlyn Miller will move into the role of Assistant Director of the Annual Fund.

40 YEARS

Liz Bruni, 2nd Grade teacher, will become the Lower School Math Specialist.

Julia Butcher will be teaching Lower School dance in addition to teaching 4th Grade.

Maria Cobb will be the Associate Director of Development.

Frances Coleman, Lower School Math Specialist, will become Director of Parent and Family Engagement.

Jermelle Dandridge, 1st Grade teacher, has accepted the Director of Lower School Admission position.

Stacey Davis is being promoted to Senior Accountant.

Jeff Dunnington will become the Middle School Head.

Meg Evans will become Assistant Head of the Middle School alongside current Assistant Head Fletcher Collins.

Samantha Huber will become the Director of the Annual Fund.

Jamie Jones will return to JK as an Associate Teacher.

Alex Neilson joined the Development team at the beginning of the 2022-23 school year. His role as a Development Associate will now include an added focus on young alumni engagement.

Bethany Pitassi will become the Upper School Learning Specialist. In addition, she will take on responsibilities supporting the interim Diversity, Equity and Inclusion role.

Andy Santalla will become the Theater Production Technician.

Dave Taibl will become our Director of Admission and Enrollment Management.

Tung Trinh will become Dean of Faculty.

Amy Verdi joined the Head of School office in the summer of 2022 after serving as a Kindergarten Assistant.

Shannon Winston will move to a new role in the Athletic Department as Lead Athletic Trainer and Athletic Health and Safety Coordinator.

Amy Becker-Leibowitz, Tyrone Branch, Christine Branin, Erin Breese, Carroll Campbell, Kevin Coffey, Teresa Coleman, Samantha Huber, Glenn LaFerriere, Stephen Perigard. Not pictured: Ben Lamb.

Charles Featherston III, Katherine Hall, Taylor Kell, Paul Teeples, Paige Tinney-Reed, Shannon Winston.

ARTHUR JOHNSON WILBUR ATHEY

WITH HELP FROM A FRIEND

In the Upper School peer tutoring program, students are helping other students succeed.

IN THE UPPER SCHOOL

Academic Services room, tucked within the hushed library, Macy Cafritz ’23 and LJ Hawkins ’23 are working on verb tenses in Spanish. The conversation is light but diligent, focused but not strained. LJ is writing out irregular verbs and their various conjugations, moving swiftly through example sentences on a small whiteboard. Then he stops for a moment, briefly stumped, but Macy jumps in, giving him a helpful nudge before he continues through the rest of the sentence.

This moment of support, where LJ looks to Macy for assistance, is the essential essence of the peer tutoring program in the Upper School, which is accessible to any student seeking help with individual questions or specific subjects. Within a session, tutors supply useful study habits and tricks to help peers with difficult subject areas. The tone of a session is reassuring and supportive, reverberating with the message: This subject is hard, and I’ve been discouraged too, but I’m here to help.

“Students often learn better from other students,” explains Helen Markiewicz, who, along with Director of Academic Services Katie Best, oversees the peer tutoring program. “Students are sometimes resistant to asking for help, especially from teachers. They want to be with their peers, and they often listen to their peers much more than they do their teachers.” By setting up this peer tutoring program, students have a space where they’re encouraged

to ask for help, with other students in a leadership role willing to guide them through the tricky, often frustrating complexities of a discipline.

A Spanish tutor, Macy is acutely familiar with the challenges of Spanish 3, a course LJ seeks support in. She’s been through those challenges herself — all the tenses, the subtle distinctions between them — and she’s able to give LJ the same pointers that led to her success. Weekly, they go over sentences; weekly, LJ becomes more confident, more fluent. “It’s helpful to have a person working beside you who has done this before and knows how to solve these problems and communicate those solutions really effectively,” LJ says. “When I’m with a peer, it feels more like

I’m talking one-on-one with the person who’s sort of in my position and is still working through it too. Macy gives me the tools that allow me to work problems out.”

To instruct, to articulate how to solve a problem, is another form of learning. For Macy, becoming a tutor has strengthened her capabilities as a student. She also receives community service hours for her work, something every student needs in order to graduate. “In AP Spanish, we seldom go over grammar anymore because we’re expected to work on other topics,” Macy says. “And we’re still expected to write with fluidity and grammatical accuracy. Tutoring LJ has been a really great way for me to refresh on these small grammatical rules that I have completely forgotten about.”

With tutors becoming key facilitators in other students’ success, the program increases individual student agency. The program puts students at the center of academics; they become both students and mentors. One student’s success becomes a mutual ambition. Sentence after sentence on the whiteboard, LJ and Macy practice with the same goal in mind. “It’s really rewarding to channel your focus to help other people succeed,” Macy says. “I think at this point I’m just as invested in LJ’s success as he is.”

COLLEGIATE 2ND GRADERS KNOW THEIR 50 NIFTY

Families, students and teachers lined the Mooreland Road campus in May to cheer on 2nd Graders as they showed off their homemade hats representing all 50 states. After the parade, for the first time since 2020, students were able to perform their state-themed songs and dances celebrating the “Fifty Nifty” United States.

STORIES OF CONNECTION

Despite our various upbringings and differing life experiences, we are still able to connect deeply with other people through stories. Made possible by the Whitfield Speaker Series, the Middle School was fortunate to welcome visiting author Jason Reynolds to campus as part of the all-Middle School book club experience. Reynolds, a New York Times bestselling author and the 2020-2022 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, joined students for an extended Assembly, where he talked about how he became an author, encouraged students to find their voices within their own stories and how the power of reading can facilitate journeys of discovery. Reynolds’s resounding message was a celebration of individuality: “The most valuable thing you will ever have is your story.”

VILLAGE GREEN FAIR MARKS SPRING’S ARRIVAL

Sunlight’s spectrum flitted across the sight of tents, games and shops spread out across Collegiate’s Lower School grounds, serving as a warm welcome to the opening of the 58th annual Village Green Fair. Attendees strolled the fair as they enjoyed fun challenges, the Shops on The Green, The Garden Shoppe, the Classy Cougar Market, sweet treats, a dodgeball tournament, a cake walk, a Lip Sync Battle and raffle prizes.

GETTING A CLOSER LOOK

With the creation of a digital field guide, 6th Graders have discovered a new way to study animals native to Virginia.

Around Grover Jones Field are barred owls, whitetailed deer, Carolina wrens, American beavers — all held within QR codes. These animals, each native to Virginia, are often heard — a rustle in the leaves, their throaty calls hidden within trees — but less often seen. With the creation of a digital field guide, 6th Graders have discovered a way to capture the essence of these animals and all their magnificent details.

6th Graders were studying field guides as part of their nonfiction unit when Middle School English teacher Margaret Ann Hazelton had the idea of making a field guide of their own. It would be a way to introduce students to new avenues of writing, practice their research skills and study other writers.

“As a teacher, I’m always trying to introduce students to pieces of writing and show them that any text can be a mentor text, a text we can learn from,” Hazelton explains. “So we looked at field guides to study how a writer uses description, grammatical moves and tone to relay a message and information. Studying these kinds of texts also introduces students to other applications of writing and their uses in the real world.”

Who is the writer’s audience? What is the writer trying to say? How does the writer structure the delivery of information? Considering these questions, each 6th Grader chose an animal from the list of species native to Virginia and then had to research and write a field guide entry. “In a public-facing writing project like this, students need to have a good awareness of how they’re presenting their information,” Hazelton says. “They need to put themselves in the shoes of who will be reading their field guide, and they need to think about what the key takeaways should be. They had to practice the skill of writing like readers, and that means thinking constantly about their reader.”

To compliment their pieces of writing, students drew detailed pictures of their native animal, another distinct feature of an authentic field guide. Printed on paper, the illustrated animals live beside a QR code, which will direct any curious explorer to the students’ helpful field notes.

Throughout the spring, with the digital field guides posted around Grover Jones Field, 6th Grad-

ers took classes of 1st Graders on a search for those animals. Using the field guides, 1st Grad ers were able to do some exploration of their own while connecting with Middle Schoolers. “It was really nice watching the 6th Graders interact with the 1st Graders,” Hazelton says. “Sometimes, students need to be reminded that not just teachers read their writing, and this project was a way to give those students a more authentic audience. I think it sparked some good conversation between Lower and Middle Schoolers.” For the 6th Graders, working with Lower Schoolers served as validation of their work, reminding them that their writing has an impact, that it can elucidate a world for others.

Student field guide illustration courtesy of Aliyah Taylor ’29.

COLLEGIATE SCHOOL’S CLASS OF 2031 MOVES UP

Collegiate’s 4th Graders completed their Moving Up ceremony in June, officially marking their transition to the Middle School.

After “crossing the bridge” to explore the Middle School two weeks prior, the 4th Graders walked into the Moving Up Ceremony, held in the Lower School courtyard. Once seated, Head of Lower School Debbie Miller gave a warm welcome to parents and faculty.

During their education in the Lower School, the 4th Graders have grown both as students and citizens. This ceremony, Miller said, was a culmination of the students’ hard work and dedication.

“These students have worked hard throughout their years in the Lower School to become the leaders that you see here today in front of you,” she told the proud crowd. “Congratulations to this Class of 2031 — for your perseverance, for your dedication and for being your best selves.”

Six students, one chosen from each class, followed Miller’s com-

ments with remarks of their own, highlighting special moments they experienced during their time in the Lower School. Memories included reflections on the Lower School teachers that contributed to the students’ growth, fond memories from a field trip to the SPCA, tales of camaraderie with fellow classmates, the excitement of the States Fair, the lessons learned from the Lower School gathering conducted around Rosh Hashanah and the fun of the 3rd Grade market day.

“The speaking roles in Kindergarten gave me the confidence to talk in front of people,” one of the six students reflected. “And each year in the Lower School I’ve continued to gain this self confidence and will take it with me to the Middle School.”

COLLEGIATE SCHOOL CLASS OF 2027 PERFORMS FINAL EXERCISES

Looking forward to the Upper School, Collegiate’s 8th Graders gathered in front of Flippen Hall for their Final Exercises. The following awards were presented to students during the ceremony and in assemblies leading up to graduation.

FRY CUP

Rosie Ferrell

HUGH H. ADDY AWARD

Jack Porter

SUE H. JETT AWARD

Arianna Peña

DIRECTOR’S AWARD

Liam Jones

CITIZENSHIP AWARD

Noelle Christensen and Declan McGann

ART AWARD

James Kerr and Vivienne Dai

DRAMA AWARD

Faith Wood

DANCE AWARD

Hannah de Witt

ADELINE COWLES COX MUSIC AWARD

Piano: Addison Young

Strings: Francesa Ascari

Band: Luke Holdych

CHORAL AWARD

Quinn Clifford

SCIENCE AWARD

James Kerr and Arianna Peña

LANGUAGE AWARDS

Latin Award: Riya Patel and Jack Porter

French Award: Tristan Meagher and Leek Leek

Spanish Award: Jack Rivet and Sofia Krahe

Chinese Award: Liam Jones and Noelle Christensen

FERNEYHOUGH ENGLISH AWARD

Tristan Meagher

JOHN P. COATES ENGLISH AWARD

Liam Jones

PHYSICAL EDUCATION AWARD

Cabel Berkeyheiser and Henry Hofheimer

TECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP AWARD

Noelle Christensen and Henry Hofheimer

HISTORY AWARD

Sofia Krahe and Akash Rohatgi

MATH AWARD

Avi Soin and Arianna Peña

FOLLOWING THE SUN

Upper School math teacher Derek Podolny used a grant from the Community Foundations R.E.B. Award for Teaching Excellence to study celestial navigation in Antarctica.

Before his career as a math teacher began at Douglas Freeman High School in 2011, Derek Podolny served as a Submarine Nuclear Engineer Officer in the United States Navy. Responsible for operations of fleets of submarines, Podolny loved the math of navigation; the numerical technicalities involved in a journey served as his domain, his place of expertise. Now, as a math teacher in the Upper School, Podolny brings that navigational love with him to the classroom.

“There’s so much math involved in navigation, and I’m always thinking about how I can introduce that to students,” he says. “So, in class, we’ve used bearings like land navigation to talk about distance traveled, we’ve talked about how we can use different formulas for sine and cosine to

create maps, and we’ve mapped out a submarines’ course though the water to figure out how far it has traveled.”

But Podolny, in his work surveying the murky depths below the ocean, always felt that one navigational tool eluded him: celestial navigation, the practice of using solar points to accurately determine someone’s current position on Earth. Podolny had always admired the great polar explorer Ernest Henry Shackelton, particularly for his 1914 Trans-Antarctic expedition, which left Shackleton and his crew stranded at sea northwest of Antarctica, forcing him to use celestial navigation to map their 800-mile, open-boat journey back to land. It was a story that united the two things that most excited Podolny: math and adventure.

So when Podolny received a grant through Community Foundations R.E.B. Award for Teaching Excellence, he knew we wanted to study the role mathematics plays in celestial navigation in Antarctica. In December 2022, Podolny found a sextant, an instrument that looks like a funky protractor with a monocle attached to it used to measure the space between the horizon and the sun, and set off with his son Daniel ’31 for a 12-day trip through Antarctica.

Surrounded by mountains and glassy blue water that jumped with penguins and seals, he conducted what he giddily calls “awesome math.” “We went down to the peninsula of Antarctica, and at first you’re just in awe — how large everything is, how pristine,” Podolny says. And then he got to work, tracking the sun in the morning, at high noon and in the evening. “I’d get those three readings to get our position, and then I would compare what I got to what our GPS was saying,” he explains.

“And I was really impressed that, using nothing more than the sun and a simple instrument like the sexton, gave me a pretty good idea of where we were.”

As is his habit, Podolny now intends to take what he’s learned about math’s applications in ce-

lestial navigation back to the students. Over the summer, he’ll develop a curriculum that he then hopes to implement in the fall. “I’m going to take all that data I got in Antarctica and channel it into some sort of usable classroom material,” he says. “It’ll be another way to show students the possibilities available that employ what they’re learning in the classroom elsewhere in the world.”

There’s so much math involved in navigation, and I’m always thinking about how I can introduce that to students.”

ARTS

An Exhibition of Styles

Collegiate’s Upper School Art Walk is a culminating show, and it has allowed India Mansfield

grown as an artist over time, but also the unique and brave way they see the world now just on the precipice of graduation. It’s the ultimate merger of creativity, self-awareness and critical thinking.”

INDIA MANSFIELD ’23 believes a canvas should allow for a dance of freedom. No formal constraints — just an expressive groove with color and shape, everything free to do as it pleases. “If I do become an artist, which I hope to do when I get older, I don’t want to have just one sort of box, one category that I have to be in, because that’s not what art is about,” she says. “Art is instead about creating whatever you want to create and being free within that.”

To indulge this kind of freedom requires rigor. An artist’s emancipation begins with learning the fundamentals, and throughout India’s education as an artist at Collegiate, she’s studied enough to develop a strong foundation and refine her taste. With speculation

and curiosity she moved through enthusiasms with still life, realism and, eventually, discovered her love of abstraction. Her exhibit in the Upper School’s Art Walk, held in April, is a demonstration of her range, her multiplicity of styles that she likes to play with.

The Art Walk, which transforms the School’s halls into a vibrant gallery, is a culminating showcase for the artists. It offers a chance for students to reflect on their body of work and exhibit the depth of their talent. “The Honors Art installations in the Art Walk are something many students have been admiring since they were in Lower or Middle School,” says Upper School art teacher Pam Sutherland. “Who wouldn’t want their own space to display not only how they have

Thinking about what to include in her exhibit at the Art Walk, India knew she wanted to show her scope and her progression as an artist. She reflected on her various styles. Still lifes attuned her sensibility and gave her a new attention to detail that she realized art offered. This was her initial step into art. Taking a portrait drawing course the spring of her Junior year, India, with Sutherland’s guidance, began to fully understand how to incorporate the proportions and values of facial features. Out of that class, a new appreciation of realism emerged. But during her Senior year India began feeling that this style restricted her eye. She would focus on one thing — a nose, say, or a stand of hair — and her attention to other details would fall away. It wasn’t for a lack of skill; she just found that she wanted to do much more with painting — more than a painting of a face would allow.

“I have come to really enjoy creating abstract works, because without having to focus on one specific thing, I feel I’m challenged much more creatively,” she says. “I feel I’m able to open up my creative thinking more, and what appeals to me now is just looking at how colors and shapes go together. Collegiate’s art program has really encouraged me to try out different mediums, and I don’t think I’d really appreciate abstract art as much if I didn’t work through every other style.”

’23 to reflect on her work as an artist.

Arranged strategically, India Mansfield’s show in the Art Walk displays her bredth of style developed while at Collegiate.

Contemplating her body of work, she found a unifying theme of color; all of her pieces — whether expressive contours of paint or vivid figures — are smoldered with bright pigmentation. Maybe, she thought, her show could bridge her various styles with a similar palette.

Arranged strategically, her show hums with color. The pieces display her breadth of style and the techniques developed while studying at Collegiate. Her work holds polarities of genre together. On one wall of the North Science building are portraits and still lifes — like a deftly drawn Jerry Garcia, who poses languidly at onlookers in a mist of orange, pink, blue and green. And then, around the corner, is her large abstract work, with a fractured format of paint on wood keeping things fresh and surprising, squeezing dollops of joy from masses of color.

A complimentary companion to the exhibition is India’s video “Us and Them,” which she created for her English class and ran during the opening night of her show. Another controlled outburst of creativity that serves as an accentuating feature to the show, India’s “Us and Them” is an additional indication of the depth of her talents as an artist. In recognition of this depth, she received the MacNelly Senior Purchase Award for one of her pieces featured in the exhibit and “Us and Them.”

“Putting the show together, I wanted to make sure everything felt unified, and I wanted to create this very bright and vibrant feeling within my pieces” she says. “That was important to me — to feel that there was a bridge between all of the styles of work. And the pieces on the wall are ar-

ranged in progression from Sophomore, to Junior, to Senior year, which kind of displays my growth as an artist.”

The Art Walk challenged India to take stock in her work and gave her the chance to view her growth as an artist from a new perspective. In the process of curation, she noticed just how much she’s learned as an artist. She’s able to waltz around in any style with individual flair. That’s freedom.

“I’ve been given so many opportunities in the arts at Collegiate,” she says. “The access to resources that I’ve had is incredible. With all the choices, all the freedom I’ve been given, I’ve been able to explore my own artistic curiosities, and that’s really helped me develop as an artist. I think my final show reflects that.”

A CREATIVE SHOWCASE

This year’s Art Week receptions in the Lower, Middle and Upper School were a huge success. Families were able to spend an evening in their child’s division and had a chance to see the incredible artwork that was created in the classes JK-12. The Lower School featured many works in the Weinstein Art and Music Wing, which included JK sculptures, a “glow room” and digital enhancements to pieces with the use of a QR code that the students created. The Middle School students had works displayed all throughout the Hershey Center that ranged from the study of Andy Warhol to original concept pieces that gave insight into the interests of these students. (To read more about Art Week in the Upper School, check out page 22.)

CULMINATING PERFORMANCES

This spring season featured multiple music and dance concerts by students in all divisions.

Adapting Mindfulness

By adapting Liz Haske’s book When Worry Takes Hold, Middle Schoolers extended a message of mindfulness.

MAYA IS A YOUNG GIRL who knows the weight of worry, how it consumes and often cripples. She tries going to sleep and it’s there, a heavy, confusing mass, feeding her concerns. She tries going to a birthday party and it’s there again, withholding her from friends. Even a car ride for Maya becomes a prickly navigation of whatifs. Worry pervades. And then, eventually, Maya finds the light, easy, cleansing tonic of mindful breathing, and with each inhale, her hands on her stomach and her back straight, her self-confidence builds and the cloud of worry slowly evaporates.

Middle School humanities teacher Liz Haske wrote this story about Maya in her book When Worry Takes Hold after her family moved from Indonesia,

where she was teaching, to Bulgaria. “Our family was dealing with serious change, and worry became a frequent visitor in our home,” she explains. An inveterate teacher and reader, Haske looked for books that mirrored her own experience, hoping to find answers for how to cope.

She knew that worry, and its menacing partner, anxiety, lived with many families, but children’s fiction had not yet embraced the subject. “Surprisingly, there was not a single book we could connect with,” she says, “and when you don’t have books to guide you, you have to figure it out on your own.” She recalled her mindfulness practices at her previous school in Jakarta, Indonesia, and how breathing was the central facilitator in anchoring the body and mind. She

In Liz Haske’s story, worry hovers over everything Maya does. In their adaptation, members of the Middle School Theater Ensemble considered how to translate the book to the stage.

wondered what she could do with this knowledge — for both her family and others.

And because the book Haske was looking for hadn’t been written, she decided to write it herself. In a haze of inspiration, waiting in the lobby of her son’s preschool, she wrote the first draft of When Worry Takes Hold on the back of a Hallmark envelope, everything she knew about worry and how to manage it pouring out of her. When Worry Takes Hold, which was published in 2017, is now consistently listed among the best books about mindfulness for children.

“When I wrote this series of books, I wanted to write about how kids can call on courage,” Haske says. “Everyone experiences worry, but we don’t have to let it rule our lives and stop us from doing what we want to do. Books make us better people, and I wanted to write a story that would give readers the tools to work through difficult emotions.”

For Middle School drama teacher Jenny Hundley, art provides both the artist and the audience with an arena to encounter complex situations and emotions. It’s why, when she read Haske’s When Worry Takes Hold in the spring of 2022, she immediate-

ly wanted to adapt the book into a play. “We rely on books — and theater — to help us get to some tough topics and start conversations,” Hundley says. “I think the practice of art gives us another way to extend our vocabulary of emotion, which is why I think Liz’s book is so perfect for students.”

Staying true to the essence of Haske’s story, Hundley wrote a script that she then brought to a group of students within the Middle School Theater Ensemble.

“What I wanted to do was honor the words of the book, ” Hundley explains. “So our challenge, in both writing and performing the script, was to ask ourselves how we could elevate the story theatrically through movement, stage direction, sound effects, lighting and acting.”

At the center of the cohort’s ambition was to tell a great story. To perfect the art of storytelling, particularly for the stage, the students had to work together to learn the ins and outs of putting on a show. This challenged the ensemble to think creatively about how to act and work together as a cohesive group.

“We formed a bond together as a group by just talking through ideas we were passionate about,” says Tristan Meagher ’27, who,

with the help of Theo Lansing ’29, worked on the technical, behind-the-scenes aspects of the play. “I think Mrs. Hundley really encourages us to embrace everyone’s different opinions on how to approach a scene in a way that I’ve never experienced before, which helped us be more thoughtful and creative in our approach.”

Up on stage, the ensemble performed before the Junior Kindergartners, further extending the lesson of mindfulness to a young audience. At the end of the play, the audience of Junior Kindergartners began breathing with confidence along with Maya, slowly and gently alleviating any worry.

“There’s a journey of discovery that you can find through theater that can only be assisted by your other cast members and your crew, and that was made particularly powerful with this play’s message,” Tristan says. “This adaptation gave me a different outlook on mindfulness. It doesn’t have to be structured. You can find your courage, your breath, in your own way. I think that is important to know, and I’m glad that through our play we were able to deliver that message.”

The cast and crew of the play When Worry Takes Hold

Books make us better people, and I wanted to write a story that would give readers the tools to work through difficult emotions.”

Our protective facemasks, during the COVID-19 pandemic, became a strange extension of ourselves. We fashioned them with bits of flair — embroidered flowers, characters from beloved movies, school mascots — so that we could reveal a radiance, a bit of our personalities the masks withheld. Thankfully discarded, these masks are now a reminder of what we each endured. With all this in mind, Maytal Zasler ’25 and a few of her classmates began working on a mural that speaks to our previous lockdown epoch.

Similar to the pandemic, the artwork itself required Maytal to think about what it meant to be a member of a larger community. It’s something she began considering in 8th Grade, back in 2021, when she was a member of the ChangeMaker club, exploring what Collegiate could do with protective face coverings once we were all able to shed our masks. As Middle Schoolers, the ChangeMaker club spoke to entrepreneurial professionals and Collegiate teachers. The

School invited several experts to Zoom in and collaborate with the club: Edie Ure, a natural dye artisan based in Boulder, Colorado; McKenzie Piper, CEO of TekStyle; Holly Smith, a former Lower School visual arts teacher; Catherine Clements, Middle School librarian; Teresa Coleman, a Middle School art teacher; and Gini Bonnel, the artist responsible for the illustrious ‘Be Kind’ signs. Out of these conversations Maytal landed on the idea of a piece of art that involved the community and gave clarity to the cacophony that was the pandemic.

For two years Maytal collected masks, from all three divisions, until she felt she had enough to begin assembling her community mural. For a project of this sort, collage seemed to Maytal the most apt medium for contemplating the moment we were in. “The combination of different masks represent the individual struggles and the different obstacles people encountered,” she says. “Although we all suffered through this moment it affected us all very differently.” Each mask pasted on paper expresses our individual solitudes dictated by a shared experience. We were alone, together.

Once assembled, the masks form the shape of a tree, a distinct symbol of growth. “A tree seemed the obvious form the mural should

take,” Maytal says. “I kept returning to the idea of how we grew as people throughout COVID.”

The mural, similar to any community, contains surprising disjunctions that join in a harmonious whole: every mask, worn by someone else with a unique experience, has its own personality. The masks flash with individual color, shape and size, but they create one image. “The mural really shows how the Collegiate community has come together out of this,” Maytal says.

In H2L2, the Upper School art room, as Maytal and her classmates arrange the mural — turning a bright green mask into a leaf in the tree, placing a blue one in the surrounding sky — the students take time to reflect on the last few years. It’s the kind of space that art uniquely allows: an arena for quiet contemplation. Talking, gluing down the masks, one of the students comes up with the idea of painting the tree’s outline in silver — a silver lining, as it were. “It took a thing like the pandemic to remind people about what community means,” one student remarks, grabbing another mask from the large pile. “We each felt the pandemic differently. It was very disruptive, and despite that, positive, beautiful things have come from it, embodied by this tree.”

Maytal Zasler ’25 and a few of her classmates have been working on a mural that speaks to our previous lockdown epoch.

STEADFAST COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE

Throughout all three seasons, Collegiate’s sports teams have competed with diligence, respect and excellence.

The hyper frenetic pace of Collegiate athletics has slowed to a manageable trot now that the school year has come to a close, and it’s time, finally, to step back, take a deep breath, assess where the program has been and determine where it’s going.

“Let’s start with how proud we are of the kids and the work they’ve done day-in, day-out,” says Andrew Stanley, who just completed his first year as Director of Athletics. “They’ve competed hard, represented the School in the right way and done right by their teams and teammates.”

In 2022-23, Collegiate finished atop the League of Independent Schools in cross country, field hockey, volleyball, swimming and soccer, the Prep League in soccer and golf, and the VISAA in three girls sports: cross country, swimming and field hockey.

Collegiate earned the overall Prep League Sportsmanship Award, the football, basketball, swimming, wrestling and baseball teams earned the sportsmanship award for their respective sports, and the Cougars placed third in the final Prep League Director’s Cup standings.

A host of athletes earned all-league, all-state and all-metro honors, and 10 were cited as

By Weldon Bradshaw

league, state and/or metro athlete of the year in their respective sports: MK Myers ’23 (girls cross country), Stan Craig ’23 (boys cross country, winter track and spring track), Matthew Jenkins ’23 (boys soccer), Elizabeth Mendoza ’24 (tennis), Emory Deguenther ’26 and Elle Scott ’25 (girls swimming), Charlie Mayr ’24 (boys swimming), Kenley Campbell ’24 (girls soccer), Gabi Deglau ’23 (indoor and spring track) and Callie Rogers ’24 (field hockey).

Nine coaches were honored as Coach of the Year in their respective leagues: Matthew Richardson (boys and girls cross country), Rob Ukrop (boys soccer), Allyson Brand (girls tennis), Rose White (volleyball), Mike Peters (girls swimming), Andrew Slater (baseball), Jeff Dunnington (golf), Robby Turner (softball) and Beth Kondorossy (girls track).

Stanley arrived at Collegiate 26 years ago as a teacher and coach, served as assistant, then Associate Athletic Director under the guidance of Charlie McFall and Karen Doxey, and headed the boys lacrosse program for 17 seasons until May 2022 when he stepped down to assume his current role.

“Since I wasn’t as emotionally attached to one team as I had been,” he says, “I tried my best to

figure out what it looks like, feels like and sounds like to compete with, against and for Collegiate. As you go field to field, game to game, it’s really impressive. We have an impressive group of kids, coaches and parents. We’re super proud of the kids and the way they conduct themselves and the way they show up and continue to work.

“We’re super proud of the coaches and their positive energy, their attitudes and their level of dedication and expertise. We’re supported really well by parents and fans who get it. We’re in a position the next couple of years to really decide what this chapter of Collegiate athletics will look like.”

How will he and his staff develop the blueprint?

“We’ve been sitting down with every program leader and asking them to assess the program, the team, the season, the coaching, the situations,” Stanley says. “We discuss relative strengths, relative weaknesses. Where do we need to improve tactically, technically, culturally and personally as far as coaching development? We’ll use that self-assessment to determine where they are and where they want to go.”

Stanley has also made his own program assessment.

Let’s start with how proud we are of the kids and the work they’ve done day-in, day-out.”

“The willingness of our coaches to do the best they can to provide for the kids in front of them each day is really impressive,” he says. “It’s not easy to be that nimble all the time. As I assess the year, I see the commitment that kids, coaches and parents put into making the program successful. I’m committed to doing my part to help move the ball down the field.

“No one is complacent. It’s a continual process to improve. I can’t tell you how many really good coaches have come in and said, ‘I

want to learn more. How do I get better at this part of the game? I’ve got to study up on this zone defense or this idea or this technique so I can teach a little bit better. Our coaches embrace the challenge to improve. It’s that blue-collar coaching that allows us to be competitive in almost everything.”

And moving forward…

“I’m excited about the future of girls golf,” Stanley says. “That was a new program this year, and I hope to see it develop. We’ll have three new program leaders (boys

golf, girls lacrosse, football) next year. I’m excited to see what those changes bring about.

“Where we’re going would suggest that there’s an end zone, so to speak, but I don’t know that there is. We’ll hold onto what’s made Collegiate’s athletic program successful while continuing to stay current and push forward and adapt in the areas of need to provide for kids in accordance with the mission of the School.”

Unrelenting Quest for Excellence

Eve Clemans ’24, a student of the game of hockey, wants to be the best player and teammate she can be.

By Weldon Bradshaw

Eve Clemans ’24, all of five years old, came home from school one day and announced to her parents Trina and Dave that she wanted to start playing ice hockey.

Some guys in her first grade class at Hindley Elementary in Darien, CT, played the sport at recess, and Eve wanted to join the fun.

“We said no,” Dave Clemans recalls with a laugh. “She weighed slightly less than the puck.”

Eve persisted, though — her exact words, her dad says, were, “Pleeeeeease let me play hockey” — and before long she was down at the local pond with a street stick, lacrosse helmet, and a variety of hand-me-down gear playing pickup with whoever showed up.

“I was five years old,” says Eve, now a 16-year-old Collegiate School Junior. “I thought it was cool. I was just having fun with my friends.”

Hockey is big time in the Northeast, and there was a sixmonth wait even to get on the tryout list. Trina and Dave, still skeptical, figured Eve’s interest would wane and she’d move on to some other sport where her diminutive size wouldn’t be a hindrance.

“My mom didn’t want me to play,” Eve says. “My dad was like ‘Give her a year. She’ll be out there with the guys. They’re big. She’ll get knocked around. She won’t want to play next year.’ That’s not how it worked out.”

Eve made the first team for which she auditioned, and, despite the crack-of-dawn practice times, played house hockey for two years, then moved to boys travel teams because she was developing her skills rapidly and had an uncommon passion for the action that she didn’t find in the girls game.

“The boys game tends to be faster and more competitive,” she says. “I like the speed and competitiveness.”

When Eve was nine, she moved with her family to Richmond and signed on with the Richmond Generals boys travel squad where she was coached for two seasons by Matt Jones, who played for North Dakota, which won the NCAA Frozen Four championship, then played professionally for several years, including a two-season stint with the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League.

His mentoring has been a godsend.

“Eve would definitely fall into the category of exceptional,” says Jones, who now works for the Norfolk Fire Department. “The first year I coached her (2018-2019), I

noticed right away that she was extremely driven.

“She has an intense desire not just to be better than the opponents but better than she was the last time she stepped on the ice. Her attitude towards the game is extraordinary.”

Along the way, Eve played baseball (pitcher, catcher, shortstop) in the Tuckahoe Little League and football (quarterback) for the Western Wildcats. In Middle School, she played Cub football and wrestled in addition to fulfilling her hockey commitments, a massive juggling act, to be sure.

Hockey, though, remained her first love, and she continued to improve. After playing with the boys in Richmond, she played a year for the Carolina Junior Hurricanes U14 girls team based in Raleigh but after a year returned to the Generals boys program.

In an effort to improve her prodigious skills and draw the interest of college scouts, Eve has participated in myriad high-level tournaments and elite camps, most notably the by-invitation USA Hockey National Player Development Camp at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota in 2021.

She now plays for the Florida Alliance U16 Tier 1 squad. This commitment requires a trip to one of several training venues in Florida once or twice a month and as

many as 10 tournaments drawing the crème de la crème of age-group talent throughout the country.

She and her teammates recently won their second consecutive USA Hockey Southeastern District Championship and in April competed heart and soul in the Chipotle-USA Hockey Girls Tier I National Championship in Dallas although they were eliminated in the preliminary round.

Eve’s uncommon passion for and dedication to her craft goes much further than games and tournaments. Her off-ice regimen includes intentional strength and conditioning training, mostly at the Tuckahoe YMCA, several times a week and technique work on a layout of synthetic ice in her family’s garage.

For some, it might seem like drudgery, but for Eve, it’s just part of her day. To say that she finds joy in the “grind” is an understatement.

Eve, you see, wants to be the best hockey player and teammate she can be. She’s a student of the game. She’s coachable. She attends to details. She studies video, watches hockey on television and is a rapt audience as she observes other skilled players in action at high-level events.

“I’m generally a competitive person,” she says. “I like challenges. My favorite games are when we’re down 2-1 and have to climb

back. There’s just that adrenaline that’s going through you.

“I also think it comes back to the people. My teammates are some of my best friends. I love being with them. The coaches as well. They’re just great people.”

Eve is a forward who usually plays on the right wing. Her instincts are keen. She thrives on her role as a playmaker.

“I’m definitely a pass-first player,” she says. “The most important thing is hockey sense. That would compare to vision in other sports. My best skill is my vision and playmaking.”

The physicality of sport has never been an issue, not when she played on the guys teams, not when she played football and wrestled, and certainly not as she competes at the highest level of girls hockey. Eve can definitely take a hit.

“Yeah,” she says. “I don’t mind it. That’s never turned me away from anything.”

College is a little over a year away, and Eve has received plenty of looks from recruiters.

“Obviously for girls, there’re fewer opportunities after college, so college hockey is probably my biggest goal,” she says. “I want to be on a team where I can do well and the team can do well. Hopefully, I’ll have as much fun as I’ve had playing hockey growing up.”

She has an intense desire not just to be better than the opponents but better than she was the last time she stepped on the ice. Her attitude towards the game is extraordinary.”

POSITIVE CULTURE

By Weldon Bradshaw

IT CAME AS NO SURPRISE that Collegiate won the League of Independent Schools swimming and diving championship by a significant margin in competition, held at the Kenny Center on the campus of St. Catherine’s School in early February.

While the Cougars took nothing for granted, they were the odds-on favorite because they returned a nucleus of talented, motivated athletes from the team that won both the league and state titles in 2022.

This time, Coach Mike Peters’s crew amassed 593 points, well ahead of St. Catherine’s (424), Trinity Episcopal (281), Norfolk Academy (277), St. Anne’s-Belfield (215), St. Gertrude (65) and Veritas (63).

In claiming their 14th LIS championship, they won nine of

13 events, and Sophomore Elle Scott and Freshman Emory DeGeunther shared most valuable swimmer honors.

Elle set LIS records in the 100 breaststroke (1:02.75) and 200 individual medley (2:02.29), and Emory rewrote the league mark in the 200 freestyle (1:50.91) as did the 200 freestyle relay team of Valentina Linkonis, Gabby Chen, Emory, and Elle (1:37.23).

The other victories came in the 100 backstroke (Bella Little, 58.55); 100 freestyle (Valentina, 53.99); 100 butterfly (Emory, 56.79); 200 medley relay (Bella, Emily Kantner, Emory, Maddie Jewett in 1:46.98); and the 400 freestyle relay (Valentina, Jasper Jones, Amelia Chen, Elle in 3:34.28).

Collegiate’s success in the pool is borne out of a one-for-all, all-for-one mindset.

Collegiate’s boys team, which lost three stalwarts (Christian Mayr, Dalton Jobe and Aaron Moore) to graduation, placed third in the Prep League (295 points) behind St. Christopher’s (479) and Norfolk Academy (357) and ahead of Woodberry Forest (259), Trinity Episcopal (256), Fork Union (173), and St. Anne’s-Belfield (170).

Junior Charlie Mayr, the 500 freestyle (4:40.42) and 200 individual medley (1:55.05) champ and a member of the third-place 200 freestyle and 200 medley relay teams, was the meet’s most valuable swimmer.

The Cougars didn’t earn their success this year (or any other year, for that matter) just by swimming fast and diving with skill and precision. They earned it because long ago, coaches and athletes created a culture in which team success is more important than individual accolades and because future generations perpetuated that one-for-all, allfor-one mindset.

Peters, an All-American distance swimmer at New Rochelle (NY) High who went on to swim for Brown University, has headed Collegiate’s program for six years. The previous 11 seasons, he served as his predecessor Mike Stott’s assistant. He’s also coached summer league for two decades. To say that he understands what makes swimmers and swim/dive teams tick is an understatement.

“There’re some unique things about swimming that lead to team building,” says Peters, a Collegiate

Middle School math teacher and advisor. “The first is that our top swimmers aren’t at practice every day because they swim for their club teams, but they’re still connected to the other kids socially and as a team. They’re getting what they need at their club practices, and it makes it easier for us to work with the level of the other kids, which is still very high.

“The second is that 8th Graders can not only be on the varsity but can win state titles. At the state meet, we’ll have four 8th Grade girls, two of whom (Jasper and Valentina) will almost certainly be on all-state relay teams.

“The third is that every kid swims the same amount in every meet. We’re allowed three entries that score, and in certain events, we’re allowed unlimited exhibition entries. My philosophy has always been to treat all our swimmers the same and shout out their successes.”

A case in point occurred on Senior Night (Jan. 27) at the Collegiate School Aquatic Center. Against Norfolk Academy and Monacan, Junior Charlie Cheek, a team member since 7th Grade, swam 24.04 in the 50 free to surpass the state qualifying time (24.11).

“He was an exhibition swimmer, but when he made it, we had all the boys and girls on the side screaming for him,” Peters says.

“I want to make sure everybody knows we appreciate them and let them know that they’re very much a part of the team. I love winning as much as any coach around here.

At the same time, seeing kids progress, even if they don’t score a point…that’s a highlight. Celebrating with Charlie was a highlight because I know how much work he’s put in.”

Peters is never at a loss for poignant memories that speak to team culture.

There’re the myriad examples of older swimmers mentoring their younger teammates both in and out of the pool.

Last winter when the girls team won the final event, the 400 free relay, and captured their eighth state title in program history, there was Hudson Neese carrying the banner signifying the event amidst the members of both squads cheering wildly.

There were Dalton, Aaron and Christian, moments after the boys team had fallen six points short of a state title in their final high school competition, celebrating alongside the victorious girls.

“They understood that what we’re doing is bigger than one trophy or plaque,” Peters says. “I want this experience to be fun for everyone. Over the years I’ve coached here, whenever we talk to kids about favorite memories, only a handful of them have talked about a record or a swim.

They talk about dressing up (in all manner of green and gold) for the second night of states. They talk about standing on the side of the pool cheering for the 400 free relay. They love swimming, but they really love the Collegiate swim and dive team.”

Collegiate swimming, then, is about chemistry and camaraderie, about intangibles and about continuing Stott’s mantra of Fun, Fitness and Competition.

“You have to have unique relationships to have unique performances,” Peters says. “I want every kid to understand that I care about what they’re doing in the pool but also in the classroom and in other sports.

“In the grand scheme of things, individual swims don’t change somebody’s life. Whether you go a minute in the 100 back or 59 [seconds] isn’t the be-all or end-all of success. Learning about resilience, overcoming adversity, fighting through nervousness, handling disappointment…that’s what changes lives.”

I love winning as much as any coach around here. At the same time, seeing kids progress, even if they don’t score a point… that’s a highlight.”

Commencement

Traditions

Commencement takes a village, but each year, students graduate, and that moment is the culmination of an entire community’s effort to foster responsible citizens of the world.

The preparation starts in earnest in early spring, when groundskeeper Robyn Hartley and her team begin laying fresh grass seed on the lawn in front of Flippen Hall.

But getting a student ready for Commencement also begins the moment they arrive on campus, when a careful, diligent teacher welcomes the green Cougar into class. There is the preparation of the ceremony and the preparation of students for that ceremony. Both are of great importance, and both are in service to the students, a practice and mission the School has endeavored to take on for more than a century.

Collegiate’s 108th Commencement, that long-awaited, it’snot-an-end-but-a-beginning rite of passage for 142 Seniors, went off without a hitch on the idyllic morning of Friday, May 26.

During the 87-minute ceremony, Chairman of the Board Carter Reid, Interim Head of School Billy Peebles, Upper School Head Patrick Loach and valedictorians Madeline Port and Nat Lurie delivered well-crafted, powerful and heartfelt reflections about the Class of 2023, their collective accomplishments and contributions, their hopes for the future and the sacrifices of those who have prepared them to venture into the world well beyond North Mooreland Road.

Then, one by one, the members of the largest graduating class in School history crossed the stage, received their diplomas and joined the ranks of Collegiate alumni, an association 7,000 strong, as they head off to 69 colleges and universities in 20 states.

Had the weather conditions been inclement as they have numerous times over the years, Commencement would have moved into the athletic center where seating is limited and the ambiance not nearly so sublime for this spirited, feel-good,

once-in-a-lifetime celebration which can draw upwards of 2,500 adoring family members and friends.

Pulling together a plan that culminates with perfect execution is no small or easy task. It’s the result of the concerted efforts of experienced hands and a year of preparation which begins with a debriefing just days after the last graduation and continues until every detail is perfectly in place.

“It takes a village,” says Missy Herod, the quarterback nonpareil of the graduation team since the early ’80s. “It definitely takes a village.”

To say there is a plethora of moving parts is an understatement.

Oh, my gosh, where to begin?

Suffice it to say that the planning committee and the good folks in the physical plant department pull yeoman’s duty preparing for the graduates’ big day.

Early on, they order 2,500 folding chairs for the Flippen Hall lawn and 900 each for the athletic center and the Lower School lawn, where Baccalaureate takes place the evening before graduation.

The grounds, all 55 acres, must be as pristine as well-trodden school grounds can be. The grass must be cut, flower beds mulched, trees and bushes trimmed, windows cleaned and sidewalks checked for impediments. This year, a drainage issue arose near the stage area, but the grounds crew made it a nothing-to-see-here situation.

Musicians rehearse and perform, faculty guide speakers as they hone their presentations, security assists with myriad details, nurses and athletic trainers stand by in case of emergencies, all the time hoping that none occur, volunteer drivers shuttle visitors who need extra assistance in golf carts from the parking lots, transportation moves the School’s vehicle fleet to the Robins Campus and the cafeteria staff prepares and stages receptions for both Commencement and Baccalaureate.

The sound system and streaming services are activated, checked and rechecked, a standby generator is procured in case the power fails and Oates Theater is prepared for those who choose to watch on the big screen.

A couple of days before graduation, chairs are labeled for Seniors, and blocks of seats are reserved for families of graduates, and on graduation day, if those chairs are dew-laden as they can be early on spring days, everyone available grabs a rag and dries them one by one.

The to-do list goes on and on and on.

“It’s pretty much all hands on deck,” Herod says.

There’ve been glitches, of course, which, though hardly amusing in the moment, have become the stuff of graduation lore.

In the late ’80s when the ceremony was held in the evening, just as the folks settled into their seats, thunder rolled, lightning split the western sky and the clouds opened. There was no backup plan.

Commencement 2018

“Everybody picked up chairs and headed to the athletic center,” says Wilbur Athey, who for 38 years served as logistics, projects, and setup manager. “We had to take the sound equipment. It was hectic for a few minutes. We didn’t have air conditioning. It was hot and stuffy, but everything went smoothly.”

Some years after the memorable deluge, the crew arrived at daybreak to find an empty stage. Seems that someone had swiped the chairs and tossed them in the creek just off North Mooreland Road. The crew dutifully retrieved them, cleaned them up and placed them back on stage. The culprits remain at large.

Then there was the time some mischievous lads pulled all the cords from the sound system. They thought they were clever. The authorities thought otherwise. The miscreants spent a memorable week paying their debt to society under Athey’s watchful eye.

Another time, vandals used gasoline to spell out some unseemly verbiage in the grass on the front lawn. Thankfully, green paint did the trick.

There was the year that rental trees arrived on the scene to block the less-than-aesthetically-pleasing view of the McFall Hall renovation.

There was an instance or two when a prankster removed a chair from the stage. Now Herod marks every chair with the graduate’s name and has extras behind the stage, which came in handy back in the early 2000s when a newly minted alumnus returned to his seat, sat down and hit the deck when his chair collapsed under him. Thankfully, Athey was backstage and quickly handed him a new chair to replace the busted one.

Then there were the COVID years. Commencement 2020 was Seniors and immediate family only in as antiseptic an environment as possible. Commencement 2021 took place on the large expanse south of the creek to allow for proper spacing. As always, the show must go on. And as always, the students, thanks to the work of their teachers, have been ready for their graduation day, in whatever form it took.

It’s always been Herod’s practice to stop by the graduation venue following Baccalaureate, usually around twilight, to check things out.

She’s seen deer, foxes, squirrels, chipmunks and, memorably, a snake residing in one of the golf carts.

“I think it was just a rat snake,” she says, “but it scared me.”

One time, she says, she found that a cat had delivered kittens under the stage. The SPCA came to the rescue.

Then, several years ago, she came face to face with a skunk.

“I scared the skunk,” she says. “The skunk sprayed, and the whole place stunk of skunk. The next day, you could still smell the skunk, but it wasn’t that bad.”

This year, there was no rain, no hijinks, no mishaps, no snakes and certainly no skunks, just proud families, ecstatic graduates and an immense sense of relief and gratitude among all who played a role that their efforts had come to fruition.

Commencement truly represents the culmination of Collegiate’s educational duty. Each year, as departing Seniors exit from the stage with diplomas in hand, they take with them also the many lessons their teachers, coaches, mentors and advisors have imparted. While Commencement celebrates the students, it also honors the united effort of so many who have prepared them for their glorious day.

“Literally, at 6:30 in the morning, and I’m not exaggerating, there were 10 to 15 people from all over the campus — Upper School folks, college counseling, our amazing facilities crew — wiping off the chairs,” says Billy Peebles, Interim Head of School. “That was an amazing representation of the cross-section of the community getting the place ready.

“Graduation was the epitome of incredible organization, every possible detail was anticipated, and people made sure that all went well and everyone was comfortable.”

Class of 23 CONGRATULATIONS TO THE

COLLEGIATE SCHOOL CELEBRATES THE

Class of 2023

Collegiate School’s 108th Commencement was held at the end of May, and the Class of 2023, bearing smiles of pride and gratitude, said an affectionate farewell to their beloved School among family and friends.

With gentle sunlight splashed across the 142 Seniors spread out on the lawn in front of Flippen Hall, this year’s Commencement, the 108th in Collegiate’s history, was a celebration of growth and transition.

After welcoming families and friends who had gathered for the ceremony, Carter Reid P ’16 ’18, Chair of the Board of Trustees, saluted the Seniors, reminding them that although their paths are now taking them beyond Collegiate, they’ll always have a dedicated support system to rely on here at North Mooreland Road.

“Continue to embrace Collegiate’s values in all that you do” she said. “You are now joining the 7,000 Cougars around the world who live our motto: Minds that seek. Hearts that serve.”

When Interim Head of School

Billy Peebles took the stage to deliver his remarks, he began by speaking about the gift of education and of all the people that contribute to it. “Remember to be thankful for the blessings of working with teachers and advisors and coaches

and counselors who have cared for you, who have challenged you, who inspired you, who have listened to you and, indeed, who have loved you,” he told the students.

Peebles continued, speaking of life’s great paradox of both receiving a terrific education and using that education to serve others. “Perhaps the most profound paradox is the truth that we can secure those qualities we treasure most in life and at the same time give them to others,” he said. “Examples of those qualities that grow within our lives as we extend them to others include respect, kindness, compassion, gratitude, grace and, most importantly, love. Remember the opportunities and the responsibilities that come with the kind of education you’ve received at Collegiate.”

The valedictorians of the Class of 2023 — Madeline Port and Nat Lurie — were next to speak.

Madeline discussed the embrace of Collegiate’s community and its great balm of support. “The network of support that we

have built here will never truly leave us,” she said. And as the Class of 2023 goes forward “it’s important to take the time to seek out people that we can fall back on when we need it most when we find ourselves in unfamiliar environments next year.”

Nat followed Madeline, beginning with the observation that 3rd Grade, for him, felt tragically shorter than 2nd Grade. As he progressed through the School, the years became ever fleeting. “As I grew older, a single year became a smaller fraction of my life,” he noted. The older you get, and as you grow, he realized, the size of the world becomes less astonishing and your place in the world feels smaller, more brief.

His contemplation of time was encouraged by his teachers and refined by his education. Ultimately, though, with enough perspective, he realized that his time at Collegiate will be marked with relative transience in comparison to the entire scope of his life.

“We feel like our entire existence is tied to school, because it takes up so large a fraction in the small part of our lives we’ve lived,” he told the audience. But

as the Class of 2023 graduates, Nat hopes he and his peers will expand their time at Collegiate into the greater fractions of their lives. “Given how fortunate we are, we’re obligated to recognize how much more we have left to live and to use the knowledge and skills that Collegiate has given us in the next 84 percent of our lives to make a positive difference.”

Before awarding diplomas to the graduates, Head of the Upper Patrick Loach paused and looked out at the gathering before him. Loach, whose son is a member of the Class of 2023, spoke with cheerful enthusiasm about the excellence the students have exhibited during their time on North Mooreland Road. The Class of 2023, he noted, is the largest grad-

uating class in Collegiate’s history, and that within this group of 142 Seniors, each has a unique mind ready to serve and impact the greater world.

“They’re really smart, they’re incredibly creative and they’re exceptionally athletic,” he said of the Seniors. “But what makes them so special is that they care about each other and they care about community and they care about Collegiate.”

YOU ARE NOW JOINING THE 7,000 COUGARS AROUND THE WORLD WHO LIVE OUR MOTTO: MINDS THAT SEEK. HEARTS THAT SERVE.”

Awards Given at Commencement

GREENBAUM AWARD - VALEDICTORIANS

Theodore (Nat) Nathan Lurie and Madeline Grace Port

E. ANGUS POWELL AWARD

Rohan Agarwal

ROSEMARY AWARD

Elisa (Ellie) Murray Leipheimer

DR. MARTHA E. KOLBE AWARD

Stanley (Stan) Daggett Craig Jr.

LOUISE MATTERN COLEMAN AWARD

Taylor Emma Domson

CHARLES F. WILTSHIRE CITIZENSHIP AWARD

Brandon Alvis Watson

JOHNEL TATE POFFENBERGER AWARD

Virginia (Daisy) Daisy Storey

Honors Assembly Awards

Upper School faculty and administrators selected the recipients, who were honored throughout April and May.

HARVARD PRIZE BOOK AWARD

Benjamin Leon Brackett ’24

WELLESLEY COLLEGE BOOK AWARD

Giles Winston Ferrell ’24

JEFFERSON BOOK AWARD

Hannah Gray Bonbright ’24

Connor Michael Chang ’24

BROWN BOOK AWARD

Alexis Madeline Covington ’24

Bolling LaPrade Lewis ’24

DARTMOUTH BOOK AWARD

Ruby Victoria Goff ’24

Brandon Murray Thomason ’24

MALCOLM U. PITT JR. SERVICE AWARD

Margaret Elizabeth Bowman ’23

VIRGINIA COURTNEY SIMPSON AWARD

Jordan Leigh Gross ’23

ELIZABETH BRYSON POWELL AWARD

Charles Tucker Loach ’23

WILLIAM & MARY LEADERSHIP AWARD

Heidi Elizabeth Albrecht ’24

HELEN MOON SENIOR ENGLISH AWARD

Stanley Daggett Craig Jr. ’23

Taylor Emma Domson ’23

SENIOR CREATIVE WRITING AWARD

Caroline Emma Smith ’23

CHARLOTTE STEVENS JUNIOR

ENGLISH AWARD

Giles Winston Ferrell ’24

Thomas James Harrison ’24

BRITTEN SENIOR MATH AWARD

Theodore Nathan Lurie ’23

Madeline Grace Port ’23

THALHIMER SENIOR FRENCH AWARD

Maia Sigal Zasler ’23

SENIOR SPANISH AWARD

Taylor Emma Domson ’23

SENIOR LATIN AWARD

Ann Carter Arendale ’23

SENIOR CHINESE AWARD

Elisa Murray Leipheimer ’23

PERROW SENIOR HISTORY AWARD

Maria Taurik Haddad ’23

Barrington Slate Lambert ’23

MARGARET DANIEL SENIOR SCIENCE AWARD

Caroline Emma Smith ’23

OSBORNE SENIOR SCIENCE AWARD

Stanley Daggett Craig Jr. ’23

DR. TAPAN HAZRA SCIENCE AWARD

Austyn Noel Ennis ’26

HIRSCHLER SCIENCE RESEARCH AWARD

Brandon Murray Thomason ’24

ENGARD SENIOR ART AWARD

Catherine Pope Riley ’23

JAKE MACNELLY SENIOR ART PURCHASE AWARD

(SPONSORED BY THE CLASS OF 1990)

India Luise White Mansfield ’23

SCOTT HARDEN SENIOR PERFORMING ARTS AWARD

Margaret Joye Hutchison ’23

Theodore Nathan Lurie ’23

CAROLYN LEVEY MUSIC AWARD

Madeline Grace Port ’23

OSBORNE MUSIC AWARD

Carter Joseph Anderson ’23

THESPIAN AWARD

Brandon Alvis Watson ’23

TECHNICAL THEATER AWARD

Finian Grainger LeClair

Richardson ’23

DANCE AWARD

Elizabeth Campbell Simkin ’23

FRANCES LEIGH WILLIAMS JOURNALISM AWARD

Mallory Claire Brabrand ’23

Carter Allison Meagher ’23

Mark Tyler Stepanian ’23

Maia Sigal Zasler ’23

Nina Elizabeth Zabellos ’23

WEBB SENIOR SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD

Virginia Anne Ballowe ’23

JACOBS SENIOR SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD

Thomas Hayden Rollison ’23

REED SENIOR ATHLETIC AWARD

Isabel Grace Lee ’23

OUTSTANDING SENIOR ATHLETE AWARD

Krystian Robert Williams ’23

RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH/SPORTS BACKERS SCHOLAR-ATHLETE

Taylor Emma Domson ’23

Elijah Monroe Petty ’23

Finding Great Fits

The Class of 2023 represents the largest class in Collegiate’s history and is a model of excellence in and out of the classroom. Here is a bythe-numbers breakdown of their demonstrated excellence.

142 SENIORS

966 APPLICATIONS

614 ACCEPTANCES

SUBMITTED AND RECIEVED ENROLLING IN

TO TO

69 COLLEGES 85% OF THE CLASS

207 COLLEGES

(BOTH RECORD HIGHS) IN 36 STATES, CANADA, FRANCE AND SCOTLAND IN 20 STATES, FRANCE AND SCOTLAND

171 COLLEGES

$8.1 MILLION

reported being accepted by one of their top two colleges, and across three evaluative categories they offered high satisfaction ratings (college process overall: 92%; college counseling office: 94%; college counselor: 90%).

8 ARTISTS 27 RECRUITED ATHLETES

will pursue their craft in highly selective programs in dance, film, graphic communications, media arts, music, theater and the visual arts.

will compete at the Division I (10) and Division III (17) levels in 13 different sports: baseball, basketball, cross country, field hockey, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track & field and volleyball. This number of commitments is tied for highest in Collegiate’s history.

The Class of 2023 received an impressive total of in merit scholarship offers, including the prestigious Jefferson Scholarship at the University of Virginia and the Stamps Scholarship at Wake Forest University.

College Choices

The Class of 2023 enrolled in the following institutions of higher learning. Institutions where Collegiate students received multiple acceptances are noted in parentheses as (enrolled, accepted). The institutions that saw Cougars apply, admitted and enroll display wide-ranging breadth, including arts schools, engineering schools, historically Black colleges and universities, large research universities, single-sex institutions and small liberal arts colleges. Without a doubt, these Seniors are going places.

American University (1, 3)

Amherst College

Auburn University (7, 28)

Babson College

Baylor University (1, 2)

Belmont University

Boston College (1, 2)

Bucknell University (3, 6)

Christopher Newport University (1, 12)

Clemson University (1, 13)

Colby College

College of Charleston (1, 19)

College of William & Mary (6, 10)

College in Sweden

Columbia University & Sciences Po

(dual degree)

Dartmouth College

Davidson College (1, 4)

Denison University (1, 3)

Dickinson College (1, 4)

Duke University (2, 3)

Duquesne University (1, 2)

Eastern Mennonite University

Elon University (4, 17)

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Emerson College

Fordham University (1, 2)

George Washington University (1, 3)

Georgetown University

Hampden-Sydney College (4, 11)

Hampton University

James Madison University (5, 37)

Kenyon College (1, 4)

Lafayette College (1, 4)

Liberty University

Longwood University (1, 2)

Loyola Marymount University

Meredith College

Miami University – Ohio (1, 10)

North Carolina State University (1, 2)

Northeastern University (1, 2)

Pennsylvania State University (3, 8)

Pratt Institute

Rhodes College (2, 7)

Roanoke College (2, 4)

Rochester Institute of Technology

Savannah College of Art & Design (1, 3)

Scripps College

Sewanee – University of the South (4, 10)

Southern Methodist University (2, 8)

Swarthmore College

Texas Christian University (2, 5)

Tulane University (2, 4)

University of California – Los Angeles (2)

University of Chicago (2)

University of Colorado – Boulder (1, 6)

University of Edinburgh – Scotland

In addition, Collegiate Seniors were accepted to the following but have chosen not to matriculate.

Appalachian State Univ. (2)

Arizona State University (2)

Boston University

Bridgewater College

Carleton College

Case Western Reserve Univ.

Catholic University

Coastal Carolina University

Colgate University

Concordia University – Canada

Connecticut College

Drew University

East Carolina University (3)

Eckerd College

Ferrum College

Florida Institute of Technology

Furman University (6)

Gannon University

George Mason University (3)

Gettysburg College (2)

Guilford College

Hamilton College

Hawaii Pacific University

High Point University (3)

Hofstra University (2)

Howard University

Indiana University

Ithaca College

Louisiana State University

Loyola University – Chicago (2)

Loyola Univ. – New Orleans

Macalester College

Manhattan College

Mary Baldwin University

Marymount Manhattan College

McGill University – Canada

Michigan State University

Mississippi State University

Montana State University

Muhlenberg College

Norfolk State University

North Carolina A&T University

North Carolina Central Univ.

Northwestern University

Occidental College (2)

Ohio University

Old Dominion University (4)

Pennsylvania State U. – Harrisburg

Pepperdine University (2)

Purdue University

Randolph-Macon College (4)

Richard Bland College

Rollins College

Santa Clara University (2)

School of the Art Inst. of Chicago Sciences Po University – France

Shenandoah University (2)

Skidmore College

Spelman College

SUNY – Purchase College

Sweet Briar College

Syracuse University

Texas A & M University

Trinity College

Union College (2)

University of Alabama (17)

Univ. of Alabama – Birmingham

University of Arizona (2)

University of California – Berkeley

University of California – Davis

University of California – Irvine

University of California – Santa

Barbara (3)

University of California – Santa Cruz

University of Delaware (3)

University of Denver (8)

University of Florida (2)

University of Kentucky (5)

University of Georgia (4, 20)

University of Mississippi (2, 14)

University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill (1, 2)

University of North Carolina – School of the Arts

University of Pennsylvania (2)

University of Pittsburgh (1, 3)

University of Richmond (1, 4)

University of South Carolina (1, 25)

University of Southern California

University of Tennessee (1, 20)

University of Virginia (20, 28)

Virginia Commonwealth University (2, 8)

Virginia Tech (10, 16)

Wake Forest University (2, 5)

Washington & Lee University (1, 5)

University of Louisville

University of Lynchburg

University of Maine

University of Manchester – England

University of Mary Washington (6)

University of Maryland

University of Maryland – Balt. County (2)

University of Michigan

University of Montana

University of New Hampshire

University North Carolina – Greensboro

University North Carolina – Wilmington (3)

University of San Diego

University of Southern Maine (2)

Univ. of St. Andrews – Scotland

University of Tampa (2)

University of Texas

University of Utah

University of Vermont (3)

University of Wisconsin

Washington University – St. Louis

West Virginia University (2)

Wofford College (3)

Xavier University – Ohio (2)

Cougar Legacies

Adamson

aunt Elizabeth Thalhimer Smartt ’94, aunt Christie Thalhimer Silverstein ’02, mother Katherine Thalhimer Adamson ’96 and grandfather William B. Thalhimer III ’64.

Stuart Armstrong with uncle Jeff Armstrong ’83, aunt Catherine Maynard Armstrong ’82, brother Grant Armstrong ’22, father Tiffany Bohm Armstrong ’86, brother Charles Armstrong ’20 and uncle Mike Armstrong ’81.

3. Andrew Wesley Atiyeh with cousin Anne Miller ’16, aunt Benita Atiyeh Miller ’76, aunt Karen Atiyeh Stephens ’80 and father Edward Wesley Atiyeh ’84.

4. Hudson Hunter Avery with uncle Emmett Montrose Avery IV ’88, father Hunter Fontaine Avery ’91 and great uncle Lewis Larus Avery ’68. Not pictured: Deceased grandfather Emmett Montrose Avery III ’66.

1. Katherine Perrow

with

2. Anna

5. Virginia Anne Ballowe with mother Hylah Boyd Ballowe ’90 and brother John Allen Ballowe ’21.

1. Abigail Perkins Bauhan with father John H. Bauhan Jr ’86, sister Pender Bauhan ’21 and uncle Hobey Bauhan ’84.

2. Jackson Bowen Bradley with cousin Sydney Bralyn Van Roekel ’20 and father Ryan Beale Bradley ’92.

3. Olivia Morgan Brownstein with sister Alexandra Brownstein ’22 and father Andrew S. Brownstein ’85. Not pictured: grandmother Elise Bloom Scherr ’55.

4. Marie Ellen Cafritz with aunt Kay Long-Martin ’87, grandmother Anne Hirschler Long ’62, mother Diane Long Cafritz ’88 and brother Hugh Cafritz ’22. Not pictured: Deceased great-grandmother Elizabeth Whitlock Hirschler ’32.

5. Bailey Anne Cherkis with mother Elizabeth Everett Cherkis ’86 and aunt Rachel Scott Everett ’92.

1. Andrew Joseph Condlin with mother Anne-Marie Shaia Condlin ’84.

2. Emma Catherine de Witt with father Alexander Spotswood de Witt ’91 and mother Erika Schiff de Witt ’93.

3. Jordan Blair Deane with sister Caleigh Deane ’20 and mother Heather Cawthon Deane ’85.

4. Ashley Claiborne Dillard with uncle David G. Wilson III ’85 and father Stuart Preston Dillard ’91. Not pictured: uncle Hartwell Harrison Dillard ’94 and deceased great-grandmother Mary Calvin Watkins Harrison ’38.

5. Claire Adams DuBose with uncle Cleighton Lee Hilbert Jr. ’92, sister Millie DuBose Lynch ’16, sister Sarah Hampton DuBose ’18 and mother Emily Hilbert DuBose ’89.

4 5

1. Abigail Scott Dunn with father Lawrence Alexis Dunn ’81 and sister Kathryn Elisabeth Dunn ’20.

Elizabeth Thornton Fergusson with mother Anne Thornton Fergusson ’81. Not pictured: Deceased aunt Margaret “Peggy” Thornton Lammers ’74.

Richard Becker Garnett with sister Ella Garnett ’21 and mother April Sharp Garnett ’91.

Silas Abraham Gwathmey with aunt Sarah Gwathmey Vogt ’77, father John Owen Gwathmey ’80 and aunt Henrietta Gwathmey Beightol ’82.

Grayson Paul Hepp with grandmother May Ellen Boyd Oakley ’67, mother Ashley Linhart Hepp ’94 and grandfather J. Theodore Linhart ’65. Not pictured: brother Trey Hepp ’21.

2.

3.

4.

5.

1. Margaret Joye Hutchison with mother Angie Ledford Hutchison ’90.

2. Martha King Jamison with uncle Harrison Jamison ’91, brother Syd Jamison ’22 and father James Carper Jamison II ’89.

3. Matthew Braden Jenkins with uncle Peyton Jenkins ’00, uncle Howard Jenkins ’92 and father Scott Jenkins ’94.

4. Daniel McClees Johnsrud with mother Natalee Grigg Johnsrud ’83, aunt Sarah Caroon Grigg Mitchell ’86 and uncle Randy Grigg ’89.

5. Emily Rose Kantner with mother Nancy Jo Ukrop Kantner ’95 and uncle Jeff Ukrop ’92.

1. Karl Alexander Kastenbaum with father Thomas Belgrey Kastenbaum ’77.

2. Wyatt Richard King with mother Jo Ellen Constine ’87, grandmother Adrienne Gould Constine ’55 and brother Austin King ’20.

3. Katherine Copley Lansing with father James Hunter Lansing ’00 and uncle Ted Lansing ’98.

4. India Luise Mansfield with mother Margaret Patterson Mansfield ’83.

5. Mary Carrington Miller with brother Jack Miller ’17, mother Carter Gibbs Miller ’90 and father John Stephen Miller Jr. ’81.

4

1. Edward Sandford Morano with father James Francis Morano III ’87, brother James Francis Morano IV ’21 and cousin Thomas Spencer Murray ’20.

2. Malone O’Brian Morchower with cousin Elizabeth LaGow McDermid ’01, father Michael Todd Morchower ’89 and cousin Caroline LaGow Walker ’04.

3. Mary Kathryn Myers with cousin Brian Justice ’85, father John Justice Myers ’82 and aunt Karen Myers Miller ’88.

4. Olivia Barrett Nichols with mother Vicki Barrett Nichols ’89.

5. Lucy Coulbourn Ottley with sister Mary Ottley Berndt ’17, sister Catherine Ottley ’19 and mother Haley Coulbourn Ottley ’87.

1. Henry Andrews Patterson with cousin Noah Kiczales ’21, brother James Patterson ’21, mother Melissa Compton Patterson ’87, father David Lee Patterson ’85, brother Daniel Patterson ’18 and aunt Leigh Compton Shobe ’83.

2. Jake Woodson Peterman with mother Julie Sydnor Peterman ’89 and brother Alex Peterman ’21.

3. Eloise Newell Revere with grandmother Scottie Newell Slater ’69 and mother Molly Brent Revere ’94.

4. Thomas Gardner Rigby with mother Marshall Bates Rigby ’93 and grandmother Isabel Spilman Bates ’67.

5. Catherine Pope Riley with brother Samuel Frances Riley ’20 and mother Claiborne Winter Riley ’91.

1. Henry Anderson Shield III with aunt Katherine Shield Applewhite ’88, aunt Stephanie Shield Roy ’00 and father Henry Anderson Shield II ’91.

2. Tucker Woodward Smith with mother Robin Tucker Smith ’88 and grandmother Mary Madelyn Robison Tucker ’61.

3. Stephen Talbot Spraker Jr. with father Stephen Talbot Spraker ’92 and uncle Philip David Spraker ’89.

4. Mark Tyler Stepanian with father L. Mark Stepanian ’89, sister Megan Stepanian ’18, brother Jack Stepanian ’21 and brother Nicholas Stepanian ’16.

5. Virginia Daisy Storey with grandmother Anne Dobbins Brasfield ’65, sister Lucy Storey ’22, mother Mollie Heilig Storey ’92 and father Scott Jordan Storey ’92

1. Bowen Elizabeth Suro with cousin Ella Garnett ’21, cousin Richard Becker Garnett ’23 and aunt April Sharp Garnett ’91.

2. Alexandra Renee Thalhimer with father Morton G. Thalhimer III ’73 and cousin David Thalhimer ’11.

3. Addison Scott Thompson with grandmother Katharine Tilghman Lowe ’53 and mother Anne Lowe Thompson ’90.

4. Alan Porter Vaughan Jr. with aunt Happy Vaughan Anderson ’95, father Alan Porter Vaughan ’91, grandmother Kate Donnahoe Vaughan ’65 and uncle Matthew Garland Anderson III ’00. Not pictured: grandfather C. Porter Vaughan III ’63.

5. Christopher Whitfield Wallace with uncle Nick Wallace ’00 and father Christopher L. Wallace ’93. Not pictured: Deceased grandfather Alva Lawrence Wallace ’69.

5

THROUGH THEIR LENS

Photographers are the quiet observers. They stand, camera in hand, absorbing the scene before them, waiting to capture, to freeze forever in an image, the spirit of a moment. For this Senior feature, we asked a number of student photographers to choose a selection of photographs from their body of work that they feel best represent the spirit of their Senior class, and then we asked them to explain their rationale. These images vivify the collective camaraderie of the student body. They capture the moments of diligence in the classroom, the determination of our athletes, the joys of education and, most importantly, the love that the students have for each other. Like a warm memory, these photographs allow us to look back fondly on moments the students will hold on to forever.

“This photograph showcases our collective enthusiasm. I love the enthusiasm on the guys’ faces. The classic green-and-gold striped ties and spirited face paint are a tradition that many Senior classes have experienced through the years, and seeing my friends participate in it this fall made me really proud. The photo is very special to me since it captures one of my favorite celebrations and memories.”

- MAGGIE BOWMAN ’23, PHOTOGRAPHER

“I think this photo embodies the fun of our class and the joy of Senior year while still remaining deeply personal. To quote the subject, the photo captures the “giggliness” of our grade and all the good times we have had over the years.”

- STAN CRAIG ’23, PHOTOGRAPHER

“This photograph symbolizes the comradery among the Class of 2023. While one Senior is on the court, the 141 other members of our class loudly cheer him on from the back bleachers of Seal Gym. Tradition can be seen in this image as many Senior girls on the left sport denim overalls and Collegiate green-and-gold accessories.”

- MAGGIE BOWMAN ’23, PHOTOGRAPHER

“This photo represents the Seniors’ commitment and dedication to the robotics team. The subject of the photo is William Tidey, a Senior member of the team, and he is framed in the photo by this year’s robot, which is a result of the Seniors’ hard work and amazing contributions.”

- RYAN PORTER ’23, PHOTOGRAPHER

“To me, this picture represents the freedom and creativity for our minds to roam and be authentic within our own pieces of work, but also authentic in the world around us. It also shows the beautiful spaces, opportunities and facilities that help us create these authentic pieces of art!”

HAYDEN

“Support is another value the Class of 2023 takes to heart. We pride ourselves in how we support each other after wins and losses, and we had many of both this year. The athletic fields are one of the most obvious places this support can be visualized, as seen in this photo as one Senior player embraces another Senior spectator after a tough endof-the-season defeat.”

-

ROLLINSON ’23, PHOTOGRAPHER

- MAGGIE BOWMAN ’23, PHOTOGRAPHER

ROARING REUNION Alumni Weekend

The Alumni Association is excited to partner with each class to connect with classmates to make this ALUMNI REUNION WEEKEND a ROARING success.

REUNITED AND IT FEELS SO GOOD Class of ’58....... 65th Reunion

’63....... 60th

’68....... 55th

’73....... 50th

’78....... 45th

’83....... 40th

’88....... 35th

ALUMNI SOCCER GAME INDIVIDUAL CLASS PARTIES ON CAMPUS

’93....... 30th

’98....... 25th

’03....... 20th

’08....... 15th

’13....... 10th

’18....... 5th

LETTER FROM Jasmine Turner Perry

Greetings from the Alumni Association!

As another school year comes to a close, I am grateful for the opportunity to witness and help build community within the Alumni Association and among alumni and current students.

This year brought opportunities to support the Class of 2023 as they prepare for life beyond North Mooreland Road.

A Senior lunch in November 2022 and our Senior Transition Program in May 2023 brought opportunities for connection and sharing of experiences. Engaging with the students served as a reminder that simply offering our advice and guidance to them is one of the best ways to give back. The Class of 2023 has an incredible future ahead of them. We warmly welcome them to the Alumni Association.

As we look toward the 2023-24 school year, our student Alumni Connection Committee is planning networking opportunities and programming centered around connecting current students with alumni

excelling in industries all over the country. That’s what it’s all about, really: shepherding students as they move towards a bright future.

With Homecoming and reunions in the fall, we hope alumni will have a chance to reconnect with friends, teachers and other staff who made their time at Collegiate meaningful.

Our goal is to remain in support of our alma mater and, as the Strategic Plan describes, create bridges between the past, present and future of Collegiate.

I look forward to all the connections — between alumni, students and the rest of the Collegiate community — the new school year will bring!

With warmest regards,

Jasmine Turner Perry ’11 Alumni Association President

OFFERING OPPORTUNITIES

Deven Pandya, a current student at Stanford and previous intern at Meta, visited Collegiate last fall with the intention of illumination. A Class of 2020 graduate, Pandya knows Collegiate instills in students a sense of rigor and curiosity, opening them up to a future of endless opportunities. Returning to a classroom of Cougars interested in computer science, Pandya wanted to make sure the students were aware of what some of those avenues of opportunity are.

What Pandya presented the students with was this: No matter the field of interest, the need for a thorough understanding of technology in the job market will be nearly ubiquitous. In his discussion, Pandya gave Collegiate students particular details about what work in the technology profession involves and introduced them to uses of computer science that they might have been unfamiliar with before. Public transportation operating with the help of artificial intelligence, computer code that assists with heart surgery, computer-generated pieces of artwork — all of this Pendya showed the students as an indication of the exciting possibilities for what the future with technology holds for them.

“The only thing that you don’t want to have happen is that you never study something because you never knew about it,” says Pandya, who entered college studying biomedical engineering but then quickly changed course after he took his first computer science class at Stanford. “I want to continue building that exposure to computer science with Collegiate students. I think helping them understand what studying something in technology might look like and what the professional possibilities are with those skills is important.”

Alumni often help shepherd current Collegiate students along on those journeys, offering insights that give students an edge both professionally and socially.

“Hearing from someone that is a young alumni and to listen to them as they observe and study how the world is changing is really impactful because it feels more tangible to them,” Pandya says. “I think students need to know that computer science is a tool — it doesn’t have to be just your profession — that will be useful in the future. Helping people become more passionate about what they’re learning is a small way I can help pay it forward for future students.”

Deven Pandya ’20 spoke with Upper School students about computer science and its applications in the job market.

As mentors on Collegiate’s robotics team, Grayson Richmond ’17 and Haley Kellam ’18 are giving students the same engineering foundation that has served them both so well.

ANY ROBOT COMPETING in a FIRST Robotics competition needs to have limbs. Like a bat in baseball, the arm of the robot, the limb primarily responsible for generating points in a competition, is essential. There is, of course, the question of how to develop something so essential in a robot. What kind of material should this arm be made of? Should the arm have a claw to grab game pieces, and if so, what kind of shape should that claw be? In robotics, because there is an artful unity between creativity and technical acuity, these questions

can sometimes seem endless. That’s why Collegiate’s robotics team, TORCH 5804, brings on astute mentors like Grayson Richmond ’17 and Haley Kellam ’18, both of whom bring helpful outside experience to the construction of a robot.

During the early ideation process, TORCH team members considered two-by-one tubing to be the best material to use for the robot’s arm. They thought the tubing was sturdy and could withstand the occasional blows the robot would receive as it speeds around the competition arena. As an engineer working on F-16 aircrafts, Richmond understood that an arm fashioned with something more flexible, using more complex geometry, was ideal. With a light touch, and with the perspective of real-world experience, alumni robotics mentors help guide students throughout the constant trial and error involved in bringing a robot to life.

“My main goal in my work as a mentor is to bring my technical experience — of knowing what works and what doesn’t work — and give that to the students,” Richmond says. “The students have all the ideas, and so all I’m trying to do as a mentor is introduce them to new ways of thinking and let them branch out from there.”

TORCH had its inaugural season in 2016, when Richmond was a Junior and Kellam was a Sophomore. Although still a burgeoning program at the time, robotics served for both of them as a space that allowed them to explore a gnawing interest. “For me, robotics was an outlet to learn a bunch of the skills that I had been wanting to learn for a while,” says Richmond, who served as TORCH’s team captain in 2016 and 2017. He remembers finding Robotics Program Leaders Dan Bartels and Greg Sesny assembling gear boxes in Sharp Academic Commons his Junior year. It was like stumbling upon a book he had been looking for; it gave him a trove of knowledge that confirmed his passion. “I always liked building things and creating things, but I never knew how I could actually do something productive with that,” he says. “And then I found robotics, and I realized that it was an activity I could pour hours and hours into. Out of those hours I got all of these skills that still benefit me today.”

For both Kellam and Richmond, their time spent on TORCH served as a sturdy foundation, laying the tracks that allowed them to excel professionally. Working at an architecture firm, Kellam is frequently “thinking in 3-D,” translating a mental image of an object into a tangible, fully formed object. It’s a mode of thinking she’s learned to do ever since Bartels introduced her to AutoCAD, a

computer-aided design software used to create 2-D drawings and models. Thinking in 3-D is like a language, she explains, and with an early introduction to that language, it provides a useful skill across any field, whether analyzing structural components or visualizing data. “Having that young base and understanding of AutoCAD has really served me well working in architecture,” she says. “A lot of what I do is figuring out how to document or construct an object and accurately depict it in a drawing. In the Upper School, Mr. Bartels would sit me down and ask me to make certain parts in CAD, which has benefited me and my success in understanding drawings as tools and how to grasp an understanding of working in an environment that requires progressive spatial thinking.”

When Richmond arrived at Virginia Tech and applied to become a member of BOLT, a design team that manufactures and races high-performance electric motorcycles, there was no question of his engineering capabilities. “When I got to Tech and told the BOLT team I did FIRST Robotics, and I told them I was familiar with all the same tools they work with on motorcycles, they instantly knew I was good enough to be on their team,” Richmond says. “FIRST really was a one-stop shop for so many things I wanted to learn.” That initial foundation opened doors for him; he credits both FIRST and BOLT with helping him land his current job as a project engineer at Lockheed Martin, an aerospace and defense technology research corporation. “My career has been a snowball effect, and robotics is what started it all.”

Now, as mentors, Kellam and Richmond want to give back to a program that gave them so much.

TORCH has grown significantly since its budding years, and Kellam sees it as her responsibility to provide incoming students with the same foundation TORCH gave her. Joining a robotics team can be daunting, especially when more experienced students are operating on parts with dismaying names such as “bracket ribbons” or machines with intimidating initialisms that stand for things like finite element analysis software. Kellam gives students the basic knowledge to help students operate within the team, just as some of her teachers did for her. “I was very much a new student when I was entering robotics, so I relate to students on that level a lot,” she says. “Walking students through how a robot actually works will help set them up for future success.”

Suggesting alternative materials for a robot, providing an additional perspective on a build, acquainting a student with new tools — these are the small moments in the work of a mentor, but they serve a great purpose. The career paths Kellam and Richmond walk along, both of which began with these small moments at Collegiate, are testaments to the work of mentors. “The most important thing about the robotics program is really just taking all these kids’ interests and giving them the outlet to develop this technical way of thinking at a young age,” Richmond says. “It’s beneficial for everyone. It was certainly beneficial for me.”

A Message of Support

As part of the Senior Transition Program, Collegiate alumni come back to campus to provide advice and share their experiences with the Class of 2023 in the hopes of making the transition into the next stages of their lives smoother.

NASH WILEY ’15 comes to a group of Seniors, who sit attentively in Sharp Cafe, with a message of encouragement. It’s the end of a thoughtful discussion about networking and time management, the importance of keeping a balanced schedule and maintaining connections, and the inevitable maze any career path lurchers along. But despite the labyrinth of a life and career, Wiley says that the students are ready, well prepared by Collegiate for whatever endeavors they will encounter next.

Sometimes that’s all it takes before making the next big jump in a long adventure: a little encouragement, a reassuring pat on the back and a reminder that there will always be people around to cheer you on. “It’s not lost on me how graduates are feeling right now, because there are so many unknowns — the college course load, making friends, living a balanced life,” Wiley says. “But having alumni come to students and tell them that they are ready, even if they don’t fully know it, that this place has prepared them beyond what they can imagine — not just in the classroom but outside the classroom — is, I hope, comforting and gives them even more confidence.”

Wiley’s informative, confidence-jolting session was part of the Senior Transition Program, an event that brought more than 20 Collegiate alumni back to campus to lead discussions with the Class of 2023, helping Seniors make a smooth transition into the next stages of their lives. Many of the sessions, like the one hosted by Wiley, explored subjects that will give students an edge both professionally and socially. Other alumni come bearing elucidating insights on topics that are not covered in the classroom — sessions, for example, on how to change a flat tire — but, in their own way, complete this phase of the students’ education. The Senior Transition Program serves as the final polish on an excellent, holistic education, because who knows, maybe one day you’ll get a flat tire on the way to a professional networking session. Luckily, this program prepares students for both situations.

“I think the program is the perfect way to cap off your pre-college studies,” Wiley says. “As a student, you’ve learned how to

be a critical thinker, you’ve studied all the subjects. Now you get to cap that off with real-world knowledge from people with lived experiences, and that is really valuable.”

The most helpful way to broach the subject of transition is to embrace the inevitable change on the horizon. Wiley came to the program with nuggets of wisdom to help students embrace that transition. He spoke from recent experience about balancing a college schedule: approach your day as if it’s a nine-to-five workday, and remember to take time to preserve your mental health.

As a Public Affairs Associate at Capital Results, Wiley has experienced his fair share of networking events and the sometimes mawkish stumblings of finding common ground in conversation. But that discomfort is totally natural, something everyone feels, he tells the students. “Networking can be a pain, but it’s important, especially during and after college,” he says, giving tips, such as coming

prepared to any event with questions and background information, to ease the awkwardness.

“It was really helpful for alumni like Mr. Wiley to come back to Collegiate and give lessons on topics that we’re thinking about as we make these next steps in our lives,” Alex Thalhimer ’23 says. “The program helps us with life skills we might not have learned in the classroom.

With college and the professional world on the not-so-distant horizon, the Senior Transition Program helps students march boldly into the future. Beyond the alumni-led sessions, which lasted two complete days, a week of educational development discussions helped prepare students for their next steps.

When Wiley finished his discussion, a number of students came up to him, ready to network. His message proved to resonate immediately, and the students, as he predicted, were prepared to embrace the many new opportuni-

ties in store for them. “Collegiate’s alumni network runs so deep, and it’s really an indication of how much we care — both about Collegiate and its students,” Wiley says. “My message was primarily about just telling them that we’re here, ready to help.”

Built by a green-and-gold spirit, Collegiate remains strong because of the bridge that connects alumni to students. This program serves as one of those strong ties in the community. “Really, the connections we made with the alumni that came to speak are just proof of how strong our community is,” Alex says. “No matter where we go next, I have really been reminded of the fact that we will always have this home to come back to. You really are a Cougar for life. I think that was the biggest benefit for me, that reminder of how big Collegiate’s network of support is.”

My message was primarily about just telling them that we’re here, ready to help.”

Peyton Jenkins ’00 speaking to soon-to-be graduates during the Senior Transition Program.

MAKING A SCENE

As CEO of Advanced Visual Production, Lee Dickinson ’00 is in the business of bringing visions to artful life.

At some point during the production of any event, Advanced Visual Production CEO Lee Dickinson ’00 experiences a sensation of hyper-focused cruise control. His mind blurs the scene humming along before him and jumps to the next moment about to unfold, as if previewing a few turns ahead on a GPS navigator, so that he can safely maneuver the event in that direction. It happens naturally, these smooth mechanics of a professional. He thinks through a rolodex of possibilities. What is the next thing that I’m expecting to happen? What is my next button to push on my soundboard? What is my next call? And what am I going to do if something unexpected happens? He juggles all this with the level poise of a director. He is the man behind the curtain, just off stage, pulling all the strings, and without him the show can’t go on.

“There’s a line in The West Wing that I think about where a character says something to the effect of ‘You want to be the guy the guy counts on,’” says Dickinson, who oversees, among many other events, the production of Commencement and the Spring Party & Auction. “I love helping people deliver their vision, their concept, their message.”

Whether it’s the artful production of a play, concerts, fashion shows, graduations or fundraisers, Dickinson has been helping produce shows since 1994, when, as a 6th Grader at Collegiate, he managed the sound for drama teacher Jenny Hundley in the adaptation Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The process of making something happen — of making a behindthe-scenes adjustment, reflected on stage, that ultimately culminates in an awed response from an audience — has been the thrill of his life. “There’s a domino effect involved in any production,” he explains. “A stage manager gives you a cue and you press some button, and then suddenly a big thing happens that actors and audiences respond to, and that’s a very addicting feeling. When anybody asks me how I got into this business of event production, my answer is always that I got to run sound on my 6th Grade play and I’ve been doing it ever since.”

On the Friday morning before the Fourth of July, Dickinson and his team were preparing for an outdoor event at Monticello, loading up video monitors, sound boards and boxes of cables into a truck. He moves throughout his warehouse of equipment with a knowing, calm confidence. “I like the challenge of special event production,” he says. “I work on something new every day. And there’s a creative, technical challenge of figuring out how we’re going to make an event happen, given the constraints we have — physical constraints like location, and things like budget and time.”

The artistic ingenuity involved in technology and event production has been part of Dickinson’s world since his time at Collegiate. He was presi-

dent of the technology club, and he continued to work on the tech side of theater in the Upper School, back when Julie Miller, now the Upper School Administrative Assistant, ran the tech theater program. “I could not have had a better group of teachers, and not just the instruction part but the support and the encouragement and enthusiasm they both brought to learning,” Dickinson says.

He remembers the late nights of preparing the stage, working together as a team. The after-school crew building sets, going to the mall for dinner, then coming back to campus to continue working. “For me, I loved being around those people — the entire theater department. I loved the shared goal and the shared successes and the shared failures and the feeling of community that was around.”

As a student, he got his first taste of professional work in Oates Theater. The Jewish Community Center used to rent out Oates for their lecture series, and Dickinson was recruited to run sound for their productions. His interest in theater and technology continued to grow, and his world expanded. “To have these drama classes, and then to discover where the layer of technology lived within that was a really neat revelation for me,” he says. After graduating Collegiate, Dickinson studied theater arts at Virginia Tech, where he also taught classes in technical skill. His first professional gig after college was, in a way, his last. He built sound systems for AVP, which was formerly a DJ company before Dickinson helped expand its range of offerings into the realm of event production. He became a partner at AVP in 2008 and took over as sole owner in 2016.

Between the mid-nineties and today, technology has, obviously, exploded. Part of the excitement for Dickinson has been keeping

abreast of the advancements, helping him improve his work. The augmentation of sound has come a long way from simply positioning two hanging mics from the catwalk of Oates. Dickinson says he adopted technology at the same rate the production industry did, and still the industry is advancing. Learning on the fly can be daunting, but Dickinson has come to embrace the difficulty, the same way, years ago, he began messing with sound and lighting in the Upper School with his classmates. “It’s hard for me to imagine a bigger sort of technology shift,” he explains. “Now, you have to be able to build networks, VLNs and subnets. I like being on the edge of that and learning new stuff. I’ve always loved that challenge of figuring out how we can get some show down to the most streamlined version of itself. That’s always been really exciting.”

There’s a measure of joy mixed with analysis in all of this; within every setup of a sound fixture re-

sides a student just having fun in theater class. The play, with luck, transforms into a job. The dominoes continue to fall. “Everyone, in their own way, is trying to contribute to the world, and because my job is to help deliver someone’s message, I sometimes worry that I don’t have a message of my own,” Dickinson says. “But when I think about helping someone fulfill their message, especially when we’re working with someone like a big medical research charity, I realize that adding to other people’s big ideas is enough. I’m content with that.” The show goes on.

I loved the shared goal and the shared successes and the shared failures and the feeling of community that was around.”

CLASS NOTES

No matter where our life takes us beyond North Mooreland Road, we are always uniquely connected by our time spent at Collegiate School. Class Notes offers a bridge leading toward that shared bond between fellow alumni.

1944

Eleanor Durham Davenport, grandmother of Will Davenport ’16 and Annie Davenport ’19, died March 12, 2023.

1956

Ellen-Terry Bunnell, sister of Elizabeth Bunnell Bauder ’47 and Louise Bunnell Nemecek ’52, died May 4, 2023.

Lorraine Suggs Woodley, who attended Collegiate but graduated from St. Catherine’s, died March 30, 2023.

1958

Sigrid Lynn Whittle, who attended Collegiate but graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School, died April 15, 2023.

1959

Constance Kennon Harriss writes, “I am excited to report that my great-grandson, Kennon Harrison III, will be entering Kindergarten at Collegiate this fall. He’ll be No. 21 in our family — we started to attend in 1951!”

1963

Mary Vincent Sumner, sister of Weezie Vincent Wiltshire ’67 and sister-in-law of Buck Wiltshire ’67, aunt of Will Wiltshire ’92 and Mary Wiltshire Beckstoffer ’99, and great-aunt of Lucy Beckstoffer ’25 and Brice Beckstoffer ’29, died May 13, 2023.

1964

Michael Brandon died April 30, 2023.

Susan Baskerville Otteni says, “On Oct. 27, 2022, 12 members of the Class of 1964 met for lunch at the home of Nan Ellen Ritsch The luncheon get-together had been in the works for several months as a way of welcoming classmate Lacy Shockley Letonoff back to Richmond. It was filled with stories and reminiscences of our days at Collegiate, and through the almost 69 years since.”

1966

Garnett Bowers Rush died Jan. 6, 2023.

1967

Susan Wagener Higgins, sister of James Wagener ’66, grandmother of Gracie Clarke ’20, Philip Clarke ’22 and Betsy Clarke ’25, died Feb. 25, 2023.

1970

It’s been a busy year for the Buckingham family. In May of 2022, Missy Buckingham completed her two-year term as president of the Garden Club of Virginia. In June, Pierce Buckingham ’02 married Allison Blood in Hawaii, and the families continued the celebration in Vermont in July. For the 23rd year, Missy Herod guided the greenery installation for the Collegiate Pageant. In December, Claiborne Buckingham ’05 had twin boys who joined their threeyear-old brother. In January, Mary Gordon ’99 and her family began a six-month stay in Fanore, County Clare on the west coast of Ireland. Richard and Missy had a wonderful visit with them in May and returned in time for her business, FLEURS, to provide the florals once again for Collegiate’s graduation ceremony. “Congrats to the Class of 2023!” says Missy.

The Class of ’70 came from near and far to celebrate their delayed 50th reunion.

1972

Wynne Stuart writes, “Family news — everyone knows that we have no birth children, but we are the second parents of eight who claimed us. We have a new grandson, born, Aug. 2022, living with his doting parents in Washington, D.C. That makes Ethan the closest one to us geographically. Grandchild No. 6, Charlotte, came March 23 in San Jose, Calif. to join brother Joris, age two, making a family of three boys and three girls.

“As for us, I’m still working — and working remotely is a good thing: Vicki and I joined friends in Kauai, Hawaii for a couple of weeks, including Thanksgiving 2022, and I could work some. We still went out for plenty of good food and enjoyed Hawaii’s natural beauty, as well as a visit to a chocolate plantation and tasting. During a 10-day break over the Christmas holiday, we went north to Barrington, R.I. to visit granddaughters ages three and one, and then on by train to see old friends in Augusta, Maine. In January, I kept the dogs and worked while Vicki went to St. Thomas for a week.

“I travel once a year for the University of Virginia on a Cavalier Travels trip for alums, parents and friends. Vicki usually comes. We spent the first two weeks of March for work in South America, including Buenos Aires, Patagonia and Santiago. It was amazing, and the weather was both very hot and very cold. By the time you read this, we’ll have been and returned from two weeks in Paris and Normandy, during which time I’ll be helping friends on a family trip.

“Charlottesville remains a great place to live. Vicki volunteers, helps octogenarian, nonagenarian friends and her parents, keeps up with our personal business and escapes to the little house in Irvington when possible. Meanwhile, we in the U.Va. provost office are always busy. Just think of your state tax dollars paying my salary. I thank you and hope all Cougars are well and happy.”

1978

Mary Garner DeVoe reports that Class of ’78 members Terry Kramer Crosby, Julie Clements, Meg Hardt, Alice Treanor Baker, Mary Staurt Alexander Crowley, Barbie Duff, Rolfe Joyner DeShazor and Katrina Christ DeShields gathered May 6 in Richmond to participate in the Teal Diva 5K to honor classmate Scott McMullan, who died earlier this year. Sally Dodd Pellarin, in Hilton Head, S.C. and Amy Gilman Remke in Nashville, Tenn. joined virtually!

“The official Teal Diva 5K was in Charlotte, N.C., so we organized our own event,” Mary says. “It was a beautiful day on the Capital Trail, and we enjoyed FaceTiming with Sally and Amy as they walked. Brad Crosby supported us as the ultimate waterboy! The Richmond group concluded with a potluck at Mary’s home. A good time was had by all, and we donated $1,800 to Teal Diva in Scott’s memory.”

1979

Mary Carter Pettit Dabney has a new grandson, William Randolph Robins III, born March 9, 2023 to Lucy Dabney Robins ’09 and her husband Rand, nephew of Berkeley Robins ’07 and Jay Dolan ’04.

James Edward “Ned” Abbe is pleased to announce the upcoming first anniversary of forming Dover Advisors in Richmond, Va. Bringing almost four decades of wealth management experience, Ned maintains memberships in the CFA Institute, CFA Society of Virginia and is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP). He serves as Chief Investment Officer and Managing Director, working alongside the same team of seasoned wealth professionals for more than two decades. Dover colleagues have been helping high net worth families, foundations, trusts and retirement plans across the country and continue brining market expertise and planning with a boutique approach to multigenerational clients. Read more about their story at www.doveradvisors.com

Involved in the fashion business since 1980, Lisa Houlgrave traded in her full-time modeling career a few years ago for one as a fashion-and-lifestyle photographer. Her elegant and dynamic images have appeared in Vanity Fair, the Museum of Natural History and in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She returns to Richmond often to visit family and has shot weddings and portraits for her Collegiate pals, including Laura Yancey Peery and Mark Merhige ’78.

Ann Cabell and Russ Williams have been traveling America for the last three years as full-time RVers and are experiencing the places and people that make this world spin. You can follow along on Facebook at Take a Moment RV.

In February, Ellie Eubank Shropshire climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and reached the summit! Her top observations about the adventure: it was an amazing experience, steeper than she thought, had the best guides, but camping? Not so much.

1. On Oct. 27, 2022, 12 members of the Class of 1964 met for lunch at the home of Nan Ellen Ritsch ’64. Pictured front row: Susan Baskerville Otteni ’64, Linda Hull Felcone ’64, Sally Trice Lester ’64, Courtney Goode Rogers ’64. Pictured second row: Estelle Munford Call ’64, Lacy Shockley Letonoff ’64, Gay Goodwin Goldstone ’64, Susan Farley Ferrell ’64, Nan Ellen Ritsch ’64, Barbara Culpepper Townsend ’64, Betsy Manson ’64 and Jean Nickel Collins ’64.

2. The Class of 1970 came from near and far to celebrate their delayed 50th reunion.

3. It’s been a busy year for the Buckingham family, including Pierce Buckingham’s ’02 marriage to Allison Blood in Hawaii.

4. Mary Carter Pettit Dabney ’79 has a new grandson, William Randolph Robbins III, who was born March 9, 2023.

5. Mary Garner DeVoe ’78 and other Class of 1978 members Terry Kramer Crosby, Julie Clements, Meg Hardt, Alice Treanor Baker, Mary Staurt Alexander Crowley, Barbie Duff, Rolfe Joyner DeShazor and Katrina Christ DeShields gathered May 6 in Richmond to participate in the Teal Diva 5K to honor classmate Scott McMullan.

6. Involved in the fashion business since 1980, Lisa Houlgrave ’80 traded in her full-time modeling career a few years ago for one as a fashion-and-lifestyle photographer.

7. Ann Cabell ’80 and Russ Williams ’80 have been traveling America for the last three years as full-time RVers.

8. In February, Ellie Eubank Shropshire ’80 climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and reached the summit.

Sara Maynard Sommers made her Wilmington, N.C. stage debut with the Thalian Association Community Theatre in The Wedding Singer, a musical comedy. Sara played Rosie, the senior hipster grandmother shakin’ it out. Sara received rave reviews like “Sara Sommers stole the show.”

Ed Fox is living on and running a small farm in Chattanooga, Tenn., where he wrangles goats, donkeys, chickens and guinea hens. And, of course, he’s still playing Ultimate all over the world as much as possible.

After almost 39 years in various positions at the University of Wisconsin, most recently as chair

of the physics and astronomy department at UW-Oshkosh, Carey Woodward is retiring. He and his wife, also retiring, are planning to stay in the Fond Du Lac, Wis. area, and they’re looking forward to a lot of camping and general relaxing.

1984

Three students who Robert Levit has mentored since middle school 15 years ago, Shawdae, Bryanna and Cristal, have professional careers, and two served on the board of directors of Creating Communities, a nonprofit Rob started to ensure that children and families, regardless of income, zip code or race, have full access to the transformative power of the arts. They’re the first former students to do so. Creating Communities was acquired by Maryland Hall on Jan. 1, 2023.

Sean Campbell, Hobey Bauhan, and Mike Henry enjoyed their 35th reunion at Washington and Lee University. (All were W&L class of 1984.)

1986

Mary Catharine Ginn Kolbert has a new job as a hospice liaison for Suncrest Hospice Richmond.

1987

Abigail Bishop, sister of Rebecca Bishop Landau ’83, died March 4, 2023.

1988

Jeff Qureshi writes, “We returned to Richmond in 2021; our twins, Eleanor and Jeffrey, are wrapping up their 9th Grade year at Collegiate. Danielle works for Virginia Commonwealth University Health, coincidentally in Sanger Hall, a building close

1. Sara Maynard Sommers ’80 made her Wilmington, N.C. stage debut with the Thalian Association Community Theatre in The Wedding Singer, a musical comedy.

2. Ed Fox ’80 is living on and running a small farm in Chattanooga, Tenn. He reports that he’s still playing Ultimate all over the world.

3. After almost 39 years in various positions at the University of Wisconsin, most recently as chair of the physics and astronomy department at UW-Oshkosh, Carey Woodward ’80 is retiring.

4. Rob Levit ’84 with Shawdae (center), Bryanna (left) and Cristal (right).

5. Rob Levit ’84 with Creating Communities’ arts mentors and staff from Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts.

6. Sean Campbell ’84, Hobey Bauhan ’84, and Mike Henry ’84 enjoyed their 35th reunion at Washington and Lee University.

7. Jacquelin Aronson ’89, her husband Scott and her children recently completed their goal to visit all 50 states as a family.

to me, Ian and my parents. About work — after 13 years working in each of its divisions, I finally left Novartis for a CHO-based, privately held biotech startup. And I have not looked back. Hemoshear Therapeutics Inc., has redefined the purpose of work, allowing a refocus and return to the fundamentals. Running a legal department is nice and returning to the bench to take a break from lawyering is priceless.”

1989

“It has been a while, Collegiate,”

writes Rhonda Struminger

“In 2021 my family and I said goodbye to College Station, Texas and moved to Padova, Italy. The University of Padova made us (my husband, Gil Rosenthal, and me) offers we couldn’t refuse, so we relocated and are still settling in to our new neighborhood and life. My husband and daughters are Italian citizens — and fluent in Italian — so even though I’m the most challenged on both fronts, I may be the one having the most fun ... the food and wine are delicious, and my work with the university museums is exciting. A new natural history museum opened here in June 2023, and I get to be a part of the

international aspects of both the opening and events. (I can handle English, and informal STEM learning is still my area of research and interest). My husband and I are still directing our field station in Calnali, Mexico (you can learn more at cichaz.org), and it never had a busier season than this one. So all good news! If anyone is in either of our neighborhoods, let us know! Arrivederci!”

Jacquelin Aronson writes, “My husband Scott, our children and I have completed our goal to visit all 50 states as a family. We began in 2011 when our youngest child was a month shy of his second birthday; now, Jack, Jayne, Joseph and Howe are all teenagers! This past March, we traveled to Hawaii (Oahu, The Big Island and Maui) to complete and celebrate our family adventure! We explored our country’s national parks (with our children earning numerous Junior Ranger badges), toured state capitol buildings, and visited family as well as friends from high school, college and graduate school. We picked fresh blueberries (Mich.) and cherries (Wash.) and mined for diamonds (Ariz.) and star garnets (Idaho). We enjoyed the Dixie Stampede (Tenn.), Fort Worth

Stockyards Rodeo (Texas) and Medora Musical (N.D.). Highlights included surfing (Calif.), whitewater rafting (Mont.), sand railing (Ore.), glacier climbing (Ala.) and bicycling down Haleakal Volcano (Hawaii). Our final excursion was outrigger canoe surfing. This ancient Hawaiian activity was especially meaningful as our guide talked about the importance of ‘ohana,’ or family, staying together, pulling together and always supporting one another. After our decade-long adventure traveling the United States of America, our family has countless stories and photographs upon which to reflect and appreciate. We are so grateful for God’s protection and provision as the six of us explored our big and beautiful nation together.”

2001

“This summer the FCSP Foundation’s Fourth annual Dunk-for-a-Cure is on the calendar!” Michael Thalhimer says. “We hope you’ll consider joining us during the afternoon of Saturday, Aug. 26 to honor our classmate Geoff Shudtz, enjoy a fun-filled afternoon together and raise more critical funds to support our ongoing fight

against pancreatic cancer. Our main Richmond-area event will once again be held at Hardywood West Creek, and also new for this summer is a second Dunk-for-aCure event in our network, now scheduled to take place in Denver, Colo. on Saturday, Aug. 19.

“These events are family friendly, offering great food and craft beers, live music by a variety of local bands, a silent auction, games and face-painting for the kids — and plenty of dunking for anyone interested in taking a plunge.

“Last summer nearly 50 dunkees jumped in the dunk tank with us, helping bring in $175,000 in donations for the VCU Massey Cancer Center and Lustgarten Foundation, all in support of life-changing pancreatic cancer research. We’re anxious to see an even bigger turnout and fundraising effort this year!

Having so many from our community show up for the FCSP Foundation to support these efforts, to honor Geoff’s legacy and proudly support his mantra to ‘Fight Cancer, Stay Positive,’ means so much.”

2002

John Flynn and his wife, Stephanie, welcomed daughter Natasha in March. They currently reside outside Philadelphia, Pa. in Cherry Hill, N.J. John recently founded Hawkline Copy as a freelance-writing business for corporate clients. Stephanie serves as a senior director at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

2003

John Zhuo writes, “I’m moving to New York City part-time starting this August. I would love to connect with fellow classmates in the city.”

2005

Katie McCarthy married Alex Stefanic ’07 May 27 in St. Lucia. Cougars in attendance included Marshall Agee ’07, David Schultz ’07 and Lauren Gluck Krotz Katie and Alex live in Richmond.

“Monte Pierce and Rocco Lee Colombo (twins!) joined our family Dec. 20, 2022,” writes Claiborne Buckingham Colombo. “Big brother Luca is stoked.”

2006

Katie Bo Williams Lillis and her husband, Mike, joyfully welcomed their first child, John Charles Lillis, on March 7. Katie Bo continues to enjoy covering the intelligence and national security beat at CNN.

Lauren Boswell moved back to Richmond from Atlanta, Ga. and accepted a position as the director of entrepreneurship at Metropolitan Business League. The MBL’s mission is to promote economic prosperity in Virginia through education, advocacy, access to resources and building relationships for small,

women-owned and minorityowned businesses.

2007

Jordan Farmer writes “I recently was co-executive producer on my first feature, a documentary titled Unfinished Business, alongside Russell Wilson and his wife, Ciara, both of whom were also executive producers. Since moving to the West Coast in 2020, I’ve worked for Russell and Ciara’s Why Not You Productions, in which I look for projects that fit our mandate of inspirational and aspirational storytelling.

Unfinished Business, directed by Alison Klayman, tells the story of the New York Liberty and the larger history of the WNBA in an informative and fast-paced narrative. In May, our company attended the premiere at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM). Unfinished Business is available now to stream on Amazon Prime.”

Navin Vigneshwar is moving to Durham, N.C. to start his cardiothoracic surgery fellowship at Duke University. He is looking forward to reconnecting with Collegiate alumni in the Raleigh/ Durham area!

Jim Ivins writes, “This March, my band, the Ivins, including my brother, Jack Ivins ’05, Hatton Taylor ’05 and our bass player, Regan Akers, became the first American rock band to ever perform in the country of Sudan. As a part of the U.S. State Department’s American Music Abroad program, we were selected to travel to Sudan for 10 days of cultural immersion and exchange, bringing American rock music to a country with very little access or knowledge of the genre.

“While we were primarily in the capital city of Khartoum for the

1. John Flynn ’02 and his wife, Stephanie, welcomed daughter Natasha in March.

2. Claiborne Buckingham Colombo ’05 had twins, Monte Pierce and Rocco Lee Colombo, on Dec. 20, 2022, who are pictured with big brother Luca.

3. Katie McCarthy ’05 married Alex Stefanic ’07 May 27 in St. Lucia.

4. Katie Bo Williams Lillis ’06 and her husband, Mike, welcomed their first child, John Charles Lillis, on March 7.

5. Lauren Boswell ’06 moved back to Richmond from Atlanta, Ga. and accepted a position as the director of entrepreneurship at Metropolitan Business League.

6. In March, Jim Ivins’s ’07 band, whose members include his brother Jack Ivins ’05 and Hatton Taylor ’05, became the first American rock band to ever perform in the country of Sudan.

7. Annie Chavent Carella ’07 and Steffi Ross West ’07 reunited as classmates to earn their masters of business administration at University of Virginia Darden School of Business.

8. Sarah Lisk ’07 married Zak Craig Dec. 17, 2022, in Savannah, Ga.

duration of our visit, our first full day involved a nine-hour drive north to the small town of Atbara, where we played for over 2,000 people. We were filled with immense gratitude for the positive response we received, even from a swath of the audience who clearly had never seen or heard anything like us before. Upon returning to Khartoum, we did several days of workshops with students at the College of Music and Drama, visited the Omdurman Cultural Center for a traditional Sudanese music workshop and performance, engaged in a jam session with young, local musicians — including rappers, singers, percussionists and guitar players — did a live radio interview, then ended our trip with a performance at Mogran Park, right on the Nile River, in front of over 1,000 people, including the American

Ambassador to Sudan. At the end of the show, we sat in and performed with a Sudanese orchestra/choir ensemble. After we got off stage, we were mobbed like we were The Beatles and took pictures for hours. It was truly an unforgettable experience.

“Unfortunately, our time in Sudan has since been made even more unforgettable by the tragic civil war that broke out mere weeks after we left. We continue to hope for peace and safety for all the wonderful people of Sudan with whom we were able to interact and perform.

“After Sudan, we went off on our own up to Egypt, where we played two concerts in Cairo — one at a traditional rock club called Cairo Jazz Club and another at a coffee shop, Room Garden City,

located in a former bomb shelter belonging to what was once the British Embassy. Very cool! And the coolest part of all came at the end of the trip. We traveled to Luxor to see the Valley of the Kings with its swaths of ruins and pharaoh’s tombs, all still impeccably preserved up to 4,000 years later. We are so honored to have been afforded the chance to go to the other side of the globe to spread the word of rock n’ roll and forever grateful to the State Department for giving us this opportunity.”

Annie Chavent Carella and Steffi Ross West reunited as classmates to earn their masters of business administration at University of Virginia Darden School of Business. Annie lives in Frederick, Md. with her husband Matt and works as assistant

director for student initiatives at the American Veterinary Medical Association. Steffi lives in Richmond with her husband Nick and is director of development at Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts.

Sarah Lisk married Zak Craig Dec. 17, 2022, in Savannah, Ga. Many Cougars were in attendance, including bridesmaids Emma Follansbee Burgess and Liza Tullidge. Sarah just finished her seventh year teaching in the lower school at the Savannah Country Day School.

2009

Rising Star Honoree of the Virginia Association of Fundraising Executives, Elizabeth Mason is the director of development at St. Joseph’s Villa, where she has worked since 2016. Elizabeth is passionate about serving the Richmond community and loves affecting change connecting community members and leaders with the real needs of the city’s neighbors. Elizabeth has been involved with other local organizations, including St. Andrew’s School, the Virginia Home for Boys and Girls, Fellowship of Christians in Universities and Schools (FOCUS) and the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. She currently serves on the Virginia Association of Fundraising Executives board of directors and is a member of Leadership Metro Richmond’s class of 2023. Elizabeth graduated from Sewanee — The University of the South.

2010

Kate Byron writes, “My husband, Nima Baradaran, and I were married in White Stone on May 13. All five bridesmaids — Britt Waddell, Lauren Cricchi, Katie Wiltshire Day, Ellie

1. Kate Byron ’10 and her husband, Nima Baradaran, got married in White Stone on May 13. All five bridesmaids —Britt Waddell ’10, Lauren Cricchi ’10, Katie Wiltshire Day ’10, Ellie Jamerson Tate ’10 and Rachel Naurath ’10 — were Class of 2010 graduates, and the officiant, Margaret Barton ’09, graduated from Collegiate in 2009.

2. Elizabeth Christian ’11 and Antonio Dominguez welcomed Luca Christian Dominguez on March 20.

3. Garrett Vollino ’14 was promoted to lieutenant in the Navy and will be serving as an intern in family medicine at Naval Hospital Jacksonville for the next year.

4. Emily Gerber ’15 married David Roberts on March 25 in Richmond.

5. University of Virginia Men’s Club lacrosse players Henry Mountcastle ’21, Jack Stepanian ’21, McCullough Campbell ’21 and Edward Sinnott ’21 played in the Final Four at the National College Lacrosse League tournament at Pennsylvania State University on May 13.

Jamerson Tate and Rachel Naurath — were Class of 2010 graduates, and the officiant, Margaret Barton ’09, graduated from Collegiate in 2009. We wish the official photos that include the whole Collegiate group were ready, but they’re not quite finished yet. Mr. Loach was in attendance too!”

2011

Elizabeth Christian and Antonio Dominguez welcomed Luca Christian Dominguez on March 20. Luca is the first grandchild of Mark Christian ’77 and wife Melissa, as well as the nephew of Mac Christian ’08 and Katie Christian ’14.

Emily Younts writes, “My fiance, Miller Golliday, and I are getting married in June. We’re having a small, 25-person ceremony and seated dinner here in Richmond. We are also having a larger celebration with friends and extended family in September.”

2014

Garrett Vollino graduated from medical school, earning a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from Nova Southeastern University May 12. He was promoted to lieutenant in the Navy and will be serving as an intern in family medicine at Naval Hospital Jacksonville for the next year.

2015

Emily Gerber married David Roberts on March 25 in Richmond.

2017

Luke White, who attended Collegiate through 6th Grade and graduated from Godwin High School, and who was the son of Hunter White ’85 and Mia Kirk White, former Associate Director of Cougar Care, died May 24, 2023.

2019

Tucker Golladay ’19, brother of Claire Golladay ’15 and Katherine Golladay ’15, died Feb. 18, 2023.

2021

Peyton Hayes passed the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians exam and is now a certified EMT, as well as a certified commercial drone pilot. Peyton is studying chemistry and math at the College of William & Mary.

University of Virginia Men’s Club lacrosse players Henry Mountcastle, Jack Stepanian, McCullough Campbell and Edward Sinnott played in the Final Four at the National College Lacrosse League tournament at Pennsylvania State University on May 13. These former Collegiate lacrosse players have enjoyed playing together for the team!

IN MEMORIAM

These notices were received as of June 5, 2023. This In Memoriam section is taken from printed obituaries, which may be edited for space. Please contact our office if the information is incomplete. The information included is compiled from our database, which is continually updated. To submit a condolence, email spark@collegiate-va.org.

Ann Lapetina, grandmother of Sophia Clark ’19 and Ethan Clark ’21, died April 3, 2022.

Rafael Diaz, grandfather of Cristina Muncy ’17, died Jan. 5, 2023.

Jerry VanAusdall, father of Kathryn VanAusdall ’86, died Jan. 21, 2023.

Barbara Pahren, grandmother of Matty Pahren ’17 and Becky Pahren ’21, died Feb. 21, 2023.

George Ginn, father of Mary Katharine Ginn Kolbert ’86, and grandfather of Grace Kolbert and Charlie Kolbert ’21, died Feb. 24, 2023.

Bill Cunningham, father of Middle School teacher Kate Cunningham, and grandfather of Spencer Billings ’21 and Eli Billings ’24, died March 3, 2023.

Bryant Pilcher, mother of Kathryn Pilcher Davis ’79 and Sarah Pilcher Gentry ’89, and grandmother of Mason Davis Wright ’06, Christopher Davis ’11, Cary Gentry, Jr., Thomas Gentry, Sarah Kate Gentry and Lily Gentry, died March 21, 2023.

Priscilla Moorman, grandmother of Tanner Powell ’98 and Priscilla Powell ’01, and greatgrandmother of Wyatt Alexander ’35, died March 24, 2023.

Jane Wingrove, mother of Ben Wingrove ’90, died March 25, 2023.

Charles Winkler Sr., grandfather of Jamie Nicholas ’11, died March 31, 2023.

Robin Lafon, stepmother of Amy Ocheltree Schaaf ’00, Evan Ocheltree ’05 and Emily Ocheltree Gottwald, and stepgrandmother of Elisabeth Gottwald ’34 and Kate Gottwald ’36, died April 5, 2023.

Waddy Bland, father of Michael Bland ’83 and Liz Bland Watson ’95, grandfather of Jack Bland ’13 and Emily Bland ’15, died April 10, 2023.

David Burhans, father of Ann Hart, and father-in-law of Steve Hart ’78; grandfather of Will Hart ’12 and Sam Hart ’20, died April 11, 2023.

Lynn Felton, mother of Jon Felton ’93 and Laurent Felton Boynton ’97, died April 19, 2023.

Dolores McCann, grandmother of Logan McCann ’10 and Lindsey McCann ’12, died April 21, 2023.

Emily Lenschow, mother of Ellzey Thompson ’35, died April 22, 2023.

Mary Branner, mother of Wade Branner ’79, died April 23, 2023.

Staige Nolley, mother of Ashton Nolley ’79, died April 27, 2023.

Carroll Conquest, mother of longtime Middle School Math teacher Chris Conquest, and grandmother of Parker Conquest ’17 and Chase Conquest ’21, died April 30, 2023.

Ann Brooke “Jody” Lewis, former Upper School English teacher, mother of Ann Brooke Lewis Raynal ’90, Latane Lewis ’92 and U.S. History teacher Shepherd Lewis ’96, and grandmother of Stuart Lewis ’29 and Shepherd Lewis ’33, died May 3, 2023.

Peggy Jane Haynes Owen, mother of Suzanne Haynes Spivey ’81 and mother-in-law of Jake Spivey ’81, and grandmother of Peyton Spivey ’11, Austin Spivey ’12, Tori Spivey ’14 and Josh Spivey ’19, died May 3, 2023.

Alice Sherrod, grandmother of Michael Taliaferro ’00 and Brinkley Taliaferro ’03, died May 3, 2023.

William Jennette, father of Ashton Harris, and father-inlaw of Andy Harris ’97 and grandfather of Virginia Harris ’27, died May 4, 2023.

G. Gilmore Minor III, father of Cameron Minor Cummings ’85 and grandfather of Watty Raquet

and Bryson Raquet ’21, died May 4, 2023.

Catherine Monroe, mother of Middle School Counselor Amasa Monroe, died May 5, 2023.

Anne Fox, former Middle School and Upper School Librarian, mother of John Fox ’77, Sarah Fox Liverance ’80, Ted Fox ’86, and Andrew Fox ’88, mother-in-law of Paige Fox ’86, grandmother of Anne Pearson Fox ’16, Millie Fox ’19 and Thomas Fox, and aunt of Brandon Fox ’82, died May 7, 2023.

Samuel Jeter, grandfather of Preston Smith ’06, died May 9, 2023.

Brenton Halsey, grandfather of Sam Corey ’04, died May 28, 2023.

Henry Harrell, grandfather of Ted Geyer ’29 and Mary Geyer ’25, died May 30, 2023.

ALUMNI

Eleanor Durham Davenport ’44

Ellen-Terry Bunnell ’58

Mary Vincent Sumner ’63

Michael Brandon ’64

Garnett Bowers Rush ’66

Susan Wagener Higgins ’67

Abigail Bishop ’87

Tucker Golladay ’19

Our condolences are offered to these members of the Collegiate family.

TEACHER’S TAKE

Tyler Stevens

SPARK TALKS WITH LOWER SCHOOL PE TEACHER

Tyler Stevens

On a sleepy Friday morning in May, 30 minutes before his next class, Lower School PE teacher Tyler Stevens is looking for the best equipment students can use to practice hand-eye coordination. He digs through the supply closet, finds some foam dodgeballs. Envisioning all the fun the students are about to have, he bounces the ball on the parquet floor in the West Gym. The students, in a creative blend of tennis and soccer, will kick and pass these balls back and forth over a net. A three-season coach and inveterate teacher, Stevens, who just finished his first year of teaching at Collegiate, is always looking for methods to teaching the fundamentals in ways that are applicable to all sports. “PE is a great place to learn how to be active and healthy in a way that is fun,” he says. “The common misconception about fitness is that it is always grounded in some sport. Instead, it’s about getting in shape overall, moving correctly, learning basic skills and then turning all of that into a fun game.” Stevens sat down with Spark to discuss the joys of teaching at Collegiate, his approach to teaching and the importance of learning to live a healthy lifestyle.

WHAT MAKES TEACHING AT COLLEGIATE SO SPECIAL?

The biggest thing I’ve noticed is the community and the pride everyone here takes in their work. It just feels nice to have a community around you where everyone is working together. The mindset here at Collegiate is that we are all really trying to get the best out of everyone — whether that’s the students, the faculty or the staff. I feel motivated to try to be the best teacher I can. I’ve gotten that feeling here — that sense of pride.

AS YOU FINISH UP YOUR FIRST YEAR AT COLLEGIATE, WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?

Before coming to Collegiate, I was teaching middle and high schoolers. What’s been great about this year is that, teaching Lower Schoolers, I was able to return to teaching more to the skill and more to the basics. With my track and field background, I have always been used to teaching the fundamentals, and this year I was really able to help instill those fundamentals in students. Working with Lower Schoolers is a way to teach how to be active in a fun way.

TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL HEALTH IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION.

So, of course we concentrate on fitness in our class, but of equal importance is our concentration on mental health and mindfulness. We work on different activities that involve stretching — like yoga — that encourage students to make connections with their mind and body in a healthy way. Another way to do this is to invite students to make connections with fitness and everyday activities. So, for example, walking up a flight of stairs could be thought of as a slow-paced high knees exercise. Thinking about movement in spaces other than the gym opens students up to a healthier lifestyle.

WHAT IS YOUR APPROACH TO TEACHING?

Say, for example, we’re working on a basketball unit. We talk about how, when we shoot a basketball, we need to remain balanced. Then, when we work on gymnastics, I like to bring up that the same kind of balance required for shooting a ball can be applied to moving on a balance beam. I’m always trying to teach students that what they can do for fitness and what they can do for their body transcends any single sport. Skills like hand-eye coordination and flexibility are useful everywhere. And going back to mindfulness: I try getting students to think about what they do before they do it. Every movement begins with thinking, so I try integrating thinking and strategy with movement as well.

AS THE SCHOOL YEAR COMES TO AN END, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TEACHING MOMENTS THAT STAND OUT TO YOU?

From Kindergarteners all the way to 4th Graders, seeing the joy in students has been really special. That’s been the highlight of the year. Coming to work and knowing that the kids were going to be excited to be there and learn has been energizing. The students absolutely love PE. They come in here and use this space as an activity to get their energy out.

Daisy Storey ’23, who graduated this spring, completing her Moving Up ceremony in 2015. There is a long road leading to Commencement, but every teacher and staff member helps guide every student towards graduation day.

103 North Mooreland Road Richmond, Virginia 23229