SPARK

THE MAGAZINE OF COLLEGIATE SCHOOL

A

Legacy of Love, Leadership, and Joy

Blooming with joy. Every day, there’s a fresh reason to feel overjoyed by life. That’s easy on Collegiate’s campus, especially in early spring. Sometimes, it’s found in the little things, like reading with your classmates outside, or seeing the first daffodils unpack their yellow, leafy heads.

SPARK

ON CAMPUS / ARTS / ATHLETICS

8 Engineering a Foundation

In the Middle School, the vast range of extracurricular programs offered to students interested in technology allow them to invest in their own curiosities and authentically apply themselves.

12 Sharing your Voice

Senior speeches provide students with an opportunity to share who they have become beyond the classroom.

20 Truth in Art

Pam Sutherland’s Honors Art class assembled their collaborative exhibition, along with individual pieces, at the Visual Arts Center.

30 Living the Mission

Within the ebb and flow of an athletic season, the goal always remains the same: compete well, win as often as possible, learn from the ups and downs, act sportingly, enjoy the team dynamic, and create memories.

FEATURES ALUMNI NEWS

36 A Legacy of Love, Leadership, and Joy Debbie Miller leaves behind a school community that was enriched by her presence.

42 The Right Fit

56 Finding the Spotlight Mackenzie Meadows ’16 recently made her Broadway debut with the hit musical & Juliet

The individualized, high-touch experience College Counseling provides allows each student to shape a future that’s right for them.

A Letter From THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Dear Collegiate Community,

I find myself filled with gratitude as I reflect on the many ways our School continues to flourish. There is so much to celebrate! Our Seniors are receiving numerous college acceptances, surpassing national acceptance rates. All our students’ academic achievements are exceptional, and their successes in the arts and athletics are of the highest caliber. As you read through the pages of this magazine, I am confident you will be inspired by the accomplishments of our current students and faculty.

As we look to our students’ successes, I am reminded of the passionate teachers and educators who continue to provide excellence in all they do. Their hard work is seen on a daily basis and continues to motivate our students. However, it is the personal relationships they develop with each student that truly make a difference and fulfill our mission. They go beyond the classroom, offering support and encouragement that helps build confidence and reminds the students they are surrounded by people who genuinely care about them. It is through these meaningful connections that students feel valued and empowered to reach their full potential.

There was no greater example of this personal connection and genuine care than Debbie Miller. We celebrate Debbie’s life and legacy in this magazine. As our community moves forward, I am reminded that the best way to honor Debbie is by continuing to celebrate the achievements of our students and staying true to the values she championed during her 39 years at Collegiate. I can almost hear Debbie encouraging us, even in this challenging moment, to press on and find joy in the successes of our students.

It is in this spirit that I invite you to read this magazine. Take a moment to reflect on your own connection to Collegiate, with the hope that it renews your sense of pride in how our School continues to grow and thrive. We are grateful to everyone who supports our community, and we remain committed to fulfilling our mission.

Sincerely,

Jeff Mancabelli Head of School

Spark is published three times a year by Collegiate School by the School’s Communications Office.

Director of Strategic Communications

Sarah Abubaker

Writer/Editor

Jack McCarthy

Design Think (think804.com)

Creative Manager

James Dickinson

Contributors

Macy Boyer ’26

Weldon Bradshaw

James Galgano ’25

Louise Ingold

Claire Lareau ’25

Madison Lewis ’25

Ellie Lynch

Elizabeth Seward ’25

Photography

Maggie Bowman ’23

Keller Craig

Taylor Dabney

Ash Daniel

James Dickinson

Alyssa McDaniel ’20

Jalen Gregory Photography

Robin Reifsnider

Director of Alumni Engagement

Anne Gray Siebert ’97

Address

Spark Editor

Collegiate School / Communications Office

103 North Mooreland Road / Richmond, VA 23229

Phone

Spark: 804.754.0869 / Alumni Office: 804.741.9757

Class Notes and Photographs

Please send your news and photographs to asiebert@collegiate-va.org, and we will use them in an upcoming issue. Digital images must be high resolution (min. 300dpi).

Letters to the editor

jack_mccarthy@collegiate-va.org. Visit our website at www.collegiate-va.org

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.

Collegiate School Administration:

Jeffrey W. Mancabelli, Head of School

Sarah M. Abubaker, Director of Strategic Communications

Mike Boyd, Director of the Arts

Jeff Dunnington, Head of Middle School

Patrick E. Loach, Head of Upper School

Phyllis Palmiero, Chief Financial and Chief Operating Officer

Andrew Stanley, Athletic Director

Antenette Stokes, Ph.D, Director of Inclusion and Belonging

Dave Taibl, Director of Admission and Enrollment Management

Tung Trinh, Dean of Faculty

Kristen O. Williams, Chief Development Officer

Board of Trustees 2024-25:

W. Hildebrandt “Brandt” Surgner P ’11 ’14 ’17 ’19, Chair of the Board

Carter M. Reid P ’16 ’18, Immediate Past Chair

Kenneth P. Ruscio P ’08, Vice Chair the Board

Neelan “Neely” A. Markel ’96 P ’27 ’30, Secretary

Ellen Bonbright ’86 P ’24 ’26

Callie Lacy Brackett ’95 P ’22 ’24

Patty S. Chang P ’26 ’29, Parents’ Association President Mason Chapman ’84 P ’22

Mayme Donohue ’03

Wortie Ferrell II ’88 P ’24 ’27 ’31

Christopher P. “Peyton” Jenkins Sr. ’00 P ’31 ’34, Alumni Association President

Malcolm “Mac” S. McDonald P ’87 ’88

Morenike Kassim Miles P ’24 ’25

Meera Pahuja ’97 P ’30 ’32 ’34

J. Cheairs Porter Jr. P ’27 ’29 ’32

John H. Rivers Jr. P ’25 ’28

JoAnn Adrales Ruh P ’16 ’18 ’21

Julious “Jody” P. Smith III ’86 P ’20 ’22 ’25

Wallace Stettinius P ’77 ’79 ’84, Trustee Emeriti

Wallace “Gray” Stettinius ’79 P ’07 ’10 ’12

R. Gregory Williams ’69 P ’01 ’04, Trustee Emeriti

Alumni Association Board 2024-25:

Ben Adamson ’98

Brink Brinkley ’76

Wilson Cecil ’15

John Daniel ’70

Ernie Dettbarn ’94

Stuart Farrell ’03

Gray Fain ’07

Dominique Meeks Gombe ’09

Muffy Greenbaum ’04

Missy Herod ’72

Ginny Hofheimer ’96

Angie Hutchison ’90

Peyton Jenkins ’00

Devon Kelley ’05

Toby Long ’98

Lauren Makhoul ’10

Graham Mandl ’08

Beth Watlington Marchant ’72

Lee Moreau ’85

Rishi Pahuja ’04

Chris Pearson ’02

William Roberts ’65

Amrik Sahni ’06

Giselle Shaw ’22

Beth Anne Shelly ’83

Tyler Negus Snidow ’80

Chas Thalhimer ’97

Nash Wiley ’15

Elizabeth Dolan Wright ’01

ENGINEERING A FOUNDATION

In the Middle School, the vast range of extracurricular programs offered to students interested in technology allow them to invest in their own curiosities and authentically apply themselves.

IN ROOM 115 OF THE SOUTH SCIENCE BUILDING, semi-trailer trucks, built out of LEGOs, hang from the ceiling like trophies. In another corner of the same spacious room is a plastic cylinder, standing at least seven feet tall, filled with murky water for students to drop robots into. More LEGOs spill from drawers. Videography gear — microphones, tripods, cameras — are hung on the walls. A green screen drops from the ceiling, photography umbrellas positioned around it. A line of computers sit along another wall. For a budding technology guru, it’s a haven.

This is Middle School technology teacher Dan Bell’s world of electronics — what he likes to call the eLAB, named in honor of the late Dan Bartels — and it is home to, well, constructing your own home of discovery. It is a space of exploration where students can examine their own interests and wander down wherever that path leads them. What students receive at Collegiate School, in more ways than one, is a home, and, as technology continues to grow, more students are realizing that the program is a big component of that home, one they are ea-

ger to be a part of. This space is a place that allows them to engineer their own home and, potentially, their future.

“In a constantly evolving world, we want students to develop flexible thinking skills,” Bell says. “Technology is a means of interacting with the modern world, and having a strong literacy in technology is crucial to maintaining the interaction.” It’s for this reason students at Collegiate are introduced to technology practices as early as Junior Kindergartners, where they work with robots and other technologies to understand these sequencing practices. The Middle School presents a necessary continuation of that Lower School education. Simultaneously focused and free, Middle School students are given the agency to nourish their interests.

In the Middle School eLAB, students work on projects that get them thinking about creative problem solving. They have the opportunity to join the FIRST LEGO League, a mentor-based global robotics community that allows students to further explore their science, engineering, and technology skills. Modeled after FIRST Robotics, an engineer-

ing league in the Upper School, the LEGO League helps students apply the fundamentals of STEAM to exciting annual competitions. “Having a consistent program from the Lower School to the Upper School really allows students to develop and scaffold their skills over time,” Bell says. “So many of our former Middle School students that started out working with LEGOs, where they developed a solid foundation of skills, are now doing professional tech work in the Upper School. It comes much more naturally to them because, on a much smaller and more abstract scale, they have been working on this stuff since Middle School — maybe even Lower School.”

Since introducing FIRST LEGO League, Bell and his colleagues Rachael Rachau, technology integrator, and Ralph Rivera, robotics and engineering program leader, have expanded programmatic and extracurricular offerings to help meet student interest. In addition to FIRST LEGO League, students have the opportunity to build underwater ROVs and test them at the Collegiate School Aquatics Center. They also have the opportunity to make short films and video games in Bell’s classroom. The eLAB, in

short, is a home of opportunity. It’s a space where students can develop technology literacy and the many forms that may take.

For Bell, figuring out a problem is the essential function of learning. In a world of perpetual evolution, where tech job growth is projected to increase from 6 million in 2025 to 7.1 million in 2034, knowing how to learn on the fly, coupled with a strong foundation of technology skills, is paramount. It’s why the Middle School technology program takes the same software programs leading professionals in the automotive, film, architecture, and gaming industries use and incorporate those technologies into their own projects. “Learning is so much more than curriculum or targeted skills or memorization,” Bell says. “It’s about individual self actualization. It’s about learning how to learn things and learning how to problem solve.” This range of projects give STEAM students the opportunity to invest in their own curiosities and authentically apply the tools they’ve developed in the classroom, and it’s this application that elevates a Collegiate education.

Middle School students working with underwater ROVs at the Collegiate School Acquatic Center.

JUULTIDE BRUNCH

During the holidays, traditions help cultivate the spirit of the moment. They help us return, year after year, to a particular festive feeling. Brunch and the Feast of Juul, two special Collegiate events that vivify the character of the School during the holidays, are some of those beloved traditions. During Collegiate’s annual Feast of Juul, Senior boys and faculty bonded over a festive dinner, light-hearted roasts, and laughter. And the warmth of the holidays were felt in the songs and choreographed dances and skits performed by Junior girls during Brunch 2024.

The Year of the Wood Snake

Chinese language students ushered in the Year of the Wood Snake at the annual Chinese New Year celebration in January, the School’s 12th ceremony of this kind. Students performed songs, dances, and martial arts demonstrations integral to Chinese culture. Preparing students to be global citizens, the program gives them an opportunity to showcase their language and cultural learning.

SHARING YOUR VOICE

Senior speeches provide students with an opportunity to share who they have become beyond the classroom.

By Claire Lareau

’25

JUST ABOVE THE FEAR OF SPIDERS, the fear of public speaking reigns as America’s top phobia. Whether it’s delivering a history presentation or standing in front of a packed auditorium, the average 18-year-old would likely choose almost anything else.

Yet each year, Collegiate challenges its entire Senior class to confront this fear headon by delivering a five-minute speech. Week after week, our assemblies are filled with the voices of our peers — many of whom have never stood behind a podium before.

The tradition of Senior speeches began with the Class of 1996. Before the transition to Senior speeches, Collegiate

Seniors in the ’70s would give a 40-minute speech on an academic topic of their choosing. The current speeches, given throughout the school year, allow Seniors to speak on any topic of their choice. They provide students with an opportunity to share who they have become beyond the classroom.

Over the summer before Senior year, each student is assigned a speech date and a faculty mentor. As their moment approaches, they draft their speech, workshop it with their mentor, submit it to a faculty committee for feedback, and rehearse before finally standing on stage to deliver it.

For the past 18 years, Upper School English teacher Vlastik Svab has been at the heart of this tradition, serving as Senior Speech Coordinator. He has overseen a wide spectrum of speech topics, as the speeches

can truly be about anything. He has seen students speak about mission trips, grandmothers, and personal struggles. Others have spent their five minutes juggling, performing magic, or showcasing Taekwondo skills. He’s even seen speeches that have thoughtfully challenged the School.

The variety, he says, is his favorite part of the tradition. In a single day, four wildly different speeches can unfold. There is no pattern to the recurring themes. Svab describes them as coming in “ebbs and flows.” Some years are filled with confessional speeches about mental health; in other years, musical performances dominate the stage.

“Not every speech has to be mind-blowing or have some giant moral lesson,” he explains. His role is simply to help students dig deeper and find something meaningful to share.

But as much as Senior speeches are about the words spoken on stage, Svab believes that “part of the magic is the process.” He explains that the requirement pushes everyone to have a voice. Students who rarely speak in class are forced to share their thoughts for five minutes. “The fact that some students wrote the speech and gave the speech,” Svab says, “that’s the accomplishment.”

Some speech highlights this year have included an Irish dance performance, a video tour of a Minecraft world, and multiple stories about the struggles of being short.

Britton Berson ’25 planned to beat Joey Chestnut’s hot dog eating record on stage during her speech. After practicing at home and realizing she could only eat two hot dogs in five minutes, Britton gave her speech on this failed attempt. Britton says her speech helped her become more confident in public speaking. She explains that no matter how strange the topic is “as long as you’re confident in yourself others will appreciate it.”

Since Freshman year, Senior speeches have always been interesting, but they feel the most special as a Senior. After going to school with my peers for almost 13 years, the Senior speech is often the only time I will hear them speak uninterrupted for so long outside of a class presentation. It’s interesting to be offered this uninterrupted window into their lives. The speeches allow our grade to connect and for each person to be known.

In September, I gave my Senior speech on my love for sweepstakes. I had spent three

years trying to figure out the perfect topic, but I realized it didn’t have to be life changing — it just had to be interesting to me. I shared stories about winning small sweepstakes as a child and, in 2021, winning free Tropical Smoothie Café smoothies for a year. Through a slideshow and a five-minute speech, I explained how entering sweepstakes has taught me to pursue opportunities, even when they seem unachievable.

Although I was embarrassingly nervous in the moments before my speech, I’m glad I gave it. Getting on stage in front of all my peers and teachers was terrifying. However, as I saw my friends in the audience and heard their laughter after I showed a funny picture, giving the speech felt rewarding.

The small details of speeches are what make them meaningful — coordinating a fun handshake with the speaker before me, having teachers who hadn’t taught me stop me in the hallway to compliment it, and knowing I had the confidence to stand behind the podium and speak. That is what made the Senior speech such a memorable part of my high school experience.

It will likely always be intimidating to stand in front of an auditorium and begin to speak. However, Senior speeches push Collegiate students to confront this fear head-on. While most people would rather handle a spider than give a speech, we embrace the challenge and often have fun in the process.

Editor’s note: With every story we publish, our intention is to celebrate the experience of Collegiate. As part of that ongoing effort, we have been working with Upper School students, publishing stories in their own words. This piece is one such student narrative.

Friends Helping Friends

Through the Middle School Helpers Club, students are given the agency to succeed.

Every other Tuesday, in the Lower School technology lab, Lower and Middle Schoolers play together with robots. Spread out on the carpeted floor of the classroom, the students arrange flat squares of colors into particular lines. In order for a robot to move down this path of colored squares, the colors need to be arranged in a particular order. The conversation is light but diligent, focused but not strained. If a Lower Schooler stops for a moment, briefly confounded, the Middle Schooler jumps in, giving the peer a helpful nudge before they both continue working. The tone of the work is reassuring and supportive, reverberating with the message: This subject is hard, and I’ve been discouraged too, but I’m here to help.

This cross divisional work is part of the Middle School Helpers Club, where 7th and 8th Graders volunteer to assist in

designated Lower School classrooms every other week.

On that same Tuesday, Junior Kindergartners enjoy what they’ve now come to call Perry Day, where Perry Greenbaum ’30 and some of his Middle School peers visit Gray Greenbaum ’38 and the rest of the JK students. If the weather is clear, the Junior Kindergartners will invite the Middle Schoolers out to the playground, where they take turns going down the slide. They play basketball, hopscotch, jump rope — all under the careful supervision of the Middle Schoolers and the JK teachers. After all, it’s Perry Day, a day of connection and growth.

To instruct, to articulate how to solve a problem, is another form of learning. “Both divisions are getting so much out of this work,” says Tara Connor, the Middle School teacher overseeing the club. “With the Middle Schoolers, they get a chance

to be leaders. They also get the chance to help with instruction, and that can reinforce some fundamental learning. For the Lower Schoolers, seeing that some of the older students they look up to truly care about them is really beneficial.”

With Middle Schoolers becoming key facilitators in other students’ success, the club increases individual student agency. For some Middle School students, who might not have the opportunity to become leaders in their own grade-level setting, this is a chance to become a role model. “Where I’ve seen a big difference has been with students that don’t have leadership roles in the Middle School,” Connor says. “This club has created space for them to cultivate that position of a role model. For students that are typically used to taking a back seat in classrooms, this has forced them to use their voice.”

The club puts students at the center of academics; they become both students and mentors. It’s one of the many aspects that makes a Collegiate education unique. When teachers take advantage of cross-divisional activities, students thrive. We all have something to give, and each of us has something to learn from our peers. When students connect, everyone learns. “At the end of each session, when the Middle Schoolers are walking back to their division, there is so much joy,” Connor says. “They go in worrying they won’t be helpful and they leave knowing they’ve made an impact. It gives them a huge confidence boost. They understand that they matter, that they have something to give, and that makes a huge difference.”

NEW DEVELOPMENT OFFICE COMING SOON

This winter, Collegiate received a generous donation that will allow the School to renovate the Development Office. This gift comes from an alumnus and former Trustee and parent, who recognizes the importance of providing a professional, collaborative space for the Development team. The donor’s support will help ensure that we continue to connect with alumni and families and that we raise the funds necessary to support our students, faculty, and the continued growth of Collegiate. The rebuild began in January and will be completed by early summer.

COLLEGIATE GETS IN THE HALLOWEEN SPIRIT FOR TON OF

COINS

Sweet treats all around. To celebrate Halloween, Lower School students paraded around campus for parents and faculty in their festive costumes. The parade’s final stop was in Flippen Hall, where students in all divisions gathered to fill up the infamous green-and-gold tub with change, supporting the Lewis Lawson Ton of Coins Endowment. This Endowment helps make a Collegiate education affordable to a wide range of students.

Moroccan Students Share Their Insights From IELC

Two students from Casablanca explain the similarities and differences they noticed between teenage life in Morocco and the United States.

By Elizabeth Seward ’25

In early October, I had the opportunity to participate in Collegiate’s International Emerging Leaders Conference (IELC) with seven other Seniors under the guidance and leadership of Collegiate’s Director of JK-12 Capstones Rhiannon Boyd. This conference welcomed 32 international students from eight different countries: China, Ghana, Italy, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Spain, and South Africa.

During our week together, we were split into design groups to solve global environmental issues, such as bee depopulation in Mexico and flooding in Kazakhstan. We worked with these challenging issues all week and created ideas for human-based solutions. Although our home countries were scattered across the globe, we found ourselves finding common ground on the ups and downs of teenage life.

Over the course of the week, I became very close with all of the international students, especially the Moroccans. After the conference, two of them shared with me some reflections on their experience at IELC, including some key differences between their daily lives in Morocco and their lives during the week of IELC.

Zineb Essaoudi and Mohamed Mouwafaq are both Seniors at George Washington Academy. Although on different continents, Collegiate and the George Washington Academy are surprisingly similar. They both offer education to students JK-12, they both have similar core values, and they both prioritize a well-rounded educational experience for their students.

Upon arriving at Collegiate in October, both Essaoudi and Mouwafaq were struck by the scale of the campus. “The cam-

pus size — wow. Collegiate was a lot bigger than my school,” Mouwafaq observed. Essaoudi noted, “Collegiate has more buildings spread across a larger campus.”

As both Mouwafaq and Essaoudi are varsity athletes, they were very impressed by Collegiate’s athletic department. Essaoudi said, “I was really shocked to see that they had a separate campus for athletics. At GWA, we have two fields — one is an artificial turf that’s slightly smaller, and the other is a large grass field surrounded by a track.”

Experiencing daily life in America brought new perspectives and some unexpected surprises for Essaoudi and Mouwafaq. They were amazed that teenagers in the United States were able to drive. “Back home, none of my friends can drive. It was weird to see the American students driving their own cars,” he noted, admiring the extra freedom this provided. He was also surprised by American dining routines, finding it unusual to see dinner served so early. “I felt like people would eat dinner so early. In Morocco, [we eat] at like nine or 10 o’clock, but in the States, it’s more like five or six,” he added. Mouwafaq made it a priority to taste and thoughtfully review as many American treats as possible. Among these foods, his favorites were Sweet Frog, Chick-fil-A, and Bottoms Up Pizza. He was equally surprised by each establishment’s large serving sizes.

Essaoudi and Mouwafaq speak three languages fluently:

Arabic, English, and French. In Morocco, they regularly move between these languages in their conversations with friends. Using the traditional Arabic conversational style known as tel3a, Mouwafaq and Essaoudi often use gestures and hand motions in addition to their language when communicating. Essaoudi remarked, “Honestly, the main difference for me was just not being able to switch between languages as I do in Morocco.” At home, she said, “I regularly mix English, French, and Arabic, so it felt strange to only speak English in the U.S.” This constant flow between English, French, and Darija (Moroccan Arabic) is their natural way of communicating. While listening to a conversation between the two of them, it was beautiful to hear them seamlessly drift from language to language and topic to topic.

I am grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in IELC and meet amazing people like Essaoudi and Mouwafaq. I hope that one day I can travel to Morocco and note the differences in daily life for myself. Until then, I’ll have to take Mouwafaq’s word for it: “Between America and Morocco, I honestly don’t see much of a difference. Except the driving, I wish I could drive.”

PERFORMING WITH FRIENDS

Learning is better when done with those closest to you. In February, the 1st Grade students hosted Grandparents and Special Friends’ Day, where guests enjoyed the Lower School production of “Oh What a Day!” and joined their 1st Graders afterwards for a special reception.

FINDING REST IN SERVICE STUDENTS SHINE AT ETHICS BOWL

In February, Upper School students took a break from their usual schedules for a meaningful and enriching retreat day. Each grade level explored different areas of growth and connection. Freshmen engaged in service learning and giving back to the community. Sophomores attended health and wellness sessions, including yoga and team building exercises. Juniors gained valuable insights from admission deans during an application workshop. Seniors spent cherished time with their beloved Kindergarten buddies.

To be a citizen of the world means to engage in the problems of both local and global communities. In the Senior Capstone Ethics and the Engaged Citizen, students spend the semester studying moral philosophy and its modern applications to prepare for the Virginia High School Ethics Bowl, the culminating activity and assessment. This Capstone challenges participants to apply themselves and think deeply. In December, Collegiate proudly hosted the 11th Annual Virginia High School Ethics Bowl, welcoming teams from across the Commonwealth for a day of thoughtful dialogue and ethical reflection.

Feeding Bellies and Minds

Joel Shapiro, Head Chef of Lexington Independents, the food service provider of Collegiate, recently won Chef of the Year.

The chef and humanitarian José Andrés once said that the art of cooking a meal for someone is the most intimate of all art forms. No other craft creates an opportunity for people to come together at a table to laugh, cry, and revel in the multitudes of life’s delights — whatever they may be at that moment. As a chef, you provide nourishment, and when you’re cooking, you consider who you’ll be giving that meal to. It’s exciting to be able to say, “Here, I’ve made this with you in mind.”

Joel Shapiro, Head Chef of Lexington Independents, the food service provider of Collegiate, doesn’t exactly agree. Providing meals at scale for more than 1,600 students and faculty on a day-today basis, the individual isn’t always on his mind, but he does delight in the opportunity to provide healthy meals that contribute to a great education. His focus always on the next plate, the next pot of soup (his favorite Collegiate meal to prepare), he doesn’t always get to see the camaraderie his meals inspire.

“A lot of what I do is logistics: managing a monthly menu and making sure we always have enough proteins, prepared foods, daily drinks, and the like,” Shapiro says. “But at the heart of our work is the belief that food is more than just fuel — it’s the foundation of growth, learning, and

connection, especially at a school like Collegiate. We’re not just filling stomachs. We’re nourishing curious minds.”

For his efforts, Shapiro was recently crowned Chef of the Year by Lexington, a distinction he deservedly earned over the 300 total chefs eligible to win. It’s an award received in recognition of his ability to craft unique dishes at an almost industrial-sized scale. The quality of his soup is not reduced by the number of mouths he and his team have to feed on any given day. Unlike other artists whose careers have veered toward more corporate pursuits, he still crafts with the enthusiasm he started with, back when he was working as a sous-chef at Richmond-based restaurants like Perch. He approaches each dish with individual appreciation and diligence, as if he were cooking for a family of five instead of a community of 2,000.

He speaks modestly about the award, with the kind of tone that suggests his work speaks for itself. “It’s awesome to be recognized in this way,” he says. “My team does a great job putting out excellent meals for Collegiate each day. It’s a humbling honor, but I’m just glad to be doing the kind of work I get to do every day.”

We’re not just filling stomachs. We’re nourishing curious minds.”

FINDING TRUTH IN ART

Pam Sutherland’s Honors Art class assembled their collaborative exhibition, along with individual pieces, at the Visual Arts Center.

IN LATE JANUARY, Pam Sutherland’s Honors Art class mounted a collaborative exhibition, along with individual pieces, at the Visual Arts Center, that speaks to our information-dense epoch. There is too much of everything. Information has a startling immediacy that comes at us from everywhere. Hard to keep up, it’s an overabundance that makes truth and fact a difficult discovery, like listening to a conversation in the middle of a loud party. Seeking consolidation and comfort, we often find truth not in hard facts of common experience but personal feelings. We retreat inward — and inwardness is art’s potency.

Considering the elusive fluidity of truth, Sutherland asked her art students to create, as a class, a visual testimony to the statement “This I Know to Be True.” “In a cultural and political moment where truth is utterly debatable — and where personal integrity is therefore essential — this seemed like a timely installation to make,” Sutherland explains.

The students had the month of January to complete their work. Moving quickly — and inspired by artist-in-residence Hamilton Glass’s community based pieces — they came up with “Truth Table,” a table, painted with black chalkboard paint, that displayed plates they had crafted.

The gist is an organized tumult of intimate and personal emotion fed by individualized voices. The installment, similar to the concept of truth, is fluid.

For the artists, exhibiting their work in this way offers a unique experience. “This exhibition opportunity was specifically designed to afford these Seniors an experience different from their culminating Senior exhibition in April that is on campus,” Sutherland says. “And having to figure out how to display a collaborative work in a single space like the Visual Arts Center generates a larger, more captive audience. This is exciting — and nerve wracking — for students. In other words, it’s a positive, generative stressor.”

Pam Sutherland and Honors Art students.

To begin the exhibit, the 14 students in Sutherland’s Honors Art class surrounded the table, speaking their truth to those in attendance as they presented their individually crafted plates. Among the Visual Art Center’s vast, sunny second floor, the students’ performance was oddly mystical: temporary definitions of the self, like existential hiccups in a void, spoken to a silent crowd. The abundant articulations become an aesthetic stimulus in itself. It felt concrete, totally unlike the endless stream of information. The solid personalities — and their accompanying pieces — felt like absolute truths.

“I know this to be true: You can’t determine what happens to you, but you can determine how you respond.”

“I know this to be true: I am so incredibly proud to be an American.”

“I know this to be true: Nothing is weird anymore, and yet everything I do is weird.”

Liam Gocke ’25, who built the table, was the final student to speak his truth: “I know this to be true: This table is my truth, and form follows function.” He stretches his arms the length of the table and his voice extends with confidence. His table is masterfully made, completed with dexterity and care.

Speaking about his work, Liam will tell you, with a look-what-I-can-do swagger, that part of what defines his art is distinction; he wants to stand out. Instead of a plate resting on a table, he built the table.

Liam always had a knack for creating things with his hands. Growing up, he built LEGO, and then he progressed to building intricate costumes.

When he took art teacher Steve Hart’s woodworking class his Freshman year, something about the form clicked for him. “I had prior knowledge of carpentry, and Mr. Hart took notice of that and pushed me to excel,” Liam says. “He taught me how to use a bandsaw, how to use a tablesaw, and he taught me how to make certain things like tables, which was one of our first projects that year.”

As Liam developed his craftsmanship, he learned that woodworking was his preferred form of expression. Unlike his peers, a majority of whom worked in flat 2D forms, Liam differentiated himself through his work. His individuality became his calling card. So when the Honors Art students landed on the idea of a “Truth Table,” he knew the table itself could be his expression of truth. “As a carpenter, I felt that building the table was where I could really show off and show my skill and personality,” Liam says. “The table was my passion. It was my way of separating myself and standing out. It was my form of expression.” Liam’s chalkboard table invited viewers to write down their own truths, and the piece grew with each participant’s voice. The table, its own form of expression, allowed other viewers the means to express themselves. “The table was used for the purpose it was given, which made me really happy,” Liam says. “Watching people actually write their truths out was very fulfilling. It made the truths feel real.”

The “Truth Table” reflects the various truths of viewers.

Integrative Investigations

This is a story that perfectly encapsulates the beauty of a Collegiate education. It involves monarch butterflies and robots, collaboration among faculty and interdisciplinary study, and, not surprisingly, a level of teaching ingenuity difficult to find elsewhere.

First, a little scene setting: Lower School Spanish teacher Alice Innes, at the beginning of the school year, selects Mexico as the target country of study for this year’s class of 1st Graders, and then begins brainstorming ways to approach the study of Mexico’s culture. The Día de los Muertos celebration, or the Day of the Dead, stands out as an obvious answer. And then her mind goes to monarch butterflies, which, migrating from North America to Mexico’s warmer climate, are believed to carry the souls of the beloved dead. She decided that Spanish lessons will

A lesson plan centered around monarch butterflies taught Lower Schoolers about Mexican culture, the Spanish language, art, and technology.

be grounded within particular aspects of monarch butterflies.

“I realized that the monarch butterfly could be used as a beautiful connector to so many subject areas,” Innes explains. “We could discuss their migration patterns. We could discuss their diet and their preference for milkweed. We could discuss color and symmetry. And we could talk about all of this using our super seven verbs, which are your high frequency verbs in Spanish.”

Then, the flutter of butterflies drifted from Innes’s classroom to Lower School art teacher Lisa Anderson’s studio, where students studied muralists, observing how monarch butterflies were celebrated in art. To create a landscape of their own for the butterflies to pass over, Anderson asked her students to consider the conditions the monarchs might encounter on their journey. “I tried getting them to establish a narrative for the butterflies,” Anderson explains. “Would they fly over water? Maybe they pass over trees. Are there any instances when there might be cacti? This full immersion of thought forced them to make connections to other classes.”

As students transitioned from one subject to the next, they kept the idea of a butterfly in their minds. It’s this kind of total immersion that allows students to make connections between subjects and between the world beyond the classroom. They look

at a butterfly and see cultural significance. They understand where they come from and where they might be going. That is a holistic education in action.

“Having multiple touch points makes learning so much more meaningful to students,” Anderson says. “They love making those connections. Those are the true lightbulb moments and make learning fun and allow for deeper connections to the things around them.”

But the butterfly’s journey didn’t end in the art room. In the next step of their learning, Ellen Wright, the Lower School technology integrator, programmed the monarchs’ migration into Ozobots — a small, toy-like robot. This allowed students to watch the migration unfold in real time while learning about technology. “Making sure a larger, more abstract idea comes to life for them is really important in helping students learn about how technology works,” Innes says of the connection. Wright extended the connection by taping butterfly wings onto each robot, a Collegiate-branded touch indicative of drawing out a lesson to its fullest, greatest extent.

“This kind of learning isn’t just confined to one classroom,” Innes says. “The students are making these organic, authentic connections across disciplines, and that’s where the real magic happens.”

This collaborative, interdisciplinary approach to learning is at the heart of Collegiate’s educational philosophy. By empowering teachers to design their own curriculum and work together to create engaging, cross-curricular projects, the school fosters a dynamic environment where students thrive. The students begin seeing the world as an interconnected tapestry, not a series of isolated subjects.

“I think one of the joys of teaching at an independent school is that there is some autonomy in what you can teach, and so you do have the flexibility and freedom to create your curriculum,” Innes says. “This project is a perfect representation of that freedom. Every teacher here is so collaborative and supportive, which makes these projects possible.”

At Collegiate, the After School Dance Company is so much more than just an extracurricular — it’s a space where creativity thrives, leadership blossoms, and students connect through movement.

Open to all Upper School students, each dance group meets twice a week throughout the spring athletic season, wrapping up with a performance in May. Led by Angie Muzzy, who rebranded the program when she joined Collegiate in 2022, the dance company has become a vibrant space for self-expression and artistic exploration.

Each year, Seniors in the Honors Dance Company step up as choreographers, dedicating their time to lead groups of dancers. These students spend the fall semester studying composition in their Honors Dance class. In the spring, they collaborate with their groups, teaching choreography and developing original pieces to be performed in the final concert.

For Molly Rolfe ’25, this experience has been transformative. “Being on the choreographing side of dance has shifted my perspective to see a deeper meaning in the movement of dance,” she

shares. “Understanding the story is one thing, but understanding the themes, motifs, and various effort actions that can play into movement has helped me see it in a new light.”

Beyond technique and choreography, the dance program fosters essential life skills. Choreographers assume leadership roles, guiding their peers through the creative process, while dancers gain valuable experience in collaboration and constructive feedback. “Seeing new choreographed dances is exciting because it allows students to work with people they may not have danced with before,” Muzzy explains. “It puts them in a leadership position and teaches them how to improvise and give feedback — skills that require practice and patience.”

Collegiate’s dance program challenges students to think beyond their comfort zones, welcoming fresh perspectives and inviting those who may never have considered dance to give it a try.

For me, dance has always been a way to express feelings that words can’t capture. It allows me to connect with emotions, fears, and dreams that are hard to articulate. Having the opportunity to translate those feelings into

movement helps me stay grounded and creative. I started dancing as a child, but eventually stepped away. When I picked up dance again my Junior year, I wasn’t sure where I would fit in or if I would find my place. But now, as a Senior dancer, I can confidently say that I’ve found my home, my community, and my voice through dance. The program has been a vital outlet for self-expression, fueling my artistic journey.

One of the program’s greatest strengths is its accessibility. Students who may not have room in their schedule for a formal dance class can still participate, whether it’s for a sports credit or simply for fun. “No one is forced to be here,” Muzzy notes. “Everyone participates because they want to, whether it’s to express themselves, be in a costume, or simply explore dance in a new way. Ultimately, they’re learning about themselves and others in the process.” Molly echoes this sentiment, emphasizing how performance serves as a bonding experience: “Dance brings students together on a personal level, fostering a sense of community that is invaluable.”

Molly’s experience as a Senior choreographer highlights the

program’s focus on collaboration and growth. “Dance is an incredible way to get involved in the arts in a meaningful way. It builds off itself every year of upper school, but it’s also about creating memories with others. Dance at Collegiate has opened doors to so many opportunities in the community and helped me form relationships I might not have made otherwise,” she reflects.

The process of putting together a performance is no small feat. From choreography to costuming and lighting, students take the lead. It’s a rigorous journey that requires dedication, yet the end result is to make everything appear effortless on stage. “People may not always recognize the amount of work that goes into formal dance,” Muzzy says. “But it takes a committed, intentional approach to make it look fluid and natural.”

Shared Creation

Collegiate’s Maker Faire gives students the opportunity to share their creativity with the community.

JAI SPICER ’25 runs a secondhand clothing line that he calls Former Toddler. He takes secondhand textiles — blouses, crewnecks, T-shirts, hoodies — that he finds at Goodwill and prints, simply, “Former Toddler,” on the article of clothing. The shirts, if they aren’t tiedye, are generally a bright wash of color. They’re vibrant and well-loved and, stamped against their childlike effervescence, is a statement that attempts to cling to youth in a stark black font

you might find in an Excel doc. It makes for a fun dichotomy — the same way you might look back at childhood photographs of yourself on your birthday. By way of promotion, Jai will take these shirts to concerts and give them to the artist he’s seeing, and then he’ll post the interaction on his Instagram (@formertoddlershirts). In one video, during a Briston Maroney concert, Jai asks the crowd to pass a balled-up Former Toddler shirt toward the stage, as a

gift for Maroney. When the shirt gets to Maroney, and he reads the message, you can hear something break in his voice, a sense of gratitude for one artist sharing his work with another artist.

For any creator, there is something essential in the act of sharing your work. To a certain extent, the viewer is as important as the artist. A work unseen by anyone else but its creator does not exist. Jai possesses, uniquely, the creativity of the artist and the rigor of an entrepreneur. And it’s in this spirit of teaching artists to share their work and promote themselves that, each spring, Collegiate holds the Maker Faire, an event that celebrates makers in the Collegiate community and that, this spring, will be held May 10.

“This is a highly academic school that celebrates academic success all the time, and I think it’s really important to celebrate a lot of other kinds of success that both our students and faculty are doing,” says Director of Instructional Technology Patty Sinkler, who helps organize the Maker Faire. “The Maker Faire celebrates the creative success of our community that people don’t know about. We have so many

people that are doing all kinds of brilliant things in the arts, and it’s important to share that work.”

The Maker Faire showcases work from artists like Jai, who, during the event, will hold demonstrations on how he hand prints his shirts. “The Maker Faire gives creators a great opportunity to show off their work,” Jai says. “And it introduced me to artists in our community that I had no idea were artists.” It’s a special event: Where else can you discover that your Upper School science teacher is a brilliant ceramic artist or that a Lower School student is a precocious wizard with a sewing needle?

To practice any art, regardless of expertise, is a way to sharpen foundational skills and connect yourself more thoroughly to the world around you. “We’re giving students a safe space to experiment, to try new things, and to ultimately be successful, because just by making something that you’re putting out into the world, you are successful: you’ve created something,” says Catherine Clements, who, in her domain of the Middle School library, plays a crucial role in celebrating student artwork.

Creating is another form of growing. You learn about both yourself and the world around you in the process of artmaking. For young students, artmaking is another form of creative problem solving, an idea the Maker Faire helps promote. “This is a space where we can tailor a curriculum around building core skills — like perseverance, problem solving, resilience, creativity — in students that other areas of academics might not directly teach,” says Rachael Rachau, who plays a role in organizing the Maker Faire. “So, yes, we celebrate students making things. But we also help students understand the skills they’re building in the act of making.”

Each week, leading up to the Maker Faire, as another form of showcasing student creativity, the Cougar Shop displayed a student’s artwork that would later be featured in the Maker Faire. The range of works is indicative of the creativity the Maker Faire celebrates. Addison Tyler ’31 displayed her large, elegantly fluffy turtles that she crocheted. Reeve Fowler ’34 showcased a board game he invented with his 3rd Grade classmates. “I’m just really glad I get

to show off my work in the spaces around Collegiate,” Addison says. “But, more importantly, I’m excited by the opportunity to share my work. Giving my work to other people and seeing how happy it makes them makes me really happy. There’s a difference between showing your work and sharing it.”

After the play of creating pieces, something frequently done in isolation, there is the communal play of sharing work. That’s where meaning is made: when the work begins speaking to the viewer. This is what the Maker Faire celebrates — the essential qualities of growing and communicating through creative works. “For me, creating is a vessel to convey emotions when words won’t suffice,” Jai says. “Art is a universal language. Because I might not be able to explain how I’m feeling to you verbally, but if I can convey my emotions through painting a picture or drawing something or making a sculpture or a shirt — using all the materials that I found — I can vocalize what’s going on. For me to share that vocalization is an important part of the process.”

STUDENTS EARN SCHOLASTIC ART AWARDS

The Scholastic Art Awards are the nation’s longestrunning and most prestigious recognition program for creative students. This year, 42 Collegiate School students earned gold, silver, and honorable mention honors in the art categories. The recipients’ work was featured in a gallery at the Visual Arts Center.

Kaelyn Crosthwaite ’25

Madeleine Hough ’25

Lucy Beckstoffer ’25

GOLD KEY

Clavio Ascari ’25 - Photography

Ellie Becker ’27 - Drawing and Illustration

Lucy Beckstoffer ’25 - Drawing and Illustration

Kaelyn Crosthwaite ’25 - Drawing and Illustration

Vivienne Dai ’27 - Drawing and Illustration

Anne Ford-Hall ’25 - Painting

Oli Handley ’26 - Mixed Media

Madeleine Hough ’25 - Drawing and Illustration

Hazel Miller ’25 - Mixed Media

Jane Simkin ’26 - Drawing and Illustration

Aurora Stevens ’26 - Drawing and Illustration

SILVER KEY

Clavio Ascari ’25 - Photography

Alecia Carter ’26 - Photography

Kaelyn Crosthwaite ’25 - Portfolio

Kaelyn Crosthwaite ’26 - Painting

Vivienne Dai ’27 - Drawing and Illustration

Liam Gocke ’25 - Sculpture

Frank MacNelly ’25 - Photography

Hazel Miller ’25 - Painting

Rachel Peck ’25 - Painting

Lily Rollison ’27 - Drawing and Illustration

Jane Simkin ’26 - Drawing and Illustration

Nora Wallace ’25 - Drawing and Illustration

HONORABLE MENTION

Ava Babik ’27 - Drawing and Illustration

Kaelyn Crosthwaite ’25 - Painting

Kaelyn Crosthwaite ’25 - Mixed Media

Kaelyn Crosthwaite ’25 - Painting

Kaelyn Crosthwaite ’25 - Mixed Media

Lukas Deskevich ’26 - Drawing and Illustration

Anne Ford-Hall ’25 - Sculpture

Anne Ford-Hall ’25 - Painting

Oli Handley ’26 - Drawing and Illustration

Anne Lewis ’27 - Drawing and Illustration

Frank MacNelly ’25 - Photography

Scarlett O’Shaughnessy ’28 - Drawing and Illustration

Jane Simkin ’26 - Drawing and Illustration

Nora Wallace ’25 - Drawing and Illustration

Catherine Yarney ’26 - Photography

Jane Simkin ’26

Clavio Ascari ’25

Anne Ford-Hall ’25

Vivienne Dai ’27

Liam Gocke ’25

Oli Handley ’26

Living the Mission

EVERY ATHLETIC SEASON

has its own unique flavor. Sure, the sports are the same, fall to fall, winter to winter, and spring to spring.

Sure, familiar faces reappear, albeit, because of graduation and sometimes attrition, the cast evolves.

Sure, the plan remains the same: compete well, win as often as possible, learn from the ups and downs, act sportingly, enjoy the team dynamic, and create memories.

That said, there’re a host of variables, all of which combine to make each season a singular experience for everyone involved.

Eventually, the fall season of 2024 wound to a close.

Girls cross country and tennis won League of Independent Schools and VISAA championships. For each, it was the third league and fourth state title since the return from COVID in 2021. Soccer shared the Prep League title marking the fourth straight year they’ve finished atop the standings.

Twenty-two athletes earned either All-LIS or All-Prep citations. Ten were honored as AllState (with football and soccer yet to be announced). Two, Alexandra Curtis ’27 (field hockey) and Peter Hartmann ’25 (soccer), were voted league player of the year in their respective sports.

You gauge success, though, not just by win-loss records, championships, and post-sea-

son honors but by intangibles.

“When you look at the outcomes that you can’t control, you have to dig into the data to see what you’re really looking at,” says Andrew Stanley, Collegiate’s Director of Athletics. “When you consider our success, you have to look not just how we did but how we’re doing it. I was very proud of the way all our teams competed this fall.”

The tennis team lost four of its top six to graduation and nevertheless excelled with a starting lineup that included three 8th Graders new to the varsity level, two Freshmen, and two Juniors undaunted by program’s history or by the moment. Notable was a 5-3 victory in the state championship match against Potomac, a team that defeated the Cougars 5-2 earlier in the season.

Integral to the Cougars’ success were not just the match-winners but senior captains Carly Barnes ’25, Betsy Clarke ’25, Annie Reed ’25, and Perry Smith ’25. Each was an indispensable behind-the-scenes leader, motivator, and mentor. Each brought energy, mindful guidance, and wisdom. Each demonstrated by example, both on and off the court, the importance of the team-above-self mentality.

The top six in girls cross country were a Senior, four Sophomores, and an 8th Grader. As was the case with tennis, captains Maddie McComb ’25 and Nora

The way they were dedicated to the team and focused on the team and their importance to their team were significant.”

Wallace ’25, neither of whom was a regular point-scorer, played a vital role by providing a positive, nurturing presence.

“One of the stories of the fall was the leadership from captains who weren’t in the starting lineup,” Stanley says. “The way they were dedicated to the team and focused on the team and their importance to their team were significant. The grace of the older girls to allow the younger ones to take the limelight was a blueprint for what success here could look like for years to come.”

Soccer, field hockey, volleyball, boys cross country, and football suffered graduation losses but toughed their way through the fall with revamped lineups, grit, and perseverance.

Soccer finished 15-2-4 and, in addition to joining St. Christopher’s as league champ, reached the state quarterfinals.

“These guys had a very successful run after very talented players graduated,” Stanley says. “The Seniors were very impactful. New leaders stepped up. Hartmann was amazing as well as [the other captains] Josh Parker ’25 and Shaan Agarwal ’25. They followed a dynamic situation (24-1, league and state champ in 2023) and handled it with grace.”

Hockey went 14-4-1 and reached the LIS championship game and state semifinals.

“They didn’t win titles, but if you follow the track of their

season, they were playing uphill in some of their games,” Stanley says. “To be in a position to play close games with some of the best teams in the state (including Trinity Episcopal, the LIS champ, and state champ Norfolk Academy) was significant.”

Volleyball, with first-year coach Diamond Welton-Boxley, went 16-10 and reached the LIS title game and the state quarterfinals.

“For sure, it was a successful season with new roles, new positions, and a new coach,” Stanley says. “They got better and better as the season went on and played a really fun brand of team volleyball to watch.”

Boys cross country graduated four of its top five from its

2023 Prep League championship team. Senior Liam Moore ’25 (All-Prep, All-State) was the top returner and led a talented and cohesive group of underclassmen new to the varsity level who made significant improvement as the season progressed.

Facing its usual challenging schedule of league and nonleague opponents, football finished 3-5.

“They got better, as all our teams did, as the season went on,” Stanley says. “You watched the way certain members of that team came on strong. They kept grinding, no matter what.”

Typical, Stanley says, was the performance of Oreoluwa Tokan-Lawal ’25, who as a Senior in his second year of foot-

ball earned valuable and productive minutes as a cornerback and special teams performer.

“He’s a perfect example of a kid who, time after time, when a play broke down, would run the 30, 40, 50 yards to make the tackle at the goal line just because it was the right thing to do,” Stanley says. “When there was every single reason to quit, he kept going.”

The success of the fall season, then, isn’t measured as much by numbers and banners as by intangibles.

“It’s not victories or moral victories or losses,” Stanley says. “What we’ve defined and have to be comfortable with is the idea that our mission, our purpose, is to develop athletes through

competition with a team-first mentality, emphasizing character, and fostering confidence. We did that very well.

“There were better days than others. There always are. Hey, I want to win. I want to put numbers on the wall. I want to bring home hardware. Let’s not shy away from that. That’s the goal but not the purpose. I was very proud of the way our coaches, athletes, and fans controlled the parts of the experience that they could control that put us in a position to work closer to our mission every day.”

Photography courtesy of Maggie Bowman ’23.

NO SHORTCUTS TO EXCELLENCE

Cross country and track athlete Bridget Blaszak ’25 thrives on the grind of training and approaches each workout either with her teammates or on her own with enthusiasm and vigor. By

Weldon Bradshaw

THERE WAS A TIME when Bridget Blaszak’s ’25 athletic life centered around competitive swimming and Irish dancing. Distance running was nowhere on her radar.

Before long, though, she found her way to the cross country program at St. Bridget Catholic School, which she attended through the 8th Grade.

Because of her natural ability and the conditioning resulting from distance freestyle swimming (with NOVA) and rigorous competitive dancing, she showed promise in her newfound endeavor, ultimately became her team’s No. 1 runner, and improved to the point that she could hold her own in (and often win) races around the Richmond area.

As she was discovering her talent, she was also developing an affinity for and finding meaning in a sport that allowed her to test her limits and become the best version of herself she could be.

“As I am in a lot of aspects of my life,” she says, “if I’m going to compete, I’m competing to win.”

Truth, for sure.

Her Freshman and Sophomore years, Bridget ran both cross country and track at Mills Godwin High School.

When you cross that line and take that deep breath, that is one of the best feelings in the world.”

“The first [cross country] practice, in August, was 90 degrees, but I had a feeling I’d never had for sports practices,” she says. “It was something I really, really enjoyed.”

She ran with the Eagles’ top group her two years at Godwin, then transferred to Collegiate as a Junior. Anticipating the move, she researched the Cougars’ distance program. She knew it was championship caliber. She knew the core group was young, talented, and well-established. She looked forward with excitement to joining the team, coached by Matthew Richardson and his staff, and sharing the experience with her new teammates.

“You could see the times and know they’d won their state [cross country] meet twice in a row and they’d also won their league meet,” she says. “I knew it was a fast program, but I also learned that it’s a great program that develops not only great athletes but also great people.”

She quickly made her mark.

She played a significant role in the Cougars’ 2023 and 2024 League of Independent Schools and VISAA cross country championships. As a Junior, she placed 4th in the league and 7th in the state. As a Senior, she placed 3rd in the league and 4th in the state. Her personal best time over 5K is 18:15, which she ran this past October in the Virginia Cross Country Showcase at Pole Green Park in Eastern Hanover County.

On the track, she’s broken longstanding school records in the indoor and outdoor 3200. Last winter in the state meet, she covered the distance in 11:28.08 to eclipse Madeline Sisk’s ’05 11:43.7 record from 2005. In the spring, she ran 11:13.04 in the state meet to surpass the mark (11:24.3) set by Annie Hamlin ’95 in 1995. This past Dec. 4, she lowered her indoor record with a 11:04.49 performance in the Lampert Timing Indoor Meet at the Boo Williams Sports Complex in Hampton. Her 2024-25 season 3200 time currently ranks first in the VISAA and third in Virginia among all high school girls. She’s

also recorded personal bests of 2:33.75 in the 800 and 5:18.51 in the 1600.

“Honestly, I didn’t know I’d broken the indoor and outdoor records [last year] until after the fact,” she says. “I go into every race, depending on where we are in the season, with [the attitude that] I want to beat me from last week. Once you get into the championship season, it’s more about getting that next jersey and scoring team points. In invitationals, I just want to beat me. That’s something I really appreciate about the sport.”

Blaszak thrives on the grind of training and approaches each workout either with her teammates or on her own with enthusiasm and vigor, for she knows full well that there are no shortcuts to excellence.

“I take great satisfaction in knowing that I’ve put in a good day’s work,” she says. “When you’re running a hard workout and the lactic acid builds up, it’s not the most fun thing in the world, but when you cross that line and take that deep breath, that is one of the best feelings in the world.”

As is the case with many practitioners of distance events, training and racing provide her both therapeutic and cardio-vascular benefits as well as the opportunity to indulge her competitive instincts.

“When I go for a run, I don’t have to think about anything except my run,” she says. “I can think about the road or track in front of me or how many laps I have left. It’s a great mind-clearing tool. Running is a stress reliever. Sometimes, it’s a stress producer, but it’s a healthy stress. There’s always a next goal like winning another championship in cross country, another PR, or another barrier that you’re looking forward to breaking. That’s why I’m putting my nose to the grindstone. That’s what the hard work is for.”

Success in the Long Term

THE LONG WINTER athletic season has finally come to an end, so let’s pause for a moment and take stock of several of the many high points that occurred despite its on-again, off-again nature compounded by the often-capricious Central Virginia weather.

“When all you’re doing is observing, so much of it becomes about feeling and reflecting back to the mission that we say we’re about: developing athletes through competition,” says Andrew Stanley, Collegiate’s Director of Athletics. “The grit our athletes displayed was as good this winter as I’ve ever seen it. I was proud of how we competed. I’m really, really grateful to our kids and coaches for pushing forward.”

The girls swim team won its fourth consecutive League of Independent Schools and VISAA championships, no surprise whatsoever to those with even a passing acquaintance with the sport.

Emory DeGuenther ’26 and Jasper Jones ’27 were LIS co-swimmers of the year. They and five teammates (Kate Boutry ’28, Savannah Harris ’28, Valentina Linkonis ’27, Bella Little ’25, and Elizabeth Cribbs ’27) earned All-LIS honors, some in multiple events.

Each of the seven was also cited as All-VISAA and All-American, but head coach Mike Peters will tell you that depth, not just strength up top, contributed mightily to the Cougars’ success.

On the track, the girls 4x800 team (Sadie Webb ’25,

Nora Wallace ’25, Rosie Ferrell ’27, Virginia Harris ’27) set a school record (10:00.66) in the St. Christopher’s Invitational in late January, then eclipsed that mark with a 9:52.28 in the VISAA championship meet.

“Watching something as good as that first school record,” Stanley says, “it wasn’t like we were so much better than the other teams. We had to grind to get the record. They were tearing up the track. It was magic to watch.”

Navigating the ups and downs of the winter athletic season requires a hardy constitution. It’s a good thing our Cougars have that in spades. By Weldon Bradshaw

There were other less public moments that stand out as Stanley assesses the winter season.

“With just seven or eight healthy girls on the roster at times, [basketball coach] Kevin Coffey did a really good job and got them to states,” Stanley says. “They had several multisport athletes who were willing to play their roles. That’s a great example of what we need to do to be successful long term.”

Nick Leonardelli, who served as a college assistant for 14 years

and as head coach at Henrico High School for three, assumed leadership of Collegiate’s program this year. The Cougars quickly established a play-every-possession-tothe-max, never-back-down brand that made them competitive, even against the toughest opponents on their schedule.

“The way our boys played this year is the way Collegiate has a chance to be successful long term,” Stanley says. “We never quit. It gives you real faith about the future when we

focus on what we can control.”

In mid-January, the evolving varsity wrestling team defeated Woodberry Forest. It wasn’t just the victory as much as the manner with which the Cougars attained the victory that impressed Stanley.

“In that Woodberry match, I saw the level of competitive fire needed to get our wrestling program where we want it to be,” he says. “I’m really proud of how our kids went after it. You can see that it’s there for the future.

The purity of the competition was fun to watch.”

Then there was Thursday, Feb. 13, the first day of the Valentine Classic in Collegiate’s athletic center. Because the facility was already booked, two varsity basketball games (Collegiate girls vs. Trinity Episcopal, Collegiate boys vs. Fork Union) moved to the Jacobs Gym, the site of all varsity games for decades.

“All of a sudden, people were thrilled about what they thought 10 years ago was so small,” Stan-

ley says. “It was a neat community opportunity.”

Holiday breaks are a fact of life during the winter season. They provide welcomed respites, of course, but they also impinge upon the consistency of training and preparation. Compound that with the time missed because of ice, snow, and treacherous roads, so successfully navigating the ups and downs requires a hardy constitution.

“This was a winter like we haven’t had in years,” Stanley says. “That’s not an excuse, and it also didn’t disrupt our kids’ ability to maintain a positive attitude. Our coaches stayed on point. When we got the ability to get the kids in the gym late in the afternoon because the sun came out, they showed up and worked hard and made the most of the opportunities they had. This winter, I do think we saw very clearly the playbook for what it will take to be successful here long term.”

A Legacy of Love, Leadership, and Joy

Debbie Miller leaves behind a school community that was enriched by her presence.

Debbie Miller was a teacher in the truest sense of the word. She didn’t just impart knowledge; she fostered curiosity, kindness, and a love of learning.

In every classroom, hallway, and corner of Collegiate, everyone felt her presence. Not through grand gestures, but through her quiet, steadfast commitment to creating a warm and loving environment. She was everywhere the students were: a play, a recital, carpool, a classroom reading. The students knew Debbie cared because they saw the joy on her face and felt the love she had for them. Debbie had the ability to make the smallest accomplishment seem enormous because she celebrated it with all her heart, and the students felt that.

On Feb. 16, Debbie passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by family. She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the spring of 2024 and although the disease may have weakened her body, it never came remotely close to intimidating her or diminishing her indomitable spirit.

For Debbie, the students always came first. This is how she led, made decisions, and lived her vocation — she always focused on the needs of the students entrusted to her care. She never settled for second best, especially when it came to the children. As the Head of the Lower School, Debbie dedicated her heart and soul to nurturing the growth of her students, guiding them with a deep sense of care. Her impact on Collegiate can never truly be measured by the mere passage of time but by the countless lives she touched.

Throughout her 49 years in education, the last 39 of which she spent brightening the halls of Collegiate, Debbie was an absolute master at conveying classroom lessons to Lower and Middle School children, but it was her depth of character, genuine kindness and compassion, empathetic nature, and steadfast dedication to her faith, family, and friends that truly set her apart.

“It is difficult to think of Collegiate without Debbie Miller,” said Head of School Jeff Mancabelli. “She was someone who inspired others, led with heart, and shaped the culture that defines our

community. Her genuine care for the students and everyone she encountered will be remembered always. It was a privilege to know Debbie and work alongside her.”

It’s often said the Lower School is the happiest place on earth. It’s the truth, and Debbie was at the heart of that joy. Joy is not just a fleeting emotion; it is a way of being, a way of giving, and a way of leaving a lasting imprint on the lives of others. If ever there was someone who embodied joy in its purest form, it was Debbie. For nearly four decades at Collegiate School, Debbie wove joy into the very fabric of the community, shaping the experiences of students, teachers, and families alike with her warmth, kindness, and unwavering spirit. In every classroom and hallway, Debbie’s warmth was felt.

“Imparting knowledge is only part of Debbie’s work. She fostered curiosity,” one Collegiate colleague remarked. “Her students learned to love the process of learning. They didn’t fear it. They didn’t avoid it, and they embraced it because she modeled that joy and commitment to learning and curiosity.”

True to the strength of her kindness, her vivacious spirit never faltered, even after her diagnosis. The first day of school was an event Debbie would not miss — no matter

the circumstances — because, for Debbie, the students always came first. It was August 2024, five months after Debbie’s diagnosis, and she was standing in front of the Lower School, as always, greeting each student and family as they arrived to begin the new school year. Bending down to hug students, consoling the ones with first-day-of-school nerves, she suppressed her own discomfort and gave joy to others. The needs of the students were paramount; her own condition was secondary. Smiling, she walked up and down the Lower School carpool loop, thanking each faculty and staff member for being there that day. Her love for others was boundless. Selfless and grateful, she was an unparalleled leader and educator. “She modeled love, grace, and dignity,” another colleague said of Debbie. “Humble to a fault, she thought of those around her before she ever thought of herself.”

You could see it in her smile: Debbie’s gift was joy. Of all the lessons she taught — to both children and adults — her greatest lesson, one she taught daily, was to see the joy in each moment. Through good days and bad, she reassured you of life’s gift. “She was sweet, selfless, and always smiling,” one colleague said. “Her presence radiated encouragement

and support. She was so invested in the joy of others.”

A native of Morgantown in Butler County, Kentucky, Debbie arrived at Collegiate in the late summer of 1986 when her husband Bill became minister of music at Second Baptist Church.

She and Bill had married Aug. 10, 1974, when they were students at Western Kentucky University, where she double majored in elementary education and music and earned straight A’s while working 39 hours a week in a drugstore.

After graduating in 1976, she served both as a music teacher and classroom teacher in several school districts in her home state and earned a master’s degree in education from the University of Louisville in 1979.

During her 18 years in Collegiate’s Lower School, Debbie taught, at various times, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Grade, then crossed the bridge to the Middle School, where she taught 6th Grade language arts and served as an advisor and grade-level technology lead teacher for six years.

“Debbie’s ability to relate to children was exceptional,” another colleague said. “She saw potential in all her students, she challenged them to be the best they could be, and she held

“Her presence radiated encouragement and support. She was so invested in the joy of others.”

them accountable to learn and achieve beyond, perhaps, their own expectations. She took joy in their accomplishments while remaining in the background herself.”

Seeking new challenges, she moved into administration, first as assistant head of the Middle School (2010-2014), then as Collegiate’s Academic Dean (2014-2015), and, beginning in 2015, as head of the Lower School.

Though her heart was always in the classroom, Debbie proved to be an excellent administrator who provided Solomonic wisdom and led with the same guide-on-theside approach that had endeared her to her students and their families.

Just as she earned their love and respect, likewise she was, almost from day one, a trusted confidant, respected counselor,

and dear friend to so many of her colleagues. “Debbie was as good an administrator as she was a teacher,” one colleague said of Debbie’s administrative grace. “Adults rallied around her and wanted to do their very best for her. She never led from a position of power or authority. She was always the consummate teammate. She made all of us better.”

Throughout her career, Debbie also wholeheartedly supported her sons Brent ’98 and Alan ’04 and their families, doted on her and Bill’s five grandchildren, and engaged fully in the life of her church.

To her, each endeavor was a labor of love. To the amazement of so many, she somehow found the time and summoned the energy to handle a rigorous schedule with joy and a beaming countenance.

What better way to acknowledge Debbie’s impact as a leader, nurturer, mentor, and friend and to celebrate a life well-lived than to hear the thoughts, remembrances, and reflections of her colleagues?

“The children were her top priority. She did not rest until each child was heard, every parent question answered, and all teacher needs met.”

“She had a gift for bringing positivity to challenging moments and was the first to jump in and help. Working with Debbie was an incredible gift.”

“Debbie was the epitome of commitment. Her work ethic and coffee drinking are legendary as is the depth of her kindness and empathy. She possessed a unique combination of warmth and strength.”

“At the end of the day, Debbie was always the most ethical and faithful person in every interaction. She’s trueblue. She didn’t just take the high road. She lived every moment of her life on it.”

“Indefatigable, resilient, and resolute, Debbie was, and remains, a pillar of strength and difference maker in the lives of so many.”

Here’s a quick Debbie Miller story — one of many.

Brent, a Collegiate Upper School history teacher and head boys track coach, and his wife Elizabeth have two children: Ann and Henry. Alan, the minister at Orange Baptist Church, and his wife Mary Beth have three: Sarah Embry, Holton, and Elliott.

Debbie’s grandchildren have always called her DD. When Annie ’30 and Henry ’32 began Lower School, other children picked up on “DD” and began calling her that rather than Mrs. Miller, sometimes to the chagrin of their parents.

“She truly loves her children, past and present, like they’re her own,” one colleague said. “Her level of interest in them is real. You can see in her eyes the joy they bring her.”

The name stuck, and Debbie loved the fact that it did. Totally unpretentious and welcoming, she enjoyed the informality and the family touch it provided. Debbie Miller, you see, was all about family, both hers and the one she had on North Mooreland Road, which she also treasured.

Debbie’s diagnosis was stunning, but she faced her challenges with uncommon strength and courage, never submitted to self-pity, and never, ever questioned her faith.

In fact, those who know her, especially those close to her, know full well that it was her strong faith in Jesus Christ that guided her through this “momentary affliction” and assured her that she would one day ascend into her heavenly home.

“Though we grieve the loss of Debbie, we take comfort in knowing that her life was lived with meaning and a love for others that was boundless,” Mancabelli said. “She leaves behind a school community that was enriched by her presence. And for all who knew Debbie, we will be forever touched by her courage, love, and unshakable faith — knowing her spirit will always continue to inspire and guide us.”

THE R GHT FIT

The individualized, high-touch experience College Counseling provides allows each student to shape a future that’s right for them.

In the process of applying to college, each student writes a story. Some know how the story begins and ends immediately. Others know the ending but don’t know the essential plot points that precede it. Others don’t know where to begin but want badly to have the story end in a specific location. For some, the direction of the story changes constantly. Others don’t know who the main character is yet. But no matter the narrative shape each student’s story takes, Collegiate’s College Counseling office is there to help students write their story.

Sure, students will invariably write the standard application forms all higher education institutions ask for during the application process. But the main story — the essential, much more personal story — is one that is four years in the making. It’s centered around College Counseling’s four-year developmental model, and it’s a story of self-discovery and personal identity. It’s both written down and embodied. It’s the story that all others are based on — the story of who the student is.

“Every student has a story to tell,” says Director of College Counseling Brian Leipheimer, who has been helping Collegiate students find the best institutional fits for them since 2001. “We get to see them develop year after year, and there is a lot of responsibility that comes with that. Our job is to help kids find out what their story is, how they want to tell it, and how they want to live it.”

For a student to find the right fit, they need to first look inward. They need to learn what will best fit them — academically, socially, geographically, professionally. At Collegiate, the process of a student discovering themselves is perpetual, and it continues in 9th Grade. When they arrive in the Upper School, the College Counseling team gently asks students, through surveys and advisory initiatives, about what makes them tick — their personalities and learning styles, their passions and goals. How do they do their best work? What subjects excite them? How do they persevere through challenges? These seemingly simple

questions help set the eventual stage for what types of higher education institutions will best fit a student’s unique attributes and ambitions. If, for example, a student frequently finds they need extra handson support in the classroom, then attending a large university where the average class size is 250 might not be the best fit. These are the findings, brought out by College Counseling, that stories are based on.

“When I began thinking about college, I really didn’t have much of a clue about anything,” says Omar Lanneau ’25. “So getting asked questions about how I want to learn or where I see myself — questions about the future — was really helpful in making me picture myself at college. I had to imagine myself sitting in the classroom, walking around on campus.”

Student stories are personal, and for that reason each student is paired with one of the five college counselors upon arrival in the Upper School. This creates an individualized, high-touch experience. It’s a multi-year, stage-appropriate model that prepares students for the admission process long before they begin submitting applications. “One of the more unique aspects of our program is that we begin meeting with our students early on — during the spring semester of their Sophomore year,” Leipheimer explains. “At that time, we’re hardly talking about college admission. We’re talking about who the kids are as students and we’re planning for the second half of Upper School.”

The Collegiate School College Counseling team.

This creates a strong rapport and foundation of trust between the student and counselor. Talking about — and thinking about — the future is scary. The daunting question “What do you want to do after college?” is fielded with exhausting repetition, from everywhere, once students enter Upper School. For students, having an expert college counselor in their corner, reassuring them everything will work out in the end, is a tremendous benefit. “It took me a really long time to figure out what clicked for me academically, which I initially thought was abnormal,” says Maddie Jewett ’25. “I was so scared of college and thinking about college, but Collegiate’s counselors were so reassuring. They kept telling me how normal all my feelings were and validating what I was going through. That reassurance allowed me to eventually find my identity and my story.”

Writing your story can be overwhelming.

Hanging on the wall behind Associate Director of College Counseling Erin Breese’s desk, tucked within the College Counseling office, is a map of nearly every college in the country. The possibilities, stretched flat across a map, represented by tiny stickers, clustered together on the East coast and then thinning out West, seem impossibly vast.

Where to apply? And how? Is an early application the right approach? What about the standardized admission tests — to take or not to take those?

For students and families, navigating these questions can be confounding. But the College Counseling office is there to lead families through the tricky subtleties of the process.

Upper School students face a college admission process that is far less stable and predictable than in the past, requiring them to be highly strategic and adaptable in positioning themselves as strong candidates.

One of the most notable changes in the college admission landscape has been the widespread adoption of test-optional policies due to challenges in standardized testing access as a result of the pandemic. While some institutions have begun to swing back to required testing, many others have maintained these optional policies post-pandemic. Whether deepening their holistic review or shifting toward a holistic approach, test-optional colleges increasingly rely on essays, extracurricular activities, and personal backgrounds to supplant standardized test scores.

With tests being optional, applying to colleges once thought to be out of reach suddenly became more feasible. This saturated the market. Applications rose and admission rates plummeted, which perpetuated the issue. To create more options for

Our job is to help kids find out what their story is, how they want to tell it, and how they want to live it.”

themselves, students applied to more institutions, and as a result admission rates continued getting more competitive.

It’s too much to expect students and families to stay on top of all this themselves. But the highly personalized, one-on-one experience that the College Counseling office creates makes the difficulty of navigating the tumult of nuance much easier. In order to help students find the right fit, the College Counseling office brings an unparalleled degree of expertise to each relationship.

Each student’s story varies, and with changes in stories come different needs. The College Counseling staff includes five counselors — Breese, Leipheimer, Adam Ortiz, Dona Rehm-Robles, and Miranda Saunders — and an office assistant, Jenn Earle, who, with Herculean effort, helps add to the personalized touch the office offers students. Together, the counselors have more than 100 years of experience in college counseling and admission, ranging from working in other highly regarded independent schools in Boston, New York, Washington, D.C., and Virginia to evaluating more than 57,000 applications as admission officers in highly selective institutions from across the country, including Johns Hopkins University, Lafayette Col-

lege, New York University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Vermont, Vassar College, and Washington & Jefferson College. In short, they have a deep understanding of what institutions are looking for because they’ve been on the other side of the process. With such breadth and depth of expertise, the counselors are able to provide a highly individualized process to each student, customizing the experience to best fit a student’s specific needs.

“A large part of our job is to help teach and navigate that nuance,” Breese says. “The process is confusing, and colleges are changing every single year.” To stay abreast of changes and preferences, the College Counseling office maintains close relationships with colleges and universities across the country. “We talk to colleges throughout the year, asking them questions about what they’re looking for in a student, making sure that we get the most up-to-date information to best serve our students,” Breese continues. “We are constantly asking institutions about selectivity in certain majors, we ask them about demonstrated interest, we ask about timing in submitting applications. All of this informs strategy, and all of this potentially gives students an advantage in applying.”

In addition to the counselors maintaining relationships with college admission officers, the College Counseling office uses their resources to place students in front of college admission teams long before they submit applications. Each winter, Collegiate hosts college and university deans of admission from around the country, and Juniors have the opportunity to connect with each of them. Students are able to make more personal connections with the deans while learning how admission committees read applications. “I think that the opportunity to meet with different college deans is invaluable,” says Lauryn Tolliver ’23, a graduate that attended the workshop when she was a Junior. “Going in, I didn’t really have an idea of what a dean would be like, and they provided me with some really valuable insight that prepared me for the next steps.”

Gathered in small groups with the deans, students are able to ask questions and get tips on writing application essays, discuss how applications are evaluated, and how to distinguish themselves as applicants. It’s a microcosmic example of how Collegiate students are given an edge in the admission process through strategic, individualized connections.

“Throughout the entire application process I felt as though I was really on top of things — my essays, my Common App — all of it,” Omar says. “And that’s all due to the resources of the College Counseling office. I

bombarded the counselors with questions constantly, and they were always able to reassure me, help me out, and set me down the right path. They are such pros.”

It’s this blend of individualization and expertise that helps students develop their truest sense of themselves, setting them on the path towards success within higher education. When Maddie first began thinking about college, her sense of self was blurred. “Nothing significant had happened to me by the time I was a Freshman,” she says. “I felt like I had nothing to say.” The College Counseling office offers a space for students to pull back from the rigors of day-to-day life at Collegiate and contemplate the future alongside a team of experts. That’s how the stories are written, and with the industry knowledge the counselors have, those stories are amplified.

In the College Counseling office, Maddie, and generations of other students, have found their voice. “Being given the space to reflect helped me think more concretely about my future,” Maddie says. “It’s a really hard experience to sit down and think about what you want your future to look like. But the counselors are so reassuring, and after a while you begin to get a better sense of who you are and what interests you. With their help, I was able to figure out who I was.”

Collegiate Juniors connecting with college and university deans.

THE FOR SAVE DATE

FRIDAY, SEPT. 26 2025

Distinguished Alumni Luncheon

Distinguished Alumni Awards Presentation

Annual Alumni Oyster Roast

Saturday, Sept. 27

Reunion Class Parties for classes ending in “0” and “5”

The Class of 2020 holds a singular place in Collegiate’s history. To honor that history, the School will recognize the Class of 2020 with the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award during Roaring Reunion Weekend. We can’t wait to celebrate them alongside every Collegiate alumni during this special weekend of reconnection.

Letter from Alumni Board Member Brink Brinkley ’76

For several years I have been delighted to serve on Collegiate’s Alumni Board and, every year, I discover more ways that this work is rewarding. As a starting point, my own Collegiate years gave me friends I’d spent up to 13 years with — as well as the teachers who put up with us and traditions we helped build. I subsequently found college to be challenging in many ways, but I appreciated the fact that, as a product of my prep school, I was academically prepared. I could wade through readings for the meanings behind the facts. I could write a well-constructed essay and I could question an intimidating professor. In honor of what Collegiate gave to me, I am honored to do what I can in return.

As you can see from my ’76 class descriptor, I am many years past my Collegiate days; even my kids are years past theirs. Serving on the Alumni Board has been a great way to remain plugged in to the continuing evolution of the School, collaborate with talented alums from other decades, and interact with the bright students and soon-to-be alums.

I also know that Collegiate has several other constituencies beyond alumni — students, staff, parents, the broader community — but the School has an enduring need to hear the voices of its graduates. Students and parents come and go. Some valued staff endure for decades, but we alumni — each of us — can remain engaged for 50 years or more. We are the ultimate resource for institutional memory, and the Alumni Board is our way to lend perspective to the forward progress of the Collegiate community.

If this is sounding like a recruiting appeal for the Alumni Board — well, that’s because it is! I co-chair the Alumni Board’s Nominations Committee, and I welcome hearing from any fellow alums who think they’d like to join in our continuing service for Collegiate.

Let’s continue to connect the community.

All the best, Arthur “Brink” Brinkley ’76

OUT AND ABOUT

There should be a saying about how you can’t take the spirit of Collegiate out of alumni. Well, maybe there is, because, no matter where Cougars are in the world, they have a knack for finding each other as easily as if they were still on North Mooreland Road.

This winter, alumni came together during a regional reunion in Washington, D.C, a regional reunion in Atlanta, Georgia, and at a gathering held at Westminster Canterbury Richmond. No matter where you go in this green-and-gold world, Cougars are there for you.

THE GENERATIONAL NOEL

During the Pageant rehearsal and the corresponding luncheon, generations of Cougars come together to sing and celebrate the Collegiate spirit.

FROM THE BALCONY of All Saints Episcopal Church, when the organ belts its grand intonation to mark the opening of Pageant, Lucy Steele ’62 gets chills — every time. The intensity of Steele’s response is deep and inexplicable, but she knows it has something to do with the past and how, as soon as the Pageant begins, she recalls her own involvement with the performance. “The fact the show is still going and the songs have remained the same is something that warms my heart,” Steele said. “It’s something I can still identify with. The whole show brings me back and reminds me of my time at Collegiate.”

Steele adjusts the silver tinsel halo resting on her head, given to her upon arriving at the Pageant luncheon, and looks around the table. Barbara Porter ’60 chimes in with her own warm memory of Pageant songs. “We all know so many Christmas carols and hymns by heart because, at one point during our time in Pageant, each of us was in the choir, and we had to learn these songs

by heart,” Porter said, laughing. “We began Pageant practices in October each year, and every night I’d sing myself to sleep with the Christmas carols we were learning.”

But Margot Deck ’59 remembers the Pageant from a slightly different perspective. Given the choice between operating the lights and choir, she chose the former. “Lighting for the performance once consisted of flood lights with colored cellophane and cardboard frames,” she tells the table. Now, coming back to watch the Pageant rehearsal each year, she’s always impressed by the more advanced production that, at its core, maintains the message and sentiment of tradition. “It was far more bare bones, but we made it work. The end result was always very professional and tasteful.”

The group digresses, debating who played the sword king during a particular year of the Pageant. They suggest names of classmates, some of whom were members of the last class at Collegiate’s Town School, and this leads to more digressions and

Students perform Pageant at All Saints Episcopal Church.

Traditions keep each of us connected, past and present. When we participate in a tradition, we step into a shared experience that has been shaped by those who came before us.”

Photography courtesy of Maggie Bowman ’23

deeper conversations among the group, the reflective stories building off one another, details of memories piling up like a page of a scrapbook.

This is the tenor of the luncheon: more than 100 old friends spanning six decades of Collegiate graduates coming back together to reminisce, their reflections transporting them to another time. Alumnae debate favorite songs, swap stories, and make new memories. It’s a tradition that lives on in perpetuity.

Held since the early days of the Collegiate School for Girls on Monument Avenue, Pageant tells the Christmas story entirely through music, with the Middle and Upper School chorus groups singing as students costumed as cherubs, angels, shepherds, kings, and Mary and Joseph re-enact the birth of Jesus. Each year, Collegiate invites alumnae back to campus to enjoy a luncheon together before heading to All Saints Episcopal Church to enjoy a rehearsal performance of Pageant. It’s an event that allows alum-

nae to both reminisce with fellow classmates and connect with current students, deepening the bonds between generations.

“Traditions like this one are not just about rituals — they are about our values and stories,” Head of School Jeff Mancabelli told the crowd in attendance at the luncheon.

“They keep each of us connected, past and present. When we participate in a tradition, we step into a shared experience that has been shaped by those who came before us.”

The generational connection is particularly palpable for graduates like Bane McLellan ’02, who attended the luncheon to connect with former classmates before seeing her daughter participate in Pageant. Watching her daughter perform, the feelings contained within a certain moment in time, during her own Pageant shows, come rushing back. It’s a testament to the longevity of Collegiate’s traditions. “It’s heartwarming to see how long these traditions have lasted, especially now that I have kids performing in the Pageant,” McLellan said. “I remember

taking my daughter, when she was a 2nd Grader, to the Pageant performances, where she learned every song. Now, as a 5th Grader, she gets to perform those songs herself. That’s special. These songs take you right back. Hearing the performance, I immediately flashback to when I was in the balcony chorus. That’s the power of a tradition. We all have so many great memories from this tradition, and it’s special to be given the opportunity to reflect on those while celebrating the students making new memories.”

THE KEYS TO SUCCESS

For musician David Crutcher ’13, who is now the keys player in Post Malone’s band, the question was never if he would play music, but rather where and with whom. By Macy Boyer ’26

IGUESS YOU COULD SAY I didn’t really think about it too much.” For David Crutcher ’13, the decision to pursue a career in the music industry was hardly a decision at all. From the first time his tiny fingers struck the keys at age three, to performing in Irish Pubs at age 12, and now serving as the keys player for Post Malone’s band, Crutcher always knew he belonged on stage.

While Crutcher can’t recall what drew him to the piano at such a young age, he explains, “I was told that I just wandered up to it and started

picking things out and doing it at a remarkable rate.” He and the keys have been inseparable ever since.

Yet Crutcher’s passion for music was formally ignited upon his decision to sift through items in his grandparents attic, a decision that would end up shaping Crutcher’s life course. “All my dad’s and uncle’s old albums were up there,” Crutcher explains. “I found a Ray Charles cassette tape and just popped it in.” Having never listened to Charles before, Crutcher recalls, “I vividly remember the very first thing that came on, and I

was like ‘Oh, man, this is really cool.’ I had never really heard anything like it.” He says that discovery set him “off on a road of figuring out every possible thing that [Charles] ever wrote, sang, or played.” To this day, Charles’s soulful sound remains to be Crutcher’s favorite genre of music, and Charles his favorite musician.

In the fall of 2000, Crutcher joined the Collegiate community as a Kindergartener, building lasting connections with teachers who helped cultivate Crutcher’s passion for music. “All throughout my time [at Col-

legiate], teachers would pull me aside in class or the hallways and give me mix CDs,” he recalls. He credits former Middle School math teacher Bill Ryder, current Middle School English teacher Nathan Goodwyn, Upper School English teacher Vlastik Svab, and Director of the Arts Mike Boyd for shaping his musical journey. Crutcher remains in touch with many of them today — Boyd even attended his F-1 Trillion Tour stop in Virginia Beach. Reflecting on Crutcher’s talent, Svab shared, “‘Crutch’ is probably the most naturally gifted musician I’ve ever met.”

Late Collegiate art teacher Kevin Kelley also had a significant and lasting impact on Crutcher’s growth as a musician. “Kelly gave me his stereo that he bought back in the ’70s, and we rebuilt it together when I was in 8th Grade. I still have it. Listening to the radio on that stereo was how I discovered tons of music.” Reflecting on his time at Collegiate, Crutcher says, “I do very fondly look back on all the teachers and friends I had at Collegiate. They were always encouraging me.”

A true testament to his talent, Crutcher began playing professionally at just 12 years old. As a kid, he spent countless hours at a local Irish pub, Rare Olde Times. A blink-andyou-miss-it pub tucked away on the corner of Patterson and Pump, the bar has long been a hub for local musicians. For a young and ambitious Crutcher, the pub provided him with multiple influential mentors who played a pivotal role in shaping Crutcher’s rise as an artist.

The pub featured a band of its own, including keys player John Holmes, who Crutcher remembers as “one of the best keys players in town.” However, Holmes’s popularity meant he was often double booked, leading to Crutchter’s pre-teen de-

but, when he was asked to fill in. “A local literally drove me back home, and I grabbed my keyboard. It became a weekly gig.”

In the fall of 2013, Crutcher started at Belmont University, in Nashville, an institution known for having one of the country’s top music programs. Despite his passion for performing, he chose not to major in performance. Instead, he pursued a degree in audio electrical engineering and minored in music business. Crutcher’s interest in the technical side of music stemmed from his friendship with mentor John Fetherson, the pub’s bandleader, who also served as one of the leading electronic repair technicians in Richmond. “He opened me up to that whole world,” Crutcher explains.

In college, Crutcher began interning at Nashville Pro Hammond, a go-to spot for local musicians for organ repair. There, Crutcher worked on countless organs for famous musicians who were preparing to go on tour. During his three years at the store, Crutcher says he “fixed everyone’s from Peter Frampton to Arrowsmith.”

Eventually, Crutcher decided to leave Nashville Pro-Hammond, and while he didn’t have a specific plan in mind, his path would lead him to tour with

Nashville artist Matthew Szlachetka. It was on that tour when Crutcher first visited Los Angeles, where, in a full circle moment for Crutcher, he visited Ray Charles’s studio and played his piano. “It was a huge life moment,” Crutcher recalls.

Not unlike the lifestyles of many other performing artists, the pandemic threw a wrench in Crutcher’s way of living. Even so, Crutcher and his friend Eric Fortaleza found solace in the creation of Pitch Meeting. Pitch Meeting, voted one year as Nashville’s best open mic night, is centered around the idea of having a house band at open mic night to play along with singers. Before their creation, open mic nights consisted of singers forced to sing without an instrument accompaniment.

Crutcher’s opportunity to play with Post Malone came along last July, when prominent Nashville producer Derek Wells reached out about joining Malone on his country debut tour, the F-1 Trillion Tour. Recognizing the unique opportunity, Crutcher eagerly accepted the role and joined the tour in August of 2024.

Crutcher recalls, “We went out and had a great time — it really is the best.” Crutcher explains that Post Malone, or Aus-

tin, as he calls him, “is just the sweetest guy and really genuinely cares about everyone.”

In April, Crutcher is heading out on tour with Post Malone once more. Kicking off the tour at Coachella, the stadium tour will last for three months in the U.S. and will wrap up with six weeks in Europe.

Despite his packed schedule, Crutcher stays inspired by revisiting the sounds of those he’s always loved, including Ray Charles. “If I’ve spent two weeks in sessions playing music that doesn’t really inspire me, I might just have to sit down, put on a Ray Charles album, and figure out how to play it,” he says.

For Crutcher, the question was never if he would play music, but rather where and with whom. Music isn’t just his career — it’s the integral part of Crutcher’s identity, acting not only as the foundation for his life’s decision, but serving as an eternal spark of joy and inspiration.

Photography courtesy of Tabitha Parsons and Adam DeGross.

FINDING THE SPOTLIGHT

Mackenzie Meadows ’16 recently made her Broadway debut with the hit musical & Juliet

WHEN THE FIRST CORONAVIRUS lockdowns went into effect, and the global mood was a moan of quiet agitation and confusion, the actor Mackenzie Meadows ’16 was still working towards her bachelor’s of fine arts degree at James Madison University. The performing arts were in a state of precarity. Shows were closing. Jobs were hard to come by. Actors, out of both desperation and the animalistic urge to express, began holding performances in public spaces. Nobody knew what would become of Broadway. But Meadows, who that same year landed with a boutique talent agency to represent her, envisioned a clear trajectory she wanted her career to take, regardless of any external circumstances. In an epoch defined by uncertainty, she was certain of herself. “Well, 2020 was happening and I didn’t know what was going on,” she says, “but I’ve always been someone that has had a lot of dreams and a lot of goals. It’s never been an option for me to not actualize those dreams. That’s just always been my mindset.”

In January, with her recent Broadway debut in the hit jukebox musical & Juliet, at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, where she performs as Lady Capulet/Nell/Juliet understudy, Meadows’s trajectory is materializing. And she’s not surprised. “As much as I am so incredibly grateful and humbled to be here, there’s also moments where I think, Well, yes, of course I’m here. I’m doing exactly what I said I was going to do,” Meadows says. “So, yes, pinch me: I’m on Broadway. But with that comes the confidence of knowing I’ve worked my butt off to be here.”

She speaks with a scarred gratitude, an appreciation born out of having had to endure a multitude of challenges in the pur-

Photography

suit of her self-determined trajectory. Her confidence — and her success — comes from faltering and getting back up again.

Growing up in Richmond, Meadows’s first love was for dance. Taking her first lessons at the Jessica Morgan School of Dance at two-and-a-half years old, she practiced with an exhausting diligence. When she was nine, she began to dance professionally with the American Ballet Theater, and then later with the Dance Theater of Harlem. All the demanding rigors that came with the craft taught her something about the expertise necessary to become truly great at anything. “I was taking every style of dance for 16 years of my life, and it was intense,” she says. “When you reach a certain level of dance, you are required to take strength and conditioning classes. And on top of that I was dancing six days a week. Looking back, all of that training conditioned me well for acting. It gave me more creative muscles, too.”

As she continued refining her craft as a performer, she struggled socially at Collegiate. She had trouble fitting in. “I was a Black girl going to an incredibly white school. I grew up in white spaces my entire life,” she says. “I always stood out. I was loud. I was never the beauty standard.”

She credits the confidence she freely wields now, in part, to the lack of it she had growing up. “Feeling incredibly different, and feeling like no one really liked me other than the close friends that I was lucky enough to have, and having such incredible and kind and caring teachers — like Mike Boyd — really helped teach me to love myself,” she says. “Some of the things I went through growing up gave me such thick skin. Now, I don’t even hear certain things. I learned how to embrace who I am. I really think that’s half the battle.”

The other side of the battle is, of course, performing. Meadows does that with ease. Or at least she makes it look easy. After graduating from JMU, she landed her first role playing Jane in A Bronx Tale. At the time, it was the perfect role for her, the female lead in something that padded her resume and allowed her to flex her skill. Her first big break came when she played Maureen in RENT, at the Paper Mill Playhouse. It was a role that challenged her and opened her up creatively.

“I remember when I got the initial audition for RENT, I told my agents, ‘I’m going to land this. Apologies to everyone else, but they can go home,’” Meadows recalls. Later, when her premonition became fact and she booked the role, her director told her that within the first moments of the first audition she was performing as if she were telling the director the role was hers. “He said to me, ‘You were the fastest person I casted. I knew I wanted you from the first audition.’ And that was my first big break.”

After RENT, in 2023, things happened quickly. She booked her first TV show that same year. She then went on to star in multiple shows, new works, and off-Broadway performances both in and out of New York City. She navigated her career with an intentionality rare for someone just starting out in an industry that necessitates small gig roles that simply pay the bills.

“I’ve told my agents: I’ll do a few roles as a resume builder. But then by 2023 I had to be intentional with what stories I was choosing to tell,” she says. “I will not do shows that I don’t think push the needle forward when it comes to being a woman or when it comes to being a Black woman. Those con-

versations have kept me on this trajectory.”

Those conversations are how, on Jan. 9, at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, it happened exactly as Meadows imagined it would. Meadows was scheduled to play Juliet for her Broadway debut. Because the cast was already well established, she rehearsed by herself for weeks — learning the lines, the role transitions, the choreography. Throughout the day of her debut, a professional, she kept her emotions bottled. Then, during the final song and curtain call, when the cast and audience was applauding her with recognition, tears came rushing forward. But just for a moment. She had to close out the rest of the ensemble’s rendition of Katy Perry’s “Roar,” which she did with a huge grin on her face. “It was just this overwhelming sense of everything I’d been working for,” Meadows recalls. “I had over 100 people in the audience that night — from family and friends to teachers and mentors — and to share that moment with them meant a lot. It was a moment of pure gratitude.”

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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 window into that shared bond between fellow alumni. Whether you knew them then, follow them now, or never met, you are all Cougars.

1940

Elise Huffaker

Maloy died Nov. 19, 2024.

1949

1952

Barbara Amole Smith died Oct. 14, 2024.

Louise Nemecek, who attended Collegiate but graduated from St. Margaret’s School, died Nov. 5, 2024.

1954

Carter Braxton Brenaman, sister to Mary Stuart Brenaman Cruickshank ’51; aunt to Sallie Cruickshank Sesler ’83 and Evelyn Cruickshank Fleming ’87, died Oct. 17, 2024.

Elizabeth Temple Downs died Nov. 9, 2024.

1956

Ann Huxley Reed died Jan. 8, 2025.

1957

Dorothy Ewing Ferrell, mother of Will Ferrell ’87; grandmother of Alex Ferrell ’16, Kate Ferrell ’18, and Quinn Ferrell ’22, died Oct. 26, 2024.

1961

Mary Kennon McDaniel, who started working at Collegiate in 1975 and retired in 2005, died Oct. 20, 2024. She was the sister of Elizabeth Kennon Shuey ’55 and Connie Kennon Harriss ’59; mother of Mimi McDaniel Ziletti ’82, Peter McDaniel ’84, and Anne McDaniel Pollard ’88; grandmother of Mary Pollard ’19 and B Pollard ’21.

1962

Marion Smith Chenault writes, “Being part of the Collegiate community continues to enrich my life! It’s been wonderful now to have that community intersect with our home here at Westminster Canterbury Richmond. Cabell and I have had a great four years at WCR. One of the special things about this community is the number of Collegiate alumni and staff with whom we have reconnected.

“Nancy Bain, who accompanied so many of us for Pageant and Glee Club, was one of the first to welcome the two of us. She and Cabell have developed a mutual admiration society, with her accompanying the Men’s Chorus and coaching him for solos. Jane Neer was also quick to say, ‘Hi!’ Chris Rimbault has an apartment on our floor, and we see her

often. Rossie Fisher recently hosted a dinner here for Carolyn Gray Allen, Ann Hunter Larus Rowe, and me. Sixty-three years and our classmates are still friends! Carolyn has a photo of a group of us who gathered at Amuse this past summer. Cabell recently had a health event and Lucy Fitzgerald Steel and Martha Jane Daniel Hudnall immediately called to check on us. Some of the new folks here are Connie Garrett and Ginny Purcell. (I’m sure there are others I’m missing.)

“Ginny and I exercise three mornings a week with Anita Grymes Towell and Carolyn Ratcliff, who worked with me during my time at Collegiate. Pat Fishback is another faculty alum here. I recently ran into Maria Rippe, who was having lunch with three of her classmates here. They were quick to tell me theirs was the last class of all girls, having graduated from the Town School in 1960. I see Mary D. Bennett Ellison regularly at Westminster Canterbury board meetings. She is slated to become the next president of the board, having a bit more time since her recent retirement from UNOS. It’s amazing to think that she — and so many of my students — are of retirement age. We were saddened by the death of Mary Kennon McDaniel, who was another Collegiate ‘girl’ and WCR resident, this summer, but I loved seeing Connie Kennon Harrison, Mary’s sister, and Mimi McDaniel Zaletti, Mary’s daughter, at the celebration of Mary’s life.

“Cabell and I will miss Anne Hirschler Long and David, with whom we traveled back roads with every fall for

years. Their children, Kay and Diane, have been wonderful keeping us abreast of their parents’ and plans for them.”

1965

Alex Smith writes, “Cougar alumns had a blast in Florida!”

1966

Dorothy ‘Dottie’ McDowell Adams, mother of Keith Adams ’94 and Scott Adams ’97, died Dec. 15, 2024.

1968

1969

Lee Coleman, brother of James Coleman ’65, died Jan. 3, 2025.

Janette Shaw Coleman, sister of Elizabeth Coleman James ’67, Anne Coleman ’76, Laura Coleman Proctor ’77, and Custis Coleman ’80, died Nov. 26, 2024.

Ladies from the Class of 1969 — Lindsay Burn Wortham, Linda Carr Corbin, Franny Simpson Powell, and Scottie Newell Slater — enjoyed a special Christmas lunch together.

1970

Diane French Ward, sister of Lynn French Hancock ’66 and William French ’76, died Oct. 9, 2024.

1971

James Cochrane, Jr., uncle of Amy Gilman Remke ’78, Chris Gilman ’82, and Anne Gail Gilman Jennings ’88, died Oct. 24, 2024.

1972

Dorothy ‘Boo’ Gentil, sister of Kim Gentil Grubbs, Kenenth Gentil ’68, and Steve Gentil ’70, died Nov. 19, 2024.

Ellen Taylor Sisson is continuing her career as a professional singer and voice teacher. Some professional highlights include performances in Le Prophète and Kaddish Symphony at Carnegie Hall. In addition to all this, Ellen welcomed six grandchildren within two-and-a-half years.

Ellen Hatcher Hamner, wife of John Hamner ’70; sister of Wirt Hatcher ’67, died Dec. 20, 2024.

1973

Dan Savage is living in Lynchburg and continues to stay in touch with former classmates. He reports that he is involved with the FREE Clinic of Central Virginia, Experimental Aircraft Association, and Civil Air Patrol. He also keeps himself busy working part time as a flight instructor.

1. Alex Smith ’65 had a blast in Florida with Collegiate alumni Andrew Ferguson ’79, Wheatie Hyman Gibb ’69, Chris Hyman ’79, Stanton Thalhimer ’82, and Sarah Walker ’86.

2. Ladies from the Class of 1969 — Lindsay Burn Wortham, Linda Carr Corbin, Franny Simpson Powell, and Scottie Newell Slater — enjoyed a special Christmas lunch together.

Ellen Taylor Sisson ’72 is continuing her career as a professional singer and voice teacher. She has recently performed in Le Prophète and Kaddish Symphony at Carnegie Hall.

4. Bettie Chandler Hallberg ’73 and other classmates enjoyed the Alumni Luncheon in December. Pictured here: Bettie Chandler Hallberg ’73, Mary Ellen Pauli ’73, Frances Shelton Vaughan ’73, Susan Congdon Cedillo ’73, and Justin Derieux Frankleton ’73.

Buzzy Northern had a great time celebrating Dan Savage’s 70th birthday.

Bettie Hallberg writes, “The Class of 1973 enjoyed our 50th reunion so much that we planned a small get together for our 51st.”

1976

Gene and Beth (Murphy) Pembleton are celebrating their 44th wedding anniversary. Gene is a DJ on WRIR 97.3FM, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary.

1977

Elizabeth Woodroof Cogar helps individuals write their memoirs and presents “Tell Your Story” workshops at Richmondarea retirement communities.

1980

Ed Fox recently retired from teaching and now runs a farm with donkeys, goats, and guinea hens. Ed continues to play and coach ultimate frisbee and competes internationally.

1984

Mike Bowen has retired from the army after nearly 30 years. He is currently teaching AP environmental science and forensic science and is pursuing a national board certification. He was also selected for a climate change fellowship in Latin America and will be traveling to Costa Rica next summer. On top of all this, he is writing a series of nine novels.

1987

Suzie King Kornblum has accepted the position of executive director at Concord Children’s Center, in Massachusetts. Her son, Davis, works alongside her as a preschool teacher. Her other sons are excelling in their studies at Rice University and William & Mary.

1989

Will Johnson works as a professional staff member on the Armed Services Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. He travels globally for national security policy work. In conjunction with this work he reconnected with fellow alum Harry Ludeman ’04 in Tajikistan.

1996

Alexander Benson welcomed a second daughter, Vittoria, who was born in Tokyo on Feb. 7, 2025. Alexander’s older daughter, Veronica, is six years old.

John Cole Scott writes, “I am still living in the West End of Richmond. About two years ago I took over as owner and president of the investment firm CEF Advisors, and soon after that I got married to Katherine Herrera. Our wedding and reception were in Lima, Peru (her home country). Brett Carreras was one of my groomsmen. In addition to Peru, over the past few years we have enjoyed traveling to Amsterdam, Ghent and

1. Buzzy Northern ’73 had a great time celebrating Dan Savage’s 70th birthday. Pictured here at the Greenbriar: Buzzy Northern, Dan Savage ’73, Mont Gaylord ’73, and Dave Clough ’73.

2. Ed Fox ’80 continues to play and coach ultimate frisbee and competes internationally.

3. Suzie King Kornblum ’87 has accepted the position of executive director at Concord Children’s Center, in Massachusetts. She loves her work, and here is photographic evidence of that.

4. Will Johnson ’89 works as a professional staff member on the Armed Services Committee in the

U.S. House of Representatives. In conjunction with this work he reconnected with fellow alum Harry Ludeman ’04 in Tajikistan.

5. Rachel Burgess Yost ’01 welcomed identical twin boys in November 2024.

6. Talley King Paulding ’02 married Austin Paulding on Nov. 9, 2024, at Second Baptist Church, followed by a reception at CCV.

7. Mary Beth Farhi ’05 welcomed her third son, Henry Tensen Farhi, Oct. 31, 2024. Mary’s family now lives in Pensacola, Florida.

Brussels, Belgium, Luxembourg, Ireland, Germany, Punta Cana, Mexico City, Paris, and Cancun. I am in my last year on The W&M Alumni Association Board, currently serving on the Executive Committee and F&I Committee. I recently joined the William & Mary Foundation: 1693 Partners Fund Board. I serve as Treasurer of The New York State Society of the Cincinnati and serve as their Investment Committee Co-chair. In addition, I have been asked to join the General Society of The Cincinnati’s Investment Committee.

“My daughter, Lexi (14), is in 8th Grade and swims year-round for the Hanover Hurricanes and on the Oak Knoll high school team. She also sings in the school’s choir and show-choir.

“A little over a year ago, our family adopted a sweet goldendoodle we named Georgia, in honor of my father.”

1998

Paul Roper, brother of Hart Roper ’96 and Ann Roper Bowen ’01, died Dec. 17, 2024.

2001

Rachel Burgess Yost welcomed identical twin boys in November 2024.

2002

Talley King Paulding married Austin Paulding on Nov. 9,

2024, at Second Baptist Church, followed by a reception at CCV. Bridesmaids included fellow grads from the Class of 2002, and many other Cougars attended.

2004

Lauren Hurst Glazier writes, “As a proud member of the Collegiate School family, my husband, Dr. Thomas Glazier, is excited to announce the opening of Glazier Implants + Periodontics in Richmond. A board-certified periodontist and VCU alumnus, Dr. Glazier offers personalized care in dental implants, gum grafting, periodontal disease treatment, and leads teams in complex comprehensive smile reconstruction. Recognized as a Top Periodontist in Richmond

Magazine from 2016 to 2022 and as a SuperStar Dentist in 2025, he is committed to enhancing smiles and enhancing lives.”

2005

Mary Beth Farhi welcomed her third son, Henry Tensen Farhi, Oct. 31, 2024. Mary’s family now lives in Pensacola, Florida.

2006

Katie Bo Lillis is publishing her first book, Death of a Racehorse, with Simon & Schuster, in May 2025. The book explores doping in thoroughbred horse racing.

Rilee Harman writes, “Ian Smith, Billy Stinson, and I were all lifers from the Class of 2006. We grew up together and stayed close after graduating from Collegiate. Fast forward to today, the three of us are business partners — having acquired three longstanding, local Irrigation and Landscaping businesses that not only do work for many members of the Collegiate community, but also work directly for Collegiate (we helped install and maintain Caleb Wharton’s memorial garden and planted the maple memory tree a couple years ago in the same area).

“These businesses — Terra Forma Landscaping, Robbins Landscaping, and Miller Irrigation — have all been around in the community for more than 20 years, and we feel immense pride and responsibility carrying them forward. We even recently hired another Collegiate grad, David Hugo ’18. And, to add to it, Billy and I both have children in JK and 1st Grade!”

1. Libby Rosebro Chriss ’09 welcomed a baby boy, Blair Carlson Alevizatos Chriss, July 4, 2024.

2. Cassie Wagner Rawles ’11 transitioned into residential real estate after a decade in commercial appraisals. Cassie, specializing in the Richmond market, joined SRMF and quickly earned Rookie of the Year and top producer status.

3. Akum Dhillon ’20 was selected as a U.S. Fulbright Fellow to the UAE, researching modifiable risk factors for Alzheimer’s and dementia in the MENA region.

4. Marielle Cottrell ’13 got engaged to Cameron Smith on Tybee Island in July 2024.

5. Sydney Cardozo ’14 got engaged to partner Brendan Gleason.

6. Chrissy Thexton Chappell ’11 welcomed her first child, Henry, in December 2024.

7. Drew Cornell ’15 married Caroline Marscheider at The Cavalier in Virginia Beach on Sept. 6, 2024. There were many Collegiate classmates in attendance.

2009

Libby Rosebro Chriss welcomed a baby boy, Blair Carlson Alevizatos Chriss, July 4, 2024. “Big brother Bo is obsessed with him,” Libby writes.

2010

C.C. Hunter is a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in Richmond pursuing a Psychiatric NP degree at UVA. C.C. plans to open a mental health clinic, Richmond Resilient Roots, in the summer of 2025. In addition to all this, C.C. will be getting married in Charlottesville in September.

2011

Chrissy Thexton Chappell welcomed her first child, Henry, in December 2024.

Mary Lynne Schmohl Hamilton, sister of Trey Schmohl ’15, died Jan. 2, 2025.

IN MEMORIAM

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

Cassie Wagner Rawles transitioned into residential real estate after a decade in commercial appraisals. Cassie, specializing in the Richmond market, joined SRMF and quickly earned Rookie of the Year and top producer status.

2013

Marielle Cottrell got engaged to Cameron Smith on Tybee Island in July 2024. The wedding is planned for October 2025 and will be held in coastal Georgia.

2014

Sydney Cardozo is finishing up her first year of general surgery residency at UNC. She also got engaged to partner Brendan Gleason.

2015

Drew Cornell married Caroline Marscheider at The Cavalier in Virginia Beach on Sept. 6, 2024, with many 2015 classmates in attendance.

O. Deborah Afolayan worked as an assistant editor on “Clarence and Ginni Thomas: Politics, Power and the Supreme Court,” which won a Peabody Award and an Emmy.

2020

Akum Dhillon was selected as a U.S. Fulbright Fellow to the UAE, researching modifiable risk factors for Alzheimer’s and dementia in the MENA region.

2021

Adam Nimaga , son of Mary Catherine Stagg Nimaga ’85; brother of Miriam Nimaga ’21; nephew of Elizabeth Stagg ’88, died Oct. 31, 2024.

Paul Aldred, former head chef of the Middle and Upper School, died Oct. 4, 2024.

Betty Hatcher, mother of James Hatcher III ’80; grandmother to Thomas Hatcher ’12, Samuel Hatcher ’13, and Joshua Hatcher ’24, died Oct. 15, 2024.

Jacob Baldwin, who attended Collegiate but graduated from James River High School, died Oct. 16, 2024.

Violette Bottoms, mother-in-law of former 2nd Grade assistant Lee Bottoms; grandmother of Laura Bottoms Mattal ’97 and Scott Bottoms ’01, died Oct. 18, 2024.

Priscilla Garrant, sister of facilities employees James Garrant and Jesse Garrant, died Oct. 23, 2024.

Laurel McGeorge, mother of Greg McGeorge ’01; motherin-law to Jeannie Costin McGeorge ’06 and Kevin McGeorge ’03; grandmother of Rory McGeorge ’35 and Kit McGeorge ’37, died Oct. 26, 2024.

Harold Thaxton, Jr., father of Chandler Klevana ’91, fatherin-law to Leighton Klevana ’87, and Willam Thaxton ’98; grandfather of Elizabeth Klevana ’19 and Leighton Klevana ’21, died Oct. 27, 2024.

John Porter, father of Trustee Cheairs Porter; grandfather

of Jack Porter ’27, William Porter ’29 and Lillian Porter ’32, died Oct. 31, 2024.

Thomas Williamson III, father of former Lower School teacher

Pamela Lowe; grandfather of Douglas Williamson ’17, Wescott Lowe ’18, Carter Lowe ’20, and Katherine Williamson ’21, died Nov. 11, 2024.

Ann Staples, former 3rd Grade teacher, died Nov. 15, 2024.

Carole Elliott Wiley, stepmother of Suzanne Wiley Van Orden ’77 and James Wiley III ’82, died Nov. 15, 2024.

John Holden, brother of Lower School 1st Grade teacher Beth Wilson, died Nov. 11, 2024.

Molly Negus, mother of Kyleigh Negus ’16 and Sid Negus ’18; daughter-in-law of Lucy Negus ’55; sister-in-law of Tyler Negus Snidow ’80, died Nov. 17, 2024.

Martha Nickless, grandmother of Rob Garnett ’98, died Nov. 27, 2024.

Jeri Bell, grandmother of Lily Gumenick ’18, died Dec. 3, 2024.

Joseph Monk, father of Development Office employee Mavora Monk Donoghue ’96; grandfather of Elizabeth Donoghue ’28 and Claire Donoghue ’30, died Dec. 4, 2024.

IN MEMORIAM

Robert Black, parent of Patty Black Barnhardt ’75 and Rob Black ’79; served on the Board of Trustees from 1973 until 1985 and was Chairman from 1974-1976, died Dec. 5, 2024.

Augusto Zavatti, father of Middle School Spanish teacher Daniela Guzman, died Dec. 5, 2024.

Harold Lester, grandfather of Michael Warker ’17 and Katie Warker, died Dec. 7, 2024.

Jane Londrey, grandmother of Jed Londrey ’16 and 2nd Grade teacher Sarah Copeland; great-grandmother of Ann Douglas Copeland ’37, died Dec. 8, 2024.

Gerald Kaplan, father of Communications employee Ellie Lynch; grandfather of Lauren Lynch ’18 and Gwen Lynch ’20, died Dec. 16, 2024.

Stuart Trope, mother of Edward Trope ’06, died Dec. 27, 2024.

James Davia, grandfather of Laura Davia Kistler ’12 and Brian Davia ’14, died Jan. 2, 2025.

Richard Fabian, father of employee Patty Sinkler, died Jan. 5, 2025.

Judge James Kulp, father of Christopher Kulp ’84 and Scott Kulp ’88; grandfather to Mabry Kulp ’17, James Kulp ’21, Georgia Kulp ’22, and George Kulp ’24, died Jan. 12, 2025

Joanna Brennan, wife of former Trustee John Brennan; mother of Joseph Brennan ’78, Charlie Brennan ’81, and Chris Brennan ’84; grandmother to Marnie Brennan ’17, Christopher Brennan ’19, and Patrick Brennan ’22, died Jan. 13, 2025.

Aaron Cuffee, uncle of Aaron Atkins ’26, Bryson Atkins ’28, and Brielle Atkins ’31, died Jan. 15, 2025.

CONTINUED

William Nolley, father of Ashton Nolley ’79, died Jan. 19, 2025.

Mary Pease Fleming, mother of Kate Fleming Parthemos ’71, Conway Fleming Saylor ’73, Martha Fleming Moore ’75, Mimi Fleming McCully ’77, Rives Fleming ’83, and Ellen Fleming Dougherty ’84; grandmother to Pearson Moore French ’05, Chris Parthemos ’06, Emily Moore ’10, Rives Fleming ’14, Ellie Fleming ’16, Katie Fleming ’18, and Mary Grace Fleming ’20; and mother-in-law of Suzanne Fleming, died Jan. 20, 2025.

Barbara Buell, grandmother to Ben Buell ’15 and Greer Buell ’19, died Jan. 21, 2025.

Frank Kish, grandfather of Mary Katherine Kish ’14 and David Kish ’17, died Jan. 21, 2025.

Mary Watt New, grandmother of Mason New ’27, died Jan. 21, 2025.

Pauline Hill Trent, mother of facilities employee Arlean Johnson and motherin-law of facilities employee AJ Johnson, died Jan. 22, 2025.

Richard Cocke, husband of Susan Malbon Cocke ’57, father of Mary Stuart Cocke Battle ’84 and, Michael Iris ’85, stepfather to Jane Malbon Abbe ’84, stepgrandfather to Ryan Dunlap ’09, and Liza Abbe ’20, died Jan. 23, 2025.

Jesse Huish, husband of private music instructor Deborah Huish, died Jan. 24, 2025.

David Long, father of Kay Long-Martin ’87 and Diane Long Cafritz ’88; grandfather of Hugh Cafritz ’22 and Macy Cafritz ’23; brother-in-law of Beth Long ’60, died Jan. 28, 2025.

Allan Lane, father of Physical Plant employee Noah Lane, died Feb. 2, 2025.

Joseph Viverette, father of Bill

Viverette ’85, grandfather to Courtney Viverette ’13, Steele Viverette ’18, and Jake Viverette, died Feb. 11, 2025.

Lois Woodhouse, grandmother of Sadie Woodhouse ’20 and Matthew Woodhouse ’23, died Feb. 13, 2025.

Debbie Miller, former Head of Lower School; mother to Brent Miller ’98 and Alan Miller ’04; grandmother to Annie Miller ’30 and Henry Miller ’32, died Feb. 16, 2025.

Betty Featherston, mother to Spencer Featherston Kirkmyer ’82 and Trip Featherston ’87; mother-in-law to Kate Featherston; grandmother to Ginnie Featherston ’21 and Ellie Featherston ’25, died Feb. 18, 2025.

ALUMNI

Elise Huffaker Maloy ’40

Barbara Amole Smith ’49

Louise Nemecek ’52

Carter Braxton Brenaman ’54

Elizabeth Temple Downs ’54

Ann Huxley Reed ’56

Dorothy Ewing Ferrell ’57

Mary Kennon McDaniel ’61

Dorothy ‘Dottie’ McDowell Adams ’66

Lee Coleman ’68

Janette Shaw Coleman ’69

Diane French Ward ’70

James Cochrane, Jr. ’71

Dorothy ‘Boo’ Gentil ’72

Ellen Hatcher Hamner ’72

Paul Roper ’98

Mary Lynne Schmohl Hamilton ’11

Adam Nimaga ’21

These notices were received as of Feb. 18, 2025. 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.

TEACHER’S TAKE

Dr. Will Dunlap

Building from a collegiate background in cello performance, English Department Chair Dr. Will Dunlap now plucks the strings of a different instrument — the minds of young English scholars. Though the subject was not always at the forefront of his mind, the self-defined “perfectionist” now allows himself to experiment with and enjoy English as a means to explore the media and technology that engulfs students daily. “Fundamentally, English is about what it means for a human being to have a voice,” says Dr. Dunlap, who approaches class each day with the goal of teaching students how to express their lived experience with eloquence and authenticity. Beyond the classroom, his role as Department Chair entrusts him to craft “curricular alignment between divisions,” ensuring that a student’s progression throughout their time at Collegiate is interconnected and fluid. As a current member of his Reading and Writing Film elective and former advisee, I have witnessed firsthand the precision and care with which Dr. Dunlap — armed with dry humor, close interpersonal connections, and a willingness to heed student perspectives — guides student success. Dr. Dunlap sat down with Spark to discuss the ever-changing environment of the English classroom and the unassuming life lessons students can draw from textual analysis.

By James Galgano ’25

SPARK TALKS WITH UPPER SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHER

Dr. Will Dunlap

They are inventing and reinventing themselves all the time. What else can I do? What else can I be?

Being around students like that, I am reminded to do the same, and never settle for the present.”

What parts of your environment at Collegiate allow you to thrive as a teacher?

It’s mainly the level of inspiration and support I can draw from the people around me. I’ve been mentored in various ways by so many fellow teachers over the years, inspired by their variances in approach, their openness to new ideas, their senses of humor. With my students, I constantly see the power — and, really, necessity — of evolution and reinvention. They are inventing and reinventing themselves all the time. What else can I do? What else can I be? Being around students like that, I am reminded to do the same, and never settle for the present.

What do you think is the biggest challenge in English teaching right now, and how do you work to address it within your classroom?

I think the common consensus is artificial intelligence. As teachers, we are constantly pushing against shortcutting the important pieces in learning how to analyze and understand texts. So, really, I think the primary challenge is maintaining the attention span of our students: how to look closely at things, at language and character, and fight the urge to speed up that slower process of looking and thinking just because we can. In short, taking time with texts and the writing process. We all have to learn to slow down and use the tools we have to support learning, not stagger it.

You teach classes through so many different mediums — literature, film, generative AI technology, to name a few. What is the value of each of these tools in the English curriculum, and why do you choose to teach electives that fall outside traditional English classroom structure?

I’ve only ever taught a class because I’m following my own interests, so it’s hard for me to say that there’s a grand plan at stake or that I’m making choices about what I teach in a top-down kind of way. However, I think there are similar components in every medium that I teach; whether looking at scene composition in film or the generative structure of artificial intelligence, you can draw out the same concepts and skills. By looking at a wide range of texts, it allows students to approach every piece of media in their life with a level of scrutiny and critical analysis. I don’t see these classes as falling outside of any particularly traditional struc-

ture, since my attention, regardless of course title or focus, is ultimately on close reading, on narrative structure, on authorial voice and identity.

I talked with you last year as a part of a piece on how “School Ruins the Joy of Reading.” How has the approach to teaching literature changed in the modern age with increases in time spent on social media, watching television, or even with the birth of platforms like ChatGPT?

The biggest change to the English classroom is the influx of new media to look at, which I think comes as a result of cultural revolution. The canon has fundamentally changed. There’s so much for me, and all teachers, to choose from when it comes to what and how we analyze in a classroom. I don’t know whether that’s better or worse for students as they enter college, but it certainly creates classrooms with more intellectual diversity, their students having experienced and adopted many different literary studies. The world around us has expanded, and so too has the English classroom.

How do you think or hope a student’s perspective on English, literature, film, the technology that surrounds them, or even the larger world, changes as a result of your class?

As cheesy as it sounds, I truly believe that the narratives which we discuss in English class can be applied to any life experience. We all want to give our lives shape, be curious, and fill our time with worthwhile endeavors. There is real value in recognizing that while we often believe our lives ascend like a staircase before plateauing mid-way through our careers, there are always still so many paths to follow. When we exist in the lived reality of archetypal story structures, we are able to recognize that we have control to move from plateaus by paying attention to the small things. The narrative of any novel or film does not end at the midpoint, and neither does the story of your life.

103 North Mooreland Road Richmond, Virginia 23229

no other way to get in the holiday spirit. And we like it that way.

Driving down Lansing Lane to the sound of whistles and screams is quite the wake up call at seven in the morning. But how else would you know that Brunch is nearly upon us? There’s