Issuu

T H E P A T H

2301 Trent Road New Bern, NC 28562

2201 Henderson Avenue New Bern, NC 28560

252.638.0122

www.epiphanyglobalschool.org

Head of School

David Wang

Assistant Head of School and Director of Global Education

Sandra Haddock

Director of Admissions

Molly Ostmann

Director of Athletics

Matt James

Director of Development

Julia Connolly

Director of Finance

Nancy Coughlin

Director of Lower School

Calah Ronzheimer

Director of Marketing

Regina Ruisi

Director of Middle School

Dr Morgan James

Director of Spiritual Life

Kirk Ronzheimer

Director of Upper School

Ryan Seeger

Director of Technology

Bobbi Jo Kelly

Wanttobefeaturedinfutureissues? Sendinyour storyideas,travelphotosandalumniupdatesto MollyOstmannat mostmann@epiphanyglobalschoolorg

The Epiphany School of Global Studies, anchored in the Judeo-Christian commandment of Love God and Your Neighbor as Yourself, is a comprehensive college preparatory and globally-focused school that inspires students to devote themselves to our core values of respect, responsibility, service, and integrity.

F R O M D A V I D ' S D E S K

Hello, Epiphany!

As the hot days of July ramble on to the start of the new school year, I am excited for this issue of The Path. This edition contains stories that focus on the importance of "intention," our ministry for the previous school year. Hannah and Katie, recent graduates of Epiphany and two of our newest alumni, share wonderful stories of how their experience at Epiphany highlights the purposeful ways we strive to educate students. Likewise, Madison Hearne's journey since graduation reminds us of the importance of family and how mysterious life can be, often times moving us to destinations we never imagined. I am always eager to see what our graduates learn and achieve!

The upcoming year marks Epiphany's twentieth year as a school What an accomplishment! We are excited to celebrate this amazing milestone with activities and events throughout the year We have so much to be grateful for at Epiphany. As Head of School, I have the pleasure of working with Epiphany’s Board of Trustees, the governing body of the school, which

sets the strategic vision for our school's future One of the important steps that our Board takes is an annual review of our mission. They make sure that Epiphany offers programs and opportunities that align with the mission. When you glance at the opposite page, you will notice a new version of Epiphany's mission, one that the Board worked diligently to accurately reflect what is important at Epiphany. I am grateful for their work to clarify what is most dear to us as a school. Their intention with this process is a tremendous step of growth, and I am excited by this update.

As we begin the new school year in August, it is only fitting that the ministry for the 2025-2026 academic year will be "Joy." I hope you can join us in the coming year to celebrate Epiphany and its many achievements. Perhaps it will be at a basketball game, a Talent Show, or a Lower School Gathering. Regardless of the moment, please know that you are always welcome at Epiphany Here's to a year full of joy and wonder. Enjoy The Path! Peace,

David Wang Head of School

Family, Jewelry, and the Art of Intention

By Madison Hearne ‘16

When I graduated from Epiphany in 2016 and jetted off to Rhode Island to start my freshman year of college, I had the typical “young-buck” attitude that I am NEVER moving back to New Bern… Four years later, I graduated from college right about the same time covid made the world stop spinning. Despite my dreams and desires to move to New York City as a young 21-year-old with few responsibilities, COVID times had other plans for me. Against my wishes, I

packed my bags and headed back to my hometown of New Bern, North Carolina. After a few weeks of realizing that COVID was not going to be a quick fix, I decided to move back in with my parents and to work for their family business, Hearne’s Fine Jewelrysomething I also swore I would never do - but, I needed the money and assumed it would be a temporary job. Little did I know the significance of this unintentional journey and the way it would shape my entire career and life.

Nearly five years have passed since I started working at Hearne’s Fine Jewelry, the store my grandparents opened in downtown New Bern in 1972. For the last five years, I have had the privilege of working every single day alongside both my dad and my grandma Not only have I had the chance to learn the ins and outs of our business from them directly, but I have witnessed first hand the amount of intention and love that they put into every single aspect of this business. From helping customers with a ten dollar watch battery or a 10,000 dollar diamond ring, they truly treat each and every customer who walks through our doors with the same attentiveness and care- despite who they are or what they are buying Our intention with every customer is to make their day better because they chose to come see us. We always want the customer to leave happy and satisfied, to feel like they are now a part of our family. Customers that my grandparents sold wedding bands to in the 1970s are now bringing in their children and grandchildren to shop with us. There are not only three generations of Hearnes working in the store, but also three generations of customers choosing to let us be a part of their family's jewelry for over 50 years. While our quality and product is definitely unmatched in the area, I solely believe that we have been around

for so many years because of our commitment to customer service and our determination to build relationships with our customers.

Jewelry is a very unique and exciting industry to work in Aside from the altogether sparkle and beauty jewelry brings, it also offers sentiment that many tangible things do not. On a daily basis, we get to work with customers who are buying a ring to mark the start of their forever commitment to someone, we are selling a watch to someone who is celebrating their

grandson’s graduation from law school, we are helping a woman who lost her spouse repurpose her wedding set- the list goes on and on. In a world of disposable things and constant trends, jewelry is one of the few things that lasts forever Jewelry itself is intentional!

Like any job, working in jewelry let alone any retail store is not always glamorous. Despite our best efforts, sometimes we do not impact each and every one of our customers the way we hope to However, the key is to always try. Try to make a customer happy, try to care the way my grandpa Mickey cared when he opened up our doors in 1972, try to always be intentional - no matter what. I have fallen in love with a

career I never knew I wanted because the way I grew up, I was taught to take care of people, to open the door for those with a walker, stroller or crutches, to treat everyone with kindness and respect and to always try to put a smile on someone’s face When your career tasks align with your core values, it's a no-brainer you will thrive and excel in the workplace. From a New Bern native who vowed to never move home, I now vow to never move away again. New Bern is magic; it's a community of kind, loving people with mom and pop family businesses just like ours. I am so blessed to live in such a special “honeyhole,” and I am even more blessed to get to spend every single day pouring love and joy into our business alongside my family.

Campus Scenes

Traditions, fun, and intention continue on both of Epiphany’s campuses!

Fourth Grade Colonial Day with Camp Flintlock

Cheerleading finished with a silver medal in the medium varsity cheer music nontumbling division

Feast of Epiphany kings

The Fifth Grade Falcon News Team visits WCTI

NHS at Empty Bowls

Lower School Grandparents’ Day

Science Olympiad JV placed 1st and Varsity placed 7th in the ECU Region Matthew and Sam qualified for States!

The Class of 2025's Love in Action travels to a new location: Peru

Twin Rivers Young Authors Writing Contest

Trent Campus Spring musical, "Let it Be: A Celebration of the Music of The Beatles "

Get Pumped: The Heart and Hustle of Student Senate

By Hannah Van Dyke ‘25

Student Senate at Epiphany is different from any other student government. While Mr. Seeger is a great advisor, he intentionally leaves everything up to the students. The students do everything from the planning to the execution of events. Pep rallies, dances, Spirit Week, Steeplechase, Sixth Grade Game Night, Countdown to Christmas, powderpuff, and so much more. These events are planned by students, not teachers, not parents, but students. What an amazing opportunity for us to learn how to plan, set up for, and run these events! It was an honor to run

these events for the past five years, and I fell in love with the process.

At Epiphany, there are class Senators per grade level, starting in the seventh grade. They are elected by their own classmates. Then, there are four executive officers (President, VicePresident, Treasurer, and Secretary) who are elected by the entire student body. Election time at the end of the year is always stressful, but to be part of an elite group of Epiphany students, you have to win the election. Then, at the beginning of the next school year,

the new Senate meets for its first official time The task of Senate is to improve the cu and climate of Epiphany.

A good Senator is someone wh willing to put the time and e into events. Be early and stay Think out the details down to smallest decoration. Build an E Tower out of PVC pipes

Homecoming. Get whipped cr and cheeseballs on your face in the rain for a Steeplechase video. Come

early to school to prepare for a Morning Challenge in Gathering. Adjust your schedule to make a video for Senate. Yes, we did a lot in Senate, and yes, we worked hard, but we also had a good time and enjoyed a good payoff, which was to have fun alongside our classmates

During my Tenth Grade year, while I was Treasurer, we decided that we were going to host the Homecoming Dance in the gym for the first time (at least since

2012, according to Mr. Seeger). All dances before had been in the dining Hall or Rear Foyer. To prove to everyone that the gym was not too big for our 100-person dance, we spent countless hours planning the logistics and setting up in the gym to make our vision come to life When the first group of girls walked into the gym, wide-eyed and open-mouthed, and said this was the dance of their dreams, I considered everything worth it To provide an experience that others

appreciate was my goal, even if the work went unacknowledged.

If I had to choose one thing at Epiphany that has prepared me the most for my future, then I would choose Student Senate This organization taught me how to collaborate with others in a group as both a learner and a leader,

taught me how to plan, advertise, set up, and take down events, and taught me to think creatively and adjust to sudden changes. I appreciated my time on Senate because there were so many opportunities to serve my classmates, serve my school, and give back to those who have given me everything. My time as a Senator increased my confidence and allowed me to reach and connect with more people. As a younger Senator in Middle School, I would observe and learn from previous Presidents and older Senators Back then, I worked hard as a Senator, but still had no intention of running for an executive position when I got to Upper School. As I grew up at Epiphany, I took those chances, ran for executive positions, and won. Going from learning how to be a Senator in Middle School to leading the Senate as President my senior year has been a very transformative experience for me.

As Mr Seeger always told me: “It doesn’t just happen. You make it happen.” It takes a team to get things accomplished. To have a great team, it takes communication, participation, energy, and passion. I have tried my best to serve those who have shaped me. I am thankful for everyone who has been on this journey with me I will forever be grateful for the impact you have had on my life. Remember we can accomplish anything with a good vision and hard work, but ultimately we really do need community, and that is what Epiphany and Senate have given me.

Second Annual Alumni Reunion

December 18, 2024

Señor Hearne’s Pancakes

Ingredients

For Pancake Mix

1 ¼ Cups Self Rising Flour

1 ¼ Cups of Milk

1 Egg Splash of Oil

For Syrup

½ Cup of Sugar

½ Cup of Brown Sugar

½ Cup of Water

Instructions

For pancakes, mix all ingredients virorously with a whisk. Pour deisred amount onto a lightly greased skillet over low to medium heat. When the batter bubbles on the surface, flip with a spatula and cook through.

For syrup, bring ingredients to a boil until desired thickness.

Stack pancakes, pour on the syrup and eat with gusto. Have a glass of cold milk handy. Provecho!!!!

Fueled by Intention: A Journey from Illness to Impact

By Katie Myers ‘25

In 2022, just after my 15th birthday, I was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, instantly changing my life forever. Similar to Epiphany’s theme this year, "intention," I felt that there was a reason why God put me in this battle with cancer, and my intention was to find a way to help others in similar situations So, after my last major surgery, I founded Roads to Remission, a nonprofit organization aimed at helping other children battling terminal illnesses

Throughout my own journey with .

cancer, I found that having an illness so scary not only affects you physically and emotionally but also financially. Not only is there the financial burden of medical bills, but also the burden of travel expenses that are often overlooked. Fortunately, my family had good insurance, and I was able to obtain any treatment that was necessary to help heal me. One thing that insurance didn’t cover was travel-related expenses, which impacted my family, as we had to travel five hours round trip for each of my appointments at Duke Children’s Hospital. This need is what

inspired me to create Roads to Remission.

With the goal of easing the financial burden travel brings for families with children battling serious illnesses, Roads to Remission provides gas cards so that they can get to and from their necessary appointments. A $100 gas card may seem small, but it ensures that no parent has to choose between paying for travel costs or securing lifesaving care for their child

Over the past two years, I’ve organized groups of volunteers and hosted fundraising events for Roads to Remission, raising over $11,000 and supporting over 50 children with cancer at Duke Children's Hospital, UNC Health, and ECU Health. Seeing parents’ expressions of relief when we give gas cards, and the immense joy I

feel when I receive news of successful treatment for the kids we’ve supported, is what helps me continue to fight my battle every day. Cancer has by far been the most challenging season of my life Despite this obstacle, I know it has been the time I’ve been able to help the most people.

Through the intention of giving back and helping others battling cancer, I’ve found my passion. Attending UNC Chapel Hill this fall, I intend to continue my journey with Roads to Remission while studying Business Administration with a minor in Business of Health. There, I will continue to learn and grow my nonprofit to help as many children with cancer as possible.

If you’d like to learn more about Roads to Remission or make a donation to our cause, visit our website at https://www.roadstoremission.com

W h e r e i n t h e

W o r l d i s F r e d d y F a l c o n ? 1

2 3 4 5

1. Tucker ‘24 on a mission trip in Guatemala

2. Madeline ‘32, Emily ’30, Nathan ‘29, Luke ‘28, Liz ’31, John ’30, and Caroline ‘32 on the Family Italy Trip in Lido di Venezia and in the Adriatic Sea

3. Brody ‘34 and Abigail ‘29 on the USS North Carolina

4. Winn ‘32 and Kennedy ‘29 in Chicago

5. Weston ‘31 and Sloane ‘33 in Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico